30th Birthday Bash {Amanda's Post}

My gift to Jared this year was a party. The reason this was a gift was because it was out of character for me to do anything, let alone a party that I couldn't back out of at the last minute.  I now get why it is important to still do something special for spouses, even if we both decide we don't have to do presents.  I had the best week planning and preparing for his party...but mostly because I was thinking of him more than usual. Unfortunately having the party also meant that Jared had to take part in the preparations. I tried to prevent the need of him on his birthday, but I was unsuccessful and he was a HUGE help.

Here is a run down of the happenings: 15 guests, 6 children in addition to our 3, all great friends, family, and an EXCELLENT Chef. To tell you the truth, the reason we decided on hosting a party was because we knew we had a great chef that would help me out: Tang. The food was D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S!!! And she was very smart in knowing that I wouldn't have time to cook for my own party, so without permission she bought all the food and did A LOT of prep before arriving. Tom did the barbecuing. The only things I can take partial credit for would be the Coconut Lemon Grass Soup (but she had her hands in it a lot) and the Spring Rolls (which is just assembling, and Heather and Liz helped finish that up). Along with those items we had her homemade egg rolls, Lettuce Wraps, 4 dipping sauces, Pad Thai, Panang, Teriyaki Beef Skewers, Saute Chicken Skewers, Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango, and fresh cut melon and grapes.  As is the case when we eat at Tangs house, everyone left stuffed to the brim because you just can't stop when the food is SO good.



Birthday Hubby with our little Miss.



Me, organizing the game Gift Grab. Bliss in the background, 2 weeks postpartum.




Tang, loving on Bliss's less-than-2-week-old baby.



Tom and Sophia.

Wilson and Lindsey. Lindsey only has 6 weeks left in her pregnancy, but looks like she is just at the start- tiny tummy on a beautiful lady.

Dan, Liz's husband, with his bubba, Karsten. You won't see Liz because she is behind the camera.

Gary, Bliss's husband, interested in the game being played.

Bliss with Malia.

Lindsy's husband, Mike. It took me a while to realize that they are a Lindsy and Michael, just like our Linzi and Michael.

Heather and Ellie.

Lettuce Wraps.

Rambunctious kids.

Bliss and Gary's oldest, Riley.  He is such an adorable little man...Malia's age.

Bliss with her newborn, Dashal (not sure on the spelling, but he will go by Dash).

Daddy doing what he does best-having a splendid time on his birthday.



A Delicious Lemon Glazed Cupcake. This didn't quite win over the usual birthday cake, so I am back to the drawing board on how to be creative with his favorite cake.



My favorite arrangement of flowers- this one is a gift to Tang and family for all their help. Jared gave me one for my birthday that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!



 

"I wanna eat picnic"

Yesterday we were coming home from visiting our friends who just had a successful home birth. We have warned them that it is much better for visits to be at our house, as our kids would have them revoke their friendship if we came to theirs. Well, we had to see the new baby and we weren't going to make them come to our house for that, so we had our first visit to their house.  After overstaying our welcome and realizing our kids needed to get home to bed, we left them to their evening.  On the way home the kids were watching Signing Time: Neighborhood. It must have been at the picnic part because when we got home Corban asked, "I wanna eat picnic." So with about 25 minutes before Jared was to be out the door again, and 30 minutes before my tired kids really should have been in bed, we threw together a picnic to give them what they wanted (and for me to try to be spontaneous). What a fabulous picnic we had!

Both right on cue, tongue and all!

What a beauty!

Isn't he a looker!

Our nice set up with pears, chicken sausage, and Go-Gurts.

Each pear had to be stripped of it's green skin before either child would eat it.

So that was mommy's dinner- pear skins.

YUMMY!

Jared was out the door a little late, bed time was a little after the appointed time, but all went relatively smoothly. I love it when spontaneity works out! Thanks for the suggestion, Corban!

"the creeper"

So, last night Amanda hears a thud and guesses it's Corban getting out of bed.  I quickly and silently run up the stairs to see what he is doing.  His door is not easy to open, so he tugs on it for what seems like an excessively long time.  Then it opens and inch, but he doesn't come running out as you would expect Corban to do.  The door starts to open, then makes a creaking sound...and he stops.  Then, very slowly, he opens the door quietly...all the way open.  Still I have only seen his hand (I am standing where I can see very little, and remain unseen).  Then comes "the creeper".  I didn't know he had it in him, but he was very sneaky.  Knees bent, shoulders up as if to keep weight off his feet and the creaky floor...I was holding back laughter.  He comes out holding "pink" and sees me, eyes go wide, then he smiles as if to say, "I'm caught, but I'm cute so it's OK, right?"

Birthday Present!

It arrived! My 50 mm lens! Thanks to mom and dad, Colleen and Curtis, and Grandpa and Anne Crane! They sent the money that got put in my bank to pay off the credit card that purchased the lens! I really was very purposeful with the money and spent it on just what I wanted!  So THANK YOU! I was hoping that by putting that lens on the camera I would come out with perfect pictures.  Well, the subjects were perfectly challenging, and I get to keep them and the camera, so one day I will get a perfect picture! I am confident that with Liz's help, I will be able to take pictures 100% better than I currently do, and maybe 10% as good as her!

Subject #1: Malia and the MAC power cord

 Subject #2: Addison sleeping soundly on the bobby pillow. I didn't want to disturb her to clean her boogers :)

Subject #3: Bedtime routine is a matter of subject
I recently came to the realization that we have a bedtime routine. I realized this when I was making plans with one of my friends that has one child- who also has a routine, much like ours when we only had Corban, however, it is more molded around the child.  Our current routine created itself out of necessity, making it possible to keep the kids alive. Don't get me wrong, I am being serious. By this time of day, having made it through dinner is a miracle, you can't expect much more than a miracle getting them to bed alive.

It starts out with putting the baby down on the ground so I have both hands available. Never fail, she works her way under the bed. She is probably doing this to stay clear of the craziness that is about to ensue.

The two munchkins have already started running about. They like to run out of the room because they love to hear me yell. I know this because they do it all day long, make me yell, that is. So I use my two hands to grab one, pin 'em down to put on a diaper, release and grab the other.  This is when the Diaper Dance music begins (Dance and Music come from "Baby Signing Time"). I wish we had it on CD...but mom's attempt at beat box and lyrics suffice.  This is seriously adorable and we can't get enough. (my abilities with photography definitely didn't catch it this evening, so this is all you get: two bare bodies in diapers)

Malia even likes "baby doll" to participate. Man, does that baby got some moves (difficult to catch on camera)!

Because we can't get enough, we created the Jammie Jams. If you like Diaper Dance, then you are SURE to like Jammie-Jams! (same thing, just in in pjs)

Addison, still enjoying her under-the-bed-cover. She really got that rattle going tonight!

Dance and music are followed by "Mint and toothbrush". They are both SOOOOO much better at allowing brushing of their teeth.

Followed by pulling out toys they never want to play with until bedtime. I think they are just a decoy. Daddy is being doctored by Corban.

He had to have his haircut before operating.

Nurse Malia is providing pain meds while daddy catches up on some light reading.

After reading 3 verses of scriptures (1 per child), which doesn't sound like a lot but we haven't had a night that it hasn't felt like a lot, comes prayers.  Corban is usually very cooperative, in fact, he now will even keep is eyes closed most prayers. He likes to pray for things he wants by saying "ank ee for birds game", though we didn't get that tonight.  Malia sometimes will insist that she pray as well, which is a light whisper of gibberish.
Corban then requests "moms wants rubs", which he is right, I do want rubs. However, this really means that I WANT to give Corban rubs...he is also right about that! So after settling Malia and Addison, I will come back to this, or if Jared is around we get right on it. With Veggietales playing in the background he will usually tell me some funny things that happened during the day, or about what happens in birds games or some other video game that comes to his mind. Once rubs are over and I am saying my "good night"s and "love you"s, he puts in the requests of "pink light" and "drink of water" (which is the tinniest sip ever).
When putting Malia to bed she likes to have "baby doll" in with her, tucked in by her just like her, and it gets kisses as well.  She also now requests water, which started because of me giving her a Camelbak water bottle one night and she wouldn't give it back. She cradles it like one would a stuffed animal or doll. Once you close her door you hear her chattering and playing with whatever we left for her to play with in her crib.
Addison is also getting easier, with her bedtime being just about the same as Corban and Malia, which is why I have 2 posts on the blog within 1 weeks time.  If I don't fall asleep with her or Corban, then I sometimes allow myself to zone out on the computer- all the other times I try to get some part of the house back in order.

The main point of this post was a "Happy Birthday" to me. It has been in just this last week or two that I have been able to stop and FEEL the beauty of my life. I know I am not the first to have 3 under 3, and I am definitely not the one to look to as an example of "how to". They are actually the least of my problems, and are every part of my blessings! As I have looked back I realize it used to be that I dreaded bedtime, like I said, but now I really look forward to the routine. Partly because it ends with me getting a moment to myself, but mostly because I LOVE seeing the baby steps of growth among the "same old, same old". I guess this growth is in me as much as it is in them! There have been many nights recently that I do just cuddle up with Corban and fall asleep thinking about how just three years ago I was rubbing his nose to get him to close his eyes, or nursing him to sleep, or singing "I love to See the Temple" and thinking of the day when those words would make sense to him, or a million other reminiscent thoughts. I want to go back just as much as I want to go forward and I am trying to make it equally as much as I want to live in the present.
The best advice I have received came from Elder Boyd K Packer's talk in General Conference two weeks ago. Interestingly enough, I applied the principles he was speaking of to take from his talk what I needed most at the time. The advice: Forgive. How I am mostly applying it is forgiving myself and giving myself a new chance each day, or hour, or minute as needed. The principle of repentence and forgiveness has taken on a new light in my life and will be my subject of study for the next while.

Yikes! That got quite personal. I have never really been good at only giving the pretty side to life anyway. So there you go, I am more real than you thought AND I am 32! Here's to another year of learning and growth!

Here's What's Going On

 Things that happened in the last week:

Malia is becoming a good mommy. She practices with her dolls all day long, and here she is getting hands on experience with Addison.



Noni and Grandpa got us a Bounce House! They may not know it yet because they sent money and this is how we spent it :) Thanks to Craigslist, it was VERY affordable!

 

Corban can't resist playing hard, so Malia usually isn't in for long.

Thanks Liz for allowing us to borrow your exersaucer!  Addison LOVES it!

Jared has been an amazing, wonderful husband! I have been just a tad (ha!ha!) crazy living a life with 3 under 3.  We have come to realize that Amanda needs a break away from home- often, very often!  This week we have both worked on making me actually take it. It started out with Jared coming home with Malia on Sunday since she was sort of sick and we didn't want her to get the rest of nursery sick.  This is what I came home to:

Sports Bra makes an excellent tank top for a 1 1/2 year old.



Eye liner- glad she put it there rather than trying for the correct spot.

With that start to the week, Jared may have been scared to take on the plans for the rest of the week, but he did awesome!  I went out both Wednesday and Thursday night with fabulous friends-the first for Bliss's baby shower, and the second for a women's discussion group. Friday we had a BLAST at the beach with the Agles and the Allens- soaking up the sun, catching some waves (well, Jared and Gary did), and eating an excellent BBQ with Wickles (look for them in the pickle section of your neighborhood grocery store). Today we tried to keep a little lower key so I could have all my chores done for Sunday. Jared was out surfing for the morning, so while I cleaned and folded piles of laundry (I still have 2 more batches to go), Corban a Malia did some more soaking, and Addison counted her toes, did the usual spitting through her lips, made lots of noise on the bookcase, and was her usual bubbly self.


This is what the spent last summer doing, so I love that this was the first thing they did when I filled up the sink. You can see I didn't get to Malia in time, she jumped right in in her jammies.



Malia fell backwards right after this picture.



She loves holding her legs or her toes.



This is what the lips look like when she is on her spitting spree. Pretty soon they will be covered in spit and bubbles.



The bookcase was entertainment for a LONG time- hitting and scratching. 



This was requested by Corban: "See one of Corban smiling."

I was on bedtime duties tonight as Jared was working.  Corban took about 3 hours to actually go to bed...and maybe he is still not asleep. He kept coming up with excuses to come out. Here were a few of my favorites:

Corban (from behind the door, yelling to me in my room): I need my fingers cut.
Mom: We just cut them the other night. Get in bed, Corban.

Corban (after coming out of his room): I want to see baby Addison.

Corban (coming into my room from his): Mom, I *mumble mumble mumble*.
Mom (in the bathroom): What's wrong?
Corban: I have *mumble mumble mumble*.
Mom (making myself visible): Corban, what is wrong?
Corban (pointing to his ear): there's nose in-a-my ear.
Mom: There's a noise in your ear? Did you get a bug in your ear?
Corban: No! A nose in-a-my ear.
Mom: Does your ear hurt? What's wrong?
Corban: No! Nose in my eeeeear.
Mom: There's a nose in your ear?
Corban (smiling and with a little laugh): Yes!
Mom (puzzled, but confirming): There's a NOSE in your ear?
Corban (holding up his finger): Yes, from my finger.
Mom: OH! There's a booger in your ear! Let's go clean out your ears.
Corban (giggling with glee): Okay
(I only caught on because all day he has been telling me he needs to blow his nose and that he needs to wipe his finger because he got "nose" on his finger)


Corban: Mommy, I want you a lay by me. (This has been a favorite this week, which started on Monday when I was just as tired as he was and fell asleep while putting him to bed. He LOVES that he put me to sleep and continues to talk about it.)

Other things Corban likes to say: Prayers ("Dear Heanly Fodder.Ank you for is day.Ank you for daddy, and mommy, and Corban, Malia, and baby Addison. Ank you for the food and please bless it. Ank you for the pool. And ank you to go a bed at night."), telling us what he will eat for breakfast ("I want waffles and sausage and syrup and a plate and a big fork."), talking about things that are "kind of scary"- and he usually says it in a whisper and sort of like a question ("the boogie man is kind of scary", "WALL.E is kind of scary"), "all done jumping" after about 2 minutes...because he LOVES jumping when the bounce house is deflating, asking mom: "Mooooom,Wha cha doooing?" he draws the words out and I admit, it's kind of annoying after about the 9th or 10th time.

Malia is also talking up a storm. She likes "chip", "cheeeese" (this is for cheese the food AND for sunglasses), "nack " (snack), "unbuckle", "seat", "monkey seat", "baby doll" (I think that is the baby's name), "dance", "baby signing time" (and she signs it when saying it...that was actually helped me figure out what she was saying AND she sings the song now almost to the right tune), "brekbist" (breakfast), "down", "elly" (for jelly), "I jump", "bye!", "I aunt iss" (I want this) and many many more. Much of the time she is combining multiple words...almost like she is speaking in sentences, but we don't always understand all of the words. There are also a lot of things where SHE knows what she is saying but we can't quite decipher.  Usually asking her to "show me" helps figure it out.

She has also turned into a daddies girl. She talks about "daddy" all day long- literally. And when we are going to visit him at a store, she notices as we pull into the parking lot and she starts repeating "daddy". If he calls me on the phone while I am in the car, she yells from the back seat throughout the phone call, "hi, daddy". As always, when daddy walks in the door, both kids go running- Malia: "Daddy!" Corban: "Daddy, you're here!"

Yes daddy, you are here and we have loved your help this week.  Mommy feels lots better!

Just when I've had enough

I sat down to the computer to do who knows what. Corban and Malia were playing the background. I could tell there was some chasing going on- Corban after Malia. I turned around and was just about to tell Corban to stop when I noticed he had an itty bitty sword and shield in his hands. I just had to laugh and get a camera.

In the normal scene, it is a big stick/sword that he is using as a "pretend"weapon against his sister. He isn't very good at the "pretend" thing and usually hurts her, though not too bad. I am usually still trying to discipline him while she runs off happy again. This little sword and shield came from this:

CAKE Pictures...others to come