Monday Picture

Looks like Brad needed a haircut on Christmas morning

Hipster Toddler?

I am not a trendy person.  There I said it.  I'm sure it is blatantly obvious.  Brad is not a trendy person either (I'm sure this is coming as a shock to some of you).  Clothing choices in our family tend to fall more in the "functional" than "fashionable" category.  Most of Mike's clothes are fairly durable play clothes - jeans and t-shirts, sweat shirts for when it is cold, sturdy shoes, etc.  I refuse to spend ridiculous amounts of money on name brand stuff that he will out-grow in a few weeks/months.  I would guess that over half of his clothes are hand me downs from generous friends.  A few nights ago we ran to the mall to get some Starbucks gift cards for a few of his daycare teachers.  Mike was wearing his "daddy jacket" (it looks like one Brad has so named it as such), and carrying his little, tiny, Starbucks hot chocolate and looking quite cool if you ask me.  Maybe the Warlicks are turning over a new leaf in cool...led by a two year old???

"Michael Do It"

Mike has officially entered the phase where he wants to do everything himself and throws a nice big tantrum if I ever try to help him.  He wants to put his own coat on and zip it up.  After 5 minutes of struggling he will usually ask for "Mommy help."  He has to climb into and out of his own booster seat.  He has to climb in and out of the car himself.  The time it takes us to get out of the house has greatly increased, but it is so fun to see him learning all of these new things.  One of the things he is most proud of is his ability to peel oranges (cuties) all by himself.  If I start it for him, he can finish it, segment it and put it in a bowl.  He always claps and proudly exclaims "Michael do-ed it."

Monday Picture

Happy Friday

Work Update

Even though I found out two weeks ago, it was finally official on Tuesday (so now I can tell people)...I am officially the Manager of Internal Financial Reporting at Peabody!  I'm excited to move into a new role and face new challenges.  Wish me luck!

Like Father Like Son

Sometimes this kid is so much like Brad is is scary.  As I type this he is eating guacamole out of a bowl with a fork.  He loves it.  It cracks me up how similar his and Brad's tastes are.  Don't get me wrong, he can give me a run for my money any day when it comes to macaroni and cheese, but what two year old doesn't like mac and cheese?  Guacamole and spicy food is a whole other story.   Brad secretly (or maybe not so secretly) loves it.

Birthday Party!

Mike's birthday party consisted of a pool party followed by pizza and cake back at our house. In total there were 27 people who celebrated with us, it was quite the event. Mike was spoiled rotten by family and friends and really grasped the concept of opening presents.  He has been happily playing with all his new stuff for the past few days. I really have no idea where we are going to put everything, especially with Christmas just around the corner.

Blowing out the candle on his "Cars" cake - he got it on the third try :)

I'm pretty sure he didn't eat any actual cake...just frosting.

Baby Landon enjoying some cake.

Apparently beer is a necessity at kid's birthday parties.

Monday Picture

2

I'm not quite sure how my baby went from this:



 To this:

In what seems like no time at all.  Seriously where did the last two years go?  Each phase with Mike is so much more fun than the last and I can't wait to see what is next.

Happy Birthday Monkey.  We love you more than you can ever imagine!
Mommy and Daddy

Random Cell Phone Pictures

This post may be a cop-out, but as it is pretty much completely comprised of pictures of Mike, I don't think anyone will complain.

Rawwwrrrrr

While sitting on the couch, Mike looked at me and proclaimed "Inna cracker" (I want a cracker).  He jumped off the couch, ran into the kitchen and came back carrying a box of graham crackers with this look on his face.

Ear infection + two year molars = sick baby.  Here we were waiting at the wal-mart pharmacy to get his prescription for ammoxicillan filled - ah good times. 

I see you

The kid is obsessed with phones. 

Building towers is a serious business

Mad scientist Mike

The Grinch

...or as Mike calls him "The Ginch."  The newly renovated Peabody Opera House opened a few months ago.  As I work for Peabody and we (obviously) have a bit of an interest in the newly named "Peabody Opera house" my company holiday party this year was a special dress rehearsal screening of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" at the opera house.   Seats were randomly assigned.  We scored great seats on the main level.   Mike LOVED the performance.  He sat completely mesmerized on our laps for the entire 90 minute show.   Sorry for the grainy cell phone picture, but they are all I have.



Monday Picture

Things He Does

I've said it before and I know I'll say it again but Mike learns new things every.single.day.  His vocabulary is exploding (the other day he busted out a seven word sentence).  So before this phase passes and I forget all of the cute things he does, I figured I should jot them down.

1). He finishes most of his requests with the word "first."  I don't think he is implying he wants something first versus second, I think he just picked it up from me saying "ok, we can do that, but let's finish this first."
2) He used to always say "yeah" now it is "ok."
3) He LOVES to clean the floors and gets the broom and mop out at least once a day and makes the floor "clean clean clean" he is also adamant that I help and will get a broom out for me too.
4) He has started telling us when he is ready for his nap by declaring it to be "seepy-time."
5) He is fascinated with Christmas lights and calls them "pretty yights."  We "yook" for them with our "eyes" while driving home every night.  While in the car he consistently asks for "more pretty yights mommy."
6) He has to pet Sammy and Kitty good bye every morning before we leave for daycare.  We can be out the door and he will run back inside to give them pets.
7) He is picky about his shoes and insists on wearing certain ones each morning.
8) Moo-mie (movie) = Gnomeo and Juliet.  I can't even count how many times we have watched parts of that movie. 
9) We bought him a little tent with a tunnel attached and he loves it.  The first day he kept trying to convince me to come into the tunnel with him.  I was smart enough to tell him I was too big, so now anytime he sees the tunnel he looks at it, then at me and while shaking his head no says "mommy no tunnel, mommy too big."  He studied Brad REALLY carefully before making the same assumption about daddy.
10) He refuses to wear socks if he isn't wearing shoes.  It is kind of like the book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"...if you take his shoes off then he wants to take off his socks, then his pants, then his shirt then his diaper. 
11) He doesn't like to use kleenex and instead requests wipes.  He also needs a wipe every morning when I change his diaper to "keen [clean] up panda" (his favorite stuffed animal).  But don't worry, he gravely informs me that "panda no poop"  each day (thank goodness for that).
12) He loves to "help" me cook and pushes his step stool over to the appropriate place when we get home each night.  He also insists on "pouring" everything that needs to be poured.  We end up with a lot of minor spills, but it is 100% completely worth the help.
13) He is great about helping me set the table each night.  He even reminds me of what needs to be set out ("pates" = plates; "fork", "na-kins" = napkins, "dinks" = drinks, and "bib").  He even knows to put one of each item at each person's place.  He gets really confused when I only give him two of something (usually because Brad isn't going to make it home to eat with us) and asks "mommy or daddy?"
14) He likes to grab both sides of my head and give me kisses. 
15) While driving to daycare each day he has to name each of his friends and each of his teachers.