Fun weekend with Dad...

I told you I was hanging out with Dad this weekend. We had fun! We read books, played with Play-Doh, watched some cartoons, Dad pretended he was a horsey and I rode on his back, we ordered pizza and just had a good time together!

Mom came home Sunday and took me to the mall for more fun! We met three of Mom's cousins there with their kids and we got to play in the mall play area. We also got to play on a ride toy in the mall. I loved climbing up and down, in and out of the train.

Mom noticed a difference in me at the play area. She thinks it's probably from going to the child care room at the Rec Center but I heard her tell Dad I was a lot more comfortable (aka crazy) running around and playing with kids in there. I have been there several times and have never gone down the slide. Yesterday I went down it probably 20 times! But one boy got in trouble by his dad. He was a bigger boy than me, (Mom thought around 6 or 7 and he came over and tried to put his arm around my chest. The first time I just pushed it away and moved on but he didn't stop there. He followed me and did it again. That time he did get his arm around me and knocked me right down on my butt...intentionally. Mom said she saw the whole thing and it was like it
was his mission to push me over. She was just about to

go tell that kid not to do that again when his dad came over, grabbed him by the arm and told him they were done. He had to get his shoes on and they left. What a mean boy! But I didn't let it ruin my fun! Devon, Layla and I had a really fun time running and round and playing. Hadyn and Harrison sat with their daddies, Preston and Harrison's Mommy while we played. When it was time to go I didn't want to. I screamed, and kicked and threw a fit but it didn't work. We still had to leave. I hope we get to do that again sometime soon!

22 months...

I turned 22 months old! That means it's won't be long until my 2nd birthday! Yay! I guess the thing that is changing the most about me is how much I talk. I'm learning new words and phrases everyday. I also have gotten a lot better at counting. I've been working on it for so long and I would think I had it down and then I'd forget a number here and there. I think I have it down from 1 - 14. I don't go through them all every time I count, but I can do it!

Mom and Dad got some measurements on me last night. Yeah, I'm still a peanut. I weigh 23 pounds, am somewhere around 32 1/2 inches long and my head is 18 inches in diameter. All of these things fall in the 5-10th percentile. I told you....I'm a peanut. But I am a healthy, very happy little boy and that is the important thing.

I'm doing much better about going to the Rec Room at the Rec Center when we go. Mom and I have been going 3 days a week and I still cry when she drops me off but I stop within seconds of her walking out the door. I have a lot of fun in there!

I'm starting to be a little better about eating. Mom and Dad have cut out most of my snacks throughout the day and in turn I have been eating a lot better at meal time. Occasionally I ask for a snack and if it's not too close to meal time I can have one but otherwise I have to wait or just have drink of water or juice. Bananas (nnaa) is one of my favorite things to eat. I ask for them quite often. Sometimes I eat one and as soon as I'm done I ask for another one. (Hey it doesn't hurt to ask, right?)

I continue to learn my letters. I've added a few more since I last posed on it and I'm working on learning the ABC song. I don't quite have that down...a ways to go actually but I'm getting it little by little.

Some of the phrases I'm saying are: "One more book", "Bad Marlie" "No bark", "Get back" "More milk" "Excuse me", and "Let's see" I know there are a few others but I can't remember them right now.

I'm spending the weekend with Dad. Mom headed out of town so I'll let you know how that all goes. We should have a good time!

Enjoy your weekend!

Videos

Here are a couple videos I thought I'd share....

They are kind of dark, and Mom said not to mind her singing.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today is Valentine's Day and I'm spending with the people who love me the most and who I love the most; Mom, Dad and Marlie! So far we've had a fun day. I got a few Valentine gifts this morning. I got a coloring book, a balloon, a puzzle and bath
tub crayons.

The puzzle is really fun because it has a magnet on each piece and a little pole, like a fishing pole that also has a magnet. Then I can pretend I'm fishing with it. I have been having a lot of fun with it!

Mommy wrote me a message with my bath tub crayons.

When I "catch" one I say "cot un"

Tonight I'm staying with Payton, my babysitter while Mom and Dad go out and celebrate Valentine's Day. I always have fun with her so I'm looking forward to it! I hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day and got to spend it with someone you love!

Visit to Grandma and Grandpa's

Today we went to visit Grandpa and Grandma Dahlstrom and Uncle Brent and Kari!

First we stopped at Uncle Brent and Kari's house. I got to play a quick game of pool. I love playing pool! Then we headed to Grandpa and Grandma's and Brent and Kari came over too. It was a lot of fun! We had lunch and I played and played.

Fun on a Friday...

Today has been a fun day! I got up, had breakfast, watched Dora, while mom bought tickets for work and then we both got ready and went to the Rec Center. And yes, I cried...but for less than a minute after Mom left! Then I played and played! I didn't even notice when she came in the room to get me. I was busy talking on the phone.

After we left the Rec Center we picked Daddy up and we went to lunch at Applebee's. Mom told me I was a very good boy. My last dining out experience at Chili's didn't go so well, so I'm glad I redeemed myself and we can go out again.

We took Dad back to work and Mom and I went to Target. I saw her buy a couple fun things I think might be for me for Valentine's Day but I'm not supposed to know so I'll play along and act surprised. I'll tell you what I got later so Mom doesn't catch on.

From there we came back home, I took a nap and now we're getting ready to go grocery shopping. I like going to the store and looking at all the stuff there.

Tomorrow we are planning on going to Cedar Falls to visit Grandpa & Grandma and Uncle Brent and Kari. Grandma had surgery on her feet so we want to go visit her and see how she's doing.

I hope you have a great weekend! I know Mom and Dad have some fun planned for us so I'll tell you all about it later.

XOXOX
Cohen

How do you spell Cohen?

C...O...H...E...N! That's how! I know how to spell my name! I can't say it very clearly, but I can spell it!

I got my hair cut today. I was a very good boy. I sat up on the frog seat, watched Thomas the Train while she used the clippers and cut my hair. It tickled a little but I was a good boy. I got a balloon and a bag of animal crackers.

Vanna, pick me a letter....

I love Wheel of Fortune. I love to clap and cheer when people solve a puzzle right and win. I know who "Pat" and "Vanna" are. As soon as Wheel comes on I say, "Pat".

I also like to repeat the letters people choose. I've been busy learning my letters and in a way this helps me and I have fun watching it.

Some of the letters I know are: B, C, N, D, E, H, I, K, M, O, T, W (that one you pronounce 'duddy-duddy').

Report from my weekend....

I had a pretty good weekend. Friday Mom and I went to Harpers. We hung out at Grandpa and Grandma's house for the afternoon. Then, I stayed with Grandpa and Grandma while Mom and Granny went to a party in Waukon. My great-uncle, Dewey was on a game show and they went to watch it with him. I watched it with Grandpa and Grandma. I even was a big boy and stayed over night at their house. It was my trial and I succeeded! (not without a little fight though). I eventually fell asleep in Grandpa's arms and stayed asleep when he put me to bed in my pack
and play. Then, Saturday we hung out with Granny for a little bit and then headed back home.

Sunday we went to my buddy, Parker's house for a Super Bowl party. I was being kind of naughty at first. Mom and Dad still don't understand why I was crying and throwing a fit and to be honest I'm not sure what I was thinking either. But after a little while I got better and had fun playing with my two friends, Parker and Drew!

Today Mom and I went to the Rec Center again. It went better this time. I was a little unsure when we first got there but then she played with me a little and then left. I 'cried' on and off for about 20 minutes but then I was fine and went and played with the kids and toys. I guess I have to admit I'm adjusting.

Today is Marlie's 4th birthday. We had a little celebration with her. She loves opening presents! She got some treats, chewies and a new toy for when it gets nice outside. We sang Happy Birthday to her and she had her doggy ice cream with 4 pupperoni "candles".

Bus?

Bus?....Bus? I am really good as spotting them and hearing them. There is a school bus stop right across the street from our house. Our next door neighbor is in preschool and he get's picked up around 8:40 and dropped off around noon. The little boy who lives in the next house down gets picked up shortly after noon and dropped off around 4:00. So...six times a day I have the opportunity to see a "bus?" I don't catch them all but usually I see a "bus?" four times a day and each time I do, I say, "bus?, bus?, bus?, bus?, bus?...." seriously about 40 times while it's sitting out there. When it starts to drive away I say, "bye bus" and wave. :)

Well...

I did! I fell asleep in my pack and play in my room. It's a start! Mom was going to try putting me in it in her room for nap time today but decided not to after the rough time I had at the Rec Center child care room today. I cried for about 40 minutes. Their usual cry limit is 10 minutes before they go get your mommy, but the ladies knew I'd never adjust if they went and got her so they didn't. As soon as Mom walked in I said, "Maaama!" and had a huge grin! The two ladies couldn't believe it. To try and help me adjust to the room Mom sat down and showed me the toys. I had so much fun playing with them. I even played with the other kids. It's so hard to for me to focus on the fun stuff when I'm so upset Mom left. Next time we go Mom is going to sit down and play with me a little before she leaves and I guess I'll see how that goes. My Diego DVD couldn't even calm me down today.

Oh, and I should tell you about my first night at the gymnastics class. It went ok, but could have gone better. First off they have each of us kids pick out star to take and sit on. Well, I wanted to dig through and play with all of the stars. Then they have us do stretches. I thought that was ridiculous and so did mom. She still tried to get me to do them but I wasn't having any of that. I screamed, arched my back, said, "NO!" and cried. Finally we were on to the fun stuff. Jumping on a trampoline, somersaults, jumping off a mat, and walking along a high beam (with mom holding on of course). Next I was supposed to try walking along the uneven bars. Walking along the lower one while holding onto the higher one. Yeah...that wasn't happening. I was more interested in the "duck" I saw on the wall. Again I went into full out arched back, screaming, crying fit! Mom was a little frustrated with me, but I was frustrated with them trying to get me to do things I didn't want to do. I guess we're going to try it one more time and see how it goes. If it doesn't go any better Mom said she can get her money back and we'll try something else. I'll keep you posted.

Day 3: Will I or Won't I...

...sleep in a pack and play that is. Mom and Dad have been making me "practice" sleeping in a pack and play. It's day 3 and still no success. Day 1 they tried putting me in their bedroom in the p-n-p for a nap. I screamed and cried and screamed and cried for about 15 minutes. They decided to try a different route. Day 2: they put me in the p-n-p in my own bedroom. I laid in there for 2 hours. I didn't scream or cry but even though I was exhausted I was NOT going to fall asleep in there. Mom put me in my crib, within 2 minutes I was zonked out. Day 3....I'll let you know what I decide.

Day for new things...

Today mom took me somewhere new. We went to the Rockwell Rec Center. I guess we're going to start going there to do mom and I both some good. (That's what she says anyway...not sure I agree on the "both of us" part). She is going to exercise and I am going to go to the child care room at the rec center. Today was my first day in there and it was a little rough. Normally I do just fine when someone else watches me, whether it be at their house or ours. For some reason this was just a little different for me. There were about 10 kids in there ranging from little baby to 4 years old. When we first walked in I stuck pretty close to Mommy's leg. Then one of the care givers got me interested in playing with a musical toy. Their policy is if a child cries more than 10 consecutive minutes they go get their mommy. Well I didn't do that but when Mom came back to pick me up she said she peeked in the window to see how I was doing. I was just sitting on chair with my head down, dragging my feet on the floor. I was a little sad too. Mommy said she could tell by looking at me I was kind of whining. When she came in the room she came over to me and I was doing my "crying breathing" where I kind of gasp time to time while I'm calming down. One of the ladies told her I did "ok". She told her how I would play a little bit, then get sad, then play a little, then get sad again. Mom said she knows this is definitely a good thing for me and it will be good for her too. She's hoping I learn to like it and get the good out of it. We shall see. Sounds like I'll be heading back there again this week sometime.