Henry turns 2

But first Clark turned 29!  Clark's birthday is April 4th and Henry's is April 10th.  6 days apart.  When I was pregnant with Henry I really thought he would come on Clark's birthday :)  To celebrate we had Chick-Fil-A for lunch {two of my sisters were visiting with their kids so it was a kids friendly option} and I honestly can't tell you what we did for dinner... I'm a terrible wife!  But look, at least I made him some rice krispy treats.  They are his favorite "dessert" since he doesn't like cakes or cookies.  The night before his birthday my sisters helped me decorate with balloons and streamers.  So I didn't totally neglect him on his birthday.  I just have no idea what we actually did that night.  But by the looks of Henry's messy face we may have had spaghetti? 

On Thursday April 10th, 2014 Henry turned 2!  He actually turned 2 at 12:16am and we celebrated by being fast asleep.  That morning he woke up to find what looked like Christmas morning to me!  He got a little spoiled.  But to our defense, Clark basically made the tool bench for free {but kind of turned out to be thousands of dollars because of the giant wood splinter he got lodged in his knuckle while working on it... that's another story} and the slide was on sale at Target so we couldn't pass it up. And he loves to "shoot hole" which means "basketball" {I guess} so we had to get a basketball hoop.  In his two year old voice it doesn't always sound like "shoot" and when it is paired with hole, it's probably not the best sounding word, ha ha!  

Excited for his tools!  

The slide kept him entertained for days!

Breakfast of champions.  Cinnamon drop bread from Great Harvest turned into french toast. Best thing ever!  He loves the cinnamon bread and points to Great Harvest every time we pass. 

I think he was very pleased with his presents

After he played with his presents and had a quick birthday nap, we had to take Clark to the hospital for surgery...  Basically on conference sunday in between sessions he went out into the garage to sand Henry's work bench so he could paint it and have it ready by that Thursday.  As he was sanding the edges with a piece of sand paper, part of the edge broke off and as it did the sand paper got caught but with the momentum Clark's hand kept going and slid right over the break causing a piece to go straight into his right ring finger just below the knuckle.  He said he immediately knew something was in there.  He came inside and asked me to try to get a sliver out, but I couldn't see anything.  It wasn't right below the skin like most small slivers are.  There was a little spot that was bleeding and that was it.  He couldn't really move his finger so we decided he should hurry and go into urgent care to see if they could get it out.  After waiting for a couple hours to be seen, the urgent care doctor couldn't find anything so he flushed out the wound as best he could and sent him on his way.  As the days went on Clark's finger got more swollen and more red.  He couldn't extend or straighten his finger at all.  It was stuck.  So on Wednesday he went back into the urgent care and showed them his finger and they immediately got him in to see a surgeon.  He had a visit with the surgeon and when the surgeon saw that Clark couldn't straighten his finger and there was pain when he pushed on his palm, he said Clark needed surgery that next day.  So Dr. Wayment was a saint and was able to squeeze Clark in on Thursday for surgery.  He didn't have any real openings, but made room.  It's too bad it had to be on Henry's birthday, but it needed to be done.  Plus the surgeon doesn't work over the weekend, so we would have had to wait till Monday.  So we were glad to just get it done.  Because the doc was squeezing him in they said to come in at 3 and then basically wait until he could find time to cut open his finger.  So I was naive and thought it would just be a quick, numb the hand and be on your way kind of thing.  I was wrong.  Henry and I waited with Clark to get all checked in and into a gown.  Two hours later, he still wasn't close to being ready so we left to eat dinner without poor Clark.  They were actually going to give him anesthesia so he wouldn't be awake for it.  They needed to stop the blood flow to his hand and the doctor cut into his finger and palm, so it wasn't just a little cut.  So by 6ish they took him into surgery.  Henry and I came back to the hospital just before 7 not knowing when Clark would be finished.  About 5 min after we got there the surgeon came out and showed me the giant sliver that he recovered from Clark's finger.  It was just under the tendon so that is why he couldn't move his finger.  The piece of wood was just over an inch long!  By the time Clark woke up and recovered it was 8pm and we weren't home till about 8:30.  Phew!  It was a long day.  And that was a long explanation.  But I had to document how Henry spent his 2nd birthday.  I don't think he cared one bit.  All he asked for all day was "cake" and at 8:30pm he finally blew out his candles.  

Watching TV with Dad while he waited. And waited.  And waited.

Still waiting

Birthday dinner at Cafe Rio with Mom for his favorite "cheese tacos" and black beans.  

Giant sliver

He finally got his cake!  

I know all mom's say it, but I really can't believe my baby is 2.  It feels like he has been in our family forever, but just saying I have a 2 year old seems weird.  He is such a joy and such a crazy person all at the same time.  Some days I think "oh that was a good day!" and some days I can't wait for Clark to get home!  But we have fun, and I wouldn't trade our little Henry for anything.  Within the last month, his vocabulary and verbal skills have really taken off.  He says some funny things.  My favorites are "cheese taco, prize, please, day, baby, bubble, and shoot".  It's only funny when you hear him say it.  I love little kids voices.  He also calls the Despicable Me movies "dad show" and asks to watch them every single day.  Multiple times a day.  I don't always give in.  But when I'm trying to cook dinner the "dad show" is a life saver.  He loves to sing songs especially ones that have actions.  "If you're happy and you know it" is still a favorite.  He still loves his Donkey and other stuffed animals.  He just recently started liking baby dolls after playing with his cousin Savannah's doll.  He now has his own baby doll that he feeds a bottle too.  We are teaching him to be soft and love babies so hopefully by August he will be ready for a baby sister!  I'm hoping he just kinda ignores her and does his own thing for the first few months while we all adjust.  He is definitely a daddy's boy so he probably won't care what mom is doing.  He still naps during the day for 2.5-3 hours which is so nice.  I hope he never stops napping :)  He also loves to play outside and dig in the dirt, kick the soccer ball, and do anything Dad is doing.  They are the best of friends!  He also still talks about skiing and wants us to pull him around when he is wearing socks so he can "ski".  Hopefully he keeps that enthusiasm up until winter!  He also just learned to say "Clark" and will say that instead of Dad when referring to Clark.  It is the funniest thing to hear him say "Clark".  Then we asked him what Mom's name was and he said "Clark" and if I say "No it's Laura" he says "No Mama Clark".  So pretty much anyone is Clark now. Even Henry calls himself Clark.  It's his middle name so he is sort of right.  

Happy Birthday to Henry!  We Love You! 

Family updates {a growing belly and a skier}

Well we've had some exciting things going on in our little family.  The first and most exciting thing is we are expecting baby #2 due the end of August.  I think I was aiming for more of a September/October baby, but end of August is fine with me!  I will live in Maxi skirts and flip flops.  We just found out today that a little girl will be joining our family!  We are thrilled that we will have one of each.  In the beginning I just kept referring to the baby as a boy and thinking boy, but I never had a strong feeling either way.  But a few days ago when we would ask Henry he would always say girl.  He never said boy.  And not that he actually knows what a boy and girl even are, but it made me wonder if I was in fact having a girl.  And here we are with a girl.  Henry knew!  

Back in February after a nice snowstorm we built a snowman family, complete with a little baby!  

Henry giving the baby a kiss

Lately he is loving baby dolls.  He found this one at my sisters house and he would hold it and rock it.  He just started saying the word "baby" and now he points to my stomach and says "baby".  But he also points to his stomach and Clark's stomach and says "baby".  We will see his reaction when there is an actual real baby in the house.  

We are so excited and feeling blessed to be having another healthy baby.  I know friends and family that struggle to have children or have healthy full term babies and so I feel extra amazed at the miracle of birth.  It really feels like a miracle when so many struggle with infertility.  I hope I don't take it for granted or ever seem ungrateful.  Luckily my pregnancies have all been great with not much sickness.  So I really do feel so blessed.  

Another fun and exciting thing was Henry going skiing for his first time and LOVING it.  I kept my expectations low thinking he would cry and be a little nervous.  But I was wrong.  He was constantly saying "down" and pointing in the direction he wanted to go.  He cried when he wasn't skiing down the hill.  Of course Clark was a proud Dad.  I'm glad Henry's first time was at Beaver Mountain where I learned to ski.  It was a nice day and not too hot or cold.  Perfect spring skiing day.  

Riding the 'magic carpet' up the bunny hill.  Henry doesn't seem to impressed. 

Saying "cheese" for the camera.  Ready to go down the hill for his first time

Like a pro

Taking a turn skiing with Papa Bill

Family photo (if you look close you can see my belly that's not quite round yet, but maybe just looks like I'm carrying extra weight.)

I didn't even bring my skis thinking it would be harder for me to bend down with Henry that long, and he usually wants Clark to help him since he loves his Dad.  And I really thought he would last 10 min.  So when he was loving it, I wished I had brought my skis and skied down with him at least once.  But I was happy to watch and snap pictures.  

Here he is with Auntie Katie.  He seriously wanted her to take him down two different times. Katie was a pro skiing with a munchkin between her legs.  

He warmed up to the magic carpet.  

 Clark is still working at coaching a U-17 club team in the evenings.  We are busy with games and tournaments most weekends but by May he will be done.  Then we can get back to house work before the baby comes at the end of the summer.  Henry is almost 2 and has been talking more and more each day.  He says some funny things.  My favorites are "cheese taco" "ball in hole" or "shoot ball" when he is playing basketball and "baby" and "please".