No Holding Back

Today I was at Costco with Lyric and Paxton, I seem to be there at least once a week. I was looking at the strawberries when this lady came by and commented on their price. I told her they were a little expensive but really tasty, plus if my kids will eat them, it makes it worth it! That was it, and as she started to leave I hear Lyric repeatedly saying, "Mom, why is her bottom so big?" I quickly started walking away hoping she hadn't hear, and explained to Lyric that people come in all sizes! I know that won't be the last time I'm put in that situation!

Talk Time

Yesterday, Lyric gave her first talk in Primary. For weeks, she had been bugging me about giving one. She was so excited and fearless! I don't think I had quite the same attitude as a kid! Jamie happened to have her camera, so she snapped a cute picture.

Kids

Last night Lyric was talking about various Primary songs and asking some questions about Jesus and dying, she's been trying to understand a little more about that lately. Then she asked me a question about Joseph "Sniff." I chuckled to myself and said, "Oh, you mean Joseph Smith." I love the innocence of children!

Nights Like This

Mike has started a new semester, so Monday through Wednesday I go into "school mode." Sounds kind of silly since I am not the one actually going to school, but that's what I like to call it. On those days, I just know that I am it from sun up till sun down. He goes to work and then goes to school till about 9:30. When I put myself in that mode, I actually do fine. I don't have unrealistic expectations and I really try to muster up a little extra patience, something I don't have a plethora of :)

So, tonight was one of those nights where I felt like I had a brand new puppy in my house. First, I hear Lyric calling from the kitchen, "Mom, I peed on the floor." I was confused because this isn't a normal occurrence. She had her dance class clothes on, which made it hard to get them down in time, it also doesn't help that she likes to wait for the very last second before she runs to the bathroom! I went in there and helped her to the bath. Paxton came in and stepped in the pee, so I decided to throw him in with her.


I went to the kitchen to start dinner when I hear, "Mom, Paxton pooped in the bathtub!" Ok, so I go in there to see Lyric standing outside of the tub, and Paxton sitting in a tub of poop! Not my favorite thing to clean up! He looks at me and says, "poo poo," and "eck." Both words he uses to describe the situation. So, I get him cleaned and get him out. I am washing Lyric when Paxton runs in and says, "poo poo" again. I go look, and thank goodness it was just pee on the carpet. Dumb me for not diapering his butt right away, but sometimes I like to let him air out.

Lyric gets out and gets her jammies on and they are in the kitchen dancing to High School Musical. She looks down and gets grossed out by a puddle she steps in. Dumb me has not yet diapered Paxton so he's peed again! I didn't think he'd pee two minutes after his first time! After cleaning up four pee incidents and one tub poop, I was ready to call it a night! But now I have a few hours to exercise and veg out all to myself!

One Month

Friday marked one month since I started my "resolutions." My mom told me it takes thirty days to make something a habit, and I do believe this. I have mixed feelings about the results I've seen, or haven't!

I went the first 3 1/2 weeks with no soda. The first few days were quite hard, and then I really didn't have a problem. Then, we were out eating and I decided to have one cup. I actually was more curious to see how it would make me feel. Of course, it tasted oh so yummy, but I didn't like how it made me feel afterwards. The rest of the evening I felt so jittery and yucky. I just don't think my body handles caffeine very well. Then, last week I decided to have soda one more time. So, in one month I did have soda twice, which I do consider to be better than every day! I still plan on keeping on the track of no soda, but I won't beat myself up if I have it occasionally.

I also have been faithfully working out for a month. Now, I by no means expected to loose 50 pounds, but I also didn't expect the scale to not move!!!!!!!! It doesn't help that I weigh myself everyday, but still! Not even two pounds! I work out at least six days a week. I do anything from the treadmill, the elliptical, the recumbent bike, free weights, and various workout videos. So it's not like I just walk up and down the driveway and call it a workout! I do notice a difference in how my clothes fit, so at least something is happening! Also, I truly feel like it energizes me. I think it is just my nature to feel tired a lot, but I do feel so much better mentally. My house has appreciated the extra effort I've given to it! I keep reminding myself that even if I don't lose a pound, the other ways it has affected me so positively are worth it!

Destructoid

Looks are deceiving!

This little guy has turned into a tornado! His favorite thing to do is to see how far he can make anything fly. As soon as he's done eating, the rest of it goes flying across the kitchen. I guess it makes me keep on top of my sweeping! Last night he was playing with my dad. He found some small, plastic hard balls and made it his goal to chuck them at my dad's head! He literally would pick them up and go stand as close to my dad as he could, and them fire them square in his head!

Today I walked into their room and found him doing this:

For the pure pleasure of it he was getting every utensil from their play kitchen, and throwing it all over! Sure makes it fun on days like today where I'm trying to get the house cleaned! He also loves to get his sword that makes noises and swing it as hard and fast as he can in his sister's face! He loves to see if he can get a reaction, and typically he does! I have to get used to a teasing, destructive little guy around my house!

Help Times Three

After Christmas, I took back the broken kitchen and ordered a new one online. It came yesterday, and I made myself put it together today. Mike said he'd help me tonight, but I wanted to get it done. Lyric, Peyton, and Paxton "helped" me lots during the 3 hours it took! I don't mind doing projects like this, I would have been totally fine if it would have been two hours though! They were so excited the whole time. As I type, Lyric and Peyton are playing "house" with the kitchen, Paxton is napping.
I feel very pleased with the outcome. It makes me want to be a kid again so I can play with it!

My three little helpers!

The finished product

Watch Out

I have to constantly remind myself that I have an 18 month old little boy in my house, and not an immobile newborn! Today, Lyric, Peyton, and Paxton were dancing in the kitchen to the beloved High School Musical soundtrack. I was in the living room, and he came walking out with some scissors. I took them from him and them put him in the high chair to eat. I noticed he had cut a hole in his shirt! This was his first time wearing this shirt I just bought him! I guess I have to look on the bright side, at least he didn't cut himself!

I just have to keep my eyes on him for the next few years. And if the stories Mike tells me about himself as a little boy are true for Paxton, I feel scared!

Miserable

Last Friday, I noticed Paxton had some redness around his eyes. I asked Lyric if she had hit him, because that is what it looked like! She hadn't, so I thought nothing of it. Well, as the hours and days progressed, so did the redness and rash on his body, and fever, cough, and runny nose. Initially I thought he was cutting his last eye tooth.
Well, after a few days I knew that it wasn't teething. He had a constant low grade fever, and the rash was so weird, especially on his face. His eyes almost looked a little swollen. You could just tell the poor guy was beyond miserable. I am not one to rush to the doctor, but I just had a feeling something wasn't right. We went, and the doctor said that he had strep throat and scarlet fever! I was surprised, and also felt bad for not bringing him in sooner. They gave him a penicillin shot and we were on our way!
Today is day six and I think things are finally going uphill! He is starting to turn back into himself. I think the penicillin shot really helped a lot. Now my fingers are crossed that Lyric doesn't get it, or his cousins that he was around, prior to knowing what he had!

Not feeling too hot :(

Sister Lyric waiting for two hours so patiently!

After his shot, waiting to make sure there were no side effects

Too miserable and tired to eat

18 Months

On Monday, Paxton turned 18 months. He's now officially in nursery at church, although he's been going for a few months since that's Mike's calling. In our ward, there was a "crop" of babies born around the same time as him. I look at all four of them and can't believe how big they all look! Two of the moms are pregnant again, and one of them is absolutely, positively not me! I want another, just not for a while, a long while!

-Stats: 32lbs & 32inches

-Favorite word to say: Stop! He says it very adamantly, and he means it, especially if his sister is bugging him!

-Other words: dada, momma, What's that?, shoes, dog, soft, bye-bye, uh-oh, baby, hot, blankie, bubbles and some more that just aren't coming to me right now

-He loves babies and dogs

-He is learning how to tease his sister

-He loves anything that makes loud noises: vacuum, lawnmower, blender, the louder the better!

-If I let him, he would literally eat candy ALL day long. He knows where the treat cupboard is, and will often point to it wanting some!

-Daddy has taught him how to make "boy noises" when he plays with his toys

-He is obsessed with the washing machine. He loves helping me put clothes in, and then watches the water fill up.

-He is very quickly learning what "hot" means, both temperature and food hot! He always points to them and says "hot."

-He has little interest in the tv. Baby Einstein sure doesn't do the same trick it did for Lyric!

Paxton has definitely come out of his shell. He is no longer the passive little boy! He has shown his true colors, and I am sure they will only get brighter as his second birthday gets closer!

The New Year

I have never been one to make resolutions each year. I guess I just kind of have the attitude of, why make a resolution I know I'm gonna break? This year, I just have had the desire to focus on one thing, my health.
I just want to be more conscious and in control of my body. After all, I am not aging backwards! I have rededicated myself, along with probably 3/4 of the universe, to be more physically active. It's so easy to talk myself out of it, but the pros outweigh the cons by a million! It's the fuel I need to have more energy and to feel better about myself. In this past short week, it is amazing the difference I feel. It is so healthy for my mental well being, which trickles into every aspect of my life, marriage, children, laundry, cleaning, etc. I can't wait for it to become a habit for me. I just want it to become a natural part of my routine. I do enjoy putting on some headphones and zoning into a different world!
Another thing I have decided is to give up one of my favorite things in the whole world: soda. I have pretty chronic headaches, not migraines, just regular, annoying headaches. I don't know what they stem from, and have been to the doctor with no success. Last week, I read an article about diet soda that intrigued me enough to want to stop drinking it and see what would happen. The article mentioned that for some people, diet soda can cause headaches and dizziness, which I am often dizzy also. So, I decided to stop drinking soda altogether and see if my headaches lessened.
This was a big decision for me, as silly as that may sound. In the past five years, I have not even entertained the thought of giving up soda. It's not that I down a case of soda a day, more like 1-2 cans a day. I really do love the carbonation, the caffeine aspect does nothing for me, at times I wish it did! Soda makes food fun for me! What is a hamburger and fry without a soda?!?! Mike and I always have a plethora of soda in our cupboards, a Sonic bag of ice in our freezer, and a styrofoam cup sitting on our counter waiting to be used.
So, I am on day five, and surviving. I still think about Pepsi everyday. I crave the carbonation. But, I know I will survive, hopefully! Ha, who knew one person could feel such passion about such a thing! Anyways, wish me luck!

Oh my......

Paxton is coming up on a year and a half. This is the age that I took Lyric off bottles, so it has been on my mind lately with Paxton. I have tried twice, unsuccessfully, to get rid of the bottle. The first time I put milk in a sippy cup and he would take a tiny swig here and there. Then when I layd him down with it for his nap, he didn't touch it. When he woke up it was still full. The second time I went to the store and bought him a "special" sippy cup. Not that he would notice, but I wanted one that he had no prior associations with. He refused. He only wants milk in a bottle.

To be honest, I haven't buckled down and gotten really serious about it. I want to, and then I'll feel mean! I know he won't walk into kindergarten with one, so does it really matter? He typically only has them for nap time and bedtime. It's not that he is obsessed with drinking tons of bottles, he just has some weird attachment to the bottle itself!

Oh well, before I know it, bottles will be a thing of the past for me! I think I let myself get too caught up in how society views things.

Christmas Morning

I was pleasantly surprised when Lyric came into our room at 7:45 on Christmas morning! Paxton was up by 8:00, and we started opening presents. They both had fun tearing into everything and trying each new thing out. We had a lazy hang out day.

I am still trying to find homes for some of their new things. I am in the process of getting rid of some old junk, to make room for the new. I thought I was doing a good job this year of not buying too much clutter crap, but somehow it feels like I have lots of it!

Christmas Eve

We headed back to my mom and dad's for Christmas Eve. We, of course, ate and then hung out for a little. Grandpa entertained the two little ones for a while, and then Lyric was ready to do the gingerbread house. My mom and I helped her with that. We decided that we probably wouldn't win first place in a gingerbread house contest!
Kristy is visiting for a few days, so that was fun to be able to see her. Lyric was SO excited to see her. Paxton tried to pretend like he was shy for about three seconds, and then totally warmed up!
We came home and put the kids to bed right away! Santa and his helper had to get things all ready. There was a kitchen to be put together! Note to self: Never wait until the night before to do something like this. When the electronic portion of the kitchen won't work, Christmas Eve is not a possible time to take it back to the store! I was so sad. Oh well, they won't know the difference. I'll just have to figure out what to do next week.
Earlier in the day, Lyric helped me make Santa's favorite cookies, no bake cookies. So we made sure to leave those for him, along with a glass of milk. Now it is off to bed until Lyric wakes us up, I'm hoping for 7am!

Christmas Sunday

This past Sunday started our official celebrating of Christmas. After church, we gathered at my mom and dad's. This is Jamie and Tucker's year to be in Utah, so we had a little celebration before they left. We ate yummy steaks and then my mom did a really neat presentation using the manger scene. The kids really enjoyed it and got to help. I think it is so important to keep this aspect, by far the most important, a part of the celebrating.
Afterwards, presents were opened. It is amazing how in a whirlwind presents go from neatly wrapped to torn open! The evidence left is the mountains of trash waiting to be cleaned up. The evening was quite fun.

This picture cracked me up. There was a spill, so my mom pulled out her Spot Bot. Paxton had to lay on the floor and watch every move it made! He thought it was the coolest thing ever.