The Waiting Game

We're to the waiting portion of the program... waiting... waiting...waiting...

A few days ago Katelyn brought me this absolutely beautiful picture she drew of our family. Can you guess who is who? KJ, Kate the Great, Daddy, MOMMY, Olivia, and Baby Benson.

This picture has made me laugh, and laugh, and laugh. Nice to know what I look like in her eyes! It has quickly become a national treasure in our family. It is on the fridge and will grace her "book" for the rest of her natural life. Thanks, Kate!

Speaking of Kate, she was the birthday girl this week! Can't believe she is four years old. She is so, so, so proud to be a big girl! We have really noticed that she HAS been growing up lately. Her language is expanding again, and she's even starting to be responsible for "her room" -- which was her room a year ago but is now the toy room and soon Benson's room. Doesn't matter to her! She works on it faithfully during chore time. This is pretty revolutionary! Love, love, love this spectacular girl. So blessed she is mine.

She chose donuts for breakfast and of course chose one as big as her head! We played at the park, she loved her presents, got to choose where to eat (Red Robin, her favorite thanks to the root beer float), and then ate the cupcakes that Daddy brought home that  had a four on them! She loved every single second of being the birthday girl and was very gracious. 

She has loved getting a couple of packages from grandparents just for her, and in the coup de etat, Grandma and Grandpa A found the PERFECT Minnie dress. Minnie is her grand passion, the love of her young life. This is her reaction when she saw it, trying it on, and wanting to be super fancy at Brother and Sister's swim lessons today. Priceless!

Speaking of swim lessons, they have been an absolute raging success. My friend Krista taught them, and I can not BELIEVE how far they have both come in two weeks. I am so proud of their hard, hard work! Here they are in the deep end today, totally rocking it:

They have loved every single second and are so sad to see it go! I am super thankful they will be more proficient in the water that they love so, so much. Today KJ had a big laugh in the water and Katelyn sat up straight next to me. "Is that Brother? I think KJ just laughed. I heard his sound!" I thought that was very endearing, that she is attuned to him and his "sound."

 

Recently Olivia has had some real doozies for quotes. My personal favorite is the conversation that took place while Liv and Kate graciously scratched my back, which is a chore they usually reserve for Daddy.

 

Olivia - Mom, your skin is a LOT smoother then Daddy's.

 

Mom - That's good!

 

Olivia - Seriously, Mom. Daddy has lots of hair on his BACK.

 

Mom - Well...that happens a lot with Daddy's.

 

Olivia - Mom... I think that Daddy might be trying to grow a beard on his back!

 

Mom - (trying not to absolutely die) You think so? I think men just grow a lot more hair then women.

 

Olivia - Hm. I guess I do have pretty hairy legs... 

 

Honestly. How do you not just gobble this girl up, she is so cute and so surprising?

 

A few days later she came to visit us just after the Double B woke up from a nap. She looked at his hair carefully and then announced "Dad, you look just like King Elvis!"

Yesterday we were singing the Gaston song from Beauty and the Beast. We got to the line that says how he is especially good at expectorating. Liv asks "What is expectorating?" And I explained that's just like spitting. She thought for a minute and then said "All men are good at spitting. But ESPECIALLY Daddy. He is so good at spitting out the window of the car!" She said it with great admiration.

I'm sure the Double B will be thrilled that I shared all these stories since he is the star of them, but honestly. This is for future generations!

 

In closing, and in the name of full disclosure, I will share the story I documented on Facebook on Sunday night. It is a true story. No details have been left out to protect the innocent (or guilty, in my case):

 

"Today I am the proud and disturbed owner of a glorious new Most Embarrassing Moment. This is kind of exciting, because I'm just not a person that is embarrassed that easily...usually if it should be embarrassing it's just very funny to me. Today was no exception to that strange response -- it was HILARIOUS! At the most inappropriate time; which of course made the hysteria much less manageable and ...also put me at risk of passing out due to lack of oxygen. Seriously, there was danger! Before I explain, you should know that my wonderful ward has the MOST REVERENT Sacrament meeting in the known world. Especially today, man -- silent. Peaceful. Very reverent. All was normal until I was handed the water tray and went to pass it to KJ. I can't exactly explain what happened next, but let us just say that in that moment communication went on the fritz. He went to put his cup back in, but my poor addled mind took that as I could now release the tray, so... I let it go. I mean, I LET IT GO. I think I might have been trying to fast-pitch it from the deafening roar it made slamming into the row in front of me! Yes. I dropped the water tray. I PRETTY MUCH THREW THE WATER TRAY. It was the loudest sound in the quietest room in the world. KJ and I were both drenched, and I'm sure we both stared with open mouth for a few horrified moments before I picked up the now empty tray to hand back to the innocent (and tainted by association) young man serving us. I'm fairly certain that 86.2% of the congregation was looking to make sure there were no dead bodies. Flaming red, I gave the poor bishopric members a little salute of "yep, I'm the criminal that invited that travesty" to acknowledge my guilt. Is it necessary to note that Ben was hiding his head in his hands in absolute horror, hoping to somehow magically disappear? Probably not necessary. So then... I started to giggle. The dangerous giggle. The very unfortunate kind that is the result of absolute mortification and you have absolutely no control over. I put my hand over my mouth and slouched down, but it did no good. I was a victim of my own warped sense of humor. I just shook...and shook...and (GASP FOR AIR) shook. Every pour in my body was flinging out sweat as fast as it could be produced (which at nine months pregnant, is pretty fast). Tears of laughter and horror just poured out of eyes. And I...could not...breath. I don't think my husband could have liked me less at that moment. Poor man, who hates the spotlight more then any person I've met yet, had the misfortune of marrying...me. The Sacrament tray flinger. A low moment for him, I'm sure. So anyway, I'm like having a seizure in the second to last row of the chapel. And Katelyn, who likes any excuse for a good laugh and has seen her Mom do many strange things, so didn't know that throwing a tray of water might not be ideal, wanted in on the fun. And kept asking in full voice "why are you laughing, Mommy? Ha ha! What's so funny, Mommy? Ha ha ha!" I would have answered her, but I couldn't. I couldn't BREATH! Ah. The sweet feeling of total humiliation. Then the nice counselor in the bishopric got up to introduce the speakers and said something along the lines of "Todays message will be on pride, and trying to be humble. Specifically, how pride comes before the fall." And then... I started laughing again. Because I am pretty sure the Lord used me as an object lesson! Let's face it, I am a sinner. Terrible, terrible. Later on, while pondering the event, and my ownership of a new Most Embarrassing Moment, I decided that after 31 years, it's actually kind of amazing I've never dropped a tray before. But then I realized... In 31 years, I've never seen ANYONE drop a tray before. So, you know. I'm a pioneer."

 

Honestly. That is one of the most memorable experiences ever. When I told senior primary about it and we were all just cracking up, I explained that is was sort of the worst moment of my life... but also sort of the BEST moment of my life... I've never felt more alive!
The Double B seriously was mad at me. I don't blame him... I kept trying to explain it was an accident, but it took him a good forty minutes of the meeting to be able to acknowledge me again, ha ha. Poor guy! It really was just too horrible for him.

 

We're trucking on, hoping this sweet baby boy joins us soon! A friend told me that our family will now be a "double-stuffed oreo" -- two girls squished between two boys. We loved that. I am so thankful for this special time in our family history and for the opportunity I've been given to be a Mother.