I bet you can’t imagine who is behind this mask. It is only the biggest tease know to man. On top of trying to be funny, as soon as she got this reaction from Rose:
Icka couldn’t stop herself. I laughed and laughed (so did her mom), only because Icka was out of control. Keep in mind that this is coming off of the weekend of Icka constantly telling sweet Rose that Brett and Seth were “her Mommy” and “her Daddy”. I don’t know why I find it funny as her mother. Probably because she is just a chip off the old block!
Rosie opened up an identical outfit to Navy’s this year for Christmas. Her outfit debuted when we headed down to Megan’s house, and we obviously had to keep a record of it via a photo shoot!
Prior to Rosie making it to the table, Icka was already posing and saying “cheese”!
Once Rose showed up, I am pretty sure Icka whispered, “Let’s be naughty” in her ear.
Rose looked to her parents for rescuing, while Icka was “naughty”.
After I got on her case, she decided to put a prop in the picture.
But when I was frustrated, and said, “Whoever gives me the best smile, gets a treat”, Icka turned around and hollered “Cheese”!
They make look the same, but they certainly don’t act the same.
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While the cousins were here, I heard, “She is exactly like you were when you were little” quite a bit. Most of those comments came after Icka would sit on Brett’s lap and look right at Rose while saying, “My Momma!” OR grab Seth’s leg and hold on while looking at Rose and say, “This is MY dad!”
Talk about a tease!
It cracks me up, and does remind me of my love of teasing while I grew up.
Too bad Rose doesn’t crack up.
In fact, I think I would be hard pressed to find a more dramatic reaction to the teasing. It is a slow — sit on the ground, put her head to it, put out her legs until she is laying on the ground, and finally start bawling.
Rose — because she is just like me, I’ll give you the scoop…..
She does it for the reaction.
Walk away, and she’ll walk too….probably right over to Grant!
Although I would prefer to do it at church, we blessed Dash at the Brockbank’s home. With crazy Christmas schedules and family in and out of town, the only day we could come up with was a Friday. And it worked out just fine. The Brockbanks, Cliffords and Ures (Seth’s Fam) were all there to join in. We had a little program with music, the blessing, a few words from the new Bishop Brockbank and my testimony.
It was a really nice afternoon, and I LOVED that Jake got to participate in the blessing.
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And I guess there is a slight benefit to doing it in a home. Dash got pretty fussy half way in, and was crying pretty hard. So before I knew it, B stood up and stuck a bottle in his mouth. A slight bit unconventional, but really helpful to a mom who wanted to hear every word.
Scout loves his brother, and told me later that Dash got a “really nice blessing”.
I love these two boys of mine!
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I am grateful for those who participated, and for a new baby boy who has already brought so much peace and happiness into my life.
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After the blessing, we had food and a little going away party for Jake. While the adults were busy hanging out downstairs, the kids were upstairs doing their thing. By the end of the night, they were getting a little antsy, so Megan put a wager on who could build the best tangram design.
Trey, Covey and Scout were all on a team, and made quite the masterpiece.
Just look at that concentration!
The good news — each team won a different category!
The better news — it took about an hour for them to make their designs…which meant one quiet hour for the adults!
Jake has officially left for school. We are all depressed that the most perfect, kind and happy boy is gone. I couldn’t have asked for a better example to my kids, or a nicer cousin to everyone. We all miss him a TON!
So now the pressure is on! Calin is #2, and is great, but Cade is cousin #3, and is the one who needs to fill Jake’s shoes as the oldest male cousin around. I’ll admit that I didn’t know if he was up to the task, but he has taken the role and run with it. Look at him carrying Scout! He is already helpful, happy, nice and another perfect example! Cade…keep up the good work. I am watching you like a hawk!
It is hard not to completely fall in love with an almost perfect specimen.
Apparently Nonnie has fallen hard.
And who wouldn’t — look at that face!
But doesn’t Nonnie know that you aren’t supposed to feed the bears?
But I expect nothing less. I think Nonnie has fed every single grandkid their first taste of big people food. Scout’s was ice cream. Icka’s was probably ice cream too. And Dash can be the proud new spokesman for Twizzler’s Licorice, because he was a major fan!
It is no secret that Calin and Skylar are like my very own children. I was basically one of their four mama’s who raised them, and take all of the credit for them being so nice, well-adjusted, happy and hot! Although they are similar in those ways, they are also pretty different in others. One of the main ones being that Skylar is like a natural little mother. I would feel more confidant leaving my kids with her than even my own husband! (I won’t lie, even when I leave them with both Skylar and Micah, I whisper to Skilly, “Make sure you are the one who feeds Dash because…” and she finishes it off with, “formula stains and Micah doesn’t get the burp cloth close enough to his chin!”) Enough said. Calin, on the other hand, could use a little help in this department. The only time I remember her changing a diaper, she put it on backwards. She doesn’t immediately offer to burp the baby after I have nursed him, the way Skilly does. Nor has she mastered the coveted “Clifford Touch” skill.
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BUT, with all that said, she is TAKEN with Dash. She has come around! NayNay is always in line to hold him, if she isn’t already! She has the “booty swat” down. She thinks every coo and grunt is the cutest thing ever. Her “Clifford Touch” training is in full force. Basically, she is in total love with this little boy.
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So now I wonder….did it just take some time to come around? Or is the most handsome, sweet, happy and smiley baby that finally did the trick?
I think it is the latter!
B thought Scout needed a foot massage to get his blood flowing, work his joints that have been stagnant for a while, and moisten his skin.
He was in heaven!
I would take dry skin and creaky joints over my now high-maintenance son who said his favorite thing on Christmas Day was his foot massage!
Now, he asks me for them quite often.
I tell him — it is B’s expertise.
“Let’s wait for her to come over.”
Words can’t describe how sweet and happy and nice Scout is during this immobile time in his life. Honestly, I think he would win the “Who Can Wear A Cast The Best” contest. He doesn’t complain — AT ALL! He rarely gets discouraged. He certainly doesn’t think he is at all handicapped. And when I could easily see jealousy being a problem, he doesn’t even bat an eye. An example:
Icka and Scout both got water crayons to use in the bath for Christmas. Scout got his first, and when he opened them, I said, “Oh buddy….I got those for you before you got hurt. But we can just save them for when you get your cast off.” And rather than be bummed, or annoyed or possessive — he immediately said, “Mom, maybe we could let Icka use them in the bath until I can take baths again.” I mean how sweet can a boy be?
I literally almost tear up every time his kindness shows through!
And I will tell you — this isn’t a one time shot. He is constantly cheering others on in his stead.
Like When Icka got to go to Disneyland with B for her work party. This was Scout and B’s special date that they had been planning for weeks. But once he got hurt, Icka was put on the roster. Scout didn’t complain or gripe for one second. Instead, he just told Navy about all of the funnest rides.
Or when Icka got to go to his preschool in his place. He just started telling her about all of the fun things she would get to do, the kids she would really like and the rules of the school.
Or how about the time when he woke up from horrible itching so we had to put him in our bed with us. A few minutes after Scout was in our bed, Dash made his way there too because he needed to eat. Scout woke up from Dash’s crying and in a totally groggy state leaned over, patted him and said, “Oh Dashy….don’t worry, I’ll play with you tomorrow.”
How about when all of the Primary kids sang on Christmas day. Bella went up to the stage and held him to sing, and without even blinking, he sang his little lungs out.
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“SWEET” doesn’t do it justice.
It might be more along the lines of “ANGELIC”.
This boy had a quiet 2 month birthday.
He mostly got passed around all day long.
Here he is with Uncle RyRy.
It was the day after Christmas and everyone was exhausted or sick — or in a body cast!
Here is a little update on Dash…
He is an ANGEL!
He loves to be all swaddled up and comes out from my bundles all sweaty.
He loves to be held by Nonnie in only his diaper (and she insists he LOVES the cold — not my swaddles).
He loves a boiling hot bath with his Mama.
He loves his brother and Sister.
He loves my singing.
He loves his swing.
He loves to be held constantly.
He LOVES B.
He loves to eat, and is by far my fattest baby yet.
He loves to smile!
He loves when Nonnie talks to him, and he talks back and even laughs!
He loves commotion.
He HATES changing into his new clothes each morning after the bath.
So basically….
This boy is always happy, always sweet and my little angel…
UNLESS
he is getting dressed for the day.
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I can take that!
I had a “third baby” theory. Based on my siblings who have a third child, I thought that I was doomed for a wild one! But the buck stopped with me. I got the most perfect baby in the world. He might even rival Scout as a baby. And that is saying a LOT! Remember when I took Scout on a first class plane ride to Hong Kong? Every other passenger was cursing my name, but I knew he would be perfect. And I was right. Multiple people came to me and said they were mad at a baby in first class, but they never heard a peep. Now, that is perfect! At five months, I might just need to see if Dash would pass the same test. So Babe….let’s pack our bags! But when you are buying tickets…make mine a first class!
This year, Christmas was a bit different. First of all, because it fell on a Sunday, so the kids woke up to stockings (which Megan always fills for my kids because I never get them anything), and then we ate breakfast, and then went to church. And Bryan was made the Bishop in San Diego, so he felt like he needed to be there since it was only his second week. So we didn’t even get started on our official Christmas until 4:00 pm. But that didn’t stop our fun. Until we started, we had a blast hanging out with everyone and just anticipating the fun ahead. And once we did start, it never stopped until well into the night.
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But before I start with our day, I should get right to Micah’s present for me. Somehow, it has become our little tradition for me to get my gift/gfits from Micah after on Christmas Eve, after we have done all of our other festivities. Even though Micah was sick as a dog, he still stayed up, and “got started” on my present. I told him this year, all I wanted was some cash. So he invented a very strategic and well-planned game that was a mix between Deal or No Deal and Let’s Make a Deal. So with spreadsheets and all, Micah “started” my game. He would ask me which box I would like. Not knowing what was in either, I picked one. Once I looked inside and found some cash, he then would ask if I would trade it for the other box or like to keep it. Some had real cash, and others had fake Monolopy-like money. Afterwards, he would ask me a series of questions, and if I got them right, I would receive prizes. Then he would give me envelopes that would give me directions, like “Don’t lose even one penny of this money, or you will be sorry” or “Turn this fake $50 in when you would like to take a bathroom break”. I followed all of the rules perfectly and was a nervous wreck.
Throughout the game, there were a ton of would you like _____ or _____. I would try and get into his mind to think what he would want me to do and then do the opposite. So for example, I got to choose between the above four bubble gum machines. Each were a different color, and I was trying to pick the one I didn’t think he would think I would pick. One was full of ashtray change. One was full of fake money. One was full of gold dollar coins. And the other was full of the same gold dollar coins with paper money in it as well. Well, wouldn’t you know it that my analytical reasoning was on, and I picked the best!
(Notice his bin that only he was allowed to see in and was full of the pieces to the game.)
At one point, I got to choose a Chinese take out box, and it was full of the good stuff.
Later, I got to choose between two DVD’s, and I picked right!
Then, aftera while, I stopped the game and took my “bathroom break”. I got to choose reading material and he gave me a roll of toilet paper to take with me.
But upon a closer look, I wasn’t wiping anything with that toilet paper! It was a huge, perfectly-assembled roll of paper money. It was insane! I was excited about the cash, and everyone else was amazed to see the precision of Micah’s handiwork!
More precision in the book I chose.
Unfortunately, the book I didn’t choose was a book about the American Presidents. And alongside each president was bills with their faces on them.
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The game ended up being over two hours, and nobody could go to bed because it was THAT exciting. So when it finally came to a close, Micah handed me one final envelope. It stated, “If you can bring me a deposit slip with the exact amount on it (and it is the correct amount) by December 27th, I will double your money. And by the way, any fake money you currently have can be exchanged for the real stuff!” I was dying! I needed to guard this stuff with my life. And he was SO smart, because it made it so I couldn’t just start handing it out to my nieces and nephews. So come December 27th….I turned my cash in, and came home with a deposit slip with the very exact amount — and I GOT MY CASH DOUBLED!
Now THAT is a Christmas Present!
I can’t even imagine what he is going to do to top that next year!
I can’t wait!
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So after that, I was showered with goodies from my mom. We had a blast, and didn’t stop until after 10:00 pm. But before we opened up the gifts, we had a long lull where the cousins just hung out.
But my mom felt bad that the kids had to wait so long, so she gave Scout and Navy their big presents.
Navy got her pink kitchen that she was in love with.
And Scout got a body cast friendly air hockey table. It was literally a perfect gift to fit his incapable state.
The evening was present time, and it was so fun this year because both kids were really into it. And to my utter amazement, they were both polite and weren’t begging for their “next present” the whole time!
Scout’s new beanie was a hit.
And so was everything he opened — especially his Legos.
Dash loved all of the attention he got all day long.
From Ryan,
and Chloe,
and especially B!
Scout loved being the guy that was carried like a king everywhere! Especially by his favorite foursome!
Scout’s favorite gift Micah got was matching shoes to his!
Micah was a recipient of this little Internet beauty!
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All in all, the day was great. But it wasn’t because of the presents. It was because everyone was there, and nobody was preoccupied by the phone or other things. It was just us, hanging out and enjoying each other!
Merry Christmas!
And thanks to everyone who made our family’s day great.
Especially you Nonnie!
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