Boys Boys Boys. . .

~Sept, 2012
We had some visitors over and of course A and E were bouncing off the walls. Head butting their legs, jumping on their back and freaking out. So I chucked them both in the kitchen and told them, "You are out of control." Angrily A turns to me, hands on his hips and snaps, "No Mom! YOU are out of control!"

~Aug. 2012
A comes up to me and tells me very officially, "Mom, I'm smarter than you. I'm not smarter than Dad, but I am smarter than you."

~July 4th, 2012
A and E were wrestling today and it was A's day. He was doing really good keeping his little brother subdued, although E put up a pretty good fight. Once they were finished, Daddy and I told E he did a really good job! He looked over at Daddy M angrily from the floor and said, "No, I din not!!" he flailed his arms on the ground and continued, "He's still alive!"

~June 2012
E and A were playing T-ball today with A's new gear. I of course laid down the rules. No hitting anyone with the bat. No swinging at the ball until every body and body part is clear. Simple enough. Not 5 minutes into it, I hear a blood curdling scream from A. E runs inside, eyes big, and says, "I din'n know what I was doing!" Big brother had a pretty good goose egg on his head.

Thanks for the Help

As most of you are aware, we're trying really hard to maintain our privacy on here, so if you can remember when you comment, to not use our real names if you know them, that would be great!

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Book- Hunger Games

I don't normally put stuff on here that doesn't really have anything to do with my little family and my boys, but I figured that a little break from all about my kids wouldn't be all that bad. I have just recently finished the book the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and I just have to say... wow! I highly suggest reading it. The way it started out made me think that the main character was going to be the one to stop the Hunger Games once and for all, but no... she went all for it and I'll have to admit once you get past the shock of what the Hunger Games are; It is pretty dang interesting. And better yet- I have just found out that the author has written the second book to the Hunger Games, which comes out in September I believe!! I cannot tell you how excited I am! The book is called Catching Fire. I am interested to see where she goes with it, I am expecting something unexpected to come of it, but I guess I will just have to wait and see.

And I only say that because I was surprised with the route she took in the first book.

Friday, July 31, 2009

Seven Peaks and Brothers

So I'm not so happy with the focus of this photo, but its the only one I have from Ayden's and my Seven Peaks date. We had a lot of fun. We played in the lazy river, he was pretty scared of it, but once he got used to it- he had a lot of fun. We played in the wave pool and that I think was his favorite thing. Mostly because he liked getting knocked back into me when the waves wiped him out. We are currently working on getting him comfortable sliding down a water slide, even if the water slide is only 1 foot long. He is absolutely mortified. I got him to the top of one slide and he nervously told me over and over again, "I dot choo! I dot choo!" (I got you.) But of course he just sat there saying that, so I grabbed the bottom of his foot and pulled.
Ethan is six months old now and is crawling all over the place! This does mean that he plays with Ayden's toys and Ayden does not appreciate this...ever. A few days ago I caught Ayden laying on Ethan's bottom half so the poor guy couldn't move. I can only imagine that Ayden didn't want him to have something of his... either that or he's just being a big brother. :)

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Provo Temple

I had the beautiful, amazing, wonderful privilege of going to the Provo Temple today with Meredith thanks to good people in my ward and their kindness. I really just wanted to post this so that if in the future I do choose to share this with my kids they'll know that going to the Temple is and has always been very important to me.

It was nice to have Meredith there with me and for us to experience that together- even though not a word was really spoken between us. I truly do love the spirit that is in the temple. I cannot explain the feelings any better than anyone else who has gone before me. It is a beautiful place and I hope that I can raise my two boys and whomever else comes and joins our family so that they are worthy to participate in the sacred ordinances at the temple.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Simply beautiful day

Ayden has made a new friend. It was love at first sight for the two of them... or maybe more for Ayden than the kitty. :) After this picture was taken the cat hid in that bush behind Ayden.

Ethan is trying to eat the camera... not even joking! He was rocking back and forth like crazy so he could launch himself at the camera.

And the
finale
Ethan can sit up now!! Granted he looks SO weird sitting up- but he can do it!

Budding talent

I think we have a budding Picaso in our future.
If that is the case- I won't be so upset about this masterpiece on my walls and door.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

How it must be to be two

I have been 'blessed' *COUGH* to enjoy the summer with my two year old. You must understand before I start this blog- that I do truly truly love my experiences with my boys...all of them! But I knew even BeFoRe starting a family that having kids was no walk in the park. Off track for a sec- I think that saying 'no walk in the park' should be replaced with something more simply- because in the century we live in... a walk in the park can seem extremely taxing to some! Quite pathetic really, but also sadly true. I think I'll go with something else. SO I knew that having kids was no sitting in front of a TV. (much better) Ayden lately has been proving to me, what I've known all along, but the one thing I didn't think about was how hard it must be on the TWO year old.

He seems to be constantly sticking his own foot out in order to trip himself. Oh how I wish I had a picture or a recording of the tantrums he likes to throw! He has developed many new habits- the first of which goes along with the above picture. He has deemed his bed unworthy of sleeping in. The floor is much better suited for his needs. This way he can kick the door at his leisure to make sure I know he's still around. He can- if he chooses, pull the doorstop out and snuggle with it as he naps OR he can pull the stuffing out of his poor bear and shove it under the door. If you look close enough at the picture you can see stuffing behind Ayden's ear. :)

Along with his desired napping arrangements has come a new found power over little brother. Since he's not allowed to hit, shove, pull, drag, or steal from Ethan, he has found new means of

dominating him. Covertly playing peek-a-boo with him when in reality he's trying to suffocate the poor guy. *kidding* Naturally Ethan was not in enough peril based off a Mommy calculation and a picture followed my surprise at what Ayden was doing. Many times I have not been able to find Ethan... only to see a bean bag slightly moving. Big brother? No where in sight.

Ayden has also decided that it will surely be worth his time to cry every time I mention "breakfast", "lunch" or "dinner" and then once I have the meal ready he has also found it necessary to push the plate or bowl away in disgust. I have yet to not react to this. It lately has been the single-most annoying thing he has done. We had spaghetti tonight and since he has already pushed the plate away, I have decided I am going to feed the little bugger if its the last thing I do. I get the fork and noodles nice and intertwined and bring them to his mouth and he has the NERVE to smile and turn his head away as soon as the fork touches his lips... if you didn't know what this would do- it makes you drop the fork or lose the noodles all over the place AND it makes you really, really, ReAlLy impatient. You know Hades off of the Disney movie Hercules? Yeah- if my hair was a blue fireball like his, it would have been flaming red all over the place because I was so irked.

As a result, Ayden ate his dinner crying and I tried to relax. Which once he was done I was calmed down pretty good. BUT then I said the words, 'time to go to bed' and he had one of his famous meltdowns. Just picture *Giant red fireball head* We both managed to get upstairs in one piece. Then- time to brush teeth. We were good, but then I kept asking him to open his mouth, which YES he understands. Remember two year old making my life and his life hard. He closes down on the brush and sucks for all its worth. I was in the motion of brushing his back teeth and stabbed the back of his throat as a result. He cries and is done. I put him on the floor and he wants back up, nope- bed time... and another tantrum. SO- no books or songs tonight, just prayers.

Let's see... what else has he done to just make his little life harder? Ah- he doesn't EVER pay attention to where he's walking. He's ran into walls, corners of tables and counters, fallen off chairs, couches, stairs and beds. He'll ask for milk- I'll bring it and he cries because he wants juice, sometimes I'll appease him and bring juice and he'll cry for the milk. AND the one last thing that I'm certain makes it most hard on his little self is the fact that he truly feels entitled to everything in this house. So when we say no to something its like we're saying no to what he's already deemed his. Poor guy.

One day I will find this comical... I just know it. In my defense for my impatience, I have been "single-parenting" for months now, which would wear on anyone. McKay has liver disease and as a result I am the only one physically capable of caring for the boys.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

A Bit of a Scare

Today I gave Ayden some dried fruit for his snack. He's eaten these things thousands of times and nothing has happened. But today obviously was different and merits a post because of it.

I was working on the computer and Ayden came to me choking on one of these little dried apricots. And I don't mean coughing sort of choking. Like gurgling and not breathing kind of choking. I panicked and started pounding his back over and over again. It didn't seem to be working and I started to panic more... NOT something you want to do in a situation like this! I thought maybe he's too big to be pounding him on the back, so I started to wrap my arms around him and give him the Heimlich maneuver, but just as I was about to begin, the blasted apricot spilled out of his mouth-yes, spilled, not shot- like they show in the movies. And for some reason they forget to mention or show in the movies that more than just the thing stuck in the throat comes out.

You know when you get training for stuff like that when you're younger and you actually HAVE the time to find the right spot... yeah when it really happens, not so much- I felt like I had NO time to count ribs and properly place my hands where they needed to be. I was definitely having a Mommy heart attack.

When the stupid thing came out Ayden sucked in air- thank gosh! He had tears on his face and I had spit up all over my arm. I was just so glad he was ok. I never want to experience that ever again. The sheer terror of thinking that if I can't get it out I have to call 911 and if they don't come fast enough then I could lose my little boy. 30 seconds lasts a DANG long time when you're in panic mode and it does funky stuff to your adrenaline. (duh) Once he was ok and I was starting to relax... I realized my hands were shaking and felt numb. oi! I never want to go through that again, but if I have to, at least I'll be prepared.

Because yes- yours truly is going to take a first aid class now.