Happy Belated Birthday Braxton!

Happy Birthday to you, Braxton! You are such the big 4 year old now. Now, you have to take 4 bites of any food mom says 'try'! I have enjoyed living with you and being this close to you and your family. I laugh every time you come to tell me that 'my baby needs me'. You are such the big brother (even to Kaden). Thank you for teaching all of us how to play hard and protect each other.

Braxton wanted to go to Joe's Crab Shack for his birthday...WHY? Well, because he knows his mom and dad will pick an outside table and he and his middle brother can go and play as hard as they can while food is being prepared. Such a smart little cookie!
Braxton learned if you blow through the straw, you will make bubbles! At first, mom and dad had concerned faces but after Karl and Andrish laughed...well, there were a lot of bubbles! It's great being the aunt!

Brazos said, 'anything you can do, I can do as well'...Except, he mostly took in water rather than blew it out of the cup....he caught on later!

Andy, is Braxton getting too tall to carry around?

Braxton is always the helper. He likes to carry things for people.

Brayson had so much fun at Joe's he decided to sour some times with eating the lemons!

Kaden joined in...

Braxton and all of his loot at the actual party on Saturday! He made out like a bandit!

So, his creative Tia Amy and Tio Jorge got Braxton a shuffle for his birthday....he is in heaven. He doesn't quiet have it down that you can't hear what he is hearing. It is soooo funny to watch him clap or snap or sing along...then he'll look at you like, 'why aren't you singing'! It's great....good thinking Perez'.

A splashing good time at the Corn Festival

Have you heard the latest news...Karl and Andrish were in town this year for the Adel Corn Festival....all the sweet corn you can eat for FREE....it's hot, fresh and umm, umm tasty!
Brazos had a bang up good time...no, really he did. He just didn't like the fireman....

Kaden did as well. Although you can't tell, he is sooo proud of his mom and dad!

Really, he likes his freedom!

Seriously, you're going to eat all of THAT CORN....

Even Brayson had a choking great time with all of us.

Braxton stopped moving for 1.2 seconds and let me take this pitcher of him. He was in some one's trailer...

Not pictured: Andy Beck (the excitement of the all parties)

Apparently, Karl recorded Kaden splashing around the other night. He is changing so fast. We bathe him once a month, guess his dad thought it was worth capturing...

The fair's in town, the fair's in town!

Mama Z and Da came up for Braxton's birthday and the Iowa State Fair. We had a blast. The weather was PERFECT (low to mid 80's) and we enjoyed being together. We did miss the Perez gang...Da bought two ram lambs and we all walked and walked, had GREAT lemonade, some wonderful food (leg of lamb burgers....YUM, turkey legs, pork loins, lemonade, corn dogs and funnel cake)! It was fun! We came home exhausted both Friday evening and Saturday as well! All of the boys did fantastic. They were all troopers.

Of course, the fair isn't complete without stopping to play on the Green Machines! I think Braxton and Brazos climbed on EVERY piece of equipment (at least twice) they could find...even some red ones.
Brayson and Kaden shared a stroller for about 10 minutes. Brayson decided he had ENOUGH. He asked to be taken out with a shrill squeal. I don't blame him, Kaden is big and loves to pat on Brayson's head. They were so good though!

Here at the Iowa State Fair, every year a local guy sculpts a cow and some other fun things out of BUTTER! How fun is that! The same cow is here every year. It is something to see.

This year, along with the cow stood Shawn Johnson. It was pretty neat.

Da, Braxton and Brazos Friday night waiting for something to happen. We watched the sheep show, played in the pens, watched the horses get ready for the parade, bought hats, ate, saw the biggest sow (1200 plus pounds) walked, walked and walked.

Saturday, while Mama Z, Andy and Neil took Braxton and Brazos through the Hands on Children's Farm, Kaden, Karl, Brayson, Da and I chilled in the grass. Well, dad cat napped, Karl stretched out and Brayson and Kaden took advantage of being out of the Snugly or stroller and stood/pulled up on everything/one!

We found some of the BEST lemonade in the world. I have had some pretty good stuff, but this ranks at the top! It was AWESOME. Even Kaden and Brayson took to the actual lemons themselves. They loved the cold peel!

Karl and I being goofy in the sheep barn while Da and Neil figure out how to get the sheep home to Texas (Mama Z and Da flew up).

Mama Z and Neil. Mama Z was such a HUGE help. She and Da would take Brayson or Kaden and hold them when they got restless in the strollers. THANKS for all of your love and help!

Beautiful picture of Neil...sorry Neil. But Brayson was so cute. Neil and Andy carried him most of the two days. He was just sacked out here!

Brazos playing in the pens that were located in the sheep barn. They were more like cattle pens than sheep. They were empty, cleaned out and easily accessible for the boys! They climbed, opened, shut and shewed the 'sheep' all over the place for about 20 minutes.

Braxton scaling the cattle panel in the sheep barn.

We had a blast as you can tell. We look forward to this time next year. Braxton will talk about this weekend until it comes around again. Every time we go by down town, Braxton will ask if we are going to the fair with Mama Z and Da. It is most certainly a staple in this little boy's life!

Talking bout a bunch of ....

My loving, super, sweet husband decided he would teach Braxton and Brazos a song. Do you think he chose a song with lots of hand and feet movement, with silly sayings and a beat that is appropriate for kids.....NO. He taught them Shift Work. The first time I heard Braxton singing it, I stopped, turned and asked, 'what did you just say'! Every time I have tried to record them singing it, Braxton shuts down completely. So, the other night in the car, Karl wound them up and off they went. The picture is horrible but the singing is....well.....we'll call it....caught on record!

Kaden is 8 months old...

Kaden is now 8 months old and he is just going.

He has two bottom teeth and four breaking through the top.

When we came home from Texas, his daddy decided it was time for a haircut. So, Karl, Andy, Kaden, Braxton and Brazos all lined up for the chair. Even Brayson had his turn this time. It was a first for Kaden and Brayson and they took it like a pro. Karl did a good job on everyone and we are thankful he can do this for us!

Karl is letting Kaden touch the vibrating clippers. Kaden doesn't have much hair on top but the back and sides were getting long. The sides of his hair was starting to grow over his ears and on the back of both sides of his head he has two wonderful cal-licks. So, his daddy took care of all of it.
After Karl cut the first side, I asked if we could leave the rest uncut. He looked so big. I didn't like the fact that it aged him so!
He sat like a champ and we collected most of his hair from his first hair cut!

Oh, the pain of my little boy looking older than he should.

The back all trimmed up. Doesn't it look so nice!

This is one proud daddy!

The proud daddy trying to take a picture of all three of us...

Here we are with one trimmed up little 8 month old!

The boys were all downstairs playing the other night and they were each in their own corner doing their own thing. I have the back of all of their heads but I wasn't about to disturb any of them. We are enjoying being this close to our cousins. We have leaned so much and we are gaining so much. Brazos LOVES Kaden and he is so sweet. He will mimic him all the time...Kaden loves the attention. Braxton loves to take his trucks and put them in Brayson's bed. I guess he thinks that is the safest place from Kaden. He will usually go and get Kaden a toy if he sees him heading over to play with his tractors or trucks....it is too sweet. Brayson just smiles at Kaden...or whoever is in the room. Kaden likes to try to kiss him and take things from him. We love being this close to our cousins! It is truly a blessing!

Before hair cuts the other night, I was instructed to come to the door. Karl had rigged Kaden up to Brazos and he was getting a free ride. Brazos kept trying to get away with second gear. He was funny. His eyes would corner (mischievously) and he would 'accidentally' push the handle into second gear....until mean ol' uncle Karl stopped him. It was a fun evening.

Ava Odell Fry

On August 4th at 12:38 in the morning, Ava Odell Fry was born to Micah and Jennifer Fry. She weighed 7lbs 12 ozs and was 19 1/2 inches long.

Ava is Micah and Jennifer's first and the first girl grandchild on both sides. We haven't seen a picture of her yet but Jennifer said she has olive color skin, dark hair and sweet little legs. You can keep updated with them on the Fry's blog.

http://jenniferandmicah.blogspot.com/

We enjoyed our time in Texas. We even were able to go and spend an evening at Pam and Michael's. Kaden grew to love Michael, he let him play in his ice tea glass and fed him whip cream at Braum's. I have to watch that Michael Fry...

Lyneil and Kaden at Granny and Papa's house. Kaden was hanging on with every thread he had left in him. He needed to take a nap and was defiling all odds of closing his eyes. Neil found a way to change his attitude from sour to happy. Sorry the video is turned wrong.

Turner Time

While in Texas we were able to spend some time with Sherry and Chad as well. Being that both of them were on crutches, Kaden and I were able to stay and help them out a bit. We were able to see most of Karl's cousins. The only bad thing was, Karl was not able to be with us to enjoy any time with them. We'll look forward to the reunion in the fall!

Aunt Heather - Kaden - Sherry
Daddy Mac (Karl's dad) and Kaden

Kaden and Biscuit

Sherry, while you and Chad were "working", Kaden decided to clean Biscuit's bowl. I had just cleaned it out and filled it with water. Needless to say, it needed to be refilled!