Done!

Hooray, no more interviews! No more juggling a crying James while trying to get a reluctant Isaac into pajamas! No more days of not having a car and also not having any excitement of Daddy coming home at the end of the day! Now we just have the task of ranking. I'm slightly disappointed that Blake is leaning towards staying here. I don't get to go home to Utah or any closer (not that St. Louis is that far) or go anywhere new. But Blake is known to be wishy washy on his residency rank list, so we'll see and who knows how the match will go anyway.

Isaac turning into such a big boy. He took Mavala STOP like a champ and has been two weeks thumb-sucking-free. The reviews on Amazon were right and STOP is heads and tails better than Thum. We only had some crying the first night we tried it. I feel like a mean mom to take away part of his identity--he's been sucking his thumb for over two years! But it was getting to be very bad habit--he did it all the time, not only to sleep. He also amazes us every day with things he understands/says. He is going through a word spurt. Some examples:

(putting on backpack) "Let's go airport. Mommy Daddy I-chi plane. Gu-uh's house." (Wants to go back to Utah to Grandma's house.)

"Make coocoos. Baking power?"

"Lightning go house. Tired. Close eyes. Wake up! Go circle big tunnel." (Playing with his new car.)

(looking at Cars jacket) "Lightning, Sawee, powice car, fire, Ma-er, Doc, King, Cheek, Weegi, Stop..."

I really wanted James to be my baby who slept. He is better than Isaac, and I can usually get him to take one, maybe two two-hour naps. Other than that, it's a half hour. It's really hard to get him to go down for the night. Put him down, half hour later pat his back. Works for 10 minutes. Then try feeding him. Then bounce him. Pray he stays down at some point. Since Saturday, he's gotten in the nasty habit of sleeping three hours at night and then getting up every hour. At least before that it was 3-3-2-hold him for an hour. What do I do to create babies like this? If Blake and I weren't Mormon and didn't believe in families, we'd give up. As it is, the number of children we wanted when we were engaged innocents has definitely decreased.

Blake seems to remember this getting better around four months. It did, because I lost all pride and patience and let Isaac cry for two weeks until he learned to sleep. But then he got sick. And then we went on a trip home. And then he got teeth. Up and down for a year. I'm sure in 10 years I will look back on this and realize what a small smidgen of my life this babies at night thing is, but for now I'm tired and discouraged. It's a good thing James gives such good smiles during the day!

what we did for Christmas

First we celebrated in St. Louis. Isaac was very confused that finally he could open the packages that had been taunting him for two weeks.

Blake's been teaching Isaac to play football. It's so cute to hear him say "se...hi!" (set...hike)

Then we traveled to Utah, which ended up being a nightmare with a flight delayed 2 1/2 hours. Isaac was fine--give him some juice and airplane crackers and he was in heaven. James was fine--he slept a lot. But Blake and I were exhausted! We finally got the kids to bed around midnight St. Louis time. The next morning it had snowed enough to make a snowman!

Made gingerbread houses with my family.

James has been smiling more and more and making fun little sounds.

Decorated sugar cookies with Blake's family. All the cousins sure are fun. Even Ellie, who Isaac identified with a scream and "woud" (loud) because she is in a screaming stage right now.

And then we celebrated Christmas again! Isaac again was not thrilled to open presents. He already had a whole room full of new Grandma toys--why did he need to open unknown packages?

One of Isaac's favorite presents!

Oh, the coveted "wightning!" Isaac LOVES this movie and watches 15 minutes of it almost every day. He especially loves the first 15 minutes, which we probably all know by heart. (Can you tell I am playing with my Christmas present, a new camera lens? Look at that awesomely low aperture!)

Played a traditional game of fox and geese with my family on the backyard sport court.

Went sledding with cousins.

My mom insisted I learn to make caramel apples. They are super yummy and I think I have the technique down but they take a little bit of time and money that I'm not abundant in right now.
We blessed James while in Utah, as well. It was really neat for us to get to have a lot of our family in the circle. I love this picture because Isaac is giving James a hug that's way too rough and I'm trying to push Isaac away so he doesn't squish James. Happens a lot.

Made these booties when I found out I was pregnant with James.

Such a fat, cute baby! Compare Isaac and James on their blessing day: Isaac here. I think James is even fatter! (James is a week or two older than Isaac in his picture, but still...)

Merry Christmas

Blake
Finds interviewing a chore
Deciding whether to live in St. Louis anymore

Marie
Excited to no longer be poor
Wants to sleep some more

Isaac
Trains are his true amore
Only child no more

James
Makes his mom's back sore
Needs to eat a little more

Wishing you all MORE of all the good things this year!