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For your listening pleasure while you read:



You're welcome.

I'm sitting here making my Easter M&M's into flowers before eating them while I look at the pictures of my day deciding which ones are awesome enough for the blog. I'll bet you didn't know I take more pictures than I post. True story. Only the best of the best make it to the blog.

Aundrea would be proud of my flower - except that all the m's are facing different directions (because *shrugs* I'm cool.) and that I only got one sheep face in my whole thing of M&M's tragic isn't it?

After an exceptionally fun morning at the zoo, Josh called to see if I wanted to go to the Get Outdoors Expo for free right now. Remember how he loves the free stuff? Expos were built around that man.  So we did.

That's where Tommy became a walking billboard

The sticker on his butt says "Leaving Your Mark is Overrated" it's from the Leave No Trace people.

We think we're funny. Also we won a free toilet seat to put on the top of a 5-gallon-bucket and talked to the people who sell cardboard boxes and biodegradable bags to "do your business" in. Now that the irreverent part that makes my mom cringe is over, we can move on to the other cool stuff.

Like when Josh climbed a rock wall.

And when Tommy pet the therapy dog (who is not as creepy as he looks).

And when the bike dude showed off his jump-up-on-a-tower skills.

Show this picture to a dude, see if he cringes. It's fun.

But the best part is how we came home with an enormous bag of hud some of which is actually valuable. Like the totally awesome VestPac which we won on account of our adorable billboard-child. Not to mention more stickers and flyers than even Tommy can get sick of. Also, I hold the current "sleeping bag stuffing" record at NatureForKids. 7.1 seconds baby! I can stuff a whole sleeping bag and pull the drawstring in 7.1 seconds. I might win something for it, if not I might be sad since I am now the official sleeping bag stuffer of our family. We won't talk about how long it took Josh.

It was a wildly successful outing.

Say what you will about Friday the 13th, but we've had an incredible day.

Crazy Eyes at the Park

Did you read that title and think we ran into that-guy-in-every-Adam-Sandler-video at the park? We didn't.

We just went to the park, and I got this picture of Tommy getting ready to go down the slide.

And just like that we know he's mine.

He also giggled uncontrollably when he watched his daddy go down the slide.

I really do love the longer days now that Josh is around to enjoy them with us.

Why Babies Need Cousins

This is why babies need cousins. (And uncles too.)

Cayson, Tommy, and Braden

Name That Flower

If it were on a bush and purple, it would be a lilac.

When it's a lonely bunch on the ground and it's pink....what is it?

Remember When it Was Mother's Day

This year for Mother's Day we did the Tour of the Moms. It was a lot of traveling. It was a lot of family. It was a completely insane and perfect day. All of it.

First thing in the morning in Lindon we look happy. Even before breakfast!

The boys made us breakfast, then sat around eating it while mom and I lounged on the couch.

Maybe the sweetest thing Tommy did all day was bring me this lilac.

And then started eating it.

But then we distracted him with the local wildlife. One thing I love about being in Lindon is that you never know who will join you in the yard.

Next we headed to West Jordan to see Josh's mom and company. After church we came home and sat on the porch watching it rain for like half an hour. The rain smelled heavenly, the air was fresh, the people made me smile. It was perfect. This is also where the cousins played "dump out the Easter eggs" a thousand times in a row giggling and laughing the whole time.

Next we went to Meleta's where Bert (Josh's little brother) Skyped us from the mission field. Tommy and I stayed out on the rainy deck so they could talk to each other without the screaming.

Then one more stop at Lori's on the way home for some food and the extended family. Josh and Tommy continued to be my deliciously perfect boys.

It really was the perfect Mother's Day, and I'm so glad that these boys make me a mother.

Married to the Handiest of Men

Josh learned a lot of things from his step-father Frank. A LOT of things.

Good things mostly, like playing the piano, and "walking it off" when you injure yourself. And only a few less-than-great things, like a deep hatred for "dirty-rotten cops" and an even deeper hatred for paying taxes.

But the things I'm most glad that he learned (for today) are the handy-man things.

I used to think I was pretty good at fixing stuff that was broken, and I could assemble things that came in packages with instructions. But after the Great Crib Fiasco of 2009, I've learned to just go in other room and admire his handy-work post project instead of "helping".

Sometimes I look at our house and say, "It would be so great if ______" and then BAM! 6 months later, I have _____. Because Josh knows how to build stuff.

Other times I wake up in the middle of the night and say "did you just pee?" and Josh (in a slept-up-stupor) says "no" and I say "then why is the toilet making that noise*?" and then he stumbls out of bed and turns off the water to the toilet. And BAM! 2 days later he comes home for lunch armed with a Lowe's bag and heads off to make the toilet STOP MAKING THAT NOISE!!! A mere 30 minutes and only 2 cuss-words later, I have the reverentest toilet on the market.

So I'm glad he learned how to fix stuff that's broken. And I'm glad that whether it's plumbing, or building stuff, or painting, or tiling, or carpet cleaning he can (and will) do it. Not everybody has a built-in handy man you know.

*"That noise" is just the toilet water running. All the time. 24 hours a day. Without ever stopping. Ever. And it's making me crazy!

Twins?

No. Not NBE. Calm down.
There's only one there. Dr. Man assured us. More than once.
"Just one in there." He said, as if that meant I was a sissy for only growing one baby at a time. It's a good thing I love Dr. Man so much or I might kick him in the face sometimes. He'd deserve it too, for putting my feet so close to his face.

ANYway....not the point.

One time I kidnapped Stella and we (Tommy, Stella and I) went to the library together.

While getting the kids out of the car, some lady gawked because clearly I don't have system for getting two kids out of the car at the same time - and by the time they're this old, you'd think I would.

While walking into the library with a stack of books and a Tommy in one arm, and a Stella faithfully holding my hand and walking like the well-behaved child she is next to me, some guy looked at me, looked at Tommy, stared at Stella for a while, then held the door open and said "Twins?"

I wished I had a sign with me so I could say "Yep, different fathers, (one brown, one white) but they're twins. Here's your sign." Because clearly Stella and Tommy are not twins. Or even related.

See?

Do they look even a little alike to you?

While I understand the curiosity about the relationship between two kids who are clearly so in love with each other, and look the same age (ish) but so clearly don't belong to each other - I don't understand why the only reasonable question is "Twins?" I'm curious - would you ever ask a stranger if these two were twins?

Were you wondering?

What the smelliest lunch is? Egg salad sandwich, Doritos and a pickle.

You're welcome.

My Mom

The cool kids are putting pictures of their moms as their profile picture on facebook this week. I tried to, but I couldn't because there are SO many pictures I love of my mom that I simply couldn't pick just one.

So instead I'm dedicating an entire blog post to images of my mother. That means I'm an entire blog post cooler than the facebook cool-kids right?

Dad & Mom - in Midway

Mom & Garret - Christmas

Mom & Taege

Mom & Tommy - At the Library

Mom watching something incredible happening in her backyard. 

Mom & Me - She ran my first ever race with me.

Josh & Me - Mom & Dad - I just like how big she's smiling. She's happy for me.

Mom & Dad - Oregon Beach

Mom - Alexander Lake

Mom & Dad - Midway - snow tunnel

Mom & Dad - Mom is 60 and thereby obligated to wear a funny hat.

Are ya jealous? You know...because my mom's so cool? It's OK. I would be too.

Mother's Day

This year I feel like a real mom. Tommy and I have settled into a routine, I know (sortof) what I'm doing and I'm less....floundery. We have sucky days and really great days. This past week has been full of really great days, which means that right this second I can honestly say that there is nothing I'd rather do all day than hang out with the world's coolest kid. Really.

There are have been times in the past 18 months that I've wondered what I was thinking. Times when all I really wanted to do was put on a pair of nylons and answer someone else's phone. Times that I wondered if Josh would like to stay home so I could go to work and like my baby again. And loads of times I've begged for mercy relying on other people who love my child to take care of him while I take a break.

But, the truth is that being this dude's mom is a blessing I simply couldn't have imagined. He makes me laugh in ways only Josh could before. He brings out the best in Josh, and (sometimes) the best in me. He makes me proud of who I am and what I'm capable of. Plus he gets me outside every day. What better friend could a girl ask for?

Also he has good taste in shades.

So it is a VERY happy mother's day to me.

New Hobbies

Today is the 7th of May and so far it feels like we've done more fun things this month than in the previous 4 months combined. Let's hear it for SUNSHINE!!!!!!

Since we've been out and playing so much, Tommy's discovered some totally awesome new hobbies.

Bubbles:

Teaching Grandma about flowers. "So soft!"

Sweeping the water with wheat. 

Shaking the dock with the crazy-run.

Sidewalk chalk: Eating. Coloring. Throwing. Whatever.

Sandal-wearing. Are those not the most adorable toes you've ever seen?

Kicking a volleyball.

Staring at giraffes through the fence.

'

Chanting with the kids on a field trip "spray us! spray us! spray us!" and then getting sprayed.

And best of all walking with mom AND dad. (Mom's the blob-shaped one on the right.)

THIS is springtime.

One Thing I Love About Josh being in school....

One thing I love about Josh being in school is that summer means something again. Remember when you used to count down the days till school was out? Remember how summertime came with freedom and vacations and a significantly easier schedule to accompany these long long days?

That is the upside of school.

Perspective: A Potty Story

The "proud mommy" version: Tommy stopped eating his lunch and walked up to me, signed (and said) Poooo stinky!!! So I planted his naked butt on the potty and do you know what he did? He pooped. Then he clapped for himself, signed "all done". My baby is a genius. A genius who just potty trained himself.

The "long day" version: Tommy stopped eating his lunch and walked up to me, signed (and said) Poooo stinky!!! So I planted his naked butt on the potty and he grunted and groaned and wiggled and squirmed. He signed all done and tried to get down by himself. I planted his butt on the potty at least 4 more times, tried to distract him by pointing at all the babies in the magazine and made my best poop-face and finally after loads of convincing, he pooped. Then he clapped for himself, signed "all done" and let me get him down. After wiping, I started to put the potty away and he ran out into the hallway and immediately peed all over the carpet and came back to the bathroom giggling. So I tackled him, diapered him, and gave him a treat with the rest of his lunch.

Either way I'm calling it a success.

I Think NBE Likes Me

I hesitate to say this out loud and writing it down is even worse - you know....because someone might read it and that will immediately negate whatever I've said. But, I think NBE might like me better than Tommy did. There are a few reasons I suspect this, but the biggest is this:

I am setting puke-free records left and right.

I'm currently on my 6th barfless day in a row. This beats the Tommy record by more than double.
I can count on one hand the number of public restrooms I've lost it in.
Also NBE doesn't hate ice cream. So...bonus!

Since NBE and I are nearly 14 weeks along, I suspect we might be experiencing the full beauty of the 2nd Trimester which Tommy simply wasn't into. The 2nd Trimester didn't come with him until after he was born - and by then I think they call that particular kind of bliss something else.

Tommy however is not a fan of NBE. Sometimes I lay on the couch and Tommy climbs up and butt-drops "right in the baby!" and then he laughs and laughs and laughs.

There are plenty of theories on why I'm feeling better this time around. They range from me being home all the live long day, to NBE being female.

And with the exception of Jess's husband, Spencer (who only guessed boy after he knew he'd be the only one), everyone who has verbally ventured a guess is positive this new baby is a girl. Ashley said it first, right after our first ultrasound when she looked at the picture and said "Hey! She looks just like Stella did at this age, she must be a girl."

So I'm curious - do you think NBE is a boy or girl? Comment and/or vote.

Getting Gotten

Sunday is the best day for Tommy and Josh. Tommy got a little naked after church, and he and Josh played wrestle-mania until both of them were so deliriously happy that nobody (except me and NBE of course) noticed the very apparent lack of dinner.

It's no wonder we live for the weekends.

Please ignore the ridiculously large pile of clothes on the floor, and be glad I didn't catch a shot of the filthy dishes all over the kitchen.

Tommy Update: A reference post

Tommy's vocabulary has expanded the past few weeks.

He used to only say "duck" which really sounded like "duh" which was the same as "dad" which was also the same as "day" (as in, "there's a day out there!") which was also the same as "dog" and every other word that starts with the letter D. Or B.

Now he says all of those things PLUS

Oh no! (while slapping himself in the head) and Uh-oh!

Plus

Stuh-lella (cutest thing I've ever heard)

Plus

Cheese

and any other thing that I say first. He's become quite the little parrot. He also asks to "get out" when the car stops.

He loves to go up and down the stairs - down the "safe way" (thanks Em) with his toes first, and he thinks he owns the fridge. Today I was putting the groceries away and turned around to find him balanced on the bottom step of the fridge, clinging to the vegetable drawer eating grapes out of the bag.

Even though Josh is trying hard to corrupt my baby and teach him to kiss-on-the-lips, Tommy still knows that mommy's only kiss foreheads. When I pooooker up my lips, he walks over to me, closes his eyes and smashes his forehead into my waiting lips.

Anytime somebody looks at him, he thinks they are going to chase and tackle him forcing him to giggle until he can't breath. It's reasonable for him to think that - you know....because that's what happens when his dad is home - but he's frequently disappointed when kids his age look at him, he runs the other way, and they don't catch him. Poor kid.

Tommy knows how to start the DVD player. I know I know.....in my defense he also knows how to turn off the tv.


Tommy's mother is a dipper. As in I like foods which are dipped in things. So when Tommy eats, he picks up whatever it is he's eating, touches the plate twice in another area and THEN puts it in his mouth. If you didn't know he was "dipping" you'd think he had some weird OCD thing....maybe someday it will be. My poor child has no idea how messed up he's going to be....

This kid is a momma's boy. He really loves to be held, and sit on my lap, and most of the time he'd be happy if I'd just hold him all day long and read him a story (which I won't).

What an exceptionally adorable man-child.