Merger!

Two kids plus two blogs proved to be too much upkeep for this busy mom, hence the long break I've taken since the last post. Every time I'd think, "I really should update Annalise's/Tommy's blog," that thought was quickly followed by "But I don't have time to do both right now, so I'll just wait..."

So, our family's new and improved blog can be found at: www.wedewer.com/blog. New pictures and posts will appear in the not-too-distant future.

Visit often to keep up on the latest and greatest of the Wedewer Four. All content found on our blogspot pages can be viewed on the new site as well. Thanks for keeping up with us!

Vegetable Buddy

Tommy made his very own version of Mr. Potatohead last weekend. Here he poses with his "Vegable Buddy" in our kitchen. He got the idea from one of his Pooh story books and we had so much fun making this. Blueberry eyes, carrot nose, strawberry lips, yellow bell pepper moustache, orange section ears, green onion arms and an orange peel helmet to top it all off.
Speaking of vegetables, I've successfully snuck cauliflower, white beans and butternut squash into Tommy's diet. My friend Bradi gave me a great cookbook called "Deceptively Delicious" that utilizes vegetable purees in its recipes. James and I shared a chuckle when Tommy asked for second (and then third!) helpings of squash-laced mac & cheese. Heh heh heh!!! Two bonuses: 1) I can feed the purees to Annalise in lieu of store-bought baby food. 2) I actually get JAMES to eat his vegetables, too!

Car Show

Daddy & Tommy went to a car show on Fremont Street in late March. Annalise and I hung back at the house, so I don't have many details to share other than it showcased desert dunebuggies of some sort. Needless to say he had a great time and talked non-stop into the evening about the cool cars and trucks he got to see.

More Easter

I've been lazy with uploading pictures! Tommy enjoyed a pre-Easter lunch at Tides with Daddy, Mommy, Annalise, Aunt Cindy & Uncle Jeremy. It was a momentous occasion, as he tried a small bite of clam chowder AND used a public potty for the first time in the adjacent casino. Please ignore the crazy eyes...he's so silly when we pull out the camera!

Here he is with his aunt and uncle in the big booth.

Tommy dyed Easter eggs for the first time this year. He really liked it and seemed to favor the yellow dye for his eggs (perhaps because it was closest to him?). Aunt Cindy orchestrated much of the dyeing action and we all had a lot of fun.

And here's a snapshot with Aunt Lisa from our Easter lunch. The family enjoyed ham, Tommy ate bread and drank Capri Suns.

Easter DJ

The Easter Bunny brought Tommy a much-anticipated toy...the DJ character from the movie "Cars." It plays music. It lights up. We can't wait for the batteries to die.

And here he is again a few days later:

Sailor Mouth

Recently Tommy's picked up a few not-so-nice sayings. They're not completely awful, but not what you'd expect an almost-three-year-old to utter...

"I'm going to go sit in my friggin' Elmo chair." Elmo is Tommy's time-out buddy in his room. When he's naughty, he goes to his room and sits in this special chair until Mommy or Daddy tell him he can come back downstairs (usually all of two minutes). One extra-sassy afternoon he was sent to said naughty spot. I did a quick spot check to make sure he was there, only to find him playing by the door instead. So, I got a little ticked and told him to get back in his friggin' Elmo chair. Way to go, Mommy...now when he's sent to his room, he says this with much gusto!

"If I say "damn" I get 'Basco in my mouth." For those of you who know Tommy, you know he has a rich vocabulary. Those of you who know me, you know my tongue slips on a few expletives now and then. I try SO hard not to let it fly when the kids are around, but I'm only human. Tommy started using the phrase "damn it" recently, and though we were impressed that it is usually said in the proper context, we can't let our little guy go around saying that. In an effort to squelch the word before it became a permanent part of his lexicon, I took a page out of a friend's parenting playbook and administered a tiny amount of Tobasco sauce on his tongue. Now when he makes an adult word infraction, it's immediately followed with "I don't want 'Basco, Mommy!" Then last night he came up with "If I say "damn" I get 'Basco in my mouth," and it took every ounce of self-control not to crack up right then and there.

Crazy Dancer

Henry's Visit

Tommy's good buddy, Henry, came from Portland for a visit last week. They had a good time playing together, though Henry was often on the defensive while Tommy tried to toughen him up a bit. (Come on, Tommy...he's only 14-months old!) It's hard for an almost-3-year-old and a little guy to find things to do together, but they shared a common interest in the piggy bank pictured here. And I'm pretty sure Tommy sparked a Hot Wheels habit for little H.

Move Over, Sis!

Tommy politely made Annalise move over on her tummy time mat. Since this was once his toy, he felt compelled to show her how to do it right. She's now boxing at the fish like a little Mike Tyson thanks to sparring lessons from big bro.

Sushi with Daddy

No raw fish for this little guy just yet, but he's very interested in soy sauce (he dipped the Del Taco quesadilla that we had smuggled in for him) and tempura ice cream. Here he poses at Osaka's sushi bar with his pops.

Captain Underpants

Tommy models his new big boy underpants on top of his pajamas. Quite a look for him, no?

Crossword Tommy

Tommy attempts the New York Times Crossword puzzle. Perhaps if we adults try it with crayons we'll have better luck solving it?

I Did It!

Today Tommy went potty in the toilet like a big boy! This was a big accomplishment for all of us, as James and I have worked on convincing him to try it for months. I let him chug an entire can of pink lemonade to make sure his bladder was good and full, then we spent some time reading books while he sat. After about 15 minutes he told me he wanted to stand up and go pee, so he did, grinning from ear to ear.

Afterward he enjoyed a celebratory feast of chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream, M&Ms and a strawberry Tootsie pop (never said I was above bribery when it comes to potty training!) He was kind of a basket case after all the sugar, but it was well worth it. Now we just have to practice...he does a great job making it to the bathroom if he's wearing underpants or just enjoying the breeze, but if he's wearing a pull-up or diaper he doesn't give it another thought. So I'll be following him around nagging him with "Do you have to go potty?" several hundred times a day until he really gets it. With his 3rd birthday only two months away I don't think it will take too long.

Funny Things Tommy Says

I have to document a few comments from young Tommy before we forget he's said them...

"Daddy, your breath smells." In fact, James's breath does not smell bad. Not even in the morning, really! I think mine is way worse, but Tommy seems immune to my post-coffee/pre-toothpaste fumes. Tommy just likes to get his goat by saying this...every morning.

"Mommy, the baby's crying. I can't hear the TV!" Heaven forbid Annalise lets me know in the only way she knows how that she wants her bottle or diaper changed during the Doodlebops.

"Barack Obama!" While we were on the airplane home from Portland, out of the blue Tommy stood up on his seat and said in a very loud voice "Barack Obama!" He then sat back down and continued watching his movie. It was odd, but hilarious. I guess all the election coverage Uncle Gary watched during our visit rubbed off on him. This is particularly funny considering James and I are Republicans. We're currently reprogramming him to support John McCain, but he thinks "Obama!" is a pretty cool saying.

"I just grew a tail." Umm, we're working on potty training. Mommy will never use toilet colloquialisms in front of Tommy EVER again. He has repeated this several times, though not yet in public. Yet.

Nice Hat

Tommy models his new blue hat before church on Sunday. Annalise was wearing a hat so he could not be outdone...even though his hair was freshly styled!

Annalise's First Portland Trip

The Wedewers visited Portland this month. Here are pictures with captions to follow at a later date.

Super Scrubby Bubble Bath

Tommy is a big fan of bubble baths these days. We're able to entice him to the tub so much easier now! We just announce that it's time for his super-scrubby-bubble-bath and he pretty much bolts up the stairs and starts stripping! He enjoys using his rinse cup to pour water over his body during tub time, and he does a pretty good job keeping most of the water where it's supposed to be.

Big Boy Bed

It's official...Tommy is now a card-carrying member of the big boy club. We converted his crib into a full-size bed frame and he couldn't be prouder of his achievement. Getting him to stay put at night isn't a problem, but he isn't doing so well on the naps these days...too many books to read and toys to play with now that he's no longer confined.

Here he gives a big cheesy grin for the camera. The blue rails keep him from rolling off while he sleeps, but they aren't enough to confine him...he likes to sneak out now and then.

Our smiley guy assumes the position.

Now if we can just get him interested in potty training...

Strolling with My Sis

Tommy & Annalise are now side-by-side stroller buddies. This is much easier to manuever than the behemoth that holds Annalise's car seat! Here they enjoy each other's company before we head out for a walk.

And here they pose with Daddy on the paseo near our home.

What's New With Tommy

Tommy's been keeping busy lately. He had his friend, Alex, over to play and they actually sat together quietly while watching a cartoon for a few minutes (they usually end up in a toddler squabble five seconds after Tara and I turn our heads).He likes to rummage through Mommy's purse for snacks, tissues and cell phones.He LOVES to play the guitar, so he got a very big kick out of the giant-sized one we came across at the local children's museum.And he enjoys a good post-nap vegging session with his Hot Wheels and his sister (whom I propped up with a silly neck pillow that slightly resembles devil ears).

Tommy TRIES to Wake His Sister

No such luck waking up the baby sister...

Park and Pajamas

Tommy visited the park with friends last week. It was coooooooooold outside...all the way down in the 30s! So we bundled him up in a warm hat and mittens (he'd taken off the mittens by picture time).

He's in the red and blue jacket behind the play equipment. Friend Lainey is in the foreground.

The next day was pajama day at school. Here he poses in his favorite "Cars" PJs with his buddy Jake, and Snuggle Bear (whose name he has shortened to "Snuggy B").

Tommy's Lullaby for Annalise

Tommy the rock star plays his guitar for his baby sister:

I Like Pizza...Today

Tommy enjoys some pizza for dinner the other night. We haven't been having the easiest of times with meals lately...he's become extraordinarily picky. Sometimes even our old standbys of mac & cheese or chicken nuggets won't cut it for him. He loves breakfast, though, particularly Daddy's homemade waffles and yogurt. At least each day gets off to a good start!