Potty Time

With only a little over 3 weeks left until our little girl comes its crunch time for potty training. Our house has become a pants optional location for Matthew. I've found that when he wears nothing on the bottom he will tell me when he has to go otherwise he doesn't really. Next week I'm going to try putting just underwear on him and see how that goes. He is up to going around 5 times on the potty a day which is great. The problem is when we go out he doesn't want to tell me. I think we may use some Lego guy motivation soon. We are very proud of him though and the progress he has made. The video above is a song he made up that he sings after each time he uses the bathroom.

Blackhawks Convention

This past weekend Grant went to the Blackhawks Convention. Matthew and I joined him on Sunday for the last two hours of the convention for some pictures and to look around. Grant got lots of autographs and Matthew and our little girl even got one each as well.

Matthew is getting ready to be the goalie.

Mommy & Matthew by Patrick Sharp's equipment.

Family shot by Toews' equipment.

Daddy & Matthew by Hossa's stall.

He ran up to have his picture taken here. He loves things where you have cardboard cut outs for your head.

Does this car look familiar? Its the car from the Blues Brothers movie.

Mommy & Matthew

Daddy & Matthew

Matthew wanted to shoot some goals. They also had a place where whiffle balls were shot at you and you were the goalie. Grant wanted him to do that I wasn't as keen so I thought shooting might be better.

He had a great time doing it.

Matthew wanted a stick and a puck as a souvenir so he picked out one of each. The baby also got a Stanley Cup bib.

Our Little Chatter Box

Lately you wouldn't even recognize our little Matthew because he has become quite the chatter box around other (older kids). The other day Barbie and I were at the dealer waiting for my car to be fixed and there is a kids room there. He went in the room where four older kids were and just started talking. He told them his name without them asking and continued to talk to them for 45 minutes whether they responded or not. He was making animal noises for them and telling them why he was there. If it seemed they weren't listening he got really close to them to make it known he was talking to them. I have never seen Matthew like that. Then yesterday we were at my doctor and there is a kids room there too. Two children were sitting in there and he walks in and tells them hi. Then he proceeds to tell them, "I went pee on the potty so I got a Simon." (one of the chipmunks). Grant and I couldn't stop laughing it was hysterical. He told them who is Mommy and Daddy were and after he came back in he told them "I'm back." He didn't want to leave either time when we had to go. At the dealer when we left the kids all said "bye Matthew." What a difference in him, I just don't know about how he is with kids his own age though.

The Beach

We spent last Saturday at Bangs Lake. It was a small beach with a small lake so the water was actually pretty warm. We had a great day and Matthew really enjoyed himself. He played strong for over 4 hours and didn't even sit for lunch he ate on the move. He swam, went on the slides, played in the sand, found rocks, and buried Uncle Dane and himself. It was a fun day!

Burying himself. He likes everything perfect so he was smoothing it out.

Practicing swimming with Papa.

Collecting rocks

Stomping on the sandcastles we built.

Matthew and Auntie Barbie

Jumping off the floating dock

Papa, Matthew, & Grammy

Mommy & Matthew

He actually went down this 3 times.

Grandpa, Matthew, Uncle Dane, & Daddy

Making sand ice cream, Matthew called it chocolate.

Burying Uncle Dane

Matthew getting buried by Papa.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy belated 4th of July to everyone. We had a BBQ at our house just like last year then walked over to the Bartlett fest for a few rides, to watch sky divers and of course the fireworks. We had a great time even in the extreme heat.

Holding and wearing his art projects from class.

Happy 4th of July!

Sitting at the kiddie table for our BBQ.

Mommy & Matthew

Daddy & Matthew

Auntie Barbie and Matthew on her birthday (the 4th).

Stepping on pops to make them go off. It was his first time with these and he had a ball.

More fun.

Daddy & Matthew waiting for the sky divers.

Pointing at the sky divers.

Clapping for the sky divers.

Riding his favorite ride for the 4th time I believe.

Here he is again on his favorite ride. I personally thought it looked like the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine Bus.

I bought a lot of glowing items from the dollar store for Matthew to have there.

Pointing at the fireworks. He sat in his chair and the wagon and watched the whole show.

Swimming Lessons with Daddy

Every Saturday Grant and Matthew head over to swimming lessons at the park district. Matthew already loved the water, but we wanted him to learn how to do a few more things. He works on kicking, blowing bubbles, and they even get their heads dunked. It is very cute to watch Matthew and Grant as they sing their songs and do circle dances with everyone in the pool.

I can be a distraction when he notices me and wants to wave.

Working with a kick board.

Here he is working with a noodle. On this day he kept turning around trying to figure out what was behind him.

More kick board time.

One of their circle dances.

Summer Fun

Even though this summer has been so hot we have managed to do a few things so far. We have been to carnivals, the Taste, and Millennium Park. Here are a few shots from these places.Playing at Millennium Park

We couldn't get him to leave he was having such a good time.

He assumed since it was water he should have on no shirt, he also tried to take his pants off.

Eating a pickle at the Taste.

Grammy, Matthew, & Papa

Mommy (extremely hot in 90 degree heat) & Matthew

Auntie Barbie & Matthew

Driving a car at a carnival.

He got very serious about his driving.