Big Pet Pig

First of all, I do it out of love...really, I do.

I remember learning in a parenting course at BYU that it is a good idea to take songs and insert your kids name into them when you sing it to them. Somehow I latched on to that idea and then took it to a whole new level.

With Ella it was pretty harmless...She has two songs; one is called "Pretty Baby" and I sing "Pretty Ella". The other is "What Heaven Sees in You". One song is more fun and one is more of a lullaby.

Will's lullaby is called "Hourglass" (I will be posting it later). It is a sweet song about how your baby boy grows up too fast. And now that I have you all thinking that I am such a sweet mommy it is time to confess to you all his fun song.

It's called "Big Pet Pig" and yes..I have inserted his name into the lyrics. I know what you are thinking, he is pretty skinny...but if you have ever seen Will with a box of Cheez Its, mouth stuffed to the brim, both hands full, and screaming while I try to pry the box from his grip... You will understand. Seriously, this kid starts eating dinner while I am making it and doesn't finish until about an hour after everyone else. If you are looking to win him over, just feed him and he will love you for life.

And so...here's to our Big Pet Big just a few days before his first birthday:

Making Memories

I am the youngest out of 6 children. My Mom and Dad were the age of most of my friends Grandparents.

I remember learning how to ride a bike but it wasn't my Mom or Dad that taught me. It was my babysitter.

Now this has always been a funny memory to me, I would ask......Did they pay someone to teach me to ride a bike.......Were they that tired?

It all makes sense now.

So who is up for the challenge???

Say It With Me:

"It's Mother's Day and I am a good Mom."




Countless people have asked me, "Did you have a good Mother's Day?"

Well...I would have to say "well..maybe...kind of, a little" but I have decided to embrace a new kind of Mother's Day. I like to think of it more as a Mother's Day Challenge and man...did I rock the challenge this year....

Let me start with Exhibit A: Ella's Mother's Day Card

Now my little girl has got some mad art skills. She draws things way beyond her level and loves, loves, loves to make cards. So of course, she was so excited to make cards for Mother's Day. She made two beautiful cards for her Grandmas. She folded the paper so it opened just like a card,
wrote their names on the front and then drew them each a picture of herself (complete with princess crown).

Then there was my card. I am not sure what happened but I ended up with a piece of yellow paper with the bottom cut up, a small scribble, and big hole cut in the middle with a ribbon coming out of it (I tried to take a picture but it didn't turn out). I asked her what it was and she said she didn't really know.

Now on to Exhibit B: A Mother's Day Greeting

Now, I am sure you can picture with me all the kind things you would like your children to say to you on Mother's Day so you will know in your heart how much you are appreciated.

Here is how Ella chose to greet me on Mother's Day morning, "Mommy, I just love Daddy so much. I wish it was Father's Day."

Bringing us to Exhibit C and D: Mother's Day Sacrament Meeting

Ahhh, I little time to listen to speakers talk about how mothers are awesome. And this year, for the first time, I get to have my little girl go up with the primary and sing "Mother Dear, I Love You So." (a proud moment for any mother)

But wait, somewhere between Will deciding he did not want to be in the pew and Ella peeing her pants...I missed the part about me rocking because I choose to stay at home with the kids. And when the Primary sang, Ella refused to go up front and sing because in her words, "I only sing this song in Primary!"

But don't worry...I am not throwing in the towel on Mother's Day. I am just embracing a new tradition of the Mother's Day Challenge. Because afterall, Mother's Day isn't a day when the children wake-up and think "It's Mother's Day. I am going to play it cool." No, it is a day for me to prove that I do rock as a mother. That when my kid uses my new shirt as his Kleenex, I'm not going to get upset...no way, It's Mother's Day and I am a good Mom. And when my skirt is colored on, you won't see me frown because, "It's Mother's Day and I am a good Mom." And when the goldfish spill and the song isn't song or the "I love you" said...you won't see yelling at the kids...no not on this day, because "It's Mother's Day and I am a good Mom!"