Whitfield Updates: sweat, tears, and laughs

#1.  Grandma and PaPa spent the weekend with Sophie, Cameron, and Grady while we all joined with friends to run the Sawtooth Relay in Sun Valley.  This was such an incredible and fun experience.  My brother, our fearless team captain, deserves much thanks for organizing our relay team and boldly tackling the hardest leg of the relay, and my thoughtful [pregnant] sister-in-law, our fearless team volunteer, deserves even more thanks for supporting our team.  Doug knocked his two legs out of the park, and I'm convinced that he gets stronger and fitter (ie. hotter and hotter) with age.  He was one good-looking, sweaty man.  Doug was also so sweet in his encouragement and praise of me during the relay.  I was really proud of my results (and our whole team's for that matter!), and it was great to complete this relay side by side with my D. While we ran hard, my parents worked hard spoiling all three kids! Everybody had an adventurous weekend!

#2.  Happy Father's Day to Doug! Doug and I drove home from the Sun Valley relay the morning of Father's Day to spend the rest of the day with the kids and my parents.  Doug takes care of all of us in such a thoughtful, protective, and adoring manner.  We couldn't be more appreciative of him. I am so blessed to not only have had the best father in the whole world but to have married the best man to make babies with :)

#3.  Unfortunately, Father's Day was a bit interrupted by a sick cat, and we had to make the tough decision to euthanize our Louie.  Louie was an annoying, pain-in-the-butt cat, but we loved him for nearly 11 years.  He was sweet and tender to Doug and to me, sleeping on my pillow every night of his life and cuddling under Doug's arms every morning.  He let Sophie pick him up and cuddle.  And Cameron always announced our arrival home yelling "Louie, we're home!" while running into the house to chase him.  Louie probably had the best year of his life this past year in Boise since we let him experience the great outdoors a little bit.  It was heartbreaking to watch Sophie process this first real loss in her life--- Doug had to leave town for work, Grandma and Papa had just been dropped off at the airport, and Cameron had run into the house yelling "Louie, we're home!".... it was too much for Sophie to handle, and my sweet, sensitive little girl collapsed on the laundry room floor sobbing for her cat.  While Doug and I have a good life perspective (and we know where pets rank in the scheme of life), we were still sad to introduce this concept of death and loss to our kiddo's lives.  And we were sad to lose the buddy we had loved for over 10 years.

#4.  On a much lighter note, Cameron continues to crack us up.  He knows exactly how to annoy his sister, and he does so regularly.  He pushes all of her buttons until she explodes, and then he smiles this sweet smile because he knows that she is overreacting  and her ensuing tantrum is actually naughtier than his original behavior that bothered her.... it's a cycle, and he manipulates the situation (and my subsequent reactions) with his dimple and huge smile.  He's a rascal!

Exhibit A: While playing with cars and trucks, Cameron ever-so-slowly leaned back until he was laying on top of Sophie.  It didn't hurt her, but she was annoyed and began screaming and kicking while he just lounged back holding his cars in the air and smiling. Victory.

Umbrella protection from the sprinkler

Exhibit B: He has started kissing me twice--once on either cheek--- to get what he wants.  "No nap, mommy." (kiss, kiss).  "One more snack please" (kiss, kiss).  It's horrible because I melt and give in to his sweet requests.  I am wrapped around his 2-year old finger.

Exhibit C: Speaking of his age, he now answers that he is two and a half... because he has heard Sophie clarify that she is 4 1/2.  We have laughed and joked so many times about his response that he now only says he is 2 1/2 years old because it frustrates Sophie so much.  He will answer and then turn his head and smile at her because he knows she is going to react. And boy, does she react and then she gets into trouble.  He provokes her into emotional breakdowns!

Exhibit D: Cameron thinks it's hysterical to call family members by their wrong names.  "Hi, Daddy!" (said to me).  "Hi, Mommy.  Bye bye Mommy!" (said to Doug).  He laughs and laughs.  But, if we turn the tables and call him by the wrong name, he replies, "No, I Cam." He has a serious face and doesn't think it's funny that we don't know his correct name.  Perhaps we deserve this response since we legally changed his name at 3 months of age... one never knows when D and E will wake up and start calling one of their children by a new name.

Exhibit E: Our tough, funny guy has many chinks in his armor though...one of which is his deathly fear of flies and bees.  He will scream a loud, guttural, barbaric yelp if a fly comes near him.  Summers in Idaho bring a lot of flying insects, so he will be forced to confront his fears soon.  He has figured out how to use this fear to his clever advantage though.  He will scream in his crib, refusing to sleep, yelling "Mommy! A Fly. Help please.  Fly.  Fly."  He pronounces fly like "fu-why."  So, it sounds cute and sad and pathetic, and again, I cave and always go back into his room for an extra cuddle!

One of these children could be a future elected official dedicated to public service.  And the other child will be the one who thinks it's funny to teepee his sister's desk on her first day in office.