Tyler wanted a race car birthday party and chose to do go cart racing with his closest friends. I wasn't able to start baking his cake until like 10:30pm and I tried a new recipe that completely exploded in the oven. Volcano style, all over the pans, racks, and bottom of the oven. It took forever to clean and frost so I was up until an ungodly hour. I was putting the green grass frosting on the top at the very end and I was completely exhausted and ready for bed. Unfortunately, I was also running out of frosting and only halfway through the second cake. I was too tired to make more frosting and match the color so I said a desperate prayer that if I scraped everything out of the mixing bowl and frosting bag I would please have enough to finish. As I frosted the very last section at the center of the track I had only air left in the bag, right at the moment I finished. Such a tender mercy.
For his birthday Tyler got a Minecraft hoodie, more Calvin and Hobbes comics, sketch pads, interactive Mario legos, pokemon cards, a new suit, and his own scriptures.
He was baptized on Valentine's Day. Just 5 days before our Stake relaxed the restrictions and allowed guests to come to baptisms. Before that, it was immediate family only. The Swingle family was able to join and we had lots of people participate on Zoom as well. Even 87-year old Aunt June joined remotely, how neat that we could use technology to connect with her. It was really neat to have both Grandpas speak. When Grandpa Sweeny spoke Tyler faced the laptop so he was talking right to him over Zoom. We had everyone over for valentine's dinner after.
Tyler is such a sweet kid. He is very selfless. We went to Chili's to celebrate his birthday and I was wrestling a fussy, exhausted baby. It took a long time for the food to come so everyone was hungry. But sweet sweet Tyler took his plate and the first thing he did was come and give me a bite--before he took one--because I didn't have any hands to eat and he wanted to take care of me. He was also really, really excited to get a fuzzy new blanket from the Primary presidency for his baptism, but then Olivia (his cousin) was feeling sad and scared that night so he brought her his blanket and said she could sleep with it.
Tyler said he already felt bigger the day after his birthday. He said the floor definitely feels further away from him :).
For Valentine's Day school boxes Alexa made a fox and Tyler made a Minecraft creeper. We had a heart shaped charcuterie for lunch.
In other news, Tad got a can of spray adhesive and spun in circles all over the first floor of the house spreading gluey cheer. He sprayed the floor, table, chairs, kitchen cabinets, counters, baby's carseat, jackets hung by the table, etc. All so very sticky.
Liam and Tad have been exercising with me in the morning. They get creative every day in selecting weights to use. Typically they use cans of food, but sometimes they will use pencils, markers, etc. They also like to pretend that we're all animals doing exercises (rhinos lifting weights, etc.).
Kyle started a Facebook group in honor of Joshua. We found that there aren't a lot of resources to support fathers who experience the loss of a child, so Kyle has created a group to reach out in support of other fathers who are hurting. We are blessed with some pretty incredible kids and wish that our sweet Joshua could grow up with these amazing brothers and sister. I'm grateful for this Dad they all adore.
Funny Stories
At Tyler's party:
Mom: Finish your cake and then we can open presents!
Liam: (gasps, mouth open in excitement) under the Christmas tree?!!?
Me: What can we do to get to know our new neighbors?
Tad: Invite them over for a sleepover!
Tad: I want to go to the pet store and get a baby rhino for my birthday. And then take him to Disney Land.
Tad created a secret handshake that he and I do every night before bed :).
Liam prays every day that Santa Claus will find a cure for COVID.
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