January Happenings

1/9 - The Christmas tree finally came down, as did all the snowmen decorating our house. What a sad sad day. I always hate taking everything down- seems like we don't get to celebrate Christmas long enough. Boaz was a big help taking things off the tree. I let him help so he wouldn't cry if the tree suddenly disappeared!! Boaz watching a show before naptime in one of his classic outfits- a Field of Dreams hat and a ribbon turned into a necklace ("oo-la-la," he'd say). I love the crazy things he puts on through the course of a day. 1/10 - Boaz LOVES his baths. And I love his little tush. Lately he likes to run around and show mom & dad his tummy after he's all done with his bath- before he gets dressed. Makes me laugh everytime. (Boaz- I know you'll be embarrassed about this picture someday. Sorry!)1/13 - For several months, Boaz has been hauling a flimsy cloth insurance advertisement bag to the church nursery. It's seen its better days, so I figured it was due time for Boaz to have his own backpack. I found this Hawkeye bag at Walmart and he is in love with it. He filled it with blocks, then walked around the house talking on his cell phone. (my old one)

1/14 - Cainan cashed out on the recliner. I didn't get this picture flipped- I apologize. But you can still see how darn cute his cheeks are! And you can also see that I need to put away this sleeper soon- his arms are getting too long! I can't believe how many articles of clothing are too small for him already. I had forgotten how fast this tiny baby stage goes...

If Boaz wants Dad's attention, he'll sit on the newspaper.

I try and try to catch a video of Cainan laughing and talking. It never really works. He's too distracted by the camera most times to care about what I'm saying to him. Here's the best I've got so far... a few little squeaks and smiles.

1/17 - And here is how Boaz spends a majority of his evenings after dinner. Especially after we get his pajamas on, he feels the need to get really hyper and high step it around the living room... nonstop... for a long time. Usually it invovles screaming and laughing also- tonight was a quiet kick fest, but you get the picture! :)

Just stuff...

Here's some stuff that's been going on around here lately....

1/3- Cainan discovered his hands! This was the first day I really noticed him staring at them. Now his days are full of all kinds of fun waving his hands and following them with his eyes... often followed by bonking himself in the head with them!

And of course, Boaz tried to steal the show....

We've been doing a lot of reading these cold winter months. I've been amazed at how well Boaz knows his stories! Lately I've been quizzing him as I read. I'll read a line from book and pause- and he will fill in the blank!! It's pretty amazing to watch his little brain work. These days when we read he often tells me "Boaz read!" He would rather read to me than let me tell the stories. Here are some quick videos of him reading in the big chair on 1/5.

8 Silly Monkeys...

Brown Bear, Brown Bear... mixed with Frosty the Snowman???

Tumpent

1/2 - Luke's parents found his old trumpet (or tumpent, as Boaz says) in their basement and sent it home with us. Boaz, being the music lover he is, has been really excited to have it at our house and regularly asks daddy to go downstairs to play the tumpent. (or he sometimes calls it the tombone from grampa's house) He and daddy have had fun making music together.

And here is Luke showing off what he remembers from 6th grade!! :) He said these two things are about the only thing he'd play when he practiced. I bet his parents loved hearing the same scale and warm-up exercise over and over!!

Frosty Snowman

1/7/10 - Boaz has been obsessed with snowmen this winter. He talks about them daily and has really enjoyed having my snowman decorations out around the house this Christmas season. I recorded Frosty the Snowman off TV a few weeks ago and we watch that regularly also. Everytime Frosty melts, Boaz gets sad and talks about the girl crying. We have to talk through it each time, and explain that Frosty comes back to life.

I've wanted to get Boaz outside to make a snowman for awhile, but it's been sooooo cold! So, we brought the snow indoors the other day. (when the high was something like -3!!) Dig in, Boaz!

Aunt Sandi... he's wearing his Superman mittens!! :) Here's the first two layers of snowman.

We used half a baby carrot for the nose. Boaz was very excited to eat the other half! Several times he tried to lick off the chocolate chips that made up the eyes and buttons! Silly Boaz! Patting on more snow... adding the third layer.

Barefoot all the time... like his mommy! And really wanted to feel the snow on his toes!

We put our 'Frosty Snowman' outside on the steps so we can say hello to him throughout the day. Boaz likes to go to the window to be sure he's still there- and make sure the chocolate chips are still attached for the eyes and buttons. This was a fun winter adventure for the two of us.

Here's a quick video of Boaz building his snowman and trying to get the carrot to stick in for the nose...

Cainan is back!

We experienced our first illness with Cainan. The week of Christmas, he caught a cold- probably from Boaz who caught his in the nursery! :) Then 12/31 I noticed he had a fever. Took his temp and it was 100.2. 1/1 it was up to 102.4. Called ask-a-nurse, and after being on hold for 20 minutes, they told me I could wait one more day to see if he still had a fever before taking him anywhere. Well... Cainan just wasn't Cainan. I honestly didn't see him smile once in three days. And he spent most of the day whining and wanting to be held. So when day three of the fever arrived, I knew we had to take him in. Poor little guy had an ear infection and is on antibiotics. Here's a picture of the first good smiles we got once he started feeling better... now THAT'S the Cainan we know!!!

Boaz & Cainan continue to be good buddies. Boaz asks if he can "have him" most every day. He loves to hold Cainan in the big chair. I have to watch closely, because when Boaz is done being the loving older brother, he says "all done" and pushes Cainan away!!

Here they are hanging out on the play mat. Cainan has been holding his head up for weeks... he has a super strong neck, just like Boaz did.

Soooorry!

Tonight Boaz was naughty. We read books at bedtime like usual, then prayed and gave thanks for our day- including waffles, gpa, cheese, and Cainan. Then things got a little chaotic as I tried to distract him while I cleaned up yet another Ozzie puke spot in the corner of his room. (brought on by popcorn he must have mooched off someone during our bowl party last night- Go Hawkeyes!) So- the routine was messed up and Boaz got a bit hyper. But he still knows that he need to stay in bed once tucked in.

He got up and came to the door 3 times... each time opening it up, smiling at me, and saying 'Hiii!' He's so stinking cute- even when he's being defiant. We typically pick him up without saying a word and put him right back into bed. It usually does the trick right away. (and he doesn't often get out of bed once he's in there for the night) The 4th time he came to the door tonight, I told him that he knows he's supposed to stay in bed- and if he is naughty and gets out of bed again, he would get a spank on the bottom. Well... who comes to the door again in 2 minutes? Boaz- "Hiii!"

I looked him in the eye and told him I was going to have to spank his bottom b/c he was being naughty and not obeying his mommy. Then one little swat to the upper thigh later and he was bawling bawling bawling. I kissed him, hugged him, told him I loved him, and once again told him to stay in bed and keep his head on the pillow.

Cainan had been screaming quite loudly for awhile and I finally got him calmed down in my lap on the chair when I heard Boaz's door rattle again. Since I was tied down with Cainan, this time it was Luke's turn to deliver a swat and return him to bed. Once again, Boaz was in bed bawling. About a minute after Luke returned to the living room, we heard Boaz yelling something....

"Sooooorrrry!! I sorrrrrry! Sooooorrry, Daddy! Mommy, Sorrrry!!!" He sorried himself to sleep tonight.

What a sweet, sweet, precious little boy. It was funny to hear him connect the word 'sorry' with his disobedience tonight. I've made him apologize to me for being naughty other times, but didn't ask for an apology tonight. You're forgiven, Little Buddy... and I'll be up bright and early in the morning to give you a big giant hug. Love you, Boaz!!

Bartlett Christmas

Christmas afternoon, we headed out to Luke's parents' house to celebrate with them. One of Boaz's favorite things to do is to look at our blog on Grandpa's computer!



Boaz helped prepare for the festivities by sweeping up around the fireplace!

And what's a trip to Grandpa & Grandma's house without crawling into Chloe's kennel??

Opening presents... WOW! This is cool! Boaz got a couple really neat books from Grandma & Grandpa. This one was about Noah's Ark and had finger puppets! "Open, Grandpa!"

Boaz got another book called "Gallop." We now read it every night- he loves to see the 'horsey runnin.'

Reading Gallop with Uncle Justin...

And this is the best picture I got of the boys together on Christmas... :)

We ended the day by celebrating Ron's birthday with cake & candles. Boaz was happy to help blow the candles out with his Grandpa.

It was a wonderful Christmas season with our two boys!!