From The Mouth Of Babes.

This week was full of funny and sometimes uncomfortable words spewing from my girls' mouths. I figured I should probably document them and you all might appreciate a laugh on this blustery Monday.

First:
Let me preface this by letting you know we went to Cafe Rio two weeks ago and had a free meal.

I took the kids to McDonalds on Thursday for my daily Diet Coke.
Nora: (to the guy at the drive up with long hair) "MOM is that a boy or a girl?!"
Me: Awkwardly smile at the nice boy.
Stella: "MOM don't pay. FREE MEAL!"
Stella and Nora in unison: chanting "FREE MEAL, FREE MEAL, FREE MEAL!
Me: Hurriedly handed the poor boy my $1.08 and drove off as red as a beet.


Second:
Sweet Mabel learned some new words this week.
"NO!", "Mine", and "That's Gross"
I guess I can't prevent the fact that she will learn from her sisters earlier than each previous kid.


Third:
While at Target Nora and Stella were trying to convince Aaron to buy them a Lego Star Wars set. He told them maybe. I don't know if it was to annoy him or try to persuade him but they both started marching down the aisle holding the set and chanting in unison "Slave Leia!, Slave Leia!, Slave Leia!"
....they got the Lego set.

Oldie But Goodie.

I found this gem today. It is from back in the Spring when we signed up Nora for soccer and she hated every second of it until the last second when she got her plastic trophy.  By game three when we took a crying four-year-old to the field she finally admitted that she didn't like when the coach told her to "run, Nora, run" and she hated that she was always so sweaty. Needless to say we will be sticking to dance for Nora. I can't blame her, I quit soccer on day one.

Can't. Stop. Laughing.

I found this gem a few weeks ago after Nora had my phone during nap time. It makes me really nervous for raising three girls. She sure is a sassy little thing.

Mommy Shoot.

I expected that the last post would leave you wanting more and I am happy to oblige. My friend Sam has got some serious talent. Sam is new to the biz and is wonderful! I was seriously in shock when I saw how well these turned out because I felt so frazzled the entire time.  Trying to wrangle three littles who were dying to play at the park after I forced them into an impromptu photo session was hard work. But Sam is just that good. She captures the pure beauty of daily life and I would bet that she can bring you to tears too. Check her out: Samantha Kelly Photography.  Oh and I forgot to mention she works with her sweet hubby Chas and does video too!: Kelly Arts Films.  I have big plans for a Halloween family video so stay tuned...and check these guys out. You wont be sorry.

From The Mouth Of Babes.

Nora-ism #1:

After finishing her Rapunzel dress and telling her she can't have it until Disneyland.

Nora: Mom if you let me play with every one of Mabel's baby blankets it will distract me enough for you to take my princess dress away from me without me noticing. I hid it behind the blue chair in my room.

Nora-ism #2:

Driving in the car on the way home from getting delicious peppermint brownies at Kneaders.

Nora: Mom will you ask for a boy next.

Me: Who do I ask Nora?

Nora: I don't know. How did you ask for Mabel.

Me (chuckling): God just sent us Mabel.

Nora: Well ask for a boy next.

Me: Who do I ask Nora? (Wanting to see if she caught on about God sending babies)

Nora: Ummm probably like a genie. But a girl one. Ask the girl genie.

Apparently if Aaron want's a boy we just need to locate a female genie. Let me know if you see one.

Nora-ism #3:

Eating dinner tonight. I had just finished nursing Mabel.

Nora: Dad, let's have a boy next so you can feed him.

Dad: Only girls feed the babies.

Nora: Why?

Me: (cutting in because Aaron is feeling uncomfortable) They don't have boobs Nora.

Nora (smiling): Oh, yeah.

Nora-ism #4:

Driving to Salt Lake today to see the pediatrician for Mabel's 2 month check up (what?!)

Nora: Mom can I hear some Christmas music.

Me: Sure Nora. (turning on fm100)

......4 minutes later after listening to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and part of the next song...

Nora: MOM!! I need to call Papa Doug and tell him. I just heard that Santa is coming to our town!!! I need to tell Papa.

Girls, Girls, Girls.

 

Photos taken by the talented Christine Olson.

From The Mouth Of Babes.

Both kinds of babes. The following are some new Nora-isms as well as a few from my babe of a husband.

(After being startled by the automatic toilet flush)
Nora: Oh Mom, that makes nervous.

(Walking in to our friends Will and Jessica's wedding reception)
Nora: Wow Dad, look at this classy sidewalk.

(Drinking a blue Slushee at Lagoon)
Nora: Brrrrrr, My brain is burning!

(Aaron and I talking about Katie's delivery of her sweet new little one)
Me: Dang, I wish I only had to push for two minutes to get a kid out.

Aaron: Maybe this time the baby will just fall out like that for you.
Me: (Rolling my eyes) 9 lb. babies don't just fall out hun.

(Nora, Aaron and Spencer playing Lego's...Nora threw the sword back into the pile)
Spencer: Nora No, where did that sword go?!?
Nora: I didn't want it.
Aaron: Where is the sword Nora!?!
Nora: I didn't want it.
Aaron: Nora we we're playing with that sword.
....the saga continued over Lego's for 2+ hours...while Nicole and I watched.
I have yet to determine who enjoyed the Lego's more, Aaron or Nora.

Oh, and Stella learned the word "mine".

 And i'm still pregnant. 7 weeks and counting!

And Lagoon was AWESOME! Just as much fun as an adult as it was as a kid. And the girl's did great. Can't wait for Disneyland. Four months and three days to go.

Dear Sweet Ones.

I am sorry I have been a cranky/short tempered/beast of a mom lately. I am sorry for all the house hopping and the lack of normalcy I have forced upon you. I am sorry that you, Sweet Stella, turned 16 months and I hardly noticed. And you, My Tootsie, have been craving my attention and I have been blind to it. I love you both to the stars and back. You are my everything. I am going to be better. I am going to take you on adventures and be the "cool mom" I vowed to be years before I had kids. We are going to go camping and swimming and stay up late all summer because all too soon the summer will be over and we will find ourselves missing the ninety-something degree heat and long days. I am excited for fall and baby Mabel, but for now she is content in her watery womb and I am going to spoil you girls rotten. Love you!! -Mom

 Preferring the dog dish to her swimming pool.

 First time at the community pool.

 Tired baby #1.

 Tired baby #2.

BBQing with Papa Doug on the deck. (Costco jammies are a wardrobe staple around here)

 Enjoying Daddy's survival hammock.

As Of Late.

 My 15 month old knows how to unlock my Iphone and play her games...technology baby.

 Stella's face of choice, the squinty.

 Trying (and failing) to get a pic of the girls in their matching outfits. But it does capture the bunnies...oh the bunnies...I wonder if Mabel will be as obsessed when she arrives??

My Belle.

Nora has been taking dance classes for the past year now. It has been a tap/ballet combo for 3 year olds. (Even though she wasn't 3 until the month before class ended shhhh) Nora prefers tap. And is so freaking good at it. I danced as a kid/teenager. I loved it. But Nora realllly loves it. And is much better than I was. I think dancing is going to be Nora's "thing". I foresee many dance recitals, bobby pins (barbie pins as Nora refers to them), growing out of old dance shoes and costumes...oh the costumes. Miss Julies' dance classes had their concert last Saturday. It was Beauty and The Beast. All the dancers were Belle in some form. Nora's costume is supposed to represent Belle's blue dress in the beginning of the movie. Nora's class danced to the title song for ballet and Gaston for tap. I hope to upload the video soon...but I make no promises. **Special thanks to the family members who made this possible!

 Sixth from the right.

On The Day You Were Born: Nora's Edition

You were very content in my warm, watery womb. I had had contractions for months and a few "this is it" moments that obviously weren't it. I was anxious for you to get here but it was probably a good thing you waited because a week before you were due I got a nasty head cold. I would not have liked to be that sick paired with labor. On your due date I may have cried because I was so huge and uncomfortable. I eased the waiting with frozen yogurt almost daily with Grandma Wagstaff and a last minute pedicure from Aunt Nicole. Your due date came...and went. My O.B. wanted to induce me two days after you were due but I told her no. I wanted to see if you would come out on your own. You didn't. You were already my sweet but stubborn little girl.
April 5th 2009, one week past your due date, I was induced. I woke early and couldn't go back to sleep so I enjoyed a long shower (last one for a long time) and ate some toast. Around 7 a.m. we arrived at LDS Hospital to an eerily quiet labor and delivery floor. Come to find out later you were only one of 3 babies born that day. It was General Conference Sunday and a beautiful spring day. They started my pitocin at 7:30 and because it was so slow that day my nurses spent a good amount of time fussing over me. My O.B. came in around 9:30 a.m to break my water. After that she didn't return until you were born. I knew then that I would be finding a different doctor the second time around! It was a looooong day. Although I had plans to go natural I look back and laugh at that absurd idea. I now know that Pitocin and natural childbirth are mortal enemies. Especially when it takes the highest dose possible. At 12:15 p.m, after the first session of conference, when the nurse came in to chat it up about how wonderful President Monson's talk was and I realized that I hadn't even noticed he spoke at all I decided to give myself a wonderful gift. An epidural. The pain was so intense I was almost blacking out. Daddy would talk to me and I wouldn't even hear him. He finally just took refuge on the couch with the Nintendo DS. The epidural was heaven sent. I got to relax and spend some time resting before you made your arrival....10 hours later.
During that wait we had some unexpected (and unwanted, even though I love you guys) visitors. I think you would have been born quicker had I not had that interruption and emotional breakdown at the surprise. Finally when it was just Daddy and I again things finally started to progress. By 5 p.m. I was at 8 cm and although I ate many a popsicle waiting for you to arrive and I was exhausted and starving. The nurses kept telling me I should be ready to push within the hour. I wasn't. I was stuck at an 8 until 9 p.m. Meanwhile your poor heart wasn't liking the contractions and your heart rate kept dropping. I was flipped from side to side to try and stabilize it. This was fine except the epidural was taking much more heavily on one side and I couldn't spend enough time on my other side to get it to even out. One leg ended up being numb through the night until about 4 a.m. Finally at 9:20 p.m. I started to push...and barf...and at 10:24 p.m. despite a cord around your neck you came out crying. And perfect. You weighed in at 7 lbs. 9.5 oz. and were a whopping 21 inches long. You had black fuzzy hair atop your little (HUGE) head. You stopped crying almost immediately and just looked around at the world. I was in awe at such a miracle. You didn't like to nurse, didn't like binkies and didn't like to be swaddled. You knew what you liked from the start and I love that stubborn side of you. You are just like your Momma! I love you to the stars Nora Ruthie!

Not To Brag But.

My kids just might be the cutest ever created. Just sayin'. Thanks to Sarah of Bitsy Lane Photography for her mad skills!