Doodlebug - Tally Mark 120

Rie Rie,

You are finally 10!  What you thought was never going to come has arrived and you're so excited!  You've been working on your list for a couple of months, making changes, adding links, making sure I've sent it to people, etc.  You asked for two pairs of Jordans, a custom baseball bat, a gift card for PlayStation so you can get The Show '24, a weighted blanket, and some hats.  I hope you love what you got!

Your time as a fourth grader is coming to an end.  This year you learned about California Missions and the Gold Rush.  You have a field trip next week to Coloma, where gold was first discovered.  You're excited because you get to be partners with your friend, Connor, which means you'll be together the entire time of the field trip and you get to sit with each other on the bus.  While you two are friends, you're also extremely competitive.  Both of you ran in Cross Country this school year and he was FAST (always came in first).  You would get really down on yourself because you weren't coming in first.  This motivated you to want to push yourself to try and beat your previous time each race.  You never beat Connor but you finished the season off stronger than you started.  You also didn't want to initially do Cross Country but you were open to trying something new.  Way to go!

Not a surprise, you still play baseball.  We switched travel ball teams this year and you still play on the 10U team.  You also played Majors for Fall & Spring ball.  It was intimidating to play with boys so much bigger and stronger than you but you've held your own.  In fact, you were nominated for All-Stars this year and you made it!  Your coach told you that you should have made the team last year but it was his fault you didn't.  He's excited to have you on his team this year.  You're not super excited because you thought you'd have two practices a day but so far, that's not on the schedule.  Regardless, you're going to do great!  Baseball comes naturally to you.  You flow so nicely on the field, always knowing what to do and where you need to be.  Catching is your forte but you also pitch and play shortstop.  You make amazing plays and definitely earned your spot as an All-Star.  Your nickname as the Silent Assassin still rings true as you can usually be found on the bench, waiting for your at bat rather than being super vocal and cheering your team on.  While you aren't the cheerleader of your teams, you definitely set the tone for the other players and so many people look up to you.

Do you know what else comes naturally?  Pretty much everything.  While it doesn't create good habits, you never study for your tests but you still get amazing grades.  You hate public speaking but you aced your San Diego Mission oral presentation.  So much so, your teacher went home that evening and raved about how fantastic you did to her husband (their son is on your baseball team so we get to talk to them often).  You never give up and you always try your best, even if you're not super keen about doing something.  Each week, your teacher sends home a progress report for each kid.  I can't tell you how many times she's written how much she loves you and loves having you in her class.  Your class hasn't been the easiest this year for her but she's told me how you make her job easy.  Thank you for being kind and respectful, especially to your teachers!

You got braces in October since you got my teeth and Daddy's mouth.  You're about halfway through your first treatment and once all of your permanent teeth come in, you'll start your second treatment.  After the initial placement, you were definitely in pain; lots of Jell-o, pudding, and yogurt were consumed.  When you get them tightened now, you refuse to take medicine to help with the discomfort and you just push through.  Honestly, you worry more about what color bands you'll get rather than how much it'll hurt you.  You need a little help brushing and flossing but you got a compliment last week from a boy in your class.  He asked you how you got your teeth so white with braces because his are always yellow.  You came home quite proud of your dental hygiene regiment.  

YouTube still gets all of your attention.  For some reason, watching other people play video games excites you.  You often ask if you can get new games on the iTouch but I always make you delete some before you can get new ones.  Then a week goes by, and you ask for another new round.  You asked me the other day to try and guess a YouTuber based off their voice.  I assured you I didn't know any YouTubers except for FazeRug.  You insisted I would know.  You turned on the clip and, you were right, I knew who it was.  It was Ryan Trahan!  We loved watching his summer challenge for the last couple of years.  We'll have to see if launches a new one this year.

For being so sweet, you definitely like to talk back.  You use the excuse that you don't know what talking back means so you just keep talking.  If I'm being honest, I'd much rather you act like this with me and Daddy but, still.  We know you can follow directions and behave at school and baseball.  We just can't figure out why you can't always behave at home.  Sometimes groans and whines come out of your mouth when we ask you to do your chore or feed Aksel.  If we ask you to do something, you have to ask if The Lime did what we asked him to do first.  Everything has to be fair and we have to remind you to worry about yourself.  One day you'll understand what talking back is, I hope.

You prefer I drive you to school every morning, and Aksel always joins us.  You don't tell me you love me back after I say it to you, but Aksel always gets lovies from you before you leave.  I'm glad you are able to show love and emotion to someone/something.  It's hard for you to be vulnerable, and you have an especially hard time complimenting people or apologizing.  I'm not quite sure where this stems from but we want you to know it's okay to say something nice to someone, or to admit when you've made a mistake and you need to ask for forgiveness.  It's something your teacher has had everyone work on this year.  I think we just need to practice more.  

For your birthday meals, you want Cane's for lunch (we've never been) and Panda for dinner - pretty much chicken since we never get to eat it.  You still love chicken wings and still eat lunch at school every day.  You sleep in our spare bedroom because you say your bed is uncomfortable.  You are obsessed with Jordans and have them as your roller skates and baseball cleats.  You finally moved up to a size 7 in shoes.  I had you clean out your drawers last month and you still had size 6 clothes in there.  We got rid of all of them and you're a M/10.  You eat bread and Nutella every morning for breakfast.  You tried dragon fruit and mango for the first time this year and you love both.  You even tried planting dragon fruit seeds but I'm not sure anything will come of them.  You still have the same haircut (long middle, shaved sides).  When we shave your sides, they act like velcro and the long part of your hair gets stuck in the stubble.  You loved going to San Diego earlier this year, especially to the Padres game.  Fernando Tatis, Jr. is one of your favorite players.  You love Coca Cola.  You tried paddleboarding this year and love it.  You just wish we'd let you go out further than we feel comfortable doing.  Talking/yelling in your sleep is not as prevalent as it used to be but it still happens every once in a while.  You're usually the first one up in the morning on the weekends.  Sometimes you let Aksel out of his crate and feed him, sometimes you go straight to the computer.  You say you don't like music but you chose Notorious B.I.G. as your travel ball walk up song.  We also paid you to pick Careless Whispers as your little league song.  You were so afraid people would make fun of you but everyone loved it.  

And just like they loved your song, everyone loves you.  It isn't unusual for us to go somewhere and hear someone yell out your name with excitement.  While not a social butterfly, people know you and want to be around you.  Keep that up, bud.  We love you so much and love being around you.  We can't wait to see what 10 year old Rie does with himself this year!

Love you so much,

Mama

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 108

 Oh my RieRie!

Since about 5:00 last night, you were counting down the hours until your birthday.  For about a month, you asked me if I had everything ready to go.  You had your breakfast, lunch, and dinner planned, when you were going to open what present, and what you wanted to do that night.  The stars aligned and nobody has baseball tonight so we get to go roller skating.

Speaking of roller skating, it was the end of February or early March that your school had a skate night.  Since The Lime started school, I've wanted to go to one of those.  Finally, I convinced you to go to this most recent one.  It was your first time skating and you were nervous.  You fell, a lot.  But each time, you got up and tried again.  There were a lot of tears and you were frustrated with yourself, and I was expecting you to say you never wanted to go again.  To my surprise (and delight), you wanted to go back the next week.  And, so, we have (when we don't have baseball)!  Most of the time it's just me and you, and I love it.  We see how many times we can go around the rink, our highest amount being 104.  That's also 104 times you've gone around without falling.  One of these weeks we'll win Four Corners.  Not sure about Red Light/Green Light.  Some of those folks are FAST.  You want to hold my hand and get upset if I let go.  You asked for skates for your birthday and it's on the agenda to buy you a custom pair (the kind where you turn regular shoes into skates).  Can't wait to see what you pick!

Baseball keeps us busy.  You started catching this season, and you do an awesome job.  You are so laid back when you play, taking everything in stride.  When you strike out, no big deal.  Just like with skating, you get out there and try again.  When you don't catch a ball, you give it another shot during the next play.  Daddy heard a college baseball coach talk about how he wants "boring" players; people that go out there and get the job done without all the fanfare/bells/whistles/drama.  That's you, bud.  Last year, your coaches called you the Silent Assassin.  You don't talk much and can normally be found sitting on the bench while the other boys are climbing the fence or playing swords with their bats.  Some days you say you don't want to play while others, you anxiously ask me when your next game or practice is.  You played travel ball for the first time last fall and seemed to enjoy that a bit more than little league.  You don't think you're good but you are.  And you'll go far in this game if you keep trying.

Speaking of not talking, you have the same third grade teacher that The Lime had.  Part of me was excited because she's great but part of me was also nervous because she does lots of oral reports.  For someone who doesn't talk much, I wasn't sure how that would go over.  Sure enough, for your first one, you were adamant you were NOT going to do it.  But you did, and you did awesome.  Then it was time for the second one and, again, you were not going to do it.  But, again, you did and got a perfect score.  There was a little hesitation for the third one but I think you felt pretty confident by then.  And it showed, as you got another A+.  It's pretty cool to see what you're capable of when you put in an effort and tell yourself you can rather than can't.

You came home from school a few months ago and told me you had a hard time seeing the tv screen.  It was right around the time The Lime and I had our annual eye exams so we scheduled one for you too.  Sure enough, you needed glasses.  You were set on only wearing them for school until you put them on at The Lime's baseball game and stunned yourself.  You could read the scoreboard and all of the sponsor banners in the outfield.  The more you wore them, the more you realized how amazing it is to see clearly.  You didn't know that at night, there wasn't always a ring around lights.  You're pretty good at wearing them all the time, except for baseball.  I think you're a little embarrassed but you'll come around.

I recently asked you what you wanted to be when you grow up.  "You know..." you said.  I racked my brain trying to remember.  Then it hit me...an electrical lineman (as long as you're securely strapped into your harness).  I have no clue where you got the idea but it's ambitious, and I love it.  

Actually, now that I think of it, you probably saw something on YouTube about linemen.  You still love devices, especially if you can watch YouTube on it.  The things you've learned...your class grew butterflies last month and you named yours Michael Myers.  We've never talked about that character or the movie he's from.  Leave it to YouTube.  You do say some funny things after hearing them online.  I think you said someone was acting rigid the other day.  I'm not sure when I learned that word/meaning but it definitely wasn't third grade.

You and The Lime fight all.of.the.time.  But the second he goes to do something with his friends, you beg to join.  Most of the time he lets you and you two have fun.  You enjoy riding your bikes together, playing wiffle ball or basketball with the neighbors, and going to Raley's to buy treats.  You get very protective of your treats, mainly because you use your own money to buy them.  Sometimes you buy Prime, other times you buy Sour Patch Kids or chips.  

I think I've mentioned it before how I've always thought you'd be a great big brother.  You interact so well with younger kids, like your cousin.  I think that's why you love Aksel so much.  You play with him in the mornings before you leave for school.  And when it's time to leave, you say, "Bye Sweetie Pie!"  You love to cover him with your blankets and he patiently lets you.  You love snuggling with him and he hates when you get close to him when he's chewing on his toys.  During Christmas break, I watched our neighbor's dog.  She's older and much easier to take on walks.  A few days in, you started joining me on our walks and you were in heaven.  Just like with Aksel, you loved on Olive and have been asking me ever since when we can watch her again.

Just like you love Aksel and Olive, you love tacos and requested that to be dinner on Sunday.  You also love Panda Express and we're getting that tonight.  You still do not love broccoli but you'll eat it if you have to.  Same goes for mushrooms.  You love frozen tamales, just like The Lime.  You love cheddar sour cream Ruffles and Doritos.  You eat cereal or bagels for breakfast and get school lunch every day.  You've been breaking out on your chin and we think it's from toothpaste.  We're on our third brand, hoping it clears things up.  You have gotten better at washing your hair and it smells so much better.  You got a size 6 pair of shoes today and can't wait until you're a 7 because then you'll be wearing men's sizes.  But you still have size 8 clothes that you wear.  You got a special pair of church pants and a nice blazer from Daddy's aunt's store in Utah.  You like going to church only so you can wear them.  You wish you were in my primary class so you could play games.  You insist on wearing long socks even if they don't match your outfit.  You got a watch for Christmas and you love having it in military time.  You love playing catch with Daddy at The Lime's baseball games.  You absolutely love chicken wings and pride yourself on being able to eat a pound of them at Cattlemen's.  

I love watching you grow and I also love that your voice still sounds little.  I'm excited you're excited to be 9!  Remember: do well, be kind, you're amazing, and I love you.

-Mama

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 84

 

Dear RieRie,

7 years old!  Wo hoo!  7 is an awesome number, and I know you're going to have an awesome year ahead of you!

You are winding up your first grade year at school and you have mixed feelings about second grade.  You think it's going to be hard but I have a feeling you're going to breeze through it like you did first!  When you started the school year, your spelling/writing/reading were a struggle.  We'll blame Covid on that one, since you had to do "school" from home for three months and not much learning took place.  But you worked so hard and your struggling scores shot up to outstanding.  You love to read and be read to.  Every math test you take has a "Wowza!" on the front of it because you got a perfect score.  Your teacher said you were perfect, and I'd have to agree (most days).

Speaking of school, we met with your Speech Therapist last week and she officially deemed you a graduate of speech!  I was watching videos of you when you were younger and it was so hard for me to understand what you were saying.  I know this was frustrating for you because you knew exactly what you were trying to get across.  I think that played a part in you being so shy, because you were afraid people wouldn't be able to understand you.  Now you confidently go to the snack bar at baseball and order a pretzel and Gatorade all by yourself.  This wouldn't have happened a year ago!  I'm so proud of how hard you worked and your enthusiasm to grow.

You decided to play baseball this season and you've loved every second of it.  You thrive at playing all the bases because you're such an awesome catcher.  At the end of every game, you remind us how far you hit the ball and that you're the best player on your time.  You love playing wiffleball with The Lime outside and going across the street with Daddy to the batting cages.  I know you'll make it far in baseball if you keep loving it and trying your best!

When you're not playing baseball, you're most likely on the iTouch watching YouTube.  Occasionally you'll go outside and play with the neighbor kids.  You've recently started asking if you could go with The Lime to his friend's house but he has a pool, and I'm not 100% confident in your swimming skills just yet.  Hopefully with lessons this summer, you'll get even better!  

You told your teacher the other day that you want to be a police officer when you grow up.  I suggested a K9 officer because you love dogs so much.  Aksel has been such a treat for you.  You want to be as close to him as possible, all the time, even if he doesn't want you to be close to him.  You two like to tease each other and sometimes it goes a bit too far.  Aksel really does see you as one of his littermates.  I'm so glad you two will be able to grow up together!

I talked about your tummy issues in last year's birthday letter.  Thankfully, it's not as bad as it once was but you still have flare ups every once in a while.  I'm beginning to think it might be linked to Red 40 dye, because anything red tends to immediately send you to go potty.  This means no red ICEEs at the snack bar.  Total bummer! 

You give Daddy and me a run for our money.  I often ask Daddy how we'll be able to handle you when you're 16 because we can barely handle six.  You know what you want, are persistent when you strongly believe in something, and rarely back down.  You have an amazing poker face.  I just hope it's a phase and not something you'll carry on with as you get older.  You insist on getting hot lunch at school.  Your art skills are out of this world, and you can draw pretty much anything.  You still give me hugs, tell me you love me, and let me hold your hand.  You can't go to bed without getting at least two kisses, because you claim to have not received the first.  You get afraid going into the garage by yourself, whether it's light or dark outside.  You say you're cold when it's hot outside, and hot when it's cold outside.  And you say you're cold if the wind is blowing no matter the temperature.  You get very enthusiastic when you tell stories.  You randomly scream in your sleep, usually telling The Lime to stop.  You've lost six teeth and are hoping number seven won't be too far behind.  You believe everything your friend, Tyler, tells you (he is not nine years old and he didn't move in down the street from us).  You're so darn cute, funny, and smart and I'm so glad you joined our family seven years ago.  I love you so much!

Love,

Mama

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 72

Oh My Rie Rie,

You have been counting down to this day for the last three weeks.  I'm so sorry you have to celebrate in quarantine (thanks, Coronavirus!) but that hasn't seemed to damper your spirit.

What a year five was for you!  You finished up your first season of baseball, had your first session of swim lessons, started kindergarten, started your second season of baseball (Fall ball), learned how to ride a bike, made lots of friends, barely started your third season of baseball (Farm!  And...Coronavirus), and lost your first tooth.  You amazed me in all of these endeavors and more!

You were so blessed to be on the T-ball team you were on!  Mrs. Smith, Carson's mom, was one of your Team Moms.  We knew her from school because she was Ryan's teacher.  It's not uncommon for younger siblings to get the same teacher their older sibling had.  But after getting to know Mrs. Smith, we knew she'd be a much better fit for you than The Lime's kindergarten teacher.  Daddy and I wanted to tell the school we wanted you to be in Mrs. Smith's class but she beat us to it.  She came up to me one day and said, "I hope you don't mind but I requested [Doodlebug] be in my class next year."  And, sure enough, you got her!  You have loved her and she's loved you!  You were recognized as Star Student more times than I can count, and you earned a special recognition your first semester.  It's been tough not seeing her everyday since the middle of March but you love being able to see her on your Zoom meetings every week.  This is her last year teaching kindergarten and we're hoping you'll get her again in second grade!

Speaking of school, we weren't surprised when Mrs. Smith suggested you meet with the Speech Therapist.  Since you started out grunting rather than talking, and it was still hard to understand some words you said, we knew it was coming.  You first worked with Sister Turnbull from church and then Mrs. McMorris when she came back from maternity leave.  We're not the best at remembering to do your homework but you always try your best and never give up!

I reached out to Silas and Tyler's moms a few weeks ago and asked them to do a "drive by" birthday celebration since we still can't have parties.  You originally wanted to go to Chuck E. Cheese, then Rockin' Jump, but neither of those can happen this year.  Not being able to see your best buds has been the hardest part of staying at home.  You've told me numerous times, "I just want to see Silas and Tyler!" so I'm hoping their brief visit today will make you extra happy!

We've spent the last year and a half trying to figure out what's going on with your tummy.  The last year has included lots of doctor visits, lab visits, and even a colonoscopy/endoscopy.  It's traumatizing for adults, let alone a five year old.  But even with your tears and fears, you've pushed through and showed me how brave and amazing you are!  When you went in for your procedure, I knew you were scared, and we both almost started crying when they wheeled you away, but you were so strong!  It hasn't been fun for you not being able to eat cheese, milk, ice cream, etc.  Thank you for having a positive attitude and getting excited about the "special" things we get for you.  We're still trying to find a cheese that isn't gross.  One day!

You love riding your bike, watching way too many videos on YouTube (specifically FGTeev), and being read to.  Every night before bed you ask me, "Read book?"  You're usually asleep within minutes of me starting.  You can't go to sleep without your giraffe, panda bear, and blanket you've loved since you were born (the one Sister Tanner gave you).  You don't like it when I tell you I love you but I do it anyway.  You are an early riser, no matter what time you go to bed.  You love Mouse Trap and usually win.  You hate turkeys but love babies.  Seeing you with babies makes my heart melt.  You're going to be such a good dad one day!  You loved getting hot lunch at school before we found out we needed to go dairy free.  You used to alternate doing rock 'n roll hair and "the wave" for school.  Then you got a bike for Christmas and had to wear a helmet everyday so it was whatever would stay after we took your helmet off.  You still get hiccups when you laugh too much.  You have a tendency of having bad dreams and screaming in your sleep for The Lime to stop.  You can never remember what they're about.

Daddy wishes you would stay little forever and I'd have to agree with him.  But we know that won't happen so we'll stand by and enjoy each year that we get to watch you grow.

Guess what, Rie Rie?

I love you!

Mama

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 60 - Part 1

Dear RieRie,

One of my favorite songs to sing to you is "Oh My RieRie!" to the tune of "Oh My Darling, Clementine". And my favorite part is when you sing it back to me saying, "Oh My Mommy!" Even though you say Mommy in the song, you normally call me Mama and I absolutely love it. Yes, you're a big five year old now but when you call me Mama, it reminds me you'll always be my baby.

This has been a great year for you! First off, you finally got to play baseball! After four years of watching The Lime play, it was finally your turn and you've done AWESOME. You thrive at every position you play; always down and ready. You know that all of your games are written in red on the calendar so you're able to see when your next one is. The day of your game, as soon as you wake up, you ask if you can get dressed but that's usually nine hours before your game so I have you wait. Then, throughout the day, you ask if it's time. You just love to play and it's hard to be patient sometimes but when 4:00 rolls around, you're SO excited things can get rolling. And as soon as that game is over, you get pumped for the next.

You've had to spend more time at babysitters' houses in the last year any other time in your life. And with how shy you are, you've done surprisingly well. You especially liked going to Ben's house and you didn't even want to leave the last time you were over there. With school starting in less than four months, you're going to make even more friends and, hopefully, work your way out of your shell even more.

You are a monster on your scooter, always zipping around at a speed that makes my heart skip a beat. You've skidded so many times, your back tire is a square. It makes for an interesting sound :) I can always tell where you are at the baseball field; I just have to look for the Evel Knievel helmet. But I think it's about time we move you up to a bike, a REAL bike. Maybe Santa will bring you one for Christmas?

Puzzles are still your strongpoint. Your little mind loves figuring things out and puzzles are the perfect challenge. You also LOVE Transformers for the exact same reason. The 8+ toys are right up your alley but they always stump me. You definitely get that attribute from Daddy.

I'm convinced you've been growing nonstop for the last six months because you're always hungry. Thank goodness you're a great eater and request things like blueberries or strawberries. But goodness gracious, if you're like this at five, I don't know how I'm going to keep up when you're sixteen.

Speaking of great eating, when I asked you what you wanted for your birthday dinner, you said pizza and salad. "Salad like the one we just had," you said. That would be Caesar salad. What five year old asks for salad for their birthday dinner?! You do tell me you hate broccoli, though, but always eat it when it's given to you. Hot dogs are not your favorite and I think it's because of the texture. Interestingly enough, you are more than willing to eat corn dogs.

You have a great eye for bugs and tell me when you see one in the house. You also don't go in the bathtub if there's one in there, even if it's a tiny fly. But you're more than happy to play with them outside. Potato Bugs have been known to make their way home with us from school but you kindly put them in the grass when we arrive, so they can go back to their families. You love pointing out butterflies and you move across the street if you see bees.

You are kind and sensitive, hilarious and quirky, shy but talkative with those you feel comfortable with. You have been just what I needed this year to feel peace and happiness. I've treasured these five years I've had you all to myself and I'm excited to see where you go from here.

I love you so much!

Mama

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 48 - Part 2

-Spends too much time on the iPad watching YouTube.
-Is an early riser. Sometimes too early, like before the sun comes up.
-Says the sweetest prayers.
-Still gets the hiccups if he laughs too much.
-Hates when people watch him.
-Wears a bowtie to church every week.
-Always takes a handful of Sacrament bread and keeps his cup.
-Thinks he rules the world.
-Likes to say, "What da heck?!" and "Oh my goodness!"
-Will occasionally have PB&J for lunch but still prefers quesadillas.
-Says all sodas are spicy.
-Prefers to apply his own suntan lotion.
-Insists we look at the toys every time we go to Target.
-Is no longer afraid of ladybugs. In fact, he treats them the same as he does babies.
-Likes to exercise so he gets big muscles.
-Gets excited when he sees the letter F.
-Doesn't like loud noises.
-Likes to do different things with his fingers; I love you, rock & roll, and shaka brah.
-I give him two thumbs up for being the best RieRie!

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 48 - Part 1

Dear RieRie,

You have been waiting for this day almost as long as we waited for you! And you made it...you're 4 years old!

This is the year that you become a big boy; you don't wear diapers anymore (except Pull-Ups at night but they're usually dry when you wake up), you started Primary, you can brush your teeth by yourself, you try really hard to buckle your seatbelt by yourself but sometimes need help, and we're getting you to walk more because big boys don't always need Mommy to hold them :) We're also getting you to work on the crying and whining. You tend to cry about EVERYTHING and while it's okay to cry, we don't need to break down every.single.time. something doesn't go our way.

You have lots of best friends and none of them are your immediate family members. Ha! But rather Great Grams & Great Papa, Sister Boden, Eli, McKayla, Natalie, Sophie, and Baby Lilly. You are extremely shy around people you don't know but you go 100 miles/minute around those you love.

Speaking of love, you LOVE babies! Having Baby Lilly in our home and seeing how sweet you are with her, and all babies, has warmed my heart. You share your toys with her, beg to hold her, talk gently to her, and do whatever you can to make her happy. If we ever have another baby, you're going to make the perfect big brother.

But you're still the little brother and you and your big bro fight...A LOT. I sometimes feel like I have twins because what I do for one, I have to do for the other. But you look up to him so much. You can't wait to go to his school, you can't wait to play baseball, you are anxious to pick him up from school each day, and you're always following him around (which may be the reason for the fighting). But I love how much you love him and I hope you always look up to him.

Can I tell you one of the things I love most about you? You love Coldplay! I love driving in the car with you and when we hear Coldplay, you yell at me to turn the radio up. You're also an awesome dancer that can't control his moves when you hear the perfect song. Dance parties are sweeter when you're involved and I can't wait to chaperone your youth dances in 10 years!

You give the best hugs and apparently needed one really bad the other day because it was quite possibly the tightest, most loving hug I've ever received from anyone. We've been getting ready to move and you haven't been getting the attention you need or want so I was more than willing to squeeze you until you eeeekkkked. Feel free to give me those hugs anytime!

You're a rebel at home but when we're in public or with other people, you like to follow the rules and make sure everyone else is following the rules too. You give us the weekly report on who was naughty in Sunbeams, you yell at Natalie to stop on the corner so she doesn't cross the street without us, you encourage McKayla to stay where her mommy can see her at baseball, and you keep tabs on The Lime when he's doing something he shouldn't be. I appreciate that you're obedient with other people, like your Primary teacher, and that I can take you out without worrying about what might happen. You've come with me to The Lime's school on several occasions (music, parties) and you're perfectly content with playing with the classroom toys or puzzles. I've overheard other parents say their kids would never behave the way you do. You can misbehave at home anytime as long as you're good in public :)

This is my last year with you at home before you start Kindergarten and I promise to savor every second. Promise me you'll always be my RieRie!

Enjoy your day, silly boy!

Love,

Mommy

Expressing Gratitude - Day 19

The Lime had his baptism preview tonight and the invitation said for 8 year olds and parents.  I wasn't going to get a baby-sitter for Doodlebug since I estimated we'd be gone for less than an hour but I also wasn't sure how I'd keep him reverent at 7:00 at night (especially when he didn't have a nap today).

Enter puzzles.

This boy loves puzzles and I couldn't be more grateful. He's perfectly content with doing one, then taking it apart, and doing it over and over. When we were at The Lime's class party last week, he found some good quality floor puzzles and was bound and determined to finish them. I tried putting them away, since school was almost over, and he FREAKED out. So he quickly completed them and was pleased as punch with his accomplishment.

I love seeing his little brain work, his pride when he completes one, and the peace and quiet I get for that brief moment while he's working.

Expressing Gratitude - Day 14

I often think back to when it was just The Lime and me. We had our weekly library trips, visited Target often, headed to Auntie's house every day but I got to join him on Thursdays, and watched the MoMo man every Tuesday. We had lots and lots of fun!

I'm not as fun with Doodlebug. Which I feel bad about! We're much more limited on time than The Lime and I were. We drop The Lime off and have about 2 hours before we need to be back home for lunch so I can put Doodlebug down for a decent nap before we have to pick The Lime up from school.

We didn't have anything planned today (which was apparent by the way I looked) and I was pleased as punch when Doodlebug suggested we play baseball. We got the T out, which he hit off of, and he pitched to me. He's just as talented as his big bro and is going to be a rock star in two years when he can play baseball.

He laughed hysterically every time he purposely threw the ball at my head.  It was a wiffle ball so I wasn't too scared.

Then he suggested we play soccer. As much as it isn't in the cards LaVor has for his boys, I think Doodlebug would make an excellent soccer player. We'd bring a ball to all of The Lime's practices and games and at one point he was repeating "I love soccer!" over and over and over again.

Next up was a rousing session of sidewalk chalk. I drew a turkey and then Doodlebug asked me to draw something. I could not, for the life of me, understand what he was saying. So we played our guessing game where he gave me clues. Is it a movie? No. Is it a toy? No. TV show? Yes! Then Doodlebug said "yellow" and I said, "SpongeBob?" "Yes! Yes! Yes!" he said. In his sweet mind, he was saying it perfectly and couldn't understand why I wasn't getting it. So when I did get it, he was ecstatic. It was darling.

Almost 2 hours later, we headed inside to get ready for lunch.

I'm so grateful Doodlebug suggested we do all those fun things together. Not just because I love making those memories with him but also because it's supposed to rain for the next two days and we won't be outside much.

Expressing Gratitude - Day 7

My sister directly above me is 21 months older than I am. That meant we spent two years at each school together. While I found comfort in just knowing she was there, it wasn't until high school that we got to have (at least) lunch together.

I wanted that same thing for our kids which is why we started trying for a second baby when The Lime was 2. But Heavenly Father had other plans for us (because he's way smarter than we are) and we didn't get Doodlebug until The Lime was 4.

I was really nervous that with a 4 year gap between the boys, The Lime would be "too old" to play with his little brother. But Doodlebug has proved he can hang with the big boys. In fact, sometimes he seems like the big brother as The Lime yelps for someone to help him because Doodlebug is beating him up.

These two boys fight like it's going out of style but boy, do they also sure love each other.

My heart nearly explodes when they're sweet to each other and play nicely. I especially love hearing The Lime teach Doodlebug how to do something or helping him out. Like tonight, Doodlebug was having a hard time getting the toothpaste out and The Lime showed him how to squeeze everything down to the opening.

Or when The Lime finished his dinner first tonight and Doodlebug said, "Good job, Dieta!"

I see how much fun they have together now and can only imagine what it'll be like when The Lime is 18 and Doodlebug 14. Oh, the trouble they'll get into!

OMGoodness

Seriously, Kimberly? No posting for the last 6 weeks? Yikes!

If I'm being honest, there really isn't much going on in our lives that I feel needs to be documented (or that anyone would want to read about). Also, life is steadily crazy that I haven't had time to catch up on my recorded shows, let alone blogging.

But Doodlebug is sleeping, my baking is done for the day (but I just remembered I need to buy candy for our ward's Trunk-or-Treat tonight), and I don't need to pick The Lime up for another hour. So how about an update?

I'm six months late in announcing I am back in the workforce, if you can really call it that. I wake up in the 2 o'clock hour every morning to go fold and deliver newspapers. I'm crazy, I know. But I needed something that would allow me to stay home with Doodlebug, volunteer in The Lime's classroom, attend mutual every week, etc. It's definitely a different world in the middle of the night but I'm grateful for the opportunity to help my family financially while still being a full-time mom.

The Lime is winding down his season of Fall Ball. Although he's on a Farm team, I don't think there are any T-ball teams so he has some kiddos playing with him that have never played before. It's been really fun to see all the progress the team has made but I'm especially fond of cheering The Lime on. He's been on fire and would love to move up to AA in the spring but we're still talking about it.

LaVor works his tail off at work and then comes home and does the exact same thing. He ripped out our summer garden and has all the fall/winter product planted. We're going to have endless amounts of broccoli, kale, lettuce, beets, carrots, herbs, and more. We can hardly wait!

Doodlebug is a little firecracker, that kid. He cries a lot, just like he has his whole life, because he knows nobody wants to listen to that sound so we give in. But the kid is almost three and a half. This crap has gotta stop. Throwing large rocks at his brother's head is not okay and it will result in consequences. But then he does stuff like slaps my bum while singing, "Spanky spanky spank your butt, doo daa, doo daa" and I have to just eat him up. He's so funny! Soooo funny! He had all three of us laughing hysterically in the car last weekend with his creative facial expressions.

He loves riding his scooter to The Lime's school every morning and usually eats it at least once. He and The Lime race and he gets a little too wobbly, ends up flying through the air (or rolling) and crashes to the ground. But he's a tough cookie and gets up and continues on. Big, brave, tough boys is what we like to call them.

I suppose I should write down how amazing the Coldplay concert was! I drove to my sister's on 10/4, ran inside to brush my teeth, and then we got back in the car to drive to the concert. Someone recommended to her that we take public transportation rather than forking out $50 to park at the stadium. It was a brilliant idea so we followed his directions only to find that the trains weren't running as frequently at 8:00 at night. After debating on whether or not we should wait for the train or start walking, we decided to start walking. It ended up being over 3 miles but we did it because we wanted to see Coldplay, gosh darnit.

I should back up and inform you that when I bought our tickets a year prior, I purchased two sets. When we went to the concert last year, the gentleman sitting behind us told us he paid double what we did for tickets because he waited until the last minute. So when I bought this year's tickets, I thought I could make a buck or two. Nope, I didn't. In fact, I was out hundreds of dollars. I ended up not being able to sell the extra tickets which, financially, sucked BUT it meant my sister and I got to sit on the field! Good golly, was that a neat experience.

We arrived to the stadium during their second song and it was a magical two hours of singing, dancing, laughing, and crying. They put on an electric show. So much so, you can just feel the love and joy everyone around you is experiencing. I'm certain the band is tired from touring but I can't wait until they come back.

The most current news is that we have a mouse somewhere in this house and it's literally driving my crazy. I'm a paranoid wreck that can't keep my eyes off the ground, looking for evidence of where the little bugger might be. In the 11+ years we've been married, this is the first mouse we've dealt with. And while I know it won't be the last, I can hope.

And just like that, I've come to the end of my free time.

I certainly hope the next two months are a little more blog worthy than the last two.

Doodlebug's Party

This is what I get for waiting 6 weeks before posting about Doodlebug's party...I can't remember anything!

I do know we were able to baby-sit his little friends that morning so he was in hog heaven from 9-11. And he has a sticker from Doodlebug's shirt in all the pictures but I can't remember why we were there.

I think we might have had quesadillas for dinner since those are his favorite. But I do remember what we did that night because I took pictures :)

He really wanted a "Me May Mas" (PJ Mask) birthday so that's what he got. LaVor snagged some balloons the night before and his little friends bought some more over that morning. They're still flying high, tied to our closet door in the hallway. If you don't buy your balloons from the Dollar Store, you need to. I swear there are steroids in the helium or something.

Doodlebug scored a Paw Patrol tank top/t-shirt set, a new book, Everest & Rider from Paw Patrol, a bubble machine (that I've since dropped and broke), and Mr. Potato Head. I don't know why it took me 7.5 years to buy a Mr. Potato Head for one of our kids but it's been a hit!

I made him a cake that didn't turn out as cute as I had hoped but I ran out of time. He still loved the look of it but apparently not the taste. He only had a couple bites and after it sat in the fridge for 4 days, I had to throw it away. He nearly melted into a puddle on the ground when he saw his cake in the garbage. He's still talking about it :)

We sang happy birthday and he had a hard time blowing out the candles (I had a video that I thought I uploaded but now I can't find it) but eventually got it after several tries.

We loved celebrating our Doodlebug and have enjoyed him talking about his birthday ever since.

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 36 - Part 2

-Loves quesadillas.
-Can often be found picking his nose.
-Still gets hiccups when he laughs a lot.
-Still gets stinky feet when he wears sandals.
-Has to have his 2 water bottles with him at all times.
-Loves his Nursery teacher to death.
-Asks me to "hold you" when he wants me to pick him up.
-Cries for "his mommy" every morning to get him out of bed.
-Sits on LaVor's foot as soon as he walks in the door after work.
-Has little friends at The Lime's baseball games that he follows around the entire time.
-Learned how to spit so we can use real toothpaste to brush his teeth.
-Will do his wretched scream every once in a while.
-Likes to wear ties to church, even if they don't match what he's wearing.
-Makes the funniest, sometimes creepy, faces.
-Claims everything scares him.
-Asked if he was going to church when I got him ready for these pictures yesterday.
-Can often be found in a grumpy mood. That's when we call him Grumpystiltskin.
-But still adds lots of spunk and laughter to our home and we love him to death.

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 36 - Part 1

Dear RieRie,

Oh my goodness! We have been counting down to your birthday since The Lime's birthday and it's finally here! Which is really weird because I'm certain we just celebrated your 2nd birthday.

You have grown in so many ways over the past year. Your vocabulary has taken off, you want to do everything by yourself ("No, me do!"), you wish you were old enough to go to school and play baseball, but you still wear diapers which means you still need me.

You are one tough cookie and have no problem defending yourself (aka beating people up). Your poor big brother is often heard crying for help because you're sitting on him, biting him, hitting him, or chasing him. Daddy has also received a few punches from your mighty fists and we're certain you're going to make an excellence football player or boxer.

While you are tough, you still love bringing your nigh night with us wherever we go. You ask for it every time you get hurt or sad. And if I have to wash it, you ask for it the second you wake up in the morning. It's your favorite and I'm glad you have something you love so much.

Speaking of love, you love movies. Just recently, you've been asking to watch movies over and over and over again. Unfortunately, we don't have very many so we've been watching lots of Toy Story, Monsters University, and Ice Age. Let's hope you get some more for your birthday ;)

You also love your scooter and beg to ride it to school in the mornings and afternoons. You've been watching The Lime on his scooter and have learned a few tricks. I overheard some boys at school the other day say, "Dude! That little kid just did a jump on his scooter!" You think it's pretty cool and I think it's pretty cute.

I was reading last year's letter and I wrote that you still loved dogs. Guess what?! You still do! One of the boys on The Lime's baseball team has a dog that sometimes comes to the games. If it's at a game, guess where you are? Right next to it, petting it, throwing balls for it to catch, and just loving the heck out of it. You can still spot dogs from a mile away and ask if you can pet every dog you see. One day, you'll get one of your own. I promise!

You were always really good about eating anything we put in front of you but you now turn your nose up at dinner most nights. That means Daddy or I usually end up having to sit with you and make sure you eat every last bite. That means it takes a loooooong time to finish. But you do it! And I'm grateful you at least give food a chance even if your initial reaction is "yuck!" You don't have a problem eating treats, though. Candy, cookies, ice cream, cake, pie, brownies, whatever! You enjoy anything and everything I make which makes my heart happy. You can be my taste tester anytime!

You are sweeter than the treats I make and I'm so blessed to be able to spend each and every day with you. You make me smile and give the best licks/kisses. You always tell me you love me after I say it to you when I tuck you in for naps and bed. It's hard to believe it's only been three years since we first met but I'm one lucky mom to be able to spend eternity with you.

I can't wait to celebrate you all day long!

Love you so much!

Mommy

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 33

I felt like I needed to do an update, mainly because he's doing new things.

-Has to sleep with his Marshall blocks, Sky toy, and Zuma toy.
-Shrugs his shoulders and says, "I on't know" when he doesn't know something.
-Tells me to "hold on" numerous times a day.
-Asks me to turn the car radio up louder and louder until we're all deaf.
-Really hates sharing his toys.
-Loves eating Raisin Bran for breakfast.
-Says "orry, Mommy!" when he apologizes to me.
-Is a terror if he doesn't get a nap.
-Hates having his hands dirty, or really anything on him dirty. I have no idea where he gets that from :)
-Still calls water "awa", still has his little saying when he wants something and when he doesn't.
-Fits right in (or at least he thinks he should) with the big kids when we visit The Lime's classroom. All the little girls try and carry him or pick him up but he just wants to be one of the guys.
-Calls himself RieRie.
-Does an awesome job riding his scooter.
-Closes his eyes intensely when we say prayers.
-Has started using "cause" as an answer...gets it from Big Bro.
-Knows how to have a good time and makes us very happy.

Gratitude: Day 17

I'm skipping the alphabet thing this year and just picking something from the day that I'm grateful for.

The boys had their flu shots scheduled for yesterday but since I didn't have a car, we rescheduled for today.

When I picked The Lime up from school, I told him we had to run some errands.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Do you really want to know?" I replied.

"Yes!" he said.

I pinched his arm and he squealed. "Shots?!" he asked.

I told him it'd be quick and painless and he needed to be brave. He whined for a moment but bucked up in no time.

Thank goodness, neither boy cried or fussed and they were awesome. I'm grateful I have brave kiddos who don't freak out and make something out of nothing.

I'm also grateful for bribes.

Gratitude: Day 14

I'm skipping the alphabet thing this year and just picking something from the day that I'm grateful for.

One of our favorite things to do as kids was to build forts. I remember making one, and sleeping in it one night, when an earthquake hit. I thought it was part of my dream but when my sisters shook me awake saying "Earthquake!!" I knew it was real.

I'm grateful that my boys like to build them, too. Doodlebug likes to say, "Hide! Hide!" as he climbs in. The Lime likes to gather all the pillows and blankets and make the inside extra cozy.

I'm grateful they're using their imaginations and creating the same happy memories I was able to make.

Gratitude: Day 9

I'm skipping the alphabet thing this year and just picking something from the day that I'm grateful for.

Doodlebug's little vocabulary is improving more and more each day. Just this week, he's started pointing out what belongs to who. "Deedee's bike!" or "Daddy's hat!"

My personal favorite is "Omi, Bopbop's har (car)!" I think he said it 100 times today.

I'm grateful he's learning and growing and is proving to be one smart cookie.  He's so observant (just like The Lime and me) and sometimes I spot their car and wait to see how long it takes him to notice it.  It only takes him a second or two.

And I'm really grateful he knows and loves my parents.  I took the boys to get yogurt tonight and suggested we get some yogurt when my parents visit next time.  I think Doodlebug thought they'd be there tonight and kept asking for them.

I'm grateful for his zest for life, his desire to explore and be free, and his adorable face.

He's a doll and I'm grateful he's ours.

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 29

-Loves to call LaVor on FaceTime. When you ask where Daddy is, he says, "Green!" because the icon is green.
-Has to point to anything Halloween related and say, "Halloween! Ooooohhhhh!" and then waits for me to repeat it.
-Wears his helmet even when he doesn't need to. Leaves his head nice and sweaty.
-I watch two little girls twice a week and Doodlebug has fallen in love with the older one. Anytime the phone rings, someone knocks on the door, we get ready to go somewhere, etc., he asks if Sophie is involved with it. When it's his turn to say prayers, he says it by himself and always thanks Heavenly Father for the two girls and their parents. It's the sweetest.
-Loves to watch PJ Masks or as he says it "Me May Maa."
-Is still infatuated with dogs and has even started asking if he can pet the ones on the tv or iPad.
-Has to give The Lime a kiss goodbye before he heads off to class every morning.
-Knows all of his colors and can count to 10.
-Thinks that everything is his and has a hard time sharing.
-Will barely let you say "amen" at the end of our bedtime prayers before asking for a book.
-Started riding The Lime's wooden balance bike a few weeks ago but only because we told him it was a motorcycle.
-Asks if every white SUV is Omi and GrandPop.
-Prefers to sit on the little tray of the stroller rather than in the seat.
-Has to have his blanket, water bottle, and George when he sits at the table, watches a show, and goes to bed.
-Fits the stereotype for a 2 year old but is the quirkiest, silliest, chubby cheekiest 2 year old I know and we love him.

Doodlebug - Tally Mark 27

-Talking up a storm and getting better and better at saying actual words (like apple).
-Can count to 10.
-Is the cutest little dancer.
-Refuses to let you buckle him into his car seat, otherwise he screams and cries until you unbuckle him and let him do it.
-Also refuses to ride The Lime's wooden balance bike. At this age, The Lime was a pro on that thing but for some reason Doodlebug wants nothing to do with it.
-Likes to read books.
-Might be addicted to the iTouch, so we have to hide it.
-Loves having his window down in the car.
-Has figured out how to pick his nose.
-Is getting his 2 year molars.
-Has a hard time finishing his meals which has never been a problem before. It's a little frustrating.
-Doesn't like when I sing along with him to "H.O.L.Y." by Florida Georgia Line.
-Is the best little hugger and kisser.
-I was looking at videos from when Doodlebug was a baby and it made me so sad. He is far from a baby and I can't believe how fast it happened!