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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Spring Splashing

It's finally starting to feel a little bit like Spring. The snow is melting like crazy and the children are enjoying it! Hyrum found some gum boots that I had stashed away for him last month and wanted to wear them. They had a lot of fun splashing together!


The day before we built a snow fort in the backyard and went sledding off the deck. At one point the children were both "showering" under the drain pipe of the garage, fully clothed in their winter gear. They came in sopping wet. It was refreshing today to dig out the gum boots and enjoy some splashing sans snow gear. Camilla even found some green grass! She got pretty excited, which made me excited.


Last night I dug out a favorite blanket for Joseph and it still had the faint smell of sand and sun screen. It made me crave warm Summer days, the park and the beach. We are definitely ready! For now I'll enjoy big bear hugs from Joe.


Wednesday, March 27, 2013

His First Taste

Joseph has been a hungry boy ever since the day he was born.
Lately he's shown interest in our food by licking his lips and munching his tongue.
Yesterday he had his first taste of rice cereal.
It was pretty humorous.

A little bit unsure...

"Hey this stuff isn't too bad!"

"Mum, this is good!"

"I need MORE stat!"

After he finished, I sat down to eat my dinner with him on my lap.
A few seconds later he started nodding off.
I think he likes it!



Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Finger Painting Fun

This morning I felt like my day yesterday poured over into my night. Between nursing Joseph over three times, bad dreams, and children falling out of bed, I hardly caught a wink. This morning started out bright and early with Hyrum crawling into bed with us at 6:00am. After breakfast I decided to break out the finger paints and try to sieze the day.

The kids had a lot of fun!

 Hyrum hasn't had much experience with finger paints and started painting his belly before he even touched his paper.

Camilla went right to painting her hand and making hand prints, it's her favorite thing.

Afterwards, I put them in a bath to wash up and then we went upstairs and started our morning routine. Everyone got dressed, made beds and said prayers. When we made it back downstairs I glanced at the clock. I was a little bit deflated when I realized it wasn't even 9:00am yet.

Later on in the day, I caught Hyrum in the bathroom doing this...
Looks like finger painting struck a cord with this little guy!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Smiles for Daddy

I just finished tucking in the last kid for the night. I should probably be doing something productive like sorting the toys back into the bins or folding the blankets from Camilla's blanket fort. Instead I am sitting at the kitchen table enjoying a plate of homemade fudge and the warm air pouring out of the vent beside my chair. Mr. Stannix is off at Hockey and Auntie Faith is spending Spring Break with her mama which leaves me here with a very quiet house. I promised myself I would write a quick post and then jump into bed for the night. All day today I have been admiring Mr. Stannix and how amazing he is. This morning he brought his laptop to the breakfast table and played some music. We both admired the children as they danced around our tiny kitchen, wiggling their arms and tapping their toes to the beat with big grins on their faces. Saturday mornings are always the best because Daddy is home. The children had an early breakfast of cheerios and then shared a late breakfast of spicy eggs and toast. They are bottomless pits I tell you. I can't seem to keep up!

We joined some friends for lunch at "Red Losper" as Camilla calls it. It was so nice to see them again and catch up! Our oldest children are a week apart, so we talked about doing a joint birthday party this year! Fun times. While we were there Mr. Stannix made a point of taking the children to see the lobster tank. Hyrum loved looking at it and got borderline scared when the lobsters would start to move around.

Our late afternoon was quiet. Hyrum fell asleep in his bed and Camilla in her blanket fort. Mr. Stannix and I even dozed for a bit on the couches with the afternoon sun pouring in on our faces. It was glorious. Hyrum had his usual post-nap tantrum. This time Mr. Stannix was here to help him through it and he was oh so patient with him. I've always admired his patience and control. After twenty minutes upstairs Hyrum suddenly was finished and made his way down stairs rubbing my favorite lipgloss in circles over his lips. All I could do was shrug, atleast he wasn't screaming anymore.

When the kiddos were napping I grabbed a few shots of Mr. Stannix and Joseph together. That boy sure loves his Daddy! Playtime with Daddy is always the best though!



We had BBQ steaks for dinner. I have been craving them forever. While Mr. Stannix cooked them the children went sledding off the deck. I loved listening to them giggle as I cut up potatoes and prepped things for dinner. I feel so blessed to have married such an amazing man!

Friday, March 22, 2013

Cloth Diapered Bottom

I have been cloth diapering since Camilla and I just have to say that I love a cloth diapered bottom! After three years my cloth diapers are starting to look a little worn, so I figured it was time to start replacing them. Last week I went out to my favorite cloth diaper supplier and picked up a few more. She lives on a cute little acreage just outside of Sherwood park so it was a bit of a drive. For some reason Joseph wasn't liking his seat and all of the singing in the world wasn't soothing him. Finally he fell asleep, just in time to wake up when we packed out of the car.

Half way through our visit alphabet magnets started appearing out of nowhere. I soon realized they were dropping out of Joseph's clothes. I dug around and got them all out. Melody and I had a good laugh and continued chatting about the different diapers. As I stood up a few more fell out of his pant leg. It's no wonder he was so upset on the drive there. Oh to be a third child.

Anyways, I tried out a new type of diapers and I am in love with them! It's crazy how much cloth diapering has changed in just the few short years I've been doing it. Things just keep getting better and easier. I am already looking forward to my next visit to pick up a few more!

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Winter Blues

This morning after breakfast I made up a big bowl of gooey caramel popcorn to chase away the winter blues. With all of the big fluffy flakes falling outside today I feel as though spring will never come. We're dying over here!

After the children had finished their bowls Hyrum came over for a smooch. I licked my lips a few minutes later and they tasted like remnants of caramel popcorn off of Hyrum's little lips.


Joseph rolled around in just a cloth diaper for some of the morning. The children enjoyed blowing raspberries on his chubby tummy, watching him smile and listening to him laugh. I love the way their eyes light up when they are playing well together.

Lunch was super low key. We had a picnic on a blanket in the living room. We ate chunks of sausage and cheese with toothpicks along with some cashews. It was fun to lay around on the floor and play with the children while we ate.

Nap time rolled around surprisingly quick. I tucked Hyrum in and knew he had fallen asleep when I heard his toy drop to the ground. I tucked sleeping Joseph into my bed for his nap and went to check on Hyrum. He looked super adorable with his arm Hanging over the edge of the bed, his fallen toy motorbike just out of reach. Camilla had constructed a blanket fort downstairs while I was gone out of my piano bench and her rocking chair. By the time I got back down she was sound asleep beneath it. I sat on the couch and watched the giant snow flakes slowly fall in the peace and quiet.

The afternoon post nap was a little crazy, but it did have it's sweet moments. Each time Hyrum would kiss Joseph's head or rub his tummy he would ask to put a "buthon" in the jar. He still has trouble with those "T" sounds. When I went to get his button he would always request a "yeh-wo" one. Such a sweet heart. The phrase I heard most often today from him was an innocent voice, whiny "My... (insert object here)" If he lost his shoe it was, "My Shoooooooooe!". When I took away the car it was, "My caaaaaaaar!" You get the idea.

As of about 5:00pm tonight I debated putting him up for rent. I had picked one too many towels out of the toilet than I care to admit. We may have to invest in one of those child locks for the toilet seat! This kid is obsessed!

Even as I type with all three children sound asleep in the next room, I just heard Hyrum's sweet little sleepy voice say, "My tooooooy!" I love when my kids talk in their sleep.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

So I'll Always Remember

As I sat at the top of the stairs last night nursing Joseph and waiting for Hyrum to go asleep I began reflecting on my day. Sometimes, well, most times days with three littles are filled with chaos and fun. Lately it seems as though one child is always whining or demanding my attention in turn, or all at the same time. At the end of the day I am usually so exhausted that I could fall asleep standing up, before dinner even rolls around. But last night I felt grateful for these days, chaos and all, because without them life would be pretty boring around here. I decided that the reason why I am so determined to keep up the blog is because its my way of remembering the ins and outs of everyday life and what motherhood was for me. There's so many little moments that happen each day that I wish I could capture or write about in colourful detail.

Lately Hyrum has adopted an "evil laugh". It's a deep, right from the gut laugh that he gives while he scrunches his nose. One of his favorite games is to decide what we will eat. This game will sometimes errupt spontaneously in the car. He will say "How 'bout...." and then name something. Sometimes it's stilly things like, "How 'bout....Joseph!" and then after a little pause he will shake his head and go, "NAHHH!" with a little growl to his voice. It's adorable. Most recently he's been keeping me on my toes running to the bathroom everytime I hear a splash and wondering what went into the toilet each time. We've surrendered tubes of toothpaste, hair clips, and white erasers to the toilet so far. Thankfully I've made it before the flush! He also has an obsession with washing his hands. He hates sticky hands. Each time he washes he could spend hours running his chubby fingers under the water (just like his Grampa used to do). He rarely answers a question with "Yes" it's always "Yep". He loves to cuddle his baby brother in his bed and sings along when we sing "I am a Child of God" each night. Sometimes I will find him dancing on our kitchen table, or jumping off the couch. He hates his bum changes and getting his hair washed at bathtime. He loves to throw bucket fulls of water over the edge of the tub and squirt water at his sister. He has a huge love for hockey or anything to do with wheels. There is often highlighter all over the side of my oven, doors and kitchen cupboards. He has a cookie obsession, and will shout "Cookie" over and over at the grocery store when we get close to the bakery. If you ever visit our house he probably won't have pants on. He typically only wears one sock at a time and always has his boots on the wrong feet. He is Mr. Independent as of late and I will often hear "I do it! I do it!". My biggest pet peeve is the way he throws his dinner to the floor each night, especially after I've just scrubbed the floor. But I love him!

Camilla is a tiny ball of energy and lives each day to the fullest. There is one word that she always says wrong, "even". She will often tell stories and say phrases like, "I didn't evee fall!". It puts a smile on my face. I love her desire to do her own hair, brush her teeth each morning and make her own bed. She always asks to help me with dishes and other little things. She wears her red slippers to bed each night. She has a purple outfit that she calls her "dancing dress" which she wears atleast three times a week. When she wears it she tries her hardest to keep it clean so that I don't wash it and she can wear it the next day. She can often be found spinning and doing som fancy footwork in my livingroom. She has a love for jelly beans and an obsession with quarters for the candy machine at Wal-mart. She got bubble gum last time we visited and walked around with a plastic bag to spit it in when she finished chewing. Before we got home her zipper "broke" on her coat. We later discovered it wasn't broken, just full of chewed bubble gum! She likes to be a "big girl" and wash her hands without her stool, reaching as far as she can on her tippy-tip toes to turn on and off the water. She will cry hysterically when Hyrum doesn't comply to her bossy, older-sister tendencies. Her feelings are easily hurt and she loves to make people smile at the grocery store. She can sometimes be found sticking alphabet magnets off the fridge into Josephs sleepers, making car rides quite uncomfortable for the little dude. She loves to hold and kiss her baby brother. And she loves to hold hands and pretend to be a long train as we walk from the car to the grocery store.

I fall more and more in love with baby Joseph each day. He is becoming quite the wiggler which makes me cherish our nights together even more. I love the way he likes to fall asleep with his face nestled into my shoulder. He has this deep, manly voice that he uses to serenade me as I rock him to sleep. All of the moans and groans are so priceless when they're done so manly like. I love when he falls asleep snuggled close to me. Whenever I'm holding him I just want to wrap my arms around him and squeeze him tight. I love carrying him around with his giant cheeks pressed next to mine. He likes to grab my hair or clutch my t-shirt in his fist while I hold or nurse him. He likes to be close. He also has adorable little smiles!

I just felt like I needed to write these things down, good and bad so that I will never forget what my kids were like at this stage. Although somedays are better than others, the sweet little moments we share make it all worth it in the end. I feel so blessed to be called a mother. Everytime one of my children says "Mom" it makes my heart happy, to know that I am doing an important job and that somebody so little cares so much for me. I love my kids, and I especially love being called "Mom".

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Stripy Zebra

It was an eventful day at the Stannix's yesterday. The morning seemed to drag and drag. Children were grumpy and I was having a hard time with my patience-o-meter. Once Joseph went for his morning nap, the house seemed a bit less chaotic. I got a few things done while the other two played in the livingroom. Hyrum and Camilla soon made their way to a favorite play place, in the corner behind the big comfy chair. The house was silent for a few brief moments until Joe was heard cooing from his crib. I went up to get him and brought him back down to change his bum. The other two were still playing silently behind the chair. I took in a deep breath and soaked up the peace and quiet while it lasted. A few seconds later their blond heads poked up from behind the chair. I looked at Hyrum and gasped! I suddenly remembered why quiet is never good when it comes to children.


"I just wanted him to look like a stripy zebra..." said Camilla. "Cama draw, face, Mommy!" said Hyrum. I tried keeping a straight face but cracked. When Camilla saw the corners of my mouth begin forming a grin, she let out a little giggle. I explained, as serious as I could given the circumstances, that it's not good to draw on people with pens. Everytime I looked at him for the rest of the day, it made me laugh. I still can't believe he sat that still long enough for her to do that! It was exactly the type of humor I needed to brighten my day.

Other shenanigans of the day yesterday included an eraser, tube of toothpaste and hair clip thrown in the toilet. I ran when I heard the splash and caught him before the flush.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Jar of Buttons

Lately I've been feeling the need to bring some peace and order back into our home. With three littles, things can get pretty fun around here as far as sharing toys, sharing mom, and using "inside voices". Tonight for FHE I wanted to focus on love at home. I spent the morning making heart shaped donuts. The littles enjoyed shaking them in bags of cinnamon and sugar. We munched the odds and ends for a pre-nap snack. For Family Home Evening we sang awesome songs like this one and decided on a few "Home Rules" for us all. We still have a few more to add to the list. Mr. Stannix became very poetic during rule making. I love his last two additions to the list, seriously.



We wanted to get the kids excited about being kind so we now have an empty jar on the top of my piano. Each time the children do something kind, they get to put a button in the jar. Just before bed Camilla asked if she could give Joseph a kiss. She then picked a big button because "it was a big kiss". I am excited to fill up our little jar with acts of kindness this week!





Sunday, March 17, 2013

St. Patty

We spent St. Patrick's day out at the Acreage this year. I made the boys matching green bow ties, I couldn't resist. I would have made Mike one too, but didn't want to go too overboard on the dork scale.  I packed so quickly that I forgot to bring Camilla a cute little shirt for her dress, so we improved and used one of Hyrum's. And excuse Hyrum's "Sunday Socks", they are extra "holy" today.