Take This Weather and Shove It

I AM SICK OF WINTER! I don't know why, but when I woke up this morning and saw snowflakes falling from the sky, I wanted to jump off a cliff. Okay, not really, but I was so mad! I am tired of cold! I am sick of having to keep my kids inside all day long! I dread having to run errands and be out and about with soaking wet feet, pant-leg bottoms, and hair that looks like I didn't even try to fix it. I love this weather in December, but in March? No thank you. I'm ready for it to be 60 or 70 degrees so Karli can ride her bike, Rex can play basketball, Case can swing outside, Amber can climb on non-furniture items, and I can get a boost of Vitamin D. Hurry up and get warm!

A Magical Week, Indeed

Hooray for Disney! We had a fabulous week in Orlando staying at the Disney All Star Sports resort and spending every waking hour basking in the glow and chaos of everything magical. Despite the major effort of hauling four small children around from plane to bus to stroller to bus to hotel and trying to keep track of one particular wandering four-year-old, things went remarkably well and we had the times of our lives!


Flight 1: SLC to Phoenix. We were late (of course) and after two trips to the ticketing counter and the security gate, we finally made it to our terminal and onto the jet way. Case was screaming, Rex was screaming, and since we're too cheap to pay to check baggage, both Adam and I were toting several bags and rolling suitcases, for which there was NO room. After bumping into every aisle passenger in 20 rows, we were finally in our seats and ready to rock. Thanks to constant feeding of Case and an incessant stream of candy for Rex, our kids were very well behaved and we made it to Phoenix with only a few enemies. Of course, though, we had to rush off the plane and run to our connecting flight, for which we were also late, and went through the whole process again.


Flight 2: Phoenix to Orlando. Is it a bad sign when all three people in front, two to the side, and all three people behind us are drinking? I think so! For the most part, the kids were fine, but for about 30 minutes when we began the descent, Rex and Case both cried and whined with no stopping, thanks to their ear infections. Eventually, though, we made it to Florida and boarded the "magical, sparkly bus!" to the hotel. Hooray! The girls loved watching the movie about Disney World as we rode from the airport to the hotel and it was delightful to hear them laughing and squealing with excitement.



Once we settled in to our cool basketball hotel (everything at Disney World is magical and completely over-the-top), the kids went wild jumping from bed to bed, Rex kept peeking out the window and shrieking "baskuh bawl!" and we finally drifted off to sleep. The next day was great; we sat by the pool, took naps, and I did a bunch of administrative stuff for the cheer competition. Thursday and Friday were plagued by the worst rainstorms I've ever seen, and after spending Thursday at Magic Kingdom trying to brave the weather, I was amazed to see how much water human feet can actually absorb. Disgusting! Thanks to the 96% humidity, my clothes from Thursday didn't dry until we were safe and sound in Utah, but we took advantage of Friday's crummy weather to practice with our teams and have a makeshift birthday party for Amber.

Case loved being nudie by the pool and all the ladies loved him.

Amer and Karli were thrilled to meet Belle, but even more thrilled that, according to Amber, "Case got his first true love's kiss on the forehead from Belle! And she left lipstick on him!" It was adorable.
Aurora told the girls that Prince Phillip loves to ride roller coasters, which eased Amber's aggravation that Adam took her on one prior to meeting the princesses.

The teacups were Karli's favorite ride, so we all took several spins.

Adam and Amber spinning madly.

"It's a Small World" is still a great ride. The kids loved it.

Ariel was so sweet to the girls. They couldn't believe they got to meet "the real Ariel".

All that rain worked wonders on our hair, and Ariel politely told my mom "you have lovely hair. Do you use a dinglehopper?"

It was the first time I've ever bought a cake from the grocery store for my kids' birthdays (it was nasty!), so I kind of felt like Amber got the shaft, but hey, she was at Disney World, so how bad could it be, right? She was so excited and loved the little Cinderella and Fairy God Mother characters atop the shortening-laden confection. Hannah, Mette, Allison, Angela, Marianne, and my mom all came over to sing and have cake, and the kids all loved the party horns so I think the party was a success. We tried our hardest to get everyone settled down for the night at a decent hour since my girls had to be awake, fed, and ready for their competition at 7:00 a.m. (which really felt like 5:00 a.m. to us mountain-time-zoners), but that plan failed miserably and the last one was sound asleep by 11:30 p.m.

Morning came too soon and before we knew it, my team of darling little gals and I were on the bus to the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. The girls did great considering the circumstances, and aside from Karli's major meltdown and refusal to perform, I was proud of their efforts. They got to compete twice, which was fabulous because the initial performance (sans Karli) was pretty much a disaster. They got to watch the routine on a replay screen afterward and I didn't have to say anything--two of them pointed out "we look terrible!" and they knew what they had to do. Performance numero dos was 100% better and totally adorable. Adam saved the day and talked (and fed) Karli into participating during the second half of the competition and that helped us remarkably. Unfortunately, I don't have video or photos since I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off, but I was completely proud of my sweet little team and very grateful to Stephanie, Allison, and Micah who all helped me out beyond measure. Of course, though, Adam was the best. He's so wonderful to help and put up with all the craziness. I was relieved and thrilled all at the same time. Go Flash Twinkles!

This is the only competition photo I have; Amber and Karli looked so adorable!

The rest of the week was awesome and we had so much fun meeting princesses, tasting food from all over the world, watching parades and fireworks, and being what seemed like the spectacle of Florida with our brood of little kids. We truly had the vacation of a lifetime and I'm beyond happy that we were able to take our whole family to have such a fun week. Adam and I were really exhausted by the time we made it home at 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday. We have a whole new appreciation for our our parents who took us on family vacations when we were young. Hopefully we'll be able to take our family to Disney World again sometime, because it was amazing!

Stitch and Stitch

Karli meeting Leo from Little Einstiens was one of my favorite moments. She was so excited to show Leo that she wears glasses, too.

Rex really liked the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" playground.

The Clarks on the bus go waaah, waaah, waaah!

The cozy front pack is where Case spent 95% of the vacation. He hates it now!

Adorable.

Also adorable.

Please tell me this is the creepiest thing you've ever seen. Why don't you just write "Hey, sex offenders: stop here first!"

My daughters love princesses.

New, darling, and waaay over-priced sunglasses, but worth it. It was a grand experience!

Happy Fifth Birthday, Amber!

Wow, how time flies! Amber turned five today, and just like every parent with every child, I can't believe she's already so old. I still remember the nail polish I wore to the hospital on the day she was born! The past five years have been marvelous with Amber in our lives and we are all crazy about her. Since she's five now, here are a few of Amber's top-fives:

Favorite Things

Shopping at Justice

Eating taco salad

Traveling with Dad

Choreographing and performing routines

Watching Project Runway

Least Favorite Things

Cleaning her room

Having her hair brushed

Going to bed

Sharing clothes

Getting shots at the doctor's office

Accomplishments This Year

Learning how to write her name

Spelling short words

Competing at the NASCC in Orlando

Singing karaoke at Alpine Days

Being a wonderful big sister

We all love Amber to pieces and think she is so funny, smart, and beautiful. I am very proud to have her as my oldest daughter and appreciate all she does to help me. I hope this year of Amber's life is the best thus far!

I Have the Cutest Little Baby Case

Case is two months old! Where has the time gone? I can't believe how quickly he's growing and becoming so adorable. He has a sweet little smile and is starting to coo and giggle just a bit. We are all in love!

Rex still loves to sneak into Case's crib and snuggle with him.

The girls love to help me with Case; Amber has even changed a few of his stinky diapers all by herself (without asking me first). Perhaps trial by fire is the best kind of teacher for some skills.

Those lips are my favorite! I'm glad that most of our kids got Adam's genes in the lip department; I have no lips at all!

I think he's adorable!

I'm Over It

Who is tired of winter? I AM! I either like snow and gloom and cold when I can snuggle up by the fireplace and eat some yummy comfort food, or sunshine and warmth. Not sunshine and cold together along with dead, brown grass and leafless trees like we have every year during this pre-spring winter phase. Don't get me wrong, it's fabulous to be able to run a load of garbage outside without having to bundle up, but I'm ready for 60's and 70's! I have a major case of cabin fever. Blah. Hey, Spring: hurry up and arrive already!

Hilarity

Perhaps I have a serious case of cabin fever, but lately I've noticed a few things around here that make me laugh every time I hear/see/experience them:


Rex loves the movie "Cars". I love it when the Sherrif asks Mater "What did I tell you about talking to the accused?" and Mater says, "To not to." I love it! Larry the Cable Guy is a hoot in that movie.




While bathing the other day, Amber told me we can only talk about our private parts when we're using the bathroom or taking a bath. Any other time, she explained, we can just call them "bots, boods, and nips" meaning bottoms (the front part), booties (the back part), and nipples. Yay.




Karli gets herself dressed every day, and usually ends up with four or five outfits layerd on top of each other, complete with four or five pairs of socks. They all coordinate and it's quite the sight.



Have any of you seen "Red Eye" on Fox News Channel? Thaddeus McCotter is hilarious! I'm glad that someone from the Michigan legistlature has a sense of humor and wears a three-piece suit.



Here's to a good laugh today!

A Fun Day With Good Friends

Today we had the privilege of seeing Leslie and cute, little Oscar (who is not so little anymore), our dear friends. We spent all three years of law school with their family and let me tell you...nothing bonds people more than sharing the miseries of grad school, pregnancy, grad school with children, being the only two white families living in the 'hood, and weekly criminal events. They now live in Utah as well, but about an hour from us, so we don't see each other very often. It was grand to catch up and see how much Oskie has grown.

Every day this week the girls asked me when "their cousin Oscar" would be here. Finally, the glorious day arrived and starting at 7:00 a.m. Amber asked me every 15 minutes, "What's taking them so long?" All of the kids seemed to get along really well, Rex didn't even try to bite Oscar (only me), and my favorite part of the day was hearing Rex say, "Oscar, 'mere!" (which means "come here" in Rex's lingo). Leslie and I could talk for hours, which we always do, and it's fun to be able to chat with someone who can totally relate to my situation. I'm so glad they made the long journey to hang out with us for a while today. It was great fun!

Among the highlights: Karli "shared" her V8 juice with Oscar by shoving the sippy cup into his mouth and pouring it down his throat. When we heard gagging noises, we looked over and wondered if Oscar was vomiting blood. Karli then yelled out gleefully, "Oh, he loves my V8!" and was so excited.
Leslie made Case two of the cutest onesies I've ever seen. One is appliqued with a darling blue and green rocket ship, the other with a very chic necktie.
Amber, Karli and Rex performed "All the Single Ladies" for Leslie, complete with sparkly uniforms for the girls and a big dose of shame for Rex...he he.
I had wonderful conversation! That was actually my favorite part of the day, but I guess I can separate the kid stuff from the grown-up stuff and claim two faves, right? Since Adam has been gone a lot lately, it was even more great to speak to an adult. Leslie and I have a lot in common and it's fun to hear her perspective on life.

Thanks for the visit, you two. It made my day. Let's do it again real soon!

The Body Blues

Well, well, well...here I am lamenting just like every other woman on the planet about how hard it is to get back into shape after having a baby, and all the while, I'm blogging instead of exercising. What's worse? That it's 11:15 p.m. and I'm starving! I've tried all my tricks to avoid eating this late, but I don't know if I'll withstand the temptation. Nachos on yellow Santitas with cotija, tomato and avocado sound really, really great right now. I should just shut my mouth, both literally and figuratively, but I won't. I'm going to rant.

Is it bad that whenever I see my reflection, I don't recognize myself? I think so. I have to do a double take, and pause to see if I can even begin to suck in my stomach to make myself kind of look like I did pre-fourth-pregnancy. I feel like I have some kind of mental disease or something, like I imagine myself one way that is completely the opposite of how I really appear. It's discouraging, that's for sure. I know that losing baby weight just takes time and becomes harder with each gestational effort, but when I think back to my previous experiences to gauge my progress (or, in this case, regress), I just get depressed. Boo for being fat!

One thing that makes dealing with having another child harder for me (aside from the added workload, demand on my attention, etc.) is that when I get dressed every morning, I try on six or seven shirts and have to peel them off my abundant upper body because even my maternity pants (yes, I'm STILL wearing them) give me a bounteous muffin top under shirts that used to skim my midsection nicely. I only feel comfortable in my sweats, and I fear that the next step for me may be mom jeans. Oh, the horror! It's not that I want to wear them, you see, it's that it seems like my body has totally morphed. Let me explain: when I was in college, I was hefty (I weighed as much then as I did when I was 9 months pregnant with all of my kids), but I still had a cute shape. Broad shoulders, hips that were equally broad, a significantly smaller waist, etc. Now, though, I have bulk in all the wrong places and a decidedly different, not-cute shape.

I'm wondering now if there's even hope for me in the body department, since the fundamental structure of my payload seems to have shifted irreparably. I'm telling myself "give it time", but I really just don't have the patience. I want to be skinny again! NOW!

They Must Be Geniuses

Today I ventured out of the house with three kids--the first time by myself since Case was born--and it was actually fun to be able to run some errands. I know, I can't believe I just said that either. The only thing that put a damper on our little outing: seven different people telling me the thing I'm soooo tired of hearing (as it's all I've heard for the past four years). "Wow, you've really got your hands full!"

Thank you, Captain Obvious. Do I honestly need a reminder every ten minutes? I KNOW I have my hands full. I have to try so hard to resist saying back, "Well, I have one more who is four years old and I'm strongly considering in vitro to conceive triplets this month." Every mom I know has her hands full at one point or another. I understand that these people are just trying to be nice, but come on. Does everyone have to say that to me all the time? Especially when I'm actually having what I consider a successful outing with children, meaning no one is crying, no one has pooped through their clothing, no one has a dirty face, and I'm not swearing under my breath or at the top of my lungs.

I can't wait to see what it's like when I have all four kids with me and we go anywhere. Sheesh!

Something to Melt My Heart

Lately, the girls have been saying something to Adam and to me that just makes me want to cry, partly because it's so darn adorable and partly because it makes me feel guilty for disciplining them when they're naughty. Upon committing an infraction and being punished, they say, sobbing, "but even though you're mad at me you still love me, right?" Can you believe that!?

Immediately, we hug them and say "Of course, we will always love you!" and it makes them feel better. But I always feel like such a schmuck! It's a good reminder to me not to fly off the handle and to remember that no matter how many times I have to confiscate nail polish or lip gloss or other contraband that they are just little and curious and adorable. I never knew parenting would require so much emotional fortitude. We love you for sure, Amber and Karli!

Boys....Blech!

I tried and tried to find the picture from "The Little Rascals" of the girls at the slumber party when they say, "Boys...blech!" and point down their throats like they're gagging, but this will have to do. You all know what I'm talking about, though, right? That's how I feel now that I have TWO stinky, dirty and adorable sons.

I don't recall any of my other babies going through as many diapers in a day as Case does. He is constantly tooting, pooping, and complaining about his soiled drawers. I can't even keep up with him, as he relieves himself mid-diaper-change, shortly after diaper changes, during feedings, during baths, you name it. It's crazy!

Rex has discovered his ability to remove his clothing and with that, all hopes of keeping his bodily byproducts safely contained in a diaper have gone out the window. On Thursday, he kindly sneaked into the front room (strictly off-limits to toddlers!), removed his pants and clean, dry diaper, and as Grandpa Clark tactfully told me, left "a deposit" on the floor. Much to my horror, though, it was not just one deposit. It was five. In little piles all around the room. On the IVORY carpet! I wanted to crawl into a hole and die, since it is not MY carpet that my son soiled, and because I was simultaneously trying to cook lunch, wrangle Amber and Karli, and hold a starving, screaming baby while trying to keep them all quiet so Grandpa could work. Sheesh.

Since the "use your Princess manners" command is clearly not going to work with these two, I'm asking for any kind of wisdom in dealing with boys who think it's down right hilarious to belch, toot, farmer blow and "deposit" for all to see. Eeew...I hope I survive.

An Idol in the Making

Adam, the kids, and I all love to watch American Idol, and last night during the show, Amber asked me the cutest question out of the blue:

"Hey Mom, when I make it to Hollywood, will you ride with me in the elevator so I won't be scared?"

I almost welled up with tears because I was so proud of her for even assuming she could try an audition and "make it to Hollywood" and because it was so darn adorable (and, of course, because my hormones are beyond out-of-control). Live your dreams, little Amber, and YES...I will always be there to ride with you in the elevator!

Blue Monday is Real?

Perhaps I've been living under a rock, but I didn't know that "Blue Monday" is actually an official day until an hour ago; I always thought it was just the name of a band. Well, since the third Monday in January is apparently the gloomiest day of the year, I want to share a few things I love right now:

1. When I'm next to Adam, I'm actually next to Adam. I no longer have a ginormous belly to separate us. It's fabulous.

2. Case is smiling! For the past few days, he's been giving us darling little smiles along with the one-eye-open awakening process. I love it.

3. Frozen raspberries. I discovered today that adding a huge handful of frozen raspberries to one small scoop of vanilla ice cream does wonders for my junk food cravings and makes me feel like I ate a whole bowl of frozen goodness without getting cheated.

4. Accomplishing something every day. Since this has recently become something of a miracle, I feel especially good when I get something...anything...done, even if it is only bathing the kids and grabbing a quick shower myself.

5. Karli is wearing her patch AND glasses without much of a fight. Lately, she's been rather obedient in this department and getting a patch stuck over her eye seems to be less traumatic now. YAY!

6. My cache of divinely-scented bath products left over from Christmas. I love yummy-smelling lotion and shower gel, and I'm reveling in luscious lather thanks to my cheer students, sisters, etc. who generously gifted me said items last month. I should have enough to make it to spring.

7. Rex's handshakes. Adam taught Rex how to shake hands a few days ago, and it is so darn cute to see how excited Rex gets when someone asks him for one. Who knows...perhaps he'll be the next Mitt Romney. He's a born politician!

8. 24 is on again. It was great to have a t.v. show start up to which I can look forward each week. Adam and I watch it together every Monday, and since "The Sopranos" ended its run on A&E, 24 is one of our trusty standbys. Yay for Jack Bauer!

9. My students are progressing nicely. As a teacher of several skills, I'm always thrilled when my students take significant steps toward improvement. It makes work a joy.

10. Blogging. I feel like I haven't been as immersed in the blogosphere as I usually am and now I love to have a small window of time to post something. I'm such a nerd.

Happy Blue Monday everyone. Take time to do something to make you happy on this wonderfully gloomy day.

Ready to Ride

I know this is really past due, but I made a cute carseat tent for Case out of cowboy flannel with bandana-print trim and just have to show it off. Karli helped me pick out the fabric and she also chose some antique brass buttons with an eagle motif; she has great taste. Giddyup!

Brotherly Love

Rex loves his little brother! He has been so sweet with Case, which is a huge relief to me. At the hospital right after Case's birth, Rex seemed so miffed that I was really worried to bring a tiny, helpless infant home to a monster of a big brother. I was wrong, however, because Adam notified me that night that Rex had been begging to go see "broder" all day. From then on, Rex has been a loving, snuggling, gentle, and adoring protector of Case and it's beyond darling.

Whenever we are upstairs and Case is in his crib, Rex disappears to go lie down next to him. I always find Rex (who looks HUGE compared to Case) snuggled up in the pack and play next to Case with his arms around him. Leslie told me Adam was the same way with his brother, Ryan. I think it's so cute! Rex always asks for Case as soon as he wakes up in the morning and from naps. Hooray! I think they'll be friends.

My two handsome sons.

The More the Merrier...Madness, I Mean

Wow! Life with four kids is out of control so far. Don't get me wrong...it's fun and great to have four cute, spunky, little ones, but I can tell it's going to take me even longer than ever to regain a sense of normalcy. I can't decide if I liked having a Christmas baby; I was so busy doing Christmas stuff that giving birth was kind of like one more thing on my list of to-do's, and I feel slightly bad about that like I offended the primal tradition of birthing or something. On the other hand, it was exciting and grand to have a baby during the Christmas season because lots of our family were here to experience it and help us out and such. Hmmm. It's a toss-up.
Now that we are back on our schedule (HA!), I mean as much as we can be with a two-week-old, I feel like I can start getting back into real life and figuring out how to add one more set of needs to the pot. Case has been a great baby thus far, and aside from two nights of crying due to reflux, sleeps well and keeps the noise to a minimum.
Karli is still wearing her patch, and after a doctor appointment today that turned out to be a major waste of time because we can't get her to wear a patch and her glasses, we are recommitted to being ultra-strict with her about wearing both. All the time. Yay. The doctor told Adam it was useless for her to wear the patch without the glasses, so basically the last three weeks of fighting her several times each day to don a patch have been a complete waste. Hopefully, though, she will get back into the bespectacled swing of things and won't give us too much more grief. Today's episodes were out of control and her fits were more than we could handle!
I will forever be astounded by the infant/laundry phenomenon. It seems the pile of dirty laundry grows from a hill to a mountain in a matter of minutes, and I now have a humongous heap of clean laundry spilling from my chair into two baskets and onto the floor, right next to the extra-large, overflowing hamper full of soiled goods. I can't believe how much dirty laundry a tiny human being can produce. Sheesh!
Here's a challenge for the next batch of medical students and/or researchers: please find a way for women to recover completely from pregnancy and the birthing process in one week. I'm fed up with the whole mess already, and it's really driving me crazy to have to deal with my insides rearranging again, trying unsuccessfully to get even my lower legs into my old jeans, and the rest of all the gory, horrid aftermath of childbearing along with taking care of an infant and the rest of my family. I'd pay big bucks to be rid of all of the aforementioned hassles!
For now, though, I'm trying to hold Case as much as I can and enjoy the "baby" smell, the tiny feet, the yawn/sigh combo, and everything else I love about newborns. I'm thankful to have four beautiful and healthy kids, and a wonderful husband who could rival any Mr. Mom at this point. So, yeah...bring on the insanity!

My Cute Little Kiddos

My friend, Mette, graciously took a few photos of my darling little ones so we could give them to Adam for Christmas. She is very talented and gets some great shots. Here they are!

Namesake

Case and Grandpa John E. Smith, for whom he is named. Since I forgot to mention them in the first post, here are the stats:

Case John Clark

8 pounds, 1 ounce

20 inches long

born at 2:40 p.m.

Grandpa Smith is a wonderful, generous, and wise man who has been a great support to Adam throughout his life and to both of us since our marriage. He's a surgeon, but also an electrical engineer who fought in World War 2. He is selfless and kind and has a great sense of humor. I'm glad we can honor Grandpa and know that Case will live up to the potential he has to be like his Great Grandpa Smith.

All The Single Ladies

...definitely need one of these:

Karli was so excited to see her "Beyonce leotard" on Christmas morning. I was flattered because she immediately doffed her jammies in favor of the sparkly uniform and wore it all day long. She even received some purple, sparkly high heels from Grandma and Grandpa, so her ensemble was complete.

I didn't think it would turn out to be so adorable on her, but it fit perfectly and I'm pleased by my first attempt at costuming.

A Wonderful Christmas

This Christmas was great and a bit different from the usual. Santa decided not to wrap the kids' gifts this year because he and Mrs. Claus were so worn out from taking care of the new little elf. Regardless, the kids loved all of their gifts and had a magical morning.

Rex was thrilled to get some "boy toys" like Army guys, a football, some trucks and a race track.

Karli was thrilled to see her Beyonce outfit (worthy of a post unto itself), her hula skirt, and all of her cute toys.

Amber's favorite gift was her new kitty, and a close second was her Fur Real Hamster.

I love to see how excited the kids get at Christmastime. Their reactions were worth the sleepless night before, and we were all thankful for awesome grandparents who added to the magic with their generous gifts as well. Merry Christmas, everyone!