Ever been to Jump Zone?

This place is cool!  Daniel loved it; even though it wasn't meant for kids younger than 2.  Welles had a good time, too!  He was a good sport and took Daniel down the slides and in the bouncy houses.  It was a great way to let out some energy.  Daniel slept all the way home and for 1.5 hours afterwards!

Going down one of the smaller slides

At the top of the big slide

Just after flying down the big slide

Just hanging out in the bouncy Nemo house

With his buddy Logan

Daniel and Missy Today

UPDATE:  Sorry, Y'all!  I posted the wrong video..below is the actual video where Daniel feeds Missy.

Now, their lives revolve around food.  Every once - in - a -while, he will feed her.  He gets the biggest kick out of giving Missy food.  I am sure that Missy's vet will have something to say about that when she goes for her yearly check-up next month!

Random bits of information

Below is a picture of some of Daniel's class. 

His girlfriend is not pictured (she was sick this day). Her twin brother is the redhead in a light-blue shirt. 

 The girl who loves Daniel is sitting to his right.  He's just not that into her--

she's cute, but younger, and Daniel likes older women.

Below is a picture of Daniel in his Mickey Mouse Race car. 


He still hasn't completely figured out how to make it go using the button on the steering wheel.  Welles uses the wrong-end of a golf club to push it while he steers Daniel around the basement.

Believe it or not, we are all sick again.  Daniel had a high fever last Saturday, and we took him to the doctor.  I am so thankful and happy that we switched to a practice that sees patients on Saturdays and Sundays!  We learned that Daniel now weighs 26 lbs and 10 ounces.  At his 1 year check up, he was 30 and 3/4 inches tall--10 full inches taller than the day he was born!  So, he is in the 80th percentile for height and 88th percentile for weight. 

Football player?  Not so fast!  There is still an opportunity for him to be a baseball player--

you should see him throw a ball!

Did you know that you can get ear infections after you have had ear tubes placed?  Daniel has had 2 ear infections since his tube procedure in October.  I am glad we had a reprieve of 2 months between the surgery and the 1st infection.  Still, I feel so bad for my little buddy.  He's had a rough start.

Daniel is now eating all foods.  He can eat a grape and spit the peel out--talented kid, I know!  He loves all fruit, all pasta, chicken, beef, ham, fish (tilapia), zuccini, broccoli, cauliflour, cucumber and corn among other things.  He is most happy when he is eating and when he is taking a bath.  He still loves to put his face in the water.  We can't wait for warmer weather and the opportunity to go swimming with him!

We love Daniel and are so thankful to have him in our lives!  What in the world did we do without him?

An Elephant says...

The other night, Daniel was in the tub.  He waved his elephant squirt toy in the air and started making sounds.  At first I didn't catch on.  And then it hit me--he was making the sound of an elephant!  So I yelled for Welles and recorded the following:

 

Please ignore the fact that he sounds like a wounded elephant. 

Note:  I haven't worked on this very much with Daniel, but his teachers at school work on animal sounds frequently.  We also watch a lot of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and for some reason, that show highlights elephants all the time.  We may have a little Veternarian - he can sure speak animal language.

Brrrrr

We are ready for some warm weather.  Even today we still have snow/ice on our yard, steps, driveway, roof, etc.  Below are some pictures from our ice days.

Daniel loves to look out the storm door.

Outside looking in

Watching the sledders.

Daniel loves his train.  I decided he needed head protection while playing with it.  He has moments where he likes to hurl his toys around.

 We got cabin fever and had to get out for a bit.

Here is a video of some of our fun...at the end, notice how Daniel goes straight for Missy's water bowl.  

Below is a video from about 2 weeks ago.  Daniel loves his play kitchen from Lily Cate.  His favorite appliance is the microwave.  He stores all kinds of things in there.  Many times you will find farm animals; sometimes monster trucks.  In the following video, I think he removes 6 ducks from the microwave. 

Bath Videos

Here is a picture of Welles in the bath at about 2.5 years...

I can only assume that Welles loved taking a bath as much as Daniel does.  As part of his bedtime routine, we give Daniel a bath every night.  To say that he loves taking a bath is an understatement. 

See below for a couple of videos.  he has recently started putting his face in the water.  As a former swim teacher/coach, this behavior warms my heart!  I would sing songs, play games, and try to reason with my 2 and 3 year old swim students to get them to put their faces in the water.  We will see how long this new game lasts!

The new year came in with a loud thud, sirens, and...

...a tree that fell on our neighbor's roof.  Thankfully Ms. Betty and her son Scott are fine. 

Welles turned the fan on "high" to block out the sounds of fireworks so we could get some sleep.  At around 11:15 P.M. on 12-31-10, I heard a loud cracking noise and a thud.  I said, "Welles, something is wrong - a limb fell.  Did you hear that?"  He said, "maybe they will stop shooting off those fireworks now."  He was obviously in a dream state.  Later he said he thought it sounded like large hail, and that he thought a storm would make those that were shooting fireworks retreat. 

Anyway, a couple of firetrucks arrived and cut away the limbs at the front of the house.  They placed a tarp, called the power company to disconnect the power, and Betty and Scott left for the Wynfrey where I assume they will be spending a couple of months.  Their home is flooded, cars were dented and damaged,  unfortunately, and it will take quite a while to get their home back to normal.

We are thankful that they are OK and that everything will be fixed.

What a way to ring in the new year!