planting a bug in their ears

yesterday, a neighbor who had been watching carson and layla during my dr's appointment told me that, according to them, i was the nicest, most beautiful, and funniest mom in the world.

hah! i'm pretty sure she thinks i tell my kids to go around saying stuff like that. i don't, but it gave me such a boost i think maybe i'll start.

(p.s. speaking of boosts, i got one this morning when i woke up for the first time to feed addelyn...at 5:00!!!!!! bliss.)

suffice it to say

sick kids are no fun. sick babies are even less fun.

poor little ones. and, fine, i'll say it: poor me. but, really, mostly, poor little ones.

self-esteem schmelf-esteem

carson wanted to join layla & me in my bed this morning to watch the last few minutes of "sid the science kid" (cute show). he climbed up and tried to jump over me to his spot but accidentally landed ON me.

"sah-yee, mom. i TRIED to jump ovah you, but you're just so WIDE! too wide foi me to jump. pretty wide..." voice trailing off as he became engrossed in the television.

what a lovely way to start the day. if you need me, i'll be gazing longingly at the contents of our kitchen cupboards.

delicious

and, for your viewing entertainment, below is the photo i lovingly refer to as "camoflauged carnivore with smirking mother":

"confession"

"i had chocolate cake for breakfast...is that bad?"

this was an email i got from paul yesterday. man, i love this guy.

happy birthday, pauly pocket.

primary program in sacrament meeting

oh my. you know, i try really hard to support all church decisions because i really think they're divinely inspired, but i just have to say, i wish they'd revoke the "no video cameras in church" rule for just ONE sunday a year: the primary program. so entertaining. my recollections of it won't even do the experience justice, but it'll have to do.

highlights:

- sunbeams are front-and-center (as in, in front of the pulpit)

- during one point, all the primary children said (together), "i am a child of God, and so are YOU" and they pointed to the congregation. carson was busy examining the pulpit behind him (with his back facing us), but when it got to the "so are you" part, he halfway turned and pointed out at the congregation...reminding me of someone trying to "send out the vibe." you probably had to be there, but it was hilarious.

- carson was told, probably every other minute, to stop playing with the pulpit and/or stop almost jumping off the stand. had he been the primary teacher doing the reminding, paul would've added a few choice suggestions: "stop grabbing yourself," "leave your tie out of your mouth/leave your zipper tie alone/stop spinning your zipper tie/don't hit your neighbor with your tie..." (catching a theme of distraction here?)

- all the sunbeams were hilarious. paul and i were literally crying from laughing so hard. and, i admit, i teared up just a wee bit at one point where the children's sweetness and innocence was just, i dunno, perfection.

- back to reality: guess who decided to learn how to unbutton clothes? sweet. good timing. he got all but the top button opened (a la chip-n-dale, what with the swinging tie added to the mix) before the primary teacher realized it and had to hastily help him rebutton it before he said his part.

- when he did say his parts, carson nervously but excitedly pulled out this high-pitched whisper-voice that was oh my so funny. remember how i've mentioned that carson doesn't know how to whisper? i stand corrected. give the kid a mic and 200 people to talk to, and he'll whisper with the best of them. hey, you're never too young to work out a solid performance of a "spiritual voice," right?

- intermix carson's antics with some of the other children's awesomeness -- we saw some very moving interpretive dancing (thanks, macy), club-bouncer-style folded arms (where she kept checking out her biceps to make sure they looked big), a lie-down nap in the middle of the program (poor tired ella), some panties sightings, slobbering on/eating the mic, etc. etc. -- and you've got yourself some quality off-the-cuff entertainment.

- carson lasted out the whole program. coming from a kid who was too scared to go up to the front to sing for father's day, this is some serious progress.

anyway, like i said, i wish i had pics and/or video footage so you could enjoy for yourself. dah well. the church is true.

sound of moosic...

yogurt and butter and ice cream galore

cream cheese and string cheese, why, yes, i'd love more

cheesecakes and milkshakes topped off with whipped cream

these are a few of my can't-eat-now things

fruit loops and corn pops both swimming in milk

wiping a milkstache with napkins of silk (?? YOU try rhyming with "milk")

it's just not worth it, they make addie scream

for now i'll hold off on these dairy-food things

when the schwann's truck

comes down my street

i'll just run downstaiiiiiiiirs

i'll simply remember

how pained addie gets

and 'nstead eat 9 pounds...of gummy beaaaaaars

carsonism

"i get milk for a drink, and addie gets milk for her food....dat's just the way life is sometimes."

well put, o wise one.

one of those days

welp, today was one of those days. it could've had something to do with the fact that i was up until 3 a.m. last night finishing my book ("daughter of the forest"...highly recommended) when i really really needed to sleep. it could've had something to do with the fact that my hormones are completely out of whack. it could've had something to do with the fact that carson grows increasingly independent (fine) and stubborn (not so fine) and sometimes, like today, downright belligerent (the exact opposite of fine). it could've had something to do with the fact that layla has become as wild as her hair and currently gets a disturbing amount of enjoyment from hitting people, many times if possible. it could've had something to do with the fact that addelyn seemed extremely uncomfortable (yesterday and today...which is why a better night's sleep than what i let myself get would've been a good idea) and therefore quite fussy.

anyway, it could've had something to do with the combination of all these things, but today was just one of those days where i wanted to curl up on the couch and sleep and pretend i didn't have three crazy kids who know me as Mom, Mommy, and Food-Source. i'm pretty sure i'm evil for admitting (and typing) that, but there it is.

the sun'll come out tomorrow though...right? right.

last night's "to do"

table cleared & dishes washed
clean laundry folded & put away
living room & family room cleaned up
kids played with, bathed, pj'd, sippy-of-milk'd, and put to bed

seriously, paul rules.

4 going on 40...

yesterday, carson had fashioned a make-shift "leash" out of plastic baby ring-link things, and he'd hooked up a stuffed pig to the end of it. standing by the back door, he paused, turned, and told me, "mom, i'm going outside to take knuckles [the stuffed pig] for a walk. take care of layla and addie for me, okay? okay, mom? i'll be back in not too long."

well well well, aren't you the model of responsibility. i only hope that that maturity extends into preschool...it's his first day today, and the boy couldn't have been more excited if it were christmas. wait, seriously, do i really mean that?...*pausing to consider*...yes, yes i do.

it's strange to see our kids growing up in so many ways...yet being very little children still. strange and also terribly exciting. and nerve-wracking. i can't quite describe it, but i'm sure all you parental-types out there know what i'm talking about. probably moreso, because i don't even have anything close to a teenager yet.

anyways. the end.

wrestle mania

last night, paul and the kids were wrestling/pillow-fighting in the living room, a favorite past-time for all involved. however, this time, paul accidentally sent carson flying into a rather large plant in the corner, knocking it over and sending dirt all over the carpet. luckily, neither kid nor plant was hurt.

paul looked at me sheepishly (I just smiled), then he helped carson up and cleaned up the mess. carson normally would've gotten scolded for being so rambunctious inside...not this time. i found the change in disciplinary tactics quite amusing, since dad was involved in the crime as well.

i'm sure it won't be their last tag-team of destructo-boyness.

a precious little bundle

more are coming, but these are just too scrumptious to pass up.





thanks, times 18 million, to my dear and talented friend julie kirby. your masterful artiste-ness strikes again.

newborns

1 package of newborn diapers: $14
1 can of formula: $19
3 daily loads of laundry for a week: $8
3 packs of "thank you" cards: $12
6-1/2 hours of virtually uninterrupted sleep: priceless