The Holbrook Family: February 2011

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

I turned 30

Notice their is no exclamation after the title of this post. I'm not really depressed about it, not excited either, mainly I just think it's weird. It just doesn't seem like I could be 30 but here I am. Crazy.

We headed down to St. George on the glorious day of my birth, the 19th. It was snowing up here and raining down there but all in all it was nice to get away with my little family.

We went to Brick Oven for dinner that night.

See how excited we are that it's my birthday?

The workers sang happy birthday and brought me this not so great dessert.

Mark had shoulder surgery two days before so he wasn't able to really use his arm, although he did drive all the way down and back with the use of one arm. He dislocated it playing hockey a couple months ago and it popped out again at Cami's house one night. He was scooting over on the couch and all the sudden he was practically screaming in pain. It was 10 at night and we didn't want to have to go the the ER so we decided to see what we could find on Utube to put it back into place, since Cami is a nurse and all. :) After about 30 minutes of research (Mark is lying on the ground in an incredible amount of pain mind you), we decided to go for it with a video that we saw repeated a couple times. Cami stuck her foot in Mark's armpit, held onto his arm and gently leaned back. She did this a couple times and it popped a couple times but not all the way in. finally Rich helped her pull on his arm and pop! It went back into place. So gross. Needless to say he needed surgery to prevent future dislocations and after surgery the doc said the tear was really bad, plus he had a floating piece of cartilage in there. Eew.

Why he decided to do the surgery two days before my birthday, I don't know. :)

He couldn't fully shower for three days. That was a tough one for him. He is a clean freak.

Back to St. George...here's the girls hangin out.

It cleared up on Sunday so we went to the temple grounds. So pretty and bright white.

Looking at the Statue.

After the temple we drove up to Snow Canyon. The red rocks had some snow on them, it was beautiful.

We weren't really dressed for hiking but we got out a couple times so the kids could climb up on some rocks. Charlie wanted to do more, next time!

Pioneer names behind Charlie.

We were able to swim a lot still and I got to shop for a bit too sans kids. A fun little get away and a nice birthday. Here's to the 30's!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Valentines

I wasn't feeling very motivated this year to put together a Valentine's fiesta but I ended up getting it together a little bit for the day. We had our traditional pink pancake breakfast with smoothies and I gave my kids their valentines presents. This year I gave them each a book from a year in their life. Kenya's was her first year (yeah, I'm behind,) and Charlie's was his third year. They also each got a mini pillow pet (I couldn't resist them they were so cute) and Charlie got a Utah shirt and Kenya got a new dress up.

Looking at their books

We invited my friend Jayme and her kids over for a little Valentine lunch. Heart shaped jello blocks, heart shaped turkey and cheese pockets, and strawberries.

My Valentines

Charlie took this pic

Kenya wanted in on the action and took this one.

Mark sent me roses, and had a surprise planned that night. When we were in the car driving he said he couldn't hold it in and to look in the console. I pulled out Sara Mclachlan tickets! I was completely shocked and excited. The concert was amazing. It was at Kingsbury Hall which makes it seem a lot more intimate and the sound is amazing. She is incredible live. I loved every minute of it and it brought me back to my younger years. :)

Outside of Kingsbury Hall

Not a bad seat in the house.

A really great v-day. This was our 10th valentines together, wow. Love you babe.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

7 Months

At 7 months old Leila

-Is sleeping 12ish hours through the night. I finally made her cry it out for a couple of nights and she does pretty good now. Most nights she still wakes up and cries for a few minutes or I put her binky in but I think we're past the 4:00 am feeding ritual.
-Is babbling. Lot's of ba ba ba's, although Mark swears when he put her down last night she said "da da" as he walked out of the room, like she was calling out for him. I don't think I buy it.
-Is finding and putting in her own binky and is figuring out how to hold her own bottle.
-Has one tooth that's poked through the surface and another one trying to break through.
-Weighs 16 lbs.
-Still isn't rolling but loves to sit and play with toys.
-Gave me a little taste of what it's like to have an unhappy baby when she was teething and sick these past 2 weeks. She was sad, I was sad. Now she is back to being happy though.

-Still is nursing but I have to supplement with about 10 oz of formula through the day, most of it (6 oz) right before bed.

See how sad she is?

I blame these guys.

She hasn't been eating her baby food as well, half way through she'll just seal her lips like this. I also blame the above culprits.

It's always so much harder for me to keep nursing once they can hold their own bottles, we'll see how long I can last, or she can last.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

February Feelings

I am so glad January is over, but to be honest February is not shaping up to be that great so far. My kids were sick last week, really random fevers all week and a cough that is still lingering and now I've caught the yuckiness, not to the extreme but it is still crappy. It looks beautiful outside but it is not. It is bitter cold and really windy. My kids are not getting along, why can't they just play together and be nice to each other and listen to me? Is that too much to ask, really? Apparently it is. Even Leila is struggling, her teeth are just breaking through on the bottom and she's not liking it. I usually look forward to Valentines day but I'm not feeling it this year, and the big 3-0 is right around the corner this month too. I know, I need an attitude adjustment, I hope I can get one soon.

We did get to get away for a couple nights last week and leave the older two with family. We did our annual Bear River Lodge snowmobile trip and it was a lot of fun. Second year in a row I stayed back at the cabin (pregnant last year, nursing baby this year.) but it was still nice, I got a few bows made and a good nap in. We stayed up way too late and ate way too much, and I have no pictures. So instead here are some cute pictures of who else but Leila...

This is the first official picture Kenya has drawn of somebody. It is Leila and it's awesome.

She's sitting up!

She loves her toes and loves to grab and suck on them.

She's constantly putting her feet together in this position, I love it.

She loves playing with Buzz.

She is 7 months old today so don't be surprised when there's another post with MORE pictures of her in the next couple days. :)

The World Through Kids Eyes

August 2013

Leila has officially stopped saying "I wanna hold you" :( She would always say that to us and I have never corrected her but I guess she figured it out for herself because tonight she said "hold me". She's growing up too fast!

November 2011
I told Kenya tonight that I was glad Heavenly Father sent her to me. She said "Why did Heavenly Father send me to you?" I said "well we were all a family before we came to earth, in heaven." She said "Mom, how did you get up in the sky?" "I don't know." I said. "Did Santa give you a ride?" Followed with giggles by both of us.

November 2010
Today I was telling Mark about how angry I got at Kenya for coloring on the table for like the millionth time. She heard me talking about it and said "You're not a nice mom, you're like the BEAST! I'm gonna put you in da gawbage and get a new mommy!" Then later Mark asked her when he was reading her a bedtime story "Kenya, am I the King?" She said "No, you're the debil (devil)." Charlie was drawing a picture of our family for school and drew me with my mouth open he said "Look mom, you're yelling." I don't think we're leaving the right kind of impression on our kids here.

July2010
Today Kenya came up to Mark and said "Daddy I have to tell you something." She then made him bend down so she could whisper in his ear "You're the best dad in the whole wide world." He thought maybe I told her to say that but she came up with it all on her own. She then did the same thing to me. I love hearing that little whisper in my ear.

June 2010
Kenya randomly makes comments on the baby in my belly, it usually goes something like this. "I like your big belly mom" then "I like your baby Leila." Then it's followed by "I have a big belly too." Tonight that was followed by "It's hooge."

March 2010
When Kenya is demanding something I will tell her she needs to ask nicely. She then yells at me "NICELY!" Not quite what I was meaning.
If you say something like "How are you doing?" She'll say "Kenya" instead of good, or bad, or sad, or happy. Kinda cute.
She's really starting to put her sentences together and express herself a lot better. It's fun to have conversations with her.

March 2010
At dinner we were discussing how babies just drink when they're newborns and don't eat food. We asked Charlie if he knew what they drank and he said "yes, milk from your..." he paused for a few seconds and we were anticipating what was going to come out, then he said "from your belly!" What innocence.
February 2010-
Kenya has been saying some cute things lately most mornings she comes into our bed and snuggles in right in the middle of us. This morning she snuggled up next to Mark, put her hand on his cheek and said "daddy you're my sweetie girl." We had to laugh. Last night we were in the car, Mark was on the phone and Charlie was being really loud so he turned around and grabbed his leg to get him to be quiet. Charlie started crying and Kenya got really mad "don't hurt my sista! You otay Charlay?" We explained it was her brother and she said it all over again, this time with brother. She's been calling a lot of people her sister lately, she's a bit confused.
I made chocolate football cake bites for the superbowl and whenever she finishes her food she says "I want a hapball!" The first couple times I didn't know what she was saying until she ran over to them and pointed, now we know that hapball is football.

July 2009-
Charlie was asking me if his dreams would come true (I thought he was referring to bad dreams because he's been so scared of having bad dreams lately thanks to watching "Thriller") I told him they wouldn't come true and he kept asking me about it. Finally he said "Well daddy's dream came true when you were his wife!" Awww, thanks bud!

June 2009-
Yesterday Charlie randomly said to me "You know mom Jesus is sad when you're mean to me." I guess what goes around comes around. He also told me as we were reading "Little Red Cap" (the real Little Red Riding Hood story) "She shouldn't have lied to her mom" he said. I said "No she should've minded her mom and not gone off the path." He said "well sometimes I lie to you." At least he's honest, well sometimes. :)
May 2009-
Kenya loves the park. Every time we drive by one she freaks out "side, side! Mama side mease, meeease!" (slide please) she says "mease" all the time, it kills me! So cute. She also loves to say "go way!" Every time she's mad at someone or we're trying to get her to do something she doesn't want to its "go way!"

February 2009-Charlie said a prayer the other day that went like this "Grateful we could go to Disneyland, grateful for Halloween, grateful for Christmas, in the name..." That was it! Kind of funny.

December 2008-Last night when Mark was putting Charlie to bed Charlie said "Dad, I think Jaxon isn't choosing the right." Mark said "Yeah, how come? " Charlie said "Because he likes BYU and that's not choosing the right." Mark was pretty proud.

December 2008-

Charlie had a Christmas pajama party at preschool. He got a gift from his teachers. He opened it up and it was a blanket they had made for him, "Wow, a blanket!" I said. Charlie said "It's beautiful!" Then a bit later he was doing a puzzle while I was on the computer and out of nowhere he just says "Merry Christmas mom." He can be so sweet.

November 2008- With Christmas right around the corner and his birthday a couple weeks ago Charlie wants everything he sees on TV. He'll be upstairs watching TV and you'll just hear him say "How 'bout that!" And if it's a girl toy it's "How 'bout that for Kenya!" I don't know why it's "how 'bout that" but it puts a smile on my face every time he says it. It's too cute.

I love how honest Charlie is. The other day he went to the bathroom and when he came out I said "wash your hands" as he came out he got distracted for a minute and then said "Oh yeah, I got poop on my finger." And went to the bathroom. The same day he told me that while he was playing outside with his friend Brady he peed in our dirt, just randomly told me later that afternoon with a guilty look on his face. I was surprised because he hates peeing outside!

I took Charlie to Target to pick out a Halloween costume. I thought he would pick one out immediately and probably choose spider man or batman, well he wasn't really jumping on anything he saw, until he saw a transformer costume he said "I want to be a transformer!" I said "Ok do you want to be Bumble Bee?" "No, I want to be Octopus Prime!" I think it's so cute to hear him say it I haven't told him it's Optimus Prime.

One morning while we were getting ready for church Charlie in his best little sick voice says to me "Mom, (cough cough) I can't go to church, I'm sick (cough cough) see I have a cough.! Isn't he a little young to be doing that?

Last night I was kneeling down by Charlie as he said his prayers. This is what he said- "...Grateful I could go to preschool, grateful for daddy and Kenya," then he reached out and stroked my hair, "and grateful for mommy's hair." He was so happy yesterday when I came home from work and my hair was done and not in a pony tail anymore.

Charlie's Aunt Kristen asked him one day "Charlie what did you do today?" He said " I played with Samara." She said "Oh, is that your friend?" "No!" He said, " she's my husband!"

Mark sold his car and Charlie was with us as we dropped it off to the new owner. Charlie said "Dad, where is your car going?" Mark said " I sold it, it's going bye bye." Charlie said "All our of our stuff going bye bye?" I hope we're not traumatizing him! :)

Charlie has been learning about the Holy Ghost and he seems a bit confused at the concept. Today out of the blue he asked me "Mom, where is the Holy Ghost?" I tried to explain to him that he's a spirit and he can bring good feelings to you etc.. Then he said "Oh, can I touch his blanket?" (This is what a ghost is to him, somebody with a blanket over them.) So then I explained that he's not a real ghost he's a spirit and he doesn't have a body etc. Then he said "Yeah, but he almost has a body, and when I pull off it's blanket is the Holy Ghost a girl or a boy?" Let's just say he's still confused. :)

We went to Discovery Gateway today and as we were walking in there was a little person standing by the entrance. Charlie looks at me and says "Mom, that was a wittle mom." I thought that was pretty politically correct. :)

Today at church Charlie was playing with some cards on the bench during sacrament when I looked over at him he seemed to be pondering something and said to me "mom, am I going to get baptized?" I said "Yes, when you're 8 you can get baptized." "But I want to get baptized now!" (The lady sitting in front of us turns around and whispers "precious." :)) I told him again he could when he's eight. Then he said "Can daddy help me get baptized?" I guess he is learning something in primary and FHE!

Almost every morning I have a battle with Charlie on what he's going to wear. At least the mornings when I care what he wears and want him to look decent. Last night he got to pick out a movie to rent, he chose a Buzz Lightyear one (this is his latest obsession.) This morning I brought out some clothes and he saw them and said "No, not that shirt! That shirt won't make me Buzz Lightyear!" I said "Oh, what shirt will?" "Come here, I'll show you." And he took me into his room and insisted that he wear a white baseball T with green sleeves. This is the closest shirt he has that resembles Buzz Lightyear's costume. Pretty creative kid.

Charlie is in sunbeams now but we've been watching Cami's kids this weekend at her house so he went to nursery today with his cousin Luke. When we got home I asked him what he learned in nursery. He said "nothing." I said "didn't you have a lesson, you must have learned something." Very adamantly he responded "No we don't learn anything in nursery, we just have snacks!" No wonder why he loves it! :)

Cami has a piano in her house and yesterday towards the end of Charlie's nap Luke started softly touching the keys. Charlie woke up and came out of the bedroom with his hands out to the side palms facing up and said in a sweet surprised voice "I wake up and heard the piano singing." Mark and I thought it was too funny.

Those of you who have been around us probably know that Charlie hates my hair in a pony tail. I have no idea where this came from but for about a year he has been like this. It's getting better but at first he would throw a huge fit and say "Don't cutta your hair!" Then I explained to him it was a pony tail so it became "Take out your ponytail!" And he would grab my hair and try and get the elastic out. He's made progress over the past year, it went from forbidding it to throwing a fit but on occasion after I explained to him I was going to the gym or didn't have time to do my hair a few times a day I could make it through the day. Now He doesn't immediately respond to it when he sees it but at some point through out the day he'll comment on it. The other day he was going down for his nap and he said "Mom when I wake up will you take your ponytail out?" I can't believe a three year old boy could care so much about a ponytail! So much for short hair, he probably wouldn't speak to me for weeks! :)

After we sold our house we moved into my dad's. Charlie loves being around his grandpa and the other day he was sitting on the potty and I said "Charlie, do you need help?" and he said "no, I want grandpa to wipe me!" I said "no, grandpa doesn't wipe you, just mommy." So a couple days later he says to grandpa "Grandpa, are you a boy or a girl?" Grandpa said "I'm a boy." Charlie said "if you're a boy then you can wipe me!" Don't know how he decided that one but I guess he's got it all figured out!

Kenya has been sick the past day and tonight at dinner Charlie said "why isn't Kenya eating?" I said "Because she's sick." He said "Oh, does she have a snotty nose?" I said "No, she has a tummy ache." "Oh, did she eat an egg?" "No, I said ache, not egg, it means her tummy hurts." In classic Charlie response to everything "Oh." :)