KID NOTES: October 2016 through February 2017

Lovely Sunday morning art session with the kids--we all spent two hours coloring with my gel pens. Abram said, "wow, mom, you're so good at that!!" He's so sweet. 

I told the kids they could choose as many pieces of candy on Halloween as their age. Abram, "yay! I get to have five and three quarters!"

During FHE--Em quietly ventures into A and A's room while Ben and I are trying to lessen the whining coming from Abram and Aila, and suddenly Em comes charging back in the family room holding Abrams light saber out in front of him, almost tripping over himself he's going so fast, with the biggest grin on his face...and after a few seconds he totally face plants and starts laughing...then we all start laughing together. 

Em has started folding his arms for prayer. The first few times he did it we clapped for him, so now he folds his arms for a few seconds and starts clapping before the prayer is over.  

Abram begs to have hot lunch every day at school. He enjoys it every day but especially today: "mom!! It was the BEST burrito ever!! I want you to make it for dinner! After I finished my first one, I was still so hungry and Chef gave me TWO more! He said it was his mom's recipe!" He frequently refers to "Chef Doug" and sounds like he gets to have seconds a lot when he finishes everything and is still hungry. I'm grateful they provide such a wholesome, yummy meal at his school! 

Just waited in line for an hour and 45 min with a 3 and 1 year old to get snoopy ice show tickets. It was the coldest morning we've had yet but the kids did awesome! Aila didn't even want to wear her coat and people around us couldn't believe it. The Finnish blood skipped over me and went to her 

Her 'nay' was magical in line. She danced with it, twirled with it, threw it up in the air, and cozied it while she sucked her thumb. We ALL love the nay!! 

Talking about when Abram was born in MN...when Aila says, "where was I?" Me, "You were still in heaven." Aila, "Well, I don't appreciate that!"

Removing rotisserie chicken from bone...had a little anatomy lesson with the kids...Abram: "are we going to find viruses in there?"

Packed Aila's lunch in the car for errands after preschool...she couldn't find her sandwich in her bag but I assured her it was in there...turns out Em somehow stole it, unbeknownst to me and was chomping it down!

Abram "how do they make hot water?" "You mean hot water that comes out of our kitchen sink?" "Yeah." "We have a water heater that the water goes to and it heats it up." Abram, "How does it know? Does it like send an email or something?"

Listening to josh groban's "petit papa Noel" from his Christmas album and Abram, unprovoked, begins translating some of the French words for me. Warmed my heart! 

Em loves teeth brushing time and as we spit into the sink, he follows suit and gets the biggest grin on his little face as he makes spitting noises. 

Christmas Day: We just got back from church and haven't even opened presents yet. The kids were too busy with Santa stuff before we got ready for church.  Aila just lit up when I said she could eat her candy cane and said, "I need someone else to open my presents because I'm eating my candy cane."

Abram on his own accord made Aila a dress up doll out of paper with a crown for Christmas.  Sooo cute watching Aila open it up and Abram explain it to her.

Driving to UT over the pass--Abram says, "mom, I saw ice!!" (Icicles on the trees) and Aila, about the snow, "this is so cool!"

Aila and Abram were having a dance party...a rap song came on and I skipped it; told them about good songs and bad songs; some invite happiness and spirit and some drive spirit away...several days later, I have music on and Aila says with alarm, "mom, is this a bad song??!" "No Aila, this is a good song!" "But did the spirit already leave??" ;)

Abram's 6th birthday: he was so excited and up well before 6am but was so obedient and sat on his bed until 6:30 (family rule). He found Ben out doing scripture study and sat on his lap. Ben said, "I think you grew an inch overnight!" Abram, "I know, this morning I looked at my leg and it looked longer!" Requested Swedish pancakes for breakfast and "Christmas dinner" for dinner...ham, homemade rolls, garlic mashed potatoes, and Caesar salad.  I made a basketball cake--took forever to get the frosting orange and definitely didn't look like the Pinterest one but still fun! He had school off (MLK day) and we had fun playing games here at home. Ben came home early from work and took the kids to the park to play bball while I made dinner. At dinner we talked about our favorite things about Abram and then had cake. We are so grateful for our sweet Abram! Love him so much and proud of his desire to choose the right, be a good friend and brother, and work hard at everything he does.

Aila's imaginary friends: Crensin, Freddin, and Layla :)

Abram did so well at his violin lesson today. He worked hard and played his songs so well. His teacher said he 100% mastered May Song! Abram seemed so proud of his hard work. One of those moments when I wanted to tear up. 

A and A share a room...sometimes it drives me bonkers when they won't go to sleep at bedtime but it warms my heart to hear their little conversations about kindergarten and preschool...Abram coaching Aila about having races with her friends at preschool and telling her all about kindergarten recess... :)

Lying down with Aila at bedtime..."mom, did Jesus make Laman and Lemuel?" "Yes, he did." "But he's not supposed to make bad people!" "Well when he first made them they were good. And then they made some bad choices. Everyone gets to make their own choices, good or bad." .....silence for a few seconds, and then out of nowhere, "Mom, look how big I am!!" (Stretches out legs) ;)

Abram, mine and daddy's hearts were filled tonight when we discovered the sweet valentine cards you made for us on our pillows! I love how you wrote "to dad, from your very best buddy" on daddy's, along with your name in cursive, and you cut mine in the shape of a crown! We are so proud of the sweet and thoughtful boy that you are. 

Aila: I loved taking a nap with you on the couch today!  After reading books, we snuggled up under daddy's big blanket. You kept opening your eyes and smiling your scrunchy-nose smile for a couple minutes...and then I watched as you held your nay, sucked your thumb and finally gave in to sleep. Then I fell asleep too! 

Emerson, I was so delighted when I checked on you tonight before I got into bed and saw your little hand poking through the crib slats. Whereas my face usually can't reach you, I got to kiss your sweet little fingers goodnight. You bring me so much joy and I'm so grateful you are in our family. 

Emerson has been making his own "forts" lately (by bunching up laundry, blankets, etc all around him). Been repeating so many words we say....can say mama dada belly hello hi please hot

I called the kids for dinner and A and A came..."Where's bub?" and I found him still in the family room, happily lying on his own little fort (aka a bunch of blankets) and he was SO sad when I took him off to come eat dinner.

Talking about who's in charge of what for FHE... Aila says, "Daddy, what is I'm gonna do?...what is I'm gonna do??"

Abram: "Chef tells me and Johnny that we're at the top of the food chain because we eat so fast!" (Johnny's one of his fave friends in his class.)

Abram's last day of bball today. He's loved it and has eagerly practiced at home on his little hoop every day. Today, instead of doing drills for 40 min with a scrimmage at the end, they're doing a "real" game the whole time. Abram has been talking about it ALL week. Ben just texted me a picture of him making the first basket! 

I got to help make galettes in Abram's class for the January birthday celebration...using a French recipe but thankfully the pictures and the kids helped (and watching the other parent helpers)!  

Listening to a kids' french music cd from the library in the car has been so much fun. Abram caught on pretty quick to the words and Aila likes to sing them too! Emerson loves to clap along or shout some of the repetitive parts as well. :)

Ben and I both need new pants so we drive to the outlets in Petaluma. All five of us are jammed in a handicap dressing room and Ben and I are trying on pants as fast as we can...the kids are getting rowdy and we keep telling them to quiet down.  Then Emerson pinches his finger in that boingy thing on the door and starts crying--only a few feet away, I immediately drop everything to rescue him and stop the crying when I totally slip, fall on my behind and find myself in a jam and just can't quite reach Emerson!  A and A are quiet, wondering what just happened, Ben is behind me wondering why I'm not helping Em, and I just start laughing so hard I start crying.  I finally reach Emerson and can't stop laughing for the longest time...the store employees were so glad when we finally left the store...haha.

Kid Notes June 2016-October 2016

KID NOTES: June 2016-October 2016

Aila, after lunch, "mom, my hands are clean because I licked them off."

Emerson. 9 mo: standing up to the tub. Loooooves bath time!

All I had to do to get "you're the best mom in the whooole world" was to help Abram make a leopard mask out of paper. :) 

Abram: "mom, emerson's warm-blooded today. Feel him, he feels warm."

Aila, master staller/manipulator/etc, during her typical bedtime antics...comes out and says, "mom, I'm cold..." "Ok let's put another blankie on." "No I just need the van (fan)." "The fan will make you colder." "....well actually I'm hot...." "Aila, it's time for bed." "Ok" and runs back to her room, only to turn around and run back to me, "mom, I'm gonna close the door, ok?" "Ok goodnight."

Aila, "mom, my leg is 'sword' and I need ice on it!" (sore)

Aila, "mom, can Em eat rice?" "Yes." "Okay, well I put some on the floor for him to eat."

Feather-brained Monday morning--had ballet for Aila and swim for Abram and Aila at the Finley center. Halfway there realized I forgot Aila's swimsuit ("Aila I think you'll have to miss your swim class today" "that's okay mom")...and a couple min later, realized I also forgot towels...and my phone. Parked and opened the trunk to find it empty--forgot that we had taken out the stroller the day before. So I put emers on my hip (along with all our gear)...so after ballet class, we used Aila's leotard (sans tights) for swim lessons, the picnic blanket for a towel, and we all survived. And when we got home and I realized my t-shirt was on backwards... (???!!!!) at least it was just a plain colored crew neck. 

Abram got out a cutting board and requested that he have lunch on it instead of a plate, "because i might have lunch on something like this at kindergarten. I saw it in a berenstain bear book."

Aila runs up to me with a huge Costco bag of pistachios. "Mom, can I please have some mustache-ios?!"

Em tries to escape every time I want to change his diaper. Looks back at me and grins, then turns and speeds away (army crawling). 

Abram and Aila always want to go get in Em's crib with him after his nap. 

Camping at grover hot springs: we had been saying, "we're going camping at Grover's" for days...when we got there, Aila kept saying, "but where's Grover?" And "where's Grovers' mommy?"

Abram: "mom is there anything smaller than 1/4?" 

Emerson full out crawling at 10 months. Mamas boy--I came in to Sunday school late; as soon as I walked in, Emerson (on Ben's lap) couldn't stop making anxious noises and when I sat down, he literally jumped on me and started laughing and making loud, happy noises. :)

Abram to Aila, "because I'm a big kid and you're a little kid." "I'm not a little kid!" "Well, you're just kind of in-between."

Abram asked, "what's more than 1/2?" "3/4" "oh, because a half moon is 2 quarters..." "Yes...."

Abram asking lots of questions about the earth and Gravity..."don't the people on the other side of the world feel like they're upside down? Are they hanging from their heads?"

I took the kids to frozen yogurt today! I was cracking up because as they watched the cars drive by (as we so often do ourselves), Abram said "I bet the kids in those cars are feeling sad because they asked their mommies if they could get frozen yogurt and they said no." 

Abram beginning French immersion school next week--I've been pulling out all the words I remember from 7th grade French class and teaching them to the kids...today aila said, "mom, how do you say 'bonjour' in Japanese?"

Images of summer...piles of sand in the entryway, Popsicle-stained cheeks, sunflowers in our garden inches taller every day, baby legs kicking kicking kicking out of the baby swing, Abram waving at me and giving a "thumbs up" during his swim lesson, Aila's hair bun bobbing up and down as she attempts to blow bubbles in the pool in her little pink suit...

Abram likes to ask lots of math questions. Me, "wow, how did you know that?" "Well I just like to think about math a lot while I do Legos. I just think about math every half second!" Aila pipes in, "who's math???!!"

Today at Abrams violin lesson he played his favorite song...and you could tell it was his fave because he played with feeling. It was wonderful and beautiful and his teacher was amazed and I wanted to cry. He's growing up and maturing so fast. 

My favorite with Emerson--at bedtime in the rocker, he lays his head on my shoulder while I sing. Periodically, he lifts his head up to look at me and sometimes plants a little slobber "kiss" on my face, then lays back down and tucks his arms in. So so sweet. I also love watching him eat Ben's face when he gets home from work. 

Abram, talking about earth and space, "so...where does gravity and no gravity connect??"

Very proud mom moment: Abram came home from school and said, "some kids in my class say 'pitcher' when they really mean 'picture'."

Aila to me, after first day of preschool, "I was so excited to see you. I was a little bit nervous." (Contrasted with Abram when he started preschool, "I wasn't nervous one tiny bit. No, I didn't miss you at all.")

Aila: "I'm 'exciting' for Emerson because he's turning one soon!" (Excited)

Abram: "mom, does counting ever stop? Or does it go on and on?" "Nope, it keeps going and going and going..." *he thinks deeply* "...so how does....whoa.....WHOA!!"

Emerson loves waving. The first time I saw him do it was when we were at a restaurant and he was looking out the window and turning his little wrist. And sure enough, I looked and there was a lady out the window waving at him. Now he does it when I lie him down for bed. He looks up at me and waves both hands and jabbers "die yie" (night night) while smiling, of course. 

Emerson bday. We played a couple simple games and made him the center of attention, which he loved. He seemed to know we were celebrating him and just babbled and babbled and babbled. So sweet. Then we (Abram and Aila) opened presents while Emerson climbed on the boxes, we sang to him, and he even got a little taste of (decreased sugar) zucchini cake. He felt special. We feel so blessed to have him in our family! For me, and I dare say the rest of the family, he has been a manifestation of God's love. 

Emersons first words (10-12mo): da-da, ma-ma, die-yie (night-night). 

"Aila, what did you do at preschool?" "Painting, painting, and more painting!!"

Abram had his first soccer game last week (and two more this week). He had been waiting for months!! He was so excited he was literally jumping and leaping around the field the first 10 min but not really touching the ball. But after that he decided to get aggressive and scored 4 goals! 

Aila, "mom, I just put a booger in my hair."  I love her honesty.

Had my first solo-with-kids soccer game tonight. Thought it would be a piece of cake because last time Emer basically stayed on the blanket and picked grass while Aila was content with half a stick of gum. This time, however, I spent most of my time removing Em from the soccer field, keeping a bee away from Aila, and asking Aila to stop throwing grass in my hair, while simultaneously doing a terrible job keeping a conversation with a couple of nearby parents...who watched in humor and also thought Emer was a girl. Haha. Meanwhile, I saw Abram dribble the ball down the field a couple times and he finished sweaty so I think he had fun. 

"Abram, what's your favorite thing about kindergarten?" "Racing with my buddies at recess." "What's your 2nd favorite thing?" "Playing soccer with my buddies at recess." "...what's your 3rd favorite?" "Playing freeze tag at recess!" 

Aila "mom, can I wear goggles when I get baptized? Cause I don't want water in my eyes!"

Aila "mom, watch this!!" (Throws up a ball and catches it) "I very catched it!!" 

Abram, one morning after practicing violin, "mom, I just looove May Song! I want to practice it aalll day! Like 5 hours a day!" I actually had to coax him away from practicing to get his shoes on for school.  *THIS IS NOT AN EVERYDAY OCCURRENCE*

Abram, "I'm learning 3 languages. English, French, and baby." (He frequently 'translates' Emerson's babbles...and also tells me what Em's babbles are in French--"Mom, he just said a French word!")

Aila: "there's an excellent girl in my preschool class." "Oh really? Why is she excellent?" "Because she makes excellent fairy houses."

Aila, to a woman at church, "I can't imagine where my mommy went!!"

Aila, in the car with windows down: "mom, emer's hair is like a ball of fire!" (wind blowing his hair)

Out in the garden with the kids and I put a zucchini and single cherry tomato on the wooden railing. A minute later I turn around and emerson has chipmunk cheeks and the tomato is missing. Abram and Aila can't believe he would actually eat a tomato! Then we go inside and he happily eats four more. 

October 2016: Emerson's first steps! 

Traveling to Texas for Ben's family reunion....Had a stressful day of traveling including almost missing our flight in Oakland due to crazy, crazy traffic and Emerson pooping everywhere during the flight...and the (large) lady next to me appeared to be taking a nap so I tried to quickly change him on my squished lap and she woke up halfway through...whoops...Ben was rows away from us and poor Abram was next to me with messy diaper basically in his face..."Mom, I wish I was sitting with Daddy"...  But we made it alive!! 

Kid Notes January 2016-June 2016

KID NOTES January 2016-June 2016

Aila potty training: my genius idea was to allow Abram a reward as well if he helped her go. He was all over it--reminding her to go ("do you need to go potty?"), turning the water on for her to wash her hands, and praising her, "you went potty, good job!"  

Diaper-free, treats for everyone, success all around. 

Aila: "Mom, can I have some stirrup on my pancake?"  (syrup) 

Aila: "I'm a princess!!"

Abram: "when you die, will you still remember me and your life? How?"

Abram shared his "kibble" from preschool with Aila--only one animal cracker and one gummy bear. Broke cracker in half and tried to cut gummy bear in half. Each got three cheese puffs 

Abram: "mom, guess what? I just can't stop thinking about Lego sets! I just keep thinking and thinking about them. When I'm 25 I think I'll still be thinking about them. I'll have to do a LOT of extra chores and get a LOT of money for Lego sets!" "And when I'm a grandpa I'll still like Legos. Even in heaven if there are Lego stores I'll go to the Lego stores!"

Observation at preschool for Abram--teachers only had good things to say about him--great spatial awareness, plays well with everyone, solves problems without teacher, raises hand, loves imaginative play, plays with lots of different toys, good at cleaning up, great fine motor skills, physically--can run, jump, leap

Made Positive reinforcement sticker charts--Aila refused to wash her hands after going potty and Abram said, "remember Aila, don't follow Satan or you won't get a sticker on your chart."

Aila: "I need a mack-in!" (Napkin)

Aila: "Abram,  you have to be quiet when I'm on the phone. ...(bustles around and talks on the phone...) "Abram, I'm so proud of you for that while I was on the phone!" Haha

(This is from Ben) Abram was humming Praise to the Man while building Legos and he came in to the kitchen where I was and said, "dad, do you know that I pretty much always hum that song when I build Legos?" Me: "oh, really?" Him, "yeah, I really like it and like the tune and my favorite prophet is Joseph Smith." Me: "wow, great" him: "I even sometimes hum it at breakfast and lunch."

Aila singing 'BOM stories'..."long ago their fathers came from far across the street..."

Abram to me: "I got in my car seat the first time you asked!!" Then Aila, "yeah and I got in the five and third time you asked!!"  Me "yep!"

Brought home leftover croissants from YW. Ben told Abram it was a French food. Abram: "I reeeeally wish I can serve my mission in France!!"

Classical cello in the car: Abram "I loooove this music!"

Trying to get everyone in the car...Abram comes and I say "where's Aila?" "Oh, she's coming. She just likes to take her time."

Abram: "we're getting Helaman balloons for daddy!" (Helium)

Park after violin lesson: simple joys of the heart

Abram--up close to his face, his innocent blue eyes...growing up way too fast--he now has little freckles scattered across his cheeks and nose. 

Aila--filled my heart to watch you as I helped you across the zip line. Your hands clutched the handle above your head and I looked up and smiled at how your arms were squishing your little cheeks out, your happy brown eyes sparkled in the sunlight as you looked ahead, with your little nose sitting right in the middle of all that

....Abram racing around as fast as he could with Aila bustling behind him; their eyes glittering every time they completed a task at hand--climbing the slide, jumping off the step, ...love seeing their rosy cheeks and sweaty heads after working so hard and exploring the new park. 

Abram "how does the ocean keep its height AALLL the year long?"

Abram and Aila set up a restaurant. Abram served me lunch and it cost $208.00, however, my baby's food was free along with a complimentary booster and baby toy.  Aila served me a smoothie and it cost 5 (hold up five fingers) minutes. :)

At the park, Abram trying to convince Aila to go on a new slide: "Aila, its okay. Sometimes you have to try new things. I'll go with you."

Abram: "is Santa nocturnal?"

Abram: "How does your phone send a text message to all the YW's phones?"

Aila, "and I looked everywhere and it wasn't everywhere but then I found it in the bathroom!"

After returning from Utah for 2.5 weeks, Emerson made the softest, sweetest little coos this morning, looking all around his room, as if to say, "I remember this place."

Emers gets so excited when he sees siblings. Waves arms, kicks legs, open mouth smile....

Abram, looking at emers "he looks bigger than yesterday!....mom, does Emerson know he's a human?"

Abram "mom, my preschool is really good. We should send Aila there when she gets older."

A & A winking eyes. Abram: "Mom, are our eyes connected together?" "No, just connected to our brains." "But not connected together and THEN to our brains?" "Nope." "Oh. I thought they were connected Because Aila can't close one and open the other at the same time."

After talking about reusing and recycling at preschool: "mom, you should reuse that bagel bag!!"

Abram was like a celebrity at preschool after missing three weeks from being in Utah. Lots of hugs, everyone wanting to sit by him, moms telling me how excited their kids were when he came back, etc. 

Aila: "Mom! I have my princess dress, my crown, and my wand...and now I'm gonna fight people!" (eek)

We had our first ever official family council with the kids and discussed how to decrease the whining going on around here. Aila suggested dried mangoes as a reward for using nice words and voices. 

Aila, very alarmed voice, "MOM! Emersons eating his spit up!!" Me: "He's okay, Aila." (Insert sweetest, high-pitched voice:) "It's okay, Emers, you can eat your spit-ups!"

Abram pulled out a white almond out of the mixed nuts: "mom, I think this almond came from Russia or the North Pole." "How come?" "Because it's white." 

Abram made a Mother's Day preschool gift, and as all the other mothers opened theirs at pickup on Friday, he insisted on hiding it from me and saving it for Sunday, Mother's Day.  So cute and thoughtful. 

Picked up Abrams soccer uniform...by the time we drove to Costco, he had his shin guards on, and by the time I nursed Emerson in the car, he was all suited up. :)

Aila, the morning after her 3rd bday, "Mom, is I'm three??"

Aila: "I can spread my blankie by myself because I'm a big three-yr-old!"

Me to Aila "you're a smart missy!" Aila: "AND I'm a sweet missy!"

Abram refused his snap peas at lunch, but I told him he needed to eat a veggie. He said he wanted a salad. So I said he'd have to make his own because I was putting Aila and Em down for naps. And I came back out to him eating his spinach, carrot, pecan, almond salad with ranch. ;)

Memorial Day: driving into the cemetery to visit my great gma and gpa's graves, Abram said, "I think these were great people who did what Heavenly Father asked them to do." Sweet, sweet boy.

Abram, "Mom. I reeeeally want a treehouse. When can we build a treehouse?" "Well, we can't build one here because we don't own this house." "Well when will we own a house?" "Houses are very expensive so we're saving up money to buy one someday." "You can use my money!! I want a treehouse even more than Lego sets!"

Emerson: army crawling at 7 months. Absolutely adores big brother and sister. 

Abram strep throat. Me, "I think we should give you some medicine. Does your throat hurt?" Aila, "mom, I need some medicine because my feeling hurts!"

A note from Sis Murazzo, who helped in nursery today: "I had so much fun with Aila today! She and I need more play dates. I think we read 15 books. She kept wanting more and more. She knows her animals very well and we decided she needs a kitten. She called and talked to you on the phone for a while, but for some reason, Ben didn't pick up when she called.  She is so much fun!"

Afternoon at the park: the simple joy of pushing Aila and Abram in the swings; Aila's brown eyes sparkling with pure glee in the sunlight, saying, "faster mom, faster!" Abram's sounds of joy as he swings higher and higher, just learning how to pump his own legs...with emerson on my hip, flapping his little arms in excitement and scrunching his nose in a huge smile as he watches their delight. Then I take a turn and swing with Emer in my lap, and watch his little legs kick with excitement, his wispy hair against my face. And I have the thought: I am living my childhood dream of being a mother, loving and laughing and playing with my kids. My heart could burst. What a blessing.

October 2015-January 2016

KID NOTES October 2015-January 2016

Me "is Matthew the only one you played with at preschool today?" Abram "yeah because he's more clever than the other boys. And so am I." Upon further inquiry i learned that clever means how fast you can run. 

Abram: "Aila, I'll hold your hand during the car wash so you're not scared." "Oh, so I don't cry?" "Yeah."

Aila in a high-pitched voice in his face, "oh hi baby Emerson! You're okay! You're okay!"

Me, after aila peed on the carpet, "pee-pee belongs in the potty, not on the carpet." Her: "no! Pee pee belongs on the carpet, and that's the truth!!"

This morning as I'm hurrying around trying to get things done, Abram calls out from the BR, "mom, there's no more toilet paper!" I go out to the garage for more TP, pass Emerson and hear him poop in his diaper...then I come in from the garage and aila says, "mom, I'm poopy!"  Just takin' care of business around here... ;)

Aila: "mom, when is it thanksgiving and we eat too much pie?" (Been reading thanksgiving books lately...)

Abram having a whiny evening: "I just wanna be sad!!" "You want to be sad?" "Actually I don't but I just want what I can't have!!"

Abram: This sweet boy got to the kitchen first this morning. I heard him out there but hurried and jumped in the shower. I came out to find that he got out bowls and spoons for everyone, poured us each some Cheerios and milk, complete with honey drizzled on top. He even colored and cut out a turkey to put under Ben's bowl to make it extra special because he's sick. THEN, after church, he worked so hard making a cheese/mayo/mustard/kale sandwich, which he cut in half and shared with Ben.  Plus, I came home from meetings to the sweetest fall leaf necklace he made for me!!! Enough to make me cry, he's so sweet. 

Costco two days before thanksgiving with three kids (emers in wrap)--man said he passed us a few times and thought I was doing amazing. Thought about it all day--nice words go a long way!

Ben: "we're going to the temple today!" Aila, "can i come?" "Yep, we all get to go!" "Is Jesus gonna be there?" 

During sac mtg: helping Abram stay reverent--open his BOM to a picture of Christ. He says, "what is he looking at?"  Me: "I don't know, what do you think?" Him: "I think he's looking at someone who needs help." Me: "Do you think he loves that person?" Him: "Yeah."

Aila: "because I'm a big goal!!" (Girl)

Me nursing Emerson and I hear Aila, "mommy, I'm getting messy!!" Makeup all over her face. 

Yes, Aila is very transparent....yelling from across the house, "mom, I'm eating gum from your diaper bag!!"

(Driving) Aila: "look, mom, the clouds are pink!" Abram: "the clouds aren't pink, Aila, it's just the sun reflecting on them." "Oh."

Abrams Q's about Santa: "are there two santas? Because how does he get to aaaaalllll the houses in the world?" "How do the reindeer fly?" "Do the reindeer ever fall off the roof? How do they fit? How many are there?"

Abram: "mom do frogs know they're frogs?"

Abram: "how did Mary and Joseph get made if they were on earth before Jesus was born to make them?"

Aila watching byu bball with Ben: "did it go in the hula-hoop?!"

Primary nativity practice last night. Abram is a shepherd. Everyone keeps telling me how great of a singer he is--knows all the words and sings out. 

Aila holds her baby and bounces and shushes her. :)

Aila: "actually, I don't want my pb&j. I just wanna dance. Can you turn on a song for me?"

Aila: "mom, can yer -----?" (she says "yer" a lot)

Aila, opening the fridge, "mom, where's the Thomas??!!" (hummus)

Abram: "it's noisy at our house. I think we can only have one more kid in our family."

Emerson: showed off his strength and coordination by rolling over back-to-stomach several times and stomach-to-back once before turning 4 months. Our pediatrician was impressed. 

Moved Aila into Abrams room so we could move Emerson out of ours. The first night Aila kept talking to abram and she kept both of them up late. Second night, Abram said: "Aila, you can't talk to me tonight. It's time to sleep." Third night, I hear: "abraaaaaam!! Aaaaabraaaaam!" I go in and find Abram fast asleep with Aila standing up, distressed in her crib, "mom! Abrams not talking to me!!!"

Abram: "I'm going to remember this birthday for the rest of my life. Even until next Saturday." 5th birthday--Wade's came to visit, Ben and I decorated with balloons and streamers (specifically requested by Abram--where to put streamers, etc), played games (all thoroughly thought out and directed by Abram--musical chairs, Simon says, laughing game, pop balloon to get candy, race game, superhero/bad guy game), made Lego masks, rode bike to park, went to ihop for dinner where he got pancakes and a free ice cream dessert, opened presents, and had a Rice Krispie volcano cake made by Gma Karen. Such a fun day!

The morning of his bday, I heard him and Aila chatting--"Abram, let's talk about your bday!" "A-wuh, it's already my bday so there's nothing to talk about!" 

Lying down with my newly-turned 5-yr-old tonight, my heart teetered between joy for the blessing of this precious boy in our family and mourning for his fastly-disappearing little-boy years. But he put it all into perspective as he sleepily said: "I'm a special boy forever and ever and ever." "You're right, Abram. I love you." "I love you." Happy birthday, sweet boy. 

Me getting Emerson to sleep in his room, Aila comes in and says, "mom, can we have gum?" I shake my head no.  I hear her run down the hall to Abram and exclaim, "she said yes!!" 

(Me getting Emerson to sleep again) Aila: "Mom, can we watch a movie?" I shake my head no. Pitter-patter down the hall: "She said yes!!"

Costco run with all three kids... I finally unload all the groceries in the rain and have two out of three buckled in car seats when Aila says, "mom, I need to go potty!!"  She has a pull-up on and most of me wants to tell her to go in her pull-up but she did that earlier and was really upset by it. Sooooo, I put the carrier back on with Emerson, lift A & A back into the cart. (Still raining.) We book it back in to Costco, get to bathroom and thankfully the handicap stall is open. (Where's the "mom with three kids 5 and under" stall??) we all go in and I hurry and put Aila on the potty. ... I'm holding her arm so she doesn't fall in...(Tick tick tick)..."Aila, are you sure you need to go?" "Yeah." Sits there looking at me (I'm still holding her and yes, emers is still in the carrier and I'm sweating.) Then Abram, "mom, I need to go too!" "Okay, just wait till Aila's done...Aila, should we just try again at home?" "No." Just looks at me. (Tick tick tick...) then FINALLY, the sound we are all waiting for! Her little face lights up, "Mom, I'm going!" Thank goodness. Then Abram gets a turn, and by this time I need to go too. After getting everyone's hands washed and dried (we took up all three sinks) I go against my usual and decide we all earned Costco hot dogs and smoothies to share.   *Phew!*  Just another day in the life of a mom and her three littles...

Aila potty training: my genius idea was to allow big brother a reward as well if he helped her go. He was all over it--reminding her to go ("A-wuh, do you need to go potty?"), turning the water on for her to wash her hands, and praising her, "A-wuh, you went potty, good job!"  Chocolate chips all around!

January 2016: finished first read-aloud chapter book with Abram! (It only took one day but he was really excited about it!)

Kid notes since June...

Kid Notes

Had a scorcher day on Monday and got out the wading pool. Every 30 seconds aila would tell me, "it feels good, mom!"

Abrams prayer tonight, "please bless the jaguars. And bless that people will stop killing rhinoceroses and hippos...and cheetahs." (Been reading about endangered animals.)

Oak zoo: Aila loved the huge lizard: "dad, it's a cute frog!" and cried when we left that exhibit. Abram couldn't wait to see the hyenas. Unfortunately, we couldn't spot the lions but we loved the chimpanzees, elephant, and baboons!

Abram "I know who I'm going to marry!" "Who?" "Aila!!!"

Aila "mommy I scary!" (Aka scared)

Aila ready for swim lessons with "swimmin' diaper" and "swim soup" (suit)

Aila as I rested my hands on my belly: "that's your belly,mom?" "Yep, it's my belly." "Oh, it's a big belly, mom?" "Yyyep." (28 weeks) "oh, and your bum?" "Uh huh."

Aila "I scary of the bunder!!" (Thunder while camping)

Abram "you look pretty with your earrings and necklace today, mom."

Abram "I have a lot of circle money and a couple of square moneys."

Abram "when I have kids, I'll save my Legos to give to them. My wife can have a couple and my kids and have a couple so they can split them."

Aila: we brush teeth to get the 'sugar bugs' out and we sprinkle coconut sugar on our oatmeal...so she asks to put "coconut sugar bug" on her oatmeal. 

Abram "when I'm a daddy, I'm going to be the healthiest daddy and only have treats on birthdays and no other days!" 

Abram giggling, "you're funny, dad!

Abram, sighing: "it's been quite a summer, mom."

Aila: "no, don't say, 'mm-hmm', mom. Don't say that." "How come?" "Because." (Likes to be in charge)

Abram: "when you were a little girl, I was having so much fun in heaven! I was climbing all over the place and playing with the babies!"

Abram within a couple weeks: first violin recital, started preschool, first talk in primary, paid tithing for the first time, first own purchase (Lego set). All right before baby #3...growing up too fast!!

"Aila do you want a pretzel?" "Yeah, sure!" 

Aila: "I don't want to 'cake' my nap!"

Aila--give her a wipe in the car and she's entertained for 15 min. Also loves sanitizer, lotion, washing hands, etc

Abram: "Wow, Aila, that's 'credible'!" "Yeah, credible!!"

Aila: "mom, we 'got grateful!" (Saying we forgot to say what we are grateful for, which we try to do at dinner)

 ...one night at dinner when Ben was gone: "what are you grateful for, aila?" "Umm, I'm grateful for Heavenly Father that he made our underwears and bums!!" Too bad Abram and I couldn't stifle our laughs. 

Jump in shower while kids playing on my bed; after couple minutes realize I can't hear them anymore...dash out of the shower and run (aka pregnant waddle) to kitchen expecting the worst and find them sitting on the counter, innocently chomping on carrots and snap peas. Guess it could have been worse. ;) Abram got them containers and they helped themselves. 

Abram: I took Emerson to his first appt (3 days old), got home and left him in the living room, waved to Abram and Gma Lorna in the fam room on my way to the bathroom.  Abram turns to my mom and says, "so did the doctor put Emerson back in her belly?" "Oh no, he's not going back in there." "Then why does her belly look like that?" Hahahahaha 😂

Aila after her nap: "where's granna worna?" "She went back to her house in Utah." "But why she not comin back to Aila's house?"

Today our 4 yr old peed on the couch (during his nap), our 2 yr old peed on the carpet, and our 8 day old peed on the bed. 😂

Aila, pouting: "but emerson's not talking to me!" And after he moved his arm and touched her: "mom, Emerson did 'this' to me (demonstrating) and I didn't like it!!" 

September 2015, Abram: growing up so much lately. Progressing so much in violin, asking questions well beyond his age, learned how to ride a two-wheeler, joyfully persisting through his falls and scrapes  (despite Ben and me raising our eyebrows at his request to take his training wheels off--I ashamedly admit), loving preschool, developing his creativity and great imagination, so sweet (most of the time) to miss Aila and teaching her and helping her. Today he recited both of his parts in the primary program flawlessly. He memorized them both and he was the very first speaker. So proud of him! And yet when I check on him at night I am reminded how young and little he still is. My sweet 4 yr old mister. Love him so. 

Aila loves loves loves to dance. Has such an innate ability for it.  She is too smart for her own good--tries to manipulate us every night to extend her bedtime. She's a master staller. 

Loves baby Emerson but sometimes a little too aggressively. Give her a wipe or Chapstick and she's entertained for a good 20 minutes (spreads Chapstick over her whole body or wipes her face over and over or "cleans" objects with her wipe (she's been known to get a wipe during sacrament mtg and wipe down the pews). Also loves washing hands and putting on lotion. Very coordinated--will be a great athlete I'm sure. Right now she seems to be left-handed. Full of energy and vocabulary and emotion and we love her for it!! She rarely stops talking. She even has her own little diddy that she sings ("lah-dee-dah-dee-dah") when she's not talking. We joke that she's been talking ever since she came out of the womb (she was a very noisy and grunty baby)! Love watching her run--pumps her elbows way back behind her; "bustles" around the house. 

Abram, out of the blue, "mom, where did Heavenly Father and Jesus get made from?"

Aila found my junior miss shoes and tried to put them on. "These are pretty, mom!"

Aila: A song on the radio, "this is a cute song, mom." 

Abram: "mom, I found my bouncy ball. Aila hided it, just like the golden plates!"

Me to Abram: "I'm grateful you and aila are such good friends." Abram: "yeah and if we get gooder and gooder, we'll get married!"

Abram: "how much blood is in our bodies?"

Abram: "Emerson has a lot to learn before he turns one year old!" 

Book of Mormon reader: any picture of people without shirts on (nephites or lamanites) aila says, "they're going swimming mom?" And if they do have shirts on, she says, "look at their costumes!" 

Emerson at five weeks: smiling at me and saying "goo".  Such a sweet baby. Our calmest one. A few times I've heard him wince in pain and look down to see him tugging at a fistful of his own hair. His hair is the first thing people comment on when they see him. Handsome baby! I think he looks like Ben's baby pictures. 

Abram wanted to help aila say prayer: "please bless that we'll have lots of healthy food. please bless that we'll get lots of candy. And give lots of presents to other people and feel good inside."

Aila is obsessed with giving Emerson his binky. 

Some more little snippets I've typed in my phone over the last several months...it's amazing how much Aila's vocabulary has grown these last few months!

ABRAM
"Aila, are you going to be a young woman when you grow up? But you can't pass the sacrament; only young men. You have to have the priesthood." "Oh."
Abram teaches aila how to count and say the alphabet.
Abram bday: played with balloons, played at mall (rain), visited daddy at work, requested oatmeal for breakfast and tomato soup for dinner (I added a smoothie and grilled cheese). Presents, cake and ice cream, watched home videos of him as a baby.
Abram: "Mom, when are you going to grow another baby in your belly?" (this was just after I found out myself that I was pregnant with #3)
(About a week later after Thatchers had their baby) "mom, now they have 3 kids. I want to have 3 kids in our family! Actually, I want to have 4. Two girls and two boys."
Abram: "how do we get on earth from heaven?" "Do we breathe in heaven?"
Abram to aila: "whoa, you're getting big. Did you know that you're growing each day? That's how you get bigger."
Abram disappears during dinner to go potty and comes back saying he's "Mika and abram has gone to gma Lorna's for the night. Actually for 100 and 30 and 31 days. That's a looooot of days, huh?"
Abram--forts every day.
Abram A of F memorization--he now has articles of faith 1-5 memorized and recited the 4th one all by himself in Primary.
Me: "Sorry, abram, we don't have time for that today." "But I have time!"
Abram to aila: "hi, my little blossoms!"
Abram's imaginary friends: carter, Brooklyn, moose, turtle (has had them for a long time...over a year?)
Abram: "isn't that e-mazing?!"
"Aila, did you know that you're going to be a mommy someday? And I'm going to be a daddy! So if we stay together, we'll have kids!"
After saying a sweet prayer, me: "abram, thank you for that thoughtful prayer." Abram: "Do you think Jesus liked that prayer?" "Yes, I'm sure He did." "I think He will remember it forever!"
My 4 yr old is asking me hard questions like "is there nighttime in heaven?" And "how do lions cry?"
An Asian couple walks by with large sunhats on: (abram) "are those pioneers?"
Abram: "why do clouds stay up in the sky?" "What happens to my blood vessels when my skin grows?" 
Abram: "When I'm 21...I won't be in your family anymore...I'm going to be a fireman. And I might be gone for a loong time."
Abrams latest obsession: cheetahs, since they are the fastest land animal. "But mom, are they faster than dinosaurs?" "Hmm, I don't know for sure."  "...did Jesus have a camera to take pictures of the dinosaurs?" "He didn't live on the earth with the dinosaurs. But He knows how fast they were, huh?" "Yeah because He created them. Maybe I could ask Him when I go to heaven." "Yeah, good idea."
This last wed, our bishops wife came over to babysit while Ben and I went to mutual and the first thing abram said when she walked in was, "I'm a cheetah and I can run faster than you and I'm going to eat you all up!"

AILA
Aila points to the pic in Abrams room of Jesus with children: "mommy! Eh Jesus! Eh abram!"
Aila loves practicing saying all the extended family names. Repeats everything we say.
Aila: "mean-up" (clean up) and "me-me" (excuse me)
Aila: the second we stop the car she doesn't miss a beat: "ah reedy! Ah reedy!" (I'm ready)
Aila, crawling on the floor: "wookit! Wookit! Eh wi-on!" (Lion--abram frequently does this)
Aila: "crack-crack" (crackers)
Me: "Whatcha doin, aila?" "Eh doin!!" (aka Making a mess)
Aila spotted a big semi truck outside our back window and was going crazy telling us about it--abram goes over and gasps, "a-wuh (Aila)! Wook what you discovered!!"
Aila: "Abram, 'mon!" (C'mon)
Me:"Aila, should we go change your diaper?" "Nope." "How come?" "Cuz. Eh playin'."
Somersault = "shummer-shop" where aila puts hands and feet down and sticks one leg high up in the air, then rolls over on her side.
Costco date with little missy yesterday while Abram was at a friend's house. We shared a chicken bake and she wiped her mouth after every bite and smiled at all the old ladies. She missed abram and "buckled him" in the seat next to her in the cart.
Aila: "I wanna read bear-sin bear-sin!" (berenstain bears)
Aila "um, actuawy..." (actually)
A common occurrence at our house lately--aila puts her baby down for a nap, turns the sound machine on, closes the door, then announces to everyone that her baby is taking a nap!
Aila is always talking and expressing herself.  The Pediatrician was really impressed by her vocabulary at her check up today.  Ben and I joke that she rarely goes 30 seconds without saying something or making noise...just in the last few min: "can we read on the couch mom?" "I have a little yogurt on my cheeks and nose, mom." "There's an owl and a bear!" "Nope, I don't need a new diaper, mom." 
"Mom, watch me!  Watch!  Watch me, Mom!  Lookit me!" (while jumping/dancing/spinning/running)

Abram and Aila Say...

I've been keeping a little sheet of paper in the kitchen where I write down cute things the kids say or do...I'm guessing these are from the last 6 months or so...

Abram
(When we were working on potty training) "Abram, do you need to go potty?" "Nope, I already went last summer."

"...and, SUDDENLY--!" (he's a great story teller...they can last up to 15-20 minutes easily) "..and a couple whiles later..."

"Aila, wanna come in my room, sweetie?  I might be sad if you don't come play with me!"

"Aila, that was a big 'scuse me!" (she had gas)

He looooves singing in Primary.  His little face is so sincere when he sings and you can often hear him singing over everyone else.  His Sunbeam teacher told me he always wants to say the prayer in their class.

He often loves to lead family scripture time, where he usually combines about 3 different scripture masteries along with some of his own doctrine.  He can quote 3/4 of 1 Ne 3:7 word for word.  Impressive memory.

We have toilet locks on our toilets...so when he needs to go, he runs down the hall, then shouts in distress, "Mom!!!  It's un-mocked!!!"  (Meaning, it's locked.)

He's very good at saying "yes, please" and "no, thank you."

We were reading a Berenstain Bear book about before Sister Bear was born.  He asked, "Is Sister Bear in heaven with Jesus Bear?"

"We're so blessed to have food that Jesus gave us."

In Napa at Grandma Eide's, he got to have honey-nut cheerios...after his first bite, "Whoa!! I like this! I've never had special cheerios before!"

Me: "Abram, look! It's raining!"  Abram: "Wow, that's amazing!"

In a prayer: "We're so grateful for the opportunity of the Gospel."
"Please bless all the natures and home  that animals live in."

"Mom, 3 and E both have three sides...maybe they're friends."

To Aila, "Wook at that wittle face!"

Abram: "Aila, you have tired eyes." Aila, while touching her eyes, "Eye! Eye!"

He's recently been into dinosaurs so we've read some books from the library.  One day he was digging out clumps of dirt in the backyard and told me he found fossils from the neck of a Stegosaurus.

Also out in back, out of nowhere he stands behind the railing and starts giving a Primary talk.  Then proceeds to say a prayer...I look over at Aila and she has her little hands folded.

"Mom, what happened to the pioneers?"  "They lived a long, long time ago and died, so now they're in heaven."  "...with the dinosaurs??"


Aila
Aila is never at a loss for words, noise, screaming, yelling, growling (which annoys Abram, and she knows it) and/or and kind of expression.  She keeps things very exciting around here!  (And at the grocery store.)  She is very social and we always know how she is feeling.  :)  I tell Ben that I never knew so much emotion could live inside such a little body.  We love our sweet baby girl (who is actually almost 18 months!).  We don't go anywhere without one of her swaddling blankets.  If she has that and her thumb, she's content.  In public, she gets lots of comments about how much hair she has.  She absolutely loves Abram and Abram is so patient (most of the time) with her ruining his towers and creations.  He loves to make forts for them to play in.  I dare say her appetite has slowed down a bit in the last couple weeks.  I used to feel like I exhausted all my energy making food for her and feeding her.  This girl loves her food and eats it fast!  She also loves her Daddy.  She and Abram get so excited when we hear him unlock the door and they can't help but run around in circles, yelling and laughing.  Of course, Ben joins in the running and noise-making. :)  Aila loves looking at books and sitting on our laps to read (on her own quick agenda). She enjoys putting her diapers in the garbage.  Unfortunately, she enjoys putting a lot of other items in there too (like her sippy).  She has become an adventurous climber lately.  She climbs on our bed, the toilet and up to the bathroom counter, and the kitchen chairs up onto the kitchen table.  Poor girl has had some falls...but no stitches yet (eeek!).  I love when she just jabbers, excitedly telling me something. She's using a lot more consonant sounds every day.  She often points to letters/words and says, "I!  I!  I!" (she must be copying big brother, who is learning his letters.)  I love watching her bustle around, her hair swishing behind her back.  She loves playing outside and going for walks.  She makes sure she wears her helmet just like her big brother.  She loves playing in the sand and going down slides--after I say, 1, 2, 3, she says, "Weeee!"

Her latest words are:
"Naaaayyyyy!" (meaning blankie) "Eh naaaay" means I want my blankie
"Eh poooo..." means I need a diaper change.  Speaking of which, she has pooped in the tub about twice a week lately.
"Moooooooow" (more)
"Doddy" (Daddy)
"Doddy" (doggie)
"Doddy" (kitty)
"Doddy" (squirrel)
"Doddy" (bird)
"Mommeee" (she sometimes uses this for Ben too...)
"Hi!"
"Byeeee!"
"Pweesh" (please)
"chsss" (cheese)
"cheeesh" (brush teeth)
"shoosh" (shoes)
"baby"
"meh" (amen)
"nah" (snack)
"buh-bo" (bubbles)
"buh-bo" (apple)
"bie" (bite--she always wants my food)
"nnnnnoooooooo!!"