Owen's Arkansas Vacation

Although we have taken many, many trips to my parents house, this was the first trip where Owen was ready (and able) to party like a big boy! We traveled in style (and hurricane-force rains) in LeRoy, the Swaggerwaggon. Owen got to watch endless episodes of Elmo and "Different Toy Movie" aka Toy Story 2. He thought TV in the car was awesome...and we (that would be EE and myself) loved not having to name every car and color he could spot for the 5 hour journey! (Thanks LeRoy!).

When we were about 10 minutes away from Nana and Papa's house Owen started singing "Almost Nana house....almost Nana house..." There was no actual tune, but I love his sweet singing...and that's a great song...for a 2yo!. Sweet boy. When we got there, Nana came out to greet us and the kid started screaming and about came unglued with excitement...NANNNNNAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think Nana would have done the same thing...OOOWWWWWEEEEENNNNN!!!!! if it weren't for the neighbors. Those two sure are in love with each other! And a few hours later when Papa got home from work....PAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPA!!!!!!!!!!!!! Same reaction. Love it!

The rest of the weekend was spent with Pop and Owen playing ball, Nana and Owen playing cars, EE and Owen going on adventures...starting to get the picture...or more importantly, who is MISSING from this picture??? Yeah, that's right...ME...MOMMY!!! Apparently I rank 4th below Nana and Pop (who are now equal), then EE, THEN mommy. And had Brian been there, I would have been bumped to 5th position. Oh well. I can take it. At least I am in there somewhere!

We had a great time. We played outside in the rain...EE took him stomping around in the puddles looking for mud and frogs. I stayed back in the puddles where I could be assured there were NO frogs!. We pushed him in the swing hung from the giant tree in the front yard...and when we told him to wait a while to swing again...he climbed in the swing himself, then pitifully yelled "mommy...help...nana...help...ee...help...papa...help" until Nana caved and went and pushed him. 2yo manipulation at it's finest.

We ran through the sprinklers, and even Papa got silly and wet in the water. The things we will do to make our kids laugh. Melts my heart.



We grown-ups sat on the front porch with fans, cocktails, and a TV and played spades (while O was supposed to be napping). Owen got to actually play outside in nature without melting...he picked up all the leaves he could find...rode GiGi the giraffe all over "town" aka the front sidewalk, and we practiced riding his tricycle. I didn't get any pictures of him riding his trike, but it looked like this....Owen peddling along with one of us pushing from behind...telling him to "push with your legs". He would then let go of the handlebars, put his hands on his knees, and push. Oh yeah, 2yo are very literal. I forgot. It was hilarious and made a momma proud.

Another "biggie" of the trip...it was Owen's first time to sleep overnight not in his pack-n-play. He sleeps on a cot at school, but that's just for a few hours. This was ALL NIGHT! Big boy! I bought a toddler air mattress with side bumpers. It worked great....except he flips and flops so much he ended up sliding out the top of it! It made for some rough nights, and needless to say, we were both excited to be back home and in our own beds by the end of the trip.

So that's about it. We had a great time...ate great food...watched scary movies (without Owen, of course!)...played a lot, sang a lot, laughed a lot, and just had a good relaxing time. I wish I had more pictures, but sometimes you get so caught up in having the fun, that you forget to document it. I guess that means it was extra fun! But here are a few pics I did get...



Owen in his Flashdance shirt. I don't know why he wanted to wear it like this, but whatever!



And his Daisey Duke shirt...



Nana bought him this ducky...he wore it all over the house!

I love that kid...and good times AR-stlye!

READY!!

Me: "Owen, tell daddy READY!" (to leave on an outing)

Owen: "Daddy READY" "READY" "READY Dad!" "READY" (yelling through the house)

Daddy: "What Owen?" (didn't hear him from the other room)

Me: "Tell daddy one more time".

Owen: "One more time".

Heeheehee! So sweet and so funny. And so literal! I love it!

Daddy Daddy Daddy!!!

That's all Owen wants these days...Daddy this...Daddy that...And it's little things too...can mommy change your diaper? "No-Daddy!". Want to get in your highchair to eat..."No! Daddy do it!". Ok, well, then, I guess I am not needed. Have at it Daddy!!

Until those middle of the night-way too early in the morning bad dreams. This morning (one of the 5:15am-ers) I hear Owen crying "mommy....mommy!!" I go in and scoop him up...you want mommy to rock you? "Yes" (still crying). You want Daddy? "No-Mommy do it". So I may not get a lot of the waking hours...but I get the ones that count.

I love that daddy-loving kid!

Owen Is Oh So Sheik...

Owen, EE, and I went shopping last weekend. He saw us hold up clothes to ourselves-you know, the way girls do-so he decided he needed to get in on the action. Here's what he came up with:


He found a dress and wrapped it around his neck like a scarf. Very handsome way for a boy to wear a dress, I suppose.

Next was his Arabic headdress. Apparently he could see through it cause he walked around like this for quite a while!


And finally...the outfit de jour. Yes people, he did this to himself...right down to taking off his own shoes to put on the blue fake crocs.

We laughed so hard...he was so proud of himself...and I was proud of him for doing it all himself!

I love that cross-dressing kid!!

Busted!!

My Saturday morning went like this...

Mommy: Owen, this (new china cabinet) is a no-touch. Please leave the doors alone while mommy puts the glasses away.

Owen: Dammit (as he walks away).

Mommy: Owen, what did you say? (Calm and questioning)

Owen: Dammit.

Mommy: That's not a nice word, so let's not say that word, ok?

Owen: OK.

Minute or so later...

Mommy: Owen, where did you hear that word? Who said that word?

Owen: (smiling) Nana.

BUSTED!!!! I had to laugh. That was the perfect answer.

However...in all fairness...and in Nana's defense...she did not teach him that word...overheard maybe, but not taught. And really, at any given time, he could have just as easily said anyone's name...mommy, daddy, Elmo...who knows. But it's makes for a great story that his answer was, in fact, NANA!

I love that kid...and his cussin' Nana! (Kisses Mom!!) ;-)

I Think It's Funny That...

Kids are so funny...mine keeps us laughing daily. I thought I'd share a few tidbits of hilarity with you for your enjoyment.

I think it's really funny that:

~When he's mad, Owen refers to us as "Mom" and "Dad". I thought we'd be "mommy" and "daddy" at least until he goes to school, but nope, we are reduced to "mom" and "dad" when we're in trouble.

~His favorite color is orange. He pronounces it "Ohtch".

~He is now 2 years and 2 months old. Today he is wearing size 6-12 month shorts from Old Navy. He wore them last year, though they were long like capri pants. They still fit, but now look like shorts.

~He is fascinated with buses. I mean he really, really loves them. School buses (he calls them "cool buses") are his favorite, but he appreciates all buses. Our living room looks like a depot.




~He makes the best car noises. It must be in boy DNA (like getting dirty), because I in-turn, make the worst car noises. The driving, the screeching, and engine revving, the motorcycles…he's got them all down. Hubby says my noises sound like a wounded animal.

~Hubby taught him to say "Kim", and he can actually say it! Most kids call me "Tim".

~When he's mad, or being told to stop, he can cut his eyes and give you a foul face like you've never seen. It's hilarious, but we try to not laugh.

~When he wants to know what something is he says "Mom! But dis?" I respond with "a star" (or whatever), and he says "yep!" as if he was testing me. Wanted to be sure you know what you're talking about mom…keep up the good work!

~When he's fake crying, or crying cause his feelings are hurt, he'll cry and cry…but when he's done he announces "Owie all done cy-ing". And that's that; he's all better!

~He loves to put on my lip gloss. And hubby HATES it!

~I love how his words are changing…"open" WAS "O-Pon". Now it's "O-Peen". It's fun to figure out what he's saying…and trust me, he's saying A LOT! (OK, so this one isn't really funny…but O-Peen is!)

I love that funny kid.

Dirty Old Cookie Monster...

As part of his new-found independence, Owen now strongly declares "No Bahsur!" when it's time to change his diaper. Usually we can get him to cooperate when we give him the choice to pick between the Cookie (Monster), Ernie, Duck (Big Bird), and Elmo diapers. Still, he doesn't always buy into it, so we have to get creative... getting him to cooperate is much easier than holding down a 25 LB. 2yo.

One day, while trying to persuade Owen to lie down so I could change him, my sweet hubby said he had come up with something that seemed to work. He said he held the diaper up to his face and spoke in a silly voice saying something like "Hi Owen, its Elmo…can I be your new diaper?" He said it worked...so I gave it a try.

On this particular day I had a Cookie Monster diaper in hand, so I sat on the floor and said (in my best Cookie Monster voice) "Hi Owen! It's Cookie…can I get on you?"

WTH??? Can I "get on you"? In that moment my best "Cookie Monster" voice morphed into my best "dirty old man" voice.

Hubby looked at me with crazy eyes and said "no, not like that you sicko!"

Gross. Clearly I need a new profession since "can I get on you" seemed like something one might say to a 2yo.

Now I just stick with "Comm'on Owen…lay down…it's time to change your diaper".