Where Babies Come From... A Conversation with a 2 2/3 year old.

Carter is standing by his train basket with his diaper off trying to push his train "Dash" up his ding dong. "What are you doing Carter?", I ask. "Mom, I'm pushing my train into my belly because I'm going to have a baby". "Oh, well Carter, you can't have babies because you are a boy. When you get big, you'll get married like mommy and daddy, and then the mommy will have the babies. You will have the priesthood and give people blessings from Heavenly Father to help them be happy", I explain. "Oh Mom, I need a hug because that makes me so so sad. I don't like it." This poor kid has no idea! Other funnies- following behind me he says, "Mom I'm in your hind!". And before I never write it down, at Christmas time Carter was saying a prayer over a meal. He closed in the name of Jesus Christ, and then said, "Oh and Merry Christmas!" What a sweet boy. Kai guy is walking! Full blown walking! He started the week before he turned 11 months old, and he is doing amazing. He walk all around the house now and gets into everything! He's become so much more of an independent little guy. So nice! He used to want mommy to hold him all day long, but now he's a baby on a mission to explore every nook and cranny. He also loves to mimick me saying "Dadadadada". So cute. I love my babies. I love them even more now than I did last month because now that we've been home for a while, they are finally sleeping through the night regularly! Yay. That means a much happier mommy.

Attempts at Discipline

Carter is in his terrific twos- and has a few slightly terrible moments. On one of the days when I was not acting like the mother of the year, I told him to "go away!" I don't even remember why- I just remember I had had it. Well now I'm paying for it! Anytime he gets upset he's been yelling at me to "go away mom!". Oh it hurts my feeling so much it's almost embarrassing. So I decided I needed to teach him that saying things like that wasn't nice, but without getting angry. So I decided to try putting soap in his mouth- my mom used to do this. So the first time I put a dot of soap on his tongue he cried and it was sad. The second time he fought me hard, so I said I'd let him have another try. The third time I tried to put soap in his mouth (all in about 20 minutes) he says to me "Mom, no not in here, soap is for my hair!" Haha. Maybe he's too young to make that association yet! I also make Carter hold my hand when we cross the street or in parking lots which he hates. We walked from the car to the doors of walmart yesterday and as soon as we walked in the door I let go of his hand. While then he was so upset and bolted towards the door which terrified me because he would run right into the street!- but he turned around as soon as got just outside the doors and stepped over the threshold himself! Haha. That boy is so independent- how dare I take him one step further holding his hand then absolutely necessary!

Like 13 Carter Moments

Carter Moments: 1. "I not tired, I happy!" 2. When he's mad at mom points a finger at me and says "you're tired!" 3.Where's Jason Carter? "Jay is on a missin' and teach about Jesus"! 4. "Mom, shut the door I goin' on a mission". (zthe day Jason left our house to report to the MTC. 5. Carter we're going home to see papa and Nina and watch president Monson on friday! "No pwofet monson, only Pluto!" (my parents neighbors' dog.) 6. I was trying to get ready in the bathroom, Carter was playing in the bath, and Kai was sitting between my legs. Kai tipped over and hit his head on the base of the vanity. (ouch!) Carter gets a very concerned look on his face, almost to tears and says, "Mom be carwful wis my bruder!" Haha. 7. We made pumpkin bread tonight and of course left a loaf within his reach on the counter. He reaches up and grabs half of the loaf in his hand and then with huge bulging eyes says, "Wow! I gonna eat cake!" 8. Carter do you want to go to church today? "Yeah and have snacks and sings songs with fwiends!" (so glad he loves church for the food!) 9. After every suggestion we make to go anywhere or do anything he says, "Yay! That would be fun!" so cute. 10. As I'm loading the dishwasher one day he says, "mom, I wanna be a helper!" and then he loaded all the silverware himself and was so proud! 11. Oh this one is funny. His little bum hole is all sore and red so whenever he needs a diaper change he tells me, "mom I need some toothpaste fow my bum!" (his diaper rash ointment is called buttpaste) Haha. 12. His new favorite story is about Jonah and the "big fish"! We are reading bible stories right now. My favorite thing is he says, "And the fish ate Jonah's hairs!" 13. When I listened to the general relief society broadcast last night, President Monson was of course speaking. Carter was sitting on my lap in front of the computer, he kept saying, "Hi pwofet Monson! Hi Pwofet Monson!" He was annoyed that he didn't stop and say hi back. -Probably why he only wants to see Pluto now. Haha. Kai Moments: 1. Kai is rolling around the floor now. Maybe two weeks ago he just figured out that rolling will get him from one side to another. What he hasn't figured out is that is won't get him forward and backward but he still tries to roll and then gets frustrated when he can't reach the toy in front of him. 2. Kai is cutting teeth. A few weeks ago he got his bottom two, and now he has one top one and the other one is going to break the skin anytime now. Story: Because I'm sure his mouth hurts, Kai has been biting me to the point where I bleed when I'm nursing him. Ow. and Yeah, Ow. It had gotten so bad a few weeks ago that I decided I was going to quit nursing and transition him to formula. I was kind of complaining to God about this, because I know nursing is best for Kai, but I was in tears everytime I nursed him. After a particularly painful day, I woke up the next morning, and I my cuts were completely healed! It was amazing. I didn't have anymore pain. It was a small thing, but I was the first time I really recognized the physical healing power of the atonement. I really felt like it was a blessing from God. And now we are happily nursing away.

Mommy I hear Dancing...

We have been working on tiling our tub for weeks now-pushing months actually. Consequence = baths. Exclusively baths. Darn. Luckily my brother, Riley, is here with us for the week helping us try and finish it up so that we can all be a little cleaner :)

Carter said to me today: "Mommy I hear dancing!" (He was watching a recording of people dancing) So cute.

Our basement project is at least getting closer. After going through at least 10 samples of  grey paints- no lie- we found one we are settling for. It is still not grey. We don't understand why all the "greys" really look blue or purple or green. We even tried white paint with a few drops of black. Nope. That one looked blue. So our labor day = painting. Yesterday, we finished almost all of the wainscoting! We actually had a great time together. It was fun putting it up expect that we messed it up twenty times and had to keep recutting and renailing and reglueing everything. But hey- what else are old houses for? Oh and aside from my occasional lung bursting coughs the family is doing great.

A Carter Moment: We went on a walk today and he saw an old lady with white hair- he shouts out "look mom the prophet"! Haha. So funny. I'm imagining he got that idea from all of our storybooks where the prophets have white hair and beards. Who knows. New phrase of the week: "I can't mom." -actually means " I don't want too". Other favorites: I say, "Carter what do you want to eat?", he says "uh pink-a-butter and a nana, and eggs, and beans, and juice!"

A Kai Moment: We are so proud to announce that this week Kai got two teeth on the bottom! He's thrilled. He gets to try more foods now. He loves to eat pieces of fruit cocktail and he even tried shredded chicken this week. In other news- he fell off the bed last night! oop! And he might kinda have a small black eye from it. Parents of the year living in this house! Oh yeah- and he can sit up for a few minutes all by himself! Wow! Oh and- Carter and Kai can where the same size diapers and seem to have similar appetites. Hmmm...?

A Few Carter Moments:

He loves to play hide and seek. He'll go hide somewhere obvious- like putting one of Daddy's hats over his head and then say "where did Carter go?". As in- "mom pretend you can't tell where I am and go looking for me". So that's what I do. I look on the ceiling and behind chairs until he jumps out from where ever and says "here is Carter"! So funny. While today at dinner, I had Kai sitting on the table eating food in his bumbo. Kai blocked my head from Carter's view and so Carter said, "where's Mama?" Then he points to the ceiling and says. "Mama up dere....No." And then he says "Mama hind the nannas...No." Haha. He's so funny.

Other favorite saying lately: I say, "Carter, are you tired?" He says, "No, I happy!" Love love.

A Kai Moment:

Kai is eating solids! I really wanted to just nurse him exclusively for a year, but I guess that's not fair because he loves to eat and seems to need the extra calories. He's loved everything so far except alas my pureed broccoli. Oh darn.

I'M CUTE...!

In the last few weeks we've been getting serious about putting TaVaci together. We bought the name and started advertising about a month ago now. After I went to a seminar last week in Brigham City Casey and I decided we should just utilize our own house for TaVaci. So we've decided to remodel our basement a little in order to accomodate a studio. I'm pretty excited about it and I know already Carter will love it because he stands in front of the DVD with me and tries to do the dances! So awesome. Last Thursday Casey biked his very first 26 miles! Wow! So proud of him- go big or go home Baby!

A Carter Moment: Today Carter was in the bath and I walk in the room just having dressed myself. Carter: Purple! and...Red... and Nen! Big Purple! (my shirt was purple with one bold red stripe and one bold orange (nen) stripe). I say: Yep! Good job! Carter: (tips his head to his shoulder and thinks for two seconds)...that's cute! Mom cute!

That's the best compliment ever! Two year olds don't lie.

A Kai Moment: Scary Scary Scary. At my Nanny and Bompy's 60th wedding anniversary this last weekend, Kai got hit in the head with a soccerball. A soccerball kicked really hard by my poor dad. Of course it was meant for someone across the yard but it got Kai instead right in the temple. Oh it was scary. But he seems to be fine. He cried almost immediately...good sign. So maybe he lost a few brain cells but we are just glad it didn't hit him in the front of his head where he might have been more seriously injured. I'm thanking God for protective angels this weekend.

On a fun note- Kai has discovered he can grab his toes. So fun!