Remembering Uncle Budd

I wanted to watch this movie yesterday in honor of Memorial Day, but I didn't get a chance. I am glad that some of my relatives asked me to post it so that I would get around to it. Bear in mind that it was put together by high school students, but I think overall they did a nice job of honoring Veterans in general and Uncle Budd in particular. I can't imagine going through such an ordeal.

Derek's Birthday

I got Derek a flag for his birthday, since it is always right around Memorial Day. Now we can post the colors for other holidays too. I also got him some much needed new work boots (on clearance!) Sarah giving Daddy a birthday kiss!

Parental units 3 & 4. We were so glad they could make it yesterday!

The Nortons that could make it. Clark, Maren, Geneva (Mom), and Brion (Dad).

Derek's work buddies, "Uncle" Mike and "Uncle" Leroy.

We had a good time celebrating Derek's birthday yesterday. And, I actually remembered to take pictures of the amazing Nortons and friends who came to celebrate.

Sarahisms

Yesterday I gave Sarah and Libby a sample of the homemade ice cream that I made for Derek's birthday party. (It was scrumptious, btw!) Sarah spilled some on her dress (thank goodness it was a light green mint). I said, "Oh Sarah.." She said, "Is Jesus going to be sad?"
I assured her that he wouldn't. She thought for a second and said, "Is President Monson going to be sad?"
What a cutie!

Nicknames

We have always been a nickname family. From the time my mom called me "Elmo" in utero and then "squish" through my growing up years, until now--nicknames just have a familiar loving feel to them. Libby has gotten into this mode. She has started calling Derek "Pop" or "Pops" or "Papa" (these came from the Shirley Temple movie _Little Miss Broadway_ ). She has also started calling Sarah "Sissy." I love it because it reminds me of one of my favorite aunts, Aunt Sandra who we always called Aunt Sissy.

Costco Love

I have a love/hate relationship with Costco. So much to love. So much to hate. Right now I particularly hate how huge the store seems and how heavy the cart gets. Rough on the pregnant body. They also strategically move things around in the store so that you have to go back and forth to find things. This is a fact (we have friends who work there who have told us this--and it makes good business sense). But it is hard on pregnant girls who have 60 lbs. of kid in the cart already--not to mention the necessities and the impulse buys making the cart even heavier.

Also, Costco often brings out the girls tempers and they seem to have a hard time making it through the store without a brawl of some sorts. This is even with the ever present bribe of a churro if they can make it through without one. (Libby pronounces churro with the emphasis on the wrong syllable. It is hilarious.)

Anyway, since I am trying to look for bright sides right now, today the girls blessed me with one. Instead of fighting during our trip to Costco, they kept hugging. It was so adorable! They were dressed all matchy matchy and being all lovey dovey. I felt like everyone around me was thinking, "I can see why she wants another adorable child." (Which is the opposite of what I usually think people are thinking as my girls are misbehaving...)

And, they were right. I do want another adorable, loving child. Even if sometimes he fights in the cart. And I wouldn't mind if he came tonight.

Nature Freaks

Libby and Sarah have become nature freaks...but in different ways. Libby is enthralled with bugs. She goes outside and turns over every brick and rock looking for bugs. She then is a bit afraid to touch them--but she is very excited. Sarah on the other hand is totally FREAKED OUT by anything buggish. In the picture below Derek is showing Libby a spider next to the slide. Sarah had already gone down the slide numerous times, but then Derek showed her the spider too. She wasn't about to go down it again....until Derek helped her get on skirting the web entirely. And, when Sarah freaks out, I mean FREAK OUT. She screams and shakes and panics! It is the worst with dogs, but a little fly can cause a big reaction too. I hope that Libby's love rubs off on Sarah this summer.

Almost Ready...

I took these cute pics of the girls and Reid holding our friends' baby on Sunday. It makes me feel ready to have a newborn again...almost.

Take ME OUT....

We have had the pleasure of having Derek's dad over for dinner every Tuesday night for the past month and a half. It was our birthday gift to him since Geneva teaches a class on Tuesday evenings. (We also send him home with some leftovers for her...) Anyway, we have been really enjoying the chance to have Grandpa Brion here. He reads stories with the girls and helps them set the table while I finish up dinner. The other day he was singing "Take me out to the Ballgame" with the girls. When he got to the end he sang, "Root, root, root for the home team..." Libby stopped him and very seriously said, "NO Grandpa, it isn't the "home team," it's "the Mariners!"

AHHH Spring

Finally it feels like spring is in the air. It might only be 50 degrees still, but it is sunny. And it is supposed to be sunny for 3 days in a row. Wow. Libby enjoying a popsicle....Sarah isn't quite sure what to do about popsicles. She licks for a bit and then hands it off to Libby.

Sunny Day Pics

We finally had a couple of days of sun this week! On Thursday evening they had a little shower for me at the gym (actually, it was kind of a big shower--I love Harbor Square). I dressed the girls up because they came over to say hi to all the ladies at the shower. We had a few minutes before we had to leave to take some pics in the sun.

Sarahism

Today Sarah was snuggling me after her morning diaper change (which btw, she usually goes in the potty first thing because her diaper is still dry. She it totally ready to potty train I think, but who is in the mood right now?). She looked at me and said, "You have a big belly. Are you going to turn into a dinosaur?"

When I Grow UP...

"I want to be a police officer," Libby said.
Sarah did not even hesitate and declared, "I want to be a Space Ranger, like Buzz Lightyear. And Reid."
Libby then decided she actually wanted to be a princess and live in a castle and have all her dreams come true. Sounds more like her than a police officer.

Libbyisms

Libby is so excited for Baby Ben. She already loves playing with the things in his room and calling him "Ben Ben". She told our babysitter the other night that Ben loves to share his toys with her.
She has lots of "conversations" with him. It is super cute how often she hugs and kisses my belly. I have her telling him every day that he can come out any time and play with her.
One of my favorite Libbyisms lately though was what she told Derek yesterday.
Libby: Daddy, come outside and play with us.
Daddy: I can't, I am helping mommy right now.
Libby: Daddy, I KNOW IT'S COMPLICATED, but could you please just come out and play?

Awesome!

Hope

I am feeling like I might be pregnant forever, and like I am bigger than ever before. This post is to give me hope.

About 6 weeks to go with Libby...
About 4 weeks to go with Libby...(Look at those cheeks...huge!)

About 2 weeks to go with Sarah...

This week...about 5 weeks to go with Benjamin. (Libby picked out my shirt, btw...so flattering!)




I do eventually get myself back!!! (about 6 months after Libby)

About 6 months after Sarah



Okay. I can do this.

Is it STILL May?

We have been talking about the months and days of the week in the little preschool time I do with the girls. She knows that baby Ben will come in June and that June comes after May. On May 4th she asked me about 15 times if it was still May. This is not a good time for her to be asking, since I am also asking myself about 400 times a day if it is still May. So, I stood her up on the desk and we checked off the 4 days of May that had already passed. Now when she asks, we check off the days (if any have gone by since we last checked) and count how many are left in May. It has been good for both of us :)
I will make it. I have done it twice before. But sometimes I wonder how. My daytime heartburn is RAGING. Nights aren't so bad...so I guess I really shouldn't complain. But what is up with that? I am also starting to get puffy in the hands, feet and ankles by the end of the day. Just a little, but I notice!

Baby Ben's bedroom update

I have been working on a few projects for Ben's bedroom. When my mom came in February we picked an awesome UW Husky material for his quilt. I finally decided what else I wanted to do on the walls.
This is the project from this weekend. I have fallen in love with modge podge. I painted the frames (actually, Libby painted one) and then used paper and modge podge to make them look like balls. Inside the frames I plan to put a post card for each of the major stadiums in Seattle. The Safeco one is already in the baseball (which turned out great)! The football will have one from Husky Stadium and the soccer ball (the one that I might redo...) will have Qwest field where the Seahawks and Sounders play.
These shelves just got a coat of paint on the outer edge. One is navy (for the Mariners) and one is dark purple (for the Huskies) but they both look dark blue.
The reason our baby will be named Derek Benjamin Norton is that he will share the initials with his Great Grandpa Donald Barron Norton, his Grandpa Donald Brion Norton, and his father Derek Brion Norton. So, he will be the 4th DBN. That was the inspiration for the initials on the hat rack above (the B has another modge podge creation--the football field stripe). Eventually I will get one hat for each of the major teams in Seattle and probably some wrestling headgear to hang.
Here is the project that seemed easiest and ended up being the hardest. It is a "jersey" for DBN #4. I won't ever take it out of the frame because the back is evidence of how my pregnancy brain was on overload when I was trying to do this project (I painted the hat rack, the shelves, and did this jersey the weekend Derek was out of town to surprise him...big mistake in retrospect because I made millions of mistakes by trying to do too much). But I like the finished product. It is a purple t-shirt that looks like it could be an actual jersey because I created custom iron-ons. The picture makes it hard to tell I think. Then next to it is a picture of the 1st 3 DBNs and CAN (Uncle Clark). I hope I can get a picture with all 4 DBNs after the little guy arrives.
My plans for finishing up the room include a couple of posters for the remaining bare wall. I am hoping to get some with classic Seattle sports moments, since none of the teams are too stellar at the moment...maybe this season...

Ahhhh, A Night Off

On Friday night our ward had a Fathers and Kids campout. Derek was brave enough to take both girls camping. We went to Fred Meyer to get some supplies before they left. On the way back from the store Libby told me, "Mommy, next time you need to come camping with us because we are a family, and families don't leave anyone behind!" It was so cute. Apparently this is from a movie...but at least she internalized the message, right?
But I didn't mind being left behind. I indulged in some pampering, an eyebrow wax and a pedicure before going to help with a fundraiser. I came home and worked on a project for Ben's room (see next post) and went to bed. It was as blissful a night's sleep as a pregnant girl can possibly have (only one trip to the bathroom)! I spent a leisurely hour before the gym finishing up the project for Ben's room and headed off to teach my classes. I can certainly get ready and get there faster when I am not being tugged on by two girls!
But, I must admit I was VERY happy to see them when I pulled in after teaching my classes. Silence is golden, but nothing is better than my little family!
Derek was a real trooper. Libby would only go potty in the distant outhouse because the closer one was "too stinky". Sarah got spooked by a frog and spent a bit of time screaming before bed. Libby's lips stayed a faint shade of blue most of the time. Derek ended up with a sore shoulder from throwing rock after rock into the river for them. They all got soaked to the skin by this spring's lovely, nearly non-stop rain...but they had a good time. They are already asking to go camping again.

Traditions

Derek started a fabulous tradition last year. He takes the girls to the Husky Spring Football game. Last year I was at a training or something, and this year I had to teach. Last year Clark was with them too. This year, he did it on his own. I am so proud of him for braving it on his own. He didn't get to see much football, but I got to come home from the gym and have a little time to myself. Wow. It was great. The girls LOVE getting to go to something with their dad, and they loved seeing Harry the Husky Mascott. Derek is a great dad and a great husband. I hope he can bear with me for the next few weeks as I try to get through this pregnancy. He has been great so far, even when I melted down a little on Thursday.