What is Our Baby Bear Up To?

I am mostly writing this post so that when I go to scrapbook, the information will already be here.

Laney's vocabulary is increasing everyday. Some words I am just astounded that she knows...then from the other room, I hear Ethan teaching Laney new words. They have such a special relationship. She is even starting to speak in simple sentences. Every morning I am awakened to, "Mom...pause...Mom." If I don't get there fast enough it progresses to, "Mooommmmy, Mooommmmy (in a little sing song voice)."

And the sign language is still too cute. She loves milk more than any other drink of choice, even juice. She must do her version the the sign for drink 50 times a day, while saying the word milk. She also does the signs for more, please, thank you, and all done.

When she wants to be changed, she will bring me a diaper and wipes and lay down in front of me. She will do this even if she was just changed an hour ago. She is definitly aware. If only we could get it to happen in the toilet. Oh well, she's not even 2 yet so I should have a little more patience.

And, she is still loving songs. Her favorites are Popcorn Popping, Book of Mormon Stories, and Itsy Bitsy Spider. She loves the hand motions that accompany the songs. And, she is cute going them. Also, if we are in the car and I haven't turned on the radio fast enough for her, I hear, "On. On. On Mommy!" It is too cute. And, I think she is following in her mom's footsteps- she loves the fast songs.

I love the unity she brings to our family. She still knows how to command the attention of everyone in a room, usually during the scripture portion of our FHE. What a spitfire!

Complaints About My Blessings

So, I wasn't going to blog about this, because who really wants to hear my very emotional ramblings about being a mom. But it really is carthartic (husband stop laughing - maybe there are some brain cells left in my brian afterall) for me and I want to remember.

Okay, so I don't even know how the conversation began with dear husband, but it was about the fact that I was not enjoying my blessings...I was having a hard time enjoying being a mom. I DO NOT like feeling this way and wanted to change it and improve it. I don't think it helped that I had been having a really negative thought lately. Here's the thought: wow, being in this relationship with my children is really abusive. It's probably the most abusive relationship I have ever been in. If these children were a boyfriend, I would politely ask him to exit stage left, locking the door behind him. Not an option and I don't really want that.

Okay, so with some help from the Lord, I have come to realize that a pearl is the result of an abrasive realtionship. Okay, so the Lord wants to make me a pearl, but how do I become the pearl? Still trying to figure this out, but the hope is restored. (One thing the atonement has always meant to me is the ability to change.) After further discussion with husband, we came up with the solution that I need to take more breaks and do fun things for me.

All in all, I feel better. Maybe I just needed a good cry and to vent. Who knows, but I feel better. And I am enjoying the special moments and I am not making such a big deal about the not so fun moments.

Months later, in a Sunday School lesson I felt this scripture was the answer to my question: How do I become a pearl?

And now, I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

-Alma 7:23

The Kissing Hand

Does anyone know the book The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn?

It is a darling book about attending school for the first time. I heard about it close to 8 years ago and have always remembered it because I thought it was such a cute way to send a Kindergartener off to school. Basically, it's a story about a family of raccoons where one is leaving home to go to school for the first time. He is a little nervous about going so his mom "tells him a special secret about the kissing hand..." She kisses his hand and tells him that if he gets scared or lonely just to press his hand to his cheek and she has just given him a kiss.

So, we started this tradition with Tyler last year and both of the boys this year. What surprises me is how much they are into it. And it has progressed now into them giving me a kiss too. Some mornings they are pressing their hands against my mouth before I even realize what they are doing. Afterall, I miss them during the day too. = >

Update on Commute From !@#$!!!

Steve finally made it home at 12:30 a.m. (Do you say yahoo after a 7 hour commute??)

And because it was on Valentine's Day that he made it home, he walked into find his presents on our kitchen counter. I had been in bed, but couldn't settle down because he wasn't home, so I heard him come in and went to give him a welcome home, valentine hug.

He did make a few detours to find places to eat and even stopped at the gym (since the only road to our house was closed) to get in a quick workout. Acutally it was probably the best night for a workout...the place was empty he said.

The Commute from !#%@!!!

Headlights...it must be Steve!

6 hours and counting...still not home.

This is exactly the kind of weather I expected when I first moved here, almost 13 years ago! No, I was told to rest assured that our great state is prepared for exactly this type of winter wallop.

At last count, there were:

* 56 accidents,

* 49 slide-offs

* 1 student and a teacher still left (at 10:30 tonight) at Tyler and Ethan's school. (The other stranded students had already made it home.)

* At another school close by about 200 students stranded

* finally the students were off the 2 stranded buses from their afternoon ride home.

(REALLY, I am NOT making this up.)

Ring...hi honey...well husband just called to say he was finding a place to hole up in for the night because the ONE road to our house is CLOSED. Closed not only due to the 10 car pile-up (also reported as a 16 car pile-up), but also due to the 40 plus abandoned cars thus making it impossible for snow plows to do their thing.

Well...I will be keeping the bed warm if he ever makes it home.

UPDATE ON THE COMMUTE FROM !#%@!!!

Steve finally made it home at 12:30 a.m. (Do you say yahoo after a 7 hour commute??)

And because it was on Valentine's Day that he made it home, he walked into find his presents on our kitchen counter. I had been in bed, but couldn't settle down because he wasn't home, so I heard him come in and went to give him a welcome home, valentine hug.

He did make a few detours to find places to eat and even stopped at the gym (since the only road to our house was closed) to get in a quick workout. Acutally it was probably the best night for a workout...the place was empty he said.

Ethan Turns Six

What a birthday week! Ethan turned 6 on Februray 6th. Much to his delight we celebrated with a family party. Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Scott (and his girlfriend) came to help him celebrate his special day.

Then on the 8th he had his very first friend party. He wanted a Star Wars theme for his party. It turned out really cute. I kept it very simple and we did a craft, decorated their party bags, decorated pretzel rod lightsabers, a spin-off of musical chairs, and a marshmellow toss into Darth Vader head (a basket from Halloween).

Here are a few pictures from the friend party:

Back in the Bus

I know, I haven't blogged in awhile, but I am finally back in the bus...or is it Ethan???

We had a banner week over here!

We had quite the fiasco back on the first day of school with Ethan's afternoon bus ride. Basically, to make a really long story short, it turns out that there is only one bus available to take the morning kindergarteners home from school. So, the end result, after all the confusion, was that the bus ride would still take Ethan about 50 minutes. I find that totally unacceptable, especially when I can go and pick him up and we can be home in 8 minutes. So, I have been Ethan's "bus" ride home ever since the second day of school. We also have an understanding that he would ride the bus home if I ever needed him too. And, he hasn't needed to...until now.

The other day Steve was being a sweet husband and was getting some wood for a "honey-do" project. As he shut his hatch-back door, the glass shattered all around him. As agreed upon, Steve took the van to work so that the guy could come and fix his car at our house the next day. A perfect solution until I realized that both of us forgot to get the carseat out of the van.

So, I called Ethan's school to talk to him. I told him the situation and that because I had no car seat for Laney, he would have to take the bus home. After a minute of refuting this and trying to problem solve (why can't Daddy come home with the car seat), he accepted his fate. But in a flash of insight, he decided to make his own demands. "Mom, I will take the bus home if you buy me some green gum." Me thinking to myself: really, is this all? Weren't you saying you wanted a pony last week? My immediate reply: Of course I will buy you some green gum.

Although he had agreed, I still wasn't sure how he would be when he came home. I was expecting an emotional giant, but, insted...I saw my adorable Ethan sitting behind the bus driver with a huge smile on his face. It was a great experience for him and I think he felt a sense of accomplishment. Way to go Ethan!!!