Adventures in Babysitting

The other day I had to do a quick load of laundry, and I have learned from experience that I can't carry laundry and both kids to the laundry room (although that is a really good way to throw out your back). So I asked A1 to watch A2 for the 2 minutes it would take to start the load. When I came back, I found A2 lying on his back staring adoringly at A1, while she held his hand and sang, "I Am a Child of God."

I Won't Stand For This...

...so I guess I'll have to sit.

Sense of Direction

Now, you can ask anyone: I have no sense of direction. The only way I knew which way was north back in Utah is because the mountains pointed that way. I was completely lost in Rochester! I'm only slightly less lost here because I know where the ocean is (it's west). R has often teased me that I wouldn't be able to find my way out of a paper bag.

So you can imagine my joy to learn that A1 has R's sense of direction, not mine.

She can find her way out of a paper bag!

How To Tell It's Naptime

Do you think he's trying to tell me something?

Photography Lesson #1

One of the mothers in the apartment complex is a photography buff and was inspired to share her expertise with the rest of us. So she started a Photography Club that meets once a month to teach us how to "make pictures into portraits" (our club motto). Here are my first attempts at doing so.

What do you think? How am I doing? What can I do better? What other sorts of things should I focus on?

Vacation with Grandma

R's mom, Julie, came to visit us this past week. We had the greatest time with her, showing her how we live in this wonderful climate. She played with us at the playground all day and helped A1 and A2 make Valentines for us and for all their grandparents.

On Valentine's Day we all went out to the Santa Monica Pier to look at the ocean (it was a little too cold to get in - although A1 made us promise that she could wear her swimsuit next time we go to the beach) and the year-round carnival located on the Pier.

On Sunday we walked around the temple and enjoyed the atmosphere there. We also took lots of pictures because it's such a beautiful setting.

Grandma with her son and two grandkids

Grandma with her two her grandkids

Grandma with A2

Happy Kids Are a Blessing!

This week we have had a run with sickness, one right after another. A1 started it, and still isn't over her cold. Then A2 had a fever and general malaise for a couple of days. By the end of the week, I caught whatever A2 had. Last night I had enough of the whining and feeling awful and other things that go along with everyone being sick, so I had to put myself in time-out. A1 could tell that I wasn't happy, so she hugged me and hugged me until I felt better then continued to ask me the rest of the night if I felt better. And all her love really did make me feel better! What an amazing blessing it is to have kids who just want Mommy to be happy!

A2 did his best to make Mommy happy by growing well. He is now four months old and in the 75th percentile for head circumference (he has a big, fat head just like his older sister), 50th percentile for weight (I swear he weighs more than that though), and 25th percentile for height (the effects of having short parents). Happy boy!

Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better!

Our two kids are growing up so fast, especially A2. He wants to sit up, even though he doesn't have the physical ability to hold himself up yet. So we have to come up with creative ways to prop him up so that he feels like he is sitting up on his own.

Not to be outdone, A1 wants to show that she can do anything that A2 can do, only one step better. So she gets to sit up to the table, while he merely sits in a high chair.

And A2's newest trick finally caught on tape!

As soon as I pulled out the camera and started shooting, A1 had to prove that she can also roll over just as well as A2 and deserved just as much applause as he did.

What makes a child so competitive? What can I do to show that I'm proud of A2's accomplishments without A1 proving that she's better? What have you done for your younger children?