Beckett Has Lots to Say and Felix Has One Thing to Say

Man in an elevator: What's your name?

B: Beckett.

Man: How cool. Like Samuel Beckett?

B: No. Like Beckett Stephens

After Felix gets up from a nap:

B: Did Felix uncry?

J: What? Do you mean did he stop crying?

B: yeah.

I start to unzip Felix's sleepsack:

B: No, no. Let me zipper him.

At school:

Miss J: What happens on Thanksgiving?

B: The trains open.

Me: That actually is true ...

J to N: Did you know that Conan O'Brian has a son named Beckett?
B: I didn't know there was another Beckett out there.

M: Beckett there are about a million Zingo tiles under here. Do you think you could help me get them?

B: I'm too bored to help you.

Nate is telling Beckett a story and in the story they find a treasure.

N: What is in the treasure chest?

B: We open the treasure box and there's a train for me and gold for you.

N: Beckett, we are going to the phone store. It will be lots of fun because there are lots of phones, but you need to be really good.

B: What do I get if I am good?
N: You get to be in the phone store.

N: Beckett has such beautiful hair.

B: But more beautiful than Felix's hair.

While freaking out about something

B: I am not handling this.

J: Beckett do you need to use the bathroom?

B: Do not say potty words to me.

B whispering: Daddy we got you some clothes that are a secret.
J and N: Laughing so much
B: Why are you laughing
J: Because you are so funny
B: Yeah. laughs.

B: Explains to me the water cycle, water treatment plants, and how water gets to our home.

J: Wow. Where did you learn all of that?

B: PBS kids, of course.

B singing a made-up song: Colors of the rainbow, colors of the rainbow. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green and Blue. Don't forget Violet too. (Sure he forgot Indigo, but I was still really impressed.)

N gives B a tic tac in the car.

Silence

B: Here Daddy. I'm done.

N: No, eat it. It's food.

B: It's not food!

N: Yeah. You chew it with your teeth.

B: Noooo.

N: I don't want it.

B: My hands are sticky.

B: Felix you have choices. Okay? You can either stay down here and take care of yourself or come upstairs with us. What do you want to do?

F: No

J: Felix looks like a little cherub.
B: What's a cherub?
J: A fat little baby with wings.
B: What? (and laughs hysterically)
N: Really that's how you describe a cherub?
J: Yup.

Nate gets in the car after getting gas.

N: Hey guys. Thanks for waiting.

B: No problem. We played a game.

N: What did you play?

B: We looked out the windows.

J: I'm going upstairs. I'll be back in a minute

B: OK. I will keep an eye on Felix. Felix, I will be right here. I will never leave you.

B: Daddy you will always go to work, and I will always miss you.

N: Beckett you are a good sleeper.

B: Yeah. You know who taught me to be a good sleeper?

N: Who?

B: Jesus. Jesus wants me to be a good sleeper.

N: Yes he does.

Instablogged

I got a new phone recently, and I've been enjoying the camera. Here are some pictures from everyday life.

Not the arctic. Just a puddle in front of the preschool.

An early-morning train lesson. #heisteachingme

Bikers. Felix's is a glorified stroller. Beckett's helmet is for 8+. #hugehead

Convinced Beckett to help Felix do the Buzz Lightyear puzzle he wants to do 100 times a day and bought myself some time to make and eat a sandwich. #brothersgrowingup

Puzzle complete!

Brothers give horsey rides.

It's warm enough and dry enough to resume our after preschool playground routine. #huggingbrothers

Felix's hair after a bath. No shampoo, no gel, just conditioner. #nevercuttingit

Sweater Face or why you should take naps in your bed and not on your mother.

Cozy? Felix loves to climb into our beds and pull the blankets up to his chin.

Masterpieces. #dailyplaydohcreations

Candyland is a serious place. He's playing for me too.

Driving the kitchen train.

Two

This guy had a birthday last month. 

We kept the birthday celebration pretty simple. Brownies and presents. 

For his birthday Felix opened all the presents that he refused to open at Christmas (thus the Christmas wrapping paper). The piggy bank was the big hit.

Lots of Snow

Earlier this month we got a lot of snow. It snowed about 14" on Thursday night, 9" on Friday night, and 6" on Saturday morning. I did a lot of shoveling.

A big snow storm every once and a while can be so much fun. I made Beckett a slide on the huge pile of snow by our walkway. (That huge pile has yet to completely melt.) Felix spent some time outside with us until he took his boots off and started walking around in the snow with just his socks on. It was cold. He cried. Then he got booted back indoors.

On Saturday morning the whole family went sledding together. We borrowed some sleds from our neighbors. We have a great sledding hill right behind our house. (Here's the hill in the spring.) It's hard to remember when the kids have been happier.

We have a couple of daredevils.  They took the inevitable crashes with good humor, for the most part. (Beckett: I never want to crash like that again.)

Beckett looks awesome in his snow gear.

Sledding is serious business.

California, the Finale

On our last night in Sacramento we went down to the river. 

A California Saturday

Saturday in California was The Big Day. We did a ton of stuff and completely wore out the kids.

First up was a trip to Funderland. All the cousins were going down to Funderland, and even though we already had Saturday plans, we wanted to go too. So we did. It's so much fun to put your kids on rides.

Felix and Leo loved this fish ride. It was just for the little guys. The ride is kind of long, and I thought that surely Felix and Leo would be ready to get out when it was over, but no. When it ended and it was time to get out, Felix started crying and pummeling me with his fists and Leo threw himself on the ground and wailed.

Both the boys loved the carousel. Unfortunately their parents don't love spinny rides and someone had to stand next to Felix, so they only got to ride it once.

The last time we went to Funderland Beckett thought this dragon coaster was really scary. This time he loved it.

Riding the coaster with all the cousins (and Uncle Aaron)

We took lots of pictures of the log ride.

We left the cousins to continue to the party at Funderland and went to Old Town to have lunch with Jill and Chris. Lunch didn't get off to a great start. We each went to a different place. Our fault. Very embarrassing. Once that was cleared up and everyone was in the same place, we had a great time. We were very free with the phones and iPads at lunch so that the adults could actually talk. 

Then we took them to the California State Railroad Museum. We've been to a lot of railroad museums, and this is out favorite. We thought it would be a fun place for everyone. This is my favorite train, so I made Jill and Chris pose in front of it.

I also really like the pictures of them on the phones.

That Beckett loves trains is a known fact, but I'm not sure why I keep being surprised by how much Felix loves trains. He was enchanted by the train museum.

We introduced Jill and Chris to the tradition of train museum followed by mini-donuts. They are really tasty. Then we went to see the State Capitol.  

We decided the interior of the dome looks like a carousel. (Kind of book-ended our day.)

Beckett was ready to call it quits.

I miss Jill. I'm so glad that we got to spend time with her. The day was over too quickly.