let the vaca recap begin:: a few snapshots from our first day with [my sister] bb's family

allen's:

flying alone with two kids was not the most fun i've ever had [although it went pretty well].

but flying to utah a few days early to spend time with the family was worth it.

thanks for letting us destroy your house-

5 kids under 4 tends to get a wee bit crazy :)

love you all.

 

ps.

that first picture is of the art that liz made for nana and papa's hotel room.

i may be biased [of course i am!] 

but i think lizamagoos is one talented artist. 

she did those pages entirely by herself- and she's only 3!! [almost 4]

oh how i miss that girl.

love you magoos.

friday the 13th

a very big and heartfelt thank you to the weather for cooperating during the last few days.

let's pretend my daughter isn't groping her cousin 

everyone deserves a good papa-

our girls are lucky to have such a great one.

we've spent a lot of time outside soaking up the sunshine.

it's been lovely.

ps. 80 days?!?! it seems unreal that we are that close to graduation. let the freaking out begin [i don't do well with big changes]

.

naptime for everyone

dear bed,

i want very much to crawl into you right now.

kate and i just returned from a two hour walk around bb's neighborhood.

the weather was perfect and i am happily exhausted.

i would love to snuggle into your white comforter and enjoy the breeze blowing through my window.

a 20 minute nap sounds awesome right now.

but i know me.

and if i don't blog now about the good times we're having with mom and dad,

i probably never will.

and the going-ons won't be committed to my memory.

then when bb says 'remember when....?' i'll have to say [yet again] 'nope, don't remember'

so here's what happened thursday:

breakfast @ gourmandise. 

fantastic- i want to eat there every morning

kate eating her raspberries- is there a toddler who doesn't enjoy sticking food on their fingertips?

 i highly recommend the cinnamon apple french toast. and check out all those berries!

lunch on soda row in daybreak [can't remember the name of the place]

lizamagoos rocking it out in her sunglasses, eyeing bb's root beer.

nana getting in some harry-loving while kate gags....er... feeds harry.

 snuggling with nana after a long day of fun

we call the spot kate's in 'the bird's nest'- it was the coveted spot when we were younger.

ok, now i can go crash until kate wakes up from her nap

[yes, she still naps! it took me a week or so of retraining her for nap time but it was worth it. she sleeps like a champ for about 90 minutes every day. hallelujah!!]

.

another year older

miss kate:

i hope you inherited your father's memory.

he can recall all sorts of information and it comes in quite handy

[unless we're having an argument and then it's just annoying]

but just in case you inherited my awful memory and can never recall your second birthday,

i'll recap today for you--

you received three phone calls, four text messages and one card.

i let you drink as much milk as you wanted and by bedtime i had refilled your sippy 6 times.

you got to play with your favorite person in the whole world- lizamagoos!

you guys fed the ducks and geese, found sticks and played on the slides.

running with sticks is safe and awesome

you had mcdonald's for dinner.

you barely ate your food because you were full of milk [your dad ate your nuggets. he thanks you]

i made you a chocolate cake stuffed with chocolate mouse and raspberry filling.

you licked the whipped cream off the top, smashed the rest and didn't even try a bite.

you blew out your candle on the first try [all that bubble-blowing came in handy]

we applauded your candle-blowing abilities like you had just discovered electricity.

we're still working on smiling for the camera. that little girl is a stubborn one.

you demanded extra hugs after you were tucked in and we joyfully complied.

tonight, just like every night, you yelled 'NIGH-NIGH' as we walked out of your room.

this always makes us laugh.

miss kate, we love your guts.

thanks for changing our lives.

love, 

your mama and daddy

ps. for your birthday we got you a portable dvd player that mounts to the headrest in my car. we installed it a week ago and you now love 'going out'. i'm pretty sure it's the best thing we've ever bought you. i should add that it was your dad's idea so we have him to thank for our now peaceful car rides. thanks jank!

.

a perfect day

BB-

note to self: next time bring scoops and bowls so the girls don't have to steal other kids' toys. whoops

thanks for giving me an excuse to take the girls to the park.
your new double-wide is awesome.
[i love that a new stroller excites me]

i couldn't get the girls to both look at me for a picture.
they couldn't be distracted from all the fun they were having.
not that i blame them.
sun + sand make a great combo.

sorry that i forgot the sunscreen.
but i'm sure glad that sunscreen is something we have to now think about.
goodbye clouds, hello sun!




ps. my favorite picture of harry to date

my favorite outfit- i'm a sucker for stripes.

.

practically ready for college

happy birthday magoos!!

enjoy all your presents [lucky girl].
and bring tangled over next week so we can all snuggle and watch it.


love you to pieces,
aunt k


ps. remember last year when i told you to ask your mom for a baby brother? nice going, we got our wish! told ya birthday wishes were magic.

.

hello spring!

dearest most loveliest miss spring:

this scene makes it almost impossible to think about moving in august

i feel that it is time to officially welcome you into our lives again.

you have been thoroughly missed this past year.

i would like to welcome you back with an open-mouthed kiss.

SMOOCH!

yesterday i took miss kate and miss e on a walk to celebrate the return of spring to utah.

the walk took an hour but we only went a few blocks.

every tree was touched.

every fence was hugged [i don't understand this one]

every electrical cover was drummed on.

and every flower was inspected.

walking with toddlers is awesome.

the sunshine and warm temps are slowly drawing me out of the funk i've been in this week.

this morning katers and i wandered around the outdoor mall in slc.

she watched the kids playing in the fountain while i let the sun warm my face.

the change in me was tangible.

i could feel the sun infuse me with patience and love-

those golden rays pushed out the oppressing feelings of frustration and discontent i've been harboring. 

and man oh man, that felt good.

and then katers and i read books in b&n.

she cried when we had to leave.

she is my daughter through and through.

how i love her.

thanks miss spring for being so beautiful and for showing up in my time of need.

mr jancer thanks you profusely.

xoxo,

k

ps. a note about mr jancer- he deserves an award for putting up with me this last week. if not an award, then definitely a bacon double cheeseburger. maybe in between conference sessions??

.

waiting sucks.

to my unborn nephew-

um, hurry up.
i'm not a patient person and i want to meet you.
will you have hair? what color?
will you have a dimple on your right cheek like your daddy?
will you be a snuggley baby?
[please, please be a snugglebug]


will you be a ball of happy energy like your sister?

don't let this demure shot fool you.

or will you be a shy child like your cousin- who NEVER looks at the camera when i desire her to. 

tsk tsk katers!

miss kate's hair! it's growing!

bangs and sunglasses are something i can't figure out- someone please advise.

well, little man... we're trying our hardest to get you to come while nana is here.

we all thought a little walk might do it.

nana's rocking her new toms and i am sooooo jealous.

the walk was unsuccessful as far as going into labor is concerned. [it was even uphill!]

however, being outside and feeling the sun on our backs was awesome.

it looks like nana might miss your entrance unless you come before 0800 tomorrow.

[i offered to break your mom's water but she just looked at me with a look of disgust. apparently that's not kosher. whoops]

so fine- be stubborn [just like your momma] and come when you feel like it.

but let me just say there is nothing fancy about waiting until 38 weeks. 

37 weeks works just fine-- trust me, okay?

i'm the brilliant one who knows everything [and you should never forget that]

ps. it's my birthmonth so you have to do as i say. case closed.

.

still loves to swing

dearest most favoritist month-

march, i love you.

and not just because it's my birthday month 

[i'm shocked i haven't mentioned this yet! it's already 8 days into the month!]

i love you because of the hope you bring.

the promise of warm weather, flowers blooming and birds chirping...

nothing is better than spring.

easily my favorite season.

enjoying the sun. nice face janky

i love wearing my mint green rain boots.

and sweaters and trench coats.

i love how the sun feels on my face and seeing the snow melt.

this girl always has a smile on her face. i love that.

i'm so glad you're here mr. march.

i was getting really sick of miss february.

she's boring.

well hello tiny preggers! any day now......

update:: i wrote this a few days ago when it was spring. now it's winter again and i'm ticked. go away snow! we don't like you anymore.

in like a lion, out like a lamb.....

.

library voice... yeah right.

Liz-

liz browsing for her favs- no idea why she has a bald spot...

must be the awesome fluorescent lighting

i think this is the only pic i have of you today in which you aren't a blur.
i thought taking you and katers to the library would be fun....
i obviously should have taken into consideration that you are my daughter's polar opposite.
while kate will sit and read books while i pick out new books for her,
you were investigating all the dvd's [pulling them off the shelf] and finding your favorites-
you found mulan and didn't put it down once without a fight.
you are such a curious child and full of energy and you're too smart for your own good.
i have no idea how your mommie keeps you entertained all day long!

you kept wandering off and i kept steering you back to the kiddie section.
at one point kate was standing on a chair, holding one finger up and counting 'one...ta...tree'
you didn't respond to her warnings and she looked at me with the most bewildered expression.
i was shaking with laughter at that point instead of parenting like i should of been.


oh, lizamagoos, how i love you and your non-stop action.
you make me laugh.
i can't wait to see how you react to your little brother-
only a few weeks to go!!


see you next week.

.

missing my magoos

lizamagoos-

we're going to miss you today.
sorry we are all sick and you can't come play.
we would've colored pictures and watched the fox and the hound.
and of course kate would've smacked you when you stole the baby from her.
[maybe that part you won't miss?]

right now katers is sitting on my lap screeching 'EEEEEEEEEEE!!'
and now she's blowing you kisses and trying to hug the computer screen.
she misses her cousin.

see you soon-
after we're all done being croupy.

love you little one!



.

elephant stampede

upstairs neighbors whom i have yet to meet...


you walk like an elephant.
like an elephant giving a hippo a piggy-back ride.
not cool.

i'll probably meet you in a few weeks and you'll turn out to be a really person and we'll become fast friends and then i'll feel bad about calling you an elephant.
but until that happens...
ELEPHANT ELEPHANT ELEPHANT!!

whew, i feel better!
nothing like a blog rant to clear the rage.

today while you were moving furniture or dropping bowling balls or something else horrifically loud,
i was desperately attempting to calm my troubled tot.
you see, my kid doesn't eat much and therefore doesn't poop much and now constipation is a daily topic at our house.
yesterday was a poopless day which means that today is a suppository day
(i bet you're wondering if i always talk about poop... i do)
the suppository didn't bring immediate relief and i was standing by helpless as my kid whimpered in pain.
she eventually calmed, stopped sweating and let me snuggle her.
she had just barely fallen asleep on my chest when you commenced with the bowling balls.
grrrr.

thankfully i was able to quickly move her to the nursery where the white noise machine drowned out your sounds.
and she slept for a blessed 90 min.
i however did not get my much desired nap due to your stomping.
grrrr.

i sure hope you turn out to be someone really awesome.
otherwise you're going to ruin my life for the next 10 months.
(and yes, i'm always this dramatic)

no judging

.


..........

kate learns to write!

hi EEEEE-

 "EEEEE" is what kate calls liz

it's been a few days since i saw you last and i miss you already.
i want you to come over and play with me.
we can bang on the closet doors.
we can hid in the living room blinds and pull them down.
we can watch "raaaaaaar" (madagascar)
we can read christmas books-
mom and i went to a new library today and we got a bunch of new ones.


mommie says we can't play until i feel better.
i told her i'm all better but she wants to make sure i'm not still contagious.
i'd feel terrible if you got sick because of me.
mommie got me sick and then i got dada sick-
but it's ok because he stayed home today so i could play with him.


maybe we can go back to the aquarium.
or to the library because guess what liz?!?
they have a big elmo there and he's really cool.
i kept yelling "ELMO" because i wanted to play with him and mommie kept saying
"shhhh kate. use your library voice"
i gave her my stinkeye look- i don't like being quiet.
that'll teach her to shush me.

hope to see you soon!

love,

kate

.

how to waste an hour or two

Dearest IKEA:

i have always loved you but now that i have a toddler,

i love you more.

so many bright colors.

fun carts that never steer right but allow for spinning in circles.

a child's playland....

essentially the perfect place to spend an hour.

especially when a certain mommie needs to buy stools for her new kitchen.

(why does moving always necessitate spending money???)

couzies playing

(thanks for the OBVIOUS caption kayla)

lizamagoo's whipping us up an omelette.

oh wait, none of us like eggs. gross!

can you spot my mom behind the swinging chair holding it still so i can snap a pic?

ps. you are all welcome for the super crisp and in-focus pictures. i do what i can to bring awesomeness to the internet.

.

down on the farm

SEILBACH FAM:

i can't thank you all enough for kater's blankies.

they go EVERYWHERE with us.

even though i swore i would never be one of those parents.

y'know, the ones that let their kid drag their blankie around.

but i've learned a few things along the way.

most important, pick your battles.

thank heavens she didn't literally drag it around.

that farm was dirty and dusty.

(i know, i know. it's a farm. but i'm NOT a farm girl)

despite the dirt, the outing with bb, liz and friends was great.

the weather was gorgeous and the ducks were friendly.

maybe a little too friendly....

kate was shaking with fear and kept slowly backing away from them.

oh, my sweet little terrified child.

 thanks so much for your thoughtfulness.

we love, love, LOVE those blankets!

*******

and a few more pics for nana

 have you booked those flights yet??

we're going to need moving help after thanksgiving.

if you don't come to entertain katers, 

she will be plopped in front of the tv while i pack

and her brain will implode from elmo, dinosaur train and superwhy excess.

do you really want that fate for your granddaughter??

(if liz's face on the tractor doesn't do it for you, i don't know what will)

.

the first meet

BB-

you called tonight to tell me that your OB appt went well.

i'm so glad.

is there anything more nerve-wracking than growing a baby??

you're doing a great job.

12 meals a day is totally normal.

after we talked i got to thinking about the early days...

you know when the girls couldn't destroy a room in 2 seconds.

those were the days!

remember this?

were they really that little?!?!?

i love that liz is staring at your face with purpose.

and i love kater's little foot stuck out there for me to smother in kisses.

oh, i can't stand that i have to wait for 24 more weeks.

hurry up little baby and get here!

.

letter from kate

cousin liz-

i'm so jealous you are almost done with teething.
how come we couldn't just be born with all our teeth?
sure it would be creepy for our parents, but it would be so much nicer for us.
mom and dad don't know what more to do for me.
i try to tell them to give me percocet but i can't say that yet so they keep giving me motrin.
that stuff is crap.
doesn't do jack for the pain.
i woke up 4 times last night screaming "give me the narcs!!"
and they wouldn't.
they just rocked me and gave me a binki.
yeah, like that's helpful.
idiots.

so today i had to take matters into my own hands.
we were driving to the library to return some books and my teeth hurt so bad i wanted to cry.
so i did.
i cried and cried and that didn't do a dang thing for the pain so i resorted to chewing on my shoe.
it tasted pretty good and you know what big cousin??
it helped!
i chewed on that shoe until we got home and mom made me stop.
she said it wasn't sanitary or something.
whatev mom!
the shoe did more than you did.
so there.

next time you have a tooth coming in, just grab the closest shoe and go to town.
hope it helps you like it helped me.

love, 

kate

ps. you owe me 3 cheddar goldfish for the advice.

pps. can't wait to see you thursday.... do i get another head massage?


.

two toddlers.... oofta!

my 3:06 pm to 4:28 pm looked like this:

cousins play nice pushing each other in the rocking chair

(bb- the apt was cold hence the leg warmers i put on magoos)

kate turns into a rageaholic

and liz is left thinking... "my couzie sucks"

the wind blows the curtain and they are both distracted for a sec

liz flashes a mischevious look

while katers blows raspberries at me

liz becomes obsessed with katers' curl

the obsession continues....

and continues...

liz just could not get enough of kate's blonde curl

can't blame her- it's my fav also

and so it went until they realized they were tired

and threw side-by-side tantrums on the floor

(that's when the binkis and blankies were deployed)

.

here goes nothing...

fellow passengers of delta flight 2085:

tomorrow we leave for a week in minnesota. 

i'm so excited to go home..... but right now all i feel is dread. 

because tomorrow we fly with a toddler for 2.5 hours.

she may nap the entire time and we will do jigs in the aisle

or

she may scream bloody murder and all of you may yell at me "you're a terrible person"

fingers crossed......

liz and kate watching 'madagascar'

truck stop

brother brandon-


i'm glad your work has brought you to utah.
it's great having a family dinner on sunday night.


thanks for bringing your work truck to our place tonight. 
liz had fun climbing in the seat and honking the horn- i'm sure the neighbors didn't mind.
(but secretly i don't care because their cigarette smoke stinks up our place)
too bad kate crashed so early, she missed all the fun. 

enjoy your last week in utah.

we'll see you in a 3.5 weeks for your wedding!