I let Miles open the package... He squealed with delight to have his "piggy" back. We forgot it in the mess of blankets and pillows in the hotel we stayed in Flagstaff last week. Housekeeping found it and luckily sent it back to us.
It's good to have the favorite pink animal back :)
Miles and his best buddy Caleb.
All they need is a hose and bucket to have fun all day!
I've tried and tried to get Miles to wear goggles, but he would never allow the eye protection anywhere near his head... My 10 year old twin brothers come for a visit and suddenly wearing goggles becomes the cool thing to do. Love it!
Let me introduce you to my brother, Timothy. He's here to work and live with us for the summer.
My beautiful niece, Ashlynn, paused long enough to pose for a photo.
It has taken them 2 years, but Ellyce and Miles are finally friends! The cousins just didn't hit it off mostly because they were after the same toy or Miles preferred to play with Ashlynn. Now they run around the house playing chase, singing, and bouncing off the walls. 
Luke and I finally went to the Grand Canyon together! We've both been before but never with each other. His parents tagged along. We did the whole tourist thing staying the night in Williams, watching the wild west show, hopping the train to the canyon, hiking the ridge trail, scoping out the great views, taking the photos perched on the precarious looking ledges (Miles was always holding one of our hands or was strapped in the stroller), and getting held up on the way home. So fun for our little "choo-choo" boy. Miles enjoyed planting his ear on the window to listen to the rumble of the tracks. It put him to sleep on the way there. He did NOT like the entertainment though. A fiddler came through the car, and he immediately started crying. It took me a few minutes to calm and reassure him that it was just music. Then he sort of liked it :) Funny because he's often listened to me play the violin. I loved being out in the fresh cool air with my beautiful family.
Jogging on the street this morning before the sun came up and in my own little world, I noticed a moving shadow out of the corner of my eye. The NEXT thing I was conscious of was this huge, ferocious, clawing, black CAT attacking my brand new white running shoes! My heart was already racing since I was into my 2nd mile, so I nearly had a heart attack... The cat pounced, I screamed, the cat jumped off my foot, and I screamed again. He had his back reared up like he wanted to attack again and was showing no fear of me as I hyperventilated. He must have thought my shoe was a rat or rabbit or at least that's what I'm telling myself so I have the courage to run again tomorrow without the fear of being stalked... it's a jungle out there, hiss-meow.
Luke's mom and dad are here again!
We've known for a while, but it was still so funny! Miles is getting out of his crib... and taking his pull-up off before he jumps. I knew he could do it because a couple of months ago he jumped out at me while I was laying on his floor waiting for him to decide he wanted to get up. He came climbing up and over, and I caught him on the way down. So, we had decided he was just really, really smart (of course he is). He had the ability to get out but knows it just might hurt, so he chooses to take the more cautious route and actually go to sleep. Not anymore! The drop is no longer a problem. He jumped ship three times this afternoon. I didn't even realize he'd gotten out until he slowly creaked open his door, slammed it, and then raced back to his crib. He was trying to climb back in the first time I found him - naked and trying like crazy to return to his cage. And no... he never did get to sleep. Love it!
I persuaded my friend Lara to let me watch Lillian for a few hours. Miles entertained her in the bike burly on the way to the park where they had fun chasing each other around the basketball court and running up the greenbelts. I really enjoy seeing how he interacts with younger kids - he was very sweet with Lillian and wanted her to follow him everywhere (whether she wanted to or not).
Watch out Tru! Our little water boy discovered the fun of chasing our dog with the hose. Miles gets such a kick out of watching her run and jump away. Of course Miles was soaked and cold while Tru didn't have a drop on her :)
I found out Miles is no longer a fan of egg salad sandwiches... He was such a good sport though and took several bites, though I finally let him spit them back out after he carried them around in his mouth for about 10 minutes without swallowing. Love it!
Happy Birthday Lukey!
Luke had a birthday, shout "hurray!" And for his birthday he got a fantastic opportunity, the chance of a lifetime, all his dreams came true... He was lucky enough to help babysit his 3 beautiful nieces! He was psyched! Ok, the truth, we celebrated his birthday on Saturday with dinner and a movie and Monday night Nathan and Cindy really needed a babysitter, and we were more than willing to help out. Check out these photos! Miles had a blast lovin on Jillian, pushing Ellyce around on the bike, and racing Ashlynn around the house. I don't very often get to spend time with Jillian so I loved that she was all mine for the 
evening.
In this picture Miles is really talking with Luke on my cell, but usually he walks around the house with his play cell carrying on pretend conversations with his friend Caleb about going pee pee on the potty or with Nana about her flying in an airplane. I followed him around the house the other day and realized he travels to the same places I walk while I'm chatting away on the phone. He heads to the kitchen sink babbling away, then to my bathroom still talking, and then back down the hall to the office with the phone pressed against his ear the entire time. He'll even pause at the back door to look outside while conversing with himself. Love it!
I caught him giving Luke a kiss bye-bye thru the phone :)I know... he's precious!
M
ILES IS TWO! He knew it was his special day and put on a very cheerful smile all day. Seriously, he skipped and sang and laughed through all the errands I took him on with me in preparation for his party. Stay tuned for details on his party we're having tomorrow! 
So, I wanted to capture his first waking moments as a two year old :) Then I let him pick out the outfit he wanted to wear for the day... He's wearing his favorite croc shoes, soccer shorts, soccer shirt, and Wiggles swimshirt on top - ugh, I'm not so fond of the last article of clothing, but it's his special day not mine ;)
The last two years have been absolutely amazing. Miles has been not just a ray of sunshine to us but a rainbow of adventure and has brought so much joy to our lives. We are so blessed and thank Heavenly Father every day that his birth mother found us and shared the miracle of Miles with us.
I have always wanted to be a mother, but I never realized how much 
I would actually enjoy it and get so much fulfillment out of it. I love being "just" a mom - as some people say. What more blessed calling could I have than to teach and engage our children in the lessons of life. The payments come in cuddles, hugs, kisses, smiles, and the knowledge that I am helping Miles to be happy. I LOVE my job!
Happy Birthday Little Boy!
I LOVE how much Miles is learning. He's decided he can tell what 
kind of vehicle is passing behind our house just by how it sounds. He'll call out "bus," "motorbike," or "garbage truck!" He thinks he can get out of eating his dinner if he just hordes the food in his cheek - he'll keep it there for hours! And if you give him another bite, he'll just keep packing it in there. He's learned the power of cocking his head, smiling, fluttering his big brown eyes, and saying "please." He loves to point out shapes he knows like star, oval, circle, or triangle. Some examples of not so ordinary animals he can name: walrus, gorilla, echidna, jellyfish, jaguar. AND his vocabulary is huge! 
It's got to be from all the books he loves for us to read to him.
SO, in saying that, here are just a few of his GOOD statements:
I'm gonna get you. (even though he runs away from you ;) )
Pardon me.
Let's go see.
Come on, come on, come on.
Help me, please.
I love you.
Did you hear that?
Want a kiss? (course he teases me by running away before giving me one) 
Hug me, hug.
Honey, honey.
And the NOT so good:
Go away.
Stop it.
Don't do that.
I want it.
We REALLY have to watch what WE say because EVERYTHING is repeated by our intelligent, observant, very vocal little boy. Love it!
At 8pm he was back to his old self again, but I think his body was fooling him because Wednesday was still a little rough as waves of fever would hit every 30 minutes or so, and he'd want me to cuddle him for a while. His tough body fought and crushed the bug though because he's back smiling, singing, and running away from me again today. It's so tough to see him sick, but I have to admit I enjoyed almost a full day of cuddles.
Miles loves parades... and so does Luke. Today was a little chilly and overcast so just about perfect to hit the streets to watch the Ostrich Festival Parade.
Boys - they've got the same look on their faces - they're really having fun, I promise :)
