::some smiles::

I've put these in the order that I want them. It's a bit of a cheat, since the process didn't really happen that way. But I like it.





I like having a little dark eyed elf living at my house. Even if he doesn't sleep.

::science pt 2::

Remember this post I put up forever ago?
Well this is part two to that part one.

Remember that awesome science kit that we got Max for Christmas? We did a few of the experiments but then I had no time to work with Max on it for several weeks. When he heard that my parents were coming to our house for Sandy's blessing he was SO excited. He decided my mom would be perfect to do the science with, since she likes to teach him stuff and he likes to learn her stuff.
He was planning the science projects for weeks.
So when they got here he got her right to work.

Here they both are, wearing shirts that would be ok to be all stained by red cabbage juice.

While they were working hard, Sandy was hanging out with Grandpa.
Who was, of course, tweaking my bread recipe to make sure it works out here at extremely high altitude!


They did several projects the first day, and I can't even remember what this one was, but it was cool looking. My mom was so patient and sweet and had Max read the instructions for all the projects. He was in heaven.



And they did more the next day.....to be continued.....
and the requisite baby picture--this was from the same day and I just COULDN'T leave it out.

::overhauls::

I bought these cute overalls when we were in Phoenix last time. When I picked them out I thought that there was no way they would fit. They looked so big! But after a week or so I pulled them out to try them on him. And of course they fit. Snugly. The boy is huge! I love babies in overalls.

::16::

Wowzers, 16 weeks. I keep saying it, but it does fly by doesn't it?
I'm a little confused about when the baby is technically four months old. Is it at 16 weeks, or is it actually his birth date four months later? Can somebody explain this to me? I need to know because I need to decide when to start feeding this porker some food. And I think that's going to have to happen sooner than later considering he went from sleeping all night to waking up all night in the last month.....

Anyway, the sixteenth week.

Here's our guy, hanging out and taking everything in. He loves to watch stuff go on. Not ofr hours or anything, I mean he's not extra patient or anything, but he does love to watch stuff. Including TV, much to my chagrin. But especially he loves to watch Max. When I took this picture he was watching Max play with his electronics set. I think he's going to have a serious case of hero worship and it's starting now.

And he's an expert smiler. His smiles are getting so amazing. He's got the full body smile thing going on a lot, and just generally the most adorable big grins. Max loves to try to make him smile and feels so triumphant when it happens.
My favorite smiles right now are the ones that I can tease out of him even when he's crying. Like he just can't help it, they just happen.



Sunday morning we were hanging out a little bit before church. Max was watching Fantasia and I was slathering lotion all over Sandy's poor tender skin before I got him dressed.
Well, Sand wanted to watch Fantasia, and he wanted Max to pay attention to him. He was reaching so hard for Max. He kept reaching and reaching and trying to roll that direction, but he just couldn't pull it off. I finally took pity on him and got Max's attention and also moved Sandy a little closer.

That was exACTly what he was going for.

He was quite content and probably didn't think it could get any better until I rolled him all the way over and suddenly he was on his belly watching TV with his brother. Just like a big boy.

He stayed there for as long as his neck would let him.
It was SO cute.
I love those two boys--have I said that before?

And some bonus photos that I didn't realize belonged to this week:




Keeping me company while I dry my hair:

And as always, keeping me company at work and not taking very good naps. But it's not every baby that can nap on mom's desk--even if it only is for 10 minutes at a time!

::the electrician::

My dad found this awesome "snap-together" electronics kit and gave it to Max for his birthday.
Max adores it. He's been playing with it every day. Before school he gets it out and works on it and then when he goes home he goes straight to it and continues his work.


This kit is really nice because after I helped him the first few projects he got the hang of it and could do them on his own. They're not messy or dangerous, and there are 300 different projects in this kit.

Awesome, right?

The other day he made a radio. And he found a box for it. Then he pretended to be a stranger that I'd never met, here to show me his awesome electronics. He was an electrician.


A very serious electrician.


We talked about what he was doing and how it worked. It was pretty fun. Until we had to start all over and pretend the same thing again. That wears me out. But anyway I'm glad he's been having fun with the kit.

Sandy likes to watch him. Sandy likes to watch him do anything and everything.

It's no wonder. He's a pretty interesting guy, this electrician.

Thanks for such a great present Dad & Mom!!

::i'm sorry but he's just so stinking adorable::

::week 15::

Week fifteen....I'm slowly catching up here.
Kris doesn't think I should keep doing these posts because he thinks I won't be able to stop and I'll be doing them until the baby is 30. But I think I can quit anytime.

Anyway against his advice I'm continuing. I usually take his advice, but in this case this dang baby is just too cute. I can't help but share him with all you people I love that are far away.

Here's Sandy sleeping in my bed--unfortunately sleeping so soundly after I had to get up. This is sad since he's been getting me up a lot at night and I haven't been getting very good sleep. But he looks so cute. I took this picture to send to Kris who was already at work, to show how unfair life is.

And more evidence of the unfairness of life--these blowouts really only happen when I'm at home with the kids without Kris--the really big ones.
I took this to show Kris what he was missing.

Ick....anybody puking yet?

Alright, forget that poop picture. Here's the baby with his new playmat thingy. He likes it a lot except if he's kind of sleepy. If he's too sleepy anytime he bumps the jingly toys he gets very startled and unhappy.
But if he's well rested and happy he really likes the toys. I love how he's starting to be able to grab things on purpose (I love it now, I'm sure later I won't love it quite so much!). I'm so proud of him when he can grab a toy. And it's so cute to see him try to put everything he grabs into his mouth. And even cuter to see him with that look of intense concentration on his face.



He's such a darling boy. Is it any wonder we all love him so much?

::exciting::

We've been working on buying a house. It's a great house and has lots of the things we're looking for in a place to stay in for longer than a year--fenced yard, some space for kids to play--a great space for eating dinner outside--carpet in the living room--lots of space--storage, etc.
We're really excited about it and it looks like because of strange unexpected factors we'll probably be moving in sooner than expected (assuming all goes well with the closing). We're supposed to be closing April 1st and we should be able to start moving in on the 16th. Luckily it's only a couple of miles away, so moving should be easy.

Wish me luck I can finish up getting the mortgage with no (additional) snafus!

::before & after::

It's the shortest I think we've ever had his hair cut. It matches Dad. This is a fresh "do" all ready for school.
We love him with the floppy hair and with the spiky hair. He's just cute. And goofy.
He wanted his hair cut like Sandy's, but we told him that was just slightly too short.