Thatcher and his girls...playing in closets and goodbye hugs

This week it has been raining nonstop, so Lexi and Erica came over with their moms to provide some much needed entertainment. After taking a minute to warm up to each other, Lexi and Thatcher had shut themselves in the coat closet in complete darkness. They were laughing hysterically, but when Michelle poked her head in to see what was going on, Lexi promptly shut the door.
Erica left after Lexi and when she did, she and Thatcher had quite the hug. This is the last time (probably ever) that the two will see each other because the Allreds are moving. Even though Thatcher didn't understand that, he was very compliant when we asked them to hug each other and had plenty of time to take cute pictures.
I love seeing Thatcher interact more and more with his little friends.

two boys doing boy things

Thatcher and James have a new favorite activity...wrestling! The first couple times Thatcher started to wrestle with James, I would ask him to get off because it was just too rough, but James LOVES it. Thatcher will either lay on James's belly or his back and try to roll around with him, James laughs hysterically and it is the funniest thing to watch. James is going to be a pretty tough kid with what he is learning to put up with so young. They love each other so much and make my days so happy.

lightning storms and sunburns

I forgot how crazy the weather here is in the summer. We spent one morning at the pool with some friends. It was gorgeous weather and had a fun time...until later when I realized that my sunscreening skills were terribly lacking. Both James and I had funny sunburn marks on our foreheads where the sunscreen stick had missed. James's sunhat kept falling off so I took it off and thought my body was shielding him from the sun, but I was wrong. James got a sunburn all over his head because he doesn't have enough hair to protect him. Then me...I diligently put suncscreen everywhere except my back and sure enough got fried (so bad that days of ice and aloe and no bra were required). Fun times.

But the funniest part is that as soon as we got home there was a crazy huge thunder storm. That is what happens almost every day and it is so bizarre. That day it was extra loud and I watched a tree behind our house get struck by lightning. The house shook from the thunder it was so loud and Thatcher and James both woke up from their naps from all the noise.

observation

Yesterday a friend came over to observe the boys in their 'natural habitat' for a class she is taking. We just talked and she would jot down notes as she noticed interesting interactions. It definitely made me more aware of my two cute boys, and here are some of the things I noticed:

- Thatcher is a total ham. He loves new people and gets really hyper. He likes to show off his jumping, spinning, running, and skipping skills. I don't blame him, they are pretty cool.

- Thatcher is very obedient...when he wants to be. Yesterday was a day he wanted to be. Everytime I asked him to do something (give James another toy, not hit mom with a toy, not rattle the blinds, etc., he stopped immediately. One time he got a little look in his eye and I threatened him with time out. He immediately stopped doing what I had asked him to stop doing and ran to the stairs to sit in time out. It was so cute. Now if I could only figure out how to get him to be so sweet all the time.

- Thatcher loves James and James loves Thatcher. They get each other laughing so hard. One starts laughing and then the other laughs at that and it goes back and forth until they are almost screaming.

-Thatcher loves to explain what he is doing now that he is talking more. He would hide his Chick Hicks car in a box and say, "where is chick hicks?," "in the box!"

- James is a screamer. I remember this stage with Thatcher and it cracks me up. James is perfectly content and playing on the floor and experimenting with his voice and it sounds like he is a bird...a really loud bird.

- Thatcher is super affectionate. Multiple times he would be playing, and then run at me full speed and give me a hug. He also carried around a little duck stuffed animal and would hug him and then say, "hug".

- Oh, and Thatcher loves graham crackers. I never buy them, but got a huge box at Sam't club yesterday and I am pretty sure graham crackers comprised half of all his calories for the day. He is just like his mom. If I didn't have to watch what I eat I am sure graham crackers would be half of what I eat too.

I love my kids. It makes me happy to have someone else come over and observe just how cute and fun and sweet and crazy my two boys are.

one time should have been enough...

...to learn my lesson, but apparently it wasn't. So even though a few days ago James was somehow able to miraculously undo a poopy diaper that I had just changed, and even though he has an extraordinary ablilty to get into his hands anything he sets his eye on, and even though he has a strange interest in diapers...when I changed his dirty diaper today and wrapped it up, I left it in close proximity to him. Moments later I looked over to see a piece of poop wedged under his neck, one smashed on his heel that h was repeatedly hitting against the carpet, and another a few inches away. The cleanup wasn't that pretty...poop in his hair, on his belly, all up his legs, and in his neck creases. Too bad I didn't learn my lesson the first time, but from now on, all soiled diapers will go straight into a plastic bag and up high where baby James can't wreak havoc.

good times

Ty has worked a lot this week and we have missed him. Last night when he came home we were so excited to have dad with us. We went on a walk to the Maverick and got ice cream. By the time we came home Thatcher who was already looking pretty goofy (holding his Toy Story collection which is comprised of two Pez dispensers, a Buzz toy and a new Buzz shirt his nana just mailed him), now had a very happy face covered in chocolate. We rinsed off his face with a hose then played outside and kicked around a soccer ball for a while where Thatcher impressed us with his soccer skills. It was a simple night, but it made me happy. Ice cream, hoses, soccer, oh and the best part was that it started to rain on us right as we were ready to go inside. I love it when life feels simple but fun, and meaningful.

besties

Yesterday I moved Thatcher's car seat next to James so I could give my visiting teaching companion a ride and her son needed to sit in the back. I left their seats that way the rest of the day and it was so funny to see how the boys interacted with each other. They laughed, sang, and talked to each other. It was so sweet. I love them and I really love the two of them together.

moments to remember

I had a moment yesterday with sweet baby James. Ty was gone at a meeting and Thatcher had already gone to bed. It was time for James to be in bed as well but we was being so sweet and funny that I wasn't ready to say goodnight just yet. I had a huge pile of clean laundry on the floor and James was very excited about it (he isn't crawling yet, but nothing is too far out of his reach...he can roll and wriggle his way anywhere). When he got close to the pile, he grabbed onto a blanket and rolled himself up in it, landing him right in the middle of the laundry pile. He looked up at me with the biggest smile and laughed as if he were saying, "look mom, I did it." It was a typical moment for my sweet baby boy, but it really hit a chord in me. I got choked up and cried a little thinking about how terribly blessed I am and how fast these precious times are flying. I love my baby and I hope I am enjoying every minute enough. He is so perfectly squishy, happy, cuddly, and angelic. There are a number of other moments from this past week that I don't want to forget (bummer that I am only 3 months into my year-long goal and I have already fallen short many times). I haven't had a camera the past few weeks so these memories are picture-less.

Deer farm...last Friday I took the boys to the Grand Canyon Deer Farm. I invited some other friends and we had a pretty big group. We were able to pet goats and feed the deer. The deer surrounded us and Thatcher got a little nervous, but he was very interested in all of it too. We also saw buffalo, camels, llamas, reindeer, birds, pigs, different kinds of horses, and other fun animals. Thatcher loved looking at the animals as long as they were behind gates (not the case with the deer), and had fun playing on the Santa-like sleigh and old tractor with the other kids.

Falling asleep on the stairs..the other day we came home from the gym and I was talking on the phone to Maggie. I thought Thatcher was just playing on the stairs (the other day he was on the stairs for a while taking every shoe out of its place and lining them all up on the stairs), but after a while I decided to check on him. He had lain himself down on the bottom stair and fallen asleep. It was so cute to see my sweet boy curled up on the stair...I just love him.

Touch a truck...last Saturday I was determined to take Thatcher to the 'touch-a-truck' event. We went last year and I was excited to take Thatcher this year because I knew he would love it even more. I spent the morning helping clean at the cabin with the Ridings, then hurried home to go with the boys and Ty. Sure enough, it was raining like crazy. We decided to go anyway. We got lucky with almost a half-hour of no rain and had fun looking at all the trucks. Thatcher got to sit in a helicopter, a Mack truck, a tractor, a snow plow, and other cool trucks. It started raining again before too long so we hurried home, but it was fun!

First rainbow...yesterday there was a gorgeous rainbow and Thatcher was super excited about it. We showed it to him and the rest of the evening he was saying 'rainbow' in his own special way. We saw it at the grocery store, at the gas station, and then at our house. When it was time to go to bed he was sad because he wanted to be outside with the rainbow. I love being a mom and getting to experience firsts with my boy. It is so fun to see him discover the world (at this moment he is discovering a little bump he has on his stomach and even that is making me laugh).

Swimming...last week I took the boys swimming one day after working out at the gym. The boys were good and things went as smoothly as they could have gone, but I don't think we will go back any time soon. It is a lot of work to take to un-potty-trained babies to the pool who can't swim. We ended up spending as much time in the water as it took to get us all in our swimsuits and sunscreened up. Oh well, it was worth a try. Maybe next summer it will feel more doable.

Bubbles...Thatcher is geting very good at blowing bubbles. Sure he gets bubble stuff all over his face and lips and we waste a lot of the bubble solution, but he knows how to blow and bubbles do get blown. I can't believe my boy is as old as he is. It is so fun, but it makes me sad too.

Saying goodnight to James...the last two nights Thatcher has had a little freak out when we have said good night and left his room. That is so unlike him so we know something has been wrong. What was wrong is that Thatcher didn't get to say goodnight to his baby brother. Once we take Thatcher to James's bassinet (in our closet) and have him give baby James a kiss, he is ready for bed. He is the best big brother. I can already tell that he is going to be very protective of his brother and I love it.

Thatcher talking...he really is talking up a storm. I have to remind him to use his words a lot (whining is a big problem right now), but he can help tell me almost anything he wants. Everyday there is something new and I am amazed with the words he is remembering and the information he retains. Just yesterday and today I have taught him that if we wants to play with a toy that James has, he needs to give James a different toy first so James won't be sad. It is amazing to me that he understands the concept and actually does what I ask him

Toy Story III...while we were in Utah, Thatcher learned from Redding that Buzz was super cool. He watched Toy Story with Red, and his Grandma Martin got him a Buzz lunch box. When we got back to Flagstaff, Ty and I got Thatcher a little Buzz toy that Thatcher has not let out of his sight. A couple weeks ago we took both boys to Toy Story III. Thatcher loved it and did great (even thought half the movie was spent standing, not sitting on the chair) and James loved it too (he sat on my lap and watched most of it instead of sleeping through it which is what I thought he would do). It was a fun family treat to all go to the movie theaters and now the obsession with Toy Story and Buzz has been solidified.

James the eater and the mover.... Ty is giving him two weeks to be officially crawling and I think he might be right. We will see. It is amazing to see how he can get across a room. He is getting much better at eating too. He is now eating solids three times a day (sometimes I feel like all I am doing is preparing baby food, feeding James, or cleaning up the crazy messes that result from his eating) and is doing great. Weaning is going well too...it is easier than I thought it would be (the guilt is just as bad as I thought it would be) and think he will be completely weaned within the week.

The duck...This morning I got out the duck that Thatcher took his baths in when he was James' age (that lasted until he decided a few months later that we was deathly afraid of the duck and would have a panic attack until it was removed from his sight). Thatcher was super excited and I put both boys (who were wearing only diapers...so cute) in the duck. They barely fit, but they loved it (for a minute at least). I love seeing them laugh at each other and enjoy each other. It is amazing to me how much they already interact and know each other. Thatcher has continued to play with and in the duck the rest of the morning. This was the first morning all week that I didn't get us ready and out the door to the gym super early and it has been so nice to just play with and enjoy my boys (and to also help James get his morning nap which he never gets at the gym).

Things are looking good...I feel for the first time since we have moved here that I have friendsv(with the exception of Ashley who was a great friend for a long time). Making friends has been hard for me and I still don't really have anyone I feel I could call and ask for anything, but things are also a lot better than they have been. I have my craft club, tonight I am hosting Bunco night, last week I had a really fun time at dinner, I had friends come to the deer farm, and I am happy with that. I feel like I have enough and that isn't something I have felt since I have moved here.
I also have some fun things to look forward too. Kelly is coming here in a few weeks, then we are going to spend some time in Utah, then Ty and I have his company retreat in Lake Powell (with no kids!!). Then in October all the girls on my mom's side of the family are meeting in Utah for a girls weekend without kids. I am also going to run a half marathon that weekend (yes, my goal of running one in August is being postponed). I feel like I have some fun things to look forward to and to work towards.
The last bit of news in my personal life is that we are putting out townhouse up for sale in hopes that we will be moving to Gilbert in about a year. The thought of living in 100 degree plus weather for at least 4 months out of the year makes me want to cry, but everything else about this opportunity sounds perfect and like something that will bless our family a lot. We have a lot of praying to do and time to figure it out, but I am excited and think a change will be good for all of us.

i love...

I love running before the sun is up and without my boys...it makes running feel empowering and invigorating, not like a thing on my to do list.

I love story time with Mr. ? who sings awesome songs and makes great animal noises. I have never had so much fun while at the library.

I love taking a shower and blow drying my hair (I did my hair once last week...here's to hoping for more success this week).

I love it when Thatcher takes long naps...I blow dried my hair, I started a sewing project, James and I got to snuggle, James helped me organize my closet, and now I am writing this post.

But most of all...I love this crazy hair pulling, insane rolling machine, belly patting, always laughing, extremely observant, sometimes screaming, exceptionally coordinated baby of mine.

prize

On Saturday I picked up a little 'surprise' from a friend for Thatcher. It was a little toddler-sized Lightning McQueen couch that folds out to be a little bed and then a Lightning McQeeen shaped lamp. Thatcher has gone crazy over his 'prize'. He plays with his lamp nonstop (we figured out how to detach the cord so he can sleep with his new toy) and he wants to do everything on his couch. He sits on it, then he unfolds it, then he folds it back up and sits on it again. This morning he was trying to roll himself up in the couch and I was laughing at my clever little boy. He refers to both things as 'prize' and will do little without them. He is the best and now that he knows surprises mean lots of fun I am hoping they help motivate him in the future.

He is spoiled, but he deserves it too.

two extremes

Today was an interesting day. I spent most of sacrament walking around with a temperamental baby James and then I spent all of Sunday school dealing with a crying, dramatic, saddest-boy-you-have-ever-seen Thatcher. He has always loved nursery, but something went terribly wrong today and he was a wreck. He would cry and grab my face so I would look at him (one of my favorite things he does) and give me the saddest look in the whole world. We went back and forth from the foyer to the nursery room and after an hour of calmly discussing, a few threats, and a lot of distracting, I was able to leave him and he seemed to do pretty well for the last hour. However, that one hour of total devastation left me feeling discouraged and clueless as to how to improve my mothering so as to avoid such a situation in the future.

I am still working on that one, but this afternoon something else happened that left me feeling completely different. I nursed James after we came home from church and the two of us fell asleep in bed. I woke up more than an hour later with the most beautiful baby I have ever seen looking up at me. He was holding my arm with his arms and legs and giving me the most adoring, loving look you can imagine. I love being a mom. I love being a mom to two beautiful special boys. They are everything to me. Everything. And that makes all the tantrums, missed sacrament meetings, and worry worth it. So worth it.

newest resolve

Be Better!
I find myself so motivated some days and so unmotivated others. Sometimes it is just hours that separates my two extremes. Some days I eat healthy, run, play with my kids, get ready, cook dinner, and other days the drive is just not there. I have been so discouraged that despite healthy eating (for the most part) and consistent exercise (I really have been good about that one) I haven't lost even one pound since James was 10 days old.

Goals for the next five weeks:
- be in the 130s if it kills me. I thought that would be no question, but now I know I need to fight for it
- enter all my food info starting tomorrow for five weeks (July 10-August 14)
- train for 1/2 marathon and run it in under 2 hours
- wean James....still deciding on this one
- feed James solids at least twice a day
- get both boys sleeping in the same room
- teach Thatcher time out
- potty train Thatcher
- do an art-related activity, read a book, and do something fun out of the house every day with Thatcher

After that my goals will be focused on other things like: spiritual FHE's, and more meaningful scripture study, but this is good for now.

home again home again

We have now been home for a few days and though it is sad in a lot of ways to be away from family, I think my kids are a lot happier. Sure they get neglected, sometimes ignored and sure we don't do fun things like swimming and jumping on the trampoline on a daily basis, but they get to sleep in their beds, take naps in quiet places, be on a routine, and play with their toys. Those few things have made a big difference. James has been sleeping great at night and during the day and both kids have been more consistently happy (expect for the disastrous doctor experience).
The first morning we were back Thatcher didn't want to get out of his crib. He gets excited to be in it at nap time and bed time. He is such a sweet kid. Even though I was excited to have him in a toddler bed and James in the crib, it looks like it is going to be a while before Thatcher can part with his beloved crib.

nightmare at the doctor's

I took both boys to the doctor the other day. Thatcher for his 2 year checkup and James for his 6 month. From the moment I got the boys out of the car I knew it was going to be a disaster... I have never been more right. Thatcher was so grumpy and mad and I have never seen him act quite so naughty. He pulled my hair and emptied out drawers while his darling pediatrician was trying to talk to me. I was so embarrassed. I looked like I had no idea what I was doing and that was because I didn't! Thatcher never really acts like that and so when he does I don't know what to do.
Every thing we did was a huge ordeal--getting his temperature taken, getting weighed, measured, head measured, then when the doctor listened to his heart beat and looked in his ears, mouth and eyes. He was screaming, kicking, and throwing a fit through all of it. It climaxed with his shot and once we left the office he was happy sweet Thatcher again (except for later on that afternoon when he bit James's hand and kicked me...we have now officially begun time outs in our family).
So in the end we survived. My pride didn't, but the rest of us did.
Both of the boys are healthy and right on track developmentally. James was a sweetheart and had to get three separate shots. Both boys are pretty average in weight and height, but Thatcher and especially James have huge heads. I think James was in the upper 90th percentile...crazy! Because Thatcher was skinny for so long, James weighs as much Thatcher did when he was 9 months old. I love having a baby with some chunk and with a beautiful big head!

at the park with papa and Josh

building a fort

We went to Costco before heading up to the Canyons and Thatcher had fun piling all the food around him. I thought it was so cute and clever (but then again, everything that boy does just melts my heart).

Valais

We spent the last day of our trip in Midway with Ty's family at Valais. Valais is heaven. It is gorgeous, there are tennis courts, trails for running and bike riding, playgrounds, volleyball and basketball courts, indoor and outdoor pools...it is perfect. We had a great time swimming, feeding horses, eating eggs benedict (thanks again Seth), and riding bikes and were sad we didn't have more time to spend with family.

the 4th of July

Ty came to Salt Lake to join us for the last week of our Salt Lake adventure and we had a blast. We spent most of the time at the Canyons. We went on bike rides, went running, swam, went to the Oakley Rodeo one night, saw fireworks with Ty's family my family and we also went to the Park City 4th of July parade. Ty took the boys to Provo one morning for a family celebration complete with a candy cannon and we also got to see a movie in the theaters (quite the event for us). Besides that, we ate lots of junk food and had a good time.

a change in plans

Yesterday I felt motivated. I got out of bed at 6:15 and started cooking, cleaning and getting things done. The boys woke up and I fed them both breakfast (a time consuming endeavor when you have a baby James how insists on putting his fist and then his bib in his mouth between every bite), then put them both in the bath. I was right on schedule to make it to my weight lifting class when things changed. Thatcher jumped out of the tub twice to go and sit on the potty. I had to persuade him to get back in the tub to wash him but then as soon as I was done it was back on the potty. Time was running short and so I got James ready then started to get Thatcher lotioned up and dressed. However, Thatcher was very adamant that I not put his diaper on and ever time I mentioned it he ran to the potty. After a while he closed the bathroom door with a sweet, 'bye' and a minute later came out saying, "pee pee" and pointing to his little potty. Sure enough he had peed. I was so excited. We went downstairs, got him a popsicle, picked out a pair of big boy underpants and talked about all the the prizes he would get if he did it again. I talked to my mom and decided to not go to the gym because this was huge and I shouldn't miss such a great opportunity. Things went well for a little while when, "uh-oh"... Thatcher peed on the floor in his big boy underpants. After that I put a diaper on and he pooped in that. The rest of the day he wouldn't even sit on the potty until bedtime when once again he refused to have a diaper put on him. He and his dad took turns sitting on the potty, but after a half-hour and way past his bedtime with no success, we forced a diaper on him and put him in his crib.
Today he has shown the same interest and has been in his big boy underpants for a couple hours with no accident, but also with nothing to show in the potty. We will see what happens. I would die if he really could be potty trained this young, but I know I shouldn't get my hopes up.

a sweet moment

Today as Thatcher was running around in his big boy underwear (SO CUTE) and laughing while James was rolling all over the place and staring at his brother and laughing as well, I thought...man, I am the luckiest woman on the planet. I love my boys. I love that they love each other. I love that we have fun together and am excited for a the fun memories to come.