3 years, 6 months

Dear Son,

You are a three and a half year old! You keep asking me when your birthday is and how old you are going to be. I reply by telling you your fourth birthday is in 6 months. You have all kinds of variations with how you repeat that bit of information. The excitement is the same.

You are excited to be big and go to school and I am excited for the three year old stage to be over. I have heard belligerence is worse at three than at two. I didn't really believe it, but this past month I really do. I won't say more than that.


We had a good day today! We played with your friend Joslyn, went to the library, went to visit another friend with a cool train set, explored your new found artistic outlet: perler beads, we made muffins, took some to a neighbor, raced home (I let you win) and went shopping (I would pick out clothing, pretend I was wearing each item, do a dance for you then ask your opinion). You agreeably took a bath when we got home and went to bed with a V8 Fusion smile on your face.

You are such an energetic kid! You are constantly talking to everyone that will give you the time of day. And if they don't... you try harder. You voice your opinion on everything. I was embarrassed a couple weeks ago at the DWS office when you corrected a lady on the pronunciation of your name because she repeated it back to you with a Latin accent. I was blushing again today when you told our friend she was too big to fit in our car. I am trying to take it all with a grain of salt and remember you're still learning tact. Then there is the tattle-telling on playmates, telling me every other word I say is a bad one, saying your sorry with the meanest voice ever, etc. You surprise me in good and bad ways with your observations. Some make me laugh so much and others make me want to find some duct tape.

All that aside, I am amazed at your vocabulary this past month. You are using words like "carefully" and "dangerous." It's just another testament that you are growing up. It really is a great thing to witness! You are a lot of fun despite your lack of energy channeling skills.

I hope you know how much I adore you and fawn over you. Not just when you are asleep either. You are one of a kind. The mold was certainly broken for your creation. I am learning much from you. Mainly about patience and channeling my own kind of energy.

You are the best, kid! I love you to the moon and back (even though you only love me to the stove). ;)

Love you always,
Mom

Thursday was divine

Yesterday Liam and I met up with my great friend Kate at the Aquarium. She brought her friend JJ and he was so adorable. Being that both the boys are three, you never know if they will butt heads or laugh their heads off together. They got along great.




After the aquarium, we went to Paradise Bakery for a delicious lunch! The kids behaved really well! Then we went to a nearby park and enjoyed the sunshine. It was nice to sit and relax in the middle of a Thursday with a good friend like Kate.



They both gave great hugs to each other and Kate and me before we said good-bye.

Liam fell asleep on the way home and transferred to his bed without waking. A miracle. So I took advantage and took a nap too! It was so wonderful! Drool wonderful.

Liam-glish 101 - Take 6

Word: "Shump"

Context: "When I shump off my dresser, I get in trouble."

Liam-glish 101 - Take 5

Word: "Bitawin"

Context: "Mom, gummy bitawins are so yummy. Can I have anowon?"

Blissful weekend

So the weekend wasn't a total waste.

Ian convinced me to call K and see if we could spend a day or two with them after we picked up the car. We'd only be 90 minutes away, and the weekend could end on a happy note. I called her and she said the whole weekend was clear and we were welcome to come.

I am so grateful to K's talents as a hostess. She always ensures I am relaxed and every need is taken care of. The old time town and dollhouse neighborhood they live in is an added bonus. We had a wonderful time to say the least!

Here are a few moments captured.

Kids playing in the dirt before we left on our twilight walk.

The kids proudly displaying their junior officer badges gifted to them by an officer passing by.

Good friends burning off steam before bedtime.

No words for this one.

Libary reading time with the Cat in the Hat. They also enjoyed games, treats and free books.

Kids hamming it up in the camper trailer - the number one toy of choice.

The neighbor took it upon himself to coach the three boys on how to hit a baseball.

K doing what she does best - Being a great example of a loving mother and reading to the kids.

(Oh and I almost forgot to mention that K showed me her vintage pattern collection recently inherited from her grandmother. What fun! We also took a trip to a flea market and found other old time treasures and purchased a few.)

Taking a trip with no destination

Yesterday morning Liam and I headed up to Idaho for a long weekend. We didn't make it even half way. The car decided to poop out on us. It just shuddered and died on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

Since the battery light came on I thought all I needed was a jump. So I jumped out of the car and flagged the first minivan I saw. They stopped! Two seconds of trying and someone stopped? What a blessing.

The folks that owned the minivan were named Jon and Colleen. The names of angels. They tried to jump me, but we couldn't get the cars close enough together. Jon asked me to try to start the car anyway. I did and it worked... for about 15 seconds. Then it shuddered and died again.

They called their dad in Layton and he apparently called dispatch to get me a tow. The tow was to show up in 15 minutes. So I told them that was great and to get on their way with their three little ones. We went to our respective vehicles. They went a couple inches then stopped the car. Jon got out and walked towards me. I rolled down the window and he gave me a wad of cash. I pushed it away and said that wasn't necessary. He said Colleen said I had to take it. I was humbled. They gave me $60. I immediately thought of the gas costs overall to get this all taken care of.

I called Ian to tell him the car situation. He made arrangements to leave work and head my way.

Instead of a tow truck, a state trooper showed up 30 minutes later. I had Liam in the front seat with me and had a DVD going for him to pass the time. I opened the passenger door for the policeman. He was so nice to Liam and asked him what he was watching. Liam replied, "The car is broken."

He offered to take us down the road 30 miles to the closest town. He was confident I could leave my car for the tow and they wouldn't have problems without having the car keys. I relayed that he was supposed to be a tow guy and now I had to make arrangements for that. So he told me that he'd wait in his car until plans were made. My insurance gave me the information I needed and assured me that towing was covered on my plan. I talked to the tow guy, Reggie, and he said I shouldn't leave my car. He'd have a much harder time loading it without the keys. He'd be there within 30 minutes.

I told the officer my plan to stay and wait. He didn't like leaving me there. He told me to call 911 if I needed anything and then advised me to put Liam in his car seat. Both of us should have seat belts on if a car were to ram into us while we sat there. After getting Liam strapped in, I waved good-bye to the officer.

Reggie arrived about 25 minutes later. Liam was beyond impressed with the rig that we got to ride in. Reggie was so great with Liam and very nice all around about our predicament. We arrived at a mechanic's and Ian arrived not 5 minutes later. I was glad he got to meet Reggie. We were well taken care of and Liam had made a new friend. As we were all talking outside, Reggie lifted him up to the driver's seat so he could blow the horn. He scared himself to death, but was so impressed at the same time! We said good-bye and went inside to wait for the diagnosis of the car.

The fuel pump needs replaced. Grand total cost: $995.

YIKES.

The car would be fixed in 24 hours. So we decided to hop in Ian's car and head home. We stopped to get some dinner and then Liam and I zonked out for the rest of the drive. It was such a long day for all of us though. Liam had woken Ian at 5am that morning.

Today we head back north to pick up the car and pay the hearty bill. What a way to start off the weekend.

More Easter Fun

Here is Liam going at the pinata Sunday afternoon. He really beat that thing! It was fun to watch all the kids.

Monday was divine

This stay at home gig is really fun so far. Liam is so great to spend time with. Today, after breakfast and a fraction of Madagascar 2, we enjoyed the sunny spring day by...

Going on a bike ride, chatting with some neighbors along the way, eating lunch together, playing hide and "sneak", playing with play-dough, painting wooden cut outs and throwing the bouncy ball around.

I'll forget it if I don't say it: It's so funny when the bouncy ball occasionally ricochets off his head. He laughs hysterically and so do I! I never knew bouncy balls were that much fun.

I had dinner ready for us when Ian walked in the door. (If I had only put on real clothes I'd have felt totally together and organized about that.) Ian talked Liam into eating his meatloaf because it would make him so strong like Daddy. He showed Liam his big bicep and Liam took the bait. He ate a few bites and then rolled up his sleeves to reveal the magic happening already. We love eating dinner as a family. It brings out the funniest comments in Liam.

After dinner I was really drowsy. Getting a little too much sun yesterday and toting Liam behind me with the bike today... a reminder that I am not only totally pale, but out of shape too. So I went and lay on the bed while Liam and Ian played Kung-Fu Panda video games for a bit.

Then to my surprise, Ian took Liam out to help mow the lawn. I got some good winks while they were out there. When the yard accessories stopped making their respective noises, I went outside to compliment the good work. Liam was so happy to report on his duties as assistant landscaper. Ian then announced that we needed to go get milkshakes.

I didn't argue. (Though I still looked very not-put-together.)

A great Monday!

Liam-glish 101 - Take 4

Word: "Washclob"

Context: "Mom, can you get me a washclob to clean my monkey arms?"

The many faces of Liam - on Easter

I love his face! Here are the good ones I captured today... I didn't take a photo of the huge fit he threw this afternoon. I think all the candy finally went to his head.

Before church

Driving to see Uncle Drew and Uncle Tyler

Hamming it up between chase sessions with Wyatt

More photos to come of the fun we had at Joslyn's house today.

Egg Fun

Tonight after playing Kung-Fu Panda video games with his dad, Liam had fun dying eggs and then adding faces, hats, etc. I boiled 7 eggs and we now only have 4 survivors. We had to add a few plastic eggs to the mini wardrobed crowd.

Catching up

Here are some photos the past week or two. I haven't been that great about journaling since the end of March.

I think it was April 1st or 2nd that we made brownies together. He made a mess afterward licking the spatula. Too cute.


Here he is cheesing it up while he slurped his applesauce at a late hour April 4th. He fell asleep at 7pm and then woke at 10. He enjoyed the movie Bedtime Stories with us and then ate bananas, applesauce and buttered bread. He was in such a good mood (and so so adorable when he first woke up).

Sunday morning I set him up with his coloring supplies and a little packet of church related things to color so I could watch General Conference in peace. This photo shows how he colored President Monson's face yellow.

Wednesday morning Liam helped me pot some of our seedlings on the front porch. He did all the dirt pouring and watering. So so helpful!

After potting a lot of our plants, we went to feed the ducks. We laughed when we arrived because before we even got out of the car, all the ducks, geese and seagulls were headed our way. They came right up to us long before we got anywhere near the water. We ran out of bread too fast, as usual.

After the ducks, we went to the library and read books. We left with quite a stack! Liam was so excited to show his dad when we got home!

Thursday we spent a lot of the day at my friend Paula's house. Her little girl, Kennedy, entertained Liam for hours. Here they are playing with play-dough.
This morning we received a package from Grandma Dixie and Grandpa. Liam loves the farm animals and barn they sent! That and a paddle ball game with Lightning McQueen on it! FUN! The rest of the Easter stuff we'll give to him on Sunday.


I am sure the weekend will yield lots of Easter photos. We are going to Joslyn's house on Sunday for an egg hunt and bbq.

Throwing Rocks and Finding a Rainbow

Thursday night we went out to get a bite to eat. Afterward, we headed home and Liam could tell what our destination would be. He said he didn't want to go home, so Ian suggested we go out and look at the lake. Liam liked that idea! So we kept driving.

We arrived at the lake and Liam saw lots of rocks. He immediately wanted to get out of the car so he could throw all those big rocks into the lake! I stayed in the car because it was really cold and rainy. A few minutes later, I thought I should take a photo of the boys out there. To my surprise a rainbow had appeared!

So beautiful!

Liam-glish 101 - Take 3

Word: "Dombidos"

Context: "Dombido's pizza is yummy! I also like to play with dombidos."

Liam-glish 101 - Take 2

Word: "Anowon"

Context: "Mommy, I want anowon of those circle crackers."