Warning: Mom Bragging Ahead

So, I know I spent oodles of time on Palmer yesterday. He deserved it. It was his day. Just a quick update on Palmer. He had his four-year-old check-up this morning. He's 42 in. tall (80%ile) and 37.4 lbs. (85%ile). I thought he looked pretty average but I guess he's a big, tall boy. I think it's mostly because he's finally developed an appetite.

I just have to say that I love this picture. Palmer has a weird expression but I love that he's trying to cross his legs while eating his popsicle. Awesome.

On Saturday we went to see the movie "UP" for Palmer's birthday. It also happened to be the Provo Baby Contest that happens every year as part of their 4th of July celebration. Palmer participated when he was a year (and won 2nd place out of 500 12-15 mth. boys)and I had never entered Portia. So this was the year (it's the last year she can do it). She was sweet and talked to the judges, whereas most kids froze. But because we were taking the kids to the movie, we had to miss the awards ceremony. The coordinator called me today and told me that Portia won 2nd place out of 220 24-30 mth. girls. I was pretty proud of her (and of course of myself and Ronell for producing cute kids). It's always a nice pat on the back when other people think your kids are as cute as you think they are. Way to go Portia!

Top Ten Things I Love About My 4 Year Old Son

Happy Birthday to my favorite four-year-old!! I still can't believe my baby is four!
Here are ten of my favorite things about Palmer.

10. No matter why or where he sees you, Palmer always assumes you're there to see him. This assumption is simply manifested by his enthusiasm, "Oh hi guys. Come in and play." This is especially wonderful when his mommy is in the shower and the UPS guy tries to deliver a package.
9. Palmer has never just said "yes". He's said "Oh, boy!", "Yessir", and the current favorite, "Sure."
8. Palmer has a MAJOR skin fetish. He has always loved the feel of bare skin. This might be cause for some serious discussion later on in life.

7. Palmer has always been curious. When he wants to, he has the ability to focus on a single task for over an hour. This is no small feat for a toddler.
6. If you ever mention an airplane, he'll talk about going to the airport to get on a plane, "so we can go to Papa's house in Oregon." He will talk about it for months, literally.
5. He uses phrases he hears on TV or reads in books and thinks it perfectly normal. Just watch a show on PlayHouse Disney or PBS Kids (whose logos he recognized at 15 months) and then talk to Palmer. You'll think you're part of the show!

4. No matter where we are or what we are doing, if there is water around Palmer has to throw a rock in it.
3. He can read and will spend a few hours (if left undisturbed) reading in his room. I think one of my favorite moments was watching him give/read his first Primary talk a few months ago. He only needed help with one word "resurrection". We'll have to work on that. Along with reading, he has an insatiable appetite for learning and an incredible memory. If you tell him a word, he'll forever remember it.
2. Palmer is affectionate. He always gives everyone a kiss and a hug before they leave, even the home teachers. He will still cuddle with Ronell or I and often sits by Portia on the couch and puts his arm around her when they watch TV or read together.

1. Palmer is a happy child. That may sound lame but it has made my life so much better having a child who loves life and is happy. He makes everyone around him happy.

Happy Birthday Palmer!! You're my favorite son. I am grateful that Heavenly Father blessed us with such an amazing spirit. I have learned more about myself, the gospel, and what love truly is by being your mommy. I hope you had a great day. I love you.

Have you been here yet?

For those of who are digital scrappers, I'm sure this is not news to you, but for the rest of the world that I'm trying to convert to digital, you MUST read this site.
This site was created for beginning and advanced digi-scrappers alike. I love it because I get to sample some "big" digital scrapping names for $5.00 and get photography, scrapping, and life tips from an amazing woman named Janet Phillips. I get excited about the things I see on this site and have to be careful when I check it. This is due to the fact that no matter what she has on her daily posts, I have to spend at least 20 minutes learning and trying her tips, as well as browsing the tutorials she links to her posts, along with so many other resources Janet provides. It's amazing. If you're not sold on the idea of digital scrapbooking (which anyone with children under 18 should be....there's no mess!), you should start visitng this site. It may not take you 20 minutes to glean all the great info but it's worth the time. Okay, free advertising over. The image is clickable (I've always wanted to put that in a post. I'm officially a nerd).

It's Time

I'd like to introduce Portia's favorite sleep friend. When Portia goes to bed, she cuddles up with her babies (at least two), her blankie (she gets to choose one and usually chooses the purple one) and a binky (she has four but always chooses the pink or blue one). Today I finally decided that she's almost 2 1/2 and the binky has to go. She really only had it in the bed for naptime and bedtime but I was ready to be completely done with baby phase. She's potty trained, it's time for the binky to go.

So on our walk home from the park today, we stopped and looked at a low nest in a tree by our house. Portia saw the baby birds and thought they were so cute. She asked me why they were crying, though, and I had a brilliant idea. So, I said, "The baby birds are sad because they don't have a binky to sleep with." She thought of the idea all on her own. "The babies should have my binkies!" "All of them?" I asked. She said, "Yes, then they be quiet and sleep." So we went in the house and while Palmer sat at the table finishing his lunch, I gathered all of her binkies, handed her a few of them and we went outside. I told her that if she put her binkies at the bottom of the tree where the baby birdies were, their mommy birdie would come get the binkies and give them to her babies. She thought that was great. She even said good-bye to the binkies (and the birdies) and we went inside for lunch. All was well.

Until it was time to sleep. Portia screamed and cried and wanted her binkies back. She didn't like those little birdies and spent the next 30 minutes yelling from her crib, "I need my binkies!" She even yelled at her two baby dolls in the crib, "Babies, go get my binkies from the baby birds. They took the binkies away!" She finally dozed off about ten minutes ago, binky-free. I'm sure we'll have another fun adventure tonight when we go to bed. But for the rest of today, we're binky-free. I'm officially free of all things baby! No diapers, no binkies, no onesies, no baby toys, no baby bottles or sippy cups. It's kind of nice....for now.

I Know. I'm Pathetic.

I vowed that I would not be a crazed "Twilight" fan. I read the books in three days and haven't looked back, except to see the movie with some friends. I have to say that the main reason I didn't want to keep reading was because I liked Jacob. So, much to my delight, he gets his shot in "New Moon." I was a little disappointed in the guy who portrayed him in the movie version of Twilight. However, he totally redeems himself in New Moon.

Exhibit A:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSFMmkMfQ5Q

Exhibit B:

I just think he's a little cutie and a much nicer character. Maybe I'm just not a Robert Pattinson kinda gal. I guess I can't get over the fact that he'll always be Cedric Diggory from Harry Potter.