Mylie Turns 3

Mylie's at that age now where she gets excited for upcoming events.  Holidays, birthdays, etc.  We'd been talking about her upcoming birthday for about 2 months.  She was always asking questions about it, talking about when it was her birthday...then, telling us what she wanted, saying that she wouldn't ever be 2 again (which actually made her a little upset, she said she wanted to be 2 forever!), practicing putting 3 fingers up and more! 

The night before her birthday she was super excited.  We told her when she woke up in the morning it would be her birthday...little did we know she would be up at 3:00 in the morning!  She came into our room and asked, "Is it my birthday now?"  To which we responded, as nicely as one can at 3 am, "No Mylie it's not your birthday yet.  Go back to bed."  She disappeared.  Around 4:15 when Richie got up with Michael he went in the living room where he discovered Mylie rolling around on the couch, still awake.  We thought she was rolling with excitement, but due to a conversation we had with her yesterday, she was actually trying to hide from Richie!  Ha ha!  She asked Richie if she was 3 yet.  She asked if it was her birthday and if she could open her presents.  She wasn't about to go back to bed.  That's when I got up and took her to her room and laid down with her.  I knew I needed to get her back to sleep before the sun started showing AT ALL, because once there's the slightest bit of sunlight, Mylie demands it's time to wake up.  But if she's sleeping through the light, she sleeps longer.  So as the nice mommy that I am, I told her that if she didn't go back to sleep right now, no presents in the morning.  And guess what, she went to sleep.

We got up at 7:30 (and that's sleeping in for us!)  Mylie didn't want to wait until the evening to open her presents so we did it right then.  She had been asking for a bike, so we got her a princess bike and Dora helmet.  She ended up liking the helmet more than the bike!  We did get the bike a little big because it was either get a 10-inch princess bike or a 16-inch.  There were no 12 or 14 inch princess bikes.  Luckily her feet still touch the pedals.  And the bike will last her longer.  It was pretty hilarious taking her to ride for the first time.  She kept pedaling backwards which would stop her abruptly.  She would watch her feet instead of where she was going and run into bushes, grass, benches, etc.  I was trying pretty hard not to laugh.

When Richie got home from work we went to Chuck E. Cheese, which Mylie was dying to do.  She had a ball, and Michael was perfect.  Side note:  I have the most wonderful little boy!  He is the best baby ever!

After that we had cake and ice cream--and Mylie was super excited about the traditional, big cupcake for her birthday.  She kept reminding me that it would be pink.  My cake decorating skills are still pretty awesome.  I'll see my sister this week, so hopefully she'll provide me with some good tips!

And now, the pictures, in no particular order.  In fact, pretty well OUT of order. 

Blondie

I'm glad to report that my kids are getting better from their coughs, and Michael from the whooping cough.  Michael no longer does the scary/weird sounding cough, and barely coughs at all throughout the day.  Richie thinks he never had whooping cough to begin with since the county health department told me the test results were positive but inconclusive.  Hmmm.  Regardless, I'm so happy this is all passing.  I can sleep again without jumping out of bed to sit my coughing baby upright. 

I cut my little Michael's pretty brown hair and now he's blond!  Had to take a few pics of the little guy, and Mylie, of course naked, had to be in a picture too.  I wouldn't want it any other way!

Sweet Smile

I love the "suck face".  Always wanted to take a picture of the face while breastfeeding but for obvious reasons I never did that.  It's just so dang cute!

I love this sweet picture

Let Freedom Ring

I LOVE the 4th of July.  It's my other favorite holiday.  You know, besides Christmas!

Perhaps it's the patriotic feeling I get (which to be quite honest, I don't feel too much of the rest of the year), decking out--head to toe--in red, white and blue, or the magnificent music that truly makes me feel proud to be an American!

But it may be the yummy smells the grill emanates, the splashing and playing in and out of the pool--EVERYONE hops in on this special occasion, or the company of friends and family.

Or maybe it's the spectacular displays of fireworks accompanied by the loud booms that you feel pounding within your own body.  Sometimes I can't help but "ooooo!" and "aaaaaah!" out loud.  And it's always a little disappointing when the fireworks come to an end, but at least I have next year to look forward to!

Let's be honest here, it's all of these!  It started in my childhood--spending time with extended family.  Morning parade.  Suncreen.  Pool time.  Barbeque.  Watermelon.  Corn on the cob.  Popsicles.  Cousins.  Listening to adult conversations.  Cards.  Games.  Water balloons. FUN.

But my all time favorite thing to do on my other favorite holiday was attend (uh um...drum roll) The Stadium of Fire!  Some may not be impressed by this glorious production, held annually at the Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah.  But I am thoroughly impressed each and every time I get to go.  Sadly, it has been a few years since I have been able to go as I do not live in Utah anymore, and my husband isn't as awestruck by the production as I am.  But I hope that someday I can start to take my kids to it and help them love this holiday as much as I do.

Some things I love and remember about the Stadium of Fire:
Patriotic presentations
Jets flying really low over the stadium
Stomping our feet on the bleachers
The "wave"
Parachuters
Dancers
The Osmonds
Pledge of Allegiance
Beach Boys
Motorcyclist on the tightrope
Martina McBride
Human cannonballs
Reba McIntire
High diver
FIRE--lots of it!
Music
Candy
Fireworks WITH patriotic music (they are ALWAYS better with patriotic music!)

Well you'd think that I got to go this year since I am talking all about it.  But no.  Not the case.  We did have a fun day though!  A stake breakfast and short presentation, swimming and barbeque with some friends, and fireworks on the grass that evening.  I loved how Mylie kept saying, "Mommy, I'm excited for the fireworks!"  Maybe I can trick her in to loving the 4th as much as I do so we can share in our anticipation and excitement for it in years to come.

Thanks Mom and Dad, for creating such wonderful memories for me.

Happy Independence Day!

It was so hot at the stake breakfast, Mylie attempted to cool herself down with a leaf/

I love this swim outfit.  Thanks Gwama Ameen!

Almost ready to go see fireworks!

My Kids are Sicker than Your Kids

Did I get punished for saying my kids were cuter than your kids?  Because you KNOW I was just kidding didn't you?  I love kids and think that almost every kid is cute!

In May, both of my kids, my husband and I started coughing (or in the words of Mylie, we "got the coughs").  Mine got better, Richie's lasted a little longer, and Mylie and Michael's got worse!  I took Michael to the doctor first because he's started sounding like a cough I had never heard before.  Can't even explain it or copy it with my own voice.  But it scared me.  When his doctor heard it she clearly got nervous and gave him a breathing treatment right away.  Then she sent us to ER because she was afraid it was bronchitis or the whooping cough.

The ER doctor never heard the cough but diagnosed Michael with an upper respiratory infection.  They did take a snot sample to be safe and said they would call me with results...which they never did.

About a week later I got a call from San Bernardino County Health Department telling me that Michael's test results came back positive but inconclusive for the Whooping Cough (which can be fatal!)  And can somebody please tell me what that means?...positive but inconclusive???  The woman I talked to asked several questions and we came to the conclusion that Mylie probably had it too, but since she's been vaccinated it would last half the time--50 days--and not be as severe.  So poor Michael will be coughing for at least 100 days!  Holy moly.  That makes me sad.

I took Michael back to the doctor who had FINALLY gotten test results back from the hospital and she confirmed it was the whooping cough.  She gave me some samples to take home and do some breathing treatments on my own at home. He's also taking a couple other medications, and to tell the truth, I don't feel like anything has really helped yet.  His doctor told us yesterday at his appointment that we're doing everything we can do for whooping cough, so just keep doing it.

The kids should not be contagious anymore.  They have finished their antibiotics and should be clear and good, although Michael's doctor was nervous about him being around my sister who is currently pregnant with severe hyperemesis...that's a whole other story, my goodness!  But if we were around you when the kids were contagious and now you or your kids have a cough, I apologize from the bottom of my heart!  And PS, I was told that we need whooping cough boosters about every 10 years.  So if yours isn't up-to-date, now is a good time to take care of that since the whooping cough is coming around again!

And because I posted, I can't help but add a couple pictures of my cuties.  Then I'll go look at your blogs to see your little cuties too, and I'll smile.

I'm a Big Girl Now

Mylie officially became a big girl last night.  She made a decision.  A BIG decision, all on her own.  And it almost made me cry watching my baby girl stick to it--to something she really, really wanted!

Sunday evening Mylie got into my jewelry box.  When I caught her she explained to me that she just wanted to wear some earrings.  I told her she couldn't wear my earrings because her ears weren't pierced.  She proceeded to BEG to go get her ears pierced...even AFTER I explained the process to her and told her it was going to hurt!  We agreed that she could get her ears pierced the next day.

Monday morning rolled around and Mylie certainly hadn't forgotten our conversation.  She talked about it with Daddy before he left for work, then we decided we would do it while he was at work.  As we're getting ready for the day she said, "I don't want to get my ears pierced now."  I asked why and she said she was too scared. 

When Daddy came home she changed her mind again.  So for Family Home Evening we went to Victoria Gardens and found Claire's.  When the ear piercing girl came, Mylie got scared again and ran away! Richie assured her that she did not have to get her ears pierced if she didn't want to.  Through tears and I'm sure internal torment, Mylie said she still wanted to do it.  She continued to whimper but was determined to get earrings in those lobes.

We waited until she was really ready and she chose to sit on Daddy's lap and hold a teddy bear for the event...and here you see it, play by play...

She was soooo scared!

Cleaning the ears.

Marking the spots to pierce the ears.

Trying really hard to smile!

Closer up of her trying hard to smile...

And BAM!  Left earring in, no tears!  Second earring, here it comes!

And then the tears flowed freely and immediately.

 But I couldn't believe how brave she was!  She was completely still for the whole process, and even though she knew it was going to hurt and was scared to death, she stuck with her decision.  I couldn't believe it.  To me that says a lot about her character.  I hope her decision making is this strong during her teenage years...I mean as long as her decisions are GOOD! 

She was all smiles after wards, but obviously not for the camera. 
She was happy to get her regular strawberry ice cream
mixed with M&M's.

And there's the beautiful earring!

I will eventually get her smiling with those beauty's.  Mylie girl, you amaze me and I just love you to pieces.  But you're growing up SO fast!  Stop that!

My Kids are Cuter than Your Kids

I hope you know I'm kidding.

But of course I do totally think my kids are adorable.  I believe my Graves' genes have taken control of my kids' looks.  I've had a few people tell me Michael looks just like me, and if you could see pics of me at Mylie's age, there's no question that she's my daughter.  I do see Richie in them too though.  I hope they both get Richie's brain power cuz I got nuthin' in my noggin.

Here's some recent pics of the little cuties.

(and PS, after reading all that, it seems as though I think I am adorable.  Well, I do.  Ha ha ha!!!)

What the heck is going on with her shirt???

Isn't Mylie a sweet sister?!

Oooooo I love this one!

Happy Birthday Richie

A little past due, but just wanted to post some pics from Richie's 28th birthday.  You can tell from the pictures that we made it a HUGE deal.  Ha ha.  And yup, there's Mylie unclothed once again. 

The big birthday cupcake has officially become a tradition.  Mylie is totally looking forward to her big pink cupcake for her upcoming birthday.  Now if only I knew how to decorate a cake.  Mine are absolutely hideous.  Any tips out there?