Kansas Trip 2009

We spent 4 days in Kansas and had the best time!

We were able to spend some quality time with family and friends!

Zach & Cousin Hannah were able to get know each other and play. Theyare 9 days apart.

Great Grandma Hawk, Mommy & Zach. Zach was able to serenade her with his ABCs.
We spent a lot of time outside playing in Grandpa & Grandma's yard...swinging & playing. Zach got a chance to play with his 2nd cousins too.

Time with Grammy...had an Easter Egg Hunt, celebrated Zach's 2nd birthday, went to story time at the Library, went to the Zoo...we had such a great time!! Here are a few of many great picture we took.

Zach HAT

Mommy's friend, Gretchen, made hats for Zach & Molly!

They are the cutest hats I have ever seen!! Zach loved it!

He opened the package saying Molly's hat, Zach's hat...put it on and wanted to wear it all night...even inside.

Thanks Trudy for sharing your talents with us!!

Mommy already put in an order for one for her!! from my cell phone camera in the car

Will get a picture of Molly in hers soon! Zach's has his name and Molly's has a ribbon flower...how fitting!!

Be one with the BALL

It is the end of Basketball season...but the season is year round in our house.

Zach now points out every basketball hoop in sight as we drive to school.

Last night, he decided that HE was part of the hoop.

Hunting for Easter Eggs

First Annual Easter Egg Hunt...7 kids.

(Grayson Robbins, Wyatt Defries, Zach & Molly Nelson, Hailey Hardt, non pictured...Lars & Danny Martin)

Celebrating at MOA

Park at the Mall of America...

Zach's first time on the rides...he loved every part of it except when it was over!!

(double click on picture to enlarge)

We had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe... They sang happy birthday and Zach had a birthday sundae...that he wasn't interested in sharing:)

If you haven't been there, they have a "thunderstorm" in the rainforest every 20 minutes with dancing Apes...Zach was very impressed!

Birthday Party at School

Zach's teacher, Shelly, throws a party for every birthday...pretty sure her party was better decorated than ours! When we got there this morning, every wall was covered with Happy Birthday banners...then when I got there to pick them up, I saw the whole place with streamers covering the ceiling. (see pic)...it was really cool! I let her use my camera and she did a great job capturing his party at school!
Molly was there for the Party!

Zach with some of his friends (Ava, Blake, Trey & Samantha)...the twins Blake & Samantha are our neighbors.

Zach is 2 years old today!!

Mommy made Zach's favorite muffins (gingerbread) to breakfast and to take to school!! Had more basketball cupcakes tonight and Zach blew out his own candles!

Zach's 2nd Birthday Party

Let the games begin...let Zach's birthday week begin! Today, we had Zach's birthday party with friends and family!
We plan on celebrating Zach all week! He is my son and I think birthdays are a week long celebration. Tomorrow is his birthday party at school! Thursday, Mommy & Daddy are going to pick him & Molly up early to celebrate with some rides in the Mall of America! This all follows a great weekend of basketball (yeah Jayhawks!) and lots of playing outside with friends!

He has grown so much in the last year! In the last year, he has learned to walk, run, jump, talk and sing...where does the time go. Click here to see his birthday party last year.
http://babyzacharynelson.blogspot.com/2008/03/party-timezachs-1st-birthday-party.html

Some of my FAVORITE things...

Zach loves balls! He loves to throw...catch...kick...hold and run with balls. He knows which are footballs, baseballs and his favorite..basketballs. Tonight, he took a ball to bed with him when he heard the ball was tired. We just went in to check on him 2 hours after he fell asleep and here he is...still hugging his ball! Zach is like his parents and loves sweets! Particularly Cookies!! Oreos here just like Grandpa Hawk!

Celebrating our Hailey's birthday!!

Hailey is Zach's closest friend...they are 3 weeks apart and have grown into the best of buddies!

Helping Mom bake Cookies

Zach's new favorite phrase

You have to watch with a crook in your neck but this is cute. Zach just started saying "Oh My Gosh" this weekend and it was so funny that he says it all the time now. Enjoy!

Zach is 23 months today!! One more monthuntil we officially have a 2 year old!! He is getting really verbal and vocal. His shy streak has gone and he is up for giving most anyone a hug, high five and the newest...knuckles! What a big guy!

Zach goes to Atlanta

We were in Atlanta for the weekend visiting the Boisseau's. Zach is really good at saying Jenny, Chad and Cole...and pointing to them. He really liked to say "hi Cole!".

Buddies with Papa Dave

Zach really thinks Papa Dave is great...I think he gave him a good exercise tonight chasing after the balls Zach was throwing. A great game of catch!!

Valentine's Cookies

This year Valentine's Day was celebrated with lots of Cookies!! Hailey was Zach's valentine and they enjoyed heart shaped pizza, decorated cookies and played really hard...even ended with a valentine's kiss!

Caroline brought cookies over too...

Stacy came to town...

She was here for an interview, so we got to spend the morning together!

Videos of Zach

Video of Zach "singing" his ABCs. This is classic Zach...he loves to sing, loves to dance...loves to be the boss. We hear "no Mommy" a lot:)

Zach the Frog

Watching the Loppet

What's the Loppet...it's a cross-country ski race. Zach got to ride in a sled with the Gerten girls to watch it!