If You're In Tucson, Don't Miss This!

This Saturday is the big Mud Puddle Party at Reid Park! It's FREE and all you have to do is wear closed-toe shoes and sign a permission form for everyone who wants to get dirty. Last year we brought Trevor and he loved it, even at 15 months. We said that this year we would get muddy ourselves...we'll see!

Saturday, August 1

8:00am-12:00noon

Reid Park (22nd/Country Club)

Here's a link to the permission slip for adults and kids. It also explains what the obstacle courses are like and other activities:

Mud Puddle Party Permission Slip

Mud Puddle Party 2008:

Gettin' messy in the toddler area: kiddie pools filled with mud and toys.



Over with some bigger kids at the mud tables. (Sorry about your behind lady!)

Rinsing off under the hose from the fire truck.

Surrender

Haley will be two months old next week and I've finally accepted the fact that I can't get everything done that I'd like to. Rather than try to multi-task and get little projects done while I take care of my kids, I've tried to forget about those things for now. And I am SO much happier! I felt like I was doing everything halfway and feeling overwhelmed in the meantime.

Now all I try to accomplish each day is dinner, a few chores and usually leaving the house for a little while. Besides that, we just play. I've also enlisted Trevor's help with the work around the house. He likes to do something new and it gets some work done while the kids are awake, rather than always working during their nap.

I wish I could better accept Haley's fussy stomach. I haven't eaten chocolate, broccoli or milk in about a month and it's killing me! Maybe that's not a very long list but I'm used to a glass of milk with every meal and a sweet taste of chocolate to finish it off. And what do people eat for a midnight snack besides cereal? This isn't a good time to be an emotional eater.

I am glad that running is getting better. I don't feel so awkward and I can run without stopping to walk any more. The last few Saturdays I've run with Trevor to a park in our neighborhood with soccer fields. We run up and down the field touching the goalposts. (His idea, not mine but I love how it uses up lots of energy!)

Here's a few shots of the family:

Haley started smiling last week--that goofy, sweet newborn smile. Love it!


Trevor and I march this car to the end of the street almost every night to get the mail. Right now he likes to load the front with rocks as we go. Haley is usually asleep in the Snugli.

He also stopped stuttering. It only lasted about a month and was probably from the stressful situation with a new baby.

Dancing in the rain after a week of potty training.

First Run, Lead Feet

This week I went out for my first run since being put on bedrest back in March. It FELT AWFUL! I couldn't believe how heavy and awkward my legs were. I only did a mile loop around our neighborhood and still I ended up alternating between my lumbering jog and a walk.

Luckily I have no expectations at this point. Even when I left the house I told Birch it would be only be ten minutes. (It ended up being more like 15-20). A few months ago if I was only going to run a mile I would have some kind of excuse like "I had a big workout yesterday" or "This is going to be quick because it's speed work." Now I have no problem admitting that it's only going to be a walk or a short run.

I hope to do one race before the end of the year. Right now there seems to be so many other hurdles like 105 degree weather and no double jogger. Thank goodness for the "No exercise for 6 weeks" rule. I took full advantage of that one!

Making Water

Warning: this is a potty-training post. I'll understand if you want to skip this one. :)

I've been doubtful that Trevor was ready to be potty-trained. The baby has only been here for 6 weeks and the kid just turned two in April! But since Birch was going to be around this week we decided to give it a shot and.....so far, so good!

I'm worried that I'll jinx something by writing this but he's caught on pretty quickly. We used the tricks many of you passed on: towels all over the house, setting the timer to go off every 15 minutes, and a counter full of treats. Sometimes Trevor will explain to us what's happening: "You sit on the potty and the water comes out of the hole right there." So instead of asking him if he needs to go potty we usually ask if he needs to make water. Maybe someday we'll switch to a normal phrase.

The only snag was today when we realized he hadn't pooped since Sunday. The poor kid was dancing around asking for a diaper, afraid to go in the toilet. We walked all around the house and outside trying to find a place he was comfortable: the big potty, the little potty, the rocks outside, the grass. I called both of our moms, hoping for a magic trick to help him but they said it's just a boy thing. You have to wait until it's bad enough that they just go. Finally we got to that point. We gave the kid a little privacy and he finished the job!

So tomorrow is day 3 of potty training. I'm done giving Trevor unlimited juice and chocolate milk but we'll keep reward candy around for a little longer. Hopefully we'll get luckyand not have him lose interest.

One question: some of you have told me about plastic pants to put on over the underwear but I can't find them. Well, at least I couldn't find them at Target. And if it isn't there, then it doesn't exist, right?

Sister Missionary!

My sister Amanda received her mission call last night.....she will be a missionary in the Philippines Manila mission! I'm so excited for her!

I never pictured myself as a missionary and now I wish it was something I had done. Manda has always wanted to serve a mission. But when it came down to it, it was a tough decision and I know she's going for the right reasons.

Girls who serve missions in the LDS church leave for 18 months, usually when they are 21. Boys leave when they are 19 and serve for 2 years. Right now my brother McKay is a missionary in Beunos Aires Argentina.

Manda will be an incredible missionary. She loves people unconditionally and is easy to talk to and get along with. Most of all she is close to the Spirit and has a testimony of Jesus Christ. I love her and I'm so proud of all she has done in her life!

I've Been Feelin'

First a few pictures. My sister Becca thinks staying at our house is as fun as any summer camp so she's here for the week visiting. I'm loving the extra help with the kids.

Haley is a month old now. We go to the doctor this week so I don't have any stats yet, but check out the rolls under her chin! She's got to be close to 7 lbs. by now.

So, I've been feelin'...

Relieved: Birch finally took his boards last Monday--yeah! I'm glad the pressure is off and he has a week to relax before school starts. These next two years will be clinical rotations. I'm excited for him to have a break from studying and get experience with doctors and patients. He's going to love it! Birch still wants to work in the ER so we'll see if that changes.

Overwhelmed: I read all your blogs about how hard it was to have two kids and I'm embarrassed to admit I thought "It won't be that bad for me." Now I'm being punished and IT IS that hard. I really don't mind being up at night with a newborn; it's the long days with no break that kill me. I'm still trying to keep a clean house, make nice meals and be a happy mom and wife...we'll see how long that lasts! If anyone wants to share the big secret of how to survive being a mom of more than one, please do.

Lazy: Not being allowed to exercise has been a great excuse for relaxing and given me more time during the day. I am ready to get running again but glad I don't have to start just yet.

Nervous: We're going to start potty training Trevor this week. Yuck! It is the last thing in the world I want to do. Hopefully it will be quick.

Happy: Having a newborn brings all kinds of unsolicited advice. One of the most common is "Enjoy your kids now. Don't be too anxious for them to grow up." I can honestly say that I'm happy where I'm at right now. I'm not wishing for that day when we're out of school or the diapers are gone. I love my situation and I hope I always feel that way.