Zoorassic Park

Well, it's been a while since I've really been in the mood to write anything.  We all know how the summer heat kinda sucks the energy out of us.  I usually want to stay in my air-conditioned house, under the ceiling fan and veg on the couch.  We all also know that that scenario is rarely possible with two little boys running around.  Among my usual day-to-day duties are the following:  (This list is by no means comprehensive and does not include regular household chores like laundry or dishes...)

Washing various body parts clean of Crayola Washable (Thank Goodness!) Markers

Changing poopy diapers (I think Zac has decided it's easier to go three times in one hour...)

Spot mopping the tile floor and walls of chocolate milk, Capri Sun, or juice  (This happens at least 3 times daily.)

Answering the question, "Mom, is it sree-sirty yet?" 3:30 is when Wild Kratts is on TV.  I really wish it was on much earlier so I could possibly answer this question only once.

Filling sippy cups with beverage of choice (Zac chugs his down in about 20 seconds flat and wants more.)

Zooming the computer screen in and out for Gage because he has screwed it up and can't play his game.

Wiping Gage's bum.  Luckily, this usually is only once a day.

Wiping down table and chairs and sometimes tile floor because there is the aforementioned Crayola Markers all over them.

Adjusting the Wii sensor.

Telling Gage over and over it's time to turn the TV off and do something else that does not include any video games or computer games.

Fixing the blankets we have over the couch so the aforementioned chocolate milk, Capri Sun and juice will not make a mess of the microfiber.

Yelling at Gage because he has made his brother cry yet again by taking something from him.

Luckily, these days are also filled with lots of snuggling, hugs and kisses and telling each other, "I love you."

But sometimes, most times, I wish my husband came home from work a lot earlier!

Today, to break the monotony, we decided to go on a little family outing kind of as an "end of summer" adventure since Gage starts preschool Monday.  Weird.  I am excited but scared for him.  He is great at communicating with adults, but not so comfortable associating with kids his age.  He is so excited because the preschool we chose is dinosaur-themed for the whole year!  Couldn't have found a better fit!

Anyway, we went to Hogle Zoo.  Next week is the end of "Zoorassic Park", so we knew Gage would be devastated if we missed it.  They had robotic dinosaurs all over the zoo and they were life-sized.  It was really hot, not too crowded, and really fun!  Here are a few of my favorite pics from the day:  (Notice Gage's bright yellow shirt-it is his preschool shirt his teacher gave him at the Open House, he couldn't wait until Monday to wear it!)

 Baby Zuri and her Mama

Zac was a little worried by the large metal elephant that made loud noises, this is him backing away from it!

Yee-Ha!

 

 

 

This Macaw kept saying, "Hello, Hello!"

Ryan glaring at me...  Geez!

T-Rex glaring at me...  Which one is scarier?  Ha!

This lemur was literally screaming at her kids, we could hear her through the glass!  She reminded me of myself and I was suddenly grateful for the half acre separating me from my nearest neighbors!

Zac loves kitties!

That is not sunburn-Gage's face turns bright red when he runs around.  Over-Exertion Syndrome!  :)

Zac loved splashing in the puddles from the misters!

My favorite picture of the day!

Needless to say, the boys were in heaven!  Ryan and I had fun too!  Nothing like a fun day to create some good memories!  Now if you ask Zac about the zoo, be makes monkey noises!  

Until next time...

The Gage Oddities

    If any of you out there know my 4-year-old, Gage, then you also know he is not a normal 4-year-old.  Am I right?  I'm really not sure where he came from because he is so darn unique.  I've always been told to write down the funny things he says, so this post will be an attempt at documenting the funnier things he has said.
   First, though, you must know a few things about Gage before I continue.  Generally, he is rambunctious, honest, caring, demanding, bossy, and hilarious.  Probably the most apparent quality he has is intelligence.  This kid is smart.  I'm sure he got most of it from his dad, we all know how smart he is and that those genes seem to run in his family.  He gets some funny looks from strangers sometimes.  We went to the Dinosaur Park in Ogden last week, (which is awesome and so worth the drive!) and this man was walking past us as this was coming out of Gage's mouth: "Mom, I can't decide... Should we go look at the Parasaurolophus, the Styracosaurus, or should we go find the Pachycephalosaurus?"  The man looked quite amazed and then chuckled.  Now, the funny thing about this is that he can not only pronounce these dinosaur names along with many others, but he can tell you all about them.  (Yes, I had to Google them to make sure I spelled them correctly.)  Are they herbivores or carnivores?  Omnivores?  How many claws do they have?  Do they have spikes, plates, frills?  How many horns do they have?  This kid is a dinosaur freak!  If you ask him what he wants to be when he grows up, this is his response:  "A Paleontologist and a Tech Lab".  (He means a Lab Tech like his dad, but can't seem to switch the words around the right way.)  Although, the other day he was watching race cars on TV and said he wanted to be a race car driver instead of a Tech Lab.   Anyway, let's just say I know more about dinosaurs than I ever even knew there was to know!
     Back to the funny things he has said...  There are many, so I may just highlight the ones I remember distinctly. If any of you remember any other ones, please add them in the comments.  He started talking at an early age and was very easy to understand.  He has always had pretty good pronunciation and sentence structure.  (Like I know...)  Here we go:

     Almost 2 years old:  His aunt was pregnant and he was saying goodbye to her and the rest of the family...
     Gage:  "Bye-bye Christy, Bye-bye NaNa, Bye-bye Stacey, Bye-Bye Ninnies!"
     To explain the word ninnies:  When I was young, we were on a trip to Lake Powell with my Grandpa John and Grandma Charleen.  (My mom's parents)  My grandpa was swimming and hollered, "I think the fish are nibbling my ninnies!"  Needless to say, the word ninnies became permanent in my family when we refer to boobies.

     Had just turned 2 years old:  He was in the bathtub and had recently learned how to sing Happy Birthday.
     Gage:  "Hap Burday to you, Hap Burday to you, Hap Burday Pee-pee!"  Yes, he was referring to his boy parts.  (Or "tenders" as he know calls them!)

     Gage was very fat when he was little.  As a result, his little "pee-pee" was usually hiding.  One day when he was just barely 3, he looked down at it in the tub, poked it with his finger and demanded, "Get back in there!"

     2 years old:  I was taking a shower and he barged in.  The shower curtain  was closed.
     Gage:  "Mom, open the curtain!"
     Me:  "No."
     Gage:  "Why?"
     Me:  "Because I'm taking a shower and you can't see Mommy naked."
     Gage: (After a long pause) "I won't laugh..."
 
     Three years old:  I was taking some ibuprofen for a headache.  I also wasn't wearing a bra.
     Gage:  "Why are you taking pills?"
     Me:  "I have a headache."
     Gage:  "Where did the pills go?"
     Me:  "In my tummy."
     He then reached over, poked one of my nipples and said, "Oh, I thought they were right there sticking out."

     Three years old:
     Gage: "Mom, you know, pirates are dicks."
     Me:  "Gage, that's not nice.  We don't talk like that."
     Gage:  "Well, they are. They steal stuff.
     Me:  "It doesn't matter, we still don't say that word."
     Gage:  "What? Pirates?"
     I guess I wasn't very clear...

     Had just turned 3 years old.  I was nursing Zac in the rocking chair.  Zac had been sucking pretty hard and had just pulled away.  Gage looked over at me curiously and then said, matter-of-factly:  "Mom, your ninnies look like a flat-head screwdriver."  (This is my personal  favorite!)

     Four years old:
     Nanny: (My mom) "Gage, are you excited to go to the cabin? We're taking the Xbox."
     Gage: "I'm just not going to play it."
     Nanny:  "What are you going to do?"
     Gage:  "I'm just going to eat all day."
     Nanny:  "What are you going to eat?"
     Gage:  "Shrimp."
     Nanny:  "Where are you going to get shrimp?"
     Gage:  "I'm just going to make it."

     That's all I can think of right now.  I know there are many others, I'll have to rack my brain and write them down as I think of them.  I'll do a Gage Oddities Part Two soon enough!  We love our Gage and the crazy things he does and says.  Remember the Grumpy Old Man Face and the Tootie-Tah Dance?  Good Times.

Gage at his favorite place in the world:  Thanksgiving Point Museum of Ancient Life

He's a great tour guide there if you ever need one!

 Grumpy Old Man Face-This one was real, he was really mad.

 Doing his T-Rex.  This is accompanied by a very loud growl.

The Tootie-Tah Dance.

    
    

    

Crazy Kids and Answers to Prayers

     If you read my last post you are going to be really confused.  Don't worry, I just had a crazy little boy day and need to vent a little, so here goes...
     Just sitting here wondering if I am normal.  One second I am ready to strangle my children, and the next, they melt my heart.  They scream in a really high pitch, yell as loud as they can, hit each other or me, freak out when they don't get their way, and bawl if you so much as change the channel on the TV.  Two minutes later...they are hysterically giggling at nothing, playing dinosaurs with each other, sitting side-by-side drinking chocolate milk, giving me spontaneous hugs and kisses, and even cleaning up toys.  So I ask: how do I survive in such chaos?  I can't handle the craziness.  Really, was I this nuts when I was young, or is it just a boy thing?  I'd like to think I was pretty close to being the perfect child! 
     They both had their well-checks at the pediatrician's office last week.  The doctor looked at me and said, "How are you feeling?"  I thought that was a weird question being that neither one was sick and it surely wasn't my check-up.  I said, "Fine, why?"  He then proceeded to explain that I have the two hardest ages in boys.  4-year-olds are tantrum throwers (true), headstrong (true), sensitive (true), and bossy (true again).  18-month-olds are trying to be independent (anyone know Zac?), very active (LOL), entering the separation anxiety phase (not quite yet), and always trying to make decisions for themselves (and screaming if I tell him it's the wrong decision).  So after he explained this he said, "And you are lucky because you have both ages at the same time!"  I assume he calls me lucky because I'm getting through all the crap all at once.  I'm really not sure I'd call that luck.  I'm thinking words more along these lines: unfortunate, unlucky, how the crap am I supposed to fix it, and why on earth didn't anyone tell me this before I had kids?
     Anyone out there planning on having children... Plan their timing better than I did.  :)
     I told the doctor that that must be the reason I feel like I don't want any more kids.  He said he agreed, but that this too shall pass and I will probably want more.  I guess we'll see... 
     I realize that Ryan and I should probably involve our Heavenly Father in our decision to have more kids or not.  That is actually really hard to do.  You know when you already know the answer to a prayer, so you are scared to even ask it?  Like when my brother was struggling with his decision to serve a mission.  My dad suggested he should pray about it.  He responded, "Why, Dad?  I already know what the answer is."  And so it is sometimes.  I know we are probably not done having kids, but they are really testing my patience and sucking the energy and life right out of me.  Most days I feel as if I'm really not cut out to be a mother.  I am so tired, impatient, frustrated and tired.   (Did I say tired twice?)  I wonder every day when I'll get the guts to actually get on my knees and ask the question.  I'm afraid of what I'll hear.  What if He says there are three more up there for us?  I think I would stop praying all together.  Not really, but what if that's my answer?  Those poor children, being sent to a mother that already resents them?  Now, let's get serious.  You all know I would love all my children and I would only have them if I felt I could handle them.  I guess that's my question:  Can I really handle more?
     One thing I do know.  The best thing in life is seeing your children happy.  There is nothing better than Gage telling me he loves me or Zac throwing his little arms around me and giving me an open-mouthed kiss with a great big, "Mah!"  They are good boys just being boys.  I tell myself that everyday and remind myself that this too shall pass...  They teach me to enjoy the small things in life like potato bugs, throwing rocks into water, watching an airplane fly by, snuggling with a soft blanket, taking baths, watching animals, reading books, tickling each other, eating ice cream, and watching early morning cartoons.  They help me remember not to take life so seriously and to enjoy every minute.  I know, they'll be grown before I know it... 

Why Me?

     Usually, when someone asks this question, it brings to mind a negative connotation.  But today, I ask this question with mixed feelings. 
     I know many people that have extremely hard trials in their lives.  Some aren't deserved, some are self-inflicted.  Many have very sick children, spouses, or selves.  Many are jobless and in financial trouble.  Many are addicts or married to one.  Drugs, alcohol, pornography, work, cigarettes...  Many depend on short-lived physical experiences for quick bursts of happiness, only to fall back down to misery.  Many have no direction, no religion, no purpose, no glow.  These people are generally good people...  So, why the trials?
     So, I process all this and ask, why me?  Why am I so blessed?  Why do I have two beautiful healthy boys?  Why do I have a wonderful husband who provides for us and loves me in every way despite my flaws?  Why do I have religion, direction, and know exactly what I need to do to get where I want to be?  Why has my life been blessed financially in a bad economy?  What have I done to deserve such amazing blessings in my life?
     Does it just mean that my time of trial hasn't arrived yet?  Am I just asking for trouble? 
     I do know that as I see my friends struggle with what life has to offer, it helps me realize how grateful I should be.  I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the things I have in my life that are so precious.  I pray for those with tribulations that I just can't seem to help or fix.  My heart aches wishing I could take the pain away, cure a sick child, rehabilitate an addict, or even just help them see that happiness is possible.
     My heroes are the ones who, despite their challenges, turn their lives over to God and trust that He knows what He is doing.  They are still positive even though they face dire circumstances.  I wonder if I would be as strong? 
     So maybe instead of asking, why me?  I should ask, why not?

     Here are some pics of three of my

most precious blessings:

 Zac after a long day at the petting zoo!

 My wonderful hubby!

 What every morning at my house looks like!

 He thinks he's so big!

 Gage outside in our lack of a backyard!

 Cute!

You'd actually think they like each other!

Missing my husband today. He is going to make fun of me for starting a blog... He'll probably ask why I don't work on my artwork... I always complain that I don't have time. I do. I just don't make it a priority, I guess.

Mother's Day is soon. I guess being a mother means you put others first. My kids always come first, then Ryan, then me. And sometimes, others outside the family come before me. I know everyone says, "Make sure you take some time for yourself..." But really, when? Zac is sleeping and I'm letting Gage play the Wii for a few quiet minutes to myself. Even then, I am interrupted frequently by, "Mom, can you get me to the airplane game?" "Mom, I'm tired of playing this one." "Mom, I don't know how to play this part." "Mom, can you make me some chocolate milk?" So much for quiet minutes to myself... Maybe I'll stay up tonight...

Speaking of mothers... My mom is great. I think sometimes I am a brat to hear and I feel bad for that. But, she is pretty good at giving me guilt trips! Ha! I do the same thing to Ryan! Sorry. Back to my mom, she is one of the kindest people I know. She is always worried about others. Bless her heart, she has opened the doors to her home to anyone that needs one. I have had friends in the past live there, my brothers have had various friends live there for one reason or another, and the latest venture is a pair of missionaries living in the basement. I can't imagine the food they go through. And my dad? He's just another boy...

I think I'll take the remaining few minutes of Zac's nap to take a badly needed shower. I should probably change out of my pajamas since it is after 11:00. What a great idea. You know I let my kids stay in their pjs way too much when I ask Gage to get dressed in the morning and he asks, "Where are we going?" Maybe I should do some habit-changing. I started with actually getting up and exercising. Two new things in one day, exercising and starting a blog... Who knew? Where the crap is Kandess?