Fun with Grandma R (and a whole lot 'o photos)

Things are going pretty great around these parts. Looking back on the last six weeks--it was pretty awful. I was really, really sick. Sterling had already picked up a ton of extra shifts and couldn't get out of them no matter how much I pleaded. I also worked almost quadruple what I usually do, which wasn't the greatest when sick. The sun disappeared because it is Utah and it is January and February. It was rough. 

But things are definitely on the upswing. I'm still pretty easily nauseated, but I'm feeling like I have more energy, can eat almost anything, my stomach is a lot less queasy and the weather has been warm and delightful-totally untypical of February. We've only had one incident since Ruth's horrible poo incident, and that was because I forgot to safety pin her pajamas shut the night before. My kids are both sleeping in the same room and not keeping each other up for the most part. The big thing though, I've had enough energy to clean my kitchen and my bathrooms. Then I went to walmart and got some storage containers that the kids can't open and separated the toys into them. They can only open as many toys as I let them at a time. This has really helped on my low-energy days. One tea set at a time, I can handle that. Now I don't feel like the world is ending every time I look at my bathroom, or the kitchen sink full of dishes. I've brought everything back to a much more manageable state and I'm alive enough to keep it that way. Hallelujah I am starting to think life is liveable again :). 

Those big brown eyes. I can't get over them.

Last night Will discovered he could stand, unattended, for lengths at a time (the longest maybe ten seconds)! He also tried taking one step and that was about as far as he got. But we're getting there! It's pretty adorable to see him try. Such an exciting thing--the first step! 

We recently got these shovels at Ikea. They are now a coveted play item, not sure why they are so great but hey, for .99 I'm happy!

I just think this is funny. She was making Will laugh.

Sterling wasn't a fan of this dress when I picked it up on clearance the other day. But when I added the tights he was sold. I think it is the cutest thing ever and I love girls in stripey tights!

Probably the favorite book around these parts right now is Goodnight Moon. Ruth loves to read it, and so Will likes it because he knows Ruth likes it.

 Oddly, for Utah, instead of heaps and heaps of snow like we usually have, it has been raining and raining. The kids like to watch the downpours out our front screen door. See all the grass out the door? There is officially no snow in our front lawn. I would have been sad as a kid, but I'm just glad we don't have to drive in the stuff. Plus, I can take the kids on walks because the sidewalks are clear.

Last night we went to Logan and spent the evenings at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Ruth tried a smoked oyster for the first time. Grandpa asked her if she wanted a treat so she came running over, then he held out the jar with one forked for her. She got a whiff of it, covered her nose, and backed away. My dad laughed and laughed. She did come back and try it, though. She smiled and said she liked it when Grandpa asked her and then she spit it out. She does that routinely with black licorice when he gives it to her, too.

When all the other cousins left, Ruth and Will got some one-on-one time with Grandma. It was some intense, pillow-fighting, tickle-torture time. On our drive home Sterling said "At first she'd chuck a pillow at them and I'd think 'that's way too hard!' but then the kids would just come up laughing!" Mom is pretty much the best at getting kids to laugh. It was nice because I feel bad that I've been so sick and tired and lazy with my kids lately--at least Grandma plays with them!

Will started purposely hiding his head in the pillow because he knew Grandma would come and tickle him if he did. It was hilarious. 

 One time mom covered Will with a pillow and then tickled him forever. When mom turned to tickle Ruth, Will crawled over to the pillow, put his head on the floor, and started trying to slide his head between the floor and the pillow. He was trying to get his head UNDER the pillow so grandma would tickle him. I was laughing so hard!

 The next photos are a 3-step series:

Sitting up. Anticipation.

The hit.

Taken out. HAHAHAA.

Love this. I remember my mom doing this to me SO many times!

I seriously had over ten pictures of her running with her tongue poking out. Silly.

And love this.

The tongue again?

Today, because it was fifty degrees and the snow is all gone, I called my good friend Chantelle and we took our kids to the park. I forgot that her new back yard leads RIGHT IN to a park. It even has SWINGS. I know what park we'll be going to from now on!!! 

Love that smile.

Ruthie loves playing with Olivia.

Looking SO big!

Pretty girl. 

Dancing.

 Ruthie asks to dance at least five times a day. We listen to Frozen's Let It Go on youtube, and she knows just when to throw both arms out and sing "LET IT GO!" which is pretty much the most adorable. She gets adventurous sometimes and spins while jumping and then looks at me with the biggest grin on her face like she just finished some major accomplishment. We sang broadway tunes and made dinner for thirty minutes the other night, she could care less about the words, she sings loud and free without specific words! Haha.

That's pretty much the update. So happy to be feeling better. Especially since my parents are taking the kids all day Friday and Saturday. Sterling has been planning my birthday/our anniversary/Valentines Day (we worked/will work all three of those days) and he said there is a jetted tub involved. Heaven on earth, I cannot wait!