Assorted Cuteness

My Satsuma tree. I am amazed that it survived it's first year. Happy Anniversary, you poor neglected tree!

Joseph doing Tummy Time. He loves looking at toys that have eyes.

My guys in blue polo shirts.

With da Bunny. Not only does he love to stroke da Bunny's ears, but he also likes having the ears in the corner of his eye. It's strange what he finds comforting.

Ian doing puzzles.Butterfly kisses.
Did you notice this blog is less than 10 away from 7,000 visitors?!

Precious Ian

Ian has said and done some funny things lately.

I was eating some fancy chocolates, and didn't want to share. But Ian insisted, and pointed to the fancy chocolates and said, "I want some in da mouff!"

When Ian trips, he always looks back over his shoulder and demands "tackle me?" as if he is wondering who took him down.

He wants things to be special lately. At meal times he asks for special apple juice. Which is really just apple juice with a better title.

Zippy-Do-Da = Zipper. Example: "Mommy, open da zippy-do-da, puh-weeze."

I was eating some candy and got caught (again) by Ian, who naturally wanted some too. Ian whined "puh-weeeze" over and over until suddenly he stopped and sweetly said "Ticker-treat!"

Recently he started saying " Ummm hmmm" while nodding instead of "yup" like he used to. He must think he sounds like a grown-up.

He knows the word 'camera' but recently started calling it a "smile fing".

Even though Ian knows the word of an item he wants (usually food) he likes to experiment with 'this' and 'that' instead. It ends up sounding like "Who's on first". For example:

Me: Ian, would you like a craker?

Ian: Ummm Hmmm. Dat one.

Me: Which one? This one? The craker in the red box?

Ian: No dat one. (pointing very generally)

Me: Oh! You want that one right there.

Ian: No DIS one right DERE!

Me: This one?

Ian: Yeah! No DAT ONE right here!

Me: This one right here?

Ian: No DIS ONE!

Me: This one?

Ian: No. Da one da wed box.

Me: Thank heavens.

Ian is obsessive about shutting doors. If I am getting out breakfast items and don't shut the pantry door between trips to the breakfast table, Ian will repeat "Feegot ta shut da door!" until I shut it. He'll also leap up from whatever activity he is involved in to go shut the bathroom door if it has been left open for more than 3 seconds.

He calls lids doors. So if you leave the syrup lid open, he'll repeat "Feegot ta shut da syrup door!" until you shut the lid.

Ian still isn't used to sharing things with a younger brother. The backseat of the car, especially. I usually load Ian into the car first, and when I bring Joseph's carseat out to the car Ian always protests "No bing Joooooooseph! No bing Joooooseph!"

He makes daily requests for the "Garbage Truck Song". Since I don't know any official "Garbage Truck Songs", I make up some new lyrics to the tune of Yankee Doodle. He loves this.

If you ask Ian a question he doesn't know the answer to, his response is always, "Uhhh, applesauce."

He is getting very good at identifying colors. To Scott's dissapointment, Ian is most accurate (and enthusiastic) about the color pink.

Ian saw a chainsaw cutting tree limbs a few days ago, and has been in awe since. He mentions it all the time, and when he came across a few rolls of wrapping paper they became chainsaws too. I walked in on him 'playing chainsaws' and he pointed to a roll on the floor and said "Dat's mommy's chainsaw right dere. Yet's go!" and ran down the hall.

Sadly, one of my favorite Ianisms, "hit it with my foot", recently became "kick".

At Sam's Club last weekend, some group was giving out balloon animals and stuff. Scott selected an orange sword balloon for Ian. Ian was ecstatic about his "baseball bat" and waved it all around. On the car ride home, Ian giddily poked us in the back of the head (and when able, the face) with his "baseball bat" and really enjoyed making our hair static-y.

Dutball (football pronounced with a d) is Ian's favorite sport, and BYU football is Ian's true love. He asks to "watch BYU Dutball" daily. At a recent playgroup (which is overrun with adorable little girls and often not any other boys) Ian lovingly pushed a football around in a child's' stroller, and fed the football in a miniature high chair.

Yesterday, Ian sat on Joseph's face, with his full weight. I heard poor Joseph's muffled cry, and when I removed Ian, I saw that his denim pants had left little jean-like patterns across Joseph's forehead and cheeks. So mean. But also kinda funny.

Brothers, Part Two

People have always said that Ian looks just like Scott. Never once did anyone say he looked like me. Not when Ian was a baby, and not since. However, people tell me all the time that Joseph looks like me. 

Here are pictures of the boys, both taken at 3 months old. What do you think?

Ian

Joseph

Brothers

Ian joined Joseph for tummy time, and then told me to take a picture. He obliged when I asked him to remove da binkie for the shot, but refused to smile. Doesn't it look like the boys are wearing the same expression?

He Rolls!

Joseph has been rolling for a few weeks now. His first rolls happened when he was two months old! He loves 'tummy time', and I am sure that helped. He mostly rolls to his right side, and yesterday we counted 9 rolls in a row! The look on his face right after he rolls proves that he isn't doing it entirely on purpose.

When Ian was a baby I enjoyed being the screen writer, director and producer of the home movies he starred in. I'd set the stage, select the perfect outfit, make sure no annoying music was playing in the background, and pick up any dirty socks that may enter the view of the camera. Nowadays, I am lucky to get a decent video of poor Joseph at all, let alone one not corrupted by dirty socks, the obnoxious sounds of children's toys, and of course, the big brother. Expect that stains will also be present if my kids are wearing complete outfits at all.

Even though Joseph doesn't actually roll over during this video, I thought it was a fun illustration of what I am up against in my efforts to get a good home video of him. Poor second child.

The Holidays

This was one of my favorite Christmases yet because we got to spend time with both the Larsons and the Ogdens. The weekend before Christmas Scott's younger brother Edward got married in St. George. All 14 grandchildren (including 6 born the same year as Ian) were present, and 8 of the siblings were also there (minus only the brother who is serving an LDS mission.) We stayed at a 19th century home off main street and all the cousins had lots of time together. Some of them had never met!

The bride and groom were gorgeous and giddy, but unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of them. This picture was taken at the wedding luncheon. I am glad someone video taped all the parents standing behind the camera, as we were all acting ridiculous in an attempt to get the kids to smile (heck, we would have settled for just looking in the right direction.)

Here are those adorable cousins again, wearing T-shirts saying "My Idaho Cousins Love Me." Awwww.

We were thrilled to introduce Joseph to his grandma and grandpa Larson.
He loved them both from the start. You may think it would be hard to share the love with all 14 grandkids, but Scott's parents have a way of making my kids feel like they are their only grandkids. They always make sure we all feel special.

Then we began the long journey back to Texas. The 4 hour flight seems eternal when traveling with two lap children. Especially when only one lap child is permitted per row, and when you mistakenly assumed that a red-eye flight would mean the babies would sleep.

Ian on the Las Vegas airport tram. I love my double stroller.

Ian's bunny also traveled in style.

Joseph was the best traveler of us all, and unlike his brother, he slept for a decent portion of the flight. The day we got home we excitedly welcomed my maternal grandparents and my parents. We loved having them here for the holidays and everyone was so helpful with bathing, feeding, rocking and loving the boys. Ian really enjoyed his time with all the grandparents. And Leo the cat. Every morning he would wake up and croak (he had a bad cold) "Where's Weeeoooo?"

Here were are hanging up our stockings on Christmas Eve.

Check out this beautiful box my grandpa made for Joseph. Ian has one similar, and beautifully handcrafted boxes belong to each of his grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. I love this tradition. These will be beautiful heirlooms.

Great Mama and greatgrandpa opening presents on Christmas day.

Ian and bubble bath. He didn't know what it was, but was still thrilled.

Is it 56 years of marriage Grandma? Aren't they adorable? I am so proud to say they have been married for so long. I sure love them, and we were so thankful they could make the drive here from Arizona.

My good-lookin' parents. Ian loved the baths they gave him, playing cars and puzzles, running errands and going to the zoo with 'Gampa'.

Wearing the bamboo robe Great Mama and Grandpa gave Ian.

We mostly have video of Ian opening presents, so I will work on making some blog videos of it. He loved his basketball hoop and 'motorcycle' (tricycle).