I hate my grown up self actually I love it. Hi my name is Joe. I love you self. I love yelling like this ::screams:: a shooting tongue
Monday, August 2, 2021
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Reach The Stars
Ephraim you’ve grown up so much. You say the cutest things. Last night we had gotten home late and you fell asleep in the car. You sleepily woke up as dad carried you in and as dad carried you in you said, dad, can you reach the stars? Then reached your hand up and said, “I got one.” This is Dad writing now. Even when you make me mad I can’t be made back because you are so cute. You say the cutest things all the time.
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Ephraim Loves Jesus
We let Ephraim sleep in from his nap until 5:00 which is way too late. So after putting all the kids to bed at 8:30 at 10:00 Ephraim was just lying in bed wide awake. As I was turning off all the lights and locking all the doors I went in and check on him. The lights were off and he had both Meriden and Jeff's night light pillows on in his bed on the bottom bunk. I crouched down to give him a kiss and say goodnight when I asked, "What are you thinking about?" he replied, "Jesus has lots of light." I told him, "You're right, Jesus is the light of the world." Then he said, "Yeah, Jesus died." Then I said, "Then he came back alive right?" "Yeah, I love Jesus," Ephraim replied. I could tell he had those lights on and Ephraim was deep in thought. It makes me so happy to know that he has such a close relationship with Jesus. Ephraim keep close to your Savior Jesus Christ. He is the light of the world and the only way to light and truth and true everlasting happiness. I have a firm testimony borne of the Spirit that Jesus is the Christ and what the scriptures teach of him is true.
Ephraim is so cute I can't handle it sometimes. Usually every night he comes and jumps in bed with me and Im such a deep sleeper that I don't notice until a few hours later. Usually once he has smashed me into Cherise is when I groggily take him back to his tiny bed. He love the word tiny and it is so cute how he says it. Today as I was writing an article Ephraim was trying to take a nap on our bed. I jumped in bed with him and snuggled for a minute and kissed his cheeks. Ephraim has soft cheeks. Then as I resumed writing he fell asleep. Ephraim I am blessed to have you in my life. Even though you are 3 you have a love of music and animals and you have a very tender heart. Even though you can be stubborn at times. You are mostly potty trained day and night. You are the fastest so far to do that out of our kids. The worst words to hear when I am working is, "Dad, come and wipe me." We help you wipe properly and you yell that until we come. Cherise has trained you well. I love you Ephraim.
Love Dad.
Ephraim is so cute I can't handle it sometimes. Usually every night he comes and jumps in bed with me and Im such a deep sleeper that I don't notice until a few hours later. Usually once he has smashed me into Cherise is when I groggily take him back to his tiny bed. He love the word tiny and it is so cute how he says it. Today as I was writing an article Ephraim was trying to take a nap on our bed. I jumped in bed with him and snuggled for a minute and kissed his cheeks. Ephraim has soft cheeks. Then as I resumed writing he fell asleep. Ephraim I am blessed to have you in my life. Even though you are 3 you have a love of music and animals and you have a very tender heart. Even though you can be stubborn at times. You are mostly potty trained day and night. You are the fastest so far to do that out of our kids. The worst words to hear when I am working is, "Dad, come and wipe me." We help you wipe properly and you yell that until we come. Cherise has trained you well. I love you Ephraim.
Love Dad.
Sunday, June 11, 2017
youre talking more!
A lot has happened in the last two months. When I took you to your two month check up at the doctor the doctor said that you would qualify for speech therapy. I called kids that count and they started testing you and confirmed that you qualify for help. A hearing specialist and a speech therapist come in and teach me ways to help you to talk. What's crazy, is about a week before they started helping, you started talking or your own a lot more. You are now saying thank you in a much more understandable way and without any prompting, no you say this a lot, mine- very necessary word to say to your two older siblings. You are doing so well. You say bubbles hungry and the word you say the most is always nana. You adore baby Russell. you prefer to touch him in every way possible all the time. He is not A fan of your affection unfortunately.
You're finally giving kisses. You only get them when we point to an area and say owie. When I ask for a kiss you still offer your cheek very freely. You figured out how to climb the neighbors fence and by climb, I mean climb all the way up and down on the other side. And in your mind there is nothing you can't do. It will take you far in life that strong determination that comes so naturally to you. You are so sweet. I get comments constantly how white your hair is. In the winter it's blonde but in the summer it's white. You are a 6:30 AM alarm clock. Almost to the dot you start crying right at 6:30. You learned how to climb out of your crib about a month ago. We now have you sleep in a little tent inside of your crib in order to keep you in bed. You are so cute when you run with your short little rugs. Dad always says you melt horse little gizzard. You love to get wet and throw rocks in the water. Charlotte is still your favorite person. I love you little Ephraim!! Love Mom
You're finally giving kisses. You only get them when we point to an area and say owie. When I ask for a kiss you still offer your cheek very freely. You figured out how to climb the neighbors fence and by climb, I mean climb all the way up and down on the other side. And in your mind there is nothing you can't do. It will take you far in life that strong determination that comes so naturally to you. You are so sweet. I get comments constantly how white your hair is. In the winter it's blonde but in the summer it's white. You are a 6:30 AM alarm clock. Almost to the dot you start crying right at 6:30. You learned how to climb out of your crib about a month ago. We now have you sleep in a little tent inside of your crib in order to keep you in bed. You are so cute when you run with your short little rugs. Dad always says you melt horse little gizzard. You love to get wet and throw rocks in the water. Charlotte is still your favorite person. I love you little Ephraim!! Love Mom
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Happy 2nd Birthday!
My sweet little Ephraim,
You have changed a lot over the last few months. You are so independent. There is nothing in your mind's eye that you can't do. If you're hungry, you push a kitchen chair from the dining room to the counter and help yourself to a banana, to which you generally only eat half, an orange, which you peel one small peel away and then attempt to devour what's inside through the one hole dripping juice everywhere, an apple which you frequently take a few bites and come back to it all browned later and continue eating it, at times only leaving the core left. Or, you'll open the pantry door, climb the shelf to get to some pretzels. You love to eat and almost always if you're sad, it's because you're hungry. Meriden and Jeffrey were so grouchy if they didn't get a nap but you do pretty well if you don't get a nap. You are happiest while you're eating or right after. You're kind of unpredictable when it comes to food though. Sometimes you love eggs other times you hate them. Same goes with beans, bread, carrots, cucumbers, and just about anything. You always love fruit though. Oranges and strawberries are probably your favorites. If you're eating something like an orange you'll try and shove as many slices in your mouth as possible. You used to like almonds but not anymore. When you're done eating you almost always start throwing your food on the floor and everything we've tried doing to get your to stop this habit hasn't worked... While cooking dinner you bring a chair to the counter and try snitching whatever food you possibly can.
You are not a talker. You are a grunter (and a pointer). Ever since you could make noise you've always loved Charlotte our pig and would make a noise similar to clearing your throat (similar to a pig snort) when you wanted to be heard. You now speak these words:
-please (peeees)
-thank you (eh uh)
-Daddy
-Mom (maam)
-baby
-banana (nana)
-ba (water, milk, drink)
-bye
-hi
-eyes
-nose (while reading scriptures if we say the word 'know' you point to your nose
-ears (while reading scriptures if we say the word 'year' you point to your ears
You love routine and after breakfast you go right to scripture power corner and start getting the book of mormons out. After scripture power you go to your room ready to get dressed. After you get dressed you look for your shoes.
You can climb so good! Any ladder, fense, chair, table, slide, couch, you can climb it all. It's pretty incredible! I always think where you might lack in desire to talk you far make up for in your physical ability. You run, hike, jump on the tramp... You'll put chairs next to each other in order to reach something. You love to climb the fence around the ponies and sit on top of Charlottes house for sometimes 30 minutes or more at a time. When we hike you run and trip and fall and get back up without it hardly phasing you about 100 times. You swing on your tummy.
You love flushing toilets, pulling a chair to the garage and opening the big garage door, dumping any bucket of toys you can get your hands on, you love playing in the bathtub.
You are an animal lover. Every time you see an animal you get so excited. Charlotte has been your best friend since you were about 8 months old. She doesn't share the same feelings for you though. When we see a dog you get so excited and run towards it wanting to pet it. You notice birds I don't even see. You love the ponies, and cats and every animal. You are already good at riding Sweetie and can hold on well.
You get excited when you hear and see an airplane or a train and say Mam! Mam! I think what you want to say is, Mom, do you hear that airplane? That is so cool! Look how high it is! I can't believe it. But with wide eyes and a big smile all you say it, Mam! Mam!
You are my first child to take a bottle and my first child to not take a binky. From the time I weaned you from breast feeding, you have taken a bottle of milk when you go to sleep. Last fall we realized that sometimes you would throw up after drinking your bottle. We started giving you almond milk after that. Sometime in January or February we tried to be much better about not giving you a bottle anymore so now we give you a spill proof sippy cup or water bottle when you go to sleep. You love snuggling up in your blanket going to sleep and almost always go right to sleep.
You are so tender and affectionate. Yesterday we were hiking up Covered Bridge Canyon and Meriden was lagging behind you ran back to her and put your arm around her waist and helped her walk faster. You give great hugs. When you hit you quickly will say sorry with a hug. Sometimes when we are sitting on the couch you will come sit next to us and put your arm around our back or grab our arm to put around yourself. Everytime we ask for a kiss you just turn your cheek to receive one. I think you have only kissed Dad once on the cheek and it was probably an accident.
You love Russell. You always get so happy when he is around and anytime you can you will lay on top of him smothering him with hugs and head pats. You give bones or knuckles like your Uncle Jeremy by bending your wrist like him and giving bones.
You play in the sandbox for hours.
We love you with all of our hearts. Your hugs are worth a million dollars.
Happy 2nd Birthday little one.
Love,
Mom and Dad
You have changed a lot over the last few months. You are so independent. There is nothing in your mind's eye that you can't do. If you're hungry, you push a kitchen chair from the dining room to the counter and help yourself to a banana, to which you generally only eat half, an orange, which you peel one small peel away and then attempt to devour what's inside through the one hole dripping juice everywhere, an apple which you frequently take a few bites and come back to it all browned later and continue eating it, at times only leaving the core left. Or, you'll open the pantry door, climb the shelf to get to some pretzels. You love to eat and almost always if you're sad, it's because you're hungry. Meriden and Jeffrey were so grouchy if they didn't get a nap but you do pretty well if you don't get a nap. You are happiest while you're eating or right after. You're kind of unpredictable when it comes to food though. Sometimes you love eggs other times you hate them. Same goes with beans, bread, carrots, cucumbers, and just about anything. You always love fruit though. Oranges and strawberries are probably your favorites. If you're eating something like an orange you'll try and shove as many slices in your mouth as possible. You used to like almonds but not anymore. When you're done eating you almost always start throwing your food on the floor and everything we've tried doing to get your to stop this habit hasn't worked... While cooking dinner you bring a chair to the counter and try snitching whatever food you possibly can.
You are not a talker. You are a grunter (and a pointer). Ever since you could make noise you've always loved Charlotte our pig and would make a noise similar to clearing your throat (similar to a pig snort) when you wanted to be heard. You now speak these words:
-please (peeees)
-thank you (eh uh)
-Daddy
-Mom (maam)
-baby
-banana (nana)
-ba (water, milk, drink)
-bye
-hi
-eyes
-nose (while reading scriptures if we say the word 'know' you point to your nose
-ears (while reading scriptures if we say the word 'year' you point to your ears
You love routine and after breakfast you go right to scripture power corner and start getting the book of mormons out. After scripture power you go to your room ready to get dressed. After you get dressed you look for your shoes.
You can climb so good! Any ladder, fense, chair, table, slide, couch, you can climb it all. It's pretty incredible! I always think where you might lack in desire to talk you far make up for in your physical ability. You run, hike, jump on the tramp... You'll put chairs next to each other in order to reach something. You love to climb the fence around the ponies and sit on top of Charlottes house for sometimes 30 minutes or more at a time. When we hike you run and trip and fall and get back up without it hardly phasing you about 100 times. You swing on your tummy.
You love flushing toilets, pulling a chair to the garage and opening the big garage door, dumping any bucket of toys you can get your hands on, you love playing in the bathtub.
You are an animal lover. Every time you see an animal you get so excited. Charlotte has been your best friend since you were about 8 months old. She doesn't share the same feelings for you though. When we see a dog you get so excited and run towards it wanting to pet it. You notice birds I don't even see. You love the ponies, and cats and every animal. You are already good at riding Sweetie and can hold on well.
You get excited when you hear and see an airplane or a train and say Mam! Mam! I think what you want to say is, Mom, do you hear that airplane? That is so cool! Look how high it is! I can't believe it. But with wide eyes and a big smile all you say it, Mam! Mam!
You are my first child to take a bottle and my first child to not take a binky. From the time I weaned you from breast feeding, you have taken a bottle of milk when you go to sleep. Last fall we realized that sometimes you would throw up after drinking your bottle. We started giving you almond milk after that. Sometime in January or February we tried to be much better about not giving you a bottle anymore so now we give you a spill proof sippy cup or water bottle when you go to sleep. You love snuggling up in your blanket going to sleep and almost always go right to sleep.
You are so tender and affectionate. Yesterday we were hiking up Covered Bridge Canyon and Meriden was lagging behind you ran back to her and put your arm around her waist and helped her walk faster. You give great hugs. When you hit you quickly will say sorry with a hug. Sometimes when we are sitting on the couch you will come sit next to us and put your arm around our back or grab our arm to put around yourself. Everytime we ask for a kiss you just turn your cheek to receive one. I think you have only kissed Dad once on the cheek and it was probably an accident.
You love Russell. You always get so happy when he is around and anytime you can you will lay on top of him smothering him with hugs and head pats. You give bones or knuckles like your Uncle Jeremy by bending your wrist like him and giving bones.
You play in the sandbox for hours.
We love you with all of our hearts. Your hugs are worth a million dollars.
Happy 2nd Birthday little one.
Love,
Mom and Dad
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
baby blessing!
I just realized I never typed up your baby blessing and this is all I have is the notes from Elizabeth!
Sorry little Ephraim!
Sorry little Ephraim!
Dear Father in Heaven,
By the Holy Melchezidek priesthood which we hold. . .
Ephriam, we give you a blessing that you will be a choice son of God, that you will listen to your Father in Heaven and follow Him throughout your life.
. . .
We bless you that you will be of great service and be a wonderful member of the church. We bless you that you will find a wonderful companion in life.
. . .
We bless you with health and strength and *influence.*
. . .
We bless you to serve the mission that Heavenly Father has for you.
. . .
We bless you with strength and an ability to follow promptings so that you can be guided in life so you can return to Heavenly Father with your family.
The word in the asterists I am not 100% positive about. I skipped on word and the I can't really read the next, but I think it was influence. Hopefully someone else covered where I slacked.
Thanks again for inviting us, Cherise. It was so special! We loved celebrating Ephriam's great spirit with you. :)
First steps!
You took your first steps about a week shy of 14 months. You're taking more and more steps everyday but usually only about 4 or 5. You still do your elephant walk so quickly that you don't really feel the need to walk upright.
The other day we were at Jeremy Cooper's birthday party at Grandpa and Grandma Cooper's house. You have recently within the last month been able to climb on any chair, couch, bed, trampoline, etc. You had climbed up on a folding chair and slipped and were falling towards the ground. With your hands above your head, you grabbed on to part of their chair and held on for dear life, yelling for help. Your hand slipped again and you grabbed a different part still holding on. Finally someone got to you to help you down. We were all amazed at your strength and determination to hold on and not give up.This will be your overall attitude towards life is to be strong in hard times and determined to hold on with all your might.
I adore your little cheeks and your chubby little thighs. Your smile and excitement when you see me is so sweet. YOu're going to be a big brother in January and I feel as if you've always been ready to give up the baby status in the family as you're always trying to keep up with the other kids. You love throwing balls or rocks into rivers. You are so adventurous when we go swimming or splash pads or rivers. You love to explore and move. You can even climb on the swings by yourself now.
You crawl to the bathroom every chance you can get to get in the toilet water or unroll the toilet paper. You love to open the cabinets and explore but you're more cautious as you've been in trouble before to only get a few things out. You don't dump out whole containers of tupperwear or canning lids like you used to. You love climbing on the dishwasher. You make a grunting noise through your nose and reach out with your hand towards whatever you want or where you want to go. You snuggle a little. You wake up at about 6 every morning wanting a bottle and in order to keep you quiet we usually oblige. You fall asleep like a champ and usually with a bottle in your hands. You aren't eating as much as you used to since you were teething last week getting a new tooth on top and one on bottom. Meriden loves to try and pick you up and snuggle you and you sometimes indulge her but usually just tolerate her. Jeffrey is constantly hitting, kicking and sitting on you and for good reason, you don't much care for him. I keep telling him he's going to get what he deserves when you get a little older. You still love fruit. Watermelon and grapes are your favorite now that oranges aren't in season. When you eat you insist on carrying a utensil though you can hardly use it. If you don't have one and I'm cutting your food with my fork you will grab it out of my hands so fast! You always feed yourself. You're great at entertaining yourself for long periods of time playing with toys and dumping toys out. You're also really good at putting toys away already! You love to help Mom. When I fold clothes you love to hand me each clothing item to fold and when you can get away with it, you love to dump over my piles of clothes.
You have a special relationship with your dad because he works from home and I've been so sick from this pregnancy and whenever I hold you, you like to climb all over my sore growing belly, so Dad has had more time with you at this stage than the other 2 and its been really fun for him. He just adores you. He loves to put a sword in your hand and play sword fight with you.
I love you my little Mr. E! More than you'll ever know.
Love,
Mom
The other day we were at Jeremy Cooper's birthday party at Grandpa and Grandma Cooper's house. You have recently within the last month been able to climb on any chair, couch, bed, trampoline, etc. You had climbed up on a folding chair and slipped and were falling towards the ground. With your hands above your head, you grabbed on to part of their chair and held on for dear life, yelling for help. Your hand slipped again and you grabbed a different part still holding on. Finally someone got to you to help you down. We were all amazed at your strength and determination to hold on and not give up.This will be your overall attitude towards life is to be strong in hard times and determined to hold on with all your might.
I adore your little cheeks and your chubby little thighs. Your smile and excitement when you see me is so sweet. YOu're going to be a big brother in January and I feel as if you've always been ready to give up the baby status in the family as you're always trying to keep up with the other kids. You love throwing balls or rocks into rivers. You are so adventurous when we go swimming or splash pads or rivers. You love to explore and move. You can even climb on the swings by yourself now.
You crawl to the bathroom every chance you can get to get in the toilet water or unroll the toilet paper. You love to open the cabinets and explore but you're more cautious as you've been in trouble before to only get a few things out. You don't dump out whole containers of tupperwear or canning lids like you used to. You love climbing on the dishwasher. You make a grunting noise through your nose and reach out with your hand towards whatever you want or where you want to go. You snuggle a little. You wake up at about 6 every morning wanting a bottle and in order to keep you quiet we usually oblige. You fall asleep like a champ and usually with a bottle in your hands. You aren't eating as much as you used to since you were teething last week getting a new tooth on top and one on bottom. Meriden loves to try and pick you up and snuggle you and you sometimes indulge her but usually just tolerate her. Jeffrey is constantly hitting, kicking and sitting on you and for good reason, you don't much care for him. I keep telling him he's going to get what he deserves when you get a little older. You still love fruit. Watermelon and grapes are your favorite now that oranges aren't in season. When you eat you insist on carrying a utensil though you can hardly use it. If you don't have one and I'm cutting your food with my fork you will grab it out of my hands so fast! You always feed yourself. You're great at entertaining yourself for long periods of time playing with toys and dumping toys out. You're also really good at putting toys away already! You love to help Mom. When I fold clothes you love to hand me each clothing item to fold and when you can get away with it, you love to dump over my piles of clothes.
You have a special relationship with your dad because he works from home and I've been so sick from this pregnancy and whenever I hold you, you like to climb all over my sore growing belly, so Dad has had more time with you at this stage than the other 2 and its been really fun for him. He just adores you. He loves to put a sword in your hand and play sword fight with you.
I love you my little Mr. E! More than you'll ever know.
Love,
Mom
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