Circle of wetness

Mary-Gail during nap time today.

My sweet, happy, silly Mary-Gail. My very determined Mary-Gail. My two-year old Mary-Gail who doesn't want to keep her diaper on! I had to put her diaper on 3 times this morning...and that was during a 2 hour period! She knows she's not supposed to take it off too. She'll "sneak" her diaper off, and then waltz right in front of me; when she sees me catch a glimpse of her nakedness, she runs right to her diaper and says, "On. Diaper on."

Jumpsuits don't work. Overalls don't work. Another suggestions was to have her wear onesies. Wish that would work, but the child has figured out how to take her diaper off even with clothes on! When that happens she walks with her diaper all bunched up around one leg.

So, the battle over diaper vs. potty-training continues. What about Rebecca? She is seen here saying, "I don't know" when I asked her why her sister is so silly. I don't know either, sis.

Boo-boo after just waking up. Love her hand expression as she says, "I don't know"

Guess who's in town?

CarCar & Spencer! Carly & Spencer spent this Christmas (and the last 2 Christmas') at Spencer's parents house in Alamosa, Colorado. BUT, instead of going home, they were able to hitch a ride with friends to Provo and here they are!!! It feels like they've been gone for a 100 years, but really we just saw them a month ago for Mom's early Thanksgiving (they went to Alamosa again for Thanksgiving Day).

CarCar & Spencer were surrounded by 6 kidlets who all wanted their immediate, un-divided attention. So cute to see the kids clamour around them too. Becca & Miguel know that Aunt CarCar & Uncle Spencer live in "Fee-nix," so they were super surprised to see them at Auntie JoJo's house in "Sping-bill."

Car & Spence showing off their Christmas presents: "Mortensen's, Est 2007,"

and their "M" Christmas decoration

Two naked 2-year olds

I spent today trying to keep clothes on my kids. Sounds crazy since it's 17 degrees outside and the frozen ground is covered with ice and snow, but both Rebecca & Mary-Gail wanted to be naked.

This morning at church Becca kept pulling her dress up over her head, "Off? Off? Naked!" and this was while opening announcements were being made. Distraction is the BEST tool, and luckily we had a fabulous family sitting behind us who helped distract Becca from being naked. After church and lunch it was Mary-Gail's turn to be naked. I was upstairs using the bathroom while the girls were downstairs playing. I came downstairs (after being away for seriously less than 5 minutes) to find Mary-Gail naked from the waist down carrying the toilet plunger "plunging" the hardwood floors. She saw me, turned, and ran down the hall. Not really a big deal...except that her bum was poopy! To my utter horror I found her poopy diaper smeared on my fabulous rug, smeared on the couch and her pants and socks completely saturated with poop. Do you remember the last time Mary-Gail did this? Let me remind you...see this post.

I gathered up Mary-Gail, marched upstairs with her slung over my arm, and cleaned her bum, legs, feet. And then I cleaned her bum, legs, feet, hands, neck with Clorox wipes. Seriously child? Thank goodness it was naptime because I needed a "Mommy" time-out. The Clorox wipes and I headed back downstairs for some serious cleaning.

My poor downstairs. It has seen better days. Last week I spent all day (x 3 days) cleaning up Becca & Miguel's experiment with Comet. Yes, they got a Sam's Club size 48 oz can of Comet, pulled off the sticker on top, and dumped it all over the afore mentioned fabulous black rug, the black leather couches, the black TV armoire, the toys, the treadmill, the built-in bookshelves, all in their hair, and all over their new clothes. And where was I that time? You guessed it - upstairs, but this time I was visiting with Happy. Kind of reminds me of when my sisters & I had a mustard fight and completely ruined our entire upstairs and the fabulous, new wool rug my parents had just bought. (But I was a lot older and knew better).

And tonight we went to my Mom's house to visit. JoJo & Jed were there with their kids. Gage kept coming upstairs saying, "Um, Aunt Amanda? Mary-Gail is taking off her pants and diaper. She's naked." I hustled downstairs to find the cutest bum (it was clean this time) running away from me. I tackled Mary-Gail, brought her upstairs, re-fastened her diaper, re-clothed her, and sent her back downstairs to play. THIS HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES!!! My Mom & I thought about putting duct-tape around her diaper; JoJo told me it's time to be serious about potty-training since Mary-Gail doesn't want her diaper on. Guess you're right. UGH and double-UGH.

Christmas Morning

Happy Pappy displaying his Christmas present - a star with his children's names etched on the points

Lovey showing his new headphones. He wanted the kind that are "Noise Cancelling"

Are we that loud? :)

Mary-Gail, one of the two designated present openers

Rebecca opening her new toothbrush & toothpaste

(she & Mary-Gail LOVE to brush their teeth!)

Awwww! So cute!

Mary-Gail opening her present from Grandma Gail in Charleston, South Carolina

Rebecca, a little side-tracked from opening presents, began playing the piano

I showed Mary-Gail ONCE how to squeeze Rudolph's ear to start the music and flashing of his nose, and she did it herself thereafter

Instant love!

Rebecca is wondering about the flashing nose, while Mary-Gail proudly shows Happy her new toy

Lovey opened his present from his Mom & Dad - new scrapbook pages!

These was my favorite present, although it was for Tony: I love seeing pictures of Tony when he was growing up and pictures of him with his kids; Rebecca looks just like Tony did as a child and she looks just like Tony's daughter, Ali!

Mary-Gail is in heaven with Rudolph. She emptied the box that Grandma & Grandpa mailed their gifts in and sat inside with her Tick-ah and her new toy!

Love that flashing nose! Rebecca showing Happy all the people in the scrapbook pictures from Grandma Gail. See my gift from Gail? The pull-a-part cupcake train mold. Can't wait to use it!

Lovey's favorite present: a fleece-tied, army-camouflage blanket from me

(He's wanted one forever!)

Emptying my "Survival" Nalgene bottle

Like little Raccoon's: once they have something in their grasp, they won't let go of it (even if their hand is stuck, such as Rebecca's is)

Mary-Gail, tight-rope walking on Happy's laptop cord

Oh, the joy of Christmas morning with little ones! They surprised us by sleeping until 7:45am!! Crazy too, because I was up at 6 am wondering if I should wake them up or not. Happy came over and we baked orange rolls with yummy orange-cream frosting. Lovey had orange juice with his, and Happy had a glass of milk with his. The girls ate off of Happy's plate (so cute!) and me...I was completely happy to have my girls, my husband, and my Dad at home with me. My house felt full of love, full of warmth, full of peace.

Happy started us off by opening his present - a 6-pointed star I had my friend, Ashley Knudsen, make. Each point has the name of one of his 6 children, and the center circle has the year. I hope he liked it. I kept thinking the girls were going to give the surprise away because they kept saying, "Star. Happy's Star. Star."

Miguel & Becca Boo-Boo were the designated present openers, which was the prefect job for them. They enjoyed tearing the wrapping paper into the teeniest, tiniest, microscopic pieces, and then moving on to the next wrapped gift. They got distracted a couple times - Becca started playing the piano, and Miguel started to undress the Christmas tree. No worries! The presents from Grandma & Grandpa Kemp in Charleston got them right back on track. (See pictures above). Lovey and I decided we would give Rebecca & Mary-Gail a couple presents each, plus some stocking stuffers. (One of the presents, the Fisher Price Twin Dolls, was a present I bought last year on Black Friday and saved it until this year). We just didn't want, and don't want, them

to expect so much on Christmas.

Christmas 2008 was another wonderful day, season, time for our family. We hope everyone else had a blessed day and was able to spend it with those they love. Merry Christmas!

P.S. The pink bag on the Christmas tree had a "little number" in it from Tony. Baby-sitter, anyone? We need a baby-sitter!

The Girls, Happy, and Big Red

Happy came over yesterday just as I was getting the girls suited up to go outside and shovel our driveway and walks. He helped me finish putting gloves on Becca & Miguel, and we all ventured outside to tackle the mounds of snow that had just fallen.

Rebecca was an adventurer and wandered around following Happy as he shoveled. Mary-Gail wasn't thrilled with the cold wind hitting her nose and rosy, chapped cheeks (plus she could barely move in her puffer-puffie snow suit). I put her and Becca in Happy's truck, "Big Red," and these cute pictures followed:

Mary-Gail wasn't happy being the only one in Big Red

I collected Rebecca and the two of them played "driving" while Happy & I visited

Hello girls!

Yes, I know, I need some lipstick

I like how you can see Happy's smiling reflection in the window

Happy "freed" the girls and took them exploring down the walkway

Both girls just sat down in the snow afterwards