RachE

So these are some things Rachel has been saying this week: What the heck???


"I don't like being me. Are we ourselves forever and ever." "It's because it's boring being me. I don't like getting my hair done."

The next day:

"I don't like being me still..." Something else I can't remember that prompted me to ask--
"Do you like our family?"  Her response, "I love you, but I feel weird about it."
"What do you feel weird about?" "I feel weird about our house. I wish we had a different house."

Then today,
 "I don't like being me because of my teeth. Some are soft and some are hard."


Okay??? Weird and unpredictable. That's our Rach E!

Girl Talk

Rachel: "Hey, mom...know why we always say ye-ah to the babies?"
"why?"
"cause we don't know what else to say to them."

Glad Monster, Sad Monster

This monster book about feelings has become a favorite. While reading it tonight, the question was, "what makes you glad"
Adam's response was, "I'm glad my daddy married a sweet mama like you!"
We have been butting heads all week so I was really happy to hear that!

Life Lessons

This is what happens when you put daddy in charge of an art project...they loved it though. Everything is just better with a painted moustache.

And I have to record these conversations:

R: "I don't want to grow up"
M: "Why?"
R: "I'm scared of getting married."
M: "How come?"
R: "I don't like boys anymore."

and..

R while acting as Ariel: "Lightning McQueen, Will you marry me?"
A as McQueen: "No! I can't. I'm a car. Cars do not get married."

PTS

                                               

Today proved that  Rachel is suffering from PTS: Pre Teenager Syndrome-

1. Accident #1 before lunch (the #2 kind)
2. Accident #2 after lunch
3. Resulting in her favorite toy being taken away for one day
4. Spontaneously throws her arms around me and says "I love you". (yeah, she's not fooling anybody)
5. Trying to get out the door for preschool, "I'm going to go potty so I can get my toy back." (yeah, right)
6. After school errands were a success,albeit a little hyper and stressful for mom, ie this conversation:
R about Adam: "He's screaming."  Me: "I know, but please don't tell on him." R: "I'm not telling him, I'm telling you." Me: much laughter  R: "It's not funny!"
7. While putting groceries away, a tussle with Adam
8. When I tried to intervene I got a swat and a "Dang it, Mama!" (I let that one go. I was too stunned)
9. A good dinner followed by promise of ice cream
10. Accident #3 (the #2 kind again)
11. No ice cream
12. Great clean up time
13. Just about to repent and offer a chocolate instead when
14. She walks out of my room eating a stolen piece of chocolate
15. Bedtime pretty good,pjs, brush teeth,
16 "Go potty so you can get your sticker."
17. "I'm not listening!"
18. Accident #4
19. I'm done!*

*Before you start being concerned, and pouring in the advice, I really am on top of the fact that this is her personality. And I'll pour on the praise for positive behavior and she'll snap out of it soon enough. In the meantime, I will just shake my head and be grateful for bedtime!

Christmas Time

This was a really great Christmas. We had fun the whole month of December. Here are some phrases that were very common in our household at Christmas:

The movie of choice this year was definitely The Grinch. So there was also a lot of singing the Grinch songs. And Adam had his own interpretation that I thought was funny. After all of the "ah hoo dorays" or whatever it is they say, I think the correct words are "Bring Your Light". But, Adam liked to say "Bring Your Wife".

Speaking of marriage, Rachel got a little mixed up with Married and Mary. Now any girl or bride with a veil or head covering is considered, "Married".  "Is that Married?" she will say. Just tonight we looked at our wedding picture and R glanced over and said, "Married?".  I haven't had the heart to correct her because it's too dang cute. And then she always asks, "Where's the baby Jesus?"

We also got a little mixed up with the ornaments. I had just explained that things that make music are called instruments. Well, since a few of our ornaments play music, Rachel insisted on calling ornaments=instruments.
As a side note, last year Rachel flung her "baby's first christmas" ornament across the room and it shattered. I cried and they didn't touch the ornaments after that. This year, they were taught how to handle ornaments and they did a good job. But somehow Adam's matching "baby's first christmas" ornament found its way off the tree and it got smashed too. This time, however, I just shrugged and figured it was meant to be. I really didn't like them in the first place, and I figure I can just order some online that I like better and make sure they are shatterproof this time!

The last phrase we heard quite often around here was "I don't want to see Santa!" This was most often uttered after the question, 'What do you want for Christmas?" I don't know why Rachel decided to not like Santa this year, but I blame the Rudolph movie. That Santa is just mean. However, she LOVES the Grinch. Go figure.

More Christmas posts to come...and then maybe I can talk about real life again!

Just For Laughs...

Adam colored on his Cars chair with ink pen. I was explaining that it wouldn't come out.
Later, while reading the Book of Mormon I was trying to explain what baptism is. I said that we get clean like Jesus wants us to do. He said, "Maybe Jesus can clean my chair! I think he can, Mom!"

I think he can too, bud.

At Least They Take Turns

It could be a LOT harder to raise these adorable twins, but luckily--they tend tend take turns at whining, misbehaving, being cute, throwing tantrums, etc. Today was no exception. We attempted our first official no diapers potty training day. 
It started with one willing participant (R), and one hysterical accident-prone kid (A).
The day ended with one willing participant (A), and one over tired, pant-soaked kid (R).
Believe it or not, the worst part of the day was sopping up the Gatorade that I spilled after I thought it would be a good motivation drink. It wasn't.
Overall, I call the day successful. Although I'm sure it will be a long time before I'm willing to leave the house without diapers, underwear, wipes, and a change of clothes.

In other news:

Rachel: "I want to take your picture."
Me: (misunderstanding) "you want me to take your picture?"
Rachel: "No, I take a picture. You take a smile."

and while playing with a toy snowman before lunch:
"Mommy, you hold my snowman."
"okay, I'll put him on the table."
"no, it's too hot in here. he needs to go in another room so he doesn't melt"

Adam's favorite new things to say:
"What? What you said"
"What happened to her?" (every time R cries)
"Sorry, Mommy. I didn't mean to do that."
"Sorry about that"

Yeah, seems innocent enough, but...let's just say it's a good thing he's cute.

Speaking of cute--I will post pictures soon enough.

Two More

Me: "Who is my mom?"
R: "Your name is Amy. You're so sweet."

"I don't like your hair. I love your hair."

Rach E's Words

After observing Adam having a fit resulting in time out.
"It's not his fault. It's not Daddy's fault. It's not my fault. It's your fault.Dang it."

All in the last 5 minutes:

"I'm a howler monkey."

"You get me a piece of gum please. Just a little one?" (after she stole half my pack)

"They're broken and I'm sorry." (after smashing Adam's puzzle)

"Excuse me." Pause. "Scoot over!"

You Can't Have Him

I had two extra kids at my house yesterday. Needless to say I was a little frazzled. But I managed to get dinner on the table for all of us. I was taking bites with one hand while the other one was holding a bottle for the baby.  I had just gotten one more cup of milk for kid #4 when I heard Adam say,
"this is yummy chicken, mommy, thanks for making it."
I was so amazed and thrilled I didn't have the heart to tell him that we were actually eating meatballs.

I needed a laugh today...

While eating tater tots for lunch...

Rachel: "I want Mater" (from Cars)

Me: "oh, because Mater rhymes with tater"

Rachel: "Ryan's Mater?"

Not Ready Yet...

I have a whole post in my head about my kids growing up and how I'm not ready for the next stages of potty training, giving up naps, and big kid beds. I am putting it all off as long as I can. But the kids are not letting me wait.

Rachel has been climbing INTO her bed for awhile, but not out (except her pack n play). Adam has not done either until just today. He can't get in, but he can get out.

As  I write this he is out of his bed. Rachel started crying when he left the room so he opened the door again and I heard this conversation:

"What's wrong, Rachey? Do you need a book?"

"Yeah."


The next time.

"What's wrong, Rachey? Do you need a toy?"

"Yeah"

"Which one?"



Daddy: "Adam, come here."

Silence.

Rachel: "Go--go to Daddy!"

It is 10:30pm. We all have some form of the stomach flu. At least we have some comic relief.

Road Trip Intermission

While looking at a box of cereal:

Rachel: (pointing to the letter M) says, "W" (double oo)

Adam: No! "M"

Pregnancy Perks

After one of our long days of shopping, we decided to eat at Sweet Tomatos. While waiting in line at the register, I guess my hand went automatically to rest on my belly. I also must have looked pained because the waiter/manager glanced at me and said, "You're not going to have that baby today are you?" Then he immediately mocked into his headset, "Start boiling some water, we're going to have a baby here!" After informing him that it was twins he corrected, "Make that double the water...we're having two!"

But alas, the only water that was involved was the glass of cold ice water that magically kept getting refilled and the relief to my pain was not giving birth, but rather the tray that was swept from my hands and brought to the table for me.

And as we left I was wished good luck and the reminder that, "We have food to go if you find that you can't get out of bed soon"

What a nice guy.

And...it might interest some of you to know that our lovely "usual" waitress at the Harvest Cafe has twin girls of her own. I think Ry picked the right place to frequent.

Don't Bet on It

Our kitchen, Sunday, 3pm: (names will not be used to protect the ignorant)

Spouse A opens dishwasher to pull out cereal bowl. A fumble ensues followed by an unbelievable kick save before bowl reaches the floor. "Did you see that amazing save?" exclaims said person.

Spouse B smiles and nods but is not that impressed. "It wouldn't have broken from that height anyway."

A: "Yeah right. It's chip-resistant, not chip-proof."

B: "Go ahead, drop it. Let's see if it breaks. I bet it doesn't." It took about 3 more "I'm serious go ahead and drop it" looks before Spouse A holds the bowl at counter level and lets go:

B calmly stands, reaches for the broom, cleans up, then reaches for a new bowl from the dishwasher. "Let us never speak of this again."

"Hi Family"

This is who we spent Easter with. There is no use talking about how wonderful these people are because it wouldn't do them justice. But I do have to say that they better enjoy the attention now, for soon they will not be "our favorites."

Ways I know that Ryan is excited about the babies:
1. He is appalled if I am watching a birth on tv when they only have one baby. "What's so special about them?" He retorts.
2. His greeting for the day is no longer, "Hey, Wife." Rather it goes something like this, "Hi Family. It's good to have you with us today."

I agree. It is good to have our family (any of them) with us. And I promise to post something soon that has nothing to do with babies (we just have to get a life first).

V-day Guilt

In case you didn't know, we tend to do things a little bit differently around here. Today, there are no roses, chocolates, or red teddy bears at our house. But, we do have a lot of "conversation hearts" that cannot be eaten. These are just from the last 24 hours.

Ryan last night while hanging out with friends: "We need to go. I have to go to the store. I have Valentine's Day guilt."

"Don't worry about it. I didn't get anything for you either." "Oh, good. Let's just go home then."

(while going to the car) "It's freezing. I wish you wouldn't open the door for me and just start the car." "Too bad." He seriously has never missed opening the door for me.

"Everybody loves you." and "People like me like you." (He says this at least 3x a day. Aren't you all jealous?)

And my personal favorite:
(after watching a commercial with a little kid swimming in a pool)
"Do you call those things water wings or floaties?"
"Floaties"
"Oh, Good." (with a high five added)
"Why?"
"For some reason I can't stand people who call them water wings. I'm so glad it's going to work out between me and you."

And who wouldn't want to fall asleep to these words:

"I have a prayer in my heart for you."

Happy Valentine's Day! Sorry it won't be as good as ours.

And...I thought this would be a good day to fulfill this request. So here you go:

On Priorities

Although I have been sad not to see many new blog posts, or new emails, or voice mail messages-I have been happy knowing the reason for this depletion. I have been happy knowing that everyone has been spending time with friends and family across the country gorging themselves with food. (my fav this year were the sweet potatoes). And so-I just wanted to say "Way to go, everyone!" for having your priorities in line.

According to Ryan, my priorities should be:
1. Melinda (YW counselor)
2. Insurance (you can't live w/o insurance)
3. Ryan

If I'm ever having a bad day, or am feeling badly about myself (so you know, every other day) Ryan will say, "Is Melinda happy with you?"

And somehow, that makes everything okay. So if your first priority is not your church calling-I would say to you-step it up people! :)

However, these days I am told that my priority needs to be on the Christmas letter, so I have been told no more blogging about funny things! That means no picture of the tree yet either (sorry Aaron). It also means that I can't talk about Thanksgiving much, or our one day trip to Disneyland, but I highly doubt Ry will include these highlights in the letter, so here is the best of my Thanksgiving:

• The flights to and from St. Louis (A group, no one in between us, the perfect amount and sleep and books to read)
• Watching Kevin and Eric play ping pong (very similar to Dwight and Mose)
• Cooking with Emma (and knowing that she was filling my spot in the kitchen)
• Eating Jenny's Pumpkin Crisp for breakfast
• Sitting next to Annette during Enchanted and laughing together
• Watching James play the 50 cent piece game, and Simon Says, and Charades
• Tate calling Eric-Ryan and Ryan-Eric. And falling asleep on me.
• Davis dancing and his grinning spells in between falling and crying.
• Mom and Dad watching and admiring us all (cause you know-we're perfect)
• Uncle Ryan keeping all of the kids entertained so the adults could have some sort of a conversation.

And no, we didn't take any pictures of the week (other than the hundreds of family ones we posed for and were tortured with) but as you probably can guess-pictures were not our top priority.

The Tree

I will be posting about our tree adventures over the weekend, but for right now I will just give you this preview:

Monday morning, 3:23 am- Ryan comes inside after finishing the tree-6 hours after everyone else had given up.

Amy: "I'm sorry. I felt like the disciples falling asleep while Jesus was in the garden."

Ry: "That's funny. I thought of that too, but thought it wasn't too good to come up with an analogy that compares me to Christ."

A few minutes later after a few more moments of Ryan groaning from pain. ***Warning: Harry Potter Spoiler coming up***

Amy: "Maybe you are like Harry Potter. All of your friends left and you had to defeat the enemy all by yourself."

Ry: "Oh, they made him a Christ figure too, huh?"

Okay, so if you didn't think this was as funny as I did--you may want to check the time of said conversation. More non blasphemous posts about the tree to come...