The Happiest Little Valentine's

These two cuties have loved every minute of Valentine's Day this year! I'm pretty sure they have no idea that it has anything to do with love - but they do know it has to do with treats from Dad, a movie from Mom, cupcakes and treat baggies from the Grandma's, and a chocolate heart from nursery on Sunday. They have been high on sugar for a good three days, with more treats to eat still. This reminds me why I sort of dislike "treat holidays" - the treats seem to last forever...leaving every day a sugar day.

Our day started out with a spontaneous lunch date with Dad, which is rare because he has class on Tuesdays (read: we never see him on Tuesdays). It made my day! And theirs! What is it about Dad's that just make everything better? They just can't get enough of him.

In other news: Andrew is potty trained. YAY!! Caroline is happy to be wearing diapers still. Boo. And my belly is expanding quickly - which means I need to do another pregnancy journal...coming soon.

Pregnancy Journal: Week 21

Here I am at week 21 of this pregnancy. Now, before I go any further...let me clarify that a) I HATE taking pictures of myself, and b) I especially HATE taking pregnant pictures of myself. Except for the fact that I have now LOVED looking back on the pictures I took of myself while pregnant with the twins. Especially now, it's been super fun to compare and contrast - and let me tell you there is QUITE the contrast. My belly this week is about the size I was at 14-15 weeks with the twins. So, it's kind of like having a first pregnancy all over again...except I don't freak out about every little pain and discomfort. Kind of nice.

Now, I have seen pregnancy journals on others blogs, and every time I see them I enjoy reading them. But most of all, I think they are fun to look back on and remember the silly things that make up a pregnancy (that nobody else really cares about but yourself).

* My biggest craving is apples with nutella. Lots of nutella. This is especially funny because I'm not a huge fan of apples, but now LOVE them, and I hated nutella before, but now can't get enough of it. That's how I know it's a true pregnancy craving.
* My nausea has decreased a lot over the past week. I feel great in the mornings and afternoons, but still have the dreaded night sickness...which is sort of awful - but that's where apples and nutella come into play.
* Baby boy moves ALL night long. From 10pm-2am he's doing something crazy, and then I usually wake up again from 4-6am with the same somersault party. Hopefully his schedule gets on track before he makes his debut.
* We decided on a color for the new nursery - "Bippity Boppity blue" by Behr. I am in love with it, and it goes great with our PB Madras drapes. And works perfectly so we can use Andrew's old bedding with ease.
* This week I've started having a bit of anxiety over balancing three kids. I never did before, but I'm sure it's pregnancy hormone related. I just keep reminding myself of what my Mom always used to say to me - "just take it one day at a time." That will definitely come into play I'm sure.
* We have decided on a first name, but are still tossing around middle names. I've loved the name for years, and we both love how it fits in with our other kids. Once we have the middle name, we will probably share.
* I'm starting to get the question from others "are you pregnant?" so hopefully that means I've left the "I look like I ate too many cheeseburgers" stage and am now entering the pregnant stage.

The Backson

Who's afraid of the Backson?

Winnie the Pooh is (nearly) a daily favorite in our home right now - especially on the part of Andrew. It's quite funny really, because when I splurged on this DVD for Christmas I sort of dreaded the fact that the kids would hate it. But no...
This tends to be the "mode" Andrew goes in every time we turn that movie on. The nice part about it is that it's short, sweet, and has plenty of music, so I tend to like it too.

The very best part of the movie however is this:
The Backson, as they call it in the movie. Rewind to two months ago when we were having trouble with the kids staying in bed at night. They would jump from bed to bed, peak out the window, nearly tear down the drapes, scale the dresser - the usual kid mumbo jumbo. Suddenly the kids feared the Backson more than any other living (or non-living) thing. So, one night as we were giving goodnight kisses and hugs, we gave the usual "stay in bed, be quiet" talk. Except Andrew interjected "if you don't, the Backson will get you." To which Steve and I quickly agreed, "yes, the Backson would indeed come and get you." It was the first night they stayed in those little beds in over three months. And it still continues to this day - every nap time and bed time the kids recite their theories on how the Backson will get them.

And every night Steve and I agree that "yes, the Backson WILL get you." Are we bad parents?

Steve told me tonight that our kids are going to hate us when they find that the Backson isn't real. Hmmm...they'll get over it.

A New Start

It's been too long...yes? Yes. And more likely than not, nobody even reads our little blog life anymore. But, that's all beside the point. Moments come and go in our little family, and I continue to wish I was documenting them. Since a real journal is one of my most hated "chores" in life, a virtual one may have to suffice for now. I may not blog as frequently as I hope, but some little bit is better than nothing at all. Yes? Yes.

So, instead of trying to catch up on everything that has taken place over the past year...a new start may be in order. A bit of a "here we are now" kind of post. Roll call (from youngest to oldest):

Steve

Steve is still working for Intermountain Health Care as a Clinic Manager. He's changed locations to Provo, UT, which has come with a little bit more responsibility (or a lot, either way). He hates the commute, but loves the job and what he does. He's also attending the U of U to complete is MBA and MHA. He's sort of rarely seen at home, but luckily that's not a situation that will last forever. 2 1/2 more years (not that anyone is counting) is doable, and worth it.

Me (aka Mom)

...even Steve calls me Mom now. How does that happen? I do, however, call him Dad...so all is fair in love and war. I'm still my usual full-time stay at home Mom, except now I fill a lot of the Dad positions too. Although 99% of the time I feel like I'm in the movie "Groundhog Day" living the same day over, and over, and over, and over...well, you get the point. I love it though. I wouldn't have it any other way, and I know how fortunate I am to be able to see those same days over and over again. And the beauty of it is, there are amazingly rewarding moments packed into each day that make it so wonderful.

Andrew (aka Mister, Bubbers, Buddy)

Andrew is obsessed with all things that have to do with trains (however he pronounces it "crane" - leaving many confused). His favorite food is definitely Mac 'n Cheese, which we have a lot of with Dad in school. He is mildly obsessed with the Winnie the Pooh movie we got him for Christmas, and he may or may not watch that 3-4 times a week. He is the typical 2 year old with his tantrums, yelling, hitting, kicking, breaking any toy imaginable, and thinking he is a superhero. However, amongst all of his uncontrollable energy, he is the sweetest boy. He loves playing with Caroline, and is constantly asking for "loves" (hugs) and kisses. He is my sweet, independent, loving, and crazy Andrew.

Caroline (aka Cline, Girly, Gwirdy)
Caroline is in love with princesses. She is definitely a girly-girl - which I wouldn't have any other way. She spends her days playing dress-ups (one day it's Minnie, the next Rapunzel, the next Tinkerbell), playing with her dollhouse and princess castle, and bossing her older brother around. She absolutely loves it. She is attached to her blankie and all of her "Minnie" stuffed animals. She carts them around the house from place to place, but is always sure they are near by. She loves any movie that has to do with princesses, but Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella are her tops right now. Her favorite food is yogurt, and any kind of fruit. She is so sweet, and has a tender little heart. Any time she gets in trouble or has "time out", she spends it crying and asking for hugs. She's my little woman - who definitely thinks she is the Mom half the time. And the best part, she is ALWAYS willing to tattle on Andrew...so I'm sure to know he's up to no good.

Baby #3
And last...but definitely not least...Baby #3. This little hand-sucking boy is due June 7th. After much surety that we were having a girl (on my part), it was surprisingly confirmed to us that we are indeed having another crazy boy. How does one know he's crazy? He wouldn't stop moving during the ultrasound, and basically hasn't ever since. He moves more than my twins ever did in a given day. He's also making me sick, sick, sick - which must mean he's crazy, right? All joking aside, we are so happy, excited, and blessed to have this little guy. We are working on painting the nursery, getting things ready, and figuring out a name. Meanwhile, I am learning what it's like to be pregnant with ONE baby and not two. So far I can easily confirm that (besides the sickness) it has been a breeze. And in comparing my twin belly pictures with my current - you grow A LOT more slowly with one baby. At 21 weeks I'm looking about how I did at 15 weeks with the twins. It's different, but a welcome change.

So, for the future...little blog...I will try not to neglect you. I will use my "lonely" nights while the Dad is at school to update on the funny little stories and memories that are filling our lives. Because, with being a Mom, I have also realized that I NEVER remember anything I wish I did. Life just moves too quickly.

Like Mother, Like Daughter...and Son

There are many funny points to this picture for me. 1) The face, 2) the baby doll being flung around, 3) the longing hand trying to get out the window as if to say "get me out of here," and 4) the vacuum. Is this how she perceives me? Probably.
Caroline and Andrew love to go around the house and help vacuum. They are thrilled anytime we bring the real thing out, so when we bought these little guys for them they knew just how to do it. It's funny how they pick up on the little things - like how to vacuum by pulling it back and forth. Now when they can really help out with vacuuming...that will be the day! For now I'll take the fake help - it keeps them occupied while I do the real work.

P.s. On a side note - Caroline is obsessed with her baby doll. When we first bought it she would cry and cry in her crib at night until we brought baby doll in. Luckily, we broke that habit. Then, anytime she would cry throughout the day she would say "baby" while she threw her tantrum. Cue the baby doll...and she's good. It's amazing how she has taken to the little Mommy role. Andrew on the other hand...he prefers to throw baby down the stairs and say "oh no...fall down." Such a boy!

Temple Square Lights

Every year I beg Steve to go see the lights at Temple Square. Last year the babies were too little, the year before that I was pregnant, the year before that I was sick...you see how it has gone in my favor for the 5 1/2 years we have been married.

This year we were determined to go because the twins are REALLY into lights! They especially loved Christmas tree lights. So we knew they would like it. Our first attempt ended on our way downtown at 3300 S. while Andrew vomited in the backseat of the car. We didn't make it. Our second attempt ended on a much happier note. Dinner at Blue Lemon and lights. The twins loved it! They kept saying "wow" the whole time. But by about the 10 minute mark they were frozen. It was only 18 degrees that night - so I really don't blame them. But, the memory was totally worth it! Hopefully next year we can get it right on the first try.

Christmas 20...10

I have been desperately trying to play catch-up, but between my sick daughter and a very busy husband...life has been a bit of a whirlwind. So, only being a couple months behind on my posts feels like an accomplishment to me. :)The annual Larson Santa party was quite interesting for us. I knew my kids wouldn't love Santa much, but they pretty much HATED his kind little self. Andrew lasted maybe 2 seconds before Dad saved him....And Caroline didn't do much better. Just as quickly as I put her on Santa's lap she was back off again. The poor things were miserable. Andrew had just gotten over the stomach flu the week before. And I got hit with it hard on the way home. Needless to say, we didn't love that festivity much this year.Christmas Eve was much better! We spent it with the Larson side - lots of people, lots of food, lots of crazy kids unwrapping presents at lightning speed. So fun! My kids were more interested in climbing on their boxes than unwrapping them. We didn't unwrap until we got home and they could focus on the task at hand. Grandpa Larson & Grandma Gail did not disappoint - a slide for Caroline, and a tool set/bench for Andrew. They both love them!Of course there were Christmas pajamas to open. The twins really weren't into the whole tear-the-paper gig this year, but they loved what was inside. Steve and I did more unwrapping for them than they did.The spread that Santa brought! We are still unwrapping presents from Christmas. Caroline was more interested in going on her slide. Andrew was interested in bugging Caroline on the slide. And we had to head up to the Nielsen family in the morning for brunch, presents, and a missionary phone call.Heading down the stairs to see what Santa brought.
Checking out the new kitchen.

Oh the slide! That thing has given them hours and hours of play fun!

We really had a wonderful Christmas with family, friends, and fun. The twins were much more fun this year! They were more excited over everything! I'm sure they will get the concept a little more next year, so I can't wait to see how much fun Christmas 2011 is. Hopefully as merry as 2010!