Lost in Summer

Its no secret that Im terrible at blogging. Everytime I decide to do better it seems like there is even more time between posts. Life with two kids is pretty entertaining (after the initial shock of it all). I am trying to be a good mom, and failing, but that is one thing I wont give up trying to get better at, and just maybe by the time my kids are moving out I will finally get it.

Arvella is huge now, by the way. We are just a few days shy of 7 months for her and I am still trying to figure out where April, May and June went. Here we are approaching August and Im beginning to realize life isnt going to slow down anytime soon.

Ira finally is tall enough for me to mark on the height chart we got (it begins at 36" off the floor) The other day I turned around and he could reach the light switch...seriously? Not to mention he drags chairs from the dining room into the kitchen to score a muffin or piece of gum off the counter...he is too smart!
He sat next to me tonight putting a 25 piece puzzle together..by himself. I was pretty darn impressed with the kid.

Summer has flown by, and we have enjoyed it. Especially the time we had with Kristi and her family. Ira and Dalley got to spend a week with each other and I am pretty convinced that they will continue to be good friend as they grow up (if Ira quits picking on him so much). Our newest niece Whitlee Jane, is a little treasure and it was so great to be able to be with Shawn's family for a week. We are looking forward to Christmas at the ranch.

well now that I have had to refinish this post about 3 different times I am annoyed and ready for bed, but I wont let that be the reason I dont blog again for awhile.. you will find my 2 excuses below...I will try to not be away too long.

Miss Arvella Jean

9 weeks old

You can't really prepare yourself for everything that comes with motherhood. I have found that I have just kind of learned things a long the way. Raising Ira so far has been a ride, but it has been such a great experience. I thought I had everything figured out when it came to raising children. I got such a wakeup call when Arvella was born! I had just got taking care of one kid down! What was I thinking adding another one already!! Yikes! I felt pretty overwhelmed and paralyzed for those first few weeks. All I felt like I could do was watch movies in bed and sleep cuddled with my little ones. It was such an effort juggling everyone

 to get Ira a sandwich or bowl of cereal. I look back and just laugh at myself now.

It has taken a few weeks, but I am starting to finally feel back to normal and enjoying spending time with my kids. emphasis on the S! I am back spending a lot of time in the kitchen baking and cooking, which I love! And I have even started to venture into my mothers expertise of sewing, thanks to a wonderfully crafty friend of mine. Now with all that said lets get on with the introduction of Arvella Jean!

After a second pregnancy that felt like it was never going to end, Arvella Jean decided to skip the tax credit and come on her own time. Due on January first 2011, she didn't come for a few extra days arriving on January 3rd at 6:20AM.  Her labor and delivery was FAR easier than Ira's, but because she came so quickly once we were in the hospital I was unable to do the waterbirth we had planned. (Note to Legacy Hospital: Please get a faster running hose to fill the tub!)

Arvella was about as perfect as newborn babies come. She was just as beautiful as her brother in those first few moments. We spent a couple days in the hospital together, and finally got to go home and be with Shawn and Ira on the 5th. She is definitely more of a crier than Ira..but it hasn't been too awful. She quickly adjust to a great night schedule, eats very well and has become absolutely adorable.

Its true that I never wanted girls, but now that I have one I might as well embrace her and enjoy all the good things about it... like the clothing option is SO much better for girls than boys!

I have been super impressed with how strong she is. She was practically holding her head up from day one and she has been super alert. She has strong legs and loves standing up.. I keep imagining her running around on them at this age and how funny that would be! But shes definitely not there yet. I am positive she has bee smiling since her first day of life, but if there was any dispute then, there is definitely not now! She has certainly smiling at us now for over a week!

Arvella Jean was named after 2 great women in our families. Arvella Pearl was Shawn great Grandma on his Dads Mothers side. And Clara Jean was my Mom who passed away 10 years ago. I hope that we will be able to teach our children to love their names and treasure the history, stories and legacy after those for which they have been named!

She enjoys her brother quite a bit (except when he pokes her in the eye). I love it when Ira leans over and talks to her.. he uses this high pitched cute voice (Shawn and I don't do baby talk, so I am not sure where he gets it!) but she smile back at him and you can tell she loves him. He likes to point out all her parts and hold her and kiss her and calls her Velda. He likes to wake her up when she is "seepin". He tells me she is "sad" when she is crying, and tells me she has "poop", when i change her diaper. Very helpful.

arvella at 9 weeks                    arvella at 3 ish weeks

There is no doubt that we are really loving the new addition to our family.

A Real Boy

Ira's feelings on Santa.

Ira has been a busy kid since we got back from Samoa. He is excited to have a new sister, but more exciting is that I can really see his imagination kicking in and starting to grow. After spending 2 days away from him while in the hospital holding a new born, i thought that he was HUGE when I saw him again. There is no question that he is getting cuter with age! the things he does and says are priceless.

 

SUPER IRA

He kept wearing my nursing cover around the house, So I found an old pillow case and made him a cape.

He loves running around the house in it. He calls himself Super Ira, and i'm Super Mama, and Shawn Super Daddy and of course Arvella is Super Velda! 

First time is snowed. Didn't stick too much or stay around long. Huge snowflakes! He was mesmerized

Second time it snowed over night. 3-4 inches! Ira looked out the window and exclaimed "SNOWMAN!". So Arvella was nice enough to take a long morning nap so we could go out and build a snowman.

After we put him together (snow is very heavy!) Ira looked at me and said "Hat!" so I decided he would be a farmer, since spring and our garden are just around the corner!

I let a friend borrow my snowboarding gear, when they brought it back Ira had to check it out.

This hasn't happened ofter, but is so cute when it does. We had been to a baptism that morning and I found him like this when I came in to check on how he was doing with lunch. He loves quesadillas..both eating and singing about them.

Learning how to use chopsticks 

His friend Backpack,

 he goes to church every Sunday with Ira.

One of my favorite Ira moments yet....Before church I added a few dishes to the dishwasher and opened the cupboard to find this little surprise. It still makes me smile!

I have so many stories, and now that I have figured out life with two kids I should be posting more often. Just wanted to get these few things up.

American Samoa

I am so glad that Ira and I coud go on an adventure together. He had so much fun being in a totally new place..it was an adjustment, but I think we both enjoyed it completely. We met some great new friends, and the best part was being with Kristi and Dalley for a month. Dalley and Ira had a lot of fun together. and really learned to play so well together.  We walked almost everyday, I pushed the boys in a double stroller and everyone would say how cute the twins were..they were definitly like hollywood stars being cute white blonde boys.  I am working on a storybook album for them so they will always remember their experience.

Ira seemed to learn a billion new words while we were there. Dalley had great communication skills, I can't wait for Ira to get there, but he is doing great at listening and really trying to communicate his emotions.

He gained a love for the ocean and expecially fish. His new favorite movie is Finding Nemo. He was quite a hit at church the first Sunday back, dressed in his white shirt and tie and sweet lava lava. He learned to love the swimming pool, and got really good with his arm floaties, a little too brave, but he did great. He also found a love for the rain. i could hardly get him to come out of it.. one time I let him play in a down pour for fifteen minutes. I don't know if he will enjoy the rain here in the NW as much, it is a whole lot colder here!

I tried my best to capture our trip, mostly of the boys and their time. We were lucky to find a great play group at the library, which led to other playdates during the week. We really enjoyed all the people we met there. From the play groups to the museum to church, the people of Samoa are wonderful!!

There are too many photos to share. I am only posting a few....check out Kristi's blog (the westwood trail) to see more. I only duplicated 1 photo from her post.

how better to fit in that a tatooed arm?!

(from the library, don't worry its already washed off!)

we could hardly pull the boys away from this restaurant aquarium

catching a fish

rope swing on the beach at our hotel

I cant help but love this face!

Paddle races

In the rain

Rita and Ira after church

this little boy got my vote for cutest costume

Samoan boys for Halloween

Daddys Little Helper

Too cute not to photograph! We had a dead tree cut down this week and the mulch was in a huge pile in our driveway and had to be moved. Ira was a huge help to Shawn as they shoveled the mulch into their wheelborrows and carted it over to a new huge pile. This was after we had spent the morning pulling carrots for a service project with our church for a food bank. Sad I didn't have a camera there. i am sure Ira pulled more carrots than anyone else there! I love my boys they are such hard workers!

a summer

Ira has had a busy summer. His garden is growing very well. We have harvested a lot of beans and squash, peas, a few peppers, lettuce. spinach beets, cucumbers,potatoes, kale, tons of onions, and a few other things. The sunflowers have been in full bloom and the HUGE one are starting to give their seed to the birds now. Our winter squash is doing very well, and we are looking forward to living on squash in the fall. Ira loves being in the garden with Shawn and eating all the fresh vegetables.

We also had a chance to pick pounds and pounds of blueberries this summer. Our freezer is packed! and I even made Blueberry syrup. The first time we went to pick Shawn found Ira laying on the ground under a bush, picking and eating berries at his pleasure. He absolutely LOVES berries frozen but especially fresh. I never had to worry about him when we went out picking. we could be out there for an hour and he wouldn't complain a bit.

Way back in June we took a family trip to the ranch. we got to see most of Shawns family and Ira got to enjoy his cousins. I am especially looking forward to our next adventure with Shawns sister in American Samoa. Ira is going to be his older cousins nanny for a month. and I even get to go to supervise. I am sure Dalley and Ira will be the best of friends by the time we have to leave the island. I finished booking all our flights and now just worrying about what to pack.

Ira is definitly growing up fast. He is a regular little boy these days. Playing in the dirt, chasing he chickens and making engine nosies when he plays with his trucks.  In the last month he has started to communicate very well. He now shakes his head yes when you guess right about what he wants. I didnt notice it at first because he doesnt really say yes..but if I ask him a question and the answer is yes he het a really big smile on his face, raises his eyebrows and nods his head up and down very purposefully.  It is so funny. So finally a slight breakthrough in communication. love it.

He also has had an interest in talking on the phone lately. He takes my cell phone and walks around the house jabbering. So the other day I called his grandma and he talked her ear off for over 5 minutes. I couldnt get the phone away from him, so I just yelled to her that it was Ira and he wanted to talk and that she could hang up anytime. It sounded like they had a great conversation..whatever it was he was telling her. He was sure excited.

Also in the last few months I have decided his new favorite thing/word is "water". He notices it everywhere. anything he drinks, milk, water or juice is water. If we are walking and he sees a sprinkler he points and says water. If someone is watering there garden same thing. During church when the pass the water he gets very excited about it. and especially everynight when its time for Shawn to water the garden he has to help. He likes to fill up the watering can and water a few plants the hose doesnt reach. He like to help me fill up the water for the chickens. He gets very sad when all the watering has been done for the day.

I need to do better at taking a few more pictures and posted something about what he does each week. He really is so fun to watch grow up and figure things out. Shawn and I find ourselves giggling often.

Here are a few shots from over the summer. The most recent are from the glof tournament Shawn played in last Saturday. I sent Ira with him for the first few holes so I could photograph the other golfers. He had so much fun riding around in the golf cart with me. though he is too smart so I had to put the key on the roof everytime I got out so he didnt drive off into a pond.

Sweet Pants

Golfing with Dad and Uncle Dennis.

15 MONTHS

 As I have mentioned before.. I don't use my camera too often. I need to get back in the habit. Today I was reading a bunch of blogs and thought it was probably way past due for an Ira update. SO I heard him wake up from his nap and went in and took a picture of him.

Then I remembered I had taken a few other pictures of him this month. So I am posting those too. We got him a pair of cowboy boots the other day. they are a little big on him still and he walks funny in them, but they are sure cute.

We always get to take Ira to youth group on Wednesday nights. last week they went bowling and even Ira got to bowl. They even had shoes in his size! He did really well, even though he was

throwing a 6 pound ball. He only tried running up the lane once, he fell hard, and didn't do it again.

This is the cutest thing Ira does lately. when he is sad or upset about something he puts his little hand over his eyes and sticks out that bottom lip. When he starts to calm down he rubs his face all over with his hand, i assume trying to wipe all his tears away. it is adorable.

In non photo news.. He has started making out more words and repeating a lot. He likes building things and knocking them down, putting things together and taking them a part, plugging things in and unplugging them..turning the TV on and off...and other things like that.

We spend quite a bit of time outside in the garden. Ira is a great helper although he does not know the difference between a weed and a plant, so we have lost a few seedlings. He loves playing in the dirt. We bought tools for him his size, but he is determined to use the oversized rake and any other tools he can get his hands on that mom and dad use. he is really good at throwing rocks and splashing in puddles too.

He has become a pretty good listener..his tantrums are at a minimum right now..and he definitely knows when he gets himself into trouble.. he starts running the other direction.  he gets over things fairly quickly and back to giggling and smiling almost as soon as a tear falls. He is sleeping through the night, but very much a morning person like his dad. he is becoming very curious about how things work. and stays busy with one object/toy for ever.

He REALLY loves music and dancing and singing. He is a pretty good dancer and I dare say has a bit of rhythm. It is pretty funny to see him dance, he really gets into it. He sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, although you would have to know that is what he is singing... lol

he loves giving kisses now and i am please to say he closes his lips now so they are not so wet.

cant wait for him to give ya one of those.