Sydney Bean

Oh I really stink at this. This is the longest I have ever journaled my life, but I still stink at updating consistently. Sydney had a birthday in early September and I missed blogging about it! Oh, I am awesome at this. Sorry to Sydney now and in the future when you read this. Sydney is so big now and I can't believe she is 2 years old. She is doing all sorts of fun things. Once when Mady was sleeping we went out and I read a book under a tree while Sydney rode her bike in the driveway. It was darling and one of those "I've arrived" as a mom moments for me.

Sydney often doesn't like to stop and smile for pictures, so these ones that Aaron got of her were particularly great.
She has a current obsession with hooded towels and wearing them around the house. She loves helping with the laundry and usually we end up loading the washer and dryer together. She's thrilled about it, so I don't mind the extra time it takes!
She such a fun helper and loves to do things to help out. In case you are wondering, carrying paint around the house definitely falls in the "helping out" category. She's also starting to get into dressing up a little bit, hence the safari hat.Our sweet Sydney is still such a dancer. This was taken on her birthday. So You Think You Can Dance tryouts were on and there was a guy tap dancing that inspired this performance. It's one of my all time favorites!

I think dance classes will be coming next year with as much as she loves to dance! We love you Sydney and are so happy to have you in our family!

Remember How...

We have oodles of snow outside
It makes me want to wrap Christmas presents
My awesome neighbor came and cleared my driveway and then shoveled my steps? Don’t knock all teenage boys.
We all hate potty training right now.
Sydney learned how to crawl out of her crib today (cue ominous music signaling the end of my semi-orderly world)
Afternoon naps did not happen for any parties in this house
At bath time Sydney dumped at least 2 large cups of water on my carpet before I could yell at her
She cried even though she knew not to do it in the first place
My internet has been a pain ever since the storm ended
My best friend brought me ice cream tonight
My kids are asleep.
We made it.

For your entertainment purposes tonight:

How God teaches me humility...

On Monday I was sick and Sydney tried to convince me to let her eat a whole box of crackers at once. I had to inform her that although I was sick, I wasn't delusional. Yesterday it might have worked though. Yesterday morning Aaron went on a business trip to Utah (don't worry, he's coming back today). While he was flying over the mountains in the early morning, I woke up feeling rather nauseated. Not cool. Both kiddos got up and we came down to have breakfast. While talking to my friend Karen telling her how crappy I felt, this is how it went:

Karen: Do you want me to come get Sydney?
Me: Oh, it's ok, I don't want you to have to do that (she has 2 kids just months older than mine)
Karen: Seriously, it's not a big deal
Me: Well, I might... wait...wait, Wait, WAIT! (thump as I toss the phone into a nearby basket of blankets as I dash to the bathroom)
Sydney: (in high chair) Mommy, I done!
Me:
Sydney: Mommy, I DONE!
Me: Mommy's busy, Sydney
Me: (back on the phone) uh, sorry Karen.
Karen: I'm coming to get your kids. I'll be there in 10 minutes.
Me: ok

Later as she and my visiting teacher met in my driveway to get my kids and bring me survival supplies (aka Sprite and Chicken Noodle soup) they discussed how glad they were that my children would not be in my care that day.
To be honest, I agreed with them. I don't think it would have gone so well.
Strangely enough, after a nap and some food, I felt great. Not just better, but like I had never been sick. Weird right? And definitely not flu-like. So maybe NyQuil doesn't agree with me? Or some undercooked chicken somewhere? Or maybe my body was ticked at the lack of sleep I get (courtesy of Mady) and decided it needed to take drastic measures for me to have a day off. Regardless of the cause, I'm overly grateful that Karen and Robin were there to take care of me. Thanks guys. My kiddos thank you to. They probably would have gotten ignored at my house for a time.

Sweet Music

Yesterday we got through the day, finally, by watching The Little Mermaid. It was Sydney's first time watching it and she was overly thrilled with the mermaid and the fish. She particularly liked "Under the Sea" - but come on, who doesn't? It was so inspiring in fact, that we created our own music too.

I know, you're jealous of how cool we are.

I'm SUCH a good mom...

Remember how my family was sick last week? Well it caught up to me this week. Mady is still yucky and just spit up on me. I feel like a hot air balloon is being inflated inside my skull, and Sydney is all better. Of course she is. She asked to go outside and play at the park today. Sorry babe, it's so not happening. I got both girls down for naps - at the same time!- today and went to take a nap myself. Mady (who is a terrible napper) woke up right as I was falling asleep. She sounded happy so I turned the monitor down hoping I could get 20 minutes in. I woke up an hour later when my visiting teaching partner called to see if she could bring me soup. Mady was screaming hysterically. I'm such an awesome mom, I didn't even hear her. That's how great I feel! Sorry for the lack of pictures. I had great ambitions to get them up today, but I am going to go eat my soup now and Sydney just woke up. Signing off.

Blahhhhhh

Sydney and Aaron are finally starting to get better. A week later. Mady had a fever this morning, so I'm praying she's not getting sick and that it's due to teething. About half an hour ago I was trying to make Mady a bottle and put some medicine in it. I set the medicine on the counter turned around to grab something and turned back. There is Sydney (where did she come from?) with an empty medicine bottle and white powder all over the floor. Ahhhhhhh. I actually couldn't speak. I grabbed the vacuum and tried to clean it up, but it was too fine. It tracked it all over my kitchen and vacuum. Now I am scrubbing my vacuum AND my kitchen floor. I know I shouldn't have left in on the counter, but seriously Sydney? Good thing I haven't showered yet today...

Madelyn

Mady is now 8 1/2 months old and is definitely developing a great and fun personality. She is also demonstrating her lack of patience with not being held and getting her way, which is a slight switch from Sydney who did not want to be held (unless it was by daddy). She is a sweet baby and I am very glad to have a cuddle bug, despite my inability to effectively do anything while holding her. It's ok. I like it. :) She definitely knows how to turn on the charm!

And so accomplished. That fish face took a lot of practice.

She has such smiley eyes. She's our little doll whom we love dearly.

Getting in a little snuggle time with Papa. I'm sorry to say it's rare. She prefers Mommy.

She has finally started eating some real foods but is decidedly against anything pureed and is now wary of utensils. She prefers picking up her own food or taking it straight from your fingers. This picture was taken tonight. She is covered in black beans and chocolate. It was a winning combination if I do say so myself.

She's finally started to say some consonants too. I filmed this on the way to Idaho - we got to listen to it most of the trip. After we got back she learned mamamama (not the word, just the sound), then babababa, and recently geegee.

Oh the Joys

We've had such an awesome weekend. Seriously. Aaron and Sydney both have 101 degree fevers and Mady is either getting sick or teething. I've had a headache and some other longlost discomforts and whatever Aaron & Sydney have keeps trying to take up residence in me too, despite the no vacancies sign I have permanently tattooed on my forehead. Rude. We have had a few good moments though, including listening to a few general conference talks (between the constant cries of "Nemo, Nemo!" and "yayayayayayaya") and selling our old tv and entertainment center (Thank you Craigslist buyers!). All in all, a very full weekend. Thank goodness it's over.

Family Pictures

While in Idaho we had the opportunity to take some family photos with my family since almost everyone was there - we were missing Katie :( There were lots of great ones, so here are my favorites of us and then you can see the collage of all of us. She was the easiest because she couldn't run away! The only good one of them together

All we had to do was sing "Mady Cakes, Mady Cakes" (the lollipop song) and she smiled.

She just ran wild.

I love Sydney's mad scientist eyebrows in the top middle picture. So perfect. Thank you to Jessica and Heath (Kesska & Heaf) for all the great pictures!

We're doing sooooo well...

I wrote the title of this post on Sept 26 and it's now Oct 1. I officially rock. I'm going to try to binge blog for a bit so I can get it all out and be caught up so I can actually record little funny occurrences in our lives, instead of just big momentous occasions. I'm all about that. The big ones seem overwhelming. Ugh. First off, the trip to Idaho and back. Both car rides were a little murderous (as in we all felt like murdering someone at some point) but we all made it safe and sound - hooray! We packed about a million toys (it's 12 hours!) and tried to stop in parks where there were toys and such to keep Sydney entertained. In Idaho we went to the zoo with Grammy (Aaron's mom), Aunt Adi, and cousin Jack. Sydney was obsessed with every lion we saw (except the real ones she couldn't touch) and named them all Alex. (Thank you Madagascar 2). I pried her off this baby at least 6 times.

Mady enjoyed all the extra attention and started posing for the camera. Here she is with John (Aaron's dad).

I love the crinkly nose thing. I do it too, so I guess it's genetic.

Sydney got clobbered in her first wrestling match with cousin Ike (1 year old). Uncle J was so proud.

My parents own horses and Sydney was a little scared of them, but fascinated all the same. She loved going out with Nana to feed them corn and anything else she could find that they would eat. After we got home she talked for almost 2 weeks about it. She'd say, "I coming horsies. Sydney coming. Bring corn. Pet 'em."