Cherub

Moses is delicious. He is just this chunk baby and every time he's naked all I can think is that he would make an EXCELLENT Cherub. I see that robust, squishy baby body with his proportionately small but still chubby legs, and dimpled bum, and perfect little angel face and all we would need to do is put some bitty feathered wings on his back and give him a few sprigs of flaxen curls on his bald head and he'd fit in just perfectly in any Rococo painting.

Today

Today was kind of insane. Well, pretty much this week was insane, but today was pretty intense. On Monday Drew and I got a call from The Commons of McLean telling us that we could move in the next day. Very unexpected since we weren't planning on moving for another month. So we spend all of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to get everything moved and settled. THANK YOU TO THE MISSIONARIES, SEAN, AND MY MOM, PAGE, AND MICAH FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP!!!!! Seriously couldn't have done it without all of you lovely people that I love- Thank you! A lot of it is done, but there are still LOTS of odds and ends at my parents house (i.e. all of Valentine's toys, practically and all of mine and Drew's shoes, all our movies, you know just a couple of things) and there's still some boxes to unpack in the living room yet considering the time and preparation we've had, plus having two babes to deal with, I think we've done pretty well. Anyways, back to today. This morning Drew and I got ready and took the kids with us out to Lucketts. Lucketts. What can I say? I love love love it. I do not love love love it with Valentine and Moses. In fact I borderline loathe it. Moses poops and I have to change his diaper in the car. Valentine is touching EVERYTHING. Moses has to nurse. Valentine is yelling. Moses is yelling. And drooling EVERYWHERE. Valentine is completely stripping down and then has a mega meltdown when we force her clothes back on her. Moses wants to nurse again. Valentine is touching everything, yelling, crying, telling me, "Don't touch me!!" Moses is fussing and drooling and spitting up.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!

Deep breaths. On top of all of that I hadn't eaten and was up till 2 cleaning and putting stuff away the night before. Madie=terrible mood. But, we got our cute settee. Phew. Drew left for work when we get home and I'd about had it.

Despite all of this, I am now incredibly happy to have my cute little hellions that I love so much, even if they ruin my prized Lucketts experience. Here's a few reasons why:

After Drew left, I was not quite overwhelmed to the point of tears, but I was close, so I go into Valentine's room where she's just playing/doing her own thing, I put Moses on the floor and crawl into the child's pose position, put my face on the floor and close my eyes. I can hear Valentine walk up to me and she asks "K Momma? You ok?" I don't answer. Next thing I know she's dragging her blanket off of her bed and lays it on top of me. Then she gets her little Disney Princess pillow and says, "Here Momma, here's pillow." Then she gets her own blanket and pillow and lays down on the floor next to me.

I was trying to read my book for a few minutes, but Moses wasn't having any of that. So, I gave up and started to give my baby the attention from me that he so wanted and deserved. I was not disappointed and was rewarded with lots and lots of cute Moses laughs. He is a happy, laughy baby and his laugh is the best. It's like this guttural shriek in the back of his throat followed by a full out adult LAUGH. It's so so funny. I will put a video of it up because it is the best thing in the world- there's no way it could NOT make you so happy.

Moses likes to nurse to sleep to go down for the night, and Valentine likes to cuddle with me and have me sing to her to go to sleep. On nights like tonight when Drew is closing (boo) I normally have to do both at the same time. Luckily I'm SuperMom and can do it. So I'm on my bed with Moses lying across me nursing on my right side, and Valentine is cuddled on my left and I'm humming, "ABC's" "You are my sunshine" and "I am a child of God." I stop humming. Valentine is breathing very rhythmically and deep- she is sound asleep. Moses has just stopped nursing and lets his big head lie back. He has a drop of milk dripping out of the corner of his mouth and it falls down his fat, Santa-red cheek into the abyss that is the folds of his neck. He then smiles in his sleep. He is the ultimate picture of the word "bliss." And I am in total peace and complete joy lying there with a darling peaceful babe in each arm. I made those beautiful creatures. I carried them inside me for nine months and gave brought them into this world. They are mine. I love them and being their mother more than I could ever express. It's been a good day.

Update

Favorite picture of Valentine EVER. She is the best.

Ugh. I'm terrible at keeping this up. Anyways... Moses had his four month check-up today. He is 17 1/2 pounds and 26 1/2 inches long. Big boy. He's not so into rolling over, but he's working on sitting up and is doing pretty well- probably because he always does crunches just like Valentine did. I don't know what is in the combination of mine and Drew's genetic makeup, but apparently we just don't make babies that like to hold still or are laid back. I guess we only have two and who knows what the other babies we have will be like, but the track record so far is pretty intense babies. Luckily they are also SUPER SUPER CUTE babies, so it's ok. I guess I'd take over-active as opposed to over-lazy. They're not bad babies, just demanding- constantly needing to be held, played with, cuddled, nursing- I literally don't get anything done- I'm lucky if I can do the dishes or pick-up my room, or put on mascara; and Moses is howling the whole time (hence being awful at updating this). Valentine is funny though- most of the times she'll come up to Moses (while his mean mother is ignoring him while trying to frantically finish whatever she's started) and goes, "It's ok Mo-ness. It's ok." and then she'll sing him 'You are my sunshine,' 'ABC's' or 'Mares eat oats" or play peek-a-boo, or just laugh crazy and then he laughs too. It's very cute- they LOVE each other and it warms my momma-heart. There are sometimes though when he cries that she loudly moans "MO-NESS!" in a very exasperated way- kind of like I do. And she'll say over and over "I know Mo-ness! I know!" Sometimes even, "Stop crying Mo-ness!" BUT most of the times it the cute consoling.

Moses also is a drool factory. Three months hit and the faucet turned on and has not stopped. I've been putting bibs on him purely for slobber purposes. Gross. He has this huge funny oral fixation and sucks on EVERYTHING. ALL THE TIME. My arm, his fingers, his toes, blankets, toys, burp cloths, my mom's face, EVERYTHING. Drew and I have hickies on our arms from him. He also does this hilarious thing where he sticks out his jaw a lot. Drew and I have nick-named him "The Godfather" because he looks like a baby Marlon Brando godfather when he makes that face. It's awesome. Moses is also by far one of the LOUDEST babies you will ever encounter. He yells all day every day. Happy or sad you hear him from across the street. I can't even remotely go to any church classes or sit through sacrament meeting. Going to the mall is great because EVERYONE just laughs at him- if I'm holding him or he's in the stroller, if he's sucking on something or not sucking on something- if he's awake he's yelling. Not just talking, literally yelling. I get a kick out of it (most of the time) and it makes other people laugh too, so I try not to worry about bothering people. Even if I do, whatever, I have a loud baby, not much I can do about it.

I LOVE MY BABY. He's the cutest, big, soft, cuddly, loud, slobbery, darling, sweet, huge, funny, endearing, squishy, lovable, best cute cute cute baby boy ever. I think I tell him at least 15 times a day how cute he is, I can't get over it. LOVE HIM. And Valentine- with her dress-up, make-up, princess, dancing, singing, jumping/running around, pretending-scarves-on-her-head-are-her-hair fascinations. I think I tell her at least 15 times a day how pretty she is. I just want to bottle them up and keep them like this forever...... for the most part.

Hard.

Being a mom is HARD. It's great, but it is HARD. That's all I have to say.

Idaho!

Here's a couple of fun, late Christmas photos from our time out in Idaho. It really was such a nice Holiday and so great to be with Drew's family.

We also got to spend a day with my sweet cute grandparents in Pocatello. My grandma would not stop holding Moses and when she wasn't Valentine would yell at her "Run Grandma! Run!" trying to chase her. Seeing as my Grandma Connie isn't even walking so great these days, it was kind of funny.

Drew's parents have this skirt for dress-up and Valentine LOVED it. She wore it constantly as a dress and kept telling us how beautiful she looked in it.
Between Moses and Henry Marcene was always holding a big baby boy.
We did a White Elephant a couple of nights before Christmas and Valentine got some Hello Kitty chapstick- loooved it.
Greta, Neil and Lindy.
Abe and Sadie with the hideous scary doll lamp I got from the D.I. as my white elephant gift. The little girls liked it.
Lucy- sooo cute. Sorry for all of the pushing Lucy! I promise Valentine loves you!
The girls all took a bath together on Christmas Eve.


Pile of presents from Santa.
Moses's gifts from us.
Valentine's presents.


Valentine was almost more into the candy from the stockings than her actual presents.





Chad with the girlies.

At the Ballet

I just taught two ballet classes tonight..... IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!

Don't know how fun it was for the girls.... they opened the windows during class to cool down and I said "This is good! You didn't work hard enough in ballet class if you're not sweating by the end." A girl I also taught on Tuesday replied a bit flabbergasted, "Whatever I was SORE yesterday from your class!" I almost said to "suck it up" but these girls aren't quite as into ballet as I was, so I let it slide.

It was even more fun to come home and see Valentine dancing to Kirby playing the piano- she is a natural dancer and can already feel music and move her body beautifully and it warms my heart. It's in our blood and souls- I wish I could dance everyday. I'm signing Valentine up for ballet this weekend. YESSSS.

(Not fun? Seeing my post baby body in a leotard and tights. Yikes Bikes.)

What Are Valentine's New Favorite Words?

Me: "Valentine can you hand that to me?"

Tiny: "Nope."

Valentine singing to herself: "Appy Birfday to you, Appy Birfday to you, Appy Birfday Gramma, Appy Birfday to yoooouuuuuu!" (she just started singing the birthday song for my mom's b-day about a month ago, so that's who she always sings it to- she also sings to herself or to Moses: "You are my sunshine," "ABC's," "Once upon a dream," and "I still believe" from Cinderella III)

While I'm trying on different outfits one will catch her eye and she'll gasp, cover her mouth and say softly, "Ooooh, goodness gracious! It's so boot-i-ful Mama!"

Me: "Do you want some banana?"

Tiny: "Nope."

While eating cookie dough I just made: "MMmm, it's A-WI-CIOUS (delicious) Mama!"

"Mac N' Cheese!!!! Woo Hoo!!! Mac N' Cheese!!!"

"Daddy cwa-zy! (crazy) hee hee hee hee" (she points to Drew and snickers)

Me: "Valentine let's go upstairs."

Valentine: "Nope."

"Me no want pants on!! Dress Mama? Dress?"

"Hold it?!" asking to hold Moses- while she's holding him- "Hee hee, she's coot Mama! So coot!" (yes, she calls him "she")

"I wuv you Mama."