Wednesday, September 19, 2012

what we've been up to

Not a whole lot of news from our house but I thought I better post.  J has been coming home at a decent hour this week and that makes everyone in our household a whole lot happier!  The house is coming along and we are happy with the progress.  Still pretty sure we won't be in before baby #2 makes the big debut, but what can you do?  We have a HUGE pile of wood in the backyard so we are ready to use the wood burning stove.  Jeff should be done splitting this evening...phew.  Now the stacking begins.  I think we have enough for probably two-three years...no joke.   
Heidi spends the great majority of her day playing legos...seriously, it is all she ever wants to do.  Well, legos and "helping" wash dishes...which is what I feel like I do all day.  Once I have a dishwasher again, I think I might have to kiss it everyday.  I would have been a lousy pioneer.  I think Heidi will just get more legos for Christmas because they keep her entertained for hours on end.  We have also been making as many park visits as we can since we know the weather will turn on us soon.

Last weekend we went to Ogden to pick out flooring.  While there we set a date to see some of the "up north" Pony girls.  SO FUN!  Do not ask me how I ended up with no picture since I brought my camera and everything.  It was so fun to chat with some of the best friends I have ever had.  I love that after not seeing each other for years, it feels like no time has passed.  So fun to see their darling little families and catch up a bit.  Can't wait for the next get together...we are trying to get a Pony reunion together sometime soon.


Friday, September 14, 2012

Is daddy home now?

I don't mean to complain because I am fully aware that there are millions of people who have it much worse than I do, but this week has been so frustrating.  Jeff has seen Heidi for a grand total of 0 hours, 0 minutes, and 0 seconds in the last five days.  It seriously breaks my heart every time she stands at the window saying, "Is daddy home now?"  Jeff's new job was supposed to bring him home around 5 pm with an occasional later stay and always an earlier morning.  This week it has brought him leaving at 5am and coming home around 10-11pm for the last five days.  And if you're wondering, no, there is no such thing as "overtime" when you are on salary.  I can't imagine what it feels like for him not to see Heidi for that long.  I can't imagine not seeing her for even one day.  Yes, it has been hard on me, but it is much, much harder for me to see how hard it is on him and Heidi.  She misses him terribly and what's worse is that I know when she does actually get to see him--which had better be tomorrow or I will quit his job for him--she will probably be so clingy to me because that's what she does when she is with just me for too long.  I really am not complaining for my sake--I am definitely the lucky one.  I get to see all the funny things Heidi is doing and I get all the hugs, snuggles, and kisses I want.  I got to be there when she went down the "big, huge slide all by self at the shady park" for the first time.  Don't get me wrong, I am seriously so grateful for his job and I know he loves it and the people he works with.  I also know that this shouldn't happen every single week...I just don't know how to not feel my heart breaking when Heidi is begging for her dad's red truck to pull in.  Not to mention all the other things that need to be taken care of like that huge pile of wood he has yet to finish splitting.  Or the stucco on the house that has been up for two days now and he hasn't seen it to see if he likes it.  Or the millions of questions the builder needs answers to that I can't give.  Oh did I mention that I have absolutely ZERO communication with him while he is at work?  No phone and he hasn't had time to even check his work email for the last week.  I am so glad I married such a hard working man, I just wish we got to see more of him because we really miss him around here.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

the two year old

 We can't believe our sweet little Heidi is already two years old!  Oh how we adore this hilarious little girl.  I finally got her in for her two year appointment.

Weight--21.6 lbs (below 3rd percentile)
Height--32.5 inches (25th percentile)
We were thrilled that she has now hit and passed the 20 pound mark!
 *Heidi is still a major mama's girl even though she adores her dad.  She cannot handle her mom leaving the house without her and she has yet to attend nursery on her own in our new ward.
*When I start making dinner she starts checking the window about every 5 minutes for her dad.  She gets so excited and then goes running out the door to greet him.  I am not sure why, but when she sees Jeff, she just starts jumping.  Then she is wild, wild, wild jumping all around until it is time to go to bed.
*She likes to repeatedly ask where people are.  "Where did daddy go?"  "Where did grandma go?"  "Where did Kyler go?"  "Where did Auntie Melissa go?"  "Where did mommy go?"  It doesn't matter if they are right next to her, she will ask where they are.
*Still a picky eater, especially if it's something new.  Doesn't love vegetables...grrrr. I was hoping she wouldn't take after her dad!
*Doing better feeding herself, but usually only for a few bites.  Then she gets sick of how long it takes and doesn't like it if she starts getting messy.  We are working really hard on this!
 *Still a yap, yap, yapper.  She usually clams up around new situations, but once she gets comfortable...oh my.  She seriously never stops talking.  She speaks in full sentences and extremely clearly.  I rarely ever have to translate for her.  Not only that, but the words she busts out surprise us daily.  I will tell her a word one time like "detective" or "astronaut" from one of her books and then she will clear as day say it the next day when reading the same book.  She will repeat a book almost word for word after you read it to her once or twice.
*Loves the singing part of nursery the best and loves to practice her songs and actions at home.
*Likes to pick out her own clothes and they are rarely what I would have chosen.  Like the long sleeve diddy seen below...it was the dead of summer and she insisted on wearing this kitty outfit her great grandma sent for her.
*Can put her shoes on and off and does pretty well getting them on the right feet most of the time.
 *For being a two year old, she is a really good listener and very obedient (knock on wood...I'm sure that will all change when baby sis comes to town).  I have had to switch her activities and distract her, but so far she hasn't even had to have a time-out.  I usually tell her once and why I don't want her doing something and four weeks later she will still be talking about how she can't take all the tissues out of the box because "mommy says no".
*Extreme rule follower...and she doesn't like it if anyone else doesn't follow the rules.  She likes to point out the kids she thinks are being naughty and lets us know what they did for weeks to come.  "Suzie push.  Suzie posed say scuse me.  Pushing not nice."  Yeah, I think we are going to have the tattle tale.  Oh boy.
*Still adores reading.  We have to visit the library at least twice a week.  Once we went and it was closed and it was the most traumatic thing that has ever happened to Heidi.  Now every time we go she says, "Library open today!"
 *Knows all of her capital letters and now likes to tell you what starts with that letter.  "A for alligator, D for daddy, H for Heidi", etc.  She loves to point letters out everywhere we go and is starting to try to write the letter H, but so far still needs mom or dad to help get the horizontal line.
*Knows all her colors including odd ones like peach, gold, silver, etc. and distinguishes between shades (light pink, dark pink, etc).
*Has an unbelievable memory and helps me finish my sentences.
*Likes to have her routine and is the very happiest when things are predictable.
 *Loves to help with everything, but dishes are her very favorite.  Boy will she be bummed when we get a dishwasher again.  She will stand on the chair and after I wash a few she will say, "Now Heidi's turn".  Then she will stick something under the running water until she sees that I have another dish.  Then she will say, "Now mommy's turn."  I love watching her stand on her little tippy toes to wash her dish.
*Loves to share and doesn't understand when other kids are mean or take toys from her.
*Rock collector.  Good thing our parking lot is gravel.  After our walks in the morning she likes us to lay on the sidewalk and look at rocks.  Every time she picks a rock you will hear, "Look at this cool rock, dad!"  Then she will point out all the features telling you whether it is big or small, smooth or rough, shaped like a heart or a triangle, etc.  We have piles of rocks sitting on our porch.
*Loves to compare things.  "Heidi has brown eyes like daddy.  Mommy has green eyes like shirt."
*The biggest tease...oh how I love what a tease she is.  She will tell me to go in the other room so she can hide the dish towel and then laugh hysterically.  She also loves to be teased.
*Likes to stick her feet through the railing on the stairs and say, "Give me that foot!"  Or she will put her hands in your face and say, "Give me those hands!" She thinks this is wildly funny.
*Does not like new situations and makes sure you know she is not happy...like the doctor.  "Doctor not check Heidi!"  Then she cries so hard she starts gagging and yes, she has been known to make herself puke. I really think she has extreme anxiety about certain things (like her mom leaving).
*Still not a world class traveler but since you can reason with her, she does a little better.  She wants someone to sit by her all the time, which is obviously not possible all the time.  She really just hates the feeling of being alone.


We are seriously so in love with our toddler and don't know where the time has gone.  We love how this little tiny girl is so full of personality and we are so incredibly grateful for the love and laughter she brings into our home.  We love you little Heidi bug!