OP report

Many of our family and friends have asked how Octimus Prime is doing. He's doing great! He's making friends, going to preschool, and doing very well. I thought I'd share a couple of OP stories with you...

This past Sunday was the Primary Program in our ward. His class was front and center, and he put on a great show. He pulled funny faces, covered his ears when the music was playing, didn't sing any of the songs, stood up when he was supposed to be sitting, and sat down when he was supposed to be standing. He even recruited his buddies next to him to join in the merry-making. He wasn't talking, in fact, I don't think he said a single word. He knew if he kept quiet, we couldn't get mad at him for being loud. When he stood up at the podium, he made the most of his five seconds and grabbed the mic with both hands. Everyone in the whole church could hear his part, which was "I obey my parents by picking up my toys and keeping my room clean." I couldn't help but laugh through most of the program, hiding my face so he wouldn't see me. Chris and I did our best to give him the evil eye and use hand signals to convey obedience. Didn't work. MY kid was the one that the primary teachers were probably cursing.



Yesterday was brutal! Octimus had a lot of trouble listening, obeying, and just being good in general. I had to turn into mean mom several times, and Swifthand even made an appearance. What did he do? You name it, he did it. About the only thing he didn't do was lay a hand on Banana, which would have sealed his fate. By the time Chris got home from work, he was sitting in the middle of his bedroom on the floor (wasn't allowed to touch the walls, bed, anything), in his pajamas, and all the toys had been taken from his room. We did let him eat and then sent him back to his room, which was lights out before 7pm. It was such a tough day that I had to bust out my Christmas music to help me feel better and change the mood of my home.


Today has been much, much better! Here is my disclaimer - we really LOVE each of our kids, and they are special and unique in their own way. Today they were trying on their Halloween costumes, and here is Octimus in his Bumblebee costume (thanks Matt & Kelli!), all ready to go get candy for mom and dad!

Beach Trip

Wow! The beaches here in northern California really are beautiful. We went to Monterrey this past weekend and enjoyed some sun and sand. Some friends of ours invited us to use their beach house (1/2 block from the beach), and we said we'd have to think about it. Haha! We jumped at the chance, and spent a fabulous couple of days down there. Here are some pics of our great trip.

We kept Banana bundled up most of the day. Thanks Matt and Kelli, this outfit worked out perfect for the beach!
Of course we had to put her in the sand and see how she liked it. We think she loved it!

This was one of the funniest parts of the day. Chris and I would watch as Apple would stand on the boogie board, patiently waiting for the waves to move her. She did a lot of standing...
Did you know we have a David Hasselhoff in the making?

New Pics of Banana

I don't have much to write today. I just want to post some pictures of Banana. She is so much more alert, and she watches us very closely. Also, she is starting to smile! I don't mean the smiles she makes when she's dreaming, but actual smiles when we talk to her.

Fresh out of the tubby...

Blueberry's turn to feed her...

Hot Day, Cool Pool

It's been very hot today, and a family in our new ward invited us over to swim this afternoon. They have a beautiful pool (to go along with their stunning backyard), and their kids match up well with our kids. As Octimus Prime was drying off, I noticed that he still had his goggles on, and I had to grab the camera and take this picture.

I won't write any more tonight. Chris has been on Banana duty (the nightly crying started around 6:30 tonight) for about an hour, and I need to give him a break. We usually take her in 20-minute shifts.

Tomorrow's game against Florida State should be a fun one. I desperately wish we had our tvs hooked up (another long story). Go Cougs!

Here at Last!

We have finally made it to California! I have so much to write about, and I want to post some pictures, but I need a few more days to catch my breath. The house is still filled with boxes, and so I don't want to take inside pictures quite yet.

The weather has been warm, and very beautiful. We had two days of rain over the weekend, and the nights are cool. Perfect! The neighborhood we live in is quiet and everyone takes care of their yard. I told Chris that we wouldn't be able to put that sofa on the porch - bummer!

The kids are great! Apple and Blueberry love their school. They have made friends quickly and they both really like their teachers. The school is right around the corner, so they can walk together. Octimus Prime is our lonely kid. During the day he is stuck playing by himself, or with me, until the girls get home. We have some activities coming up for him - preschool, playdates, and a music class, so soon he will be busy. Banana has had the hardest transition. We think she has colic, so almost every evening (and sometimes it starts in the afternoon) Chris and I trade off walking the floor with her, trying to help her. I'll do a post on her later.

We love the house! The kids spend a lot of time in the backyard, and there are so many great things about this place. Hopefully I can take some pics this weekend of our home. There is sooooo much to do, and not nearly enough time to do everything. More to come later...

This kid is getting a pretty good double chin.

Thank heavens for a backyard!