Monday, September 30, 2013

Take Your Son to Work Day

On Liam's last day off-track, he got to go to school with Will. It was a little long, but he got to play on the computer for much longer than he would have gotten to at home. He also got to participate in Will's school's video announcements. (These daily video announcements are created, directed, filmed, and edited by Will's students under his direction.) Liam's contribution aired last week. His announcement appears about 1:30, and he reappears in the wrap up at the end:

Friday, September 27, 2013

Penny Pie

(I started this post quite some time ago. It's about time it was posted, eh?)

Penny, where to begin?

Penny was my easiest baby by far. Content, peaceful, patient, undemanding. Ah...those were the days. She was exactly the baby I needed even before I knew what I needed.


(Somehow along the way she turned blond and now looks so unlike me, but we still share the same scrunchy-nosed smile.)


As a toddler, she's been pretty much what you'd expect a toddler to be like. Constantly into something, making messes, adorable, and learning at the speed of light!


 (Standing in the water table. If there's water, there's Penny, and TROUBLE.)

Although at fifteen months she was my latest walker, she mastered the ability quickly and will now generally prefer walking over being held.

She is a girl after my own heart and loves shoes as much as I do. Will jokes that it took her fifteen months to learn to walk and two days to learn to walk in heels. One of her favorite pastimes is to sit by the shoe drawer and pull out pair, after pair, after pair, trying on each one.

She also LOVES babies and doggies and can spot them from a mile away whether alive or play toys. She thinks the sole purpose of the iPhone is to find pictures of babies on the web. The toy that keeps her attention the longest during Sacrament meeting is this tiny, two inch plastic baby and accompanying stroller. Who knew something so small could be so engaging?

Ah, Sacrament meeting (our church's main Sunday service)...this is where Penny really puts us through our paces. Keeping an almost 18 month old entertained while keeping the older two quiet is, um, difficult. It doesn't seem to matter how many activities I pack, she's through them in five minutes and ready to use her little legs to explore and her little voice to express. We've spent a lot of time in the church halls these last few months. Wow. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

Will and I were recently asked to teach two different Primary classes (junior/children's Sunday school). The Primary leaders took pity on us and allowed us to take Penny to the nursery a month early. I think Penny's incessant wandering and trouble-making during the group portion of Primary influenced their decision. Both Penny and her parents have been quite happy with the arrangement. I don't know if it is because Penny is such an easy going child or because she got to go in a little early, but she has had the easiest transition to nursery of any of my children. No problems. I might be in for it now that I've acknowledged it!

...That's where my blog draft from around April ended, but there are a few other things I'd like to include about Penny. (Oh, and we still have had no major problems with Penny and nursery in our ward! Yay!)

Every morning when Penny wakes up, she has her diaper changed and enjoys bringing the diaper and wipes to you and throwing the soiled one in the garbage herself. She is also greeted each morning with an ecstatic, "Penny!" from her adoring siblings. I would have expected this to wear off by now, but at this rate she may wake up as a married woman with five children visiting home for Christmas to a joyful exclamation of her name by her siblings. She loves them just as much as they love her too. When one or the other sibling is absent, boy does she notice and will always ask, "Where's Tigi?" or "Where's Leo?"

 (Penny always wants to be in the middle of all the fun.)

She wants to be just like them, and mimics everything they do. They find particular enjoyment in getting her to repeat things they've said.  Potty-related words are a BIG hit. These days she will repeat just about everything quite clearly. I love to hear her repeat prayers. She must have noticed because now she repeats anyone she hears praying whether or not it is her turn.

She also adores her Papa, my dad. She got used to seeing him so much as he helped up fix up our house, and somehow developed quite the attachment to him. She was his little shadow for quite a while. Whenever she sees power tools or photos of our unfinished house, she calls out, "Papa!" Now that work has moved down to the basement of our house, the muffled sound of hammering will often cause her to start looking for him. There is one particular area in our front room that creaks in that same muffled hammer way, and whenever I step on it Penny looks up and asks, "Papa?"


Although she loves her Papa and her Dado, she is a momma's girl. Sometimes the only thing that can distract her when I have to leave is playing with Legos. She loves them, particularly the little Lego Friends (the Lego girl minidolls and sets). She happily sings along with the Lego friends song from the website as her sister plays.

Speaking of singing, this little girl was born with a song in her heart. I've always considered my other children musically interested, but Penny has far surpassed them in her musical inclination. She hears singing at church or other places and can't help but join in, nevermind not knowing the words or tune. Play a beat and she can't help but groove.

Along with dancing, and singing, she also enjoys eating. For some time, "Num num," meant: "I want your food." These days she asks for food by name. Although for a while, all food was called, "pizza." Any liquid, however, is currently referred to as "water" something. We have "water," "water milk," "water juice," and her personal favorite, "water ice." Every sippy cup of "water-water" must contain ice. I'm not sure if she got that from her sister who loves to use the water and ice dispensers on the fridge, or if it is because our un-air-conditioned house is just too hot. No matter what she eats or drinks though, she struggles with portion control and will often cause herself to gag by eating too much at once.

She also LOVES the swings and the slide. Any opportunity to be outside and she is there.


Well, there you have it in a giant-sized nutshell...our little Penny girl.  Life would not be complete without her.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Tigi Wigi

Being that I haven't posted regularly in quite some time, I should probably reintroduce my children. The last post was all about Liam, so let's continue on down the line and describe our three-and-a-half-year-old Teagan. (Again, it is wordy, but there is so much I just don't want to forget about this stage in life.)


If I had to use one word to describe Teagan, I might have to use the word "joy." She is a darling three-year-old with eyes that smile. She doesn't walk. She dances. She sings as much as she talks and has a sweet little laugh that just bubbles up from deep inside her.  When I think of Teagan, I think of the line from a nursery rhyme, "...and she shall have music wherever she goes." 

She is girl to the core. Pink, princesses, fairies: she loves it all. She changes outfits five times a day but can normally be found in a tutu. That's not to say she hasn't picked up a few masculine interests from her brother, but even then she is always the "pink ninja" and fights back with her own special "sparkle power." Watch out if you try to do her hair without some sort of distraction though or you may become the target of that sparkle power. Apparently, princesses don't mind their hair hanging in their eyes.

She knows her own mind. Ask her a question and she gives you a definitive answer, but somehow manages to be an easy going, go with the flow kind of kid. 

When she gives a hug, her little leg pops up right behind her like in the climax of a chick flick, and you can bet on her to say something hilarious that breaks the tension in a room.

She is a great shopping buddy and has no problem putting things back on the shelf when Mom says "No." Her favorite treats to bring home when Mom says "yes" are: pickles, doughnuts, and the beloved Oreos. Don't let that list fool you though, she loves to eat fresh fruit and vegetables as much as anything and has been known to cry when she's afraid that there is no more broccoli. 

With all the enthusiasm and energy she puts into life. there are the occasional pitfalls. Sleep deprive her and you are in for a nuclear fallout. Her moods at these times can change like the weather. Tears and screaming one minute. Wild laughter the next. A few weeks ago at church, just after the daylight saving, was one of those times. She fussed loudly about some crayon disaster, tears and all, but as soon as Dado found a solution, she laughed, smiled, and went on her merry way. Our friend the theater teacher sitting behind us recommended acting lessons for this girl who was obviously gifted in drama.

Liam is her best buddy and occasional worst enemy. We have finally reached the point where they will get up and happily play together instead of immediately waking up Mom and Dado. I love waking up to the sound of their laughter.

Teagan is a compassionate big sister who loves to make her little sister laugh. As with Liam, Penny can also bring the greatest joy and sorrow to Teagan especially as Penny gets older and is starting to hold her own a little better. I suppose that's the way it is with families.

I tell Teagan over and over that I'm so glad I get to be her Mommy, and every day I find that statement to be more true. I sure love that little girl.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Still here.


I love this time of year. New year, new start. Resolutions, goals. Can you guess what mine is this year?

I'm going to start blogging again!

These days there's a lot more life to be lived and a lot less time to write about it, but I am determined to keep a better record of it.

Over the next few months be prepared for new posts and the appearance of long lost posts detailing events from the past year yet undocumented.

Brace yourselves because we are back.