Happenings...

The kids are just so fun and cute that I want to talk a little bit about what they are all up to as well as mommy and daddy:

Tanner-He started really taking steps yesterday. His record is 5 in a row. He also started standing up without help from props. From past experience that usually means he will be walking all over within a week or so. Still just a happy little guy. Tanner can wave but he just can't seem to get the clapping thing down. Instead of his hands coming from opposite directions and hitting they both go the same way back and forth and never touch. It is cute because he almost looks like he is dancing swinging his arms back and forth. He says mama and dada and nana, which means no. He even shakes his head and waves his arm when he says it. I guess he hears me saying it to him and his siblings a lot.

Eden-Eden is our little tiny petite little thing. I think Tanner will probably catch up to her in weight soon. I think she only weighs about 25 pounds. She loves to cuddle with mommy and say grown up things that mommy says like "oh my goodness" and "I don't know either". When you ask her how old she is she will hold up 2 fingers and say "two". If you ask her how old Tanner and Dallin are she can also hold up the right fingers and tell you how old they are. She knows she is cute and can wrap any of her nursery leaders right around her finger. She is definitely in a tantrum phase and can't believe that mommy ignores her meltdowns. So now she just lays down and pouts until she gets tired of it and then finally comes and gets some cuddles when she is ready to be happy again. She is also a fruit girl just like her mommy. She would absolutely live on watermelon and strawberries if she could.

Dallin-This is one happy kid. Dallin has made so much progress since we have moved here. He is talking SOOOO much more and noticing people around him too. The other day I was playing a game with Tanner and had him laughing. I looked over and noticed that Dallin was watching us and grinning. That is so great because it shows not only that he notices what is going on but also that he can be happy for others(empathy!!!). Dallin also likes to cuddle with mommy when he is not too busy and builds wonderfully elaborate train tracks for his trains. His best friend is definitely Eden and those two keep one another quite entertained. I am so glad that he is not an only child, it would be too hard to keep him busy all the time by myself. Dallin is also doing great at church and even going to primary now(no more nursery). He has a little way to go with it but he has improved tremendously.

Mommy-Still changing way too many diapers for my taste but I really try not to think about it too much. I constantly have dry hands from washing them about a million times a day. I love playing with the kids and trying to make life an adventure for them. I love nurturing them with lots of hugs and kisses and making their owies feel better. I also like to do things that help me remember who I am as an individual like exercising, reading, sudoku, ward choir, getting dressed up for a date and little shopping trips whenever Peter takes a couple of morning hours off. After a stressful couple of months and weaning Tanner I noticed I had gained a little more than I was comfortable with so I have been working really hard to get back down to size. That has been going well too, but I have to admit I get a little grouchy when I am hungry. I am beginning to feel like a stinkin rabbit from eating so many veggies, but it works.

Daddy-Still my night in shining armor. I just love greeting him at the end of the day after he has worked so hard for his family. I try to pamper him as much as possible, but probably still not as much as he deserves. He loves being with the kids more than anything and very very rarely takes any time at all for himself. When Peter works this hard, he usually starts talking in his sleep more and this summer is no exception. A few weeks ago we were watching TV before bed and saw that commercial for Subway where they are making fun of McDonalds. We laughed at it but that night in his sleep he told me to move my badonkadonk butt over! Funny, a little insulting, but still funny. He has also been known to quote the kids cartoons in his sleep. We are becoming drive in movie regulars with all of the summer blockbusters. It is a nice way for Peter to wind down at the end of the day. He doesn't have to miss any work, the kids fall asleep on the way there and that way we don't have to pay for a babysitter and it is only 4 dollars on tuesdays! Peter's weight has changed quite a bit too. He has lost 10 pounds this summer. If you know Peter you know he didn't need to loose an ounce. He says he is just too hot to have much of an appetite and kind of lives on gatorade. I keep his car stocked with Snickers bars and such and make him huge plates of food for dinner, but he just can't eat it all like he used to. I think it is all muscle loss because he has such a low body fat percentage.