Sweet sweet lovin'

I was checking blogs this morning and Rio hopped up into my lap. He showered me with kisses, said, "Mommy-you're the best mom eba". Then he snuggled into a baby position and while I rocked him, he whispered, "I sing da mommy song- mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, etc. I love you toe much." Then he sat up and finished his frozen wabble (waffle). It's going to be a good day.

Also, he says, "I mim" instead of I am.

Also, he just told me, "You're not a girl, you're a mommy."

Everydayness

For my children

Let the late night rambling thoughts begin:

Tonight I held both of my children while they slept.

Rio smelled like Anthropologie (he got into my new candle), his hair smelled of apple soap and clean sweat. His eyelashes are sooooo long. His mouth was pulled down into a 2 year old frown. He breathed deep. His hair was wet (again, with the sweat). He is precious and a son of God. He is a miracle.

Belize smelled like she needed a bath- like her skin had been played in all day. Her cheeks were soft and her eyelids glistened. Her lips were puckered in a perfect puck! Her hair was smooth and shiny. She snored softly. She is precious and a daughter of God. She is a miracle.

Mayan is tiny- the size of a papaya (according to my fruit chart). She is quite active, especially today when it seemed as if she were punching her arms and feet out at the same time. She is strong. She is precious and a daughter of God. She is a miracle.

Today, I had a new appreciation for motherhood. I felt it in my eternal soul that I am a mother and will always be one. I read an article recently that said there was evidence that what we do as parents doesn't have that much influence over how our children "turn out". Part of me sighed with relief, phew- that takes the pressure off!haha

But the other part of me knows that is not accurate. I know that nature vs. nurture is not a fair argument when going to each extreme. I do have an effect on how my children "turn out," to think otherwise is foolish and makes having children pointless.

If I only have a teeny tiny speck of influence on my beautiful babies, let it be that I teach them about what I know. That they can choose right. That sometimes right is hard and unrewarding but that they are promised opportunity for joy in trial, happiness in adversity- that if they know who they are and where they are going, they need not despair. "Come what may & love it". Not Lady Gaga style- where they are born one way and stay that way til they die (embracing every flaw), but where they are born and continually progress to follow their perfect example, Jesus Christ. The enduring IS the joy in the journey. If you can't be happy in your current situation, change your situation, make it better. If you can't change your situation then change your perspective, make it better- deeper.

I promise to my children that I will try to lead by example. I, with no doubt, will sometimes fail (okay, pretty regularly) but that I will keep trying- for them- for me- to be with them & my family forever. Heavenly Father knows I am not perfect and He still loves me, I still love myself and others still love me- its okay. I hope my kids never feel badly for failing when trying, a step is not meant for blocking your way but for stepping upon.

My life, RIGHT NOW, is my ultimate joy and will continue to be so for eternity.

I have noticed that I have changed significantly the past few years. This is in no small part to my husband and each of my children. I thank them. I love them. Forever.

And can I just say that being a mother is- THE BEST!!! (Ronne Randall)

*As a side note- my actual Mother's Day was filled with "ugly" crying, screaming and general wondering if my children were demons- also I was husbandless- Happy Mother's Day to me. ;) You know I still wouldn't trade it for anything.

I don't wanna work, I just want to stay in my bed all day

Although we are on the last leg of our journey in the worst residency year EVER, the kids have been feeling a serious lack of Dad lately. Belize has recently started wishing on things (pennies and dandelions) that her Dad will, "never have to go to work again."

And then we had this conversation on our way to Disneyland:

B : I wish Dad could come with us.

Me: Me too, but he loves us so much that he goes to work so we can have food to eat, etc, etc.

B: I think we need another husband

Me: (pausing to think of what the heck I am going to say next)

B: Then he could be an assistant and go to work for Dad.

Me: Sure.

B: Maybe the next baby could be a boy and he could be another husband.

I have to say that her logic is impeccable. Here is what my want ad would look like-

WANTED: 2nd husband, whose only duty would be to go to work for PYT's 1st husband. Work consists of 110 hour sleep-depriving, stress-inducing work weeks. Benefits- free cafeteria food. There will be no other benefits- period. $3/hr

How many replies do you think i'd get?

German Pancakes

Photo by Con Poulous
Dinner was so delicious tonight that I just have to blog about it for my posterity. This was ready under 20 minutes and was gone in 5. I tweaked the recipe from "Women's Day".

German Pancakes

4 eggs

1/4 c. plain yogurt

1/4 c. milk

1/2 c. flour

1 TB (heaping) granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lemon juice

2 TBs butter

Confectioners sugar for serving.

Place the 2 TBs of butter in an 8x8 square baking dish (this recipe could easily be doubled and put into a 9x13 dish) . Place the dish on the middle rack of the oven and preheat to 425F. Then combine remaining ingredients in the blender. When the butter is melted and starts to bubble, swirl it around the pan, then add blender contents. Cook for 12-15 minutes until top is golden and puffy. Serve immediately- can top with lemon juice and powdered sugar, maple syrup or fresh fruit. Or if you are my family- "Peach sauce" :) This dish is light but very filling and will melt in your mouth!!!

Easter Best

Easter in photos

When we got to the Harmons, Belize wanted to know where the Easter Bunny's car was.

The Waltons

The Waltons are just the cutest gosh darn newlywed couple you've ever seen! Richelle and Darren came to visit and to Disneylandia (Darren's 1st time!!!) It was so fun to have them here, the kids leeched onto them and they practically had to pry themselves back to Idaho.

We had a fiasco departing flight but we DID get to spend extra time together and finally take pictures! Here is Darren and Belize in a "nest". Darren was a trooper babysitter!
Richelle once stated, "I don't think I'm going to be as stressed out as a mom as you." Oh, this cute newlywed couple, although I'm positive they will be great parents, I invite Richelle to- BRING IT!!!!

Belisita

Belize is just a joy to have around! It's fun to watch glimpses of her grownup personality. Right now she is super helpful, kind, friendly, chatty, tattly, and yes, a little bossy. She's pretty independent, although does choose moments to be shy. She asks a million questions a day and retains the answers, she loves going to church and cried one Sunday when the rest of us were too sick to go. She "loves Heavenly Father a whole lot more than she loves Satan" and she keeps us laughing with the hilarious things she says!
Her and Bri having an impromptu scripture study?!?!?! We do read 3 verses a night but this is the first time the girls have gotten their study on- haha!
Belize started her first soccer class, which she loves, that and her pink soccer shorts and sparkly soccer shoes.
She said that the Cheerios "erupted".
Belize already loves her baby sister and is excited to teach her everything. She was devastated and did cry for about 1/2 hour when I told her that we were probably going to name the baby, Mayan instead of Shylan. "Mayan is the WORST name EVER! Mom, isn't Shylan a pretty name? And then her nickname can't be Kailan (from the cartoon)". After repeating days later that it was the worst name ever, I asked her how she would feel if someone said her name was the worst name ever and since then she decided that Mayan is a very pretty name.
One word. Posh.

Keep my underwear dry!

Rio has really been ready to be potty trained for about 5 months now. Well, finally I bit the bullet, got brave and did what I SHOULD have done a LONG time ago! And I shouldn't have fretted because it only took a couple DAYS! Wow! AND he's been keeping his pull-ups dry at night (most nights), this boy is so smart!

Best General Conference. Ever.

So far anyways. :) This was the first year since Belize was born that I felt like I got to listen to a lot of the messages- it was wonderful, soul-soothing, and a ray of sunshine! For Dad's birthday the kids got him a marble contraption, Rio was in heaven! This is pretty much what they did for all of conference. And bless his heart, Grandpa left it at our house until he comes back-hehe.

What a darling and beautiful BYU-I art major! Sarah is one of my heroes, I LOVE YOU SARAH!!!!!!!
The Greggs tired those Orton kids OUT- which is pretty impressive!

California Science Museum

Tangled!

The day that my mom & Aunt Sarah came also coincided with the highly-anticipated release of the Disney movie, Tangled. In honor of the occasion we hosted a tangled party for the little girls in our apartment complex. Complete with spaghetti dinner, breaded bread and snacks of twisted licorice and pretzels. And a long long yard braid that took WAY too much time to braid!

When they fall

Rio fell today and scraped his knee, toe and hand on the cement. He closed his eyes, wailed, then looked for his mom. I was a step away and scooped him into a comforting hug, picked him up and coddled him while he got bandaged. Then suddenly, he was all better, ready to collect the golf balls he had been collecting.

In a way, I am a parent- to teach my children about deity. I, like my Father in Heaven, am a step away, ready to give healing hugs, and tell my child, "It's okay." There is a bigger picture and the pain is temporary, I am always here.

I'm sad that I won't always be the person they run to when they fall. But I hope that they will always remember that God is always with them, gives the best hugs, and He can heal all wounds, however deep or long the pain continues . . . and I hope that I get some phone calls too! ;)

The truth is, their Father in Heaven loves them more and better than I am able, I can only begin to understand the great love He has for them. This is why being a parent is so important, it is one way I learn about God and the way that He feels for all of His children.

Funny things:

Nana, Grandpa and Aunt Sarah are in town, so far these are the funny things the kids have come up with to entertain them:

Nana was trying to get Rio to go pee in the toilet, Rio got mad and refused. Then he got up to the kitchen table, sat down and peed on his seat. Nana: "Why didn't you go in the potty!" Rio: "I did it to be naughty."

We ate at Lucille's BBQ to celebrate Dad and I's birthday, Belize nonchalantly said regarding her ribs, "Is this a baby's back?"

Also while at Lucille's, Rio decided he wanted to use the restroom 3 times, after Brannon and I's turns had been exhausted he turned to Nana. She went to take him but after a minute, he ran back screaming, "I'm not a girl! Not the Ladies!!!!"

Brannon talking about something, ending in- "and the world will end.- that's pretty much everything in a nutshell." Belize: "Does that mean Heavenly Father is going to take the world apart and put it in a nutshell?"

Other things I've been meaning to record somewhere:

1. Rio sweats a lot. When he was little he used to sweat so profusely from his feet that he couldn't walk in the kitchen without slipping. It's improved but at night his pillow, blanket (a thin one) and pajamas are soaked 5 minutes after he falls asleep even in the winter.

2. Belize and Brannon have developed a shower game. Usually the kids are so excited when Brannon gets home that they can't leave him alone for a second. Since he bikes home, he's sweaty and in great need of a shower. When the kids were littler they would almost always end up in the shower with him (he's a softy and won't lock the door like mommy-mwahahahaha) so he and Belize made up a rhyming game. Brannon gets in the shower and Belize makes a space on the bathroom floor (usually with blankets and pillows). Brannon gives Belize a word and she has to find a word that rhymes and visa versa. It's become her favorite game.

We love our friends!

Brighton had a special birthday and we celebrated by playing and exploring Manhattan beach. The Nielsens moved into our apartment building a few months ago and I can't express what a blessing this has been in our lives. We are not alone on earth- for a reason. We are meant to connect, to bolster, encourage, offer support and love, it is in our eternal natures.

In this house

In this house

we do second chances

we do grace

we do real

we do mistakes

we do i'm sorrys

we do loud really well

we do hugs

we do family

we do love

I couldn't choose just one.

Belize is convinced that someday she will marry Rio and I can't say I try to convince her otherwise (of course, we will have that talk when she's 18-haha), but truly I love watching their sweet and deep friendship.