December 14, 2007

November 2007

Dear Kids,

I’m a little late in writing this this month due to about a dozen factors including my stupid math class, late nights at Church, lots and lots of gigs and some late afternoon/early evenings at the job trying to complete some projects (not to mention the adjustment of having two needy kids and one very tired wife). Bottom line though is that I need to do it and am going to do whatever it takes (ie. stay up really late) to git r dun.

One of the highlights of this past month was Thanksgiving. We spent it with the Hurst’s in Beaver at Uncle Buck’s cabin. There we spent the day with lots and lots of your mom’s cousins and their kids. Uncle Buck has quite the spread too, with wild turkey’s out feeding in the backyard along with deer and other wildlife. Inside the cabin there is a pool table, video games with a huge TV and lots of lots of other games.

It was fun to see all the family making a fuss over our cute kids (ie. you). It looked like just about everyone took a turn at holding you and gave you two plenty of attention. Of course, no Hurst gathering would be complete without Grandpa Ross hammering out old-timey songs on the piano and cousin Angie taking on the role of both chorister and lead vocal. I have to admit that I totally scored on the in-law’s...I hope you kids are half as blessed when the time comes for you to get married.

Another big event this past month was the blessing of Henry in Sacrament Meeting on December 2nd. We had all kinds of family in town and we took advantage of all the babysitting to get some well needed stuff done around the house. It was great to have everybody here and were sad to see them all go.

This month we also welcome our newest member of the family. No, not another child but instead I speak of my new ipod touch™. It was a Christmas gift/bonus from work and is already making its mark in my world. I’m currently so much more organized, listening to music I haven’t listened to in a long time and getting numb legs sitting on the can watching YouTube. In short, it’s awesome and I’m a happy man.

RUBY-

I know that I just keep talking about it, but boy are you becoming a two-year-old. Every day brings us yet another dramatic episode that your mom and I discuss on the phone while I’m at work. We do our best to keep calm and not let you know you’ve gotten to us or effected us in any way. Sometimes we succeed and sometimes we have to sit you on the naughty chair for a time out. I’m sure we’re gonna have to up the anti as you get wiser to our strategies though.

You are really taking on your role as big sister about as well as we could ask. You just love your little brother and give him kisses and all kinds of attention. Because your “r’s” aren’t fully developed you call him “How-wee”, which I like as it may be grounds for a good nickname. Sure there are tons of Henry’s on this planet, but how many How-wee’s are there?

We’ve been taking you to nursery now every week at church. You have two other little friends there: Liam and Noah who, like you don’t interact too much. Michelle, one of the leaders and you seem to have created a bond over the last few weeks. I feel sad as I hear you cry and cry and cry while I walk down the hall attending to my other duties. Mom is in the Primary presidency and I’m on Henry detail. While it’s sad to hear you cry, it’s part of growing up and I guess that you’ll be better for it.

Lately you’ve become obsessed with crayons. Unfortunately this hasn’t translated into art just yet, but rather it has translated into lots and lots of little pieces of crayon wrapper that I find just about everywhere scattered around the house. You have also taken this playful art of destruction to books, envelopes and whatever else you can get your hands on that are made of paper. Hopefully it’s just a phase and you’ll be drawing lovely still life’s sometime soon.

When you are tearing crayon wrappers off you constantly ask for your mom or I to draw “Julie” or “snowman”. You also love geometric shapes and often verbalize requests for squares, triangles and even octagons. You have a really great puzzle that has taught you both names of shapes and colors. I’m impressed with how well you know what they are when I ask (and I just can’t resist hearing you enunciate “octagon”).

You also request songs all the time. Your current favorites are the “Hokey Pokey” and “Ring Around The Rosies” but with the Holiday season upon us I’m sure that’ll change to some Christmas-themed material soon.

HENRY-

I know that I can’t stop talking about it, but boy are you one ginormous-back-breaking baby. You absolutely love to eat and eat and eat. Last Saturday while your mom was at work you began to get cranky and so I prepared a bottle for you. Much to my surprise that paltry four ounce bottle didn’t suffice and so I made another four ounce bottle thinking that there was no way you’d be able to finish it, but to my amazement you did.

As time progresses you seem to be taking on more of a Hurst resemblance to my eye. Your jet-black hair, blue eyes, milky-white skin and barrel chest all have the makings of your great-grandpa John T. Hurst. I’m not really sure how much Campbell you have in you. Maybe all you’ll get from my genetic “goodness” are platypus-like feet and the one eyebrow.

At your blessing you were surrounded by men who I hope will be an influence on your life. In addition to me, you had both grandfathers there (Pappa & Ross), Uncle Todd, Uncle Justin, good friend Aaron Bybee, fellow counsilor JP Lingwall, and good buddy Shawn Foster. Each one of these men have had a profound influence on me and I was honored that they’d participate in this special event. Grandma Julie took notes during the blessing and will most likely share them in her own special Grandmotherly way.

We tried to fit you into the outfit that I wore at my blessing, but due to your hugeness it wouldn’t fit. Sadly we had to revert to plan B and buy you your own thing. It’s kind of weird thinking that you’ve already outgrown something.

We finally have your bedroom completed to the point where you now sleep there all by yourself. It turned out to be quite an undertaking as I completely stripped the walls of about three layers of wallpaper and consequently had to fill lots of cracks in the plaster. With the help of Papa I hung a crown molding, painted the walls (not so easy with the high contrast colors and not a square angle in the whole room) and installed a new light fixture. Though your room is tiny, we think it’ll serve you well for the next little while.

Like most babies you are competely obsessed with a light source in just about any fashion you can get it. Last week your mom installed the kid-friendly mobil in your crib. I haven’t seen you look at it just yet but from the reports that your mom gives me you apparantly love it about as much as your precious light source.

You continue to thwart our efforts into settling into a schedule. Just when we think you are getting close you go and have a really bad night where your mom battles the crying for hours on end. Ultimately this ends up with you in bed with Momma as her little cuddle-bug. You just love your mom, by the way and give up the smiles on demand. It’s so much fun to watch you come alive more and more every day.

Alright then my little creatures, I gotta hit the hay. It’s late and I have a long day tomorrow.

Love,
Dad

Posted by patatomic at December 14, 2007 11:54 PM

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December 14, 2007

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