Kimba

Dustin' off the old suitcase...

I should be packing, madly packing, for our long weekend trip tomorrow, but instead I am doing this. And before this I was cleaning. And before that I was looking up a Target near our hotel. And before that I was ironing my kitchen curtains that I'd washed today because I could not stand them any longer.

Holy crap, I have so many things to pack. 

I should have this down to a science now, shouldn't I? I do. Sortof.

We're going to visit Caleb's parents in Independence, MO. They're serving a mission for our church as directors of a visitors center and historic jail. We last saw them at Christmas, when Wy was 5 weeks old, so we're excited to see them. I've never been back East to our church's historical sites, so I'm also excited to see those as well. Provided I'm not hauling a screaming kid the entire time.

Although, thankfully, my happy boy is back, which is good, because DUDE. Yesterday was a poopy, poopy day. POOOOOOOOOOOOPY. Lots of clinging and crying, lots of crying, big alligator tears. Big ones. 

But it's all better now! We laughed, we played, I chased him down the hall again and again and again and again and again. And again.

I have no idea what kind of internet access we'll have, so uh, it might be quiet around here until Monday.

I'll try, I swear. You know how I hate the just-returned-home-picture-fest. Happy (early) weekend!

My hero!

We're walking home from the park on Sunday, after having had a lovely time swinging, going down the slides (or holding Wy as he went down) and crawling in the grass.

"Here," Caleb says, "You and Wy walk on the inside of the sidewalk."

I move as directed, giving him a sidelong glance.

"You know," he says, "so I can protect you. From cars. With....my bulging pecs. I'll send out rays that'll stop the car in it's track!" (insert boy noises, you know the ones... beeeeow! beeeeeow!)

Another amused glance.

"Uh huuuuh....you mean like the Care Bear stare?"

We be jammin'

Last week, amid the unpacking and grocery shopping and the uh, wallowing in cold-land, I picked up a half flat of raspberries at Costco.

I am very ambitious about fruit, especially when I see a good deal, and I routinely buy huge amounts  with every intent to eat it all. I have visions of cake, home made whip cream, smoothies, and fruit salads.

And then a few days pass and I forget about it, or we've run out of whipping cream, or I have no motivation to sit in the kitchen trying to bake with a 10 month old attached to my legs.

This is, ahem, sort of what happens to a lot of things in my life right now. 

Anyway.

Determined not to let these perfectly good raspberries go to waste, I decided one afternoon to make jam. We'd long been out of homemade jam, which is completely unacceptable. I am sort of a jam snob, and prefer homemade to anything else. So.

I corralled Wy in his high chair because boiling sticky fruit and leg leeches do not mix.

Seriously, people. We've got molars going on here, serious molars, and it has NOT been fun. My happy little boy has been replaced with a crying fussy needs-to-constantly-be-held baby, which is just EXCELLENT because we are again going on a trip this week.

You read right. We are again boarding an airplane. On Thursday. Of this week. In like, two more days. Ho.ly.crap.

Where was I? Oh yes, right. High chair. Veggies sticks. Raspberries.

Who are you, and where did my baby go?

(sorry mom. no bib this time...)

I put a thin layer of jam on his toast and he looked at me like, Woman, what ELSE have you been keeping from me?!

So I fed him some of my artichoke that night. 

Someday Wyatt, I'm going to introduce you to tiramisu. And then you will be all caught up.

Wyatt: 10 months

.....and a week. A bit late this month, since, you know, we were in Lake Powell. Soaking up the sun, with Wyatt being a total angel and such.

This past month has been crazy, what with our thousands and thousands of trips home. I was worried that all the craziness would royally screw up his super wonderful sleep schedule, but it didn't. And he was fantastic. Honestly, how did I get this lucky?

I have already decided that the rest of my children will be terrors. I can't really have ALL my kids be so happy and easy going, can I? Cause otherwise I'll have like, a million children. Cabe? Better start honing your remodeling skills to "make room for all zee babies..." (that's for my family).

So let's see. He's busy. Have I mentioned that already? A hundred times, you say? It's just HE IS. Always has to be doing, pulling, pushing, opening, grabbing, climbing, climbing, climbing, climbing...

He discovered my parents huge staircase, and it was all over. It's all he wanted to do, besides suck on the ends of the chairs we'd put up to guard the staircase.

I'm starting to become very afraid for later. Like, tomorrow, because I swear the kid learns and does things so quickly it's scary. Like today? Today he was standing in front of the TV stand playing with the Playstation buttons (our dvd player...still don't have a real one...) like always. I was answering a quick email and suddenly I heard the music for Baby Signing Time. He had turned on the TV and the Playstation and boom! He stood there watching it, so proud of himself.

(love that my 10 month old is still wearing his 3 -6 mth clothes...gettin' your money's worth on that shirt, dad!)

I pulled him back, of course. Not that he stayed there, I can never figure out why they feel the need to be RIGHT NEXT TO THE TV. Is that a baby thing or a man thing?

He started saying ma ma. You know, not mama, but close enough. He's also recently added ya ya, and for the first time today, da da. You should have seen Caleb's face. Had we all not been sick he'd have insisted we go out for ice cream. (Or rather, he voiced it but didn't have the energy to insist it.) I just love listening to Wyatt babble, trying to pick out how his voice might eventually sound.

You know, when he's asking me if he can play for five more minutes, or how many more bites of peas he has to eat.

Though for the record, he loves peas. That's right. My baby, the one who used to hate peas, now picks them out from among the corn and carrots and cheese and peach slices. Success! He'll eat pretty much anything you put in front of him, so long as he can pick it up and shove it in there with his own 10 fingers. Beans, zucchini, rice, pasta, olives, any and every fruit, and anything from your plate. Your plate is always better than his tray. 

He's waving now. A cute little hand flappy wave, which he'll even do for strangers if they wait long enough. Walking around the grocery store is one big waving-grinning-squeal fest. From strangers and Wyatt. I never know what to say back, it all sounds so rehearsed. Yes, we think so too. ...We're keepin' 'im! .....Thanks! .....Yes, he's a pretty happy guy... I've never been a good compliment reciever, but this doesn't even seem to fit. Thank you, I did grow him in my womb for 9 months...

He does this noise, this raptor, sucking in all his air, noise, whenever he gets excited. I've got to capture it on camera before he stops because he'll do it almost on command. If you make the noise first, as my cousin learned, he'll do it right after and he seems quite pleased with himself. It's adorable.

Though we pretty much think everything he does is adorable. He changes every day, and each day is more fun than the last. It's so strange and so surreal to be part of it and to be able to literally see him grow and learn. I get excited for the future, for soccer games, Little League games, for the first day of school - and at the same time I would like to grab this Father Time, wherever he is, and shake him by the shoulders. Don't you know this is going too fast? Slooooooooow doooooooown! I want to enjoy this for just a little bit longer...

Just the way he is right now.

I think he quite likes it

(I was all set to do Wy's 10 month post but am SICK. Sick, sick, sick. Just a little cold is all, really, but it's makin' my head feel all funny and such, and I'm really not all that positive I could come up with something coherant. So. Until tomorrow! Hopefully!)

A few Sundays ago when I was home we were all sitting around in the kitchen, stuffing our faces after church (as is our custom), Wyatt was sitting on the table being fed pears. Thinking he'd take matters into his own hands, he grabbed a plum from a nearby bowl. A plum from my grandpa's tree. And he sort of loved it. And so I caught it on tape. And it's pretty hilarious. 

And I love how he immediately moves on to start ripping up the napkin. Like, eat strange red fruit. Check. Next? Destroy napkin...

Mega Trip Home: Installment #2

And then a week went by. I had plans for that week, really big plans. Plans to see everyone and everybody and their dog and their aunt and their long lost cousin AND help my parents get ready for Lake Powell, AND help get ready for the get together after my sister spoke in church, AND keep Wy on somewhat of a schedule.

And I failed MISERABLY.

I saw my friend's and their new baby (who i held for hours and didn't want to leave cause she was so adorable and snuggly and snuggled into my arm and smelled so good and she was SNUGGLY and ADORABLE and BABY BABY BABY!!!!!) and then.......something happened, some time warp sucking time like a ginormous Dyson, and suddenly it was time to go to Lake Powell.

My week was gone.

I've been WRACKED with guilt, real live serious gut-wrenching guilt. I think about it as I lay awake at night. Ughnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnmmmmph. You know I love you, right? 

Sigh. Moving on.

Lake Powell! Lake Powell was excellent. Oh! And how did Wy do, you ask? How did he sleep at night? And during the day? WELL. He was a CHAMP!!! A real live champion. He slept better there than he did at my parents house, probably because it was darker and we weren't in the same room (read: downstairs dungeon) but either way, it was excellent. He was excellent, a happy little peach the entire week. A peach who feasted on loads and loads of watermelon. Ruined two white onesies with the juices, but eh! He was happy and hydrated, right?

He also quite enjoyed the Ritz. Messy, really messy, (Leslie, you were SOO right!) but he loves 'em. So much so, he's willing to share with grandpa...

We don't have a whole lot of pictures because I was either entertaining Wy or baking myself on the rocks with a magazine. We have a ridiculous amount of wake boarding, skiing, and tubing shots. Here's one of Cabe's, and he'd like me to point out his bulging biceps and sweet air.

Wy also enjoyed his first boat ride, even though it also meant he had to wear a life jacket.

The waves and the wind and the white noise did it's job, and made him nice and sleepy for nap time.

But not before a quick drive with grandpa.

And just for kicks, here's a few of my favorite tube shots -

Nice form, Cabe!

That would be Caleb's foot, and my cousin's little girl's foot. She's 6, and was not very happy that Caleb rocked the boat...

I heart Lake Powell. I miss it already.

Mega Trip Home: Installment #1

Like your very own slideshow, minus the music. Do yourself a favor and find something fun to listen to.

First, we had a family reunion to attend. 

We have my cute grandma, looking at some old family pictures, and her cute, only one left living, brother.

He's a genealogy wizard. When Caleb and I got married he sent us a card that said, in as many words, "Congratulations! Will you please send me Caleb's birth date, place, family chart, etc. etc. etc."

There was food, updates, and planning of future family reunions. As usual. We also took group pictures, and pictures of the immediate family.

Later that evening we also had an open house to celebrate my grandma's 80th birthday. Doesn't she look lovely?

The bare essentials, of course.

We barricaded Wy in the corner with toys and Cheerios. He didn't stay there for long.

(forgive the pictures of pictures, but i love them)

My grandpa, so handsome! I miss him.

That's her, on the right with the gigantic bow. The youngest (the others are grandchildren). She grew up closest to her niece, being only 5 years older than her.

She's such a great woman, I have so many wonderful memories playing at her house, picking their raspberries (eating more than we brought in, always), peas, peaches, and cherries. Playing in their sandbox. Swinging on the porch swing. Eating ice cream cones on the hot pavement. Having my very own Sprite can from her fridge. Playing in her living room with the soft blocks, puzzles, dolls, and books. She and my grandpa took care of us a lot while my mother was pregnant and sick, and my dad was out of town. My sister and I used to drape her shoulders with an afghan and do her hair and makeup. 

She was always such a good sport. I love you, grandma!

It's never too early for bed...

This right here is what you might call a cop-out post. A just-returned-from-vacation-still-in-a-stupor post, the one where you're like, DUDE. GET OVER IT AND MOVE ON.

It's just that I have zillions of photos, lots to update, Wy's 10 month post to write, a website to finish tweaking, a HUGE suitcase full of (clean! thanks mom, for the use of your fabulous whirlpool) clothes to put away, and we haven't even made dinner yet.

And I'm ridiculously exhausted. Wy has been either battling molars or is sick, because the last three nights he's decided that the hours of 4:30 - 7:00 am should be filled with crying. Tired, wailing crying. It also didn't help that we were sleeping in the same room, I heard every single rustle and whimper the entire night leading up to The Crying Hours.

I'm leaning towards a cold, since I developed a sore throat this afternoon.

Which also might have something to do with my lack of energy. 

Woo.

I do have good news, however. I loaded up my grocery cart today, I mean really loaded, been gone for two weeks loaded, and it rang up under $100. Tell me that's not magical! I don't know how it happened, but I didn't argue. Somebody loves me today.

Also, I bought a watermelon (for Wy, the kid can't get enough), artichokes as big as my head, and a bag full of Honeycrisp apples (my favorite of all apples. I wait all YEAR for Honeycrisp apple season!!). And then I bought two little pumpkins and a gourd to start my Halloween decorations. How awesome is fall?! 

Pics and stories and videos, oh my! to follow.

Over and out

So. Wow. It's been a week! A crazy filled week, multiple trips to Costco, the grocery store, a quick clothes shopping trip thrown in (for the good of Kathy, who's taking an internship! i am such a good sister!), lots of cleaning, organizing, list making, and general craziness.

Today my sister gave her talk in church, and so we had close to 100 people at our house after wards for food. Tomorrow we leave for Lake Powell until Saturday. A whole week on a houseboat. It's normally my favorite vacation of the year, and I'm excited, I am, but this year is going to be a WHOOOOOOOLE new ball game. An entirely different sport, if you will. We're bringing Wyatt.

It's been interesting with him this week. The first part was excellent, he was napping well, eating well, going to bed at night. Towards the end of the week, however, he started taking shorter naps. Waking up at night. Waking up earlier in the morning (every morning it's been earlier, we're at 6 or 6:30 right now...). Not eating well. He's teething, working on his molars, which is just PEACHY let me tell you. He's not drooly, never has been,  he just wants to bite everything. He has also decided that anybody else's food is better than his. And he prefers whatever food he will accept (yogurt, a few bites of pureed food) on a regular spoon. Baby spoons are for babies apparently, and he's decided that doesn't include him.

It's clearly going to be an excellent week. 

 

Despite it all, he's a happy boy. A bit fussy sometimes, squirmy, but you can still pull a smile out of him. Going to come in handy, if I want to have any sort of minute to myself. Peeing with him in the bathroom is quite the herculean task. This week I was changing his diaper and discovered the plastic cover that sealed our shampoo bottle. I have no idea how he got that, since I distinctly remember throwing it in the garbage. I also managed to run a load of our laundry with one of his diapers, if that gives you any indicator of how the week has gone. 

I should probably pack tampons, shouldn't I? It would be just my luck...

See you all on Saturday! It's the great part of this trip - no cell or internet service for miles. A true vacation.I promise to be better upon my return, I've got some fun pictures to share. Plus he turns 10 months old this week - I can't believe it! Be thinking sleepy thoughts for Wyatt his week...

Yes, we labored muchly...

We spent most of Labor day hangin' poolside at a country club. My dad recently became a member (something about taking clients to golf....or something....) along with several of my family members, and so we all went to enjoy the free food and warm pool.

Pretty much what Labor Day is all about, right?

 

Wy, surveying the kiddies

 

and some of my cute family members (and that is NOT Wyatt, but his cousin-look-alike),

 

and us. Please forgive my rogue hair. And such. I'm in serious need of a haircut.

Bare essentials

It's almost unheard of for either Caleb or I to fly anywhere and not lose any of our luggage.

So I wasn't too surprised to discover that one of my bags, the small one containing all of Wyatt's stuff, didn't arrive.

I was surprised however, when the stroller I had checked at the gate didn't arrive. That one threw me for a loop. Apparently they just took it off the plane with the rest of the strollers during the layer over in Boise, not paying attention that it clearly said SALT LAKE CITY. 

Sigh.

So when bedtime rolled around and they still hadn't located it, we ran to get a few items.

 

University of Utah pj's, for example (not that you can tell of course, but it's the best i can do with a wiggly little boy). It is, of course, college football season.

Deferred

Am busy packing. Can't post. Go have a peek - Caleb re-entered the blogging world. However, this time it doesn't include a picture.

Now I've got you curious!

Cabe. Does that mean we can start calling it a blog instead of a p-log?!

To-Do

I just re-realized I'm leaving again on Friday. Didn't I JUST unpack? Am I not still in the middle of laundry?!

This trip home includes a week in Lake Powell, my favorite place on Earth, however this year is going to be different. Like, really different. Like bringing a 10 month old (holy crap he'll be 10 months!) different.

Can you imagine my packing list this time around? Is it possible to just bring my entire house? And maybe a pharmacy?

At least we'll have a doctor on board. Thank you, cousin Jenny, for marrying a doctor. Though we'd love him even if he wasn't. (i promise)

It's going to be fun. And interesting. And, you know. 

Interesting. Hopefully sleep-filled.

**********

In other totally unrelated news, in the last two days I have pulled two metal shelf brackets (you know, the little things that hold up adjustable shelves) and a band-aid from Wyatt's mouth.

At least it was his own. 

We were driving home from the doctors office having just had his finger pricked. I'd had to replace the band-aid they'd put on because it wasn't secured to anything but the gauze and had popped right off as soon as I buckled him in the car seat. I grabbed a new one from the first aide kit in my trunk, wrapped it around his tiny little finger, and off we went.

Two blocks later I looked in the rear view mirror to see (via a car seat mirror) an empty finger and Wyatt's chin bobbing up and down.

Excellent. Houdini kid. This should be fun!

**********

In related news (to the first, uh, point up there) a week in Lake Powell means I will be required, at some point, to be in a swim suit.

A spray tan might be worth my while. Also, they say you look thinner when you're tan. Bonus!

**********

Lastly, two weeks away means we've got to set our DVR for a thousand few shows. Tell me I'm not the only one. Anyone have an upcoming favorite?

Utah Trip: Take 2, The Return of Kathy

I get reeeeeeeeeeealy lazy when I come home from a trip. The thought of loading the pictures, going through them, finding the best ones to post, and coming up with something other than "This is me by the lake" is more than I can handle. Like trying to pass the Statistics final in Australia.

(I passed, bytheway, but just barely I'm sure. I don't know, they grade so differently down there...)

With my upcoming trip BACK home however, I'm anxious to post these pictures. I'm going to have to keep up while at home because two weeks is a ridiculously long time. Over two weeks, actually.

Hoo boy, do I have some packing to do.

Anyway. Let's catch up, shall we?

First we have a few pictures of my family enjoying Wyatt. He's pretty easy to enjoy, I must say.

 

 

 

(I'm still mourning the loss of this gummy frog - saved us during his teething. Dang high school kids stole it when it fell in a restaurant...)

Moving on! The main event, Sister Kathy Moss' return. And what a return it was! They were on the back of the plane, and so we waited for YEARS. EONS it seemed, until she finally rounded the corner. With my dad. Who had broken the rules and snuck upstairs.

We were all sort of preparing to see HIM round the corner in handcuffs. Thankfully, that didn't happen.

We have Abby and Liz holding our sign. "Freak" is a loving term we sisters have given to Kathy...we all have our own names...

 

Liz and I worked hard on that poster. Please notice my cat and hawk pictures. They're quite a work of art...(double click on the picture for a larger view)

 

Aaaand there she is! Miss America!

 

 

 

Mah sistas!

 

And me, looking "pale and tragic". (Anyone name that movie?) Man, I need to get some sun before Lake Powell!

 

Miss Emily, proudly displaying her poster.

 

The family. Minus my two boys.

 

 

Funny, this see-through door doesn't have a hairy mutt behind it...

************

We had an impromptu family party on Friday, which is always my favorite thing. I've got a great family.

Here's Wy trying to play with his cousin (ish? my cousin's kid, what does that make them? does it matter? i don't think so...) who isn't so sure about it. I think he's used to most kids being afraid of him. He's such a cutie, though.

 

 

Don't you just want to squeeze those cheeks?

 

Wy's other close-in-age cousin. And in size, despite their several month difference. And my cute grandma.

 

And my cute grandpa!

 

Washed out, but I sort of love it. Don't they look like little puppies? Someone got this one head-on. I've got to get a copy of it.

 

They kept stealing it from each other. Or maybe they were "sharing"?

And one of my favorites,

 

my dad reading Wy his bedtime story.

Yup, can't wait to go home again!