daily joys of motherhood

wet kisses
spontaneous dance parties
indulging in a sweet treat together
tummy raspberries
reading books together - i especially love the back-up to sit on my lap *heart eyes*
playing pretend
joyful giggles
laughing at the hilarious things they say and do
seeing the world through their rose-colored glasses
always being ready for an adventure

for every moment they make me want to pull my hair out, there are a dozen moments like this.

hazel:
has to make a wish on every dandelion on our walk home from school
is still obsessed with the number 11
asks for hot chocolate even on warm days
is always saying also-ly, "let's ride the matterhorn and also-ly the teacups"
puts on her "you make me smile" jammies first thing when they are clean
walks up the stairs on all fours, as slowly as she can (especially when we are in a hurry) - she knows how to get on my nerves!

cora:
says yes in the most enthusiastic, slow-building shout "yyyyyyYUH-ES!"
is obsessed with pizza right now
is a champion fit-thrower
helps me make dinner or a treat often.  she is expert at evenly spreading cheese on pizza!
has started fighting her naps a little bit
could be potty-trained right now, if she wanted to be
has started talking tons, but i only understand about half of it!

some cute {some annoying} things the girls are into lately!

cora's favorite pastimes:

seeing how fast she can dump all the toys in the house out of their containers

throwing herself down on the ground when she doesn't get her way - often this also involves some kind of injury like her head smacking into the wall

reading books

delaying any outing by refusing to put on coat and shoes, and then when i finally do get shoes on her, taking them off multiple times before we get out the door

screaming at the top of her lungs when i tell her "no" to more fruit snacks

singing unintelligibly

looking at me, scrunching up her nose, and giggling

hazel's favorite pastimes:
planning out every second of each day
requesting 11 of everything.  11 chicken nuggets, 11 minutes until we get someplace, saying she is 11 years old
playing pretend.  especially going to "pretend disneyland"
scrubbing toilets - this is not a joke.  she really loves it and i'm going to try and keep it up forever and ever
reading books
avoiding eating the food i make for her
listening to blasting music in the car

favorites

here are some things that our girls are loving right now.

CORA:
singing: "i'm so glad when daddy gets home", and then doing all the actions to him.  so cute.
eating kleenex
pressing buttons
blowing kisses
running up to me, planting a juicy kiss on my lips and then turning around to sit in my lap
throwing her head down on the ground in a fit of rage when she doesn't get her way
the book: "moo baa la la la"
when we clap and say "yay!"
reading books
playing outside on a warm day


HAZEL:
snapchat
singing: twinkle twinkle, abc's, mary had a little lamb, days of the week song, itsy bitsy spider, disney princess songs, etc.
puzzles!
jumping on the couch (although i'm not too thrilled about this)
reading at least "five books" every night. (the negotiating has begun)
telling what she ate for a snack at school that day.
going to the park or playground or play gym
talking about money and how we buy things
counting - my favorite is everything past thirty - "twenty-ten, twenty-eleven, twenty-twelve...."
talking about what words start with which letter

love these two girls {and their daddy!} and the laughter and fun they provide each day.  i am so blessed.

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT LIFE

no one can blame you if you take a second handful of cadbury eggs {or a third... or fourth...}

you will usually end up liking someone if you strike up a conversation with them

diet coke exists pretty much everywhere in the world

weekends happen

there is such a thing as puppies

when my children want to play with me basically all day long

you can ask for forgiveness

you can forgive

we can always order chinese

picnics out on the lawn, complete with chicken nuggets, bubbles, and two giggling girls

a lifetime to change and get better

laughing until you cry

singing beatles songs before tucking the girls in

warm weather and sweeping the dust off your porch to welcome in spring

wishing:  my baby didn't have to go through teething.

drinking:  diet coke all. day. long.

making:  a big girl bed frame for my hazelnut.

looking:  for fabric to make halloween costumes.

reading:  the screwtape letters.

wanting:  a vintage peacoat.

playing:  with my girls every chance i get.

waiting:  for the weather to cool off just a little bit more.

listening: to this american life on npr.

hoping:  that i am the kind of wife and mother that heavenly father wants me to be.

following:  the republican race.

wondering:  when i'll learn to be more patient.
needing:  phone chats with friends and family.

praying:  for loved ones who desperately need help and comfort.

smelling:  freshly baked glenna buns.

loving: sitting outside with my girls.

noticing:  john's selfless actions and endless patience.
wearing:  my skinny jeans once again.  {thank you, breastfeeding.}
thinking: it's about time for some hot chocolate.

lots to love.

things i am loving right now:

listening to hazel "read" - books she has essentially memorized - to the rest of us.
fall crockpot soup smells.
tickling cora mae under her chin.
having hazel help me water the plants.
listening to npr radio while i mother.
reaching across the bed to john after a long, exhausting day, and just squeezing his hand. he gets me.
watching hazel make cora laugh.
drinking lemonade.
sneaking into the girls' room at night to watch them sleep.
coloring outside with sidewalk chalk.
sitting on the porch at night, feeling that pre-fall crisp in the air.

things i'm loving that our girls are doing these days:

hazel at two-and-a-half years:

off-pitch humming to intro theme songs of tv shows we watch

going over to cora and talking to her when she is sad

saying things like "good job!" when i am asking her if she is keeping her panties dry

going pee pee in the potty like a big girl!

reading books and counting things

pointing out the color of everything in stores

cora at five months:

looking up at us and smiling all. the. time. {like seriously, anytime we make eye contact}

watching her busy sister move around the room

grabbing her feet and eating them

taking long naps so i can get stuff done {hazel never did this}

sitting up on her own

babbling on car rides

things 26-month-old hazel loves:

26 months is kind of a random time to do this post.  but the other day i was thinking about all the fun little things she loves right now and it's too funny to not record.  hopefully some day we will look back at these posts and really miss having a toddler ;)

things 26-month-old hazel loves:

postponing diaper changes

"popcorn popping on the apricot tree" - complete with actions!

being able to communicate a little better about what she wants

fishy crackers and apple juice (STILL)

comforting her little sister when she is crying

"surprise egg" videos on youtube -which by the way, i kind of despise!

using her growling voice to sing the ABC's

crab-walking

Untitled from Paige Brunt on Vimeo.

things i want to be.

a selfless wife
a tender mother
a caring nurse
a humble child
a willing helper
a positive thinker
a hopeful learner
a kind neighbor

taking stock.

writing this, made me think of this.  which, come to think of it, is exactly how i feel right now.

wishing:  my baby didn't have to go through teething.

drinking:  coke zero with vanilla all. day. long.

making:  thousands of headbands for my bald baby.

looking:  for my halloween decorations. {where did they go?!?}

reading:  catch 22 every night shift.

wanting:  a watercolor painting set.

playing:  with my giggly baby every chance i get.

waiting:  for a half shift at work that doesn't end at 2am.

hoping:  that i am the kind of wife/mother/daughter/caregiver that heavenly father wants me to be.

making:  headway on my multiple ongoing, endless cleaning and crafting projects

following:  literally fifteen shows on tv.

wondering:  when i'll learn to be more patient.
needing:  a new hairstyle.
smelling:  a delightful "harvest pumpkin" candle.
liking:  the crisp air outside.
noticing:  john's quiet contentment with life.
wearing:  my skinny jeans once again.  {thank you, breastfeeding.}
thinking:  that i might need to get off the computer and go fold some laundry.

thanks for the idea, sydney.

someday home.

i dream of smooth, white walls.
i dream of peach trees and raspberry bushes in the backyard.
i dream of cozy homemade quilts and a good book by the fire.
i dream of hot chocolate, snuggles, and sleeping in.
i dream of falling asleep to the clash of waves.
i dream of bare feet on endless hardwood floors.
i dream of card games into the late hours of the night.
i dream of dancing to old records.
i dream of someday home.

some nice things....

1.  curling in front of the fireplace with a blanket, hot cocoa, and a new book

2.  snuggling

3.  quoting movies

4.  using a groupon to one of our favorite restaurants

5.  finding a great movie on sale for only $4

6.  making cream-cheese frosting and eating it by the spoonful

7.  hanging upside-down on the couch

8.  christmas clothes

9.  attending music indoctrination by john as we chill on the bed

10.  eskimo kisses from the most attractive man in the world

ice cream, christmas pillowcases, and other things i love.

things i am loving lately:

tillamook udderly chocolate ice cream.

christmas pillowcases from my mom.

this handsome man.

scones for lunch.

also:

our two and a half hour nap today.

john's wonderful fried rice.

knowing that there are only 27 sleeps until christmas.

grateful for:

changing leaves

diet pepsi

fun-size snickers

christmas music, particularly the singers unlimited

having a new craft to do

afternoon naps

turkey

giving someone a wink

for all those times i wasn't car shopping

indian corn

chapstick

pink highlighters

advice from my parents

neilson's mini concrete with caramel and brownie bits

remembering last summer

long chats with john

songbirds

a little list... of the things i am looking forward to for the holidays.

1.  eating chex mix

2.  picking out a christmas tree

3.  getting fat and caring not about it

4.  teaching monkey the must-know thanksgiving and christmas songs

5.  reading the best christmas pageant ever with john

6.  having time to fold laundry

7.  having a reason to wear scarves, cardigans, and boots

8.  seeing the lights at temple square

9.  being patho-care tree free

10. curling up next to the fire and watching the muppet's christmas carol {seriously. i love it.}

things that are making me smile as of late:

1.  trying my first j-dawg.

2.  curling up on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate.

3.  splashing in puddles with my rocketdog boots on.

4.  happening upon baby pictures of that husband of mine.  {i can't wait to have a mini john of my own....}

5.  taking looooong naps in the afternoon.

6.  giving and getting notes.

7.  refusing to be productive on a saturday for once.

8.  half-baked ben and jerry's ice cream.

9.  coming up with halloween costumes.

10.  diet a&w.  

this is what 6am looks like.

for the most part, getting up at 4:30am for peds clinical  is not much different from getting up at 5am for labor and delivery. waking up feels about the same {horrible}. getting ready feels about the same{drunken}.  eating breakfast feels about the same{barfy}.  

here are some things i actually really like about getting up in the wee hours of the morning: 

1.  snoozing on the way to salt lake.

2.  listening to the world all peaceful and quiet.  

3.  waiting for trax and loving that brisk fall air at magical 6am on a friday morning.

a little list.....

of the top ten things i am most excited for this summer.... {in no particular order}

1.  going on a {surprise!} trip with my shmohn.... {john dear, i've decided that i want you to decide where we go.  - hence the surprise part.  i'll be happy with anywhere, but preferably somewhere with really good food.  i think you can handle that...}

2.  being shut up in cabins {by choice} almost every single weekend for the next four months.... {this includes 4-wheeling and hikes and fishing and frisbee golf and floats down the river.... i get thrills just thinking about it!} 

3.  reading the twenty-eight books that i have lined up for summer.... {the alchemist, the catcher in the rye, and jane eyre made the list.... i am a sucker for any good book and always open to suggestions.... hint hint.....}

4.  soaking up the sun whilst teaching swim lessons to little rugrats at the neighborhood pool. {they are so adorable.}

5.  wake-boarding in lake powell {and eating, and boating, and playing, and exploring, and cliff-jumping......}

6.  crafting!  {i want to make this, and this, and this, and quite possibly fabric curtains for my bore of a bedroom.}

7.  cooking..... 

8.  cleaning {is it strange that this is in my top ten?}

9.  a new show!  {my friend madison picks a new tv show to start each summer.  and since she's great i like to copy her.  i am thinking saved by the bell might be a good one.  i have seen so little of it, unfortunately it was before my time....}

10.  snuggling, relaxing, chilling with john.  {more on why i am the luckiest girl alive here and here.}

last day of actual classes for me today.  

super thrilled.

hope your day is warm and bright, and simply lovely!

to do:

1.  finish all my papers and assignments
2.  attend all my final labs
3.  make it through the next two pharm and med-surg lectures
4.  study study study
5.  take my lab final
6.  take my pharm final
7.  take my med-surg final
8.  burn all my books

{note:  i am not bitter, just ready to be done with this semester}