Visit from Uncle Perry

I really needed to get some time to update Brycn's blog and the car ride back to the farm is just the opportunity!  Two weekends ago, Brycen spent the weekend at Grandpa & Grandma Blanchard's house.  Brycen had quite the treat because Uncle Perry was back all weekend. They had some wonderful one on one bonding time that normally does not happen with the whole Blanchard clan around.  

Here are some fun pictures to share of their fun together. 

Maintader

Brycen has a love for truck, diggers, tractors and other maintenance vehicles. 

A while ago, he learned what a maintainer was. (It must be a Western Iowa term because Dad calls it a road grader.) We went for a bike ride and noticed it parked by the county shed before we left. As we rode down the road we heard it coming and Brycen so excited to watch it pass us on the road. He wondered where it was going, commented on how noisy it was, and asked all about what it does. 

Brycen calls it a "main-taider" instead of maintainer. It's pretty cute and its fun to watch him light up when he sees it. 

Grumpy Face

A few weeks ago, Brycen was at Jean's house and he had a dog barking while he was swinging. He was showing his grumpy face and Jean quickly snapped a picture. She said that he is such a character and he makes her day. :) We're so blessed to have such a wonderful

woman caring for him every day! He likes to show you his grumpy face sometimes to make everyone laugh.  

Brycen's new swimming gear

Brycen has liked swimming since he was a little baby.  We've done two years of swimming lessons so far and recently purchased a little "vest" for him to wear in the pool.  After just one time wearing the vest, his confidence has exploded to now he feels comfortable being on his own.

This video is from Sunday morning at a hotel in Des Moines.  The pool opened up at 7am and we were down at 7:01.  I snapped his vest on and before I could even grab my camera, he was over half way across the pool.  He was even jumping in the pool again and we let him touch the bottom, too.  I think it really took him by surprise and I'm not sure he really "liked" that part, but he didn't complain either.  I hope he continues to love swimming!

Skylar's birthday party

Brycen's adorable younger cousin, Skylar, had her first birthday party on Saturday. We traveled to Des Moines to meet the Fara and Nadderman family.

Brycen took a long time to warn up to everyone. He had just spent two days away from Mom & Dad so he was a little clingy. On top of that, he napped for about 45 minutes and just woke up prior to pulling up to the park.

After a little food, he turned the table.  He was playing with Logan, Katie, and others at the party.  The afternoon took a downward slide when he refused to nap when we checked into the hotel.  A short half hour swim in the pool lead to a meltdown in the hotel room and we almost skipped supper.  But after a few grapes he came around and we decided to go across the parking lot for supper.  He did alright for the first half hour, but it got to a point where he was crying and wanted to be held.  Brycen simply asked to go to bed.  Burke was finished with supper and decided to walk back to the room and he said that Brycen was asleep within a minute of his little body hitting the bed.

Steve, Logan, Leigh and the birthday girl, Skylar

Logan and Brycen showing off their blue tongues from candy

Katie sitting with Logan and Brycen  (they ADORE her!)

Another day at Grandpa & Grandma's

Brycen has so much fun while at Grandpa & Grandma Blanchard's house.  Here are a few fun pictures to share of him!  The weather was so beautiful last week when he was there and I'm sure that he spent every minute he could outside playing! 

Riding on his new hot wheels that Grandma scored at a garage sale!

Taking a break from mowing

Helping fill the bird feeder 

Time at Gramps and Grandma Blanchard's house

Brycen went to Grandpa and Grandma Blanchard's house last week in Thursday and Friday. Grandma had lots of plans and she was kind enough to even take pictures and write down some of their fun on Thursday: 

Such a gorgeous day to go to a splash pad! 

Brycen has mastered his new-to-him motorcycle!   (Only ran into the flower bed once!)

The apple trees are loaded with apples, and some are falling off.  Brycen picked up a lot off the ground and just before we were going to take a bath, the horses FINALLY came over to our end of their "pasture."   He had waited patiently all afternoon and evening and they finally showed up.  They gobbled the apples!