The Boy with the Golden Hair (and bug zoo)

Loli's nephew calls Will the boy with the golden hair.  As soon as I saw this picture that totally came to mind.  The boy with the golden hair is actively taking care of rolly polly bugs.  We find 2-4 a day, put them in the bug zoo (courtesy of Aunt Leen), then fill the zoo with as much grass as Will can pull and a piece of raisin bread. 

The rolly pollies do like raisin bread.  Good thing since 2 of them usually get an entire slice to share.

Adding grass

Pointing to the rolly polly bug - poor thing is buried in the grass

Using bug tweezers to pick them up

The Scooter

 Will got this scooter for Christmas from Ahma and Bapa and this past week he has been riding it all the time.  When we were getting ready to go the store, I had to run back inside to get something, and Will asked if I would also get his scooter.  I thought about it as it would be hilarious to see him ride a scooter through Central Market, but I think I prefer him contained in the cart for now.

He can really go pretty fast on the scooter which he loves, but it also makes it so apparent that is be really becoming a little boy.  It's wonderful and a little sad at the same time.  I just love him as he is, and although each day seems to even better, it is sometimes hard to not want him to stay just the way he is today.

Riding his scooter with a stick

Stopping at Armando's house to see if he is home.  I think he looks a lot older than 2 in this picture.

Off he goes

Taking a break to look for rolly polly bugs

Little Painter

In recent posts, it seems like Will is getting less press. No worries, I am still madly in love with him as well, but currently he is not interested in photos. He is much more interested in jumping and climbing, and it is a little tough to hold Katie, manage him AND get some pictures... but I am working on it! He is hilarious these days with his favorite phrase now being "I know how to do it!" He knows how to paint as seen here painting Aunt Leen and Uncle Chuck's wall.  Apparently, he even knows how to drive my car. 

The other thing he says that I just adore is "it feels better."  If he falls, etc. once you kiss his hurt spot, he will say "I feel better" or "it feels better".  When I get bitten by mosquitoes (which happens way too often), he will say "I kiss it!" and after he does, he will tell me that it feels better.  And it actually does.

Her Serious Side

I like to think this is Katie's face when she wants to let us know she means business.  She looks so serious and yet so perfect.  I just adore those big blue eyes, button nose and sweet beautiful lips.  Her cheeks are so kissable!

I am so deeply and madly in love with her!

Maggie

 People always ask what the best things for babies are.  Typically they are looking for your favorite swaddle, baby monitor, etc.  However, I would have to answer that the best thing for a baby is a dog. 

Maggie is total entertainment for Katie.  She always smiles when she sees Maggie and she could sit and watch her for long periods of time. 

Additionally, Maggie cleans up everything a baby drops on the floor.  I mean EVERYTHING.  So really, it is a great thing for the parent as well.  No need for a splat mat!

Will still loves Maggie.  He likes to take her for walks inside the house and out, and just likes to have her around.  When she isn't around, he will ask about her.

Here is Will laughing at Maggie at the same age as Katie is now - almost 5 months old!

Blue Eyes

 Katie has these dreamy blue eyes.  They are such a pretty blue just like her Daddy's and I am really hoping they stay. 

I have a feeling (or maybe I'm just hopeful?) that they will stay because they are so sensitive to sun light.  When she is outside - even if she isn't facing the sun - and it is bright, she sneezes. 

Will had blue eyes at this age - his turned around 6 months - but he didn't sneeze in the sun.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Daddy's Girl

 Chad and Katie have really bonded. Chad is just so in love with his baby girl - it is so fun to watch. Yesterday he was holding her in his lap having her do some P90X Kenpo punches and she was loving it. I took these cute pictures of her from over Chad's shoulder.

I am super close to my dad and I hope that Chad and Katie can have a similar relationship.  There is something so special about the bond between a father and daughter.

Frozen Wemonade

 Will cannot pronounce his L's so we enjoy his requests for Frozen Wemonade.  He calls Loli "WoeWe" and my mom "Wuvey" instead of Lovey.  I love it, and while I want him to be able to say his L's, I will be sad when he actually does. 

Frozen Wemonade is the new flavor ice for Will.  He wants it all the time and cannot seem to get enough.  It is the best way for me to get pictures of him smiling.

Swimsuit Season

It's that time of year where it is time to try on swimsuits - especially since we are going to the beach this summer.  While I hate this process, I am thoroughly enjoying taking Katie through it for the first time.  We have a ridiculous number of swimsuits for her, so this morning I thought I would try on the first round to see how they fit.

I bought this bikini as a gift for a friend's daughter, but I decided to keep it in case we had a little girl.  I'm glad I did because she looks adorable in it!

She loves her feet!

Lobster!

Cherries

Curly Toes

 Katie curls the toes on her right foot.  Most of her pictures look like this.  Sometimes she will curl the left toes, but it usually the right.

So I went back and looked at pictures of Will, and he did the same thing!  I guess it is in the genes.  Something that seems so little and insignificant is somehow embedded in who they are. Things like this are really amazing to me.  

Pink Play Mat

 My friend Kristen is letting us borrow this awesome pink play mat, and Katie just loves it!  It is great as it contains her (for now!) and keeps Maggie out!  She just loves playing in here, and she will play with her toys and squeal while I make Will breakfast in the morning. 

Will often tries to climb in to join her, but today Katie had some alone time in it while Will was out stalking the garage trucks.  She is such a happy and sweet baby! 

Sticks and Stones

Will is really into rocks and sticks these days.  He loves walking down to our neighbors house and playing in the rocks.  Yesterday he told me he was going to sleep there.  He laid down, said "night night", laid down, rolled over, closed his eyes, and started snoring.  It didn't last long - probably because he was laying on one of his sticks.

Here he is with his favorite stick.  He uses this one to find roly poly bugs.  He usually finds me a much smaller stick to use to help him.

Collecting more sticks on our walk

Running to get another one.

This morning we visited the collection - in the middle of the sidewalk.

I asked him how many sticks he has.  He said "two".  He also thinks I am two years old.  Two is the magic number and the answer to all things numeric in his world.  I love it.

Fathers Day

 Chad had a nice and relaxing fathers day.  He enjoyed his gift over a week ago with tickets to the last Mavs game in town before they went to Miami to win the championship.  I'm pretty sure that gift will be hard to top next year!

Here is Chad with the two little ones that give him his title of Dad.  I love watching him make Will laugh and hearing his tone of voice shift completely to talk to his little girl.  He is so smitten with her.

The loves of my life

This fathers day we are missing Grandpa John.  Here he is celebrating fathers day in 2009 - Chad's first fathers day as a dad.

And here he is with Will and Chad when Will was 4.5 months (Katie's current age)

We all miss him terribly and still find it hard to believe he is no longer with us phyisically.  Luckily, he will always be with us in spirit.