Introducing!!!

Baby Tidbitz the cutest little baby shoes! Made by one of the coolest women I know, these would be a darling baby gift.

AND




Gownbidder a new inexpensive way to find bridal attire! One of my missionary companions started this website. I just love motivated people!!

Check'em out!

Sparkle Dang-it

Miriam was a total pill this morning from 5 am till about 9 am, at which point she fell asleep for 3 hours. I was so angry at her, but while she slept I started thinking of all the funny things she has said and done lately. I was smiling to myself and laughing, I feel so blessed to have her and Bub.

While walking through the Ross toy isle I hear Miriam say over and over "dane-it, oooh dane-it I just can't handle this".
"Miriam, what is wrong? Why are you saying dang-it?" I ask.
Miriam replys "I just love these toys so much, it's so dane-it for me and my heart!"
I say: "Why don't we say something else instead of dang-it, I know Mom says it, but it's not that nice....how about we say 'Split Peas!' "
Miriam says: "I know, I know we can say 'SPARKLE DANE-IT!"

Yesterday morning I said "How did I get such cute kids?"
Miriam: "Heavenly Father gave us to you. You're lucky mom!"

Miriam: "Mom you GET be the evil Mom from Island Princess, isn't that great? It's perfect for you!"


Miriam: "I think Grandma and Grandpa miss me, we should go visit. Grandpa thinks about me everyday, I think he wants to make me pancakes."

We also had a very long conversation about how she thinks her cousin Marcus is going to be Super Why (I LOVE this new show, it's on PBS. Word World is great too. Seriously, Disney and Noggin better watch out free public television is getting good) for Halloween even though I keep telling her that I was with Sarah when she bought his Black Spider man costume. I think she just doesn't want to trick or treat with Black Spider man but she says: "Mom, Super Why has the power to READ, Black Spider man is creepy man".

Word World toys...I couldn't find a picture of Super Why on google

Bub of course says nothing but he smiles at everyone. He is like an ambassador for peace and happiness because people can't help but smile back. The grumpiest people are no match for that blue-eyed boy. It reminds me of my little brother Mark, although Mark's personality was more like Miriam, in a non-princess Mutant Ninja Turtle way. Mark didn't make the world smile, he made it laugh hysterically, and then he would laugh hysterically, and that huge vein in his neck would pop out and he would get the hiccups.

Polite as a Princess...or a Prince Party

Miriam has been begging for a princess party FOREVER so we finally did it. Miriam planned all of the activities so we beautified tiaras and wands WITH glitter glue, decorate heart cookies WITH sprinkles, and danced around to princess music. I added in the politeness parts (read a story about manners, learn the "Magic Words" song from Singing Time, and I attempted to make them use their manners during the party).

It really was an enjoyable party although Miriam was a bit of a terror before it started, she would not leave me alone about decorations!! The only glitch of the evening happened after the party was over. One of the little girl's mom didn't pick her up until 2 1/2 hours AFTER the party ended (about 6:40 pm)...actually she didn't ever pick her up, she sent the grandpa after I called her cell phone twice and her work. This mom has done something similar to us before so I am wondering: is she really just a HUGE flake or does she think because I am a stay at home mom that I have nothing to do? I am seriously bugged, it makes me not want the little girl to come over EVER, which is sad because it's not her fault.

Spookin'

We spooked last Monday (thanks for the picture Kristi, and for the suggestion to use it Cristin). It was so much fun to walk around on a mild Fall evening. Bub & I hid while Miriam and Darin dropped & ran. It was HILARIOUS watching, Darin runs FAST.

Thanks for the "ghost" pumpkin mom!

Saying Yes

" I tried hard never to say "no" if I could possibly say "yes." I think that worked well because it gave my children the feeling that I trusted them and they were responsible to do the best they could."
-Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Pictures of me saying "yes".

Sometimes Miriam looks darling, but most of the time she looks crazy, wild, or even homeless. I NEED to document the fact that I say yes to her desire to dress herself. I just need make myself feel better when I see little girls in completely coordinated outfits. I would love to dress Miriam up like a little doll everyday. I remember wanting to do the same to my little sister Julia when she was a tot. She resisted me as well.

Here is me saying yes to Miriam making a huge mess with her toys. It's her house and her chalk, how can I say no....she isn't writing on MY walls. So yes our backyard is full of chalk our fridge, oven and dishwasher have "artwork" taped up all over. It looks chaotic, and I don't love it but I love how proud she is of herself.

This picture is for my lurker friend. Don't our kids look cute playing together??

Conference Entertainment

I love General Conference, I really do, but it's a good thing the Ensign will reprint the talks because I miss a lot with Miss Miriam around. She is such a people person, she wants someone around all the time, and she has a hard time working quietly on projects. During the talk on motherhood I found myself saying sternly "Miriam, stop talking I need to hear this!" and then I felt very guilty as I did listen.

My mom usually made a big delicious breakfast for Conference, blueberry muffins, eggs, hash browns and sausages. It made the event seem more like a celebration than a conference and I have happy family memories from that. I would really like to make that a tradition in my family, but as Saturday morning arrived I woke up and went to a pilates class. As Sunday morning arrived I turned over and fell back asleep. I think this tradition may have to be reserved for when we are done with babies and on to the elementary age children.

Project #1 Miriam is dying to have a party but wouldn't agree to a Halloween party so we are having a "Polite as a Princess" party where we will practice our manners. Above are the invitations Miriam made.

She REALLY wanted to write "Miriam's Princess Party" on the envelopes so I wrote it out for her on a separate piece of paper and she went to town. During our mom and Miriam school time (which happens about once a week if that) I can only get her to practice writing for like 3 min. I guess the key is to plan a party a month and let her do everything.

Project #2 Miriam thought of all by herself. She made signs for the door that say "sorry friends we can't play today, we are listening to conference". Well, we broke down Sunday afternoon and let the little girl across the street come over after conference. BIG mistake as the little girl has a bad cold. Miriam and I sanitized the toys after she left (Miriam helped because she had her toys taken away and was earning them back) but its pretty likely we will be getting our first colds in the next little while.

Project #3 we baked cookies,

and walked them around to friends and neighbors in between sessions. Miriam dressed up for the occasion.

Genetics

One of my favorite classes in college was genetics. I love the science behind it, and I love examining families to find similar traits. People keep telling me that Bub and Miriam look alike but I just can't see it so I decided to pull out pictures of her at 4.5 months to investigate.




Same eyes, same tuff of hair on top (bald everywhere else) although it seems Bub will be a brunette, same head shape, similar noses. I think Bub's ears are larger, and his mouth smaller but there is something familiar between the two. People say Bub looks like like a "mini-me" of Darin, and those who know my little sister Julia think Miriam looks like her. I was talking to Julia tonight and my mom said her new baby looks like ME! Wouldn't that be something if I had a little girl who looked like Julia and she had a little girl who looked like me.

p.s. Bub's sleeve is wet from him sucking on it. Gross, I know he is soooo drooly!

She's Here!

Tatum Marie is here! She came yesterday. To find out all about it go to Sarah's Blog.

Documentation

Bub's Stats at 4 months 2 weeks
weight: 17 lbs. 1 oz. (90%) height: 26 inches (90%) Head Circumference: 43 cm (75%)
Dr's notes: he is very strong, happy content and social, right on schedule although a bit further along in the strength department. Hip is fine (it was making a popping noise from birth through last appointment). His tummy might struggle with too much dairy.

I love this little guy. Darin and I had some giggle time with him tonight...those moments make my heart soar.

While in Price last weekend, Miriam was able to take a dance class from "Miss Julia". So fun, Julia is great. She is fun and animated and energetic BUT she does not put up with whining or complaining ("you get what you get and you don't throw a fit"). I love those qualities in teachers, it bugs me when Miriam's teachers let Miriam or the other kids behave badly. I am not one of those mom's who are unaware that their little darling can be a stinker, I know how sassy and bossy Miriam can be. I appreciate a little help in the character development part of parenting.

Miriam, unknown little girl and Hadley. I am SO diggin' Hadley's outfit, very cool little 3 year old.


This is a bad picture but I LOVE Julia's tummy (she is in the orange jacket), and it's a great shot of the studio my family has worked so hard to get put together.

Lastly, this is a quiz for our cousins that Sarah has up on her blog. Something is missing from this photo of Grandma and Grandpa's house...if you know what it is leave Sarah a comment.

Guess Who's Having a Birthday??

This guy is...but he isn't really turning 2 (add 70 to that).

Neither is this little charmer, Claire is 1 today!

Have a fun day Clairzie and Grandpa!!

Pinkness

It came yesterday....my Pink Christmas envelope! Wow, so chalk full of goodies and fun websites to peruse, Kristi has totally outdone herself. The sponsor idea was great, I love to buy unique gifts and these gals seem to put those special touches in their products. I spent a good deal of time yesterday looking over the blog of the girl I am giving to, looking for pictures of her house (colors), things she likes, you know, top secret spy stuff. It made me wonder if someone out there has been doing the same to me, strange thought! So if someone out there is reading through my blog, trying to get to know me better I say "hello!". I am excited to get to know you in a few months when things are revealed.

The Dress

You know how people take their kids picture next to something to show how much the child has grown?? Instead of taking Miriam's picture next to a teddy bear I though I could just document all the pictures of her in her favorite dress. I don't know what it is about THIS dress that she loves so much...the cotton material? the color? the slight lift in the skirt when she twirls? Whatever it is she asks to wear it often.

Sometime in early spring 2006 Alicia sends Miriam the dress. Between that time and October 2006, when the above photo is taken (Miriam is 2) I make her alternate her other church dresses in between wearing this one. January 2007 (no picture) we buy a long sleeve shirt to put under it and tights to finish out the winter.

June 2007 because it is a bit short, the dress becomes a "play dress" which is fine by Miriam because she can wear it during the week.

September2007 the dress is now very short and I insist she wear the pantaloons with it at all times! It's cute though...kind of like Shirly Temple.

Sweet Bub with the big blue eyes, 4 months last week...unbelievable. He is laughing, can grab and hold things, loves to stand on laps but is so mellow he can sit and chill for a LONG time. Very drooly fella, will suck his fingers, pacifier, toys, my chin, Darin's nose....whatever. Spreads joy and world peace by smiling at everyone he sees.

Gee Whiz

We enjoyed another family reunion earlier this week. I met so many interesting, and kind people I had never even heard of before. Some I had heard of, but this was still my first time meeting them (after 8 years of marriage). A very few I had met, 2 or 3 years ago...anyway it was fun! I was glad we were able to meet some of Darin's cousins. It was a beautiful night, as the pictures show, and there was a cute little park for Miriam to romp around on.


Brothers and sisters

Cousins

2nd cousins

We dearly missed Lisa, Cristin & Shauna that night. We thought of you guys often!!

Sunday Sunday...can't trust that day

Its so late and I am soooo tired but I have to get something posted before tomorrow because I have been sending my brother Mark my blogging posts in lew of a letter (he is serving and LDS mission in Brazil). I hate those weeks when he doesn't get something from me. We love you Mark!!
Miriam and I put up our Fall decorations today before church. While putting up this very cute door hanging I was reminded of a cute thing my in-laws did for Darin and I when we were first married. Darin's mom and two of his sisters took turns sending us something every month of our first year of marriage. It was so fun to get a surprise every month, sometimes it was food, or a gift certificate, but mostly we received holiday decorations. It is such a sweet thing to do for a new couple. I felt completely accepted and loved by my new family, and I remember how kind they all are every time I get out the decorations.

Here is how we found Miriam 3 hours after putting her to bed. I guess she was hot because she took off her jammies and fell asleep in the doorway. She is such a thrash sleeper, a few times when I have gone to feed Bub in the middle of the night she has sat straight up and flopped forward, never waking. Which reminds me,the kids now share a room and it's working out wonderfully. Bub has slept through the night 3 days in a row (if you count waking up at 5:00 am "sleeping through the night" it's debatable).

The little girl across the street asked if she could come to church with us today. It was kind of a roller coaster day. She came over twice wanting to play, Miriam cried and cried when we told her no. She came over a third time with her mom wondering if she could come to church with us. We were thrilled to take her, especially Miriam who was on cloud nine all through nursery. Then the little girl wanted to go home rather than stay for sacrament meeting, and that devastated Miriam...she started to cry again. Missionary work is not easy.

This was the conversation between the two before we walked to church

neighbor girl: "I'm ready, my dress is fluffy, I am prettier than you!"
Miriam: "No you are not!"
neighbor girl: "yes I am, see the fluffs, and the flower, and the shoes??"
Miriam: "(girls name) that is not nice to say! all girls are pretty not prettier....and I have MORE flowers than you!"

Me: "okay okay okay we are late lets go"

Talent Show Re-Do PLUS Laughing Bub

Miriam started practicing for the family talent show last June. She picked a song to sing and would dance around the kitchen to the Sleeping Beauty Waltz, she carefully picked out what she would wear, and told me how she would bow at the end, yadda yadda. Well....Miriam, being our first child, has a very structured sleeping and eating routine. Reunions are unstructured events, wonderfully unstructured for us adults who are getting away from our daily grinds, but late nights + meals of simple carbs (not that healthy foods were not available) = sad Miriam. She behaved wonderfully at the reunion 95% percent of the time, but this was Miriam 5 seconds into her anticipated dance performance. Aunt Lisa and Alicia tried to get her to perform the next day, but it was all over for our little starlet. It was sad...so very sad, we watched the events unfold tonight on the camcorder and it made me want to cry. As I was putting Miriam to bed she said "I don't want to see that sad dance again". oh my that hurts my heart.

I thought she deserved another chance to shine without so much pressure, so I present to you Miriam, singing a song very close to her heart.

Also included on this tape is a VERY cute segment of little Bub laughing his heart out. I warn you, I look pretty bad, after church lounge bad, but Bub and Miriam are so darling it's worth posting.



* Happy Grandparents Day to our favorites G'pa B and G'ma C Grandma Rasmussen and Papa!