The Adventures of Big D

Sibling Sweetness - 12.09

2010-04-05T20:06:00.001-07:00

Baby Caitlyn and I were hanging out for a little while today and Mommy just happened to have her camera handy! I love my little sister!

Going to Visit Santa - 12.4.09

2010-04-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

Guess what we're doing today?

That's right--we're going to see Santa!!!

This will be Baby Caitlyn's first time meeting the Big Man.

Look at this beautiful Christmas tree.

It was sooooo high!!

Waiting in line can be a drag. I hope the time goes fast....

Baby Caitlyn snuck in a nap while we waited.

We're almost there!

Okay....I'm not too sure about this guy....He's a little scarier than I remember.....

I wonder if he likes trains?!?!

Baby Caitlyn woke up just in time!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

A Video of one of Caitlyn's Very First Smiles! - 11.29.09

2010-04-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

Here is a video of Mommy and Caitlyn talking. It's just under a minute long.

Very Cute!! : )

Ride on the Speedline - 11.28.09

2010-04-05T19:33:00.000-07:00

Today Mommy and Daddy took us to the Patco Station for a train ride with Santa!

Baby Caitlyn likes to sleep through the good stuff!!

There were balloons and candy canes and prizes. It was awesome!

The best part of the ride was when Santa Claus walked through our car.

It's hard to believe that Christmas is almost here!!

Caitlyn's 1st Thanksgiving - 11.26.09

2010-04-05T19:23:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving is always interesting for our family.....need I say more?

Baby Caitlyn looks a little nervous! Can you blame her?

Uncle Albert and Caitlyn

Baby's 1st Thanksgiving!

I am very thankful for my beautiful baby sister!!!

Meeting Some New Faces - 11.18.09

2010-04-05T19:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight was very special. Baby Caitlyn got to meet some more of her family members!

Here she is with Aunt Brenda. We call her "The Baby Whisperer" because she is sooooo good with kids!

Guess who's got her now??

Crazy Uncle Brian! I hope he isn't trying to talk her into taking a ride on his Harley!!

Mommy will have a fit!

Random Caitlyn Pics from November 2009

2010-04-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of random shots of my Baby Sister. She's getting so big!!

Children's Garden - 11.9.09

2010-04-05T19:02:00.001-07:00

Today we went to the Children's Garden in Camden to see some TRAINS!!

I got to go for a ride on this awesome locomotive!

When I picture Heaven, it looks an awful lot like this!!!

CHOO CHOO!!

I got to pick out a train whistle.

Check out this huge ride-able Thomas!!

Baby Caitlyn has no idea what she's missing!!

Johnson's Farm - 11.07.09

2010-04-05T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today we all went to Johnson's Farm to pick popcorn and sweet potatoes. It was so much fun!

It was really cool to pick the sweet potatoes right from the ground.

Look at all this popcorn!

Mommy and Baby Caitlyn watched while Daddy and I did the work!

The hayride was so much fun!

What a great day!

Thomas and Me - 11.2.09

2010-04-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

Mommy was playing around with some settings on her camera today. Here are some of the pictures she captured while I was playing with my favorite train, Thomas.

11.2.09

2010-04-05T18:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes eating dinner is REALLY exhausting!!

Choo Choo!! - 11.01.2001

2010-04-05T18:39:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome track I built in my room!

Trains are the best!

Halloween 2009

2010-02-12T06:49:00.000-08:00

Today is Halloween. I must admit...it is my LEAST FAVORITE holiday.

I'm just not into the whole costume/candy thing.

(Mommy & Daddy are sooooo confused!)

I thought maybe Baby Caitlyn might like it, but it looks like she'd rather nap.

Okay, I realize this picture is not high quality, but it is the ONLY picture I let Mommy get with me in any part of my train engineer costume. There was no way I was letting her put me in that whole get-up!!

My huge Garfield is one Halloween thing I DO like!

I guess most kids are trick-or-treating by now. I'm happy just to be playing outside!

Hey---Look who's coming!!!

It's Mrs. JoAnn and Buddy dog from across the street---in costume!!!!

Still no costume for me!! Back to playing!

Time to carve the pumpkin.

Baby Caitlyn doesn't seem to like Halloween any more than me.

She is too young to fight the costume battle, though!

"Are you kidding me?"

This is a fake smile if I've ever seen one!

Ahhhhhh....so sweet!

Maybe next year we'll be into it. For now, I say, "Bring on the turkey!!!"

Fall Fun - October 2009

2010-02-12T06:38:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun playing in a big pile of leaves with my Cousin Sean while we were at my Pretty Great Granny's birthday party.

Mommy put some of the pictures together and then added in the words of a song I sing at school. Check it out!

Already a PHILLIES PHAN!!

2010-02-11T21:21:00.001-08:00

I realize that it may be a little bit early for my Little Sister to understand the concept of baseball. I have informed her, though, that it is never too early to become a PHILLIES PHAN!!

Our neighbors sent Caitlyn this very special package.

Here's the card...

....and here's what was inside! 2 adorable Phillies onesies!

Once Caitlyn was awake, she did a little modeling.

Grandmom gave her this baseball outfit. It's still a little bit big, but it should fit perfectly once baseball season starts!

GO PHILS!

Getting to know lots of new faces! - October 2009

2010-02-11T10:58:00.000-08:00

As you can imagine, things have been really busy at our house since my Baby Sister arrived. Our friends and family have been stopping by to meet her.

Here are some of the people that Baby Caitlyn has cuddled with throughout this month.

JoAnn, our neighbor from across the street, couldn't wait to give Caitlyn lots of hugs and kisses.....and clothes!!! She has 3 sons, so she was VERY excited to finally have a girl around to spoil!

Uncle Mark

Aunt Liz

Cousin Aaron

Cousin Amanda

The Montagne Family stopped by--all the way from Maryland!

Our Super Cool Cousin....Corrine

Aunt Anne

Aunt Laurie

Pretty Great Granny

The Andrews Family - Aunt Gena, Uncle Dave, Caliegh and Brielle - popped in for a visit!

Cousins Steve and Val stopped over with Tommy and Jake.

Uncle Matt and Meredith couldn't be happier!

Mommy tried to remember to get pictures of Caitlyn with everyone who stopped over to meet her......as you can imagine, sometimes she forgot.....

Thank you to everybody who stopped by to hang out with all of us.

Random Pictures from October 2009

2010-02-11T10:46:00.000-08:00

Here are a few random pictures of my baby sister.

They were all taken during her very first month!

Welcome to this crazy world Baby Caitlyn!

You may recognize this picture--it was on Caitlyn's birth announcement.

Happy face! :)

What do you mean "no more pictures"??!!

Back to the Hospital - October 4, 2009

2010-01-09T20:32:00.000-08:00

Caitlyn had developed a touch of jaundice. Her levels were re-tested this morning. Unfortunately, it is getting worse instead of better so Mommy and Caitlyn have to head back for another hospital stay.

Here is what Caitlyn had to spend about 24 hours in.

In order to protect her eyes, she had to wear these special goggles.

Go ahead....you can giggle....poor kid does look kinda silly....

Here are Caitlyn's little glow-in-the-dark piggies.

Hopefully she'll be sporting a great tan when she gets out of there!

(Notice the smaller shades the nurse located for her.)

My Beautiful Glowing Sister

Fortunately, the phototherapy worked well. Caitlyn and Mommy only had to spend one VERY LONG night in the hospital. Daddy and I are sure glad to get them back home again!

Caitlyn Comes Home!! - October 3, 2009

2010-01-09T20:10:00.000-08:00

Today is an exciting day for all of us....Baby Caitlyn and Mommy get to come home!

Here's Caitlyn all dressed and ready to go.

She's snuggled up in her car seat for the very first time.

When I left the hospital in January of 2007, New Jersey was experiencing very warm temperatures. Can't say the same for October of 2009. Caitlyn needed to be bundled up!

Can you tell Daddy is excited to get his girls home?

Bye Bye Hospital!

Caitlyn is home! I was so excited to see her.

I did my very first noble act as a Big Brother...I shared Percy, one of my favorite trains, with my little sister. (I'm pretty sure I made Mommy cry!!)

She's so cute!

Our neighbors, Grandmom, and PopPop decorated our front porch.

Here's Caitlyn's special balloon...

...and here's my cool dump truck balloon.

Pretty Pink Flowers for my sister!

Welcome Home Baby Caitlyn!!

Here's me holding my baby sister for the very first time.

Proud Grandparents

Here's Mrs. JoAnn....our good friend from across the street. She has 3 sons--so you can only imagine how excited she was to cuddle a baby girl!!

Even Chic stopped by to welcome Caitlyn home....Meow!

Here's an absolutely priceless (and very short)

video of me and my sister.

Caitlyn and Mommy's Hospital Time - October 2, 2009

2010-01-09T19:51:00.000-08:00

Mommy and Baby Caitlyn stayed in the hospital for a few days. A couple of very important people stopped by to see them.....The Great Grandparents!

Here's Caitlyn with her Pretty Great Grandmom.

Wow! That means there were 3 generations in one hospital room! : )

Here's Caitlyn meeting her Great Handsome Pop for the first time.

Uh oh....the lip!!

Caitlyn snuck in a nap after her visitors left.

Mommy's turn for some cuddles.

A precious Daddy~Daughter moment.

Look at those tiny little piggies....

Sooooo precious.....

I can't wait for my baby sister to come home!

Time to Meet My Sister! - Oct. 1, 2009

2009-11-22T15:10:00.000-08:00

Today started out as a quiet day for Mommy & Daddy.

Mommy started the day out by snuggling with Baby Caitlyn.

Daddy knew that Mommy had been craving a cheeseburger all during her long labor, so he ordered one for her as a surprise.

Daddy had time for Caitlyn Cuddles while Mommy ate.

SURPRISE!!

It's finally my turn to meet my Baby Sister!

PopPop held me over her crib so I could get a good look.

She sure is tiny!

Grandmom was very excited to meet her new granddaughter.

It's been over 20 years since she held a baby granddaughter!!!

PopPop's turn!

Check out the time---Caitlyn has been alive for exactly 12 hours!!!

I brought my Baby Sister a present....her very own POOH BEAR.

This way, she won't have to even THINK about taking mine!!

She's pretty amazing! : )

I wonder where Baby Caitlyn's blonde hair is????

Grandmom, PopPop, and I wore special badges in Caitlyn's honor.

Here's a closer look.

Aunt Bet came to meet my sister, too. I'm pretty sure it was love at first sight!

Aunt Bet calls her KatieBug.

It's been a very busy day for my little sister. It's time for her to rest.

Zzzzzzzzzzzz.....

I love you, Baby Caitlyn!

IT'S A GIRL!!!! - October 1, 2009

2009-11-22T14:10:00.000-08:00

It's very early on Wednesday morning, September 30th.

Daddy took Mommy to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital to check in.

Mommy still felt good enough to take a picture on the way in.

Here's Mommy in the Labor Room. She passed the hours by posting lots of updates on her Facebook page. I sent my favorite train with her so she would always have company.

The Phillies were playing a really big championship game during Mommy's labor, so she wore her lucky socks. Guess what? They worked! The Phils clinched their division!! :)

Well, it's almost midnight....still no Baby Russell...

Looks like his or her birthday might be October 1st!!

Finally, after a very long labor, my baby sister made her grand entrance!

At 12:14am, October 1st,

Caitlyn Elizabeth Russell

was born!

She weighed in at 8 pounds 6 ounces and was 21 inches long.

Here's Daddy giving her lots of love. She was only about 20 minutes old!

Here's Mommy holding her precious baby girl.

Life is good!! : )

September 29, 2009 - The Day Before....

2009-11-22T14:01:00.000-08:00

Tonight I hung out at Grandmom and PopPop's house for a little while so Mommy and Daddy could go out for a nice dinner together at Tortilla Press in Collingswood. They wanted to go out and celebrate the fact that tomorrow (at least we think it will be tomorrow...) our family will be growing by two feet!! : )

When they came to pick me up, we took a few pictures.

We'll see you very soon Baby Russell #2!!!

The Transformation of my BIG BOY ROOM!

2009-11-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

It's been very busy in the Russell household lately. In just a few short weeks, the newest member of our family will be arriving. We don't have much time to get me moved out of my old room and into my new BIG BOY ROOM!

Let's get started!

I will be moving into the old office. Here are the before colors.

Time to prime and paint.

Thomas (my favorite train) rode the "tracks" while Daddy got to work.

Here is the new color!

Check out my new rug. It's so soft!

I took a minute to check out my new view.

Here's Daddy putting together my new bed!

I LOVE IT!!!!!

Check out my cool comforter and pillowcase.

I love my new room!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a train catalog to read....

September 13, 2009 - DAY OUT WITH THOMAS

2009-10-18T15:36:00.000-07:00

You only have to spend about 5 minutes with me to figure out that I absolutely, positively LOVE trains. One in particular has really peaked my interest--THOMAS THE TANK!!

When we heard that Thomas was going to be visiting the Strasburg area, we bought tickets right away! Here are some highlights from my special day.

We were only in the parking lot, but things were already exciting!!!

The first thing I saw was the huge water tower!

Then, we saw this cool caboose.

And then......look who we saw chugging down the track!!!!

We had some time before our scheduled train ride,

so we stopped to meet Sir Topham Hat. He's a little less scary on TV!!!

THOMAS!!!!!!!!!

Peek-a-boo!

ALL ABOARD!!!

Mommy and PopPop were almost as excited as me!

Time to get the tickets ready to hand to the conductor.

CHEESE!

My ticket is ready!

I LOVE THOMAS THE TRAIN!!

There were so many sights to see.

Boo hoo....our ride on Thomas is over.

Now it's time to go on another train ride on the Strasburg Railroad line.

ALL ABOARD!!

We passed Thomas as we were pulling out of the station.

Check out this huge engine we passed.

Grandmom and PopPop were having such a great time.

I got some new trains at the Thomas store before we boarded.

Look at all the smoke and steam that the big engine created!!

MOOOooooooo!

Here is the engine that was pulling us.

Here's the conductor.

It's time to head home.

It's time for sweet dreams about trains, tracks, and THOMAS!!

What a great day! : )

Summer 2009 House Project

2009-09-23T04:57:00.000-07:00

So.....as most of you know by now, I'm going to be a BIG BROTHER pretty soon!

Throughout the summer, we've been doing a lot of demolition around the house to get ready for our new family member.

First order of business.....move the office UPSTAIRS!

In order to make that happen, we had to add insulation, knock down walls and rebuild them differently, prime, paint, etc. etc. etc.

Here are some pictures of the process.....

There used to be a full wall here. A half-wall is more functional for this space.

Originally, there was no insulation up here...not anymore!

Sheet rock is up. Ready for MUD!

Half-wall is complete.

Goodbye Blue....Hello Neutral!

Finished (yet still unvacuumed) room!

Let the moving of computers and furniture commence!!

MOVING ON.......

Now that the office has been moved upstairs, the old office is ready to become my

BIG BOY ROOM!!!! I am soooo excited!

Here are the BEFORE colors.

While Daddy primed the walls, Thomas and I chugged along the "track".

Isn't this a great color??

Carpet has been installed. It's soooo soft on my piggies!!!

I have a room with a view!

My BIG BOY BED!!!!!

My new bed is a great place to get some reading done.

I LOVE my new room!! : )

Thank you Daddy, PopPop, Uncle Al, and Uncle Albert (Builder Al) for working together to get our house ready for me and my new Baby Brother or Sister.

Your hard work is VERY appreciated!!!!

August 11, 2009 - Camden Riversharks Game

2009-09-08T16:51:00.001-07:00

Tonight Daddy, Mommy, and I were invited to spend the evening at the Rivershark Stadium with the Eckenroth family.

Emma, one of my favorite girls, won SUITE tickets!!

We had our very own area to hang out in.

Check out the view!

CHEESE!!

I watched the game with 3 pretty ladies.

Am I one lucky dude or what?

Finley surprised us with a visit.

I wasn't too sure about him.....

After Finley left, we headed downstairs for a ride on the Merry-Go-Round.

Thank you, Emma! We had sooooo much fun! : )

Aug. 3, 2009 - Visit with the Brights

2009-09-08T16:38:00.000-07:00

Today was so much fun!

I got to hang out with my friend, Abby Bright.

She lives all the way in South Carolina so I don't get to see her very much.

I showed her all around my cool playground.

Of course I had to show her my awesome sandbox crane!

We both enjoyed riding on the swings.

I showed her how strong I am by climbing UP the sliding board.

I think she was pretty impressed! : )

Abby liked my playhouse.

Doesn't she look angelic here?

I'm pretty sure she was checking me out here!! : )

Time for a climb across the bars!

Thanks for visiting, Abby!

I can't wait to see you again!

July 19-23 - Our Family Vacation

2009-09-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

Today we checked into our timeshare in Atlantic City. After we unloaded all our stuff, we drove over to Ocean City to spend the day on the beach.

Here's me checking out the world's largest SANDBOX!!

Catch me if you can!

Eeeek! Look what Daddy and I found when we were digging in the sand!

Poor Bear liked hanging out on my chair.

After a long day on the beach, we went on the boardwalk and watched this cool fountain and light show. It was loud, but really cool!

Today started with another trip to the beach.

I loved every minute!

Here is Mommy's view.

I love building sandcastles with Daddy.

After my nap, Mommy and Daddy took me to the Steel Pier.

I got to ride the BIG RIGS! It was awesome!

I also rode the Merry-go-Round twice.....

....and finally, the boats.

Today it's a little bit cloudy out. I miss the sun....

We went to the Ripley's Believe It...Or Not Museum.

I was not really a fan of this place, but the parts that had trains were pretty cool.

Time for a nap!

(Mommy Note: Do they look exactly the same, or what?)

After our nap, it was time to head back to the O.C. Boardwalk.

I love the rides!

Mommy wasn't allowed to go on anything, so she patiently stood and watched

Daddy and I have lots of fun on all the rides.

To thank Mommy for being a good sport, we treated her to some

Mack and Manco's Pizza...her favorite!

YUMMY!!!

What do you mean I can't have another piece?!?!?

Peek-a-Boo!

Today is our last beach day.

I have to get as much digging time in as I can.

Break time! I just love those fresh, hot donuts from Brown's!!!

Time for one last ride on the BIG ferris wheel...my favorite ride ever!!!

Here is the view from all the way up at the top of the ferris wheel.

I'm sad that we have to leave.

I can't wait for next year!!!

July 18, 2009 - Sean Jr.'s 3rd Birthday Party

2009-09-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

Today was so much fun!

Mommy and Daddy took me to my cousin Sean's Birthday Party!

It was a PIRATE party!!

First on the "to do" list was swimming.

It was my very first time on a sliding board.

Here I go!!!

Weeeeeeeeee!!!!

SPLASH!!!!

Time for the pinata.

I gave it my best shot!

Here's the birthday boy. Check out his cool tatoo!!!

Aunt Laura made this awesome cake. It had all kinds of candy on it and it was covered in chocolate. YUMMY!!!!

Time to blow out the candle!

Yummmmmmmm....cupcakes!!

Here is Sean opening the present I gave him.

Here's Sean telling his Daddy about the day.

Family Shot!

Time for more swimming.

Gotta go....there's buried treasure to find!!!!

July 5, 2009

2009-08-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

Today we hung out over at Grandmom and PopPop's house.

It was a busy day full of swimming, eating, and playing!

I LOVE the noodle!

Daddy, can I try on your cool glasses?

CHEESE!!

Time for fun on the playground.

Playing is serious business!

Meeting Ella Violet Myhasuk - July 7, 2009

2009-08-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

Today, Mommy and I got to meet someone very special for the very first time....

Ella Violet

She was born on June 17th.

Look how tiny she is!!!

Precious Baby Girl

Is doesn't get much cuter than this.

Look at her little piggies!

I love her already!! : )

Happy Fourth of July!!

2009-08-10T11:36:00.001-07:00

Mommy, Daddy, and I all LOVE the 4th of July.

What better way to start our day than with an awesome parade!

I waited patiently for things to start.

The police cars were first in line. I LOVE to hear sirens!

This float was really cool. These men did an excellent job of

recreating the scene from Iwo Jima.

I was soooooooo excited when I saw this big, beautiful, shiny MACK dumptruck.

I wonder what's next!!

There were TONS of cool sports cars. This was one of my favorites.

God Bless the U.S.A.

More construction trucks....WOO HOO!!

Check out this string band. Mommy LOVES them. Daddy just doesn't get it.

I'm somewhere in between.....

Mommy tells me that this car was in a TV show she used to watch when she was growing up. Do any of you recognize it?

A cool car decorated with colorful balloons......LOVE IT!

This was Mommy's favorite car in her favorite color!

There were TONS of firetrucks---old ones, new ones, LOUD ones!!

This one is from our town....Clementon!

Just about every car threw out candy.

It was amazing!

I was soooo sticky by the time the parade was over! : )

MORE FIRETRUCKS!!!

MORE CANDY!!!!

The parade was about an hour and a half long. By the time it was over, I was exhausted!

Time for sweet dreams of trucks and candy....zzzzzzzzz

My First Time at the Movies! - July 2, 2009

2009-08-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

Today was so exciting! Mommy and Daddy took me to see my very first BIG SCREEN MOVIE!

We went to see "UP".

I made Mommy and Daddy VERY proud because I was soooooooo good during the whole movie. Even the ladies sitting in front of us commented on how well-behaved I was.

I can't wait to go back to the movie theater. Maybe next time I'll get some yummy popcorn to munch on during the show.

7.3.09 - Daddy's Birthday Breakfast

2009-07-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

Today is a special day for my Daddy....It's his 32nd birthday!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

We met Grandmom and PopPop for breakfast.

They bought Daddy this cool Phillies stuff!

Since we go to this diner all the time, the people there know us pretty well.

The owner had a special piece of cake sent out as a special treat for Daddy!

I helped him blow out the candle!

I love Daddy and Mommy!

Thanks for breakfast Grandmom and PopPop!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!

7.1.09 - HAIRCUT!

2009-07-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

We're getting our family pictures soon.

Mommy wanted me to look extra handsome for the pictures, so she took me for a haircut.

Lookin' good!

Hmmm....I think maybe my bangs need a trim.

All done! Time to brush off any loose hairs!

Beach Day with the Stewarts - June 25, 2009

2009-07-15T06:37:00.000-07:00

Today, Mommy, Daddy, and I headed down to Ocean City to visit with some of our

favorite people....The Stewarts!

We headed straight to the beach....otherwise known as the biggest sandbox ever!!

Cole likes to play in the sand just like me!

My feet are getting so big...just like Daddy's! Check out my cool tattoo.

Cole found a seashell in the shape of a "C"--Isn't that cool?

Digging big holes is so much fun!

Time for a Boogie Board Break.

After dinner, we headed to the boardwalk.

I am fascinated by ferris wheels. Isn't this one pretty?

Cole and I went on the race cars. It was awesome!

Then we went on the hot air balloons.

Daulton joined in on the hot air balloon fun too!

We love the Stewarts!

June 9, 2009 - BABY SHOWER

2009-06-22T15:37:00.001-07:00

Today was a very special day for my Mommy.

Her students and co-workers at school threw her a

SURPRISE BABY SHOWER!

One of Mommy's students made this cool sign.

Another one of Mommy's students and her Mom made these cool lollipops.

Mommy said that the SNACK BUFFET was PERFECT!

Mommy had a little taste of everything.

Notice she put everything on a BLUE plate,

but then chose a PINK lollipop. Hmmmm.....

Here's Mommy with her co-teacher, Lisa.

Mommy wanted all of her students to predict whether Baby Russell will be a

BOY or a GIRL.

Here's what she came up with.

Hmmm....looks like PINK is in the lead.

What do YOU think??

A Collection of Big D Moments - May and June 2009

2009-06-22T15:06:00.000-07:00

Mommy and I were going through some pictures today.

We decided to present you with a smorgasbord of pictures from recent happenings.

Prepare yourself---you may begin to experience "CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!!!"

This was taken after a trip to our brand new LOCAL Sonic! Daddy shared his HUGE drink with me...and by "shared" I really meant "gave". : )

This was taken at IKEA---one of our favorite stores. Even though I didn't look very happy, I was actually just hammin' in up for the camera. I was having a ball!!

Our pool is finally opened!! Here's a pic of me and my kitty cat, Chic, during

my first swim of the season.

This picture was taken shortly after I came in from swimming.

Hmmm...I think I was tired.....

This was taken on Gloucester Township Day. The rides weren't opened yet, so I had lots of time to play!!

Like my haircut?? : )

Here I am at Rita's Water Ice.

I told Mommy I didn't want anything, but as soon as I tasted what she got,

I made her fork it over!

Here's me playing out back on Father's Day.

I was keeping an eye on Daddy while he mowed the lawn.

Why Daddy was working on Father's Day I have NO idea.....

I hope you enjoyed the update!!! : )

20 week Ultra Sound Pictures - 5.13.09

2009-05-14T18:24:00.000-07:00

Today, 5.13.09, we are 20 weeks away from meeting our newest family member.

Mommy and Daddy got to see my new brother or sister move around on a TV screen today!!

Since I couldn't be there, they brought home some pictures so I could catch a glimpse.

Check them out!!!

Here is the baby's profile.

Even though the baby looks kinda big, he or she only weighs 13 ounces so far.

This one shows the baby looking at me. You can see the eye sockets and stuff.

It's all a bit too scientific for my young mind to wrap itself around.

These 4D pictures are soooo cool!

Here's the baby sucking his/her thumb.

Mommy says that's something I never did.

Here's another profile picture. You can see the baby's eyes, nose, lips, chin, chest, arm, and hand (which is in a fist).

We love Baby Russell #2!

So do you think this looks like a boy bump or a girl bump???

Leo, the ultra sound tech, said he knows, but we made him promise he wouldn't tell!

You can make your prediction on our BABY POOL.

Log onto

www.expectnet.com

In the upper left hand corner, type in RussellBaby2 for the game name.

Then follow the directions for making your guess.

We look forward to seeing your guesses!

Mommy loves her BABIES!!! : )

The Grand Opening of the Pool!! - 5.09

2009-05-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today was an exciting day.

I got to help Daddy open our pool!

Mommy took this picture right after her and Daddy pulled the cover off.

After a closer look, I decided that there was quite a bit of work that needed to be done.

First, I inspected the cover to make sure it was cleaned off.

Next, it was time to check out the diving board stand.

Has anyone seen my saddle? : )

Hmmm....still dirty.....

Time to skim!

While I was busy helping Daddy with the pool, Mommy was inside making something special for me to reward me for all of my hard work.

COOKIES!!!!!

Still warm and gooey...just the way I like 'em!

Do you think Cookie Monster is jealous?

BIG NEWS!!!!! - 4.14.09

2009-04-14T05:12:00.000-07:00

BIG RUSSELL FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

That's right! I'm going to be a BIG BROTHER!!!

I can't wait!!

YIPPEE!!!!
Here is a picture of my new brother or sister. (from about 8 weeks)

Personally, I hope it's a sister, but I'd be okay with a brother, too.
Here's the baby's profile. Isn't technology amazing??

Mommy got to hear the baby's heartbeat yesterday. When she asked the Doctor if it sounded like a "girl heartbeat" or a "boy heartbeat" Dr. Scott said, "It sounds like a healthy heartbeat." We'll take it! : )
Mommy is about 16 weeks along now and she has been feeling pretty good...although I must confess.....SHE IS MOODY!

(Don't tell her I said that!)

Before we know it, our family will be 2 feet bigger!! I can't wait!!

Stay tuned for more updates!

HAPPY EASTER!!! 4.09

2009-04-11T13:40:00.001-07:00

HAPPY EASTER EVERYBODY!!!

Easter Egg Hunt - April 5, 2009

2009-04-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

Today, Grandmom and PopPop invited my friend, Eva, and me over for an Easter Egg Hunt.

We had so much fun!

I was pretty good at finding the eggs.

Eva spotted some eggs right away.

I found that the "shovel method" worked really well.

Eva liked putting her eggs into her bucket.

She also liked taking the eggs OUT of her bucket!

Hey...blue and orange...BRONCOS colors!! My Daddy will be excited! : )

There's still plenty of shoveling to do.

Eva was trying to figure out how to get to the candy!!

Hey...look at my new hat!

Time to check out my loot!

Uh oh...Eva found the chocolate...

..and the jelly beans!

After we found all of the eggs, we went inside for some more surprises.

Check out all this cool stuff!

There's just enough time to blow some bubbles before we head home.

Did we have fun????

I think Eva's smile says it all! : )

THANKS EASTER BUNNY!

THE GREATEST PLAYGROUND IN THE WORLD!!!!!

2009-03-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

Today is going to be a great day!

Right now I'm standing in the spot where my new playground is going to be built.

I can't wait!!!!

Here's one pile of wood.

Here's a 2nd pile of wood.

And...finally...here's the 3rd pile of wood.

This is going to be a lot of work!!

Things are finally underway!

Trust me....I know what I'm doing!

Time for a quick break!

My AWESOME neighbors helped my Daddy every step of the way.

We would have been lost without them!

Check out the cool 2nd floor!

Here's my Daddy and my AWESOME neighbors again.

They're putting on the finishing touches to the first floor.

Things are really coming along.

Check out this amazing progress!

Time for a JELLY DONUT break.

I love my new picnic table!

YUMMY!

Looks like this wood pile is getting a little lower....

I'm on top of the world!!

I love to climb.

Peek-a-Boo!

This is SOOOO AWESOME!!!

I told PopPop he could borrow one of my swings for his coffee break.

He's been working hard.

HOORAY! The slide is on!! WEEEEEEE!!!

After many, many, many hours and LOTS of hard work from the crew, here's the final product.

~Side View~

~View of the picnic table and my future sandbox.~

~Front view. There will be a rock climbing wall to the right of the slide.~

~Side View~

~Check out my look-out tower!~

~Back View~

~Back Windows~

~THE FINAL PRODUCT~

HEY....WHEN ARE YOU COMING OVER TO PLAY?!?!?! : )

Meeting Emma -- March 8, 2009

2009-03-22T16:51:00.000-07:00

Today we finally got to meet Emma Lynn Williams for the very first time.

She was born in Christmas morning. What an exciting birthday to have!

Here she is...up close and personal.

Mommy thinks Emma looks just like her big brother, Matthew.

Here's Emma snuggling up with my Daddy.

Here's my buddy, Matthew....the proud big brother! : )

TUBBY TIME! - March 2009

2009-03-22T16:41:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun in the tub tonight.

Daddy was showing me how to blow bubbles.

Who needs the bubble wand? Look how talented I am without it! : )

Check out my bubble beard.

Here's a better angle.

I had no idea how many goofy faces I could make until

Mommy gave me this mirror to play with!

"How YOU doin'?"

"Come here often?"

Does it get any cuter than this?

SNOW DAY! - March 2, 2009

2009-03-22T16:35:00.000-07:00

Today was an exciting day!

When I woke up, there was SNOW everywhere. I couldn't wait to get outside!

I usually pile lots of dirt into my truck.

Today was no ordinary day!

Isn't the snow sooooo pretty?

HAIRCUT - 2/22/2009

2009-03-22T15:12:00.001-07:00

I got my haircut today!

Here is my "BEFORE" picture.

And here's my "AFTER" pose!

Aren't I handsome?

The best part was when the hairdresser gave me 2 delicious lollipops for being so good.

I can't wait until next time! : )

My 2nd Birthday Party - January 4, 2009

2009-01-31T11:14:00.000-08:00

Today is the day I get to celebrate my 2nd birthday with my family!

Am I the most handsome 2 year old you've ever seen?

I better get dressed. It's almost time for my celebration!

Mommy worked hard on making lots of favors. I told her she could borrow a few of my favorite trucks to put them in.

Everybody got a little construction worker rubber ducky.

Mommy also made some cool candy bar wrappers.

Who can resist me....or chocolate?!? : )

Here are the favor bags for the kids.

Check out my cool construction truck sign.

There were lots of trucks hanging all around. It was awesome!

Here are the plates and napkins. Pretty cool, huh?

This is where my birthday crew will sit.

All of my buddies will get a work apron and a construction hat to wear on site.

Here's my birthday DIRT! I can't wait to DIG IN!

AWESOME!

Allow me to introduce some members of my crew.

This is A.J.

Here's A.J.'s sister, Jeanie.

Here's my "morning sister", Emma.

Here's Chloe and Jeanie.

Here are 2 of my aunts....Brenda and Darlene. They both like to smother me with juicy kisses!

Sharon, Clint, and Brandon helped me celebrate.

PopPop and Samantha shared some birthday smiles!

Here's my Great Pretty Granny. She is alway the life of the party!

Here's Eva, one of my adorable girlfriends.

(Don't tell my other girlfriends she was here, please! I'll be in big trouble with them!)

Jeanie liked stacking my Pooh Bear blocks.

Everybody is starting to look hungry.

Finally....It's time to eat MY BIRTHDAY DIRT!!!!!

It was made locally at the Russell Construction Company.

It has gummy worms and everything!

DELICIOUS...

...AND MESSY!

Here are my Aunt Tina and Erik. Aunt Tina takes really good care of me while

Mommy goes to work. We have a lot of fun together.

"MomMom" and "DaDa" look like they're just posing for a picture, but secretly I know they're just trying to get me to share my DIRT!

PopPop doesn't look too sure about eating worms!

Laura and Great Pretty Granny were having fun.

Chloe looks like she's ready to get to work!

Uncle Brian and Aunt Brenda were all smiles!

I wonder if anyone told Eva that 'Birthday Dirt' tastes WAY better than blocks!

My cousins, Samantha and Sharon, were both born in January too!

Guess who came to my party!??!?! : )

Check out this BIG RIG totally FILLED with cars! AWESOME!

Emma gave me a birthday hug.

So did my Cousin Sean!

A.J. looks like he needs more chocolate!!

Everybody hide!! The cops are here!!!

Looks like the Officer caught his Perp!

Oh, whew!!!! It's just my Cousin Sean!!! He must have heard there was DIRT!!

Here are a few more shots of Eva.

Here is my Aunt Christine and her daughter, Mini-Christine...I mean, Chloe!

The Pasquarello Family gave me some really cool bathtub toys!

The Pasquarellos are so fun to hang out with!

Sean and I decided to play together with my cool trucks.

There's always time for cheese curls!

Hey---has anyone seen my construction hat?

Birthday Smiles!

All this partying has made me very hungry.

Mmmmmm....birthday spaghetti!

Check out my Birthday Beard!!

Turning 2 was so much fun!

My 2nd Birthday! - January 2, 2009

2009-01-29T14:44:00.000-08:00

You'll never guess how old I turned today!!!

Here's a BIG hint!!!!

Mommy and Daddy took me to this really cool place called "Chuck E. Cheese". My cousin, Sean and his Mommy (cousin Laura) met us there. My Grandmom and PopPop came, too. It was such a fun day!

Guess who I spotted right away?

BOB!!

It didn't take long for Sean and me to find Clifford!

Time for cupcakes!

I made a wish and the blew out my candle.

Time to get messy!

I am sooooo tired! It's time to head home for a nap.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

When I woke up from my nap, I had birthday mail from my girlfriend, Abby.

She sent me a Phillies DVD. I can't wait to watch it!

Time for my Birthday Bubbles!!

Did I just hear Mommy and Daddy say that I have one more surprise???

Check out my cool new tent and tunnel!

AWESOME!

I have just enough time to for a story before it's time for bed.

Daddy and I had story time in my tent!

WHAT A GREAT BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

Sunday Smiles!

2009-01-15T16:55:00.000-08:00

Check out this little slide show of my Sunday morning photo shoot!

(It's less than 2 minutes long...hey, I'm worth it!)

I hope it makes you smile! : )

Mommy still has to get my 2nd birthday pictures together.

This is sort of a test drive to see if the slide show format will work.

Let us know!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! 2008

2009-01-01T21:16:00.000-08:00

The big day is finally here!

First order of business....find the Christmas bell.

If there is a bell on the lawn, we will know that Santa and his reindeer paid us a visit.

HERE IT IS!

Now...let's get this party started!

Here's our tree. I love watching the lights.

Here's my new ornament. I LOVE construction trucks, so it's perfect!

SWEET! Matchbox cars! My favorite!

AWESOME! Bob the Builder! My Favorite!

WOW! ELMO! My favorite!

(I sure do have a lot of favorites, don't I?)

Am I cool or what?

Look what Mommy got!

Time to check the stockings.

Mommy made Daddy and me t-shirts. Here's Daddy's. I'll bet you can guess what mine says!

Grandmom and PopPop always come over for Christmas breakfast.

Daddy made breakfast pizza. It was sooooo yummy!

PopPop always calls me "Popeye." Isn't this shirt perfect?

Check this out! MORE TRUCKS! YEA!!!!!

Hess trucks are the coolest. I know you're supposed to keep them in the box,

but I can't help myself.

My Great Pretty Granny and Great Pop stopped in for a visit.

Boys' Club

I guess Chickie wanted to be someone's present?!

This Christmas stuff is super tiring!!

Now that my nap is over, it's time to head over to Aunt Anne and Uncle Al's new house.

My cousins, Zach and Aubrey, were there.

It was the twins first Christmas!

HO HO HO!

Mommy was really showing her holiday spirit!

Awwwwww!

Even more Awwwwwwwww! : )

I have just enough time to hang up some of my new Cars ornaments before I go to bed.

My 2nd Christmas was amazing! : )

Hanging with Santa 2008

2009-01-01T21:13:00.000-08:00

I got to hang out with Santa for a little while today.

I'm still not too sure about this guy despite all of the good things I hear about him.

Maybe next year he'll make me smile.

As for this year, I'm still a little shaky.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Eve Breakfast 2008

2009-01-01T21:05:00.000-08:00

One of my family's holiday traditions is to go out for breakfast on Christmas Eve.

PopPop and Grandmom treat all of their kids and their grandkids.

Guess what I had to eat?

A HUGE cup of WHIPPED CREAM!

I can't get enough of this stuff!

(I can only get away with this stuff when my grandparents are around you know!)

After breakfast, I showed PopPop how to color.

Here is what the GREATEST POPPOP IN THE WORLD looks like.

Isn't he handsome?

Thank you for treating all of us to breakfast Grandmom and PopPop!

Winter Fun at Citizens Bank Park - Dec. 14, 2008

2009-01-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

Today was so much fun! We drove over to Philadelphia to visit the stadium where the

WORLD SERIES CHAMPION PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

play! We were hoping to see the World Series Trophy up close and personal.

Daddy and I told jokes while we waited in line.

LOOK! There it is!!!!

I can hardly wait to get closer!

PHinally! How cool is this?!

We were hoping to see the Philly Phanatic next, but we had a little time to waste.

We decided to play around in the empty seats.

Hey! Has anyone seen the Phanatic?

Here he is!!!

Check out this huge tree that was just outside of the park.

Go Phils! Do it again next year!

It's been a long day...

Here's the Christmas card Mommy created with some of the pictures we took today!

Seasons greeting PHrom our PHamily to yours! : )

A BIG BOY BED!!

2009-01-01T20:18:00.000-08:00

Today was a very big day. Mommy and Daddy decided it was time for me to start sleeping in a big boy bed!

Daddy started the process but...

...I felt like I had to give him a little bit of guidance.

I handled all of the power tool work.

Almost done! All we need is the mattress.

Hmmm...it looks like all my rowdy friends are ready for me!

Soooo comfy!

SWAK!

I LOVE my new big boy bed!

Pretty Granny's 85th Birthday!

2008-12-31T12:44:00.000-08:00

Today, our family got together to celebrate my Great Pretty Granny's 85th Birthday!

Can you believe that Granny is just over 42 times as old as me?!?! WOW!

Here is me with the VERY BEST DADDY in the whole wide world!

Now that we all had some cake, it's time to play!!!

Here are a bunch of shots from the playground.

"I feel pretty...oh so pretty....!"

Mommy's favorite smile! : )

Here's my cousin, Sean.

Here are more of my cousins--Brielle and Caleigh.

My cousin Sean is one cool dude!

CHEESE!

We had a great time playing together!

November 8, 2008 - Amanda Weaver's b-day party

2008-12-27T18:04:00.001-08:00

Today was an exciting day! I got to go to a birthday party for Amanda Weaver at a place called "Kidzercise." There was so much to do!

Here's the birthday girl.

Here's Emma having some fun!

Check out Erik's rope climbing skills!

Here's Jessica hoppin' around.

Here's Emma and the birthday girl, Amanda, climbing on the rock wall.

Here's Uncle George getting his first look at Sabrina....Amanda's brand new little sister!

I am having so much fun! : )

CHEESE!!

Okay...it's time to get serious.

Here's Aunt Cindy's Mommy and Sabrina.

Happy Birthday, Amanda!

You caught me!!!!

October 31, 2008 - The World Series Parade

2008-12-27T11:07:00.000-08:00

Today was a monumental day for all PHILLIES fans!!!!

Just a couple of days ago, the PHILS won the WORLD SERIES!!!!

Philly has been waiting for a World Series parade since 1980. Well....today, we got our wish!

Believe it or not, Mommy and Daddy left me home on this very historic day!

I was not very happy, but they thought it was in my best interest. Fortunately, Mommy took a bunch of pictures to document the day.

Here's a picture of the long line at the speed line station. Mommy estimated that it was about 3/4 of a mile long, but it moved pretty fast.

The entrance....PHinally!!

Now there's a World Series smile if I ever saw one!!!

Check out all the people. They were literally EVERYWHERE!!!!

As you can see, Mommy and Daddy were stuck down a side street so they didn't get to see too much. But...from what they say, it was AWESOME to just be in the middle of all of the positive energy!

Here they are right in the middle of Broad Street after the parade finished up.

The curse of William Penn is finally broken!!

Hopefully we'll see you here again next season!!!!

GO PHILS!!!

October 31, 2008 - My 2nd Halloween

2008-12-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

So, this whole Halloween thing started out pretty cool.

I helped Daddy carve a pumpkin. It was awesome!

Here's our finished product.

But then......Mommy made me put on this goofy costume.

That's when things started to roll downhill.

Despite her best efforts, she was not able to convince me that I looked GRRRRRREAT.

I told her if she didn't take me out of this costume, I was going to have to call the authorities.

She wouldn't budge....so......

After awhile, I settled down and actually started enjoying being dressed up.

Do you think anyone will notice if I take my tiger ears off?

My friend, Kaylynn, from next door was dressed up like a kitty cat.

She looked even cuter than usual!

Aren't we cute trick-or-treaters?

Don't lollipops always make the day better? : )

Time to give Garfield a big Halloween smooch!

I think there's just enough time before bed for me to finish my lollipop.

Go ahead...you can say it....AAAWWWW!!!!!

There's always room for a hot dog roll dipped in ketchup. YUMMY!

Halloween turned out to be pretty fun after all. I guess I'll start preparing myself now for the get-up Mommy will pick out for me to wear next year.....Stay tuned!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I'm gonna have to give up.....

2008-12-03T19:54:00.000-08:00

Mommy and I had a talk tonight about this whole BLOG thing. For whatever reason, she just can't catch up. Sheesh....it's not like she has a job, a hubby, a couple of side businesses, outside commitments, the holiday chaos, my upcoming birthday chaos, or ME to tend to, right?!?! : ) We decided to stop trying to catch up. From now on, our posts will (hopefully) be somewhat recent. We're going to try to start with a few Halloween pics and then move on from there. Let's see how it goes!!

Wish us luck!

July 12, 2008 - Visiting the Russell Farm

2008-11-09T19:10:00.001-08:00

Today was a very interesting day. I got to see a piece of Russell Family history.

We went to visit the family farm.

My Great-Grandpa Russell and my Grandpa Russell grew up here.

You wouldn't believe all of the beautiful land that surrounds the house and the other buildings.

It was pretty amazing!

Here's Daddy and I taking a look around. Here's Uncle Stephen and Audrey in what used to be the dairy.

Daddy looks a little sad...I think it was kind of a hard day for him.
I told you it was beautiful!!

I somehow manage to find trucks wherever I go!
I got to take the red truck that I'm playing with home with me.

Here's the old Russell home.
Imagine growing up surrounded by this view!!

On our way out of town, we stopped to see this unique little church.

My Daddy is taller than it!!

Here's some pictures from the inside.

I had a good day with my family!