Check out this cute and messy boy! Reid has been enjoying all kinds of foods. He loves to eat the “pouches” and picks up and plays with and sometimes eats some finger food. It’s the cutest thing when he really loves a flavor – he just hums and moans until you give him the next bite!
Kevin took Griffin by Tyler Run Elementary this weekend so he would feel a bit familiar with it before he and I went there for his kindergarten screening. When I started talking to him about going there to get ready for kindergarten he would just talk about how nervous he was. “Um, I’m going to be nervous. What if I don’t know anyone.” So I explained to him that it will be a fun time playing “games” essentially and that in the beginning everyone is new and just like he did at NPCA he will make friends. He looks so happy in these photos and he really had a great time on the playground. 
Reid is in to any and everything. He can make his way around anywhere and is getting good at getting up into things, getting toys out, finding the door stops, slapping Brutus (we’re trying to teach him to be gentle!), and so on. 
On Valentine’s Day we had a lovely heart-shaped pizza from Flyers :). Kevin gave me a lovely flower bouquet and a fun date night for the next night to go see Tenth Avenue North and Mercy Me. It was an awesome concert and we were in a bit of a hurry to get there, but we did have just enough time to grab a quick dinner at Hot Chicken Takeover in Clintonville. It’s been on our list for a long time! It was delish, as we knew it would be, and we went all out sampling all items on the menu 🙂
Griffin had waited weeks to open his Valentine gift from Grandma Beilstein – and first thing on Valentine’s Day morning he asked if he could open it up! It was an awesome hand made racoon lovie! And once Reid was awake he helped open his polar bear for him. Such a hit, thanks Grandma!
We spent some time this week putting together Griffin’s Valentine cards also. I’ve always been reminded of John 3:16, being that Griffin was born on 3/16, that’s always been one of my associations. When I saw this idea I so wanted to do it! Griffin signed his name to all 20 cards and put the chocolate hearts on each one. 
With the Olympics going on, Griffin has really been liking watching all of the winter sports. He’s taken to going down the “ski jump” on his “skis” (parts of our blinds!). I just love his imagination and creativity. 
I love when Finn does this kind of worksheet at school. It’s always fun to see how he answers questions 🙂 
And this day he was so beat after he came in from playing outside in the cold. I had the olympics on and he was watching them. Next time I checked he was laying in a puddle of drool! He never naps anymore (unless he falls asleep on a long car ride) so this was quite a surprise!
After church on Sunday we went to Aab India for a tasty Indian buffet. It was the first time we’d put Reid in a high chair in a restaurant. He did so great and really loved feeding himself mum mums. 
And this guy loved eating a tasty spread of indian food!
Reid is on the move anytime he’s on the ground. Over the last few weeks he has gotten really smooth at mastering his transition from crawling to sitting. New this week he learned how to go up on his knees! I was kind of surprised as he was just crawling around his room and went over to his activity box. Next thing I knew there he was, up on his knees and he stayed that way for a good minute or so.
Griffin needed to make his own valentine box for his school class this year. He could make it any theme (or no theme) that he wanted so he enjoyed painting it and decorating it with stickers. He is also getting to be so fast at writing his name! My friend, Laura, taught the Monkey class about heart health this week and she sent me a couple of pics from the day, including Griffin making his stethoscope and listening to his heart :). 
Little did we know when we went out for Pizza that it was national pizza day! He hit up Dewey’s in Worthington for some tasty zzzaaaa. 
Our cable has been weird for quite some time as you basically can’t watch live tv on any tv other than our bedroom. We were able to get the service tech’s here on Saturday so while Kevin dealt with them Griffin and I hung out in his room (with the dogs, of course) and line his dresser drawers with OSU liner from Grandma and Grandpa. Mind you most of the drawers are full so you can’t see too much of it, but Finn thinks it’s pretty neat!
We enjoyed some time watching the Winter Olympics over the weekend and I thought what better shirt to put on Reid than one with ski jumping! Ha! Snuggle buds. 
This particular meal Reid was trying out plain butternut squash. To say he wasn’t a fan is a pretty fair statement, but Debbie filled me in that by the end and then the next meal he actually seemed to be ok with it! Reid has been trying many new foods, most seem to be fruity – so I’ve made an effort to have more veggie options so he won’t get his Mom’s sweet tooth and only want the sweet stuff, lol. 
I love this. Reid isn’t much of a snuggler these days. When it is time for nap or bed he basically just wants put down in his bed where he babbles for a few minutes and then falls asleep on his own. I’m not complaining – but I do miss the snuggles! This particular morning he was hungry, but otherwise I don’t think he wanted to be awake. He didn’t even get down to play, he just leaned in while sitting upright (which he never does anymore!) and just cuddled. I love that he “tuck tucks” his arms just like Griffin. 
We were enjoying a nice lazy Saturday morning in bed and we each had a snack bar when I realized Reid was getting antsy as he wanted one too! We decided, why not, let’s get one for him. Next thing I knew Kevin walked in with the high chair for Reid! We set him up and he sat there and enjoyed his Mum Mum with the dogs hoping to get a piece. Next thing, wouldn’t you know, he was able to grab my coffee and proceeded to pull it over – which resulted it in breaking on the bed frame and spilling all over the side of the box spring, bed frame, night stand, carpet, and wall. Um, no more lazy Saturday morning. Ugh! Oh well, memories made. Funny thing is he did the same thing at Dewey’s with a beer the night before. This guy has some fast hands (and some slow learning parents apparently!). 
Brutus just loves to be loved. I mean, who doesn’t, really? He is so playful when you get down on the floor and just wrestle with him or pet him and talk to him. He usually ends up biting my arms playfully and eventually getting up and running like crazy through the house. 
Mom and Dad are enjoying a lovely vacation down in Siesta Key. I was super amazed and impressed when they sent this pic of the sand castle they built for the Super Bowl. Wowzer, pretty impressive, eh?
Facebook continues to show me images from the past – check out this one from 9 years ago (9 years, really?) of the dogs. Hailey, Cam, and Lils – what a crew they were together. I miss those girls! I wonder what they would think of Reid and now Griffin as a big kid :).
The boys had fun making valentine artwork this week and Griffin also made some purple sparkle slime. 
I love when I get to see pictures from the day in the app we use. And it is so fun that Griffin takes some of the photos! This one is great, even Lily is being sassy. 
And speaking of Lils, look at this girl and Mom from Christmas Day in 2009!
I feel like so many pictures are taking in our bedroom! First thing in the morning has often been the only time we’re all together for the day. And Reid goes to bed within an hour of me getting home from work so that time is filled with feeding and getting ready for bed! On Saturday, we did enjoy some play in the loft. When Griffin was younger he absolutely loved standing up all the time. Reid stands some, but isn’t always as interested. We’ve been working with him on pulling himself up. In these pics I stood him up next to his music stand. He stays there, but hasn’t yet figured out to move his legs to re-balance himself yet!
He gets up on his knees and hands and rocks back and forth alot, though he still “army” crawls using his forearms and knees. He’s pretty fast and can get anywhere he wants. He often goes to the door in his room and if it’s cracked open he will open it all the way and start crawling down the hallway. 
And this boy is such an attention seeker. Have I mentioned his love of tissues? He is the sneakiest and if you leave a tissue anywhere, say on my nightstand, the minute you get up and walk away he sneaks right over and tries to snatch it off the table. I mean any and all paper products he wants to eat. I don’t get it, but it reminds me of weimaraners and sometimes I think he’s got to be part weimaraner. He is really gentle with Reid and constantly wants to lick him to give him affection. He lays his head as close as he can (or even on) any toy that Reid is playing with. 
Griffin doesn’t nap anymore, but some days he falls asleep when we’re out and about in the car. This day it was probably only 1 in the afternoon but he was out like a light. 
Since Reid goes to be around 6 or so each night we don’t venture out much in the evenings anymore. But on Saturday we headed to Roosters after running a bunch of errands. There was a pretty decent wait so we hung out in the car 🙂 
