Broken Binkies

I debated whether to write about this, because doing so admits a parenting flaw I'm well aware of.

The twins are 2 years, 3 months old and they still take binkies for naps, bedtime and whenever I just can't handle the noise level (usually in the mornings when I'm trying to get everyone out the door. and at church). This morning I was unusually harsh on Case and just took the binkie away (gasp!). Actually I think it was Jarad who took it, but I didn't cave and give it back because he's home and I wanted to prove I'm not a wimp of a mom (because any other day I would have lasted 10 minutes. tops.)

Anyhoo, I endured hours on hours of whining, crying, leg-hugging, following me around the house, etc. and so on from Case. OK it was like from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., but it seemed like FOREVER. I decided I am NOT starting over with this, so I cut the nipples off the binkies. When I gave them to the twins at naptime a few minutes ago, they both were kind of freaked out. But I told them 'oh NO! the binkies are broken!' and they both pretty much accepted that. Tess still found a way to chew on the stump, but Case just tossed it aside. They aren't crying, but they aren't asleep.

And so we begin a new phase in our life. A binkie-free life. I'm not completely sure I'm ready for it either. The babies may just do better at it than I do.

Random pics and tidbits

My parents have challenged the family to finish the Book of Mormon before they are released from their mission in May, with a special assignment to mark references to Christ in different colors. Fisher and Emma have really latched onto the marking part of it (when else do you get to color in a book?).





Star Wars has not lost its lustre in our home yet (although Jarad brought home Raiders of the Lost Ark this weekend, so it shan't be long). Emma requested the Princess Leia 'do for church a couple of weeks ago... We didn't quite achieve it, but she was happy enough.




If you notice in the Leia-do photo, Emma has a few more teeth than in this photo. She's now been dubbed 'snaggle tooth.' I took her to the dentist a few weeks ago and they wanted to charge me $30/tooth to pull a couple that were loose. I jokingly said to Emma, while we she was lying in the dentist's chair with the hygenist in the room, "Emma, save me 30 bucks and pull that tooth." It was hanging on by a thread. She said "This one?" and yanked it right out. We have a follow-up appointment next week, and she was bound and determined to save me another $30, so she pulled the second one that was only marginally loose. The sweetest thing is that she shares her Tooth Fairy Loot with Fisher. TF usually brings $2/tooth, and Emma has given Fisher a dollar every time. We'll see if the favor is returned when Fisher starts losing HIS teeth!!

Hell Froze Over

It's no secret that I, who grew up in Alaska and loves wearing sweaters, boots and jackets, sometimes long for the cooler climes of my childhood. And I live in Arizona. A testament that I really do love my husband!

Anyway, last week our low temperatures dipped down so far that -- ACK -- THERE WAS ICE ON THE WINDSHIELD OF THE CAR in the morning. I was driving Jarad's car that day, which we park outside, and was leaving to drive Emma to school (come on, don't laugh. I know we live only 1/4 mile from the school but it was cold and I didn't want my babygirl to be uncomfortable!) The kids were utterly amazed that there was ICE on the windshield! They were trying to lick it and scrape it off with their fingernails. It was too funny. I wish I'd gotten the video camera out. You'd think they'd never seen ice before. Well, they hadn't. Other than in their cups of water.

OK I can hear all my Alaskan family and friends in mocking laughter over this. Well, in the words of Han Solo (and Fisher, these days): Laugh it up, Fuzzball.

Happy Heart Day

I have lots of reasons my heart is happy today:

1. The massive project I've been consumed with for the last six weeks is finally over. Mostly. I've worked in the last 6 weeks as many hours as I did in first four months of last year. On top of being mom, Laurel advisor, maid, cook etc. etc. I'm going to sleep well tonight.

2. I have such a wonderful family - both my little family and an extended family whom I miss so much. I love living near Jarad's family and the special relationships I have with my Arizona sisters, brothers and parents, but I have to say that I have times when I really really just want my mommy and my sisters. My kids and Jarad make me smile, laugh, cry and want to be better every day.

3. I don't have to write out (or supervise the writing out of) valentines for 50-plus random kids again for another year.

I guess that's enough. Oh, I also have a yummy lemon cake waiting for us to consume it. Life is good.

So Happy Valentine's Day to everyone.

Is this for real? Serious favoritism here...

So there's a running joke in my family that my sister Kristin is my parents' favorite. At least I THOUGHT it was a joke until I opened this book my mom sent to me a couple of years ago as she and my dad were getting rid of stuff before they went on their mission.

It's a children's book that, evidently, was given to the Stastny Children, but ESPECIALLY to Kristin. WHAT?!?! At first, I thought certainly Mom wrote that in before she sent it to me two years ago (totally something she would do). But upon closer inspection, the ink is faded too much to be that recent, and it's her "younger" handwriting (sorry Mom, not that you have "old" handwriting now, but you know what I mean).

This is an atrocity! Such utter and blatant favoritism!

I can only deduce, since the book was about Baptism, that it was given to "us" on Kristin's 8th birthday when she was baptized. Mom, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt on this one. If it's not true and you did really mean that it's "especially" for Kristin Lee, please don't ever tell me. I'll still have some dignity. And a sliver of hope that secretly I'm the favorite.

I VOTED TODAY, DID YOU?

Now, this isn't a discussion on partisan politics or anything... I just wanted to let everyone know I am proud to say that I voted in today's primary election. I dragged my two two-year-olds and my four-year-old to expose them to America's greatest asset: democracy. Actually, I just needed to vote so I can have complaining rights if Hilary wins. GASP did I just say that? No, I promised to be non-partisan.

The lines were actually quite impressive given it was 10 a.m. and it's only the primaries! Thankfully the kids were well behaved, and I only let them scream if I suspected a person in front of or behind us in line was an Obama supporter.

So I voted today, did you?

The Force is with Emma

It was about 10:30 last night. I was sitting out on the couch working on my laptop (that's another story... how much I've been working this month... crazy hours.) Before I started working I put on Return of the Jedi for Emma and Fisher in the playroom -- about 8:00 -- fully expecting them to fall asleep. So I was a little surprised when a bleary-eyed Emma came wandering in and snuggled next to me on the couch. After a second she said, with a quivering lip and tears forming in her eyes, "I feel bad for Luke Mom."

"Why?"

"Because his daddy died!" Subdued sobbing at this point.

"But wasn't his daddy a bad guy?"

"NO, HE LEFT THE DARK SIDE!" waaaaaa.

I love that Emma has such empathy for others. I also love that she has totally gotten into the Star Wars movies! They are so real to her. Jarad told me this morning that she was also very excited that Luke was a prince -- her first deduction when Obiwan told him he had a sister - Lea. Such drama.

This had to be a quickie. I have been jonesin' to post lately, but have seriously spent every spare second on this project I took on that has snowballed out of control. Give me strength for about 10 more days.