x or y?

I heard the heartbeat today... it's official. There is a little Pulley number four in there. Now the big question: is it going to be boy number four (more than likely), or will we be introduced to pink, princesses, and ponies (one can hope)? Obviously, I'm planning on a boy. But, no matter how hard I try, I still have that glimmer of hope just waiting to be dashed.

The boys are pretty excited for us to have a new baby. It's kind of weird, though - I think Isaac new even before we told him (maybe he noticed mommy's rapidly expanding waistline). A few Sundays ago I asked Adam to make me a sandwich before church (since I can't seem to make it more than an hour without eating). When the boys wanted one, Adam told them that mommy needed it because she hasn't been feeling very good. Isaac turns to me and asks, "Is it because you're pregnant?" What?! I was shocked that he would know that. Crazy.

When we first told the boys, Luke seemed only semi interested in the whole thing. But, after I came home today from my appointment and told them that we were for sure going to have a baby and that I had heard the heartbeat, he looked around and asked me where the baby was? After I explained that it's inside me and that it has to grow for a long time, he has been asking none stop questions: "Can the baby see me?", "Can he hear me?", "Can I hear him?", "Does he move all over?".

Before leaving for my appointment today, I asked Luke if he was excited to get a new baby. He says, "We need a new baby so that Asa won't bite us, huh?" First of all, Asa has never bitten him, so I'm not sure where that came from. But, secondly, I was a little saddened that he was so cool with the idea of trading Asa in. I remember when I was pregnant with Asa and I had told Isaac that we were going to have a new baby, his response was, "No! Don't throw Luke in the garbage!". I guess I should learn to rephrase that statement when talking to a four year old - maybe 'another' baby would be more appropriate than a 'new' baby.

all grown up

1. Something major happened this week in our home... well, actually it happened at Isaac's preschool. Isaac lost his first tooth! I wasn't prepared for the feelings I experienced as a parent. My boy is growing up! This is the next step in his childhood. He is now losing those sweet little teeth that I have known for 5 years... the last piece of evidence that he was once my little baby. And now, some unknown, gnarly 'grown up' teeth will take their place, as we journey into the next stage in Isaac's life... the awkward years :) Everyone has to admit: this is about the time in a kids life where their cuteness starts to nosedive. Add to that an increase in social awkwardness, and there you have it: the awkward years. How long a kid stays in these years is unpredictable... some of us have a long struggle, others seem to only get slapped with a year or two. But, at least most of us are blessed with parents who love us despite it. At least for now, that new gap in his teeth is super adorable.

Oh yeah, and the tooth fairy? Isaac thinks he/she (he says a boy fairy visits boys, and a girl fairy visits girls) is the best thing, ever! He has had such fun speculating on the life, reasons, and mysteries of the tooth fairy.


2. Apparently Luke knows himself pretty well. The other night as we were about to sit down for dinner, Adam says, "We have pie for boys who eat their dinner." Without even knowing what was for dinner, Luke says, "Oh darn it." He knew he wouldn't be getting any pie.

3. For family home evening this week, I was talking to the boys about keeping the Sabbath Day holy. I asked them, what we do on Sunday that we don't do on other days (trying to get them to say 'go to church'). Luke yells, "Go to grandma's!". After a few other answers, I said, "Do we go to church?" To which they answered, "yes". Then I asked them why we go to church, and Luke said, "Because we have to."

4. Luke's new thing: "It's a secret (swecret)." He'll ask me things like: "Mommy, you know what song you should sing?", "You know what color vitamin I want?", "You know what I want to watch?", "You know what I'm going to draw?", etc. And the answer is always, "It's a swecret." Then he tells me his big secret.

5. Last weekend I was privileged enough to go to a friend's cabin for an all-too-looked-forward-ed-to girl's night. Man, it was a nice little break! The ever so thoughtful, Heather, sent an invite out to any of us 'girls' in the ward (area), who could use such a night. I am SO thankful to be apart of such an incredible ward, where there is such abundant friendship and love for one another... no matter who you are or what your social status may have been in high school (thank goodness for me :). No clicks, gossip, drama, etc. Just one big happy family (okay, that may be a bit much). Anyways, we had a blast going out on a late night (late for me, anyways) snow shoeing adventure, ate lots of yummy food and goodies (at least I did, anyways), and stayed up WAY. TOO. LATE! (I am still trying to recover). Thank you, Heather, so very, very much!!! Oh yeah, and thanks Adam for being so cool about me ditching you for a night!

PICS OF THE WEEK:


Asa's thing lately is to stick his hands down the back of his pants. Luckily it doesn't usually make it down the diaper, but this is what happens when it does. I'm so not wanting this to become a habit... I don't think I could handle another poop-player.








Asa and Luke are becoming good buddies. Maybe it's because Asa's gaining on Luke in size, so he's not as afraid of him.




I've had to wake Asa up from him nap a couple times (which goes against every fiber in my being) and this is how I have found him. It's just so cute!

don't i know better

We just got back from taking Adam's mom out to eat. With the boys. I'm pretty sure that I fully remembered how challenging it is to take them to a sit down restaurant where you are waited on (waited on - as in, Cafe Rio doesn't count). Yet, for some reason, we talked ourselves into attempting this monumental task again. So, did I somehow forget just how exhausting it is to keep my boys under control/entertained at a restaurant, or was there some crazy part of my brain suggesting that maybe, since the year ago we last attempted this, we had made improvements in our parenting? I don't know. But, I was, once again, reminded of why I avoid such an outing at all cost.

The night did produce a few cute/funny moments from Isaac, though. After our waiter introduced himself and went to get our drinks, Isaac says, "He looks handsome. I should tell him that, huh?" Now, remember that he is only 5, and he is a very complimentary boy... so, this doesn't worry me. Do I sound a little too defensive? Anyways, I told him that would be nice. So, as soon as the waiter comes back, Isaac yells, "You look handsome!" Awe, what a sweetheart.

Well, as we were waiting for our food, the boys were getting fidgety, restless, obnoxious, etc. We told them that they needed to try to sit still so that they wouldn't bug the people around us. We got our food and Isaac was very impressed with it. When our waiter came by to check on us, he tells him, "You make really good food!". He continues to eat and says, "I really like this food. So much that I'm not going to bug people."

So, we made it through dinner... barely. Adam's mom thanked us for dinner and the show. I'm so glad that she loves those boys despite all their energy. As Isaac hugged her goodbye, he said to her, "Have a good night Grandma. Drive safe." I guess it wasn't all bad after all.

scary toothpicks

1. I think that Luke is finally understanding dreams. The fact that when you sleep, some crazy stuff can happen inside your head. Lately, he comes out in the morning and tells me what he dreamed about (like scary toothpicks and ice with eyes). Then he asks what everyone else dreamed about. He also tells you what he is going to dream about before he goes to bed. Last night he wanted to dream about spiders and spiderwebs and Spiderman (he has been watching Spiderman lately, and has me draw endless amounts of spiderwebs with spiders).

2. The other day Luke was jumping on his bed. Adam went in and picked him up and (jokingly) in a stern voice, says, "You quit jumping on the bed or else I'll body slam you!"
Luke's reply was, "Yes! Do that!"

3. Speaking of Luke's bed being jumped on too much; Adam had to fix it because a board had busted on it. Of course, the second you pull out tools you have the boys undivided attention, so they crowded in to observe/help/annoy Adam while he worked. When Adam asked them to leave while he fixed it, Isaac says, "But I need to watch so that I can fix things when I grow up."

4. So, I was reading a list (a HUGE list) of words that my friend's 18 month old can say. Yes, I am already aware that Asa is seriously behind in this area, but it showed me just how behind he is. Here is Asa's list of words: Dadda, Isaac (I-ya), light (hight), woof (dog, or any other animal, for that matter) - he also does a pretty killer growl when he sees animals - oh, and he makes a zebra noise, uh-huh, da or dah (for everything else). One in particular that I love is when he says his own name (A-ya) when he needs help. If he is stuck up on my bed, or he is caught in something - whatever the need - I know he needs help when I here him call out "A-ya". He doesn't usually panic (unless it's serious) - he'll just keep saying "A-ya" until I come. It's really cute.

5. My boys love to tell me that I look beautiful: "Mommy, you look beautiful", "Mommy I like your shirt", "Mommy, your hair looks pretty", and so on. The other day I was getting dressed for church, and was in my slip, when Isaac says, "Mommy, you look beautiful. You'll look really beautiful when you have all of your clothes on." Isaac also likes to bring me the earrings and necklace he thinks I should wear for the day. It adds the final touch to whatever sweats and t-shirt combo I've got going on.

6. We went tubing with Joe & Dolly. The boys had a blast! Isaac could have gone all day long... Luke was done about the time he found out he could get a treat when we finished. Isaac raced to the tow rope as soon as he was at the bottom of the hill - he didn't care if he knew where we were or not. Luke, on the other hand, expected us to pull him every inch of the way, so he pretty much stayed on his tube the entire time. He definitely had fun though, because before we would even make it to the bottom of the hill, he would say, "Can we go again?!".

Isaac and Emma

Lazy Luke

Joe and Sophie

Luke was completely kicked back on this run... even once the tube was released at the top, he didn't budge. It made me laugh.

Pics of the week:

Hey Slick. This is what happens when Isaac does his hair.

How to wear a bag.

Luke invented a bottle holder.

Best buds

frosty the snowman

1. Isaac has been dying to make a snowman, but unfortunately the snow hasn't quite cooperated. He has talked about it a lot, asked many a question, and has had his plan ready to go. During one of our conversations he told me how he would construct his snowman: "I will make a big snowball, then a medium snowball, then a little snowball. Then I will put a good looking carrot for his nose... mom, do we still have a good looking carrot in the fridge? Then I will put 3 rocks on the middle part, and buttons for his eyes, and coal for his mouth. And, I will put a scarf around his neck... mom, do you have some string that we can use for his scarf? And, put a hat on his head." Last week we finally had just enough new snow to allow Isaac to fulfill his snowman making dream. He named him Frosty.


2. My boys love to give gifts. These gifts are usually items they have found around the house, wrapped in paper that they have decorated. Luke's last present was a plate. He was in another room trying his best to wrap it, and, as usual, I had orders not to look. But, after a while he asks me, "Mommy, could you help me? Close your eyes." So, with my eyes closed, I wrapped a plate so that Luke could give me a present.

3. Isaac and I were talking about names. I was telling him what some of our family member's full names were, then asked him if he remembered what his was. He said, "Isaac Pulley Stephen". After I corrected him, he said, "That sounds like a handsome name."

4. The other night I saw Isaac with a pair of plastic tweezers (the kind that come in those bug catcher kits) telling Luke to hold still while he attempted to pluck his eyelashes. Laughing, I stopped him and told him we don't pluck eyelashes. He says, "Oh. Do we pluck eye boogers?"

5. Asa is at that age where pretty much everything he does makes you go "awww". Other than his climbing, eating markers, writing on walls, and playing in the toilet, he is so much fun. He still says very few words - just a lot of inflection and a lot of variations of "dah". But, one thing he does that is all too adorable is say "uh huh" to any question you ask him. And, he says it in the cutest way - drawn out and serious. I know he understands some of the questions, like 'do you want a snack/drink', but a lot of the time he just says "uh huh" when he can tell you have asked him a question.

Pics of the week:

Isaac had Luke pose so that he could paint his portrait.

You can't lay on the floor without Asa trying to sit on you. Usually he tries to sit on your head.

The boy's morning ritual: crowd the heat vent for warmth.

Cutest super heroes ever!

Another ritual: waddle out of the bathroom wrapped in towels after bath time. They don't like to be cold.

I think Asa needs a haircut. Or a comb.

Another perfect outfit for fighting crime.

One of Asa's common expressions. He looks ticked, but he's not.

coinsidence or divine inspiration?

Being a parent has opened my eyes to the fact that you can see God's hand in your life every day, if you just open your eyes. It's easy for me to look at my life and see how God has blessed me in major ways, but I need to do a better job of looking for those subtle moments in every day life that are inspired moments . Having three boys has required a lot of hard work from the heavens - I believe their safety has depended on it. I think most parents, when they think about it, wonder how their kids make it through childhood without more serious injury, loss of eyes, or worse. Yes, bad things still happen, but I wonder how much is prevented by those heavenly 'whispers' every parent has experienced (recognized or not). How many of those "I'd better go see what my boys are up to" moments are inspired from a loving God. I can think of a couple of these moments off the top of my head, that I want to write down. It's sad that I can only come up with a couple, because I know it occurs much more frequently than that.

The first one happened last summer. Adam and I had just gone to bed (I think I was already asleep), when Adam had the impression that he needed to go and make sure that he had disconnected the power to the hydrolic lift on his big trailer. He realized that the boys liked to play on the trailer and that if one of the boys pushed the button, it could result in someone being crushed by the ramp. Although he really didn't want to get out of bed, he knew he needed to go right then, instead of putting it off. Sure enough, it was still connected. And, sure enough, the next morning the boys had decided to go play on the trailer. Now, obviously I don't know if something terrible would have happened that day, but I'm thankful that we didn't have to find out the hard way.

Another moment that recently happened, was at a family Christmas party. We were at an old church, and some of the kids were playing around some stairs in the building. My sister, Carrie was on her way to the bathroom, when she felt like she should go check on the kids. As she got to the stairs, she saw Asa at the top, squeezing through the railing (the building was definitely built before safety codes). I hate to think what could have happened if she had not been there. I'm very grateful that she didn't ignore that feeling.

I know that if I did a better job of keeping track of my boys and keeping them out of mischief, then their guardian angels wouldn't have to work so hard. I am very grateful for a merciful and loving God who helps us out more than we realize. I think for as many forces are out there working against us, we have as many (or more) stronger forces watching out for us. I'm making it a goal to do a much better job at recognizing God's hand in my life. Wait, didn't someone give a wonderful talk about this very thing? :).

the trickster

I know that there will be so many disappointed people out there, left wanting more of the usual obnoxiously long, wordy posts that I do, but I apologize - just one wordy story this time. I wanted to write down this example of what a trickster Isaac thinks he is... and, how things that are obvious, don't seem to be obvious to Isaac. So, while at my mom's house, my sister and brother were sucking helium, cracking up all of the kids. Isaac starts talking higher to try to sound like them and was cracking himself up. He leaves the room and says 'hi' in the voice, then runs back in - CRACKING up to the point of weakness. I say, "What was that noise? Isaac, did you get into the helium?!", and he is thinking that he really tricked me. He continues to laugh and we all continue to laugh at him. Then, he comes up with a great idea. He is going to trick daddy when we get home. And, he is once again, cracking himself up as he tries to tell me his plan (Isaac has as much fun just talking about something, as he does actually doing it). All the way home, he plots with such excitement: "I will go where daddy can't see me, and say 'hi' (in the voice). Then, daddy will wonder what that noise was, and he will probably think there is some kind of creature in there. Bugs are creatures, huh mom." And, as he goes on and on, I am thinking, I need to make sure to clue Adam in on Isaac's plan, so that he can play along and not destroy the excitement in this sweet, goofy, gullible little boy. So, we get home, and while in the bathroom, Isaac does his high voiced 'hi'. I whisper to Adam to act surprised. Adam plays along, and asks what that noise was and if there was a mouse in the bathroom. Isaac comes running out, laughing uncontrollably. He honestly thinks he has just tricked his dad. I tell Isaac to tell daddy why he was doing that voice, and Isaac says, "No, I don't want to tell him yet. I want to trick him again." So, he goes back into the bathroom and, yes, he tricked his daddy a second time. And, if we are lucky, there will be more tricks in the morning.