July 2, 2008

I've been wanting to do this for awhile, but a couple recent events have given me the motivation that I need to get it done. Two families that we know (one not personally, but through a friend) have both lost their one year old babies, in the last few weeks. We were in the same ward as the Kunz family in our married BYU ward. A couple weeks ago, they found their one year old son in his crib with the cord from the blinds wrapped around his neck. This was their 3rd baby. I can not imagine their grief and pain right now. About a week after that my friend/family photographer, Elizabeth's one year old niece, drowned in the family hot tub. I have been faithfully reading their blog because the honesty and openness with which this mother writes is amazing. Her strength, faith and testimony have all helped me to look at my own testimony and where I stand in my beliefs. Where and with what am I spending my time? Am I making time for the truly important things? Do my children know how I feel about them and about the Savior? They are little for such a short amount of time and after these 2 tragedy's I am realizing that I am not going to have 4 kids under the age of 5 for long. It feels like it now, but I know that when I blink my eyes, it will be over and they will all be off at school. In one of the posts on these blogs, the father encourages parents to take pictures, write things down and use the video camera. Not just because, heaven forbid, something like this might happen to us, but because we can- and will someday look back and be thankful for the memories.

I want to remember.

I want to remember that at breakfast, they all ask for me to feed them their cereal like it's a choo-choo train- and they laugh hysterically and say "Again Mommy!" I want to remember that Jake comes into our room every morning at 7 on the dot and says "Guess what guys, I didn't wet my diaper!" and then climbs in our bed for a quick snuggle before morning cartoons. I want to remember that Tyler always comes over while I'm on the computer and kisses me and puts his head against my shoulder. I want to remember that Addison sits on my counter while I am getting ready in the morning and watches me and wants to do everything that I do. I want to remember that Carter laughed for the first time last night when I was rubbing his legs- and that sweet, pure sound made me feel like my heart was going to literally burst with happiness.

I want to remember this day- July 2, 2008. A random summer day. Nothing special. Stayed home all morning, took Tyler to the dentist, babysat my friends kids while she went to the temple with the youth, and did laundry. But it was a perfect day. My babies were around me all day. They kissed me and I kissed them back. We laughed, they cried, I comforted owies and hurt feelings, we read books, we ate meals together. They are here. They are healthy and they are mine. I couldn't ask for anything more. (this next part is long- you don't have to read- but this is for me to remember someday)

7 am- Carter wakes up (after sleeping through the night- been doing that since last week!) I make him a bottle, bring him in my bed and feed him. Jake comes in and snuggles for a minute.

7:15- wonderful husband takes boys downstairs so I can go back to sleep for a little bit. Heaven!

8:15- Aaron comes into shower. Go get Carter from the swing and put him to bed for morning nap. I go get Addie out of bed and gets kids clothes out for the day. Make bed.

8:40- check email. Say goodbye to Aaron. Put in a load of laundry.

8:45- breakfast for Addie and Tyler (Jake ate with Aaron). Tyler eats rice krispies with cheerios, Addie eats a bowl of blueberries and strawberries and an english muffin and I eat a bowl of cheerieos with a banana.

9:00- Do dishes, get everybody dressed. Change diapers. Brush hair. Sweep kitchen floor. Do more laundry.

9:30- Play with kids outside for awhile. Help them build a "house" out of the box that we just took our new backyard patio swing out of last night. Tyler fills it with furniture and a chair for each of the kids , then makes a chimney out of red blocks.

10:00- Hurry and shower and get ready while Carter is still sleeping. Kids come in just as I'm finishing. Carter wakes up.

10:45- Feed Carter outside on new swing- love it! Help kids fix cardboard house which Addie knocked down. Make snack- goldfish crackers and apples. More laundry. Change another diaper. Carter has tummy time.

11:00- Get an art project ready for kids. They draw a forest scene on construction paper and then paint it with water that has salt partially dissolved in it. (supposed to look like ice when it dries) After forest scene, the painting with water keeps them busy for a long time. They each want me to draw on their paper. Tyler: a "forest tree" Jake: a penguin, lizard and bat Addie: a "wizard'" (lizard) and some trees.

12:00- Start lunch. Make veggie corn dogs, pretzels, carrots, and cucumbers with hummus (love Trader Joe's!) and Capri Sun. Take out to kids so they can eat in their house. Carter is fussy. Feed him again and he falls asleep. Put him down for another nap.

12:45- Eat my own lunch while they are busy outside (veggie corn dog- not bad and only 2 weigh watcher points). Tyler is trying to catch a bee- I warn him that he might get stung- he doesn't care and forges ahead.

1:00- Wash Addie up. Put her down for a nap. Come downstairs and realize I could take a quick nap before dentist appt. Turn TV on for boys. They watch a Tivo'd episode of Stanley's Big Book of Adventure. I go lay down in guest room and can't sleep. Wierd. I can usually always fall asleep within about 5 minutes, then sleep for about 10-15 minutes and I'm done! I lay there for a few minutes and enjoy the quiet.

1:30- Get things ready for Jessica (neighbor babysitter) and get Tyler ready.

2:00- Dental appt.

3:30- Tyler was such a good boy (he had to have some painful work done) so we head to Target for a little compensation. Feeling very guilty that he has a cavity. I should have had that taken care of months ago, but I kept putting it off. Note to self: don't do that again!

4:00- Get gas. In a hurry. Lackey kids are coming over in 15 minutes.

4:15- Get home. Pay babysitter. Boys get new Hot Wheel track out. Tyler picked out a sparkly pink Polly Pocket car for Addie and a blue How Wheel for Jake. Put Carter down in crib. Won't sleep. Wants to be held.

4:30- Lackey kids come over. Our kids play great together. They all head outside. I start dinner. Feed Carter. Put him in swing and he falls asleep. More laundry. Get bills ready for paying tonight- (oops- I'm blogging instead! tomorrow.)

5:00- Put pizza in. Cut up watermelon. Pour 7 cups of juice.

5:30- Dinner. Carter wakes up. Put him in bouncy seat. Supervise kids eating. Get lots of seconds- everybody loves pizza and watermelon.

6:00- Clean-up and distribute cookies outside.

6:30- Address and write some graduation cards and checks. Megan and visiting cousin play with Carter. Dang- why can't I have a 9 year old daughter- what a huge help!

7:00- Put Carter in bath. Empty dishwasher. (I bathe him in the sink- this is great for multi-tasking!)

7:30- Clint comes and picks up kids. Power goes out. By the way- it was 103 degrees here today. Quickly gather PJ's and diapers and flashlights and batteries. Get Addie washed up, brush teeth, diaper and jammies.

7:45- Call boys in. Wash up, brush teeth, diapers, jammies. Read Sitting Ducks on couch with flashlight while feeding Carter. Boys are confused about power outage- why can't we turn on TV, light, computer- how about the AC? Say prayers.

8:00- Put Addie down. Then boys. Still asking questions. Why isn't fan on?

8:15- Give Carter some lovin before bed. He likes the flashlight on the ceiling. Put him to bed. He doesn't make a peep. Falls right to sleep.

8:30- Aaron is at temple with youth tonight. What to do on a powerless July night? Go water the plants and flowers out front. Check batteries again. Lock up. Start having anxiety- how will I sleep with no fan tonight?

9:00- Feeling very smug that I had my laptop on the charger all day. Hooray for me. Can't blog, but start doing some other "housekeeping" business on computer.

9:10 Power comes back on. Seriously want to cry. I would've made a terrible pioneer women. LOVE my AC! Start this post.

9:20- Power goes out again. What??

9:30- Comes back on. Aaron walks in the door. More blogging. Talk about funny things the kids did today. Aaron makes a couple calls for church.

10:00-Aaron falls asleep in recliner. Still blogging.

10:45. Time for bed. Go check on kids. Look at their perfect faces. Kiss them. Say prayers with Aaron. Snuggle. Fall asleep- no problem this time. Get lots of sleep so I can start all over again in 8 hours.

I am so blessed.