World Record Setting.

Last Saturday, on Spencer's uncle Bryan's 19th birthday, he and I participated in the Great Cloth Diaper Change World Record Setting Attempt, held locally at Elegant Mommy in Sioux Falls.

Here's a news article to explain more:

http://www.keloland.com/NewsDetail6162.cfm?Id=114160

While there, we opted to participate in a Cloth Diaper Mini Shoot, done by Mprints. Click the business name to see the facebook page! He donned an infamous Mud Butt, of course. He loved having his picture taken, and it was a lot of fun for me to watch him have his photo taken by someone else! I can't wait to see more, this is just the facebook preview image she shared.

Anyway, the event was pretty fun. We scored a bag of random goodies, and showed off our super cute Mud Butt diapers. Spencer got a certificate stating he was a part of the local attempt as one of 49 participating babes!

I was really excited to take him to the event, mostly so I could put it in his baby book some day. I mean, I've never been a part of any world record, so it's pretty cool that he is! The official results will be posted in a few weeks, I think.

In other news, Spencer likes baby yogurt, drank from a sippy cup, loves bouncing, ate some pureed tater tot hotdish (which looked DISGUSTING, but Grayson wouldn't eat it, so we gave it to SJ), and was bit twice this week!

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

Yesterday, Jake and I took Spencer swimming for the very first time! We're getting a family membership at a local wellness center, which means that not only can we work out, but we can take Spencer to an indoor pool!

After touring the center on Saturday, we were very excited and could hardly wait until open swim time on Sunday. Spencer's aunt Shari and his cousin Alyssa joined us as we went to the pool!

He seemed to enjoy it right away, maybe a little unsure at first, because it was pretty loud in there. The "therapy pool" was open for family swim, and it's about the temperature of a bathtub as opposed to a typical swimming pool, so there was no shock there. Almost immediately, he stuck his butt up and began floating by himself... well, with the help of me holding up his chest/head. He would do the same when you tipped him over to his back. He'd pop his belly up to the surface! Seems we have a natural swimmer on our hands!

The first time or two that we dunked him under, he wasn't a big fan, needless to say, but he didn't really cry or anything. He made a couple wimper/cough noises, and pouted a bit, but the sadness was short lived. I think that shocked him more than anything, as well. As we continued swimming, we would occasionally dunk him under. By the end of our hour swimming, he wasn't too phased by it at all.

Jake took him "wake-boarding" on a floating raft, and he loved it. He would smile and squeal and kick his feet in delight! We really do think he'll be a great swimmer!

He also thought it pretty funny when I would hold him up in the air, and then go under the water myself and blow bubbles. Jake said he'd squeal with delight then, too!

I won't lie, we each accidentally dunked him under the water from some sort of floating device. I know the time I did, he tried to roll off the raft thing (successfully, obviously) and rolled right into the pool. My instincts grabbed him in record time, I feel, and after, I had the residual panic thinking "what if he drown!?" I wasn't prepared for that feeling, but I didn't really dwell on it for more than a few seconds.

Shari was awesome and took a few videos for us. Well, Jake took the first one, and she took them after. I'll share two- the one Jake took where he first entered the pool, and one Shari took of him "wake-boarding." Enjoy!

The Little Boy and the Rock Stars.

Yesterday, an amazing band led worship at church- NEELY. Prior to the services, we'd only ever seen their name on facebook.

I ended up going to both church services yesterday (because I was there with Jake, so I couldn't leave, and decided it an awesome way to spend the time (with our friend Robert, and friends Trevor and Marybeth)), and enjoyed their music. Spencer was in the nursery for both services, so he didn't get to enjoy the music during church.

Unfortunately, there was no announcement at church that they were having a concert in town later that evening. We knew about it via facebook, and were very excited to go.

We were a little unsure if we should bring Spencer along, thinking it might be a bit loud for him, but we decided that we'd go, and if it was, we'd leave sooner to save the little guy's hearing.

Well, as blessings would have it, it was a very personal feeling, small-time, acoustic rock set! My favorite! I think, Spencer's too! Yeah!

Spencer was sleeping in the car seat when we arrived, but as soon as we walked in, he opened his eyes and perked right up. Probably had a little bit to do with the fact that his daddy plays guitar for him almost daily, and it's noted that he loves music. Coupled with the fantastic light show to keep his attention, he was excited to be there!

He danced to a few slower songs with me in the back of the room, smiling and focusing on the performance the entire time. Since it was so low-key feeling, and ever-so-wonderful, we got a little table, plopped him on top of it, and let him sit there watching Jeremy and Kaci play and sing. He was pretty intensely focused the entire time, smiling, making "singing" noises (as I decided to call them), and kicking his little feet like he was running, as he does when he gets very excited.

He was happy for the ENTIRE show. It was awesome!

Afterwards, Kaci came up to us at our table to meet Spencer. He LOVED her. Seriously. He was all smiles and hamming it up for her like a little cheese. He met Jeremy a little later, and flashed his smiles at him too. He really liked them! It was adorable. Unfortunately, we didn't bring a camera for him to get his picture taken with them (because we weren't thinking, nor knew that the atmosphere would provide for it), BUT, he did get an autographed picture from them for his baby book!

We were fortunate to be able to spend some time talking and getting to know the duo, as a family of 3, along with our friend Pete, from church, who is also managing them. Way cool. Talking with them seemed so familiar. It was very memorable.

But yeah.... It was his first concert! Yeah, Spencer!

We also have their CD now, and I'm tempted to (pretty certain I will) make sure he gets to have a copy of it for when he's older, as a souvenir from his one-on-one time spent with the Christian rockstars. Surely, he won't have the memories, except what we provide for him, and I want to be able to provide! From what we've gathered, he's already got quite a love for music, and he truly did enjoy the NEELY concert! Tell you what, our little guy has great musical taste.

Road Trip, Sunglasses, and Swing-sets.

This past weekend, Jake, Spencer, and I took a road trip! It was Spencer's first "official" road-trip, I guess. I don't know what it is about this trip in particular that makes me label it as that, whereas any other trips not...

Anyway, after Jake dropped off Sir Wendell at my cousin's house, the three of us headed from Sioux Falls to the Twin Cities area.

On Friday, we went to Jake's aunt Marlys's house, north (I think) of the cities. We arrived in early evening, while the sun was still out.

We enjoyed spending time with she and her husband, and her husband's sister, while waiting for some of Jake's other family members. His aunt Marlene, her husband, and her granddaughter joined us, as well as Jake's uncle Gaylen and his wife. It was a great time, truthfully! We had supper together, spent all sorts of time talking, and laughing until we had tears in our eyes. Spencer was decided by one aunt to look just like his mommy, and the other decided he looked very much like his daddy. It's always great to hear people's first impressions.

It was wonderful, also, to see uncle Gaylen, who just recently had a pretty severe stroke. He is able to walk, talk, and function. He's not his "old self," necessarily, but he's truly a miracle. We really enjoyed spending time together, all of us. We were sad to see them go that night.

Saturday morning, Marlys made us all waffles, and then our trio ventured into one of the suburbs to see my best friend, Michelle, and her husband, David. Spencer hadn't met "Uncle David" yet, so it was a delight to allow that meeting to happen. Spencer really enjoyed David from the start! They were pretty darling together.

On Sunday, Jake's best friend, Brian, and his girlfriend, Cari, came to David & Michelle's for breakfast, and then our trio went with them to a small community gathering, where we met some new people, who adored Spencer, and had some fellowship. Following that, our trio went to the Mall of America to walk around a bit before making the long trek home. Spencer loved the mall. Nearly as soon as we got inside and he was being pushed around in his stroller he was talking and laughing and kicking his feet, watching everything bustling around him. He did very well, and we were there for a few hours, even!

He did well on the car rides there and back as well, only getting fussy a few times toward the end of each journey, as to be expected. On the way home, we stopped at Country Kitchen in Blue Earth, MN, and were three of probably 18 people in the entire place. We got in, got a booth and a high chair, and plopped SJ in and gave him a cracker. Everyone in the place took notice of him, smiling at him, commenting about him and how adorable he was, or how he was such a good boy. As an elderly couple was leaving, the woman came over to tell us that we have the most precious baby boy she's maybe ever met, and that she could tell we were wonderful, loving parents who were absolutely amazing for him. She reminded us to make sure that SJ knows the Lord. It was really cute. It actually made my day.

Monday, Spencer received a package in the mail from his great aunt SJ, from Washington! Inside were two pair of baby sunglasses, and a super cute, fuzzy, soft teddy bear from the town in which they live. I took the liberty to put them on him and take a few photos, which are displayed here. Funny as it was, we spiked his hair at daycare that day, which seemed very fitting with the glasses on.

Today, Spencer went to a park for the first time ever, during daycare. It was fun! Since the baby swings were being used when we arrived, I sat on a "big swing" with him on my lap and started swinging. He was smiling and talking and laughing as we went through the breeze. After a baby swing opened up, I put him in it. He loved that too. Jillian was awesome and let me borrow her cell phone to take this photo of him, to commemorate the big day!

Assuming the weather is nice enough tomorrow, Jake, SJ, Wendell, and I are probably going to head to the dog park (which is, by the way, officially called "Spencer Park"). Spencer loves watching dogs, and now the swing, so it should be a good time. We'll most likely bring the video camera.

I also believe he'll be painting this week, for the first time. I can't believe he hasn't done any artwork yet!