B is 3!

B turned 3 and we celebrated. It was alot of fun. I am enjoying these birthdays more and more as Brenden grows and comes to understand what all this gift giving and family gathering is all about. He keeps asking for Pop Pop...but luckily he and Grandma brought some good Chooches and puzzles and Firestation stuff to keep him busy. We love this little boy. He changed our lives. If I had hand-picked all the qualities and characteristics I wanted in a little boy...it would have come short of what we were given. He is great (has his moments, but what 3 year old doesn't??) and we are so happy that some family members came to celebrate the day we were given Brenden as a permanent fixture in our family.

Grandpa and Grandma flew in on Friday, we went to Five Guys Burgers and Fries for lunch (and sent Steph a picture text of our fine dining...to which she responded with a picture of her own of a frozen Costco taquito looking thing and a sad face)...so we decided to cheer her up a little and visit her at her store. Time for naps afterward and we were going to ride the train at This is the Place Heritage park before dinner, but they were closed. :( So we ran around the big open field until aunties and uncles and grandparents showed up and headed to Lone Star Taqueria. Mom and Shari had a fish salad...the place is famous for their fish...and the rest of us had homemade tamales, burritos (that were almost too big for Trent to finish), and some other mexican items that left us feeling satisfied but not too heavy....because we had to run down the street to Baskin Robins for dessert. Dad was grateful to Uncle Rich for ordering a shake before him so that his would turn out right. Thick, not the kind you can slurp through a straw. That's not a real shake, it must be spoon-fed only.


The next day we let McDonalds make our breakfast and headed to the zoo. After all this talk about riding the Train...we're FINALLY here.





And he was one very happy dude.



B must have been so happy to finally be seated on the train...and next to Pop Pop...cause he just laid his head into Poppy as if to say, "Thanks, Poppy".


My Mom said it right... "Two content Grandparents".


Strong mutual affinity. Brenden will sit still through a 6 hour drive if he knows the prize at the end is Pop Pop.
Pretty sweet how B is holding onto his PopPop and vice versa.







This guy needs a shave

The next Tarzan


This poor ape looked so forlorn, Mom stopped to cheer her up.





Dad looks like he has an Asian hat on while standing like a flamingo. Hehehe.
I used to stand like that while mixing my morning chocolate milk. Steph said she does it too and thought she got it from Aunt Krissy. Must just be a King thing. At least it serves as a good bench rest for toddlers.




Spider monkeys I think. Sure look like a spider with the black and white body.


Dude moment.


This peacock kept making alot of racket...was entertaining to the kids though.


"Grandpa, come on!"

"You people are too slow! Catch me at the next exhibit."


B and every other kid will need some help after visiting these exhibits. Sign reads Elephant Encounter...but doesn't look like an Elephant behind it to me. Next exhibit had sign of a Rhino but those look like trunks not rhino horns. Utah kids will go home so confused.


B got tired of walking so sometimes Grandma would hold him...


Other times the stroller would. Until he got tired of Sissy kicking him from behind...


and would take off running again...


Heading right for Grandma...

...and around her...playing 'catch-me-if-you-can'.  His favorite game.

And Grandma is so good to play it with him...even while pushing the other grandkid in the stroller...doing double duty.

Until she ran him over with the stroller  :)   No, she didn't. He did that all by himself. No help needed.

And he was up before Grandma could get over to help him.

She got distracted.........

...so off he goes to find someone else who will chase him....

Must have been a trick! Grandma wasn't distracted after all... and she won!  (Even the by-standers thought it was a pretty good game).

Time to go

and throw some more money away...they need help at this zoo. Maybe they can hire someone who can tell the Rhinos and the Elephants apart.




After Zoo, Trent and I took kids home for naps. Grandma and pa went to Costco and Honeybaked Ham for a feast of a lunch. Steph, John, Trent's mom Mary and B's 3 cousins came over for some good eats. Costco rolls and croissant sandwiches with honeybaked ham, turkey, good mustard, fine cheeses, watermelon, black and green grapes, strawberries, pineapple, assortment of chips, pretzel-jello salad, a bundt cake and cupcakes. The 'dults had to rest awhile after lunch to let it settle some before joining the kids in trampoline dodgeball.

Still settling....

A happy Grandpa. It's nice living with the grandkids...you get to see Mom and Dad when they come visit them.

Some more happy people. I have a really pretty sister.


Dad jumped up to go join the kids...so Mom is going to help him go hit some kids.


I should have zoomed in on Brenden's face. He and all the cousins absolutely loved this game. Who knew having people throw balls at you could be so fun. They sure enjoyed themselves.

Oh, here it is.

Jack was pretty good.   Looks like he was a little too slow this time.

Oops, and again. :)

Aspen was a sprightly little girl.

Brenden was too slow so he would just catch the ball.  I think he missed this one...

Incoming

Sometimes Brenden catches the ball with his hands...sometimes with his face.

Love Cedar's hair in this one...

Steph later joined in...and Mom joined out.  (I hear that trampoline dodgeball with grandkids doesn't require much use of your knee...you can come up and play this since tennis is out for awhile)   :)

Start 'em early.   (It has a place to put bubble-water-stuff  and when turned on, the bubble wand goes around continuously and shoots out alot of bubbles. We downed the entire bubble solution bottle before everyone went home). Next time Trent mows the lawn, B can too.

A mini version of what we're giving him when he turns 16.


While at the Winter Palooza awhile ago, they had these self-propelling toy cars out for sale with a few to test. New ones are pricey (I think around $60), but they had them on sale for almost $40. When I finally decided it'd be a good gift for B's bday (and everyone was packing up their gear to go home), the guy said I could have a packaged one for $40 or one of the tester/floor models for $20. I don't think B minds at all that a few other kids tested his car out, a bit.

 Trent told B to go thank everyone for the gifts.

...so that he could have a turn. (John later tested it out as well...I just forgot to email myself the photographic evidence I took using Steph's phone. It's a cool car. Doesn't use pedals, you just turn the wheel back and forth).

Cousins on Trent's side (There are 5 others that are missing. Sorensens have a total of 10 grandkids. Kings-2...but that could change soon......) I grew up playing with 30+ cousins so we're happy that we have a few cousins so close for B and K to play with.


B doesn't know how lucky he is.

Big squeeze from Uncle John as he and Steph leave.

This is what Aunties and Uncles are for.

Kisses all around...


...And then the house seemed pretty quiet. I hate that part. The silence when you shut the door after the family leaves.



Kyleigh says bye and hopes you don't stay away too long.
K was held most of the time that weekend since she has so many good aunties and grandparents, but 5 minutes after everyone left she started crawling. Wish Grandma could have seen it in person, but a camera still shot of the action is proof enough. Can no longer expect to see her in the same place I put her down...need to go find some stair guards now.