Driving Back Home

We all went out to eat at IHOP before leaving town. Zach enjoyed Dad's pink lemonade so much that he poured it all over himself (hence no clothes!). Then when we were leaving, Zach asked if he could drive home. Dad told him no, because he can't reach the pedals.

Pizza Delivery

Zach in Kelly's pizza delivery bag - Silly boy!

Happy Birthday Grandma Urban

Zach & Uncle Andy

We went up to visit Uncle Andy and stay with him for the weekend he returned home from the hospital. Kelly brought us Pizza and wings to eat. Grandpa Urban and Dad worked on Andy's kitchen cabinets and floor. Zach enjoyed the lizards!

Not So Little Anymore

This morning when Zach and I arrived at school his teacher was busy consoling a crying child. (Zach is usually the first in his class to arrive, so Miss Sarah stays with the older children until we get there). Miss Lisa (the morning mobile infant room teacher) invited Zach over to her room since Miss Sarah was busy. Zach could not have been more excited - we pulled up a chair for him at the table with three other 1-2 yr. olds. Miss Lisa was concerned that he would need a highchair, but he sat at the big table just like the big kids! Once he was pushed in he just looked at her like "Where are my cheerios - the other kids have cheerios!". When I left, he was sitting happily at the Big table, with the Big kids eating Big people food (biscuits and cheerios). My little boy isn't so little anymore!

Budding Vocabulary

Zach is starting to use words consistently (If you want to call them words - some are his own words).

He has learned "Uh Oh" and he likes to drop stuff and say it.

He has also learned "No No" and he shakes his head too! (I think he learned this one at school - we don't shake our heads when we say No - (unless I don't know I do it))

Zach's morning teacher taught him the Elmo song. If I sing it to him, he will "La La" back. You have to sing it with the right tune and if you try to leave off the "Elmo's Song" at the end he gives you a funny look and won't sing back. It is so cute because you can tell he is trying to change his voice to "sing".

He is still using the "Na Na" from a couple months ago. Sometimes it means his "bottle" and other times it means "Night Night".

Zach is also learning to wave Bye-Bye. He is about 50/50 right now. And sometimes he just does a lazy wave - he puts his arm up, but doesn't wave his hand!

This is my favorite part of motherhood - I just love to see him learning! Sometimes it seems like the switch in his head got flipped and he knows something new - One minute he has no idea what you are talking about and the next he completely understands. Maybe in the next couple weeks he will already know a few more words!

Friday

Zach is still home sick - he is staying with Aunt Alicia. Another nasty storm hit this morning and I received a call from Alicia.

We have two trees down in the backyard and they took the power line down with them! Great, now we are part of the 1/2 million people w/o electricity again!

Any bets on how long it will take to restore???

Thursday

Uncle Andy is injured pretty badly in an accident at work (sewer construction). Luckily his legs are not broken - Right leg/knee severely injured - he was airlifted from Dubuque to Iowa City for surgery.

Our prayers are with you Andy - WE LOVE YOU and wish you a speedy recovery!!!

Wednesday

Zach is sent home early from school with a stomach bug. He is also cutting all four top teeth right now.

Major storm ripped through St. Louis, we lost our power for about 5 hours. We were irritated and HOT w/o electricity - turns out we were really lucky to regain power!

Monday

This morning we had to take Chris to the ER. Lots of waiting and pain meds to find out that he is passing a kidney stone. Fun, Fun!

Zach's New Trick

Thanks to Jaysa for helping me get this on video! On Friday, when I dropped Zach off at school he crawled to a push toy, stood up, and walked across the room (holding onto the toy)! I was so excited (and so was his morning teacher) - neither of us had seen him do this before. He previously would push around toys on his knees. Now he won't stop! Check out the video!!!

To Grandpa & Grandma Urban

Say Cheese!

Zach is learning to smile for the camera - now he is squinting in all of the pictures.
(PS - I think of Eli everytime Zach wears the goldfish outfit!)

Big Boy

Connor was enjoying his popsicle after our swim. Zach though that it looked good and started grunting at Connor. Connor decided to share it with "Baby" (He couldn't grasp that the Baby's name is Zach), which was very nice of a 3-yr old. Connor would have a lick, then he would give Zach a lick. This went on for most of the life of the popsicle. Then Zach apparently didn't want to share anymore and he snatched it away from Connor.
I think we are going to have to start teaching Zach some manners! He took his cousin's cookie last time we were in Dubuque and now he is stealing popsicles. What a Bully!!

Zach's First Time Swimming

Maybe I shouldn't really say swimming. It was more like hanging on to mom for dear life! After a little while he warmed up to the idea and played with a shovel to entertain himself. As long as the other boys didn't splash him, he was okay. He also enjoyed eating everyone's flipflops. (Yuck!)

Letter of the Day - G

Zach has learned a new consonant and he is using it constantly. It is really cool how you can see the gears working in his head sometimes. He gets real serious and tries hard to make new sounds. Now that he has mastered G - we are hearing some funny "words"! He really likes to throw the G in the middle and roll it out - very coo-like!

Aagaa! Egiee! Ga (sounds sort of like Go??) GooGoo!

RED, White & Blue

Zach had his first bloody accident today! He was happily playing in the front room with his toys - I went outside to see what Chris was up to with the deck project. I helped him hold a board while he cut, then went to check back on Zach. Zach's back was to me, he was still in the same place playing with his blocks, but he was making a whiny/moaning sound too. I was about to dismiss it when I realized that wasn't a sound I've heard before. I went over to pick him up and his whole mouth, chin, and hands were bloody. Ok-this is where I sort of lost it! I picked him up and brought him to dad. I had no idea what to do - I was too afraid to hurt him more. Chris was a pro! He said "Well lets clean him up and see where this is coming from". We did just that - apparently he chomped wrong on the plastic block he was chewing. It cut him in that spot where your lip and gums meet right between the middle teeth - OUCH!! Zach is more of a trooper than I am. I think I may have cried a little more than he did! Thank goodness for daddies! (What in the world am I gonna do when he really gets hurt???? I dread those moments and hope Chris will be around for most of them!!!)

Oh yeah, today is the 4th of July! Nothing exciting for the Urban's. I kept Zach up to watch fireworks (we can see a lot from our house!!). He watched a few - never smiled or reacted - and then rubbed his eyes telling me that he was bored and ready for night-night. Maybe next year!