We've been using this booster for his friends that ride with us. He wanted to try it for the first time. It only lasted for one ride since we're determined to use his other one for as long as possible. It's for five to seventy pounds and it's much safer. Plus he can fall asleep comfortable in the high back. He gave us his comparison on the car ride. He said in this booster he could touch his back and turn to look behind him. 

Playing games and helping grandma before going to lunch together. 

He took a good nap on the way home and wanted to play as soon as he got home. 

Baba and I were so tired we kept him company from the couches.

His play area has become an overflow explosion of lego pieces. It's a bit much. It might be time to reconfigure his lego storage. 

A missing piece to one of his cars set him on a hunt. I suggested he use his lego figure light to look underneath the furniture. 

Out with the Seventies and the Holidays

Yay, just the way to start the year... with plumbing problems. 

While we tried to decide on what we needed, NJ looked around and climbed around. 

The old toilet had to come out so we may as well put a more efficient one in. 

NJ is trying out some of the new games he got for Christmas. 

NJ wanted to watch as the drain is being snaked. 

Out with the seventies and in with the new. We have a new lawn ornament until we can find what to do with it. It definitely won't be staying as long as the brown toilet did in our backyard. 

NJ helped me take down all the ornaments, decorations and lights on the tree. After this string of lights, he said: "Now let's take off the little lights." Not needed, they are attached to the tree! 

He helped me with the other tree too. This one was easier, just ornaments. 

The tree was still plugged in tonight and NJ took a picture of it. 

And his construction site hot wheels track creation.

And a photo of his advent calendar. 

That's until we took it down together. 

They love watching the coffee maker together. NJ always asks, "Baba, can I push the button?"

Christmas Ornaments

NJ did a presentation at school about a family Christmas tradition, here are two more that we do. Every year I put a photo of him in an ornament to remember that Christmas. And we also join an adoption ornament exchange every year. I'm not sure what's more fun, making ours to send out or receiving all the different ornaments and cards from other families. I have a collection from each year. I had to take photos of them before packing them away until next year. 

I tried uploading these last two photos several times, but it still shows up sideways! 

A New Year

Baba turned on the rose parade. NJ was actually excited about it, he was uninterested the last couple of years. He kept pointing out to us what the floats were. With the first one he said, "Wow, look at that! And there's people on it!" Every year I tell him that we used to take him to see it, but he doesn't remember. Baba told me he thought at first it was strange that he didn't hear the jets or b2bomber fly by. That's until he realized that we don't live there anymore. We got so used to it! I think this is our fourth year at this house already. Seems so fast. 

I used some peanut butter this morning and there was barely much left. So I scrapped the container with a plastic spoon and let NJ feed it to Dotty.  

She loved it! 

We went to grab some fresh bread and the boys couldn't resist trying the egg rolls. 

This might be the last Christmas tree we'll see for a long while. 

We had some New Years visitors. The kids played while the parents drank coffee in the kitchen. 

Watching some football

Enjoying our new year's dinner together.

We went through another year with the toddler devotions for every day. So we're trying out a new one. It's another book for every day which we love. NJ loves our time each night doing devotion and praying together. He was excited to have a new book to read through. We're happy that he's as excited as we are!

We gave him a wallet with a few dollars. Five, in various bills and coins. We haven't been doing the magnet system, so now we're going to teach him about money. Earning it, saving it, and counting it.

Starting his new devotional.

Sneaky Dotty, she made herself comfy on his chair. So cute, it was hard to kick her off. I let her stay until we tucked him him and then off she had to go. 

I can hardly believe it. I managed to get through NJ's birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years without getting sick, having a sick household, or being in the hospital. More than that, I somehow escaped the year without being in the hospital at all. It's been too long to even remember exactly when I haven't spent time in the hospital. I'm so amazed and thanking God for my health. I'm so happy to spend more time with my boys. I couldn't do it without all the prayer and support from our friends and family. Looking forward to more good things. 

New Year's Eve

NJ set up his legos on these two trays and it looked like he was going to give us a demonstration. 

He sorted the pieces by color and showed us how he can put it together. 

He did the plane and something else, it's a 3 in 1. 

It's time to get out with the boys! How cute with their three wheelers. Guh-guh had the coolest, it drifts! 

They did some racing, but even with a huge head start by the younger two, Guh-guh always won.

The boys did some swapping to try each other's out. Some fit better than others! 

Then Auntie and Baba gave it a try! My stomach hurt from laughing. Thank goodness no one ended up in the pond. 

We made a "looking" stop. NJ really wanted to go look at the lego sets. He always says, "We can just look right? We're not buying anything." That's right! He can't get enough of staring and studying the boxes. Sometimes we just go to the store to let him look. 

"That's a really big ornament, you should take a picture of it with me."

"Hey, look at that, Lego!"

"Baba, we're both wearing grey jackets!"

"I like it here."

His friend has plenty of complicated and cool toys that were fun to watch and play with.