Black Walrus Crashes Playdate

Q:

What do you get when you leave an almost-three year-old alone long enough to escort your visitors to the door after a successful play date?

A:

The Black Walrus

That's right, just seconds after  closing the door, I turned toward the stairs to the playroom to find an exuberant Porter growling and squealing "I'm a black walrus!"

He was so proud of his work that I didn't think to explain the bad behavior until after I'd laughed and snapped a few pictures (we got to the "we only draw on paper" during bath time).

I also didn't immediately think to check out the office (next to the playroom upstairs) until a little while later (and then worriedly climbed the stairs hoping to still have mark-free walls). Fortunately, once the black walrus tired of the paper scribbling, he jumped straight to the tattooing.

And just for fun, Nora's first successful play date with her pal Vivian (so defined as "successful" by including two awake and content friends).

Monster Trucks

My friend and co-worker Dialea gave Porter a package of monster trucks for a big brother present. They've proven to be, as Porter put it, "the best pWesent ever!" And this morning, they've been the inspiration for the following song (I wish I could record it, but my camera needs new batteries):

Giant tru-uck, giant tru-uck,

You're gonna be the be-est tru-uck. 

And then you'll drink some Diet Co-oke,

because you are thirsty and a giant tru-uck.

And then you will fly,

high in the sky-y,

because you are the best monster tru-uck.

It continues for another twelve verses so far. Love it!

Uncle, Crystal Bear & Gwamma Burt

Between this

and this

(background: Andy tore his ACL playing soccer at the beginning of February and had surgery last Wednesday), 

things in the Burt home over the past month have been a bit nutty.

Fortunately, we've had Andy's mom staying with us through most of February. This has been a HUGE help considering an almost-three year-old, a newborn and a husband who can't walk require more than the two hands I've got to offer. But, alas, all good things must come to an end. And while I am looking forward to no longer having to try to unsuccessfully ignore the yummy treats Lynn whipped up at least every third day during her visit, I will sorely miss the extra help and commiseration when all three of my babies hit the witching hour at once. Lynn, when you get back to Atlanta and read this, THANK YOU, thank you, THANK YOU. We couldn't have made it through the past few weeks without you.

And as long as I'm in the business of shout-outs, Andy and I are also feeling lucky to have his brother Layne and his wife Crystal here in Cedar to help at what is almost always a moment's notice. Layne has been just "Uncle" to Porter for quite some time, and I think Crystal finally earned her stripes with Porter a few weeks ago when he started calling her Crystal Bear. These two may be some of Porter's very favorite people. Ours too.

So, permanent and temporary Cedar City Burt Clan, thanks for all the help. Andy and I have made it through the first six weeks of newborn haze, have successfully navigated a surgery, and have done it all without killing one another. I credit this small miracle to Gwamma Burt, Uncle and Crystal Bear.