What do you like?

This afternoon Colin and I were having a conversation about things we liked and I would ask him something and it would either be a yes or no. Then I asked him what Grandma liked and he said Grandpa! (well he didn't say it - he makes a "grandpa" face where he scrunches up his eyes and nose... its really funny and part of me hopes he doesn't outgrow it for a while. It is a little frustrating for him when he is trying to get grandpa's attention and he just makes his face which grandpa can't see sometimes!) But anyways Grandma likes Grandpa. True statement and very cute. SO then I asked him what did Grandpa like and Colin said Fish! haha Grandma likes Grandpa but Grandpa likes fish! He repeated it again for everyone at dinner :)

So cute. And to further brag on our little boy. He is a genius! I know most people say that about their kids but yesterday we were making brownies and I was putting the eggs in and counted 1...2... and before I could say three Colin says what sounds like teeee! (mommy translation = 3) Proof - Colin is a genius!

One more cute story - last night Colin got up at an insane hour - 3:30 - and I brought him in bed with us and he went right to sleep. After a while when I am about to take him back to his own bed, his arm shoots up and he yells BALL and pretends to bounce a basketball! The whole time sound asleep.

I think we can count on those scholarships - both for brains and his wonderful athleticism!

Winter wonderland

It finally snowed! Colin wasn't sure about it at first and kept going uh-oh when we made a snowman and then knocked it down. Apparently when I was Colin's age my parents bundled me and my sister up, took us outside and we cried the whole time. So the first night wasn't a surprise when Colin didn't really like the snow. But the next day he decided the snow was fun and even helped brent put the snowman back together! He didnt think the snowman needed a carrot nose and would eat all the carrots we brought out. Guess we shouldve given him lunch first. Colin ended up loving the snow and here are a few pictures of our snow adventures!

Our Little Man

Colin has developed a love for cereal. And not just any cereal - a mixture of Muselix and Granola. You have to mix them. He insists!! He usually has a few bowls by the time breakfast is over as he likes to share with grandma, mama and his own bowl. He starts with a bowl from mama, then grandma comes down and pours herself a bowl, then he wants his own and then finally dada comes and eats some too! I personally am getting a little tired of this combination. But not Colin! This results in some very interesting diaper changes a few hours later. But along with the cereal every morning he also likes to read the morning paper. He just looks at the pictures but he is such a genius we wouldn't be surprised if he is actually reading the stock reports for future use!

DADDY!

The other day my mom and I took Colin to the Mariners Museum. Its is a really cool museum and they just added a new wing dedicated to the Monitor. They even have actual pieces of the ship on display and a reproduction of the entire ship. It was amazing to walk out on it and realize how big it was. Colin of course found the only puddle and spent some time splashing away. We didn't get to read/watch much since Colin just wanted to see it all at a much faster pace. One day we're going to go back and read everything and watch all the movies. (the coolest ones were on the monitor - when it sank and also the Battle of the Ironclads! Definitely worth the money to go see!) But the funniest moment was when we passed this statue. There were so many all over the museum but Colin walked by, pointed to it and yelled "Dada!" and then kept walking. My mom and I burst out laughing and then on our way out Colin did it again and we just had to get a picture of "Dada." We aren't sure why but it apparently reminded Colin of Brent. So here's to Dada :)

Being a Dad

So it's been a long time since I've made a post. Truth is I think Abigail does a great job keeping up on all Colin does. She also takes more pictures than me, more video's, and let's face it... see's him more than me. Being a dad is THE greatest joy in life next to experiencing God. It doesn't matter what my day is like at work, but when I come home, Colin is there. I walk through the door (unless he meets me at my truck; which is often) and I yell "HELLO!" I wait for a few brief moments knowing that my little boy, with a huge smile on his face, will come high stepping around the corner of the hallway, and run full steam ahead into my arms. There IS no greater feeling than that. And that is just the beginning. I usually get home around 5:30 or 6pm and then have a little time to play with him before dinner. He loves trains and also instruments that make ANY noise. He usually grabs Abigail/grandma/any aunt's around/ and myself and we carry tambourines, cymbals, and a triangle around the house making horrific loud noises that somehow sound beautiful to Colin!

One of my favorite things to do with Colin is drive the R/C car I got for Christmas around the house with Colin following after me. Many times when I arrive home from work, he will pull me by the shirt, and take me to the remote control where he will look at me with his little eyes sternly and say "da" which is a universal word he uses to mean just about everything. In this case it means, "let's go daddy, take this and we are going to play." I grab the remote control and he grabs his pushable cart/toy/thingy with wheels on it. I chase him around the house with the car as he runs faster and faster in circles. Eventually one of us will turn and go in the opposite direction and crash into each other!

Being a dad is such a joy because you realize you are helping mold this little person into who they will become. As a Christian I want to instill values and morals of Godly character. Colin is beginning to get to the age where I can teach him more things and tell him right from wrong, but mostly its just about loving him and spending time with him. Helping him feel loved and giving him security. I want him to know that he can always goto dad and I will help him with whatever he is facing. At this point, its kissing his bo-boo's, looking for lost toys, and helping him up and down stairs! I'll take what I can get for now! I know I will be in over my head when he gets older and life becomes more complicated. For right now, I try not to take any day for granted and just spend as much time as possible with him. I'm not going to lie, I am very selfish and often want to do my own thing when coming home from work, but in reality its not hard to spend all your free time with God's most beautiful creation.... our kids.

Living museum

Yesterday I took Colin to the Virginia Living Museum. It has changed a lot since the days of boring school field trips year after year. It wouldnt have been so boring but they took us to the same thing each year in middle school. But now they have added an enormous new wing and its so much better. It was a beautiful day - 69 and sunny! We spent a lot of time watching the beavers, the bobcat (MEOW! MEOW! as Colin kept saying), and the turkeys (gobble Gobble gobble) There was one turkey that kept talking to Colin. Makes me wish I knew what BOTH of them were saying. Colin kept making turkey sounds and the turkey would answer back. All the fish were really cool too and Colin loved the touch tank where he could touch horse shoe crabs and different fish.

(Dont worry... the snake is fake)

Football

Colin was practicing his "touchdown!" the day before the hokies bowl game but unfortunately he woke up the next day to disbelief when he realized his beloved hokies lost. And to add to that the Redskins lost their playoff game too. It was not a good week for football but Colin is already ready for next year and keeps practicing his "go go go" and "touchdown!" sayings (what he says when watching football) in anticipation of many wins in 2008.

Little Drummer Boy

Colin is very musically talented already. Angela noticed when he was a few months old that he could feel the beat in music and since then his love for instruments and music keeps growing. His new thing is to watch the Highty Tighties on YouTube and pump his arms up and down with the music. He has also discovered that pot lids make great cymbals and after a few weeks of that noise I went and bought him his own set of cymbals to save our sanity. (And also the pots) The cymbals are much quieter. He loves to march around the house and high step it and makes sure anyone who wants to participate gets to join in the fun. (or who he thinks wants to participate. On Christmas day he made Angela and Sarah march around the house many times. Mary is his favorite to march with and he always tries to get her to play the game with him. And usually she willingly does! What a great aunt! As you can see in this picture, Mary is a little tired of watching the same video for the 100th time that day! But Colin is just as excited as the first time)

Christmas in DC

This past weekend we went to visit Grandpa Goedecke (aka Pops) and spent some time in DC taking Colin around to a few of the tourist sites. We first went to see the national tree only Colin wasn't too impressed since it was daylight and the lights weren't on. Uh-OH was the word he kept saying. We then took Colin over to the WWII memorial and spent the whole time keeping Colin from climbing into the fountains. He loved it and really didn't understand why Mommy wouldnt let him splash in the water. (the other day we went to the playground and splashed in all the puddles - Colin and I had a great time but I'm afraid he now thinks any standing water is for him to splash in)

We then went to the Air and Space museum to look at all the airplanes. As you can see he loved driving the airplane! We met a friend Mike for dinner and then went home to open some Christmas presents. And thats when our wonderful weekend took a downhill. Colin opened a present and then puked up his dinner and spent the rest of the night with the flu. The only way he slept was if I held him so no one got any sleep. The poor thing was so sick and had no clue what was going on. We came home early after meeting a friend for breakfast and while Colin has bounced back very quickly, he passed the wonderful flu onto Momma and Aunt Mary. Brent deserved the father/husband of the year as he has taken care of both of us and praise the Lord for his strong stomach as I get queasy with anything flu related. We are so glad we're still living with my parents as they have helped tremendously with Colin so Brent can take care of me and my parents can watch Colin. As I'm writing this I have only seen Colin for a minute today! I miss my little boy and pray that all of us are feeling much better tomorrow. Happy New Year! Hopefully this isnt an indication of what the year will bring.