Dad's Birthday

 Russell LOVES cake.  Who can blame him.

 Our gift was really heavy and Toby acted like it was really light so it was funny when my dad tried to move it.

 If I didn't have the dated on my pictures then I would not be able to tell if it was my dad's birthday or Russell's.  Russell is always in the center of the action.

My dad got a bench vise.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY.  

Now that Morgan and her family live in AZ our birthday parties are small.  So we just had dinner, cake and presents.

Russell's 2nd Birthday

OH MY GOSH!! MY BABY IS 2!!! I love being this boys mom!!

I didn't have a place for this picture but it was cute enough that I had to stick it somewhere.  I love him in a suit. 

Ok so birthday time.  This boy was all smiles this day.  The picture on the left is at breakfast, the picture on the right is when Russell was helping make his birthday cake with Grammy at night.

I didn't like the pictures of the football cake but this video was AMAZING! (Unfortunately it didn't load the video.  LAME! I will keep trying and let you know when it is available because it is super cute!)

"football cake"  He is still talking about football cake 3 days later.

I didn't have anything big planned for the day.  I just wanted to do things that Russell wanted to do.  So we had a yummy breakfast, we went to the park then played at Grammy and Granddad's house (his favorite play place).  That was it.  No big party, no big plans just simple fun.  It was a great turn out.

Birthday present. "FOOTBALL"

Granddad teaching Russell how to golf.

Daddy teaching too.

He was just so happy all day.  What a great thing to see as a mom.  Your boy happy all day on his birthday.

After he played with his birthday presents (soccer ball, football and the golf clubs) it was time for an ATV ride.  He had SO much fun out there with Granddad.  He is a veteran on the ATV and LOVES going FAST!  They actually go REALLY fast.

LOVE IT!!

Then it was time for the swing.  Once he is on the swing there is no getting him off.  One day I had to just walk away and leave him there because he wouldn't get off.  You can pick him up off the swing because he has a death grip on the rope.  After I got to the fence he got off but I think it was because the swing stopped moving.

We were just talking about how Russell likes to go really high on the swing.  He will yell "hi-er hi-er".  Then all of the sudden he is flying in the air (not on the swing I should add) right at me, Toby and my mom.  He was holding on to the part of the rope that slid down the main rope. So his grip was on a moving piece of rope.  He landed on the grass (nice and soft somehow) face down, slid on his head in horse poop an landed at our feet.  The three of us just stood there staring at him face down at our feet not quite sure what happened.  Toby finally broke the trance and picked up the poop baby.  He was crying, not a hurt cry just a scared cry.  He had to have had some birthday angels watching over him because he really could have been severely hurt.  He wanted Granddad and just needed a hug then he was all smiles again.  You can see his green smudge on his head where he slid in the picture above.  He didn't want to get back on the swing but he was ready for another ride on the ATV.

Grammy took him for a ride and I think it was my mom's first time riding alone on the ATV.  

She was telling us that Russell kept telling her to "GO" while they were driving.  I guess he was not happy about how slow she was going. 

He was ready for Granddad to take him once they got back.  Later he did get back on the swing.
That's my boy getting back on the horse.  He is one tough kid.

I am just so glad that he had a good day.  We went on a walk and I asked him how is birthday was going.  Russell replied "HAPPY"  what a great reward for a mommy who loves her boy to pieces.  I wanted this day to be special but didn't have the means to plan a big party.  I learned that sometimes bigger isn't better.  What a successful 2nd birthday for my boy.

Ailey's Blessing

The day that Morgan and Brice loaded the truck to move was the same day they blessed Ailey.  

She is a sweetie huh?

I got to hold her all day.  Such a great way to say goodbye.

Cute little bunz.

Getting her dress on.

Happy mommy...not so happy baby.

Proud daddy!

Angel and the twins like cupcakes!!!

Lots of great neighbors came for weeks helping pack and clean.  Morgan was here by herself for almost 3 weeks with 5 kids 3 of them under 3.  One of them only weeks old.  I loved being down there so much to spend time but to see how loved they are and to see that there are so many great people in the world willing to donate their time to a family in need.  What great examples of Christ like service.  A great reminder of how I should be trying to live my life.

Last Play Day

OK.  So life has been so over whelming lately.  One of the things that has been a trial was that my sister's husband got a job in Arizona.  I have been so sad about them leaving for SO many reasons.  One of the main reasons was that Russell and his cousins spend a lot of time together and they have all become great friends. 

Reason number two was the my sister and I have been in a similar stage of life.  Both with small kids and pregnant (well she had her baby about 2 weeks before they moved) but we both have similar interests and with summer coming we could have done so many things together!!

Once we got the news that they were moving and in one week I spend everyday down there to help Morgan pack (Brice was already in AZ working).  These are a bunch of pictures of "moving day".  Russell's last play day with his best friends.  

Alaina is so much faster on her scooter so this was Russell's solution to keep up.

I think this should be a new sport.

BUGS!!

I just love this kid!

He is such a cool dude.

I have posted about the pink car before.  By far a favorite toy at the Somers house.

They are just too cute!  I am going to miss this.

Look at how happy they are.  It makes me so happy to see them get along and have so much fun together.  But it brakes my heart to think about them not growing up together.

MISS you guys already!!!

New Baby

I found this picture and didn't have a great place to put it so I'll just stick it here.  

This is a SUPER FAVORITE picture of these two!!

 Ailey Jessa Somers is here!!!She can on Brice's Birthday.  February 22nd (Morgan's due date!)

 8 lbs 4 oz.  21 1/2 inches at 10:42 PM.

 She was born at home and everything went WONDERFUL.  Morgan in a pro birther.  If there was some sort of a birthing competition she would get the gold metal every time.  

 Ailey's first bath!! She loved it so much she slept even though she was hungry.

Little alien baby!! She is so sweet.  

If you want to see more pictures and hear about the birth here is a link to Morgan's blog. http://somersfamilyest2002.blogspot.com/2012/02/its-girl.html. 

Russell

I am not getting the fascination with the dog crate.

 My friend Amy gave this hat to Russell and he is not big enough to fit in it and I LOVE it.  Thank you so much Amy!!!

I love walking into a room to find Russell reading.

 Raelin sits on the glider and reads whenever she comes over.

 Now Russell will disappear into his room to read like Raelin.  I get a little nervous when the house is quiet but then I find this.  Love it..

 Russell helping bake.

 Just chillin' 

 This is not a picture of the cabinet.  Notice the feet at the bottom.  He likes to hide here.  It took a while to find him one day.

 I just think he is so cute.

 Sunglasses at the aquarium and helping Granddad paint the bathroom.

I might have posted the reading picture already but it is a favorite.  Another reading position of Raelin's. 

 He got bored waiting to go potty.  

 He wanted to put a diaper on over his pj's and he snatched a cupcake for breakfast one morning!!! 

 This bucket is his new favorite toy.  He will put it on his head and just wonder around the house and play.  It is SO funny.With this pregnancy I have been trying to eat healthier and so I make these green smoothies that are full of spinach or kale.  Russell LOVES them.  He will stand by the blender and ask for juice.  YES YES I know I deserve mother of the year award. HAHA 

 Loves wearing the hat in the car like daddy.

Russell likes swings now that Alaina showed him how fun they are.  What a beautiful place I live.  Love seeing those mountains in the background of my pictures.

He loves wearing his bear towel (Thanks Nana).  

This was just about the funniest thing I have seen in a while.  We did this for about 15 min.  All the cashiers were crowded around Russell watching him and playing along.

I love this.  Sorry about the squeaking but if you listen you can hear Russell say "YEE HAW"  FAVORITE!!!