Down 'n' Dirty

First let me start by saying that I finally got so sick of all my pics and text being cut off by the template I used to have that I got rid of the cute background and had to go with this ugly one for sanities sake.

We had the missionaries over for dinner a while ago and after Dyl got good 'n' messy he decided to be super silly. He climbed up on top of the coffee table and started smacking his tummy and dancing. Certainly not a shy kid.

Here's a few shots to prove I'm not kiddin' around when I say he's the messiest eater in town. This next one is a bit blurry but I love how it captured his mood, he was giggling hysterically, he had us all laughing.

By the time I got him in the tub that night he looked like he had a uni brow, it was hilarious, but by the time I grabbed the camera, he had already wiped a little of it away, just picture it going all the way across and connecting both brows perfectly. How can something be so gross and so cute all at the same time?

Can't Wait To Show Rick

FORE!!!

Like father like son...it seems like I say that a lot, especially lately but Dyl just loves to be like his dad! Rick took us probably over a month ago now (I am SO behind on blogging) to the driving range to play a little golf. Dylan absolutely loved it. Mom....not so much. I just don't get what's so fun about this supposed "sport" (probably gonna receive some backlash about that last comment.)Dylan sure had fun though and I guess that's all that really matters. Daddy helped him learn to putt and how to pull the flags out of the holes on the putting green (which the other serisous golfers really appreciated too...I'm sure they thought he was adorable as he yanked the flags out and got in the way of their shots)After the terribly exciting putting green we headed on over to the driving range...which I guess is a step up from putting but seriously, after you hit about 5 of them...where's the fun? Probably because I don't know what I'm doing and my hands start really hurting and I get frustrated easily...that might have something to do with it. Oh yeah, the cold didn't help much either. Daddy really appreciated Dylan pulling out his tee every time he tried to set up another ball to hit. It was the funniest thing because by the look on Dylan's face it really looked like he thought he was helping. So when Rick moved further down away from us, of course he followed to be sure Dad had someone there to remove his tee's.
I finally convinced him to let Dad hit one. But you can tell it's killing him and he's standing by, ready to pull it out in case Dad changes his mind...or takes to long to hit it. Look at that form! Good swing honey.
Finally, Dyl had had enough and decided to sit back and eat a snack...yummy granola bars. He thought this little seat was so cool (dumped out the balls and turned over the bucket) and so did Dad because he sat there for the longest time just watching, giving Rick a chance to actually hit some without his paranoid wife shouting "Don't swing, he's too close!"
All in all it was a pretty fun day, ending, of course, with wrestling...I wonder why this kid is willing to take on anyone who challenges him...could it be because he wrestles with Dad every night? Oh well. Hope everyone is enjoying the change in weather, I hope to get caught up enough on my blogs that I will actually have some October pics in the October list of blogs! We're up to 9.28 so...getting closer!

Midland Mall Madness

Okay, there's this play area in the middle of the ENORMOUS Midland Mall...and by enormous I mean it has a food court and Target and Bath and Body Works and Hot Topic and about three other stores. Ok I'm exaggerating a little but it sure is a shell shocker compared to what we're used to. Anyways...it has this little padded fun area for kids...even the objects, tho they look like shiny hard plastic are really cushy and soft, Rick says "squishy" (donated by DOW of course...the whole city was practically donated by freaking DOW...hey kids, how would you like your high school mascot to be "the Chemics"...sounds tough, right? - no joke) Okay, no more side tracks...Dylan LOVES this place. A: he gets to actually interact with other children B: he gets out of our tiny apartment I've begun referring to as "the cell" and C: he gets to run and smack things and be loud, etc without any lip from mom.

For the most part he gets along with everyone, he LOVES the older boys and has begun climbing like them, he is just amazed watching this kid get to the top of the pile of grapes. He watched him the whole time we were there just in awe, following him from object to object as he made his way to the top. (Dyl's actually getting quite good at it himself now)I am sad while making this last point because I just tried to download the pic from my stupid phone camera and it didn't work so you'll just have to try to picture it. Like I said, MOST of the time Dyl gets along with everyone...he does however seem to attract some negative attention, particularly from the older boys who I think don't appreciate him following them around or think its as cute as I think it is. Last week a three year old decided he had had enough of Dyl and shoved him backward over the giant yellow toothbrush you see in the back top left corner of the above pic. Well, one thing the poor 3 yr old was unaware of is that Dyl can take a hit and that unfortunately, he will not hesitate to throw down...now where does he get that from? Anyways...I ran over there just in time to watch the little cocky brat cross his arms and wait for Dyl to cry...but Dyl was much too fast even for me (and I knew it was coming) as he got back up onto his chubby little legs and clocked the kid upside the face. Now, I'm supposed to be mad, right? I had to scold him while holding back laughter as the little bully scrunched his face and started to howl for his mom, sorry kid but you had it comin'! Anyways...Braydee has the proof because I sent it to her immediately from my cell to hers...Dyl was SO mad that I grabbed him and broke up the fight. He looked at me and narrowed his eyebrows and squinted his eyes and just stared, long enough for me to get my phone and turn the camera on and get the shot...little punk.

Afterward we called a truce and I shot a few of him in his stroller...he still wouldn't smile for me tho.
Then this nice lady came up and asked if I would like her to take a pic of the two of us. I felt like saying no and telling her to go away since my hair was NOT gelled...it's grease and i had NO makeup on and I looked bald from the front thanks to the dirty hair pony tail but decided to be a good sport and shoot one so it wouldn't be awkward. Then Dyl reached up and grabbed my chin and it was so cute I had to keep it.And, finally...he was back to his old self, laughin and bein' my bud.

Strike a Pose

Here we are just hangin' out, then I decided it would be fun to get some shots of us being silly. After being cooped up in an apartment all day it starts to get you. He was laughing so hard in that pic it was hard for me to keep my ugly face I was making while trying not to laugh. We're best buds...till Dad gets home, then Dyl forgets all about his trooper Mom that hung in there all day with him through the cabin fever and everything. Can't say that I'm too bummed about it tho, a: it gives me a little break and b: I LOVE seeing the two of them together. Isn't life great?

Book Smart

Like father, like son! This little boy is getting so smart! We love watching him pick up on new things everyday. He LOVES to read books. He is constantly walking up to me with some book in his hand, thrusting it at me as he turns himself around backwards and backs himself up until he lands on my lap. It's so cute! Then he sits there patiently listening while I read until I ask him to "please turn the page" then his chubby little hand reaches up and grabs the page and flips it over...














I just love it! Afterward he likes to flip through it by himself and turn the pages and babble like he's reading. Here he is in the last pic trying to hand me the book.

Party Time!

Hooray! We had so much fun celebrating Rick's big 2-7! We can't believe we're growing up...it seems crazy that 30 is just around the corner. We had all the CDP's over for fajitas (Ricks fav) and some ice cream pie (aka: pain in the neck to make) and cupcakes.

In case you couldn't tell I tried to make the cupcakes look like surfboards at the beach...a little cheesy, I know but hey, someone's gotta get the party started! Oh yeah, in case you're wondering, no I did not forget to frost the one in the upper right corner...have fun making dinner and dessert for a group of 8 where one is lacto, one is a vegetarian and the other can't eat any red meat for religious reasons.

All in all it was a lot of fun, Dyl had a good time helping blow out the candles and we all sang while he clapped along.

Cool Camera Tricks

I found this cool feature on my camera and had to try it out...it blacks out all the color except for green...the indoor shots look way different, much more subtle then the outdoor ones. Dyl has been a very patient model for me lately as I'm trying to capture every single cute thing he does on camera...not an easy task!

I love this next one of him doing what he does best outside - collect leaves! Actually, leaves rocks or sticks but leaves seem to be his object of choice and, with fall finally arriving he has quite an array to choose from.

The Camera Loves You

Just wanted to post some of the many faces of Dylan...he has so much expression and loves to ham it up for the camera. I can't get over how much it makes my day to be around his happy face. Being a mom is the greatest job I've ever had by far, it's also the most underpaid but that's a whole other story!

He wanted to show his more serious side, so all the ladies out there would know that he can be a good listener and lend a shoulder to cry on.

Gotta end it with the bottom teeth shot...he's still only got five which is kinda good because they will hopefully stay stronger and healthier when they finally do decide to come in, it sure makes it tough to eat some of his favorite foods though.

Messy Eater

Manners? I guess we'll learn those later. Dylan is one of the messiest eaters in town. He loves to smear it around his tray, on his shirt, in his hair, in his ears, etc. I felt so bad the other day when the young women offered nursery services during enrichment...one of them came up to me and said, "umm, Sister Dalton, Dylan has some really bad ear wax built up in his ear, it's even kinda turned brown.." How gross does that sound?

Okay before all of you get too disgusted let me assure you it was none other then the refried beans we had with our tacos that night...yum...he had stuffed a whole handful in his ear and we were running late so I didn't notice. Guess I'll be looking a little harder now. Those poor young women must have been grossed out all night with him!

Rock On...

For some reason Dylan's latest craze is getting into chairs that are his size...which my mom has two of so that helped when it came to taking turns rockin' out. he especially loved the white one because it was slightly bigger so it was more of a challenge. He mastered the pink one rather quickly so he lovingly passed it on to baby cuz Aisley. There's Miss Brielle behind them, making sure neither wipe out...what a good cousin/big sister!

I just love Aisley's face in this pic so I had to put it on here...look how big and beautiful her eyes are! I think we surprised her with the double flash, as you can see Megan was taking pics next to me too so when they both went off I think it caught her off guard. Dylan sure had fun playing with his cousins on this trip, Elly is officially one of his best friends now, I think Ais is probably glad to have Dylan gone now so she can crawl safely on the carpet without being wrestled to the ground.

Ladies Man

While in Cali I had the opportunity to take Dyl out to lunch with some of the Dalton girls...Me, Sharon, Val, Theresa, Catherine and of course, Caitlin. The waitress asked if Dyl and Cate were twins! I guess they are looking rather related as they grow! It was fun to see everyone, we went to the Cheese Cake Factory, yum yum!
Here's Miss Caitlin in all her glory, gotta love those big bows! I think Catherine is just HATING having a girl after all those boys...

And of course Lil Dyl bein' his usual crazy self. Gotta love it tho, this kid's got quite the personality! All in all it was a really fun trip, we put the two of them side by side in their highchairs and they passed food back and forth between the two of them, they were pretty funny together.

Surfs Up!

Rick was more then happy to hit the waves again...it's been a while and he was a little rusty at first but it wasn't long before he was hangin' with the best of 'em. I think he misses the coast but we're havin' fun out in good ol' Michigan too.

Down By the Water

Here we are down by the water...it was pretty warm this year, which made it even more fun to swim. We always go for a long walk down by the water as a group to look at the other beach houses lining the shore and to get a little exercise (because we all know how I eat on vacation!) We stopped for a little family pic right after the gorgeous sunset.














I loved these pics of the boys watching the waves. It was so fun having Dyl this age on the trip, it made it a whole new experience since he wants to explore and know about everything. I'm not sure which lighting I like best between the two pics..they're both kinda cool for different reasons.