happy halloween...

2 days late. I had this post all ready to publish on Halloween, but then our internet decided to go haywire on us for a couple of days. Oh well, it's better late than never, I suppose...

still can't even believe it...

So what's so unbelievable about a safety pin, you ask?

Well, nothing much...it's actually the where and the how I found it that strains credulity. You see, I discovered it yesterday as I was changing Asher's diaper; and the end that I've labeled in the photo, is the end that I spotted poking out of his bum...it's the very end I had to grab a hold of, in order to help my son expel the big ol' safety pin from his posterior.
John and I had a very serious talk with Ruby that evening, during which she admitted to having fed the pin to him. I was in shock - and still am - that the thing made it's way relatively smoothly through his digestive tract. It's upsetting to think about all the terrible scenarios...all of the scary things that could have happened in this situation - but thankfully - didn't.
What if the pin had been opened when she put it into his mouth? What if Asher had aspirated it? What if it had gone down the wrong tube? What if it had turned horizontally as it was making it's way through the tiny passages and organs?
I just feel so blessed that he was watched over and protected by a loving Heavenly Father; and I, in turn, have committed to "watch over" big sister more closely...and also do my best to help her understand the possible outcome (and consequences) of such preposterous practices.

and today we were clowns...

Only 3 more days...BWA-HA-ha-Ha-hA-HA-Ha-hA-ha...ha...ha...HA!

getting into the spirit: part II

I don't know what it is about Halloween, but I just love it. During the entire month of October...we're usually in dress-up mode. The other day we were cowboys and indians.

Poor Asher has no idea what he got himself into when he joined up with us...

little prince...

It's been a really really long day. I don't recommend running errands for 8 hours straight, with a toddler and a new born. I AM BEAT. In fact, I'd much rather be in bed than in front of the computer right now. But my little Asher is two months today, and I just couldn't allow the day to end without paying tribute to him. Here are just a few things I love about him...

I love his smell. I'm always sniffing the top of his head because it smells so so yummy.

I love his great big lips.

I love the dimple on his left cheek...and the tiny birthmark on his right thigh.

I love the little bumps we discovered on the bottom of his every single toe.

I love his softer than soft peach fuzz head.

I love his eyebrow raise (see photo).

I love his face...everything about it.

I love his intensity while eating...and how he clenches his fists ever so tightly.

I love his bird legs.

I love his broad shoulders and chest.

I love how strong he is.

I love how his tongue curls when he cries (however, I don't like to see him cry).

I love his "deer in the headlights" expression.

I love it when we make eye contact.

I love his ever so subtle smile.


I know I'm going to come up with so many more things, and regret that I didn't think of them in time...but the truth is, I know I could never enumerate all the reasons I love him. He is just perfect to me...in every way. I'm so lucky he's mine.

Happy two months, Little Prince.

ice cream in naples...

Sounds pretty dreamy, doesn't it?




I wish I could say that John and I were able to enjoy a weekend get-a-way in Naples, and that while walking hand-in-hand along the soft, sandy beach, we together enjoyed ice cream, and soaked up the sunshine.

In actuality, it was nothing like that. John and his brother, Rob, went for business last weekend. And, well, the closest I came to soaking up the sunshine on a sandy coastline... was the daydream provoked by the pic (Rob emailed) of John lying out in the sand...beautiful ocean waves crashing along the shore in the background. And what was I doing?...calming the waves that were happining at home.

Life so isn't fair.

John gathered some seashells to bring home to Ruby, and the first thing she said was "Yay! Ice Cream!...and Pretzel!" Kids are so funny. It made me happy to know that I'm not the only one who likes to day dream and imagine.

Someday, I hope to take my whole family to a beautiful tropical place, where we can play in the ocean, and sit and eat ice cream (or pretzels) all day...but until then, we'll live vicariously through John's adventures...and enjoy our souvenir seashells.

story time...

One of our highlights of each day is story time. Ruby really dislikes taking a nap. She hasn't always; but ever since brother joined the family, I think she feels like she's missing out on a whole lot of fun by going to sleep. She'll literally fight to keep her tired eyes open, and it isn't until I've read her at least 10 books, that she finally stops resisting. Like all kids, she definitely has her favorites. She adores the Sandra Boynton books. I like them because, first, they're board books, making them relatively hard to destroy. Secondly, I like them because they're pretty clever and catchy, full of cute little rhymes, and funny little pictures. I also like them because they're really short. At her age, she starts disengaging herself if the story's too long.

Brown Bear is probably her all time favorite book. I think because it's the only one she can read perfectly to us...(taking a few liberties here and there).

So sit back...relax...and enjoy story time by Princess Ruby.

darn it...

This sad little face is killing me. John took him to be circumcised, so he's been slightly miserable the past two days. I just feel so bad that we couldn't have done it sooner. Two pediatricians at the hospital he was born recommended we not have it done. "He's just built a little differently" is what we were told. So what's that supposed to mean? Luckily our pediatrician here had a differing opinion, which was "no, he's perfectly normal...I think those those doctors were just plain lazy!" To give them the benefit of the doubt, here's my personal opinion...Asher was super swollen for about a week after birth, so I've wondered if that might actually have contributed to the difficulty of preforming such a procedure. I don't know, but at least our doctor was able to take care of it (at two months) without us having to take him to a urologist (at 6 months)...which would have been much more complicated...and expensive, I'm sure.

I just want him to heal up soon...this poor little sad face is killing me.

getting into the spirit...

We've been doing some serious decorating around here...among other things.



Happy Halloween Time!

Now if it would just cool down a little bit...it might actually feel like October.

it's a good thing she's cute...

because she sure is testing my patience these days. In fact, on Friday, I couldn't believe my ears when I heard these phrases come from her sweet lips...

"No Way, Mom!"
"No! You not in charge!"
"You not special!"

...and finally, the clincher...

"You stupid!"

Wow, I had no idea she even knew what these things meant...let alone, where she picked them up.

We've been doing a lot of "reproving with sharpness" around here, but then doing our best to "show forth afterwards an increase of love". (D&C 121:43)

I'll be the first to admit, it's a little harder than it sounds.

i might be a little a lot obsessed...

These little gems have taken over my (and my husband's) life the last couple of days. I have literally visited every McDonald's in the entire east valley in an attempt to find the complete collection of 2008 Madame Alexander - Wizard of Oz dolls. And the stores I didn't physically drive to - John called. Yeah, we can be a little extreme at times, but seriously, who can resist how cute these things are?

With the help of my mother-in-law and brother-in-law (in Utah), we have now added two more to our collection, which means we have left to find only one, which is...#2 Glinda The Good Witch. I mean really, what's the Wizard of Oz without Glinda? I have got to find her!

ash...

that's what Ruby started calling her little brother all on her own. I think it's pretty cute. When I was her age, I had a special nickname for my little brother too. His name is Aaron, but I called him Onie. I think having a nickname for someone can be fun, especially when it's used as a term of endearment. I believe this is the case with Ruby and her brother, as she only calls him Ash when she feels (and wants to demonstrate) love and affection towards him. When she's hostile or feels threatened in any way...he goes back to being Asher.

Today, though, he's Ash...and that's a really good thing.

such a little character...

Today started off no different than any other day...with Ruby begging for her Cinderella dress. However, there was one thing a bit out of the ordinary...she asked for a Snow White headband. I told her that we didn't have anything like that, and boy did she ever put me in my place. She ran to my bathroom, and headed straight for the basket under the sink where I keep all my hair stuff. She then pulled out a red bandanna and said "Snow White!" Although this really looks nothing like Snow White's dainty red headband, I had to give her props for at least getting the color right. After dressing her like Cinderella, and fixing her hair like Snow White, I then spent the next little while hunting around the house for her Sleeping Judy cell phone...because the Cinderella one was just not going to cut it today. Oh wow, look what I've gotten myself into...or rather, look what she's gotten me into, because I can assure you that - although I am very girly - it was not I that instilled in her this passion for all things princess. Oh well, let it last however long it lasts, it does make for some very fun pictures...