Lighting pumpkins with Uncle Scottie

Wendy and I grew some pumpkins in the backyard garden this year.  Karoline happily helped our two boys empty their carving pumpkins and cut in fancy designs. We had ghosts, a normal pumpkin face, and a cat with a moon. Scott helped the two boys light the pumpkins outside once they finished. 

I have to say that Andrew and Cameron's pumpkins look a lot more fancy than any pumpkins than I ever made as a child. 

Selfies

I am obviously no longer, if I ever was, a hip person. I know that selfies are a super popular "thing" right now.  I just cannot get into it. I think I have 4 total selfies with me currently saved on my computer. In none of them am I alone.

Andrew it appears wants to join in.  Andrew has been using my little credit card sized camera as "his" camera while we go places for the past year or so. I finally got around to clearing the card and downloading the pictures. After deleting a ton of pictures of my and Wendy's legs, the floor, ceiling, and Andrew's toys I found this picture.

Andrew's first selfie

Maybe he will be better at selfies than his father.

Quiet Time Activities

It was a sad day when we realized that Andrew no longer needed his two hour afternoon naps. This was especially distressing for Wendy who often takes her own afternoon nap.

In an effort to maintain Wendy's naps we still have "quiet time" for Andrew. That means Andrew no longer needed to get into bed and sleep; however, he did need to stay in his room until quiet time was over. Playing with toys, reading books, building with blocks, and running train tracks - all approved activities.

This worked swimmingly for a couple of months. Recently, a new wrinkle appeared in the process. Daddy, is gone for school and work in the afternoon. There is no one awake and in the house to enforce the "staying in room for quiet time" rule. Wendy, due to being deaf in one ear and sleeping on her good ear, does not hear much when she is asleep.

I am sure you can tell where I'm going with this. What does a 3 year old do in the middle of the afternoon while the parent on the house is knocked out?

You climb into bed next to her with a favorite book...and take a nap.

You dump your Cranium board game cards/pieces and a bucket of blocks into the bed next to her...and take a nap.

I suppose that there are worse things that Andrew could do while Wendy naps.

August Family Pictures

Last year we accidently ended up taking family pictures on our anniversary. We liked it so much we went ahead and did again this year. I found a few pictures to fill in some of the gaps. It's funny to see how much we've changed in the last five years.

2010

  

One and One (Eharmony - August 17th)

We did not have a family picture in 2010, but we do have two pictures that are important in our family history; our eharmony profiles. We were first matched on August 17th. Ben took his profile picture in his townhouse with a self-timer and a tripod.  Wendy's profile was taken at a the Living Planet Aquarium while on an excursion with siblings. 

Ben's Eharmony profile picture

Wendy's Eharmony profile picture

2011

Two (Married! August 1st)

This might be the most plentiful year for our "family pictures." Between the multiple engagement shoots, the wedding shots, and the reception shots we have many nice pictures of the two of us. 

At the Salt Lake City Temple

2012

Three (Andrew's Blessing - September 2nd)

Andrew joined us 11 months after the wedding. Unlike the previous year we did not take many family pictures during August.  We have a metric ton pictures of Andrew, a lot of pictures of Wendy, and a fair number of pictures of myself.  Few pictures contain all three of us.  This picture is from Andrew's blessing. 

With Andrew right after his blessing at the Brookshire Ward

2013

Three (August 17th)

Surprisingly, 2013 was even worse than 2012 for family pictures. The only full family picture in August was a random picture taken outside of my work. Yes, that is me with scrubs and an earpiece in our family picture. Less than ideal.

Work pictures are so...flattering

2014

Four (Accidental photo - August 1st)

Cameron  joined in the family picture fun this year. On a whim we visited the site of our reception (there are only so many places you can take a two month old!). Thanks to lot of trial and error using a tripod and a 10 second timer, for the first time in three years of marriage, we finally had a formalized family picture.

2015

Four ("Stuart Photography" - August 1st)

For 2015 we decided to forgo the self-timer and have someone else behind the camera. The Stuart parents and Debbie accompanied us up to Jordanelle. We tried bribing my father by paying for a hamburger joint; instead he payed for us. I am not proficient at bribing. We spent the night before giving all of the boys in the family a matching buzz cut. It was Cameron's first real haircut. I hardly recognized the little boy as my Cameron he looked so different sans curls.

Bonus timer picture

2016

Four will be Five

We plan to continue the tradition of taking our pictures at Jordanelle Reservoir next year.  Excitingly, another member of the family will join us for that photo shoot. The storks pictured below are two months into their nine month flight to bring us our new little one.

Estimated Date of Arrival: March 18, 2016

While the grandparents are away...the children play

The boys and I decided to crash at the Stuart Grandparents house (or in Andrew's words, "Amber's house." while they were away visiting other relatives.  Grandma's...or Amber's...house has a lot of toys that the boys do not get to play with often.  This led to both boys happily playing for an extended period of time without requiring parent interaction or prompting.

In response to this, I did what any parent would do when the kids were happily playing with or around each other. I took a couple hundred pictures. I have this dream of being a good photographer so I am trying to find more opportunities to practice.

I have included a "few" of the resulting pictures from the session.

Choosing a puzzle

Baby, playing with babies

I loved playing with these trucks

The balance of a 3 year old

Playing with photoshop

Rain is falling all around...

Sunday (May 24) I slept in after working late on homework. Wendy had planned to take the boys out into the backyard to play, wiggle, and get some energy out before the three hour church black. She was disappointed when she noticed rain pouring down from the sky. During breakfast Andrew told Wendy that he just needed a hat and ran off towards his room. He reappeared with a hat and one mitten. He didn't want to put shoes on, but Wendy was able to eventually convince him. Andrew also made Wendy go get his "noculars" (binoculars for those who don't speak Andrew).

Andrew's rain style

Andrew exploring the yard during the rain shower.

Cameron is not one to be left out if there is any fun to be had. He complained as babies often do, by screaming, until Wendy let him out into the rain to play too.

Babies don't need coats or shoes!

The coat and shoes did eventually get put on Cameron. The two little boys and their mother spent forty five minutes wandering around in the rain on the porch and in the back yard.

Going on a bear hunt!

I was not aware of this but since Christmas after Grandpa Stuart did "Going on a bear hunt" with all the grandchildren Andrew has been asking Wendy to do it with him.  Wendy didn't know the words or the actions so she ad libbed and it became "going on a lion hunt" and included rowing across lakes in a boat.

Andrew asked me to do the "lion hunt song." I wasn't sure what he was asking for until Wendy showed me her rendition. Very cute! However, Andrew wanted me to do it. I am many things; a good ad libber is not one of them. I immediately called the expert, Grandpa Stuart, for help.

Grandpa graciously demonstrated the song for us again. Andrew loved it; Cameron even got into the action - mostly by slapping his legs.

Looking for a bear

Stomping through the forest

Moving aside the tall grass

The little doctor...

Last semester one the classes that I took was a physical assessment class.  For this class I had to record and practice assessments on a lot of my relatives (who were amazingly willing to let me poke and prod them).

Andrew thought that the entire process was extraordinarily fun. Every time that I assessed a cousin, parent, or sibling I also had to assess Andrew.  Shining lights into his eyes? No problem. Looking into his ears? No problem. Percussing his tummy? No problem.  At the end of the semester I was even able to do a full 15-20 minute physical exam on him without him becoming bored or distracted.  He loved the process...and all the equipment required for it.

So when we were looking for "bribe" toys to reward Andrew during toilet training we found a complete "doctor's set" for him.  He has his own bag, stethoscope, syringe, blood pressure cuff, thermometer, band-aid, and otoscope.

Of course, as soon as he "earned" each of his doctor set pieces he had to instantly test them out on Daddy.

Using correct technique: pulling ear up and back

Cameron wants to try too!

Heart Sounds

Yesterday while I was at school Andrew found my stethoscope. 

His stuffed little monkey and little Cameron became his patients. I'm told it was very cute.

I don't think he found any heart sounds on monkey. 

The two little boys are growing up!

Cameron. Loves. Food.

Mommy's milk? He'll take it for sustenance.
Baby food? So not happening.
Solid food? Mommy food? Daddy food? Andrew food? Can we say excited, bouncing, squealing baby?

The baby theorists tell us that we should be slowly introducing foods and textures to Cameron a little at a time. If this is the goal we have abysmally failed. Cameron wants to eat absolutely everything we eat.  Wendy and I have at times had to become very creative in our food cutting and slicing skills so that Cameron can eat the food that everyone else is eating and that he so enjoys.

Artisan wheat bread? Loved it.
Asparagas? Loved it.
Carrots/Celery? Loved them.
Apples/pears? Love them.

The only thing that Cameron will refuse is anything pureed or that resembles baby food in any way.

Andrew gets ready by himself

Today Wendy and the boys were upstairs hobnobbing with Marsha upstairs. Wendy mentioned that Andrew should take a shower. No usually this prompts tears; until of course he's in the water at which point he giggles uncontrollably.  This time...was different.

Leaving Marsha and Wendy upstairs Andrew came downstairs and happily engaged in an Andrew project which Wendy shortly discovered as she came down the stairs.  A shirt here, a left shoe here, a right shoe there, continuing on until there were no clothes remaining. The sight at the end of the trail of clothes? A naked Andrew on the diaper changing table removing the tabs of his diaper. He was so excited for his shower, and obviously the parents weren't moving fast enough, so he got ready for his shower by himself. Oh, and he giggled the entire time while in the shower, just in case you were wondering. 

And Daddy sighs

I know, I know. All you experienced Grandparents and decades long parents are going to roll your eyes at me. Still, it is surprising how often my little toddler and baby surprise me with their capabilities and how quickly they seem to be growing up. I miss my "butterfly" crawling infant at the same time I'm proud of him for learning to actually pull himself up and cruise around the room. I imagine this feeling is only going to get worse as they "actually" grow up. 

Swim Fins

Due to my participation in a Health and Fitness challenge competition I've started to work out every day. This of course awakened my oft expressed but never accomplished desire to do triathlons. Thus, for the past week my workout bag has been rotating through running/biking and swimming gear.

I went swimming yesterday. When packing my bags for my 7 AM workout I took out my swim fins and paddles and placed them on the floor. I forgot to put the swim fins and paddles away in the closet prior to heading out to workout and work.

At 10:30 AM I received the following text from Wendy

Andrew: (Showing me your fins) Dada!

Me: Yes, Daddy uses that to swim

Andrew: Me!

Looks like you'll need to go swimming with Andrew

I responded that we would have to go swimming on Saturday. Wendy relayed this exciting information to Andrew. Andrew, of course immediately dropped what he was doing and started digging around in the storage room. Five minutes later he came out presenting his prize for Wendy to examine. He had searched and found the swim diapers. Andrew was ready to go swimming.

Later, when I came home. Andrew very excitedly brought me, one at a time, both of my fins, both of my paddles, and also a swim diaper. Appears, he wants to go swimming.

So that Saturday swim date I originally planned? Canceled.

We're going swimming tomorrow. 

Naptime routine

Naptime Routine

We've worked hard to create a consistent naptime routine for Andrew. By and large he lays down for his naps and bedtime relatively easily...as long as you willing to read a lot of books (which I am!). Today was not one of the easy days. We completed the routine, Andrew was in bed, thumb, in mouth, blanket over him, and kisses received. Usually this is the point where the parents say "night, night," leave, and the toddler goes to sleep.

Today at naptime...suddenly...thumb popped out of mouth...blanket was thrown off the bed..and toddler jumped out of bed.  Something had happened in his little toddler brain that shut off all synapses related to sleeping. These synapses did not restart despite the multiple, and sometimes painful efforts of his parents.  Including trying to let him take a nap with his parents. Abject failure.

Finally, we decided that Andrew needed to go and play somewhere because he obviously was not going to be taking a nap.  Due to how my brain is wired, Sunday afternoons are the only days that I can take a nap (too much to do on all the other days).  Wendy, being the saintly woman she is, decided to take one for the team and took Andrew out to play while I took a nap. 

Andrew, observant child that he is, caught on quickly. So he climbed up into the bed where I was laying, leaned over, gave me a kiss on the cheek,  and softly whispered  "night night" before leaving the room and closing the door.  Appears that Andrew's bedtime routine is now my bedtime routine also. 

The insight the toddler gives me.

Today's "It's disturbing the insight my toddler gives on my habits"  experience.

I was reading one of my textbooks while marking with a highlighter.
Andrew was next to me drawing on his papers with his highlighter.

I notice that Andrew has the unopened end of the highlighter stuck in his mouth while grinning widely at me. At which point I realize, my highlighter is in exactly the same position.  Appears I eat my highlighters when studying.