The Christmas Story--Starting New Traditions

Kyle and I have really wrestled with what "traditions" to establish within the Farnham household, especially regarding holidays. We tend to ask, "What makes this day so special? Why should it be different from every other day?" While we both were "raised on Santa," we both feel like it distracts from the real meaning of the Christmas holiday, Jesus' birth. After stepping back and considering options, here were our conclusions.

1) Instead of a Christmas tree, we purchased a nativity set around which we place the presents. "Since Jesus was our gift from God," we explain to David, "these presents are our gifts you." Also, to remind us of the "reason for the season," we made a birthday cake for Jesus.

2) We read the Bible Christmas Story version the week of Christmas.

3) No more pictures with mall Santa. Instead, it's David in front of our yard Santa, who is kneeling and praying to Jesus.

Merry Christmas! E

Man "Firsts" with Daddy

I've had to work long nights due to the one act play competition, meaning that David and Kyle have been sharing a lot of time together. Recently, Kyle had the awesome idea to get out his tent so he and David could sleep outside one night. Throughout the night, David asked Kyle, "Daddy, what's that sound?" When they came inside in the morning, David was grinning ear to ear, beaming about his time with Daddy and telling me all about the sounds of the night.

Another "first" shared event was attending a Cooper football game with Daddy. David enjoyed being called "cute" by all the girls as well as eating his first game nachos in the stands.

On "Men only" days, they also eat something for lunch that they both really enjoy like pizza rolls or fish.

I know David loves his "Man Time" with Daddy.

Until next time, E

Santa Baby

Before we left to take David's annual Santa photo at the mall, Kyle asked David what he needed for Christmas. David lamented, "I need to tell Santa I need Anakin, Asoka, Jabba, & Ventress toys. I don't have any." Sure enough, while I was paying for the pics, Santa asked David, who was still seated on his lap, what he wanted for Christmas. David told Santa about his need for new Star Wars figures, and the two of them engage in a finger light saber display/battle. Afterwards, all David could say was, "Mama, Santa is a nice man!"

Indeed! E

A Batty Halloween

Fun times at Lowe's Build & Grow program. Nothing like a wooden bat in time for Halloween! (Oh, and the fun part was that I misread the instructions, which resulted in a bat with backward wings. Mom of the Year!)

Later, E

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving week has been filled with memories.

• We spent the holiday in Tulsa with Poppy & Granna. We spent time playing with their new kitten, Zoey, eating too much yummy food, and enjoying our time together.
• When I asked David what he was thankful for, here was his list: 1. Food, 2. Toys, 3. Books, 4. Peanut Butter & Jelly, and 5. Outside.
• David's realizing the tough reality that he has to wait his turn to talk, which means that we don't always respond when he says our names. This week, he's discovered that using our names when we're not immediately attentive can be effective. He recently called out to Kyle: (In a sing-song tone) "Daddy...Daddy...Kyle!" We couldn't help but be amused!
• The same was true this weekend. Instead of being at Poppy & Granna's, according to David, we were at Poppy & Gail's house.

Until next time, E

Gotcha Day #2--Nov. 8, 2010

We recently celebrated Gotcha Day, our special anniversary of when we got David in Guatemala and became a family. In the morning, David opened his little Chick Hicks pit crew cars (from the Pixar CARS movie), and we ate at Cafe Antigua. We spent the rest of the day enjoying playing with his new toys.

Hard to believe that two years ago, Kyle and I were nervously waiting his arrival in our hotel lobby in Guatemala. So glad you're a Farnham, kiddo! Happy 2nd Anniversay!

Love you, Mama

David Philosophy

‎"When I bigger I drive your car Daddy. I drive your car to work."

"Where are you going to work?"
"...prolly an office. I work on scrapbooks and bring my toys. I just do work stuff. Talk to students."
Atta boy.... never to early to start career planing!

"Daddy it's windy! Stop wind.... STOP WIND! The wind not stop."
"That is because you're not Jesus!"
...haha first lesson in "God is God and I am not."

David and Kyle went to work for a teacher lunch. The kids stopped to say hello and comment on how adorable he is. When they got back to the car, David said, "Daddy, the girls say I cute!"
**Oh no!** ...don't get a big head kidddo! :)

Aunt Andrea recently fell off her horse and broke her arm. When we told David the news, he thoughtfully responded, "Aww! Poor Andrea! That's okay! She can buy another one...maybe a pig arm!" (Nov. 2010)

David was climbing on his Man Cave rock wall and had too much in his hands (his rope & a stick) to climb, so he fell off and barely scraped up his side. After a little crying and a few hugs, Kyle and I asked, "Are you okay? Is anything broken?" Holding his right side just below his ribs, he replied, "Yes...I broke my heart." (Nov. 27, 2010)

Oh, the funny things he says! E

Fun times with Poppy & Granna

Pumpkin Patch

Mammy & Pawpaw (Em's parents) invited us to the Pumpkin Patch in Newcastle.

We saw lots of animals: baby ducks & chickens, a pony, goats, and baby pigs.

David also loved leading us through the corn maze.

We went on a hay ride and played in the hay.

Finally, we choose our pumpkins!

When we got home, David wanted to decorate the pumpkins.so I think now we're set for Halloween.

Thanks, Mammy & Pawpaw! E

Touch a Truck

David and I recently attended Mustang Community's "Touch a Truck" show, which allowed him to experience and touch all kinds of occupational vehicles: police cars, a firetruck, garbage truck, school bus, ambulance, etc. His favorite was the police car because he got to make the sirens blare.

We had a really great time! And the best part was that it was all free! E

Another story

Kyle and David were playing "red swords" (hitting each other with pool noodles), and when David grew tired of being hit, he exclaimed, "Stop, Daddy! When you hit, it makes Jesus sad." We couldn't help but laugh.

E

Someone's Getting Bigger!

Here are a few recent stories of a growing boy:

Apparently, he was pushing a truck around at church, got going a little to fast and broke his fall with his forehead.

From the Daddy and David conversations...
David: "Your Mama?"
Kyle: "She's not my Mama. She's my wife."
David: "Wha 'bout my wife?"
Kyle: "You will have one when your older."
David: "Wha 'bout when you older?"
Kyle: "No, I only get one wife!"

Kyle stopped off at Starbucks to have a snack with David after getting groceries. While walking back to the car, Kyle said, "Time to go home and put up the groceries, David," who replied, "Yes... groceries prolly miss us. They lonely in the trunk."

David got some toys back after losing them for discipline reasons. Here's the conversation:
Kyle: "David, time to clean up your toys for bath time."
(David looks at him with sad puppy dog eyes and starts crying.)
David: (crying) "I wanna play with cars."
Kyle: "Alright, you can play some more after your shower."
(David settles down, but is still crying a little.)
Kyle: "Why are still you crying, David?"
David: "I just so happy to get my new cars back."

Ahh... from the mouths of babes!

A lady at church was commenting about how polite David is and how big he had become. Here's that conversation.
Lady: "How old are you now, David?"
David: "I four" (then grabbing his crotch) "and when I bigger I pee pee standing up like Daddy."
...I guess we still need to go over proper topics of conversations in public! ;) hahaha

Speaking of which, David's Sunday school teacher saw me in the hallway at church and informed us that during a potty break, when she asked if he was going to sit down or stand up, he said he'd stand up! That smart little turkey actually did it!! Kyle and I giggled with excitement, and we're proud that as of last Sunday, David is officially a big boy like his Daddy! Hooray, Kiddo!

E

"Have you da wing?"

During July, we headed to South Dakota because Jenica & Patrick wanted you to be a ring bearer for their wedding. You were too cute in your all white tuxedo, and you could not have been better during the wedding!

Behind the scenes, though, you constantly flexed your personality muscle, which resulted in scenes like this:

We did have a great time, however, and were a good looking family!

We also enjoyed the seeing the Pearson clan again, hanging out on the farm,

playing with your new tractor (a gift from Jenica & Patrick for your services),

and playing with Uncle Tim and Uncle Scott.

Looking forward to more trips to the farm! E

Happy 4th Birthday!

You woke up birthday morning & opened presents (wrapped in “Over the Hill” paper) from Daddy & I. You loved all the Legos vehicles. Then we went to Cafe Antigua for breakfast. Later, we met the rest of the Farnhams for lunch at Mimi’s and came home to nap before the big celebration. The cake was tasty, and you made out like a bandit, receiving money, cars, Star Wars items, clothes, books, a pirate bath toy, and more cars!

You celebrated at Cathy’s & had cupcakes with all your friends. You were excited when she gave you bubbles & a bubble gun for your birthday present!

Now you can't stop talking about your Star Wars birthday cake for your 5th birthday! E

He's Growing UP!

Realizing it's been a while, here's a purge blog that covers the highlights from this last month.

"When I bigger..."

That's David's favorite phrase right now. Here are some of the ways he's used it.

1. "When I bigger, I get tattoo Jesus on my leg like Daddy." He did say that Mama could go with him, though.

2. "When I bigger, I drive your car."

3. (To Kyle) "When I bigger, I pick you up from Cathy's." (Cathy's is David's daycare; Kyle jokingly wondered if David secretly means "a nursing home.")

Fishy Tale:

While at Mammie & Pawpaw's, Aunt Jana caught a fish at the pond, which David touched. Kyle asked, "What does the fish feel like?" David replied, "Soft, like snot on my hand."

The Shrew

While watching Planet Earth's LIFE series, David became fascinated with an African Shrew (small mouse-like animal) and its attempt to flee from the hungry lizard. Since then, David sometimes smells the air with his finger (to mimic the Shrew's long nose).

"My World Cup"

We signed David for an indoor soccer league team, coached by Richard Barlow, Kyle's coworker. David really looks forward to each Tuesday's game; in fact, he says, "Daddy, I gonna go play my World Cup." The first game he unknowingly scored a goal. The second game he started to notice the basketball lines on the gym floor, and by his third game last night, he was more interested in running on the lines than chasing the ball. He spent most of the time tracing the lines as he ran. Kyle and I joked that he should be a cross-country/track star because he seems to enjoy running for long periods of time. Another aspect he likes is his name on the back of his shirt. He's taken an interest in spelling "D-A-V-I-D."

Swim Class

Kyle took David to swim classes for a few weeks in June, and David seemed to enjoy it once again.

Mr. Man

After completing laundry, I asked David to put away his clothes in his drawer. He was doing fine, but the "mother hen" in me went to supervise. He didn't need or want the help and responded, "Mama...(huff)...go talk to Daddy, please. I got this."

Father's Day 2010

We had an enjoyable and relaxing Father's Day this year. Here's the funny of the day. Kyle said to David in a Darth Vader voice, "I am your father." David just stared at him for a few seconds, ran away, and came back a moment later holding his light saber and said, "Turn to me."

"Like a Crab"

David was having trouble capturing his dinner (taco salad) with a fork, so he asked for a spoon. He had the bright idea to use both, saying, "Look! I like a crab!"

Until next time! E

Funnies!

Here are a few recent highlights.

Potty Humor:

First, after eating donuts this morning, David said he had to go potty. While on the toilet and between grunts, David said, "Mama, after I poo poo, I kiss you!" A few minutes later he said, "Mama, the chocolate and white on the donuts and the milk are talking to me!" Too funny!

Smells:

Yesterday on the way to daycare, we passed a dead skunk. David asked, "Mama? What's that smell?" I replied, "Well, David, that's a skunk." After sniffing the air, he commented, "Mama, I'm thinking it's skunk and....turkey!"

While driving today we passed an unknown smell outside, and David asked what it was, to which I replied, "David, I don't know." He sniffed and decided, "Mama, I think it's...turkey and...cheese or...cow and mustard!"

Here is his super sniff face!

What a cutie! He makes us laugh so much! E

Hello again...

What do ya know?! We blinked and another few weeks have passed! We have been busy taking care of things around the house and wrapping the school year with state testing. David has really been enjoying the warmer weather and the opportunities to play in the yard.

We started off by having some new flooring installed in the house so I stayed home with David. We were fortunate to have some great weather and we spent most of the day in the backyard. I was glad to see David finally getting over his fear of dirt. Several times in the morning he buried his cars in the dirt and then took them to the "car wash."

David's daycare was closed for a couple of days so Emily stayed home with David and took him and a friend to the OKC Zoo one day. They both really liked the animals, but I think the new children's zoo section was hit! Emily said they were cute picking their favorite goats to pet.

We have also been working in the yard. I decided to give gardening a try, so we built a "square foot garden." After we put the plants and seeds in the ground David was ready to cook them, but I had to explain to him that they needed to grow some more. We also signed David up for an indoor soccer league this summer. He was so excited when we told him that he wanted to go outside to "play practice."

I am pretty proud of our tiny homestead. I have always been a little disappointed with the size of our backyard, but we have managed to fit a garden, a swingset/fort, and a mini-soccer field back there all in the last year. I didn't know we could be so efficient!

Talk to ya later,

Kyle