Work Halloween Party

Yesterday we went to Peter's work so Brita (and all the other kids of the people who work there) could go trick-or-treating to all the offices. There was lots of candy--especially since Peter's building is twice as big as it was last year. I took the camera so I could get pictures of the kids in their costumes. I didn't take any pictures, but I took the camera. Brita was a penguin and Benton was Benjamin from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Brita faithfully said everything she was supposed to and only stuck about half the candy in her mouth before putting it in her bag (in case anyone was tempted to steal her candy).

We went down to Provo after that to visit our friends and look at the Pumpkins that the Zauggs had done. We remembered to visit the friends, but we forgot about the pumpkins until we were almost home. Sad. I guess we'll just have to look at the pictures of them. We had tons of fun with Todd and Dani, though. Brita and Nicholette were having all sorts of fun running around, reading books, feeding each other, and giving hugs--at least most of the time they were both having fun. Dani made us dinner, too. Now there's a true friend. :)

So that wasn't so much about the work party, which had an amazing cheese ball and really, really good bread bowls, but they were connected in my mind. So that was my day yesterday, except the part where we killed an hour in Winco, but that wasn't really the most exciting part.

The End.

One month

Today we got an e-mail from Peter at work wishing Benton a happy one month birthdy. I was kind of surprised because I had celebrated it in my mind two days ago. I guess I was a little too set on him him being born on the twenty-seventh. Peter wins. Again.

So Happy One Month of Life to you, Benton. We love you lots.

And here he is in all his one month old glory:

Speaking in church

So I think Brita has found a microphone. It's not quite as cool as the vacuum handle that was used all through my childhood, but it's not bad. She's been talking into the tripod all morning. I finally figured out that she was giving a talk--at least I'm pretty sure. She kept saying "In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." That's not really unusual because she's learning to pray, so I didn't really think anything of it. Then she started talking about the scriptures and using visual aids.

I was sitting on the couch next to her with my legs crossed and apparently my foot was a little too close to her. She pushed it out of the way as she said, "Excuse me, foot."

In other news, Benton just typed an omega. I can't type an omega. Little computer genes already coming out.

Stainless steel

I went home from BYU (either that or Ricks, but I really think it was BYU) one time and my dad was working on vise parts in the back of our truck pug. I went to see him and said hi, but he just sort of ignored me. That's pretty weird for my dad; he doesn't usually ignore people, I waited. A little while later he turned around, handed me something and asked if it fit. It was a ring he had just made for me. I tried it on. It fit and it was beautiful and I knew I wanted it to be my wedding ring.

I wore the ring at Ricks quite a bit during my I-don't-date-Ricks-boys-at-Ricks phase. That was about a year and a half.

I kind of wondered if the person I married would be okay with me using a stainless steel ring rather than a gold one with a big rock. Luckily he was. :) My dad made his ring too.

The bad thing about stainless steel rings is that they can't be cut off. My fingers get really big when I'm pregnant, so I don't get to wear my ring much. Apparently my fingers haven't slimmed down much because I just put my ring on and now it's stuck.

Aren't they pretty, though?

Smiles

Benton smiles at people. Usually he just sort of glares at me, but today I told him I loved him and he smiled at me. I was pretty sure that he was trying to tell me he loved me too, so I tried it again to make sure. I told him I loved him and.. he glared at me. Maybe I'm at least growing on him though. He smiles at other people.

Recent Pictures

Peter's mom just e-mailed to say that she was sending her own photographer out from Illinois to take a picture of Benton. I can take a hint.. Here are some pictures. Some were just seconds old when I started looking for the card reader; now they're just hours old.

It's Brita McNabb

For the last week or so when Brita talks on her toy phone she will say, "Hi, Grandpa.  It's Brita McNabb." or, "Hi, Pamela. This is Brita McNabb."  It's so stinking cute.  I don't know where she learned her last name from, but she picked it up from somewhere. Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Pamela, Scott and Evan are the most popular people to pretend to talk to, in case you were wondering.

Benton and Brita

Brita's getting bigger

It's amazing how much Brita's grown in less than two years. She was so little when she came home from the hospital and now she's huge.

The carnival and the amazing mom

Yesterday around two Peter got home from work (as Monica was watching Brita for me so I could take a nap) and needed to sleep so I decided to be a totally amazing mom and take Brita to the Maceys 10 year anniversary carnival. They had hot dogs and snow cones and ice cream and stuff for ten cents each. And they had bounce houses and stuff. And 5 quarts of ice cream for less than three dollars. So we went.

Of course I made Monica go with me because two kids in a car for twenty minutes each way is just scary to me--I'm not that amazing of a mom.

We got there and it was CRAZY. We had to vulture a parking place and the lines were all about forty people long. And apparently you needed tickets for the food that I didn't know where to get. So we wandered back through the concessions and play stuff and Brita was really excited--she loves bounce houses. All the kids looked big and scary to me so I led everybody back out of the carnival and into the store for our ten cent ice cream. As we stood in line we got a free sample of bread. It was way yummy. We ate our ice cream next to a nice old man named Terry. Old people scare me. Oh--and people kept trying to run us over with their carts as we were waiting in line. And then we left.

So Brita didn't get to do anything cool and I'm a lame mom. Oh well, I tried.

Nobody wants me, everybody hates me.

Today I was told I wasn't needed at church. It was sad.

Peter is working today--he went in at 11:00 last night and isn't back yet--so I got everybody ready and made it to church only five minutes late. We made it through sacrament meeting just fine.

Primary was just practicing for the program, which I figured would entertain Brita better than I could any day, so I figured we were good for the day. Then I asked if they wanted me to sit with my class and they said they didn't need me and that the primary president would sit with them instead of me. So I tried to get Brita just to watch with me for a while, but she really wanted to be sitting with the primary since that was where I told her we would be today. So we went home. Ha--take that, all you mean people who think I'm unnecessary.

Okay, to be fair they were trying to be nice and they were nice. But this is the second time in two years that I won't be helping my class with the primary program and someday I should really start fulfilling my calling.

Then again, I should really start not whining, too, but some things are harder than others.

Sickies

We're sick here. Benton went from smiling (even in the hospital he was smiling) to giving me dirty looks (I'm pretty sure I just got a total glare). It's not my fault, I promise. Brita had a fever the day we got back from the hospital and has been coughing and sneezing ever since. Peter had a fever the last couple days. I have a runny/stuffy nose and a sore throat and a dull headache. Benton has a stuffy nose and has been throwing up. Fun times.

So I'm sure things have happened the last little while, but I don't remember them. Other than a lot of puke. And that I don't know why boys diapers are so eternally awful to change. And Brita started saying "I appreciate it" after she thanks us for things. And Benton tries to be happy even when he's feeling bad, but his patience is definitely starting to get warn down. He's taken to waking up screaming lately which he didn't used to do. I pretty much spend my days counting down the hours until Peter gets home. I'm not the most patient person when my countdown runs out before he gets home.

Things Brita asks for when she's going to sleep..

A song?.. A story?.. A cow?..

Pictures of the kid.

The last while has been pretty fun.  My parents came down to help with Brita while I was in the hospital.  Then they went home.  Then they came back.  Then they left and came back and left again.  It's sad they aren't coming back for a while.  They took care of Brita and Benton during the day so I could sleep and took care of Benton during the night for me.  It's amazing to me how good they are with kids.  Brita loved hanging out with them and Benton definitely got some early morning quality time in with Grandpa.  

Peter took some time off work to spend time with the family. I'm always sad when he has to go back to work. Oh well, we need money, too.

Brita loves her brother. She likes to hold him and show him things: toys, books, food, etc. It's good that half the time she doesn't realize that he's asleep when she's showing him things. She always makes sure I read books to Benton, too--I think that might just be so I have to read them at least twice, though. :)

Benton is doing well. He's pretty much an awesome baby. If sleeping well, feeding well, and being incredibly patient and easy going make a baby "good." We've had a few fun diaper changes involving changing all the sheets on our bed and Peter taking a shower, but not bad considering I spent the first week or so after Brita came home in incredible pain--I'd take Peter getting peed on over my being in pain any day. :)

It's fun to have our family grow.

I'm definitely not the best mom in the world, but things are getting a little better. Hopefully soon I'll become that super patient, never angry, always teaching, totally fun mom that I know I should be. But I suppose I'd have to do something to make that happen, so it probably won't. They say daughters turn into their mothers, though, so maybe there's hope for me.

Anyways, enjoy the pictures. It's all about the pictures after all.

It's a conspiracy.

And three days is way too young to be starting this. Tonight Benton was being fussy. I tried bouncing him and rocking him and all of those fun things.. Finally I figured if he was just going to cry no matter what I did I might as well put the dishes away. Instant silence. As long as I kept cleaning he was quiet as can be. It's just not right.

Note to universe: It doesn't matter how many cleanliness conscious kids are sent to me--I will never be a neat freak. So there.