What you do when you are 2.5 years old...

This past week, Wally turned 2 1/2 years old (Feb 12th to be exact). Since Wally and I were in Montana and Joel was in Iowa for Wally's 2nd birthday, Wally and I decided to have a 2.5 (said 2 point 5...we're scientists after all) birthday party with Daddy. It was rather spur of the moment. At 4:30 we jumped in the car and drove to the Dollar Store. There we got stuff for the birthday party...balloons. Everything is a dollar at that store, so we got a couple big helium balloons. One is even shaped like a monkey. Wally picked out some punching balloons that I wrapped for his present. We ran home and made some "heart cakes" and birthday cake. Wally helped with the sprinkles, so there were just as many sprinkles as brownies. He also decided we needed to put marshmellows in the brownies...they just leave big bubbles and kinda disappear...not necessarily recommended. While the cakes were baking, we decorated the kitchen with balloons. Dad was sure surprised when he came home! In honor of it being the first day of spring training (that is when the pitchers and catchers report to training camp), we had hotdogs. Wally was so excited to blow out the candles that we needed to do it twice to get pictures. We took a video, but I had been playing with the camera, so it was on time-lapse...therefore, very shotty worthless video! :(

Wally loves to help Mom cook.

It is hard to tell, but there are actually 2.5 candles on the cake

(#3 is pushed down really far)Wally, Daisy and the monkey balloonPunching balloons are super fun.

They don't hold up long to ballpoint pens though.For Valentine's Day, we had a romantic family outing to the Children's Museum. It is a great place for kids. Wally loves the ball room...a room full of all sorts of great games with golf balls. Wally loves the golf ball rollercoaster.
There is also a pretend farm for little kids. Here, Wally is watering and driving a tractor at the same time.
There is a large section of the museum dedicated to the ABCs. There is a felt tree that the kids can stick felt letters to. Wally only stuck "D Wally's" on the tree. A "D Wally" is commonly known as a "W." Here Wally is singing the ABC song into hollow tube phones. You can probably catch a few letters of the song.

Earlier in the week, Wally went to the dentist for the first time. I came armed with the camera, but he was so good and it went so fast, that I never got a picture. The night before we watched Youtube videos of kids going to the dentist. I think it really helped. He recognized the chair and many of the tools. The tech and the dentist were both great. They had names for each tool and let Wally touch them all before they used them. I have to say I felt like a gitty proud mommy. Here is a video of Wally brushing his teeth with his Thomas toothbrush that actually plays music. I don't remember having one like that when I was a kid!

After all of the fun of the week (and deciding that 2.5 year olds don't need naps), Wally was a little sleepy yesterday afternoon and fell asleep in my arms. It is still so sweet to hold a sleeping child. I wonder if my mom would think it was that great if I curled up in her arms...or maybe there is an age limit.

Wally and Joel-isms

My boys are unique, special, yet odd.

Yesterday we were eating lunch. Wally had a little hand held electric fan. He was playing with it and not eating, so Joel says, "Wally, if you keep playing with your toy and not eating, we will have to take it away." Wally looks at the fan, holds it out to me and says, "Take away." He gave me the fan and ate his lunch.

Today after church we were getting ready for lunch. I tried to get Wally to sit in his chair, but he said, "Nigh Nigh" and ran to his room. Usuallly he just plays while I finish eating my lunch, we read books and then he goes to sleep (without eating...yet another oddity of Wally...not obsessed with food). Today he then came out carrying his pillow and blanket and said again, "Nigh Nigh." Joel then got Wally's milk and took him to his room to read books. Joel was back right away...Wally just wanted to lay down and go to sleep! He's been sleeping ever since.

So, Joel and I were arguing about who was tougher. I said, "I'm obviously the toughest because I gave birth to your kid with a huge head!" Joel looks at me and said, "You tore...obviously you weren't tough enough." He really thought he had a good argument and couldn't understand why I got mad. Next time I'll let him give birth and see if he is tough!

Aye, my boys!

Here is a random picture I took recently of Moose and Daisy. This is how they spend their days. I've been playing around with the color settings on the camera, and think this one turned out kinda neat.

Like Father, Like Son

The weather was beautiful yesterday. We needed to get outside, so we went to Hickory Hill Park in town. The sun was shining and the snow was melting...wet sloppy mess that was enjoyed by all.

Hiking in Iowa is not like hiking in Montana...

If any of you ever questioned if Joel is Wally's daddy, I think these pictures will convince you that they are undoubtedly related.

We spent a long time just hanging out on a little bridge throwing ice in the water, strumming the rails with sticks to make music and just plain enjoying the sun. Wally and I also were on the look out for "baby trees." I had never noticed how many seeds one could find in the winter time. We sure found a lot...and had to show Daddy all of them. We were also blessed to see a cardinal. I don't think I will ever get used to seeing the bright red birds...they are just amazing against the white snow.

After dinner we did some painting...Wally loves painting. He learned that he could paint on one paper and then "squish" another on top of it to make, "one, two!" By the end of the painting session, he had probably 7 papers stuck together.

Becky Home Ecky...women's pants suck!

Today I was domestic. I actually brought out Mom's old sewing machine and sewed! It started out because I bought Wally a new swimsuit. It is one of those with the built in life jacket. His friend Sander has one and can swim all over the pool by himself. Wally gets mad because I won't let go of him. We tried out the new suit yesterday...total failure! It is way too big for the kid! So, today I sewed up the sides, between the legs, and on the shoulder straps. He might look kinda funny, but if it works, I will be very excited...and I'm sure he will be too.

While I had the sewing machine out, I decided to attack my jeans. Does anyone else have the problem that there aren't enough belt loops on women's pants to hold the belt in place in the back? It is so uncomfortable when the jeans slip below the belt! Why can't manufacturers put just as many loops on women's pants as on men's? I had some demin colored iron-on patches that I folded in half and ironed together. I then sewed them onto my pants for additional belt loops. Not exactly a professional job. My pants are so much more comfortable now! I still have one pair to go and have only broken 2 needles!

I'll report how the swim suit works later.

The Good People of Iowa

When Joel and I decided we were moving to Iowa, and would tell people this, those who spent any time in Iowa would always respond the same, "The people in Iowa are great!" We figured that is what you say about a place if there are no amazing mountains. This might be true, but in the case of Iowa, the people really are great! The most recent case in point occurred this past Friday night. It was Free Family Fun night at the mall (free carousel rides, free kids meals, free Children's museum...). Basically, mass chaos. We went with our friends Stacy and Sander and had already ridden the "roundy roundy" (aka carousel), eaten our free meals and were waiting in line for the Children's museum. No purse! In the craziness of rounding up 2-2 year olds, clearing our trash and migrating to the museum, I left my purse! I rushed back to our table. There were new people sitting there, so I interupted their chaotic meal to ask them if they had seen my purse. They hadn't, but immediately got up and started looking on the ground all around. I told them not to worry about it, but they asked me to describe it more and said they would keep a look out while they ate. I rushed to the info desk trying to make a list off all of the credit card companies I would have to call...I reached the desk, and saw it. What a relief. So, it's there, is it empty? The thought kept going through my head as I waited in line. Finally, the lady opened my wallet and saw my ID. I had it back. It was all there too. In all of that chaos, my purse could have easily become someone elses, but no, someone went out of their way to make sure that my life was that much easier and happier. I'm not saying this wouldn't happen elsewhere, but I think it is probably pretty common in Iowa.



On a different note, I was missing nature today (well, have been for quite a while). While Wally was in "school" today, I drove out to the lake. It was cold (24 degrees) and windy. I drove over to a spot that was under at least 10 feet of water last spring during the floods and sat by the river. I saw ducks in the water, a bald eagle circling above and ice fishermen near the shore. The air smelled so sweet and fresh. I then went to a little nature trail (shoveled of course because it is Iowa) dedicated to veterans of the area. It was nesseled down in a little valley that must have a small stream through it in the summer. At the far point of the trail was a bird observatory. Just a small wooden shed with small windows to peak through. On the other side of the windows, there were bird feeders. There was a box in the shed full of bird seed and an empty Folger's can with a sign asking to help keep the feeders full. I carried probably 10 cans full of food to the feeders. I wish I could have spent more time watching for the birds, but I had to get going. On the way back I saw 3 white tailed deer. It was so quite and peaceful. I need to get out there more often. Maybe I will take Wally later this week when it is to warm up.