Why We've Loved Summer 2013:

+ Beach days with pals -- we've actually gone so much it makes me feel like we're getting our money's worth (mas o menos) with California's hellish cost of living.

+ Breezes cooling off the house in the evening.

+ Hopping over to the pools.

+ Hopping over even more to the park.  Sunscreen was slathered, scooters brought along, moms sat under a tree on a blanket or stood in the shade of the park structure, and the kids were adorable.  Jude has really gotten gutsy and independent and the park is not a chore to me anymore (most days).  He doesn't need me to escort him up and down the structures like he used to, he goes up and down the ladders, steps, slides, and I just make sure he is playing nicely and not pushing anyone out of his way, and then I clap and get excited for him when he goes down the "wee" or slide.

+ Jude sleeping in just his diaper, and Graham sleeping in his sleeveless blanket-sleeping bag.

And now I'm ready to be done :).  Sand in my car, sand in the stroller, sand in the shoes.  Sweaty all the time and concerned about sunburns on the boys and Jude's ear tubes.  I'll be excited again about summer next time it rolls around, but for now I welcome the break.  Now Fall just needs to actually arrive.....

And now some mem'ries in photo version:

A hug for Dad after playing in a fountain at an outdoor mall.

Woop woop!

I'm sweating like a toasted cheeser!

Jude and his red scooter

Jude still has a belly button, FYI.

Brothers

His idea to hold my hand while riding his scoot scoot to the park.  Swooooooooon

Plotting all sort of mischievous deeds, one can only assume.

Pizza party to kick off summer in the neighborhood. 

Love em both

Sometimes he holds my hand while I read him books.  Honestly, it fills my heart with immeasurable joy. 

Graham and Lyla's little brother Eli.  I think these two are going to have a great time together, but for now they just sort of grab each other's faces.

Graham, the sunburn possibilities on your porcelain skin scare me a little.

My turn to wear Jude's hat.  This hat got lost somewhere this summer.

2 Merzy feet and 1 Jeff foot

There's the omnipresent scooter + Beckham

As recent as last Christmas Jude would NE-VER have touched this slide with a 10 foot pole.  Now it's his oyster.

4th of July at Baby Beach

Mom -- LET ME OUT!

Shocker -- they found trucks on another blanket and stole them.

Apples and tomatoes on the counter

Getting to work lining up cars and trucks, OCD style

I love him.

I love him too.

We started solids, much to Graham's delight.

It was all we could do to keep him from climbing in through an open window.

Dance Central with Cam and Kacie

Meeting BFF and Cousin Rower

$1 smoothies at Jamba Juice.  I know being a kid can be rough, but really, I don't see any of it here.

Graham thinks Jude is 100% entertainment.  Jude could sneeze and it would have his little brother in hysterical, gleeful laughter.  They just love each other.

Thanks, summer!  You've been good to us!  Now it's time for "pumpkin everything" season.

Sleepy Jude

Except for my nieces Julia and Sadie, I've never known any toddlers that look forward to sleep.  So I don't blame Jude for thinking he wants to party his entire life away.  I am not fooled, however, when he plays in his crib throughout nap time, because he then goes to bed at 6pm, and falls right to sleep, and every few days he will take an 18 hour nap, that is he goes down at 3 or 4pm and doesn't awaken till the sun rises again.  

So he still needs quite a few REM cycles.

But before I forget forever, here are a couple little tidbits about Juju related to sleep.

In May it was getting close to nap time and I don't remember what it was he did, but it was something naughty enough to warrant Time Out.  Usually he'd crash around in Time Out (which takes place in the Harry Potter closet under the stairs) and a couple of minutes later I'd go get him when he started calling, "Hi Mommy!  Hiiii, Mommy!" which is his way of starting fresh.  He still does that, like he's hit the reset button and wants to begin again with a greeting.  Cute.  

Anyway after a minute I realized it'd gone all quiet in there.  I was waiting for him to be ready to start fresh.  Another couple of minutes went by silently and I went to check on him.

I carried my little boy upstairs, gave him a big hug and kiss, and he continued his nap in his crib.  

Story #2:

A couple of months ago we were at the park with friends.  We all started packing up when it was getting close to nap time, and not surprisingly Jude was not excited about the prospect. As I walked to the car with my arms full of sand toys, Graham, my purse, keys, and a blanket for us moms to rest our bums on, Jude begrudgingly followed.  He was actually shuffling his feet and moping and whining.  I called back to him, "Jude, are you sleepy?"  With his chubby little cheeks framing his pout he answered, "Yeth."  I turned to look at him and just a second later it dawned on him, his fatal mistake.  He snapped out of the daze and defiantly corrected himself, "No!" but ah, the dye was cast.  I chuckled and loaded everything up in the car and then scooped him up to buckle him in.  He was totally giving me the stink eye but I was quite charmed by this whole thing.  As I buckled him in I asked with a huge smile, "Juju, can I have a kiss?"  And he said "NO."  He was caught, and he was not happy about it.  :)  It didn't matter though, because in any case he had been headed for a nap.  And of course he fell asleep immediately.

31 -- or now I'm in my 30s.

30 felt, of course, like a fairly significant milestone, but I think from here on out the numbers will all feel very underwhelming until I hit 40.  Now I'm just "in my 30s".

BUT, I do still relish a birthday.  I love the birthday of any person I love, and I love my own birthday too.  Like bridal and baby showers, they have at times made me feel guilty or sheepish or like I'm on attention overload, but now they are a hoot and a holler.  I'm sure this is to do with being a mom and not having days off -- it's nice to have a day of "I'm the birthday girl.  That's right -- ME."

As it was, though, this year there was not a babysitter available in a 15 mile radius, and all my close friends were out of town, so I just dragged the boys along to do what I wanted to do and did not feel guilty a snitch.  And now I can't even remember all the details.  I do remember it started off with a favorite.  Now it's officially a tradition that Jeff whisks us all away and we go get breakfast at a local Panera-type place.  I get the vegetarian breakfast burrito.

Then Jeff went to work and I think my little boys and I went to the mall to cash in on some bday goods....and I just ran indulgent errands and went to Sonic and the park (which was for me in a way to keep Jude happy because a happy Jude means a happy me).  All day long people were texting me and asking what Jeff and I were doing that night.  I would always answer, "I don't know, but I hope it involves See's Bridge Mix and if it doesn't I'm going to go buy my own."  Well my darling husband waltzed in the door after work with a rectangular package in black and white checked wrapping and I knew he loved me and knows me like the back of his hand.  He asked if I wanted to go out to dinner with kids or stay in and get take out.  Hmmm -- after 0.1116 seconds of careful consideration I chose to skip the restaurant meltdowns and he went pick up Thai food.  We watched The Bourne Legacy on Apple TV and ate more than half the bridge mix.

And, as always, I milk my birthday some more with an Eaton celebration at my parents' house a few days later, and then a week after my bday when all my friends were free and/or back in town, we went to Nordstrom Cafe for one last hurrah.

This year I felt the love.  I wasn't pregnant and grumpy.  I have 3 wonderful boys that put an extra spring in my step.  I have a lot to be thankful for in life, and here's to another year of it!

Me and my besties at Nordstrom Cafe.

Graham: 7 Months

Just like Jude did at 7 months, Graham has taken an eager interest in phones, remotes, and all other things he mustn't drool on or eat.  

He's still a very happy baby, but is now determined to get his little mitts on what he wants and fights those that restrain him, so taking him to a friend's birthday dinner last night was maybe a bad idea.  He didn't want any of the toys or the sippy I brought for him half as much as the salt and pepper shakers, forks, etc.  

When Jude is not around and Graham gets to play with one of his ENGINE toys, he is absolutely gleeful; I think he knows he's getting away with something.

Which brings me to: Jude wasn't really interested in "things that go" at this age, he just wanted anything that was novel to him.  But Graham, being the Jude worshiper that he is, wants those trucks and choo-choos most.  I love having this house of engine loving boys -- it is so fun and new for me!

Graham sticks out his tongue when he's really excited about something.

His feet have a happy home in his mouth.

I went in to check on him in his crib this morning and with his eyes shut, still asleep, he was kicking his legs up in the air.

He chews and sucks on Jeff's face.

He's starting to wean himself. ?

He sat up for about 30 seconds today, but while I was grabbing my camera to take a picture he plunked over and was very sad about it.  

Graham Cam, you make life so good.

Jude: Toddler of the World

I'm going to have to gush and say that Jude has been extra soft with me lately.  The older he gets, and the better he communicates, the more confident he is and able to reveal an overflow of details to his personality and enormous heart.

Graham always wakes up first, and I sprint to his room to get him before he awakens the hibernating bear.  If I am downstairs with Graham by the time Jude wakes up, Jeff gets him and I can hear them rustling about changing a diaper or whatever, and a few minutes later I hear at the top of the stairs, in the most chipper voice imaginable, "Hello, Mommy!" Then he jabbers all the way down the stairs about holding hands, coming, Daddy's awake, Baby Graham, Milk, Juice, Smoothies, trucks, his friends, wanting to go to Kids' Club (the gym), or Speech Therapy, or the beach, etc.  Jabber jabber jabber.  It's not all in complete sentences, it is very stream of consciousness, but ever so adorable.

He is very perky.  As I talk about what we're going to do that day, he'll insert very peppy exclamations of, "Yes, OKAY!!!"  Getting dressed is now very good news because he knows we can't leave the house without those pesky shirts and shorts on.  When I say, "let's go get dressed," he jumps into rambling about "Oh!  Shirt...fjaklsdkjfa..... I wanna... fjklad;fa.....shorts!" He shows great concern for Graham's clothing and binky too, which never gets old.

If we are playing anywhere outside and see a big truck coming or hear a plane up above, he runs over to me and holds my hand as we watch it go by -- I can't tell if he does this because he is so overjoyed he needs me to steady him, or if it's because he wants to share the experience with me.  Either way, it thrills my heart.

He hasn't been napping lately.  Buh.  He NEEDS this sleep he, 5/7 days a week, is not getting.  He never fights going into his crib, he just plays there for an hour or so until he starts calling me to collect him.  Then on a random day he crashes for a 4 hour nap.  I am not sure whether or not to do something about this.  I have been saying for over a year that his crib is about to break, but now it's REALLY about to break.  He also climbed out of it once last week, but never since.  I think a toddler bed is not far off, and I don't know if "Quiet Time" will be so kindly received outside of a crib.  The things I agonize over with my first child.

He wants to come everywhere with me, FLIPS OUT if I am not present for bedtime routines, says thanks or "geeks" for ANYTHING he is being given, and randomly apologizes to me throughout the day.  "Sorry, mommy!"  "Jude, you don't have to apologize, you did nothing wrong, sweetie!"  But then sometimes I swear he's apologizing for screaming and dumping out my bag in church a few weeks ago, or taking a big gulp of juice and then spitting it out on the floor on purpose the day before.

He is a little cleaning maniac.  I now have help cleaning up his toys.  The other day I was holding Graham on my hip and Jude's hand to go upstairs for nap/Quiet Time.  Graham spit up a little on the wood floor.  I was going to just clean it up when I got back downstairs, it's not like that doesn't happen 10 times a day, but Jude stopped in his tracks with a disgusted expression and refused to budge until I grabbed him a paper towel.  He wiped it up for about 3 minutes, making sure all traces were truly gone.  I'm hoping this is because I am such a STELLAR example of cleanliness ;).

I know there are other things I'm forgetting, but my tender-hearted maniac toddler is rocking my world for better and worse.  I don't know how I ever got along without him and his weedly ways.

Utah Summer Trip 2013

My old pal Mr. Sandman has bailed on me tonight and for the past hour I have not been able to sleep.  Me!  Come ON!  For the past 6 months I have been achieving knocked-out-with-a-mag-light sleep in about 5 seconds.  I hadn't slept so well since my mission.  I feel like tonight's bout of insomnia is cruel because as it is, I still spend Jude's nap being fairly still to conserve all the energy so I can be the best mom I can to him while he's awake.  Anyway, since I've given up on sleep for a little while, I shall be productive in the record way.

At the end of June my cousin Kyle McOmber got married to Mackenzie!  So now her name is Mackenzie McOmber.  How awesome is that.  See?  It's not even a question.  I remember driving along in the AstroVan one day when I was in high school and I found out that Meredith is also a last name (I may have told this story on this blog before, can't remember now).  WHAT?!?!  "Mom!  What if I fall in love with a guy whose last name is MEREDITH???  What would I do??!!  I can't go by my middle name or something, I've always BEEN MEREDITH! It's who I AM!"  "Merzy?"  "Yeah?"  "Let's worry about that when it happens, ok?"  

Then a few years later I started hoping I'd fall in love with a guy with the last name Montgomery, because I thought "Meredith Montgomery" sounded quite spectacular, but of course I find myself quite lucky to have wound up with a beautiful classic like Hayes and didn't need any time to warm up to it.  

But back to Kyle and Mackenzie: Mackenzie McOmber.  Now how's that for alliteration (which I love).  

We piled into the car around noon, and drive we did.  I've decided I can stop cataloguing every moment of every road trip; they are all sort of terrible and fun in their own way, and Jude will probably never, ever, ever be thrilled about the "buckled" concept for the entire drive, but we always make it through having saved more money than if we'd flown, and alive.  All's well that ends well.  I'd forgotten that taking a long road trip while nursing is fraught with times when you need to stop but can't, and then when you can stop the baby might be sleeping, or not hungry, etc., but oh well.  We lived.

And so, here is a 3:30 a.m. presentation of UTAH: Summer 2013!

Almost there, Jude!  Almost there!  

Isn't Utah just beautiful???  I'm always so happy to come here, and I'm always so happy to return home to California, so I don't really know what to do about that.  I never want to leave either place.

Playing with Cousin L.  Jude was nicer to her than at Christmas, when he'd often greeted her with "NO NO NO!"

I can't handle all the love I have for this baby.

Uncle Robert giving a Rehearsal Dinner toast.  My mom quietly exclaimed, "He looks JUST like my Grandfather Lambert up there!" So I took a picture so she could show him later. 

I hadn't been to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in so long, and it was beautiful and great to get the weekend festivities started. 

Angie is so much fun to talk to -- Graham and I agree.

Cousin J

In heaven

Also in heaven

Ready for church!

He had 4 adults smiling at him in his high chair test drive, so he thought high chairs were great!

I loved this old Similac can!  I was looking for a pen and got side tracked freaking out about what the pens are kept in.  Jeff told me that they've used that as a pencil holder for as long as he can remember.  I weaned Jude at about 7 or 8 months and so I got to know Similac quite well a couple of years ago.

Love abounded at Paradise Cafe.  There could not be a sweeter picture.  My kids are so lucky!

And zee bride and groom!  The whole thing was beautiful.  The dinner, the sealing, the reception, I loved it all.  

Some of my girls. 

At the reception -- Jude couldn't quite handle waiting for his mum for a picture, but I love him for his rascally energy.

Mother's Lounge at church

Ah the Utah dry heat of summer.  We came in from some errands or something and Jude beelined over to the floor vent, and cooled his britches on the cool air.  Smart.  :)  I really do love dry heat -- it's strangely addicting.

And far too quickly it was time to turn right back around and drive home.  The silver lining was we got to stop in Provo for a couple of hours to visit with the Smith girls (now the Buskirk and Caffee girls).  Plus their dad, Kristina's husband, and all of the kids.  I should mention Kristina and Elise were visiting their parents who live in Provo, so the stars aligned for this visit.  We brought Diet Coke and M&Ms (these geniuses share our love of these staples), and they brought the Einstein's Bagels, the kids played, and we sat and talked and talked and didn't miss a beat.  

We can't wait to see them again!!

And then just like that we were home again.  I already miss it.