Table Talk

Well, he is 18 months going on like 3 1/2 years. He thinks he is BIG boy these days. Above he displays his ability to say "cheese" and is open for some serious meal time negotiations with his hands politely folded on the table.

Not only can he say "cheese" but at 18 months he can say about 20 other words but his favorites still include "mama" and "more", which he says verbally and by signing "more" with his two little hands coming together. He doesn't get the whole concept that sign language really isn't needed after one can vocalize...so for now he uses both!

Also, at 18 months Carter is beginning to show his independence and his ability to be a Big boy! Here is a list of his Big boy habits:

*Sippy cups say good-bye...Carter prefers big kid cups and really does quite well using them!

*Move over Dancing with the Stars...Carter has some moves I am sure you have never seen! He absolutely loves to dance and demonstrates his routine nightly while I cook dinner!

* He also likes to sing in his soft, sweet little voice which I just love to hear so I spend most of my day asking him to sing to mommy...and he does!!

*He loves when we sing to him.

*The Itsy Bitsy Spider is still one of his all time faves...but now he knows the motions that go with it!

*Trucks, tractors, Excavators, Diggers, you name, he loves it!

*Sammy, our dog, continues to be one of his very best friends.

*Sand box toys never get old

*Mowing the grass with his bubble mower

*Racing around the living room on his digger while mommy or daddy chase him with this rocket. Really a sight to be seen!

*Reading book after book after book

* Sitting at the table with mommy and daddy in his booster seat wanting nothing to do with his food and everything to do with ours.

*Staying cool outside while playing shirtless and eating Popsicles.


*So, here we are 1/2 way between 1 and 2, wondering where all time has gone and being glad that we have done our best to enjoy every second of it.

Michigan.org

really is all that it is talked up to be!! We had a blast in Silver Lake, MI and here are some pictures to prove it. There are several so sit back and relax!

We stayed at the Jellystone Campground in Silver Lake. It was just minutes from the dunes and not far from the water. The kids enjoyed swimming, playing and riding bikes and us parents just loved the dirt that was EVERYWHERE! But the kids had fun and that is why we went...so never mind the dirt and have some fun!!

The beach was perfect and absolutely beautiful, and did I mention the weather could not have been any better. Sunny, 80's, nice breeze....just wonderful! Anyways, this is the lighthouse in Silver Lake and yes, dad, Ceili, and I climbed all the way to the top. The view from up there was amazing but my camera was out of memory....I need another memory card. So check out Holly's blog (I borrowed her camera) for pictures from up top!

~ Just us at the lake~

Here is Uncle Matt aka dada with Ceili and Carter building what started as a sand castle that eventually turned into a sand dragon....far cooler than a sand castle in my opinion!

Matt and Ty showing off their finished dragon! Looks good guys!

Carter and Keira enjoying the sand!

Carter just could not get enough of Shae. Really she could not get away from him. Even in the lake he wanted to be with just her. So here they are on the dragon that took Uncle Don like 10 hours to blow up!! Thanks Don, they loved it!

Carter, Keira and Auntie Nawna having a blast on the dune ride. They were just too cute! They were having so much going up and down the dunes. Both of them would just raise their arms and scream....I guess they were just letting us know they were having a good time as dad would always tell us when were were little "They don't know your having fun unless you scream". That pretty much applied to everything when we were young, riding bikes, roller coaster, etc and here we are catching ourselves telling our kids the same thing!!

Above is a pictures of the dunes from the dune ride. Silver Lake Dunes are nearly 2000 acres of sand that continues to grow each year. After riding around on them for a while the kids needed some rest and relaxation and Mac Woods Dune Rides had just the chair they needed.

Carter and Ceili sharing some homemade ice cream at the campsite! I thought it was pretty fun making the ice cream at the campsite but it made so much we couldn't eat it all and it was melting fast so our friendly little camp neighbors got in it as well....lucky them!

I was thinking since Carter loves trains soooo much that this little train ride would be cute. Cute pictures yes, but I will spare you the details, let me just say....HILLBILLY!

After spending a few days in Silver Lake it was time to head home but not without stopping in Holland, Michigan first. We took Carter to the Wooded Shoe Factory! We even found a little pair for him that had dump trucks painted on them which is like on of his absolute favorite things...they were perfect and he loved it. We put them on him and he just started walking around and laughing and smiling. Really, it was too cute for words. And he was a little upset when we had to take them off to leave! But not to worry they are now safely on display in his room and he likes to play with them every night after his bath!