Celebrating Adam's Big Day

We went to see Trouble at Haunted Mountain at the Great AZ Puppet Theatre. The boys were captivated. But when the puppeteers brought out the puppets after the show, Adam didn't want to get too close.


We stopped at the Storytelling Festival and relaxed in the grass as we listened to some great stories.


At home we presented our own puppet shows: The Tiger, the Mouse, and the Alligator (using Dallin's school-made puppets), Dave the Brave (presented by Caleb), and Murky Monster Gets a Scare.


Adam couldn't get enough of Mitch's two bear puppets, who were the emcees of our production. In between shows we played games that went along with the theme of each show.


Adam blew out the candles, and we ate balloon cupcakes and ice cream. Oh, and we taught Adam that instead of saying, "Fine," when someone asks how old he is, he can hold up two fingers and say, "Two." We're still working on that.


And Caleb and Dallin were very helpful in presenting Adam's presents, as well as opening them.


Fun day. Sweet boy. We love Adam.

Adam's Birthday

Yesterday marked two years since Adam was born. After his birth, I wrote in my journal that our brand new baby had "melted our hearts." That still fits. We can't help but smile when Adam is around.

I love how cheerful he is in the morning. When he wakes up he'll call, "Mom! Mom!" from his crib. I'll open the door. "Oh!" he'll gasp, "Good morning, Mom!" It's like the rays of morning sun coming in the window.



Adam's personality is warm and enthusiastic. His reactions to even simple things bring smiles. Today I tossed an empty box into the recycle garbage can. Adam was watching and when I sunk it, he said with a big smile, "Good job, Mom!"



I love the feeling of his little arms around my neck in a big hug. He loves giving his Daddy what we call "knock-over" hugs. That's when Adam puts his back to the front door and then races the length of our house into Dad's waiting arms and "knocks" him flat on his back. All our boys love doing this.

Adam is social and outgoing. It's fun to watch him spark smiles at the grocery store, park, or wherever we may pass someone by and he'll say, "Hi!" like he's been waiting all day to see them.

Adam loves his brothers, and looks up to them very much. It's endearing to watch Adam, in his excitement over something, say, "I go tell guys!" before running to share.


Adam loves music. He'll often tell me to "push triangle," which refers to the Play button on our CD player, so he can hear some music. Every night he insists that we sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and at least one verse of Follow the Prophet before he will say goodnight.

Adam loves to belly laugh. Whether it's from being tickled, chased, or something silly, Adam loves laughing. When he starts, you can't help but smile, or join in yourself. In fact, when he was younger and couldn't speak as well, he laughed anytime he wanted to communicate in the affirmative.

I love his little kisses, and I love to hear him tell me, "I wuv you, Mom."

This is what Caleb said when I asked him why he loves Adam: "He wants to play a lot. He helps clean up. He asks, 'Are you okay?' and says, 'Sorry.' He has good manners."

Here's what Dallin said when I asked him why he loves Adam: "Because I love him."

We all scream for...

...ice cream!

I love this picture. Incidentally, I love ice cream too. And since we're talking about love, I love these boys most of all.

What's for dinner?

"What are we having for dinner tonight?" Dallin inquired.
I told him that we were lucky because we get to have salmon, which is a kind of fish.
"I don't like fish."
"Oh, it's delicious." I told him. "And it's pink." I altered a familiar phrase from Dr. Seuss, "Some are red, and some are blue. Some are pink..." I paused, searching for the right ending.
"And some stink!" Dallin quipped.

Dallin did not eat his salmon. Dallin ate a baked potato.

Fall Break

We had a great week. We took it easy and enjoyed the freedom from our normal schedule. Here are some of the things we did. Click...



We made memories and shared laughter, and the only bad thing that I can think of was the moment I was nailed by an overhead bird at the zoo.

Mitch

This is the man I love...


Look quick.
He may ask me to pull this post, even though I tried really hard not to appear sappy. In fact I didn't really say anything at all, other than that I love him. Which is just a fact.

I didn't go on about his sense of humor, what a wonderful dad he is, or enumerate the ways he takes care of our family. I didn't gush about how he makes me feel like a queen. Nothing about how he pushes me to accomplish my goals, even when I have almost given up hope in them, or how the sun shines brighter when he is around.

Nah, he can have nothing to say about this post.

Chip Off the Old Block...Head

Sorry, babe. It's a working title.

When Mitch was a kid, he wore a bald spot on the top of his head from constantly performing headstands.


Dallin can't help himself really. It's in his genes. But we're hoping he'll keep all his hair.

Dallin also shares with his father the same taste in women. Tonight he told me that he wants to marry me when he grows up.


He was dinconcerted to hear that I was already taken. I assured him that I will always, always, be his mom, even if I can't marry him.

And I'm Embarassing

Yeah.



The other day we were talking about superheroes. Mitch made a comment like, "Mom is like a superhero. She's like...Supermom."(he's quite sarcastic, in a sweet sort of way), afterwhich I busted out what I thought was a pretty cool super-pose (think poised for heroic flight). Caleb, from his position on the floor said, "Mom, that's embarassing."
"What!?" I said.
"That's kind of embarassing for me."
Great.
I didn't even know he knew what it means to be embarassed.
And I thought his stopping me 100 yards from the crosswalk to school was just a sign of his independence. Wow. What will he do when he's a teenager? Claim I'm his crazy aunt?



All Caleb wants for Christmas are...

Fall and a Break in the Weather

I have been cold. Outside. This means a lot to us in the Valley of the Sun because it means the end of the endless summer heat! It means we have broken out jeans and close-toed shoes. We had hot soup for dinner last night and I have baked things in my oven for two days in a row (yes!).
Caleb helped me decorate these.


A quick look at the forecast, however, may put an end of this fall frolicking, as we are projected to be in the 90s again by Friday. *sigh*
Even so, I love this season. The boys get excited for Halloween and love spooky decorations, stories, and costumes. Who am I kidding? So do I!

I a Big Boy

There it is.


The last diaper.

Mom give me cool big-boy underwear with baseballs on. She talk a lot about putting pee in the potty. I ate lots of treats and juice and we play a game with Dolly. I give her a drink of water and she pee in the potty. It fun. Then Mom make me sit on my potty. For long time. She too excited. I didn't want to sit there. I told her I done. The potty feel funny around my bum. Then something happened. I make puddle on tile. It was my pee. It make my big-boy pants wet. Mommy not excited any more. She make me practice pulling my underwear down. She make me sit on the potty again and wipe up the puddle. I want my diapers back. But Mommy say I a big boy now.


She right. I Adam. I a big boy.

Sabbatical

This summer Mitch took his much-anticipated sabbatical (8 weeks). We packed up and left home for almost six weeks, traveling through many of the western states. Check out some of the things we saw and did!

Love

Yesterday, at a red light, I noticed a couple in the car next to me. I noticed the car turning left had "Happy Birthday" painted across the back window in pink. I noticed a family in a van as I turned, and I noticed the people in the parking lot walking with their kids or friends, or alone. I was struck by the thought that each of these people is loved, loves someone, or aches to be loved. As humans, we have a powerful capacity to love. Or to hate. I don't know why those busy scenes brought that thought to my mind, but I cherish the thought that each of us is loved by the same Father, who knows us all.

"Beautiful Chocolate"

Last night I baked chocolate chip cookies. As soon as they were cool enough, Caleb and Dallin snatched one off the rack and began eating. I gave Adam one on his tray and, as is our custom, began to read to them while the boys ate their treat.

Adam's cookie only had one visible chocolate chunk, and that was covered with an opaque layer of cookie dough. As I read, he picked at that layer of cookie with his fingernail until he finally pried it loose. "Mom!" he shouted. I stopped reading and looked at him. He threw out his arms and declared, "Beautiful chocolate!"

He's a boy after my own heart.