26 Candles

Thanks to Scott, I had a wonderful 3-day-long birthday celebration!

To be honest, the fact that Scott wasn't in Africa as we'd expected, that we were all no longer sick and the horrible allergic reaction covering my face was nearly gone would probably have been enough. But it still got even better!

We got a babysitter Friday night so that we could see the premier of Babies followed by a nice adult dinner. We got to the theater and the showtimes had changed, leaving us either an hour til the show started (not enough time for dinner) or 3 hours til the next showtime, which was too much time for dinner. Fortunately, IronMan 2 started in a few minutes so we opted for a Double feature -- we saw IronMan, then ran over to Potbelly's and grabbed some yummy and quick food and then dashed back for a late showing of Babies. It was perfect! It was a late night, but it was fun to feel spontaneous and see two debuting movies the same night!

Saturday was my actual birthday and Scott made it a memorable and special Day 2 of Birthday fun! Scott and the boys did some secret shopping that morning which left me with lots of time to myself. It may seem strange but the thing I really wanted to do was to work in the garden. I dug around out there til my wrists were sore and finished planting all my flowers, without once thinking about what the boys were getting into or running out of naptime before I finished. It was a great present to have all that time to do what I wanted. And then I felt tired, so I took a nap. See? This was a great day!

Before it was time for presents, Scott cooked up some steaks for dinner -- exactly what I wanted. Then Ian ran my presents to me one by one. I really enjoyed the delivery system -- my gleeful little delivery boy was a present in himself. Especially when he said "Happy Birthday pretty mommy!"

At the moment this picture was taken, I was still confused about this present. That's because I don't have the advantage you do in seeing that paper taped to the underside of the box. The paper explained an upcoming trip to see Wicked! How did Scott know that I had been meaning to mention to him all week that the show was coming to town and hint, hint, I really wanted to see it. Scott's a mind-reader.

We want our new hobby to be bike riding, and this cool helmet will let me enjoy it safely. Helmets have gotten so much cooler than they were when I last owned one 15 years ago. Ian was fascinated by the buckles and Joseph was jealous of my 'hat'.

We followed presents with my very favorite cake, the gigantic Chocolate Fudge Fantasy. It was amazing. Especially with the green frosting cat that Ian suggested Scott add. I like cats, so it was a nice touch.

 Lately Joseph likes to put food on his head and then claim he's wearing a hat. I prefer to eat the cake -- it was entirely gone after breakfast on Monday. Now that is a good chocolate cake.

 Thanks for helping make my birthday special with phone calls and emails and giant gourmet cupcakes and incredible cheesecakes topped with fruit (Doris). Besides when a friend informed me that I am now closer to 30 than I am 20, it was a very happy birthday. 

 But Scott wasn't off the hook yet -- Mother's Day was the next day so he also spent Sunday chasing kids while I relaxed and napped. Then he cooked more steak and homemade my personal favorite -- steak frites! I love fries more than almost any other food, and these were a supreme version; the best I have ever had. Did you know soaking them in water for 15 minutes before baking makes them perfect? Scott did. Of course we also ate more of the enormous cake. Delicious. 

Thanks for a perfect Birthday & Mother's Day weekend, Scott! You know how to do it right!

Joseph's First Haircut!

I loved Joseph's curls, especially when they reacted to the humidity after an hour playing in the backyard.

See? Aren't they adorable?

But he's more than 18 months and had never had a haircut. Those wispy-soft baby locks had to go and Scott and I were finally ready.

I held Joseph on my lap while I sat on the toilet set. Scott used electric clippers and got great results. It only took him 5 minutes. And Joseph actually giggled through the whole thing. Adorable.

This unflattering picture is here because he looks so old in it!

A Great Moment

Yesterday when Joseph mounted Ian's motorcyle Ian didn't push him off -- he climbed in front a drove away! It was adorable to see Joseph hanging on to his big brother, and to see his big brother letting him! They rolled through the kitchen, into the livingroom and back around several times until Joseph pulled his beenie down over his eyes and climbed off when Ian slowed around a corner.

This is my new favorite picture!

Funny Boys

During a recent trip to the toilet, "the potty just didn't want to come out", as Ian often says. Then Ian said, "Hmmm. I think my potty must be on vacation still."

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Joseph is still obsessed with apples. Whenever he sees a picture of any fruit he delightedly points out the "Appy". But you have to be careful: if Joseph says "Appy" and comes at you with a gleeful look in his eye, he is about to bite you.

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"Way!" as in 'Go Away!' is the phrase Joseph has recently adopted from his brother. It is usually accompanied by a push. Ian seems really hurt when Joseph uses it on him.

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When Joseph needs a snuggle or wants to be carried down the stairs, he whines desperately: "Hohg you! Hohg you!" This is his version of "Hold you!", which Ian says when wanting to be held. I like it because it sounds like "Hug you" when Joseph says it.

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Today while I was sorting laundry Ian put on one of Scott's free BYU shirts and declared "I am a thermostat!" Don't worry -- it didn't make sense to me either. Ian found a shirt for Joseph and they danced to the potty watch music while I finished sorting.

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If you even whisper something about scripture study when Joseph is in the room he will disappear and reappear with 3 sets of scriptures from our nightstand. Joseph always says "Alma" and "Mormon" when reading it. Ian likes to say "Shiblon". We gave Ian his first copy of the Book of Mormon (a red military copy) back in March and Joseph his own similar one in April and wrote their names in the cover. For some reason they both prefer the others' copy.

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Joseph is learning that binkies are only for bedtime and naptime. Now when Ian whines for a binkie (does that ever stop?) Joseph will say "No bap-pime" (naptime) in response to Ian. This drives Ian bonkers. "Joseph said naptime to me mom! He said naptime!"

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This week Ian says he wants to be a princess when he grows up. And "fly around and take care of my babies."

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A month ago I made hats for the boys. I felt like a fun mom when I did it and they wore them for a whole five minutes.

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I thought Joseph didn't like music because when I sing he bops me on the top of my head (maybe to turn me off?) and shakes his head and says "uh uh! uh uh!" But it turns out it's only Joseph's reaction to music of inferior quality, because he daily requests and sings along to "Ahh ya ya" known to the rest of us as Handel's Messiah Hallelujah Chorus. And I am sometimes allowed to sing along too.

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When Ian and I listened to our Christmas CD (which has been in our CD changer since October) and "Ahhh ya ya" came on while Joseph was napping, Ian worried that Joseph would be sad he was missing it and said we should go "wake up him".

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When I first started this post, Joseph was saying some fun new words, all in his own way: bed, door, open, down, up, drink (dink), juice (jew) and my very favorite, Eee-uh (Ian!). But less than a month later, he says at least a hundred more words, and with even clearer pronunciation. He will repeat anything Ian tells him to and spontaneously says new words I haven't tried to teach him. I love this stage of development! Also he will only do the sign for milk when Ian says it in Russian (mal-eh-co)

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 Joseph has started stringing words together to make mini-sentences:

"Daddy. Door. Go work." (After he heard the garage door close in the morning) "Eee-uh. Bed. Seep." (When Joseph wakes up before Ian does) and "Down down. Eat eat dinner." (Go downstairs and eat dinner) When we get to the end of a book Joseph always declares "Eh End!"

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When I carry Joseph down the stairs he always says "Heavy!"on my behalf. And when I carry both boys with one on either hip and we arrive at the bottom he says "Whoa! Made it!" I don't realize the things I repeat throughout our day together until they start saying it!

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Ian ate his first pita and read a book about cheetahs the same day. The next day he was playing outside and requested "a cheetah with peenta butter and pepperoni and juice in it. But the juice in a cup." He asks for 'cheetahs' all the time now.

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A hip-hop song came on the radio while we were in the car. Ian said, "I want to listen to music and this is not real music."

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Ian's pronunciation is great but there are a few things he repeatedly says incorrectly that are so cute I can't correct him. Peanut butter = peenta butter, Puppets = puffits, Squirrel = skirwul

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A few Sunday's ago we started the self-cleaner on the oven when there was too much burned food in the bottom. Within minutes black smoke poured out of the oven and eventually filled the whole house, even once we turned it off. We spent the morning outside while the house aired out and during that time Ian learned to go potty on a tree. He thinks it's great fun and usually will find a way to do it when we are playing outside. Joseph also frequently walks up the the tree, lifts his shirt and aims his belly button at the tree.

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When my parents were visiting my mom asked Ian which sport he liked better: soccer or football. His response "Traditionally football but I like football sometimes and soccer..."  plus several more uses of the word "traditionally".

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Ian recently corrected me "It's not offen mom, it's ofTen."

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 Some of my favorite things Joseph says are "I found it!" (Which sounds more like 'sound it') and "I did it!" (Which is more like 'Diiid it!') and "Phoooone!" (Which sounds more like 'Sone!')

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We've watched the adorable trailer for the movie Babies more than a few times this week. In the opening scene two toddlers in an African village are pounding stones, then quarrel and one bites another. Several other interesting things happen afterward, but both Ian and Joseph seem to be processing this incident in particular and keep talking about it.

Joseph mentions it first thing every morning when I get him up: " A Baby. A Bite. Band-aid. A Baby. A Bite. No no."

Ian told Scott about the video, "The baby bite'ed the other baby because he didn't know how to say he was feeling angry." Can you tell I have been doing the "Emotionally Intelligent Child" stuff with Ian this month?

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During naptime one day I painted my toenails hot pink, whereas usually I just paint them clear... once every six months... Later that day Ian was in the middle of an "But I just need  liccorice!" fit by the pantry door when he looked down and suddenly exclaimed "Mama! I just love your pretty pink toe nails! They are so pretty." He wanted his to be red, but I explained that boys get to shave their faces and girls get to wear makeup and paint their toes. He seemed okay with this.

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