I Am In Love...

Seriously, could he be any cuter?!

The Many Confessions of Marin

So Marin has been on a bit of a confessing streak of late. I'm pretty sure it started a few weeks ago during a church lesson about the steps of repentance. Every day Mitch or I get around 10 confessions. I won't tell every confession we've heard (that would make this post too long), but I will give you the highlights:

1. "I peed in the shower twice."
2. "When you told me and Allie not to play in the garage, we ignored you and did anyway."
3. "When I was going potty I ran over to the closet to get some toilet paper, but don't worry, I didn't drip."
4. "I opened my eyes during the prayer 6 times, but not the whole time I swear."
5. "Last week I wiped jelly on the kitchen chair instead of a napkin."
6. "Mom, I just scratched my bum, but don't worry, it wasn't with the hand that is holding Andrew's binky."
7. "Me and girl-Jordan [that's her friend's title since there is also a boy-Jordan in our neighborhood] peed on the grass when I was 4."
8. "When I was 4 I was opening my otter pop and accidentally swallowed some plastic."
9. "Mom when I was 4 [everything seemed to have happened when she was 4] I colored crayon on the computer screen."
10. "I hit Kate for no reason but you can't get mad because she's not even crying."

I could go on and on. I really would not care to know about most of these, for obvious reasons. Ignorance is bliss, as they say. At least she's gotten over her Holy Ghost phase, where for weeks everything naughty she did was because "the Holy Ghost told her to." I may need to warn her Primary teacher that Marin really takes everything she says quite literally...

The Apostrophe

After reading an ad in today's newspaper I cannot hold my thoughts back. It read: "Huge Memorial Day blowout-- discount tree's..." Seriously? In your large newspaper ad? "Tree's"??!!! Now I'm not an English teacher or a grammar expert, but the misuse of the apostrophe in this way absolutely drives me crazy! Below are 2 rules explaining when it is okay to use an apostrophe:

Rule 1.	Use the apostrophe with contractions. The apostrophe is always placed at the spot where the letter(s) has been removed.
	Examples:	don't, isn't
		You're right.
		She's a great teacher.

Rule 2.	Use the apostrophe to show possession. Place the apostrophe before the s to show singular possession.
	Examples:	one boy's hat
		one woman's hat
		one actress's hat
		one child's hat
		Ms. Chang's house

Other than these 2 times, don't put an apostrophe before an "S"!!! Aahhh, it feels good to get that out of my system!

P.S. Stupid blogger format cut off the end of the rules, but you still get the picture.

Why I Could Never Be a Professional Photographer...

When I uploaded these to my computer I just sat there laughing. My kids' faces kind of make it seem like Darth Vader was standing behind me while I took them. Oh well, at least I get an "E" for effort!




"Sure I'll smile Darth, just please don't kill me with your light saber!"

Preschool Graduation and Andrew's Latest Pics

Our not-so-little-anymore girl Marin graduated from preschool last night and her class put on a cute little program. Marin has absolutely loved preschool this year. She loves her teacher (I love her teacher too), and every day when I pick her up she comes running out to the car with this huge grin on her face. It's been so great and she has learned a ton. Each kid did a talent during the graduation program. Marin read (memorized) a story, "Russel and the Lost Treasure." She was so cute doing it and was very brave! Here are a few pictures:

Her award was "The Best Outdoor Girl" because apparently she always asked if they got to go outside and play, regardless of the weather. She's her daddy's girl all right!

Here is Kate the Great



And here are a few pictures of Andrew. He'll be 4 weeks tomorrow, I can't believe it!

Here's the story...

Okay now that it has been almost a month since Andrew was born, I will tell his birth story. I am morbidly fascinated with others' birth stories, so if any of you are like me, here you go. If not, just skip this post. But I promise it's pretty mild and I won't give too much gross information all right?

So luckily for me, I had a doctor appointment on the day he was born (side note: I have just happened to have a doctor appointment on the day all 3 of my children were born, and as you read on you'll realize how lucky that really has been). So I went in, and lo and behold, I was dilated to a 6! No labor pains all day, no way I would have thought I was in labor. I swear if I have any more kids they'll be born at home because there is something wrong with me! So my doctor tells me he better send me over to the hospital because at a 6 I won't last much longer. Although, due to a staffing shortage there, they did have me wait 1 hour to check in.

What did I do in the meantime? Well of course I headed over to Firehouse Pizza to watch my sweet brother-in-law Matt take on the 32 inch pizza challenge. I also helped myself to some focaccia bread and salad. Mitch and a whole bunch of other Jones Simkins employees (slow day at work?) were there eating lunch and watching the event. At this point, I did start having a few contractions. But nothing painful, nothing that I would think "Huh, I better go to the hospital."

So I waited my hour and checked into the hospital. Then I waited awhile for Mitch to drop Marin at my sister Avree's (Kate was already there). Then my doctor came in and we chatted for awhile. When he checked me again, I was at an 8. Seriously still not feeling my labor pains at this point, can you believe that? So I thought I had better get my epidural and so I got that. In retrospect I should have saved my $300 anesthesiologist fee because it didn't really work. Around 7:00 p.m. I started feeling some intense contractions. Like the worst pain I've ever felt in my life. I kept clicking my little epidural thingy that gives more meds until I maxed it out and it wouldn't give me any more. I was still feeling contractions, one on top of the other. I was trying to be tough, but dang! I've never felt those pains before and I told Mitch to get my nurse stat! She came in, sure enough it was time to push. The doctor came in, chatted with Mitch for awhile (I was ready to KILL HIM at that point) and then I started pushing. Oh heavens, was I motivated to get him out of me! I've never felt that part of labor before, having always had epidurals that actually worked. So luckily, I only pushed about 10 times before he was born or I swear I would have turned into that crazy lady you see on TV that is screaming profanities at her husband!

And then there he was. My sweet little boy. They brought him to me and I just snuggled him (I'm crying as I type this) and I was just overwhelmed with how much I loved him already. He is the sweetest little addition to our family and I can feel his sweet little personality already. He is such a good baby so far and is really chunking out. I just kiss his chubby cheeks all the time and I can't wait for him to start smiling (oh, and sleeping through the night). So although 3 kids has been HARD, and I'm sleep deprived, he's OH SO WORTH IT! So there's the story of Andrew James Moncur's birth.

(Sorry Jaren, I know this kind of thing grosses you out, but that is what babies look like a few seconds after they're born)

Just In Case...

...you were wondering what Andrew looks like at 1 week (you know you were):