Tyson - August 2012 - 8 Months

Oh Tiger, how we love you in our family.  You are such a twerp about 80% of the time, but that other 20% makes up for it all the way!  I'm not sure how that works, but I was never very good at math...

We decided to try another camping trip with you after Uncle Dusty and Aunt Sylvia invited us to go with their family.  We left Thursday, and your dad had work off clear until Sunday, but we were taking bets on how long we (as in YOU) would make it.  I'm happy to say that you did awesome!  Much, MUCH better than our last camping trip.  It still wasn't very easy by any means, but you definitely felt better and slept better than the last time we had tried camping with you.  Good call bud.  I'm pretty sure if you were a camping dud the second time around your dad might have tried to talk me into finding a good home for you ;)

One of the days we were there all adults and the big kids went for a long 4-wheeler ride while you and I stayed back at camp.  We had such a nice time!  You took a nap and then I tried to take a nap (stupid dogs kept barking!), then we got up and ate lunch....

... and then the clouds started to move in.  I thought, Oh a nice little sprinkle will feel good!  It's been too hot out here in the afternoons...  Well that nice little sprinkle turned into a downpour REALLY fast!  I tried my best to get all the camp chairs under the awnings while holding you with one arm, and then we sat down under the awning of Uncle Dusty's trailer to watch the lightning and listen to the rain and thunder.  That didn't last long, because this was the look on your face...

You really weren't as scared as that picture makes it look, but pretty soon the rain was coming in sideways under the awnings (and soaking all the chairs anyway), and the lightning was starting to hit a little too close for comfort, so we went into the trailer to listen instead.  Even with the rain we had a nice time hanging out at camp together.

You still don't have any teeth yet, so my options are still limited as far as what to feed you, but boy do you love your solid food.  This is what happened one morning when I wasn't shoveling your pears in your mouth fast enough...

It's not very smart to smack the spoon from the lady who is trying to feed you.  I borrowed a food grinder from Meridee, and your favorite thing to eat for dinner is spaghetti.  We ate it for a few meals last week (Dad left for Idaho, so we had a bunch left over), and you liked it so much that I made it again tonight.  You also love your fruit for breakfast and your cardboard (oatmeal) cereal at dinner.  You would eat an entire container of puffs in one sitting if I would let you, and Cheerios (baby crack) are right up there at the top of your list too.

Logan and Tessa still LOVE to love on you.  I caught this picture the other day.  It doesn't do the look on your face justice because I could read in your eyes that you wanted me to help you.  Yep, you are wearing Tessa's pink tutu.  Instead of helping, I pulled out my phone to take a picture.

For the most part you've been a decent baby when we try to go do fun things this summer, as long as you aren't tired, or hungry, or just cranky for no reason....  I really have to time things just right!  Here are a few pictures of you being cute and not cranky while we were out having fun...

At the Ranchos park.  The big kids played, you tried to figure out how to keep the flies off your arm.

At home after swimming at the Fredonia pool.  I threw on Logan's T-shirt to cover you up for the ride home.  Then you slept like a rock for your nap and woke up just as adorable and wide-eyed as can be.

At the splash pad in Hurricane.  We stayed and Grandma and Grandpa Hillier's house for a couple nights, and you thought the splash pad was okay.

On a walk in the stroller after a summer storm.  You are kind of glaring at me in the picture, but you really did enjoy our walk.  They have become my secret weapon to stop you from being cranky for 2 hours before your bedtime.

You haven't stopped growing, and the last time I weighed you, you were over 19 pounds.  It's about time to break out the bigger carseat!  I had you in the infant carrier today as we were taking some papers in to the elementary school.  I walked about 5 steps with you that way before I turned around and put the carseat back in the truck and just hauled you in on my hip.  It's WAY to heavy to try to carry you in that thing these days, and you are sure trying your best to break my back.  You haven't really gotten too far in learning to crawl, but I can't say that I'm surprised.  Tonight you were on your belly and I put a couple puffs a few inches away from where you could reach to see if you would squirm your way up to them, and as soon as they hit the floor Logan and Tessa each reached for them to put them closer to you!  You have no need to learn to crawl - you've got 2 slaves that will DO anything for you so you don't have to move.  It's so cute to see you stretch and reach and wiggle your legs to try to move around when I do tell them to make you get things yourself.  You're just adorable.

We love you Tiger,
Mom

Logan - August 2012

As I write this we are soaking up the last few days of summer before the big Kindergarten starts next week.  I have definitely noticed little changes in you as I think you are starting to feel that this is getting real, quick!  You were more nervous last week, but then we were able to stop in and meet with your teacher, Mrs. DeMille, and then went back again yesterday so you could do a few little assessments and pick your spot on the rug and find your cubby, etc.  As we were leaving yesterday you told me that you were SO excited for Kindergarten to start.  I think you really mean it, and I know that you will love it.  When I asked Mrs. DeMille how you had done on your assessments she was impressed with how well you read.  She said she has had parents ask to move their kids up to first grade that didn't read as well as you.  Good job buddy!

Like I wrote on Ty and Tessa's letters from this month, we got our family pictures taken by Aunt Lisa this summer, and this is my favorite shot of you.  You've got 2 matchbox cars in your hands that are out of sight and the silly little grin we get whenever someone asks you to smile.

For the 24th of July parade the primary kids from the entire valley rode their bikes.  I decided since Tessa wanted to ride to that I would represent the primary presidency from our ward and push Ty in the stroller while you guys walked.  Well....about a block down the road you took OFF!  You have figured out that you have to ride a certain speed to keep from tipping over on your bike, and I guess we were just moving too slow for you.  The parade route doubled back at one point on Hwy. 89 at the end of town, but I couldn't even see you coming back the other day.  I spent the entire parade with that sinking feeling in my stomach and trying to get Tessa to go as fast as she could on her bike so we could get done with the stinking parade (plus it was HOT).  As we got back to where the parade had started and where the truck was parked you all of a sudden came out of nowhere and fell in with us.  I was NOT a happy momma!  I was hysterical as I said, "What if you hadn't been able to find us?!?  What would you have done if you hadn't found us?!?"  to which you calmly responded, "But mom, I DID find you."  Yeah.  I didn't strangle you, but I wanted to!

The first weekend in August Aunt Sylvia and Uncle Dusty invited us to go on a camping trip with their family.  Dad just happened to be able to get some time off, so we spent 4 days up on Mt. Dutton, and it was fabulous!  Everyone had a great time, and you and Quade just about wore out the tires on his 4-wheeler.  You got to shoot your BB gun, go on a scavenger hunt with me and Tess, go on a long 4-wheeler ride, ride your bike down to the creek and back, and spend hours with your cousins in your "hut."

You and Tessa being goofy and trying on her helmet...

You still ADORE your little brother, look, can you tell?

Between you and Tessa that boy will never go hungry or be starved for attention.  Now that he is eating more solid food it seems like you are always putting a Cheerio in his mouth.  Whenever he starts to fuss or cry you and Tess start to make SO MUCH NOISE.  I think you are trying to distract him and make him stop, but holy cow it is enough to make me crazy!  Now not only do I have a fussy baby but I have 2 older kids making noise/baby talking/yelling/singing, etc.!  I do appreciate the gesture though.  Just tonight I had to laugh because the 4 of us were out on a walk with Ty in the stroller and you and Tess on your bikes (dad is in Idaho until this weekend), and you were literally falling off of your bike for an entire block because you were insistent on riding right next to Tyson, and I wasn't walking fast enough for you.  I had you on one side talking to Tyson and falling off you bike and Tessa on the other side talking to Tyson and falling off HER bike.  You two sure do love that brother of yours.

Well I can't wait to see what fun things I have to write about next month as you get settled into the routine of school again.  I know you will do great and make lots of friends because you are the sweetest, smartest boy I know!

Love you bud,
Mom

Tessa - August 2012

Oh Tessa Sue, another month has gone by already.  We've been busy with reunions and holidays, and I'm pretty excited for school to start so things can settle down!

I snapped this picture quick on our way home from the Hatch reunion this month.  You see your dirty foot propped up on Tyson's carseat.  You are such a little twerp.

And a self-potrait you took with the phone on my camera the morning of the Veater reunion in your camo hat.  Your dad bought it, and it is pretty cute.  It says, "If I'm wearing camo, my daddy dressed me."

Every night when we go in to turn off your light your dad and I get a laugh at the way you end up falling asleep.  This is how I found you one night, and yes, you are actually asleep standing up.

Just a silly, silly girl.  I wouldn't have you any other way though.

This isn't a great picture, but that's you in the black sweater with Aunt Sylvia waiting to start your race with the other 3-year-old at the Hatch reunion.  You totally smoked her, which kind of blew me away!  You had so much fun riding your new bike with Quade and Bosten and Logan.  You are such a daredevil too, riding down off the banks and flying down the campground hills with your feet out.

You with some of your goodies from teh fish pond.

You and Logan took turns trying on daddy's hard hat one night as we took him to work to say goodbye to leave on a detail - it was a little bit too big on you though!

We got our family pictures taken a few weeks ago, and we definitely got some cheesy ones from our cheesy girl, but this one is by far my favorite.

You and Logan rode your bikes in the parade for the 24th of July.  You did awesome!  You cruise on your bike like a pro, and I think you will do awesome when it is time for you to learn how to ride a bike that has pedals!

We haven't found out for sure if you are going to school this year or not, and I can't decide if I want you to go or not.  On one hand, I think you would LOVE school and would learn so much, but on the other hand I think another year with you home with me all day would be good for me!  I guess we will know by the next letter I write, so we will have to try to pack in as much fun as we can in the next few weeks either way.

We love you so much Tessa Sue!
Mom