Adjusting

Desert Boy is slowly getting used to the idea that he has a little sister. It's not been the easiest concept for him to grasp, especially leaving his only child status behind.

He's had to try out his old baby swing again. Fortunately it didn't collapse!

He makes the bouncer seat look positively tiny. He also had to try out Desert Girl's car seat and pacifier.

We've been trying to give him some extra attention, and when some friends brought over a wonderful dinner for us (thank you!), it included a colorfully sprinkled cake. It was perfect for celebrating it as Desert Boy's cake. He likes to think every cake is his birthday cake, regardless if it's his birthday or not. So we humored him, stuck in a couple candles, and sang to him.

Then he blew out the candles and was very happy. What's not to like about blowing out candles on your birthday cake.

One of the things that's jumped to our attention is just how much Desert Boy has grown in 2 3/4 years. When we put Desert Girl next to him, it's obvious that he isn't a baby anymore (despite what he thinks at times!).

Although they do tend to have some of the same moves. Some of their shared expressions and body movements cracked us up.

Desert Boy likes to pose for the camera, so taking lots of photos is a way to make him happy!

And maybe having a little sister is okay--or at least it will be in a few months when she can do what he says.

Like Father Like Son

Sleeping Prepared

I call myself Desert Survivor because sometimes it takes some extra, or at least different, skills to survive out in the rural desert, an hour from the nearest grocery store, over two hours from the nearest Wal-mart, and in a place where the population hasn't increased in several hundred years.

It's a great place to raise kids, where the whole world seems open to exploration. Manure piles, caves, tractors, and more await those who desire them. The air is clean, the views are spectacular, and the kids, cows, and dogs run free.

Well, it seems that Desert Boy has learned a few lessons about how to survive in the desert. We've been working hard at getting him to sleep all night long in his own bed. When I went in and checked on him the other night, I found that instead of cuddling with a stuffed animal or a special blanket, he had a bottle of water tucked under one arm and a flashlight under the other. I guess he's taking comfort to a different level.

I couldn't resist snapping a photo and sharing it with you.

Have a great day!

Haircut Time

Desert Boy was looking a little unruly, and we don't have plans to take him to town anytime soon, so the other night it became haircut time in the kitchen. He finally decided it would be okay to have his hair cut, a necessary step to get him to sit (sort of) still.

I didn't really know what I was doing except making it shorter, but at the rate his hair grows, it doesn't really matter. I figured as long as I didn't leave him with a mullet he would be okay.

Ah yes, such artistry.

Desert Boy thought the whole process took too long, but at least he stayed seated. I also managed not to cut off any parts of his ears or make him cry, so I would say it was a success. It's nice not to have too high of expectations.

Here's the final result. With a smile like that, it doesn't really matter what his hair looks like, does it?!

Dinosaur Tracks

Desert Boy got his first pair of snowshoes this Christmas, and yesterday we decided to try them out. The valley is pretty much snowless, so we had to drive up to nearly 7,500 feet in the mountains to find some snow. Unlike our friends and family in other parts of the country, we've been having a snow drought. We want some snow!

The snow was a bit crusty, so there wasn't much give when Desert Boy walked on it. The flip side was that he didn't sink in.

He did quite well for a first time snowshoer, not tripping too much. Of course it helped that most of the time Dad was on one side and Mom on the other.

Stomp, stomp. The tracks didn't come out too great, but we'll try again.

Eventually it was time for Desert Boy to get a ride on the sled. Even dinosaurs get tired.

He didn't want to take his snowshoes off. They look really big when he sits like that!

But eventually his boot fell off. And then he fell out. And then he got cold. And then it was time for the dinosaur to head back down to a lower elevation and warmer weather. It's not easy being a dinosaur!

Playing on Ice

We discovered that although the snow has melted off the meadows near our house, the ditches are still full of ice and snow.

Desert Boy thought the ice was really cool and couldn't wait to go walking on it. Since there's no water running under the ice, we knew it would be safe for him to slide along.

The slippery ice was instant fun.

Desert Boy says, "Follow me!"

He liked it when the ice cracked under him.

You can see how dry everything is--we've had a dry winter so far.

Then we got to a patch of slippery ice and Desert Boy pretended he was an ice skater.

Complete with falling down! It's fun to enjoy the simple things of life.

Exercising Indoors

When we need a break from the winter weather and Desert Boy still has plenty of energy (a common occurrence), we head over to the upper shop. He has his bike over there and that's one spot that has a flat, even floor.

He's recently improved his pedaling quite a bit so he can ride around in circles in the open bay and then around the chopper and balers.

Although turns can still be a little tricky. Hopefully by the time it starts warming up he might be ready to try some of the gravel roads.

Dress Rehearsal for the Nativity Play

Merry Christmas! Tonight we will be celebrating by going to a Candlelight Service and Nativity Play. The play will include Desert Boy as a sheep. It will be his first opportunity to be in a play, and I have a feeling he will like it.

Above, he's hanging out with Mary in the stable. Mary is his cousin, so that's why he got invited into the stable. He's a pretty coordinated sheep to be sitting on a stool like that.

The play also features these three adorable angels, who tend to get distracted easily, as you will see.

Desert Boy's cousin Kayli has a solo, which she sings quite well. She is the angel Gabriel, so she had a lot of lines to memorize.

Here she is appearing to Joseph to tell him that his fiancee is with child and that it's okay.

The play is set up so you see most of the cast of characters for the entire performance. King Herod and his messenger are on the far left, the angels in the middle, Mary and Joseph in the stable on the right, and the shepherds and their sheep just off the stage.

The angels appear to have a little attitude here.

Mary and Joseph entertained themselves during slower parts by picking straw out of the manger.

Later the angels appeared to the shepherds to tell them about the newborn king.

The shepherds traveled to the stable to visit.

The sheep was left behind and was content for a little while.

The angels started singing a song...

...and the sheep decided to make a run for it, heading straight for Mama. I wonder if that will happen tonight. It will be dark in the auditorium, so it might make it harder for him to find me.

At the end, the entire cast performed Joy to the World. Minus the sheep who was hanging on to Mama. And another sheep and angel who were napping during the dress rehearsal. I think it will be an entertaining show!

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Where to Sleep?

I went to check on Desert Boy during his nap. His bed was empty, and I wondered where he had gone off to. I knew he didn't want to take a nap and had been trying all sorts of things to avoid it. Then I looked under the bed and found he had fallen asleep after all, tucked away behind his toy box. I wonder if he will make that a regular sleeping hideout.

A Hike with the Cousins

One morning last week while the California cousins were visiting, Uncle Tom offered to take us for a hike along Silver Creek. It was a sunny, windless morning, thus perfect for the hike. We started right at the edge of the creek, crossing over it.

Henry came, too, and found a nice deep pool where he repeatedly swam to get sticks out. It didn't matter to him that both the air and water temperatures were well under 50 degrees F.

We hiked along the creek for awhile, dodging the huge sagebrush and greasewood brushes, and peering over the edge to get periodic glimpses of the creek. Big snow years and flash floods in 1952, 1982, and 2005 have cut down the channel considerably, leaving sheer banks of crumbling dirt over twenty feet high in many places.

Eventually a couple nieces and I couldn't resist the urge to go hiking right along the creek bottom.

We weren't wearing footwear appropriate to get wet, so it was a bit of a struggle in places to stay dry.

I was amazed at how many springs entered the creek, as shown by abundant watercress in areas. The watercress generally grows where the water temperature is steadier and there are more nutrients, which is what the groundwater provides. The faster-moving stream water generally has less nutrients and during the winter gets much colder and in the summer warmer than the groundwater.

Here's Ruby, showing her appreciation for our adventure hike.

Uncle Tom still had Desert Boy and was up on top of the channel at this point.

And the nieces wandered up to find a cow skeleton. They took some of the vertebrae and the jaws home with them.

Eventually everyone came down to the stream. We proved our balancing skills crossing the log across the water.

Grace and Lola, who regularly go to gymnastics classes, had no problem whatsoever. Notice the jaw bone in Grace's hand!

Uncle Eugene kept a stick with him to make sure he wasn't going to plunge over.

Part of the fun of the hike was the many times we had to cross the creek. It was just wide enough that it was hard to jump over, so we had to look for places with stepping stones or add some of our own.

Grace is carrying Desert Boy down next to the stream now.

I was awed by the roots of the big cottonwood trees. Much of the dirt that had previously contained the roots had washed away, leaving the tendrils hanging.

Grace, Desert Boy, and Lola continude to find a dry path next to the stream. Desert Boy was actually wearing irrigating boots, but he had flooded them fairly early on. Nevertheless, he seemed to get the concept that he was supposed to stay to drier ground. Most of the time.

And then we came to a small waterfall. It was cool looking, and the perfect end to the hike. Almost.

Lola, Grace, Desert Boy, and Uncle Tom pose in front of the waterfall.

And then it was time for the big find, a bit of aquatic life that resisted capture, but was eventually subdued...

...a crawdad! Ruby is ready to taste it. Now this was the perfect end to the hike.