I Love You Leyton!  I hope it stops snowing soon so we can make it to KC tonight.  It might be a good day to wear those new boots of yours.  I will be calling you in a bit.  Miss you and I cannot wait to see you tonight!

I got new boots, Wee Wee!

Wee Wee, 

     I got new boots today.  Check them out!  They are a bit too big right now, but mommy says I will grow into them.

A busy Saturday morning....

     So, our little Leyton was up bright and early on this Saturday morning.  Mommy and Leyton have been busy bees, too.  Leyton was ready to roll as soon as he woke up at 5 am; we had biscuits this morning for breakfast, went grocery shopping at Hy-Vee at 6:15 am, and we headed next to the bakery in hopes of finding some Saturday morning donuts.  You know it is sad when you make it to the bakery on a Saturday morning before they have even opened!  

     We waited in the car for about "ting (10) minutes"(as Leyton would phonetically say) and tried to be patient until the bakery store lady flipped the sign to OPEN.  We hopped out of the car, walked into the store and told the bakery lady we were looking for donuts.  She sharply replied that "we do not fry things here!" - geez, sorry for asking.  Whatever happened to the bakeries with a donut section!?!?  So, since it was apparent there were NO DONUTS to peruse, we opted for a couple of sweet cinnamon rolls and brought them home to feast on.  

     Twenty minutes later and after a couple bites of that cinnamon roll, we were ready for something new.  So, Martha Stewart here baked some of her famous oatmeal cookies, and Leyton helped scoop them onto the pan.  After four batches of cookie baking and two sippy cups of milk later, it was time to lay down and watch Monsters, Inc.  It has been a fun, but busy, Saturday morning....

Meet our Little Mr. Car Salesman....

Big Cheese!

     So, I have fallen a day behind on the blog, but Leyton has been doing well.  We have a household that is back to being healthy and full of life!   Leyton enjoyed a game of the spin the top last night, and he has been completely addicted to the two staples in his diet:  "freddy" (=spaghetti) and "bickits with cinn'mun and soogar."  

     The cookie monster has also been visiting frequently, and he loves Papa's chocolate chip cookies that she brought for him this past weekend.  Yum!

Jump!

     Leyton had a good Sunday!  A good portion of the day was spent counting his Valentine's, moving them from his Valentine box to a bag, and then back into the Valentine box.  Then, moving them into another bag and back again.  He loves his Valentine's!

     We made a late afternoon trip to Costco to stock up on some diapers, paper towels, kleenex, and all that fun stuff.  We unloaded after Costco, and Leyton found a way to have fun with the toilet paper at the bottom of the stairs.  He created his own game of "jump!" by standing on the first step, drumming on the toilet paper, and screaming "jump!" as he bounced off the step and onto the floor.  He did this about 500 times.  He is a firecracker!   We love him :)

     Today was also a big eating day for Leyton.  Breakfast included a nutri-grain bar, a biscuit, crackers, and later - a slice of cheese from the grocery store.  For lunch, he had corn and crackers (what?).  Yogurt was his afternoon snack, and for dinner....two plates of spaghetti, a slice of cheese pizza from Costco, edamame, and a chocolate chip cookie.  Leyton had a bottomless tummy today!

Mr. Stinky Feet Love Fest!

     Mommy took me to see Mr. Stinky Feet's Valentine Love Fest at the Plaza Library this morning.  We met Johnna, Tate, Andy and Jeremy there and watched the show with them.  In the car ride on the way to the library, I was talking all about Johnna and Tate.  I couldn't wait to see them - it has been since last August, when I started at Union Hill - since I had played with Tater Tot.  I think I sort of recognized Johnna and Tate, but we decided not to play too much since the show was going on.  

     I loved seeing Mr. Stinky Feet again.  This time, I knew the words to his songs, and all I wanted to do was dance!  Yea!  Yea!  Yea!  I said "pee-you" and I pushed my hands up to raise the roof.  It was an awesome concert.  There was a huge crowd - mommy guessed over several hundred....whoa!  

     After the show was over, Tate and I took a few pictures together, and I gave Tater his birthday present.  It was an Elmo DVD!  As we were walking out and making our way to the lobby of the library, guess who we ran into.....?   MR. STINKY FEET himself.  Oh, wow!  Tate gave Mr. Stinky Feet a high five, and then I gave Mr. Stinky Feet a high-five.  I LOVE MR. STINKY FEET.

     Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Leyton, we still think you have a sweet face! Cut back on the sugar, tho..... We love you. Happy Valentines Day!!!!!!! Grandma & Papa

....and, now for Mr. Hyde...

     Leyton may have just had his biggest blow-up [slash] fit [slash] temper-tantrum EVER!  Not long after we got back home from the Valentine's party fun, Leyton went absolutely CRAZY.  The fit probably lasted a good 15 minutes  - - of solid screaming.  He yelled "get away, mommy" when mommy tried to come near him.  Then, "get away, daddy" when daddy tried to help.  Crazy, SUPER-CRAZY BLOW-UP - never seen anything like it.  Can't wait for the next one :)  Where is the wine?

     p.s. - Wee Wee, I got your Valentine in the mail.  I loved the pink heart :)  Thank you!

Introducing Dr. Jekyll (aka Mr. Valetine)

     Leyton's Union Hill Valentine Party was this afternoon.  Mommy and daddy went to celebrate with him, and we all ate ice cream sundaes with Leyton's friends.  Everyone in the class brought a special something for the party; Leyton was in charge of bringing heart sprinkles.  We all fixed our own ice cream sundaes, and topped them off with caramel sauce, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, pink M&Ms, sprinkles, and strawberries.  The kids seemed to love the afternoon sugar!

     Leyton brought home a bag full of Valentine goodies from his friends, and his teachers commented that they especially loved Leyton's Valentine's.  (It is hard not to like something from the Sweetface!)  Leyton also surprised us when we found a Valentine, cut in the shape of a heart, with Leyton's photo in the middle and attached to a wooden stick that had been decorated by our little man.  It is the most special Valentine I have ever received.  

     Miss Michelle and Miss Michaela said that the kids had been particularly wound up today with no naps....which would explain.....

Wee Wee, I made more Valentine's tonight!

Hi Wee Wee and Uncle G:

     I made more Valentine's tonight.  I put my valentine cards and attached them to bags of homemade Valentine's Day trail mix.  There is a bunch of yummy snacks in my treat bags, and I made one for each of my friends at school.  (I will try not to eat all the trail mix so that you can have some next time we see each other.)

     Are you having a party at your school tomorrow for Valentine's Day?

     I had a pretty good Thursday, but a long one.  I woke up at 4 am this morning, and my teachers told daddy that I only took about a 30-minute nap.  Whoa!  Mommy and daddy are hoping that I sleep in a bit longer tomorrow morning.  I am very excited about my party at school tomorrow afternoon.  Mommy and daddy said they were coming.  We will take pictures for you, Wee Wee.

     Night night.

THANK YOU!

LJ,  Thank you so much for my Valentine's Day card!!!!  It was so special!  Be checking the mail because Unc G, Mr. and I made you something special!  We love you buddy!  And we are glad that you are feeling better.

A GOOD WEDNESDAY!

     So, I had a good day today.  Felt great, played with "Opal Debbie" this morning, and then had fun with my friends all day long.  Daddy said that Cooper hugged Leyton good-bye today, and then Leyton turned and ran to Addie for a quick hug.  The kiddos are hilarious!

     After dinner tonight, mommy put the top of a Chipotle sack on my head.  It made an awesome hat, and so I am posting a picture of me in my Chipotle hat.  

     Daddy has already went up to go to bed (still feeling not so well) and mommy is on her way up.  It is not even 9 o'clock, but we are pooped.  Sad, I know!

Chicken nuggets....YUM!

Leyton feasted on chicken nuggets for lunch today! What a sweetface! He is back to feeling well, and now daddy is the sick one. It will be a great day when we are all healthy and well....

Papa's Play-doh head!

Lucky Papa....he was the honored one to have his head sculpted out of Leyton's orange play-doh. What a masterpiece! Everytime Leyton opens the play-doh container, he peaks in, smiles and says "Papa head!" PAPA, you are one lucky duck!

Breakfast at SHARPS!

     We took Leyton to a first-class breakfast at Sharp's this morning.  One of our favorite breakfast spots, it had been quite a while since we had been, and so we thought we would venture out.  Leyton sounded excited at the thought of going, he acted somewhat okay while we were there, but he still doesn't feel a whole lot like eating.  We brought his fruit and bacon strips home in a to-go container.

     He just went down for a nap - still not feeling up to speed yet.  We all can't wait for him to get over this bug.

Mommy's Gone Top Chef!

     So, mommy has been wow-ing daddy with her Top Chef skills.  Here is a photo of last night's creation!  You think it looks good in the photo - you should have tasted this masterpiece....

Leyton is still puny...couldn't make it to Grandma & Papa's

     Leyton was still puny today and not quite up to making the trip to St. Joe.  We had told him earlier this week that we were going to visit the Grandmas and Papas and Aunt Wee this weekend, and he was so sad that we weren't able to make it.  

     He took a couple of short naps this morning (very uncharacteristic), and he was much more fussy and whiny than he usually is.  He threw up just once this morning but still had the diarrhea all day long...bummer!

     We were able to make a couple of "outside" trips and enjoy the nice weather in our backyard.  He loved that, of course.  He has not had much of an appetite, but who would when it is coming out of every end?!?!  We finished the night with some popcorn, and as he was eating ~ he said "I love popcorn!"  It was so precious.  (photo with Leyton holding two popcorn kernels above.)

     Not long after that, it was night-night, and he was READY!  Here's to hoping he sleeps past 4 am :)

     For those of you reading, we missed you today!  We'll have to get up there soon.  You are always welcome to come visit, too!  Talk to you soon.

Leyton is sick :(

     Leyton stayed home from school today.....he was sick.  It started yesterday morning when Miss Michaela called mommy and daddy to let them know that Leyton had diarrhea and needed to be picked up from school.  

     He managed to eat some dinner last night (and keep it in!), but then this morning, there were several more explosions, and we knew that he had caught a bug of some sort.

     Mommy and Leyton stayed home this morning, watched movies, made (more) Valentines, and ate yogurt (Leyton also put mardi gras beads around Tiger's neck - a highlight of the morning, for sure.  Photo above).  We had fun, but Leyton was a little whiny and not feeling totally up to par, we could tell.

     Daddy came home around lunch-time and stayed with Leyton this afternoon while mommy went to a couple of meetings.  This evening was not a lot better.  Not much of an appetite, and everything is going straight through him.  His "bottom hurts," as Leyton says.

     Here's to hoping this "bug" leaves soon.......

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

     Two good things happened today:  it is Grandma's birthday and Daddy's back!!!  I am so happy.  I made Grandma a cake and licked the bowl of icing clean.  It was yummy.

     Daddy picked me up from school today when he got back in town, and I am so glad things are back to normal.

     I just went night-night.

I MISS YOU, DADDY!

     Daddy left this morning "to go to work" (for a short trip to Omaha).  Leyton really missed him tonight, but we still partied at home.  After dinner, we made valentine cards and snacked on chips with (more) cheese dip.  Forget double-dipping, we triple-dipped and quadruple-dipped tonight.  We even got a little bit of cheese dip on our valentines :)

     Before bedtime, we took a bath and cleaned off.  Leyton loved putting on his robe and thought he was big stuff.  With the robe on, Leyton stood in his room, looked down at his feet, and said "where my socks?"  His feet were cold.  Mommy fixed that really quick.

     Daddy - if you are reading this, we miss you!

Go Steelers!

     We had a tailgate picnic in the living room tonight, getting ready for the Big Game...Super Bowl XLIII.  Me and daddy's favorite team is the Steelers, so we made sure we had the queso dip ready well before the game started.  We had some snacks, watched the game, played some football during breaks, and tried to catch the commercials.

     During half-time, when "the Boss" (Springstein) was performing, I performed a solo of my own.  Yep, I set my keyboard up in front of the television and went wild, jamming and dancing the entire time.  I could have been in Springstein's band :)  Maybe next year...

     Even though I went to bed before the game ended, Daddy told me the Steelers were going to win.  I believed him :)