Big Steps!

Another big milestone was marked today. Will started Early Preschool at Primrose and his Mommy did what she always does when he switches rooms....calls Michael crying over how big he's getting.

In less than a month this little man is going to be 2. As with last year, I'm struggling w/ how fast time goes by and how quickly he's changing. As the picture above pretty much tells it all, he's very independent and gets what he wants when he wants it. Clearly Frito's for breakfast isn't the best choice, so Mom and Dad do have to intervene but he did think he was a big man for getting himself food when he was hungry.

Will speaks so much now and gets better and better by the day. Of course I do believe that w/ how well Michael and I translate, we could go to any foreign country and figure out what they are saying. Thankfully our time translating is getting less frequent; most people are starting to understand his words.

I'll probably eat my words eventually, but I absolutely love hearing him speak. He tries to repeat everything we say. Sentences past 2 words get slirred together and make no sense, but 2 to 3 words together come out pretty clear. A few things he saying are:

Bye Everyone-Bye One

Big Truck-Biiiiiggggg Tuck

Big Tractor-Biiiiigggg Tactor

(Everything is BIG right now!!!)

Big Bottle-Biiiiigggg Bobble

Cup-Tup

Chip-Pip

Jeep-Pappa's Jeep

Sports Car-Momma's Sorts Car

Cereal-Ceal, juice, juice, juice (asking for milk on cereal)

Nickelback Song-Song (there is only 1 song)

Mickey Mouse Song-Hot Dog (ask for it by name)

Evan-Enan (New Baby Cousin)

Grace-Dace

Aunt Wendy-Aunt Winnie

Aunt Traci-Aunt Taci

Grammy-Mammy (that's been the hardest one)

Bright-Bite (this one has stumped me for a long time, he'd say bright and I'd think he wanted food. I seriously didn't put it together until yesterday leaving school when he put his arm over his face and said "Bite")

What all he says bye bye too:

Bye Bye Duke

Bye Bye Mouse

Bye Bye Night Night

Bye Bye Yeyow (yellow marker)

Okay, those are just a few things he's saying, clearly I won't be doing this much longer because he'll be communicating more and more and I can't write everything thing he ever says, but right now it's fun to hear his version of the words and I don't want to forget how he says these things.

Though I'm sad my little man is becoming a big man, it's so much fun watching him change and grow. And this won't be the last day I cry after I drop him off at school, just wait until he starts Elementary school, good Lord bring on the tissues; but I've got awhile for that. For now, I'll just cry when he switches rooms. Fortunately Will does great w/ room transition he's happy to have bigger toys to play w/ like musical instruments, a big kitchen, amazing art tables, etc. He's in heaven. And, he'll start potty training in this class, so we can start introducing it to him soon at home. Big stuff's a changing! As always, I'm holding on for the ride!!!

4th of July Weekend

Miss Grace came down for the 4th this year.

Other than the weather Saturday, we had a great weekend. They played so hard, up and down the path to the beach. They went thru multiple sets of clothes and gave their parents quite a workout, BUT w/ how good we ate, that wasn't a bad thing.

Will having some Daddy time.
Though I don't have pics of the event, Will got to experience fireworks this year....AND was fascinated by them. BOOOOOOMMMM, he'd say then stare toward the sky in amazement. Gave the crowd a great commentary for the show.

These two love to cuddle together and I got to be the lucky one this time who joined in the fun. Thumbs in mouth, night nights in hand and watching cars.

Both kids had a ball on these chairs. Will would crawl from one to the other, with Grace in tow, naming the color of the chair w/ us. Blue Chair, Red Chair, Orange Chair (which he didn't like anyone sitting in) and Green Chair.

The Mazza family ready for a day at the beach.

I think this pic says it all. Grace had so much fun!

OOOPPP, Papa got some time in the orange chair. BUT, very shortly after this pic, Will said "Papa UP" Briefly though, they enjoyed a relaxing moment together.

But to say they both liked playing in the sand would be an understatement. Thank goodness we had two of everything, two shovels, two wagon/wheel barrells, two buckets, etc. Because these two constantly wanted to do what the other was doing and sand time was frequent this weekend.

All around, it was a great weekend. I loved every second w/ both of these kids and can't wait for the next weekend they come. And I can promise you Will looks forward to it, all the way home (until he fell asleep) he said "Aunt Winnie & Dace"

We hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July.

Summer Fun With Friends

Will's fun in the sun day w/ Kellen & Caroline.

Playing Basketball...

Staking ownership in the basketball... Kellen: "Oh don't you take my ball!!!"

Watching Kellen fly down the slide. (Will wasn't so sure about all that, but thought it was funny to watch)

Tons of laughing

And having all sorts of a good time mixing the sand & water together on the sand/water table.

You just can't beat a fun day w/ your buddies in a backyard full of kid stuff to do.

A Boy And His Dog

Will & Duke relaxing in the garage.

Looking for a lot of mischief.

Will figuring out what life's like behind bars. He did this to himself, I just documented the experience!

Duke basking in his new pool...that lasted 1 day and then he ate it! He's got a new pool now. Lesson learned, don't let the water disappear, he gets tick off!

Full Body Laugh

Will just started this new laugh which makes me laugh everytime he does it. There is nothing more reassuring than a childs laughter. Guess we are doing something right.

Proud Aunt Ang

Little Man and My first cuddle.

I can't believe he's finally here or that my sister is a Mom. Evan, Trac & Jason got to go home today, hopefully to get some good rest this afternoon. I can't wait to see his precious face again. Will doesn't quite get all the hype around Mr. Evan, but as they get older and into mischief together like he and Grace, he'll be so excited to have Evan around.

I See's You

Excuse the nakedness, Mr. Will (as stated many times) is very anti clothes when at home.

Introducing......

Evan Miles Dickinson

Evan was born yesterday at 5:23 pm weighing in at 7 lbs. 14 oz. and 20 in. long. After 10 hours of trying to deliver naturally (w/ an epidural) Traci never would progress past a 5 & a wiggle (a scosh past 5). Her doctor decided at 4:30 pm yesterday it was time for Evan to be born so he was taken by c-section.

Evan and Mommy are healthy happy and beyond amazing. Jason is a proud Daddy and a very supportive husband. I am so proud of all 3 of them.

I spent all day with them yesterday then a little time after Evan was born, but my most cherished time was this morning when I spent a couple of hours with Trac and Evan while Jason ran home and took care of Deacon Dog and before people started to come visit. The picture above was our cuddle time. Will gets to go meet Evan after school and though I know I won't get to hold Evan again this afternoon because Will is a bit possessive of his Mommy, I can't wait to show him his new cousin.

Sorry for the picture quality, I'll post a ton of good ones soon. These were from my phone, I left my camera memory card w/ Trac that has all the good ones on it.

Kissy Face

Well, it happened, the 1st time in 22 months that I truly w/out a shadow of a doubt kicked myself for missing a photoperfect moment in Will's life. Missing this event is almost as bad as if we'd missed taking pictures of Will when he was first born. Okay, a bit overdoing it there, but a big moment nonetheless.

All I have from this moment is the mental picture that yes I can describe, but won't do it anywhere near the justice it deserves. I'll do my best to replay and hope that you have a good mental picture of Will to get the gist of the preciousness I experienced this morning.

Okay, most mornings it takes me a good 30 minutes to get out of school. I like to play too and it's very hard to leave because the kids use me as a jungle gym or play w/ my hair and I get tons of hugs everyday. It's like heaven every morning. I feel like I get jipped if I don't take Will to school everyday; which is rarely so lucky me! I keep telling them I'm just going to start working there.

Well this wonderful morning a very adorable sweet sweet girl named Gabby came over to sit on my lap w/ Will. The two of them were minding their own business on my lap, then all of a sudden Gabby reaches over and puts her arm around Will and he lays his head on her shoulder and looks up at her w/ adoring eyes and a precious smile. Then Gabby leans over a plants a HUGE smooch right on Will's lips. Just big as life right there on my lap. WILL GOT HIS FIRST KISS TODAY. Well, actually Will got about 5 first kisses today from Gabby. And when Gabby had enough w/ the affection stuff she start pushing him away like a teenager flirting and laughing, but Will wanted more so he kept trying to hug her again and put his face up to her level for more smooches, but Gabby is a classy girl so she dismissed him and went to playing w/ her doll again.

I was crushed I didn't even have my phone on me to snap this moment. Will's first kiss...on his Mommy's lap...and I have nothing to capture it w/ except my mind and quite frankly that's no good, I forget stuff all the time. So I'm writing it down so I'll always remember how precious it was and so later on when I embarrass him w/ this story, I can refer back to this for some sort of proof.

Will's First Play Date Sleepover

Will had his first sleepover w/ Grace over the weekend. And though I worried we'd put too much on Corry & Wendy having them keep Will, it turned out to be a very fun and easy couple of days.

Will and Grace had so much fun together. They colored, played & entertained each other very well.

I told Wendy they needed to let us keep Grace next time and let the kids play together at Will's house so Michael and I could experience how fun the two of them are. Quite honestly, I'm very jealous of Wendy and Corry that they got to spend the weekend watching the two of them. And very grateful, because it allowed Michael and I to relax and enjoy our trip knowing Will was in good hands. We went to Dallas for a wedding.

When it was time to wind down and relax, it didn't take the kids long to cuddle up to each other and snuggle w/ their blankets and watch Cars.

I am soooo glad Uncle Corry took these pictures; these two are so sweet to each other...for now anyway. ; )

It was a great weekend in Texas and a beautiful wedding, but I was sooo glad to get home to my Bear. And to have him run out of the house and give me a big hug was the icing on the cake.