Let it snow

We had a week of several storms in a row.  So we bundled up to play in it.

Andrew eats and eats the snow.  He even reaches down to others' boots when they come inside and eats any leftover snow that hasn't been stomped off.  If he's not outside and the older boys are, he's at the window wanting to go outside. It's good to have several little pairs of mittens to switch out when a pair gets wet and cold.

And I have quickly learned that when Thing One and Thing Two ask me to help them build a snowman/fort/igloo, it means, "Build it while I watch you. And make it big."

More about Andrew

Drewbers, Drewie, Andrew-boy LOVES to color. Any time of day we'll find him like this:

He also loves hats and hoods. If he can find one, he'll put it on his head.

He also loves to sing.

The video below has all three -- coloring, hat, and singing.

Here are the lyrics so you can follow along:

Horsey, Horsey on your way.
We've been together for so many a day
So let your tail go SWISH as the wheels go round!
Giddyup, we're homeward bound.


PS I think he's going to be left-handed. Anyone else notice how he colors with that hand? 

Santa

Santa was at Harmon's recently.  

Andrew would have none of it, but Max and Benny said hi to the jolly old elf.

Everybody says it -- these boys are growing so tall.  Look at their legs draping down.

Benny asked for Legos. Done.

Max asked for a Nintendo DS.  I told him mommy had to talk to Santa and say that present wouldn't work for our family.

I got the stink eye in return.  Too bad.

Andrew is two

 My sweet, squawky, super smiley boy turned two this week. We celebrated on Sunday with family, and a lion cake I made.

We got him to do a roar for the camera.  He loves animals right now.

The sweater came off for cake eating time.

And Andrew had plenty of unwrapping helpers. He got a set of farm animals that he loves. Sometimes they all say "moooOOOOooo" but that's OK.

We just love this boy.  He is entering the terrible twos, and will squeal and squawk if you don't understand what he needs/wants THIS MINUTE, but he makes up for it in all his sweetness the rest of the time.

Benny asks when Andrew will talk -- he does talk, a lot. You just have to understand his words.  He drops the first syllable most of the time. Cow=ow. When he wants milk, he says "ippy" and "want 'ome"  because we always ask him, "Do you want some milk?"  He'll go to the fridge but he knows not to touch it, so he stands by the counter and says "ight dere" because we would always ask him to stand "right there" so as not to mark the fridge.

He loves his night-nights (he has two blankets), and must sleep on one JUST SO and have the other on him. If it slips off at night, he stands up and hollers "(C)over Up!"

And when he needs a snuggle, he'll lay his head on your shoulder and tuck his hands under his belly. It's the best.

Benny boy is 5

Benny's birthday started with B-shaped pancakes I made the night before and left in the fridge for JB to dish up.

Those things are hard to shape! But JB said they were a hit. Much more of a hit than the paper streamers in his doorway and the Elf on the Shelf holding the streamer roll.

Benny LOVES Legos. He kept asking us in the days leading up to his birthday if we had purchased any Legos for him. We had to be vague. 

Oh boy was he happy.

He was so happy to get new Legos on Sunday from his cousins, too (thank you again you guys! They were a prominent part of his evening prayers last night).

I made him a basketball cake for after family Sunday dinner. You can't see it, but it's textured too.  This was the picture where all three of them had the best smiles, though Andrew is looking at me and his hat is crooked. His hat he won't take off.

Benny with the people who gave him his new favorite shirt the night before his birthday.  These pictures were taken over three different days of celebrating, and he has the same shirt on each day!

Benny asked us for, oh, SIX MONTHS when it would be his birthday.  The day after his birthday, he asked how many days until his NEXT birthday. I'd make a paper chain, but, boy that thing would be long.

Together again

The Richards siblings were all together on Sunday for baby Aaron's blessing.  With Jeff & Melissa in Arizona and Joe & Sarah in Idaho, it can be months before everyone is together. So we quickly grabbed some pictures.

I'm a little ashamed of my yelling: "All Richards to the living room NOW! Let's get this done before the children disappear or melt down!"

PS That scarf is the one I blogged about here. Silly craft blogs and Pinterest make things look so easy. But I love it.

And don't Max and Benny look so sharp in their new suits?  They are their Christmas presents from their grandparents. They love to look like Daddy and/or missionaries and don't want to take off their suits. But right after the pictures I made them change into clothes more suited for eating and playing.

Those are their new Junior Jazz jerseys, which they also don't want to take off.  They have had one Saturday of basketball games and are in love with the sport.  That's good, because I'm betting they will each be more than six feet tall.

Perspective

It's funny, people's attitudes and perspectives toward pregnancy.

At church, I get big smiles and comments like, "How exciting!" And I get the feeling some are thinking, "It's about time, Andrew is just about 2 years old now after all."

But at work, two people said -- I kid you not -- "Was it planned?"

Gulp.

I feel for those couples who are unable to get pregnant easily or even have a baby at all. The questions and stares they must endure.  And I feel for those who have their families more quickly -- they also get comments and stares. 

You can't win!

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This awful spituation of mine is also forcing me to gain perspective.  It does me no good to cry and be depressed over the awfulness and embarrassment and gagginess it gives me. 

Having to spit out a mouthful of saliva every 30 seconds day and night is terrible.  But there are more terrible things in the world, and this will end in 5 1/2 months. 

I know of so many wonderful people who would do anything to be able to have a baby.  I'm blessed and grateful for this opportunity to bring a new sweet life into the world.

Instead of praying for the symptom to end, I pray instead for a healthy baby.  And I pray I will be kinder to others and understand their hidden challenges and griefs.