New Family Pics

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You would think a 6 weeks old would comply and not try to roll over/crawl out of cute little baskets, but nooo... my children are movers from the start. I for see much  "child-proofing" (is it really possible?) in the near future. That or I guess I could actually pay attention to my children and not blog. In fact, they must know what I just typed because crying has ensued. Signing off!

Family

This last weekend ALL Scott's family was in town for the holiday. Since this was the first time in a loong time everyone has been together (and William was so cooperative and joined the *outside* world earlier in the week...) Scott's mom jumped at the photo op. Here's the finished product:

Personally, I love how Matthew is cheesing-it-up(!) in the group photo. He was such a character at the mall while we were waiting for our session to start. This kid has got some crazy dance moves- self taught. He looked like a little cowboy trotting around the mall- complete with fingers in his belt loops and the do-si-do. Gets funnier everyday!

Oh Brother!!!

We love our little brother William Crawford!

What does it mean??

You know the phrase mentally ill? I'll tell you what it means:

mentally ill- (men-tuh-lee illll) a person that elects natural childbirth after finding out the baby is posterior and pitocin is needed to increase contractions. Also see masochist.

That would be me.

Why?

There comes a point in every situation in life when you feel done- you can't handle anymore and you need a way out. Maybe each situation doesn't have as extreme feelings related to it, but you get the idea. This pregnancy was such for me. I was ready to be DONE. That being said, I "beasted" my baby out last Sunday (to quote Scott). It was awesome and not at the same time. But you know what? I'm done!!!

Death and mourning

I, for one, don't mind change. Change is welcome here, as long as one change doesn't necessitate changing a bunch of other things- which rarely happens. So I guess you can say I have a "don't mind/hate" relationship with change.

These last few weeks have been stressful- because of one change that affects millions of other daily events. And it has resulted in death- the WORST death- the death of the second nap.

I know you may be thinking to yourself, "what the ??? It's just a nap." But let me assure you friend, 'tis not so. The second nap is the best thing that ever happens in a toddler's AND a mother's life. Kid gets adequate sleep and mommy gets a much deserved nap/quiet/reading/do-whatever-you-want-because-your-child-is-asleep-for-ANOTHER-hour-in-the-day time. Makes for happy families. Less tantrums, less hair-pulling, less stress, less raised voices... so good all around.

Well, not for this momma anymore. I'm still in mourning and therefore will wear mostly black until I decide I've come to a good place in my grief. (neveryoumind that maternity clothes only come in this color...)

The last 7 months or so....

I knew this day would come...  the day when you have procrastinated all the "sometime" into never and you are too overwhelmed to make up the difference. It always comes in journaling, er, blogging. And studying. And on a small scale making dinner (okay so only like 5 of the 7 nights/week). So, I give you the last 7 months of our lives in 7 haikus (pics included- I'm so awesome):

Don't remember spring

except that I was puking :(

because I'm pregnant!

Side-note to the above poem- We are having another little boy in December (again). Guess I need a family planning class.....

My mom is lucky

Visited casino, won!

Now we've two Ipads

Matthew LOVES yogurt

Funniest kid ever? YES

Will out-smart us soon

Memphis in summer

is hot like "Cinci-nasty"

Family? Worth it.

Weird right hip problem

made visit to the ER

couch potato much?

Road trip to Utah

Three days in route with child

Count all your blessings

Anniversary?

I recommend a va-cay

on a big cruise ship!

Seriously that about sums it up. Questions?

Also one story because it's hilarious- we were on our way to the zoo and I was doing my make-up in the car. We stopped at Kroger to get our tickets and I ran in to pay for them. I handed Matthew a closed lip gloss tube (the twisty kind) so he would have something to play with while Scott drove around. When I came back, Scott told me that Matthew had un-twisted to gloss and applied it "just like me". He pretty much got it spot on, just a little out of place and some on his fingers. Of course, Scott took a pic and then cleaned him up. No boy should wear lip gloss for more than 3 secs, apparently. It's the picture after the watermelon devouring session.

Holiday Re-cap

We do still exist! Thanksgiving was eventful, although I'm sad to say BOTH of our cameras "went the way of all the earth" (whatever that means). They were lost-ish. I visited Memphis and had a wonderful time with family. We ate TONS (there went the pant sized lost), played games and laughed and laughed. I can't remember having more fun with my family. My Granny LOVES the game catchphrase, but is terrible at it. We laughed until our sides ached from her reading what she thought was the clue, then finding out she really couldn't see the screen so she "made up" the difference. Thus, she is hereafter known as "old cataract eyes". Back at the homestead, Scott suffered a boxer's fracture in his had from.... can you guess? That's right! None other than the ward turkey bowl! The night before I left town I went to see Wicked. It was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!!!!! I loved it. Best $68 I ever spent. (Good thing Scott doesn't read this blog)

We celebrated Matthew turning 1 in the beginning of December. He's such a happy boy and so friendly. The pictures are on my mother-in-law's camera, since ours disappeared. I'll post them later, because they really are something. He could have eaten the whole chocolate cake, and ever since then he's been a sugar-aholic.

We had our traditional Christmas eve Nativity reading at Scott's parents. Matthew was the cutest Joseph perhaps in the history of little Josephs. He loved walking around with the wooden "staff" for the shepherds, except he held it by the crook of the cane, so it looked more like a blind-man's walking stick. Too funny! Lucky for me my mom also sent us another camera, though Scott hates it. Maybe our tax return will allow for a new camera ("new"just like the last one we had, mind you).

Christmas day we spent at our home in the morning since we had church at 1, and it was fun to see him rip all the presents open. He particularly loved the giant box full of packing peanuts my mom sent- there was a rocking horse in it.

That pretty much sums up the holiday season in the Rollins home. Stay tuned and you might just see another post before next Christmas....

Summertime

I’ve been busy lazy this summer, which is the reasoning behind the lack of blogging.

We did this:

-Successfully housed and returned summer intern to Utah.

-Visited Seattle family (sans Scott)

-Babysat (ongoing…)

-Replaced head gasket on Honda (also still ongoing…)

-Got promoted

-Grew some top teeth

-Started crawling/pulling up on EVERYTHING/daring to walk at 8 months

This made us feel:

-glad I’m not stressed about cooking dinner every night

-angry at the airport worker in Seattle that made me throw away my baby food at the beginning of a 12hr day. Seriously…. It didn’t have any explosives in it!

-happy/tired/who could have multiples and survive?/ more than one child will be a cinch because I can handle 4 under 4 for a whole day and keep them alive

-happy to have saved $3000 with a handy husband/wish it didn’t take a decade to finish the job

-Yay!! more money, boo longer hours and working mostly nights

-Please child go to sleep and stop grinding your teeth together because it makes an AWFUL sound

-huzzah you can keep yourself occupied for 20 minutes/no you do not have to stand all day, stop being cranky/ I will trip you if you try that again

Now on to the pictures:

This Old House

We live in an old house. And we have a veritable forest on both sides of the old house we live in. Apparently, this combination is not good. NOT GOOD I SAY!! Do you know why it's not good?

The deer live in those forests that surround us. And they eat all our flowers and what small things I garden. Boo.

When's hunting season again?

Mom-isms

EAT YOUR VEGGIES!

SIT UP STRAIGHT!

Matthew really loves food. Really loves it. Peas included. Also he is our very own Chia pet, as demonstrated in the first picture. It was miracle grow that did the trick.

Humility!!

Why yes, I crafted this

(even the lemon mascarpone rosettes)

Naturally, it was lemon raspberry

(what other flavor did you think I would make?)

OFCOURSEITWASDELICIOUS

(Did you not read that I made it????)

Matthew for Mothers Day

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This is what I sent my mom for Mother's Day. I can post it now because I'm 5000% sure she doesn't know how to surf the web. That and she has no computer.