January Kids Morning Out

Every month Forsyth Family Magazine hosts a "Kids Morning Out" the second Tuesday of each month. This month the activity was at a local YMCA. I went so Lily could get some energy out and play with friends. No friends we knew were there, but that didn't stop Lily from making new ones!

Her favorite activity was the bounce house. In previous "Kids Morning Out" activities she was afraid to go in bounce houses. She would just poke her head in or observe from the sidelines. This time, because there were hardly any children at the YMCA, Lily was brave and went inside and started bouncing on her knees, once she became comfortable on her name she became even braver and started bouncing on her feet. She was so happy and it brought me such joy to watch her enjoying herself.

Besides a small Valentines type heart craft, they had yoga hour. Where kids were to sit on yoga circles and do stretching exercises.

While Lily was busy doing the exact opposite thing that was being taught, Marco was off trying to chase balls or sneak away.

They had a particular activity where you were to pick up fuzzy balls with your feet and place them on your yoga circle mat. Lily, again, did the exact opposite and picked them up in her hands. She brought as many as possible back to her mat, dumped them out, and then tried to squeeze them in-between her toes. But she said she didn't like it.

Even when you were supposed to be lying flat on your back, Lily was determined to lay on her side. I seem to sense a little bit of a rebellious streak starting already.

At first it was a little strange that there weren't very many children present at KMO (Kids Morning Out), but it was actually very nice because it allowed Lily to feel at ease and be more herself instead of shy in a large crowd.

Here's to next month...

Little Helper - Part 3

I love my little girl.

I love how much she wants to learn.

I love how much she interacts with me and her little brother.

I love how she tries to emulate me by trying to help me.

She is such an amazing little girl, and I am so grateful to watch her earnest and honest heart in watching her think that she is helping me. 

Sometimes she makes a mess, but truly think that she's helping me.

She helps me by doing her own gardening.

She helps me by feeding her little brother.

She helps me by decorating cookies,

and licking the batter from the cakes she helps me make.

She helps me by "organizing" all of my "cards." 

I don't know why, but she really loves cards and loves to organize and arrange them. She feels that she is helping me through all of her "arranging and rearranging."

She helps me by trying to do the dishes.

This particular time I had just come downstairs from putting Marco down for a nap and I asked Lily what she was doing. Her response, "Making a mess."

She helps me by taking my books and reading them to me.

She helps me by going shopping for me (or taking cans from food storage and loading them into her toy car).

She helps me by "building towers" which will, in turn, organize items in the garage.

She helps me by playing the piano teaching me to play the piano.

Most of the time her help is more of a nuisance than an actual help. However, there are times where she really is such an angel and makes life so much easier for me. 

Times where my hands are tied up in changing a diaper and she brings me a new diaper, or wipes, that I've run out of. 

Times I can't leave Marco's bath, so she brings me his towel. 

Times that I ask her to throw away diapers, tissues, or any other objects that I'm not able to take to the trash can.

Times that I need her to love, or entertain, her brother so that I can leave the room without him noticing.

The more she understands, the more she is able to help me and make life so much easier for me. She really is such a good little girl and I'm so grateful that I got this little gem who helps me and makes me proud. I am so lucky and sometimes I don't recognize this enough, or take it for granted. Dear Lily... in case I don't tell you enough, "Thank you. I love you."

December 2015 in Review

December was a fabulous month. The kids and I had so much fun and took advantage of every opportunity to get out and create memories, have fun, and take pictures to document our adventures.

I finally found a way to keep Marco entertained while I get ready in the morning. Lily just used to happily sit in the sink when she was this age. Give her a toothbrush and she'd be so happy and complacent. This little boy is a little more wiggly and much more of a handful than Lily ever was. So, once I remembered that Lily loved toothbrushes, I tried the same trick with Marco. And while Marco won't sit still in the sink, he loves the countertop... it just means I need to keep the counter clear of anything he can get into!

Marco gets into everything - and this month it was evident as he became more mobile. He crawls into any spaces, or places, he probably shouldn't be in.

Especially if it includes climbing on top of Mommy and Daddy.

In addition to climbing up everything, he gets into everything... or tries. Doors seldom stay shut, drawers now pinch fingers, toilet seats MUST stay down.

But at the end of the day, when he gives me his cute grin for the camera, or I see him peacefully sleeping. My heart grows ten sizes in love for this little miniature human I created.

Lily, has become Mommy's fashion queen and loves to dress up like Mommy. Apparently one night, when I was at book club, Michal heard Lily making noise upstairs. He went to investigate and found Lily with her sunglasses on, keys in hand, a purse, and her high-heel shoes on. He asked her what she was doing and her response was simply, "Going to the bathroom." In return he prompted, "Why do you have all these things?" And innocently she told him, "I need these to get ready and dressed up to go to the bathroom."

Marco and Lily are enjoying each other more and more. Sometimes, instead of looking to me for approval, Marco looks to his older sister to gauge her reaction. Every time we go on the swings, he always looks to Lily to see if she is having fun before deciding whether or not to enjoy the swings.

And Marco hated baths until he was able to take them with Lily. Bath time has been such a delight once these two started bathing together.

Lily became such a good helper, but a terrible sleeper with me having to come into her room at night and "do circles" in order for her to fall asleep at night. "Doing Circles" is tickling her hand in a circular motion. I don't know why she used to be such a good sleeper, and suddenly stopped. She piles a million stories into her bed and reads them all to her monsters and animals before going to bed. Not until I come in and sit on her bed and "do circles" will she fall asleep.

However, she has become an incredibly good listener and helper. She likes to read my books to me, and books to Marco (and her stuffed animals).

Anytime she hears the mixing bowl or the hand mixer, she runs to the kitchen, pushes the stool up to the counter top, climbs atop, and helps me in the baking process.

She even has such compassion towards others. She sees that they need a friend and she's more than happy to help and be their friend and calm them down. Stake conference, in December, was rough. I don't know why we went! It's two hours long, right in the middle of nap time, in the dark, and no amount of activities can help keep kids entertained. Luckily, my little helper reached out and helped Molly and Claire with their coloring.

Michal had his company party. This handsome devil was my date and anytime alone I get with him is wonderful!

The second half of December consisted of a fun Christmas trip out to Utah to spend with Grammy and Grandpa. The kids were ultra thrilled to see their grandparents and couldn't contain their excitement on the airplane. Lily decided to tell everyone on the plane how she was going on a plane to visit Grammy. Once we saw Grammy she amended her statement to include, "Grammy cried" to inform everyone that Grammy was so happy when she saw her that she cried.

While we were in Utah we had so much fun and went and did so many fun things!

Like

~ The Aquarium

~ Making Gingerbread Houses

~ Building snowman (Olaf)

~ Visiting Temple Square

~ But the crowning event was watching Lily open Christmas gifts!

Saying good bye was NO fun. Lily was so sad to go. And coming home was a little rough,

but after we slept in until noon the day we came home - Lily noticed we had a stack of unopened Christmas cards that she felt was her responsibility to open. It brought her such happiness to open up and view all these cards.

Not only was December a great month, but in looking back over 2015 - it was truly a great year. I feel so lucky for how much we did, how much the kids grew and learned, and all the lovely surprises that were blessings along the way. If 2015 was this great, I can't wait to see what 2016 has in store!