Yard Crashers!

Have you ever seen the show yard crashers?  (Alex and I are HGTV junkies, can you tell?)  Well, we kind of did our own version of it while my mom was away.  Without the cool contractor and tv cameras, since we're just not lucky enough to run into someone at Home Depot that wants to help us out.  Here are some before pictures, none of which are really great because I kind of forgot to take them, so this is what the yard looks like at 6am....in February.  HAHA. 

Basically, a lot of dirt and weeds with a little 2 bed garden on the side.

This is what my mom came home to!

The brick extension of the patio will one day hold a spa and they plan to have some patio furniture aside a fire pit where the dirt is near the shed.  There's also 2 fruit trees in that dirt at the end (just planted today!)  It is heavenly to go barefoot in soft lush grass!

Lots of Catch Up to Do!

I know I've been pretty non-existent lately, but I plan on posting some things soon.  We have lots going on right now and so much to say!  For one thing, my LAST day of WORK is TOMORROW (or it will be in 10 minutes)!!!!  Alex is flying to TX next week for a third job interview and I am excited/nervous/sad/scared of moving away.  We'll see how it goes.  I'll try to download my pictures in the next day or so...Keep a look out!

Look Who Just Turned TWO!

Last week, Ben turned 2.  (correction: 2 months ago, he just turned 2--that's how behind I am!)  His doctor appointment was on his birthday and we got out relatively quickly without totally trashing the place and causing a ruckus.  That's pretty successful in my book.  He did, however, open every drawer and cabinet he could find and constantly turned on the water, but there was no slamming of the drawers, removal of the file folders (who puts that at a child's height and doesn't lock it anyways??), or hitting of doctors.  That's just a glimpse of  his behavior at Ashlyn's last appointment.  You're probably thinking that your child isn't so bad right now.  It's ok.  If you ever need a reminder, just call me.  I'll be happy to trade for a few hours. :)  Anywho, since Ben is behind on his language skills, I expressed my concerns in a non-hysterical way and the doctor gave me the usual "it doesn't matter how fast they get there, just as long as they get there.  Learning to talk is not a race."  I get that and that's why I'm not hysterical.  BUT, I do think he's behind and I'm not going to sit around until he's 3 when the doctor really gets concerned.  I asked for a referral to the early intervention program from the state for an evaluation.  The doctor suggested a hearing test.  I thought he could hear just fine because he responds to you, even if he can't see you, and he follows directions well, and can point things out in a picture.  So I decided to humor him.  Guess what?  He did NOT pass.  Now I'm waiting for an audiologist to call me back.  It seems as though either surgery (yikes!) or hearing aids may be in his future.  I don't want to psych myself up for something that isn't in the prognosis, but I'm a little nervous.  Yet relieved to possibly find an answer for his lack of words.  We'll see.  He is 27 pounds and 35 inches tall and definitely 2. 

**update:  His hearing is perfectly fine, according to the audiologist.  He will be starting speech therapy here soon though.

His favorite toy of the night

A wooden train

Cake balls!  They were yummy but not very pretty

Sometimes climbing on the box is just as fun

Sleep

My precious boy Ben has decided that sleep is not for him.  Ever since Christmas, he screams like he's absolutely terrified when we put him down to sleep.  Imagine my dismay since this was my child's only redeeming quality--he was an excellent sleeper.  He'll only sleep if you lay down with him.  Of course I usually fall asleep first, wake up around 1am, sneak out, and then get woken up again by Ashlyn who thinks she needs to eat during the night.  This wakes Ben up and we all sleep on the living room floor.  Ben hasn't been taking afternoon naps and I have a bunch of things I want to get done.  I'm cranky because I slept on the hard floor and I don't get any "me" time to get stuff done/relax/burn some calories.  I'm sure the extra cortisol in my system is storing up even more fat.  That's ok...I like a challenge.  Ben pushes all of my buttons all.  day.  long.  I'm starting to think my kids will not live past age two.  Or maybe I won't.  This seems to be a VERY long phase.  But it's just a phase, right?  Kids do eventually grow out of the "I'll do exactly what you just told me not to do, look at you, and laugh when you get really mad" phase.  At least that's what I keep telling myself. 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Now that we have finally cooled down (I actually need a light jacket when I walk outside now) that I might be getting in the Christmas spirit.  I was completely ready for gift-giving, but it just didn't feel like that time of year.  Maybe the tree and lights will help this weekend.  We don't decorate much because 1) we don't have many decorations, 2) they are boxed amidst all of our other stuff that we're not using, and 3) it's already a packed house.  The last thing I want to do is set one more trinket on a bookshelf.  Our traditions this year are:

• to get a christmas angel from the mall
• to read the advent calendar each night
• to drive to see Christmas lights
• to see the temple lights
• to make candy and cookies and sweets galore!
• to help out a family in the ward
• to do a little craft with the kids each day

Today's craft was making snowflakes.  It was the first time I had ever given Ben scissors.  He doesn't quite get it and I don't think it helped that I don't own a pair of left-handed ones.  I'm going to have to rectify that before too long. 

What are your plans for the season?

PICTURES!

Sometimes it's nice to have a child with a birthday near the holidays because we can take his yearly pictures at the same time as our family christmas card ones!  Can you believe my boy is turning 2 on thursday????  Me neither.  Get ready for a walk down memory lane very soon.  I might just need a new box of tissue.  Anways, back to the pictures from this year.  We got so many fantastic pictures!  Here are some of our favorites!

Getting Ben to smile at the camera is a trick in itself

my two favorite boys

LOVE the coloring on this

this is the one and only time that she looked right at the camera

here he's ready to throw the fruit at the first unsuspecting person he can find, usually his sister

the classic, "are we done yet?" look

7 months

I started this post when she turned 6 months and am just now getting around to finishing it.  At 6 months, she was 12 pounds 6 oz and we have since had TWO weight checks (annoying little things) and she's now 13 pounds 5 oz!  YAY!  She's steadily gaining weight and doing well.  Luckily, we haven't had to add formula to her diet.  I've been eating good fats and she's been eating more solids and it seems to be a good combo.  She's had rice cereal, peas, green beans, squash, and carrots.  She likes carrots and tolerates the rest.  Her first facial expressions were hilarious!  (Since then, she's also enjoyed sweet potatoes, bananas, prunes, and peaches.)  She's a pro and sitting on her own and scooting around and I think we'll be officially crawling in the next day or two.  Her favorite things to go after are shoes, Ben's beloved magnetic letters (which he will NOT share), and his sippy cups.  They are the 12mo+ ones (I haven't bought any since) and she can get the juice out.  haha.  She's a strong sucker!   I think this is my favorite stage of babyhood.

We had some family pictures taken on Saturday and got a few back.  This one is my favorite so far:

Thanks Mimi for making us look so good!