Ezekiel James Herzog

From Me to We!

2011-08-27T20:27:00.001-04:00

Check out our new family blog at http://herzogboys.blogspot.com!

Grandma & Grandpa

2011-08-17T15:22:00.004-04:00

Since all of us cousins were never all together we improvised and made a photo frame of us spelling out Grandpa and Grandma. Micah was the switch player with P and M.

Seattle bound!

2011-08-17T15:11:00.005-04:00

I was so excited to go on an airplane ride! I don't remember my last one 2 years ago. Micah and I were checking out our ride in the sky!

I played video games, watched a movie...
...and even napped for half the flight! Mom was highly impressed and let me use Micah's pouch as a blanket.
We are on our way to Ma and Pa's house!

Parrot Mountain

2011-08-08T21:53:00.006-04:00

For our last day in Tennessee we got to choose what we wanted to do. Jonah wanted to spend the day at the pool and I wanted to go to Parrot Mountain! I. Was. In. Heaven! I mean, look at this smile! I was in my element for sure.
My favorite part was feeding the birds! It was the coolest thing ever! I cried when all the food was gone and the lady in charge let me come back and feed them again for free! The very last thing I got to do was hold his big parrot like a baby! I can't wait to go back to this place!

Smoky Mountain Getaway!

2011-08-06T23:36:00.008-04:00

Our first vacation trip this summer was to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. The best part: NANA! I got to sleep with her every night! And lucky for her I didn't even pee the bed!
One day we hiked up to Clingmans Dome. And if you can't tell by my face I wasn't a big fan. The problem was my parents expected me to "hike". I wanted to ride in the stroller and went it wasn't my turn I pouted (notice the lip...) Mom says I'm going to trip over that one day.
After the hike I was all smiles and playing with my brothers.

Our resort had a mini golf course that I played every day!

Check out that form!
We also had a pool and Jonah and I had duals in our swim gear.

One morning we rode rides and had tons of fun! We even got to go on some go-carts that mom and dad drove!

We also had a spray park to play in but I ran into a pole and was done playing there for the rest of the trip.
I loved the pool as long as I had my floaty. I'll be taking swim lessons as soon as summer is over!
We loved watching cartoons and eating treats before bed!
One night we stayed up really late to find lightning bugs but we never found the show we were expecting. It was stil fun to catch a few and the ride back home was even more exciting with the town all lit up.
We were on our vacation during the 4th of July so we sported our flag shirts. We loved playing games and puzzles with Nana!
And we ended the day with ice cream! Does it get better than that?

My Daduh!

2011-08-06T23:06:00.003-04:00

I don't call him Dada, Daddy, or Dad...he's Da-duh to me! So for his special day we made him breakfast in bed and we helped him eat it! That's how much we love him!

Blueberry Hill

2011-06-22T20:51:00.004-04:00

I love to get out and go! So I was very excited about going on a hike and playing in water! Mom and dad left our suits in the car thinking we wouldn't get totally wet...after oh about 1.5 seconds they realized their mistake!
Mom let us strip to our undies and dive right in! Luckily no one was around. Jonah and I had a blast throwing rocks and swimming around.

I'm so glad I get to play with my big brother all summer!

Our favorite park!

2011-06-13T15:16:00.002-04:00

This is one of our favorite parks. It has water mist, a sand box, swings, climbing things and lots of slides!
I was totally into climbing today! Mom said she would have never let Jonah do this at 3 years old but I can do anything Jonah does!

During my break from climbing I took my baby brother on a ride down the slide! I think he liked it!

Picnics and Nana!

2011-06-13T15:04:00.004-04:00

We love to meet Nana at the Biltmore House for picnics after work. Today we went to a new place that had a little waterfall.

Still Mama's boy!

2011-06-13T14:59:00.001-04:00

Myrtle Beach Vacation!

2011-06-13T14:33:00.006-04:00

A spur of the moment vacation sent Mama and her boys to Myrtle Beach with Nana and Pop! A boy could get used to this life! I played in the ocean, swam in the pool, didn't have to take my regular nap (...well, for 2 days at least, then we got a wee bit cranky so mom reinstated the naps).

My favorite thing to do was jump the waves! I was fearless! Maybe a bit too fearless...Nana and Mom had to pull me up a few times!

One day we went to a dock to feed turtles and ride the carousel. I was so happy to spend time with my great grandpa!

I loved the pool and my floaty duck! Now I just need to get back into swim lessons so I'm not afraid. I did love to jump in as long as Nana or Mom caught me.

Our whirlpool was just about as much fun as the real pool, especially when we added bubbles and jets! Every night after Micah went to bed Jonah and I played in here!

My great grandpa even played baseball with me on the beach!

No trip is complete without a picture of us matching boys! I can't wait to go back to the beach!

Any excuse for ice cream!

2011-06-09T11:25:00.003-04:00

Oh how I love ice cream! On Jonah's last day of preschool we decided to go out and celebrate! I chose cotton candy because it was blue!

Muffin Man!

2011-06-07T14:36:00.003-04:00

So I may have a bit of a sweet tooth... Mom says that is an understatement!
Every day I ask for a treat for taking my nap without a fuss. And then I ask for a treat first thing in the morning when I wake up. Mom says no sweet snacks before lunch and I just cannot understand why?!
I love it when she lets me make muffins. I am so careful not to spill and I like to fill them up so they are nice and big!

But seriously, the best part of making muffins is eating them!

Mother's day!

2011-05-15T19:07:00.003-04:00

It was mom's day and even though I didn't want to take pictures she made me! I bet she wishes she could make me smile nicely...

We had a fun day starting off with breakfast in bed in which I got to help with the eating part! Then we went to church and had a feast for dinner with Nana, Pop and Rob. Jonah and I made mom and Nana a heart vase from Lowes you-build-it projects. Then we picked pansies to go in it and used them as center pieces on the table.
Then we got to play outside, Wheeeeeeeeee!

Easter day!

2011-05-15T14:32:00.006-04:00

The Easter bunny came to our house! He left a trail of easter eggs from my room to the front door where we found Easter baskets outside!

I loved all my treats, especially the chocolate and the egg plate! (Thanks Aunt Helen!)
Mom wanted some pictures of us in our Easter clothes so I decided to give Micah a pep talk on how to smile cheesy...
It didn't work, he was more interested in his little lamb instead.
After church we went to a big egg hunt that was a little weak if you ask me. It was over so fast and it was so crowded we only managed to grab a few eggs.
But there was more fun to be had! It was Mama's birthday too and you know how I love cake!
Jonah taught me a cool song about Jesus rising from the dead but our video isn't uploading for some reason. Maybe I'll try again later.
Of course Easter is not complete without some egg dyeing!

Egg Hunt!

2011-04-29T14:18:00.005-04:00

Last Saturday we went on an egg hunt and it sure was fun! The Easter bunny wasn't quite as cool as last year but I still really liked him and gave him lots of hugs and high-fives.

Me and Jonah being silly before the hunt.
Us being sweet.
And we're off! Jonah and I had the same strategy of climbing into the playground area.
And I spent a good couple of minutes trying to get this stuck egg.
After the hunt we traded our plastic eggs for goodie bags and ate some yummy treats!
And of course spent some time chatting with the Easter Bunny himself!

Shout out to Pa!

2011-04-18T20:10:00.001-04:00

HAPPY 60th!

Playing outside!

2011-04-18T15:03:00.002-04:00

I love spring time! We get to play outside lots. I am totally into my tricycle these days. I can also ride Jonah's big boy bike but I love pedaling my tricycle up the driveway! Micah is even big enough to play with us. We like to have races.
All of mom's men!
3 amigos!
I know I look like I'm in pain but really, this is just my smile!

Greenville Zoo!

2011-04-18T14:31:00.005-04:00

For the last hooray of spring break we went to the zoo! Unfortunately after an accident in the car while I was asleep I found myself with no pants! Or shirt for that matter. Luckily there were lots of extra shirts but after searching and searching for shorts we came up with nothing. Until mom noticed Micah had on a onesie and pants! Guess who got the pants? Yep, me! So what if they were a little tight, that's the style these days! And now I can say I still fit into a size 12 months! Thanks Micah, I owe you one!
Can't resist throwing rocks in a river!
Pushing the little guy.
Taming some lions.
Ducks...now there's something you don't see every day.
And maybe the best part of the zoo: the park right next door!

Brothers

2011-04-06T15:32:00.002-04:00

Dogpiling before church!

I still got it people! Can't beat my cheesy smile! ...Now where did my eyes go?
And here I am after church...in trouble...for running in the parking lot. Getting in trouble does not make me happy.

St.Patrick's day!

2011-03-18T14:05:00.004-04:00

Happy St.Patrick's day! I told mom I didn't want a green dinner but she made one anyway.
It turned out okay because I loved the deviled eggs and lime jello! And after telling everyone I didn't like the fettuccine, after I tried some, guess what? Turns out I do like it!
But the best part was the cake! My favorite color to eat was blue!
We wore green all day but after our showers we got to wear our Bulldog shirts because Gonzaga was playing!

Last, but not least real gold coins! Made of chocolate! Does life get any better?
No, it gets worse because I broke mine. I'm not a fan of my food breaking. I get really upset when a corner of my American cheese breaks off but look at my sad little face at the sight of broken chocolate!
Aw, well...shove it in my mouth and go on. Of course I got sad again when mom wouldn't give me another piece of cake. I may have a bit of a sweet tooth...

Dog Pile!

2011-03-16T14:53:00.003-04:00

I'm really into family hugs and dog piling! Every time Mom and dad are hugging I run up in between them and jimmy my way in. They don't complain because usually I have to be bribed for a hug. (I'll do most anything for a piece of chocolate!) My favorite thing at night after books are read is to dog pile!

Happy Birthday Da-duh!

2011-03-03T14:44:00.002-05:00

I love birthdays! I'll do just about anything for cake! Today we had green eggs and ham since Da-duh and Dr.Suess share a birthday. As you can see on my plate, I will not eat them in a house! So I had a bowl of fruit. To go with my cake. To make my mom feel less guilty.

The second best part of birthdays: presents! I love to help open them!

"Mama talk to the animals"

2011-02-27T20:08:00.002-05:00

This is what we do, me and Mama. All. Day. Long. It's my most favorite thing to do. Sometimes we talk to cars, sometimes trains, sometimes inanimate objects, but mostly animals. We have conversations about our days, what we like to do, where we are going, etc. Sometimes we act out scenes from books we read. And I never get tired of it! Today we are playing with one of the three billy goats Gruff (that's me) and Joshua, the little crippled lamb (played by Mama).

Hangin' out with little bro!

2011-02-21T21:34:00.006-05:00

Micah and I are getting to be pretty good buddies. We spend lots of time together. When he's not napping (like at all today) I ask Mama if I can hold him. That usually consists of a few seconds and then I'm ready to give him back. But since I was overdue for a photo shoot I got to hold him lots today!

See, I can be sweet sometimes!

Phew! Babysitting is hard work, I'm ready for a break!

New (to me) friends!

2011-02-16T20:35:00.004-05:00

So we had some friends over last weekend and it was also Nana's birthday! Let's just say I may be a bit shy when it comes to new people...
This is me in hiding for the first hour or so of our friends coming over. I even ate my pizza dinner inside the sleeping bag!
The only thing that brought me out: CAKE! (Thanks for having a birthday Nana, otherwise I might still be in that sleeping bag!)
We took them to the Biltmore House but it was really cold!
The Abline family (mom and dad worked with them in Hong Kong, then they moved to Egypt and now they live in NC).
As you can see, I warmed up and loved playing with our new friends!
Jonah, Micah, Naomi and our Micah, me and Janaya!

Modeling mom's chair

2011-02-16T20:27:00.009-05:00

When we nap, mom likes to look at crafty blogs and get ideas. She's a wannabe crafter in her "spare" time.
Here I am modeling her new chair.

Jonah's turn!

Here's the before shot: $4 from Goodwill.
A little spray paint and new fabric seat later, walla!

Create your own game!

2011-02-16T20:23:00.003-05:00

We had a semi warm day not too long ago but our bikes were still under the house since it's winter time. So Jonah and I searched the garage for something to play with and we found this great big tube! Check out our fun new game!

Jonah's school

2011-02-16T20:04:00.002-05:00

I love going to Jonah's school. Last week Jonah had a pajama day and I got to go too! Of course I brought along my baby doll.
Contrary to the look on my face I am enjoying the yummy snacks! I think someone may have put some carrots on my plate and I wasn't too happy about that. I'll take the chocolate cupcake though!
I got to play fun games with Jonah!
Scooter races!
Story time! I can't wait till I'm big enough to go to school!

Faces

2011-02-16T19:59:00.002-05:00

My signature face.
Not sure what this one is called...
Silly face.
Sweet face.
Halfway normal face!

2 boys in the tub!

2011-01-24T14:04:00.003-05:00

I bet Micah can't wait till he's big enough to play with us!
We rarely get to take baths together...mom says we splash too much and are too wild and someone might crack their head open. And then there's the whole drinking bath water issue...but we won't get into that! But once in a while she lets us and boy is it fun!

Sledding fun!

2011-01-11T20:41:00.002-05:00

Most of our snow was gone by the time mom decided to take some pictures but we had lots of fun playing outside with Pa.
Our snowman is bigger than we are!

Christmas with Ma and Pa

2011-01-11T16:23:00.007-05:00

Ma and Pa planned to come the day after Christmas this year but we got a foot of snow on Christmas day so their flight was cancelled. Daddy was able to drive to Atlanta to pick them up a day later. Here we are putting puzzles together with Ma.
Hanging out with Pa.
Opening more gifts.
What else is in this stocking?
Making cookies with Ma! (I don't have anything in my mouth...you can't prove it!)
And of course a family movie night...don't we all look thrilled!

Favorite gifts!

2011-01-03T22:01:00.003-05:00

These shirts weren't meant to be jammies... mom found them on clearance last year and bought 3 of them. Our little brother was already in bed when we were modeling them. Looks like mom had 3 favorite gifts this year! Too bad she didn't find one in Dad's size!

Merry Christmas!

2011-01-03T21:42:00.004-05:00

And the stockings (made by my grandma) were hung by the chimney with care...and then mom found some more cute ones so they sat by the chimney with care!
Gotta love matching jammies!
Me and my little bro!
Cool! Hot wheels cars!

It even snowed on Christmas day! After naps we bundled up and went outside to play!
Of course Jesus is the reason for the season so we sang Happy Birthday Jesus and ate cake! Looks like someone got a headstart on the eating part...
Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

2011-01-03T21:31:00.005-05:00

On Christmas Eve we got some more new jammies! We even got to open one package early from our Great Aunt Helen and she sent the coolest M&M spinning thing! By far the coolest gift ever!

Oh look, this is me with my eyes open and not cheesin' it! A rare picture for sure! Merry Christmas!

Let the celebrations begin!

2011-01-03T21:13:00.002-05:00

The day before Christmas Eve we got new jammies and on Christmas Eve day Papa came over to celebrate with us! We got some movies, books, puzzles and the best of all a new train table!

Making Memories

2011-01-03T21:09:00.002-05:00

During Christmas break us big boys got to camp out under the tree. Jonah and I were so excited! Mom was a little (okay a lot) skeptical and figured we'd be back in our own beds by 9:00pm but we did awesome!

Traditions

2010-12-29T19:18:00.004-05:00

Believe it or not folks, this is a smile...

Three smilers and one sour puss...let's not mention names!
Every year we go to the Grove Park Inn with our friends, Kathryn and Luke, to look at all the cool Gingerbread houses. This year we got to hop on Santa's sleigh and ride his reindeer too!

Mom is trying to teach me to smile with my eyes open...here's my best attempt!

Check up

2010-12-17T21:14:00.002-05:00

I had my 3 year old wellness check up today and I'm perfectly healthy! I weighed 39.4 lbs (that's with my clothes on, sheesh!) and I'm 39 inches tall. That puts me at the 95% for weight and 75% for height. Last year my doctor said I should only gain 4 lbs this year but I doubled that! What? I like to eat! I also got my vision checked, that was pretty cool! The best part: no shots!

Snow day!

2010-12-17T14:47:00.003-05:00

We've had 4 snow days so far this year! I love the snow even more because Jonah and Daddy get to stay home from school and I can play with them all day!

Another great thing about snow days is Nana gets to stay with us!

I'm 3!

2010-12-02T18:46:00.010-05:00

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to! That's right, I was a crab apple for the majority of my big day. Daddy made me french toast for breakfast, my favorite, and I got to pick the activity of the day: FUN DEPOT! I had a blast until it was time to go... Hammin' it up in the soft play area. Check out this bowling form! A little tractor action! Air hockey fun!
And here is my signature face! Mom and dad told me my face might just freeze this way but I wasn't buying it.

After my nap (which did wonders for my attitude) it was party time! We ate pizza and had a fun cookie cake upon my request. And of course presents!

I'm always asking to wear mom's ring so she got me one of my very own!
Mom and dad tried to mimic my cheesy face in this picture but Jonah and I decided to mix it up a bit...poor Micah looks a bit perplexed.
Overall it was a fun day. I can't wait to turn 4 cause then I'll get to go to school like Jonah!

Thanksgiving

2010-12-01T08:30:00.005-05:00

Happy Turkey day!

Fall Fun!

2010-11-28T10:46:00.002-05:00

Here are some random pictures from this month. Jonah and I playing in the leaves.
Throwing homemade beanbags that Mama made us!
Hanging out with my bros!
The expression that is on my face 99% of the time!
And the other face expression I have!
I love my Nana!
Guy time!

Photo shoot?

2010-11-18T14:21:00.007-05:00

So mom was having a photo shoot with Micah the other day and wanted some pictures with me too. I'll hold him but I won't smile...

...fine, I'll smile but it's painful!

I could tell mom wasn't going to give up that easily so I decided to show an ounce of sweetness and give him a kiss for my last photo, all together now, "Ahhhhhhhhhhwwwwww"! :)

Pop's birthday!

2010-11-18T14:18:00.001-05:00

I'm a little behind on my posts...here are some pictures from Pop's 83rd birthday party. My favorite part: the cake!

Sharing a room...

2010-11-17T22:30:00.002-05:00

For the past couple months I have been trying to share a room with Jonah. Supposedly Micah needs his own room at some point so us big boys get to stay together. I am very excited about this...maybe a little too excited because when its bedtime I get a little confused and think it's actually play time since we're in the same room. Here is a peek into our room. Ma and Pa bought us matching beds and everything! I've managed to stay in there a few nights but usually I end up back in my other room because I can't stop talking or getting out of bed to play. Maybe I'll figure it out in the next couple of months...

Trunk or Treat!

2010-11-03T19:44:00.002-04:00

No "trick-or-treating" this year, just trunks! I may have been a wee bit shy when we first got to Nana's church. I refused to eat my hotdog inside, instead Nana and I sat outside on the steps together.
I warmed up just in time for the cake walk and it's a good thing too cause look what I won!
I got to play a cool fishing game.
Then a beanbag toss...
...and even golf! And the best part: everyone was a winner!
The games were great but as you can see from the grin on my face, I liked the trunks the best! They were filled with tons and tons of candy! I was such a polite little fellow, thanking everyone for the yummy treats!
Check out my form!
Thanks for the fun Halloween Nana and Popperdoodledug!

More Pumpkins!

2010-11-03T19:29:00.004-04:00

We managed to fit in one more pumpkin patch thanks to Papa! But not before a photo shoot with these cool shirts Ma and Pa sent us!
And we grew these pumpkins in our garden!
Who wouldn't want to kiss a face like this?!
Lovin' the hay maze!
The always fun "cow ride".
Something new to us: a corn box!
The real corn maze.
And the day ended with a horse and buggy ride!

Pumpkin Time!

2010-10-29T14:47:00.009-04:00

It's always fun to go to Grandad's pumpkins and apple orchard. How about some "cheese" with your pumpkin?
Showing off my brute strength!

Not sure why this dinosaur was at the pumpkin patch but he was pretty cool.
Going for a ride on "Bessie"!
Picking the perfect apple.

Mom can we get this one?!

My many faces

2010-10-18T14:40:00.007-04:00

I have lots of faces! I'm really good at the "angry" face but mom loves my sweet face best.

baby brother

2010-10-14T13:51:00.002-04:00

Now that Jonah is in school all morning I get to spend lots of time with my baby brother. Actually, he sleeps most of the time but whenever he's awake I get to hold him. As you can see, I think he likes me!

Fall in North Carolina

2010-10-14T13:48:00.001-04:00

Our neighbor, Ms.Valerie, is an amazing photographer! She loves to hike and often sends us some of her pictures. This one captures the beautiful Fall colors of the North Carolina mountains.

Aunt Helen visits!

2010-09-27T20:41:00.002-04:00

I had a great time with my Aunt Helen. We didn't do too much when she was here but I managed to take her to the science museum, the nature center and the Biltmore House for a picnic. Mostly she was in charge of snuggling Micah and mom and I got some one on one time together after we dropped Jonah off at school each day.

Fair time!

2010-09-19T10:29:00.014-04:00

This year I am big enough to really enjoy the fair! First we rode the chair lift and I didn't understand why Mom had to have her arm around me. But I got to point out all the rides I wanted to go on.
I had lots of fun even though I'm wearing my serious tough guy face.
On every ride I made a bee line for the front of the line. I didn't understand why I had to wait my turn when I could just walk right up to the front. A day at the fair isn't complete without throwing a few fits!
I took Aunt Helen on the carousel and didn't crack a smile.
Finally my first smile of the day! I lost my hat on this cool roller coaster but luckily mom was able to retrieve it!
Workin' the motorcycle!
Flying high! Of course since Jonah was in line to do this I had to try too! I didn't quite get the jumping concept but the workers helped me and boy was it fun!
Okay, so I was a little exhausted by the end...

Ice cream for lunch!
...and a corn dog for dessert!
One more ride to end the day. Thanks for the fun day Papa!

French Toast

2010-09-09T14:10:00.004-04:00

When Ma was here this summer she taught Daddy how to make french toast and boy am I glad she did! I can't get enough of that yummy goodness! So the rule goes, if I sleep until 7:00am, Daddy makes me french toast! I take mine with applesauce on top. Believe it or not, this is a genuine smile on my face!
And here is Jonah trying to copy my cool smile. He prefers cereal which means more french toast for me! Dad usually cuts me off after 3 but I could eat way more!
And our new baby is just hanging out playing while we eat. He doesn't know what he's missing!

Happy Camper...?

2010-09-03T21:18:00.003-04:00

Not exactly...

Dad thought it would be great fun to have a boys night camping in our yard. Mom thought it was a good idea too (good that she wasn't involved)!
And let me tell you, it was fun romping around in that tent! I jumped all over everyone! And you can tell from my big cheesy grins that I was having a blast. That is until Dad wanted us to actually sleep out there!
I started crying and wanting to go in so mom (who heard me all the way inside the house) came and rescued me. Of course since I was the life of the party, then Jonah wanted to go in and reluctantly Dad followed.
Not so sure I'm ready for camping just yet...

The Zoo!

2010-08-29T09:55:00.005-04:00

We went to the Greenville Zoo yesterday and even Nana came with us! It was a small zoo but it still had lots of cool animals and fun little playgrounds. My favorite exhibit was the water mist! Jonah and I could have played in that all day!

When we got home I wanted to hold Micah and he started punching me! I guess he wanted me to wake him up while we were at the Zoo so he could have seen some animals too! He was a sleepy little guy and slept the whole time.

"I don't see why not"

2010-08-23T20:12:00.003-04:00

Whenever my mom or dad asks me a question these days I respond with, "I don't see why not." For instance, my mom may say, "Ezekiel let me see if these pants fit you?" And I say, "I don't see why not" ...but then continue with whatever I'm doing. Or dad may say, "Ezekiel can I finish your dinner?" And I say, "I don't see why not" (but don't give him a bite). So, it basically means "no" but it cracks my parents up!

Potty time!

2010-08-23T20:02:00.002-04:00

Since bringing our new baby home from the hospital I've decided that I can use the potty like a big boy! My parents weren't going to bother trying to work with me until after the baby was born and now they don't need to at all! I don't even wear pull-ups anymore, only big boy unders for me!

Big Brother Little Brother

2010-08-21T22:10:00.001-04:00

My parents friends, Butch and Pam got us these cool shirts after our new baby was born. Mom made us do a photo shoot and here are our best shots!

The new baby popped right out!

2010-08-13T15:08:00.002-04:00

Our new baby is okay but I sure was glad to see Mama! I don't know why I couldn't stay with her in the hospital.
Just checking the little guy out!
Is this what we've been waiting for?!
Since I'm a big brother now, Nurse Mollie let me wash Micah's hair.
He's okay until he starts crying!
Then I run to Mama for some snuggles! He scares me when he cries!

Summer lovin'

2010-08-04T09:04:00.013-04:00

Had me a blast! Ma and Pa came for a whole month! We had tons of fun going on hikes, watching movies, swimming, and going on adventures. Here are some highlights: Hiking to blueberry hill and throwing rocks...

jumping at the mall...
riding in the "fun cart"...
eating out...
canoeing...
picnicing on the dock...
swimming in the lake...
digging in the sand...
finding Goldbug with Pop...

playing at the park with Ma and Pa...
playing in the creek...
golfing at Fun Depot...
tree hugging with Pa...
posing...
throwing rocks...
building at Lowes...
science museum fun...
making pudding pops with Ma...
riding in our new van...
hanging with friends at the Arboretum...
"I love blue!"
celebrating Ma's birthday...
gardening with Pa...
got my game face on at the Fun Depot...
riding rides...
racing Jonah...
driving at Tweetsie...

We had so much fun with Ma and Pa and we even got a new baby! More pictures coming soon!

Mom's belly

2010-07-11T15:53:00.001-04:00

I can't wait for mom's baby to pop out! I have all sorts of plans for the new baby. I want to sit by him/her and hold his/her hand in the car, I will tell him/her to stop crying and not to kick Mama anymore. Mom is wondering how I'm going to react to the new baby but I'm gonna be a great big brother! I want to help do everything! Our new baby will be here soon!

Summer Lovin!

2010-07-09T08:12:00.003-04:00

So far this summer has been a blast! My Ma and Pa have been here for almost 2 weeks and I'm having so much fun playing with them!

We got to stay up past dark one day and see the lightning bugs! I liked looking at them but didn't want them to get too close.
We found a lady downtown to pose with...
We love the new spray park!
Playing baseball with Pa!
At the Nature Center's butterfly exhibit.

Riding the tractor!
Making cookies with Ma!
Building a monster truck with Pa!
Pops' sister Kathy and her husband Jim came to visit us one day too. Tons more pictures to come soon!

Summer time!

2010-07-07T19:14:00.002-04:00

Summer time is here, let the adventures begin! Mom sure is glad to have Daddy home. Here we are at the Biltmore House petting farm and a fun park that has a creek running through it.

Father's day!

2010-06-28T10:26:00.002-04:00

I love my daddy, even if I don't show it very often. It's just that when mom is around, who needs dad? I'm getting a little better at asking him for things and playing with him. Mom claims it's "hard" for her to get down on the floor or pick me up, blah blah blah. I keep asking her when that baby is going to pop out so she can be more fun! She tried and tried to get a picture of Dad and his boys and sadly, this is my best one! Smiling comes on my terms.

Cousins!

2010-06-16T19:07:00.002-04:00

Last week we went to Atlanta to meet up with our cousins Sydney and Tyler (and of course Uncle Scotty bumps and Auntie Sarah). We went on a lot of fun adventures like the Aquarium, the coke museum, swimming pool, subway and water park. My favorite part was sharing a bed with Mama, Daddy and Jonah! I may have gotten a little used to it because for the past 3 nights since being home I've snuck into Mama and Daddy's room! And I'm not happy when they take me back to my own room. Jonah loved playing with Sydney and Tyler but I tried to keep my distance and stick close to Mama. Smaller kids intimidate me. Here are a few of my pictures from our trip!

Thomas the Train!

2010-06-15T21:31:00.004-04:00

I spent the day out with Thomas and Thomas spent the day out with me! I was a little apprehensive about the train at first because it had a really loud whistle but I got over it pretty quickly and was really disappointed when I only got to ride on Thomas once! Here are a few of the picture highlights:

Spray park!

2010-06-14T10:29:00.003-04:00

In the summertime when we visit Nana we hit the water park too! I'm not shy about charging right in either! This time last year I had a huge mosquito bite on my eye and could only see out of my good eye...this year was way better! I could have stayed here all day!

My 1st BIG SHOW!

2010-06-09T12:29:00.004-04:00

Well, my first big show at the Little Gym was not the big show mom had anticipated. Here's what I did for the first part while everyone else was sitting in a group circle doing activities.
I did participate in the parachute...
until I got mad and refused to go under it with everyone else.
I loved the uneven bars!
But this is how I spent most of my time...hydrating myself from all the hard work!
I got to show off some skills on the balance beam (I won't let anyone help me but mom).
And here I am trying to steal someone else's glory by not getting off the stage, there were bubbles to be popped, who can blame me?
And last, here I am refusing to take my medal.

Nanny

2010-06-09T12:21:00.003-04:00

A couple weeks ago Mom and Dad went to Georgia for 2 days for their friend's wedding. Jonah and I got to stay home and play with Nana all day...and some nights too! She was pretty tired but I'm sure she loved every second of it! Just look at my sweet face...not a bit of mischievousness! Ha!
My parents got to meet up with their friend Dan from high school too!
The groomsmen.
Daddy, Matt and Dan.

Mother's day

2010-05-20T14:40:00.004-04:00

After church we went to Nana's and spent the whole day! Mama and I even took a nap together, that was my gift to her! Of course we also had a feast and the yummiest peanut butter pie ever! And (get this) I pooed in the big boy toilet! Second time baby! Everyone was so proud of me! That was my second gift to Mama!

Spring Flowers!

2010-04-29T13:16:00.003-04:00

The weather has been so nice lately and the flowers are beautiful! We humor mom by letting her and dad take a few pictures, but Jonah and I are more interested in running!

Hot Air Balloon!

2010-04-25T14:13:00.004-04:00

We got to ride in a hot air balloon! Our friends invited us over to their school to watch a hot air ballooon but we didn't expect to go up in it! We were so surprised when they asked if we wanted to ride! It was really noisy inside but so much fun to be up in the air!

Garden time!

2010-04-25T14:03:00.002-04:00

Last Saturday dad came home to a big plowed garden! He didn't believe that Mama had tilled it herself but was happily surprised when we told him our neighbor did it. So during the week Jonah and I helped Daddy start planting. So far we've started peas and rasberries. I did a pretty good job of throwing my seeds into the holes that Daddy and Jonah dug, then I covered them with dirt. I can't wait to start eating all the yummy goodness!

Tennessee Zoo!

2010-04-24T19:53:00.004-04:00

On the way home from vacation, we got to go to the zoo!

My favorite part was the ice cream!

Spring break!

2010-04-23T14:56:00.003-04:00

I had so much fun on spring break! Daddy got a whole week off! We went to Tennessee and played at parks, went swimming, went on walks, played at the beach and walked around nakey in Daddy's shoes. Now this is what I call a vacation!

Dr. Bill

2010-04-20T14:33:00.003-04:00

I had my first dentist appointment last week and to mom's utter shock and amazement it went really well! You see, I'm a bit unpredictable when it comes to new people, especially those who want to look in my mouth. But I was a trooper and mom was so proud! Jonah and I had our appointments at the same time. He didn't need mom's help but I wanted her close...just since it was my first time and all. First the dental hygenist asked me what my favorite foods were. Mom cringed a bit and expected me to say, "cake, ice cream, chocolate" (the good stuff)! But I told her I liked bananas, grapes and yogurt! I'm a smart boy! And mom's cringe suddenly turned into a little burst of pride. Then I climbed onto the table by myself and let her count all my teeth. After I was done I asked her for a lollipop! I get a big confused with all of these doctors. My pediatrician gives me stickers, the dentist gives out balloons but it's mom's baby doctor who gives out lollipops. Whoops! Then Dr. Bill came in and checked out my teeth too. I was a little shy but he was real nice and it didn't take long for him to count all my teeth. I have 16! 4 more should be coming anytime now so watch out! I did get a blue balloon and a new toothbrush with some cool flossers when we were all done. Unfortunately at home the balloon went to be with the clouds. I was a wee bit sad so dad got me another one on his way home from work. Unfortunately again, that one popped when I was dragging it around the house. Easy come easy go!

Easter day!

2010-04-13T14:22:00.002-04:00

Easter day was jam packed with fun stuff! First Easter baskets full of goodies awaited us on the front porch. I thoroughly enjoyed the chocolate and kept asking for "one more" "one more"! After that we went to church which I'm still not a huge fan of but I managed. Then we went to the Biltmore House, but by then I was one tired, cranky boy! Mom and dad tried to cheer me up with an ice cream cone and I have to admit it was quite yummy! We got to take short naps in the car and spent the rest of the day at Nana and Pop's house! They hid eggs for us to find and we had a feast for dinner! I love going there, they have the best treats! And Pop always fixes the plastic eggs that break apart for me! Happy Easter!

Easter Egg Hunt!

2010-04-11T14:33:00.008-04:00

I had lots of fun on this Easter egg hunt! My love affair with the Easter bunny has faded somewhat from last year but I still managed a few hugs!

Here I am posing with Jonah before leaving the house.
Pictures with Papa before the hunt begins.
Giving mom a little bit of sass over wearing my hat...
Scoping out the eggs before the hunt!
Let the egg hunt begin!
Following Jonah's lead...
Checking out the fishies!
Easter bunny parade!
Final hugs until next year...
Back home to color eggs!
Taking this job very seriously.

Happy Easter everyone! Stay tuned for more Easter day pics!

Spring time!

2010-04-10T19:59:00.003-04:00

Now I understand why Jonah has been so excited for Spring to get here! Spring time means playing outside! Today mom took us to the Biltmore Lake park and I loved every minute of it...except the part when it was time to go home... My favorite thing to do was throw seashells into the water! Mom and I were a great team finding the shells. I also enjoyed the swings and slides and scaring mom half to death by climbing up ladders by myself! And I think I've perfected the "cheesy" grin, what do you think?

Working in the yard!

2010-03-30T19:13:00.002-04:00

I had lots of fun helping dad plant some grass seed! The weather is finally getting a bit warmer so we're spending lots of time outside! Some day we might even have a yard with grass to play in!
Jonah needed a little help lifting they hay!
After all that work some wild turkeys came to inspect our job so Jonah and I scared them away!
I sure do love playing outside, thanks dad!

St. Patrick's day!

2010-03-23T18:12:00.003-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's day! I'm not sure what all the fuss is about but I enjoyed my green pancakes. I wasn't as impressed with the green dinner...there was no way I was going to eat a green noodle! I much prefer my green and orange dinner (baby food green beans and carrots). I love that stuff and ask for it all the time! We even got to watch a Veggie Tales movie about the real Saint Patrick! What a fun day!

Clifford the BIG red dog!

2010-03-19T15:10:00.003-04:00

On Thursday I got to meet Clifford at my library! And if you know me, I love big huggable characters! Last year I had a love affair with the Easter Bunny and Clifford was just as huggable! The only problem was when he left...I was heartbroken! I just sat on the floor and cried.

So mom took us to the Science Museum where I got to see him again and play on Birdwell Island.

I loved all of the exhibits but my favorite was the water dispenser!

Rare photo ops!

2010-03-07T18:03:00.002-05:00

We all actually got ready on time this morning for church so daddy was kind enough to humor mom with some pictures!

Before we missed church two Sundays in a row because of snow I used to enjoy going, but since then, I've decided that I don't like it anymore. When mom tries to take me I sit down in the middle of the floor and refuse to move. So she carries me in half crying with a big furrow in my brow. My teachers always try to play with me but I'd rather just be left alone and I have no problem telling them that (to the embarassment of my parents I'm sure). I have to admit I do enjoy the goldfish and juice though! Today I did better than last Sunday so my parents are hoping I'm on the right track again.

Nana's birthday!

2010-03-04T15:11:00.002-05:00

I just love birthdays! And do you know the best part? CAKE! I can't get enough of that yummy goodness! This year I sang to Nana and right as the song was about to end I jumped up out of her lap to be the first one to blow (spit) out the candle!

Valentine's Day!

2010-02-16T20:01:00.006-05:00

I don't know about all this mushy love stuff but I sure did have fun making cookies! Jonah did all the technical cutting and I was in charge of making dough towers! And of course playing in the flour!

Now this is the good stuff! I wasn't real happy that I only got ONE cookie! Who can eat just one?

Poor Cat in the Hat!

2010-02-13T10:48:00.000-05:00

Christmas with Ma and Pa!

2010-01-20T14:51:00.003-05:00

Ma and Pa got to come for Christmas! They were a little late and their luggage even later but I had so much fun with them! Of all weeks I picked this one to sleep in every day till 10:30...guess they tuckered me out playing so much! I can't wait for them to come back and see me this summer!

Christmas in Georgia

2010-01-05T13:01:00.002-05:00

We love going to Georgia for the holidays! This time was even more fun because I got to sleep with Mama! I grew out of my crib but I'm not quite trustworthy on a high single bed so Mama and I snuggled every night! Plus I've been going 14-15 hours a night with my regular 2-3 hour nap and since Mama has been tired lately I helped her get caught up!

First Big Snow!

2010-01-04T18:29:00.002-05:00

I don't know what all the excitement about snow is...I couldn't even stand up in it! I kept telling my parents that I wanted to go outside to play in the snow but all I said when I got out was, "Help me Mama!" I threw a few snowballs but after that I was ready to head back inside the warm house!

Decorating our tree

2010-01-04T18:24:00.002-05:00

I let Jonah do most of the decorating this year. I spent my time trying to figure out how to blow the lights out of the tree!

"I'm 5!"

2010-01-01T11:01:00.005-05:00

It's been a long time since my last post and boy have I grown up fast! In fact I skipped right over years 2, 3 and 4... Here are some pictures from my birthday celebration way back in November!

I'm also way behind on my basketball pictures. Mom has lots of excuses I'm sure. I'll try to catch you up on some other things though. Let's see...at my well visit I weighed in at a whopping 32 lbs., which puts me somewhere around the 90th percentile. In not so many words my doctor implied that I may be a bit on the chunky side. It's all muscle I swear!
I am now sleeping in a big boy bed too! A few weeks ago I got sick and mom had to sleep with me in the single bed that's in my room. When I got better I told her that I wanted to keep sleeping there and I have been ever since! In the mornings I just call for Mama to come get me just like always. Told you I was growing up!
I'm also talking up a storm! My doctor was quite impressed. He asked my Mama if I was talking much yet and before she could answer I looked in her bag and said, "Can I have another apricot please?" and boy was he surprised! He took that as a yes! I love to repeat anything Jonah says or copy anything he does. And I'm proud to admit that I'm still a Mama's boy. If someone tries to do anything for me like get my water, help me down from my chair, kiss my boo-boos, change my diapy, etc. I just yell, "NO MAMA do it! Sometimes she thinks it's a bit much but I know she likes the attention. If Daddy ever asks for a kiss I say no and then run and give Mama one. He still manages to steal his fair share though.
My favorite toys these days are cars and trains. I also love garbage trucks, mail trucks and fire trucks. My favorite foods are bananas and cheese but I'll eat just about anything.
Hopefully I can keep up with this blog a little better now that we are connected again! But rumor has it our computer is on the fritz...might be time for a new one!

Riding bikes!

2009-11-16T21:37:00.002-05:00

We've had some warm weather lately and there's nothing I like better than riding bikes! I haven't mastered a tricycle yet but I love my little scooter bike!

Enough kisses already! I'm trying to play!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-04T20:15:00.004-05:00

So I had my choice of being a duck or a dragon for Halloween...the duck was a bit less scary so I went with it! We started our fun day off at Nana's house, scooping out and carving pumpkins. I wasn't much into it but I smiled for the camera once.

In the afternoon we went to a "trunk or treat" party just down the road and I had a hotdog while Jonah went down the big slide. I went down it once with mom's help but we decided once was enough.
While Jonah went down the slide some more mom and I checked out the festivities inside and found the coolest train ever! I couldn't get enough of the choo choo train! I probably rode it 15 times! Mom had a hard time convincing me to get off of it after the ride was over and get back in line. Seemed like a waste of time to me!
Then it was back home for trick or treating! Last year I just rode in my stroller but this year it was all about the candy! I wanted to eat everything as soon as it was put in my bucket! Especially the lollipops!

Each day Jonah and I get to choose a treat from our stash and while Jonah chooses candy, I always choose the chocolate!
Happy Halloween!

"Here you go!"

2009-10-30T20:02:00.002-04:00

My second favorite part of going to the grocery store is riding in this cool shopping cart! (My first favorite is the free cookie! Jonah didn't get sweets at my age...ahh the perks of being the second born!)
And my third favorite part: helping out with the groceries! Every time I hand the clerk something I say, "Here you go!"

New pets!

2009-10-30T19:58:00.003-04:00

I guess it's time we learned some responsibility! Papa bought us each a pet frog! All we have to do is feed them about once a week. They each eat 2 tiny pellets of food so Jonah and I both get to feed them. Their names? Well, first I named mine "Old MacDonald" and Jonah named his "Duck". Then we changed them to Frog and Toad.

Skytop Orchard

2009-10-25T15:29:00.004-04:00

This may be our last pumpkin patch of the season. Seems we were a bit late for the apple picking, most trees were bare but we still got to play around in some fun pumpkin houses and giant spiders! I even showed off my strength by picking up a pumpkin! And best of all, mom and dad let me have a donut! It sure was beautiful with all the Fall colors at their peak!

Hickory Nut Gap

2009-10-21T14:35:00.005-04:00

Pumpkin patch #2 was pretty fun!
The animals were okay but the best part about this one was the giant haystack! I had no fear climbing up and jumping down!

Jonah needed a little help lifting this pumpkin so I offered my assistance! Don't we make a great team?