Octopus for dinner

Auntie Andra sent me a picture of  a spaghetti/hot dog octopus that you can make for kids.  So, I spent 5 minutes sticking spaghetti into small pieces of hot dog and then boiled them.  Jackson loves each of these foods individually, so why not together?  Because who the wants to eat something that looks like an octopus?!?  He promptly ripped all the tentacles off and then ate the body.  I guess we shouldn't try to get fancy!

Puke Fest 2012

Last year brought us the advent of Shit Fest and this year brings us Puke Fest. It's in these moments that you really appreciate what parenthood is really about.....getting ready for a great day, only to go upstairs to find a very quiet Boozer covered head to toe in more than just pajamas.  So, we had our first bath of the day and then crawled into mommy & daddy's bed to watch Pooh. For the record, the smell permeates everything, so it was two more baths before his hair smelled like normal again.  I stayed home since we didn't want to take him to daycare, but he was totally fine for the rest of the day.  Mommy was the lucky one to come down with it on Sunday (which perhaps was just a quick way of getting bathing suit ready for when we head to Miami this week). 

Then on Saturday Boozer took to the froggy potty again, this time with iPad in hand to watch some Cars while we waited for him to tinkle on the toilet.  Success!

Even Rockers Need a Nap

This morning Jack and I went to see We Kids Rock at the Queen. He was having a great time clapping along, shaking the eggs and doing fist pumps......until he hit a wall during Puff the Magic Dragon. There were only a few songs left, but he did find a second wind to rock out to the last song.

Tinkle tinkle

Tonight Jackson grabbed his diaper and said "poop." There wasn't any, butI got out his potty and 10 mins later......

"Tinkle tinkle toot, he did it! Undies!"

Football Gnome

Jackson thinks that if he puts Daddy's hat on his head, then he is really a football player wearing a helmet.  This weekend, Daddy had to sit in the "stands" while Jackson kept diving around the floor with his football. 

Snow (and a small win)

On Friday night it snowed about an inch or two so we woke up to a bit of shoveling before we could go to music class.  Mommy decided she would suit Jackson up and take him outside while daddy did the hard work.  I wasn't sure what he would think of his snow boots (didn't mind them) and right before we went out the door, I tried to put a hat on thinking it would be a lost cause (as it normally is).  He must have been scared of what that snow would do to him, because he let me put on a hat and mittens!  We had a good time walking around the block and then helping daddy.

Making music

Jackson loves himself some music!  Whether it's on the computer, in the car, on the iPhone or a concert that daddy has taped on tv (this weekend we watched Queen), he is generally a fan of listening to and dancing to music. While we were in WI he got to play the keyboard with G-Pop and Uncle Aaron and the guitar with Grandpa Porter.

When we got back to Wilmington, Jackson started his weekly Saturday Classes at We Kids Rock.  It's a great combination of playing with balls, instruments, parachutes, clapping hands and stomping feet. 

Christmas 2011

Hard to believe it's already been a month since we were back in WI for Christmas, but life has been busy since the moment we got back (to make up for how lazy we were while home).  Here is a quick recap of our trip!

December 22: Wilmington
The night before we left for WI, we opened up some early Christmas presents from mommy, daddy, G-mommy Kate and G-daddy Phil.  It was a late night and then we still had to pack!

Monster hat from Gdaddy Phil

December 23 - 24: Brookfield
We flew into Milwaukee on Friday morning.  The big event for the day was to go visit the same santa at the Brookfield mall that Jackson met last year.  Success (although we didn't see Cousin Vinny this year)!  We hung out at Honey and G-Pop's house with Aunt Jamie & Uncle Aaron and had fun with static electricity.  On Christmas Eve morning, we got up and had a great breakfast and then did our Christmas, complete with Auntie Andra on skype. 

Jackson was totally chill with Santa

Auntie Jamie working Jackson's hair

Auntie Andra on Skype

Christmas Eve morning family photo

December 24-29: Chippewa Falls
On Christmas Eve afternoon, we drove to Chippewa.  We hung out with Grandma & Grandpa Porter and then Adam and I checked in at the hotel, as Jack was staying with G&G while we were there.  On Christmas morning we opened presents with G&G, Uncle Josh, cousin Jason and Grandma Great (Amundson).  Jackson had to take a nap inbetween opening all his presents!  Other highlights included meeting Greg, Alisa and Maya Telisak at the Children's Museum in Eau Claire.  It was a great place for Jackson at this age!  We also went to meet my cosuin Sandy for the first time.  Jackson also had lots of fun playing the "knee" with Grandpa Porter. 

Josh looking sinister with Daphne & Jackson as hostages

Black and Red clan

Maya taking Jackson on a date

Jackson & Sandy

This about sums up how nicely Jackson takes photos

Tomah: December 29-31

We then drove down to Tomah the day of my birthday.  Jackson opened his present - a 1938 Packard pedal car that Grandpa Bob restored.  Jackson loved it!  We'll wait for it to get warm and then Grandpa will ship it out to us so Jackson can terrorize the sidewalks of Wilmington.

Fast Jack trying out his Packard

December 31 - January 2:  Brookfield
Back to Brookfield on NYE.   We went to the Graf's first to see their boys and then had NYE dinner with Jenna and Bruce at Il Mito - delicious.  On New Years day, we had prime rib with Honey, Pop, Jamie and Arron at the house.  Then we flew home on the 2nd just in time to have Amanda and Paul over to watch the Rose Bowl.  Jackson was a saint on the plane and a devil from the gate to the car, go figure! 

Jackson couldn't get enough of playing the keyboard with Uncle Aaron

Cooperating for picture time for once!

More pictures here!

Words with Friends

While we were in WI for Christmas (stay tuned for that post - hopefully it will be done before next Christmas rolls around), we captured all of Jackson's current words.  This past week he has been putting the word "no" with a given word (e.g., "no Pooh").  It's a start!
Momma
Daddy
Dee or Deedee = Blanket
Nee = Guitar
Pop
Joe
Buzz = Buzz Lightyear
Elmu = Elmo
Meema = Monkey
Neena = Banana
Hada = Hot Dog
Boo = Boo from Monsters Inc
Poo = Winnie the Pooh
Undies
Outside
Blue
Purple
Melchk = Milk
Dag = Dog
Up
Down
Walk
Beep Beep = Car
Choo Choo = Train
No and oh no!
Mine
Book
Yeah Yeah = iPad
Ball, Baseball, Football
Meebaw = Meatball
Do = Shoe
More
Teet = Teeth and/or Toothbrush
Cheerio
Peece = Peas
-----------------
Bubbles
Apple
Chis = Cheese
Spu = Spoon and/or Fork
Happy
One
----------------
Beebee = Baby
Duck
Stuck
Yeeeeaaaaaa!
Uh oh
Eaaauuuwwww = Yuck