The Holbrook Family

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Summer So Far...

Middle of June already, summer always flies even when you're 8 months pregnant! Charlie played baseball this spring and finished up his season a couple weeks ago. His team was the Mariners and they didn't loose a game! They went on to play in the tournament and made it to the semi finals. All Charlie really wanted was the trophy the 1st and 2nd teams got but he settled for his medal. We had fun watching him and cheering him on.

He was always so happy if he made it home.

The little sister fan club.

Charlie plays almost every day with this little bunch. Charlie's got them all into monster trucks one of their favorite things to do is make "jumps" with the left over carpet in the basement and watch how their trucks go over or land the jump. He has been so entertained by his two monster trucks, one of which he worked really hard to earn the money to buy.

My kids get to see a lot of their cousins and they absolutely love it. Here's a couple of pictures of Kenya and Greta in their princess get ups and again in their matching swim suits.

We've already spent quite a few days at Lagoon. Most of my family got passes this year so more cousin time! Charlie is big enough now to ride the bigger rides like Wicked so it's been a little bit more difficult to go this year with him wanting to ride the bigger rides and Kenya not being able to. Luckily he's still pretty content in Kiddie Land too.

Mark took them last night when it had been raining so there were no lines which they all loved. I love that Mark loves Lagoon just as much as the kids. They came home with these prizes, notice Kenya's spikey club ball that apparently she really wanted and Mark couldn't convince her to get a cute little stuffed animal instead. Made me laugh.

This also made me laugh. You can't really tell but they were going crazy jumping around with these between their legs.

I love summer.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Children Around The World

Charlie's final preschool graduation from Mrs. T's preschool. They all picked a country from around the world, Charlie was from Samoa, his grandma and great grandma were so proud.

I think he loved being surrounded by girls in this preschool. Here he is with his cousin Stella and his friend Samantha. There were 10 girls and 3 boys in his class.

Let the count down to kindergarten begin! He is so excited and he lost another tooth! Pulled it out by himself but now he can't find it so the tooth fairy is postponed until it turns up.

Summer so far has been pretty good, part of me is really enjoying this mild summer, the pregnant part, but I'm also anxious to have some pool days! I think I'll take the mildness though and I think I'm officially going down hill, more contractions, getting swollen, huge and uncomfortable, can't wait to meet this little (big) girl! If you ever want to see some crazy baby movements come on over at about 9:30 at night, she'll put on a show for you!

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Rainbow Smiles

We celebrated Kenya's birthday a few days late with friends and family. Luckily the rain let up by the time the party started and it turned out to be a great day. I saw this rainbow cake a few months back and fell in love with it, luckily Kenya was happy with the idea of a rainbow party and loves her Rainbow Brite doll, something about rainbows just make you want to smile. :)

See, doesn't that cake just brighten your day? :)

This little girl also brightens my day.

We got her a wagon and she got a bunch of other fun things from everyone else!

Somehow all the guests got away before I thought about snapping everyone's pictures. It's a lot of work to be the party planner, host, cook, baker, photographer, videographer, and mom...my pictures suffered because of it. :( I also forgot to hand out the candy bags and balloons to the kids before they left, so if any of you want a balloon or some candy you know where to find it.

Mark let Charlie mow the lawn a few days back and he's been dying to show me ever since. Mark actually got him on video saying how bad he wants to mow the lawn and how he'll do it every week so he can play it back to him someday! :)

Charlie was anxious to get the wagon out, after seeing the way he took Kenya on a ride in the wagon I decided it would be best to put a helmet on her. He did slow down long enough for her to pick some flowers (weeds). :)

Thursday, May 27, 2010

May 25 2010

Three years ago today my little Kenya was born! Wow how time flies. It felt like Charlie was so old by this time of his life and she seems so little to me still. This girl is so sweet, she can put a smile on my face so quick. Lately she's been randomly telling me sweet things like "Mom, you're my sweetie." Or "I love you mom" with a little squeeze. The other day I was weeding and she said "you're so pretty," I thought she was talking about herself so I said back to her "you're so pretty?" "No" she said "you're so pretty!" Such a little sweetie. She's been loving Snow White lately and wants us to read the book to her almost every night so we got her a little Snow White doll. She loves it and sleeps with it ever night.
Her party is on Saturday so that day we just went to the park with cousins and friends and went to Charlie's last soccer game that night.
His soccer team hasn't been doing so great this year, he's probably the oldest and the tallest on his team, in the fall he'll move up to the next level so that will be a different story but he REALLY wanted to win this last game so he was really into it and did what he could to win and win they did! I think he scored about 4 or 5 goals. It was a good game. :)

After his goals he would look over at us (really at Mark) for some encouragement, Mark would be holding up his thumb saying "Good job!" so he'd give us a thumbs up back with this big grin on his face.

Look at that tongue!

After his last goal that put them in the lead. Woo hoo!

When we got home we sang to Kenya, she really struggled blowing out those three candles! She sang right along with us when we sang Happy Birthday to her.

A couple more gifts and her day was complete...now for the party on Saturday... Rainbow Brite will have a major role! :)

Stole The Show

I think our kids are little born performers, definitely something they got from their dad, you have to weasel the performing side out of me. These two take to the stage and love it! Kenya had her second little dance recital and did great for an almost 3 year old. She was one of the only ones dancing and on her second number stood front and center. It was adorable. Of course it was probably more adorable to me. :)

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Busy Boys

Charlie's been playing soccer and baseball this spring. It's kept us busy and it's only one kid! He loves it though and I love that he gets to run around and get all his energy (okay maybe not all, that might be impossible) out.

Mark's dream has come true, he got a riding lawn mower. He found a good used one on KSL one night. I woke up the next morning and we were the proud owners of a new (old) lawn mower. I officially give him weed duty now since mowing the lawn now is actually fun for him. He seriously counts down the days until he gets to do it again. Just call him Forest, he'd be happy to come mow yours...

Oh and one busy girl too! Kenya loves riding her bike that she got for Christmas and is quite the speedster! I feel bad we haven't been able to go on bike rides or walks since I am so slow and can't run after them when I need to let alone get on a bike! Soon enough...I miss it, so do my kids.

Another Year

Charlie has officially graduated from Miss Lisa's preschool! He sang all the songs so well and even decided to do one of them for our ward talent show that week. He absolutely loves preschool and I know he'll miss it but all he can think about right now is kindergarten. He can't wait! One more preschool graduation to go, oh and then there's the preschool he's going to this summer and he'll be on his way! If you can't tell we love preschool around here. :)

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." :)