Happy New Year!

It's 2009! Hard to believe that Austen will be two this month! I can't believe it but I'm sure that's what most parents say when their kid(s) turn a year older or graduate high school, move on to college or get married. I guess the take away message is to enjoy the moment even the 'terrible twos.'

Actually, Austen has been pretty good (I'm crossing my fingers that this doesn't jinx me). Aside from not wanting to sit on Santa's lap and the typical two-year-old temper tantrums, I found that he understands so much of what we say that you can talk to him and head off potential melt downs.

Since I haven't posted since before Xmas, here are a few things about Austen from now until then:

- Austen enjoyed unwrapping his presents. He often held on to a favorite gift until something better was unwrapped before he would give up his current favorite. His favorite gift this Xmas was probably his Thomas the Train motorized train set. I don't know if I'm happy I bought that thing. When it derails, it's hard for a two-year-old to get it back on course so there's a lot of whining. And, he doesn't like it when one train runs into the other. You can hear him saying "Oh no!" and start crying! Not a good play by yourself toy and unfortunately this is what he wants to play with a lot!

- We braved the weather on New Year's Eve (no snow but cold) and took the bus down to Navy Pier. I had to chuckle when we were waiting in the cold and Austen kept saying, "where's the bus?" I told him that's what mommy asks every morning. And, on the way home when the bus decided to take a break, Austen kept yelling "Go!" I could barely contain my laughter as Tom tried to shush him and I wanted him to keep saying it because again, that's what I want to yell so often when the bus takes unexpected breaks when I'm trying to get home or to work! Anyway, back to the point. We went to Navy Pier's Winter Wonderland. It was awesome. It was like an inside carnival in the middle of winter. Austen got to go on the ferris wheel (he wanted to get down until it went faster), slid down the big slide, jumped in the jump house, pegged his dad with 'snow'balls, rode a horse on the carousel and had his first taste of cotton candy. But of course the thing that he wanted to do the most and made us take him to eight times (I'm not kidding) was the toy train ride. He rode it around and around - with his dad and then by himself. Are you sensing what Austen's favorite thing is these days? (I guess the theme for his upcoming bday should have been trains and not firetrucks but who knew that the whole Thomas the Train thing was going to leapfrog firetrucks as his favorite!)

- Austen has also become a little crazy about Elmo. We bought him a little stuffed one that he sleeps with and Grandma bought him Elmo live. We've found him hugging the big heavy Elmo live and also sticking his fingers in Elmo's mouth and then saying to Elmo "no bite!" I wonder where he hears that most often?!

As for Adler, every day I give her a great big kiss and a few extra treats (don't tell Tom) and thank her for being an awesome dog. I mean what other dog wouldn't touch all of Austen's toys scattered all over the floor including matchbox cars, little balls and stuffed Elmos. I guess it's the dog that doesn't sniff out and eat the treats that Tom leaves in his coat on the chair everyday. Seriously, can I just say that I love my dog! But then again, most of you probably know that considering I started this blog about her.

Well, there's a few more days left of vacation for a few more antics before I head back to work and Austen heads back to school. I'll keep you posted. Life will then go back to normal and my postings will be more regular too.