Christmas Eve

The little kids' jammies came from Hong Kong with Nona this year.

They unwrapped them on Christmas Eve with almost all of the other cousins 

They didn't have them in tween and teen sizes, so Nona got these for the four oldest.

(Jane, Emily, Benjamin, Maxwell)

These four cousins are close in age and are like a rat pack

(Andrew, Aaron, Phineas, James)

Then we have the toddlers/preschoolers 

(Millie, Millicent Mae, Spencer)

After that were the babies Kira and Silas, and we were missing the 3 in Idaho and 1 in Arizona. They unwrapped matching PJs as well.

I'm pretty sure Andrew and James wore theirs for a few days in a row of the Christmas break before being made to bathe.

Andrew is 9

Andrew requested a carrot cake for his birthday, then he helped me make it and frost it. 

JB and Millie took him a special lunch at school.

He just started Junior Jazz, and spends most of the time talking with other friends on the team. He had a game start at 8:30 at night and was thrilled he could stay up late.

Andrew is so enthusiastic for life and eager to please. Except when he is very persistently trying to argue a point. Like trying to persuade me to give him a later bedtime or his own personal electronics, like SO MANY other kids have (he says). Then I counter with all the parents I know who are like me. And we do it again the next night.

Millie calls him An-shoe or Drew-Drew, which sounds like "ju-ju." They are often each other's favorite sibling. She leads him around the house by the hand, and he rushes to see her first in the morning or when he comes home from school. "MILLIE! Did you miss me?"

Our Christmas-time baby wants another birthday party, but it may have to wait until summer for a half-birthday, or until he's 10. I bet he would love the attention.

James's tummy

Our pickiest eater has been to two ward Christmas parties now, and each time he filled up on rolls and cookies.

This plate below has 6 cookies. I was talking to someone when I looked over and saw it. A friend took the picture because she thought it was funny. I was mortified.

The other ward Christmas party is the YSA (singles) ward where JB is now the first counselor in the bishopbric. It was a catered meal, from Blue Lemon, and much too fancy for James's taste, and again he only went for rolls and cookies. 

I earned a gift certificate at work to Sizzlers, and James ordered a kids pizza. He was thrilled when he saw the big plate of pizza and fries just for him.

He didn't finish it all and said he was hungry an hour later at home. It's his modus operandi.. He would eat a Nutella sandwich for every meal if allowed.  We try to have him at least taste dinner, or eat 6 bites. But it is a fight every day.

Millie bo billie

Just another update to this post, because I will never not take pictures of a child napping.

The days of me tucking her into her bed for a daily nap are over, but sleep can still happen if give her a princess show next to me on my bed while I nap (essential for me because I wake up at 3:30AM).

Notice the white "silkies" in her hands or by her face. She has her own, but constantly sneaks into my drawer and takes mine.

When she doesn't fall asleep, she sings along to the princesses and my nap dreams are peppered with the dialogue from the movies.  This used to happen with the boys at this age, too. "Cars" was the soundtrack to my naps for many years.

She also fell asleep during Ben's 6th grade music program, which started at 1:15 PM.

But then she screamed when JB tried to carry her home. Does anyone have any advice in helping a 3 year old who insists "NO, MOMMY DO IT!" when she wants anything? I have to be the one to give her a sippy or read her a book or carry her, or she screams. We just give up because we don't want the screaming. But if I'm not around, she acts just fine.

It's enough to run my working-mom guilt into high extreme.

Ballet!

Our darling tiny dancer had her first recital of sorts - it was a day for family to come watch all that they have been learning the past few months.

Here she is with her friend Hazel.

She has loved ballet.  She knows the different positions (things which are all new to our family). She paid rapt attention from the very first day, and talks about Miss Kim, her teacher, and twirls around the house.

This session is now over. I remember signing up for it as soon as I got the text from Hazel's mom, in the hotel room in Haiti.  It feels pricey, and she's only 3, but maybe we'll just see how long she wants to go. It's great to find something your children love to do.

Always football fans

I am a month late in posting this one -- my brother Joe was given four tickets to a BYU Football game and we got to go with him!



It was the week before his baby was due, so Susan rested at home and he invited me and two boys. Ben was invited by his friend Jackson to go with them, and I took Max and Andrew and met Joe there.

We had to have a Cougar Tail.

It wasn't that cold, but my boys felt chilly I guess. It was a perfect afternoon/evening for football. I do not enjoy the traffic and the long drive, but I do love my Cougars and the memories of going to BYU football games when I was a student.

Meanwhile, Ben met the quarterback, Zach Wilson! Here he is with his friend Jackson and Jackson's brother. Their friend's dad had some connections and they were on the sidelines for a little while. 

Zach's mom Lisa took that picture. She and I follow each other on Twitter and I messaged her Ben was super excited to meet Zach, and that he was very nice.

Ben is 12

Ben was the sweetest, happiest, calmest baby. He remains a sweet, happy, (mostly) calm young man.

He wanted socks, and specific athletic clothing like a new visor. He is really into styling his hair up in a certain way, and visors help him achieve a great look.

For his birthday, we had a deal for donuts so I brought them in at lunchtime for his class and then ate lunch with him. It was fun to see him among his friends.

He loves the Utah Jazz. JB took him to a game last month.

He also loves the Kansas City Chiefs, and competing against the other Young Men in their Fantasy Football League. 

Normally 12 would be a big birthday in our Church, but the change last year launched Ben into Young Mens and Scouts just about a month after he turned 11. It has been great to see him flourish in these responsibilities and opportunities all year.  My favorite is watching him carefully pass the sacrament. And I love it when it is his turn to hold the corded microphone in the front and take it to someone who needs to stay where they are to bear their testimony.