Growing Up

I've met parents who are so happy to see their children grow up and learn new things, and I would say that I am not one of those parents. Seeing my kids grow up makes me sad, and with Rebecca, I think this past year has been the hardest so far.

This year she learned to ride her bike without training wheels, she started going to school, and lately she's been reading a few words on her own. We took her to the dentist a few weeks ago for a cleaning, and she came out of her appointment showing us her loose tooth. Today she lost that tooth, and the one next to it is soon to follow.

I feel like I can't keep up with all of the new things going on with her! Is it going to slow down at all? Or is this the start of her learning and growing in a million ways every year until she's all grown up?

And I have to remember to have the Tooth Fairy visit Rebecca tonight and replace her lost tooth with a dollar. I have a feeling that the Tooth Fairy is going to forget since she's already scatterbrained, and now she has even more on her mind with all of the growing up going on at her house.

I have to include this picture I got of William today. For some reason after church he decided he needed to change into shorts with his black socks and church shoes. But he also put on a sweater since it's getting cold out. To me he looks like a rich old man who's ready to go sailing. At least with him the only growing I've noticed lately is in his feet and body.

Old Dog, New Tricks

So the sock on Braden's hand did not keep him from sucking his thumb. We taped the sock to his shirt sleeve so that he couldn't get it off of his hand, and we would find him in his bed in the morning with his shirt off and his thumb in his mouth.

I talked to my friend Emily about it, and she told me about her friend who taught her 18-month-old baby how to take a binky. With my stubborn boy, I thought there was no way this could happen for me.

With low hopes, I started keeping a binky in his bed and one in the car, which were the two places he seemed to suck his thumb the most. For about a week now, I've been sitting with him as he goes to sleep at night and for naps, and I won't let him suck his thumb, but I let him suck on a binky. And in the car when he sucks his thumb, I hand him a binky to put in his mouth.

I looked in my rearview mirror and saw this today:

He is not completely off the thumb - I still catch him sucking it sometimes. But I think we are making progress. Giving him an alternative instead of making him stop sucking altogether has been working better for me and for him. He's not fighting me all of the time like he started to with the sock.

I am hopeful that he won't turn into his almost 6-year-old thumbsucking sister. We are working with her too. She really wants to stop. So soon we may be a thumbsucker-free household.

Super Saturday was a Success!

Holly put some pictures of the event on the Coronado Ward Relief Society Blog:

http://coronadoreliefsociety.blogspot.com/2010/10/thank-you.html

And the most successful part of Super Saturday? I think it helped put Kate into labor! Congratulations, Hulets!!

How Could I Forget?

I just ran across this other sleeping picture of William. This boy really does find some crazy positions to sleep in.

Napping Bubba

Lately William is the earliest riser of the kids in our house. It doesn't matter what time I put him to bed - his internal alarm clock gets him up a few minutes before 6:00 am every day. And he refuses to be put down for a nap. So when there are nights that he gets to bed later than usual, this is how I find him the next day:

After church one Sunday enjoying a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.

Watching TV after swimming.

I've decided that when I can tell he is tired and he won't take a nap, I put on a movie and let him put himself to sleep in whatever awkward position he chooses. At least he's still napping, even if he does look a little funny while he's doing it.

I Love Visitors

I especially love visitors when they come all the way from New Jersey to visit Las Vegas, AND they are two of my and Rebecca's favorite people in the whole world.

I was lucky enough to get to hang out with Wendy and Julianne while they are here vacationing for ten days. And they brought a new little visitor Caleb who I was afraid I would never get to meet because they live so far away. We had dinner at McDonald's, and then we came to my house and let the kids play while Wendy and I got some more time to talk.

These two cute girls put on a dancing show for us before Wendy, Julianne, and Caleb had to leave.

I'm so glad you called, Wendy! We are so happy that we could be a part of your vacation!

More Politics

So today I went to my school and found out (or was reminded actually) that we were being visited by Brian Sandoval:

He is the Republican candidate for governor for the state of Nevada. He beat out Governor Gibbons in the primary elections. I didn't get a picture this time because I honestly forgot that he was visiting today.

Brian Sandoval seemed like a good guy. He's very good looking, and he's quite young. (He mentioned having a first-grader.) He talked about education reform for Nevada, which I am all for since I think we are now ranked last in the country in education.

It's crazy to see these famous politicians at our humble little school. I'm guessing the name American Heritage Academy might be a draw for them. At least our school is being bipartisan in who they allow to visit.