Keith during fhe: the golden rule is do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Logan: well there is the black rule. If people are mean to you, you can be mean to them. ************** Tonight Dylan was beyond tired. She cried about everything and fought us tooth and nail during bedtime. We tried to remind her that it was her choice to be happy and that she was choosing to be grumpy so if she wanted she could change her mind she could. She grumpily agreed to say her prayer tonight but not without informing us that she was NEVER going to get in bed again. Dylan's prayer: I am grateful for my parents. I am grateful for stores so we can buy food and eat it. I know heavenly father loves us and that he knows our names. I am grateful that we can choose to be happy. Please bless my friends to choose to be nice to me and to not pinch me. She finished her prayer much happier than it started. A while later she started crying and told me that she was saying bad words and when she does that it makes Jesus sad. She felt terrible. I was so happy to explain the atonement in children's terms. It was an emotional chat for both of us. I hugged and kisses her goodnight. And I think she fell asleep before keith and I left the room.
Goobers
Keith helped the kids do their chores this morning so they could go outside and play. While making beds he discovered something pretty gross...if you have a weak stomach stop reading!
My kids have a bunkbed, Dylan sleeps on top and Logan sleeps on the full bed on bottom (it's bigger, and naturally the bigger kid gets the bigger bed, says Logan) Dylan's covers at the end of the top bunk are tucked under the mattress and sometimes hang down a little at the end of Logan's bed. Apparently Logan has been pretty lazy, and instead of getting out of bed to get a tissue he wipes his goobers on the blanket that hangs down. It shocked me, because he gets so grossed out by things like that! I thought for sure they couldn't be his! But he admitted to it. So tonight I made him get a tissue and scrape off all the goobers from the end of the bed. It made my stomach roll just thinking about doing it, and it made him gag the whole time. Sometimes I think parenting is hilarious. I am hoping next time he thinks about doing that he will remember HE has to clean it up. Then maybe...just maybe he will muster up enough energy to get out of bed, walk the 2 feet to his desk and grab a tissue.
Tomorrow he is going to learn how to use the washer, then how to make the bed on the top bunk. I will let you know in 20 years if my parenting skills measure up.
It cracks me up this parenting journey. I really thought my parents knew everything. I am still amazed at how smart my mom is. She just seems to know what to do, how to do it, and for how long. In the spirit if Mother's Day, I sure hope that I am doing something right as a mother. I love my kids. I love being a mom. I don't love goobers, but I did secretly love watching him be completely grossed out by cleaning them up.
Happy Mother's Day. I hope you are enjoying the journey.
P.S. All photos taken courtesy of my early Mother's Day gift...my iphone. BEST...THING...EVER!
Me: Dylan, can you dig real deep down inside of you and find happy Dylan?
Logan (smiling): maybe I took the happy Dylan and that is why I am extra happy...look these are all the Logans, then he proceeded to pull every face you can imagine. Happy, sad, angry, ornery, upset, surprised, mad came with a grunt, and annoyed.
Me: That is alot of Logans.
Logan: ya, there really is. Then he put his hand on my face, looked me in the eye and very sincerely said "Mom, how was your day today?"
We had a really great conversation about church today. I told him about what I learned and he very intently listened. Then he started talking, and it didn't seem like he took a breath for 5 minutes. I learned that he HAD to sit by the teacher today because he and Ashlyn got split up because they were tickling each other. He also GOT to sit by the teacher because Kelson was kicking his legs and really bugging him. He was really worried about his teacher Sister Carter. She was home sick today. She tag teaches with Brother Carter, and since she was sick he didn't get a treat. That was rough. His sub teacher was Brother Degn. He had two sets of scriptures and an ipad. So he was really cool. But the lesson was not as good as the lesson he had 2 days ago in church (yes he really said two days) because Sister Carter told them that they shouldn't dare each other to do stuff, because a little boy dared his friend to run across the road and he did, and he got hit by the bumper and fell asleep then woke up in the hospital. But we can dare each other to choose the right. That is a good dare. So when I dare my friends, I am going to say "I dare you to choose the right." And his classroom meets in the kitchen. It is really cold in there so he wishes that he would have worn his long sleeved shirt today. But it is really cool because other kids don't get to meet in the kitchen. So it makes his class the best one.
Anyway, if you made it through that...I love it when we have these chats. I learn ALOT.
Dylan: Today we played 3 sisters and a mother. It was fun to have sisters.
Me: That does sound fun. Do you think mommy should grow a baby sister in her tummy?
Dylan: um-hum
Me: Then we would call it quits. 4 is alot.
Dylan: Quits is a dumb name, I think we should call her Alexa.
Me: What about Charlie? I would love a sister named Charlie.
Dylan: No Charlie bites, I think we should name her Alexa.
XOXO
We tucked our kids in bed and gave them goodnight kisses and hugs. Then Keith walked down the stairs and said to me "I am going to go get gas in the car, I will be right back". Immediately Dylan panicked, "Dad, what about hugs and kisses?" He said, "I just gave you hugs and kisses, go to sleep I will be right back." She replied, "you gave me GOODNIGHT hugs and kisses, but what about a GOODBYE hug and kiss?"
Dylan is 4!
Can't believe she is 4. She is still as sassy as ever. (As you can see from the ballet pose.) She wouldn't smile for me. As I pulled these up to post them to the blog she said "ha ha, look at that picture of my fake smile."
While in the bath today she said to me "Mom, don't tell me anything to do today. Then I will listen and do whatever you want me to do. Like if you ask me to make my bed I will...but don't say that."
How does the poem go?..."when she's good she's good, but when she's bad she's horrid." We love her and the sweet spirit she brings to our home. But I will admit, the 10% of the time when she is grumpy is tough! She loves to cuddle and smother anyone with kisses. She is very affectionate and it sometimes come across as aggressive. Hopefully we can keep her away from the boys. She is my mini me. I would post pictures of her barbie cake, but lets just say that only a 4 year old would think it was cool. My cake decorating skills have not yet surfaced.
4 things I love about her:
Her hilarious/innocent view on life.
Her never ending energy.
Her capacity to love and forgive.
Her gift of giving (and receiving) genuine compliments.
Funny Dylan
We spent a few days in Delta this weekend. Just a couple comments Dyl made while we were there.
That is President UckdorK. He is a dork. I know all the dorks.
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While driving back to Saratoga Springs both Keith and I were sleepy so we were talking about staying awake.
Dylan: Dad don't close your eyes and go to sleep or you won't even know where you are going! That is the truth.
I just don't want to forget...
Logan has been having major anxiety lately about strangers/being lost/alone. He gets scared to go to bed thinking we will leave him alone (which we never have) and if I leave him in the car to drop something off at someone's house he freaks out because he thinks I am going to leave them alone in the car forever. And he is afraid if I go in their house that something will happen to me. I don't know what sparked it all, but the poor kid as pretty upset about it.
He has never called me mother before. And the way he said it was so sweet and loving. At that moment I believed him. I really felt like a good mother. Sleep deprived and not even very coherent, and he still thought I was a good mother. So today...I am going to be a good mother. I really don't want him to change his mind.
Faith
I had a Relief Society training last night so Keith had the kids all evening. They couldn't find the kids scripture set so Keith thought it would be fun to have a chat about Faith with the kids over a bowl of ice cream. After chatting for a bit, Keith asked Logan what it meant to have faith?
Logan's answer, "To stand at the edge of a mountain, and if you have faith you jump off."
Scripture study Knight style
Last night Dylan was having one of her moments. She was being so feisty and wouldn't participate in scripture study or prayers. All because she wanted to go first and Logan had been asked to read first. She was SO grumpy. Needless to say, Logan fell asleep in our bed while she scream it out. She finally calmed down and went to sleep.
Then....
At 6 this morning she came barreling in our room. She swung the door open and started yelling at both Keith and I because she didn't get a turn to read her scriptures. She was furious! So we all had to go back to her room and let her read her scriptures. It was insane! This girl doesn't forget anything!
The good news is, both Keith and I needed to be up at 6. And that definitely got our blood pumping. We stayed up while Dylan and Logan went back to sleep for another half hour.
Male Bonding and ninja moms
Logan told me today that he was ready for a "bonnie moment". It took me a minute and multiple times of asking for an explanation to figure out. He wanted to have a "bonding moment". Something Keith will say if they are going to hang out. Keith had fallen asleep (we are all pretty sick around here) and Logan wanted to have this special moment only with a boy (aka Dad). So I had to pretend to be a boy the entire time we played Lego's. My throat still hurts from talking so deep.
Then...Dylan joined in on the fun with her new girl Lego's. You don't realize how girls and boys are wired so differently from the start until you have kids. Logan was all about blowing things up and fighting, and Dylan wanted you to mourn over her death every time Logan blew her up. She also thought my ninja's needed a mother so she was the ninja mom. "she only fights when she is not cooking dinner." Needless to say it was a pretty hilarious imaginary game of Ninja fighting and some awesome "male" bonding.
Mother of the year.
Long story short....
Driving in the car and Dylan has to pee. She says she can't hold and that it is going to come out. She is in a panic and we are nowhere near a bathroom. So I did what any mother would do. I put one of Finley's diapers on her and let her empty her bladder. Took her a minute to warm up to the idea and totally freaked her out when she could feel it. The problem is...the diaper was made for a little boy who only pees small amounts. You get the drift. We made a small mess that was much easier to clean up then what could have happened:) Win win (I think)
Then...we got home later than planned and had popcorn and peach julius for dinner. Mom feels like a loser, but for some reason everyone is happy.
3 pennies
Me: Dylan, please go brush your teeth. Don't make me ask again.
Dylan: (standing very still holding Logan's Lego motorcycle that she just ran all the way downstairs to get) But I got a motorcycle and Logan said I can't move.
Me: LOGAN, YOU ARE NOT THE BOSS OF YOUR SISTER. You can't tell her what to do! Dylan you don't have to do what he says, put the motorcycle down and go brush your teeth please.
Dylan looks at me kind of in a panic, then at her brother, then back at me without moving anything but her eyes. Logan then walks out of the bathroom towards Dylan VERY slowly and confidently.
Logan: See mom, she would rather have a penny.
Then he went to his room grabbed 3 pennies and paid her for:
1. Running downstairs to get his motorcycle.
2. Holding still so it didn't break.
3. Sharing her Legos with him.
Dylan squealed with glee when she got 3. Logan was kind of mad when he realized she would have done all of it for only 1 penny.
****Side note: I don't pay my kids for chores or bribe them with money. I don't know where the idea came from or how long this has been going on. Don't know what I am going to do about it so if you have any suggestions let me know. I think it's funny, but I would much rather Logan get his own motorcycle or have Dylan get it for him just to be nice.
A few recent happenings.
Today during dinner Dylan took a giant drink of water and had to spit some of it back in her cup. Finley thought it was hilarious so she kept doing it. Fin would just crack up. All throughout dinner he kept anticipating another drink from her. When dinner was over she told Fin that she needed to put her dishes away, but that she would be right back to spit her water for him again. Logan kindly offered to spit her water for her while she was gone. He grabbed her backwashed glass and filled his mouth with water. Then he spit the water back in the cup in disgust. Somehow he was completely shocked that the water was gross. But when Finley saw him spit in disgust he almost passed out from laughing so hard.
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This may or may not be cool. But who knew that you could have a hardcore
game of Jenga with a 3 and 6 year old?
Should I be concerned that she has nothing under this apron
and she is sitting in the open window?
We went to a friends basketball game the other night. I was taking some pictures for them. And on the other side of the gym Keith was watching the kids. It was so cute to see him smooching Fin. He just kept coming in for more and Keith was happy to dish them out. He is such a good daddy. Our kids definitely know he loves them. Notice Dylan and Logan in the corner. Despite the way it looks they are both having a good time playing.
Logan's costume of the day.
Fin got tubes put in his ears last week. Hopefully it will help with all his ear discomfort. He looked so cute in the hospital gown I wanted to bring it home. He was a trooper.
This kid can never be left alone. Ever. He is always pulling all the books or pots and pans out of the cupboard. Or climbing somewhere he shouldn't. He can climb up to the top bunk, but he still can't walk. Go figure.
Dylan being an army ballerina. (whatever that is)
This was her mean face. She stayed in character very well.
Logan is acting the part for his 100 day t-shirt. We had to come up with a shirt that had 100 things on it for school. We bought a pack of eyeballs at the
dollar store and cut a hole and glued in the teeth that we made from scrap felt. It turned out really cute. He was proud to wear it since he glued everything on.
The Happy Button
Logan and I practice reading everyday. It is usually such a chore and he can not sit still. He gets really grumpy when we read and it usually ends in a threat to not play. Then he will either finish angrily or choose not to play for the rest of the day. Yesterday while we were reading he was getting really grumpy with me.
Me: How come you always get so upset when we read?
Logan: Didn't you know that if you push my happy button on the bottom of my foot I will cheer up?
(He then stuck his barefoot right in my face and pointed to the arch on his foot.)
Me: So all I have to do is push this one button and it makes you happy?
Logan: Ya, I actually have more than one button. This one just works the best. I have buttons here and here and here. (He is pointing to random spots all over his body)
I pushed the button and we had our very best reading time. He was happy the whole time. So when we sat down to read today he started to get upset with me. Then he laughed, picked up his foot, pushed the button and proceeded to finish on a happy note.
New Years Resolutions.
We were having family home evening and were talking about the new year. I asked the kids to think about something that they wanted to learn this year so we could write them down and make our resolutions to be better. Logan wanted to learn to read and swim better. Dylan was very thoughtful and then stated "I want to learn to make Gold, because I really like Gold."
What is a post without a picture? Yes, I have noticed that Finley doesn't exist on our header. It will probably take me a while to change it...so I am posting this picture so he doesn't feel left out. I have so many pictures of him sleeping. He loves this mickey mouse. When you hand it to him he will automatically turn him upside down and hold Mickey's yellow boot to the side of his nose. If he really loves you he will reach the boot up to your nose and rub it around so you can feel how wonderful it is. Those are the moments that make being a mom worth it. He is the sweetest little guy. He is so much fun to have around that I can't wait for him to wake up in the morning. I don't remember feeling that way with the other 2. Don't tell! I loved them just as much, he is just so sweet that I look forward to getting him out of bed. That is why I have so many sleeping pictures of the poor guy. Sometimes I can't wait.
**********
Dylan started a REAL ballet class this week. I will load pictures...eventually. She informed Grandpa that she had always been in pretend ballet class and she had grown up enough to attend a REAL class. As we arrived to the dance studio the receptionist asked Dylan if she was a new student? She replied, "no I am a ballerina."
*********
This morning Logan was in a pretty good mood. When I dropped him off at kindergarten he turned around and gave me a giant kiss on the lips. Then he proceeded to give Dylan a kiss on the lips and then Finley on the lips before getting out of the car. Everyone felt like they had just won the lottery. Then like a scene in a movie, Logan pushed the button for the van door to automatically close, jumped out of the car, did a spin move and gave Dylan the sweetest crooked smile. Flynn Ryder smolder style. As the door shut Dylan said "We ARE in love." She was thrilled. I guess she loved him all along and until he gave her that magical kiss she didn't know the feeling was mutual!
***********
Tonight Logan was in the shower complaining about his water being cold. So I reached my hand in his shower and jerked the handle up hoping to get some hot water. He started laughing/screaming "It's freezing hot! Turn it off!"
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