Mohawk's and Brotherly Love

One day a couple of weeks ago, while the boys were in the bathtub and I was getting their hair washed, I started playing around and put it up into a Mohawk.  Keagan thought that was pretty cool (which means Deker thought it was pretty cool as well) and so after they were dressed, I combed their hair like that.  Then they went to bed. 

Fast forward to this morning....I was getting the boys dressed and combing their hair and Keagan asked me if I could "do his hair up in the middle like I did it that one day".  After thinking for a moment about what he wanted, it finally came to me.  He was quite excited that I said yes, I would give him a Mohawk.  Now our boy's hair doesn't go strait up, so it is more of a curl-hawk, so I combed it all to the center and tried to curl it over all in the same direction.  This picture was taken just a couple of minutes after it was done and as you can tell, it was already starting to come out of the Mohawk as it is drying.  By an hour later, you could barely tell that it was done this way. 

Last Monday while Deker and Bauer were napping, I decided to take Keagan out to have a little one-on-one time with him (Andrew was home that day) and get him some pants, shoes and a jacket to get ready for the cooler weather that should be coming soon.  One of the stores we went to was Target.  While there, I was looking for some crayons and Keagan saw a Super Why coloring book, he asked if he could get it and I told him yes because he loves to draw and color.  After we left that area, he said "Mom, I didn't get a book for Deker".  I told him they could share the Super Why one. 

When we were paying for our purchases, Keagan asked for a sticker.  When we were getting in the van, he said "Mom, I didn't get a sticker for Deker". 

After we were done shopping, I took him to TCBY for some Ice Cream.  While we were eating our ice cream, he asked if we could get some for Deker. 

I thought that it was so cute and sweet that he would keep thinking about Deker and wanting to get things for him as well. 

The Zoo

Friday, the 24th, was mine and Andrew's anniversary.  It is hard to believe that we have been married for 6 years.  Because it was our Anniversary, Andrew took Friday and Saturday off of work.  We started the day with breakfast at Cracker Barrell.  It has been along time since we have been out to breakfast and boy was it good. 

After breakfast, we all went to the Zoo.  It has been since before Deker was born since Andrew has been to the zoo with us.  Keagan had a great time showing Andrew all around the zoo and showing him his favorite spots. 

The first place we went is to the "African Plains" which has the giraffe's, lions, this cool hut house and the cool jeep below. 

 

 After that, we went to the Giraffe slide and the animals that you can play on.  The boys had fun sliding and and playing while I fed Bauer.  This is the first time that Keagan has gone down the slide himself.

 

 

 Deker thought this was a really cool house.

 Here are our little birds.  Their hands are blurs because they are flapping them like wings.

 

Train Time

Last Sunday (Sept. 19), I read in the paper that a Steam Locomotive from the 40's was coming into Boise that night.  We went down to see it come, but when we got there, we found out that it was delayed by a few hours.  We were sad about that, but we also knew that it was going to be there until Tuesday morning and that we could come see it on Monday.  So after the boys woke up from their afternoon naps on Monday, we headed down to see it.

We decided to wait in line to go up the steps to see the conductor and look inside the engine.  The boys had fun playing around.  At one point, they even blew the old steam whistle. 

 

Keagan & Deker

I have talked about this on this blog before, but my boys LOVE to read.  They will look at books on their own, they will ask us to read and if people are over, one of the first things they ask them to do is read to them. 

There are times when Keagan & Deker will each get a book, get up on our big blue chair with a blanket and read their books.  What are their books of choice, anything to do with boys things: tractors, trains, airplanes, cars etc.  For instance, the book they are reading in this picture below...Deker is reading a book called "Builder" which  has pictures of tools & diggers.  Keagan is reading a book called "I work with Digger" which is shaped like a digger. 

I was trying to get a mommy preschool co-op (each mom takes turns teaching preschool at their house) going with Keagan again this year. He loved it last year and we wanted to do it again, but we couldn't get enough Mom's to do it, so it ended up falling through at the last minute.  I decided that I would do a little preschool with Keagan and Deker this year.  We started last week and we are going to talk about a different letter each week and do different activities that go along with that letter.  Then, when a holiday comes, we will take a week to learn about the holiday.

I am focusing on letters to mainly get Keagan a chance to start learning to write his letters and so Deker will start recognizing his letters.  So far, this has been a very good thing for all of us.  It has also gotten them to be excited again about drawing and coloring.  This week, they have gotten their crayons out about 4-5 different each day. 

Keagan & Deker love to treat their bears like babies.  I usually end up swaddling up their bears at least a few times each day.  It is fun to watch what they do with them.  Deker usually just carry's his swaddled bear around shushing and bouncing it like he is trying to get it to sleep (He sees Andrew and I doing that with Bauer). 

Keagan, likes to feed his bear (nursing like I do, I hope I am not traumatizing him).  If we are sitting down to eat, he will want to feed him food as well, but I tell him no on that, because I don't want the mess.  He also likes to put them in various beds so they can sleep.  This gets even more fun because he will go in my room, close the door.  He will then come out a few minutes later and stand in the hallway and then a minute later he says, I think he needs me to help him go to sleep. 

They both also like to put their bears in the swing and the bouncy chair.  I can't count how many times Andrew or I have gone in our room to go to bed only to find an animal or two in there "sleeping".  Here is a cute picture I got of the two of them with their swaddled bears. 

Vera....Do those bears look familiar?  They are the one that you gave each of them when they were born.

Family Pictures

Our talented friend, Elizabeth was kind enough to take our family pictures a few weeks ago.  I am in love with how they all turned out.  The only problem now is deciding which ones to use.  If you have any opinion I would be very happy to hear it.

First up, the family ones.  We have a big 16 x 20 picture up on our wall.  I can't decide which one to use. I think the first one, Andrew thinks the second one. 

Up next, the boys together...

Then their individual pictures.  I think that I have the cutest kids ever, but of course, I am just slightly biased.  I can't get over their blue eyes, it takes my breath away.

Keagan showing his personality - 4 years old

Deker who refuses to look at the camera - 2 years old

And Bauer who doesn't really care - 4 months old.

Good Family Moments

On Sunday night we decided to make Grilled Pizza.  If you haven't ever made them, you are missing out because they are delicious.  Since we were having grilled pizza, we decided to eat outside.  After dinner and playing, we built a little fire in our firepit, roasted marshmallows and have some Smore's.  I haven't had a smore in several years and I forgot how yummy they were.  It was a great night spent with our little family and spending the evening outside.



Another fun moment is seeing all of my boys playing together.  This picture of all my boys playing together just melts my heart and helps me to remember how important it is to stop and take time to play with your kids. 

Deker Again???

Do you ever have those moments when your child gets hurt and you feel so bad and you have to keep reminding yourself that is wasn't your fault, and the bad guy in your head keeps saying, you should have been watching them better?  Last night was another of those times for me. 

After dinner, Keagan wanted to make something, so we decided to make No-Bake cookies.  They were quick and the kids would be able to have one before bed.  Keagan & Deker got chairs up to the stove and we started making cookies.  The kids were having fun taking turns stirring.  I turned off the stove, took the pan off and was stirring in the oats, when I looked over as Deker started crying and saw him take his hand off the hot burner.  I yelled for Andrew to come put his hand under cold water.  After a few minutes of holding his hand under cold water, Andrew was able to convince Deker to let him look at it.  That is when he realized that he burned the upper part of his palm and all of his fingers. 

I called our good friends Dan & Angela (we rely on them ALOT don't we?) and they let us use some good burn gel that they have.  All night, when his hand wasn't in water, he kept pointing at it saying "hot".  We finally got him to sit down with me and put his hand in a bowl of cold water and watched a cartoon to let him calm down. 

When it was time for bed, we gave him an ice pack wrapped in a washcloth and Andrew had to lay with him until he got into a deep sleep to keep it in his hand.  We were afraid that Andrew would have to sleep with him the entire night and keep putting the ice pack on.  When we checked on him a few hours later, Andrew put the ice pack back on his hand and he slept the rest of the night. 

This morning, he sas a really big blister that covers the entire upper part of his palm and small blisters up each finger.  I am very grateful that he is being really careful and not using that hand (which is gratefully his left hand).  We happened to have a Dr.'s appointment for Bauer's 4 month check-up today, so we had the Doctor look at it and he said we had done everything right and to watch to make sure the blisters didn't break.  Now to keep an active 2 year old from breaking those precious blisters, now that sounds hard.

Deker's reading spot

Wednesday was my Laundry day, but lately it has been hard to get it all done in one day.  So on Thursday morning, it was all still sitting out, waiting to get folded.  Deker found a cozy spot between Bauer's car seat and a Laundry basket, squeezed himself in with a book and started "reading" his book. 

Primary Activity

Keagan had a very busy day today.  This afternoon was a primary activity and they were told to bring a cardboard car.  On Sunday, Andrew asked Keagan what kind of cardboard car he wanted and told him a Monster Truck.  So after dinner Andrew, Keagan & Deker went out to the garage, picked out a box and started designing and cutting out Keagan's Monster Truck. 

When Andrew about half way done, he had Keagan get in the truck to see how it was fitting.  Deker then realized what was being done and was upset that he didn't have one.  So, after Keagan's truck was cut out, we put the boys in bed and Andrew when back out to the garage, found another box and made one for Deker.  Here they are the next morning, happily trying our their cardboard monster trucks. 

Monday was painting time.  Keagan, of course, choose blue because that is his favorite color and Deker/Andrew and I choose yellow for Deker because he can actually say that color.  Andrew put his painting clothes on and we got out some old shirts of ours for the boys to wear.

Here is Keagan all ready to go to the Primary activity with his Truck.  By the way, I don't know if you can see it or not, but there is even a "truck bed" in the back where they can put things.

Here is Deker's finished truck.  Deker was napping when Keagan when to the activity, so you just get a picture of Deker's finished truck.

Soccer!

For the past year, I have been wanting to put Keagan in a local soccer league.  There is one that is really close to our house and I have heard really good things about.  It is six weeks long and it is only on Saturdays.  It only lasts for 1 hour starting with a 15 minute practice.  It seems like a great way to see if it is something your kid is interested in.  I always hear about it too late to sign up.  But this time, I called to see if it was too late and to be asked to get on the mailing list for next time, but instead she said she had room for Keagan. 

Today was Keagan's first game.  He was so excited about playing soccer and every day, sometimes twice a day for the past week, he would ask if today was his soccer game.  I was a little concerned about how Keagan would do because he always gets scared and shy of new things.  I made sure I got there a little early before it got too busy.  We went up to his coach and they started kicking the ball around.  The coach had a little practice and then they started playing.  I was so proud that Keagan was out there playing. 

After about 20 minutes, he came over crying because there was so many kids.  I talked to him for a few minutes and with the help of our good friends Dan and Angela who came to watch him play, he went back out there.  Then after a couple of minutes, he got kicked in the knee and that was the end of it.  I really hope that next week he will get back out there and play again. 

Yesterday, Keagan said to me:  "Mom when I am playing Soccer you need to say Go Keagan, Go Keagan, Go Keagan".  I told him I would.  This morning at breakfast he said to me: "Mom, when I  am playing soccer you need to say Go Keagan, Go Keagan, Win Keagan, Win Keagan".  I again told him I would.  When we were driving to his Soccer game, he again told me "Mom you need to say Go Keagan, Go Keagan, Win Keagan".  I told him I would and that he told me that this morning and he said "I know, Mom, I just don't want you to forget".

Here are a couple of pictures, courtesy of Dan and Angela. 

BSU Football

Monday night (Labor Day) was BSU's first game of the season.  We decided to have some friends over to watch the game together.  We all put on our Blue & Orange.  Andrew even got out his orange pressure garments from years ago to help cheer them on. 

On Sunday Andrew, Keagan & Deker made football and helmet shaped Sugar Cookies and then I had fun decorating them with Blue & Orange frosting.

Earlier in the week, our friend Dan called Andrew to see if there was a way to hook up 2 TV's downstairs.  Andrew thought the idea was a good one and decided to try it out.  It even worked. 

Of course, our boys can't let an opportunity of having so many people over go by without convincing at least one person to read a book or two.  It is a good thing that we have such good friends that will do it. 

Everybody brought snacks and we had a great time watching football, talking, eating and playing outside during halftime.