Reed Update

Although I need to post Easter pictures and all our exciting times from last weekend, I have decided to do it out of order instead of living behind!! I started this blog as a way to document stories and daily memories about my family and friends but mostly as a way to keep memories for Reed. So today, is the first day in a while that Reed and I spent all day together just the two of us with no agenda other than to have fun..!

Reed is 2 1/2 years old and is a wonder to me. He LOVES everyday! He has such beauty and wonder in his eyes with each new discovery and it is so fun to watch and now hear him discover himself through language and experiences. Reed is still very busy and independent. Much like his mother in a familiar environment he is an act first, react/think later kid...he is playful and funny. He loves to tease and to make you smile. He has the best giggle in the world! He can also be observant, and sometimes in a new situation wants to watch how it is done before he tries it, but rarely is he intimidated by an activity or event. He LOVES animals and they LOVE him. This he gets from his father and his grandpa. We spent today at the zoo and Reed could sit and watch each animal forever...he loved feeding the goats and sheep. He is a hands on learner and wants to touch and feel EVERYTHING! I noticed today how sweet and kind he could be. If I offered him a snack or a drink, he wanted his friends to have them too and first. He noticed when others fell down or were crying and asked if they were okay? He has the memory of an elephant and has replayed the entire zoo trip to me multiple times today since coming home and what animals were sleeping, playing or biting! He is speaking better and more clearly everyday. He still calls Truman our dog, Prune...and worries that Prune will bite/eat Daddy's bushes in the backyard...this is a valid concern. He became concerned this week that Todd had "Jack hair" on his toes and in his nose. Jack is our border collie that is black and shedding profusely right now so there is Jack hair everywhere, apparently Todd has hairy feet and a hairy nose!! Reed has also found a strong connection with all of his grandparents. He likes to call Nana and Papa on the phone and teases Nana that he is Papa's boy! He likes to go to 'Ma's house but always wants his cousins to be there too. He is a sweet and special boy and I can't wait to see what magnificent thing he discovers tomorrow!

Spring Weather!!!

Oh we are so thankful for SPRING!!! We have been having fun in the sun this week!! If you don't know us very well, we are an outdoor family and winter about did us all in!! We have been playing baseball outside and running and drawing chalk people and running and going to the park and running!

We even had our first grill out of the season!!! I love it when it is grill weather because Todd cooks!!

Reed had a tragic week however with the loss of Brown Blanky. Reed got to spend the weekend at 'Ma's house because I was on call and Todd needed a yard day pre-spring/summer sports weekends. So Reed went to 'Ma's on Saturday and got to go to the carnival at her school and the 'Ma's park. BUT we did not get home with Brown Blanky!!! If you have a child with a lovey or security blanket or object...you understand. I thought we were going to be driving back to Kiowa, but through the tears and after the tantrum of kicking the door out to the garage amist screams of "Maamaa, Reed -- Car --- Ma's --- Brown Blank --- NOWWW!!" Reed decided that he was big and after a convincing phone call that 'Ma did indeed have the blanket and it was safe. He decided that the Lightning McQueen blanket would work for a day or two. At his every chance he did tell me that the Lightning blanket was NOT brown blanky and was brown blanky still at 'Ma's!?!

Much to his delight, Brown Blanky came in the mail yesterday! Reed was beside himself with excitement!!! He was soo funny, he was really shaking trying to get the envelope open!

All is well in the Hackleman House, now that brown blanky can rest with Reed!

Rock Chalk Reed?!?

No, don't worry Reed has not converted to a Jayhawk..sorry Lexy! But we did enjoy the sunshine a few days this last week and one day we made a "chalk" Reed on the driveway. Reed thought it was really neat and we have to go look at it everytime we go outside! Too bad that it is supposed to rain and snow this weekend and wash 'chalk Reed' away. Oh well, we will have to make another one.

Reed did learn to say "yucky Chickenhawks!" Don't know where that came from?!? ;)

weekend of March 5th - Seasame Street Live

The weekend of March 5th we had Cresten with us (Audrey's youngest) He is 9 months younger than Reed so they have a big time. We had tickets to Seasame Street Live on Saturday morning, so Todd and I took the boys to see Elmo!! Do to a ticket error we ended up in the 3rd row, which was really the front row due to no one sitting in the first 2 rows because they were pre-sold and not used. There was some drama with people trying to move into those seats and some mothers behind us not having any of it! Todd thought that was the best part of the show! I thought the entire thing was great and the boys loved it! The ELMO balloon was Reed's favorite part!

where did the time go?

I've just realized that it has been weeks since I last posted. I'm not even sure what all we have been doing! I guess we have been living...I do know that nights have been busy with the adjustment to the big boy bed and the time change. All in all I'll try to get some posts up tonight to get you all caught up on what we have been doing.

Sweet Boy!

Well we are in night number 2 of the big boy bed...and it is a challenge needless to say...it is just so darn easy to get up and play! I am picking my battles and remaining calm and cool, but it was just before 10pm when he finally fell asleep!

In the battle of laying down, we were reading books and Reed was flopping around like a fish trying to get settled, or remain unsettled so he wouldn't fall asleep, anyway we bonked heads really hard! He got me right between the eyes on the bridge of the nose and it immediately made my eyes water! He got so upset, he said..."oh, oh, Mommy! Reed broke Mom's head!! Mommy cry, no! Reed fix head, Mom!" Then he grabbed my hair (like he was going to scalp me!) and kissed my forehead about 10 times! That brought tears to my eyes! What a sweet, sweet boy I have!

Now if he'll just sleep all night in that big boy bed!

Big Boy!

Reed made it home from Nana and Papa Hackleman's today! He did so good! He of course got a perfect report from Nana and Papa...they think he is an absolute Angel...boy does he have them wrapped around his little finger. We are so glad to have them to spoil and love him! He had the best time. He also got to see his cousins Trey and Taylor and his Uncle Kirk. He talked about all of them all the way home. He absolutely loved every minute of his time there.

He came home so big! (Probably because you eat really good at Nana Hackleman's...I know he helped bake a cake yesterday and he told me he had i-cream w/ Papa.) My how fast they change in just a week. Todd and I were amazed at how much better he talks and how tall he looks!

He has been working on potty training as well. I'd say we are about 50% effective at the moment, which I think is great. He is did go twice for me today and once was at the A&W in Iola! Yeah Reed! I told him I was so proud of him because he was such a big boy. He said "Yes, Reed is BIG!!!"

ALSO, Reed is spending his first night in his BIG BOY bed! Yes, we took down the crib and converted to a toddler bed! Pray for us that he does not escape to the garage to ride his bike or hit baseballs in the middle of the night! He was pretty excited to see it when he got home, he climbed in and covered up, then jumped on it to test it out, then told me it was broken because the crib side was missing! He went to get Todd to fix it! It was a challenge getting in there tonight, but so far so good.