Crazy Weather

Hello,
While I know this is nothing like last year, the weather this year has been so crazy. First we had tornados. Mommy kept getting me up in the middle of the night and taking me to the laundry room with the wind blowing outside. Then a few weeks later we had two different days of snow. Neither were big snows but enough to make my footprints in and "ooh and ahh" at.



Then a few days later we had very pretty weather. We got outside and played and blew bubbles on the front steps. Since I had learned how to blow the party blower, I figured out how to blow bubbles. Before now I just watched Mommy blow the bubbles or ate the soap in an attempt to blow bubbles. I was so excited when I finally blew my first bubble. Then Daddy blew bunches of bubbles out in the air and up over the house. I tried to catch them all! Winter is not over yet so I will wait and see what happens next.







Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Preparing for celebrations

Hi there friends!
I spent the rest of February preparing for celebrating upcoming birthdays with friends and myself of course. I attended a friend's 2nd birthday party and received a party blower. What a fun thing! I finally blew hard enough to blow it all the way out. My puffs of air were accompanied by saliva too so my party blower died after an hour of wet puffs.



One weekend mommy took us to Krispy Kreme to check out the sprinkled donuts for my birthday party. While we were there we picked up some donuts, chocolate milk (special occasion #3), and a HAT! I thought it was great to put it on my head over and over again. Sometimes I would pull it out too far and it would come apart, and I would get upset. Now it has a special home in my dressup box. In one of the pictures below you can see me holding my drummer boy. He was a gift from the youth staff at church. He's an Italian drummer boy and plays a song at the touch of a button (an incredibly long song Mommy says). Sometimes he has to take a break from drumming. I will play him for you if you come visit sometime.





Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

I love Chocolate!

So have I told you how much I love chocolate? It has to be the best thing God created (besides my Daddy and Mommy and Bear). I am always asking for chocolate milk which I have only had three times on special occasions. On Valentines Day, Mommy and Daddy made a great dinner at home and then we had fondue. Do you know about this stuff? Yum! Where have they been hiding this? I got a big fork and dipped marshmallows in chocolate. I have to confess that I didn't really eat the marshmallow. I just kept dipping it in the chocolate and licking it off. At one point, I demanded my own chocolate bowl because the fondue pot was too far away. This is obviously an inherited gene from my Daddy...





Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

A few funny stories

Mommy and Daddy said I have to share some funny stories about myself lately.

First, as most of you know I am only interested in other people tee-teeing and poo-pooing. I like to assist with the paper and flushing, but have no interest in sitting on the potty. Mommy took me to the store and we picked out a "Dora" potty seat just for me to help me get interested in the potty (and be able to sit on it and not fall in.) When we got it home, I put it on my head and wore it around the house like a hat.



The second funny story is that I have become attached to my Jesus (my Bible). You can see it here in this picture in my hand as Bear and I are watching for the grabage truck. I request Jesus most evenings during story time. One night I was avoiding brushing my teetch and running around, and started yelling "I NEED JESUS". I fought Mommy and Daddy as they took me into the bathroom yelling the whole way "I NEED JESUS! I NEED JESUS!" The next morning (Sunday) while being put into my carseat and holding onto Jesus, Jesus was taken from me as I was being buckled. I again yelled "I NEED JESUS". Mommy and Daddy said we were going to church and Jesus would be there.



Other stories have to do with my love of books and songs. I love to sing. We have 6 of my CDs in rotation in the car but am now down to only requesting one CD over and over again. It is #2, Raffi. I try to sing every song on the CD and most of the time don't know the words but still try. Mommy says I am just like my Daddy when I do this. (She says to ride with him in a car or stand next to him at church and you will find out that he has his own lyrics to most songs). I have also started dictating who can sing, dance, etc. to the songs in the car....which is only me! I say "No singing, Daddy" or "No Bumping, Mommy" (to Bumpin Up and Down - #8 on Raffi). I like to enjoy the music by myself. I also have been known to get frustrated if they touch the volume knob to talk to each other. How dare they?!?

I also like to read the books along with Mommy and Daddy. I have memorized a lot of them and like to recite the words as they read. Mommy says thankfully I don't yell "No Reading!". I have started adding motions to my stories though. I find that they make the stories come to life. My new favorite book is called "I know a Rhino". In this book there is a hippo who spins round and round til she gets dizzy and that is my favorite part to act out.

I like to sing Happy Birthday a lot. When asked at meals what blessing I would like to sing, I request Happy Birthday, but Mommy and Daddy say "Amen" at the end of it. That's not how it ends.

Lastly, some of you know that I get bad diaper rash when I teeth, so pretty much have diaper rash all the time. I can tell Mommy when I tee-tee so Mommy has been trying to get me to tell her when I need my diaper changed so the rash is not as bad. She shared this with my teacher at school one day. Ms. Kathleen asked me one day if I need my diaper changed (which I did) and I said "No, John Patrick does". John Patrick is my classmate. Teehee!

That's all for now!

Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Big Girl Helper

Hey. I am really wanting to be a big girl and do big girl things lately so Mommy and Daddy have let me help out around the house. I pick out my outfits (notice the orange and black Halloween outfit in February). I have been wearing my apron and helping pick out grocies and cooking our dinner. I also brushed Bear's teeth and washed dishes. I love the sprayer and have requested it every time I wash my hands. I even scrubbed the toilet one Saturday morning. I like to help load the laundry in the washer and dryer and feed Bear. Its so fun to do grown up things, except pick up toys!









Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Happy Valentines Day

Hope you all had a great Valentines day, spending it with the ones you love.



Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Build-A-Bear (or Monkey)

Hi there!
So last week, I went to a birthday party for one of my classmates. Mommy took me to the mall and kept saying that we were going to a place and make a bear. I had no idea what she was talking about, but went along for the ride. We arrived at a very bright and colorful place with bears everywhere. The birthday party started and we were told to select an animal. After looking them over and narrowing down my choices, I selected a Monkey. Mommy was trying to get me to choose a hippo, but I was strong in my decision. However, I didn't understand why I couldn't have the sample monkey and had to walk around with the monkey shell. Then the fun began. I got to stuff my monkey with fuzzies and give it a heart. I filled it with love, friendship, and some other stuff. Next I brushed the monkey and fluffed it with puffs of air. Then I got to pick out clothes. Mommy found a Memphis Tshirt and shorts (which Daddy would have loved). Instead I chose a red and white top with shiny hearts and silver sequins and a red skirt to match. My second choice outfit was a hot pink top with jewels on it. Mommy helped me put on the outfit, then we got to name the Monkey. I chose Cupcake (though I still call her Monkey). I got to take her home in a "critter condo" which is basically a box the size of me. I insisted on carrying (or trying to carry) the box through the mall. I had such a good time and had fun helping my classmate celebrate her birthday.







Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

My Memo

Hello Friends,
I wanted to dedicate a post to my Memo, my great-grandmother. She passed away in December. She was so special to my mommy and to my daddy (she thought he was something special too!) She lived to be 90 years old which we celebrated in August. Here are a few pictures from my time with her. I am glad to have met her and can't wait to hear more stories about her from Mommy and Memie. The last time I saw her just before she passed, I told Mommy she was sleeping and now when we talk about her I always say she is sleeping.









Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Discovering my independence

I recently discovered that I can make my own decisions. It's great, but it sometimes makes Mommy and Daddy upset. I really like to brush my teeth, climb into my chair, wash my hands, and take off my coat. Recently I wanted the milk in the bottom of my cereal bowl so I pickd it up and drank it. I can't wait to see what else I can do.


Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

The games I play

Hi friends, After celebrating the new year and getting over the funk that made me sick, I started playing with all my new things from Christmas. I love racing with the snail from Aunt Michelle up and down the hallway. I have a hard time going forward because I want to watch him while I run.



I have expanded my culinary skills and can fix waffles, spaghetti, eggs, vegetables, fruit, juice, coffee, and YOGART. Yogart is my favorite thing to fix and pretend to eat in my new kitchen. If you come over, I will fix some for you.



I also like to feed the babies with my bottles of milk and juice. Even my stuffed animals get fed.


Pushing the shopping cart around the house is pretty neat too. Sometimes I fill it up with whatever I can find (paper, babies, crayons, pans, toothbrush, etc.) Other times I push the cart and pull the stroller at the same time. I also have races in the hallway with Mommy and the stroller.



I am having fun learning new things and exploring my surroundings. Stay tuned for more!

Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Watch out Repunzel!

Hey there! I just wanted to let you know that my hair is getting longer. I actually have a curl now. Mommy is so excited but says it may have to be cut eventually so that I don't have longer hair in the back than on top (otherwise known as a mullet).



Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Christmas at my House

Friends, I continue the story of my Christmas memories from this year. After a quick trip to see my family, we came back home and joined Mr. Jim and Mrs. Kelly for Christmas Eve. Mommy and Daddy enjoyed Kelly's tradition of lasagna and cheesecake which you know I didn't eat. So I had chicken nuggets and mac and cheese - yum!



After an evening at church and a morning of sleeping in, I awoke to find this in my living room (see picture below). Mommy and Daddy said that Santa left it. Maybe he is not so scary after all. I was pretty shocked, but got over that quickly and started fixing ice cream, tea and doughnuts.



Daddy and I had a tea party. He taught me the etiquette of drinking from a tea cup.


The aftermath of the three of us and Bear playing with our gifts shows that we had a good morning with great memories.


Mommy and Daddy continued their tradition of adding to my nativity set and Mary was in my stocking this year so Jesus won't be alone next year. I helped Bear open his stocking and was more excited about his than my own. I wanted him to give him all of his treats immediately (and he did too!). Mommy and Daddy had to pull me away crying to eat breakfast which we ended up eating in my kitchen because I was so upset. Hope you all had a great Christmas and a good New Year.

Much love,
Carlisle Drew

Christmas Visiting

Christmas started off with a bang with travels to see my family. Memie and Papa Nick had yummy food and a new baby for me. This baby's eyes open and close. I had fun reading with them and playing baby dolls.





At Granny and Grandpa's house, I played with my aunts, uncle, and cousins and ate cake. Holden and Grayson are so sweet to me and let me play with them. They are so fun. When we exchanged gifts, I had so much fun opening each gift very carefully and enjoying the gift for a while before moving on to the next gift. My family blessed me with a wooden snail, shopping cart, art easel, basketball goal, and doodle mat. I love them all!



Thanks family for such great memories!
Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Meeting SAnta Claus

Do you know about Santa Claus? We had Santas around our house, but they were tiny and hanging on our tree. Mommy and Daddy took me to the Santa Party and said I went last year though I don't remember. We waited in line to see him, and I watched the other kids sit on his lap (picture below). Mommy tried to tell me he was soft and fuzzy. And then it was my turn. Santa was scary, and I did not like sitting in his lap, even after Mommy and Daddy joined me.







I was so happy after it was over. My friend Lindy and I laughed and laughed and stayed far away from the man in red. I played with my other friends John Mark and Corinne and ate cookies. It was a fun party minus Santa.




Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Hockey Game

Daddy took his students to a hockey game one night and Mommy and I came along. Uncle Andrew joined us too. Jump, Jump Jenny came with her mommy and daddy and we played in the box. We watched the skaters and all the crazy people. Uncle Andrew shared his popcorn with me and explained hockey to me.





I had fun and can't wait to go again!

Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Grownup Things

Hi there and welcome back! I have really been expressing my independence lately so Mommy and Daddy have let me do some things they like to do. Daddy showed me how to dance in the kitchen the way he does with Mommy. He even dipped me!





We started a tradition of going to look at Christmas lights during the holiday season (I was looking for Mickey Mouse and reindeers). After we looked at lights we went to the grocery store to get cookies and chocolate milk. Mommy and Daddy let me drive the shopping cart. I thought I did pretty good navigating through the store. Mommy wants everyone to know that if you shop in our area, watch your knees because I drive full speed and stop only when I hit something. We took the cookies and chocolate milk home to end our fun evening. Let me tell you that Mommy and Daddy have been holding out on me and have only let me drink water and regular milk. I almost didn't eat any cookies because the chocolate milk was so good. We haven't had it since and I need to remind them.



Stay tuned..

Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Christmas is Coming (a month or so ago)

So all this stuff started appearing around our house: trees, bells, greenery, shiny stuff, Jesus', candles...Mommy and Daddy said Christmas was coming and were we celebrating Jesus' birthday. I wish we started celebrating a month early for my birthday too. Anyway, Mommy let me help decorate a tree. We put the ornaments up and then I would move them around every day to new spots. I also put window stickers on our kitchen window that Memie had given me. I loved playing with the snowmen, gingerbread house, and christmas tree stickers.





One of the best things about the Christmas season is all the parties. I went to a gingerbread house party in my neighborhood. Mommy was so excited about helping me make my first gingerbread house. She sat me down at a table and picked out a house and all the supplies we would need and placed those in front of me. I just assumed we ate the decorations so I started shoving marshmallows, gumdrops, chocolates, icing in my mouth. I did not understand why it needed to go on the house. Mommy was frantically icing the house and taking candies out of my mouth and putting them on the house. I did go home with a decorated house in the end. Every day after that I proclaimed that "I eat that" and pointed to the house. But Mommy and Daddy wouldn't let me.



Now that Christmas is over, I am sad about the following story, but at the time, it was the highlight of my day. In our neighborhood, we had some reindeers (my word) and a large blow up mouse that Daddy called Mickey Mouse. I loved looking for these as we drove down the street. I didn't understand why they weren't lit and blown up during the day and why everyone didn't have them, including us. I would get so upset when we would drive the other way out of the neighborhood and would cry "Mickey Mouse this way!" (Mommy says its amazing how obsessed I have become about this addicting creature and I don't even know there's a whole land of this mouse out there!) The reindeers and Mickey Mouse have now gone away. Daddy says Mickey is back in a place called Orlando. Does anyone know where that is and have the phone number?

Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Where has the time gone?

Hello friends! My, my. Time has gotten away from me again. The end of fall and Christmas was a busy time around here so I will try and catch you up to speed.

Mommy left me and Daddy just before Thanksgiving to go visit her dear friends in Arkansas. She and Abby and Perry (Pury) went to see Jamie, Emily (Em Lee), Emma, and Winston. She had a good time away with her friends, but we all visit each other. Daddy and I played hard while she was gone. We are sure glad she came back.




Thanksgiving came and went with food and family. I got to see all my cousins and aunts and uncles. Mommy and Daddy ate a lot and tried to get me to do the same, but I wasn't buying it. So I stuck to the desserts. That's the point of Thanksgiving, right?!? More to come...

Much Love,
Carlisle Drew