Happy Birthday Baby!

Today is Dave's birthday! He's turning "30-something" if you wanted to know. After about 16 years of age, birthdays cease to be really exciting (except for a few milestone ones), but we're trying to make his good. The poor guy still had to go to work, after missing an entire week due to flu and strep throat last week. But, I sent him off with our favorite breakfast of biscuits and chocolate gravy (aka pudding-the sugar free variety so Garrett won't be bouncing off the wall all day!) The kids really appreciated Daddy's birthday because they love this breakfast. Case in point:

Good thing it's laundry day! Tonight we'll be going to Red Lobster to celebrate, so tomorrow I'll be wearing my elastic pants. (Ever had their before-dinner biscuits? Yummy!!) So, we wish "our Daddy" a wonderful, happy birthday. May there be many more!

We love you!

Building is in the DNA

Well, the argument may still be up in the air as to who Garrett really looks like (the obvious answer is me, but a lot of his mannerisms are Dave's), but there is no question as to who he inherited "the building gene" from. In high school physics, we had to build a bridge using drinking straws and rubber bands. Then the teacher put weights on the bridge to see how much it could hold. Let's just say that Garrett could probably build a better bridge than I did, and he's five years old!!! He has inherited this amazing talent from Dave, who thinks nothing of building a set of drawers or a cabinet, or a house for that matter! I break a sweat putting together the Little People house Paige got for Christmas!
Lately Garrett has been obsessed with Legos. At last count, he was displaying 19 spaceships in his bedroom. He gets up really early in the morning, and we don't allow him out of his room until 6:00 a.m. So, he spends his time building with his Legos. His creations are getting more and more elaborate, and I am constantly amazed at how symmetrically he builds them! Perhaps photography won't be his thing (see previous post), but I think building most definitely is!
I have included a few pictures of his latest creations. I also have a great picture of Paige when she fell asleep in the middle of lunch. Enjoy!

Legos

Down with the Flu

The flu has finally come to New Mexico, and Dave and I have had the privilege of being among the first to greet it. After years of not getting flu shots and still not getting sick (unless you count to obligatory cold each year), our luck has finally run out. I started feeling bad on Friday night, and by Sunday morning I was pretty much "out to lunch". I remember very little about Sunday other than lots of Gatorade and some vague football noises coming from the TV as I slept on the couch.
When I emerged from the haze on Monday, I felt better, but unfortunately, Dave had succumbed. We ended up visiting the urgent care yesterday because his fever had gone so high. So really, there has been nothing to share other than germs. I could show pictures of my living room piled high with Kleenex, empty Gatorade bottles, and blankets, but really, who wants to see that? Instead I will wish you all a good night, and remind you to get a flu shot next year, dork!!! (Oops, that reminder was really for me!) Talk to you all when we return to the land of the living....

The Next Ansel Adams? Well....maybe not!

I bought a new camera last week, since I have been borrowing my mom's old camera since Garrett dropped mine on the floor. (In case you're wondering, extended warranties laugh in your face when you mention the words "4-year old" and "camera" in the same sentence!) So, Garrett asked whether he could try Grammie's old camera for awhile. Having learned my lesson, I required him to put the long camera strap around his neck before even touching the camera itself! After that, he has been tramping around the house snapping pictures of anything that will stand still...and some things that won't! So here's a sample of his "work":
The first category is: Oops!

Next category up: Thanks a lot buddy!!

Note the classic posing of Mom's backside!

The double chin is sooooo lovely!

Capturing the "stink face" instead of the smile!

My favorite category: Self-expression

Green fangs are the best!
Feet are so cool!
Mysterious dirt patterns....could they be the face of Jesus??

And the final category: Pictures we could actually develop! (Note that this is the smallest category from the 163 pictures taken in the last 24 hours!)

Sadie's so good at posing!

I especially like Sadie's head over her shoulder, as if the dog is the "angel on her shoulder" telling her where to bury her toys!
It's just the mini-blinds, but it looks kinda cool!

Aerial view from his window.

So, perhaps we won't be signing up for photography school just yet, but there is some promise in there somewhere!

Bikes and Ballet

I've read books with experts that talk about raising a "gender-neutral" child, i.e., little boys playing house and little girls playing trucks. Let me tell you, it's not possible! No matter how you try to avoid stereotypes, little boys will act like little boys, and girls will do girl things. There are some exceptions, of course, but not in our house! Garrett plays with his action figures as if they were soldiers in World War III. Paige takes those same figures and wraps them up in a washcloth (guns and all), and rocks them to sleep in her arms. Garrett takes the trucks and rams them into blocks, sand mountains, or any available obstacle. Paige takes the trucks and loads up her baby dolls for a ride.
Another example of our "stereotypical" children is their favorite Christmas gifts. Garrett received a "big boy" bike from "Santa" (wink, wink), and my mom gave Paige a ballet leotard and a little dance set. They play with them all the time. Garrett is dying to learn how to ride without training wheels. Paige wants to wear her leotard 24/7, and she dances around on her tiptoes, humming to herself. Now, because they are buddies, they are each trying the other's activity, albeit with different results. We took Garrett to a nice flat parking lot to work on his riding, and Paige took her new little scooter and rode all around while Garrett practiced. And when Paige does her ballet, Garrett jumps right in with his version, which is a slightly more hip/hop/wildly flailing around style than Paige's. So, we are enjoying two different worlds: one of sugar and spice and everything nice, and one of snips and snails and puppy dog tails! And, we're loving it!

bikes and ballet