Easter, etc.

Gwen and Asher became violently ill the day before Easter. We are normally a pretty healthy family, so this was a surprise. I was semi-prepared for the big day. I was hoping to dye eggs on Saturday night. Instead the kids were still sick and I was feeling gross. I'd been cleaning bathrooms and buckets and spots out of the carpet. I was not in the mood to fully prepare, nor did I think that Easter candy was a good idea. I told the kids that the Easter Bunny doesn't visit sick houses until they are better. Asher was sad, but he kept himself from crying. 

So Dan went to church Easter Sunday by himself. After church, two of my book club friends independently stopped by and dropped off some Easter treats for us... it was so thoughtful! Elaine brought some flowers for me (and some secret peeps for the kids). Meghan brought little Easter buckets with toys and treats for each child. What sweet friends I have.

We were all feeling a bit better by the end of the day, so we planned to go to the temple. First Gwen and Asher water colored two hard boiled eggs each- fast and easy. Then we went and read the story of Easter right in the shadow of the Gilbert temple. It felt good.

   

Ezra by the temple gates. 

When we returned home, the Easter Bunny had come after all! The kids found eggs that had puzzle pieces inside. They put the puzzle pieces together and followed the clue to the pantry where they found their easter baskets. It was belated, but fun. 

Last Friday our church had a Daddy-daughter dance for girls 3-11. It is such a cute thing to do, and Gwen loved it. She of course picked out her own outfit and hairstyle. She has a very strong opinion, but is usually also very sweet. We just love her.  

I spy a matching pink tie. :)

We also had S&R Hixon, the Stecks, and Amy over for dinner on Saturday for "talk and tacos." That is always fun. 

Tuesday night we had Hannah and her fiancé Arthur over for dinner. Dan will be taking their wedding photos soon, and Gwen is their flower girl. I think that is a pretty awesome circle of life, since Hannah was one of our flower girls. 

Asher and I left before dinner was over... he had 1st grade music night at his school. We sat through an interactive presentation where we heard what they were learning. At the end, we all split into groups and performed a simple song together. Asher and I got drums (yay!) but our only job was to beat once every four beats. It was still fun. Asher was so excited the whole time.

P.S. I'm eating paleo style now, which means no refined carbs, sugars, or dairy. It isn't so bad, and I hope I lose weight and eventually get some more energy. This blog makes it seem like we are kinda busy, but we are not. These are literally the only things we are doing.

P.P.S. I finished sewing a baptism dress for Gwen's preschool teacher's daughter. I made it out of Miss Kerri's wedding dress, and it turned out well. I wish I had a picture, but I don't. Maybe if she posts one to Facebook I'll steal it and put it up here. :)  

Festival, Field Trips, and Fun

On the very last weekend of March we visited the Renaissance Festival for the second time ever. 

We started our afternoon with the joust. I thought the kids would dig it, but I think they were really hot so they couldn't appreciate it while it was happening. They seem to like it more in retrospect. Oh well. 

If we were hot, how did those riders feel? And their horses?? 

I tried to feed Ezra in the arena, but that was impossible and he hated it. So we found a nice little spot of dirt around the corner from a show. Dan and the kids watched a fiery sword swallower and went off to buy a fake sword while I was fending off several crazy people with tattoos and brown teeth trying to see the baby under his cover and talk to me about breastfeeding. 

We got in for a total of $10 somehow, so we spent some money on stuff inside the faire. Gwen got a fairy wand, Asher got a painted wooden sword, and they got to go on the man-powered ride below. We also ate food: sausage on a stick, pizza, and a bread bowl. We didn't go for the "turkey legg."

I borrowed a more comfy baby carrier from my friend, and it was great for me, but Ezra did not like it. He does not like to be carried for some reason. So Dan propped him up somehow in the stroller, and he had a fantastic time in there. 

See how much fun he is having? At least my Chunky Monkey is not crying. 

We enjoyed the small petting zoo, we saw part of a falcon show, the kids played at the playground, and we saw a contact juggler (he has one ball and it rarely leaves contact with his body). I learned how to do that in college along with everyone else in the BFA so it wasn't earth-shaking... but he was pretty good. Last but not least as we were leaving the festival we saw Twig the Fairy. She is basically the Disney Princess of the Ren Fest. She gave our kids special rocks and played Gwen a little tune on her crazy flute thing.

   

Dan thought this sign was hilarious. 

Last week Gwen had another field trip... this time to the grocery store! I thought it was a funny thing to do since she's been to that grocery store many, many times with me. But we had a guide and the kids lined up and marched through the store. They got to tour through the back and feel how cold the freezer and refrigerator sections were. They got to have small snacks in all the sections and some of them were chosen to be leaders of fruits, veggies, etc. Gwen got to be the leader of dairy. She had a little laminated card necklace and everything. At the end, they pretended to buy something and check it out. Gwen chose a Red Bull. Ha. They got some goody bags as well, and Gwen just couldn't stop talking about hers. She is such a cute wanna-be grown up. 

Dan and I saw Copperstar's production of Oliver at the Mesa Arts Center last weekend. We were invited as VIP guests for the opening. It was a good show and I really enjoyed it. It was also fun to see so many people with whom I have worked in the past. 

  

Last but not least, my Mom flew in on Friday, and we attended another performance at the Mesa Arts Center Saturday night. 

We don't know why, but the trees at the MAC were wearing sweaters.

I knew she would love it because she is a fan of Glenn Beck, and also because I know she loves good music. The EVMCO did a presentation of patriotic and religious songs- narrated by Mr. Beck. The first song they did was "How Great Thou Art" and it brought down the house. The choir and orchestra is made up of over 1300 volunteers of all ages, and they were all out singing. The children appeared in the balcony and the youth were surrounding the audience, it was amazing. I know quite a few people in the choir and orchestra, so that was really fun for me as well. Apparently the whole show will be available on iTunes, but I'm glad we saw it live. I have never been to a show where there were 5 standing ovations. 

P.S. All of them were completely deserved. 

The Ides of March

My high school choir teacher always used to say "Beware the Ides of March!" He thought we all got crazy around that time. I thought it was funny that any time someone was mad or sad, or did something weird or different he would say "Beware the Ides of March!" 

Well, so far March has been pretty non-eventful. St. Patrick's Day came and Asher was all excited about it. I'm not sure why, because all I will EVER do for St. Pat's is dye our food green and/or put spinach in everything. 

I sprinkled green sprinkles on the dutch babies after food coloring failed. It looked moldy, but tasted good.

 We are at the tail end of a two week long spring break for both kids. They are excited to go back to school next week. It has been nice to not have to worry about schedules, but it will be great for the kids to get out of the house more. I've been really bad about that.

We have had a few appointments with specialists as well. It stresses me out big time because usually they are somewhat far away (at least a half hour) and the appointments last forever. And then there is the added bonus of watching Ezra go through weird tests. This is a picture of his EKG at the cardiologist. He actually smiled a lot during this test because it wasn't invasive, the technician was smiling at him and making funny noises, and he is just a generally happy baby. He was good when I removed all those super sticky things with oil too. His echo however was a little harder. His chest got really cold from the ultrasound equipment and he didn't like being wrapped up for that long. But he passed his tests! The doctor told me his heart looked healthy and strong. I was so relieved. 

Also, he is like 16 pounds! I just laugh at how big this boy is. 

 The only one who might be affected by the Ides of March (whatever they are) is Gwen. She is a pretty determined little girl. When she wants to do something, she does it. She likes to help in the kitchen a lot, and she is starting to do math, read, and spell. She can kind of do her own hair (princess Leia style) and she always helps herself to my lip gloss. She is amazingly good at legit puzzles and she puts together her own outfits. I think she is going to be good at whatever she decides to be good at, because she is so determined. At least she still lets me do her nail polish.

Where we are

A week ago I went to Asher's classroom as a Mystery Reader. All the mystery readers that day are supposed to bring a Dr. Seuss book, and I chose Green Eggs and Ham (same as last year). When I came in to read, Asher couldn't wipe the smile off his face. His cheeks were a little rosy and he held my hand and introduced me to the class. He looked so proud. He stood right next to me as I read the book. When I was done, he hugged me and walked me to the door. He is the sweetest most loving boy and I almost want to freeze time so that he stays this way forever... but he is growing up to be such a fun, imaginative, caring boy- so I suppose he can keep growing. He loves playing with Ezra and knows how to resolve problems with his sister. Also, he has the most adorable freckles.

Dan and I went out to eat at Benihana for the first time last night. It was an amazing experience and the food was delicious. It was nice to have an evening out. We left our kids at Dan's sister's house. (Free babysitting for a year is a GREAT Christmas gift, in case you were wondering.) When we came to pick them up, Asher was in his cousin's clothes and he smelled freshly bathed. Turns out he had fallen into the deep end of their pool with no adults around. He has had swimming lessons before, but he is far from proficient. Luckily, his cousin Ericson was there with another friend and they acted quickly. Asher told me that Ericson dove in and pushed him to the wall while the other boy grabbed him and pulled him up. Then Ericson gave him a bath and gave Asher some clothes to borrow. Not bad for a 10 year old. (Funny enough Amy was on her way out when we showed up to collect our kids and she didn't even mention that Asher almost drowned. It must not have registered as a big deal to her, but I was freaked out for the rest of the night.)  

Gwen is incredibly delightful. She has a hard time being obedient sometimes, but she loves to play and says the sweetest prayers. She enjoys drawing and coloring, and lately she and Asher have been painting with water colors. She is starting to read little words and she can do simple math. She is so smart, and she enjoys books. Today I read Roald Dahl's "The Twits" to her and Asher and they both thought parts of it were very silly. Gwen also loves to sing and dance, and she has an incredible memory. She memorizes Asher's poems for school better and faster than he does. She will sing bits of popular songs that she has only heard a handful of times. She is also getting so big. She is tall and skinny and sometimes I wonder where my little girl has gone. She is such a sweetheart with the baby, and she loves to pretend she is a little mom with her dolls. She is still so girly, but she doesn't mind doing rugged things either. She looked pretty adorable in the fireman gear when we took a preschool trip to the station. I feel kind of bad for missing the trip they took to the dairy farm. It is sure hard to participate 100% of the time with a baby.

Speaking of the baby... oh, Ezra.

He is sleepy and adorable and usually very smiley. He seems happiest when we put him on the floor by himself... he just smiles and wiggles away. He enjoys bath time- I want Dan to record it sometime because he is so cute. He also smiles when he sees me and Dan. He enjoys patty-cake and lip tickling. He doesn't cry before he falls asleep. Until recently he was waking up at least once a night, but we let him cry it out once or twice and now he is sleeping through the night... basically from 11pm or so to at least 7am. I'm sure that will change and fluctuate, but for now we are enjoying the much needed rest. 

 I call him my "Chunky Monkey" because he is such a chubby baby! I love it. His weight is amazing, and his height is normal, but we are still anxious about his head. Although the CT scan showed no fused sutures at the time, it can still happen. His head is small in proportion with his body and it is starting to be a little more misshapen. Our pediatrician has also pointed out that he has wide-set eyes and a wide head, a high palate and a small pointy chin, all of which can indicate a number of different syndromes. I also noticed a difference in his thumbs: one is normal looking while the other one looks smaller and almost like a twisted finger. The doctor said it is another sign of hypoplasia (like his crooked cry) and now he has to see a long list of specialists. An ENT, a geneticist, an orthopedic surgeon, a cardiologist. We are seeing the urologist this week for unrelated problems... his skin attached itself where it shouldn't. This boy is giving my nerves a test and that is no lie. 

I've been pretty pathetic for holidays. I did not decorate for Valentine's Day, but I did make Valentines for Asher pass out to his class. They are way less cool than the lego light saber cards Dan made for him last year. Gwen just used drug store princess cards for her preschool class. We'll see if I can muster up some energy for St. Patrick's Day... or at least Easter! 

Mills Reunion

The first weekend of February was great. My family came to Arizona for the weekend, and everyone stayed with us. In our house. It might seem like something that would make me crazy, but I thought it was the best. Everyone got a room except for Tracy. (Sorry, Tracy.) And Jess couldn't come. We missed him. 

I was glad nobody went to a hotel because it was honestly fun to have everyone there in the same place. And my family is cleaner than I am... so although the house was stuffed with people, it stayed very clean. 

  Everyone was in town by Friday night. They left by Tuesday morning. It was too short of a stay, but we did a lot. On Friday night we sort of celebrated Billy's birthday. The next day Lori made an epic Funfetti ice-cream layered cake. Also on Saturday all the men built shelves in our garage. On Sunday we went to church and Dan blessed Ezra. We also had "fast Sunday sundaes" at our house that night and there were at least 40 Hixons and Millses singing and eating treats in our house. On Monday we all walked through the Gilbert temple, which was beautiful and a wonderful experience. Afterward we went to Oregano's and had some delicious food.

  

After touring the temple. It is so beautiful! 

We spent a lot of time just talking and hanging out, as well as preparing and consuming food. We solved puzzles on my mom's iPad together and the kids played outside a lot. Kristy also lopped off my (way too long) hair and Tracy curled it all expertly. Lori came bearing gifts of a cute basket and a fabulous sign for Ezra's room that she made and painted. It is awesome, and I will post a picture when I blog about it later. For more pictures and insight, I'm going to link to Tracy's blog post. She doesn't miss a thing.

I was so happy that everyone was able to come visit us. I hope we all come together again soon. I love and miss my family!

Love Light

We made a little something for Ezra's room. We got the idea and the instructions from this site. 

I am doing a subtle circus theme. This light might not look subtle... but I love it with all of my heart. I'm excited to do the rest of the decor, although it isn't coming together as easily as I thought it would.   I don't want to go bright red, or bright anything. Maybe light orange and navy? I haven't been finding a lot of luck with fabrics, darn it. 

I promise I'll post the rest of the room when it is done! 

Ezra, etc.

I never really did the whole birth announcement thing... so here it is. 

This is my boy, and here are his stats: 

It is amazing that he was so overdue and he only weighed one more ounce than Asher did at birth. And it is amazing how different Ezra can look from one picture to the next. But he looks like all of them. Babies are such little chameleons- bundles of possibility. 

Ezra is very sleepy, and he is sweet. He eats well and he has never spit up... but he has projectile pooped on me several times. I try to change his diaper as quick as humanly possible, but it still happens. He also pees as soon as you take his diaper off. 

We went to his one month check yesterday to get shots and check his progress. Ezra is now 11 pounds 7 ounces and 22.5 inches! However his head didn't grow much, and the doctor couldn't feel the soft spot on the top of his head. One of the sutures of his skull might be fused, which would require surgery. We had his head x-rayed yesterday, which was sad, but that is nothing compared to the prospect of skull surgery. I was very anxious and stressed out yesterday, but I got a full 5 hours of sleep last night, so I'm doing much better today. (Only parents of newborns can say that and not sound sarcastic.) I'm also hoping that if the bones are fused it isn't indicative of some scary syndrome. The doctor was worried that might be the case since Ezra also has a high palate and a crooked cry. I think his crooked cry is adorable no matter what.   

We have all been doing well. My aches and pains are going away and I feel ok about the rhythm of life. My goals right now are to feed and tend to Ezra, to make Asher and Gwen feel happy and loved, to feed everyone most of the time, and to try to keep up on laundry. That is it. I don't care that my house is a mess, I don't need to work on any projects or anything. I did take a few students back this month, but one of them is trading me massages, so I feel ok about that. I'm just keeping things as simple as possible and it is working for me. I'll get more ambitious later.

We have been playing a lot of Uno and a cute card game called Wig Out. Asher and Gwen love it, and it's nice because it is something we can do with a minimum amount of energy. When they want to go crazy they either run around the house and play pretend (mostly Asher fighting invisible foes) or they can play soccer outside with some goals that Dan made, or jump on the trampoline that Dan just re-vamped. It was falling apart, so he had to order new stuff and put it back together. Just in time for all the cousins to come and stay with us! My parents and ALL of my siblings and their families are coming to our home in about a week. They will be at Ezra's blessing, and they are going to walk through the completed Gilbert temple before it is dedicated. I'm so excited!

We are putting Ezra in Gwen's old room. All her clothes are still in there, but she sleeps in Asher's room. That has been the case for a while. I think it is super weird that I never painted or really decorated her room while she was in it, but we are doing better for Ezra. My WONDERFUL sisters-in-law Rachel and Sara came over one day and helped finish painting the walls. Below is a little sneak peek. They were amazing and fast. I couldn't be happier with the results! Now I just have to get the rest of the room together. I'm excited.