Messes

Afton really likes to climb our toy storage container. Problem? I store toys on top of it. 

Not a problem. 

It takes approximately 10 seconds to make our house totally messy. 

But it only takes me 5 minutes or less to clean it up again! I will be teaching Afton this skill soon...

Carrot Dip

I gave the kids carrot sticks for a snack today. It was Afton's first carrot stick, so I didn't expect her to eat it really. She just chewed on it for a while and carried it around. 

We went outside, and she started playing in the dirt. She was drawing in the dirt with a stick, then switched to using her carrot to draw with. Then she put the carrot back in her mouth. Repeatedly. 

I guess dirt is the new Ranch. 

Toys

All of the toys and shoes are piled in the corner to hide from "the monster."

(I'm pretty sure Afton is the monster.)

We love the zoo

And Leroy loves getting his picture taken. 

"Take a picture of me eating my banana ON the hippopotamus."

"Mom! Take a picture of me!"

Afton got to relax and eat her banana while Leroy ran around. 

Leroy got to see the lion walk right by his face. "It's the papa lion!!"

We stopped for a while at a playground in the zoo. "Mom, I'm good at hiding."

I forgot to bring my Ergo to the zoo - oops! Normally I use it at the end of the day because Leroy is too tired to walk out of the zoo without crying several times. It just takes longer than I like. Normally I put either Leroy or Afton on my back in the Ergo and the other child goes in the stroller. After carrying Afton in one arm and trying to push Leroy with the other, I finally convinced Leroy to hold Afton on his lap. 

She really did like it when we were moving. 

Leroy's toys

Apparently Leroy doesn't want Afton to play with his toys. Can you find them?

Yup. Ronald, Teddy Bear, and Lightning Car are his favorite toys. But Afton's shoe? I guess he claimed it for the evening. 

My boy Leroy

Leroy: "I'm holding my sword to fight people and my tennis racket to play golf."

And yes, he is wearing no clothes. 

"Breakfast"

I went to Panda Express for dinner tonight. Leroy was delighted to get noodles. "Mom," he says, "this is the best breakfast ever!"

Bloody noses

On Saturday Leroy crashed at a full run into a shelf at the store. It was one of those shelves that holds sale-priced shirts and pants in the middle of the aisle. I checked his face for broken skin, but didn't see any, so I picked him up and kept walking through the store, trying to comfort my screaming child. I glanced at his face and discovered it was covered in blood! He had a bloody nose and was crying it all over me. I turned around and made my way to the bathroom to clean him up.

He calmed down and agreed to let me clean him up when I offered to let him wear the new shirt we had just picked out to buy. He was fascinated by the red on his face and even helped me make sure I got it all cleaned up. (He even kept looking in mirrors later to check to make sure there was no red on his face.)

This is Leroy modeling his new shirt in the changing room:

This morning I got a bloody nose (I sometimes get spontaneous ones). When he learned that I had a bloody nose, he asked, "Mom, what you crash into?"

Leroy's Hero

Leroy just adores his uncle Brian. Whenever we visit, he is frequently running down the hall yelling "Brian! Brian! Brian!" So since my baby brother is leaving in a month to serve a two-year mission in Brazil, I thought I should prepare Leroy for his upcoming absence.

Me: Leroy, in one month Uncle Brian will be a missionary and move to Brasil for two years.

Leroy: I am one! I will be a missionary and move to Brazil!

Me: You need to be 18 to be a missionary. 

Leroy: Oh! I am 18! So I will be a missionary and move to Brazil with Brian. 

Me: You are moving to Brazil?

Leroy: Yes. 

Me: What am I supposed to do?

Leroy: I think you can move to Brazil too!

Clothes

I told Leroy that Afton's fuzzy pants used to be his when he was a baby. So he promptly put them on. Size 3 months. 

This week at our house

We lowered Leroy's crib and now it is the perfect height for standing. Which he loves.

Also, it warmed up to a balmy 54 degrees Fahrenheit, which is warm enough to play in water outside (according to my nephews). 

We also went to the doctor for a well baby visit! And Leroy did not have any ear infections! Or need any shots! Hooray! He did like playing with the toys there though. 

We also got Leroy eating food again. He likes crunchy things and doesn't like soft things. 

Yum! Apples and Cheerios!

We also had a ward pinewood derby. Hollis and I made cars for the event and Leroy got to use one that Hollis made when he was in Cub Scouts. Jason and Sam made one too. Benji didn't want to be left out, so he brought his Lego Francesco car. He turned his in and it got a number too!

We are numbers 6-10. Michelle = #6. Leroy = #7. Hollis = #8. Jason = #9. Benji = #10. 

Jason took second place overall. 

And in closing, this is Leroy playing for the first time at the giant step in his room. 

Leroy and Sam

Sam is five and a half years older than Leroy, and that is exactly the right age difference for them to play together really well.

Leroy also thinks Sam is the funniest thing ever.  Leroy laughed every time that Sam made a slam dunk.

I think it's awesome and adorable.

Snugly baby

I love nap time. When Peter is also napping. And Leroy is so snuggly

Wiggly baby

Our baby boy can't hold still.  He loves to move, wiggle and bounce!

Baby juggling

Hollis has been waiting a long time for Leroy to be big enough to juggle play with.  Good thing Leroy love being tossed!

Leroy's bedtime

Leroy gets really giggly when it is time for him to go to bed.  Hence, he stays up later than he would otherwise because Hollis and I can't stop playing with him.  Could you put this to bed?

We can.  Mostly.

At the Park

A whole park of toys and woods and slides, etc. And without fail the favorite thing is the rock with water in it.

Leroy and his Exersaucer

Leroy loves his exer-saucer.

Hollis

He rocks: sleep trained Leroy on dec 23 night. Also did all the laundry (all baskets full) and gave me a clean bathroom for Christmas.

I love my clean bathroom.

Snuggle Baby

I love to snuggle Leroy.  He is quite fun to nap with.  Even his grandma was seduced by his adorable cuddliness to nap with him.