Words a Mom likes to hear:

Elijah at dinner tonight-

"Can I have more brussel sprouts, please?"


(And Papa, don't you dare tell him otherwise!)

Bath Time

Last night Sam got thrown in the bath (see previous post for marker pictures, turns out his face wasn't the only part with marks).  Tilly followed us up there and was looking rather interested in what was going on so we threw her in with Sam.  Wasn't long before Elijah jumped in too.  It's a cute bunch of buds.

I also had to get a picture of Tilly looking like a drowned rat.  Her face is pretty scrawny when you wet down all her curly hair.  Overall she doesn't seem to mind taking a bath.  No fighting and trembling but she was in a hurry to get out of there and bolted out of the bathroom before we could get a towl around her.

My Curious George

I'm ready to start sewing the baby's rag quilt but yesterday while I was resting someone [Sam] decided to "touch" my machine and when I sat down to sew some burp clothes later that afternoon my presser foot had magically disappeared. I'm still waiting for it to magically reappear.  While looking for the foot I found that Sam had also taken scissors to a skein of embroidery floss and cut it into tiny clumps of thread.

Sam is very different than Elijah. He manages to get himself into so much mischief because he has to push all the boundaries. He is my curious George to the "T".   He has been banned from unsupervised use of markers, scissors, hand sanitizer and baby wipes among other things. The kid just can't help himself.


Last night he came to Josh and I looking like this:
 

He's my darn cute bundle of trouble.  Man, I love that kid!

36 weeks...

Well, I've reached the 36 week threshold and I am FEELING 36 weeks -- Uncomfortable, but still going strong though a lot slower.  I had my appointment this morning.  Everything still checks out.  I'm measuring on target, the baby's heart rate is good, he's head down, and I'm already measuring 1 cm.  Everything is lining up for this baby to get here, physicaly.  I've just got to get everything else in my life lined up too.

Josh has his 9/80 day today (which means he has work off) and he has a LONG list of things to do.  My main goal is to find the floor in the bedroom my sisters will be staying in and get the downstairs shower curtain up so they can actually use the bathroom.  Lots of work to do for Josh (while I sit here blogging)!

The "Coolest Thing" They've Ever Seen

Earlier this week our neighbor across the street had a company come a cut down one of his trees.  We're talking a BIG tree.  The diameter at the base was probably close to 2 feet.  It took 5-6 guys about as many hours to get it cut into pieces and most of it mulched to tiny bits.  It was really an interesting process involving one guy up in the tree and many others manning ropes from below.

Anyway, they pulverized most of the tree that same day but left two large sections of the trunk in the front yard until yesterday when a big truck came to get them.  The truck is what totally fascinated the boys.  It had a huge orange claw that picked up the tree trunks and delicately placed them on the bed of the truck.  The boys were glued to the window (with it's newly installed blinds, I might add).  They were very excited about it and repeatedly commented that it was the coolest thing they have ever seen.  Sadly the show didn't last that long.  In nothing flat the logs were in place and the truck was on it's way.

(Sam is under his still beloved blanket, "BB".  He was pretending it was his long beautiful hair when the truck show began.  I've tried stashing the blanket but he always realizes when it's gone and hunts for it.  Silly kid.)

Nursing Cover

I've got projects piling up in various stages of completion.  Last night Josh had a boys' game night with friends in the ward and I sat down to sew my nursing cover.

I found various tutorials online and combined a few of them for my end result.  My favorites were these two:

Sew Much Ado: Nursing Cover Tutorial

Pinkatilly Nursing Cover Pattern

I found the cute fabric at JoAnn's along with the 1/2" polyester boning and 1" D rings.  I also used some left over brown flannel to make a triangle pocket in one corner.

I made the overall dimensions bigger than those given in either tutorial.  The width is from selvage to selvage and for the length I think I did 28".  I bought a yard of fabric and had some left over. 

Overall it came together rather easily and for about $8.00 I have my own nursing cover.  I'm excited!

Eaten Alive

I am feeling overly loved of late... by MOSQUITOS! 

They must love the way I taste because I am getting eaten alive everyday, throughout the day.  I go outside with Matilda 3-4 times a day (her potty training has been going great)  for about 5 minutes and I always come in and find that I have at least 2 new bites.  The worst is when they follow me into the house and bite me when I'm eating dinner or sitting at the computer.  ARgh!  The first hour or so after I'm bitten is maddening trying to ignore the itching burn.  After that they stop bothering me and disappear but that first little while drives me nuts!  I've started spraying myself down in the morning with bug spray but they still manage to find a spot I missed.  These aren't your average Utah mosquitos either, they are a little bit bigger and are black and white striped.  The annoying thing, which is also good, is that they don't seem to be attracted to anyone else.  Josh never gets bit or at least his body doesn't react and the boys aren't outside a lot.  When they are out Elijah is like Josh and doesn't get much attention but I think they are more attracted to Sam. 

Oh the joy of Maryland and it's natural inhabitants aka pluthera of BUGS!

Masterpieces

Okay, this post is long overdue.  The boys painted these back in June for their room and for Josh for Father's Day.  They've been floating around since then and I finally broke down and took pictures of them.  Elijah and Sam were sure excited to paint on the special "paper."  They each drew a rough draft of their picture on paper first and then they painted it on the canvas.  They were very serious about the whole process. 

Elijah's Masterpieces:

He chose to paint a rocket for his bedroom.  He designed and painted it all by himself.

For Josh he painted a picture of them together.  Again all by himself including the star and the heart and five fingers.

Sam's Masterpieces:

Sam painted a "Cleaner" Robot for his bedroom.  This painting just makes me smile!

For Josh he painted a picture of himself (yellow) and another robot.

Puppy Love

We haven't been doing much this month, and I haven't taken a lot of pictures.  But I have caught a few of Matilda in her cute puppiness.

Sam can be a bit physical with Tilly but I often catch him being really sweet with her too.  She was laying on the floor and Sam went and cuddled up with her and is watching a movie.  Pretty sweet.

Tilly has adopted our old brown chair.  It sits in front of our big sliding glass door/window.  She will sit on it looking over the arm rest and watch our neightbors.  You will also often find her sleeping in it.

Often in the most random positions.  Oh what a care free life.

I also had to snap this picture of Josh and Matilda.  When I did it he made some remark about using it for blackmail.  Josh really is sweet on that puppy.  That are a cute duo not to mention he is a handsome man!

Panic/Survival Mode

I'm pretty much running on survival mode right now.  I can't really comprehend that this baby will be here in a matter of weeks.  I'm 6ish weeks out from my due date and I wouldn't be surprised if he came 2 weeks early like Sam.  But I've been so preoccupied and busy that I really haven't had a chance to do anything but panic a little that this baby will be here soon and be excited that my mother is coming into town.

I'm scared to think that in the next couple weeks Elijah will start Kindergarten.  I'm throwing him into the world.  My sweet innocent spounge is getting thrown into a den full of other little boys and girls that I don't know and I can't filter what he will hear and learn.  AHhhh!  Not only that but I'm actually accountable to get him there everyday, ontime.  That means I actually have to pull together a morning routine.  No more lazing around when there's nothing on the schedule for the day.  On top of that I AM HAVING A BABY!  I know what babies do to my morning routines.  I know how I feel/function (more like not function) when I haven't gotten enough sleep.  I'm crazy to be doing this at the same time.  Thank goodness my mother will be here!  At least I know Elijah will get to school ontime the first month and hopefully that will be enough time for me to get my act together.

In the meantime I'm busy getting projects together for the baby, finding the baby's room, busy with YW's, planning Young Women in Excellence, keeping up on laundry and dishes, and trying to be patient with my restless boys.

Phew... I think it's time for a nap.

It's been HOT

I think Tilly's got the right idea...  Sprawl out on the air vent.

We've had record heat this month.  A lot of 90 degree days with high humidity.  It's been killer.  Needless to say we have been spending A LOT of time indoors.  The boys have been restless and I've had little energy to entertain them.  We are SO looking forward to Grammie, Aunt Bekah and Aunt Rachel coming to visit!