Spring Things

Spring Things

• 4.23.2012

Spring has sprung!  It's been a typical Idaho spring: sunny and warm, windy and rainy--sometimes all in the same day!  Here in Idaho, if you don't like the weather, wait ten minutes.  Really, a storm can blow through that fast.  But I don't mind it one bit.  This spring our lives have been consumed with playing outside, going on walks and bike rides, working in the yard, and inviting friends over for kabobs and hamburgers on the grill.

Oh, sweet sunshine!  I'm so glad you're here to stay.

Jed riding on the "tractor" with Dad

This picture pretty much says everything you need to know about Tyke.  Haha

He's proving to be a great dog with lots and lots of great potential.

We spent this past weekend on the Nelson Dairy.  It's become an April tradition to get the family together.  An Easter egg hunt and a birthday bash coupled with sunny weather makes for a memorable weekend.  It really was relaxing and wonderful.  Momma Nelson gets just as excited for the egg hunt as she does for Christmas, and her excitement is contagious.  We girls had so much fun "hiding" at least a hundred eggs around the yard for all the kids to go nuts over.  Jed definitely got the gist of the egg hunt this year.  With a little encouragement, he picked up the plastic eggs and put them in his bucket without opening them to extract the candy first!  I think he enjoyed himself very much.  That boy sure loves chocolate.  When the excitement of the egg hunt had finally worn down, we lit some candles and ate cake to celebrate Grandpa, Tyrel, Call, Jaden, and Jed's birthdays.  Momma Nelson made an adorable train cake and each boy had his own train car.  It was a long train!  The remainder of the day was spent relaxing in the shade and chatting away while the kids played.  I couldn't have asked for a better Saturday!  

Top to Bottom:

1. Eggs in the backyard  2. Eggs in the grass  3. Jed opening a plastic egg and filling a tractor with candy  4. Cousin Tannon checking out his candy haul  5. Cousins Garrison and Wesley with big smiles  6. Chocolate face Jed  7. Cousin Leah loves any kind of egg or candy or food  8. Victoria three months old  9. Jed's caboose cake with TWO candles 10. Can't get enough of Jed's cheesy grin  11. Jaden and Call blowing out their candles   

I am counting down the days until Jed gets his cast off.  Until then, Jed answers to a new nickname: Peg Leg.  We are pretty sure Jed thinks his cast is a permanent attachment.  Jed can RUN on his cast!  It's really amazing how fast he's become.  He can lift that heavy sucker up and over anything, just like a peg leg.  Jed can even climb steps and ladders.  I'm impressed.  

However, baths have become torture.  We've been sponging Jed down once a week on Sunday before church (and ad lib when he puts jam in his hair during dinner).  Jed HATES it.  He screams and kicks and makes bathing him a two person job.  One Sunday Jed pulled out the big guns.  While begging in gibberish he suddenly stopped and kissed me on the cheek.  "Please Mom, don't make me get in!"  He made me cry.  I just felt so bad for him!  But apparently not bad enough; he smelled too much like sweaty little boy and he NEEDED some soap and water.  Hang in there just a few more days, Bud.  That obnoxious cast is coming off soon! 

In other Jed news, Jed is now sleeping in a big boy bed!  I spent a few afternoons painting and moving Jed's belongings into his new cowboy room.  Jed now sleeps on a double bed without the box spring; it sits just a foot or so above the floor.  Jed can climb in and out himself.  He looks so tiny in his big bed!  I was going to wait until I ordered blinds for his room to begin our new routine, but Jed was excited and ready.  So we tried it.  The first two nights he went down without a peep.  We've since had a few rough nights getting him to go to sleep in his new bed, but we're learning some tricks to help him settle down.  Jed still hasn't napped in his big bed though.  I think I may have to take all his toys out of there.  Thankfully, we still have a few months to get it all figured out. 

Jed loooves his dog!

Jed "helping" Dad move cobble rock in the yard.  He is strong!  (And so cute.)  I admire Jed's determination to do anything.