ONE

Metta turns one today.  What a fabulous year it has been.  I just love the baby stage, I really do.  It has taken me three times to learn to slow down, not worry/compare milestones, not sweat the sleepless nights, and just enjoy her baby goodness.  (I'm thinking it would take twenty more kids to relax me on the toddler age).  My nursing days ended at 10 1/2 months.  I was sad, but proud my body made it that long.  The first couple months of nursing I didn't know if I was going to make it, but then it was suddenly enjoyable. Mom was right as usual.

Metta is teething like crazy.  I think she has 6 right now with 7 and 8 on their way in.  She scoots on her bum. (I'll post a video, it is something to behold)  She loves to swing.  She is slightly obsessed with sitting on her own chair.  For instance, she can't play the piano from my lap, she has to be sitting next to me on the bench.  On the walk to and from school each morning, she waves and says, "I" to people we pass.  She likes to give fives.  We have always had really great car-riding children and she is no exception.  Thank goodness, because she is such a lightweight, she won't be in a front-facing carseat for some time I'm afraid.  She also really loves the water.  If she hears running water, she scoots as fast as she can to check it out.  Max and Zannah just adore her.  They beat me to her crib each morning and climb right on in with her, Metta tolerates it.  

Happy birthday sweet Metta!

May 2014

In May we took a little family trip to Washington.  Phillip was graduating from Vet School (Hooray!) and Marcus needed to visit a dairy near Seattle so we combined the two.  The kids were stoked to see the beach.  I don't think they were expecting a cold, windy beach, but loved it nonetheless. And Zannah graduated  Kindergarten!  

It's just not right

To start school this early that is.  I do not like the freedom school robs but Z was excited.  Here's to getting into a routine I guess.

Max sayings and close calls

Max: Don't marry.
Me: I'm already married to dad.
Max: Don't do it again.
Me: I won't
Max: I saw you.
Me: What did you see?
Max: I saw you kiss dad and it was disgusting.

As Zannah was leaving for school this morning I heard Max say, "Zannah you look really pretty today."

We had the sister missionaries over for dinner.  Max put his head under the table and then came up and said: "Hey sister! I yiiiike your shoes. They are soooo sparkly!"

During Max's prayer he said, "And please bless Ava because I hurt her today."  Ava is his friend and he had accidentally hurt her earlier that day.

A few minutes into one of Max's crying sessions or tantrums, he suddenly stops and says with tears streaming down his face and a big smile, "Just tricking ya!"  It's his way of coping I guess, because I'm pretty sure he wasn't just tricking us.

While in the car Max was asking question after question of which I didn't have the answers.  After Repeatedly saying "I don't know" to him he responded, "You should know everything since you boss at me everyday."

I try from time to time to tell Z and M about their ethnicity.  One day after Z had seen and oohed-and-ahhed over some Mexican dancers, I reminded her that she was half-hispanic and that was part of her heritage.  I then told Max that he was part black and how awesome that is.  He then inspects his arms and legs and lifts up his shirt and says, "Well, I don't see any black.  Oh wait, there is a little in my belly button. Yup there is my black."  

I have no doubt Max has twice as many angels assigned to him than most.  He is just wild and fearless and reckless.  We had two close calls this summer, a near drowning incident and a playing in the hot car and no one knew where he was incident.  I am so thankful neither turned out how they could have.  It was terrifying and humbling.  Max is such a fun, wild, sweet boy and I'm grateful he is still here.

Cousin Time Summer 2014

Zannah and Anne didn't fight once!

We read a scripture about being careful to not judge good as bad and bad as good.  The girls applied that as not listening to the world about immodesty being cool.  Then Anne said, "I can't believe Barrack Obama thinks it is okay that a man can marry a man and a woman can marry a woman. That is ridiculous!"  Zannah's eyes are getting large.  Somehow the conversation turns to a little boy in Anne's class that kissed her.  I tell her not to let him do that again and the only boys we kiss are our dads and grandpas. I tell them that they will grow up and fall in love with someone and then they can kiss when they get married.  Zannah says, "I think I am going to fall in love with Damon."  Anne and Claire giggle and say, "Zannah, you can't, he is your cousin!" Claire: "Zannah, that is illegal!"  Anne: "Did you know in Egypt some brothers married their sisters and their babies were born with club feet?"  Claire: "Anne, that was long ago." Zannah's mouth is gaping open at this point.

Max peed at a reception, narrowly missing a guy's boot. Literally, decided to pee right where he was standing, which was next to Papa Max who was visiting with a friend.
Horses rides. Lots of trampoline games.  Inventions.  Sprinklers.  Rock Festival 2014,  these kids whined just as much as we used to about picking rocks.

Zannah sayings

Marcus: Zannah get ready, you have school.
Zannah: I don't want to go to school.
Marcus: You get to go to school!
Zannah: But I don't want to go, look I have a living.
Marcus: What?
Z: Look I have a living here, I'm looking after animals (she waves towards all of her stuffed animals). See my animals, you know nature.

Z likes to eat her quesedillas with tongs. The tongs were dirty and in the dishwasher when she needed them at lunch.  She got them out and said, "Are the dishes in here dirty?"  "Yes, they are." I answered.  "Oh so these aren't ripe?"  "What do you mean by ripe? Do you mean clean?"  I asked.  "Yup, ripe."  

Z:  Is the day over? I don't want to hit the slide.
Me:  You mean hit the hay?
Z:  No, hit the slide.

After a visit to the dentist Z says, "Well, that isn't how I imagined it would be."

Zannah was having me tie bows out of fabric she had cut into strips for her bow shop.  She says to me, "Mom, keep up the good work and maybe I'll give you a day off."

Zannah has her first permanent tooth growing in on the bottom, but she hasn't lost a tooth yet nor are any loose.  So, it looks like she has a second row of teeth. It disturbs me.  The dentist isn't concerned about it.  Z loves it.  She makes comments like: I brush my little tooth everyday!  or I wonder if my little tooth can bite this carrot?

After church as we are eating our Sunday dinner, we take turns talking about what we learned in our classes. Zannah was leading the discussion this particular Sunday:
Z: I learned about being a good example today.
Me: That is what I learned about too.
Z: Dad, what did you learn about today at church?
Marcus: I taught a lesson on chastity.
Z: What is chastity?
silence
Z: Come on Dad tell us all about it!
Me: Yes Marcus, please do.
Marcus: Well, yadayadyadayada (he was giving a great explanation, I just can't remember it word for word)
Z looking bored cuts him off:  Okay, Max what did you learn today?

Zannah gives really fabulous prayers.  She blesses the wicked.  She always prays for our chickens.  She thanks Heavenly Father that Grandad is with his sweetheart, Grandma Barbara.  And she always remember to pray that Metta will grow healthy and strong.  Recently she also added in the phrase.  "Please bless Metta, we know she has a hard life."

Lately it is a fight to get Z in the tub and a fight to get her out of the tub.
Me: Zannah it is time to get out of the tub.
Z: What's the password?
Me: Please?
Z: Nope.
Z: How old am I?
Six
Z: Do I go to school?
Yup
Do I play soccer or not?
You do
Am I the greatest and the best girl you know?
Yup
Am I the strongest?
Yup
Am I the smartest?
Yup
Okay I'll get out.

While playing chase with Marcus I hear Z yell out, "I'm too old to die!"