Little Jerk!

I said, "Caleb, get down here now or you're gonna be on the naughty list."

Caleb said, "Well M-ahhhhh-m, Luke and me are already on the naughty list so..." (I'll come down when I want to come down.)

Little jerk!

Blue Cheese

At the grocery store the other day I said to Caleb, "We just need to get some blue cheese and then we're done."  In shock and with huge eyes he says, "There's BLUE cheese in the this REAL LIVE WORLD?!"  Which reminds me...when we were moving so often during grad school Luke used to ask, "What's THIS world called?"  Referring to Pennsylvania, or Utah, or Mexico.  I guess Mexico does seem like a different world.

Miss What?

I've been calling Greta 'Miss' or 'Missy' or 'Little Miss' recently.  The boys have added to this endearment in a strange way and I've heard them say,  "There's the little Miss Piss" or "Hi, Missy Pissy."  It's weird...and funny!

Pictures of Our Girl

Here's Greta at 8 months (August)

9 months (September)

10 months (October)

and 11 months (November)

She's going to be 1 in about 10 days and like all parents, I can't believe it!

A Story for the Wedding

I've been teaching a few kids how to play the piano and the boys know that when I'm with a student they can play outside or watch TV upstairs.  That's the rule.  Luke usually comes home in the middle of a lesson so he comes in, drops his stuff, goes potty, and then runs outside.

One particular day Caleb and his friend forgot the rule (or ignored it) and kept coming in and out and ringing the door bell.  To keep them out I finally locked the doors.  About 5-10 minutes before my lesson was finished I began to hear Luke banging on the garage door and yelling, "M-ahhhhhh-m!"  I ignored it until the lesson was done and then went to the back door.  I opened it and found Luke with his pants and underwear to his ankles.  He says, "I had to go to the bathroom."  "Didn't you just go?"  "Yea, but I had to poop and now I need some tissue."  "You pooped?  Where?"  He then points with one hand out the garage and then quickly with the other hand toward the other side of the house while looking a little suspicious.  He went in to clean up while I did a little poop search.  The location...the bed of Grandpa's truck which we had borrowed for the week.  He said no one would see him in there.  Yea, sure.  If you know the layout of our cul-de-sac and driveway this logic is even funnier.

So it seems he thought through what location would provide the most privacy (failed), but didn't quite run through what he'd do to clean himself up (double fail).  Assuming no one saw him he wasn't at all embarrassed just sort of 'Gotta do what you gotta do.'

Ben made him hose out the back of the truck when he got home which, for Luke, turned out to be fun, hilarious, and not an effective punishment.

To Post or Not to Post

Our blog is not private so sometimes I worry about the thoughts of people who don't know us and our values.  But whatever!  Here's the story.

When we moved in I hung some curtains in the kitchen to cover the sliding glass door.  I was worried the boys would get chasing each other around the table (or whatever riotous behavior) and yank the curtain rod out of the wall.  Ben told them that if they touched the curtain he would cut their finger off.  Then he showed them the detached thumb trick (ya know the one?) and told them when he was little he pulled on Grandma Rollins curtains.

Now every time they swish past the curtain they begin to whimper in a sort of "I don't think mom or dad would do that...or would they?"  Yea, they're adequately confused and we're bad parents.

Luke the Determined

Luke came home from school the other day and told me he played a sixth grader at tetherball and lost.  This amuses me for a couple of reasons.  First, I laugh as I imagine the big kid challenging Luke to a match and Luke actually thinking, "yea, I could take him."  Second, I giggle as I imagine this sixth grader whacking the ball with every turn and Luke helplessly jumping and swinging at air.  Thirdly, I smile because he was absolutely not bothered that he got totally smoked only encouraged to practice more.

His request from Santa...a tetherball set.  It's already on the way.

Finally a Quick Update

So we finally moved out of our parents home.  Why we left we’re not so sure – giant theater room, granite counter tops, mom’s cooking - but we loved staying with the parents and appreciate their kindness.  Our boys miss sharing their wisdom with our parents: one morning Caleb walked upstairs and found Grandpa working on the computer.  Caleb said, “Grandpa, do you know why cats have tails?  It is to keep their bums warm.”  Another day Luke was eating a sandwich for lunch with Grandpa and Grandma Rollins.  Luke said, “Grandpa, do you know why we call salami, salami?”.  “No I don’t,” said Grandpa.  Luke continued, “It’s because it tastes like salami!”  Yes, geniuses in the making.

So we moved back into the home we bought 3 years ago in Lehi and had been renting while going to school and living with Ben’s parents.  Here is the low down:

Ben – Merged off his eye bandage company into another company and received some compensation for his work for the past year.  Hoping that it pays off bigger in a few more years.  Decided to take a job at the University of Utah to help find and turn technologies into viable businesses which will make biiiilllliiooons - maybe.  Just called to be Sunday School President.

Nicole - Works daily to keep house in order (really it's useless).  Volunteers weekly at Luke's school.  Teaches a few neighborhood kids how to play the piano.  Plays the piano for primary (beautiful music but can become a little mind numbing).

Luke - 6 years old, first grader, member of the "Pilgrims Landing 4-7 year old boy gang" currently boasting about 10 members.  Recent havoc includes writing all over the driveway of a neighbor with crab apple berries (does not wash off with water only a bleach solution applied with elbow grease), busting the porch bench of same neighbor, throwing tomatoes onto a tramp and then proceeding to jump and squash them into sauce, and taking a baseball bat to our tree leaving it naked with its branches strung across the yard.  After being publicly grounded for the last incident his friends assured him, "it's okay Luke, we've got recess."

Caleb - 4 years old, also a member of above mentioned boy gang.  Also took part in all gang related activity.  Begins a gymnastics class this week.  Does not attend preschool, instead runs errands with me and plots with all gang members currently too young to attend school.  Not afraid to speak his mind: While at Grandmas, Peter broke Caleb’s sword so Caleb hit Peter.  Aunt Melanie looked at Caleb and told him not to hit.  Caleb stood there for a second looking at Melanie and then said, “You don’t live hear you know.”

Greta - 11 months old, not quite a walker, the best eater in the house and very regularly out eats both her brothers.  Is not shy, regularly screams a high-pitch scream during sacrament, in the car, or while shopping.

Those are the high-lights. This update in no way preludes more regular posting.  I make no promises.  I will, although, post some more pictures this week - probably.

Love,

The "Awesomist Forever Family in the World" (Caleb's words)

The Passionate One

Thanks to Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, Caleb now sings...

"All the single ladies, all the single ladies,

All the single ladies, all the single ladies"

It's quite funny! If only we could get him to do the Beyonce rump shake!

Caleb is so far my most passionate child, giving me spontaeous hugs and kisses while telling me how much he loves me and then hours later yelling, "I hate you!" because I told him he couldn't have a third donut.

Now...how do I channel that passion toward the right things???

Greta Girl

She's growin'. This is Greta on her 4 month birthday. She's even bigger now. She'll be 5 months on Saturday. In this picture you can really see her baby blues.

My mom made these pants thanks to Alissa's posted pattern. Alissa, the women in my mom's knitting group are now circling the pattern and my sister has sent in measurements to have mom get on making a pair for her boy.

If you look carefully you'll notice that she has already had her first pedicure...and she didn't even know it. My mom painted her toes while she slept.

Being this adorable just wipes a girl out!

My Blue Eyed Babies

Home Alone

Yesterday, at church, as we were all getting to Sacrament I was realizing that Luke was no where to be found. Ben took a few laps through the building and still we couldn't find him. Finally, he says to his dad, "Did you take Luke to church?" "No. Didn't you?" See, he took Caleb and so we assumed that he took Luke too.

The kicker...we have Sacrament last.

Yea, for 2 hours Luke was at home alone. Ben ran home to get him and I paced the building with Greta. 2 hours is a long time and I worried he might have felt abandoned. When I saw him coming up to the doors he was almost giddy with what he got away with. It seems he watched TV, ate candy and even changed his clothes because heck, why did he need to wear those anymore?

Sewing

My mother is an excellent seamstress. I've never sewn anything more than a pillow case and an elastic waist skirt. I decided to give it a try and with my moms help I've created these adorable ensembles.

Amy gave me these super cute booties. I picked this fabric specifically to match the booties.

If you can't tell these pants have a linen feel to them. They are my favorite. All I need now is for her to grow another inch, gain a couple more pounds and have the sun warm up UT.

Went to a Funeral

Gramma's funeral was last week. It was so unexpected which made it so much harder. Everyone is in agreement that Papa should be with her soon. He hasn't been the same Pop for years, he isn't aware of much, he forgets a lot. When Gramma was here she hadn't been able to enjoy the man that he really is for years. And so, when he passes not only will he be thrilled to see her and be rid of his breaking body but she will be reunited with the mentally alert Ray she married. I suspect his funeral will feel much different.

Perspective

I got my hair cut a few days ago. I've been excited and I'm trying to get used to it. I've felt and messed with it a lot. I've looked in the mirror a lot to try and remember how I look now. And then I learned that my Gramma Janice died suddenly and unexpectedly yesterday and I don't care about my hair anymore.

I just want to hug my Gramma and tell her how amazing I think she is and that I love her.

82 gallons

The other day I was sitting in a yarn shop waiting for my mom and I needed to feed Greta. So I got her out and was nursing her when a lady who worked at the shop started chit chatting with me. She said there is a girl who comes into the shop who had triplets recently. She's been pumping in order to feed them and has needed to keep track of how much went to each boy. She's kept up a nice log and calculated that she had pumped over 82 gallons of milk.

Yeah.

I don't know how old her boys are, but even if they are 1 that is some serious lactating.

This got me thinking, "I wonder how much milk my body has produced?" So with a little guessing and a little calculating it seems I've given about 9 to 10 gallons of milk to Greta who is only 13 weeks old. This just blows me away and kinda grosses me out.

What the Heck Ben is Doing and other stuff

Ben is still working away with his partner on their medical device company. Here is a link to what his company is all about - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdBhOOSGNBU

He heads to 3 more competitions in March to bring in some more money. With a potential deal for the eye bandage looming in the air, Ben and Brian (his partner in the lab) will begin to move their product to skin.

Luke turned 6 last month with a celebration at Chuck E Cheeses...always the best in fun and pizza...well, at least fun.

For a family party I made a Poke Ball cake. I was almost done frosting the cake when Caleb told me it was an upside down cake. I guess red is suppose to be on top. Whoops!

Greta turned 2 months old the beginning of Feb and smiles all the time. She's sleeping better and better usually giving me a good 6 to 7 hours.

Caleb got his hair cut and was pretty upset about it for a couple hours.

For those who liked the long hair, it will be back by summer. I didn't realize how much I liked it until I was looking through pictures from this last summer. It was so wavy and BLOND! I can't believe how much blonder it was.

Does this make anyone else as anxious for summer as me?? Watermelon at the park? I'm so ready!

As for me, I feel good and am settling into 'mother of 3.' And I feel the best about the settling when the kids look like this...

...sleeping, or seconds away from it!

2 months in a flash

Who is that boy?? The hair is gone and I hardly recognize him.

Greta grew into and out of her first pair of shoes (made by Grandma Dutson). Super cute, eh?

Greta at 1 week old.

Greta at 2 weeks old.

Wrapping paper swimming after Christmas morning at G & G Rollins.

Grandpa Rollins 90th Birthday at Turf Paradise Race Track in Phoenix.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Visiting Grandpa's Ranch and the race horses.

Cousins Greta (6 wks) and Henry (14 wks).

To remind you that Luke looks like this now.

And He Said...

Yesterday Caleb was given a CTR (Choose The Right) ring in church.  He came out of his class and told Ben, "today we got rings but we didn't get married."

I'm glad to hear primary teachers aren't betrothing sunbeams to each other.