Theodore: 1 year

Theodore is a year old now! 

remnants of the birthday cake adorn the birthday boy

He loves to:

flip light switches

play peekaboo

 put things in containers

eat cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden

swinging at the playground

eat blueberries straight off the bush 

get wagon rides from his big brothers

Some things he does now:

Goes up and down stairs with ease

Points at something interesting and says, "that"

Stands on his own for brief moments

Copies everything Lincoln does

He'es also adorable, but that's nothing new!

Father's Day 2019

Father's Day started out pretty well for us. We went to Stake Conference, and the older boys handled the 2-hour meeting really well! It helped that we had new activity books for them with a special coloring mechanism (they're called Water Wow by Melissa and Doug and I totally recommend them for keeping littles busy! Lincoln even enjoyed them for a while!)

The password of the day was "Happy Father's Day!" and it was cute to see/hear Austin asking for the password and the kids' chorus of "Happy Father's Day!"

Austin has been teasing the kids for the last month that they'd have to fan him and be his foot rest, so this happened...

Neither Levi nor Cecil wanted to be the foot rest, but then Cecil suddenly volunteered. It was super duper cute. Right after I took the pictures, Austin thanked Cecil for being so sweet and told him that he didn't need to be a foot rest anymore. Levi made the fan himself!

Levi's recent accomplishments

Levi sewed this bag all by himself! I was patching some holes in the knees of his pants, and he wanted to try out sewing for himself. I showed him how to thread a needle, knot the thread, and that he needed to have all the sewing on the inside of the bag to make it look better. I also showed him how to sew on a button. Months later, he also repaired his favorite stuffed animal with no supervision from me. All I did was thread the needle and tie the knot; he did the rest himself!

Levi has also been honing his cooking skills! He cooks Pasta Sides (like Hamburger helper) all by himself! He regularly asks to be allowed to cook. He and Cecil love it. He also has made macaroni and cheese.

I am so proud of Levi for learning these important life skills. I look forward to teaching him many more!

The Big(ger) Boys

Here are some fun pictures of the older boys from February!

"My googly eyes are looking at you!"

The aquarium at the Columbia zoo (and a fish face!)

Even though the lighting was terrible, I couldn't pass up the photo op.
I remember having my picture taken in the very same place when I was a kid!

We didn't expect it to be so cold the week we visited, so we had to borrow heavy coats
from the girl cousins (and they were just the right size!)

At the penguin exhibit. The brochure next to his hand is the map, which both
he and Cecil were enamored with and referenced often.

The weinermobile was at our grocery store! We stopped for a quick tour and photo-op.
We have a toy version that Levi went bananas over when he was little, so it was extra exciting to see it in person!

When he finally came out. When I told him it was time to go, he said, "But what about the ride?!"
It was very spacious inside. I counted 7 seats, but there was room for a lot of other stuff if need be.

Cecil took this picture for us! 

Levi has had a bit more practice with pictures, haha

Choo-choo!

Lincoln repeated everyone and chimed in with his own "choo-choo!" It was pretty adorable, what can I say?  :D

 

I came downstairs to get everyone ready for church one Sunday and there they were, dressed all by themselves! They know that they get a free screen time on Sunday mornings if they get themselves ready for church (including breakfast). It had been harder for them to do it ever since we started meeting at 9 am at the beginning of the year, but there they were!

Happy birthday, Lincoln!

We had a small at-home birthday celebration for Lincoln. He LOVED the dairy free cake and his fun Buggly Wuggly toy. He'd never used a ride-on toy before, but he got the hang of it pretty quickly!

He loved the cake, of course!

Levi helped Lincoln with his special birthday toy. Lincoln was in heaven!

Another clip of Levi helping Lincoln:

And one more video, because Cecil wanted to be like Levi and it was super cute!

Store

Levi and Cecil were playing store today. Daddy kept asking if he could buy a hug, but Cecil said the store didn't sell those. Cecil kept offering food instead. Eventually Daddy ordered a sandwich.

Later, after Daddy had time to be doing something else, Cecil asked him what he could get him from the store. Daddy said, "I would like some solitude, thanks." Cecil quite cheerfully and confidently says, "Oh! I can get you that!" and runs off to his store.

Baffled, I wait to see what he says when he comes back with the order. Cecil runs back to us with his hands cupped. "Here's your solid food, Daddy!"

Daddy took it graciously and then he and I broke down laughing. Oh, I love these kids!

Here's the store! The truck in the front is their cash register, and the magformers are the money.
I didn't even try to get C to make a normal face!

"You'll miss this"

I've been thinking about that thing that people always tell young mothers: "When they get older, you'll miss when they were (babies, toddlers, etc)." or, "When they're teenagers, you'll miss this," meaning constant cries for mom, constant touching, questions out the wazoo, or any of the myriad of things little people do that drive us nuts.

I find that kind of unsolicited advice annoying. I think I do a fairly decent job of savoring the cute and fun things my kids do and say now, and I'm pretty sure that they'll like me just as much when they're older (as long as I keep the relationship strong). I love cuddling with my adorable, precious little baby, but when he's an energetic toddler running around on those adorably chubby little legs, a preschooler asking "why this" and "why that" and really thinking about my answers, a grade schooler learning about the world around him and becoming more independent, a teenager trying to figure out who he is in a complex and sometimes baffling world, or even a young adult leaving for college and trying out his wings, making mistakes as he learns how to live without mom and dad, I hope that I appreciate and love him just as much and more than I do now.

I think that we need to plan for the future and remember the past, but the best thing we can do for our kids in this regard is to focus on the present. They will remember that we like them as they are, not as they were or as they will be.

I also contend that this method is best for the parent. This way we are not constantly hoping for something we don't have, which is a surefire way to guarantee that we will be unhappy.

Two year old pretending

Today, Cecil has been doing a lot of new things, specifically pretending more than usual. He pretended to make dough in the bread maker (long story as to why it was in his reach and why I let him play with it...), pretended to give candy to a toy, and pretended to clean with a mop. 

He also has been putting words and concepts together. I love how he uses "no" to tell me something is the opposite of the other word he uses. For example, he and Levi like to squish balloons from Levi's birthday party so they are pear-shaped. He would squish one to look like a pear, say "Pear!" get a reaction from me, and then squish the pear-shaped part down to make it shaped like a normal balloon again and say, "Pear. No." It was soooooo cute!

Cecil knows so many words now, I don't even count them. He is constantly using new ones. This morning, he put some blocks together and said, "Build!" -- one more new word.

He and Levi are also playing together really well lately. Cecil knows the drill that if he accepts something that Levi offers him, it means that he needs to give up whatever toy he has in trade. He also has learned (mostly from observation!) that he doesn't want me to get to 3 if he's doing something that I've told him not to do.

My baby is turning into a little boy, and oh! it's exhilarating to watch these little people learn, grow, and discover.

Cleaning house

Lately, I've been trying to learn how to make it more natural for me to keep my house clean. I've read a few books. Here are some of the skills that help:

1. De-clutter! This is the most important thing. If you have too much stuff in your home (especially if it's stuff you don't use), then it is incredibly difficult to keep your home/living space clean. Throw away or donate the things that you don't use.

2. Put things away when you're done using them. This seems to be such a given that in one of the books that I read, it wasn't even stated directly! I am struggling as to how do I teach my kids to do this, especially with things like their toys since they often play while I'm busy doing something else. If you have something that's worked for you, please share!

3. Have a place for everything. If you don't know where to put something, it will end up making your living place look bad, because it will end up every which-where: on the floor, the counter, the table, your desk. Find a place for it!

4. Have routines for cleaning the stuff that can't be helped. You know what I mean: dirty counters and floors, bathrooms, etc. I'm not exactly sure how to implement this yet, so I'm not putting the tip in boldface font.

I love the South and I am proud of my Southern heritage. I mean, it's kinda obvious from my last post. I love finding and identifying parts of me that are Southern (don't you think my pinkie toe looks like it comes from Dixie?). On the other hand, there are some parts of Southern culture and the way other people look at it that just baffle me.

Now, there are the obviously unsavory parts of Southern culture, most glaringly the racism and bigotry that has historically been a problem and still persists here. However, here I want to talk about the baffling mystique of the "Southern belle" and why I'm stumped that so many women aspire to fit the mold of the traditional woman of the South.

Now, I get some of it. She has an endearing accent, is laid back, is beautiful and graceful, seems comfortable in any situation, and her manners are polished so much that they shine. All of those seem worthy of aspiration to me.

Now, what's the catch?

The catch, my dears, is how some people buy in to every part of the culture--especially the part where it's okay--and even genteel!--to insult someone if you add, "Bless her/his heart" to the insult or if you can hide the barb some other way in flattering words.

No, no, no! There is no way that insulting another person is either ladylike or gentlemanly. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it! Who cares how cleverly you're able to hide it in that snide compliment? That is not refinement. That's cunning in its most vindictive sense.

Southern breakfast

Today I did my best to serve up a traditional Southern breakfast--the extra hearty kind--to the sister missionaries in my ward.

The missionaries here actually haven't had a lot of Southern food, for the most part. A lot of the members here are not actually Southern--a large portion grew up in the West. That makes it fun for me to cook Southern food and to be the one to introduce these poor deprived people to Southern cuisine. Not that I'm necessarily the best to do so--just the only one to do so.

This evening, we had cheese grits with ham, eggs, buttered green beans, and biscuits. I haven't really made biscuits much since I was about 10, so this was an adventure. It was the kind of adventure that didn't really turn out the way I wanted it to--I was trying to increase the recipe, and was distracted near the end and didn't put in enough liquid. The biscuits tasted good, but that was kind of completely negated by the fact that the texture was terrible. They were dry and hard.

Despite the biscuit mishap, the meal turned out to be a success! The Sisters enjoyed the food and both said how happy they were to be eating authentic Southern food (ha! I feel like I tricked them. I never really thought that I'd be Southern enough to make authentic Southern anything!).

I really, really, like the way I make grits. It's taken me a while to figure out exactly how I like them, so here's a gratuitous recipe to go along with the food story:

Grits
4.5 C water
1 C plain grits
2 bouillon cubes
1 t salt (I actually don't know how much; I salt to taste but I'm pretty sure you need at least this much)

Boil water; add grits and bouillon cubes while stirring. Reduce heat. Cook until grits are tender, about 10 minutes. If the grits get too thick, add additional water. (I like my grits kind of thin and very soft. If you cook them long enough they get creamy and their texture isn't so gritty).

If desired, mix in 3/4 C cheddar cheese or to taste. Serve with your choice of breakfast protein (eggs, ham, sausage, bacon, etc. I suppose even tofu if you're into that kind of thing), and sauteed or fresh vegetables.

EDIT: Lately I've been making my grits with just a smidge of Swiss cheese. Swiss cheese is really overpowering (so much so that I thought I hated it for a long time), but I've realized that it is actually quite delicious and the right amount adds a depth of flavor to cheesy dishes that is quite delicious.

Levi: 3.5 years

Since Levi's getting older, his progress isn't as rapid as Cecil's. That makes it harder to recognize when he's reached milestones. I realized this the other day and thought that I should write some about him, since it's been a while since I did.

Here are some things that Levi's started doing since January or so:

-talking more fluently and clearly
-saying prayers by himself
-repeating words after us--3-5 at a time
-telling us about things that we weren't there for
-giggling non-stop while I buzz his hair ...
-building intricate things out of Legos
-making up more interesting stories
-being able to hum more than one tune
-doing more simple chores and cleaning up after himself
-wearing one pair of underwear all day every day (yay!)
-enjoys teasing us

Of course there are a lot of things that he's doing that don't come to mind right now.

He's still independent, cautious, and observant. He notices details. He's assertive around people he knows fairly well, and pretty timid around people he doesn't know very well. He enjoys making lots and lots of loud noises (sirens, anyone?). He loves to make people laugh, and is best at making Cecil laugh. He enjoys being near other people.

God's Love

I was 12 when I first felt and understood--at least to some degree--God's love for me.

It started at least a year (or more) earlier, when my sister Becky and I started sharing a room. Becky had the habit of studying scriptures and praying before going to sleep each night. I admired her (still do!) and thought I should try it out, too.

So each night before cuddling up under the covers with my stuffed dog Cookie and turning off the light, I would read from the Book of Mormon and pray to Heavenly Father. I didn't really have much of a purpose besides doing what I'd been told was right. I wasn't searching for the truth or looking for a manifestation of the reality of God. This was just me "doing my duty," as I saw it.

After several months of this, nothing had changed. Finally, one day as I was saying my prayers (not necessarily praying), I suddenly was overwhelmed by a feeling of immense, unconditional, loving LOVE! I had not asked for it; I was not looking for love or really much of anything from my Heavenly Father, but there it was.

Since then, my knowledge of and faith in God and His son Jesus Christ has grown and matured. I have felt God's love many times since then. I feel that every good, happy thing in my life is made better and happier through my connection with Him. It's definitely a relationship worth developing, and I am so glad that I know Him.

Spending time with three of my fantabulous sisters!
I'm on the far right. I was about 11 or 12 when this picture was taken.

Leaving My Comfort Zone: Kitchen Edition

So one of my friends told me that this recipe was her favorite and that I should try it. That and other motivating factors made me break out of my kitchen comfort zone to try it. It is SO GOOD. It was definitely worth learning a few new skills and spending a couple of hours in the kitchen (I'm sure it won't take as much time next time I make it, though).

Oh. Man. I ate two huge servings and I just can't stop thinking about it. Think of Ariel: "I want mooooore!"

So, I'm actually pretty proud of myself for developing new skills and experiences in the kitchen (and a little embarrassed that it's taken me so long to do some of these things). Here are my new things that I done did:

1. Buy, peel, and chop up ginger. I really enjoyed mincing it because it smelled so good the whole time!
2. Zest an orange. I was so ignorant about this that I actually looked for orange zest at the grocery store. However, I've got to say that the orange zest made a huge difference in the way the meal tasted, and I got to eat a delicious orange to boot!
3. Use corn starch in my cooking. I really appreciated how quickly the sauce thickened up!

I followed the recipe exactly. I have had too many mess-ups and flops because of putting substitutes in recipes when I didn't have the exact ingredients. I would, however, change one thing--the sauce was a little too sweet. Next time I make this, I'll try it with only 3/4 C brown sugar (instead of the 1 C it calls for)

I also made some marinades (with chicken) for some easy freezer meals down the road. I'm looking forward to how they turn out. I used this one (I used a 1/4 recipe), three from this site, and then a barbecue marinade that I made up on my own. I haven't really done marinades before, either, so I'm looking forward to how they turn out.

Cecil: 8 months

Today, Cecil started clapping! He just did it out of the blue--I didn't show him first. He did clap again after I clapped, though. Here are some other things that he's learned to do lately:

-army crawl. He started shortly after turning 7 months, and still does it now even though he knows how to do the more classic crawl
-classic crawl. This one started just before turning 8 months.
-camel crawl. He does this most when he's on a rough surface, like our deck or front walkway.
-eat some food. He doesn't do well with pureed food, but he does like the more solid things like cantaloupe, bananas, and those puffs they make just for babies.
-sits up from laying down or crawling with ease (he did this before he started crawling)
-wears size 24 mos clothes
-is not as chubby as he was
-has 2 teeth! (he's had them since around 7 months)
-he'll crawl to someone or something that he wants. This is perfect for melting a parent's heart and getting them to pick him up. He'll crawl over and just stare at the parent he wants to pick him up until we do so. He is irresistible!
-pulls up and will move along higher surfaces like the couch, fireplace, or steps.

Shortly after I took this picture, he had moved over to the baby enclosure we have close
by and was standing up even more than he is here.

The scariest thing about being a mom

The scariest thing about being a mom is the fear that I'll ruin my children's lives, that I'll give them lasting --but preventable!--psychological, emotional, or physical issues through ignorance or insufficient diligence.

It's kind of scary that I'm entrusted with these small children.

When I see my weaknesses reflected in them, I hope to teach them that I've done the very best I could, but I hope they improve on the way I raised them when they raise their own children. I hope I can give them the tools they need to be better parents than I have been.

I love them, and I hope that will be enough in the long run.

Why does potty training have to be so disgusting: a rhetorical question

I mean, I know why potty training is disgusting. Pretty much anything that involves poop is going to be gross.

But while I'm so proud of my kid for gaining independence, I regret that he didn't ask for help before he used up most of the roll of toilet paper and tracked poop on the floor and bathroom rug that I just washed for the same reason yesterday. Not to mention that the toilet paper in the toilet wasn't going down because there was too much of it in there, and he wasn't even close to asking me for help when I came to investigate after the second flush.

I told him that next time he needs to use toilet paper or that he goes #2 that he should tell me and ask me to help him before it becomes a problem.

One day--one day, I will not have to clean up other people's bodily waste. Today is not that day (and it's not coming anytime soon, either!).

Future plans for being the coolest mom EVER!

Levi is right at the cusp of being able to play games and put together puzzles. It's been really fun working on those with him over the past month or so. Doing those things with him really makes me look forward to working on more complex puzzles and more interesting games as he, Cecil, and my future children get older.

I have visions of us being gathered around a card table working on a puzzle.

I see us playing Skip-bo, Phase 10, Uno, and Go Fish over and over again.

I'll teach them to love playing strategy games like Dominion, Settlers of Catan, and others.

We'll even get some sightseeing in--I think it would be really cool to line up a really nice weather day with a no test day in school, sign them out and go on a hike, have a picnic, or visit a museum. Doesn't that sound like fun?

Cecil's loves at 3 months

Cecil recently passed his 3-month mark. This is what he loves right now:

-cuddles
-watching his big brother
-interesting sounds
-listening to singing
-talking/conversation
-milk
-sucking on his hand or pacifier
-laying down to sleep (vs. being upright against momma or in any other way)

How do I help my children feel equally loved?

One thing that I want to do for my children is give them equal attention and love. I know this will be difficult, especially since I want more than two or three! I also know that I will not succeed 100% of the time, but that it's worth the effort.

This desire means several things need to happen.

This means keeping track of the developmental milestones for ALL of my children - at least to the extent that I did for Levi. This includes blog posts, Facebook posts, and especially pictures.

It also means spending individual time with each of them in addition to the time I'll spend with them together.

This also means getting to know each of them individually so that I will know when they are feeling left out or unloved.

This means making sure they will be comfortable telling me their concerns and their desires. How will I give my kids equal attention and love if I don't know their individual wants and needs?


These are just a few of my thoughts. What are some things that you can think of that are important for giving kids equal attention and love?