Spring Break and Dean’s Party

Our schedules still pretty much follow the school calendar since Matt is still in school and we both substitute teach for the school district and my piano students have days off when they don’t have school. So we still get spring break. :)

We didn’t go on a fancy vacation but we had lots of fun anyway. We went to Cheyenne just to get a couple things and it was a very productive trip. Dean was crying in the car and Brennen said, “Cool it, Dean!” Compassionate… But then he and I sang Dean songs and it was better.

On Friday we went to the temple. We hadn’t been for a long time, it’s so much harder to go when you have kids! But I know we’re blessed to have a temple only about 2 hours away. So we just took the boys with us and took turns going in to the temple. It was a really good, spiritual day, even outside with the boys. Brennen started singing made up songs about how he loves the temple and then he sang the real “I Love to See the Temple” song. It was so cute! They loved the fountain. They were SO good in the car even though it took like 3 hours to get back because of traffic. We JUST missed the huge storm which was good!

On Saturday my parents and brother Kasey came and we celebrated Dean’s birthday a few days early (we’ll probably do another little “party” on his real birthday on Wednesday). It was really nice to see them. We went to the dinosaur museum here on campus then had cake and ice cream. Later that night we went out to eat and spent time playing and talking.

Brennen LOVES dinosaurs these days. He was in heaven.

My sailboat cake. And cupcakes that are supposed to look like fishing poles catching fish (my frosting was a bit too thin…) I am SO not crafty in any way so I’m proud of the little I can do. :)

Dean eating cake. He wouldn’t just dig in so I was feeding him with a fork but then he was upset about that and cried a bit. :) It was actually funny and cute, though.

Opening presents. He got a book of nursery rhymes, a couple toy bath tub boats, an ostrich and a deer and some cute clothes from Grandma (he’ll be getting a couple more things on the real b-day).

Fun times with Grandma and Grandpa!

It was a nice little break and now we’re back to the grind! Matt goes back to class this week and is subbing today. I’ll start my full-time long-term sub assignment as soon as the jr. high choir teacher has her baby (any day now).

He Speaks!

All of a sudden, within the past week or two, my 11 1/2 month old Dean can say several words in correct context! His little voice isn’t quite as clear and easily understood as Brennen’s was at the same age but it sure is cute. :) So here is what he says.

• Cracker: “ca-ca”
• Dog: “dah”
• Blanket: “bay-keh”
• Catch: “caaa!” (he says it while throwing a ball and we’ve said it to him before)
• Ball: “bah”
• Drink: “doo-ee” (he says it when I present a sippy cup)
• If I say, “Ready, set…” he’ll sometimes say, “go!”
• Mom: “mum mum mum” (he says while pointing at me).

This is Dean after I allowed him to eat ravioli by himself… not doing that again in the near future!

Here are a few more things he does.

• He’s good at throwing a ball one handed.
• He figured out how to click his tongue and does it all the time now.
• He’s started to point at things he wants.
• He can climb onto anything! I really have to watch him sometimes.
• He throws fits sometimes… :)
• I thought he’d be walking by now but nope. No interest. :) But he can stand alone. He uses the furniture or walls to pull up still but then he’ll let go and just stand there for awhile. Then when he realizes what he’s done he’ll fall down on purpose.
• He LOVES his blanket from Grandma Hope. He won’t go into or out of his crib without it.
• He still doesn’t sleep through the night but is a good napper (opposite of Brennen).
• He can put shapes into the shape sorter. He doesn’t get it right every time (he probably gets lucky when he does!) but if I point to the right one he’ll put it in by himself.
• He is SO quick to smile and laugh.

It’s crazy to me how fast he’s growing up! He and Brennen are getting along better every day and really like to play together. I love being a mother to these two little boys!

I actually think Brennen looks a little like me in this picture! It’s usually hard for me to see myself in my kids.