April 11th

This April 11, 2009 the sun was shining, though there was a cold wind gusting from the ocean. Brian, myself, Ethan & AJ had Easter festivities all day...but in the back of my mind my sweet father-in-law's memory burned bright. One year ago today the door between earth and heaven opened and welcomed a righteous son, husband, father, and grandfather back home. I was reading a talk this morning by David B Haight. Though this quote is from his talk "Be a Strong Link" I can hear Dad echoing these very words to us.

"I know that God lives. I know that He loves us. He loves us just as we love our children and our posterity. We now have 65 great-grandchildren, and of course we’ll have more on their way. We love them all, and we hope that the chains and the links in our family will be strong, and that our children will be blessed. We’re proud of all of them and pray that they will grow up with the strong knowledge and the feeling that I have regarding God, that He lives, that He’s our Father, and that all of this work is under His direction and that of His Son, who is our Savior, Jesus the Christ. This is the Church of Jesus Christ restored to the earth in these latter days. I know it is true."

Thank you Dad for wonderful, wonderful memories. We love you, miss you, and promise you we'll be a strong link in the family.

Family photo taken October 2007

Welcome to April's showers of events

If I don't keep myself up with this, I find that there are TOO many things to write about. April so far has been a busy, busy month. Not just with our family, but everyone near and not so near us as well. To start off the month with a bang (really...on April Fool's day), my wonderful dad underwent surgery for Prostate Cancer. To be complete in details I cannot do; my pre-pregnancy brain is gone (for good, says Laura) But it was a radical prostatectomy, chosen by his surgeon (and 2nd opinion) as the best option because he is so young. Completely removing the prostate will eliminate the cancer for ...10-15 years? This news of cancer was hard to bear due to AJ's impending birth and the fact that Brian's father passed away 1 year ago on April 11th. But the Lord is merciful, always giving his children the righteous desires of their hearts when aligned with His will. We are so grateful for the successful surgery and though Dad is feeling 'confined' with his limitations as he recovers, I am grateful everyday for the advancement of medicine. It is not perfect yet (one day it will be) but I am constantly amazed at the plagues that fill this world, and the treatments discovered that eliminate them. Most of all, I am grateful that AJ and Ethan have their 'papa', and I have my dad. We love you dad! Keep resting!

General Conference followed that weekend, and was truly wonderful. It seems that the tough questions are always answered, hope is always restored, and a renewal of commitment to 'try a little harder to be a little better' burns inside. It is a 'perfect weekend that happens twice a year' as I've heard it referenced. And it was. (Nap and talks :) Brian attended what we hope will be a long standing tradition that follows the priesthood session. All elders gather to eat BBQ pulled-pork sandwiches after the session. Super yummy since the pork has been in the crock-pot for 6+ hours! Funny...there's never been enough to bring home to let me eat (this was the 3rd roast we've cooked since living here) But it's good guy time and Brian really enjoys it, EQ Pres or not.

I took AJ for her 2 month Dr. appointment. She weighs 10lbs, 1 oz. The doctor and I discussed a couple of hemangiomas that we've spotted and I just need to keep an eye on them, alerting her doctor if I notice an increase in size. Ethan was with us, and I was nervous about her getting shots and him reacting. I should have just paid all attention to AJ. She cried harder than she ever has (Ethan didn't make a peep) but quickly recovered when she discovered she wasn't going to die. (the happiest feeling in the world, I'm sure.) I've resumed drinking milk, and though she has become a 'bib baby' because of her constant hiccups, and spitups she doesn't cry in agony anymore. I hope she'll continue to improve as she gets older. Ethan did...though it took me a little longer to discover it was probably the lactose in the milk that was causing his discomfort. Most babies just can't handle it when they're first born. The NP AJ's been seeing said that most babies live their first 6 months of life in pain because of what they're digesting. Welcome to earth little one!

Ethan and Annabella playing 'tornado'

Ethan is counting how much money he has for college...just about enough!

a full 1/2 hour of play:
28:58 minutes to build
5 minutes of play (that overlapped the 'building time')
1 minute to take a picture
2 seconds to destroy (after the picture was taken)
I love this kid! And we did have fun..just me and him

Jumping Jellybeans!

Living on the top floor of an apartment complex has it's ups and downs. But despite the ups and downs, the winning factor of living up top is you don't have anyone above you, therefore there aren't footsteps creaking, chandeliers swaying, or dust falling from cracks...which apparently is now happing to our neighbor downstairs. Yes...we have officially be asked (nicely, of course) to try to keep Ethan's jumping to a minimum. He said "I try to understand but sometimes I'm sleeping or resting, and it's too much."
I knew one day it would happen...but every tenant that had lived there before was rarely home, so I wasn't too concerned. This neighbor has an odd schedule, and I never know when he's there. Apparently, he was home last night...take a look at this video! We'll have to show it to him so he can see what a cute kid Ethan is, and that he's certainly not making a racket by being mischievous. He's just having a good time! Jump away kiddo!

PS...this was the night of the YW broadcast...so...when Mom's away, the boys will play!

This past week has been beyond crazy busy. My poor kids have had to entertain themselves (okay, AJ really doesn't do well entertaining herself...instead I found myself wishing that when she wasn't eating...she was sleeping, so I could get everything done.) I've been released as our YW's personal progress coordinator, and called as the Secretary. I'm still doing double duty, which I don't mind at all! This week was just really busy. I had a Presidency meeting on Monday morning, I was in charge of our personal progress mutual night on Wednesday, scheduled to be VT at a local park on Thursday, our YW general broadcast was Saturday evening, I was teaching the lesson today in YW's, and I needed to make 3 value posters for display (a personal progress assignment I'm completing) for the month of April. Suffice it to say we ate leftovers, frozen dinners, and Pasta Roni this week, and I'm pretty sure Ethan is now assuming that 5 hours of TV is totally acceptable! I'm glad this week is over (I must say it was a good week! I haven't done that much for a calling in a long time).
Brian made the comment the other day that Ethan changes everyday. A little reality dose for us...time only moves forward. Annie Jane will be 7 weeks this Wednesday, and though she's still small, she continues to show us she, too, is growing up. She has a fabulous little smile now that melts your heart, especially if she can get a 'coo' out at the same time for you. You can tell she tries, even if she's not always successful. They both are sooooo cute, and I love them sooo much.
I wanted to write that before I tell you what happened LAST Sunday, 10 minutes before we were supposed to be out the door.
When Brian has EQ meetings at 8:00, and Ward council at 9:30am and we have church at 11:00, there's not a lot of time he can help out before he has to head out. However, he is a lifesaver in that he gets Ethan dressed, and usually fed. Sometimes, if everything goes particularly well he'll make his lunch (which we feed him during sacrament meeting). It relieves my stress of getting us all ready for church and out the door on time. Last Sunday I was running on time...things were going well, and I was finishing up my hair. I had put on "Polar Express" because trains are Ethan's favorite things, next to trucks and buses, and I was hoping it would keep him content until we left. The next thing I knew, Ethan came into our bathroom, and grabbed my hand in an effort to follow him. I did, and he brought me to our living room. He was talking (but I was not understanding) and pointing to this object on the floor. I thought he was saying 'broke', but now I'm not sure....he could have been saying 'poop', because that's what it was. The smell instantly confirmed my horror and I looked at him and then down at his pants. His pants were on...not halfway, but completely on. "Where's your diaper, Ethan?" I knew it wasn't on because I could see the plummer side of him. I was totally freaking out in my head, remaining calm so he wouldn't get upset. I asked him again and again, but he didn't say anything, he just kept pointing to the floor. I lifted him up by the armpits, afraid of the smear that I was sure awaited inside of his pants. On the floor in his bedroom I unbuttoned his pants, and there....was his diaper...around his thighs. Oh thank goodness! There wasn't a stitch of mess inside of it, in fact he was rather clean...considering what I usually have to deal with when changing a messy diaper. It was then that I realized he had actually pulled down his pants, pooped, and then tried to pull his pants back up. So, after securing his diaper (that's another story...so I'll summarize...he had started to complain earlier this month about it being 'tight' so we had loosed the straps a bit...not anymore! I resumed the 'tightness'.) we picked up the prize and put it in the toilet where I firmly said, "Ethan, you can go poop in your diaper, or you can go poop in the toilet. You cannot go poop on the floor. Understand?" "Yeah!" was his sweet, enthusiastic reply. He flushed the toilet on his own, probably clapped (I don't exactly remember) and we went to church.

I think we were even still on time.

PS. There have been no repeats, thank goodness!
PPS. No pictures! (double thank goodness!!)

One fat lip!

One more event for the week...Ethan got his first fat lip. We made it almost 2 years!!! AJ & I were heading out to YW, and Brian and Ethan walked with us out to the garage. It's quite a hike...we go down our flight of cement/rock/evil stairs and walk the sidewalk to the other end of the building, and then climb another flight of sidewalk cement stairs. Our garage is not too far away from there, but Brian and I have both waited for the day when these stairs would make their move and injure our little tyke. We should have been more worried about his two feet walking on flat ground. Okay...that's not fair, he fell on the part of the street where there's a slight incline. I didn't see the fall, but his lip was sure bloody. As was his shirt...his hands (from touching his lip)...and Brian's shirt... I've never done super well with the sight of blood, although I think I've improved GREATLY over the years. And somewhere deep inside of me I felt the familiar feeling of needing to put my head between my legs (especially since Brian was there and completely able to take care of things) but I made it through...I was able to hand Brian a Kleenex AND a wipe before I got in the car...safely sitting down! I got home that night and went in to check it out (Ethan was sleeping). I wiped medicine on his lip with a Q-tip (right before he smeared it on his pillow as he turned his head) and in the morning it was much better. So the pictures are actually taken the day after. He was a trooper though...mom and dad didn't freak out (externally) so neither did he, and he didn't cry for long; Dad's arms are a safe and secure place to be. And he definitely couldn't keep his curious hands from touching his newly fattened lip.

St Patrick's day...who knew this could be such a celebrated holiday? Where have I been? Well, we didn't take the chance to go downtown to the Gaslamp Quarters to party, nor did we eat corned beef and cabbage like many others, but we did get a special treat. Ethan loves treats...he asks for one when he wakes up, after breakfast, after lunch, and usually after dinner. No, we don't cave in EVER before breakfast, or even after breakfast. If there is 'treat time' it is usually after his nap, or after dinner (sometimes, both). Daddy brought in some treats made by the Albertson's leprechauns and Ethan looked excited. But when it came right down to actually eating it....no way jose. I tried to coax him by eating mine and making the 'yummy' sounds....no good. He was NOT interested. So, you'll be interested to know that even though the pictures show he has frosting on his fingers, face, and lips...none of it actually was ingested except for the tiniest lick of the tongue. The mess was made by daddy trying to get Ethan to eat his treat. This kid certainly doesn't go for just any treat! Sorry Mrs. Leprechaun...better luck next year! Maybe we'll do something homemade! That is if the leprechauns don't start invading our house like they do at Auntie Laura and Uncle Keawe's house!
Enjoy the movie...I thought the music would add to the excitement of our struggle/encouragement to get him to eat this silly treat!

Well, I decided to write once a week...but I'm convinced it'll be more often because I have so much to say about what's happened. Maybe this week was just 'extra busy' . . . after all it was St Patrick's day on Tuesday!
Since having 2 kiddos has eliminated my ability to dedicate one day to cleaning, my current cleaning plan is to set aside a couple of mornings (until 10:00am) to clean particular rooms. (My house isn't very big to begin with, but for some reason it's impossible to clean it very fast :) And so this past Monday I cleaned Ethan's room and our 2nd bathroom. Ethan is usually very good about keeping busy...as any 2 year old is...but that morning he seemed particularly onery and 'needing' me. Since I was just about done cleaning the bathtub I put him off 'for one more minute.' Ethan was dragging his blanket around the house, and I noted that he just laid down on the floor in the bathroom. I thought I was hurrying...but when I turned to see if he was feeling alright...he was sleeping! The poor kid. Naps on Sunday are usually too short, so Mondays are sometimes 'catch-up' days. Apparently he desperately needed to catch-up. I picked him up and put him in his bed. If he was going to take a nap before and during lunchtime, I wanted to at least provide a way where he would sleep as long as possible, since this was my only shot at him taking a nap. We had lunch around 3:00 that afternoon!