I'm two!

For about a month, Emmaline and I have worked with Tucker, teaching him to say, "I'm two!" and holding up his pointer finger on each hand. It's adorable, but of course he won't do it on camera! Luckily I have an equally cute photo from our recent trip to California.

Here he is, in all his silliness, sporting Savannah's swim goggles and his favorite red hat (he hardly goes anywhere without that crazy thing) carrying some beef jerky.

This turned out to be almost an un-birthday for Tucker this year. Between Tyler and I just getting home from the Philippines and preparing for our trip to California, I just couldn't muster any sort of celebration. We did, however, sing "Happy Birthday" to him several times. Being the budding singer that he is, he thoroughly enjoyed this and walked around the house all day saying, "Happy, happy, happy."

Luckily, some other family members pitched in to make this a true birthday for him. Aunt Georgia bought him a toy cash register. He was VERY excited about this since it was something he almost got for Johnny for his birthday. A couple of hours after he opened it, Savannah came in and said, "I guess Tucker really likes his present. He 'marked' it." He had taken a Sharpie and almost completely covered it. As our walls attest, Tucker loves to draw almost as much as he loves to sing. And the things he loves the best receive the most attention.

Grandma and Granddad also sent him some money to spend on a present. Tucker decided to buy two foam swords. He loves that he chose something that Oliver actually wants to play with him. Oliver likes them so much, he "carved" his name in his favorite sword with his fingernail. I guess he didn't realize that Tucker can't read, and even if he could- I don't think he would care.

Every chance he gets, he brings the swords out to play. If Oliver isn't available, anyone else will do. You don't feel like playing with swords? Too bad for you- he shoves them in your face and says, "Fight." For such a little person, he sure has a big personality. We're so happy to have him as part of our family.

Coming Home

Almost immediately after I got to Cebu, Tyler said, "Being with you makes me miss the kids more already." He is usually the last one off of the airplane. He hates standing up, waiting for people to unload the overhead bins and pushing through the center aisle. When we landed in Salt Lake City, I've never seen him so anxious to get off the plane. And as made our way to baggage claim, he was practically running.



I think everyone was kind of in slow motion when they saw him. So glad to see each other, but kind of nervous as to what to do. He picked up Oliver, then Emmaline, and made his way over to Savannah and Tucker.

First Tucker would not let go of the "Welcome Home" sign in his hands, then he just sat in his arms, not making a peep. Now that I think about it, I really believe that he was trying not to make a sound or wiggle to make sure that Tyler didn't put him down. He stayed like that for a LONG time until Tyler brought out the "jeepney" toy he bought him and the rambunctious, silly Tucker we all know and love was back.
Straight from the airport, we had to race to an art opening for Emmaline. I think she really enjoyed being able to share that with Tyler first thing.

When we got home, the kids had made a banner for the front porch and the dining room to welcome us back. We had a lot of fun eating sherbet (have you tried the sherbet packaged in real coconuts, oranges, etc. from Costco? My kids think it is the best!) and poking through all the shells that Tyler found in Vietnam.

We saved all the souvenirs we got the kids for another day so we could just enjoy spending time together that night, not distracted by "stuff." It was a great night to just be all together again. Here is a little video of the event.

The kids... while we were gone

So Tyler is back in the Philippines again finishing up the last few things and I'm going to try to get caught up while he is gone. You know, watch all those "Lost" episodes I've missed, read a few books... I wish! But seriously, I am going to try to get up to date with the blog. Then I can stop thinking, "Man, I would love to post that but I've got 30 other things that need posted first," and then forget what I was going to write about. Am I getting old or what?!!

For the first week that I was in the Philippines, my sister Martha graciously watched the kids. It was really hard for me to leave them. Not because I didn't think they were in capable hands, but because I remember how terribly I missed Mama when she went out of town. Overall, I think they did great. Emmaline told me that Martha "really knows how to get on your case when you need it." I thought that was pretty mature that she recognized that she "needed" someone to get on her case sometimes.

That weekend my sister Georgia watched the kids. She sent a note with a few quotes that must be remembered.

"Oliver did not want to take a bath before church. I told him, "Well, you at least have to rinse off because you have a wet pull up." A few minutes later, I went in the bathroom and the floor was all wet and there was a towel on the floor. I thought that he must have gotten in the bathtub by himself, but when I looked, the bathtub was dry.

I called him in and said, "Oliver, did you already take a bath?"
He said, "Yep!"
"But the bathtub is dry!"
"I didn't get in the bathtub!"
"Well, how did you do it?"
"You see, you take a towel, and you put it in the sink and get it wet, and you put it on your bum, and BAM, you're done."

So, with that...BAM, we went to church!

Emma to Savannah, "Savannah, take that make-up off your eyes, you look like a raccoon!" No one is ever in danger of getting a big head around Emma."

The last week Jon and Lacey watched them. One day, Jon asked Oliver what he missed most about me. He said, "Well first of all.... Wait, there are no first of alls. I just miss everything about her."

What a sweetie. Here are a couple of pictures from Jon and Lacey.
Emmaline had a lot of fun making breakfast for the boys on St. Patrick's Day.

A picture from the park.

I don't think they missed me a bit! =)