Hello, Big Boy!

Charissa was born with a dark shock of hair and it never went away.  Really, I prayed before we were even married that, if we had a girl, she would get the hair of her daddy and not my baby fine, pin straight stuff.  My prayers were answered!  She has gorgeous hair.  Her head is covered in dark, curly, luscious locks that I would willingly kill a cat to have.  Well, like a feral cat that no one loves, maybe.  Oh wait, I already did that.  Yes.  A story for another time.  I'm still waiting for my hair.  But anyway...

Brandt was born with a touch of dark hair and it quickly turned light blonde.  With his almost-black eyes, it presents quite a contrast.  It has stayed very fine and has hardly grown at all for his almost two years.  Recently, I realized that it was pretty long on the back of his head, the matted bed-head part, and he had a nice fringe over his ears.  So, the moment had come.  My baby needed a hair cut.

He was pretty good except a few parts - which were when we brought out the camera, of course.  Charissa dressed up for the occasion.  I'm making my "empathy noises" which is why the mouth is wide open.

"My hair.  It is gone.  Waaah!!"

After a bubble bath, he was happy to snuggle down in bed with the menagerie of stuffed animals he insists on having to sleep.  He has 2 dogs, a fox, a monkey, a horse and a giant leopard to keep him company.  He is fluent in all their languages.

He doesn't appear to be to emotionally scarred, does he?

What a big man.

Bashed

As is tradition before a holiday in which multiple pictures will be taken, my precious baby boy took a face plant into the concrete floor of the local Exxon gas station last night during the snowmobile club's progressive dinner. You can't really tell because, of course, his glorious brown eyes are detracting from it, but his top lip is distended and looks like hamburger while the surrounding area is a purplish hue.

Arnica is becoming a dietary supplement for this kid.  

Just kidding.  Well, maybe.

(If you go to the Exxon link, they have a live webcam of our main street.  Look for the green suburban with a huge grill on the front.)

Can't Help Lovin' That (little) Man

 Brandt stands in the living room, eyes riveted to "The Tigger Movie", his plaid shirt partially covered by his ever-present overalls.  In his hand, a limp piece of bacon he has snitched from the table.  He absently lifts it to his mouth where six little chompers manage to take a tiny bite.  By the looks of the bacon, he is actually making good progress.  Chuckling, I take the bacon and wipe his hands with a paper towel.  I ask if he wants to sit in his chair and he slowly backs up until his fat diaper bumps into the little chair.  

He sits down.  His eyes never leave the screen.

I love this kid.

Training

We train them early around here :-)

An Obsession is Born

Doug brought out an old snowmobiling demo DVD and turned it on for a little while.  He and the kids sat down to watch it.  But...well let's zoom in here...

A certain someone was RIVETED.  I mean, he was in another world.  It was pretty humorous to see the difference between his reaction and Charissa's.  If you will notice here, big sis is "reading" her coloring book while Mr. Zoom-zoom is transfixed.

She's still kind of interested but about to go find something else.  

Brandt, on the other hand, is on the edge of his seat.  

He was barking at the screen.

B: "WOOF! WOOF! Snowmobiles!"

Charissa finds her dolly and begins "nursing".  

Brandt is flying through the powder.

B: "Flying! Powder! Snowmobiles! WOOF!"

 Charissa yawns and glances around scratching her neck.

C: "How long has this been going on?  An hour?"

 He can't handle it!  He has to stand up!

B: "Whoa! LOOK at that sweet air!"

 I think we've found a new obsession.

"I'm in love.  With a mountain sled." *sigh*

I think he lives in the right spot.

And he appears to have the right father to share in his joy.

Just the Kids

I know that a certain Nana has recently been experiencing some serious grandbaby withdrawals and I have a feeling she's not alone.  I told the kids about this so they decided to tell you a bit about the past few days.  Enjoy!


Hi.  Dis is Charissa tawking to you.  A foo days ago (Saturday) we hiked up and up and up to dis pwace cawd "Cwazy Cweek".  It was willy, willy pwetty and der were WOTS of fwowers and I picked wots of dem. 

My fav-wit pawt was when I dot to throw wots of sticks into dah water.

Brandt here.  Yeah, Crazy Creek was pretty cool.  I gotta ride on Mama's back in this suh-weet backpack thing.  Everyone thinks I'm just "so cute" in it and all. 

I liked the water and how cold it was when we stood next to it but my favorite part?  We had a picnic, man.  And picnic means FOOD.  I'm all about the food.

Dis is Charissa.  Yestaday?  Daddy had to go and work at dah church in dah morning?  Mama wet us watch a MO-vie while she went and dot weddy for church!  It kept her nice and quiet for twenty minutes and dat was nice 'cause she can be willy noisy.

Yeah, Brandt again.  Later on Sunday we drove for like, ETERNITY (Mom said it was only around 2 hours but I think she meant 2 YEARS) through this place called Yellowstone and we saw buffalo and bears and elk 'n stuff.  We got out and hiked near Lake Yellowstone. 

My favorite part was when we went to this gym at the big resort there for a worship service.  This group of people from a place called Taiwan thought I was the best thing on earth and made me run and laugh and kept picking me up and kissing my cheeks.  That gym had some rocking acoustics, man!

I wuved to see aw dah buffalo and we saw dis bear but I wooked through dis wong "telescope" thingy and it wooked wike a willy little bear so I asked if I could see a big bear.  Mama said dah bear would be wots bigga if it was closer to me.  I called Wake Yewwostone "dah Ocean" and I dot to wun and wun awound.

Taday is cawd dah 4th of Ju-why.  We went and dah Firemen made us yummy food.  I wiked dah cupcakes dah best!

After I ate dah cupcake awe up, I went and played bean bag toss wif Daddy and I was willy good betaws I wearned jus how to do it!  Evwyone else twies to frow dem from so far away, dah siwwy-willys!

I was WILLY good at it!

Brandt again.  Yeah, the 4th and all, I liked it.  I sat on a lady's lap while Mom and Dad ate and she fed me pickles.  They are awesome, man!  Then I ate this cookie and it kept falling on the ground so it got properly seasoned with like, dirt and all which is my favorite way to eat anything.  I was studying Charissa's bean bag strategy pretty carefully so I can cream her next year.

So when we got home?  I walked from the suburban all the way to the house and only fell once!  I'm pretty amazing!

Wehww, dis is Charissa again.  We better go and take our naps so we can go eat hambuwgers and watch dah fireworks.  A man towd Daddy dat they are WILLY WILLY woud out here taws of dah "echos" fwum dah mountains.  I won't be scared betaws I will be awwwwww snuggly as a bug in my bwanket on Mama's wap!  Good-night my wittle muffins!

 Love,

Charissa and Brandt

Patience is a Virtue

One-year-olds aren't necessarily known for their patience.  Poor Brandt is particularly lacking in it.  After eating, he will usually give the sign for "finished" and then promptly start screaming, squalling and carrying on like the flood waters are coming and he will surely die while confined in his little high chair. 

Last night I couldn't help it...I let him sit and snapped pictures, giggling the whole time.  I'm so mean (hehehe).

Enjoy

 He takes a break to feed sister the stray pieces of rice off his tray.

 But then remembers the torture he's going through.

I promise, he was eventually removed, bathed, given a chocolate chip cookie, had his teeth brushed and then rocked to sleep.  I'm not always this mean.

One

A year ago today, I was trying to swallow 1/3 cup of castor oil delicately floating above a nice glass of orange juice.  I was told to mix them together, but due to the facts of science, castor oil and orange juice do not combine so I ended up chewing it down.

That stuff is thick, folks.

But anyway, it worked and in less than 12 hours and a super easy homebirth, I was holding this little muffin.

I'd swallow a whole gallon of castor oil for my little man-o.  

(But please just believe me when I say I love him?  I don't think there would be much of myself left to continue loving him.  Along with being thick, it's very effective.)

It has been such a joyful year.  I can't believe how quickly it has flown by!  He was just born!  He was just trying to crawl and then actually crawling!  He was just pulling up and letting go to land on his head!  Getting his teeth.

Brandt is such a happy, easy baby and always full of smiles and giggles.  

We can't imagine life without our crowned prince.  He just keeps amazing us.

Thank you, Lord, for this precious gift from You.
He is fearfully and wonderfully made.

(Please excuse the excessive amount of hyperlinks.  I couldn't help myself!)