Shillig 4 Family

AIMI LARK GOT A GREAT MASSAGE FROM HER DADDY TONIGHT... WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT IF SHE LIKED IT OR WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM IT!

WELL TONIGHT WE BOUGHT A BREAST PUMP. JAKE CALLED ME TODAY AND SAID THAT HE HAS A SURPRISE PLANNED FOR WEDNESDAY THAT WILL BE AN ALL DAY THING SO I NEEDED TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO LEAVE THE GIRLS FOR THAT LONG. SO I TOLD HIM I WOULD NEED A BREAST PUMP FOR MALI SU TO BE ABLE TO EAT. SO TONIGHT WHEN HE GOT OFF WORK WE GOT ONE. I "SPLURGED" AND GOT THE "MEDELA PUMP IN STYLE ADVANCED" AND IT IS GREAT. I KNOW I WILL HAVE TO GET ADJUSTED TO PUMPING BUT OVERALL IT SEEMS NICE. MALI SU EXPERIENCED HER FIRST BOTTLE AND JAKE WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO FEED HER. WHEN WE GAVE AIMI LARK HER FIRST BOTTLE IT MADE HIM HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO FEED HER. HE LOVES THE CLOSENESS OF FEEDING HIS LITTLE ONES. SO NOW I JUST NEED TO GET TO PUMPING SOME BOTTLES FOR WEDNESDAY. WISH ME LUCK!

I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT MY DOUBLE STROLLER ARRIVED TODAY! MARLYSE, JACKIE AND I HAD JUST FINISHED OUR AB WORKOUT WHEN JACKIE EXCITEDLY SAID THAT MY DOUBLE STROLLER WAS HERE! THE UPS GUY WAS SMILING SO BIG BECAUSE WE THINK HE SAW JACKIE POINT AT HIM THROUGH THE WINDOW. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR I WAS GRINNING FROM EAR TO EAR AND I THINK THE UPS GUY WAS JUST AS HAPPY AS ME HAHA. SO WE SPENT THE NEXT HALF HOUR PUTTING THE STROLLER TOGETHER. MARLYSE DID BABY DUTY AND READ THE DIRECTIONS WHILE JACKIE AND I HAMMERED ON SOME WHEELS AND TOY TRAYS! I AM SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT AND ABOUT MORE! THANKS JACKIE FOR GETTING THOSE STROLLER PIECES OUT OF AIMI LARK'S MOUTH!

TODAY CHURCH WAS GREAT. I AM REALLY ENJOYING BEING BACK SINCE WE STAYED HOME FOR THE LAST WHILE TO KEEP MALI SU AWAY FROM THE DREADED "RSV" WE HAD QUITE THE ADVENTURE NOW THAT AIMI LARK CAN WALK. HOPEFULLY NO ONE THOUGHT SHE WAS TOO "UNRULY" OF A CHILD. WE SAT ON THE BACK ROW FOR THE FIRST TIME SO THAT WE COULD MAKE SURE SHE DIDN'T GET ON THE STAGE. SHE LIKES TO DO THAT AND IT IS QUITE IRREVERENT AND DISTRACTING. AFTER CHURCH WE DID SOME VISITING/HOME TEACHING AND THEN WENT TO THE SARAGER'S HOUSE SO JAKE COULD SEE LINCOLN'S NEW GUN. NOW WE ARE HOME AND ENJOYING OUR NIGHT SINCE OUR GIRLS ARE IN BED. WHILE GETTING AIMI LARK READY THIS MORNING FOR CHURCH SHE DECIDED TO THROW HER BODY BACK IN A TANTRUM AND SLAMMED HER HEAD INTO MY MOUTH AND I GOT THE FIRST BUSTED LIP THAT I CAN REMEMBER. IT MAY NOT LOOK TOO BAD BUT IT SURE HURTS! AND THE BLOOD TASTE MADE ME NAUSEATED ALL MORNING BEFORE CHURCH. POOR AIMI LARK FELL ASLEEP FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER HIG...

ONLINE SHOPPING REMINDS ME OF CHRISTMAS OR MY BIRTHDAY. YOU USUALLY HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT YOU ARE GETTING BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF INSTANT GRATIFICATION... YOU HAVE TO WAIT AND WAIT. I AM ENJOYING ONLINE SHOPPING BECAUSE OF NOW HAVING TWO CHILDREN BUT I AM SO ANTSY! I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THREE THINGS FOR SOME TIME... 1. MY DOUBLE STROLLER 2. 2007 BLOG BOOK 3. PACK OF 100 "FOREVER" STAMPS IS IT SAD THAT I WANT TO CONTINUE TO SHOP FOR THINGS I NEED ONLINE SO I HAVE SOME FUN STUFF TO LOOK FORWARD TO DURING THE WEEK??? AND WITH FREE SHIPPING AND GOOD DEALS ONLINE... WHY NOT!?

ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON I GOT A BIT CARRIED AWAY WITH BAKING. JAKE WANTED ME TO MAKE SOME COOKIES AGAIN AND I WANTED TO MAKE BREAD. SO WHAT DID I DO??? I DID BOTH AND MADE SOME PASTA FOR DINNER AT THE SAME TIME. TALK ABOUT A CHAOTIC KITCHEN! JAKE WAS LATE GETTING HOME BECAUSE HE HAD TO TAKE HIS BROTHER LUKE TO CAMPUS TO TURN IN AN ASSIGNMENT BUT THAT WAS GOOD FOR ME BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO CLEAN UP THE CHAOS (OF BAKING AND THE GIRLS) BEFORE LUKE, KAYLENE AND JAKE ARRIVED FOR DINNER! AFTER WE ALL HAD DINNER JAKE ALLOWED AIMI LARK TO HAVE "NAKED COOKIE TIME" WHICH MEANT SHE GOT TO EAT YET ANOTHER COOKIE TO HER HEARTS CONTENT WHILE ONLY WEARING HER DIAPER. WE ALL FOUR HAD A GREAT LAUGH OR TWO OR THREE WATCHING HER DEVOUR HER COOKIE AND SMEAR IT ALL OVER HERSELF FROM HEAD TO BELLY BUTTON.

TODAY WE (JACKIE, MARLYSE, ASHLEY, ME, AND BABIES) HAD A GIRLS DAY AND WENT TO THE BABY EXPO! THERE WERE TONS OF VENDORS AND TONS OF FREE RAFFLES. I HAVEN'T WON ANYTHING AS OF YET BUT WHO KNOWS THEY COULD CALL ANYTIME WITH THAT FREE PACK N PLAY OR VACATION TO HAWAII :) BUT I'M NOT GETTING MY HOPES UP... I DID HOWEVER GET OUT OF THERE WITHOUT SPENDING ANYTHING BUT ADMISSION AND LUNCH. SUPER IMPRESSIVE CONSIDERING THEY HAD EVERY CUTE AND CREATIVE BABY GADGET AND GIZMO THERE. AND THE DOUBLE STROLLER I ORDERED A WEEK AGO IN HOPES THAT IT WOULD COME IN TIME FOR THE EXPO DIDN'T HAPPEN SO YES I DID PUSH AND CARRY MY GIRLS :)

TONIGHT I WENT TO ENRICHMENT WITH JACKIE AND HER WARD WAS MAKING HEADBANDS WITH FLOWERS. I WAS SO EXCITED TO GO WITH HER BECAUSE I LOVE LOVE LOVE HAIR-BOWS/FLOWERS FOR MY GIRLS. IT WAS QUITE SIMPLE TO SEW THE TIGHTS TO MAKE THE HEADBANDS BY CUTTING OFF THE LEG FROM THE TIGHTS AND SEWING THE FOOT PART INTO THE THIGH PART. WE THEN HOT GLUED ON THE FLOWERS. I REALIZE I AM NOT AS GOOD WITH A HOT GLUE GUN AS I THOUGHT! I BURNED MYSELF A FEW TIMES BUT HAD ONE SERIOUS INCIDENT WHERE THE FLOWER GOT STUCK TO MY FINGER AND NOW I HAVE A NICE BLISTER! I MADE MATCHING HEADBAND/FLOWERS FOR BOTH GIRLS FOR ONLY $6... YAY FOR ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES! (AIMI LARK WAS IN BED WHEN I GOT HOME OR I WOULD HAVE PHOTOGRAPHED THEM TOGETHER...MALI SU WAS UP AND WAITING FOR A LATE DINNER BEFORE BED WHEN I GOT HOME HAHA)

TODAY WHEN JAKE CAME HOME AFTER HIS DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT HE STARTED SINGING AND DANCING WITH AIMI LARK ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER AND AFTER WORK SHE PUT ON HIS BERET.

MALI SU IS JUST ABOUT 8 WEEKS OLD! I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I GAVE BIRTH TO A CHILD EIGHT WEEKS AGO! SHE IS SMILING ALL THE TIME NOW. THIS MORNING SHE WAS DOING HER "GRUNTING" THING AND JAKE WENT TO CHECK ON HER AND HER EYES WERE CLOSED BUT THEN SHE SLIGHTLY OPENED HER EYES AND LOOKED AT HIM AND FLASHED A HUGE SMILE ACROSS HER FACE AND THEN WENT BACK TO SLEEP. HE WAS SO EXCITED THAT SHE SMILED AT HIM! ALSO THIS MORNING WHEN SHE "GRUNTED" FOR HER 4AM FEEDING I GOT UP AND CAME IN THE LIVING ROOM BUT WHEN I WENT TO NURSE HER SHE DID HER "GAG" REFLEX THING THAT SHE NORMALLY DOES WITH THE PACIFIER SO I TOOK HER BACK AND PUT HER IN HER BED AND SHE WAS FINE. SILLY GIRL AND HER GAG REFLEXES...

AIMI LARK IS 15 MONTHS OLD TODAY! MAN HOW TIME FLIES! SOMETIMES IT IS HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND ONE IS FIFTEEN MONTHS OLD. I LOVE AIMI LARK SO MUCH! HER PERSONALITY IS DEVELOPING DAILY. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE WARMER WEATHER TO TAKE HER OUTSIDE TO PLAY!

MY MOM MAKES THE BEST HOMEMADE FRENCH FRIES AND I HAVE BEEN CRAVING THEM LATELY SO THIS WEEKEND AT COSTCO WE BOUGHT SOME POTATOES. YESTERDAY I THINK I FINALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO CUT THE POTATOES LIKE MY MOM DOES. I ALSO BATTERED UP SOME CHICKEN FOR CHICKEN STRIPS. I NEVER FRY ANYTHING AND HAVEN'T IN PROBABLY TWO YEARS BUT I REALLY ENJOYED THIS LUNCH!

I AM REALIZING AS I GET OLDER THAT MANY TIMES I AM TIRED BUT NOT SLEEPY. RIGHT NOW I SHOULD BE SLEEPING BUT INSTEAD I AM RAMBLING MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BLOG. WHILE IN BED IT FELT WONDERFUL AND MY BODY WAS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY RELAXED BUT MY MIND HAS NOT STOPPED WANDERING... I WOKE JAKE TWICE TO TELL HIM THINGS TO HELP ME REMEMBER TOMORROW... SUCH AS PAYING THE ELECTRIC/GAS BILLS AND I ALSO ASKED HIM TO PICK MALI SU A JOURNAL UP AT THE DISTRIBUTION STORE. AFTER THE SECOND TIME I WOKE HIM HE TOLD ME TO TRY AND SLEEP AND STOP MY MIND FROM RUNNING (EASIER SAID THAN DONE.) WHY IS IT THAT HE FALLS DEAD ASLEEP AS SOON AS HIS HEAD HITS THE PILLOW? AND I AM LEFT TO MY MIND'S WANDERINGS? THANKS FOR LISTENING :)

I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS "BLOG TO BOOK" THING FOR THE YEAR OF 2007 AND I AM REALIZING THAT I MOSTLY POST PICTURES AND NOT WORDS SO TODAY I DECIDED TO CHANGE THAT. HERE IS AN UPDATE ON OUR FAMILY... JAKE IS BUSY AS A WORKER BEE BEING A GREAT HUSBAND, FATHER, STUDENT, SOLDIER, CADET, LINGUIST, CHURCH MEMBER. HE IS SOMEHOW MANAGING TO DO ALL THESE THINGS FULL TIME AND STILL KEEP HIS SANITY. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THE MAN DOES IT AT TIMES! CAROLINE (ME) IS BUSY AS USUAL AS A WIFE, MOTHER, DIAPER CHANGER, HOUSE CLEANER, CHEF, AND ACCOUNTANT. I LOVE MY LIFE RIGHT NOW. JAKE ASKED ME THE OTHER NIGHT WHAT I WAS STRESSED ABOUT AND I SAID "NOTHING" AND IT REALLY SURPRISED ME! I THINK IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE THAT I CAN REMEMBER NOT BEING STRESSED ABOUT ANYTHING! IT WAS A HAPPY MOMENT FOR THE BOTH OF US. AIMI LARK IS 15 MONTHS OLD TOMORROW AND IS WALKING SO WELL NOW. SHE CAN STAND UP ON HER OWN AND JUST WALKS TO AND FRO. SHE YELLS MORE LATELY. WE TRY TO GET H...

JAKE HAS THE HABIT OF "SPOILING" HIS GIRLS. HE DOES IT TO ALL THREE OF US BUT WITH AIMI LARK HE REALLY "BABIES" HER. FOR EXAMPLE... HE ALLOWS HER TO HAVE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES TO HER HEART'S CONTENT (IN MY DEFENSE I MADE THEM WITH WHEAT I GROUND) HE LETS HER FALL ASLEEP IN BED WITH HIM... WITH A PACIFIER! (HE DID PUT HER IN HER OWN BED AFTER SHE WAS FAST ASLEEP)

MY DEAR SWEET MALI SU HAS A FUN HABIT OF HAVING WHAT WE LIKE TO CALL "UNAUTHORIZED TUMMY-TIME" WE PUT HER SITTING UP IN THE CORNER OF THE COUCH BECAUSE SHE LIKES TO SIT THERE AND LOOK AROUND BUT VERY OFTEN WE CHECK ON HER AND FIND HER FACE DOWN ON THE COUCH... PRACTICING HER "UNAUTHORIZED TUMMY-TIME" YESTERDAY SHE FELL ASLEEP THAT WAY... VERY CUTE!

TODAY WE WENT TO CHURCH AND WENT FOR THE ENTIRE THREE HOURS. JAKE IS STILL NERVOUS BECAUSE OF "RSV" (THE DREADED SICKNESS FOR BABIES AND CHURCH IS THE IDEAL BREADING GROUND FOR GERMS) BUT I TOLD HIM ALL WOULD BE FINE. IT WAS DEFINITELY WORK CHASING AROUND AIMI LARK BUT I WAS GRATEFUL TO BE BACK! AND OF COURSE WE ALL WORE OUR EASTER HATS AND BONNETS :) I LOVE WEARING HATS/BONNETS ON EASTER!

THE LAST NIGHT JAKE'S FAMILY WAS IN TOWN WE HAD PIZZA AND GREAT CONVERSATION AT NATE AND ASHLEY'S CLUBHOUSE LUKE AND KAYLENE CAME OVER AND JAKE AND LUKE DID THEIR STATISTICS HOMEWORK WHILE US GIRLS CHATTED. WE FINISHED OFF THE NIGHT WITH A MOVIE. SATURDAY MORNING JAKE AND AIMI LARK WATCHED THE WIGGLES. JAKE LIKES THE "MANDARIN WIGGLES" MALI SU FELL ASLEEP IN MARLYSE'S ARMS WITH HER HEAD LEANED BACK :) SILLY GIRL. MALI SU AND HER NEW BUMBO! WE LOVED THIS CHAIR WITH AIMI LARK AND JUST HAD TO GET ONE FOR MALI SU! WE TOOK IT TO CHURCH WITH US AND IT WAS GREAT TO KEEP MY HANDS FREE FOR AIMI LARK.

ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS MADILYN COMES TO PLAY AT OUR HOUSE. THE GIRLS ENJOY EACH OTHER'S COMPANY MOST OF THE TIME :) I AM GRATEFUL FOR BABY EINSTEIN DVDS WHILE I FOLD LAUNDRY :) I AM GRATEFUL THEY GET MORE USE OUT OF THE EXERCISE BALL THAN I DO :) I AM GRATEFUL FOR MALI SU'S SWEET SMILE WHEN I SAY "HI!" TO HER :) I AM SO GRATEFUL WHEN AIMI LARK AND MADILYN TRY AND "HELP" DURING THEIR DIAPER CHANGES :) DID I MENTION I'M GRATEFUL FOR DISPOSABLE WIPES AND DIAPERS??? BECAUSE I AM :) THIS IS ME UNSUCCESSFULLY TRYING TO GET BOTH GIRLS TO WALK TO ME AT THE SAME TIME :)

TODAY I WENT WITH JACKIE AND MARLYSE AND WE HAD EASTER PICTURES TAKEN OF OUR KIDS. NO ONE TOLD ME HOW "FUN" PICTURES WOULD BE WITH TWO! TRYING TO GET A 15 MONTH OLD WHO JUST LEARNED TO WALK TO STAY PUT AND A 6 WEEK OLD WHO ONLY TURNS HER HEAD TO THE LEFT TO "LOOK & SMILE" AT A STRANGER AT THE SAME TIME WAS A NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TASK. BUT THIS IS WHAT WE GOT AND I AM SUPER HAPPY ABOUT IT! FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS... HAPPY EASTER!

THIS IS A PICTURE OF JAKE AS A BABY AND IT REMINDED ME OF THE ONE OF MALI SU BELOW :)

LITTLE MALI SU IS 6 AND A HALF WEEKS OLD NOW. SHE IS SO MUCH MORE ALERT NOW. I LOVE TO WATCH HER JUST LOOK AROUND.

MY DEAR SWEET AIMI LARK LOVES BABIES AND SHE LOVES TO HUG AND KISS AND PAT THEM... IT IS ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE! THIS IS HER "LOVING" ON HADLEY :)

THANKS TO MY MOM MY GIRLS HAVE BEEN LOOKING ABSOLUTELY PRECIOUS LATELY! SHE HAS SENT SO MANY CLOTHES... THIS WEEKEND I ABOUT DIED TRYING TO HANG UP ALL THE DRESSES AND COULDN'T BELIEVE SHE SENT SO MANY BUT NEEDLESS TO SAY WE ARE GETTING SOME GOOD USE OUT OF THEM! THANKS MIA!

SUNDAY WAS A BUSY DAY FOR US. ISAAC WAS ALSO ORDAINED TO THE OFFICE OF "TEACHER" AND JAKE WAS SET APART AS SECOND COUNSELOR IN THE ELDER'S QUORUM. WE WERE SO GLAD TO HAVE ALL THE FAMILY HERE!

WE WERE SO GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO BLESS MALI SU THIS SUNDAY AT CHURCH WHILE JAKE'S FAMILY WAS IN TOWN. JAKE ENJOYED HAVING HIS DAD AND BROTHERS THERE TO PARTICIPATE. WE WERE ALSO EXCITED TO HAVE JAKE'S MISSION BUDDIES ATTEND. MALI SU WORE THE SAME DRESS AS AIMI LARK DID BECAUSE WE LOVED IT SO MUCH BUT ON FRIDAY I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO FIND THE PEOPLE ONLINE WHO SELL THE DRESS AND BOUGHT MALI SU A LITTLE MATCHING SWEATER SO THAT SHE TOO WILL HAVE SOMETHING FROM HER BLESSING DAY. THANK YOU GRANDMOTHER PEGGY FOR THE DRESS! MISSION VINA DEL MAR AS YOU CAN SEE WE DID NOT GET A FAMILY PICTURE THIS DAY...AIMI LARK WAS TOO BUSY EATING THE COOKIES BROUGHT BY MARLYSE :)