It has become quite evident to me in the last few days that I am definitely raising a BOY! I know, some are saying da....., you've known that since your ultrasound at 18 weeks where the doc points to the little hotdog and says... "It's a boy!", but over the last few days several events have happened that have really solidified that fact.
You have to understand, I was a very quiet, reserved, shy child who was scared of my own shadow...so this is new for me. Trace is best described as "all boy", the term people lovingly use around you to explain the fact that he never stops, sits for long, is very outgoing, runs rather than walks, talks a blue streak while using his outside voice inside (school teacher talk), and gets more daring by the day! Here's the proof...
At Red Lobster the other night, he grabbed and fondled the bottom of the neighboring waiter as he served food to the table beside us. He was trying to simply pat him and say hello, but his reach just hasn't quite caught up to an appropriate patting level yet. The waiter turned, after being molested from behind, to find T with a mouth full of garlic cheese biscuits, waving his little hand and saying "hi"!
Anna Claire (also 2) turned to me the other day while she was sitting quietly in my lap reading a book and said, "he's loud" while Trace ran through the house playing with every toy within reach, singing at the top of his lungs.
I caught Jimmy teaching him how to shoot spit balls out of his juice box straw at the table the other day. Trace thought that was hilarious! Then while J was changing his diaper he said "where's your du danky?" (where do they get these terms?) and T enthusiastically reaches down and pulls it (why do they do that?) and hollers "Dere it izzz!"
He was on the table at MDO when I went to get him yesterday, and this morning I caught him sitting on the countertop in the kitchen playing in the silverware basket. Oh yes... he's a climber!
My living room looks like a parking lot for his 4 wheeled riding contraptions (that really belong outside) like his plasma car, fropper, tonka truck, and cozy coupe car. Every night at bed time I park them along the wall as if they were parallel parked on the street.
And finally, he kisses the lawnmover (which he loves to ride on, in spite of my constant objections) and daddy's B...I...G truck as he calls it before we come in at night from playing.
It is amazing to watch his little personality begin to emerge and I can already tell, I've got my hands full! While he is "active" and "busy", he is also the sweetest thing in this world. Nothing makes me melt like hearing, "dank you mommy" and "I u mommy" (he leaves out the love) or getting one of those slobbery wet kisses. Yesterday, I went to get him from his nap and he stood on the bed rail and gently rubbed both sides of my face with his little hands and said, "ohhh mommy" and then hugged me sooo tight.
Wow, I never knew just what all I was in for when I heard "it's a boy" but I'll tell you one thing... I wouldn't trade it for the world. That boy has my heart!!
Here is Carol opening her gifts. Look closely, that is a bra with golf balls in it. My mom got that at her 50th birthday and decided to pass it down to Carol for her 60th... oh, those family heirlooms!
Kadi and her sister (sitting in the chair) made up a questionaire... "How well do you know Carol?" This was the prize box for whoever got the most and least right. 
Ronnie and my honey
I actually learned to make sushi rolls on New Years Eve (thank you Janet) so this was a picture of the finished product... so good and easier to do than you think!
When I saw Trace
’tis the season SATURDAY {11.16.24}
23 hours ago
