The first hike was an exploratory one that ended up being more on bike trails than hiking trails.
Because I'm pregnant I couldn't really carry Kendrick in the backpack, my dad has shoulder/back/neck problems, and my mom has hip and vertigo issues. We are a sorry bunch. Brigham wasn't around so Kayleen got to experience carrying a heavy toddler on her back. We tried to make Kendrick walk but after he fell in the mud he was cranky and uncooperative. We all took turns holding him on our hip or shoulders, but poor little Kayleen had him on her back for quite a bit. She was a great sport.
The second hike was a more familiar trek at Kanaskat Palmer, along the river. It was gorgeous and we spent plenty of time talking by the river. What made it extra wonderful was leaving Kendrick behind with my dad who wanted to rest.
That night my mom opened her presents and we had the most delicious coconut brownie dessert ever.
We ate some delicious cherry pie on 3/14 for pie day.
And I made green pancakes for Saint Patricks Day. That's about as Saint Patrick-y as I get.
Kendrick made some big boy changes in March. First, he graduated to a big-boy bed and both he and Ammon were thrilled about it.
They love having a boys room together and Kendrick constantly talks about his big-boy bed. I thought the transition would be hard, but actually, it was pretty seamless. The first couple naps took a bit of adjustment, but besides that, he has done great!
I also bit the bullet and decided to get the boy potty-trained before this new baby comes. And boy oh boy has that been an adventure.
Both Lydia and Ammon were super easy and potty-trained in a couple of days. Kendrick took a couple of days to figure out being able to release on the toilet. He was so traumatized about having an accident that it became hard for him to actually finally go once he was sitting down. Luckily, we worked it out and he started doing better. That first week was rough, though.
What finally worked was just letting him run around naked so that he could run into the bathroom to go at his own will. This boy has always done things his own way and I should have known that the independence would be what helped him this time as well. (when he was playing outside half-naked he kept asking for a jacket, haha. I kept trying to tell him that wasn't the problem, but he didn't get it)We've had a little bit of regression with him waiting too long to tell us he has to go so that he has accidents, but that's so normal and I'm not worried about it. He's doing well!
Of course, when I was potty-training Kendrick even my pregnancy app had to bring up peeing and pooping.
I was surprised at boot camp, my favorite exercise class I attend, to have a small little baby shower. They flooded me with diapers and healthy-ish treats and I felt so blessed and lucky to work out and have such good friends as the lovely ladies I see each week.
Though, they did make me take this horrible picture after I was done working out and looked super terrible and red and sweaty. But if you look good after your workout you didn't do it right...right? I am thirty-four weeks along here.
Lydia and Ammon enjoyed spirit week this year, and we made a good go at crazy hair day.
Ammon did his own hair and I concocted some creation I had sort of seen on Pinterest for Lydia.
Each year gets harder to come up with new ideas. Someday she'll be too mature/embarrassed for this right? And that sort of makes me relieved and sort of sad.
While Lydia is at piano lessons, the boys and I have been enjoying the good weather days at Lake Wilderness Park next to the piano teacher's house.
The beauty never ceases to amaze me. And I love those boys in stripes!
Brigham and I were able to take a weekend off and head to my aunt's house to celebrate our anniversary a month early by playing games and relaxing kid free.
I didn't take many pictures, or any good ones, but we played games for two days, ate delicious food, and had a blast.
We did have to take a break in the middle of the weekend to rush home for a couple hours and move all of our furniture to GET NEW CARPET!!
I had been asking to get the carpet replaced since we moved in. The previous tenants had dogs that trashed it. It smelled, it was dirty, and pretty much everything about it was disgusting. I felt embarrassed to have other people over because of how the carpet made our house smell. I hated coming home from vacation because I knew when I walked in our house would smell like old dog. No matter how much I cleaned, it still felt dirty and it smelled worse after we vacuumed than before because of the ruffling of carpet fibers. And after three years of living here, we still would get tons of dog hair in our vacuum every time we vacuumed. I cried and cried when the landlord refused to put new carpet in before we had Kendrick and the thought of bringing home a newborn to that carpet was devastating. I could go on about the horribleness, but I think you get the point.
Sure, it was a pain to move all of our furniture out and then back in, but the carpet. Oh, it is so wonderful! Brigham and I both talked about how we were sort of nervous to walk in and check out our new carpet because we had placed so much hope on it improving things and we didn't want to be let down. Well, it did not disappoint. It smells so much better, the new carpet is so soft, so nice looking, and I feel so much more at home. My level of happiness has gone up drastically. It might sound silly, but this girl likes a clean house and after years of feeling like I live in dirt, I breathe so much easier now. Literally.
I don't have before and after pictures, but the pictures above are of the new carpet. It is so wonderful! And now I don't have to cry about bringing home another newborn to the filth that was here before.
As I settled into my glorious new carpet, Kendrick decided to settle into my bed.
He also has keeps me laughing with his latest antics.
What started out as a cute little game with the garbage can at the dollar store.
Turned into him screaming throughout the rest of the trip because I had to take the garbage can away when he wouldn't stop throwing it out of the cart.
Life with a toddler. What's cute one second turns into a nightmare the next.
This boy does warm my heart. He loves to do his "practicing" each day when the kids go off to school.
He watches Lydia and Ammon practice the piano and he takes his turn clapping and counting in the mornings all on his own. He really really loves music and I hope that someday he really does take to the piano.
And with all that packed in, we are off to April. Easter, April Fools, anniversary, and baby due date! Phew!
