heaven

As I folded the laundry, Lea tip-toed in to show me she could walk "en pointe" (a term my ballet-loving girl learned from a Fancy Nancy book). 

She said, "You used to do this when you were three or four, too"
"I did?  How do you know? You weren't born yet."
"Where was I?"
"Still in heaven, waiting to be born, with Heavenly Father and Jesus."
"Oh yeah.  I like them. And they love me.  We played games there. Matching... and Candyland. And, there are grown up games, too. You would like it."


I'm not sure she can really remember heaven, but I'm glad she knows she is loved by her Heavenly parents. In church, when she climbs on my lap during the sacrament, I whisper in her ear, "The bread and water remind us that Jesus loves Lea." I hope it sticks in her brain for always. Knowing who you are makes all the difference.

sprinkles

This morning, after prayers, Lea leaned over to kiss her daddy and was surprised by his scratchy over-night whiskers.  She reached up to his cheek, rubbed it with her hand, and said, "Daddy,  you have sprinkles on your face!"

Halloween

I think I got the worst Halloween costume pictures of all time this year. Bummer.

But, here is how it went down, in case you were wondering....

Dal was a bat with wings courtesy of a (now dead) umbrella. They looked good, but he found that having such a big wingspan was prohibitive when reaching into candy bowls at the neighbors' houses. He still managed a sugary haul, so I guess it is all good. Oh, and he was a little disgruntled that the wings didn't actually provide flight.

Kate's {simple} request to be a mermaid proved a bit challenging to this mom who refused to create flesh colored anything and doesn't believe in shells for shirts.  Plus, my sewing skills are pretty minimal.  Luckily, she was thrilled with this funny tulle and sparkle fin and even agreed to wear long sleeves.

Have a 2-year-old at Halloween is so fun!  Love this little kitty!

Having a picky 3-year-old is NOT so much fun at Halloween.  Davis had a cute scrubs set, courtesy of Gram, and I cut down one of Chad's old lab coats (he is holding it in his hand), but he refused to wear ANY of it.  Except the stethoscope (his adoration of which provided the inspiration for the costume in the first place). Ah, well, maybe next year.

denial

I've been in denial about summer ending.  Even though the kids have been back in school for nearly a whole term, even though leaves are changing and falling, even though the calendar says OCTOBER, I was still thinking it was 'summertime'; wearing flip flops and short sleeves and basking in the warm weather.  Until yesterday, when Jack Frost blew to town. I guess Fall is really, really here.
Sniff.
I'm just not ready this year.

Lea, enjoying the last warm day with 'trampoline hair.'

pwaytime

The plan was to get the kids down and tackle my still-long Saturday to-do list while Chad spent a late night at the youth dance. But, I couldn't resist her sweet plea to "p-way ponies, Mom!" and I wasn't up for yet another bed time battle with my girl (who is growing out of her 3 hour naps, but still taking them, which translates into not wanting to go to bed.)

We sat on the floor and she dumped out her bag of ponies (as in, My Little); I set to getting them all dressed and accessorized.  Lea started 'cooking' because "Ponies are thirsty, Mom."

"Put in marshmallows. Pour in milk. Mix. Mix. Mix. Sluuuurp! Mmmm! Tasty!  Ponies like to drink it."

When did she start saying marshmallows?  Just last month she would ask for a buffalo when she wanted one.  I miss it. 

"The ponies want to eat popcorn now. Mmm. Yummy! It is amazing!"

{smile} Amazing.  This girl is amazing, if you ask me.

"Hey! Where is the shoe? The pony needs another one.  I don't know? I'll look for it. Hmmm. Hey! My hippo!  See my hippo, Mom?  It is a hat! Uh-oh! Fall off.  Tricky!  I tricky too!" (somersault)

She is pretty tricky at getting out of bedtime, too.

"The pony is thirsty again.  Mix, mix, mix. Oh, yeah.  Boo-yah!"

That one made me laugh, and as I'm chuckling, she looks up, flashes a smile, and says, "I funny?"

It was worth ditching the list.

her words

A couple years ago, I was frustrated with my toddler who had no words.  It was maddening to not know what he needed or felt like or thought.  Now, I have a very vocal two-year-old, and sometimes knowing the mind of a toddler can be just as....well, interesting.

For example:

Today she told me my bottom looks like a pizza.  Let's hope she meant 'thin crust' and 'personal size'.

One of Lea's favorite phrases is "I don't know!" used after questions like, "Why did you dump sand in the car?" and "What happened to all 5 pairs of your shoes?"

Another favorite is when I call to her from another room, "Leeeeeea, what are you doooooing?" and her response is, "I making a mess!" (in the same sing-song way I called to her, of course).

She loves to argue.  Loves it.  Sometimes, she argues with herself.

She tells me she's stinky, demands everything be PINK (already!) and thinks she owns the iPad.

Lucky for me, all this craziness is also mingled with my girl who can count to ten, say her ABCs, sings all day, says "I love you" and "Oh, sorry!", who thinks every building is a temple and loves to say, "I see the temple, mom!"; my girl who 'helps' me read books, still loves naptime, asks to be rocked, and likes to show off her dance moves.

Lea on her birthday!  Happy #2!

Love this little thing!

being there

She is nearly two, which means sometimes life is just too much for words.  And when she can't find her words, a tantrum ensues.
Like today, when, for no apparent reason, she threw her little body onto the floor, kicking and flailing and sobbing.  My coaxing and prodding and pleas for her to tell me what was wrong yielded nothing.  So, I scooped her up and laid down, putting her on my chest.
With her head under my chin and her feet nearly reaching my knees, she calmed down and we lied there together, breathing in syncopation.
IN in
OUT out
IN in
OUT out
Her little chest moved up and down against mine, her breath brushing lightly on my arm. Her curls tickled my face; little toes wiggled on my legs.  For a few minutes it was just me and her, in a moment that no calendar or to-do list can create. She was mine. And I, in that place, with nothing else begging my attention, was what could calm her troubles.
It is good to be the mom.

my girl, on the merry-go-round

blooming

Around these here parts, I'm traditionally the planner, the calendar-keeper, the long-term thinker.

Except when I'm not.

Chad and I seem to be a good balance that way.  I think long term about stuff like family vacations, schools for the kids, record-keeping and decorating the house.  He thinks long term about stuff like money and career and...landscaping.  He has become the 'master' of the plants, spending all his free time learning about shrubs and perennials, measuring spots in our yard for the future size of the trees, learning which trees will hold up well in our windy, sandy terrain.  Several times I've wanted to just "buy the trees, already" (Like my friend, Jenny, said, "Who needs a landscape plan? Does it say 'whatever is on sale at Lowe's' on it, because that is what's going in!").

But, as spring has sprung, Chad and I have both had such fun watching the baby plants we have selected and planted and watered (and crossed our fingers that they would live) take root and grow and BLOOM!  Everything in our yard is still very infantile.  Both of us trot around the yard during the day, adding a little water here, wondering if we should move something where it will get more sun, adjusting sprinklers (well, actually, that is just Chad, but he does it A LOT. And his lawn is lovely, thankyouverymuch).  It is amazing how excited we get over a new bud on the rose bush or a little blossom on the strawberry plant.  Kind of like how we get excited over the little things in our kids' lives, too, I guess.  What a wonderful time of year to watch the world GROW!

Speaking of our REAL babies...here's how they have been blooming:

Lea is blossoming into a two-year-old a bit early, frequently using her new favorite phrases, "Go away" and "I don't like it."  Hmmm.  Fortunately, she is also a little bit of sunshine as she makes us laugh EVERYday with her world observations (Yook, Mom!), endearing requests ("Yet's rock"---as in, rock in the rocking chair and snuggle), and her self confidence ("I did it!  High five!").  Oh, how we adore this little one!

Having a blast on her first zoo trip (since she wasn't an infant)

Davis is (finally) growing into a big boy and figuring out potty training.  It has been a loooong road with this one (and we still have a long way to go), but he is making progress, which is cause for much celebration from the Mommy.

This is as good as it gets when asking him to look at the camera.

Kate has turned gardener, too.  She helped plant the vegetable garden, planted dozens of GIGANTIC sunflower seeds, and is the watering guru.  We will see (hope with us, will you) if anything comes up.

Kate even made her own plant markers to remember what is planted where!

Dallin is emerging as a social butterfly this summer.  His usual homebody ways have blossomed as he has discovered the freedom his bike (and several near-by friends) affords.  He is usually outside, all day, having many adventures.  He is also the most likely to finish all his chores by breakfast, speedy guy, which is wonderful for me (and awful for Kate, who always gets reminded that "Dallin already finished...hurry up")

Dal at his 3rd grade recorder concert (with the bonus of having cousins in town to come!)

It has been a good first week of summer break!

my excuse

As I was making dinner, this little monkey called me from downstairs.  She needed help with her hat.

When I discovered that fried pizza was on her menu, can you blame me for staying to dinner?

And, tea, too!

 "Why yes, I think I will, thank you!"

And, that is why my 'real' dinner was burned.

Doing the sign for 'cook.' This is one smart cookie!

investment

For a mere $2 I bought two days of entertainment.

 It was fun while it lasted.

 Now the stick-ups are all in the garbage and my window needs washing. But, the smiles were worth it.

Right?

17 months

enjoying clementines!

I feel an urgency today to capture these moments of my life with my little one.  Lea is 17 months old...nearly a nursery-age toddler and getting further from 'baby' every day.  Oh how I love this girl of mine.  She is funny and talkative, busy, endearing.  Her latest trick is trying to wink...DARLING! She has finally figured out walking and is going great guns, walking backwards and trying to climb steps on her feet.  She loves to dance, color, wrestle, read books, rock her babies, brush her own teeth, sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Wheels on the Bus," eat treats and fruit and peas, 'help' with laundry, play the piano and imitate her older siblings.  She doesn't like riding in the car, having mom or dad brush her teeth, getting her diaper changed, or sharing toys with Davis.  She is the worlds GREATEST hugger and kisser, always has a smile, is my best sleeper (by far), and loves her binky.

...xoxo to little sis...

breathe

One of the things I look forward to the most is my Thursday morning Yoga class.  Michelle is the best teacher, so in order to make it to her early class, I load up my dressed-fed-packed brood at 8:10 am, drop the big kids off at the bus stop (waving 'I love you' til the bus rounds the bend), check in the babies at child-watch ('look bubbles!' and toy distractions as I sneak out and try to ignore the tears), and {finally} enjoy an hour to breathe.

Delightful.

Last night, sleep was alluding my Davis (although he refused his nap, so I'm not sure why).  He was awake for a good portion of the early morning hours, which means he, of course, fell back asleep about 5am and slept until 9am.  I missed yoga.

As a {not very close} substitute, I trudged my babies and mat down to the basement to yoga with a recorded teacher on the DVR.  She's not as good, and, quite frankly, the focus isn't there when young ones are crawling all over your downward dog and piggy backing on you child's pose.  But, what can you do?

I was feeling a little bit sorry for myself until I noticed my Doobie Doo following along.  He had spread out a blanket as a mat and was working his sun salutations with the best of 'em.  "I did it!" he shouted, when he bent over for down dog.  My self-pity melted away in my awe of this cutie and his desire to follow in my footsteps, do the things I do, garner my praise.

My 'class' was cut short by a little body crawling into my lap while I was trying to forward fold.  But, as I lifted her up, and she arched her back toward  my mat for a belly tickle (her favorite giggle pose), I felt like my morning had gone BETTER than planned.  And, my body felt good.  Not because I had been sufficiently able to stretch, but because I took a minute to breathe, to see my children for the wonder that they are, and to just 'be' in this blessed time of my life.

Ahhhh.

funny things...

...I've noticed lately:

*My baby LOVES babies!  She loves to rock and give her dolls a bottle.  Today she tried to take her doll for a 'walk' in the stroller.  Problem is, she doesn't know how to walk herself.  How can a girl who is still such a baby herself love to play mommy?
* Bitty boy is talking more and has started to SING his little heart out.  I guess I shouldn't say 'start' since he has been singing for a long time, but now I can tell which song he is performing.  Not so much because I can understand the words, but this boy has great rhythm and pitch!
*Sissy is getting so long and lanky.  She has always loved to dangle from a ledge we have in our house, but now her feet reach the floor!  When did she get so big?
* Mr. D is so darling with his face full of grown-up teeth.  Maybe he won't have as awkward an awkward stage as his mother had to suffer!
*I'm not very good at taking pictures of all these great little moments.  But, I did take some one-year-old shots of this cutie.  Enjoy!

baby got big

There are no words....I love this girl beyond beyond!

big girl

mending

Isn't she the cutest little oxygen-ator ever?  An update for Grandma: Lea is looking and acting wonderful, hardly coughing, but still on oxygen for now.  Home health has been called in to help 'wean' her off...hopefully not too much longer!

lessons from a hospital room

This week, I was forced to

stop and sit,
think and pray,

as I spent a couple days in the hospital with my RSV-plagued baby.  At first, I was full of worry and fear and frustration.
But, once I decided to focus, instead, on my blessings, my heart filled up with all I have to be grateful for:
*a sweet, beautiful, baby girl, who is {thankfully} getting better
*friends who just say, 'Yes' and 'whatever you need'
*a husband who can do it all
*my boy: who knew he would wake himself up, get his chores done, and make scrambled eggs for, breakfast all on his own?
*a caring girl who, whenever she had a chance, would call and ask how her baby was doing
*a flexible toddler (and the kind, kind souls who cared for him in his grouchiness)
*prayers from afar
*a surprise visitor
*words of a prophet, and extra time to read them
*a phone (and everyone on the other end who let me talk)
*an exceptionally caring nurse
*oxygen
*the miraculous ways a body can heal
*the blessing of just being able to

stop and sit,
think and pray,

and remember that I've been given oh, so much.

Lea is home, still on oxygen, but feeling much better.

sunshine

first professional portraits

My friend, April (who also has a Lea-no-H), took these cute pics of my beauty. Lovely, aren't they!

Thanks, April!

in other news

She laughs!