The Petersons' Family Blog: 2011

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Happy Birthday, Michael!

We got to celebrate Michael's 2nd birthday yesterday, and it was so fun. He is such a special little boy. It is really a deep joy to watch him grow up and show more of himself to us. Though it's hard to see sometimes... with the stubborn demonstration of will comes the potential for tenderly caring for others, with the time outs come a growing understanding of authority and love, with the personality comes more Michael!

For his birthday, we went to the Kinder Park Farm Fall Festival, and then enjoyed a yummy meal together after naps with family! It was a wonderful, relaxing day. Here are a few pics!

From October 2011

We loved petting the goats.

From October 2011

Sorry, I'm really proud of myself even though this really was easy... but check out the cake I MADE! :)

From October 2011

We got so many great gifts and presents from loved ones! An Elmo guitar, his first bike and helmet, a slide that will get us through the winter, fun books, fun toys, fun clothes - a birthday for the books for sure. Here are a few pics of Michael enjoying his new toys.

From October 2011

Ummm... is he 2 going on 18 in this sweatshirt, or is it just me?

From October 2011

Yummmmmmmmmy cake and ice cream!

From October 2011

I thought it would be fun to do a "Michael at 2" summary, as much as for me as for you.
- Talking - He really will try to say anything. Favorite words or phrases: Mommy, please, yummy, more, "Feist" (for youtube video of Feist singing "1234" on Sesame Street), come on, camel (see earlier blog post about our visit to the zoo with cousin Rebecca), singing Happy Birthday and as of this morning the ABCs

- Walking - He is learning to run and actually jump with both feet off the ground. If only he didn't run away from me quite so much in parking lots, I wouldn't mind. Other than that, though, he is tall and lean and a running machine.

- "Friends" - Michael is so social. I think he got the combined social parts of Kevin and of me - he really is so happy playing, as long as there is a "friend" there to play with him. My Annapolis friends joke that he is the only 2 year old who doesn't cry getting dropped off at preschool, and he literally shakes with excitement while we are walking up the stairs because he wants to see all of his friends. It is so sweet, and makes me hope and pray that this next baby will be one of Michael's best friends - and that one day they will have just as much fun playing together.

- Never gets tired of: Youtube videos of Feist performing "1234" on Sesame Street, playing hide and... hide, being chased (and not being caught), eating Life "cereal with muuk" for breakfast, eating waffles with syrup, eating pancakes with syrup, his "beebee" and "parrrrr" (blanket and pacifier), Cars (Pixar movie), taking his shoes off, Caillou

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Wake Forest and Paul

Kevin and I had the chance to visit Paul at Wake Forest while in North Carolina for some friends' wedding. We are so excited for him in his new status as a grad student - and it was fun to get to see the campus through his eyes!

It was pretty funny too being there on Parents Weekend - we were his "proud parents" for a day :)

From September 2011

I can't tell you how many times I've wished Kevin was with me in undergrad - WFU has such a special place in my heart, and I wish I could share some of the memories with him using more than just words. But he's an unofficial Demon Deacon to me (even if we are rivals with the Terps). :)

Anyone able to see Baby P making his/her presence known? Yes, that is, in fact, my belly button.

Monday, September 19, 2011

John Jeffrey!

I'd love to share a belated but enthusiastic WELCOME to my nephew John with you all! I got to visit and hold and be loved by this precious little boy, who was born to Courtney and Jeff on August 29th. He is a sweet baby and is already such a part of their family.

Here are some pictures from our visit with Aunt Courtney, Uncle Jeff, Rebecca and John!
Doesn't he look so wise?

From September 2011

John was a trooper and let us entertain two toddlers without putting up much of a fuss. ICE KEEM was of course on the itinerary.

From September 2011

It meant so much to be able to celebrate Mimi's birthday in person too. Rebecca and Michael are both slightly obsessed with the "Happy Birthday" song.

From September 2011

We took a couple of trips to the zoo while we were there - it was the perfect-sized zoo for two kids under two, I loved it so much.

From September 2011

Our first trip to the zoo, Michael saw and was terrified by... a camel. So as we were standing staring at the camel, he said, "No camel, no camel," so I figured out that he was scared and we left. On the ride back to Courtney's house, we were reviewing what animals we had seen... monkeys... tiger... goats... and Michael said, "Camel?" and I said, "Yes, we saw a camel," and he said, "No, no camel." And I said, "okay, we don't have to talk about the camel."

Second trip to the zoo, ALL Michael wanted to see was the... camel. So we made our little loop, finally rounded the corner before the camels and there was - NO CAMEL. It must have been either feeding or bathing time, but I improvised and said the camel was "taking a nap." The entire ride home, Michael asked every 5 seconds, "Where camel?" and I would reply, "The camel wasn't there, Michael, he was taking a nap." Every five seconds, Courtney can attest. It got old. But now every animal cracker, every silhouette of an animal shape on a t-shirt, every mention of a zoo now requires an explanation of The Camel Who Was Napping.

It was a sweet time with Courtney and Jeff and the kids!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Happy 4th!

We have so many fun memories from the 4th of July this year - with the Petersons, we went to Antietam battlefield and listened to the Maryland Symphony Orchestra perform, then watched an amazing fireworks show. The next night, we went with friends to Sherwood Forest's fireworks display (amazing), and watched from the side of the Severn River as the sky was lit up by all colors of fantastic (punctuated by the most innocent and funny comments from the 8-year-old boys sitting next to us - "that was SIIIIICK!"). Finally, we rounded out our celebratory weekend at a cookout with good friends, lots of watermelon, and watching 7 kids under the age of 4 run around and get goofy.

My favorite moment of the weekend? Easy. Picture this: We're sitting at Antietam battlefield on fold-out chairs and blankets... we've just finished an American dinner of fried chicken and baked beans while listening to the MSO perform... Michael has been running around waving his freebie flag like crazy, when the orchestra comes to their final song - Stars and Stripes. Stars and Stripes ends with cannon shots, by the way. So Michael decides that now, at 9:45, is when he can take no more and cuddles up into my lap. I think it's really sweet, but start to panic when I realize cannons are coming in 2.5 minutes. I plug my finger in his ear, begin to blow softly on his sweaty head, and hope against hope that he doesn't freak out.