Photo Dump

 These are a little of this and that from the last few months for us. 

I was helping Josh's mom get some things ready for taxes, and Josh took the kids to the Aggie football spring scrimmage. Apparently there were some good deals on Aggie gear, because these were the pictures that I got from him. (Grant, above, all decked out for the game.)

 ...And Meili. Josh's reasoning? "They just looked so cute in the hats." They do. I agree.

 After 4 years of stalking Big Blue, Meili was finally brave enough to have her picture taken with him.

 Cache Valley had a one-day random snow storm in April, and while I was at work, and Josh was watching the kids, this is the picture he sent me on my phone. Apparently the pile of snow that I called a "snow-horse" was not good enough. It's hard to tell, but four giant piles of snow are the legs, with a big slab of particle board all holding it up; finished off with a giant smile of spray paint. And yes, the pink child in the corner is Grant.

 Meili had the idea that for Family Home Evening this week, she wanted to go to the temple and take pictures. I thought it was a great idea and I let her pick out whatever she wanted to wear-hence, the beautiful dress, and the cowgirl hat. What a goober!

 You'll see some pictures at the bottom of our child that is currently super-photogenic. However, this child decides to hug a fire hydrant in her picture. And that's just one more reason that we love her so much!

 Now that we're coming to the end of the school year, Meili's preschool teacher is asking each of the kids to be a Super Star, and tell the class a little more about themselves. Meili's Super Star day was pretty much the best day ever for her. Starting with decorating her bag. I just had to take a picture so we could remember that she colored it, put beads, Christmas decorations, and pom poms, and even added some stickers. She's got her whole life to learn the principle that "less is more" right?

 ... And don't forget that we covered the back in pictures of the family too. 

If her teacher had let her, Meili would have packed up our entire house in that bag, and talked about herself for the full two hours.

 We went to the park last week, and my children are beautiful. Enough said.

 Here's Meili's preschool picture. She's gotten so big this year and she has absolutely loved her class, and her teacher! Just hope next year goes as well.

 There's the always-photogenic Grant that I mentioned.

He's such a stud, he doesn't even know it, and it makes my heart ache how much I love that kid.

As for his updates:

At 15 months he was 33 inches, which is the 95%, and 26 lbs., which is 75%.
-Every time my mom sees him, she comments on how much he wants to talk. He's making sounds all the time, but most of them sound pretty much the same. So I would say that he has a word for "shoes," and "ball," (anyone can understand those,) but he also says something associated with duck, bubbles, drink, treat, blanket, book, Meili, car, no, dog, bird, uh-oh, and more that I can't think of. Some are definitely more clear than others.
-He knows some animal sounds but is picky about when he'll actually say them. I think he knows, dog, duck, bunny, fish, pig, chick, and cow, but will only perform like 1 out of 10 times.
-He wants so desperately to be helpful-in a way that I don't remember Meili ever doing. One day, Meili and I were cleaning up their room, and he automatically started picking up shoes and putting them on the shelf in the closet. As soon as I change his diaper, he has a one-track mind about making sure that he throws the diaper away in the garbage. He closes the door if I open it, and is right there everytime I am loading and unloading the dishwasher, as well as sweeping, mopping or vacuuming. If he spills something he wants to wipe it up. Please say that this is a personality trait that will last for life.
-He loves being outside-which I think is where his obsession with shoes started.
-If I sit down in his room, he automatically picks out one of his three favorite books, and plops himself down in my lap.
-He's still a mama's boy. He's doing better with other people, but definitely prefers me, and if I am with another child, he will definitely have something to say about that.
-Just this week, he's down to one nap a day, and Josh has been going with him to nursery for more than a month, and he's transitioning well.
-We've learned that his teeth grow 7 at a time. He got 7 last fall, and has had nothing grow in since. But in the last month or so, his fourth tooth on the bottom popped up, and several molars have broken through. It's made for a few rougher nights, but at least he gets a bunch at a time instead of one a month forever!

We love him a little more every single day! He's pretty dang sweet, and I think we'll keep him!