Little Blurbs by Ryan

Ryan is one of the funniest kids I know. He is always saying something that makes us laugh out loud! Here are some of our recent favorites....

~Last night we went out to eat with Noni. While trying to decide where each of us would sit, Ryan said, "Well, this side is for dudes. Mommy and Noni go over there" and pointed to the other side of the table.

~He really holds us accountable in our prayer time. If he's ever even heard us say that we will pray for someone, you'd better believe that they are getting prayed for multiple times a day. Two nights ago I was saying prayers with him before bed. Our routine prayer includes praying for "Miss Fania, the man that Daddy gave his sandwich to, the man that Mommy gave her water to, the people that don't have homes, Mr. Jerry (Caleb's grandpa), Mrs. Katrina (a friend with Leukemia), Mr. Ray (Miss Katy's grandpa), Mr. Al's finger (a guy Rob works with), and little Layla Grace (a two year old that was diagnosed with cancer and didn't have long to live)." Well, that morning Layla Grace had passed away and I was trying to explain to Ryan that we no longer needed to pray for her to be healed. I was telling him that little Layla Grace had gone home to be with Jesus and that she was playing with the angels in Heaven. Ryan asks, "Mommy, where is Heaven?" I explained that it's way up high, above the clouds, where God and Jesus live. In his oh-so-innocent voice he says, "Well, when I go up in an airplane, I'm going to look for Heaven and God." My heart melted!

~A few nights ago, again I was saying prayers with Ryan before bed. I was at the part where we pray for Mr. Al's finger and he stopped me. He said, "No Mommy, we not pray for his finger anymore." (I guess he had overhead a conversation Rob and I had about Al getting out of the hospital...and figured we didn't need to pray for him anymore.) He proceeded to make me take back my prayer for Mr. Al. Rob was in the other room trying to keep from laughing out loud as he heard me literally take back my prayer for Al's finger!

~Rob and I had a discussion in the car about how we were going to use our tax refund (how much to put into savings, how much to put towards debt, how much we need for our trip to NC this summer, etc.). We got home and got the boys bathed. I was getting Drew dressed in his pajamas and Ryan comes walking in the room. He says, "I think we should use the tax refund to buy a Wii" and then turned and walked out of the room. As he was leaving he said under his breath (while looking down and slowly shaking his head) "Man, I really want a Wii." Where does this kid get these things????

~Yesterday, we were out in the backyard enjoying the nice weather. I was pushing both boys on the swings. Ryan said "Mommy, push me REALLY high!" So I gave him a great-big shove. He looked up at the clouds and said, "I'm so high that I'm almost to Heaven. Watch out God, here I come!!!"

~Anytime that we are riding in the car, Ryan likes for Rob and I to tell him stories. It can be something made up, something that we remember from when we were kids, something about him as a baby...he doesn't care, as long as it's called a "story." On occasion, Ryan will ask us if we want to hear a story...and then he'll proceed to make up one. Here's how it ALWAYS goes. "Do you want to hear the story of the two turtles going to Target? Two turtles were sleeping. They got in the car and put on their seat belts. They went to Target and it was closed. So they went back home. And the mommy and daddy were sleeping at Target. Do you want to hear the story about two bears going to Target? Two bears were sleeping. They got in the car and put on their seat belts. They went to Target and it was closed. So they went back home. And the mommy and daddy were sleeping at Target. Do you want to hear the story about two bunnies going to Target....." and it goes on and on....the same story, different characters. I have no idea where he got this story from, but it's always the same. (Even when he goes a month or more without telling it to us.)

My boys

Ryan had his first "sleepover" last Thursday night. One of my friends from church, Sarah, has twin boys that are Ryan's age. Her husband is deployed overseas right now, and I thought it would be a nice treat for her and her kiddos (Alex and Nate). Her boys have never spent the night away from home without her there, so we decided it might be better if she stayed over, too. So, they loaded up all of their gear and headed over to our house. They all had SO much fun. We went out to dinner at Casa Ole (only a kid-friendly place would do), they played trains when we got home, watched Monsters Inc before bed (while all laying on the coffee table), and ate pancakes the next morning. Overall, the night was a success! (And hopefully a little "break" for Sarah, as we let her sleep in!)




Ryan is such a big boy. At night, we read a book to him, say prayers with him, and the leave him on his own. He brings a book (or two) to bed with him and reads to himself. When he gets tired, he turns off his lamp and goes to bed. Rob and I wait until he turns off his light and is quiet before we head to bed. Some nights we sit and wait, and wait, and wait...and after a while, we go in to check on him. These are a few pictures of what we find when we go into his room. I guess he gets so "into" his books, that he falls asleep while reading them (with the lamp still on). It cracks us up! (Not only that he falls asleep with the book still open, but that he has his "sleep mask" on too!)



Drew officially has 4 teeth...and he LOVES to show them off. One of his other favorite things to do...put your finger in his mouth and say "Bite my finger." He bites down as hard as he can...just to hear you squeal, or scream "Ouch!" Then he cracks up laughing!



Now that the weather has gotten a little nicer, the Nordlander family decided that it was time to work on the garden. (Ryan has been bugging us for a while about it!) This year, we plan on having two gardens, in two different parts of our backyard. The one that we grew tomatoes in last year will now be filled with flowers. The new one (in our side yard) will be where we grow some veggies. If you ask Ryan what he wants to grow in his garden, his response is, "Carrots, popcorn and chicken!" Without fail, those are the three things he's determined we will plant! (Sometimes he'll add in pizza or zucchini.) I don't know how we're going to explain it to him when popcorn and chicken don't grow!



Drew has FINALLY started walking. It's now his main mode of getting from Point A to Point B (although he will occasionally take a break and crawl). He decided to show off his new-found walking skills while Daddy and Ryan were working in the garden! He LOVES being outside (and eating dirt, too). And, of course, he doesn't do ANYTHING without his tongue sticking out!