Happy 28th Birthday, Garrett!

Garrett is turning 28 this month! He was a fun-loving little boy and very busy exploring and learning. Here are some pictures from when he was a toddler and preschooler. 

He loved to wear this Superman cape

When Garrett was about 14 months, I wrote, Garrett is really good at keeping himself occupied if he is not hungry or tired. I can't spend much time holding him because he won't let me unless I am cooking at the same time or if I'm reading him animal books with lots of animal sounds. Keeping himself occupied means lots of dumping and messes. When I am sewing, he likes to cruise around the room opening the drawers of my sewing cabinet and clearing off the things next to my bed. He likes to open my thread case and get out all the thread and bobbins and make a big mess. Once I had a big bucket of flour out with the lid off. Garrett came along and couldn't resist putting his foot in it. He was a busy boy. About this same time, he started chattering a lot. It sounded like it made perfect sense but we couldn't understand a word he was saying. He was convinced that he was communicating clearly. 

At church he was very friendly and would go to just about anyone.

Here he is holding the famous measuring cups he loved to carry around and use for all purposes--weapons, scoopers, etc.

One memorable story happened when Garrett was about 18 months. He was put into bed because he was so unhappy and wouldn't calm down. We heard him screaming from his bed and then suddenly there was a big thunk and everything was quiet. So we went up to check on him and he had thrown himself out of his crib. Fortunately he wasn't usually willing to risk life and limb to get out of his crib most of the time.

Once, not long after Lincoln was born, Garrett wandered out the front door without my realizing it and wandered into the neighbor's house because their front door was slightly ajar. The neighbor was NOT pleased and I was a little embarrassed that I wasn't keeping better track of him. 

Garrett liked to follow his two older brothers around. Frequently they would build forts and Garrett would think it was a game and he was supposed to tear them down. In a different game, David would charge after Garrett on his hands and knees and Garrett would love to run away or turn and attack.

Garrett also loved to play in the sink with water and cups and spoons. It would make a big mess with water on the floor but it allowed me to cook dinner with a cheerful child.

Garrett was a really social child and loved to talk to people and say hi. He had no fear of strangers.

After we moved to Utah, I had a joint pirate birthday party for Jan and Garrett. Garrett loved to dress up and pretend to be various characters.

This picture was taken in Maryland during cherry blossom season before we moved in '98.

Garrett was usually pretty happy...

Camping at Zions

Garrett went to a neighborhood preschool the year he turned 4 and the teacher had the moms make cowboy vests for the students and I also made one for Lincoln. Here they are are at his graduation:

So this was the Halloween costume the next fall:

Garrett went to BYU preschool the next year when he turned 5 and he learned to read that year. So I decided to have him tested to skip kindergarten. He passed and this is a picture from his first day of first grade when he was 5 1/2. He was a little guy.

Sometimes he had trouble going to sleep so this was his solution one night. I don't know how he went to sleep like this.

Here is Garrett with his new baby sister at the hospital. He loved holding her. She didn't always love being held.

Garrett has been a great addition to our family and is doing a great job being a good husband and father now with his own family. Happy Birthday, Garrett!