Second trip to Chi-town.

Last weekend me, dada and mama flew to Chicago to visit Meemaw and Grandpa. I wanted to personally wish Grandpa a happy 66th birthday. I was quite well behaved on the plane, thanks to dada's DVD player and Light'ning 'Queen, aka Cars.

After we arrived, Meemaw and Grandpa took me on a walk in downtown Glen Ellyn.
We went for lunch at 2Toots (kindof like me, Tooter McGee). There was a train that circled the restaurant to bring everyone their food. There was also a loud whistle that about blew me off the bar seat every time it rang to let someone know their hamburger was on its way.
I showed Meemaw and Grandpa that I'm a true Texan on the horse.
When we finally went to their house, Meemaw gave me a vehicle from every country in the European Union - tractors from Venice and bulldozers from Austria and even a cruise ship from Greece. The list is endless - you have NO IDEA how many vehicles there were. I tried to count them all - 2, 1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 3 - that's how I count right now. After I took a nap, mama's buddy Melanie, her husband Yaniv and Simone came to have dinner and catch up. Mama had such a good time with Meller.
I had a good time with Simone, for about 3 minutes. I showed her my fire truck, and then I went about playing and let her do her baby stuff. Simone's cute, but she's no John Deere.
On Saturday morning, the family went to Cosley Zoo.
Look at the beautiful Shetland Pony.
We all got a good laugh when it rolled around on the ground to scratch his back.

After taking a time out for some refreshments (and a trip to the gift store with Meemaw where I got yet another vehicle - this time a Safari Truck),
I got to pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch.
This is it!
Mama and dada wanted to enjoy the fresh air a little more, so we went to Northside Park to the playground. There was also a sledding hill, but it was no good this time of year. Check out my hair after I went down this slide!
Grandpa helped me to dig a hole to China. Well, almost.

On Saturday evening, we had lots of friends and family come by to visit. Mama's great friend Sandy and her daughter Melissa and her daughter Noelle (pictured) were there. Noelle is one tough cookie - how many girls do you know that want to play with tractors?
I also got to hang with my second cousin Noah. We actually got along quite well, after some initial tusseling over who got to play with the super duper trackhoe mover. Social skills in progress.
I also got to hang with Ethan, my other second cousin. He's a real big boy and chased me around and around the house.
Peekaboo!
We finally got to give Grandpa his birthday present - a brand new fishing reel. Dada said it will give him another excuse to come to Texas to fish soon.

On Sunday, Grandpa took me to the little park in the woods.
On the way home, Grandpa found a tiddly-wink and put it on his nose. Funny guy.
Ha-ha! Me too!
I was sad to leave, but we'll see my G's soon in Minneapolis for Christmas. For now, I need to get back to school. So, I'll sit back, listen to a little Bob Marley, let mama catch a few winks (seriously) and fly home to Texas. I'll catch you on the flip side.

Hurricane Ike - September 13, 2008 They weren't kidding when they said Ike was big, but we weren't sure what to think. Papa hopped on the ferry (who knew it was literally the last way off Bolivar?) and came to stay with us in Katy. Ga prepared the food, water, and made sure the flashlights were working. We were ready. We watched the tv to see what Ike was doing. I said "watch storm now, cartoons later."Mama and Ga got a little stir crazy the night before and gelled my hair into a hurricane. Women! I slept in my big boy bed that night until mama and dada came to get me at 3. We all "slept" together in their bed, or not. I wanted to talk all about the wind, rain, noise and "the storm!" Luckily mama and I slept in the next morning. When we awoke the next morning, the only damage we saw was to poor Mr. Jim and Ms. Lisa's house across the street. The shingles came off, the water went in. In our subdivision, this model home lost more shingles. We were very lucky that we only lost power during the storm, and had it up and running Saturday morning.
Katy did lose some trees. We live in a rice field, so the trees aren't rooted well. The other areas of Houston that did have trees lost lots...lots.
As good as Katy fared, Papa and Ga's beach house on Bolivar, while standing, is among such devastation, no one is sure of the fate of this area; Crystal Beach was on the dirty side of Ike. The beach house is the orange one right in the middle of the picture. We have such good memories there from the few short months we got to enjoy it. I can't wait to go back, but I think it's going to be a while yet. I wonder if my bulldozer is still in the closet?

While we were cooped up inside during the rains following Ike, I was introduced to play-do. It's ok, but it's a lot more fun to throw it, especially at Mac.

Soon enough, the rains passed and I was outside tossing around my balls. There is this strange reflection on the fence every night...magic!

Of course, I had to find the mud puddle in the backyard. So dada gave me a sink bath.
It was nice having mama home a little more (although she's busy at work - will October ever arrive?), and we got to go to the playground.
Of course, all I wanted to do was play in the mud, again. I am all boy.

So, that's the story of Ike. One good thing, I am loving having my Papa stay with us in Katy - before Ike, we couldn't get him to leave the beach. Now look at us, enjoying berry cobbler and ice cream on a Thursday night. Me and my Papa.

26 months and first day of school

I saw Luke's picture on his blog, and dada said that all kids take their "first day of school" picture at the front door, so here I am too. I wanted to pose with my bulldozer, so mama and dada let me, but I wasn't allowed to bring it to school, not until show and tell. I did sneak bear and pass in with my tote for naptime though. I didn't sleep long, but frankly, everyone was surprised I slept at all with my recent transition to the big boy bed. My new nap roll proved to be worth every penny of the small fortune mama and dada paid for it, plus monogramming, on all my school equipment, lunch box and tote included. Phew, who knew you needed so much stuff for school?

Today my favorite word when I got home was "no". If I said it once, I said it 2 million times. I guess because I didn't say it at school (mama's hoping), I had to make up for it at home. I really said it a lot after I crashed out at 5 and Ga woke me up at 7. Obviously, we need to work on my schedule.

Speaking of, good night!

On Sunday, dada and I made my first "Take and Make" for school. Mama and dada thought they were done with homework, but I'm going to give them a run for their money.
The theme was "Summer was fun, but now it's done." Mama printed off a bunch of pictures from Canada, mostly of me on the various tractors.

Dada cut them into cool shapes, which I arranged on the paper (you know I'm all about lining things up), and mama taped them down.

Ta da! Here's the finished product. I think we ALL deserve an A+.

Ok mama and dada, I know you planned that I would stay in the crib until you needed it for something else (another baby, perhaps), but I had other plans. When I woke up from my nap the other day, Ga found me trying to "ride" the crib like a horsey, so just like that, the famous "Elephant Bed" and a brand new mattress were set up in my room. Grandpa Hochmuth made this bed for my cousins Jamie and Katie, and now it's my turn to take a roll in the jungle.

So now I've got a mixed theme going on. A sort of "think globally, act locally" idea with the earth, elephants and cars/trucks/bull-DOE-zers.

Of course mama and dada weren't sure how it would go over with me, so they kept the crib set up, just in case.
But just like giving up the bottle was no big deal, neither was giving up the crib. I was a little unsure about the whole thing until dada showed me how to sleep in my big boy bed. After that I slept the rest of the night like a charm. If only giving up "pass" and potty training were this easy...

Labor Day weekend, a non-hurricane, and a trip to the park Everyone was all set to spend the weekend at the beach.
I had my party accessories all ready to go. The adults were ready to party too. Dada went fishing, and I waited not so patiently for him to return. On Saturday, mama and dada celebrated their five year anniversary. On Sunday, Ga and Papa celebrated their 40 year anniversary. After I went to bed, they had a champagne jam.

Who votes I look like dada?

Like mama? Here is am doing one of my most favorite activities...driving the golf cart. I like to take at least five rides a day in this baby.

On Sunday, dada and papa hung up the plywood on the windows, just in case Gustov came closer to the Texas coast. We are all thankful that the storm didn't wreak as much havoc as anticipated.
The return of the lovebugs. Poor lady lovebug, must you always stay with your lover?
Ga looking as spriteful as her wedding day, forty years ago!
On Sunday evening, to be safe and clear of Gustav's path, mama and I took the ferry back to Galveston, picked up mama's car, and headed for Katy. It was a hot journey, but we made it, no worse for the wear. On the way home, we stopped at a playground because I'd been asking to go to one all weekend. I tore down the purple slide. Playgrounds make me happy!
Wee, I like to spin in circles.

And take a quiet moment to rest. But not for long...