A little more Burke

My Rooster

This is who I wake up to in the morning.

The Army Crawl

This is Burke at 5 months.

Working to perfect the army crawl

Formally Announcing

Announcing Burke! I have been putting off making any formal announcements for Burke until I could get a decent picture. After several (failed) attempts, I was still unhappy with all the pictures we had in terms of something to put out to the world more than a snapshot. Let's face it, I am not a professional, but I know what looks chintzy. I finally resolved to settle, but quickly decided to take one more shot at some quick pictures. While at my parents' house, everyone else was gone, I snapped a few quick pictures of Burke, and this is the result.

We All Fall Down

Only, I wasn't singing a song. I wasn't praying either (for those that know that story). After a rough week dealing with an infant and the jetlag that accompanies a 10 hour time change, I fell down when I missed a step at the bottom of the stairs. At least, I think that is what happened. It was about 2am.

The next day, we headed to the hospital for x-rays to rule out broken bones. Both feet hurt so much that Travis had to carry me to and from the car. The result was finding out that I had two sprained feet.

My feet were wrapped and I was sent on my way to care for a 2 year-old & 5 month-old & the only medicine was a gel for the pain since I am nursing. Frankly, it did nothing helpful. Luckily, I have kind people who found out and brought us dinner and an amazing visiting teacher/friend who came to my rescue by doing my dishes & floors, not once, but twice & provided delicious dinner. I am so grateful for all of them.

This picture is courtesy of Leoni's budding photography interest.

The Return Flight

Sadly, we couldn't stay in the US forever, and we needed to return home to Qatar.
Overall, the travel was uneventful, and both kids were quite good again, especially considering the number of travel hours.

The first flight (LAS to ORD) was an all female flight crew. They let Leoni sit in the cockpit. I only let her stay for a minute because much longer and she would have been all over the controls and buttons.

The blessed Trunki that made switching flights much easier with a toddler in tow. She rode most of the time.

Leoni's favorite sunglasses, which also open to clear glasses, each lens independently. Unfortunately, she lost them, probably in the very crowded tram we took from one terminal to another. We didn't have time to go back and look for them once we realized they were gone.

The Girls

Two in the nursery...fast asleep

Grandpa Nor

He sings cowboy songs.

Labor Day Picnic

On the actual observed day of Labor Day, we decided to go to the park for a picnic. The day got away from us, and it was getting late, so we decided to pick up food rather than make it ourselves. I had really been wanting Port of Subs, so we looked up online where the closest one was located since the one I grew up with had moved. Travis saw you could place your order online and then pick it up, so we chose sandwiches and ordered.

My parents went to pick up sandwiches and we headed for the park. En route, we received a call that the Port of Subs we thought our order was at was closed. My parents quickly headed for another location. In the mean time, we arrived at the park only to find construction & a closed down playground. My parents called us again to say the second location was closed and they were going to go to a nearby Subway instead, however, they needed new orders. I figured out and communicated orders while Travis drove through the new section of the park. We saw there was a playground there, so we decided to check it out.

In the end, the park was geared to a little older age group, but it was fine, and we did have food to eat. It was late & quite dark, but we made the most of our time and the flash.

Lindsay & Burke

Leoni & Nor

Leoni in the spinning thing that uses gravity,
which is a little difficult when you are under 30 lbs.

Grandpa Nor showing how it's done

Burke didn't make it turn at all but had fun sitting in it.

Forcing Nona to ride & take a picture

Walking through the snake tunnel

Another gravity fueled activity

Swinging

Sitting

This is the best we could get with all of us.
Leoni just wanted to lie down.

Sunrise, Sunset

Just a Las Vegas sunset from my parents' front yard.

Cheese

Sometimes, I even manage to get a photo with my kid.

Visiting Greats

Both of my paternal grandparents are still alive, and we had a chance to spend some time with them so they could meet Burke and visit with Leoni.

Great Grandpa & Burke

Great Grandma & Leoni

Leoni & her great grandparents

All of us

Labor Day Barbeque

On the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, we got together with friends for a barbeque. Mostly, we just wanted an excuse to get together and chat. After the fact, I realized I didn't take very many pictures, so this is what I have.

The men by the grill

Hyte friends

Larsens

Heidi hanging out with the kids

First time meetings

I just love her face in this. It's too bad it is blurry.

Beauty Is in the Eye of the Beholder

I get to look at this cute little girl all day

Unfortunately, she also has to look at me

You Can Teach A Child To...

So, we were innocently doing this

While she was doing this

Seems innocent until you realize that this was also happening

And the discovery of what that meant

It is cute...until the instigator decides to encourage squirting other parties who happen to be holding expensive cameras. Luckily, no long term damage was done.

Burke--4 1/2 months

I Love to See the Temple

We decided it would be a good idea to visit the Las Vegas temple as a family because Leoni has been wanting to see a temple (and sometimes confusing the big shiny buildings of Doha for temples). We met our good friend Angela and her son there. She regularly takes him to the temple to walk around the grounds, visit the atrium, and enjoy the artwork in the lobby.

Pressed and dressed
(the feathery tiara did not accompany us)

The men

Leoni pointing and saying, "The temple, the temple!"

She also saw Moroni on top a we drove up and exclaimed, "It's Moroni. He is jumping over my car." One we were inside the atrium, you could look up and see Moroni. There is a water feature in the atrium as well. Of course, Leoni continued talking about Moroni jumping, "He jumps down and is swimming and swimming."

Once inside the lobby, we walked around and looked at the artwork and talked about Jesus.  We talked about how we felt good being in the temple and that even though Jesus isn't there standing with us, we could feel Him in our heart.  Of course, as I said this and pointed to Leoni's heart, I realized she had an actual heart ON her shirt.  I tried to back track, but it was too late.  She now calls it her Jesus shirt because "Jesus is in the heart."

I did share a photo of our family at the temple in another post, but it was actually cropped. Jasper was an honorary member of our family, especially because he looked at the camera and smiled much better than either of our kids. See below.