Stories of the Every Day

I know I haven’t been writing pretty much all winter – sick, you know. But I have been keeping the little moments in my heart to write down later. Here they are.

About the Girl

Olivia is, as always, the charm of our household. She has been so helpful this winter with me being sick, getting the brothers cereal in the morning, playing with what ever brother needs attention, one morning she even took it upon herself to change Andrew’s diaper! We’ve worried a little bit about her feeling overwhelmed or overly responsible, but she genuinely seems to enjoy “being in charge” – and usually takes the role without being asked.

Auntie Carrie got married earlier this month (more on that later), and Olivia was SO excited. Leslee and I got together a couple times a week for the last two and a half weeks before the wedding to put the decor together. Olivia loved being able to help when ever she could (often she was at school), and watched as the magic of the wedding unfolded. She was especially excited to go, she told us.We got her a new dress in Carrie’s turquoise wedding color. She LOVED that.

And when all the bridal party went to get our nails done two days before the wedding, I took Olivia out of school so she could come with us. I didn’t make an appointment for her, per se, but rather had my technician paint her nails when she was done with mine. She was a little bored waiting for me to be done. I told her *next time we’d get an appointment for her too. Too bad I only ever get my nails done for weddings. Luckily, my neighbor girl has already invited me along for the nails for her wedding later this spring. I’ll take Olivia to that, but it will probably be the last time in a LOOOONG time.

On Valentines Day Wyatt and I woke up to the kids bringing us breakfast in bed. Olivia and the boys had made us oatmeal, and brought us toast with jam – and the toast was cut into heart shapes with cookie cutters. Oh my! It was too adorable.

Last night I could hear a small child digging around in the cupboards . . . at 3 AM! I thought maybe Olivia or Cal was hungry and helping themselves to a snack. But after a couple minutes of listening to a ruckus going on, I decided to get up and investigate. I heard a child dash out of the room just as I came around the corner (I knew it was a child and not a burglar because . . . children sound different). I looked and all the chairs were laid down on the floor of the kitchen. I called for Olivia, then Calvin – no answer. I went to check on the little boys, just in case it was one of them, but their door was closed. I tried to get Wyatt up (but he’s always grumpy when I try to wake him up in the night, last night was no exception). I couldn’t imagine why a small child would come upstairs in the middle of the night, and lay all the kitchen chairs down on the floor.

I went downstairs and checked on Cal. He was wrapped up in his quilt, sleeping soundly with his mouth wide open (no fake snoring, so I knew it wasn’t him). Finally I went to check on my original and first suspect . . . Olivia. She seemed wrapped up too, but when I touched her, she turned to me with a huge grin!

She told me she was playing a prank, and making everyone think the leprechaun had come! (St. Patrick’s day was earlier this week, and the green pancakes I made for breakfast was not enough of a celebration for Olivia. She was sorely disappointed that the leprechaun hadn’t come). She told me that in addition to laying down the chairs, she had dyed the milk in the fridge green! She was so excited! And I was so tired! I congratulated her on her prank, kissed her goodnight, and went back to bed. The boys all found the fun in the morning. What a goose!

 

I LOVE MY SUPER CALVIN –

For the talent show at school he is going to stand up and recite to the audience the presidents on every dollar bill from 1-100. And then he’s going to tell them what is on the backs as well. He is so smart, and so funny! He’s going to finish it off with a magic trick involving a dollar bill.

A few weeks ago we were at the school for parent teacher conferences when the school secretary came and told us to come to the office. Calvin had fallen backwards on his chair and hit the corner of a desk. He needed two stitches! He was very brave, and enjoyed the attention and ice cream for the trouble.

He also won his kindergarten class spelling bee. It was such a funny situation, but I was so proud of my smarty-pants son. He is so bright and intelligent, but also, SO kind and helpful. I just really think he’s a great kid all around.

We switched the boys rooms around – Cal now has his own room, in the big room (the biggest bedroom in the house!) in the basement. He is LOVING it. We set up a spare desk in his room, and Wyatt  brought home an old printer/copier from his office that Cal can use as a copy machine. He has set up his office, and for the past week has been devising a business in which he can earn a lot of money.

I do worry just a little because his room is so neat and organized since his brother moved out. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy being able to walk in the room as much as any mother would. But I don’t want him to be so concerned about organization or cleanliness that it takes over and he becomes emotionally rigid. (I know people like that, and it seems to be a very real challenge in life!) I want him to still be a kid, and play and make messes (but not in the kitchen) and let other people make messes in “his space” so that he learns that life is fluid, and it’s okay!

Dear Little Everett –

About a year and a half ago Everett came to me and told me we needed to have a new baby. I still remember it, he said Andrew was too big, and it was time to get a new baby. He has continued that conversation for the past 18 months, reminding me that we needed a new baby, and when he found out the new baby was coming, he was the most excited. He talks about being a dad when he grows up – he talks about that constantly. And he says he’s going to have 100 kids! I love how sensitive he is to the spirit, and to the family, and to what is really important in life.

Everett has a crush – and her name is Kelsi. She’s the 15 year old sister of Olivia and Calvin’s friends (Brooks and Grady), and she babysits for us every once in a while. Last time she was here, Everett told her that the rubber bands on her braces were soooo pretty, and he hoped she would never take them off.

He requests her to come “play” almost every day, telling me that Wyatt and I need to “go away” so she can come over. And the password to get by when ever he is blocking you in the hall is “Kelsi.” I am charmed by his sweet sentiments.

He has turned a corner in his personality and development too. He’s really warmed up to life and is enthusiastic about everything. He rarely wants his blankets any more, and he doesn’t pout very often (although he’s into sticking out his tongue). He has gone into that talking phase, where he talks CONSTANTLY about everything and anything. He collects beads and buttons and little things he finds. He keeps them in a plastic floss container he swiped from the bathroom. He has really become my buddy as we run errands or clean while Calvin is at school.

AND LITTLE ROO —

Is the most sunshiney, lovey baby I have ever met. He is happy 99% of the time. He loves to tell me (or anyone) how much he loves them . . . “I love you mommy” he says at least a dozen times a day, usually has he comes to wrap me in his little arms for a hug.

He loves to sing – the songs he learns in nursery, or lately it’s been the songs from “Frozen” -which Olivia sings around our house ALL.DAY.LONG.

But when ever I ask him about if he wants a new baby, or if he’s excited for a new baby, he says “no.” I think he enjoys being the youngest. I really do. I think this baby will be an adjustment for him.

And Baby #5 is on the way!

It’s strange, this pregnancy has been different that the others . . . with every other baby (although probably progressively less each time) I’ve had tunnel vision from the day I’m sick till the day I deliver – I just want to meet the baby so badly! I think constantly about their development, etc. This time around, when I’m not feeling sick, I sometimes even forget I am pregnant! I feel bad saying that, but life is just so busy all the time, that I forget there’s this added layer sometimes.

 

But we went to the 20 week ultra sound last week. We already had done a very quick gender check ultra sound at 16 weeks and found out we were having a boy. But this was the longer, more full blown ultra sound, and it was fun to see little dude rolling around in there. He had his hand up by his mouth the whole time, and to me it looked like he might be a finger sucker (when I saw that, my heart melted). And then he stuck out his foot and wiggled his toes at us, and that put me over the edge! I’m so glad they have ultra sounds. It’s like getting to “see” your baby before you get to see your baby. It definitely grounded me into the reality that this baby is coming. And HURRAY for that!

AND OTHER THINGS TOO-

We went to St. George for a couple days a few weeks ago – just to get out of the house and enjoy (a little bit) warmer weather. It was fun. The kids especially loved going up into the hills behind Dixie rock and climbing and exploring.

Last fall I planted like 150 bulbs – Tulips, Hyacinths, and Daffodils into my front bed. It was really, SO hard. My soil in the front bed is like cement, so to dig out that many bulb holes took me 3 hard days with a BIG shovel (just dug out almost the whole bed, laid out the bulbs, then recovered). It was a ton of work, and I remember second guessing myself last fall as I was working.

And then I forgot about them for the rest of the fall and into the winter until early January when I came across one of the bags the bulbs came in. Then I was full of gratitude to myself (does that sound funny?) that I had persevered and done that hard work. Because there I was, so sick, in the very thick of dreadful winter, and I knew I had flowers to look forward to in the spring.

And they have been growing all over – I am THRILLED! THRILLED! They haven’t bloomed yet. Probably another couple weeks. But they are growing, big and healthy and promising. I am so happy about that.