Moments

I have a goal to run a half marathon by the end of the summer.  I feel like the act would officially put this last year of physical craziness behind us, as well as keep me focused on truly strengthening my body to get better.  Emily and Nathan are becoming quite the training buddies riding in our double stroller.  We also work in some outside playtime after or during runs to keep everyone getting their does of positive endorphins for the day. Nathan continues to be very patient while I stretch and it was finally warm enough outside today to get him out of the stroller for a couple of minutes.

Emily’s new favorite outdoor activity is climbing up the retaining wall and walking along the top.  She is quite the natural climber and is also paired with her other new favorite activity, jumping off things.

General Conference weekend was wonderful. Nathan enjoyed his first conference and we loved hearing the messages, but we are even more excited to study and listen to them daily.  The first session of the day Emily was really engaged, sitting and taking notes. The second session from 4-6 is a rough time in our house and we were focused on getting kids dinner and ready for bed both nights.

On Sunday we played Trouble as a family. We got the game at Christmas from my parents in commemoration of the hours my brothers and I spent playing Trouble at my Grandma Moose’s house.  The sound of the clicker brings back smells and tastes from her home.  I remember putting the little pieces on my fingers and clicking them together, just like Emily is figuring out to do.  This game is a lot of fun to play with her because she knows her numbers and how to count. Her attention span is pretty decent for being almost two and a half.

Andrew has been teaching Emily how to add with her fingers.  She calls it the finger game.  Here is is showing us 5.

On Monday Emily, Nathan and I made pita chips together.  It is a cracker recipe, but when we use 100% whole wheat flour they taste exactly like the worlds best pita chips.  Emily decided she wanted to sit in the booster seat that we were trying to sneak into storage, and Nathan decided he wasn’t thrilled with being in the ergo.  Next to Emily his her baby that does everything thing with us and I’m asked to “Wrap up my baby please mom” with three blankets and “stick my baby in the red purse” countless times a day.

Nathan has figured out how to grab things on the exersaucer and put them into his mouth.  He also turns around and takes interest in all the little things on there.

He is getting stronger and stronger and can almost sit up by himself.  He does the best on our bed with a little assistance from Andrew.

Three kids hanging out on a bench, watching the trucks go by.  We were outside for about an hour and these two-year-olds were busy going from place to place: climbing the rock wall, then climbing and jumping off every large landscape rock multiple times, then stopping at the “house” for a sit, then finding pinecones as we made our way to the park, then singing songs at the rock bench, then pushing each other on the merry-go-round.

We are loving the spring weather! Emily and her friend Arthur spend lots of time digging in the dirt at both our homes. I’m starting to figure out and teach acceptable locations to protect our garden.

Nathan is still a wonderful hugger. I hope this lasts for a long time.

I don’t remember exactly what was going on, but I love Nathan’s faces and the look Emily gives Andrew.

Nathan’s first attempt sitting in the swing, only made possible by the jacket Emily quickly shed as she ran around the playground.  Emily is beginning to be more and more independent on the playground as she gains confidence climbing on all the equipment and playing games with her friends.  Nathan joined me on a swing after a few minutes and took a nap on my lap while we talked with a friend and watched Emily explore and imagine.  It was a perfect afternoon.

We have a really solid bedtime routine with Emily and we’ve been trying to create one with Nathan. Occasionally we remember to read him books.  The last week or so he’s been going through a phase of sleeping for 2-15 minutes, wake up SCREAMING, eventually fall back to sleep after nursing or rocking or reswaddling or giving him his pacifier or a combination of many with lots of prayers, then fall asleep to repeat the cycle for about three hours.  The first few nights were rough and now we are kind of used to it and hoping it changes soon. No idea what is going on with him. But once he is out he sleeps for a couple of decent stretches, so that is wonderful.

He is starting to enjoy holding different things in his hands and feeling textures. I was surprised to see how engaged he was when I discovered these pictures that Andrew took without my knowledge.