Birthday Traditions

My birthday this year started out great! Keeping with tradition, I got my favorite cereal (Cracklin' Oat Bran.....try it, just don't look at the nutrition info ;) ) at the store the night before (yes, I bought it myself, wrapped it up, and gave it to the Mr. to give to me. I have done this with all my gifts since the Mr. started residency. Just because he's gone all the time and doesn't have a moment to go shopping doesn't mean a girl can't still get gifts, am I right?!)

Anyhow, I was looking forward to the cereal the morning but the Mr. was already gone (he usually leaves before the rest of us get up (before 6am!), the poor dear!) Not to worry, Angel saved the day! She WOKE me up to sing "Happy Birthday" (I had to laugh - little did she know that what I wanted MOST was just a few more minutes of sleep!) and then said "Mommy, stay in bed. I'll be back in a few minutes with a surprise."

I must admit I was a little nervous as I heard the refrigerator door open and shut, the stool being dragged (or drug?) across the floor, and the clinking of glass...but I enjoyed the moment nevertheless. When she entered my room carrying the following little tray (complete with a glass of milk, a cinnamon roll, a bowl of cereal and milk, and the cutest little detail of a little ring pop looped around the spoon handle) my eyes welled up with tears at the sight of my little baby, now grown up enough to bring me breakfast in bed, entirely on her own! It was beautiful.

I proceeded to enjoy every bite (sharing with the kids, of course) without even worrying about the mess I assumed I'd have to clean up later. So, imagine my surprise when, after thoroughly enjoying my breakfast in bed, I took my dishes into a CLEAN kitchen.....Yes, she had put the milk and cereal away, wiped the cupboards, and left things just as neat as I'd left them the night before. WOW! It just doesn't get any better than this! What a fortunate mother I am to have such precious children!

My brother

Since I'm so busy these days and haven't been keeping my blog up as I should, my sweet (writer) baby brother has taken it upon himself to fill in the gaps, as it were. I'm amazed at his accuracy, especially given the 3000+ miles that separate us! :) You can check out his post on his blog here. Enjoy! (I know I did!)

While I put Wiggles down for a nap....

....Grins has fun entertaining himself. Usually it is with a stack of books. Today, however, it would appear my phone's camera seemed much more interesting.

Coolest Mom Award

In case you were wondering, I finally earned the 'Coolest Mom Award' this past week....I have just been given the exciting opportunity of serving as the Young Women President in our ward (awesome!) so this past week I was INCREDIBLY busy with organizations/preparations/etc. (I know, the fun is just beginning!) So, one day, I opened up the "sticker drawer" and let the kids 'go at it', hoping to get at least a few minutes of un-interrupted time to work. I ended up getting over an hour! And, when the kids finally came looking for me, this is what I found:

Love

Today, my sweet little Grins said "Mommy, I wish you weren't already married to Daddy, because I want to marry you so bad!" Then, in his night prayers, he asked "Please bless Mommy and Daddy and Angel and Wiggles....but especially Mommy." What a sweet boy. How I adore him!

Angel and I had the following conversation (just a moment or two after she told me I was the meanest mommy in the world and had taught her a bad example by being mean and making her do chores):

A - "Mommy, when I grow up, can I still live with you?"

Me - "Of course, sweetheart!"

A - "Even when I go to college?"

Me - "Sure, that would be great."

A - "Even when I get married?"

Me - "Yes of course, if you want to. But you may want your own house by then."

A - "No way. I want to live with you forever, even until I'm old and die, and even after I die, I want to live together in Heaven."

What a darling girl! I hope she always feels this way, because I know I'll always want her near me! I can't imagine how my mother must have felt letting me cross an ocean to attend college at the ripe old age of 17....I miss this girl when she's at school for 6 hours! If they could just stay little!

Wiggles is at a most delightful age. I love all the ages and stages my children are in, but I think that her age is my favorite right now. The Mr. tells me all the time that she has me wrapped around her little finger....and I know it's true. But how I can I resist? She is just delicious. Each night, after I put her down, I finish the dishes and then come check my email. As I'm sitting at the computer I hear a little pitter-patter and then "Mommy. Are you yooking at the computer? Mommy, yook at me." If the Mr. is around, he will sternly say "Wiggles!" and, at the sound of his voice, the little, tiny footsteps run back to bed. But if it's just me, I look back at her little profile (the round forehead and chubby cheeks are accentuated in the dark) and can't resist picking her up, snuggling her, taking her back her bedroom where I rock her and sing to her until long past she's fallen asleep, just because I love holding her. When she's awake, she's so busy and can't sit still long enough to snuggle me for more than a second or two, so when she's sleeping in my arms, I can't get enough. No wonder my house is such a mess; Who can clean when the alternative is holding/rocking/snuggling such a wonder?

This evening, as I was putting away the stack of books that had accumulated around the house during the day, I was, at first, marveling at how many books we read each day! Although we pick up several times a day, each night I still manage to collect a large pile (tonight: 23) from around the house. As I sat at the bookshelf, putting them away, I imagined myself, a few short years from now (when we are empty nesters), having only 1 or 2 books to put away at night; the books the Mr. and I had read that day. And tears filled my eyes. I can't even begin to describe the joy that fills my heart at being able to love and serve these choice, precious children that are in my home, entrusted to my care. As much as I complain that I am always cleaning but never seem to have a clean house, as cliche as it sounds, I would truly not have it any other way! It reminds me of the poem (I'm sure you've read it before, but it never gets old to me):

Fingerprints

(author unknown)

Sometimes you get discouraged

because I am so small,

and I leave my little fingerprints

on furniture and walls.

But every day I'm growing,

and soon will be so tall

That all these little fingerprints

will be difficult to recall.

So here's a little handprint

that you can put away

So you'll remember how my fingers looked

on this special day.

This is how I feel (almost) every day. I am trying to, amidst the busy-ness, soak in every moment with my three little loves. They mean the world to me, and I want so badly to give the world to them, but I have to remember to do it one day - one moment - at a time. Please, please, time, stand still. Let me cherish them just a little bit longer....please!

Who is teaching whom?

This evening, as with most every night, Wiggles refused to lay down in her bed. I rocked her, read to her, sang to her, prayed with her, tucked 'Julianna', 'Cinderella', 'Tiny Baby' and 'Lambie' all in beside her, tucked the blankets snuggly around her - and she continued to sit up, despite my many efforts to lay her down. Frustrated, I finally said (firmly and perhaps a little too impatiently), "(Wiggles) lay down right now!" She calmly stated "Mommy, I'm not gonna yay down when you talk just yike that!" Sufficiently reprimanded, I politely asked, "(Wiggles), will you please lay down?" To which she responded "Yes! That's a very good word!" and promptly laid down. Unfortunately it only lasted a second or two, and she was sitting up and we were starting all over again - but the reminder was just what I needed to remain calm as I put her to bed! :) ..........oops, I was going to post a picture but I just heard her hop out of bed again....duty calls, patience in check.

Shoo....

Angel had a Dr. appt this morning and by the time we were nearing home a blizzard was in full force so I let her stay home from school the rest of the day. When they aren't at eachother's throats, these 2 (Angel and Grins) just can't get enough of one another. They were joking and giggling during lunch. They were snuggling and laughing while I was trying to get Wiggles to sleep. Though I am often tempted to choose frustration at their disregard for my constant 'quiet, please!' reminders, I try to remind myself what a joy it is to see them happily loving and enjoying each other.

I was trying to tidy up the kitchen and living room, make dinner, etc, and my older 2 were constantly getting in the way and making MORE messes, setting me further behind. I could see that I was not going to get anywhere with them around, and my efforts to get them to pitch in had been a complete failure, so I finally said, "Will you both please just go downstairs?" When they lingered, I finally waved my arms at them and said, "Shoo!"

Angel looked up at me and said, "Mom! You can't treat us like dogs!"

Singing

One of these days I will figure out how to post a video on here and then you will all be able to enjoy Wiggles' singing. For now, though, I just have to note (so I never forget) how much this girl loves to sing, and how much music means to her!

Sunday, on the way home from church, she was INCREDIBLY cranky, as she was extremely short on sleep (short nap + late bedtime + waking up at 5 am = not enough rest!!!) She started to fuss the moment we buckled her into her seat, and probably would have whined/complained/cried and carried on the entire 20 minute drive, but fortunately I remembered to redirect her in the way of music. (Her voice is SO much sweeter singing than screaming, let me tell you!)

She was too tired to come up with new songs on her own, so I recommended songs and she would sing the ones she wanted to. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, all 5 verses of Where Is Thumbkin, One Little Finger, Open, Shut Them, I Love To See The Temple and The Chapel Doors and Popcorn Popping were all winners. If You're Happy And You Know It was not. (If I mentioned it, she started crying - but all the rest cheered her up. Ironic.)

She sang all of them by herself and it was beautiful. It is so tender, so innocent, and so pure. I truly don't think there is any sweeter, more delicious sound to my ears than my sweet Wiggles singing. It is, as they say, music to my ears.