Vin Being Vin

Giving five to his brother


Giant Vin taking over Tokyo

Sad Cycles

"Driving" Aunt Missi's van up to see Pop-pop




Tough guy Vin and Aunt Missi

Last Sunday was a scary day. It started out as a normal Sunday and was actually my 30th birthday. Interestingly we did the bulk of birthday celebrating on Friday so Sunday was just going to be a rather low key day for us. We got a call in church saying that Jason's Pop was in a motorcycle accident and was being airlifted to the hospital. A truck coming from the opposite direction made a left turn right in front of him. Obviously, the driver of the truck didn't see him. So scary. Could have been a horrible, horrible accident.


Naturally, Jason went right over to the hospital fearing the worst. It took him hours to find out what was going on. The surgery drug on for eight hours before they got word of what was going on. Thankfully, he didn't suffer any life threatening injuries. However, he does have some serious injuries to his right leg and left wrist. He had to go through another very long surgery on Monday and is facing the possibility of additional surgeries.


He was released from the hospital on Thursday and so we went up to visit him today. He was looking tired but seemed to be in good spirits considering. We are so thankful he is going to be okay and that God had his hand on him. We love you Pop!


P.S. Scroll down for pictures of Vin on the now unrideable cycles a few weeks ago.

First Time Painting

We went to the Children's Museum again and this time we visited the painting section. Vin and his friends had a blast painting their own masterpieces while we Moms stood back and chewed our fingernails - trying not to fret about the ruined outfits, paint covered faces, hands, hair, shoes...

Day Out

He wasn't a huge fan and then when he slipped and fell in front of all of the other kids he was all done with the fountain.


Oh, I'm so embarrased.





"Who me?" "Pick this flower?" "Surely not." But he did indeed pick the poor flower.

Chase with Dad

Let the chase begin!

"Wee Cycles!"

Vin is obsessed with motorcycles, bicycles, tricycles pretty much any kind of cycle. If he hears a motorcycle go by while we are in the house he stops and shouts "Cycles! Weeee.. cycles!" Yes, he loves his "cycles" and so he was beside himself with excitement when he got to play on his Grandpop Berner's motorcycle this past weekend.

New Slide

Someone from our church was kind enough to hand down to us their outdoor kiddie slide. Vin is a still a little unsure since it's a steeper slide than he's used to but he does love to talk about his new slide. Here are a some pictures of his first time checking it out.

First approach




Really? This is mine??


Looking very unsure

What is wrong with you?

Vin turned 18 months on August 9th. We are amazed at all the new things he's doing and saying. He's starting to recognize certain letters and can count to ten on his own and to twenty with a lot of help. Thanks to his Baby Einstein videos he knows a ton of signs most of which Ja and I don't. Sometimes he signs things and I have no idea what he's signing. The other day while watching a video with him I figured out he knows and uses the signs for couch, tree, swing and puzzle. Poor guy, was using all those signs and I thought he was just playing with his hands.

He's also starting to talk very well. Tonight he looked at the sunset and turned to me and said "Sun!" And then he said "Night, night sun". He can tell me when he's hurt, scared, tired, when he has a dirty diaper and wants it changed and what he wants to eat or drink. When he doesn't like somebody and they get in his face he says the them very loudly and abruptly "Bye, bye!" Oh, man talk about embarrassing. But if he likes the person, which he mostly does, then he will fully engage them in conversation.

Yesterday, he came in the kitchen while I was making his lunch with a book in his hand. He asked me to read it to him and I said "Not now". To which he responded, "Now, book!" I said once again, "Not now". And he responded "NOW! NOW! NOW!" I was a bit taken back but responded with the same answer, "Not now." He then threw down the book and walked out of the kitchen in disgust. With which I responded under my breath "Life's tough isn't it."

So those are all the dazzling things our little one and a half year old is doing. All that great stuff and progress and then he goes and proves he's got a long way to go before he's truly a big kid. Last week he decided he was going to "walk" down the front steps by himself. So I turned to see my little guy toppling down the steps. Fortunately, he broke his fall with his face smashing the cement (note the sarcasm). He ended up with a nasty cut on his forehead and a chipped front tooth. Hooray!

Then today I was at the mall making a return at Children's Place. As I was stepping up to the counter Vinnie started coughing. Now, occasionally he will cough to get attention and it sounded like that kind of cough because it was very dramatic. So I told him to cut it out. But he kept going. So I finally turned to him and could tell right away something was wrong. Then he stopped coughing and was chocking. Crap, not this again. I pulled him out of his stroller and started banging him on his back. He then threw up a bit of vile (I know, disgusting) but then went back to chocking. So I hit him on the back again and POP, out came a push pin. Yes, a push stinking pin. I let him run around in the previous store I was in and apparently he found one on the floor and thought it looked tasty. What in the world kiddo? You won't eat carrots but you will eat a push pin? On the up side, when it was all over Vinnie looked up at the Sales Associate who helped us with the chocking mess and said in his sweetest toddler voice "Thank You". She was very touched.

Vin Not Napping

I took this last week during Vin's "nap" time. His new thing is to get up and play until he decides to nap or until I come in and tell him to nap. I think he's really enjoying his new found freedom. Cribs are for the birds!

Catching up on some blogging!

Vin's room


Our room

Nursery

Playroom

Living room

Dining room

Here are some shots of our new place. We feel nice and cozy here and we are LOVING the extra room especially the deck. We are out there all of the time. I had no idea how great a deck could be.

Children's Museum and Dinner with the Gals 8/5/08

Last Tuesday Vin went to the Pittsburgh Children's Museum for the first time. We went with his friends Ella and Madison. The kiddos had a ball. That night Katie had us gals and kids over for a lovely dinner to celebrate our move and Lisa's pregnancy. That makes three of us who are pregnant now. It's exciting to think that our seconds will be close in age as well. Our play dates are about to get a lot more crowded.


He was captivated with this contraption. It didn't take him long to figure out how to make it work.

Vin loved the trolley in Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.

He LOVED this lawnmower.

Job well done.

Back at it again.