The BEST day of Wendy's life!

*Wendy's adorable, new toothless grin!

Let's rewind to Saint Patrick's Day. My Wendy came into my office for a teeth cleaning. I gasped when I noticed she had her first loose tooth! My first reaction was sadness that my baby was growing up too fast. But later that day, Wendy asked me, "Mom, was grandma sad when you had your first loose tooth?" My answer kinda slapped me in the face, "No, actually she was really excited for me." Mom fail. I realized in that moment I needed to change my attitude about the whole situation (not just the tooth situation, but her growing up in general). My mom was really good about that sort of thing. She made you feel like you were now part of an exclusive club and celebrated the milestones instead of getting weepy about it. I'm going to make an effort to be more like that. 

Fast forward to today: after throwing some major, overly-tired kid meltdowns as we left Disneyland, including the phrase, "This is the worst day ever!" Wendy realized her loose tooth was EXTRA loose. Her mood started to change as we reached our car in the world's 2nd largest parking garage (after Disneyland Asia) and she focused on wiggling. As we drove away, she started taking bets on whether it would fall out today or tomorrow. The fact that Harvey & I bet on "today" lifted her mood tremendously. Right before we got on the freeway she yanked her own tooth out and I heard a squeal of excitement from the backseat. I made a big deal about it and we called daddy and both grandmas on our way home to tell them the news. She must have said, "Mom, this really is the best day of my life!" about three times. The same child that screamed the opposite less than an hour earlier. I think she wants to grow up about as much as I want her to stay little. 

That night I pulled a gift out of my sock drawer (that's where I hide ev.er.y.thing) that I bought on etsy that Saint Patrick's Day when I noticed her first wiggly tooth- this adorable tooth pillow so I wouldn't have to go searching under her pillow in the dark. She wrote her name on the little envelope and put her tooth in it, but wrote a note to the tooth fairy asking if she could keep her baby tooth a little longer. The tooth fairy left a glittery 2 dollars and a note back letting Wendy know she could borrow the tooth until the next one fell out, making sure to tell her to take care of her teeth by brushing, flossing and eating healthy foods (naggy hygienist mom tooth fairy). The two dollars were burning a hole in her little, pink piggy bank and she spent them on a sugary treat the first chance she got. I love this girl and, despite my sadness that she won't stay little forever, I love that I'm blessed with the opportunity to watch her grow up!

HAPPY half BIRTHDAY JUNIPER!

In her sixth month, June:

• experienced her 1st Easter! She had no clue what was going on, slept through most of it, and received some small gifts from the Easter bunny that he grabbed out of her stash of belongings just to save face in front of her older siblings. 
• 1st time in the bumbo chair. She wasn't so sure about it. She got all "back-archey" pretty soon. My kids are late sitter-uppers, late crawlers, and late walkers, so I think the sensation was very foreign to her, but I think it might help her in the process of becoming a sitter. Harvey was SO excited. It was like he realized for the first time that he has another potential playmate in the house. He sat close to her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, talking in a high pitch to her the whole time (...maybe that's why she didn't love it so much). We've used it a lot more and she's slowly starting to love it. A little.
• month full of holiday celebrations: Wendy, Harvey & Daddy's birthdays, Cinco de Mayo and Mother's day!
• Has become very grabby. She'll grab anything within reach and immediately attempt to stick whatever it is in her mouth.
• She has discovered her pudgy feet- they're her new favorite things to grab and put in he r mouth, which sounds absolutely disgusting but it's the most adorable thing. I know it sounds gross but I really love when she does that. 
• My new favorite thing to do is to stand June up on my lap and kiss her chubby cheeks. They're SO soft and kissable! Sometimes, I just leave my lips on her cheek, breath her in and she nuzzles into to me. It's the best thing.

Sorry for going overboard, these were all just SO cute that I couldn't narrow it down. I think six 6 month photos is fitting. FUN FACT: from May 14th 2014 to June 13th 2014 our family's lucky number is 3! Check it out, for EXACTLY 30 days:

Mom is 30 years old

Dad is 33 years old

Wendy is 3+3 years old

Harvey is 3 years old

June is 3+3 months old

Is your mind sufficiently blown?! Mine is. Que the twilight zone theme song. Three is our lucky number this month... Maybe I should buy a lotto ticket or something.

*this little girl is seriously all cheeks and eyelashes! And here's the picture to prove it :)

My little Star Wars Fan...

SO, when I took Harvey to the pediatrician for his 3 year old check up and discovered he was 40 inches tall, the FIRST thing I thought was, "HE'S TALL ENOUGH TO RIDE STAR TOURS!!" I didn't dare say anything in case things didn't pan out. You see, being the Star Wars fan that he is, we basically go straight to star tours to check if he's tall enough as soon as we walk into Disneyland. For six months I've been telling him, "Sorry bud. You probably won't be tall enough until you're at least three." Even if he WAS tall enough, he wouldn't be able to ride because it's usually me with my three kids and June definitely isn't tall enough.

We had the chance to go to Disneyland last week with a bunch of our cousins and my mom (who is awesome and stays off the "big rides" with the baby so I can ride them with my "big kids.") I told Harvey he might be tall enough to ride Star Tours that day. His little eyes got big and an open mouthed smile covered his face. We took Harvey right up to the front of the fast pass line where they have the 40 inch tall measuring stick. He was so cute standing there, as tall as he could, following my directions. "Put your feet together. Stick your neck out straight. Put your chin up. Stand with your back against the bar." He was right on the line. The workers were a little hesitant. Strangers in line started shouting, "Let the kid ride the ride!" "Let him on! He's tall enough!" Harvey smiled nervously at the worker as she had him raise his hands above his head. 

She gave the okay and I squealed, "Harvey! You're tall enough!" He did a double handed fist pump and screamed, "I'N TALL YEENUFF!!" Everyone watching from the line laughed. I cannot describe the way his little face was beaming as he passed the threshold and entered the line to that ride. He was walking fast and probably screamed, "I'N TALL YEENUFF!!" like five times. Some of those screams included jumping up and down. The people in line were giggling at his excitement. He kept pointing out all the Star Wars characters to me. He was amazed at the life sized C3PO and R2D2. It really was something special to watch. 

While we waited to board our "space ship" a little screen shows some characters getting it ready. Harvey was entranced. He asked me what they were doing to our spaceship. Once we got on, I decided to tell him it wasn't real, I didn't want him to freak out when we blasted into outer space. But he LOVED it. He's been telling people all week about his ride on Star Tours and how he's "tall yeenufff." He even asked me if he could drive my car because, "I'n a big boy now, mommy, I'n even tall yeenuff for Star Tours." Man, I love that kid. 

*that face says it all

Murmurings of the Heart

I took Harvey & Wendy in for their 3 year old and 6 year old check ups today. Because of Obamacare we lost our pediatrician. I was pretty bummed, my pediatrician was whatever, but I loved the office and LOVED our nurse (who was the one who spent most of the time with the kids anyway). After asking around to other moms I trust, we found a new pediatrician who accepts our new insurance. I was a little worried the kids would feel unsure in a new environment, but WOW did they love it! This place is all decked out like a little kid heaven... like chuck-e-cheese meets the children's museum. They ran around squealing and Harvey kept saying, "I YUV dis place mom!!" despite being very upset when he discovered we were going to the doctor's office. The nurse, April, came out with stickers for the kids and they took to her right away. Harvey was super chatty with her (I think it was the relief that this place wasn't as horrible as he thought it would be).  

They so were giddy to put on these cute little hospital gowns. During Harvey's check up, the doctor asked me, "How long has Harvey had a heart murmur? Was he born with it?" I think my eyes got big. EXCUSE ME?! I quickly filed through my cloudy mom brain, thinking, "A HEART murmur? No. Wait... have I been told this before? ...No, I would have remembered a heart murmur." I told her this was the first I'd heard of it. She had him lay down to double, then triple check. She explained he has what's called a "Stills Murmur" which is not uncommon and usually harmless. It tends to resolve itself by adolescence and all we have to do is keep our eye on it. I felt a little helpless. No medicine? Can he play sports? Will he drop dead if he runs around too much?? She reassured me that it would be okay and would schedule an ultrasound if I'd like. I told her I was okay at the moment, but I'm pretty sure my mother-in-law will make me get him an ultrasound (she's a great grammy and a little over-cautious, which is not necessarily a bad thing). 

All in all it was a bit of an internal roller-coaster and draining day for me. I do feel a certain level of peace about the whole situation and deep down I feel that it will all be okay. 

*i love how they're kinda holding hands in this picture. so sweet.

Mothers Day 2014

I had the most amazing mothers day yesterday! I think it was actually the best mother's day I've ever had. I was just overwhelmed with gratitude all day long and completely in awe of my amazing husband and these three amazing children my Heavenly Father has entrusted me with. 

Basically, Ryan was incredible. I woke up to see all three kids dressed and ready for church head-to-toe in the outfits I had laid out for them. He had set up the baby monitor so he would know when the baby woke up and took her out of our room before she woke me up (yes, the baby is almost 6 months old and still sleeping in our room). They let me sleep in and then woke me up with breakfast in bed and mother's day presents (AND they didn't leave a mess in the kitchen!!!). The kids were so excited to present me with the gifts and breakfast they had made for me. Ryan let each one of them butter a piece of toast. Harvey's toast had A LOT of butter on it and, of course, Wendy's was perfectly even. Harvey was so giddy, kept saying the cutest things, making me shake with laughter and cover my heart with my hand. He was saying things like, "Do you wuv your bweakfast mommy?! We all made it! Eat it!" He'd fix my blanket and ask me, "Are you comfy cozy mommy?! Hewre, I help you get comfy cozy!" The kids watched me eat and hung on each bite. I tried my hardest to eat slowly and let them know each bite was the most delicious bite of breakfast I've ever had. Then I spent the rest of the day stealing hugs from them and telling them how perfect my breakfast was, it even had my very favorite drink in the world- ice water. 

Harvey felt they should sing to me, so they sang Happy Mother's Day To You. When it was over I clapped and Harvey said, "Mom!?... BLOW!" so I blew out an imaginary candle. He was so excited.

I opened my gifts. Ryan continued to blow me away and had a painting of our family portrait commissioned. Our friend Emily Stringfellow sells them on etsy and I LOVE it! I'm going to frame it and hang it on the wall tomorrow. That's the type of gift he'd have to get way in advance - seriously, best husband award.

At church, I had so many moments where I was overcome with overwhelming gratitude for each one of my children in my life. In sacrament meeting, I had the baby on my lap, quietly played hangman with Wendy on my right and had Harvey sitting next to me all cuddly on my left. Then I got to hold June all through the last hour as she gnawed on her chubby fist and flirted with the ladies behind me in relief society. I'm so grateful for each one of them individually and the different personalities they have and lessons they teach me. 

THEN, after church, Ryan made lunch and let me take a nap while he watched all three kids. He didn't just watch the kids, he played board games with them and put the babies down for their naps and folded two big loads of laundry while I napped. Where did he even come from!? All in all, the day was wonderful. I was pampered, well rested, I felt loved and felt deep love for those around me. Man I'm really gonna have to pull out all the stops for father's day.

 

5 MONTHS!

At FIVE months, June:

• weighs 16lbs 8oz - 90th percentile
• 26.8 inches long - 98th percentile
• head circumference 16.3 inches - 75th percentile (good to know for making headbands)
• rolled over! she did it twice on April fool's day and hasn't done it since, the little trickster
• officially in size 2 diapers
• knows her name and will respond to it
• had her longest stretch of sleep: 9 1/2 HOURS!! From 9pm to 6:30am and it was glorious!
• First overnight vacation - went with mommy & daddy on our 10th anniversary getaway weekend while Wendy & Harvey stayed with Grammy & Grandpa. We stayed at The Inn in Rancho Santa Fe then spent the next day at the Wild Animal Park in San Diego. She was a great little date!
• 1st Saint Patrick's Day - she looked so cute all decked out in my favorite color. I ordered a green bow on etsy and it showed up WAY bigger than I thought (shoulda read the fine print) she rocked it anyway.
• First earthquake! Ryan & I were at the temple in Newport Beach and the kids were sleeping at their grandparents house. They all slept right through it, but the scariest part was June's location - she was sleeping in a bassinet right next to a giant, un-anchored bookshelf, that was full of glass frames and large hard-back books. Luckily nothing came crashing down on her.
• after explaining to the nurse at her pediatric appointment that we've affectionately nicknamed her "Dream Baby" because, well, she's the best baby ever, she proceeded to prove me right and got her shots without even crying! Not even a gasp or a flinch! More than one! The nurse said she save the one that stings for last and not even then! I think she actually smiled at the nurse through it. It was crazy to watch.
• this month was filled with lots of fun trips to disneyland, the beach, and the L.A. zoo 

*I love this silly face!

*can't get enough of those luscious baby thunder thighs

June is 4 months old!

At 4 months old, June:

• weighs 15 pounds - 89th percentile
• 24 inches long - 88th percentile
• head circumference 16 inches  - 81st percentile (random, I know, but I like the info)
• wakes up happy every morning & coos/talks baby gibberish in her bassinet until I get her. I think most babies would cry, but not her. Sometimes I just lay there and listen to her for a while before getting her because it's my favorite sound in the world.
• slowly developing those luscious baby rolls that I love to kiss and squeeze
• has discovered her dimpled hands and likes to hold them together before trying to fit them both in her mouth at the same time
• smiling at anyone who will look at her
• laughs every time I wipe her chin or chest - SUPER ticklish
• LOVES bath time and kicks her legs back & forth the entire time
• is so happy and brings the sweetest spirit into our home