Growing Up

Everyone's growing up so fast! Here's what's going on in our house:

Lacy got her ears pierced! My mom made me wait until I was 10 to get mine pierced. I didn't want to be that mean to my own babygirls, so I decided I would let them get it done when they wanted (love ya mom!). Lacy has asked to have it done a few times in the past, but she's quickly forgotten about it. I wanted to wait until she was really ready to have it done, and really wanted to get it done! This week was the week! She asked me earlier in the week and kept on asking. She made a 5-day chart and said she'd get them pierced in 5 days if she was a good girl and did her chores. Well, she was pretty good most of the time, and there was really no reason to deny her getting them pierced, so today we went ahead and did it!

Then there's Rose. She's my rough and tumble little brave girl. She rarely complains and is so independent! I love that little girl! Poor thing is allergic to several things... what they are, I'm not sure. I do know mosquitos are on the list though. We went camping, and she was bitten way more than anyone else (even after bug spray was applied) and she swelled up massively. She looked terrible. To top it off, she fell off a makeshift swing that Dave made up (and subsequently dismantalled after the fall) and got scrapes on top of the already swollen mosquito bites. Poor kid! But she didn't complain at all. She's also starting to talk like a kid, not a toddler anymore. She still has a few speech issues (but the speech therapist said it's nothing to worry about), but she's certainly sounding more grown up every day!

And Uriah, my sweet little baby boy. He's eating solids now! I wanted to wait until he was sitting up unassisted very well, growing teeth, acted interested in food, mastered the pincer grasp, and was older than 6 months in order to begin solid foods. I am pretty strict about when to introduce foods because early solids introduction can lead to GI tract disorders, diabetes and food allergies, which can show up at any time in life. Dave is blessed with GI tract disorders and food allergies, and diabetes runs in his family, so I am extra cautious. But Ri was very ready, so at 6 1/2 months we started solids. He wasn't terribly impressed with them until he got to try cucumber spears and big chunks of melon. He loves those! My big boy is getting bigger now that he gets to eat big boy food! He'll eat maybe a tablespoon of babyfood at a time, but he'll attack foods that he gets to feed himself and eat a lot more that way. I've always given my babies their own food to feed themselves from a relatively young age, and I never knew that the technique I used had a name until maybe a year ago- it's called "Baby Led Weaning," and it's basically what I've always done with my kiddos, I just didn't know it had a name! I'll probably give Ri another week or so on babyfood before we abandon it completely!

First bites of babyfood... um... that was weird, mom.

But cucumber? Nom nom nom nom give me more, mama!

Missionaries

This morning, I had a Young Women's presidency meeting. I had to bring all three of my kiddos. Which is not my favorite thing to do. The meeting was at 9 am at the church. Ugh. I'm not a morning person, and neither are my kids.

Monday is Preparation day. Basically, the day the missionaries have to get ready and gear up for the week ahead. Also some time to dress down and just be young adults. Minus dating- they can't do that. Because it was their day off, there were several sets (4? 5?) of missionaries at the building where we had our meeting. Including a set of sister missionaries. They were cooking breakfast together. They fed my girls food, gave us the leftovers, and entertained my girls during my entire meeting. Lacy was especially enamored with the sister missionaries who were there. She gave one sister a nick name ("superstar," and my Lacy's nickname is "sparkle") and they formed a girls club, which included my girls, the sister missionaries and one Elder (he was included because Rose asked on Saturday if he was an old lady when they came to our house).

Anyway, I'm so happy for the service they provided me while I was fulfilling my calling! Sure made my meeting go so much easier! AND my kids weren't bored. But, Sisters, I bet you'll soon realize it was a mistake to exchange phone numbers with my daughter, since she's already called you twice. The meeting got out two hours ago. Sorry about that.

Laughing Uriah

My adorable ticklish little dude is sure to make you laugh, too!

Paper Plate People

I have a stubborn child. She's been struggling to learn to read, and I get easily frustrated with her. I hate feeling frustrated at her when she won't try but I have to help her to learn to read this summer. She got a bit behind her reading lessons in school this year, and her teacher sent home a big stack of lessons for us to work on every day. Well, it hasn't been every day. Partly because of the frustrations we both feel when she isn't getting anything out of it.

Enter the paper plate people. One day, Lacy decided to draw faces on a bunch of paper plates. Then it was time for summer school. She decided to have the paper plate people read all her lessons for her. And do you know what? She actually learned! She read! I didn't get frustrated with her! She didn't get frustrated trying to read! It was a miracle! So now, every time we do school, the paper plate people come out and read for Lacy.

But today, Lacy admitted something to me. "Mom, it's not really the paper plate people who are reading. It's me. I just make different voices and pretend that it is the paper plate people who are reading." Well, what a revelation, Lacy! I'm glad it's helping, even if it's not real.

Mr. Chubbers 6 month update

Uriah had his 6 month appointment today. He is doing great- sitting very well unassisted, scooting around the floor via rolling over, preventing me from actually diapering him by rolling away from said diaper each and every single time I try to change him (guess he likes the freedom of no diaper... not that I blame him!), trying to crawl but can't because his massively heavy midsection is firmly planted on the ground, can stand up holding on to the edge of a couch for a couple minutes at a time... he's really growing and learning new things every day!

He's also quite a big boy! He weighed in today at 20 lb 10 oz, which is the 90th percentile. And for length, he is 28 1/2 inches long- the 96th percentile. I can't even remember what his head circumference is- maybe 19 inches? Anyway, it was the 99th percentile. He takes after his dad, who has the biggest head I know (love you, honey!). Thank goodness his head was only average sized when he was born, otherwise he may have taken more than two pushes to be born!

In other news, Dave and I are celebrating our 10th anniversary this week! I can hardly believe it's already been ten years! I'm so thankful for my awesome husband who provided me with three beautiful children!