Milestones

I was all prepared to type a blog about Shad and how big he was getting. He rolled over yesterday. From back to tummy twice. YAY!! He looked at me like I was a total idiot when I cheered for him. Then got mad because he was stuck on his tummy. Pretty funny.

Then I sat down to type this and got a shocker... I just discovered he has a tooth! He's four and a half months old and has a tooth. How did that happen?!? Jael didn't get teeth until she was 13 months. Anson shocked me when he got his first tooth at six months. I'm afraid the next one will be born with a full set! Shad hasn't been cranky. His nose has been a little stuffy, but I attributed that to the cold we've all had. I guess that's what I get for thinking I've got it all figured out.

ps I have some more funny stories and pics from Easter. I'll get them typed up one of these days. =)

Mission: Failed

Growing up our closest neighbor (1/4 of a mile away) was a family dairy farm. So when Jael asked how milk came from cows, I thought, "no problem." I try very hard not to raise "city kids." They know that bacon was once a pig and that Bessy the cow will become our hamburger. So I figured it would be good for them to go down to Zinie's dairy and see exactly how milk gets from cow to jug. Well, we went to my parents house for Easter weekend and on Saturday my Dad, Aaron, and my BIL took my kids and some of their cousins down to the dairy for the afternoon milking. They were down there for quite a while. I guess they watched them milk cows and played on the haystack and all sorts of things that every kid should do. When they got home I was talking to Anson and it went like this...

Me: Did you like seeing the cows?
Anson: Yup.
Me: Did you see where the milk came from?
A: Yup.
Me: So where does the milk come from?
A: (Looking at me like a total idiot) the hose.

Mission: Failed.

My Birthday!

It was my birthday last Monday, and we celebrated today. I love watching the kids get so excited about a birthday, even if it isn't theirs. I don't know how I managed to open presents by myself before I had kids... oh wait, I didn't. I had little sisters then nieces and nephews. How do other people open presents? Anyway, I digress.

Earlier (before we opened presents) I was with the kids in their room. Jael looks at me and says, "Have you always wanted slippers?" My answer, "Of course!!" Can you guess what I got from Jael? I got a great pair of fuzzy pink slippers with pompoms. Those are Jaels favorite part. She liked them so well that when we were done opening presents, she had to take a picture.

Anson has been so into playing chef lately. Aaron and the big kids were back wrapping presents. I hear from Anson, "But I need a recipe book!!" Hmm what could I be getting? Could it be the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook I told Aaron I'd like? Could it be? My guess is yes.



Right now they're all putting together the bookshelf Aaron bought for me. Anson was so excited when Daddy brought out the tools. He ran back to his room and got his tool box too. Now every nail is hammered three times by three different hammers. Once by Aaron's real hammer, once by Jael with the red plastic hammer, and once by Anson with the orange plastic one. Everyone should have such good help.

Baby

What is it about a freshly laundered shirt that makes a baby spit up immediatly? It never fails. I put on a clean shirt to go somewhere. Boom. Not that I mind spit up down my front all the time. Okay so maybe I do. Not only is it on me though, Shad is covered too. It always looks like he's been wearing the same outfit for three weeks. I promise he gets clean clothes. Really.

Shad is getting so big. The other day he rolled from his back to his tummy twice. He hasn't shown any interest since, but I can't believe he's getting that big to start with.

Jael started swimming lessons two weeks ago. Last Friday I finally bribed her. I told her if she'd go clear under the water we could have an ice cream sundae party that night. Fast forward to lessons that day. Anson, Shad and I are sitting around on the bench. Jael's in the water bouncing around happily. WHOOSH! There go the feet. She comes up sputtering looking totally shocked. Then I see her face light up. She looks at me and yells "I GET AN ICE CREAM PARTY!!" hmm. Not quite what I meant.

Life was easier...

....before Jael learned to read. I made blackberry peach cobbler for FHE treats tonight. I was in the kitchen, and Aaron and the kids were in the living room. I turned to Aaron and said "we can have cobbler and maybe I-C-E C-R-E-A-M." I knew Jael was standing there so I spelled it fast. Jael immediately pipes up with "Yay! I want ice cream!!" I think she had it figured out before Aaron did. We may have to learn to spell in Greek. I'm sure she'd figure that out before we did too though.

...before Anson decided that he is "momma." It started out that he and Jael would play house and he'd be momma. Then he started using it when he wanted to play in my things when he wasn't supposed to. "But I'm the momma." Now it's all the time. I'm realizing how little variety I have in my wardrobe suddenly. He will only wear a blue short sleeved t-shirt. It's his "momma shirt." Umm, yeah. I think it's time for me to do some shopping. How do I look in pink?

Well, time for me to go wash a blue shirt so that it's clean for tomorrow. =)

Maybe when I'm...

My poor daughter is a sad mix of her parents. From her father she got her perfectionist traits. From me she got the trait of not doing things unless she does it really well immedietly (no practice). So what does that mean? She won't do anything unless it's done perfectly the first time. Her big thing right now is "Maybe I can do it when I'm five!" Trying to teacher her to tie her shoes? "Maybe I can do it when I'm five!" Pouring her own milk or juice without spilling? "Maybe I can do it when I'm five!" I'm thinking maybe I'll start a "Maybe when I'm 26" list. Concert pianist? "Maybe when I'm 26." Laundry all done everyday? "Maybe when I'm 26." That trick where you stick your feet behind your head? "Maybe when I'm 26." Okay so that one maybe never.


Between work school and church callings I never see Aaron. In the back of my mind for a while now I've been hoping he'd get a Sunday calling. You know, sunbeam teacher or something. Well he's getting a new calling. Now we're going from one meeting a week to at least two. Potentially more if things go well. I think the Lord has to have a sense of humor and right now he's laughing at me, well and probably trying to teach me something. I'm afraid if I don't learn fast He's going to have to make Aaron bishop or something!

Just Some Funny Stories

This has been a good week. There's been a bunch of funny stories I've been meaning to add, but haven't gotten to it. So, here they are. Enjoy!

Friday it was a balmy 50- something degrees. I had to take Anson to the dr. He had to wear his coat AND his jacket AND his scarf AND his snow boots. I had on a long sleeve shirt and I was warm! He must have been dying, but there was no getting them off him.

Jael was saying the blessing the other day and blessed the "family that was without us." I know that what she meant was bless the extended family. It came out sounding more like bless those poor souls who aren't near me.

Jael's been really into long prayers lately. Unfortunantly Anson isn't. The other day he decided that she had been going long enough. So about halfway through prayer we got this:
J- And thank Thee for Mom and Dad
A- In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
J- Thank Thee for Shad.
A- In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
J- Bless him to grow strong and healthy.
A- In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
J- Bless us to sleep well.
A- In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
J- Bless President Monson and his counselors.
A- In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
J- and the apostles.
A- In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
J- In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.


Jael and Anson were in their bedroom the door shut. I decided it was too quiet and went to check. I expected worse, but they were just hiding in the closet. I went through the motions of "finding" them and they tumbled out of the closet laughing. What was the first thing out of Anson's mouth? "We were jumping on the bed. Sorry Mom." Now I know why it was too quiet.