Mommy Moments

All week I've been thinking that I really need to record some of the moments I have with my kids because once they're gone, they're gone and I can't remember the specifics. I find myself so very busy all the time and yet when I look back it all blurs together. At the beginning of this week I had the specific thought , 'I don't have anything I have to do this week--nothing in the schedule at all--so I'll let it be all about the kids.' (not like it isn't otherwise... just a conscious effort kind of thing.) There have been so many darling things that I wished I could write down, but I am just a little too busy in the moment. I have been enjoying them so much more. A year ago things were pretty hard and I found it hard to enjoy my toddler at all. So on Monday we had ballet and we took Savannah with us (since her mom just had baby Evelyn 2 weeks ago). Afterward the girls played for a bit and had lunch at our house, and then Ben joined, and then Rose went to Savannah's house for an hour, and then nap time, and then dinner and FHE. By the way, FHE was one of my new year's resolutions. Have family home evening each week. So we had family night, and I actually prepared a lesson the day before about reverence. Rose really did well and paid attention and I think she got it. She has a hard time being reverent at church or any time, really. But the next time we had a prayer I reminded her about being reverent, and she folded her arms and closed her eyes. It was really sweet. Rose is so much more of a little girl now and has the sweetest little personality. I'm grateful I can easily enjoy her throughout the day, as opposed to struggling to keep my patience every single minute. Another sweet thing I love about her is how excited she is... just whenever something is slightly exciting. This morning when Finn was napping I said, "We're going to do a craft!" And she was SO on board and excited. And the best thing is she has no idea what a craft is! :) We went in my room and I was pulling out colored paper and supplies, and she RAN (she runs everywhere when things are exciting) to the kitchen to put our supplies on the table. She has such a cute run. It kind of has this bop to it, but it is a quick up-and-down bop because she has to move her short little leggies.

So anyway on TUESDAY I invited some friends to the beach. We met up at Moonlight around 11 and it was a really gorgeous day. Rose played with her friend "baby Finley" who is 20 months. They had a great time sitting in a hole in the sand and running around and playing by the water. Finn borrowed Finley's toys and was much more stationary than usual, which was nice for me. He just sat and played with the sand toys and was exploring this new place. I got to visit with Lindsey and Kate. It was beautiful and so enjoyable. We stayed till almost 2, then headed home for nap and shower. That was an exhausting day, and I think I might have tweaked a nerve from carrying 2 kids and all the stuff. It's been bothering me today. I might also mention that Finn has been getting a molar and his canines, plus another tooth on the bottom, so he's been coughing and waking up SO early, sometimes 4 or 5 am, and even 3 AM one day! GAH! It's been rough.

Wednesday I asked Rose what she wanted to do, and she said have a picnic, so while Finn was napping I got ready and packed a few little things. We had our picnic at Poinsettia Park and the kids didn't eat much, but enjoyed the park a lot. Finn loves to walk all over and pick things up and explore. He even climbs the stairs all the way up to the tallest slide, but then doesn't know how to get down. I have gone down so many slides with him over the last few months--more than ever in my life maybe. Finn is obviously easier right now because he entertains himself more. It is actually one thing I love about him right now--it is so funny and cute. He just loves to pick things up and carry them around. We had this book growing up... something about Roundabout Bears' Country Cottage where you had to open the flaps in all the rooms of the house and the wrong item would be there... an umbrella in the fridge, so you'd flip to the umbrella stand in the family room only to find a pillow, which needed to go in the bedroom, but on the bed you'd find a broom, which needed to go in the broom closet, only to find .... and so on. You had to "help" the bears put all their items away. I do this every day right now with Finn. He'll pick up one of my shoes, and carry it to another room. Later I'll see him walk by with the a saucepan lid (and he's just so little!!). Then I'll open the drawer by my bed and find an empty cookie box that I threw in the trash can earlier in the day. It's just so funny to me--like he's playing a little joke. He's slowly becoming a little bit more of a person with thoughts... I can tell he can comprehend SO much more. I had my shoes on and my purse yesterday, and he dropped what he was doing and did his adorable baby walk over to the front door, like he knew it meant we were leaving. And I think he's holding out on us too in the communicating department. I have been teaching him a few words in sign language but he doesn't really use them. Then one day Raimo gave him something particularly delicious... maybe ice cream... and immediately he began to sign "MORE" (with gusto! aka very rapidly). Another funny thing he does is he'll throw himself forward from standing to his belly and hands, like it's funny that he's falling down?!! over and over. He loves peek a boo and pat a cake and he wiggles a little when there's a good song. He won't dance on demand though like Rose would! He loves the freedom of walking and exploring. Anyway, back to Wednesday. Finn would not nap. And I knew he did not feel well. And it was such a hot day in the house and I was irritated or "hot and bothered." ***On another note, today when the home teachers were over, they asked how I was doing with the hot weather we've had. And I said without hesitation that it makes me hot and bothered. As soon as I said it, I thought, 'Oh man I think there might be a sexual connotation to that.' And yep, just looked it up and definition number one is sexually aroused and definition number two is aggravated. I really hope number two is more familiar to them. Unfortunately I don't think that is the case! Agh! Oops.*** But anyway, I was aggravated!!!!! So at 4 pm we got in the car and drove for 45 minutes and both kids fell asleep. I called Parker and caught up with him, then we came home and made dinner and kids went to bed. I went to Kate's house with Tess and Ashley and Heather, and she held a clothing exchange, and all the leftover clothes went to the women's shelter. I scored some really cute new things! We had a really fun night hanging out and laughing. It was much-needed this week. I am so lucky to have tons of young moms to be friends with and to share this phase of life with. It makes some really hard days a little bit easier.

Today we went to the YMCA, but got turned away because the infant center was full and I didn't make an appointment for Finn. Seriously annoying. So the kids played on the play set there for a bit then we headed home to do the craft (which I never mention was an American flag... and Rose calls it Camerican flag.) We were mostly dinkin around the house today. The kids did really well entertaining themselves. Rose is better at pretend play and will play with toys by herself more. And she plays with Finn sometimes--it's usually more physical than related to toys. They will chase each other or take toys from each other... you know brother/sisterly love. He loves to be chased! He can't run, but he kind of leans into his walk with his belly, arms out. I seriously love his walk!!! And we had a tickle fest in their room. Rose wants to be tickled and kissed just as much as Finn, and we have to make sure it's always fair. Their laughing is such a happy thing. Finn has such a little boy laugh--kind of low. I've got to get it recorded!!

I am sitting in the bath tub wishing I had a soaker tub with a reclined back. Mine is straight up. Why?? And I'm borrowing the kids' Tubby Todd bubble bath, and reaching out to type with my laptop on a chair. Tomorrow I've got an appointment at the YMCA at 8:30, so hopefully I make it on time. We're also planning on swimming, and I will try to find time to go to the grocery store, hopefully by myself!! And Saturday we are going to the temple. So this has been a really full week. A very family week, right? Also, we've entered the McDonald's phase of life. I really don't like the food, but it was so worth it last Friday to get that happy meal with the toy and sit next to the play place with my diet coke... So here we go.


Another thing about Rose. She has an Idaho accent sometimes. Not learned. It's just her:
fork=fark
corn=carn
knives=knifes (accent on the 'e')
leaves=leafes
she still says "lellow" for yellow. I'll be so sad when that changes
Camerican flag!
Popsicle- Lopsicle