4th of July and other stuff

I'm blaming it on anemia. Anemia and the baby. Anemia and the baby and Wizards of Waverly Place. It's their fault I never get around to blogging anymore. Today I slept in until 1:30 in the afternoon, though, so I should be good to get through this post without zonking out on the keyboard. (Technically I was awake for a few hours this morning, but it wasn't until after my 2nd nap of the day that I felt more alive than a zombie.)

These pics I uploaded eons ago are no longer accurate reps of Charlie's ever-evolving physique. Nor are some of them oriented correctly. Sorry about that.

I wasn't really sleeping here but I made Kyle take a picture so we can always remember how tiny Charlie's head was compared to a real, big human's head.

One nice thing about Ellie's infatuation is that her hands stay pretty clean. She still wants to hold him several times a day (for about 30 seconds at a time) and has to wash her hands prior to each session. I wish we could get Erik to wash his hands more, but he's not interested in holding Charlie, just in poking his (unwashed) fingers into Charlie's eyes, nose, and mouth.

We haven't moved Mom's twin bed out of the living room yet so that's where Charlie gets to nap while I'm on the main floor. I love his little body all tucked into a huge bed.

One of our favorite things about C is his gorilla-esque shoulders. This is our first baby with hair anywhere, so forgive the fanaticism but we think his shoulder and back fuzz are a hoot! I also love how his pudgy shoulders can sometimes pass for rippling deltoids.

Okay, this was gross. Mish dared Kyle to swallow whole this chunk of ham lard. No, I think she double-dog-dared him because he actually did it! (Note: lard chunk looked bigger in person than in picture, so try to be impressed/disgusted)

Best buds Brooks and Charlie. Em and I were due only a day apart and managed to deliver only a day apart, as well, two weeks before our due dates. Now Brooks and Charlie get to spend their lifetimes being compared to each other by their loving mothers.

Too bad we bothered buying a crib, stroller, swing, and bouncer for Charlie because he refuses to be anything but held at all times. If Kjerstin's around, no problem, but the rest of the time, moby wrap and I are best friends.


For Father's Day this year I decided to start a remarkably creative gift tradition for Kyle........ a tie! Not just any tie, though. This year it donned the handprints of his offspring. There is an unwritten agreement that, regardless of the tie's outward appearance, it must be worn to church on Father's Day, an acknowledgment of its inner beauty aka the love and care with which it was crafted by his family. Only one person commented on his tie at church so I expect a lot more praise for it from our blog audience.

Yes, that bluish, bear-paw smudge at the top was the best we could do with Charlie. Turns out babies curl their hands into fists when they feel threatened, ready to punch, I guess.

Maybe I had the flash on for these pics? No, we were not in some extra-terrestrial realm but rather, at the Lindon pool. This was our last outing with Miche and her kids before their relocation to Denver. Miss those redheads already.




I was actually pretty excited to bathe the four of them, post-pool. This was E & E's first shared bath experience with Asher and Kimberley, and it must be done to solidify their lifelong bonds to each other. Probably the earlier, the less traumatic, and the less claustrophobic.

I will always love Michelle for being willing and able to pop out three babies along the same timeline (and same genders) as my own. Can you believe all six of these goobers belong to two crazy moms?!



I'm pretty new to the crafting and homemade-everything scene, which is why some holidays this past year have been slathered with crafts (like Easter) and others (like Valentine's Day) got nothing. Best of intentions, but still poor planning skills. I think I did alright for Independence Day.

Exhibit A: Guess what patriotic bird we're whipping up, popsicle style!

This is Ellie's most favorite fowl, with most seagulls and common sparrows being labeled as bald eagles.

Okay, so I forgot to include an ingredient for wings, but that's kind of superfluous on a bald eagle, don't you think? Maybe you're thinking I should've made that strawberry and blueberry USA flag cake instead, but I wanted to think outside the red-white-and-blue box a little, and this is what I came up with copying.

The spice drops were all discarded, but Erik made good use of our abundance of chocolate-covered marshmallows whenever I wasn't looking.

We spent the morning of the 4th at the Murray city parade with the Pauls. Our car battery had died during the night, but the parade was sluggish enough that we didn't miss a thing showing up 45 minutes late.

Carter and Ellie spotting the first float-- Carter had been waiting a long while by this time.

Okay, so I think Ellie now believes the meaning of the American flag is tied to procuring salt water taffee. As every float approached, she'd grab the flag and wave it vigorously in an apparent burst of patriotic fervor, but truly in an effort to attract the attention of anyone throwing candy.



I love how Ellie tried to spoil this perfect mother-son shot with her impish grin.

Are these hooligans all really mine?!

I've never seen any infant pictures of Kyle, but now I don't need to because I'm pretty sure Charlie is an exact replica of baby Kyle.

Oh yeah, when I said I'd try to stray from red-white-and-blue 4th of July crafts, that was because I already planned to do this one with the kids.

Too bad I accidentally used white chocolates with minty centers, which threw off the consistency and they all ended up a yucky, pasty mush in our picnic bag.

But this was Erik's favorite 4th of July treat of all.


Darin wrestled 3-against-1 while we picniced and waited for the fireworks.


Erik was a little insecure with all the firework booms (if Kyle went to scratch his nose, Erik grabbed his hand and forced it back around him), but the show was lovely and well-received by munchkins of all ages.

And then it was 11:30 pm and we knew the next day would be a looooong one (Ellie's under-eye circles tell it all)...

Laurisa and I felt a little sheepish admitting that the patriotic song that stirred our emotions most was "I'm Proud to be an American." That probably makes my dad cringe, but it's not for the musicality, but rather the layman-terms manner in which it expresses the simple gratitude and pride I have in my country and citizenship. Last July we were still in China, so this year, I've never been prouder to be an American, nor more thankful for everything that citizenship entails.