Rainy Day Gear

It's a rainy day in Kentucky so out comes the raincoat and boots. Except as we're trying to get out the door Liam insists that in order to go out in the rain one must have a rain hat, too. After much convincing, he finally agreed that the hood of a raincoat is just as acceptable as a rain hat (maybe just not as much fun!).

Happy Birthday, Gandma!...and Papa, too!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

We were lucky enough to have Gandma and Papa here to celebrate Gandma's birthday and include Papa, too, for an early birthday wish! We enjoyed lunch at Columbia Steak House in Lexington (good idea, Papa!) and dinner together at home. Gandma was nice enough to share her birthday cake with Papa so they each had a candle to blow out...with Liam's help, of course! The wearing of tissue paper as hats was also a fun event!

Vacation Bible School

We thought we'd give VBS at try this year...Liam just made the cut-off as long as a parent stuck around. He was excited about "Crocodile Dock" week. Upon arrival, we checked in and they placed Liam into group "A". (Remember, he loves his alphabet!). He became very excited about the letter "A" and proceeded to sound out the letter...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! The poor gal jumped back thinking Liam was screaming at her...I had to play translator and explain to her that he was just very happy about his group letter, "A"!

Unfortunately, Liam was a bit disappointed in the program. First of all, believe it or not, there were no actual crocodiles there which was probably Mommy's mistake by talking "Crocodile Dock" up so much to spark an interest.

Also, the basic lessons were definitely geared towards older kids. The first lesson was held outside on the grass and since one of Liam's texture aversions is prickly grass this was not a fun idea. He is a good problem solver, however. So when he noticed the nearby "Mt. Sinai" (a pile of sofa cushions), he figured that was the seat meant for him. No big deal, right? Right. Well, that is until Fr. Linh decided to come running and dive head first into the, well, Mt. Sinai. He's such a fun priest...but then after he graced us with his presence and left, well, you know..."Open Season on Mt. Sinai". So throughout the entire lesson, Mommy tried to convince Liam that maybe he could sit and try to listen and leave the climbing to Moses! That is, tried with no avail.

After the first lesson, we headed inside for arts and crafts. Liam actually did quite well with this station. Thank goodness because this station was held in the church while mass was taking place...the only partitions were draped curtains.

Then we headed outside for snack...Liam liked this station. After snack, we headed over to a couple more stations before wrapping things up inside with some songs and prayers.

I wasn't too surprised when Liam decided he didn't want to go back. I think it was a combination of things including the time of day (6:30 - 8:00...Liam's usually in the bath tub by 7 pm), Gandma and Papa were here and we had been busy, busy, busy the week and weekend before, and the program was just a little too advanced for his attention span.

No complaints though...we'll try again next summer!

"Backyard" Skinny Dipping

Liam's Uncle Paul and Aunt Margaret gave him a Dinosaur Swimming Pool for his birthday...what fun...so we thought.

Despite the fact that we exposed Liam to swimming pools from 6 months old, he is very timid around water until he gets acclimated...Plus he still has texture aversions to different things off and on. So when he climbed his new pool slide and slid into the water, he was not happy about remaining wet once he climbed out of the pool. I guess he figured the best way to solve that problem was to strip down to bare bottom! At first we didn't know what or why he was reacting this way but once we realized we figure what the heck...he's only three.

Our only question? Why on earth does the sensation of feeling wet bother him while plopping down in the sandbox is fun, fun, fun?!

Ganny's Song

When my Grandmother learned we were expecting Liam, she shared a song with me which she remembered from her school days and sang to each of her children.

A tiny turned up nose; Two cheeks just like a rose; So sweet from head to toe; That little boy of mine.

Two eyes that shine so bright; Two lips that kiss goodnight; Two arms that hold me tight; That little boy of mine.

He climbs up on my knee; For all the worlds to see; Forever you will be that little boy of mine!

I love this song for it's tender beauty and the fact that my grandmother sang this same song to my father...my son's Papa...how special in it's own rite. I've sung this song to Liam over and over each day since before he was born.

So you can imagine why shivers covered by body, my eyes filled with tears and my heart grew with love upon hearing my three year old sing it word by word to me! His sweet, innocent and angelic little voice singing out with a tender smiling and holding his gaze, eye to eye with mine...this is clearly a moment I will never forget all of my years!

Role Play Continues

Liam's role playing skills are growing, growing, growing! And he's really enjoying his alphabet sounds, too. It is lots of fun to watch him sound out the first letter of an animal word and then act out the animal...A through Z!

Papa's Week

We always enjoy our visits with Gandma and Papa. We also try to use our time well when they are here which is why we timed our yard sale with their visit. I know what your thinking but in our defense, it was Gandma's idea!

So, while Mommy, Daddy and Gandma stayed busy preparing for the two day affair (and our friend, Janelle, too...thank goodness for her yard sale expertise!), Papa stayed busy having fun, fun, fun with Liam!

Papa and Liam enjoyed the Salato Wildlife Center in Frankfort, McDonald's Playland (Liam asked Papa for pineapple and when Papa said he didn't think they had any here, Liam got up from the table and marched over to the counter. Papa joined him and asked the employee if they had any...no, just apples. Liam settled for apples), and local Mall (Liam enjoyed the Mickey Mouse store and indoor play yard. Upon leaving, poor Papa couldn't find his cell phone and had to drive back to the mall and find lost & found. Fortunately, his phone was there. Liam couldn't wait to share this with Mommy and Gandma!).

Papa, Daddy and Liam also took in the Cincinnati Zoo. They had lots of fun and especially enjoyed the "World of the Insect " exhibit! Liam had fun dressing up as an ant, too!

It was a wonderful weekend for a yard sale...we did quite well, and an even better week for time spent between Grandfather and Grandson!!!

Liam's 1st Field Day

Gandma and Papa arrived just in time to enjoy Liam's 1st Field Day. We arrived at the school to find fun Bounce Houses, Games and Prizes along with the school playground. Liam enjoyed the ring toss game and Bounce House best & was so surprised when Daddy arrived on an early lunch break from work. We enjoyed a picnic lunch and took lots of pictures with his friends and teachers. It was a hot, fun-filled day and a wonderful way to say goodbye to so many wonderful people...Thanks for a great year and have a great summer!

Thankful for Friends

We are so thankful for our friends and enjoyed all the time spent together this month chasing bubbles with Lily Star, playing cars with Sam, building sandcastles with Steven, and attending fabulous Dance Recitals performed by Erin.

We also enjoyed a couple "family playdates" with our friends, The Moore's and The Allen's. Thanks again to Jaime, Lucas and Steven for inviting us over for a wonderful home-cooked country dinner. While the boys had fun playing with Steven's toys and the guys competed on Wii, the gals enjoyed visiting about all good things! We also enjoyed having Julie, Maura and Tristan over for dinner one evening to celebrate their return home from GA...I know they are all very anxious for Brent's safe return home, too!

We look forward to the summer and visiting with more of our friends, near and far!

Liam's Last Day of School

Today was Liam's last day of his first year of school...WOW!!!

The year sure did go by quickly. This morning the school director shared with me how amazed she is each May at how big the children of the two year old class look compared to how little they were starting out at the beginning of the school year...she's spot on with that! Liam entered the school room as a toddler and exited as a preschooler!!!

We're so thankful to the First United Methodist Church Preschool for providing Liam with such a welcoming and loving learning environment throughout the entire year. He enjoyed his teacher, Ms. Kelley and all of his first classmates - John, Nate, Rhett, Taylor and Hollee.

We will always remember FUMC as his preschool foundation...Enjoy your summer, Liam!

Use Your Words

We have used the phrase "use your words" with Liam since before his first birthday. For a three year old, he does quite well expressing his feelings through words versus over-emotion or becoming physical. His latest expression of frustration and anger towards Mommy:

"My eyes are mad and I want them to be happy!"

Happy Anniversary, Liam!!!

Today we celebrate Liam's 3rd Baptismal anniversary...what a truly special sacrament and memory for our family.

We pray for you everyday, Liam. We pray that you enjoy learning about your religion...your faith. We pray for your relationship with the Holy Trinity...your spiritual growth. We pray for you to understand Christ's love by the way we love you...

We will always love you!

The Excitement of Role Playing

Liam really enjoys animals and here lately has become addicted to "Eyewitness Documentaries" about all different kinds of living species. He also has rainforest flashcards which he enjoys reading and studies the pictures.

We've been enjoying watching Liam push his role playing boundries more and more lately. It was so fun for us today watching him enjoy his "Eyewitness Rainforest Documentary" while quickly shuffling through his flashcards trying to find the animal match and proceed to acting out each animal.

We so love Liam the boy....and Liam, the tiger; Liam, the parrot; Liam, the monkey; etc....

Privacy Please

When Liam first started expressing his needs verbally well over a year ago, he would sternly say "Go Away". While this may sound cute at first, it had to be change...so we had to come up with something very similar but much nicer. We finally decided on "Privacy, Please" which, fortunately, caught on like wildfire. So, now it is used in nearly every situation where he needs, well, privacy.

It was funny, though, today when he had to use the bathroom. He told me he had to go, went on in and shut the door. I came to the door, knocked and opened it to check on him and found, to my surprise, him sitting on the potty asking me for privacy, please. Taken aback, I apologized and shut the door...then I went snickering around the corner.

They absorb everything! And if it's the right things....it's so darn cute!!!

Chef Liam and the Casserole Pie

I planned to make a chicken casserole pie for dinner tonight and thought maybe if Chef Liam helped he would be excited enough to try it. He helped me mix all of the ingredients together (he's very handy with a spoon), roll out the pie crust, fill the pie plate and top it off with the other crust. He watched me put it in the oven and we left the oven light on so we could watch it cook.

When it was done, he thought it smelled soooo yummy and......still refused to eat the chicken....oh well, it was a fun time nonetheless. I suppose if he ever decides to eat meat it will be when he wants to not Mommy.

St. John's Spring Fling

Liam and I went to St. John's Spring Fling this afternoon after mass. It was sponsored by our church for all children of the parish and school. They really did a nice job and made it extremely affordable...even the lunch was free. They were kind enough to make "Liam the Grainatarian" a cheese sandwich out of two hamburger buns!

After lunch, Liam was so excited to play the games. We paid $5 for a bunch of tickets which he got to play on different games including a bounce house, duck pond, ring toss, plinko, bowling, etc. After each game, he "won" a prize from the box which he enjoyed digging through with the other children until he found the perfect choice. I'm sure it will soon end up in our "hodge-podge" toy bag but what great fun!

It was fun for me, too, watching Liam outdoors playing with the other parish children. He was able to see a couple friends he knows from his current school, too, who belong to our church and will be attending St. John's with Liam next fall. We also had a chance to see and speak with his upcoming teacher, Mrs. Erpenbeck.

Thank you, St. John's for a wonderful day...we'll be looking forward to next Spring!

Happy Mother's Day

I told Billy and Liam, "No presents this year, please, just a fun day out together!". So glad they agreed!

I thought about going up to Natural Bridge State Park but noticed signs hanging in downtown Lexington for MayFest 2009. I checked it out online and it sounded like a lot of fun so after a beautiful mass at St. John's we decided to spend Mother's Day at MayFest in Gratz Park (which is near Transylvania University and is the oldest University east of the Allegheny Mountains).

What a lovely day! The perimeter streets were blocked off from thru traffic so it was the perfect setting for us all. Liam loved roaming the park, playing around the children's fountain (which was dedicated to the city's children as a gift from Lexington author James Lane Allen), and jumping in the bounce house over and over again. We also enjoyed a complimentary horse and carriage ride, a tour of the Hunt-Morgan House (which, believe it or not, was Liam's idea), and freshly popped kettle corn while listening to the live entertainment and strolling past the vendors. This could easily be a Mother's Day Tradition...thank you Liam and Billy for making today such a truly special Mother's Day!!!

As wonderful as the day was, we couldn't allow it to pass without thoughts of loving memories and appreciation of our own Mothers, Grandmothers, Godmothers and special women in our lives...Happy Mother's Day!!!

Liam's 1st Field Trip

Liam's pre-school took their field trip to Old Friends, a KY facility for retired thoroughbreds. The children lined up with their class and parents to tour the grounds enjoying all of the retired horses. The tour guide fed them carrots and told us about each one. After the tour, we all enjoyed a picnic lunch together. Liam enjoyed the free time to talk about the horseys and play with his friends. After lunch, everyone lined up to pet the pony and say goodbye to the farm.

What a beautiful day!

Liam's 1st Sleepover

Liam had his first sleepover with Mema...how special for both of them. We truly appreciate Mema rearranging her work schedule to enjoy this first of Liam's.

We settled Liam in at Mema's before heading to my brother's police graduation ceremony. He seemed quite fine and content to enjoy time with Mema and the doggies especially Buddy. They went to visit Aunt Allene and Uncle BJ where I'm sure Liam kept them all quite busy. Apparently, Liam really enjoyed their cat...poor little kitty!

We called from the ceremony to say goodnight and since I'm always with Liam I've never heard his sweet little voice over the phone - how precious. We shared our goodnight wishes and kisses with both him & Mema who told us about a little boo- boo he got from sliding outside at Auntie's house. She seemed so concerned and Liam was very clear that he did not want a band-aid. (He barely skinned his knee but continues to remind us of his boo-boo from Mema and Aunt Allene - Mema gets so tickled!)

When we arrived at Mema's the next morning, Liam was just as happy as when we left him the evening before. He had lots of fun with his Mema...what a special weekend for us all!

Officer Paul Spencer

Congratulations to my brother, Paul, who is now a police officer for the City of Cumming, Georgia. We are all so proud of his goals and achievement. He seems truly happy in his new work.

My husband is truly appreciated and loved. He came up with a wonderful idea and plan to make a quick weekend trip to Atlanta to surprise and attend Paul's graduation ceremony. I wasn't sure we would be able to pull off the surprise but it worked! And what fun!!

Billy was in IN for work this particular week. He drove home Thursday morning arriving just in time to pack the car, pick Liam up from school at 12:30 and head south. We stayed with my folks who were very careful to keep our arrival on the hush-hush. We also new that the graduation would be a late dinner ceremony and that it would be difficult for Liam to attend for that length of time. So, we offered Mema the opportunity to enjoy Liam's first overnight stay...she didn't stop to think any answer but yes, of course. Although we know she loved having the time with Liam, we truly appreciate her since she had to take off from work on Saturday in order to help us out. After we settled Liam in at Mema's (he was quite fine and content), we headed to the graduation ceremony which was held at the Oconee County Civic Center.

When we arrived, the road we traveled allowed us to see one of the entrances to the building. Out in front of this entrance stood my brother (all decked out in his uniform looking quite handsome), my sister-in-law, Margaret and a friend/co-officer. Billy pulled into the parking lot and nearly onto the curb, rolled down his window and shouted "Do you know where...."! Paul's initial facial expression read, "Who is this idiot?". Then his mouth hit the pavement as Margaret came running with tears rolling...it was such a great surprise!

The graduation ceremony was wonderful including witnessing Paul's private swearing in as a peace officer and our dad pinning his badge #41 on his uniform, an enjoyable dinner with guest speakers and a slide show of his academy class (also, fun to learn Paul's academy name was Q-Ball), and his receipt of his diploma from the 228th graduating class from the Northeast Georgia Police Academy in Athens, GA.

A very special evening for all of us especially Officer Paul Spencer!

Jack and The Wonder Beans

Liam had his first opportunity to enjoy a children's play thanks to The Friends of the Scott County Library and The Lexington Children's Theatre. I wasn't sure how he would do sitting still through an entire play at three years old but since the tickets were free I figured it was worth a shot. Am I ever glad we went!

The play was so entertaining for adults and children alike - Liam was glad to see a couple of his friends there and sat up front next to Lily Star. The actors were unbelievable especially since there were only four...One to narrate and play music, one for Jack, one for Jack's Mom/Mrs. Giant and one for the bean salesman/Giant. Their costumes, set and props were wonderful and their interaction with the children phenomenal. A few older children were even brought into the play as characters - the cow and goose.

The hour-long play held Liam's attention and he left loving the scenes where the Giants were looking for the tadwacker, Jack. We're still playing Giant and Tadwacker in our house!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Liam!!!

Wow...the time has come and gone...we can hardly believe Liam is three today. So much has happened since we found out Liam would be joining our family...what a joy-filled blessing he is to all of us!

Last year, for Liam's 2nd birthday, Daddy had to work. So, Mommy and Liam went for our first visit to the Salato Wildlife Center to explore the animals and grounds - what fun. After Daddy returned home from work, we picked up a cheese pizza (Liam's favorite) and headed to the KY Horse Park for after-hours fun at the playground and walked the grounds enjoying all the beautiful horses and one rogue squirrel, apparently.

This year, Daddy planned to be off from work but, unfortunately, that did not happen. I came up with several ideas for Liam and Mommy fun until Daddy returned home. However, Liam decided he wanted to stay home and play. He had such a busy week and since he is usually very tired on Fridays anyway I decided that sounded like a good idea.

Liam started the day by putting on one of his new and favorite shirts - a tiger shirt from his friend Steven. After breakfast, he practiced casting his new Lightning McQueen fishing pole from Papa...he's getting pretty good at it. He then headed upstairs to brush his teeth. The dentist suggested he not brush his own teeth and for Mommy or Daddy to brush them for him but I don't see the harm in allowing the child to brush his own teeth and then letting us take a second look afterwards. Plus, he's getting pretty good at truly brushing as he likes to call out different animal names for each tooth he's brushing...too funny!

After the morning routine, he wanted to play on the computer. Papa gave him a new Boohbah PC Game which has a fun matching game and hide and seek game. Then we headed back downstairs for an apple snack and funny faces with Mommy - we're so silly.

After snack, we headed outside for backyard fun. We played in the sandbox, picked dandelions for the new birdies in our pear tree, played chase, enjoyed the swing set and playhouse and mowed the lawn with the fun bubble mower from Mema. What a busy morning...time for lunch!

After lunch, we headed upstairs for rest time. We read through his own school made number book. He did a great job gluing on the appropriate number of colorful objects per page and he enjoys reading and counting his masterpiece.

Daddy returned home from work shortly after Liam's rest time. We gathered in the family room around Liam's birthday presents from Mommy and Daddy which we purposely set aside from his party so he would have something to open on his actual birthday. After pulling tissue paper out of a really fun monkey birthday bag, Liam found Moon Sand and books - Pooh Bear, Bug's Life and Stellaluna. We went outside and set up shop - Moon Sand is a lot of fun! We made all kinds of castles, designs and impressions, and filled the treasure box over and over again.

After Dinner, we played with Liam's favorite Rain Forest cards and Fireman dress-up before he settled into bed and his first year as a three year old. What a wonderful day!!!

Happy Birthday to our big three year old...we love you, Liam!!!

Samantha & Lilly Kate's Visit

We always enjoy spending time with our cousins and friends, Josh, Samantha and Lilly Kate...what a wonderful way to spend the eve before Liam's 3rd birthday! Since they were in Louisville for Josh's work, Samantha and Lilly Kate were kind enough to drive out for dinner (missed you Josh but we'll all get together sooner than later, hopefully!). It didn't take Lilly Kate long at all to warm up to everyone. Before you knew it, she and Liam were outside playing in the backyard with the swingset, sandbox, bubble machine (what fun for us to watch them chase enormous bubbles) and Billy! Yes, Billy....he picked both babes up, one in each arm, and ran 'round & 'round the yard in circles. Liam and Lilly Kate were laughing soooo hard as they jiggled and bounced up and down while Samantha and I looked on filled with laughter of our own.

Once inside, we had fun giving Lilly Kate her party gift from Liam's 3rd birthday party, enjoyed a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs and visited more before sharing farewell wishes. The time just flew by! Thanks for sharing your very precious travel time with our family...we look forward to our next visit together.

Easter Blessings

Dyeing Easter Eggs:

Liam really got into the spirit of dyeing eggs this year. He wanted each one of our names written on an egg so Mommy wrote Liam, Daddy, Mommy, Gandma and Papa's names while Papa, Gandma and Daddy helped him place the egg into his color of choice. Besides carefully dropping the eggs into the cups and spooning them out, Liam even tried eating one. Of course, cracking the shell was the most fun! After watching Daddy taste the white and then the yolk, he took a bite of each and quickly decided it wasn't for him. I guess we're lucky he enjoys them scrambled! After all the eggs were dyed, Liam placed them on an egg plate and proudly displayed them for all to enjoy.

Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Bunny:

Who is small and soft and hops along bringing little children the message of New Life? The Easter Bunny, of course. Liam was so excited about going to his 2nd Easter Egg Hunt. (Last year's morning egg hunt was sooo cold and windy not to mention all the dogs out and about. So, this year we decided to patron another community egg hunt at the 1pm hour. Luckily, the weather was better and no animals among the candy!) It was great watching him spy all the colored eggs and running about filling his cute little floppy ear bunny basket. Oh what fun...and then the real fun of opening and eating the yummy candy - M & M's, Skittles and Starbursts - YUM!

Before leaving the egg hunt, Liam spied the Easter Bunny. He was so excited and brave as he ran over, shook hands and allowed the Easter Bunny to pick him up for a big hug and picture, too. The Easter Bunny is definitely a kind and gentle friend...it's no wonder he likes to spread the Good News of Easter!

Easter Sunday:

St. John's Easter Sunday Mass was celebrated at the Georgetown College Chapel...Yes, the chapel of a local Baptist college. Fr. Linh had a lot of fun with that before Mass even began!!!
It was actually a very beautiful Mass and we were very lucky to have such a wonderful (and roomy) sanctuary to celebrate the most holy day of the year.

Liam enjoyed spying Fr. Linh and a couple friends, John and Grace, his church bag of books and colored pencils for his Jesus coloring book from Ganny, bursting into song whether he knows the words or not...sometimes it's more precious when he doesn't know the words!, exchanging the Sign of Peace and partaking in the communion line for his blessing. (He's learning to cross his chest with his arms as a sign for a blessing until he's old enough to make his first communion.) On our way back from the altar to our seats, he spied Grace again and managed to sneak away for a quick hug...Grace was happy to oblige.

After Mass, we returned home to find someone had paid a visit to Liam while we were at Mass. The Easter Bunny had come to share the Good News of New Life. What a wonderful surprise...and he ate his carrot, too! He left Liam some yummy candy, a new book for his church bag, a "birdie" rock (a Holy Spirit Dove) and lots of other special treats. We took turns exploring Liam's Easter Basket before enjoying a wonderful Easter dinner together.

After dinner, we all made our way outside to enjoy one another and especially Liam - our most recent gift of New Life...

...Thanks be to God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us, Christ for His infinite friendship and the Holy Spirit for continuing to guide us through our gift of life.

Thank you, Sweet Boy!

Mommy got her hair cut today...a new, shorter length from a hairstyling magician, Shana, who really understands my unruly head of hair! I felt good, real good, when I left the salon and headed home.

But, when Liam looked at me with a big smile on his face and said, "Mommy, you look so beautiful!", well, let me tell you, at that moment I couldn't remember feeling so good about myself.

He constantly surprises me with what he's capable of saying & doing and now uplifting has been added to his canvas!

The Bug Park

Liam loves bugs and he received some really fun bug gear at his birthday party from his friends, Lily Star and Sam. Since this coming week calls for rain, it was a no-brainer to find something fun to do outside today...plus, Papa's getting cabin fever. So, Mommy, Papa and Liam headed to McConnell Springs (AKA: The Bug Park) for a leisurely walk and to take in the bubbling springs and natural landscape... beautiful! (It's hard to believe that this was used as a dumping ground until "The Friends of McConnell Springs" managed to raise funds to recapture this beautiful site!).

We enjoyed watching Liam search for bugs and his attempts to catch them with his bug tools and put them in their mesh home. He tried and tried, mostly catching dandelions and leaves. But, at last, he caught a beetle which he toted along in his new bug house on our nature walk and dining with us for our outdoor picnic lunch. Sadly, when we were distracted, our new beetle friend found a small enough hole and escaped. Liam said goodbye and began a new search in between his running, hopping, climbing, jumping and exploring.

What a wonderful day!

Liam's 3rd Birthday Party!

Welcome to Liam's Zoo!!!

We didn't have any trouble picking a theme for Liam's 3rd birthday party. He loves animals and especially zoo animals! We had fun making the "Zoo Ticket" invitations out of card stock on the computer using pictures we had taken over past trips to various zoos. We found lots of fun party gifts from zoo books & stickers to dinnerware & a CD for Liam and his friends. We decorated the house with our "Zoo Tickets", zoo animal friends, personal zoo photos, balloons and Liam's own painted masterpiece of "My Trip to the Zoo" coloring pages (Thanks, Gandma!).

As our family and friends arrived, the adults mingled and the children played with zoo books, puzzles, toys and the zoo tunnel (cardboard boxes wrapped in gift wrap...thanks for the idea Ms. Dawn & Gandma!). Once everyone ate a delicious spread (Thanks, again, Gandma & Papa and Daddy, too!), everyone headed outside for free play. Daddy & Papa helped Mommy get the pinata up and going...what fun...everyone took a swing including Great Ganny who can really swing a bat! She told me later, "I didn't know there was anything in there!". The little ones enjoyed stickers, fruit chewies and some candy! After the Zoo Egg Hunt, we headed inside for birth-day-cake!...birth-day-cake!....birth-day-cake!!!!

Mommy made Liam's cake this year but kept it very simple. He asked for chocolate cake with white frosting so I made a moist chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting. I decorated it with green & orange icing, an elephant sitting on dirt (cocoa), a polar bear sitting on ice (mini marshmallows)and a lion sitting on grass (green sugar crystals) & it read "Happy 3rd Birthday Liam". He enjoyed his cake donning his animal friends, listening to everyone sing "Happy Birthday" and had a lot of fun blowing out his #3 birthday candle. He kept looking at me for approval to finally blow it out...too cute. It didn't take long for him and all his friends to dive in and finish off their cake which made Mommy feel good...it really was delicious!

We then moved to the family room so Liam could enjoy opening his birthday presents...what fun! I sat on the floor with Liam and was happy to oblige many lap friends who could barely stand the anticipation of what was in each new package. Liam was blessed with many wonderful presents such as generous gift cards and money (for summer activities), bug gear, books, clothes, stacking cards, games, puzzles, toys, a cool pint-size pool for the summer (which Liam wanted to open up right there in the family room!), animal collections, a new back pack for school in the fall, bubbles, place mats (including a personalized one which he loves to spell

L-I-A-M at each meal!), stickers, a handmade quilt, a fireman dress up outfit, a viewfinder, a "green" race car and driver and a new animal theme bathroom ensemble. WOW...our child is not deprived and is very loved! He shows his appreciation daily in the way he plays and learns with your carefully thought out gifts.

Thank you to each and every one who took the time to share in another wonderful birthday party for Liam. He talks about each of you often and truly loves his friends and family!

Welcome Home, Daddy!!!

We sure do miss one another when Daddy travels. Liam's been handling his absence quite well save moments when it's obvious that he really would like to see his Daddy. He usually wakes up in the morning asking "Where's my Daddy?". After reminding him that Daddy's gone to work on a car ride, he's usually fine. Sometimes he asks to call him which we happily oblige. So, today, Daddy arrives home and Liam is so happy!!! He's had a busy spring break week, Gandma & Papa are here, tomorrow we'll celebrate his 3rd birthday party with a "Liam's Zoo" theme and lots of friends and family will be here to join in the fun.

But, don't forget, today...Daddy's coming home!!!

Yeah, Gandma & Papa!

Liam has had such a busy spring break week filled with lots of fun. And, now, Gandma and Papa are here....yeah!!! Liam is getting ready to celebrate his 3rd birthday party this weekend and can bearly contain his excitement. He is soooo happy Gandma and Papa have come to help celebrate!!!

Magic Beans!!!

Yeah, Daddy!!! You found the magic beans!

Liam has been less than interested in potty training save sitting on the potty before bath time which he's done since 18 mos. However, Daddy thought it would be a fun experiment to give Liam "Chocolate Pop Rocks" one night after going potty. He loved them and laughed and laughed and, of course, we laughed and laughed, too. The next morning, Liam woke up and headed straight for the potty asking for "Choc Pop Rocks"!!!! I couldn't believe it...after all of the trialing and erroring Mommy's been doing, Daddy found the Magic Beans!!!

Liam's been in big boy underpants since...now if we can just help him figure out "everything" goes in the potty!!!!

April Fools!

Liam and I were so excited to find a 4-leaf clover in our own back yard today!!!! But, what does it mean when you find one on April Fools Day? I guess the joke's on us!

Fun with Cousin Erin

As we all know, Liam loves the zoo. He always has fun and recently had an extra special time with Mommy, Aunt Jane and cousin Erin. We enjoyed all the animals from the bats and turtles to the orangutans and lions. Liam and Erin also had fun playing at the zoo playgrounds, riding 'round on the carousel (Liam chose the Gorilla again, I think Erin chose the Lion) and ending our trip with a ride on the zoo train. While on the train, we had an extra special treat and spied the new baby giraffe...what fun!

After our adventures at the zoo, Erin came home with Liam and I for a sleepover. I thought for sure they'd pass out in the car as we enjoyed the zoo ALL day. But, no. They did quite well, however, on the ride home save a couple of moments that took me back to my childhood. It was at this time that I realized that Liam and Erin are exactly the same age apart as my brother and I are...so, I really had to chuckle as Liam tried his hardest to annoy Erin and she tried her hardest to ignore him! After playing outside on the swing set and eating dinner it was time for bath and bed. Since Liam went to sleep first, Erin and I had a chance to play a game of cards. She's really good at Uno!

In the morning we headed to the community center for fun in the pool. Liam loves the little playroom there which worked out great. It gave Erin and I a little girl time/8 year old time before adding Liam to the mix. After a couple of hours it was time to head home for lunch, bath and play. It wasn't long before Aunt Jane arrived to bring Erin home. Both the babes were so beat and ready for some quiet time!

Erin's visit went exceptionally well. I told the two of them that they could be honorary brother and sister. They thought that sounded great and hope to do it again during summer break.

Liam's 1st Dentist Appointment

Liam had his first dentist appointment with Dr. Chris. His first dentist is very serious and a bit quirky but Liam didn't seem to mind. We walked into a very friendly and clean office. Liam enjoyed the books, toys and friendly office staff. Dr. Chris explained all of his cool tools to Liam before getting started. The room was very child friendly with giraffes hanging out for company. Liam had to sit straddling my lap and facing me. He laid back into Dr. Chris' lap and allowed Dr. Chris to look at all of his teeth while the assistant noted everything into the computer. There were no tears until the brushing and cavity paste - yuck, Mommy! Dr. Chris was done in no time, Liam wiped his tears, and said "Tank you, Dr. Chis". Ohhh, too sweet! And, great news: no cavities, very little plaque and great spacing between his teeth. Liam left with a new toy airplane, a sticker and a big smile!!!

Celebrate St. Paddy's at the....ZOO?!

Yes, of course, we had to celebrate St. Paddy's day....our son's name is Liam McConnell. But, this year, Daddy is traveling on St. Patrick's Day (enjoying, I'm sure, a few pints & an Irish band at a local Irish Pub) and Liam's favorite thing to do is visiting the zoo. So, after school, I picked Liam up and drove to Louisville without any word of where we were headed. We were both sporting our green and had lots of fun...starting with Liam's expression when he realized where we were.

Ganny Spencer has been asking us to spend the night so before we left for the zoo I packed an overnight bag...just in case. Well, Liam was sooooo exhausted after walking the zoo grounds but when I mentioned going to visit Ganny, he perked up right away. We were greeted with a big smile and open arms and then, of course, the question. "Are you going to spend the night?" You should of seen Ganny's face when I replied, "Yes". She was so surprised and had a lot of fun chasing Liam about...too much fun, I do believe.

The next day I took Liam and Ganny over to the a nearby playground. I'm not sure who was the bigger kid as they both enjoyed swinging and making new friends!

Well, this year, we really did have a Happy St. Patrick's Day...Erin Go Bragh!!!

Newport Aquarium

We recently had the privilege of enjoying the Newport Aquarium in northern KY. Although Liam loves animals including sea animals, the aquarium doesn't hold his interest quite yet as the zoo does. He sort of took a look at the fish as he walked through the maze of people. We had to focus on him more than the fish at times because he's so independent and fast. It makes you a little nervous with all the people waiting their turns as our little guy can slide right on by them and, well, we can't.

After stopping for a quick look at the lion fish, we finally made it to the larger tanks. I couldn't believe how excited he was about the sharks. He sat in the tunnel and watched, watched, watched! An added surprise was the divers in the tank. One of them found a shark's tooth and held it in his hand against the glass for the children to see. Liam thought that was something else. We stayed in the tunnel for quite a bit before moving to a bubble where he could have what felt like one on one interaction with the sharks. So exhilarating!

I'm so glad he had the opportunity to enjoy the sea animals. I'm sure we will try another aquarium trip next year to see what new adventures he may have with his shark friends.

Toddler Fun!!!

Liam is so much fun to be around and has a great sense of humor. We just had to jot down these LIAMisms!!!

We've had the honor of many birthday invitations since the new year began most of which we have attended. He enjoyed Lilly Kate's birthday picture invitation despite our not being able to attend, had so much fun at Erin's Chuck E Cheese party, a limbo of a time at Lily Star's party and Maura's Horsey party was Giddy Up Fun!!! But, Liam's so looking forward to his Zoo Birthday party. He's talking about it all the time now. The other day he held his cup up high to announe Happy Juice Day and told me how his party was next and it was going to be Zoo Animals. He went on to say how his school friend, Nate, was having a Monster party. I asked Liam's teacher and Nate's mom and neither one of them were aware of the party. Liam's imagination at work!

We love listening to Liam sing: Ring around the Rosy, Row your boat, Twinkle little star, Baa Baa black sheep, Sing Hosannah, Hickory Dickory, Old McDonald, Happy and You Know It and Happy Birthday (his favorite!).

Liam loves to play chase/peekaboo/hide & seek. He likes to hide while you count to five and then pops out to say Boo! He loves to hide in the same two places!!

Liam enjoys the Lion King...lately he likes to stand up on the ottoman and holds his arms up high with his hands together. He's pretending to be Rafiki the Wise Baboon holding Simba up for all the animals to see. Also, you may catch him bowing down like the animals or rolling around on the ground like a lion cub.

He loves to open the car door for his Ganny.

He enjoys matching memory games especially Goodnight Moon from Gandma and Papa.

He enjoys his sandbox...thanks, Ms. Julie! He has blue sand that has turned to blue mud as the sandbox lid blows off when it's windy. Liam loves the mud so I put his new yellow rainboots from Gandma & Papa on the other day. Apparently, they're still a bit big. The poor little guy got stuck in the mud and slurp went the boot as he pulled his foot right out of the boot into the blue mud. He didn't seem to mind and went running after the robin in the yard saying, "My get it" (he thought he would get the bird for me). Instead he got a big surprise when the bird flew up on the fence and then back towards his direction. He ran back to Mommy saying "My scared". So much fun!

He loves bugs! He searches for them inside and outside. Please, let me define inside...that is...inside near the front and rear doors. He has seen ladybugs, small beetles, ants and worms and enjoys studying them with his magnifying glasses. He even brought a beetle to the bathtub one night and lathered it up with his yellow body soap paint...poor beetle.

We've been enjoying the sprinkling of warmer days lately. Our backyard and neighborhood has turned into a bird watching haven. So far we've seen robins, mourning doves, wrens, blackbirds, cardinals, hawks and a redwing blackbird. It's very exciting for Liam to see the Mommy Wren come and go from his birdhouse which Gandma and Papa gave to him last year as a housewarming present. The birdhouse sits in our pear tree and can be seen from inside and outside our home. Birdwatching is also a great way to discuss senses. Liam has fun looking and listening for his birdies. He's already able to point out the call of the mourning dove and cardinal. Nature is so fun!

Pajama Party with Aunt Jane

We've been trying to find some extra time to share with our Aunties, Uncles and Cousins since we moved to KY. It's amazing how busy we all get with our day to day lives. Liam goes to school twice a week and the weekend is devoted to our family time. Every time we drive to Louisville, we find it so important to devote that time to my Granny so it seems like the only time we get to share with our KY Family is at family events which is wonderful except it is always hard to really spend quality time with anyone in particular.

So, for Aunt Jane's Birthday, we told her we were going to put a day aside to spend together. She suggested coming to spend the night and going to the Science Center the next day. She just new Liam would love it there...and boy was she right!

Our visit started out great with a wonderful dinner - Liam loved the mac n cheese & watermelon! Liam did a great job with his BBB (bath, books and bed) especially since we weren't at home. Auntie and I sat up all night visiting and catching up with one another. It's really nice to transition from a niece/aunt relationship to just friends!

The next morning, as planned, we got ready to head downtown to the Science Center. Liam had so much fun in and out of the Kid Zone. A middle school was visiting the center so at times Auntie and I were playing zones trying to keep Liam in check...a little guy can slide through a crowd much easier than Mommies and Aunties! He enjoyed everything from driving the Wheels on the Bus, puppets on screen, water tables, reading books, bubbles, scary water creatures, real stuffed animals from and outside of KY and the gift shop. Thank you, Auntie, for my wonderful Animal Counting Book!!!

Another wonderful visit! What a great way to continue building relationships with those we love!!!

From Mimi to Ganny...Overnight!

Liam and I drove out to Louisville a couple Wednesdays ago to pick up my Granny for an overnight visit. Liam has called her Mimi for some time now but I suppose with the family's influence of calling her Granny he has made the change. She went to bed as Mimi and woke up as Ganny.

It was a great visit. She was very excited about coming to spend some time with each of us and wanted to treat us to dinner. Well, we all know she loves Cracker Barrel and Golden Corral...I chose Cracker Barrel. Liam was very well behaved and quite the gentlemen. When I suggested opening the car door for her, he wanted to oblige over and over. Then he took her hand walking past the fireplace explaining it was very hot and not to get too close. After dinner, Mimi insisted he find a little something in the shop and, of course, he was very thorough in choosing the right toy (an M & M dispenser with a foam fan that spins when he pushes the button). I told Mimi there was no need for us to point out that there was actually candy inside.

Mimi had the enjoyment of reading Liam his goodnight stories and tucking him into bed. She and I enjoyed playing cards...Rummy is her game and she got me good!

The next morning was a school day so we had a chance to play some more cards before it was time to pick Liam up...I had my turn as the Rummy Queen. Then, off to get our boy. Liam was so happy to see his Ganny and wanted to show off for her. She enjoyed seeing his school, classroom and meeting Liam's teacher, Ms. Kelley.

When we arrived home, Liam wanted to play before settling in for lunch and rest time. He introduced Elefun to Ganny and handed her a butterfly net. What fun we all had...but watch out!!!...Ganny is very competitive and likes to win at Elefun as much as Rummy!

We're looking forward to our next visit with Ganny...until then...we love you very much!!!

Two Lovies from Liam...Lucky Mema!

Liam went through the family the other day expressing his love. I love Mommy, I love Daddy, I love Papa, I love Mema, I love Gandma, I love Ganny, I love Aunt Jane, I love Mema. We all truly feel loved by Liam but this go round....Mema takes the cake with two lovies from Liam.

I guess it's a good thing we were able to make the wonderful visit to Chattanooga, TN to visit Mema and so many other family members...What a great way to start a new month!!!

We found out Billy's nephew, Lee & his family were heading to TN from OH to visit with Billy's sister, Theresa & the family. So when we found out that Mema and Billy's sister Christine & her family were all going to make the drive up from Atlanta it was a no-brainer that we, too, would make the drive down. For a short visit, it was a really nice time! Everyone tried to squeeze in as much time with one another as possible...especially with all the little ones (eight children from 8 months to 10 years) running around. It was great to meet our nephew Logan for the first time - he'll celebrate his first birthday in June. Also, Billy got to meet his niece, Lacy, for the first time - she'll celebrate her second birthday in July. Liam had so much fun playing with his cousins and Aunt Theresa's puppy dog...what a sport...Liam chased the dog under, over and around the house.

Liam was so excited to see Mema when she opened the car door. "Mema", he called out, sending kisses and looking for a hug. How nice to have some time together as it had been since last July that we saw Mema. I know it made her feel good to wrap her arms around her little guy!!!

And once again, Thank You to Theresa, Jim, Baili & Chase for opening your home to all of our family. And for organizing a great get together for dinner downtown. Hope to see you all again much sooner than later!!! Love to All !!!

Cousin Lilly Kate

We had a wonderful visit last month from our cousins, Samantha and Lilly Kate. It made it extra special as my folks were still in town and were able to have some time enjoying Liam and Lilly Kate playing together, too. They really had a good time with the car racetrack. Lilly Kate really seemed to enjoy feeding the cars into the track booster and watching them go round and round. Later, Liam wanted to play with his play dough so it was exciting to see what masterpieces they each created with molds, buttons, sea shells, beads, etc.

It was so nice to spend some time with both of them especially since they live out of state. It is wonderful to visit family but I also know how overwhelming it can feel to want to see everyone and feel so spread thin. It's especially difficult with little ones who are out of their routine and really need to keep their nap schedule in order to function. So, thank you very much for including us this last visit. We truly recognize your effort and are soooo glad you were able to make the extra drive out to our side of the world.

Also, Liam thanks you for the Sesame stickers...they're always a hit. But most especially, thank you for the the sweet and thoughtful ornaments you made together. They're great!!! Liam really enjoyed opening the package and I know we'll have lots of fun decorating our "Easter Tree". We already put the froggy on the tree as his "green" makes him quite versatile for St. Paddy's, Spring and Zoo Parties, too!

Until next visit....Love to All !!!

Liam's Well Visit - 3 Years

Liam had his well visit yesterday to mark his third year....Wow!!! We can't believe he is going to be three years old next month...just amazing!

He had a great visit with his new doctor, Dr. Riebel. Liam felt very comfortable with her as did Mommy. He's always a good patient allowing the doctor to check him thoroughly from his eyes and nose to his little toes.

Dr. Riebel suggested starting him on a daily vitamin that was not a gummy style vitamin which she says only supplies half the nutritional need and isn't good for the teeth. She also suggested switching to skim or 1 % milk. Liam's always liked milk and never seemed to mind skim on past occasions...I don't anticipate the switch being an issue. Since Liam's been struggling with allergies over the past year, she also suggested trying Children's Claritin (she likes Claritin as it's non-drowsy and a chewable tablet). She agrees with us in using vapor rub and a vaporizer as needed. We struggle with the concept of giving him medicine every day vs. the pain and uncomfortablies...we've decided to try it and see how it works for him. She is happy to hear we already scheduled Liam's first dentist appointment and recommended we schedule an eye appointment over the next year with an opthamologist not an optometrist. She agreed that Liam's minor texture aversions, transition issues and attention needs still fall within his age of development. She said that he was very fortunate to have both his parents in the same household which in itself is a positive thing for his growth and development.

Liam is a very typical three year old. He is a very happy, active, affectionate and enjoyable little guy. He is 34 pounds and 37 1/4 inches which places him in the 75th percentile for both weight and height. His speech has blossomed over the past couple months and he has entered the why/how stage which includes anything from pictures in books to vehicle exhaust pipes! His speech reception is just as excellent which means Mommy and Daddy try very hard to be careful of what we say - he hears all!

His cognitive skills have always been spot on and continue to blossom. He loves playing thinking games like "I'm thinking of an animal that has...". He's very good at the game and has started taking a turn describing an animal for us to guess.

It is so tender to watch your small child express concern for others - adults and children alike. Liam is very quick to comfort a friend experiencing an ouchy. He will caress their back or pat their head saying "My sorry", "You otay?", "My kiss it" or "Uh, uh, uh, Be careful". He is very outgoing and is always first to say hello and initiate play. He has recently started introducing himself to others patting his chest and calling himself "Yiam". He enjoys using his manners and will shake other's hands saying "It's nice to meet you".

Liam has always had strong fine and gross motor skills and enjoys making wonderful masterpieces but only when in the mood. It's been tricky finding the right moments to take advantage of his creative side. Luckily he also enjoys puzzles and push buttons which continue to work those little fingers. He is so active and loves to play outside - summer or winter. He runs, jumps and climbs whenever possible. We've been trying to encourage him to ride his tricycle which is not his favorite thing to do. He needs improvement on his pedaling/steering skills which will get better as his interest in riding increases.

Liam is not big on playing dress up but he does enjoy role playing. He has a great imagination and will go from being a boy to a lion to a mommy or daddy in a flash. He enjoys playing daddy with his babies whose names have recently changed from Ollie and Baby to Baby and Brother. Gandma found a great shopping cart at Sally's Boutique so his babies spend a lot of time riding in his new cart. Liam really enjoys small spaces and likes to hide inside and under most anything from blankets, boxes, closets, etc.

Liam goes to pre-school for about four hours two days a week. He likes school and has started talking more about his teachers, friends and activities when he comes home each day. His teacher, Ms. Kelley, is currently working with his class of six on ABC's and 123's. They have been focusing on one or two letters each day from their alphabet and number train. He also gets to enjoy music and chapel once a week as well as a visit from the local librarian once a month. This month, his class celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday with a "Wear your PJs to school day" and will have fun with "Beach Week" next week which is the week before spring break. By Fridays, Liam is one tired little fellow.

It is so exhilarating to see Liam achieve each new milestone with every developmental stage. We trial and error most everything to help him achieve whatever it is that he is learning. Since he struggles with transitions, we have found in addition to talking about the upcoming change (leaving the house, getting ready to eat at the table, going upstairs for bath/bed, coming in from outside, etc.) setting a timer assists him in adjusting his focus accordingly. When needed, he responds well to time out and losing privileges. Disciplining is never fun for Mommy, Daddy or Liam but is as necessary as the love we provide...it's much easier to show love, I admit.

We thank God each day for our son. Liam is such a blessing to our lives and we appreciate him and his gift of life. He is such an important member of our family teaching us as much as we teach him. We value him so and pray that we continue to be models of love to him showing him the importance of family and faith. An older gentleman was sitting next to Billy at mass last weekend. He leaned over to tell Billy how he thought Liam had been raised well. It's amazing how good a comment like that can make you feel...even if he was bias from the kisses Liam was blowing!

Liam, we love you so much and look forward to all of your three year old adventures!!!

Bye For Now

It's always sad to see Gandma and Papa pack up and head back home. We miss you both already and are looking forward to our next visit with you in April. It'll be a Zoorific time!!!

Thanks again for everything and for all of your travels north to Liam Country!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Valentine's Day celebrates friendship and love. Well, Liam and Mommy were so happy to share in an extra special early Valentine's this year. First, our Gandma and Papa arrived Thursday evening for a wonderful 10 day visit. And, then, the big surprise for all of us was when Daddy came home a night early with sweet valentines in tow! Liam loves his little lion and has slept with it each night.

However, the most precious gift was watching Liam cuddle in bed with Daddy on Friday morning. Each of them with expressions of serenity softly laying upon their faces...enough to fill my heart with friendship and love for years to come!

Gandma & Papa!!!

Liam was so excited to see his Gandma & Papa!!! With a big smile and arms raised, he greeted them from his bedroom doorway shouting Papa and Gandma!!!

Grandma has had so many names starting with Bma, Mma, Mama and now Gandma which I'm certain will become Grandma and even more certain makes my mom very happy! Papa hasn't had as much time to share with Liam thus far as he's been helping care for my Grandmother who has been in the hospital for several days now (my mom and I went to see her last night...she's doing really well!). Today is her 93rd birthday...Happy Birthday, MiMi (as Liam calls her).

Liam is a very busy little fellow. He is non-stop energy from the moment his feet hit the floor until his head hits the pillow. He is also very affectionate and I've enjoyed witnessing his tender moments with Gandma the past few days. He has asked about his Papa and spoke on the phone with him a couple times as well which here lately is a feat in itself as he doesn't like our new phone. I'm sure when Papa returns from MiMi's, he and Liam will be back up to their old tricks!

We are all so happy to be enjoying a visit from Gandma & Papa...thanks again for making the long trip!!!

Mr. Jack Nicholson!!!

Billy and I had to laugh last week when we enjoyed a family breakfast at a nearby restaurant. We situated Liam into his chair which is new to him as the last time we went out to eat he was still using a high chair. He did quite well sitting still, behaving and using his manners. We told him the waitress would be by soon to take our drink order. We asked him if he'd like milk or juice which is a treat in itself as he doesn't drink juice often unless it's mostly watered down. He, of course, chose juice. The next think you know, he's sitting up straight and tall, looking across the large dining room for our waitress who is nowhere to be seen (no wonder we eat at home - mommy provides very prompt service) and very loudly asks, "Hey Lady, I have juice pease!". We looked at one another, laughing, and both said, "Jack Nicholson!" (if you've ever seen As Good As It Gets with Jack and Helen Hunt you'll understand). We laughed so hard!!!

Then, last night after a fun afternoon at the zoo, we treated ourselves to dinner out in Louisville. We decided to choose a family friendly environment due to our two year old and our zoo attire. We chose Bucco de Beppo's...very happy with our choice! The restaurant is divided into themed rooms including the circular "Pope" room. The folks in that room were having a party and a lot of the patrons around us were getting annoyed by the constant roaring noise. Well, you know it's bad when a two year old, yes...our Liam, stands up in his booth, turns around and says, very politely may I mind you, "Quiet Down". Oh yes...but even though we agreed with him and wanted to laugh, we had to encourage him to turn around, sit down and try to ignore the very loud people.

So, even though we've been watching our pennies and eating in lately, we have had two fun and enjoyable adventures over the past couple of weeks. What a fun way to wish Daddy Bon Voyage for another week in IN.

ICE!!!

We've had a crazy week of being cooped up and the ice made it hard to even enjoy the winter weather...no snowmen around anywhere. We did manage to make a few snow angels though. Liam helped do some shoveling which was sooo cute...do you think I'll get the same help in 10 years? Nah, probably not.

We finally made it out of the house today...to the Mickey Mouse store, McDonald's Playland and we're currently at the library. Liam has enjoyed puzzles, books, CD's and now the children's computer. Daddy's soaking it all up, too, as he begins his traveling this week. We're not excited about him being gone but we are very thankful that he has a job! Praise God!!!

Let's hope this week's snow won't be like this past week's ice! And let's hope Liam gets to go to school this week. Mostly for his sake but Mommy's too!

President Obama

Hmmm...can be a touchy topic. I've heard a lot of murmurs, comments and prayers this week. Especially on Thursday which was the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. We definitely have our own views and offer our own prayers in our family. A lot can be said against our new president and I'm sure in his defense, too. However, when it comes down to it...President Obama is our president. In our home, we believe he deserves and needs our support and prayers. So, although Billy had to work on Tuesday, we wanted and hoped Liam would be part of the Inauguration ceremony from our family room. The two of us had so much fun and Daddy got to hear all about it as soon as he got home. Liam is still talking about oh-BAH-ma!

When we turned on the television, a series of "American" icons were being portrayed. Liam recognized the flag as the American Flag but, Oh, when we saw the Statue of Liberty, he got soooo excited calling out, "Mommy, the Wonder Pets live there!" (There was an episode with the Wonder Pets (a guinea pig - age 5, duckling - age 3 and turtle - age 4 saving a baby pigeon from the Statue of Liberty.)

He was also surprised upon hearing the Lord's Prayer...the look on his face was amazed...how do they know our prayer, Mommy?! Since Liam has mastered our meal blessing, we've started working on the Lord's Prayer. He has memorized it through "Thy kingdom come" and must be the only one to pray it out loud. Daddy and Mommy are only allowed to repeat the last line after he is done.

Then, the announcers mentioned the President and his family's names. All Liam could talk about was Obama/Ogogo and Sasha. He could clearly say Obama but would keep saying Ogogo, too. Maybe he thinks the President is related to Go, Diego, Go?! I asked who he enjoyed more and the answer, of course, was Diego...sorry Mr. President...animal rescuers apparently come first! And as far as Sasha goes, I just think it must be fun to say...SASHA!!!

Liam was truly captivated by the performances of cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, pianist Gabriela Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill. It really did not matter to us if their beautiful music was live or previously recorded...it was truly beautiful music! Like Mama said, "Pepere would've deemed their performance the best part of the entire ceremony!".

We wrapped up our inaugural viewing later in the day with a peek at the parade. Liam was so excited to see President Obama waving at him. He kept waving back to the President and First Lady just pleased as punch that they took the time out to wave to him.

It was an enjoyable experience to share with Liam. I know Daddy enjoyed hearing all about it that evening. When we ask Liam who his President is all these days later, he still remembers....President Obama. We hope to spark an early interest in Liam regarding his country...past, present AND future!

Game Time = Family Time

I've been pulling out some board games to play with Liam recently. It's been fun in more than one way!

He does like Hi Ho Cherrio if you play it according to his directions. You put the cherries on the tree with the stem "down" and then fill up the basket despite where the spinner lands. Then, all of a sudden, you dump all the cherries out wherever you feel like...maybe the floor, on the game itself or in the holes for the baskets and into the box. I guess that means we're done.

He received a nice new game, Chutes and Ladders, for Christmas from his cousin, Lilly Kate. I decided to put it with the other games, unopened, until a later date when he might be able to follow directions a little better. He had a different idea, however. It was very important that we open the game one night and try to play. After trying to distract him with a more age appropriate game, puzzle or book, I finally agreed and tried to prepare him for all the steps in playing the game. He was so anxious. We opened the box and found all the pieces needed to be punched out of the cardboard and "set up"...oh, what fun. He did such a good job popping the girl and boy pieces out and standing them up into the plastic stands. Then we assembled the spinner together and enjoyed some practice spins...what fun. We each chose a friend to use as our game piece, Liam gave the spinner a good spin, moved his friend the right amount of steps with Mommy's help and...the game was over. My first clue that the game was over? The friend jumped out of his plastic stand and the shark from the nearby animal toy basket preceded to eat the stand. It didn't take long for that hungry shark to eat all of the stands. It's a good thing
the friends got away safely!!!

Mama gave Liam some fun animal matching cards sometime last year. He's loved them from day one. They're great because they can be used as simple or as complex as you wish. For every animal there is a baby, too. Liam can match every mommy to each baby and call out the name of each (i.e: horse/foal). He mastered these skills some time ago. So, when we were enjoying them at the table one day, I thought we'd try a "Go Fish" style game. He watched intently as I shuffled the large cards, dealt two cards each and placed the others face down in a pile. I told him we had to try and find the mommy or baby to match the card in our hand. I preceded to ask him, "Liam, do you have a calf?". He said, "no". I said, "oh, draw a card Mommy" and I drew a card. Then I told him it was his turn. He showed me his cards and I prompted him to ask for one of his matches...he did. I didn't have the card so I said, "oh, draw a card Liam" and I helped him draw a card. He seemed to enjoy the game and we went back and forth a couple times with this same scenario. It held his attention until he realized that the cards could slide between the table leafs and stand up. This step in the game was soooo exciting! He quacked, mooed and clucked for some time. I'm anxious and curious to play this game again soon, though, to see how much he retained from our first go round.

Even though we didn't get to truly play the games, I figure it's really not too early to introduce them to him. One of the great gifts of playing games at any age is the quiet play you share together. The problem solving skills are just a plus!

Where's the Piper?

We had another fun filled trip to the local children's museum this past weekend. Liam enjoyed some of his usual exhibits including the Houses from different cultures (this area includes a touch screen monitor with software that teaches about areas around the world as well as the animals that inhabit those countries...he loves the African and Asian animals, of course), Dinosaurs, Shadow Wall, Caving and Puppet Show Stage. In addition to these exhibits, Liam encountered some new found fun at the Food Group exhibit where he "picked" vegetables and fruits, placed them in his basket, climbed on the tractor, went to the market and set his table...what fun to harvest, sell and eat yummy foods) and he also had lots of fun in the Open Art Room. He made a great masterpiece with construction paper, glue, feathers, pom-poms, glitter, confetti and foam letters & shapes. He and Daddy also made a masterpiece together. Daddy glued on the letters of Liam's name and painted a nice picture of trees and grass with different shades of green. Liam decided it needed some color and added lots of reds. We agreed that Daddy's picture definitely needed some red Poppies in the field...what a great idea, Liam!

Before leaving the art room, Mommy had a great adventure, too. A lady and her daughter kept asking me, "Do you know where the piper is?" I had asked her to repeat it before answering and explained that this was my first visit to the art room and did not know where it was (I did not know what it was!...and...I almost told her that!!!). I asked Billy if he knew. (All taking place while Billy and Liam are working on their projects.) He looked up at me and pointed to the back of the room where we had been just shortly ago. He said, Babe...the "paper" is on the back wall. He then pointed it out to the lady who was continuing to ask, "Where's the piper, the piper?" I was so embarrassed! And so glad that we where getting ready to leave!

On 2nd Hand

It's amazing how time and prayer can change your perspective on things. Fortunately, I have had enough experiences to help me recognize that with time and prayer my choices are always better ones! Thanks be to God!!!

So, in this instance, I'm referring to Liam's school situation. My initial response, as I mentioned in that post, was to register Liam at both schools to ensure his placement somewhere. This is part of the frenzy I spoke of...acting out of initial thought for what you may think is for the betterment of your child. Well, as Liam's parents, we do want what's best for him....of course. But I had to ask myself, is it right to enroll him into one school knowing that we have intentions for his placement elsewhere. The answer is no. We've decided that the best decision is to talk about our situation with the director of his current school and explain that we honestly feel excited and drawn to our faith school. She is so kind and laid back that I know she will respect our choice. We also want to attend St. John's school board meeting to ask why they would want to place children outside of the parish before our children within the parish. Maybe they haven't thought of our perspective or maybe they have made their difficult decision for a reason.
If St. John's falls through, we'll still have three great choices.

1) Enroll him at his current school.
2) If there's no slot, place him on the waiting list.
3) Keep him home with us and attend a Kindermusik class or the like

His job each day is to play...this is his work and is how he learns. Providing him with opportunity, support, encouragement and love is just part of our job as loving parents.

Nonetheless, he will be in a safe, loving, learning environment.

No matter where he is placed...We are his first teachers!

Snow!!! Snow??? No.

Ok, so, we were warned...Snow, Snow, Snow! Well...we had a dusting! We prepared Liam this week for school's possible cancellation and this morning still nothing but a dusting. Liam doesn't mind the cold and loves the snow. You can imagine his disappointment this morning when he was told there wasn't enough snow to build "A Big Frosty" as he put it. I wondered why he was so quick to get his socks, shoes and coat on this morning. Luckily, his disappointment was not accompanied by tears but, rather, easily distracted by ZOO animals, of course.

It's Already Time to Register for the Next School Year!

We attended our parish school, St. John's, Open House this past weekend. We truly went out of curiosity and obligation to Liam as we all are very happy with his current school. We left the O.H. so impressed with St. John's preschool teacher and classroom setting. WOW!!! The classroom centers, curriculum and teacher's background are impeccable. Liam had so much fun playing there as we gathered as much information as possible. As of this morning, he is officially registered for St. John's three/four year old preschool.

Now...the frustrating part...the school fills the four year old slots first and we may not have a firm answer to Liam's placement until this summer. Of course, our registration and annual fees will be refunded if he's not placed but that's just it...what if he's not placed. So, we will have to go ahead and register him at his current school, too, in order to ensure placement somewhere. This just doesn't seem right because if he goes to St. John's we will lose out on the fees paid to his current school. I know of at least one other family from St. John's who is in this same position.

I don't entirely agree with this method especially if non-parish students registering after Liam get first priority, however, there is not much I can do about it this morning. I am curious to find out who I may entertain my questions to, however. Possibly a school board meeting? I plan to find out.

It's easy to see how some parents really go crazy over this whole ordeal as if our children's education is some kind of push and shove race to the finish. Liam is not even three years of age and we have already devoted quite a bit of effort and concern...I can only imagine what it must be like choosing the right school for upper grades and college!

Lucky for Liam, he'll be in a safe, loving, learning environment, nonetheless!!!

Forever and a Day!!!

Although I started this blog nearly a year ago with the best intentions, it's clear that I've nearly failed miserably. Among many excuses are buying and moving into our house this past summer, Liam starting school this fall (which I thought was going to give me more time...huh!), using spare time on the computer to try and catch up on Shutterfly pics (I'm behind on physical picture by 1 1/2 years and finally caught up on online pics before cancelling our home internet this January), and now, since I can not upload pics from our hard drive to Shutterfly (again, no internet right now) I can not post pics to the blog. Nonetheless, I've decided to devote a little time on our blog even without the pictures. There may be a way to go back and upload pics...I'll have to research that, won't I?! So...I'm going to start blogging from the present going forward and will try to fill in the past blanks as I'm able. I'm looking forward to tracking Liam's moments...I hope you enjoy being a part of them, too!!!