The Stanley Scoop: June 2009

Friday, June 26, 2009

Happy 30th Bday Joni!

I can't believe I am already 30! Wow time flies. For my birthday we went out to dinner with our really good friends -Matt and Trisha Manwaring. Matt's birthday is in June so we celebrated both our birthdays. We have met such wonderful people here. Matt and Trisha go to our church and are in our same ward. When we moved in Matt was Elder's Quorum Pres. and called BJ to be the 2nd counselor. (Months later BJ was called to be Elder's Quorum Pres. and Matt was called into a stake calling). We have really enjoyed spending time with them and Drake loves their two children - Claire and Noah. Trisha and I enjoy taking the kids to different parks and community events together.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Swimming

Drake loves the water! He is a natural...it makes his mommy proud! He loves to splash and jump in the water, blow bubbles and even put his head all the way under.

Drake and I took a mom and tot swimming class. I really enjoyed swimming with him. He was the youngest in the class and the instructors were amazed at what he would do. The water was really cold so I was surprised at how well he did. Some days I wasn't sure if I wanted to get in! It took about 20 minutes to get home from swimming and I didn't want Drake to fall asleep in the car and not take a nap when we got home. I fixed him a lunch to eat on the way home and he loved it! He loved to get in the warm shower after the cold pool and change into his clothes and eat his special lunch in the car. It worked....he didn't fall asleep until after we got home!

I love this picture of Drake. His cute smiling face after swimming lessons. He is waiting to get into the warm shower and eat his lunch in the car. What a sweet boy.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Yep....he's still got it!

Yep....he's still got it! He can fit a whole golf ball in his mouth! He tried this first when he was really little. It shocked me at first to see the whole ball in his mouth and I ran over to him to see if he was ok. It didn't do any damage except that he needed my help prying it out of his mouth. I didn't stop him b/c he couldn't swallow it and he loved to carry it in his mouth when he crawled around. When Drake was crawling, his mouth was a third hand. He would carry everything in his mouth so that he could crawl with both his hands faster and more efficiently. When Drake grew teeth it became a little more difficult for him to put the whole ball in his mouth...but he still figured it out!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

A Visit from Grandpa Stanley

Grandpa Stanley gave Drake an Elmo outfit that Grandma bought him. He was really excited to wear it! Drake loved having Grandpa visit us.

We took grandpa to the park that we take walks at to show him the big catfish and the little ducklings. Drake likes to put cheerios in the water to make the big catfish come to the top so we can see them.

Of course....grandpa had to try out the new lawn mower also. Thanks for visiting us grandpa! We love you!

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Golf Tournament in Columbus

The cool golfers! We were so excited to see Tiger Woods play in this tournament. BJ's dad was supposed to go with BJ but things didn't work out so Drake and I went. Word to the wise....don't take small children to famous golf tournaments. Drake didn't quite understand the "rules of golf." We ended up trading off with Drake to keep him as far away from the golfers as possible. It didn't help that it was really hot outside. It was a great experience though and really fun to see the golfers in person. We got to say hi to Tiger - he didn't want to talk to us though...he had his game face on! ...or maybe he was just upset for all the dumb things he was doing to ruin his family?!

Tiger putting the ball.

Fun day! We are all a little tired though. Note: Drake is wearing his cute golf outfit...I love it!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

The "SQUEAKS"

Drake... a.k.a. "the squeaks!" What a character he is! BJ has called him "the squeaks" ever since he was just a few weeks old. We knew when he was awake b/c instead of crying he used to squeak...eh, eh, eh! I told Drake to smile big for the camera...and this is what he came up with.

Haircut

Drake was so patient. BJ was excited to give him a "buzz" for the summer.

He wasn't quite sure about wearing the big cape...but he kept it on pretty well for us.

Drake's Corner

10/21/09 - Drake called Grandpa Parkinson "Big Grandpa"
He said he wants to go to "Big Grandpa's" house in California.

10/21/09-I told Drake this morning that some friends were coming over that day (my visiting teachers). Then the doorbell rang and it was our construction manager/builder that came to fix our ceiling. He was a large man that was pretty dirty b/c he had been fixing up houses. He had paint all over his hands and he also had a very deep, loud voice. Drake kept talking about his dirty hands and that he needs to wash them...(of course he said all this right in front of him!). When Drake and I went into the garage to get his shoes he looked at me and said "mommy, your friend is scarey!"

10/20/09-We went to the Children's museum and I brought Drake a lunch to eat in the car on the way home to stay awake. I gave him his lunch in his carseat and then started the car- I heard him spitting and I turned around and he was spitting at the window! I asked what he was doing and he said he was "spitting at the window." I asked why he was spitting at the window and he said "Daddy do it!" Sometimes BJ will cough and then roll down the window while he is driving to spit out of it...of course Drake was watching! BJ thought that was pretty funny but was harshly reminded that "someone" is always watching!

10/16/09- We were saying breakfast prayer and Drake was holding his stuffed monkey. He folded the monkey's arms for the prayer also. He held the monkey's arms folded until the end of the prayer. It was so cute1

9/27/09- "Rock you minute"- means he wants you to rock him for one more minute. "Check on you" means he wants you to check on him after you put him down for bed. He'll say "mommy check on you?"

9/26/09-Drake knows who President Monson is. He sometimes says "Prophet Monson." Drake loves looking at pictures of temples and knows where the angel Moroni statue is. He remembered this morning that he got to see "Nanner & Allin" (Tanner & Dallin) at the temple (Tanner & Kate's wedding). While I was rocking Drake before bed Drake said "hospital- mommy help sick kids - mommy nurse." BJ tells Drake that I am a nurse and am helping sick kids when I have to go to work. I told Drake that I would rather be with him and that I couldn't wait until orientation was over so I could be with him a lot more.

9/18/09-Drake finally got to really taste chocolate. He has had a milk allergy that he is finally growing out of. When he tasted the chocolate muffin he said "yummy chocolate!" Now he always asks for "yummy chocolate" and then claps and says "yeah" when he gets it. I was putting him to bed the other night and he even said ..."mommy, I smell chocolate!" There wasn't any chocolate in site.

8/30/09- Drake calls the itsy-bitsy spider song - "Itsy-bitsy bug."

8/15/09- "Pay with you"- is what Drake says when he wants to "play with you." "Pay with you mommy!" (so cute!) When I am with Drake I will say "I am so happy to be with you!" The other day Drake came up to me and said "happy you!" I knew exactly what he was saying.

8/10/09- We read Drake's special picture Book of Mormon each night before he goes to bed. Last night we read about the Crucifixtion/Resurrection of Christ. While we were eating breakfast the next morning Drake said "Jesus night, night." I knew exactly what he meant...he was remembering about how Jesus died and that we talked about it the night before. Drake really internalizes things and will mention things that I know he has thought about. I didn't even mention Christ at breakfast that morning - he brought it up himself.

8/8/09- Drake says 2-3 words together and can count to 2.

7/31/09- BJ had an Elder's Quorum activity tonight. They helped repair Tate Cook's roof. The Cook's live around the corner from us so Drake and I walked over to say hi to them. When we got there it was an amazing site. There were about 20 men on the roof. It was humbling to see all the men helping. Drake was so excited to see "daddy on the roof" that he talked about it for the next few weeks!

7/22/09- Drake says "e-oh" instead of "uh-oh." It is so cute.

7/12/09- Drake and I have been listening to primary songs in the car. Drake's favorite song is the "popcorn song." Every time we get in the car he says "cacorn" because he wants me to play the popcorn song. We sometimes end up listening to it 10-15 times while we drive. Drake loves to give people "knuckles" and blows bubbles on everything.

7/11/09- Drake calls baseball - "b-ball," OK-"k," popcorn song-"cacorn" I was putting Drake down for a nap, I rocked him for a few minutes and we talked a little bit and then I carried him to the crib. He looked at me and said "I uh ou" (I love you). I always say "I love you" to him before I put him down to sleep. This was the first time he said it to me without me saying it first. It meant a lot to me b/c I had been orienting for work more hours than I wanted and I didn't like leaving him. I needed to hear him say that to me. I love that little guy! 6/18/09- Drake knows and recognizes the letters A, B, C, D, he knows the colors pink, blue, orange, and recognizes circles, triangles, and squares. Drake loves to swim and can blow bubbles in the water, kick his legs, and loves to even go all the way under the water! Drake practices blowing bubbles in the bathtub and in the pool. I have encouraged him to practice whenever he is in the water. The other day I caught him in the bathroom with his head in the toilet practicing in the toilet water! Well...I couldn't get too mad since I have encouraged him to practice so much! Hopefully he didn't swallow any.

6/5/09- I have to remember that Drake is always watching me. One morning while we were eating breakfast I had a little milk left in my bowl and I drank out of the bowl...of course Drake was sitting right next to me. The next morning after breakfast, I was rinsing off my bowl in the sink and I heard gulping noises....then I heard Drake say "ahhhhh, ga gone (all gone)!" I turned around and saw Drake drinking out of his bowl just like I had the day before...oops!

5/31/09- This was Drake's first time in nursery . He was a little worried and sad when I left but he attached to Sis. Guffey and enjoyed the toys and especially the snacks. Drake said his first prayer this week. He said "Heavenly Father, thank thee food, Jesus Amen." It was adorable. I am so proud of him.

5/23/09- Drake loves daddy's new riding lawn mower and loves to go for rides around our yard.

5/16/09- Drake is learning how to leave my home decorations alone. The other day I caught him holding one of my candles with both hands and then sucking on the wich like it was a straw. He thought the candle was a straw. It was pretty funny! 4/10/09 -Drake is very social and loves to say hi to everyone. When we are at a store or church etc...Drake will try to talk to anyone. People comment on how much he likes to interact with other people.

4/4/09-When we moved into our new home in Cincinnati (moved from Basement apt in Lindon, UT) Drake was so excited to have so much room to run around. Each time he would walk into a new room he would say..."wow!" Drake gets really excited when he can hear the yellow school bus pick up the kids in front of our house. He yells out "bus" or "truck" when he can hear them while we are in the house. He sure doesn't miss anything! Drake loves Elmo and has an Elmo toothbrush he likes to use. Drake tries to be reverent during prayers...he loves to say "amen!" at the end.

3/1/09-Our first "official FHE - We talked about Jesus and showed Drake a picture of Him. Now he points out pictures of Jesus whenever he sees them. We were amazed at how fast he caught on!

2/22/09 - Bedtime routine: pajamas on, brush teeth, take fluoride, get blanket and monkey, sing a primary song, family prayer, read book, read BOM & rock with mom or dad for a few minutes and talk. When we start singing Drake goes into his room and sits on the floor - ready to pray - he knows when it is bedtime.

1/25/09 - Drake says a word and then is so proud of himself he claps to celebrate.

The Stanley Scoop