My favorites...

At the beginning of February my dad came to visit for a week. It was such a great week together! I have yet to blog all about his visit, but I did want to post some of the beautiful family pictures that we had taken while he was here. I had pictures scheduled for February 8 - Brighton's 2 month birthday. Of course it was absolutely FREEZING that day, but seeing how adorable the pictures of my dad with the kids turned out, I think it was worth it!
Weston, our handsome first-born:

Sophie, our little sass-master, and a truly girly girl:

She was the coldest of all...fortunately we had Weston's Spider Man blanket with us...

Our irresistibly sweet Brighton:

Aren't they a cute bunch?

Pictures with grandpa:

How awesome is this one?

Although Jason thinks this picture makes him look like a psycho that is squeezing me just a little too hard, I like it.

I love this picture of them huddled together...

The Package...

Grandpa Knapp, who lives in Nebraska, sent the most awesome package for Weston's birthday. It was so great that it deserves it's very own post! I feel the need to issue a disclaimer: although Weston appears disgruntled in these photos, he was actually just serious, and seriously stoked about the contents of his special package! (YES, I did just use the word stoked, something I probably have not done since 1998.) Item #1: Duplo Legos! Very cool... but what lies underneath in the great mass of white packing peanuts?

A card, two slinkies, two flashlights, 4 cars...and PLENTY of adult vitamins! As a child, my dad repeatedly took advantage of my trusting naivete by telling me that all candies (especially chocolate candies) were actually "adult vitamins," and that it would in fact be dangerous for kids to partake of them! I think I was 15 before I realized that chocolate dipped Keebler cookies and chocolate covered wafers really wouldn't hurt me! So I guess I missed out on some candy as a child, but on the flip side, its pretty great. Every time my dad sends us a package of any size, it is always surrounded by oodles and oodles of chocolate candy!! Adult vitamins for Jason and me. Sweet! Grandpa was thoughtful in that he sent 4 cars - two for Weston and two for Sophie. I let Weston choose which two he got to keep. Sophie didn't care which ones she got anyway... she was thrilled! Plus, they each got their very own retro slinky, flashlight, and little carrying bags they can wear around their neck, kind of like a lanyard. Kids love that stuff, you know.

Oh, and Sophie also had a special little bunny waiting for her in that big box! She was pretty excited to try out the flashlight, and for some reason she thought this would be a good idea... but not for long! Happy little camper!

The package from Grandpa was long anticipated, and it did not disappoint!!

Grandpa's Visit, Part 2

So, the first day that Weston took the bus to school also happened to be the first day that he went on the big kid swings! Grandpa was delighted to be apart of it. For some reason Weston would start losing his grip after swinging awhile, but then dad would say "Wow, Weston is a really big, strong boy! Look at the way he is holding on so tight with those strong hands!" It worked every time.

The first picture is from the baby swings, and the second is on the big people swings.It was such a treat to have Grandpa at the park, and Weston was not content to have him just "be" there. He grabbed Grandpa's hand and took him all over the place, leading him up and down stairs and all around! It was great. Here they are, going down the slides together. While Weston was at school, Sophie and Grandpa had some fine cuisine...

Or at least they sat at the table together...

On Tuesday evening we went to the Strip, so dad could see the conservatory at the Bellagio (among other things.)

I find it just amazing that those gigantic pumpkins are real.

This is Weston demonstrating the way the water splashed all around. He is a rather animated little guy!

I always feel like such a tourist taking pictures downtown. Oh well!

In the morning it was time for presents. After all, what grandparents do not come bearing gifts?

Weston was pretty darn thrilled to receive a whole container full of groovy cars modeled after various insects.

Sophie received a cute little bag with a brush and comb inside... she just loves to brush her own hair. She also loves hiding things in the cute little bag.

We also went to the Children's Discovery Museum during dad's visit. What was Sophie's favorite thing there? It had to be the cash register at the "grocery store." Every time I turned around she was running back to that stinkin' register just so she could push the buttons!

Weston enjoyed just about everything. Here he is making huge bubbles.

This thing is a mini tornado.

Dad had Weston climb up there to get a closer look at it...

It was about then that we noticed a sign saying "no climbing." But since he was already there, I figured it wouldn't hurt to snap one more picture!

Working a pulley...

Working on a car... definitely more fun! This is unquestionably one of Weston's favorite parts of the museum.

Sophie is not one to be left behind. If brother was working on the car, well then so was she!

The other exhibit with endless appeal (and I do mean ENDLESS!) is the contraption that sucks in balls and shoots them up into these tubes, where you can watch them work their way back down. You can control how the balls come back down to you through a series of pulleys and wheels, but Weston and Sophie were really only interested in watching the balls get sucked into the tube... it was more fascinating to them than pretty much anything else around! On the last day of Dad's visit, he was invited to read a story to all the kids in Weston's preschool. I thought this was a special treat. Plus, I got to go along and finally see what they actually do there and how Weston interacts in his class! Sophie, always the involved one, kept trying to leap off dad's lap to do what the other kids were doing! Here is Weston having snack time with the other kids.

It was cute to watch Weston. He was so excited to have Grandpa come and visit his class. He was also really well behaved, and did an especially good job of tidying up after himself - which I find incredible and amazing considering how much difficulty I have getting him to clean things up at home. At least he puts his best foot forward when in public!

I was happy with all of fun things we did while Grandpa was in town. Ever since he left two weeks ago, Sophie has been repeating "gram-pa" over and over and over and over and over again! She calls everyone Grandpa, too. I am so happy she finally got to meet her Grandpa Knapp!