Dog days of summer

I'm a little late in posting these pictures- Lynn got to them before I did.... so if you checked out Johnny's blog you had a preview of what I"m going to post. The boys played in the pool last weekend, and we had a blast! We're hoping for a repeat this weekend!


The highlight of this week was that I finally finished my dissertation! The final version was uploaded to the graduate school site, and I handed in my signature page! WHAHOO! I'm finished!!! It's done.

Enjoy the pictures!



Nate with Big John learning how to use the squirters.



Johnny drinking the water!


Johnny and the water squirter!

Johnny looks like he heard something funny!

This is how Nate acts when he's hit by water....


But then he likes it!


Trying to get the boys to look in the same direction...

Nate running through the sprinkler....



They boys being dunked in the water by their dads!

Water action shot!

The boys working together!


Johnny didn't like grass on his feet.....



Nate was getting cold...




Muscles!!!


Johnny's lost interest, but he's saying Nate's chair.




Uh, what's going on here....
Nate's muscles, and Johnny's outta here.....

A couple of pictures from earlier in the weekend....


We found out this weekend that Nate is too big for his pack n' play.... guess we have to find a back up for him for our family trip coming up...

Nate's new table - he ate lunch there - love it!

A day in the life of....

I'm trying to be better at posting.... so here are some new pictures from the last week. Nate saw the fireworks for the first time, and stayed up for the entire time! (Ugh, to 10pm bed time...) He kind of spaced out watching them, wasn't scared at all....he would say "boom boom" to 'what do fireworks do' the next day... but other than that, no worse for wear. We were able to see the fireworks only a stone's throw away from our house- perfect view in the farmer's field!! Party at our place next year! YAY!

Enjoy some pictures!

Nate enjoying his first nectarine- which he still says "apple" to, but hey he's getting the hang of it... Yup gave him the whole thing to see what he'd do with it...he didn't understand why the pit was hard though....heh

Happy 4th of July outfit!

Nate (already in his PJs) watching "Eemo" (i.e., Nemo) with Dad before bed.....

Dad taught Nate how to put his hands in his pockets... you know, for all those stores one goes in where you can't touch anything!

Here's just a "GQ" action shot- now if only he was wearing a suit....heh....

We finally broke out the "my first Craftsman Chainsaw" that Grandad got Nate for his first Christmas.... I think he's a bit confused- he says "truck" (because it does make a motor sound) and I say no, honey, its a tool like your hammer, and then he bangs the chainsaw like a hammer...heh....he'll get it eventually....

He does get a kick out of the safety glasses though!

Dr. Mom

Yup, that's right, the 5 year gestation period and subsequent birth of my dissertation is OVER! This morning I successfully defended my dissertation at 9am. So just call me Dr. Whetzel, or er, Dr. Mom. Here are some pictures over the last couple of weeks. Enjoy!

Mike, Nate and Kai at Grammie and Papa's house

Mike, Nate, John and Johnny playdate!

Boys and slides!

Playing in the pool to stay cool!

A running hug from Anna- had to be quick to get this shot!

Here's Nate on the "chair" that Daddy build him... and his expression is the result of saying "cheese".... er...cheesey... heehee

We ate out on our porch on Saturday night!

GG- if you see this, make sure you check the mail this week!

Time is just flying by! I can't believe that its almost July already! I know its a weird connection, but the Discovery Channel is already advertising for their annual "Shark Week" which feels like I just saw that, but that was a whole year ago...sheesh....

I'm working on dissertation edits, and reintigrating into the real world... I'll keep you posted! Sorry that there's been so much time inbetween posts- I'll try to be better!

Hot stuff!

Whew- it has been hot and sticky here in good ol' State College. No central AC for the new place either....we're trying to figure out how to keep it cooler inside.... though it does manage to stay cooler inside than out, it is still wicked hot inside. I haven't posted for a couple of weeks- sorry about that...but I've been busy. T-minus 4 days until my committee gets my dissertation, and T-minus 15 days until my final defense on June 23rd. Yup, I'm tired and my brain doesn't want to work anymore, but the end is near. So we push on. Its a family effort! Here are some pictures and commentary from the last couple of weeks. Nate's been great- saying new things we didn't know he knew every day....

Nate's a lucky little boy to be visited by his great grand parents!

Nana's a drummer (i.e., a percussionist!) Here she's showing Nate how its done...

Here's Nate giving it a go.... he did really really well!! Notice his left hand position-he's actually holding it in the proper way!!! Do we have a future drummer in our midst? Perhaps I need to research some really good ear muffs!

Here's Nate at lunch.... I know this must be a gang sign in some city... sigh... :) He went around the table and made each one of us show him our elbows....

Nate eating a snack on Papa's lap....Grey is hard to wear when you're still drooling...heh....

Nana and Pa in State College!



Our sadistic little man with power tools! (Well, a totally safe version that is....) I swear we get the weirdest looks on camera!

Here's Nate chillin' in a folding lounge chair that Grammie and Papa got us for our anniversary... he loves climbing into it.....

Nate chilling with Grandad watching NASCAR!

Trying out some new sun glasses... not sure he likes the band that velcros behind his head... He loves "glasses" now... points them out on all of us!

Again, checking out the sun glasses....

Here he is eating corn on the cob for the first time.... so why is it 'corn on the cob' when the other version isn't called "corn off the cob?" No wonder the English language is hard to master....Can't wait until Nate is old enough to ask those questions....

More corn....and what goes good with corn on the cob?

What else but, KETCUP!!!! (yes, he actually did eat more of the corn after he dipped it into ketcup....well there could be worse ways to get your child to eat veggies....he really does like his veggies...and only dips them in ketcup when its out....)

Here's Nate sharing his toy name train that Pa built with the cat... Max wasn't too sure what to think about this, but Nate put all the pieces one by one next to the cat... sorry that I don't have a good picture of the full train yet... I'll try to get that up on here to show you...

And here's the final cumulation of the Nate train by Max....

Nate found a unique seat while playing.... he turned this block over and took the lid off of his lego set and was pulling out legos and building with them!

I realize that there are other pictures I should post...but that's all for now! Enjoy!