The sweetest things...

My boys are growing so quickly and everytime I turn around they are doing something new or exciting...

Stephen has become quite the little helper of late.  He helped me load and unload the dishwasher and brought me clothes out of the dryer.  He is such a cheeful little man most of the time.  We moved his bedtime up an hour and he has been much more pleasant throughout the day.  He takes his naps and wakes up more happy than he used to.  His imagination is always coming up with crazy new ideas.  I am always wondering "where did he come up with that one?"  He loves to play outside.  We go over to my mom's house several times a week so that he can get his fill of the great outdoors.  He can spend hours on end digging in the dirt and running - just for the sheer joy of it - with my parents' dog, Indy. Stephen is very loving and continues to bond with Boston.  I love how he tries to help when Boston is crying or sad.  He says, "It's okay Boston!" in the sweetest little voice.  Stephen can often get him to stop crying.  I adore my little boy and just when I start to miss my "Baby Stephen," he insists on me holding him "like a baby" and then I remember he is still there, hiding inside this big boy body with loooong legs.  He still has his michievious grin and twinkling blue eyes to remind me too - I don't think that will ever change!

The elusive Stephen.

Ahhh, there he is!

Getting this kid to give me a natural smile for the camera is next to impossible!

Ahh, Baby Boston.  How he has changed!  He is so interested in everything that is going on around him.  He loves to be in the middle of the action and if you happen to walk by him as he is sitting on the floor and don't stop to pick him up - watch out.  He gets so offended!  It is pretty hard to resist Boston's sweet little face when he cries so he usually gets his way.  Nothing can be sweeter than when he wraps his chubby little arms around my neck after I pick him up and gives me a big slobbery "kiss."  He first tooth came in last week and he is working on the second right now.  Grouchy and drooly.  Thats all I can say about it. Boston LOVES to eat.  I am still nursing him but he also eats baby food or bites of table food three times a day.  He grunts almost the whole time to indicate that the food is not coming fast enough.  He is very particular about where the food is coming from - for instance it must taste better from my fork as opposed to my hand.  He loves his baths and hates to get out - he cries every time.  I would classify our little Boston as "mobile though not agile."  He can roll all over though floor and inch toward whatever he is trying to get but it takes a great deal of effort for him.  Let's just say, crawling and walking are in the far distant future.  Boston has started waving "bye bye" or even "hi" sometimes.  He has his chubby little fist closed tightly but there is no doubt he is waving.  He seriously melts my heart every time I look at him!

Boston's shirt was soaked with drool so we had to borrow these clothes from Grandma.

Now imagine that face coming at you....

Self portrait for Facebook.

You might have already seen this video, but I thought I would share it just in case you hadn't...it really helped me to remember to be thankful!

It's Official...I've lost it!

I left the door of the car open while I was in Joann's the other day.  Not just a little bit open but GAPING WIDE open!  I was in Joann's for about an hour!  My first thought when I saw it was that someone had broken into it.  Not the case....  (Besides, if you were going to break into a car in broad daylight in front of Joann's wouldn't you choose a nicer car?  Make it all a little more worthwhile?)  I can't believe no one stole the carseats - but mostly I can't believe that no one would shut the door for me when they noticed it hanging open.  I would have done that for someone else.  What if my battery was dead?? It wasn't dead - our car thankfully has a feature which turns the lights off automatically after a while so it doesn't drain the battery.  I still can't believe I was so forgetful. Sigh.  

Loosing it...or already lost it?

Tonight as I was loading the boys into the car to go home from the Smith's house I put Boston in his seat and started to buckle him in.  I situated him and thought how much easier this new car seat was to use.  It wasn't until I had reached across and was about to snap the seat belt into place that I realized that I had him sitting in Stephen's front facing booster seat that uses the seat belt of the car!  No wonder it was so easy to put him in there!!  I started laughing and couldn't stop even after Scott took Boston from me and put him in his right car seat.  It took me forever to have the strength to buckle Stephen into his car seat because I was still laughing too hard.  He was so mad at me - "it's not silly Mommy!! It's not silly!!"  I laughed and cried until I felt slightly hysterical - after all it really wasn't that funny but I think I was a little over-tired. 

Only 20 minutes later we were home and I was putting on Stephen's pj's (the footed, warm and fuzzy kind).  It was really hard to get his long legs into the "footsie" parts.  It is so much easier on little babies, you know??  Finally I gave his leg a good shove and pulled up on the top of the pajamas and his foot popped through - the arm hole.  More hysterical laughter....  This time Stephen thought it was funny too.

Nursing Cover Giveaway

Just a reminder to check out my new blog at http://coversbycamilla.blogspot/!  You have until tomorrow at midnight to enter to win a free nursing cover.  Your chances of winning the nursing cover are still pretty high!  You don't have to do all four items to enter but can do up to four entries. Thanks for your help in spreading the word to your friends.  I am still having such a blast working on this!

This Halloween Sugar Needs its Own Post!

We had so much fun taking pictures of these babies and Stephen!  This series of pictures was so funny that I had to include them all - just look at their facial expressions.  We started out trying to get pictures of the three newest Smith grandbabies.  Then moved on to the "Supermen" and went back to just the three babies.  Ryker is one month, Bentley is two months and Boston is almost seven months.  Their sizes are so funny too.  Ryker was born 8 weeks premature (he is doing great) so he is still so tiny - only six pounds.  Bentley is more of an average size for his age and then you have Boston who is giant.  This was the first time we had the three of them together since Ryker was born.  When they are older, can you say TROUBLE??

We couldn't get that sucker out of Stephen's mouth.

Boston seems a little too excited about holding Ryker.  Ryker looks like he wants to be saved.

Bentley looks like his is kissing Ryker's head and Boston looks like, "what the junk are you doing?"

Sugar + Candy = Halloween

Candy corn sugar cookies!

Stephen eating cotton candy at our ward/community "Boo Bash" I think he likes it.

A lot.

Really really a lot.

Yes, he was VERY hyper after this...you can see it in his eyes.

 

Boston didn't get cotton candy.

He got over it.

Stephen, Boston, Talan, and Atley, getting ready to trick-or-treat.  This picture cracks me up - Boston is the only one looking at the camera with a real smile.  Stephen and Atley are "cheesing" it and Talan is about to take off running.

I am sorry, but I think Boston is way too cute for his own britches!

Not a big fan of myself in this picture...but it is me and my babe!

The California Cousins Visit

My brother, Aaron, and his family came to Arizona to visit a week or two ago.  It was fun to see them and for the little cousins to re-kindle their friendships.  Okay, in Boston and Jeremiah's case they are still trying to grab each others' faces, but they still liked spending time together.  We spent most days and many evenings of their visit over at the Quist home so we could get maximum together time.  Here are some attempts at getting all the grandkids together in one picture...if you have ever attempted it you know how it goes....

Stephen, Boston, Anna, Jeremiah

Boston, Anna and Jeremiah

For the record, at 6 months Boston weighed 22 lbs 10 oz and Jeremiah weighed 22 lbs 11 oz.  They carry their weight in different places - Boston has the thighs and Jeremiah has the belly, though they are both super chubby all over!

Anna and Stephen on the wagon ride.  They used to ride in this wagon when they were so little - apparently they enjoy it as much now as they did then!

It was so fun to see Aaron and Rebecca too.  We really wish they could live closer so we could see them more often.  We miss them already!