A January Spring

We are supposed to have weather in the 60's all week! Glorious! And Mike didn't have school today, which made it an even more beautiful day. We took the girls to the park this afternoon and had a wonderful, relaxed time!

And Mariah made her own bed today, without any help . . . .

Home again, home again . . . .

Well, I'm finally caught up! We've been busy busy since getting home last Tuesday. Mike is finishing up his first week back at school, and I've been busy getting things back to normal and trying to get our family well. We thought we were all over that weird 3-week flu bug, but the girls started back into diarrhea and the throw-ups a few days ago. I took them into the doctors on Tuesday, and nobody there had heard of anything like this. Comforting. So, (warning . . . grossness ahead), we left stool samples for the lab to test, and we're just waiting for results. But, the good news is, the girls haven't thrown up in 3 days now, and their diapers are just about back to normal. So, we may find out what it is/was, or we may not. But I'm really hopeful that we're past it. Yuck.

Ok. Enough about that. I had my first midwife appointment a week ago (at 20 weeks). Yes, there's a baby in there. We find out what it is next Wednesday. Pretty exciting! I was very impressed with the midwife and nurse I saw, as well as all the staff I met at OU, where I've decided to go. Bedside manner was fabulous, and everyone introduced themselves by first name (even the desk people would say something like, ". . . and if you need anything, my name's . . . .). Some HR person knows what he/she is doing. I was impressed. And, of course, in true Oklahoma style, everyone was chatty chatty. After just one visit, I knew more about my nurse, midwife, and the lab tech who drew my blood than I knew about anyone at the Pleasant Grove clinic, with whom I delivered 2 babies.

(Ha. I have the funniest child. I have had a dickens of a time getting Mariah to nap since we got home. I realize there are many 3-year-olds in the world who do not nap, but I don't know how their mothers do it. This mother cannot. I NEED my 90 child-less minutes each day. I don't even care if she sleeps; I just want her to disappear for 90 minutes. So, anyway, I was at my whits' end. Yesterday, I finally pulled down our extra carseat from the attic. I told her if she comes out of my room (where she naps), I'll strap her in the carseat for the rest of her nap. Well, 2 minutes later, she came out. I strapped her in the carseat, propped up and nestled with pillows, in the middle of my bed. She whined but then slept for an hour and a half. Mother bliss. So, here we are on the second day of the carseat saga. I again told Mariah if she comes out, I will strap her in the carseat. Five minutes later, out she came, with a blanket draped over her head (I think to shield herself from my reaction). I said, "Bummer. Let's go get in the carseat." She got a huge grin on her face and practically skipped back to my room. I asked her if she likes sleeping in the carseat. She hesitantly said, "Mm-hmm." (I think she thought if she likes it I might come up with some other form of punishment.) Wonderful, I say. She can sleep in the carseat every day for all I care. I get my 90 minutes.)

Sorry about the long aside. Here are some photos of the girls since we got home. In some they're just being goofy princesses. The others are of when they got into the size 6 box.

Sisters 2009

At the beginning of December (the day after the girls and I arrived in Utah), I left the girls with the Georges and went to Arizona to spend a week with my sisters, mom, and honorary invitee brother Alex. (Alex had just gotten home from his mission, so we invited him to come along). We had soooo much fun! I love our annual "sisters' conference!" (And I loved the break from my darling children. I figured out it's the first time I've been away from Elaine for more than a few hours! A much needed break!)

Christine and her daughter, Orva (5 weeks younger than Elaine), picked us up from the airport.

Here are some pictures of the girls having lots of fun without their mom!

Laney with Aunt Jessie

How to feed 8 vegan adults for a week . . . . (We even had to go get more spinach a couple of times!) Salad, anyone?

Honorary member, Alex, with his nephew Xander (named for him and Great Grandpa Alexander Bryan).

We always give little party favors/gifts first thing. We call them "sisters' gifts." Mom and Tina gave pajamas!

Here we are displaying the other gifts.

All the sisters helping Joanne get ready for church (not that she needed the help).

We attended church in Liza's ward, 45 minutes from Scottsdale, where we were staying. We ate dinner at Liza's house afterwards and then went to the Mesa Temple to see the Christmas lights.

I love these ladies!!

In age order: Mom (Orva), Laura, Rebekah, Eliza, Joanne, Marian, Christine

Just the sisters. (We have 20 kids among us, and two more on the way!)

Alex joined us for a few pictures.

Prego Shot

At the Temple with Liza's kids, Paul, Shayne, and Bradshaw.

The Wrights and a Barbie Bowl

Here are two random pictures from our Christmas vacation:

One night at the Georges, Mike's aunt and Uncle (Marybeth and Ward Wright) and their children came for dinner. They are such a fun family, and we had a great time visiting and doing a puzzle together.

One day at lunch, Elaine insisted on having her applesauce in this little tiny barbie bowl. I had to fill it many many times, because it literally held 2 bites. Stinker.

Bean Museum

On Mariah's birthday, we joined my sister's family, the Motts, and went to the Bean Museum. Just walking in the doors brought back a flood of childhood memories. We used to go to the museum often for Family Home Evening. It still smells the same (not a bad smell). The girls enjoyed it, I think, but were kind of stinkers. I don't think they were feeling well. We were ready to get them out of there after an hour or so.

Cousin Henry (3 weeks younger than Elaine) and Elaine admiring things from the second floor.

I liked the museum's nativity scene.

Getting the girls to pose for pictures is a joke . . . .

Laney looking like a lost, forlorn little child . . . .

Watching a movie about whales.

Happy New Year!!

To celebrate New Years Eve day, we went sledding with the Georges. My girls were both very predictable: Mariah went down once, was a good sport, but refused to go again. Laney, on the other hand, loved it, and asked to go again and again!

We played games that night and had lots of yummy food. I went to bed earlier than the others (pregnancy); reports are that they had a great time celebrating 2010 with sparklers and a few flower fireworks provided by Danny and Jessie.

Christmas Day at the Johnsons

In spite of a sleepless night with throwing-up kids, we were able to have a nice Christmas morning and a relaxing day. After we put the kids to bed Christmas night, Mike and I went to visit Mike's grandparents, Grandma Shirlene and Gramps. They fed us a late night feast of veggie sandwiches, fruit, and pie. Delicious. I was so glad we got to visit with them. They are wonderful examples to me of everything good. I married into the best family!

Christmas Eve with the Georges

We spent Christmas Eve with the Georges, making homemade noodles for dinner and gingerbread houses for dessert.

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times . . . .

Charles Dickens does well in describing our December. The girls and I spent all of December in Utah (I spent a week in Arizona). Mike joined us after finals; we had a wonderful time . . . some of the time. The girls were sick the ENTIRE time. Seriously. The WHOLE time. They had colds/coughs before we left home that persisted through the whole month. Then December 20, they came down with a strange flu bug that had them throwing up and diarrhea-ing intermittently for 2 1/2 weeks. Misery.

So, despite many sleepless nights, cranky kids, lots of midnight laundry, and hundreds of nasty diapers, we survived, and I'm pretty sure we're glad we went. It was so good to spend time with both mine and Mike's families. We had relaxed down time with both families that we rarely had when we lived in the same city.

I tried to capture some of the highlights (Christmas and the New Year will get their own posts):

I have a 3-year-old!

Mariah turned 3 a couple weeks ago! (We were in Utah for all of December; I have a lot of catching up to do.) She informed me a couple weeks before her birthday that she was going to have a "princess birthday." Oh, really?

Well, a little girl's prayers were answered. Without spending a penny (thanks to very generous cousin hand-me-downs and equally generous grandparents and others), we were able to deliver the most princessy birthday ever: 2 princess dresses; 2 pairs of "glass slipper balls"; a princess record player; a magic wand; princess polly pocket dolls; a very fancy princess ballerina skirt; a cinderella nightie; and a pink princess cake.

If you dare, here's a compilation of videos taken throughout the day. It's about 5 minutes long, but if you can endure, my favorite part is the last 30 seconds or so.

I love my 3-year-old! And although she challenges me daily to be a better mom, she really is a delight. Some of her favorites:

• wearing princess dresses and paraphernalia
• "reading"
• singing or humming primary songs
• dancing
• "helping" mom in the kitchen
• treats

She is so smart and keeps me on my toes. Here's a funny exchange we had yesterday, but first some background. We're having the usual issues with bed- and nap-time. Since we got back from Utah (2 days ago), I've had her take naps on my bed so Laney can move out of our closet into the girls' room. So, yesterday, Mariah was napping in my bed:

Me: If you have any more problems, you won't be able to sleep in my bed.

Mariah: Well, Mom, where else could I take a nap? (Like, "Mom, I know you don't have a solution to this problem . . . .")

And last night (she has a princess toddler bed):

Me: If you have any more problems, I'll have to take your princess bed away.

Mariah: Well, Mom, where would I sleep?

Me: On the floor.

We didn't have any more issues last night.

Tonight the promise of treats waiting on her dresser for her in the morning kept her silently in bed. We didn't have issues with her or Elaine; a very nice change.

And a memory story: As we were driving the first day of our 2-day drive home, I was explaining that we'd drive for a long time and then stay in a hotel and then drive for a long long time again, and then get home to our house in Oklahoma. Mariah said, "And we'll go to breakfast in the morning at the hotel. I will have oatmeal." (She's stayed in a hotel one other time in her life--6 months ago when we moved to Oklahoma. She had oatmeal for breakfast.)