Adventures in Being Two!

Hey guys, Jackson here! I really love being two. It's so much fun to get bigger and have many adventures with mom and dad. Let me tell you all about it!  Now that I decided to start talking, I talk NON-STOP. I love to tell mom about everything I see while we are driving. We talk about bumpy roads and trash trucks. I scream really loudly when I see fire trucks, which is all the time. I love living in Norfolk because there are so many interesting things to see, like rivers, school busses and even some police chases :) 

I got a cool sandbox for my birthday party and I like to bury my trucks. I also love to help mom pick up dog poop in the backyard. I am really good at finding it and am getting much better at scooping it up. Mom offers to do it all for me but I like to be a big helper. I can tell that she really likes my help.  When we have a poop-free back yard, it's time to get dirtier in the garden! I love digging and jumping in the dirt. The tree is also the perfect size for me to climb and jump down from.  Mom calls me a little monkey because I love climbing trees! I help dad mow the lawn too. I can't wait for summer again so we can mow the grass more.

I had my two-year-old check up with Dr. Dean and he said that I am very healthy! I am 50% for height and 75% for weight. He knows that I love running around so he's ok that I have a really big belly :) During my doctor's appointment I got my first flu shot and it burned very badly! Normally I don't mind shots but this one was really rough. Mom took me to Norfolk Ice Cream Company to have some ice cream (and a cookie!) and make my boo-boo feel better.  Ice cream is my favorite food every since Grandmom and Pop Pop got me hooked on it. Good thing it's mom's favorite food too. I think we'll have many ice cream dates in our future :)

 I would rather play with blocks, cars and trucks but sometimes I like to be crafty. My favorite thing to do is paint using the round sponge brushes. Last week we made handprints and when they dried I turned them into Turkeys for Thanksgiving! Some mornings I wake up really early….around 5am….and I have some quiet time with mom, playing with beads and coloring. Mom hangs my favorite pieces of art on the dining room door and I love to show dad what I made during the day!

I really love play hide-and-seek and although I don't mean to brag, I am starting to get really good at it! We play outside, inside and even in the bathtub. Mom can never find me when I hide behind the shower curtain! :) My favorite hiding spot is behind daddy's clothes in his closet, but shhh don't tell mom and dad! 

Mom was feeling really crummy for a few weeks so we went up to see Grandmom and Pop Pop so she could rest and get healthy. I saw both of them at work! Grandmom has really cool electrical wires and office supplies to play with and Pop Pop let me ride on a big boy bike. We played with toys, walked Kacee around the block, ate ice cream (of course) at Chick-Fil-A and had lots of tickle times! Pop Pop gives great pony rides too! I think all of my grandparents are just the greatest. Every night when mom and dad ask me what I am thankful for before we pray, I always say "Grandmom, Pop Pop, BB and Grandad".  

It's been getting much colder this last week so we have tried to get to the zoo as much as possible before it's too cold. I went with mom AND DAD on Monday which was a special treat. I love having dad with me at the zoo because he points out cool things like skinks and the red panda climbing over my head.  When I grow up I want to be just like my dad. We visited my favorite spot at the zoo, but the fountains were turned off (bummer!) so I played in this statue instead.

Mom made me this awesome bathrobe and got me some monkey slippers. I really like being cozy in the mornings and love wearing slippers with mom and dad while we watch Thomas the Train or Fireman Sam, my new favorite shows. I could watch TV all day but mom and dad won't let me. What a bummer.  But it's ok because then we go outside and play with all of my neighbors. we climb trees, draw with chalk, play hide and seek, jump in leaf piles and run up and down the sidewalks.

At first, mom and dad thought I was tired but really I just love to lay on the floor because it's the best way to see how the truck wheels move along the ground. I could stay here for a while just pushing my trucks back and forth, back and forth. Being 2 is pretty great. Gotta go, I have lots of playing to do! 

Happy Halloween!

Jackson decided to skip his nap on Halloween, making for an interesting afternoon of "No. I don't want to" attitude.  After rejecting the dinner I made (chili and corn bread, yum), J and I headed over for a quick pasta dinner at the Mazzio's house, thinking that other kids could convince him to eat. Nope. He played with toys for a while and then we scurried back to our house where BB and Granddad were eating some chili with Jonathan.  It was wrestle mania to get Jackson dressed in his costume but we managed to do it....at least 3/4 of his costume. Granted, I don't know what 2 year old would be excited about wearing a really cozy lion costume when it was 78 degrees outside, but come on kid, you have to know that Halloween is all about the parents :)  During the whole, 'My kid is screaming as I try to get this darn costume on him' process, I almost bagged Trick Or Treating and put him to bed but I'm glad we didn't go that route.  

I mean, isn't he the cutest lion ever??

Even lions get their second year molars and need a little soothing. 

not sure about this whole process....

 We missed the official group photo but caught up with the kiddos before heading out. We had Yoda, the Little Mermaid, a pumpkin, scarecrow princess and two light-up princesses.  

Jackson soon became a Trick Or Treat pro, confidently walking up to all houses, even scary ones, and taking some candy. We worked on "Trick or Treat" and "Thank you" the week leading up to Halloween but he never talks around strangers so it didn't quite happen like we planned, but maybe next year.

 After an hour of fun and candy, we attempted a family picture which looked a little like this....

ROAR!!!!

Happy Birthday Dear Jackson

This weekend was a whirlwind of birthday parties for Jackson.  On Saturday we had a toddler party for approximately 40 guests. Whoops, I guess my guest list got a little large! We had a great time celebrating with family, friends from church and friends from all the way out in Virginia Beach. The theme was "Construction Trucks" per Jackson's fascination with all things related to building and demolition.  

Jackson got to play around with all 4 grandparents at one time, which is such a treat. This little kid does not lack love, hugs and tummy tickling!

Who are all these crazy people behind me?!?!

Thankfully the weather held up enough for us to play in the sandbox and do lots of chalk drawings outside! 

Mike and Kate 

Eli and Charlotte in the sandbox

Eli, Jackson and Luke play corn hole

And then it was cake time! Jackson had 6 cupcakes that day....three large and three small. Thankfully he crashed from all the excitement and took a long nap and went right to bed on time.  We sat on the steps and everyone faced him, like all the paparazi at prom. He loved it, in his own quite, shy way.  

Jackson's buddies

After naptime, J's buddy Ellie joined us for a cupcake (that was #4 for Jackson) and brought him some 'construction' playdough, which we have not stopped playing with. Today is a very special day for Ellie (!!!!) and we are glad that she spent some time with us this weekend even though she was super busy and excited getting ready for today. I will let her momma tell you more about that over here.  

grillmaster 

In the evening, the Byrnes and 11 members of my McKay/Renz family joined us for burgers, brats and a huge costco cake (um....best thing ever!) to celebrate Aunt Jeanette's birthday as well as J man's! It's always so good to catch up with family and we love having a home that allows us to host.  Jackson got two car carriers for his birthday and he has not let go of them since. One goes with him everywhere...in the bath, to bed, on errands, to the breakfast table...

opening some gifts from family 

McKay/Renz

Crabtree Falls Camping Trip!

Luke and J throwing rocks

This year we got to participate in the yearly McNabb camping trip. Bonnie and Andy have been going to Crabtree Falls in Tyro, VA for the past 10 years, complete with pregnancy, newborns and two toddlers. We (the Byrnes and Mazzios) figured, what the heck? Let's see what camping is all about. Thank goodness for Andy's attic full of camping gear, otherwise the Byrne family would have shared 1 sleeping bag and hung a tarp from a tree to stay dry.  The three of us stayed in one tent and Jackson slept in the pack n play right next to me. He slept like a rock all night (until 8am!) and napped pretty well. All the adventure (throwing rocks, climbing rocks, running) wore him out! 

Katie gathering her stash of rocks

This is Jackson's best friend; he LOVES Katie

Look at that wind-up

The kid table

We had several sites at the campground for each family to set up camp and have a group 'Party/dinner' tent and a site for the kitchen. These people don't mess around. They know how to camp! We enjoyed gourmet meals like fajitas, lasagna, pancakes and chocolate cake. We managed to fit in s'mores (with Reece's Peanut Butter Cups....oh my goodness!) one night in the rain.

enjoying an afternoon without rain!

Saturday morning we went apple picking and got some delicious Rome and not-so-sour Granny Smith. The kids had a great time romping through the long grass.

Dan, Charlotte and Caroline

The girls check out their pickings

Caroline (and the rest of the kids) romping through the grass!

 Jackson loved running through the apple orchard. I can't get enough of this kid!!!

Back at the campsite, we played Kubb (a stick throwing game), tossed the football, played dice and enjoyed a campfire when it wasn't raining. It was pretty wet all weekend, which made for some muddy clothes and wet kids, but we really did have a great time in the rain!

Diaper change on a picnic table in the woods

Future QB?

Sleeping bag wrestling before bed

The Mazzio Family

On Sunday we went to Crabtree Falls for a hike. We attempted to wrangle J into a camping backpack and he lasted for about 10 minutes. We made it 0.3 miles up the trail for a pretty great view! The rest of the group headed towards the top despite the wet conditions. Walking sticks helped :)

The McNabb Family

Mazzios on the trail

Happy (for a moment) in the backpack

Bonnie and Andy, our camp directors

We had a great trip! Thanks to the two McNabb families for all the planning.