Not About the Kids

I know, it's a shocker but I am going to talk about something else today......I want to talk a little about friends, because I am a lucky girl (am I still a girl or should I say "woman" or "lady"?)

Last night I had a Girls Movie Night at my house. We watch "The Importance of Being Earnest" and ate some seriously awesome food. I was looking around during the movie and thinking about how lucky I am to call these people my friends. They are all so different and each has influenced my life in many ways....but mostly, I was thinking about........

The tomato plants that a friend of mine grew from seed and then gave to me after I killed all of mine. Our garden would be a failure if it weren't for friends.

And, the wall that we just painted green because a friend gave me the rest of her paint just because I said I liked it.

Also, the beautiful pictures all over my walls that a friend of mine took that are such treasures to me.

And I can't fail to mention the many conversations with a friend that made me feel like it's ok that I'm not perfect or getting things right and that I am just...not alone.

Or all the times each of them has made me laugh or brought me a meal or a super yummy treat or babysat for me and the list goes on and on.

I guess basically I am saying that without friends I would have a dead garden, white walls, no family pictures and would mostly just be really lonely.

Yep, that's right....I am a lucky girl!

An Update...

Ella:

She has been watching a lot of Tangled and has learned a new phrase from the movie. She walks around saying "I'm malicious, mean and scary and I'm going to______". She fills in the blank with any cruel act she can think of. For example; "I'm malicious, mean and scary and I'm going to hit you with my shovel." or, "I'm malicious, mean and scary and I'm going to poof you away." You never know what a child can learn from TV.

She has also finished her first year of preschool with flying colors. Her teachers even said they want her back next year. I knew she had it in her to be obedient. School taught her a lot of things this year. From her first swear word, "Jesus Christ, I am so frustrated at you" (I could have home schooled her right then and there). To how to count objects (she counts everything now). She also learned a lot of independence at school that really helped with her maturity and now is an awesome swimmer. I would have to say, I could have never imagined a better preschool for her.

She has also decided it is time for another baby (she is the ONLY one who has decided this). She is trying to convince Will. I found her yesterday telling Will, "Will, Do you want Mommy to have another baby? Go like this (shaking her head yes)."

And last but not least, is trying to convince Chris and I to call her "Rose". We have told her over and over again that "your name is Ella" but well like all things with Ella, that backfired because now if I call her Elle, or Ellibean, or Banana, or Sweetheart...she is quick to remind me, "My name is Ella".
















Will:

Takes steps every now and again but is mostly obsessed with climbing. I am amazed at where he ends up (on the back of the couch, on top of the table, in the tub, in Ella's bed...). He keeps me busy and tired...very, very tired.

He says a few words. I think he is holding out on us but if screaming works then why ask nicely? He says "Mama, Dada, All Done, and Ella". Basically, everything he says sounds like "Ella". I swear, if the kid yawns it sounds just like "Ellll--aaahhh".

He has started to sing. Like I said before, he can't talk so there are no lyrics and it is only one tune that he performs. It is a favorite around the Sturgill home (and by favorite I mean, "seriously, make it stop"). It goes a little something like this; "ahhhhhhhhhh-ahhhhh-ahh-ahh-ahhh-ahhhhh-ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh". Did you guess it? Well here is a hint: It's from The Little Mermaid. You know the part where Ursula takes Ariel's voice and yells "Keep singing!!!" And if it wasn't bad enough that Ella sings it none stop and asks, "Hey Dad, Do you know this song?" "Ahhhh-ahhhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhh-ahhhh-ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh". She taught it to her brother to sing it for a charming duet.

Will has also learned to fold his arms for the prayer. He folds his little hands together. Now of course, he doesn't do it when we ask him to (neither of our kids do for that matter). But it is as cute as can be when he decides to do it on his own.

And last but not least, has learned to hit a baseball off a Tee. This was a skill we were working on with Ella but she isn't great at it (she takes the Tee and runs away with it). But William picked it up and as you can guess Chris thinks he is destined for greatness.


By the way, the pictures are from a little trip to Ontario Beach to listen to the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Have I ever told you that Rochester is awesome?

Food Fish

Today was Ella's first time to eat fish. We grilled Salmon and she was very interested in the whole process. She wanted to watch me marinade it and see it cooking on the grill but the best part was when we sat down to eat it and she said:

"This isn't real fish. We wouldn't eat a real fish. This is food fish.......right? RIGHT?"

And on cue, Chris and I said "right".

Highs and Lows

I am convinced that parenting is all extreme highs and extreme lows.

That there are moments of intense joy that I will remember forever and wish I could get back. When I look at a baby picture of Ella, I wish for just one more minute that I could hold her and give her a little kiss behind her ear. Or when I see Will's Moses basket that he slept in when he came home from the hospital...so tiny...so mine.

But let us not forget the lows and they are extreme. When Ella threw a tantrum to the point of vomiting and I thought "I am done. You can run the house. I have no idea how to parent." Or when Will stood up in the tub only to slip and fall...head completely under the water and two little scared eyes just looking at me. So I get him out and put his diaper on him....only to have him crawl back to the bathtub and fall in from the other direction.

That's parenting...extreme highs and extreme lows. Usually these moments are spread out a little but today I experienced the high and low all within seconds...

William took his first steps. He was so proud of himself that he could hardly contain it. I, of course, went to clap my hands but before I got to the celebration... Ella peed her pants.

And I thought "That's parenting."

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!"