Dear Family and Friends,
Since the biggest events in the Bishop family’s life this past two weeks were Mother’s Day and the annual fathers and sons campout, Kim felt it was appropriate for me to write this week’s update. I guess she is entitled to a break from it once and a while.
Well on May 5 and 6, Aiden, Greyson, Gage, Grandpa Bishop and I packed up the van and headed out to Lake Mead for our ward’s annual campout. We weren’t sure who would be attending since the Wednesday before we were supposed to go, Aiden came down with the stomach flu that seemed to be making the rounds. The poor kid missed his soccer pictures that day because he could not keep anything down and was just miserable. He kept insisting that he wanted to go, so when I got home from work, I found him in his uniform sitting on the couch with a blank look and a big kitchen bowl on his lap. Kim said it had been a good hour or more since his last incident so we decided to try. We made it down the driveway and one house past ours before that bowl came in real handy. So Aiden missed his pictures despite his iron will. By Thursday, Aiden seemed to be just fine, but we were bracing for the other boys to get it. So when we packed up on Friday to go camping, I had visions of a hot tent in the Nevada desert filled with sick little vomiting boys. Boy was I excited!
Everything turned out excellent however. Thanks to my dad, Gage was able to come this year. I wasn’t sure if I could handle keeping three little boys from stepping on rattlesnakes (which we saw) or keeping them from drowning or all the other things that must be done with three little boys under the age of 6. Grandpa was just what this daddy needed though. He would take the boys down to the water while I would work around camp. He was such a huge help that I couldn’t have done it without him.
As far as funny and not so funny updates on everyone:
- Jace fell off the bed. Yep, we knew it was inevitable given our track record for the other boys. Kim placed all kinds of pillows around him except by his feet, and then stepped out of the room to check on the boys. Sure enough, the one direction you wouldn’t expect him to roll, he chose. He loves his mom so much, he immediately stopped crying however as soon as she picked him up. Now he is trying to crawl to get the things he wants, but much like Greyson, his stoutness makes this quite a task.
- Kim taught preschool this past week and frantically remembered on Thursday that Mother’s Day was coming up. So she got out some beads and plastic thread so each of the kids could make their moms a gift. Of course Aiden was one of the preschool kids. On Sunday morning, Aiden bolts right up and asks Kim if it is Mother’s Day. When she replied affirmatively, he excitedly replied that he needed to get her surprise out of his drawer. When Kim played with him by acting like she didn’t know what he was talking about, he said, "Come on Mom, it has only been two days. Man you are getting old."
- A week or so ago, we had just a few afternoon sprinkles; I wouldn’t even call it rain. The boys had been watching out of the window and couldn’t wait to go outside. As way went outside, they were very disappointed that it had stopped. When I told them that it was OK and that it might start back up again, Greyson corrected me and said, "No Dad. Don’t you mean it will start back down again?" I sure do love my literal Grey Grey.
- We had another vomiting incident with Aiden. This time it was allergy related and in fact Kim is going today to have his lab work done so we can get him some emergency allergy medicine in case he ever needs it. On Sunday we were at Chad and Tara’s house for the whole family get together. Aiden grabbed a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie. After one bite, Aiden said his tongue and lips itched. Next came a few hives. My mom and dad took him to their house since we weren’t sure we had Benadryl at home. After an evening and night of throwing up and watching him like a hawk, he was fine. So now we know both cashews and macadamias.
- Greyson had a little gas the other day, and when Kim asked him if he was the one with the poots, he replied, "No, the burps just keep coming out of my booty."
- Gage continues to have good days and bad days as far as letting his rage out. He definitely loves his little brother though and will often lay down with him and bring him blankets. After sharing a rough night with him at the campout on a leaky air mattress, I think he and I have bonded a little more. The other day before I left for something – which it seems like I am always leaving for something – Gage said he wanted a hug, then unprompted, he said, "I love you Dad." Not bad for a little 2-year-old whose nickname is "Gagezilla."
- Grey is showing a little artistic knack for sculpting with foil. Kim bought Ding Dongs for the boys – you know the little chocolate cakes. Grey has fashioned the foil wrappers into a purse for Kim and knife – for his enemies I guess.
- Mother’s Day went pretty well. Even with 9 a.m. church, we managed to squeeze in some pineapple pancakes with coconut syrup – thanks to the delicious mix from Lehi Roller Mills. When we came home, Kim opened her gift – an Apple laptop that I picked up on Ebay. She had wanted one to help her with family history work, so hopefully this does. The night before the boys and I updated her paper flower picture display with some recent pictures of the boys – especially since there was none of Jaceroo.
So, having now fulfilled my authorship obligations for at least a year I would think, I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day!
Love,
Kim, Mitch, Aiden, Greyson, Gage and Jace!
