It's late

It's 3:30 am and I can't sleep because I have terrible heartburn and no tums in the house. I can tell I am getting close to 30 because my stomach doesn't like pizza and ice cream the way it used to.
But the thing is we HAD to celebrate last night because Kirk FINALLY got the promotion he has been waiting for since June...or was it May? It's been a really long time and a lot of empty promises but as of January 1st he will still work for IBM just under a different department doing about the same thing but (hopefully) will be making more money. It makes him happy and so I am happy...end of story.
I like this man I married. Some days I think marriage is a cruel joke but I guess the bad days make me realize how great the good days really are. Kirk works really hard to keep all the women in our family happy. Between Audrey and I there is always something being demanded of him (Audrey is slightly like her mother) and Kirsten is so much like him that her teasing drives him bonkers...it's a great chance for me to sit back a laugh! But Kirk is always busy working, helping me, or helping someone else. The occasional chance he has to play his Ninja game on his ipad is treasured time...but even then the girls like to steal the game away and dress the Ninja in girly clothes. Kirk appropriately acts like it's the end of the world and that he is shocked that everything around him is pink, much to his little daughters' delight. He works with the 11 year old scouts, which he loves. It's hard because he travels so much but he has served with 11 year old boys for 5 out of the 8 years we've been married, he is just really really good at it. He sings in the ward choir and gave a talk in church Sunday that was so good I had people texting me to let me know how proud I should be (I got out of my talk thanks to Timothy's fever and double ear infections). Yep, I'll keep him and not only because of his cute smile and height.

I can't believe Kirst will be six in the spring. Someone tell me it isnt' true! Shes not such a little girl and it's so delightful to see her grow up in front of my eyes. She is kind and helpful and always ready with a quick smile and something to make us laugh. I can't keep pants in her drawers that fit her and if I finally find a pair she hikes them up so high they practically touch her nose and become highwaters. We bought some leggings with unicorns, stripes, and gemstones on them to hopefully remedy the problem, oh but heaven help us when she is a teenager! She loves school, especially her teacher. She is doing quite well and spends her days counting to 100 and spelling various words. She is learning her sight words and insists on reading a handful of words in the books we read each evening (I, the, see, look are her favorites). I couldn't be more proud of her. She insists on being hungry anytime a treat is in sight and consistently dislikes pizza, no matter how many times her parents want her to try it, ha ha. She's a great older sister and loves to take care of Timothy. Yesterday she even brought him down from his crib after his nap, sometimes a little too helpful? If I need to get something done I know I can ask her to entertain him for a few minutes and both of them are delighted to boot! Audrey and Kirsten are two peas in a pod. They play together from the moment they wake up until the moment their eyes close. They are always making up new games, coloring/crafting together (lately they like to make their own books), or are off in a world of make believe with princess's, little ponies, or dress up. It's so fun to watch their imaginations spinning and creating new thoughts and ideas.

Audrey. Oh my word. She is such a delight and sweetheart. She says and does the sweetest and funniest things. She is super helpful and obedient...but asks why with every task. "Audrey, will you please pick up your clothes?" "Why mom?" I hear "why mom?" over one hundred million times a day and it is seriously making me bonkers. We never went through this phase with Kirsten (partly to do with her hearing loss and partly because of her easy going personality) but Audrey is making up for it and probably some of Timothy's too. Sometimes I like to ask her why 100 times is a row but she does not find it as entertaining as I do. She's so chatty and inquisitive that I am surprised with how shy she is is social situations. She's likes to hang back until she is completely comfortable in a situation before she relaxes. But in the same breath if someone is willing to be friendly to her they quickly become the very best friend she has ever had and will talk about them for days. She likes to sing, dance, craft, and play like any kid, occasionally she will even go off and play by herself but mostly she just likes to be right there with me doing exactly what I am doing. She is really such a delight and has definitely made me see the world in a different light. My patience has definitely grown because of her and I admire my mother for keeping me for 18 years ;)

Timothy, oh he is the sweetest person you will ever meet. He just turned one! I still can't believe it. It was so fun to go back and look at all of his pictures over the year. He seriously was the best baby Heavenly Father has ever sent down from Heaven. The poor boy had a double ear infection for a couple days but wasn't ever whiney enough for me to schedule more than a well child visit to his doctor. I felt like a terrible mother when I left the doctor to pick up his prescription. How is this child so easy going? He did come out of my body after all! He has found his voice, two older sisters will make that happen. He knows how to get what he wants and who he wants it from. He knows exactly what smile and shake of a head to use on me to get me to take him anywhere and do anything for him. He loves to explore every inch of our home and more importantly leave a path of destruction in his wake. He is super close to walking but not quite there yet...I certainly don't mind. He's a good baby and brings our family together in ways we didn't know were missing. He adores his sisters(and tolerates them occasionally). He loves both Kirk and I and honestly doesn't prefer one of us over the other. He is happy to have us close by and as long as we keep a clean diaper on him and food in his belly he is the happiest person alive.

I am happy. I finally feel adjusted to Utah and am so glad we are closer to family and friends (although I will probably never stop missing my Vegas friends...I really don't like to leave friends behind). I get to be a sunbeam teacher (again) and I love those little people so much. My days are brimming full of things to get done and am I quickly understanding how difficult being a mother is. I thought having two little toddlers was busy but now I realize it was just physically and mentally exhausting. Now I am just busy. Running a house, keeping everyone fed and dressed, helping with Kirsten's school/homework, taking care of Timothy, answering Audrey's questions, reading books, playing, cleaning (occasionally), hosting friends and family, visiting friends and family, laundry, reading/studying inspirational scriptures/talks, and trying my best to be kind and attentive wife....sigh (of exhaustion and satisfaction)! Life is very very good. Two weeks from today is Christmas and we could not be more excited!