Too Quiet

The other day I could tell Molly was awake because I could see the light coming form the window through the crack under the door. I just wasn't hearing anything, which was fine with me for a little bit. I was grateful for the chance to get some things done, but I got concerned when I didn't hear anything for a while so I went to check on her and this is what I found. I love that Molly can find happiness where ever she goes, now if I can just convince her that she can be happy even when she isn't in her room alone:)

Chalk One Up For The Big Girl!

What a huge day for Molly! We had gone swimming over at Nana and Pa's house and after she got out of the pool I went in the house to get a diaper for her and she said she wanted to go potty, I have heard that a lot lately, but it's just been sitting on the toilet. I usually just say later. But I was thinking what the heck I'm not busy so I took her inside to sit on the toilet, and guess what? That's right we heard the tinkle! Holy cow! I was shocked and still am. She is still my baby and I can't believe she has gotten so big. I'm so proud of her. When we went grocery shopping later today we got some fun toys to use as potty treats and for her first potty treat we gave her an Elmo movie, one of her favorites tied with Barney. But it was an Elmo Potty video. We got some little bath toys that came in a bigger pack for when she goes #1 and then some of the dollar books and a couple of videos for when she goes #2. Wow I really have been looking at her lately and I'm just amazed she is growing so fast. Way To Go Molly!!!!!!!

I love that she is getting so funny about posing for pictures. What's up with she shoulder shrug? She just cracks me up!

Molly's Potty Treats!

Hanging With Family!

My sister and her husband are out of town for a few days, and my mom is watching her kids. So yesterday I packed up the kids and we geared up for the hour ride, which is not really all that bad really. Even though Stella has had colic she has found comfort in the car, for the most part. If we are on the freeway it's better, she hates the stop and go of city driving. Molly loves Elmo and Barnie, thank goodness for our DVD player. The rule is any drive longer than 45 min. Molly can watch a movie. Once there we got to spend the day with Josie and Kimball, the other kids were at school and so we spent the day hanging out and playing. Josie and I had a nice game of Go Fish when Molly and Kimball went down for their naps. She won both times and then asked if we could stop playing, that kid cracks me up! It's so fun to watch Molly and Kimball together. They are only 3 mon apart and so they have just been little buddies since they were born. I always love to go to my mom's because there is never a lack of someone to talk to. My little sister Whitney was there and she is always full of energy and just a blast. Then My other little sister (who just moved out a few days ago) came home to hang out with us, she is always so cute with the kids. Then my sister in law Sierra came up and hug out with us. Molly loves going down there, she loves all of her aunts and it's so funny to hear her ask the rest of the night "where's Sierra?" The last stop was I took my mom and Sierra to look at a couch for the basement. They are such good sports. Both had a kid in hand while I ordered the couch...Yea for help and Yea for a couch. By the time we get on our way back home it's always late, but well worth the trip. It was fun to see the kids and let Molly play with her cousins. Abby was so cute with her while they were playing house. I'm always excited to go hang out with my family, it's a break, not a sleep break and most of the time we go, go, go, but it's nice when we just all sit and visit!

I just was thinking back on how Kimball & Molly have been buddies from the beginning. This is when Molly was about 4or 5 mon and Kimball was about 1 or 2 mon. Yes Molly was a spit up queen that is what is all down the front of her... This is what she looked like ALL of the time! her pants are undone to prevent any potential spit up. I love that they are holding hands.

Aren't they so cute.

This was the 4th of July so Molly was one that day and Kimball was 9 mon. This was the late night movie on the side of Grandma and Grandpas house, a family tradition. Molly on the left and Kimball on the right.

This was Kimball and Molly all day yesterday. Kimball would come and take Molly by the hand and Molly would cover her mouth with both hands and just laugh, and then Kimball would laugh and so would the rest of us. They were so cute!

Molly and Kimball having the rest of there lunch.

Josie, Abby and Stella. Grandma is helping Abby hold Stella, but requested that she not be in the picture, bummer!

So my friend Debbie tagged me and I have taken forever to actually post. I don't know why I was having such a hard time coming up with random things about me. but here they are.

1) I've been sky diving! That's right and it was a blast! I went with my cousin Amy and she was so much fun to go with! I had about a 45 min. drive to her house to meet her and then another hour +. When I got in my car to head to Amy's house the popular Tim MaGraw song "Live like you were dying" Was playing and then when we got in the car after the whole thing the song was playing again. It was so much fun and I would totally do it again in a heart beat... It was way more fun than bungi jumping, ya I've done that too. I know nice outfit, but hey I had to put up proof:)

2) I'm a Law & Order fan. I know kind of funny, My mom can't watch them b/c she said that it makes her feel like the world is horrible, but I love them. I also love the American Justice, and Cold Case Files on A&E. I know, I'm really not morbid I just find it fascinating how they solve the crimes and that's why I love them so much.

3) I'm a totally night owl. I would much rather say up late and sleep in late than early to bed and early to rise, However, on vacation I'm totally the opposite. Well I still like to stay up late, but I'm always up and ready to go do something early.

4) I love to sleep under all of my blankets and snuggle down into them all, but then the window has to be open or the fan has to be on so I don't get too hot, I just think it feels comforting and I love that feeling of all of those blankets on top of me.

5) K, I'm an organize nut! I have decided when my kids are in school all day, I would love to be a professional organizer, Really! I'm ok if there are a few things out here and there, Don't get me wrong I like things clean, but as long as I know my closets and draws are organized I'm ok. My house is never all organized, but I love to keep it up and I love to do it. I just found these purse organizers and I love them for my car console, It's just a big pit, and my purse, this is the picture of it I got off the Internet.

6) My least favorite thing about being a mom, the only thing I don't like about being a mom, is clipping my kids fingernails. I don't even mind doing it when they got older, but when they are newborns I hate it. I'm so scared I'm going to take off the tip of their finger.

The Rules:

1. Link the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on your blog.

3. Write 6 random things about yourself.

4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them.

5. Let the person know you tagged them on their blog.

6. Let the tagger know when you've posted.

Know I'm tagging Amy B., Mommer, Amy J., Nat, Sierra, Ashley

Words Of Wisdom

So my amazing sister is serving a mission in Taiwan right now and I just read her email to us this a.m. I just am amazed at the wisdom of missionaries and as I read this it really struck me as true. I am not particularly thrilled for trials, but am so grateful for the growth. I really hope Cydne knows how much these letters mean to me. Thanks Cyd, Here is the letter.

dear family,
i had such a good study yesterday in personal study, but i don't have my scriptures or my study journal with me... so i will just have to paraphrase and you can find it (p.s. i hope you all have study journals!! preach my gospel is pretty clear about them, and if you receive inspiration and don't write it down or can't access it, do you think God is going to give you more??) anywho.. my study was on worthiness. our mission president teaches us missionaries to be worthy, obedient and diligent missionaries. we learn it the minute we get on island. so i decided to do a study on worthiness. and this is my conclusion. that worthiness means suffering. there are tons of scriptures (in these also in matt 10:38..also in doctrine and covenants.. you can look in the topical guide under worthiness. i don't remember all of them) that relate worthiness with suffering. and then i started thinking.. it's like the knight in shining armor. when he begins, he isn't a knight, he's usually a stable boy or something.. haha I'm not really sure. but he does something in order to become a knight. usually something like slaying a dragon, right? well, do you think that he had to suffer a bit? of course he did. he killed a stinkin dragon!! the point is, the no one is worthy without sufferings. it's through our suffering, through our sacrifice, our weaknesses, that God can make us strong. make us worthy. if we came down to this earth with no trials or weaknesses, we would not ever find ourselves worthy to receive eternal life. so remember, as you suffer this week, (i hope not too much!) that as you use the Atonement to overcome and assist you in your temptations, afflictions, trials. (alma 7:11) aka sufferings... you are becoming worthy to be counted His.
i love you all,
jiayou
sister baird

Huge Day!!!

Kris is one that never really wants anything, which makes gift giving really hard sometimes. He is just so easy going and is always thinking of others before himself. One of Kris's loves is sports. He is a die hard Jazz fan and has a great love for the Dallas Cowboys. Well today was a huge day for him. He, his dad, and his brother Mark have decided to go to a Cowboys game and today was the day the tickets came in the mail. Well Kris is thrilled and I couldn't be more excited for him. I'm so glad that he is doing something he really wants to and that he can do it with his dad and brother. Congratulations! I love you babe! PS I totally didn't plan the Jazz shirt.

Surprise Visit!

Yesterday we were just hanging out, making cookies and laying around, like we do on most Sundays. We looked kind of scary after our naps and the house... Well let's just say I have always believed that cleaning day should be Monday. Why clean on Saturday so that everyone can stay home all day on Sunday and mess it all up again. Anyway we heard the door bell ring and when I answered it there was my cousin Hazel! My aunt Camie and uncle Daren had stopped by to see Stella and say hi. Not to mention give me a bit advice on what to do with the basement. Camie has an amazing eye for decorating, yard and everything else. Here are Daren and Camies girls Addy, Sophie, Hazel, and Millie with Camie and Stella and Molly! It was so fun to see them and chat. Thanks for coming and braving my messy house! We love you guys!

6 Weeks!

I can't believe that Stella is almost 6 weeks old. Holy cow! She has grown so much. She has gained some wight, but more that chunky she is so long. When I put on her pj's she fits in them really well... No room to grow length wise and these are 0-3 mon Jammie's. Most of her Jammie's also are short on the sleeves. She has started to smile at will as well. I love when they start to smile at you. She is awake more now and she is getting a bit more consistent with her sleep, we still have some room for improvement there but she is getting it. They just grow too fast, it makes me so sad. Here are a few pictures we took yesterday.

Oh Sleep, It's Unpredictable!

So I've posted about sleeping the last few post, but I just have to post this because it just cracks me up. Molly has been an amazing sleeper from the time we brought her home from the hospital. She was going to bed at 7 and wouldn't wake up until about 10... I know really. She has always been like that. Stella has really thrown us for a loop. Sleeping has been totally unpredictable the past 5 weeks. Last night was AMAZING!!!!!!! We had Stella to bed and asleep by 11, thanks to Kris, and I finally woke her up at 9:30 this morning I was dying and needed to feed her. This is the kicker. Molly was up from 3-5 this morning. She just didn't want to stay in her bed. She kept telling me that she wanted to play. I told her that it was still late and that it was time to sleep. I feel really bad for Kris he had to be up at 6:00 this morning for work and I knew he needed some sleep. I don't know why she has been doing this the last few night. I do know that she was tired, because after our family prayer she stood right up and said, Bed! she went right into her room and we put her to bed and she has made no attempt to get out of bed so far. I hope she sleeps well tonight, she really needs it. Which brings me to my next point...
We didn't start the day off very well. Molly was in her 2 year old, no sleep, tantrum throwing mode and I was in my needing to get out of the house mode. I called Margaret, my amazing neighbor across the street and asked if she wanted to go for a walk with us. It was a nice 70 degrees and I thought it would be perfect before it got too hot. Margaret was nice enough to say yes and we headed out about 10 min later. It was nice to get out. Poor Molly has tried so hard to be a good sister and she had a green bean looking thing form off of a tree and I was just chatting and looked away for just a second and when I looked back it was being shoved down Stella's throat. Nice! I really have to watch Molly she is always trying to pick Stella up an love her, and she is just a bit smothering. Bless her hear. My cousin's wife Michelle was saying that one of her boy's probably thinks his name is "no" or "Stop it", and that could not be better put for Molly as well. In fact she has started saying "no, no, daddy." "no, no, mommy". Bless her heart there are days I get into bed and feel so bad because I feel like I have told her "no" or been ornery to her all day and it's when I'm laying in bed that I remember she's only 2. Well I decided that we needed to do something fun so I planed to make an alphabet book with her when she got up from her nap. Well there were a whole lot of melt downs and I don't know that it was a whole lot of fun for her, but she likes her book. So lets hope she gets some sleep and that I can be a better mom tomorrow. The book did turn out cute. It's simple, but cute!

Is There Something Wrong With My Connection? Part 2

So I had to post this becuse when I was about 12 there was a boy in my ward Nate who was my age and he gave a talk one day in church and he was talking about prayer. He relayed a story about how he had lost his glasses and couldn't find them anywhere. He talked about how he went in to his room and knelt by his bed and said a very sincere prayer for help with finding his glasses. He said that after the prayer was done he stood up and walked right to his glasses. He said that he looked up and said "Oh never mind I found them!" He went on to talk about how sometimes we forget to give credit where credit is due and we forget to thank our Heavenly Father. I have never forgotten that talk and I would I really do want to express gratitude and give credit wher credit is due. The last 2 nights have been sooooooooo much better. I do have to smile and laugh a bit becuse quite ironically Stella did so much better it was Molly and Kris Sunday and Monday night!
So Stella went from about 12-3:30 which was so much better and then at 5 I heard a thud that woke me up. I thought that Molly had fallen out of bed, but there was no crying and I didn't hear a thing, so I just chalked it up to something outside and closed my eyes to go back to sleep and then I heard Molly's door handel rattle, she had fallen out of bed, she much have landed on the pillows, but she was up. I bolted to our bedroom door knowing Stella was asleep in her bouncer on the floor, so I had to make it to Molly before she was in Stella's room. She was headed to my room so I met her at my bedroom door and helped her back to bed. She was really good and went right to bed, no crying and she was quiet and didn't get out of bed. Finally able to go back to sleep after listinging to make sure Molly was really going back to sleep, I was up one more time when Kris got up to go to the bathroom! Like I said... it's comical, but I got some good sleep and felt so much better. Monday night, Holy Cow! Stella was in bed by 11 and yes asleep, she didn't get up till 5 that's right a good 6 hours! I was really ready for her to get up and eat (the joys of nursing) and then she went back to sleep by 5:30 and slept till 9. I did get woken up by what felt like something falling on the edge of my side of the bed, but I felt and there was nothing there so I turned over to go back to sleep when I felt it again... Oh it was Molly she was not saying a word and I had not heard her, I think she got down out of bed when she got up and then she was touching my side of the bed. I pulled her put into bed with us for a few minutes and then helped her to her bed and again she went right to bed no problem, I'm just sooooooo against starting the sleeping in our bed, I don't sleep.
I do have to say I have taken several steps in trying to figure out this whole sleeping thing. I realized that faith without works is dead. I have changed and watched what i'm eating no dairy... I know no happiness! and then I have given her stuff for her reflux, and we have put a humidifier in her room. I don't really know what it was that did the job, but I know that my prayers were heard and I truly feel blessed we are sleeping better. Lets just hope and pray it stays that way.

Is There Something Wrong With My Connection?

Warning: This is for journaling purposes, really I'm not throwing a pity party!

You know we live if a world with an amazing ability to communicate with others far and near. The phone is an amazing thing, and often times we use the phone for an analogy of prayer and communication with our Heavenly Father. The last few days I've began to wonder if there is something wrong with my connection, or if I'm stuck in the olden days of no call waiting so I'm simply just getting a busy signal. The only two things that I have been praying for... pleading for the last few days and weeks is that we stay healthy and that I can know and understand what to do for Stella and her reflux, colic, or what ever it is... well I haven't been to bed before 4 am the last 2 nights and before that I have been getting up 2-5 times a night with Stella, the poor thing just cries and is so miserable. Well today I took her in to kid care (insta care for kids they have pediatricians) because she is having such a hard time breathing and I have gotten everything out with the bulb I can and, that's right she is sick, she has a cold, as well as Molly. As I'm waking with Stella at all hours of the night I just sit and plead that I can get some sleep so that I can handle the two year old tantrums that I will have to deal with in the morning and throughout the day, there is always one crying. Don't get me wrong I would so rather do this than be pregnant really, but there are just sometimes I feel that I'm praying in a tunnel (you know that parallel of the phone) and My call is getting dropped. But then I remembered one of my favorite scriptures Eather 12:6 when it talks about how you will receive the witness after the trial of your faith. I know that my prayers are heard even though at 2 or 3 am I start to wonder, I know that he really hears me and that there is a reason for what is happening, even if it is just a big old piece of humble pie! Who knows maybe tonight will be better.

Oh Boy! Not a Cold!

That's right! Molly woke up with a cold today! She has the sexy smoker voice and a runny nose that makes Niagara Falls look small. Really. It is so gross. When she sneezed there is a pool of snot, and I have a 4 week old baby! I have been making sure that she is no where near the baby and we have been using hand sanitizer all day. I hope this will not last long. Poor Molly feels lousy and Poor Stella is still having troubles with her tummy, reflux, and a bit of colic, and having a hard time which leads to poor daddy that feels me get up 3-4 times a night and has to get up and go to work all day long and is so exhausted because of the lack of rest he is getting at night. As for me... I'm not pregnant and so I'm doing fine. There will be a day we get everything in sync, right? Maybe I'm hoping for something that will never happen!

All Abord the Potty Train!

That's right. We haven't really started the actual Potty Training, but we did get a little potty to fit on the toilet that is just Mollys size. She thinks that it's sooooo cool! She askes several times a day if she can go potty. She hasn't yet accomplished the real goal, but she likes to just sit on her potty. I'm not pushing it, but as long as she is excited about it, i'm not going to stifle it either! Here's to hoping!

Olympics 2008

We have been loving the Olympics and spending time late at night catching up on the days events. Our tivo is filling up quickly and we have hours of recorded events. One of which is I won't let Kris erase. It shares the story of the young boy that marched with Yao in the opening ceremony. As I watched I just was catching glimpses as I was walking around the house and thought that this little boy was Yao's son. It was later Kris told me the story and then I caught the story later during the coverage about this little boy and who he really was. I was shocked and amazed when I heard he was a 2nd grader that had survived the earthquake and that he had gone back into his school class room twice to help save two other class mates. When asked why he kept going back in he responded "because I was I'm the room leader"! I was so touched that this little boy was so dedicated to his job being room leader that he would risk his safety to save his class mates. Well we have heard other touching stories and that is why I have loved the games. These are outstanding individuals. We are rooting for Micheal Phelps, Hoff, Tores, Coughlen, Shawn Johnson and many other athletes that just amaze me! It has been incredible to watch these ordinary people (that could be debated) doing extraordinary things.

One More Step Up The Big Girl Ladder!

Molly is such a big girl, while getting older, she is still our little peanut! I have gotten so sick of the rails on her bed, I can't make her bed with the rails on, and they are such a pain to take off every time I have to make the bed, and with a nap during the day... Well lets just say I have a hard enough time making her bed once a day and twice a day, it never happened! So I took the railings off on Sunday and she has just done so well. She has not fallen and she is so good to help me make her bed every morning. She just seem to be growing so fast and so much lately. She has figured out that sitting on a stool at the counter is much cooler than sitting in her high chair. She loves to sit with us at the counter. It really just amazes me how fast they grow. I have to chuckle because as I have been writing this Kris just walked in from work and said, talking about Molly..."She looks older to me today." I just wish that time didn't go so fast. Kids are little such a short time, but every stage has just been a blast and we look forward to what's to come.

Funny Girls!

I know, Stella totally looks like she is doing a back bend, but she isn't really I promise! I just the way she sleeps and how her dress is laying!

You know it's so funny now that I have two girls. I seem to find a lot of ways in which the girls are very similar and ways that they are so different. I know it's hard to tell a lot about Stella's personality now, but funny little things she will do I have seen Molly do when she was her age. On of those things is sleeping with her arms above her head. I don't know if this is something all babies do or just my girls. It's so funny because from day one they don't want to be totally swaddled. Both girls like their arms out of the blanket and above their head while they sleep. Now if only we could get Stella to sleep like Molly did at her age. I should give her more credit, she had an awesome night last night. Way to go Stella:) Mommy loves those good nights and late mornings!

SOOOOOOOO Funny!

K, My friend had this on her blog and I could not stop laughing! It's a funny story anyway and then the snort at the end just makes it that much better! Pause the music on the side so you get the full effect.

Big SIster Sayings!

Molly has been so cute with Stella and there have been some moments that just seem to melt my heart when I hear her talk about or talk to Stella. The first one... I know I shouldn't think that this is really cute, but I do. Last Sunday I snuck into sacrament meeting late and was planning on leaving early so we didn't have a thousand unwashed hands touching Stella, and I kept the blanket over her car seat the whole time. The little boy in front of us was kept pulling the blanket off and trying to look inside the car seat. This is the same boy that seems to bully Molly in the nursery. Molly without missing a beat and with out really even looking up yells... "NO! My baby!" I did get mad at her for not being nice and not being quiet which was the bigger one I was worried about, but how could I not help feel a little proud that my crazy 2 year old was being so protective of her little sister? The next one is really quite funny and totally describes how my house and life is these days. I was taking Molly to swimming and Stella was screaming, she doesn't cry as much as Molly did, but she is LOUD! Molly trying to be heard is yelling as loud as she can...MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY... if you're not getting the point it was over and over and over again. I was just laughing in the front seat and I'm sure everyone around me was wondering why the lady in the car next to them is just laughing, if only they could hear. Finally Molly blurts out, MOMMY, BOW, EYES! I look in the back and sure enough the bow is over Stella's eyes. I thought that was so cute that she was watching out for her. The last one that I will share is when we were going to pick up Kris yesterday form dropping off his car, I know what is up with us taking cars in lately? Stella was again whiny and crying and Molly kept saying "It's ok Della, It's ok Della" she would say it any time she started to whimper or cry, and then when we got there and Stella really started to howl Molly was holding up her water cup saying, "WA WA!" and then would point to Kris and I and say, "Mommy, Daddy!" She was trying so hard to distract her it was so cute! I'm so glad that Molly loves her little sister, lets hope that they keep it up for years to come:)
*Just a side note, this picture was taken at another time when her bow had gotten pulled over her eyes, not while I was driving!