away

Miles is finally feeling better, and we're off to see Shamu and sit by the pool. Trashy magazines are a must for that, right? I also require waterproof mascara and a large hat. 

Okay, we're reading real stuff, too.

Be back soon!

Quotes of the Day XX

we heart photobooth.

Neal and I were discussing, with Miles sitting on top of us, what we will do when we no longer have a baby to eat.

Neal: Miles, are you a baby?

Miles: No. I a boy.

Me: Are you a little boy?

Miles: No. I's a big boy. I got my potty trained.

Miles: You're cute, Momma.

In the car, we were discussing the fact that Daddy speaks Spanish. 

Audrey: Daddy, where were you born?

Neal: Mexico.

Parker: NO! If you were Mexican, you would have a big huge moustache!

Huh?

Me: Hey Parker, did you know that Jason (his school friend) has a doggie that's blind?

Parker: Awww, does the doggie wear glasses? 

I think he really thought I might say yes.

mama perk

Emmie and her Child, Mary Cassatt

My friend, Annie, posted this painting on her blog last week and I just love it so. Miles, my baby, loves to rub his hand over this one little spot on my chin. It calms him down, puts him at ease, and often puts him to sleep. He'll reach for that spot on other people, too, but it doesn't have the same effect. Many nights, especially these past four since he's been sick, he's fallen asleep with his little warm hand resting on my chin or neck. I think of it as one of those wonderful blessings of motherhood: being loved so completely by a child that they can't stand not to touch you.

Grateful Sunday

Miles and Audrey in March

This week has been good, but long! I'm grateful that it's over, because this one promises to be lots of fun. I'm grateful that:

• Miles doesn't get sick more often. We came to realize that he is not an easy little patient. Mix extreme fickleness and moodiness with a fever and a tummy ache and you have 3 long days and nights.
• Lincoln, my brother, made this video for my mom (and us, too). Best. Movie. Ever.
• I am able to serve in the Primary (children's Sunday School). I had such fulfilling meetings this week and came home from them not only with a renewed love for the kids we teach, but with a new motivation to teach my own kids better. Thanks to all those who helped me feel that this week!
• my husband has free weekends. Every once in a while, I remember back to when he was working Saturdays (last year) and those Saturday paychecks provided our entire living. I'm so glad we are where we are.

new table

I got a great deal on a new kitchen table and chairs set last weekend at World Market. We were able to sell the old set (my parents' house circa 1994) on Craigslist, and now the table is in place. I love it! We're hoping to have some friends sitting around it this weekend, as long as Miles' stomach bug clears up . . . you like it?

gumballs

We used mini gumballs as Miles' potty training motivation. It totally worked, and we still have a million left over. They've become his little playthings. It took him forever to put these in this plastic bubble thing. He was so, so careful not to spill them.

BFFs

The kids have an intraschool post office. Audrey sent Parker this letter.

a good one

Parker had a great birthday, we did our best to make it fun! Last night, we ate out at a hibachi/sushi restaurant, Parker's favorite.

This morning, Miles and I brought cupcakes & balloons for Parker's kindergarten class. We even got to sneak one onto Audrey's desk!

After t-ball practice & tubbies tonight, we had cake and presents. He was pretty stoked about his stuff. Nothing fancy, I love that they're still so easy to please!

Our handsome six-year-old!

Six Aprils Ago

The day I had Parker was a crazy one. I had a doctor's appointment in the morning, and had dropped Audrey off at my friend, Angela's house. The doctor checked me and said everything looked fine. (I was 37 weeks and was still on medication to slow the contractions I'd been having since 18 weeks, and had a c-section scheduled for week 39.) Off I went to pick up Audrey. I took Angela out to lunch at Jason's Deli in Rice Village (Houston) to thank her for watching Audrey, then we headed home for a nap. Audrey had just turned two a month earlier.

About 3:30 or so, I started contracting more heavily. I was feeling the beginnings of some major cramping and knew from my experience with Audrey's birth that things were going to start progressing. Unfortunately, Neal's pager had lost battery power and I had no way of reaching him. He happened to call me before he left school and I told him I thought I was in labor. He waited and waited for the bus which never came, so he walked the 2.5 miles or so home and arrived about an hour later, apologizing profusely, of course. 

A couple of weeks earlier, I spoke to my dear elderly neighbor, Miss Lela, about helping out should I go into labor with no help around. She was home most of the time and I knew she could handle Audrey for a bit. As long as you had books to read, Audrey was your best friend. And that's what they did. After I spoke to the doctor and he determined that I should come in, I went next door and asked Miss Lela to come over. She was so happy to do so; what a great lady. She and Audrey camped out on the couch and read books until my dear friend, Mindy, came to pick Audrey up for the night.

Neal came home and we turned right around and headed for the hospital. We waited about an hour and a half for the Dr. to finish up his rounds, then Parker James was born by way of a very uneventful and untraumatic C-section. I remember that I didn't hear a cry and there were a few anxious moments as Parker was suctioned to get his breathing going. After that, we examined our new little guy and he and Neal went along to the nursery to get cleaned up.

Later, the pediatrician told us he was a bit concerned about a couple of things. Parker's ears were folded down in quite a silly little way. The Dr. said that often ear deformities are signs of kidney trouble, as the ears and kidneys are formed at about the same time in the womb. He ran a test or two, and found everything to be normal. We suppose his ears had just been compressed against his head in utero; they unfolded after a day or so. He also had what looked to be a small hemangioma on his lower cheek. Turned out to be a little bruise of some sort. After a couple of days, his little body was all sorted out and perfect as can be.

What a wonderful day that April 21st was! We love you, Parker! Happy Birthday!

Some of my favorite early pictures of Parker:

On the riverboat at Disneyland. We spent a good portion of his second year of life at the Happiest Place on Earth.

At Manhattan Beach. Yummy little squishy guy he was!

night out

We went out this weekend to see a play with our friends, Beth Ann & Matt. It was a small, local production of The Odd Couple; we were up close and personal. Our men, not theater lovers, were skeptical about seeing a play, but they even liked it, too. I love Neil Simon's plays, my favorite being Lost in Yonkers. I'd love to see it performed live, but the movie is also wonderful. Watch it if you get the chance! 

And I am very white.

Grateful Sunday

flowers in our yard a few weeks ago. there are green things everywhere now, hooray!

This week, I'm grateful for:

• Neal's sensibility. He's able to sniff out a Craigslist scammer in just a few sentences. I'm grateful that I didn't get had because he's street smart.
• another fun date with Neal and some friends last night. We're on a roll with date night!
• Miles' curiosity. Every night, I sing him The Beatles' "Yesterday" and at the part when I sing, "love was such an easy game to play . . . ," he almost always says, "a Wii game?" Makes me giggle every time. One day he'll understand how love can be a game. :)
• my parents, and the FORTY year anniversary of their first date, which occurred yesterday. I'm so glad they got the guts to go to Disneyland together that night.
• a great talk in church today about magnifying our callings. The comment that stuck with me was in regards to how we, as members of the LDS church, always think we'd do the "big things" if the prophet asked us. Sure, we'd cross the plains; sure, we'd go on a mission if we were asked. But then why is it so hard for us to do the little things which, in reality, originate at the same source (home/visiting teaching, preparedness, accepting "small" callings, etc.)? It was a great message.

dinner out

in Dallas with Daddy Jeff & Uncle Jeffie.

Throw in some delicious Japanese cuisine, and you have some happy kiddos.

busy

I've kicked the kids outside (it's gorgeous!) and am making a fancy-ish dinner for the missionaries. They deserve it, right?

Just posted the salad "recipe" here. Enjoy!

Easter Recap

We had a really nice Easter weekend. It rained a whole lot, but cleared up in time for a somewhat muddy egg hunt outside on Sunday afternoon. We were happy to have some friends come celebrate the day with us.

I heart Miles.

I put birdies all over the Easter table.

Excuse the wrinkly tablecloth. I hate fold marks!

The girls' table. Audrey, with her friends, Savannah and Lauren.

The boys' table. A lot less fancy. They're boys. William and Aiden sat with Parker & Miles.

uh oh

I was about to post Easter photos when Blogger informed me that I have exceeded my photo upload quota. Had to pay $20 to get more storage space! Pictures and weekend recap to come.

Grateful Sunday

This has been a great week. We've had lovely weather and everyone's been healthy and cheerful. Maybe it's because we had Family Home Evening. Don't you notice things go better when you take that time? This week, I'm grateful that:

• I didn't run out of gas on Thursday. I was praying my way to the gas station.
• my kids slept through the big thunderstorm last night. I kept waiting for someone to crawl into our bed, because of course, I was wide awake the whole time.
• Miles goes to sleep better for a babysitter than he does for us. She makes it sound so easy.
• I got to go on a date with my boy. A date that brought back lots of memories!
• lovely friends came over for Easter dinner this evening. We had a happy, relaxing time with two dear families.
• we put our kids to work weeding and planting yesterday. They sort of stayed on task. We're working on work.
• I found this cake recipe. I made it today. Yummy.
• this video was created. It makes Elder Holland's recent talk even more meaningful and memorable. Click to play if you haven't yet seen it.

Happy Easter!

The Circus

One of Neal's assistants had some tickets for the Shriner's Circus that were going unused on Friday night. At the last minute, we swung by and picked up our niece, Caroline, and headed on down for a show under the big top. It ended up being over three hours long; we were totally surprised. A pretty good show, and completely fulfilling of every circus stereotype there is. I think every child should go to the real circus at least once, don't you?

the kids, with their completely overpriced loot

Bo, the big elephant, was pretty impressive, although Neal and I both had circus-elephant-on-a-rampage videos running through our minds the whole time.

But nothing compared to this dude, the tiger tamer straight out of a 1986 White Snake video.

Grateful Sunday

We've had such a relaxing weekend, I hope you all did, too! We were dog-sitting for our friends, and the kids had such a blast. This is Parker with Howie, who loves to cuddle. This week, I'm grateful for:

• a peaceful, love-filled home. I try really hard to make sure our house is a place we all want to be, and even though right now, the kids don't have options to be elsewhere, I hope that when they grow up and have the choice, that they'll choose to be in our home.
• my book club. It's so nice to get out and talk about books with some of my friends. There is a wonderful group of ladies here!
• Easter week, and the chance we have to pause and reflect on our Savior's sacrifice and triumph over death.
• Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talk about just that topic this morning. That was a talk to remember.

outside days

Even though we had practically gale-force winds today (my umbrella stroller literally FLEW across a parking lot in a matter of seconds this morning. {I just looked it up, we had gusts up to 34 mph today!}), the kids have still been enjoying some outside time. And did you know that anoles like to hug each other?

They Do.

Thanks, Miss Julia, for bringing over your nature finds.

Speaking of weather, this is some of the hail I drove through the other night.