For Todd

Todd and I met in December, and twelve years ago tomorrow was our first date; ice skating followed by hot chocolate. Each year when I listen to this Celine Dion song, it means more because of the added memories and adventures of another year spent together.

The big news

We would like to announce to the blogging world that we are expecting our fourth child in June! I haven't been good about keeping up with our blog for the past few months because I've been sick, but I'm hoping that in another few weeks it will get better. One day at a time.
We took a trip to St. George to be with Todd's parents and two brothers for Thanksgiving. The kids had fun playing with their cousins, and were really very good on the road.

Another thing that has made the last few months interesting is our "move" - that hasn't happened yet. We had our offer accepted on a bank-owned home . . . in September. I dutifully started packing a few boxes a day in mid-October. We had thought we might close on the house and start moving things over on Halloween. And then we thought it might be each of the following weekends, until we got to Thanksgiving. Then we learned that there was an error when the house was foreclosed on and the bank doesn't have the title in the right name, or something. So, we have a garage half-full of boxes, our landlord is planning to move back into the rental we're in now, and I don't know much more than that, except that it will all work out, right?

In the meantime, we decided to make an offer on another bank-owned home to see if we could move forward more quickly that way. We still haven't canceled our contract on the first home, but apparently we could get out of it if we choose to. Today we found out that there are multiple offers on the second home, so we resubmitted our "best" offer and will most likely have to wait a week to hear back.

That is our latest news!

October's photos

Okay, sorry for the month-long hiatus. Last week I realized that I just hadn't taken any pictures for a while, so I went out to the back yard and snapped some of the kids. I had been planning to get rid of this playset when we moved because it ruins the grass and I thought the kids wouldn't miss it. Then they spent two or more hours that afternoon playing together on it. Anything that facilitates cooperative play is a keeper.

All of a sudden, Truman's shirts are getting too short on him! I didn't notice until I saw this picture on the computer. He's growing up!

This is Parker at Disneyland (by the Small World ride that has been closed since last Spring). We were waiting while the others went on Matterhorn because, in his own words, Parker doesn't like to go fast. He also is wearing this hat for the first time, I think. He informed us in the car that his name at Disneyland would be Bear Brown, and we could just call him, Mr. Brown.

Can you believe they would let a tiny person like Truman walk onto this ride? 35 inches! Truman is a kid made for roller coasters. His first was the red roller coaster in Toon Town. He rode on it with Todd and when we got to the end of the ride I could hear he was crying. . . It was because he didn't want to get off! He was crying and saying, "Again, again!"

Parker and Miss Michelle at Parker's preschool Halloween program. He is wearing last year's costume because when it came right down to it, he was nervous about wearing the Darth Vader costume.

Something awful has happened and some of the pictures from Halloween night are lost. Truman was the cutest monkey again. I'm sad his picture disappeared. But, I guess not sad enough to get the costume back out and dress him in it for another picture.

Target was sold out of witch hats, so the wig is a fill-in, but I think it turned out pretty well. Something about the white dress socks and mary janes doesn't say "witch", but it's still cute.

Our little Linus

I came out of my room a few weeks ago, and found Truman just standing at the window like this. That is his blue blanket (i.e. best friend) hanging on the laundry line outside. He's very attached. On this particular day his blanket had to be washed because he had dragged it on the ground outside. Since then he is very conscientious and always bundles it up high in his arms when he takes it out of the house.
A week or so before this photo, I had washed his blanket, but forgot to put it in the dryer. So, at bedtime I showed him that it was wet and put him to bed without it. An hour or so later, Todd and I were watching tv and heard a few doors open, and then a stool being dragged on the ground and the washer lid clanging open! So resourceful and so cute! We let him come sit with us until his blanket was dry. When I gave him his blanket he had such a look of relief and happiness on his face because he was so sleepy and now he could finally get some rest!

(I apologize for one of the uglier side yards on the planet. We do have grass in the back!)

Know-it-all

Emma: Where does God come from?
Me: Honey, I do not know the answer to that question.
Emma: I hope that Google knows the answer.
Me: Google does not know the answer.
Emma: But Google knows everything!

The Worth of a Mother and a Heartfelt Prayer

Several days ago, I was in the kitchen dealing with a whiny Parker. He wanted a drink, but wasn't being polite or helpful. So, this is the conversation that followed:
Me: Parker, please bring me your cup.
Parker: (From the floor) No-hohoo-oh!
Me: (As I hand him the cup) Do you think that I am your slave, or something? (I must say, asked in all honesty. But I don't think he knows what a slave is.)
Parker: No.
Emma: (exasperated) Well then pay her a few pennies!

. . .

Our mealtime prayers fall short of the ideal, pretty much all of the time. Truman is usually willing enough to fold his arms before we begin, but after sitting still for about two syllables, he counts it good and starts into his meal. Parker practices "watchful prayer" where he sits still, but his eyes won't shut. We're working on it. This was the attempt at breakfast:
Parker: Please bless Truman that he can learn to talk better. . .
And please bless him that he won't chew with his mouth open . . . (Truman falls silent.)

July and little June on the side

Emma with her piano teacher at her recital.

Towards the end of June our family had a mini-vacation (less than 24 hours) in San Diego. We stayed at a great hotel in Mission Valley. We swam, played, visited the zoo at night (the koalas were awake!) and went to Todd's work party at Mission Bay the next day.
Livin' large. Parker and Truman had never stayed in a hotel before.
View of the pool from our room. I give Priceline 4 stars. I love the gamble.
Miles, Cecily, Truman and Emma at the zoo.
On our hike in Idylwild.

Best friend brothers: Parker, Truman, Jeremiah, and Jacob.
Parker's preschool class, all decked out in American glory.
Parker's display of three things about him:

1. superhero - Parker always wants it clear when he learns a new story, "Who are the good guys and who are the bad guys." Our FHE lesson about David and Goliath prompted a lot of scared questions about giants. Being a superhero sorts out all those fears for Parker.

2. Measuring spoons because Parker loves to help in the kitchen.

3. Tennis shoe because Parker loves to play tag, chase, and run.

Parker and Emma. Parker was recruited because both of the girls wanted a turn to be the beautiful butterfly and Cecily flat out wouldn't be an ugly bug.
Emma and Cecily

TRIP TO IDAHO

Emma lives the dream: bareback riding.
This picture represents Parker's general response to do the opposite of what I ask. "Smile!"
Truman weighs less than the saddle.

Jett and Truman enjoying "the system" in Jenna's car. Our family makes do with a flimsily strapped up DVD player that no one can hear or see. But for some reason it satisfies them.

Jett and Truman being chummy. Here's a typical conversation between the close cousins:

Jett: "Truman, where are you? Truman, do you want to go outside and throw rocks with me?"

Truman: "ao-ee eowa eh eh. chuckle chuckle"

FYI, to the people who care, I took Truman to the speech therapist this week and he's going to start some sessions. He might have a mild speech apraxia problem, so I'm glad I decided to take him in. Keep you posted.

Ready to go get the horses from the pasture with Grandpa.
Grandpa with High Pockets (Hy) and Blaze.

Emma has been obsessed (and I don't use that word lightly) with all things "Little House" for several months. I don't know how many times she has read the whole Laura series, but trust me, there is no question she could not answer (or ask!) on the topic. Anyway, she was in heaven in Idaho living a little closer to the pioneer ideal. She also found a book from the Rose Years series (Laura's daughter) at the D.I. in Rexburg and it was like Christmas morning. Emma loved being around the horses and spent many hours just hanging around the corral picking alfalfa and bringing it them.

Checkers: the inter-generational pastime.
So cute.
(Janelle, feel free to copy this and add to your post.)
I love the open sky. It was great to be home with Todd again after two WHOLE weeks! (and 2,000 miles alone with 3 children) but depressing to come back to crowded So. Cal.

And for my dear, dear friends who I didn't see along the 15, please forgive me. I love you!

Parker on top of the world at the sand dunes.

June is almost over!

This piano recital actually took place before the last post over three weeks ago. I am losing some blogging steam. Emma played in her spring piano recital and did a great job. It's fun to hear her progression as she is practicing at home, and the songs get more interesting, too. Although, if I never hear "Ode to Joy" again, that wouldn't be a problem.

Parker had a Spring Sing program for his preschool the same night as Emma's piano recital. The kids were so cute. Parker impressed us with his dancing and singing. I'm posting a short clip of their "Hoedown". It was really fun. Parker received the "Best Behavior" award from his teacher! She said of all the kids, she never has to tell Parker anything twice! He is always right where he is supposed to be. No one was more surprised than Todd or I at this pleasant news. I mean, Parker is a good kid, but I think he probably obeys better at school than at home for fear of drawing attention to himself if he doesn't. He can be very shy. If an adult makes a comment about something he is wearing, then he never wants to wear that item of clothing again. He prefers "under the radar". He is also very sweet, though, and eager to please people he loves, like his teacher, Miss Michelle. He is already asking when school will start again.

The day after the kids' events, my sister Julie and her kids came to visit. Some memories of her visit: Parker saying, "Aunt Ju-ey! Aunt Ju-ey, come on." Emma dragging herself into the boys' room and crashing on the floor before I could even get a pillow under her head because Cecily was so wired and she was SO tired. (My kids inherited Todd's non-night owl genes.) Miles' general enthusiasm. Julie deciding to throw one more theme park into the mix so she could spend five days straight in single parent suicide. The day after they left, Parker saying "Ju-ey's boys are ca-wazy, wight, Mom!?LOL They had been rough-housing together and Parker told me how he remembered it, laughing as he did, like he was retelling a funny story: "I thought Miles was going to kick me in the nose . . . so I cwosed my eyes . . . and HE DID kick me in the nose! That's funny, wight Mom?"

More recently, two weekends ago, we drove up to Idyllwild in the San Bernardino mtns. We met Todd's co-worker and family there. It's a pretty town, at about 6,000 ft. We went on a short hike and called it a day early because Truman konked out the minute he was put in his car seat. On the drive home in the afternoon, the temperature climbed 20 degrees as we came out of the mountains! It felt so good to get out of suburbia for a day. We took a new way to Idyllwild, going east first and then north, and it was so scenic and peaceful. It's always amazing to see something new when you never knew it was there before.

I'm having trouble loading pictures, so I'll try to get them up later.

Emma's skills

A few weeks ago on a looong Sunday afternoon (we have church at 8:30), we were entertaining ourselves with a game of throw the beach ball in the hula hoop held by Dad. Emma has gotten pretty tricky with the hula hoop lately. It's the new recess pastime. I told her if she could show me some good stuff I would put it on the blog. So here it is:

Since I've never learned how to hula hoop, I was pretty impressed. If any of you out there are closet hula hoopers, I'm sure Emma would love to see your tricks, too!

Blog backlog

The last of the brunettes: this is me with my five sisters, my mom, and my newest niece, Coco, (Nicole). We got together the last weekend of April, and I am finally doing a post about it. Thinking about that weekend makes me smile. I love being with my sisters and mom, and we don't get to do it often enough. (FYI, showing up in matching shirts was accidental :)
The Rudd Women
I love you guys! Julie is coming tomorrow (hooray!) and I will see the rest of you in July, I hope.
Joanna lives in a great biking town. Don't you love all these cruisers. We rode to the farmer's market and I felt like we were on "The Sound of Music". We actually did sing a few bars of Do-Re-Mi.

May

Parker at his first Fathers and Sons camp-out. He had me draw a tent on the calendar weeks before the event, and he looked forward to it so much. He and Todd had a great time, and maybe next year, Truman will be ready for the adventure.
A milestone in the life of Truman: he's left the crib behind him. Taking apart the crib felt so momentous. He made the transition on his own. He and Parker have bunkbeds in their room, and one night, he just crawled into the bottom bunk and stayed there all night. I gave it a few weeks with the crib still up, just in case. Now their room feels so much more open, and they have a lot more space to play, so it's a win-win-win!
Yesterday, we tried to hike to some waterfalls in the mountains near us. We didn't actually make it that far, though. As we left, I told Todd, "Next time we'll come better prepared with lunch, water . . . and no kids."
This picture represents my goal for a few weeks in May: To prepare all the food for breakfast and lunch and have everything on the table before the kids can eat. (vs. getting them started on a sandwich or cereal while I continue to get the rest of the food ready, or feed late-comers, and bring them drinks, and then second servings.) What I learned: It saved me constantly getting up and down (or standing the whole time), and I got to actually eat, but we had more left-overs. I think they ate more though, and wanted fewer snacks.
I took this picture because I liked the color contrast on the plate. It was also my first Persian cucumber (tasty - the size of a pickle) and my first ghost sandwich, which was my attempt to get the boys to eat cheap, dried-out bread. And it worked.

Disneyland birthday

I have to do a quick post about a great day. Emma and I went to Disneyland by ourselves to celebrate her birthday. (The matching outfits weren't quite intentional.) This was a long-awaited trip for Emma. She had stored up quite a wish list of things she wanted to do unencumbered by her little brothers. I am pretty sure we did it all. It's been awhile since I spent 12 hours there. The highlight of her day was eating dinner at Ariel's Grotto restaurant, where the princesses each come to your table and sign autographs/ pose with you for pictures. The lowlight of the day was realizing I was spending a bundle of money on bad food, and I didn't have my camera to take pictures of Emma with the princesses. I did use my cell phone, but I really have no clue how to get them off of there.
All told, I have fond memories of the day. I loved having fun with Emma. She is the greatest little girl. I cannot believe she's 7 already. We're so lucky to have her in our family!