Lots of Talking!

If you come over to our house these days, there's not much quiet to be found.  I basically talk non stop (although there are some breaks in the talking - when that happens Mom and Dad start asking me what I'm doing, so maybe they like the talking!)  And now Clara is becoming a talker too!

Here's a few of the things you might hear me say these days - 

• Pretty much any color, article of clothing, or animal (including parrot, kangaroo and yak)
• I can tell you that I'm two.  You might hear me counting to ten but not quite in order and not really counting anything in particular
• I know A is for apple, B is for ball and C is for car.  I will sing the alphabet song if someone signs with me.
• I will tell you my whole name - Owen Hermansen - and I know now that it's "O-wen" and not "O-nen".  You have to ask though - I kept this a secret from Mom and Dad until my teacher told them!
• I know the first and last names of my friends at school (even Mom and Dad don't know that!)
• If you do something I don't like, I will tell you.  I'll also tell you it's not nice (that includes a wall if it gets in my way when I'm running).  And if it's really not nice, I'll tell you it's unacceptable!
• I'm good at telling Mom and Dad what to do - cook it, lay down, sit down, feed Clara, come here, scoot (means push my chair in), window down, wait me (i.e. wait for me), group hug and the list goes on!
• My favorite right now is "my turn"!  That applies to pretty much everything.  And it's not fun for anyone when I don't get to do it myself!
• Every once and a while I keep Mom and Dad on their toes by calling them Casey and Waco.  Not sure why it's funny when I say it and not when everyone else does...
• I can point out just about any vehicle we see on the road - school bus, excavator, bulldozer, dump truck, car carrier, bucket truck, fire truck, police car
• I really don't like getting medicine in my ear so I tell Mom and Dad no drops and don't want ear medicine to make sure they know. 
• I can ask for what I want to watch on TV or the iPad - usually George (as in Curious), Daniel Tiger, or Bob Train.
• I also talk to Paul - I tell him excuse me, c'mon Paul, and go potty Paul!

Clara doesn't say words yet but here's a video of what she's saying these days...

Roller Coasters!

Okay, so maybe not true roller coasters, but they were to me...

We went to Davis and Oliver's house and from there we went to a big festival at the park.  Clara and I got to stay up way past our bedtimes and had so much fun!  I ate festival food (a hot dog and french fries for me), rode lots of rides and went into a fun house!

The one I road the most was the 4-wheelers.  I got to ride it all by myself!

Not gonna lie - the first time I was a little nervous...

I loosened up a little bit the next time and had some fun...

And by the last time, I was a pro - no hands all the way around!  I think I'm ready for the real roller coasters now!

I also got to ride some race cars.  This one went a little faster (especially around the corners) so I couldn't ride it by myself. 

Me, Davis and Oliver rode the tea cups together. While the ride was going, Davis made us spin even more.  I had fun!

First Days of School!

Last week Mom went back to work so that meant I started school!  I like it lots so far.  I have the same teachers that Owen had when he started school.  My teacher has already said that I'm going to be one of the advanced ones.  She noticed after the first day that I track Mom and Dad with my eyes when I hear their voices and roll onto my side.  I don't think Mom and Dad were too surprised by that news!

Here's how I spend my last few days at home - Mom didn't want to put me down!  I was fine with that though... 

When she did put me down, Paul was there to keep me company!

When Mom told me that I would be heading to school, I was like "Say what??"  But then she told me about all the fun things I would be doing and learning and I got pretty excited! 

Here's my "first day of school" picture!  Aunt Laura got me a cute dress that was perfect for the day!  Mom said that it helped make her less sad to leave when I smiled for her.

I got to ride in the bye bye buggy on my first day.  That thing is pretty comfy - I couldn't help but fall asleep.  And I fell asleep in it the next day, too.  And the next day...

My teacher had a bunny rabbit that she held up high for me to look at.  It was pretty interesting if you can't tell...

Mom came in and visited me during lunch on my second and third days.  As you can see I wasn't up for much conversation during her visits.  The one thing I've learned so far is that this school thing is hard work!

Getting to play dress up is one of the fun things I get to do at school!  Bunnies don't get any cuter than this!

And we get to do art projects too!  This one I'm not so sure about...

Happy Easter!

We had a really fun Easter!  I learned how to dye Easter eggs and we went to a football field where there were lots and lots of eggs with candy.  Then we went to Grandma and Grandpa Young's house where I found some baskets that a bunny left for Clara and I.  The bunny left eggs that I had to find, too.  I knew exactly what to do because we had practiced at school!

Here's Clara and I dyeing our Easter eggs. Good thing Mom hard boiled the eggs because the first one she gave me I banged on the table and broke the shell!

Clara tried to make me think she was the bunny hiding the eggs...she didn't fool me!

Lots and lots of eggs!

I got lots of eggs to put in my basket and candy, too! 

Between egg hunts there was lots of time to run around and have races.  I won each time of course!

The weather was nice enough for Clara to wear one of her pretty dresses!  She had to put on a hat though because it was so sunny!  She was too little to look for eggs, but I gave her one of mine (a pink one)!   

Between egg hunts, a helicopter came and dropped even more eggs from the sky!  But he missed the field and dropped them on our heads!

Here's our first family picture!  It only took 2 1/2 months to get it...

Clara and I were about pictured out at the end of this day!  But we hung in there for a picture with Grandma and Grandpa...

It didn't take me long to find the fruit snacks in the eggs that I found at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  I ate them all!

First Holidays!

I've gotten to celebrate some of my first holidays - Valentine's Day, St Patrick's Day and Easter!  We didn't do much (except for Easter - more on that to come!), but Owen and I had the clothes for them!

It was a Valentine's Day filled with lots of love in our house! 

Owen didn't have a fancy St Patrick's Day shirt like me, but he did wear his green!

Owen didn't have any special Easter clothes but I did (although I think they were both hand me downs from Owen...)

My Room!

Owen got to show off his room and I wanted to as well!  Since I'm sleeping in my bed, I'm spending lots more time in my room...

Mom took the bumpers off my bed before I even started sleeping in it.  Good thing since she found me like this only a week or so after I started sleeping in my bed!  I'm a wiggler!  Everyone always asks me if I sleep through the night and I do!  Well, except when I don't...  For the most part I have no trouble sleeping all night, but there are a couple nights when I wake up and just want mom for a little bit.  But then I go right back to sleep! 

I've got my name on the wall like Owen does.  All of the letters are from Clemson.  Just another way Mom and Dad are subtly hinting where they want me to go to college!

There's no doubt that I'm set on clothes!  Between hand me downs from Owen, Mom going shopping and gifts from friends and family, I've got so many cute outfits to show off!

Tractor Show!

The other weekend we went to a tractor show in Blue Ridge, GA!  As Mom describes it, it was just some tractors in a parking lot.  But I would describe it as one of the coolest things ever!  It was really cold and windy but I toughed it out and checked out the tractors until they started packing them up to go home. When we were in the car leaving, I kept asking for more tractors!  

There were all kinds of tractors, but my favorite were the little ones because I could climb on them all by myself! 

Clara wasn't very interested in the tractors - she had more fun playing with her turtle!  There was also a tractor inside that I got to sit on!

Months 1 and 2!

I've been keeping up with my monthly pics but just slow in sharing them with everyone!  

Here I am for Month 1.  At this doctor's appointment I had gained more than a pound from my birth weight!  Mom has been feeding me good! 

Here I am for Month 2.  Can you tell I'm learning how to smile for pictures?  I had to go to the doctor's again and I'm still growing!

Here I am at my 2 month doctor's appointment.  This picture was taken before I had any idea of the pain I was about to experience!  I had to get three shots!  They hurt so badly but Mom was there to help me feel better.  I don't think I'm going to be smiling at my next appointment...

Here's two videos of my skills.  One is me showing off my smile and the other is a preview of what's to come for month 3 - I'm talking!