Celebrate

We Burches have had a lot to celebrate this weekend.  We celebrated Paul's mom's (granny) birthday yesterday.  She is 65 and now (as Paul puts it), on government "scholarship":).  Also, it was  year ago that we were in Florida on vacation and got the call that Paul's dad (grandaddy) had had a severe brain bleed and probably had less than 24 hours to live.  God spared his life, brought him home, and has a plan for his days.  We are so thankful for both of them! I am really glad that my children get to have such great grandparents!

Birthday Muffins

Garrett tells me he loves birthdays....he loves "happy birthday" singing (usually it's directed to spot, but it's nice to sing to a real birthday person), he loves the festivities (playing with friends), and he especially loves birthday muffins. he calls cupcakes muffins. i love this--it sounds healthy, right? thank you to his friend hudson for having a birthday for us to enjoy!!

swim lessons

or maybe just "pool time":) at any rate, garrett LOVED it and the instructor was very patient (paul said bored).  it was a good parenting lesson for me, as it just confirmed that you can't take a near two year old (or at least mine) anywhere without at least a few significant tantrums. ours included fits over having to change clothes (both in and out of swim gear), having to wait our turn to get in the water, and not being able to run around the outside of the pool and get in by himself (call us crazy).  but, he really enjoyed it overall. i asked him right afterwards if he like swimming and he said "fun! yeah!!!" and clapped.  well worth the fits...

The Legacy Continues

this was paul's first basketball uniform.  he has always said he won't be a dad that pushes sports....but, he "can just tell" that garrett is athletic. as someone who is most definitely not athletic, i think this is hilarious concept considering garrett is not yet 2.  also, i am hoping for skills in tennis or swimming...which seem relatively safe compared to some other choices!

update

he is still obsessed with his car, but he's moved on to "shopping" (taking things from the pantry to put in the trunk) and "transporting" (giving his friends a ride).

Spring Fun

as i've mentioned before garrett loves be outside....here are some of his favorite activities.  a (kind of) funny note...i ran over his mower this week and he was devastated.  one wheel was squished and it didn't pop anymore--i foolishly thought he wouldn't notice.  it was so sad! in his little way (in addition to his big way of fits and tears) he wanted to know what the heck happened??!!  needless to say, we bought him a new one less than 24 hours later.

Fun with Friends

garrett is growing up...today is the first day he kind of "played" with friends.  he hung out in his friend hudson's backyard with another friend william.  up until this point, i have felt like play dates are more like mom dates.  but today, i think he actually enjoyed it:) i am anxiously waiting for the day when they play with just a little supervision....we are not there yet! 

Granna (& Papa) World

So, Garrett and I just got back from visiting my mom and dad in Indiana.  The trip was a smashing success.  Garrett was (for the first time since he was tiny) a stellar  traveler--which I am crediting to the bus (aka new minivan....if you were unaware that the burch family purchased a minivan, you have free reign to give me heck over it. i'm so darn happy with it, i don't even care how lame and dorky i now am.  paul, however, is a much better target b/c he's still a bit sensitive:)

Anyway, Garrett loves my parents and absolutely loves their house! This was the first time he was able to enjoy all their place has to offer because this was his first warm weather trip since he's been walking.  I can't even list all the things they did (b/c i spent most of my time shopping and laying around) but his favorite included: riding the lawn mower, throwing sticks (and himself) in the lake, pushing his toy lawn mower on the gravel, giving the dog bones, and having his granna slave at his beck and call.

I am beyond thankful that they are so good with him and that the adoration in mutual!!

daddy time

i love to watch my husband and son play together. i can't figure out why it is so different than when i play with him, but it is in so many ways. i love to see him so excited (both of them). i love to sit and watch (sitting is valuable to me these days).  i love to notice the ways paul interacts with him that are different than the way i do it.  mostly, i'm so thankful to have a husband whose such a great dad!

their favorites:

-reading richard scary's transportation book

-anything with a ball

-paul 'blocking' a door and garrett trying to get by

-paul scaring garrett by hiding and popping out

-wrestling:)

BooBoos

unfortunately, we are learning all about booboos here at the burch house.  garrett has never been very accident prone, but we've had a lot of tumbles lately.  i think it's mostly that he's started running instead of walking and spends 75% of his wake time outside....concrete is not nearly as forgiving as wood or carpet.  for garrett, healing power lies in his "ba" (a.k.a. pacifier), kisses, and popsicles.  in what must be paul's genes shining through, he really likes to play with the mess and talk about how cold it is rather than devour every morsel as his mother would!