and then there were four

when i get to houston this weekend i'll update all about belle's bday that was ONE MONTH AGO.  i'm terrible and i know it so sue me.

xoox

Whelp.  It's time to get back into the saddle with this whole double blog thing. It's overwhelming and obviously I've chosen to update the one that actually makes me money more often. But now I'll stop whining.

Last week I had sessions in Sacramento and San Francisco. I was planning on leaving Belle here with Ty and taking Isaac with me. But at the last minute we all decided to go. It was SO FUN.  Sometimes I forget that it can be enjoyable to travel with small children. We got a hotel room the first night and watched the kids go ape crazy with joy at being in a new place, they love hotels. We stayed with cousin Sandi and her fam, which was really fun.  Here is the trip in pictures.

We went back to Davis, where we spent 3 years for law school. Isaac enjoyed seeing where he was born (close, anyway).  We went to the famer's market and played at the park, where tyler spun the kids around until everyone was dizzy.

The weather was a bit chilly- Belle is showing me her cold hand.

Belle and I showing off our booties.

The park had a cool old carousel powered by humans. A guy pedaled on a bike to make the carousel spin. The kids went around and around shouting GORILLA which they thought was so hilarious.

The kids had a blast on the playset there- I think they have more fun when playgrounds are more crowded. More shouting of "GORILLA" ensued. 

I like it when they play together!

I love these pictures.

OK so we did a lot more than just go to Davis, we also ate out a ton, and played the Wii, and Tyler and I did the photo shoots which was an adventure. Out in SF it turned out that I planned a bunch of sessions in a not-so-great neighborhood.  Lots of homeless folk and smells of urine, and shady characters.  Lots of clients were paying for their sessions in cash, so at one point I had a very very large amount of cash in my pocket, and while crossing a very busy street with clients, the money decided to jump out of my pocket and fly into the street.  We all screamed and hit the floor, grabbing cash everywhere before cars and wind blew it away. We recovered it all- but then walked around for a few hours really watching our backs.  Scary! But so totally hilarious to look back on.

I have a wonderful little family and I really enjoy traveling with them.  It's fun to visit Sandi and Eric and remember the days of School, with zero or one kid, and see how things have changed!

That's all for now. Will post more next year.

JUST KIDDING. I better get a comment from all you complainers who say I need to post more.

Yes- it's true... I'm going to start family blogging again. you see, my parents got their mission call to Washington DC recently, and forced me to promise to blog here again so they can keep up. SO I SHALL DO IT.

I just got so out of practice... blogging takes time, but it needs to be done.

SO: by mid march, I will be back with regulary scheduled programming.

dead tired though. 

I went to UT. Took 33 family's pics. Still got 6 left to edit. Went to AZ took 35 family's pics when it was all said and done- thank goodnes for cancellations. 

I think it's official- I have bitten off more than I can chew. My stomach is in a continual state of nausea. I no longer love food. I want nothing but to sleep and hang out with my family. i missed them so much!  It's crazy to go out on your own for almost a week. Kind of throws you into an identity crisis. I was so anxious to get home to my babies and to my Ty. 

Isaac had the best reaction this morning when he ran into my room. So much glee, so much happy giddy yelling and squirming and cuddling. I love my family so much!  I was really looking forward to belle's reaction to seeing me. But when i went to get her out of her crib she said, "Where's daddy?!"  So hilarious. She does love her dad (and owns him).

I think all moms need to get away for  a while. This was not your typical mom getaway- it was solid working. Something like this makes me realize what I need to survive. I need my husband. I can't cope all that well without his strong, supportive, funny self by me. I need my kids. Sure, they can drive me crazy. But they are little parts of me that I go crazy without.  Catch 22!

Today I am taking all the time ('cept while I write this Ode to them) to love them and shower them with attention. Everyday I will do this- because now I know what it's like to be without family!

I am neglectful. Boo!

Here are our monsters!

Dear Isaac,

I've been a slacker lately, and haven't been doing a good job at updating your future self about your life!  There is much to report... and seriously, they are all good things!

Let's start with what I find to be the most exciting. You started a new preschool this year, which is three days a week.  This preschool is, in short, completely awesome. Your teacher is one of the most kind and attentive women I've ever met, and is perfect for your needs. You need and love a lot of doting, encouragement, praise, organization, and happiness. Which is why you get along so well with her.  You come home from school so happy, so full of life and energy. You've had nine classes so far and you've learned so much- and still refuse to tell me anything you learned that day when I or your daddy ask.  But on accident, when you aren't paying attention, you tell me what you have learned, and your voice is always full of happiness as you speak. 

Next, something really exciting!  You finished the Book of Mormon last week!  Your Primary teacher gave you a reading chart and we filled it all out in red pen- when we read the last chapter and filled in that last box, your EYES WERE HUGE and you said, "Now can I take this to primary and tell EVERYONE?"  I said, I guess so!  So the next Sunday, you brought your chart, stood up in front of everyone and showed them your accomplishment. You were given a Book of Mormon charm, and at dinnertime you at with the special red plate. I am SO proud of you- amazing at how such a young age you are aware of church things and the spirit. It is certainly true that you are a good example to me about how to live the gospel.

The last month has really just been a treat.  I'm not sure if it's your age, or a stage, or what- but Isaac, you can do no wrong in my eyes!  We've been having so much fun- you never throw tantrums or act up or anything. Now that I've written this I'm jinxing myself, I realize... but you need credit and a big thank you for being so pleasant. You are my sidekick, still needing to be right beside me no matter what I'm doing, offering your opinion on things.  You've always been sensitive and cuddly, and I really enjoy that closeness.  It's so fun to have a cuddle bug around 24/7. 

Physically, you have become much taller and perhaps even skinnier.  You love your body- I know it sounds weird but you do.  You have pride in your little arms and legs and belly- often showing it all off, wearing only your underwear. (WHAT?! that's nothing new.)  

You have recently become quite obsessed with becoming a daddy.  Anytime you ask for something that is expensive, or too mature of an activity, etc.- you say, "I can do that when I'm a daddy."  Or, you'll say, "Mom, when I'm a daddy you can buy me a black car like my daddy's".  Anything that's something you can't have now, you can have when you are a daddy.  It's both cute and disturbing to see you want to grow up so much. I really want you to stay this age as long as possible, and you're ready to go to college. So you think- I'm not sure you are really ready to give up all the cuddling you give me.

Pajamas and being comfy are your #1 priority.  On your first day of preschool, I bought you a pair of new Halloween pj's.  I showed them to you in the car on the way home, and the THRILL of it all was so exciting- when you came in the house, you threw off your clothes and threw on your jammies and house slippers and almost melted from the comfy happiness.  The same occurred every day after that. After a few hours of wearing "street clothes" you can't handle it anymore, and you strip down and put on your comfies.  It's cute, adorable, awesome, and I don't even mind when your clothes get strewn all over the house (ok I do.)

Isaac it's always been so fun and rewarding to be your mom, because you show so much love back to me and your dad.  I am truly blessed to have you in my life- and I'm so excited to see the "daddy" you become.

Love,

Mamma

Dear Isabelle,

I have to make up for lost time!  I haven't written your monthl letter in a long time. Boo!  This isn't because you haven't been up to anything interesting... quite the opposite. As you grow your spunk increases exponentially and you are more and more fun- and more and more sassy.

First to report is that you potty trained yourself- how cool is that. You are now the proud wearer of... wearwear! I'm so giddy that you adopted the use of "wearwear" in stead of plain old "underwear".  Isaac taught you well!  It was an overnight transformation, this being pottytrained, and how grateful I am for that.  I definitely didn't see that coming, and the only reason we began training in the first place was because you fell in love with some tiny underwear at Target and forced me to buy it.  6 hours later you had it down pat and have been going strong ever since.  Due to your spunky/rebellious nature I was going to wait until you were four. Now I can check that off of our list!  After you make a little surprise in the potty, you always yell to me, "Wanna show me, mom!  Show me!", meaning you'd like to show off your drop to me.  Its funny.

I also need to tell you how great you've become at compeltely annoying your brother.  It is wrong how good you are at this.  But you have it down to a science, and I'm not sure what exactly makes you decide to focus all your efforts on this annoyance of the brother- but once you unleash it, it's on him full force and makes him crazy.  You have a lot of power!  

Your speech has really blossomed, and we're pretty sure that you can say whatever you want now, in complete sentences. The trouble is your diction- you slur your words together which makes it a little hard to understand you.  But I think the transformation between not talking and talking was so fast it was almost like magic, and it was really fun.  It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside when, from the back of the car I hear:  "Mom?"  I love you. So much."  And it's not Isaac telling me that, its YOU! 

Lately you have not been enjoying the whole bedtime thing. When daddy goes to put your pull up on, your screams begin and your legs kick at 90 MPH, risking everyone's life who dares try to stop the kicking.  You can be a real fiery soul, when you want to be- and that's usually at bedtime. And naptime. And at clean up time.  And when Isaac has something you want.  And, whenever you feel like it.

But, like I said before, you can be very sensitive and loving and shower us with attention and compliments like, "Oh what pretty hair, mom," or "I LIKE you, mom!"  I love the way you say MOM,  it's long and drawn out like, mooooooooom and your voice goes up a hill and down a hill for the duration.  Your biggest complement to somthing is: I LIKE _________  and again, your word "like" is drawn out and  your voice goes up and down while you say it.  So adorable!

You, unlike most little girls your age, have no idea what a Disney Princess is, or a princess at all for that matter- you don't own any princess paraphanailia or too many girly things- but still, you know what you are and if you aren't getting your attention needed, you let us all know. And that pretty much sums you up in a nutshell.  You know what you want and you know how to get it.  You know that saying, "You've got me wrapped around your little finger?"  Well, girl, you've got us ALL wrapped around your little pinkie and YOU KNOW IT.

Belle, thanks for being such and exciting and thrilling addition to the ride of life.

Love,

Mamma

Ever notice that Utahn sportz teamz love to uze Z'z in their namez? Jazz, Buzz, Grizzliez, Blaze, etc?

On another note, here are some cute twinnerz.