The Colorful Weekend Continues

It wouldn't be Palm Sunday for a Sechrist without an Easter Egg Extravaganza. Berky wasn't exactly thrilled to do it but at least we got one picture that made it look like he was interested.

Look at cutie Jackson! He was pounding the table for his dad to just let him paint his egg.

In true fashion, the egg Berky did ended up going right between his lips. He was only green for a second because he had a nice good coat of drool to guard his skin.

Hare Krishna

Every year the Hare Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah has The Festival of Colors. I'm not sure if they do it everywhere, but they do it here and its a lot of fun...a little different with an infant but still fun.
We met up with Shawn's sisters Amy and Bethany and our nephew Kaden to celebrate spring and throw colored, chalky, powdery goodness around. Berky was even pretty excited about it. He was talking and screaming at people, I think because they were very brightly colored and looked pretty silly. Towards the end he got tired and we took off but still, it makes me feel good when I'm able to get out and do things. Sometimes it feels like I can't do anything with a baby but that's not really true. Last Saturday Berky flapped his arms at Johnny Depp's portrayal of the Mad Hatter and this Saturday he became a cultured Hare Krishna boy. What's next? Stay tuned for first baby in space...

To The Left, To The Left

Maybe you won't find this as amusing as I do but I think its quite silly.

Lately when I give Berky a toy, he takes it for a few seconds and tosses it to the left. Today two different times I kept doing it until we were out of toys and snapped some shots.

I wonder if this means he'll be left handed? I smell a Major Leaguer (that's baseball Shawn...they like lefties.)

Abara Ka Dabara

For Shawn's birthday last May I got him a TV. For the kitchen. See, Shawn wanted a TV on our main floor and I didn't, so for his birthday I gave in...kind of. I mean, I couldn't have it in the living room, could you imagine?

In truth, its been great. Great except for the fact that its sitting in the window cut out from our kitchen into our living room so we get a lovely esthetically pleasing view of the back of a TV in our living room. No more! After trying to cover it up or mask it with plants, vases, Christmas decorations and more I finally did something about it.

Now you see it

Just purchased a single picket (I'm assuming its called a picket) fence slab from Home Depot, had the kind man there cut it into four pieces and with a two coats of paint and some hinges I have a mini-screen and a somewhat permanent solution. Voila!

Now you don't.

Just ignore the cords ok...I'm not that crafty.

6 Months, Are You Kidding Me?

How is he 6 months old already? Insanity...don't say it...don't say it...they grow up so fast...aw man, I said it. It really is crazy how much he's grown. He was barely 6 pounds when he was born..the 10th percentile and now:

Weight: 15lbs 12 ozs 25th percentile
Height: 26 inches 50th percentile
Head 17 1/2 inches 80th percentile

Uh oh, someone got the Sechrist curse! Do you see his head in relation to his other measurements? Madness.

Berkley:

-smiles a lot at mom and dad
-loves to eat mom's face
-laughs when you tickle his thighs, armpits and chin
-loves bath time and splashing
-grabs everything
-rolls over, this is kind of a new trick because even though he rolled over at 4 monthes, he didn't again for a month and then a few weeks...and just very sporatically only the past few days has he begun doing it every single time he's put on his belly
-laughs out loud at goofy dances and noises
-startles super easily (he's always stated very easily)
-sleeps 12 straight hours through the night
-doesn't like strangers, he mostly just stares at them with his mouth hanging open

Who Doesn't Love Spring?

Berky and I have been living it up! We're loving this weather. With the swings, and many long walks and just playing in the yard. I really think he likes it, more to look at, nice breezes to tickle his face and he gets to watch mommy dig in the dirt.

I've clipped and cleaned up my flower beds and even planted some seeds, not the mention the ones I have started in my top secret Greenhouse location. I'm so excitied for my things to grow.

Here's Berky outside playing while I was gardening. I thought he looked cute under the umbrella...I'm gonna have to watch that rosy cheeked, auburn haired white boy. Just bought some SPF 70 and swim trunks with a long sleeve rash guard. I hope his skin stays healthy!

More Fun Than A Barrel of Monkeys

A special chair, that bounces and spins and is surrounded by toys???

That Santa Claus sure knows how to make a baby boy happy.

What a cute little chunk!

That Daddy, he's always trying to steal Berky's toys.

All of this fun talk has me thinking...these things should come with a warning, I mean, maybe its just my baby but man, this thing sure does bring on the poops. Almost as soon as he gets in it he starts pushing, and its always a disaster because every time he poops in his saucer he shoots straight up the back due to the pressure. Oh Santa, what have you done?

A First Time For Everything

For making funny faces for the camera on purpose...ok not on purpose.

For sucking a pointer finger in a swing.

Oh yeah, for being in a swing period.

For being super cute in a swing.

And for telling mom with a glare that's enough pictues of me in the swing.

What We Do Part Deux

We eat fingers...

We try again, ever so hard to get that big black thing mom puts in front of her face...

And we steal 3rd class mail right out of Mommy's hands...oooh Ulta is having a sale.

What We Do

We hang out at home, and work on our sitting skills, which we are getting pretty good at. We don't mean to brag but we're talking like, 15+ seconds without falling. Another thing we're getting GREAT at is grabbing anything and everything...like Mommy's camera, Mommy's drink, Mommy's dinner...you get the idea.

Sugary Fried Dough and A Lot of Snow

So in early February Berky and I left on a jet plane and headed to the Keystone State. We went for the ever-so-important holiday of Faaschnacht Day. Debate the spelling if you want but I'm only reading what my dad wrote and if anyone knows, its him.

What is Faaschnacht Day you ask? You know Ash Wednesday? The beginning of Lent? And how the Tuesday before that is also known as Fat Tuesday, well where I come from, where the towns are small, the Walmarts are hopping and where the "o's" are pronounced long and hard it is Faaschnacht Day. Some say a Faaschnacht is merely a doughnut but we, the few, the proud, the Pennsylvania Dutch, know better.

First you make some dough using a recipe with measurements such as "3 handfuls of flour" and have Grandma Sechrist remind you that her mother had large hands, then you roll it out, then you slice it up with a generations old Faaschnacht cutter and make a slit in the middle, then you fry it up in lard, Crisco or some other hard fat, never oil...and then...then you place it in a brown bag o' sugar and shake shake shake, shake shake shake, shake your booty.

And here's the real test people...what you do next determines who you really are. Do you choose powdered sugar, or granulated?

Wrong, you chose wrong. The correct answer is granulated.

It might sound like unhealthy madness, and in truth it is, but its a family- nay, a cultural tradition and a fun one at that! It had been nearly a decade since I dived into these delectable treats but don't worry...I made up for lost time.

And then of course, there was the quality family time. We were all forced together under one roof when the first big snow fall of 2010 came. It was great to see that much snow come down...it doesn't snow like that in the valley where I live. Mendy, Michael, Laura, Adam, Amber, Alex and I all went sledding that night while dad dragged us around with the tractor. Good times.

On the inside of the house the cousins were doting on Berky like mad. He had a good time with them but I think his favorite "new" family member he met would have to be his Great Grandma. Berky and GG got along like old friends, he talked her ear off and I think she loved to listen.

What a fun trip. Thanks for the good time everybody!

It's Not Bragging...

...it's gratitude.

I've been married now for 2 years and 1 1/2 months and let me tell you what...I'm lucky. Now don't stop reading just because you think this is going to be a mushy tribute about Shawn its not...

(I mean he's great, I love him, he's changed my life in so many ways and given me the gift of an eternal family and the cutest baby in the whole entire world...except for yours of course, but)

... because of my husband I am able to cross about a zillion things off of my mental bucket list.

I remember being tagged a while back and one of the things was list a certain number of things you want, I know I listed small things and things I never thought would happen, wreaths for my windows, a Nativity, a Wii, new basement furniture, a baby, a car with both working air conditioning and a stereo, a trip to Egypt...and these are just the things I remember because I have them. Now again, this isn't bragging...I mean the basement furniture was passed about 12 generations and 15 families down and it showed and the car, did you see what my requirements were? I think they speak for themselves. Egypt I'll give you. That was a super bonus and its a pretty awesome stamp in my passport. And now we're going to Hawaii in May. Who hasn't always wanted to go to Hawaii? Sometimes it seems like I'm the only person who never has.

Why then am I concerned with the "baby" item on my list coinciding with the Hawaii trip? It's going to be ok right? I'll still love it right? Tell me I'll love it.

Giggles and Squeals

Some silly videos of Berky. Some of him freaking out over right cereal and him laughing hysterically over looking at some new clothes of his. Mostly this is for the grandparents, and to get Shawn off my back so I'd post them.

Don't go expecting any James Cameron type cinematography though, we're talking cell phone cameras here.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

So I haven't posted in a decade. It all started when I went to PA and forgot my SD Card for my camera and then had to use my dad's and he still hasn't sent me the pictures and I like to blog chronologically. Alas, I still have no pictures and I'd love to blog about Pennsylvania and Berky meeting new relatives and Fastnacht Day and everything but it just ain't happenin' yet.

So, while my home fills with the intoxicating aroma of cinnamon swirl bread from the oven, I'll post some pictures of my son...which come to think of it were taken before the Pennsylvania trip. Huh...