Zoo

My sister Maddy recently came for a visit.  We were all sad when she left!

We enjoyed every moment with her.  One day I decided we all should go to the zoo since admission was half price.  The kids were thrilled and had a great time.  It is a small-ish zoo, but perfect for my kids because by the time we had seen everything, we felt ready to be done.

I don't know if the kids were more excited about the real or composite animals.

 

(There were several more but I did not take any more photos.)

Little Monkeys. . . yep, that's about right.

Ashley and Everett were too short to reach the taller monkey's face, so we had to do the picture individually.

A real, live, lizard!  There was a small python, too.  Everett enjoyed touching the animals but Ashley didn't get too close.

Poor William was a little sick, so nice Aunt Maddy catered to him.

He spent a lot of time in the stroller looking like this.

The zoo has three activities for an extra charge: pony rides, a carousel, and a train.  I told the kids they could each choose one thing and that was it.  Everett chose the carousel and was bound and determined to find it as soon as possible.  Fortunately, we found it quickly.  He was thrilled to ride this black panther.

Ashley chose the pony ride, but since William was too nervous to try out these moving animals and I had already purchased the ticket, she got to ride the carousel as well.  I think she had more fun on the real ponies!

The kids' biggest treat was sharing this day with Aunt Maddy.  She rewarded them by letting them choose their own little webkinz animal from the gift shop.  The kids still love them and talk about their Aunt whenever they use them.

William chose a lion, of course.  It goes nicely with his pillow pet, and in a few months I'm sure it will look just as ratty and have just as many specks of food matted into its fur.

Don't I have a beautiful sister?  She is very easy on the eyes, she is quick-witted, and she has a great personality to boot!  (No, this is not an advertisement.)  William and Aunt Maddy are good friends.  They even have a few inside jokes.

But Aunt Maddy knows how to have a special relationship with each of the kids, so I think they all feel they are important to her.

And, as I've said before, this is never more true than it is when Maddy and Ashley get together.  These two are just on the same wavelength.  Not even I can say that, and I'm Ashley's mother!

Thanks for visiting, Aunt Maddy.  We miss you.  Come back soon!

On Gas

There is one kind of humor that never fails to relfex my children into fits of giggles.  If you are not sophisticated enough to appreciate potty humor, you'd better skip these anecdotes.

Everett is the mastermind behind almost all potty jokes in our house.  He is fascinated by bodily functions.  And yes, I believe this indicates his readiness for kindergarten.

Last night the kids and I shared a treat after William went to bed.  I gulped down a large glass of water and belched loudly.  For a second, Everett's face was frozen in a look of profound amazement.  Then he burst out with a loud, musical laughter that shook his body from deep within his belly.  He laughed for a long time--each time his laughter slowed, he'd recall the belch and start right back up--and then looked at me again in amazement.  "Wow, Mom!  How did you DO that?" He said.

So of course I have nothing whatsoever to do with the potty jokes.

Last night Everett drew a large spider with an elaborate back story.  "Its head is larger than a planet, and its legs are so long, Mom, that they make the head look very small." he explained.  "This giant spider eats people.  But it only eats Ashley and William, and not James." 

"Why doesn't the spider like babies?"  I had to know.

Everett looked at me like he couldn't believe my ignorance.  Thankfully he had an explanation prepared that my feeble mind could understand.  "All babies do is sleep and pass gas.  So if a baby passes gas in its mouth, it would just spit it right out."

Ah.  Alles klar, as Joel always says.

Everett assumes that everyone else in the house is as entertained by bodily functions as he is.  As far as the kids go, he assumes correctly.  When William is upset, Everett begins his go-to method of cheering William up.

"Pppfft!  I tooted!  PFffft!  I tooted!  PFFffft!  I tooted!  PppFFffft!  I tooted!"  Everett dances around comically, keeping his lips busy with the imitation.  William never fails to laugh.  He thinks Everett is admirably hilarious in a way that only a little boy can feel about his older brother.

And, all this humor has rubbed off on William.  One of his favorite activities of late is to blame events on other people.  "Everett did it, Mommy," he reports soberly as I question the kids about a particular mess.  Yesterday William was playing with two cups of water on the counter, resulting in a massive puddle on the floor.  

"How come you did that, William?" I asked while he helped me wipe up the spill.  

"No, Mommy, I didn't, the cup did it," he clarified.  

So it was not a surprise when, two weeks ago, William used a similar tactic when he let one rip in the living room.  It was very loud and very long.  William grinned proudly.

"Ashley did it," his mischievous smile made me laugh loudly.  As usual in our potty humor overtures, Ashley was nowhere to be found.

Have a Heart

My Dad recently had a mulitple-bypass heart operation.  Everything went well, and he is currently recovering at home.  The kids wanted to write him a story about his ordeal (because, you know, he hadn't experienced it himself).  Here is their take on what a heart operation entails:

(illustrated by Ashley)

Grandpa does not own a blue truck.  Everett must have thought it was more exciting this way!

(Grandpa, Grandma, and a hospital employee, illustrated by Everett.)

True, very true.

(Illustrated by Ashley)

I had sort of explained anesthesia to the kids but I was surprised at how well they understood.

(Illustrated by Everett)

Tape is Everett's preferred construction tool.  Can you tell?

(Illustrated by Ashley)

This is a roundabout way of explaining veins and arteries.

(Illustrated by Ashley)

Of course, a little embellishment had to be added!

(Grandpa with a lot of medicine in his belly.  Illustrated by Ashley)

Again, very true.

(Outlined by Ashley, colored by Everett)

Grandpa has been working on his house.  I'm assuming this is where the house details are coming from.

(Illustrated by Everett)

Every story written by kids needs to have a happy ending!

Fortunately this story really did end happily.  There was a significant chance it wouldn't have happened this way, and I am so glad it did.  I feel blessed to live in a time that modern medicine makes more miracles possible.

Sweet Baby James

The kids love James.  Even in a house with so many kids, he gets plenty of attention.  When James isn't snuggling with me or napping, he is getting loved on by the kids.

How can anyone resist?  He is so smiley and Jolly!

(James at three months old.)

Ashley is very good to her little brothers.  She protects them and tries her best to keep them happy.

(James is a good sport, even when he is poked and prodded by the kids.)

Everett especially has a soft spot for James.   Maybe it is because they share a bedroom, or maybe it is for another reason, but Everett thinks James is the cat's meow!   Everett constantly expresses in amazement how cute he thinks James is.

"Aww, look at him!" Everett likes to announce. "James, you're such a little cutie!" Often Everett's powerful snuggling catches James off-guard, but our little five-month-old is pretty used to it.

It will be fun to see this relationship develop.

Generally, William refers to James as "Baby."  When William does say his name, he pronounces it "Baynes."

He is fascinated by this squirmy infant.  In another year or so, they will have a lot of fun together when Ashley goes to Kindergarten.

(yes, he has had a haircut--his second--since this photo was taken.)

James is our squishy piece of happy.  He is a good baby.  He is generally pretty agreeable, even though he is getting his first teeth (one down, twenty more to go).  I haven't started him on solids yet, mostly because I'm too lazy.  Breastfeeding is just so convenient!  Usually around the babies' six month mark, I bite the bullet and begin.  I bet he will do great.

And he is a great napper!  He sleeps about six hours during the day and about ten or so at night.  Hey, it takes a lot of energy to grow cheeks like those.

Mudders Day

We had a nice, relaxing Mother's Day.

Despite the fact that I woke in the early morning hours sure I was going to throw up, and spent the rest of the day fighting the idea that my head was going to explode, it was truly a lovely day.

The only downside to feeling less-than-well was that I couldn't fully enjoy the delicious breakfast in bed my brood delivered to me--two raspberry toaster strudels, a glass of orange juice, and a beautiful vase of flowers.  The food was incidental compared to the smiling children to brought it to me.

Everett and Ashley sang in Sacrament Meeting with all the other Primary children.  It was the first year they both were involved in this annual Mother's Day tradition, and it was the first time I have ever seen them sing loudly and proudly.  

Everett entered our pew with a proud look on his face.  "Did you love it, Mommy?  he asked.  "Did I sing loud?"  Ashley grinned and leaned in for a tight squeeze.

I assured them that it was perfect and I spent the remainder of the meeting trying to arrange three children who all wanted to sit on my lap.  Fortunately James was content to be with his father.

We took some snapshots when we got home from church.  They pretty much sum up how things go around here, except there aren't enough where I am unshowered, angry, tired, or impatient!

(two thumb-suckers, oh yeah.  we'd better start saving for braces right now.)

After lunch I sat down on the couch and woke up two hours later.  It was a perfect nap, and a great way to celebrate the day.  

I grilled up some dinner and we enjoyed some time outside and pie with our neighbor friends. 

I spent the day feeling grateful beyond measure for my family.  I have a wonderful mother who continues to teach me how to be better through her example, and I am blessed to have gained a wonderful mother-in-law when I married Joel.  I felt an affinity for her right away and I am glad they welcomed me into their family.

I also spent the day in gratitude to the many women in my life who have taught me to be a better person and who have helped my children--Visiting Teachers, friends, school teachers, cousins, church leaders.  

The day was just how I like it.  It was simple and filled with the people I love.

William's Age of Discovery (or, a marathon post that would only interest his mother)

Everyone in our family has a soft spot for Mr. William.  This is what I told a friend of mine who substituted in  Nursery and commented on how helpful and kind he is.  Another nursery leader informed me that she thinks he will be a mechanical engineer.  She elaborated by explaining that he figured out that if he sticks his fingers into the chute of a musical toy and presses a tiny button, he doesn't need to send ball through to make the music turn on.  This didn't surprise me because he is very mechanically-inclined.  He has loved helping Joel and me build our new kitchen.  He only needs to see the way something works once and he understands how to do it on his own (whether we want him to or not is another story!).

William is never as satisfied as when he is helping me. He loves to carry things, put things away, and if he overhears me searching for an item he loves to find it and proudly bring it to me.

He is a sweet little guy.  He loves his siblings, and they know it, even when he bites them. (Yes, we are currently battling a biting phase)

William chomps at Everett most often, usually getting him on the back or arm.  After his time-out, William returns to play with a very forgiving Everett.  "It's okay, buddy," Everett says nicely, "I don't mind that you bit me."  Everett is an emotional guy and William is the only one he has this much patience with.

William gives Everett a hug and they all move on to more fun.

William is always making us laugh.  "Watch me, Mommy!" or "Watch this!" are phrases he utters constantly while performing wacky acrobatics and grunting dramatically.  He repeats himself more loudly and more loudly until I turn my head and watch.  His moves are impressive, too.  He's been jumping with both feet off the floor and doing a perfect somersault since well before he was two.  

His favorite move these days is to spread his legs as wide as he can in a standing sort of split, then return with one fluid jump to a regular upright stand.  He and I do this move over and over together and I always tire of it before he does.  He giggles and giggles the entire time.

We all love making William laugh.  It is very easy, and very gratifying.  He laughs a big jolly laugh at just about everything!

William also loves to please.  Some children are naturally obedient and William is one of them.  The only time I ever have to correct him is when he bites (see above).  Asking William once usually does the trick.  I always tell Joel that if we had William first, we would have thought his behavior was all because we must be awesome parents.  Now we know better, and are just grateful he is ours.

I have also really enjoyed taking notice of his acquisition of language.  He is so funny!  His phrases sound a little awkward, the way a foreigner might speak when first learning English.

"I can't find it, car, Mommy."

"I can't do it, shoes, Mommy."

"It hurts, bottom, Mommy."

"Where is it, blankie, Mommy."

And sometimes he still surprises me with the amount he can describe.  This morning he informed me, "I'm running in circles, Mommy!"

William is also very curious.  I was present at the exact moment he discovered the moon in the sky, and I will never forget the way his face lit up when I told him its name.  "Ball!" he exclaimed, when he first saw the moon, just visible during the dinner hour and high above our heads.  We laughed.  "That is the Moon, William."  He grinned and grinned.  That night before bed I held him as we peeked out his bedroom window at the luminous moon, enjoying our own goodnight moon moment.  For days afterwards he searched for the moon in the sky, and renamed every circle in every object he saw after it.

William still loves his pillow pet lion.  I carry him around the house each night before bed in search of his furry companion.  "Where is it?  Where is the lion?" I say conspiratorially in his ear as he giggles and giggles.

One Sunday around lunchtime as we were all eating some sandwiches, we heard someone blow a very loud, resonant raspberry.  William busted up in hysterical laughter.  It was him!  He had accidentally made the noise while squeezing his own cheeks together.  We all laughed as he repeated the noise with delight.

"Fffffwwwwwwwap!"  

William is so enchanted with this new trick that he makes the noise any time he can, even during Sacrament Meeting at church, much to the amusement of the people sitting sitting near us.

Without William, we would really be missing out on a hefty dose of entertainment and belly laughs.  Joel is always a little sad when the kids outgrow the toddler belly laugh, and so am I.  I am glad we have William to give us our daily dose.