"I firefighter. Stand back!"

Yesterday we went to the Lehi fire station with our neighborhood play group. (Thanks, Mel, for organizing it!)

Teague was beside himself. I've never seen him love any activity more. He was trying on the helmets, climbing on the trucks, and telling all the other kids to stand back because "I firefighter!"


We were there for nearly an hour, but he still cried all the way home. I hated having to make him leave, but then I realized he probably would have cried even if we had stayed another hour.

He talked about it the rest of the day, and is still talking about it today. "Those trucks is so cool!"

Big Boy

"I can't make 'aggies,' Mom," is what Teague was calling to me from the kitchen in the middle of the morning. Oh, no. Not again.

This child has been in independence-development mode this week. I think it was Monday when I found the aftermath of his having used the potty without help.

Yesterday a broken-glass crash came from the kitchen; he had dropped his oatmeal while getting it into the microwave. He had found the packet, gotten it into a bowl, and added water all by himself.

And today was his second attempt to make eggs. At least this time it was only three eggs all over the stove, down the front of the oven, and onto the floor. Last time it was more like ten.

I can't say I mind cleaning up the messes. I'm just too proud of him to really be all that annoyed.

Proof: They're Friends

Few and far between are the moments we get to see our older two kids getting along. Tonight they found something fun to do with a freak spring snowstorm. (OK, I know it's technically still winter, but five inches of snow is still impressive for this late in the season.)

Braiden and Tatum spent a good two hours in Grandma's backyard building a snow fort. Its walls consisted of about nine giant snowballs, any of which would have made an impressive base for any snowman. A dowel rod propping up some tarps made a roof.

You create something that spectacular, and even if you're soaked and freezing, you'll claim your fort is warm, and you'll just hang out in there a while. You might even ask if you can stay the night in it. And maybe that annoying brother or sister will seem OK after all.

Keep That Toddler Busy

This morning, after Teague threw a stack of important papers all over the floor, and after he squeezed half a tube of Sensodyne toothpaste onto my bathroom floor (yeah, $4.72 a tube), I decided this kid needed something to do. So we wrestled, built with blocks, and made sugar cookies. Airplanes and hearts. He rolled, he cut, he frosted. And he licked and bit. Don't worry. We didn't give any to the neighbors.

Kristin's Head-Shaving Party

Kris started her official breast cancer fight with her first chemo treatment two weeks ago. Tonight was the official head-shaving party. Friends, co-workers, and family gathered for pizza. Then the brave ones headed into the garage, bowed down, and got buzzed. By the end of the night, there were eight baldies and one mohawk. Whitney and Karen had their hair cut short ahead of time in Kris's honor. Kris went last, and one word came to me: brave. Then one more: beautiful.

Karen & Kris, before

Proud husband, first in line

Teague didn't want to join in but liked feeling the buzzes.

Whitney and Jorden started with scissors.

Dagan did finishing touches with the clippers.

Hard to watch.

Brave girl.