Life...

has taken us in a new direction since my last post & all good so far! Its been a busy, exciting time that I hope continues. Ruben started a new job in September & I got pregnant at the same time. After all those months of waiting & hoping for either or both to happen, it came all at once. Funny how life is like that. We feel very fortunate every day.

We had a great Christmas with Trey. Its strange to think it was our last one with just him. Hopefully by next Christmas, we'll have a bundle of joy to share it with us. I'm due May 21, 2011 with a boy. We knew Trey would be a big brother, but found out Dec. 20 that he will have a little brother. He's very happy about that & "can't wait for him to play trains with him". I told him that would take a little time!

Trey will turn 4 on Jan. 18! At times he seems 4 or 5, then he acts like a 2 yr old. He is still loving Thomas the train & his train table, but also loves the movie Toy Story 3 since last summer. He was Woody for Halloween. We plan to get him a Toy Story cake for his birthday, but he just told me he wants another Thomas cake! He is really stuck on Thomas.

We're very excited about the pregnancy and that everything is going well this time. I have been excited to be pregnant & especially so quickly, but also is a "wait & see" mode & taking it day by day. After the anatomy scan at 18 wks, I felt a big relief. But all last fall I felt anxious everyday that something would happen & still do at times. When I passed the point I was earlier this year (16 wks) that was reassuring too. We've told family, friends, & people at work, but on an individual basis. For about 3 wks now, I have felt him move around as flutters & thumps. Its getting stronger & more regular now, which is very comforting. Hoping this little guy hangs in there & arrives safely in May.

We had to start from square one for boy names. I started tossing out names I like & totally expected Ruben to not like a one. Luckily, he liked several & we have narrowed it down some. Its fun to pick a name completely. With Trey, we knew we wanted to do Ruben III so I just came up with Trey. This time it can be any name out there-& there are some crazy ones! On our short list are Sean, Connor, & Aidan. We haven't picked middle names yet.

Trey is so much fun for the most part(he still acts wild & disobeys a lot too). We have conversations, do silly stuff, read to him, then he wants to "read" the book to you(he tells you the story as he remembers it while turning the pages. We are taking him to the circus in a few weeks. It will be his first time. Ruben & I both loved going when we were kids so we think he will love it.

His latest hilarious comments: I spilled a Diet Dr. Pepper on the carpet & it left a stain. I was commenting on it to Ruben & he told me "just have to get that sucker man to come back". I asked him what are you talking about & he told me the man that sucks stuff out of the carpet! We have them steam cleaned yearly & he saw them do it this fall. He talks about the baby & says sweet stuff & will pat & kiss my belly. Then he says "I'll bang your baby up" if he's mad at me! In Publix yesterday, a lady working there walked by us & said "Hey Sweetie". He looked back at her & said "My name's not Sweetie, its Trey!" We both laughed at him!

Family

Trey said something today that made me smile all day. He was telling me that he loved me & that I was his family. And that Daddy, Grannie, & Papa was his family. I asked him what did family mean to him (I didn't think he would give me a real answer or understand the question). He looked up at me with a big smile & said "Happy". That made me feel so good. Then I asked him what else it meant to him & he said "Loving". It is great to know that he feels this way!

He is so sweet at times then the next minute he is so rough. Slapping, hitting, throwing things, yelling...all boy!

Next week we go to Grannie & Papa's for Grannie's birthday. I told him we were going & he asked if I would stay with him(sometimes Grannie keeps him & I stay at home). I told him I would be staying. He said "good, I will miss you if you're not there". That made me feel really good too!

But the funniest thing he has said lately was last week when we were at the park. I told him he was growing so much & was on his way to 4 years old. He looked up at me with a serious face & said "when I'm 4, will I will still live at your house, or will I be all grown-up?" Hilarious!! I assured him that he would live at our house for a long time!

Dates to remember...

Trey is potty trained fully now!! He had a breakthrough on March 28. He is using regular sized toilets most of the time now too.

We went on a Disney Cruise May 9-13. It took us to Nassau, Bahamas where we saw old forts & learned about Junkanoo. Trey loved Junkanoo-a Bahamas tradition of celebration around Christmas/New Year's that involves lots of noise-making with cow bells, whistles, drums, & yelling plus dressing in huge hand-made festive costumes. He got to blow a whistle & scream along with about 30 other folks. Then we went to Castaway Cay (Disney's own island in the Bahamas) & had a beach day.

Now I'm looking forward to summer fun things to do with Trey. He is so different this summer than last year-having full conversations with him for one!

Our waiting period is over & we are trying again for another baby & a baby brother/sister for Trey.

Sad news

I still have not taken time to update the blog. Been on bedrest a couple of times & the holidays I guess.
I had a miscarriage a few days ago(February 23, Tuesday) at 16 weeks. I don't want to make Trey's blog full of sad posts so I will just put this one post. I am devastated for the baby, me, Ruben, & especially Trey. I want him to be a big brother so much & still have hopes of that happening. He is already 3 & I wanted him to be < 4 yrs apart from a sibling. Life is teaching me a harsh lesson right now-that I can't always have what I want no matter how much I wanted it, that I should have tried sooner for a second child, that I should be more grateful everyday for what I have-a beautiful child in Trey. I thought I was grateful for him, but now I cherish him more than ever. I see him as special that my pregnancy with him was so easy & he is here when he wasn't a few years ago. I want that gift again. I desperately want my family to grow to include at least one more child.

I have friends & co-workers that have fertility problems (that I always felt so fortunate to not have) & have had miscarriages, but as usual you never expect it to happen to you. And once I passed 12 wks & then was 16 1/2 wks, I certainly didn't expect to happen.It was always a worry in the back of my mind, but not a real fear. Now I want to become pregnant again so badly, but I know now I will fear this loss again. This is the endless loop going through my mind (in addition to the fact that I am 38 years old, even though I feel 28) which once again brings me to back to Trey-he is my living, breathing, (often screaming!) proof that I can have a successful pregnancy that ends with a beautiful baby. I am clinging to that to comfort me & give me hope for the future.

Big Brother...

Trey's going to be a big brother!! I'm pregnant!!!!!!!!!! We're very excited! My due
date is August 6, 2010. Trey seems excited for now, we'll see how that lasts once the baby is here. He says "baby in belly".

I am 8 weeks & saw the Dr. the week before Christmas. We got to see the heartbeat. I go back next week for another ultrasound. When Trey saw the ultrasound, he said "baby in water". We don't know what made him say that but we told him that was pretty much true.

Boy?Girl? We'll find out in March. Can't wait for that!

Before the end of the year...

I can't believe I have neglected our blog since October! And now its almost the end of the year. So I thought I would put a quick post for now just to get back in the groove of doing it.

We have been very busy with all the holidays, keeping up w/ Trey, & trying for another baby. And Facebook has taken up my blog time I think! Trey had a great Christmas & thinks Santa Claus is the best guy ever. He said "Santa is a nice guy" after seeing all his toys. He is obsessed with Thomas the Train now & had basically a Thomas Christmas.

More news & photos to follow soon...stay tuned! Happy New Year's!!

Pumpkin Patch Express

 

Trey had lots of fun last Saturday in the pumpkin patch & riding the train to the patch. Nana & Papa came & went with us. Luckily the rain mostly held off while we were there. Trey loved the big pumpkin like he did last year & didn't seem to remember any of it. He rode the little train w/ his Daddy & seemed to like it best of all! Except for the very loud whistle so he just kept his ears covered the entire ride! It was a lot of fun for us to watch him & he has talked about the pumpkin patch all week.

We told him we can go back in a few weeks & ride the train with Santa Claus. He seems really excited about that! We're hoping he isn't so afraid of Santa this year. So we're starting to talk about it to warm him up to the idea (can't believe Christmastime is almost here!).

Trey is talking so much now! We go today to get a new scoliosis brace b/c he has outgrown his. It will look different & luckily will all be one piece (no pieces to search for or get lost). I hope it will be more comfortable for him b/c there won't be a steel rod w/ an attachment. The main thing is that his spine is straighter so it seems to be helping a lot.

He is upstairs now talking to himself since he's woken up. It is hilarious to hear all the things he says & sings about. He tells me things that happen at daycare now "Michael go to the Dr, Michael sick", "Miss Kim nice" & even said Miss Margaret's name the other day. He hasn't been able to say hers yet.

Favorite cartoons right now are Caillou, little 4 yr old boy (that is bald?!), Barney, & SuperWhy! He loves to watch football & baseball w/ his Daddy too.

We're looking forward to Halloween this year & taking him to a few houses for his first time trick-or-treating! He is going to be a lion & we're practicing his lion roar-he loves doing that!

Trey loving his new bed...

 

Trey's very content!

All Aboard...

Trey's Big Boy Bed! With Thomas the Train sheets that Nana & Papa bought him!

 

 

 

 

So we went from crib straight to twin bed last Thursday night (Oct. 1) & he has slept fine in it. Its me that still hasn't adjusted! He can get OUT!! So he unplugs the baby monitor(which fills our bedroom w/ a ton of static!), unplugs his Pooh nightlife, moves the nightstand & stands on it & has managed to open the closet door by yesterday (arrgh!) pulling old clothes & a lamp out. Can't they just make a longer crib?!

Trey loves his "new bed" with Thomas sheets! He has a rail that matches the bed(not yet attached when we made the photos) but he can get out toward the bottom of the bed. These photos were made the first time we showed him the new bed & comforter/sheets. He got up in it himself & then snuggled into the covers. He was grinning & is very proud of his new, big bed.

He is talking soooo much now! He says lots of small sentences & asks questions "What happened?" "What's wrong?" & the infamous "Why?" has slipped in a few times. Today he had Ruben call me at work when they were on their way home & for the 1st time he said "Love you, Mommy"! It was so sweet!!!

Its already fall time of the year & this Saturday we're going to ride the train in Calera to the pumpkin patch! Nana & Papa are coming to visit Fri/Sat & will ride the train with us. Trey will love that!

He is changing so much lately & seems more like a little boy everyday that I sometimes have to remind myself that he is only 2 1/2. He talks so much & understands me that I tell him something like he is 4 or 5. Then he says something silly like "Miss Kim(his teacher at school) drives a race car" or sings "Happy Birthday" all morning like today & I realize he is still just a baby. But he remembers so much & I can't wait to know what his 1st memory is going to be when he's older (but I can wait for that, just curious

38!!!

That's how many inches tall little man is now!! That's over 3 feet!! I can't believe it but that's what he measured at the Dr.'s office on Thursday. And weighed 37 pounds. No wonder I feel like he's growing up too fast when his head reaches my belly button!

We saw the spine Dr. (orthopedic specialist) for a 6 month check-up on his scoliosis. He got an X-ray to see how well the brace is corrrecting the curve. All we really learned is that he's outgrown his brace & its time for a new one. We expected this b/c his brace is not fitting as well lately. So time for another torture session to get him fitted for a new one :(( But this will be a different type brace (TLSO) & hopefully be easier to put on but harder for Trey to get off b/c all the straps will be in the back.

We can tell by looking at his spine & tracing it w/ our fingers up his back that the curves are better. But the Dr. didn't say anything about that, just that it was time for a new one. She is very nice & gave Trey lots of hugs but is a woman of few words. So the news we found out was how tall he is growing.

I captured a sweet moment(between the tantrums & constant running around!) holding his Bolt stuffed animal. Bolt has been his favorite movie for awhile now.

 

Introducing...

the next up & coming country music star...toddler style! Trey decided to wear his Daddy's hat & would not look at me so I could get a pic! But I liked this one anyway. I'm not a country music fan at all but this photo looked like a country album cover to me.

 

Spring Valley Beach

 

 

 

 

Last weekend we went to the "country beach" for some pool time for Trey. The biggest pool ever! We didn't get to go down the huge slides because it rained after we were in the pool awhile but Trey had fun going down the slide in the kiddie pool.

He loved the rain & wanted to keep running out in the rain while we were trying to wait it out under a pavillion. The thunder didn't scare him a bit. But when the lightning started we had to go. Looking forward to next weekend when we go to the real beach!

Start 'em young...

Daddy & Trey listening to baseball together. Trey is learning to be a "ankees" fan!

 

I refuse to get sleepy!! Must finish the game with Da-da...



Lately Trey & Daddy have been listening to NY Yankees games on IPod Touch when they're not on TV. Amazing how Trey will sit still so long & listen! This is after getting dressed in his PJ's so he is ready for bed after sitting on the couch for awhile. He tells Mommy what's happening w/ the "ankees" "homerun Mommy!", "ankees win!"

Trey's Big Boy Bed

 

This is the bed we picked out for Trey on Saturday. It won't be here until mid-September so I still
have a while to get used to the idea (sniff,sniff!) of little man moving from a crib to a twin size bed!
That also give us time to get sheets & a guard rail. I'm so sure he will get out anyway which scares me.
He is very excited about it. First thing the next morning, he told me "Trey's getting a new big bed"!

Trey at Jump Zone

We went to Ryan's 5th birthday party at Jump Zone last Saturday & Trey loved the slide!! He used to be scared of it & the inflatable bouncers. This photo pretty much summed up the party for Trey-he cried when it was time to go eat cake!
Over & over... again became Trey's chant!



That's Trey on the left.
Ryan-the birthday boy was having fun opening gifts!
Trey enjoying the ice cream!

Trey had a lot of fun at the party & then we went shopping for a big boy bed-more to come in the next post. He still sleeps in his crib now but is very excited about the "big bed" coming.

We've been back from our trip a few weeks but I haven't found time to blog. Trey had so much fun staying at the grandparents house while we were gone. I was sick when we got back & then Ruben got it so we have slowly gotten back into our routine.

Trey is talking so much now & in full sentences. He asks questions too-"What's that noise?" "Where's did it go?" but still waiting on Why! He turned 2 1/2 July 18 & is so tall!

New camera

Not the greatest photo but the 1st one I took with my new digital camera-I finally have a digital! Its a Nikon Coolpix that's fairly compact but has a zoom lens. The criteria was it had to fit in my travel purse! So I thought I would test putting a photo on the blog. (And, yes, those are Trey's Christmas pajamas!) Looking forward to taking photos on the the trip with it. Trey says its Trey's new camera & had a crying, screaming fit when I wouldn't let him walk off with it. So I let him push buttons while I held it. He especially loves making the flash pop-up & putting it back down ("ooogghh" is his comment & "Trey push little buttons")

I packed Trey's clothes yesterday & some of his other stuff. I think he will be so excited when we get to Nana & Papa's house. Hope to go to the beach on Sunday but I know it will be super hot. We leave Monday from Pensacola at 3:40! Coming so quick now.

Trey has added "please" to his short sentences now & it is so cute. He is saying lots of sentences "Trey can't reach it" & also talking on the phone more. He will say "Hi Mommy" when Ruben puts the phone to his ear now instead of waiting for you to talk.

Questions of a curious boy...

Trey has started asking "What's that?" in the last week. It really caught me off guard at first because it sounds more like "What that" & he pointed at something. I realized he was asking literally what is that. Now he points to lots of things & asks. Then he started asking "happened?" & now "What happened?" when something surprises him. He is very curious & I know that the next question will be "Why?" any day now!

I am guilty of neglecting the blog lately & can't believe its been since early May that I posted last. Planning our 10th anniversary trip has taken up all my free time! Trey spent last Saturday at his grandparents house & had so much fun playing in the water. He told me "waterhose" as soon as he woke up the next morning. So I know he will have a blast staying there while Ruben & I are gone but I will miss him so! My mom (Nana) & dad (Papa) can't wait until they have him there all to themselves.

Trey is growing so tall. His head is just below my belly button! I tried to measure him w/ by having him stand against the wall & got 38 inches. He didn't stand still for very long as you can imagine, I don't know how accurate that is. He was 34" in January. He will be 2 1/2 July 18. And now he's about 35 pounds.

He is also saying little sentences & telling us all kind of things that happen at his daycare. It is so funny to hear him tell me things. He is saying "yea & yep" now for yes. Ruben told him a couple of weeks ago "let's go to the car" & he said "No I will not"! He wasn't ready to leave some friends house. But the park is his favorite place to go & after being there for hours, he still cries when we leave.

We're still in the beginning stages of potty training & the brace does not help with that. Otherwise, he's adjusted well to the brace. He will say the words "potty train" to me now & sit on his potty but nothing is happening yet. He is wearing pull-ups but does not get it that he can pull them down. So I'm still waiting on that "light switch" moment to happen where he decides to do it.

Elmo is still his favorite but he is also really liking "Thomas the Train" lately. We have one movie that he watches in the minivan but we haven't seen it on TV yet. He likes the music & loves trains. He also likes "Between the Lions". He saw part of a show last week & started trying to sing their theme song without the music playing. It was hilarious to hear him sing "between the lions"!

And for any of you still wondering, his eyes are still very blue. His hair is very thick & grows fast now. It is still blonde/light brown & seems to get lighter the more he's in the sun.

Alligators...

Trey has new PJ's w/ an alligator on it that has a little chick on his snout. I told him this the other day. This morning at breakfast he pointed to his shirt & surprised us by saying "alligator". I wasn't surprised he remembered just that he said such a big word. Then he said chick, chicken for the little chick.

He understands the concept of tomorrow by going by the sun. If you tell him tomorrow, he will say "bye bye sun" & then "hi sun".

He currently has 2 bite marks on his arms from a little boy at daycare who is in "trouble" according to Trey! The latest bite is worse than the 1st one. The skin is not broken but very bruised. I asked him who did that to him & he said "Trey". There is another child named Trey in his class & so today he pointed to his bites & said "other Trey" b/c that's how we have been referring to him. I hope this stops soon! Daycare is aware & addressing the problem is what we were told.

He seems to be growing taller with every week. Still eating very picky & like a bird at some meals & pigging out at other meals.

Okay, Ok, OK!!, OK?...

Ok-such a simple expression-that Trey has suddenly picked up on & says constantly! He says this now instead of his "awright" for allright. Now OK is said in 5 different ways & shortened sometimes to just Kay. It is hilarious to hear him say this! He sometimes draws it out & makes it about 3 syllables long sounding kinda like Forrest Gump. We've never gotten him to say "yes" but "no" flows like a river, of course. So now we have a yes in the form of OK!

And so, ok, I haven't kept up with posting lately-can I blame it on spring fever?! We've been to parks, a Strawberry festival, & to Florida since my last post. And Trey & Ruben are going "camping" this weekend in a hotel (now that's my kind of camping!) with our friends from Pensacola. They're going somewhere just above B'ham but the campgrouds don't have cabins & we're pretty sure Trey would escape from our little tent! We've been busy w/ all that plus adjusting to the brace & I've been sleeping instead of posting! Ah, ZZZZ are the best...certainly makes handling a energetic 2 year old easier!

Overall, Trey is doing well with his brace. He has worn it at night for over 2 weeks & amazed us by sleeping through the night still even the 1st few nights he wore it. That boy will not let anything come b/t him & his sleep! He will sometimes take it off in the morning before I go in to get him out of the crib. We call it his "fish suit" b/c the pattern on it is shades of blue fish. He will try to put it on by himself already! He breaks my heart though by telling me "hurts" almost each time we put it on him. He is wearing it the full 18 hours a day now so he doesn't get much of a break from it. The real pain for us is that each time we change his diaper it has to be taken off(potty training must come soon!). And putting it on is tricky-for me anyway-kinda like swaddling a wiggly newborn, the guys always seem better at it.

Trey seems to be growing taller after each of my work weekends when I don't see him as much. And he is talking so much more! He likes to say handsome & nice as in "Trey handsome" "Papa handsome", "Mama nice". Then he asks me "Mama help" when he is trying to do something. Yesterday he told me "Mama care" meaning carry for me. He also immediately repeats things we say even when he doesn't know what it means. His little voice is so sweet & cute!! Of course, I'm biased.

Trey had a great Easter & was spoiled rotten by the grandparents! Nana (my mother)had such a good time putting together Easter baskets for Trey (yes, baskets as in multiple ones!) & they dyed eggs together. Ruben & Nana played Easter bunny & hid the eggs. Trey had fun finding them. It was Trey's first time to dye & hunt eggs. He was so excited when he found an egg that he threw them in the basket hard enough that we could hear them cracking! He used my Easter basket from childhood since my search for the perfect basket for him proved fruitless(Pottery Barn for kids have the cutest liners/baskets & should NOT have run out days after I got their catalog!) I went to the store on Good Friday expecting them to be sold out too & they were but the sales lady had to rub salt in the wound by saying "that lady walking out just bought the last one". AAAGGGHHH-so close! But it was fine. We had a great time watching Trey & the basket didn't really matter as long as he could hunt the eggs.

We're trying to plan a weekend to the beach so Trey can play in the water & sand. He loves the water so much! And Ruben & I are planning a big trip for our 10th anniversary in July so Trey will get to stay at the grandparents for several days (I can't stand to think about it too much b/c I will miss him so much!) Nana & Papa can't wait & have all kind of plans for Trey.

Other big news that was a shocker last night-it sounds like Trey has a baby cousin on the way! Ruben's younger brother is expecting a baby with his girlfriend. Since I am an only child & we didn't expect Ruben's brothers to have any children, we thought Trey would not have cousins (just hopefully a baby brother or sister). So this was a huge surprise.

Yesterday...

was a fun St. Paddy's Day! Trey & I had lunch with Ruben & his friend from work, Jonathon. Trey started trying to say "Jonat..." over & over. But what really surprised me was when we were eating our breakfast cereal, he pointed to the window where the sun was streaming throught the blinds(finally, after 4 days of rain!) & said "shine Mama". I asked him what? & he said "shine, sun, rain gone, bye-bye rain."! I could't believe he said all that without me bringing up any of that. I told him he was so right, that we finally had sunshine & a beautiful day. Luck of the Irish! Now, if Trey could just find that pot of gold!

Tomorrow is a big day for Trey & I hope it goes as well as possible. I haven't posted anything in the blog until I could tell my parents. We recently found out Trey has scoliosis. We have taken him for x-rays, a visit to the pediatric orthopedist at St. Vincent's, B'ham Limb & Brace(who did't take our insurance), another brace place who took our insurance but didn't know how to make the brace, got the Dr. to talk to the insurance company & get it approved at the other place-don't you love healthcare?!

He has 2 curves that are 20 degrees. The Dr. told us he will have to wear a brace to slow the progression of the curves as he grows or hopefully prevent it. We have absorbed this over several weeks & I hate he has to wear it only because of the discomfort it will be to him. Just having him measured for the brace a couple of weeks ago was torture! They basically wrapped him up like a mummy in some gauze with plaster to make a cast of his torso. Then they cut it off of him with the biggest pair of scissors I have every seen. He screamed & cried like he when he gets shots but this went on for much longer than shots. A very nice lady who works there went next door & got Trey fries & a Sprite! Because of course Trey had charmed her with his big blue eyes & sweet smile before the torture started!

We go tomorrow to get it & they will adjust it if needed. Then we go to the orthopedist to make sure it fits. Ruben is going with us this time to help me & for moral support! I know there are much more serious & life-threatening conditions that affect children so I am trying to keep perspective-eventual surgery would be the worst thing that would happen if the curve progresses beyond 50 degrees.

So many new words have been flying out of Trey's mouth! He said "What?" tonight to Ruben & we responded for a minute before we realized what he said! Miss Naomi at his school is Na-Na & he has a friend named Raegan & can now say Raegan which started out as Ray-Ray. I think she may be his girlfriend! He smiles really big when I mention her. He handed me a dime today & said "penny". Apple for applesauce, book, Trey's house, are a few of his latest but I can't remember all of them! He is sweet as ever & rambunctious too!

Has anyone seen....

this baby?? He is adorable, big blue eyes, & his name is Trey. I had him & I just don't know where he has gone...I miss him....I want to pick him up & hold him...but I just can't seem to find him....

Trey has grown up so fast & changed so much! When I see an older photo I can't believe it. I want to step back in time for a few minutes & hold that baby!



Same big blue eyes!

My Sweet Boy

Trey gave me a full-on kiss on the cheek today as I was leaving to go to work. I asked him to "hug Mommy" & he said "no". He loves to say that little word these days! Then he turned his little head & kissed the air. So I said I want you to give me a kiss right here on the check & I pointed. He turned & kissed me on the cheek! More than just pressing his lips. It was SO sweet! I got spit & everything!

He is becoming quite the talker with all his new words & phrases. He informs us of all kinds of things like reciting all his boo-boos 1st thing every morning (most of them minor scratches but being a boy he has lots of little injuries!), likes to say "loud" for loud dog (there was a dog barking early this am in our subdivision which is unusual), loud TV, loud truck, etc. And he likes to assign things to people he knows by saying "Papa's truck, Nana's car, Mama's clothes, & tonight he sais "Trey's couch". He didn't want to leave his couch & his pillow (an adult, king size one that is his favorite but I won't let him sleep w/ it) tonight to go back to bed. Back is another new word as in "Paci back" meaning I want it back, "Mama back" as in give me back whatever I took from him that he wanted!

Now I just have to get him to say "I love you"! He hears it all the time from us.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you are all having a special Valentine's Day! Trey is my sweetheart & Valentine but I am going to dinner & a movie tonight with my "old" Valentine! We don't have a reservation anywhere so I told Ruben we may be eating at Wendy's!

Trey got chocolate with peanut butter in it-2 of his favorite things-for Valentine's Day & we got him a Winnie the Pooh card that says "you're a little hunny". He loves Elmo now but I still like Pooh!

Trey & I are going to the mall soon for some last minute Valentine present shopping & so he can wear his red shirt for Valentine's that he looks so cute in!

To continue the segment on Trey's latest new words & now phrases, wow how his vocabulary has grown by leaps in the last few weeks! One day this week his teachers wrote on his activity sheet that Trey was impressing his teachers with his growing vocabulary. He said "Mama's dinner" to me a couple days ago while we were eating breakfast & I told him dinner was for food but we were technically eating breakfast that time of day & he immediately tried to say breakfast. He says button for keys on the computer & for buttons on his shirt, "poo" for shampoo, bite when he wants a bite of something, eat when he wants to eat,fries is shouted loudly anytime we pull into any type of drive-thru(me trying to explain that sadly Starbucks does not serve fries does little to quieten him!) & several more I can't think of right now! We got to see Papa for lunch this week & when his Papa asked his name he said Trey right away.

He is also using hand gestures as in "I don't know" by holding his hands to his sides & turning them up. Growing up so fast!

XOXOXOXOXOXO
Happy V-Day!

Our weekend visit

One of our oldest & dearest friends visited us from home this weekend. Shannon helped set Ruben & I up on a blind date...and the rest as they say is history! She came & stayed with us when Trey was about 6 weeks old & was a tremendous help/comfort. I will probably remember more from this visit since I wasn't sleep deprived! Although I do have a nasty stomach bug that did keep me up some both nights & of course, Trey caught it. But his seems much milder than mine (fingers crossed on that one) & I'm still not over it.

We watched James Bond movies, talked, went to Whole Foods, & watched Trey develop a big crush on "Shanna". He almost immediately began trying to say her name & got pretty close. He wanted her in the room he was in & kept waving to her & saying "Hi Shanna!". Saying good-bye was hard for all of us, but probably Trey the most-he gets attached quick!

Today he asked for Shanna several times & then realized it sounded a lot like Nana so he said them all in a row: Shanna, Nana, Papa. So we called the grandparents & he delighted them by screaming their names! Quite the little ham.

Other new words: "good taste" for some applesauce he tried from Whole Foods (we found single serving, squeeze container applesauce for on the go-who knew?!), Mama's clothes, Dada's clothes, orange, Mama's orange (he noticed when I changed clothes & also points to clothes in the laundry or hanging & identifies them).

He also put on his pants today by himself except for pulling them up in the back over his butt-he can't figure that one out yet. But I was surprised at him putting them on without any coaxing while I was looking for socks. Mama was very pleased!

Trey's name

I'm so excited! I just asked Trey "what is your name?" & he immediately said "Trey"!! I have been asking him this question for a couple of days this week & telling him "your name is Trey". Usually he will just say "name". This was the first time I asked him today so I was really surprised when he said Trey. Of course, I immediately repeated my question to see if it was a fluke but he gave me the same answer.

He also said his teacher's name, Miss Anna, a few days ago. When we turned onto 261 to go through Old Town he starting saying "Anna" several times. He tried the day before to say it & it sounded like he was speaking w/ an accent b/c he was sounding it out. I have been asking him "where are we going? We're going to daycare or school & Mommy is going to work" then I ask him "what do you do when you get to school?" He answers, begrudgingly, "night-night" b/c it is nap time when he gets there. So he knows, but still doesn't always do it!

Other new words of late...mess-as in look at the mess I've created! but says it w/ a Southern accent I guess as "mace" almost, school, hurts (as he is constantly doing something that causes him to hurt himself), "mote trol" for the remote control, & still his favorite "big truck". He also says "choo-choo, train" everyday when we go over the 1st set of tracks in Helena, then "water" for the dam at Buck Creek, then "choo-choo,train" again for the 2nd set of tracks. He also identifies things by sound, saying "dog" when he heard our neighbor's dog barking & just now "big truck" when a loud truck went by. Constantly amazed by his understanding & learning!

Happy 2nd Birthday Trey!!

Trey's Elmo Cake


Mama,Trey, & Daddy

Trey with Papa


Where's Trey?!

Trey being silly!


Trey is officially TWO now!!

We celebrated today with cake & ice cream & Elmo balloons. I cooked a special lunch of pot roast. Trey ate some pot roast & loved the cake with Elmo on it. Papa & Nana were here all weekend to celebrate with Trey. He misses them already. We sang "Happy Birthday" to him & he just stared at us like we were nuts.

We went to the McWane Center yesterday for Trey's first trip there. He loved it especially the water table where the kids wear waterproof aprons & get to splash around a table with running water. On a cold Saturday, the place was packed with energetic kids-what a madhouse!! I am so sad that we forgot the camera (@#*?&!) & have no photos of it. Nana made some with hers. We then got a quick bite at Newk's & went to Whole Foods Market-Trey & the grandparents first trip to both.

Trey got a wicker toy box(Pottery Barn for Kids) from the grandparents & a wooden puzzle from us. Plus some Elmo DVD's from us so he can watch "Mo-Mo" in the minivan & not just at home-as he recently requested when we were traveling!

In case you're wondering...Trey got a cute haircut for his "2 year old" look. Still my sweet doll-faced boy with the blue eyes!

New words this week: garage, "big truck", loud-he says this when commercials come on TV (but never about himself!), choo-choo train & "bye bye big train" when the train was going away (got caught a lot by the train this week), & NO alot. No is not a new word for him but his use of it has skyrocketed the last couple of weeks. He says "No cat", "No Mommy" & "no-no-no" to his toys & food when it falls. Hilarious!

He has sleeping until 9am(!!) most mornings the last few weeks & goes to bed by 7pm. But he has not napped all week at daycare! He will nap at home if we get him settled down for it. He actually has requested "night-night" several times the last few weeks! He goes to his pajama drawer, gets PJs out, then runs in the kitchen & asks for "bottle"! I still heat the milk so tonight he started pushing the buttons on the microwave. Unbelievable! I think he is ready to take care of us now!

We are so blessed & happy to have Trey & look forward to many more years with him.

We still can't believe he's two. We go Tuesday for his 2 year well-baby appt.

What a great day!! I hope he remembers some of it.

Silliness!

NaNa got Trey some "big boy" underwear in the smallest size it comes in & Trey did this all on his own! Kinda scary but hilarious!

This looks like someone other than Trey but I can't decide who.

Christmas photos...

From 2 weeks old to over 70!






The Loot-grandparents went a little crazy!
Can I take a nap now?!

Zoolight Safari

Trey rides the carousel with Daddy





How fast the holidays go by...


We went the Saturday night before Christmas. The weather was unusually warm & the lights were gorgeous. Lots of people were there-so many that Trey got scared! He did not like Santa there either. Maybe next year...