Training Mom

Growing up in a house of girls we never had to worry about things like, oh, the toilet seat being left up.

So I am obviously in the dark when it comes to boys and bathrooms.

We've been working on potty training for the last week. I'm learning there is a whole different world than the one I grew up in.

A world where rule #1 is point down.

Steppin

Check out these moves.

Peekaboo

Lincoln wants to be a professional peekabooer when he grows up. I think he has a shot.

Linc the Lizard

Lincoln has a crazy tongue. All day long it goes in and out, in and out. Like a lizard.

I've tried to get it on video, but as soon as he sees the camera he stops. We were playing peek-a-boo when I caught these few seconds of tongue action.

Who's you daddy?

Who are your mom and dad?

Bentley: Chod's my dad and Mom's my GIRL!

Little cowboy

Bentley brought me a pair of little Wranglers and said he wanted to wear "cowboy pants". He really liked the patch on the back pocket.

As I was helping him put them on he told me he needed a horse.

I told him there was a horse upstairs in his room.

"Not a stick horse, a real horse."

Then as he was attempting to climb onto a chair with little success he attested, "cowboy pants stiff."

Welcome to being a cowboy.

Watch your step

Face + Gravity + Sidewalk =

Last night while the wound was still fresh.

And today after the scabs had formed and the lip is still puffy. I can't figure out how his nose came out unscathed.

More trip

When we started planning our trip to Arizona I told Bentley we were going to go on a trip.

He got really excited, started jumping up and down, and said "My friends go on trips too!" Yeah, that's right and now it is your turn. He had no idea the the scale of our trip was substantially smaller than his friends and he loved every minute of it.

In unlikely Stephens fashion, we broke the driving into 2 days each way. This kept us all sane and the boys did great in the car.On the way down we stopped to see the Grand Canyon. It was my first time seeing this wonder, and it was grand. The wind had been blowing like I only thought it did in Idaho the day before, so the air was hazy with dust.
Pictures to prove we were there. Pretty sure Lincoln won't remember a thing, and Bentley was more excited about the coloring book from the gift shop than the large hole, so the here's the documentation.

On the way home we stopped and saw another wonder of the world. The Las Vegas Strip. Chod had never seen the Bellagio fountains. We took a picture to document this too. It has been 7 years since I was in Vegas and I don't know if it has gotten worse, or if traveling with my husband and 2 sons made the difference. We saw the fountain show and quickly got out of town.

When Bentley recognized we were getting close to home he started crying, "I want more trip! No home!"

Guess it is better to leave them screaming for more rather than screaming to have it over with.

We will match!

I ordered Tickle Monster for Bentley for Christmas, but it was on backorder and didn't make it until his birthday.

It has become a favorite read at our house.

Today was cousin Hudson's birthday. When I asked Bentley what he wanted to give Hudson he thought about it and then said, "I know. Tickle Monster book."

I searched every book store from here to Idaho Falls and none had Tickle Monster in stock. So, I made a late night run to the store and picked up a lame dinosaur as the consolation gift.

This morning I showed the dinosaur to Bentley and told him he could give it to Hudson for his birthday. Nope. He insisted on giving him Tickle Monster. When I explained that I couldn't find Hudson a Tickle Monster book, Bentley thought of giving him our copy.

Then they would "match". (Uhh...yeah, except you won't have one....?)

So we wrapped up Tickle Monster and Bentley generously presented it to Hudson today.

Now they match.

Boys Only

We spent the week hanging out with the boy cousins--NO GIRLS ALLOWED.

They are the 6 cutest boys around. But when you add the dads to the mix, the moms are grossly outnumbered.

Bentley had a blast getting to know the cousins. They have officially been added to his friend list (and it takes a lot to get on that list).

Tonight he announced, "I like my friends. They miss me."

It was a week filled with trampoline and trains in 80 degree weather. Does it get any better than that?

Dad-ar

What do you do when you are on vacation and the happy baby below is alert and happy and smiling and eating and sleeping, but his breathing is a little wheezy?

If you are his mom you don't worry about him, after all he isn't acting sick.

But if you are his dad you insist on taking him to InstaCare.

At InstaCare you find out that the big eyed, smiling little guy has RSV. You leave with a slew of prescriptions and the instructions to take him to the ER immediately if he hasn't improved in a few hours.

Sure glad Dad caught that one. Lincoln is doing much better today.

Really hope we didn't infect the cousins.

Half Year Birthday

Love Bug is 6 months old! He is about as perfect a baby as they come (of course I am comparing him to Bentley--who was far from perfect).

At 6 months Lincoln:
• Loves his baby food
• Can roll over, but prefers not to end up on his tummy
• Loves kisses
• Has figured out how to get Bentley in trouble
• Has 2 bottom teeth in and is working on more (hence the slobber)

And we will leave you with this:

Pioneer Children

We have big plans for this summer. Plans involving dirt.

Because we live in an apartment, I feel that Bentley doesn't get to experience summer to the fullest since there is no backyard for him to play in. So to counter the lack of mud and bugs we are volunteering at American West Heritage Center this summer. That and I think my boys need to experience at least a little farm life. Even if we have to dress as pioneers to do so.

We won't be there everyday, but if you happen to visit AWHC look for us at the pioneer site.

Go to bed sleepy head

My three year old is having a hard time staying in bed. He has needed his Froggie, his cup, and his dad and none are keeping him in bed.

On his most recent trip out of his room I asked him a question.

He quickly shut his door and got back on his bed. Then I heard

"My mom tolds me, where you 'posed to be?"

Mister sassy-pants.

Any guesses what I asked him?

What's for dinner?

Trying to come up with something for dinner, I asked Bentley what we should have.

"Chocolate chips."

"Anything else?"

"Cookies."

"Chocolate chips and cookies. Anything else?"

"Juice."

And that's why 3 year olds aren't in charge of meal planning.