Special Sunday

For the first time ever, Makoa bore his testimony in Sacrament meeting. He insisted against my hesitations.  He was so confident about what he was going to say. When he got up to the pulpit (by himself, mind you) it went a little something like this.

“Mom, what do I say?” he asks me at the mic.

I turned beat red, and was a few rows back in the congregation so I gave him an encouraging nod and smile.

“Mom, what should I say?” he asks again.

Bishop Mulvey helped him out, and amazingly helped Makoa say the exact things he went up there to say.

“I love my family. I love Jesus… Mom, now what do I say?”

I mouthed the words “I say these things…”

“What?” he asks.

So I mouth, “In the name of Jesus Christ…”

“Amen.” he finishes.

I wrote that down in both of our journals. I love that kid.

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As I sat on Makoa’s bed tonight with his feet in my lap for me to rub, I closed my eyes and  simply listened to Cameron read the little boys “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, I was reminded how good  my life is.

Cameron’s soothing voice put Ka’imi to sleep before the end of the story.

His soothing voice during our family prayer calmed Makoa’s earlier troubled mind, and brought the Spirit into our  home.  I am lucky. He is a good man.

Makoa asked for one song before I said goodnight. By the end of the song, his breathing was slow, deep and rhythmic  - I knew he had fallen asleep.

I count my blessings when bedtimes are ridiculously good.

More things seen and heard…

Makoa (playing Star Wars on the  PS2) just told me that the game “just blow my freaking mind out!” Hmm… it’s always interesting the way he interprets the things he hears… “*sigh* He is no longer my tiny baby. Almost 4 years old – he’s AAAALLLL BOY.

The day before Thanksgiving, Makoa smacked his face (the outside of his right eye) on the table at McDonalds, was goofing around and smacked his nose on the coffee table, hit himself on the outside of his left eye with his Star Wars blaster, and not 15 m inuutes later, Ka’imi hit him on the cheek with the same blaster.  Rough day.

Makoa was awoken (awaken?) by Ka’imi this morning and was pretty upset  about it. When I asked him why he told me, “He ruined my good dream!”.

Makoa wanted to play a game, so we were looking at some up in the closet and he pointed to “Jenga”, so I asked him, “you want to play Jenga?” He said, “yeah, Jenga-fett.” (If you know Star Wars, you know he meant “Jengo-Fett”)

Makoa’s 4th Birthday Party, and Welcoming 2011!

We had a simple 4th birthday party for Makoa. He wanted to Jedi party, so a Jedi party it was! ;) He got Star Wars pajamas, a Yoda figurine, Star Wars coloring book and a really cool Star Wars tent from my parents… all wrapped in Star Wars paper. He also got a really awesome remote control car and a nerf gun from Aunty Emi and Kiki. We decided not to get a pinata, so Cameron made a board with balloons on it. Inside the balloons were a couple of pieces of small chocolates. The kids got to throw darts at the balloons and get their treats. They were all surprisingly good at it! We played a few other balloon games and the kids had a blast and were laughing so hard - it was awesome!

Aunty BriAnne made Makoa’s cake and we got the little figurines for it. I think the cake was perfect and Makoa sure liked it! I think the Anakin looks likes Willow… what do you think? It was a delicious chocolate cake! Makoa wanted a lightsaber on his piece, so when I cut his piece, I asked him if he wanted the “light side” or “dark side” lightsaber… he chose the dark side… hhhmmm… not sure what to think about that quite yet. We had “Playdough” flavored ice cream which was actually really good and looked like it was off of the movie “Hook” with all the bright colors!

After his party, we continued the get together into the wee hours of the morning to celebrate and end of 2010 and welcoming 2011! We played Mario Smash Brothers on the Wii and the New Super Mario Brothers until we couldn’t keep our eyes open, drinking sparkling cider at midnight and eating cheese balls, chili dips, and carmalled (sp?) popcorn… Good Times!

Sorry I don’t have many pictures of the party, and none of the New Years Eve celebration, but I just enjoyed myself without the pressure of documenting it. Another way I’m trying to simplify my life… :D

Ka’imi and Kiki playing in the many balloons we blew up!

Cousins, Makoa and Kiki. They have a lot of fun together!

Dart Game with treats in the balloons. No one was injured and our wall only got 2 holes in it despite our efforts to protect it.

Happy 4th Birthday, Makoa!

Yesterday was Makoa’s 4th birthday! Yes – 4! He opened a few gifts in the morning, played some Wii and then after Cam was done with work, we went to the Dinosaur Museum for his day activity (instead of doing a big friend party) because that’s what he wanted to do! He loves “digging” up the dinosaur bones in the sand at the end. Then, Cameron took him to his favorite place to get a corn dog – Weinerschnitzel! (I think Makoa just likes saying “Weinerschnitzel”!) Then we hung out and watched Land Before Time and Up. Makoa said he had a good birthday! He’s very excited to be 4! He now has to get himself dressed, and put his own socks and shoes on! (I know, rough. But with #3 on the way, I feel like this is a priority!) We’re having cake and ice cream and a few more gifts on Friday night when family can make it!

Makoa woke up this morning and the first thing he asked me was, “Mom, am I still 4?” I told him yes, and he explained that he doesn’t feel big. :) Cute.

Here are a few pictures and videos taken with my trusty phone!

Birthday boy by some dinosaur bones!

Ka’imi sitting on a Triceratops Statue (it’s such a cute statue! I would totally put something like this in my home! LOL . He didn’t want to get off of it!)

The biggest, ugliest shark ever. This is what my nightmares are made of. But, Makoa looks cute!

Makoa “digging” up dinosaur bones! His favorite part! They have brushes for them to dust off the bones with. Ka’imi lasted about 10 whole minutes before he got bored and started throwing the sand… go figure.

Finger Painting… our new love.

With all the snow outside, and the parks too cold for me, we’ve had to try some new things to keep entertained. The boys have played in the snow everyday so far this week… but after they’re done, and the hot chocolate is gone…they are ready to do something again – or my house suffers. Fortunately, they both took to finger painting… which is much easier for the 2 year old than using a paint brush. I just got a wash cloth damp and put it next to them to wipe their fingers on (if they wanted) and taped down some newspaper (essential for easy clean up) and taped down their card stock so it wouldn’t move all over…

Makoa was mostly interested in mixing the colors, which was a great little lesson I hadn’t even anticipated.

After about 4 of his own paintings, Ka’imi decided paper wasn’t good enough for him after all. I don’t think he painted his stomach intentionally the first time, but this morning when we did it again, he decided to run his fingers along his cheek bones and chin… with blue paint he looked like some sort of baby Navi from Avatar. (I should have taken a picture but didn’t).

Anyway, if anyone wants a painting of theirs let me know… lol, we have plenty and I imagine there will be many many more created this winter!

Here's a video clip of Ka'imi painting with a paintbrush... see why I felt like a brilliant mother putting newspaper down first?!?! We were listening to Toddler Radio on Pandora - they love it!

First Snowfall of the season!

Both Makoa and Ka’imi LOVED playing in the snow this morning. And by morning, I mean as-soon-as-breakfast-was-over–we-had-to-find-the-winter-clothes-and-play-in-the-snow-or-a-certain-3-year-old-was-going-to-have-a-really-bad-day.

It’s super nice to not be super pregnant or have a new-born/little toddler this winter. (Is it really winter? It’s not even Halloween yet…). I mean, it might actually be FUN because Makoa and Ka’imi can have fun! They were both very cooperative while we were putting their snow gear on… and got along really well (after the “No throwing snowballs into faces” rule was set.)

Makoa is a snowball making master!  He is also pretty much a professional snow scraper, and as soon as he can actually reach the windows I will be extra  happy. Ka’imi just did his own thing making snowballs, snow angels and eating the snow.

This morning was undoubtedly a success, particularly after we finished our hot chocolate.

Kealia Beach Photo Shoot

(Taken April 20, 2010)

When Makoa was 20 months old, I had a little photo shoot with him at this same spot with his jeans on – no shirt. I think it  would be neat to have a photo shoot at this same spot  every time we go back!

Do you recognize the Michael Jackson moves? lol (If you didn’t, it inspired picture #2)

This photo shoot was pretty much a mother’s nightmare. Makoa would not be “normal” or just give me a REAL smile! He’s such a ham in front of the camera.

Ka’imi was pretty much traumatized. He didn’t like the wind. He didn’t like the sound of the waves. He didn’t like the water. He didn’t want to walk on the sand. He didn’t want to look the camera… (I could go on). He was only  content being held, or sitting, securely, on a big rock.

It’s a miracle I got the shots I did. It would probably have put me in the loony bin if my brother, Josh, wasn’t there with us. He and I were all but doing hand stands to try and get them to look. Trying to get them to take a picture together was an utter and complete failure. I have approximately ZERO “nice” pictures of them together.

But life goes on.

And as the years pass, I’m positive I will absolutely cherish these photos, and all but forget what I went through to get them… ;)

A Slew of Pictures…

I’m WAAAY behind on pictures… or at least that’s what I feel like! The holidays were amazing, and 2010 is an awaiting adventure! We’ve been playing in the snow A LOT… well, I don’t play as much as I try my best to capture the playing! Makoa is LOVING the snow… and Ka’imi loves to EAT the snow but not so much being cold. We did make a gingerbread house and saw the lights at Thanksgiving Point (no pictures). I’m realizing I could have broken these down into individual posts, but I’m too lazy to do that. So here you go! A TON of pictures that sum up December and maybe it’ll make you feel like you were actually here with us… but not. Or maybe you were. I really did try to narrow them down and only post my favorites… but these are my favorites! (I’m even in one or two! and those were not particularly my favorites… but I predicted some of you might complain)… If you’re wondering where Malu & Ty are… they are in Hawaii for a few more days. Yes, Hawaii. Am I Jealous? Let’s not go there!

     

Does this make you want to play in the snow? No? lol. Me either. I’m enjoying the peacefulness of Winter, but I’m definitely ready for Spring!

Life is good.