Big Boy Pajamas!

Ian has been outgrowing snug-fitting pajamas for the last few months. That big belly just can't be contained! So tonight he moved into the big boy stages of pajama pants. He looks too grown up and too precious all at the same time.

Playing in the Snow

Ian's still under the weather with his cough so once again he missed out on snow time. But, his sweet daddy built a snowman just for him to look at from the window and even threw a few snowballs at him in the process!

Christmas Full of Cars!

Christmas morning took on a whole new meaning with an almost two-year-old. Ian ran into the living room with a confused but curious look on his face. In his usual "Ian" way, he took inventory, carefully looking at what Santa brought before deciding to play with anything. To no surprise, his first choice was the 2ft tall car ramp which kept his attention for most of the day. His tricycle was a big hit, but his feet are just an inch shy of letting him pedal on his own. From dump trucks, to hot wheels, to books about trucks, to his parking garage, this kid is set up for hours of car mania!

Snow Day

Sweet boy heard the neighborhood kids playing in the snow and climbed up on the trunk to get a better look. Since he still struggles with breathing issues, we don't let him spend too much time in the cold. But, I don't think we'll be able to contain his excitement too much longer!

Santa Visit

We took Ian to visit Santa at Yankee Candle Christmas Town and he had so much fun! I think he spoke to every "Santa" in the place! We weren't sure how he would respond, but he managed to sit for the length of a few pictures and then said "Bye Bye!" Overall, our Santa visit was a success.

Cape Hatteras, NC

Standing on the front steps

Knocking on the lighthouse door

We took a day trip touring a couple of lighthouses along the NC outerbanks. The first one at Bodie Island was under construction but the second one at Cape Hatteras was a really cool sight to see.

North Carolina Beaches

Fred, Ian, and I took a mini vacay to Kitty Hawk, NC the first week of December. The waves were huge and Ian was certainly surprised by their size. His last trip to the beach was when he was 4 months old so we enjoyed seeing his amazement of the ocean, sand, and seagulls.

Decorating the Christmas Tree

One of the traditions Fred and I started during our first year of marriage was to decorate for Christmas the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Ian went down for a long nap and woke up to lots of fun "toys" (aka ornaments and snowmen and santa figurines). He loved looking at the lights and sparkling ornaments, but really loves taking them off the tree and throwing them like footballs! Having an almost two-year-old this year is so different from having an almost one-year-old last year, but certain lots of fun!

The Perfect Christmas Card?

In my effort to create the "perfect" Christmas card, Fred and I took Ian to Merchant Square in downtown Williamsburg for an afternoon photo shoot. Getting that kid to stand still was an impossibility, but I think we got a few good shots from which to choose.

Corn Maze

We took Ian to the corn maze with other members of our church family for food and fun one fall afternoon. He loved the tractor museum and kept repeating "Whoa" each time he saw one he liked. He also enjoyed the bouncer (as always) and thought "driving" the wooden tractor was a lot of fun. Oh, the little things that make him happy...

Halloween

Ready to begin the festivities

His first time to trick or treat

Handing out candy

Halloween was so much fun this year! We dressed Ian as Mickey Mouse (his favorite is Goofy, but since I couldn't find that costume his second favorite would have to do) and off we went knocking on doors in our neighborhood. Although he was oblivious as to why he was doing this, he loved running around outside and seeing all of the boys and girls in their costumes. Fred and I plundered through his candy once the night was over...I think I'm going to enjoy being the parent during this holiday!

Busch Gardens

Ian on his first roller coaster Riding the water ride with Daddy

Petting a horse

Driving the ladybug cars

One of the great perks to living in Williamsburg is being so close to so many fun activities. We recently took Ian to Busch Gardens and had a wonderful time watching him enjoy the rides. He LOVED the carousel most but "driving" the ladybug cars was also at the top of his list.

Fingerpainting at its Finest!

Ian's not much for getting dirty. He tends to overreact when something "foreign" is on his hands, like shaking them vigorously or throwing a fit. Hence the reason I've delayed the pasttime of fingerpainting. However, I know he needs the experience and thought it might be something he would enjoy after he got used to his hands being dirty. He did participate, but enjoy? Let's just say that bathtime in the sink was the highlight of his first fingerpainting experience!