3 yrs and 10 months

His latest accomplishment is being able to count many items (all the way up to 14) and not lose his spot. He'll use his finger to touch the items as he counts. He can keep up with those he has counted and those he hasn't. Often we'll be in a room together and he'll tell us how many people are there. This has carried over into games as well. When he spins a spinner on the spider spout game he moves his peg the right number of spots on the pathway.

He's also able to play Candy Land the right way. Before he would just take the gingerbread men figures, knock them over and laugh. Now, he will draw a card, follow the path, and land on the right space. He can even do the cards that require him to go two colors.

He refers to hiccups as the "hip cups." One day he had them. After his little diaphragm did one, he told his nana, "I just hicked."

He loves to sing. Because he goes to so many birthday parties, it's not a surprise that he can sing the Happy Birthday song all the way through. He did this for his daddy (Jan 10) and his papaw (Jan 23). He also likes singing the Thomas the Train video songs. We usually have to rewind them several times...and we have to sing them with him.

Potty training is going really well. One day when I was in the shower he informed me that he just tee teed. He indeed had pulled his pants down, tee teed, and pulled his pants back up...all by himself. He's capable of doing all this and climbing up on his stool to wash his hands. Most of the time he requires that we pull his pants up and down. He's spoiled like that.

Mater the Greater is one of his favorite toys. He loves his race cars (Lightning McQueen, Chic Hicks, and King). He recently got Chic Hick's pit crew. Upstairs in his playroom he enjoys playing with his McDonald's cash register and play food. He will take our order, cook the food in his microwave, and give us change back. He also enjoys pretending to buy groceries for me. He'll have me go to the other side of the playroom (myhouse) while he shops for my food. He'll toss the play food in the back of his little car that Santa brought him, and drive to my house. Then, he'll drive back to "his house."

There's A Dragon On the Loose...

This was running down our hallway the other night.

Rocco has several animal bath towels. After his bath he wants to show us how cute he is. He'll also make the quack sound for the duck, barking for the dog, etc. He has a frog towel also. When he wears the shark one he pretends to bite and eat us up. Tonight he was a dragon. I love Pottery Barn towels. They are so soft, big, and cuddly.

Cutest little dragon I've ever seen.

Rocco and His Nana

Rocco just loves his nana. It could be because he stays with her all week while we're at work, or it might be because she spoils him. But then I bet it's because she rocks him to sleep for his naps and holds him for 2 and 3 hours in her arms. Maybe it's because she reads books, does fun crafts or bakes cookies with him. I'm sure he loves her because she is not afraid to get in floor to roll a car or train, play hide and seek, or teach him how to do connect the dot puzzles and use scissors. Perhaps he's learned it is true what he and his nana say after they wash their hands...."Dry together, be friends forever." Actually, it is probably because nana is just so easy to love. Rocco is very close to his nana. He's her sweetheart...and as she tells him he makes her heart go flip flop.

Carolyn stayed with us while Jason went on his duck hunting trip in Mississippi. "Whee Hoo!" Rocco exclaimed when he learned nana was spending the night. As he was getting ready for bed, he wanted the three of us to all take a bath together. Funny! Nana did read him many, many bedtime stories. When they woke up, they played cowboys/cow "gul luhs" in their hats. They also had fun with Candy Land, CARS dominoes, and many other games. It's no wonder he is so crazy about his nana.

New Accomplishment

Rocco can now keep himself going in a swing. "In, out, in , out..." We've told him to do this with his legs for months now, but today he finally got it. It was so nice to be able to swing next to him and watch him just keep going. We celebrated with lots of hugs and kisses.

Snow Much Fun!

The weather report said 70% chance of snow. We didn't get much, but they were right. Here's the field beside our house.

One half inch of snow came and school was called off. Jason's off day is Friday, so we made it a family event to play in the snow dust. It had been so long since I played in the snow that I forgot how long it took just to get ready for this winter blast. I had on 3 layers of pants and shirts; Rocco had the same. Not to mention a scarf, two toboggans, and some mittens. When I was getting him ready he kept falling over. Poor fella could hardly hold himself up in all those layers.

Jason put together a make shift sled out of a back board (the kind they use in Ambulances). He tied it with some rope onto the golf cart and we were ready to go!

All over the yard we went. Jason pulled Rocco and me. We glided over the 1/2 inch layer and mostly bumped over the rocks. On our way across the front of our yard we tipped over to the side and fell. Right before that happened the golf cart got stuck and Jason slung mud all over our back board. Rocco decided the best spot for this adventure was riding shotgun on the golf cart. . . not on the sled. His sledding time was short lived. Next was daddy's turn...and mommy drove fast!! Jason laughed so hard. We certainly got the dogs barking and wondering what was going on.

Later, once we realized this snow was not going to stick enough for a snowman, we decided to just ride around on our land through the trails.

Then, we came inside (took off our muddy clothes) and all cuddled together in the bed. We were nice and warm. Ahh, then it was nap time. Nothing beats a good snow day!

Thumbs up for Bowling

Rocco experienced bowling for the first time at Will's birthday party. This friend from church turned four years old. He and Rocco will start pre-k at the same time and could possibly be in the same class.

This bowling was not like the Wii game that Rocco is used to. He was able to actually roll a real ball down the lane. Thankfully the gutters were blocked off, and they had a cool ramp for us to use. Jason took it very serious (as you can see in the picture).

With his help, Rocco broke 100 AND came out with 2 spares and a strike. With all the celebration after each spare or strike, he knew he had just done something real big. "I won the game!" he would say each time.

Mommy helped Rocco, too.

High five, Rocco!!

Happy New Year

So I thought I'd start the New Year off on a Happy Note. Below are ten things that fill my heart with happiness.

• sharing Christ with someone
• tickling Rocco just to hear him laugh and beg, "Stop Mommy!"
• snuggling with my two favorite guys (Rocco and Jason)
• scrapbooking, blogging, shutterflying
• hearing Rocco ask, "Come play with me mama!"
• Cinammon Teddy Grahams, peanut butter, and cold milk
• wearing pajamas and playing all day when I'm off work
• listening to Steven Curtis Chapman's music
• vacationing in Cancun
• researching countries open to adoption and dreaming...