2 years old and Baby #2 on the way!

Henry had the best 2nd birthday a little boy could ever ask for!  And... it went on and on.... Maybe one of the only perks of being far from friends and family.  Henry received gifts in the mail all of December.  Oh, and throw in Christmas and this little kid was opening presents nonstop.  We had so much fun celebrating at his TWO birthday parties, one with his little buddies in Chicago, and another with his family and friends in Michigan.  The theme for both parties was construction because Henry is really into trucks and tools!

Henry is keeping plenty busy this winter. We recently started gymnastics and Henry's continuing his swim lessons. He still loves hanging out with his little buddies at weekly play dates. We hardly miss playing at the park. Just kidding--we miss it.

In other news, we are excited (and NOT AT ALL NERVOUS) that we'll be having an addition to the family in June.  We are 18 weeks into this pregnancy (only 22 to go....) and things are going very well.  Last week I started feeling the baby move.  It's still nothing that an outsider can feel, but I'm sure that will happen soon enough.  On Tuesday we have an ultrasound to check out the baby's anatomy.  We are hoping we'll get a good look at the goods and will have an ACCURATE prediction of baby's gender!  I think it's a girl and Mark thinks it's a boy.  I guess we'll know in about 90 hours... not that I'm counting.  Don't worry--I'll keep you posted, as I'm certain each and every one of you is on the edge of your seat!

Ok here are a ton of pictures. The one of me in black is 17 weeks pregnant. (Mark said "stick out your stomach!")

22 months

"Bruises and phrases" seems to be the theme of this month. Henry's enthusiasm and energy have been leading to scrapes, bumps, and lovely purple marks mostly on his face. On a more positive note, he's speaking in many more phrases. It's not only precious, but also so useful too. "Waffles and strawberries" he said this morning--now I know what you want for breakfast! "Love you, buddy". "I miss grandma". Etc etc.

Henry still loves all his favorites like trucks, balls, and the playground, but he's taken a recent shining to MARKERS! They are so messy, but apparently much more fun than crayons. Who knew? He calls them "tatas" (I don't know....) and recently "marks". Daddy, he's saying your name, I swear. Henry has been waking up before the sun in order to create beautiful markers and stickers masterpieces! We are very lucky.

21 months

It's hard to believe summer is coming to an end, and what a wonderful summer it's been! Henry continues to amaze and entertain us with his personal dance parties, batting practice, and his love for vacuuming and "fixing" things with Mark's tools.

We've had so many fun visits with family and friends this summer. We went to Maumee a few weeks ago for Omi's 90th birthday. Henry had a great time with Tutu, Stu, his aunts, uncles, and cousins.

This past weekend Henry kept his grandma and grandpa entertained by jumping on the bed, sprinting through the woods, and decorating the driveway with sidewalk chalk.

We're hoping for a few more weeks of warm weather because Henry loves to be outside!

19 months old

Henry continues to love the water! He had a fantastic time at Bass Lake this summer. The weather was hot and we couldn't keep him out of the lake. His big cousins, Brennan and Quinnie, were there to play with him too. When we're at home we go to the public pool or playgrounds that have water features. Henry has also been entertained by all the construction going on on our street--lots of big, noisy trucks! On really hot days we head to the library or nature museum theres so much to keep a little boy busy! Henry and I are headed to Michigan next week to see lots of family, but especially his cousins Sean and Josh. It will be lots of fun to see them again!
Henry's latest accomplishment is climbing out of his crib. Thankfully he hasn't tried it at bed or nap time yet.

1.5

Henry is a year and a half today!! What a big boy. He's learning new words every day. His favorite summer activity is playing in the water at all the local playgrounds. We can't wait to enjoy the rest of the gorgeous Chicago weather this summer.

Henry has a few new tricks up his sleeve as well. He can imitate many animal noises, including a rooster, owl, pig, cow, cat, tiger, and of course a dig. He can also identify his ears, nose, mouth, teeth, tongue, head, hair, belly, hands, and feet.

Spring is here! 17 1/2 months

Gorgeous spring weather has finally reached Chicago. We've been taking advantage by playing at the playground and going for lots of walks. Henry still loves to point out flowers, dogs, and birds outside. A few nights ago, we did some gardening out front and Henry was a big help! He had a blast digging with a little shovel and running up and down the sidewalk with a bucket of weeds.

Henry is still sleeping very well. One afternoon nap (2-3 hours) and he's sleeping from about 8pm to 6 or 7 am every night. It's hard to believe (but we haven't forgotten!!) that he was sleeping so poorly less than a year ago.

We had a great time in Michigan last weekend. Henry got to spend time with grandma, grandpa, great-grandpa, aunt Mary, and cousin Rachel. We went to brunch for Mother's Day and Henry showed off his big appetite!

Easter and Florida part two

I believe the highlight of Henry's 2nd 2012 trip to Florida was eating his first Reese's Peanut Butter Egg. Delicious! In fact, it wasn't only candy, Henry basically ate his way through Florida. He thoroughly enjoyed fish, shrimp, scallops, and pasta. Of course, playing at the beach and in the pool with his older cousins was pretty fun too!