January Visit to Missouri

Sledding with Grandpa

My niece, Katie, with a snowball that soon found its way to me.

Grandpa converts the lawn mower into a snowplow for the driveway- also excellent for rides around the yard.

Getting ready to play in the snow!

When it was too cold to go out in the snow Colin still loved to watch it out the window and watch the birds at the birdfeeder.

Eating a St. Louis delicacy- toasted ravioli!

The look-alike cousins- Katie and Colin

The only picture I could get of Katie, Brendan, and Colin together

Katie's a cheerleader!

Colin checking out the cattle in Texas (metal sculptures at one of Texas' awesome rest stops)

We also made a stop at White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. Very cool! It was even cold, like snow! Colin liked to throw it on top of his head.

The DVD player that was so great

After years of Rodney telling me I could go to Missouri on my own, I fially did it- or I should say we finally did it. Colin and I drove back with Mom and Dad after Christmas. It was an interesting drive over three days. Colin did great going through cities but he got kind of cranky when there was nothing to look at- and there is a whole lot of nothing in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma! Thankfully, we had a portable DVD player and Kipper DVD's! When we got to Missouri we just spent time with our immediate family and close friends. It also snowed! Colin got to experience playing in the snow a couple of times. He loved it! The first day was so cold, Grandpa just pulled him around in the sled for about 15 minutes. A couple of days later, cousins Katie and Brendan were over and we all got to play in the snow- sledding, snowballs and everything! We had a great visit and then I flew back with Colin. Again, the portable DVD player was a Godsend! We were so happy to see Rodney again! We really missed him! Since we've been back it's been pretty much life as normal. We go to MOPS, playgroup and church. Colin is doing a lot better when we leave him in the nursery at church or MOPS, giving us a wave and "bye"! He loves saying "bye" and "night night" and even occasionally "hi". He still doesn't say a lot of clear words, but is talking all the time. When we were in Missouri, he stopped trying to say Grandpa, Grandma or Katie (which are all things he could kind of say) and just called everyone "Mama". So, he came home and started calling Daddy Mama too! Oh well, he'll get over that eventually. His other favorites right now- books, forks, and magna doodle! He is also figuring out how to undress himself. I got him out of his crib yesterday afternoon and he had no shirt on! All fun things with a toddler!