Happy Birthday, Emma

Happy Birthday, Emma. My first child, my only brunette and my only drug-free labor! I hope you have a great year. Nine years old is a great age. If I could be any age again, it would probably be nine.

The Top Ten Reasons I Love Emma

1. She does spontaneous cartwheels and handstands.

2. She still likes me (I know, give it a few years.)

3. She is Jane and Beth's protector and defender.

4. She is dang smart and works hard in school.

5. She helps me in the kitchen.

6. She is sensitive to others' needs and feelings.

7. She is sensitive to the Spirit and is spiritual beyond her years.

8. She is kind to others.

9. She has a great sense of humor, a great laugh, and a beautiful smile.

10. She is responsible.

And then there's this conversation, lying next to Emma at bedtime:

Me: Did you have fun at family night?

Emma: Sure. But we didn't have dinner all together, and I hate that, and then at Target we didn't even shop together.

Me: Well, nobody was hungry at the same time, and we just had lefovers, remember?

Emma: Yeah.

Me: And we were buying presents for each other so we had to split up, right?

Emma: I guess.

Me: Sometimes we try but things don't always turn out perfect. I wish I was the perfect mom but I'm not.

Emma: But you're the perfect mom for me.

Me: [I say nothing. I just smile in the dark.]

Happy Birthday to You (cha-cha-cha!) (To see what this cake put me through, see the food blog.)

Shirts from Justice for Girls. Whoot!

A basketball from grandma and grandpa! And a great card and gift from Grandma Freda and Grandad Jim!

Emma Song Peformance and Beth's Head Staple (family activites in the digital age)

Emma's third grade class performed a song "I Can Make a Difference" during an assembly, and being the dutiful mother that I am, fought my way to the front of the gym, whipped out my camera and did the shaky hand-cam recording. First row, second from left, there she is singing her heart out. Emma is a talented and enthusiastic singer!

Semi-related rant: How has blogging and the digital age changed the way you enjoy (or stress over) family activities? I wonder how our kids will feel never getting to see our proud, relaxed faces during such activities - only us jostling for the right camera angle with cell phones and cameras pressed to our faces. how do you feel about those who arrive early to save the first three rows of seats for all members of their extended family and set up two tripods from two different angles to catch the action. Are you one of them? Whether we bake a cake, see Santa, play a soccer game or have a piano recital, did it really happen if we didn't record it in some way?

I remember when Emma "graduated" from preschool. We were of course clueless and poor and had no cameras or recorders. When she got her diploma, we clapped and smiled, and felt stupid. But I still remember it and part of me wishes all activities could be like that: just clap, smile, and enjoy the moment.

Oh, and speaking of recording triumph and tradgedy, here's Beth's head staple after cutting her head on the wall. After getting her staple Beth asks, "are you going to blog my staple?" Yes, I'm guilty folks, of everying above (except for the tripods and seat saving. Seat savers make me grouchy!).

Grandma Ginny with Little Jane

Byo-O bye-o little baby

Close your little baby eyes

You are mommy's little baby

You are daddy's little prize.

This is just a post to say a few words about grandma. A widow for 46 of her 90 years, she as been our determined, beautiful matriarch. As she nears the end of her life, she told me what she thought was most important. She said she didn't care about what church callings she had, or what people had thought of her. She just wanted to be a good mother. She loves her family with a love so strong it has kept her alive beyond her years.

Grandma loves Jane. Even before Jane was born, they had a special connection. I cannot help but hope that Grandma will watch over Jane for many years to come. I don't think Grandma will be with us much longer, so we will cherish these quiet moments.

Sweet Jane

It's time for an update since so many new things have been happening to Jane. In October she was fitted for DAFOS (little feet braces) to give her extra support as she learns to walk. This was done up and Shriner's Hospital, which operates on donations and allows patients to be seen and treated without payment. Thank you Shriners!
First Jane had to be fitted for the braces. Here they are putting a cast on her leg.

This cast is removed when it dries and provides a model for the braces.
When we first walked into the room, we were greeted with this ominous table. It looks like some sort of torture device. Fortunately, the table was neither spoken of nor used.
Then there was the part where we felt like we were picking out curtains. The doctor came in and tossed us a ring with all of the patterns and colors available for the braces. I don't know, it just seemed funny at the time. We went with the always fashionable "Hawaiian Package" with a lovely flowered strap with red foam and white plastic. It was funny and profoundly sad at the same time.
A couple of weeks later, the braces were finished!

Here's Jane bouncing around with her new braces.



Jane also has physical therapy at Shriner's once a week. This is her great PT Holly. Holly works with Jane to improve her strength and balance, and gives me suggestions on what I can do to help her at home.

Jane and the Big Mean Ball of Torture


On a related note, Jane has seen some great improvements as she has temporarily stopped taking her seizure medication. The side effects were not good (nausea, fatigue, muscle weakness, etc.) and now that she is off of them she seems much more alert and happy. We're hoping that the seizures won't start again, or if they do, we can use a different medication.

What a ride this has been. I have learned many things and hope that Jane can continue to make improvements. I've learned that "normal" is overrated, that God knows all of his children, and that scarf dancing, while perhaps being a good therapy for others, is enough to send this mother head first into an existential crisis and should never be attempted again.

Fall at Wheeler Farm

The kids were out of school on Halloween, so we killed some time at nearby Wheeler Farm. Strum and Brittany (w/respective moms) met us there for lunch. It was such a beautiful day, and it was great spending some time with friends from the "old neighborhood".

Emma's so cute it's scary.

Here's Jane trying to catch up to the kids. Come on Jane, you're almost there!

I'm so glad our girls are not too cool to climb trees. I know we're just a few short years away from "whatever, mom, I'm not climing that tree. I might drop my phone."

These geese, or as our friend Scott calls them, "rats with wings", are being pretty aggressive once they disover that the kids have food.

Storm Mountain with the Swiss Chick

This past week we the international group Up with People was in Murray, and we had the opportunity to host an awesome Swiss girl named Gwen. We had such a great experience with her, and were impressed for her enthusiasm for life and her sensitivity. Gwen is a vegan, so that proved to be and adventure. For more information on our foray in vegan cooking, you'll have to check out the food blog later today.

On Sunday, along with about ten thousand other Utahns, we drove up the canyon to enjoy the fall colors. Here are some pictures from our walk around the Storm Mountain area.

Gwen in the meadow. This is what happend after we spun around and sang "the hiiilllls are alive.."

Jane's not walking yet, but that's not going to keep her down.

Gwen got on so well with the girls. They'll miss her.


This morning we dropped off Gwen and they're off to Cheyenne for the next Up with People stop. Auf Wiedersehen!

Last Splash of Summer

This weekend we had a few friends over for one last paddle before the weather turns cool for good. We were a little wary of the pool when we first moved in, but we love the pool and the kids have had a blast, despite the extra work and worry.

Here's Beth with her friend Bella, trying to stay warm.

Beth, Brittany, Emma, Sariah

As the sun sets on one crazy summer...

Autumn Leaves in Millcreek

Let me just say that I love Millcreek Canyon. I've biked it, hiked it, gotten lost & frost-bitten cross country skiing it (thanks, Mike!), had campfires, dates, and family breakfasts there. Mt. Aire, my favorite hike as a student, is there. Anyway, going there is like going home, and I love that we live so close to it now.

For Family Night we went up Church Fork and hiked part of the pipeline trail. It was pleasantly cool and the girls collected leaves, got a little muddy, and otherwise savored all the fresh air. As you can see, the girls were feeling pretty photogenic.

A Walk in the Park

We have a great little park in our neighborhood. Here's a few pictures of our night out. We discovered, unsurprisingly, that Jane loves the swing and laughed uncontrollably when Emma was pushing her.

Among other essentials, First Grade has helped Beth is perfect her monkey bar skills.

An abstract of Emma's feet.

Jane's EEG

Jane's been having some funny eye movements lately, so she had an EEG on Monday as the doctor's want to make sure she's not having any seizures.
Here's Jane getting on the wires glued to her head. So far so good!
After all of the wires are attached, they wrapped her head in gauze. Things are starting to go south.

Okay, things are better now.

Jane likes to eat wires.
She did alright, and it only lasted about 45 minutes instead of the two hours that they planned on. Jane is such a good sport. If only I could be that patient (we're still waiting to hear from her neurologist).

The Return of the White Minivan

I've decided to update the family blog. Stay tuned!