PAPA

Christian loves his PAPA.

He LOVED the special treat Papa gave him.

 Lemon juice through a peppermint stick.

 He is missing Papa this week.

"Papa" is in Mexico doing a service project in a women's prison. We are praying for him everyday. It's not exactly a safe time to be done there right now.

Papa come home safe...love, Christian.

happy birthday mom :)

Happy Birthday Mom!

We celebrated her birthday on the 18th at our house...supper, cake, gifts, and an intense game of SET. Let's just say if you are ever looking for some LOUD entertainment just invite my two brothers over for pretty much any game. We all had a good time celebrating another year of Mom's life!

Topeka trip

Ben went up to Topeka a couple weeks ago for several days to help his Dad and brother on the house they are fixing up. He did some painting. We (Christian and I) joined him on Saturday for a visit to Gpa and Gma H's. He liked going up and down the small slope in between the living room and dining room at their house. 

We went to see the house they are working on...it has changed quite a bit from when we saw it last. I wish I would've taken a picture of the house from the outside, but if you'd just picture it as you see the "studio/guest house" you'd have a general image.

BEFORE

 

NOW





BEFORE







NOW



 

BEFORE



 

NOW



Good to see you Gpa and Gma H.

happy HEART day

My little valentine and I made some pretty hearts for the window. I think I enjoyed it more than he did..but he liked the finished product quite a bit. It's kind of a corny "holiday", but it makes for a fun reason to let the people we love feel even more loved. So happy valentine's day!!

Christian's favorites..in picture

bath time

singing/clapping

coloring

cookies..(trust me, she had one..and he wanted it)

kissing 

outside and animals

What's more to love?...well lots, but here's a few anyway.

*s*n*o*w*

We got a fair amount of snow..17-18 inches..so make that alot of snow for Kansas..all within about a day!

Ben shoveled our driveway so I could get out to go to work. This was the day it just kept coming and coming, and blowing and blowing. He did a really good job...it was pretty cold, that wind was really COLD!

These were after the snow had settled and looked so pretty!

 Grandpa made a "Christian" size hill to sled down at their house. 

I can't remember a time in Kansas that the snow came down this much AND it was so COLD, the one morning it was -18. I'm not really complaining, because it was pretty. But on the other hand, I am now officially ready for spring.

18 months

~ 18 MONTHS OLD ~
Our little boy is already a year and a half years old. 
A glimpse of what he's doing and into these days...
He's on the verge of talking, he has some favorite words he likes to use quite a bit, and all others are the jabber sounds. 
Here are a few of the favorites: 
"whass-tha"= what's that
"baaw"=ball
"hhhaa"= hot
the classic, "no, no, no"
"Byyye" and "Hii"
"mama" "dada"
and last but not least, the last favorite is definitely "coo-co"= cookie (or ANYTHING he thinks is a treat). He LOVES cookies!


He "reads" his books to himself, just jabbering away in some other language.


He loves to look inside the coffee mug you're using, just to make sure it really does "look" hot, and then looking up and saying "hhhaa".


He is broadening his interest in eating "our food"...often if we mix applesauce with it, he usually gives it the go ahead. He also is Mr. Independent and wants to strictly feed himself frequently, even if that means a huge mess!


One of the favorite lunches he likes is PB&J, or the most recent macaroni and cheese.


I am certain he understands WAY more than I think most of the time.


Anytime the door to our laundry room is opened, he makes a mad dash to not only see who's there but to go down the step into that "glorious room". I have no idea what he finds so appealing about that area, but it is sometimes a BIG deal to have to come back to the rest of the house. A more recent discovery is the basement door..ooh man, he thinks it is great down there...and no we still haven't finished it..so again, I don't understand.


He LOVES tape measures, remotes, cell phones, pens, and crayons...I know, all but the last are real age appropriate!


He loves his books..and mine too, especially the cookbooks.


He is getting more generous with his kisses, he has now advanced from giving strictly his stuffed animals/animals in books... to most family members, smaller kids,  and Randall, one of our Sunday school teachers :)


His little laugh is so contagious, I love in when he's in a ticklish mood and he just GIGGLES!


His hair seems to grow so fast..it seems like I'm always trimming it.


He loves his boots..and mama and daddy's too! He tries to put ours on.


He is really fast at emptying out all but the top drawer in his dresser..little stinker. I know if he's in there, and it all of the sudden gets quiet..I'm too late.


He sleeps through the night, uses his pacifier and blanket at night, and anymore doesn't really liked to be rocked to sleep for very long. (to be honest, it makes me slightly sad, but really it's kinda handy too)


He has become part monkey..climbing on literally EVERYTHING. Any toys that have height, the couches, our dining room chairs/table. Pretty much anything he can hoist his little bottom and legs up on, he does.


And lastly of this "glimpse" of what he does or loves...is the OUTDOORS, if he could verbalize it I'm sure he would tell us that he is definitely ready for spring!
So here are a few of the pictures we took when the weather was very nice for a couple days.






I love this little, growing boy!! He is just so fun.