Me and the Kid

He's getting cooler by the day. I love him lots, and may I say that I am the BEST big brother ever. I am SUCH a help to my mom. Everyone should be so blessed!!

Red Letter day!

My Opa is in the hospital, but is supposed to come home today. It was a fun day (I actually have had LOTS of fun days since I last checked in, Josh's site has some pics)...I WENT POOP ON THE BIG POTTY this morning, so the day is one to certainly celebrate! Mom and Mrs. Van Boven took all us Van Something boys to the Frisco Fire Safety Town where we got a personal tour, got to play in the fire truck, AND we got to walk around the Safety Town and learn how to use a crosswalk, and other things...then i got to go to BABES for lunch and there is talk of an ice cream sundae later...so we shall see. Hopefully I will be able to check in more often now that me and Josh are sleeping at a regular schedule during the day.
Check out his site, he is a cute little booger. He is truly one of my buddies now that he can sit up and crawl. I love to wake him up in the mornings, i love to hug him, I love to play cars with him and I am currently trying to teach him to play golf. Which is truly the blind leading the blind...get used to it mom!

Quick hit

If you check out Josh's blog, you'll see we had a lot going on. But I have had some time to hang out w/ my friends. We had a great weekend last weekend and are looking forward to some upcoming festivals and getting out to enjoy the weather and exercising.
I am really trying to talk a lot these days, but no one really understands me. I have some really random words that are odd for a 2 year old to know. I can tell you things are "broke", need "batteries", "mist", mess, and lots of other stuff. I have become the proverbial parrot you hear of. Dad said something was Jacked Up and then I ran around saying Jacked for the next 5 minutes...they better start paying attention or there will be some big embarrassing days ahead for them!!!
I go on my potty at least 3 times a day now and I am always ready to throw a party for myself! My favorite TV show is Word World and I know several of my letters, the sounds they make, and what they stand for...for example I see a J and say Josh...that is Josh's letter.
I am a great helper these days...either that or my mom is desperately trying to keep me busy so I don't tear the place apart...you guess which one!! My jobs now are feeding Cheddar, making salads at dinner, and cleaning up my messes. I make a smoothie with mom every day after lunch in the afternoon too.
Well, I will fill ya in more when I get a chance.
I still LOVE corn

cleaning one of my many messes...actually I love to vacuum and do it about 8 times a day

My boys Ben and Chris hanging out last week...the girls were outside playing!

We have Success!

On both fronts...The washer is fixed and humming with NO NOISE and it was indeed a blown ball bearing.
AND...I still am using the potty!!! About 3 times a day...which is a great start that we are all pleased with for now! Next step, some big boy underpants!!

Sunday's War Zones

Like father like son...no other words are really necessary, right? For those of you who know them....


until the banging stops...we will all be on high alert.

A taste of success!!!

Well, last night before I went to bed, I told mom I needed to potty. SOOO off we went to the potty and guess what!? I PEED! SO we through up big hurrahs and are calling it a success! I also sat on it today before my nap and gave it the ole college (or preschool) try...Mom was a little slow getting me there because she had to find a place to put Josh and then come help me with my pants, but if she had been faster, I am sure I would have made it!!
SOOO the big exciting thing is I get to FLUSH the toilet if I go! Hopefully this is the first of many potty stories!

lots to tell, no time to tell it

Here are a couple recent pics...I have been lots of fun places lately, I went to the ER for a super high fever, I am going to the circus tomorrow, next week my buddy Jack turns 2, yada yada yada...they say a picture is worth a thousand words...so here ya go.
Dallas Children's Museaum on Dr Seuss' Birthday

Frisco Horse Park..I loved it

Grant Van Boven's Birthday Party on the Fun Bus

Swinging at Oma's on St. Patty's

Lunch at Pump It UP Jr

Pump it Up Jr. w/ my Peeps


At the circus tent raising this am....will get more pics tomorrow at the big show!



I like to read the paper w/ mom and look for letters I know...main players are the letters O, E, M and D...who knew??


We have concept learning going on!!! I don't sit on it often, but I do put my animals on the potty a lot

Pics will come later!

I have had an exciting week. I have been doing lots of stuff. Monday I went to a new thing at a church with some friends for PB&J, which is Praise Babies & Jesus. It was fun, but I was the youngest and it showed!! We colored for a bit, played with some instruments, had a story time, did a craft, ate lunch and then were going to play. I missed my nap to go and so by the time lunch was over it was time for us to get out of dodge...i was about to overstay, and maybe did, my welcome. Tuesday was music class where it was a bit more structured and I did a bit better. That class I am one of the younger ones, but am really holding my own with the big kids. Mom seems to think that I do better with structure...so much so that she made me miss playing with friends on Wednesday to "re-establish" some boundaries and ground rules...SEE, I am so good at getting away with stuff now that Josh is here. She can't get to me fast enough and so I do what I want and play dumb...which we all know I AM NOT!!
Did mom tell you I climbed in the attic? If not, it is a good story, but we'll save it.
Yesterday I met some old friends at the Frisco Horse Park and had a blast. I got to ride (well, sit on..but could have rode if i wanted) on a pony, pet some goats, sheep, pigs, a turkey, some chickens, donkeys...you name it. Sadly, the most exciting for me was the very exotic, domesticated barn cat that I chased through the stables.
We got a few pics and we will put them up soon...it is all mom can do to write it out!
have a good day.

quick update

life is hectic as all get out...i HAVE gone to music class and love it, we have gone to meet friends for lunch (we were too late for library time), a couple birthday parties, a valentine's party and a couple play dates! Mom's friends are really nice to tolerate all of us.
I am starting to become interested in talking more and of course my dexterity is moving onward and upward...
2 new flashes (literally on one) are that I followed the HVAC guy into the attic last week or so, AND today my free spirit has emerged as i have stripped myself naked to the core and run around the house...you see this is what happens when mom leaves me alone to clean. So we will pick our battles...dirty house vs. naked kid.
I still love my baby brother a TON...i even help mom give him baths and haven't drowned him yet!
here are a couple quick pics.
Me helping mom make chicken pot pie, one of dad's favorites


Me kissing my brother

Me holding my brother

Me hiding in Dad's hockey bag!!! Good grief.

Life as I know it now

How we must think of things to occupy my time!! This is me in the hospital using mom's breathing deal from the respiratory guy...I was a big hit in post partum.

Well, things are going so far so good with my baby brother Josh. He is not 1/2 bad. AND if I may say so, I am the BEST big brother ever. Even though I don't say much, I always manage to say Zosh every chance I get!!


I had a good run with mom in the hospital; my dad and Oma were lots of fun and GREAT to me.


We have even taken him out and about. I have been able to go to the park a couple times in my new wagon and even other places too.

The weather has been off an on, but a couple good days and I got to help dad rake leaves and stuff





Tomorrow is a big test to see if mom can get her act together to see if she can make it to my music class at 9:30 about 15 miles from the house...it should be an interesting trip!
My Grandma came and spent a week with me and it was SOOOO great to have her here. She was such a help to mom and dad and, of course, I loved every minute of it. I have missed her so much. She of course spoiled me and I had serious grandma detox working after she left.

Since then, we have just been trying to figure life out a bit. I am sure there will be very few posts in the future, because Josh and I are really running mom into the ground. Good news is we get a lot of 1 on 1 time with her, because as soon as one of us falls asleep, the other one wakes up and we roll like that all day and sometimes all night! Thanks for checking in and I will get back as soon as I can!!