I Love to See the Temple Take 2

Nicky sings for this one so turn your sound on. I never knew how cute two year old singing could be. Sorry for the crappy film quality. We haven't figured out how to get our nice camera footage to transfer onto the computer.

A New "Pretty" Shirt and Wide Load a Comin'

My friend Kimberly made this shirt with Nicky's name written all sparkly on the front and brought it over today. Nicky put it on after her nap and she looked so cute. What a nice break from the "pretty shirt." Nicky has behaved a lot better this week and we have been having more happy times again. She loves to water color and paint with her markers. We have been running extremely low in the printer on paper since she has taken up these new hobbies. There are always about five of her art works on the fridge at one time. She always runs to put each one up with a magnet after she is done so we can, in her words, "enjoy it." We went to Sea World on Saturday and Nicky called Shamu the killer whale a "dalmation dolphin." She loved watching Shamu rock and we sat in the wet zone too. Unfortunately, no soaking. Nicky is going to start going to play at a neighbor's house with a little friend named Jeremiah once a week starting tommorow. Given her track record at nursery with seperation anxiety, I am not sure how she will do. Hopefully we will both enjoy a little break.

In other news, at almost 11 months ... Andy has started a slow crawl. I laughed so hard this morning when I got a view of his rear from behind. No wonder it has taken so long to get moving with such a wide load to haul. His diaper was not even full or anything.

It Runs in the Family

I think I have tracked down the source of my recent semi-depression. It is not deaths of gorillas, a blogging cancer patient, or global warming. Although all are sad! No, I think it is the relentless whining, weeping, and wailing of my two year old. It’s also the fact that school is starting and it seems like everyone else is sending there kids off to school in beautiful new clothes and the thoughts of a few hours of peace. I’m left in the same situation as I have been all summer with my little cranky Nicky wearing not new clothes, but her beloved stained and faded “pretty” shirt. I know I should savor these beloved years before Nicky enters school and she is out of my constant watch forever, but some days it is hard. I’m not sure why she has been out of sorts for the last month. I finally got her “binky” use down to just sleepy time but now she cries for it all day, and I have to admit…I give in. (At some point the imagined expense of braces seems easier to handle.) We finally got Nicky going to nursery on her own and last Sunday she couldn’t even make it 15 minutes and I was sitting in there with her. Someone took a toy away from her and it set her off and it takes so little to set her off these days. Jeff has been off claims so he has been home all week in preparation for his new position. He is in shock at how much she crabs all day.

Today Jeff was going through the filing cabinet and came in laughing with a picture. It must have been taken when my Mom was at her wits end and didn’t know what else to do so she snapped a picture for posterity. It is a picture of me at two and it looks an awful lot like Nicky. Legend has it that at age two I threw horrible tantrums and single-handedly ruined a family vacation to Nauvoo. After experiencing some of this first hand, I guess I wouldn’t be surprised if some of my past behavior contributed to my mom’s current condition.

Jeff says it is all comeuppance and what goes around comes around. I guess he is right. But I will end with saying that there is nobody sweeter when Nicky is sweet. I love her spunk and energy and how she laughs and is a little naughty. I like how she twirls my hair in the morning and at night. I like when she is happy to see me when I come home. I wouldn’t want anyone else but my Nicky. I am so lucky to have her and I love her so much. Let’s just hope there is some kind of sojourn in the coming months. I would like to see my happy girl again.

New Strollers and Yucky Feelings

Here's a pic of the kids and their new matching strollers. After two babies, the old stroller has died and the double stroller is ok if you don't mind if Andy lives or not. (Nicky beats, bites, pulls hair, and wakes up the individual sitting next to her). So this is our newest purchase and we feel all mobile again.

In other news, I feel all yucky today. This has been going on since yesterday when I read that the teenage cancer patient I was following lost his battle with cancer. I don’t even know Miles Levin but I came to love him and care about him through his blog. So hence it feels like I lost a friend and the world lost someone special. I got this feeling a few weeks ago when Newsweek came and I saw that 4 great apes were murdered in the Congo. They had pictures of them being carried out of the jungle all lifeless and I cried. The next week Newsweek came and it had an article on global warming. So we were at the beach today and when I got in the water and it was a record 77 degrees, all I could think of was that Nicky and Andy are going to grow up and live in a hot world where diversity of wildlife goes no further than cows, cats, and dogs.

Why all this negativity inside? I’m not sure why certain things set me off. Jeff says he is not going to let me read Newsweek anymore. I wonder if that will help. I think I'm a little mental. Every once in awhile I get worried about random things or I just feel gloomy and try to find a reason. The world is filled with so much good as is my life but once in awhile, things that are sad hit me. Or when someone dies in a physical or mental sense, I am reminded that life is temporary and nothing is a guarantee and that sort of stinks. However, I just saw this little pic from the beach today and I am reminded of how Andy doesn't worry about much. I need to be more like him.

Elusive Marriage

Here is a picture of me and my baby sister. Kelly is very beautiful, smart, and fun to be around. She is a practicing dental hygienist and in a constant state of panic because she is 27 1/2 and single. I think she probably has some kind of chain or countdown ticker in her head that is constantly alerting her that she is "almost" 30 and not wed.

I'm not sure why someone so precious and sweet is still on the market as it were. I think she just has to be patient and someday the perfect guy will come along. I'm not sure why the timing can't be the same for everyone or why some have to wait for certain things. I only know that I love my sister and I always love hearing from her. Tonight she made me laugh so hard when she let me listen to one of her messages. It is an offering from some guy that was in her old ward. I had to laugh as it reminded me so well of the dating scene and the types of messages that can be accumulated in the receptacle that is a single girl's voicemail.

Newport Beach

Here is my happy girl with her dollar store watercolors. It is a rarity that you find something that will keep Nicky entertained for hours. Nicky is so full of life and independence. It drives me crazy sometimes but she was so cute making pictures for Daddy to make him happy.

We stayed with Jeff in Newport Beach on Monday and Tuesday. He had a conference and I thought it would be fun to hang out at the pool and take the kids to Corona Del Mar (a nice beach nearby) and Balboa Island. Anyway, I am so glad we had the watercolors. As usually happens in hotel rooms, the kids didn’t get to bed until late and then they wanted to come to bed with me at 3 a.m. and I could not get back to sleep. I was so tired that I lay in bed watching The View in the morning while Nicky colored. The little trip gave us a respite from the usual so it was fun. Thanks to Jeff for giving up his chance for a break and letting the whole gang come along.

Big Boy

Eyes so wide and ocean blue
Cheeks so pink and skin so new
Portly arms and legs of jello
Dimply sweetness of a boy so mellow

Squishy kisses and a spitty smile
Only my baby for just a little while
So I hold you close again today
Whilst the months take my baby away

In eternity there is only this time
Where you are my baby and I make this rhyme
When I wake up you are a little more large
And it is not long until you are in charge

I Love to See the Temple

This picture was taken a couple of seconds before Nicky stuck her head between the slats of the gate and got her head completely stuck. It was my idea to take the family to temple last night because Nicky sings "I Love to See to the Temple" and got so excited about the idea of hanging out at the actual temple. I forgot that on Monday nights the entire thing is closed down. Nicky was so excited when we pulled up. She looked all mesmerized and began singing the song to the temple like a serenade or like someone saying the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. The problem started when she found she couldn't get any closer than the gate would allow. So I think she was trying to get into the temple grounds when she stuck her head in. So there was much crying and I couldn't get her head out. Jeff told us both to calm down and raised her up -- still stuck! He pulled her down -- still stuck! Finally he gave it a good pull and she came out. She cried and whined the rest of the night though. She wanted a binky (pacifier) and the only grocery store around that area is Whole Foods. So we went in the hopes of finding some kind of organic rubber binky but there was no such thing. We tried to make her stop crying with a chocolate chip cookie but to no avail. So my idea to visit the temple last night was pretty much a disaster. Oh well, every family night can't work out well I guess.

Waterslide Movie

Warning, this is very amateurish and will probably be exciting only to those who participated. But watch on if you want.

Cousin Fun and a Jelly Fish Invasion

We were so happy when Jeff’s parents and sisters decided to come visit us this weekend. Especially since we could enjoy their company and not have to do any of the road tripping ourselves. Hotel prices in August are pretty outrageous in San Diego so we figured we could fit everyone in our house. Luckily it worked out really well especially because the kids sleep in their own room now.

We went to the water park in Chula Vista and watched the kids giggle and squeal down the slides. Jeff said Nicky and Anthony (both 2) looked so scared going down the slide that he didn’t think they would want to do it again. At the end they would just squeal and want to go right back up the steps.

Saturday we went to the beach and it was a gorgeous day. The weather was perfectly warm and the water was super warm too. Unfortunately it was warm enough for big purple jelly fish too. Emma got a nasty sting across both knees as soon as she got in the water. Poor Emma! She wouldn’t dare get back in the water the rest of the day. Jeff was scared too but I made him go boogy boarding with me when Jeff’s parents said they would watch the kids. It was sooo fun and we didn’t get stung. So we were lucky. I love August and the beach it is my favorite thing in the world.

Emma was a good sport and posed for a picture displaying the welts on her knees. She even managed to smile even though she had been crying really hard. What a brave girl!

Here's Andy displaying his good-lookin' beach hair.

Jeff got all the kids obsessed with the bunny rabbits. He poured ice from the cooler on the grass and told the kids that the rabbits like to munch on it. So all the kids were using leaves to transport the ice into the bushes for the rabbits.

Last night Jeff took everyone to Sea Port Village. When they got back, we stayed up late and ate drumstick ice cream cones. I don’t remember what they are called but they have the nuts and chocolate and everything that gets all over. Anyway, it was fun to laugh and have fun with everyone. When they drove off today we were sad to say goodbye cuz we love everyone. It feels all quiet around here now. Nicky was crying for Anthony and Emma tonight before she went to bed. Back to work and reality for everyone.

Roommates

Just so everyone knows, slumber parties aren't fun anymore after you are married. Especially the kind that include sleeping bags and sleeping on the floor in the living room. This is what Jeff and I have been doing for the last couple of months while the kids enjoyed both bedrooms in our home. A few days ago, I decided I had had enough. Jeff had long since had enough but his protests were overruled by my fear of crying babies. So I made the executive decision to move both cribs and both kids in together a couple of days ago. The first night went fine despite an early wake up call at 5 a.m. Last night was terrible with both of them crying and screaming. Sometimes they would take turns and sometimes they would cry in unison. My friend Rebecca talked me through last night telling me that it takes a few nights for them to get used to each other and then they do fine. I'm sad to hear them crying but oh how nice my bed feels. I sleep the whole night without waking to a sore hip or the smell of carpet in my face. Jeff says it is a "luxury" to come to his bed at night and that the house seems much bigger.

Despite what it sounded like last night, Nicky says she likes, "Boy sleeping in Nicky's room."