Easter Part II

Because my parents were out of town Easter weekend, enjoying the sunshine of Southern Utah, we celebrated Easter this weekend instead. We started the evening off by having an Easter egg hunt and eating some dinner. Kyson was funny during the hunt because he grabbed any egg that he saw. We sorted some of them out afterward, and some I was able to sneak out of his basket when he wasn't looking and put them back. He didn't even care about what was in the eggs, he just wanted to find the eggs. There were a couple of Elmo and Hello Kitty eggs that had rubber bugs inside - he's been carrying them around since.

After the hunt, my mom hid an Easter basket for each couple and we had to find them. My sister found hers immediately because it's hidden in the same place every year. Her basket was full of all sorts of goodies. I searched, but I only found baskets that had nothing in them. We both joked about who must be the obvious favorite.

It was nice to just sit around and chat. I love getting together with family. I was also able to get some great photos.

Happy Easter!

This was the first Easter that we really did something. The Easter Bunny always comes, but it's no big deal and he never hides anything for Kyson. This year the Easter Bunny not only hid a basket for Kyson, but he left eggs all over down stairs that Kyson found when he woke up. It looks the Easter Bunny favors Kyson, but really that's not the case - Kodi just doesn't care. Kodi got a onsey and an empty egg. Kyson got sidewalk chalk, 2 shirts, swim shorts, some micro-machine cars, a bouquet of balloons, and and some Nemo gummy snacks. I think he enjoyed everything and even insisted on taking the balloons to bed.

The Easter Bunny was very good to me. I got 4 tank tops, some socks, a gift card to Old Navy and my favorite - chocolate eggs. Apparently the Easter Bunny had to go all the way to 35th South to find them. Kris got some swim shorts and 2 ocarina whistles (I don't under- stand the fuss, or why they're so expensive, but he LOVES them). It was a fun morning and the first real Easter that we've had. Kyson loved looking for the eggs around the house. He got so excited each time he found one.

During the day, we tried to watch conference. I say tried, because every time we sat down, we'd fall asleep. Kodi got a good nap in down- stairs, Kyson actually watched conference - for 5 minutes, and Kris was playing with his new toy. That afternoon we went to Rusty and Amy's to see all of Kris's family. It was a very informal visit where we just chatted, the kids got in trouble, and Grandma showered the grandkids with presents. Kyson was a bit entitled and thought he deserved everything, but Kodi was a perfect angel - I can't imagine why. As we went to leave, all three boys were there to send us off in style. It was really cute. Overall it was a great day.

The next day, even though it was extremely windy, Kyson and I went outside and played with his chalk. I think he likes it.

The Boy Version of Dress Up

Most little girls like to wear make-up and their mother's high heel shoes to play dress-up and have fun. Kyson appears to like dress-up as well, but in a slightly different way. He likes to dress his little sister up with stickers rather than make-up. He started by putting a couple of stickers on Daddy, then he tried a couple on me, but once he found such a cooperative victim, he went to town. He kept adding more and more and when she'd look down so he couldn't put stickers on her face, he put them on the top of her head. She didn't care for it too much, but he was having a blast.

Kyson's "House"

A few weeks ago when we went to visit my parents, my dad had saved the packaging of their new jetted tub. He thought, "Kyson would love it." Well Grandpa understands Kyson well. It started as innocent fun at my parent's house with my dad and Kyson bonding in the foam tub, but then the innocence left when Grandpa decided to bring it to our house. Since that time, Kyson refers to it as his house and he is crazy with it. He dives in the little hole in the middle, he drags it around the house, he tries to hide under it and drag Frannie in with him, and he curls up and goes to sleep in it. We've had to take it into the garage to try and calm him down a few times, but the fact is - he loves it.

It's Official!

For a long time my niece, Chelsie, had a hard time with a father figure in her life. Her biological father left my sister and his children 9 years ago and has had no contact with them since, except to insult or argue. He was never around before he left, and since has only confirmed our negative views of him.

However, five years ago a new man stepped in to fill that void for Chelsie. Bill Madsen married my sister on September 17, 2005 and has brought so much happiness to my sister and her family in a way that I'm so grateful for. He has been an amazing support to Jennifer and her children and has loved and treated them all as if they were his biological children. Last week, on March 16, Bill officially adopted Chelsie. Even though she has been calling him "Dad" since he entered her life, now it's official, it's finally official.

Our New Nephew

Things have been extremely busy lately with missing out on my mornings to get work done. The kids are back to full health and since Kyson has been able to get out of the house, the destructive behavior has decreased tremendously. He's back to the typical two-year-old behavior. While life was being all crazy, a new spirit has joined our family.

Kris's brother and sister- in-law adopted their 4th son a few weeks ago. Drew Terrance was born on February 20 from an emergency C-section. The biological mom went to her doctor for a routine appointment, but her blood pressure was dangerously high and they took the baby that day. He was born 6 weeks early and was in the NICU until March 4. For most of that time, Rusty and Amy were not allowed to hold him, and they couldn't even touch him until he got off a ventilator. Drew is a tiny little baby. He was born at 4 lbs 8 oz and 17 1/2" long. After a week in the NICU his weight increased to 5 lbs 3oz and was pro- gressing well.

This last weekend we finally had the opportunity to go meet our little nephew for the first time. Boy he's cute and so itsy bitsy. to give you some perspective I had them place Drew next to Kodi who is an average 5 1/2 month old girl. She looks gigantic! He was so sweet, but didn't wake up the entire time we were there. We'll see those beautiful eyes soon enough.

Kyson really enjoyed being able to play rough with his cousins. Not may kids like to play as rough as Kyson, but his cousins are just like him. It was soooo wonderful to watch them all play. Kris was a good sport too. Kyson is getting better and better about warming up to them. We need to go over there more often. Hopefully with Kyson being in Blake's preschool class it will help a lot.

Operation Breakdown

Well, Kyson is at the end of his antibiotic and is back in action full force. His first plan of attack now that he's gained his energy is to send his parents on a short vacation to a psych ward. So far Operation Breakdown is working. Today while I was at work, Kris was taking care of Kodi when phase one began - coloring. Kyson took a black crayon and went through the house coloring on the walls and doors. Kris called be right after he discovered it and was able to let out the anger by talking to me instead of taking it out on Kyson. Kris said, "I know what we're going to do for our next Family Home Evening!" After our conversation on the phone Kris was able to take Kyson through the house and help him understand that coloring on the wall hurts. So he kept looking and pointing at the marks saying,"Ouch!" When I got home from work, I gave him a Magic Eraser and said,"Get to it!"

Phase two of Operation Breakdown happened in

an isolated area. He broke the curtain rod in our bedroom. He bent the thing terribly. I don't know how he did it without ripping it out of the wall.

I'm so glad to have my little boy back, but I'm afraid Operation Breakdown may be a powerfully strategic plan of attack. Kris and I will have to come up with some defense.