Parktime!

Levi's parents live in a small town in Western Kansas. For being such a tiny town, they have a great little park! During our visit this past week, Grant couldn't wait to go play!! Finally on Friday, the weather was  nice enough to get out and not be blown away to the next city! So we headed up to play!! Of course, the first thing the boys wanted to do was swing! My kids LOVE to swing!! But then they were ready to go explore! Grant was busy collecting tiny rocks and putting them in the tunnel on the jungle gym. Wyatt enjoyed climbing up the steps and going down the slide- without my help!! Such a big kid! He loved sliding down feet first, on his belly! He had fun, no doubt!!

Wyatt was being a cowboy and made this horsey ride like the wind!

Wyatt's at the top of the jungle gym!! He liked playing peekaboo through this window!

This was funny. Summer and I were sitting on the ledge watching the kids play. Wyatt picked up my camera, brought it to me, backed away, sat down on the rocks and started posing. Seriously! 

Wyatt enjoyed pushing baby Piper (his cousin) in the swing! Piper loved it too!!

Of course, after parktime comes bathtime because my kids smelled like wet dog! I'd say thats a sign of a successful time at the park!!

New Discovery

Wyatt discovered this week that he loves playing with playdoh!! He even might enjoy eating little pieces from time to time. But he loves squishing it, patting it with a spatula, and trying to cut it with a plastic knife. I showed him how to stick little dinosaurs in there, so he thought that was the coolest thing ever!! He'd just sit at the little table and play away!! 

I'm pretty sure Grandma will be picking dried playdoh off her carpets for weeks though! Sorry Grandma!

I love this face he makes when he's concentrating- I call it his bulldog face because his lower jaw sticks out. He was working so hard!!
The little discoveries bring the most joy!

Don't Smile

Grant used to be so photogenic. Notice I said used to be? It got to the point where I'd have to say, "Don't Smile" just to get him to laugh and then I'd take a picture. But now, when I say "Don't Smile" he says, "Yes, I want to smile, I want to smile." And then he looks like this:

Yep, that's all the smile I get from him anymore. It's either this, or the back of his head as he turns away from the camera! Sheesh!!!

Above is Grant doing a science experiment at Grandma's house. He loves "hotcanoes" and he and Grandma got to make this one erupt! He said he was being a volcanologist. He was quite happy about that!

We got to the little park in Grinnell a few times during our stay out west. 

And of course, Grant's favorite part of the day- "bektast."  I love how he says it! It's usually his best eaten meal of the day!

Sink Bath

This little guy hasn't been a fan of baths in the big tub for quite a while. He moved from the baby tub to the big tub at about 7 months and absolutely loved it!! He'd crawl, splash, play, play, play! Then one day about 9 months, he just decided he didn't like them anymore. So, now he either gets in the tub for 5 seconds for a good scrub down, or he bathes in the kitchen sink, which he rather enjoys! So if I'm looking to kill more than 5 seconds, we'll stick him in the sink.

This past week at Grandma and Grandpa Broeckelman's house was no exception. He hated the tub! So after one hot, sweaty, and STINKY afternoon at the park, he needed a bath!! I didn't want to fight the big tub, so we just used the sink and he had a blast!!!

As you can see, sink baths are a big hit!!

Super-Struggle

Grant went from watching this:

 to watching this:

and I'm just not sure how I feel about this!! I feel like my little toddler who loves Nick Jr. is being replaced by a big boy who loves all things super heroes! Sure, Little Einsteins has some annoyingly catchy songs that get stuck in my head for days that I could really do without. But guys who shoot repulsor rays out of their chest- just not sure I'm ready for that yet! I know he doesn't understand anything that goes on in the shows. And he doesn't act out anything bad. He just loves being a hero in a cape!!  Fortunately, we only have one DVD that came with a play set and he found a DVD at the library that he just had to check out, so we don't have an extensive library...as of yet! But the action figures are starting to take over (which I'm totally to blame for that!). I still love his innocence though because when we play superheros, or read a superhero book, or watch a superhero show- he is determined to tell me all the "bad guys" are actually good guys. He'll say, "He's not a bad guy. He a good guy. He helps good guys." That makes me happy!!

I know, like anything else, this stage too shall pass. Unfortunately, it will probably just pass into something else I probably don't like, but that's just what raising boys is about!! Boys are weird, and boys are gross.

For now, it's time to email Nick Jr. requesting a toddler superhero show!! Maybe Justice League Babies?  The Adventures of Toddler Superman? Little Boy Spiderman?

Wyatt's Post

A post from Wyatt:

I sure was a busy boy this weekend! I played outside a lot. I ate alot of dirt and made lots of messes. I liked sitting on this bench. It was just my size.

Mimi bought me this cool airplane at a garage sale and I feel like Daddy when he flies. Grant calls this a T-6, but I have no idea what he's talking about.

Mimi filled up this bucket of water for me to splash around in. How did she know I like to splash?

I watched my brother and crazy cousins go down the slip n slide. I wanted to go down the slide too, but the water kept spraying me in the eyes. I'm not sure why the big boys find that so fun? Maybe when I get bigger I'll understand!

Mom gave me this two snack sticks and a random piece of paper. For some reason, she didn't want me to eat the snack sticks, she just wanted me to put them on the paper. I don't know why- those snack sticks sure tasted delicious to me!

I guess I have alot to learn...

Spiderman Takes a Bath

Grant only wanted to be referred to as Spiderman yesterday. My mom even bought him some Spiderman bubble bath.  After a long day of playing outside, Spiderman sure needed a bath!  When he got in the tub he said, "Look at all those spider webs I make!" Spiderman was busy rescuing lots of good guys from his web, but also making sure the bad guys stayed put!

I asked Spiderman what Spiderman looks like when he makes webs, half expecting him to put his hands out like Spiderman does, but instead I got this face:

HILARIOUS!!

And this is what Spiderman look like after he rescues the good guys! I think Spiderman is pretty darn handsome!

 

 

 

Spiderman just loves bathtime!!

4 Boys and a Police Car

This police car became a fast favorite with all the boys! Mason got this for Christmas 2 years ago and it is one of the numerous things Grant looks forward to when coming to Kansas. Grant is the craziest driver (Lord help me when he turns 16!) so he just gets to ride while Mason or Luke drive. Wyatt wanted to ride so badly, so I made sure the oldest (but not always the most careful!) driver took the wheel- 6 year old Mason!  Wyatt started laughing immediately when he got in. Of course, Mason took it upon himself to drive a little more crazy than usual, stopping and going, and doing some crazy turns!! But Wyatt just held on and kept on laughing!! They drove around the culdesac for a few minutes and then when I started fearing for Wyatt's life, I took him out. Those things really should come with seat belts!

 

But now I think this is something Wyatt will start begging to do each time!!

I don't know too many police officers that bring their lovey's and suck their thumbs! I guess he was trying to console himself because he's noticing that big brother thinks he's going to drive! I'd be sucking my thumb too if Grant were driving me around!

Here goes Grant attempting to drive ALONE. Can't you just sense the freedom?? With 4 cars parked in the street and driveway, we were all nervous!

I love this shot! Mason driving crazy. Grant riding and laughing. Wyatt sitting on the floor and squealing. Luke shooting a gun. Yep, all seems normal to me!

Pavlov's Lovey

Just like Pavlov's dogs, Wyatt has been conditioned. But he's conditioned himself to suck his thumb upon seeing his lovey, or simply by saying the word. It's hilarious, and gosh darn cute! He's become quite a little "Linus" carrying his lovey all over the house, the car, the stroller, etc. He's so funny though- he'll be playing somewhere and he'll spot his lovey across the room, so he makes a b-line with thumb in mouth, and then proceeds to face plant himself into his lovey. He also makes this "singing" sound when he sucks. It really is the cutest thing!

 

The Joys of Sand

Grant has always loved the sandbox, which is surprising, because he doesn't really like to get his hands messy. But I guess he makes the exception. I felt like Wyatt was going to follow in the "don't like my hands dirty" thing, and I think he did for a few days. Then he realized all the fun that can be had in the sandbox and now he loves it! He will sit there and just pick him handfuls of sand and then drop the sand. He's learning how to scoop with a shovel and of course, run the diggers through the sand.

He's loved watching the helicopters float down from the trees!

This is his concentrating face. I love it! Reminds me of a bulldog. (I've always said he's part puppy.) But he was trying to pick off every grain of sand from his hands. He's got quite the fine motor skills, and can actually pick up tiny specks of just about anything. I think making the face helps!

 

Oreo Fun

Wyatt eats fast. Too fast. By the time I get him his food on his tray and then fix my plate of food and sit down to eat, he's already done eating! So keeping him occupied in his high chair while I eat is quite the task. One evening, after he ate everything in sight and still wasn't satisfied, my mom gave in and gave him an Oreo, in hopes that would keep him busy while we ate our dinner. Well, it did. It also kept us busy afterward cleaning him AND his highchair up. But he sure enjoyed himself!

Oh, and notice he's in the sink and not the bathtub? I still can't get this kid to take a bath in the tub. He loved the big tub from age 7 months-9 months. And then one day- he decided he despised baths!! So to this day, he screams and tries to climb out the second he gets in the tub. He loves playing in water in other places though, which is why he takes a bath in the kitchen sink right now.

Kids! Sheesh!

Time with Gigi

My Grandma, or Gigi as the boys call her, came to visit this past weekend for Mother's Day. She lives about an hour south of my parents so I don't get to see her too often, even when I am here in Kansas. But it was a beautiful day, so she made the drive up. She hasn't seen my boys since last September, so she was very excited and blown away by how big the boys are! She just gobbled them up!  We also gobbled up a fabulous lunch at Bo Ling's.

She got some special cuddle time with each boy! She's always wanted a little thumbsucker grandchild, and she finally got one in Wyatt. She loved watching him face plant into his lovey with his thumb in his mouth!!

We love our Gigi!!