If he can do it, so can I...

Tyson just climbed this big orange thing, so can I (I think...)
I'm doing it all by myself (even if mom's right behind me)
Almost there, and I can see Tyson...I'll just put my head down and keep on climbin'...
One thing I've learned about having a "2nd born" is now that he's pretty much mobile, he thinks he can/should be able to do anything Tyson can. I find that Luke is doing things more quickly than Tyson did (and Ty's pretty physically ahead of the game). He sees Tyson do something and just does it. Like climbing this thing at the park, he climbed to the top, saw that Tyson went down the slide, and just headed down the slide himself. Lucas is fun (and scary at times) to watch grow and develop.

White Hot Summer Nights

Jim and I have been doing a lot of networking for our business lately. One of the events we were invited to and told we "couldn't miss" was an event put on by Young Vegas Business Professionals. Our first clue should have been that it was held at a club at The Palms. The second clue should have been that it was a theme party (like everything is at the Palms), and to get in everyone had to be dressed in white. Well basically it was a pick up some booty party and if it doesn't look like you'll score, you'll at least have your "business" to talk about. Needless to say, Jim and I already have obtained said booty, and after a while, ditched the party had some dinner and came home early. I asked our awesome babysitter to snap a shot of us before Jim took him home. And yes I did cut the hair, it used to be just above where Jim's hands are on my back. I'll have Jim snap some shots of it a little bit more close sometime soon. 

Buff Baby!

Jim and I try to do our workouts during the kids naptimes. But sometimes one of them wakes up while we're still working out. Sometime we give them a little 2 or 3 lb weight and they "work out" with us. Both of the surprisingly like to watch the dvd we use. Luke's showing off his "buff babiness" here.

"painted" face

In the summer time the only makeup I usually wear is mascara and lip gloss, I keep both in the diaper bag. We came in from "swimmin" in the kiddie pool in the back yard (hence Tyson's totally DORKY but uva/uvb skin protected duds) and during the 2 minutes I was changing Lucas' clothes and diaper, this is what Tyson did with mommy's makeup.  Little pill. Cute little pill though.

Cutie Lukey

I don't really have anything exciting to say. I just like the way Luke eats spaghetti and I think he looks cute in this picture!

1 WEEK SOBER!!!

Just an update on Tyson's "CARS" addiction. We (I) cut Ty off cold turkey from watching Cars 1 week ago. I had enough and he reminded me of a crack addict, he could never get enough Cars, all he could think about was Cars, and all he asked for was Cars. It was time for an intervention. The intervention has been a success so far and he is 1 week sober. 

In memory of Ali Walther

A good friend of mine from high school passed away last Saturday in a tragic car accident, her father was also killed. When I heard the news last Saturday, I remembered that I really don't deal well with this sort of thing and am having a hard time trying to find appropriate words. I know many of our mutual friends view our blog so I thought I would let you know and refer you to a couple of other blogs. Click on MacDonald's to view an amazing letter Jermey (Ali's husband wrote) or Harney's, I echo both Christie and Brittany's sentiments. Also a memorial blog has been set up in their name, (click on Ali's memorial blog) if you would like to share a memory you might have of Ali. The family is trying to compile a book for her husband and 3 children. She will be dearly missed.

Cars

Tyson has become obsessed with the movie "Cars" the past few weeks. It's the first 'real' movie he's ever watched and he can't get enough of it. This is the problem. What was once cute "Mommy watch the cool cars?" now is beyond ridiculous. This is all the kid says almost all day that we are home. To try and distract him we've been walking to the park (which in Vegas you have to do no later than 7 am or it's to0 hot) everyday, sometimes twice a day if its overcast. Making random car trips to no where in particular, coloring, dancing, playing cars, etc. The pool is closed, and this week we're in between gymnastics sessions so no gymnastics. It's too hot to just hang out in the back yard, so what do I do? We watch Cars once a day, but it's apparently not enough. Even before the credits are rolling he's asking to "watch the cool cars" again. Any advice from anyone out there? I'm going crazy. 

Butt sledding at Mt. Rainier

I'll narrate these pic's for you:

Tyson: Weeee, this is so fun.

Jim & Brendan: Ok kids, this is the LAST time.

Tyson: Weeee, this is so much fun!

Jim: Oh crap, that looks like a build up of snow at the bottom of the hill, am I going to hit it?

Jim: Doh!!!!! 

Tyson: Weeeee, that was so much fun!!! Let's do it again daddy.

Mt. Rainier

We had such a fun time in Washington. We met our good friends from Vegas, the Kester's at a cabin we rented at Mt. Rainier and had a good time on our little nature walks. We explored the near by river which we couldn't keep Tyson out of. Had fun in the hot tub on the deck of our cabin (isn't Luke cute in his floaties), and played in the snow in the middle of June up at "Paradise" (it was 106 degrees in Vegas at that time FYI). When we drove up to Paradise it was so foggy that we could barely see. Tyson looks like that kid in a Christmas story in his oversized snow suit. The daddies were talked in to hiking the kids up a hill and giving the a ride down on their rear's. What good sports!

I LOVE SEATTLE!!!

We recently returned home from our trip to Washington. We went up for my 10 year high school reunion (when did I get old?) and decided to make it sort of a family vacation. We spent the first few nights of our trip at a cabin at Mt. Rainier with our good friends the Kesters. Then spent the next few nights in Olympia with my friend Brooke at her parents house. The last night was spent in Seattle. We had such a great trip. It had been 2 years since I had been back "home", and I didn't realize how much I missed it. I'll post more pics of our trip later. 

Luke's new best bud...

Lucas has a new best friend, his Uncle Brandon. He had a blast hangin' with him this past weekend...
Who looks like they're having more fun???

Lucas' first hitting lesson from Uncle Brandon, you can never start to early right?
Thanks for hanging out with us Uncle Brandon, we love you!!!

Swing!

I have about a million pictures of Tyson swinging, he loves it. We had a great time this Memorial Day weekend in Provo at the park with Uncle Brandon and Grandma, doing Tyson's favorite thing, the swing!

Wild party, and roarin' good times!

 

                                                                                                                       Sometimes I think kids' parties can be a little overdone. All you need is a little water play, good food, and some bumpin tunes and it's a hit.(We had a fun mix of the Lion King, Jungle Book, and for the parents: a little Brass Monkey, Eye of the Tiger, Welcome to the Jungle, etc.)We started off our party coloring Zebra puppets and decorating safari sun visors. Then headed out back for a little slip n slide (which the birthday boy loved crawling up and down) and kiddie pool. When Lukey saw his pool full of kids and no room for him, he headed in side to grab some reinforcements: Grandma and his golf club. What more does a kid need to regulate? After some time out side, we went back in for cake (as seen in the post below), ice cream, and our awards and presents. The kids received an award for bringing their favorite stuffed wild animal to show and "decorate" for our party. Then we reversed the normal present thing, and Luke gave the kids presents instead.  Fun times were had by all.

Ty has his cake and eats it too...

I just want to make it clear that Tyson also got a birthday cake. In fact it traveled 2 states to his family party we had in Zion's. 


 He had a difficult time realizing that it was ok to eat his "car car cake". Even after he took a bite, he wasn't sure what he thought about eating a car. ***If you ever decide to get black food coloring for frosting a cake, realize: 1. it taste's like black licorice which I think is gross and 2. it will turn teeth black (or sort of a bluish tint) on anyone who eats it. Which could actually be kind of a funny joke. 

Luke's 1st Birthday Cake

I made this cake for Lucas' first birthday, the cool thing about it (besides that it's a 3-D cake) is that is from the same cake mold (mould? I don't know how to spell it) that Jim's mom used to make his 1st birthday cake. What does this mean? That this is a freaking OLD cake pan. It fit right in with our theme for the party wild jungle animals. I'll put a few more pictures up in a bit.

Snuggles

When Lucas moved into his own crib, it was kind of a tough transition. We gave him a little snuggle bear that wasn't too smooshy as a security item. He loves it! I try and wash it often because it has gotten so mangy, but as you can see in the picture above it's not really as fresh and clean as Snuggles should be. The question Jim and I have: is Snuggles going to make it one more year??? Let alone an entire childhood??? Should we stock up on Snuggle Bear's now as to avoid catastrophic meltdown later? Good Luck Snuggles, good luck.  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!

I woke up in the morning of May 12th, 2007 and knew I was going to have a baby soon. I quickly scheduled a 4-D ultra sound because I felt guilty that I had done one with Tyson, and hadn't yet done it for this baby. I didn't want him starting out in the world with the "2nd child syndrome" of hand-me-downs and incomplete baby books. I told Jim that day that we needed to go on a serious walk that evening. So we did, and we walked for about 3 hours with me pushing Ty in the stroller up and down a few hills. It must have worked because my water broke just outside the gates of our neighborhood. This picture is of me after I had changed my amniotic fluid soaked clothes (can you find them in the pic?). My mom might die when she's sees this picture up here, and I'm sure it's not what you all want to see, but I promised someone I'd post it.  I'm waiting for Jim to finish my dinner because I didn't want to go to the hospital on an empty stomach. I know the stark white prego body is just too hot to handle, but it tells the story. 
After an entire night and morning of labor, Lucas John Pettingill was born Sunday May 13th, 2007 ~ Mothers Day! Jim presented me with my Mother's Day present (he luckily had it in the car) during my labor. Part of it was Mary Kay's Satin Hands, and he did a full on hand treatment for me. He gained all the favor of the nurses (and his wife) with the hand treatment, during labor. Luke gave us a little scare, you know when the doctor stops talking and he and the nurses are hauling booty pulling, and grabbing, prodding, etc., something's not quite right. He finally came out a little too wrapped up in the cord and didn't cry for a LONG time. I kept yelling at Jim to make him cry, but I found out later that Jim was too freaked out to leave me because I was hemorrhaging a little too much. Finally my mom suggested that it was ok for Jim to go to Luke, and I'd be fine. Sure enough when daddy got there, we got a cry. It was pretty much the BEST sound I have ever heard. 
Between a 13 month old, an overtired wife, no time off from flying, and a newborn, Jim and Lucas spent the first few weeks sacked out in the recliner every chance they got.  
We could not get one picture of Tyson and Lucas together where they looked decent. We figured their little piggies would due for cute factor.
When I found out I was pregnant and my kids were going to be 13 months apart, I'll admit, the excitement wasn't as intense as it was with our first pregnancy. I had so many concerns such as could I love another child as much as I love my first born, could we handle it, would I be cheating either one of my children of attention? After 1 year of having Lucas in our family, I can truly say that this year has been amazing, and I can't imagine our family with out our Lukey. He brings us so much joy, words can not describe it. His older brother still isn't exactly thrilled but they're making progress. When Tyson sees Lucas in the morning or when he wakes up from his nap, he says "Hi baby." They've started to play "chase" around the house, and they can even sometimes play cars together. Lucas of course adores his older brother, and I'm sure shortly they will be best buds. We love you Lukey, Happy Birthday Baby!!! 

Mother's Day

I've really been horrible lately about taking pictures, but I wanted to share what Tyson and Lucas "wrote" in my mothers day card (Jim's excerpt is mushy and personal, I'll keep that to myself), it's made me laugh all day. 

Tyson:

Mommy,

Thanks for all the ogart (Ty's word for yougart) and the trips to the pool. Happy Mothers Day, I love you, Tyson

Lucas:

Mom,

Thanks for defending me from Tyson. Hopefully someday he'll learn to appreciate his younger brother. I like pizza.

Love, Lucas

The thing is, I KNOW that this is exactly what they would write if they were able to. Especially the last line in Lucas' note, "I like pizza". Classic.

Happy Mothers Day everyone, I like being a mom.

Hiking in Zion's

This post is about 6 weeks late because we didn't actually remember our camera on this trip. Luckily my ever dependable inlaws had theirs, and sent me a CD with some pics on it. We had a great time camping in Zion's National Park the end of March. Since my parents moved to Hurricane, UT (right out side of the park) we have had many opportunities to day hike through Zions; but, we've never camped there. We had our first successful nights sleep in our new tent trailer; went on a hike or two, had awesome food, and celebrated Tyson's birthday a little early. Our kids love their backpacks, and who wouldn't love the free ride? They had a great time cooling off and playing in the "stream" 1/2 way through our hike. It really was a great time and we encourage everyone to check out Zion's.