Truth Be Told

Truth be told, this little guy has been giving me a run for my money lately. When he wakes up he looks so snuggly in his footsie pajamas and blonde bedhead that I just want to kiss him a thousand times. But by the time 6 o'clock rolls around, I usually find myself counting down the minutes until bedtime. I think intense is the best word to use to describe my baby boy these days.

Today I found myself saying several silent prayers..."help me discipline him effectively...help me to show him that I love him...help me to find reasons to praise him." Just after putting him to bed this evening I heard him call for me. Resisting the usual urge I get to feel irritated, I slowly opened his bedroom door, put his blankets on him again, and asked him if I could sing him some songs. He often resists whenever I start singing ("NO!! DAVY SING IT!"), but tonight he laid quiet and still as I sang "Twinkle Twinkle" and "I am a Child of God." His deep blue eyes moved back and forth, back and forth across my face as I held his chubby hands in mine. I know he probably won't remember our special little moment in the morning, and certainly not in the years to come, but it was one of those times that I just wanted to bottle up.

And I hope those little hands of his stay chubby for a long time.

A Visit From Grandma Maddie and Katy

My mom and my cousin, Katy, came for a visit last week to meet little Parker and help my sister and her family pack things up in Massachusetts in preparation for their big move next week. Almost every single picture from this post was taken by Katy. She was the designated photog of the week.

Most of our visitors seem to fly into town either really early in the morning or really late at night. Since Katy and Grandma were landing during the day, we decided to make a poster and surprise them at the baggage claim. The kids loved it and I think our guests did, too.

We took a day trip to NYC so that Katy could see the city that never sleeps. As usual, the subway was a hit.

Davis loves cousin Katy. Doesn't she look like Carrie Underwood or Hilary Duff? People actually stop her  because they think so, too.

Katy loved Times Square. Grandma did not. Exactly as I predicted. She was much more fond of Central Park.

You wouldn't guess it by this picture now would you? You would have thought that this was taken at the end of our day. Nope. 45 minutes after parking the car. I tried to warn them that NYC = walking your keester off. They had to experience it to believe me.

Their East Coast trip would not have been complete without a trip to TJ's. I think Katy was a little skeptical of the grocery store...until she got her hands on these freeze-dried bananas. 

We also spent a morning at Chuck E. Cheese. The kids had a ball and the adults were a little bit more relaxed than our day in the city.

We said goodbye to Grandma yesterday and took her back to Brooke's so she could catch her flight this afternoon. Isaac woke up this morning and begged to drive up to Brooke's to see Grandma just one more time. Katy gets to stay one more week with Brooke and Jeremy so she can help them move.

I cry every time I say goodbye to my mom. She is such a loving Grandma and always makes me feel like she is proud of me, even in my weakest moments. I love her so much. We are so lucky to have her and are already counting down the days until she comes to visit again. Thanks, Gram Maddie!

From the Mouth of My Babe

Maddie and Isaac goofing around at Belvedere's Castle in Central Park. I felt like breaking into Enchanted  numbers while exploring there yesterday.

I overheard Maddie talking with my mom this morning. "Grandma, I want to get a really big truck and move my house to your house, ok?"

An Interview With Isaac

Isaac, Maddie, and Davis at the hospital visiting Brookie and Baby Parker. Dum Dums---a mother should never leave home without them. 

It was recently brought to my attention that I never did an interview with Isaac when he turned 5 years old, so he and I sat down this afternoon for a little chat. Here's what he had to say:

What is your favorite toy? The giant Nerf gun that Gavin (his friend) has

What is your favorite food? I like the vegetable with beans (edamame), chicken, macaroni, and that’s all I like the best

What is your favorite dessert? Bubble gum.

Who is your best friend? Mark and Gavin and Beckett and Fischer and my last friend is my whole family

What foods don’t you like? Coffee because it’s not good to drink. And I don’t like the thing that makes you all squiggled up and makes you forget things (alcohol--he recently asked us what wine was and we had a WofW discussion).

What do you like to do for fun? Play with my Mario Lego guy

What is your favorite part of the day? When Grandma is going to come

What do you like about preschool? That we get play time

What’s your favorite show on tv? If I watched Mario I know I would like it a lot

What’s your favorite part about being 5 years old? That we grow bigger. That's all!

What do you like to do with dad? Play guns and superheros.

What do you like to do with mom? I like to do everything.

What is your favorite thing to do with Maddie? When she plays guns with me.

What is your favorite thing to do with Davis? Play Christmas with him. Can we please stop doing this? We gotta finish a chapter of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! (We found the movie at the library and I told him we wouldn't be watching it until we finished the book, hence the rush).

From the Mouth of My Babe

Maddie the acrobat at a playground on the beach earlier this week.

Yesterday Davis and Maddie and I were out running errands when I had to slam on the breaks suddenly.

Me: "Whoa! I'm driving kind of crazy today."

Maddie: "Yeah. Just like Grandpa Mike."

Brand New Cousins

In the past two weeks our extended family has gained two new members! Our kids have a new Colorado cousin, Maggie, who was born last week. A sweet picture of her can be seen here. We can't wait to meet her!

And we now also have a beautiful little nephew in Massachusetts. Baby Hansen (still working on a first name) was born this afternoon and we were able to meet him when he was just a few hours old. We will enjoy all the cousin time we can since we won't have him close for very long----Brooke and Jeremy are heading back west at the end of next month (sniffle, sniffle). I'm happy for them and sad for us. 

Maddie brought in a special book to read to her new cousin but ended up being a lot more interested in the cartoons on t.v. than anything else while in the hospital. 

So so tiny. 6 lbs. 14 oz.

I was surprised by how much Isaac was taken with this little one. 

Whenever Davis wasn't holding the baby, he was usually yelling, "I HOLD DA BABY, DADDY!! MY TURN TO HOLD IT!!" Typical.  Brooke was so patient with all of our kids and so good to me---I got to hold him for a long time and I love him already. My only regret is not getting a picture of Brooke and him together. Clearly I wasn't thinking.

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY, LITTLE ONES!

Random Thoughts on a Friday Night

• Isaac is officially registered for kindergarten at our neighborhood school. His name wasn't chosen from the lottery for the downtown bilingual school. When we received the letter of regret I was strangely relieved...really relieved. No decision to make, no long bus ride, no wondering if I should have placed him in the other school. Not having a choice is sometimes the easiest option of all. That being said, I'm not sure how our bilingual home will work out once he is in school all day and only has a couple of hours at home each night--especially when the homework starts to come. And that makes my heart hurt a little. If anyone has advice on the matter, I'm all ears. It seems that everyone knows someone who is raising their children in a bilingual home. I would love to hear success stories...or any stories.
• I've been reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with my older kids for the past week or so. It is magical! I remember watching the original movie many times as a kid but this is my first time reading the book. They are really getting into it (what kid wouldn't love to hear about a chocolate waterfall and gobstoppers that last forever?). I kind of see it as a tiny peace offering at the end of each day---no matter how many mistakes I make as a mother, I can read to them about endless amounts of candy and they always seem to forget any lack of patience I showed them earlier in the day. 
• I recently read the following statement: blogging = life editing, and I couldn't agree more. I don't know how you could blog and paint a perfectly complete picture. No one wants to read Debbie Downer posts every day, but it can be easy to feel frustrated or inferior (guilty as charged) when all you read about are the wonderful moments in someone else's life, especially after a difficult day with your own children. That being said, everyone has the right to post what they want and filter what they want, just as each person has the right to choose whether or not to read said filtration. I have been thinking lately about why I write, and particularly why I blog. There are a number of reasons (including validation---it definitely puts a smile on my face when I see a new comment), but a few are most important to me: 1) I blog more than anything for my own children, particularly for my daughter (and future daughters-in-law). One day I hope she is fortunate enough to become a mother herself and that she finds joy in reading about her childhood as well as comfort in the trials and triumphs that I went through as a mother of young children. 2) I do it for the faraway grandparents, and 3) I do it because I enjoy writing and documenting what life is like for us, however edited/filtered it may be.
• I am so excited for CT in the summertime. Field trips, fruit farms, and beaches are some of the things at the top of my summer bucket list.
• Speaking of summer, I am thrilled that Ryan is almost finished with his first year of residency. While his schedule won't ease up much in second year, he will be in his second year! Goodbye low man on the totem pole! We're slowly inching our way closer to the middle now.
• I heart watching different t.v. series on Netflix at night after the kids are in bed. It seriously saves me from loneliness (and makes for a great at-home date night when Ryan is around). Downton Abbey is my current show of choice, though I am still going through FNL withdrawals since I just wrapped that series up. I think Coach Taylor and Tami might be my favorite t.v. couple ever.
• How 'bout them Mommy Wars, eh? Working mothers, I salute you and marvel at your ability to juggle so much. Stay-at-home mothers, I feel your pains and joys in this work---because it IS work, too. I think more than anything we just need to bind ourselves together and realize that we are all on the same team. And let's not let the media's attempt to pit us against each other work. I mean, seriously, can't we all just get along? 
• Wasn't the most recent General Conference fantastic? So many excellent talks. Some of my current favorites include Elder Wilson's talk, Elder Holland (always) and President Uchtdorf's talks--both on mercy and envy, Elder Baxter's talk to single parents, and Elder Ballard's talk. Conference time seems to find me swinging from one end of the pendulum to the other: Spiritual high one moment and feelings of "I have so far to go to get where I want/need to be" the next. But it's those feelings that help get me motivated to make needed changes in my life. 
• Speaking of Conference, I have been thinking a lot about Elder Wilson's talk about the difference between compelling our children vs. gently persuading them. It has been humbling for me to realize the mistakes I have been making concerning this matter and how I need to begin letting my children (especially Isaac and Maddie) exercise more of their own agency in the choices they make. Elder Wilson said, "Wise parents prepare their children to get along without them." I want to be that kind of parent. Surprisingly, my attempt at giving them more freedom is making my life easier. I mean, who knew that Maddie could make her own peanut butter sandwich and that she would be so excited at the prospect? I gladly hand over those reigns whenever she'll take them. 
• Wow. I really had a lot to say tonight. If you are still reading, you are likely one of my parents, so these videos are for you:

Ryan playing wrestle-mania with the kids. It's their new favorite game. In order to get the full effect, please turn your volume up full throttle and then place your ear right over the speaker. That's the only way you will truly be able to understand what it's like to be me in the same room as these crazy wrestlers.


Davis "reading" his new favorite book, Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? Please excuse the shaky cam. I was multi-tasking.

Easter Weekend

Our first-ever egg hunt on the beach. It was the next best thing to the annual Roundy Family egg hunt at my parents' home.

The Long Island Sound is terrible for surfing but nice and calm for a mother who's trying to keep track of three small children at the beach. I don't have to worry as much about crashing waves sweeping my little ones out to sea. 

The entire crew of egg hunters.

 Ryan is pulling a 12-hour shift this Easter Sunday so the Easter bunny came to our house on Saturday afternoon. Sugar highs were plentiful yesterday.

Obligatory Easter morning photo before church. "NOBODY gets to eat ANY m&ms until I get a good picture with everyone smiling!"

Good Enough.

Have you read Elder Holland's talk, "None Were With Him"? I highly recommend it. It's perfect for remembering the true meaning of this Easter season.  Here's a video as well.
Happy Easter Everyone!

From the Mouth of My Babe

Isaac with his friend, Mark, at McDonald's. I've recently started a new tradition with my kids (that I learned from my Iowa sister, Robyn) in order to keep up with all the parties and presents that come with friends having birthdays---instead of giving a gift, we go on a special play date to McDonald's for ice cream and play land fun. It really saves my pocketbook from taking a big hit and the kids seem to all enjoy it. Plus, it gives their moms a little break for an hour or two. Win/win/win.

I overheard a conversation between Maddie and Davis the other day in which Maddie was bossing D around:

Maddie: "Now give me a hug, Dave, and tell me that you love me."

Davis (while embracing his big sis): "I wuv you, honeeeey...Oh honey, I wuv you!"

From the Mouth of My Babe

Maddie and Isaac at yoga class. Have I mentioned that watching little kids do yoga is darling?

This afternoon Ryan and Isaac had the following conversation in the car:

Isaac: "Hey! Why did you just close my window?"

Ryan: "Because it's cold outside, buddy, and it's getting cold in the car."

Isaac (in a somewhat desperate tone): "But I'm as hot as French fries in an oven! I'm as hot as a hamburger on the sun!"

Ryan: "Ok. You win. I'll roll down your window."

A Few Favorite Photos from the Wedding

My dad with all of his daughters after Corey's wedding ceremony.

Corey with her nieces and nephews.

Maddie after the bouquet toss.

Off to their honeymoon!