With less than 2 months to go until baby brother arrives, I've been soaking in time with my firstborn.  Beckham is 2, and being pregnant with a toddler is definitely a challenge, as he is getting faster and stronger and I am getting slower and more prone to huffing and puffing. Last pregnancy, I felt borderline guilty for taking naps; this time I fully embrace it and am just grateful I have the chance. Though I should probably go to bed earlier, one of my favorite parts of the day is in the evenings when I relax on the couch to watch a show and feel baby kick and hiccup. 

I was surprised how quickly Beckham picked up on the concept of a baby in my tummy. If I talk about "mommy's baby," he immediately tugs my shirt up to see my belly and will often squeal and blow raspberries against my stomach.  I've explained to him that the baby is growing and needs to stay in my tummy till after Christmas, so now he'll say, "No come yet. After Christmas." A small mishap yesterday happened when I told him the baby was kicking my tummy and tried to have Beckham feel the kicks, but instead my playful little Beckham started trying to kick my stomach too (luckily not hard, and I stopped it very quickly). 

More on Being Two

Beckham talks SO much. When he's mad, his go-to phrases are, "Hey that's mine," "Go away," or "Let go," (including telling the child-proof latch on the cabinet to let go).  But he's also picked up some cute and funny things, such as talking himself up with, "I can do it," while climbing the most difficult things he could choose to climb at the playground; politely saying, "No thank you"; using "uh-uh" for a casual no; or responding, "Of course," when I say thank you.  He is incredibly good at remembering people's names. He sings all the time and is ALWAYS requesting a full playlist of songs to either play on the radio or for me to sing. 

The "binkie fairy" came this week and left streamers, a present, and a note telling him he was a big boy now and didn't need his binkie anymore.  He was beyond excited to open a of Thomas the Train set and was immediately able to name 4/5 characters included. We're on our third night without his "bee-bee," and I've been amazed at how quickly he accepted that a binkie is no longer a part of his life now that he is a big boy and has his train set. Bedtime has taken a bit more effort, but ultimately it all has gone way better than I  anticipated, especially for a kid who regularly freaked out if he didn't have his binkie before. 

nothing more magical that seeing the real train in the distance while riding the kid train

convinced him to wear the beanie just long enough to say "cheese"

Our typical holidays in Arizona involve rotating houses in the Valley, but this time Dallin's parents each had different ideas for a fun week. 

For the first few days of our trip with the Samuelsons, we enjoyed a peaceful stay at their new cabin in Heber-Overgaard. Beckham and his two cousins enjoyed romping around and riding quads.  Dallin's sister Danielle planned out gorgeous and delicious meals and appetizers, and the rest of us did our best to help her put together the perfect Thanksgiving meal. 

For the second half of our trip, we joined the Urness family in Tombstone. Originally Dallin's dad, Danielle and little Maverick were scheduled to compete in the mounted shooting rodeo event, but the rodeo was cancelled last minute due to an outbreak of an equine illness. We all went to Tombstone anyway and stayed at the historic China Mary Inn.  A carriage ride, gold panning, and meals at the Big Nose Kate Saloon all made for a classic Tombstone trip.  Beckham's favorite part? Sprinting along the old boardwalk as fast as his legs could carry him. 

It wouldn't be the holiday season without various illnesses, such as Dallin having no voice above a whisper for the entire second half of the trip. A Chipotle worker thought that Dallin was deaf and recruited someone who spoke sign to try to take his order. Beckham, on the other hand, was already on antibiotics for an ear infection, and then on our last evening in Tombstone he started vomiting. He threw up again four times on our car ride back to Mesa (while stuck in stop-and-go traffic in the middle of nowhere at night) and then once or twice a day over the next three days. Thank goodness we survived the plane ride to Utah without incident. Poor Dallin finally got his voice back after we got home. 

watching Grandpa land