Busy Sandwhich

Two busy weekends with a busy week sandwiched in between!

Let's go ALL the way back to Thursday, January 10. We were having some of our friends over - Scott and Stacy and their little boy Gus, so I was busy cleaning the house and fixing a meal most of the afternoon. Well, Kegan - who has become obsessed with stirring things/pretending to stir things - decided he need to help me. He is actually quite good at moving to spoon around the bowl and this is good and all until it comes time for him to try and feed himself...then ALL he wants to do is stir and not worry about putting any in his mouth...ohhh....

He first decided to help by checking to make sure I had cleaned under his toy slide and climb and to make sure all exits were working properly before Gus arrived.
Peek-a-boo! Looking good in here mom!

Hmmm...I wonder if I can fit through here?

Here I go out...

and then right back in.

After a full inspection of the toy we were off to cooking.
Stir...stir...

Looks yummy, huh mom?!?

Taste a little!

If the cooking thing doesn't work out for him, he could easily become a musician. Not only does he like to stir...but he loves to make music with bowls and spoons. It is funny to watch: the noise of the spoon hitting the bowl is quite loud and he blinks real big, each time he hits the bowl, like the noise is surprising him.

Scott, Stacy and Gus arrived and the boys were ready to eat.

After eating the dad's took the boys to play while Stacy and I cleaned up. Eventually the boys wondered into the kitchen area with us to play. Trying to catch two boys playing together - not easy - so this is what I got. Gus is actually walking very well, but I did not get a picture of it - he never stood in the same place long enough! In the next two pictures they are playing with a musical doormat Grandma got us. Kegan was NOT very good at sharing...as you can see by his face in the second picture.


I thought this was a cute picture of Kegan playing at the fridge with his fridge farm, later that evening. He LOVES the music it plays!




Friday morning - off to Pasadena to see Meme and Poppa and my parents. We had to stop and get gas before we left and when I got back in the car to wait while my gassing was pumping, THIS is what I saw Kegan doing...and laughing about it! GROSS! (I am sure he will love this when he gets older!)


We got to Meme and Poppa's that afternoon and hung out and visited with them. I ran to the grocery store for them and to pick up some stuff for my mom to make lunch the next day, while Kegan stayed with Meme, Poppa and Carol (the home nurse). By the time I got back home, Meme and already given Kegan a bath and was getting him dressed and ready for bed. I don't know who was more wet - Kegan or Meme. The next morning Grams and Grandpa were there and Kegan was excited to see them. Mom, Meme and I hopped in the car to go pick up Karsyn while my Dad and Poppa had baby Kegan duty. When we got back to Pasadena Kegan was asleep, but not for long. He must have knows Karsyn was there...and eating. Once again though, they saw each other and started smiling and laughing and saying something to each other. Through the course of the evening they even started to show affection to one another - they gave hugs and even little kisses to each other. At one point in time - as told by my uncle, Poppa, and dad Karsyn gave Kegan a hug, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek then she turned and gave him a kiss on the lips. Then, later that evening, he had given her a dirty look when she was tyring to play with him, so she walked away...well my sweet little boy crawled over to her after a little bit and gave her a hug...awww!
Playing in the back yard. Kegan crawled up and down and up and down this little pathway for quite a while...till he noticed the flowerbed full of dirt that just really needed to be played in....


Ok - something I would like to point out: The pictures above were not taken that far apart from one another - check out the range of facial expressions!

Taking time to play inside.
Kegan is trying to show Karsyn how his tractor works...she is obviously NOT interested and actually looks a little bored by the lesson...haha...poor baby boy.

In the picture below you see Kegan just chillin' with Poppa. It was so sweet, I sat him up there and Kegan just laid himself back into Poppa's arms...as happy and content as he could be. He is chewing on a back scratcher that was sitting on the table by the bed. (I know...super safe...)

Playing some more...making a mess! He loves to tear paper and is very good at it after all the practice at Christmas.

He would blow on the window and then look at the condensation he left and blow on it again - it seemed to fascinate him.

I love this look - such a look already of attitude toward mom for taking a picture. Can't you just hear him..."Aww...Mom!"

Making a mess on your own is a lot of fun, but...

making a mess with your cousin is even better. (You can then share the blame!)


Kegan and I headed home late Saturday evening, got up the next morning, went to church and then had lunch at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Matthew was having to get some stuff done, so Kegan stayed at his grandparent's that afternoon while I went home and got some chores done around the house that are easier to do with out an extra set of "helping" hands.

Monday came around and we ran errands with Matthew doing farm stuff and getting more things ready for the livestock show. Here we are in the office of one of the committee members getting some paperwork done, and prizes ordered. Kegan did pretty good...in the picture below he is starting to look a bit perturbed, though. Actually, this is a pretty good picture of his new favorite face to give people. He will furrow his brows, bend his head down low to his chest, and stare. Then, if he is really giving you "the look", he will raise one eyebrow at you. Many people laugh when he does it, so I would be tempted to say he thinks it is funny...but boy can he give it to you at the right time when he is truly mad about something!

One of our errands was going to Cavenders to get Matthew a new belt (him and Kegan ended up getting matching belts....TOO CUTE!!!). Kegan ended up with a new pair of Wranglers, too! The highlight of Kegan's evening - playing on the big boot!


Tuesday evening his Aunt and grandma watched him while I went to the show barn and sat up his play and sleep area and did some computer work for the show. Then, Wednesday morning we were up bright and early for the first day of the show and there till super late...and continued this schedule through Friday. He had the day "off" on Saturday because his grandma kept him all day to let him roam and play at her house. He actually did very good for the three days he was up there. He had a pen to play in, (see below) his pack'n'play for sleeping, and had plenty of entertainment with committee members, wives of committee members, older youth that we know, one committee members mom, and his aunt Stephani, who would all come over periodically and take him out and about, either holding him or pushing him in his stroller, to see the projects and all the animals.
In the cage!

Notice, he was not suffering...he had carpet down and plenty of toys.

Wednesday he even had a playmate - a girl, no less. Her mom was helping out with the show, too.
Checking her out. (Isn't she cute. I had to laugh - when I got out the camera she walked over and gave the biggest smile...like, hey, I know what to do when I see that thing.)

Taking her hand.

Giving the kiss.

Feeling so proud of himself!

He also entertained himself some by pushing his stroller around. He loves to push anything around that he can walk behind and push, now. Small steps to getting closer to walking.

Aunt Stephani raised pigs in high school, so she knows a lot about the pigs and their temperaments, so she found Kegan a nice mellow pig that he could pet (the pig belonged to some youth from out church).


Thursday, they sift the pigs (decide which ones can go into the show and which ones way too much/too little or have some sort of defect to where they can not show. Anyways, we went over to watch this while Aunt Stephani explained to me how it all worked, Kegan decided he wanted an up close look at things, so he lined himself up with all the dads and other "big men" who were along the gate checking out the sifting of pigs...it was cute...all these tall quys in boots and Wrangers, then Kegan in boots and Wranglers, and then back to tall guys in boots and Wranglers.

Lookin' good all dressed up in his western wear!

Now- the best part of it all for Kegan - the big tractor sitting right outside the door to the "office" we were in.


After church and lunch on Sunday we all came home and took a much needed nap! Today and yesterday have been days of just trying to get back to a regular schedule.... We are looking forward to the rest of this week. Thursday we are going up to the school I worked at for a former co-workers baby shower and that evening we have a Chat N' Play. Then Friday, we are off to Wharton for another fun weekend!

Walking update:
He is still not walking consistently enjough on his own for me to say he is walking, but, he did walk to me TWICE tonight while we were over at some friend's house. Joe would put Kegan down and tell him to walk to me and Kegan would take 3 or 4 steps toward me and when he got close enough would grab onto my arms. I honestly think the child just loves and audience - he walked in the middle of the cafe, in the church nursery and hallway, and then over at the Newcomb's house - never just for mom and dad. oh! He can do it...he just needs to decide when he wants to take off on his own and make it his form of transportation!

Other updates:
I would not say he is talking really, but he is getting consistent with tones and sounds that he uses for certain objects. For example: Every morning and after every nap, he wakes up, I pick him up, he points to his tractors, and says t...and then a two toned syllable something, so we go get a tractor. He does consistently say Da or Dada when he sees or hears Matthew. When he wants a ball he says something resembling the word ball, but nothing anyone else would really understand. He also makes a pretty consistent "d" sound for dog, too. Then, today we were looking at a picture with some dogs in it and he made a sound like "woof". I can tell though, he is REALLY trying to communicate with "words" though. He will point at things and start saying something over and over again...like I should know what he is saying. He will also start rattling off sounds when you ask him questions...or at times just randomly start "talking". Now, communication in general, he is actaully pretty good at it. You can ask him yes and no questions and he will shake his head one way or the other. If he is not interested in something he will shake his head "no", turn his face away, or push it away with his hands. He does not shake his head "yes" often...many times becuase he will just "do" the action if it is a "yes", but he has shaken his head "yes" a few times when all we needed was an answer.
I can tell him to pick something up for me and he can do it. Example: "pick up the ball" or "pick up the tractor". Today he dropped a jar on the ground (it was empty) so I told him to pick it up...and he did...and then throw it away...and he did when I opened the trash lid. One more thing, when putting on his shoes today I had one in my hand and I gave it to him and asked where is show went and he put it over on his foot...obviously not with his foot in it, but it put the show on top of his foot...it was so cute!

Sorry this got a bit wordy at the end...just so much has been going on and he is learning so quickly!