Happy Halloween from the Wonder Willhites!

It has been a crazy week at the Willhite house! I found out on Tuesday that I have the chicken pox and have been quarantined since. Sully was vaccinated and Mark had it as a kid (although I did too, so I guess I am just in a weakened immune state because of the pregnancy?) so luckily for them, they were both able to enjoy Halloween to the fullest. Mark carved his pumpkin and I helped Sully paint his yesterday afternoon, but the highlight of the day was when the boys went trick-or-treating as the most adorable superheroes in Grayslake. While Danger Dad and Super Sully were out patrolling the neighborhood, I did answer the door for trick-or -treaters, but I did so dressed as a surgeon so I could wear the mask they sent me home from the doctor in. (Chicken pox is passed respiratorialy, and I didn't want to scare the children with my bumpy crusty chin!) I guess Mega Mommy will have to make her Halloween appearance next year. (But at least I didn't have to finish my costume - which meant I got Mark's done.....9 minutes before trick-or-treating started!) Sully had so much fun, and we were very amazed because he never tried to take off his costume! He loved trick-or-treating so much he wasn't content to do just the neighbors' houses - Mark had to take him all the way down the block. They were out for about an hour and a half and Sully still cried when Mark made him come in the house! We of course took lots of pictures - although Mark had to go out and buy a disposable camera because our digital one is busted, and we've been a little preoccupied and haven't replaced it yet. So I apologize that the pictures aren't of the highest quality, but when we developed them today they gave us a free photo cd, so at least I didn't have to scan them all. I also forgot to get the video camera out last night, so Mark and Sully put their costumes back on today and went outside to run around. Sully actually played in the yard in his entire costume for about an hour! It was the most adorable thing ever!

Despite the chicken pox, we had an enjoyable Halloween and Sully really seemed to enjoy the whole process. I think he'll be sad when we put the decorations away and he can't say "Hi pumpkin" or "See skeleton's bone" as we walks around the house. But as there is no reason he can't be Super Sully everyday, I am going to put him in that costume as much as possible while he still fits in it - he looks so cute! See?

Here are a few photos of our pumpkin decorating - but don't look too closely at the one of me and Sully....the pox are yucky!

And here are some of of Danger Dad and Super Sully being the cutest boys I have ever seen!

And finally, here are the Wonder Willhites in action! You may be able to see Danger Dad without his costume, so please don't reveal his true identity to anyone - it could put his family at risk! (Or his manhood - isn't he a good daddy to walk around the neighborhood in gold lame and shiny boots? At least I didn't make him wear tights!) Happy Halloween!

Wacky Willhite News

Yes, you heard correctly! There is another Wacky Willhite on the way! We had our first prenatal appointment and ultrasound yesterday and all is going well. The baby is healthy with a strong heartbeat and we were measuring right on schedule. I'm 9 and a half weeks now and due on May 22. Things are mostly going smoothly, but I am much sicker with this kid than I was with Sully. I've already thrown up 3 times today. Woo hoo!

Here's a picture of our little peanut (or perhaps it is a baby doll I accidentally swallowed):

So that's our news! We are all excited and Mark and I are incredibly relieved - it's been a rough 9 weeks wondering if everything was okay this time. I go back to the doctor in three weeks (right before our big boy turns 2 - YIKES!) so I should have more news to post then. But for now I need to go lay on the couch while Sully is in the crib. I'm realizing I need all the rest I can get now before it's too late!

Which kid is which?

I've always known Sully looks just like his daddy, but who could have guessed they were IDENTICAL toddlers?

We're Still Here!

So it has been an incredibly long time since our last post, and Sully has grown and changed so much that I am not even sure where to begin. He's talking up a storm and learns new words and concepts almost every day. To illustrate what I mean, here is a video of Sully's Uncle Rory teaching him a new trick.

It has been a lot of fun being able to communicate with Sully, and he is definitely willing to tell you what he wants or how he feels. Some of his favorite phrases include, "No way!," "Nope," and "Daddy/Mommy sit/play/read, etc." He's doing better on his manners, though, and usually remembers to say please when he is asking for more of something. We're working on thank you and he's doing pretty well.

Since it's been so long since my last post, I figured I'd just jump right into some pictures so you can see how much he's grown. I'll try to post again soon with some more details of Sully's brilliance!

Here's a few shots from our camping trip at Devil's Lake this weekend.

Even though I worked all summer, we did try to squeeze in some outdoor fun at the splash park, Illinois State Beach park and in the backyard.



And finally, here is my favorite Sully face:

The Cheesy Grin! Enjoy! Happy September!

My Baby is Gone....

and all of a sudden I have a boy running around the house. Sully is talking up a storm, weighs 26 pounds, and LOVES to play in the dirt. He's true boy all the way, and while I am sad that his baby days are over, it's been a lot of fun playing with our big boy! Here's a quick list of some of his new tricks:

-He can identify all his facial features and some body parts (feet, toes, hands)

-He likes to put various objects on his head and say, "Hat!" (Today it was the rubber ring that he pulled off of Drogo's food dish and also his dinner plate.)

-He can throw a ball and chase it (or chase Drogo once Drogo grabs it and runs away!)

-He's started playing imaginatively! He has battles with his action figures, cooks things and sometimes talks to his stuffed animals

-He knows lots of animal sounds

-He can scribble with markers and pens, but his scribbles are works of art!

I'm sure there are more fun things he is doing, but that's all I can think of at the moment and I know you've been waiting for new pictures, so here they are without further adieu!

By no means have we begun potty training, but Sully now has a potty chair which he is in the process of investigating. He says, "Sit" then puts a book on the potty and tries to sit on the book. Here is after I helped him move the book, then sit. (I know you're jealous that his potty is green!)

We went to an outdoor wedding this weekend at this amazing house in Grayslake. Kevin and Lori have the most beautiful home and yard you have ever seen! Kevin built an entire gypsy wagon - which Sully LOVED - and they have a neat little play house with a kitchen that Sully could not get enough of. He also could not get enough of the cupcakes, which of course had to be red velvet....

And for the coup d'etat of this post - here is a wonderful video of Sully in the playhouse talking on the phone. I was sitting in there with him and I could not stop laughing! The lighting is really bad, but as long as you have volume you will enjoy it! (And once you watch the video the photo above of Mark and Sully will make more sense.)

That's all for now! Thanks for your patience with the Wacky Slacky Willhites! And until we post again, Sully says, "Helloooo!"

Sully in Action!

I thought I would post some video so you could see our busy boy doing some of his favorite activities. This first one is Sully playing with Daddy's (it used to be Daddy's but Sully commandeered it and ripped off one of the arms!) Boba Fett figurine on the window sill in our bedroom. Make sure you have your volume up because the sound effects are hysterical!

The next two are from our recent visit to Grammy and Grandpa's house in Frankfort. It was the one weekend that it was actually nice outside, so Sully got to play in the yard and use sidewalk chalk and blow bubbles. But none of those things really captured his attention, and his favorite activity ended up being a little strange. See for yourself...

And finally, since Sully is at the age his Grammy likes to call the "age of servitude" we have definitely been putting him to work! But since it feels like a game to him it's not like we are breaking any child labor laws. Let's just hope he continues to like these cleaning activities as he gets older!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The O'Willhites got all decked out today for my favorite holiday! Although it looks like I photoshopped the green onto Mark's face, he's actually wearing hairy face stickers. Cool, huh? And isn't it great how my husband will do goofy things like wearing hairy face stickers just for me?? Now that's love! But I guess my son doesn't love me enough, because he did not wear the hairy face stickers. I'm not even sure he liked them on Mark's face, since he kept trying to peel them off. At least we got him to sit still for a few pictures. Hope you had a shamrockin' day!

(Look closely and you might notice something special in that last picture. That's right - it's our new couch! And the ugly pillows that came with it - I need to recover them.)

And just because he really is the cutest boy I know, here are two final pictures of our little leprechaun reading his St. Patrick's Day card.