thoughts on a sunday

Layla and her "da da da" outside this afternoon.

• Layes has started saying da da da.  She pulls it out when she is the most happy.  This morning we asked her who she loved the best and she answered "da da da".  We all know that's not true.
  
  
• Also, she's not really saying da da, it's just a sound she's discovered.  She's also really into kissing herself over and over and over in the mirror.  My mirror is covered with baby slobber, but it's just about her favorite past time, so who am I to deny her?
  
  
• McKay is playing with Elle's barbies that were left out on the floor.  One of the barbies just sang, "And then you poop on your mom's new underwear," in a rock-n-roll sort of tune.  This can only make me smile, but then I get a little sad.  Because right now in their innocent little minds potty talk is as bad as it gets.  It will be a sad day when potty talk is no longer so dangerous.
  
  
• But the other night I had a comforting thought as I was reading the scriptures (skip if you're already bored).  Whenever I think about my children growing up in such a wicked world, and wonder how I am ever going to protect and prepare them I get anxiety.  I think about all the issues regarding same-sex marriage and homosexuality and how it's probably going to get very intense and uncomfortable at times for them to stand up for what's right.  It already is that way, and thinking of the downward spiral this world is going in as far as morality makes me so nervous.  What will it be like for them?  I shudder at the thought and get easily overwhelmed.  As I was reading, I thought about the stripling warriors and how they were so young and so few in number, fighting against such a large and gruesome army of Lamanites. Logistically they didn't have a chance.  But because they fought for the Lord they defeated the Lamanites and not one was lost.  Not one.  This makes me think of the amazing children we're raising, and how in this world, we are few in number, and our children are young, and we're going up against the wickedness that the world is trying to call normal- Satan himself, a large and powerful army.  But we're fighting for what's right.  And our children have been saved for this time.  We're on the Lord's side and He can make up for a lot, and when I think about it like that, it's not so scary.  I don't know, maybe this thought isn't original, but it was new to me and its helped me to not fear the future as much, but take comfort in the fact that even though we're small in number, the fight is still worth fighting.
  
  
• Brian just discovered that I start sentences with "and".  I do it all the time, totally on purpose.  I know that it's not correct, but a lot of the time it just feels right.  Brian's not sure he can read my blog anymore.  And that's a price I'm willing to pay.
  
  
• We taught McKay's primary class today.  I was excited to be able to spy on Ellery in primary, but she was excited that we were there too, and had a hard time not turning around and waving every two minutes.  McKay felt so cool that we were his teachers, and it made us have sympathy for his real teachers.  He's a good boy, but he likes to talk way off subject and loves more than anything to make his friends laugh.  Those poor women.
  
  
• I can't get Layla to eat breakfast.  She's not interested.  Dinner is really the only time she'll eat baby food.  And she's picky too.  She likes veggies, especially the green ones, but she's not a fan of fruit -quite yet.
  
  
• Ellery's ballet class is going okay.  I say just okay because last week she was the only girl who had to come out and use the bathroom.  Except, she didn't have to use the bathroom.  She just said that so that she could come out and ask for a drink.  She is the youngest, by far, and I think ballet might be a little too serious for her right now.  She likes it, and loves to get dressed up and she loves the idea of it all, but I think it's obvious that she's a little bored.  Next time we'll definitely try something a little more upbeat.
  
  
• So far, three of McKay's tee ball games have been cancelled because of rain.  That's just life around here, I guess.  He's taken it pretty well, and was happy to get all dressed up in his uniform on Saturday for team pictures, even though the game was cancelled.
  
  
• The VA is slowly sucking the life out of my husband.  I'm okay with this though, because when the VA is over, that's when he goes to Grants Pass.  So I want it to last as long as possible.  
  
  
• My mom and dad sent us an Easter package this week.  It was like Christmas morning in a box!  The kids eyes were huge when we opened it and they saw all the fun things inside.  We definitely got spoiled by Grammy and Poppy and it was such a fun thing for a not so fun week of waiting.
  
  
• There was an afternoon this week where my kids were both asked to play at friends' houses and Layla and I got to run errands with just each other.  It was so nice to just have one child to take around with me.  McKay even had dinner with the missionaries at his friend's house.  I'm so grateful for all the friends my kids have in this ward.  There is no shortage of children in our ward, and McKay, Ellery, and even Layla all have lots of kids their age to play with.
  
  
• McKay is into saying really long prayers.  Some new items of thanks are animals, sea creatures and cozy beds.  He really does say sweet prayers though- and I'm always impressed when I hear him pray for those who are sick and struggling.  It makes me happy.  It's cute to hear him repeat phrases that he's heard other people use, even though he might not know what he's saying.
  
  
• If you didn't already know, Ellery is quite a loud child.  Like really, really loud.  She can be as sweet and mild as can be, but by default she is loud and uninhibited with her voice.
  
• All week Ellery has been telling Brian she loves him.  Then he'll say, "I love you more." and she'll say, "I love you most."  He was feeling quite tender about this frequent little exchange they were having until I told him that it was a line from Tangled.
  
  
• Speaking of Tangled, my mom sent Ellery a little Rapunzel figure.  The three inch tall doll has about ten inches of hair.    By day one I decided it had to be braided.  Ellery was okay with this for a day, but then out came the braid.  Now, on day five Rapunzel is half way to one huge dread lock.  It can't be brushed, and Ellery keeps putting it in a pony tail and taking it out.  Rapunzel's hair is so tangled that her arms frequently get stuck in her hair and her face is almost always buried in the rats nest.  Amazingly, Ellery doesn't mind at all and thinks she's as beautiful as ever.  

Happy Sunday!