Sailboat Picture

Posted by Chris:

Was just up in my office working about 10pm when Vince came in to show me his latest drawing. He said Dad this is for you. It was a pretty darn good picture of a sailboat. Better than average since I could see right off what it was (sometimes some explanation is needed). Anyway, I was admiring it and Vince told me all about it and how it was me and him in a sailboat. I asked him if he'd enjoy someday going sailing with me. He paused and said, "um, no thanks." I followed up to see what that was about and didn't get a straight answer.

He started talking about fishing in the ocean. He said that on his next birthday, if I get him a gift that turns out to not work very good, then (and this part was with great enthusiasm) that maybe we could go back to the store and buy him a fishing pole! I thought this was kind of funny for a couple reasons: One, on his last birthday I bought him a remote control car that didn't work very good so we took it back and he got to pick out any gift he wanted. He chose a car track toy thingy with a jump. So he must be thinking that is a cycle that will repeat. Second, we don't really go fishing. We've been to a fish pond a couple times but it was a while ago.

Few weeks back Vince saw a picture of Jesus walking on the water and helping the apostle who had started to fall in. He started explaining the story to me--I was pretty surprised. Then he said "only Jesus can do that in his flip flops."

Primary

Today Chris and I got to go in the Primary to hear/help Hadley with the scripture and prayer. I love doing this because it also means we get to go and watch them both in there. Vincent is such a crack-up that he sits in the front row with his sunbeam class and his arms folded tightly across his chest. He is such a good little boy - in Primary.

It was doubly exciting because Vincent was spotlighted as well today! They turn off all the lights and the leader uses a flashlight and reads off 'favorite' things about a child until there is only one standing. Chris and I could see Vincent holding his hand up the entire time just knowing it was him. He was so excited and yet so polite/reverent.

I also dropped Lauren off in nursery today which is always a crack up because she never even looks back when she gets to the door. The leaders always comment on how happy and sweet she is. She truly lights up in the nursery when she arrives. I am thankful for her 'go-getter' attitude and am delighted that she will still be in nursery when Gentry joins her.

Outing

Today I took all four kids to Knotts Berry Farm by myself! It helps that we have seasons passes and that Lauren wouldn't take her afternoon nap. So I kept her up, waited for Hadley to get home from school and then told them that I was thinking about going to Knotts. I reminded Hadley and Vincent that I might need a lot of help and we may not be able to go on or do all of the rides that we want to - they are so awesome and great! It was a successful trip and so fun to just the spend the day having fun - or more like watching them have fun b/c I can't participate with everything since I had Gentry. Seriously though, they are so good at listening, staying close and understanding when they have to fore go a turn. I cannot wait until they are all older and we can go and do more fun adventures all together. My kids are awesome!

Ages & Stages

Hadley still has a love for learning and is curious about so many things. The other night after the others were put to bed, she and I played with her dollhouse and started getting silly. She laughed sooo hard and it was fun being silly/joking around with her. I am glad for her sense of humor.

Vincent (three days shy of turning 4) is such a cute and kind little boy. People always comment on how well he speaks. He loves all things baseball and his cousin Wyatt b/c he loves the Angels too. Tonight we celebrated his birthday and he got Hungry Hungry Hippos game from Grandma and Grandpa Tigger and Chris and I got him an RC car. Sometimes I feel it is difficult having a boy b/c I'm not familiar with their likes/dislikes but other times it is so fun to get him perfect boy gifts.

Lauren is 26 months old and speaks so much! Her sentences have become longer and more complex in the last month or so and she commonly says sentences of five words. She is so cute to put down at naptime: first she gets her blankie and bottle and I let her turn on the overhead fan and pull the chain to turn the light off. Then she climbs into her crib (she is the first child to be able to climb into her crib while she still sleeps in it) *none learned/tried to climb out. She lays down and I cover her up.

Gentry (8 months) has wasted no time trying to keep up with her siblings. She crawls, can still barely sit up though, and kneels and/or stands up at her toys. She can pull herself to kneeling but not quite up to her feet yet. She also likes to climb on anything. Boxes, stools, and yes, the stairs now too.

I am so grateful for healthy and happy children who appear to me to be enjoying their childhood. They are excitable - which I love and really notice is one of the most exciting aspects of parenthood. It is so fun to start and have new traditions and celebrate things with them.

First Christmas

I'll never forget our first Christmas eve in our new home on Yorba street. Chris came home for dinner that evening and we had kielbasa casserole (one of his favorites) while the kids had popcorn chicken. It was memorable because it was our first candlelit dinner. We turned out all the lights and the kids enjoyed the bright flames.

After opening a few gifts that Hadley bought from her school gift shop we read the story of the first Christmas in Luke and tried to have as reverent of an evening as possible with a five, three, almost 2 year old and a sleeping infant. Hadley was so excited to give her gifts - stuffed turtle toys for Vincent and Lauren, a key chain for daddy and a resin teddy bear holding a heart for me. I love that she could have the chance to really feel the true meaning of Christmas - selfless giving. And how excited she was to give and make others happy.

After the kids went to bed I made 'preparations' for the morning and laid down on the couch and found It's A Wonderful Life on television. I can never watch the entire movie but am always amazed at how much I enjoy it and will watch tidbits of it whenever I get the chance. I can't remember what Chris was doing for the most part - I think he was doing work upstairs in his office. I just remember being sooo happy. I don't think life can ever get better than Christmas eve. The tree lights on, gifts under the tree, and sleeping children awaiting the magic of all that Christmas is.

I remember this evening so vividly though and figured there was a reason for this and that I should write it down.

Bedtime

Tonight I thought about how much I will miss having all four kids with me in every room I go and before bedtime. While the kids took a bath, I nursed Gentry. The three older ones were being silly and playing while we put on pajamas in Lauren's room and they jumped on the bed and played games for the next 50 minutes or so - laughing and jumping - while I cleaned up in my room. Gentry played on the floor and the kids were holding hands and all jumping on the bed together. I wanted to try and capture this moment for myself. Someday our bedtime ritual will be different - maybe even more complex (if that is possible) and I will long for the days when my four kids just played with one another and waited for me to guide them to bed.

I'll have to remind myself of this as well on most nights that I do the bedtime routine all by myself with four kids. I can't wait to be able to sit and read stories to them all and cuddle with each one. Considering I do bedtimes 98 per cent of the time by myself, I think I am going to miss the routines with little ones.

Temple Song

Lauren loves to be rocked before bedtime. Her favorite song request is the "Temple Song" (I love to see the temple) or "church song" (I am a child of God). I love singing/humming these tunes to her before putting her to bed. We are starting to expand our repertoire to telling stories, talking about our day and new church songs. She is so fun to sit and hold and rock with her bottle and blankie at night but even better when she wakes cheerfully in the morning. Most mornings she just waits in her crib for someone to come in and get her and then jumps up and smiles.