Morrow's Nut House

2011-10-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

So it has been a while since our last post to say the least, but I thought this would be a great way to keep up with the kids and all that they are getting into these days! I will try to update a few times each week!

One Cute Baby!

2011-10-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

Need I say more?

You sure do make us all smile Sam Morrow!

Paint and Playdough - Oh, What Fun!

2008-08-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Anna started out painting the sidewalk and then found that it was much more fun to paint herself! A quick rinse with the hose and she was as good as new!

Patrick has discovered the joy of playdough. Although I have been making him his own special batch made with oatmeal so I don't have to worry when he sneaks a taste.

Beach Bums

2008-08-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

Patrick ate sand by the handful. Anna built sand castles for the sole purpose of smashing them. Patrick was not quite ready to end his daily beach routine, for when we returned, he picked Ben's bathing suit out the dirty clothes pile and handed it to him Monday morning as he was leaving for work! Nasty reminder that our wonderful vacation had come to an end and it was back to the real world! We spent the week in Stone Harbor N.J. with Ben's parents and his dad's side of the family! Our days were filled with sun, surf, and sand in the most picturesque beach town I have ever set foot in! We then took the ferry to Ocean City, MD for Ben's lacrosse tournament. Not the same relaxing atmosphere, but still fun! Hard to believe that next summer we will be running after three sets of footprints on the beach!

Happy 1st Birthday Patrick!!!

2008-07-14T06:22:00.000-07:00

Patrick was able to rip open his presents with ease! We had a great party on Saturday with family and friends to celebrate Patrick's 1st birthday!

Anna was very helpful in blowing out the candles on the fish cake!

Patrick enjoyed his cake, to say the least! (This was the scene from the cake Friday night, his actual birthday.)

Give me that cake!!!

Our Little Man Is Walking!

2008-07-14T05:51:00.002-07:00

Patrick has been taking 3-4 steps at a time for a couple of weeks, but this is the first day he has ever walked this far! This footage is taken from Thursday, the day before his birthday, and in a matter of three days he is walking the length of the house! Amazing how quickly they pick it up! He is just thrilled with himself and is so excited that he is able to keep up with Anna!

A Night at the Rodeo

2008-07-02T04:53:00.001-07:00

Have I mentioned that Anna want to live on a farm? Well this clinched it! Uncle Peter took Anna for an upclose look at the bulls he rides at the J Bar W Ranch, where he rides on Saturday nights throughout the summer. With a sly "please", she was able to coax a pony ride, cowgirl hat, hot dog, french fries, and ice cream cone out of Nana and Grandpa Scot. Patrick hung out a lot of the evening along the fence with some girls a bit older than he. We had quite a night and are looking forward to going again soon! Anna has decided that she wants to dress up as a cowgirl for Halloween, so we are in search of cowgirl boots!

Our Little O's Fan!

2008-06-19T09:41:00.001-07:00

Anna woke up and wanted to put on her "baseball uniform". She wore this little ensemble all day and we played a game of wiffle ball in the yard and ate hot dogs for lunch to really make her feel like a baseball player! Ben brought home the hat she is so proudly wearing!

The Heat Makes Us Do Strange Things

2008-06-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

We finally installed a ceiling fan in Anna's room and put in our window units. Well, by "we", I mean Ben. Poor Ben, rummaging around the attic when the thermometer was tipping 100 degrees! We figured this bizarre sleeping position of Anna's might have been due to her being so hot! Despite waking up on the "wrong side of the bed", she was cheerful as always after her nap!

What Cast???

2008-06-05T07:38:00.000-07:00

Patrick does not even notice the big blue cast on his leg! And the great news is that he can get it wet (we already tested it out at the pool today) and he will get it off on June 27th! Only a little over 3 weeks of not wearing shorts! The doc had to form the cast with his leg bent so it won't fall off, which he said still might happen since he moves around so much. He really only needed a cast just below the knee, but they thought that would be sure to fall off, so he is stuck with this monster. I could barely get his shorts off! He is crawling and cruising around just as before and is not slowed down in the least!

Poor Patrick!

2008-06-03T04:15:00.000-07:00

Just as the little guy was about to walk... this happens! The poor little guy broke his leg! On Saturday, I slipped down our front steps and fell while carrying him on my hip. His little leg took the brunt of the fall against the steps and he broke the tibia in his left leg. We went to the ER and they placed him in a hard splint until we get the real cast on tomorrow. I was heartbroken at the thought of him being frustrated getting around, but he does not even seem to notice! He crawls around and can even pull himself to stand! Quite a strong little guy! We even discovered a way to hold him at the pool so he can still enjoy himself!
I ran into a woman at the grocery store last night and she said that her daughter broke her leg the same way at 14 months and was only in the cast for 3 1/2 weeks, having broken two bones in her leg! They heal much faster than us!
So far, it has not been as bad as I anticipated! I am just so glad that Patrick can still get around and is not getting frustrated with his altered mobility! It seems to bother us more than it does him!

Playing at the Pool

2008-06-02T11:36:00.000-07:00

Who cares that the water is freezing! The pool is open for business! We have packed up and made our way to the pool several times since it opened and looking forward to more to come! Ben braved the water up to his waist, while I made it in only up to my knees the first two days. Anna and Patrick have already gotten their hair wet! Time to stock up on sunblock and swim diapers!

Almost Walking!

2008-05-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

Patrick is so close! He wants to walk so badly! He uses cars, bikes, strollers, stools... whatever he can get his hands on to use as a walker to help him along! He is quite proud of himself! Guess I will have to do more of the cleaning around here now that he will not be using the knees of his pants to pick the dog hair that lingers on the floor!

"I can't Mommy. I am practicing."

2008-05-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

Anna has taken up lacrosse. Seen here, she is wearing Ben's gear, and ready for "her game". It took quite a bit of coaxing to get her to come inside for dinner because she was "practicing". Ben refuses to steer them in any direction, however, I would much rather see a lacrosse stick rather than pom-poms!

This turkey makes me sleepy!

2008-05-18T05:40:00.000-07:00

The result of Anna NOT taking a nap...

"I am so married," said Anna.

2008-05-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

Anna wanted to put this on to look like a bride. She made our hearts melt when she said to Ben, "Daddy, dance with me!"

Watch Out! Here I Come!

2008-05-12T11:55:00.000-07:00

Patrick has learned to drive the car - in reverse only, for the time being! He is quite thrilled with himself!

Any Excuse To Get Wet!

2008-05-06T05:12:00.000-07:00

Anna is willing to wash cars, do the dishes, water the grass, or scrub the kitchen floor. If she can use water (and a sponge is a plus), she is happy. And we are happy to have such a willing participant in getting our chores completed around the house! I am planning on power washing our porches this week - sure to be a thrill for all!

Timothy's Birthday Party at the Zoo!

2008-05-05T05:43:00.000-07:00

Our friend Timothy celebrated his 3rd birthday at the Baltimore zoo this Saturday! Samson, the baby elephant was putting on a show, Anna rode a camel, Patrick was determined to break out of the wagon and see the animals like everyone else, Timothy tossed his hat into the penguin pool (a fact Anna repeatedly shares), and we had a wonderful pizza picnic on a beautiful day! Great fun was had by all! Thanks to the Schindler's for such a wonderful day!

Shhh! Don't Tell Anna!

2008-05-05T05:38:00.000-07:00

Anna has become quite the Thomas the Train enthusiast. I recently encountered several other hundreds of bargin-hunting parents at the Howard Co. fairgrounds and was able to pick up some Thomas paraphernalia, including the ride-on train that Patrick is FINALLY having a chance to ride while Anna is napping!

FEED ME!

2008-04-23T16:49:00.001-07:00

This is Patrick after a 40 minute Eat-A-Thon last night. He inhaled mac 'n cheese, carrots, broccoli, avacodo, rice, and half a banana. He will not tolerate baby food any longer! Sometimes I can con him eating some fruit, but if someone starts eating some "real food", he purses his lips and refuses to eat. And some crazy lady lets him suck on beer bottles and eat cake and ice cream because it makes it happy. Not naming names.

"Where did my friend go?"

2008-04-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Anna and Mary Kathryn spent a great weekend together at Deep Creek. Anna is going through withdraw of her new friend! She was pretending to have conversations with Mary Kathryn on the way home and has been asking about her constantly since we have been back. She called one of her lamb stuffed animals Mary Kathryn today - not the real thing, but she is learning to

make do!

Bottomless Beach

2008-04-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

Who wants to be weighed down by a diaper when you are at the beach? Anna got a little wet while at the beach at Deep Creek and since we were the only inhabitants, she roamed around in the nude. Not modest.

Ben's 30th Birthday at Deep Creek Lake

2008-04-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Ben's 30th Birthday with friends and family over the weekend at Deep Creek! We all went up Friday afternoon / evening and ate our way through a wonderful weekend! Everyone brought tons of food and Pat and Mo spend their time at a make-shift grill preparing bacon and sausage for breakfast, chicken legs and hot dogs and sausages for lunch, and hamburgers for dinner. Between the 12 adults and 6 kids, we actually made more of a dent in the food and beer than I thought we would. The weather was incredible and we went to the beach on Friday and Saturday with the kids. The dipped their toes in the water and played in the sand. They flew kites and played on the playground. At the house, the yard was huge and we played wiffle ball, some bean bag game in which no one wanted me as a teammate, and the kids played in a tent that we set up. Couldn't have been more perfect!

"What a beatiful day!" - Anna @ 9am

2008-04-11T10:00:00.001-07:00

Ahhhh! What a great day! Playing in the backyard, riding bikes, a nice long walk with Chrissy and Cole, and an afternoon at the park! It is amazing how beautiful weather can make a day so wonderful! We are all grateful of the warm sunny weather and looking forward to days to come! Ben is meeting us at the playground tonight with a pizza for a picnic dinner!

Multiplying Like Rabbits Over Here!

2008-04-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

Just when I thought we were getting a handle on things here - we find out another cute little Morrow will be joining our family this fall! The official due date of November 9th has us planning on a new car to fit three car seats and making plans for Anna and Patrick to share a room (painting over the pink polka dots for a "barn" theme at Anna's request - she wants to live on a farm and this is the best we can do to fulfill that dream). Excited, yet at times, terrified, at the thought of three under 3 years old. It will be crazy at times, but it will be fun! Will my house be dirty? Yes. Will trips to the grocery store be more challenging than ever? Yes. But we look forward to all of the fun times ahead, sweet little smiles, and a third set of little feet to pitter-patter their way across the floor and into our hearts!

Afternoon at the Stream

2008-04-03T18:34:00.000-07:00

Anna has disovered a stream on Loyola's campus that we have been visiting, weather permitting. We took our neighbor, Paulina, along on our last trip. Anna says that Paulina in "awesome"! I quickly become aware of how much she picks up on from other kids! Hopefully she will not start telling me tall tales about the trap door in her (Paulina's) living room floor that leads to the pool. Back to the stream.... Anna is in heaven outdoors. She digs in the dirt for worms, helps spread straw our latest attempt at growing some grass in the backyard, is helping with planting and and rock placement, and allows her "animals" to eat the straw. She even wants to pick up dog poop! Any excuse to be outside!

Dog's Best Friend

2008-03-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

Our poor dog Libby just does not get the attention she used to! At least Anna has found some time to lay with her in the sun outside! Anna says, "I'm like Libby lying in the sun! Nice and warm!" The two of them assumed this position for a good 15 minutes in the front yard!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-25T10:43:00.001-07:00

Just a few pictures showing off our Easter best!

Hold On!

2008-03-17T04:41:00.000-07:00

Patrick takes his first ride by himself on the motocycle at the playground! We are all looking forward to taking daily trips to some sort of outdoor facility to run around! Tired of being cooped up in the house!

Look at me!

2008-03-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to our neighbor and friend Adriana, we have all started taking advantage of the large number of infants and toddlers in our neighborhood! We have started rotating Saturday afternoon get-togethers for parents and kids. I don't know who has a better time, the parents or the kids! We hosted this weekend and while the little ones played, the grown-ups polished off three bottles of wine! A great time was had by all!

Fingerpainting!!!

2008-03-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Neadless to say, Anna needed a bath!

Patrick was not so sure about the stuff and opted to eat the paper.

We will try again soon!

Day at the Zoo!

2008-03-05T10:20:00.000-08:00

We took our first trip to the zoo this year with the Schindler crew and Aunt Katie! Anna and Timothy were very excited to see all of the animals! Anna found the giraffe house to be quite "stinky", but enjoyed seeing one so close. This was Patrick's second time to the zoo, but he was awake the entire time for this trip! We saw one of the new elephant's to the Baltimore Zoo, who is ready to give birth any day now! Can't wait to go back again soon!

The Great Outdoors!

2008-03-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

We had a lovely morning at the playground, but Anna really wanted to go down by the water the whole time to see the ducks! It is so nice to be outside in the fresh air! We even ate lunch out on the front porch!

Three Cheers for Red Canoe!

2008-02-27T09:20:00.000-08:00

I can't believe we have been a 10 minutes drive away all this time! We finally made it to a Wednesday morning jam session at the Red Canoe bookstore! Anna, Patrick, and I rocked out with several dozen moms (wearing mules and lugging a sporty backpack as a purse) and a diverse crowd of agile characters under two feet tall. We sang Wheels on the Bus along with the guitar and danced to the tune of Hokey Pokey. I have never seen Patrick so still! He sat on my lap - mesmorized! I need to learn how to play the guitar! We ran into neighbors and met several others that we plan on seeing next week! It was like a piano bar for toddlers! And just as much fun for the adult-conversation-deprived parents! Five stars!!!!!

No gender bias here!

2008-02-26T10:51:00.000-08:00

All is up for grabs! Anna is obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine and Patrick would play with this dollhouse for at least 10 minutes. Next year's Christmas list???:

Anna: dump truck, cleats and shoulder pads, fishing rod

Patrick: My Little Pony (the blue one), sunglasses and a beach cover-up, stickers

They shall not be stifled by the gender specific sections of a Toys R Us catalogue!

Hats, Hats, Hats

2008-02-19T17:20:00.000-08:00

The Baltimore Museum of Industry has a wonderful program called "Wee Workers". Anna had a great time sporting this cap during this week's "Hats" theme. A group of about a dozen 2-4 year olds bounced in and out of their chairs during the read aloud of Caps for Sale! Then, they made monkey hats (a character from the book) and caps, and pasted shapes on a top hat. We are looking forward to the next session, "Radios"!

This was staged.

2008-02-19T11:39:00.000-08:00

Patrick gets around the house extremely fast these days and I feel awful picking him up after he has army crawled his way into the kitchen - so much effort! He refuses to remain in a seated position for more than about 5 seconds and tries to pull himself up in his crib, but that needs a little more time. He has two bottom and two top teeth now - and in a much better mood now that they have popped through!

Regressing???

2008-02-19T11:34:00.000-08:00

A little jealous maybe? Anna has been wanting to do everything Patrick does lately! How far do we let this go?

Who Needs Coffee!

2008-02-14T08:21:00.000-08:00

Give these a try instead of your regular morning brew:

1. Build Me Up Buttercup
2. September Earth, Wind, and Fire
3. Fishin' in the Dark Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
4. How Sweet It Is Marvyn Gaye
5. Dixieland Delight Alabama
6. ANYTHING on ESPN Jock Jams, 1996

Yet another night of multiple night wakings (they just can't get enough of us), I decided to try a new remedy and ditch those sing-songy nursery rhymn CD's for a few songs that got us all dancing and bouncing. It took a good half hour, but by 6:30, were we all wide awake and ready to meet the day!

Cause and Effect

2008-02-13T11:56:00.000-08:00

Enough said.

First Attempt at Hide and Seek

2008-02-13T11:49:00.000-08:00

Good try Patrick, but we can still see you! Patrick was actually able to do this all by himself! Who needs toys? He thought this was really funny and kept himself occupied with the laundry basket for a good 10 minutes while I folded (and Anna unfolded). Pretty soon he might be banging his head against the wall with the basket on his head like the scene from the movie Parenthood.

Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!

2008-02-03T07:45:00.000-08:00

Anna and Patrick and I enjoyed a nice walk in the double-wide yesterday! The sun was out and we thoroughly enjoyed being outside after the monsoon on Friday! Come on spring!!!

Beating the Wintertime Blues!

2008-02-03T07:38:00.000-08:00

It's cold outside, but Anna wanted to put on "lotion" (she is so responsible and apparently well aware of what damage the sun can do to your skin) with her bathing suit! We ate hotdogs for dinner and pretended to be at the beach. Patrick is looking oh-so-cute sporting his trunks! A fun-filled Saturday night at the Morrow house!

See me in action!

2008-02-03T07:32:00.000-08:00

Put up the baby gates!

2008-02-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

Patrick is on the move! While getting Anna out of the tub, I came back into Patrick's room after about 3-4 minutes to find him in this position! He is showing off his arm strength and doing a sort of "army crawl". He can scoot his way around rather quickly and seems thrilled with his new talent!

"I'm just giving the pig a bath!"

2008-02-01T10:42:00.000-08:00

Anna almost flooded the bathroom today... She and Patrick were both down for a nap, and I settled in to do some work. Anna gets up, says her sweet hello to try and get me to let her stay up, and makes a stop in the bathroom on her way back to her room. I am just finishing up and hoping that the water I hear running is nothing to be concerned about. I'm almost finished... As I walk in, Anna is innocently giving her pig a bath in the sink, with only about an inch of room to spare in the sink before water would have come spilling over. Just in time! Pigs do get dirty, so luckily he was wrapped in a hand towel and back in bed with Anna.

Could not resist...

2008-02-01T10:36:00.000-08:00

"Patrick, you're not going to be able to get by on good looks alone forever." I mean, come on! What a smile! Patrick is smiling much more these days, after his first two bottom teeth are almost completely through the gum. He was pretty uncomfortable at times, but back to his happy, mellow self.

Cinderella, Cinderella

2008-02-01T10:28:00.000-08:00

Anna in action - she loves to clean! Pictured here scrubbing the kitchen floor (on two separtate occations). The first time, she cried when I broke it to her that we would have to stop. As you can see, she is very thorough and using a toothbrush to clean the grout lines. She also cleans the tile in the shower with a washcloth at bathtime. She has recently discovered the joy of washing dishes. Ben is thrilled to have her take over his usual nightly duty. With her around, we can just kick up our feet and relax!

Jump for Joy!

2008-01-30T07:33:00.000-08:00

Patrick seems to be moving constantly! When awake and while asleep - he is bumping into the sides of the crib all night long! He loves to jump and exercise those little legs!

Being sick is not so bad!

2008-01-30T07:29:00.000-08:00

Anna is enjoying her lunch in front of the T.V. - one of the perks of being sick! With the exception of Ben, we have been fighting fevers and wiping noses, up to what seems like 100 times a day.

Couch Potato

2008-01-30T07:27:00.000-08:00

Anna, feeling a bit under the weather, takes over the couch!

Happy-Go-Lucky Guy!

2008-01-23T10:23:00.000-08:00

I eat... I play with some toys (all in my mouth, of course)... I roll around on the floor... I try to be understanding when my sister takes my toys... I take a mid-day snooze... I eat some more... Play some more... WHY WOULDN'T I BE SMILING!!!

Oink, Oink!

2008-01-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

Between countless readings of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (one of my personal favorties) and being introduced to Wilber from Charlotte's Web, we have been consumed by pigs this week! Pork tenderloin for dinner anyone???

Anna's First Snowman

2008-01-19T23:57:00.000-08:00

Having too much fun to keep it all to ourselves!

Although she has played in the snow before, this was the first snow fit for making our cold creature: "Crosty". He made it through the photoshoot, but not through the night!

Just another day around the house!

2008-01-19T21:06:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't put on a little number like this at 7am???

Look At Me!

2008-01-19T21:00:00.000-08:00

Patrick is "rolling" his way around the house! I think Anna liked it better when he was stationary and not in competition for the toys!