Grandpa JIM comes to Chicago

This trip had been in the works for a long time.  Grandpa Jim had been working on the famous airplanes for sometime but when conversation would come up about how they would be hung at each of our houses we all got pretty nervous.  So it was decided - Grandpa Jim needed to come to Chicago to take matters into his own hands!  What a visit we had!!!  Since Grandpa left a few days ago Will has said his name "Daddy Jim" "Bob Bob Jim" "Jim" over and over and over.  The big joke is we say "Who let you eat their chips" and Will screams "JIM!!!!"  He thinks it so funny.

The weekend was jam packed with projects, yummy meals, dot dot paint, dress up and trips to the park.  It will be a weekend we will remember forever - wonderful memories that we will cherish forever.  Thank you Grandpa for making the trip to Chicago - I love you so much!

Busy doing Dot Dot Paint with MoMo while the plane was being worked on.  Dot Dot Paint was a huge HUGE hit - Thanks mom!

Very Serious about his Dot Dot!

Plane construction - all the way from CT

Will wanting to be a part of the whole thing!

Lunch Break - Grandpa Jim gave Will some chips.  I think this look is "Hey Jim where did the chippas go?"

Grandpa Jim Ageless, Will 21 Months

Tessie taking full advantage of her two little ankle bitters!!

Only my Grandpa would sit at this tiny table to help Will with Dot Dot - Priceless

Compete!!!!  An amazing piece of art

Who do you think worked on this Dot Dot??? 

21 Weeks - Baby Pope 2

My little helper would not look up - not for a yummy, not for a show on the computer, not for anything.  He would however stand next to me with the bribe of Peek A Boo Barn!  HAHA  I think Little Will could care less at the size of Mom's belly as long as there is still room for him on my lap I think he will be clueless :)  Fine by me!

Baby #2 - 19 Weeks, Will 20 Months

Baby #2 19 weeks, Will 20 Months
Will was clearing to busy for this photo - he had to take a quick call

My little baby boy is getting so big - 20 months!! He has turned into a little talker that has us laughing every minute of the day.  Here are a collection of just everyday goofy things!

Gap Boy with his hourly snack

Quick call before his run

Some game he makes Jason play which starts with laying on the kitchen floor
- not sure what the point is but he loves it

Just one of his many crazy outfits in the early am going to get Starbucks

Likes: Singing his ABC's, puzzles, A is for Apple video on you tube, apples, juice boxes, yummies (which is a gummy bear - he has had a total of 2 in his life), cookies (after visiting my parents house where he figured out where the stash was in the downstairs freezer), cho cho trains, going up and down play structures by himself, pumpkins, kitties, the moon, WATER (kid stays very hydrated), stickers, stroller with Elmo, putting on shoes and hats, babies and talking about mommies baby, ices (which is the pedialyte pop he had when he was sick)

Dislikes: Washing his hair, diaper changes, leaving any park or walking by any park without stopping, ending anything electronic that he might have been playing with (iPhone, iPad, mac book - kid is obsessed!)

30th Birthday with my buds

The weekend before the big birthday Chris, Mel and my buddies Tessie and Deccie (as Will calls them) came down to the city for an awesome morning.  We hit up the playground first.  Will and Tessa managed to get VERY dirty in the baseball diamond and Deccie carried around every golf ball in the ball bag.  Then we had an awesome lunch at John's place followed by Sweet Mandy B's.  A #1 spot for Melissa and me!!!  What a fun day we had.  The cousins love each other so much its so neat to watch.  Will was BONKERS he was so excited.  Basically screamed, sang and danced the whole lunch in excitement.  Lets just say thank goodness for outdoor seating!

Dirty dirty boy

My boys and their Cook Cooks

Making the big decision - cookie or cupcake.  We got both!

Checking out the cupcake window

Wills vacation at home

Jason and I had the most amazing weekend in Kholer for a early 30th birthday celebration/last get away til new baby gets here.  We had an AWESOME time but I am pretty sure Will had an even better time at home with his total BFF Da Bob Bob and Grandma.  Thank you mom and dad for watching Will - when we got home he basically starting crying looking for you guys :)

Dinner at The American Club

Proof we did get away :)

Will bossing Da Bob Bob around

Da Bob Bob's little helper

Most favorite new activity - building really long balance beams and walk down them

Annual Fall Trip to CT

This year our fall trip to CT came with MUCH MUCH MUCH anticipation.  Yes both Will and I had really been looking forward to a Shady Glen hot dog but the real excitement was EM AND JAMESY WHERE GOING TO BE THERE!!!!!!!!  Back from Ireland - Finally.  After 5 long months of waiting and talking about this trip it was finally here.

We had an awesome week.  We did so many fun things but the best times were just giving the boys baths together watching them swim all over each other, play cho cho trains, Will following Jamesy every move and the constant talking between Will and James.  James was so patient with Will.

First up was our trip to Johnny Apple Seed.  Will has talked about "Apples and Em" just about every day since going apple picking.  Apparently Em was the only one he really cared about on our outing and he is now VERY into apples.  We had yummy lunches at Shady Glen, a girls night outing to OG and EVERY store in Evergreen and lots of fun in the back yard.

Next year our fall trip will include two more!! WOW hard to believe but I have a feeling it will just keep getting better :)

Back together! Will 19 Months, James almost 2.5

Apples!!!

Grandma helping Will snatch an apple - which he would immediately eat

Framer!!!  Love this curly haired boy

Grandma and two (of three) of her boys

"James I can fit in there too - really I can"

Reading a book together.  So sweet

Laughing at some stupid noise I was making - at least someone liked it

Playing so well in the sandbox

My early 30th Thomas the Train party hosted by James!!

Party of 4? YES PLEASE!!

For all my readers out there (all 5 of you that actually already know this :) ) we have big news - we are expecting Baby Pope #2 Feb 25th 2013!!!

We are so super excited!!!  People keep asking if we have told Will yet and I kind of just laugh because he is still such a baby himself and wouldn't even get what we were telling him but it is crazy I think somehow he knows!  He looked right at me the other day at church and said "baby" - haha.   He has been super into talking about babies and pretending his animals are babies so who knows!  Maybe the little guy does know!  Needless to say we are in for the best adventure of our lives!

Will 19 Months, Baby Pope #2 15 weeks