Half birthday

Updates on Clifton -
Clifton has been really fearful this week.  Scared of going to bed and being alone.  Scared when the lights are off, just scared.  So he has been waking up often at night and early because of his fear.  One night he was so (genuinely) scared that he was in full on tears and screaming for me to stay with him and hold him.  Not sure how to calm him down I thought for a second and realized this is a great opportunity to teach him a lesson.  I let him know that I get scared too and that when I get scared I say a prayer asking Heavenly Father to help calm my spirit and make me feel safe.  So we did that.  We had already said our night prayers so this was just a prayer for asking Heavenly Father for help.  After Clifton prayed (of course me telling him what to say) he laid down and went to bed with no fear and slept through the night and has not really been fearful since.  What a powerful lesson he learned and I was reminded too.  Heavenly Father loves us all and can help us even in the simple things such as prayer.  I hope Clifton realizes that Heavenly Father is always there for us.  Being a parent is hard but so worth it specially in moments like that.  The next morning he woke up and told me Heavenly Father is in his room.  He is so cute!

Funny/cute thing he said this week -
We were making cookies for Peterson Movie Night and while he was helping he turned to me and said "baking is so fun".  Love him:)
Also he had a stuffy nose all week and one morning he said "Mom my nose is broken".


Updates on McKay -
She is starting to dance to music and I love it.  We have little dance parties out our house.  She is good:)
Her personality is getting stronger and stronger.  If she does not like something she lets you know.  She is such a girl:/

We spent a lot of time outside in the beautiful weather we have been having and McKay is loving being outside.  She loves feeling the grass and crawling around following the boys.  So different then Clifton was.  He did not really like grass.

I had to put this one.  It makes me laugh.  She is very silly!

While we were outside Clifton found a caterpillar.  To my surprise he picked it up and brought it to me.  So I showed him how to hold him without hurting him.

  The caterpillar crawled all over Clifton and he thought it was great!

Tuesday was Clifton's half birthday.  He is now 2 and a half years old! So I decided it would be a fun new tradition to celebrate half birthdays.  With simply a half birthday cake and some fun party games.

So we got busy making a half cake.  (don't judge me I am not good at making cakes look pretty)

 McKay helped by making music with pots and pans:)
Then we got some party blowers out and went crazy dancing around and blowing the blowers.

McKay of course joined in on the fun too!

Later it was time to eat the cake.  Clifton loved blowing out the candles.  But neither him nor Evan really ate the cake.  So almost all of it went in the trash.  But we had fun and that is all that matters.

Thursday it was free museum admission in Tacoma.  So we went to go see the new Lemay America's Car Museum.

 There were so many cars in there.  My mind was blown away!  Clifton enjoyed it.

He really liked the slot car track.  Of course Alex had to play too!  Both the boys really enjoyed it.  McKay had fun watching.

Saturday I had a crazy experience.  I went to donate blood to help a young man in our ward earn his Eagle award.  I was a little nervous because I have not donated since I was in college.  But I felt fine afterwards and went about my business.  I put the kids to sleep and sat down to be lazy and watch TV.  I stood up to charge my phone on the dock by the TV.  I was light headed so I grabbed onto the shelf.  Next thing I knew I was shaking on the ground.  It took me a little to put it all together.  But realized I passed out when everything on the shelf was on the floor around me.  Luckily the kids was not in my arms or under me.  The worst part was Alex was not home to help me:/  But I survived and realize it could have gone a lot worse.  I can handle some bumps and bruises.  This is the first time I have ever passes out. It is a crazy feeling.  I think I might not donate blood for a while.