The Cook's

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Jan 14th

One word for this weather - crap! I though I left northern Wisconsin for this reason years ago. It figures, year we are going to build a house, and are in a 1920's rental with crappy windows, a detached garage, no mudroom and probably two football fields worth of corner lot sidewalk to shovel, Chicago is tracking for one of the worst 5 winters in its 14o years of history...we have already had more snow that we would normally get in a year (most in the past 10 days)...and now its like we are living in Siberia temp wise. What happened to the winters of 2000-2007 where maybe we would get 2 or 3 storms per year??

Anyways - all the shoveling is making up for my inability to run outside...

Connor is doing well - seems to be open to the idea of using the potty now - they have started to sit on the potty at school (everyone apparently does it together) and will do it at home for "candies". His language is rapidly expanding and he has a laser sharp memory. If he or Carter throws something, say a binky, behind the couch on Tuesday, if you ask him on Friday, he will know exactly where that binky is.

Connor, however, is no longer being the nighttime "champ" though - as he is starting to resist bedtime and typically, will wander into our room at 2 or 3 am and crash with us. Hopefully it is a phase - we got him a new nightlight the other day and he stayed in his room to 5:30 - so hopefully it works. However, when we say its bedtime now, his response is usually "i'm done" - as in done sleeping (before he even starts).

Carter is getting a load of teeth in and seems to be forever cranky about it. He says random words here and there - but seems to be much more advanced than Connor was at his age...

Carter, helping redesign the kitchen blueprint...

Saturday morning "MM Clubhouse"

No, your not seeing in reverse, the 15month old is pushing the 2.5 year old around...

Carter, going all out to pick up the ladies at the Children's Museum (actually, its a wind tunnel that requires goggles).

My new iPhone is apparently a hit with the 2.5 year old age segment...

Thank you grandma and grandpa for the "truck"...I say it is "fun".

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Jan 3

Long time since last post – been busy w/ the holidays and house construction stuff. The kids got to see both grandparents - the fitzgeralds came to town on xmas day and then we met grandma cook and uncle david/aunt bernie in Wausau, WI. Worked out well meeting in Wausau – saved several hours of driving on both sides versus making the trek to Minneapolis.

Santa was good, with too many toys for the kids (remote control Hummer, indoor jungle gym, fake too bench, dvd player/screens for car) – not all from mom/dad – most from the grandparents. All Connor would say he wanted for xmas when we asked was “fruit snacks” – so he did, indeed, get some fruit snacks wrapped up from Santa.

A ton of pictures….

Connor got is fruit snacks.

Carter getting some balls...

The jungle gym.

Christmas in Wausau, WI with Bernie and David.

The trip did not start too well when Connor took a header onto the hotel room floor.

Carter "The Tree Dismantler"

Cousin Alexis and the boys.

Way too difficult to get a good pick of everyone together w/ grandma and grandpa - this is as good as it got.

Pushing 'big' Carter in a stroller made for dolls...

The first white christmas in Chicago since 2003 ...

...it lasted about 36 hours before it hit 62 degrees, with 2 inches of rain and wiped the snow away in mere hours and flooding made a visit downtown again.

Thank you Aunt Kathy for the Edible Arrangements Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (note the pineapple in the shape of mickey - pretty creative).

Our first attempt to see Santa at the RiverWalk Santa House...long story short...because Santa spend 5 minutes with each kid/family...45 minutes in line was not going to happen...so this is as close as we got. We went to return on Dec 23rd, and Santa had already left to start his duties :(

Nothing buy one, get one shirts to make them look like the "dork" brothers...

Excited, I guess...

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Turkey Day in Ohio

Spent the holiday in Ohio for Turkey Day...kids had a blast seeing all their cousins...it is fun to see Connor begin to want to bond with them...he was a shadow to Ryan, Cameron and Collin whenever they were around. In fact, actually told me "No daddy" when I was going to sit at the kids table with him. Apparently, he is too "cool" now.

Pajamas...

Puzzles w/g'ma...

Kids table...

Connor "finally"leaving the shadow of dad and bonding with others...

Carter stealing Great Grandpas walker...

The top of the family tree and the bottom - great grandma and great grandpa.

This was Connors chair "my chair"...

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

ER again...

Another year, another trip to the ER for Connor. Three times in his short 2.5 years.

He was not sleeping well one night last week, and was frustrating the heck out of us for that very reason - just real whiny and cranky. Well, turns out when we turn the lights on in the morning, the poor kid is swollen on the left side of his jaw line fairly severely. Didn't we feel like a par of jackasses for getting mad at the kid for not sleeping??

Bridget runs him over to the ER in Downers Grove and, to make a long story short, ends up being some sort of bacterial infection in his salivary gland. I guess it is not that uncommon. Freaked us out, but a couple days of antibiotics cleared it up. Go figure...

A random pick of Connor on his "sick day" with Dad at Menards (wasnt very sick)...

Just for Aunt Carolyn - Connor his "preppy" shirt

We finally got into the inspiration house of ours in Downers Grove - they had an open house - so we went for a visit. Kind of feel lame touring a $1.65 million dollar house with absolutely no means to buy it - but usually if I mention I own land in Naperville and am building - that perks up most any realtor/builder and gets the conversation flowing.

We are basically ripping off (er, um, borrowing) the ideas used here for color (we have painstakingly matched color swatches to the siding and talked to residents of a similar color house (actually, I got caught putting a sample up to their house when they pulled in the driveway - they were nice couple our age and divulged the exact color and brand). This is also how are windows will likely look - its called a 3w1h pattern, with black or dark brown cladding. We will also have the copper over hang over the 2nd floor window, will likley have those style lights over the garage, and our trim will likley be cream as well. Overall all, in our opinion - a very classic, historical looking arts/crafts house.

Now, granted I am not working with a 1.6 million budget (or anything in that galaxy) - but I think we can mimic this appearance for much much much less...

Ahh....only 4 short years ago the other week on the beaches of Playa del Carmen ...it feels like this was 20 years ago given all that has happened since (2 kids, real estate ventures, etc). Happy Anniversary....

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Half Sleep Over w/ Cousins

This is from a couple weeks ago - but am quite behind in updating due to the house. Cameron and Alexis were over a couple Friday's ago and fun was had by all...