Life Right Now (Mostly For Me)

I don't want to lose all my memories from 2016 and I haven't documented a single blasted thing, which is awful because this has been a really huge year of change for our family.  This post is mostly for me to remember what is happening right now and probably won't be of interest to anyone else.  

The Twinners

- Dr. Sanders said the boys' heartbeats sound great and they are both looking good so far.  We have done an ultrasound every other week since week 8 and it is a relief every single time to know that they are developing just fine.  They look so active and wiggly in there - an indication of things to come?

- I felt one of the boys after our ultrasound last Friday, as if he was annoyed with being prodded and was pushing back against the wand.  Then again today while the girls and I were baking rolls, I felt a very distinct bulge from the inside.  I had Daphne put her hand on the spot, but I think it will be a few more weeks before they are strong enough to be felt from the outside.

- My next appointment is in St. George with a Perinatologist that specializes in high risk births.  They will do a very thorough ultrasound and if they notice anything concerning I may have to meet with them regularly.      

- We are having a hard time with names.  We know for sure they will have the Grandpa's names for middle names, but can't seem to land on any male names that really speak to us.  I have always liked Ethan (maybe because I want one of the kids to have an "E" like me?), but it is super popular right now.  As with the girls, Burke is the worst at bouncing names off of as he will name associate the death out of any suggestion. 

Example.  

Me: "Burke, what do you think of Theodore and calling him Theo?"

Burke: "Alvin and the Chipmunks.  Theo Huxtable from The Cosby Show.  Theodore Roosevelt.  They'll call him Teddy - he'll be teased big time."

Me: "No he won't! It's close to like...um...Thor! It's masculine!"

Burke: "From Teddy to Thor?!  Not a chance."

Darcie

- Is FINALLY sleeping consistently through the night.  Ridiculous that it took us a full 18 months to get her to this point.  She has slept through the night since about 3 months old, but she would only sleep a night or two at time and then wake up several times a night for a few days, then back to all night.  At about a year, we tried a couple sessions of "tough love" after checking diaper, temperature, etc, but this little lady is so stubborn she would cry and cry until she would make herself throw up!  It was awful and has been one of my biggest stresses about the coming twins, thinking that I can't handle two newborns AND a toddler who consistently was up 2-4 times a night!  About 3 weeks ago, we finally attempted the tough love tactic again, but would go in and briefly rub her back to let her know we had heard her, but just were not going to pick her up, get her milk or any other aid.  It was an awful two nights, but she has been cured!  Halle-flippin-lujah!

- Has mastered the wiggle car!  Best purchase ever.  She wants to be out in the driveway on those things numerous times a day and we love chasing her around on them.  Burke gets a kick out of her peeling out and miraculously staying right side up.  

- Major Daddy's girl.  She's my little shadow all day and comes to me for every head bonk, shoe latch, and snuggle UNTIL Burke's tires crunch in the driveway.  She squeals with delight "Daddy!" and refuses to be separated from him as soon as he's in the door.  If he needs a free hand and tries to hand her to me, she flips out and wants nothing to do with me!  She bawls her eyes out every time he leaves.

- Loves when I chase her around on my hands and knees while woofing like a dog.  If I stop to rest (which I have to do often these days), she starts signing "more" over and over again until I resume.

- Still doesn't give a hoot about talking, but I've noticed some verbal improvement over the past month.  She can say: Mom, Dad, Jesus, ah-mee (amen), dog, meow (for cat), owl and the accompanying hoo hoo, apple, bee, book, up, foooo (food), me, mine, and NO (her fav).  She uses sign language for milk, water, all-done, eat, thank you, please and sorry.

- Constantly teases her sister for attention.  I never knew an 18-month-old could create such havoc in our home.  She screams her head off if Daphne won't give her what she wants, flips out every time she has to have her diaper changed or if you try to get her dressed when she wants to do it herself.  She is very mischievous and we have to keep the bathroom door closed at all times or she gets into all sorts of trouble.

- When she isn't bugging her sister, they play very sweet together.  She copies everything Daphne does.  She loves to make Daphne and all of us laugh.  She starts dancing and shaking her little body any time there is a beat.  She mimics any kind of singing she hears.  Loves animals, especially dogs.  She loves to read books and will go for about 20-30 minutes while Daphne is at preschool bringing me book after book.  She loves playing in the sandbox, swinging, going for walks and being outside.  She loves to color, but I've had to limit that to crayons only while she is in her high chair or disaster ensues.

- No doubt about it, this one is a sass-a-frass.  I feel like she may always be our "contrary child" who does the opposite of whatever you ask her to do.  When she is headed towards the road and I call out for her to come back, she starts sprinting towards the asphalt.  When she is unwinding toilet paper and I tell her to stop, she ups it to turbo speed, trying to incur as much destruction as possible before you put a stop to her fun.  We have had to start doing short time outs with her and she just laughs.  I used to wonder if she understood what we were asking, but there have been too many indicators that she knows...OH does she know!...exactly what she's doing.

- Is way stoic in a crowd.  When we get with a group of people, even family, she gets incredibly serious.  She won't smile and it takes her hours to warm up.  A few months ago we were celebrating Grandma Elaine's 97th birthday and she wandered around Marie and Alan's living room among the sea of relatives, often stopping to just watch people, but never engaging with anyone.  Uncle Curtis (who is a MAJOR introvert and is clearly dying for a chance to leave at each of these family gatherings) was sitting quietly a bit removed from the group on a sofa.  Darcie watched him for a moment and then went straight up to him and held her hands up to him.  He seemed surprised and looked around for someone else to take her, but she just kept holding her arms up, so he brought her onto his lap and she snuggled into his chest for a good 15 minutes.  It totally choked me up to see these two introverts bonding!  Loved it.

- She started going to nursery in April and went like a champ for the first month, but now gets a little nervous when we leave.  I do the nursery music with them about an hour into it and every time I come in she's snuggling with Brother Stephenson in an arm chair.  Again, I think it's the introvert in her that struggles with a group of children running around.

- She's an awesome helper and always wants to be doing whatever I'm doing.  If I'm dusting she fusses until she has a rag in hand and can be wiping things down with me.  She loves to unload the dishwasher, put clothes in the washer, etc.

Daphne

- Finally learned to ride her bike with no training wheels!  Last September, three of her cousins learned to ride within the same week and she was determined to try.  Burke told her if he took off the training wheels, they were never going back on and she still wanted to go ahead.  We practiced with her for a few days, but it usually ended in tears. Winter halted that endeavor.  Then Alyia posted a video on the Bush family WhatsAp of her learning to ride and Daphne became re-motivated.  I was amazed at how fast she picked it up this time around.  Burke would send her into the grass at the beginning so she wouldn't be afraid of falling off and it helped her confidence to grow until she was ready to take it to the road.  It was such a fun couple of nights to practice with her when Burke got off work. She had it completely down by day 3 and has been cruising around every day since then.

- Shocked Burke and I as we read scriptures as a family a few days ago and she burned through 3 verses with no help, reading them perfectly despite big words like, "covenant" and "worship".  She still loves to read and continues to improve each month as her vocabulary and speed increase.  

- Always seems to be dealing with something.  Last month it was being modest in church (she and another little girl in her class kept lifting their skirts during primary) which led to a big family home evening on modesty and an apology to her teacher.  Nasty nose picking and eating.  Being respectful.  Not provoking little sis.  I feel like we help her get over one undesirable behavior and another fills its place.  Overall, she is such a good kid, but I hate feeling like we are constantly on her for something.  

Burke

- Vacillates between optimistic or nervous each night about selling our house, moving into a rental and building our own home.  Thank goodness whenever one of us starts to get the jitters the other is always steady.

- Is doing so well at work.  Gary the intimidating company auditor came last week.  Over the past 2 and a half years he has always had corrections for Burke as he reviews his loans and has been very hard to please.  This time, Burke had backup for any of the questions Gary might have and scored the ultimate compliment at the end of the week that everything had been "very thorough".  It's neat to see Burke's confidence growing as his skills improve.

- Spends an evening every week having Elder's Quorum meetings and visiting the men in the ward.  The Quorum is running smoothly with so many wonderful men in our neighborhood.  We have seen loads of mini miracles in the nearly 2 years Burke has been President due to all the kindness and service around us.

- Currently is at the temple with his 3 brothers and our brother-in-law.  They are surprising Alan and Marie who were called as temple workers over a year ago and take their shift every Tuesday night.  This was the last week they were going to be assigned to the Initiatory booths and the boys decided to all walk in together without telling them they were coming.  I am lucky to be married into such a wonderful family full of good, righteous men.  

Emily

- At our ultrasound on Friday (May 13), I was 16 weeks and 5 days. 

- I try not to get nervous about the babies.  I take a lot of comfort in the blessing Burke and my Dad gave me at Easter that said the babies would both get her safely.  I just hope that also means healthy.  Mom told me the best quote last week and it has been playing in my mind as a mantra ever since.  It was, "Pray over everything, worry about nothing."