Practice Makes Perfect

We celebrated Von's Birthday in Canada with Nana and Papa since they'll be in Mexico when Von turns two. Von practiced and practiced blowing out the car candles. So when it was time he was ready. He was very proud of himself and liked all the attention.

I See You

Von was playing with Papa yesterday when he was getting frustrated at what Papa was doing so he rolled backwards on his trike and glared at him saying, "I see you". I think Steve and I say this too often to Von when he's thinking of doing things he's not suppose to. 

Balloons!

One of Von's birthday balloons popped last night and Von was devastated. He carried the pieces over to show Papa and then to show Cait. So we all joined in the sorrow. 

More Please

Von saw me get seconds at dinner tonight by holding my plate up for Steve to scope the food on for me. So what does Von do? He holds his plate up for more food too. 

Too Much Like Dad

Von learns his computer skills from his dad. 

Hard At Work

Von was hard at work when the plumber was here fixing the leak in our downstairs bathroom.

Kiss Make It All Better

Von loves kisses to cure any hurt. Even if he made up the hurt.

Buddy and Me

Von takes good care of his dog. He feeds him in the morning, lets him outside (someone has to open the door for him) and he calls him back inside when it's time, then shuts the door. Von also plays with him during the day. Who says toddlers can't care for their pets?

Don't Let Him Fool You

Von is smarter than you think. He might pretend not to understand you but he knows actually what you are saying. For example the other day Steve said the TV was too loud could Von go over and turn it off and he did. He'll also shut the door if you ask him to.

The Letter Of The Day Is...

Von is talking so much more. Each day it seems he has new words that he clearly says (not just words mom and dad can understand). Von now says Duck, Puppy, Meow, Thank you, Hi, Bye-Bye, Daddy, and Mommy clear as day. Where he has many other words that you have to be around him a while to understand like Goggie (Doggie), Ga Ga (Grandma), and Ease (Please). His new phase is "There it goes." Which he'll say when the train goes around the tree or when he flushes the toilet.

With the Big Kids

Von sat at the table with the big kids for Thanksgiving dinner without mommy and daddy's help. He also decorated the table with Grandma earlier that day.

Gum Balls

My dad has a gum ball machine just as his dad did when I was little and Von loves to turn the nob over and over to get four or more gum balls. He'll actually chew the gum for quite awhile and knows not to swallow it.

The Crazy Aunt

Aunt Becki and Von get really crazy when they are together as you can see.

Duck, Duck, Goose

Von learned how to play Duck, Duck, Goose at Thanksgiving. All the older kids were playing and Von was running around them til he realize that when you hit someone on the head they chase you. He went up to Beck (his cousin) and hit him on the head but when Beck didn't get up and chase him he hit him again and gave him a glare. "Why aren't you chasing me?" He now has been running around the house saying Duck, Duck and waiting for you to catch him. Yes, my kid is smarter than yours!

Baby Elephant

Portland's Zoo had a baby Elephant. Aunt Juli took Von to see him.

Mickey Mouse Club

Von loves Mickey. He has been carrying a little Mickey Mouse with him in the car the last couple of days and searches for the Mickey's on the Christmas Trees.

All Von's

Von picked out a Christmas Train music box at Grandma's that he just needed for himself. He was so excited to bring it home he had to show Daddy and Aunt Juli when they got home. It sits up on the book shelves above his Christmas Stocking.

Dance, Dance Revolution

Von is a dancer now. He jumps around hip hoping to the beat whenever any music is on. Even for the commercials on TV. At Thanksgiving the little girl cousins were singing a song to Grandma Angel. Von heard the music come on and was up running around them, laughing and singing too. He had to join in on the show.

I'm A Big Boy Now

Von is starting to think about using his potty. He will sign potty if he has gone in his diaper and the other day we asked if he needed to go to the bathroom so he ran over to his potty and sat on it for awhile. He didn't go but he was so proud of himself he came over to us clapping afterward. 

Freedom

Von loves to be free or shall we say naked. He has learned how to get his own clothes and diaper off so he can run around naked. 

Grandpa's Helper

Von helps Grandpa out around the house often. Sunday Von and Grandpa used the blower to get rid of all the leaves that had fallen. At first Von was not quite sure he like the loud noise but then he jumped in and helped. Von also helped Grandpa lay the new wood floor.

Tattle Tail

Von tells on himself when he doesn't something he knows he's not to do. At my mom's the other day Von too a ornament off the tree that he know he is not to touch. He brought it to my mom shaking his head. Then showed her where it belonged. 

Christmas Train

Von found a Christmas train at Lowe's yesterday that, as my grandma says, "He couldn't live without." It circles under the tree. Steve and Von put it up last night. Von will just sit there and watch it go around and around.

Christmas Decorations

Von has been such a good helper decorating for Christmas. He loves all the decorations. He says, "Ho, Ho, Ho," when she sees Santa. Von would open the Christmas ornaments and hand the to me to put on the tree. He would get so excited to open a new box of ornaments and see what they were. Von also has his own Christmas Tree to play with, with lots of his own ornaments. 

The Swap

Last night Aunt Juli was eating some chocolate while Von was playing with his kitchen set making food for us. Von came over to Juli and gave her a fake cracker then took her chocolate for himself.

First Theater Experience

Steve took Von to the movies for some father-son time. They were the only ones in the theater which made it nice for Von. When he needed to get up and take a run he could. 

Dog Pile!

Steve and Von tackling the dog down. Von finds it so funny when Steve plays with Kilian.

Wrapped Up Tight

Von's favorite part of bath time is when he gets wrapped up tight with his towel after being in the tub.

Whistle While We Work

Von helping me clean the carpets. 

Laundry

Von loves to help with the laundry. We gather all the clothes upstairs and throw them down the stairs. Then as we walk down the stairs we kick them to the bottom. It's then a race to pile them up by the washer. Sometimes, Von gets so excited to throw the laundry downstairs he throws clean clothes too. So you have to put them away quickly.

Just Chill

Von loves to lay like this, especially when he is watching TV.

Hats Off

Von and Daddy with their hats!

Pumpkins

Von and Steve pick out the pumpkin that will become Frankenstein. Look how strong Von is.

Just The Two Of Them

Steve took Von and the dog to the park on Tuesday and everytime Von would go down the slide Kilian (the dog) would follow and slide down too. How funny is that. 

Run, Run As Fast As You Can...

You can't catch Von he's the fastest Man! (And yes, he makes this face whenever he is running as fast as he can.)

First Kiss

The other day at the playground a little girl came up to Von and gave him a kiss on his check. He looked at me with the biggest grin on his face. The little girl started following him around to the point Von was getting annoyed. He finally looked her in the face and said, "Go away". 

Those Eyebrows

Von has the Waterbury eyebrows down pat. (my grandfather's eyebrows)

Mom or Me

The stare down. Von wins, of course!

Cheese!

This is Von's cheese smile!

Push Me

Von loves to swing. He's even happy just to sit there in the swing without even moving. 

Blankets

Von thinks all the blankets are his. If you are using one he'll come over, get it and take it to his seat. If you get another one he'll take that one too. For the longest time Von didn't like blankets. Now he wants them all.

My GaGa (Grandma)

Von has a growth chart in his room that has pictures of his family on it. He'll go into his room and say hi to his Grandma, talk to her picture and then when he leaves the room says bye-bye.

Nana Came To Visit

When Von saw Nana get off the plane he got a big smile on his face. He then spent the rest of the week playing, cuddling, showing Nana all his toys, and being spoiled. (We all were spoiled.) He'll be sad to see her go but Christmas is just around the corner.

The Big Toy

Von was so brave and went up into the big toy at McDonald's. He loves to be able to go and play there. It's our little treat. We'll meet Steve during his lunch so Von can play and we get to see him.

Talking Away The Afternoon

Von sat on the stump in the middle of Grandma and Grandpa's front yard and talked to Grandma as she cleaned out her car. Von is a total chatter. He gets it from his Grandma Angel.

Word On The Street

It seems like Von is adding words to his vocabulary everyday. Some words you have to be around him lots to understand but others are as clear as day. Like Bye Bye and Go Away, which are his favorite words right now. He loves to say, "Bye, Bye" to everyone at the store, at the museum, to all the animals at the zoo, wherever we are. "Go away" is what he says to our dog when Kilian is trying to steal one of Von's snacks. 

Fort Barker

Von made his first fort the other day with two places to hide in. When Nana saw the pictures her comment was, "The Barker Boys make the best forts!". I must agree. 

Open Wide

Today at the dentist Von was so good. He let the dentist look at all his teeth.

When Von was called into the doctor's office he got up and walk right in all by himself, down the hall and onto the scale to be weighted. Future Doctor?

Guardian Angel

Von found a locket of mine when I was little of my Grandma and Grandpa Angel. He has been carrying it around the house with him.