Confession time again

I get out of bed slowly, in stages, like an old person. I'm not sure when this started (back when big and pregnant maybe?) but I don't like it.

I can eat a lot of potato chips before I realize no one gets full on potato chips so I should stop.

I attempt, every day, to appear put-together.

I am easily intimidated by confident, put-together people.

I am not put-together.  I am hoping no one else really is either.

I have prepared over 500 packets of instant oatmeal. It could easily be more like 700.

Every year about this time, I buy, eat, and hoard Cadbury mini-eggs like they won't be coming back next Easter. 

After nearly 7 years of marriage, I've just realized, today in fact, that although Justin and I share our lives, we do not share a brain. I need to verbalize what's going on in my head.

I get super annoyed by unnecessary mouth noises. 

I don't want Sarah to go to kindergarten because it's such a schedule commitment for me. 

If I were to suddenly have to live a pioneer life I would worry about these things in this order: My armpit hair growing in, my eyebrows growing in, my true hair color (with the ever-increasing grey) growing in, having to slaughter my own meat, not showering every day. These are actually my same concerns about camping for more than 2 nights.

I've written and deleted several confessions that I just don't dare publish.

I only appear easy-going. My laziness just balances out my need to control everything.

I think if I were a drinker, I'd definitely be the glass-of-wine-in-the-afternoon kind of mom.

I'm a Rolo-in-the-afternoon kind of mom. 

I voted all republican except for one democrat (treasurer) in the last election just so I could feel like an independent thinker.

Before Valentines Day, Valentine's and what came after

How's that for a title?

Sarah made a bunch of Valentine's to give to her cousins.  I pretty much ran a Valentine sweat shop for a couple of days.  Sarah was busy stamping, sticking, and writing 15 Valentines. She actually loved every minute of it.

Sarah stuffed them with candy while I sewed them shut. The finished goods.

To soothe the post-nap grumpies, I've been giving Henry a cookie right when he wakes up.

Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't but he's learned to expect it.

The world through Sarah's eyes.  She wanted to take some pictures. I about had a heart attack and hovered around her as she held the camera.

 I've got 12 more of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse but I think you get the idea.

The night before Valentine's day, Sarah and Henry got Valentines in the mail from their cousins in Logan and St. George.  They were very excited.  Well Sarah was sickly ill but it sure cheered her up. She missed her Valentine party at preschool that day so she was extra bummed.

It's 9 pm in these pictures.  Sarah had just woken up from a nap.

Valentine's Day Sarah was still sick but that didn't stop her from helping me make a treat for Justin.

 Now that's love.

 Mmm Valentine's.  I like holidays where the true meaning is chocolate.

And she's out.  Poor little thing.

We usually go out as a family to someplace not busy on Valentine's day but since Justin gets home so late, we just had a festive dinner at home.

I made paper conversation hearts.  When I read this one to Sarah she said, "Is that me?"  Yup.

I got these tin mailboxes from Target and filled them with little toys and candy.  They were a hit.  I've already had to write two letters and put them in their mailboxes for them to open in the morning per Sarah's specific instructions.

My little heartbreaker. Henry says a new word every day, I swear.  Today it was bed. He mostly jibber jabbers but I hear more real words thrown in there.  He says "Me-me!" when he wants something and says "ee-come" for "You're welcome" (He doesn't say please or thank you).

Justin laughed and loved his Valentine treat.

Friday we went to the cabin to sled and snowmobile.  Henry didn't want to have much to do with me while we were there with his Papa and uncles.  If anyone went outside to snowmobile, Henry expected to go with them.  He learned how to make a snowmobile sound and say Nate and Braden (Nee and Bay-bay).  Since we've been home he says "Wooowooo Boppa, Dada. Woowoo" all the time.

He wanted to be on the snowmobiles so much, he didn't even fight me with his snowpants. It was so weird.

He was so stoic while riding the snowmobile and sled, it was hard to tell if he liked it.  But once we came inside, he wanted right back out.

Sarah and Kristen made a snowman.  In the sun, he melted.

It was super sunny while we sledded and the kids got a little sunburned.  Poor Henry. Can you see his line from his hat?

My kids are so helpful when blowing out candles. Happy birthday Nate.

We came home Sunday night since Justin had to work Monday.  Monday night, Sarah and I went to see the play Rapunzel, Rapunzel at the Scera Theater.  She had no idea what a play was and I tried hard to explain it but I think she thought she was going on stage.  She was a little overwhelmed at first and caught off guard by seeing people perform in front of her.  Most of the time I watched her watch it.  It was super cutesy and over the top and an hour long. Perfect for a 4-year-old.

Yesterday we made rolls for dinner. Sarah can't help herself around dough. Her roll ended up the size of my thumb.

Now you're all caught up!  Today I am looking for stuff to sell on KSL so I can use the money in Disneyland.  Yup, we're going to Disneyland in May.  Ask me if I'm excited!!

Big Baby

Henry doesn't seem to care that I don't want him to grow up.  Despite my plea for him to stay little each night as I put him to bed, he grows every day. He'll be 2 in just over 3 months.  I do not like that.

He feeds himself all the time now.  This I actually like.  Here he is eating goldfish crackers out of a bowl with a spoon.

Today his cousin came over for awhile.  Henry is twice his age but only like 2 pounds heavier. It's a small consolation that Henry is little.

When Henry wasn't trying to shove his cousin's bottle into his cousin's mouth, he was trying to shove it into his own mouth.  To get him to leave it alone, I pulled out the only bottle I have: Sarah's bottle that she also never used.

He did not get how to use it and was getting frustrated. (I tried a few times to get Henry to take a bottle as a baby but he never did.)

 Here I am teaching my 20-month-old how to use a bottle. It was a good baby moment.

He's starting to put sentences together.  Okay, so all of these sentences being with "No" but still, it throws me.  "No mush." "No bath." "No milk."  It won't be long before he's saying "No, Mom, I don't need your help. I can do everything all by myself and I don't need you anymore. Can I borrow the car?"  Sniff.

He doesn't like lullabies anymore.  Everything we sing has to have actions or animal sounds.  He'd rather read a book about cars.  He can spot a football a mile away.  "You're a little boy," I whine. "Where's my baby?"

Don't get me wrong, he's hardly mature.  He whines and gets super clingy like he was born yesterday. But why is that the last baby trait to leave? Why can't snuggling right up to my neck be the thing that he holds onto until he's 3?

I'm not baby hungry. Don't be all "well have another baby".  I think another kid will just divert my attention and Henry will seem to grow even faster. I want my baby Henry back.  He was the sweetest thing.

I just need to remind myself how much more sleep I get now and that I can leave him for more than an hour without panicking. Every age is good.