Colby,

Merry Christmas 2013!  This year Freddy the Elf has been full of mischief including a fun time with Blue Bear.  Unfortunately, I forgot to bring Blue Bear back to mommy's but Freddy and Blue Bear had a blast together.  Here are the pics:

As you can see, Freddy and Blue Bear played the dice game together.  It was tied 2 Blackhawks to 2 Blackhawks...I didn't see who won.  Afterwards, I saw them watching 17 Seconds together (the Blackhawks Stanley Cup movie).  

Soon we are off to Omaha together to celebrate Christmas together.  

Love you so much!

Dad

Ps:  Here is a pic of you and Freddy when he was on the Husker flag.  You yelled "Go Big Red!"

Colby,

A few nights ago you and I shared a bag of Twizzlers. Just before bed, you noticed there was one left and asked to have it. I said no buddy you already brushed your teeth but you can have it tomorrow. You sulked but said ok. 20 minutes later I finished reading you your bedtime stories (Polar Bear, Polar Bear what do you hear? and Snug as a Bug). On my way out I said "Goodnight buddy, I love you." You replied, "Dad...don't eat the twizzler!"

The next morning, the first thing out of your mouth was "Dad, did you eat the Twizzler?"  You crack me up!

Love,
Dad

Ps:  For good measure, here is a picture of you and me with the greatest trophy in sports...the Stanley Cup!

Colby,

I had a blast with you last night.  Three really funny things happened that I hope to share with you some day.

1. I roasted some pumpkin seeds that you really wanted to eat but I had made them spicy.  I did my best to get rid of the spicy-ness by washing them off and it worked for the first pumpkin seed.  Apparently it didn't work for the second.  You ran to and said "Too spicy...and the juice didn't work!"  Luckily, milk did the trick.  You passed on any more pumpkin seeds.  
2. When we play sports, you insist that I wear something that matches the sport (e.g., when playing hockey I wear Blackhawks gear).  You didn't like the Blackhawks shirt I tried wearing while playing football with you so I had to go change into a Husker shirt.  I put one on I hadn't worn in quite some time and you said "wow...I haven't seen that shirt in like two years!"  How a four year old remembers that is beyond me.  
3. Last night you had two coloring books and had me color in one while you colored in the other.  After I finished (I couldn't leave anything uncolored), you said "that's enough for today.  You can color more at work tomorrow."  Then you took the coloring book and put it in my work bag.  

You continue to impress me with how witty you are!

I love you so much.

Happy Halloween!

Dad

Happy Birthday, Colby!

Colby,

I got to spend your birthday morning with you.  I loved it as we got to play with your new Spiderman punching bag and go play baseball in the park.  Here is a picture of you and the Spiderman punching bag:

Speaking of baseball, you are becoming such a great hitter.  Uncle Kevin decided to film you once...and you about took him to his knees with an immediate hard liner.  Here is the video:

Everyone loved this video.

Love you so much and happy fourth birthday!
Dad

Cubs Game with Dad and Grandpa!

Colby,

Yesterday, for the first time I took you to Wrigley Field along with your grandpa (definitely not his first time).   Here are a couple of pictures of you enjoying some ice cream in a helmet and then making good use of the helmet:

Later that night we were eating pizza at my place.  You were trying to get grandpa's attention while he was watching the bulls/heat game (bulls were down 20).  You yelled "Grandpa!" three times without a response.  Fortunately, you were holding a bean bag football from the game you were playing at my office the night before:

You drilled Grandpa in the arm with one...and he still didn't even flinch!  I have been laughing all day thinking about it.  Nonetheless, you had a great time hanging with your grandpa over the previous 24 hours.

Love you so much,
Dad

Hi Colby,

I have had a great time with you over the past few weeks.  Here are a couple of my favorite stories:

• We spent Easter weekend 2013 together.  I really had a blast with you the whole time.  You invented a new version of football.  Basically, if you wore the blue helmet you ran with the ball and if you wore the orange helmets, then you tackled the blue helmet team.  Ultimately, I would tackle you, cause a fumble and you would manage to win the mad scramble for the loose ball.  
• Also over Easter weekend, we went to Pump-it-up where there was the Easter bunny.  You would not go near the bunny and that night you said to me "Sorry about the Easter Bunny Dad...maybe next year?"  You even shrugged your shoulders.  Made me laugh so hard.  Here is a pic of you and the Easter Bunny (as close as I could get you):

Promise I will write again soon.  

I love you so much,

Dad

Colby,

I have had such a great time with you over the past couple of weekends.  You are growing up so fast and proving to be so smart.  Two things stuck out this past weekend.  First, we were playing in the basement and you saw the iron and said "Grandma uses that!"  I called grandma right away and she got a kick out of remembering ironing my entire couch.  Second thing relates to gas...like all good guy stories.  I was doing a little workout, and you were playing downstairs and had really bad gas.  So I got the frebreeze which you immediately became obsessed with.  After the 10th time of you spraying it I said "No more unless daddy farts."  About five minutes later you came up to me and said "Dad, can you fart please so I can use the spray?"  I got quite the kick out of it.

Here is a pic of us at the DePaul game together (DePaul actually won):