Friday, April 26, 2013

all of my boys

It's a rare occasion that we all get to be together during daylight hours. Most families have the weekends to hang out. But we run on a slightly different schedule than most families. I work Friday and Saturday nights... which means I am home on Saturday, but if I don't sleep then I'm basically awake from the time I get up with my boys on Friday morning and stay awake until Sunday night which is about 36 hours with no sleep. So I sleep on Saturdays and Kyle is so sweet to let me catch a good cat nap on Sunday mornings too, but I'm normally so wiped out that I have to crash after church as well.

This particular Sunday I decided that I had had enough. I wanted time with my boys.

All of them.

At the same time.

So we had Charlie jump in the back of the car and we headed up our favorite little canyon. It was a beautiful day and we had so much fun throwing rocks in the river and playing fetch with Charlie.

I realized as I took this picture that I'm slightly outnumbered.

One girl, four boys.

Wait, make that five, there were five boys on this outing... I'm getting more outnumbered as we speak and I love it.

It was a perfect Sunday afternoon.

Monday, April 15, 2013

The big four.

 This big boy turned 4 in March. I can't believe how fast he has grown up! He is such a sweet little rambunctious boy and we just love him.
I interviewed him on his birthday, just to see what he would have to tell me now that he's 4.
What do you want to be when you grow up Bridger?  An engineer that fights ghosts. (we've never heard that one before... but he's stuck with it since his birthday.)
What is your favorite food? Strawberries
What is your favorite dessert? Strawberry pie
What is your favorite animal? Elephant
What is your favorite movie? The Grinch... the old one (he actually means the one with Jim Carey, the new one to him is the cartoon version)
What is your favorite color? It's still black (it's always been red, but he thinks that now that he's 4 he has to come up with a new one)
What's your favorite toy? Buzz Lightyear
Who's your best friend? Porter and Mac at school
What's your favorite number? 1
What's your favorite game? Cat in the Hat game, Candyland
What's your favorite thing to do outside? Ride my bike
Favorite song? Twinkle Twinkle
Favorite book? The Grinch and Calvin and Hobbes and I like lots of books
Where do you want to go on your mission? To Madagascar with Porter
Do you still suck your thumb? No (Yes, he does)
What can you do now that you're 4? Not suck my thumb
Tell me five things that you are good at. (I ask the boys this question frequently and I normally get some really good solid answers... Bridger was apparently on a roll on his birthday.)
1. I'm good at doing what I do.
2. I'm good at getting a cake by myself.
3. I'm good at riding in our car.
4. I'm good at growing oranges on trees.
5. I'm good at not riding in someone elses car.

He's a sweet kid. He has so much personality. Bridger never stops moving...even when he's asleep. It's a good thing his mattress is still on the floor cause when he's asleep he considers the whole floor his bed. Rarely is there not a part or all of his body on the floor. He still loves blankets, the green one my mom made for him is still his favorite. It's getting quite worn, but he sleeps with it every night.

He still sucks his thumb, although he tries really hard to stop. He told Kyle the other day that "my thumb is my favorite snack". Which is funny because I found him chewing something the next day and when he told me it was "the end of my finger" (his nail) he also mentioned that those are his favorite snack.

His real favorite snack is strawberries. Whole strawberries. He loves them.

He doesn't like chocolate, at least not real chocolate. He'll eat brownies, but he's not a fan of anything with chocolate that has the milky chocolate texture to it, no chocolate chip cookies, chocolate candy bars etc. In fact he doesn't like many desserts... cake, cookies, cobblers. But he loves frosting, candy (gummies and anything that is fruity flavored), ice cream, popsicles and gum.

He loves to eat meatballs, he asks everyday if dinner is going to be meatballs. He would eat them all day everyday... as long as he could have apples and strawberries as snacks (and fingernails and his thumb apparently).

When he was three, he told us many times that he didn't like a certain foods, but that he would like them when he was four. He doesn't like potatoes in any form (except for fries, but I don't think that counts). He has told us that he would like potatoes when he was four. Since he turned four we've had potatoes in a few different meals and he's choked them down. Last night he announced that he doesn't like potatoes. When I reminded him that he told me he would like them when he was four he told me, 'I'll like them when I'm 61."

Star Wars is the greatest in his eyes. He loves everything to do with Star Wars, but R2D2 is his favorite. He plays with "lightsavers" all the time (the Easter bunny brought the boys lightsabers) but if he doesn't have his actual one, he'll pretend anything is a lightsaber. A bat, his fork, a helmet, his shirt... they're all "lightsavers". 

Bridger loves Charlie. He thinks Charlie is the greatest, which is fantastic because he was terrified of him when we got him. But Charlie likes Bridger as well and they've become good buddies. Despite my warnings not to let Charlie get in his face, Bridger likes to lay down on the ground and call Charlie over to him to lick his face... he thinks it's hilarious.

Shorts are his favorite piece of clothing. He would wear them all day everyday. In the snow, in the rain, in freezing temperatures. He changes out of his pants and into shorts whenever he sees them in his closet. He loves them.

Bridger is so independent. He wants to do everything himself and show you that he can do it all. He is fearless (hence the reason for so many injuries and his poor mothers nerves.) He likes to argue and he likes to test his boundaries on a daily basis. But he's my buddy. He likes to cuddle and have me read him books. He's very sensitive and caring and wants to make everyone happy. He loves to share with kids that are sad and give them his toys... including his brother.  He doesn't like anybody to be sad and will cry when others get hurt, or when his brother gets in trouble.

We love this little boy. I just can't believe my baby is four.
Happy Birthday Bridge!

Monday, April 1, 2013

Neskowin

 On our last full day at the beach Kyle wanted to show me a beautiful little beach that he had stumbled onto the day before. We ditched the boys at the beach house and headed for this beautiful little spot.
 It was breathtaking.
We walked up and down the beach for a while and talked about how we have to return to Oregon again soon. It had been 10 years since I was last there... our plan is to return before another 10 years pass.

It was a beautiful vacation, one that we will remember forever.
Great company, great memories, great food!
Thanks for the good times Carri and Dave! It was a fantastic vacation.