Did I mention Maggie REALLY likes sweet potatoes and turkey?

So much that she tried to feed herself.

This, of course, necessitated a bath. But she has outgrown the sink now. So, we got out the duckie tub that we used with Emma, since she doesn't sit up yet so is not quite big enough for the regular tub.
She seemed comfortable enough once she figured out what it was about.

She liked playing with the rubber duckie we gave her.

Until she saw her feet, that is.

She was not so sure about being shampooed and rinsed off.

But she was very cute once she was all clean!

Gobble Gobble

Maggie woke up hungry and I realized she hadn't had her "real food" today. So I suggested, since we haven't tried her on a new food for a while, we try a jar of "turkey and sweet potatoes." (She'd had sweet potatoes before but this was her first meat.) She loved it! She ate half a jar (minus what ended up on her face, chest, hands, Exersaucer-- where we feed her-- and in the folds between rolls of fat on her neck, lol!)

All my girls have been quite fond of turkey and sweet potatoes both, so I'm not really surprised... It makes me a little sad and proud at the same time to see her getting so big, though! I just can't wait to see her get as big as her sisters, and at the same time I wish that day would hold off forever and she could always be my baby. It's one of the paradoxes of motherhood (or I suppose I should say, parenthood); you simultaneously are excited for every milestone, and wish they could stay little forever. I think it is probably because we know that things only get more complicated; we want to protect them and keep them from harm forever, because we love them so much. But at the same time we know that it's right and good and necessary for them to grow and develop. *sigh*

I guess that's why I'm starting to hanker for another one...

It seems to run in the family...

Emma and I were watching some Irish Dance videos on YouTube. Emma has been asking to take Irish Dance since she was about 20 months old. (I think she'll probably get to next year, maybe the year after that. Depends when we get a second car!)

Bridey climbed up and watched, enthralled, then pointed her little finger at the screen and yelled, "I want do that!!!"

Maybe next year I should take them to the Irish Fair so they can watch some live. They would ADORE that!

200 Things

Got this meme from TXMommy.

You can do it too!

Copy the list, bold the ones you have done, leave the ones you haven't un-bolded (did I just make that word up?)

Things I have done are bold.

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone - verbal not physical
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe.
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunch box
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a camp fire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter


If you copy this, leave me a link in the comments so I can read yours!

Jaden got her new carseat!

She got her Regent yesterday. (I bought it during the recent Britax sale. It was her birthday present.)



She loves it!

The Regent harnesses to 80 lbs. with a top harness height of 20 inches. Jaden is 4 years old, 43 lbs.-ish with about a 16 inch torso. She has years to grow in it!

I'm ecstatic that she likes it. By Texas law (where she lives) she could have been in a seatbelt only when she turned 5 OR was 36 inches tall (which she was at 3!) even though it is not safe to put children in an adult seatbelt only until they pass the five-step test. And if there aren't enough seatbelts, by Texas law children can ride held in a lap! :0 That blows my mind, and makes me really sad, that the Texas legislature cares so little about the safety of children. Luckily, her mother and father know better, and want her to be as safe as possible! Hopefully Jaden will be a good example for the other children around her and tell them how safe she is riding in her big-girl seat! (Hey, I've already got my four year old saying, "That boy needs a carseat" and "that baby has a belly clip!" LOL!)

That child is STRANGE...

Jeff is chasing Bridey around trying to get her ready for bed. She's running around, talking to herself. She asks, "What you doing?" and answers, in a high, thin voice, "I freaking out!!!" She does this over and over again. She is so odd sometimes...

(Just a minute ago Emma mentioned Grandma Pam's house and Bridget heard. She said, "Grandma Pam, house? I LOVE Grandma Pam, house!" So cute.)

Britax Fall Sale is here!

This is a twice a year event; if you're looking for a higher weight harnessing seat or just want a really stylish one, this is a great opportunity to get a good bargain! See my sidebar full of information if you want to know why it's a good idea to keep your children rear-facing and harnessed longer than the minimums!

I won't try to list all the deals here; Baby Cheapskate is tracking the deals, check it out!

Jaden's Regent was bought today and should get there next week or so!

An emotional weekend

Friday was Jeff's day off. We got calls all day about Uncle Bob's status, and finally went to see him in the evening. We only went in for a few minutes. Since he's in the critical care unit overflow, the girls couldn't go in at all... (I had been asking my dad that and it would have been nice if he would have just read the sign and told me that. All he would say was he didn't know if it was a good idea, he never said it was a rule.) At that point they were not thinking he was going to pull through. Today he is given a 90% chance of survival.

Let me backtrack a little. Thursday we found out that he was going to the hospital. He has ALS, as I've mentioned before; he had pneumonia, a really bad case that had progressed to sepsis. And of course because of the ALS it's harder for him to fight things off, especially things that involve breathing.

It was really hard to see him in the hospital. While we were waiting to hear if he'd even be awake for us to go see him and such, we ended up going to the thrift store. I did find some awesome books. I listed them on eBay but if they don't sell I think I'm keeping them!!!

Then Saturday we got up early and I headed to choir practice. After I got done with that we went to my mom's house but on the way hit a yard sale. I got a Pack and Play for $3, and a whole bunch of clothes for the girls (mostly winter clothes for Bridey; Emma skipped from a 2T to a 4T and Bridey is firmly a 3T, we don't have a lot of clothes that fit her, but a few for Emma and Maggie, too) for 25 cents a piece. Then we went to my mom's; her former boss (retired) was there, and they took pictures of Maggie doing different things for a presentation they're making for parents on what to do and not to do to ensure a nice round head in your baby (preventing positional plagiocephaly, which has spiked really high since the "Back to Sleep" campaign started, with proper positioning techniques, tummy time, etc.) She made us spaghetti for lunch. We all enjoyed that.

We didn't make the evening session of Stake Conference Saturday night because it is "adults only" and there's no way we could keep the kids under control and not disturb people, and we didn't have a babysitter.

This morning we were at the Stake Center at 8:30 for choir practice again. When we finished the last song, Bridget was ready to go, poor thing! (It did not make sense for them to go home and come back because they'd only end up with 15 minutes at home or so before it was time to come back-- and they'd lose the sweet parking spot we scored, actually in the SC parking lot instead of in the school parking lot backing up to the SC, so 10 minutes less of walking, and even in the shade!)

Stake Conference was good. I heard a lot of things I needed to hear. In particular I loved the Primary President's talk. I really needed that one, though she directed it to the children it was for the parents just as much. And I was interested to hear the big focus on getting out of consumer debt; our stake has been challenged by our Stake President (who used to be my bishop and I love him and his family so much) to be consumer debt free by 2010 (this is not inculding houses and school loans but is including cars, credit cards, and everything else.) Luckily we are in a position where we have already been able to start paying this debt off. We may have another car payment by then, but are hoping to have it mostly paid off. (We will have to get another car if we have another child, because we're using all the seats in our Corolla right now!) And there was also emphasis on teaching our children and those around us good spending/saving habits. The Primary children are going to be provided with savings banks from the Stake Presidency that have 3 parts; one for tithing, one for saving for a mission or education, and one for spending.

The choir was so big we overflowed the rather poorly designed loft, and three or four of us had to be down on the pews and walk up. However we had less than we had thought so there were 3 empty rows that had been reserved for us; I volunteered to sit down there and got to have my family with me. A very nice lady held Maggie through much of the meeting so I could get up and down with the choir. Emma fell asleep on the pew; Jeff took Bridey and later Maggie too to the Nursery room (where they had toys out and also had a video feed from the chapel so the adults could hear the talks.)

I had an asthma attack near the end. It was pretty bad; it took 6 hits from my inhaler to even start breathing properly and 2 more before I was completely breathing. I was shaking so badly from the albuterol when we got up to sing the closing number that I forgot I was supposed to sing second soprano until halfway through the verse... Oops... I did manage to hit the high note at the end, though. (One of the first sopranos couldn't hit the note so she switched parts with me just for the last line.) We sang my favorite arrangement of "The Spirit of God." I really love this one because it's so powerful, especially if you think of it the way I do, as a metaphor. See, it starts out with a solo tenor voice. Then the tenor is joined by a baritone. Then they are joined by a small group of men, then all the men, then the women, and in our case we added the congregation on the last verse. I think of it like a metaphor for the growth of the church and it has always added a lot to my appreciation of the piece.

So anyway... It was a weekend of ups and downs. I don't really know how much longer Uncle Bob is going to last. As much as for his sake I hope he does not have to suffer too long in a body that doesn't work while he retains full consciousness of what is going on, I hope for our sake to have him a little longer. It's confusing and it hurts and... Well, I guess I will just have to try to appreciate whatever time we are given to be with him. There are some things I want to do with him. I want him to hear Emma do her reading lessons before he goes, that would make him so proud (he's one I really talked things out with before deciding to homeschool, before his diagnosis and before he went downhill so fast, physically speaking.) And I want him to see Emma dance. And I want him to see Maggie grow and Bridget mature. But I don't know how much of that will even be possible (well, in this world. I'm sure he'll care for them after he is gone. But you know what I mean.)

This dying stuff is hard. :(

Laughing baby

Maggie's been "half-laughing," just a little "heh," for a couple of months. Tonight (while I was in the tub, of course) Emma got her first "real laugh" out of her. Emma's first laugh was when Jeff had a cold and was coughing. Bridey's was at being tickled. Maggie's was at her sister playing with her. Emma was clapping her hands in Maggie's face and saying, "Be happy! Be happy! Not sad! Be happy!" in a silly voice, trying to keep her from fussing. I'm not sure if it was the clapping (Jeff says she kind of flinched and laughed every time she was clapped at) or the silly voice, but something did it, and she laughed! I love their little laughs when they first start. Maggie's is a surprisingly low (for her), full-throated chortle. It's adorable. :D

My helper

Somehow I haven't been in the mood to blog much... I did do some interesting things done this weekend, but didn't feel like writing them up. We went for Korean food Saturday with Jeff's Korean-American co-worker and his girlfriend (who he's been dating, like, longer than Jeff and I have known each other!) They ordered. As a result I'm not sure what all I ate but I know it was delicious!!!

Anyway, today Emma has been my helper. I had a bad migraine, it started out atypical with just a lot of vertigo and some light sensitivity, but progressed to headache and auras and even short blackouts quickly enough. Jeff came home at lunch and got the kids food and Bridey down in the crib for a nap before he left (which she eventually took) but in the meantime Emma brought me a diaper, water and lemonade mix to make them drinks, even washed out the cup Bridey wanted to use (with soap and everything!) Then she was very good all day. She got herself snacks when she needed them, poured her own drinks, brought me diapers and such when I needed them. She was very good. And she fed Maggie her cereal tonight (that has been her job lately since we found out that Maggie eats better for her than for either of us!) I'm just very proud to see how she can really help out when I really need her. With ALMOST no complaining...

Tonight we had pizza and salad for dinner. Jeff at first neglected to give the kids their salad (which is nothing but organic baby spring mix with dressing.) They both DEMANDED IT! You do not know how funny it is to hear a little two year old voice saying, "Gimme sah-lat! Sah-lat! Pweese!" and then chomping down on spinach and red leaf and green leaf lettuce and all other kinds of raw greens until you've experienced it... Then Emma had to have some too, of course! Oh, Bridey also stole her Easy-Up when Jeff wasn't looking and tried to put it on herself, too! And she has been BEGGING, "I want go dance class! Dance class please!" *sigh* They grow up so fast...

First day of dance class

Emma had her first day of dance class today. There were only 2 students in her class today (including her.) One more is signed up but wasn't there today. Her teacher is very sweet. She didn't listen as well as she could have during the first part of the class (ballet), except when they got to wave ribbons around, but she really seemed to enjoy the second part of the class (tap.) She is way more into tap than ballet, well, I already knew that... She really wants to do Irish dance still, we'll see if she gets better at following directions! Here are some pictures from today:


This is Emma ready to go, dressed and hair carefully pulled up and clipped out of her face. (Bridey ran in as I was taking the picture.) Note the little backpack; she used to carry her clothes and Pull-Ups to preschool (and papers and used clothes home) in that, now it holds her dance shoes (and during the week her dance clothes, which she is wearing in this pic. The t-shirt comes with the yearly registration fee, and the pants she picked out herself, at Target.)

Here she is waiting for the teacher. There's a little area outside her classroom (the little ones are in the smallest classroom.) They have water dispensers which were a BIG hit with both girls. Here you can see her ballet shoes (kind of.)

This picture (and the others that look like it) are poorer quality because they're shots of the tv monitor that parents can view the class on CCTV on. Here you can see Emma not quite cooperating with the stretching...

Here's Bridey, she wanted her picture taken while Emma was in class. She played with Maggie, ran around, and later I got her a coloring book and crayons (which they keep in the main waiting area) and she colored Cookie Monster blue, all on her own, with no prompting and very carefully.

Here Emma is starting to get into it a little more, and is at least attempting the arms over the head. The other little girl who was in her class is a few months older than her, but has been taking ballet at The Little Gym for a year so was more experienced with the ballet they did.

This was the only part of the ballet portion of the class Em really seemed to like a lot, you can see her getting into waving the ribbons:

...and not listening when told it's time to go put them away, and going running off to the side and keeping on dancing with them instead!

After a water break and changing shoes, they started tap, which Emma enjoyed more. Unfortunately Maggie was fussing at that point and I don't have as many pictures. But here is Emma watching intently what to do with her feet...

...and enthusiastically copying it!

Here is Emma and her classmate, it was a bit of a trick to get them both smiling at the same time, as the little girl's one year old brother had spilled water on Emma and so she was having a sensory fit, and the girl did not know me and was a bit hesitant to smile for a stranger's camera.

So that was the dance class, it went as well as I had expected and I think as Emma gets more used to the teacher and the setting, she will do better and will be more willing to try things and follow directions. I'm really glad we enrolled her. Now, Bridey kept trying to run in and dance, too... She even tried to put on a pair of tap shoes someone had left in the cubbies in the waiting area! They have one class a week for kiddoes her age, I suppose we will have to consider enrolling her. (But it's in the morning. When she's usually asleep. Not that she wouldn't leap out of her crib joyfully to go dance...) Anyway, we're considering it!

All of our homeschool stuff is getting into swing... Emma's writing stuff is on the way and our reading book has arrived (though I decided not to start it until we can do writing and reading together, that should be next week, after we tried one lesson.) This is our important social event of the week as well as P.E. So I guess you could say we have officially started homeschooling even though so far it's just dance class! Yippee!

Labor Day Weekend

Just thought I'd catch everyone up on what we've been up to this weekend...

Thursday night Emma got home from her last day at preschool (both happy and sad) and we signed her up for dance classes. She was excited!

Friday we just kind of hung around, then went to Target. We got some socks and pants for her dance class (turns out they don't have to have leos yet; just comfy shirts and pants or shorts, and appropriate shoes. That's a relief because I did NOT want to pay full price for a white leotard, which is the beginning ballet uniform at her school! But turns out she's not in beginning dance, technically, she's in the "tots" class instead. Well, that saves us some money!!!)

Friday night we went to dinner at Souplantation. I love Souplantation. And it's cheap; Bridey is free, Emma is less than $2, we always have coupons and save a dollar or so on our meals, and the kids' drinks are free because we purchased kids' cups for them a while back, which you can bring back and reuse without charge.

Saturday morning we went to Grandpa and Grandma Sheri's house; Grandma Sheri had picked up some not-used-looking tap shoes (they weren't worn in the bottom at all, so Emma will actually wear them) and we tried them on, and figured out that one pair will fit. Then on to the shoe store, and got some nice dress shoes for me and Jeff, ballet shoes for Emma, and new tennies for Bridey, who had outgrown hers (again!) Then on to Maggie's checkup. She is now 25 inches long (and half of that is in her torso! Literally, 12 1/2 inches...) and weighed 14 lbs. 7 ounces at her check (right after throwing up, hadn't eaten for a while, and with a bone-dry diaper!) That's the 75th %tile for height, 50th for weight. The doctor was very pleased. She slurped down her Tylenol, more evidence of her readiness for solids (she's been just CRAVING them for a while now... The doctor okayed her to eat them because she has good head control, is 4 months, has just about doubled her birth weight, and is SO wanting them!) She got 3 shots, the same ones she got last time (everything recommended except for the rotavirus vaccine, which we are not comfortable giving her at this time.) She was pretty good the whole time but did not like the shots. I took Ems and Bridey out while she got the shots, and while we waited I weighed them, too. They've gained some weight (after holding steady for 1/2 a year for Bridget and almost 2 years for Emma!) Emma weighed 37 1/2 lbs. fully clothed and shoed and Bridey weighed 35 lbs. They were running around too much to get them measured or I would have measured them too, I know Bridey especially has been shooting up!

Sunday morning we ALL made it to church for the first time in, well, a while. Sunday evening I thought I had a meeting but I had put it down for the wrong day... Ooops. Oh, well, it was the same time as stake choir practice so at least I made that. I'll miss part of it next week but that's okay. I'm not overly fond of the first piece we're doing or the hymn, but we're doing what I think is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE (even though the women don't sing until the end) arrangement of "The Spirit of God." Love it! Bridey and Emsie played at Grandma Pam's house during practice. Maggie was good and slept most of the time.

Today we went to Target again (we'd forgotten some things; Jeff also wanted a new vaccum. Got a nice one on sale for $75.) Went to the grocery store and picked up some yogurt and ice cream and other treats and such. Came home and I made falafel; my dad came by and picked some up, I like to share when I make falafel because Sheri, who does not usually like falafel, loves mine. After dinner I fed Maggie; after she nursed on both sides she ate some mashed bananas. It was her first "real" food. I think she liked it. Even accounting for what she lost down the bib, I think she got down about 1 1/2 Tbsp. of bananas, and that was AFTER nursing on both sides, remember! Hungry girl!

So that was our weekend, pretty much. (I did list some stuff on eBay, too, but that's boring. ;) ) Here are some pictures from this week:



Maggie trying mashed bananas-- "Hmmm, this is a new taste..."



...and deciding, "Hmmm, I think I like it!"

I detangled (ouch) and braided Em's hair earlier this week, she was so proud of her braids she wanted pictures. Here's the back:



From the front:



And the sides:



So that's what's up with us. :) All still kicking, just haven't had much energy to blog!

Sooooo hoooot...

I can't sleep. Emma is fitful. Maggie is restless. Bridey took a looong time to conk out. Even Jeff didn't go to sleep as easily as he usually does.

It is just way too hot. We ended up turning off the air because the a/c was so hot it wasn't cooling the way it should, and opening the windows (which is just marginally better, heat-wise, but at least doesn't cost us any money on the electric bill.

I just cannot wait for cooler weather tonight. Usually I have no problem with heat; usually I could handle heat better than cold. But for some reason this hot weather seems different. Maybe it's the stillness and heaviness in the air. In any case, I can't sleep, the heat is contributing, and it's bugging the life out of me because I'm tired-- but not sleepy.

Uuuugh.

Firsts

Since our fridge is out, we ordered pizza and pasta and salad and garlic bread from the local Guido's. Since it was a really nice evening, the sun just setting and not too cool or too hot (and bath night) we ate out by the pool, in our suits, then hopped in the hot tub (a bit too cold for the big pool; I pre-heated the hot tub while we were eating and then turned it off so the kids wouldn't overheat.) It was about as warm as a warm bath, really nice.

For the first time, I took Maggie in with me (in the Solarveil sling, so no chance of dropping her.) She seemed to like it. We all had fun and when she started to fuss a bit and sweat we got out and went in to shower. It was Maggie's first shower, too. She stayed in the sling and didn't seem to mind at all as I rinsed her off and soaped her little arms and legs and rinsed again. Then she got handed off to Jeff (who was already out, having used the other shower to wash up and wash Bridey) while I washed Emma's hair and body (she likes to pretend it's rain) and then I got the shower to myself once she got out. (That's why we almost always swim only on bath nights; that way we just shower after we're done and baths are done for the night. Because they have sensitive skin and eczema, Ems and Bridey only get baths on Tues., Thurs., and Sat. Maggie generally only gets one if she smells or if she wants to come in the bath with me. Her hair gets washed a little more often but not much.)

Anyway, it was a first, and it was fun, and we all felt better after dinner, a soak, and a shower, I think.

When life gives you lemons, go to IKEA.

We got a lemon. A lemon of a fridge, that is. We bought it, new (floor model but unused, just out for demonstration) two years ago, and Wed. it broke for the THIRD time since we've had it. The freezer is working but the fridge is not (and our milk is bad.) Each time it's broken before, we have spent around $200 or $250 getting it fixed. This time we said, "Enough."

We don't have it in our budget to buy a really nice fridge just yet; we looked at the Recycler and Craigslist, but we really don't feel like renting a truck, driving a distance, hauling it up to our apartment...

So we shopped around a bit online and decided to get a fridge from IKEA. Their fridges are made by Whirlpool, so a decent brand. We thought before going we'd probably get their $350 model, but when we got there, they're having a promotion; spend $499 or more on a fridge and get a $100 gas card. So we ended up getting the $499 model because for what amounts to $50 more after the value of the gas card, we get a nicer model with better shelves, an ice maker, and better resale value if we decide to sell it and trade up next year (which we probably will. I do want a bigger fridge eventually; this is just a tiny bit smaller than our current fridge, which we got because it fit in the ridiculously small fridge space in our first apartment.) And because we paid for it with a debit card (thank heavens Jeff got his big EA bonus this month) we got a $17 discount toward our next purchase.

All in all I'm quite pleased with the value, this is basically the same fridge that sells for $150 to $300 more at other stores, and it will get here on Saturday, and someone else gets to haul it up the elevator and lug it into our apartment. Now to figure out what we're doing with our old fridge... Freecycle or something, I suppose. I'm just overall pleased with our decision to get a new one instead of pump money into one that I'm afraid would break again in six months.

Updates

Thanks so much for all your comments and support on my last post. It was more than I expected. :)

After I posted that I talked to my husband and we agreed on some things. First of all, it's hard for me to remember/find time or energy to eat during the day, and allowing my blood sugar to get low affects my mood, always has. It exacerbates the problems I'm having. He has started asking what I've had to eat or drink and encouraging me to at least drink some juice throughout the day.

Second, after praying for some help and comfort, Monday evening we were at Trader Joe's and though I wasn't planning on getting it, I walked past the soy milk, and stopped. I remembered that when I had really bad PMS when I was in my teens, soy milk and other soy products helped. (Soy contains compounds that mimic estrogen and in some women can affect hormone levels and the way we feel. I've always been very responsive.) I don't like most soy stuff but Trader Joe's chocolate soy milk is the only kind I'll drink. I felt an urge to try it. I drank two cups that day and by the morning was feeling somewhat better. Not completely better but life was more bearable. And it corrected another post-partum problem I've been having (which I won't go into right now because that WOULD be TMI. ;) ) I continued drinking it today. Tonight we dropped by and picked up more soy milk and I'm going to make a real effort to consume at least 2 servings of soy a day.

So things are looking up a little bit. Thanks for your love. Continued prayers would be wonderful. :)

In a very happy update, Emma has continued to both pee AND poop in the potty exclusively. We have had no more accidents and I'm ready to call her trained! Yay! Even if she has an accident here and there it's looking like that will be an anomaly, not the norm. I am so glad that after two and a half years of trying to get her to go, she is finally done!!! She now doesn't even use her potty seat except when we're out in public in places with filthy toilets, in which case she uses the folding one (because I make her.) She does everything herself and flushes (except the loud public ones, she has me flush those) and washes her hands by herself. She is very proud that she can "do it like a grownup." AND, Bridey is following her lead!!! Bridey has, in the past three or four days, pulled off her training pants, put on the potty seat, climbed up, and peed in the potty, then called, "I did it! I potty!" until we come and find that she did, indeed, pee in the potty and wipe (and praise) her. We are going through reward stickers like crazy and I could care less! (I got a book of 1,250 small reward stickers for $1; they didn't like the chart but they like to be given a sticker or two and wear them on their hands, and can be bribed into all sorts of good behavior with them.)

Oh, and Jaden has asked that we wait until the Britax sale and get her the Madison Regent because she'd rather wait a few weeks and get the pink one right away. Okay. :) Further update on that when I buy it.

We went to Once Upon a Child today to check out their summer clearance. The clearance was picked over but I did end up with a pair of leggings each for Ems and Bridey, a t-shirt for Maggie ("Got Milk?"), and a pretty church dress for Ems. Oh, and a new kind of sippy cup for Maggie. :) (She's been occasionally having a sippy of expressed milk when I want to take a bath or something. We're hoping to get her nice and used to it so by the time she's six months she can take some watered-down juice and be left for short periods with my aunt or mom while we go on a date. If I'm up to leaving her by then, that is. I do still have nightmares about her being taken from me and start to panic if she's out of my earshot/sight for too long. But hopefully that will be better by then.)

I guess I don't talk about this much.

But I know you will not mind. (No TMI, I promise!)

I think I may have some PPD.

I've had a great weekend. The music was fun, mostly (don't get me started on my altercation with the lady who works there-- okay, not altercation, that's too strong a word, but I was not happy with our interaction), despite the hotel experience (they told us they'd have a crib and then they didn't; we hadn't brought the port-a-crib after being told they'd have one; Bridey didn't sleep until almost 5 AM-- it was La Quinta Costa Mesa, if you want to know), we had fun at IKEA and a good time at the wedding (though Emma freaked out at the sparklers-- which are illegal, BTW, which I was rather surprised no one seemed to know about, and we were RIGHT across the street from a state park, during fire season), a new nursing dress I bought on eBay was waiting for me when we got home, it was all around a fun few days. But I've been snappish, sad, yelling, crying, when we were driving home I had this crazy urge in the tunnel to just open the door and roll out into traffic. It was kind of scary. Jeff took Maggie to burp her while I was asleep and I woke up in a panic because she was gone. I am extremely anxious when separated from her (though I'm getting better about letting others hold her and not holding her ALL the time.)

Please don't suggest drugs. I'm not going to take them. Please don't suggest counselling either. I don't trust therapists. Both these issues stem from my experience with medication and therapists as a teen, which I don't want to talk about, but I may share privately if you ever really have to know. Suffice it to say, it's not going to happen. It's like my thing with female doctors. Just not going to happen. (Not that I could afford it if I wanted it, with no insurance. But since I don't, it's moot.)

I was like this when I was pregnant with Emma. I got over it as the hormones changed. It never happened with Bridey, at least not that I remember; okay, maybe a few days when she was a few months old. That was it. But this started when I was separated from Maggie and has persisted since then. It doesn't help that my hormones aren't back to normal yet. I've got a good few months to go, judging by past experience.

If you are a praying person, I'd love your prayers. I feel detatched and isolated even as I'm more involved than I've ever been in a host of things. Life goes by so fast and I sometimes just feel like it's passing me by. I hate this. I hope it passes soon.

And I don't know why I'm even writing this. I just am. And it doesn't help. Prayer helps while I'm praying, and for a little while afterward, but not all day. And I feel so tired I don't even want to pray. Ditto everything else that usually makes me feel better. I'm stress eating, which just makes things worse. I should probably watch that. But I don't even care.

I want to escape. I just want to go watch the waves roll into nothing and then sleep and not listen to any whining and screaming and just sleep.

I guess I sound pretty depressed, huh? Sorry. Didn't mean to bring you all down...

I really do have fun. This weekend was fun, lots of it. Next Saturday we're having a poop party because Emma finally pooped in the toilet three times in a row with no accidents. (Who's coming? My mom. Who else? No one, because all she wants is my mom and a pinata, go figure. Well, that's fine, makes things easy...) Everything is fun. But the fun never lasts, and in between I'm just... bleh.

I want to sleep now. I'm tired. But I can't sleep and probably won't. Again. Oh, well. That's okay. It's not like I have anything to do tomorrow...

Ridiculously musical children

Wow. This is getting a bit crazy! I knew my babies were all musical-- but have you ever known a three month old to sing a song (well, gurgle it wordlessly) on tune and in key???

All my children have kicked in time to at least some songs while still in utero. (I'm told they get this from me.) Ems and Bridey are prodigious in their tone and pitch; they have very good tone and pitch for their ages, and although they sometimes mishear (and -sing) or skip a word here and there, they also have remarkable heads for lyrics. (They get that from me too.) When Emma was nine months old, she had a "piano" toy that played songs, always in the same order. After about a month of playing with it she learned the order-- and liked to look at me, gurgle the first few bars of the tune that was coming up next, and then hit the toy and laugh when it played. Bridey regularly sings songs she has only heard once, note-for-note perfectly. And of course, Maggie danced through several songs during Mamma Mia! (I mean, she actually moved her hands and legs while swaying side-to-side-- in perfect time.) But I think this one is a bit more... unusual...

My dad called; he's doing a show at Arnie's Cafe Friday night. He's doing a lot of his originals as well as songs by the songwriters that he considers his major influences (Kate Wolf, The Beatles, Stephen Foster, Hank Williams.) He asked if I'd like to sing a couple with him. We discussed it and settled on "Hard Times Come Again No More" and "Across the Great Divide." I'm stoked, it's been a long while since I've been able to sing in public (other than ward and stake choir.) Anyway.

Tonight I finally got over my headache; I listened to "Across the Great Divide" to get the key fresh in my head, sang it through a couple times up and down finding my key, and then started with "Hard Times." I was experimenting with tempo there as well as key, so I sang through the chorus especially many times. Maggie grinned happily through the singing, nursing much of the time and just smiling the rest.

When I finished, though, she looked at me expectantly. I asked her what she wanted, did she want more na-nas? She grinned at me again and then blew me away by gurgling the exact tune of the chorus of "Hard Times", in the key I had settled on as best for me.

I am now unable to sleep for my amazement. You just wait, in a couple of years I'm going to teach these girls to sing harmony and they'll give the Peasall Sisters a run for their money!

(If anyone's in the L.A. area and would like a fun Friday night outing, BTW, Arnie's is a lot of fun. The set will run from 8-11, though my little family is leaving by 9:30 or 10 at the latest, since we want to get to Costa Mesa, where we're spending the night, in time for Jeff to get some sleep before his seminar on Saturday. And we need to rest up for IKEA, too! Anyway, there's no cover and Arnie's has yummy wraps, delicious smoothies (non-tea, unlike some other places around here-- except the green tea smoothie, of course), and a scrumptious assortment of waistband-expanding desserts. They even have fresh fruit! Something for everyone, and sure to be fun. Okay, so I'm biased-- but I think my dad's a good musician.)

Tangles and Headache

I have a headache. I've had it since last night. It's a migraine. I am dizzy, in pain, and it's worse with noise (yeah, good luck having quiet in a house with three kids), movement (and Emma keeps kicking the bed), and sitting up (so the kids are fending for themselves, and each other, as much as possible while I lay here.) I am also nauseated. Ick. So low blood sugar is probably a contributing factor since I can't eat anything (and threw up whatever was in my stomach from last night this morning.)

I think this headache has been exacerbated by the hour I spent untangling Emma's hair last night. It was tangled to begin with and swimming just made the tangles worse. It seems that Jeff doesn't understand how to properly comb hair; I've been leaving it to him too much and he just doesn't get the tangles out. I guess that's probably because he's always had short hair, and also his is stick-straight (while the girls have waves, a product of his straight hair and my uber-curly hair.) Emma didn't like it but was remarkably well behaved. She even let me brush it out and braid it when I was done combing out the tangles. This may be because I bribed her (I told her she would get five reward stickers-- she likes to put them on her hand-- and a treat if she sat still and was brave until all the tangles were out. There was a little whining but not too much.) Anyway, hunching over left me with a sore back, which seems to be making my headache much worse.

I guess that's pretty much it; this was just a gripe post. I hope none of my readers feel as cruddy as I do right now!

Artichokes, mmm mmm...

(In case you don't know, that's from a song by Malvina Reynolds)

We just had a yummy dinner; we started it with artichokes my dad picked up for us earlier in the week. We all love artichokes. These were giant ones, but fresh and still tender. Mmmmmm. The kids each finished a whole one off, too!

Then we had salmon and steamed rice. We've had the salmon a while, it's been sitting in the freezer. They were salmon patties, actually (like round steaks, the size and shape of a hamburger patty), from Trader Joe's; I think my aunt gave them to us. I threw them in a simple marinade I often use:

-1 part soy sauce
-1 part apple cider vinegar
-2 parts honey
-1 part water or apple or orange juice to dilute
-handful of dried onions or a few cloves minced garlic

You just dump it in a ziplock bag, seal, mix it all up by shaking or squishing, and put the meat in, re-seal, and squish around to cover, then pop it in the fridge to marinate. It's kind of teriyaki-ish, and goes great with fish or chicken, though turkey and some cuts of beef can be good, too! Then Jeff grilled it (we have a very nice communal gas grill out by the pool. Makes grilling really pleasant!) It is hot but clear, a perfect day for grilling!

It was so delicious with just plain steamed rice. Really yummy, easy dinner!

Oh, and I've done two things on my list (below.) I went swimming Thursday night and tried out my swimsuit (which is GREAT! The high neck keeps me covered even when I have, ahem, buoyancy issues. And the slenderizing really holds me in, even when I'm "really" swimming, not just towing and chasing Emma! As usual, Land's End has more than just satisfactory quality. The color, rich and attractive when dry, gets richer as it gets wet instead of just looking sodden. And did I mention it STAYS PUT? I highly recommend this suit!) And yesterday we went to the Watermelon Festival. We picked up dinner on the way and ate it there, then had all the watermelon we wanted for dessert! The kids rode the carousel and Emma rode a kiddie ride; she seemed scared at first but warmed up to it by the end. She insisted she REALLY REALLY wanted to go on it even though she had to ride it alone... It was a bit nerve-wracking for me, since it's the first time she's ever gone on a ride alone, even a little one! I was proud of her for giving it a try and even smiling by the end. :)

Fun plans

We have many things coming up that look to be lots of fun (if we ever get over these colds...)

So not so much a real blog post as a list of stuff we'll be doing that I'm looking forward to.

-the Watermelon Festival is this weekend. That's always a blast!

-the weekend after, we're staying Friday night in a hotel in Costa Mesa. Jeff has a seminar he has to attend for work that Sat. at the Huntington Beach Hyatt Regency, and while that's too rich for our taste, we'll be close so he won't have to get up at 5:30 to get there. The place we're staying at is literally across the street from an IKEA, so we'll have a late checkout, and just sleep in our clothes, get up, and go spend about 3 or 4 hours at IKEA while Jeff goes to a boring seminar! We do so love IKEA. And sleeping away will kind of be like a mini-vacation, so fun! Jeff has that Friday off so we can do stuff that afternoon, too.

-when he gets out, we're going to his cousin's wedding reception in Pacific Palisades. Not only do we get to go to a wedding reception and see his cousin; that happens to be the building I was baptized in! It should be fun for me to go back, see if there's anyone still in the ward who remembers me! (Long shot-- it's been 7 years, and I've changed a lot!) Maybe I'll get a chance to show the family the font where I was baptized. That would be cool. Also, it's just plain beautiful there. :) Emma will love looking at the ocean. Hopefully Bridey will sleep in the car there. Now, I get to decide what we're all going to wear... (Well, what we're going to change into. Jeff will probably be the only one to wear what he's going to wear to the reception all day.)

-I get to buy a super-cool carseat! Jaden, our niece, just had her birthday. She turned 4, and she's outgrowing her carseat. So for her present, we're buying her a Britax Regent, which is just an incredibly awesome seat (we'll probably be buying one when we get a bigger car, for Emma, and when she's outgrown it Maggie will probably be ready for it, my long-torsoed girl... Do you know she has a TWELVE INCH torso already? :o ) Anyway, there's going to be a Britax sale soon, so we're getting this ASAP (when Jeff gets his bonus for getting his EA next paycheck-- oh, did I mention that came???) from Amazon, which has a 30 day price guarantee. Then when the price drops for the sale, I'll just call and get my refund. Simple! I even found a website that will track your Amazon items and notify you when the price drops. Awesome!

-I got a new swimsuit (from Land's End-- via On The Counter), and I get to try it out. I love having a pool. :) And I just ADORE their swimsuits. This is a "High-Neck Slender Swimsuit." Which is just how it sounds! Has a high neck, and slenderizes you. :D

And I'm sure there's more fun stuff that will happen too! But that's my top-five excitement list right as of this second. :)

I may be crazy...

...but even when it's hot I like a good rice pudding. Our favorite is really low mantainance, adapted from a recipe I found on Recipezaar (I do so love the 'zaar!)

Tonight I bit the bullet and baked it even in the heat. We had bought whole milk to make peach ice cream and, since we pay about $1.20 more to buy two gallons than one, I went ahead and bought 2 even though the girls and I pretty much only drink skim milk. (Jeff is quite happy to drink whole or 2%. I was not raised that way, lol.) I planned to use the extra for rice pudding so... Rice pudding it is. :D Plus, we all have colds; rice pudding goes down well on sore throats! (And it's almost nutritious!)

Here's my recipe, which you might want to save for cooler weather (unless you're in the Southern Hemisphere where it is winter right now.) Another thing I love is this recipe has no eggs. Lower cholesterol! (Plus no eggy taste! I'm really not usually a big egg fan.)

Simply Delicious Baked Rice Pudding

Note: the original recipe calls for short grain rice. I don't usually keep that around and, food prices being what they are, am not going to buy it when I'm not making something else that would use it (like risotto.) If you have it, it will give you a more creamy texture. We usualy use long-grain, which gives a texture more like Mexican arroz con leche, which I actually prefer, since I grew up on arroz con leche; my mom never made traditional rice pudding. This recipe doubles well; I make 2 batches since they're no more work than one; I can bake my two round Corningwares at once to make a double batch. Just rotate them when you do the second stirring and move the one that's more forward to the back and vice versa. Good hot or cold; also freezes well!

4 cups milk (not skim; whole is best but I've successfully used 2%)
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch salt
1/3 cup white rice (see note)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup seedless raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 deg. F. Spray a ceramic or glass oven-safe casserole (I like my round Corningware, as I've said) with an 8 cup capacity with non-stick cooking spray (or otherwise lightly grease.) In a saucepan, heat milk (covered) until it heats up and just begins to bubble around the edge. Turn off heat and add butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Put rice in bottom of baking dish; add cinnamon and stir. Pour liquid ingredients on top and stir again. Add raisins, if desired. Place in oven and bake for 2 hours. Stir after first and second half hour; do not disturb for the last hour. Tempting as it is, let cool a bit before eating or you'll burn your mouth! 6-8 servings (depending on how much you like rice pudding!)

Enjoy!

Maggie's First Earthquake

Actually, it might be Bridey's, too. I can't remember. I think Ems slept through hers... If Bridget's had one before, she did too.

It was just a little one. But you never know when it starts if it's going to be big or little. We were watching tv, and our tv is not bolted down, so I unplugged the laptop from the cord (which was in the wall), just in case, scooped up the baby, and got Bridey to follow me. (She wanted to watch tv, and wasn't sure what was going on. We have had drills, but she had never felt it, so she didn't know it was an earthquake! I had to say "Emergency!", which is our "obey right now because this is serious" trigger word, before she followed me to a clear spot, where we sat down and practiced "duck and cover" even though I was sure by then that it wasn't a big one (it never hurts to practice!)

Nothing even fell off the shelf, but outgoing calls weren't working on the home phone and the cell service was too busy to get a call through. (We got texts through, very slowly.) Same story with Jeff's work phone, only incoming worked. He kept trying on the cell and eventually got through to Emma's preschool (they were fine-- they thought it was a drill!) and then to me to tell me Emma wasn't scared. We're glad that it wasn't any worse! It was a scary time for me having Emma at preschool and not knowing whether she was scared or okay (I was sure she wasn't hurt but, you know, emotionally.) I was really glad Jeff was able to get through, in case she had needed the comfort of hearing a parent's voice.

Update: we went to Grandma Pam's house in the evening to pick peaches, and she had lost a picture frame, but that was the extent of the local damage we've heard of. We're lucky enough to live on solid bedrock, which really dulls the damages when we have quakes!

Squee!

Rayann and her kids are coming tomorrow afternoon!

I'm so excited! The reservations are made, Disneyland tickets bought, loose schedule and dinner menus worked out... Hooray!

Tomorrow we're going to rent a van (there will be 11 of us total, 10 without Jeff along, 5 kids in carseats), put the carseats in, pick them up, and go see Rayann's uncle in Palm Springs. Later this week we're shopping (thrift store, using my Gymbucks, and getting advance souvenirs from Disneyland at the Disney Store, where they're cheaper), going to IKEA, going to the beach, having a little poolside hangout with the Meeses from Hatrack, seeing our friend Rivka (also from Hatrack), but not in that order, and going to the ward chili cookoff; next week we're doing Disneyland before she goes home next Tuesday. Squee! A whole week! Of course, when it's the once a year you see your best friend it's never long enough... But we'll enjoy ourselves. Emma is VERY excited.

Did I mention, SQUEE!!!???

Oh, and I probably won't be around teh interwebnet much this week. For obvious reasons. ;)

A Public Service Announcement to All Two Year Olds:

Finger painting is to be done with finger paints (and permission.) Not poop.

I just spent half an hour scrubbing poop off crib and wall (and disinfecting the mattress to boot), while Jeff (who got home just after I found the mess, thankfully) bathed Bridget (the tub is now soaking in hot bleach water so I can drain it in about 10 minutes, scrub it out, and rinse it), and got her shirt soaking (luckily for us, all she had been wearing, other than the training pants she pulled off.)

We threw out the sheet. It was already stained and has seen the births of three kids, and, well, it was such a mess it wasn't worth the work to clean it at this point. We have other sheets.

I almost took a picture but have decided that I really don't want to remember it that vividly.

Thank goodness for Lysol wipes.

Please, two year olds, give your parents a break. Respect the finger painting rules. Poop is for potties and diapers, not for artwork.

That is all. Thank you.

Please pray-- scary time for my family as fires threaten

As we celebrated, Goleta, where I have family, was on fire today.

The news as of this past afternoon:

My second cousin, once removed, and his wife have been evacuated. My second cousin and his family (other cousin's father, this is my dad's father, evacuated cousin is his son) are on the street that is the boundary between evacuated and non-evacuated homes. One block over, their neighbors are gone, and the car is packed in case they have to leave at any moment. My great-aunt is less than a mile from them.

I know things are just that, things, but memories are precious in a place where you raised a family, and even if things can be saved or replaced, the stress of losing or nearly losing them is always hard. Please, pray for my family, for their safety and well-being. Pray for the city. Pray for rain, for the heat to break and the fires to be contained, for no lives to be lost and for property and the memories that go with it to be saved. Pray for the firefighters and other emergency workers who bravely battle for the property of others. Thank you.

Boom

Happy Fourth of July, readers!

We hit the thrift store this morning for a 1/2 off everything in the store sale, yay. Got an end table, clothes, movies, and toys for the kids, items to sell. Fun times.

Also went to dinner; on the way back, saw a ton of fireworks (we managed to catch parts of about 5 shows while on the freeway, then when we got off, turned and sat on Apperson for a while and caught the bulk of the show at CVHS. Emma had fun, but Bridey LOVED the fireworks! She said, "Look! Look! The fire! The flower! The pretty! Look!" Over and over again she said it. :D She was just totally thrilled by the fireworks. It was a great spot to view them, too! I tried to explain to Emma why we have fireworks on Independence Day but she was too distracted to listen; I'll try again sometime in the next few days. (I also tried to get her to sing a different patriotic song besides "You're a Grand Old Flag", which I am decidedly NOT fond of and which she learned in preschool, but no dice. She shot down "America the Beautiful", which is probably my favorite, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", and "My Country, 'Tis of Thee." She just wasn't in the mood, it seems. Well, except when I got sarcastic and said if she HAD to sing a patriotic song, "how about "God Save the Queen?" She wanted to know how that went and actually showed some interest. Of course. Note to self: sarcasm backfires with this one.)

Then we hit the grocery store, we had to get some more bread and some Tylenol and cereal and things like that. I am annoyed that Ralphs no longer doubles coupons the same way (but still advertise their policy the same way.) So we went to Vons because the sales on things we needed were better this week and now that Ralphs has a stinky policy their coupon doubling policy is the same, and Vons has the store-brand rapid release acetominophen that work EXACTLY the same as the rapid-release extra strength Tylenol but are way cheaper (and even on sale this week.) Then we came home and the kids pretty much crashed! Us, too! Tomorrow morning we're going to my dad's for breakfast since Jilly and Craig are in town, so it's nice that the kids went down fairly early (compared to what they sometimes do.) Though I think we're going to sleep in anyway, get up at 9, and the kids just go in jammies (and Jeff and I throw on some loungewear.)

Anyway, hope you all had a great Independence Day!

Congratulations to Jeff

Jeff has officially passed all 3 parts of his EA exam! Woo-hoo!

Besides being a qualification that he can take anywhere in the country, getting his EA comes with perks at his work-- besides paying for the tests, prep materials, fees, etc., once the official notice comes (in about 6-8 weeks), he'll be getting a $5000 bonus, be allowed to take a 4 day work week every other week, and get higher performance bonuses.

He's worked really hard to overcome his test anxiety with sheer knowledge, studied his rear off to learn tax law in and out, and I'm really, really proud of him! He's one of very few-- only about 15% of people who apply for any part of the exam pass all 3 parts. Wow!

In a few months, his card will come and he will officially be an Enrolled Agent!

Blessing Maggie

Today in church we blessed Maggie. My mom came, which was nice (and afterwards held her and got her to sleep for us, suh-weet! She usually fusses through Sacrament Meeting.) In the circle, besides Jeff, were the bishop, Jeff's dad, and for the first time, Jeff's brother (half-brother, whatever), Kevin (he was ordained an Elder just recently, so this is the first time he's been able to participate in blessing one of the kids.)

She wore the family dress (see my post on blessing Bridget), which I washed using Clorox 2 and got a little lighter, and darned several spots on by hand (the bigger holes that had developed since last use; the smaller ones I decided to leave and not do more damage.) And she didn't spit up on it, which was good. She's the first girl who's been small enough to wear a size Newborn onesie underneath, the other two wore size 0-3 mos. by the time they were blessed. (Maggie wears 0-3 in most things and 3-6 in pants, because of the length, but still fits Newborn onesies, because she is long but SKINNY. Like our other girls. But she is more petite, bone-structure wise, than the other two. Except her feet, of course, which are huge.) The dress hung off her a bit, but it was okay. She is just so narrow. Afterwards, we changed her into a white dress I found at the thrift store, and got for $0.50; so cute! It has lace around the collar, is made of Swiss dot fabric, and has poofy little sleeves. We put a white headband on, too.

The blessing was pretty short, compared to the other two, but that was okay; what the Spirit directs the Spirit directs and when the Spirit says "the end", that's it! She didn't make a sound, unlike her sisters. We got her into her father's arms and calm before time to go up, so there was no transition to make her scream. It seemed to work well. The main points were as follows:

-Name by which she shall be known in the records of the Church is Margaret Nancy;
-That she may be an example to her siblings;
-That she may seek an education;
-That she may be married in the Temple to a loving husband and father.

Like I said, short but very sweet. I was particularly interested in that first point! ;) It is interesting to me that Emma and Maggie were blessed to be married in the Temple and Bridey was not; we will see what happens there, I guess! Of course we want that for all of them, but more than anything we want their happiness.

During Sunday School, Bridey came in to get her diaper changed and cracked everyone up yelling out, "The find the daddy! The find the daddy! The change me! The POOP!" *giggles* It was the fifth Sunday so we had a combined RS/Priesthood meeting third hour. That was really great. As usual. I love when the Bishop teaches. After church we went to my aunt's and had lunch and cake (Emma insisted that we had to have candles and sing "Happy Birthday"-- even though it was no one's birthday), then home for a nap, then to my mom's, where we talked (and played) with my sister Megan (half-sister, whatever) and then she had to leave as Jeff's parents and Kevin showed up for dinner. It was a great evening, after dinner we looked at old photos that Jeff's mom had brought, and they were so cool. We found out some interesting things. Jeff sits, squats, stands, and holds a kid EXACTLY the way his grandfather did (which I never knew, his grandpa died while we were dating.) Emma has her Grandma Leslie's grin. And Maggie looks almost exactly like Jeff's cousin Barbara did when she was an infant. There are definitely some dominant genes in that family! ;)

All in all it was a great day, despite a few minor willful episodes on the part of the older sisters. It followed a very full weekend (on Friday, the Pacific Asia museum and a Dodgers game; on Saturday, the train to downtown, lunch at Phillipe's, Chinatown, shopping for lunch Sunday, and then dinner with my dad and Sheri and Jeff's family at the Star Cafe), and we are looking forward to a more restful one next week, though we had fun (and Emma REALLY bonded with Uncle Kevin!)

Perez Hilton asks, "Is this Safe... Or Legal?"

The answer: No and no.

Normally I would not link to (or read) Perez Hilton. But this one's right up my alley. Anthony Kiedis, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, went riding in his Gem car with his infant strapped to his chest in a front carrier.

Boo! Hiss!

The Gem car is a smart car from GM; it has seatbelts and is a street-legal vehicle. As such, it falls under the California law that says that all children must be in a properly used carseat or booster in the back seat (unless the vehicle does not have a back seat or does not have belts in the back seat or the seat otherwise cannot be properly installed in the back seat, in which case they may be in front) until they are 6 years of age or 60 lbs. It is neither a bus nor a motorcycle, which are the only exceptions other than standard medical, etc. exceptions; it is a citable offense. Also, he needs to be wearing that seatbelt himself, it's also the law.

Other than being illegal, it's unsafe. If in a crash, if they were both not ejected from the vehicle (which is likely to cause death or serious injury), he would probably be thrown forward into the steering column, and the baby would be crushed against it. The baby would be likely to die, and he would probably suffer severe internal injuries himself.

Get a clue, Anthony! Get safe for yourself and your son, that's way uncool!

And where's the CHP when you need them? Or the LAPD? Someone write the man a ticket and make him learn how to be safe in the car!

Tech-savvy Kids and Their Assorted Stuff

Emma figured out how to use the mouse by the time she was about Bridey's age. (Note to self: schedule Bridget some alone time on the compy so she can learn, too.) Much as we may like to extol the virtues of giving our kids no electronic toys or screentime until they're Much Much Older, in our house it just Ain't Gonna Happen That Way. (We haven't even succeeded in getting people to stop giving them toys that make noise, much as we would like to. Heck, we haven't even really stopped ourselves, we'll occasionally buy one.) These kids grow up knowing technology and understanding it almost instinctively-- if there's a button to push, they figure out how to push it, if there's a sequence to follow it they learn in two seconds what takes older people several repetitions to remember, and if you take their picture they want to see it right away-- these are children of the digital age.

So once we've given up on the tech-free lifestyle, the problem becomes how to placate them in their love of all that beeps, plays movies, or otherwise has technological bells and whistles without them messing up our stuff. The phone issue is pretty much solved by locking the cell keypad, letting them make the occasional call (but not teaching them how to use the one-touch speed-dial) and giving them toy cell phones that sing and make annoying noises (you learn to tune out the noise after a while and, besides, the small annoyance is usually worth them not calling Italy.) The camera can be used with supervision-- it's not a waste of film since digital photos are easily deleted-- and important photos on the flash drive "locked" for protection. But then there's still the issue of the computer. Ah, the computer.

We have several ways we let our kids enjoy the computer. First is good old-fashioned (well, not really) YouTube. Now, before you flame me for letting my four year old navigate around YouTube, she doesn't do it willy-nilly. She does it while I'm in the room (or at least within hearing distance and walking by frequently); I start her off with a Sesame Street video (or whatever), she may not get on by herself, and she can ONLY click on links to other videos that are either pre-approved or she asks about (I have to approve anything before she clicks on it), and when I say a video goes off she knows that means navigate off the page NOW, like before I get there, or she will not be allowed on the computer for the rest of the day, if not longer, no arguments and no fuss. Our thinking: it's better for her to learn these "internet safety" rules and procedures now on this relatively safe site than have to learn them when she's more argumentative. (I say "relatively safe" because we can immediately see or hear if something is not appropriate, unlike a forum or chatroom where it would be harder to monitor; she can't read yet so even if there's an inappropriate word on the screen, she doesn't know it yet. These rules give us a foundation to build on when she gets older and CAN read and go on forums and such.)

The second is Starfall. Oh, how the kids love Starfall! And it's educational! 'Nuff said. Starfall is great. And it's hard to go astray from Starfall (though, you have to be careful about them closing the window and messing up your desktop, as I've learned the hard way. And teaching them to use the "back" button on the browser is useful if they tend to get "lost" from the content they want sometimes.)

Third, "Watch Instantly" from Netflix. Again, not allowed to choose a video without getting approval, but since they came out with this we've really gotten our money's worth from it; this is how Emma discovered The Wiggles, among other things (and boy was I glad when they took the monthly limit off-- that meant I could watch movies myself without worrying about hitting the limit and then not being able to let Ems watch!)

And the one that prompted this post: the Fisher-Price Easy Link Internet Launchpad. I got it on clearance from Toys R Us, and it was well worth the money. (We also got two extra character sets-- Barney and The Wiggles, and Clifford and Arthur. Emma wants Bob the Builder and Thomas, but we're not sure if we'll ultimately get them or not.) Man, this thing works just the way it claims to! It locks the kids out of your files, desktop, out of doing anything other than navigating to the allowed sites and, I guess, doing a hard shutdown of the computer (they could if they really wanted to-- but they never want to.) The software that comes with it (one time installation) is fast to set up and doesn't try to install ten gazillion add-ons (at least not that I remember); it allows you to put a timer on computer use, and requires a password to change that or other settings (such as allowing or disallowing printing) or to exit the program once it's started. Even when the USB cable to the Easy Link is unplugged (thank you Bridget for testing this), the software does not allow you to exit until the password is entered. Nice. Neither does the website shut down if the character "key" is removed while in use; you just can't navigate to another website until another key is entered. And the websites have no objectionable content other than a few ads; even the shows that contain the occasional "stupid" (a word not allowed in our house) do not have it on the site. The only two problems I have with it: there's no in-program volume control, so if I want to change the volume my only options are to either exit the program, change it, and re-enter the program, or to use the external mute on the speakers, and the software is not downloadable. The problem with that is that we have a broken CD drive on one computer, so in order to install it it has to be put on the good computer, copied to a USB flash drive, and then installed from there. And what if I lost the CD and wanted to re-install or install on another computer? They should really make it available for download. Other than that, it's great, though! The games are suitable for a wide variety of ages and abilities; Emma loves the "painting" pages and some of the sorting and matching games, while Bridey loves the sequencing games. The hardware is easy to use (though it still requires a bit more force and finesse than Bridget is used to to insert the keys, she's getting the hang of it); the only things you need are a computer, the console itself, and a mouse to play. (Bridey broke Abba's wireless mouse by removing and sucking and chewing on the USB part repeatedly, but they have both learned to use the touchpad mouse on the laptop since we haven't had the spare cash to replace it, as well as the regular mouse on the "big" computer.)

The only option we know of that we haven't tried is keyboard basher programs. You know, programs that lock the keyboard out from other functions but bring up letters or educational activities when the keys are pressed. There are several I know are available for free download or free trial periods, but since we're doing so well with what we're doing so far, we have never tried them. If any of you have used them, or used other options, I'd love to hear all about them! My tech-savvy kids will thank you.

I so wish I could take advantage of this...

All my kids are napping at once. And I can't sleep 'cause I'm in too much pain!

Ems and Bridey fell asleep on my bed watching Sesame Street. Maggie is out here with me, also asleep.

But my cheek still hurts, even though I just took my Tylenol 1/2 an hour ago. See, I got my wisdom teeth on my right side out on Thursday. And my jaw is killing me. I went and got them checked this morning (we went to my dad's, Ems and Bridey stayed with Grandma Sheri and Grandma Ronnie-- their great-grandma, who is in town right now-- while my dad took Maggie and me. Afterward we went to SunThrift and I got cool stuffage (clothes for the older two, Sesame Street play quilt for Maggie, a few things for eBay-- yes I think I'm starting back up there soon unless I can find somewhere better to sell) and then he took us home-- did I mention that I got three carseats in the back of his 1988 Corolla, a Cosco High Back Booster (with harness) for Bridey, Emma in the center in her extra Radian that lives in his car for picking her up from preschool, and Maggie in a SnugRide with no base? Anyway, I digress...) But the check-up re-hurt my jaw, which had been starting to feel so much better. Wah. I get my sutures out on Thursday, hopefully by next week I'll be back to normal. I'm sick of not being able to chew properly! I was conscious for the extraction, btw. Did you know that when they pull a tooth out, it sounds crunchy, like potato chips? Also, another one to add to my list of weird drug reactions: Novacaine gives me tremors. Nothing else, and it didn't impede me getting the work done, just gives me tremors. Also, I metabolize it very rapidly. She used about 3 times as much as she planned to, used all her extra she had out and had to have the assistant go get more, because it kept wearing off. And she didn't take that long, I just metabolize it quickly. I kept my teeth, btw. The assistant thought I am a bit strange. I think they're cool, and fascinating. The roots are all curved, and you can see the flat surface where the impacted one grew into the tooth next to it (and the cavities in it; I had to get a surface fill of the cavities that were forming in the tooth next door, as well.) I'm tempted to do something cool with them. Earrings? Or drop them in Coke and see if they dissolve... I also have to be on penicillin. I hate penicillin. Loathe it. It hurts my tummy; both if I take it on an empty stomach (or if my stomach gets empty while it's in there), and later on in the digestive tract, lower down... Yeah. I despise taking almost all antibiotics for this reason. But better safe than sorry, and at least it's cheap.

(About the not posting the last month-- sorry. I have been super-busy and have photos of most of it, but I have been too tired to edit and post them. I basically have a bunch of photos and stuff written that I'll publish when I feel up to it, hopefully soon. So, yeah...)

P.S.-- Rayann (Boon from Hatrack) is coming next month to see us! w00t! I am so excited! She is like my bestest friend EVER. I can't wait for us to meet each others' babies. And go to Disneyland. And the beach. And shopping at Sun Thrift and IKEA. And... :D

A good day

It was a nice day today. First we went to Maggie's appointment (we have found a new clinic that we REALLY like) and the doctor was great, the nurses were kind, and Maggie has gained 1/2 a lb. over her birth weight. Which is good. The other girls mostly behaved, and the doctor gave them stickers and a book. Very nice. Did I mention how nice everyone was? Yeah. We like this clinic. Which is good, since it would be $326/mo. to add Maggie to Jeff's health insurance, so we won't be doing that, and it will be a year before she qualifies for Healthy Families and can go on Kaiser like her sisters.

Then we all went home and rested. Jeff and I watched some Netflix, while the girls all slept. Everyone got a nice long rest. And there was a package at the door-- Jeff had sent me a Harry and David "Tower of Treats" for Mother's Day! He told me I could open it right then. Since I knew what it was already. ;)

Then we went to Tortas Mexico for our Nauvoo forum get-together. Jan and Jana (our out-of-country guests) were already there when we got there; they walked with Ems and me and Maggie over to Albertson's across the street to see if they had any of Maggie's pacis (they didn't; we picked some up at Vons on the way home) and pick up a few things for themselves, while Jeff got tables together. It was just a very nice day and the weather was beautiful. They were in love with the flowers all over the place (it is, after all, spring.) When we got back people had started arriving, and we all had a wonderful dinner, following which everyone took a turn holding Maggie. It was just as much fun as our get-togethers always are! I am not finding the camera cable right now, but pictures are forthcoming whenever I do get them uploaded. :)

Today's our first "normal" day...

...since Maggie was born.

Meaning, Jeff is back at work (thankfully just from 8 to 6), we are home, and I'm figuring out how to do this with 3 kids instead of two! For instance, Bridey had to wait to get up from her crib, because I was nursing Maggie and I could go in and talk to her, but can't lift her out (she's big!) with Maggie nursing. And Emma didn't get the oatmeal for breakfast that she wanted (she settled for chocolate milk and a granola bar) because I couldn't find clean spoons and bowls, and didn't have enough free hands and space to wash them right then. Oh, well. We'll figure it out! I did with Bridget, and I didn't have nearly as much time with Jeff helping me with her... Although, admittedly, when you have two kids, you have enough hands to attend to each with one... And I'm more tired this time than I remember being the last two times, for some reason. The sling helps, but I still can't do everything while holding Maggie, and if she wants to eat, I'm even more limited-- I can do a lot of things one handed by now but I can't wrangle toddlers while nursing a newborn!

But overall we seem to all be surviving so far. Bridey is more fussy than usual because she hurt her tooth the other day (we're waiting a week to see if it's broken or if it will "settle." She did NOT like the X-rays they took, and they couldn't definitively tell. They said the gum was too swollen to do anything immediately, anyway.) Emma is grumpy because she wants to play outside and I won't take her (I don't feel like getting everyone dressed right now...)

Ah, well. Like I said, we'll adjust. It just takes time.

Maggie comes home

Here are some coming-home pictures!

I am pleased to say that we did NOT have to get the infant carrier out. The 9 inch bottom slots are even a bit BELOW her shoulders, not just at! (You can't see that 'cause of the infant cushions, but it's true.) The nurse who checked the carseat (who is a certified tech, and also the sweet one who showed me how to make Maggie more comfy by putting blanket rolls on top of the Bilibed cover) had never seen a Radian before and thought it was an awesome seat (and awesome that I'm a carseat geek who knew just what to do with it.) And she was pleased to hear that our other two are harnessed in Radians as well and will be for quite a long time. I love our Radians! So do the kids, they're really comfy in them! Bridey liked the seat rear-facing and still likes it now that she's hit the RF weight limit and has to forward-face. I love the fact that they exceed federal requirements even without the top tether, and do even better with the top tether (which we use) and can even be tethered rear-facing. And they let us get three across in a Corolla, can't ask for more than that!

Anyway, here she is fitting perfectly in the car seat (though the cushions did end up needing a bit of adjusting down):



Here you can see how they fit three across:



And here are the proud big sisters (who also needed their harnesses and such adjusted before we went.)



Finally, here's her first picture at home! I was so glad to see her lay in her own playpen!