The truth

Remember last week when I was all blubbery about my family? Don't get me wrong...I love them the most. But the past four days have been hard. Everyone is sick. Everyone is grumpy. Cleaning up a lot of grossness. And I'm ready for it to pass so I can see the butterflies and rainbows again.

Halloween 2011

What a week. I really do love Halloween now that I'm not teaching. And someday when I do teach again, I vow to be more patient and fun about the whole thing.

We've had activities all month long. I love to make the most of the month, since it all passes so quickly. So we started off with Cornbelly's and then took the kids on the Lindon train (which Gavin cried all the way through) to the Barnyard Boo and Saturday Spooktacular at Thanksgiving Point.

Grandma Judy had her traditional Halloween party. Gavin was pretty sure that every game was created just for him. McKay stood there for about two minutes and then was done. The other hour he was content eating in a highchair.

Can't do Halloween without pumpkin carving!!

Trick-or-Treating was a first. Last year we were rained out and went to about five houses. The weather was perfect and we loved it. This year McKay walked by himself for awhile. He got his first piece of candy and, just like Gavin at this age, opened it right up and was content. He soon realized that he would get more if he walked up to the door and opened up each piece as he got them. He was a sucker maniac. Gavin got to go door to door with his friend Ayda. Good thing she was there to keep him plugging along or else he wouldn't have done it.

I was getting bugged that Gavin was wimpin' out and being a baby about knocking on doors. He wanted me to hold his hand to every door. Of course after we got home I realized that this kid will probably never want to hold my hand trick-or-treating ever again. Next year he's gonna be like, Catch ya later, mom! and I'll be yelling at him to slow down and wait for his brother. What am I so worried about? A sensitive, tender-heart is just who he is. I don't know if and when that will change. Brian always says he'd rather have a cautious kid than one who doesn't think and gets himself into dangerous situations. I guess he's right, even though I want Gavin to be braver.

Happy Hallowiener was a hit. Fifteen minutes in and Brian was thinking about going to buy more hot dogs. He's all about everyone having a good time and our driveway was packed. In my mind, the 144 dogs we passed out were plenty, although he's thinking 200 for next year. How soon until this is totally out of control?? The boys ate their body weight in hot dogs and candy and were wired the next day. And then Gavin was planning his costume for next year. Yikes.

The things they say

Gavin is killing me. I cannot believe (as usual) how much he understands, the things he picks up, and how he tries to make sense of his world.

Recently he asked me, "Mom, what is consequence?" Good grief. I say a word one time and then have to explain myself.

Yesterday I was putting McKay in his carseat and told Gavin to do the same. I asked him how he was doing and he said, "I've got it under control." Alrighty, then.

Last night I said, "Gavin, I have to tell you something. I love you very much." He said, "Mom, I have to tell you something. I love Arizona."

The real kicker was when I asked Gavin to put his toothbrush in the drawer and then shut the bathroom door. He said, "Mom, you kindof sound like Cinderella's mother." Guess I forgot to say please.

McKay says 'no' for everything. If it's clearly a yes, he still says no. Always. He calls all drinks juice, thanks to grandma. He's learning so many new words - I'm having a hard time keeping track anymore!

If I have to talk to a three-year-old and 18-month-old, they might as well be entertaining. That they are!

A Perfect Sunday

I just have to write this down while it's fresh. Today was the best day. Really. Sure, the primary program is over and done and that's a big relief. But it was just an easy going day. The boys woke up at 7:00 and played together all morning. Truly. Until 10:20 when we went to church, they were doing their thing. McKay was smiling and happy and didn't come and cry to me once. Given his normal behavior, this was a miracle. And given the past week of wailing and general freaking out at all moments, it was especially appreciated and made him that much cuter.

Now, there was the minor meltdown during nursery, but we'll give him a break since it was way past naptime and he was not allowed to touch me during sacrament meeting. That had been half a day without his mama holding him, so by then we were both ready for a snuggle. After naps it just kept going. We made homemade pizzas, played legos, made cookies, went on a walk, put on pjs, brushed teeth, and everyone was STILL smiling. You see, this one is for the records. We do still have great days around here despite crying, minor meltdowns, and time-outs, but this one was just abnormally perfect. And Brian was home from beginning to end which was awesome. (Our Sundays with daddy at home have officially come to an end. Bummer.)

In real life, the four of us are sorta a mess. I don't write about all of those days, you know. But if we're being honest here, my house is a mess, my kids look like raggamuffins, Brian is gone more than usual with his internship, and I'm drowning in lack of motivation and wanting to revert to my old napping schedule. That saying - We may not have it all together, but together we have it all - is so us. Thirty years from now I won't look back and remember perfection, because we're just not. But I will remember happy, simple seemingly nothing days like these. For today, I just want to bottle everyone around here up and squeeze their cheeks - whichever ones I can grab. It was just last night I was telling Brian what a happy, full life I have. And it's true.

Cousin Visit

The weather this time of year is perfect. The red trees outside my kitchen make me happy. Matt and Lynsey's two-year tradition of a fall visit is also something to look forward to. They came to visit us last week. Our five little boys had a blast. Gardner Village and Cornbellies were the highlights. Well, that and us all being snuggled into our little house. I love having people we love at our house.

McKay and Gavin couldn't be happier about having live-in play friends. I love this picture. I looked down and they were sitting like this for awhile - their legs all intertwined.
Gardner Village was chilly, but the kids really liked the witches.

Cornbellies is a fall favorite around here. Three years and counting. These pics on the big chair are awesome - super fun to look at year to year and see how everyone is changing. McKay was just a little dude last year...
Cousins





Gavin got picked to cheer for the red pig during the pig races. "Go, Red! Go, Red!" He thought he had won the whole ding dong thing when he walked away with a plastic spider ring. Ah, the simple things.
Come back next year, guys! (BTW, you came on the only cold weekend in October.)

Conference

Brian was lucky enough to be invited to sing in the October 2011 Priesthood session for General Conference. He practiced for weeks and weeks. There was a dress rehearsal the week before where the families were invited, since we wouldn't see him during the session. I sent McKay to Melinda's and took a cute three-year-old date. He was so excited. We drove up with Keri Haynie and her three boys. Gavin watched the boys in awe and laughed and laughed as we drove up. A sign of things to come with us and our boys, for sure. Keri says the gross potty talk grows exponentially with each boy. Awesome.

We sat really close to the choir, but I'm not sure Gavin could see Brian. His excitement faded after they practiced the first song. The two hours were long for him, but we had fun visiting and walking around the fountains outside to pass some of the time. It's always a good reminder to me that I need one-on-one time with all of my boys. I love family time, but there is just something about that undivided attention. I love that Gavin loves it and hope that he will for many years. I'm sure soon he'll think I'm a dork and wish I wouldn't act like I knew him at all...

18 month McKay

Holy moly, little man. Eighteen months? You seem so big to me. Well, that's probably because you are, but still. Gone are the days when I can control you in my arms. You wriggle and scream to get out and then you are off and running. I love the lopsided sound of your footsteps running. You are quick and into everything. Everything. You are opening up the child-locked cupboards and spraying any bottle you can get your hands on in that two-inch space. My dad says that 18-months is only a milestone to mormons. Either way, you walked right into nursery and didn't look back. I was prepared for the worst and you shocked me completely. I think dad is more grateful than I am about that, since he's had you during church your whole life.

You are such a great sleeper. Night sleeping is a breeze. You'll do 12 and 13 hours. There have been a few nights lately that you woke up crying. I held you for five or ten minutes and you were ready to go back. Teeth maybe? You have officially switched to one nap during the day which has been good for you. More often you wake up talking to yourself rather than crying. That's new. A two-hour stretch is awesome for you. Since you have broken all the rules, we take what we can get. If you wake up while Gavin is still sleeping, that's our time together. We read and play and you generally love the attention. I think it's important to have that alone time with each of you.

You want to play with the big kids. You run and chase and generally just mess things up. Like pulling train tracks off tables and smashing into kids who are running way faster than you. It usually ends in crying, but you are trying to find your place. Is it with them where it's fun and interesting or back with mom when it's safe? Let's not pretend that you never cry, because you get pretty dang offended when you don't get what you want. Like face turning purple and not breathing kindof cry.

You say uh-oh, binky, blankie, and some version of Gavin that is consistent but sounds nothing like it. You yell "Mommy!" just to get my attention and then follow it with a bunch of jibberish. You pump your arm up and down every time you see a truck, hoping for a honk. You say hi to the kids walking to school in the morning and wave at everyone. You are now aware of planes and helicopters in the sky. You hand-feed Wilson his food one pebble at a time and then wash your hands in his dog dish. You yell, "No, no!" whenever you hear a dog bark. You learned that from me, by the way.

You can follow directions and surprise me with what you understand. Recently I asked you to go and get your monkey pillow and you ran back with the right item in a matter of moments. All on your own you brought me a shirt to put on you. Then you went back for some shorts. Then you brought me the shoes. Your outfit was made up of your summer swimming shirt, but I just ran with it and chalked it up to you saving me time and you being cute.

You are interested in bugs, dirt, toilets - pretty much anything I don't want you to touch. It's really the toilet one that grosses me out... But you love to wash your hands and be clean. You recently have figured out bending over so we can wipe your buns like we do your big brother's. Not time yet, but I think it's funny to watch you copy everything he does. That can also be a bad thing... You have also finally decided that you love books. You weren't interested at all until a month or two ago. Now we can't get you to stop. You bring one after the other and plop yourself on any lap that will have you.

Today you climbed up the rock wall part of the mini-park by our house. I was right behind you, but you did it alone. It scared me. I remember that day when suddenly Gavin could do things that I didn't think he could (or should!) and that it was a sign of his independence. You are becoming more and more that way. Fearless and curious. Although you are a mama's boy, you will need me less and less. It just means one thing - my baby is growing up.