Life

Life is BUSY.

Which feels sooooo good.

Good to be doing normal things like taking care of my house, playing with my kids, going to the grocery store, making dinners.

Good to be able to help out my friends who took such good care of me and my family while I was out of commission.

Life is good and we're still just trying to catch up.

A few updates - 

Noah finished preschool and it is now officially "summertime"

That same week Noah also got banned from the tv

Which left me with A LOT of time to fill.

Not that the kids watch that much tv, but with no preschool either and a kid like Noah who cannot self-entertain...

I'm exhausted.

But it's been good.

In fact, Noah has been happier and better behaved.

And I feel like a better mom.

Albeit an exhausted, pregnant mom.

We've done everything imaginable to keep busy this week.

Playdates pretty much everyday, picnic at the park, bike rides, games, outside activities including but not limited to sidewalk chalk, painting the deck with water, climbing the wall, and picking flowers.

And don't forget the art projects

(Alex is painting a roller coaster, in case it wasn't obvious.)

And last but not least, lots of puzzles.

At 6am.

Yep, no more turning on the tv for my early risers.

Paul has a week of vacation - starting today.  We're so excited.  We'll spend the first part of that week here at home, with the kids.

But on Tuesday Paul and I are headed to Chicago for a few days, with NO kids.

We can't wait.

As for me...I never seem to be done complaining.  I'm now suffering from a horrible case of Plantar Fasciitis.  In case you don't know what it is...my foot hurts.  A lot.  Like I can't put any weight down on my right heel.  So I've been limping around on my toes and putting most of my weight on my left leg.  Yeah, not so good when you're pregnant and carrying around extra weight.  So now the toes on my right foot are sore and the knee on my left leg is hurting.  

I've been to the doctor.  But I need to go to the Foot and Ankle Clinic.  

I have an appointment in July.

Which is great since Paul and I are supposed to be walking the streets of Chicago in just a few days.  We might be touring the city on segways instead.

Just kidding - I'd feel like Gob (for all you Arrested Development fans out there).

But really, we're thinking bikes might be the way to go - I don't have to put pressure on my heel to do that.

I just have to be able to pedal around my growing belly.

I'll let you know how that goes.

I also seem to catch every little bug that goes around.  I asked Paul the other night why I always seem to be falling apart and he said,

"Because you're pregnant.  Pregnancy is the root of all evil."

So there you have it folks.

For those of you who have asked, I will post a belly pic soon.  Maybe now that Paul is around I can get a decent shot of myself (is that possible when you're pregnant?)

And maybe, just maybe, I'll post about our anniversary, which was last week.

I've been putting it off until I could get a picture of Paul and I together - because I realized we don't have any recent ones.

But getting Paul to pose for pics is no easy task.

(Hence, no recent pics of us together).

And...that about sums things up around here.

Hope life is good for you too : )

2-Wheelin' It

It finally happened.  Noah let Paul take the training wheels off of his bike.

Paul had promised Noah that he would be riding a 2-wheeler by the end of the summer.  But Noah tends to take things literally - and kept telling us he wasn't going to take his training wheels off until the end of the summer.

Then, one night last week Noah made an announcement.  He let us know that Monday was going to be a "special day" because he was going to ride a 2-wheeler.

So that night, when Paul got home, we all headed up to the elementary school just a few blocks away.

And...you can see the results for yourself : )

I know what you're thinking - my videographer skills are out of this world, right?

P.S.  Noah has spent several more evenings practicing since then and is improving by leaps and bounds.  

We're so proud of you Noah!

Little Miss

Alex Olivia

{Photo courtesy of brookeoldroydphotography}

This beautiful little girl is growing up fast - and making us laugh along the way

A few recents:

Alex came to me one morning upset because she couldn't find her "tick-tock shirt."  I was confused.  She doesn't have a shirt with a clock on it, or anything close.  I asked her again, thinking I'd misunderstood her.  Nope.  She was insisting on her "tick-tock shirt."  So I asked her to describe it to me and this is what I got:

"It's kind of yellow and it has lines and skinny arms"

And then I knew.

She was looking for her tanktop.

tanktop, tick-tock

whatever.

By the way, it's cream (yellow)

ribbed (has lines)

and sleeveless (skinny arms).

Not bad for a 3 year old : )

I overheard Noah and Alex having a conversation about dying and going to Heaven.  Noah was saying, "But Alex, when you're in heaven you'll be dead."

Alex's response?

"That's ok, I'll just ask Heavenly Father to kiss me and then I'll wake up."

We practice the religion of disney around here.

And Alex's new favorite phrase?

"Alright, whatever."

(with a lisp and more attitude than you'd believe a 3 year old capable of)

We love you babe!

Mother's Day (sans pics)

Because there are no pics.

Mother's Day went like this:

Paul was on call.  Major bummer.  So it was just me and the kiddos.  They woke me at 6:30am, just like this - 

Noah (jumping on me in bed):  "Mom go look in the freezer!"

Alex (also jumping on me in bed):  "No Noah, we didn't say Happy Mother's Day yet!"

Me:  "Aww, thanks Alex."

Alex:  "No mom, I didn't say it yet!"

Me:  "Oh, ok.  Sorry."

Alex (with a huge smile):  "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!"

So the three of us ran to the freezer, where I found a Cold Stone Ice Cream Pie waiting for us. (Paul took the kids to pick it out the night before, while I was out of the house.)

So at approximately 6:35am we all had ice cream pie for breakfast.

I also got some great cards from Paul and the kids.  Cards are kind of a big deal around here : )

The rest of the morning was a typical Sunday morning.

Hectic - me trying to get everyone ready for church, and the kids fighting me (and each other) tooth and nail.

I asked Noah if the primary kids were going to sing to the moms in sacrament meeting that day and he said, "I don't know.  But if they are I'm NOT doing it."  I asked him why and he insisted he was too scared.  Ridiculous, because this is the kid who loves to give prayers, scriptures and talks in primary and who complained that his part in last year's primary program wasn't long enough.

I tried everything I could think of.  

"All your friends will be up there doing it"

"I'll be so sad if you don't sing to me on Mother's Day"

And a whole lot more.

Without success.

All I got from that stubborn kid of ours was, "I will NEVER do it.  NEVER!"

When we got to church and they announced the primary kids would be singing that day I whispered to Noah, "If you don't go up and sing I guess me and Alex will have to eat the rest of the pie by ourselves."

Noah just stared at me for a moment and then said, "Alright.  I changed my mind."

Success!!!

Not really.

When the primary kids went up to the stand to sing, Noah made sure he was in the back.  I could see the teachers getting the youngest kids up to the front where they could be seen but Noah just stepped right back behind the others.  But, by adjusting my own position I could just see his face.  And what a face!  Through the whole song, "Mother I love you" Noah barely moved his mouth and he frowned and glared at me the entire time!  I'm not kidding you, the kid was mad and making it very clear.

I found the whole thing hilarious.

The rest of the sunday was a typical sunday.  The kids were naughty in sacrament meeting and naughty at home.  I kept reminding them, "Don't you know you're supposed to be nice to me on Mother's Day?"

We did, however, go visit Paul at the hospital that afternoon, if only for a short while.

But don't feel too sorry for me.

My real Mother's Day took place the Friday before, on Paul's day off.  He made arrangements for our friends to watch the kids (thanks Jacksons and Schafers!) and we spent the day in The Cities, at Mall of America, where I got some much needed maternity clothes, a delicious lunch, and time alone with my husband.  It was a wonderful day.  

Thank you Paul!  You're amazing and I love you.  

Wishin' that were me

BUT...

I think I turned the corner this past week.

I can't say I feel great, but it is a HUGE improvement.

Of course there are still those things that induce the occasional dry-heaves: brushing my teeth (inevitable), smells (all kinds), food that for whatever reason just doesn't appeal to me at the moment, not getting enough sleep, waiting until I'm STARVING to eat (it happens faster than you'd think).

But things are slowly getting back to normal around here.  I've been grocery shopping, cooking dinner, playing with my kids, taking them places, doing laundry, taking care of the house.

Alright I haven't done any of the dusting, mopping, scrubbing kind-of-stuff yet.

I'm not feeling that good.

But you get the idea.

I'm exhausted.

BUT.

Life is...better.

(17 weeks and counting)

Easter Happened

About a month ago.

That's pretty much all I can say for Easter 2009.

And the past several months in general.

Things just "happen" to us.

Usually while Paul is at work and I'm laying on the couch dry-heaving.

Easter morning the kids woke bright and early.

6am.

Paul was long gone.

And so the indoor easter egg hunt began at 6:05am.

I laid on the couch and (you guessed it) dry-heaved.

At least I managed to take some pictures, right?

That's about all I managed.

Alex is wearing the Easter dress received the day before in a package from Grandma Gunn.

Yeah, she slept in it.

And the hair is just lovely, I know.

But the kids enjoyed themselves, all the same.

10 minutes later, the hunt was over.

I sent the kids downstairs to the tv with bucketfuls of candy.

And I went back to bed.

I was too sick to make it to church that day, but I didn't want the kids to forget what Easter is really all about.

So I planned a little Easter lesson for them - which left them both in tears.

I swear I didn't say anything scary, graphic, or traumatic.  I always keep it simple.  You know, because Jesus was resurrected we will all be resurrected too, and live together forever in heaven.  That kind of thing.  But it doesn't seem to matter.  Noah always starts crying about how he doesn't want to die and how he never wants to go to Heaven.  This time it was because he wouldn't be able to take "sharky" with him (his stuffed shark that he sleeps with).  And of course Noah's tears get Alex going too.

So I wrapped it up quickly, and ended with some stories from The Friend.

Oh Boy.

However...

earlier in the week we attended an awesome Easter Party, thrown by my amazing friends, whom I do not deserve.

The party included:

bazillions of kids

fun games

sugar cookie decorating

face painting

cute craft

AND

an easter egg hunt

Thanks again Girls!!!

(you made our Easter)

Happy Easter!