Missing Baga

Baga left yesterday after a wonderful two week stay to help out with his biggest fans. 

We accomplished more in those two weeks (not even counting the four or five days when everyone was sick!) than I can get done by myself in a month. And, of course, he had help every step of the way. 

After he left (and I soothed Luke's big, sad, lonely tears), we were all going to go outside and play some baseball after moving the laundry over, changing a poopy diaper, and getting on our shoes. An hour and a half later, we still weren't outside, and I realized just how spoiled I have been. 

9 Months

Derek is constantly moving; if he's on the floor, he's crawling. If he's being changed, his trying to flip over. If he's being held, he's turning his head every few seconds, taking it all in, or trying to dive out of your arms to get at someone else. And while he's moving, he's talking. He makes tiny little squawks about every twenty seconds or so, kind of like a homing beacon, just so that we don't forget that he's there. And if he is offended or made to wait or denied something he had already assumed was his, he infuses all of that attitude right into his squawks and scolds you soundly. Despite growing up in a house full of motor-mouths, Derek will have no problem making himself heard. 

Baby D also loves to get reactions out of people (the bigger the better) and loves to laugh with everyone. (in primary today he spent a few minutes trying to get a cheerio to stick to his little friend's forehead) He gives big open-mouthed kisses and will give you a big squeeze and lay his head down on your shoulder to give you a hug. He loves to put things into containers and dump them out again, loves chasing cars and balls around, and gets super excited whenever anyone cheers or claps. He seems to have resigned himself to eating and loves grapes, berries, scrambled eggs, and bread. 

It never gets old, seeing how much personality can be packed into these little bodies!

Big Helper

Just gotta be doing everything all by himself.

Boys and Their Sticks

I cleaned out my car recently and got to dump all of this

out of the car. Finally. 

Counting on a toddler's imperfect memory, I didn't think there would be any repercussions until I heard a "Hey, where did all of my sticks go?" coming from the backseat one afternoon. 

It would appear that someone else is developing a love for straight, stick-like objects. 

My poor car. 

Shining Sunbeam!

Luke had his first day of primary today! And while I think going from a toy-filled, snack-laden toddler anarchy to sitting in a chair for two hours would be a little difficult, Luke handled it like a champ! He even got to hold something at the front during sharing time and drew his first primary picture (he said it was a car crash). I'm already counting down the days to the primary program! 

8 Months

This is coming a bit late, but Christmas got in the way.

Baby Derek is so much fun. And so much work. So very much work. It's a good thing he was blessed with such a cute little body and face and personality because were he not he would have been rather difficult to live with. 

The trouble with little Derek is that he is far too good at whatever he does. He has been crawling for almost four months, pulling himself up to stand for about two, and had better be close to walking, because nothing offends him more than being left behind. His hand-eye coordination is superb; he has his pincer grasp down pat and can shovel any sized morsel into that little mouth of his. Like his brother, he's a little mountain-goat climber and made it up the entire flight of Mere and Opa D's steps on his first try. He's got little legs of steel and a rock-solid stance and has been able to both stand up and sit back down almost from day one. His grasp is vice-like and painful when it grabs the loose skin on your neck and he also seems to find biting sort of endearing. 

But he's also so happy and giggly and social. He loves to laugh along with other people and loves to interact with Luke and loves to hear himself squawk and sing and babble. Baby D finally started eating (only feeding himself though, still no spoons) and seems to really like food, but it should be noted that he only started eating after I announced that I had given up and he could nurse forever, for all I cared. (he has also been able to get liquid out of a straw since he was about four months old) His smile is easy and charming and his little face can just melt your heart. 

We love our little Baby Derek!

Stinky Big Brothers

I'm sure this is just a tiny preview of future injustices Derek will have to endure.

Why I Sometimes Avoid Reading...

Ten pages away from the end of a great book my dad gave me for Christmas. 

Photographed unwittingly by Aunt Beka. 

Belated Christmas Greetings..

I know it's late, but I couldn't resist with how cute the boys looked in their Christmas Eve 'jamas.

The boys had a great time!  At our Christmas Eve devotional, Luke sang duets with both Ken and I (Baby D threw in his accompanying shrieks here and there) and then entertained everyone with "Jingle Bells", and was super excited about How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ala Uncle Matto and Aunt Beka). 

The following day Baby D enjoyed the wrapping paper, having everyone sit around him while he played, and torturing Luke by playing with whatever Luke wanted to play with. Luke was entirely unsurprised by the whole Christmas morning experience--by the fact that there were more presents under the tree or that his stocking was full or that Santa had left him what he had asked for (tools). It was as if the day turned out exactly the way he had envisioned and there was never a doubt in his mind that there could have been another scenario. The only thing that seemed mildly irritating to him was that Santa had eaten the entire cookie he had put out for him and didn't leave him anything to eat.

And of course, we all loved having the chance to celebrate the birth of our Savior by attending the special musical Sacrament meeting. Being with family was the greatest gift we could have asked for!