Precious Moments: Anticipation

Brandon has asked continually when the baby is coming...but all I can say is "soon".  The other day we skyped with Grandpa and Grandma and he discovered they were coming for a visit and to see the baby.  Now that's something we can put a definite timeline on.  He came to me the other day completely out of the blue and said, "Mom, maybe it would be a good idea if we could make one of those things where we tear off something to see when Grandpa and Grandma are coming."  (It took me a couple seconds but I finally caught on he wanted to make a chain.)  He tears off a chain and recounts the days first thing every morning, often before we even have snuggle time.  I think he's a little excited!  :)

On our way home from Salem last week, we wanted to stop in Seattle and do something fun together.  However, when we got there it was raining so hard we couldn't do any of the outside activities we wanted and the indoor ones we were thinking about were closed.  So instead, we went to the new Lego store in Alderwood Mall.  We had been there opening weekend (accidentally) a couple months ago but there was a 3 hour wait line to get in the store so we walked away.  This time we basically had the store to ourselves and it was so fun to watch the excitement on Bryan and the boys' faces while they walked around looking at all the different kits.  The boys each chose a kit to take home and in the evenings when there is extra time before bed, Bryan has been working with Brandon on reading the instructions and putting his cement mixer together.  He's doing incredibly well!  (Usually Micah and I play games together while they're doing that but this picture was too cute to pass up.) 

Wednesday blessings to you.

Down Time

A couple Saturdays ago, after some beautifully sunny weeks, albeit extremely stressful weeks, we decided to head out to the river for a hot dog roast. 

Sometimes despite the long baby-prep list yet unfinished, the crazy work schedule, the grueling duties that must be done, it's just as important to stop and play.

The gorgeous sunset made it all the more enjoyable!

Blessings

A Fun Shoot--Senior Pictures

We have had some absolutely brilliant sunshine and beautiful weather lately, which was especially nice Wednesday evening when I took some senior pictures.  Caira was a great sport, willing to try just about anything.  It made for a really fun evening.

Blessings

T-Ball and Other Doings

First practice was BRUTAL.  Brandon has a real and deep fear of change and new things and completely shuts down and/or panics.  We had tried to talk him through it as much as possible, but when we got to practice he simply refused to do anything the coaches told him to do.  I tried talking him through it yet again, but he just clung to me so eventually I ended up running the bases with him the first time...then he started relaxing.  This is the first picture I could take of him and you can see he's rather retisent but finally smiling.  At the end of practice they gave him his t-shirt and it was all over after that.  The t-shirt sold the whole thing to him and he has loved it ever since!

His team--the Blue Jays.  Their coach, Aaron, (the one in the matching t-shirt) is coaching because his daughter is the same way with trying new things, so he's really good with Brandon.  They both are very good with kids! 

Yesterday was their first "game".  They switched off hitting/outfielding three times, didn't keep score, and outs didn't count.  But they had fun!

Watching something far more interesting in the opposite direction the ball was coming from.  ;)

Look at that smile!

Micah and daddy had fun wrestling and being boys.

In other news...

We had marble-sized hail the other day that accumulated to about 1.5 to 2 inches in the back yard.  Bryan didn't get any at work...how odd is that.  The "storm" was accompanied by thunder and lightening which the boys found rather fascinating.  Micah has said several times since then, "Maybe thunder and lightening come back soon."

Last week Thursday the boys and I headed down to tromp around in the muddy tulip fields for a while and watch a glass blower work.  It was fun to get away from the crazy busyness we had going on last week.

Finally, the boys played at Grandma's house this week while I had my "baby doctor's" appointment.  Up to this point Brandon has always been the one driving the tractor and Micah climbs in the back.  When I said it was time to put toys away, Micah quick jumped on the tractor and uncharacteristically complying, Brandon jumped in the back and said, "Okay, Micah, you can take me for a ride."  Micah was totally okay with that and pumped those pedals all the way back around the garage with Brandon in the back...no small feat for those little legs!  I think riding his tryke to Bender Park the day before for the first time gave him the confidence to do it.  (Sorry, really bad phone picture, but it's what I had on me.)

Well, the sun is shining and my weeds are over a foot tall...guess where I'm heading... ;)

Blessings