Beautiful

The other day, we were driving home from Kindermusik and the old country song "She Don't Know She's Beautiful" by Sammy Kershaw came on. (Kailee is my brother Jordan's 21 year old girlfriend). Out of the blue Sydney says,

"Kailee is beautifuller than mom."

Carter pipes up and I think he's going to defend me but he says,

"Well she's definitely more H-O-T!"

How am I supposed to compete with a girl that looks this good after a day of skiing? I'm afraid it's a lost cause.

Laker Assembly

Carter got this award at the most recent Laker Assembly at his school. He got one at the first assembly in October and I wondered if maybe his teacher didn't really know him very well yet. But, a few months later, she chose him again. If he really is "doing what he's supposed to do, doing his best, using self-control, thinking before he acts, etc" then I am the proudest mom ever! I wish that he could be that responsible at home too!

"Holey" Cow

Carter has an amazing ability to ruin any and every pair of jeans/pants that we buy him. He left for school one day last week in good Levis and came home looking like this.

Yikes I just realized that it looks like he is flipping us all off in this picture. I got him these jeans for his birthday only 3 months ago. Boys are so hard on things. I have tried Old Navy, Levis, Wrangler, Unionbay, Arizona, some Fred Meyer brand, Oshkosh, etc. and they all end up exactly the same. What to do?

Then the other day, he came home from school and his perfectly new cords were falling off him. He told me that he lost the button when he went to the bathroom. This was our conversation:

Carter: I know I'm not supposed to touch things on the bathroom floor, but I saw it fall and thought I would pick it up so the "Sewing Queen" could fix it.

Mom: That's sweet, do you think I'm the "Sewing Queen?"

Carter: No mom, Grandma Ele is.

Believe it or not, I can sew on a button!

Ultrasound

We got to have our 20 week ultrasound this week and find out the gender of our baby!

Sydney is super excited to have a sister. Carter told me it was very "unexciting" news. He really wanted another brother. Garth says it doesn't really matter if it's a girl or boy, he'll fight with it either way (Carter, not Garth.) I am happy for Sydney because I love having a sister. Since my family has two girls and two boys, this really feels right. We are so done! Here is one of the 3D ultrasound pictures of our little girl!

Gym Therapy

The best way to unwind from a rough day with kids? Do something you enjoy. . .without them. For me, judging gymnastics has been very theraputic the past 6 weeks or so.

Okay, I judge High School gymnastics so they are nowhere near the caliber of gymnast that this little Shawn Johnson is (she is my current fave!) Even though the gymnasts don't WOW me, it is still a lot of fun!

I'm not sure exactly what I love about judging. I guess I miss the gym a lot. Is it silly that it takes me back to my "glory days" as a Ferris gymnast? I miss the smell of chalk, the anxiety before a competition, feeling like I was really good at something, the satisfaction I got from winning a meet (because I had worked so hard to get there but also because it boosted my ego a little.)

Since there is no chance that I could do the stuff I used to do ever again, judging is a way of staying involved in the sport without committing tons of time away from my family to be a coach. Although I miss that too!

I remember the first time I saw the new vaulting table on a competition on TV. It looked so crazy to me. Not too long after that, I went back to coaching and got to play around on one a little. They are way more fun and way more safe than the old vaults. I wish I could have used one when I was good and not post-baby.

Part of me hopes Sydney becomes a gymnast so I can be invovled again. Then I think of all the time and money it takes and I think I won't put her in it unless she really begs me!

"Uh-Oh"

Garth would argue that Derek's first word was Dada. Okay, it's probably true, but totally unfair! Why won't they say Mama first? I think the first word that he says, and understands what he is saying is "uh-oh." He has been saying it a lot the past few days. The other day at the store, he would say "uh-oh" then throw his toy on the floor. The older kids thought he was hilarious so Derek did it over and over.

Climb Every Mountain

My kids have all been fairly slow to be mobile. Carter walked at 13 months, Sydney at 16 and Derek has no interest yet. He has, however, started to climb the stairs. For the longest time, he would make it up one or two stairs, lay flat, and start to cry. I loved that he was afraid because I didn't have to worry about him. A couple of weeks ago, Carter and Syd ran upstairs to play and Derek followed right after them. It took him quite a while to make it up all 17 stairs but he did it!
He still doesn't chose to climb them very often but when he does, there is nothing stopping him!