My Little Sillies

Even when we have hard days, these kids make me laugh.

Oh Emerson, how I love you and the silly things you say.  I love that you:

-Get so excited for "spaghios" for lunch when we occasionally have them
-Think everything has a crust, which you refuse to eat.  This goes for apples, string cheese, sandwiches, and crackers.
-Use your imagination so much.  The other morning you told me there was a giant robot outside the door.  There wasn't though. :) 
 -Also think every noise in the house is a ghost. Not sure where you got that from.
-Are very concerned for others' feelings.  When I was feeling sick the other day you were so sympathetic and sat by me and asked where I was hurting.
-Yell "MOMMY!  IT'S CHUGGINGTON!" everytime your favorite show comes on, and you won't stop until I acknowledge that it is, indeed, Chuggington.
-Laugh and laugh when "Bebe sisser" smiles at you.
-Love to hold "Bebe sisser's" hand while I'm getting you dressed in the morning and think you're so funny when you shake her hand and say "Nice to meet you bebe sisser!"
-Say "Goodnight Mommy, tomorrow do something fun?  See tractors, and bulldozers, and cars, and TRUCKS!"  every night as we're putting you to bed.  Then, right as I'm about the close the door, you say "No getting up, no getting out" in a singsong voice.
-Sing "Popa-ar" for me.  Or any other song.
-Will randomly say "Mommy, I ove you."
-Still can't say your Ls, and it's cute.
-Get so excited for friends to come over and ask where they are when you wake up.
-Ask to show Grandma and Grandpa J your shiny teeth after you've brushed them.
-Tidy up your bath toys at the end of your bath without being asked.
-Always ask to be held by saying "Hold you, Mommy."  Usually stroking of Beah's nose and thumb-sucking ensues either while you're asking to be held to directly thereafter.
-Have "What's Wrong, Little Pookie?" memorized, and must have it read to you every night.
-Get so nervous about new pieces in your wardrobe.  We went shopping for a coat a few days ago and you saw it at our house later and said "No Mommy, don't want the red coat anymore!  I won't wear it." Ha, that's what you said about your sleepers and now you're inseparable!  Just you wait.
-Greet me with a hearty "Good morning Mommy!" when I come and get you from your room in the morning.
-Call peas "soccer balls" and broccoli "ittle trees" and eat them when we call you a dinosaur.
-Can make a train track out of anything; including stubby, rounded woodchips at the playground.  Just stack them crosswise and you're good to go.
-Can't not smile when I say "Don't smile!  Don't smile!"  Grandma J used to do that to me and I hated it when I was trying so hard to remain crabby.  But it works.
-Brighten my day even when you act like a little stinker.  But that's no excuse for acting like a stinker.

And Sammi, my sweet little girl.  I love that you:

-Are already Mommy's accomplice in teasing your older brother.
-Are such a good sleeper
-Greet me with face-splitting smiles in the morning
-Smell so good
-Refrain from blowing out too often
-Are so content most of the time
-Let me kiss and kiss those cheeks, hands, and feet
-Are working so hard to grow your eyelashes and hair
-Are trying to not grow the rest of you too fast since I want you to stay little pretty much forever.
-Like to suck on the crook of your arm or lick your blanket when you go down for a nap or bedtime.

 -Don't complain when I force you to be my little fashionista.

-Have jeans with an inseam of like 4 inches
-Have the cutest laugh ever
-Are just such an all-around sweetheart

I love these two kids to pieces!  The glimpses I get of them being buddies now makes me excited for when they're past the bickering stage and can be good friends to each other.

Spooky Dinner...A Look Back

This year we did our spooky Halloween dinner again with the Richards and the Wrights.  It's amazing how the group has expanded with everyone's childbearing. :)

2008

Rocky, Joni, Ben, Candice (Taylee in highchair behind Candice), and Mike, (Emerson upstairs asleep)

 2009

Taylee, Mike, Candice, Mathis (3 months old)

 Joni, (James in utero), and Rocky

 Ben and E, (Sammi not even a thought yet)

2010

Mathis (15 mos.), James (7 mos.), Taylee, (3 yrs.), Sammi (3 mos.), Emerson (2 yrs.), Candice, Mike, Ben, Rocky, Joni

And we've gotten a little more festive with the table decorations along the way. Yay.

Trick-or-Treat

This little sweetie is a bit picky about what kinds of treats she likes.  Milk, or...milk.  But she's all dressed up to support her brother from the comfort of her stroller anyway.

 We went around with the Richards and the Despains (not pictured...sorry guys!)

Mathis (Peter Pan), Taylee (Tinkerbell), E (Thomas), Sammi (OSU cheerleader)

 It was pretty chilly, but at least it didn't snow or rain like I heard it did in Utah.

 E was pro at saying "Trick or treat!" this year.  And he always ended with a "Thank you!  Happy-happy Halloween!"

 So proud of his treats :)

 One house went all out and decorated their front yard.  Guess who was nervous? (I'll give you a hint...it wasn't Ben.)

 Happy-happy Halloween from all of us!

First Prayer

Tonight E said his first complete prayer all on his own.  It was adorable.

'"Fadder, s'day, 'ank you blessings, 'ank you mommy and daddy, cry, amen."

Translation:  Heavenly Father, thank you for this day, thank you for our blessings, thank you for mommy and daddy, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

More Halloween Festivities

I found some cute ideas for silly Halloween-type dishes that I wanted to try, so we had a somewhat festive dinner the other night.  I made some cute little mashed-potato ghosts with black beans for eyes and pumpkins which are sun-dried tomato tortillas with some cream cheese spread on them and rolled up with a sprig of parsley stuck on top.  We also had little pizza pockets that were supposed to have little Halloween shapes painted on top with egg white, but I was too lazy to actually paint the shapes.

I wasn't sure what E would think, but I didn't really consider the reaction that occurred.  He just stared in horror at his mashed-potato ghost and started weeping and saying he was nervous.  He then requested that I "t-round the ghost" (turn around the ghost).  I showed him it was just pretend and that we could smash him and eat him, but he would not rest until I removed the eyes.

 I'm a bad mom.  I should've not been taking pictures but it was kind of funny.

 Then he really didn't like when there was a whole pizza pan full of ghosts staring at him so he said "Mommy, pease t-round the ghosts, oh pease."  So I did, but then periodically through dinner I would swivel the plate around...just to see if he would notice.  And he did.  Like I said, bad mom.  I like to torment my children.

 Later festivities included pumpkin carving.  E wanted a knife with all his young boy heart, but I wouldn't allow it.  He got a blunt-edged scooper instead.  I guess I'm not a completely terrible mother.

 We asked him to hold on really tight to baby Sammi for the picture, and this is what he did: 

"Look ma, no hands!"  (He didn't say that, but his expression is screaming it.)

 Then he decided to cooperate and be a nice big brother.

Boo at the Zoo

We had fond memories from last year's "Boo at the Zoo" and were excited to go again this year.  The difference this year was the CROWDS!  I remember it being really cold last year so I guess that explains why no one but us was there.  I'm sure we were crazy for going out last year, but the weather was just too nice this year.  We had to get in a practice round with this little guy and his costume that makes him "kinda nervous".  We did a practice trick-or-treat with him at home with one, yes one piece of candy and he was sold.  Thrilled to wear the costume.

His face looks a lot like Thomas, doesn't it?

 Here are the kiddos in the double-wide ready for fun.  Sammi is an OSU cheerleader.

 Um....Ben?  You're not supposed to feed the animals

 I guess this little fella needed a pick-me-up to keep his energy going

E was oblivious to the fact that when all the little kids were screaming "Thomas!  It's Thomas!" that they were talking about him.  But he spotted other kids in their costume and talked about them and was excited to see another kid dressed as Thomas.  I guess the dress-up-and-assume-a-role stage of development doesn't come until later for boys?  Whenever we call him Thomas or another affectionate name like "pookie" (from one of his favorite books) he says "No Mommy! e-MER-son."  I guess he just knows who he is.

Big Boy Bed

It happened.  The stinker learned how to climb out of his crib.  The first time happened probably 3 months ago.  I heard an unusual rustling and thumping but thought it was probably just E dropping his trains out of his crib.  I was surprised to find a boy behind the door as I opened it.  I told him he couldn't climb out of his crib, and it kept him there until about a week before our trip to Utah.  Then it happened twice more and we decided to switch him to a big boy bed when we returned home. 

How is it going?  Well, we've have a few rough rounds, but he's slowly learning that he isn't supposed to get out of his bed.  I was breathing a sigh of relief that he didn't know how to open his bedroom door...until it happened the third night he was in his big boy bed.  Sigh...I almost cried.  But after a stern talking to, he no longer opens his door.  We had to laugh just a little the first and second time it happened as he guiltily slinked into our bedroom in the morning.  But it's not funny when it's happening during what is supposed to be kid-free evening time.  Sacred time. 

The first two nights I think he was too nervous to even entertain the idea that he could get out.  He told me "Mommy, I'm kinda nervous in my bed.  Hold you."  So I held him for a few minutes and then he was okay as long as "Pooh Beah" was clutched tightly under his arm.  The first morning when I went to get him, I found 3 books hidden under his sheets.  One of them was the People Who Love Me book that my mom gave him with all of their pictures in it.  I don't know why, but I thought that was adorable.  Especially knowing that he was a little nervous about being in a big bed.  So maybe he did quietly sneak out of bed, but maybe he carefully reached over to the bookshelf without getting out.  I turned a blind eye to the fact that he was reading books when he was supposed to be sleeping, but when I could hear him rustling around until 3 or 4 hours after his bedtime, I decided I couldn't ignore it any longer.  So I took a tip from my mom and Supernanny, and when I heard him the first time I went in and said "No Emerson, it's bedtime.  You need to stay in your bed and go to sleep."  And every time I heard him after that I went in, and without saying anything, put him back in his bed.  And you know what?  It worked!  When I put him to bed tonight I said "Goodnight Emerson.  Be a good boy and go to sleep."  And he said "And stay in my bed" in a singsong voice. :)

The thing I was really worried about was naps, but fortunately they've been going well.  I hope I didn't just jinx myself.  My kids are both good nappers, and it is going to stay that way, dang it.

Of course my camera battery was dead, so I had to charge it and take a picture the morning AFTER the first big night in bed.  And don't worry, that girly bedspread isn't staying...it's just the one that was on the guest bed that is now Emerson's bed.  He's so pleased with himself.

 And the fact that E moved into a big boy bed means that Sammi gets a big girl crib!  No more pack 'n' play for her!  (Except for naps.  I separate them for naps so they don't wake each other up, even though their naps do overlap.)

 Such a happy girl in the morning!

 He was so zonked for his nap the first day, maybe because he stayed up reading!?  I finally had to go wake him up so bedtime wouldn't get screwed up.

Next animal to tackle...POTTY TRAINING.  Not scheduled until January when we're done traveling for awhile.

Utah

My parents were kind enough to fly me and the grandkids out to visit for 2 whole weeks!  We were sad to leave Benny behind, but that darn school keeps him busy so his schedule wouldn't allow it.  We missed him while we were gone.  The flights went as well as could be expected and I was really glad that I had purchased a little puppy backpack (read: leash) for E so that he wouldn't run away from me while on the layover.  It turned out to be a lifesaver while I was feeding Sammi.  Yes, I am one of THOSE parents.  Judge if you must, but I didn't have to go chasing after him while trying to maintain a shred of dignity (and modesty).


We started off the trip by being greeted at the airport by Grandma and Grandpa J.  E was thrilled to see them and couldn't wait to "pay trains".  And pay trains he did.  We all found it difficult to resist when he would say "Come on (insert name here), come pay trains!  Pease!  Oh pease!"

Some fun things we did:
I took a trip up to Logan to visit my sister Natalie, and our good friends the Humpherys.  E and Sadie are little friends via blog videos and now Sammi and Ellie are too!  It was so fun to see them and to see how much Logan has changed.  E had a good time in Aunt Nat's apartment eating Cheez-Its and was sad to leave her.  Luckily she was coming home for the weekend the next day.

Sammi met her cousin, Tanner.  Don't they look comfy?  I got to have lunch with Ben's sisters and Mom.

We accidentally caught Emerson being affectionate with Sammi. :)  Shh...don't tell anyone he actually likes her.

Sammi met her second cousin, Addi.

E got to play with his second boy cousins.  And yes, they are all fighting over the pink car. 

E got to "play games" with Uncle Brad.  He was very motivated by this and thought he was doing a really good job.  He was so good that he didn't even need batteries in his controller.

This was his happy face at breakfast each morning.

A huge highlight was going to The Dairy Keen (No, I did not misspell Dairy Queen) in Midway, Utah where my family owns a second home.  It is the home of the train burger and is a train lover's paradise.  They have trains running all over the place, and very good shakes.  E was lucky enough to eat dinner on a train!

E with Aunt Steph and Aunt Nat

E and Sammi posing with the train

I heart this picture...two peas in a pod.  (E got to play with Uncle B's old trains while we were there)

Little Bright Eyes

E's yummy dinner on the train.

We had a great time at the condo in Midway, and that was probably my favorite part of the trip because everyone was together, and no one had work or school or play practice over UEA.  We went to Cascade Springs and drove through Provo Canyon to glimpse the pretty leaves. 

We also went to the Hogle Zoo.  It was a very fun time until the last five minutes where E was sliding for the last time before we went home and he cut his head open on the exposed concrete slab under the slide.  It bled like crazy, but luckily turned out to be a little pinpoint of a cut on the back of his head.  It sure is convenient to have Grandpa J for a doctor!  But here are the happy pictures.  Grandma took us on the train twice!  Lucky ducks.

The animal E chose to ride on the carousel was the peacock.  Yes, the peacock.  He chose the buffalo first, then wanted the peacock.  Of all the random animals...

We had lots of fun hanging out, eating out, and watching our girly shows together.  The yummy places we went:

-Tio's (on the west side of Murray.  Amazing Mexican food.)
-Cafe Rio
-Sweet Tooth Fairy (for cupcakes and other sinful delights)
-La Madelaine Bakery
-Bella Citta (The most amazing tomato soup EVER.  I don't even really like tomato soup.)
-Red Mango (delicious frozen yogurt)
-Scaddy's (burgers)
-Wingers (self-explanatory)

I'm not sure why, but the first few days of vacation always go by really slow...just the way I like it.  Then suddenly a week has passed and the rest flies by no matter how long your trip is.  I'm not sure my parents got enough of the grandkids. :)  E loved when Grandpa would get him ready for bed every night and then laughed when Grandma would admire his shiny clean teeth.  We've had to call them since we've been back so Grandma could admire them over the phone.  We miss you!  Thanks again for all the fun.  We'll be excited to see you again for Christmas. 

And just in case you didn't get enough of Sammi-girl:

3 Months

 Shortly after returning home from Utah, our little sweetie turned 3 months!  She is still such a doll and melts our hearts with every smile.  She has the sweetest personality and is such a calm baby.  (Unless she hasn't pooped in 5 days and you take her for a ride in the car.  Serious fury.)

I had to put this picture up because it shows her pink shoes and her looses (or tights).  I heart them.

At 3 months, our little sweetie:

-Hold her head up pretty well
-Has accidentally rolled over twice
-Smiles adorably
-Laughs when you tickle her under the chin or on the ribs
-Eats every 3 hours during the day
-Can sleep for 12 hours at night
-Is a good girl about going down for naps
-Gets cranky if you don't get her down for her naps
-Loves to suck on her fingers or lick her blanket as she goes to sleep
-Has survived 3 attacks from her older brother
-Has been on an airplane to visit family in Utah
-Passes gas like no other 3 month old I know
-Discovered her feet and stares at them with big, round eyes
-Plays with toys hanging from her bouncer

Oh Sammi, if only we could make you stay little!

*Post about our trip to Utah coming soon.

Popular

Both videos are of Emerson singing "Popular" from Wicked.  Can you tell I've been listening to the soundtrack enough for him to learn it?  The second version is good if you're in the mood to watch him through the hole of his cookie.  But the first version he is singing louder so you can hear him better.

They're Just Jammies, For Crying Out Loud!

No picture to go along with this post.  I didn't have any extra arms to be snapping cute photos as Emerson wrestled with me two nights ago while I put on his sleepers.  This falls under the "freaking out about new clothes" category.  This boy is not big on change, which is why I am so confused he has allowed Bebe Sister to live with us.  He woke up in the middle of the night the other night which is extremely unusual, and the next morning when I was much more coherent, I figured out it was probably because he was cold.  He doesn't stay under his blankets, so no wonder.  I'm not one that enjoys interrupted sleep, so I vowed the next night to put him in his sleepers.

Not without a fight, Emerson decided.  It was tantrum at first sight.  How dare I buy him new things and then make him wear them!  I put on his regular jammies then wrestled him into the nice, warm, cozy sleepers with animals on them while he thrashed and screamed and cried.  I zipped up the zipper and you would've thought I was ending his life the way he screamed.  I said "They're just jammies, for crying out loud!"  Then he thrashed around on the ground some more and wouldn't settle down for a story so I told him he wasn't acting like he wanted a story and that I was going to put him in his bed.  "Ok Mommy" was his reply.  Then I placed him in his crib and left the room as he was screaming "Leave it on!" while pulling on his jammies (meaning take them off, but he's confused about on and off.)  He cried hysterically for probably 5 minutes (you know, the inconsolable overly-tired cry that you can't do anything about.) and then went silent.  And what do you know, he slept the whole night through, warm and cozy.

Point for Mom.

I guess that's why they're called the "terrible twos".  In his defense, he has been sick.  And he is indeed two.