Joe, Ashley, Owen, & Mason: My Owen is 2!!!!

AHHH!! I cannot believe I can't use the excuse "I have 2 kids under 2" anymore! :-)
I'm kidding and not kidding all at the same time! But really I can't believe my silly Owen turned two years old today! What an amazing 2 years it has been and what an amazing 2 year old son I have. So much has happened over the past two years but through it all I have been forever changed by the relationship I have with my sweet son. He has honestly made me a better person and I'll strive to be an even better parent the next two years as I see more and more clearly each day how important it is that I raise two strong warriors for God's army. AND as I see the importance in raising both Owen and Mason to be great husbands and fathers one day. Whoo! What a mighty task...but I'm ready for the challenge!
Well, I'm convinced the two year doctor check up visit is simply to make the parents feel great about themselves! And I did!

Doc- "Can he throw a ball?"
Me-"yes" ...grinning
Doc-"can he walk backwards and upstairs?"
Me-"yes"...grinning a little more
Doc-"does he use a spoon and fork when he wants to?"
Me-"yes"...and laughing at the "when he wants to part"...(so true!)
Doc- "can he say at least 20 words?"
Me- "yes"...and beaming! my boy's smart!?

See how this appointment went! Doc goes on to say that boys by this age can say around 20-50 words while girls can say between 50-100 words! WOW! I thought...my boy's as smart as a girl!! --- Totally a thought I never knew I would have!!
All to say the appointment went well! I left feeling like as a parent I'm doing pretty good, and Owen was happy because he was enjoying his third lollipop (before 10am!!) He's around 85th% for height, and 75th% for both weight and head..."very proportional", the nurse said!! :)

Well, Owen is shaping up to be a pretty silly boy! He seems to have such a little since of humor that Joe and I are constantly surprised by. Currently his favorite game is "hiney". Which is simply a game of taking turns chasing one another around the house trying to get each other's "Hiney". OK, it's not a game I'm real proud of, but hey, it's good clean fun for our sweet 2 year old (we'll just have to discuss how it's only a family game!)
It'll be easier if I just do a few bullet points about Owen...since I haven't blogged just about him in a while!
-His first prayer a few months ago was: "Thanks Jesus (for) Dada, bubba, Amen" (I'm sure he thought to say Mama, it just seemed like a given to him is all)!!
-He no longer calls Publix "publix" instead he calls it "Cookie". :)...since he gets a free cookie each time we visit!
-His favorite color is red, and therefore his favorite "Thomas and Friends" train is James...the red one
-He still sucks his thumb and sleeps with about 100 blankets, but still has to have his small blue minky and silk blankie named "Mmmmm"!!
-His favorite foods--Cottage Cheese, Oranges, Bananas, Colby Jack cheese (in chunks not slices!!)
-He REFUSES to say the word milk...he still calls it some strange sound that's deep in his throat!!
-He loves to make his brother laugh by making strange noises!
-He still loves trains but has recently gotten into helicopters as well
-He loves the beach and asks almost daily if we can go!
-The other day we were watching Sand Hill Cranes in our backyard and when I told him instead of calling it a bird call it a crane he looked at me and rhymed for the first time "Crane-Train"? He looked pretty puzzled but thought it was pretty funny after he said it a few time!!
-His favorite songs right now-Itsy Bitsy Spider and Jesus Loves Me (he loves to do the motions to both of these songs)
-Have I mentioned he's been in a big boy bed for about 3 weeks...He only got out once and he didn't even leave his room, he just played with his choo-choos
-Here's our conversation about his birthday cake:
Me- Owen what kind of cake do you want for your birthday? Do you want a cake with trains, tractors, cars....???
Owen- No thanks mama. Ummm, Bubba cake.
Me- So you don't want trains on your cake?
Owen- No mama. Bubba.
:) I love my boy!!!
-He loves to help cook.
-If he hears a group of adults laughing, he fake laughs as if he understands what's going on!!! This tends to make all the adults laugh even harder...and then owen laughs harder...then the adults laugh harder...you get the point!!
-When we're in the car an I suspect that Mason has fallen asleep I ask Owen and he either says "No mama" or he says "Mama, Bubba...then he acts like he's sleeping...its stinkin' hilarious because he does it all...he closes his eyes, tucks his head against the car seat, puts his thumb in his mouth and takes deep breaths! I think he may end up being a child actor!!
-He's a great motivator! When I ran in a 5k he was near the finish line clapping and yelling "Go Mama!! Go Mama!!"
-He LOVES his house! When we pull in the neighborhood after being gone for a while he starts grinning and lovingly whispering "Home!! Home!!"

I'm sure I forgetting a lot...I just need to blog more frequently and then I wouldn't have to do so much catching up!! Here are some pics to hopefully help me remember a few other tid bits:
Ball Pit on a rainy day... I think he's out grown this ball pit...time to upgrade!

FUN!

Playing with soapy water to help me clean the table

Bubbles!

Now cleaning up our bubble mess!

Sharing his favorite James choo choo with Mason

Lovin on his brother

He is so stinkin cute eating an apple

Owen seeing his big boy bed for the first time!

Owen "sharing" his bed with his brother!

First night sleeping in his big boy bed! *Notice the big knot on his head!! He didn't fall out of the bed, he bumped it on the headboard!

Lining up his Trains!

He Loves his new pillow!!! He's addicted to minky fabric!!

In a firetruck for the first time!!

We brought yummy goodies to our local fire station on Christmas Eve! The men there were so sweet...Owen had a great time. God blessed Owen for blessing others!

Owen enjoys peeling his own orange...he even throws away the peel

He's so neat...sometimes!

Pictures at the train he loves to paly on!

The knot on his head is still there!! Doc said it's like calcium build up now and could be there for as long as 9 MONTHS!!! WOW!!

My forst nap with Owen! His bed is pretty comfy! I was afraid if I napped with him once, he would always want me to...WRONG...he's never even asked me to! :-(