I wanted to start this new thing. I always have these random thoughts I want to put on my blog, but they don't seem to justify an entire post on their own, so I thought I'd compile them every once in awhile. And I'll try to incorporate a picture too. Because who cares what I write about anyway. Ok, here I go. Now. Here I go.
1. Given the opportunity, my children will eat massive amounts of fruit. Last week I bought a pack of apples at Costco and put it on the countertop. They ate all but three in one day and the only reason they didn't eat those is because I finally put them on the fridge. I mean, it's weird right? A four year old eating four giant apples in one day? C'mon boys eat a cookie already.
2. I hate styrofoam for two reasons: the way it feels when I touch it and the way it sounds when it touches anything. I do not comprehend how everyone else does not want to curl into the fetal position when they have to touch styrofoam. Styrofoam is my kryptonite.
3. Collin turns his head whenever I turn the camera. Probably he thinks I have a ton of weird sideways pictures sitting around. Also, Collin always has jam on his face. It looks like I am one of those moms who never cleans her kids' face, but actually the jam is self-replenishing. (nope, I just don't like cleaning his face)
Can you believe Claire is six months old tomorrow? Well, I can't. I have been watching her constantly for the past half of a year but she is still growing faster than I can process. Having Claire, it is wonderful. I just wish I could always have a baby. And it doesn't hurt that Claire has been sleeping through the night since, like, forever. Don't hate me. I had twins! I sorta think I earned that.
Zach blessed Claire on New Years' Day. She was so pretty in the dress her Grandma made for her we almost didn't notice that she cried through the whole thing. Almost.
The other day Claire's hair looked like this and Zach said "Oh Claire, you ARE a Webb". Webb hair defies gravity.
This is what Claire spends most of her time doing right now. I think maybe she is trying to grow. How rude.
Last Saturday I rubbed my finger over Claire's gums and could feel her first little tooth was about to break through. I decided to have one last toothless grin photoshoot. Ahh, I love a toothless baby.
Whatcha doing with those toes Claire?
Ahh, I see.
Claire's first tooth made its appearance on Wednesday. She is a champion teether. Oh, and one last thought:
The night before Claire was born Zach took me to a movie theater we have never visited. It was old and creepy and at first we were the only ones there, which was uncomfortable to me because I thought if anyone comes in here with a chainsaw to murder us, there will be no witnesses. I think about these things. Luckily, a few other people finally showed up so I could relax a little and focus on the movie. We watched Midnight in Paris and now I totally want to copy Zelda Fitzgerald.
Oh my gosh, how do you get your hair to do that? Perm? Wig? Genetics? Also, I wasn't sure it was ok to dress in 20s style clothes when you are not at a Halloween party, but looky here:
Shabby Apple
What do you think? Could we bring back the roaring 20s' or would it just be a disastrous repeat of Bernice Bobs Her Hair?
In December I didn't do much. I just flew across the country alone with three small children. I know. I can't believe I lived to tell the tale either. Especially the part about where our plane was late and we missed our layover. I stepped off the plane in Salt Lake City with Claire in my front pack, Collin clinging to my pants and Grant running away from me when I heard someone yell "Amber". There at my gate with a wheelchair to collect my boys was my super aunt to save the day. I would have been confused about how she got past security and how she found my exact gate, but I was too tired to ask questions.
The day after we got to my parents, we drove ten hours to see my little sister graduate. Way to go Em! She is the sister I am not allowed to mention on this blog. But I'm going to post a picture of her anyway.
Emily and Claire are such great friends. On the way home from Emily's graduation, we drove by a cool looking train, which I pointed out to my train obsessed boys. Then my dad pulled over to get a closer look and then we got out of the car and my Mom said, hey, can we get on the train? And they said, sure, just give us your credit card. Then as the train took off we were thinking "What the heck are we doing on this train anyway?" Things started to click a little when Santa came to say hello to all the children.
Grant sat stupefied when Santa sat down across from him and asked what he wanted for Christmas. Collin did his best to appear he didn't notice - but we know he did. Grant just said "uhhhh uhhh" until Santa had to move on. When Santa got up, Grant finally collected himself and yelled "Santa! I want a gun!" Then Santa turned around and yelled "You'll shoot your eye out kid" No joke! Except the part about what Santa said. That didn't really happen. But all the rest of it did.
Then Christmas came and guess what Grant got?
You betcha! One for each hand.
Other notable and difficult to believe events:
My Dad taught Claire some important life skills: circus tricks.
The boys inspected Grandpa's airplane
Zach says all Leavitt family pictures have a dead fish in them. This fish happens to still be alive.
I hope you are having a happy Thanksgiving. When Grant was three days old, we had to take him to the emergency room for a fever. It was his first Thanksgiving. They did a spinal tap and gave him an IV and drew his blood and hooked him up to monitors. I couldn't hold him. I was filthy because I hadn't even showered since we left the last hospital. Zach resorted to swearing at the doctors a few times. I just sat on the window seat crying most of the day. For dinner we ate hospital food. It was sad. Every year I think about that Thanksgiving and I feel thankful that time always passes and I know on my worst days things will get better.
I am thankful for Collin's quiet determination and Grant's loud enthusiasm. I am thankful for Zach's patience and Claire's smiles and coos. I am thankful for the humility and compassion I have learned from being a mother. I hope I don't have to learn much more of it.
I am thankful for my mom who taught me how to bake bread and my dad who introduced me to squash and sweet potatoes and all sorts of things I used to think were gross. I am grateful for my siblings and my in-laws and loyal friends.
I am thankful for my college education - especially my stats class that taught me to always ask questions and my humanities professor who always found comedy in art and literature. I am thankful for my boys' teachers who teach because they love it.
I am thankful for Target and Costco and my minivan and indoor plumbing. I am thankful the garbage truck collects my trash every week. I am thankful for computers and cameras and the Internet and modern transportation.
And... I am thankful for friends who like me enough to read a long rambling list of things I'm thankful for. Thanks everyone! Happy Turkey Day.
