California Christmas

Some of my favorite things:

~My boys going on "adventures" over the hill in my parents' back yard
~My uncle Rich teaching my boys that he is their "gruncle" Rich  (great uncle)
~Eating my mom's barbeque brisket--oh, so good!
~Music--listening to Brian play the piano, my dad sing in church, Joshua sing and play guitar, and Rich sing and play guitar
~Going to the beach--listening to both Laura and Rachel yelp when they realized afterward that they had walked within inches of a huge pelican; watching the pelicans dive bomb the school of anchovies, and watching the dolphins startle the birds floating on the water; jumping waves with my boys
~Playing Just Dance with my sisters, Josh, Brian, Rich; Camden beating everyone in Wii sword fighting
~Playing Apples to Apples and Spoons
~Visiting Christmas Card Lane (a whole neighborhood that sets up giant "Christmas cards" in their front yards--everything from a yard full of running train set villages to Despicable Me to Nativities, Sleeping Beauty to Harry Potter.  Most are rather cleverly done.  And so nice to walk around at night in 65 degrees.    

I need to get more pictures from my mom, but here's a little photo journal of our week:

 On our way to church

 Christmas Eve

 Hangin out on Christmas morning

 Camden's the sword fighting master!

 Boys feel a bit timid of the pelican--it snapped at anyone who got too close

 Oceanside Pier

It was about 80 degrees at the beach and clear skies!  It felt warmer than many days in the summer, except the water was much colder. The boys played in the water for about half an hour or more!  I had to carry Nate out kicking and sobbing, "Just one more wave!"

Thanks, Mom and Dad!  Merry Christmas!

Christmas photo shoot

6 month McKay!

McKay is 6 months old today.  He has a doctor appointment next week, and I'm curious about his growth.  He may need a big boy car seat.  Boo!

He got two teeth yesterday.  I feel like I want to cry a little.  How can he be so old so fast?  But he's showing no signs of mobility, so he feels like a little guy still. 

He caught the cold that Nate and Camden have, so he's been hoarse for about a week.  It is the saddest little sound ever! 

He's able to sit by himself for awhile.  He usually tips over, but he's getting a lot better!  Camden and Nate love to chant, "Go, McKay, go!" over and over while clapping their hands on the floor.  Then, when he tips, they giggle hysterically.  Nate says, "Do it again!"

He's pretty good at grabbing things and loves to hold little toys.  He seems so sweet and soft and squishy to me.  I hope that his personality will stay that way. :)

Awhile back he scared us with a bad reaction to rice cereal.  I haven't tried rice again, but he really likes tastes of potatoes, applesauce, and saltine cracker crumbles. 

He loves to be tickled, tossed around, and tipped upside down. He  also loves bath time, but he likes it best if he doesn't have to share with Camden or Nate. 

Happy 6 months, McKay!

Funny conversation today

Nate: Can we watch a movie?  (in the car)
Me: No (We generally only watch movies on long trips)
Nate: Why not? (new favorite phrase)
Camden: Because the library is local!

Nate the Great

We found a series of books at the library about a detective named Nate the Great.  They're a bit too old for Nate, but we checked it out anyway.  He's been walking around chanting, "I'm Nate a Gwate!"

When something goes wrong and he's in a bad mood, he screams.  But, when he's in a good mood, he says, "Oopsy doopsy artichoky"  (mixes up okey, dokey, artichokey--does anyone else say that?)  It's so stinkin cute!

He's started to say "Oo ah me!"  (Look at me!)

He's started to pick up book phrases.  His newest one is "Little pig, little pig, let me come in! Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin!"  Only the whole phrase sounds a bit British :)

Camden also picks up phrases--we found a 3 Little Dinos version of 3 Little Pigs.  The T-Rex is the wolf and calls the 3 Brachiosaurus brothers "little porkers".  So now Camden has been calling McKay a little porker. 

And McKay has learned that he loves to scream in delight.  But it doesn't sound very delightful.  He also really hates driving at night.  But, he can sit by himself until someone knocks him over.  Two big brothers think it is totally hilarious when he plops.  It is, actually, but poor McKay!

Veteran's Day

My 4 year old Camden  saw some military members in a Veteran's Day parade a few weeks ago.  Ever since then, he's been thanking Heavenly Father for the soldiers who fight for us, or the good soldiers who fight the bad soldiers.  He thinks of them as he thinks of Captain Moroni and Helaman. It is very sweet to me.

Dinos return...



From Pilgrimisaurus and Indianadon, Happy Thanksgiving!

Dinovember!

  We got visited last night!

  

McKayster Big-aytster

That's what Camden calls McKay. 

 

And he is getting so big!  He's 5 months old, getting really good at reaching and holding things.  He loves to squeal and shriek happy shrieks for no reason at all.  I think it's funny.  He is a stiff kid--he would much rather stand or lay down than sit in my lap.  He seems to be losing his hair. :(   

 

Camden says his favorite thing about McKay is "That he loves me, and that he giggles."

Nate's favorite thing about McKay is when McKay smiles at Nate.  Nate always responds with, "He likes me!" 

Brian loves his soft cheeks, and I love his ticklish neck and shoulders. 

 

We pretty much just really love this little squishy face.

Halloween!

Halloween was simple for us this year, but we did actually carve pumpkins!  Somehow last  year, we missed that part.  Anyway, here's a picture journal of our month:

 

Sweet, happy boy!

 Love this year's mostly warm October!

 Nate loves his little brother.

 A little real-live Halloween scar

 Master carver at work.  This was a huge pumpkin and broke the knife I used.  Needed the jig saw. :)

 Nate's pumpkin.  He chose the face he wanted.

 Camden's pumpkin

 Silly boy rarely takes naps, but this day, he fell asleep right like that.  So cute!

 3 years ago when we went to Maryland, we stopped by Camden Yards.  I pulled out this shirt we bought way back then.  Camden loves it!

 These are our Halloween sliced potatoes for tin foil dinner.  It's way more fun to eat potatoes if they have faces in them. :)

 New Sheriff in Town McKay

 Tiger Nate and Captain America Camden.  Nate has worn his costume pants for two days straight now.  :)  Hopefully I can convince him to let me wash them soon.

Happy Halloween!

Quick update

Mckay is 4 1/2 months old.  He is a generally happy, tall, slobber monster.  Nate says, "likes me, mom!  (McKay) likes me!"  I love to see Nate find so much happiness in his little brother.  Camden also LOVES to make McKay giggle.  :)  McKay can roll over from his tummy to his back.   He is fairly tall for his age, and a little more rolly than Camden and Nate were.  He's not exactly a chubby boy, but my biggest so far!  When he's in the right mood, he loves to be startled-- his eyes will get big, his whole body will jump a little, and then he giggles and giggles.  It is so funny!  Camden has started to carry McKay.  It is always Camden's idea and always makes me nervous!  But, he's never dropped him, so I should probably  relax a little.  :)

Nate is getting so much older in the way he talks and understands.  He's starting to understand the concept of consequences, waiting for something until something else happens, and he is just starting to talk about comparing things.  He loves to repeat other people.  He's super ticklish on his neck/shoulders and often asks to be tickled.  Coloring is probably his favorite activity.  He also likes playing by himself, with no Camden around.

Camden is starting to read more.  He is bored of the "reading lesson book" and wants to read real books, which is so exciting!  He still likes to sit for a long time while Brian reads to him.  He loves loves loves his dinosaurs, but it seems like he has other interests that are starting to balance out the dinosaurs.  The other interests at least make it so I don't wish I could banish everything dinosaur from our house.  :)  He likes playing soccer in the back yard, but mostly asks for baseball.  He can hit the ball more often than I expected. 

Anyway, here are some pictures:

Tiny Mckay fits in the sink still

 Camden decided baby brother needed some decoration

 First smiles

 Cute brothers! (This is before we moved)

 Silly Nate!

 Rainstorm at our new house

 This is why we planted grass here.

 Stake Conference at the Conference Center 

(The older boys, surprisingly, were just fine.  Mr. M's cries can carry pretty well, though!)

Camden and Nate milking a cow on a preschool field trip.

My favorite full mouth giggle!