Fun Questionnaire

So, my friend Amy posted this list of questions on her blog and I had so much fun answering it that I decided to post it here too. If you know Amy, make sure to send your responses to her by email.

The last time my child made me laugh had to be the morning Alex told me he was sure that he actually had the force, see previous posting for details!
I carve out time for myself the same way Amy does, by running at 5:45. In addition to being quiet, it's also not 4000 degrees outside before the sun rises.
The television mom I'm most like has got to be Mrs. Incredible/Elastigirl: I'm married to a guy who does it all, I occasionally lose it, and boy do I wish I could stretch like that!
My favorite outdoor activity to do with my child is going for a great hike. Alex has been a hiker since he was a baby. All my kids learn to love the Kelty backpack at a young age.
The one thing I wish I had known about parenting before I became a parent is the sheer volume of poop that is involved! Actually, I wish I'd known how much I needed to learn all those lessons about patience that God was trying to teach me. I never considered myself an intemperate person until I had kids.
The most important life lesson I want my child to learn...well there are lots of candidates: You don't have to agree with people about everything in order to get along and be friends, Never be afraid to admit you don't know, Women deserve your respect just because they are women, but not all of them will deserve your trust (for my sons), God ALWAYS keeps his promises....
The invention I wish I could create to make my life easier is a laundry folding and pressing machine. I hate folding laundry and I hate ironing. I never feel like the laundry is actually done..
My most embarassing parenting moment is the time that the lady at Target had to ask my kids to behave themselves. You know things are bad when an employee at big box store notices anything, let alone how poorly behaved your sons are.
The future parenting moment I fear the most is the boys first encounter with pornography. Will I have taught them well enough that they'll make the right choice, or will they ruin their lives in that brief but fateful moment?
My proudest moment as a parent was just last week. We were out for a walk and Ryan crashed on his bike about 100 yards ahead of Mom and Dad. I watched with wet eyes as Alex jumped off his bike, scooped his brother off the ground and held him close until Mom and Dad could get there. Oh, he also moved their bikes out of the road so that they wouldn't get run over!
The thing about my younger self that I'd like to reclaim, other than my waistline, is my ability to let the yellow come out in my personality. I don't spend as much time just laughing, enjoying where I am and doing spontaneous and silly things.
If I could change places with anyone, living or dead, it would be...still a mystery, I couldn't come up with someone.
The most fun thing about being a Mom is being able to be at home with my kids. I know all about them. I know what little things they like, I know their favorite foods, shirts, toys, movies, songs, etc. I know what makes them happy and sad, and how to read the emotions on their faces (most of the time). I get to watch them as they learn life's lessons and learn lessons from watching them.
The hardest thing about being a Mom is wondering if you've spent the time the way you should. There's never enough time for everything and I sometimes wonder if we've done the most important things..
I realized I had turned into my mother when I look at my calendar. My Mom is the world's busiest lady. She tells me she does it to avoid the family curse of laziness. I think I'm doing the same thing.
I get my kids to eat fruits and vegetables by cooking good food. I don't have to twist arms, they've just learned to eat good stuff. The other night, Josh looked at me weird because I told Alex he had to eat his meat before he could have any more carrots!
The last books I read to my kids were, for Alex: The Indian in the Cupboard, The Witches, Treasure Island, The Tale of Despereaux and Stone Fox; and for Ryan: Honey, Honey, Lion, The Berenstain Bears, The Little Duck, Eating the Alphabet, and Dr. Suess's ABC Book.
Before I turn off the lights at bedtime, I say to my boys: "Don't get out of bed again unless there's a fire." Then after I calm down, I go in and say, "Good night, Mama loves you."
The favorite traditions I share with my children are celebrating Birthdays, including Luke's, watching Star Wars on sick days, and Family Home Evening.
My favorite place to take my children is home to my Mom and Dad's house.
Something that no one knows about me.... is still a secret. What you think I'm going to tell you?
I hope my kids inherit the guilt-free attitude that I inherited from my Mom. What a gift! I don't spend a lot of time feeling guilty, being depressed or agonizing. I just get up and get going and hope to do better today than I did yesterday.
The kids toy or game I will never understand is Candyland. That must be the dumbest game ever invented! I also don't understand how boys get so into video games that nothing else in life matters.
The most ingenious invention for kids is the "Toothtunes" toothbrush. I love that thing! No more arguments over brushing.
The kids snack that I am most likely to be caught eating is Cheez n' Crackers. I can't help it, even with the processed cheese!
If I had an "I'd rather be" bumper sticker on my car, it would be... naturally gorgeous! Wouldn't it be nice just to pop out of bed and skip the morning routine, not to mention slog through the night-time routine before you fall into bed?

Peach Fuzz

I've been trying to get a good picture of Jilly's hair. It cannot be tamed! It sticks up all over around her head, no matter what you try to stick it down with. This seems to be my best shot-- although it hardly does justice to the 'do.

I'm also up to my elbows in peaches for real. I picked up about 60 pounds of peaches from the "Fruit Lady" in Mesa. She trucks Utah fruit down to the Phoenix area for those of us that still remember living somewhere where things grow. We are eating, freezing and making jam this week as the peaches ripen.

Jililan has also begun to smile occasionally, when she's not crying. Here's a picture of one of the first smiles.

Anecdotes and Accessories

Well I have some great stories from my boys this week. Yesterday was my first day at church alone with the boys. I got up and going early so that I could get everything done and be on time. I did pretty well, got everyone dressed, bags packed, teeth brushed, hair combed and baby bathed. We left just at the right time and made it to church. Just as I was lifting Ryan out of the car I looked down and saw that he was wearing two different shoes and not just any shoes, he had on one camoflage croc and one blue and yellow striped flip-flop. He had put his own shoes on to be helpful that morning. He told me he just felt like wearing two different shoes.

Later on that night we had our friends, the Rosens, over for dessert. When he heard about Ryan's accident, Matt had brought over a Lego set for Ryan, the very first one that he's ever had. He and Alex had a grand time putting it together, and then arguing over who got to play with it! Anyway, when the Rosens came in yesterday, I asked Ryan if he had something to tell Matt. He walked right up and said, "Thanks for the Lego, Matt, I wish you'd get me Obi Wan Kenobi." Mom promptly crawled under the couch and said, "That's my boy!" Ouch!

This morning, Alex ran right up to me first thing and said, "Mom, I think I really do have the Force!" When I asked why, he told me that last night he really wanted the door open, but he was too tired to get up and open it, so he just reached out and used the force and sure enough, the door opened! Way to use the force, my son.

I wanted to put some pictures up today of the accessories my kids have been sporting lately. This is Alex in his camo hat. We bought it for his water day at school and he's been wearing it all over the place since then. He tried to wear it to church one day, but his mean old mom wouldn't let him.

Jillian and Jane are wearing the sunglasses that Grandma Shell and Aunt Carrie sent them. Sunny took this picture during the ten seconds that both babies weren't screaming!

These fabulous sunglasses were Ryan's prize for being good at the dentist. I tried to get him to choose the yellow, star-shaped ones but he had his heart set on the hearts. Much to my chagrin, he wears them all over the place. Whenever he sees me get out my sunglasses, he runs to his drawer to get his too!

And last, but not least, are the flip-flops that Alison bought for Jilly. I love those baby toes. I can't decide who's having more fun shopping, Aunt Alison or Aunt Meggan! Thanks to her Aunties, Jillian will always be well-heeled. But, as Meggan says, "What girl doesn't love shoes and accessories?"

Cousins!

My sister took some great photos of the kids and their cousins when she was here last month. I just thought I'd post a celebration of cousins. For some reason the kids seem to know instinctively that they're supposed to love each other. They can go for months without seeing each other and still play like best friends. I have so many good memories of my own cousins. So to all you cousins out there, I am thinking happy thoughts of you today. Hooray for cousins!!

This is Jane and Jill, born six weeks apart.

The boys--Alex, Nate, Caleb and Rhino, headed off to battle.

Alex and Ryan and Kate: the newewst additions to the list of famous western bandits.

Alex, Kate and Ryan wearing the hats they made. Talk about haute coutoure!

And last of all, the original "Goon Brothers", or cousins in this case.

Aftermath

What I want to know is if there is a "frequent patient" program for Emergency Rooms, you know kind of like a frequent flier deal. Last night was the second time we have visited the ER for stitches since Jillian was born. First, Josh cut his hand in the shop when Jilly was 4 days old. Then last night, Ryan tripped while he was running around the family room and slammed his forehead into the bookcase. He split his head open, front and center, but luckily right at the hairline. So we headed back to the ER and the same doctor that stiched up Josh, stitched Ryan's head back together. I hope that the scars don't show! They cut his hair off in order to stitch him up so I think it should grow right back over. I am just thanking my lucky stars that my own recovery from childbirth has been so easy. If I'd had to have a c-section, I don't think I'd have been able to handle the stress. As it is, I can attest to the fact that it causes mothers physical pain when their little ones are hurting.

On the happier side, I have some new pictures of the baby to post. I love this one of Alex and Jillian. He is just the perfect age to have a new baby arrive. He's so tender and gentle with her. Ryan is still mostly ignoring her, but at least there is no animosity for the little one who has rocked his pedestal.

Alex is back in school. It seems surreal that my son is in Second Grade. Somehow I didn't think I was that old. Jillian is starting to sleep longer stretches. She can go for up to five hours now at night without thinking that she's starving to death. Consequently, I am a little less of a zombie and I am now starting to dig my house out of three weeks of neglect. Luckily I have a deadline approaching...Josh's parents will be here to visit on Wednesday, so it is definitely time to scrub those potties! As long as there are no more visits to the ER on the horizon I think I can make it.

At long last....

We welcome Jillian Alice Felt to our little family! She was born the afternoon of July 15 after a long 15 hours of labor. She weighs 8 1/2 pounds, is 20 and 1/4 inches long and has poofy dark hair. Baby is doing very well and Mom feels so good that it must be criminal somehow!

I know she doesn't look like a newborn here, she's only 48 hours old. She's not always this alert but she is an excellent baby so far. She appears to be her mother's daughter with an excessive fondness for sleep! I'm sure there will be enough future updates to make everyone sick of seeing them. Thanks everyone for your encouragement and prayers, they were needed.

You've been pregnant too long when....

....you ask your three year old son what's wrong and he grips his stomach and says, "I'm having contractions!"

....the teenage bagger at the grocery store actually lifts his eyes to look at you, the puberty induced fog momentarily clears, and he speaks..."Whoa, can I, like, help you to your car or something?"

....your Star Wars crazed sons generally refer to you as "Chubba-the-Hutt."

....every well meaning, oblivious, never-had-a-baby checker at Wal-Mart wants to know when your twins are due.

....your favorite food seasoning is "Tums," because even a glass of water gives you heartburn.

....your kids look up at you and say, "Mom, you're getting a little grumpy, maybe you need a few minutes to lie down."

....no matter how much water you guzzle, your bladder only produces urine one teaspoon at a time.

....you are actually looking forward to the experience of childbirth.

Josh and I started making this list together last weekend, I thought I'd post our best and see what other items you could come up with.