Summer 2009

My self-imposed break from blogging and Facebook is over. It really shouldn't be yet, since I have so much to do, but the girl's lives have not stopped during the past few months, and there is much to tell. As many of you know, these past few months have been very challenging and a time of change for our family. The girls somehow missed the memo about slowing down this summer and letting Mom deal with life. Instead, they plowed ahead; learning, growing, changing, and trying their hardest to drive me crazy. The almost succeeded. Almost.

Brynlie decided during ONE WEEK that she was done with her crib, high chair, and car seat. Those items are all meant to give a mother some sanity and losing them all at once is difficult. Brynlie has known for some time how to climb out of her crib, but she loves her naps and night time so she wouldn't climb out until AFTER she was done sleeping. Then one night she realized that that was not typical behavior of an almost two year old so she did something about it. I can't complain too much because she stayed in her crib longer than either of her sisters. Then, at the same time, she figured how to climb up on the bar stools and she is now way too cool to sit in a high chair. Even though she can barely see her plate she still insists on eating there for every meal. Naturally, if she is too big for these items then why should a car seat be any different? Every time we get in the car she races for Sadie's booster seat and it is a huge fight to get her into her own car seat (sometimes pinching is involved). She has also decided that talking isn't such a bad thing. After refusing to talk for months she is now communicating with us quite well. Some of her favorites are "um..." (anytime I ask her a question) "k" (when she is getting in trouble and being asked to be good), "eeeewww" (while changing her diapers or if she catches anyone else in the bathroom), and "please" (in her mind that word is all powerful and nothing should ever be turned down if accompanied by a please). Brynlie has also decided that pull-ups are much more fun than diapers. I am hesitant to potty train her until after we move, so until then I guess she will just keep taking off her soiled pull-up and replacing with another one. And I will keep finding piles like these...

Sadie is growing like mad! She is trying her hardest to keep up with her big sister. Even though Kylie is my daredevil, she struggled with learning how to ride a bike, and didn't figure it out until the end of last summer. Sadie decided that it looked like fun and started riding hers without training wheels a few months ago. She looks so funny with her little legs pedalling just as fast as she can. She is so proud of herself, especially since none of her friends can ride theirs yet. Sadie has started wearing clothes that I bought for Kylie last year, and she is wearing shoes that I bought for Kylie this spring! They are about a size too big, but Sadie couldn't care less. Sadie has also decided to be more grown up about her food choices. She now loves milk, broccoli, and salad, things she wouldn't have touched a year ago. Kylie is such a good example to her of eating healthy and I'm glad she is picking up her habits. Sadie is also enjoying being the "big girl" in her bedroom that she now shares with Brynlie. She snuggles with her and takes such good care of her little sister. They are getting to be such good friends and partners in crime.

Kylie and Sadie both decided that they were done waiting for swimming lessons and would just learn on their own. This first became apparent when my mom and I took them swimming in California and they would jump AWAY from us and swim as fast as they could before we could get them. They loved not wearing their swimming vests and haven't put them on once all summer. At Kylie's birthday party I told Jared that I thought Kylie could swim well enough to jump off the diving board and swim to the side. She was really nervous of the board and the deep water at first, but after her first jump she was hooked. She now runs and jumps, twirls, and does flips off the board. The last time Jared took them swimming she even repeatedly jumped off the 10 foot board. Not to be outdone, Sadie has decided that she can swim too. And that girl is awesome at it! She too has started jumping off the 10 ft diving board and swimming to the side.

Kylie started 2nd grade in July and tells me that "the first graders are really weird...they are really small!" She walks to school with several very cute boys in our neighborhood. 10 years from now she will look back and realize just how lucky she was! After spending many countless hours on my ipod she was finally able to purchase her own using her birthday money. She is constantly walking around the house singing (her own lyrics), slightly off tune. You are never more aware of the lyrics to a song than when your young child starts singing "you make it hard to be faithful with the lips of an angel". Since Brynlie's crib was no longer useful, I took it down and replaced it with a bed just for Kylie. For now, she has her own room and is loving it. It is her sanctuary, a place to get away from it all, and she takes full advantage of it. If I find something missing from the pantry, there is a good chance that it is in her cupboard in her room. Kylie is always on the go and can usually be found somewhere in the neighborhood riding her bike. Never one to turn down any chance at an adventure, Kylie went on the Skycoaster at Lagoon with her Daddy and aunt Sasha. She has no fear, I am afraid!

This summer we've also spent a lot of time with family; first, at Mickala's high school graduation, then three weeks later at her wedding to Will, followed two weeks later by Brooke's blessing, and then the next week at the Park family reunion up at Lava Hot Springs, and finally a couple of weeks later we went down to St. George to check out my parent's new slide... I mean house.

Their new house has a slide, but it took my girls a good hour before they realized that there was more to the house than just the slide.

It has been a crazy busy summer, and unfortunately, life isn't going to be slowing down anytime soon. But with three little girls like this, could I really expect anything less?