Changes, Changes Everywhere!

October is upon us and we have taken another big life step in the Singewald house! John is now in his official "big boy bed" and going potty on his "big boy potty" more consistently too! I don't know if his parents can take all the changes!! Where did our baby go??

The last couple of weeks have flown by with school commitments, continuing to try and get into the "groove" of having us both working full-time again, and busy, but fun, weekends! We continue to try our best to have calm and quiet evenings with John though so he has the attention he needs and we all have quality time together, even though it may be short at times.

Last week, Papa Bob and Nana Joan came over for dinner. Whenever Papa Bob is around, we all know who has John's full attention! That night, when it was time for John's tubbie, he requested that Papa Bob play with him. When it was time for John to get out, this is what we found! Papa Bob had given John a new "do," which John thought was pretty funny!

Swinging, sliding and playing outside are some of John's favorite things to do! There is not a day that goes by that he doesn't request to do one of these things with us! Because our time at home is limited and winter is around the corner, we don't always have time for a walk to the park. We decided to bring John's favorite things to him, so we can enjoy them for smaller amounts of time, more often. He LOVES his new swing!!

Then we moved inside to play on his playset....
"Up, up, up....Weeeeeee down," says John.

John has become a professional at untying his balloon from the back of his little chair! One morning last week, John thought it was very exciting to untie Thomas and drive him around the living room. Every once in awhile, Thomas would let out a whistle and we would hear "choo, choo!"

Last weekend, we were lucky enough to be able to spend some time with Uncle Tim while he was home from California. John loved making brownies with Uncle Tim and was very excited to show him how he could "scoop" and "dump" the brownies. Of course, they also enjoyed eating them together too!

John was so excited to mix them together and smash the egg that he wouldn't even look up for the camera!

John and Papa Bob showed off their matching jackets on their way outside for a walk. So cute!

John was a great help to rearrange Daddy's duck decoys too!

John always loves his reading time with Nana Joan! He was especially excited though because of his new bean bag chair from Uncle Tim and Auntie Crystal for his birthday. He would plop on it and giggle as it would either suck him into it or he would roll off of it! It's all about the little things in life!

Ahhh...nothing better than my feet up, reading a book and a little quiet time with my Nuk!

On Sunday morning, John took the next step to being an even bigger "big boy!" We changed his convertible crib into his toddler bed! He has been THRILLED! We took the front off the crib and put on the rails so John is now able to climb in and out himself. Several times a day, John runs into his room saying "big boy sheets! Nigh, nigh!" He loves to read stories in his bed and really enjoys his pillow too!

When we changed his bed, we hoped that talking up his "big boy bed" would help John sleep through the night, because he was still having difficulty since I had returned to work. Most nights over the last few weeks we have all been awake 2-6 times per night for reassurance that we were there, which has then made it difficult to have the energy to teach all day too! We knew changing John's bed could either empower him and he would sleep through the night, or do the opposite and unnerve him, and he could be up all night long. Thankfully, he has slept through the night successfully! Every morning has been full of praise and we've all been happier after sleeping soundly again! We hope it continues! Now we just have to work on getting him to go to sleep in his bed. He's so enthralled with reading in it, he won't settle down to sleep unless he has a little cuddle time in the rocking chair with me. One step at a time, though! I'm just thrilled he's sleeping again!

John was full of giggles and was trying to hide from the camera, but I tickled him enough to get him to roll over!

His first nap in his big boy bed! Yes, I was a paranoid mom and wanted to block him in, since he still moves around some when he sleeps. Had I not put the ottoman and blankets there, he would have fallen out! When I checked on him mid-nap, he had his legs out and on the ottoman. Every night has gotten better and there's been less turning, so soon we won't need the entire side blocked off.

Other excitement, well, frustration really, was that Phil and I had to purchase a new washing machine last night. Our Maytag that we purchased 4.5 years ago when we bought our house decided to spring a leak and cause havoc on our mudroom floor. Because it was leaking slower at first and we thought it was just out of balance, we used it quite a few times until the water really started to run. We're hopeful that we won't have a bigger issue down the road in needing to replace the floor (and hopefully nothing moldy underneath!). This time around, we went with a highly-rated LG top-load that has more bells and whistles than I ever could have imagined! It's huge too (5.2 cubic foot) so doing laundry should be a faster task now too. Spending the money aside, I'm kind of excited to play with my new "toy!" I never thought we'd have such a "house overhaul" this summer/fall by getting a new counter top, refrigerator and now washing machine. We'd both be fine to have a LONG time pass before we have any further projects!

We are excited for our upcoming weekends to enjoy Fall and family! Phil will be in pursuit of a plump turkey this weekend, so if you see any around, please tell them to head to Cannon Falls so he can have a successful hunt! John and I may head to SJU for Homecoming chaos since it's the Johnnie/Tommie game or may vote for a quiet, relaxing weekend! We'll see which side wins out! We're looking forward to celebrating my aunt and uncle's 50th Anniversary on Sunday and spending time with family as well.

We can't wait to enjoy time outside in the Fall air and enjoy the beautiful colors around us!

John's 2 Year Pictures!

We had John's 2 year pictures taken last week and we couldn't be happier with how they turned out! He had a hard time warming up at the beginning, but our photographer was amazing and quickly found John's giggles and love of baseball and blocks! He was amazing through the session and we are thrilled with the outcome! Enjoy!

John kept throwing Teddy on the floor and saying, "Teddy, nigh, nigh!"

School has started and Phil and I survived the first week! John did well being with Grandma every day, but really appreciated our undivided attention in the evening each night. I know we needed that quiet time with John too, since being away all day was hard! We are all looking forward to being in a routine again and having our kids in school find one as well! The beginning of the year is a hard adjustment for both sides of the desk!

This weekend we enjoyed time together completing a few tasks around our house and yesterday had the pleasure of lunch and a trip to the MN Zoo with Laura, my best from college, and her boyfriend, Josh. The weather was perfect for time outside and like always, John loved seeing the animals too. We don't get to see Laura and Josh often, so having a day together was incredible!

Have a wonderful week and enjoy the weather!

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.