It's Exhausting To Be Three

Keeping up with our pinata tradition ... every kid, every birthday.
Walmart only had one pinata, and it was a female doll. So we made our own. It's from the Barney movie where Barney and the kids stumble upon a giant rainbow egg, from which hatches a "dream maker," I think. It's one of Grant's favorite movies, so he was really excited about the pinata. The kids helped make it (no pictures), and had tons of fun.

Grant had to wait all day long for his party. He was so patient about it, but then he fell asleep. We tried to wake him up ...
Nicole also tried to get him excited about the pinata. But that didn't work either.
He finally agreed to "play pinata," so long as Mommy assisted.Oh, and it was not so much a pinata as it was an over-sized golf ball.

At least Nicole had a good time.

Poor Grant -- even opening his presents was a chore. We quit after one, and saved the rest for a happier, more awake time.
Maybe we haven't left those terrible two's behind quite yet.

Anticipation

For most of my college years, Thursday was my favorite day of the week. That's because Thursday means it is almost Friday. And Friday is always such a great day.

Now that I'm a mom instead of a student, I anticipate birthdays. And I love birthday number three because it means number four is next. I know it's a little insane, but it's how my mind works. Besides, every week closer to birthday number three is a little better than the week before. A few less tantrums, a bit less screaming, a bit more compliance and logic. Just a bit better all around.

Grant's made huge strides over the past few weeks. Indeed, one could say that he has turned a new leaf. He started out as such a happy baby. Then he turned into this crotchety, old man (no offense, old men -- it's an unfair stereotype). Now, Grant has such a positive, upbeat outlook on life. It is common for him to walk around the house and say, "Great day, Mom! Yeah, great day!" Or he'll tell me that something (usually church) is "cool." To Grant, the weather is "nice" and his food is "numm-o." And Mommy is happy. But my very favorite is when I tell Grant he can't do something (e.g., "You can't have a treat for breakfast."), and he replies, "Yes, I can!" He just insists that he can do everything -- even play Chess, which is his new favorite board game.

Sometimes I say to Grant, "I didn't get a hug today." So he'll give me a big squeeze tight, and then he'll say, "Hey, no kiss 'day," and then he gives me a kiss, too.

I love a third birthday!

Hommage

Exactly a year ago, our little family drove to Arizona for a residency interview in Tucson. The kids stayed at my sister's house while Clint and I attended the interview dinner and related festivities. On Grant's birthday, Clint and I were traveling back to Phoenix to celebrate with family when we heard about President Hinckley's passing.

President Hinckley, who I consider to be the prophet of my childhood, was so old that I half expected him to live forever. President Hinckley always had such a calming disposition. Among many things, I remember him to have encouraged us to be positive and have hope in our future. Of his discourses, which are numerous, I distinctly recall his admonition to us to "lower our voices a few decibels" in our homes so that the spirit of the Lord may more easily reside therein. I think about those words nearly every single day (especially when I find the kids have dumped water all over the bathroom floor ... again).

President Hinckley truly was a people's prophet. He traveled all over the world and met with so many people in different lands. And he brought temples with him so that more people would have access to the holy places of worship. President Hinckley also met with politicians, bless his heart, from various countries. (What sort of conversations do you suppose transpired between them?)

I think the media loved President Hinckley as much as the Mormons themselves did. The press could never stump him on their questions, and he always teased them right back. I doubt he ever declined an interview -- he liked them too much!

I've never missed someone I didn't personally know as much as I miss President Hinckley. His wisdom was timeless, his energy seemingly endless, and his legacy eternal. I wish I could see him smile and hear him speak to us again!

Good Finds: Geography Simplified

Take a paper tour through the states with this succinct book. The authors (Millie Miller and Cyndi Nelson) devote one page to each state, and list them alphabetically (as opposed to when they entered the union -- so much trickier!). The shape of the state takes up most of the page, and within it are identified major cities, landmarks and natural features of the state.

There's nothing in this book that you can't find online. However, it's nice to have it all in one spot. The states' birds, trees, flowers, etc. are all beautifully illustrated. The population is listed (for that to be accurate, however, you'll need the 2008 edition, not this 2001 edition), as well as the size of the state. My favorite part of the book, though, is the random facts it lists. And they're not trivial little things that don't matter. They're interesting, and usually worth knowing. For example, today we talked about Pennsylvania, and from this book, we learned that this is where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were drafted. It's also the home to the Liberty Bell. Maybe all of you knew that already. As for myself, I'm sure I've heard it in passing, but I wouldn't have thought to tell it to Nicole without doing some research on the Internet first (for which I would have spent an hour drifting from site to site). Also of note is the city of Gettysburg, which sparked a lively discussion; and just for fun, the city of Hershey, which happens to be the maker of Nicole's favorite candy. All of this from just one page!

The recommended age group for this book is 2nd to 4th grade, but I find it suits kindergartners and beyond!

Waiting Up

I like waiting for Clint. I mean, if he's running late for dinner, I wait for him, and we eat together. If he gets home from the hospital at 11:00 at night (after a shift that started at 7:00 a.m., such as is the case today), I wait up. It's what I do. Even when I'm tired.

Clint called tonight to tell me that he was on his way home, and that it was OK if I went to bed. But I was thinking ... I was in bed when he left this morning, and if I'm in bed again when he gets home, he might reasonably believe that I never got out of bed.

So I'm staying in my cute clothes and high heels, with my hair and makeup still mostly intact, to show him that his wife does more than sleep each day. And also to show him how much I missed him.

It's a Special Day

Nicole is coming home, and she's bringing my mom with her. (Two good reasons to be happy!)

It seems like there was something else about today that I was supposed to remember ... something really important ... like a day I will recount to my grandchildren ... Oh well, I'm sure it was nothing.

Good Finds: A Reference

There's a whole series of these books (K-6 I think), but this is the only one that I have read. I love this book. I've had our library's copy for four months, and just ordered my own online so I don't have to keep renewing it.

The book breaks down the year into subjects (reading, science, math, etc.), and also breaks down each subject. For example, science has sections on the animal ecosystem, physics (matter, electricity), the human body, and space, to name a few.

The book is meant to be a stand-alone text, meaning that explanations are written at an appropriate comprehension level for the child, so as to require no further explanation from parents. It also incorporates full texts of short stories and poems. I prefer to get the original books from the library with beautiful images, but in a pinch, this would be a good substitute. Plus, I love the book list. They are choice classics, and a few unknowns.

Its math section seems a bit advanced for the age, but I think it's an achievable level. The author intended the book to be a supplement for parents who have their children enrolled in public school, but I can't imagine parents sending their children to school all day and then asking them to do more work at home all evening.

Overall, it's the most comprehensive, usable and practical reference book I have come across, and that has been a great many. I keep it by my bedside and thumb through it every week as I plan Nicole's weekly agenda. I can't wait to have my own copy!

I Got Mail!

Where 'Cole Is?

Grant and Scotty stayed with friends while I took Nicole to the airport. When I picked up Grant, he asked, "Hey, where 'Cole is?" I told him that she had gone on the airplane, even though Nicole had reminded him at least 100 times before she left that morning that "Sissy [was] going to be gone."

When I put Grant in the car, he entered through Nicole's side, stopped at her pouch full of precious belongings, picked up her plastic recorder and showed me, saying, "'Cole's." Then he smiled and said, "Grant's turn."

He brought the recorder in the house after we got home and played with it for a few minutes, but he quickly decided it wasn't any fun playing with Nicole's toys if she wasn't there to yell at him for it.

The rest of the day, every few hours, Grant called out, "'Cole?" And sometimes he would ask me again where she was. Yesterday he found his sword that he and Nicole had made together from old wrapping paper rolls. I asked, "Grant, are you going to fight?"

He said, "Yeah. Fight 'Cole!"

But Nicole wasn't there.

Poor Grant doesn't know what to do. Playing the computer isn't even as fun as usual if Nicole isn't next to his side with the laptop. He keeps showing me the games that Nicole normally helps him do.

And then there's little Scotty. Fussy ever since Nicole left. You could blame it on him getting one-year molars, but if I didn't know better, I'd say it's because he's feeling lonely, too.

I know that Nicole is having so much fun in Utah that she'll never want to come back, but our house just isn't the same without that little fireball running around keeping everyone happy.

Please come back, 'Cole!

Buy, Make or Dream?

emily dickinson quote

cat and dog

pair of owls (all photos ignorantly courtesy of pottery barn kids)

My Curly Haired, Burnette, Whiz Bang

Grant will be three in a couple of weeks, and he is addicted to the computer -- the "big computer" and the "laptop" (his words). I thought all almost-three-year-olds played the computer, but I keep getting looks and remarks of an astonishing nature when people learn what Grant does. It's nothing much. He just does what he has to in order to get to his games. He can turn the computer on, enter our password, get on the Internet, find his favorite websites, and enter his user name and password. Then he's good for hours. Hours.

He can also find youtube videos about trains and sharks. Don't ask me how. He just does. I think it's cute when I find him "reading" our blog. He likes to enlarge all of the pictures and tell me who's in them. I think he understands that the photos depict an event that actually happened in our family. Cool. By the way, cool is Grant's new word. I asked him how nursery was at church on Sunday, and he replied all nonchalant, "Cool."

So the other day, Clint brought Chinese home from the hospital. Included in our bag were three fortune cookies. Nicole doesn't eat Chinese or fortune cookies, but she loves a good fortune. I like a good fortune as much as the next gal, but Clint was dying to know his fortune, so ... well, you know how it is to be a mom! Anyway, Clint opened his fortune in the car and asked me to read it: You would prosper in the field of medicine. Pph! "They all say that," I told him. "They were ordered special for the hospital." Clint insisted that I was wrong.

Nicole opened hers: Look for new possibilities with friends. Woo-hoo! Just kidding. She doesn't care what they say. She kept the paper and tossed the cookie at Grant, who is completely ga-ga over fortune cookies. Grant gobbled up Nicole's cookie, and then opened his own: You would prosper in the field of computer technology. No kidding? Maybe there's something to those cookies, after all.

I Don't Know These People ...

... but that's not necessary to feel heartache at the sight of them. I lifted this photo from foxnews because I couldn't get over the thoughts that must have gone through the heads of these Israeli children when they heard the bomb siren and their mom told them to get on the ground and cover their heads. The younger boy looks as if he could be Grant's age. His little hands don't even meet at the fingertips on top of his head. The older brother could be Nicole's age. I hate war. Children should never have to know such fear.

Good Finds: Deceptively Delicious

I saw Jessica Seinfeld on the Today show roughly a couple of years ago promoting this book. I wanted to buy it, but ... forgot? Got busy? Whatever.

Somehow I thought of it the other day and reserved it from the library. And then I forgot again. Clint brought it home, and it was such a surprise! I read through her entire introduction, which was lengthy, and which detailed a program to steam, puree and store various vegetables every week to create a system. Not interested, I thought. I would have put the book back in the library bag to be returned, except one of her sentences resonated with me: I had begun to dread mealtime. That was me. I hate nagging the kids to eat. And while they are both starting to eat so much more and better than they used to, I would be deliriously happy if I could ever suppose them eating such things as spinach, cauliflower, and squash. I flipped through the pages and dismissed every recipe except two: mac and cheese and popsicles.

I made the mac and cheese last night because I had a shortcut. Instead of steaming/baking the squash and then pureeing it, I dumped in a jar of Scotty's baby food. Nobody saw, and you should have seen Nicole and Grant gulp it down like there was no tomorrow. I almost laughed at the dinner table, thinking to myself, "They're eating squash and they don't even know it." Clint even had a bowl of it, and Nicole finished off the leftovers today. Not even a hint of suspicion, not from anyone.

The popsicle recipe is easy, common, and one that I have been anticipating making for a month. I bought the frozen strawberries a few weeks ago, and finally got around to putting them in the blender yesterday before church. I mixed them with vanilla yogurt instead of plain (the book adds powdered sugar to the plain yogurt, but I didn't need to add any; I've also seen recipes where they add honey). The kids ate the popsicles for their snack when we got home from church. They viewed it as a "treat," and I said they could have another if they ate all their dinner. (*Snicker.*)

Since things were going so well, I decided to try another recipe. It's the one with pureed chickpeas in place of fat (butter/shortening) in cookies. I have made a similar recipe before, and remember not liking them terribly. I didn't care much for this end product, but the kids LOVED it. They were shocked when I let them have two cookies at snack time today. If you like pumpkin cookies, you would like these. The texture was a bit cakey, and I just didn't like it. But seeing as I can eat a plate of rice and beans without having it "hidden," I'll toss this recipe under the success column because the kids ate it -- cheerfully -- and that's who all of this deception is for, after all.

I'm anxious to try some of the other recipes in the book now. The chicken nuggets, salsa, taquitos, quesadillas, pink pancakes, and graham cracker ice cream sandwiches, among others. I just might turn out to be a system kind of believer after all.

Scotty's Theme: Eat It

This was the only time during Scotty's birthday party when Scotty wasn't eating something. And the reason he wasn't eating is because he didn't have access to anything. We were singing Happy Birthday to him, but he was preparing to pig out. Big time.

I swear, on my life, that this child had never before eaten cake. Yet somehow, he knew just what to do.No reservations whatsoever.

So, Scotty must love cake. Either that, or he was *really* hungry.

Woo-hoo! I made it through Round 1. Where's Round 2?I'm just glad I had my wits about me and took his clothes off before the gluttony began.

Oh, there was a shot of the cake before Scotty made such a mess of himself. Look at his right hand. He's ready to strike at the first sign of weakness.By the way, this cake was decorated by Nicole. She wanted his name on it, and then she piped a little Scotty silhouette underneath.

We gave Scotty a present. He ate that, too.
And the paper it came in.
Judging by the look on his face, I'm assuming he learned that not everything tastes as good as cake.

On a final note, it would be interesting to remember that Scotty was the only one who actually ate the cake. I've never liked cake (my mom made me birthday pie), especially chocolate, and it seems to have rubbed off on Nicole and Grant. I don't know what Clint's problem was. Nevertheless, we have good cause to celebrate Grant's birthday in two and a half weeks with a birthday brownie instead of a birthday cake. What do you bet that Scotty will have no qualms devouring that, too?

You Might Be A Homeschooler If ...

We don't fit all of the criteria, but we're close enough ...

Post-Swimming

I can't remember the last time this happened.

Our Birthday Baby

Of all of my babies, Scotty has guarded his baby nature the best. He's not small. On the contrary, he's so fat I can barely carry him around anymore, which I still have to do, however, because he refuses to walk. Maybe that's part of it. Nicole and Grant were both walking way before their first birthday.

But also, Scotty still adores his bottle, and I have no plans to take that away any time soon -- it's his life-line.Same for the binkie. And isn't this baby just so spoiled?

One of his favorite things to do is look out the window. He loves windows. And *bright* sunshine. I know he's going to be so happy in Arizona.

He laughs at everything. If someone smiles at him, if another child laughs, if you just picked him up out of bed, if he's in the process of doing something that he knows he shouldn't (climb stairs, open cupboards, eat garbage).

On the subject of eating garbage, I call Scotty my garbage disposal. He is currently the best eater of all of the kids. One morning not too long ago, I decided that I would make a hot breakfast for my kids. This happens on a regular basis of not more than once per year. I was thinking of my own childhood, and how I loved it when my parents made pancakes and eggs and bacon or whatever. Anything is better than cold cereal (yuck!). So I made french toast. Nicole wouldn't try it, and Grant took one bite of it, spit it out and told me, "Grant no like!" I cleared Grant's plate into the garbage, and left Nicole's on the counter for her to finish later (even though I knew that would NEVER happen). A short while later, I found Scotty sitting on the tile floor in the kitchen, with the trash can turned on its side and our garbage all around him. Scotty was gobbling up that french toast as fast as he could. He thought he hit the million dollar jackpot. I felt so bad (and grossed out) that I cleaned him up and made him his own french toast, which he ate without a single complaint.
Scotty says, "Da da da da," and "Ga ga ga ga," although they don't mean Dada or Gaga (Grandma), respectively. It's just his baby babble that he sputters out when he's mad, happy, tired, playful or hungry. He clicks his tongue, and then giggles, and he claps his hands and shakes his head when we sing, "If you're happy and you know it ..." His latest trick is that he squeezes his eyes shut completely and smiles as big as he can at the same time. So silly, he is!

Maybe Scotty's still just an overgrown baby because the big kid slots are already filled. I wish he'd just stay little forever. And ever. And that at each succeeding birthday, Baby Scotty could still be a baby. Our big, fat baby.

New Year's Resolutions

If you're going to make New Year resolutions, you ought to pick something that is easy, attainable, and likely to occur. That way, you don't feel like a loser on January 15th when you've already botched your new lifestyle plan.

I didn't come up with any resolutions for myself. I never keep them, I'm generally happy with the way I'm leading my life right now, and if I had an extra ten minutes to jot something down, it would probably be my grocery list. That being said, Nicole wasn't discouraged by my party-pooper status, and recorded her resolutions in her journal. It's more of a to-do list, but I think she's likely to see good results from it.

Here are Nicole's five "resolutions."

1. Visit Arizona
2. Move to Arizona
3. Learn to swim in the deep end
4. Play with my family
5. Learn to type