One-Derful

Yes my baby is one.

Yes I took a lot of pictures.

Over 150.

I narrowed it down to 20, to tell the story of the day sweet Porter turned one.

Porter wakes up to being one!He woke up with a big grin on his face. He was so excited to see all the balloons, he squealed and laughed and clapped his hands. The day was off to a great start!

Porter has his birthday breakfast!

Couldn't be happier than to eat a big stack of whole wheat pancakes with sprinkles on top. He ate 3 of those people-that kid can eat!

Porter gets his photo taken!

He likes to get his picture taken, he's used to it by now.

That's not saying he doesn't get frustrated at times...

Porter sees his present mom and dad made him!

We made him this teepee the night before-if and when I make another one, I will do some things different, like make it bigger, and sew the poles into the canvas...but the kids all love it...now if only Porter could fit inside! Porter's Cake!

This is the cake that Porter got to eat...all...by...himself. This is what the rest of us gobbled up... He was really excited to finally get his hands on this-he had been wanting too all day.He started off by eating some candy off of it.

Then he took his fork and got down to business. Here he is all done...wait where is the cake? Classic Porter. When he is done, he shares with the carpet. Lucky carpet.

Happy Birthday little P-Sam diddy! We love you!

Understandable

One of my favorite milestones is when my babies start understanding what I am saying. 
The other day I was talking to Chad on the phone when he was leaving school, I told Porter that Daddy was on his way home.
He quickly crawled over to the couch, and climbed up to the window.
Porter is my daddy's boy. 
They just have a special bond, and have had one, since I brought Porter home from the hospital.
Chad has been going to school now for just over a week and Porter has been an even bigger stinker than usual, and just clings to Chad when he comes home.
He sat there and waited and waited and pounded on the window saying dad dad dad.
It was so cute, I had to take some pictures.
It's understandable why he loves and misses his daddy so much-he is pretty fantastic.
I just love that he understands me now, it is fun to see his face light up when I talk to him about things.

One other thing he understands is Albertsons Bakery. 
It is rather funny, but obnoxious, every time we go in, he gets all excited and starts grunting like a caveman and pointing in the direction of the bakery. 
I take the kids over and the older ones ask politely for a cookie, and this little cute monster baby sticks out his hand-yells "COOOOOOKKKKIE!!!!" and then yells "arrrrrrrrr" until the baker hands him one. 
Then he smiles sweetly and stuffs his face.

The lady thinks he's so adorable...he is...but I am trying to teach him to not scream for things and to say please and thank you (which he can-he just chooses to scream instead).
Understandable-he gets his way a lot quicker with everyone but me, by screaming his desires.
See I told you he understands.

March 4, 2014

Dental cleaning day! 3/4 had no cavities, can you guess who does? It's Christopher, it's always Christopher! That kid HATES brushing and flossing. Major fights, wailing and gnashing of dirty teeth have occurred over this kid and his dental hygiene. Grrrr.

March 2, 2014

After church play dough time with quiet naughty and noisy naughty! These two make church...interesting.

It's pretty fantastic when your kids genuinely like each other! These two never fight and always are planning something. Their latest idea has been planning a restaurant. Love them!

“Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?” I totally Tom Sawyered all my kids into painting the doors for the craft room. They couldn't get enough!

March 1, 2014

Red robin time! Starting off Christopher's birthday week at our favorite (family) restaurant!

Embarrassed but loving the attention of the pretty waitresses singing happy birthday.

Masterpiece.

Porter leaves his masterpieces all over my walls on a nearly daily basis. 

No lie.

I throw crayons away.

I hide pencils and pens like they are expensive chocolates.

I keep permanent markers on my list of things that don't enter the house...I mean right up there with porn and crack.

Yet somehow he manages to find things that I don't know exist or finds my secret stash or climbs the wall like a spider monkey to get the pencils off the high shelves.

This was our favorite find.

My baby covered in permanent markers that Bekah had gotten from her school this week. 

Not aware they were permanent.

Not until we tried to clean his face, hair, stomach, hands, arms, legs, neck.

This is the morning after the fact.

My little artist is going places.

Like a time out.

Bekah's Baptism

February 4th was a very special day that we won't forget anytime soon. 

Our sweet baby girl made the decision to get baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She was so lucky to have her amazing daddy be the Priesthood holder who was able to perform these blessings for her.

Her grandma's were both able to come, so it was really special for her...and for the rest of us!

 I have the absolute BEST friends on the planet who drove out to support us on this fun weekend. Sara, Carissa, Jaime, Cathy and April-you rock. Literally. Love each and every one of your cute faces.

 Right before the dunk we were able to get a couple pics with Bekah and her daddy. Obligatory.

And how cute are these friends of hers who drove out with their mommies to be a part of this special day? I know this just made it such an incredible experience for her and she loves these friends as much as I love their moms. Ann, Theo, Raegan, Phoebe and Ellie...thanks for being exactly the kinds of friends that I have always wanted for my daughter, she is so lucky.

Baking Cookies

Baking cookies with this little man is never dull. He is very "helpful" and must always wear an apron.

I can't believe how very big he is...but yet still so much my little boy.

Porter's Haircut

If you noticed in the last post, boy number 2 was looking a little scruffy.
His long hair is the source of much happiness in my heart, but he was starting to scare people. :)
So he got it cut short, and he looks so cute still...but now I have a hard time telling him and Christopher apart when I am not looking at their faces!

Chad is the boy hair cutter extraordinaire in this house, so he gets the credit for the cute boys hair.

I am really smitten with this kid, no matter how naughty he is.

I mean look at those eyes...couldn't you just get lost in them?

Me too.

3 Boys in a Tub

Rub a Dub Dub
3 Boys in a Tub
And who do you think they be?

Well isn't it obvious?
It's Oliver, Porter and Topher you see.
And never a happier three.

Daily Something September 13: Naughty

Daily Something
I am upstairs helping Bekah and Christopher do their schoolwork. Oliver is taking his morning nap and the house is unusually quiet. Porter is nowhere to be heard. He went downstairs pouting about a half hour previous after I told him he couldn't have crayons anymore (he had colored on the TV the night before).
I sent Topher down to look for him and make sure he was alright. Topher came back a few minutes later saying he couldn't find him anywhere. Bekah and I jumped up to go look, and just as we got to the stairs, Porter came walking up.
I asked the mysteriously missing child where he had been and he replied "I don't know." I asked him what he meant. He said, "I can't remember where I was mom." Hmmmm. Either he got knocked out and developed amnesia...OR he was up to something naughty. I was leaning towards the latter. I couldn't get him to answer me though, so I went downstairs expecting the worst.
The kitchen was fine, no food out, nothing spilled. The bathrooms were clean, no water on the floors or counters. In fact everything seemed to be in order.
I really couldn't figure it out. What had he been doing, quietly I might add, for 30 minutes?
A little later I was in my room; and there on the side of the bed where no one could see, all of Bekah's hundreds of Littlest Pet Shop toys were spread all over the floor. Playing with toys in my room is a no no, playing with Bekah's toys without asking is a no no.
Porter looked as surprised as Bekah was to see all the toys there on the floor. He had no idea how they had gotten there.
Naughty.
Later tonight we are on our way home from Costco and he announces; "I don't want to listen to Jesus."
My husband who is much more calm in these kinds of situations luckily took the bait.
Chad; "Why not, don't you want to be good?"
Porter; "No."
Chad; "You want to be naughty? Because Jesus teaches us to be nice and good."
Porter; "Yeah, I just want to be naughty."
Chad; "Okay. But naughty boys don't get privileges. Naughty boys don't get treats, or toys. Naughty boys get punished and have to stay in their beds."
Porter thinks about this for a minute and then says, "Okay. I'll listen to Jesus then."
Naughty.
Just a few moments ago Porter comes in while I am writing this story and hands me a couple pieces of paper with some drawings on them and then walks out.
On his way up the stairs I hear it.
Twice.
I run up and see two fresh lines of pencil up the hall walls.
He heard me running.
The pencil gets thrown at me.
Naughty.

Because He's Totally Awesome...

...He goes out in the morning with a giant astro pop while still wearing his jammies and can totally pull it off.