Almost two!

Robbie is just my favorite little boy in the whole world. He is talking more and more, saying things like, "I need help wit dat" and "Me no yike (like) bed" (I don't want to go to bed). After he hits or pushes or does something naughty and I haven't noticed or addressed it, he'll come to me and say, "No hit" and then I'll make sure he is soft to correct it (or else he has to go to his room for time-out). He loves to give hugs before bed and read books before going to bed. He will kneel down by his bed before bed and even naps to pray, and he repeats the last word you say. In the middle of a long Sacrament talk yesterday, Robbie called out, "Amen!" He loves to see Daddy during Sacrament meeting and wants to hold him. He'll yell out, "Hi Daddy!" and when the bread goes by after we've partaken, he'll say, "My bread. Mine" in an indignant voice.

The other day before nap Robbie said, "Hug? Hug Sissie?" and she came up and gave him a hug. He loves songs and especially likes "I Love to See the Temple," which he requests before each nap and night saying, "Tempu?" He has surprisingly good pronunciation for his age, saying "Buh-lue" for blue and practicing all the various consonant clusters. Last night at bed time, Clara came in tuck him in and was stroking him as we sang. She said, "Kiss? Kiss?" and went in to give him a kiss. He blocked her face with his book (a current Richard Scarry favorite Things that Go) and they giggled as she tried to kiss him. When I went to the door and said to Clara, "Okay, Sweetpea, he needs to go to sleep," she tried one more time and he let her kiss him. Robbie said, "Yuh you . . . so much." (love you so much) She told him she loved him. He also likes to yell out after you've left the room, "Yuh you!!" several times, with us responding in kind for the first few times (then we peter out).

Robbie really enjoys eating and willingly tries most foods, although pretty much any green vegetable is only eaten via green smoothies. He loves pasta and adores cheese. He would eat cheese all day long if I let him. He doesn't like to be fed or helped much with his food; he wants to eat like a grown-up.

The favorite songs/fingerplays of late are "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" and "There was a little house in the middle of the woods/a little old man at the window stood/saw a rabbit hopping by/knocking at the door/help me help me help me he said/or the hunter will shoot me dead/come little rabbit, come with me/happy we will be." He asks for both of those several times a day. He also likes "The Wheels on the Bus," "Roll Your Hands," and "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain." The other day he said out of the blue, "Hi babe!" from the song, which cracked us up.

Truck books are the highest priority these days; I find it fascinating that he will just look at one page for quite a while, looking at the construction vehicles. He isn't really interested in the pictures of trains, airplanes, or even cars; mostly he just likes construction machines and farm equipment. Pretty funny.

One of his favorite past times continues to be playing in the car after we've parked it in the garage. He knows how to put the key in the ignition and turn the lights on, and he is an expert at finding hidden pieces of gum in the doors, squishing down any lipstick he might find, and taking the cap off hand sanitizer bottles. Ahem.

Robbie's getting good at zooming on his little trike, although he doesn't know how to use the pedals yet. He is a very fast runner and climber and loves to jump off of furniture and ledges outside. He is interested and sort of scared by bugs and will say, "Touch?" to which I respond, "Sure," although most of the time he doesn't.

He loves loves the water, especially playing with the hose in the backyard watering the patio and the mulch . . . for some reason watering the plants doesn't appeal to him as much. He is great at picking ripe and unripe tomatoes off the plants, and while I know it's too early, we are wondering whether he will have the red-green color blindness that my father has. 

We are just so so thankful for Robbie's presence in our life. He makes it rich, beautiful, and interesting. I am grateful for the things he is teaching us through his delight and enthusiasm for life. I love the way he walks: arms swinging, chest out, confident and happy, ready to conquer the world. We each love him so much.

More phone pics

Here are some more happenings via the phone.

 Not sure what this says about Robbie's trust in my driving skills.

 Because two fingers in the nose is apparently better than one.

 Silly Mommy and beautiful boy.

 Oh I love that smile.

 The other side of the pic I posted the other day.

 Have to catch the sweet moments. Should I also be capturing the hitting moments so they--and I--remember the harder times, too?

 Fishing for "seaweed" with Bapa.

Savoring (? :-)) a Heath bar creme brulee in Charlotte, NC on a brief weekend getaway/financial advisor meeting with Michael.

My fabulous husband bought and painted this board, installed hooks, and then mounted it in the mudroom for our towels and pool stuff. I had no idea when I married him that he was handy, and I am so thankful!

Nana and Bapa come to visit

Last week we enjoyed a great visit from my parents. At the beginning of the visit, however, I lost my camera, so most of these are from their camera. I subsequently found my camera last night on the gas grill and it appears to no longer be working. :-(

 Wearing Nana and Bapa's hats. Word.

 Walking along Storybook Trail.

 Mom and I were taking pictures from opposite sides.

 Clara wanted to do a repeat of the "meditating" shot below that we took several months ago here on the same trail.

Back in February, Clara meditating.

 Nothing like rocks to climb on.

 Love you, Mom and Dad!

 At the end of the trail. Robbie picked up the thumb habit briefly after our trip back to Atlanta when he saw a cousin or two doing so. Pretty funny.

 Enjoying watching the kids antics.

 Cook-out at Wildwood Park.

 Nana helped Clara make this cute skirt! Good thing it only had about five seams . . . phew!

 My parents took the kids to the children's museum while I stayed home and got some cleaning done. This picture reminded me of the picture below.

Taken in the summer of 2011 before my parents had left on their mission and Robbie wasn't even a twinkle in our eye. (I think that's the same shirt, Dad!)

 Experimenting with magnets.

 Fun with Bapa.

Dr. Robert Weiler, future inventor and scientist.

Thanks so much for coming, Mom and Dad. We sure love you.

Phone pics

I don't take a ton of phone photos, but I thought I'd share some since I've been pretty AWOL from my blog lately. Not sure why I haven't been in the mood to write much . . . mostly I just haven't wanted to take the huge chunk of time that uploading pics and writing about them demands.

 We installed this swing in our playroom upstairs. We had the beam reinforced when we were building the home because we knew we wanted a swing there, mimicking the swings from Clara's therapies. She absolutely loves it, and Robbie enjoys it as well. The times when they are swinging together are very special.

 Back in March . . . Robbie with a teeny snowman.

A sweet moment at the piano.

Clara at the Richmond Science Museum on a field trip.

Michael bid on a cake at an auction for our young women to raise money for camp. Then we cut it up at the auction so everyone could enjoy some (it was an intense bidding war :-)). The next day, the gal who made the original cake brought us a smaller version of the same cake. How cool was that!?

Getting soil for the garden at Lowes. Those wagons are fabulous.

Robbie loves hiding in the bean bags.

Robbie got inside the water table with his clothes on when I wasn't paying attention.

A sample necklace I made for a young women's activity, based on this tutorial.

Keith and Bethany's Temple Sealing

Friday morning, we were able to witness Keith and Bethany's sealing in the Atlanta temple. It was so beautiful--simple and profound. I am so glad that Michael and I were married for time and eternity there nearly twelve years ago.

 Waiting outside for the bride and groom to come outside.

 L'Anita and I were matching so we had to document the fact.

 Don't they have such great smiles? Bethany wore such a lovely simple summer wedding dress for after their marriage ceremony. (Inside the temple you wear a white temple dress as well, but it's not to be worn outside the temple to keep it sacred.)

Us twelve years ago.

In front of the same doors . . . happier now than I was even on my wedding day.

A handsome couple--Michael's brother, Caleb, and his wife, Shannyn.

 The Weiler family. Everyone was there except Hyrum. I sure missed him.

 Weddings are just a great reason for family to get together and share stories.

 Look at these gorgeous Weiler sisters!

 With their beautiful mother.

The singles--Seth (25?), Melody (nearly 16), and Joseph (21).

Can I just say that having lots of brothers often makes for embarrassing moments for sisters? I still remember my oldest brother, Matt, singing "Dime, solamente dime" at our wedding dinner.

 Melody is growing up into such a beautiful young woman both inside and out.

This was me holding Melody on our wedding day.

 Love her!

 Keith and his new Weiler brothers. Come what may and love it, right, Keith?

 Grandpa with Tabitha's cutie pie daughter, Emmy.

 Joseph with GQ Michael.

I think this is my most favorite shot from the whole event!

Congratulations to Keith and Bethany. We love you!