Kiersten’s Blog

I bought London some rain boots at a thrift store way back at the beginning of summer.  She has wanted them for a long time, but I always thought it was a waste of money to buy them since it hardly ever rains here.  She has been waiting and waiting for rain.  Finally today she got her wish.  On the way to school she said, “This is my favorite weather!  I’m so excited that it’s raining!”

I fully planned on walking London to school and then going for a little walk myself, but two obstacles were in my way.  Number one, I forgot to take the umbrella stroller out of the car Taylor drove to work and my jogging stroller has a flat tire.  Number two, it was raining.  So Ashton and I came home, cleaned up the kitchen, and took a nap.  Ashton took a nap, not me.  I thought the sprinkling this morning would just be a few drops in the morning and then would clear up the rest of the day.  Instead, it has been storming all day with loud claps of thunder and bright flashes of lightening.  After lunch, instead of staying cooped up inside, Ashton and I decided to make the best of the fluke storm.  I found some galoshes that Katie gave us a while back.  I was pretty sure they would be too big and he wouldn’t be able to walk in them, but they were just right!

We ran outside, Ashton in his galoshes and I in my flip-flops (my feet were going to get wet anyway!) and jumped in the first puddle we saw.  Luckily for us, there is a clogged drain just in front of our house so we didn’t have to go far.  Ashton had the time of his life!

After some good play, we came in and dried off, grabbed London’s boots and umbrella, and headed out to pick her up from school.  She was really excited to see us with her gear and promptly took her shoes off to put her boots on.  We walked home in the rain, looking for puddles.

We didn’t find any good ones until we got home again.  Ashton soaked outfit number two, while London tried to get as wet as possible by sitting in the puddle.

They had a great time (until I had to drag them inside) and I was glad that we could have some good old fashioned fun!

London loves lullabies.  They calm her down at any time.  In fact, often when she’s upset, she’ll request a lullaby.  A while ago we got a CD from the library of Beatles music played on marimbas and bells and other soothing percussion instruments.  She loves it.  She listens to it every night when she’s going to bed.  Yes, we made a copy.  And yes, I know we shouldn’t have.  But don’t judge me.  You’ve done it too!  We also added to the group of music Golden Slumbers.  It’s already on there, but we added the original since she loves it.  I think it’s her favorite.  She also loves making up lullabies.  She has one in particular that she sings quite often.  She made up the words and the music and, if I do say so myself, I’m really impressed with the tunes she comes up with.  She really is a talented girl.  Anyway, today the lyrics went something like this, “Goodnight to the fishes, goodnight to the stars.  Goodnight to the aliens, and goodnight to my bangs.”  My bangs?  Okay.

I saw this recipe for coconut lime cheesecake and had to try it.  I love cheesecake and the coconut lime combination sounded heavenly.  I have never made cheesecake before, but it can’t be that hard, right?  So I went out and bought a spring form pan (which is probably the reason I have never made it before) and got to work.  I stayed up last night baking it.  It looked great when I got it out of the oven.  I checked on it again this morning and it still looked good.  I was patient and waited for Taylor to buy whipped cream on his way home from work before I tried it.  The result: heavenly!  I couldn’t be more happy with it!  It’s moist and delicious and the crust is flaky and yummy.  I didn’t even crack the top!  Now my only problem is how to get rid of it!  I can’t eat the whole thing by myself (with a little help from Taylor).  Anybody want some cheesecake?

Every year our church puts on a primary program.  It’s a sacrament meeting where the children (ages 4-12) are able to teach us.  They sing songs and have small speaking parts.  I look forward to this Sunday every year.  I love primary because everything those children are learning are the basics of the gospel.  It’s so simple and so pure.  Today they taught us about Christ and living prophets.  The other great part about this Sunday is watching the kids.  The young ones (mine included) don’t have much stage presence.  There’s always the kid picking her nose (London played that role) and the other kid who is making weird faces.  All in all, London did a great job.  Sure she played with her hair a bunch an picked her nose, but she knew her part and she sang really well.  I could even hear her singing some of the time.  She also had a more substantial part than any of the really young kids.  She sang one song with a group of about 7 kids.  She was the youngest to do that.  I had no idea I was going to be treated with that!  I love primary program Sunday!

Sometimes I think Heavenly Father is telling me that I’m too judgmental.  There are so many times that I see other children and/or other parents and think, “Wow, I’m glad I’m a better mom than that because my child doesn’t have {insert problem here}.”  I try not to judge.  I think it’s just human nature.  And I don’t really think that I’m a better parent.  But sometimes I do I guess.  Know what I mean?  Remember my whole nursing fiasco with Ashton? I learned a lesson about judging people then.  That doesn’t mean I’ve completely cured my ways, though.  For example, I have seen a lot of kids with silver teeth.  It’s shocking to me how many kids I see who need all of this major dental work done.  I would judge the parent, thinking, “Don’t you take care of your child’s teeth?  Don’t you know that they’re not supposed to go to bed with a bottle?  Don’t you brush at regularly?”  Then last year, I was talking with another mother of a girl in London’s preschool class.  Her daughter had just had a lot of dental work done and ended up with some silver caps on her teeth.  I know this mother is a good mother.  She takes care of her children and she has good  hygiene.  I realized that dental work isn’t only for those who don’t take care of their teeth.  And then it happened to us: the dreaded dental appointment.  I mentioned in a previous post about all of the dental work that London needs done.  We went in for her first appointment on Wednesday.  They sedated her (which was the funniest thing ever) and took her back to be worked on.  She came out with 2 silver caps (one on the top and one on the bottom), 2 fillings, and a root canal.  And that’s only one side.  We have to go back in a couple of weeks to get the other side worked on.  Now I have my fair share of cavities, but I’ve never had crowns or root canals.  How does it happen that my 5-year-old daughter needs all of this major dental work done?  I promise I’m not a bad mother!  Or maybe I am.

Oh, and for the record, she loves her silver teeth.  I’m so embarrassed that she has them.  She tells people about them.  And she tells me if she smiles “like this” that you can see her silver teeth.  Oh dear.

I’m trying to figure out when it was and how it happened that my sweet little baby turned into a tantrum-throwing toddler.  It seems that it happened overnight.  He has always (except for those four horrible months that I nursed him) been a really easy baby.  He’s usually happy and easy to please.  Recently, though, things have changed.  I’m not quite sure what brought on this unfortunate turn of events.  Lately he has been quite difficult.  Sure he’s still happy a lot and when he is happy, he is so much fun and I think that he’s just the cutest thing!  But he now has another side.  This side of him lays on the floor kicking and screaming.  This side of him cannot be comforted and sometimes lasts for quite some time.  For example, I missed ALL of sacrament meeting on Sunday because he was throwing a fit.  It started in the chapel (we sit in the 3rd row) in the middle of the aisle.  Today he dropped to the ground when I got him out of the car at home, kicking and screaming.  Finally I picked him up and brought him in the house so the neighbors wouldn’t think I’m a neglectful mother.  To his credit, these things usually happen when he’s overly tired and I probably should be more diligent with his scheduled nap times.  I’ve learned my lesson.  I hope we can kick this habit to the curb before the terrible twos really hit.  Or have they?

Oh, and now for your viewing pleasure, here is a series of photos of Ashton.  He was purposely bending the pages of a book to see what I would do.  When I got mad at him, he tried really hard not to cry and instead of being a good mom and comforting him, I was excited that my camera was in my pocket so I could pull it out and get some good shots!

Notice the tear, but he still wasn't crying...yet

"I just can't take it anymore!"

Yesterday London turned five.  We had a great day!  First things first, we opened presents.

Then we played with said gifts.

More presents showed up, so of course, we opened them.

We spent the afternoon at the bay, kayaking and playing in the water.  The kids especially loved having Papa paddle them around on the surf board.

After the beach, Gwyn and Kate came over for some play time and presents and cupcakes.

Birthdays don’t get much better than that for a five year old: presents, fun, presents, friends, presents, cupcakes, did I mention presents?  She slept with her toys last night.  And tonight.  I think she likes them.

Talking on the phone with Preston after going to bed. This is when I discovered the toys in bed.

And after a long day (and a long week) we all slept in until 8 this morning.  Unheard of.

Same jammies.

Same size.

3 1/2 years age difference.

“Really, Mom?  Girl jammies?  Can you stop it with the pictures already?”

I love this picture.  It just looks so classic.  Notice no computers?  This is my mom checking in at the airport.  I don’t know much other information except that my aunt Lu Ann is the other one in the picture.