2 Months!

Two Months! Where did the time go?

After a slow start, Brock is putting on the weight weighing in at his two month check up at 11 lbs 13 ounces.

Favorite Baby Cow

Parker loves cows and so we couldn't resist him having the experience of seeing one up close and personal. That chance came when the Magnusons let us go and feed some of the new calves out at their ranch.

Parker got his first chance at feeding a calf that wasn't able to walk because of crooked legs. The calf's mom apparently isn't all that nice so a little tender care is needed. Parker rose to the occasion and fed his first cow. Upon asking him what he thought we should name it he said, "Favorite baby cow".

It was a fun experience that Parker didn't want to have end. We are thankful for good friends who allow us to have these experiences.

Wahoo for President's Day!!!!

Parker building snowman with dad 2010

Parker building snowman with dad 2011

The President of the United States has a tough job. It is only fitting that he should get a day in which we celebrate the men who have led this nation. For the second straight President's Day Weekend, a snow storm dropped the perfect ingredients for a fun filled weekend, sledding and snow man making.

I may not be the President, but I sure do enjoy my job of being dad on days like this. Thank goodness for President's days.

President's Day 2010 - Castle Dale, UT

Presidents Day 2011 - Price, UT

Every trip down the hill began with a "Wahoo" in unison!

Sun#@$!#@

Nursery is paying off. Parker has learned how to sing, "Head, shoulders, knees, & toes". He's learned "If You're Happy and You Know It." It is debatable if he is learning reverence (nursery not to blame here). But we are kind of wondering what he is learning when he sings "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam"

When he sang it for us last the chorus went as follows, "Jesus wants me for a SUN-BEEP". Either profanity has snuck into the song or Parker has learned how to censor it.

In spite of this, we are convinced that nursery has been good for Parker. We just have some work to do with the language that is being used there.

Not so SUPER SUNDAY

While the nation was watching Super Bowl Sunday, our eyes were fixed on Brock as he spent the day in the hospital with RSV.

Fortunately Melissa used her motherly instincts to take Brock to the ER on Saturday night (Feb. 5) when she noticed he had a difficult time breathing. Because it was caught early the ER doctor wasn't able to readily identify the problem until some testing was done which provided a positive RSV diagnosis which meant watching our little guy endure the joys of an IV and breathing treatments through the night and followingday.

The time in the hospital went well as Melissa tenderly cared for her son. After about a full day of observation and treatment, he was released to come home.

Upon his arrival he has been confined to a room full of humidifiers (three to be exact) and a loving mother who faithfully does breathing treatments every eight hours. Even more frequent are the "nose suckings" (nice medical term I know).

And so after a week we look back to that Super Sunday. There was nothing Super about having a 6 week old in the hospital. Surely there is nothing super about hospital food and the comforts that come from staying the night. "Super" does not describe the worry and stress that seems endless.

What is "super" in the midst of the not so "super", was watching a loving mother care for her son. And this is better than any Super Bowl that I have ever seen.

Super Birthday

There is nothing SUPER about turning 30, especially because the gray hair has been creeping in on me since I was 25. Now it is just an ugly number that validates the "distinguished" gray hair. Despite the number 30 associated with my name, here were some of the SUPER things about the birthday.

A Superman birthday cake made by Melissa -impressive

BYU clothing - Super sweet

Time with family

One Month Plus 1 - Brock

Where does a month go? Is this our baby? With how Brock is growing, asking such questions can only be answered with pictures of the proof:

January 25th

January 22nd

January 20th

January 12th

What has happened in his first month: A lot of sleeping, eating, and growing!

What a sweet thing to see him grow in only one month. Can't wait to see what happens each month, but at the same time I wish I could hold him here forever!

Dear Elder and Sister

I don't think my mom ever missed a week of writing to her five sons on the mission which would make over 250 letters. In an attempt to pay back the many heartfelt letters we sat down for family night and wrote a letter and drew "snow missionaries" for grandma and grandpa serving in Ogdensburg, New York.

Also in the spirit of missionary work I nightly quiz Parker on where Grandma and Grandpa are at. The conversation goes as follows as we have just concluded our nightly story and we are saying goodnight:

Dad: "Where is Grandma and Grandpa?"

Parker: "On a mission"

Dad: "Where on a mission?"

Parker: "New York" (muffled but distinguishable)

Dad: "What are they doing on a mission?"

Parker: "Teaching Jesus"

What a blessing missionary work is!

Brock Bath

Wahoo, the cord fell off and he is free to enter the full on bath realm! It was so nice to have that joy of giving him his first bath. It was a little bit of a shocker for him to enter the water, but he soon settled in and loved the warm water. The first of many to come!

Mama's boy

Let's hope that Parker takes after mom.

Here is one way that he is a mama's boy. CEREAL.

The kid could eat cereal for every meal, just like mom!

At this point it doesn't seem to matter what kind of cereal. From lucky charms, to cheerios, and everything in between. The kid loves his cereal.