"Don't smell it."

Sarah: "Do you have a dirty diaper? I smell it."
Madison: "Don't smell it."

In her mind that is a perfect solution to the problem, I on the other hand don't.

Just a quicky. I had to type it before I forgot it.

Madison was playing with the microwave and turned to me and said, "I cooking cookies."
S: "Oh, you are cooking cookies?"
M: "Yes, I ares cooking cookies."

I love how she uses her verbs...she mixes them up all the time! I need to video tape her talking soon.



We were dropping off a video and Hollywood video and this poster was in the window. Madison from the back seat says, "Who is that girl?"
S: "I don't know."
M: "That boy arm around her."
S: "Yes he does."
M: "He pulling hers shirt off. It falling off her arm."

So, she is very observant!!!! I was floored to say the least. What do you say to that. She is only 2 and three months!!!!

Favorite sayings while potty training...

My friend was over watching my kids while I went running and I told Madison "when the timer goes off to try and go to the bathroom." Madison was playing and then got a look of anxiety on her face so my friend said, "go to the bathroom." She responded by saying, "I can't, not till timer go off."

In a high, anxious, hurried tone, "Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom." And then she would run to the bathroom. She had done it a couple times in a row and I thought she was just practicing, but she really did have to go and she did go in her underpants.

"I go poop in the kitchen floor, that funny huh mom." Then she would laugh. I told her no that isn't funny and that was urine not poop. She would repeat, "that funny mom." We argued for a bit and she wouldn't budge.

Potty What?

Why did I think I could potty train a two year old? Do we come with the hardware for this type of thing? I know people have been doing it forever, so why can't I? Maybe it's just not time. When Madison comes to me and says, "I went poop" and I go downstairs and looked in the toilet and nothing...so I said, "Madison there isn't anything in the toilet." She proceeded to pick up her big girl underpants and show me...it was urine. She doesn't even know the difference between the two! I guess I may just be jumping the gun since I am tired of changing her poopy diapers and spending money to do such an act. I may just need to read some books. Any suggestions would be great! I am new at this and it scares me to death. I am learning that most things are washable, poop can mean urine or bowel movement, I needed 20 underwear instead of just 10:-) and I don't know everything as a mother. I have been dreading this since she was born...I know early, but I just don't know how kids get it. We are housebound at the moment and it may be a futile attempt. At least I tried right?

Abigail's Eating Solids!

I decided when she started biting (and she has two teeth), I would introduce the solids in case we have to wean her...She likes it, but it's a work out. I feel like only some gets in and she has to work so hard at it!!!! Did I really look like her when I was learning to eat? How embarrassing and cute!

Rainy Day Fun!

I heard the door open and shut and so I went outside and found Madison in the rain. She was having a grand old time. It looks like a picture out of a magazine ad for Huggies! Maybe we should submit t:-)

My Job Description

If any of you wonder what I do, I was thinking about it on my run today and this is what I came up with...
Hours: Monday-Sunday 12 am-12 pm (on call 24/7), no sick days or paid vacation
Job Description: Change diapers, taxi, cook, cleaning lady, tutor, teacher, story lady, doctor, must know answers to all 'why' questions, nose wiper, good listener, babysitter, good at winging it, cheerleader, coach, nutritionist, stain master, organizer, multi-tasker, outgoing, good at faking it, etc.
Pay: Kisses, "I wuv yous", hugs, "ank-yous", smile, artwork, excitement over achievements (like going in the potty), children eating vegetables and not spitting or hitting other children, etc.
This is what I always wanted to do and you know what? I love it! I love to see my girls grow and discover new things. I love to watch them experience new foods and joys in life, I love to hear what they have to say or not say. A smile melts my heart and makes me want to cry. times when Madison says "I wuv you" without any prompting is a treasure beyond money. It's the times Madison is silly and just wants me to laugh at her. Times Abby smiles makes the rest of the world fade away. I wouldn't trade any of this for the world and I'm just grateful my Heavenly Father loves me enough to give me these moments.

Labor Day Pinata

Madison had fun swinging the bat at the pinata. Brian and the Elder's quorum president made these last Monday. It's just a paper bag with three wadded newspaper pages in it along with the candy. Then you just decorate it how you want and put a lot of tape at the top to hook the rope onto. They even held up for the 8-12 year olds. It's easy and amazing. We will have to do a pinata for Madison's three year birthday. Anyway...back to the story. So after it broke, Madison ran in and got one, yes one, piece of candy and came out holding it up victoriously to show daddy. We tried to tell her to go and get more, but she was just so happy about the one piece. It was cute. It's amazing what one piece of candy can do!

Imaginative Play

Madison was pretending to get things for us and we would buy them. She would point to a picture on her block and say she wanted it (example: bird, cat, pizza, etc.) and then she would go to the table and pretend to get it and eat it or play with it. Well, I ordered some pizza and Madison got it for me. Brian then said, "I want pizza too. Here is my money." Madison went over and got his play money and went to the table and brought him something in her hand. She gave it to him and he ate it enthusiastically and said, "That was so good. I love pizza." Madison then laughed and said, "It was a bird." She thought it was so funny that daddy ate a bird and not pizza. Brian pretended to spit it out and for the next 5 min. Madison kept pretending to eat a bird and then spit it out and then laugh. It's moments like these that make motherhood the best profession in the world.

WORD SCRAMBLE

I love how Madison is learning to put sentences together. Sometimes they just come out funny.

"I is woman."

M: "I want milk."
M: "I is sick."
S: "Why are you sick."
M: "Cause, I need milk for my sick."
She always says she is sick after she asks for juice or milk. For some reason she puts the two together.

"I ride bike. It's not Sunday mom."
"I go for walk. It's not Sunday."
"I go _______. It's not Sunday."
She adds, it's not Sunday, to many things she wants to do something since we tell her she can't do some things on Sunday like ride a bike, play outside in a dress, watch a movie, etc.

Brian is great for...

I was thinking about this today and these are my thoughts.
1. To play all crazy like with my kids...He plays differently with Madison and Abby than I do or ever would. How would I ever know that Madison loves to be thrown 10 feet in the air, thrown on the bed, scared out of her mind, drive the car 'all by herself'. No, it takes Brian to do that.
2. To bounce ideas off of. He just sits and listens as I sort everything out by rambling on and on and on and on late into the night. He never tells me he is tired and needs to go to bed, he just falls asleep:-)
3. To instill in the kids a love of books and of reading among other things. Example...when I put Madison to bed, I read 1, maybe 2 books if she cries for it, sing her one song, say her prayers, brush her teeth (if she's not too against it) and put her to bed. Brian on the other hand likes to get her to scream in delight or laugh for about 20 minutes straight before he even attempts to brush her teeth, change her diaper, put her in PJ's, read her anywhere from 5-20 books, sing her every song she requests, help her say her prayers, and...ok, so that's about it. You can see why when given the choice of daddy or mommy to put her to bed it is always a resounding 'daddy', aka Brian.
4. Guessing...I never know where we will end up in a year or two or three. He is the master at gathering data and then making a decision (Abby didn't have a name for the first 7 weeks of her life). What does he want to be when he grows up? That's the big question on everyone's mind.
5. I need a break every once in a while and what better baby sitter is there than dear old dad. He's free, I don't have to worry if I get back to late, and he can usually figure out where the diapers, bottle, PJ's, snacks, etc. are. Did I mention he's FREE!
6. He is a great emotional support with photography, being a mom, wife, and whatever else comes my way.
Random thoughts I know, but I just thought I would write them down for posterity...ok, so maybe just blog stalkers:-)

May of 2006

Dan and Clare (and Mesia in utero) came to visit us and we loved it. This video brought back so many good memories. Thanks for coming to see us!!!! We love visitors.

Memories...

This was when Madison was a day or two old. where does time go?

Mosquito Bite...

Today Madison was scratching a mosquito bite on her face so I said, "Don't itch it."
M: "Why"
S: "Because if you itch it it might bleed."
M: "Take it off."

We have now come to the time when Madison says 'why' to everything instead of the now missed phrase 'oh'. It used to be as if I was all knowing and every answer was fact. Now I get 'why' after each explanation. Gone are the days of 'oh'. I look forward to when Abby accepts all my explanations before she gets to the 'why' stage.

Funny Day

One day this will be embarasing to Madison...but for now she was not embarassed at all. She demanded to have my pump right in front of my friends we were having a play date with. She pulled up her shirt, put the pump on, and sat there for about 5 minutes pumping. She got upset that no milk came out, but she wouldn't stop. It made us all laugh. She copies all I do.

A. was smiling at her mom. She is so adorable and looks like a good mix of her mom and dad. She is two months younger than Abby, so they will be good friends until they leave:-)

Madison fed Abby her entire bottle and kept saying, "I a big siser." She loves to feed Abby, change her diaper, and sing to her. She wanted to drink Abby's milk so she kept telling me "Abby not hungry." She asks me while I am feeding if it's her turn. I have to explain to her that she is a big girl and doesn't drink from mommy anymore. She keeps me laughing.

Who's on the phone?

Today Madison handed me the cell phone and said, "It's God." I was a bit caught off guard and said, "God called you?" She answered matter-of-factly, "yes." It was cute.

Play Date

My photography friend took these pictures. We were practicing in the back yard with our kiddos. It was fun and we got some good shots. Aren't they beautiful girls?

Fun on the Bed...

I love to capture Abby's smile. She has two dimples that show now. She is so happy (when she isn't teething:-)

Madison is a character. Today she told me, "come here." I asked her why and she said, "I need to talk to you." When I went over she was standing behind the fan and then pretended to take my order and she went to the piano and got an imaginary something and gave it to me. I promptly paid for it and she was happy.

Madison loves to do everything I do so she has to put deodorant "in her pits" as she calls them every time she sees me do it.

What's going on?

Abby is almost five months...boy, time flies when you are having fun!

Sisters

Madison loves Abby and has to see her and give her a hug every morning. She loves to get right up in her face and say "smile Abby. Are you happy? Hi, Abby."

She was so hyper and funny during these shots.

This is a face Madison pulls often and it's been tough to catch it on camera until today!!!!!

Abby Experiencing Grass for the First Time!

She loved to stick her tongue and touch the grass, but once it hit her nose or other parts of her face she made the face you see next:-) It was so funny to watch!