Trip down memory lane for this week

Just a few neat memories of this week a year ago. Lots has changed in this little guy. Thought it might be fun for others to compare pics too, from then till now. Our lives are very blessed!!

Remember when...

This is what he looked like a year ago today...

Across the yard...

In Grandma's old yard, there is a daycare. Its great fun to play with other kids. Its hard to keep him in our yard when there are all these others to play with in the other yard. :-)

I will upload some more stuff tomorrow. We have all been under the weather today, spring cold I guess, so its time to hit the beds and hope for a better tomorrow.

SOOO BIG

Long ways up there~~

How does this work

We went to Lander to meet up with Aunt Dar and Lindsey for lunch a couple weeks ago, there is a caboose in a small park there. Had to get up there and see how things worked.

ITS BEEN A YEAR!!

Here we are and its been a year since we left on the first trip to fly over the ocean and see which child God had planned for us to raise!! It was a fifth sunday last year that we flew out of Riverton at 10:45 a.m.. We met a car load of our friends on their way to our regular church services while we were on the way to the airport to begin our adventure. Actually its been a year today since we held our little boy for the first time. I started to blog on Sunday and didn't get it any further than that little blurp. Now tonight I remembered that it still isn't done. Happy birthday to my sis today too.

A lot has happened in a year, it seemed to take a lot of time to begin with but now that we have been home almost 8 months we hardly remember the wait we had last summer. I guess its that way with childbirth too, one tends to forget the pain and have another. We have long forgotten the pain and now just enjoy the child and we are so grateful that he enjoys us too. :-)

I got my job back this last week, had to move it back in toward the end of last week. Now it is a race to figure out what still needs done so these seniors can be finished before graduation. I will begin training the new lady next week. This one should work out better. I have heard it said that one must train more than one person to find the perfect fit for the job. Under normal circumstances this wouldn't be my problem, but my boss isn't normal and neither are the circumstances. I am apparently the only one in Riverton that knows how to do this job. Right now I am getting things set up with a new lab and changing some major things to make the job easier, perhaps that will help the next person stay longer!! :-) I can always hope. This would explain my lack of posting, I do apologize to the loyal crowd. We do hope you will keep checking. I am going to put pics and such on now and stop boring you with details. Mostly wanted to mark the occasion of ONE YEAR!!!!! Wow the changes.

Lounging in the JUDGE'S Chambers...

Brayden was having some fun posing for Alan during all the "proceedings". I thought this one was pretty cute. He pretty much matched the floor covering.

All those responsible...

Here we all are, the judge is in the back and our attorney is to my right. Brayden was tired of Alan's flash, but its good of everyone else, the ones that are good of Brayden aren't soooo good of most of the rest of us!! I am not very good at head swapping, though I know it can be done! Perhaps I will have it done on a print for us.

mama and Brayden

This was at the end of the whole thing, he was just watching Alan take all these pics.

After the decree is signed...

Finalized again for Wyoming!

Today we finalized the adoption AGAIN....well for the state of Wyoming its final. This enables us to get a certified birth certificate. The dept of vital statistics wouldn't accept the Russian adoption certificate or his new Russian birth certificate as adoption proof, so we had to have the new adoption decree from a Wyoming court as proof. It was a very informal hearing held in the judge's chambers. I know the judge personally and our attorney both from working for the photographer, so it was really just a nice conversation. The judge mostly was interested in the process, how long, how tedious, how hard and time spent in Russia. After about 25 min of discussion, he asked for the decree and then asked "now you really want me to sign this...". All in jest, of course, we answered YES and it was done. The new decree will be filed here and we will fill out a form for the dept of vital statistics and we will have a new birth certificate for him.

Our morning started out with SNOW, it was quite the little blizzard we had going here. We even left early because visibility was sooo bad, the road had built up a bit with slush. We got about 6 miles from home and there was NOTHING for snow. We had thought it started out kind of like Siberia, but ended up just being a lot like Wyoming weather. Another neat little note, since we don't get to pick any court date, the first one was August 18 this one April 19. The first one, we didn't understand much of what was said, the translater did ok, but was still difficult, the second one, we understood every word and it was more of a conversation than an actual hearing. We had to dress up for both, but this one didn't even cause a bit of worry. The first one we were a bit nervous for, but this one no nerves at all.

Alan came and surprised us all, he brought his camera and took lots of pics of Brayden while he waited for us to get this over with, then a fam pic with the judge and attorney and then just a pic of us. I will post pics later, just wanted to get this much on here so you all would know what we were up to.

Choc easter bunny

Grandma came for Easter dinner and brought chocolate bunnies!! They weren't hollow either, he bit the ears right off.

Its all about the LIGHT

Its all about the light, and his milk sippy in the door!! But mostly the light!

BEST part of dessert...the beaters!!

Daddy's back is good for lots of things...

Its that time again.

I am late again and again, this might very well be the way the rest of my life goes!! It has been a WINDY day here today, had to stay inside all day its soooo nasty and cold too. Brayden seems to have been ok with that agenda today. Daddy was off installing a kitchen, so it was just two of us for the day. Brayden continues to grow in things he can do and things he is interested in. The refrig is the latest thing he likes to open and get stuff out and put it back in. He also stands on the bottom of the frig, its cute, but not a good idea. :-) He also is enamored with the computer chair. Its a tall bar stool type chair that spins. I now keep it tucked in under the desk to limit his access. He gets up there and rearranges my papers and stuff. He also has discovered that the camera bag when put in his car trunk makes a neat seat belt of sorts. :-) The imagination of a child is wonderful and seems to grow with time.

I took his height measurement the other day just for fun, the last time was Jan 2, 2007, so from then till April 2, 2007, he has gained an inch in height. He is weighing about 28 lbs now, don't know that there is much change there, but many that pick him up comment that he is heavier. Roger notices this when he is walking around Walmart!!! I really don't pay any attention. I am trying to build upper body muscles, this is helping!!! :-)

Won't be long and it will be mosquito season, we have already killed a few here, they are pretty wimpy, but here none the less. We got our sprayer and the spray for it, and mosquito repellent clothes so we are getting ready. Hope it works good so we can enjoy our yard this summer.

Just a few pics to show his activites of late. He is getting to be quite acrobatic, don't know that its a good thing, but he isn't afraid of very much!!

I went back today and read my diary from the second trip. Was good to be reminded of all the happenings of that trip, how it went and then see the changes in our little boy since then. I am very glad that I took that notebook and used it, its great reading now! Mostly its good for Roger and I, brings things back to our memories that we have forgotten in a measure. It also makes us so very grateful that we are in a wonderful country with freedoms others don't know, and we have the awesome privalege of raising this little boy. We hope to do the very best job possible recognizing that the challenges will get us down some days and other days will be a piece of cake!! Here's to more cake days than hard ones!!

Fun fun fun

Finally he has his own playground...some of it old, some of it new, all in all its quite a hit, there is a sand box under the platform now, had to cut the shrub out of there. The sky really isn't pink...the camera is doing some really weird stuff!!

now aint that cute!!

See the choc really is the BEST part, leave the strawberry for Daddy to eat!!

Dipping strawberries

Choc covered strawberries, best way to eat them!!

Found it...

Finally found the outdoor toys and boy have they been fun!! His legs are still abit short for the pedals, but he just puts the toes to the ground and goes anyway!!!

Keys, phone, leatherman

Thanks Marcus, Shanda an d boys for the keys, phone and leatherman...all have been soooo much fun, now he really can be just like Daddy with all the gadgets!!

Tax Time!!

Well its tax time again, I have put it off long enough and now have had to spend the last couple of days working on getting it together. Might just get it in under the deadline!! Too many other things I would rather be doing. :-)

Brayden is growing like a weed. He is busier than ever and has really been enjoying the WARM weather we have been having. Its been up to 72 degrees here, quite the weather for March. However, we have returned to winter today, its been snowing and blowing all day. Just a reminder I guess that winter isn't completely over. We just wish it would get on with it and dump several inches on us instead of just blowing about it!! It is so dry here that the ground has cracks in it over an inch wide. Roger cleaned off the lawns yesterday just in time for the storm and he saw several cracks in it. Have to be careful to not drop anything of value on the ground, don't know where it might end up...maybe China!!

We have enjoyed eating outside with Brayden in the nice weather. He wasn't sure quite what to think of it the first time, now he just thinks its the neatest thing...he doens't have to come inside that way...what a trade off!! We just take the wash cloth out to wash him up, sit him in his booster at the table and get the food on. Its been great fun to show him lots of things. He still wanders off easily, can't leave him alone tooo long. We have a green hose stretched across the driveway and he knows he's not to cross it...but sometimes the temptation is toooo great, like when the cats cross it. :-) This morning he just wouldn't stop climbing on the toilet, so I sent him out of the bathroom and told him to stay in the bedroom...so he stepped onto the carpet and said "yes, yes" then backed up onto the bathroom linoleum and said "no, no". Obviously this is what I have done with the hose in the yard, one side is yes yes and the other side is no no. He does know, it just doesn' t always mean he stops before stepping over. Most of the time though, it has been a good barrier. Its just when he happens to be following something more interesting that he just HAS to step over it and really completely forget it is there!

Time to get to bed for the night, just a few pics and we will let it do for now. Patience is appreciated from all. As summer gets into swing here, it will be hit and miss, but keep checking, never know when I might have a minute to put stuff on.

Mineral dome

We stopped at this big mineral deposit dome, it has running water down it most all the time. Those of you familiar with hot springs may have seen this before, its kind of neat. Smells like rotten eggs, but looks neat, go figure!!

Fun at the park

just some pics from the park time, he enjoyed the tunnels, slide and swing there as well as the climbing. Lunch wasn't a real good reason to leave in his mind, but he finally was ok with it.

Anyone seen Granny?? I been looking out every hole and its tough to catch her...

Big Step

Forgot how to reach across for the next step up, oh well didn't really need it anyway!!

Climber

We went to Thermopolis to meet Granny and pick up some sausage. Had a little time at the park to play. He learned to climb this ladder just perfect the first time.

Still likes Daddy's shoes

Its been a while again since I have found time to sit down and post. Lots to do everyday and not enough time. Actually if I would manage my time better there might be more of it available, but its kind of nice to not have to manage it so tight anymore. The office is officially out of the house and moved to town. The phone lines are gone and we are just a simple home again. I still have some paperwork to do every month, but nothing like it used to be.

Potty training is complete, with simple reminders needed but not always appreciated!! Its about time for our first haircut, but mama just can't seem to bring out the scissors!! Its just a little long in the back, but after his nap or when its a little damp it is so curly and cute. I will have to break down pretty soon and get it trimmed up, think I might do it when he is napping!! :-) Maybe it will be straight then, can't get him to sit still for a minute right now, so cutting hair might be a jagged affair. He is getting more words clear all the time. There are still some that I think he could say right, he just isn't wanting to. He has the grunt or whine thing down pat and it usually gets attention, bad mama. Have to quit that or he won't ever learn to talk. He is eating better all the time. We finally are able to leave toddler food alone except for restaurants or public eating, sometimes we just need something we KNOW he will eat. He still isn't crazy about veggies, given time though he will get used to them. Desserts still aren't big on his list of favs, thats ok with me, might save his teeth a bit.

The weather is warming up here really good. I paid bills for Alan out on the patio table this morning so Brayden could play outside. He had about 2 hrs out there before it was time to come in for lunch. Daddy put his swing up yesterday, the one that has a childseat so he can't get out once we put him in. Might save some frightening moments. He really likes to swing. Its out by the garden so it should be real handy this summer. There isn't much for wind so far today, so with any luck he can have a couple hours outside after his nap too. He uses up sooo much energy that way and the fresh air has got to be good. We need to get some more outdoor toys together. Hope the garage sales are good this summer, we need a few things and used would be great!! He really enjoys going over to the other yard and playing with their toys, not necessarily with their kids, just their toys!! Other's stuff is always better than our own! Its nice to have kids next door to play with though, perhaps he can learn some words from them, they are a non stop chat.

Will let this do for now, our boy is growing and changing almost daily. Its hard to keep up in lots of ways, but I find as time goes that I am getting lax in pics too. Good to have this blog as a good reason to keep taking pics. Now if I could just get someone to build my scrap book for me. I can provide pics, but no artistic talent to put one together. Oh well, perhaps he will just get a drawer of pics someday with dates on the back of them, if I can remember to date them!! :-)

Hot cross BUNS!

Ever had a child that loves to sit on the stove...loves a warm bottom one would think!!

He actually just wants to be where any action might be, cooking qualifies as action!!

Sandbox fun

This is a favorite spot to spend our outdoor time. Its still too cold to play in it in the morning, we

have to wait till the sunshine comes around. By summer it will be really a HOT spot to play.

Here is a better pic of the pony. Its good to have some real cowboys in the family!! Perhaps someday he can ride a real pony.

First Pony

We got the first pony this week!! It even has sound effects. He was thrilled, altho Daddy had to show him how to ride it. That was all it took though, off he went.

Here it is the FIT!!

That was just winding up to this!!! Full blown FIT!! Look close, anyone see any tears?? Not usually, just lots of SOUND!!

Its really TOUGH being little

This is the face we see when its time to come in from outside. It doesn't matter how long he has been out or how cold it might be, this is the face, isn't it just heart wrenching!! :-)

Wow its been awhile!!

It has been a while since I have posted, my apologies to all. I will explain...our household has been having lots of mommy and me sick days!! They really aren't all that fun, we have taken two trips to the dr for Brayden. The first time he was diagnosed with strep and then a few days later he still wasn't eating so we went back and they said he had the flu virus that was going around too. Poor kid had a really sore throat and then it got alittle better and he got another one of a different variety. We are about to finish his antibiotics tomorrow, so he is doing much better. Mama just has a stuffed head!! No sore throat or anything to go with it, just stuffed head. :-) Oh well we are getting around the bend on it all and hope to all be well again real soon!!

To add to all that I have been training a new lady to take my job, so for three or four days a week there has been an extra person in our household for at least half a day. It also has meant that I have had to actually work every day. Really put a crimp in my style!! Moving day was friday, so the office is offically gone from our basement. In some ways its quite a relief, other ways it was a bit sad as I have done that job for a long time!! Now I am just the one who pays the bills and does the books for him. Much less work and lots less pay too, but it will be fine. This way Brayden will have a mama that takes him outside everyday for long periods of time, instead of one that takes him out answers the phone and makes him come back in!!

We live sooo close to the highway that he can't be outside alone. I got reminded of that yest when I stepped in the house to get a kleenx and the phone to call mom and when I looked up he was just a few yards off the road. He hadn't quite gotten there yet, but it was a matter of seconds and he would have been there. Constant supervision is required since there is much he doesn't understand yet. Between the highway and the irrigating ditch in the back yard...I have much to keep an eye on this summer!!

I will leave a few pics here to let you know how he is doing...really growing and its about time for a haircut. Its getting long in the back, still very fine, but getting long none the less. :-) Here's to a good week!!

Just hanging out.

One last pic before I call it done...daddy thought by putting him on the sled this way he wouldn't roll off. He was right, but he just grabs his feet in the snow a bit, just enough to slip off the back of the sled. I think he found getting off more fun than sledding.

Now here is some SNOW!!

Back up to Granny and Grandpa's for the weekend just past. Now they have some real snow!! We had to enjoy it a bit too. Took some time on Saturday afternoon before it got dark to sled and then again on Sunday afternoon after mtg before we left. It was great fun. Brayden isn't real sure what to think of the sled, he rolls off of it on purpose quite a lot of the time. We don't know if he is scared or just finds it fun to roll off. A couple of times he did a real nose digger getting off. The only scrapes and such that we got,,,we got when mama rode the sled with him!!! Daddy got a bit carried away in pulling us and we overbalanced. Kinda hard to try to stay upright, hold onto the baby, and do it in a skirt!! Now that was the laugh part!! Brayden got a little scrape on his chin is all, thats minor compared to some of his scrapes!! In fact the rug burn chasing Lex was worse by far than the snow burn. He is really an outgoing kid. There were several kids around on Sunday to play with, lots of them cousins. He just got right in there and played with all of them no matter their size. He laughed and giggled sooo much. It was fun to see him play with others, at first he wasn't sure about sharing all his toys, but it got better with a little time. They were all quite a bit bigger than he is, but it worked just fine. Will be fun to have him play outside with the neighbor kids come summer too. Just have to figure out how to get rid of the mosquito problem. We have had the greatest number of West Nile cases in the state now for two years running. We certainly don't need that problem with any of us, so we just have to figure out how to kill them in mass quantity. If anyone has suggestions or ways they do it...email us. I may not post for several days now, I am finishing up the training for the new girl this week and then we move the office to town next week. I will have to go in a couple of days next week I would guess just to help her out and help her get on top of things. I will try to get something up before two weeks pass, but no promises. Good days to everyone out there!!

Shaving together

Brayden loves to copy daddy in whatever he is doing. This is Sunday morning so its shave time and Brayden has an old razor out of the drawer to do his part with. It is really cute all the things he watches us do and then copies.

Today at breakfast and lots of other times too, he put his arm over the back of his high chair since daddy puts his arm over the back of his chair. They even twiddle their thumbs together.

Not much Snow

This was Saturday Feb 3 in the afternoon, daddy was spraying lacquer and had a break while it dried so we thought we would get outside for a bit. Really sad that there just isn't much for snow here, hasn't been all winter long. Its going to be a long summer, hot and dry I would bet. That would be more of the same drought conditions we have had for the last several years. Anyway, notice we had to MAKE a sled, if you don't buy one in October, you don't get one!! Daddy cut a bucket in half and used a piece of plywood for the flat. Worked pretty good for sledding on grass!! (and snow banks too)

Sleeping Sweetie

I was putting Brayden down for his nap when Aunt Bon came for some eggs, he was still quite awake, so I told him to stay right there while I went to give her the eggs. We got to chatting for a bit and when I went back upstairs to finish putting my little sweetie to sleep...he had beat me to it!! He has a rug burn on his forehead from his latest running fall!! He was chasing Lex around the library after mtg Wed night and took a head first digger into the floor. It didn't look too bad that night, but the next morning...its getting better. Watching them sleep is sooo much fun.

Sittin and Singin

I think we are playing mtg here...he is just singin away, at some point perhaps I will have a site for videos too, but for now, just imagine...

Foot stomping good time

He is sitting next to his farm blocks set that sings farmer songs, he reaches over and pushes the button to get a song and then sits there stomping his feet to the music. His knee is up in this pic.

Playing music together

Joe was playing the piano a bit, Brayden thought he would help out!!

Up close!

Relaxing with Grandpa

We were up at Grandpa and Granny's last weekend, this was just a relaxing time with "papa".

Far Far BEHIND!!

Once again, I am soooo very far behind that I have been receiving emails and phone calls about the lack of info on this blog!! :-) Its good to be reminded and to know that some are still watching to see whats going on next.

We have made great strides in the potty training...at least he isn't fighting it anymore, he is actually doing very well. We go most days without an accident, as long as mama keep the timer going. Its more of mama being trained than anything right now, but he will continue to pick it up and will move off on his own with it pretty soon I would imagine. Its ok and sure better than diapers all day long. He loves his underwear, they have trains and cars on them, most of you might be aware that anything with WHEELS is a fav toy!! He is very mechanical and loves to see just how thing work. He is figuring out the cars that rev up and go on their own, ya know the ones you wind up by rolling on the floor and then let go and they really go. :-) They are good fun for him and keep him moving!

We have also started the count to three if he doesn't do as we have asked. He has it all figured out and goes to two almost every time, heads for three then looks at us and runs to whatever we have asked of him. Pushing the very limits just like every kid out there. The good thing is he knows where the limit is and doesn't usually cross it. He is figuring out though that in public things are a bit different. :-( We had hoped that would be awhile in getting figured out, but alas he is a very smart little boy!! Yesterday I was counting and when I got to two...he said two with me!! Like I said very smart. We are beginning to hear new words every week anyway.

We had his ears checked by our very special friend and audiologist last week. It appears my struggle with his right ear isn't over. He still has a build up of wax in it, however she did a test on it and said that the ear drum does move freely, so he is hearing ok in that side, it just could be better. Back to the hydrogen peroxide and water drops to get it out. It works to do that in his bath best, don't have to worry where the excess goes. :-)

Will let this do for the text update...one last thing, Grandpa and Dorthea had asked about his shades in that pic...yes they are on upside down...he likes to wear them both ways!! The ear pieces are often on the outside of his ears too, not over the top of them. Doesn't seem to matter to him, just as long as they are on his face!
Take care all, have a good week.