12of12 March: Yet Another Snow Day

1. After the winter we've had I could not believe that schools were canceled. It snowed just a skiff outside. Ridiculous.
2. A little Tom the Tamer before breakfast.
3. She can't be old enough to read the back of the cereal box yet. She might not be "reading" it, but she requested it turned around to face her and she told me all about having watched The Magic School Bus at preschool (love me some Frizz) since it, and other Scholastic characters, were on the box.
4. I think it's required to post a "Gosh, he's cute!" picture every month. Playing peek-a-boo with the toy bucket.
5. Kicking around Truman's therapy ball.
6. Left-over flowers from our RS birthday brunch. Sunshine at the bathroom sink.
7. Therapy has left me saying things like tall kneeling, short sitting and reciprocal patterns of crawling. (Tall kneeling pictured)
8. My reading, and a creepy reflective self-portrait. It's the story of the Pride and Prejudice household help. There were a few very brief scenes that made me wonder if I should put it down, but it mostly redeemed itself.
   
   *Sidenote: how do you handle scenes like that? One of the children's librarians has started giving me recommendations, though this wasn't one. She says she just skips bad parts, but I'm not sure how one skips the questionable, knowing when things get good again. Plus, the junk is already seared into your brain. For the most part. I've stopped taking her recommendations. I think it's better to just go for virtuous, lovely, good report, praiseworthy kind of stuff. But how is one sure they've found it?! And why do authors throw in gratuitous crap?*
9. It snowed a little bit more late morning-early afternoon and I loved the sparkle in our hedges.
10. This little piggie went to market... (then lots of giggling from both parties)
11. Couldn't choose who I loved in bed most, so I chose both. Kids in bed are about the best thing ever. Plus all activities at the church were canceled, so we had a relaxed evening with Chris!
12. Went to Target with Kanien to get some stuff for Ashley's shower. Came home with a coupon organizer and organized my coupons. My purse is grateful for that $1 purchase.

12 of 12 AND my 1000th post

1. I love the light streaming in after breakfast. It was concentrated enough we had a little shadow puppet show.
2. Marcella's hand-me-down dance costume became her ice skating outfit. (PJs there for warmth. It's cold around these parts!)
3. Is it strange to admit that sometimes I look at these two and can't believe how adorably cute they are? And that they're mine?!
4. She was fixing me some hot cocoa / "lemolade" in her kitchen.
5. Folding the load of colors always gets me. Chris and I dominate darks and whites, but little clothes win here. And it takes a lot of little clothes to get tall stacks.
6. Truman turned a corner recently and has gone to town on the food. And even sippy cups. It's so encouraging! He has his first therapy appointment on Friday.
7. Cutting out heart glasses for Millie's preschool Valentines.
8. Slobberiest kid ever. I got hit with a big drool bomb on my forehead with this picture.
9. One can only take cleaning up so many times during a day. Yet it drives me crazy! So I end up giving up and Chris usually comes home to a scene like this.
10. Lucky for me, I got to run away for a bit when he got home. Happy hour at Hot House Market means cupcakes! Thankfully my friend Melissa works there because I forgot my wallet. I owe $2.40 for Millie's scarf I got for her Valentine present.
11. Independence is hard. For everyone. I think that's a lesson I'll have to learn over and over again.
12. Snuggles with my "baby monkey" are the best snuggles.

A Truman Update

At Truman's six month appointment I expressed some concern that he wasn't eating solids. So Dr. Miller referred us to First Steps and we waited the maximum 45 legals days (so he was then eight months) before he had an evaluation with the therapists.

Martha and Vickie checked him out, noted he had low muscle tone, gave us some exercises to do to get him sitting up on his own and getting out of sitting on his own (before his sister so kindly 'helped' him out of that position). But he wasn't far enough delayed to warrant therapy. They told us they'd be back to check him out in January, if I wanted that.

We went in for his nine month well-baby visit at the end of December and the NP, Noelle, was concerned at his weight. So was I. At six months he was in the 16 lbs range. And when I put him on the scale then he was still in the 16s. And then the nurse asked me to take off his [soggy] diaper. Ugh. My heart sunk. Noelle told me to get on First Steps and make sure they were coming back ASAP.

He had his second First Steps evaluation last Friday. About two minutes before Martha and Vickie got here he crawled on his hands and knees for the first time (yet to be replicated). Since their last visit he's learned to sit, get out off sitting and army crawl. And he's taken to eating crackers and toast, with occasional other foods thrown in (but usually just a few bites before he starts flinging around his left arm, signing all done like a maniac). But he still isn't drinking anything from a cup, straw or sippy, and I refuse to buy more sippy cups to test out without seeing results.

He's still behind in his gross motor skills, and they said all 10-12 month olds fail the measurement set for communication and interaction. So picking that up, he meets the requirement to be behind in two categories by 1.5 standard deviations (or behind in one category by 2 SD). Hooray! He qualifies for services. Now we wait the 10 days required by law before we meet with an intake coordinator and set a plan. Then we can get to work with a therapist!

Early intervention. Something I never wanted for my kids. Now I'm fighting for it with all I've got. This motherhood gig is funny.

We sure love our Truman. He's coming into his personality and he's funny. He's [mostly] patient with his big sister. His little giggle is infectious, and he's starting to learn that if he does something once and people laugh, he should do it again. They'll keep laughing. He's about the most delicious baby around. Low muscle tone makes babies extra squishy and edible.

12 of 12 November

Here's one for the fan club, who got a little antsy waiting for it. Chill, Papa.

1. First snowfall of the year. We enjoyed watching the sunrise and the clouds change colors during breakfast. The light after a snowfall is some of my favorite.
2. Cleaning out the dishwasher. Millie used to be helpful. Now she makes "ice cream cones" by stacking her cups, plates and bowls.
3. Part of Truman's therapy is making meal time consistent. I'd given up, since it hadn't gotten us anywhere, but we're renewing the effort to include his cute face at every meal. Even if he's only 0.01% interested in food.
4. A mug of hot chocolate to finish off lunch. And yes, I'm still rocking my PJs. I think I should institute more quiet time with a warm beverage time.
5. It's a perfect storm of church stuff I'm in charge of. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. You may notice my towel-head reflection in the screen. Usually I'm showered way before lunch, but today it had to wait until afternoon naps.
6. It was a very handy coincidence that one of the rare times I scrubbed the bathtub fell on 12 of 12. I'm documenting that, baby! (Really, scrubbing is never as bad as I think it is, but it is the chore at the very bottom of my list. Blind + showering without contacts = my shower)
7. I love her groggy just awoken face. Don't love short naps and her being able to let herself out of her room.
8. Millie wanted to go to a "restaurant" for dinner, and I didn't really want to cook. We were bundled up to go (to Sam's Club) when I realized I had told a woman I would be home to collect her order for the Super Saturday. So we made our kitchen into the restaurant and saved us some money by doing so. It's amazing how special paper plates can be when you never use them. Throw in some craft paper colored placemats and we were living large. The gratitude tree in the background has been a huge hit with all memebers of the family.
9. Watching our stories. Scripture stories, that is.
10. A clearance string of lights can remind you how much wonder simple things can hold, when viewed through a two-year-old's eyes,
11. Filling up at Sam's Club, since they only change their prices once a day. It jumped from this to $3.29/gallon in one day. We love the Gas Buddy app.
12. Had a very enjoyable, uplifting and encouraging Power of Mom's Learning Circle meeting. So enjoyable that the time got away from us really quickly. I came home to a sleeping house.

12 of 12 October

1. Clothes laid out for my morning run.
2. Tapering, how I love you. Last "long" run before the half marathon in a week.
3. We went to a tailgate party (hello, delicious barbecue: ribs, brisket and pork), and I encouraged Millie to get this whistle. What is wrong with me?
4. Reading our first chapter book together. I think Flora and Ulysses might be advanced for a two-year old (understatement), but when we stopped at the library to pick it up, she wanted to read it. 
5. Crazy teeth. Lots of them.
6. Energizing Indiana home energy assessment visit. Basically I'm a hippie.
7. Oh, just sitting up. For minutes at a time. No biggie.
8. Hanging up the last of my Halloween decorations.
9. Working on some family values and goals with Chris.
10. Millie would not stay in her bed ("I have to go potty!" constantly) so she got her "poop treats" (her words) taken away. Too bad we don't stock it with anything good.
11. Watching Sherlock. And this is why we don't watch series. I get sucked in and want to keep going.
12. I was one picture short, so enjoy this gratuitous shot of Mr. Handsome, all decked out for church.

12of12 June

1. She loves to pretend the bottom of Truman's bouncer is her microphone and likes to "say" her "tessamony" into it. ('Heavy' Father and Jesus love me and created the world for me. They made my body. They help me get baptized.)
2. Waiting in the eye doctor's office.
3. Nom, nom, nom,
4. Millie and Chris got to have a bunch of adventures while I was at my appointment, including finally getting a ride on the trolley.
5. One... or two. Two... or one. Really, I'm blind and they're both terrible!
6. He really gets the toys a-swinging. Note his immobile right hand.
7. "These my cup head phones!"
8. Mosquito bites. I think they progressed to hives the next day. Ugh. Aren't I too old for these?
9. Our feelings on potty training.
10. There were happy ones, but who can resist that pout?
11. My sweet Jessie. Is today my birthday? Yes, dear. Number 83.
12. Friends at our Power of Moms learning circle meeting.

Millie, Millie, Quite Contrary

Around midnight, when I've gone in to change her diaper, snuggle her and put her back to bed: I'm so glad you're my girl

Whispered back to me: I Daddy's girl.

Is that good?

No, it not good. It really tasty.

Is that so cold?

Not, it not so cold. It freezing.

Oh man, it's so bright outside today!

No, Mom. It not bright. It sunny!

 I think it's too hot.

It not too hot. It really warm.

Oh, synonyms. You're so much fun.

But didn't I ask that she turn out more like her dad than me? Yeesh.

Three Months

I'm pretty sure the past three months have been the quickest of my life. I don't know how I woke up one day and Truman was suddenly three months old.

He recently discovered his hand (almost exclusively his left hand), and after a few days of staring at it and figuring it all out, he's moved on to batting things on the play gym and grabbing at his toys.

He is the happiest, goofiest, smiley guy around. (Unless he has a bubble or is hungry. Then, you will pay.) His eyes have a special way of twinkling and melting your heart when he gives you one of his grins. He's a talker and loves to coo, gurgle and babble. He tells the best stories, and really lights up when you converse back with him.

He barely has any hair on top and just has a fringe around the back of his head. The other day I contemplated shaving off all of it. I still might. He doesn't have much to lose, other than a snaggle 'do.

He went on a hunger strike after getting his vaccinations last week. Three-month old hunger strikes are worse than newborn figure-this-out spans.

Truman takes a lot of aggressive love from his sister. Usually he is a champ, but sometimes she tries "offering" his pacifier a little too forcefully or weasels herself in under the play gym with him.

He was sleeping through the night fairly consistently. Then Chris left to scout camp (perfect timing, kid). I keep reminding myself we'll get there again. And hopefully soon.

All around, we're big fans of the little guy. As long as the minimum standards are met, he's a chill dude.

Two Years | Two Months

The kidlets had a doctor's appointment on Monday. Scheduling both kids at the same time makes the appointment seem even less of a hassle than with just one kid.

Millie's two year (plus a month) stats are: 23 lbs 1 oz (7%), 34.25 inches (51%) and 47.9 cm head circumference (60%). She chatted up the nurses that were taking her measurements, much to their amusement.

Truman's two month stats were 11 lbs 10 oz (34%), 23.25 inches (63%) and 40.1 cm (72%). Yeah, he seems like a giant compared to the baby Millie was! He charmed the nurses with his good looks.

On the way there Millie and I were discussing what would happen at the doctor's office. I mentioned Dr. Miller would blow bubbles for her, and she wanted those bubbles as soon as Dr. Miller stepped in the exam room. She had to wait until the very, very end though, and it was about torture. Dr. Miller told me several times how well Millie spoke, how articulate she was, how big her vocab was, and that she spoke better than most three year olds. All of this I was aware of; we chat all day long. Millie kept saying, "Me healthy. Me bigger." Both confirmed at the appointment. Despite friends saying I probably shouldn't, the doctor said Millie can stop drinking whole milk and will be perfectly fine on our skim milk. She had her last sippie cup of whole milk today. (I don't know why that seems momentous, but it does.)

Truman is growing like a champ. He's starting to coo and give the best gummy grins. I can't resist his dimpled little cheeks and his big blue eyes.

Truman's Blessing Day

Truman was blessed while we were in Idaho. Chris wanted to bless him at church, but after our plane tickets were purchased we realized our parents both had stake conference that weekend (a regional broadcast conference). So Truman was blessed at Chris's parents' home on April 21.

We neglected to get a picture of all the men who stood in the circle, but Truman was supported and surrounded by good men. Chris, Grandpa Hartwell, Uncle Jeremy, Grandpa Parish, Uncles Chod, Brent and Ty, Chris's Uncle Paul and cousin Josh, and Bishop Kelly Anthon.

I'm sure Chris gave Truman a beautiful blessing, but I was too anxious and busy trying (semi-successfully) to keep Millie quiet that I wasn't able to soak it in. Let me explain.

In our family there is a history of mishaps during priesthood ordinances. With one being forgetting to state the authority of the Melchizedek priesthood, and having to go back and restate that authority after the fact.

When I don't hear Chris stating the authority, I start to get a little bit nervous. I look at my mom who is giving me wide eyes. Then I catch the eye of my brother-in-law Brent, in the circle, and silently urge him to help the situation. He whispers "Melchizedek priesthood," and Chris states that authority, then restates Truman's name and goes on with the blessing. Whew!

Chris blessed Truman that he would be a comfort to those around him. Truman was blessed that he would marry someone in the temple and start a family of his own. He was admonished to look to family. His nuclear and extended family love him and made sacrifices to be there that day and will continue to be there for him throughout his life. Truman was blessed that he would have a desire and conviction to serve a mission (eliciting a "He serve a mission!!" from Millie), and that he would have great joy and success in serving other. He was blessed that he would have challenges, but that he would be strong to overcome. And lastly he was blessed that he might stay true to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As Chris says amen, Millie shouted with glee. "Daddy did it!" She had learned about the priesthood just a few weeks previous in nursery, and the part that really stuck with her was baby blessings. She was so proud of her dad.

Karisa and I secluded ourselves in the "mother's lounge" (aka the China room), while everyone else started in on lunch. Chris's mom and Aunt Judy had prepared a beautiful lunch, with my sisters and mom putting out a super yummy dessert spread. It was all so nice.

As everyone was sitting around chatting after finishing lunch, my dad asked me what I noticed about the blessing and if I had gotten nervous. I mentioned how I was grateful Brent had been able to remind Chris of the authority. "So you didn't notice that Chris gave him the wrong name?!"

Apparently, in all my anxiety, I had not noticed that Chris had first given Truman the name of Truman Reading Madsen! Oops! After he had stated the power of the priesthood, he restated Truman's name correctly, so all was well. Several people thought maybe we were just giving him an extra middle name.

I've often wondered what I would think if my husband took it upon himself to give our child a new/different name in his baby blessing. Turns out, I wouldn't even notice!

My mom started a tradition of matching outfits for the grand kids for each blessing. It has grown and grown, and she keeps threatening that it will end, but she keeps at it. With a grand kid count of ten, she has stopped making them though. (It started out as using up the left-over fabric from the baby of honor's baby quilts, but she'd need to buy extra yardage, nowadays.)

The best I captured of this group of crazies! They are a fun group. Millie had a blast with them and asks frequently when her "friends" are coming to play.

Grace, Ruby, Dalanie, Delsie and Millie

Bentley, Tuff, Hudson, Truman and Lincoln (we were glad the Stephens boys were no longer acting like chickens for one shot!)

Not to be left out, Chris and Chod coincidentally wore their matching suits and coordinating ties. Cute!

Birthday Palooza

Yesterday wrapped up the last of Millie's birthday festivities. Ever since we went to our friend Gigi's birthday party in February, the girl has been obsessed with birthdays. The night of Gigi's party we had just gotten back from Chicago, where we went to Ikea. I bought this silly hat there, and Millie insisted on wearing it in to the party. That sparked her obsession with party hats. And I'd wager cupcakes are a favorite of most two year olds.

For about a month, she would wake up from naps, multiple times a week, insisting, "Go Millie birthday party?! Party hats! Cupcakes!" It was hard to hold her off. She had learned her birthday is "Apel sixteen."

Since we were in Idaho for her birthday (the actual day ended up being pretty miserable since we had had a very long night of delayed flights and little sleep the night before), we celebrated with lots of family the Saturday after her birthday, with the bonus that family would be in town for Truman's blessing the next day.

Her party started off with decorating hats

Ryan enlisted Dalanie as his helper finding the right color crayons. She felt important, and he didn't have to read all the labels to find the right one.

We watched Millie's 2nd year video. (Or most of it. We had a little technical difficulty, caused by Papa leaving a video streaming upstairs while we went downstairs to watch it.)

Then it was time for cupcakes and treats. Millie really liked her "number two candle," and we heard about it for days after.

Hudson got creative with the pipe cleaners.

Yesterday we had her little friend party. For some reason she started referring to it as "Millie little birthday party" a few days before. It was smaller than the one with all the family, thank goodness. Our house is great for our everyday life, but it gets a little cozy when you add some toddlers and their parents.

Blowing out her candles and sporting her 2 shirt from Aunt Nik

Millie requested treats early in the party (nothing like cupcakes at 10:30 am), so we had them, then sent the kids and dads out into the yard to play.

She's already started telling ladies at the grocery store that she'll be three next. And I don't think she quite understands that there won't be any more birthday parties where she's the center of attention for another year. And she certainly won't be getting three parties for her third birthday!

The Best First

Last night was this little guy's first time sleeping through the night (10:45-6:15).  Of all the firsts we've experienced in parenthood, this one is always my favorite!

Millie's 2nd Year

Man, we love this girl.

And I really love making the videos. If I had to make a scrapbook or a baby book, it wouldn't get done. But these are fun little time capsules of her life. The only hard thing is condensing down a whole year. My goal is to always keep them under 10 minutes.

Millie at 21 Months

I just have to document how in love we are with our Millie at 21 months. She's funny (not always because she means to be), helpful, smart as a whip, independent and very very social.

Chris asked her what we should name baby brother (we've got nothing) and her answer was "Ball." Ball? "Yeah, kick!" (We have the discussion nearly every diaper change that she can't kick Mom in the belly, but she can kick balls and balloons.) So Baby Brother, watch out.

She is so good about taking off her coat and taking it into her room. And pretty good about picking up her babies at the end of the day to tuck them into bed on her shelf. And putting away pieces when she's done with a puzzle. She loves to help set the table, and wants to be right in the thick of things when we're cooking. Scary because she's almost fallen off her chair perch a couple of times and I reach out to save her... while wielding the chef knife I'm using to chop things for dinner. We've got to find a better situation for her to help with cooking.

She tells us when she's poopy and runs to her room for a diaper change. I keep hoping she will potty-train herself. I'll just keep hoping. She needs to learn to navigate her pants down first.

Chris was passing the Sacrament yesterday at church, so for the first little while it was just Millie and me on our pew. She loves to follow along (play) in the hymn book, so I got her set up and pointed out where we would be singing. "Two-three-one." We knew she knew all her letters, but I had no idea she knew any numbers. She knows most of her colors and shapes, too.

She loves my sister's kids, with a special affinity for Babies "Jue," "Tut" and "Delky," but loves the bigger ones, too. She'll request to FaceTime with them multiple times a day. She'll run down every member in each family. And don't forget "Mawmaw" and "Papa," but we're pretty sure she just uses them to see the puppy, Suki. (She still loves "Addy puppy," the neighbors' dog, too.)

We've gone swimming the past two Friday nights. After the first trip she declared, "pool— MORE!!" She loves splashing, kicking, floating on her back and playing with her ball. When we were leaving this past week, there were two tween girls talking up against he wall. Millie ran up to them, started tapping the one on the back and saying, "Hi hi hi hi hi hi hi hi!" Little girl.

Yesterday after Sacrament meeting she spotted Heidi, her nursery leader, and headed to her, ready for nursery. I guided her out of the chapel and she spotted Marcella in the hall. She grabbed Marcella's hand and dragged her down to nursery. (I was impressed she knew which of the three nursery doors she was supposed to go in.) And after nursery she was like a superstar to several primary kids, with them all gushing "MILLIE!" as she walked down the hall. Trying to get her out of the church was almost as bad as dragging Grandpa Warren away from all the socialization.

Her vocabulary is exploding and amazes me every day. Last week I went to a doctor's appointment. Chris stayed home with Millie and let me run some errands after I was finished at the doctor. He told her I was at the doctor, and later when she said "mommy, docker?" he told her I was then shopping. She threw a little fit. "Mommy—back! Ninnie shop! Ninnie shop!" She's my little buddy and loves shopping with me. Most of the time I love shopping with her, too.

She likes rubbing and patting my belly while she coos "baaaaaby. Hi baaaby!" Which is cute, until she insists on pulling up my shirt to expose flesh.

All in all, we're pretty much in love.

Alphabet

Millie is obsessed with the alphabet. She likes these Fisher Price apps I have on my iPod (and will navigate to them all by herself). She loves watching the letters come on the screen and dancing along to the music. And when watching Super Why, she points to the letters like she knows what's going on. It cracks me up, because I'm sure she has some grasp, but she doesn't quite get it yet.

Lately she's been pointing to letters on my shirts (it seems lots of the shirts I wear to bed have a logo and a few letters on the left chest) and singing the alphabet. It sounds a lot like "a e d b d d e e e..."

And just recently she started saying the word "alphabet," though it sounds more like "al-ah-besh." It cracks me up. I think some intensive Letter Factory watching might be in order.

12of12 November

1. She's funny about oatmeal. She either inhales it, or ignores it. When she ignores it, I add some raisins and they're enough incentive to eat it. (She can't avoid the oatmeal when she digs them out with her spoon.)
2. The previous day was 66° and windy. The wind blew in a cold front and our first snow of the season. It didn't last long.
3. Millie has started being a good little helper. Though watching her try to undress herself is more entertainment than help.
4. She loves to lie in the bathtub spacing out until Mom pulls the plug. It makes me wish I had a tub I could lie flat in and be submerged.
5. As I was turning the corner, almost to the store, I realized my wallet was probably not in my purse. Lots of other junk, but no wallet. Back home we go.
6. Made it to Aunt Millie's, with my wallet. Millie refused to get in the cart. Since I was only there for a few loaves of bread, I wondered what it could hurt to let her wander. The cashier took forever, and more than a few packages of buns got manhandled by a certain little girl.
7. Target. I walked in and suddenly started wondering, "What am I here for?" It has that effect. I got what I came for, and splurged on a couple of long-sleeved shirts for Millie. (I figure it's time to take the tank tops out of her drawer.)
8. If we don't have leftovers, I refuse to make separate lunches for the two of us. 2/3 was grown-up. (Millie preferred the hot dog and the lettuce, but shuns squash.)
9. After nap snack. She cheers "booobeh!" whenever she sees the bag.
10. Chris was so excited for dinner, General Tsao's chicken, that he got right to work on it when he came home. Maybe I should put more of his favorites on the menu.
11. She loves to color.
12. Our FHE activity was practicing somersaults. Mom and Baby Brother sat this one out. But everyone laughed a lot.

18 Months

Millie had her first day in Nursery on Sunday. We can all shout hooray and I feel like I could leave her 18 month update at that! *Hooray!* When I had to go change her diaper 3/4 of the way through it she was running around the mother's lounge like a whacko-woman. I could tell she was having a blast (I hadn't worried about her), but she wasn't so keen on the idea of going back.

Yesterday I was talking to Chris as we were walking to his building on campus to have lunch. He told me, "Wow— you're a real Debbie Downer" and I retorted "It's been a really long week." Then I realized it was only Tuesday.

Millie is either super needy and wanting attention and to be in my face (and on my lap) all the time, or completely chill, happy and fun. Yesterday was the former, today was the latter. Tonight she and I were lying on the floor and she patted the floor next to her for Chris to join us. As she was being incredibly adorable I told Chris, "Okay, so this is why we're having another one."

She is starting to talk up a storm. Words she used to just sign, she'll say. She speaks and signs pretty well. Her signing flower and puppy are two of my favorite. She has groups of words that all sound the same. Baba can mean pacifier, iPod, or towel. Cocleh can be washcloth or chocolate. There were more, but I feel like she's already outgrowing them and I've seemed to have forgotten them in the past few weeks. How does that happen so quickly?

She currently loves Itsy-Bitsy Spider, especially when Mom will walk the spider up her bare tummy. She'll pull up her shirt and offer it. She has been caught singing Popcorn Popping all by herself on the sofa.

I can't believe it's taken me this long to mention that the girl is obsessed with "ahts," aka "hats." It doesn't matter if Chris is wearing one, one is hanging on the doorknob, a person is walking down the street wearing one, she sees on in a picture, or she sees the fringe on one of her stocking caps peeking over her dresser. She loves hats. Aht, aht, aht, aht, aht, aht, aht, aht!

Some other favorites are books and looking for the neighbor's dog out her bedroom window, while perching on a  little step-stool. She eats just about everything, but really digs avocado as of late, and does the most adorable fake shiver for "brrr." Sometimes she thinks she has a baby in her tummy.

She distinguishes "mama" from "dada." So while putting clothes in the washer she stops constantly to point out if a sock is "dada" or a shirt is "mama." And then the process is repeated as I try to hurry and shove everything in the dryer before she gets to it. She'll point to my chair and say "mama." She knows whose shoes are whose, who generally sits in what patio chair, and who didn't hang up his towel this morning (finally I'm not the only one noticing it!), that my scriptures are mine. Sometimes it really blows my mind at how much she's taking in and what obscure details she's noticing.

Last night I had an early volleyball game so Chris and Millie came along. Watching her point out "Mama" and then wave to me completely melted my heart. After our game I blew her a two-handed kisses and she returned it the same way. It's so amazing to watch her grow and put it all together.

She has her doctor's appointment next week, but when she had Hand, Foot and Mouth a while back she was still under 20 lbs, so we'll see if she's put on enough ounces to break the barrier. It's been getting cold at night and she only had one pair of fleece jammies. So I figured it wouldn't hurt to see if some fit from last year. Yeah, girl totally rocks the 6 month jammies. A little short in the arms, but they work. Her 6-12 month clothes are generally getting too short, but 12-18 month clothes drown her. It's an awkward clothing stage we're in.

We love her and are so glad she's ours. She's spunky and funny, but chilling out a bit so that we can cuddle with her for a little bit, too. She's a little comedian and loves to watch videos of herself and thinks she's just so funny.

First Boyfriend?

We usually sit on the second row at church and there is a cute family that sits behind us. The mom, Sheri, plays the organ, so that leaves the dad to watch after the two boys.

Last Sunday, at one point early in Sacrament meeting, Millie leans over the pew and kisses Dallin. He didn't seem to mind. (Dallin is three and has Williams Syndrome, so he's barely bigger than midget Millie and has the most infectious smile the in the world. Proof here.)

Later in the meeting Millie is leaning over the pew and Dallin is leaning forward and the two of them are smoochin' away, happy as can be. We broke things up but it had the surrounding crowd snickering.

On the way home from church we usually review who Millie has seen at church. "We saw so many friends at church! Claire, Marcella, Tess, Rebecca, Jay, Emma, Connor, Dallin, etc..." She's getting good at repeating names back to us. When we got to Dallin's name she said, "Daddin— mwuah mwuah" (it's tricky to write out the way she says things). I was shocked she remembered they were little kissing buddies.

Today we were getting ready for playgroup. I asked Millie to help me and get her boots so we could go to Dallin and Connor's house.

"Daddin! Mwuah, mwuah!"

I didn't know what to say. But those two were found off playing together several times today at playgroup. They're sweet and cute and so fun to watch together.

Hod Podge

• Millie has mostly made the transition from two naps to one. Boo. Hiss. I resisted as long as I could. Mornings are my productive time, and I tend to waste away my afternoons. So it really cramps my style when there is a little one making messes and always underfoot as I try to get things done.
• Millie is getting good at playing on her own. She's obsessed with "baybuhs." Watching her play with her dolls and few stuffed animals cracks me up (giving them drinks, sharing kisses, piling them all on her mini-stroller). She's still very much obsessed with books. She empties and hauls the content of her bookshelves to the living room daily.
• Whenever I talk to Nik on Facetime and start talking baby-ish to Gracie, Millie knows and comes running to see the "baybuh!"
•  Millie is obsessed with giving high fives. Chris said she kept trying to give them to a 10 month-old yesterday at church. He didn't get it, so she'd go up and tap his hand anyway. She gives great virtual high fives.
• I got sustained yesterday at the RS Committee Chair. I'm all for callings that are basically party planning. Still sad to not being in young women, but excited to be here.
• We've gotten a good bit rain over the past few weeks. Our lawn has greened back up and I don't feel quite so trashy when I see our yard.
• Despite my last post, I'm feeling very ready to be done with the grad school phase of life. Mostly I just want to be back in Cache Valley, frying doughnuts with Nikkala on Halloween. I want it more than would appear normal. If anyone wants to sponsor this, let me know.
• All the local produce was frozen after our abnormally warm spring and one late freeze. Peaches shipped in from out of state are at least $2.00/lb, with the cheapest bulk I've found being $35/bushel for seconds. No apples either (and there weren't any blueberries earlier). The empty jars are increasing and it appears they won't be getting refilled this year. Bummer. It doesn't feel like late summer without canning.
• On that same note, our garden is pathetic. No canning there, either. Attempts a chipmunk trapping, yes. Produce, no.

And that seems to be all from the home front.

First Day of School, Year Three

If you would have told me two years ago that this day would come so soon, I don't think I could have believed you. I'd have wanted to, but I don't think I could have.

Classes started yesterday but Chris didn't have anything until today. He is taking one class (because he wants to; he should be done with coursework) and is teaching. Today was his first day teaching. He said fewer than 80 of the 90+ students were in class. They don't know what they're missing out on.

If things go my way, we're at the halfway mark. If things go the ridiculous longer route, we're 2/3 done. Let's hope I get my way. We'll get there, either way.

Every year I feel a little better about our house. Our flower beds have definitely made some strides in the past year! Slowly. We're getting it there.