Wild Wylie's Adventure

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Halloween 2013:

In true Yo form, Yo refused to wear her Elmo costume. Despite her avid love of Elmo, she wouldn't have it. So Wylie suited up in his awesome ninja costume, and Adam wore the Elmo headdress. We had just moved back into our house one day before Halloween after our four month renovation. We had missed our neighbors and our street terribly.

Meridian Kessler did not disappoint. Wylie spent hours chasing up and down the block with the neighbor kids- also dressed as Ninja's- and then we settled into our street's annual chili cook off and bonfire until it was time to peel him away and toss him in bed. I have always loved Halloween, but I love it even more on our block and in our neighborhood. I hope Wylie and Yo hold on to these memories!

Oh man, how could you not love this guy?

Adam's truck, posed in the middle of our driveway construction.

Wylie happily posing in a series of Ninja stances. Yo stole both buckets, but went sans costume.

Ready for candy!

LOVE HIM.

The gang. Notice Wylie's ever serious Ninja pose, while Yo can hardly mask her disdain for joining in on the festivities.

Side view of our trick-or-treating pals.

I forgot to post these!

I was just looking through photos of the last year, TRYING to get organized on making an album. And I stumbled across these. Yo's one year photos. I love her serious looks in these. Wylie has never met a stranger, and Yo is ever-so-skeptical of anyone new. Having her shoe measurements taken results in a fit of hysteria. It's so interesting to meet the needs of two COMPLETELY different kids!

Happy Birthday, Bon Voyage:

A few weeks ago, we took the kids to Chicago to spend a few days with Adam's family. We celebrated the 6th and 7th Birthdays of our niece and nephew, Baleigh and Thor. We were also able to say goodbye to Brad, who is moving to Colorado to try a fresh new start out West.

I can't say enough about how wonderful Adam's brothers are as uncles, and what fun our kids have with them. They are all patient and kind with the kids, and genuinely happy to play with them. They're the sort of guys I hope Wylie grows up to be.

Adam's cousin, Jill, was able to take some updated family photos. Yo refused to take off her sunglasses, and Wylie was not in the mood to smile. But it's us. Might be our last official family photo before baby Venom makes an appearance!

Baleigh and Yo with the best gift of all- BOXES.

The entire Nielsen crew- who know when this will happen next!

Uncle Brad and his lovely girlfriend, Lindsay

Um, can we go ahead and nominate Bill and Cori for sainthood? FIVE BOYS?!

Yo LOVES sunglasses. In a fierce way.

One pregnant lady, one pouter, and two happy red heads.

Love, love, love these guys. As we walked out the door to the park, Cori said to Brad, "Did you hear we were supposed to wear blue, black, or gray?"
Brad responded, "Yeah, but I like this shirt better. I'll stand out". Gotta love it!

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Our animal lover:

It's already established that Wylie does not care for animals. Unless they are reptiles, scary things, or bugs.

But Yo is an animal junkie! She loves "mew mews" (cats) and LOOOVES baby anythings.

If she sees a baby cow, she will say, "Ooooh, mama, BAAABIES moo. Mama looooooves babies!"

This picture just melts my heart.

June 2013 at Conner Prairie

It's a boy!

In one of our biggest surprises yet, this summer, I found out I was pregnant. We planned on three, but we had planned to adopt. After Yo turned two, after our house renovation was complete- you know. But as I have learned, infertility is not birth control, and lo and behold, Baby #3 will be here in February.

Wylie has been telling people he wanted another sister, so he could be the only boy. Yesterday, we found out it was a boy, and I felt surprised. Silly, but we kept talking about "venom" like she was a girl.

When I went home to tell Wylie, his reaction was so sweet:

"WOOO HOOO!!! That's AWESOME!!!! It's really a boy? Like me????"

"YOYO- you get to have another brother!!! Isn't that so great?!"

Then he did a little jumping, and little dancing, and a little clapping.

And then he said, "Can I watch my nighttime show now?"

Back to real life, just like that.

Look out for Baby Venom February 2014!!

Just like Daddy:

It's funny, I still hear that people think Wylie looks "just like me". Although we share the same brown hair (his natural, mine dyed over a full head of gray hair!), I think we act like family, and it makes us look alike because we act alike. After all, I couldn't have ever created a little dude this handsome, so we know those dashing looks came from his megawatt birthparents. But it's funny how families work- and as he grows- he is more and more "like us" than not.

Just last weekend, we had a fundraiser for work, and one of my co-workers was walking behind Wylie as he dropped something. He said, "ooooh CRAP!", and my co-worker laughed and said, "Man, is he your kid or what?!" He is, in so many ways (good and bad!) just like us. His phrases and dances and silly songs are us. His goofy side is probably equally biological and environmental. His love for motors is probably pretty strongly influenced by Adam.

And then there's his love for tattoos. Before heading to the beach this summer, he asked if I could make him look "just like daddy". Here was my best work!

Whether or not he looks like us or not, you couldn't find a boy more "ours" than this guy.

Love that sweet little face and pot belly!! What I wouldn't give to trade and have his olive skin!

'till the end, we're gonna be partners, buddies and pals:

For Labor Day, we went on our second trek to Camp Pinewood. This time, my mom was unable to come because Bob had his big anniversary Iowa Football trip. I certainly couldn't blame her for missing, but I was glum.

On a whim, I invited my dearest pal Elizabeth to join Wylie and I- and she faithfully drove 10 hours straight from Nashville to Twin Oaks, Michigan to play for the weekend. It's amazing how so much time can go by between seeing such a special friend, and how it feels like we were right back where we started. We reminisced about our Pinewood days, met some new families, and followed Wylie around to do "bow and arrowing" and even made our own Pinewood Regatta boat- made out of duck tape, cardboard, and sticks.

It was JUST what I needed to recharge my batteries. Camp has gotten snazzier as the years go by, but it's still the same place. Same food, same songs, same lovely lake. Same feel, same fresh air.

On our first night hike, Wylie said, "Oh my gosh, Mommy, they have STARS here!"

As Elizabeth and I were reminiscing, she said, "I'm thinking of my favorite category of people- and I think it's Camp Counselors". Um, agreed.

(I had to throw in some other mid-summer pics, too!)