Fourth Child

Yesterday the girls went outside to play in the snow. Ben wanted to join in the fun so I scrounged around the garage for some warm clothes he could wear. If he were my first child he would be wearing a brand new coat with matching gloves and a hat and shiny new boots. He isn't my first child though, he's the fourth hence he is wearing Abby's hat, Nates old coat, Nate's old boots that are 3 sizes too big for Ben (I actually did buy him some new mittens the other day). The great part is Ben could care less and loved every minute.

Adventures of Nate

So, as you already know from my last post, Nate has stitches in his foot and isn't supposed to walk. I thought this would be just for a few days, but I called the doctor today and they said he really shouldn't put weight on it until his stitches are taken out on Monday. I wasn't sure if we could restrain him, but he's actually been quite cooperative. There's something about my waiting on him that he's finding tolerable. He truly has been a good sport crawling around or waiting for Brennan or me to carry him where he needs to go. My Mom was sweet enough to come get him yesterday and play with him for a few hours to give him a change of scenery. Each time we tell him anything regarding his foot like "we're going to take the bandage off" he says, "Did the doctor say?"

After talking to the doctor today I decided we couldn't stay home another day and we would find a way to make it work to run some errands. I decided to hit Costco since it's one of Nate's favorite places only he calls it "Tostco". I managed to find a cart near where we parked and got both boys in and headed in for our adventure. Benjamin soon tired of the cart because Daddy lets him run around when he takes him to Smiths. After he screamed for about 15 minutes and wiggled out of the safety strap I finally let him get out. He did pretty well for awhile just walking along side of me greeting all the strangers. Then we got over by the appliances and Ben took off, squeezed into the small gap between the pallets with the appliances and the wall. I played it cool for a few minutes hoping he'd come out on his own, but every time he started to come out and saw me he darted back in. Finally about 10 minutes later I managed to hide and grab him when he poked his head out all while Nate laughed and laughed as he watched from the cart.

After we finally checked out I bought them lunch. Nate's hot dog fell out of his bun onto the floor after about 1 minute after we got settled in at our table. After I got a new hot dog and 40 napkins to contain the mess that Benjamin managed to make Nate told me he needed to go to the bathroom. I gathered up all our food, put it in our cart, walked to the opposite end of the store to the restrooms, left the cart and carried Ben in one arm and Nate the other. I sat Nate down on the toilet and then ran after Benny who had of course, taken off. I alternated between helping Nate and chasing Ben until we managed to get Nate's bathroom needs taken care of and Benny contained and back to our car. What's so bad about staying home all day?

Happy Holidays!

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving and you all did too. That whole week was full of festivities which started the weekend before with Jamie (Brennan's Mom) and my sister-in-law Michelle and her girls coming to stay. We celebrated Ava's birthday and Grandma Jamie took the three big kids to our niece, Alexis's play. They loved it and we were impressed and grateful that Grandma managed an hour drive each way and three kids all through a play!

Tuesday night I drove out to see Alexis's last performance. She was amazing. A lot of the kids had good voices, but struggled a little finding the right pitch, not Alexis -- she was dead on the whole time! I was truly impressed and it was fun to get out by myself for an adventure.

Wednesday afternoon I last minute (as always) decided to take advantage of a tip from my aunt about a free dress rehearsal performance of our local professional ballet's Nutcracker. My mom was kind enough to watch the boys and the girls and I had a wonderful time at the ballet. I hadn't seen it for years and the dancing, music and costumes were breathtaking. The girls loved it. (Except at the end there are several solos, and one guy came out after already dancing a solo and then with his partner and I heard Abby say "Ugggh.!" "Do you want to go home, Abby?" I asked. "No, I'm just tired of this guy!")

Wednesday night I went to bed at 9:00 which I NEVER do, but woke up Thursday feeling energetic and refreshed. Much to the girls' chagrin, we cleaned the house. They were totally offended that they would have to work on Thanksgiving, until finally Anna decided if they pretended they were pilgrims they may be able to get through it. We met at my parents' church with most of my Dad's family and had a wonderful feast. We played games and enjoyed having Davis and Chris and Rebecca and Oliver with us.

The rest of the weekend we hung at Mom and Dad's, went out to eat with just adults and then played games at our house, watched the BYU v. Utah game here, attended our new little niece, Molly's baby blessing and gathered for dinner at Mom's Sunday after church. We also got to see my nephew, Oliver, take his first steps last night! So cute.

The festivities ended with a little drama. Yesterday, Nate was jumping on the couch and his foot went down under the cushion and between the seat and the side where a spring broke and gouged the bottom of his foot. I stayed home with Ben and Brennan took him to the doctor and had to hold him down while they gave him a shot to numb his foot and stitch it up. Poor Nate was so upset and was screaming at Brennan to make them stop. Poor sweet Brennan was really shaken and so sad for little Nate. The doctor told him to try and not have Nate walk on his foot for a few days. He is currently missing preschool and watching a movie. He's been a really good sport about crawling around or being carried by Brennan or me. We're so grateful he's not seriously injured and will pray that taking the stitches out will be much less traumatic than putting them in was.

Primary Program

Today was our Primary Sacrament Presentation (I think that's the proper name?). It did not disappoint. We had a pew full of relatives (2 grandmas, 1 grandpa, 1 great-grandma, aunt, 2 cousins). The girls sang in a quartet and did really well. They knew all the other songs too and sang their guts out. The whole time Abby kept mouthing to us that she needed to go potty. We mouthed back for her to come to us and we'd hurry and take her, to which she shook her head and insisted that she couldn't go. I'll never understand what they want me to do in those situations. Let's see, you need to go to the bathroom, you won't because you feel you can't walk out in the middle of the program. What is it I'm supposed to do?

I really didn't know if Nate would participate in his very first program this year, but he DID! I was so proud of him for sitting with his teachers and one other classmate. He didn't know many words, but bobbed his head in perfect rhythm. Also, last week when they were practicing "Called to Serve" I happened to mention to him what a great marching song it was. This week, during that song he proudly marched in place.

Ben sat with my Mom almost the entire meeting, so with no kids in Sacrament meeting Brennan and I felt like we were on a date. Good times!

Staples

So I was just thinking about what our snack staples are (I know, you've been hoping I would write about this). The five things we MUST have or we have NOTHING to eat at our house:

1. Granola bars
2. Fruit snacks/roll-ups (if we are out of these two things they feel certain that Ethopian orphanages have it better than they do and I only let them have 1 of each per day.)
3. Peanut-butter (Anna and Nate get a spoon and dig in.)
4. Popsicles (It's really quite chilly outside right now, but they are all outside eating a popsicle, not seasonal to them.)
5. crackers

What are your snack staples besides all the fruits and vegetables that we all eat all the time?

Update

So we finished Where The Red Fern Grows last night. It was heart-breakingly sad, but the girls actually did okay. I was the one who was totally losing it and could barely read. Anna got really teary and sad too, and Abby didn't even cry. Such a great sweet book and totally worth the trauma in the end.

Lately, Nate has become VERY curious. He asks questions non-stop. I remember this phase with my other kids, but Nate's is unique from theirs in that whenever I answer his constant queries he says, "How do you know?" So then I find myself defending and supporting my answers.

Nate: Mom, who sings this song?
Me: The Beach Boys.
Nate: How do you know?
Me: I recognize their voices.
Nate: How?
Me: I just do.
Nate: How?
Me: Do you want some candy?"

This seriously goes on and on and on. It's kind of a humbling process to be put through though, it makes me realize how little support I actually have for what I think I know.

Ben's favorite words lately are "NO, NO, NO" and "MINE, MINE, MINE". I know I'll pay for it, but right now I LOVE it, it cracks me up and I love to just out of the blue say, "Mine." and watch Benny grin and immediately say, "NO, MINE, MINE!" He's the boss of the world. He also happens to be the most unbelievably cute dictator ever.

These Are the Days

As young mothers we look to the day our kids start school as a huge milestone, very exciting but a little sad too. As we try and find the silver lining in turning over our time with our child to others we think with naive optimism of all the things we'll get done with one or more child gone for the bulk of the day. If I have say 4 children and 2 of those children are gone from 8:30 to 3:50 surely there will be no bounds to my productivity, right? WRONG. First of all, the most self-sufficient, helpful, younger-sibling-entertaining children are gone. Secondly, there are still 2 children who need a lot of attention. Thirdly, the chaos that ensues from the second school children get home to the second they lay their sweet little heads on their respective pillows sort of nullifies any peace, quiet, productivity one might have had before 3:50.

Let me illustrate by today. It started at about 3:30 when my carpool friend called to say she was stuck in traffic and wasn't going to make it in time to pick the kids up. I grabbed Nate and Ben, washed the peanut butter off Ben and stripped him down to his diaper (he found the jar of peanut butter), threw them into the car, did my usual hunt for my keys, and raced down to pick up the kids. There were two extras who Anna and Abby recruited to come practice a song they're singing in the Primary program. Once we got everyone delivered to their homes the seven of us headed in to practice. I played the piano while Nate jumped from the arm of the love seat onto my back, while the girls alternated between giggling and singing, while Benjamin climbed all over my lap and added a nice obbligato. These are the days that get a little crazy!

After practice, I ran Abby to a friends' house, called about 5 friends for Nate none of whom could play, and tried unsuccessfully to get a grumpy Ben to take another nap while trying to get a little of my little transcribing job done. After I straightened up the family room I moved onto the kitchen while Benjamin promptly scattered about 100 play dollar bills all over the family room. About 5:30 I called Brennan to see if he could pick Abby up on his way home which was hopefully soon. He was more than willing to help me in anyway possible as he had just been handed an opportunity to attend the local NBA game and eat and watch in a suite. He would pick Abby up on his way home to change and head out for the game. I rounded up Anna and sent her friend home so we could start her Reflections project that's due on Friday. Brennan made it home and then quickly left to go pick up his forgotten charge, Abby. Dinner was cooking, Anna was pulling out the modeling clay and starting her project, (which turned out to be the kind of modeling clay that doesn't harden so she gets to start over tomorrow) Ben was stealing clay and running as fast as he could for the other room, Nate was tackling Ben..... these are the days that try a mother's soul!!

An hour later...snuggling with four little bodies while reading to them "Where the Red Fern Grows" listening to their laughter at the antics of the dogs. Bliss. These are the days, these are the days that I'll always remember and always miss.

Help?

Okay so obviously I have been playing around with the blog, and I'm happy with the changes, excecpt it bugs me how narrow the content area is? Is it hard to just keep the same template, but somehow widen it?

Fall Fun

We have had spectacular weather lately. Yesterday Macy, Liza and me and the kids went to a nearby park and enjoyed the scenery and each other's company. I thought I had one of Abe and Ben, but evidently don't. Here are a couple I did take:

Cute Rex, and my child who cannot have a normal expression in a photo :)

Abby and Lucy, soul sisters.

Anna and Lucy, who look more like sisters than cousins.

Here's a video of my kids frolicking in the leaves on Saturday: