Loving our Cousins

During Christmastime we got all of the cousins together to take a picture for Grandma Shauna's upcoming birthday.  Look at these sweet faces:

I love every one of them.  And so do our boys. We turned that picture into  a large canvas for Grandma.

It still amazes me that such little people already know and understand that they're family.  They just love being together.

Having the girls here from Bakersfield is always a treat.  One day we ventured down to the State Capitol.

They were amazed at how big the state Christmas tree was.

They loved celebrating on New Year's Eve together.

The time stamp on this picture says 10:10 p.m.  Noah was happy as could be to stay up late AND be with his cousins.

At least they were eating carrots that late at night, right? 

We can't wait until we're all together again.  Hurry up March 1st and get here!

First Visit to the Dentist

This morning Noah visited the dentist for the first time.

I prepped him as much as possible, but really, he didn't know what to expect.

He definitely did not expect there to be so many toys and games, but didn't mind at all. Where was a dentist like this when I was a kid?

There were definitely some moments when he was tenative, but Noah was completely cooperative the whole time, even for x-rays.

It helped that he got to wear sunglasses to block out the bright light and there was a movie playing on the ceiling.  And, that from the second we walked in the door, everyone was incredibly inviting and patient.

Dr. Ryan reported that Noah's teeth look great!  His 19 teeth are cavity free, and that twentieth tooth that STILL hasn't come in may finally poke through soon.

Noah left with a new McQueen toothbrush, a balloon and a promise from Dr. Ryan that if he quits biting his fingernails he can choose a toy from her box the next time he comes.  Our first visit was a success!

He's a Sunbeam!

My big boy is a Sunbeam.  He went to Primary for the first time today.

A few months ago as we were talking about going to Primary he said, "Mom, they have toys in Primary?"  I had to be honest, right?  So we talked about how there weren't toys, but I assured him that there would be lots of singing and other fun things to do.  He responded with, "I don't think I want to be a Sunbeam, Mom."

Thankfully, he's come around, and it's just about all Noah's been able to talk about for the past day.   He was having a hard time falling asleep last night and said, "Mom, I just want to see Sister Stauffer." (She is his Sunbeam teacher who he hadn't even met yet.)

And all through the first hour of church he bounced and said, "Mom, can I be a Sunbeam now?"

When it was time, we walked down to Primary, hand in hand, and found Sister Stauffer and all of his Nursery buddies on the front row.  He looked around and said, "Mom, I can't go to Primary.  I don't know the songs."  Silly.  He DOES know a lot of the songs, and I stayed long enough to see him excitedly sing 'I am a Child of God.'  Thank you, Sister Reynolds for choosing a song he knows.

But, I had to leave.  I knew he needed to be there on his own.  I wasn't sad and I wasn't overjoyed or anything that he had finally made it to Primary, but I also couldn't hold back the emotion.  What is it about seeing my sweet babies becoming boys that sometimes brings on the tears? 

At the end of the two hours of Primary, Noah was an energetic bundle of happiness.  Sunbeams seems to suit him just fine.

On the ride home from church he said, "Mom, I listened to Sister Stauffer.  I think she loves me."

And that is all I can ask for.  I'm so grateful my barely three year old had a great first day of Primary!