Stairs and standing, already?

Yeah, so... you (SILAS) learned to crawl - WHAT... one week ago - maybe? So WHAT do you think you're doing now little man???

Silas has become interested in the stairway. I had kept him in his jammies most of the day so, he was slipping, but he continued to be interested. Once his feet were bare, he couldn't wait to try those stairs again. He managed to pull himself to a stand. (You can imagine his HUGE proud smile!)

All I could think was You have GOT to be kidding me!

A while later, while I was cleaning out the litterbox, Mike yelled for me to "COME QUICK!" Mike wanted me to see that Silas was STANDING on the first step... he figured out how to go UP one already. (I was less than thrilled.) Thankfully, Mike was right there to catch our wobbly little man. (Mental Note: start putting babygate at bottom of stairs again; remember, a gate that is high enough for the cats to still get under also fits a baby.) What a little wise-guy!

Click on photo to view it larger.

Gingerbread man yells OW

This past week, we made (more) cut-out cookies with our new holiday cookie cutters from St. Nick (because we somehow managed to EAT the entire last batch).

We also used some of our Play-Doh cutters... so that we could make tiny stars and tiny gingerbread men - to go along with our new large shapes.

Yesterday, at lunch, Sydney started yelling "Ow, Ow, Ow!" as he ate his gingerbread man cookie. Then, he asked me if the gingerbread man was dying.

(I'm not sure WHERE he learned about death, but I found it rather funny!)

Paper projects for the HoHoHolidays

Click on the photos to view them larger.

On December 3rd, we were coloring... I drew the blue snowman.

Check out Sydney's AMAZING red snowman!!!

On December 6th, we made a paper chain so that we can count down until Christmas; we take one off on our way to bed each night.

A few days ago, Sydney LOVED to help wrap presents with mommy! He picked out the wrapping paper for each present... SO, please do NOT be offended if your present is wrapped in Seuss' GRINCH paper; he REALLY likes that movie and is NOT insinuating anything at all.... he's TWO!

Sydney was SO PROUD to pull off a piece of tape ALL BY HIMSELF and proudly put it onto this wrapping paper. If only he knew that the tape goes on the OUTSIDE of the package!

TODAY... 12.12.11 (see below)

Sydney colored this gingerbread man while I worked on a paper chain of gingerbread men.

He was doing a GREAT JOB and was very proud - announcing all of the colors.

"You _ike my picture, Mommy?"

WHOA... we said the magic words ABBRA-CADABRA and LOOK!

Sydney quickly grabbed a marker and started racing me from the other end so that HE could draw faces and buttons on the gingerbread men.

Not bad for 2.5 years old. I think it is CUTE how he announces that they are HAPPY FACES; to me, they look a little sad. He's convinced that they are HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!

Proudly making faces and buttons to help mommy.

Here they are - displayed on our front window(s).

We had to go onto the sunporch to admire all of our handy-work!

A photo WITH SYDNEY for size comparison!

I was excited for it to "get dark outside" so that I would have a dark background to photograph our work. NOTE: The toy puppy in the picture to document size ratios in the large picture window.

Our newest little mover

The red outfit in the early part of the video is what Silas has looked like... for the past month or so... resembling a beached seal pup and hopping onto his knees from time-to-time. And then... earlier this week... he figured it all out!

He's kind of funny to watch on the hardwood floors still... resembles a deer who accidently got into town and doesn't know how to move on the slippery surface. But on carpet... after just a few days time he seems to be figuring it out quite nicely.

Enjoy the video of our newest little mover!

We're mobile... a new CRAWLER in the house!

Oh, man... we're in trouble now! Silas displayed a BIG, proud smile on his face as he finally figured out how to move in a FORWARD direction tonight. (Previously, he moved mostly backwards or pivoted around in a big circle.)

I had caught a glimpse out of the corner of my eye as I sat nearby him on the floor and thought that I saw him move a few "steps" forward. Then, he would wiggle around a little - do "the worm" and get back up again. After a few more attempts like this, it appears to have "clicked" and he was on his way... M-O-V-I-N-G!

He's pretty s-l-o-w right now, but I'm sure will pick up speed in no time. His crawling is pretty cute to witness! Tonight, I staged a toy in the office so that Silas had to crawl to go get it. Nana & Papa Olson proudly watched via Skype. His BIG, proud, 2-toothed grin is ADORABLE!

I've got some batteries charging so that we'll (hopefully) be able to video-tape his crawling tomorrow. Poor Daddy was at work so, he missed it, too. (I'm sure Silas will gladly show us his skills in the morning though!)

Back to baby-proofing again, I guess...

You look pretty, Mommy

Sydney's snowman drawing_DEC2011

12.3.11 | Original artwork by Sydney, age 2.5

Sydney's Artwork... in the works!

Building our (Gingerbread) House

Yesterday, we bought a Gingerbread House kit and Sydney was QUITE UPSET that we refused to do it last night after supper. We told him we would do it today so, naturally, that was the first thing he asked for when he woke.

Sydney and Daddy got it out of the box first thing this morning.

Daddy had Mommy read the instructions and stressed DO NOT BE DISTRESSED. (He knows that Mommy is a perfectionist.)

Daddy made this lovely tree and did most of the icing, too.

Daddy added some lovely SNOW to our rooftop.

Our oatmeal roof, Big Red pavers blocks and lollipop light fixture were our personal touches.

Our (gingerbread) house... oh, what fun!

How'd dat guy get dere?

At the library earlier this week, we checked out a handful of HOLIDAY BOOKS. We've read two different "The Night Before Christmas" books and Sydney noticed that the words were the same, but the pictures were quite different between the two books.

He LOVES to look at the pictures and talk about it...

Via Skype on Wednesday night, he had to show Nana & Papa the book, page-by-page, and he was AMAZED that THEY KNEW THE WORDS!!! It was SO SWEET to witness him get excited about the "magic of Christmas" and tell them all about: stockings, mouse, elves, Santa Claus, 8 tiny reindeer, leaving cookies & milk for Santa, leaving carrots for the reindeer, Christmas tree, ornaments, toys for good little boys...

Last night, Mike had suggested that we watch "Santa Claus is coming to town" on television. Sydney liked that A LOT. In fact, he even declared "_ike dis rismas movie better den daddy's geen guy rismas movie rinch. _ike dis one better. _ike dis one a lot!"

(Translation: Like this christmas movie better than daddy's green guy christmas movie - Grinch. Like this done better. Like this one a lot!)

At bedtime, we read a Christmas book about a mouse who discovered the cookies and hot cocoa left for Santa, as well as all kinds of other holiday decorations. At the end of the story, the little mouse runs into Santa himself and Santa whispers to him about how much he loves the little mouse.

We got to the end of the book and Sydney announced "_ike dat book!" (Like that book.) But then, you could see his eyebrows furrow and the thought process deep on his face.

"How'd dat guy get dere?" he asked. (How'd that guy get there?)

"What guy? Get where?"

"Santa Claus. How'd he get at little mouse house? Where tiny reindeer?"

I was AMAZED at his thought process. True, this book did NOT mention Santa Claus getting there via reindeer and my newly-turned two-and-a-half year old son noticed!!!

"They weren't in this book, were they?"

"No." he stated matter-of-factly. "Reindeer prolly on roof." (Reindeer probably on roof.)

"You're right! They probably ARE on the roof. You're SO SMART!"

Sydney nods. "Yeah."

I'm TOTALLY LOVING the magic of Christmas!

Holidays are right around the corner

Sydney and Mommy made cut-out cookies last week. We've since eaten (or given away) almost all of them. We'll count that first batch of cookies as PRACTICE. Obviously, we'll need to make more! Our set of Pampered Chef biscuit cutters worked the best so far!

Daddy assembled and fluffed our new Christmas tree. Grandpa Lowell offered for he and Sydney to put on the lights (since Mommy wasn't overly excited to tackle that project).

Sydney was a FANTASTIC "helper-outer"... he liked to help Papa plug in the next string of lights.

Sydney gets another string of lights out of the bag.

Sydney helped Mommy put the bead garland, icicle ornaments and snowflake ornaments on the tree. He also picked out "prime spots" for an Elmo ornament, Cookie Monster ornament and Winnie the Pooh ornament.

Papa Lowell and Sydney admire their handy work. They were a great team at putting lights on the tree. Grandpa also taught Sydney how to practice "look, but don't touch". (He was a great teacher at that!)

Sydney and Mommy hang icicle ornaments on the tree while Grandpa and Silas supervise.

Sydney picks out a special spot for Winnie the Pooh. (He also likes how Sydney's first Christmas ornament is next to Silas' first christmas ornament.)

Our new tree... a potted Porch Pine... will be PERFECT in the corner of our dining room this year!

Our stairway lighted garland and our new personalized stockings... Silas, Sydney, Sarah and Michael. Lovely!

Our first 'family of 4' portrait by our tree.