First Smiles :)

Four weeks and four days old - and I got his first REAL smile (though I have been seeing hints of a smile the past few days).

It makes him look so much older! I really needed to see this smile today - it does make a difference when your baby starts to respond to you. Those long nights seem not so bad when you get a little love in return. :)

Kid Quotes

The other day I was putting Penelope down for a nap and she really didn't want to go. I persisted, and she said, "OK, OK Mom... grumble, grumble, grumble." Only she actually said the word "grumble."

Penelope was holding Henry and he passed an impressive amount of gas. She said, "Why did Mr. Henry toot on me?!"

A woman in our church congregation doesn't speak very much English and she often speaks from the pulpit in Spanish. She sang a song in church today in Spanish and Penelope leaned over to Matt and said, "I don't think that's the right words..."

Miles was talking about ghosts and other scary monsters in the back of the car the other day and he said, "This is how you get ready to be a zombie. Wake up. You DON'T brush your teeth. Put on your zombie clothes, scare the whole town and don't make friends." Yep, that about sums up The Walking Dead.

Claire said, "Dad, I know you are a boy because you are bald." Then Miles chimes in with, "I know the secret of why you're a boy.... (oh great, we thought...). You have bushy eyebrows, long eyelashes and you're hairy. Like on your chest." The secret is out!

Henry: One Month Old

Well after the fastest month with the slowest days/nights has passed, it's official - we'll keep him :)

Playing "Homeless"

I'd like to hope it's the Boxcar Children books and movie that are making my kids want to pretend to be homeless and live in the wooden boxes in our backyard. I'm not sure what Jonelle used them for - the kids call them the chicken coop but I think her dogs slept in them to be up off the ground... anyway, the kids were playing in them the other day when it was raining. They put blankets and pillows in the boxes and covered the open fourth wall with a large blanket. Beats playing on the iPad anyday!

Marvel Comics Live!

An advertising contact at the Las Vegas Review Journal called me yesterday and asked if I wanted four tickets to the Marvel Comics live action show at the Thomas & Mack. Well, maybe not for me - but for Matt and the kids, heck yes!

We had seen commercials for the show and thought the kids would like them, but tickets were kind of expensive and I didn't want to go that badly (I just like staying close to home right now). Anyway, when I got the call I was excited to get the tickets. And that was before we even knew they were box seats! Score! With four tickets, Matt took Claire, Miles and Genevieve along. The box seats came with a fully stocked fridge with sodas plus chicken fingers, corn dogs, cookies, brownies, fruit and popcorn. I looked up the VIP box tickets and they were $98 each! Thank you LVRJ!

The kids were in heaven! Claire came home and described all the yummy treats and how they had nice comfy seats with CUP HOLDERS! She said it was a Palace! :) I think they all felt fancy in their box seats!

Smitten

Grandpa Johnson's Visit

Grandpa Johnson recently came to Las Vegas for a visit - in part to see Aunt Cindy and her crew, but also to see "Henry Lee, of course!" he said. Grandma couldn't come this time - her health has not been great, and she needs to stay close to home.

We got a photo of the three of us - here is Grandpa with his first Grandchild and his 40th Great-Grandchild. And he remembers all of our birthdays and sends us, and our spouses and children, birthday cards every year. I am so impressed by this - I have a hard time getting a card in the mail on time for my immediate family! I hope to be this organized, and generous.