Happy Birthday, Double Nickel!

Happy Birthday Dominik!  I was working on homework with Natalie yesterday when I realized the play-on-words with Dominik's name and birthdate.  Natalie was counting by fives to 100 with me cutting out the numbers and Natalie pasting them in order.  When we got to 55, I said, "double nickel", then realized Dominik's birthday, May 5 or 5/5, is also double nickel...which sort of sounds like "Dominik."  Ok, it might be a stretch, but I think I just discovered a great new nickname!

Anyway, our baby is two!  I cannot believe how the time has flown, on one hand, while on the other it seems like it has been 10 years since he was born.  I can remember those first few days home from the hospital, then several months seemed to breeze by with no memory of his daily growth...including a huge road trip to Ohio with a nursing baby.  Just in the past year, his personality has exploded, and in the past two months, his language has exploded.  It's soooo much fun to hear him say "thank you" and "yes Mom!" much more conscientiously than his siblings do.  Hopefully he will be a good example to them!

He does have his little irritating traits, though, like talking really loudly when someone else is talking or trying to read a book...or screaming.  Yes, he's a screamer!  But he learns from consequences fairly quickly.  When he starts screaming, he goes in his crib for a few minutes and comes out quiet and ready to be a part of the family again.  And he loves to sit on the potty, although lately it's been after the fact instead of before...but I still have hope that this will be the year that "diapers" can be removed from our family budget (well, I'll be happy with it as only a once-a-night expense times two kids).

We love you Dominik, Double-Nickel!  Happy Birthday!

Mom and Dad

The Three Musketeers get to know each other.

 

Natalie likes pushing her brother in the bassinet.

Wow, tough day...time for a nap!

Five days old.  

First Birthday Party

Second Birthday Party (today!)