15 months

malcolm is 15 months old today! wow, time flies. seems like it was just yesterday that he was sooo tiny and fragile. and now he is getting so big and fearless. and learning and trying new things everyday. he is so much fun to have around.

here he is at only 2.5 months

i took this one today while he was napping. he loves to take his morning nap in his bouncer seat, but he has almost outgrown it... how am i ever going to be able to shower and get ready for the day without it!?

we went to old navy today and malcolm was very patient while alanna and i tried on clothes. i got him some super cute swim trunks, and a matching sun hat (not pictured). i tried to put the matching flip flops on him, but he cried, so i didn't get them... i think the part between his toes scared him. i can't wait til we can go to the beach!

we also went to target and got him his first fork. he loved using it at dinner.

mmm, soy nuggets!

this is the face he makes when he is full (usually there is a bunch of food in his mouth and it falls out into his lap, haha)

this past month:

• he finally cut his 4th tooth. he now has 2 on top, and 2 on bottom.

• he took his first trip to the ER, and got his first stitches.

• he has graduated to size 4 diapers.

he has also learned:

• to say "mama", "papa", and "baba" pretty good (plus all kinds of other baby gibberish).

• to stand up from a sitting position, all by himself (no more wall or object to help him out).

• to crouch down to look at &/or pick things up. it melts my heart.

• to climb up onto the futon in his room (he's been able to get off of it for a few months, but now he can get up there all by himself). he also climbs into the fridge, and onto the bottom shelf of the microwave cart, haha.

• to recognize little creatures in our yard, and he gets excited to see them (like squirrels and fuzzy caterpillars).

• to give the following on command: kisses, hugs, high-fives, and head-butts! (pretty awesome)

• to spin himself around in tiny circles.

i'm sure there are lots more things that i am forgetting, but my blogging time is limited. i love how he understands me now. i can totally tell when he understands what i am saying, and it is great! like when i say "let's go change your diaper", he grabs onto my finger, and walks upstairs with me to his room. it's these little things that make me happy.

treats

this box arrived at our door today, yay! (thanks kelly)

so awesome... but they were meant to be for danny, and he left late last night for the weekend. sad, i know. so i stuck one of each treat in the freezer and i'm keeping my fingers crossed that they will still be good when he gets home on monday. looks like i'm a single parent for the next four days. just me and the kids. danny, we miss you already!

while the folks are away...

...the kids will play!

on friday, danny's mom and dad went on an overnight camping trip with their two dogs. so we took lucky dog and the kids out to their house for the evening. we don't have a fully fenced yard, and lucky never gets to go outside without being on a leash. they have a very nice, large fenced yard, with lots of grass, and he loved being able to run around. malcolm loved exploring too. alanna and danny had fun playing badminton. and i just loved spending some time outside with my family in the nice weather.

lucky grazing

danny calls these his "kanye west" shorts







malcolm had lots of fun, but was so tired by the time we got home and were ready for bed, that he fell asleep on the floor! this photo is kinda dark and blurry (taken by the light of the tv). pretty funny.


tonight we met up with dan and vicky for dinner. here's a cute one of malcolm and his grandpa.

my boys

we all went to the mall today, and while alanna and i were in victoria's secret, the boys snuck away and took this:

pretty stinkin' cute!!

(this scanned copy isn't quite as clear and bright as the original)

afternoon at the park

the weather was lovely today (mid 70's), so we went to the park. there is a nice little park about 10 minutes from us, that has a good playground. it's tucked away in a really nice neighborhood. some of the parks out here are pretty old and run down, which makes me miss liberty park a lot.

malcolm liked going through the tubes, and all that static electricity made his hair very wild!

teetering across the bridge (made me nervous)

malcolm and alanna

visitors

this past week, we've had a few house guests. danny's friend lizzy and her boyfriend mike, stopped here wednesday and stayed the night, on their way moving across the country. and then our friend justin came out and stayed the night on friday, to catch a movie with danny. we all really enjoyed having them over. malcolm was very friendly and had lots of fun with them too. he is really good with people he doesn't know, he isn't scared to make new friends, which i think is great!

malcolm napping on lizzy at noodles & co.

lizzy, danny, malcolm & alanna at lunch

malcolm & justin


butting heads

cakewalk

my friend kelly in salt lake owns her own all vegan bakery (the first and only one in slc). she makes some of the best treats i've had in a long time, and her "choco dillo's" just happen to be my favorite!

http://www.cakewalkbakingcompany.com/

www.myspace.com/vegancakewalk

Cakewalk Baking Company

566 West 1350 South Ste 900

Woods Cross, UT 84010

(801) 860-5473

and if you live in salt lake city, here is a sample of what you can pick up at her lil' bakery on the weekends. sooo good! please support her local business.

daddy's baby version 2.0

"i'm a nike head, i wear chains that excite the feds"

daddy's baby

need i say more?

i didn't think so.

(p.s. that cup was empty!)

our weekend (sunday)

on sunday, we went out to danny's mom and dad's house to celebrate our birthday and have easter dinner (danny's birthday was the 8th, mine was the 9th). the food was great! vicky made us lasagna and pot pie. and for dessert: tiramisu, blueberry/pineapple crisp, and a chocolate covered boston creme filled birthday cake with chocolate covered strawberries! everything was vegan and delicious. she spoils us!

we loved being outside, it was sunny and nice. here is malcolm with grandpa dan on the motorcycle

vicky was teaching him how to blow on a dandelion

we found this caterpillar nest in the plum tree. it was crazy. i've never seen anything like it. kinda gross (they were crawling all over it, very fast, and they were inside of it and out), but really interesting at the same time. apparently they are called eastern tent caterpillars, because of the "tent" nests that they build.


view from the backside


malcolm liked to look at it too


he loves this dead deer toy. it plays music, lights up, and the deer lifts it's head and opens it's mouth to sing. pretty funny. especially since he is vegan :)


and alanna with her basket, at our house on easter morning

our weekend (saturday)

the weather this weekend was great, so we spent a lot of time outside. on saturday, our family went to the duke gardens in durham. we love to go there. it is really pretty, especially during this time of the year, when the flowers are starting to bloom. plus, there is a large grassy area, where alanna and malcolm can run around (our yard is not suitable for such activities).

alanna hidden inside a giant magnolia tree!

malcolm found this big leaf


malcolm and daddy


tickle time from sister!


(wet) kisses for daddy!


yes, that frisbee hit me in my shoulder, about a second after i snapped this photo



mother and daughter


sheesh, alanna is growing up... fast!


on the way out, we saw a beautiful bride having professional photos taken. i snapped this one from the back. her dress was a pale pink/champagne color. she looked lovely surrounded by the garden.