Naptime Adventures

I love my little two year old more than anything.  She really is the greatest thing that has ever happened in my life and I adore her.  I love that she is so sweet and affectionate.  She is smart and observant.  She is artistic and precocious.  I just wish she didn't chose to be so artistic and precocious during naptime.

This was the more recent and less grievous offense.  She emptied a smaller bottle of powder all around her room, specifically in many clean diapers and all over her bed (Obviously).

 Poor little lady had to have a time out while I cleaned her mess.

 This was the first, and easily worst, bedroom destruction endeavor.  I sure was ticked.  She emptied about half a tub of desitin.  It was everywhere.  There was also a large bottle of powder completely emptied, and a per accident.  I have finally scrubbed her bedding and stuffed animals to almost good as new. I keep washing the walls but the greasy handprints really are determined to stay. The dresser is clean but shines, and the carpet is still not as clean as I would like it to be.  Needless to say, her access to things on her room has change drastically.  Little stinker.  I couldn't be upset for long, she's just too darn cute.  But hopefully these naptime events don't recur. I'm really not a fan.

 The pictures don't even do it justice .

Dear Adam

I can't tell you how much I love being a mom.  It is the best thing I have ever experienced.  I love how much it has changed me.  I love how much that crazy two year old means to me.  I love that you gave me the opportunity to have a baby.  I love that I have been lucky enough to be home with her the past eight months.  I love taking care of her, cleaning up after her, reading to her, and snuggling with her.  I love watching her learn, move, dance, jump, laugh, and pretend.  This is the happiest and most important thing I have experienced.

Thank you for this wonderful gift.  Thank you for working so hard and sacrificing so much.  Thank you for coming home so excited to see us.  Thank you for rough housing and playing tea party with our little girl.  Thank you for being the good cop.  Thank you for being the best dad ever.

You are pretty much the best thing that ever happened to me and I love you so much.

I bet you didn't know I was going to turn out to be such a sap when you married me.

Love,

Wombat

Avisms

Avynlee:  Yucky!  This drink is too spicey a me.  (It was lemonade)
Adam:  Would you rather have milk?
Avynlee:  No.
Adam:  Would you rather have water?
Avynlee: No.
Adam:  Would you rather have whiskey?
Avynlee;  No!  Avs not drink a whiskey!  Would Avey drink a...rocket ship?  No!

Avynlee farted in the tub.  "Hey!  My bummy blows bubbles at me!"

My sister Aliese was wearing yoga pants with a colorful, patterned waist band. Avynlee caught a glimpse and kept rubbing and patting the colored band saying, "Aliese has a pull up too! Check it out guys!"

Nut cracker figurines are "donut trackers".

"The kings bring Jesus presents.  Just like Santa!"

"I was scared of Santa so I just ate cookies instead.  That Santa is scary."

Avynlee:  Daddy, Daddy!  Come help me!  Please!
Adam:  Okay, hand me that piece.
Avynlee:  No!  I do it!

Avynlee:  It's locked, Daddy.  I need a tey (key).
Adam:  You need a tea?
Avynlee:  No!  A tey!

When she has an eyelash on her cheek, we take it off, hold it up, and tell her to make a wish.  The other day we were in the car and heard her saying, "make a wish...I blow my booger out!"

After washing her hands, "I'm just drying my paws, Momma."

In one of her books, there's a illustration of a guy taking a picture of a dog and the dog is saying 'cheese'.  While reading it to her, we asked, "...and what does the dog say?"  "....Dimme dat tamera duy!" (gimme that camera, guy)

While cracking nuts with AK, "Where's the eatin' part?"

New Ward

We attended a full block in our new ward today.  I think we are really going to like it here.  Our ward is big and full of kids.  My parents' ward was fine but I really missed having a full, noisey sacrament meeting.  I am more comfortable with the constant buzz.  Avynlee is usually good natured at church but she is almost always loud.  She just blended right in though.  We sat by a mom with five pretty daughters and Av crawled up and down the aisle touching and admiring their shoes, one by one.  "Ooh!  Look at this girl's shoes, Momma!  They are so sparkley!"  Girl we just met: Do you like them?  "Yes! I do!  They are so pretty and cute!"  Not only were they not annoyed by my irreverent, sweet girl, they actually adored her.  After returning from a trip to the rest room (so proud of how well she is doing, by the way), the youngest of the cute family came over to share her game with Avey...as seen in my inappropriate church picture.  They were being so cute, I couldn't resist.  I was so grateful for this cute and kind family for being so sweet with Avynlee.  I also loved that when time was turned over for testimonies, a long line of children quickly formed.  I love kid's testimonies!  They are do much better than long stretches of silence occasionally filled will someone rambling anecdotes.

Avynlee was stoked for her nursery class.  She raced in.  I had to call her back for a hug and kiss.  Her class is huge and our ward is so new so the kids wear nametags which are color coded by location of their parents.  I eat that dorky, organizational stuff up.  When I dropped her off, there was a station for dropping balls down PVC pipes and one for "painting" construction paper with water.  There are two play kitchens and a farm toy as well.  Av was in heaven.  She still lamented the lack of her best friend, Tommy, but luckily there are loads of kids she will likely grow to love.

Relief society was great and everyone is trying to get to know each other.  There are so many ward activities and there is a weekly play group.  I'm really looking forward to getting know everyone better.

The best part...we have 9:00 church!  I'm thrilled!  We were still late, that's kinda my thing, but we got there during the sacrament, not too shabby.  No more toddler powering through lunch or nap time.  It's pretty much the dream.  Plus, when we got home and put Avs down for a nap, I took one too!  And when I nap, I go full boar! Av and I both slept for three hours.  Deeelightful!

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Goodbye 2013!

We had a big year packed with change.

Homes: 3
We sold our house in Eagle Mountain, lived in my parents basement in WJ, then moved into our new House in Lehi.

Jobs: 6
Adam left AO in the spring to work for CF which was a fantastic switch. He got to work from home which we all really loved.  About a month ago he was offered a really great opportunity at a different company.  It was a really tough decision but he decided to accept the new job.  Not working from home and now having to commute is the biggest con of the new job.  The new job is a much better opportunity for future promotions and is in a field he is more interested in, the benefits are better, and the pay raise was quite good. Adam will make more alone in 2014 then we did combined in 2013 and thus, I am working my current job of mom and wife extraordinaire.  It's my favorite job ever. I worked as a seamstress for two different companies earlier in the year.  That makes six.

Cars: 4
Dobby, my Corolla is still on the team.
Work car 1, Dennis, left when AK left.
Work car 2, Xena, left when AK left.
New car, Snowslake (not a typo), is a natural gas honda civic purchases for Adam's new commute.

We are a little older, a little more tired (not Av), and still so happy together.  May 2014 bring a little less change and a lot more happiness and magic.

Christmas 2013

We had an amazing Christmas this year and got completely spoiled.  We got into our new house in time to get a tree and some decorations up.  A very excited Avynlee turned completely petrified at the very sight of Santa Claus. She refused to sit on his lap but did muster the courage to quietly ask for "Specs and Pillow" her favorite Lalaloopsy dolls.   We spent Christmas Eve with the Howards for the annual Crab dinner. It was delicious as usual and we had so much fun playing games and hanging out with Adam's family.  Then we had a huge, gift-giving free for all.  We were all completely spoiled. We got to my parents house quite late and happened upon Santa Claus putting gifts under the tree. Av was terrified and told him he had to leave, then asked to go upstairs to get away from him. Santa felt bad that Av was scared and handed her a present, she quietly said "thank you" while fighting back tears. Poor baby.  At least she was polite.  We stayed at my parents and woke up to a magical Christmas surprise.  We had a fun morning of opening gifts. Avynlee was delighted to open her Lalaloopsy dolls.  After magical present fun, we ate the traditional delicious candy cane shaped cinnamon braid and grapefruit. We later had Christmas dinner at my grandparents' house.

Christmas was so great and we loved having so much time together.  Things seemed to be going so well for us.  We just moved into a great new house in a great new neighborhood, we got a new car, Adam got a new job resulting in me being able to stay home with Av, then all our good fortune caught up with us.  On the 28th, we were having a blast at the Kay family party when plans changed and we ended up in the ER for Adam's newly severed extensor pollicis longus tendon. Rats. Poor fella had surgery Monday.

Hand injuries aside, we had a really spectacular Christmas and are so grateful for all the time we got to spend with our families and each other.

Christmas 2013 Phone Pictures