FUNNY MOMENTS

GAGE:

Gage wants a baby brother so bad and begs for this weekly. He tells us we need to get married again so we can have a baby brother for him.

Gage has a real thing about getting his hair cut. I have tried countless times to cut it, but he gets so upset and fidgety until it erupts into a full-blown tantrum. So, I take him to this place for kids where he behaves much better. On our last trip to Disneyland, we had the car loaded up and hit the road, but we stopped to get Gage's hair cut on the way out. A couple weeks later, my friend who had Gage over for a playdate with her kids, called to tell me that Gage told them the last time he got his hair cut, he was really good and happy so we took him to Disneyland as his reward! His 4-year-old friend said, "Really??? I don't get anything for getting my hair cut! Mom!!?????"

Quote: "I don't need to take a nap...I'm happy as a clam!"

Mama, I like when your hair is NOT in a ponytail. You look beautiful when your hair is down, not when it's in a ponytail. If he catches me with it down, he'll say, "Oh, Mama, you look so pretty!" On our way into Bootcamp, he asked me why all the girls have their hair in ponytails and I explained. He asked me if I would take my ponytail out as soon as we got done at Bootcamp. He REALLY does not like my hair in a ponytail!

For Father's Day, I made Rob a video montage with pictures of him with all the kids throughout their lives set to music. The girls were taking a nap but Gage sat down with us to watch. He got so emotional and was so touched by it. I found that endearing for a 4-year-old.

We went to Cafe Rio for $1.50 Taco Tuesday, where we all ate for $7.50!! That is going to be our new tradition. Seriously, how can you beat that price for such yummy food! Anway, there was a whole table of policemen next to us and Gage was fascinated. At one point, he said something kind of sassy and then caught himself quickly and said, "Uh oh, are the police going to come arrest me for being sassy?" Before I could answer he said, "Oh, no they are too distracted eating their food." It made me laugh to hear him use "distracted."

BELLA:

She LOVES peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She'll say, "Mama, can I have a peanut jelly and sandwich, please?" She asks for this the moment she wakes up in the morning.

She likes to tickle everyone's necks. She'll tell Gage to look up at that thing on the ceiling and then she'll tickle him while he's vulnerable. Clever!

She is fully potty-trained, even at night and EVEN while swimming!! What kid doesn't pee in the pool? Bella doesn't. She is so proud of herself each time and right before she flushes, she yells excitedly, "Bye Bye Pee!! Bye Bye Poop!!"

She and Gage are sharing a room now, so that Paisley could get a little more sleep without Bella interrupting it. Gage did NOT want to sleep on the top bunk, no matter how much bribery we threw at him, so we split the beds and have them in an "L" shape in his room. They LOVE it!! Except for some nights when Gage is really tired and wants to go to sleep and Bella is still talking and trying to play with him. Sometimes they end up in each other's beds.

She and Gage love to play dress-up and make up games and stories to act out. In this picture they were both cowboys going out to round up the cows.

She will spontaneously say, "I love my brother. I love my sister. Mama, I love you very much." She is such a loving and affectionate child and I hope that continues. During Sacrament Meeting on Sunday, she saw this little girl walking out wearing this pretty purple dress that was kind of flowing. She said, "Look, Mama! Princess!! Look at the Princess! I want to give her a hug!" I told her maybe later. Sure enough, when I picked her up from Nursery she saw this girl again and ran over to her. "Princess! Can I give you a hug?" The little girl just kind of looked at her and Bella gave her the sweetest hug.

PAISLEY:

Wow...this girl has got a set of lungs. She is sooooo LOUD!!! Especially when we are in church and everyone else is quiet. She also is developing quite a little temper. It's sometimes funny. Other times, not so much. I have begun giving her mini timeouts. But she has this killer smile where she crinkles her nose and shows all her teeth and it just makes you laugh. She isn't talking at all. Not even mama or dada, which I think she was saying at some point, so she's regressing. Actually, she will say it if you ask her to, but never on her own. But she does put her head down and squints her eyes if we say we're going to have a prayer. She's not walking yet, but she does kick her feet in the pool and swims some. She does walk around holding onto things, and will push herself up to stand from the floor without holding anything. She gets so excited about her accomplishment and throws her arms up in the air and then faceplants. Hilarious! I'm sure the pediatrician will express concern at her lack of words at her next visit, but I say toddlers talking is way overrated!

This happy picture of her is because she LOVES cameras and instantly smiles when she sees one.

This is because I wouldn't give her the camera. Temper!!

She loves books and brings them to me to read all the time. But she doesn't have enough patience to make it all the way through one. After a couple of pages, she is pushing it away and handing me another.

She is always trying to keep up with Gage and Bella. She wants so desperately to be included. She loves to climb up on their beds and will lie down on their pillows next to them.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, ROB!

He is so good to his children - playing, laughing and joking with them, and teaching them. He spoils them some by getting to see them throughout the day when he is in town. He could just stay holed up in his office, not coming out until dinner, but he comes out numerous times to check in with us, help out, and have a little fun. He is a great example of selflessness, service and generosity to them and me. He LOVES to have fun and live life to its fullest.

The primary sang to their dads in Sacrament Meeting and Gage was so sweet. The kids made cards for him and I made him a video montage of pictures of him with the kids as babies up until now. We made his favorites: Roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions, rolls and brownies. He loved his special day.

We love you, Daddy!

MY DAD

Happy Father's Day to my Dad! I have such vivid memories of my dad playing with us when we were little. He would give us shoulder rides, piggy-back rides, pick us up by our ears (while we held onto his forearms), wrestle, make us laugh and tease us. He has a great sense of humor, but not everyone knows that about him. He tends to be very quiet and reserved and some think he comes off as gruff. But those who know him and spend time with him know how funny and playful he is.

My dad is NOT affectionate at all and has a very hard time expressing any feelings or emotions. He can BARELY say, "I love you" without cringing. But we know how he feels about us anyway. He grew up with a troubled mother who wasn't too interested in him or his sister and divorced their father when they were young. There wasn't too much involvement from his father from that point. My dad tells stories of his mother tying him to a rope in the backyard because she didn't want him bothering her and didn't want to watch him. She started him in school when he was only four because she didn't want to deal with him. She became an alcoholic and in one drunken stupor started the house on fire and my dad had to carry her and her drunk companions out of the house when he was just a teen. He didn't have the best example of an affectionate, loving mother so he just feels uncomfortable with it.

He was very athletic, but a little on the short and small side, so he worked and practiced very hard to become better. He tells us stories of going out by himself and hitting balls and then running out to shag them and doing it all again and again, past dark. He would run, lift weights, do pushups, etc. so he could get better, stronger and faster. He continues, to this day, to lift weights and run so he can stay in shape. He joined the church when he was 19 (I think?), which we are so grateful for. He was drafted into the Army and was a paratrooper and has entertained us with his Army stories. Thankfully, his duty was served and he was discharged right before they sent his group to Vietnam.

We were all very active in sports growing up and my dad always supported us and would teach and show us things. He would come to my softball games and in between innings would come over to give me some pointers of things he noticed. I don't think they were always well received by me, but they should have been. I loved having him there because I wanted him to be proud of me. I remember one game in particular, I hit an in-the-park homerun and I heard my dad boasting to the man next to him how fast I was. At our Powder Puff football game, my dad was bragging about how quick, agile, and fast I was to some other people at the game. I'm sure he doesn't remember, but it meant the world to me. He taught us to work hard, practice, have confidence and never give up.

I remember my friends, especially in high school, thinking that my dad was scary and mean. This didn't bode well for me having any boyfriends because they were way too afraid of my dad and brothers. My advice to all fathers who have daughters - BE SCARY! Be very, very scary.

I honor my dad for his examples of integrity and honesty. He ALWAYS tells the truth, even if it hurts. He just can't help himself. He is selfless and generous, almost to a fault. He is a realist, but also optimistic. He is a stickler for being prompt. Actually, that's putting it mildly. He is so anxious about getting somewhere on time, that he is ALWAYS early....really early.

Most of all, he has a strong testimony of the gospel. Despite my initial selfish protests, I am so grateful to him and my mom for serving a mission. They have sacrificed so much their whole lives and continue to do so, all to serve the Lord and their children.

I love you, Dad! Your grandchildren adore their Papa! Happy Father's Day!