Woohoo for Easter

We had a great time hunting for eggs. I tried showing Caleb in the house what he was supposed to do, and he picked it up pretty quickly...of course, it helps that he loves putting things in bowls, baskets, etc. We put little puff cereal bites inside for him as treats, but that wasn't as big a motivator as just putting them in and taking them out of the basket...over and over and over again. There is a hilarious video of him laughing at my Mom saying "Woo hoo, it's Easter". If it won't upload here, check it out on photobucket (see the links). Also, more pics on there too. Happy Easter, everyone.

I want to be like you, Dad

Caleb loves his Dad so much. He calls for him when he can't see him... "Da...Da!" and tries to tell him things that only make sense to him! He always wants to be picked up and held by him, and he can always be pacified by, "Where's Daddy?" For CJ, there's no place he'd rather be than wherever that place is...except maybe with Granna.

The ZOO

Caleb had his first trip to the Zoo. It was great... we saw lions, tigers, zebras, gorillas, monkeys, fish, birds, deer, rams, and way more, and we did it all, yes, less than 2 hours. That's right, you take the fast track through the zoo with a 17 month old, because they just can't take a lot of looking at scenery. Caleb roared at the lion, which was cute. We got the season pass, so we can just go for a couple hours a time every couple of weeks and rotate around to see the different things. I expect he will have quite the animal vocabulary by August, that is, if I can figure out how to say some of the names of those animals?!

I'm walking HOORAY

Caleb FINALLY decided that he really could walk. He'd been talking steps and walking around furniture for many months now, but this past weekend, he decided he could actually let go and get around by foot. We were at a restaurant and I didn't want him crawling, so I said, "Caleb, you can't crawl. If you want down, you have to walk." I held his hand some, but they he'd just let go and head off around the place. There were 2 little girls he kept chasing, which kept him going. He still crawls some if he falls down where there is nothing for him to pull up on, but then when he gets where he can pull up, he's off to walking again. YEAH! I wasn't worried.. I had been told my an OT friend of mine that the longer they crawl, the better, for learning, etc . later in life, but I was getting tired of knee pads and holes in pants. Also, he is talking more and more. I counted up his words yesterday and he has over 60 words, and some phrases (most of them "bye __" -- bye fish, bye car, etc). He will be 17 months on Saturday! go to the photobucket site (in the links) to see video of him walking!

Pumping Iron like Daddy

Caleb wandered into the workout room a few weeks ago and after watching Joe a minute, decided he'd get a workout of his own! Those are 3 lb weights, but he also went back and picked up the 5 lb weights! Those things on his knees are his knee pads, which we make him wear until he walks more so he doesn't wear out his jeans. He only has about 3 pairs that don't have holes, and those are showing wear!

my first golfing experience

When Beth was home for Spring Break, we all went mini-golfing. Caleb did great, although he preferred dropping the balls on the ground and watching us scramble to get them before they ended up in a water hazard or the street! He seems to be a natural and hitting, though!

Yo Ho, it's Blackbeard the Pirate

Hungry, CJ? Looks like someone decided that crayons must taste as good as they look. Joe called him Blackbeard, the Pirate, the rest of the day. Good thing they are washable, and non-toxic!

It snowed in Texas

It decided to snow here in March, so Caleb got his first experience playing in the cold, white stuff. He wasn't too thrilled, but we thought it was pretty funny.

Time Flies

So I guess those of you who check this often realize that I'm not a great blogger either. What can I say, time flies. We had a wonderful Christmas, full of fun with the family, although Caleb was way more interested in the paper, boxes, and bows than anything he got! He was, of course, scared to death of Santa, which suprised us actually because he really doesn't fear strangers. I don't have a picture because it was a poloroid.. I never could get around to justifying spending $30 on a portrait set of him with a stranger screaming his head off! visit our photobocket site (in the links for more pics and videos). The bottom pic is him all bundled up at Santa's Village, waiting to see Santa. And the top one is Caleb on Christmas morning, having more fun with Joe's old LSU hat than any of his new toys. Maybe next year we'll just wrap up our old stuff and give it to him!

The Polar Express...mini-me

Caleb and I rode the polar express at the mall...see our ticket. Check out our photobucket site for the video. http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a258/Toyek/?action=guestlogin The password is Caleb. We have Halloween pics and videos. Everything from my birth on up is on there!

Merry Christmas from the Toyes

Well,

I have apparently been listening to too much KVIL. Their "wish list" and magic makers talk shows that highlight all the sick children and needy people have had me in tears more times in the last week on the way to and from work than I have cried in a month! So God has pricked my heart and turned me from Scrooge into...well, the reformed Scrooge I guess. I think also I am relating to the Karen Carpenter song that starts "Christmas cards have all been sent, the Christmas rish is through..." I was just a little stressed out, but I am better now and ready to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. For those of you checking this due to Christmas cards, I am toying with the idea of no cards next year...strictly virtual. We'll see. Maybe I'll take a vote on my blog. Some of you may have realized that there was no "Year in Review" letter. Several reasons for that, but mainly because this year really had no high points for us except for Caleb and we really didn't want to talk about it. Bottom line is that right now we are in Mansfield, TX. I work as a contract SLP for a school district. Joe is staying home with Caleb until he starts school in Jan. He is going back for a bachelors in Accounting, since Exercise Science is practically worthless (to him). We worship at New York Avenue church of Christ. We are still trying to decide exactly where we need to be and which path will be the best option for us long term. I really miss all my Minot, ND pals and wish we were still there...yes, even with the weather! But I count my blessings that I have a wonderful husband, the sweetest baby in the world, a great job, a house to live in, food to eat and all of us are healthy. We are truly blessed. May God bless you all and keep you until we meet again. Love, The Toyes

Bah Humbug...

Ok, now that I am an adult, who is apparently the one in our family in charge of Christmas cards, decorating the house, thinking of Christmas gift ideas, shopping, returning items, shopping again, etc.... I have decided that Christmas may not be my favorite time of year anymore. All I want to do is come home from work, eat dinner, play with Caleb, then read a book and go to bed. But oh, there is wrapping to do and things to plan for...goody, goody. Plus, ever since having a child who requires all the patience I have, I have no patience left over for anyone else in the world, including other shoppers, drivers, family members, etc. so I find myself, tired, grumpy, stressed out, and altogether not very jovial. If it weren't for the movie Elf, I might not have survived thus far. That movie alone is enough to make Christmas worth it. Oh, and I tried to get some cute pics of my snotty nosed, red-eyed, drooling little boy today....yeah, they're not good, but they may be the best I can do. I hope someone gets to enjoy them. Maybe I'll write a post AFTER Christmas, saying how great it was. For now, Bah Humbug!

Well, turns out one of my first post gets to be a sad one. On Tuesday, we lost my Papaw. He was almost 91 years old. The good thing is that we got to live with him (with my parents) for about 7 months, and he got to watch Caleb grow up this year. He was a sweet man who is missed by many, but none as much as his family. He went on to join his wife, parents, brothers and sisters in paradise.

Keeping up with the Moore's...

Well, I seem to constantly find myself trying to keep up with someone. And today it is my dear cousin, Angie Moore, who is the second person to email me with a blog for her family. And of course I think it's a great idea, not one I have time for, but will make time for nonetheless so that I don't get too far behind the power curve. Caleb changes and grows so fast, maybe this way I can post some pics on here and journal entries, with a link to his photobucket site for more pics and videos. Enjoy everyone!