January 17

Happy Birthday to Alan!  Unfortunately, he is spending his birthday in Prescott, AZ, away from his family.  He recently accepted a job there and is staying in a hotel for a few weeks starting work.  Luckily, his new elder's quorum president invited him over for dinner and made him some birthday brownies.  Some people are really nice.

This week ended up being busy--but fun. Monday we took Cade to preschool and Cami went to Elaine's house.  Ellie and I got to hang out a bit.  We went to the bank and did some looking at the mall.  I want some new black heels and a few shirts.  My wardrobe is getting old.  After preschool, we came home and played for a while.  Kirk didn't make it home for dinner, but we had a good time anyway.

Tuesday Ellie slept really well. I got a couple of cupboards cleaned out in my bathroom.  My friend Lauren brought us dinner, just because she is awesome.  I went to the Relief Society activity that night.

Wednesday Cade had preschool again.  I took the girls to walmart to get some hooks for our blinds and a step ladder.  We went to Yokes and got some groceries and then visiting teaching.  It worked out really well.  Ellie slept the whole time we were gone in her carseat.  She also slept great in the afternoon.  That afternoon Crystal came over to play with her kids.  She is fun to hang out with and my kids had a great time running around in circles with her kids.

Thursday we went to the church and rode bikes in the gym with some friends.  Then we went to music time at Gina's.  Kirk was up in Othello and made it home about 2:30.  We spent the afternoon home and grilled some hamburgers for dinner.  Cade and Cami love hamburgers and tater tots.

Friday Cade had preschool again.  Ellie, Cami and I went home for a while and then shopping at JC Penney again.  I picked out some short boots and some black heels this time.  It was fun to get out a bit.  Cade had speech right after preschool.  He was super excited because Debbie (his speech teacher) had noticed a star wars book on the library discard cart and gave it to him.  Ellie had a hard afternoon Friday. She was having a hard time falling asleep and I was not giving in.  It ended up being 2 1/2 hours of an upset baby and a stressed out mommy.  I sent Lindsey a text that said

"Dad used to read us a story from the book of virtues about a guy who could pulla  string and fast forward through things in life he didn't like.  Before he knew it, he was old and wishing he hadn't pulled the string.  I have hours I wish I could pull it."
Then right after I said
"Then I get a hug or hear a silly cute comment and find myself ready to cry and hearing the song it won't be like this for long.  Life is crazy sometimes.  I am a lucky girl though."

Lindsey responded by asking if I had a camera at her house because that described her afternoon too. It is so true.  I love my kids and husband, but some times feel overwhelmed.  We have been talking in Sunday School about trying to balance all the things that pull at our lives and simplify.  I really don't know what I could cut out.  I am trying to do what I feel is most important.  Taking care of the physical and emotional needs of three small children and one Kirk; preparing and cleaning up meals; cleaning our house and keeping up on the business aspects of life is about all I can do.  I am really blessed though.  Kirk has a good job and we have no financial worries.  We have a nice house in a great neighborhood.  I have friends who I love and I know that they care about me.  Scott and Kara life nearby.  We have our parents and siblings who love and support us.  

Friday evening Kirk and I were both pooped.  Ellie was having a hard time sleeping still and so I held her and we watched Madam Secretary and then went to bed about 9:15.

Saturday was a relaxing day.  We had crepes for breakfast and then went to Costco.  Cade and Cami played really well together.  Kirk took the kids to Scott's to swap out our star wars movie (Cade needed Return of the Jedi.)  We went to Applebee's for dinner and used our Christmas present from Grandma Waters.

Today was Sunday.  Nothing crazy or special happened today, but it was good.  We're gearing up for another week.  Kirk works Monday through Wednesday this week.  He is going to Minnesota Friday through Sunday to visit his grandparents, especially Grandma Morris.  She was diagnosed with cancer 2 weeks ago and is now in a nursing home in hospice care.  She probably won't be around much longer.

Things I heard/saw around our house this week:
Kirk:  "Is this your life all of the time?"  "helping Cade, holding a fussy Ellie, and wondering how much Cami's hospital bills will be?"

Cade:  Kirk and I were talking about him going to visit someone at the hospital.  Cade's reaction "I don't think you should go, but I don't know what you are talking about."----he likes to say "negative" instead of no----We made cookies on Thursday and he wouldn't eat his cookie until we were watching despicable Me and he saw the part where Gru was talking about cookie robots----Cade asked if dinosaurs would eat people.  I told him that dinosaurs lived first and then people.  his response "but people have to come out of other people's tummies, how does that work?"----He loves to play star wars and one day we ended up eating lunch at Bob's burgers with Princess Leia and the nice Darth Vader.  Another day I was Senator Amidala and we had stuffed animal worms coming in to get me  and Cade was the Jedi who saved me and cut up the worms.  We replayed this like 20 times.----He switched a load of laundry for me and started the dryer all by himself.  He even cleaned the lint filter--he asked what we were having for breakfast on Sunday.  I told him crepes.  He said that we had that at Grandma's once.  I was surprised he remembered that and said "oh, do you remember that?"  He said "no."  whatever.

Cami:  fell off of a chair twice in 5 minutes and just said ouch and climbed right back onto the chair.---loved the colored tablets in the bath----Pretends a piece of tissue paper is a magic carpet and sits on it and sings "whole new world".  ---- broke Belle's leg off while in her room for quiet time, she started yelling "Mommy, we have a problem here!"----She found a rag and crawled around the floor singing the sweet nightingale song pretending to be Cinderella.----Kirk was practicing casting a new fishing rod in the backyard.  Cami saw this and said "but there's no water in the backyard!"  She also told me that she does not like fishing but she does like catching fish.

Ellie:  She started smiling on Thursday (January 14).  She definitely knows who her mom is.  On Wednesday, I put her on her tummy and she was getting mad.  I left to go make a bottle and came back to find her on her back.  She rolled over at 7 weeks!   She did it a few more times right then, but I don't think it will happen again for a while.  She went 5 hours between eating two nights this week.  We get 4 hours most nights once, and the rest is a 3 hour stretch still.  When she is scared or surprised she spreads her arms out really wide.  She is getting more alert and awake.  I have been trying really hard to get her to fall asleep in her bed.  She is getting better, but still not great.  We will keep trying this week.  Evening can be really hard.  Right now she is sleeping in the bjorn carrier and has been for an hour and a half, all through putting Cade and Cami to bed, doing the dishes and me writing this!