The Holbrook Family

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Busy, Busy

March came and went, pretty fast surprisingly for being 8 months pregnant. We were trying to get in some time with the kids, individually and as a family before the baby came. We got tickets to our local theaters production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. My kids had been watching an animated version of Joseph on Netflix a lot so I thought they'd enjoy this. They seemed to, the story line is a little bit harder to follow with the music being so diverse but they were entertained, and what do you know, Kenya walked away with a little crush on the actor who played Joseph. She carried around the program with his picture for a while. We were also surprised to see our dentist playing a part in it who we had just paid a visit to a couple days prior.

Leila has yet to let the dentist look at her teeth. Last time she wouldn't even sit in the chair. This time she got to the chair, leaning back in the chair even. I thought we were good, just then the dentist walked by and the hygienist said "Oh, do you want to just hurry and look in her mouth?" Well as soon as Leila caught sight of him she was done. She had warmed up to the idea of the nice girl counting her teeth but not the man she hadn't seen yet. She wouldn't sit back down, wouldn't look at him, just clung to me. She is the first of my kids that have had a problem with this, hopefully next time we will get her to do it.

Snow is melting and we have been outside a lot.

Mark gave me a gift certificate for Valentines Day for a mani/pedi but I've been doing shellac on my nails and don't really need the manicure so I took Kenya with me for a pedicure. She loved it.

She took lots of pictures with my phone while she was getting hers done. Cami came with us too.

Leila with Luke, my friend Shea's little boy. They are so cute together.

I had Jayme take some pregnant pics at 36 weeks. Not my favorite thing to do but I have this thing where if I did it for the 1st I have to do it for the rest. Probably because I am the last child and vowed I wouldn't slack for my last. Hopefully I can stick to that.

We were out in Alpine doing pictures so I decided to stop at Ikea on our way home. Leila was one inch too short to go to the kids play area so I had to bring her with me. It was nap time, she had a major melt down at one point. Luckily it was towards the end and I was able to beeline it out of there with most of my purchases under way.

Lunch at the park with some of my favorite people for Katie's birthday.

The week ended with a little girl getaway to St. George. Chelsa and Ashley ran the 10k race we did last year, I slept in and wished them good luck. We got to enjoy some sunshine, shopping, eating, and talking. What more could a girl ask for?

This is the only pic I took?!

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Daily Things...

I learned how to hem pants into shorts thanks to pinterest. Only one pair turned out decent so far. Every year my kids pants have holes in the knees, they rarely make it to the next year without.

Love that Charlie came in from playing with his friends and got sucked in to Sofia The First, a princess show. :)

Baby blanket is ready to be quilted.

Mark and Charlie got to go to a Grizzlies hockey game.

She loves this thing...

For show and teach in Kenya's class she had to talk about something she loved. She knew just what she wanted to bring and ran back with this picture of Charlie. She said she loves him because he plays games with her. Grateful for moments like this.

The kids celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday at school, it seems to be turning into a big thing. They could dress up for it which they didn't but that morning I realized I could pull off a little green eggs and ham to help celebrate. That's as far as I went.

Leila watching Kenya catch the bus...

Lots of organizing projects going on. This little piece was for the girls now shared closet. Kenya took this one.

She loves to paint.

We are so happy to have clear sidewalks, the snow is starting to melt.

Got out the baby clothes, you forget how little they are!

Friday, February 22, 2013

Birthday Week

I had a great birthday week (maybe I should just call it my birthweek :)) Mark wanted to take me to breakfast with the kids so we went to Sil's Cafe before school. My very thoughtful friend Shea had a delicious luncheon with some of my favorite girls on my birthday, I am sad we didn't get a picture but it was so nice of her and it was so nice to be able to chat for a while with them all. The kids played well and it was nice not to be rushed at a restaurant. That night Mark came home with Cafe Rio, balloons, and the cutest little oreo ice cream cake (one of my faves) from Baskin Robbins. It was a great day spent with friends and family, didn't have to cook or clean which is always ideal. I got a massage the day before and had dinner with friends the night before, bunco was the next night, dinner with my family and my mom that weekend, and lunch with my family and my dad the day before my birthday. So it was a fun filled week. 32 feels great, I was also 32 weeks pregnant (almost 33) which feels great to be counting down to the end.

These pictures below make me laugh. My belly looks like a watermelon with Leila sitting on top of it and I'm arching my back to try and hold her up. I about died when I saw these! I asked Mark if this is what it really looks like, he got a good laugh and said no but maybe he was just being nice. :)

32 weeks pregnant, 32 years old.

Dinner at Trio for mine and Jared's birthday

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Valentines Day

Oh, the day of love. We started it out with our usual pink heart shaped pancakes. I strayed from this last year and all I heard were complaints so out went the delicious red velvet pancakes of last year and in came the basic pink heart pancake. Gotta love kids. I also did some doughnut holes this year with a little saying, those were a hit. The kids opened their little gifts which was their "year" book like the last couple years, some gum in a heart case (which they thought was really cool, again the simple things!) Some heart shaped peeps and they each got one thing to wear.

Our pink heart pancakes covered in strawberries and whip cream with raspberry syrup.

Leila opened her shirt and said "Oh, it's mine? It's coot! It's I know you!" Then started twirling around with it. Later that night when dad came home she danced with him...

Which led to me trying to remember how to do the waltz with him and not being able to be dipped very well with that belly...

Which led to Kenya wanting a turn...

Which led to Charlie trying to dance with Leila...

Lot's of dancing has been going on around here.

Oh, and Mark took Leila and I to lunch that day at Zupas. It was a nice little Valentine treat.

We had a little Valentine dinner together with heart shaped calzones, love potion, and delicious chocolate molten lava cake (in the crockpot) for dessert. It was to die for.

Love my little Valentines

Silly faces. :)

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Leila at Two and a Half

It seems like when I go to write these posts I forget everything I want to say about my kids. Leila has changed so much in the last six months, I can't even believe it! She is at the really cute talking stage. Everything she says and how she says it is so cute. It's fun to have conversations with her and see what she's understanding and how she's responding. It's hard to capture the cuteness in words. I love how she says "wub oo" after I put her down and tell her "I love you." She always wants me to sing "winkle" (Twinkle, twinkle...) and if I don't stroke her face while I sing she grabs my hand and it puts it on her face. If you ask her a question she'll respond a lot of times with "I no no" (I don't know). She still tells me when she goes potty and if she went "yellow" or "brown". She loves her colors and is very demanding when it comes to picking a plate or cup when we eat. She'll usually request "kink" next best choice is blue. She is constantly pointing out colors to me. She loves the "hi-pad" and watches "pida man" and "kitty cat" (aristocats) on it. She also is obsessed with the princesses as I've mentioned before. I'll let the girls listen to Disney Pandora station sometimes and as soon as a princess song comes out she immediately names the princess that the song goes too.

She's sleeping in "Kenya's bed" now, the lower bunk in Kenya's room, which is officially their room now. She's doing really well in her big girl bed. It took her a few times but she's usually pretty good about coming out when she wakes up and down to our room with out waking up Kenya. She wakes up around 6:30 most mornings and Kenya is my one child that will usually sleep in until 7:30 or 8:00. She only wore pull ups for the first 6 weeks or so after she was potty trained and has been really good at naps and night. She won't even put a pull up on if we try.

This was after Disneyland, which enhanced the princess loving even more. This is her "I know you" dress, she's singing and dancing with her prince.

Charlie is cute with her and wanted her to dance with him.

Kenya took this candid picture on my phone. All snuggled up. She will sit and watch shows at anyones request but she also loves to be outside and playing with Kenya, cousins, neighbors. She just doesn't request or demand it. She does however request shows. :)

Bath time is great around here. She can be in there for up to an hour sometimes. Love it.

She is growing up so fast! I can't believe she's not going to be my baby anymore. I got kind of sad the other day when I was moving all of her clothes out of her room and into Kenya's. How are the days so long and the years so quick? Although she has her two year oldisms that make it difficult, over all she has been such a fun little toddler. She has been my one that is a little bit attached to me, she makes me feel loved. :) Love this little one so much.

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." :)