Current Tyler phrases that make us laugh

• here ya go mamma or here ya go dada (he loves to hand us things; toys, pieces of paper, dust bunnies, etc.  - at least he's not eating the stuff anymore)
• BIIIIGGGG TRUCK (imagine a toddlers piercing voice saying it)
• A Buuuussss (loves his buses and can decipher between buses, trucks and cars by the sound they make when they go past the house - which is a lot!)
• mmmmiinnneee (we hate this word and whoever taught it to him)
• da man da man (he has a little action figure man that goes along with this truck/boat play set we got him and he loves to carry him around and put him in all his trucks and boat)
• oh no...a mess (one of his main caretakers at daycare always says oh no what a mess so he tries to mimic her)

21 months

Just 3 months from the big 2!!! Hard to believe that this time two years ago Mike was starting the interview process for his new job at Applied, I was getting ready for my baby showers, and we were getting our little man's room ready for his arrival. It's amazing just how quickly time really does go by. This past 21 months has been like a blink of the eye....feels like it was yesterday that I was cuddling my little boy wondering what his first words would be (tree); wondering when he was going to sit up, crawl or walk; if he was every going to stop waking up in the middle of the night or go to sleep for us without a fight; what his favorite toys would be (currently trucks, buses and tractors); what his favorite food would be ( loves his applesauce, avocado, pasta with butter).......so many things we wondered about and so many things we have learned. The first year was an amazing experience becoming a family and learning so much about being a parent...we loved every second of it - well most seconds of it :) But the past 9 months have been the best so far (I'm sure I'll be saying this for the next 5 years). Watching Tyler become this little person - learning and growing day after day- showing more and more of his personality that we love and enjoy so much. During this process mommy and daddy are continuing to learn and grow themselves - learning more about patience and teamwork and learning that there really is room to love someone more and more each day. As Tyler gets bigger Mike and I cherish every snuggle, giggle and sweet kiss we get from our little man as we know at some point he will be "too cool" for it and if the past 21 months are any indication of how fast it goes we need to enjoy it while we can. Happy almost 2 years T-man - please slow down with the aging process it's going way too fast.

21 month checkup 33.5inches and 25lbs 14.5ozs

Our first trip to the Aquarium

This past weekend Mike and I finally had a free weekend and wanted to do something fun with our little man.  The weather was nice (still a bit chilly for full day outside) so we thought a fun trip to the Aquarium would be nice.  In an effort to expand Tyler's interest outside of his current obsession of trucks, tractors and buses (I"m beginnign to think these are the only words he is going to speak for the rest of his life!) we thought a day with fish, sharks, penguins, turtles and seals would do the trick.  The day was fantastic from start to finish - Mommy and Daddy enjoyed every second of their time with Tyler and Tyler was a very very good little boy.  I wish every weekend could be like this! 

Standing on the boardwalk at Coney  Island waiting for the Aquarium to open.  It was a beautiful day!

Tyler's buddy the leopard shark....



Hanigng with Mr. Walrus



woooowww





"bbbbbiiig turtle" Tyler loved him but not when he got up close!

"ffffiiiisssh"

Lake Placid

A few weeks ago we made our annual trip upstate to Lake Placid.  We were really looking forward to the trip this year since Tyler is much more mobile then last year and is much more interested in things that are going on around him.  We spent the weekend doing all kinds of fun things; playing outside in the snow, visiting the hockey arena (loving watching every second of the zamboni sweeping up and down the ice - as well as all the pretty ice skaters) and of course spending lots of time at the house with family having lots of laughs.  As always it was a great weekend together - one that we look forward to every year!

Tyler sure does love his PopPop

Family shot playing outside on Mirror Lake

Just relaxing while everyone pulls him around on the ice...this is the life!

Sophia and Tyler having silly time with Grammy and PopPop

mmmmm I like snow...

Our big boy

So the struggle continues with my infrequent postings to this blog.  It's a constant struggle to keep on it but I want to try to keep up as much as possible - not only for purposes of other people seeing Tyler's constant changes but also for Mike I to look back at what was going on with Tyler when and to not forget all the milestones and funny moments!   It amazes me looking back a year ago at what Tyler looked like and what Tyler was doing compared to now. In my attempt to keep up on this and to just track the going ons of our little man I wanted to just give some recaps of funny Tyler moments or current Tyler going on's that I know I would want to remember one, two, three years from now....


TYLER.....

• is a creature of habit - if you move something from it's original place or do something in a different way then previously seen he will let you know and demand that the item, person, dog (Giiiirrrlllss), etc. go back to it's original spot
• is not a great listener - Tyler loves to push buttons and put a heart melting smile on his face when trying to discipline him (pretty sure any parent could have this one on their list!)
• loves to blow kisses and say good bye when leaving the house, daycare, at nap time, bedtime, etc.
• snuggles better then anyone in this whole world - there is nothing better then at bedtime when he rests his perfect little head on your shoulders and tucks his little hands in between you and his belly and snuggles right in
• loves to make "coco" - nothing gets this boy more excited (other then maybe hearing the phone ring - see below) then helping make coffee in the Kerig.  he knows exactly where the pods go, how to close the top, and what buttons to push (see he's an expert at pushing buttons!). 
• is obsessed with the telephone.  If the phone rings he will stop whatever he is doing and run as fast as he can into the kitchen to make sure someone is answering the phone.  If you don't answer quick enough (or god forbid at all) he will get irate!
• some of his favorite foods are - plain pasta (no butter, sauce, etc. just dry), avocado, watermelon, cheese, pretzels, crackers, raisins, apples, mac and cheese..............as well as dust bunnies, paper, any part of the rug he can rip up, any part of blankets and towels he can bite off, any amount of lotion he can get off of his body after it is rubbed on him after bath time.....and the lists go on and on!
• demands to watch "Choo Choo" (Chuggington) "Mimmy" (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) and "football" A LOT
• loves to flirt with blond woman -  he likes the brunettes too sometimes but without fail if your blond he's flashing that adorable little smile
• best buddy at daycare is Oliver - who is sadly leaving our daycare at the end of the week :(

Onyon Family Christmas day 1

After our Christmas morning fun with Tyler we packed up the car and headed upstate for the Onyon family Christmas festivities.  First stop Aunt Leenie and Uncle Brian's house.  Tyler couldn't wait to see his Aunt Leenie he'd been asking for her for days-and that fact that the Woof Woof  (aka Buster) was going to be there just sweetened the deal for him.  We arrived Friday afternoon and Tyler was so excited to be there and have new territory to reek havoc on.  Grammy arrived shortly after our arrival  with PopPop coming along later and Tyler couldn't have been happier to see them - wanting nothing to do with his Mamma and Dadda once he was near them.  Later that night we had the Gallant Family party which was a lot of fun  - we had a great time seeing everyone and catching up with some we had not seen in months as well as enjoying watching all the kids run around with each other having fun.  It was a great start to our Christmas weekend upstate!

Tyler looking studly in his suit (thanks Grammy and PopPop) while taking his four wheeler for a ride (thanks cousins Jackie!)

Loving the Santa Christmas PJ's and showing off his curves..his belly was big enough to compete with Santa after hsi massive helping of ziti!

Helping Aunt Leenie make some "coco" in the morning

Spending a little snuggle time with Grammy....this is the best time of the day post nap (when he actually naps) he loves to snuggle!

Day II Christmas Eve

Next stop Grammy & PopPop's....after a fun night at Colleen and Brians we headed over to Grammy and PopPop's for a day of Christmas fun - which included opening presents and Christmas Eve dinner.  While I would like to say it was a nice relaxing day....I would be lying - it was nice and lots of fun it was absolutely exhausting!  We started the evening off with our family Christmas present exchange.  Tyler was spoiled rotten as  always working through mounds of gifts and  having to take breaks between his opening duties to play and then rest.  After we wrapped up our gift exchange we moved on to dinner - after the craziness of gift exchange we were hopeful the kids had worn themselves out and worked up an appetite.  Unfortunately that was not the case and they (Sophia & Tyler....Lucas of course was being Mr. Perfect as usual sitting quietly at the table eating his puffs) were off and running within five minutes of dinner.  While a true family dinner would have been nice - it was great watching Sophia and Tyler running and screaming in delight as they played with all their new toys.  One thing to sum up the day relaxing no...memorable always! 

Tyler so excited to see that Sophia has arrived!

Tyler so excited about his Hess truck!

Having a ball watching daddy spit fake food up into the air.

Lucas and Tyler getting some snuggle time with PopPop.

Beep beep coming through...