Kate is Great!

Just after getting home...

Day 2

Day 3

Kate is Great:  This is what my brother calls Kate.  It is true.  As a mother and worrier I wasn't sure how Kate would deal with her dental surgery, or whatever you would call "4 root canals, lots of fillings, and some caps  (all of these on the top teeth) plus some scraping and pushing the teeth apart on the bottom."  But she really did wonderful for all that was done.  She was such a brave little girl.  She is very tiny so she looks like she wouldn't be tough, but she has done better than I would.  I was a wimp with only one filling last time around.  Now on day 3, the swelling is going down but it looks like she'll have a pretty good shiner around her eye when all is said and done.  I was very happy with the dentist and the great job he did - you can't even tell how much he really had to do. 

Our September has consisted mostly of...

   In my mind I have so many things that I want to post about, but so little time to write them down.  For a while I was telling myself that I was using this blog as a diary so I justified time spent in front of this as diary time.
   Since adding a third little one to the persons/things deserving my attention I have struggled to know what to say that doesn't sound like I may (or may not) be crazy or that doesn't go into too much detail about the sometimes mundane things that make up a lot of my time.  I wouldn't say that I am blessed with the ability to even express adequately all the feelings that are bottled up in my mind that I want to post about.  I feel like my blogging time is getting farther and farther between and I am okay with that.  Anyway, I am just explaining that there is a reason for my declining posts. 
   All that being said, here is an attempt at what is on my mind and what we've been doing: 

• Steve - Has been quite busy since adding an AP Music class to his schedule.  I think he is perfect for it  - such a detail oriented mind and a memory for it.  He is quite enjoying it.  Beauty and the Beast rehearsals are also in full swing.
• Isaac - Our big kid is loving school.  I love hearing little tidbits of his day as he has a snack or as things come out in conversation.  I think he really enjoys the exposure to so many new things.  He has many friends and new perspectives that are making an impression on him, I can tell.  He has also started soccer again, but not sure he is in love with it as much this year.  I am watching to see where his interests and talents will take him.  He tagged along to children's choir with Steve the other day and loved it.  His mind is really working at reading these days - he is constantly trying to figure out signs and such.  As his mother I am amazed as he is becoming a reader and hope it will always be as exciting.
• Kate - Has rediscovered a bit of a michevious streak that was coming out before summer started.  I know that she wouldn't be 2 if she weren't, but it would be okay if we skipped the messes and craziness, too.  In the past couple weeks I have remade some skirts I found on clearance for her so she has some longer ones that meet with her approval.  She is such a particular girl about where the skirts hit, which is good because she likes them to cover her knees.
• Next week she will be having "oral surgery" for a bunch of problems with her teeth.  I feel very badly that this sweet little girl has such bad teeth.  After 2 or 3 dental opinions we think we have a pretty good idea what needs to happen, and it won't be fun.  She has no idea at this point why she's been to 3 different dentists or what is coming.  I just hope that the anesthesia will make it so she doesn't have bad associations with the dentist.  I have major nerves about this whole thing...  I wish I had caught it sooner and feel some responsibility for it, but will just have to try to learn from it and make sure that the problems won't continue.  I feel badly that we gave her juice for so long to help her little digestive issues, but contributed to this problem.  The juice issue is another reason for some recent snags in potty training...
• Andrew - Getting so, so, big.  How can he be crawling already (army style, but still...)?  He is just such a busy wiggly guy these days.   So busy that bottle feeding has become the preferred method for all concerned.  (At least somewhat.  I have such mixed feelings about weaning him at this point, but I guess it really isn't my choice.)  He is also getting quite the mouth full of teeth.  Yikes!
• Me - I was talking to my friend Adrienne about her view of parenting and she described feeling like the kids are driving this big truck with her being towed along behind on a skateboard or something.  I laughed at the thought, but totally feel the same way.  I kind of feel like I am along for this ride, but not really sure where it is going to lead us, or even who is driving.  I would like to think that I am driving, but in cases of nursing and potty training and somehow trying to maintain order in the house, that is not totally the case.  I definitely have control where I think it really matters, put my foot down where needed, but kids definitely make things unpredictable.  Saw "The Help"  the other night and liked it.  Have been trying to get back in the groove of morning exercise again  -  Kate and Andrew need to get back in a groove to make that work for me, though.  Tonight's LDS General Relief Society Meeting, particularly Elder Uchtdorf's talk, was like balm for my soul.  Such dear and wonderful counsel that I shall really try to remember.

So there you have it.  Enjoy because I don't know when I will get another moment for this for a while.

A Date With My Man

 Our month started off FABULOUSLY!  Steve took me to see Mary Poppins.  It was my first experience with any kind of musical at the level of a Broadway show.  I am amazed at the creativity and talents of so many involved!  I have to say that I was actually more thrilled with Bert's character than the woman playing Mary Poppins.  In comparison with Julie Andrews, I felt that she was a bit "smug" or something.  My favorite scene was "Steppin' Time" because the effects were spectacular.  The storyline was similar, but some changes that I thought were interesting.  "Playing the Game"  was kind of weird.  All-in-all a wonderful experience - I felt the message was good (perhaps even better emphasized than the Disney movie).  We went to lunch at Bruges in SLC - I have been craving these fabulous pastry-like waffles and fruit since then.  If you are ever near, you really should try it!  I can't wait to go back.  We are not big spenders on dates so this was quite possibly the most we have spent, and it was well worth it.  We can't wait for another show down the line when we can recreate the experience...

Our Kindergartener

We couldn't be prouder of our sweet boy!  He did great.  I am proud of myself, too.  No tears were shed and I didn't even freak out totally when he didn't come home on the bus I expected him to.  (Crazy!)  He totally loved it and has been excited for everything that they've done.  You can tell he feels like such a cool kid as he gets off the bus.  Kate cried when he left and asks where he is for about the first hour that he is gone.