The end of summer has come...and John is 2!

It's hard to believe the end of summer is here, Labor Day weekend is almost over, John is now 2, and school starts tomorrow! Where did the time go? I feel like we are constantly asking ourselves how the time flies by so quickly and what we can do to slow it down, but so far, we haven't found a way to do so! I guess we have to just live in the moment and enjoy the little things!

John has continued to grow in his quest to show his independence! July ended with John's "big boy" bedding arriving and he was thrilled!! He woke up from his nap and the package was here, so we opened it together and he couldn't wait to point out all the different trucks, trains and planes! He also had to try out the comforter and as soon as he laid on it, he said "nigh, nigh!" I think that was a sign of approval!

The month of August was filled with enjoying the beautiful weather we were finally granted, time spent as a family and trying to savor every moment before heading back to "real life"! After I attended a week-long Responsive Classroom workshop the middle of August, we were able to enjoy one last week with John before preparations for school started the week of August 23. Phil continued to work on multiple projects, one of which was here in Waconia and close to home. The hot weather hindered the ability to complete the work comfortably, but luckily the extremely hot days were numbered and the rain stayed away most days.

John's vocabulary and inquisitive nature has soared over the last month! He now strings 2- 4 words together to ask for things or point out observations. He is quite the chatterbox! He is also in the "parrot" stage as we call it, since most of what we say will be repeated at one time or another! He is a happy and cheerful kid and has continued to love to be outdoors, go to the park, swing and slide, and kick the ball around with mom or dad! Phil fulfilled John's request to start potty training the end of July (while I was at dance camp) and John has continued to go potty at night! He is so proud when he goes and can't wait for his treat - whipped cream on his finger!

John continues to amaze us at his ability to do a puzzle a few times with an adult and then complete it on his own, without hesitation. He loves pointing out the objects as he creates the puzzles, especially if it has anything to do with a dump truck!

John sorted all of his toys into groups of two by the table and chair legs. He was so proud!

Anything that has to do with a hammer, Bob the Builder, or Handy Manny instantly gains John's attention! He continues to enjoy "fixing" things around the house and loves to "pound, pound, pound!" However, there are many times when we have to remind John that the hard plastic hammers don't belong on the wall! Oh, well! It will just add character to the house, right?

As part of the transition to John's "big boy room," we purchased transportation wall stickers that can easily be moved around, should we decide to redo the traffic pattern. A few weeks ago, John and I enjoyed an evening of decorating together. He chose the stickers, pulled them off, and handed them to me to place on the wall. It was priceless! He made sure to point out what the vehicle was that he was handing to me as well, and when the walls were done, he sat in his room and said, "Wow!" I think he was speechless! (The valence will be changing, but that's a work in progress!)

Because our house didn't sell this winter, and Phil and I know we will be here for a while, we decided to complete a mini remodeling of our kitchen. We've never been totally fond of the counter top or refrigerator, so it was time for a change. We went with a Formica counter top that looks like granite and is a mixture of tan, gray, black, and brown. Here is the "before" and "after!" We are thrilled and love our new kitchen! I never knew that a slightly deeper and wider sink could make such a difference, as well as a larger fridge!

Before the chaos of workshop started, we enjoyed a four-day weekend up north to relax, but like always, the sun chose not to shine much while we were there until Sunday when it was time to go home! Our running joke this summer was that if we were going up north, the weather would be rainy and cloudy until Sunday, when it would be gorgeous! This trip didn't let us down, much to our chagrin!

We were thrilled that Uncle Matt and Beth were able to be up north the same weekend, so we could all enjoy some quality relaxing time together. Because they wouldn't see John around his birthday, they brought his presents up north. John was thrilled with the toolbox set and Handy Manny Fix-It Car! I see a craftsmen in the making!

John continues to be an early bird, just like his daddy! In order to let other sleep to a "normal" time, we relaxed in Papa Bob's big chair and watched a Handy Manny movie while we waited for the sun to rise!

Papa Bob's deck project was in the final stages while we were up north and John couldn't have been happier to help! He loved measuring, pounding, and putting the screws into the wood in order to help Papa Bob complete the deck faster! (And yes, this was Sunday and the sun was shining!)

Part of my project list this summer was to find a better way to organize John's toys. The toy basket we had been using was starting to be a difficult way to store the toys, since there was no easy way for John to find the toys without dumping everything out. It was also taking up a lot of space in the living room and we were interested in gaining our room back! We found this bin organization system and during a nap, I organized his toys. He was so excited when he woke up to see everything and found toys he hasn't played with in months! Phil and I were thrilled at how tidy things were!

Other fun times....


Precious...

John loves his warm chocolate chip cookies!

Fun at the park! Weee!!!

Peek!

John saw the horse and wanted to be the jockey! Every since we went to Canterbury Park and saw the horses race, John has expected to see the horses with a jockey! Even at the State Fair, he asked where the jockey was!

Because John has loved the animals and has never turned down treats, we thought it was time to go to the State Fair! We thoroughly enjoyed our day together and the weather was beautiful! John loved the cheese curds, Sweet Martha's Cookies, cheese pizza and mini doughnuts, which he called "doughnies." He was definitely tuckered out though, as he fell asleep mid-afternoon.

On Friday, Sept. 3, John turned 2! He has continued to adore Thomas the Train the last year, so it was only right to have his birthday party have a Thomas theme! He loved his balloons, thought his pizza was delicious and couldn't get enough chocolate cake! It's hard to believe he is already 2, but certainly brings joy to our lives every day. I can't imagine what our lives would be like without him. He is a blessing to us!

Why do all children's characters need to be primary colored? Blue and red frosting are not appealing, nor do they taste good! However, I have to say that the M & M's and chocolate chips were a hit and a welcomed substitute!

Eating his pizza like a big boy!

John loved his books from Uncle Mike and Aunt Jeanna! He started reading them right away!

John stealing chocolate chips off the cake during our Kodak moment!

John realized it's way faster to eat his cake with his hand, rather than a fork!

Scoop and dump! John was so excited about his new clothes!

Other fun and exciting toys from our great family!

John's new playset from mom and dad! It has provided hours of fun every day since he got it!

Drive, drive, drive! Sometimes John says he is driving the boat, or even a train or airplane. I love his imagination!

Uncle Steve just couldn't pass up a photo op and one quick moment in the play set!

As work starts again for us tomorrow, we are looking forward to the new blessings to come in the school year, but also recognize that there will be some challenges as I move back into the workplace full time and we work again to find a balance in our home life. However, we both feel blessed to have jobs to go to, as well as that my mom will continue to watch John during the day. He thoroughly enjoys his play time with her and is happy to go to their house, which makes it easier for me to leave as well. We are excited for the fall weather and to be able to snuggle into our sweatshirts and enjoy bonfires together. We have enjoyed every moment of summer, and are sad to see it go, but look forward to John's excitement as the leaves change and the ducks start flying overhead.