Keeping Up

We've been enjoying Arizona a little more now that the temperatures have dropped below 100.  The first time we tried the zoo I was literally wiping my sweat off on Sam's burp cloths and we spent most of our visit at the splash pad with our own species.  This outing was much more successful, and the kids could actually sit on the komodo dragon statue without burning their behinds.

I'm amazed that I even got this picture of Morgan with the orangutan - she was very hesitant to turn her back on it.  She didn't seem to realize that it was way more interested in its lettuce than in her. 

Swimming at my parent's house, looking like some kind of human/bug hybrid ascending from the depths.

Erik's been spending a lot of time at the hospital, so we try to join him once in a while.  It usually ends with Morgan running laps around the cafeteria and Erik scarfing his meal so he doesn't exceed his 20 minute dinner break.

We also had our first visitors!  When it rains it pours - both Nana and cousin Andrew came into town the same weekend, and lucky Andrew got to sleep on our living room floor.  It was great to see them.

And just in case you need a dose of cuteness, here's a hefty helping of Sam.

Random happenings

Morgan has decided that adequate sleep is my current attempt to ruin her life, so she does her best to evade it and ruin mine in the process.  My morning usually goes something like this:

-Wake up at 2 when Morgan shrieks for no apparent reason and then goes back to sleep, leaving me wide awake.
-Wake up around 4 when Erik wakes up and gets ready for work.
-Wake up precisely at 6:15, which Sam has designated as his optimal feeding time.
-After that, prepare to be woken up about every 5 minutes by Morgan standing next to my bed and staring at me.  If that doesn't work, she pokes me or breathes on me heavily.  This is usually to tell me that she has to go to the bathroom, even though I tell her every morning to go take her diaper off, take care of business, and put her underwear on.  She can do all this completely independently, but I guess she needs me to know about it.  After all, if a Morgan goes to the bathroom and no one knows about it, did she really go to the bathroom?  She doesn't think so, and so she wakes me up every single morning for her instructions.  After that, she keeps creeping out of her room to ask if it's morning, until I finally stagger out of bed and give up on sleep.  I hope it's obvious that I'm not a morning person.

Then during nap time, which we have renamed "quiet time" to appease her, there is neither napping nor quiet.  As soon as I make it downstairs, she reappears at the top of the stairs insisting that she needs to go potty - even though she just went 5 minutes ago.  I threaten, I bluster, but in the end she knows I'll give in.  This happens several times each afternoon.  Sometimes she creeps down to my bedroom to wreak havoc, like the day she discovered my expensive craft markers and uncapped them all.  And then, maybe once a week, she'll actually take a nap, which is what keeps me trying.  Because she desperately needs those naps, and so do I.  She's become noticeably more cranky since going off the naps.  Anyway.  This is the major trauma at our house.

Completely unrelated - I'm letting Sam suck on my phone.  He thinks I'm the coolest mom ever, and maybe I'll get a new phone sooner than I thought.

Either Erik or Morgan brought home the cold of all colds, and our family has been sick for 3 weeks.  First Morgan had a drippy nose and a cough, and had to stay home from preschool.  That drove home how desperately important preschool has become in my life in just a short month.  As she recovered, Sam started to get feverish and it took 3 days to finally get him back to normal.  Finally it caught up to me, and I spent a full 2 days on the couch.  Morgan couldn't believe her ears when I told her "yes" every time she wanted to watch a movie or play with the iTouch.  I think she would be perfectly happy if I was permanently sick...  Finally after a week and a half of tissue trails and sore lungs, I got an ear infection and my first sinus infection.    Now I'm taking gag-worthy horse pills and Morgan is cross, because I'm restricting her screen time again.

During this sick time, when I did absolutely no laundry, cooking, or cleaning, I took Morgan to McDonalds for lunch (I realized afterward that we probably just contaminated the whole play area for everyone else, but I didn't want to make lunch or go grocery shopping).  Morgan comes running out of the play place and informs me, "The boy's pants fell down in there!  It was scandalous!"  After I made sure that his underwear remained in place, I had a good laugh.

Highlight of the last several awful weeks: LDS General Conference.  I always approach conference with concerns and questions for my life, and they are always addressed by the speakers.  How grateful I am that God is mindful of my small life and answers my prayers.

You Are Very Clever

That's what Morgan kept telling me as I helped her with an alphabet puzzle today.  I should have recorded her saying that so I could play it back to her when she's a teenager.  However, I couldn't think of a clever title after a day filled with spit-up (Sam), nose-blowing (Morgan), and mind-numbing amounts of laundry.

Sam got his first haircut a few weeks ago.  Erik decided that his cute little fringe was not masculine and invited gender confusion (especially after I commented that his hair was long enough to put a bow in...), so I pulled out my embroidery scissors and gingerly started trimming.

Erik watched this for awhile, and either he took pity on me or he was afraid I wouldn't have the heart to really trim him, and out came the clippers.  You can get a general idea of Sam's response from the picture below.  He's now ready for the military.

Morgan started preschool a few weeks ago - just a small out-of-the-home operation with 8 kids a few mornings a week.  It's low key enough to be comfortable for both Morgan and I, and gives me 5 hours a week without my hormonal toddler.  As soon as Morgan discovered that Miss Reece had a basket full of princess figurines, she was perfectly content to stay. These were the best pictures I could get; you can see the quick degeneration into silly and ridiculous.  I didn't even share the most bizarre ones.

 In other news, Sam is suddenly rolling everywhere and sitting up independently.  His new skills developed so quickly that I'm still a little startled.  No need to rush, Sam.  I don't want to have to think about baby-proofing yet.

We've enjoyed having Erik around more this month - he's on a really laid back rotation right now, resting up for a more intense shift in October.  This is what happens when Dad is around.

Darth Morgan.  Don't you love the flowery dress?

I guess Erik decided it was time to include Sam in Saturday Morning Donut Run.  Rest assured, Sam only got a lick before Erik took his donut back.  Erik doesn't share apple fritters with anyone.

Fat Sam

Our little man is coming up on 8 months of age, and I've been sighing as I do the "compare your child with other children his age" checklist.  Sitting?  Kind of.  Crawling?  Not even close.  Scooting?  In a distinctive Sam fashion.  The two things he excels at are eating and vomiting.  I tell you, I can not keep this kid full.  He would eat all day if I would let him.  And then he strategically barfs an orange streak down my back, getting shirt, pants, and floor.  I think if Sam could talk, he would easily explain why he's a little slow on the development curve:

"Well, Mom, for me to learn to crawl and all that, you've got to put me on my tummy more than once every couple of days."

"Sam, every time I do, you vomit out everything in your stomach, lay your head in it, and then cry because you're hungry again.  I'm not a glutton for punishment."

"Point taken.  You may have also noticed that I am... well padded.  I am a most attractively plump baby, but it can be difficult to move all that bulk around.  I mean, have you seen the rolls on my legs?  Adults this blessed qualify for little carts."

"If you would exert yourself, your fat would turn into muscle and you could get around just fine."

"So... that brings me to my last reason.  I like the sweet life.  Kicking on the floor, having everyone pick me up and bring me my toys... Why would I want to sit up when I could lean back on you?  Why strain to push my body off the ground when I could rest my head peacefully?  I'm happy to be lazy, Mom.  Stop trying to change me."

And that, in a nutshell, is our Sam.  Fat, happy, and lazy.

Sedona

This year we celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary, which made me feel more like a legitimate married couple and not just newlyweds.  I swear when I would say, "We've been married 2 years!" more experienced folk would just look at me pityingly and think, "Amateurs.  Beginners.  Just you wait.  You don't even know what love is yet.  You've never been tested."  And while that was probably true, I still felt pretty darn proud to say 2 or 3 or 4 years of marriage in a world that expects 2 or 3 or 4 different marriages.  So even though there are many people who have been married much much longer than us, I felt like it was a big milestone.  Something lots of people celebrate with a cruise or trip to Europe or the like.  However, these people must have 8-5 jobs with flexible vacation, dual incomes and no children, because we certainly weren't able to.  We felt pretty fortunate to get 1.5 days to drive up to beautiful red rock Sedona, compliments of my parent's time share.

We had a little stowaway on our romantic trip.  After a nearly sleepless night probably due to teething, I was certainly wishing I had weaned him so we could actually enjoy our time away.

We enjoyed walking around an artists' colony and looking at all the expensive pieces for sale, but we felt a little out of our element.  Maybe I should have worn something more sophisticated than my college T-shirt. :)

One of our favorite side trips was driving up to the Chapel of the Holy Cross, the Catholic Cathedral built into the rocks.  The best thing about the church was its spectacular location overlooking the valley with a a clear view of all the mountains.

In our first 5 years, we weathered death and grief, two children, medical school, several moves, tight budgets, and long hours.  We also enjoyed wonderful friends and family, blessings, tender mercies, and a lot of personal growth.  I wouldn't have had it any other way.  Here's to another 5 years of growth and happiness!

Couldn't stay away

At the beginning of this month, the kids and I took a rather spontaneous trip back to Utah for lots of reasons.   One was that Aunt Di-Di, as Morgan calls her, was going to be driving up, and she was crazy enough to think that we would be good traveling companions.  Ha.  We showed her.

Here we are in Mesquite, eating breakfast at the buffet.  We pulled in at 1 AM, after driving over someone's bumper, and Morgan bounced on the bed til 2.  The poor gamblers could hear Morgan singing and Sam shrieking for food in every corner of that restaurant.

Another reason was to celebrate Far-Far's birthday - the big 6-0.  And to see all the family that would be in attendance.

Like Aunt Lor-Lor, the baby whisperer.

Sam decided to cut his first tooth right after we got there.  I didn't even know until I put my finger in his mouth.

And these darling cousins all the way from New York.  Who make my kid look pasty white.

Morgan and Zoe became instant friends pretty much the second we walked in the door.  It was heartening to watch, since I've been worrying about Morgan's social skills or lack thereof.

Morgan also needed a Nana fix.  They really are the best of friends.

Part of the attraction is Nana's clip-on earrings, which Morgan immediately confiscates.

While there, we went to a cancer fundraiser with musical and comedy performers.  I think that's the first time I've ever laughed out loud at a comedian.  Morgan was mostly bored and stayed up way past her bedtime, but that's what you do on vacation, right?

And since Morgan has been saying "It's a nice day - we should go boating" ever since we moved to AZ, we spent a little time on the boat.  This was Sam's first outing, and he handled it in typical Sam style; didn't approve of the life jacket, but was calm and resigned.

The happy crew

And on a day when the grandparents were both occupied, we visited "our real home," as Morgan calls it, to see our dear friends in SLC.  Of course I didn't think to take any pictures of that, but we did go to the Church History Museum with them so Morgan could dance the flamenco again.

The flight home could have been disastrous, with just me and 2 little kids, but thankfully they let Nana come through security with me, Sam slept the whole flight, and Morgan made friends with the BYU co-ed next to us.  Even more important, Morgan's bladder cooperated and we didn't have to visit the bathroom until after Erik picked us up - can you just imagine all 3 of us in the little lavatory?  Best of all, we missed a whole week of Erik working the night shift, and he was able to sleep during the day.  Who wants to host us at the end of October for two weeks?

So...July came and went

Morgan had her first hands on experience with fireworks.  Being a Merkley, I think she's fated to love them. I enjoyed the fact that my family bought fireworks but then let Erik light them all.

Sam and I watched safely from the car.

Morgan completed her potty training course with flying colors.  Golden.  Only had one partial accident on a 12 hour road trip but gamely held most of it in.  And then my pride had to be punished, because now, more than a month after mastering her waste, she's leaving wet spots on the carpet.  Pretty deliberate actions, although I'm not sure yet what she's reacting to.  Could be the reduction in candy and stickers, or maybe she's responding to all the travel we've been doing.  Who knows.  But my pride is humbled and my ire is aroused, because I do.not.like.cleaning.urine.  I would rather go back to diapers than clean urine (or worse, feces...shudder) out of the carpet everyday.

Ah, the good old days of joyful potty runs

Sam is Sam.  Very laid back little guy.

Morgan is not laid back.  She's been taking her aggression to the local splash pad.

I should note, this was a serendipitous photo where Morgan is splashing as a little girl ran by.  No children were harmed in the taking of this picture.

Ever my girly girl, Morgan has developed a deep and abiding love for heels.  After discovering damage to one pair of mine, I may have to break her little heart and declare them off limits.

While Sam steadfastly remains too lazy to master sitting, rolling over, or anything else on his milestone chart, he has learned to move by pushing his feet while laying on his back.  I watched him traverse the length of our couch, and turn and scoot under the armchair.  This is him emerging on the other side of the chair.

These two are still friends, although for Sam it's pure adoration and for Morgan sometimes mere toleration.

Sam has finally overcome his overwhelming sucking reflex and learned to swallow food.  He's making up for lost time by moving straight from a tentative first feeding to demanding baby food by the bucket load.  Yet another strong Merkley trait shining through.  I'm starting to wonder if my genes have anything to do with it.

Too tired to think of a clever ending.  

THE END