Monday, June 21, 2010

Mackinaw Island Adventure



Last week we ventured out on a family vacation to Mackinaw City. We had such a great time being to together and sharing some great family memories with our family of three. Levi took in all the sights and it was such fun to see him experience the little pleasures in life. We felt really blessed that we could share some time with him, although he probably won't remember the trip it was overall a good time, unlike the past trips that we have tried to take. Levi did really well in the car ride. We sang songs, played puzzles, read books and ate snacks while Ryan drove. He did fall asleep for part of the ride there and back so that helped. We stopped for breakfast on the way there at a small family run restaurant in Lake City and all the locals were talking to Levi, on the way home we stopped at Mc Donalds and had nuggets and of course he loved that too. We had a nice hotel in Mackinaw City which Levi called "his house". He slept really well in his pack n play and he woke up with a smile on his face peaking over his bed saying...Hi mama and dada. He loved the Continental breakfast and Ryan made us waffles there too which probably helped. We spent some time looking in shops and Levi could not forget the store with all the "animals" stuffed real animals that he really was trying to figure out. Every morning he would spot the "big bridge" and say "there it is" he was so excited. He wanted to "go on it" which we did but he ended up being a little nervous when we went over. We did take a ferry boat or "big boat" to the island for the day and brought our bike over and Levis "trailer" he loved riding with Ryan pulling him and would say "fast wheels" when he wanted to go fast. We rode the 8 miles around the island and Levi fell asleep not a mile in. It was a beautiful day and Lake Huron was perfectly smooth. After Levi woke up we had lunch at a park on the island and just relaxed. Levi like watching all the different horses "clip clop" and thought the spotted ones looked "dirty". He especially liked the fudge we got as a snack. One afternoon, we played in the sand at a park by the bridge. Levi loves doing his. He liked watching all the cars and trucks going across the bridge..."car carriers", "dumpers", "mixers" and "trucks." We also spent time at the hotel pool and Levi and Ryan worked on his jumping skills...counting down in Spanish to jump in. Levi loved getting icecream, candy and popcorn at night more than eating his dinner. The popcorn he spotted in the store window we got a fruit favored kind and he had to "save some" he put it in his sweatshirt pocket "for later".









Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Levi Theodore is 2 Years Old




It is hard to believe that this week Levi turned two. In a way, it seems so long ago that he was such a little baby. One thing that has not changed is that he is still our special little boy. He has grown up so much in the last year and is definitely starting to act like a two year old. However, he still is such a little lover boy, and loves to cuddle with "baby" and his mom and dad. He is such a helper to us. Most of the time, anyway. He helps with cleaning, laundry and yard work and emptying the dishwasher. He loves to "work" and likes toys and things a certain way and to be organized. For example, he can put his DVD in the player but the doors to the entertainment center have to be shut before starting it, he needs his shoes and/or coat off when he comes inside and will tell us to do that too. He puts his toys away in the garage before coming into the house. He loves routines and running errands with his "muthers" which I do not think is uncommon for a typical two year old.He usually is well behaved saying "hi" to all the people and eating his snacks and drink. He is starting to sing with us at night which is so precious..he will say "sing songs now". Here are some of his other loves, hates and phrases.

Loves:
"monsters" trucks
playing outside in the sand or dirt
playing downstairs with the train set with Dada
coloring with chalk
playing ball with dada
read books or "check books" aka go tot the library
cleaning when mom does with his "sprayer"
pushing his shopping cart
playing with his lawn mower
ride his tricyle inside
putting on lotion after his bath..."Levi do"
watching "tooners" in the morning
Tomas the Train
construction trucks
birds..especially the mama and baby we have in our yard, he looks for them each morning

Hates:
big dogs
loud noises
his "Big Boy bed".."scary"
hang nails
"ouwies"
getting his hair rinsed in the bath tub
sometimes sharing his toys

Some Foods he Likes:
all fruit
"chalkolate"
fruit snacks
"cook cooks" cookies
icecream
"chicken" what he calls all meat
honey on rolls
pancakes
donuts
popcorns..."corns"

Some Sayings:
don't like that
stop it mama, dada
Levi do
play now
car bath...aka car wash
get gas
check books
all right?
time to eat
take bath
brush teeth

We love you Levi!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Memorial Day Weekend

We had a lot of fun enjoying the beautiful weather this past weekend. We spent time with both families and celebrated Levi's 2nd birthday. He loved his construction cake at The Koopmans party and even has had to sleep with the cake toppers, which are trucks, "digger" and "dozer", the past couple of nights. At The Roedema party, he had a donut with frosting and a candle which he decieded to try to eat with his new sand toys a rake,"fork" and shovel,"spoon". We had fun at Half Moon Lake, seeing our new niece, going to the Walker parade and just being together as a family and not working.


Katelyn, Alexa and Levi visiting on Memorial Day


Eating his Birthday Donut




Opening Presents, Levi loved his safety goggles and nail gun.


Playing in the sprinklers at Half Moon Lake



Staying Cool in the Lake with Mama





Construction Cake with Levi's Favorite Toys



Playing in the sand and water