Friday, December 31, 2010

Should Have a Witty Title

I never met any of my husband's grandparents, they all passed away before I was of legal age and before I met my husband. So I know nothing of any of them other than stories.  And stories are just that stories.  But I do have to say, I think one of the reasons I married my husband was so I could be related to his paternal grandparents.  Weird you may say.  True it is.  But remember a few months ago my post about cheese.  I don't like cheesy romance, I like decades of commitment.  Which is why I think the most romantic story that could ever be told about someone is for two people to be married the majority of their life than die from causes of old age within a year of each other.  Which is why I like my husband's paternal grandparents.  His grandma passed away on a holiday or a birthday right before my husband went on his mission, and his grandpa died a few months later on a birthday or a holiday.  As you can tell I don't know the details of the story, but I just like the story for the sake of the story.  Sometimes when I can't sleep and I'm thinking about how awesome my husband is, my delirious not sleeping thoughts drift to love story of his grandparents old age passings.  In my delirious not sleep induced thoughts, I've decided if and when my husband and I reach old age if I died first my husband would either remarry within two years, or die within a year of me. Which is so very romantic of him, the dying that is, not necessary the remarrying. While he if died first, it would take me a few years.  I would intend to follow him quickly, but I would get distracted and forget what I was suppose to do.  Often like when he goes to bed before me, I plan to follow him within 20 minutes but then find myself tip toeing in the room two to three hours later. So yes, now you know one more deep part of my soul, the planning of Brent and I's death love story.  Death love stories are so romantic when they happen at 75+.
And for your viewing pleasure here are his grandparents. What do you think does he look like either?
I definitely see the family resembles between my father in law and his siblings, and his parents.  I can also see the family resembles between my husband and his dad but I'm not sure how much is.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Six Years

Happy Anniversary to me and my dreamy husband. Six years today ago my husband and I got married. It was quite the adventure to meet him, fall in love with him, not date him, date him, and then plan a wedding with him.  It was simply fabulous, the wedding that is, I was so trilled, and I would have never imagined the past six year would be as great as they have been.  I had no idea how much you could end up loving someone you thought you were totally in love with six years ago.  (That sentence probably doesn't make sense.) Here are my hands and rings six years later.

Here are my hands, rings, and bouquet on my wedding day.  Looking back one of the proudest decisions I made about my wedding, other than picking such a stellar husband, was the colors.  Looking back one of my favorite things was the blue and white and snowflakes.  December weddings are often red, and my white and blue help me feel more unique, even six years later.
When it came to planning a wedding, all I really wanted was to be married to Brent.  But apparently a lot of other people wanted a wedding to commemorate the event, so I put my heart in soul into planning the things I cared about, and left others sorely to their own devices to plan what my little 20 year old brain didn't care about.  Sorry, to all you out there that I neglected.
I cared about:
     1. Marrying Brent
     2. The pictures, and everything that involves
             a. the way I looked
             b.  my dress
             c.  my bouquet
             d.  my shoes
             e.  my rings
             f.  my accessories (like my rhinestone tiara/headband, no veil)
             g. the way Brent looked
             h. Brent's shoes

I got everything the way I wanted it, except for Brent's shoes, they were from his mission, and he is still wearing those dang awful shoes. I loved my bouquet, and the ribbon, my mother didn't like the ribbon but I loved it.  The only thing three things I would have changed were:  Brent's shoes, I should have picked out a solid color tie for Brent, but I didn't realize it at the time and I wish I had more pictures of my dress.  I knew I would eventually sell it, so I wish I had more fully body shots of the entire dress.  Oh well, the pictures I do have are great.



On a side note, I wanted to get married at the end of October I thought four months was a really long engagement, but Brent thought October was too soon.  I wanted an purple and orange wedding.  When I mentioned that to my mother the other day, she said, what?  I didn't know that, I'm glad you didn't have get married in October if you wanted purple and orange together.  The reason I mentioned that is I realized one day one of my children will get married in the fall to tease me into thinking I can live my dreams through them, but won't pick purple or orange for their colors.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

It should be said

It should be said that I am in a toxic relationship with blogger.  So in the new year I plan on officially moving over to wordpress.  Unfortunately I have been busy and so it won't be a neat and tidy move come Jan 1st.  Actually that is probably fortunately that I'm too busy in the real world doing real activities to have my blog perfect. I spent a long time in the toxic relationship too lazy to leave, but the time has come.  I have to pay for more space, and if I'm going to pay I'm not paying for blogger.  Although currently I won't be paying anyone because wordpress has some free capabilities too.  At this point I'm only moving hapilly, because I can only handle so much.

I'm adding a part 2
I don't know when I will actually switch but its one of my goals for the new year.
I don't have much this new year, but I do want to learn how to cook granola.  Any one have a good recipes?!

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Christmas

It was so great to read christmas posts, because there is no way to spend christmas with everyone, so I was glad I got every detail of Alisa and Kelli.  That sounds rude, but its not.  So then I thought I should post about mine, but I'm not uploading pictures. At least not now.
First off I think my husband is super dreamy, and I'm not just saying that because he bought me a nook for Christmas.  But it helps, I won't lie.  
Second off, Christmas Eve is super fun, and it only gets better once the kids go to bed. I ABSOLUTELY love doing santa.  I've spent Christmas with my parents the last three years and every year my dad laughs at how much I do.  I really do not think I give them too much, just the way I stuff stockings, and set up all the stuff.  Its my absolute favorite part of the holiday.  
I woke up at like Kelli time frame, ok not that early.  About 4:30 then 5 ish, and at that point Nan was up, and my mom got her.  A few minutes later J woke up wanting to go downstairs, we tried to ask him why, and all of sudden he lied down and rolled over, and slept for 15 more minutes, when we then went and had all the fun.  But half way through opening presents around 11:30 I always get a little depressed, and I think all this for this?!  
Then I take a nap and life goes on.  But I didn't take a nap until after dinner so I got mad at my mom's tablecloth a few times.  Anyway, Christmas was great, and I love doing Santa.  Nannie knows who Santa is and was trilled, and J was awesome too.  It was so great, I love it.  
But this is all just sort of lame, because there are no pictures. Christmas is great, and a blog post doesn't do justice.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Why we moved

The other night Brent and I were watching the News.  The story was about a murder, but honestly I wasn't listening.  Until I said, hey thats the bathroom at our old park! Then all of a sudden I realized there was a murder about 10 feet away from the playground that my son played with his friends every day during the summer.  The park that was a fifth of a mile away from our house.  As Brent and I talked about it, he said, and that would be the reason we moved.
One night while we lived there we thought we heard someone breaking in and the house pretty much always freaked us out after that.  But I'm sure the occasional homeless person wandering the street contributed to that unsafe feeling. Or the panhandlers at the grocery store.  Or when our neighbor left her house for 15 minutes and she came back to her broken off door and all the electronics in her house were gone.  Yeah, the neighborhood wasn't safe, and I'm glad we moved.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Mary and Snowmen

For Family Home Evening I have to say my niece Mary won. We were going over the Navity story last night, and I asked who is Mary? My son's responsed my cousin! Correct, but not the Mary we're looking for. We learned about the story, we then drew pictures of the Nativity and lastly we made marshmallow snowmen for our treat.




One last story, we asked what is the most important part of Christmas?  The four year old response was when Jesus and Santa Claus were babies.  Dad said well no one knows for sure when Santa Claus was a baby but we do know about Jesus we have a book about him called the Bible, so we are learning about Jesus tonight not Santa Claus. But in my movie... (Here Comes Santa Claus). 

Monday, December 20, 2010

We Passed!

Back in September I took my kids into some over due well child visits. During the visit the doctor spent a half an hour talking about my daughters lack of speech.  At the time she was only saying mama, and I wasn't even convinced she knew it was my name, although I didn't share that with the doctor. He told me she needed to be saying 10 words by her birthday or she needed to go get tested. I asked what do you mean by 10 words, she has said more than 10 different words? He asked consistently?  My response was oh. Which actually was more problematic in my opinion, she was saying more words at one point, and dropped had dropped the words a few months ago.
As we prepared for our next visit, I felt like I was preparing for a final exam.  We had spent four months (the length of a semester) encouraging her to speak in many different ways, we had drive 40 minutes multiple times to go to a 2 year old speech class at Aunt Danna's.  I knew she had made progress but would the doctor agree?  Would we pass?!  I had filled up a sheet of paper with words she had said, song she knew the actions and sign language signs she uses, to prove my point.
Good news is we passed.  The doctor didn't actually think there was anything wrong with her, he told me in September that other than speaking she seemed advanced for her age, with interacting, and fine motor skillsm but she needed to be speaking. So he didn't actually require much convincing.  Luckily!
But the best part of the visit is he likes to predict how tall children will be as adults based on their size now.  My daughter current is 33 1/2 inches tall which is 41% which was a huge jump from August she was 31 1/2 inches which was 17%.  She weighs is 23 3/4 lbs which is 13%, which means she is teeny!  So based on her percentiles he told me she would be 5'4" but since I'm so tall she'll be at least 5'5". Which I think is fantastic!  Years ago I came up with a plan to marry a man with short sisters (no offense sister in laws) so my daughters wouldn't be tall like me.  And if you believe my pediatrician it might work! But he also said, she might get up to 5'6" depending on how old she is when she starts menstruating. Which I thought was fascinating, apparently a girl that starts at 14 is usually two inches taller than someone who starts at 12. Back in September when we were in he predicted my son to be around 5'8" which at first he was concerned about I said, not to worry if he follows his father's family history that would be a good normal height.  That being said I bet my children will be an inch or two taller than what he predicted because Brent was always so short growing up, and I was hardly tall until high school.  But at the same time I won't care if my children are shorter than me, mostly because there is nothing I could do to change it.  Lastly, I vowed not to mention this around J because the only thing worst than being shorter than your mom is being told you are going to be shorter than her and there is something wrong with that.  Which I don't think there is something wrong with that.  When it comes to height and bone structure you are who you are and there is nothing you can do to change that.

I've been laughing for a week, at the idea of Nan being a grown woman at 5'4", it so funny to me, to think of my daughter as an adult being 6 inches shorter than me.  (And to think when she was born I thought she was going to be taller than J.) HA HA HA, I'm still laughing at Nan 5'4", not that I think thats a funny height, just because I'm 5'10"
I should note, I'm not convinced my doctor's predictions are right.  I just think they are funny.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Guilty Pleasure

Ah, how TV binds us together. My sister introduced me to, "Say Yes, to the Dress." Come to find out a few of my sister in laws also watch it, on both sides. Gotta love Netflix. That is not the embarrassing point of the post, the embarrassing point, is it makes me think about my wedding dress purchase.
First off, I thought I was spending a fortune on the dress, but boy in comparison, my mom bought both my sister and I's dresses for less than half of a cheap dress on the show.
Second, I was with my sister when she was trying on dresses, and it was fun, I'm glad I was there, I still remember, it was all quite fun. Her experience was much more like the show than mine. I didn't have a sales woman pick and pull dresses for me. But hers was super fun experience, but I'm not quite sure the story is best suited for my blog.
Mine was slightly lonely, she was not at mine, and I didn't think any thing of it, she was on the other part of the country. My mom flew out to look with me, I wanted her to, and it was just her and me. Except was it, she was only out for a weekend and I didn't want to miss a moment, so I took my fiancée shopping before she came out, so I could narrow down what I liked. None of my friends showed any interest in being with me, (its kind of hard to get married at 20). But our small college town had a few wedding boutiques and so I took my fiancée, whether he liked it or not. I didn't care about tradition, or superstition. The first dress I tried on I knew I really liked.
Once my mom came, I made her travel around the entire northern part of the state with me going to bridal stores. (Unfortunately I never went to Peg's on State Street in Orem, come on y'all remember the scary manacain in the sky). After traveling the whole state, I found the dress I first tried on in another store. It was the dress I wanted, so we went back to my college town and bought it, they gave us a slight discount. I loved it, and I still love it even if I sold it. When I watch the show, all the dresses I like have similar characteristics; I just love minimal ruching. I also loved the small amount lace on mine,
and that it was underbustled. I've also learned something, I thought my sister and I had ball gowns, turns out we had A lines.
I've been wedding dresses shopping three times, myself, my sister and one of my sister in laws who got married two months after me.  I feel honored she picked me but I'm sure it had more to do with location than anything else. But still honored it was just me and her. (Sorry I have no pictures from her wedding.) I'm sure I'll never be wedding dress shopping again until one of my daughters get married. And even though when I first started watching the show I felt bad I didn't have friends to go shopping with me, now I realize after watching the show, friends are usually not helpful.

P.S. Nothing like being sick and having nothing to do other than nap, watch Pride and Prejudice and Say Yes to the Dress.

Friday, December 17, 2010

A year

A year is so short and so long at the same time.  Right now (at least when I first started typing this post) my husband was taking his last final of this semester.  The end is very close, he only has one more required class, he has two semesters.  We are nearing the end, but last year at this time we had barely just begun.  Last year at this time we had just finished a very hard semester, last year at this time we were just weeks away from one of the hardest periods of my life.
I'm a visual person, and remember every house I've lived in with my husband by specific memories.  Now that I bring all this up, I wonder if my strongest memory of this place will be starting at the wall, knowing that is not normal, but not caring enough about anything to stop sitting and staring.  It was a defining moment when I realized I had slipped into depression again.  Many days last winter I drove past LDS Social Services wondering if I needed to see a therapist.  I live close to it, by the way I didn't go out of my way to drive past it, its unavoidable for me.  Eventually I realized I would have to see talk to my Bishop (my ecclesiastical leader) to go to LDS social services first, and although my Bishop is a good man, I didn't want to go tell him my problems.  So  forced myself to snap out of it, like the last time.  I know that doesn't work for everyone, and it was hardly a split decision.  A lot went into snapping out of it, and a lot months of work, exercise, sunlight, scripture reading, nutritional eating, supplements.  But I overcame.
But I'm off topic, I was going to talk about how much I like this year or the last.  Once I finally started to feel like myself, I've really like this year.  I like this age, I feel like I'm out of the hyperness of teenage adoslence, and its a relief.  I really relate to A A Milne quote that I have on my blog, "By the time it came to the edge of the Forest, the stream had grown up, so that it was almost a river, and, being grown-up, it did not run and jump and sparkle along as it used to do when it was younger... For it knew now where it was going, and it said to itself, 'There is no hurry. We shall get there some day.'"
Its a relief to know where I am, where I have been and where I am going.  I like plans I have loose plans and firm plans. Specifically I don't know where we will go, but I do know next fall is my turn.  I am taking a Spanish 1 class, because why not?  My husband wants to travel to Latin American countries why not to try to  remember the Spanish I was taught from 3rd-8th grade.  Plus it will be good for him to stay at home with the kids and put them to bed without me.

Pillowcases and More

My kids got pillowcases from grammy, and it pretty much made their lives complete. The case are now on pillows not their feet.
J makes these types of things in preschool at least once a week. I'm pretty sure all the parents hate them. There is nothing worse than trying to get these stupid things home, let me assure you do not stay on the plate. He wants to save them forever as decorations, I tell him they are food and he must eat them.
Nan is super girly. Fairy Wings, baby doll, tutu, and high heals. This picture we taken a few days ago, but today she is an a fluffy pink church dress, because its the only think she would agree to wear. I'm not quite sure were she came from, because I don't think I ever liked wearing dresses.  Although when I was pregnant with her I wore them more often than just to church.  It was weird.
Eventhough it was winter she thought this was great evening wear, so she went out on the patio and did a few twirls for the neighbors.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Bank

Even-though we pay my husband's tuition instead of putting money in my son's savings account, he got a savings account as a baby. Nan on the other hand... well she still didn't have one on her second birthday. So I made a conscious effort to not spend a lot on her birthday so I would set up an account for her. For months I thought about her savings account. I decided she really did not need much this year for her 2nd birthday, first off she would never remember her birthday. She already has a tricycle, a toy kitchen (as seen behind), a scooter, and a whole box full of babies. So I made her a present, made and bought her an $8 book, and paid for the present that J got her. It was a frugal birthday. So Monday morning, I congratulated my self control went online to set up her account. I told he I was setting her up a bank account. She got all excited. I asked do you even know what I'm doing? She said huh! and ran away, she came back with her piggy bank.

Apparently she did, she was so excited.

Losing Old Bunny

Sunday night the Brent and I were busy helping his mom with something that required two computers and one cell phone. The children were left to their own devices which either means two things, fighting or best friends. They were best friends Sunday night, they did something required a lot of running between their bed room and ours, laughter and crumbs in my bed. Bedtime came and J freaked out because we couldn't find old Bunny. We searched, he told us the last time he had it he was sitting in the rocking chair so we searched the LaZboy and every other chair and bed. We told him to pray. He did, then 10 minutes later he found a large old dirty coin from a foreign country. Instead of searching he told me all about his big penny. In a moment of inspiration I said ok, is that good enough to go to sleep with? He said yes, and with that bed was found. An answer to my prayer. The next morning he got ready for school fine and pleasant, until we walked out the door, the minute we got in the car he started yelling and crying about everything. It took me a half an hour to drop him off at preschool because he was mad and wouldn't stop crying. Luckily his preschool teacher is a paid professional so I eventually got out of there. Nan and I came home and started looking again for old bunny, I didn't know how long "the big penny" was going to work. But I gave up, because I was running out of places to look. When Nan came over fussing about Mr. Potato Head, she couldn't get his back to open. When I went to help her, I spied a miracle. Nan had saved the day. She was so happy that she was the one that found old Bunny. We took her picture. She proudly took it to her brother at the end of Preschool.

After preschool was over, I said maybe we shouldn't hid old bunny anymore. We always lose him when you put him in a hiding place. J responsed with, I'll just always remember his hiding place next time. (yeah, I'm not holding my breath on that.) J also said he missed old bunny so much he wanted to take him to the aquarium that afternoon. I said no, I don't want to lose him again. He said I'll never lose him again. We were home, a short 30 minutes later, J came crying he couldn't find old bunny. I said well start looking. Ten minutes later Nan was victorious again, she once again had found old bunny and proudly carried him to her brother. Now everytime she sees old bunny alone, she picks him up, shouts hooray and brings it to J. Unforuntately for her, he hasn't been lost again.

This all reminds me of the time, that I was pregnant with Nan, Brent was on a business trip and we lost Valentine's Bear.  I search the house house literally, I moved couches and everything, something I wasn't suppose to do be of my preterm contractions. I spent two hours looking for it.  I never did find it but eventually unloaded a whole toy box of stuff animals in his bed instead.  It worked if you count 10 pm a normal bedtime. It was almost more than my little hormonal pregnant body and mind could handle.  It was really quite terrible, we never did find that bear, not even when we moved, I think we must of left it at church at some point. Thank goodness old bunny wasn't gone forever, which is why old bunny is rarely allowed out of the house, and when he is allowed out he isn't allowed out of the car.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

What they are up to

Do you ever wonder what my children are up to when we are having a birthday part bigger than our apartment?
Well the boy usually hiding some place or hiding something some place.
The girl is usually accessorizing. 

Monday, December 13, 2010

Updates for my family

First off, I want to share to any of my siblings who read my blog and my parents that our musical number in church on sunday was someone singing, "Lord of the Dance" although they had it titled "Bethlehem Dance" and of course there was no brass accompaniment, bells, actual dancing or swinging cloth.  In all my life would have never expected to hear it in church, but it was actually very nice. She did a very good job, had perfect pauses and accents to make it meaningful.

Second for all you who might read this but are not on facebook, both of my younger female cousins are engaged as of the last few days.  I have a female cousin on both my father and my mother side and they are now facebook official. I always hate to be late on the gossip so I thought I would share.
The only other info I know is, one is planning on March in the Mesa Temple, and the other one a few weeks ago told me in a very vague this is not official, but one day in the distant future I plan on going home to the DC temple. You know it was one of those conversations, where I wanted to say, ohh, bouncing up and down, when do you think you will get engaged?!!! But decided to refrain myself, because I was a very strict I AM NOT engaged until my boyfriend officially asks me and gives me a ring.  I refuse to make plans, and do not call him my fiancée. Don't even ask me if I plan on marrying him unless you are my parents or sistser.
I just wanted to share their good news with the rest of my family, because I've very happy for both of them, but know they are not calling all of their cousins, because I did not call all mine, I don't think I called any for that matter, does that mean I'm a bad cousin?  I sent invitations to them!

Blonde?

This picture begs the question why is my hair so blonde? I haven't highlighted since the very very beginning of my daughter's pregnancy. At first when I saw this I thought I didn't spend that much time outside this summer. But under more retrospection I think its just the lighting. I also thought no wonder people don't believe me that I had dark hair as a small child, like my son's hair.  
So here are so much fun filled sun filled pictures, of my daughter's birthday.


Sunday, December 12, 2010

My Baby..

Turned 2!

Let it be said, I combed my daughter's hair before everyone arrived, I even tried to place a bow in it so her birthday pictures would look better, but she had none of that.  So her birthday pictures are keeping it real, scraggly hair and all.


 By the way it was a great party, lots of Brent's family came, it was so fun, my little brother and wife even braved Brent's family for their niece. It was so great, to have three of brent's siblings and families, and Nan's grandparents.  Unexpectedly she got 6 cousins at her party.  It was so fun, I was so glad so many showed up.

Friday, December 10, 2010

The Stockings are Hung...

The stockings are hung over the flatscreen with care, it hopes that Elmo wouldn't get stuck in my head.
This picture would have probably been better if the TV was off, but yet I'm keeping it real.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Not Potty Training

We aren't potty training, but my daughter loves to sit on the potty.  When this picture she had yet to ever pee without a diaper on.  She sits there everyday but never pees.  Last night she was sitting there, and I left for a second when I came back she was upset because after she had gotten off she had peed a little and she didn't like it runing down her leg.  I told her I was super excited and gave her candy for the peeing.  I'm not going to potty train her until she successfully pees on the toilet.

Future Car

I always felt slightly squished with my Subaru since my daughter was born, I miss having a spare seat. But have always said I'm not going to upgrade until I get a minivan and I'm not ready for a mini van.
My husband has never wanted a mini van, but figured I'm the one driving it.  But then a few days I ago I was annoyed I didn't have an extra seat belt, it would make play dates way easier if I had an extra seat belt, plus I could fit my parents in the car with my family of four.  Then I saw I highland drive by, that would be a nice car, not huge like a minivan but would give me some extra seats occasionally.  We are NOT buying a new car, Highland or not anytime soon.  But ah to have a dream I'm excited about.
I told my husband this, and he said finally.  I hate mini vans, and don't want to buy one, I would much rather buy an SUV.
I said yes, but I have the false thought that SUVs are bad gas millage.  While this is true, a mid size SUV has better gas mileage than a mini van because its a smaller sized car.  Although I know this is true because I've seen the stats I can't really get it through my mind.  All of this is a relief its nice to be unified in my dreams with my husband.  Its also nice to know we are not going to be buying a mini van in a year or so.

A few thoughts on my children and me

My daughter always thinks she is in charge.  She puts her coat away in her room, which means I can never find it when its time to go.  She has decided it belongs in her room.  Then when I said we need your coat she goes and grabs it, and refuses to put it on, but tightly holds it in her teeny hands.  She puts it next to her in the car, and when we stop, she grabs it and carries it with her.  I guess she will put it on when she deems it cold enough to put on.

I know you can't please everyone and I don't try.  But I just wanted to put it out there, I'm sure some people think I'm a strict parent, and other people thing we are lazy.
For example, my daughter can totally spill her cheerios all over the floor in church, and we just scoop them up and let her eat them again.  Gross I know, but still... I guess we are lazy.
But bedtime and wake time is non negotiable in my house.  When mom said its bedtime, you better start moving or heads are going to roll. I love my sleep so no one is allowed to expect me to mother them before 8 am, occasionally they can get me up at 7:45.  Naptime is Naptime, same goes, don't expect it over in less than 3 hours.
Food is much the same way, I don't buy treats in the store, and eat what you are served.  Everyone is expected to eat at least as many bites as they are old, more if they want a sweet treat afterward. But don't expect on every night.  Also you better not move while we are eating, no dancing around the kitchen when you are procrastination your dinner.
Don't expect a toy at the local box store because its not happening, they learn to stop asking.
When I tell you no, you listen.  By the time you are 10 months, it is unacceptable to touch a knick-knack in great grandma's house or anyone one's house unless they give you permission.
But at the same time, my daughter can walk in the snow without a coat, because its not the worth the fight.  She rarely wears shoes because she won't.  Life goes on, I love to be that mother in walmart with my child shoeless.   She isn't allowed to get out of the cart, but she allow to sit anywhere in the cart that she pleases. Yup, its awesome to see frost on all the cars, and see my daughters poke through the metal grates of the cart.
I'm sure my neighbor looked on it horror while I allowed her to play on the patio yesterday without a coat or shoes, the neighbors' kids were bundled up.  She didn't want them on, and it wasn't worth the fight. Just for the record it wasn't that cold yesterday all the snow has melted. But if its possible I think my daughter wears shoes less this winter then she did last winter, if that's possible.
Speaking of the lazy side of parenting, my son wore a dirty shirt to school today.  My mom would have been horrified, but he wanted to wear the shirt, and spilled his breakfast on it, I cleaned it up best I could.  But he wanted to wear it, so I let him.
Like I said depending on how you measure, I'm either really strick, or way lazy.  I don't even buy a box of fruit snacks a month, that how un-nice I am to my kids.
Just yesterday my mom told me how mean I was.  (She was joking.)  J was mad I wouldn't let him eat candy for lunch, so he kicked the boxes of mac and cheese on the ground.  Then I told him to pick them up. He wasn't happy with me. I didn't even give him a healthy lunch until he picked them up. How mean am I?

A few thoughts

My daughter always thinks she is in charge.  She puts her coat away in her room, which means I can never find it when its time to go.  She has decided it belongs in her room.  Then when I said we need your coat she goes and grabs it, and refuses to put it on, but tightly holds it in her teeny hands.  She puts it next to her in the car, and when we stop, she grabs it and carries it with her.  I guess she will put it on when she deems it cold enough to put on.

I know you can't please everyone and I don't try.  But I just wanted to put it out there, I'm sure some people think I'm a strict parent, and other people thing we are lazy.
For example, my daughter can totally spill her cheerios all over the floor in church, and we just scoop them up and let her eat them again.  Gross I know, but still... I guess we are lazy.
But bedtime and wake time is non negotiable in my house.  When mom says its bedtime, you better start moving or heads are going to roll. I love my sleep so no one is allowed to expect me to mother them before 8 am, occasionally they can get me at 7:45.  Naptime is Naptime, same goes, don't expect it over in less than 3 hours.
Food is much the same way, I don't buy treats in the store, and eat what you are served.  Everyone is expected to eat at least as many bites as they are old, more if they want a sweet treat afterward.  Also you better not move while we are eating, no dancing around the kitchen when you are procrastination your dinner.
Don't expect a toy at the local box store because its not happening, they've learn to stop asking.
When I tell you no, you listen.  By the time you are 10 months, it is unacceptable to touch a knick-knack in great grandma's house or anyone one's house unless they give you permission.
But at the same time, my daughter can walk in the snow without a coat, because its not the worth the fight.  She rarely wears shoes because she won't. (But if she walks in the snow she has to be wearing some sort of boot.)  Life goes on, I love to be that mother in walmart with my child shoeless.   She isn't allowed to get out of the cart, but she allow to sit anywhere in the cart that she pleases. Yup, its awesome to see frost on all the cars, and see my daughter's toes poke through the metal grates.
I'm sure my neighbor looked on it horror while I allowed her to play on the patio yesterday without a coat or shoes, the neighbors' kids were bundled up.  She didn't want them on, and it wasn't the fight. Just for the record it wasn't that cold yesterday all the snow has melted. But if its possible I think my daughter wears shoes less this winter then she did last winter, if that's possible.
Speaking of the lazy side of parenting, my son wore a dirty shirt to school today.  My mom would have been horrified, but he wanted to wear the shirt, and spilled his breakfast on it, I cleaned it up best I could.  But he wanted to wear it, so I let him.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Funny Things

A few funny things my 4 and half year old son has said lately:
  1. "How many kids are there?"  I will admit it took us awhile to figure out what question meant.  He explained  with, "How many kids will come out of your belly?"  (He and I talk from time to time about future babies that will grace our family, but he knows there are no babies in the eminent future.)
  2. After looking at a picture of Adam and Eve, he asked, "Who lived when the dinosaurs lived?"  (I thought that was a pretty good question for a four year old.)
  3. After showing his friend his Christmas ornament for this year (a marshmallow s'more dressed up like santa holding "the good list") he said, "It means I'm not not getting an present."  His friend said huh?  J repeated himself, his friend said huh?  He said "I'm getting a present, saying I'm not not getting a present means I AM getting a present."  His friend still said huh?  Some how J learned about double negatives, but his friend hasn't picked up that grammar lesson.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Presents and Hubs

My son is particularly influenced by commercials, better known as "mercials", so every time there is one about a man buying a woman a piece of heart shapped jewelry, he turns to his dad and says, we should buy one of those for mom.  Since I like encourage my family in holidays, and J was so proud of his Spiderman House Game he bought his dad for father's day, I told my husband to let him pick out an inexpensive piece of jewelry for my christmas present.  Yesterday I opened my purse and found Kohls Cash, that was expiring that day.  I told my husband to take it and take our son, he didn't know where Kohls was, so I went with them, since I had a return.  When I finished, I went to check on my boys, they were doing very bad.  Brent couldn't get my son away from the neon plastic jewelry.  So I had to help them pick out my own present.  The only thing J and I could agree on was, a watch.  He didn't actually like it until I pointed out it had golden on it, and dimes (diamonds). Brent was entirely miserable, I felt bad that I had asked him to help our son, but then realized that there was other way that would turn out.
I don't say this to complain about my husband, I appreciate the effort.  Its the thought that counts right?  Brent said the only think he could find that wasn't ugly was a necklace with a little starfish on it, until he looked at the price, it was 70% off, but still $50, since it was 14k gold.  Anyway, I thought it was sweet, he found a necklace for me even if he didn't buy it.  Although I wish he would have.

My Late Talkers

I was a late talker, my son was a late talker, and now my daughter is a late talker.  She is taking longer than her brother, but she is faster than me.
Brent's cousin a few months ago posted that he had read, The Einstein Syndrome: Bright Children Who Talk Late, by Thomas Sowell. I requested it from the library and then let it sit in my house for almost two months without reading it. Saturday night I picked it up and read 3/4 of it.  I found it completely fascinating; it doesn't have too much research (just two case studies of small amounts of children: 46 children and 239), but the research it does have completely fits the bill for me and my children.  Children who seem bright but otherwise aren't speaking have a high rate of engineers as direct relatives.  Well that is sure true for my kids, their grandfather, great grandfather, two uncles have engineering degrees (and two more uncles have degrees in fields close to engineering).  On top of that, their aunt is a math teacher, who has a PhD, another uncle is going to med school next fall, and their grandma has a piano teacher for 40 years. Their other grandfather was an economist, their father has a degree in economics and is a computer specialist, and has aunts and uncles on that side who are scientists.  Since I was raised in this environment I thought it was normal, in fact thought I was sort of lame that I don't have a hard science degree, my soft science, political science degree is just lame o blame ;).  Turns out this is not normal, based on the first case study, 60% of children in their study who talk late have a direct family member (parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle) who is an engineer, but 60% of children in the US clearly do not have a relative that is an engineer because there aren't that many engineers in our country.  86 % of children who talk late in the study have at least relative with an analytical occupation.  (The second study had very similar percentages.)
Just for records, I have been told that I didn't talk until I was three, I just pointed an grunted, but when I finally started I was speaking it was complete sentences.  My son said mama, dada, before he was one, but other than that, his speaking was severely limited until he was two, when finally my husband and I couldn't stand the "ehhs" anymore and started pushing language, he still didn't really communicate until he was three. If I remember correctly Nan is actually better at communicating then he is even though he was speaking more words. I remember it clearly because he "exploded" around his sister's birth, my previously quiet child was so noisy and I had a colicky infant, for the first time as a mother I went from zero noisy kids, to TWO noisy kids and I thought I was going to scream. Although he talked, he still wasn't capable of back and forth conversation until he was four, but anyone who met my child had no doubt he was intelligent, he just was quiet.  He always made progress albeit slowly so I never was concerned, not to mention he uttered words before me. Eventhough I was never concerned, I definitely wouldn't be concerned now, he is one of the more articulate children in his preschool class, his teacher is always telling me how nice it is to have him answer correctly to her questions.
Who knows the entire path of my daughter, she is only two, but she has been way less interested in speaking then her brother.  She signed later, she said mama later, she understood mama later.  My parents told me don't worry you didn't talk.  How could I not worry?  She was 20 months old and only cried mama and bwaked like a chicken maybe once a month. For the last four months I have gone back and forth on wanting her to be tested for speech problems.  Brent, my parents, and my grandparents told me she is fine.  But seriously was she?  All her friends are speaking in sentences no joke.  Her best friend, says, look mom, its Nan, she my friend.  Her almost boyfriend says, Mom, she so cute, I want to kiss her.  Mom, she sad, I hug her.  Although I doubt complete sentences is normal for barely two, she probably just has a talkative bunch of friends to make up for her lack. Although I, and her doctor knew she was advanced in other aspects we was worried about her speech. After reading this book, it gave me the confidence to agree to my husband and parents.  Also apparently its quite normal for smart children who talk late to be very defiant, and throw huge fits.  Now you would think they throw fits because they can't communicate, that is not the case at all, at least when it comes to Nan.  She can communicate just fine she just can't talk.  She doesn't throw fits because we don't understand her, she throws fits because she doesn't like what we are doing/our answer.
This isn't much of a book review, but I will say, it presents both sides of the issues well.  He makes it clear to know that not all children that talk late, are not necessarily very bright, some children who talk late do have other things causing it.  But after reading the book, taking in account her hereditary history, watching her around other kids, I don't think she has other developmental problems.  She is just late, and extremely fussy, because she has great fine motor skills, and gross motor skills.  She can sit sill and listen to me read her books for at least 20 minutes, I never last longer. And honestly if she didn't cry so much I doubt I would have even noticed her not talking, I didn't notice my son too much. But maybe my main problem is trying to compare my children to each, which is a big no no.
I forget the best part of the book.  "A kindly old gentleman, Professor Hamilton..." said, after inquiring if the boy had seen doctors, "Mr. Sowell, don't try to teach him to talk-- not right now.  You just give him lots of love and attention.  Take him with you whenever you can.  let him known that you think he is the most wonderful little boy in the whole world.  And when he feels confident and secure-- he talk."

Last Week's


Did I mention we had a lot of snow last week, and the week before? Maybe I don't know when it was, it took me a while to upload the pictures, we had a lot more than this at one point, but this is still a lot for us.  We have two huge trees in front of our house, so we rarely have snow on the ground in front of our door, but it snowed so much one day it was up to my son's thighs.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Moo

Today I was singing Christmas songs out of the hymn book.  I sang, "The cattle are lowing".  Brent turned to Nan and said something to the effect, what noise do the cattle lowing make?  She responded, "moo moo"
It was terribly hysterical!  We clapped and laughed for her.

Nan would be classified as a "late talker", other than Mama, Daddy, baby, and yay!, she is pretty mute.  Sure I have a whole page of words she can say, but choses to say is different. All her friends her age can pretty much hold a conversation while she says, "huh!" "huh!"  We know she comprehends a lot and has for over a year, but its nice to get reassurances that even though she isn't talking she isn't mentally slow.  How she knew cattle are lowing meant cows mooing is beyond me.  But believe me it was not accident, she never talks out of accident, when does occasionally utter a word is very intentional.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Holiday Jammies

I thought last year was so cute, I had to get more holiday jamies this year. But I figured might as well enjoy them all season long, so I gave them to them at the beginning of the month.
I think these monkey jammies are so stinkin' cute.
I feel like I lucked out, I knew I wanted this design, and I just randomly stopped by the store when I was out.  PJs were on sale, and they didn't have much selection because of the sale, but they had the two sizes I needed in the right colors.
Nan saw them on the floor when she woke up from her nap today, and threw the biggest fit that she was sleeping without them on.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Advent Calendar Time

We have three advent calendars in our house and four people. Is there something wrong with this? You can tell who buys the presents--- me! Everyone always get more presents than me, because I'm the one that buys the presents. Although I do buy myself presents, since everyone else got an advent calendar I bought myself expensive peppermint chocolate bark. My husband likes the cheap chocolate from a cheap advent calendar so when I saw one for $2, I couldn't resist getting him one. J has lego, and Nan is Polly Pocket.