Funnies

Well I can't figure out how I am going to get around the storage space issue I have encountered, but I don't want to forget a few of the funny things Alli has said recently.
Yesterday we were getting ready for a New Years Day party and Alli went up to Ryan and said "Dad, I have a diploma" He said "Oh what is a diploma (wondering what she was thinking it was)" A: It is an idea.  R: Okay what is your idea? A: Cameron has a case of football-itis.
Apparently he was watching some football with Ryan yesterday morning so now he has a "case" as she has referred to it. * We have wondered what she was meaning to say when she came up with diploma and just this morning I figured out that it most likely came from watching Doc McStuffins (Doc McStuffings as Alli says it) and she says "I have a diagnosis" so diagnosis and diploma are apparently interchangeable :).
Also recently Ryan was telling her she needed to not do something and her response in her little sassafrass voice-Well Dad, I am NOT an adult.   Touche` (I have no clue how to actually do the accent mark over a letter, but imagine it too-shay) Alli you are correct.  You are most definitely not an adult.  :)
However for the past almost a year Alli and this cute little boy in our ward have been great friends.  Somehow (we still can not figure out where it came from, I think David may have started it but not totally sure) they created this idea that they are going to get married.  It has evolved from having a baby when we had Cameron to at least now they are still planning on it, but it isn't until after his mission and until they are older and he can drive.  He has had quite the conversations with his mom about kissing since she kisses his dad and they are married.  David figured since he is "going to" marry Alli he can just kiss her already.  So he is a darling little boy and we would be thrilled if in about 20 years he became a son-in-law, but we are quite content waiting a LONG time for any (more) kissing to happen (they already kissed once watching a movie so now we have to watch them even closer and we have talked about saving our kisses-didn't think I would need to talk to my 4 year old about that!) So just a few days ago Ryan had Cam dressed and said something about him being a cute boy.  Alli said "Dad don't you mean handsome since he is a boy?" Ryan said" Sure, he is handsome" Alli: "You and Cam are the most handsome boys...(thought for a second) after David.  He is handsome too because I am going to marry him"

She is also quite the little teacher to Ilene and most of the time loves showing her how to do things.
This morning she created a little circus midway type game of throwing Cam's little plastic balls into an empty flower pot.  Ryan got a hilarious video of her instructing Ilene on how to bend over and just throw it in.

Ilene has this adorably sweet little voice.  And such a tragically sad cry! She will come "tell" on whoever happened to "insult" her whether it was Ryan or Alli or heaven forbid me! But she is also talking soo much! She pretty well says anything she needs and a whole bunch of things that make us laugh.  Some of our favorites are "Oh my my" "Oh my gotsch" "wight heahr" and she will count quite a bit (she definitely knows 2 is after 1 and 8 and 9 are after each other following seven) and knows most of her colors.  "pimk" being her favorite.  Mostly she loves dried mangoes and asks for them most mornings-nangos-

Cam is seriously the smiliest little chunky dude.  Oh I love him so much! I love snuggling him right before his naps.  He likes to be swaddled, snuggled for a few minutes, and then bounced to sleep with a binky and then promptly laid down right before he goes to sleep.  If I have waited too long to  get him to sleep he gets fussy and then when trying to get him to sleep he makes a little whiny/cooing sound.  He rolls over a ton (has for at least a month and a half I am just slow).  Tries talking a lot and laughs soo often.  He loves sitting up (with a little assistance as needed) and pushing/rolling a ball back and forth with his sisters.  He can sit up on his own for short periods-maybe 30 seconds? And has two bottom teeth that have been almost through for about a month, but won't break through the gums-this results in a few good sleeping nights following by a few not so hot ones-repeat until mom thinks she is going to be a crazy person if she isn't already! It seems like the last few nights they have calmed down again thankfully, but he is still chomping on anything he can and drooling like CRAZY! He LOVES food!!! Seriously can't keep this guy full sometimes! I feed him, then pump or if he is being impatient I will pump and give him a bottle.  Then if we give him solids (which I finally started because he was starving!) he will chow down on rice cereal, sweet potatoes, squash, and peaches if they are mixed with cereal.  Applesauce was okay, but not quite as liked as his squash and sweet potatoes.  At night I feed him at 8/8/:30 and then at 9:30 we will give him a bottle of pumped milk and some nights he is still soo hungry-so he will drink up to another 4 oz. of formula.  Seriously in the last month he cleared out my whole stash of frozen milk (which was at least 20-30 bags) and I promise we are not force feeding him, he is so sad and hungry if he doesn't get more.  He has these beautiful blue eyes still and the happiest little smile!

Sometimes these kids make us feel like we are losing it and I often feel slightly overwhelmed by the never ending list of things I want and need to do around here both cleaning/taking care of the house and things I want to do with our kids.  BUT the good thing is that those feelings are usually short lived as one of the kids will say or do something that makes me smile or laugh and I remember why I love this life so much! Then it is usually followed quickly by someone crying or throwing a fit :)  Some days I would just like a little "break" from being a parent, but I truly would not trade being with my kids all the time for anything.  They are in such fun ages and I love seeing all they are learning and discovering each day.  It is a scary world and I just hope that in our home they know how much they are loved and that they feel safe and peaceful and happy.  I hope I can teach them the things they will need to know and prepare them for life!