Christmas Sunday Pic 2012

Most of the Time....

Most of the time this is Max:

 Marching around in superman cape, rope in hand, completely nude otherwise.

 Wearing the Christmas stockings as "boots". 

And very chipper, loud, but chipper. 

  But sometimes, Mom makes caramel pull-apart rolls for her Young Women before church and Max doesn't understand why ANY food in his house is not intended for his digestive tract.    

Being a Mom

Today, Zannah's preschool had a little Christmas party/program.  Max of course fell asleep for his nap 40 minutes prior, so I was about 15 minutes late getting there.  Zannah must have been watching for me, because as soon as I pulled in she came bursting out of the house to greet me.  They sang a few songs they have been learning in school. Z was cheesing it the whole time and kept looking to make sure I was watching and periodically giving me thumbs up.  Afterwards, we decorated sugar cookies and paper stockings.  In the midst of all this, Zannah says to me, "MOM, this party is sooooo AWESOME!" 

For some reason, I thought later today what would have happened had I not gone to watch her.  She would have been so disappointed.  Her main care was that I was there watching this big moment of hers.  Sometimes, being a mom can be soooooo AWESOME! 

Halloween 2012

Zannah, of course, was a princess.  She looked like she does almost every other day of the week.  I loved that it was so easy.

Max was "The Queen!" by day and a monkey by night.  We barely talked him out of a dress for the ward tunk or treat that night.  Although he looks like a monk axe-murderer to me. 

Marcus was a "door" and I had the letter "C" pinned all over me.  Get it?  We were the Dorseys.  (We are so funny)                                                                                      

Thanksgiving 2012

We had Thanksgiving at our house this year.  The brothers and sisters-in-law came and we dearly missed Charlotte's family and my mom and dad, the latter were in Colorado having a massive get together there.  During the Holidays, I wish more frequently that we all lived in a compound.

We made a grand time of it.  We ate a big lunch and then napped. Grandma Dana and Papa Tom took the kiddos Thursday night.  So, us 7 adults turned out all the lights in the house and played sardines.  Lex won that game by laying at the head of the bed under the covers like he was the pillow. We couldn't find him for at least 30 minutes.  Then we headed up to Wal-mart for some early black friday shopping.  It was a stinky, packed tight-as-sardines adventure in and of itself.
 

Notice where Lex's hands are in this pic.  He is such a gomer.  Also, do Justin and I look like twins or what? 

What is being said 'round here.....

Zannah (after I had raised my voice towards her): Mom, the Holy Ghost just left you.

Me: Yes, thank you Zannah.

Zannah: Well, maybe when you start talking nice again, he'll come back.


We had company over and Max had decided to strip down and go commando.  We were about to eat, so Marcus was attempting to put a diaper on him and Max was refusing.  Marcus took him into his room and shut the door until he agreed to the diaper.  Max screamed and cried and finally calmed down after he found a little bell and bead.

Max: Daddddd, yook what I haaaaave.  A piece of bubble gum! (holding up the bell).  You can have it if you yet me ooooouuuut.  

Marcus: No thanks. I don't want bubble gum.  

Max, without missing a beat:  Daddddd,  yook what I haaaaaave.  Some Boise Staaaaaaate (holding up the bead).  You can have it if you yet me ooooouuuut.

Broken Bones

Little Maxer had a horse accident at our family reunion and broke both forearm bones.  He was such a champ for the whole saga. He slept MOST of the time in the ER.  Minus the sleepless nights, he has adjusted so well to being a one-armed show.

Don't ask me how he got up on the mantle with one arm, I'm guessing he had help from the sidekick next to him.

Funny ER story: after they gave Max morphine and codeine to help him relax while they set his bones in place, the Doctor asked Marcus and I if we wanted to stay in the room and watch or step outside.  I chose to stay and Marcus chose to leave.  As Marcus was exiting, Max groggily opened his eyes and said, "Sit down Daddy" and that was that, Marcus had to watch it too. 

And that is how we ended up with this phone pic.

Zannah-Happenings

In the last month Z has asked both grandmas what "those are" whilst sitting on their laps and groping their chests.
One conversation went like this:
Z: Are these your hips?
Grandma: No hips are down here.
Z: Oh, what are they then?
G: Well it's my chest.
Z: Hmmm, they look like balls.
You might find it fascinating (or not) that Z has showered with me since she was a baby and she has NEVER, not once, asked me what "those are". 

At bedtime:
Zannah: Will you sleep with me mom?
Me: No you are a big girl.
Zannah: Please I need a woman to sleep with me.
Me: You have bunny to sleep with.
Zannah, "No mom! I need a real woman to sleep with me!!"
In my head: Well keep on looking deary, because until you hit puberty, there isn't a real woman in this house. 

Last but not least, we found the Z-miester's jackpot last night. At dinner I told the kids whoever ate their whole plate would get a cookie. I started cleaning up dinner and Marcus caught Z coming out of Max's room with her empty plate. Lo and behold, we found a pile of food behind Max's dresser that consisted of scrambled eggs, strawberries, carrots, blueberries and quesadillas. And here I was smugly thinking for weeks that she had become such a great eater. Awesome.

Happy Birthday Max!

Here are some fun things you have been up to:

You swallowed a quarter this week and we are happy to say that it has exited. 

You are addicted to your binky and I don't have the heart to take it away yet.

You're a daddy's boy through and through.  Or a Papa's boy.  You definitely prefer hanging with the boys. 

You love animals and pretend to be a dog or cat frequently.  Mealtimes can be comical when you decide to eat like a cat.

You are so stinking polite.  You say "thank you" for everything and will NOT stop saying it until we say "You are welcome".

We have to kiss any and all bodily injuries.

You have started to like talking on the phone.  Papa Max and Yeck (Lex) are loving that you call one of them daily. 

You are afraid of the sprinklers. 

We just love you Max!  We love your laid back style and your funny personality.  What a miracle you are to our family.   

Friends plus General Conference

Our dear friends Matt and Jenny and their boys Graham and Harrison drove from Utah to play for a weekend.  It happened to be General Conference weekend.  We had such a great time and stayed up way too late talking, just like old times.  We swam, shopped, and listened to good talks.  

Such nice boys!

Random Pics of January thru April

Max is a good sport.

 Truth be told, he likes to dress up as much as the Z-meister.

 We visited an aquarium.  They had some cool displays where you could pet the fish.

 Birthday dinner with Grandma and Papa Tom.

 Max holding Uncle Wayne's chicken.

 A visit to Grandma and Papa Max's. 

 I thought Zannah was serious about Easter Egg hunting last year.  She upped her game this year.  We had a hard time convincing her there were no more eggs long after the other kids had gone. 

Christmas was only 5 months ago

I'm an awesome mom and got one picture of Christmas morning.  We did get video footage, so I console myself with that. 

 We attempted to ice skate.

 Beatiful Angela and Maxer. 

 Building ginger-bread houses. 

I really should record things as they happen so I can write deatils, but by the pictures I think Christmas was a good time. 

Spread the Word

We are trying to adopt again! Our profile is up on LDS's website itsaboutlove.org.
So, if you ever find yourself in that type of conversation, which could be awkward, or maybe meant to be, you could refer them here: https://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/27261072/ourMessage.jsf

We are encouraged to make pass-along cards and send out to family and friends and that whole idea causes me to perspire, so this is the happy medium ground.

Fantastic Four

Zannah,

You are four. FOUR! Here is what is happening in your life right now:

-You are still a great organizer/party planner/color sorting enthusiast

-No one is allowed in your "party" aka: formal dining room that is overflowing with your papers, stickers, plates, beads, napkins, and boxes. Until, the grandmas come. I have noticed that either grandma is always welcome to sit and play with you. Last night Grandma Becca was in the "party" and I tried to come in. You quickly shoo'd me away and said, "You can't come to my party. Grandma has pretty hair."

-Everyone is your friend. Today at the park, you walked over to a lady and asked if you could pet her dog. You then found a little girl and immediately said to her, "Come on, let's have some fun!"

-You pooed on the floor of my car this evening. It was rather comical. I blame myself, I talked you out of using the port-a-potty at the park earlier because that thing is nasty.

-You are still a sneaky bounder and you are often heard whispering phrases like this to Max, "Do it, do it."

-You burned the bottom of your toes recently walking across the stove. This has not deterred you from walking across the stove.

-After dad told you no to using a permanent marker, you begged me to use it. I told you that dad already said no. To which you replied, "Dad isn't here and won't know." I told you that Heavenly Father would know and you looked up and said, "No he won't, we have a roof on."

-You have started preschool and you LOVE it!

-Drawing, coloring, and making treasure maps has become a daily activity.

-You love to play Shera and Heman with Max. You two are always saving the world.

-Dad is smitten with you, he bought fingernail polish and paints your toes and fingers. You love your pretty nails. It goes against your mom's nature, maybe you two will convince me yet.

-At night, I tell you of how you came to us. And without fail, when your story is done, you ask, "And how did Maxaroo get here?" And I tell his story too.

-You freak out if someone leaves the house without getting a kiss and hug from you.

-We have asked multiple times what you want for your birthday and you always say a mirror. I asked what you are going to do with a mirror and you said, "Just look at myself."

-You never want to say the prayer. But, I insist that you say your nightly prayer and you always pray that you won't pull Littlefoot's hair, tail or squeeze her neck.

-You always ask to play with Damon, Claire, Anne and Callie. And they are the names you use when you pretend play.

What a ball of energy, determination, and excitement you are. I'm not gonna lie, you can be exasperating. (Please stop getting out of your car seat five seconds after we start driving.) But, oh how we love you. Happy Fourth Birthday Zannah Mae, I've never stopped thanking Heavenly Father for putting us together.