All of the sudden, JT learned to climb. We’ve been practicing on the step stool in the kitchen so he can “help” at the counter, but this one took me by surprise. Fortunately, my little Flip has a tripod so I could be a hands-free spotter. It’s a six foot ladder!

I found this little radio in a drawer I hardly ever open, and JT absolutely loves it. He knows how to turn it on and adjust the volume with the knob. And now, at any moment, dance music comes blasting out of his room. It’s pretty funny!

While JT doesn’t yet say, “Roll Tide!” he certainly knows when “pah-pah” is on television. Here JT is helping us celebrate Alabama’s SEC Championship.

JT made me some lunch in the play area at Kid to Kid while I shopped for JT’s new winter boots. He loved pushing the buttons on the microwave and putting the plate in and out.

Asher came with us to Target this week and the boys did a great job holding hands to walk into the store. Too bad it was soooo cold and they were soooo slow that we almost froze, but I did manage to snap a picture.

Look what we found in the dollar section… foam swords. Now, no one has taught these two what to do with swords. Asher is about 21 months old and JT is about 17 months old, and not for one second did they hesitate. They knew exactly what to do with swords. They whacked at each other and at everything we rolled by. They even hit each other on the head, and everyone laughed. Good stuff.

And look who were happy to play with their swords in the car, too! 🙂

I can’t seem to get Blogger to upload more than one per posting (I have four), so we’ll just go for one at a time. Yuck.

JT learned how to squirt bottles with nozzles. I got wet. Enough said. (He started with Febreeze… but I quickly switched him to water.)

Our trip to the park this morning included a trip to Starbucks, where I got an eggnog latte (tall, decaf, nonfat) and JT got a whole milk steamer. Yummmmmm.

We had a great time playing and swinging, stomping in the woods, rolling in the wagon, and watching the ducks. I got some great pictures too. For the whole album (13 of the 42 I took, that is), click here. A sampling is below.

p.s. I can’t believe he left his mittens and hat on the whole time! 🙂

Some of you will think I’m insane (and some of you already do), because I do all of my Christmas preparations the day after Thanksgiving. I buy all of the presents, set up the tree, decorate the house, wrap the presents, and mail my Christmas cards. One year I even managed to fit in making Christmas cookies. It is a very busy, exhausting day, but at the end of it I am DONE and I can relax and actually enjoy the holiday season. That said, I highly recommend it!

This year, having JT around, I knew I would have to be extra organized. I also wasn’t at home Friday afternoon to wrap and decorate. Nevertheless, as of now, everything is done. No cookies yet, but I’m waiting to invite our god-daughter over to decorate them with me anyway.

JT thought it was very strange that there was a tree in his house when he got up this morning. Jim set it up last night but we didn’t decorate it until today, so it was a surprise for JT to see it. When we came downstairs, I asked him if he wanted to touch it, and he shook his head no. 🙂 After breakfast he had warmed to the idea, and we looked and touched together. Then came the decorations… which he was allowed to look at and hold with me, but were off limits once placed on the tree. So far his limited self-control has failed him once: I went into the living room and heard a “pop” as an ornament hit the ground. When I walked back into the family room, JT ran and hid behind the chair. Busted! (I also call this “fleeing from sin”!)

Anyway, he got to help some and really liked the lights (“hot”). When we went for our evening dog walk, he pointed out all of the houses with lights (“ights”).

We had Thanksgiving this year at the Coles’ house. All of the Washington Keenes were there, too! Here we are getting ready to eat.

We tried to get a good Thanksgiving picture of JT in his handsome outfit (a birthday gift from the Joneses that finally fits!) but he was too wiggly. The only good one I got was when I had the flash turned off on my camera. 😦

Then we got up early to hit the Black Friday sales – a tradition for my mom and me. Here we are waiting in line at Target with our free bags.

When we were on our way home, my mom and I saw this Smart Car – check out the add-on on the back. Cute!

Then we headed to the Keenes’ to watch Iron Bowl (Alabama v. Auburn – Roll Tide Roll!). JT got to play with his set of barnyard fridge magnets that I brought with us (a great gift from the North Carolina Coles). He doesn’t get to play with them at our house because ours isn’t magnetic so I use them as a special away-from-home toy.

Below: The Keene men enjoying the football game

Meanwhile, we have two sets of grandparents who are just dying to have JT spend the night… Grandpa and Grandma Cole were first. Of course, JT had a great time. He even “told” Grandpa Cole that his diaper needed changing a few times… a hand sign that we are thrilled to see in action.

Playing footsies with Grandpa

Helping Grandma in the kitchen

And finally, a little story…

We have a command for Slider “muddy paws” so that when she comes in from outside she sits and waits on the rug. She lifts her paws one at a time so we can wipe the mud and wet off before she comes inside. We keep a small towel on a hook inside the back door for this very purpose. The other day, while Slider was napping by the back door, Jim watched JT take the towel off the hook and wipe off each of Slider’s four paws. So cute!

Since getting his molars, JT has become a whole new type of eater. (And it’s marvelous!) He can chew meat and larger size bites, so we don’t have to grind up some things anymore. He also has decided that he needs a fork. He had started just staring at things like pork chops (see video) without doing anything. I handed him a fork and – viola! – he started eating. It is slow going, sometimes painfully so, but he eats just as much and really seems to enjoy himself. We skipped those silly plastic baby forks. Who can stab a pork chop with one of those?

Two more from the week… JT’s Harley Bear (from Great Aunt Julie) came with some aviator glasses that just happen to fit… JT thinks wearing them around the house is pretty funny.

And finally, you’ve all seen so many videos of JT pestering Slider. Finally, the word “gentle” means something. I captured this moment on film as proof.

We are lucky enough to keep our boat on a lift on Lake Meridian. The only downside to keeping your boat on a lift is when the lift battery dies… and your boat is stuck. So between that, work trips, rainy weather, and injuries, we haven’t skiied in awhile. Fortunately, all it took to get us back on the water was a dry day, a new battery, and some help from our friend Adam, who braved the gap between the dock and the battery box with his ladder.

JT was a little concerned about what Adam was doing. 🙂

JT snuggled up in his life vest and sat in this spot while all three of us skiied.
Notice he got a heater hose under his blanket all to himself. 🙂

I decided to wear a fleece hat under the neoprene ski hood… best decision ever. My head stayed warm and dry (even when I fell!) and so the cold water wasn’t an issue at all.

In case you can’t tell… it’s Jim.