The Prophet said to plant a garden...

so that is what we'll do.
For God has given rich brown soil, the rain and sunshine too.
And if we plant the seeds just right and tend them carefully,
Before we know, good things will grow to feed our family.

Little Roman was way into planting the garden. So serious about his job of helping. He loved pushing the seeds into the holes and covering them up. According to him everything that we planted is peas. Thankfully we got it done right before all this rain. Now we just need some sun.

You will also notice Roman's summer haircut. He does not like the clippers. Not at all. Lots and lots of tears and screaming, and snot and hair all over his face. I was cutting and Brad was holding. I finally had enough and switched Brad places and literally had to hold his head between my hands so Brad could finish up. How can you tell I am a pediatric nurse - I am good at holding kids heads still.
And speaking of haircuts, here is a picture of my hair. Not the best picture, but I most certainly do not have a nice pregnancy glow. It's more of a bad acne, fat cheeks glow. So I fear I will not get a better picture for a long long time. Now you can see where Roman gets his fat cheeks and squinty smile eyes from!

what I have learned

Things I have learned this past two weeks...

1. Garage saleing in Calgary with your best friend and some tim bits for the kids is the best way to spend a Saturday morning. Also, it is possible to every now and then buy a toy that your kid is totally absolutely without a doubt in love with - as in played the drums for over an hour in his car seat on the way home and hasn't let it out of his sight for weeks. And finally, camera cheese face cracks me up every time I see it.
2. Washable crayons color very well on skin, almost as good as on the kitchen floor and cupboards. They also wipe away so easily it's hard not to laugh at the little artist at work. 3. Just because it is rainy for a few days and you are pregnant it is not okay to make 3 batches of sugar cookies and eat most of them yourself. 4. Going high on the swing = a great smile and lots of laughs. 5. Laundry baskets make great toys. They are also a nice place to relax for a snack. Also, pajamas are perfectly suitable attire all day when you are sick, it is raining outside, and you mom is busy baking and eating too many cookies.
6. Do not argue with a sick 2 year old when he doesn't want to put on pants but will put on every other item of clothing to go visit grandma and grandpa. Just carry the pants and let grandpa convince him to put them on.
7. a) Don't think you can get away with trying to do something without a cute little helper.
b) don't put off cleaning the fridge for a month when something spills down the back under the fruit drawer - very yucky!
c) Dismantling the fridge and scrubbing with sciatic problems during pregnancy does not make for a very pleasant morning the next day.
d) Last but not least, just because they are comfortable doesn't mean that you should wear pjs that are 2 sizes too big in pictures you post on your blog. I promise by butt and thighs aren't that fat!
8. Picnic lunches in the front yard are the best way to spend an afternoon.

Mothers day, really?

Someone forgot to tell the cold and cough virus it was Mother's Day today. I guess it serves me right, commenting the other day to some friends at stay and play how we have avoided the whole being sick thing all winter. It's true. Just about everyone I know has had sick families on more than one occasion this winter, and sick for a long time too. I guess being an antisocial hermit payed off this winter. I saw so many really sick kids at work, it was a bad year for gastro stuff. Lots of bronchiolitis and croup too. RSV not so much. Anyway, seeing all the crap going around made it not hard at all to stay at home. We avoided stay and play and nursery. Washed our hands like crazy when we were out shopping. And really didn't do much of anything. But it paid off. We have had nothing, until yesterday. Roman has the saddest little cough and hoarse throat. He slept with me and did A LOT of rolling around last night and not a lot of sleep. Brad took the couch. I'm being hopeful it won't last too long. A drugged up Romes and Brad are sleeping on the couch with the Lakers game to keep them company right now.

Other than that, Mother's day is great. Brad got me an early present a few weeks ago, he couldn't wait any longer. Here she is.
Nothing too fancy. It is all I need, especially with two photographers in the family with very fancy Nikons. It is so nice to have an SLR camera, loving the no lag in between taking pictures. Brad totally surprised me with it. I have been wanting one for so long, but it was always last on the list. Especially with the new baby coming. But how can I say no when he was the one who bought it!

I have my work cut out for me for Fathers Day now!

Here is my cute little chubby cheek, smoochy lips boy.
Doing way better with talking. Not being so stubborn and attempting to say more. Everything is on his time schedule, drives me nuts sometimes! His mothers day present to me - besides the card he picked out, signed, and then claimed as his own because it's big yellow envelope looks like a letter from Blue's Clues - a few days ago he finally started saying "love mama". Melt's your heart and makes everything in the world seam right to hear those words doesn't it.

Love you mom 1 and mom 2. I wont' get all mushy this year. I'm pregnant and that will just lead to tears!

name

So it's time to think of a baby name. If you haven't heard already, it's another boy name we are after. We thought we had it all figured out. After Roman was born we had a name picked for our next child, boy name and girl name. I won't get into the girl name, except to say that a good friend of mine is pregnant and naming her little girl Piper. Brad is quite annoyed! Doesn't matter right now, it's a boy name we are after. Finn was our boy name. Then Stephanie named her little girl Finley. And there is a boy and a girl Finley in her ward. And just last week Rachel Fairbanks (don't know her married name) named her little boy Finn. So do we use the name, knowing how popular it is becoming - so I have been told? Or do we think of something else? Seems like a silly dilemma I know. But Brad and I don't agree on names - AT ALL.
I know I know, it is very silly to think that no one would ever like or use the same names we like. And I have always been an advocate of use the name if you want to no matter what. Even if they have a cousin with that name, so what. But the reason we liked Finn, and Piper, is because they are a little different, more uncommon, without being so out in left field. So we will see. I know I sound so pregnant and hormonal with this post! Rambling on about a baby name. Crazy me. But I thought hey, lets get some input from other people out there. So let's give me some ideas of names you people out there like! Doesn't have to be the top one or two for you of course, but maybe some your husbands don't' like and you do. I just need to hear some other options right now.

And because no post is complete without a picture, here is Roman hugging his baby. Sorry for the not very attractive naked belly. Roman has to have bare belly to talk to the baby or hug or kiss him, which he loves to do. He also like to yell at the baby to come out, then gets a little annoyed that he won't. We have to remind him the baby has to grow bigger first, seems to placate him. But it is so funny to watch!
My cute little man.