My life is getting so much easier.

As all parents know, when your child learns how to walk and talk and feed themselves your life gets much easier. Tyler has been walking for a good while now and he is really starting to communicate with me and Philip. We really enjoy watching Tyler learn and grow. He now realizes that there is a sky and a moon. He stares in wonder and I get so touched watching his eyes fill with amazement. To get back on topic, making my life easier, Tyler has mastered feeding himself. He has been doing well with the solid foods but the things that get eaten with a spoon have been giving him trouble but he mastered it this weekend. I was so happy. I can now just give him his plate and then get mine and eat my food without having to take turns feeding him.

Thomas Returns

Thomas the Tank Engine has been a very important thing to Tyler these last couple of months. Tyler's friend Landon sent out a Thomas birthday invitation and it's posted on the refrigerator. Tyler will stand in front of the refrigerator and stare and talk to the invitation. He gets very excited when I tell him that he is wearing Thomas to bed.

Also, if you haven't noticed by the last couple of postings, Tyler has finally started to like the camera. He gets to smiling and trying to say 'cheese' for me when I start to take a picture. He also likes taking pictures with me, who wouldn't !! Sorry, I am a little over confident today.

HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAY !!! When I saw this picture it reminded me of how a super hero comes to the rescue.

My cutie pie. It's crazy b/c lately Tyler has been looking more and more like Ethan, which for you who don't know, Ethan is Valerie's son. Valerie's mom in Sandra, which is Sonia's twin sister. People used to always say that Dustin and Philip looked so much alike, wouldn't it be crazy if Tyler and Ethan looked that way too. Maybe I am over analyzing today, who knows.

My Good Looking Kid

So of course Tyler wears his LSU attire for ALL the games. This one was just too cute so I had to post it.

The Alford Boys Come To Town

I decided to invite the boys over to play with Tyler. Our yard is perfect because it's fenced in and fairly child proof. So, Jill, Beau, Sean and Drew came over Friday afternoon. It was pretty interesting. I must say that I give the "Mom of the Year" award to Jill. Her boys have so much energy and every time you blink they are doing something completely different. I know a lot of it has to do with that they are at someone else's house with all these new and different things to do. We really had a good time and I think Jill enjoyed sitting back and swinging in the swing.

I really liked this picture b/c Tyler is pushing Sean around in the car. That should be reversed, Sean should be pushing Tyler !! Tyler had a lot of fun pushing him around. Big brother Beau was helping Drew ride the 3-wheeler. Drew and Tyler's legs are still too short to reach the pedals.
This picture actually was really a funny one to catch. Drew decided that he wanted to sit in the car with Tyler, well I think he was hoping that Tyler would get out of his way so he could sit but Tyler couldn't get out. There is only one door that allows the child to get in. Tyler was so mad at Drew. Tyler started screaming and crying so I had to rush to the rescue before Tyler started to throw punches.
I also got video of the UFC fight that almost went down but didn't ....

Tuesday when I got home from work Philip & Tyler were playing in the yard having a great time. I went inside to put my purse down and when I came out Philip was rigging up the wagon and the lawn mower. Now, usually I would like to think that my family isn't the well known "red neck" family but when I saw this sight that's all I could think about - we have turned into rednecks. Tyler had a blast and Philip was excited b/c he didn't have to break a sweat pulling Tyler around in his wagon. It's sad really but what can you do??

Wednesday evening was such a pleasant one. I think Tyler & I played in the yard until well after 7:30. He wanted to take pictures with my camera so I would 'help' him take pictures of the puppies and me. He felt like such a big boy b/c he was helping me. In just the last week he has started to form phrases, yet many are incomprehensable, but still he is developing at such a fast pace lately.

Tyler playing with Daisy. Tyler loves ALL of his puppies. Puppy is his new word.

He gets so mad b/c he can't carry his bouncy balls at the same time. It usually results in major meltdown.Tyler took a picture of me. I can't believe he actually got a decent shot !!
Riding in his wagon again. This has become a daily thing and if you try to get out it he will quickly remind you by pulling the wagon to you and then get in and stare at us with a "you better get on with" look.

ExxonMobil Company Picnic

We look forward to the picnic every year. Exxon always rents out Blue Bayou Water Park for the yearly picnic. We have not missed a year yet and we were really excited about this year b/c Tyler is old enough to play in the kiddie area. The kids area is huge and they have a bunch of water slides coming off of the pirate ships. Oddly enough, we (Tyler, me, Phe & Ryan) had a blast in the children's area. We rode many of the adult water slides too but for me and Philip, watching Tyler have so much fun was a wonderful experience. You could see his imagination running wild. He smiled from the second we got there until he passed out in the car.

The green slide was the fastest of the slides so Tyler would get really excited when he would realize we were going to the fast one.

At the end of the slides the water current was very strong. If Tyler didn't pay full attention he would lose his balance and fall. Tyler was determined to make it all the way to the end of the slide.
Tyler & I taking a quick "photo" oppportunity.

Tyler & Philip after sliding down the water slide. Tyler & Philip in an "action" shot. The tan slide was really big but slow. At one point Philip had to push themselves off b/c they had stopped in mid-slide.
Tyler had just fallen and was trying to be happy and not pout.
Tyler fell asleep as we were buckling him into his carseat. Poor baby was exhausted. He didn't have a nap the entire day & we left Blue Bayou @ 3:30.
Now, I mentioned that my brother Ryan was with us, well that goofy boy would duck out of picture we would try to take b/c he is a weirdo - you know how teenagers are. Fortunately, when you enter the park they had people with polaroid camera's taking polaroids of everyone so I DO have ONE picture with Ryan in it. I will add it to the post tomorrow.

Uncle Bubba's Birthday

My uncle Roy(Bubba) turned 65 this weekend so we have a family get-together to celebrate the occasion.

Tyler was being such a good boy. He ate all of his dinner before he got up to play. He walked around the yard and watched the other kids play. He did enjoy playing with his cousins.

My cousin Scott and his oldest daughter Sarah. Scott was testing his patience by having all three of his kids fishing in the pond. The kids were getting their hooks caught in overhanging tree limbs and in the grass around the pond. They were a trip. Scott looked like he needed a sip of scotch by the end of the night.
Right as I was snapping the picture sarah took a big swig of her coke. She was smiling so nice before the drink.
I didn't realize that I didn't even take a picture of all my extended family or the birthday boy himself. So sorry family. Will get better shots next time. The kids are just too cute to miss !!