Thursday, August 8, 2013

James' 4 yr Stats

I cannot believe that my little baby is four already.

Weight: 30.5 lbs (5th %tile)
Height: 39.5 in (45th %tile)

He's taller and lean.
He and his cousin Tanner can swap stories about trying to get pants to fit :)
 

This is a fun stage. He loves dragons, books, riding his bike, popsicles, his brother, his dog, catching butterflies, cars, tractors and farm equipment, trains, construction equipment, his monkey, outdoors activities like skiing and hiking and looking for animals. 
He is a very sweet boy, and will give a hug and kiss and come up and just say "mommy, I love you".
He likes me to lay with him as he falls asleep and will say "here's some blanket, here's a friend (a stuffed animal) to sleep with".
He loves his brother so much and the two now pretend play.

He thinks farting noises are funny, likes Despicable Me, still likes Disney movies, and likes the Magic School Bus series, How to Train Your Dragon (of course), wants a remote controlled helicopter and a pet dragon for Christmas.
He loves volcanoes, earthquakes, and nature type films. He likes umbrellas, planes and jets and rockets, and can make the best noises to go with his toys. He likes learning, and will tell you all about something that he is very interested in from volcanoes to spiders to dragons.

He is my little buddy, and a great snuggler, and I love how he'll say "mommy, it's time to get up, the sun came back". He's always willing to make friends and try new experiences, doesn't eat much, but will share his treats.  He doesn't like jam, sauces, or broken rolls.  Peanut butter sandwiches are a favorite. He likes swimming now which is new from last year! We love you little buddy!!

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

James turns 4 and Jack turns 2!

James and Jack turned 4 and 2 on Sunday, and we got to have a special dinner for them.
The Kutterer's got to come and share that with them.
I can't believe that they are already this big!

Enjoying the new swing set with Daddy

The boys had an excellent time trying to throw water on cousin Tanner

Another dinosaur cake after dinner!

James showing Kira his new squishy dragon.

Two toehead clowns :)
Oldest handsome boys

 Happy birthday!!!

A Dinosaur Party!

 Saturday we had a birthday party for the boys! (Mind you we had just driven back from Denver on Friday, and before the party there was a family reunion in Centerville for the Hiller side we attended.  Needless to say, I stayed up the 
night before very late decorating and making sure everything was ready. )
The invitations to a dinosaur party!
The googlie eyes made it, and we glued the eyes onto every invitation.
I had moms text me asking when the party was because their kid had carried the invitation around so much because he/she loved the eyes, and now it was lost.
Also the cute diddy came to me while I was dozing off one night, it was perfect.

 Before the kids...

 ...looks ready to go!

 Early morning opening of presents from Grandma Kathy and Papa

 From Mommy and Daddy

 Kids are here, let the games begin!
We did dinosaur gliders, digging for dino bones and fossils in the sand box,
searching for baby dinosaur eggs (with a little rubber dino inside!)...
 ...the biggest hit was the dinosaur pinata!

 Jack takes a turn

 James is up.
We had 18 kids come, and all had at least one turn swinging the bat.

 Opening presents
We lost control five seconds after we said we were going back in to open presents.
Kids were running in, opening the present they had brought, then handing it to James and Jack.
It was sort of controlled chaos at most parts of the party, except the pinata. That part was all controlled, and the kids listened and followed directions on that one.

 Dinosaur cupcakes!

 Cake!
Dinosaur cupcakes, we had ice cream, but with everyone having a cupcake, and we decided to herd them outside to avoid a messier cleanup, we actually forgot about ice cream until after the party!
Jack blows his out too.

Happy Birthday to my two favorite boys! 
How special to share a birthday with brothers!

Colorado Trip: Part 2-Denver

So the next part of our Colorado trip we were in Denver from Tuesday through Thursday, and left Friday morning.  Tuesday Nathan had to go to Pueblo early in the morning to meet with a client.  Funny thing was he didn't even have nice clothes to wear, and had to go to Target that morning to purchase something (wonder if we could expense that...just kidding, ha! If only!). Tuesday I took the kids and my parents to the butterfly pavilion in Denver, where butterflies fly all around you in a large jungle-like glass pyramid type room. They also have other very interesting exhibits there. James and Jack are into catching butterflies right now (or the small moths in the lawn) with nets, and with my Dad always teaching us how to raise them, this was perfect. 

 Tuesday:
 Saw a car across from my parents place which is just like Mater!

 Boompa and Grammies dog Ellie with James

 James held Rosie the Rose-haired tarantula

 Mommy did too! (I was more scared than James!)

 A Mexican Red-kneed tarantula

 Checking out the beehive, with a bee counter! 
The bee's could go in and outside through a tube that could count them, pretty interesting.

 Touching starfish

 James with  butterflies

 James watching one drink from a puddle along the pathway

 Learning about butterflies
That was so hot, with the sun baking down on that glass pyramid.
Three butterflies landed on Jack's head three different times during this presentation, 
but I was holding him and trying not to melt so I couldn't get a picture.

 Giant Mantis!

 Grandma Kitty and James both saying cheese,
not the best word to get them to smile :)

 Later that night when Nathan joined us we had August Moon chinese food
James used some chopsticks!

 Jack did too! And got the food in his mouth!

 Grammies reading bedtime stories.

Wednesday:
Nathan took a bike ride this day, and we really were just spending time with 
my Grandma Kitty and Grammies during the day, so that was fine.
Well, what was supposed to be about a fifty mile ride turned into an 86mile ride
because he missed turning south again and got a bit lost!  
Over two hours late, and with every other adult not helping trying to get to
dinner at Kyle and Carol's house, we finally made it!
 August Moon for dinner again!
(It is that good!)

 James loved the puppies, of course.

 Aunt Carol! James and Jack have a GAC (Great Aunt Carol)
just like I have a GAC (Great Aunt Carol Berridge!)

 Uncle Kyle with his favorite great-nephews :)

Thursday:
 Went out to ride Cinnamon! 
Got to sit in the bobcat which is a plus for the boys

 Petting another horse there

 Feeding Cinnamon carrots

 Cinnamon, Boompa, and James

 Up on Cinnamon, I remember when I was six and my parents got her.
She's been around for a long time, 
and I'm glad my kids will have some memories with her too.

 James held on all by himself...

 ...I think that is my concerned/concentrating face.

 Jack liked riding too!  
He wasn't scared this time, and was excited to ride the horse.


 A tractor picture of course

 One last bobcat ride again.

 Then we got to see Grandpa and Grandma Colman.
They are like my grandparents, and take that role seriously, 
he used to be our Bishop and our home teacher.
I love them, and was glad we could have
 dinner with them and spend some time with them too :)

More Grandparents!

 Grandma Kitty and her grandkids

Friday morning:
Heading back to Utah, so some final pictures.
 Getting all three to look, and smile, at the camera was impossible.
This is still pretty cute though, and shows their personality

 Cute goodbyes

 Love yous

Love you Grammies!!!!
We were so happy she was better so that we could spend time with her!
This was the first trip this summer where the boys really got to see her
and she was out of the hospital and rehab center.
She is doing so, so, so much better, and we are so grateful.