random thougts. oh wait. thoughts.

~you know your kids received way too much for Christmas when now, 2 weeks later, there are toys still around that are untouched and still in their original packages. Do I a)hide them and re-wrapp them for next year b)keep as re-gifts and save some money for birthdays? Im sure my friends little boy would love a Susie Talks A Lot for his first birthday! c)open them and put them in the toy box then DI them in a few months? or D)try the ol return without receipt game and get back a whoppin $6.50 to buy a package of toilet paper and some teething gel.

~sometimes "being a woman" is a bother. In honor of my Aunt Sue who loves to hear about everyones health ailments, Im going to complain about my week long headache. For the first time in over a year, I was visited my my ugly cousin (also known as my period, how ever you want nickname it) and was blessed with this pulsating pain that moves from my cheeks and nose, to temples, to forehead but mostly behind my right ear and down my neck. For about 6 days I have tolerated it and been able to control it. But know I am on the verge of a drug overdose and it hasn't touched the pain. I dont believe they are migraines, and the pain wouldn't bother me if I didn't need to leed a functioning life. I mostly hate them because they make me really snappy and ornery, and on a beautifully smoggy day like today when I finally have a weekend off with my family, I would like to be happy and fun. Not mean and ornery, telling everyone to be quiet and you stink, you make me want to throw up.

~We are on day 4 of potty training and doing WELL! Who knew what she needed was some minor threats. Mostly that "3 year olds don't wear diapers" and "only girls who wear big girl undies and don't have accidents get a BIG HUGE BIRTHDAY PARTY at BOONDOCKS!" So, for us it's tiny bits of juice, small car rides, and many extra clothes to pack.

~Baby Fats woke up with a fever today. Oh man. When will I be cool and collected? Anytime the girls show the slightest bit of sickness I panic and fret all day. She is asleep on my lap now, calm and cool. And from the other room, not a bathroom, Hadley has declared "MOM! I POOPED!" Ah. Sigh. Keep calm, and try not to throw up.
(10 minutes later) Funny to see little ones who have pooped in undies. It looks like they have grown a tail!

~My wonderful SIL, our *Naunty* (nanny-aunt?) sent me some lovelies: She is so chubbly and pinchable!Oh the thighs! She is so fun to lather up with lotion! And...oops. Perfect picture moment. This is what our girl is ALWAYS doing. If you see a stain on my clothing, its best not to ask, because yes, it is poop or spit-up. And no, Im not going to change my clothes, Im sick of the laundry.

pinches

Im to that point in my blog that kinda reminds me of my checking account register. Where I really intend to keep it up to date, but I get so far behind writing stuff down and balancing it (who cares now with on line banking, right?) that instead of re-writing my monthly statement, I just draw a big line and start over.
Balance as of Jan 6,2010...--------------------------------------------
Wow life gets crazy, eh? Between pinching fat baby legs every free minute, and beating my own BEJEWLED score (yeah me, finally over 200,000!) I just dont have much time left for blogging! It seems like that there is plenty to do, like wiping spit-up off my entire upper body, tending to a somewhat lower mileage truck that needs more repairs than an 97 year old man, a toddler to de-constipate, a bum to change, doctors to see (ours is really getting to know us!), friends to neglect, and coffee to make. Not to mention our daily chores, jobs and "has anyone seen the screaming babies binky?" These, by the way, are not excuses. It is my round about way of catching everyone up on our lives!
*first solids
Husby: Brent has been really busy with work. We live in Utah. Unfortunately for us, it snows. He spends 6-8 extra hours working EVERY TIME it snows. We havent seen much of him lately, and when we do he is usually dusted in a heavy film of salt, and complains about the snow, eats dinner and goes to bed. He is a very hard worker, and we are all counting down the days to spring (72! woo hoo). Well, with the exception of him nearly dying recently, and being brought back to life thanks to 40$ in Kleenex Puffs, DayQuil, NyQuil, a new Wii Mario game and 3 days of lying on the couch, moaning some more. I just dont think men should be allowed to come down with such horrific illnesses such as the common cold. Especially when they are such caring creatures who, when their wife has just shot an over 8 pound baby out of an opening roughly bigger than her nostril, and is trying to hold it together while her nipples have left for the month and been replaced with oozing cankers, and her upper body has filled up with milk from the bottom of her chin to the back of her armpits, and her toddler has made many attempts at getting rid of her new baby sister, has decided he is bored and needs to undertake a huge garage project which requires disappearing into the boys only section of the house for many, many hours a day. I love this man, but next time he has a cold, headache or even a hurt wrist, I am thinking of calling Hospice.
*Christmas Eve tradition: Jammies and new books
Hadley: Little Miss Sunshine has been a rootin-tootin good time. 2009 was crazy for her, but wonderful too. We started 2009 in the ER room with her, and ended 2009 in the ER room with her. She has grown so much, loves to dance, change her clothes, sing happy then sing angry (same thing, only her hands are claw-like and she scrunches her nose) We seem to be rounding a potty-trained corner, and after talking about it for the last 6 months her birthday is about 6 weeks away. She loves to be tended by her aunt Kari and playing with her idol Paigey, and tells me all sorts of dirty secrets about them! We hope to be enrolling her into dance classes soon, and thinking of preschool too!She was so fun for Christmas this year. She got a new bike, and ballet shoes that we have to pry off her feet before leaving the house. She cried when she realized Santa had been to our house while she was asleep, and *gasp* hadn't taken the stack of pennies she had left by the cookies. Oh, honey. Santa didn't know those where for him!
Miss Spits aka Wesley Ann: She is growing so fast, and I am finally proud to say she has spent the last 2 nights in her own room! (after a week of waking mom and dad up every 3 hours)She has been working hard on laughing, chewing her own tongue, and earning a few more thigh rolls and cankle chunks. This child is almost always smiling and she smiles with every bit of her body. Her 4 month visit was "perfect" and she weighs 15 3, and rolled from her belly to back today for the first time!
Me: Life has been crazy, stressful and a little discouraging(especially my waistline!). But that all changed when I walked into Victoria Secret this week. Its amazing what a new bra and yummy lotions can do for your spirits. So while I sit and eat Dorritos, dreaming of being skinny for Mexico this spring, wishing I could be driving around in my new SUV, its good to know that 40$ in elastic and padding have brought some happy thoughts.

IB Profen Stings Your Eyes

I know.
Because I have had it spit at me.
And down my shirt, in my hair. I am hoping that there is light at the end of this germy tunnel.

I am now the proud mother of one painful, grueling, kidney stone. I truly believe my body ate 90% of it, because I am CERTAIN that as I lay in the ER, wiggling and swearing in pain, begging for someone to just DO ME IN, it was the size of a boiled egg, (maybe basketball)...but by the time I birthed it 5 days later, it has shrunk to the measly size of a bread crumb. I hope that someday if I again become pregnant, I can go through labor without pain meds as a sacrifice to the Kidney Gods...because THAT MEASLY BREAD CRUMB was way worse! (And my new found hate for Percocets!)
Then, the saga continues. Me, soar throat. Hadley, runny nose. Ok, we will make it through this. No. Driving to work on Monday with an more-than-usual ornery toddler "Mommy my be-wee hurts! Mommy I need you" Seconds later my car, my toddler and poor by standing Curious George Doll are soaked in puke. Next day, this is where it gets fun. Miss toddler awakes from nap with croupy cough and fever. Not a HUGE deal except for anyone trying to deliver medicine! So this I ask you...Anyone have any tricks for getting a 2 year old, fevering, determined little girl to take some medicine? I have tried: not making a big deal out of it, nice words, taking it myself, bribes, threats, force, being VERY excited about how yummy bubble gum medicine is, hiding it in drinks. GRRR! This is partly why Hadley was in the hospital last January because I had such a hard time getting her fever down and she became dehydrated. Yesterday my poor sister in law suffered a scratch above her eyebrow, my mom pitched in trying to give her Meltaway Tylenols, my husband soaked with spit, and I was almost bitten. She is better this morning, her fever is down. But I still get panicked when she starts with a fever, and even more so with my baby around!
Speaking of Baby:
This sweet, sweet Angel is 3 months old tomorrow. This saddens me, because she is one month older and closer to being a sassy 2 year old. But happy to see her grow and change, learn new tricks and light up my life. I am so happy with her in my life! Every time I walk into the room she smiles and wiggles from head to toe! She is such a good baby, I love every minute with her and miss her every minute I am gone. I love these girls so so much, even with body fluids all over me when I am just freshly showered, something that is a rarity now days!

I wrote on Facebook today "The only benefit of my toddler being sick, She tried to scream at me and nothing came out, only sweet voiceless air!" Im still giggling at her trying again and again, inches away from my face!

Thankful

I am sitting in a house that is about one more dirty diaper away from being condemned. We have no clean clothes to start our busy week out with, a sink full of stinky dirty dishes, and toys covering every inch of our floor.
But, I have a home.
And I have a family to fill it.
A toddler to serenade our days with giggles and tantrums, silly questions and crazy new words.
A baby to snuggle and love, who poops and cries, but also smiles with every part of her body and I am so in love with every inch of her.
A husband to nag at, cry to, tease and love, even when he belches, snores, and watches football all the time. And watch him with my girls, so patient, and come home to dinner after my long work days, and back scratches at night...best thing in the world.
And me, when I think I am really still 18, with a body I don't recognize (and rather loath), wrinkles starting under my eyes, and aches and pains! What? But I'm only 18 right? Maybe 22. But I do have this gap in my teeth that I love, because it comes from my mom. And all these freckles, even on my hands, because they come from my dad. An ability to shoot a gun, burp, and other things I shouldn't mention, that came from my brothers. A love for camping and outdoors that my grandfather and dad gave me. A dirty mind, I hate to admit, that I think my grandma blessed me with:) And even though I get caught up in THINGS, I have all these PEOPLE who I love.
Time is going by so fast with a new little one. We had a great weekend with some nieces and a nephew staying over, and Hadley is all about being like the big kids. We never knew she was such a rocker!

We played games all night, roasted marshmallows, hot chocolate, cooked big breakfasts, bowled, ate candy, then ate more.The baby wasn't starved for attention with Kyleigh around!There's that rocker face again.My new joy Wesley Ann is showing hints of giggling, so I spend many minutes a day making a ginormous fool out of myself for a little sample of her new laugh.



Picture overload!
Little Miss Sassy has been on a roll lately, being so grown up and repeating EVERYTHING we don't know we say. We were at dinner the other night and Curious George had accompanied us. Hadley "I got lots a milk in my boobs!" and lifts up her shirt and nurses George. Good thing she was on the INSIDE of the booth! And there is "when my daddy was a little girl", "my gramma will buy for me it" and "no Mom, I don't want my baby to come!"

My new recipe suggestion: Chocolate Triffle We made this recipe today for our first of 3 Thanksgiving dinners, and it was a big hit!

*lovelies*

our yearly fall drive
our pumpkin pickin party:
cousins...these two remind me so much of each other
Kari's love of everything itty-bitty
pregnant bellies-I almost miss it! My cousin Cali and baby Boston
grandpa+horse time
all these silly kids and my wonderful Mom and Grandma, who puts on this fun party year after year. It has been such a fun tradition! As we keep saying..."Maybe next year we will do something different" but its always so much fun.
Kari, Mom and I snuck off with our families Sunday night and took some quick, cold pictures. Here are some of my favorites of my family:


Not sure what I love more here: the girls lovin each other or their Daddy right behind them helping out

(more on flickr)
Today I took Wesley in for her 2 month check up, she is already 12 pounds and has grown 3 inches! As I am typing here, she sits on my lap and is feeling the side effects of all her shots today, poor girl. Tylenol just isn't cutting it.
AND I am back to work, 2nd week! Its actually been nice, socialization, time away from home, and some feeling of importance besides bum changes. It really makes me a better mom to miss my kids a little bit. But...the messy house, lack of time, getting home late, late dinners, late bedtimes...I guess it evens out in the end.
EXCITED for Halloween! Now, with my day off tomorrow if I can only make 4 costumes, get the house tidy, and make it to the grocery store it will be a good day.

sick with the fwu

Being sick is no fun. For anyone. But I do envy her ability to bounce back, for here I sit with one tired burning eye open, barely able to lift my fingers to type, I am so tired, and she is running around, giggling and doing crafts (play-dough, which we keep in her "cwaft box" which really only has that and pipe cleaners!)Pretty good for throwing up every hour till 2!

10 things I love:
*my new love. Wesley Ann. She is cooing and smiling. Its strange how when babies start to smile, their little frowns also become so much sadder, and I can't help but giggle when she is so hungry and sticks that lip out with her little whimpers. And this is Hadley, about the same age. I think they could be sisters!
*tutus and bed-head and "my dance cwass"
My aunt Denice bought Hadley her "pwetty pwetty tutu" when she was visiting over the summer. At the same time Hadley has been taking fashion tips from her cousin Paige, who wears a swimsuit under EVERYTHING 24 hours a day. Well, this pretty tutu has now become pjs, undergarments, and playing at the park attire (complete with cowboy boots, of course.)Well, she must be dancing in her sleep because HOW DO YOU DO THAT TO YOUR HAIR CHILD???? And in her little imagination, she has a dance class. And she has now started doing PYMNASTICS (gymnastics) like her cousin Payton and rolls around on the ground pointing her toes.

and lots and lots of dress up

*Brent. Oh Brent. There are many sides to Brent. Some I would like to lock up in the closet...time-out for life! But there is this sweet daddy side that I love, and it melts me when I get the chance to catch a little glimpse. When he reads Hadley books before bed. Or when I am reading her a book, and he brings Wesley in and we all sit on the bed. When he eats her belly like corn on the cob. When he lets her sleep on his chest, breathing in his face, after catching her throw up in a bowl. When he gets home after a hard day of work and picks up Wesley and she is calm instantly (actually, I kind of don't love this because its usually after I have tried EVERYTHING to calm her, for hours! How does he do that!?) Or how he waits to pull out of the driveway in the morning until he sees Hadley poke her little head out the window (destroying the blinds) to wave good-bye to him.
*Pumpkin flavor. In everything. Lotion, coffee, bread. I think I would wash my sheets in pumpkin detergent if I could find it.
*Good friends. And Farms. And giggly little toddlers.



We almost got kicked out, the girls would pick up pumpkins, scream at how perfect they were, then CHUCK them.

*My new jogging stroller, and for about 45 minutes every other day, My "old man shuffle" jog. I am trying to get out, but really, slap some saggy bottom jammies on me, with my hunch back, small shuffled steps and wheezing...Lets just say Id fit right in at the senior center.
*Day old popcorn. Why is it so much better in the morning?
*My baby is 6 weeks old, and still wearing maternity pants. Oh wait. I HATE THAT! See "old man shuffle"
*Grandparents. All of them. I love to watch the way they interact with my girls, and the quirky things Hadley says about them.
*My time off with my girls. This 8 weeks has gone by so so fast. There are times when it is so hard, I have no time for myself, and if I clean up dress ups one more time I will scream. And when they both get mean and ornery at the same time. And WHY cant they sleep at the same time? But I love it. I go back to work on the 20th, and I am not looking forward to it. I know once I do, it will be nice to have a break from being mommy, and to have a little bit of my independence back...and honestly, I am BROKE! But I hate the thought of leaving them.
And how it just took me 2 hours to start and finish this, complete with 4 bum changes, three drink orders, blowing up 4 balloons, dancing to "Toddler Tunes", 2 cups of coffee, one pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, and two games of Freecell while videos and pictures upload. THAT is why my posts have been few and far between! Now, maybe a shower and 3 girls naps. Hopefully.

melting my heart...

I have been playing around with some different birth announcements. Honestly, I don't LOVE the one I sent out (or am in the process of sending out!) but I was at my limit (mentally) deciding on them, so I picked one and printed it. Not going to post it here, waiting to get them all in the mail. But here was one of many that I made up that didn't make the final cut, but funny story. The night I had taken this picture, I thought maybe Hadley had gotten to the baby when I wasn't looking because she had this big red mark on her arm. Took me forever to realize she had given herself a HICKEY!!!

My brother thought this was a postcard with an elf on it: I absolutely love this picture, wishing I would have used it. hmm.
And the moments that are melting my heart, my babies first smiles. Not gas, smiles. Not really smiling at me, either, more like something behind me, up over my head, my glasses, or angels, but nonetheless, a smile

And yes, Hadley loves her baby sister, and LOVES to show off her silly face.