I'n Two!

I just taught Anne to say I'm Two.  I ask her "Anne how old are you?" She quietly replies "I'n Two." 

I love this little Darling.  This morning when she woke up she was a little cranky and cuddly so we just layed on the couch and cuddled until she was ready to get up.  I love those moments. 

They don't happen often.  She just lays on my chest and burries her arms underneath herself and we just lay there.  I think she sleeps on her arms all the time.  What a goose.  She is really walking now!  Today she walked to the park all by herself.  She still isn't pro and doesn't like to stand up on her own... she always say "hep hep pease" and I help her stand up then she lets go and toddles off.   Its crazy how quickly its gone from holding my hand and refusing to walk by herself and now she wants to climb up the slides at the park and jump off ledges.  Seriously like only one week ago she wasn't doing any of this.  What a nut.

I'm frankly ready for fall so I can keep her inside until spring when I trust her to climb things without giving me a heart attack.  She is infatuated with Dallas.  She always begs "hog hog" so I let her hug Dallas until it gets a little to bear hugish.  One afternoon they were both crying mostly Anne being jealous and crying because Dallas was.  Suddenly Anne stopped and came over to Dallas and started patting him on the belly chanting "happy happy happy". 

What a sweetheart.  Corse there was the time where I heard from the other room "SQUISH" and then she sat on his head right as I walked in to check on them.  Oh my.  I told myself I would cry the first time she walked.  I didn't but I am so grateful for this little Lady and all she has to teach me.  She has learned so much in the last year and so have I...Patience and Compassion and Joy.  I love her.  Its been a wonderful two years.  We have met so many people and been served and blessed.  Anyway, Happy Birthday Andie Pandie.  I love you.

The Poopsmith

WARNING: POOP AHEAD PROCEED WITH CAUTION!

Remember those good ole days when potty humor was awesome and cartoons were full of them?  I do.  Well today is one of those days... make that week.  I don't know if any of you were ever as obsessed with strongbad cartoons as I was.  I remember every week getting on my Mom's computer back home to watch each new episode.  They were hilarious right?  Now I've grown up and moved on to bigger better things.  Like kids.  Potty humor is soooo beneath me now.  But as its a newly christened Shiloh Stradley poop week holiday I would like to draw your memory back to a single character on strongbad... the poopsmith.

 He did exactly what his name implies.  I have been feeling a lot like the poopsmith lately.  He had one job to do and he did it well.  He even took a vow of silence.  Oh the dedication!  Thank you to one little man and his stinker of a sister I feel like taking a vow of silence and buying a shovel. 

Don't let this disguise fool you!



Not as sweet as she looks!

So I'm a cloth diaper queen by nature.  I grew up that way and I'm fine with it.  Wash rinse repeat... that's how I roll.  I do however treat myself to a disposable diaper on occasion.  You know during diaper rash season, for the babysitter, or during a road trip.  Anyway, during this last road trip we got a ton of disposable diapers to make travel without washer or dryer much easier.  So after the trip I have been using up all the leftover diapers before they are to small.  With the speed Dallas gains weight it could happen soon.  Dallas doesn't seem to work well with these.  He can't seem to keep his stink in his diaper.  Ugh. So one morning Dallas needed some cuddling to get a few xtra Zs in for him and Mom.  I pulled him into bed with me.  I noticed my hand felt wet at some point but I as way too tired to care.  Besides Dallas sweats a ton so that was probably it right?  Two hours later I woke up and yup.  Gross.  All down my left leg and my hand.  See if I ever cuddle with him again.  Stinky little poop monster.  Luckily he only got me and not the bed.  Well I think it was that morning also that Anne figured out how to take her diaper off because I didn't get her out of bed in time.  She was bored and when all you have to play with is a blanket a bear and a diaper, well that is just what you do.  Luckily she was only wet and didn't play with it I don't think.  Two days later though and it was another late morning.  Anne pulled her diaper off with poop in it.  YUCK!  I stopped breathing so I wouldn't throw up and took care of my angel toddler as quick as possible.  We all got a bath that day.  Then we went to the park and Dallas was sitting happily on my knee.  I look down and all up his back and all over my shorts.... more poop.  He got to sit in just a diaper for the rest of the park visit because I didn't bring a back up outfit.  The joys of motherhood.

I promise I still love them.

So you see?  I feel like a poopsmtih.  I don't remember aspiring to such an occupation yet here I am.  Good thing I have patience and love and hand sanitizer to spare.  The health insurance could be better but what do you do?  I think we will be going back to cloth diapers today. It just isn't worth it anymore to use up the rest of the disposables.

Now Liz Can't Pester Me ANYMORE!

So since my last post.... We blessed Dallas July 5th and it was wonderful!  My Mom got to come out and spend the weekend with me and my people.  We tried setting her up on a date with her soul mate... but that didn't work out which is a different post entirely.  Oh well.  I of coarse don't have a picture of Dallas on his blessing day.  No surprise there.  I don't have one of Anne on hers either.  However I'm pretty sure I promised to take a picture of him in his outfit sometime... I'll get around to it.  Andrew drove up to pick up my Mom from the airport and she stayed on our comfy blue monster couch.  Saturday we ran around to DI and campus and the bookstore.  We had a good time hanging out with her.  I may have stressed out more than needed for the luncheon after church but it turned out nice even though not everyone could make it out.  we had it in a gorgeous reception center garden that my friends let us use.  Then Mom was on her way back home on Monday morning.  It was really great having her here.  I think my favorite part was that the day before she got here she called me and told me to quit cleaning my house and just relax.  How did she know?  Because she is my Mom and that is exactly what she would have done.  I love her.
Anne just got a reverse walker to help get her walking sooner.  She is saying so much now.  Well trying at least.  Today her new favorite word to try was basket.  Dallas is growing like a weed and we love it.  He is such a happy sweet little guy.  I can't get enough of his smiles and coos even at 4 in the morning.  Anyway those are a few of the updates.  I will try and be better... but nap time is just better when I'm not useful.  These pictures weren't supposed to be sideways.... I'll get around to it ;)

All smiles

My sweet little monster

Best Buds

Fatty McFatterson 2.0 or just Baby Dal the real Fat Baby

So I have always dreamed (since having Anne) of what it would be like to have a fat baby that I didn't have to worry about feeding a regimented diet.  Now I know what it is like!  Dallas is now 9.5 lbs!  He has a double chin and is so cute.  He is getting pretty good at holding up his head and keeps me up at all hours of the night.  I'm not ashamed to admit that I have slept in til noon once or twice.  As for Fatty McFatterson Anne she is now 18.5 lbs.  Not very big but huge to us.  She is so close to walking and has lots of new sounds and a few words.  Anyway, here are some pictures.  Enjoy.

Free at last! Free at last!

We are all home!  Thanks to Marilee the Nurse that is.  So Friday I was supposed to feed Dallas 3 or 4 times and that got tricky with study groups for Andrew and someone to watch Anne.  So it ended up that I did two back to back feeds in the morning and two back to back feeds in the evening.  Dallas did awesome at both!  Back to back is supposed to be hard for tiny babies but not for Dallas.  So Saturday we had Marilee the nurse who I think has been my favorite nurse so far.  Scheduling got crazy again so we tried three in a row... then Marilee thought maybe I should go four in a row but she would make sure and pass it by a Dr first.... no Dr could be found.  So Marilee said why don't I try anyway.  Better to ask forgiveness than permission right?  Well 4 feeds in a row is the start of going home... that is a 12 hour straight breastfeeding... no tubes nothing but natural.  Well we did awesome and the Dr said heck, lets make it a 24 hour and keep going.  So we did.  Now realize this is supposed to be a 3 or 4 day process... for us it became a 1 1/2 day process.  I spent the night at the hospital Saturday night and fed him through the night.  The next day I barely made it to church with Andrew before the Dr called and said Dallas should just go home today.  If I felt ready they thought he was ready and could go!  So we left after sacrament meeting and gathered our things and headed to the hospital to feed him and sign all the paperwork.  Dallas was home by mid afternoon!  Thanks to all who served us and prayed for us and spent time just hanging out with my boring bedridden self.  We are so glad to have Dallas home.

More Pictures

This is Dallas and Uncle (also known as Matthew)

I think they were twins in another life.

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