Two weeks old to seven weeks old

(2-16-13) Here I am at 3 weeks old.  This outfit was my mommy's favorite.  It took awhile before I could fit the outfit and then I grew out of it so fast that Mom couldn't believe it. 

(2-18-13) Still three weeks old.  Mom tried to get me to take a pacifier.  Nope...didn't like it.  I  got smart and started just holding it in my mouth until Mom let go and then I'd spit it out...patooeee!

(2-20-13) Four weeks old and wanting to hold my head up on my own.  But those neck muscles were still developing and so I often dropped my head onto Mom or Dad's shoulder.  Sometimes I even hurt myself when doing that but over time my neck muscles got stronger and stronger.

Dad has a magical touch...he pats me on the back and I fall asleep.  This doesn't work for Mom but it does with Dad.  Look, in this photo I still have all my hair and haven't yet rubbed it off in the back.(2-24-13...4 weeks old)

(2-27-13)  Yep, still have my very solemn face with my serious big eyes...but I am now five weeks old. 

(2-7-13) So this picture is out of the order but here I am at two weeks old.  I began to be really cranky during this time in my life and it wasn't until a couple weeks later that Mom figured it out...I was hungry.  Mom wasn't producing a lot of milk and so I was very sad and hungry.  

(2-8-13)  This is the other photo that is out of order.  Again, here I am at two weeks old.  Grandma S. came to visit and is holding me.  I cried so much during this time that Mom, Dad and Grandma took turns holding me, trying to help me not be so cranky.  I didn't sleep very much during the daytime but only woke up once or twice each night.

(3-16-13)  Look at what seven weeks can do to a very skinny boy that gets to nurse and take a bottle.  I started putting some meat on my bones...and began sleeping a little better during the daytime.  Now when Mom and Dad put me in the bath I didn't start crying. I wasn't yet enjoying the whole experience but I was just getting used to the feel of water on my body.

(3-16-13)  All clean and happy at seven weeks old.  My face is beginning to look round and a little fuller.  

(3-2-13) Another photo out of chronological order...but here I am at five weeks old.  I am alert and happy to be with such loving parents.  They can't seem to get enough of me and always are taking photos and kissing me.  I guess they are excited that I came to their family.

(3-6-13) Six weeks old and wearing mittens because I sometimes scratch my face.  Mom would at times, lay me down on this blanket and put me on the floor while she did work at the computer. She liked to have me near her at all times. 

(3-9-13) Six weeks old and enjoying one of my favorite spots...laying my head on Daddy's shoulder.   Mom thinks we are her two favorite guys in the world and she'd be right, we are.

Mom's garden

After a long, cool Spring, Mom's garden is finally growing.  The cool weather plants have done very well.  The pea plants are taller than they ever have been.  I love working with my mom in her garden.

See, the pea plants are at least to my waist.  And so so so yummy!

And here are the lettuce plants, next to the peas.

And the rhubarb is really big and yummy!

Homemade Whole Wheat Pitas

I went to my parents house yesterday and my Mom and I made homemade whole wheat pitas.  Notice the pita on the left has already risen and the one on the right has just started.

This is what they looked like when I flipped them over for another minute or two of baking in the oven.

Here Mom is dampening some paper towels.

And wrapping the hot pitas in damp paper towels.

Pitas all wrapped up.  Supposedly this makes them pliable and not hard and crispy.

And the end product...yummy whole wheat pitas.  Thanks goes to my mom for teaching me how to make pitas.  We just found a recipe on the Internet and made them.  Yummy!

Mom came to visit

Here's the Kirtland Temple. We were able to take a tour of the temple and learn a little bit about the history of the temple.

Don't I just have the cutest mom?

Mom and I had the opportunity to visit Lake Eerie. There were a few more people there from when I was there last time. Last time it was cool enough that we needed jackets, this time I wish some of the girls were wearing jackets. But the weather was nice and the water was warm.

Lake Eerie is so big. I felt like I was at the ocean but the salt brine smell wasn't there. Not that I can say too much about the ocean since I haven't been there very many times.

Mom put her hand into the water to feel how cold it was...and then I had to do the same. It was a lot warmer than I imagined it would be.

Mom came to visit

We started our site-seeing by visiting Kirtland. The weather was fabulous, not too hot, not too cold and not too humid.

We learned about the Newell K. Whitney family and their store through a video and then at the store. The sister missionaries shared little stories about the family and area of Kirtland at the time that Joseph Smith came to live there.

We listened to testimonies in the room that was used as the School of the Prophets and felt the Spirit. We enjoyed talking to the other members of the tour and learning more about church history.

In this cradle is a baby's bottle. Things have changed since the 1800's haven't they...and for the better!

Here's Mom checking out the oven where up to 18 loaves of bread were cooked daily. It seems small from the front but the oven went further back into the chimney. It was really cook. The women would put their arms into the oven for a certain numbers of seconds and that way they could tell if the oven was ready to cook or if is was too hot or cold.

Mom came to visit

I took Mom to Amish Country. We started our day by visiting Orrville and the Smuckers store.After that we went to Kidron and went to Lehmans...a store that has everything for the Amish and those that are Amish-at-heart. Mom is Amish-at-heart. I think we spent around two hours just walking around, checking everything out. We also were surrounded by a lot of Amish people. I was lucky and got hear stories from Mom about when she was growing up and used many things that you could buy in Lehmans.

Then we went to the Ashery and looked at all the bulk food they had. And then Heini's Cheese Chalet. Above is a photo of Mom and some cheeses. We took a tour and saw how they make cheese and then we got to sample many different types of freshly made cheeses. Mom even bought some to take home with her.

Mom visited other stores once we got to Berlin. I believe that Mom had a great time visiting Amish country for the first time. She also got really good at taking pictures from the vehicle while I was driving. I really liked this one, probably because I also like reading and if I can figure out how to do it while working, I will.

I also took Mom to see the Root Candle Company. We had a great time learning new things about Ohio. I'm so glad she was able to come and visit.

Mom came to visit

The last full day that my mom was here we went to the Church Historical Site called The Johnson Farm. I had never been there before and so it was fun to jump in the car and have an adventure, plus, when you have a GPS a lot of the worry goes away and you can enjoy the trip.

On my shoulders I'm carrying a yoke. This yoke was used when carrying water in from outside. You could hook two buckets of water to the ropes on the outer edges of the yoke and carry them into the house. What a creative and helpful way to carry water!

Here we are together. We really enjoyed the stories told to us about the Johnson family and some of the things they did to help the early church and Joseph Smith. In this home, Joseph Smith received many revelations. In the Doctrine and Covenants, when something is listed as Hiram, Ohio...that means, the Johnson Farm. So, many things were revealed in this home, including D&C 76 the chapter about the Great Plan of Happiness, which tells us why we are here on Earth and where we came from and where we go after this life.

And here we are on the front porch of the Johnson home. Notice mom and I are both wearing our running shoes and similar pants. We both think those things are comfortable and wear very similar comfortable clothes.

This is the barn behind the Johnson home. The farm is owned by the church and land around the farm is leased out to a local farmer who farms the land. The church actually farmed (strawberries and apples and alfalfa) the land until 2002. It was such a beautiful day to learn more about the history of the church.

Mom & Dad in DC

Springtime is a great time to visit Washington D.C.
The Captial Building
I think I'm additicted to flowers...and big white buildings...and more flowers. This is the Library of Congress.
Supreme Court Building
Library of Congress

At the Washintong Monument...looking towards the Capital. Some guy came up to Dad and told him he'd take their picture with the White House in the background...Dad then commented that that wasn't the White House but was the Capital Building...the confused guy then left. Wonder what he really wanted.
Mom and Dad in front of the Capital.

This is my artistic view of the Supreme Court Building.
I love my parents. Today we spent the day down on the Mall. We went to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History...hiked to the Washington Monument and the Captial Building. We saw the Supreme Court building and the Library of Congress. And then we were exhausted and it was late...so we came home. And made dinner...and watched a movie...and then SM and Dad played golf on the Wii.

Keep in touch...I'll try to keep a daily log of all the things we do.