Camping

I can vividly remember my worst nights of sleep (not including newborn stage). Most of them include camping. Uncomfortableness, cold, snorers, sharing a broken sleeping bag with a roommate (remember that, Sare?)... Our ward at church had a camp out last weekend. I joined for dinner, but left S. with two of the munchkins. I like my friends and wanted to keep them. I didn't want to torture them with a 4 month-old waking up. So, I hopped in the non-kid mobile and took a nice drive home listening to what I wanted to. I woke up about 3 am to a thunderstorm and dreamt the rest of the night about them coming home soaked (we have had the tent almost 8 years and never actually used it over night). They made it until the morning with Little Man only waking up at one point looking for Bunny. Oh, and S. discovered that he is longer than the tent. Looks like we'll need to buy another one for next year.


Meanwhile, I got to play with the Chubbers.

Happy Belated Father's Day

I have clearly been a slacker. I haven't even given a shout out to the Fathers in my life. Poor S. He didn't get much of a Father's Day. The Saturday before was INSANE--cleaning the church, a ballet performance, hosting an Open House for some REALLY good friends who are moving to Beaver, Utah (and you know for my "hosting" includes lots of grub), and a wedding reception of one of my really good high school friends. I was BEAT by the time Father's Day rolled around. Plus, S. is the Ward Mission Leader and has meetings at 7:30am on Sunday ("What?" you say? "Isn't he the Seminary teacher?" Well, the Sunday after seminary ended, he got this wonderful new calling. I had gotten one a few weeks earlier to be choir director--yipee). I just couldn't do breakfast in bed before then. After church we had family dinner (yea! With both of our dads) on Sunday, but S. had work to do afterwards so we couldn't relax as long as we would have liked.

S., don't let my slacking make you think you are not an amazing father and husband. You make us happy every day and we love you. When S. was little and was asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" His reply was, "Be a Dad." If that isn't the sweetest thing ever! Well, I can say that he is one of the best (More to come on his most recent adventure with the munchkins)!

Happy Father's Day (x3) to you. (Remember when life was so simple with only 1 child? It's so much more fun now. Right? Right?) We'll have another celebration when you get your present---the iphone.

**The Black and White Photo is courtesy of the Fabulous Rebecca.

Adios, Man Poop!!

It is official. The little man is potty-trained. It was almost overnight. And to all those who say pull-ups don't work, they were actually a good transition for him. He was attached to his diapers (but he would make me change them right after he peed), we finally convinced him to wear pull-ups, and he actually regressed and wouldn't tell me to change him right afterwards. One night S. had a good talk with him, he went to the bathroom around 10pm (it was a late night) and S. took him (and Boo, of course) out for a treat. After still peeing in his pull-ups a couple times after that he went days with being dry. Then he suddenly was ready for underwear. He didn't want it off for bed, so he has even been sleeping in it with no accidents (and going in public). I have to say it's easier than with Boo because he can just do it himself and I don't have to do anything. He just stands up and makes his bubbles.

However, he is still adjusting to the lack of cushion when he falls.

Ahhh, life is good being free of man poop...for a few months until Nay starts on solids.

Go away, need sleepy

Didn't Chris Farley put that nicely?  When I was a freshman in college my roommate, Tammi and I would hang a sign on our door when we were napping that said, "Go away, need sleepy." The neighbors of our dorm room, Sarah and Chelsea hated it.  They'd come to knock only to find the 1 1/2 foot by 1 1/2 foot sign hanging.   

We're tired around here.  Everyday, somewhere between the hours of 1 and 4pm, you will find four sleeping bodies (sometimes 5 on Sunday).  If we don't get our naps we are 1) Grumpy, 2) Can't go in public for the rest of the day because of our grumpiness, and 3) We will probably fall asleep somewhere if given the chance--or not.  

My kids RARELY fall asleep anywhere besides their car seat or their bed from about the time they are 4 months old.  I can count on one hand the times they have fallen asleep other places. Two of those five have happened to Little Man in the last month.  

The first was after a friend had her daughter's b-day party at our house.  The kids didn't get a nap because by the time things were cleaned up and everyone left it was too late.  Little Man fell asleep on the floor.  

The second was yesterday.  The kids played in their room instead of taking a nap.  Occasionally they will play for a while, but I will usually end it after about 10 minutes if they haven't already fallen asleep.  Yesterday I was on the search for the keys to our firebox (The little man had moved them) so I could get Boo's birth certificate to sign her up for Kindergarten and I didn't take a nap myself, so I didn't enforce.  After I FINALLY found the keys and they had been playing for the length of their naps (2 hours) they wanted a snack.  Here is Little Man with a full tummy of peanut butter, apples, and crackers.  He just couldn't keep his eyes open any longer.  Boo and I were cracking up at him and he didn't like it, but he still succumbed.  I ended up letting them run in the sprinkler BEFORE cleaning their room so he would wake up (that is why he has no shirt on.  They had changed into their bathing suits and were supposed to clean their rooms first).  He did, and he had a major breakdown at dinner because he was so tired.  So, no matter how crazy my friends think I am that my 2 1/2 year-old and almost 5 year-old take naps--they need it.  So if you happen to call between 1 and 4, leave a message, because we're home, but nobody is awake.