Munchkin

A quick little update on our ever growing munchkin

 Lewie is just a few days from being one and a half, and if I had to describe him in word, it would be busy. He is so happily busy. 

Lewis loves: 
walks /playing outside
watermelon and all other fruit
hot dogs and food in general
wrestling and "diving" on the couch or bed with Owen
when Daddy comes home
bed time
playing basketball with the little hoop
the bath and the pool

I was going to write a list of his dislikes next...but I honestly can not think of a single thing. He only cries if he's really tired or hurt. 

What Lewis does:

folds his arms while we pray

signs please frantically and over and over when he sees something he wants 

grunts loudly ALL day long (most days that is no exaggeration)

chooses not to talk. He has said a few words once or twice,but is quite satisfied with the results of his current communication. He can grunt and point, and get whatever he needs. 

laughs at Owen a lot

sleeps on his tummy with his bottom in the air

just began to get a little clingy and is now particular about the strangers he goes to

waves hi to everybody 

loves to throw his own diapers away

sings gibberish in the car (if Owen and I are singing)

runs to Treavor when he gets home from work

puts his hands in the air when we ask where something is

 

What I love about Lewis at this age:

he sleeps great at night, for about 13 hours

he is soft and warm and cozy and smells delicious after a nap. he will cuddle on my shoulder for about 3.5 seconds

he understands so much and follows lots of directions

he gets laughing really hard

he mumbles, tilts his head to the side and smiles like he's part of an adult conversation

he's gentle and loving. Even though he's learned to hit Owen it is promptly followed by a gentle kiss and a worried face.

State Fair

We went to the fair with Gram and "the girls" (mally, Haylie and Lindie).

A good time was had by all!

We loved the food, the children's discovery section, the baloons, and baby animals. There was the cutest little calf that was just a few hours old!

intently watching a dancer hanging from a hula hoop 

the celebration

Isn't 4 such an age to celebrate?! 

Boy did we celebrate!

This was the first year Owen fully understood what a birthday meant, and that the day would be all about him. I was hoping so badly that it would meet his expectations. 

He woke up bright and early around 6:30 on the crisp morning of September 11th, so we decided to open presents before we started our day. Lewie was still snoozing away, so it was just Owen, Treavor and I. He was excited about his gifts, all of which were superhero related. We had just enough time to play with his avengers and sing to him over his pancake breakfast, before he was off to preschool. While waving goodbye from his carpool car, he yelled out "thanks for giving me all those great presents!"

We picked Owen up from school and went straight to the zoo (one of his favorite places). It was so fun to have Treavor with us and it was a perfect day for the zoo (kind of overcast, and not crowded at all).

The new exhibits were so fun to see and Treavor kept saying "all the animals are putting on a good show for your birthday" they were! the elephants were trumpeting loud the seals were playing right by us, the grizzly bears were wrestling like crazy, and reminding us of two little boys we know. 

We loved this gorilla that just sat by the glass staring at us for about 5 minutes. Quite an amazing animal!

and the train is always a hit.

 After we left the zoo exhausted, sweaty and dirty we headed home and Owen got a favorite gift from grandma Kat.

Here he is in the Captain America suit she gave him.

Lewis insisted on getting a picture too.

 We ate Owen's favorite green noodles (tortellini with pesto sauce) for dinner, blew out candles, ate cake and called it a night.

What a fun age! He was so happy and grateful, soaking up every second of the celebrating.

Happy Birthday Treav

The world has been a happier place for a whole 31 years with this guy in it!

It seems as though every year I love treavor in a different way than the last. This last little while I have felt so grateful for his hard work! He just started his masters program at Westminster, and through the process of finding the best school (considering all different schools and moving out of state) He found the best one for his future career, his current job and his family (in salt lake city!). 

Life has been crazy and Treavor handles it like a champ. Through trying to sell our house, starting a new job, moving in with his parents, trying to keep up on homework, having a busy church calling, being so involved in the life of his children and catering to my every need, he has been nothing but happy and upbeat. 

Happy birthday to my best friend and biggest blessing!

We love you Treav!

Sweat pea

To my sweet pea Owie boy,
Tomorrow you turn 4! Four fabulous years with your bright eyes, big smile, inquisitive mind and wise soul. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making me happy every day. Every single day of the last four years you have brought me joy. You  made me a mama. You made me what I always wanted to be. 

 What a pleasure and a blessing and a miracle it has been to watch you grow. You have grown into a boy! Such a good boy who is so kind to the core.

 You have a love for life. You are happy when life is at it's simplest. Thank you for teaching me that there is fun and beauty in such regular days.

  *For about a year now, you've been wanting to lay in hammock. You've asked a lot, if we could get one. You had never tried one, just seen them in books. The other day you found this in Grandma Kat's neighbor's yard at a ward party. You were thrilled! (i'm sorry you won't be getting a hammock tomorrow)

You've been anticipating your birthday with such excitement for lot's of days!! I can't wait for tomorrow. We're going to celebrate YOU all day long!

I wish I could bottle it up

Today...I wish I could bottle it up and save it forever. 

Owen had his first day of preschool. The school invites parents to come the first day, so it was more like an orientation, which was so very kind to my emotions. I was thrilled that I didn't have to drop him off and leave. We got to meet his teachers and friends together, build with blocks together, find the bathroom together and play on the playground together. I'm so grateful that the whole experience was OURS and not something I had to wonder about. 

 Owen woke up excited to go and was so sweet while we were there. When his teacher asked him his name he said very seriously "Superman".

After a fabulous time at school for both of us, Owen and I went to go get Lewie from Gram's. We stayed for a while and took walks, played with Marley (who is currently staying with them, and is really an entirely separate post for an entirely separate time.. we are so grateful!) , played in the sandbox and went to Costco for lunch and fresh peaches.

While chatting with Mally at Gram's house someone mentioned city creek. Owen not knowing at all what city creek was asked to go there and I said ok.  I watched the boys in complete bliss, without a care in the world splash and play and run in the water. Then we walked over to the temple grounds. Owen loves going there and was chatting the whole way about angel Moroni and his trumpet, the tall steps, the pretty flowers and how people get married there.

Nothing spectacular happend today, but it was such a good day. Maybe it was because preschool put me in a particularly reflective mood and i was thinking about what a fabulous stage these busy little kids are at. Maybe it was because I was making a special effort to help Owen have a happy day, when I was worried about his nerves. Maybe it was because I got to see such tender qualities that he possesses While interacting with the children at school. Maybe it was because Owen was being so gentle and kind to Lewie and there was lots of laughter between the two of them. Maybe it was the fabulous weather and the spirit I felt as I talked to Owen about the sacred temple. It probably was a combination of all these things. All I know is, We  had a happy day.

Last night Treavor gave Owen a blessing for the new school year. It was so cute to watch his little body, curled up in a big chair sitting reverently and listening hard to the words Treavor had to say about him, and the upcoming events.
Here's a summery:

Heavenly Father and Jesus love you so much.
You are so special and smart and kind and fun.
Be friendly, look in your teacher's eyes and talk in a big boy voice.
You are so smart. Continue to learn and ask lots of questions.
Continue to be kind to lewie and help him learn to talk.
Obey mom and Dad. We love you so much.
Enjoy playing with friends and learning the alphabet.

I think it's going to be a good year.

Family photo

I'm so blessed to be a part of this clan!

I have grown and learned, and am a better person for knowing each of Treavor's siblings and their spouses.

Dennis and Kathryn are two of the most amazing people I know and should be so proud of the children they have raised.