First snow!

So I had to do a continuance of the last post and show the proof of the bite marks.

IF you're still wondering where the heck it is, then focus on his elbow region and you'll see two red marks. *Yeah Ayden- YOU did that* If you REALLY still can't see it. Just select the image and hopefully it'll get larger. If that's too much effort for you then I have nothing more to say.

Here you can kind of see both marks. The one on his left elbow- your right side when looking at this picture and then the other bite on his right arm-your left. Now Ayden can really never deny this heinous act!

Now to business. We had the first snow of the season today and had to take advantage, Sunday or not!

The boys got to check out the golf ball sized snowflakes coming down this morning at 8:30. You can see the snow in the upper left corner of the picture, IF for some reason you really wanted to see the snow too. The boys were particularly excited. This is Ethan's first Christmas and Ayden's first Christmas that he might actually be able to enjoy. After church we bundled Ayden up and went outside to play. The snow was so fluffy and airy that building a legit snowman was next to impossible. McKay managed to compact 3 crazy small balls and let Ayden roll them around. He also made a snow angel... but- I don't really think he KNEW he was making a snow angel. Probably just wondering why his mother just pushed his over into the snow *GeNtLy* and moved his arms and legs around. Suffice it to say, snow angel was swiftly trampled and demolished. We have no time around here for snow angels. That's sissy stuff.  

*the links by the way are videos of Ayden playing.*

 

 

If you look hard enough you can see Ayden menacingly hunched over the little snowman that in about 5 seconds is going to be stepped on after it gets its head kicked off. Oh and little bit of props to me for getting Ayden some pretty stylin' snow gear. I don't even have that cool of snow stuff.

Ethan was not able to participate in the snow fun, BUT he was able to play with McKay's legs- just about as cool as snow. Or at least he seemed to be appeased.

I promise he's having fun! Sorry about the blurry second photo. I don't know what the heck happened there.

Just so I have proof!

That's what this blog post is for. So I have proof that not all days a shiny and bright here... which sadly about 3 of the 7 days of the week are cloudy and gloomy. SO, what makes my day bad/frustrating/annoying? Lets start with today. It has been a wonderful day so far. And then Ayden shut Ethan's little toe in the other side of the door. Effectively pinching it to death. McKay and I stick Ethan's feet in a sink full of somewhat cold water and he calmed down. Granted he thought he was getting to play in the water, which may have helped him feel better. Then not five minutes later I hear Ethan screaming again. I pick him up and find Ayden-sized bite marks on his arm. It had already started to turn purple and red in the spot he bit him. WHICH annoyingly enough, this is not the first time Ayden has done this! So, as I promised my not-so-great-at-remembering-things 2 1/2 year old, I bit him back and hucked *rather- swiftly hustled his little bum* into timeout.

It makes me so crazy angry when he bites. I just really hope he keeps his teeth to this family and doesn't extend this desire for human flesh to... say... the nursery kids? Because I know I would be one cheesed off parent if someone bit Ayden, although, at the moment-- it might at least teach him a lesson.

Will Ayden have remembered anything after me biting him? Prooooobably not- but at least I got revenge for Ethan.

**AND LuCkY for Ayden we only found out now that he bit Ethan twice! Pretty sure we would have to bury the body outside if we'd known he bit him two times when Ethan was screaming. 

Can't think of a title that will fit this entire post well enough so this is what you get...

Ethan's new thing is to climb the stairs and at almost each space he sticks his head between the bars and smiles. Ayden saw me taking pictures and ran over to join the photo op.

We tried a few weeks ago to potty train Ayden.... IF for some reason you ReAlLy didn't know the outcome, it was a bust. Just like we thought it would be. BUT before we gave up for a later date, I caught Ayden in the kitchen looking rather cute in his undies and boots.

We for some reason in this home find it necessary to feel fulfilled and happy if we get to destroy the couch pillows- so as a part of our self worth/esteem boosting, we buried Daddy and then crawled all over him or tried to find him.

Really does wonders for the self esteem.

On a more exciting note! We had an awesome Thanksgiving! McKay and I drove 6 hours to Boise to be with my relatives and family. We learned a few things while driving.

• Ethan has a 5 1/2 hour limit on how long he can be in the car before it gets ugly. . .
• Ayden likes to watch movies AND kick the laptop that is playing the movies.
• If its Sunday then no matter how much junk food we have in the car, if we're traveling, we're going to stop to get something to eat.
• Front seats of GMCs are the most uncomfortable things to sleep in.
• And lastly, as a driver you must make up stupid songs to keep yourself awake and everyone else in the car as well.

We got to have a massive Thanksgiving Dinner, it wouldn't be right if it wasn't huge and loud and busy and full of kids! We missed out on having the more colorful relatives there. Too bad too! They're the life of the party! But we made do. There were games ALL over the place; settlers, Ticket to Ride, Rook, Speed Scrabble- my sister's college game which was a version of signs/big booty. If you don't know what that is then. . . well . . . too bad. It was fun and silly and definitely a college game. I'm sure there were more than went on, but I can't think of any others. Some of the kids went to see a movie. Why Thanksgiving has ever been associated with going to the movies is beyond me... BUT we went anyway. McKay was nice and took me to see New Moon. LET me be very clear here! I was not dying to see it by any means, but I did want to see it. I am pretty much a fair weather fan when it comes to most things. The movie was good. Will I see it again? Naw. Was Jacob ripped... yeah... but not enough for most the women in the theater to *gasp* in harmony and then start laughing!  *face slap!* McKay liked Jacob the best, he was the most level headed character in the movie according to him. I'll have to admit he was right.
The random photos are unfortunately the only ones I have of Thanksgiving. The one above and the few below are of my parents playing with Ayden on the porch swings. How Ayden doesn't slide off at times is a mystery to me. But he sure loved his grandparents. They're too young to be called that! How about newparents?? hmmm... maybe not. I'll have to ponder that one.

Ethan had a little puppy friend that would lick his face whenever he was on the floor. Ethan would screech at the puppy and swat at her face. If that didn't work, he'd try to crawl away as fast as he could with the dog still licking his face. Needless to say the pooch got in trouble after it didn't become fun anymore. :) We caught Ethan with Maya- the dog- sucking on his bottle. Ethan was drinking it and since he's still not a pro drinker some would dribble out of the side of his mouth, where the little puppy would lay there licking his cheek.

McKay and I saw the BYU holy wars game. The first and last BYU game we'll probably watch this year. Remember? Fair weather fan here!

Once we got home Sunday it was time to clean up and get the plastic on the windows since its cooling down. Ayden was helping me or rather he was playing with the plastic that covers the double sided sticky tape you use to hold the plastic on the windows. Its pretty thick plastic and somehow he managed to slice clear across his pinky finger with it. As soon as the blood started to come out he freaked. I got him washed up and settled down.... went to grab a band-aid and neosporin... and he decided to rub his eyes with the hand that had the cut on it. It started to bleed again and he lost it. I was surprised with how much blood could come out of a little tiny cut on a little tiny person! We finally managed to get the Scooby Doo band-aid on and Blue's Clue's started; where he sat and delicately held his wounded hand up. We take paper cuts pretty serious around here. :) 

Christmas Spirit

The Christmas spirit *I googled Christmas Spirit and that's the photo I got. Fitting enough for me* has certainly weaved its way into my heart already. I know! I know! Its not even Thanksgiving. But I can't help it. I just love Christmas. Now as more of an adult than I was 10 years ago... or for that matter just one year ago. No I do not classify myself as an actual adult yet. I don't want the responsibility that lies behind that one word. Digressing! Aaaaand moving on. What I was originally trying to say here was that as a child and teenager, Christmas was really all about the gifts. I am a little ashamed of myself now. This was not because my parents made it out like that for us, we did the twelve days of Christmas for needy families.

We re-enacted the classic manger story. We read from a book almost every night about Christmas stories of giving, loving and caring. My parents did a wonderful job of showing me what the season of CHRISTmas was all about. As an almost adult or an adult in denial of being an adult- I finally get it.

My heart if full of the love this season brings. And yes the phrase 'my heart is full' is truly the best description of how I feel. I want to sit at home and listen to Christmas music.

I want to hear songs from Santa Baby to Silent Night to The Grinch because it really does make me so happy!I can't be in a bad mood with Christmas music playing. My two little boys are still just experiencing this season, this will be Ethan's first Christmas and Ayden's third. Ayden is beginning to love the music.

He'll enthusiastically dance around the house when the Tran-siberian Orchestra blares Carol of the Bells from our computer while Ethan will stand against the couch bouncing up and down, right now that's the extent of his dance moves. Ayden's making little snowmen out of his toy balls. "Look Mommy!" and "Mommy watch, its a 'noman" (noman= snowman) are normal things I hear.

People are beginning to hang their Christmas lights. It is so beautiful. I can't help but stop or slow down my car when I pass rows of trees wrapped in red sparkling lights or coated in snow.

There is a home I pass with blue snowflake lights standing across their lawn. I can't get enough of it. I'd surely get in a car accident if started to snow heavily while I was driving, not because of losing control of my car, but because I would be so distracted by the snowflakes. I could sit and watch one snowflake rise and fall in flurries with millions of others and feel completely satisfied with how I spent my time. Christmas mesmerizes me.

I get to see people wearing peacoats and scarves. Gloves and boots. All cozied up and warm. My two little children wearing their snow gear, reminding me of the little boy from the Christmas Story.

Cute little Ethan in a jumpsuit made to withstand any natural disaster and Ayden stylin' more than Mckay and I in his plaid snow pants and matching coat. I cannot wait to take Ayden sledding. Utah never disappoints when it comes to snow and little sleds are a dime a dozen.

I wish I could let you see through my eyes and feel what I feel when I get this way. It is a blessed feeling. Perhaps its because I'm an artist- yes I use that term loosely- that I feel the way I do about the things that I see. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the blessing of sight and for a particular fascination with how each snowflake is different *supposedly* or how glorious little twinkling lights look. You want to talk about an amazing artist. Forget Van Gogh and Monet or Picaso. God is the most perfect artist I know. He sweeps me away with all of the beauty he's created.

I love this Season. We get to honor Christ. We get to serve others. We get to celebrate with family. We get to feel like I do now! We get to be blessed abundantly. Allow Christmas to suck you in!

Potty Training Take 1

McKay and I are going to give this potty training thing a try. Our chance of success? about 0%. . .

. . . Buuuuuut maybe he'll surprise us. We're both just getting SO sick of changing his nasty diapers.

Ayden's Vacuum Encounter

Yesterday and today and probably the rest of this week was and IS cleaning the WHOLE house week. We rent. That's no surprise. So... things like poorly caulked tubs, rust, old faucets, and mold are pretty normal. The only problem with that last one, mold- yes we do have it somewhere in our townhouse, is that it reeks and in our case, it is also hidden! Mckay and I are cleaning the entire house before we call our landlord and if he doesn't do anything about it, we might have someone else come in OR we might just move, because mold it gross and phantom mold is even nastier!

Back to the cleaning story, because this post is really all about our 2 1/2 year old son. :) Yesterday I was upstairs cleaning Ethan's room. Ayden was running around tormenting Ethan and Ethan was crawling around egging Ayden on. Yep a 10 month old can tease! Who-da-thunk-it? About the entire time McKay and I were upstairs, Ayden had a little nugget of his sandwich left which he was holding in his hand. He decided that if he put the ball of sandwich down he could more efficiently play. So he stashed it on the window shelf behind the blinds. As I was sure, it would sit, until the end of time unless I cleaned it up. So what'd I do? Left it there until I finished more important things. I really wanted to get a good deep clean of Ethan's room- maybe the mold origin was hiding in there! *it wasn't* I decide that his blinds were first to be cleaned and headed down to get the vacuum. No one paid any attention to me until I switched the vacuum on. Ayden screamed, ran into his room and slammed the door. Lately he has become terrified of our purple beast. I pulled out the arm extension on the vacuum and proceeded to wipe down the blinds, not all that concerned about his fright.

McKay was watching Ayden while I was doing this. He opened his door, poked his head out, snuck back to Ethan's room, cried in horror and ran back to his room only to slam the door again. He did this about three times and each time he became more agitated. The last time he stood in Ethan's doorway and cried like the end of his life was around the corner. I turned the vacuum off, clearly surprised that he was so upset. McKay asked what was wrong and through his tear streaked face and sobs he pointed to the blinds and said 'My Sanwich! My Sanwich!' in a voice filled with despair.

Trying not to laugh I grabbed his little balled up sandwich and held my hand out to him. He ran over warily eying the vacuum, snatched it up and ran determinedly back into his room where he once again slammed his door.

McKay and I could not stop laughing! It was so cute! He was so scared that the vacuum was going to eat his food that he'd stashed away, which I guess he DID intend to come back for. Now I just have to hope that he didn't hide it in his bedroom and that he really did eat it!

Somethings in the air. . .

And no I do NOT mean that moldy smell we just can't seem to find. Who hates renting? [looks around and raises hand] Yeah. That'd be me!

 

McKay and I do not have a lot of these moments.

Beautiful, just beautiful. Clearly they're not breathing the same air we are.

Look! No one is biting, punching or scratching!

My boys' time together is usually like an episode from Maury. Especially when you get two nasty, angry, huge black woman up on the stage that just so happen to hate each other for some stupid reason. But today, Blue's Clues brought them together.

Thanks Blue's Clues! Now if only I can figure out how to do that without the TV.

On another note. Ayden has taken lately to walking around in everyone's shoes. The craziest one I've caught him in so far?

My booties. Yes they actually are called booties, although I must admit I prefer ankle boots.

Strut your stuff Ayden... strut your stuff.