Yep it's late. .. 11 Months

This guy is growing up sooo incredibly fast!  

 My sisters call him "little Ryan" and he totally is.  A little miniature version of his dad.  Tongue stuck out and all.  So funny!

 He loves to pull up on things and is beginning to walk along furniture.

 He has 6 teeth! and chews on EVERYTHING!

 And just like his dad, he likes to figure out how things work. . . 

 He sits and watches things until he understands how to work them. . . 

I don't have full stats but I do have weight- 20lb 11 oz - we went to the dr. to be diagnosed with croup and a week later put on our first round of antibiotics.   

Likes:

Eating food

Praise Baby Videos

Standing

Nuks and Taggies

Empty water bottles

Skype/Facetime

Figuring out how things work

Dislikes:

Staying still

Getting into his carseat

Drinking from his bottle

Having his nose wiped

People comment all the time on how smiley and happy Leo is and we are so thankful for that!  He might give us a run for our money with sleeping sometimes but we wouldn't trade him for the world.  We are so thankful for his good growth and health!

Come See Me

The second weekend in December I had the opportunity to share my story with Katie's church in Iowa. Leo and my mom and I packed up and headed south on Thursday afternoon so we had plenty of time to hang out in Muscatine.  Ryan and my dad flew down Friday night so we had Papa's car which meant that Mollie could "watch a moofie" in the car.

 We hit up HyVee on Friday and got a really, really sweet cart where the kids could be racecar drivers. We also enjoyed some wine tasting :-)  Why wouldn't you?!

 We took the kids to see Gandalf  I mean Santa at the Muscatine Mall.

 And thoroughly enjoyed our time with this sweet cousin.

She is the queen of one liners including
"Come see me" to Leo with her arms outstretched like she was going to hold him
"See you guys"
"I so nice"
"Diiiiiik (dance) Gammie"

We are so thankful for our great family!  We love any chance we get to steal time in Muscatine!

Thanksgiving

This post and the following posts have been written about a thousand times in my head.  Just never on here.  My blog has too many pictures and rather than stop blogging I bit the bullet today and just upgraded.  I have too many words to share and obviously the pictures are the best part for everyone :-)

Thanksgiving.  Oh the wonder of Thanksgiving through these eyes:

 He has no clue.  He just knows that there was good food and good company.  Someday he will understand that we have so much to be thankful for.  So, so, so very much!

 Thankful for health.  Thankful for our marriage.  Thankful for him.  Thankful most of all for God and the way he has provided in the last year.  Thankful for the peace of God and his provision!!

 Thankful for quiet moments to stop what you are doing, drag him around in a little wagon and listen to him squeal.

10 Months

This post has been written in my head about a thousand times.  I just don't know why I can't seem to find the time to sit down and get it on here.  Oh, maybe it is because of this little guy:

Or maybe it is this new skill:

Or this one:

Or the fact that just about everything in our house has spent time like this:

Leo is at such a fun age but he sure is busy! 

Likes:

Pulling up on things

Nuks and Taggies

EATING

Chewing on anything (He is getting 4 new teeth- 2 are through, 2 are not)

His sippy cup (He finally figured this out and now we have to limit him because he pees through his diaper every night if he has too much)

My water bottle

Being upside down and playing rough

Riding in the car

Being at the Farm

Dislikes: 

Being "All Done" eating

Peaches (apparently. . . he ate them last month. . . )

Being confined for too long

I have a hard time coming up with things Leo does not like.  He is a happy and content little guy most of the time.  As long as he gets his sleep he will smile and play with just about anybody.  I often watch him play and think "How did we get so blessed?!"  This mama is sooooooooo thankful for this little guy and each day we spend together!

Thankful

Deer Hunting

Hey everyone, Leo here!  I got to spend the last week at my Grandma and Grandpa's farm.  It was what my daddy calls Deer Hunting.  I don't really know what that means other than he gets up really early in the morning and goes outside.  He comes in cold at night then.  Sound like fun?!  I do know that I got to spend part of the week without Mommy here.  I had lots of fun.

Grandma read me books:

She had all kinds of cool toys and I learned to pull myself up on them:

 I kept Grandpa company as he watched his shows:

And I rode this sweet rocking horse:

I visited Great Grandma Martha:

And Grandma's work:

And told my dad all the tricks to this Deer Hunting thing:

 I spent time tasting the different things around Grandma and Grandpa's house:

Don't worry, no one put me in jail, I learned to get here myself:

 I loved on Great Grandma Kathy:

And got Auntie Kim through her fussy time by showing her what Praise Baby is all about:

And because I was really, really good, I let my daddy shoot a big deer!  

I was really happy for him.  Mommy said she was thankful for good nights of sleep and time to "get her things done."  I don't know what "things" she has to get done without me around.  I like to help her with everything.  I am sure she missed my help.

See you next year Deer Hunting!

Happy Halloween

 Today is Halloween!  This little guy was pretty excited!

But let's be real, the day wasn't all smiles and giggles. . . We had our meltdown moments too.

After our naps we went and visited Daddy at work to show off our costume.  Mom of the year here did not get a picture. . . 

She did however get one at Papa's office:

 We then went to the Schuh's where Leo loved the puppies!  To say he was in heaven might be an understatement.  Many squeals of delight were given for Celeste, Brody, and Lucy (Sorry for the quality of daddy's phone camera)

We swung by Mary's and then Carmen's where Leo was treated to a whole bag of peanut m&ms.  (haha, daddy picked those out)

And then went to Grammie and Papa's where Leo rang the doorbell and Ryan and I played the part of parents who just stand there.  Leo was pretty happy to see those two familiar faces through the door.

What a fun night!  Leo, next year we can do it all over again.  Take you around, show off your cuteness, and eat the candy for you. Deal? Deal!

Ames

Last weekend we hopped in the car and took full advantage of an opportunity to spend the weekend with the Eukens!  We met them in Ames where they had plans to tailgate for the ISU football game.  We started off Saturday morning with a little pool time at the hotel:

Mollie was very happy to see her cousin! Auntie Lannie (yaya) also got some sweet love:

Then it was time to tailgate.  Leoeo borrowed up some Cyclone gear from cousin Mollie and made sure Uncle Bret was all ready:

He sent Daddy and Uncle Bret on their way a little early so he could stay home and take a nap:

Once the kids were up we hopped in the strollers and made our way over to campus:

Leo was giving lots and lots of snuggles:

 He made sure Auntie Kitty did not get cold!!

Thanks Nichols family for letting us tailgate with you right near the stadium:

So thankful for this amazing woman!  She is a sister, mentor, best friend, she does it all.  I love her so much!  

Thanks to the Eukens and Wulfekuhles for letting us come visit!  We think we may have adopted a team :-)  We see more tailgates in our future!  Maybe they will be a tad warmer though. . .