Little Monkey

This little monkey loves to climb- Preston climbs on everything now, as you can see by the pictures. Most of his climbing is not very safe! Our last few weeks have been good. Staying home for snow days, family visitors, and Mommy and Daddy have both enjoyed some nights out with friends.

Climbing onto the chair to look out the window

Climbing onto the speakers to turn on/off the TV

"Help Mom, I'm stuck!"
Dangerous!

On Grandpa's cooler

We are going to have to start strapping this monkey in!

Preston recently became brave enough to climb from the speaker to the TV stand. He fell off a couple days ago, but laughed. Can't take your eyes off him for a minute!

Gpa Kyle reading books with P-dawg

New slippers from Gma Diane!

Aunt Molly got these giant cardboard blocks for Preston for Christmas. It took Aunt Molly, Aunt Paige, and Grandma a looong time to put them together!

Preston riding his horse along to Aunt Paige's awesome singing :) Aunt Paige went back to Costa Rica after this and we miss her already!

"Don't I look so intelligent in your glasses, Grandma D?"

Uncle Shawn helped Daddy install our new bathtub last weekend and we are so grateful! Thank you Uncle Shawn! Preston loved knocking down Uncle Shawn's tall towers.

While Daddy and Uncle Shawn worked, Aunt Kristi, Grant, Mommy, and Preston went to Jumpin' Jacks in Urbandale. Most of the jumpers were too big for Preston, but there was a toddler area and he still had fun watching all the kids. This will be a good way to get all his energy out in the winter when he gets a little older.

Grant and Preston

Jump Jump Jump

The jumpers were just right for Grant and he enjoyed it!

Multi-tasking

Sesame Street, juice, and crackers before daycare

Taking a nap on his Sesame couch

Speaking of monkeys, this little monkey moved up to the 15 mo-2 yr old room at day care- the ZOO crew! He has adjusted really well and we love his new lead teacher. Mommy was a little nervous at first because they sleep on cots, but the teacher said that they would not let Preston sleep on a cot until 18 mo. This room is also bigger and has much cooler toys than the baby room! This is his first day at Zoo Crew- look at that smile!

This past Friday was Beach Day at daycare. Preston got to wear his beach outfit and bring a beach towel.

The staff at daycare said Preston had a perma-smile on his face while they played in the water, sand, and with bubbles.

Brrrrr..It's Too Cold!

Mommy and Preston took a "snow day" today. Actually, Mommy hasn't worked very much this week at all, which has been nice, but not for paying the bills! Preston was not in a very good mood today- he has a cold and yucky stuff coming from his eyes, and I think he may be getting some more molars- ouch! We watched Sesame Street and did a lot of snuggling today. Not sure what tomorrow will bring- I see some schools have already been cancelled and it is supposed to be bitterly cold.

Mommy and Daddy enjoyed spending time together while Preston stayed with Gma Diane and Gpa Kyle in Greene. We got to hang out with Jared and Lisa on a week night to watch the Nebraska game and go out to eat on New Year's Eve (although, like old people, we went to Texas Road House at 4pm to beat the crowds :) Then, we just watched movies all night, and it was a great feeling just laying on the couch, not having to get up for anything. I thought I would be more upset to be away from Preston for a couple days, but I think every parent needs a break sometimes, and I enjoyed myself! Mommy then traveled to Greene on New Years Day to spend the weekend with the family and bring Preston home.

Silly Aunt Paige

Aunt Paige, Aunt Molly, and Mommy went to the movie, Avatar, on Saturday night. Mommy really didn't want to go to that particular movie, but ended up liking it. It was even fun to wear the 3D glasses. But, oh boy was it cold when we came out of the theater, -12 degrees! It is almost too much for Aunt Paige, who is used to the warm temps in Costa Rica and Texas.
Preston sporting his Iowa Hawkeye gear for the bowl game

We went over to Lane and Rachel's on Tuesday night to watch Iowa kick butt against Georgia Tech. Kamden and Preston actually played very well together. Kamden introduced Preston to crayons and stickers- so fun.

Such cheesers!

It was a miracle we got 2 pictures of them both smiling and looking! Silly boys!

Daddy and Mommy found this Cookie Monster at Menards yesterday for 1/2 off. We weren't planning on giving it to him just yet, but Mommy forgot to hide it and he found it.

Giving Cookie some love

Helping Mommy cook dinner tonight

What good help Mommy has!

"Why can't I open these, Mommy?!"

Tis the season!

Well, we successfully made it to all of our 5 Christmas gatherings despite the scare in weather. Mommy and Preston left on Tuesday afternoon with Aunt Paige and Aunt Molly so we could beat the "storm." Daddy joined us on Wednesday for the family festivities. The weekend before Christmas we decided to go to Jordan Creek to get some last minute shopping done. Preston loved playing in the little playground there. We decided against Santa though...we thought he was too scary and you had to pay an outrageous amount of money for a picture.

We also let Preston take a ride on this school bus....although he wasn't so sure about it.

We were so glad to see Aunt Paige over Christmas. She was amazed at how much Preston has grown. Aunt Paige and Aunt Molly babysat Preston on the Monday and Tuesday before Christmas.

Preston received so many toys from some very generous people. Lots of Elmo!

Grandpa Kyle, his girls, and grandson on Christmas Eve

The whole Marquard family

Take one last look at these cute curls.........

Because P-dawg got his haircut!

And hated it! Great-Aunt Kay generously provided Preston with her hair-cutting abilities, but Preston was not very grateful. He acted like we were torturing him, screaming and crying. I don't know how in the world she didn't cut his ear off or something. Thanks Kay!

But, doesn't he look so handsome now!?

He was being such a cheeser on Christmast Eve, I had to get some pictures, because it isn't very often that he sits there and smiles for the camera.

Preston and Aunt Molly

Say Cheese!

Still showing off those pearly whites

Christmas day at the Eichmeier's with his cousins

Grandma Sue bought Daddy and Uncle Shawn a puppy dog that rolls over and laughs when you walk by.

Preston trying to knock over his bowling pins with his head

A new Sesame Street couch!

Grandma D, the girls, and P

New bathtub toysOn Saturday night, we went back to Des Moines, but stayed in a hotel for the Dixon family Christmas

Aunt Paige, Mikyla, and Preston playing with a bouncy ball. Preston loved to run back and forth in the halls of the hotel. Fun!

Tomorrow, Preston is going to head back to Greene for a few days to spend some time with Grandma Diane, Grandpa Kyle, Aunt Molly, and Aunt Paige before she leaves to go back to Costa Rica. Maybe Mommy and Daddy will do something exciting for New Years Eve......probably not :)

Another birthday.....

December has been flying by and we have been staying busy. Mommy is excited that this is her last week of classes this term and won't start back up until January. A small break, but a much needed one! The first weekend in December Daddy and Preston got to spend some quality time together while Mommy went on an overnight trip to go to Christmas at Luther. Last week we enjoyed the days off from work and school due to the blizzard. We are so thankful to Eric and Laura who generously lent us their snow blower. Our snow pup just wasn't doing the trick :) This past Saturday was Mommy's 28th birthday...yuck. I stopped liking birthdays when I turned 25. But, Daddy did get Mommy a Garmin for her birthday. Now she won't get lost all the time! Grandpa Kyle was going to watch Preston while Mommy and Daddy went out to eat on Friday, but Daddy came home from work sick. So, Grandpa bought Mommy some birthday pizza. Daddy had a high fever and had the chills pretty bad. Mommy thought Daddy had H1N1, but Daddy did feel a lot better the next day. Might have been 24 hr flu or virus? We decided to go to Red Lobster on Saturday night and stuffed ourselves with lobster, shrimp, and crab. We are looking forward to the holidays and anxiously awaiting Aunt Paige's arrival from Costa Rica this coming weekend. And hopefully we get our Christmas cards out before Christmas!

The amazing Spiderman!

This picture was taken around 2:00 in the morning. Preston decided he was going to take a 2 1/2 hr nap at daycare and then get up in the night and play. Good times for Mommy! This is a little odd, but Preston always finds my underwear and wears them around his neck. I keep explaining to him that he is going to be really embarrassed about this when he gets older, but he does not seem to care right now :) I think he likes doing this because it is the one thing he can put on over his head by himself.
Wearing Mommy's boots
Wishing he was outside with Daddy hanging up lights
Daddy and Preston at Red Lobster
Mommy and Preston, but he was too busy eating his cheddar biscuits

Yummy...they even put a candle in it and let Mommy blow it out

Preston in his new jammies

Brushing his teeth

He has learned how to climb up this kitchen step ladder now......makes Mommy so nervous!

Pres likes to rock in the rocking chair by himself

On Sunday, Preston went on his first trip to.......McDonald's. He enjoyed his first happy meal and drinking real apple juice (not watered down) from a straw. What a big boy!

Mommy and Preston enjoyed the Playland, although it did say for kids 3-12 years old.

Crawling through the tunnels

Preston is old enough to help around the house now........

Yummy!

This was too funny, I had to post it. Preston thought it was super funny to "kiss" his toes during our Thanksgiving meal. And the little show-0ff kept doing it over and over to get some laughs. On a side note...Preston has not had any bottles for almost 2 weeks now. We thought taking his night bottle away would be pure torture, but it has been okay. And...Daddy just called and he has bronchitis, yucky!