Spring Break!!

Every year my family goes to Utah for Spring Break. We stay at a cabin in the mountains and eat good food, play games & have fun in the snow.
The location is perfect because the college kids are close enough to join us after classes and on weekends.
Sadly, the only person who couldn't be there this year was Dustinn (he couldn't take off work.) But the first morning in Utah, we were waiting in line for Draper Temple Open House and someone came up and hugged me from behind. Who do you think it was? Yes--the man who was supposed to be at work in Washington DC that very morning--Dustinn! He had worked things out, found a flight and took a taxi from the airport so he could surprise us. Good surprise, don't you think?

(My big brother didn't get there until later...so he's not in the picture)

I like car-Rots and I cannot lie...

.

My mom gave Bradshaw a bling-bling binkie,

that he does not like to share. =)

Coming up: pictures from Spring Break!

18 Months: "Nursery, here I come"

This past month, Bradshaw:

• climbed on top of the dining table and toilet tank (again & again & again)
• threw a carton of eggs
• flushed things down the toilet
• pushed a chair up to a kitchen drawer, got out a permanent marker and took it to our bedding
• pushed a chair down the stairs
• jumped in the bathtub fully clothed
• gave a "good game" to everyone who walked past us on the airplane
• grabbed the toupee of the man reclining in front of us on the plane
• threw a thrashing, screaming, back-arching tantrum on the plane whenever I tried to keep him contained to my lap

Despite all this silliness, this month has been one of the best--Bradshaw is becoming so incredibly cute we can hardly stand it. (In fact, we frequently grab him and mercilessly cover him with kisses.) He says, "lud you" and he's learning new words all the time.

He has an insane zeal for life. When he's excited, he'll shake his little fists in front of him (think "cheese Grommit") and he sounds like he's hyperventilating when I take too long to turn the page of a book. He coos at babies and then sits back and sighs with a smile (this really is funny; how old does he think he is?)

Here are other stories I want to remember from this month:

• I went to make our bed and noticed the lump under the covers. What had Bradshaw deposited in our fresh sheets? Of course! The toilet plunger. (Remember toy of the week award? No matter how much I shriek and gag when he touches it, he still thinks the plunger is the coolest thing.)
• Bradshaw understands not to touch the oven or stove. He points towards the oven and says, "Hot! Ouch." And then backs up several steps. Well, my siblings have abused this knowledge. One morning, while with my family in Utah, I walked out into the living room with Bradshaw and we happened to be near someone's ipod headphones--Bradshaw freezes and points to them, "Hot! ...ouch." Then we were near a hot, ouchy laptop and a hot, ouchy purse.
• Bradshaw's fascination with bugs combined with my abhorrence quickly led to him spouting the word "gross." While with my family, Bradshaw was sitting at the head of the table scarfing down a delicious breakfast. My mom crouched down beside him and enthusiastically asked, "Is it yummy?" Bradshaw replies,"Gross!" as he continues shoveling food into his mouth.

Luck o' the Irish

On Saturday, we went to the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Old Town.
Bradshaw's favorite part was the Irish Wolfhounds (their backs are even with my waist--they are HUGE!) Dustinn's favorite part was the drumline (those guys could dance!) My favorite part was the kids doing an Irish jig.
By the time we left, Bradshaw was covered from head-to-toe with political stickers, clenching fistfuls of candy, wearing a fireman hat, and had a balloon tied around his ankle (no picture--our camera battery died upon arrival.)