Lately (and a few not so lately)

I call it red ribbon week and the girls have no idea what I'm referring to, but I know some of you do, right?  It was drug free week at school and we did the crazy stuff every day . . . go me. 

Crazy Hair Day

I forgot to post this in December but it should be noted that Ansen was able to expand our blow up Christmas decor this year.  He's been dying for a snow globe and a Grinch for years.  He found the snow globe this year on clearance . . . yeah (an unenthusiastic, sarcastic yeah - but at least it was on sale).   We gave up on the Clark Griswald light decor and we're just going to crazy blow up decor now.

He was so excited he made the girls wait in the bedroom (Drew was asleep) while he set it up in the family room to surprise them with (it's in a pile in the corner of the garage now).   And they were thrilled, Ansen was thrilled and I was super glad it was on clearance . . . it was a small price to pay for such happiness around here.

We had our neighbor come to us for haircuts this time.  I usually cut Drew's and I'll admit I do not do awesome at it to begin with, but it doesn't help that he won't hold still.  However the 3 times he got his hair cut by a professional (Kendall's sister, my cousin, and Heather) he sits like a statue.  I'm absolutely sure my haircuts would look amazing if he's sit like that for me.

My hair had grown out a little since I had an appointment the day after my accident (which was late to begin with) so I tried a new style . . . and I can't do it.  So it's a new longer cut that I'm trying to keep styled in my old way and it's not really working out for me - I'm stuck . . . stuck in my ways . . . and I'm old I guess.

Oh and this so sooo old, but I didn't want to forget . . . for Halloween we went to a Haunted House this year.  Just like we were 14.  And don't worry I was scared just like I was 14.  Ansen and I went to one Haunted Forest before we got married and it turns out even the 12 1/2 years we've been married (and I have hopefully grown up) hasn't helped the situation . . . there was a point that I was on the floor hugging Ansen's leg (please don't judge me).

And I have to blame my brother, Ryan, for my jumpiness.  When we lived in the basement together, he used to lurk behind every corner - for 3 years - waiting to jump out and scare me.  It worked EVERY time and now I have a heightened scare response for life . . . thanks.   I find myself doing it to Addison every once in awhile and this was a good reminder to not make her jumpy like me.  Seriously, Ansen scares me when he just walks into the bedroom and I wasn't expecting it. 

Let's take a second and remember my red coat that was cut off me during the accident.  I'd only had a short while, it was nothing too special, but I loved it.

Oh and that guy is no one's husband . . . he works there and jumped in the picture . . . like he was 14.

(And on the right is Steph . . . we coincidentally took our endowments out together 13 years ago and then moved into the same ward 5 years ago . . . random)

100 Days of School!

Liv got to make her Kindergarten 100 Days of School poster.  She wants jewels . . . lots of jewels . . . like 100 of them.  We ended with a mix of jewels and stickers.

Daddy Daughter Dance

Olivia was officially invited this year and the girls were stoked - and who wouldn't with Dad running the show the Dad way.  3 cookies and soda at the dance and then an ice-cream stop afterwards.

Drew stayed home with me, my fever, my strep and the iPad turning his developing little brain into mush.

Shrinky Dinks - remember those?  I bought those for them for Christmas . . . a little find on Amazon . . . so that I could re-live my childhood through them.  It was as cool as I remember.

And some art - I love the little creative artwork from the mind of a child.  Straws cut and taped to paper.

 

Light Winter

Granted it's been a light winter this year . . .

but when Ollie, her friend, Addy and Drew came out in swimming suits and with towels asking me to put on the sprinklers it was a bit much.

I told them to go stand on the back deck for awhile and tell me what they thought.  Of course they thought it felt perfect and everything was still a go. 

We compromised and they went swimming in the bathtub.

Saying there was water every where was an understatement but it was a good hour or more of fun on a boring afternoon in February. 

(And Ansen wondered how his Sports Illustrated got soaked.)

And since I've been doing more and more mothering on my own (sans my mom) we've gotten a little lax around here.  I did catch Drew before he got down the steps and we did get him properly situated for an outside jaunt.  He's still in and out of his "nakie phase" (but always with undies now) - it may actually have a lot more to do with his lazier mom than his "nakie phase" since Banna seems to keep him dressed just fine when she's here.

Dad, we fy da helwicopter Dad?

Ansen got one of those toy helicopters for Christmas from his Mom and to say Drew loves it might be an understatement.  I had to decide early on that Mom doesn't "know how" to fly the helicopter or we'd be doing it all day long.  Plus it kind of gets to be Ansen's thing with the kids. 

Anytime Drew has the chance to talk to Ansen during the day he inevitably asks . . .

Dad, we fy da helwicopter Dad?

Yes, Drew.  We'll fly the helicopter when I get home. 

Drew likes to be the launcher and he's never ready ("I not weddy, I not weddy") until the stance is complete with one arm holding the helicopter and the other hand on his hip ("Okay Dad.  I weddy).

Luckily, it's the little things in life.

Surreal

You know those moments when you think that you would give anything to not have the constant worry and work of taking care of your children? Just a little break would be nice. Of course you love them, honestly, more than anything in this world, but it's hard. 

I've had my "moment" and I'm over it (for now) - big time.

A week and a half ago I got my kids ready for school (by myself) for the first time since my accident.  It was such a surreal feeling to realize that for the first time in months I was getting my own children ready and out the door.  My own little children that I did everything for up until that day. 

Last Saturday I washed Olivia's hair and realized it had been almost 12 weeks since I last washed her hair or helped Drew take a bath.  This week I did the entire bedtime routine and put my own children to bed by myself 3 different nights.

I've been able to be left alone with them for weeks now, but it only included me sitting while they maintained life around me. Addison played mom for any real needs and Ansen or my Mom came soon so it was always temporary.   Little by little I've been able to do more and more.

I miss being Mom.

 I miss doing baths, I miss driving in the car singing with the kids, I miss working in the school classrooms so that I can see my girls during the day being their little selves at school, I miss Costco in the morings with just my Drew, I miss driving school carpool for all the energetic neighborhood kids, I miss brushing little teeth, I miss lunch dates with the girls, and I even miss making dinner.

Faces of Drew

There's so many things to love about a 2 year old.  I love the funny facial expressions that come springing out of those sweet little faces.

My mom took the kids to get their pictures taken in December and she said and his "smiles" were a riot so I wanted to get some in my blog book.

I honestly mean it when I say it . . . I wish we could have a 2 1/2 year old in our home forever.  I'll take all the bad too just so I can have the good around most of the time. 

And not so tricky . . .

Oh my gosh . . . here we go again.  It took us all forever to get Addison's back hand springs and now we're at it again with Olivia's cartwheels.

Just this time I can't be spotter so it's allllll Ansen (ahhh, too bad for me).  And Drew's interested in learning a cartwheel too if it means someone is going to flip him around after he counts to 3. 

Eyes closed, tongue out - that's her style . . . I'm not sure how effective it is though, actually I know it's ineffective.

Let's hope this comes a little faster for Olivia than the hand springs came for Addison.

Look who's tricky

This actually happened the week before my accident, but I didn't get a chance to get it blogged . . .

We were doing Olivia's hair one morning and all of the sudden she realized she could roll her tongue.  Something she had been longing for for months.  Ansen, Addison and I can all do it and she wanted into our can do it club really bad and out of Jeff's can't do it club. 

I know it's genetic  and you've got it or you don't got it.
I thought by 5 years old the window was gone and it was a definite no go for her . . . and boy was it thrilling (for her . . . obviously I would probably love her either way) when it happened. 

Oh, it's coming

Don't ask me what this is . . . the face, the hands and that knee . . . Drew is a definite picture poser . . .

Drew is officially potty trained or rather me, Kendall, Ansen, and Banna are trained. He still had accidents for awhile but it's only because we forgot to "encourage" him to run to the potty.  He's almost 100% now though!

And again with the posing . . .

Every time we try and talk him into going potty, he says no.  We keep at it and eventually, he says in a completely surprised voice

"Oh, it's coming . . . "

and he's off.

All in all it was easy.  Of course I only did 2 days of it before my accident.

And I kind of hate this picture because his cute face looks like a little boy and not my little baby.

Olivia still holds our record for easiest since she asked to wear panties and that was it. 

Addie holds the record for hardest (by far, by REALLY far) since it took months and months, lots and lots of messes, and lots of bribes.  Then again, I was a first time parent so who knows who to blame.

I'm just glad it's done and I love seeing their little bums in undies and not diapers.

And I love when he puts his own undies on backwards and/or inside out and he's just so proud to have gotten it done by himself.