Château de Shatto

week 18

2012-02-01T20:57:00.001-06:00

and we’re still growing

week 17

2012-01-27T09:29:00.000-06:00

Posing with my ham.

changes for a big boy

2012-01-25T08:31:00.000-06:00

We’ve had a couple of big changes in our home lately and Cam has handled both like a champ.

#1-Potty Training!
I won’t go into gross detail except to say he has done SO much better than I expected–maybe I was preparing myself for the worse. I was ready to give up on the second day when he developed 102.5º fever, but when he woke up on the third day fever-free and asked for his big boy pants, we continued on. When he returned to school his teachers were AMAZING at helping him and he was dry through his naps immediately (they were braver than I). We even conquered using a public toilet and using it for all output! (That’s the nicest way I can figure to say it, I promised no detail.)

#2-Big Boy Bed!

Cam was so excited to set up his big boy bed with Daddy, and more excited by his new night light. He stays in his bed until we come to get him after sleeping, and I’m assuming it’s because he needs to stay on his cot at school until his teachers say it’s okay to get up. I know it won’t last forever, but I’ll take it while it lasts! We let him pick out his own sheets, and he loves to drive his cars around his Cars sheets. I’m pleased that he also sleeps on them.

It’s hard to believe Cam has reached two new milestones, and harder to believe he is 2 1/2 years old. But it’s been a fun adventure the whole way.

looking back

2012-01-20T21:13:00.000-06:00

Now that my belly is growing, I thought it would be fun to look back and see what I looked like last time. Remember my weekly shots?

Well it’s super funny as an animated gif. Starts at 15 weeks and grows!
I’m larger at 16 weeks than I was the first time, but maybe things will slow down for a bit.

here we grow

2012-01-18T20:28:00.002-06:00

It’s time for the belly photos and we’re starting with two!

Yup, 16 weeks as of today. Summer will be here before we know it.

energizer bunny

2012-01-06T09:15:00.001-06:00

I continue to be amazed at the energy level a toddler can have. The other day, when I picked Cam up from daycare, he was running laps around the playground. It started with him being chased by girls, but he enjoyed it so much he did another 4 laps after I arrived and only stopped because I started walking to the door to leave.

Then we get home and it’s time to play.

We played hockey for over an hour, with him running non-stop.

Someone tell me how to bottle this up.

the big day

2011-12-29T11:04:00.000-06:00

This Christmas was a lot of fun. Cam was completely into the holiday this year, and on Christmas Eve he kept asking if we heard the reindeer outside. So we were very excited to be able to wake up Christmas morning and see his reaction.

Everyone can ignore my lovely pajamas. Warmth means everything to me.

Cam couldn’t tear his gifts open fast enough. Some kids stop to play with each gift as it’s opened, but Cam wanted to see the spread out in front of him before picking which one to play with.

He also enjoyed helping Momma and Daddy open up gifts.

But his favorite gift this year was a bowling set. Luckily, it was the last gift so he could play away!

After a successful morning at our home, we headed out to my parents’ house to celebrate some more. Cam brought along his pins to play with, perfecting his stance and “look.”

Then more gifts that night. The boys both got tool sets that they enjoyed, along with several other new things to play with.

It was a wonderful day full of excitement. Having kids around really does change the holidays, helping you remember why you love the season in the first place.

visiting Santa

2011-12-29T10:26:00.002-06:00

We made the annual trek for a Santa visit earlier this year. We weren’t sure what to expect, especially after last year. Cam tends to be a bit shy around strangers for the first 20 minutes so we knew it could go either way. Luckily for Santa, he handled it pretty well. Santa asked lots of questions and Cam answered with lots of one word responses. Then it was time for a picture.

No smile. But no tears either. Baby steps.

quick update

2011-12-28T12:59:00.002-06:00

So this pregnancy is rocking my world a little harder than the first one, so a few things fell to the wayside such as updating this. I went through some old photographs and now realize HOW behind I am at posting. The good news is that today marks the first day of my second trimester and things have been getting better so hopefully I won’t get so behind again.

In the meantime, we have carved our pumpkin…

(We did NOT go trick’or’treating, but Chris still dressed up as a mall cop and pulled it off well.)

visited Wild Lights at the zoo with good friends…

went to a Blues game (and they won!)…

made Christmas cookies…

and sang songs in the tub.

As you can see, we have a very busy home that’s filled with fun. Christmas postings will come later (promise).

big news!

2011-11-28T12:54:00.001-06:00

Cam had something he wanted to share with everyone.

Alright, obviously we needed to coach our little man. But he does like to tell people the news.

I am currently just shy of nine weeks, but our little firecracker is due to arrive on July 4. We’re up for another exciting summer!

50/50 raffle

2011-11-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

Want to enter in our raffle? Pick a day when our first window will break for $5. If you’re the closest, you’ll get half the pot!

Here’s a video showing it probably won’t be long.

And yes, friends, my son is playing with a baseball bat. No worries, he has two hockey sticks already.

pet parade!

2011-10-31T14:39:00.000-05:00

We had our yearly Halloween Pet Parade at work. Cam participated too, but he wasn’t too sure about his costume. He put it on, then took it off, then wanted it back on before removing it for a final time. We’ll see how Halloween night goes, but at age 2 it won’t be a big deal if we don’t trick-or-treat. So he paraded without it. Pip tolerated his costume and was a hit! It’s been my favorite costume of his yet.

Cam’s friend from daycare paraded next to us and made such a cute Robin.

And here’s the whole clan!

Debbie knows how to put on a party! Thanks to her this event is so much fun every year.

too cold for the pool

2011-10-26T16:00:00.002-05:00

which is probably why Cam decided to go for a swim during tubby time.

and we’re still enjoying making bubbles.

from both ends.

pumpkin patch with the pumpkin

2011-10-26T08:55:00.000-05:00

On a beautiful Sunday we went to Rombach’s farm to pick out our pumpkin. Cam was very excited to get going right away.

They all had a great orange color, and there were a ton of large ones to sit and pose on.

But it was hard to keep the boys’ attention when the tractor drove by.

But once we figured out pumpkins roll, it was the new fun game to play.

Cam picked out his little pumpkin, but I’m not sure how we’ll be able to carve it…

but I really like the warty ones…

so we settled on something in the middle.

Our (not-so) little pumpkin had a great time.

grant’s farm!

2011-10-25T16:11:00.001-05:00

We enjoyed some animal fun at Grant’s Farm recently with our good friends Jackson, MacKenna.

But I had forgotten how aggressive the goats are when they want their milk. We soon retreated behind the fence, and even then they were a bit intimidating.

MacKenna was very good at giving directions, while Jackson enjoyed observing the animals.

And Cam wanted to be everywhere and on everything.

Break time included Daddy’s favorite – snow cones!

Cam started with Daddy’s orange, and moved onto Mommy’s cherry.

Eating cherry snow cones is an easy way to do a Joker impression. “Why so serious?”

Right before we left, we found the horse named after me! So honored.

(Yes, I enjoyed my snow cone too.)

enjoying fall while it lasts

2011-10-05T08:45:00.000-05:00

We spent time at Gram and Pawpaw’s this weekend and enjoyed some time outside. My brother and his family joined us there too, so there was a lot of Cam and Noah time. They really enjoy each others company now, especially showing one another what they can do.

Like chasing grandparents around with ornamental grass stalks.

Or teaching the youngest how to walk.

balloon glow!

2011-09-21T14:07:00.000-05:00

Last Friday was a big day. After our field trip that morning, our family went to the balloon glow that night. We packed a picnic and headed there after work. Lots of people complain about the traffic around the park that night, but after going for several years I have a rock star parking spot that does not disappoint.

I managed to forget an important piece of camera equipment for night photography (the piece that connects my camera to the tripod) so the night was a balancing act for me. I think I managed to make it work.

We’ll be there again next year!

first field trip!

2011-09-21T09:22:00.000-05:00

Last Friday Cam’s school went to Eckert’s for a field trip and I was able to tag along.

He was a little nervous on the bus ride at first, but a little Wheels on the Bus made the trip okay.

He wasn’t so interested in the picking part as he was in the eating part. But he did carry around his own bag of HIS apples.

He was happy to spend the day with all his buddies.

Petting and feeding the animals was also a hit.

A certain camel took a liking to Cam.

The bus ride back to school went a lot better than the ride there. Cam and Arya both told me they weren’t ticklish. I found out they were wrong.

I don’t think I’ve picked apples since I was a Girl Scout. It was fun to share that experience with my little one (and a bunch of other little ones.)

best video ever

2011-09-20T12:53:00.000-05:00

I love having a husband who sends me videos when I’m out working late.

mr. potato head

2011-09-20T09:30:00.001-05:00

is still an awesome toy

giro! giro! giro!

2011-09-19T17:23:00.000-05:00

Labor Day weekend is a busy time in St. Louis. One of our favorite events to go to is the Gateway Cup. Lots of “Fast Bikes!” as Cam would say. Cam and I went to Tour de Francis after eating Greek food at St. Nicholas and surviving a micro burst storm (weird sitting under a tent during one of those). He got very excited each time they came around.

The next day was Giro Della Montagna, where we visited with one of Cameron’s teachers. We also met up with my parents and brother’s family.

My mom was very happy to share her love of bikes with her grandsons.

And that let me take some fun photos of the cyclists.

There, it’s only mid-September and I finally posted Labor Day. Woohoo!

finger painting

2011-09-12T14:52:00.000-05:00

We tried finger painting, once again.

Still not sure about it though.

But at least we ended on a smile.

night of music

2011-09-09T13:49:00.000-05:00

This time of year is my favorite in St. Louis, with something going on every single weekend. Last night we had a wonderful time on Art Hill last night listening to the symphony.

We pretended to go night-night at one point.

While listening to the music, we were treated to a beautiful sunset.

Unfortunately we left before the end to get a little boy to bed, and we missed the firework finale. I’m sure our neighbors probably enjoyed listening to the music without the running commentary from my toddler.

this is what

2011-09-02T11:37:00.002-05:00

working from home looks like with a toddler

happy labor day weekend!

we’re going to the zoo…zoo…zoo

2011-08-30T14:30:00.000-05:00

We had beautiful weather over the weekend so we took advantage of it and headed to the zoo. I was pretty awesome and brought my camera along to take great shots, only to realize that the battery was still in the charger at home. Another reason I’m thankful for iPhones.

First train ride!

Cam discovered if you brush near the goat’s tail, it would wag. We spent the rest of our time in the goat pen helping the goats have happy tails.

He loved the carousel ride, narrating the entire time, “Up. Down. Up. Down.”

Cam always enjoys visiting the monkeys. In one pen there was a sick monkey under veterinary care, snuggled up under a blanket. Cam sweetly patted the window and told the monkey it’s okay.

the latest craze

2011-08-30T10:36:00.000-05:00

SURPRISE FACE!

This kid cracks me up.

magic house

2011-08-19T13:42:00.000-05:00

While Chris is busy on the basement, Cam and I are finding our own fun on Saturday mornings. A couple weeks ago we stopped at The Magic House. Always a lot of fun.

But I don’t want to be a goalie!

He still loves his ABCs. I loved that there was a bench across from this.

Still rocking the toddler smile.

I’m on a boat!

Cam built his own amusement park with lots of slides and tunnels with the foam blocks. Probably the highlight of the visit.

I love my Saturday mornings with my kiddo.

fountain fun

2011-08-19T09:00:00.001-05:00

Cam and I met our friends Stacy and Illyria at Tower Grove Park last Saturday for some fountain fun.

Cam took a little while to warm up to the fountain, but he was soon having fun.

Illyria had no fear of the fountains.

When the fountain spout would go away, Cam would shout “OH NO!” until he found another fountain spout to play in. Every time.

Then the wading pool filled up and there was more to explore.

Towards the end of our visit to the park, he finally braved the large fountain.

I don’t know why it took us so long to get to the park, especially since it’s so close to home. But we won’t be making that mistake again.

what’s he trying to tell me?

2011-08-18T11:06:00.000-05:00

no more photos? :)

who likes popsicles?

2011-08-04T11:42:00.000-05:00

this guy

nom nom

what i learned this weekend

2011-08-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

A minor case of croup is manageable at home. A major case is not.

•

It’s not fun when you call a doctor’s exchange and they tell you to hang up and dial 911 after hearing your child breathe.

•

Pulse/Ox monitors make you look like you have ET digits. (It had to go on Cam’s toe since he wouldn’t tolerate an ET finger.)

•

I cry a lot when I'm stressed. (Okay, I already knew that but I was reminded of it.)

•

My husband is great. (I knew that already too.)

•

Sending one parent home to get some sleep is smart; they’re more able to take care of you the next day when you can barely function.

•

White noise machines should be mandatory in every hospital room. I think bringing ours from home is the only reason I was able to get any sleep at the hospital. (And every nurse thought it was brilliant.)

•

I now know what it was like to sleep on the hospital “couch” for Chris after we had Cam.

•

Cam is very flexible and adjusted to the weirdness very quickly.

•

Cam’s pediatrician, Dr. Epstein, is awesome.

•

CROUP SUCKS.

On a brighter note, he’s better. I felt silly getting so upset over Cam’s croup while surrounded by kids who were battling worse illnesses than Cam during our stay at the hospital. We’re honestly a very lucky family with good health. On the other hand, it’s impossible not to worry when your child is sick, especially sick enough to warrant a hospital visit.

Doctors recommended we return to our normal schedule and send Cam back to school since he was no longer contagious. And since this is his first week in the 2 year old room, we were anxious for him to go in and have fun with the big kids. He enjoyed his first day there today!

He also enjoyed cookies at the grocery store that night.

Yay for a healthy boy!

PlayDoh Fun

2011-07-17T20:18:00.000-05:00

birthday at daycare

2011-06-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

As a responsible parent, it’s your job to bring sugar to school on your child’s birthday to share with all the kids. It’s a tradition passed through generations, and if you skip it you might as well be the house that passes out toothbrushes on Halloween.

Good times in the Garden Room!

birthday boy turns 2!

2011-06-28T08:03:00.004-05:00

My little boy is now 2!!! We celebrated with friends and family with some finger paint…

outside play…

presents…

smiles…

cake…

and fun!!!!

Yup, that's a scraped up nose on my boy. Moments before the party Pip took Cam for a walk. Unfortunately the walk ended up with a horizontal Cam. Oops.

1…2…3…4…what did you say?

2011-06-23T09:30:00.002-05:00

We love to hear Cam count. See if you can catch why.

No idea how you get a "ck" sound from five, but I think it’s hilarious.

there is nothing cuter

2011-06-19T22:03:00.000-05:00

than a sleeping babe

Happy Father's Day to my husband, my father and all the other dads out there!

been caught reading

2011-06-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

Reading is still a favorite pastime in our home, and like any toddler Cam likes to pick out a book and read it several times in a row. He picks up on the words, and then goes off to read the book himself.

Of course, he turns into a little ham after finishing the book. :) That’s my giggly boy.

kisses

2011-06-13T09:45:00.000-05:00

Cam gives very sweet kisses. Often open mouth, and usually with some tongue, but very sweet in his toddler way. Recently he just realized he's not the only one who gives sloppy kisses in the house.

This new game means there’s a whole lotta kissing going on in this house.

what we learned from Pip

2011-06-12T20:50:00.000-05:00

Pip is a great dog. He’s calm, snugly and very quiet around the house. That is, unless you ring our doorbell. Then he runs to the door and barks until the door is opened. Cam noticed and caught on quick.

So now I have two little ones in the house who make sure we heard the doorbell.

giggling after nap time means trouble

2011-06-02T15:00:00.000-05:00

I heard Cam giggling after a nap so I went to see what he was doing. Turns out, Pip was hanging out by his crib and Cam found it entertaining to drop everything into his crib on top of him.

Here is the scene I came upon.

Good thing Pip has a lot of patience.

Greenville and Grandparents

2011-06-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

After a nice visit with my Guess girls, we headed to Greenville, South Carolina to visit with my grandparents. They took us to their downtown area, which had a very nice park and a bridge overlooking all of it.

My cute Grandparents

Cam fed ducks for the first time…

sometimes throwing bread in the wrong direction. Guess he got them confused thinking they would fetch like Pip (sometimes).

Thanks for letting us play and stay with you!

sliding fun!

2011-05-31T14:30:00.001-05:00

Cam is a little dare devil, choosing the fastest slides at every park we go to. Here he is enjoying one in South Carolina.

Then Sarah had to try it out. I think Cam has sliding down, but she needs to work at it.

cousins, second cousins and cousins once-removed

2011-05-31T12:00:00.001-05:00

In 2009, six babies were added to the Xaver family. It’s always fun to introduce Cam to fellow members of the 2009 class, and my cousin Meg was nice enough to drive her cute boys (including 2009 member Morgan) down for a visit. After warming up to each other, they really enjoyed playing with toys and jumping on the couch (sorry Aunt Sharon!).

Q: How do you get three boys to look at the camera at the same time?

A: You don’t.

My beautiful cousins and I…

along with our kiddos.

I really enjoyed our visit, and loved seeing the boys! Two years ago, six babies were added to the Xaver family, including Morgan and Cam.

edventure!

2011-05-31T09:07:00.006-05:00

We took Cam to visit EdVenture with Sarah on Toddler Tuesday.
We had a great time exploring every room there.

Not sure who enjoyed Edventure more: Cam or Sarah.

Cam’s favorite part was knocking over the towers Sarah and Chris methodically built.

Waiting…waiting…waiting…

BOOM!

Me, after a long morning at a toddler museum.

Well worth the visit, and Cam took a very nice nap afterwards!

beach & strawberries

2011-05-30T21:18:00.000-05:00

After our nice vacation we came home to a long to-do list at home and work, which meant blogging was placed on hold. After spending Memorial Weekend on the couch with a TBD sickness, I found I had more time on my hands. So here’s the second vacation post–our trip to Isle of Palms Beach.

One of the best beach toys we’ve ever purchased is a small inflatable pool. It gives Cam some water to play in all day. He liked it when Daddy helped him jump from the diving board.

And he CRASHED holding his beach toys on the way home.

As did his Hannah.

We stopped at a strawberry patch on the way home. Cam was very helpful placing them the berries into the buckets; that is until he tasted one and decided they should all be tasted first.

We had strawberry salads, strawberry shortcakes and strawberries in cream the rest of our visit. Yum!

VACATION!

2011-05-16T12:59:00.000-05:00

It’s been too long since we took a vacation, and a wedding in Atlanta gave us the perfect opportunity. We decided to visit family in South Carolina before the wedding. Chris’s favorite way to travel is to drive overnight, which we managed once again. I managed to get SOME shut eye on the drive down in between Cam’s wakeful moments while Chris drove the entire way. He crashed as soon as we arrived at our destination (a visit with the Guess girls!) while Cam and I played with the girls.

But day two was a trip to the beach. Cam wasn’t too interested in the water at first, but we discovered last year that a small blow up pool is a great beach toy.

Some things never get old for a toddler.

We had wonderful weather and a lot of sun. The only one who left the beach without turning red was Cam, the rest of us obviously need to spend more time in the sun. We stopped at a strawberry patch on the way home, more stories and photos to come!

blub blub blub

2011-05-03T13:28:00.001-05:00

Cam and I had a lovely morning at The Missouri Botanical Gardens on Saturday, enjoying the weather before yet another cold snap arrived into town.

Showing off a little bit of our bum.

We fed the koi until I was out of quarters. Cam was not very understanding of that.

The fishies talked to Cam, saying “Blub blub blub.”

I realize there’s not a ton of Cam face photos this time, but that’s what happens when you are trying to wrangle a toddler in the middle of crowds. We did have a good time!

tug'o'war

2011-05-02T14:14:00.001-05:00

Pip is the best playmate ever.

suction cup fun

2011-05-01T21:33:00.000-05:00

giggle giggle!

easter boys

2011-04-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

After celebrating a visit from the Easter Bunny at home, we spent the day at my parents along with my brother and his family. Noah and Cam are finally getting to an age where they are interacting more and more. Luckily we had lots of play time!

Yummy! Fried cupcake!!

Yelling at your cousin through a play kitchen is lots of fun.

So is hiding in a closet and popping out!

Letters and numbers with Papa.

Lastly, we helped Gram clean dishes by popping bubbles.

Happy Easter everyone!

what the easter bunny brought Cam

2011-04-26T21:34:00.001-05:00

He takes his gifts seriously.

Luckily, the easter bunny scored points with tub puzzle letters.

He still loves identifying each one for us.

OUTSIDE!

2011-04-21T08:00:00.002-05:00

Everyday we wake up, go downstairs and start breakfast as we’re waking up. It doesn’t take Cam very long though, after his first bite he points to the door and yells “OUTSIDE!” So we spend a lot of time roaming our backyard and the streets of our neighborhood.

Love this smile!

Playing makes us hungry!

Oh, for all my Saint Louis friends, you can get this cute shirt for you or your little one here!

farm life

2011-04-20T09:34:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we visited Purina Farms for the first time. We were hoping for nice weather, but Saint Louis only provided us with a high in the mid-40s. It meant skipping the wagon ride, but we still had fun visiting all the animals.

This is as close as Cam wanted to get to Mr. Easter Bunny…

But he loved the real bunny that came up for kisses!

Lots of new babies to watch and pet.

He finished off his day pushing buttons, making more pet food for mommy to sell.

Great day, and we’ll head back when it’s a bit warmer!

hungry?

2011-04-18T15:01:00.000-05:00

Come over and let us make you a nice chicken dinner.

We even have someone to serve you and cater to your needs.

spring was here

2011-03-24T20:32:00.000-05:00

Last weekend it was easy to believe spring was finally here. But living in St. Louis, we have to remember that sometimes we do have snow in April. At least we got out there and enjoyed the wonderful weather while it lasted.

We had a fun day of coloring…

Sliding…

Swinging…

Smiling…

And eating!

2011-03-23T11:24:00.000-05:00

Hi there, long time no see!

I’ve slacked on blogging for a little while as we adjusted to a new routine, new daycare and new germs. But I’m happy to say that we adjusted like pros.

After touring Purina’s daycare awhile ago, we knew we wanted to move Cam there once an opportunity arose. When Chris accepted his job things fell into place and Cam started there right away. After a couple weeks of tearing up at drop offs he now gets excited to go to “school.” I’m sure it helps that they are serving breakfast at drop off, and Cam loves his second breakfast. (He might be part Hobbit.)

Of course, with a new daycare comes new germs and Cam got hit hard that first week. A nasty virus came home with him which he soon passed around to Chris and I, mutating each time. After a new drug, Cam is happily on the mend and back to his usual cheerful, talkative self.

Superman shouldn’t get sick

So that’s our update. We’re excited for spring and all the outside time that comes with it! Maybe we can play real hide-n-seek.

best news ever

2011-02-21T10:00:00.001-06:00

For 508 days, my husband tirelessly searched for a job. Everyday he sat at the computer scanning job sites and networked with anyone either of us could think of. He sent out cold call emails to any agency he could find along with links to his amazing portfolio. He also took freelance jobs when they came around helping keep us afloat. When we couldn’t afford full-time daycare, Chris became a part-time stay-at-home dad and became a better father for it.

Through this period of time, he was never negative. He never took any frustration out on me or anyone else. He calmed me down when I stressed about bills. But mainly, he made finding a job his new job and took it very seriously.

I’m incredibly happy to say that all of his hard work paid off. Chris is now the newest employee of Obata, and he’s very excited to share his talents with them.

So congratulations to Chris. You are full of talent and I knew it was only a matter of time before the right person at the right time recognized it. (Although they sure took their time, didn’t they!)

Thank you to all of our family and friends for being a source of support to us. Many of you provided smiles and laughs or a shoulder to cry on (for me) when needed. Others called upon him when they needed freelance help. All of it was greatly appreciated by both Chris and I.

And thank you, President Obama, for extending unemployment allowing Chris to continue looking for the right job and keeping our family afloat. Consider Chris to be a success story for what unemployment can do for a citizen and a family.

tub bubbles

2011-02-18T20:53:00.000-06:00

Cam has blown bubbles in the tub before, but tonight it was HILARIOUS.

I think he gets the giggling at himself from his father.

leaves make a boy go whoa

2011-02-14T18:45:00.001-06:00

We had a gorgeous weekend in St. Louis, and we took full advantage of it. We ran up and down the street, splashed in puddles and found a pile of leaves to throw around.

Simple pleasures…

master of disguise

2011-02-14T14:49:00.000-06:00

Can you spot the Cameron?

bucket of fun

2011-02-03T08:30:00.003-06:00

Another favorite gift of Cam’s was a giant Mr. Potato Head that cam with four potatoes and a ton of accessories inside of it.

Check out some of his creations!

It’s also a huge hit with his parents.

Cowboy Bob

Mr. Mystero

Keith Richards

Dark Helmet

Potato Crime Scene

abc…sing with me!

2011-02-02T20:09:00.000-06:00

Still stumbling over a couple of letters, but saying the alphabet is AWESOME!

fun with magnets

2011-01-21T20:33:00.000-06:00

Cam received two sets of magnets for Christmas. One tub full of letters and numbers, and another full of animals. I thought it would give him something to play with while Chris and I cook meals, and they’ve been a hit. He likes to point out each one.

Where’s the lion? “There it is!”

Where’s the o? “There it is!”

He’s a smart cookie. And a lot of fun.

video mayhem

2011-01-16T14:40:00.000-06:00

With the holidays being so busy, I haven’t had any time for posting. Here are some videos to catch you up on us.

1 - Why we now eat snack at a table.

2 - Why we moved the humidifier.

3 - Our new favorite song.

Butterfly House!

2011-01-07T20:11:00.000-06:00

We took a day over the holiday break to visit the butterflies.

But truthfully, the flowers caught my eye more.

Cam didn’t want to stay still for long. Too many butterflies to point out.

(“There he is! There he is! There he is!”)

Honestly, the flowers were amazing.

Chris and Cam in a bug bubble!

Our Holidays

2011-01-06T21:01:00.000-06:00

Even though Cam doesn’t have a clear understanding of who Santa is, he still enjoyed Christmas. First up, opening up stockings.

This is fun!

Onto larger items…

He wasn’t into opening up the gifts. He preferred standing in front of me and cheering me on while I did the work. Then getting incredibly excited to see what it was.

The kitchen and food are a HUGE hit. Do we have another chef in the family?

We had a tough year in 2010, but we also experienced a lot of joy. The photos on this blog are just a glimpse into all the fun we have as a family. And we hope to share a lot more.

Here’s to a new and exciting year!

everyone has to have one of these

2010-12-18T14:34:00.000-06:00

The mandatory crying on Santa’s lap photo.

It’s not as dramatic as it seems. The line took about an hour to get through, so Chris patiently waited in line with his iPhone while Cam and I went up and down the escalator more times than I can count. When it was Cam’s turn to sit in Santa’s lap he really wanted to see Daddy. That’s who he is reaching for off camera. Hence, tears and screams.

Just another photo to go along with another memory.

(P.S. - Is there a non-creepy Santa out there?)

holidays + sickness = no posts

2010-12-11T22:18:00.001-06:00

It’s been a crazy month in the Shatto household. The holidays always bring more obligations and tasks than the rest of the year. Most of them are fun, but it does cut into the downtime I have to blog.

Cam caught the roseola virus in mid-November. Honestly, we’re very lucky since this was his first major illness. But with the virus came four days of a fever between 102 and 104º which wasn’t very responsive to fever reducers. It also brought wakeful nights and fatigued days. But we got through it, and now everyone is healthy and happy.

While Cam’s vocabulary is growing, it’s not his first instinct to use them when he wants something. We often remind him to use his words. I’ve been trying to compile a mental list of the words he uses, and I’m sure I will forget some, but here is a good start: Dada, Mama, hot, up, down, cup, eat, hi, bye, waffle, apple, baby, puppy, Jackson, pizza, muffin and juice. There’s a ton more, but my tired brain cannot remember any.

Finally, ‘tis the season to put up decorations that are awfully intriguing to little boys. We weren’t sure how Cam would react to a tree full of ornaments well within reach but we hung the “unbreakables” at the bottom just in case. Cam was struck with wonder at the sight of the tree, but we asked him not to touch. He interpreted our request to mean that the tree was hot and stayed away. He since has been allowed to touch but not grab, and has been great leaving everything alone. We’re very excited to open gifts this year, now that he is more aware.

More later, but here’s a preview of our beautiful tree!

treat time

2010-11-13T20:28:00.002-06:00

A couple weeks ago I listed some of my favorite things, one of them being treat time for Pip. Both Cameron and Pip are very excited to come home from work for the daily treat.

Poor Chris has to wait for his greeting until it’s over. Treats wait for no one.

french doors are fun

2010-11-13T20:23:00.003-06:00

We spent our Saturday sitting on the stairs, enjoying this.

It’s great to be greeted so enthusiastically!

h-a-double L-o-w-double E-n spells HALLOWEEN!

2010-11-02T20:43:00.001-05:00

It seems that Halloween always has several events, which is nice since we can wear the costume several times.

First up is the CheckMark Pet Parade, where all pets and toddlers are invited.

Cam went as a robot and Pip as a punk rocker.

sullen robot

CHEESE!

Parading the wrong direction.

GROUP SHOT!

Next up was Halloween night. We took it easy and went to three houses, and then played outside while other kids came up and collected candy.

Will you fill up my pumpkin?

Cam and favorite neighborhood buddies, Joe and Nick

Still empty?!?

We had a nice time, and our candy was quickly gone. Too bad I couldn’t teach Cam “Beep-bop-beep” before the night was over.

who likes spaghetti?

2010-10-26T10:22:00.001-05:00

This messy boy does!

Conquering the toddler smile

2010-10-24T21:10:00.002-05:00

You know how every little boy decides that smiling is when you tighten every face muscle you have?

Cam has somehow learned it recently.

Take out a camera, say smile, and this is the face you get.

It’s a face only a mother can love. :)

And Daddy!

list of favorites

2010-10-19T16:11:00.000-05:00

With the speed of my little boy growing up, I feel like I need to document some of my favorite things he does that make me giggle every single time.

With fall comes long sleeves and Cam is a fan. When we put on a new shirt, I ask where his hand is and he pushes it through by raising his hands way above his head until his hand pops out. And his face is full of accomplishment when it happens!
When you ask Cam to say puppy or point out a puppy, he will say puppy and immediately scrunch up his face and make a panting noise. It’s his puppy impression.
Cam thinks he’s sneaky. He will try to put his cup in his lap, and when I tell him it belongs on the table he’ll slowly bring it back up all while watching my reaction. Then he’ll slowly bring it back down to his lap with a big grin. Never-ending fun!
Light switches are FASCINATING!
So are any buttons that make noises when pressed. We learned how to lock laundry machines, fridge water dispensers and dish washers quickly.
Cam loves his woobie. He starts shouting for it when it comes into view. Not that it’s the cleanest thing in the house since he enjoys walking around with it hanging from his mouth. Yummy woobie!
When I get home from work, it’s treat time for Pip. Now when I walk in the back door Cam and Pip both run to the jar and beg. Pip stands on his hind legs staring at it, and Cam points and shouts for it. I always give it to Cam to give to Pip. When Pip takes it to the other room, Cam chases after him to watch him eat it.
He knows how to wake up my iPhone and starts hitting every single button to get it to do something.

There’s so much more, but this is a start!

where do you bring a pumpkin?

2010-10-18T13:03:00.001-05:00

to the pumpkin patch!

standing up and taking off

2010-09-10T09:39:00.000-05:00

And laughing the entire way...

Cam vs. Zany Zoo

2010-09-09T20:33:00.001-05:00

Cam has spent more time walking, which meant he was bound to have more injuries.

Tuesday he decided to stand up, but fell quickly upon his favorite toy, the Zany Zoo.

He hit it on the corner between his upper lip and nose.

You can imagine how tragic this can be to a one year old.

Luckily we recovered quickly, since this is the first of many falls to come!

another step closer

2010-09-01T20:43:00.002-05:00

Cam has spent a lot of time walking, but always holding onto our hands or short distances between Chris and I. He has great balance, but not the confidence to venture out on his own. Tonight, that changed.

His confidence is growing!

everlasting project

2010-08-18T20:14:00.002-05:00

Chris was a concert junkie as a teen. And with that came many concert tees. After many wears and washes, they were tucked away into a rubbermaid bin and forgotten about. When Chris started talking about making the basement into a hockey haven, I thought it would be a perfect chance to pull those t-shirts out of storage and create a quilt with them. The original plan was to make a queen size for a guest bed, but when Chris changed the layout of the basement we decided on two throws.

This was Christmas of 2009, when I found directions and got to work. But soon, life got in the way. We were soon preoccupied with bathroom renovations, preparing a nursery, preparing US for a baby, and on and on. Meanwhile, the t-shirts sat underneath a guest bed waiting for me to revisit them.

Lately I have found the time and motivation to continue with my quilting quest. I recently finished ironing the fusable interfacing on the back of the 36(!) selected shirts. Now, onto trimming and picking out the denim material I want to use for sashing and the border. To be continued…and finished.

i created a reader!

2010-08-12T15:30:00.002-05:00

I have been reading to Cam before he could hold his head up and through the days where chewing on pages was more exciting than looking at them. As I would struggle to turn the slobber-soaked pages I wondered if he was really absorbing much. But everyone says to keep at it, so keep at it I did.

All of a sudden Cam wants to read all day. The same books. Here are some of his favorites.

One of my favorites from when I was a kid.

Every time he through our office, he grabs this book.

Cute photos, great rhymes by Rachel Hale.

Lots to touch and feel, even more to pull and tug.

Great rhythmic reading.

This has to be his favorite. It’s a must before each bedtime, and is often repeated five times. Cam loves it when I point out his fingers and toes along with the book.

Good thing I enjoy reading, and enjoy these books. I know there is a lot more of them in my future.

hot fun in the summertime

2010-08-10T15:32:00.001-05:00

We severely cut down on outside play time lately due to the suffocating heat in St. Louis lately. But we broke out the water mat this weekend for some outdoor fun.

Who is growing molars???

And we’re done!

couple steps closer

2010-08-05T21:29:00.002-05:00

Cam is slowly getting more confidant in his walking abilities, and his balance is getting better.

So how long do you think it will be until crawling will be so passé?

baby racing

2010-08-02T13:11:00.001-05:00

Take your bets on who makes it to the top first!

What you’re missing is we did this race around seven times. They both enjoyed climbing to the top just to wait for me to grab them both at the same time and hop down the stairs. So it was more of a race to make me perform for them again and again.

Which I gladly obliged.

goodbye baby hair

2010-07-30T11:37:00.002-05:00

We took Cam to Snip-Its for his first haircut. It was a completely different experience than any hair cut I remember. As adults, we go in and gab for awhile with the hair stylist as our hair is coiffed. With kids, it’s all about speed. The faster they are done, the less tears are shed.

Only shed a few tears…

as long as I kept giving him poofs to munch on.

The stylist asked if I knew what I wanted. I laughed and said no idea, just no bowl cuts.

So after five minutes we were done. And Cam took it pretty well. I think he was more bothered by having to sit still for five consecutive minutes than the sound of scissors and trimmers.

Handsome new look!

Our big boy looks even older. No more baby.

starting to walk

2010-07-29T08:00:00.010-05:00

Cam has been pulling up on everything and cruising for awhile. He actually stands on his own at times, but only when he’s excited and not paying attention to what he’s doing. When he realizes he is standing, he immediately sits down.

But lately his push truck is his favorite toy around. He likes to do laps through the house, while Pip follows nearby. He’ll be walking on his own soon! And life as we know it will change.

(Sorry for the vertical video, I forgot about iPhone's format.)

rocking out

2010-07-28T21:51:00.002-05:00

Cam got music lessons from my cousins recently.

He’s ready to tour!

beach vacay

2010-07-28T21:44:00.002-05:00

Chris and I packed up Cam (and what seemed like the house) and headed for South Carolina recently for my cousin’s wedding and some beach time. We set out early in the week so I could help with last minute wedding tasks, just like her mom helped me for my wedding. I’m so glad we were able to do so, since that meant more time with the Guess girls!

Hannah singing her version of “Hey Stephen”

I wish I had more to share, but I was too busy dancing with my small date. He was rocking out, bouncing up and down to the beat. I was worried that the loud music and dancing crowd would overwhelm him, but I was wrong.

After the wedding we heading to Hilton Head Island with all the Guess girls (minus the newlywed) for some beach fun. And we took it very easy, just beach and pool.

Hannah, this time singing to her biggest fan.

First time in the sand, and very curious.

Sand dollars!

Found a bunch of sand dollars by shuffling our feet in the ocean. We returned them to their home after a quick photo opp on the sand. While doing so we were told to hurry up by a resident, because life guards frowned upon such things. Guess too many people take them for souvenirs.

Noah decided that he liked the taste of sand.

Dad catching the waves and a smile

Boogie boarding was a favorite pastime of the boys. My dad, brother and Chris all enjoyed time riding the waves. I was just thankful for the wind causing the waves. It was HOT!

Night time beach walk with my boys!

Wind vs. hair

Our condo was on the other side of a small park and a beautiful shaded walkway.

Becca enjoying all the nephew time she could get.

We had such a nice time in Hilton Head Island. The road trip there was pretty easy, we left at 8 p.m. and drove straight there overnight. Cam woke up once when we reached the mountains, but fell asleep fast. We only stopped once! We tried the same thing on the way home, but things did not work out the same way. Maybe we hit the mountains too soon and his ears bothered him not letting him rest. He was UPSET, but we kept moving since we didn’t think it would be any better the next day. He finally passed out at 12:30, and we were so thankful. Chris and I were beat when we reached home and Cam was ready to go! Thank goodness for naps.

birthday for a wild thing

2010-07-05T21:25:00.002-05:00

Now let me start by saying I know Cam will remember none of this. But after Chris and I got through a year of raising a fun little boy along with other trials, it was time to celebrate. So we chose the theme Where the Wild Things Are.

The tone was set with amazing artwork created by my friend Ben Borsos set the tone for our party. He did an AMAZING job with the invites, which he blew up for me to hang at the party.

Kim Wagoner created an amazing cake for Cam (tasted great too!) while Chris and I made the cupcakes with the help of Heather Gain. Animal crackers were scattered through the house in small paper toys.

And we had stand ups so guests could be wild things too!

Cam even had a crown, but it did not stay on his head for too long.

He was excited by many gifts, but I think this one got the biggest reaction.

And he shared toys with his guests like a good host.

Instead of smashing into a cake and smearing it everywhere, he borrowed into the back with his pointer finger and pulled out small pieces to devour. Very funny, and very Cam.

And he was ready to crash at the end.

Thank you to Jeff Mahar for coming over and photographing everything for me. Without his help, I would have spent the night behind a camera lens instead of enjoying the night.

Happy First Birthday, Cam!

goodness me

2010-07-05T20:26:00.000-05:00

Things have been super hectic lately. Chris and I went into overdrive planning a first birthday party, and we left town days later to join my family in celebration of my cousin Nikki’s wedding. Tonight, I am sitting out on the porch in Hilton Head catching up on correspondence and blogging. So let the posting begin???

happy father’s day

2010-06-20T08:00:00.021-05:00

to a Dad that makes us giggle,

smile,

helps out when we need it,

and cooks the best food ever!

We love you, Daddy!

rolling like a big boy

2010-06-18T15:03:00.001-05:00

in diapers

like a real trucker

disco trucker!

Getting ready to get his party on, he turns one in a week!

pool time

2010-06-05T21:57:00.001-05:00

Summer is here. Time to cool off.

Cam wasn’t a huge fan of the pool at the beginning, but after two minutes in the pool he had a lot of fun with Daddy.

Splashing is always fun, even if you splash yourself.

See you at the pool!

bizarro Jessie

2010-05-25T13:13:00.001-05:00

Every so often I have a friend who is curious to see what I look like with straight hair that they volunteer to do the work and straighten it for me. So Monday night, my friend Erin came over with a bottle of wine and set to work.

Before shot

After a shampoo and a blow dry. Scary stuff.

After lots of time with a straightener.

After slept on and touched up with a straightener.

So there you go. Have a long look, because if I can't get someone to do this for me every morning while I snooze it will be another three years before Bizarro Jessie makes another appearance.

sgetti!

2010-05-19T21:33:00.002-05:00

Chris made the family sauce for a wonderful Sunday dinner and Cam got to try it out for the first time.

Look ma, teeth!

And for dessert…cookies!

Spaghetti was a hit!

pip food or people food?

2010-05-07T21:11:00.002-05:00

Cam has been eating solids for a long time, and Pip has patiently sat under his high chair waiting for the random Cheerio to fall into Cam’s lap and onto the floor. Cam would notice and laugh, but he recently he made the connection that he could drop the food himself and watch Pip devour whatever fell.

Who me?

Needless to say, Pip becomes very attentive and excited at meal time.

spring time

2010-05-04T21:14:00.001-05:00

means sunshine

green grass

picnics

and fun!

pancakes!

2010-05-03T22:14:00.001-05:00

If you know me, you know that if I were to choose one food to eat for the rest of my days it would be pancakes. Chris often humors me and we have them fairly often, usually for dinner. Now that Cam is enjoying the same food we are, I thought it was time to introduce him to my favorite food.

Sorry Chris, looks like there are more pancake nights on the way.

here he comes, there he goes

2010-04-18T21:54:00.002-05:00

Chris and I thought Cam would be crawling any day now for quite some time, but Cam was on his own schedule. At home, he had the two of us carrying him around and at daycare the big kids brought toys to him. Why crawl if you don’t have to? We knew he had the strength to crawl but he was still figuring that out. And we were waiting for him to sit up from laying down, knowing it would happen soon after that.

Thursday night, an hour and a half after bedtime, I looked over at the monitor to see why he was suddenly quiet and watched him sit himself up. Then he looked around trying to figure out how he got there. He did it a couple more times at 4:30 in the morning, so proud of himself that he started bouncing on his butt. Since I did not want to play his Sit Up-Lay Down game at that time he quickly figured out how to lay himself back down.

The next day he stayed home with Chris all day, who reported Cam took his first crawling steps. There were a couple more on Saturday, and longer crawls on Sunday.

I always say Cam is a ball of energy. He is on the go all day, usually bouncing, until the second he crashes. Now that he’s crawling, I think we’re all in trouble. Especially Pip.

Cam loves his Pip!

2010-04-18T21:34:00.003-05:00

Cam is noticing Pip more and more, and he’s been so patient. Cam is especially enthralled with his collar and grabs it any chance he gets. He has also grabbed his fair share of fur and tugged on his fair share of ears, but Pip has yet to complain. It’s fun to see Cam light up when Pip walks into the room.

I love my family of four.

trip to the zoo

2010-04-11T21:40:00.001-05:00

We took a family trip to the zoo today. Cam had a couple favorites.

Itty-bitty fish and

gigantic elephants!

He tried to teach the elephants to bounce. They didn’t catch on too well.

He got a close-up look at the chimpanzees. After watching one eat his neighbor’s poo, he decided it was an insult to be called a monkey.

All that animal action made for one sleepy baby.

And a couple of happy parents who enjoyed his long afternoon nap.