Growing Up

This week we were at the grocery store and Silas went in Izzy's line in her cart.  She told me about this conversation Silas had:
Checker:  Wow you're a good helper!
Silas:  Yeah.
Cheker:  How old are you?
Silas:  3 1/2
Checker:  Wow you're getting big!
Silas:  Yeah.  That's because I eat so much food!

This story is so funny because all of his life, getting him to eat any food has been the biggest battle we've fought with Silas.  We have been telling him that he needs to do a good job eating all of his food so he can grow up big and strong.  Lately we've been telling him he's getting so big and growing up.  He's put two and two together and figures he must me eating lots of food!!! 

At lunch this week he said: 
"Hey Mom, everytime I take a bite, I say, mmm, I'M GROWING UP!"  And he did, for about 20 bites in a row!  But hey, whatever works to get him to eat! 

Despite the irony of his growing because of eating, there are many ways he is getting BIG:
1.  He has started responding when I say I'm going to count to 3 and he better be at the table, he drags his feet for a minute, but then realizes at 2 that he better get moving.
2.  I have actually seen him stop and think about consequences.  He will start yelling at me and disobeying and then he'll stop mid-yell, think, and say with a sad/scared look on his face, "Um wait a minute Mom, I'm not doing that anymore."  And then he'll start behaving. 
3.  He's getting to be a great counter!  He can count to ten all by himself, but now he is asking me what comes after ten and is counting to 15 with a little help. He can also count backwards on his fingers so he knows how many bites he has left to take.

So Silas isn't the only one growing up.  Apparently I am too.  The other day my little sister Steph asked who wanted to play "Twister".  We all groaned and it didn't sound even close to appealing.  I used to LOVE to play "Twister".  Since when did I get too old for it?  And incase that didn't help me realize I'm a grown up, my conversation with Silas did:
Silas:  "Mom, why are you a grown up?"
Me:  "Cause".
Silas:  "To make dinner?"
Me: (sigh an smile) "Yes."

Doing "Grown Up Things"  (Saturday night at the movies--"Despicable Me")

The Biography of Kings

Yesterday I went to my sister-in-law, Janet's baby shower and everyone was giving advice.  Most of it was along the lines of "they grow up too fast", "take time for little moments" and "record things because they won't be little forever".  I kind of rolled my eyes at the shower at these cliches but couldn't stop thinking about it the rest of the day.  So like many I know, I'm going to start using my blog as a journal/family scrapbook so that I can have something to look back on.  If you tire from reading, just enjoy the pictures :)

IN JANUARY OF 2011, THIS IS THE BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF OUR FAMILY:

Tyrel:  Age 27, Financial Analyst, Sunday School President, Daddy, and literally Elena's Other Half
Current Interests:

• Playing Elder's Quorum B-ball. and thinking about become certified to ref. high school games
• Running...he's training for the Moab 1/2 Marathon which is March 19th  and loving the new exercise bike we found at DI for $6!
• Playing with his two boys...they wrestle around together which includes Logan's 24 lbs mercilessly jumping on his belly. 
• Being a Hubby...he's not one of those lame husbands that is sterotyped on commercials as not knowing anything, doing anything, or helping with anything.  In fact, he's the opposite.  After working a full day, he jumps right in and helps me with the boys and straightening up our home.  He's also great at reading me and knowing when to send me away for some "Me Time" while he wrangles the boys
• Watching sports and comedies...by the time all the chores are done, what else is there energy for?  Current comedy favorites are "The Office" and "Psych"

Elena:  Age 24, At-home Mom, Relief Soceity 2nd Counselor, and Literally Tyrel's Other Half
Current Interests:

• Playing League volleyball... each week with Izzy and our fabulous team, we've had two awesome seasons in a row, we'll see how this one goes!
• Running...I'm also training to run the Moab 1/2 Marathon in March.  Are we crazy? Maybe.  But I love the chance to run all over town, listen to my music, and just be ALONE! It also feels great to work toward something together.
• Playing with my two boys...they are absolutely exhausting, but I LOVE them!  We play monster, hide and seek, "Bed Bugs", movie theater, fast food drive-in, golf, and many other games that the boys make up.
• Being a  Mom...there are certainly days that I'd like to quit, but the GREAT moments make up for the not-so-great ones.  I'm not going to lie though, I have to work EVERYDAY to love it.  It's very rewarding though to take care of my little family :)
• Couponing...am I addicted...ABSOLUTELY!  Shopping to find deals does not exhaust me, it is my hobby and it gives me a high in a sense everytime I find and incredible deal.  Izzy and I have become couponing buddies and go every Monday morning to Rite Aid and Walgreens to build our stock pile!
• Playing House with my Hubby...ever since we've been married, I will still tell Tyrel that I LOVE playing house with him.  I love to budget together, then work together to stay in budget together, to plan our day, week, month, year, and life together.  I like to problem solve with him about how to raise our boys and deal with current challenges.  And though the dates are not as often as we'd like, I love to cuddle with him on the lovesac after we've finished our work for the day and watch some "Psych" or "Office" or "Little House on the Prairie".

Silas:  Age 3 1/2  Sunbeam, Big Brother, Si-Bug, and Psycho Head
Current Interests:

• Making up his own games...So he will get out the "Bed Bugs" game, play it for a few minutes, and then grab all my measuring cups, do some pouring jobs, dump them into the box, then dumping that box into and empty cereal box, then back into measuring cups, etc.  He does the same kind of thing with the "Fishing Game" and "Cootie"
• Playing on our exercise bike...He asks me to lower the seat for him so he can sit on it.  The he'll pedal, move the dial, and give Logan a ride.  He'll hook his golf club to the handle and it will become the sprayer on his fire truck.  Then he'll ask me, "Mom, is there anything dirty?"  I'll tell him something and he'll spray it clean with the club.  The bike will also become a train or a jet ski.  This boy has quite an imagination!
• Being the big brother...He is loving more and more to play with Logan and will teach Logan his invented games.  When it is time for Logan to go to nap, he will get all sad and Silas will say, "Mom, first let me do funny things to Log."  He'll then nuzzle noses with him, get right in his face giggling, and make Logan giggle.  He'll then do our special "I Love You Sign" (holding out index fingers and touching them to each other's)  Then he'll say, "Don't cry Log.  I'll be in there in a few minutes.  You can sleep with my new blanket from Momma King."  What a sweetie!
• Being a Sunbeam...This was his 3rd week in Primary and after the first week of nervousness, he's loved it!  He'll go right in and sit down on his chair, will be reverant, and doesn't cry when we leave. (He was still crying everytime at the nursery drop off!)  Then all week long he talks about his little class and loves to say every prayer at home to practice for Primary.

Other Likes:  Gum, his crazy straw, pushing the button on the dryer, Reeces PB cereal

Logan:  Age 19 months  Little Brother, Logie Bear, Stinker Head
Current Interests:

• Brushing his teeth...that means getting up on the stool, eating all the toothpaste off the brush, asking for more, getting into everything on the counter, and asking for more.
• Being tucked in...do not be fooled, this does not mean going to bed.  He loves to lay on the floor and tuck himself in a blankie.  Then he'll realize he needs a pillow, will get one, tuck back in, then ask for his Elmo's.  He needs to have one Elmo under each arm and the be tucked in.  Often he'll also want me to be tucked in with him.
• Playing with Silas...he loves to copy anything that Silas does.  He will climb up on the exerciese bike on is own, make the car sound, then need the golf club so he can spray the water.  They also love to play together on the lovesac when I'm vacuuming, something about the vaccuum makes them go CRAZY! 
• Buckling his high chair...when he's not in it, he'll stand there and buckle the straps, then whine for me to unbuckle them.  REPEAT (many times!)
• Eating yogurt.  It's about his favorite thing to eat and everytime I'm pretty sure he wins the World Prize of Messiest Yogurt Eater Alive!
• Making crusties.  Ask him to give you a crusty and he'll give you the cutest face you've ever seen!

Other things of note:  He's getting to be a little talker saying things like: "Silas, Daddy, Mommy, Scott, Buzz, sippies (meaning anything to drink or that looks like we could drink it), no! (not my favorite!), among others

He's also getting to be a little stinker!  We'll ask him what does a dog say and he'll say, "Quack quack!"  With a big grin and laugh.  He know very well that that's what a duck says, but loves the reaction we give. 
When it's time for family prayer, he'll immediately start running laps around the house instead of come sit down (he learned that from a certain big brother who has luckily outgrown it!)