Your Request is My Command...

Today Brielle's preschool was cancelled due to the host's kids being sick. 

So when Brielle woke up this morning (well, technically all the kids woke up...) I realized I had two options.  1. Do nothing and have the most lazy/boring day EVER and try not to go crazy with the whining kids.  2. Let Brielle decide what she would like to do (because the other two are perfectly happy to sit at home with nothing to do.)

I must quickly say that before you continue reading and think I'm a super fantastic mom, I would like to point out that the following is NOT really all that normal...just so you can continue thinking I'm a mediocre mom, because I am that...at best.

In a moment of pure amazingness I decided to choose option 2.  So I asked Brielle what she would like to do today.  I was expecting things like, "go to the park, go to the library, paint a mural, sew homemade princess dresses by hand with a needle and thread".

But I have to say I was completely shocked at her request!

"I want to take a long shower in YOUR shower mom, for as LONG as I want."

This was a request I was happy to give her.  She was in need of a bath anyway.  So she spent 20 minutes in my shower, all the while singing, laughing and asking if it was okay to use my soap/shampoo/pick etc. while she was in there.  I was nice - again (look at me on a roll!) - and let her use them all.  I did draw the line at her using my shaving cream and razor however.

When she got out, she made her next request:

"Mom, I want you to help me get ready just like you would after a shower.  Is this how you dry yourself?  Is this how you comb your hair? Can I have that armpit stuff on me?  Will you make my hair curly like yours and even let me use jello? (jello=gel)"

I had to deny her request for the "armpit stuff" but did do her hair just like I would do mine after a shower...including the "jello".

And might I add that she looks super cute with her hair like this...even though there's hardly any curl in her hair and it will probably be flat and stiff within a few hours.  But for now, she thinks she is hot stuff.

Claire then followed the example and asked me to do her hair in a pony tail like mine was.

She BARELY has enough hair for that...and it's already mostly fallen out.  But hey, she was happy about it.

And Addison is just happy to be playing in her new favorite toy.

Right now the kids are playing a game together.  But the requests have been made for more activities today.  They will include, "watching a movie together, typing on the computer, have fun with mom, Uno Spin, play outside with mom."

Who knew I was such a popular lady?

Ready Or Not...Here We Come! (Almost...)

Just 5 more weeks!!

But I'm not excited or anything.

I realize this post is premature and that 5 weeks is a long time.  But this is what's on my mind right now.

This 9 months in Texas has been a crazy roller coaster.  I have loved some parts and - if we're being totally honest - hated others as well.

I was sure when Marty's graduation got close I would just be dying to leave Texas behind.  And while I am SO excited about Marty being done with his training (and SO proud of him!), and ready to get on with the next leg of our journey...I feel a little sad to leave behind all that we've learned, and all the people we've met.

There is also a small (huge) part of me that doesn't want the 5 weeks to go fast because that also means Marty will be heading off to Korea without us for a year.  There are a lot of emotions there that I don't want to get in to. 

It's going to suck. 

That about sums it up.

But I am also very excited to see our families back in Utah.  We haven't seen them since Christmas and it just feels like it's been WAY too long.  It's so strange for me that our families haven't even seen Addison since she was just brand new.  They haven't seen her reach new milestones and grow up at all.

I hope they like her! :)

My little family has grown in amazing ways while we've been here. 


October 2009 - 1 month after getting here.

Easter 2010

But more notably - for me - is how much I have grown up here as well.  Seems pretty crazy that just 9 months of a hard situation can really change a lot about a person.  Hopefully it's changed me for the better though.  It has been a difficult thing at times to be away from family, but - as cliche as it sounds - I wouldn't want to give up who I feel like I've become.


I'm sure it will all go to pot the second I get back to Utah...

Or maybe my family will just find me strange and weird now.

Who am I kidding...they already do.

Ready or not, Utah, HERE WE COME!!
(In 5 weeks!)

Random Update Mess

Since my little family has moved away from home, I have noticed a huge increase in 1. posts on my blog and 2. posts with lots of pictures of my kids.  Maybe it's just me that's noticed...and if you have, you don't need to let me know. 

Anyway, I have increased these because I feel sad that our families are missing out on these little moments and want to make sure they at least feel a little included in our lives.  So I apologize if you're sick of looking at my blog.  I know you're not sick of seeing pictures of my kids, how could you be?

So, I give you my random update mess.  I call it that because they are all things I want to blog about, but none are quite enough to do an entire post about on their own, but together...they are random.  Make sense?  Nope...didn't think so. 

Continue at your own risk of being confused and overwhelmed by cuteness.

***********************

Brielle likes cupcakes...she doesn't like having her picture taken while eating cupcakes however.

Go figure.

Brielle wants to be Hannah Montana when she grows up.  She is working on perfecting her makeup application skills.

Claire got this horse for her birthday...somehow Brielle took over it, but was kind enough to give Claire "rides".  She is very thoughtful like that.

Claire thinks she is very sneaky.  This is her sneaky face.  I think it's just cute. She apparently thinks it's okay to be growing up...I for one do not agree and am trying to convince her to stop it.

She isn't listening to me.

Claire did her own hair "it's curly like yours mommy!" 

What Batman birthday would be complete without a new Batman mask?

Rice cereal tastes better if you smear it all over your hands, arms, legs and face. 

Seriously..just ask Addison.

Rolling is fun...unless your sisters are "helping" you, then it's just dangerous.

And just for the record...Addison is too cool for school.

There you have my random update mess. Don't say I didn't warn you!

5 Months, Already? Where does the time go?

Two months ago I was wishing, hoping and praying for Addison to get just a little older.  I knew she would grow up fast, and wanted her to be a baby...it's just that I craved more sleep, I wanted her to be able to play and not need to be held all the time.

Now that she's 5 months old she is rolling both ways (luckily she doesn't put it together to get anywhere though) sleeping MUCH better, happy to play on the floor for longer stretches by herself, and trying to sit up (a little bit). 

I took one look at this picture and felt sad.  I suddenly wished for my tiny little baby who needed more attention back!  I went through the same thing when Claire was around 5-6 months.  Marty always reminds me that I already have a baby and that getting baby hungry right now is just CRAZY!

I know he is right.  I don't really want another baby right now.  But how can you not want a little more of this?

I guess the funny thing about wanting your kids to grow up is that you will always get just that.  Suddenly, it seems overnight, your baby isn't so much a baby anymore.