Every Grain of Sand

Grandpa and Grandma Devereaux brought some of Joe's metal Tonka trucks with them from Tucson to pass on to Jacob. They were a big hit and Jacob is not the only one who has had a great time playing in the sandbox. Here are the boys and their toys. Who do you think is having the most fun here?











Even Grandma Devereaux has been playing with Jacob out in the sandbox. Grandpa Devereaux got us 200 pounds of new sand and Jacob has been enjoying the mound of fresh sand immensely. I think it is great that Jacob has been having so much fun in the sun and sand. I almost don't mind the sand that sometimes ends up all over Jacob's clothes, shoes, hands, face, the kitchen floor, and sometimes even his bed.

If it makes you happy it can't be that bad, right?

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!

Today we decided to go to Hogle Zoo with Grandma Devereaux. Jacob had never been to the zoo before and he was excited to see all the animals. We wanted to go before school let out so the zoo wouldn't be crowded. We also wanted a day that wouldn't be too hot. The weather reports said that it should be mostly sunny with a slight chance of some scattered rain showers. Well, it seems that the rain showers only scattered their moisture right on top of us!

But I guess the good news is that the zoo definitely wasn't crowded! We also didn't get rained on the entire time. It was fine when we got there and it was getting sunny as we left. So I guess you could say it only rained while we were out looking at the animals.

At the entrance to the zoo there is a really cool black globe that rolls around on water. Jacob thought it was fascinating. Here is a picture of Jacob playing with it, as well as a picture I took just before we left.

We had a great time walking around looking at all the animals. Luckily Grandpa Devereaux keeps a huge umbrella in his car so we didn't get too wet.

We were very good about packing jackets, pants and blankets for the kids. So we were mostly able to stay dry and warm. Unfortunately it was mommy who completely forgot her jacket and had to walk around the zoo in a white shirt while it rained. Actually, Grandma Devereaux came to my rescue and we came up with this brilliant outfit. Note the lovely red tie hat completes the outfit.

Ephraim slept almost the entire time we were at the zoo. Jacob was able to get in and out of the stroller and look at whatever he wanted to, so that worked out pretty well. I definitely would not have taken him to the zoo without our stroller, even though we couldn't get it in our trunk and had to drive Grandpa and Grandma's car.

When it was raining really hard we spent our time inside looking at the animals. Jacob wasn't just impressed with the big animals, he thought some of the smaller animals were pretty cool too. He told me the same thing about nearly every animal he saw (including the elephants), and that was "Hold it mommy!". We thought it was pretty funny that he wanted to hold the elephants. Here is Jacob interacting with a feisty little bird.




Many of the animals were inside because of the rain so it was easy to see them. When we saw the monkeys Jacob turned into a bit of a monkey himself. He was hanging on the railing and making monkey noises. Maybe we should put him on display sometime!


He was also very excited to see the giraffes and get to be right up by their heads. He wanted to climb over the railing here too, but I talked him out of it. Isn't the baby giraffe cute?

As we started back to the car it stopped raining, and we got to see the elephants go out and play. Jacob thought the real elephants were pretty cool, but he didn't want to get close to the big elephant statue out front that makes funny noises. He thought it was a little too scary.










Before we left the zoo we had to ride the train. Jacob and I went on the train while Grandma waited with Ephraim. Of course the ride was too short for Jacob. When it was time to get off the train he kept saying "No! No!" and I had to practically pry him off the train. I guess he has to learn that all good things must come to an end sometime!


Before going home we decided that we had to stop and see the "This is the Place" monument since it is right across the street from the zoo. We didn't stay long because it was past nap time. While we were there Jacob had to tell us about the statues at the cemetery near our house because of the statues on the monument. It's pretty funny the things that he remembers.

We had a great time at the zoo regardless of the weather. Of course Jacob fell asleep in the car on the way home. It seems that all fun trips end with Jacob like this.

Ephraim's Baby Blessing

Grandpa and Grandma Devereaux arrived Monday night. They are here for Ephraim's blessing and are staying for a while. Jacob was so happy to see them. We are having a great time and I'll try to keep up with everything we do the next two weeks!

My Son Drinks Salsa

We love chips and salsa in the summertime! We grow tomatoes, peppers, and onions in our garden so we can bottle our own salsa and spaghetti sauce. Last year's salsa turned out pretty well and it seems I'm not the only one who thinks so. Jacob apparently thinks that salsa is VERY yummy. This afternoon while we were having chips and salsa for lunch Jacob started to drink the salsa out of his bowl. Joe and I were laughing so hard. Isn't he hilarious?

Thomas the Tank Engine

Yesterday I went with my two boys to Heber City so we could ride on Thomas the Train. Grandma Heiner got tickets for us and ever since we told Jacob about it he was so excited! He had never seen a train up close before, so to get to see Thomas the Train was like the icing on the cake. (the kind of icing that contains lots of sugar so it makes you (Jacob) super hyper and giddy)

It was a little bit windy and cloudy and it rained off and on yesterday, but that wouldn't stop us! So the plan was to meet up with Grandma and Jacob's cousins Kaylee and Autumn Kirkham; Marisa and Braydon Clark; and Aunt Deanna in Heber City....

We arrived at the train station early, so we got to see Thomas come and go once before it was our turn. Jacob was SO excited to see Thomas that he was dancing around and jumping up and down. We got to get up close and check him out.

Every time we passed a picture or sign that had Thomas on it Jacob would point him out to me and say, "Thomas! Thomas!". It was a bit difficult to keep Jacob next to me. I was carrying Ephraim in the Snugli and had the backpack on my back. So I couldn't exactly pick him up... and trying to get an overeager two year old to hold your hand the whole time is not an easy task!

But Jacob finally calmed down a bit and we explored some of the trains in the yard while we waited for our party to arrive. Jacob thought all the trains were great and wanted to climb up on all of them.

Deanna's vanload came after a little while and we all watched Thomas pull into the station. Then we got to get on board the train. Jacob got a little upset and kept telling me "Ride on Thomas! Ride on Thomas!". I finally figured out that he didn't realize we were ON Thomas the Train. So I had to take him all the way to the front of the train and show him the blue part of Thomas you could see through the window. Then I was able to convince him that the entire train was part of Thomas and once again all was right with his little world.

Pretty soon the train started moving and the kids loved it. They were out in the open air watching the entire time. I ended up feeding Ephraim during the ride, which was fine by me because I still got to look out the window. Unfortunately before long the ride was over.


All the kids wanted to "Ride Thomas again!" and they were sad that we were done. Luckily there were some guys making balloon animals at the train station so we could distract everyone and make them happy. Jacob got a blue monkey balloon holding a banana, which he had fun playing with.

Then we went to the gift shop. Jacob found a Thomas-shaped train whistle that he absolutely HAD to have. He carried it around the tent and would not let anyone take it from him. He kept telling me "open it", which would have been hilarious if it weren't for the fact that 3 adults were trying to wrangle 5 children (6 if you count Ephraim) in a shop full of train goodies and tons of other people. Not to mention the fact that I was carrying three or four balloon animals by this point!

We finally got out of the gift shop and went back to our cars. I had to open up the Thomas whistle ASAP so Jacob could check it out. Then we had a "tailgate" lunch and visited for a little while. Someone double parked behind Deanna, so we didn't know how long she would be stuck there. Luckily the people showed up before we were ready to go.

It was a ton of fun to see everyone and we had a GREAT time. We said goodbye and headed down the road as it started to rain. Before long I noticed that the car was awfully quiet. I looked back and found this:

Jacob slept the entire ride home and even took a nap when we got home. He had so much fun that he was completely exhausted. He also got a Thomas book at the gift shop, and I think I have read it to him at least six times already! We have also had to look at the pictures a couple of times. Jacob was playing with Thomas today and told me "want track for Thomas"... uh oh! I guess there is now one little boy at my house who is hooked on trains.

Ephraim at 2 months

Time flies when you're having fun! I realized today that I needed to get Ephraim's two month comparison photo put up because before long we will get busy with Grandpa and Grandma Devereaux visiting, then the baby blessing, and before you know it he will be three months old!

Look how much Ephraim has grown! (click on the "bear compare" label to see all the photos) Not only has he increased in stature, he is also more active and playful now...

I love that babies become more interactive the older they get. Ephraim is so much fun! He is so alert during the day and he wiggles a lot more. He is also becoming quite a talker. Maybe that is why Joe calls him Mr. Wiggles and Giggles.

I just love his little dimpled smile. I enjoy "talking" with him and seeing all the expressions on his little face. So I couldn't help myself. I had to post another video of Ephraim talking and you can see how much more vocal he is becoming.

Hairy Cheese and Cowboys

It is so fun when your kids start using language creatively. For quite a while now Jacob has been saying "I Do" instead of yes. I think it is cute (even though we are trying to break him of the habit). In the last little while Jacob came up with one that made me laugh so hard. We keep shredded cheese in our refrigerator, but I guess we never really told Jacob what it was. So one day he told me "want hairy cheese" and I laughed so hard. It is actually pretty smart of him to be able to figure out how to describe what he wanted.

Other fun things Jacob has said in the past day or two...

"See Grandpa airplane at airport"
"Want ride Grandpa airplane"
(my dad flew in his plane to Provo when Ephraim was born and we haven't mentioned it since)

"Daddy ride bike to work"... "daddy get flat tire"
(Yep. Joe got a flat tire on his way to work today so we had to go get him)

Now on to the cowboy...

Sunday I dressed Ephraim for church and he ended up looking like a little cowpoke. Isn't he adorable?

Doctor! Doctor ! Give me the news....

On Friday I got to take both of my boys to the Doctor's office for their well child visits. Ephraim had his two month appointment and Jacob had his two year appointment.

We have a terrific pediatrician. The only downside is that he is extremely popular so you have to schedule way in advance to get the appointment time you want. Since I had to reschedule to get both appointments in at the same time, we ended up with a 2:00 p.m. appointment... right during Jacob's naptime. That combined with the fact that both boys would be getting shots had me SO excited for this appointment, let me tell you...


I didn't tell Jacob that we were going to the Doctor's office. I figured, why have him stress about it all day, right? The instant we walked into the building Jacob started whining. He knew EXACTLY where he was, and he wasn't very excited about it.

Luckily they called us back to an exam room right away. The rest of the appointment went pretty well. Jacob wasn't very excited about being "all naked" but he got to watch Ephraim get measured first, so he was pretty much ok with it. Here is how the boys stack up:

Jacob
height: 34 inches (35th percentile)
weight: 26.4 lbs (28th percentile)
head circ: 49 cm (57th percentile)

Ephraim
height: 22 1/2 in (15th percentile)
weight: 12.2 lbs (43rd percentile)
head circ: 41 cm (59th percentile)

Doctor Arnold said that both the boys are doing well. I was absolutely amazed that Ephraim already weighs 12 pounds! Apparently he is not only healthy, he also has a healthy appetite! When I told Joe, he said that Ephraim is our chubby bubby. :o)

We also discussed Jacob, who was talking the entire appointment. Doctor Arnold was amazed at his language skills and said that he is really far ahead developmentally. Jacob knows all his colors and is starting to put together really long sentences (6 to 7 words). I was a bit worried because Jacob has been stuttering a bit lately, but Dr. Arnold said it is a common problem that usually happens around 2 1/2 to 3 years old. Jacob has more receptive language than expressive language... so sometimes his brain is ahead of his ability to speak, which causes him to stutter. I was relieved to hear that it will go away on its own.

Then came the fun part... the shots. The doctor leaves and a nurse comes in to give the shots. By the time the nurse came in Jacob already had his shirt and socks on. He wanted me to dress him completely, but I knew they would need his legs bare. Luckily he only got one shot and he took it pretty well (which may have had something to do with the sucker I gave him).

Poor Ephraim got 4 shots. He didn't really get upset until the last two and I can't blame him at all. I HATE needles. I had given both the boys Tylenol, so they did pretty well the rest of the day. They both took naps when we got home and I was so relieved. Ephraim was a bit cranky in the evening, but then he slept through the night again last night (after waking up the past 4 or 5 days) so I can't complain!

They Say it's Your Birthday. (Post II-- Adventures in Toy Shopping)

Here it is... Jacob's Birthday Post II (the first post was about Jacob's Birthday Party).

After Jacob's birthday party and a nice long nap we celebrated Jacob's birthday as a family. We had dinner outside on the porch and let Jacob play some more in the sand box with his new toys. Then it was time to pull out THE present.

Ever since Jacob played at Micah's house he has been wanting a Mack transporter truck. He LOVES it and plays with it every time he is there. So I knew this was THE gift that he HAD to have for his birthday.

So of course Wal-Mart does not sell this item online. This doesn't make sense to me at all. If the store can order Mack, then why can't I? Anyway the Mack transporter is only available in select stores... which means that the Wal-Mart nearest us (Lindon) does not carry it. So we check at American Fork and they have it. Hurray! Of course the day we go to pick it up they are sold out of the Mack trucks. OH THE HORROR! So we check with an employee who told us that they have ordered more but they have no idea when they will come. AARGH!

So I check at the Wal-Mart in Orem... of course they don't have it either. It is the Sunday before Jacob's birthday and I have no clue how I am going to procure THE gift... the one he REALLY wants. So as a last ditch effort I call up my friend Stacy and ask her if she can look down her way. So on Monday (the day before his birthday) she calls me and tells me that the Wal-Mart in Springville does not have Mack either. At this point I am beyond disbelief. Then she made my day by telling me that the Wal-Mart in Payson has the Mack trucks and she got one for me. She brought it to me at work on Monday night, and I could not thank her enough!

It may seem silly to go to so much effort for a birthday present, but I think it was worth it. Jacob was SO excited when he opened it, and he has played with it constantly. Watch Jacob in this video and tell me that you don't think it was worth the effort!

It's My Party and I'll Play if I Want to!

My little boy had his second birthday yesterday. We have reached the point where we no longer count his age in months... now we start counting in years. It is a transition that will take a little while for me to get used to and somehow it is a reminder that the time we've shared with Jacob has gone by so quickly!

Since we don't really have any family living close by we decided to have a birthday party for Jacob so he could spend part of his day playing with his friends. Since Jacob loves the Disney/Pixar movie "CARS" (what little boy doesn't?) we decided to have a CARS themed party. Jacob has been telling me for weeks "want Mack truck for birthday!" and "want Mater for birthday!". So we made the invitations, made CARS coloring books for his guests, got the CARS paper plates and tablecloth, and we were all set.


Jacob helped me decorate for the party in the morning and he was SO excited. This was the day he had been waiting for. I told him that it was his birthday and he told me "have ice cream for birthday!" and "have cupcakes for birthday!". We have been telling him for a couple of weeks that he would be two on his birthday and he has already caught on. I asked him how old he was today and he said "two!".

He could not wait to have his friends come and play. We had a fabulous turnout. I was pleasantly surprised when everyone we invited came to the party! It was so much fun. We bought some new toys for the sandbox and it was a popular spot during the party.

Here is a picture of Trevor, Brooklyn, Micah and Jacob playing in the sand.


Here are some more sandbox photos (Brooklyn on the left and Alyssa on the right). Isn't Brooklyn hilarious? Don't let her fool you, she dumped the sand on her own head!













The kids also had fun playing with the bubble wands that we gave them. Jacob especially liked his bubble wand and played with it for a long time (there is almost no soap left in it!)


The kids had fun going down the slides and playing with Jacob's cars and other toys too. Here is Jacob going down the slide and Trevor pushing Jacob's car.













At times there was even a lineup for the slide. Here is Brooklyn, Alyssa, and Kyle by the little slide. The other picture is Caleb going down the big slide.

We had fun in the sun and enjoyed the pizza, cupcakes, and ice cream. Jacob especially enjoyed his cupcake. Isn't he a cutie?

Jacob had fun opening his presents. It didn't take long before the other kids started to enjoy opening his presents too! :o)

Jacob had a great time at his party, and loved all of his gifts. Thanks to everyone who came and made Jacob's birthday so much fun!

After almost everyone had left Jacob was still playing in the sand with his new tractor and digger. Alyssa and Brenda stayed for a little while longer and Alyssa played with Jacob in the sand. At one point Alyssa tried to carry off the digger and Jacob got upset about it. It was actually pretty funny.


I had the hardest time getting Jacob to come into the house and take a nap after all the excitement of his birthday party. He just wanted to stay outside and play with his new toys.

We are so happy to have Jacob as part of our family. He is so smart and has a great sense of humor. He is going to be a great big brother and we are excited to get to be here to watch him learn and grow. We love you Jacob!

Mother's Day Weekend

I had the best Mother's Day weekend! It actually started on Thursday evening when I got home from work. Joe surprised me by installing our new faucet while I was away. Our old faucet was old, leaky, and disgusting-looking. The arm of the old faucet was also closer to the bottom of the sink, which made it hard to wash long or tall items (ie. cookie sheets, stock pots). This new faucet will be great (and isn't it pretty?... so shiny!), thanks Honey!

Of course I didn't just get a faucet for Mother's Day...

there was much more to come. First on Friday my new stroller arrived! I was so excited! My mom decided that I needed a double stroller so I can take my boys on walks, so we picked one out together. Saturday morning Joe put it together for me and I have to say, I LOVE this stroller. It is so nice to be able to put both the boys in the stroller and go for a walk. Jacob loves being able to climb in and take a ride, and Ephraim was certainly comfy and completely oblivious in his car seat.















At first I thought the steering handles looked a little bizarre, but they are great. It makes the stroller so easy to turn! Plus it isn't very wide, which is nice. We went for a walk with the new stroller and had a great time. The only unfortunate thing is that none of my friends were outside to show the stroller to. I guess most people aren't up as early on the weekends as we are.

Saturday morning Jacob also helped Joe wash the car. Here is a cute video of Jacob being helpful.

We had a fun and productive day. We were supposed to go get family pictures taken, but unfortunately had to cancel. I was going to make a special meal for my photographer friend, so I made it anyway. We had some kebabs and fruit salad which were great! I am definitely going to have to make these again. Wouldn't you want to eat these kebabs?

We borrowed our neighbor's truck and took some items to DI and then picked up our new windows. Joe let Jacob ride in the truck from our neighbors house to 

our house, and then Jacob didn't want to get out of the truck. As a matter of fact, when Joe got him out of the truck he was so sad! So Joe put him back in the truck. I think he sat in there for at least 20 minutes. We kept asking him if he wanted to get out, and he said no. What a funny boy!

Mother's Day was fun too. Every time I went to sit down at the table there was another book there! Joe got me three fun books that I am looking forward to reading... including "It's OK to take a Nap" and "Piggyback Rides and Slippery Slides- How to Have fun Raising First-rate Children". I'll let you know how I like them.

I also got my first Mother's Day gift from one of my boys. Jacob made me the cutest pipe-cleaner flower in Nursery. He was SO excited to give it to me and my heart nearly melted... what a sweet boy!

Here is a picture I took today of my other cute boy. Don't you think I am a lucky mommy?

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~Rajneesh