D.'s B-Day (sorry it's late)

I love my beautiful sweetheart. What a big 4-year-old. I can't imagine my life without her. I'm amazed that someone with a tongue that sharp can also speak the softest, most beautiful words anyone can hear. I love everything she has to say, even when it's naughty. She makes me feel beautiful by her generous compliments, and makes me laugh with her wit. I love the deeply pondered questions she asks me, and her little "singing voice" (which she differentiates from people's speaking voices). My life would not be as colorful without her.



Everyone of these pictures had to be taken quickly, because she changed poses after each click. I think she felt like a model. Heehee.

The Night Before First Grade, praying, and the Soul Mate

I. is an interesting person. She can be so predictable, and yet not so much at times. She has really been looking forward to 1st grade all summer, and for most of last year, never looking back on her Kindergarten memories with sadness or longing. She enjoyed Kindergarten, but was completely happy when it was over. The biggest excitement for her? Desks in 1st grade. Yup, that's what she's been waiting for. I wonder how she'll feel after one week when she realizes that she actually has to sit and stay at her desk. I don't know. She didn't seem to care one way or the other if kids she knew were going to be in the class. I was excited to find out. But, when she found out that her soul mate was going to be there, she got really excited, and D. was just as excited for her (believe me, we hear about him a lot).

She told me that in the morning on her way to school, she'll be happy to go, but that she'll feel very tired. When we get there, she said, she'll be a little bit shy at first and then totally fine. I'm glad that she has this all figured out.

Oh, and shockingly enough, we got a call from CDC today saying that they found her glasses case! WOW! I was certain that a kid stole it and that we'd never see it again. D. has been praying constantly that someone would find I.'s glasses case, even after weeks, but I finally told her last night that no one was ever going to find it and that she could stop praying about it and that Heavenly Father probably just wants to teach I. a lesson. I had no faith. Today when we found out about the case, I praised D. and thanked her for being the only one in our family who still believed that Heavenly Father would find it, and that He found it just because D. had prayed so hard about it, unwaiveringly. I was put to shame.

By the way, when I. first started talking about how her soul mate (not that she's used this term, but that adequately describes her feelings) was her boyfriend, I gave her a mini lecture about what a boyfriend means, and that we do not have them until we're 16. I asked the boy's mom if he had ever mentioned I., but she hadn't heard anything and was afraid that he had been mean or something. NO, NO, I told her. On the contrary. After filling her in, she seemed shocked and went home to ask her son about I.. His response? "I really like I.. I like playing with her and she's nice, but I'm not ready to be in a relationship." Haha. I'm glad. I later heard from another mom helper in the classroom that he said "I. is good marriage material." She seemed shocked that he even knew such a term. I am too. Lucky I.. Haha.

Eclipse Drinking Game

This is a drinking game for the book Eclipse (3rd Twilight book) by Stephenie Meyer.

Everytime one of these things are mentioned, you must take a drink of water. Let me know what page you're on when you have to pee.



Someone either holds their breath or it comes out in a gush.
Someone growls or hisses.
Someone balls their fists.
Someone stiffens.
Someone lopes.
Bella blushes.
Edwards eyebrows are raised.
Bella tries unsuccessfully to lie to Edward (or Jacob), but of course he can see right through it.
Jacob goes shirtless.
Chest muscles are obvious through a tight shirt.
Someone purses their lips.
Bella mentions the old Jacob's smile.
Jacob's skin is hot.
Edward's skin is cold...like ice.
Bella hates parties or gifts (because no teenage girl in their right mind would want a wealthy bf)
The Cullens are exceptionally beautiful.
Bella can't except that Edward really loves her.
Someone clenches or grinds their teeth, and audibly too.


Please feel free to add to my list.


Don't get me wrong, I'm really enjoying these books. But, there are things that can be mentioned frequently, and that's ok, these are just things that aren't ok.

My farewell to nursing

Sigh. I have actually experienced something new for me. I have always felt that I would rather never experience good things at all, if I were just going to lose that experience in the end. What I mean is: nusing P. was extremely difficult for the first 8 months. I mean, excruciatingly painful. I was counting down each day until he reaches 1 year, when I planned on stopping. However the last 2 months of nursing have been so wonderful. It's been really great to bond with P. pain-free, and so easy. When I found out this week that I would have to stop nursing him, I sat in the car and cried. At first I was mad that things had gotten better nursing-wise, because this would be so much easier for me to handle if it never got better. But for the first time in my life I realized that I would rather have experienced those 2 wonderful months with him, than to have never experienced them at all, even if it means sadness now. I feel very priveleged to have been able to have this good time with him, and very fortunate to have been able to nurse my beautiful children at all. I didn't think I'd ever miss it, but now that it's all over (since P. is our last child) I feel like I'm in mourning. I was just saying to A. the other day that nursing was so great for me now, that I didn't want to stop right when he turned 1 (which is a big deal for me to say). Maybe I would've been able to handle this better if I had realized that I would have to stop right now. I never got to appreciate my last time snuggling with him in the mother's lounge at church on Sunday. By this Sunday it will be all over. Well, I was given 3 weeks, but that would be to hard for P.. It's better to do it quickly and end this soon. That first night of giving him formula broke my heart. He screamed and yelled and I knew exactly what he wanted. I wanted to scream and yell too. Then the sense of relief and heartbreak when he finally accepted it was overwhelming.

Sorry for being too melodramatic. It's just that I feel that this came up suddenly, and I don't like changes. I need this closure especially because this is the last of an era for me. Well, it's been great. I'm really proud of myself for sticking through with it all, even during the hard times. For all you women who haven't had the option of nursing a baby yet, please do it if you can. It's so worth it.

This makes my day

This is hilarious!

I love Italy!

Ok, video should work now...

I had to change it to "public" heehee.