Terribly Cute 2-Year Old

 2nd Birthday!! 5/11 Catherine helped me whip out a garbage/dump truck cake.  She was my creative consultant, fellow decorator, and icing taster (since Matthew isn't a fan of dairy products).

 Michael was delighted by the whole cake, but perhaps especially by the accompanying garbage can.  

Slam dunk!  Michael LOVES playing basketball on his new hoop.  

 This is the rim rejecting two shots at once, yet Michael's smile is just as big as ever.  

 Since his official party wasn't until the next day, we had lots of family fun on Michael's birthday.  We played with toys most of the day and then had a pizza picnic at the park that evening, and it was fun to have the Drakes there with us.

Pictures from the official party, and more b-day stuff, will be forthcoming. :)

Brothers and Farewells

Michael is an awesome big brother.  He is very good at getting Matthew to calm down when he's a little bit upset.  He's a good binky-putter-inner, a skilled entertainer, and a gentle pat-giver.  He is also good at saying the right things to calm Matthew (who is a fairly calm guy now that mommy doesn't eat dairy or soy, but still fusses now and again). 

Matthew:  Cries

Michael:  "NO Baby!"

Matthew: Stops Crying

Michael: "Thank you Baby."

Michael has learned that talking nicely to Matthew is an even better way to calm him down.  You don't even need to have a whole story to tell -- one word is often enough.

Matthew: Fusses

Michael:  "Hello, hello, hello, hello."

Matthew: Stops fussing

Michael also likes to sing to Matthew when he's starting to get a little upset.  His favorite cheer up songs are "The Wheels on the Bus" (round, round, round) and "I Am a Child of God."

 4/28  

 5/4  Brother pose

 Already having fun together

 Michael and some of the Trails crew at our "Goodbye Roisums" potluck (5/6)

 Michael saying goodbye to his pal, Brigham, the day he moved (5/9)

 You can't really see his dimples in this picture but they sure are cute  (5/10)

 Matthew is trying his best to grow as big as Michael

 Just because his face is so cute 3/20

 Brother time! 3/23

 3/29

 3/30

 3/30  We giggle over this app every time it repeats Michael's words and noises in an even higher pitched voice

 3/30 At the farm

 I love it when Michael rests his arms on Jeff's head.  He loves his daddy.

 3/30  Later that evening, while Michael was getting ready to go to the pool and I was standing two feet away preparing a sippy cup for the road, I turned around to see this.  Not only can he open the fridge, but now he can open the milk and drink it impressively well from the carton (which is definitely not allowed, but hilarious nonetheless).

 4/3  The boys and I have discovered that we love kale.  Michael's green smile shows how much he is enjoying the baked kale chips we made.

 4/5  Matthew chatting with Catherine.  Every time Michael plays pretend with a phone (or a Super Nintendo remote doubling as a phone) he calls "Dah-trine"

 4/6

 4/6  Michael has "Say cheese" down to an art but is usually too busy to look at the camera while saying it.

 4/8

 4/8 Easter outfit, a little snug but it did the job

 4/8  Michael having a (almost) 2 yr. old moment

 4/12

 4/12 

 4/24

 4/24 The boys are playing together again.  This is right before Michael jumped off to belly flop onto Matthew.  Just kidding.

 In case you like your pictures upside down

 4/25 Trying on Daddy's shoes

 4/25 Happy face!!  Can you tell I like the Easter chicks sleeper?

4/25  Boo!

Matthew Bennett Swift (and Company)

It took me WAY too long to upload these pictures, so I'll let them tell the story for now. :)

Matthew needs lots of help getting the bubbles out and Michael is a great helper. (3/7)

Matthew snoozing with his bear from G-pa Swift. (3/7)

(3/8)

Sorry, Matthew, one day your skin will be florescent like the rest of ours. (3/8)

Michael is pretending to be the baby, but it's kind of hard to pull off when he looks so massive in Matthew's carseat (3/8)

My boys and Me! (3/8)

Sporting Aunt Heather's headband (3/10)

We were so grateful that Heather came to visit for a week!
(3/10)

Michael called her "Lellow" (3/14)

Snack time! (3/15)

Love that precious face and all those precious noises (3/17)

Little man (3/19)

Haha, I just noticed Matthew's tongue is out (3/19)

Brothers, Best Buds (3/19)