Thursday, May 31, 2012
HELP us and grab our button!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
happenings x fourteen
1. Mac lately has been a bit more mischievous. It is actually quite funny, because he has never really been that way, never gotten into things he shouldn't, or climbed up things he shouldn't (I know, NOT normal). When he does something that he really shouldn't be doing (which usually isn't all that bad) he is so proud of himself and will come and tell me because he thinks it means he is such a big boy. It is hard to scold him when he is so proud.
2. One of these instances was him helping Oak escape her crib one morning. He came running in to our room just so proud of himself saying that all by himself he helped Oak out of her crib. I was a bit confused and just thought that maybe he just attempted it but didn't succeed, then Oak walks into our room. I was a bit shocked. Then he said, she fell and bonked her head and she didn't even cry so she is okay. I just had to laugh! I just told him to not do that again, because she could get hurt and I don't want her learning how to get out on her own.
3. Mac caught a frog hopping into our garage and we let him put it in a jar for a day. That night after we had gone to bed, I heard his loot foot pattering away from his room and into the kitchen. I caught him running back to his room with jar in hand. It was really cute, so once again I didn't get mad, just told him he couldn't take it and then he cried because he was going to miss his froggy. He named the frog Darth Vader.
4. Oak has been quite mischievous too. She leaves a trail of a mess where ever she goes. And our biggest problem as of late is her climbing on tables. One day she grabbed the empty laundry basket, turned it over in the middle of the family room, climbed up on it and was standing on it dancing. It was so cute!
5. We have been hearing these phrases ALOT lately, "I do it FIRST!", "I we we we we we hungwee" (I am really hungry), "I want different one.", "Pretty pleeeeease!", when I ask her to come here, "What Mom?!", "I don't like it!" (she is becoming a picky eater).
6. Hubs finally got our garden area in shape and just finished the watering system yesterday (well except for the the timer part). I am hoping tonight that we can finally go buy some starts.
7. Mac talks about going to Kindergarten alot lately. He still has another year of Preschool before he goes. But I have been seriously debating about whether to home school him or not. I have a million thoughts about home school and I am thankful I have another year to really figure it out.
8. Stupid grub worms ruined our front yard and Hubs layed down some new soil and reseeded it. It's growing and hopefully will look better than before. However our backyard looks amazing!
9. I have started to work out again. I am alternating days between a work out video and going on a brisk walk. I have to do something, because turning 33 was not good for my body. I have gained some weight recently and it is really bothering me to look at my stomach hanging over the waist of my pants. Also, I am afraid people will think I am pregnant (because that is what my stomach looks like right now) and I'm NOT.
10. Migraine update is that I have only had four this month. YAHOO!! I haven't even opened up my new prescription that I got at the beginning of the month.
11. I will be spending the next couple of weeks preparing for Hubs and I to leave our kids for a whole week. Hubs has a conference to go to in Park City and we have been long overdue for a getaway together. I have frozen dinners to prepare, schedules and special instructions to be written out, and little gifts for my kids to open up everyday prepared. I am excited to get away, just Hubs and I. But incredibly nervous about being gone from my kids for that long. I DO NOT like being away from my kids!
12. Oak has been really into putting clothes on by herself. It is so cute! I find her with random clothes on in an awkward way and it just cracks me up every time. And sometimes when I am getting her dressed she wants to do it herself.
13. At the end of our bed is my hope chest. It has sharp corners and about every three months I cut the corner and end up with a huge bruise on my thigh. It has been about six months since I have done it so I guess it was due time for me to hit my leg twice this last week on two separate days. I have two baseball size yellow, purple, black & blue bruises on my leg. They still hurt!
14. Oak said the prayer on breakfast all by herself. NO HELP! She started and ended it correctly and blessed the food, the prophet and the missionaries. At dinner she wanted to say the prayer again, and she all on her own repeated almost word for word "Mac's Prayer" (he says almost the exact same thing in the exact same order every prayer) which was "bless mommy and daddy to sleep good (I have no idea why he says this in every prayer), and bless daddy to come home safely..." She literally said all of that clear as day (to me anyway). I can't believe how smart this girl is sometimes!!
And some pics from recently...
The kids warming up after running through the sprinklers.
Loves running through the sprinklers.
Hubs and his mom on Mother's Day.
Mac enjoying the dirt pile in our driveway while daddy hauls all the dirt to our garden beds.
One of Oak's attempts to put random clothes on.
Mac had fun putting stickers all over my face.
Cute boy!!
Loves with "Yamma" (Grandma) and Grandpa
Bears kissing.
Bear hugs!
Me and my girly!
Another attempt at putting on random clothes. Doesn't she look so grown up?!
Cheeeese!
Another one of her looking so grown up,!
Mac actually eating a carrot! Go Mac!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
hoping to adopt...again!
We are now approved and officially hoping to adopt!!
We are excited, anxious and a bit nervous. But we are so happy that we will be able to add another little one to our family through the miracle that is adoption.
For now I will just be sharing the links to our adoption blog and our profile through our agency.
When I get a bit more time I will get the whole button thing working and also share how everyone can help us.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Things Oak at 21 months...
She loves to sing and can sing pretty much by herself, ABCs, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, I Am a Child of God, Teach Me To Walk In The Light, You Are My Sunshine, I Love To See The Temple, Wheels On The Bus, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes and I am sure more that I can't think of or don't know about.
She speaks in sentences with words in the right order for the most part. Like instead of "Shoes on Oak" she will say, "Put on Oak's shoes".
She can count to 11 by herself and can get to 20 with a little help.
She is really great at mimicking everything. She will mimic anything she hears someone say, and she will mimic how you are sitting or standing, or laying down.
She loves to announce what belongs to who and is really into possession.
She says "GO AWAY!" ALOT. And she knows she isn't supposed to.
She is still quite the mess maker. With food, toys, or anything she can get her hands on. We call her our little tornado.
She is a great eater and will eat pretty much everything. She LOVES grapes and cauliflower the most. But really loves all fruit the most.
She still drinks a sippy of milk in the morning, but drinks water the rest of the day.
She loves to follow around her big brother and pester him any way she can. She also really loves to wrestle or rough house with him.
She thinks she is a big kid and will follow around the big kids and try to do what they do. Most recently she has figured out how to ride a scooter correctly.
She is wearing size 3T in almost everything, although she has a pair of jeans and a few pair jammies that are 24 months. She weighs 31 lbs. and 35 inches tall.
She knows how to unlock my phone and find the pictures to look at all by herself. She really is obsessed with phones, and she will be your fast friend if you let her play with your phone.
She loves balls and especially basketballs and anything to do with it. I think we will get her a basketball hoop for her birthday.
She loves babies and animals. And loves all the neighborhood dogs.
She is a great sleeper and goes to bed at 8pm and wakes up about 6:30 pretty much every night. When she wakes up she just sings and talks to herself or most of the time we don't even know she is awake because she is so busy sucking her thumb.
She still doesn't fall asleep in the car unless we are on a long drive.
She takes one 3 hour nap a day.
Her hair is getting longer, and a bit thicker and is really curly.
She loves to brush her teeth and get her hair done. She always asks for a bow and to look in the mirror after you put a piggy in.
She isn't that great of a listener, especially when she knows she isn't supposed to do something.
She is still really attached to her Bear. But we are starting to make her leave it in the car when we go places and I don't let her take it outside as much. And the funny thing is is that she doesn't suck her thumb unless she has her bear.
I found her like this one day. It is the picture of our family in front of the Temple on her sealing day.
Happy to get to run through the sprinklers.
This is how I found Oak and Daddy one morning. So cute!!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
migraine miracle...
I have suffered from migraines since I was about eight years old. They got really bad when I was in high school and I remember going to the ER quite a few times for persistent migraines that would make me miserably sick for days. So sick that I wanted to be put out of my misery, like "please some one just kill me!"
Towards the end of high school, I was finally given a prescription for Imitrex, the miracle drug. That stuff has literally saved my life over the last 15 plus years. But because I really hate taking medication, it took me many years of making myself take one before my migraines would get the best of me. It is also a really expensive medication and is only dispensed with nine tablets, so I have never liked to waste it on something I could just take Excedrin for.
This last year, my migraines have been very frequent. So much so that I would use up all nine of my monthly prescription and have to borrow some from my dad, who also has the exact same prescription. I was borrowing up to 4 from him every month. That is 13 migraines in a month, or about 3 to 4 a week. First off, that just sucks to have that many, and second, I am a mother and it is really hard to take care of my babies when I have one. I also, could never leave the house without worrying about getting a migraine and therefore would always have to make sure I was carrying an Imitrex with me.
Towards the end of February, I started researching eating whole, real foods and the benefits of it and cutting out processed foods. At first I was looking into it for Mac, and was hoping it might help his hyperactivity and behavior. But then as I was doing more and more research I found that it would benefit every member of my family. Hubs has already been mostly eating this way, along with no carbs, for the last year (and lost over 50 lbs), and I was just now coming around to realizing the benefits. For myself, I was hoping it would help my migraines.
So the beginning of March I emailed a few friends who I know eat this way, and asked about a million and a half questions. And they were so SO helpful. And even before grocery shopping I jumped right in. After our first meal, it felt so good to take control of our health. And was very hopeful about the great affects it would have on each of us.
I have to say that it wasn't an easy transition, but it wasn't hard either. I think mostly it wasn't hard because I was so determined and it just also felt so good to eat healthy. And really the only hard part about it was finding organic food, knowing what to prepare for dinner, and the huge dent it put in our grocery budget. Also, I mostly have to keep to myself how we eat, because people easily judge and think we are weirdos. I know this, because I used to be one of those people, haha.
So we have been eating this way for two and a half months and I can say that we will never look back. It is a life change for us. I want my kids to grow up and learn how to eat healthy, and to have the healthiest bodies that they can possibly have so that they can avoid serious illnesses and diseases.
And to top it all off, I have reduced my migraines!!!! Last month I only had 6 migraines (and 4 of those were in one week when I wasn't eating as good as I should and it was "that time of the month"). So from 13 to 6...is that not awesome?!?! We are half way through this month and I have only had two...TWO! I don't worry anymore that I will end up with a migraine any second. In fact I don't think about them that much at all. It is such a relief, such a huge weight lifted from my life.
It is just amazing what your body can do, and how your body can heal with eating real foods.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Birthmother's Day
Today is Birthmother's day. A day to celebrate those who have selflessly sacrificed for their babies and placed them, through adoption, with loving, forever families. I love and adore and am eternally grateful for my children's birth mothers. I am incredibly in awe of them and the beauty they posses inside and out. I celebrate them today and tomorrow. My love also goes out to a few friends that are Birthmother's and to all Birthmothers.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Cell phone pics...
The quality of these are TERRIBLE! Sorry about that, I don't have a fancy phone so you get what you get.
Hubs' parents have a hot tub and every once in awhile Mac and daddy will go over and get in it. Oak kept talking about the "hot tub" so we thought we would let her get in. She got an inch from getting in and freaked. She spent the next week going around the house saying, "HOT hot tub!"
She loves to go in my room and look in the mirror after she gets dressed or gets her hair done or in this case while wearing our diaper bag.
Every time I open the dishwasher Oak comes running yelling, "helpful! helpful" and starts grabbing at anything in the dishwasher. This time I let her help and this was her attempt at putting the silverware away. I was pretty impressed.
Oak has also found interest in helping set the table. This is her first attempt and I think it is pretty good for a 20 month old. She knows who gets what color plate (dubbed by Mac). And knows where everyone sits.
This was before Mac got his latest haircut. I thought this curl in the middle of his forehead was so adorable.
You pretty much can't take your eyes off of Oak. This is one of the things she likes to do, and one of the few that I let her do. I find this chair here often and it is so funny to watch her carry (not drag) the chair over. She does it just like and adult carries a chair.
Just a cute one on Easter morning to text to her birthfamily and family
Same here. Texted this to Mac's birth mother.
On our way to the Coast. It is extremely rare for Oak to fall asleep in the car. I though they just looked so cute fast asleep with their heads bobbing.
Oak just decided that this dump truck was way more fun to sit in than play with.
We got a hand me down helmet and Oak has taken an interest in riding this little bike and I think she looks so stinking cute in her helmet.
I tend to be "NO" mom more than a "Yes" mom. And I am slowly trying to work on that. Daddy was gone for the evening so we decided to make a tent/fort and go on a hunt. We did an alphabet hunt and found something that starts with each letter of the alphabet. It was so much fun. We built a lincoln log fire and got some of my pots and pans out and Mac was cooking us up a bear. The house was completely trashed! I think the kids had a lot of fun.
Some of my favorite meals is when we are scrimping for food to make a meal because I haven't been shopping yet. This night we decided to grill anything we found in our fridge/freezer and bbq it. It was the best dinner. It was sweet potatoes, garlic bread, green peppers, chicken, and cauliflower. The sweet potatoes were my favorite, we didn't even put anything on them.
We were playing around with the sleeping bags one night and Daddy was sitting up against the couch and Oak just climbed up and in. It was pretty funny.
We have been trying to rid our diet of processed foods and so we have been making our own pizza. This was my first attempt and it was pretty good. I am getting better. I think it is crazy how less lazy I have gotten with cooking since we have been eating this way.
Oak likes to mimic how people sit or what they are doing with their hands.
Oak LOVES to swing.
Oak and her little neighbor friend hanging out.
Monday, May 7, 2012
homestudy thoughts...
My kids watching a movie, so cute right?!
I first have to say that I totally understand the purpose in having home inspections. If I was a birth mother, and choosing to make that sacrifice for my child, I would want my child to go to the best, safest home possible. I would never want my child thrown into a home where it was assumed it was safe. So again, I totally understand why it is required.
But it is still hard to swallow the fact that the majority of the population of those having children do NOT have to have every nook and cranny of their house inspected to be able to bring their baby home. And they do not have to prove that they will be good parents, or have a strong marriage, or be asked how they will discipline their child, or have to have a physical to show that you are perfectly healthy, or have to show they have enough money or room enough in their house. It is just another infertility punch to the gut.
And with that being said, those feelings aren't as painful as they used to be. They are just feelings, and I have learned to validate them, ponder on them and then move on.
Because I AM a Mother. We have done this twice before and it brought us that much closer to finding our babies. And we found them! And it is doing the same for us this time, bringing us that much closer to our 3rd baby. And that is the exciting part and makes it all so worth it.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Mac and Oak funnies!
(mac was pretending to be a robot and he had buttons on his arm that made him do certain things. So daddy got the markers out and colored in buttons for him and then Oak needed to be in on the fun. They played with those buttons on their arms all morning.)
Oak has definitely joined in on the funnies lately. So here you go...
OAK...
Blowing bubbles and Oak chasing them saying, "hey, back here!!"
I put her on the toilet this morning and told her to go pee pee (no we are not potty training her yet, just getting her comfortable). After a minute she says, "not working!" That made me laugh so she started laughing and said, "I silly!!"
During church today every time she would tell me she wanted a snack/cookie she would imitate "whispering in someones ear" except that she would put her mouth right on my mouth (like a kiss) and say "i want a cookie". It made me laugh everytime because I knew what she was trying to do.
We were building with mega blocks. And she destroyed the little building we made and she says " Ah man!! I lost it!" lol
I just sneezed and Oak yells from the other room, "Are you okay Mama?"
MAC...
*he was looking at a book about sharks, he showed me one of the pictures and I asked if it was shark (it didn't really look like one from the distance I was at) and Mac says "it's a shark mom, It's a SHARK book."
* Mac was asked to clean up his Lincoln Logs and then his room before he could watch a movie. As he was cleaning up his Lincoln Logs he ended up playing with them again and was being creative and having fun so I didn't bug him about getting them cleaned up and just let him play (much rather him do that than watch a movie). A little while later he comes to me and says, "Mom, you lied (not sure that is the word he meant) to me and just let me play instead of getting my toys and room cleaned up!" So I guess he was mad that his movie was delayed because I let him play instead of clean up. Go figure!!
*"Mommy, I love you. When I get bigger I want to marry you." Melt me! Love that boy of mine.
*he was looking at a book about sharks, he showed me one of the pictures and I asked if it was shark (it didn't really look like one from the distance I was at) and Mac says "it's a shark mom, It's a SHARK book.".
*Oak took something away from Mac...
(all of this said in a kind, gentle voice)
Mac: Oak, you go sit on the couch in time out...(He leads her to the couch and she sits).
Mac: Do we hit?
Oak: no
Mac: Does hitting hurt people?
Oak: yes
Mac: Does it make Jesus happy when we hit?
Oak: no
Mac: Do we follow the prophet when we hit?
Oak: No
Mac: Okay, you stay here until I come and get you.
( He actually went through this question ritual with her a few times inserting different crimes each time. It became a game or playing more than him actually punishing her.)
Oh my word, Bryce and I were dying listening to this conversation. I guess you can tell how we discipline, except for the gentle voice part. Pretty sure my voice isn't gentle when my kids are not being nice to each other :)
*Mac got sent to his room because he was throwing a fit about getting dressed. He was in there a few minutes and then opened the door and yelled at me to bring his clothes then slammed the door then opened the door and then yelled "please!" and then slammed his door shut again. I brought him his clothes and I shut his door then a second later he opens the door and yells at me "thank you!" then slams the door shut again. Loved that amidst his temper tantrum he found it in him to still be polite. And made for some great comic relief for me in a frustrating moment.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
a table and frog...
This is the new adorable table that Grandma and Grandpa got the kids for our deck. They only draw back about it is that Oak is in just a hands reach of stealing Mac's food off his plate. For some reason, other peoples food tastes way better then her own. And Oak is free to get up and down, up and down, up and down and wander instead of eat her food.
Pretty much every day last week we found a frog. We live really close to a green space so there are always alot of frogs around. Oak actually carried this one from across the street from our house to our backyard. And it wasn't much of a jumper. The kids kept on begging for a turn hold him. Then all of a sudden Oak wouldn't hold it and was a bit scared, but that only lasted a couple of minutes and then she wanted a turn again.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Royal cuteness!
I had spent most of the day doing ALOT of cleaning trying to get ready for our Homestudy visit in a couple of weeks. And my kids were feeling pretty neglected...and it showed (by their trouble making). So by late afternoon, after naps, Mac wanted to play King and Queen and requested we make a crown. So I stopped my cleaning and we made crowns. It was so much fun. And as soon as I got done making them for the kids, Oak requested one for Bear.
Mac had also requested homemade pizza for dinner. And they happily ate it in their royal attire.
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