Cracker

Everyone comments on how fair Michael is. It's true, he looks nothing like me. He's, as Dave would put it, "a white bread cracker." That made what happened the other day way funnier.

Michael and Joseph were sitting in the kitchen and Dave asked "who wants a cracker?" Then we heard in an adorable 8 month old voice "cracker". It was as clear as a bell. Michael said cracker!

In other news, Joseph and Dave went to the store the other day to pick up some Montreal style bagels (if you've never tried them you are missing out!). They took a little longer than expected, but when they came home, Dave sent Joseph in first. I didn't see him, but I heard his little feet running excitedly towards the kitchen where I was. As he came around the corner, I saw him holding a bouquet of flowers almost the size of him. He had a huge grin on his face as he handed them to me. They were beautiful Hawaiian gingers and birds of paradise! I threw my arms around Joseph and thanked him for the flowers, then made my way over to Dave and planted some appreciative kisses on his lips! (the kids are going to read this one day and gag LOL). I love how Dave is teaching him early how to treat his wife!

It certainly brightened up my day since I had been caring for three sick children all week (and they're still not better yet). I sure hope they get better soon.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Look Who's Talking

My cutie baby boy, Michael, is starting to talk! He's only 7 months, but last week he said "dada" and today he said "mama". I know he knows what he's saying because when he was tired and wanted to nurse, he looked right at me and said "mama!" I just LOVE hearing my babies talk :)

Me Ka Aloha

- Elisabeth

P.S. He also started army crawling a few weeks ago!!

My Kids Said....

Lately the kids have been saying some pretty funny stuff (mostly Rosie). Before I forget, here's what they've been saying.

Rosie (as she watches Joseph get his diaper changed) "Eeewww that's be-gusting Joseph. I can't get married to you if you have a poo poo bum. I hate that."

Rosie (after coming home from a wedding) "I need to take off these fashion clothes and put on play clothes."

Rosie (someone was at the door) "Someone is here. I think it's Heavenly Father."

Joseph (after getting in trouble for opening my door while Michael was sleeping and pushing the siren on his firetruck, waking Michael.) "I do nothing Mommy, I do nothing." (obviously trying not to be sent to time out)
Joseph eating his favorite food, rice cakes.
Snow White and Joseph (with his baby) watching a show in my room.

Joseph's words at 18 months

Joseph is just over 18 months now, which means he has to go to the Dr. for yet another check up and immunization (poor little guy). I've got to say, I absolutely HATE sitting there, with him on my lap, anticipating two needles going into my cute baby's chubby legs. I'm know he hates it more, and that Dave hates it more than all of us combined. Dave is the BIGGEST wimp when it comes to needles. He'd rather get punched in the face than give a blood sample. Any way, I digress... this blog post is about Joseph. He was supposed to see the Dr. today, but since he's a little sick and on antibiotics, we had to reschedule. At the 18 month check up, besides the dreaded needle, the Dr. will ask a number of developmental questions. One of those questions is "can your baby say at least 50 words". That sounds like a lot for an 18 month old and most parents panic and think their baby is delayed. The funny thing is that MOST babies can say more than 50 words at 18 months, parents just never take the time to count them. So today, I'm writing down everything he can say and how he pronounces them with his little baby voice.

1. Mama (obviously)
2. Dada (this was his first word)
3. More. He uses this in a sentence saying "I want more" or in Joseph talk "my wan more"
4. Ok but it sounds more like "ah-kay"
5. No but it sounds more like "nah"
6. Cup, but Joseph says "cup-ah nun" He adds "ah-nun" to a lot of words.
7. Tummy or "tum-may"
8. Cuddle or "ka-dle"
9. Christmas. He'll only say this if you first say "we wish you a Merry..." and he says "kam-mis"
10. Cookie or in Joseph's words "kah-kee"
11. Nana
12. Banana or "mana" That's how Rosie used to say it.
13. All done or "a dunnn"
14. Up or "up-ah-nun" or "up-ah"
15. Dora
16. Camel
17. Monkey "ma-key"
18. Elmo or "amo"
19. Diaper or "dapee-nun"
20. Baby or "be-bee"
21. Open it or in Joseph's words "ah-pen it"
22. Bath or "baa"
23. Cow
24. Two
25. Purple or "pa-ple"
26. Rosie but he says it like "Ra-dee"
27. Airplane or "a-pane"
28. Amen
29. Ball
30. Boots (usually referring to the monkey on Dora) "boo"
31. Car
32. I'm going to get you (yes that is several words) "Ida get do"
33. Yogurt but he says it like "ya-gut"
34. Book or "book-ah"
35. Help me "hap mea"
36. Your welcome but he says it like "a weh-kum" If you tell him to say thank-you, he just respond with "a weh-kun"
37. Nose or "nah"
38. Yes or "yah"
39. Grandma or "ga-ma"
40. Yay
41. nap or "nap-uh-nun"
42. Dear Zoo (it's a book) "deew doo"
43. Puppy "pup pae"
44. There "dare"
45. Sock or "hawk"
46. I drop my shoe "a dop a do"
47. backpack or "baa paak"
48. Map or "maa"
49. oh no sounds more like "oh nah"
50. water "wadurn"
51. Cat in the Hat or "cat in in hat"
52. Thomas or "tom-ah"
53. I love you or "Ah wove do"

See there you have it, over 50 words. He says more than that I'm sure, but I can't remember them all.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Quick Post

Did I mention that Joseph is fully weaned now? He's doing great, but insists on sucking his thumb while falling asleep. I guess it's comforting for him. It actually looks really cute, despite the fact that it might mess up his teeth.

Today I found Rosie sitting on the rocking chair by herself singing "I am a Child of God". Isn't that just the sweetest thing... ok.... wait..... no..... this is the sweetest thing. Today before bed Rosie told my husband that she wanted to go to the temple and get married!!!

Awwww they are growing up so fast!

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

I must say "come on" a lot...

When Rosie was a little over 1 year old, she'd wake up in the morning and I'd bring her into my bed to cuddle for a while. She'd always do the sign language for "eat" and say "com'on" (with a New York accent haa haa). She would also say it when she wanted to go to the park "come oooon!"

Now that Joseph is talking a bit, he also says "come on" but without the New York accent. I actually don't know what he wants when he says it, but I have heard him say it a lot when he's playing.

In other news, Rosie and Joseph are sharing a room now (hurray I have my own room back!) They're doing great! I thought they would wake each other up a million times a night but they've been sleeping like little angels! I single handedly moved all the furniture in my bedroom around once the playpen was gone and made my room look beautiful! Now all I need is something to hang on the walls and maybe a homemade quilt... yes... a quilt for sure!

Today Joseph woke up around 8am and I grabbed him before he woke his sister. I brought him into bed with me and he actually cuddled for 1 whole hour!! When Rosie woke, she came into bed a cuddled too! It's so lovely to have my babies all cuddly and affectionate. I know they won't be this way forever.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Smartie Pants!

If you know Rosie, you know that she doesn't like to perform. If you say "Rosie, what color is your shirt?" She'll just turn away, but she darn well knows what color it is. If you're lucky and catch her when she's in the mood, she'll answer your questions, but most of the time she will keep to herself. Any way, it's been difficult for me as a parent to know how smart Rosie actually is because she doesn't like to show you how smart she is. I just have to catch her on a good day, like today!

I had an issue of the Ensign sitting on the couch and Rosie picked it up. She pointed to the picture of Thomas S. Monson and said "Thomas!" How cute is that?! Then she decided to open it up and look at the pictures. She saw Dieter F. Uchtorf and said "Dieter!" Then she looked at me and said "where's Jesus Christ?" I flipped through the pages and found a picture of the First Vision, and said "there he is!" She then pointed to Joseph Smith and said "Joseph Smith!" Wow, I guess she IS learning something when I try to teach her about the church. Then I found a picture of the Salt Lake Temple and said "look, it's a temple." Rosie then sang the first line of "I love to see the temple" which I sing to her almost every night before bed. I sang it to her again and she listened intently. So I guess one thing I learned today is that she is totally absorbing everything I teach her, and I need to continue teaching her good things and not give up, even if I think she's not getting it.

Another thing she's been saying lately is "E bit ibit" Dave heard her say it that other day and asked me if I knew what she was talking about. We were both stumped. Then the other day she said it again and I thought, "hmmmm could she be saying 'Elisabeth'?" I asked her to say Elisabeth and she responded with "E bit ibit" so maybe that's what she's saying. I'm not 100% sure yet because she doesn't really say it in context with anything else and sometimes if i ask her to say Elisabeth, she'll say it differently. If she IS saying Elisabeth, well, that's pretty darn cute, although I wish she'd still call me "honey" like she used to.

Well, it's getting late and I the next few days are going to be busy as heck. I have a newsletter to do for the quilt shop, grocery shopping, clean the house, finish planting flowers in the garden, laundry, run in the Moon and June 5 km race, and throw an awesome birthday party for the J man. I'm also going to post before and after pictures on my health blog, along with Joseph's birth story on his birthday. Yikes, I better schedule sleep in there sometime.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Rosie is Cute When...

Rosie has been interested in pulling books off the bookshelf lately, but not her books, you know the fun looking books with all the colors and pictures. No, she's apparently bored of her baby books. These days Rosie has been trying to read mine and Dave's books (does she even know what they're about? Maybe she's one of those freakishly smart kids and she's actually reading it?). The other day I caught her looking at "What to Expect When you're Expecting". Either she's preparing 20 years in advance, or she knows something I don't (I guess it IS possible that I'm preg, but unlikely). I also saw her looking at this book...
Haa haa she's too funny!! On another note, I love the way Rosie asks for things. It was pretty rough teaching her at first to say "please". Some days she's absolutely refuse to (she sit there wailing an gnashing) and Dave and I would sit there with her (sometimes for over an hour) waiting for her to say "please." Now she knows to say it every time, but she ALWAYS says it 3 times. "Apple juice Mommy. Please please please." Ahhhh she's growing up faster that I ever could imagine and she's saying so much! Soon she'll be asking to borrow the car (yikes - Dave can deal with that one).

Well better run, Joseph just bit my knee (maybe he's hungry?)

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Is Joseph talking?

I forgot to mention this in my last post. When we were on our first test drive, Dave was driving, the car salesman was in the front passenger seat, and Joseph an I were sitting in the middle section. I think Joseph was really excited to be riding next to me and he was giggling and waving at me the entire time. I said "hi Joseph!" and then he said "eye dada." I thought, ok that's just a fluke, so I tried it again. "Joseph, say hi dada." He said it again, with the same tone as I did. He did this about 6 times in a row. Wow, what a smart boy! He's been saying it a lot lately. It's just too cute!

Today before bed I was hugging Rosie and I said "Rosie, can you say I love you?" "I love you, I love you, I love you." Then JOSEPH said "I dub you"! Ya I know right... he's totally TALKING! I tired again... "I love you" and Joseph repeated "I dub you." He said it with the exact same tone as I did! Rosie knows how to say I love you (well, she says I lub you) but she's too stubborn to say it most of the time. At least one of my kids, Mr. Lover Boy will say it often. I guess that's ok that Rosie refuses to say it as long as she keeps on giving me cuddly snuggles.

Speaking of Joseph, he just woke up and I can hear him crying in his bed. Will he ever learn to sleep trough the night? Maybe he could sense I was talking about him. I better go save him from his evil playpen.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth