Two and a half!

Ryker was spoiled this year for Easter.  He had 4 Easter egg hunts.  I think that the first one he ever went to in his life, probably spoiled it for all the others.  At a local mega-church, they had the Easter bunny flying a helicopter and dropping eggs onto a football field where the children could then run out and collect them.  They did the helicopter egg drops every 7 minutes for a little over 2 hours.  It was crazy!  Then he had the egg hunt at his Grandma Voorhies' church, one with his friends, and of course ours at the house on Easter day.  He really was not a die-hard easter egg hunter.  He would walk to get a few eggs and be completely content, which was great because there were so many kids (and sadly parents) that were running, pushing, and shoving to get eggs that were all gone in just a couple of minutes.  It was nice to not be caught up in that and just enjoy his wonder without all the greediness. In addition to egg hunts, the Easter festivities included dying eggs, bounce houses, decorating sugar cookies, playing with friends, and meeting the Easter bunny (he was not a big fan).

Was not thrilled being so close to the Easter Bunny

Loved seeing the Easter Bunny flying a helicopter

Dying Easter eggs

Easter fun with friends

Egg hunt with Grandma Voorhies

Ryker is definitely a daddy's boy.  He loves his silly dad tons and misses him so much when he is at work.

Ryker went and got Jon's work backpack, put it on, and went to the door.  He told me, "Bye bye Mommy, I am going to work with Daddy."

Then he went outside, got on his car, and said it again, waving as he drove away.

Ryker is so lucky to have so many people that love him just like family.  Across the back alley at our temporary residence at our friend David's, there is a very dear special friend Ryker calls "Miss Kaffy" (Kathy).  She has become like a "bonus grandma" to Ryker and she got this amazing vintage Huffy Puffy train with which Ryker adores playing.

Science time with the Siows

Some of Ryker's favorite sayings of late are:

• Stop it - we are working on making this one into something a bit more polite when he is asking someone to stop something...like "no thank-you".
• All by myself - he will completely undo something if he wanted to do it by himself so he can do the complete activity totally on his own without any assistance.
• I huff, I puff, I blow your house down - he loves to say this when he is outside the door, or at the pretend houses at the playground, but will do it at any time followed by some pretty intense blowing.
• Oh, okay - he uses this all the time after you tell him something.  He kind sounds like a valley girl when he says it.
• What is that? - Starting to get the inquisitive questions over and over.  Typically my answer to him is followed by the phrase above.
• Hooway, hooway - His version of "hooray, hooray" when he is jumping up and down excited about something.

Sleep eating ice cream...in true Brewer style (Don't mess with our ice cream).

He really enjoys playing with his "beach in a box".  It is a flour and baby oil mixture that can be shaped like wet sand.

Ryker loves to sing.  His favorites are: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, 5 Little Ducks Went Swimming One Day, the Batman theme song (Na na na na na na na na BATMAN!), the ABCs (his occasionally skips some and doesn't quite articulate LMNO), and songs that he makes up.

Ryker sings the ABC's (he skips some sometimes, this happens to be one of those times).

New summer haircut...I just adore this sweet face!

Having fun with a can of shaving cream and sliding on a tarp in the backyard.

Ride 'em cowboy!

Ryker has such a sweet spot for babies.  He absolutely adores them and tries to give kisses and hugs and talks in his "sweet baby voice".  When he sees one at the store he begs me to follow them.  One time he was cooing at a baby at Target while the proud new mom of the newborn showed off her baby.  When the mom said goodbye and started pushing the cart away, Ryker threw himself on the floor of Target and had a tantrum because we couldn't take the baby home with us.  A little embarrassing, but so sweet!

Meeting baby Landon

This boy is nuts for parks!  We usually go to at least one a day.

Looking comfortable on Uncle Colin's mic already.

I love the songs he makes up.  One especially for me - the Mommy song.  I love how he goes into rockstar/yelling mode to change things up a bit.

The car song...must tune the guitar, of course.

And a little harmonica.  Love how he thanks the "audience".

These sweet friends have been hanging out together since they were about 3-4 months old.

Sweet kissing friends.  Hopefully her daddy doesn't see this video!  I love his kissing face.

Thumbs up for TONS of pool time this summer.

Ryker loves the water.  He spent hours climbing up the ladder, sliding down, and then swimming across the pool to do it all again.  He did it over 50 times!

I am amazed daily at how incredibly clever a two year old can be.  For example, Ryker asked for some fruit snacks (a rare treat for him).  When I said no, he got pretty upset as most 2 year olds do and kept asking.  He got over it and I forgot about it. About 5 minutes later he came in holding his doll and patting her back.  He kept saying, "It's okay baby".  I asked him why baby was crying.  He replied that she wanted fruit snacks and we better give her some fruit snacks to make her feel better. Seriously?  If he is this manipulative now...we are in trouble!

Ryker celebrates his half birthday!