Chanler gave us his first real (social) smile this week . . . he is SO cute!

Here he is a few days later smiling for the camera

No not really, but this picture was just too cute not to highlight

During our bible study group tonight, Scott was holding Chanler and randomly broke in to the children's Sunday school song - "the B. I. B. L. E." because Chanler was standing on Scott's bible. Too funny, especially if you know how quiet Scott usually is.

Chanler has recently rediscovered his fire truck walking toy. For the last few days it has given him hours of enjoyment just to push it around (sometimes just in a circle - like our living room was a race track). The best part is the noise that goes with it. Chanler makes a Brrrr/Vrrrr "engine" noise while playing. It is so funny

Chanler has recently rediscovered his fire truck walking toy. For the last few days it has given him hours of enjoyment just to push it around (sometimes just in a circle - like our living room was a race track). The best part is the noise that goes with it. Chanler makes a Brrrr/Vrrrr "engine" noise while playing. It is so funny

We bought a climber/slide for Chanler to play on at home (trying to get him to climb it instead of the furniture). We bought it used from craigslist because we are cheap (no really we are). Anyway, it needed a bath before we set it up so we hauled it out onto our driveway and started scrubbing.

Well Chanler got a hold of a paper towel (usually not something we let him have because he will either eat it or make confetti) and he started to wipe the plastic as well.

He was helping us clean. Oh the cuteness!

It really hammers home the fact that Chanler is learning by watching us, so we had better be on our best behavior and be good role models. Yikes!

Chanler was being too cute! We came down stairs and Scott put his computer bag down in the hall while he got breakfast etc. Well the next thing I know Chanler is in the hall trying to put daddy's bag on. So adorable - I wish I had gotten the camera in time

Chanler was sitting on my lap today playing with the cap of a water bottle. He started hiding the cap under my shirt then putting his hands up to say "where is it?", then he would pull it back out and laugh when he had found it. He also tried this with his overalls, but the cap was harder to pull back out. Too cute.

Update 4/14/06: I finally got a picture of "where is it?" so here it is!

1) This morning Chanler found a piece of dog food that had fallen on the ground. Perviously this would have just be a snack for Chanler, but today he picked it up and carried it to the door to put outside for honey!

2) We missed our Bible study last night because Chanler had a fever. This morning we got a call from Amy and Anders because Anders was very concerned that Chanler didn't feel well. I think this is Chanler's first official call from a "friend". And what a sweet message it was!

3) Chanler is currently trying to put his shoes on - to no avail because he is trying backwards.

Today Chanler made his first "fashion choice." (picture to be posted)

Preface: Chanler loves socks! (and hates most other clothes).

This morning while trying to get him dressed he opened the sock drawer and started pointing (he can't actually reach into the sock drawer yet!) I picked out his usual white socks and he responded "NO" and continued to point. So I picked up the pair closest to where he was pointing (the blue, green and orange striped pair that the Silver's gave him for Christmas) and he laughed and sat down so I could put them on. Needless to say they wouldn't have been my choice to go with the Hawaiian shirt he was wearing, but he was the one wearing them =]

New Words:
Airplane/Plane
Fire truck
Apple
BYE (said in the loudest voice possible and with a wave)
Cheese
Cheers
More Please
Garbage truck
Tigger (the Disney character)

Today for the first time Chanler said Amen during grace before dinner. He then continued to say amen (and grab our hands) for the next 5 minutes. It just melted our hearts, but made it difficult to eat dinner ;)

At church this morning, we were sitting in the library (a.k.a. the crying room)watching the service while Chanler was playing. Just at the worship was beginning Chanler found a seat and watched quietly for about the first 10 minutes. Cute you think - right? except that he decided to sit on the opposite side of the room.

I told Scott that "Chanler had already figured out that it is "not cool" to sit with your parents at church." And I thought you didn't learn that until you were in your teen years, not your teen months. =]

Chanler has a friend named Sadie. We went with Sadie and her mom and sister to Target today. Anytime Sadie was out of view Chanler started calling for her. When we left to go the their house Chanler whined the whole way home for Sadie.

Can you say CRUSH

Added:
Any time I have gone into a store since the Target episode Chanler starts asking for Saide. He will also call her on his phone while driving or just playing.

Chanler amazes me everyday! He will use words that I didn't know he even knew and put together words in very clever ways.

Examples
1) On the way home from the discovery museum Chanler told us his water bottle was "empty". Never heard that before.

2) I threw out a half bananna that Chanler didn't finish as a snack. about 5 minutes later Chanler says "nanna trash". Never heard trash before that minute and to remember where I had put something (which I didn't try to let him notice I might add) minutes earlier.

3) After a nap we went down stair. Chanler wanted to play in the shoe closet - ok fine. I come back a few minutes later and he has discovered his Teva sandals. He says "shoe on please" - ok I think that is cute. So the shoes go on. As soon as the shoes are on, Chanler walks straight to the back door and says "out play sand" - OMG I have been outwitted by my 20 month old. How could I say no to such a request when he has just gotten himself ready and everything.

4) Scott is driving in a parking lot and turns down a lane where there are 2 cars stopped waiting for a third to pull out of a space. As we come to a stop Chanler pipes up from the back "beep, beep, here we come."

Oh how I wish I always had a camera ready to take pictures of Chanler's cuteness.

Just now (while I was checking email, etc.) I heard Chanler playing with his car garage (little tykes I think - don't know for sure. we got it at a garage sale, no pun intended) Of course this newer (than the one I had) model has sounds etc. So on the top level there is a pay phone button that makes a ringing phone noise. Anyway I look over to see what is going on and Chanler is sitting with his ear up against the pay phone saying "hello, hello" while the phone rang.

TOO CUTE! If I do say so myself.

I have started getting Chanler to help me with daily activities. So far he loves to help me "dump" ingredients when we are cooking. He is also very proficient at "setting the table". This picture was taken after Chanler had finsished setting up for dinner. Please note the only thing I did was put the orange juice on the table - everything else is exactly where Chanler placed it.

The best part is the running commentary while things get put on the table. . . "one a mommy, one a daddy, one a Chanler" for each item as he places it.

The other day Chanler and I were playing with Chanler's football, and I was trying to teach him to "tackle" me. He would throw the football to me - ok he would throw the football, and I would go where he threw it - and I would pick it up and "run" (shuffle) past him, egging him to catch me. When he caught me, I would fall down on the floor, which he found very funny, and he would say "Daddy flop on the floor!!!"

Then he would take the football and then "Chanler flop on the floor!!!" as soon as I got close to him.

After a few times, he asks "Mommy flop on the floor?" to which I replied that Mommy probably not want to flop on the floor, and probably would not want to play football.

Chanler thought about that for a few seconds, then says, "Mommy play basketball?!?!"

Just a quick note about two cute things Chanler has picked up this week.

1) A few days ago he was having a very hard day. I was washing his hands and when we went to dry them he wanted to keep holding the hand towel - OK fine. Later while he still had the towel he needed a diaper change. He really didn't want to have one, but it had to be done. He was yelling about it and I asked him if it would help to yell into the towel instead of at mommy. It did seem to help. So now he has been carrying around this bathroom hand towel and calling it his blankie. He even took it to bed with him last night.

2) Chanler asks to sit on the potty sometimes (usually nothing happens and he eventually gets bored). I decided that maybe he just needed to relax and spend a few minutes longer on the potty to actually use it, so I decided to read him a book while he was sitting. We have done this now a few times. This morning I had to go potty and Chanler said he wanting to come watch - OK well I guess being a mommy means not going potty alone - shrug. Chanler then brings me a book to read while I go potty. Too funny.

Chanler is obsessed with Chris and Emily's baby - Joseph. He is obsessed in a somewhat good way - he wants to see the baby all the time, he wants to hold the baby when ever we actually see him, he talks about baby Joseph all time and even sings songs to him when we are driving in the car.

This is the first baby that Chanler has had close contact with and it is also the first time I have seen what a great big brother Chanler could become. It is very neat to see him with a small baby, he is very gentle and wants to give hugs, kisses and pats and make sure the baby is happy.

One thing that has been very interesting is talking with Chanler about nursing. Chanler knows that babies have "nursies", that "nursies" is all little babies can eat, and that they each "nursie" from their own mommy. It is neat to see him make the connection that that is how things are supposed to be. He has even articulated it when we are out, Chanler will hear a child crying and tell me - "baby sad . . . nursie mommy??" I think he is becoming empathic.

Just had to note the cuteness of taking the same picture in different years!

Nutcracker in 2007

Nutcracker in 2005

Chanler is being a great big brother :)

Shortly after Jessaleigh was born, we woke him up so he could meet his new little sister - he was clearly in awe of her! After he woke up a little and stared at her for a while, he decided that she needed some clothes - he knows right where her clothes are, so he ran over and got out a sleeper and some socks, and then decided that she needed some pants - so he got her some of his - I think they are just about as long as she is!

He loves to bring her toys and stuffed animals, and he is being very good at bringing her baby toys - but of course he really thinks that we should be letting her eat food.

He loves to hold Jessaleigh, and if she is fussy, he tells her softly that she is OK - so cute. Last night while he was holding her, he kissed her on the head and said, "I love Jessaleigh, I love my little sister." Sure made my eyes misty, and I don't think that was from lack of sleep!

Of course being a big brother brings on more responsibility - now instead of, "I can do it, I'm a big boy" when he wants to do something that we think is a little beyond his reach, it is "I'm a big brother!"

The other night I was putting Chanler to sleep, and he started singing - at first just nonsense words, at least nothing that I could make out.

Then he started singing a prayer - "Thanks for making Mommy, thanks for making Chanler, thanks for making Daddy, thanks for making Jessaleigh, God. Thanks for making our car, thanks for making our house, thanks for making books, thanks for making the men in the books that go bang, bang, bang. Thanks for making hands, thanks for making feet, thanks for making legs, because we need legs to walk. Thanks for making everything, thanks for making the sun, thanks for making toys."

There was more, but I don't remember all the things that he thanked God for making - and there were some repeats of course. He also thanked God for making Jesus a couple of times - we will have to clear that theological conundrum later :)

It is good to know that seeds are being planted, makes it all worthwhile!

Chanler made his first purchase today - it was a super ball.

Background;
Chanler got a quarter during an Easter egg hunt this year (I was actually quite happy with that egg as opposed to the ones filled with candy, but that is another story all together). He has been keeping track of and playing with this quarter since then.
We went for pizza last Monday (the pizza place has a special on Mondays) and Chanler watched as a slightly older boy got about a dozen things from the quarter machines (like the gumball machines of old, only they now have toys and misc. crap too). A few days later Chanler told me that the next time we went to get pizza he was going to bring his quarter and get a ball. We talked about that for a while and I tried to explain that he could get a ball, but that he would no longer get to have his quarter - I was not convinced that he was getting the picture.
Skip to tonight, I had forgotten all about the quarter and Chanler's plan. We get to the pizza place and Chanler realizes that he forgot his quarter (insert horrified screams here) He was distraught and wanted to go home and get. Scott and I decided that to make life easier we would "lend" him a quarter and that he could pay us back when we got home. So off he ran to make his first purchase.

I must say his is very enamored with his super bouncy ball right now!

Chanler really likes to take pictures with our cameras, and Jesse caught him in the act being quite cute - he even knows how to chimp (looking at the shot on the LCD)!

Some comedy moments from the other day.

Tonight it was raining and Chanler had to wear his new rain boots. There was a large puddle at the curb where we parked and after asking permission he jumped into the puddle. This was the result...

For three years ten and a half months Chanler has been afraid of the vacuum cleaner. When ever it came out (which wasn't frequently - which is probably why he was scared of it...) Chanler would go running for the couch with his hands on his ear screaming. For the first couple of years of his life Chanler had to be held while the vacuum was running. (This of course reinforced that the vacuum didn't come out much...)

Then tonight Chanler decided that HE wanted to vacuum. Our house may never been the same again...

Chanler turned four and had a John Deere Tractor birthday party! (Pictures coming sometime) The thing that cracked me up about his party was the number of DIY/build your own presents he got!

The DIY tally:
3 Home Depot wood shop projects
1 Jr. model train
1 Lego tractor (assembly required)
1 Sock puppet kit

We are still in the process of building them all