"Why do boys have all the fun?"

{I'm kicking myself for not having my camera attached to my wrist at all times! The things your miss! Dangit.}

The kids were all outside playing, while I was doing the dishes. I happened to look out the window and see Noah and Macie with their pants around their ankles, and underwear down. They were peeing on the tree. Yes. BOTH of them were. Macie kind of had an awkward stance. With a look of pure disappointment, she pulled up her pants, and came inside saying, "Mom, it didn't work. Now my pants are all wet!" I didn't know if I should laugh or get mad at her. Instead, I just told her to go change her panties and get clean pants on, and only boys get to do that. She got a little upset, and asked, "Why do boys have all the fun?"

He may look innocent...

but, sometimes he's not. Yesterday was one of those days.

A little background for the story: I have the worst cell phone luck. Seriously, THE worst. I can't keep them around here. I had been using a phone, and it wouldn't charge. We bough different chargers, and still nothing. It just wouldn't charge. And it didn't ring, just vibrated. So unless I was holding the phone, I missed many a calls. And so I was given another phone from my sister. I liked it. It was pink. The phone I had previously been using defaulted to be the "play" phone. Jacob lugged that thing around everywhere he went! And then some little bird took it for just a second before it was quickly intercepted, but the damage had already been done. The screen was completely blank. And so if you didn't know who you were calling. The text message inbox was full, I couldn't delete them. I couldn't see the screen to do it. And if you didn't know the number of the person to call, you couldn't really call someone. And so I decided to use the older phone. At least I'd be able to make calls.

But, to change things on a 15 month old isn't very fair. I took his toy. But, it miraculously started to hold a charge. I gave him the pink phone. But, would you want to play with something that you had been warned and threatened many times not to play with?

And this brings us to yesterday. Jacob had the working phone in his hand, talking to someone. I took it from him. He kept finding it. No matter where I put it. I figured I was making dinner, he was occupied, it'd be fine. And that was the last I saw of the phone. I wanted to use it later, and it was no where to be found. Remember, it doesn't ring. I could not find it. I searched our house high and low. I looked in every bag of Macie's, I looked in the fridge, every cupboard, every toy bin. No where. I gave up and finally made it to bed around 1 AM. I woke up in morning with an idea to use Erin's phone to call it while the house was very quiet in hopes I'd hear the faint vibration. I called the number and heard the phone. It was a miracle. I heard it. I walked closer to the noise, and hoped that it didn't really come from where it was coming from. But...it was. It was in the garbage can! Luckily, it was nestled in a plastic bag, but don't you worry, I sanitized the crap out of it!

The only thing is now, I wonder what other things have ended up in there...

Look what Nana made!

A long, long time ago Nana {aka Adam's mother, Carol} made Jacob a Norwegian sweater. Like, knitted it. By hand. The entire thing. It was quite impressive. I'm sure it took a long time. And then Jacob grew. And grew. And, boy did he grow some more. The poor sweater soon became too short. It was pretty sad, considering all of the time that went into the sweater. But, do not fret! That was not the end of the sweater!

When we were in Seattle over Thanksgiving, Carol decided that she would attempt to add length to the bottom. And it worked. He still wears the sweater. People are pretty impressed by the workmanship of the sweater. Especially when we go to the fabric store!

The buttons on the sweater have a story of their own. After digging through the big, giant button jar, Bryan and Carol were able to find these buttons. And recently, Carol found a picture of her wearing her own Norwegian sweater before Adam was even born. The buttons are the only thing remaining of that sweater, but have now found a new home on Jacob's sweater. It's now become a special family heirloom that we can keep in our family.

We love the sweater. Thank you, Nana.

 

Nana didn't stop there, though. Macie was so excited for her to make her a hat. She wears it around a lot. She loves her pink hat. And Nana knitted it. Just for her. The apron, too, is another of Nana's creations! Macie loves to help in the kitchen, sporting her little apron! Gotta love Grandma's! They make the best things.

 

update

Noah had another appointment with Dr. Gabriel, his neurologist, yesterday in Beverly Hills. Yes, it is quite a drive. But, we have been impressed with this neuro so much, that switching care in the middle of the treatment didn't seem like the best idea. And, it is a good excuse to get a temple trip in as well! So, we just drive the 3 hours, and everyone wins!

At the last appointment in December, the doctor decreased his medicine dose after an EEG was done and normal. Instead of taking a pill two time a day, he was taking half a pill in the morning and a whole one at night. {FLASHBACK: When Noah was 14 months old, he was put on Tegretol, a antiseizure medicine. We were in the hospital multiple times a week for blood draws to get the right dose. The doctors thought it was the right dose, and then he'd have a breakthrough seizure. After doing this many many times, his dose was the same dose that is usually recommended for eight year old children. Not 14 month old babies. The medicine was liquid at first, and it would have been a very large bottle to get the correct dose. We changed his medicine.} The dose that he had been on of the current medicine is very low. The doctor is very pleased that Noah has been seizure free with such a low dose. Which, in turn, means that maybe he has grown out of this! Yeah!

We were given instruction yesterday to decrease the dose to half a pill in the morning AND half at night. And then in three months, we can decrease to only half in the morning. And then in three MORE months, after another follow up EEG and exam, he could quite possibly be completely weaned off the medicine. And, after nearly 5 years on medicine, Noah could be drug free! We are crossing our fingers for that, and hope that everything goes well. He's a trooper, though. It's almost sad when he gets to excited to go see Dr. Gabriel. He's been through a lot. Poor kid. I hope that he has kicked this seizure thing, and he can have a "normal" life, without the drugs! We are grateful for the drugs, however. I wouldn't have changed that. If the medicines are there to help him, I'm all for it!

So, here's to a drug free Noah!

{this is the new Noah pose. He is such a ham.}

My daughter?

{I have been debating this for a long time. I didn't want to blog about this at first, but for journaling purposes, I think I will.}

Macie is three going on sixteen. She always has seemed more mature than her age. When Noah was three his vocabulary was like an eighth of what Macie's is now. The difference in boys and girls is insane! A lot of times I have no idea where she comes up with the things she says or does. And they are so girly things to do.

I have been hearing a lot of horror stories about girls lately. Girls are mean to each other in school. Like around second grade. I have heard of girls being bullyed, being made fun of, and teased. I remember being teased when I was little. I remember getting rocks thrown at me on the slide during recess. I vowed that my daughter would be everyones friend. She would be so nice to all of the kids. She would be the one that saw the little girl playing by herself on the playground and befriend her and take her under her wing.

Well, Macie has her own agenda. I'm afraid with this girl. I'm afraid she might BE the bully. I'm not raising her like that. We don't promote this in our house in any way, shape or form. I'm working on this. I am.

I'm embarassed to even tell this story, really. But, apparently when Macie was in nursery a while ago, she told a little girl that her dress was ugly and that she should just go home and throw it away. My daughter said that! Why on earth would she say that? Where did she get that?

So, if your daughter came home in tears, and wanted to throw her dress away after church. I am VERY sorry. I don't know who it was, I just heard the story. And when I heard it, I cried. Macie is a nice girl, I promise. She loves all of her friends. She really does.

Kendall.

Noah has a friend named Kendall. He loves Kendall. There are other little girls that he really really likes. But, he LOVE Kendall. He tells me everyday. He wants to marry her. Around Christmas time he was pretty upset about their relationship. He said that she didn't like him anymore. He was devestated to tears. But, he kept going back for me hoping for her to like him again. Kendall hadn't come over to play in a while. Mainly due to the sickness that lingered in our house for months and we just couldn't kick, but either way, she didn't come over. But, she did just the other day. Noah was very excited for her to come play. They get along really well. She is a tomboy, but still occasionally like girlish things. She likes Star Wars and Transformers. I think that was what got Noah! After she left Noah got a little giddy. Giggling a lot. I asked him why he was so happy, and he turned bright red. He's 5, he's not supposed to blush yet. And then he just kept saying, "She said yes!" And then would giggle some more. I kind of new what he was talking about, but asked him what she had said yes to. {Remember, these kids are FIVE.} And he replied,

I asked Kendall to marry me. AND SHE SAID YES!

He was so excited. My five year old propsed to his future wife. Not so sure how I feel about that! But, he insists that he's marrying her. We love Kendall. Maybe we'll just revisit this in 20 years.

Alice

Are you going?


We definately are. I'm sure we'll go multiple times. Tonight will be at the Drive-In, can't beat that we'll only spend 14 dollars on the whole family, and get to see TWO movies. And, that the kids will do a lot better in the car than at the theater.

Who doesn't love Johhny Depp??

Easier?

Remember when I wanted Jacob to walk? I thought life would be so much easier if I didn't have to hold him all of the time. I was going to be able to get so many more things done. Like actually folding laundry right out the dryer. Or cleaning the soap scum off the shower doors. Or even sweeping and mopping the floors. Well...those things that used to be hard holding a baby, have just gotten harder with a walker. Why did I forget these things? Jacob is my THIRD baby, why does it seem so much worse now? He's into everything. He refuses to take naps, he throws all of the laundry off our "balcony" in the living room, he cries and screams bloody murder when ever the vaccuum is on, he takes EVERY single thing out of EVERY single cupboard and drawer in the bathroom and kitchen, he then proceeds to climb those drawers ending up in the sink. This kid is crazy I tell ya! He's got so much mischeif up his sleeves. It doesn't help that he sees his older siblings doing things, he gets lots of ideas.

One day I'll have an emmaculate house. I'll be completely caught up with laundry. My pantry and fridge will always be clean and organized. The floors will always be vaccuumed, swept and mopped. AND, I'll be showered and dressed before noon. One day. My time will come. It isn't easier, but this stage of life is great. I do love it. I love being a mother and being able to stay home with these monsters...er...I mean cute kids everyday. I guess I'll just enjoy life as it comes. The laundry can wait a little longer, these kids won't be little forever.

Before and After

A long, long time ago I was looking on craigslist, like I used to do a lot. Not so much anymore for some reason. But, I found a killer deal on a headboard and footboard. Only $20. It was just what I had wanted for Macie's room. I immediately saw the potential that it had, and how perfect it would be with Macie's princess/skateboard room that she wants to have. So, we borrowed a friend's truck and were on our way. We got it. It was July. And that thing sat outside on our patio for 6 months. SIX MONTHS. Goodness. I thought about it a lot. I thought of how good it was going to look when it was done. I just had no motivation to do it. And then I did it. I started sanding the thing. But, there was a problem. It was MDF with a laminate on it. The sanding became very tedious. I had to get a new piece every foot because it would get all gunky. It wasn't very fun. But finally, it was time for the paint. It took a few coats, a little unexpected spray paint, and a lot of time. But now it's done. My strong, handsome, and nice husband carried the beast upstairs for me last night. Nice, huh? It looks good in there, and now to finish the matching footboard and finishing the duvet cover and I'll take a picture of it IN her room. But for now:

{please do not judge my messy, messy garage. Look past that. That is next on the to-do list. I will not have a house hoarders worthy. I won't.}

Bon Jovi

Erin loves Bon Jovi. His name has become quite common around here. It's like he's family or something. Today is his birthday. We're celebrating. Happy Birthday, Jon!