Father's Day

Our first night in Utah was a little on the miserable side. After getting in late, most of us were ready to crawl into the nearest bed or air mattress, but Christopher was wide awake and ready to explore (owing to the two naps he took in the car). He finally consented to at least lay down with the kids, but made sure we all knew he was miserable by screaming non stop until at least one in the morning.

When we finally dragged ourselves out of bed and got everyone cleaned up for the most part, we headed up to Ogden to see John's mom and Grandpa. (My own father is off climbing a mountain or rafting down a river somewhere.)

We had nice lunch and an enjoyable visit. The weather was beautiful, and I forget just how nice it is to hang out outside in the middle of the day in the middle of June. What a way to spend the first day of summer. John's mom had picked up a couple pints of ice-cream (John's favorite- rootbeer) from the local ice-cream place. The kids had seconds, and in some cases thirds or even fourths.

When we finally made it back to Salt Lake, I went in to help my mom with dinner, the kids played in the back yard, some neighbor kids came over, and they had a blast, until I realized Christopher was no where to be found.

Nick says he put Christopher in the house because he knew he couldn't keep an eye on him. The yard is only gated on one side, but easy for Christopher to open, and totally open on the other side.

We finally found him a street away, hanging out with some families, eating candy, who seemed to be having a big party. He had been gone for over an hour. Apparently even the police had been called.For a moment I found it a little funny as we went door to door frantically asking the neighbors if they had seen him, that one neighbor was assuring me that this was a safe neighborhood. "Of course I know that! I was raised here!" But then I remembered just how much time has gone, and my parents are the last original home owners on the street, and I started to panic some more.

The worst of it was when I spotted the ungated, above ground pool looming ominously in the neighbors yard. Despite my best efforts to drown proof him this summer, I knew that any pool was still a major danger for my baby. Luckily the pool was totally drained, so at least there's not that danger, but I still had no idea where he was.

He was eventually found, safe and happy, and I think spent the rest of the day trying to escape the now very vigilant eyes of every single person in this household.

It was either escape on his mind, or he was trying to get to my brother's motorcycles. He's as obsessed with motorcycles as Nick and Zach were with trains. (okay maybe not as much as Zach)

He was afraid of them at first, due to their size and noise making capabilities, but by the end of the day, he was climbing on them on his own and making little engine noises as he pretended to drive them.

He also made me laugh until I cried as he would try to say "motorcycle". I need to get this on video, but I worry he got over it, as he can now say it better. But in a high pitched voice, he would stutter out the sounds- "ah-cy, cy, cy, cy, cy, cy, cy, cy, cy, cy, cy, cyto" He'd be bent over double with his eyes squeezed shut, as if this were the most difficult word to spit out.