Tulip Festival

We went to the Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point on Saturday. We've gone the past 2 years and have enjoyed it so we planned on going this year. Unfortunately, ticket prices went up a lot this year, and they didn't have any coupons available like they have done the previous 2 years. And we were excited about taking P1 to the Children's Discovery Garden section this year since he is now actually old enough to enjoy it. But to our dismay, that section was not available with the Tulip Festival. It is blocked off, to be re-opened with the new Museum of Natural Curiosity. So I don't know if we will be going back next year. But the tulips were still beautiful and we enjoyed our time there.

P1 loved playing in the water. A concerned lady came over to make sure that we knew the water our child was playing in was "reclaimed water". PE being a water engineer and both of us having worked at sewer districts, we are both fully aware of where the water comes from. We were tempted to explain to her where drinking water comes from...

They have a display called "Light of the World" with statues of Christ. It was a good reminder of why we celebrate Easter. I know that Christ did suffer and die for me, and that He was resurrected and lives today.

Oh, and one of the workers mistook me for his wife. It was pretty funny, and I guess I have a doppelganger out there.

We enjoyed our time there, but I don't know that we'll go back next year because of the steep ticket price (and lack of the Discovery Garden).

Shots of Milk

The other day P1 got a hold of the little medicine cup and wanted to drink his milk in shots. What a silly little boy!

Yesterday, I let P1 play on the porch when he was upset that we had to come inside so I could put groceries away. I wasn't going to let him take the spatulas out, but decided not to fight that battle. I forgot we had pots of soil out there though...P1 went right to work!

Not a Comfortable God

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about a type of false Christ the world believes in. How so many people profess that Jesus was a nice guy and taught us to love everyone. This blog refers to it as the Nice Doctrine. The problem with this doctrine, is that they are limiting Christ to one dimension, and really only backing it up by a few verses of scripture. If you read all the scriptures that teach of Christ, and that includes the Old Testament (we believe Jehovah is Christ), then you would know that Christ taught a lot more than to just be nice to everyone. Yes, Christ taught us to love everyone, but the key is that we are to love as He loved us.

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." (John 13:34)

To fully understand Christ's love, we have to study ALL of His life and teachings. The world has a very different concept of what love is, and they use it to try to convince us that Jesus would never disagree with someone or stand up for something. But that's not the love that Christ taught or lived.

I loved Elder Holland's talk in General Conference. It really summed up my thoughts on the subject. He taught how Christ is not a comfortable God:

"Sadly enough, my young friends, it is a characteristic of our age that if people want any gods at all, they want them to be gods who do not demand much, comfortable gods and smooth gods who not only don’t rock the boat but don’t even row it, gods who pat us on the head, make us giggle, then tell us to run along and pick marigolds. Talk about man creating God in his own image! Sometimes — and this seems the greatest irony of all — these folks invoke the name of Jesus as one who was this kind of ‘comfortable’ God. Really? 

Now be strong. Live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t have it at all. Defend your beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but defend them."

I believe the love that Christ taught and lived is similar to the love a parent should have for a child. As a parent, sometimes you have to discipline them and you have to tell them "no", because you love them and want what is best for them. Sometimes the child will yell "You don't love me" when we set limits and boundaries. But the truth is, real love is doing what you believe to be best for your child, even when they may hate you for it. It can be hard to do, and it can be uncomfortable, but it is what true love demands.

Sunglasses, Winnie the Pooh, Books, and Cereal

P1 thinks sunglasses are pretty fun. Isn't he styling?

Lately, P1 loves Winnie the Pooh. If I start singing "Winnie-the-Pooh", he'll go grab his Pooh bear and play with him.

 P1 really likes his book about Noah. He loves to open up all the flaps and see the animals. We finally got him to hiss like a snake, and roar like a lion. 

I really don't know when P1 grew up, but he is no longer a little baby. This morning he wanted to eat Raisin Bran like Daddy. He really surprised me with how well he ate the cereal with a big spoon, and he's not even using a booster seat at the table. Who is this big boy and where did my baby go???

17 Months

1 more month until P1 goes to nursery! He's actually very good in church, but I think he will enjoy nursery and it'll be good to have him in nursery once P2 comes along (3 more months!).

P1 has his back molars coming through, on top and bottom. He sleeps like a dream at night. We put him to bed at 8 pm with little to no fussing, and he wakes up sometime between 7 and 9 am. With daylight savings, he has been sleeping in a little longer (closer to 9 am), but he is starting to wake up closer to 7 am again. He takes 1-2 naps a day, but I think we are in the process of losing his morning nap (sigh...).

We try to have weekly play dates with other kids in our complex, and they have been really good for P1. He is still shy, but it's good to see him interacting with other kids and warming up to the other moms.

P1 loves the outdoors. We go on a short walk with him in a stroller most days, and then let him run around the apartment complex. He loves collecting rocks and sticks. His favorite rocks are the tiny little ones that he can barely pick up. He cries when he drops them because he usually can't find them again (and neither can I!). He also loves to see the helicopter and planes that fly by when we are outside.

P1 still is not very vocal. We can bribe him to say Mom and Da-da. He has repeated the words "stick" and "rock" on rare occasion. If he's in the mood, he will tell you that a dog says "ruff ruff." He's much more likely to say it if he actually hears a dog barking. He tries to say "cook" all the time, and he says something very similar to "Amen" at the end of prayers. He constantly surprises me with how much he understands though. Last night, I jokingly told P1 to go get his pajamas. He disappeared into his bedroom, and came back with his pajamas in his hands.

P1's favorite past-time is still cooking. He has a very good imagination. He'll hold his hand over his pretend food to show that it is "hot" and then will blow on it.

"Helping" with laundry:

 Playing with cheerios:

P1 really is the sweetest little boy. He is very happy and easy-going. We are very grateful to have him in our family!

Brushing Teeth and Powdered Donuts

P1 is a pro at brushing his teeth (all 8 of them)! He lets me do the first brush over, and then he gets to try it for himself.

And brushing his teeth is needed because of all the sweet treats he gets. He really enjoyed this powdered donut: