Da little Drama Queen

Today I promised Megan some one on one time. While cuddling her, I promised she could go to the store with me today. Just me and her. Time got away from me and when ben got home from taking my nephews home at about 9:15, it was time for me to go. The kids were almost asleep, but Megan somehow still heard Ben telling me he was home and I could leave.

Suddenly she was up, grinning, looking for her boots. Even though it was well past bedtime, I decided to let her go. After all, I'd promised.

On the way to the store we chatted, and at the store she was laughing, happy and having a grand time. Until we hit the checkout. At the checkout she put her head on her hands and looked so tired. She gave them the look that clearly said, "poor me, my mom has me out so late and I'd much rather be in bed."

Of course, she got the sympathy she wanted. The second we walked out of the store, she was all smiles again. Bouncing with the beat of the Christmas music in the car, laughing, and in a very good mood.

Don't get me wrong, she was tired, but not nearly as tired as she appeared at the checkout. *sigh.*

my background

quite proud of this. :-) Worked hard on it. I just love these pics of my little one's. :-)

4 Years today!

It's Brandon's 4th birthday today. It amazes me that he could be that old already I guess sometimes kids grow up when you aren't looking. He's very thrilled that he's almost as old as Jacob now. (He doesn't realize yet that in two weeks Jacob will pull another year further away again).

I remember the day he was born, what a little angel he was. Even though he spent a week in the NICU, the nurses would tell me he was a good baby. Hardly ever cried. Although when he did, there was absolutely no doubt he wanted attention and he wanted it NOW. He had the piercing cry that no mother could ignore.

He's no longer a baby. He loves running, playing, and arguing with his brother and sister. They are best friends, but he has his own mind and won't go for a game where he's told exactly what to do. (Much to the chagrin of his older brother).

He loves cars, and is all boy. He's an opinionated little tyke. He does have another two years home before kindergarten though, because his birthday is later in the year. Although in two years he'll be going crazy from waiting around at home while his brother goes off to school.

Anyway. Brandon's Birthday; isn't he cute! The picture was taken Saturday .... I had a hard time finding a really recent picture. He tends to avoid the camera.

:-)

My not quite "Irish Twins"

I'm not quite sure where it got started, but "Irish twins" are two children born less than a year apart. I'm assuming it's because people think Irish people have a habit of having lots of babies close together. For that sake, why don't they just call them, "Mormon twins?"

My two youngest monkeys are almost fifteen months apart, so they aren't quite Irish Twins ... but close enough. Lately I've noticed them getting to be closer and closer, and if I didn't know better, I'd say they were twins.

Brandon doesn't talk so great sometimes, and Megan is much more easily understood. Now that older brother is in school, the two of them spend more and more time together.

I was trying to cook and they came to visit. They sat next to each other for a few minutes, but then decided to start bugging each other. The other night they were watching a movie in their room, and Brandon whined, "Megan, I can't see!" So Megan flipped over to face him, staring at the wall, "Brandon, you're in my way!"

Best friends, worst enemies. They play together, tease together. The other day I was at the store and I kicked myself I didn't get a picture. Megan was asleep when we got there, so I put her on a pillow in the cart. She woke up, and Brandon wanted to join her, so I had both of them curled up in the cart pretending to sleep.

they get along really well .. I just dread the day Brandon gets to go off to kindergarten, and Megan has to stay behind.

Reminiscing

This photo was taken recently at the family reunion. Megan and Brandon.

This was taken 2 years ago (or 3?) in a field. It's Jacob and Cousin Alexia.
This picture was taken on the carousel at Porter Park 3 years ago. The 2 kids in question would have nothing to do with the horses. It's Jacob and Brandon.
Brandon's opinion of the horses hasn't changed any. :-)

Loving the park

How did a whole month pass?

Kids are doing great; still growing and being monkeys. Megan hit the terrible twos. Today grandma was trying to say no, so she covered her mouth and said, "don't say that." ... how fun!

Both boys are officially potty Trained! Jacob has been for a while; but he's now off pull-ups at Night (as long as we have a 3 A.M. potty trip). Brandon doesn't even need that! 2 down, one to go! :-)

The little daredevil and fathers day

Saturday was busy. The kids had activity day in the morning, and we went swimming in the afternoon. Swimming; two adults, three children. And each as different as night and day.

Currently? Jacob would wade as far as he could, grab the edge, play a little, splash, and come back. Brandon sat on the edge and refused to touch the water, and Megan realized that she could walk in water.

By the time we finished; Brandon had worked his way to the third stair down. (Which means he got wet all the way to his waist! He was even leaning over playing in the water, but under no condition would he even allow anybody to carry him in the water).

Megan on the other hand; would walk as far as she could. Try to keep going, and so we'd pick her up and carry her for a minute. She'd try to get down, even though her feet couldn't touch. So we'd turn around, walk back to where she could reach, and set her back down. She'd walk back to Brandon, turn around, and head back out. Fighting off anybody who tried to hold her hand or help her walk.

This is after we got out and dressed.

If you look into her eyes, you can see she's still clearly blaming me for daring to take her out of the water. The boys were ready to go, she would rather stay in the water ALL day ....

At the primary activity day the boys decorated ties for daddy. :-)
Ben wore both of them on Sunday. He even pinned the line between them so both would remain seen all day at church! Church was hilarious! One dad had 5 primary aged kids, so he had five ties around his neck. Most only had 2-3. (A few grandpas leeched one off a daddy so the daddy didn't have so many).

Awesome idea! And very brave dads. It did come with a really cute poem about how much they love daddy. My favorite line, "wait 'til you see what the other kids made."

The dad's obviously love their kids, and it was SO interesting!

Balloon animals

Just for fun I decided it was time to learn to make Balloon animals. Does it have a point? Not really. But it's fun! :-) At a recent thing we were at, Jacob really wanted a balloon animal. There was a line, so I tried to talk him out of it. But of everything there, (it was a library carnival thing), he wanted a balloon animal. So we waited, and waited, and waited.

After 45 minutes of waiting (only to have the balloon pop an hour later), he was satisfied, and I decided maybe this would be a fun talent to have.

So I got balloons, and worked on it. and I found the simple dog isn't so hard. It's when you try the harder variations that we run into problems.

Like this.

No, I didn't make this. I wish I did. This is the elusive balloon turtle. I popped five balloons today trying to turn out a decent turtle. (I popped four more trying to do the bunny). But I got the hang of it and turned out a really ugly couple of turtles, and a funny looking bunny. I even turned out a decent hat.

For the record, I was able to find a few balloons, (with a pump, because you don't want to do the balloons without a pump), for 2 dollars at family dollar, but getting more than 12 balloons in a bag without a pump? Not so easy.

Finally I found them online ... and there is one awesome party store in Idaho falls that actually HAS twisting balloons.

Long story short ... I really stink at this, but its' fun to try. And the kids really enjoy it. Also, it's nice to know when they pop them, they are easy enough to replace.

Ward Party!

Last Saturday we had a ward party. And honestly, it was a blast. Whoever came up with this idea gets serious points! They had lots of animals. It was like a petting zoo, (it was over at a members house). Different people in the ward brought some animals. And we had a cookout.

These are the goats. Seriously ... those two little one's were about two days old! :-) It was so darling. And the short hay bales were so kids (human one's, not the goat kids), could climb in and out at will. They also had bunnies, chickens, chicks, sheep, and a hay ride.
Not to mention the kids total favorite ... the horses! Jacob got on a pony ... for about two minutes. But he got on! They had ponies and horses, depending on what people preferred.
Megan ... little daredevil. Was so excited to ride a horse! And she didn't really need help. (Somebody was leading it ... I promise). I actually walked alongside her, because I didn't trust she'd stay on the saddle.

It made for a very exciting day

when we got home from our very exciting day, Megan fell asleep (at 5:30!!! - and wouldn't wake back up), and the boys slept very well too! They had kid toys too, it was a house, after all. So there were slides, swings, and this climbing toy. When the kids got tired of animals, they'd play for a few minutes, grab a cookie off the food table, and be back out with the animals.

I'm not sure, but I think all the chicks actually survived the day! (Shocking considering there were ten little chicks and LOTS of children holding them).

Anyway, the kids had an awesome Saturday!

Quick update.

Truth be told, I have nothing new to say. But it's been over a month and the guilt is getting to me ... so I thought I'd sit down and chat for a few minutes.

Good morning computer, how are you today?

Jacob is loving his preschool, and he appears to be doing really well. They report that he knows all his letters, and sounds (I knew that, he's known them for a while), and he knows the numbers 1-10, and what they mean. His colors are fine, but he's shaky on a few of his shapes. Ah well, we'll work with him. And get him to count higher.

Brandon is enjoying speech, it's the highlight of his week when he goes alone to speech with daddy. He also loves when Jacob goes to preschool, because that means it's just him, Megan and daddy, and he's the oldest. What a ham.

Megan is a daredevil, and scares me to death sometimes. She likes to climb up onto Jacobs bunk, or swing on the bunkbed, or jump onto pillows ... or anything else that the boys really didn't do. At a park, she slides down slides fearlessly - headfirst. EEEEKKKKK.

Anyway, just a quick update, so you know I do still exist, as do my children.

Spring Break

in the Paulsen house, it's adventure week! Or in other words "mommy's spring break."

The other day, we went to campus and rode the glass elevator. (Which still makes mommy nauseous ... I hate seeing the ground!). The kids thought this was an adventure worth having every day!

then we went to the park, had a picnic. And here we are at a friends house, playing on the swings!

The kids are so different from each other. That's for sure.

<- Jacob wants to do it "all by himself." And hates being pushed, because he hates going high.

<- Brandon prefers swinging at his own pace, on his belly.

While Megan, little monkey, wants to swing high, fast, and a lot ... for a really long time. What personalities! Today ... we're going to see the fish at Cabellas!

Bilibo giveaway

Ok, normally I so don't do this, but I have to comment about a giveaway I ran across today. It's for a Bilibo (look it up if you don't know what it is, thinkgeek even has them). It's a sort of turtle shell like toy for kids, and is basically a random large shell for extreme imagination.

I've seen these and thought, hey, I want one of those, but can't justify the price tag. (Nearing 25-30 dollars). It's cool, but not cheap.

Anyway, at this place, http://hannahsplaceforeverything.blogspot.com/2010/02/bilibo-play-shell-giveaway.html she is giving one away to a random follower. So I followed her ... because honestly, besides being interesting, it's a chance for a free kids toy.

The giveaway ends March 3, so do it by then! The chance of me getting the random toy is slim, but it's cute anyway. So go over there and try for it, it's more of an "imagination" than a "do something" toy, which kids need more of nowadays anyway.

:-) Have a great day all!

Family ties

It's been a while, but I Thought I'd post about what is going on in our lives. Mostly I've been keeping my other blog updated, (the ramblings from my inner mind), but this is the "family blog" and I know many people ... (maybe as many as 2 or 3!), actually check here to see how our family is doing.

So: Ben, doing great! Very happy, good with the kids.

Me: love love love my job! And my family!

Jacob: started preschool here, and he enjoys it a lot. Brandon: starts speech next week, as active as ever. Talking, laughing, and pretty much a handful.

Megan: talking more, and more opinionated than both her brothers put together. Totally didn't see that one Coming!

This weekend we're here, next we'll probably head to Idaho to visit family, because Ben's sister is due late this week, so I'm assuming she'll have had it, (maybe), by next weekend. :-)

We went to Ikea the other day, and got little train tracks for the kids. The boys think they are so awesome, and love nothing better than playing trains all day, and even make up these cute little stories.

Megan enjoys the wooden trains, for a while, then she goes off and does the girl stuff. She's a girl, and she knows it. She cuddles her dolls, and puts them to bed. She pretends to feed them, and on occasion brings daddy her hair stuff and has him do her hair, because she likes It! she is definitely a girly girl! It's exciting.

Anyway, that's about all for now. Love you all!

House Husband

Although Ben has been staying home with the kids since he lost his job and I went to work, this is a little different.

I'll be working nearly full time, while he stays home with the monkeys. Day in, day out. And somehow, I still need to be a mother, and do something at home.

In a way, I'm relieved, he's always had a way of getting things done at home that I can't. I can come home from work, and the kids are happy, fed, and the house is clean.

Including the laundry! I helped with the laundry the other day, and realized quickly that I am not supposed to touch the laundry anymore. Everything I folded, wasn't folded right! And I put things in the wrong piles!

So final opinion? he does a better job than I do at home. So I guess this sojourn into working while having a full time daddy at home .... will be for the best!

And the best part ... he mates socks!