Super bowl XLVII!!!!

Andrew ready for the game - Go 49ers!!!!!!

Yes, the super bowl is so last, last week’s news for 99.99999999999999999999% of the world. But thanks to broken DVRs, sickness, and a husband who is just ever so slightly a masochist, we spent this last Tuesday watching Super Bowl XLVII at Karen and Jonathan's.

We watched the first half of the game at the Stuart house eating hot dogs and donuts while Amber and Andrew tried to outdo each other in cuteness. But alas, our patience/dedication was tested when the recording ended at half time.

We considered running to the next house and staying up all night to finish, but we were full of treats and game food that we decided we’d try again another day.

So Tuesday we pulled out the chips, hamburgers, cookies and pop we went over to the Skarda's to finish the game.

We all had a great time, well except for Ben. It was as if I hadn't accidentally told him that the 49ers had lost.

Andrew had a blast playing with cousin Samuel's toys.

Samuel also shared getting into trouble
techniques - first you open
 the cupboards........
(notice Andrew's face)

What??!!! We lost?? WHY didn't anyone tell me!!!!

Don’t worry, we watched the State of the Union address afterwards and all was right in the world again. What!?!! I love my husband. He’s one of the few people I enjoy watching sports with – probably because he describes the strategy behind the game and because he feeds me yummy food. Still, I am sometimes a little befuddled.

*Thank you to both the Stuart and Skarda families making it possible for us to enjoy the Super bowl. We love spending time with you and are of course, very appreciative of you being okay with our hyper-competitiveness. 

Discovery Museum

With a little one who is slightly more mobile than he used to Wendy and I decided to return to our roots. For our weekly family (sometimes date) night we went to a museum. The museum we chose to go to on February 8th was the Discovery museum downtown. Wendy loves museums, Andrew loves other kids and playing, and Ben loves taking pictures. Seemed like a good idea.

We are ready to play!

The museum has all kinds of fun things for "kids" to do. We (they) can play with Legos.

Not sure who is enjoying this more.

The big ones were more his size

Not Legos - but Andrew still enjoyed them

One of the features that I was looking most forward to introducing Andrew to was the water feature at the museum. I'm trying hard to not turn into the parent that forces his kids to love the same thing as I do; however, I will admit that I REALLY REALLY REALLY wouldn't mind if the little one learned to love water.  (Mrs. Silletto can kindly ignore the last sentence.)  Fortunately, it does appear that he is well on his way.

Ping Pong Balls float..that can be fun!

Splash!

Andrew also got to try his hand at imitating his Aunt Elizabeth by being a reporter. Andrew like many journalists played to his strengths.  He's cute but doesn't have much of a way in words. Television anchor seemed to fit him just right.

Reviewing the script with his editor
(do anchors have editors?)

Andrew came firmly out in support of licking ice cream with the tongue stuck out.

After a brief foray into TV news anchoring Andrew tried out some other career paths.

Actor in the beloved play "The Princess and the Frog"

Fashion consultant

Olympic Rowing
(He borrowed the boat from the Greek team)

Theoretical Physics and Chaos theory

Cowboy

Cashier

Personal Trainer

\One of the things that Andrew enjoyed the most during the museum visit was meeting new people. I keep expecting the little one to learn stranger anxiety.  Definitely not yet.  In fact, he goes out of his way to meet new and interesting people...especially when the new and interesting people are somewhere around his size. 

Some forays are successful.

Others are not.

Registered Nurse!!

It's official!! Just in case you don't believe me here's a picture from the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional licensing.

Dad to the rescue!!!

Dad to the rescue (Part 2 of 2)

Some people say thank heaven for little boys. I say, thank heaven for dads!

Andrew and Ben like to do things together.
Especially things involving water.

Today's adventure started when Ben stopped by my parents to get some computer help (thank you Kevin for fixing our computer!). While Ben took care of necessary business, Andrew amused himself.

This pictures gives you a sense of how much
Andrew likes their living room.

Always attentive to Andrew's sounds, Ben jumped at Andrew choking. He did the recommended "hit"  on the back to dislodge anything and swiped his mouth. Nothing.

This is where Ben's super dad skills stepped in. Andrew seemed somewhat off and kept crying and gagging intermittently. After a few false starts, Ben took Andrew to Primary Children's Medical Center. Despite worrying that he was being an over anxious dad because Andrew stopped crying half way to the hospital and fell asleep, Ben continued to the Emergency Room. With a questionable airway,  Andrew quickly jumped to the front of the line.

When I arrived fifteen or twenty minutes later I found Andrew in Ben's arms attached to oxygen and cords bellowing his displeasure. The head doctor was literally telling the ten or more doctors and nurses in the room, "Thank you. I'm glad we didn't have the worst case scenario." I agreed. Then I asked what happened.

Appears that Andrew was curious about the starter piece of scotch tape he found on the floor.

Scotch tape "top" that started today's adventure.
Ironically the pictures is triple the actual size.

Andrew choked on it until Ben knocked it off. Then it slipped around in the back gagging him as it passed. They found it stuck to the top of his soft palate.They used a tongue depressor and forceps to pull it out. The room of doctors and nurses were in case it went the wrong way and they needed to "worst case" intubate him or if it proved too slippery, even more "worst case scenario" remove it surgically.

The scriptures talk about small and simple things making a big difference (Al 37: 6-7). So while I prefer that small pieces of tape stay out of Andrew mouth and airway, I am grateful for all the other small things that kept this afternoon dramatic, but not disastrous -- Ben paying attention to Andrew's rather unexceptional symptoms, that the tape didn't move over his trachea, that I was at my desk to get Ben's phone call, that my dad recommended going to Primary Children's, that Karen convinced me to leave work, that I arrived to help calm Andrew down, and most of all that everything turned out okay.

So just three quick thoughts to end.
First, I like ground hog puppet souvenirs more than Andrew's souvenir hospital wristband.

Second, Andrew has been grounded. He is currently  just where I want him...safe behind bars.

Safe behind bars in his crib.

Third, because it's not reasonable or legal to keep Andrew locked up and safe I am glad that he has such a good Dad to take care of him. So yes, thank heavens for little boys AND for the dads who take care of them.

Andrew agrees with me. And, it looks like he's hoping he'll grow up to be just like his dad.

Oh, the places you'll go!

Oh, the places you'll go!
(Part 1 of 2)

Andrew's a baby who likes to go places. Today he got to go someplace new....he even got to bring home a souvenir (read about that in Dad to the Rescue Part 2 of 2).

Sunday Andrew officially started to crawl. Even before he mastered moving his hands and feet at the same time he's been scooting around finding all sorts of nooks surprises.

 

A computer hidden under the coffee table, stairs, and baskets all make Andrew smile.

 

From a young age Andrew has understood the beauty of
books and chocolate chips.

Whoops, he wasn't expecting that.

It's funny how many pictures show an adult behind him trying to keep up or divert disaster.

Ben looks a little unsure.

Crawling off the chair might not be
the best idea, Andrew!!!

To think, until recently it was us who put him in places and then he had to stay there because he had no choice.

Pans and babies make me laugh even though it is slightly wrong. 

Baskets

Bumbos

Hat? Check!
Sock monkey? Check.
Curiousity? Check. Check!!

by Wendy

Andrew meets Toy Story

Andrew's Aunt Dejah introduced him to Woody and Buzz. He likes Woody more.

The Stuarts get a new toy...and it's a fun toy.

For the past year or so we've encouraged those who would like to give us Christmas or birthday gifts to donate money to a cause near and dear to us. The purchase of a new DSLR Canon Rebel camera. Shortly after Christmas we were about to open a savings account to separate out those funds. When discussing how much money had been donated to the cause we were surprised by how much it actually added up to.  I had recently looked up the current balance of our cash rewards credit care; it was also higher than we expected.

The end result of the two higher than expected values? 

Yep. A Canon Rebel T3 with a 18-55 and a 55-250 mm lenses. Heavenly; is all I can say.