Camping in Pinetop?

I think it was Pinetop, I can't remember. I can hardly remember what we were there for. Some sort of training for scout leaders in the stake... or something. (I just turned 29. Might as well be 79. I can remember nothing. If you want to see me confused just start a sentence with, "Remember when...")

So a while ago we went camping. Our first camping trip as a family of 4. As I look at my attempt to document the occasion, I only notice that every picture has something slightly humerous about it.

Like, how in Parker's excitement to pee on trees he forgot to be obscure about it.

Or how in the kickball game, even with a runner on base, the third baseman is sitting on the base.

And this one! Do I even need to point it out to you? Look at the size of that melon! This angle is not working for you, Ben. This one's just screaming for a caption that I can't come up with. Broken pencil, hands in the pockets, muddy shoes... what is it?

This is Parker

He's into dressing himself right now. It's sooo fun.

But in reality, if he's got clothes on. Than we're doing good. Kid is quite the streaker.

Sometimes I call him "King of the Obvious". It starts when he gets up in the morning, when he exclaims "Parker's awake!" Then, "Parker's hungry. Parker's gonna eat breakfast. Parker's eating toast. Mommy's eating eggs. Ben doesn't have any teeth." He'll pretty much narrate your day for you.

He's gauranteed to start every conversation with, "Hi. I'm Parker." Even if you know him, and he knows you.

Ask him something he doesn't want to answer like, "Why is Ben crying?" and all his comprehension skills disappear. "Huh?" ask again "Huh? What?" And then when he finally gets around to telling you he's super nonchalant, "I stomped on Ben's back."

He can also lose his ability to comprehend when you ask him to do something. It's either, "huh?" or "Parker's sick."

And we're going on about month 9 of him referring to his father as "Mark". Everyone said, "Yeah, my kids went thru that phase." Did it last 9+ months?

I think this kid is the bomb! He makes for great company! I'm sad that we're creeping up on 3.5. My favorite age is slipping away.

(Another example of King of the Obvious: we went to the Dr on Tuesday and he got a shot in his arm. When the nurse put the needle in he just looked at her and yelled, "That hurts! That hurts Parker's arm!" And then when we passed her in the hall on the way out he's like, "You hurt my shoulder!" Maybe you had to be there, but it was really funny at the time.)

This is Ben

He's 6 months old. And probably one of the smiliest babies you've ever met. Unless, he's mad. Then he could probably be the maddest baby you've ever met. (Confusing? Yeah, I know. Funny how the same baby that is so easy to get to smile, is so easy to tick off.)


About a month ago he learned to sit.


And then the next day he started to do what we call the "crawl and lunge".

See the scooting of the knees below:

And then when the arms aren't cooridinated to move with the knees you lunge:

It's working for him. He gets around. Around everywhere.

And like I said, it's been about a month and those arms are showing no sign of getting on board with a coordinated crawl, so I'm thinking the crawl and lunge is here to stay.