Disgusting

Who could possibly believe someone this cute would poop on the front lawn. Yes that is right, just like a dog. I go outside to recover my children after being in the shower, and I find what I thought was fresh dog poop, no just Andrew. I wonder what my neighbors think of us. We are probably those people. You know the ones every neighborhood has them, and I think We are it for our neighborhood. I didn't know what to do or what the punishment should be so I made him clean it up and told him if he ever does it again, I will be rubbing his nose in it. Sometimes I am at a loss as a parent. How do you teach the the right things to do and then proceed to get them to do it? Obviously I don't know what I'm doing. Wish me luck.

Making Memories

Last night there was an awesome lightening show. I watched it as much as I could while driving home from work. I wanted to try and take a picture of lightening, a serious undertaking. So by the time I got home I had myself all jazzed up about capturing a picture of the lightening. Well the battery on my camera was dead. I quickly put it in the charger and Jeremy and I watched the show for a minute or two, and then we got Andrew and Lexie. Crazy I know to wake sleeping children to watch lightening but I'm glad we did. Andrew wasn't too interested, but Lexie she was a doll. Andrew headed back in to go to sleep and Lexie and I ran around the block in the rain. Of course only after she put her swimsuit on at her insistence. It was so fun and something I will always remember. And I did get one picture of the lightening! I was so excited. Mind you it is nothing great, but It is the first time I've tried that so I was excited to get something, but I can't get it off my camera cause it wasn't in JPEG so now I have to figure how to download my raw picture, which means I'll need to find the right software, and in my model of organization which I call the basement, I don't know if I will be able to recover it. Wish me luck. I must run I think Andrew has brought the tricycle inside and is riding around the house. When I figure out how to get the picture off my camera I'll add it to the post. I 'm sure no one else cares, but I was giddy. The run in the rain made me feel alive.

Annie Banannie

Isn't she a doll. I love her. She has been a delightful easy baby. I hope it continues. She gets so excited to seem me and flails her arms and legs, then throws herself at me. She is ten months and the time is flying by. No teeth yet; she is walking along the furniture. She loves her brother, he makes her laugh. I so grateful to have her in our family. I love you Anna.

My little Anna reminded me of the importance of laughter today. I was holding her pushing her legs up by her face and she would giggle giggle. I have always loved to laugh and as a child I knew how to laugh a lot. Somewhere as I got older I guess I started taking myself to seriously or something and I don't seem to laugh as I did as a child. I'm sure part of this is just what happens as we become adults, but how unfortunate. This week, I'm going to try to laugh hard every day about something.

I think laughter can be euphoric. I remember one day after a long day at work I came home with a terrible headache. I sat on the couch with Andrew and Lexie and we started cackling. Cackling is what you do when there is nothing particularly funny to laugh at, so you start cackling; but once you all start the real laughter is sure to follow. By the time we were done, maybe 10 or 15 minutes later, I no longer had a headache, and it was a doozy of a headache. So I think if I researched the benefits of laughter they would be much more far reaching than I realize. See you later I'm going to go cackle with Andrew and Lexie and maybe it will help them to quit fighting.

Photoshop

I have been dinking around in photoshop today. Here is what I've come up with, plus the pictures of my kids I added to the side. It is kind of fun.

Just of few thoughts, I have a goal to post everyday.

• First I wondered if anyone saw the moon last night or early this morning, it was so beautiful. I wanted to take a picture of it but I was on my way to work and didn't have the time.
• Should there be an upper age limit at which time we revoke the drivers license? I was stuck behind and elderly couple yesterday and I just have to wonder why the aversion to going the speed limit? It is like at least ten under. I guess I'm to impatient or as my Dad told me yesterday I need to go with the flow more. Maybe I do.
• Litigation has ruined health care. Doctors have to practice defensive medicine and at some point we will bankrupt the system.
• I need to find a good fitting bra, before I quit wearing them. Any suggestions at all would be appreciated. Although, you may not notice if I quit.
• I think I want to be the UPS man. Everyone loves getting a package. Yesterday as I was chasing Andrew around the block, he is very obedient (this is laced with sarcasm), the neighbor girl, heard a big truck. She couldn't see it around the corner and asked me if it was the UPS man. I said yes and she immediately started jumping up and down screaming Mom Mom it finally came. I was laughing and as I looked at the man driving the truck he was smiling at the whole scene. This is when I thought I want his job. I happen to hate mine this week.
• It was so funny yesterday Andrew said, "Hey Mom, check this out, " as he slurped his ramen noodles up. I wondered where he learned check this out, he informed me from his cousin Jack. Lexie then started saying it and was laughing. And yes, I made ramen for dinner last night. I realize there is no nutritional value, I did add peas and this is the first time I've resorted to this.

Anna

Anna with Raggedy Ann

Unhappy Anna on the 4th of July



I think one of the reasons I love babies so much is because a baby loves its mother more than anything in the world and really this is very flattering. She gets so excieted when she sees me, she starts panting, like a dog. She crawls after me and gives me the best hugs in all the world. She is such a good baby. I saw some article in a baby magazine at the doctors the other day and it was about how to get your baby on a napping schedule. Anna just goes down. No crying or fussing, I lay her in her crib with her blanket and she just turns onto her tummy sticks her bum in the air puts her middle and ring finger of her left hand in her mouth and minutes later she is sleeping. She is a dream baby. She loves this raggedy Ann doll!

One on One

Lexie on the 4th I could not get her to look or quit touching her face.

Today I am reminded of the importance of spending one on one time with our children. Lexie has been hobbling around or crawling rather than putting pressure on her right foot since Sunday morning, so we finally relented and took her in to see Dr. Doug. My mom watched my other kids and I was able to go with just Lexie. She was a delight; darling in every way.

They found nothing on the x-ray, which did not surprise me, it just seems when you finally decide to go in that is when you hit the turning point and you could have skipped the whole thing.

As soon as we picked up the other kids, the bickering and whining started again. We all needed a nap. I am happy to report after naps all has been well and Andrew and Lexie have been playing very well together, jumping on pillows which they say are water slides.

The trip to the doctor with just Lexie was nice and a good reminder to me of the importance of one on one time with each child.

Andrew's 4th

Andrew on the 4th of July

Blowing out candles

Playing with his new Mac

The pink cake

We celebrated Andrew's 4th birthday this week. I can hardly believe how fast the time has flown. All Andrew wanted for his birthday was a pink cake and a squirt gun. We spent his actual birthday on the 9th with our little family. I had a nice day with the kids, we swam at Cherry Hill with Aunt Nicole and our cousins. We went to dinner as a family and as we left a neighboring table stopped us and told us how well behaved our children were. This is not a compliment I receive often and it really made my night. Andrew wanted to go to the park, and play and we finished the evening with cake and presents. Really kids don't need much to be happy. I need to remember this when I Christmas shop.

Today we had our family over to celebrate his birthday. It was fun to have everyone over, not something we do to often. It is nice to practice hosting a large group as it really something my mother and sister Nicole make look effortless. I enjoyed it and had fun preparing. Thanks to all the family for the gifts and more importantly for loving and supporting Andrew. He loves all of you and we feel blessed to have such wonderful family.

As I think over the past four years I'm so thankful they have included Andrew. He is a darling boy with such a sweet way about him. We've had lots of firsts. I remember the night we brought him home. It was a Friday and I was suppose to work for the IV team at LDSH. My sister Nicole was nice enough to take the shift for me. We went to a ladies home in Bountiful and waited for his arrival. He was flying in from Mississippi. There were teenagers at the house and as it was a Friday night kids kept coming in and out. Every time the door opened we would start out of our seats and look in anticipation for our little boy. His plane was scheduled to arrive around 10 pm and we went over at 9 to sign papers. When he finally arrived I was so happy. I remembering wondering if I could love a kid more than my nephew Isaac and then it happened. I can't explain the love I felt as a first time mother. It is truly more than I could imagine and something you feel with each new addition. I remembering wondering before the arrival of both Lexie and Anna if there was enough love to go around as you feel you can't imagine loving anything as much as your children, but so far with each one, the love you feel is overwhelming.

At times different people have asked me if I was worried my love for Andrew may be different than for my girls. All I can say is Andrew is mine, I love his birth mom for giving me the best present I've ever received. I hope to some day be able to express to her my gratitude. I'm so grateful for this busy boy and all the joy he brings to our lives. Happy Birthday Andrew, keep up the good work. Pictures to come.

"Old Glory"

I have always loved the 4th of July. I'm not sure why we always go to the parade as it is no longer floats, just vehicles driving by. We had fun and I think next year maybe we'll enter an actual float. Although a float would be far more work than I'm sure I realize, but then all the kids could ride on it, and I'm sure it is more fun to be in the parade than watch the parade. I did the fun run in the morning and it is apparent how out of shape I am. We didn't make it clear to the fireworks, the kids and I were too exhausted. I was a little sad cause oh how I love fireworks.

I wanted to say how I love this country and and so grateful to live here. The United States truly is the land of opportunity and privilege. How thankful I am to live here, and how I appreciate the men and women in all the branches of the service who work to preserve our freedoms. I love this land and all patriotic songs. I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!! GOD BLESS THE USA!

Random Sampling

Today I'm going to write of few recent happening and just a smorgasbord of random thoughts which have been shooting through my mind far to rapidly. As I drive to work, I have a 45 min drive one way if there is no traffic, I seem to have all sorts of ideas and thoughts I want recorded. Later when I go to record them the things which sounded so profound in my head come off a little less than profound. I seem to find some clarity on my commute, which I miss the rest of the day. This clarity exists only on my way to work, afterward I'm too excited to be home already.

• Recently before I start a shift at work, I have started praying for clarity of mind and safety as I care for my patients. This is probably something I should have been doing all along but just really didn't occur to me. I decided to do this because it has been so busy I don't want to miss anything. A mistake I may make has the possibility to be crucial to outcomes for moms and babies (I'm a labor and delivery nurse). Today I realized I should put more effort into praying for guidance and direction when I start the day with my children, as it is certainly the most important work I do. I wake up and we start the routine, meals, get dressed, entertain, clean, eat, naps, head to work. I need less of going through the motions and more of living in the moment.
• What is up with bikers who think they are cars. This is seriously a pet peeve of mine. Get out of the way. The car is bigger and can actually drive the speed limit, so quit holding us up and get out of the way. My husband is a biker. He assures me he does not do this. I hope so.
• We should never deprive someone of their hope. It may be all they have; and at some point or in some aspect of our own lives we may experience the need to cling to a hope.
• I read an article today on statistics and research about how having children does not make you happier. In fact it may make you less happy. To this I say BS, and I'll pass on your research, waste of time. Really can you gage happiness by a questionnaire, or lab. Really who is your control group? I'm not saying you have to have children to be happy, I just don't think having them makes you less happy. My children are my greatest joy. Really we are as happy as we chose to be, regardless of circumstance. Some days I'm super happy and some days I struggle.
• I'm on a quest for my personal best. I turned twenty-nine in April and for some reason before I turn thirty and want to look and feel my best. I'm also on a quest for balance in my life and organization; any tips you may have I am open to.
• I got to thinking about my Dad's hands today. He has strong weathered hands. They are the hands of a man. I can picture them in my mind right now. They are a REAL man's hands. He has worked the construction industry for all of my life and he knows how to work hard. Those same hands cradle a baby and I'm telling you I've never seen a baby who doesn't like my dad. I think this is a good judge of character. If a babies and animals like you and are comfortable with you it speaks volumes about you as a person. Thinking about his hands led me to my mothers. My mother has beautiful hands. She would not say so, but it is the countless hours of work and service she has performed with these hands which make them beautiful. She is an accomplished seamstress, fast typer, good cook, and truly a whirlwind of accomplishment, all which is done by her hands. Then I thought of my Grandpa's hands. I love looking at elderly hands. There is something so beautiful about them. They know how to work, and keep on keeping on. My Grandpa's hands are enormous, especially considering he is not an especially big man. I always tell him he should have played the piano and he laughs and says, "My aunt always said this to me." Lastly I thought of the hands of a chubby baby, my children and my nephew came to mind. I think of Andrew and Lexie holding hands together, they are best friends and I love to see them when the are playing nice and holding hands. I also love the contrasting color when they hold hands. I thought of Daniels plump little fingers and how when kids are learning to use there hands how they manipulate things and it is so awkward at first. Our hands take us so many places and I'm grateful for my hands

I will close now. Lots of rambling and randomness, this is how my mind is.