Monkey Boy

Grayson and I went to a baby resale shop the other to look for some shoes for him since he is almost out of his current size.

We didn't find any shoes but he found these fun monkey slippers and when we went to pay we found out that they came with the big oooh oooh in his arms. Both the slippers and the oooh oooh have hearts on them. Its really very sweet how much he loves his oooh ooohs. And everytime he sees a monkey I think a little part of him thinks of his brother.

He asks about his oooh oooh and Jon Jon almost every day.

Yes, that is my son, in a pink diaper. Its Grayson's favorite! :)

the track to nowhere

Until yesterday Grayson has been asking us to build his tracks for him. We have a permanent one on the train table too.

This is the first track he has ever built on his own.

Mommy of the Year!

I am sure I have had a few of these awards this year but this one might take the cake.

Two days ago Grayson was playing on his high chair, something I tell him daily to *please* not do, and this happened.

He started crying for me to "elp, Mama."
So I asked him if I should help him, or take his picture.
He replied by starting to cry, he must know me or something...
Finally letting out a few more "elp Mama's" and even a few please's just for good measure.

I took his picture anyway.

don't get in the way of a boy and his felt board

I bought Grayson the felt board at a garage sale a few years ago (did I even have a kid yet?)
and it had only a few Thomas the Train pieces. Then we were given the castle on. He has largely ignored them until this last week. All of a sudden its all he wants to play with. So Sunday I went to Joann's and bought some felt ($5.50) and then went to another craft store (Craft warehouse) because they have a die cutter in their scrapbook department. I spent and hour ($3 for 15 minutes) cutting out shapes for G to play with.

He loves it even more now! He will sit for 30 minutes talking to his little pieces and setting up bunny stories.

They did not have a die for people so we have none, I guess I will have to buy those and the clothes. Instead I made a bunny family. :)

Even better, once I was done cutting (and cutting and cutting!) the department manager, who I know from when I used to spend way too much time (and money) there pre-children, said she wasn't going to charge me for using the die cutter.

She just thought it was SO cool that I was making him a new toy!

At the Park with Daddy

Lately, I have been busy more on the weekends with things that I can't take Grayson to. Sometimes its temp nanny work. Sometimes its working a booth for G diapers. Others its just a mommy fun day. Last weekend was the G diapers booth at the Green Expo. While I was gone, Zack rode his bike with the trailer attached to our old neighborhood and visited our old park that just got remodeled. Looks like he had a great time.

"Look, Grampa! I got myself a HOG!"

At the top of a very very tall slide!

I thought that merry go rounds were extinct but I guess Hillsboro found one of the old Dino's!

Betty Lou's got a new Attitude!

Ya, I know the song is really shoes but that would make no sense at all now would it.

I FINALLY got my hair cut this weekend. We have been so tight on money I have not wanted to spend what we did have on that. So I let it grow and grow and finally it was affecting my personality. Yes, I am one of those who is dictated by her hair. I rarely notice it at the time but once it is cut and cute again I am a new person with a renewed sense of self and attitude (Just what I need right DAD!?)

I am not sure I LOVE it yet, its a little helmet-y to me, but its growing on me. Maybe once I figure out how to do it myself. Right now its still Michelle done...well in these pics anyway. I have washed since Saturday! I did it myself today and its a little Big but I am sure it will calm down soon.

Oh and I tamed the caterpillers that live above my eyes as well. Ya Michelle, she is my hair goddess! :)

Grayson went to Daycare!

This is Grayson, at Daycare! I went to work today, a job through the temp nanny agency and I am not able to bring Grayson with me to those jobs. So he went to daycare.

This is Tricia, my friend and his daycare provider for the day and who knows how many in the future. She is great and is great with the kiddos.
And she lives two doors away.

I did okay, I left him with Zack and Zack took him to Tricia's house a little while later. He did fine, going right to Tricia with open arms. That makes me happy. I *know*, having been a nanny for so long that its normal to have the child cry when the parents leave. Ollie still does, but only for a minute. With ME! So it made me very happy to hear that G went right to her and waved bye bye to Zack.

Grayson eating snack with Harley and Abby, I still can't tell these two apart, though I know the differences, I can't remember which one belongs to which difference!

Tricia took the kiddos to the park and Grayson decided he didn't want to let go of the balls to slide so he took them with him!

So at the end of the day, we both lived through his first day of daycare. Though I must admit, its like a cheating game of daycare since I know Tricia and she is a friend. I prefer to have him with me though, my little shadow, my little buddy.

Side Note: Zack's first day of work went very well. He really likes the people and the environment and the pace. They are very family oriented people and value his time and abilities. I think this was the perfect fit and a job worth waiting for. We are very thankful that things seem to be getting back on track!

Hallelujah Zack got a job!!

Yay! Zack got a job! He starts for Binary Science as their Account Executive (sales guy) on Monday! Yay us!

This is what you find when you send your toddler to get a Kleenex...

Final Cake for Wilton Decorating 1

So I finished my class, and by finished I mean its over, not so much that I perfected it. And I am sure to the unknowing eye these cake photos look great but they are not. I am not trying to fish for compliments, I am just not happy about how well I did. I feel like I need about 30 more hours to practice and yet there aren't enough hours in the day.

Sure it will pass for done, and even okay but I want it to be Good. No, Great.

I also missed one class, turns out one of the most important ones, so I make that up on the 19th. Hopefully I learn that damn rose, the throne in the side of my current decorating challenges.

Stay tuned for hopefully a Wilton Perfect Rose. Someday.

grumble grumble, I like the frog so much better...

Belly Button got married!

That's right folks! The girl who never thought she would settle down, finally did! Belle got married! David is a lucky guy and she is a lucky gal. I am so happy for you two! congrats!

Congrats to David and Belle Zimmet!
Married January 11, 2009

Grayson's NEW big boy bed!

A few weeks before Grayson turned 2 I was chatting with some friends online about how G learned how to get in and out of his crib when Allie was here in October, but that he only used this knowledge when he wanted to get a toy or Baby out of his crib.

They all said "just wait, its coming!" I was truly skeptical.

That is until the day Grayson turned 2. Zack came in from the garage and said he thought he heard G get out of his bed and that he thought he was playing. Sure enough I went in there and for the last hour or so he had been trashing his room. What fun that was for him. Completely uninterupted play, with whatever he could reach!

So we left things the way they were thinking it was a quick phase (quiet down all you people snickering) and he would learn to stay in his bed again. The novelty would tire. It didn't. More often than not, we caught him sleeping in his rocker.

So we figured maybe he was having a hard time getting back in or was too lazy or something so we took one side off his crib and converted it into a toddler bed. Same thing. In the chair we found him.

So after Jesse moved out (that's another post all together) we took the "guest bed" and other furniture that had been in Jesse's room and put them in Grayson's room. Now he has a big (and I mean BIG) boy bed. A queen! It took a few days to a week to get used to staying in it and not trying to come to bed with us or get out and play but now he gets in his bed and says nitey nite and "I yuve ooo mama!" and then he goes to sleep!

Who knows how long it will last but so far so good. I can't believe my little boy is growing up!
And so is his room!

My Friday family

So I have not had a chance to post much about my job search, but as of now, I am working Fridays. I started working for the White family a few months ago and its been going great! The parents are really nice and easy going (yay!) and the kids are SO sweet and fun to be around.

This is Sophie- she is 5. She loves the park and bossing the boys around and generally being silly!

This is Oliver- he loves his binky, playing with his trains and cars and taking things from Grayson.

This is the boys, generally they play well together but they are so close in age I expect some scuffles sometimes. The other day, I turned to put a dish in the dishwasher and by the time I stood up and closed the door they were in a pile on the floor, Ollie on top, over a toy. Ahh, such is my day.

Here is Soph again- did I mention she loves to play dress up?

Here she is pretending to he Cruella De'vil, notice the hat and cape, JUST LIKE Cruella. LOL!

How you get your mail in Crescent OR

So this makes me wonder? If you are afraid of heights, does it limit your ability to get a job with the post office in Crescent?!

if you look close, at the top of that ladder is a mail box and a paper delivery box!

RIP Gramma Janette

Janette Birch
Beloved Mother, Grand Mother and Great Grand Mother
We will forever hold you in our hearts and you will live forever in our memories of you!
We love you dearly.

Taken January 3, 09

Taken January 2, 09

Taken January 18, 09

Taken January 18, 09

You will forever be missed.
Passed away January 21, 09
quietly in her sleep

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here and here for all photos.