Liesel Liesel Liesel!

I can see future Liesel on the left. 

This makes me want to wake her up and smother her with kisses. Although if I did that in real life, she would not be happy. :)

She was really annoyed I wanted her to wear jeans instead of her pretty dress. I was trying to get Hannah and her to match, but she wasn't having it. 

bright eyes.

 This weeks preschool lesson seemed to make an impression on Liesel. It was about germs and this child is suddenly washing her hands like no ones business. Which, imnotgunnalie, I've perhaps erred on the other extreme side seeing what a germ phobia does to people. But I figure it's better than watching her lick stuff off the floor, which I've seen her do also. 

We watched the Joseph Smith movie tonight and Liesel kept asking questions about what life was like back then. I found her washing her hands in a bowl b/c that's what they were doing in the movie. During bath time this afternoon, she was teaching Hannah about the circulatory system and telling her to feel her heart beat and that was bringing blood to her body. She was feeling her ribs the other day and said, "mom, look at this-- I can feel my spine!" At lunch we were eating BLT's and she found a blob of fat and said she didn't want to eat it because it was just fat and fat isn't healthy. Then she asked, "can wheat from bread make you fat?" I realized she was wondering about yeast since she had seen it bubble up when I was making bread a few weeks ago. I assured her that yeast wouldn't make her blow up like a balloon. Not sure where all this was coming from, but she has shown interest in health and body lately. I couldn't find her this afternoon and when I asked her where she was she told me she was looking at herself in the mirror in my closet. "What did you see?" I asked. "A princess." Right on miss Liesel. 

This week she biked with me for quite a long ways when we were headed to the church gym to play with Owen. She got distracted on the bike path when we passed the high school since a large group of teens was outside chatting. She crashed and they all started laughing. I seriously felt something inside that I have felt only a handful of times. A colliding of anger and love all at once that left me feeling like I had to choose between screaming at the teenagers or giving her a hug. I finally chose neither and watched her get back on and keep riding totally unaffected. 

We also went on a hike with Leslie & Co in Arches-- she and Owen were playing all over the rocks. She found a stick that looked like a bow and another like an arrow and spent a lot of time shooting hippos. I may have told her they were more dangerous than crocodiles and now she has it out for the gargantuan swimmers. They climbed on trees and pretended that they were going to grandma Hatches house. Two days before we did a mile hike in Arches and she was ahead almost the whole time doing her own thing with Owen and Rylee. I like seeing her with friends. 

She has been experimenting with dishonesty for the first time these last two weeks. 

We went bowling last night for a friend's birthday party. There were a lot of kids and she was really into bowling and seemed to love it. Especially when the disco lights came on and black light. Hannah on the other hand whined at my knees all night. . . she was so tired and is on this kick of just wanting me all the time. 

Today in Primary she told the chorister that she couldn't help hold the sign anymore because she was just, "so so tired" and needed to sit down. I totally laughed. She was completely serious. 

Yesterday at the store she was staring longingly at this box of circus animal crackers. The same box I stared at longingly as a kid. I caved and told her to put two in the cart. Right before dinner. "Why are you buying that?" she asked with a smile "because I love you!" "You're buying it because you love me and you want me to know it. I love you mommy!" and gave me a huge hug. The power of junk food, people. I made she and Hannah promise that they would eat their broccoli at dinner. That is the only thing they ate. ;) 

More and more Hannah

I want to remember her little fat suit forever. That chub doesn't last long and she'll look like a little girl before I know it! Love little toddlers. 

her fake and in pain smile. 

I have been obsessed with her flat little profile since the day she was born. 

All done mommy. 

THESE TWO!! These sessions were completely impromptu. I had already done Liesel the day before, but she wanted to join and dressed herself and waltzed right in. I love the unaffected way they look. 

My pancake helper. Hannah will climb on my in bed and tell me wants "pantakes--I luwv panctakes mommy!"

 Hannah overload here. If there is such a thing. It is hard to get overloaded on Hannah. Although today during church she kept elbowing my pregnant belly and would not climb down and I then I got really really hot and she refused to sit anywhere but on me. . . but I love this little gal. 

She is officially potty-trained. She has passed the point where I have to remember to take her all the time and she knows when to go and will let me know most of the time. It kills me to see those chubby little legs running around in big girl undies. She learned quickly and it just sort of happened. I knew I was going to try before baby#3 comes, but she showed interest, started pulling off her diaper and we went with it. This was her second Sunday in undies and her second full week with no diapers. She even wakes up in the morning dry and will go first thing if I actually pull myself out of bed in time to go get her. I need to move her to a toddler bed for that reason, but I'm dreading it. 

She has moved on from naps, although today she fell asleep on Brian while he was reading books to her and Liesel on her bed. I think that's happened never. They look so precious when they sleep. I love sneaking into their rooms at night to watch them. They are always on the move, so it's my only chance to watch their angelic faces in total peace. 

Verbally, she has taken off. She even tries to tell stories, which I love. Yesterday she told me about when Brian took her and Cee-Cee to the Rock shop. I should have recorded it. She was trying so hard. 

She and Liesel are either loving or fighting each other these days. Hannah can be a real pill and will sometimes tell me she wants to "be mean!" I cannot tell her what to do-- I have to go about it in a more artful way. If I demand she do something, she won't do it at all. I find myself caving on so many levels with her that I didn't with L. I guess we turn into different parents with each one. Lately Hannah has taken to telling people she misses them. I went to ward council this morning before the girls were awake, when I got home they were eating breakfast with messy bed-head and Hannah jumps up from the bench (since she refuses to eat in her booster anymore) and reaches across the table excitedly saying, "mommy! I miss you! I miss you mommy!" genuinely thrilled to see me. Heart-melter. 

I love my girls. They are so incredibly unique. So smart, wise and bright-eyed. So gifted in different ways. So beautiful, robust and healthy. 

And they grow and change so much so fast. 

Brian commented on how the kids were getting more manageable at church and we can actually listen now. "must be time to add another one" he joked. But true. I'm excited to meet our new little gal. Hit 30 weeks this week, so it's the home stretch now. 

Christmas

 Christmas is a magical time of year-- it just is! The lights, the manger scene, the presents, the treats, the friends, the family, the food, the love, the music. . . etc. I loved our Christmas Eve and Day (and the days that followed) so much. Brian was on furlough, so I really felt like it was a really special treat to have him around so much during the holidays. 

My Grandpa Hatch passed away the week before Christmas. He had been ill and we were all expecting it, but it is still sort of a shock when they leave this life. It made me so happy that I had taken the time out and visited him with the kids twice in the last 6 months. He maintained a sense of humor and quick wit even at 94-years-old. We all drove up to SLC for the funeral. All of my siblings and my parents were there and we got to spend 4 days with them in a VRBO in Bountiful. My kids were the only ones that made it among all the cousins and Brian the only in-law. I honestly don't know if that has ever happened before-- all the adult siblings and no kids. Highlights included:

1) just talking and laughing with everyone was my favorite part of the whole trip

2) Our "epic" hike up Grandeur Peak

3) visiting the lights on temple square-- I had never been there!

4) watching the girls get all that love and attention from everyone

5) being crammed in a car with all of my sisters and the laughing, talking and drama that ensued. :)

6) Seeing my parents. I love them so much. 

7) the funeral when all of the great-grandkids sang. I felt overwhelmed by what two righteous people could do and create. It was a beautiful thing to witness. I really think my grandpa would have been very pleased with the funeral-- it was exactly what he would have wanted. 

We got back on the 23rd and Brian's dad met us in SLC. We stained the fence that Brian had just finished, hiked to Corona Arch, cooked wonderful dinners and prepped for Christmas. The night of Christmas eve we made a feast and had a little program where we sang and followed an idea from the Friend. It turned out great. The girls went to bed excited as ever and Brian and I could hardly sleep ourselves! 

My favorite things about Christmas morning included:

-Hannah eating her entire bag of Christmas candy behind the Christmas tree. She hid and just crammed one piece after another until it was gone. 

-Liesel and that Elsa dress. She wore that thing everywhere and all the time for the next week. 

-watching their faces when they came downstairs to the pile of presents

-the blueberry pancake breakfast I didn't have to make

- the almost white Christmas (it snowed but only stuck for about an hour)

Brian and I decided to tell Liesel the truth about santa from now on. We both decided we just didn't feel right lying to someone so trusting and innocent. 

Frank left at 10am and we spent the rest of the day talking to family and playing. Wonderful Christmas.

Thanksgiving

 Enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving with Allison and Sarah. The girls really really love Aunt Sarah. After living with us this summer, she has a special place in their little hearts. We hadn't seen her since saying goodbye and sending her back to BYU in late August, so it was so fun to have her and Allison back again. We hiked Delicate Arch together, cut down a Christmas Tree and sledded up in the mountains and snow, got frozen yogurt for Liesel's birthday (I swear this b-day lasted two weeks. . .), and had a great time together. Thanksgiving day was wonderful. Brian had to work, so we planned on eating at 5:30. The Long's came over and had dinner with us which is always a treat. It doesn't feel like a holiday dinner to me without inviting people over. 

So much to be thankful for in 2014. So so so much. I received a Christmas card from my friend Nicki Preece a few weeks ago. She had done some seriously incredible things in 2014 and traveled to a billion places-- but her card was covered in pictures of her with friends and family. "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." was across the card. I realized that with all of our doing and going and achieving, the thing I am most grateful for are the people in my life that enrich and bless it every day. That is the "abundance" in our lives. 

Liesel's 4th Birthday Party

She really wanted to hold her cake, but when I tried to let her, the whole thing almost fell on the floor. So instead we opted for plan B: pretend to hold the cake. 

Up until a few days before her fourth birthday party, Liesel wanted a rainbow cake. At the last minute it changed to a butterfly cake. At this point in my life, I kind of like making the cake. We mix the batter together, they dye it some wacky color (side story: a little over a year ago I was trying to kill time-- like 6 hours of time-- at Walmart in Cortez while waiting for Brian's flight to arrive that never came. I ended up buying a magenta food coloring. Man, that thing has come in handy!!).

In L's case this year, the cake was purple. Magenta mixed with blue. Yummy.

I really like for kids birthdays to be 1) simple. and 2) a complete reflection of them-- not me trying to reflect Pinterest through them. We invited Rylee over the day before to decorate the cake before the party and I pretty much let them do whatever they wanted to it. Hannah and Brynlee helped to, which meant poking holes into it and dumping sprinkles.

Liesel's friends came and we played a few games, ate sugar and opened presents. She seemed to love it all.