Favorite Toy

Church is always challenging to sit through with little ones and I am always on the look-out for interesting quiet toys small enough to bring to church. Well, this summer my mother helped me with an awesome bag of toys and we have a killer church bag. Last week I was able to keep my kids and those of two neighboring families quiet happy for the whole hour.

Today, when it was time we could get out the toy bag (after the sacrament was passed), I asked Charlie what toy he wanted to play with and he immediately lunged toward the baby on my lap and said, "Henry!"

He shows so much love and affection for his little brother. Often, when I am holding Henry in my arms and Charlie walks in the room talking to me, he'll notice Henry and stop mid-sentence and just run to Henry and hug and play with him as if he is so overcome by just the sight of his baby brother that he forgets all else he is doing.

All Suited Up

There is so much going on in this picture you can barely see the baby, right? This is what little Henry looks like these days... a hat to keep his clawing little hands from mutilating his little head (somehow he still has made it a bloody mess), a bib to catch all the drool (when will it end... I'm lucky he's my first to be all drooly), and - most happily - a pacifier (also a first)!

Collecting

One days' find

Every day lately, Davey comes home from school eager to share with me the things he's found at school that day. It may be a discarded elastic, a paper clip or a staple. Today he pulled out a wad of paper that had gone through the wash in his pocket, asking me what it was. I explained and he then told me that Dalia gave it to him. Not only does he think trash is a treasure but its still worth just as much to him when it comes out of someone else's pocket. Crazy kid.

The Same

I can't believe my little Charlie is almost three years old. Even though I have another baby now, I still feel like he's my baby. I just love my kids to bits. They are just the sweetest things. I don't know how I'm ever going to give them up to their wives. I know I'm getting ahead of myself... but I can't think of a time when I'll be ready to let them go out on their own, though I'm already having to let go with Davey who is only five... he has another life at school, separate from me and I long to be part of it. Though I'm not ready to home school him or anything. I'm getting way off track here. Okay, back to my little Charlie and the reson for this post. As he gets closer to three, he is growing out of toddler-hood. It is amazing to me to watch him play with Davey and his friends like he's just one of them. And he definitely thinks he is...

Last night Dave was sitting with the older kids at the kitchen table having a bedtime snack and telling them how lucky they were to have little brothers. Charlie's comment was, "I'm not little! See, we're just the same (standing by Davey and trying to measure against him)." That is certainly what he thinks!

Another cute little Charlie moment - Dave asked Charlie, "Do you know why I love you?" His answer, "Because I'm a bear." We've called him our little Charlie-bear since he was born and I guess he's convinced. Silly little boy.

Recipe for Homemade Dimples

It's really simple! And, no, I didn't mean to say 'dumplings.'

All you have to do is bang your cheek really hard.

In this case, Davey was running around Grandma and Grandpa Paulson's house, tripped and broke his fall with the coffee table. As the bruise dissipated (it covered almost his whole cheek and stayed for weeks - it was a hard fall), I couldn't believe the dimple I saw. And its a very pronounced one you can see even when he is just talking. Now I guess he just needs another fall to even himself out!

Before

After

Charlie, Charlie, Quite Contrary

When my mother was visiting, she helped me pin-point what I would call a very poignant part of Charlie's personality - he is a contrarian. Where do you think he gets that? (Hint: not me!) Here's an example from last night...

Before bedtime, we were reading the story of Samuel Smith, the first missionary for the Church. When he was traveling he was refused lodging by an innkeeper who accused him of being a liar when he told him of the origin of the Book of Mormon.

Charlie's comment was, "Then I would spit on him."
Me, "But that's not a nice thing to do. We have to be nice to other people."
Charlie, "Then I would hit him. Or get him a poke (he recently got a flu shot)."
Me, "But Charlie, Jesus taught us that even if people aren't nice to us, we still need to be nice to them."
Charlie, "Jesus told me, but I said 'NO!'"

We are going to have our hands full with this little guy...

I'm a Fenugreek Addict

After I was sick and my milk supply dropped significantly (basically vanished), I had heard of fenugreek being used for this so I started taking it. And I don't want to stop! It has this side effect... it makes you smell sweet... like maple syrup! The first time I took it I had eaten oatmeal for breakfast and thought I was tasting the brown sugar but hoping it was the pills... and it was. Now that my milk supply is finally reestablished (it took forever) I can't get myself to stop taking it. Because now when I sweat, I smell like pancakes... tell me, would you want to quit?