ENTERTAINING A 16 MONTH OLD

Some days, it's a wonder I get ANYTHING done. I can have plans of what I want to accomplish that day but never seem to remember that my baby probably has plans as well. So this is how a typical day goes around my house.

We get up and have breakfast, sometimes we eat it, sometimes we wear it. Or sometimes it ends up on the floor and I bring the dogs in to lick it up so I don't have to mop.





After getting Colton off to school, it's get dressed and play time. We play with toys or watch a movie. Lately, it's been the Sesame Street movies. Nicholas has his own way of watching them. Comfortably sitting in a laundry basket with his blankie listening to Elmo. (I'm a little tired of "Elmos Song" & "Rubber Duckie")




We try to rotate the toys so we play with something different every day. he LOVES music and usually wants it playing all the time. So we have learned to make our own. He has a music stand that he plays and daces to or we break out the pots and big plastic bowls with the wooden spoons and play drums. It was fun when he figured out how Grandmas toy works that he got for Christmas. Once he pulled the string and it followed, he thought that was pretty funny! (see videos at the bottom of the page!)


If the dogs have been good, we let them come in for a while. Nicholas is at perfect licking height for them. (Maybe I should just let the dogs lick him clean after he eats.) He loves running around with them and then when they get tired, they lay down. Whenever we...or the dogs lay down; to Nicholas you have "assumed the wrestling position." (It was hilarious when we were at church and another baby just younger than him laid down and Nicholas body slammed him...felt bad but couldn't help but laugh.) The dogs are really patient with him and don't seem to mind.



Then it's a little lunch and off to bed. When he gets up it's more play time. Now that Daddy will be at work during the day, Nicholas can sit and play the piano more. When he wants you to play with him, he pats the seat and scoots over to make room for me or dad and then we play a duet together.

Once the brothers come home... it's just CHAOS!!! He's so excited that he is just running around non stop. He likes to help them clean their rooms by giving them more to clean, he empties all the papers off the coffee table and pulls the vacuum plug out of the wall while Josh vacuums the house. He also help sort laundry, draggin both clean and dirty around the house and leaving us guessing which is which. Then its snack time. He loves his Nutri Grain bars, Fig Newtons, Yogurt, cheese and apples. Except he likes to eat apples whole and when he's done, it looks like a bunch of little mice have been nibbling on it.

At the end of the day, he's down right tired from all the running around, messes and playing and usually crashes 5 min. after I put him in his bed at 7:00 pm!!! For mom, that's the countdown to my own personal "Happy Hour." So though I may start the day with a list of things to do, I can't complain too much when I haven't accomplished them because what I REALLY accomplished was spending a day with him and watching him grow!

NEW YEARS EVE 10 YEARS AGO

It's New Years again. Funny how it seems to sneak up on you faster and faster each year! We can't help but look back at the year and reflect upon the memories we created and the ones that lie in store for the future.

One thing I always reflect upon and remember is New Years Eve 1999. It was the turn of a new century and Scott and I were dating. We went out New Years Eve; dinner at Olive Garden, a movie which I don't remember. I think it was Anna & the King. Then I wanted to go dancing. Growing up, that was the tradition, the big new Years Eve dance at the mall. So Scott took me to a place where he said "there was a dance." It was dark and very foggy that night. All I could see was a field of darkness and fog. I told him he must be smokin' something because there was NO dance there. No lights, people, cars...NOTHING. I had NO idea where we were! He said wait here and got out of the car and ran into the fog. He came back a couple times and got stuff out of the trunk and kept running back and forth. Soon, car pulled up behind me; and then I saw the red and blue lights flashing. YEP, it was the cops. Oh this is going to be good. An officer came up to my window asking if I was okay. I told him I was fine, I was just waiting for my boyfriend who ran into the fog. I made the mistake of saying that I really had no idea where he was and neither did I. (I was living in Salt Lake still and wasn't too familiar with Scott's area and surroundings.) The officer then asked if I had been drinking and proceeded to interrogate me about my evening.
I knew Scott had been in law enforcement previously and thought this was one of his friends. Then Scott showed up and the officer asked for his ID as well; then I knew it was real! I told him he was dead!

He then let me get out of the car, told me to close my eyes and hold his hand. He took me through the fog; making sure I didn't stumble in my heels. When he told me to open my eyes, there was a Gazeebo in front of me with a picnic table. it was covered with a table cloth, candles, music playing, a bottle of Sparkling Cider, two goblets and a long white box. He then took me in his arms and danced with me. We sat and toasted the end of 1999 and talked about what we wanted to see in 2000. We then heard the cheers and horns start bringing in the New Year. He handed me the big box and had me open it. It was a dozen long stemmed red roses, they were beautiful. I started to put the lid back on when he told me there was something else in there. Then I saw it, a small black velvet box. I picked it up and held it in my hands. My heart started pounding, my eyes began to fill with tears and time stood still. He finally had to open it and show me. It was a ring (Only obvious right??) He took it out and said that one thing he wanted to do in the New Year was to marry me, then asked if I would marry him. Tears were streaming down my face; I was so full of emotion I couldn't speak. He placed the ring on my finger and then pointed out that I hadn't answered his question. All I could do was nod my head up and down.
For a girl, she dreams of this moment and how romantic she wants this to be and how full of love this magic moment is. It was that way for me and it was sealed with the best kiss ever!

We went back to his house to put Josh to bed and I called my family. Of course they were up, it wasn't even New Years yet. Mom asked what I was doing and I told her "I'm sitting her talking to my fiancee!" She cheered so loud I had to hold the phone away. Dad got on the phone and then congratulated us as well. Then I found out that....mom KNEW I was getting engaged that night and had actually started telling people at home! How nice, mom and people at home knew BEFORE I did!
It is now 10 years later, wow, what a ride it has been. Three children, a home addition, 3 cars, 3rd & 4th dog later. I have to remind him that he has to carry on the tradition by giving me a fabulous kiss like the night he proposed. Needless to say, the magic from that moment is gone. Kissing is now old news I guess because all I got tonight was just a peck on the lips. That's okay, I'm actually too tired so I'm going to bed...alone, while HE stays up.