Sunday School Lesson

Mikayla came home from church on Sunday and decided her babies needed a lesson in honor of the Sabbath.

Sharing her nursery handouts with them.

Lesson subject?  Look to the light?

She's forever telling me that they're cold so she shines her ever so warm LED workbench light on them to warm those babies right up.

Our Web-Footed Friends

When we mentioned to my Dad that we'd like to get a duckling or two for Mikayla to help raise and then take to the "marm" (farm) it didn't take a lot of convincing before he was sold on the idea.  We got an email the next day saying these fun little guys were on their way.

Yeah, maybe a couple more than we had in mind, but that's the way Grandad rolls!

Dustin went to the garage to grab a little light for them and Mikayla ran to her tool bench to get her light for them.

Mikayla pretty much hangs out in the laundry room next to her "babies", as she calls them, a good chunk of the day.  She just gathers her junk and sets up camp next to them.

P.S. I swear she does wear pants these days.  We start the day with them, but as the day wears on I guess they become optional or something.

Early morning swim with the ducks.

Random side note: Mikayla is sitting here playing by me and I just looked down and she is kneeling on the floor, arms folded and eyes closed saying a prayer.  I love it.  She teaches me so much.   I don't know what inspired it, but she prayed for Mom, Dad and baby.  Sometimes I wonder what is going on in her head that she just can't express yet.  I'm positive she has so much to teach me and I can't wait for the chances that we have to learn together.  

If only I had the confidence...

The confidence to look like this and think I was beautiful.  Not only beautiful, but a world class singer, as well.

Yes, if I had this kind of confidence I'm pretty sure I'd cheer loud and hard for myself, too.

Early, early.

Ever since we've been working on potty training Mikayla wakes up early.  As in before 6 a lot of mornings.  I don't even know what to do with myself at that hour.  Yikes.  I won't complain too much because she stays dry all night, but holy cow it's early!  Then she yawns all morning long and tells me that she needs a nap.  Tell me about it, sister!!!  I've been trying to look on the bright side of seeing these early hours and so we're trying to enjoy the cooler mornings outside since we pretty much successfully slept through them before.

I took Mikayla outside to play bubbles the other morning and she had fun with that for about 30 seconds.  Long enough to snap some pictures and she was off.

Off doing what, you might ask?

Setting up her office.

Reading the insurance manual if you want to get specific.

I guess we just enjoyed the great outdoors in a different way...

Zoo!

After Mammy and Pappy watched Mikayla for a few days we met up at the zoo for a fun day with all the cousins.

Check out the curls Mammy did for her!

Mammy let all the grandkids feed the "raffes".  Mikayla was so excited to do it, but as soon as it started licking her arm she was done.  All she can talk about since then is story of the "zu", "raffes", "hand", "rarret" (carrot), "black" (for the giraffe's black tongue).

Conquering the Potty.

We're on day 3 of potty training boot camp around here.  It's gone surprisingly well if you ask me.  The house is a disaster, there haven't been any real meals in a few days and we've been hanging out in jammies pretty much full time, but we've had some success on the potty-at least enough to keep me motivated-and that's what counts!

I'm pretty sure every mom has to take pictures of her kid in panties for the first time and every kid hates the pictures later on.  I'm now convinced that it's a sanity thing for moms.  Taking pictures of kiddo bums in undies gives you a good reason to smile during the whirlwind that is called potty training!

She kept looking for "blue" (the blue purse) and when she'd find it she'd run off to the laundry room and try to get out the garage door, telling me that she was going to "Nana home".  I'm pretty sure she was thinking she could get out of potty training at Nana's house (and she'd be right!).

Each time she goes potty she runs to find her play phone, which is one of our old cell phones that we sometimes charge for her, to call someone (usually Mammy, Grandad, Nanny, Mom, or Bubba) and tell them"PEE PEE!" as loud as she can.

She also called 911 once in the process.  Not good.

Notice the chocolate on her face?  She gets 2 whoppin' chocolate chips when she goes potty.  She loves chocolate chips and I used to give her more when she went, but she'd always ask for 2 so that's what she gets now.  We're big, exciting spenders right?

Wedgies.  Ugh.

Our very LONG weekend.

We had a great Memorial Day weekend.  It was long though.  Thursday night we headed to St. David for Dillon's graduation, then back home.  Friday was Mesa for Seth's wedding, then home.  Saturday a reception here in town, then back down to St. David.  Sunday we chilled in St. David, then back home that evening.  Best surprise ever-Mammy and Pappy kept Mikayla for a couple of days!  After Dustin got jobs done in the morning yesterday we got to have an afternoon/evening date!  I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty beat from the weekend and I crashed hard yesterday.  I am so grateful for family knowing just what we need!

Here's my attempt to document the weekend.

Dillon's Graduation

The overly photogenic cousins!

Total cuteness.

The whole crew!

Mikayla and Mammy

Dillon and the older cousins who adore him!

Our little family picture at Seth's wedding

(By the way-3 1/2 weeks til baby!  Yay!)

Back to Mammy's house!

Carpooling!

Funny story: Mikayla crawled in the car and the boys crawled on top for Dustin to push them on a ride.  After the boys were on she immediately folded her arms, closed her eyes and jabbered a prayer, ending with a loud "AMEN!"  It made me laugh so hard.  I guess we'd been on enough little road trips over the course of a few days that she learned that we say a prayer before our road trips.  I was a little bit proud of her!  On the other hand it made me giggle because it really seemed like she was thinking "My life is going to end on this ride so I better say a prayer so I don't die."  They watch and learn better than we think!

After the ride with the boys Mikayla hung out in the car for forever.  Dustin said that she sat in the car, would say her prayer, ending with "Amen", then say "beep, beep" while honking the horn, and end with "Ride. Home.", then be on her way (driving backward of course)-repeating the process over and over again.  She knows the system!

Baking with Aunt Deja

And that's only some of the events!  What a weekend!

  

No accidental butt calls here.

Nope.  It's all Mikayla.  Just say "hello" a couple of times when you see I'm calling you and nobody answers when you pick up.  She'd love to talk, just give her a minute to warm up.  And, you should probably know that she calls in style.  Here's a visual to keep in mind.

"Ride peese?"

"I've got my money, my purse and my stylish shoes.  Can we please go on a ride, Mom?"

It kind of melted my heart when she whipped out her purse and pulled out her play money to pay at the dollar store.  Oh man, how I love this girl!

A deal's a deal.

This one's for you, Jess.

35 weeks