HIdaho

Our first big event for the year 2010 was a trip to Malad, Idaho. Curtis was unable to take the time off, he had a ton to prepare for his classes, so my sister Marci and I packed up Nathan and Bracken and headed up north. Marci drove most of the way so I could sit in the back seat and take care of the boys. We broke up the long 12 hour drive by stopping over in Salt Lake City and staying with our Grandma King. Nathan was not too thrilled about that because he wanted to go on his trip to "HIdaho" and the 10 hour drive to SLC was not the trip. Nathan and Bracken both traveled like pros. Nathan spent his time playing with his cars, snacking (but not on the pringles because they were for the trip to "HIdaho" and he would get on Marci's case when she tried to snack on them), watching a few movies, eating his chicken nuggets from Wendy's, and talking to Marci about all the things he was seeing out his window. Bracken did great for his first car/road trip and only fussed a little bit. Even though his trip didn't start till we were officially on our way to "HIdaho" Nathan did enjoy his time with his Great Grandma King. He figured out really fast how to maximize his TV time at her house. When he woke up he would go to the kitchen and watch some cartoons while he ate breakfast which I allowed because that is the time frame that the shows he really likes are on. When done eating he would head downstairs just in time to catch Marci flipping on the TV for some early morning veg time while I was still upstairs cleaning up breakfast. Then when I came downstairs I would corner him and get him ready for the day and the moment I was done he would race back upstairs to the family room and plop down on the sofa next Grandma and continue his TV watching. At this point I was downstairs getting myself ready and tending to Bracken so he knew he had a good chunk of time to watch with Grandma.

In Idaho we had a great time just being with my family. Nathan lived in his snow boots. He went sledding a couple of times, visited a small farm and played with some new baby goats and even made friends with a very friendly neighborhood cat. Most of all Nathan loved being with some of his favorite people in the world, Aubrey and Kendal. Although after this trip Marci is now in the top 10 as well. You know Nathan likes you when he wants you to do everything for him. Like blow his nose, put his jacket on and take him to the bathroom. Thanks for being a trooper Marci!

4 Months Old

Bracken has grown up a lot over the last 2 months. He has grown out of another size of clothes and he is now in 9 months mostly but some 12 months clothes. He is a sturdy little boy. He is a few ounces shy of 18 lb, weighing in at 17 lb.14 oz and he is 26 1/4" long. The little dude can grow! He loves to be in on the action and since he is a hefty bundle to lug around we have found ways to keep in happy, occupied and close ast hand. If I am doing laundry or preparing food he sits in his Bumbo or bouncy chair. He loves testing his legs out in the Johnny Jump-Up and he has even sat in the high chair a couple of times. Variety is key in this baby's world. Last night we were hanging out in the living room with Nathan and my arms were getting tired of supporting Brack so I propped him up against the couch and he balanced and stood at the couch for almost 10 minutes. He thought he was pretty cool stuff.

Bracken is very interested in what we are doing when we eat meals. He gets really excited, kicks his legs, waves his arms, grunts and desperately tries to grab something. One day at lunch he succeeded in spilling my bowl of soup all over my lap. So I thought it time to break out the sippy cup. I filled a little cup with some cool water and he was in heaven. Now Nathan thinks it is fun to share his sippy cup with Brack from time to time. Next time I go to the store I am going to pick up some rice cereal and I think Bracken is going to love eating solids.

All in all Bracken is still a great baby. He eat sgreat, sleeps great and is content and happy. He smiles a lot but it takes a bit to get him giggling but when he does laugh it is the best sound in the world. Curtis teases that he must be a little bit serious like his mother.

My Conversation with Nathan Last Night

I call it Why? You'll see why.

Nathan: Where’d go poppy?

Curtis: Me?

Nathan: Yes, you poppy? Where’d go tonight?

Curtis: I helped some people move.

Nathan: They moved their house?

Curits: Yep. They moved to Utah.

Nathan: They moved all their toys?

Curtis: Yep.

Nathan: Why?

Curtis: Well, Sister Osborne lost her job.

Nathan: Where is?

Curtis: Oh, she lost her job with Las Fuentes.

Nathan: Why?

Curtis: They had a reduction in force and she was the low woman on the totem pole.

Nathan: Why?

Curtis: The whole economy is really bad right now.

Nathan: But why poppy?

Curtis: I guess the genesis of it was really the housing bubble that led to the mortgage crisis.

Nathan: Why?

Curtis: A lot of banks had some really bad loans on their books.

Nathan: Why?

Curtis: Mostly due to adjustable rate mortgages that went bad when the market crashed and people suddenly found themselves upside down on their homes. That led to defaults and banks were in trouble.

Nathan: Why with the mortages?

Curtis: Greedy loan officers when times were good, I think. That’s still under investigation, but some people think that banks lied to people to trick them into getting loans they couldn’t afford.

Nathan: Why do that?

Curtis: I don’t know. Banking is different now. They have to compete with foreign banks and investors. They were probably just feeling pressure to make immediate sales to boost quarterly earnings. You can’t blame them.

Nathan: Why?

Curtis: The market is complex. Other powers are coming into play. Japan and China for instance. They’re buying up minerals like mad and driving up prices.

Nathan: Why?

Curtis: No one knows for sure. Globalization maybe. Today's economy is worldwide. We’re all interdependent.

Nathan: Why poppy?

Curtis: The advent of the Internet I think played a huge role.

Nathan: I don’t like the Internet. Buenas noches poppy.

Curtis: Buenas noches Ne, duérmete bien.

Silly Little Boy

Nathan is at a stage right now that is really fun. I have enjoyed all his different stages, even with all the typical quirks and challenges of a developing toddler. He is really a very GOOD kid. And right now he is learning and doing something new every day. He will say or do something that I didn't realize he knew or had picked up (so far nothing bad that I have had to correct him on) and it makes me crack up. It is just so darn cute how grown up he is becoming. His ability to communicate and express himself just amazes me. And every day it is clear he inherited Curtis's gift of animation when it comes to telling a story.

The kid is not dull, that is for sure.

I love you Nate!

2 Months Old

The last 2 months have probably been the fastest I have ever experienced. My little baby boy has been mine for almost 10 whole weeks. It still feels like he was born yesterday but at the same time

it is hard to imagine what our life was like before him. Bracken is truly a bundle of joy, a big bundle of joy. He wieighed in at 14 pounds even at his checkup. He is 24 inches long and growing out of his clothes so fast I think the cashiers at Kohl's know me by name. I have not been able to reuse many of Nathan's clothes because they were born in opposite seasons, much to Curtis's dismay. Other than growing, Bracken does a lot of cooing and smiling. He sleeps good, eats great and lives for the times when Nathan pays attention to him. Besides Mommy, Nathan gets the biggest smiles out of Bracken.

8 Hours

Woo, Hoo! The long awaited, much desired 8 hours of uninterupted sleep returned to me last night! My angel baby Bracken went to bed a little before 10pm which meant I was in bed by 10pm and he slept until 6:20am. I am feeling great!

Monsters & Airplanes

Halloween!!! Curtis made Nate's costume this year. It wasn't professional, but it wasn't defessional either. It was actually a major hit on the trunk or treat circuit. Many people gave him "two peices of candy for being so cute" or took his picture. The cuteness scale only increased when he went up to goblins, warlocks, construction workers and other candy keepers and said, "Get a treat" with candy bag outstretched instead of the traditional, "trick or treat". Nate's not into tricks, all treat. One of the "tricks" of Halloween that Nathan is not into is "Scary Guy"--the fictional character that Nathan has invented for all things that scare him. If Nathan's scared, you can bet that "Scary Guy" is behind it, save three caviats, bugs, hair balls, and people in skinny jeans. Anyway, as you can imagine, on Halloween, there was plenty of opportunities to run into Scary Guy. Pretty much anyone with a mask became the dreaded Scary Guy. Skeletons, monsters, and yes, even Mario and Luigi all morphed into Scary Guy. If they had a mask on, Nathan was terrified of them. Luckily, a little kid wearing a chevy orange cardboard box 1) doesn't get far and 2) is easy to spot when running away in fear from Scary Guy, so we never lost him in the throng of tricker treaters and swine flu carriers.

Silly MOnsTer and Harley DaviSchwin

(Curtis was a "tough biker" for Halloween--a bicycler that is. He rode his Schwin)