Mee-ow!

I'm working on getting a Thanksgiving update together but for now, here's what Miles has been working on in school. Also, his picture collection on Shutterfly is updated, see "More Photos of Miles" link on right. ====>

Wii Wii Wii all the way home

Ah, the lengths that mommies, daddies, even Uncle Kileys will go to get the perfect Christmas gifts for young Miles. Both Mimi and Uncle Kiley have been searching high and low for an Elmo T.M.X. but the only place they are is eBay. Then Kyle had the brilliant idea to get his hands on a Nintendo Wii and leverage that eBay auction for one of the T.M.X. Of course, he's going to wait a week or so to post it as everyone seemed to have the same idea. Oh, are you wondering how he happened to find one of these scarce gaming systems? He picked the random standalone Sears down the street from my dad and hit it an hour before opening. No one else was there. He even called my dad to come too so he has TWO Wiis to auction. What an entrepreneur!

Look what we got today!!! SNOW FLAKES!! It's all dried up now, but as we got home from lunch, Miles was giddy running up and down the walk in the flurry. I don't ever remember having snow this time of year in the last 13 years I've lived here. But apparently in 1952 Knoxville got 18.2 inches in 24 hours this same week. Yikes! Hope that doesn't happen this week, we got family to see.

I've been slimed!!!

We've been layin' low this week, poor Miles got sidelined with his first cold. Although sidelined isn't really the word, since he barely missed a step. I know that since the last post said he started school, the conclusion could be that he picked it up there. But I really think patient zero was a new kid in another playgroup we're in. This week when we e-mailed our regrets to the hostess, 2 others (of 4) were also out with colds. Hmmmmm..... As I said, though, he's still been going strong, leaving a trail of slime in his wake. And there I follow with the tissues and anti-bac wipes, scooping up toys for a hot, sudsy bath.


We got a little antsy after being homebound so we joined Janna & Chrissy up the hill for some yummy quesadillas. And he was less-slimy enough to go back to school on Thursday. He was very glad to see all his little buddies again.

A whole day at school can be tough on a guy. We can't unwind with a walk anymore so we've taken to drum sessions with daddy. Miles plays bass while daddy taps out the rhythym up top. Follow that with his favorite show (thanks Davey!) and it's off to bed.


Check out the cute new jammies!!

Lightning IS ready!

What is that you ask? Why, it's the first brilliant piece from an up-and-coming young artist, Miles! Notice how expressive and stormy the colors are? It was a rainy day when he created it. I've tried to color with him a few times, but he always preferred to taste the colors. But he has started preschool now, and when he saw his new friends coloring away, he went to it!

Ah yes, school days are here. He's started last Thursday and will go 2 days a week for about 6 hours. He waved bye-bye to me when I dropped him off the first day, and really wasn't ready to leave when I came back. And boy, did he talk my ear off that first afternoon! He had a lot to tell me about what they'd done that day. The first effect I've seen of school is that it upped his jabber-quantity. A lot. And even the jabber-quality has improved, as we've both noticed some words that sound more like the real thing and not just "ba" that has 12 different meanings depending on where we are.

And he's back to enjoying his books again! He lost interest for a while when he started walking - I mean, walking IS super awesome! - but now he will snuggle up and read with us or just look at books on his own. There are some new favorites in the bunch too, including any with "choo-choo" on them.


Reason #2783 we like having a kid: We can now justify our collection of great kids' movies. We finally saw Cars last night, and we, uh, Miles definitely needs to have that one!

Boo, everybody!

Miles was really glad he didn't sleep through Halloween this year (like he did for his 1st Halloween). Although he wasn't so sure about the whole costume thing while I dressed him. He gave me the "you're taking off my clothes to put other clothes on?!??!" wiggle the entire time. And forget about the mane, he was having none of that! Oh yeah, that IS the lion suit, not a turkey or potato as some of the neighbor kids thought. Once we got the dogs tucked away, Miles hosted an early evening costume party in the front yard. Every year the people across the street have a party for the kids to trick-or-treat together. So as they gathered, they detoured to our yard to play with Miles.

And he ate. it. up. LOVED it! And the girls did too. They walked around with him and copied the little tail wiggle. Dad brought out the video camera when he got home and they hammed it up. Looks like we'll have a great selection of babysitters here in a few years!!
A little later he was so excited to answer the door when they came by. He just stood there looking up at at least a dozen kids in the door. And ever time the doorbell rang, he'd scurry over to look at the kids standing at the door. We had our biggest year yet, it's a good thing I got an extra bag of treats at the last minute. Miles even did a little trick or treating... we rang the doorbell at a couple of neighbors' houses just to say hi. But we got back home in time for a Very Special Lady(bug) to stop by - his friend Kate! She looked adorable in her costume and was all grins playing with us.
I guess the only ones who didn't have fun last night were the pups. Halloween ranks right up there with New Years and the 4th of July for dog annoyance days!! Hopefully a little candy corn will get us back in their good graces.