Easter Post the Second

Annie joined in the friendly family game of croquet. Fortunately nobody was injured, and Annie avoided any of the real violence.
What? That's not how your family plays?! My little brother Cody was at one point yelling, "Defense! Defense!" and practically body checking people away from his ball.

Everyone figured it was safer for Ellie to walk around with a plastic golf club that the croquet mallet.

Annie actually decided she likes the lighter club and balls as well.

Strike a pose.
Did I ever mention that at the ages of 8 and 6, my sister Star and I were on the cover of a Hawaiian golf magazine? Apparently it's in the blood. (I need to track down that picture and scan it in and get it on the blog).

Star and Lacy.

Greg and I watching the action from the sidelines, since we decided for my safety and the safety of the baby, it'd be best to avoid any full contact lawn sports with my siblings this Easter.

Ellie playing with my Uncle Karl.
For those of you who don't know -- my Mom's baby brother, Karl, was born with cerebral palsy. He's blind and in a wheelchair, and one of my family's most beloved members. My girls do so well with him, and it never ceases to amaze me how much he 'normalizes' certain disabilities for my children. I've watched other kids, less familiar with someone who looks, talks and acts so differently, pull away from my Uncle. Even run away. But, my girls are usually quite comfortable with him, and are cute to watch run around, ducking and weaving between all the wheelchairs in the home he lives in now. And crawling on their poor Uncle when he's out of his chair and lying on the floor at family parties. They give him hugs and hold his hand and give him kisses when they see him. He adores them too -- happy to just touch their little hands and little feet. He asks for "Baby Annie" and "Baby Ellie" as soon as he knows they're coming. I've always had a very close relationship with him -- in fact, he was the one who informed his parents I was getting married, as right around the time Greg proposed, Karl kept singing "Here Comes the Bride" and saying "Hilary" over and over again, before we'd even had the chance to call and tell them the good news! (Although, upon marrying Greg I was totally usurped -- Uncle Karl LOVES Greg more than I can even express, and no longer asks for me but for Greg when he finds out we're coming over.) I can't imagine raising my kids without such first hand experiences with Karl and his friends.

Karl moved out of my grandparent's home and into a live-in facility in just the last few years. Because of this, we don't see him quite as often as we used to. Which means he's even more excited to see the girls, but sometimes Ellie can be a bit apprehensive right at first -- like when he was giving her Eskimo kisses in the video below (but from the picture above, you can see that she can sweetly look him in the eyes and smile, something that not all adults can do.)

There are a lot of long standing games and jokes between Karl and various members of the family. Because Karl mentally isn't much beyond where Annie and Ellie are, these games are typically silly, simple and crack him up to no end. One of his all time favorites is untying people's shoes. When he was younger, he spent a lot more time on the floor, so whenever anyone would stand by him, he'd grab their shoe laces and yank 'em loose and laugh uproariously. He spends more time at family things in his wheelchair now that he's older (and it's more of a feat to lift him in and out of his chair repeatedly), so this game now requires someone to nonchalantly place their foot up on the armrest of his chair, tip him off that the shoe is there (as he's blind and all), and goad him into untying it by repeatedly 'warning' him to not untie the shoe.) Greg has mastered this, and has limitless patience for this game, which is one of the reasons Greg tops Karl's 'favorite person list'.


Here's Annie on an Easter Egg hunt held in my parent's basement Sunday afternoon.

Ellie and Daddy during the Easter Egg hunt.

Ellie examining her bountiful basket.

Annie asked Aunt Star to tie her bow for her on her dress -- this is what happened:

Grandma & Grandpa gave each of the girls their own baseball set -- it was Annie's first time ever playing tee ball, and we were all pretty surprised how well she took to it!

The girls had so much fun this weekend, and were pretty spoiled by all their grandparents. There's new toys, books, stuffed animals and lots of goodies.

Interesting enough though, if you really wanna look at who racked up the most loot this weekend -- check out what the Easter Bunny, aka: my Mom, gave our youngest and still unborn child for Easter:

The 27 week gestational aged baby scored.

Easter Post the First

I'm splitting our Easter pictures into two different posts, as there are too many for one. :-)
This first one covers Saturday and Sunday with Greg's side of the family.

Here's Ellie in her 'Easter shirt' she got in her Easter basket on Saturday morning. (I didn't buy the girls matching Easter dresses this year, since with General Conference, we wouldn't be actually attending an actual public meeting on Sunday morning. The girls did get matching shirts and jackets though.)
Also, check out her new Cinderella necklace and purse. Stylin'.

Here's Ellie & Annie searching for Easter Eggs with some help from Grandpa KC on Saturday afternoon.

Ellie getting some Easter egg hints from Grandma Ruth.Annie happily showing off her full basket.Ellie was loving the whole idea of Easter eggs and baskets and finding candy all over the place. This is possibly her new favorite holiday.

Here's Ellie with her basket outside.

Because the menfolk had the Priesthood Session of General Conference to attend on Saturday evening, us girls (including Aunt Andrea and Grandma Ruth) got treated to dinner at Mimi's Cafe by Grandma. Here's Annie and Andrea.

Ellie all, "Dude, how can my pudding cup be gone already?!"

Little Miss Cheesy.

Ellie hanging out with Grandma Ruth.

Then, on Sunday morning, we headed back over to Grandma & Grandpa's house for a way tasty Easter breakfast, and to watch the first Sunday session of General Conference together (this is a tradition whether it's Easter or not). This is a cheesy self portrait of me before driving there, since I wanted to make sure I showed up in at least one picture this weekend. :-)

Ellie forced her Grandparents into about 15 rounds of "Ring Around the Rosies." She was laughing so hard, it was contagious. This is what Conference becomes when you're trying to watch it with two kids three years and younger.

Ellie right after the whole "all fall down" part . . .

Annie, just 'cause I had very few shots of Annie Easter morning.
Greg mentioned my photography being fairly 'Ellie-centric' as of late, but it comes down to Ellie being a complete ham, and constantly jumping in front of the camera, where it just doesn't really interest Annie right now.

Ellie playing with salt dough during Conference. Daddy was having fun with it too.

Ellie hiding from Daddy.

Around 12:30 or so, we headed over to my parent's house for some more family festivities (with about 20 people or so getting together at their house). But those pictures will be in the next post . . .

Who's Got the Power?

Saturday morning, my parents came by to see what the Easter Bunny had brought the girls in their Easter baskets. Annie invited them downstairs to see her 'clean' playroom, where Annie and Grandpa became engaged in an epic battle.

We took a lot of video, and this may not be amusing to anyone that wasn't there, but Greg and I cannot watch this without tears streaming down our faces at the antics of our all powerful preschooler.

Highlights: When Annie informs Grandpa that Ellie couldn't hold onto her whale because she "has baby hands", unlike Annie who has bigger hands and will never let go of her dolphin.
"I have Fifty Hundred power!" To which my Dad responds, "You do math like your Dad!"


"1-2-3 gallup!" "Magic DOLPHIN!" "I did it!"


"I have my magic gown on, and Ellie!" As Ellie twirls on and off screen. "Ellie, you should have the MAGIC KILLER WHALE!"


"I have all the power!" Grandma refusing to tickle Annie, despite, Grandpa's threat of not doing the gardens this year if she didn't switch allegiance.
"NO! You will tickle HIM Grandma!" Annie demands. She commands her Dad to come, Greg gets referred to as her minion, but she insists he has actual power as well, "He has ten power! Just like I have FORTY POUNDS. Pire? Power . . ."
Annie refusing to get Grandpa a magic gown of his own, as he can't fit in any.

"I have the veil of the dolphin."
"I have the ring of the princess!"
"I have the socks of the dwarves."
"I have all the magic power with my magic scarf."
"I have . . . um, I don't have my wedding ring . . . " Grandma pipes in, "You do have some pretty powerful reading glasses in your pocket." He finishes, "I have the power of Horizon!" (He meant Verizon -- he's not the one who pays the phone bill).

You just can't beat a girl with an all powerful Dolphin (whose main power was keeping her from getting tickled by the evil Grandpa) and a magic ball gown. (And a magic bracelet, a magic crown, magic high heels, a magic wand, a magic scarf . . . all while repeatedly shouting, "I have ALL THE POWER!")

Poor Easter Bunny

At breakfast this morning, Annie asked me, "So Mom . . . It's Christmas first. And it's cold. Then it's Valentine's, and it's cold. Then it's Easter . . . [long pause] . . . Mom, if the Easter Bunny turns into a popsicle, can he still hop?"

I assured her no bunnies would freeze to death in this freakish cold spell. Although, most of our Easter egg hunting plans will have to be shifted indoors. Bummer. Stupid snow.

So anyway, this morning the girls were up bright and early, excited to see what the Easter Bunny left for them.
(Which, obviously, means the Easter Bunny comes on Saturday morning at our house. To me, this is just my norm -- we always did the Easter Bunny/baskets/mass amounts of sugar in lieu of breakfast thing on Saturday morning when I was growing up, leaving Sunday morning as a more traditional, religious Easter, where one got dressed up fancy for Church and ate actual breakfast food instead of malted eggs, and we had a family party in the afternoon. So, when we had kids, I informed Greg that the Easter Bunny always comes on Saturday, giving you all day to happily play with your loot (oh, and Easter is like mini-Christmas, complete with toys, nerf guns, bubbles, candy and random hygiene products -- like Annie got 'floss stick animals' this year) without the pesky interference of getting your hair braided for Church. Then Sunday morning, there's a bit more reverence expected (as well as some sneaking of jelly beans), and more preparation for Church and less focus on the toys and Easter Bunny. Greg, being Greg, was all, "Sure honey, whatever you want to do," and that's how it's been ever since we had kids. Who else does this, the Saturday thing? Just out of curiosity?)

First order of business though -- waking up Dad. Which isn't as easy as one might thing. So, obviously in this video, he's faking still being asleep -- but let me tell you, my children use these exact tactics every weekend morning starting around 7:15AM, and although he might stir, grumble and roll over, he's rarely actually awake for more than a few seconds much before 8AM. (Then, he will nap once or twice during the morning, while the kids climb, jump and bounce all over him like he's their own personal jungle gym. He doesn't actually seem to notice much.) Oddly, if Ellie so much as rolls over in her bed, in the other room, anytime after 6AM, I'm wide awake for the morning. It seems supremely unfair.

Here's Ellie doing what she did all morning. Eating candy. And drooling it on my carpet. Note to people visiting: Do NOT accept any robin eggs from Ellie. They were all sucked on before being put in her little candy container.

She wasn't overly interested in giving the bottle to her brand new baby My Little Pony -- but she was cool walking around with it in her own mouth for the first little while. (No worries -- they totally bonded later, and she's been feeding and burping the baby ever since. While eating candy.)

Requisite outdoor toys for the year: balls and bubbles and side walk chalk.
There were no sandbox toys (which were a must when I was growing up), as we have no sandbox yet.

Annie decked out in some of her new jewelry.

Ellie with one of the new Nerf guns. Another requisite Easter item while I was growing up. 'Cause nothing says Easter and the miracle of life and rebirth like fake guns and ammo, I guess. :-)
And dang, these things are powerful -- Greg's nailed me in the back with 'em a couple times. On 'accident', he says.

Annie's favorite necklace of all -- it's a necklace, that's a purse, that hold 8 different rings inside -- it's like the best piece of jewelry in human history.

Annie sorting through her loot. This child was incredibly interested in every last little piece of her My Little Pony beauty salon, as well as every last thing stuffed into her Easter basket. She barely noticed her candy, and had maybe 5 jelly beans all morning . . .

Ellie on the other hand . . .

. . . it was all, "Give me candy or face my angry nearly-2-year-old wrath!"

Happily hoarding candy in what's supposed to be a piggy bank . . .

These pictures bring up one very important question: Which of my two children has the worst bedhead?

Not All The Unique

I'm gonna be one of hundreds of Utah bloggers saying the exact same thing today, but I can't help it:

Seriously, Mother Nature!

WORST. APRIL. FOOLS. DAY. JOKE. EVER.

That little bump by the tree, that's Annie's scooter. I think.

Our patio chairs, fire pit and table.

Ellie's slide.

Annie's tricycle, almost lost in the middle of the yard.
The plus side: the kids are getting a huge amount of their fluid intake for the day in the form of snow. In order to be able to shut our back patio door again, I let them each fill up a bowl with snow from outside, and they've been snacking on it like popcorn at the movies.

Note to self: snow blowers, snow boots and ski bibs only feel like they should be put away in March. Next time, leave 'em out 'til May. Just to be on the safe side.

Update from the Third Trimester

It's official -- I'm in my third trimester now. Time flies when it's your third pregnancy! (Well, once you're done with feeling like puking, then it flies. Before that it sucks in it's stand-still-ish-ness.)

I was checking out my favoritest online pregnancy tool, to see how freakishly squished and mangled my innards are now (vs. at 8 weeks pregnant, in the first picture).

Yep. That feels about right.

I'm pretty sure the baby is in that exact position too -- 'cause he keeps kicking straight up, which causes whatever organs are all flattened right above his feet to jump and it convincingly feels like his feet have broken through the womb and are now lodged right up into my chest. Either that or my stomach is kicking or something. Almost all the movement I'm feeling the last two days has been all where the arrow below is pointing too (in theory, there shouldn't be a baby in that area -- but I'm convinced his feet are now resting inside my actual stomach, where he's playing soccer with whatever food comes his way.)
Pregnancy is a trippy, trippy feeling.

Oh, and in celebration of hitting the third trimester, and therefore being 2/3rds of the way done, I bought peanut butter M&Ms. They are mostly gone now. Oops.