Footsteps up Millcreek

I found myself suddenly lucky enough to go to The Narrows backpacking with the family.  And that was the main motivator to quickly get out of the house and up in the mountains.  I mean, not like this one little hike was really going to get me in better shape, but it definitely did break in these ol' muscles of mine and sorta just help with the soreness that was to come.

One afternoon, my dad, the boys, Juno and me.  We drove all the way up the winding road into the canyon, parked our car, then started to walk.  Ten minutes into the hike, Jude was complaining that we had been hiking "all year" but then, when the trail actually started to climb, we couldn't keep up with him! So it goes hiking with kids, the pace can change quickly, moods will swing, but hey at least we are outside.  Leland happily lounged off my back in the Ergo most of the time, while my dad and I soaked it in and chatted about this and that.

As I type this out now from my viewpoint in Feb. of 2015, I'm thinking what a gift it was that I chose to get out of the house, and not just do the daily tasks around the house that can really grind into my brain and ruin my mood (that never-ending to-do list!).  Because I do remember debating whether just to do laundry and hang.

But, here I have a set of pictures and a golden memory of a simple afternoon, on a beautifully cloudy(ish) day in early July.

Jude's 4th BDAY partay

Due to one reason and another (ahem, kitchen floors), we celebrated his day on his actual day and kept it low key.  Jude had swim lessons that night, so when he got back, we all surprised him with a Dusty airplane party in the backyard.

I had wondered if he would get the idea of a "surprise" party.  And man, he totally did.  The look on his face when we all said surprise, and his immediate embrace of Gigi and Cruz right after, was just so cool.  And still, to this day (Hi, writing this 2015) that is what he remembers--the surprise!  

Anyway, here are some pics from the night.

 

 

Leland: 2 years old

Writing this oh. so. late.   It's now nearly Christmas Valentine's Day, and Leland has changed by leaps and bounds even in these short last three 5 months!  So, I'll have to dig deep and document what I can.

Leland, on your 2nd birthday you woke up all smiles to balloons in the living room and streamers running down the kitchen.  You caught on immediately that it was your special day.  We made pancakes and opened presents just us 4.  We got you a little garbage truck that you raced around the house on all fours, all. day. long.  You wouldn't let Jude touch it, it was all yours and you knew it.  When we'd ask you how old you were, you'd say, "I happy two.  I happy two years owld."  Later that night, we had the fam over for cake and ice cream, and when we sang to you, you were shy and proud all at once.

We went to St. George the day after, and so we all got to sleep in the same room.  It was the sweetest thing to hear you singing Happy Birthday to yourself in the morning as you woke (everybody) up.

In just these last three months, I feel you have developed so much more.  Right now as I type, you are playing in your crib, talking loud and then soft, putting yourself to sleep.  The word I think describes you well right now is decisive and (deliberate too)...in a 2 year old way, of course.  How do I explain your hand gestures you use when you talk?  To tell me, "No Mom.  The Ginch is scow-wey."  Hands out, palms up.  To tell me, "I want dat fuuts-nack!" Hand pointed, shaking it at the cupboard. You run around fast and determined.  You stop fast and determined--feet spread, standing tall like Peter Pan.

You are also quite articulate.  This perhaps isn't showing me in the best light, but tonight as we were getting ready for bed, you threw a book.  You were just playing around, but we've been working on not throwing toys, and you knew it was naughty.  I said, "NO!  Time-out." and swiftly picked you up, but when I did, the toy I had in my hand also smacked you a little bit (Sorry, again).  So you were mad and crying.  And I said, "No, we do not throw books or toys.  That is why you are in time-out."  And you said, "I mad atchu, Mommy! You just hurt me."  When I explained what happened, you sternly said, "You smacked me.  You just hurt my ourm."  And you threw Jude's covers over your head.

You are stubborn and wild.  Dinner time is a test of wills, with both you and Jude basically running around and not sitting at the table.  You simply tell us, "No.  I not eating dinna."  With a completely innocent smile, and yet, I know you know what you are doing.

Book time is similar--you'll come check in, but then you're off running around, jumping and spinning for most of the stories.

You are independent, but also so ready to be doing every little thing Jude does.  When I ask Jude to find his preschool bag, there you also are, walking up to me with genuine concern in your eyes, "Mom, wuh-eh-wuh is my pee-skool bag? Oh, he-eh-wuh it is!" as you now happily put on a random backpack.

So much a little boy, and yet, just within the past weeks, you'll come crawling up to me, and say, "I baby, Mom."  And we rock, and we walk around the house together.  Yes, you are my baby.  Even so, your 2T feety-jammies are stretched out tight.  You've still got that baby skin, but losing that baby chub little by little.  This is growing up.  Each time I write a post like this, I seem to get such a heavy heart as I wrap it up.  Because each time, it's saying good-bye to a phase of you that is so very magical and fun.  Leland, so very lucky am I to be a witness to your life, your spunk.  So much love for you bottled up in me, and I hope you always feel it.  Here's to more magic to come.

Leland Stats:
Height: 37 in (100%ile? Off the charts)
Weight: 28 lb 10oz (55%ile)
Weight:Length: (15%ile)
BMI: 14.67
Head Circumference: 19 in (40%ile)

Jude @ 2 years

DON'T POSTPONE JOY

Working on catching up on posts from the last while, feeling like I need to type something current, just to type and because I want to.  Not because I have to.   Because I have to type out our summer, and our Idaho trip, and Leland's 2nd bday.  And I want to--but right now, it's more like I have to...so...yeah...

It's Christmas time now, and feeling all the things I usually do this time of year.  Excited, stressed, excited, ready for calm, ready to put away my credit card, and yet, strangely not ready to put away the tree.  You know how it goes.  I'm typing here on my bed, with Jude curled at my feet because he just got up to use the potty and doesn't want to go to sleep back in his bed.  Leland is still bouncing away in his crib.  And Dave is down in the dungeon working away.  If you want our nightly routine, you got it--pretty much.  I should be in bed, like asleep and in bed, and not in my jeans typing on my computer in bed, but I like it this way.  Night time is my time, and there just ain't no quitting my owlish tendencies.

Hmm.

Thoughts bouncing around in my head, just what to write?  But I guess I just wanna say just how really genuinely happy life is at this moment.  Our house feels like a home, one that I can rest easy in most of the time without a running list of projects to do in my head.  I'm happy to say that and mean it.  It's funny, just how this home affects my mindset.  I have this little magazine cut-out up on our board that my mom gave to me when Leland was just a week or two old and I was a hormonal mess...all I could think about was the overwhelming amount of things to do to the house and the underwhelming amount of resources we had to do it (time and money, folks).  It's just this little orange square, with a white background, and black letters saying: DON'T POSTPONE JOY.  Such a tiny little square, and to be honest, such a duh! statement, but also a real gift.  I've liked the reminder, and truly needed the reminder so many days throughout these last 2 years.

Here's to a happy Christmas full of love and moments of true joy.

Halloween Time 2015

This year, Jude had 2 different costumes.  I, of course, got in the way and tried to sway him in his decision of what he wanted to be...because we already had a Hulk costume (OK, OK, we also already had a Batman costume, but it was 5 sizes too big and DARK as hell, and I got worried he'd get run over.  Truth).  Anyway, I convinced Jude to be Hulk, which he was for his preschool performance.  But, then a few days after, he was talking to me in the car, and had some legitimate concerns about how Hulk always had "those angry eyebrows."  Soooo, we had a last minute, day-off costume change using what we had around and a BRIGHT printed out Batman logo.  Turned out pretty cute!

Leland wore the homemade Owl costume that is my very F-A-V-E, and just needed to get worn one last time.  So damn cute.  He was all bidness getting that candy, running/waddling to keep up with the big kids.  He is one determined little child.

10 Pics + 10 things: Goblin Valley

I got behind again with the blogging.  Clearly.  But, our little weekender camp trip (over a month ago) really was so great!  And I have been dreaming and scheming of ways to get back out there again, but until then, this 2 day road trip reset my headspace and gave us some great memories.  Here are 10 pics and 10ish things about about our trek to Goblin Valley!

This was our little camp, and although the campgrounds are quite nice (flush toilets, showers?!) when you drive up, everything is so, so desolate.  I mean, not even any trees or shrubs to give privacy from one campsite to the next.  And yet, our camp was surprisingly private.  Those little cabana/shed things worked wonders.  Our spot was so just right for us--Jude climbed and climbed up the mellow boulders, but Leland could not reach to get up there on his own and so he happily played in the sand.

2 favorite quotes from Jude:

"Mom/Dad, I'm going to go climb mountains."

And then, as we were leaving camp, quietly to himself staring out the window we heard him say, "Oh, how did they make this whole, big world?"  Completely melted my mama heart.

Dave loves to snap pics of all the flowers and plants about when we hike.  And I like that about him. 

Leland was a pretty good little explorer--wandering about with us, but chill about being in the Ergo when we needed him to be.  He pretty much never left my side the whole trip.  I really love it so much that, for now, I'm his go-to girl.  

We hiked for a few hours in the blazing sun, and then went for a little drive to let the kids (and me) snooze for a bit.  We came back to a desert thunderstorm and a beautiful little rainbow above our heads.  Dave convinced me to shower even though I was like, "umm, we're camping?" and the water that came out of the spicket was literally a trickle.  It felt so good though walking back all fresh and clean.  We made dinner, and read books to the kids in the tent, and then put them to bed--which was not easy, but after singing for like, 20 minutes, they were both out.

Perhaps my very favorite moment on this trip would have to have been climbing up the rocks right behind our camp, after the kiddos were asleep.  Dave and I sat there, looking up at the stars, sipping on whiskey, talking softly into the wee hours of the night.  One of those rare times we just got to sit and connect, without worry about being back for a babysitter, or checking our phones.  It was magic.

 

The next day we packed up camp and walked up Little Wild Horse for a bit.  We might have had to turn around right when the canyon became a slot canyon, but I'm proud of these dudes for being troopers most of the time, in 100+ degree heat. 



And 1 more to grow on....

I have decided I'm going to keep track of the amount of times I end up packing the kids around like this!