Friday, July 25, 2008

Boxes

So if anyone has ever wondered if they should buy toys for their kids, wonder no more. These kids have rooms full of toys and where to they spend the majority of their time? In a cardboard box. Well, two actually. This one is their boat, which sadly for them (and happily for us) is no longer sitting in the living room but is installed the the bathroom.Luckily they have this cardboard box which took five minutes for us to make into a house... also still in our living room.
So this one is not a box, but it's definitely not a toy either. By night it is the baby's bed, by day it is another boat for Erin and Alex. I thought this was a good representation of how they are connected at the hip. They spend every waking moment playing together. Erin says Alex is her "best brother" which isn't too hard for him to be as the only brother, but I think she means he's her best friend. I'm so grateful they like each other so much!
I had to throw in one of Marissa. She is a very happy baby. The other night she kept smiling in her swing when we turned on the music, the lights and got the fish going around in circles. Gotta love that swing. She's easily amused. Anyway, she seems to be pretty content with life and we all love her so much!
This week I have also made it my part time job to find a preschool for Erin next year. Seriously, I have spent so much time researching, calling and lugging my three kids around to visit different schools. What a dilemma! I will see one more tomorrow but I think I have found the perfect place for her that is really close, has a good schedule and seems to have a great teaching philosophy.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Bathroom Remodel (part 1)

So we began the newest home project a couple of weeks ago--the bathroom. Here's what it used to look like. Goodbye 24 year old powder blue bathroom. We will miss you... a little. (Also, imagine a matching blue toilet up until a few months ago. Classic!)

Step 1: Take out the toilet, sink, mirror and vanity

Step 2: Take out the tub, wall tiles and walls

Step 3: Remove all the beautiful blue tile. Apparently the floor tiles were harder than the wall tiles. But they're finally gone. How's it looking?

Step 4: Rip out the rest of the walls. So maybe we got a little carried away and didn't have to take out all of them, but it can't hurt to replace them either. (I don't know why I'm saying "we" because really Jared is doing everything.) He even carried all the heavy bags of wallboard out on his back. We watched the garbage man try to pick that bag up, drop it, look in our window and glare at us and then have the other guy help him lift it into the truck. Nice!

Now everything is out and it's pretty scary! All Jared has to do is figure out how to install a tub, level the floor, lay tile and oh yeah... put the walls back up. Somehow he's not intimidated by this project. It reminds me of the time when we were engaged and he took my car to replace the starter, which he'd never done before. After a day he opened the garage and showed me my car with an open hood and parts laid out all over the floor. Amazingly, he put it all back and since then I don't question it when he takes things apart. Jared is persistent enough to figure out any project. Let's hope we can post some finished pictures soon. Go Jared!

Friday, July 11, 2008

Best Dressed Baby

Last night some friends in the ward threw us a baby shower. Yes, this is my third baby and yes, I already have a girl, but they insisted. It's always great to have an excuse to get together with friends, eat good food and say "This is so cute!" over and over again. It must be a girl thing because Jared, who could care less about what the baby wears, didn't even want to look at the loot when I got home, while I get excited just thinking about how fun it will be to dress my little baby doll. I took a picture of the goods (together with the baby). FYI: Marissa has already started breaking in the gifts by pooping on one outfit and spitting up on another. Way to go baby!


And just a glimpse into my life with three kids 4 and under:

My days are always better when we get out of the house once a day. Today I convinced myself that swimming in the backyard would be just as good. For some reason it didn't keep us from feeling couped up and going crazy. On top of that Marissa, who normally sleeps great in her swing on bouncy seat, wanted me to hold her all day. Finally Alex fell asleep on the couch (since he recently learned how to climb out of his crib) and I fell asleep with Marissa.

In and out of a sleepy state I kept hearing phrases like "Mom, there's cat throw-up all over the presents" and "Mom, Alex spilled sprinkles all over the floor" (which also meant that he had climbed on the counter to get them and that Erin had woken him up from his nap) and "Mom, I just cut my hair." Yes...she really had gotten the scissors and cut small chunks of her hair! I think it was that last one that finally got me up. Needless to say, it was just one of those days. Luckily we found a babysitter for Erin and Alex at the last minute and went out bowling with some friends tonight. I definitely needed a break!

Monday, July 7, 2008

Marissa's Blessing

Marissa was one month old yesterday and was also blessed. She looked so beautiful in her white dress. Erin said it looked like a wedding dress. Here are the pictures.




Grandpa Max came to help bless her. We were so glad he could come to see us!

Marissa is smiling at Erin here. She's been smiling a little for a few days now.


Wednesday, July 2, 2008

First Baths

So I thought it would be interesting to compare the three kids all about a week old taking their first bath. Can you guess who is who?

Marissa: our smallest baby at 7 lbs 5 oz
Alex: 9 lbs 6 oz at birth. He looks so huge in comparison!

Erin: 7 lbs 8 oz, she hasn't changed a bit.
So you decide who looks like who. I guess they all look like siblings.