Seven!

Today, this kid turns another year older:

But let's rewind a bit, shall we:
Noah was my only baby who decided to come before his due date. This cemented his role as my very favorite child (well, maybe not my favorite, but definitely top four)! He weighed in at 8lbs. 2oz. He was a whole 2oz.'s bigger than Clayton had been. I remember thinking that he was such a big baby and I couldn't imagine ever having a larger one (then fate laughed).

Noah was a pretty good baby. I remember a few days after we brought him home from the hospital, he slept for nine hours straight! I, of course, woke in a panic but once I realized that he was fine, I became very grateful for the sleep he let me get. He may have been a fussy teether, and a crier during the day, but he slept at night.

Oh, the toddler Noah! This was when he earned his Pootie nickname! To date, he has been my roughest toddler (though Josie tried really hard to give him a run for his money). He was so energetic and active and opinionated! He was constantly climbing on things, getting in to things, making messes, and generally doing things that were pretty gross. If I was ever out with him when he threw a tantrum, it took Olympic sized strength to wrangle him to a time out or back to the car. This kid is STRONG! For all that though, he was such a snuggly toddler. He was my most snuggly and affectionate toddler to date (though Sammie's trying to snatch that title - we'll see). I used to think that this was my reward for the difficult times. I loved our snuggles.

As he grew, he gradually lost that difficult toddler-ness (it took until he was about 4 and a half, but who's counting). He's still strong willed, opinionated, energetic, rambunctious, and active, but he puts it to good use now (gymnastics has been a great outlet). 4 year old Noah was one of my favorites. He was still insanely affectionate and snuggly but without all the toddler drama.  



Six year old Noah was a ball of energy! He's constantly doing flips and cartwheels all over the house, he (literally) climbs my walls, he doesn't do anything slowly, he's a little reckless, but he's working on it! Six year old Noah would still snuggle and be affectionate, but he limited the bulk of his affection for his mama. I love that!

And now we are here. Seven years old. Here are a few fun facts about seven year old Pootie:
-His favorite band is Imagine Dragons.
-His favorite food is homemade bread with butter and jam.
-His favorite thing on the TV is a Wii game. He currently loves Super Smash Brothers and Skylanders.
-He is just as bendy as ever. I swear, this kid could have a future in contortionism.
-He is a dang good gymnast. His speed, flexibility, and recklessness are a really good combination for the sport. He needs to build up a little more muscle but otherwise he's awesome. I LOVE watching him.
-Oh boy, is he smart. He can read just about anything you put in front of him and comprehend most things we read aloud. This year we've been reading a LOT of Roald Dahl and Beverly Cleary (we're keeping it old school this year) and he's been loving it. It's been fun to share that with him!
-He's killing it in the first grade. I went to his parent teacher conference and his teacher had nothing negative to say about him. She said she loved his energy, he is a very obedient and willing student, and he's really smart. It was the kind of conference every parent dreams of attending!
-His favorite things to do are: gymnastics, bike riding, playing Wii, snacking all day, playing with Clayton, and being silly.

We still have our rough times, this kid and me (because he is still incredibly strong willed and stubborn), but overall, I really enjoy who he's becoming. He has a really good sense of right and wrong, a strong testimony of the gospel, a lot of love for his family, a lot of loyalty to his friends, a sympathetic heart, and all the energy in the world to make a positive difference. I love to see where he's headed. I predict big, good things for this kid of mine. He's pretty special.

Happy birthday Noah. I love you to the moon and back. I love you to infinity and beyond. You are an important and treasured part of our family.

Thankful...again

This year we had some pretty awesome plans to go and spend Thanksgiving with our best friends. Unfortunately, due to some sad circumstances, those plans were cancelled at the last minute. We have the turkey in the brine and all the stuff to make mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and pie. We tried to find someone who was without plans to come spend Thanksgiving with us, but no luck. Justin and I then had a realization: this is the first Thanksgiving that we've ever spent alone. Alone, as in, just our little family of six.

At first, the thought made me sad because Thanksgiving is supposed to be all about big family or friend gatherings around a massive feast. It's supposed to be loud and warm and slightly insane. I was sad to miss out on that this year...until I thought about it a little more.

While we are devastated not to be able to see our dear friends and would happily change plans in a heartbeat if the situation were different, I realize I'm glad to spend Thanksgiving with these five people of mine. And, guaranteed, Thanksgiving will be every bit as warm, loud, and insane with just the six of us (we can make a decent amount of noise).

Here's why:
We get really excited over little things (like discovering Elmo on the iPad).

 We're helpful (and also, hello, gorgeous).

We love being physically close to each other (okay, maybe I sneak hugs and kisses in when they're not expecting it, but they always go along)!

 We have a lot of common interests (yay for Connect Four)!

 I love looking at these cute faces.

We work hard together.

 (Dragging a big bag of leaves is a three person job).

 This kid clipped back all the bushes this fall. What a helper!

 We like to be silly!

 We like to be fancy!

 We like to make each other laugh.

 We like to play together.

 We like to sit around the table and enjoy each other's company.

So while it's looking like this outside (and don't doubt for a second that the kids aren't living this snow up):

We're going to stay home, bundled up in the warmth and love of our little family, and just enjoy being together. I'm thankful.

Thankful

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I figured it was time for a thankful post. I'm going to try to keep things brief, but we'll see how that goes. Here we go (in no particular order - I'm just going to list them as they pop into my head):

1. My family (with Justin). I have an awesome husband. We've been married for over 11 years now and we still laugh really hard together. There is something so comfortable and familiar in our relationship now. I love it. I am also thankful for our kiddos. They are each so different, and I think that's so amazing. Now that our little kids are getting older, we're navigating new waters. We don't have a "baby" anymore and as sad as it makes me, I am loving the freedom and fun that comes with these big kids. There are some nights, when I go to check on them before bed, that I just stare at them and wonder how I got so lucky. Sometimes, the word 'thankful' just doesn't seem like a big enough word.

This might be my favorite picture of our session this year.

2. My family (that I grew up in). I am a blessed woman. I was fortunate to grow up in a wonderful family with parents and siblings that I love. I have a dad that I admire more than anything, awesome brothers (who married pretty awesome ladies), and a mom and sisters who are the best friends a girl could ever ask for. We've been called "freakishly close". I take it as a compliment.

Oh yes, I did find this long lost Aspen Grove picture. You're welcome family!

3. A healthy body. I am 33 years old and I am in better shape than I've ever been in before. I realize it's because I exercise hard and frequently. It's hard to maintain that sometimes (it's been mind over matter lately to get my workouts in) but I'm loving the result. I feel strong and fit. Surprisingly, I don't feel thin though (but that's a post for a different day). I enjoy feeling the ache of my muscles after a good workout and I love the knowledge that, if I had to, I could just go and run 6 miles. It's also comforting to know that what I'm doing now will benefit me long term. It will help keep me healthy and active for my family, and will keep me around longer for them. I'm glad I have a body that can do these things!

Not my best picture, but I'm with my best girls, so I love it anyway!

4. I'm so, so thankful for the knowledge of eternal families. About a week ago, a family that we were friends with in medical school lost their beautiful 13 month old baby girl to meningitis. It happened very quickly and unexpectedly. I can not imagine how difficult this must be for my sweet friend and I don't know how she finds the strength to make it through each day but she's doing it (THIS is her blog: you'll sob as you read it, but you'll also be impressed with her strength - I definitely am). I'm thankful to know that families are forever and that, someday, she will be reunited with her little girl. I'm thankful that I will be able to be with my family forever. This knowledge gives me such comfort always. I'm thankful to know it.

5. I'm thankful to live in the USA. The fact that we can live in a country where people can openly disagree with one another about such heavy topics as politics and religion is an amazing gift. I have my own opinions that I generally keep off the internet (mostly because it gets people all riled up) but I love that we're allowed to share them. (Plus, I love that the winter Olympics are almost here - maybe it's weird, but nothing makes me more patriotic than the Olympics.)

6. I'm thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. The boys and I have been reading the Book of Mormon together every morning for the past couple of years and it's one of my favorite things. The gospel of Jesus Christ is so much about love and service and kindness. Right now we're reading about the 2,000 Stripling Warriors. It makes me teary to compare my boys to these boys. I know this "thankful" is all over the place, but it boils down to this: I love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I'm thankful to be a member of a church that values family and service and love.

This is the temple where Justin and I got married. I think it's so beautiful.

7. I'm thankful for Idaho. I do not exaggerate when I say that I count down the days until we move there. Justin thinks it's foolish because it just makes the time go slower, but I can't help myself. I just know it's going to be a really good thing for our family and I can't wait! (For the record, it makes me laugh that I just got thankful for Idaho - ha, we never thought we'd end up there!)

8. I'm thankful for Vermont and Indiana. I've made some of the best friends there and it has shaped the woman I am, the mother I am, and the relationship Justin and I have. It's been wonderful to have had the experience to live in so many different places in the country. I love that my kids will be able to grow up having seen different parts of the country (even if they might not remember it - this is why I have the blog)!

9. I'm thankful for my kid's teachers. Last year was an interesting one teacher-wise. We started the year with high hopes and it just didn't turn out so great (on two out of three fronts). This year I can honestly say that I love each of my kid's teachers. They all have the teachers they need. Clayton's teacher is so nurturing while strict at the same time, Noah's teacher loves how silly he can be and constantly pushes him academically, Josie's teacher just loves her. After our year last year, I feel like I'm coming out of a fog. It's been wonderful.

10. I'm thankful for good friends. Living so many different places, we've gotten to know a lot of people who now live all over the country. I've been blessed to know so many wonderful people. People who I know will be my friends forever - even if we occasionally lose touch. Periodically I do talk to friends I haven't seen since med school, and we pick up right where we left off.

I'm truly blessed. I have so much to be thankful for this year. I suppose I should add that I'm thankful for the blog. It's awesome to look back over the years and see all the things that my family has done and all the ways my kids have grown.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Sammie Sue

This baby:

Is killing me lately. She is getting so big! I simultaneously love and hate it. Mostly love though because she's freakin' adorable. I took a series of pictures of her the other day and I love them all so I'm posting them. Ha! It's my blog and I'll post a zillion pictures of my baby if I want to. So there.

 It's hard to get a picture of Sammie lately because when she says cheese she insists on squeezing her eyes shut. It's really cute, but really difficult. I have to try to trick her. It's either eye squeezing or her running around to the back of the camera so she can "see" before I've actually taken the picture. Curse this digital age!
Exhibit A:

 Exhibit B:

 Top three Sammie phrases:
"Inna go dere!" (this is the #1 phrase associated with Sam right now. She says it anytime anyone leaves the house, whenever she gets out of the tub and doesn't want to go to bed, when she finishes lunch and doesn't want to take a nap, basically it's an all encompassing phrase meaning - very literally - "she wants to go THERE!"
"Inna wat memo" (translation: "I want to watch Elmo". She loves Elmo, Sesame Street, and anything Elmo related. She will even sing the "Elmo's World" theme song on request.)
"Mine!" (she's 2. this one explains itself.)

 A few of our favorite things about our girl:
-She is big into animals and animal sounds. In fact, she calls cats "mow mow"s, dogs "wuf wuf"s, monkeys "ooh ooh aah aah"s, and Cookie Monster "nom nom nom". We love it and will never in a million years correct her.
-On a related note, if you ask her what a fox says, she dances and (I think) says, "jchow, jchow, jchow, jchow, jchow, jchow, jchow". If you don't understand why that's awesome, watch this and educate yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE
-She loves Josie. She follows her around all day and tries to play with her always. Josie is surprisingly tolerant of this (mostly). They do have some knock down, drag out fights, but mostly they play together really well. Makes this momma happy.
-She LOVES to eat. Every time I announce meal time she is always the first (and often only) one who comes running to the table screaming with delight. She doesn't even care what we're eating, she's just happy to be there.
-She fake laughs. It's adorable. It began when we were reading the book, The Twits together as a family. The kids would laugh at the pictures and Sam would copy them. Now it doesn't matter what book we read or if the pictures are funny or not, she fake laughs every time. The kids (and me and Justin) think it's hilarious.
-She loves to stand by me when I fold the kid's laundry and yell out which article of clothing belongs to which kid. I think she thinks it's a game. I think it's funny (unless she's trying to unfold stuff - then it's game over).

A few things that are cute and frustrating at the same time:
-She wants to dress herself. From choosing her own clothes to putting them on by herself. It's a little hard. I let her help with the things that she can do, but there are other things (like putting on boots and buttoning coats) that she just can't do alone. It's a fight.
-She totally plays up the cute when she's trying to be sneaky. She will get a stool and raid the pantry (because, yeah, homegirl can open doors now). When I catch her she will look at me with a big cheesy grin and it's oh so hard to reprimand her!
-If I catch her doing something wrong, I'll ask her if she's being naughty. Without fail, she smiles, nods, and says "yeth"! It's kryptonite I tell you, kryptonite!!!
-She will tell me when she's pooped her diaper. She will then pretend to be helpful by getting me a diaper and wipes. She will then run away from me grinning.
-When Justin is home she's relentless. If he sits down for even a second, she will try to sneak up on him and try to get him to chase and wrestle her. He tries so hard to stay strong and resist her, but we all know he can't and she gets her way more often than not. There's something about this kid that is so hard to say no to!!

Her favorite things:
-Elmo
-Josie
-her daddy
-Disco
-Clayton
-Noah
-Me (she's a pretty clingy toddler. I've never had one before and it's a little rough on me sometimes, I'll admit.)
-Animals
-Music (she will ask me to turn on the radio in the car if we're out driving and it's off or turned down.)
-Socks
-Princesses
-Balls
-Talking, taking, messing with, hiding, locking any electrical device I own (namely: my phone and my iPad)
-Anything that Josie has in her hand

I don't know if I'd call her a girly girl (because I'm pretty sure Josie owns the rights to that phrase and anything associated with girly-ness) but she does love the girly stuff. I haven't decided if it's because of Josie or if it's just because she really likes it. She loves necklaces, dresses, skirts, headbands, princesses, things that are sparkly and shiny, pink, purple, and makeup. That said, she also loves to throw balls and play "catch" (I use the term loosely because she's not that great at it), put stuffed animals into the Batmobile and drive them around the house, and wrestle with anyone who'll have her. I think she's got a pretty good mix going.

She's mostly a really mellow kid (compared to some of the other kids we have around here). Her two year oldness isn't terrible at all really. Sure, we have the occasional day where I can't get anything done because she physically won't let me (for real, have you ever tried cooking a meal with a toddler standing between you and the counter - screaming and pushing you away from said counter? it should be an Olympic event). Overall though, I find her delightful and really love and adore her at this stage. It's my favorite so far.

Sure, she's naughty and rough sometimes. Sure, I have to watch her like a hawk because silence with this little lady is a sure sign of trouble. However, I wouldn't trade it for anything. In this season of thankfulness, I'm very thankful for my little Sammie. I can't imagine what my life would be like without her and I never want to. She's basically the most awesome two year old ever.

Love you Sam. So glad you're mine!

Fancy

A few months ago the saddest of all the things happened. Jared and Kerstin moved and took their kids with them (rude)! I guess they were ready to move on with the next phase of their lives but they didn't ask us if we were ready for them to move on (spoiler alert: we weren't). It's been an adjustment having them gone. The kids frequently ask to see their cousins and it makes me sad to have to tell them no. Josie especially has a hard time with this. The boys understand that they've moved out of state, but Josie doesn't quite get the concept (she still thinks that our friends who moved last year are coming over any time). Anywho, long story short: they're gone and we miss them. Lots.

When they moved though, they gave us a tea set. They had a couple and decided to part with one. When Kerstin gave it to me, I put it on my counter and it's been sitting there ever since. Sitting there for months. Mocking Josie with tea parties that never happen. She's been asking and asking for a tea party and I give her the standard mom party line, "yes, we can have a tea party sometime".

Well she had upped her game, asking several times a day and I finally decided that I needed to up my mom game and let her have one. We figured out who she would invite (since it's only service for four that made the numbers easy). Josie made invitations (oh I wish I'd taken pictures, pink paisley invites with unicorns on them - how do you say no to an invitation like that). We handed out the invites to her friends and then set out planning the tea.

Josie is a girly girl and wanted it to be a fancy tea party. So we went for it. Purple table cloths, purple balloons, doilies, purple napkins, fancy tiny finger foods, fancy party favors, etc. I will admit, I had a lot of fun planning this with her.  It's kind of fun as an adult to be able to be a kid again where everything is special and fun and magical. The more excited she got, the more excited I got. And vice versa.

On the day of the tea party she helped me set up:
I think it turned out pretty cute for a last minute tea party.

 I especially love the place cards she made for her friends. Her handwriting at this age is far from perfect, but I adore it. I love the way she wrote everyone's name and then colored in the closed letters (this one below is her own name).

 When the friends started arriving the girls played for a while. Josie giving me a fancy pose.

 Clara came with a very appropriate hat (I adore that hat, I'd keep it if I could).

 Again, I just loved her place cards (this is for her friend Julia, not Juria).

One of her friends woke up sick and couldn't come. That made all the girls sad...except Sammie. She got an official spot at the big girl table and she couldn't have been happier about that!

 Josie and Clara. Very fancy.

  Sammie and Julia. Can you tell Sam is excited to be a 'big girl'? She totally is.

Pouring tea. We only had one casualty with this and that was when Sam decided to pour her own. Fortunately our 'tea' was purple kool aid so it matched our table cloth.

My favorite thing was that this girlie spoke with a (sort of) British accident the. entire. time. She never broke character. She was killing me. Love it!

It was a fun event enjoyed by all. I predict there will be a few more tea parties in our future. So thanks for the tea set Kerstin, Tori, and Ella. We wish you were still here to come to our tea parties.