8-29

Quote of the day: “I only have dance on Monday! But I want to dance every day! I need to dance!” –E

My happy today was teaching my first post-baby GroupPower class.  I team taught with my friend as a way to ease back in.  Not my smoothest delivery but not bad.

My sad was nursing trouble.  Z was overtired and frustrated and bit me hard enough to bleed last night.  Nursing and pumping keep re-opening the puncture so healing has been slow and uncomfortable.  The part that makes me most sad is fearing that he won’t nurse as long as I hoped.  I’m not emotionally ready to give it up yet.  I like nursing and cuddling and having that connection.  I know he will be fine either way but I’m hoping it’s just teething and we can work through it.

Newsies, Dance Fever and a lazy Sunday

The weekend adventure started Friday morning.  I taught a class at the gym and put two miles on the treadmill. (it was more torturous than I’d like to admit but I’m trying!)  After a quick shower, I loaded E and Z into the car, picked up Husband and headed down the canyon.  We left the kids with my cousin and went on a date.  We met my parents at Capitol Theatre see Newsies.  It was amazing!  The dancing was incredible and I really love the storyline—somewhat different from the movie and so good.  After the show, we got a quick dinner next door at the Blue Iguana.  I love hanging out with my parents and we talked about plans for Hawaii and such.  Then we raced off to pick up the kids and headed south. 

When the older girls got out of school, A went to a friend’s house and L got a ride with a neighbor to Dance Fever.  She was nervous about her first over night event so she asked if I would go as one of the chaperones.  Grandpa drove down to meet us so he could take Husband and E home while Z and I stayed at Dance Fever with L.  She was finishing dinner when we got there so we hung out for a bit and then sent her back in to classes while I lounged with some of the other mom’s.  When the girls were finished we gathered for a mini ice cream party and then dispersed to various hotels.  We shared a suite-style hotel with another mom and two dancers.  The girls begged to go swimming so they played in the pool while we sat and watched.  The three girls had such a blast doing different tricks and jumps into the pool.  Back in the room, they took turns showering while watching tv and we finally got them to bed.  The next morning they were adorable playing with baby Z and cooing over his great smiles.  They loved the hotel breakfast (especially the individual size packets of nutella) and we got the girls back to their dance classes.  Realizing I had several hours to myself, I ran errands and went shopping.  I got back to the convention center and hung out until the showcase.  The girls showed off the combinations they had learned and cheered for each other.  It was such a great experience for L.  The classes were great, the hotel was such an adventure and I especially loved that she spent a lot time with girls she didn’t know very well and hit it off so well.  We ran a few more errands and headed home for a lazy evening with the rest of the family. 

Such was a delightfully lazy day.  Z had a really rough night so I slept in a bit while Husband made breakfast with the girls and served me in bed.  They made eggs and a special gourmet pancake mix from Hawaii.  We did showers and journals and got ready for church.  My class went better than usual with the kids being attentive and loving the activities I had prepared.  And then we spent the evening at home having dinner, playing and watching a movie—Newsies.  The girls loved it!

First day of school

The girls were SO ready for school to start.  They miss their friends, I miss the structure.  So they happily bounced out of bed on the first day.  I sent L downstairs to play piano while I helped A pick out her clothes and fix her hair.  Then A read while I helped L get ready.  We had breakfast together, packed lunches and double checked backpacks.  Then we went outside for the annual "first day" pictures.  L's sign read "First day of 3rd Grade.  When I grow up I want to be a nurse."  A's sign read "First day of 1st Grade.  When I grow up I want to be a veterinarian." (of course)  They posed and grinned and giggled.  Then the door crept open and a sad little face appeared.  Assuming she had been forgotten, E burst into tears.  Her sisters swooped down to comfort her and we explained we were just letting her sleep in since she didn't have school yet.  Which made her cry harder.  But eventually she joined for a few pictures.  Now joined by baby Z we said prayers and walked sisters to the bus.  They happily joined the line, boarded the bus and with no hesitation, tears or nervousness, they were off!

I had to take Grammy to a doctor appointment so they were met by their favorite baby sitter afterschool.  The declared that school was awesome and spent the afternoon being lazy since their extra curricular activities don't start until next week.  And then in the evening, we went to Timp Freeze for a first-day-of-school-celebration.  Over dinner, I asked them to tell me three good/happy/fun things about their day and one sad/hard/nervous.  L said she loves her English teacher and told us about her.  She loved the classroom tour.  And her favorite thing she did was play "Snake" (a math game played with dice).  Her Spanish class was hard because she didn't understand it.  A reported that she loved recess, seeing her friends and freetime (she played on the playground).  Her hard thing was also Spanish class.

Today they woke up a little less enthusiastically but warmed quickly and left for the bus just as happy as yesterday.  So glad to be back in school!

Z 5 months

Z is five months old! He’s a happy, easy going baby with an irresistible, beaming smile that can make anyone melt instantly. He’s so big! He’s been wearing size 6 month clothes for a few weeks already.  He can roll back to belly but hates being on his belly once he gets there.  He starting to do the baby push up but mostly he just fusses against the floor until I help him onto his back again.  He loves to sit up in his high chair (but hates the bumbo), especially during dinner so he can hang out with the rest of us. 

One of my very favorite things is how he reacts when he sees a spoon!  He gets so excited, kicking and squealing in anticipation.  We started him on solids and he’s loving it!  We started with oatmeal and he immediately slurped it up.  He completely skipped the learning curve of what to do with his tongue and was ready to eat right away.  So now we are working our way through the veggies and he’s doing great.

He has four teeth now, two on the bottom in the middle and two on the top, just outside of the middle teeth.  Teething has been rough.  He’s so good natured but it’s thrown off his sleep.  He was sleeping 7-8 hours but while teething, went back to waking up several times a night.  And he still loves to be swaddled and can’t sleep deeply without it.  I tried weaning him off it since he can roll over now but he won’t stay asleep.  He sleeps best swaddled and snuggled up next to me in my bed.  I try to keep him in his own.  But sometimes after I’ve been up with him several times, I’ll let him sleep next to me and he will finally sleep long and deep.

He wakes up each morning in such a great mood.  He rarely wakes up crying but wiggles and calls for me and then rewards me with giant grins.  I love to unwrap him and watch as he stretches his arms and arches his back.  He’s such a happy baby, especially in the mornings.

He is starting to show more interest in toys.  He has a blue Mickey rattle that is easiest for him to hold (and chew on Mickey’s ears).  And he has a set of teething keys that he will play with at times in his high chair.  But I think right now his favorite is a bright green and yellow tree frog beanie baby that one of the Aunties gave him.  He chews on the frog’s hands and face and hugs it.

He gives me hugs! I love to scoop him up and cuddle him to my shoulder.  He sneaks his tiny arms around my neck and buries them in my hair. I can’t get enough of him!

33

On Wednesday night, Husband and I had a pre-birthday, date night dinner at my favorite restaurant in town.  We took our time and talked and ran a few errands.  On Thursday morning husband surprised me with 33 gorgeous red roses and a dozen beautiful decorated delicious cupcakes before he left for work.  The girls and I had breakfast and then I taught a class at the gym.  I was subbing a pilates class and told them in honor of my birthday, we would do a 33 second plank for each transition (about 8 times).  While they did not share their enthusiasm for my brilliance, it worked great for the class. ;) The girls and I lounged through the afternoon, doing some chores and playing with friends.  Not too exciting but still a good lazy day.  In the evening, husband hurried home from lunch for a quick dinner and then we went to the movies to see Petes Dragon and eat copious amounts of popcorn.  The girls all declared they loved it even thought it was scary.  We ran a few errands and then celebrated at home with cupcakes and ice cream.

And now, looking forward to Hawaii… 

Superhero Training/Family Camp Out

We arrived and set up camp late Friday evening.  While we were getting set up, the girls played in Grammy’s trailer and put together some lego kits I had brought.  They were little sets with a hero and villain each in their own vehicles and they girls had a blast playing with those.  We started a movie (lego sueprheroes) but all of us fell asleep before it was over.

On Saturday morning the girls ran off to play as soon as they were awake and the grown ups started breakfast.  Other cousins arrived and joined in.  My brother and his seven kids had spent the night, my other brother brought three of his kids to play for the day and two of my cousins joined us as well bringing their adorable families.  So there were tons of kids to play with and the day was such a blast.  We did crafts in the morning—decorating Frisbee shields, coloring paper masks, cutting tshirt capes and made marshmallow shooters as our weapons.  After lunch our first activity was “Who Am I?”  All the kids had a superheroes picture on their back and had to ask questions to figure out their identity.  Then we launched into games.  We had plank boxing, lassoing the villains and shooting the villains with their marshmallow guns.  Then we did the hulk smash (smashing mini-wheat cereal), the hammer throw (at inflatable ninjas) and the kryptonite carry (carrying green jelly beans with a spoon in their mouth).  We did an obstacle course that managed to challenge everyone (but as with all obstacle courses, ran a little long and we started to lose attention of spectators).  Obstacles included the stealth rings (hula hoops with bells tied on), hero mix n match (logos cut into puzzles), the Batline (using a water gun to push a cup down the plastic line), a spider web (string “laser maze”), the shield throw (through suspended hula hoops), leaping tall buildings (cereal boxes) and finally, smashing through the brick wall (made of cardboard boxes).  My favorite activity was when they had to free their comrades from Mr. Freeze (a hero lego figurines frozen in a block of ice).  The kids loved capturing the villains (wrapping their parents with crepe paper).  And then everyone cooled off with the water balloon launch.  Then dads launched water balloons while the superhero trainees turned their capes around to catch them.  Our final activity was the human piñata.  The kids were armed with squirt guns and chase my smoking hot husband around.  If they got him, he threw handfuls of candy.

After that, Grammy and I lounged around while the kids ran around, repeating some of the challenges, making up their own or just playing with cousins.  Through dinner we had a blast talking and catching up with each other and after dinner we made super s’mores, enhanced with salted caramel and peanut butter (so good!).  It was such a great day and the kids had a blast.

When we did happy and sads, all of the kids had to tell us their favorite activity (usually three or four).  L loved that she got Wonderwoman in the ice block.  E loved the obstacle course and A’s favorite was the human piñata.  A’s sad was that she didn’t get to learn how to fly.

8-15

my happy today was coming home from L's piano lesson and scooping up baby Z for a cuddle.  He wrapped his arms tight around my neck and hugged me back!  "Over the Rainbow" began to play (my favorite version with the Hawaiian singer) and we danced together, him holding tight the whole time snuggling his face into my neck.

my sad today was trying to get the girls scheduled figured out.  They are so eager to try a million different things and I have a really hard time making them narrow it down.  I want to invest in their confidence and talents and let them do as much as they can.  I worry about them getting burned out or over scheduled, about how much it adds up financially and about how baby Z will spend so much time being carted around as I play chauffeur.  Part of me thinks its insane.  And yet, I've been agonizing over the schedule to try to make it all work.  Luckily, I think we've got it figured out to do as much as we can.

8-16

my happy today was having success with a new recipe!  We have a huge, thriving garden thanks to my smokin hot husband.  I was preoccupied with the baby so I has very little to do with it.  Husband planted things I didn't know how to cook. But we've been getting creative and searching pinterest and I'm loving it.

my sad today was that one of my kids got in big trouble.  She asked for something, was told no (and explained why) and then later I found out she sneakily took it anyway.  Mostly I'm disappointed/mad that she ignored me.

Z 4 months

Baby Z is 4 months old.  He is so happy and easy going.  He smiles easily, even eagerly and it lights up the whole world.  It’s irresistible and infectious and I can’t get enough.  His eyes are so blue and dreamy.  I love his round happy cheeks.  His two teeth are ridiculously sharp.  So sharp in fact that the back of his hands are covered in tiny, angry looking scratches.  Poor little guy.  And he still drools nonstop so I think he’s working on a top tooth.

At his 4 month well-baby visit, he reported in at 28 inches long (100^th percentile) and 18 pounds (84^th percentile).  He’s tall and solid.  Not chubby as so many adorable babies are, but long and lean.  He has two small marks, one on the inside of his ankle and one on his belly where the skin is a darker pigment, almost like a birthmark but it didn't show up until recently.  

He nurses well and is sleeping great (7-8 hours on a good night).  He’s still very unpredictable during the day but part of that may be simply because the girls and I don’t really keep a regular schedule during the summer.  He loves being swaddled and can’t sleep long without it.  Unfortunately he’s starting to roll over though so we need to wean him off swaddling.  He doesn’t sit unsupported yet but likes to be in his high chair (hates the bumbo chair) and loves to go for walks.  He loves bathtime and will relax and lounge in the warm water.  We’ve started introducing toys to him but he’s mostly uninterested.  He can hold something if I guide him and sometimes sticks it right into his mouth but mostly he’s uncommitted to it.  He’s much more interested in faces (especially his sisters) and ceiling fans still.  I can’t get enough of his cooing and jabbers.  Lately he’s adding throat sounds too, sometimes gurgling or growling at us.  Occasionally we even get him to laugh, usually playing peek a book--he loves being startled.  Just recently he’s mastered grabbing onto his feet.  And he gives the best hugs.  He lets me pick him up and squish him against me with his arms up around my neck and his face snuggled onto my shoulder.

Can’t get enough of him!  So unbelievably grateful for this perfect, make-me-melt, light-up-my-world, noisy little cuddleball of cuteness.

family reunion road trip

Quote of the day: (from E) “I’m glad our baby has two eyes.  If he had one eye he might look like a monster.”

On Friday I taught water aerobics for the first time since baby was born.  It was so fun to see my ladies again and their excitement to have be back was a huge compliment.  They of course asked lots about baby despite the tough work out I put them through.  Meanwhile Z did great in day care.  Luckily he has his sisters to help but he usually sleeps most of his time there so far.

So when we got home I ambitiously decided I really needed to go for a run.  I have a race in six weeks and I am sorely undertrained for it.  As in, not at all.  Since I haven’t ran since December.  So the big girls hopped on to their bikes and Z was happy in the stroller.  Somehow I forgot that E has never really learned to ride a bike.  She loved her trike, and then went right to a scooter.  So it didn’t go as well as hoped.  I probably got a mile in.  Not really enough for me but plenty for her.  I was kind of tough on her (impatient with her nervousness) and she worked through it, I’m proud of her for doing hard things.

We hurried to pack for our weekend adventure and then went to a friend’s birthday party.  They had an inflatable water slide in the front yard and the kids were delighted!  Despite some occasional rain, the kids raced around to play in the water and jump on the trampoline and devour food.  Everyone gathered around to do the piñata and because of Godfather’s sneakiness, the piñata lasted long enough for everyone to get a good turn.  This was Z’s favorite part.  Everyone was yelling and cheering and calling out to help.  I held Z facing out and he kicked like crazy and squealed and jabbered, apparently loving all the excitement!  We had to sneak out before presents to go pick up daddy and begin our weekend road trip.

The drive was long.  And fairly anticlimactic.  Z did as well as expected.  The girls played on tablets.  Husband and I got to chat and admire the mountains.  And finally it was long past bedtime when we arrived in town, found the rental house and unloaded.  My brother’s family (with 7 kids) and Grammy were waiting for us and shockingly, all still awake.  So we quickly put kids to bed and settled in for the night.

In the morning the cousins played happily.  We ate muffins and fruit and got everyone ready for the day.  My brother and Husband took most of the kids to Moqui Cave which they loved!  Grammy and I took Z over to my Grandma’s house to help get stuff ready for the reunion.  We arrive at the park and joined into the rounds of hellos and re-introductions (the reunion is for my Grandma’s siblings every other year, so we don’t see most of this family very often).  We ate lunch and played games.  The girls loved the fishing booth and the shoot-a-ping-pong-ball-off-its-peg-with-a-water-gun.  There was a raffle for blankets and afghans made with the remaining fabric from my Great Grandma’s stash and L was one of the very lucky recipients.  L also was the first blackout for getting-to-know-you bingo.  Mostly my girls loved playing in the splashpad and were happy to do that all day.  The final activity was a huge hit—Grammy brought our water balloon launcher and everyone gathered with towels for team catching across the field.  My oldest nephew, who has unfortunately become very sullen and withdrawn the past few years, absolutely lit up and smiled more than I’ve seen in years when he was asked to help launch (and turned out to have the best aim).

We took a break and everyone headed back to the house for some downtime.  The girls played with cousins while Husband and Grammy finally got to sit and relax after such a busy morning.  (I pretend to help during the reunion, but mostly I cuddled baby Z).  I left baby Z asleep on his daddy’s chest while I snuck the girls out to go with me to pick up pizzas and gather at GrandmaGreat’s house for dinner.  After being in the hot sun all day, no one was as hungry as I thought they’d be, so we had plenty of leftovers.  I announced we should get ready to go back to the reunion and go swimming.  My kids raced off and were in their seatbelts before anyone else was even up off the grass.  My kids love to swim and were thrilled that the family reunion continued that evening at the city pool.  GrandmaGreat had rented the whole place just for our group so they had plenty of space to play and splash and had a great time.  They almost missed dessert completely because they didn’t want to get out of the water.  It was too cold for Z (they had to drain, clean and refill the pools after the floods earlier in the week) but lots of aunts and cousins were eager to hold him for me.   Finally, we dragged our kids out of the water, sent everyone to shower, took everyone home and got everyone asleep.

On Sunday we made chocolate chip pancakes (always a huge hit) and took everyone to church.  The kids were surprisingly well behaved through sacrament meeting and then we said a quick goodbye.  Back a the rental we ate leftover pizza while we packed and piled everyone into cars.  Cousin Mimi got to come home with us (much to the delight of L) so the two of them disappeared into the third row seating to play the whole way home.  We stopped halfway at the Big Rock Candy Mountain to play.  The resort was closed but we got ice cream cones at the gas station and played a park for a few minutes.  We stopped for some Café Rio on the way home and made it home with time to play before bed.