Family Time

Hey Big Kid!

As you can clearly see, I've been a bit of a slacker over the last couple months. You've grown so much, and we've had so many fun adventures, so I decided to break things down a bit. This will only be about our travels and special visits, and it's still going to be a LONG post.

April and May brought lots of fun with family and special friends. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives that are so good to us!

One of the first highlights of the last few months was a visit from the Krauses'. They are one of our Florida families, and it was so fun to have them over for a day. Their boys were so cute and fun with you! While we only live about 45 minutes away, it's crazy how hard it can be for schedules to line up, so we soaked in every minute we had together.

Just chillin' out with Grayson

Grandma and Grandpa Cottle came down to Florida to see us for a quick weekend in April (more on that trip later), and then came back for a visit with Aunt Tiffany and Uncle Ken in May. They brought you a GIANT kite, and lots of other fun things to play with, and of course we had some fun all together at Disney as usual. You were also a big helper with a few little projects that they took care of around the house.

Flying our new kite with Dad

Animal Kingdom with Grandpop

We went to EPCOT with the Cottles' and you had a big time dancing to the music around the World Showcase and riding on Grandpa's shoulders. And you played lots of hide-and-seek in clothes racks with Grandpa and me, while Grandma and Tiffany shopped at Cast Connection.

Dancing through EPCOT with Mommy

Baby Ruger had his blessing day in April, and I couldn't pass up an opportunity for you to be together with all of your cousins. I told myself we wouldn't be doing any major travel this year, but of course I couldn't totally stick to that. It was worth the trip with so many Randalls in town, and we even got to see some unexpected extended family. You finally met Aunt Sissy and Uncle Ron, and Cousin Shelley surprised us all by showing up Saturday afternoon. Shelley even came and hung out with us at Instacare where you were diagnosed with your first ear infection, and it was a doozy!

The long flight

She offered to let you sit on her lap. You
were against the idea until you realized
it was your only way to see out the window.
Suddenly you were best buddies.

We stayed with Aunt ArVae, which was very fun since she lives super close to Mimi's house, and we didn't used to get much time with her before she moved to Centerville. She played blocks with you and snuggled with you and treated you to lots of cookies while we were there. As soon as we sat down at the table you would point right to the cookie jar. you knew where the good stuff was!

Baby Ruger is really sweet and crazy adorable, and it was fun to see you with a little baby cousin. You also LOVED all the dogs! Nick's new dog is named Karl Malone, and you would follow him around saying, "Karl! Karl! Karl!" Actually, you just called all the dogs Karl.

Kisses for Baby Ruger

Matchy-matchy cousins!

You went to your first movie with all the cousins, and it was fortunate we ended up in an empty theater. You were glued to the screen for the first half, and then you were pretty ready to be done. So, we danced in the aisles to the music, and you climbed the stairs. We'll definitely be waiting a little bit before we try again. It was a pretty great time anyway.






















We had a super fun adventure to a new aquarium in Utah and you loved being able to stick your hands in the water, touch the turtles, and run around with your cousins. You also loved riding the kid-sized four wheeler at the house (just the thing I ALWAYS wanted as a kid). You loved driving, and you managed to get the "go" part down, but you needed a bit (or a lot) of help with the steering.

Riding the train at the mall with your cousins

Dad took on a temporary assignment as a VIP tour guide at the end of May which meant extra long hours, so you tagged along for my work trip to Utah, and we stayed a few extra days to be with family and some awesome friends. Nick and Drea are staying at Mimi and Papa's house, so you got to spend lots of time with them. Your little face lit up every time Nick walked up the stairs and you would say, "Nick!!" When I would lay you down in your bed, you'd say, "Nigh nigh Nick, and Mimi, and Papa, and Drea, and Karl...", it was super sweet. You actually slept crazy well while you were there, which was a pleasant surprise after our last trip. You and Drea also got lots of quality time, since she spent lots of time with you while I was at work. She melted when you said "love you" to her at naptime. We did lots of hanging out with Drea, and we were a terrible influence on each other in the shopping department. We had way too much fun shopping for little boy's clothes. I almost had to take an extra suitcase home!

Representing HireVue

You are big on saying "Cheese"!

We took a very sweet trip to the Bountiful cemetery on Memorial Day with Mimi, Papa and ArVae, and you were curious, but also reverent as if you understood we were somewhere special. This is the first year that both of my grandparents are gone, and I loved spending a few moments remembering them with my family. After leaving the cemetery you got a little restless in the car, so Mimi taught you her "turtle song". You were in heaven. And you would say, "Moe, moe" so she would do it again and again. You held her hands so you could "snap" at the minnows and fleas with her, and you even sighed at the end just like she did when she did it for you while slightly out of breath.

You may not carry the Randall name, bit but it made
my heart happy to see you with the Randall name. I
am proud to be a Randall!

We couldn't leave Utah without a visit to one of our SSS families. We loved seeing the Woolstons', and you and Corban are getting just big enough to (sort of) play together. It's so fun to be able to have our boys growing up together, even if we don't get to see each other often.

With Uncle Soren in the sandbox. One of your favorite
places to be

Working on your rockstar skills

While we've had lots of fun with others, we've also had a wonderful time with our own little family the last few months. You are absolutely delightful to spend time with, and every day is a new adventure. I love waking up to your sweet smiles, and my heart melts when you snuggle up with your bunny and say, "Nigh nigh, Lu loo" at the end of the day. I lu loo, little boy!

Xoxo,

Mom and Dad

Nursery Legal

Hey Sweet boy,

Hooray! You're finally old enough to stay in nursery! I didn't realize how excited I would be to send you to nursery, since I love to get in all the Devin time I can. But let's be honest, church is hard for you, and when you can go in and play with toys and kids, it's a win for both of us.

This month has been such a fun one, even though you have become much more attached to Mom, which means some things become much more difficult. You've become my little Koala baby this month, because you are attached to my hip at all times. Whenever I try to put you down you pull your legs up around me and hang on with all your might. It's so adorably frustrating because I love that you want me, but it's hard to do things like cook and clean with one hand. Luckily, you're usually good to sit on the counter and "help". You like to stir things, and help put ingredients in a mixing bowl. And sometimes, I can put you on the floor with your own pot and spoon (empty of course), and you're temporarily content mixing your own dinner.

You say "more" whenever you want us to play another game, song, or of course when you want more to eat. It comes out a little bit like, "moh". Sometimes you even want to say "moh" blessings on the food, so you fold your arms, wait for us to fold ours and then excitedly say, "Amen!". It's nice you want to say blessings, even if it's hard for you to sit still and keep your arms folded through one. A few weeks ago we went to the YSA sacrament meeting so Daddy could join us, and the girl saying the opening prayer was a bit long-winded. About halfway through you loudly exclaimed, "AMEN!" Since you were the only one making noise, it was hard to miss your meaning. You can also do all of the "Wheels on the Bus" verses, and we've even added one of our own for the "Devins" on the bus, and I think it's quite fitting.

You are more adept at making your desires known as each day passes. I've spent lots of time around other kids, but watching you become more communicative on a daily basis is an incredible experience. And sometimes pretty entertaining. When you eat something you really love you'll grab the spoon and bring my hand to your mouth to get it as quickly as possible. And when you really want me you'll wriggle in between me and whatever is in the way and push me back so I can reach down and pick you up. My favorite was one day when we had the missionaries and a friend over. You got done eating and would say, "bye" to us and walk toward the front door. You did this a few times, and then finally came over, grabbed my hand to bring me with you, then waved to our guests and said, "bye". Okay. Clearly you're done entertaining and ready for some mommy time.

You LOVE playing with other kids. At Sea World you met another little guy (a bit younger but also a bit bigger) and you both watched the beluga whales together and "talked" to each other. Eventually you grabbed each other to hug and toppled to the ground. You both got up looking suddenly a little unsure of the other guy. This is actually fairly typical. I never realized just how much little kids love to hug, but don't exactly know how to do it gently or effectively. We've gone to meet Grandma Rita at Downtown Disney with her grandkids and they are so cute with you. Last time they brought you a Max from the Secret Life of Pets. So sweet. You also love hanging out with Lochlan, a four year old buddy. It's fun to see you play together and imagine what experiences you'd have as a brother. When they were last over the neighborhood kids were out and wanted to play. As you all started playing he turned to them and said, "This is a Devin. You have to be careful with him because he's little!" It was super cute and sweet.

You loved the fish, sharks, and whales at Sea World, and also had a blast on the carousel and train, though I think the highlights of the day were the giant (but S.L.O.W.) slide that you went down over and over again, and the splash pad. While it doesn't quite match up to the magic of Disney, I loved that Sea World was much less crowded, so you could do things like ride the carousel over and over again. It's one of your favorite things at any park.

You've learned things like showing your muscles and you suddenly got super interested in wearing your play glasses around. You'll even keep a hat on from time to time. You love music and having your back tickled. You love the park and all things that involve being outside. And you really love "Elmo", or basically all the Sesame Street songs we typically play on Youtube from our phones when it's time to just chill. At night before bed we'll snuggle in our bed and watch a few before you go to sleep. You can now sing the Bah bah ba bahs, with Feist, and sing the numbers with the Pentatonix.

I've probably said this before, but there are days as I come down the stairs and see you playing that I realize there's no possible way to imagine this home without you, and yet I still can't believe you are here and we get to experience your life every day. I can never adequately describe the emotions and overpowering love I have for you, Devin. I feel as Shakespeare wrote, "My love's ... richer than my tongue ... I cannot heave my heart into my mouth." The richness of this love gets me out of bed in the middle of the night, encourages me to keep working when I just want to be home with you, allows me to sit patiently (most of the time) through an eternal meal because you just want to play, and carries me through the moments when my worries over your journey through this life feel overwhelming.

You are my sunshine sweet Devin. I admire your love and your determination, and all the silliness that brings laughter into our home every day. We love you sweet boy.

Xoxo,

Mom and Dad

17 Months

My Movie from Rachel Cottle on Vimeo.

Hi Buddy!

I know, I know, you're so close to 18 months it feels pointless, right?! But, your little world is full of so much growing I had to make time to share.

We made our first road trip with just you and I the beginning of February for an overnight trip to Ft. Lauderdale/Miami. Mimi and Papa were passing through after their cruise, and we couldn't pass up the opportunity to see them and our Florida cousins. You weathered the driving like a champ, even sleeping through more than half of the drive home, though that might have had something to do with your lack of sleep the night before. You just had so much fun with Nancy's sweet boys you wanted to keep playing all night long. I was starting to wonder if I would be the one that wouldn't make it through the drive. Luckily, we got JUST enough sleep to get through.

You LOVED all the boys, and they were so sweet and good to you! You loved wrestling with Ben, dancing with Joseph, and being able to play with all their toys. The cash register was your favorite.

Our visit with Mimi and Papa was just perfect, considering we didn't have much time. We found a spot on the beach to visit and put our feet in the water, and then you proceeded to make friends with every. single. person at McDonald's when we stopped for lunch. Your smile definitely lights up my world, but it's fun to see the way you can do that to others as well.



Going to Disney these days is super fun and super hard, since you definitely have your own opinions now, but we had some really fun memories this month. We made a surprise visit one Saturday evening, and you were busy, but so delightful. We snapped selfies, at dinner together, and you pushed the stroller for me most of the night. You grab onto the bar just below the seat, put your head down, and just GO. It was hilarious watching people notice you pushing because you can get that thing moving FAST! You pushed your way all the way through the back of EPCOT and out the back entrance. It's perfect, because you are occupied, and you stay close to Mom! While we waited to go see Dad, we stopped by the American Pavilion and watched part of the Broadway show. It was a great show, but really it was way more fun to watch you. You walked back and forth on the bench and rocked out to the music, and I think everyone around us was having more fun watching you than the show too! I love the way you light up when you hear music.

We also decided to have our Valentine celebration at EPCOT. I got to celebrate with both of my Valentines, which made it super special. Since Dad and I have never been big on gifting for Valentine's Day, we decided to make it a little game. We had to find something that started with the other person's name, that didn't come from the same country as the other person's gift, and that had something to do with Valentine's Day. You were a very good sport as we shopped around for the perfect things, and you also crossed the Potomac and spent time on the countryside with us, since it was the EPCOT Art festival.

During President's day weekend Mom decided she was going to use her extra time off to finally paint part of the house. I wasn't sure how things were going to work with you around. It's pretty easy to do a project on my own, but when there might be little hands touching wet paint and "helping", things get a little more complicated. But, you actually were an excellent assistant, helping Mom sand, and even helping Dad roll on a bit of paint.

We also finally made it to the beach as a family over the long weekend. This was our second attempt at going to Clearwater. The first time was Memorial Day weekend, and we ended up hitching a ride back home in a tow truck after getting halfway there. This time we hit a LOT of traffic, which didn't leave much beach time. But we had enough time to settle into the white sand and spend some time playing in the water. It was lovely. And we'll definitely be back.

Your vocabulary and comprehension are growing every day. On top of your ability to sing, "Row, row, row..." you've now added "Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily..." to the song. Someone else may not know that's what you're singing, but you definitely know that's what you're singing and it is super cute!

You are starting to love nursery, even though you've become a little more aware of whether you're with mommy or not. Occasionally you make it pretty clear you just want to be with Mom. But, most of the time you love hanging out and having fun with friends, old and young.

You've definitely struggled a bit with sleeping here and there. I think sometimes those pesky teeth get bothersome overnight. We've had a few early morning snuggles, and while I'm super tired, I can't help but enjoy the chance to just hold you. Now that you're getting much more independent you're often more interested in playing than snuggling so I try to soak up all the opportunities I have to hold you close.

Trish and Sarah came to town at the end of the month, and we had a BLAST with them! Sarah was such a sweet cousin, and was so patient with you. She was always willing to share her popcorn, hold your hand, and give you sweet hugs. During all the years I waited for you, our nieces and nephews filled that space in my heart that was meant just for kids. I love being an aunt, and it was so fun to spend time with Sarah and see her growing up. We spent a day at Universal and lots of days at Disney, and she went on ALL the big rides and LOVED them! She especially loved the roller coasters, and she was lucky enough to ride most of her favorites at least twice.

It was a special time for me to have Trish here. Since she's just a little bit older than me, she's been the one who has shown me the way all through my life. She's been an awesome example, the most constant and loving friend, and she's an awesome auntie too!! While Trish and I both have drive, she is a worker at heart, and she's always the one to take charge. It was really fun to see her get into "aunt mode" and just have fun with you. While we took Sarah on rollercoasters, she dressed you up in Minnie ears and Aerosmith wigs, and managed to capture a great game of "peek-a-boo" with a giant Aerosmith hat.

You are still a good eater most of the time, though you seem to be less interested in hamburgers than I would have expected (you'd prefer to just feed that to mom), and you're getting to the point where sometimes you'd rather play than eat. You love eggs, and breakfast in general. You also love beans and rice. And while you love treats, you're still just as happy with your avocados and strawberries.

Your favorite place to be is the park, but you're content just being outside and checking out the "woof-woof" next door. You love dogs, you love to say "quack quack" for the duck, and Aunt Trish even taught you to make the snake "sound". You add a new word every day, and it's so fun to communicate with you! You love music and dancing, "helping" mom in the kitchen and outside, and anywhere with a broom. You love going on walks and hanging out with the neighbors, and you are pretty much the friendliest guy I've ever met. You're always saying hi and smiling at everyone.

There are moments when I look at you and can't imagine our world, our home, our life without you, and yet I still can't believe you're here with us and we get this opportunity to be with you and watch you grow. I'm so blessed you are my son, and love the little person you're becoming more each day.

xoxoxo, 

Mom and Dad