August Post

I'm about to order this blog book, and Christina of 2015 cannot let it start off with the bummer that was August 2014. I was at an all time low after my gallbladder surgery. But I recovered and was back to normal very quickly. August 2014 through July 2015, the kids grew and blossomed and learned so much. We celebrated birthdays and holidays and continued to improve our house. Rosalind was born August 2015, so the pregnancy is included but not the birth. What a way to start the next book!

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I usually try to stay positive on the internet. I like to present my best self and, for the most part, don't see the value in whining and complaining online. But I will admit, I will not look back fondly on August 2014. Bye bye August 2014, you will not be missed.

The kids were happy and healthy and thriving, but me, not a happy camper. I had my gallbladder removed August 4th, and for a week or two before the surgery I was more and more uncomfortable. Apparently, having two HUGE (20mm) gallstones and an inflamed gallbladder can make you a little droopy. Then I had surgery and was in a terrible amount of pain for the first two days of recovery. It was a different kind of pain than labor, but no less intense.

Add in that Brian's been doing a lot of work on the house, leaving us very little family time, and I will restate: bye bye August 2014! Adios! Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

But the month wasn't all bad: because of these cuties!!

Everett and Lydia have both been going to the pool with Gion. Everett finished his lessons but has a great time during free play.

Lydia and I had an 18 month photoshoot.

Everett's been learning how to write and spell a few words including "stop" and "mom." Hmmm . . .

He had my mom help him write "mom warm me please." He wrote the "mom" part. This is not the first time he's mentioned my warmth. I'm obviously warmer than Brian.

Probably the biggest (fun) event in August was Everett's school play. They did The Very Hungry Caterpillar and sang The Garden Song. We love the preschool performances. They let the kids be kids. Some wander around. Some get distracted. It's pretty funny and adorable.

We're still loving Lego! And not just Everett. Lydia's getting into them too.

I had to take some pictures of Lydia and her amazing bed head.

Sweet siblings reading together. But not too sweet. Right after this, he poked her in the eye.

I took these pictures to demonstrate the difference between 4 years and 18 months represented in jam from toast.

Lydia being lazy, eating cheese crunchies laying down.

Everett, proud of his Lego creation.

Beautiful picture Gion took of Lydia at the park.

We had a play date Heidi, Remi, and Monroe. Lydia LOVES babies. Heidi and I had to protect Monroe from all Lydia's rough kisses, taps, and pokes. But Heidi let Lydia "hold" Monroe for a few minutes. She was in heaven!

Even though Everett went to school all summer, we celebrated his "first day of school" this year with some pictures and the traditional interview.

It was hard getting all these questions answered. But the end result is worth it. So sweet.

Lydia was wearing a special hand-me-down shirt from Rachel (who I called Hootie in high school), so we had a photoshoot! You can see Lydia's new big Elmo. We got her a big one because she was getting so attached to the little one, we were concerned it would quickly fall apart if loved and washed too much. We'll see how big Elmo fares.

I've been messing around with camera settings. Lydia's been very patient with me.

Lydia loves the gymnastics class her grandparents take her to. Now she goes around the house standing on her head and doing somersaults.

I love this sweet/funny picture of my little family.

 Everett's not quite as cooperative a model as Lydia, but I think I got a couple nice ones of him.

Brian saw this picture of Everett (above) and said, "he actually looks like me in this picture!"

Lydia is doing great with the bristle blocks. They're perfect for her ability level.

Yesterday morning I pretty much woke up to this. Our monarch butterflies were breaking out of their chrysalises! 

Well, I guess August 2014 wasn't too bad. Nice that I don't have any pictures of my gallbladder recovery to remind me of that nastiness. Just a lot of silly, smiling kids to remember.

Until next month!

July Post

I love talking about my family, but I'll be honest. Right now, blogging is not what I'd like to be doing. I'm having my gallbladder removed tomorrow, and I'm feeling pretty icky. I'd rather be curled up on the couch watching Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Or maybe I'd sit in the recliner and crochet . . . either way, ideally I wouldn't be blogging right now. But I definitely won't be up for it for a while after tomorrow, so on we go!

Here we are at the lake park for music in the park when ECHO did the BBQ dinner. My mom's very involved in ECHO, our local homeless shelter, and she was serving at the meal. We didn't stay for the music because we don't know how to party anymore.

Brian planted these beautiful sunflowers. We got a lot of compliments. I know for a fact they brightened the day of a pregnant friend who was two weeks overdue when she drove past our house.

Lydia loves playing outside and on our play structure. She also loves playing ball. The World Cup was going on when I took these pictures, and I joked that Lydia was just one more person who likes soccer more than I do. 

Everett at the doctor's for his 4 year check up and at the dentist. Clean bill of bod health and mouth health.

I wanted to make sure I mentioned Everett's recent (but sadly past) shoe quirk. Every day for a few weeks, he would wear one dark blue croc and one hot pink croc. The blue one was a smaller size, and he insisted that foot was smaller than the other. Apparently that foot has grown, because he's now wearing both pink crocs every day. This is notable since Everett usually cares very little about clothes. Scroll down to see a couple pictures with the mismatched shoes.

As is our tradition, we went to the cute, little Santa Margarita Fourth of July parade. We met the Hunters (and extended friends and family) at the Hunter house and walked to the parade.

After naps, we went to Phil and Gion's for a Fourth of July BBQ dinner.

Lydia loves eating the sour currant berries. Adult and baby taste buds are so very different.

So much has changed in a year. Except Brian's shirt, apparently.

Mmmm. Ice cream with fresh berries. So much better than wild currents.

Everett got a new Lego set. A girl named Kate riding a jet ski. We like to call her Auntie Katie. Especially fitting since Auntie Katie had just returned from Puerto Rico when we got the set.

We went to Daddy's school garden to "help." Well, Phil and Gion really did help. The kids and I mostly played and ate granola bars.

Lydia shooting the water cannon at Grandpa George.

Everett's bionic eye. It was the peep hole from our old front door. He called himself "The Roboconqueror."

I love baby cuddles with my not so baby. As I type, she's no longer nursing. Last night was the first time she didn't nurse to sleep (August 2nd).

We wanted to meet our friends for disc golf at dinnertime, so we brought a picnic to eat on the course. It worked really well! For the kids. Brian and I had a harder time walking and eating or stopping. Lydia really did enjoy the new experience.

Lydia has really perfected her wave and "bye bye," it's really the only thing she enunciates enough to be recognized as the word. Maybe also "hi" and "uh oh," which she was going around for a week or two saying about everything (with her hands out to the sides). In the picture above, I said, "say 'hi' to Daddy!" and she said, "bye bye! bye bye!"

Lydia is seriously fond of Elmo. She calls him "Bobo" (although we've heard her say "Elmo" almost perfectly) and dances when he's on the TV. She will also gather everything "Elmo" in the house (slippers, books, coloring books) and bring them to the TV when Elmo's on. Babies love Elmo!!

Everett thinks my crochet project makes a great hat. It's supposed to be a bag, but it might be a better hat. I've been getting more into crochet lately. It's really meditative and a good distraction from the bad news I see online and hear on the radio.

The kids put on these outfits (ok, I helped Lydia) and were having fun playing dress up, but didn't want their pictures taken.

Brian went on a four day backpacking trip to The Emigrant Wilderness. It was hard for me having him gone, but the grandparents helped me even more than usual, and Brian had a blast!

Rachel coached a youth basketball team that Julie and Andy played on. We were excited to go to their last game. When we got there, we realized Everett's friend Henry, neighbor of Phil and Gion (Dan and Emily's grandson), was on the same team!

I had to get Lydia in the Star Trek captain's onesie. She's quickly growing out of her 18 month stuff.

From facebook:

"Brian and I are talking. Everett loudly demands, 'focus on me! Focus on me!' Well, at least he's using his words?"

Not from facebook, but I noted while watching Star Wars: 

Everett asked if everyone in The Empire was evil. I said, "Everett, in this movie, it's hard to tell who's good and who's evil. Some are evil, and some are bureaucrats." And Everett said, "and some are actors." Haha. Yes, yes they're all actors. 

Also, when the jawas showed up he said, " I see coats." 

Everett's getting more and more bothered by scary scenes in movies. Too bad! No more Wizard of Oz. 

Until next month!