So the other day Brent came home from his test telling me that he had The Backpack Song stuck in his head all day. He said even after that, and trying to take a test while it was running through his head, he still liked it! Yes, it’s that great of a song. You may remember when we reviewed Bari Koral’s new album back in November. It’s one album that we still listen to frequently.

Not more than a day later I got an email from Bari Koral saying they had just made their first music video. And the song they chose was none other than The Backpack Song! I shared it with the girls and they were wild about it. It’s a fun video for a fun song. Check it out!

Don’t forget, you can also get Bari’s album on Amazon.com.

Sammi and I spent the last year going round and round about preschool. She wanted to go so desperately but the only programs I could find in our very rural area were run through the school district which meant five days a week 5-6 hours a day. I didn’t want her gone so long. The final straw was when she started telling people I wouldn’t let her go to preschool because I didn’t like school. That took several days and a LOT of conversations with Sammi to straighten out! We finally compromised by calling everything we did at home (crafts, cooking, music and movement, dress up) preschool activities.

The other part of the compromise is that I would let her go to an all day/five days a week program when she was four. I picked a school a little farther from our house because it has a smaller class size and the teachers came highly recommended. We went in May to register Sammi for her class and meet her teacher. She was in love! She was so upset she had to wait all summer to go back to school. I didn’t know when school started exactly (they said they’d send me a letter sometime in July or the beginning of August!) so all I could tell her was “in the fall.”

Once we knew the official date, we made a countdown chain. She was so excited and got to stay up late one night to make it with me. The next morning she helped me make one for Elli for her birthday which was just a few weeks after school started (in fact, it’s tomorrow!) The girls loved their chains. And yes, Elli is wearing one of Sammi’s skirts like a strapless gown.

We had a lot of fun doing some back-to-school shopping. I wanted to make sure we had enough of everything that she would need so before we went shopping, I wanted to go through all her clothes to see what fit and what she had outgrown. I knew she wouldn’t have the attention span for all of it so we turned it into a fashion show. I put all the shirts in one pile and all the pants/shorts/skirts in another pile and let her pick the combinations. I made her bend over, sit down and stand back up in all the pants to make sure they weren’t too tight on her tummy or too low in the back. Amazingly, we went through all the clothes in just over an hour! I had an empty box ready and tossed in all the “rejects” as we went along. Then we folded up the rest and put them back in her drawers. We were done in time to make dinner!

Sammi wanted so much to take her backpack to school even though she didn’t need to take anything. So we put her extra change of clothes in the backpack and she was off for her first day. We went into her room and she was off to explore. And so was Elli. Elli was most unhappy when it was time for us to go and she didn’t get to stay and play. It’s gotten better but it still takes me at least 10 minutes to leave when we pick Sammi up. They both just want to play as much as they can. It’s a fun room so I just go with the flow.

So far she loves school and is excited to get up every morning and go. She’s starting to talk about her classmates by name and tell me all the fun things they do every day. So far, she has come home with paint on her shirt every day, so I’m guessing she loves that station! She also loves playing outside for recess and being the line leader.

While Brent got to participate in the Air Force’s version of summer camp for grown ups (think flying a Cessna, being a firefighter, parachute simulators and other such fun), the girls and I headed off to Utah to visit grandparents and friends. Flying with the two girls was a whole lot better than I had expected, with particular thanks to the USO lounge in the Denver airport that we hung out in both ways.

We spent time with both sets of grandparents. At my mom’s house the girls enjoyed playing in the dirt in their princess dresses. I loved how Sammi held her dress out with one hand so she wouldn’t drag it in the dirt. Such elegance!

We also took a day trip to the Farms at Thanksgiving Point. The girls had a lot of fun riding the horses and playing in the little room they had to teach kids about the agricultural process from garden to market.

The girls loved celebrating their birthdays early. Each one got her very own cake with her name on it. Sammi put the right number of candles on each cake and they loved blowing them out. We sang Happy Birthday twice so I could get pictures of each girl with her cake. They loved it! They also adored their Disney princess Barbie dolls they got. Elli of course got Cinderella, her favorite, and Sammi got Snow White, her favorite.

We continued a tradition we started last summer by attending the Princess Festival. Elli was particularly excited this year because she was dressed up and knew she was a princess. They had so much fun meeting princesses and princes and helping them escape the evil witch’s spell. Elli charmed Peter Pan into pushing her on the swings and Sammi got her picture with Snow White.

We also revisited the Orem Public Library, one of my favorite libraries anywhere. We participated in Laptime and browsed through all the books. It was heavenly!

I think we had so much fun at Brent’s parents’ house that I didn’t take very many pictures. But the highlights included eating peas from the garden every day, playing under the tree in the front yard with the neighbors and going on walks with Grandma. We were also excited to see aunts and uncles and a cousin visiting from out of town. I was so happy our trips overlapped so we could see them, too!

The trip home had its own adventure. Just as we were boarding the first plane, Sammi tripped and hit her lip on the doorway of the plane. She got a huge fat lip and was so very sad. We got her some ice and Tylenol and she calmed down. She was a trooper for the whole flight. We got more ice in the USO lounge and by our second flight, she and Elli both fell asleep and were peaceful the whole ride. I got to read a new book and it was rather relaxing!

We have had such a fun and busy summer. There are so many stories to share and even some exciting news! First, the news.

This is our newest little one at just 6 weeks. This was my first ultrasound so early (they do them to confirm pregnancy here) and I was surprised by how much the baby really does look like a peanut! I was given a due date of December 31 so I guess we’ll bring in the new year at the hospital!

Just before our summer trip, I had another appointment. The batteries died in the Doppler fetal monitor so we got another glimpse at the baby. Sammi came to this appointment with me so she could hear the heartbeat and was amazed by seeing the baby. It took her a little bit of time to process that she was seeing the baby in Mommy’s tummy. Once she got it, she was thrilled. Also, she was very sure that this baby was a boy.

Baby’s Heartbeat

At the next appointment, I actually got to hear the baby’s heartbeat. I love that moment! We also scheduled the 20-week ultrasound at this appointment. Another exciting step in the pregnancy. Then almost two weeks later  I got a call from the doctor that my hormone levels were really low and they were worried about a genetic disorder with this baby that typically results in miscarriage or death shortly after birth (Trisomy-18). At that moment, I realized that we hadn’t done that blood test with either of the girls and so this was totally new to us. The doctor scheduled an ultrasound and a consultation with a genetic counselor for the following week. That was one of the longest weeks of my life. Brent and I cried and prayed and hoped for the best.

Can't find the ultrasound pics But here's the lionfish from the doctor's office where we met with the genetic counselor.

At 18 weeks Brent and I traveled to Knoxville for the appointment. Fortunately, the ultrasound showed a healthy baby. They didn’t see any of the markers that are typically identifiable by ultrasound at 18 weeks. The baby completely rolled over and away from the ultrasound wand. The tech was able to see most everything, including the four chambers of the heart, but not inside the heart. So I’m scheduled to return for a follow-up ultrasound at 22 weeks to get a better look at the heart. So while we’re pretty much sure that the baby is healthy, there are a few concerns that remain about the baby’s development. I’ll have monthly ultrasounds to monitor the baby’s growth and I’ll have extra monitoring the last month of the pregnancy.

The one piece of news the baby showed very willingly was the gender. We are excited that this baby is a BOY and hope that he will be healthy and not have any growth limitations (I would feel so guilty if this boy is short while his sister are so tall!)

I feel very blessed to have such a positive outcome for how scary the situation could have been. Our family has been comforted and we have peace in knowing that our family is together forever.

I am really excited about this new program through Cherish Bound. Story Club is a great way to help you choose those stories you want to share and then get them published so they can be shared for a long time to come. This video is a great introduction to the Story Club and I hope it inspires you, like it inspired me, to sign right up and get started on capturing the memories you want to preserve.

If you’re interested in more information or in signing up, check out Story Club here.

Ugh.

Mrs. Baker

Bleh.

The piano. Ugh. Bleh. And double yuck.

I resented that piano with it’s massive size. I resented its placement in the room. I resented being tucked away behind it where no one could see me. Or more importantly where no one, especially Mrs. Baker, could hear me.

I’m sure first grade consisted of more than sitting behind the piano, but that’s all I really remember. Anytime I talked at all in class, I got put behind the piano so I couldn’t distract the other students. As soon as I was released from that isolation someone would say something to me and I would respond, “Shh, don’t get me in trouble.” And next thing I knew, I was back behind the piano. Mrs. Baker only had ears for my voice. I admit, I talked a lot. But I was bored a lot. And I’m an only child with a mother who, at that time, was earning her bachelor’s degree in business. We didn’t really have a lot of time to talk and when we did, they weren’t usually little kid conversations. I was hungry for socializing.

As I was remembering first grade with my mom this week, I told her I could already see my future as a parent in parent-teacher conferences. I’m sure teachers will tell me that Sammi is a smart girl who gets her work done quickly, but she talks too much and distracts the other children from doing their work. My mom chuckled since this is exactly what every single one of my report cards from elementary school through middle school says. But her response to my teachers was that I was an only child who thrived on social interactions. She could see how this gift would help me as I went to college and needed to form study groups and succeed in my classes. And for that reason, she didn’t see it as a character flaw to be squashed out of me, but rather a talent to be put to good use. Aren’t moms the best!

As I’ve spent a little more time thinking about first grade, I do remember participating in the first grade “play” where I was a ladybug with my best friend Cara. My hair was pulled back tight in a bun and I wore a black leotard with huge red pom poms sewn on the back. It’s one of my favorite pictures from first grade. Too bad it’s in Tennessee and I’m in Utah. I’ll have to add it later.

Mrs. Baker always made mugs for her students. They were designed to look like denim jeans and each one had a student’s name written on the label of the jeans. I spent the last few months of the school year worried that she wouldn’t make me one because she didn’t like me. But, she was a better teacher than that! I did get my mug with my name on it and I cherished it for many years even though I didn’t really like first grade at all. But I managed to learned everything required to move on to second grade, which was a happy, happy day for me!

This post is linked up with Mommy’s Piggy Tales. Check out other great stories about first grade experiences.

Welcome to another edition of Mommy’s Piggy Tales! The girls and I traveled all day yesterday. During our very long layover, I had Sammi interview me about my life when I was her age, which is three. We did a cute little video and it was really fun. But when I went to get it ready to share, it has NO sound. Bummer. So I’ll share some of what she asked me and add a few other memories.

Sammi wanted to know all about how I looked: my hair, my hands, my feet, and how big I was. My hair was blond and to my shoulders. I had short bangs way above my eyebrows and in most pictures they are curled under. This was important to Sammi because she wants to grow her bangs out and grow her hair long, long, long! She’s also recently started cooperating for me to curl her hair for church on Sunday. In general, I was a little bit smaller than Sammi (because she has such a tall daddy) but we look an awful lot alike.

I remember getting a pair of tie-up shoes when I was almost four or so. I was so excited and wanted to be able to tie them myself. I remember I spent all day practicing over and over again. As far as I remember, I mastered tying my own shoes on that one day. But my mom may have a different story to tell about that!

We lived in a little red brick house when I was three, before my parents divorced. I remember my dad used to fly me around the living room and call me buzzer bee. I remember that my room was off that main living room. My parents room was next door also off the living room. They had a waterbed and I remember sitting on it and watching Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood on a tiny black and white TV on my mom’s dresser.

The kitchen was also off the living room. My mom would make me sandwiches for lunch. She always took a bite out before she gave it to me. One day, I guess I was getting bigger or maybe she was distracted, but she didn’t take a bite. When she handed me the sandwich I gave it right back and said, “Fix it!” She looked and it and couldn’t figure out what was wrong. She gave it back. But I refused it again and said, “Fix it!” That happened a few times. Finally she took a bite out of it and gave it back. I smiled, said thanks, and ate my sandwich.

If you’d like to find more stories or are looking for inspiration to write your own story, check out Mommy’s Piggy Tales.

My parents found themselves unexpectedly preparing for a baby’s arrival. They had not been planning on having a baby. At least not just yet. But they also found themselves filled with joy and a desire for this baby to join their family. When my mom went to the doctor the first time and they discussed the due date, he came up with some day at the end of April. My mom said something like, “Oh that’s close to my birthday which is April 28th.” At which point the doctor said something like, “Well, then, April 28th it is.” And wrote it down as the official due date.

Time passed and the baby grew bigger and bigger. My mom drove a zippy little sports car at the time. One day she drove into the grocery store parking lot and caught the eyes of most of the guys getting into or out of their cars. As she parked they all seemed to wait breathlessly to see the hot chick who would emerge from such a fantastic car. She lumbered and struggled and finally emerged, her and all eight and a half months of me. Suddenly all the guys turned away quickly and awkwardly. Mom went home that day and told my dad they were selling the car.

At a doctor’s visit near the end of the pregnancy it was discovered that I was breech. Frank breech, to be more specific. The doctor said they would perform a c-section since delivering a baby’s bum first was not a formula for success. He offered her two dates and she snatched the sooner one. Hence my May 3rd birthday. The surgery went fine; I was healthy; and my mom eventually recovered. She said it took a long time for her to feel like herself again. After two regular pregnancies and births, I can only imagine how difficult it would be to recover from a c-section. I have always loved the scar on her tummy from where they pulled me out. But I appreciate even more now how moms sacrifice their bodies for their babies.

At some point during the pregnancy my parents were eating dinner at JB Big Boy’s hamburger restaurant. They were situated where they could see this adorable little girl that was being so cute. Her mom called her Amber and they thought it was a cute name and a cute little girl. They decided if I was a girl they would name me Amber.

So I was born on May 3rd and my name is Amber. What’s your story?

This story is linked up with Mommy’s Piggy TALES where you can tell your own life story in 15 posts over 15 weeks. Won’t you join us?

Thanks to everyone who entered for a chance to win Recess Monkey’s newest album, The Final Funktier. This album is available June 15. Now for the winner:

Catherine, whose favorite space-themed something is Battlestar Galactica, won her own copy of The Final Funktier. Congrats, Catherine. Please look for my email today and respond quickly

We had the opportunity to test drive the Tadpoles Playmat in Stylish Pink-Brown.

A. Cute!!

B. Fun!!

The playmat is made of EVA foam which is soft and squishy, making for a fun play surface. We had fun assembling the puzzle pieces of the mat. Sammi’s favorite part was putting the circle centers into the holes. At first she was insistent that the center color must match the frame color, but about half-way through she decided to get wild. She started putting different colors together. She thought mismatching the colors was so funny.

Elli also got in on the action. She had fun putting circle centers in. She and Sammi raced to see who could get their center in the fastest. They were so cute scrambling around the surface of the mat finding empty spots for their circles. I thought the mat was a bit small at first, but they had plenty of room to play on it together.

We left the mat out for a few days. It happened to be assembled by the front door so it got a lot of foot traffic and dirt. I was worried that all the walking on it would damage the foam. But it didn’t. When I put the mat away (so I could clean for a party) the pieces cleaned-up easily and looked great. My favorite part was that all the pieces fit back into the original packaging easy peasy.

This playmat is available from Tadpoles Bedding Company for $24.99. It also comes in three color combination choices: stylish pink-brown, sophisticated blue-brown, and modern classic multi-color.

If you haven’t had a chance yet, please enter the giveaway for Recess Monkey’s latest album The Final Funktier for a chance to win it before you can buy it. Giveaway runs through Monday, May 24.