F-O-U-R

Happy Birthday Little Man.

He turned four today. FOUR...4. I cannot believe I have been blessed with him in my life for four years. I am so thankful for him. He is my sunshine, one of my very best friends, my heart and soul. I am always amazed at how well he knows me. His intelligence astounds me, his abilities in all things are remarkable. I cannot wait to watch him grow, and learn...and to love.

These photos are from our ward Halloween party. They said no scary costumes...Mister chose to be a skeleton this year. I wasn't sure if that was considered scary or non-uplifting so I talked him into wearing one of his dress-ups (thanks Claudia). Upon discussion of said costume choice he said, "Okay mom...but you have to do my hair like Superman, like this...(visualize hand swooping motion over forehead in circular manner representing curly cue omnipresent on one superman extraordinaire)." Um ya, my jaw hit the floor...how on EARTH would HE know how SUPERMAN does his hair?! Oh my word...! LOVE HIM...LOVE HIM! Have I said how much I love him. Anyway, so this was the final product...he looks a bit off in this photo because he was FREEZING...but oh so cute, I just wish it wasn't so blurry, but I'll keep...

Anyway, we had a really fun day today, we went through his baby book, talked about him when he was "little" watched Transformers, went up to the Copper Mine, headed over to Toys R Us so he could choose his toy (he chose a Transformer, tried talking us into two, claiming he needed two to "fight" hehehe...he only got one (although had I been alone I would have given in.)) Then he chose "Pizza, without salad on it" for dinner...come to find out "salad" is anything that is green. Hmm. And then a cake...chocolate. It was a good day! Happy Birthday Buddy, I love you FOREVER!

And one of Miss, just cause she's cute...and today we were getting her dressed and she said, "What the FREAK?!" Ya, all on her own, thanks Flav!

Quiet moments...

...captured forever. Why I do this, why I do so many of the things that I do.

Him

This says it all. He loves to draw. He will come to me and ask me to draw something, so I will, then he will go into his "office" and draw the same thing, down to the last detail. I wish I had photos of these to share, I hope to get to it one day, and publish a book of his art for Christmas.

I feel there is nothing that he cannot do in this life if he works hard and puts his mind to it. Perhaps this is normal for all parents, but in him I see so much possiblity. The things he says, and does, his observance to life is mind blowing. He is so perceptive to things temporal and spiritual. He sees a need and he fulfills it, he sees something he wants and he goes after it. He loves learning, he feasts for it. I admire him for so many, many reasons. At four he is my protector, my helper, and I can only imagine how he will be ten years from now...

This photo...

I love. One of the best friends I have ever known. So utterly blessed to be his mother. Somedays I wonder, "Why me?" and often I wonder if he deserves better than me. He is my heart, he makes me laugh, smile, and tear...so full of love for him. Wanting so much for him. I'll keep...forever!

IKEA

Going through some more summer photos, and forgotten I had taken these, love them.

The girl loves her potato, as long as it is fried, crisp, tot-like, she'll eat it.

Rarities:

Sometimes, when we're growing we think we don't 'need' a nap, for some it happens when they are two, others four. Mine is almost four, somedays he naps, somedays he doesn't. This was one of "those" days...

And this one? NOT a sound sleeper at all. She sleeps well, but will not fall asleep anywhere but her own bed. She had just woken up from a nap, and I came home to find her like this: She fell back asleep. This has not happened since she was three months. I was so utterly jealous.

Life...

Found these tonight as I was going through some stuff. I have been trying to organize my scrapbook room (haven't unpacked since the move). I just have an overwhelming feeling to get back into it. Anyway, need to print off almost a years worth of photos. I know horrid right?

Just loved these, even though sometimes I don't love myself, they said so much about me, to me...I needed that today:



They were taken a few months ago, right after we moved into our new house. I remember it was a Sunday, just us, how we are. I keep thinking of how much I love these little spirits, and how much I long for another one to join us, and yet, enjoying every minute of them in the process.

This past week has been pretty busy. You can tell by the photoblog that I have had session after session after session. I love it though. I have learned a lot and I am continually learning about me. I feel that Heavenly Father gave me this gift and I am using it, and it is blessing my life and the lives of those I photograph. It is something hard to explain, yet something that is completing a part of me.

School is keeping me busy. It is a bit stressful, but not to the point it was this past summer. I never want to enter an abyss like that again.

My kiddos are very sick this week. J wasn't able to go to school at all. I took him to the doctor and found out he had a sinus infection, ear infection, and a double eye infection. My heart is just breaking for him. It is funny, but I have never had him on any medication in FOUR years!? This is his first time on antibiotics. So weird for me...but good I think. Little Memms came down with much the same thing I fear today. I knew eye infections were really contagious, but she is exhibiting all of the other symptoms of big brother. I just don't know what to do with my feverish, eye boogie carrying kids. Hug and love them, and be grateful that after Saturday morning I have a week off from sessions and can focus on just them!

Anyway, there is a little update for all of you. Thanks for the e-mails inquiring how we were doing, and where I was. We're still here plugging along! Hope you all are too!

"Nursemaid's Elbow"...

...a fancy term for: "you suck at parenting, way to go and dislocate your kid's elbow, nice going stellar parent!" Or in other words, today was a bit of an upsetting day (at least for an hour). We dropped J off at preschool, and decided to head over to the mall to get a book and a video we have had our eye on since conference. Well, it was me, Hubbs, and Memm. I think in the last year and a half, this is the first time that Hubbs and I went anywhere alone with just Memm. Well, Memm has this thing she likes to do called: "Drop my weight and create my own "wheeeeee" game!" You know what I am talking about right? Every parent has done it. I know Casey has. Anyway, playing the 1-2-3 game wasn't even the culprit. It was a fit Miss threw after we had to take her away from the 75 cent fake pony ride...she wanted to ride it and I didn't want to wait for the four other little kids waiting in line to finish. Anyway, Hubbs grabbed her hand and we all started walking out, that is when Miss threw herself to the ground and did a 360 while Hubbs still had her hand in his. We didn't realize anything was wrong until we got in the car and I handed her a book and she grabbed her left hand with her right and tried to "open" the book. She was crying and crying. I looked at her wrist and swore it was sprained/dislocated/hurt really bad...she kept crying and holding it. Anyway, went straight into our pediatrician, (man, I love my ped office! AMAZING staff, amazing doctor...really never had a bad experience with them EVER!) they got us in literally THREE minutes after we walked in and it wasn't her wrist it was her ELBOW! Crazy, the doc told us it is usually the elbow when parents think it is the wrist. Anyway, none of this was a big deal at all. I was very calm, just feeling a little bad about her being in pain, but she is fine now. But I guess once this happens, it can happen more commonly. So, anyway...no more playing 1-2-3 at our house! :( Sad cause I really love that game.

Memm

Sometimes very serious...always thinking, doing, playing, reading, talking, hugging, caring...love her a lot.

Arrrrr....

THE funniest thing I have seen in a LONG time...

Saw this and was rolling on the floor laughing so hard I could not breath.