These are just 4 of my favorite things...

...about my little guy! He turned 4 this week and I'm admittedly a little sad as I see that my kids are getting so big, and I'm trying so hard to hold on to every little detail!

• This kid loves to sleep. He's even been known to ask for permission to take a nap. He wasn't always this way - just the last 18 months or so. He even sleeps through Sacrament Meeting every Sunday. I love it!


• On the topic of sleeping, he always has at least one of his eyes slightly open while he's asleep. It's a little creepy. He also sleeps with his mouth wide open.


• He is an incredible athlete. He's a killer fast runner, he learned how to ride a 2-wheeler in about 90 seconds (before his older sister, mind you), and he can hit a baseball across the yard.
  
• I hope there are Goldfish in heaven, just for him. An unlimited supply.
  

Happy Birthday, my boy. I hope the next 4 years are just as picture-perfect. P.S. Thanks for asking me if we could go to the cemetery so you could show Macie all your birthday presents. You made my day. And you surely made hers.

I remember the day I found out I was pregnant with this kid. Spencer was at work and it was the beginning of December. I took two pregnancy tests (I think I always do this - I never believe the first one), and then I wrapped them in a Christmas box (yes, gross). I could barely wait until he got home and I made him open it right when he walked in the door. Neither of us was really surprised, but it was a crazy month anyway with the holidays and with Spencer in his very last semester of grad school. We had to move out of our house, and we all got hit with a nasty stomach bug. Aside from throwing up a few times from that, I wasn't sick one day during this pregnancy with Tyler. I was really tired though, and would nap every day during Emma's naptime, but it was smooth sailing.

Then Tyler was born... and the smooth sailing was over. He either enjoyed crying or hated life his first few months. That first year of his life was so hard on me with two tiny ones, but Emma was so easy going that I was able to (or had to) spend that extra time with Tyler. They are the best of friends these days and he's just the most pleasant person to be around, especially for a 4-year old!

the consequences of family videos

I must say that I have an extraordinary husband.

Aside from that...I felt a lot of things come full circle this week. My daughter is very much into watching old family videos (DVDs) of me as a child. She knows so much about me. Both kids have seen me run races, boogie board, go on vacations, act in roadshows (I use the term "act" loosely), etc. They recognize when I should be utterly embarrassed (which I am) on video.

This week they got to do many of those things themselves. We flew to visit my parents while Spencer worked his tail off at Disney World (really, he did!). On the first day, my dad took the kids boogie-boarding. The next day we did it all again. I loved seeing Tyler roll around, get buried by waves, and then exclaim, "I saved myself!" My dad even spoiled them and let them buy candy at the store near the beach. And Tyler had his first Snickers bar ever. If he's like me, his life will never be the same again.



We got to pay a visit to the Dodger game on Mormon night, which I did on several occasions as a child. However, this time we all got spoiled and had box suite (yes! our own room!) with free dinner (wow, "dinner" is such an understatement) included. As my mom so simply put it, "I can never watch a game like a regular person again!"



One of the things I hated most as a child was having to go running. I ran lots of 5k's and 10k's as a kid, and my parents have saved all our old racing numbers. One morning we took the kids (per their request) over to the track, pinned numbers on their shirts, and let them loose. Emma liked it about as much as I did 20 years ago (love that girl!) but Tyler really enjoyed himself. In fact, my favorite part was watching him sprint, with a grin on his face, past all the sloooowww middle-aged women. No, I take that back. My favorite part was watching the faces of those he was passing - being passed up by a little 3-almost-4-year old! Awesome. He ran a mile and a quarter. Emma had to be bribed to run a mile. I ran a lap and couldn't be bribed to go further (I was on vacation after all!). [love that lady's face]


Next on the "tradition" list was Newport Beach. It was just fantastic to be there this week. The beach is gorgeous, the jetties supply endless treasure-hunting fun, and I guess it's fun to ride the merry go round and ferris wheel (though I sorta wanted to puke). We even visited the shell shop where I used to love to spend my money. I let the kids spend a few dollars each. That's one tradition I want to remember better--Newport Beach--and the beach house tradition is one I'd love to keep up with my kids...if we can ever afford it.


Moral of the story: Let your kids watch your family videos, and then do it all over again...with them. It would have been icing on the cake if Spencer could have been here. He was helping put on a global intern training for his firm...and playing with Mickey and Donald. Like I said, he's pretty great to let us have so much fun without him. We are so lucky.

And me...I'm trying to carefully stack all the little details in my memory; things like Emma developing a love (obsession?) for Uncrustables, like the charming and thought-provoking book I read this week (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society) that really makes me want to be a writer, like how my kids exclaimed they were "on top of the world!" not only on the airplane but also on the ferris wheel, like Tyler getting to blow out a candle on a piece of cake a couple different times, just for the heck of it, like how my dad came to the beach on his lunch breaks so my mom and I could get a break and he could take over in the water with the kids, and like how Spencer's phone calls were few and far between but were still extra special, especially when the kids got to talk. I know just how much absence makes the heart grow fonder and can't wait to see him at the airport.

hmm

So I got this email from one of my friends this morning:
(Dylan is one of Emma's friends and Katie is one of his friends)

I just got off the phone with my cool neighbor (Katie's mom). Anyway, she had the funniest thing to tell me. Katie was with Dylan and Emma at the pool when you first got there. Dylan asked Emma if she could get in the water and she said that you told her to wait a couple minutes because she had just gotten sunblock put on. Dylan asked why (which is silly because I make him wait too! So he knew the reason) and Emma said, "Our family doesn't do 'why' questions!" She said it so matter-of-fact. So my neighbor wants to meet you and get to know the coolest mom she's ever heard about.

Perhaps I should be concerned about possibly suppressing my children and their oh-so-thoughtful questions, but really, I'm a little busy being the "coolest mom she's ever heard about."

I've had a smile on my face all day. Love that girl of mine.

in such total detestation...

I may not have the cleanest house in the world, but I don't have the dirtiest either. I like my counters clean and free of clutter, the dishes get done a few times a day, I like beds to be made and toys to be put away. I really don't like dirty bathrooms, and don't mind cleaning them myself in order for them to stay presentable.

But I really struggle with one area of chores. LAUNDRY!! There is nothing I despise more than that. Let me clarify; I don't despise it in its entirety. I have two laundry days, and I stick to them pretty darn faithfully: Monday and Thursday. I don't mind putting the laundry in and changing it out. My problem is getting it sorted and back where it belongs. Sometimes I have a giant pile on my laundry room floor (perhaps the one downside of having a nice, big, indoor laundry room).
Other times, I get really motivated and it makes it down the hall and onto my bed. Then it all gets pushed onto the floor that night, or, again, if I'm really motivated, it actually makes it into the laundry basket (still unsorted). Sometimes I'll put it back up on the bed, determined to fold it that day. But it's just never my priority. In fact, I'd rather go scrub down the toilets and sinks before I finish my laundry. Shoot, I'd rather sit in the dentist chair for an hour or two before doing the laundry. It sounds perfect to, in theory, do it all right as it comes out of the dryer. Doesn't happen.

It's becoming quite a joke between Spencer and me. We'll sometimes have a marathon laundry folding night where we catch up on two weeks of clothes. I even agree that it's slightly ridiculous that Emma sometimes goes right to the laundry room floor to find underwear or anything else to wear, rather than to her dresser.

How do I get over this problem? Should I go for broke and hire a laundry lady (yes, please)? Perhaps I should just buck up and give myself a good kick in the rear. Is it normal to totally slack off with one chore, and detest it above all else?

(surely you understand why there is no picture)

a visit

Sometimes I become a zombie mom. This happens a lot in the summer. Sometimes I just want to sit on my bed and do nothing. But...that doesn't fly for very long. Sometimes I am lame and boring and run out of fun things for us to do.

Thankfully, some great people came and rescued my kids from boredom for a couple days.

Tyler had someone else to sword-fight with (ok, so I've never actually played swords with him), and I heard "on guard" and "I killed you dead" at least 85 times.


Emma had someone to read a new Fancy Nancy book (among tons of other books) to her. Her nose in a book...that's Emma's happy place.

They left this morning.

Today the kids and I went to the park and to Target. They ran in the sprinklers and helped me do some stuff outside. We went to a friends' house and did their pool and slip 'n slide. And the stinkers still complained they were bored.

I can't compete with Papa and Grandma. Mom and Dad...when can you come back?!


(Can you believe they're grandparents??!)

memory lane

Aside from the boring drive, we sure love visiting Salt Lake. I felt nostalgic as I drove by our old house so near the college where we met, and got to show Emma where her first house was. Tyler had to remind me that I was pregnant with him there, too. In fact, he says, "Mom, when I was pregnant with you..."

We also got to go here (temple) and check out the inside while it's open to the public. Very cool, and very beautiful. I was moved to tears a few times as I realized the significance of what my kids were getting to join in on for the first time in their lives. They were so good and I knew they were getting a little taste of what Spencer and I get all the time. And getting cookies afterward always adds a little something special.


We don't know when we'll see Nana and Grandpa again as they're moving away, so we had to get one more boating trip in. I just associate Utah with boating at Jordanelle. Last year Emma was the tubing queen - we could not get her off that thing. This year she bawled the entire time she was on the boat - she was so concerned about the tubers and that they would get hurt. I love love love this picture because you can see her grandpa's reaction in the mirror. It might be my favorite picture of the trip.


This year, Tyler was tube king. I have about 15 great pictures of him.


And of course, Spencer on the knee-board. (Notice the tongue. Tyler does that too. ALL the time.)


My wonderful sister agreed to join us. The kids adore her, so we were all glad she came along. (Shameless plug: She's beautiful and available.)


And since I am hardly ever in pictures...


It sure is fun to be with cousins and run like crazy. I love the blur in this one - it so illustrates what it was like for them to be running around and playing so intensely.


I also got a hair cut (there's a great place at Riverwoods where it's only $15 your first time!). I guess I've started a tradition of getting a hair cut on almost every trip, but I never get one at home. Then again, we all know the best hair stylists are here.

Favorite comments of the trip:

*While driving in the mountains we rolled down the windows. I inhaled deeply and said, "I love the smell of the forest!" Emma inhaled deeply and said, "Ew...it smells like...clean dirt!"

*Emma knows I don't like the "Why" question unless she's asking respectfully and for a good reason. Today when she asked me something silly, I said, "Why?" She took the chance and retorted with, "Mom, we don't ask why? in our family!!"

*Tyler was not just the tube king, but he was also the Wii king. I don't do video games, but think it's great that other people have them. Tyler outscored everyone in the house after only a few games. After each game, he would say "Mom, how much money did I win?" If only.

We were only gone 5 busy days, but we packed in a lot. And as always, it's so great to be home.
P.S. I do believe we'll go with painting the door black. Thanks for all the input!