crib jumper

I wish I could have filmed Dare's latest shannigan.  Crib jumping.  Yep.  He's fearless. I witnessed this on the baby cam (when he was supposed to be napping, I might add).  He would just lift one leg up and over the side of the crib, and once the one leg was over he would turn and flip his other leg out, hang for a split second, and without an awareness or care of how high up he was, or a possible crazy high fall, he would just let go, BANG, and hit straight down on his little rear end... and then say "owie!"  Just so matter of fact like that.  No cry.  Just "owie".  

Little tiger!  

So, Ryan and I decided in an effort to avoid potential broken bones, or more than the normal amount of daily acquired bruising, it was time to convert the crib into a toddler bed.  

Last night was his first night as a big boy.  I caught it on his baby cam, and took a photo. He was sound asleep.  And, seeming to do so well.  I was such a proud mama!  But... it was oh so short lived...

And, so now, we have... 

one little monkey jumping on the bed

escaping from the bed in the middle of the night and scaring the bejesus out of his mama

all of a sudden not liking the bed because he can get out, so why would he like an actual bed?

more crying at bedtime than ever

 an overnight con artist who knows how to get his daddy right where it counts (dad's lack of stamina to hold tight and let dare cry it out and figure it out), and  now has weasled his way into mom and dad's bed last night and tonight...compliments of his daddy.  

(I told Ryan this is his deal if he continues to cave!  I put him to bed every night, and although the past two nights it kills me to listen to him cry and carry on forever, in his efforts that are ever so full of stamina, trying to convince us to let him out of his room prison, I will not cave.  I am just as determined to bed train him as I was to sleep train him as a newborn, and crib train him as a 4 week old.  And at both I was 100% successful!  So, if my main man wants any positive results, don't ya think he should just let my Nazi heart rule for now?  At least until we get through this little rough patch that is...)  

I think he fails to remember what an expert kennel trainer I was as well with Bogey.  Our first child.  I have this hard heart approach (not really...it's all pretend, but they don't know it), no nonsense, looking forward to the pay off of many nights FULL of sleep if I just endure a week of sleepless crazy carrying on... until the little one finally gets that mom means business!  And, that is the best! Seeing it pay off.  Night after night.  But, as I type this at 11:30 pm, Ryan and Dare are snuggling in the master king size.  I'm pretty sure the last I checked, Dare had completely horizontally taken over my side...  Maybe that toddler bed was meant for me?

And so it begins...

santa love

Have I mentioned lately how much I love and adore this little man? 

Thanks to Auntie Raenie for shooting the photos, and to Auntie Mij for sporting the Santa suit!

pratthood visit

The whole Foutz gang gathered in Centennial Colorado over the past weekend at the Pratthood.  We all wanted to see our new 6 week old neice/grand daughter: Sadie Jane Pratt. 

 

Dare had so much fun with his cousins.  Here he is with Lulu (Alayna).  He loves all the attention. 

 He was so "soft" with Sadie.  It was sweet.

 All the sibs went to dinner together on Saturday night.  It was great fun being super immature, obnoxios, and glutenous.  I know they absolutely love me when I am on my roll. Ha! 

 Just a few to show how much we love each other!

The whole gang

twenties party

 Ryan and I went to his company Christmas party on Friday.  It was a small feat to get ready for the shindig.  I am still a bit baffled as to why a theme party seemed like a good idea in the midst of Christmas busy and chaos.  But, whatevs... we don't decide those things, we just show up and play along!  So, 1920's attire it was, and we had a bit of fun doing it.

fashionista

Dare is quite the fashionista. 

 jammies with snow boots...why not? (and i'll weigh myself while I am at it!)

 football jammies with auntie t and mommy.  you can't go wrong with these pretty accessories ;)

 the GQ dog trainer (we had the Barnson family puppy named Murphy for the weekend)

and... you can't go wrong with just plain nothing.  the birhtday suit is one of his favorite looks! (and he wears it so well)

thanksgiving time

Dare had so much fun at Thanksgiving with his cousins.  He played and played outside with them.  He is such a ball of energy and has no fear. 

I love the static hair!

And, shortly after Thanksgiving, he discovered the tree.  And how to wreck it.  And, mom wasn't mad at him...  Nope not at him.  Just his dad...who provoked the demolition of a five hour project of mine.  But, we've kissed and made up, don't worry.  In the big scheme of things, it does not matter.  Although,  my child still needs to learn how to leave "mom's balls" alone!

still lovin'

 still loving his bath time

 and any size or color of ball...loves 'em all

 

 not gonna lie, he loves being a "grownup"

(look at all those teeth!)

and loves "helping" daddy fix things... here he is helping when dad was changing out the garbage disposal for a new one.

sick sick go away

Although Dare has been sick since last Monday, and feeling pretty darn rotten, he still wants to be happy.  He loves his "amimals" so much, and we have played and played with them.  We have also read lots of books and watched "Signing time", played with blocks, and trains, and taken lots of baths.

 We've napped by the fire that daddy built for us

 napped on top of the ottoman (because that looks comfortable....) ;)

 Hung out on the couch with dad and watched football

And dressed to impress... his fedora and mommy's slippers (he chose the combo)

And, we've made silly faces.  Anything to distract little D from his painful, raw, open skin rash/wounds in his diaper area.   All because of some darn virus that has made acid water come out of his digestive track. 

store. jail. smart.

Dare playing with Auntie CC at the costume store.

 And in Jail on CC's stairs.

And, the ever so smart, studious thing that he is, helping daddy change the news channel one morning before going to Nannies for the day.

orchids at red butte

I met my friend Judith at Red Butte this afternoon.  There was an orchid show there that she was interested in seeing, and I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I never knew there were so many diversities and varieties of orchids.  It was very cool.  And insightful.  At some point, I may just try my thumb at one and see if it turns green! 

half elephant

For Halloween this year Dare was supposed to be a super cute and HAPPY elephant.  Instead, he was a very defiant, stubborn...

 HALF elephant!  The head with the cute floppy ears and trunk were not a hit in the least... and, that's what will go down in history for #halloween2014  #costumefail 

It was pretty funny.

But, I have to say, he's a darn cute half elephant!

simple

little things.

nothing else.

because it's fun to put duct tape on the forehead, and have rooster hair

he loves this photo of jord

personality

Just some more photos of our favorite 18 month old boy!  He sure is full of personality! 

I had been looking for awhile for these vacuum poppers that I remember having when I was little.  For some reason I wasn't finding one.  Then one day not too long ago, Ryan and I were out doing some quick shopping at Smiths Marketplace, and Wha-la! there it was!  Dare sure loves it, and he's been pushing it everywhere!

Here he is giving me kisses of gratitude for his new toy

And, he is doing the sign for "thank you" as well

Helping Dad water

playing with a bucket while dad was working

Here he is in Zach's pumpkin costume.  My mom made this for Zach 17 years ago!  Crazy.  Carmen has had all 3 of her boys wear it, and it has been in a storage bin ever since...just hanging out and waiting on little D. 

I bought him some Safari animals, and he has played with them every day now for like a month.  He's so funny.