Andrew's Pictures and Update

Hi there. We've had a pretty good week. No electrocution or unplanned trips to the doctor this past week. One highlight, for me at least, was having my talented sister-in-law take some baby pictures of Andrew. It may not have been a highlight for her since she really had to work to get him to cooperate for the pictures. Given that, I wasn't sure what we'd end up with, but I was/am super pleased. She captured exactly the things I would have if I had the talent, time, and camera skillz, (and camera) that she has. I LOVE THEM!
And update or two from our week:

• At long last, the reward for the nightly feedings has come. Andrew started smiling this week. There is nothing sweeter or more joyful than seeing a sign of recognition and validation from your baby.
• I am almost finished with Square Foot Gardening and am looking forward to planting our garden. Can I just say how much I am looking forward to being able to be outside. And have the kids outside. We. Are. Going. Stir. Crazy.
• A couple of random thoughts this week that have totally amused me as I've thought about them a couple of times since. First, as I was leaving the grocery store (unaccompanied by kids, a wonderful thing!) I saw this elderly woman back up and over this curb. I just thought to myself, "That poor woman is in no shape to be driving." Then the next thing I did was back up and over the same curb by accident. So that's what I get for even thinking that, I guess. The second really is probably only funny to me in my mind so we'll see how it comes out in print. As we drove out of town I noticed an old barn that looks like it is ready to fall over at the slightest sneeze. Then I saw the half-dozen or so cows hanging out underneath it, unaware of the peril they were in.
  

Would You Believe This is Steve?

I was offering $5 for a good video of this. Love it!!

(This is a Geico type commercial for a student election. The idea was "Would ____ make a good junior officer? Would Mr. Reynolds make a terrible rapper?)

Weekly Rundown

Andrew at 5 weeks. This is the best picture of him
to date with his eyes open. You can't really see it, but he
has this fabulous little double chin that I love to kiss.

- This has been a roughish week for our little Kate. She is still my little cute girl, just not the baby anymore and she can tell. As we speak she is cuddled in next to me on the couch watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. ( I am making a choice here not to shower or do any number of things that are also screaming for my attention.)
The other day I was on the phone and Isaac and Kate were fighting and Kate was screaming so I got after them a little. A few minutes later Kate started screaming bloody murder and I figured that Isaac had hit her or something so I got after him and held Kate for a minute or two. As I held her I noticed that her fingers were black, but figured it was from playing outside. It wasn't until I walked down the hall and noticed her little purple hairclip sticking out of the light socket that I realized what happened. It was black just like her fingers and the breaker to our room had been tripped. I feel so badly! That must have been quite the jolt.
The next day Kate was trying to climb on the couch while I was nursing Andrew. She asked me for some help so I tried to help her by pulling her up. I'm sure you all know what happened next. I pulled her arm out of socket. Not a happy thing. Yup... feeling like mother of the year over here.
- Moving on... Can I just say how embarrassed I was the other day as I watched a show on TLC as I was nursing. The show was about outrageous kid parties, outrageous to the tune of $25,000. I was embarrassed for these moms throwing the parties, but even more embarrassed that the two being featured that day were both from Utah. I can't even imagine putting that kind of money into a birthday party, let alone a wedding. It would be nice to have that kind of money to burn, but not on a birthday party. Those poor spoiled kids!
- Isaac has decided that his birthday party is going to be something like the party one of those kids had. He told me we could do a car party and I could give him a car like the little girl got since he doesn't have a car that he can drive (a child's size car, not the matchbox size). Heaven help us!
- I'm sure it doesn't need to be said, but my heart is just breaking for the sweet Japanese people who are going through so much right now. I had a roommate from Japan before I went on my mission. I learned a bit about her culture and am sure that they as a people have many of the wonderful characteristics that she has. She is/was such a hard worker with no sense of entitlement, very humble, very concerned about other people, and very much concerned about not putting people out. As I watch the coverage of the disaster I think about Mika and want to just cry for these people.
- I got such a kick out of hearing Isaac play tour guide yesterday afternoon after having been to a birthday party at Thanksgiving Point. Apparently he loved the dinosaur museum. He was doing just what the guide did. I could hear him saying things like, "Here we have the American Shark. It lived in this time period." (My favorite was him pointing to a pretend map and telling Kate that the "made up name" dinosaur lived here.) Kate kept nodding and saying wow at appropriate moments. Priceless.
- Better end now... there are lots of things needing my attention right now. Hope you are all well and are having a happy St. Patty's day!!

Thoughts

On Sunday, almost before the Sunday clothes were off and hair messed up, we snapped this picture (this and about a dozen others to make sure we got something) of our three cuties. I never seem to be able to Isaac and Kate smiling nicely at the same time.
There you have it. Proof that we have 3 kids. I am still reeling in the reality of that last statement.
A few thoughts and updates from our week+ since posting last:
-I love all three kids, but I am still trying to figure out what to do with all three. Kate is getting better at amusing herself with various artistic endeavours: coloring in the checkbook or my "planner." I don't really have a planner, but a notebook that serves as the place I dump my brain.
-Is it redundant to say we have a really messy two-year old? She is like a little tornado - you never know where she is going to touch down and what she'll leave there or what the damage will be. Examples: Desitin or lotion all over our recliner, bubble bath in the carpet, yogurt all over creation, and don't even mention the toys.
- The mess and finding chips in our new table and chairs have driven me to do something I didn't want to do. I got a tablecloth and covered our table. I love the look of the wood, so this is not my favorite thing, but it beats the angst I feel whenever I discover a new chip. I even put a plastic cover over the tablecloth (yes, Stacey that was your idea, even though you hate the idea) so I'm not continually washing the tablecloth. So, if you are coming for a visit, let me know and I'll make sure and NOT have this on the table.
- I am really loving the little signs of spring that I am seeing around us. We were given a whole bunch of daffodil and tulip bulbs in the fall. We planted them. Now we are seeing some of them popping up in our raised front bed since it gets heat from the house. I hope they won't die because they are really giving me hope that spring is nearer than it feels. Them dying would totally be a crushing blow to my hopes. Can't wait for spring when all the germs kindof go away and we can get out again...
- We've made it one month! Andrew even celebrated by going 4.5 hours between feedings last night! Hooray!!!
- Oh, yes... one more thing to share: an unintended commentary on my appearance these days. This little conversation happened today while I was feeding Andrew. (Since Kate runs off with the blankets when I am nursing, I was without one to cover up and was doing the best I could.)
Isaac: What is Andrew doing?
Me: He is eating.
I: Why are his eyes closed?
Me: He just likes them that way, I guess.
I: Maybe he doesn't want to see your body.
Me: (blink, blink)