a new accomplishment!

When I came home today, Fisher and Daddy were outside enjoying the beautiful weather (I love the Fall!!). Fisher learned something new that fits in the "big boy" category. Here it is in pictures:




Dave said he showed him just a few times, then he did it about a hundred times today!  Fisher was so proud of himself-you can tell in this short video clip...

How do they learn these things?-part 2

Fisher's new favorite thing to say right now is "Uhh" before he answers your question.
As in-"Fisher, what song do you want to sing?"
"Uhhhh-Sunshine!"
"Fisher, what do you want to eat?"
"Uhhhh-chicken!"

It really is too funny, but I can't figure out where he picked it up.

and other things-

"You are My Sunshine" is Fisher's current fave to sing when we cuggle. I love singing it because he repeats the last word of every line :).
-sunshine
-sunshine
-happy
-gray
-dear
-love you
-take
-away!

When we go outside lately, we have to look for 'hoppers-as in grasshoppers. I'm not sure about anyone else, but we have some monster hoppers in our yard! The other evening while Dave was cutting the grass, he saw a huge one and I caught it (ew!!) and put it in Fisher's bug box so he could get a up close view...

a few things I forgot...

I have to add a few more things that Fisher is up to.

• The mess Fisher makes in his room (that I referred to in my last post) is NEVER created by him.  Anytime you ask him how his room got to be a mess or who threw toys down the basement stairs-his answer-"Schwartz-y" (our cat!).  So I say, "Schwartz-y, huh?" and his response is always-"Ye-ahhh" as if to say of course it was Schwartz!  I took him to the store tonight and he kocked something off of a shelf.  Schwartz-y did it.  :)
• Fisher knows about half of his letters.  He loves bringing them to us and telling which one he has.  I recently got him the Leap Frog alphabet that is really cool-it sings "B says buh, B  says buh, every letter makes a sound, B says buh!"  He really likes it-when he's not raking the letters off the fridge, then blaming it on Schwartz-
  y!
• One of my favorite things that Fisher does right now is when we cuggle before bed.  We sing songs and he will reach over and touch both Dave and I and say, "Us."  LOVE it!!
• The songs in our nightly repertoire include: Itsy Bitsy Spider, Row Row Row Your Boat, You are My Sunshine, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Hey Good Lookin', and we also say our numbers and letters.
• Fisher also wants Schwartz-y to cuggle with us.  If the cat isn't already in bed, Fisher will call loudly, "SCHWARTZ-Y!!  -Are you?!?"  And usually Schwartz makes his way in.
• Fisher got to see-and hold (eek-squeeze!) his first real fuzzy caterpillar today.  He loves the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, so it was neat for him to see a real one.  I'm hoping the fuzzy friend survived the encounter.  I put him back on the bush where I found him, but FIsher isn't the gentle-est of holders.  He was moving when we left him, so I'm going to trust he'll be okay.
  
• I let Fisher do some painting tonight.  He loved it and I'm betting we'll do it often!

Fisher and his Mom are up to...

I'm such a bad blogger, but life is so BUSY right now!! As I said in my previous post, I'm taking classes for my Master's. School has also been in full swing now for over 2 weeks (23!! kiddos as opposed to 16 last year). And, if you have the time to read to the END of this post, I'll have more on my busy-ness for you to find out about :).

As for Fisher...he seems to learn more each day! And when I say "learn", that doesn't always mean it's positive and productive ;-). For example, he has learned the fine art of the full-blown temper tantrum. Lucky for me, this usually happens around 4:00-right when I get home. It's usually due to no nap all day. He has decided that it's more fun to play. And since he doesn't have a crib, he just gets up and does what he pleases. But it's not limited to no-nap days. I have come home to find him napping-and me being relieved! But when he wakes up-he is mister CRABBY pants anyway. His tntrums consist of us trying to figure out what he wants-milk, banana, fruit snacks. Fisher will say he wants the offered object, but then screams it away. He lays on the floor kicking, screaming, and crying. It certainly is a practice in patience! We usually try to wait him out (about 20 minutes!) because picking him up just makes it worse. When he finally comes around, he's back to the funny, sweet boy who loves to play. I've been told this is a phase-and phases pass, so I guess we'll just wait it out!

I taught Fisher how to throw things in the trash can. Big mistake. The other day I found 3 cars, a cup, and some letters from the fridge sitting right on top. Fisher has the singing Leap Frog alphabet, and I'm afraid the "J" is lost forever. There is a chance he threw it down the basement steps (another new game he has taught himself...), but we haven't found it yet. Maybe the cats have batted it around somewhere.  If it is truly lost, I guess he'll never learn the letter J...

Fisher has learned how to destroy his room. And this is what it looks like (and the hall outside his door) if left to his own devices for long enough...

  

Oh well-I'm sure it's fun. He is at an age where he can kind of help clean up, so I assign him a category (like animals) and he manages to get all of those toys put away while I do everything else. I'm looking at it as bonding and learning time right now. We'll see how long that lasts :).

We got Fisher an easel a few weeks ago. He loves it! One side is a chalk board, the other is dry erase. I just got him some paint, chunky brushes, and "no-spill" cups (we'll see about that one!). I need to get something to cover the floor then we're ready to go! He painted at the Magic House a while ago ad didn't want to stop! I'm sure it will be a hit.

Fisher likes sharing his Cheerios...

He enjoys wearing other's shoes...
 

Fisher has discovered that he has control over his door...and he knocks when he wants to get out!

And he has discovered that closets are are a great place to play hide and seek!

Thanks for reading this far...If you want to know more about what I've been up to, click here and check out my new blog!  I know...you might be thinking-she's starting ANOTHER blog!?!  But you'll see why when you go there!

reason or excuse?

I am taking two classes for my master's degree right now.  That is my reason (excuse?) for not updating this blog.  Shame on me!!  This is my journal of Fisher and how he's growing and changing.  I know that if I don't update it, I will never fully remember these amazing times.  First-I have to say that the transition to 2-years old has been a big one.  Here are some bullets:

• I finally took Fisher's strapped-to-the-chair booster seat off and he is officially a "phone-book-boy".  He does really well, I just have to make sure I am always sitting next to him because if he decides he's "all done", he'll just try to get down.  In a normal chair, this might not be a big deal, but we have the tall pub-style chairs and if he slides down, he might hurt himself.
• Fisher now drinks from an open glass ("gass") when we eat meals.  He is so cute-he knows to use two hands and to go slow.  He really thinks it's cool-I do too!
• My "baby" has not used his pacifier since July 18th.  Daddy and I got him a real fish (a Betta) for his birthday and it sits right next to his bed.  He LOVES him-we named him Bruce (after the shark in Finding Nemo).  That night, he asked for his "sassy"->paci->pacifier.  I said-you're a big boy now-you can watch Bruce to help you fall to sleep.  He fussed for a BIT, and by the time I was to the door he was quiet.  And I didn't hear a peep after that.  The hardest transition has been at nap time, but he gets over it pretty quickly.  He asks for it almost every time he goes down to sleep, but I remind him he's a big boy and that's all it takes!  It has been much easier than I thought it would be.
• I've put Fisher on the potty a few times-and he doesn't mind sitting there-but I don't think he gets it yet.
• We put together Fisher's toddler bed last week.  He was super interested during the whole assembly (and dis-assembly of the crib) process.  Fisher wanted NOTHING to do with the bed once it was all set up-screamed running out of the room!  We had to coax Lucy to get on his bed before Fisher decided to try it out.  He didn't nap in it that day (friend's birthday party), or the next day (Botannical Gardens for Gramma's birthday), or the next day (went to Gramma's so we could get ready for his party on Saturday), OR the next day (HIS birthday party).  But each of those nights were amazing!  NO paci, and he went right to sleep like he's been sleeping in that bed forever.  The first struggle came at Sunday's nap time.  He cried for an HOUR-mixed in with me going in reassuring him that he was a big boy and it was nap time.  When he was finally quiet for a good amount of time, I peeked in and saw him curled up on his floor with some toys.  I wish I had taken a picture!  I gently picked him up and put him in his bed-he stayed asleep!  The next day's nap-cried for 3o minutes.  The next day, he cried-NOT AT ALL!!  He stayed in his bed and talked to Pablo, and soon just fell  asleep.  I hope this is not jinxing anything...
• At Fisher's 2-year check up, he is 3o and 1/2 inches tall (which if you believe in those height predictors-double their height at 2 years old-Fisher will be 5'1"...poor kid-I hope that's wrong!).  He also weighs a WHOPPING 2o.8 pounds (a gain of o.5 ounces from the 18 month check up)!  Needless to say, the doctor was curious about his apetite and eating habits.  In my opinion, Fisher is a pretty good eater.  The doc suggested beefing up the calories by adding things like pudding and Ensure to his diet.  Problem is, he doesn't like pudding (what!?!) or the strawberry-flavored Ensure I got for him.  I tried to mix the Ensure with milk, now he doesn't want to drink milk-he thinks I'm trying to trick him!  We'll see...
• and file this under "Just because he's NEVER done it, doesn't mean he'll NEVER do it".  The other day my Mom called and I was on the phone for less than 1o minutes.  I heard Fisher playing, but it didn't occur to me that I had left the bathroom door open.  We never close the bathroom door.  After I got off the phone, I found him in the bathroom having a GREAT time putting EVERYthing in my make-up drawer one-by-one into the TOILET!!  Needless to say, I've done a lot of replacing of items.  I couldn't really get mad-I'm sure it ws a lot of fun.  I can even laugh about it now.  We keep the door closed now.

I can't choose which pics to post so I decided to make another slideshow.  **Michelle-there are pics of Fisher's room as requested (better late than never, right!).

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bubby

To my sweet Bubby-

It's hard to believe that just two short years ago, you came into this world and changed my life in the most amazing and wonderful of ways.  Two years ago at this time you were only just over 3 hours old, yet it was hard for me to remember what life was like without you.

You have changed so much and you amaze me all the time with your sense of humor, cuteness, and intelligence.  

The past two years have been amazing watching you grow and change.  I can't wait to see what you have in store for us next.


Love, Mommy

numbers

We have a routine of singing the ABC's when we brush teeth. Now I've started counting to 10 as I change his diaper. Both are a good distraction for him so I can get what I need done. Fisher will count with me now, and every so often he says the next number before I do!  And for some reason, he has to yell most of the numbers :).  I love the way he says 7, and I had to include the end where I try to get him to do it again-too funny!  thx for watchin'!

reasons being a mom is marvelous...

It was nights like tonight that I have envisioned motherhood to be like.

During our cuggle time before I put Fisher to bed, I sang a few songs to him.  I'll admit that I don't have the best singing voice (or even A singing voice), but he says YAY! after every song.  One of my favorites to sing is the Itsy Bitsy Spider and I do little hand motions.  Tonight was the first time he tried to imitate the movements.  

He also asked for my hand and held it close to him (while my heart was melting).  I sure do love that kid!!

a typical conversation

I feel like Fisher's first sentence is right around the corner.  He may not speak in full sentences yet, but he sure does know how to carry on a conversation.  Here is a pretty typical example:

F-'rari

Me-that's your Ferari (it's from the movie Cars)

F-red

Me-yes-it's red

F-open

Me-who let you open the ferari?

F-uh'den

Me-uncle Den let you open that ferari?

F-yah

F-eyes

Me-he has eyes

F-yah

aaaand...repeat this SAME conversation multiple times a day-just insert a different car/toy. If you aren't really paying attention or don't engage fast enough, he will repeat repeat repeat & REPEAT until you respond so he can move onto the next phase.  And if Dave and I are both in the room/area, he will repeat until we have both respoded.

And a little background on the ferari.  As I had posted back in April, my brother has this "thing" with not letting Luke open some of his Cars cars and other "Matchbox"-type cars-thinking they'll be worth something someday.  A few weeks ago, Fisher found this Cars ferari still in the package.  He asked me, Missy, anyone who would listen, to open it.  Everyone told him to ask Uncle Den-who actually said yes!  Fisher slept with the 'rari that night and it was "the" toy he had to have for the next few days-and so began the conversation dictated above...

new best friend

Here are a few pictures I just *had* to post of Fisher with his new best friend, Pablo.  Fisher got Pablo on our last trip to Toys-r-Us 2 days ago.  He literally has not let him out of his sight since.  Pablo came to Red Lobster for Papa's birthday last night.  Pablo came to Kohl's tonight.  I ran into a co-worker and her husband in the check out at Kohl's and I tried to get Fisher to say hi or give some acknowledgement.  He gave them nothing until they noticed he had Pablo. Their grandkids love Backyardigans too, so they asked Fisher who he had-"PAH-BO!!"  They talked with him about the other characters and Fisher totally opened up.  He loves  his Pah-bo!

   

TT

is for Temper Tantrums!  And Fisher has been having quite a few lately.  He seems to save them more for me-which usually includes him trying to bite me or hit me.  We're working through it-and I'm *hoping* it's just a phase.  And while on the topic of tantrums, Fisher is not the most fun to shop with lately.  Grocery shopping is okay-as long as we go to Schnucks because they let "babies" have a cookie while we shop.  What a great investment of 41 cents for Schnucks!  That 41 cent cookie has allowed me to spend so much more $$$ in that store since 1 cookie is pretty much able to occupy Fisher for our entire trip.  It's when we go to stores like Target where he tends to loose it.  I seem to remember posting back in December about how easy it still was to shop with him during Christmas time.  I also admitted that I knew a day would come when shopping would not be such a pleasant experience.  Here we are.  We went to Target the other day to go shopping for Lucas.  I didn't find what I was looking for, but I did find a few (Cars) things for Fisher's birthday.  Problem was-he wanted them all now.  Then we had to go to Toys-r-Us (and I found what I was looking for for Lucas), but we saw more Cars toys and books, and a stuffed Pablo (from the Backyardigans-if you didn't know).  We left with Pablo-of course!  I'm such a push-over...

new stuff

It's been too long (gee...I think I've blogged that before...).  I really need to do a better job with this blog-seeing as how my main purpose is to chronicle Fisher's development and goings-on.  Sooo-

~A few weeks ago, we went to Eliot's 2nd birthday party-which had a Backyardigans theme.  I had heard of this show, but never had seen it.  Katie made a very cute "Pablo" cake, and Eliot sent his guests home with a treat bag filled with Backyardigans loot.  I let Fisher play with the cards, and since I only knew Pablo, that's who I introduced him to.  The next time the show came on, I recorded it for him.  Fisher was hooked the very first time he watched it.  We have several episodes on the Moxi, and when we let him watch, he loves to dance to the theme song (and other songs in the show) and he is glued to the TV.  It actually makes me wonder what kind of subliminal messages Nickelodeon has put in the background.  Hmmmm. And here's a short video of Fisher as he dances to the show-opener.

~A few days ago, it wasn't insanely hot, so Dave and I took Fisher to our local park and I got some cute pictures to share.  Even though the temp wasn't too bad, the equipment was HOT!  So no tunnel, swing, or slide play-we just walked around the lake, talked to the geese, looked at the cannon (that Fisher insisted was a tractor), and played with some rocks.  

~Fisher loves his lawnmower.  When he asks to go outside, it's so he can play with his lawnmower.  Luke has one just like it, and the last time we were there, Fisher did laps around (the outside of) the pool.  It gets to the point at times where we have a mini-tantrum on our hands of he can't go outside-or has to come back inside.

~Fisher is obsessed with eyes right now.  He loves to point out my eyes, Daddy's eyes, the cats' eyes, the eyes on his Cars cars.  Weird.

~Fisher really likes watermelon

and pizza.

~A few nights ago there was another occupant in Fisher's bed when I went to put him down for the night.

Fisher thought it was great!  But Lucy soon got kicked out and it was time for bed.

and to end this post in one of Fisher's favorite phrases-Later Mater!!

This really was not my intent-I swear!

My husband Dave has changed his appearance quite a bit since we've been together-but the most dramatic changes have happened within the last 9 months (of the over 9 years that we have been together).

Here we are in November of 2oo5.  I know I said we've been together for over 9 years, but this was the quickest pic I could find to illustrate the transformation.  When we got together, Dave's hair actually went to about the middle of his back. 

And here we are at our wedding in March of 2oo6.  He had it cut to shoulder length.

Then in September of last year, he shocked me with this one...

We got up one morning, and he said he was going to run an errand.  He was being really secretive and wouldn't tell me what he was doing.  When he came back, I was SHOCKED!  Dave had been saying for weeks that he was going to get his hair chopped, but he kept chickening out.  I would tease him every time.  I never thought I would see his neck like this.  It might be hard to tell, but in the picture above, he is holding his senior picture-where he had the exact same hair cut!

And then when I came home on Wednesday...he walked out of the front door looking like this

WOAH!!  He had been saying for a week or two that he was just going to buzz his hair.  I begged him not to-I just couldn't imagine it!!  But you know what?  I really like it.  I think he looks about 10 years younger!  SO-as for the title of this post-when we got together, my intent was never to "tame" him by taming the hair.  Actually, before each transformation I would almost DIScourage him because I was worried about the end result.  But I ended up liking each one.

By the way...I was thinking that I need a haircut now.  I really liked the way my hair looked in the November of 'o5 picture above.  What do you think-should I go for it?

And also-Dave got me the Wii Fit for Mother's Day and it came yesterday...I'll be posting about it soon.  But for now, it's so much FUN!!

Re-post of Pics

In my last post, I said I was playing around with "slideshows". That one really bothered me because the layout of blogger was cutting off the right side of the pictures. I used One True Media again and made a "montage" (I don't like that word for some reason) of the same pics. If you a ready saw them once, ignore this post...

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

How do they learn these things?

So Fisher is already a comedian.  His joke of choice?  Poo-poo jokes!  Anytime he randomly says HEAVY, HIDING, or UCKY and you ask, "What's HEAVY/HIDING/UCKY, Fisher?"  His response-"Poo-poo!" with this silly grin on his face!!  Seriously-I do NOT know where he got this from.  The "ucky" probably comes from diaper changing-as best as I can guess.  But the heavy and hiding-no clue.  He's already a "boy telling poo-poo jokes"!

7 for Fisher

This is a hard one...It seems like more of an update on 7 new things Fisher is doing right now.

1~Lemons.  He loves them.  When we go to a restaurant, I order ice water with lemon.  As SOON as he sees the lemon, he has to have it!   He will try to put the whole thing in his mouth, which usually means his tries to eat the peel too.  Rather than try to fish the peeling out of his mouth (and risk getting bit by a screaming toddler), I peel the section like and orange and just give it to him.  He eats the whole thing with hardly a pucker!  Anyone at the table puckers-but he just wants more :-).

2~Fisher's bedtime is SO easy.  I hope this doesn't come off as bragging, but he truly is amazing in this department!  He is usually in bed ASLEEP by no later than 7:45 (when we are at home).  At 7:30, we brush teeth (while singing the ABC's-me, not him), change the diaper, get on jams, say night-night to Daddy and Mommy, then to bed**.  Rarely do we even hear a PEEP after that!  Sometimes we let him stay up a little later, but Fisher has this "switch" and when it's flipped we know he's had enough.  He starts to get frustrated with his toys and throws temper tantrums.  He's ready for bed, and goes willingly.  He has always been like this.  I attribute this to getting him on a regular feeding and sleeping schedule by 2 months old.  So by my count, we've been doing good for about 20 months.  I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for this to continue well into childhood-how naive am I???

3~Fisher's "stinker" sense of humor is starting to come through.  He got a Sarge jeep (from the movie Cars) for Easter.  By default, any vehicle that is not a car is a truck (or "kuk") to Fisher.  Sarge is his first jeep.  When he first got it, I tried to teach him the difference.  I would say jeep-he would say kuk...back and forth-back and forth.  A few days later, he showed me Sarge and said, "beep!".  I was so excited-yeah bud!  that's a jeep!!  He looked at me, smiled, and said "kuk" then laughed!!  Stinker!!  Now it's a game.  Every time he finds Sarge, we have the same beep/kuk exchange :o).  Fisher has had (Taco Bell) soft tacos twice.  I cut it up and he really likes it.  Now, if we ask him what he wants for dinner, he says "caco!".  Oh-you want a taco?  He then smiles an says "NO!"

4~I'm sure this next one is a stage that all kids go through, but it CRACKS ME UP!!  Fisher is Mr. Pete-Repeat.  He will say the last word of whatever you say.  And speaking of repeating, it's really funny when he says things that you know he's picked up from you on his own.  Like the other morning, Dave was still in bed, but Fisher thought he was in the basement.  He sat at the top of the steps saying "Oney!" over and over again.  It took me a few minutes to realize he was doing what I do-I stand at the top of the stairs and say "Honey!" when I need Dave and don't feel like going downstairs.  Too cute, right??

5~Right now, Fisher could live on chicken nuggets and oatmeal.  Don't get me wrong, he eats other things-loves **vegetables, as a matter of fact-but "ah-tum" is his FAVORITE breakfast, and "kah-kin" is his favorite lunch/dinner.  This could change as quickly as tomorrow, though.  He definitely goes through food phases.  Strawberries were a real hit for a while, now he acts like he never wants them.  Same thing with blueberries and grilled cheese.  One day I made him a whole grilled cheese for lunch (thinking I would eat what he didn't) and he ate the WHOLE thing.  Two days later, he wouldn't even eat 1/4 of it.  Go figure!

**edited to add**Fisher stayed overnight with my parents a while ago and they took him to our "Sunday breakfast place"-which Fisher loves.  My Mom had to call me to say that Fisher was loving the vegetable soup and SALAD!  Yes-the kid loves salad.  I never knew a not-yet-2-year-old would even try salad, much less love it!!

**6~Fisher's new thing is to cuggle-a combination of the words cuddle and snuggle.  Our new bedtime routine is to cuggle after brushing teeth.  We read books and wind down from the day.  He's such a little schemer though!  Fisher uses cuggle if he gets in "trouble" or as an excuse to not take a nap.  Sometimes when we cuggle, Fisher gets a little rowdy and likes to run around and jump on the bed.  As soon as I say it's time to go to bed, he rushes back over to lay on the pillow saying, "cuggle cuggle cuggle".  I love that kid!

7~Fisher still uses a pacifier.  Only when he sleeps.  I don't like it.  I hope this isn't a hard habit to get rid of.  I plan on phasing it out at nap time-"reasoning" with him that he will only get the "caci" at night time when the moon is out.  He's pretty smart (I must say), so I hope this first step works.  My goal is to have it gone completely by the time he's 2 (July 19)-or at the LATEST, by the time I go back to school in August.  If anyone out there has any advice-please let me know!!

I've been tagged!

Thanks, Katie...I figured if I would get tagged, it would be by you ;)! This "Seven Things About Me" tag game has been going around for a while and each time I read one, I would wonder what I would reveal if I got tagged. I've been thinking about it for a few days, so here goes...

1~I have a few superstitions-although I'm not sure if they are ALL superstitions. My main one is the "if you find a penny, pick it up...all day long you'll have good luck". I take it a few steps further. If I find a penny and it is heads DOWN, I do NOT pick it up.  I heard somewhere (or maybe I just made it up...) that it would be BAD luck if it was heads down.  Also, if I am wearing shoes that will allow it, I put the heads-up penny in my shoe.  When I was younger, I would keep a penny I found in my shoe for a long time-days and days!  The heads up thing is so important to me that when I put a good luck penny on my students' desks this Tuesday for MAP testing, I went back and made sure they were all heads up before they got in the room!!  A couple other superstitions (that I'm not sure if they are really superstitions) are if my nose itches it means someone is thinking about me, and if my palm itches I will be getting :) or losing :( money soon.

2~For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a teacher.  These pages are from my school memories book and if you click on them, you will see that (in my own handwriting) in Kindergarten and 1st grade I wanted to be a teacher.  I think 2nd and 3rd grade, it was "babysitter" :).  I had an internship as a senior in high school.  I got to go to Bridgeway (where I went to school AND where I teach now) and work with my "old" 3rd grade teacher-who then taught 5th grade.  The year that I was there, construction was completed on the new "wing" of the building that I now teach in!!  My cooperating teacher, Mrs. Schott, got to move into one of the new rooms before the school year was over.  I wouldn't have believed then that I would be teaching RIGHT NEXT DOOR a decade later.  I recently found pictures of me with that group of kids-wild!  The fashions...my hair!  Bridgeway still has the same DARE officer from 16!!!! years ago and I happened to find a couple pictures of her too!

3~Tomatoes.  Before I was pregnant, I hated-no, better word,LOATHED- tomatoes.  Don't get me wrong-I was fine with the bi-products...ketchup, tomato sauce, spaghetti (?), etc.  But tomatoes by themselves, on sandwiches, in salads-I ALWAYS picked them off.  Even to the point where those around me would make fun of me.  But at some point in my pregnancy, I had a BITE of a tomato on a sandwich and did not spit it out.  Hmmmm...I kinda liked it.  Much to my own embarrassment-because everyone I knew was astounded that not only did I tolerate tomatoes, but I would actually eat them solo!  This appreciation has continued, and Fisher LOVES tomatoes to this day  ;-).

4~My brother and I grew up as total opposites.  I was very much a "don't rock the boat" kind of kid.  I was a teacher's pet and loved school (go figure!), never got in trouble (unless you count when Den and I fought), and tried to smooth things over (unless you count when Den and I fought).  My brother-HATED school and loved being a rule-breaker.  He and I fought HORRIBLY growing up.  In the short amount of time that we were home after school before Mom got home from work, we could really whip ourselves into a frenzy!  I remember times when we would call her at work-each on of us on a different phone-yelling at her about what the other one had done.  Many times she would just hang up on us...meanwhile we would keep yelling until we realized by the horrible tone that she had hung up.  Our relationship is much better now.  It's amazing what growing up can do!

5~I could never live anywhere besides here in St. Louis.  Don't get me wrong, I think it would be a great adventure to move somewhere like here, here, near here or even here. It would be fun to get to experience a different part of the country and make new friends, but I would MISS my friends, family, and comforts of my hometown.  It is so important to me to have Fisher form close bonds with his cousins.  And Mawmaw and Pawpaw are so important to him-he LOVES them!!  I would also really miss not being able to see Luke, Brandi, and Jack grow up.

6~Days of Our Lives...or to fans-Days...or to even bigger fans DOOL.  "Like sands through the hourglass..."  I have pretty faithfully watched that show for over TWENTY years.  Yes, I'm one of "those".  I really can't help it...it's in my genes.  My Grandma (Mom's Mom) was a fan, my Mom IS a fan.  I had no choice!  It really is such a guilty pleasure, but it is a TOTAL escape from reality.  I record it every day and watch a few eps every couple of "days" (ha!).  It's fun though, because my Mom and I usually end up catching up over Sunday breakfast (boring Stan and Dave-"not that show AGAIN!!!").  We can't help it!

7~I've been writing this post for over a week!  Mainly because I check up on about 50-yes-FIFTY-blogs a day!!  "Thanks" to Google Reader, it's so easy to add a blog to your subscription list that I've gone a little crazy.  Sure, I could delete some, but then I would be wondering about what I've missed.  I need to figure out how to prioritize my blogging so this one doesn't get neglected.  Any suggestions?

So the idea of this "tag" game is to tell 7 things about yourself that people might not necessarily know, then "tag" 7 others.  I will be tagging Aunt Brenda, cousin Katy, Fisher (to be completed by me :), and Michelle W.  Yes, I know...I check up on 50+ blogs, but I only know 3 (not including Fisher) to tag personally.  Seriously-it's an addiction!!

lesson learned...

It's been too long since I last posted, so now I have a huge (photo) post!!

Spring Break was two weeks ago.  Yucky weather, but it's all good when I get to play with my Bubby!

We had my parents over for corned beef & cabbage and I made lemon cupcakes for dessert.  Fisher is a cupcake junkie-he eats it like a pro and goes straight for the icing first!

  

He also had to help out with a little cleaning...



Brandi and Jack came over for a visit.  They love Fisher so much!!
  

My Little Leprechaun-last year (no St. Pat's pics this year-he yanked any hat off before I could snap a picture!)

Last year and this year with the bunny...
  

Last year and this year egg-dying...


We went to cousins Brandi & Jack's to decorate this year. Fisher loved it! His hands looked like the Incredible Hulk :)

We also decorated bird's nest cupcakes (with green dyed coconut and jelly beans). Poor Fisher just didn't understand why he couldn't EAT the cupcakes...we did give in and let the kids eat one while they worked on the assembly line.

Easter LAST year
  

Easter THIS year
  
living room egg hunt
  


He got a "Ramone" ('Mone) car in his basket.  Fisher LOOOOOVES the movie Cars...


Opening eggs with Grandma.

Playing peek-a-boo in the drapes.

  
Fisher had already opened his Cars Easter egg with a mini Fillmore and Sarge.  Then he was on to Luke's Mater and Lightning.  My brother was napping, but Fisher had to get Uncle Den's permission to open Luke's cars.  **A little back story-Luke has a pretty respectable collection of cars.  He doesn't get to play with them though.  They are ALL still in their packages on little shelves all over his room-my brother thinking they will be collectors items one day.  Poor Luke.  I wasn't going to be the one to let Fisher open the package, so I told him he had to ask Uncle Den.  It was so cute-he sat there (pic 1) just holding it saying, "open-open-open".  My brother was under the weather, so it took him a while to realize Fisher was there making a request.  He finally did wake up enough to give his permission-success (but only short lived because we had to leave a few minutes later-oh the FIT he threw when he had to give up Mater & Lightning!!).

Now-just a few more from last year...

This one has always been on of my favorites-there's just something about that look...and the second pic is a rare encounter with Schwartz.

Grandma's sink baby