March News

As I reflect on March nothing new really comes to mind. The weather is starting to become a bit more mild, but we still have cold, windy, rainy days. I know there have been things that have happened and I've thought, "I need to remember to write about that," but now I sit here and can't remember.

Nora, our youngest little member, continues to grow and grow. Everyone always comments that she looks just like a doll. I sure think she is a doll. We're still working on improving her sleep. She has had a couple of good stretches where she's gone days and only awakened once to eat, and then we're back to waking up three times. Sometimes I just want to pick her up and cuddle and rock her, but I fight the urge because it's more important to me that she learns to sleep well. I just make sure we get plenty of cuddle time otherwise. She has developed quite the lovely bald spot right in the back of her head. It looks pretty funny so I can't wait for it to grow back. She is really starting to enjoy the family. She seems to recognize each of us. It sure does seem that she already knows Zane and how siblings interact. She's always grabbing him, grabbing his things, grabbing his toes. He thinks it's pretty funny (most of the time). She is beginning to laugh quite a bit. It is really cute to watch them start "playing" together. She sure does recognize Zane and she either flinches or lights up when she sees him, depending on how fast he's coming at her. She's pretty good-natured, but she definitely only wants her momma if she is tired or hungry.

Zane has enjoyed going to the community center pool. He likes to go in as deep as he can, on his tip-toes until he has to raise his chin to keep it out of the water. He also likes to go down the slide. He is always "talking" on the phone. Whenever I ask him who he is talking to it's either Papa (Grandpa) or Daddy. He has become quite fixated on Grandpa Pickup and the cows. He asks about them almost every day. He will say "Papa?!" like he wants to go see or call him and I'll say, "You want to go see Papa?" and he'll nod and say "Moooo!" One of his favorite things to do is to watch home movies of himself on the computer. He just lights up when he gets to watch the fun things he does. One of his favorites is the Play-Doh war with Grandpa Tolman. Of course, he still loves cars, well any sort of transportation. He thought it was pretty great when we got to ride the "choo-choo" downtown to Saturday Market. Can you believe we live two blocks from the MAX and that's the first time since Zane was an infant that we've ridden with him? Pathetic. He also continues to love to read. His favorite books this month were Ten Apples up on Top, Elmo's Ducky Day, The Wheels on the Bus and Slowly, Slowly, Slowly Said the Sloth. He can identify the following animals from that book: anaconda, armadillo, puma, caiman, bat, poison-dart frog, cock-of-the-rock, yellow-spotted river turtle, and double-crested basilisk. He could probably identify more, but I can't prounounce them so I haven't asked him. He is happy that the weather is improving and we can be outside more.

Kevin just keeps busy with work and Scouts and family. He has really been busy at work lately and has been working late a lot, but has been diligent about trying to carve out family time as well. On their campout this month, they were supposed to go to the Lewis River Trail, but the road was blocked by snow, so they spent the next seven hours driving around looking for a camp spot and pulling the other car out of the snow. They finally ended up camping in Ray and Lynnette's backyard. Sadly, that will be Kevin's last campout as Scoutmaster of Troop 719, for now at least. He was sustained as Elder's Quorum President on Sunday. This is a job he had in our old ward as well. Anyone who knows Kevin, knows that he could happily spend the rest of his life in Scouts, and never in Elder's quorum, but he willingly and gladly serves wherever he is asked. He will do a great job! He's always trying to be aware of others needs and serving them, almost to a fault sometimes. I know that some of his scouts think he has been pretty tough on them, but I know when they reflect back they will be so thankful for the high expectations that Kevin had for them, and they will also realize that they had A LOT of fun.

As for me, I just keep mothering. I have found that I really need a schedule and one that starts early in the morning. If I can get up, exercise and read my scripture before my kids get up, then I seem to have twice as much time in the day. If I don't get up until the kids get up, well, then it's noon before I have everyone else and myself dressed and ready for the day and I don't even get scriptures and exercise in. Unfortunately, that means getting up between 5:30 and 6:00. I remember when that use to seem normal to me. I was appalled at women who slept until 8:00 every morning. Well, I have become that woman. (Well, usually it's between 7:00 - 7:30, but sometimes the kids give me a gift and it's 8:00). No more, though. I am just happier if I keep to my early morning schedule. I've always been a morning person. Also, if I get up early and get all those things done and I'm tired at nap time, then I feel that it's okay if I take a short nap. Now, I just need to get to bed at a decent hour. I've been pretty inconsistent with my training, but I only have a couple of months now, so it's time to get serious. I'm really thankful for Kevin's good job and that even though we have to sacrifice some of life's luxuries (and that's really all things like cable, cell phones, eating out are), I'm able to stay home with my kids and be a mom. Oh, and I am getting a new calling too. I'm excited and scared, but you'll have to wait a couple of weeks to find out about that one.