all boy

Russell,
You are all boy. It is so fun to watch you play in the mud, follow the big boys around with sticks, and chase after balls. You absolutely love to be involved with everything the others are doing. You also love playing catch. You would throw the ball all day long as long as someone threw it back to you. Sometimes you want to play and we aren't looking. You throw the ball anyway and we get whacked in the head with a big rubber ball. It's pretty funny.
You're saying words but not really knowing that you're saying them. You've said your name before but you haven't said it a second time. I think you're just experimenting with making sounds and getting really lucky. I know when you start talking you're going to have a lot to say though because right now you just grunt all day long. Whenever you see something you want you point to it and say "pss, pss, pss" as quick as you can until we figure out what it is that you want. Normally, it's a cookie or food of some sort. Once it was a giant sandwich on a sign at Walmart and we had to buy sandwich supplies to make you one when we got home.
You are so fast these days. You practically run around the house. It's really cute to see your short little body zipping around the house.
You got your first haircut to get ready for your baby dedication at the church. You did an amazing job sitting still the whole time. We gave you a sucker to distract you and it worked like a charm. Although when you ate the sucker down to the stick I took it away and threw the stick in the garbage. You were so upset. You started crying and then you just stood by the garbage staring into it until the stylist laughed and gave you another sucker. 
You have a fake cry. You use it when you are not getting your way. It is the funniest cry. You literally just scrunch up your nose and make a " aheh aheh aheh" sound. It doesn't even come close to sounding like a real cry. Grandma says if you aren't careful it will turn into a laugh. It always makes us laugh when you try to use it.
I love you little man.
Mommy

Costume Guy

Dear Hunter,
You haven't been sleeping well for a long time. I've seen it in the dark circles under your eyes and in your behavior lately. You told us a few times that you have been having bad dreams or that you lay awake at night when we're all sleeping. We didn't really know how much to read into it and just kept reassuring you that everything was ok. Well, last night it all came out.

You were afraid of the Easter Bunny climbing through your window and stealing you. You told us that Uncle Wade told you about that. We had you call Uncle Wade and talk to him about it. Uncle Wade has no recollection of what you're talking about but he did a good job talking to you on the phone about it. Then we went upstairs and I showed you how your windows lock.You said you still didn't want to sleep by the window so you moved to Rusty's part of the bed and slept next to Kaylee.

As I was turning out the lights we had a little talk about the Easter Bunny. I kept telling you that he wasn't real and that we were pretending and you kept telling me that you knew it was a costume guy. Then it finally made sense... You thought a man in a bunny costume was going to climb up the house, through your window and steal you!

After we understood what you were scared of we were able to have a long conversation. Turns out you thought Mommy and Daddy had been letting in some strange man dressed up like a bunny to fill up your Easter Baskets every year. We explained to you that we buy your presents and hide them in the closet and then after you fall asleep we fill your baskets up. You were so thrilled. It was the best news you had ever gotten!

Daddy came upstairs and was talking to you about it too, and this time Connor was in the room. Connor asked, "Wait... what about the pajama fairy?!"

You were so excited that Mommy and Daddy were the Easter Bunny, Pajama Fairy, and Santa that you closed your eyes and sighed happily as Daddy left the room.

Daddy and I had a good laugh about the whole ordeal. Suddenly your fear of costumes makes a lot of sense. I'm sorry you've been so afraid. I'm glad we could relieve some of that fear for you. Just so you know.... Mommy would be pretty scared if a strange man came into the house dressed as a bunny too!

I love you!
Mommy

Olympia

Dear Kaylee,
Cousin Jessica had her baby shower last week and you came to Olympia with us. You were so excited! You counted down the wake ups until we left and on the morning of we couldn't get in the car fast enough. You loved the hotel. You were the most impressed with the hotel breakfast. I think you get that from your father. Grandma had bought you new outfits for our weekend trip and you looked adorable all weekend long. You even asked Uncle Kerry if he thought you were beautiful and were thrilled when he responded appropriately. We watched Frozen three times in the car. It was enough that Grandma couldn't fall asleep when we got home because she had the song stuck in her head! You would ask us to turn it up every time a song came on because you loved singing along with the movie, and we obliged because you do have an adorable singing voice. I'm glad you got to come with us on this trip. Thanks for making it so memorable!
I love you,
Mommy