December

Oh boy... one post to cover all of December.  Between the holiday schedule, your dad's work schedule, and your little brother's sleep schedule, I haven't been very good at posting lately.  So... here goes.

First Mall Santa  You worked up the nerve to ask him for a few things.  

A few of the Elf of the Shelf's spots 

Grandma Hardcastle really wanted this shot of the three of you.  Pretty cute.  

This year you and Kate picked out your own ornaments with little influence from mom and dad.  You chose the Abominable Snowman.  

You're a great gift-receiver.  Maybe that's why people give you so many gifts!  

Opening gifts with the Lafeen's

Santa came and brought wooden blocks, sun glasses, a talking Victor train and a few other things.  

Opening gifts with the Petersens

Opening gifts with the Gough's

Opening gifts with the Hardcastle's

You were really excited about Christmas this year, and Hatter, our little elf.

A few more pic's from December...

Wearing some cool shades at church (These are the same ones Santa brought you)

"I'm pretending I'm Kate"

Before church

You made this ornament in preschool

Snowman building with dad 

Cookie decorating

Handsome boy

Smiling for mom's new camera

One last party

Your birthday has finally come to an end.  Well, mostly.  I guess we're celebrating a little at your preschool on Tuesday, but that's pretty easy compared to the last week or so.

This was the Lafeen/Gough party.

Awesome owl hat from your cousins

Bike from the Lafeen's

Happy Birthday!!!

Our little man turned 4 today.  We pretty much open present and celebrate birthdays for an entire month.  Take a couple weeks off and then do Christmas!  We celebrated your birthday last Sunday with the Hardcastles, today we had presents at home and Grandma and Grandpa Lafeen stopped by.  Then I made cupcakes and celebrated a bit after Thanksgiving at Mimi and Papas.  This coming Sunday will be a combined Hyrum and Kate birthday party for the Lafeen/Goughs, then a Sunday birthday dinner for Kate the following Sunday, and then her actual birthday is the next Saturday.  I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

Today you woke up to balloons and a few gifts from mom and dad.  A Jake and the Neverland Pirates spy glass and bandanna, the original Disney Peter Pan dvd, and a Pirate book.  You seemed to really like your gifts, which is nice!

Four years ago you changed our lives forever and made us a family.  Happy Birthday!

Birthday preview

The birthday celebrations started this evening at the Hardcastles...

(to come - your actual birthday on Thanksgiving this year, a combined birthday party with Kate next week, and a small celebrations at preschool a week from Tuesday.  (Sorry about not doing a friend birthday this year... next year for sure!)

Overheard...

During prayers... "Bless everything we do and bless fighting monsters"  & "Bless dad in Michigan, or where ever he is".

To me (talking about my red chin) "I see that owie on your chin.  There is one thousand of them."

How you start a lot of sentences these days... "I have good (or bad) news"

To me again, "Will you be my valentine?"

When you hear the heater click on in the evenings, "Oh, there's dad!" (It sort of sounds like the garage door opening).

"Knock, knock"
Who's there?
"I win"
(I'm not doing a very good job of teaching you knock, knock jokes.

Chicken Nuggets

We started this last year... see if you can sense a theme.

What is your favorite color?  GREEN, ALL THE COLORS, AND BROWN.

What is your favorite toy? MY TOY HEART AND THIS (A CARDBOARD TUBE)

What is your favorite fruit? BANANAS

What is your favorite tv show? ALL THE KID SHOWS. AND GO, GO POWER RANGERS

What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? CHICKEN NUGGETS

What is your favorite outfit? THIS SHIRT. (YOU REALLY DON'T CARE WHAT YOU WEAR, ALTHOUGH YOU PREFER TO BE PANTLESS -AND USUALLY ARE AT HOME)

What is your favorite game? CHUGGINGTON MATCHING GAME 

What is your favorite snack? CHICKEN NUGGETS

What is your favorite animal? A SHEEP

What is your favorite song? THE ABC'S (IT'S ACTUALLY 'THE SPEED UP SONG', A SONG FROM THE MUSICAL "ONCE".  IT'S IN CZECH, AND THE FIRST WORDS SOUND LIKE 'SPEED UP'.) 

What is your favorite book? THE ABC BOOK (I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT ONE IS)

Who is your best friend? STEFAN (A NEW NEIGHBOR)

What is your favorite cereal? FRUIT LOOPS

What is your favorite thing to do outside? PLAY WITH TOYS

What is your favorite drink? CHOCOLATE MILK

What is your favorite holiday? CHRISTMAS EVE

What do you like to take to bed with you at night? BUDDY AND MY MONKEY

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? CHICKEN NUGGETS AND FRUIT (CEREAL)

What do you want for dinner on your birthday? CHICKEN NUGGETS

What do you want to be when you grow up? A GOOD MONSTER AND TO MAKE DINNER

What did you used to do when you were little? ROLL OVER AND CRAWL AND WALK

Captain Hook

This year for Halloween you went as Captain Hook.  I still sort of picked your costume, but hoped you'd like it.  One of your favorite TV shows lately is called Jake and the Neverland Pirates.  Captain Hook isn't really a bad guy in it... just sort of goofy and a little mean spirited -you and Kate both like him.  When I figured I could quite easily dress Milo up as Smee, I thought we'd make a whole theme this year, and have Kate go as Tinkerbell.  Everybody turned out pretty cute.  (Even though the group picture didn't turn out so hot).

This year you went to you Preschool halloween party (no pictures because Aunt Karen took you -we had Grandpa Richmond's funeral), the ward party, Mimi's and Grandma Lafeen's work for trick or treating, and you also went with Grandpa Lafeen and dad (and Kate and Grandma Lafeen) trick or treating in their neighborhood.  The two of you came home with quite the candy stash!

The big, big brother

It's been a whirl-wind of a month, kid!  And, you've done great, better than I expected.

You love going to preschool, and I think it's been good thing that you've had something that is just for you, and that you enjoy so much.  Dad went with you to your first field trip to the fire station, and he said you were quite the entertainer.  You teachers have said that you're doing great, and you love going.  Your little sister certainly misses you when you're away, but we're getting used to it.  Before Milo arrived I'd run all of my errands while you were in school -now we pretty much just come home and hang out.

Petersen cousins (all of the Great-grandkids on the Petersen side).  Quinn, Elliot, Milo, Hyrum, Wyatt, Molly, Jack, Kate, & Bradyn).  

 You've had a few outings with dad (McDonalds) and we've managed to make a few family trips -like to the zoo.

Hanging out at the Pike house with dad.  

School pictures

 You love your little brother.  You want to hold him all of the time, and today you actually helped feed him a bottle.  You've been a good little helper and I love watching you and Kate play together.

I may have still been a bit hormonal -but this picture dad took nearly made me cry.  

Bowling with dad and Grandma Carol.  

Entertaining yourself while at the airport waiting for my cousin Paul to come home.  

Hanging out at Grandma Hardcastle's before coming to the hospital.  

You had a pretty bad cough when you came to the hospital , so we made you wear a mask.  You thought it was cool -for about 90 seconds.