The Many Hats of Porter

Did I mention Porter likes hats? Or rather, is obsessed with hats? Well, here are some more:

This second one is his favorite. We call him the bowler hat guy. He will not go anywhere without this hat. It is a battle to get him to leave it in the car for church. He loves to put it on and grab a bag and tell me he is going to his office. From his many observations of papa, working in your office just means scribbling on pieces of paper and making stacks of papers. Cracks me up!
I LOVE this little boy, his cheesy smile, the way he loves to sing and dance all the time (today at Target someone's phone rang with music and he requested that the music continue so he could dance), they way he feels the need to say a prayer and bless everything he puts in his mouth, the way he asks questions about EVERYTHING, they way he cuddles me and worries if I tell him I'm not feeling well, and even his OCD about his shoes getting dirty if he walks on the ground. He keeps me laughing all the time and I feel so blessed to be his mother.
It has been a rough two days for this little boy. Although he has been off the bottle for a year, he has substituted his sippy cup in its place more comfort than anything and we finally decided it was time to quit cold turkey because he had grown far too attached for my sanity. His special sippy cup was basically a glorified bottle and he refused to use anything else. Needless to say, many tears have been shed and we have been keeping pretty busy to provide distraction. But I think the hardest part is over.
I wish I had a picture, I just checked on him sleeping and Miko (because she was naughty today and ate a pork chop I was going to use for dinner off the counter) is sleeping in his room on his bed laying on his lap. Porter is thrilled and Miko has decided this is the safest place for her to be tonight so I don't kill her.

Terrible Terrible Two's!

Ok, first let me say I love my little boy to death, but wow it has been a rough week with this child. He colored on the wall the other day with green crayon (yes it came right off, but that isn't the point) When Tom told him that we only color on paper, he informed Tom that he didn't have any paper. We've got ourselves a smart mouth! Yesterday I was on the phone with my dad when I heard Porter yelling for help because he was stuck. Don't worry, he had gone in the bathroom, put up the toilet seat and sat down clothes and all. His little bum had sunk down into the water and he was indeed stuck! He is really good at hiding things lately and loves to shove things in any sort of hole he can. Luckily so far we have managed to keep hold of our keys and phones. The hardest part is, I can't help but want to laugh and cry at the same time when I catch him doing naughty things. And to think, we are having another boy!! Dun Dun Dun. . .

Mini Carl

Anyone who truly knows my father, knows how much he loves UGLY hats. Well, Porter has whole-heartedly embraced this love and tries out a new one almost everytime we visit. I guess it is appropriate since papa is his favorite person in the entire world and if he had it his way he would get to play with him all day everyday. When it is time for us to leave our house he will stack as many hats on his head as will stay just so he can bring all of them along. I do have to say I have been pretty blessed with this child as he is pretty self-entertained and does give me some time to just sit and rest as we wait for this next little boy! (and let my mind panic about the trouble these two will most surely get into!)

Inevitable

I am grateful to have the understanding of this gospel and know that death isn't the end, but I have always had difficulty with the inevitability of death. Sister Kirksel Pugh, my neighbor since I was 8 years old, passed away this morning at the age of 98. We knew this day had been coming for a long time, but I don't even think the certainty of death makes it any easier. Growing up, she and her husband had a profound impact on my life. They had been married for 72 years and somehow grew to love each other more everyday. I can't imagine the loneliness one feels when that is taken away. They were the prime examples of love, charity, kindness, faith, and enduring to the end. Their only child was taken from them at the age of 21 so they had always been a grandparent figure in our lives. As a child, and even now, I believe they are as close to what our Heavenly Parents are like as anyone living on this earth could be. It brings me to tears every time I think of them and President Pugh fianlly having to be separated from her. Talk about a love that endures as he has taken care of his ailing wife for the past couple of years. I have many fond memories of them and feel blessed to have known them and been able to witness their example. My dear dad is taking this one pretty hard I think because he has been serving them for the past couple of years and has grown extremely close: picking them up for church, fixing their cable tv constantly, delivering their yearly apple crate gifts, taking out their garbage cans and just looking out for their overall well being. He helped carry her body out of the room after she had passed and spent much of the morning with them. It has been a wonderful testimony strengthener to me to watch him lovingly, quietly and faithfully serve but I will publically boast about what a great man his is and what a wonderful example he has been.
Not to cheapen the tone of this post, but going along with the title, the last English ferret passed away today as well.
For those that are stumbling across my blog, Sister Pugh's funeral will on Monday at 12:00 am at 5450 S. Holladay Blvd.

Woozle Hunting

Porter's imagination cracks me up! I am astonished at his memory and imagination at such a young age. The other day we went to visit my dad while Tommy was at school. Porter drug him upstairs to his closet so they could each get special hats and then he proceeded to take my dad Woozle Hunting. (the term woozle from Winnie the Pooh, ya know, "Heffalumps and Woozles", or more recently from the children's television show "My Friends Tigger and Pooh" in which the characters go to find the Woozle Wizard who will grant you one wish) My dad didn't have a clue what they were actually doing, but Porter was determined that they were on a hunt and needed to look throughout the house in every cabinet and cupboard and even outside. Trent came home from school and took over hunting for my dad and even created a voice for the Woozle Wizard. As of now, Porter believes that he lives in the cabinet next to the t.v. I love that little boy and the way he can entertain himself. (I did have pictures but my stupid new camera that is suppose to be so great malfunctioned and took all my pictures of the last month with it, awesome!) His memory freaks me out sometimes, you can't get anything past this kid, its almost rainman-ish. And don't make any promises you don't think you can keep because he will remember. . .

We haven't been up to much else lately. Just working and playing and trying to keep my mind off the fact that I still have two long months left. We have started Mall Walking with some friends in our ward. Yes I sure did say mall walking. A bunch of moms with strollers racing around a bunch of old people. But it is great exercise, especially for someone in my state, and I can take Porter in the stroller. If only I could take Miko it would be perfect.

Porter has moved into his big boy bed even though his mama hasn't quite finished his bedding, but we are getting there. So when I do finish I'll post pictures. I think Miko loves the bed more than Porter and we keep finding that she has wandered in there in the middle of the night to sleep next to him with her head on his stomach. Pretty cute if you ask me. Tommy has been busy with work and school and right now we don't see much of him, but we'll survive. Not much else to report but life keeps moving forward.

Check Out Tommy on Studio Five Tomorrow!!

Tom is going on Studio Five for Mr. Sandless tomorrow. It starts at 11 but I'm not sure when his segment will be. Wish us luck!

A New Year

Well, holidays like New Years are never worth the hype. I had told Porter earlier that we were going to have a New Years party (ie go out to dinner with friends was more of my interpretation) Well, our plans changed and we were joined by Bobby at Goodwood for dinner. After dinner, all Porter could talk about was when we were going to have his party. Feeling guilty, we stopped by Walgreens on the way home and he ran right in and found New Years hats for all of us (too lazy to upload the pic right now). We bought the hats and a couple of noise makers and some gummy worms and headed home. We put on our hats, did a couple rounds of ring around the rosies did some poppers and called it goo. Porter was completely satisfied that we had been successful at our partying and went to bed at 8:00, with his mommy soon to follow. (I'm pregnant so it is totally legal right?)
So as this New Year begins, I have a couple of goals and hopes in mind that I would like to concentrate on and will document them for memories sake.
1) PATIENCE is a virtue and one that I will forever be lacking. I will try to be more patient with Porter, with drivers on the road, with my husband, with family, with my dog, and with myself.
2) This year Porter will transistion into a big boy. He will become potty trained (More like this month. He is soo ready and I am not, diapers are so easy. But he is now pooping in the tub daily because then he doesn't have to sit in his own filth as he then watches his fat mommy bend over to clean the tub, being ever so helpful pointing out all the spots and specks. He tells me he needs to be changed and he is dry every morning. I'll say again, he is ready and I am not!) He will give up his sippy cup and he will sleep in a big boy bed, all before the new baby comes I hope. (Although the child is severely challenged in the drinking department and can't use a normal cup to save his life)
3) I will be more diligent in saying my prayers, especially family prayers with Portie, and reading my scriptures daily. I am also going for the goal of completing the Young Women's Personal Progress Program. (can't be the advisor helping them and not have done this new one yet)
4) Hold FHE weekly (even if it will have to be without Tom since he is never home)
5) I will also embrace my old eating habits, the healthier ones. Gotta kick the diet coke addiction. Is it wrong when you are at a restaurant and your two year old asks the waitress for a diet coke? I think yes! I need to try my hand at some more of those deceptively delicious recipes to get Porter and Tommy eating healthier.

So there you have it. Welcome 2010 and may the financial burdens start to lighten and not hold the pattern of the last month (new tires for my car, new battery for my car, new vaccuum, new car seat, need new bed for Porter) Yes I realize not all of those are complete necessities, but if you car won't start and your vaccuum is spewing crap at you then you have to do something right?