Epicurean Enthusiast

Now that I have some chompers, Mom and Dad think that I need to start eating real food. I am ok with this because I have quite the voracious appetite, and I don't mind adding a little variety into my diet. Dad seems to think I need to be huge so I can play football and make hims lots of money. Mom says that football is too dangerous and wants me to be involved in something more dignified like golf. Maybe I'll just join the band to show them they can't boss me around.

The first day Mom gave me some mush mixed with milk. I wasn't overly impressed with it. She tried to spice things up by making all these weird faces and smiling really big while saying, "Mmmm." I humored her for a few bites just because I love her and she was trying really hard bless her heart. 

Now according to all these baby books, you are supposed to introduce new foods into the diet slowly. It's a good thing that my mom doesn't really read those books because if I had to choke down that bland mush for a week I would have gone on a hunger strike in protest. Granted, I could live off my reserves for a couple of weeks, but still, I don't make idle threats. Mom decided to introduce squash a couple of days later. I shuddered and made some pretty crazy faces but did manage to finish the stuff. Then, to what I can only attribute to divine intervention, Mom started giving me mashed avocados and peas. Pretty sure they are the greatest stuff on earth. Oh, and spoons. I am a big fan of spoons.

Overdressed to Kill

I will readily admit that on some days, I am one of those moms. You know the type, the mom who lugs around a Costco-sized jug of hand sanitizer in her purse and walks around the house with a can of Lysol spray in tow. Nate is quick to label me as a germaphobe. And while I have yet to do either of those two things (my purse it quite small and couldn't possibly store anything from Costco and my Lysol can stays in the laundry room so I know where it is at all times), sometimes I tend to go a little nuts when is comes to germs. I hate touching raw chicken. I think dishrags are disgusting. I don't like touching things in my hygiene room without wearing gloves even though I know they have been sanitized. Rinsing a plate off does not constitute as washing it. Ok so I guess I am a little bit of a germaphobe. But when it comes to my kids health though, I think that it is a good thing. Our family this year has had more than our fair share of illness. Bryn got RSV the day we brought Hudson home from the hospital. Nate, Bryn, and I all got a really bad case of the flu when Hudson was three months old. That mingled with your average every day colds has turned me into a hand sanitizng Lysol-carrying kinda gal.

On this particular day, it was a little chilly outside and Hudson had just gotten over a cold. Bryn, after being cooped up inside for a few days, was itching to get out of the house. I agreed we could go out for a walk after I bundled Hudson up so only his eyeballs showed. I am perfectly aware that this was a little overkill. But given the fact that when Hudson is sick and doesn't sleep, I am the one who is awake and rocking him at 2 AM. For that reason alone, in my opinion, completely justifies bundling him up. . . and the fact that he looks adorable in his penguin hat doesn't hurt the cause either. 

Have A Nice Day

Dear World:

Just wanted to tell you all to have a nice day.

Love, Hudson

PS: If these pictures of me don't make you smile and brighten up your day, then you're an ogre with a heart made of stone. 

A Monumental Breakthrough

Folks, we have had a monumental breakthrough. No, we haven't discovered how to grow money or solve world hunger. What has happened is significantly more important:  Hudson is now the proud owner of one lower incisor tooth. It will only be a matter of days until its partner makes its debut as well. Every time I see this picture, I can imagine Hudson warning Nate that if he does not cease and desist, Nate will lose a finger. Unfortunately, I have first hand knowledge how proficient Hudson has become using these new teeth.

But as any little guy will tell you, this "growing new teeth" business is hard work adults just cannot fully appreciate. After all, Hudson has been working on this for five months and, as you can plainly see, is quite exhausted from his efforts.

Quick Pit Stop

Perhaps the best thing about moving back to Utah is the opportunity we have to see our families much more frequently. This last week my parents came up for a quick pit stop on their way up to Logan to watch my little brother Tony play in an ultimate frisbee tournament. They rolled into Farmington around 9:30 at night and were surprised to find everyone still awake. I told Bryn earlier that Grandad and Grandma Steph were coming up and didn't have the heart to make her go to bed before she got to see them. Bryn then proceeded to bring out all her stuffed animals. The fact that Bryn allowed Grandad to hold all her friends speaks volumes about their relationship. She doesn't entrust those guys with just anybody. 

My little brother is quite the character and usually sports a variety of cringe-worthy facial hair. Today was no exception. In honor of his tournament, he decided that nothing would strike fear into his opponents like a rough Grizzly Adams style beard on one side with a smooth Baby Face Nelson style on the other side. Now, I'm not sure if the other team was afraid of the fact that he didn't know how to use a razor or were more concerned about his mental stability. I personally think it was the latter. However, Hudson did get a kick out of it and couldn't keep his hands off of it. Then again, maybe the college ladies find it irresistible as well. I'll have to ask Tony about that. . . 

Liam's Birthday

Our nephew Liam has officially turned one and to celebrate the occasion his parents threw a big party for him at Jungle Jim's Playground. This place was really neat and was like an amusement park tailored for toddlers. There were rotating swings, flying airplanes, and even a mini roller coaster. Liam, who clearly was having a blast, was a gracious host and made sure to mingle with all of his guests. He especially loved riding in the airplane with Grandma. Bryn was a little less thrilled and refused to go on the swings. She really didn't want to ride in the airplane either, but after I had banged my knee and bruised my shin to get in, there was no way she was escaping without at least taking a couple of laps around in the airplane. 

Hudson must have been feeling a bit more festive than Bryn. He was completely mesmerized by all the bells, whistles, and seizure-inducing flashing lights. He was so preoccupied with the chaos surrounding him that it was hard to get him to look at the camera. But then again, maybe Hudson was just checking out all the babes. Allegedly, the best part about going to an amusement park is going on rides with all the new girls you meet. I didn't grow up around Lagoon, but Nate and all his friends swear this is true. I will have to take their word on it.

Eventually, Nate got tired of trying to convince Brynlee to go on the rides and decided to play a few games instead. She had a great time playing skee ball and, unfortunately for Hudson, got pretty good at Whack-A-Mole. When all was said and done, she had enough tickets to redeem them for a couple of suckers. Five dollars in tokens only generated enough tickets for a couple of suckers. That's highway robbery if you ask me. 

And despite the picture below, Liam really did have a great time. He couldn't wait to dig into his own individual cake and was quite proficient at shoveling his cake into his mouth. And then somebody probably made some remark about him not having good manners and using a fork. Poor Liam must have taken offense to this and was then too self conscious to eat anymore.

Following the cake, Liam opened his gifts. He was so excited with each present that he really didn't want to let go of it and move onto the next one. Needless to say, Neal and Erin won't have to buy him any new toys for Christmas. Or they could just steal a page from our play book and re-wrap some of the gifts. Nate and I may have gone a little overboard with Christmas last year and ended up taking some of her presents back and giving them to Bryn a few months later from her birthday. Bryn never even knew the difference. But given her memory these days, I no longer think that is an option.

And finally, yes it is true. Sometimes Hudson has to support a hat to hide a little male pattern baldness. Don't judge. He pulls it off quite well.

Sidewalk Chalk and Bubbles

We are trying to squeeze every last drop of summer out of this year that we possibly can. Every afternoon while Hudson takes his afternoon nap, we head outside with our bucket of chalk and container of bubbles. For the first half hour, Bryn just runs around checking to see which of her flowers look exceptionally beautiful today. She can't help but pick a few and insists that we put them in our hair. After picking flowers, she loves to practice her summersaults on the grass. When she "just needs a little a break," Bryn likes to flop down in the grass and stare up at the sky and watches clouds pass by.

Bryn's expressions crack me up. If she has "a great idea" her eyes light up and she will tell you all about her moment of pure genius and will nod her head the entire time to make sure that she is getting her point across. Another thing she has been doing frequently is crinkling up her nose followed by a "that's nasty!" I hear this phrase often whether she is using it in reference to Hudson's diapers, my cooking, or anything else that her highness finds unpleasant.

And then, finally, we actually use the chalk and bubbles. Most of the time, I get the responsibility of drawing big "Daddy hearts" for Bryn to color. Sometimes she will let me have free reign, but usually I am drawing shapes, animals, and her favorite letters. Bryn loves bubbles and especially loves to try and knock them out of the air with a spinning dance move. We usually end the afternoon covered in sticky bubble solution with chalk dust all over our butts. But what a way to spend an afternoon.

Just Stop

Hudson is now 5 months old. Eeek! I find myself telling him everyday to stop growing up so fast. And just like his sister, he prefers to pretend he didn't hear me. To be honest, I love this stage in babies. It is a time when they start to grow out of the newborn stage, plump up, and personalities really start to show through. Hudson is starting push himself up onto his forearms and breaks into a grin every time secretly congratulating himself on accomplishing this amazing fete. He is also quite flexible and likes to impress everyone with his party tricks like grabbing his toys with his toes and producing pools of drool. 

Speaking of drooling, Hudson has officially entered into the teething phase and it has come with a vengeance. Last week when we were in church, Hudson gets bored with chewing on his hand and grabs the next available thing which just so happened to be Nate's finger. After a good chomp, Nate quickly jerked out his finger and mouths to me "I think Hudson is getting teeth!" I give him and odd look and shake my head as if such an event is impossible. Bryn didn't start teething until she was like 9 months old. Nate tilts Hudson back and peers into his mouth. Without even looking in Hudson's mouth, I know that Nate's big grin is in fact a "ha ha told you so" smile. I peer into Hudson's mouth and there are not one but TWO teeth just getting ready to break through the gums on the bottom. Gulp. We will see how long this nursing thing continues. But if we are speaking candidly, this boy could afford to miss a couple of meals. His cheeks and thighs just continue to blossom, and I swear this kid is going to catch up to Bryn in weight by the end of the year. Hudson's body is so amazing, that even Nate gets a little jealous sometimes.

Even though he is starting to get some teeth, this little boy is still all smiles. Some parents have a hard time getting pictures of their kids smiling, and yet, I am hard pressed to find a picture where he isn't smiling. How we love this little guy! And you know what? By all his sweet expressions he gives us, we think that he is quite fond of us too. 

The Holy War 2012

Nate's new job comes with a few great perks. Not only do we have great benefits, but we are also now privy to season tickets to all the University of Utah sporting events. But, if we are being honest, I prefer to watch my games up in the club seats with my in-laws rather than mingle down in the bowl with the "commoners." It is always a good day to be a Burk, but it is especially good to be a Burk on game days. With Utah being in the Pac-12 now, most of the games this season have late kick-offs. The kids and I join Nate at his tailgaiting party before the games and then meet up with his parents in the box right before kickoff. While some games are more enjoyable than others, my favorite game each year is one known throughout the country as "The Holy War."

I am a competitive person by nature. I can appreciate a team looking to exert their dominance over their opponent. It's good old fashioned competition at its best. I personally find it amusing that most Utah fans think BYU's fan base is nothing than "a bunch of self-righteous zealots." BYU, on the other hand, believes that all Utah fans are a bunch of "classless godless liberals." And those are only the more mild insults I have heard over the years. Although I appreciate all the "Max Hall hates me" t-shirts and other slogans that serve as punchlines, that still isn't my favorite part. I love the rivalry simply because anything can happen. And once again, this year did not disappoint.

I left with the kids shortly after halftime. It was late and the kids were beyond done. By the time I got home and put the kids into their beds, I was able to catch the last two minutes of the game. Not in my wildest dreams did I think those two minutes would be crammed full of such odd and dramatic events. Here is the official excerpt from Wikipedia because despite my best efforts, I would not be able to explain the craziness.

"With less than 30 seconds remaining, BYU quarterback Riley Nelson successfully drov into Utah territory on 4th and long with a 40 yard pass to wide receiver Cody Hoffman. On what was thought to be the final play of the game, Nelson's deflected pass fell incomplete as time seemingly expired and the Utah fans rushed the field. The pass, however, was shown to hit the ground with one second left, giving BYU an opportunity to kick a field goal from 51 yards (once the fans had been cleared from the field of play). On the attempt, the kick was blocked, the ball recovered by BYU, and the runner subsequently tackled. However, Utah fans rushed the field, this time before the play was over, thus earning a penalty that gave BYU another chance at a field goal, this one from only 36 yeards. That attempt was unsuccessful, however, when the kick hit the post and went awry. Utah won the game, 24-21."

A simple break down of the number gives us:

30: the amount of seconds remaining on the clock

4: the quarter this all took place

3: the number of opportunities BYU had to win/tie the game

2: the number of times the Utah fans rushed the field prematurely as well as missed field goals

1: the number of teams who went home crying

By the end of the game, I was laughing so hard I fell off the couch. Perhaps even more entertaining was listening to the announcers on ESPN try to make sense of this fiasco. You couldn't have asked for more exciting and better ending to a football game. . . that is unless you happen to be a BYU fan.