Regis comes to town

Regis and the "fish" he caught (Colin loved it)

This past weekend, Re-Re came to visit. He and Brent have been friends for I think 25/26 years. Our prayer is that Colin can find a friend like Regis. As Brent likes to say, Regis was the brother he never had and they have been really close I think most of their lives. So I'm glad they could get away together. Brent had been looking forward to it for a long time. They had planned on going camping but instead with the rain went down to Kitty Hawk and stayed in a nice warm/dry hotel. Roughing I'm sure! Colin ADORES Re-Re and in fact keeps waking up in the mornings asking if Re-Re was coming to play. It was really fun having him here and we hope he can come again soon. Regis is a professional photographer now and took some pictures of our little boy and also some great family pictures. (I was secretly hoping he would take some of Colin) Some of you will be getting some for Christmas presents but here is a sneak peak of his talents and our handsome Colin. I tried to figure out how to do a slide show on this thing but my computer skills are limited so here are some of our favorites. I love them all. Regis was able to capture Colin's personality in every picture. Makes me tear up looking at each of them. I would love to frame every one. If you would like to check out some of his other pictures - here is his website, Regis Vogt Photography.

My handsome boys The man in action (as you can tell from the quality of the other pictures - I took this one)

It was tempting to put up more but I'm going to leave the rest for the family to see at Christmas when Colin gives his annual picture to everyone. But here are two more great ones... like father, like son! Notice how they both walk.....Colin has a grumpy look on his face since we had to leave the playground and go home and watch the redskins win. Priorities you know!

Christmas came early

Christmas came early this year for Colin as my uncle brought down this kitchen set and cash register and also all the toys in the shelves that you see. The kitchen set used to be my little sister's. Colin loves it all and has had so much fun playing all morning. His favorite thing is to run the cash register - beep-beep-beep-beep is all I hear. He also likes to make coffee and put water in the coffee maker and then drinking it. Last night when we got home he was enjoying playing with it when I told him "Colin its time for bed. Lets clean up your toys." He said "Oh... wait" and runs into the kitchen, points at the clock and says "time for play" Sorry kid - if only the clocks worked that way.

the magic word

I have been trying to teach Colin to say please and thank you and sometimes you're welcome but that ones a little hard for him right now. But he asked for something and I instinctively said "whats the magic word?" He thought for a moment, and in those few seconds I realized it was the first time I had asked him that question and was actually curious to see what he would say. So after I could see the wheels turning in his head he proudly said "GOD!"

About a month ago - or maybe even less, my grandpa was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer. Surprisingly the neighbor across the street has this same type. But he went into the hospital last weekend when he got so weak he couldn't walk. So Colin and I came to help my grandma this week and be her personal drivers as she can't drive since her stroke. He was in icu for a few days and then was moved to his own room. And after they gave him his first dose of chemo he was feeling so much better and can now walk around and looks much better. He will be coming home tomorrow - and he is so ready to be home. We can't wait for him to come home either. What we understand from the doctor is that this cancer has a great response rate with the chemo and from what I saw yesterday they were right. Which is very encouraging to us all.
Colin and I were glad to come help and Colin has LOVED being here. The first thing he went for was the candy dish. Before I could stop him fist fulls of m&m's were being shoved into his mouth. So we put the m&m's up but he still charmed me and with his sweet "peas" (for please) he gets a few every time he walks by. He was very interested in the hospital bed and kept whispering to me "buttons mama, buttons - me push" which we didn't let him but he is really wanting to. He loved the little pond outside the icu wing of the hospital and would pretend his stick was his fishing pole (pole pole is what he calls it) and would fish for hours out there if we let him. Colin also found my uncle's old football helmet and he loves to go outside and play football. My uncle Jeff is coming tonight and bringing Colin a kitchen set and some other toys. It's going to be like Christmas for Colin when he wakes up from his nap. Colin and I will head back to va beach tonight but will be back next Friday if not sooner. Can't stay away from ooo-eee and howard too long!

Catch

Yesterday Colin and I were at the store and I let him walk down the toy isles and play with the toys - trying to get an idea of what he might want for Christmas. Usually if he always goes for one toy time after time it usually means he'll play with it a lot when we bring it home. But he found a kids sized catchers mit and wanted it to play "catch - dada - me" was what he said and he had to call dada on the phone to tell him "catch - home - me" These are the sentences he is saying now. Brent and Colin play baseball ALL the time where Brent will hit the baseball with the bat and Colin (and I) will go running after the ball. Its a great game and Colin laughs and absolutely loves it. So a glove made it all the more exciting. Brent and I have agreed that you can't go wrong with sports toys for him. For one he loves it and it tires him out for great naps and bedtimes but it also is shaping him for his future college scholarship - hopefully. At least its worth a try. He's actually pretty good. He is so proud of his "catch" as he calls it and tonight when Brent comes home we'll have to play again.

Destiny comes to visit

This past weekend my friend Destiny came to visit from West Virginia. The last time I had seen her was in WV when we were moving our stuff out. And I think its been a year since Brent had seen her. We love Destiny and she is so much fun to be around. The weather was beautiful so we went down to the beach - of course. Colin is getting to be such a beach bum and loves to go and play in the sand and the water. We tried to go to Cape Henry Lighthouse but once we passed through the first initial inspection they had to search our car at the second inspection - and apparently our car registration ran out. Who knew Fort Story was so monitored by the military. We haven't made it to the DMV here yet and I think Colin and I will be going Monday. We didn't get a ticket thankfully but we couldn't go see the lighthouse. I was sure we had until March to renew but I guess I was wrong. We had a lot of fun anyways. Brent and I watched TWO movies with Destiny this weekend. Its been a long time since we were able to watch a movie from start to finish but our little man is sleeping until 8am now and makes staying up much easier. We loved having her here are sad she had to go back to West Virginia. Come back again "nit ney"

art time

Colin LOVES to paint. He prefers painting people when we paint walls in our house. But he does like to paint on paper. He doesn't really like to color with crayons - paints and watercolors hold his attention better. He was so cute painting with these brushes I got that I had to take some pictures. These brushes are great since its got the paint and the brush all in one. You just have to squeeze the handle and paint goes into the brush. Makes painting SO much easier to clean up now. He brought one of his paintings to my mom this week. One was so good we framed it. He is so proud of his paintings and likes to tell me what each one of them are. For example the other day he painted a rake, horse, and slide. And amid the paint splotches you could really see where he was getting those. Brilliant. What a smart boy!

little cowboy

When were were at the football game, Jeff brought us our cousin's hobby horse. Colin was intrigued and kept wanting us to bring in the horse when we got back to the farm. (He still thinks it should go back to the farm.....appropriate but our farm doesn't have animals) He looks like a natural here. Its hard to get a good pictures because he bounces so fast on it. He did get stuck under the horse as he was trying to make his baby horse come and hug the mommy horse and I think got some hair caught in the springs. "pelp... pelp.. pelp" is what I heard and since then I think he's a little put off by the horse as he doesn't ride it as much. But he's really cute as he likes to come over and talk to the horse. He pets the horse and adjusts her strap. So cute. He might just be the next horse whisperer :) Thank you Jeff and Hannah!

We finally put Brent's firepit together that he got for his birthday. It was so much fun and we stocked up on hotdogs and smores. Colin would do this every night! Especially the chocolate part.

Another HOkie weekend...

Right before the gameRunning with Ba-pa

Colin laughing at something Jeff told him...and given that Jeff taught me the "beans, beans, the musical fruit" song I can only imagine :)

Watching the game. Notice that concentration.

Yes that makes THREE games we've gone to this year. Colin loves them so we are very glad to have had the opportunity to take him to experience hokie football in person. Although the other day I was throwing the football in the back yard to him since Brent was at work and he kept tackling me. Every time. And he hits hard. (Frank Beamer I think we need to talk) He studies the game and when we get home he loves to play football and try to "drop" the rest of us who are playing with him. Colin loved tailgating and loved to have someone throw him the football while he went and caught it. He didnt tackle anyone there though. Just momma at home I guess. He had a great time with Uncle Jeff - who is now deff as colin says. The weather was perfect. Some of the trees were just starting to change. The game got a little boring in the end and Colin did manage to fall asleep during the 4th quarter. But at least we won which is always important. We had a great time and can't think of a better way to spend a weekend in the fall than at a Hokie football game. Thank you grandma and grandpa and uncle jeff for the tickets again. AND thank you mom and dad for taking us :)Here is a short video of him watching the hokies play nebraska a few weeks ago. We put him down for a late nap and then let him stay up to watch the first half. He didnt make it though and went back in his room and told me he wanted to go to sleep (which surprised us) but he cheered for a good quarter.The past few days he wanted Thomas and Percy (his trains from Thomas the train) to go watch the football game and we had to cheer and yell like we did at the game. The trains did. Which is funny to imitate. And then we leave and go back to the farm. If I try to take the trains home he corrects me and says "farm."

our little decorator

The other day I walked into the room and Colin had his tape measure out measuring furniture. I quickly grabbed the camera. He's pretty good at measuring the right parts - now we just have to work on his numbers. Brent just shakes his head when I walk into a room and start measuring. In fact, while Colin was napping today I rearranged the guest bedroom since I thought of a new way to place furniture :)

By the way this couch used to be a light pine color with green cushions. I stained it black and recovered the cushions. Makes a huge difference. Now I just need to find some pillows to go on it.