Awww, don't tell me you're sick of being sick of Thomas the Train:)

Ok Ok so its been a while, maybe a very long while.  I apologize, we got extremely busy, as we all do, and I just didn't have the energy to post.  I know, believe it or not I may not be the super mom you all thought I was... ha!  So here  I am at almost 1:30 am thinking to myself  'hmm... maybe I should update the blog'.  So if any of this sounds a little off or odd to you nevermind it.  I will try to be better, maybe I'll even make it a New Years resolution.  No I better not, I don't think anyone has good luck with those.  

   Ok so here it is, Dean is doing great.  He is growing big and tall just like he is supposed to.  He has been getting colds lately but I guess its the season for those.  He has caught on quick to who Santa is (basically anyone with a red hat on), he likes the O-H...I-O chant and then ends with "Go Butt-eyes!"  I love it!  Its so funny!  He is talking much more and we have our own language as most parents have with thier toddlers I suppose.  He also has to hold our hands during the mealtime prayers and at bedtime he folds his hands and bows his head but his eyes are looking upward.  It is so precious.  

     As some of you may know, Tony and I have felt led to be foster parents.  We have gone through training and are in the homestudy part of the process right now.  We could really use your prayers to help guide us and support us.  This is something new for us and our whole families.  We are really excited and believe God has a great plan for our family.

  Now, on to the pictures...

When we went home for Thanksgiving, Dean found Drayton's ear protection.  

Hanging with Pappy, watchin' some football.
I love Uncle Ty
Snuggle time in the chaise lounge.
Unfortunatly, this is the only Santa Dean has seen this year.  I know its pathetic but we are going ot try to go with in the next day or so.  Its the Chick-fil-a cow.
Tony and I took Dean to an inflatable indoor place called Bananas.  It was a blast!  There were about 8 or 9 huge inflatables that he could we could just run and jump and have fun on.  I think we all had a great time.
Weee!
He was posing really cute at dinner onw night last week and I caught a couple poses.
Love it!
Dean is learning how to play the piano with cousin Bella.
Using Uncle Rick as a personal recliner as he watches Polar Express for the 5th time in a row... for real.
Great Grandpa and Maryann with the little ones.

So Are You Sick of Thomas The Train Yet???

I know, I know it's been a long time!  So I'm here to fill everyone in.  It'll try to be short and sweet, no promises.  So, in order...
Dean picked out a pumpkin and this is what he chose, he likes to try to pick up very heavy things for some reason. And he grunts while trying, it's pretty funny.
Dean also got his first haircut.  We went to a place called Big League Cuts.  All of the chairs had t.v.'s and they turned cartoons on and he was an angel.  I don't even think he knew what was going on until we got up and paid and were walking out the door and I asked if he got his haircut and he smiled (with a sucker in his mouth) and pointed at his hair and said 'yea'.

  And now for the trauma of the century....  Dean got his first stitches.  Yes, as if any of us are surprised but still I was hoping for a little older.  

  Dean and I were at my Grandma Kitty's house waiting to meet my mom when Dean tripped and hit his head on the corner of her display cabinet.  It bled and he cried for what seemed like 5 minutes and then we got him calmed down so I could look at the cut, I decided it was too bad and he would probably need stitches.  I think I handled myself pretty good for my first 'situation'.  So we were off to the ER where we met Mom and Teresa.  Dean, believe it or not, had a great time, he was playing and waving at the nurses and other patients... until the shot and stitches, of course 3 hours later.      Poor Dean, it was so sad to see him held down screaming for me and I couldn't do anything for him.  But as soon as he was finished he immediately stopped crying and wanted some juice.  Needless to say he got anything his little heart desired for the next few days.

  I just want to point out that only when Tony is at work do these situations seem to occur.  So the one person I know can handle stressful times is of course working, yes he may be 'saving lives elsewhere' but non the less not with me.  I will however spare you the before picture you know I had to take to show Tony how bad and yucky it was:)

See he is peacefully watching his personal tv with his goldfish and bear at his side.

This was after the whole event as we waited to be discharged.  This was at about 9:15pm and is way past his bedtime of 8pm.  I know you all are cringing with this next picture but I had to post it.  There are 4 stitches..  poor, poor Dean.  He's a trooper.

So since last Thursday when this all happened he has had them taken out at his pediatricians office which wasn't even a glimpse of how bad it was getting those bad boys in. So I think its all over... for now. Ugh.

So now we have Halloween. Dean loves trains so we decided to dress him like a train conductor and our friends had a costumes for it so we were in luck. Dean wasn't crazy about the hat so he wouldn't wear that but in his defense he did still have the stitches in. So I snuck it on a couple times to get a picture or two and then let it go.  We went to our church's Harvest Fest which was fun, mostly because we didn't have to be out in the cold and walk around to get candy.  The parents and grandparents sit in a huge circle and the kids go around and get candy.  And they have snacks and activity's for all the kids.

yea thats a box of raisins in his hand not candy.  I was so proud he chose them over candy... for a second until he saw what good stuff he got from all of those nice people.

This was Trick or Treat night as we handed out candy.  Dean loved watching the kids walk up and get candy.  He kept giggling as each kid came up and then when they left he would say 'byyye' and wave... even when they were across the street.  It was so funny.  I even had to feed him his supper outside because he wouldn't come in to eat.
Ok so now I will try to keep up with everything.  Sorry it took so long.

Thomas the Train

A day out with Thomas.   Dean just kept saying  "choo choo".  We went with some friends of ours and their daughter.  We rode on Thomas for a 25 minute train ride and then they had entertainment like live music, a mini corn maze and a huge Lego Thomas the Train along with other trains to watch and play with.  Dean isn't a huge fan of Thomas per say but the trains he loves.  I think I am thankful because their merchandise is crazy expensive.  Although we did buy him the balloon.

Pete and Olivia

We were all sweating to death.  See Dean's rosy cheeks.  We had his Ohio State jersey on him but had to take it off.

The big Lego train.  It was pretty neat.

The big caboose that sits stationary, it might have been his favorite. 

Summertime

We went to Young's Dairy the other weekend and had fun with the family. Dean liked it all I think, as you can tell.
Daddy teaching Dean how to swing... as a lefty.

So Dean got a little bored with the miniature golf and found some water to play in.


He wanted to play 'baybal' like Daddy too.

Grandpa and Mary Ann playing Cornhole. I'm sure they're better than me.

Tony and I went to the Reds/Cubs game on Saturday with some friends of ours, Nate and Devon. We had awsome tickets, 7 rows behind the Cubs dugout. Tony was so funny, he was like a little kid again! Cubs won and we were happy... sorry Devon.
It was so close I actually got really into the game:) We can't wait to take Dean next year.

...and then we took a day to relax:)

August Catchup

This month has been so busy, so here is an update of photos:)

Well, Dean got quite the present when Nanny and Pappy decided to get him his first truck at 19 months. As you can tell he enjoyed riding it. He rode for it for an hour straight. And actually his feet can't reach the pedal so we had to stack bricks on the gas so it would just drive and he could steer and we would walk along side him. He loves it... Thanks Nanny and Pappy!



While we were up visiting, Dean made Uncle Dray get his guitar out to play for him and teach him a few things, he was so fascinated.


Uncle Rigo had to get his hugs in too.

So Tony played softball with the church team last week and Dean and I went to cheer them on.  Dean loved it!  He played in the dirt with his buddy Evan and watched 'bayba', as he calls it, and his very own daddy was  playing. What more could you ask for?:)

A Grandma for each hand...awww.

Grandma Barb got Dean this Elmo chair and the Handy Manny so when he was sitting in his chair I laid my head on his lap. And anyone who knows Dean knows he LOVES my hair.  I mean it, he really loves my hair. So I sat there for about 20 minutes and he was just playing with my hair and relaxing.

Tony and I went out for our 5th Anniversary last weekend.  We went to our favorite restaurant and then stayed at the Westin downtown Cincinnati.  It was sooo nice.  Do we look excited?:)  It was really weird being away from Dean for the first time overnight but he was in good hands with Grandma Barb, Great Aunt Bonnie , Great Uncle Rick and Cousin Miriam.. thanks guys!!
This was the view from our room.  There was live entertainment so we went down and checked that out and had a cup of coffee.  How often do we get to do that?
Fountain square and our hotel was behind it to the right. 

Dean's 18 month pictures

Our Little Vacation

We took a family vacation for a couple days to Brown County, Indiana last week. We had a good time, just the three of us. Dean had fun swimming in the hotel pool (especially since there was an older girl there to stare at). We also went to Brown County State Park, which was really beautiful. We went to the shops there and went to some unique and tasty restaurants. We had the best homemade ice cream and candies. We had fun:)

One of the first things when we got there was to go 'mining'. We got a big bag of dirt and got to sift it to find lots of precious gems. It was pretty neat and we knew Dean would like playing with the water and stones.

The view at the park was so pretty. This one doesn't do much justice but you can still see it in the background a little.

And this was Dean after he got pretty comfortable in the pool.

Here we are in front of the candy at the candy store there. Dean is in aww.

Dean saw the big dog and just had to give it a big hug. He must have missed our heathen dogs too much.

Dean was having so much fun swinging at the park especially when Tony would jump off the swing beside him, he would laugh hysterically.

Here Dean is acting like he's kicking us and knocking us down and he gets a real kick out of it... pun intended:)