I'm back

So- I've been away for a while, and oh the amount of things that happen when one takes a break. I won't bore you with all of them. Cole and I took a trip to Utah with my family (I may post pictures of that later), I started a blog for my MOMS Club (sorry, its private), Abe took a trip to Alaska, I have been dealing with endless amounts of drama (boring to talk about), and helping with my upcoming 10 year reunion. Cole and I also took cookies to the firemen on September 11, as part of a MOMS Club function, where Cole made friends with the firemen and got his very own (plastic) helmet! He was in heaven and now yells hi at the station (which is down the street from our house) all 4+ times a day that we drive by. That's just what I can think of right now, though I know there was so much more!

Cole has started saying several more words including but not limited to, MA- FINALLY!!!, "hops"- for when he's showing off his awesome hops, and "housh"- house. He sings the "oompa loompa" song from Willy Wonka- his new obsession (he doesn't sing it well, but he gets the gist of it), and he has become an expert eye roller- which is so hard to not laugh at! He has also been consistently saying "plis" which is so hard to turn down, though he still won't say please when you ask him to. He is definitely quite the entertainer, and makes me laugh most of the day!

We also went on a MOMS Club "camping" trip this past weekend. We stayed at a KOA, hence the quotes around camping. We'd never been to a KOA before, and it was interesting. I think it would have been ultimately enjoyable if it hadn't been for the I-40 within throwing distance, and the railway, not far beyond that, keeping us up most of the night. We did have a good time though, and really enjoyed getting to hang out as a family, too.

Cole had fun. In an effort to try and "pack light' I neglected to bring toys- I know, WHAT WAS I THINKING??!!?? I guess I figured there would be stuff for him to do, and kids to play with, so carting toys was unnecessary. Abe ended up pulling out his tool kit and letting Cole play with his tools- he enjoyed it way more than he would have his toys, so it all worked out.

Dozer taking a break on the cooler.

Cole still playing with the tools- notice the "tongue of concentration"

This is one of Cole's friends from playgroup. He's a bit bigger than Cole, so I had to assist with the teeter totter momentum.

These next few are from our MOMS Club potluck dinner. We sure had quite the turn out!

Cole kept running up the ramp at the Kabin next door, and jiggling the door knob (a cabin which I believed was occupied. Poor people, dealing with my obnoxious kid playing with their door and running around on their porch, not to mention the gathering that formed just outside their door!)

We finally gained control by doing this...

Shortly after, Cole came up, told me bye bye, shook my hand (which he picked up from a TV show) signaling he was ready for bed. Really, he was ready for this...

Dozer taking a break on the luggage.

Breakfast in bed.

(This really wasn't his breakfast, more of a morning snack. We went and had real breakfast at a cute little diner in Williams. Notice he pulled the DVD player into bed with him,too!)

We needed to get the camper packed up, and needed Cole wrangled. This was what we came up with, and as you can see, it was pretty devastating!

Thinking about making a break for it...

Before the other MOMS Club people began arriving, we broke down and bought Cole some toys at the little KOA convenience store. Here he is playing with Dad.

Station 71

Yesterday, I took Cole to tour the fire station with my MOMS Club.

We started out in the lobby, with all their antiques (just like everywhere else in this town- tons of antiques! It's kind of cool though.)

This is fireman Conrad. He had the foresight to dress is in his garb in front of the kids. He said he had made the mistake once of dressing in the hall and then walking in the room with a group like ours, and swore he would never do it again. Even as it was, the kids were all still pretty freaked out (Cole wouldn't let go of my leg!)
After touring the rest of the station (it was pretty small) we went to the garage to check out the truck, with lights ablaze (sirens, again, wouldn't really have worked well with our group of youngins)
Needless to say, Cole finally became impressed.
But then he found something more intriguing...
...a helmet he may be able to snatch for his own!(He didn't, of course.)

They let the kids walk through the truck, and I was surprised that Cole actually did it and actually enjoyed it!
Although he wasn't too sure about fireman Conrad helping him out.

Photo Op!

Again, something more interesting (according to Cole). He also wandered around and found the basketball hoop, the forest service tanker, the FD's quad used on trails (there's a lot of remote stuff up here), and everything else that he really shouldn't have.

The firemen pulled out the fire hose, and inadvertently had water leak out the bottom of truck. Of course, all the little boys went running and splashing.

Cole just thought they were hilarious!

At the end, each kid got a "Firefighter badge." Cole was pretty proud.

And then he went and took his own turn splashing and running through the puddle.
Cole and a great time and was super mad at me when we left, making sure to emphasise the fact he didn't have a helmet (by motion, not words, obviously). He cried practically the entire way home! What was really funny though, was last night, before bed, we read one of his books about fire trucks, and he instantly started signalling about the helmet again. I couldn't believe he remembered! I think I take for granted his comprehension level, since his expressive level is so lacking. Cole has picked up a few new words, though. He started saying "plis" for please on Saturday (of course he said "plis" about 50 times Saturday, and has hardly said it since, especially when prompted to), and then Monday evening, started saying "up." He has been using that word more, and even said "up" when seeing the ladder on the side of the fire truck.

Abe and I swear we hear him saying other things on occasion, but then never hear them again. Andrew, his speech therapist, thinks Cole seems to be making some progress, though. He is definitely jibber-jabbering, the precursor to talking (better late than never, I suppose) and is making movements with his mouth that he wasn't in the beginning. We'll see (though I still have my fingers crossed to have preschool taken care of for him through the AzEIP)