Numero Tres

Surprise!

The Dells, Temple Trips, Etc.

For spring break we had the opportunity to take a few final trips around the area. The first part of the week, we went to the Dells with some other dental school families and had a lot of fun. But wouldn't you know, I took virtually no pictures. But we had a great time. I'll see if I can dig up the video of John surfing some time.

That weekend we also got to go down to Chicago and go to the temple with some friends. Our temple has been closed for over three months because of damage from a water main break, so we were happy to go down and spend the night and switch off with friends to do a session. We also spent some time swimming in the hotel pool, and that is all the photos I have of the whole week.

Why I like crocs

Babysitting Secrets

Here we are on our babysitting night watching six rambunctious little kids. What are the all doing huddled up by the laptop?

Watching Japanese Potty Training videos. Go Youtube.

Space Party

About a week after Hailey's birthday, we got our act together and had a small friends party. Hailey chose the theme, SPACE, and all decorations and food were made to her exact specifications.

Hailey requested a cake with a moon with craters and her name in the stars. Craters are hard to make with frosting.

And little moons with American flags in them. Her request.

The kids had a star search around our apartment. These gathered stars are left over from my election day birthday party.

Blowing out candles. I like how she is pushing her friends out of the way so they won't have a chance to help.

Hailey is FIVE.

Well, Hailey is now five years old, (actually had her birthday in February) and boy, have we had an exciting last five years with her. A few things about Hailey:

• She is still tall- way above the curve for kids her age. She's about a head taller than most of her classmates.
• She loves school and is doing a great job in K4.
• Her interests center around science: the weather, outer space, human bodies, and plants.
• Her most recent questions have been "How are diamonds made?" and "What are medicines made of?" and "What is in blood?" and "What is a placenta?" These are questions that take a whole evening to explain, and she's tenacious. She will not drop it until she understands. Completely.
• She is a great big sister. Whenever Nora is crying, she takes care of it. She will drop whatever she is doing if she hears Nora cry and will run grab her a blanket, and book, a pacifier, and three random toys. Without fail. And it almost always makes Nora feel better.
• She has a strong sense of justice. She wants everything to be fair.
• She started talking in sentences and ten months and her mouth has not quit moving since. She is the most verbose child I have ever encountered, and although some days with Hailey can be quite overwhelming, it has been a joy to have a daughter who shares EVERY SINGLE THING SHE IS THINKING the moment she thinks of it. I know what she dreams about, what she thinks of her friends, how she feels about her family, any stories she's thinking of. . .
• She has had a sudden interest in cooking her own food. She's making her own cheese quesadillas and toast.
• She is very religious. For some reason the gospel strikes a very strong and mature chord with her. She loves scripture time and prayer time, BUT is not happy when Sundays roll around, because we "don't do anything exciting on Sundays." (She still loves primary, though.)
• Still struggles when her socks are wrinkled.
  

The night before her birthday, Hailey suggested she go to bed early so I could start decorating and put up the birthday banner and all the balloons and stuff. I had to admit I had no such plans, so can you guess what I did for two hours after she went to bed? When she got up in the morning I wished her a Happy Birthday, and she said, "Oh thank you, and look! You've started to decorate already!" Such high expectations.

Crown from school.

Nora wanted a crown too and that was a small problem.

We had a small family party that night.

Nora and Dad handling videography.

The girls making faces in the camera.

Hailey's gift was the rest of her dollhouse furniture she got for Christmas. This is what they did for the next four days.

Lucky girl.

Funny Girl.

Happy girl.

Pretending to blow out her candles before the actual event.

The Wii people need Jesus

He's a pretty good Hailey story for the week:

Two things to be reminded of first, though.
#1- Hailey is kind of a high-strung girl. In fact, it would be a much truer statement if I replaced the "kind of" with very. Most of you are acutely aware of this and have seen the benefits and fallout of this trait, but it's always a good reminder to know that dealing with Hailey can be like dealing with an atomic weapon on some days.

#2- We are new Wii owners. Instead of receiving gifts for Holidays these past couple of years, John has only asked for gift cards to Best Buy. Finally after collecting a deck of these cards, John was well over the going price for a Wii. We went to Best Buy for Valentine's Day and as luck would have it, they had ONE in stock. So Happy Birthday Merry Christmas Happy Birthday Merry Christmas Happy Valentines Day, John.

Hailey and I were taking a test run of Wii sports and playing a round of golf together. I'm not a golf pro in any respect, but as we were finishing up the first hole I suggested that Hailey, who was on the edge of the green, switch to a putter instead of the wedge. She totallly disregarded my advice and continued to hit with the wedge, and was getting farther and farther from the hole. I could tell Hailey was starting arm up her Missiles of Frustration and Wrath as she began to grunt and convulse, but kept on with her blitz with the wedge.

After several more strokes, the "Give Up" screen popped up, which basically says "We're just going to put you out of your misery and give you ten strokes for your score because you don't really have a chance of getting the ball in the hole." Hailey stared at the screen and sounded out G-I-V-E U-P, and asked incredulously "What does that mean? Can't I finish my turn?" When I told her no, the escalation started. Convulsions started in her body, her face was turning red and words were quickly failing her.

"Wh-Why Whywhy why whywhywhy whwhy WWWHHHYYY would the Wii people DOOO that?!" She was completely miffed why those Wii people would be mean enough to not let her finish her turn. Cutting a turn short just doesn't jive with Hailey's universal view of Justice, especially when it's her turn.

And I was looking for cover for the imminent explosion.

Her face contorted with hurt, confusion, and rage, and then without warning changed to understanding and sympathy.

"Oh, they must not know Jesus."

Because anyone who designs a game that forces a player to "give up" after 15 strokes must not know Jesus.

So disaster averted, but now she thinks we have some missionary work to do. That will be interesting.