Jo Jo

I learned about Jo Jo from Aunt Betty. Below is Madeline demonstrating how Jo Jo works. You use your fingers to 'walk' up to their feet or hands and Jo Jo climbs up on them and 'walks' up to their neck to tickle them. Matthew is still not too sure about Jo Jo. Some days Jo Jo is hilarious and a lot of fun and some days Jo Jo is scary. But what is really funny is when Matthew is feeling devious and tries to put Jo Jo on someone himself. Too cute!

Madeline was modeling Jo Jo here because Matthew would have no part of it, today Jo Jo is not fun. Here he is doing his 'CHEESE' instead.

On any given day at our house you will find....

Madeline performing...

Matthew learning to turn the lights off, and on, and off, and on....

Madeline dressing up.......

and Matthew carrying around one or two penguins. Sissy got a penguin for her to replace the one Matthew took up with (the original penguin that Matthew loves so was Madeline's to start with and she let him keep it) but any chance he gets he will get them both and love on them. =)

Who would have ever guessed Shark Boy and Lava Girl on tv would be this engrossing...

Silly Kiddos

Matthew loves to ride on and play with his Mr. Peanut scooter, but he loves most of all to run, push and ram it into the base of the cabinets over and over. Must be a boy thing.

Sassafrass wanted to help load the dishwasher, and yes she is wearing a swimsuit. Don't ask. I'm learning to choose my battles- for the most part.

Chips Ahoy Boy

Tonight Matthew discovered Chips Ahoy cookies and he believes he likes those. =) He has never been one to like sweets/fruits, etc but he tried this and it was a hit. He kept saying 'cookie cookie cookie'. This last picture is him reaching up to get the bag down for more.

Cool Dude!

The Cleaning Service

Jeff snuck up to the bathroom door to peek in on Matthew and found him tearing off toilet paper and cleaning the sink! He was scrubbing up where Madeline had left toothpaste on the counter. The first picture is one I took through the mirror. =)

From Sissy

For the past few weeks Matthew calls out "MA MA! MA MA! MA MA!" over and over and over when we are in the car. I'm right in front of him in the driver's seat but he still does this. Today as we were coming home from errands he starts this up and Madeline slaps her hand to her forehead in exasperation and says "the doctor didn't tell us he would be such a CHATTY boy!"

Fort

Madeline made a fort in the bottom of her closet and fell asleep in there!

My new used car!

Here is my new car, it's a 2009 Toyota Matrix. I wanted something as close to a wagon as I could find. I've never had a black car but Madeline is sure that MaMaw will love it because she loves black! ha ha There are quite a few buttons, switches and knobs that I have NO idea what they do. Aunt Nancy I need you to come down here an explain how these things work! =)

Finally! A New Haircut!

Matthew finally got another haircut and this time there were NO tears! He sat up in the chair with a Dum-Dum sucker and let her cut his hair. She did not use shears so there was no loud noise. He decided he was a fan of Dum-Dum suckers!! He got a little man haircut and today he is 18 months old! He's growing up too fast!

Matching PJs

Sissy made a little play area in Matthew's closet and they had a great time in there!

Tub Time

Matthew scratched his cheek pretty badly this afternoon and it bled and bled. Of course he was complicating matters by not allowing me to put a tissue on it or keep a band aid on. Later that night during bath time it didn't look so bad.
Nothing sweeter than clean babies with shampoo hair!

Madeline didn't want to miss out on the fun so she and her mermaid Barbie got in the tub too!

Her two front teeth are starting to come in, I'm going to miss her toothless grins!

The China Cabinet

I was most excited to get Mother's china cabinet out of storage and the china displayed. All place settings made it without harm through the move.

I also put a candy dish from my grandmother's best friend, Mrs. Eva Mae, a beautiful glass plate of Daddy's and a decorative glass bowl of Nanny's in the cabinet. Those little gold and silver items are Mother's collection of folding cups.

The final load

I must be relaxing as I get older because here is Madeline being allowed to ride in the front seat with Jeff as we took a moving truck to get the last 2 loads from storage. She was beside herself wiht excitement to be in the front!

The NoodleHeads

These 3 LOVE to eat buttered noodles. Yech. Jeff makes a huge bowl every time and they all dig in.

Matthew climbed right up on the couch and got comfy and waited on Daddy to give him his little bowl of noodles.

A Boy And His Penguin

This is Matthew and Penguin. He still loves his penguin, still chews on his beak. Penguin is a keeper. =)

Madeline's Desk

Not sure what the fascination is right now with playing 'office', but here is Madeline's Desk.... or rather my table that she has turned into her desk. She has this set up with pencils, notebooks, snack, hand sanitizer, etc. She even insists on eating some of her meal here and sets a place for that too.

Visiting Dee

We went to visit Dee this past weekend before the weather got too cold. Matthew likes to 'help' her organize all of her 'prettys' on her table.

Meanwhile, Miss Priss holds court out in the hallway with her friends. All of the ladies look forward to her visit each weekend and they like to sit and listen to how her week was at school, etc. This is her getting settled in with Mrs. Mirium (Madeline went down the hall to the laundry room with her to 'assist'), Mrs. Robbie and Mrs. Jane.

Dee always gets the toy basket out for Matthew to dig in. (And yes, I had just turned around for a min and here she is without her walker and carrying a basket. I can't get her to stay in a chair for anything.)

Thank you Aunt Jenny!

Matthew and Madeline playing with the Crayola First Markers that Matthew got for Christmas from Aunt Jenny. I put a long sheet of paper on the coffee table, stripped them both down and let them have at it. The bath water afterwards was very colorful!