Cruise's Field Trip to the Aquarium

This past week I got to go with Cruise, his class, and the rest of the 1st grade to the new aquarium in Draper. It just opened a couple weeks ago but it is still missing quite a few fish and animals. However, there were still plenty to see and things to do. I was in charge of Cruise and another kid from a different class. Luckily I only had to keep and eye on two kids because it was a little crazy with so many 1st graders running around.

Petting a turtle shell.

 Cruise's favorite things were the sting rays.

Cruise checking out a blowfish.

A GIANT lobster that looked absolutely delicious.

 One of the most impressive things at the aquarium was the giant shark tank. You walk through a tunnel and the tank is all around you. There were sharks, giant sting rays, sea turtles, and a bunch of species of fish. It was beautiful! I could've sat and watched them all day, but Cruise had to keep going.

We bumped into Cruise's girlfriend, Claire, who upon meeting me immediately cupped her hand to my ear and whispered, "He's completely in love with me." I laughed out loud and replied, "I know." But after a few minutes of observation, I could tell she was pretty infatuated with him as well. And he let her get away with things that he won't tolerate from anyone else. Like, for example, she took his hat and wore it around. I can't even get away with that! He must really love that girl. 

Cruise petting a gecko.

 My favorite part were the river otters. They were so adorable! They're like swimming doggies. I left really wanting a pet otter.

After leaving the aquarium, we all went to a park and ate lunch in the freezing wind. Luckily there were a lot of other moms from the class that I got to chat with to keep my mind off the fact that I couldn't feel my hands or my sandaled feet. 

Cruise had a blast, I had a blast, and it was all free! Field trips rock!

Miles is 7 Months

Well, Miles has hit 7 months and (luckily) is not crawling yet. He is my first to not be crawling by 6 1/2 months, mostly because he gets a lot of attention and doesn't see the need. However, just this week he has started to lift his tummy off the floor, so I see crawling in the near future, which means I will have to start picking up and cleaning the floors a heck of a lot more. *sigh* He does scoot his body and roll around the floor to get to a toy or something, so he does what he can to get where he wants.

Miles, unfortunately, spent the past month sick. First with bronchiolitis, then a sinus infection, and then pneumonia. The antibiotics for the pneumonia ended up giving him a rash all over his body and abdominal pain, so that's the only issue right now. Luckily the pneumonia is gone and he is breathing well now. 

Miles has been saying "ma ma ma", "ba ba ba" and "da da da". When he wakes in the middle of the night he always cries "ma ma ma" and when he wants a bottle, he always says "ba ba ba". He loves to play and loves being read to. His favorite book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar. He likes trying new flavors and textures, especially if they are french fries or sorbet.  

Miles has started trying to put his binky in our mouths, which is pretty cute. I look at it as the beginnings of sharing. Ha ha! He loves to play Peek-a-Boo and have silly songs sung to him. He is still just as sweet as ever and still prefers to be held and talked to or played with than having to entertain himself. I guess he figures there are four people in this house who can entertain him, so some one better do it! And usually that some one is Jett.

Miles loves to look at and study faces, especially if they are other babies. We have a diaper box in our closet that has a big picture of a baby on it. Miles will sit there and just smile at it every now and then, thinking it's another baby. He does get a little disappointed that the baby doesn't move though. 

We love this awesome kid! This year is going by way too fast!

Easter Weekend

Easter festivities began the Friday before when my sister Ruth and her family came into town from California. We had a big ham dinner hosted by my mom, and we had 6 little boys running around doing what they do best. Aunt Abby and Uncle Casey were the unofficial boy entertainers, leaving each and every one of them wired and sweaty.

Saturday morning was the neighborhood Easter egg hunt and breakfast. They instructed the kids to only find 10 eggs, and of course Cruise came back with 25 and Jett with 15. So we had to throw more than a few back. But the kids had a lot of fun and they loved eating donuts and muffins for breakfast. 

Easter morning the kids woke to find the Easter Bunny had filled their baskets. Cruise and Jett both got Legos, a kite, a CTR poster, mini Lindt bunnies, a sunflower growing kit, sidewalk chalk, a tie, and filled easter eggs. Miles got a touch-and-feel book, a ball, a rubber ducky, pacifiers, and a tie.

After a breakfast of eggs and ham, muffins and orange juice, we got the gang all ready for church. Dave and Miles were still recovering from pneumonia and Jett was starting to get a cough, so we ended up just staying for Sacrament meeting. When we got home, we did a special Easter egg hunt where we had 12 eggs filled with things about the atonement and resurrection. We had a little lesson/FHE about Easter and why we celebrate it. The boys, to my surprise, paid attention the whole time and answered questions without jumping all over the furniture. 

That evening, I made a dinner of leg of lamb, garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, glazed carrots, rolls, and sparkling cider. It all turned out delicious.

It seems like every Easter at least one of us is horribly sick. But I am grateful that we could go to Sacrament this year and hear about the Savior and His love for us. I am so grateful that we have the atonement in our lives and that we can be a family for all eternity. He is Risen! And I am ever so thankful.