28 months

Lilly at 28 months:

*Wishes every day could be Halloween.
*Favorite movies: Monsters Inc., Nemo, Nightmare Before Christmas, Backyardigans "Ghost", Ichabod & Mr. Toad, Poohs "Halloween".
*Talks all day long.
*Is so sweet to other little kids. I am really lucky.
*Is starting to say really funny things. I laugh every day at something she says.
*Climbed into Claire's swing the other day and put her hands behind her head and rocked away. It was so funny. Oh, and she buckled herself in...just in case she fell out.
*Does NOT want to be potty trained. Ripping my hair out over here!
*When we say prayers, she folds her arms, somewhat closes her eyes, and whispers along with whoever is saying the prayer.
*She loves to go to the bushes by the side of our house and pick the "blue berries". She does it every single day.
*One of my favorite times with her is when she first wakes up from her nap. She is so chatty, and so sweet.
*Every time I turn the oven on, she thinks I am making a cake. "Cake!?!".
*Cries almost every morning when Anton goes to work. Especially the mornings when she can hear him leave, but didn't get to say goodbye.
*Loves to do "Hip Hooray" and "swing".
*Loves to wander around the yard with Anton when he gets home from work.

 There are so many things to love about her. I am one lucky mama.
We love you Lilly bugs.

Lazy Reader

Since Miss Claire has come along, I haven't been doing as much reading as I would like. I just finished a book...and I think it took me almost 4 months to read. Yikes! I used to do a lot of my reading while Lilly was down for her nap. Now, during nap time, all I want to do is sit and Vegg...look at a magazine, look online, sit outside. You know...turn my brain off. Reading my book is too much work. That's pathetic. Anyway, two things that I have "read lately" and thought I would share.
1). If you are a mother, you need to go pick up the latest "Family Issue" of this...

Such great ideas and so fun to read!

2).This lady came to our ward last week to speak. Brilliant! If you know me, you know I love to cook. Not so much in the summer though. So, I was very excited to pick up a new cookbook for this fall! That's OK, I won't be offended if you call me a nerd. :)

3). I couldn't resist putting a picture of Claire up. She was looking mighty cute for church yesterday. We headed to a friends sons mission farewell. Disaster. My two year old was announcing to the whole congregation that she "Wants to Go HOME!" over, and over and over. Claire decided to cry, so I went out to nurse her. Apparently after I left, Lilly went nuts and was calling for me. Or, I guess I should say, yelling for me. Then, once I got back, Claire decided she didn't want her lunch anymore, so she barfed it up all over her dress and her dad. I was a little frazzled. Anton was a LOT frazzled. Surprised?! Aaah, who doesn't love Sunday's with two young children!?!

Oh Dear

1. See that little brown "thing" on the floor there?

2. Apparently Cat Fish can jump out of their tanks. What!?
3. Lilly learned her first lesson about the "Big Fish tank" today. aka: the toilet.
4. Hysterically funny thinking back on Lilly walking in to see her fish on the floor.

Pool Days

Judging by the look on her face...I am pretty sure this one is going to miss all the lovely pool days.
Boo to summer coming to a close!

Please

Do you ever have moments where you wish you could just freeze time? Recently, I have been having those moments...a lot. Like when Lilly is running around the yard, and her gorgeous hair is blowing in the wind. Or when we are putting Claire to bed, and she smiles at us so big it is hard for us to leave the room. Or when Lilly is swinging and says "Mama, I can touch the moon!". I don't want my girls to grow up. I put slippers on Claire last night, that are now almost too small. Lilly's pink shoes that she has been wearing all summer, are now so small her toes hang off the edge. Why? Why do they have to grow up? Can't I just freeze time? Sure, my house always looks like a bomb went off. I never have a "clothes free" laundry room. I am always changing someones diaper. I am tired. My car has now turned into a "mom car" aka: a disaster. But, would I ever change it? No. Not ever. I love snuggling my grumpy two year old when she wakes up from her nap. I love holding Claire and having her goo at me with her adoring eyes. I love listening to Lilly talk to her stuffed animals. Most of all, I love that they need me. That they want me. I don't ever want that to change. I know eventually that time will come when they don't want me to hold their hand, or give them a million kisses. You might as well tear my heart out when that day comes. So, really, can't we just freeze time? 

Her Birth Day

I have been trying to organize all my pictures. Editing, deleting, organizing them into monthly folders. It is a big task. It has been really fun for me to go back and look at pictures of me and Anton just after we were married and working on our house, me being pregnant and having Lilly, Lilly growing up, and now our life with Claire. Pictures always bring back memories I had forgotten about, or didn't think much of. The day Lilly and Claire were born, I can remember every little detail. It is so funny. Even now, I look back on when Lilly was born, and I can remember the strangest things. Same with Claire. The morning I went into Labor with Claire, I was such a basket case. I thought for sure I was going to go into labor with her the night before. I was up all night with contractions, but they weren't consistent enough to have me go to the hospital. So, the following night, I decided to take a Tylenol PM to help me get all the rest I could. Apparently it worked. I woke up with soaking wet pajamas and sheets. My water had broke, and I didn't even know it. I hopped in the shower, and had a good cry. I was so worried for the big change that was going to take place. I worried for Lilly. I worried for me and Anton. It was just a roller coaster of emotions. I remember calling my parents and telling them "it was time" and that we needed to drop Lilly off. I also called my sister to tell her I was in labor. I cried to her on the phone about "what if it is a girl, and I can never say to Lilly 'you are the most beautiful girl in the world' again. I cried again when I got to my parents. I was a wreck. We stopped at The Store to get some breakfast for Anton, then we were off to the hospital. I remember being so afraid of my epidural. I was shaking I was so afraid. I couldn't handle the thought of having complications again. But, all went well. After a while, I had progressed enough to send the doctor down so I could start pushing. At the same time, my epidural was wearing off. The pain, OH THE PAIN. I don't know how women do it naturally. Really. Finally, the anesthesiologist came and gave me some more of the good stuff, and it was starting to kick in right when I had my first push. Claire came into the world, not 15 minutes later. It was the best moment I can remember, when the doctor said "Its a Girl!", I remember looking at Anton and laughing. I was so excited I had another little girl. My mom cried, then I cried. I loved that the nurses and doctors that were in the room were so excited and anxious to find out what we were having. My dad, and sister who were outside the door, could hardly wait to hear the news. Anton called his mom seconds after she was born. Letting everyone know what we had, was so fun!

The whole experience was amazing, and exciting. I fell in love with her the moment I met her. I couldn't imagine my life with her, and instantly I couldn't imagine my life without her.

4

I took little miss Claire Elizabeth to her (almost) 4 month checkup today.
Height: 23 inches (50%)
Weight: 13lbs of pure squishiness (50%)
Shots: 3 - ouch!