The Baby's Diet

Aaron has been eating food for about 2 months now. I have been making his food, because it is pretty easy and supposedly saves money. With the price of organic, and all the bad parts I throw away, I have a hard time thinking I am saving all that much money. Another plus is that he can eat food that they don't make in jars. Like Asparagus and Avocados. Asparagus was a nightmare to make, and stunk up the house for 2 days. But it is so good for him. So, I thought I would give you some insight to some of his favorite meals:
- Asparagus and Pears
- Peas and Avocados
- Asparagus and Sweet Potatoes
- Bananas and Carrots
With or without cereal.... pretty much any combination of these foods he will inhale.

You might be thinking: "No wonder he is a nightmare at bed time, I would go crazy too if you fed me that junk!" But he loves it! I figure I'll keep feeding him the good stuff for as long as I can, because before too long he will be requesting pizza, chicken nuggets and corn dogs with his big brothers!

The baby also enjoys Green Apple Blow Pops. Thanks daddy.

Roman's Pirate Birthday Party

So I had this great idea that since we had a new house with a back yard, we could have birthday parties here. Instead of a part with play equipment, or Chuck E Cheeses. Then I talked Roman into a pirate party, how fun.... My head is still reeling from the excitement!!!

I tried to keep the invites down to a minimum.... only Roman's friends, no more inviting people just because they are my friends. This now includes friends from preschool, church, and our play group that Roman has been in since birth! I think I invited roughly 30 families (I didn't think most would want to just drop off their kids quite yet). Fortunately only half could come, phew, that still turned into 18 kids!!! Plus wonderful mommies and daddies who stayed. Ben got a little clausterphobic at first, but we actually all fit!

The little pirates started by making hats, eye patches and necklaces. The hats turned out really cute. I bought black foam visors and had them wear them upside down so that they stuck up like pirate hats. Then the decorated them with foam stickers and sequins and feathers. They all were adorable. Our lawn is now officially "bedazzled" as one dad put it. The sequins ended up everywhere!

Then we played the one and only inside game. Pass the package. My sister, Dana, found a few pirate songs, then the kids sat in a circle and passed the package while the music played. Once the music stopped, who ever had the package got to unwrap it.... Only there were multiple layers of wrapping, so the game continued. Inside the final box were chocolate coins for everyone.

Then it was time for the food. We had Sharks Blood Lemonade (Lemonade with Hawaiian Punch ice cubes), Bildge Water, Pirate P.B. and J. sandwiches ( I stuck little black flags on with toothpicks), Walk the Plank Celery, P.B. Canon balls ( a huge hit!), GOLD fish, Pretzel Swords, an Shark Sticks (fish sticks that I totally forgot to get in the oven until we were serving the food!!!). That was my favorite part, the food was a lot of fun to put together.

After the food we went on a treasure hunt. I made up some super cheesy clues that lead them around the back yard, and finally to a treasure chest. I made a treasure chest pinata out of a box. A word of advice.... don't use a mailing quality box.... someone recommended a cereal twin pack box, like from Costco... after the fact. It turned out pretty cute. I used the box, then bent a single piece of cardboard over the top, and covered it in brown paper. I drew on the line for the lid, and decorated it with electrical tape and sequins. I filled it with ring pops and other booty :)

Every kids got a whack at it, and Dana, and myself. Finally I had to rip it open and pour the contents out. The kids don't really care too much, but I hate pinatas that don't break!! (I had like scored the sides and corners, trying to weaken it, but that wasn't enough.)

Then it was presents, good byes and naps. It was a fun day.... I just don't know if I can keep this up!! Isaac wants a Rocket birthday, from Little Einsteins... don't even know where to start with that one! Chuck E Cheese is sounding pretty good about now!!!

Baby Jekyll and Mr. Hide

Look at this sweet baby! He is so much fun, and such a good boy... during the day! He plays well by himself, laughs and talks, and loves his family. During Roman's birthday party he kind of got forgotten in the play room by himself, for more than half an hour... when I went in to get him, he was just as happy as when we had left him in there.

But come midnight, he is a completely different baby. He SCREAMS like a banshee. He was sleeping almost through the night, waking once, at 230. I could handle that. So when he started waking at 1, I tried to let him just settle himself back to sleep. Instead of sucking his thumb and going back to sleep, he escalates to the screech that goes straight to your core and makes you crazy. Then the 1 am things turned to 12. So now he is waking up, SCREAMING, at 12 and again at 4 and then he thinks he is ready to wake up at 7 am. He wakes up tired, with the heaviest eyelids you have ever seen. But by breakfast time he is happy again.

He doesn't have a fever, I can't find any teeth coming through, and he is having regular poops. All I can think is that he isn't getting enough "mommy time" during the day, so he wants more of it at night? But I am not the kind of mommy anyone wants to be around during these screaming fits. What am I missing? What could it be? What can I do to make it stop!?!? He eats a good dinner, I try to keep him on schedule. My biggest fear is that the 12 and 4 feedings will turn into 12, 2 and 4.... and worse. Help me!!

Tide Pools

Last weekend the weather was amazing, and I had to get outside. But Ben was on a camp out with the Deacons, so it was me and all three boys. At about 1030 I couldn't take it any more, the sun was shining, and I wasn't going to let the day pass me by. I called up my grandparents, and by 1100 they were at the house and we were on our way to the tide pools at Cabrillo National Monument.

My grandparents are amazing. They were 50 years old when I was born... and I am turning 29 this year, so you can do the math :) Yet they are so active, they can tire me out!

We weren't the only ones who had to get outside that day. We had to wait a while for a parking spot, but once we got out of the car there was plenty of room to stretch out. The boys had a blast. I had Aaron in the snugglie, he loved it. I think this was the first outing where he could look around, not stuck in the stroller with the shade over him :) This did how ever prevent me from quite keeping up with the older boys... they had a little more freedom, and they LOVED it! Isaac found a few tide pools with his shoes, and Roman loved jumping around from rock to rock.

We saw lots of hermit crabs, a few rock crabs, some snails, lots of anemones and muscles, and even a starfish with blue spots!! It really was a great day. The water was beautiful, the sun was warm, and I was with 5 of my very most favorite people! Next time we will take daddy, and grandma and granddad won't hike down to the bottom :)

Happy Easter!

So, Easter Sunday..... Ben and I spoke in Sacrament, Isaac had a talk in primary, Ben taught the deacons, AND we had everyone over for dinner at our house! Phew, it was pretty jam packed! But it was a great day. My parents came to church to hear our talks, and see Isaac's. We had practiced Isaac's talk with him a few times, and he would say parts of it, usually while donkey kicking around the room. I asked Ben if we could put a wireless mic on him and let him say his talk while running around the primary room. After a few torturous run throughs, I was pretty sure I would end up giving his talk for him. He actually did really well. He went second, and the older kid who went before him did a really good job, so Isaac knew what he had to do.

The boys had an Easter egg hunt in our backyard after church. Have I mentioned I LOVE having a back yard?!? Last year the boys wandered around my parents yard, looking at eggs, shaking each one, taking their good old time!! So Dana and I grabbed plastic bags and went out there and showed them how an egg hunt was supposed to be!! (Mad dash grabbing!!!) This year Roman was totally into it. He was really fast and just snatching them right up. Isaac needed a little help getting going, but he ended up with a pretty good haul as well :) The baby took a much needed nap during the festivities and woke up in time for a few pics!

Dinner was nice. I love getting together with family. My grandma brought the ham and jello salad, mom brought the "funeral" potatoes and ice cream, Dana brought the rolls, and I just had to do the salad. It was nice to divy up the food so that no one felt over whelmed and everyone could enjoy the day. Keith, Amy and Kristin were also able to make it for dinner. Good food, great company, and lots of left overs!! Who could ask for more?

I struggled a little with Easter this year.... not a lot, but just had to reevaluate what it is all about. I was so grateful for the opportunity to reflect on the Savior and all he has done for us, as I prepared my talk. I felt bad for buying the boys new Easter outfits and Easter baskets, and not focusing on the real blessings that we celebrate on Easter. With Isaac also giving a talk on the Savior, we had the opportunity to talk to both boys about the Atonement and Resurrection. I know they are young, but they know that Jesus loves them and that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven after we die. I think it is okay to keep the new outfits and egg hunts.... as long as we remember the real reason to celebrate Easter. He is risen. He broke the bands of death and made it possible for us all to return to our Father in Heaven. I am so grateful for the Savior and for our Father's Plan of Happiness. Next year I hope it won't take 3 talks in our family for me to remember this.

Impromptu Easter Egg Hunt :)

I ventured to the store with all 3 boys, still don't do that if I can help it, to get Easter plates for Roman's party at preschool. For some reason, Roman told Isaac that he could come if he wanted to.... not the case. So then Isaac got sad that he was going to miss the fun Easter party. So at 530 Thursday night, I sent an email out to a few friends about a simple Easter party the next morning! Hurray for e-mail, I could never have functioned in a time before this age of instant everything! Fortunately 2 people were able to join us in our spontaneity. We decorated cupcakes (yes, at 10 am!), had a little craft and an egg hunt. Isaac had a fun time with his friend, Jack, and they were both nice enough to share eggs with the little ones, who were just glad to be out side and get dirty :).

I love watching the kids on the egg hunts... they just follow each other around, so I never know how the second one gets any eggs! My pictures were pretty lame, so I'll try to get some better ones on Easter. It will take my boys forever to find all the eggs I've accumulated over the years... I guess I don't have to fill them all, but it is so much fun :)

I am enjoying having enough space to have people over. I'm still not the best hostess... but I welcome all the practice I can get :)

Isaac the Trend Setter....

Yuck. I need to figure out how to post multiple pics better.

I have started making Isaac at least pick out his own clothes, in the hopes that he will start dressing himself soon. Sometimes this is what happens!!! No, he's not a super hero, he just likes his Pooh shirt, and thought the swim trunks would be easy to get on and off. Then the boots and sunglasses were an after thought. He is a carbon copy of his daddy.... but he must not have gotten Ben's fashion sense. Ben's mom still likes to tell the story of when he was in Kindergarten and would not let her put a brown belt on with his black shoes.

More Fun with a Yard

I honestly could (and probably should) just call this whole blog "My Husband is Awesome", because he is. Our front yard was totally horrid, dying and abandoned looking. Ben spent all day Saturday hacking stumps, pulling them out, and planting flowers. It made such a difference, as has everything that he has done around the house. We spent about 2 hours at Home Depot and came home with 2 Hibiscus plants, on the long walkway and some Calla Lillies, Marigolds, and Petunias for up by the door. We also got some solar lights to light up the dark walkway. Even Super Ben was not ready to tackle that hideous Yucca plant in the corner, but we did manage to clean it out a little.

I say Ben is amazing, because I was only able to help for about an hour. Between feeding the baby, dishes, laundry and the rest.... He was alone out there. I don't know how he does it all. 40+ hours a week at work, and then he finds more energy to make our house a home. I don't know how I snagged this one, but I am never letting him go!! He makes me want to be a better person. A better wife, a better mother, a better friend. Not because he tells me that I am short in any of these areas, but because of his example. He is the best father and husband, and I just hope he knows how much I appreciate him.

THE Wedding

How cute are they!?!? For Dana's wedding, she made these ties and vest for the boys, and the little tutus for the girls. I pitched a fit about her not making anything for the baby, so she made this adorable shirt. My poor family had learned to put up with my little fits. I was a little
weirded out by the formal suits and the playful tutus together, but they were adorable.

The day was perfect. We had nice weather, which I was nervous about. The whole family was there, and the kids were all so good. No naps and late bedtimes for about 3 days of craziness, but they were all troopers. It was so sweet, because the kids knew it was Dana and Josh's day, so they were extra lovey to the bride and groom.

The boys really enjoyed seeing their cousins, if breaks my heart that they live in Texas, but we'll take whatever time we get with them when we can.

Congrats to Dana and Joshie!

My Little Pirates

Yay for my first video post! Roman and Isaac love the "Yo Ho" song, and made
up their own words. I guess they got tired of just singing "yo ho". I caught them in
the bath tub singing it, and actually got them to do it for the camera.