Ian's 4th Birthday!

Ian anticipated this birthday more than ever before and asked for more than a week how many more days remained 'til the celebration. It was so fun to look forward to it as a family!

We started the day with the traditional Larson Family Birthday Picture.

Then we went straight down to breakfast. Ian selected these Cocoa Puff / Marshmallow Mateys at the store. Don't they sound like a child's dream cereal? 

After opening some birthday cards we all got ready for church. Ian loved that the entire primary sang to him and that he got to wear a special heart sticker on his tie. 

By the time we got home from church it was time for his birthday dinner. This year he broke tradition and we didn't have pizza and Cheetos. Apparently high-brow taste comes with age -- this four-year-old selected steak and potatoes, and I made sauteed mushrooms (another of his favorites) to go with it. His Dad hit a home run witht mini A&W root beer cans, too.

Before Ian was done eating he began asking about presents.... and didn't stop asking through the entire dinner cleanup, either. His newly-four-year-old-self could hardly wait!

Ian had been expecting some sort of special outfit to wear after church on his birthday, which was a little confusing to the rest of us. But he was delighted with these Birthday Badges safety-pinned on his shirt instead.

Because he has been requesting a camping trip to Brazos Bend State park for his birthday since back in January, we decided to give him some of his own camping equipment.

A headlamp

A sleeping bag

He even let his brother sit in his camp chair! Nothing makes a mom happier than brotherly kindness, does it?

Especially since this cute kid didn't seem to understand why only his brother was getting the presents and special treatment.  It'll be 6 long months and 2 more family birthdays 'til his turn! And no, that's not a turtle neck in our 90 degree weather -- Joseph likes his pants and his polo shirt backwards. And we like that he dresses himself!

Ian loves this magnetic guy that has interchangeable athletic uniforms. He keeps asking Joseph "Hey brother! Do you want to come watch me play with this?"

Ian also picked out his own birthday cake mix -- who doesn't love Funfetti? He was serious about me dumping  our whole bottle of sprinkles on top, too.

As close to a family picture as we got...

 

Happy Birthday, Ian Boy! From the rolly-polly, content newborn to the lanky, inquisitive, hilarious preschooler, we have loved every second of being your family!

BYU Basketball Game

Two weeks ago we made our way up to Fort-Worth to pay a super-quick visit to the Cougar basketball team on TCU's campus. 

 I expected the boys to be restless like last year, but we were very pleasantly surprised. Ian and Joseph sat still for the ENTIRE GAME! And they even kept their eyes on the court from our high-up seats and genuinely seemed to enjoy themselves. It made for a fun and memorable outing. 

I think it helped that we were seated behind the TCU band, which provided additional entertainment. Joseph was terrified of the trombones and he kept wispering "I don't wike those big woud guys dat stick out wike dis." (Trombone gesture). But the band keep him mesmerized and still on my lap, so I loved those big loud guys. 

He had his finger in his mouth like this for two hours straight. Here he is keeping his eyes on the trombone players.

Future members of the BYU student section. 

After the game we were hoping for a high-five like we got last year (the boys kept their hands outstretched for a looooong time.) We settled for a victory over TCU and a close-up view of Jimmer. 

Ian is really into BYU basketball, and thinks Jimmer is great. I once couldn't convince Ian to wear pants on a cold day. After I told him Jimmer had warm-up pants like Ian's, Ian put them on without further complaint. Those pants suddenly get a lot of use.

Joseph was excited to see Jimmer too, but soon everyone paled next to the TCU mascot. At first Joseph thought it was Cosmo, but even once we set him straight he kept asking after that horned frog and saying he wanted to "hold him". There were two of them, and the inflatable-costumed one was his favorite. It was referred to as the "one with a big nose".

A trip to Fort-Worth wouldn't be complete without a train ride in Trinity Park. We also fit in some indoor swimming. It was a really fun weekend and I love that our boys are at such a fun age to go on adventures with!

Go Cougars!

*** Scott's week got even better when he and some friends played golf "with" Ty Detmer at a Houston BYU Alumni fundraiser. We are excited to add an autographed football to the BYU bedroom! ***

Larson Boys

An older boy in our ward gave Ian this nice suit he'd outgrown. During quiet Quiet Time Ian got it out of his closet and dressed up to be a missionary. It was so clever how Ian tucked the too-long pants into his socks to keep from tripping. What a sight greeted me when I came in to get him!

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While at the dinner table Ian said "Everyday my nose just keeps on sneaking out boogers." It's true. But have you ever heard a cuter way of saying "runny nose"?

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Ian got a Handwriting Without Tears CD from his friend Kate, and Down on Grandpa's Farm has not stopped playing during quiet time for a solid week. It runs on repeat for a full two hours every single day. Is it the animal sound effects that he loves so much?

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Ian currently selects some blocks, cars, a CD player, his current favorite CD's and some books and holes up in his room (door closed) for two hours every day while Joseph naps. He usually makes a single potty-break request after the first hour. It's incredible. Right now Joseph naps every day from 1 pm to about 3 pm. I credit the white noise machine and blackout curtains for his excellent napping. I am positive this will all cease a week before the baby is born.

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Joseph has floor-length blackout curtains in his room that are covered in large giraffe print. Some mornings he tells me things that he "sees" in the print. Most often it's an "eagle" and when he leads me over to the curtains he'll usually point at the same spot. Recently he also spotted a "plane." I thought he might enjoy seeing shapes in the clouds too, but he doesn't understand what I am pointing to yet.

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Joseph coloring a Valentine, with his fingers stuck through his blanket. 

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Joseph still threads his fingers through his yellow blanket, and it is becoming increasingly threadbare. Recently the finger holes started becoming permanent parts of the blanket that don't get absorbed back in. The first morning I noticed this, Joseph came out of his room and explained: "Here is my soft hole" (for his thumb, which had made a large permanent hole to stick through) and "this is my ouchie finger" (showing how his pointer finger was forced through a new hole and was losing it's circulation.)

Fortunately the satin is still attached to the edges. We also recently started tucking him in at night, and he loves to use the BYU blanket Grandma Larson made for him when he was born.

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While playing at a friends house in the backyard, the boys captured a lizard and "played" with it on the trampoline. The friend let the lizard go back to it's home to "recover" after it was wounded, and the boys were all sad. Joseph came inside where I was making jewelry and said solemnly, "Da wizard is not a-wive anymore. It got brokened. It goed up to heaven. Jesus can hold it." He repeated variations of this and then with that same solemn face and big sad, blue eyes, went back outside. It was adorable!

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Decorating/Devouring Valentine cookies

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While we were walking into the grocery store one windy day, Joseph complained "The wind is coming on my head!" When the car windows are down Joseph holds his hair down with both hands (like he's holding down a toupe) and says "The wind is messing up my hair! Shut a windows!" (Lest you think he gets this from me, I must state that I haven't made this complaint since high school -- these days my hair spends it's time in a pony-tail.)

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I asked Joseph if he wanted to go play with some friends. He said "yeah, I'm gonna enjoy it." ("en-thoi it")

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Ian put on some safety glasses and "fixed the sink". Then he asked for payment. When I handed him some imaginary money, he refused it and said:
Ian: "More than that."
Me: "Wow. You drive a hard bargain."
Ian: "No. I drive a full truck. Full of money."

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Joseph is partial to a small stuffed dog we got at JoAnne Fabrics a year ago. (confession: I bribed him with it on a horribly long fabric-buying trip.) He calls it his "big doggie". It used to be light-colored and it's fur is matted with a bunch of greyish-blue  fuzz entwined in the fur. He also likes to sleep with a palm-sized dog that moves it's head up and down and wags it's tail when you stroke it's back. This one is known as "little doggie."

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Ian: "When I grown up I want to be a mountain owner."

Joseph: "I want to be a..... a..... a..... a missionary."

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Snow Day, Etc

Right after Phil promised us Spring was around the corner, we traded our 65 degree weather for something more wintry. (How do you like those mangy-looking groundhogs we made at the Childrens Museum?)

All last week was really cold for Houston, with lows in the teens and highs barely above freezing. Snow was expected Friday, and the mayor of Houston shut the whole city down. Scott tried to go to work anyway, but couldn't enter the freeway because so many accidents had already occurred on the ice-coated roads.

He came right back home and thus began our first Larson Family Snow Day! There were impressive icicles on the toy cars, and everything outside was shiny with ice all day long. 

The foam football, which has been slowly eaten by backyard creatures, was frozen solid. 

Ian dressed himself in three long-sleeve shirts, a jacket and boots before the day even began. He was heartbroken that the snow never arrived. 

By 10:00 am he assumed his typical uniform: basketball shorts, a polo shirt and cowboy boots.

Joseph was more optimistic though, and kept his jacket on all day. When the snow didn't come, we did what anyone ought to -- we BBQ'd outside and ate Rootbeer floats. And Scott replaced our garbage disposal. Our Snow Day was a huge success!

But today temperatures are back at 70 degrees (never mind the hail that fell briefly). After being stuck inside for a week, we are eager to get back outside and do some more of this:

bouncing on frisbees on a balance beam

And it might get so warm we even have to shed some layers. (or if you're Joseph, maybe just the sleeves)

A rare moment when the boys smile in unison. (Notice another variation of Ian's 'uniform')

In other news, the boys took their paddle balls fishing on the stairs. 

And Joseph can often be found styling his own hair or getting himself a drink (while soaking his outfit).

The first week of January marked Ian's entry to Primary at church. He is in a Sunbeam class for three-year-olds, and he feels incredibly grown up. He has been visiting Primary for singing time for the last month, and was very eager to meet his new teacher and stay for the full Primary program.

Ian anticipated last months' Primary Party more than any other event in his young life. It was a pancake-meet-the-teacher affair. He asked daily for two weeks if it was time to leave yet. And on the appointed morning I found him dressed (including black socks) and waiting to leave before 7 am. And he wasn't disappointed: they even had a short buffet table so the kids could serve their own pancakes. His teacher Sister Torgeson is perfect, and he had a blast. He was a little ashamed that his mom stayed for the party though... I promise I stayed out of the way!

Joseph will be in nursery for another year. I love that when certain Children's Songbook songs play in the car he declares that he sings them in "my nursery class" (nurs-e-wee kwass). He loves to talk about nursery, but still thinks he needs to cry for the first 10 minutes before he can have fun. 

Evidence that it's near impossible to get a smiling picture of them both.

I suppose we did have snow this month after all... As a matter of fact, it happened right in Ian's bedroom, during quiet time. 

I ought to know by now that silence always equals some sort of enormous mess. (like thousands of static-y balls from inside the beanbag chairs) I distinctly remember Ian fussing in his room about something and then abruptly becoming very quiet. Over the next two hours I wondered if he was sleeping... but periodically heard noises to the contrary.... and why would I ruin a good quiet time and disturb him?

Ian had a good ol' time driving trucks through the snow and making it snow some more. I am sure he knew it wasn't a "good choice", a fact that I made sure he understood as I scrubbed the balls from his hair in the bathtub, and de-balled the insides of the vacuum cleaner later on.

But it's hard to stay upset with this adorable boy and his beloved partners in crime (the bunnies).

Today's quiet time was much less messy. Ian built "Daddy's office". Notice the tall buildings, the parking garage with cars inside and some spill-over parking on the street, and even a tall green tree out front. The cutest part was how excited he was to show it off!