My Little Buttercup

Yes, indeed, Daphne's 'baby song' was born of The Three Amigos...and Lucas started it, though when Lily is singing it for the fifth time in a row he wishes he would never hear that song again for the time being.

I had to post about this little muffin today.  See that alertness, that perfect posture?  That is the alertness and perfect posture of a girl who slept from 8:30 pm to 6:15 am, after which I fed her while she slept so that she would keep sleeping while I ran.  Then she continued sleeping until 8:15. so basically her eyes didn't open and she was pretty much sleeping for 12 hours.  She slept in her crib for the first time last night too - wonderful but difficult for me at the same time.  Today she was really focusing her eyes on her hands again, trying to make them do her will, so fun to watch her develop and be more laid back than with other children to let her take her time doing what she needs to do.

And for posterity sake, regardless of how silly it may seem, I am recording my babies baby songs which are songs that I sing to them a lot which either make them smile, stop crying or go to sleep:

Lily-Silent Night

Matt-I Am A Child of God.  

(parenthetically I would also consider him a DMB baby as part of labor and his delivery into the world entailed a Dave Matthews Band CD I asked Lucas to put together for me.  Possibly this could explain his somewhat laid back attitude and his name, a bit.  BUT, BUT, BUT, trying to explain this DMB thing to an 8 year old did not go so well last night.  Why did you name me after that guy???  It was more a Bible name than DMB AND the Bible has been around way longer any way.)

Ben-A Little Bit of Red by Serena Ryder (aka-oh baby blue, oh baby blue, because he is my blue-eyed baby boy forever)

Shawn-You are My Sunshine

Daphne-My Little Buttercup (via The Three Amigos Movie)

Somethings Never Change

Sometimes I look at my kids and think where did they come from?  For some reason, I thought you take two people, combine their DNA, and you will see some traits from Dad, some traits from Mom, but sometimes, and in a lot of ways, my kids seem like total strangers, personality wise.  They are definitely their own little spirits more than a grand conglomeration of Luanna or Anucas perfection (haha).  Sometimes I see glimpses of their dad in them or sometimes myself (the good, the bad, and the ugly).  And then there are somethings that have nothing to do with DNA and are age-old instincts common to all mankind...

at least as long as mankind has been pitting and canning olives.

11 weeks

Hard to believe she's only been with us for 11 weeks.  Her occasional little squeals and big, big eyes are so wonderful.  She even managed real thumb sucking this week, a first at our house.  She's working those legs and arms and loves to "stand" on those chubby little legs while you hold her upright.

Pinewood Derby

So last night was Matt's first Pinewood Derby (and my only pic is on Lucas's phone, darnit).  It was the most fun Cub Scout thing I've ever been to, although I will say his leaders do a great job always.  Apparently since directions weren't expressly given in bold and people don't know how to read boxes, some parents (read dads who never made it to the NFL and so compensate through wooden car races) went over board and added all sorts of cheats to their sons' cars.  I did not think this would really happen in real life because it's about the boys, right?  right???  So the leaders had to make it a no places race, meaning all the boys got to race 6 times regardless of if they won or lose their heat and that was that.  Then all the boys got awards.  From our family's perspective it was perfect (and done in an hour!!! oh my short attention span), simply because sensitive boys hearts weren't broken.  They all seemed to cheer and have fun.  The leaders were even so smart as to set up a separate area in the back of the gym with car mats/quilts and tracks and lots of cars, so wee ones could play and play.  Worked like a charm.  I will not forget Shawn, after it was all officially over, but boys were still racing cars on the track, as he stood next to the track cheering on one race, jumping as high as he could, shaking his fists in excitement and yelling, GO! GO! GO!  My hot dude was the official lever? puller.  Pretty cool, right?

P.S.  My Dear Husband assured me that if anyone has read a lot of my posts I fudge up and mention real names, so I might as well use real names, SO maybe I will...more often than I already do.  Neener-nanner.

P.P.S.  Lil and her friend, Rachel, just tromped into the house as they are playing and want to be "poised", and so Lil got on a dress and did her hair (first time all week, praise be!) as Rachel had already gotten poised at her house and now they are off again.  Apparently you are never too old to play dress up.  Good to remember.

My Man is 33

Some things I loved about today:

1.  My Quiet Man played swimmingly, albeit loudly, with his little brother Hulk.  They were in and out the door all day, and Hulk tried a few Evil Kinivil (sp?) things which may or may not have resulted in concussion, but they were playing together.  Hulk loves when Quiet gives him positive attention.  The "game" they were playing today involved Hulk falling on the grass and yelling for Quiet to help him.  He was trapped and needed Quiet's help to get freed.  Considering the animosity between them almost always, embarrassingly at times, it was so sweet to witness.

2.  I realized that though, as I may or may not complain or worry about often, it is complete messy loud nonstop chaos around here all day, it will, as the wise ones say, be sad in a way when I don't have all 5 of my kids at home, around me, wanting to share more than 5 people could possibly share with 1 other human all at the same time.

3.  I am thankful we are alive, healthy (relatively) and well.

4.  TQM also decided he would teach Hulk to go pee in the potty.  The next time TQM went, Hulk came too, and tried desperately to copy his older brother.  Hulk even asked to have the potty seat out and tried to legitimately use it...all inspired by TQM's lead.  For better or worse, siblings actually seem to want to learn way more readily from each other than parents.  A for effort, Hulk, A for effort!

5.  We planted Bob the Mint Julep Juniper in our very front garden bed, meaning we officially have 1 beautiful garden bed after a ton of work (and more money than I'd like) from Judy Moody (loving her right now...well always...but especially right now) and me and Smokey (come on...it totally beats Hubs or The Husband or DH, bleh).

AND, I had so much to do today.  I dislike errands when there are too many in a row and you have too many things that need done at home and kids who need nurturing.  My only breaks today or nursing time.  Smokey stayed home from work for his BIRTHDAY, and I did those tons of errands without an entourage.  Thanks to him, it was fabulously fast, and hopefully it was an okay or nice part of her birthday.  They are cute, if overly exuberant more often than not.

A Not-so-short (#33) list of things I think are cool about Smokey

1.  He had the nerve to turn my whole life/plan upside down when we were just fresh at college.

2.  When we were newly married, young, and poor, he traded in something like 300 music CDs for store credit and would come home from work with a Hitchcock movie or something fun for me every so often just because.

3.  He and his mom did some crazy conspiring to make our first married Christmas together quite magical and way too exciting for me.

4.  He supports me so much in my calling without complaining...we'll leave it at that.

5.  That guy can smoke and grill and make some sinfully delicious chicken-fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, shepherd's pie, and chicken pot pie.

6.  His comical drawings when we were dating.

7.  Time and again HE has chosen ME above other things.

8.  He may not love this one, but I can turn off the tech part of my brain and depend on him for that.  There's a lot going on in my head.  It's nice to have someone who can figure out what cord goes where and fix my phone when something is funky.

9.  Detail oriented (although I frenetic wife and 5 hyper kids are making him "Let It Go" often so he doesn't explode, bless him).

10.  He's my factoid robot of pop culture-although Pokemon is becoming a factoid machine in his own right (not pop culture yet).

11.  He got me way more into music, mostly alternative.  When I met him I was only a few years out of loving oldies and country ONLY thanks to my mom and dad.  True, the fact he despises country is sad, but kudos for broadening my horizon.  P.S. Screamo makes me squeamo.

12.  Running buddy.  It was FUN!

13.  Gives me the last bite every time.

14.  He can come up with quite a stellar and stirring Easter lesson to distract the kids early in the morning, right after waking up, when I realize there are some Easter eggs that need hidden.

15.  I HIGHLY VALUE his testimony.  I want to know this guy I plan on forever with is True to the Faith, so one of my all time favorites is hearing what he knows to be true and values and how he got there.

16.  He gave me an awesome extended family that has truly, no kidding, treated me as one of their own.

17.  Much to his chagrin, helped with the creation of 5 beautiful (spastic? manic? cray cray?) unique souls who make me so proud, and occasionally embarrassed, and fill me with Christlike love every day and never allow me to be bored.

18.  Psych!  He introduced us, you see.

19.  Ah, a fellow anglophile.

20.  His patience with my flitting from topic to topic like a butterfly on caffeine and with my youngest-child-attention-seeking behaviors and for being the only person I can talk to death.

21.  He plays with/teaches/gives the kids the guidance and affection that every kid should get from their daddy.

22.  "Second chance" prom.  Way better the second time around AND I got to be The Lady in Red at last.

23.  His patience with other people's kids.

24.  Not trying to jump out and scare me nearly as often as I try to do it to him.

25.  So fun to have alone time with-though the memories of alone time are fading.  When we do get away, Smokey is the funnest person in the world to be with.

26.  The guy was this punk (okay-wrong word) teenager when I met him and as he needed to he got jobs and provided for our family as we grew from 2 to 3 to...you get the idea.  He has tried always and agonized over how to provide the best he possibly could for our family.  I would say he is doing great.  Starvation?  No-quite the opposite.  Roof over head?  Check.  Warm stuff?  Check.  Comfortable home?  Check.  Fun times?  Check.  All physical needs met?  Check.

27.  He listens to quirky women of mature years.  They need that sometimes.

28.  He likes to rough up kitties.  Who knew?

29.  He is my cup of tea.  Wink Wink.

30.  Impressions/accents/impersonations.

31.  Giving me speech retraining by mockery.  

32.  On the rare occasion that we aren't both conked out exhausted, late night uncontrollable laughter sessions, although sometimes that was just pregnancy hormones causing ME to laugh at HIM.  Truly the best medicine.

33.  Cheesy alert!  Cheesy alert!  I can't imagine my life without Smokey (the Bear-bwahaha).  In a few more years we will have known each other longer than not.  Sometimes life has been hairy-scary and sometimes super fun and sometimes downright amazing, but it has been great to share it with this man who seems perfectly suited to me even though we are SO, SO different.  Interesting guaranteed 100%.

10 Weeks and Easter

This little girl has gone on a nap strike today.  She did sleep during some of church and took 1 other cat nap but nothing like her usual 'pattern'.  She just wanted to be held or talked to and that was the only acceptable thing.  So we went with it.  She even stayed awake in her Snugli carrier on Mom and Dad's walk.  They never do that!!!  It's like a forced nap because the swaying and closeness to mom makes them conk out.  Not DG, not today.

This little girl also has started to talk up a storm, even when I'm not talking to her and she is just in her swing or bouncer or in the carrier, she coos and coos.  She loves that little hand when she can figure out how to get it to her mouth.  She searches for mommy when she hears her voice, and DG is totally checking out her limbs with her eyes, thinking now how do I make them do what I want them to.  TQM insists her eyes will stay blue (I would LOVE having created a blue-eyed girl), but I think she will go the way of the hazels, mom and the other sibs, which is also perfectly fine.  She is one pretty girl regardless of her DNA.  Love this chubby monkey.

EASTER!!!  It was a simply mahvelous day.  I don't think of doing pictures on these momentous occasions, but I better next year.  The eldest is going to be less fun eventually.  I actually decorated eggs with kids (I now know why I encourage Hubs to have this 'special' time with the children every year) Friday night, putting Judy in charge while I made dinner.  Whoo, how the eggs they did drop.  No one could keep them off the floor while decorating.  It was like some kind of strange gravity battle.  Only Judy was woman enough to stick it out and decorate them to the last while chatting with me.  The bunny didn't come Saturday like he has the last few years, something about he tried and almost broke his leg on all the toys lying around.  But he pulled through for them Sunday morning.  If anyone asks me why I assume the bunny is a he...oh brother.  They all had a good time, went to church with food dyed mouths and hunted eggs enthusiastically, chomping at the bit to get out of the gates.  We ate perfectly juicy grilled pork chops via Hubs who I think I should dub the Grillmaster or some such, funeral potatoes (Ja, you've got us on a roll), and, but of course, deviled eggs.

Have I ever told you that I have some seriously picky eaters?  Give them the right thing and they chow done but otherwise:  This one hates this but will eat that.  This one will eat nothing (Esqueleto?).  This one will mangle the food and then want more and maybe eat a little.  Mentally exhausting, I tell you, but I perservere.  I am told by many wise women in my ward that I WILL miss these days.  I am told that a lot, so it probably has to be true.  I need to love chaotic, messy, my poor kitchen Easter egg decorating and kids that make vomiting sounds when I present dinner.  I need to love the dirty hand smudges and, um, licks that adorn my child level windows/light switches/door knobs/walls.  I need to remember the funny things they said and did...because it will all be over in a flash, and my time does fly and sometimes you just want to make it through a meal or a day or a few hellish minutes.  But they are innocent and just learning and have almost zero patience and little empathy or understanding of all that's on my plate.  AND I did consciously choose to have each one of these children and pour my heart into loving and teaching them AND I do believe it will be worth it AND, because of those wise women I know I will miss it...except for the toddler diapers.  How do they do what they do???.  However, I digress...

This pre-Easter week has been so good and then I saw the Because of Him video on Youtube about Jesus, so amazingly done, and it really hit me.  I could feel the love of my Savior so much in the last 24 hours, his love for each person on earth, and we've had several moments to reflect as a family and with the less hyper kids, as well, on what His Atonement means for us and all mankind.  Good weekend.  Period.

Because 12 hours of work in 1 day is a lot for this lady...

I am taking a quick non-pic blogging break.

Tomorrow we HAVE TO get our front beds weeded, planted and mulched...or I may have an adult tantrum.  U.G.L.Y.  I have daylilies and shrubbery for goodness sake.  In a few years, it will look awesome!

I love (understatement) spring in my city.  It is amazing, and our neighborhood looks and smells wonderful.

I am FINALLY getting my 2014 Primary binder organized.  Whoopsy.  So glad Camie suggested Google docs.  It's all there.  I just need to print out some hard copies.

Out my window I can see our Japanese maple (Hubs always wanted one so it is funny we got a house with one already 'installed'), and the neighbor's tree with medium purple blossoms.

Hubs and Dragon Master (at this point he should be Pokemon!)  have a Pinewood Derby car to create this weekend.  We have 22 eggs boiled and ready for coloring too.  It's going to be a busy weekend.

I am so thankful for Easter though!!!

Judy did so well at her recital last Saturday.  We liked having family there even though it's not the most spectacularly fun thing to do when you are out of town.  I feel immensely proud of Judy when she plays her solo, Coldplay's The Scientist.  Her fingers seem so sure, and she is so confident and (when not in public) natural appearing at the piano.  I was thinking this week how indispensable she is to our family, even though she is the #1 source of torture for 2 of her brothers.  This stage of still being a girl but on the verge of being a teen is definitely a roller coaster ride, but I am so thankful God sent us our Moody girl.

Dragon Master is so obsessed...with everything in its turn really.  He gets interested in something, immerses himself in it, spews facts about it, and then moves on to something else.  I marvel at his mind.  I wouldn't say he has a photographic memory or anything, but when I teach him something academic wise it takes ones time and he has it.  If only he was so meticulous with letting us know where he is and what homework and projects need done and are due.  We seem to be on our own in that way sometimes.  I also read an article this week that made me rejoice in his sensitivity.  I was going slightly down the road of be a man, toughen up, but if he always stays a bit more sensitive than other boys (assuming we don't have monster bullying issues) then that is a good thing.  He will make such a loving husband and dad (as long as his family like to LISTEN), and the world will definitely be a better place to have my Dragon as a man in it as opposed to some violence-obsessed or perv-obsessed due.

The Quiet Man.  I tell myself that he will be okay even though he is smack dab in the middle of the family. His Aunt Ja is in that position, and she is a rock star, relatively speaking :).  I am committing to multiple mini therapy sessions a week between Quiet and I because frequency of practice seems to be key with childhood apraxia and 2 sessions a week is not enough.  I have observed enough of his sessions to know what to do, and I have done a lot of research on techniques that are particularly effective for his condition.  Above all, it is a time investment on his and my part, a vital one.  No slacker mom allowed.  Plus, I think, perhaps, perhaps, he may launch me into my next career.  We shall see.  Blue eyed boy is going to speak intelligibly for all!!!  I can't give you a timeline of when this will happen, but it will.  TQM loved his preschool Easter celebration.  A real bunny!  Hard boiled eggs to peel and eat (he ate 3)!  An Easter egg hunt!  Bday snacks!

Hulk is still...Hulkie.  Wow.  This morning you could hear him stirring and coming out of his room.  I was getting dressed in my closet and a few minutes later, he peeled around the corner and leaped into my arms, holding me in a tight hug.  He easily holds record for most destructive toddler ever in our household, mostly in the medium of marker and pen, and that kid can scatter toys and office supplies, kitchen items, food, and pretty much anything, everywhere in the house.  Then the rest of us get to clean most of it up (he helps but does way too much to make him clean it all himself).  But the hugs, the phrases he uses, his smile and confidence.  Too cute and lovable.

And DG...this blog inadvertently turned into Ode to DG for awhile, but she is always doing new things, and she is beautiful.  Today, she found herself in the mirror while I was holding her, and smiled and cooed up a storm to herself.  She is almost out of that precious newborn stretching stage.  Her big eyes and lifty eyebrows and the way her upper lip looks when she coos just make me love her even more and marvel at this little being.  What a surprise and labor of love to get her here, and a heap of work to keep her happy, but babies are so fun to watch grow into adult-sized versions...Can you tell I haven't got to deal with teens yet?

Nine weeks-The Blessing

DG was given a name and a blessing today by her daddy.  It was a pretty fantastic day/weekend.  DG was a champ and didn't seem too terribly to mind getting passed around to be held by our visiting family.  She was probably a bit overstimulated and is presently sleeping the sleep of the dead.  I took a bunch of pics but didn't ask permission to plaster people's faces on here so DG and I are what you get.

8 Weeks

Judy laid down next to crying DG and soon DG was asleep curled up to her sister.  These are the times that make all the crazy worth it.  DG has been a spit up machine this week.  I've worn MANY different outfits and done SO MUCH laundry.  She is still smiling and "talking" way more. I love the little faces she makes as she coos to me.

Our family, or at least the ones who listened, had a wonderful conference weekend.  Oh how I have taken easy access to the truth for my whole life for granted.  How/why does that happen?

My ever so adorable Hulk.  He's talking up a storm, mostly in the form of parroting and had his first dental appt this week.