Cole and Casey

Casey is 2

2012-02-05T19:25:00.000-08:00

Casey is 2

Casey is now a two year old! How we got to two so fast is a bit of mystery. All of the sudden our little baby is now a big-boy toddler with as much tenacity, self-assuredness and independence as ever.

Casey continues to be super active. Between him and big brother Cole, mama and daddy are kept quite busy. Casey’s vocabulary is growing with him and he is finding more words every day. Without a doubt, Casey can let you know exactly what he wants (or doesn’t want). He is identifying letters of the alphabet and singing parts of the ABC’s quite well. For as willful as Casey can sometimes be, he still offers hugs and kisses and has some pretty great manners for a two year old.

Casey is approaching the 24 lb. mark. He is definitely on the light side of the weight chart but for as active as he is no one is surprised. Casey has most of his teeth with a few spaces still waiting. Teething is a tough business for Casey so we’ll all be happy when those pearly whites are in place. Casey enjoys eating a pretty wide variety of food. If he had his way, he’d eat turkey dogs, berries and ice pops all the time. Luckily he isn’t in charge of his daily menu completely and has a much more diverse offering of foods than that :) He still isn’t fond of haircuts, doctor appointments or long car rides but loves his taggie book, playing with his trains and finding big trucks and busses on his ride to and from school. All in all, Casey is a true little boy.

Casey continues to attend the Sony Child Development Center and has enjoyed being a part of the Two’s Room for a couple of months already. He loves the routine as well as all of the amazing activities and projects that are offered. This is one kid that does well on an active and full schedule so we are glad to have such a great place to help him thrive.

Casey celebrated his big day with a couple of parties. The first party was on his actual birthday at school with afternoon cupcakes for his classmates. Then Casey enjoyed a little ice cream party at home the next day with some friends and family. All in all, it was a nice weekend filled with happy birthday wishes!

We love Casey so very much and are proud of him! We look forward to another exciting year with our two amazing boys... we couldn’t feel more blessed!

Below is a video recap of the two fun gatherings mentioned above.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Christmas 2011

2012-02-01T21:34:00.000-08:00

Better late than never.

Christmas may have been more than a month ago but we still are holding a bit of that special spirit in our hearts as we eagerly anticipated the Christmas post.

This holiday season was wonderful this year as both of the boys were showing excitement as the countdown to Santa's visit ticked on. Joined by Nana and Pop Pop visiting from Arizona and Auntie Pat from Davis along with the local Oma and Zeydeh, the house was full of hustle and bustle and Christmas morning couldn't come soon enough.

When it did the boys found a bounty of gifts under the tree including Rock and Roll Elmo and ABC Big Bird for Casey and Star Wars toys, Legos and a cool guitar for Cole. Being such a wonderful brother Cole was quick to share his guitar with his younger brother (he didn't have much choice) and Casey was able to present his musical talents for all to hear.

Overall it was a fantastic Christmas but over too quickly. Below is a recap of the great day.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Twos and Ponys - Random Jan 2012

2012-01-23T21:20:00.000-08:00

Have been lax on the updates lately sorry. Still owe a Christmas recap but we can say this... it was fun and the big man in the red suit did make it to the house.

Since then we have been getting back into the groove of our routine. Casey officially transitioned into the Twos room at school when we went back from break and Cole is in his second semester of Kindergarten and loving it. We have been working to spend our weekends exploring places we haven't been before. So much, so close but sometimes difficult to actually get out and go.

Here are some shots of Casey's exploration of the Two's yard and Cole enjoying a Pony ride in Griffith Park

Casey with his Giraffe

Loves that Giraffe

Lots of Leafs

Ridem Cowboy

Comin down the shoot

Giddy up

Much more to come on http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T19:17:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year From Cole and Casey

Much more to come in 2012 @ http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Santa Visit 2011

2011-12-18T15:23:00.000-08:00

The countdown is officially on at the Black house. Only a few days left before Santa heads out on his magical trip around the world. But before he gathers the reindeer and takes flight he was nice enough to stop by Travel Town again this year to allow the kids to pay him a visit and let him know what they would love to see under the tree come Christmas morning.

This year the kind folks at Travel Town took into account the bottle neck of the Santa Train from last year and separated the Santa visit and the train ride making it a much more efficient evening.

While Cole is an old pro at chatting up the big man, Casey is still getting the hang of it. Last year he had no problem taking a seat on the lap of a stranger but this year was a different experience. Casey was very excited to see Santa... from afar. Once he got close all bets were off.

Here is a glance at the visit.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Jedi Training

2011-12-05T22:24:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago while Cole had a day off from school he and Dad headed down south to what many believed to be a day at the happiest place on earth, Disneyland. But the truth is that Cole was attending a top secret Jedi Training session with other young Padawan's.

In the middle of their training they were interrupted by a visit from Darth Vader who was seeking to steal the young Jedi's away to train them in the dark side of the force. Cole and the others were each given an opportunity to face Vader. After being bested by Cole, Vader, sensing that the force was strong with Cole dispatched Stormtroopers to capture Cole who was able to use his powerful force push on them to ensure his saftey.

We all feel safer knowing that we have a young Jedi who holds the force close and protects us all.

Dad was able to capture this encounter on film. Enjoy

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Halloween Time 2011

2011-11-24T21:04:00.000-08:00

It makes sense to wait until Thanksgiving to post the Halloween update right? Well... that's where we are. Happy Thanksgiving.

Three weeks ago the boys donned their costumes, Cole as Jengo Fett and Casey as a Monkey (see Cole as the Monkey 4 years ago here) and set out to claim their bounty from the neighbors. Accompanied by Nana and Pop Pop along with Momma and Daddy the boys were able come home with bags full of treats.

A great time was had by all. Below is a look back at this years Halloween Time.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey Bath Time

2011-11-19T13:37:00.000-08:00

Casey loves him some bath time. He loves playing in the water and splashing around. Recently as he approaches the need for another haircut momma has been having some fun during shampoo time.

Here are some fun pics from one of Casey's recent bath time photo shoots.

It is always fun to look back to see how much Cole also had his fun times in the bath when he was about this age. Here is a post with some
Cole bath shots from 2008.

A Halloween recap should be coming up this week :)

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Pumpkin Pickin' 2011

2011-10-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

Halloween is fast approaching and it is time for the annual trip to the pumpkin patch. Nothing says fall like 85 degree heat and high humidity while trudging through a corn maze :)

While we continue to grown pumpkins in our very own Black Family Pumpkin Patch at the house (30+ as a hold over from last years crop... we didn't plant any new seeds), Underwood Family Farms is the standard by which all other Pumpkin Patches should be measured. It isn't just a pumpkin patch... it's an adventure. While crowded and a bit warm the boys are still able to enjoy the tractor ride, tomato launcher, corn maze and more pumpkins that you can shake a stick at... fun times are had by all.

Below is a look back at this years visit to the pumpkin patch.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Random Aug / Sept Casey Pics

2011-09-30T22:05:00.000-07:00

Thought it might be fun to post some random pics of Casey as he continues to grow into a little boy. Casey continues to be very active and loves being "outside" which we still believe to be one, if not his first word. He also loves playing with his brother and has taken to watching "bo bos" (videos) on the computer.

Here are some shots that have been taken while at school and home.

Smiley

Scooter Time 1

Scooter Time 2

Brothers at the End of Summer Extravaganza

Tired... but still playing

Buggy Walk Time

Red Dragons

2011-09-18T13:57:00.000-07:00

Soccer has made it's way into the Black household in a big way this fall. Cole started AYSO this year for the first time and along with Cole entering the playing ranks, Dad joined as a coach. Together they lead the Red Dragons into battle each Saturday.

Dad was quick to learn that patience was the name of the game in the Under 6 division and player focus was not to be expected. But regardless of the challenges we have been having a blast. Cole is proving to be quite the team leader. A strong player both on the offensive side and is quick to run back and cover defense as well. He has 2 goals in 4 games and has saved countless others by running back to protect his own goal from the other team. He certainly is having fun, as is Dad.

Here is a glance at the Red Dragons.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

A Night At The Bowl

2011-08-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

As the end of summer approaches, Momma and Dad decided it might be a fun outing to take the kindergartner to the Hollywood Bowl for a night of movie music. After living in LA for 12 years this was Dad's first trip to the famed Hollywood Bowl whereas Cole had been just weeks earlier as part of his Kinder Camp experience with his P2 class.

John Williams, composer of such classic movie scores as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, Jaws, ET and of course the reason for our being there... Star Wars, was conducting with a special appearance by James Taylor... what a night. While the first half was beautiful it was a little boring for Cole, who took a bit of a cat nap but after intermission the fun began and Cole lit up when they started playing the main theme from Star Wars (as did his double sided light saber).

A grand evening was had by all and we can't wait to go back. Below is a look back at our wonderful evening out.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Kindergarten - Cole's First Day

2011-08-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

After talking about it for the past year and thinking about it for months and counting down the days for the past few weeks... it has finally arrived. Cole's first day of Kindergarten is here. After having met his teacher and some classmates last week at an orientation, Cole has been talking about his new Kindergarten non stop. Asking questions and wondering how it would be different from his years spent at the Sony Child Development Center. Today those questions were answered... Not as much play time but still plenty of fun learning.

We weren't sure how Cole was going to adapt but he was fantastic. Kudos to the Sony CDC folks again for helping shape such a well rounded kid who is ready for his next adventure. He has turned into a leader who is smart, strong and brave. We couldn't be more proud of him.

Tomorrow is day two and we will see where that takes us. But before that, here is a look back on day one.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Summertime

2011-07-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

Well... it's Summertime and the livin's easy. Well not so much but our days are filled with fun and sun. Unfortunately Momma and Dad are inside most of the time working... but the kids, the kids are loving the time outside with friends.

Weekends are spent enjoying ice pops and time in the backyard on the play structure. Cole and Casey have been taking to the slide and having a blast. Here is a look at some of the recent fun.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey's 1st Hair Cut

2011-07-09T15:12:00.000-07:00

Who says we are late in posting updates? The next update is from an event that took place on April 30th. Today is July 10th. I will spare you the "it's been really busy" speech and just get into it.

A few months after Casey had become 1 we had also reached the point where he was often being mistaken for a girl. Now if you will remember we did the same thing with Cole who had some wonderful long locks prior to his first cut (and then after for quite a while since hair cuts were not his thing when he was little). So April 30 became the day for Casey to experience the first cut. He handled it very well especially after what Cole experienced for his first cut.

Below are the highlights.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey Jam

2011-07-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

While Casey is hit and miss while in the car he is mostly happy on the drive TO school. The drive home is another story. Some mornings it all comes together and the commute becomes a dance party. Here is a video of Casey rockin out.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Cole is 5

2011-06-24T20:38:00.000-07:00

Today Cole is 5 years old! It is hard to believe that this smart, sensitive and caring big brother is already 5 years old. The time has flown by and Cole continues to amaze us with his observations and particular point of view on things. Having a conversation with him is such fun and hearing about his interests is always a joy.

Cole is really into soccer (he starts playing in a league in August), Star Wars and superheros. He loves riding his bike and playing outside with his friends as well as spending time with his little brother. We love him so much and can't wait to continue to follow him on his spectacular journey. Happy Birthday buddy.

How old?

Big Balloon

Cole is 5

The Birthday Boy

Cole with his friend Cosette

Today also happens to be Cole's graduation from P2 at the Sony Child Development Center. We will have a separate update about that but we couldn't be prouder of him.

Cole and the first of many cap and gown pics

Derby Day 2011

2011-06-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry again for the delay in posting... hard to believe it has been almost a month. Well, it has been a busy month and we have some back posting to do but here is something that is current.

This past Friday was Derby Day at Cole and Casey's school so once again it was time to explore the wonders of a wooden block and some wheels. After last years experiment of hand shaping a car out of the block of wood, Cole and Daddy decided that there was still fun in buying a precut car and decorating it while Momma and Casey were VERY creative with a single block of wood... and and Hershey bar that had to be eaten :). While no trophies came home with the boys we still had fun preparing and participating.

Our Official Entries

The Field

The Boys taking in the races

Casey cheering his car along

What is lacked in speed it made up for in STYLE

Momma and Casey with the "Sweetest Car"

Cole with his "Most Likely To Peel Out" Car

Updates from Casey's First Haircut and our recent vacation to Hawaii still to come on http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Easter 2011

2011-05-21T23:02:00.000-07:00

Since Easter decided to come late this year, we figured we had a little leeway when it came to doing a post about it. Well as the next few weeks and months become ever more daunting and busy it seemed about the right time to have a look back on Easter.

We, in the Black household, can appreciate how busy the Easter Bunny is and lucky for us the kids are patient and understand that we like to give the bunny with the eggs a bit more time. So as in years past, the Easter Bunny was able to come to the house while we were at church. It makes for a fun return home after celebrating the true meaning of Easter.

Below is a recap of this years festivities.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Bicycle

2011-05-02T21:37:00.000-07:00

As the temperature increases and our family walks along the bike path become more and more frequent, Cole (with some urging from the folks) decided that it was time for the training wheels to go off his bicycle.

Unbeknownst to his parents, Cole had been familiarizing himself with a two wheel bike at school. And while he was not riding it without issue he was pushing himself along and getting a few reps in on the pedals before loosing his balance and continuing with feet on the ground. So when it came time to remove the training wheels from his bike at home (smaller and lighter) his balance was much better and within minutes he was riding with no problems. Dad was very relieved as he had pictured himself running down the street holding on to the back of the seat for support... dodged a bullet on that one.

So now Cole is able to ride his bike on the family outings to the bike path and already has visions of a bigger bike... in due time sir... in due time.

Below is some nice video of Cole two wheelin' it.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Swimming With Sharks

2011-04-25T22:51:00.001-07:00

As summer approaches and a trip to Maui looms, the boys were in need of some water time. While Cole has enjoyed many hours in the pool over the past few years he had yet to master the art of the swim and Casey... well, Casey was a pool virgin heading into late March when they were introduced to The Water Whisperer.

The Water Whisperer came highly recommended from one of Cole's classmates and is a two week intensive course in swimming. Monday - Friday for two weeks was all it took to get Cole confident in the water and actually swimming. For Casey is was a bit more of an introduction to the water and a creating a comfort level in and around the pool to include going under water.

The boys loved their time in the water and we have been waiting eagerly for the weather to warm up so that we can get them back in the pool prior to our trip to the islands.

Below is a quick look at their time with The Water Whisperer.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey's 1st Birthday Parties

2011-04-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

The Birthday Boy

Sorry folks, due to unforeseen circumstances (sickness, work, sleep and having two active kids in house) we have been unable to update the blog in quite a while. We won't let such a long delay happen again.

So... round about 2 months or so ago Casey turned one! We completed our One Year Old post but never got around to sharing the celebrations that took place.

We are so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends, not to mention our Sony Child Development Center family who all participated to make Casey's big day so special.

The following represents both Casey's school party and the small gathering we had for him at the house right after the construction was completed. Needless to say, a great time was had by all.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Oh... Casey has just started to stand on his own and take a few steps... but more on that later :)

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Random Pics - Feb 2011

2011-02-20T21:07:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the delay in posting... the sickness settled in on the house for a few weeks there and just now appears to be lifting leaving not one of the family without the joys of the ick. We are still working on a Casey birthday party post but in the mean time here are some fun random pics from the past month or so.

Casey getting to know the entertainment center glass

Hipster Casey 1

Hipster Casey 2

PASTA 1

PASTA 2

Puppet Show 1

Puppet Show 2

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey - 1 year old

2011-02-03T21:19:00.001-08:00

The One Who's One

In what seems like a time-warp, a whole year has passed since our Casey was born! Mama, Daddy and big brother are so proud of Casey and we just couldn't imagine our family without him! We are thrilled to be wishing him a happy FIRST BIRTHDAY today!

Casey, as always, is on the go. Not yet vertical on his own however. Crawling and cruising are old staples and give him a good push-cart to hold onto and he'll move forward upright. He'll walk on his own time. Knowing Casey it will probably happen casually, like it's no biggie, but he'll be smiles from ear to ear.

Sometime around Christmas, Casey found a decent appetite. He could really take it or leave it for a while there. Not to say that he is clearing a path at the buffet tables now, but he has definitely been eating better these past several weeks. Some favorites include Cheerios, pizza, pasta and avocado. He loves to hold the spoon although it hasn't assisted food into the mouth yet. It's all hands for meal times and he does quite well. His formula still is served up in a bottle, but the cup (a real one... no sippy cups here) has been introduced and very much accepted.

Just in time for the big O-N-E, Casey's top teeth are starting to peek through. We can see the faint little white mark up top and getting all the signs that some action is taking place. Cutting new teeth is a difficult and painful business and there is no mistaking when it hurts. There have been a few tender days to be sure, but hopefully he'll see some relief for his big day. For now he's just got the pair of little cute pearly whites on the bottom and soon he'll have some upstairs chompers to complement the set.

Casey is very vocal and can often be heard saying "Mama" and always waves and says "Hi"! He also seems to have an understanding of some basic sign language that his teachers at school along with Mama, Daddy and Cole have been using to help ease the language barrier. He seems to recognize when we make the sign (i.e. gets ready for milk when we tell him that milk is on the way). He doesn’t sign back too often yet unless he really wants to drive a point home. Casey has signed "milk" when very thirsty or "all done" like when he last got a shot at the doctor's office. We continue to sign such things as "all done", "diaper change", "bottle", "more", etc. Although, most times he gets his point across with or without sign language.

Another big milestone this week is how Casey naps at school. Prior to this week he was napping in a crib but now that he is a big boy, Casey naps on a mat a school. It is definitely a new part of the routine and on day one of this practice it took his teacher a while to get him to settle down and stay on his mat, but once it happened, he took a good 2 hour snooze.

We can't help but mention what an amazing brother Cole continues to be to Casey. We couldn't have asked for more in a big brother! Casey certainly agrees as Cole just makes him happy like no one else can. When you hear Casey belly-laughing, you can be sure Cole is nearby!

This next year will hold just as much joy as Casey continues to grow, explore and make us so happy! Here is a look back at the past 365 days.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

And another look at the past year

And just for good measure... the side by side shot with big brother Cole at 1 year as well.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Super Baby

2011-01-29T09:34:00.000-08:00

As Casey inches closer to his first birthday (5 days and counting) he is beginning to reveal his true colors to the rest of us. While he may seem to be a mild mannered, happy child it is not truly known what he does under the cover of darkness... until now

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Christmas 2010

2011-01-15T21:39:00.000-08:00

A baby's first Christmas and a 4 1/2 year old who is in his prime of enjoying all that Santa has to offer meant that we were in for a memorable Christmas in 2010.

Blessings were abound as we approached the holidays this year. Our build was nearing completion and while the job is not fully done we were able to move into our new family room in the days leading up to Christmas. This was met with great joy as we were not forced to celebrate Christmas all jammed in the master bedroom which had been doubling as the family room during the last few months. Nana and Pop Pop made the trek out from Arizona and Oma and Zeydeh helped celebrate the special day as well.

Cole, who had been on his best behavior for the past month was extremely excited and Casey was intrigued by the gifts and the noise that the wrapping paper made. After tracking Santa all day on the Norad website and calling in to talk to an Elf who gave us a heads up as to when Santa would be arriving in Burbank the boys went to sleep with little fuss and before you know it Christmas morning had arrived.

Below are highlights from the day...

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey @ 11 Months

2011-01-03T21:27:00.000-08:00

Casey is 11 months old today! It's been a fun month with the holidays and a little down time. Casey has been honing all his latest skills as well!

Casey is now a super crawler (fast!) and has the cruising thing down. Don't turn your back or you'll miss him. If he sees an open door, he's through it in no time flat! Leave the remote control within his reach and the channel will be changed before a big brother can say' "What happened to Kick Buttowski?!" Surprisingly, Casey will now finally take a few seconds to sit. For a while we weren't sure that Casey COULD actually sit on his own. All were getting a little concerned but Mom and Dad's suspicions were confirmed that he could, indeed, sit. Previously he didn't stop long enough to actually practice the task. If he gets his little hands on a piece of electronics however he will now sit and explore it... for a few seconds anyway.

Casey is great a waving hello and good bye, he'll blow an occasional kiss, play a mean game of peak-a-boo and still likes to sing "if you’re happy and you know it...". Perhaps the high-five and knuckles are next. Casey still has just his cute little bottom two center teeth with no others making an appearance yet. The drool has turned on again these last few days so who knows what will show up in the next month. Maybe he'll get a couple more for his one year birthday? A few more chompers would be good timing as Casey is pretty much done with baby food. As we deplete our last stash of little containers, we don't think we’ll be restocking.

Casey and Cole enjoyed a nice Christmas! Santa was good to them as evidenced by all the new stuff. Pop Pop and Nana came to visit for a few days and the whole crew got together (Oma and Zeydeh too) for Christmas dinner. Casey enjoyed the company of the whole family but big brother Cole especially missed his grandparents when they left to head back home (we are sure that Pop Pop misses wrestling and chasing Cole as much as Cole does).

We are now counting down the days to Casey's first birthday and continuing to enjoy every day we have with him!!

As always... here is the updated look back at 10 months

Here is a glance at Casey's progression over the past 10 months

And finally... a look at Cole at 11 months next to his 11 month old brother.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

2010-12-15T15:01:00.000-08:00

Ohhhh yes he is... Santa is on his way and one little boy is VERY excited and another just doesn't know any better... yet.

For the second year in a row, Cole who was gracious enough to invite his little brother, ventured out on the Santa Train at his favorite location... Travel Town. And while the weather didn't quite feel like the holiday season the crowds sure did. A short 2 1/2 hours later the family boarded the train and headed out to see the big man himself.

Cole, armed with his list of asks (written in his own hand) with pictures to accompany them, had a good visit with Santa. And Casey who was an hour past his bedtime had no problems sitting in the lap of the old man with a belly filled with jelly.

Smiling faces and the knowledge that requests had been submitted allowed for a good nights sleep. Only a few more days left before the big day and the countdown has begun. Santa Claus is, in fact, coming to town.

Here is a recap of the adventure.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

All Fours

2010-12-12T22:23:00.001-08:00

Months after Casey had mastered the "scoot" or "army crawl" and become extremely efficient as well as FAST, he has begun the evolution towards crawling. Casey has been spending much more time on all fours and exploring his surroundings via the traditional crawl but old habits die hard and Casey is still intermixing the "scoot" while he gets the hang of the new transportation method.

In an attempt to pay tribute to Cole's first dabble into the crawl we wanted to capture Casey in action.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey @ 10 months

2010-12-03T20:22:00.000-08:00

Casey is 10 months old and continues to be one very busy little man. His wonderful curiosity keeps him on the go and exploring all that is around him. This past month he has perfected pulling up. He'll use anything around him to get to a standing position - furniture, Mama or Daddy's legs, another child... doesn't matter what. He seems to enjoy the new view! In the mornings when we enter his room, he is standing at the end of the crib with a big smile waiting to be picked up. Of course, the new position has him cruising as well. While the home project is nearing completion nobody will be happier than Casey to have full access to the house in order to "stretch his legs a bit". While he doesn't look like he is quite ready to let go and stand independently yet, but we know what is in our near future!

Another thing that Casey has learned are a couple of new communication techniques with the use of hands: specifically waving and clapping. He loves to say "hello" and "good bye" with a wave. It doesn't matter where or to whom he waves at this point - walk down the aisles at Target and someone will get a sweet greeting. And, if you start up a round of "If you are happy and you know it" the smile will immediately show up and the hands will clap right on cue.

Casey has been a good eater this past month which makes us very happy. While still maintaining a diet of some baby food and some "big boy" foods, the next month or two will see him leaving the baby food behind. Once construction is complete and therefore full use of the kitchen we will again have the ability to provide Casey a host of new tastes. If he could choose his favorite meal right now, it would be pizza crust and a nice warm bottle.

Casey still thinks Cole hangs the moon. Cole can sneeze and Casey will laugh and clap. And, like a good big brother, Cole is always on the lookout for Casey, brings him toys and wants him to be happy. We are so proud of our boys! We are pretty sure they have met the criteria for making the "nice" list which is a good thing because Cole is polishing up his Christmas list (he plans to visit Santa when he is in town next weekend). Cole also has suggestions for Santa as to what he can bring Casey. Everyone is looking forward to Casey’s first Christmas!

As always, here are some shots of the 10 month old:

Here is a glance at Casey's progression over the past 9 months

And finally... a look at Cole at 10 months next to his 10 month old brother.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Halloween 10

2010-11-19T22:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween!!! What?!?! You say it's November 19th. Well... that's just the way it goes :) With work and the construction on the house it has taken a few weeks to get the time to put together this little Halloween montage featuring Buzz Lightyear and a very cute Sea Otter.

The family had a very busy Halloween weekend and Cole was able to trick or treat twice, once with his classmates and once out and about in the neighborhood. Casey didn't last too long in his costume but he sure was cute.

Here are the pics from our 3 step holiday.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey @ 9 Months

2010-11-03T21:55:00.000-07:00

Casey is 9 months old today! The last month has been busy for him... new foods, new teeth and new moves.

As mentioned in previous posts, Casey has been "mobile" for some time now. While still rejecting the traditional crawl, our scooting-machine continues to be in full force. Casey loves to crawl OVER things too - toys, boxes, people - it doesn’t matter. He seems to choose an obstacle course over a clear path given the choice. Casey has also added pulling up to his resume. Getting down from whatever he has pulled up to is a different story. We are sure he’ll figure that part out quickly because he does not want to be stopped. Move-move-busy-busy. While the homestead is undergoing some upgrades, the play and crawl areas at home have been greatly reduced for a few months. Unfortunately it coincides with the skills Casey likes to practice most. We are grateful for the amazing school he attends that offers him an incredible space to move, play and explore.

Casey also had his first tooth show up on 10/21 (bottom front). We had been expecting this milestone for a while, and it finally made its grand entrance. Good thing we noticed that evening before bed as it then made sense why he woke up screaming twice that night... and at 3:00 a.m. for the ensuing week. Ouch! Looks likes more teeth might be making their entrance soon as well.

With Casey’s activity level and only-moderate interest in eating/bottles, the kid is lean. Length and head size are great but he is hugging the low end of the curve in weight. Thus, new foods have been introduced with the hope that new interest will be sparked as well. Good thing he’s growing some new chompers. So far pasta is fun to touch for a few minutes, but that is about it. Mashed potatoes? Sure. Crackers of any kind are a winner (ever stepped on a piece of soggy cracker in the middle of the night?). Real bananas have been on the list for a while now too. Can I hear it for avocados and bread sticks? Whoop Whoop! Each day Casey is less inclined to partake in baby food although he is still getting a decent amount of his solids from the little jars. Luckily he isn’t too picky on variety just quantity - but before we know it those little jars and containers will go by the way side. In the mean time all of his care givers (to include mom, dad, teachers and big brother) are going the extra mile to offer and encourage Casey to chow down.

Both Cole and Casey enjoyed a fun Halloween this past weekend! They had a great time at the Harvest Festival at school the Friday before and did a bit of trick-or-treating on Hallows Eve among our wonderful neighbors. This year Cole was Buzz Lightyear and Casey was a sea otter. So adorable! A Halloween post to come in the near future.

As always... here is a look at the past month:

Here is a glance at Casey's progression over the past 8 months

And finally... a look at Cole at 9 months next to his 9 month old brother.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Patches O'Pumpkins

2010-10-25T21:58:00.000-07:00

Another October means another trip out to the Underwood Family Farms. This year we gathered the same group of city folk and headed out to the country for another fall day filled with tractor and train rides, pumpkin pickin and 99 degree heat... Ugh.

It was a scorcher. Not quite the weather to put you in the fall mood but still a fun day was had by all on our annual adventure and we were able to get ourselves a nice pumpkin for carving (keep in mind that Cole and Casey have a bunch of home grown pumpkins at home so we didn't need to stock up at the patch).

Here is a look back at the (hot!) day.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

We have been going out to Underwood for 4 years now so we wanted to pull some pics together of Cole exploring his favorite wooden train at the farm.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Up / Down

2010-10-12T21:03:00.001-07:00

While Casey has yet to master (or show interest) in crawling he has become quite the aficionado when it comes to "scooting". He is mobile and he is fast. Over the past few weeks he has taken to exploring the stairs leading up to the loft in the Infant room at his school. After a few failed attempts and one crash and burn coming down the ramp he has become quite the experienced climber and spends many hours of his day going Up and Down.

Daddy was able to capture some of his adventures on video recently.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey @ 8 Months

2010-10-03T20:06:00.000-07:00

Casey is 8 months old today!

Our mover-and-shaker doesn’t leave any time idle... if there is something to see and explore he’s all over it. While Casey doesn’t actually crawl in the true sense of the word (being up on hands and knees) he has perfected the "army scoot" and is very comfortable with this mode of transportation. His shirts are completely dirty at the end of the day because his belly isn’t off the ground. Attach a couple of Swiffer sheets and our floors will sparkle. When he pauses, he pops up on hands and knees but as soon as he’s moving again it’s back to the scoot. Casey is pulling up onto things to about his knees but that was enough to have mom and dad lower the mattress in the crib already. We think he’ll be pulling up to standing very soon. He has also mastered the little stairs in his preschool room that lead up to a loft area. Casey scooches right up, takes a look around and then scooches back down. He makes many trips up and down each day. We aren’t sure if Casey will actually be interested in true crawling or if he’ll just skip it and focus on getting vertical. He doesn’t seem to be interested in sitting either. Casey is so much like Cole that we’ll probably see what transpires this month. When Cole was 8 months he pushed up then sat then crawled all within a few short weeks. It is very exciting to watch it all transpire!

Casey is also getting familiar with sign language. Both his teachers and mom and dad consistently use a handful of signs for some of the basics ("eat", "milk", "all done", etc.). As of this past week or so, Casey seems to be telling us when he’s ready for something to eat or drink. On a recent visit from Nana and Pop Pop, they even saw his communication. But alas, Casey is once again like his big brother and food is simply fuel to keep the party moving - when he asks for food or bottle he’ll just take what is needed and then be on his way, thank you very much. At least he is telling us if the tank needs to be filled earlier than we would have gotten to it. Signing was very helpful with Cole so we are glad Casey is taking to it as well. It is also amazing to see how such a little one is so very smart!

As always... here is a look at the past month:

Here is a glance at Casey's progression over the past 7 months

And finally... a look at Cole at 8 months next to his 8 month old brother.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey - Random Sept Pics

2010-09-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

Things have been very busy both on the home and work front so we have not been able to take any big adventures recently. We have, however, continued to take pics of the boys as we experience the crazy thing called life.

We will be starting some construction on the house very soon so we have been trying to enjoy some quiet time before everything goes haywire. Below are some recent pics of Casey.

Hangin out underneath his music table. Easy going in... not so much coming out.

Relaxing while exploring his many things in his room.

On the move. Can't turn your back for a second or he's gone.

Casey (holding the toy) with his buddy Nate at school

Casey having a laugh while sitting in the big chair at school.

iPhone Fun

2010-09-12T13:16:00.001-07:00

Daddy and his friends at work have been doing a lot of work for the iPhone and iPad and due to the increased activity tied to these devices he had to get one of each to be able to properly view and test the work ;)

The new iPhone actually has a pretty good camera and there are also a ton of cool photo applications that allow you to manipulate images or do other fun stuff. Here is a collection of some pics taken with the iPhone.

Cole climbing a tree outside the Natural History Museum

Casey hangin out while the family go for a nice walk

Cole and his friend Rian using a cool Polaroid app which gives the images a cool retro over exposed feel

Casey taken with the Photobooth app

Cole taken with the Photobooth app

Casey @ 7 Months

2010-09-03T20:14:00.000-07:00

Casey is 7 months old today! He is a happy, happy kid and is often just smiling away! Casey continues to be a man on the move and has no problems getting where he wants to go. It might be rolling, it might be scooting, it might be on his back with leg kicks (lovingly know as "donkey kicks") propelling him forward... to Casey it is all the same. He is up on hands and knees (and rocking back and forth) too but the actual crawling has yet to begin. And sitting? Nope. Not yet. We truly believe Casey feels that simply sitting in one place is just a waste of time. Why sit when you can be MOVING somewhere?

Not a tooth to be seen yet but the increased drool and intermittent fussiness for the last few afternoons makes us think that something might be happening soon. A month ago Casey was weighing in at 15 lbs 7 oz and we are sure he’s put on some decent weight and height since then. We'll find out in a couple weeks at his next doctor appointment. Despite his perpetual motion - and thus seemingly burning off every calorie he takes in - he is a growing boy to be sure.

Casey has a great voice and chats with us all the time. He wakes up and talks - a great sound to hear first thing in the morning. He does a lot of "Da Da Da Da Da"'s and while Mama likes to think he is saying "Daddy", Daddy isn’t quite convinced that the connection is there yet. Either way, his voice is certainly heard! And, like his brother at this age, Casey is a social guy. However, the one person who can truly get a belly laugh out of him is Cole. Cole is so attentive and sweet with Casey and in turn Casey just adores big brother. The bond with these two is a strong one and we are thrilled.

And we recognize a double celebration today because Casey has just completed his DOC-Band treatment. A beautiful round head is a nice present for 7 months! We’ll do a separate post on the process/results, but with a total treatment time of 10 weeks (exactly the same as Cole); Casey is sporting a head that Charlie Brown would be proud of.

As always... here is a look at the past month:

Here is a glance at Casey's progression over the past 6 months

And finally... a look at Cole at 7 months next to his 7 month old brother. Note these are both from the day that each had finished their DOC band treatment and the fact that they are wearing the same shirt is NOT a coincidence ;)

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

On The Move

2010-08-18T22:25:00.001-07:00

Casey is officially on the move. While he has been making great progress while on the floor in steamrolling around to gather things he had been struggling with "scooting". He would push off with his legs and push his little backside up in the air but didn't quite get the arm movements to go along with it resulting in his face being buried in the carpet and not getting very far. That is now in the past. Over the past week, Casey has put gotten the engine in line with the caboose and found that his arms act as a great asset when trying to move forward.

Now Casey can roll, spin and scoot. Next on the list will be crawling (but we are in no hurry). This weekends project will be pulling the gates out from the garage and setting up the "Scooting Quadrants".

Here is some video captured at school via iPhone.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

It's The Great Pumpkin Cole Black

2010-08-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

On May 31st Cole and Momma planted some pumpkin seeds in front of the house to see what might happen to grow where other plants did not survive in the past.

To say that the seeds took to the soil would be an understatement. Everyone is very excited by the prospect of pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, baked pumpkin seeds, pumpkin souffle, pumpkin bread, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin scones and many other pumpkin treats because it looks like we will have no shortage of pumpkins within the next few months.

Here are some pics of our pumpkin progress.

Cole's Pumpkin Patch

Cole with his pumpkin patch on July 8th

Pumpkin patch on July 8th

Pumpkin patch on July 31st (3 weeks after the above pic was taken)

Pumpkins on July 31st

Pumpkin Patch August 8th. It keeps growing

Pumpkins getting bigger

We will provide more updates in the weeks to come... that is unless the pumpkin patch overruns the house and takes us all hostage... Feed me Seymour!!!!

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey @ 6 months

2010-08-03T21:54:00.000-07:00

Casey is 6 months old today! Summer is upon us and Casey, who seems to really like the outdoors, is having a good time. At his last doctor appointment he weighed in at 14lbs 12oz and measured 26 inches long, but that was a month ago and we are pretty sure that some good growth has taken place since then. We’ll know next week when he goes to his 6 month appointment.

Casey is a work of perpetual motion. Rolling over is so 2 months ago! He is trying very hard to crawl but the coordination between arm and leg movements hasn't been made yet. In the mean time, he is pushing around like crazy with his legs (often meaning the face goes right into the blanket, carpet, etc.) and rolling around like a little steamroller ready for action.

To fuel all of his movement, Casey is a good eater. He has probably tried all the "stage 1" baby foods and does well at meal times. Most of the time he will finish all of his food and is good to go until the next bottle or snack. It is early to tell for sure but he seems to be an efficient eater like Cole - he'll eat at meal/snack times, doesn't spend too much time on it and then moves on to the next thing on his agenda.

Casey seems to have been teething quite a bit over this past month. However no teeth have made their grand entrance yet. Cole got his first two bottom teeth right at his 6 month mark, but we’ll see what Casey’s plans are. Of course, everything Casey gets his hands on goes right into the mouth so all that drool might just be the result of wanted to get his toys, hands and feet nice and juicy.
His progress with the Doc Band is going very well. He has been sporting his fashionable head gear for 5+ weeks now and the progress is visible. We don’t know how long he will be wearing it but likely we are around the half way point already.

Wishing everyone a happy summertime!

Here is a glance at Casey's progression over the past 6 months

And finally... a look at Cole at 6 months next to his 6 month old brother

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Cole's 4th Bday Party (better late than never)

2010-08-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

We are a good 5 weeks late on this one but things have been busy on the homestead and we didn't want to not post about Cole's wonderful 4th birthday party that he had at the Burbank Nature Center.

This was the first year that Cole invited his school friends along with some of his other (read: out of school) friends. It was great to see Cole with all his buds and to have them enjoy all that the center had to offer. We were also lucky enough to have Cole's great aunt Pat come down from Davis to help celebrate.

The nature center is geared towards kids and families, lots to touch and explore. The kids were even treated to a nice little hike before they had some snacks. Below are some pictures from the gathering.

Cole and his annual birthday balloon

The bridge leading to the nature center

The nature center's inhabitants

Cole, Casey and great aunt Pat

Cole exploring... nature

The kids on a hike

The kids having fun

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

2010-07-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

Last month we were able to load up the entire family and head down to San Diego in order to take in the boys first baseball game. Dad was pretty adamant that they experience this coming of age moment in an location that featured friends and a nice family environment (ie... NOT Dodger Stadium) so the beautiful Petco Park was the answer.

While not a lot of baseball was actually watched, a good time was had by all. Below are some pics from the eve.

On the Trolley down to the ballpark

Hanging in the family friendly bleachers near "The Beach"

Checking out the ball field at The Park @ The Park

Paying homage to "Mr Padre"

The family enjoying the national pastime

Casey @ 5 Months

2010-07-03T18:21:00.000-07:00

Casey is 5 months old today! What a busy time he has had these last few weeks! At 4 months he was certainly rolling over but he has now mastered the task this past month. Once you place him on the floor on his back, he immediately pops right over to his tummy. He is staying on his tummy for longer and longer stretches and is now starting to learn that he can roll back over to his back if he wants. When he is on his tummy he manages to "scooch" around by pushing himself with his legs and feet. We think we might have an early crawler on our hands. Don’t know if Mom and Dad are quite ready!

Casey has also found his toes. The hands are old news (but still of interest) and his little toes are not only irresistible to his folks, but apparently to himself as well. He can often be found with fingers or toes in his mouth. We wonder if teething is around the corner too because the baby drool faucet is on.

Casey was also fitted for and received a DOC Band. Like his brother, Casey’s noggin isn’t perfectly round. It is technically known as plagiocephaly but is essentially an asymmetrical head. And, like Cole, it isn’t too severe but without treatment it could potentially cause some problems later on. He’ll likely wear his DOC Band for about the same amount of time that Cole had to (about 3 months). We are biased, we know, but he sure does look adorable!

What is amazing is Casey’s developmental timing to Cole. Give or take a week the milestones thus far have been within the same timeframe. We think they certainly look like brothers but they act and grow like brothers too!

And what a way to celebrate being 5 months... Casey was baptized into the Catholic Church today! How special it was to have Fr. Denis perform the baptism (and he flew all the way from Rome no less!). A special shout out to his God parents David Tumlin and Ellen Tumlin too! Casey had family and friends join him for the big event. And, like many before him, Casey donned the "Black family baptismal gown" worn by his great grandfather on down the line, to include his own father and brother. We will have a separate post about his baptism but couldn’t let the blessed event go by without a mention!

Casey continues to be a very happy boy with lots of smiles for everyone. We are proud of our boys!

Here is a glance at Casey's progression over the past 5 months

And finally... a look at Cole at 5 months next to his 5 month old brother

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

World Cup Continues - Go Oranje

2010-07-01T20:34:00.000-07:00

Four short years ago Cole entered our lives during the 2006 World Cup. Dad can remember the entire family taking in a few games in-between bottles, naps and changing diapers.

Now 4 short years later the World Cup is back (as is the experience of a new baby in the family)and as Cole says "Daddy has been watching A LOT of the soccer tournament". Admittedly, this statement is true and has had some slight influence on Cole. Dad was surprised and pleased when last week from out of Cole's room (when he was supposed to be going to sleep) came chants of "U S A... U S A". After an exciting run and disappointing finish for the U.S. team the tourney continues on.

After the 2006 tourney, Cole's Uncle Mark Daquipa returned from his trip to Germany to experience the Cup in person with a gift for him. An actual "kit" (ie uniform) for The Netherlands... The Oranje. For those who don't know, Cole's Oma (Grandmother, Momma's Mom) is Dutch so there is some family pride surrounding this wonderful gift. While it didn't fit him at the time (he was only a few months old) it conveniently fits now as the boys in Orange are about to battle Brazil in the Quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup. Go Oranje!!!

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

4

2010-06-24T22:06:00.000-07:00

Cole is 4 today!!! Cole continues to amaze us every day. He is smart, caring, compassionate and such a great big brother. We wish him the happiest of birthdays.

Today he enjoyed a party at school with his friends. Cupcakes and watermelon were the treats of choice as Cole was all smiles. His big party will be this weekend and we will do a larger post at that time.

Happy Birthday to our big boy

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Derby Day

2010-06-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

This past Friday was F.U.D.G.E. Day at Cole and Casey's school. F.U.D.G.E. Day is a day to celebrate Friends, Uncles, Dads, Grandparents and Everyone else. It is also time for the annual Pinewood Derby race. Last year Cole didn't show much interest in participating... until the day of the race where a very upset boy did not have a car to show his friends. So one year later and one valuable lesson learned, Dad and Cole worked on a car for the big race.

Now keep in mind that Dad is not the most handy of the bunch but to everyone's surprise, the car turned out pretty well. While it did not win for creativity (there were some pretty fancy and unique cars entered) and it also wasn't quite as speedy as others in contention we still had fun. So much fun that Cole played with it until the wheels came off (we need to work on the alignment next year) but no worries... it them became a cool jet plane.

Don't expect us in the pits at Talladega anytime soon but a good time was had by all. Below are some highlights.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Yummy Time

2010-06-13T21:01:00.001-07:00

Having reached the 4 month milestone, Casey has been cleared to start working his way up the food chain and trying some new things. So this weekend we introduced him to Rice Cereal. After drinking from a bottle for the first 120 + days of your life and knowing nothing else... switching it up can be quite a shock. Casey hung in pretty well and while it may take some getting used to he will do just fine.

Here are the video highlights ( and a reminder of when Cole experienced the same thing )

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey @ 4 Months

2010-06-03T20:38:00.000-07:00

Casey is 4 months old today. He is a very happy boy and very smiley! Like Cole at this age, we have a boy with a wonderful temperament. We feel pretty darn lucky! At his 3 month doctor appointment he weighed in at 13 lbs and 8 oz and we know he’s grown over this past month so we are curious to see what his 4 month weight will be at his appointment next week.

Casey continues to be a good sleeper. Daddy gives him a "dream feed" at about 11:00 p.m. and that keeps Casey good through the night. He had a little congestion a couple of weeks ago which caused him to wake up at night for a few days straight - this reminded us how good we have it normally! Casey wakes up in the morning cooing and "talking" to himself which is just a wonderful sound.

Casey continues to do well at school. Still the youngest but he’s hanging with the bigger boys and girls just fine. He even does well with the daily commute. At this age he does some sleeping during our drive but he also enjoys watching his big brother. And, like Cole when he was an infant, Casey prefers the car to be moving. When we get the extra bad traffic or have bad luck with lights and are standing still too much, he’ll let you know that he’s ready to get moving. Cole has been just amazing with Casey in the car! He talks to his little brother, we sing, listen to music and, when Casey is fussy or has the occasional crying mood, Cole just hangs with it.

Yesterday (the day before he hit his 4 month mark), Casey rolled over from his back to his tummy for the first time. Over the weekend he had pushed onto his side and it seemed he was about to tip over - just tittering on his side - but then rolled back so it was only a matter of time.

Overall, we’ve got a happy, laughing 4 month old and an amazing soon-to-be 4 year old. We count our blessings daily!

Here is a glance at Casey's progression over the past 4 months

And finally... a look at Cole at 4 months next to his 4 month old brother

Much more to come to the new http://www.coleandcasey.com/

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Tiny Bubbles

2010-05-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

When you are 3 1/2 months old everything is new to you. Casey has been introduced to bubbles at school and seems to really enjoy tracking them as they float through the air and land all around him. We wanted to extend that fun activity to the house and have some bubble time while relaxing at home. As some of the bubbles float gently down right at Casey's face he responds with some great reaction shots. Here are some pics

Cole and Casey posing for a nice brother picture.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

May Pics

2010-05-16T19:32:00.001-07:00

We have been busy lately and failed to updated the site last week. Here are some pics of some recent fun we have been having

The brothers hanging out

The boys visiting with Great Uncle Norm and Great Aunt Glee

Smiling Casey

Cole coming down his "water slide" in the backyard

Casey @ 3 Months

2010-05-03T19:59:00.000-07:00

Casey is 3 months old today! Casey has reached some great milestones this past month. He is now at the Sony Center full time. He adjusted wonderfully and it is already a home away from home. Casey is cooing like crazy and tells big stories to his parents, brother and teachers. He will even laugh (if the joke is good enough) which is quite contagious. Casey has also found his hands. He mostly uses them to taste, chew and drool over at this point. Much to our delight, Casey is sleeping through the night! We are on a pretty good roll and we hope it continues. Rarely does he wake up crying... usually we know he is up in the morning by his sweet little sounds and, when he sees us, we are greeted with a fantastic smile.

Casey’s head/neck is getting much more strong and steady, but we have a little more to go before we can say with confidence that he is holding his head up on his own. We are also very close to having a baby that can roll over. It is a matter of short time for both! Our littlest man has a 3 month doctor visit on Wednesday and we are curious to see how much he weighs. He is a sturdy one and we aren’t worried about a lack of weight gain.

Casey loves to look out and see everything around him. He continues to be very happy and smiley - we love it! And Cole is still the best big brother around! We are truly amazed at how he has continued to fill the role of big brother in such an upstanding way. He loves his brother, looks out for him, helps mom and dad, is more patient that we could have asked for and has yet to show any jealousy. Both our boys continue to make us so proud!

Here is a glance at Casey's progression over the past 3 months

And finally... a look at Cole at 3 months next to his 3 month old brother

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Brotherly Love

2010-04-25T20:39:00.000-07:00

To date, momma and daddy's dreams have come true. Cole is such a wonderful big brother to Casey and loves to help out whenever he can. He offers to entertain him when he is fussy or dance for him to try and make him smile. And on the other hand Casey just adores his big brother. When he hears his voice he looks over and smiles and often will keep his eyes on him wherever he goes.

Cole has been very patient and understanding when mom or dad have to spend some time with Casey or hold him in order to provide some comfort. Mom and Dad have made an extra effort to allow for "Cole time" where Cole gets to do or go somewhere special just for him. We are most definitely one big happy family of four.

Here are some pics of Cole and Casey spending some quality brother time. Be it snuggling in Cole's bed on a Saturday morning or hanging out on the couch taking in a movie.

Casey is making great strides on holding his head up for longer periods of time which makes Tummy Time much less frustrating. Soon enough he will be hangin' out in the Bumbo chair and watching the world from a vertical position.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Easter '10

2010-04-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Cole and Casey enjoyed their first Easter together. They were able to see both sets of grandparents as Nana and Pop Pop came in from Arizona and Oma and Zeydeh came over to have a wonderful Easter dinner.

While we were at church on Easter morning the Easter bunny came and left a ton of eggs in our front yard. Cole was quick to grab his Easter basket and set off on his very own Easter egg hunt. Cole realized that Casey was too little to participate in the hunt so he was sure to leave the little eggs for his brother and only picked up the bigger eggs. A good time for the entire family.

Below are a few pics and a video recap.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Back to School

2010-04-11T18:16:00.000-07:00

As Momma prepares to go back to work, Casey has started exploring Cole's old stomping grounds in Infant 2 at the Sony Child Development Center. Casey is a bit younger than Cole was when he started but a free spot opened up and we weren't about to let it slip away considering how much success Cole has had within the center.

This past week, Momma and Casey have been coming in to get acclimated with the new surroundings. We are blessed to have Cole's primary caregiver Filo back on duty to take care of Casey which will make the transition on Mom and Dad much smoother.

Casey is by far the youngest in the class. He will always be in between classes and will either be one of the younger kids or one of the older kids but this will expose him to kids who are further along developmentally and they will show him the ropes on how to do certain things :)

Here are some pics of Casey checking out his new school

Casey and Filo

The whole family

The "Easter" post is still to come...

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey @ 2 Months

2010-04-03T19:45:00.000-07:00

Casey is two months old! With this milestone we are seeing routines start to emerge (this is a good thing!). We’ve got a ways to go before we can start predicting Casey’s daytime calendar, but at least we’ve past the two hour mark between bottles - hallelujah! Casey is a good eater and he is definitely a growing boy. He sees his pediatrician on Monday so we will see how much he weighs but we think it will be in the 12+ lb range. He is sleeping in his crib and seems quite comfortable there.

Casey takes in all that is in front of him. He will follow you with his eyes and is very engaged. And, if he is following a moving target, he can turn that neck around quite impressively. He is working out those neck muscles and his head pops up more frequently.

Casey also has a smile that can melt you! He’ll often give us a gummy grin and seems to think it especially funny to give Daddy or Mama a poopy diaper. He also has found his voice and will talk us all up. Casey especially lights up when big brother Cole is in the room. Cole enjoys entertaining Casey and Casey lets his brother know he likes it with a huge smile. We hope that this is a sign of things to come - close brothers who love each other.

Casey’s sleep schedule shows promise. Unlike Cole who didn’t seem to want to nap much during the day, Casey will take a couple adequate naps. And, if you put him in the stroller and get out for a good walk, he is content to lazily gaze at the scenery and take a doze there as well. Casey still needs a couple of bottles in the night but we are starting to see longer stretches in-between. With Mom about to return to work, we would love to report that one of the nightly bottles has been eliminated by time the three month birthday rolls around. However he is right on track for a two month old and for that we are glad.

We have to say, our boys make us very happy... busy, tired, on-our-toes and sometimes perplexed too, but all superseded by happy!

We are definitely feeling blessed! Below are some pics of the 2 Month old.

Here is a glance at Casey's progression over the past 2 months

And finally... a look at Cole at 2 months next to his 2 month old brother

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Smilin' Casey

2010-03-28T18:16:00.000-07:00

Casey is coming up on 2 months old and has started to flash his gummys when he is happy. It is nice to see his eyes light up and the grin form to let us know when he is enjoying himself.

Here are some shots of Smiley Magee :)

And for this week's "We are definately brothers" moment.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Bowling

2010-03-21T20:40:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we were looking for a nice outing that would be easy for the entire family and if that doesn't just spell Bowling trip I don't know what does. We packed up the entire family and headed out to the Pickwick Bowl. Momma and Dad hadn't been bowling in about 10 years which means that Cole (and of course Casey) have never been.

It was surprisingly crowded and a popular destination for many families and birthday parties. After a short wait, Daddy and Cole grabbed their borrowed shoes and a few bowling balls and hit the lanes. Momma watched while Casey slept through the entire thing (good to know he can sleep in loud environments).

Below are some highlights from the big bowling trip.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Random Pics

2010-03-19T11:34:00.001-07:00

It has been a crazy week... sorry for the lack of posts. Here are a few shots of Casey as he continues to grow and bring joy to our lives each and every day.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Squeaky Clean

2010-03-11T20:33:00.000-08:00

After Casey experienced his first bath Mom and Dad would not have guessed that it would soon become a very comforting and relaxing event. To say that Casey didn't quite enjoy his first bath would be an understatement but now he seems to really enjoy them.

Here are some pics of the little man bundling up after he has become squeeky clean.

And for this week's "We are definately brothers" moment.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Feeding Time

2010-03-07T19:38:00.001-08:00

As everyone knows, babies eat A LOT... they also sleep and poop a lot too :) And in our house everyone is expected to chip in, this includes Cole.

Cole, being the great big brother that he is, has offered to help in many different ways (except changing diapers... gotta work on that one). Below are some pics of Cole helping feed his brother while Mom and Dad are most likely out on the town.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Casey @ 1 Month

2010-03-03T21:42:00.000-08:00

The past month has gone by so quickly! Casey is a wonderful baby with a sweet and happy and disposition. He lets us know when he is hungry or needs a new diaper but otherwise rolls with it all. He seems to really enjoy bath time and a good walk in the stroller. He even does well in the car when we head out to pick up Cole from school (which is saying something since it is about an hour in the car each way).

We are seeing glimpses that Casey is starting to sleep for longer periods of time as well. He is going for 3+ hour stretches at a time. At his two week visit to the doctor Casey was already 9 lbs. 2 oz. - a pound up from his birth weight - and grew a quarter of an inch. The doctor said he was thriving which are words any parent wants to hear! He isn’t due back to the pediatrician until he is 2 months so we’ll see how much he weighs a month from now.

We can’t say enough about the big brother Cole as well! He really has been a fantastic kid. Cole is so kind and gentle with Casey and is very proud of his role. He sits next to his brother, shares his blankets and toys and has even given Casey a bottle or two. Cole will still refer to Casey by the name he chose for his little brother: Helicopter-E. He also calls him "Casey" or "my brother". Very cute!

We are definitely feeling blessed! Below are some pics of the 1 Month old and his brother.

And finally... a look back at Cole at 1 month next to his new brother

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Tummy Time Nap

2010-02-28T10:06:00.000-08:00

Casey will be 1 month old on Wednesday... it is amazing how the time has flown by. He continues to grow and fulfill all the baby duties that have been bestowed upon him. He is eating more, sleeping more and yes... pooping more which are all signs of a good healthy baby.

We have started giving him some Tummy Time to help him gain more strength in his neck and to releave time spent on his back and head (we are trying to avoid the creation of a flat spot on his head and subsequent helmet that Cole had to wear). Like most babies, Casey isn't wild about Tummy Time but at one point last week he decided to enjoy it for what it was and actually drifted off to sleep :)

Here are a few pics

And for this week's "We are definately brothers" moment.

Touchdown babies!!

Cuddle Up

2010-02-24T21:48:00.000-08:00

Casey recently received a wonderful Giraffe floor pillow as a gift. The pillow is VERY soft and comfy. Casey didn't waste any time trying it out and enjoyed it so much that he invited his brother to participate in some cuddle time.

Mom and Dad are glad to see that they are sharing their things already :)

Below are some pics of some relaxing brother time.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Close Up

2010-02-20T20:59:00.000-08:00

Casey is turning out to be a real mellow kid which is nice as you never know what you are going to get :) Cole was this way as well so it is great to know that when he is really fussing, it's because he is hungry.

Casey just had his two week check up and he had already gained a full pound (now at 9lbs 2oz) and grown a 1/4 of an inch. We recently received letters of interest from the Ohio State and Alabama football coaches :)

Here are some close up pics that were taken this week.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Cole, The Big Brother

2010-02-16T17:53:00.000-08:00

Cole has been a fantastic big brother and is very helpful with Casey. He is quick to offer toys to Casey and wants to know what is wrong when Casey is crying. All in all, we couldn't have asked for Cole to be any better when dealing with his new brother.

Here are some pics of Cole hangin out with his lil bro (it is quite clear that the practice with "Rocket", the guinea pig helped).

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Beach Day

2010-02-13T11:38:00.000-08:00

Time to jump into the Way Back Machine... The week before Casey was born, Cole decided that he wanted to take a trip to the beach. After hearing about it each day on the way to and from school we were convinced that we needed to take a trip to the ocean. On a sunny Saturday morning we headed out to Zuma beach north of Malibu and had a nice time watching the waves. Cole and daddy even took off their shoes and waded out in the waves a bit... COLD.

Below are the highlights.

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

And just to keep with the theme of Cole AND Casey... here is a pic of Casey as he is about to head out to the doctor for his first check up.

Much more to come to the new www.ColeandCasey.com

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Brothers

2010-02-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

Cole and Casey are starting to get to know each other and Cole is happy to tell anyone who will listen that he has a brother. Sometimes he is introduced as Casey and at other times he is known as Helicopter-E.

Here are some pics of the new brothers.

Cole and Casey when they were both newborns

The Two brothers

Cole letting Casey know how he feels about him

Meeting the (Grand) Parents

2010-02-08T11:52:00.000-08:00

With the news of his arrival, Casey's grandparents (Nana and Pop Pop) from Arizona made the trip to meet him while his other set of grandparents (Oma and Zeydeh) packed up the car and headed in all the way from across town :)

Here are some pics of Casey with his grandparents

Casey offering his views on Holland's chances in the upcoming World Cup with Oma and Zeydeh (not pictured)

Casey discussing cycling and his thoughts on this years "tour" with Pop Pop

Casey explaining to Nana the benefits of keeping in touch with friends through Facebook

Family of Four

We're Home

2010-02-04T20:09:00.001-08:00

Coming as a surprise to everyone... we're home!!! This is great news as it was difficult to be away from Cole for so long and since he was unable to visit his brother in the hospital (stupid H1N1 restrictions). But now we are home. All are happy and healthy (or recovering).

Here are some quick picks from today staring off with the first ever picture of Cole and Casey of www.ColeandCasey.com

Cole and his little brother Casey

Casey while having his diaper changed... all smiles

Casey and Daddy relaxing a bit

Introducing Casey James

2010-02-03T19:37:00.001-08:00

Cole is happy to introduce his little brother Casey James (aka Helicopter-E)!! Cole went so far as sharing his website and renaming it www.ColeandCasey.com

Casey was born today (February 3rd) at 2:18pm and weighed in at 8lbs 2oz and was 21 inches long. At first glance he is a very quiet and gentle child... but just wait until about 3am and we will see.

Here are a few quick pics of Casey.

Casey and Momma (she did wonderfully)

Casey and Dr Pearson (who brought him into this world)

Casey while he waited for his first bath

Still Waiting

2010-01-29T20:54:00.001-08:00

Cole is patiently waiting for his little brother to arrive. He will be sure to let you know when he arrives.

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Little Artist

2010-01-17T08:46:00.000-08:00

Cole received a new easel for Christmas this year that features a white board, chalk board and paper for drawing or painting. Since we set it up, Cole has enjoyed a number of art projects. He will often disappear for a while and when we ask where he is he invites us in to see his latest creation. He has recently been working on reproducing the best "big juicy apple".

Here are some pics of Cole's masterpieces.

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Christmas Time 2009

2010-01-01T20:26:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!!!

It has been a wonderful holiday season in Southern California. Last week we had a wonderful Christmas with family galore. Nana and Pop Pop were in from Arizona, Auntie Pat was down from Davis, CA and of course Oma and Zeydeh joined us for a magnificent dinner.

Cole has been in the Christmas mood for the past month and has eagerly been awaiting Santa's visit. This year, Cole received a personalized email / video message from Santa himself and we tracked his trip across the world thanks to NORAD all day Christmas Eve.

Here are some pictures from the big day.

Cole checking out what's left of the cookies left for Santa

Working on the gifts

Checking out his COOL new race track.

Momma (and Helicopter-E) taking it all in

Pop Pop, Dad and Cole

Auntie Pat, Nana (with her beignets) and Cole

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Disneyland 2009

2009-12-19T18:27:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, Momma, Daddy surprised Cole with an overnight trip to Disneyland. Cole had been to Disneyland last year but was a little young to really enjoy the park. Not a problem anymore. Cole went on a bunch of rides and was able to meet Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger.

We were able to experience the park in all it's holiday glory. Decorations galore and it even "snowed" while we were in line for It's A Small World.

Unfortunately, our second day was frought with rain. We ventured out and hit a few rides but it was wet and cold so we called it a day. Our frustration was short lived as we were able to meet Pluto in the hotel as we were getting ready to head out. We had a wonderful time. Below are some pics of Cole and his new friends.

Momma, Daddy, Cole and his new friend Mickey

Minnie with Cole and the folks

Cole, Winnie The Pooh and Tigger Too

Cole (still damp) and Pluto

It's A Small World decorated for the holidays

Cole hangin with Dumbo

Santa Train

2009-12-12T13:21:00.000-08:00

Recently, Cole was lucky enough to be able to catch the Santa Train at Travel Town to the North Pole to visit Santa. Cole had a list that he gave to Santa who went through it with Cole and then asked to keep it for future reference. Cole had a blast visiting the North Pole and then was able to attend the Pajama Polar Express Viewing Party. With some snacks and Hot Chocolate in his belly, Cole was able to head to bed knowing that Santa has a good idea of what to bring this Christmas.

Below are the highlights.

Click To Play

If you prefer the windows media or can't see the flash... click here.

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Cole's New Room

2009-11-29T19:20:00.000-08:00

As we eagerly await Helicopter-E's arrival in late January, we have done a lot of work preparing Cole's new room. This past weekend the accumulation of a lot of work has come to fruition and Cole officially moved in. The new room features newly painted walls, new big boy furniture and a bit more space. Cole seemed very pleased as he drifted off to sleep last night.

Here are some pics of the new room

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

New Awlins

2009-11-22T12:32:00.000-08:00

Recently the entire family (including Oma) took a trip down to New Orleans, LA to celebrate Uncle Mark Daquipa's wedding. Cole, Momma, Daddy and Oma had a great time experiencing The Big Easy.

They took a city tour where they were able to view the wonderful history of the amazing city, take a Riverboat tour along the Mississippi River, enjoy hot chocolate and beignets at the historic Cafe Du Monde, travel around the city in the old street cars and enjoy Halloweem (see previous post) and the wedding. A lot was done in the four days we were visiting but we made the most of it and had a great time.

Below are some highlights

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Pumpkin Patch and Halloween (in The Big Easy)

2009-11-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

The month of October was a busy one for Cole and his family. Weeks were filled with fun activities at school where Cole has started "KinderSports" and is getting exposed to new sports each week - Soccer, Tennis, Baseball etc.

And weekends are filled with preparing for Cole's new brother to arrive. We are currently in the process of getting Cole's new room ready and will be painting soon.

Two big weekends in October were filled with the annual trip to Underwood Family Farms with friends to visit the pumpkin patch and then a few short weeks later the entire family headed to New Orleans for Uncle Mark Daquipa's wedding. While the wedding ceremony was on Halloween night it didn't stop the kids who were able to accompany their folks from getting some Trick or Treating in at the historic Columns Hotel.

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Conversations about the future

2009-10-14T23:12:00.000-07:00

Cole and daddy recently sat down to discuss Cole's thoughts about his soon to arrive baby brother (yes, another boy). Daddy quickly discovered that interviewing a 3 year old isn't the simplest of tasks but in the end Cole delivered some strong points of view.

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P1

2009-10-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

Cole has recently transitioned into the Preschool 1 (P1) room at school. As with all his other transitions, Cole was ready and very excited to make the big move.

Each morning, Cole is now required to sign his name before entering the room and while it hasn't been perfected Cole is making great progress. He is also encouraged by the fact that once he can sign his name he can get a library card.

The P1 room is larger than the Two's room was and the yard is huge. The yard is shared with the P2 kids so Cole is able to hang with some older kids in the morning and try new things that might be intimidating without others participating with him.

Cole has been telling us for months all the things that P1 boys do such as go to the potty all by themselves and sleep in their own beds (which has been a bit of a challenge as of late). Cole is getting bigger and can't stop talking about his little brother who will be coming "after Christmas time".

Here are some pics of Cole in the new P1 room

Cole sitting at his new table in P1

Scooter Time

Chase - going so fast Cole and his friend Shawn are just a blur

Cole working at the "ice cream shop"

Cole the scuba diver on our way to school

Arizona

2009-09-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

Momma, Daddy and Cole spent Labor Day weekend visiting Nana and Pop Pop in Arizona. Cole's first visit to Arizona since he was 6 months old. A relaxing weekend was filled with a hike, a picnic, gardening, exploring Pop Pop's Sheriff Assist patrol car and watching the amazing Arizona lightning and thunderstorms. Cole and the folks had a great time.

Here are some pics from the weekend.

Cole, Nana and Pop Pop

Cole's first S'more!!

Cole and Pop Pop Hiking

Cole and Pop Pop in the Sheriff Assist Patrol Car

More Cole and Pop Pop in the Sheriff Assist Patrol Car

San Diego Friends

2009-08-28T21:49:00.001-07:00

Last weekend Cole and the folks headed down to San Diego to see some old friends and to celebrate the engagement of Uncle Daquipa and soon to be Aunt Sherri. Cole enjoyed the evening chasing after Lafitte the French Cajun Bulldog around the yard and spending time with Mackenzie, Tyler and others.

Here are some pics from the eve.

Party Boy

Hangin with Dad

Hangin with Mom

Cole preparing for the SD Zoo with Godparents Mark and Mary (Mark and Cole doing their best Lion impression)

Cole, Uncle Daquipa and Lafitte

New project

2009-08-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

Cole has been busy working on a top secret project.

We are now ready to unviel the trailer for his next big role!! We couldn't be prouder.

Click To Play

Clubhouse Cole

2009-08-01T16:42:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Cole received the last of his birthday gifts. Almost a month after his actual birthday his new play structure was installed in the backyard. Cole couldn't be happier. Now he can climb and slide and SWING to his hearts content. Cole is a big fan of the swings at school and now he has his very own swings in his backyard.

Here are some pics of the new set up.

Cole up in the clubhouse / fort

Comin on down the slide

Cole getting ready for a swing

Climbing up to the Monkey Bars

Hangin loose

Rocket!!

2009-07-19T18:22:00.001-07:00

This weekend Cole had his first sleep over with a friend from school. Rocket the "Two's Room" Guinea Pig came home with Cole on Friday and has been enjoying a nice summer weekend in Burbank :)

Cole has been helping to feed and pet Rocket while he is in his new surroundings. Rocket is very gentle and doesn't bite or scratch when being held. We made sure his food and water were filled all weekend and also gave him lots of extra treats like lettuce, carrots and apples.

We think Rocket enjoyed his weekend and perhaps in the future he will come back to pay us another visit.

Here are some pictures from his visit.

Rocket checking out the camera

Cole holding Rocket

Cole checking out Rocket's home

Cole and Rocket spending time in his corral

Swim Lesson #1

2009-07-12T19:04:00.000-07:00

Cole started swim lessons today. He is taking private lessons from teacher Alex, a Burbank High student who is on the swim team and is a local lifeguard.

Cole is always a bit shy with new people and teacher Alex was no different. The first 10 min or so of the lesson was convincing Cole to get in the pool with a stranger. But Alex was very patient and finally coaxed him in to the water. After that they played a toss and fetch game where Cole would throw a floating item and jump off the step to Alex and they would "swim" over to get it. Cole worked on his kicking and near the end of the lesson even went under water. Going under freaked him out a bit but it was a great start.

Cole had a great time and has been talking about it since. Can't wait to go back!!!

Here are some pics from the big first day.

Teacher Alex working with Cole after he got into the pool

Cole and Alex swimming towards the deep end

Cole heading back to the step

Success!!

3

2009-06-24T06:12:00.000-07:00

Cole is 3 today!!!

Cole is very much a little boy and is extremely active. From playing kickity kickball, to playing baseball outside with his tee or going on walks each weekend, Cole is always moving forward while Mom and Dad are trying to keep up. Cole still loves his trains and was able to celebrate his 3rd birthday in style with a party at Travel Town with all his friends.

Cole talks up a storm and has recently discovered the word "Why?". He will often ask "Why?" when being told how things work or why things are a certain way. If he doesn't like the answer or senses a brush off he will follow with "Let's talk about it". Makes for great commute conversation.

Cole continues to love his school and will soon be transitioning from the "Two's Room" to "P-1". Cole is very excited for the upcoming move and continues to remind us that big boys wear underwear and go pee pee in the potty in P-1. Cole is doing very well with the potty and only wears a pull up at nap and bed time... almost there.

Overall, Cole is one happy kid. Loves playing as all boys should and he makes his Mom and Dad very happy. Happy Birthday Cole. We love you!!!

Below is a look at his birthday party.

Click To Play

Hawaii 09 Part 2

2009-06-07T16:44:00.000-07:00

Part 2 of our wonderful getaway to Hawaii includes a Dolphin Encounter boat trip, a ride on the Sugar Cane Train and a visit to a Hula show. Cole had such a good time and keeps asking when we are going back to the "vacation house". Unfortunately it will be a while, but at least we can relive the fun through our pics and videos.

Click To Play

Hawaii 09 Part 1

2009-05-25T22:18:00.000-07:00

After just taking a few short days off last year and heading down south to San Diego, Cole made it clear that he wanted to venture out on a "big vacation". After Dad managed to procrastinate for some time, Cole put the hammer down and made it happen. Quick plans were made and flights to Maui were booked for a week in paradise.

Great times were had by all. Below is a glance at a portion of our trip.

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Momma's Day

2009-05-10T14:58:00.001-07:00

HAPPY MOMMA'S DAY!!

Cole wants to let his Momma know that he loves her and that she's the best.

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Two's Two's Two's

2009-05-06T21:11:00.000-07:00

Been a few months since we had a glance at Cole's days in the Two's room at school.

Here are some recent pics of Cole and his friends.

Cole and Joey doin a Belly Bump (not sure where they learned that)

Cole and Taizo on their bikes

Cole and Joey dressed up to fight crime and fires apparently

Cole and Georgia washing the babies

Cole and Joey helping the man fix the fence

Cole and Joey on the swings

Sesame Street

2009-04-19T19:02:00.000-07:00

Over the long Easter weekend, Cole along with his folks and Nana and Pop Pop went to visit the Sesame Street "The Body" exhibit at Hollywood and Highland. Cole was able to explore many aspects of the body and how it all works. Cole was even able to meet Elmo and have his picture taken. Good times were had by all.

Below is a recap of Cole's visit to Sesame Street.

Click To Play

Hot Chocolate

2009-04-14T22:09:00.000-07:00

Five Months after being introduced to "Train Movie" aka The Polar Express, Cole remains a steadfast fan. Multiple times a week, Cole will request that the "train movie" be put on the tv and while he may only sit and watch a few minutes at a time (or the entire thing) just the fact that it is on seems to give him comfort.

And with any favorite movie comes a favorite scene. For Cole this is the "Hot Chocolate" scene where the young Polar Express passengers are treated to a cup of the ol pipping hot chocolate by singing and dancing waiters. Cole knows the words and loves to dance along.

Below is a glimpse into Cole's Hot Chocolate dance.

Click To Play

Snow Day

2009-03-21T23:49:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Mom, Dad and Cole headed up to Big Bear for a long weekend getaway. After a busy few months, some nice relaxing family time was in order. And while most of the snow has melted from around town certain areas are still making snow for the enjoyment of others.

On Friday, the family hit the Snow Play area and were able to spend a majority of the day playing in the snow and zipping down the hills on inter tubes. Cole had a blast in his first true experience with the snow.

Below are some highlights from our Snow Day!

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Terrific Two's Room

2009-03-03T21:18:00.001-08:00

It has been a while since we have posted some shots from Cole's school. The standard routine is that Dad drops off and Mom picks up Cole from school each day. Whenever possible Mom or Dad will snap a pic with the camera phone (hence the sub par quality) and send it to the other just to give them a quick glimpse of the boy and to make them smile.

Below are some of the shots that have been collected from the Terrific Two's room

Cole's box train

Cole and Georgia in the leaves

Cole with the sweatshirt zipped ALL the way up

Cole counting to see if he has enough money at the Two's market

Cole molding his clay (Dad can't wait for his first bowl or ashtray :) )

Aquarium of the Pacific

2009-02-18T22:35:00.000-08:00

Over the long President's weekend the family ventured out to the LBC to the Aquarium of the Pacific. Cole, who has recently been introduced to Nemo and his friends, was really excited to see all kinds of fish and sea life. He was especially drawn to the 30 foot high tank that would have scuba divers enter and interact with the fish every hour. After circling the aquarium we would often find ourselves back in front of the big tank waiting for the scuba man to enter.

A grand time was had by all and Cole even met a new friend

Below is a slideshow of the days pictures.

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Train Engineer

2009-02-07T08:59:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the long delay between posts... it has been a crazy few weeks.

As we have documented many times on this blog, Cole is very much into trains. If nothing is on the weekend schedule it is a safe bet that we may make a stop at Travel Town to take a quick train ride around the park before hitting the daily activities.

Cole was thrilled when Pop Pop brought his Polar Express train set out over Thanksgiving and it remains a staple in our living room with Cole "driving the train" whenever he has a chance.

In order to complete the experience, Oma recently purchased a full train engineer set for Cole to include a hat, kerchief and wooden train whistle. Now Cole's train experience is complete.

Below are some pics of Cole doing his thing.

As you may have noticed some of the previous posts are no longer showing up on the main page here. To view older posts click on the archive links to the right. They are broken down by month.

Enjoy your day and as always, feel free to drop us a line or leave a comment below (where is says "comment"... who'd a thunk it)

Christmas 2008

2009-01-19T14:33:00.000-08:00

Cole and the family had a wonderful Christmas this year. Nana and Pop Pop came in from Arizona and Oma and Zeydeh came over to join Mom, Dad and Cole for a full family gathering.

Thanks to the constant viewing of The Polar Express, Cole became very much aware of who Santa was that bringing gifts was his gig. Cole was quick to help put out cookies and milk for the big man and on Christmas morning was thrilled to see that the fireplace had been distrubed and the snacks were gone. From then on... it was a blur of wrapping paper and laughter.

Below are some highlights from the day.

Click To Play

Super Hero Cole

2009-01-04T22:15:00.000-08:00

Over the holiday break we became privy to some top secret information... Under the cover of darkness, Cole fights crime as Burbank's one and only Super Hero.

We were thrilled to discover that while Cole received a Super Hero costume for Christmas (Christmas Video still to come) that he already knew how to "strike the super hero pose" and fly. We are thrilled to know that we are safe from all the bad guys and that Cole will protect us and the citizens of Burbank.

Below, Cole models his new outfit.

Click To Play