Serene Sunday

Sunday was splendid. I woke up on time, got dressed on time, got BROOKLYn bathed and ready, and LEFT on time. I picked out a cute dress for Brooklyn to wear and matching shoes and hairbow. I forget that my ONE year old is already independant and very choosy about her style and informed me that "No, Mommy, don't want it that shoes... Book-lyn wants this one shoes." I tried to distract her and then to convince her and then I gave up and let her wear her brown shoes. On the wrong feet.

We sat in front of Jesse, Layla, and Jesse's mom. The girls LOVED it (but its AWFULLY difficult to pay attention when you have two girls squealing "O' Mac Don-uld had'da farm ee-ii-ee-ii-o" or saying, "Layla- you wanna color?" "Tank you, Brooklyn" "You weltum, Layla" and "tum 'mone, Brooklyn" "I'm tummin, Layla" and then of course both of them going to the isle where EVERYONE can see them and Layla doing her "trick" which consists of her balancing on her head and kicking her foot in the air.. and of course Brooklyn had to do it TOO). They were so darn polite to each other and cute that I could barely NOT watch them. But I did take a few notes. One note I took, "FORCE Brooklyn to play the violin under any and ALL circumstances." Starling got wind that our new missionary could play the violin and bought one off Craig's list. So, naturally, new talent in the Ward... we couldn't wait to hear him play. Of course, when Starling brought the violin home and opened it up, Brooklyn squealed with delight, "Es Book-lyn's git-tar!!" and she was THRILLED because it was JUST her size!

And I told Starling to let her fall in love with that thing because it is the prettiest instrument on the planet. And after hearing Elder Garner play and looking around at everyone with tears in their eyes (even my HUSBAND), it SINCHED it. I'm ready for her to start lessons.

Well after I led the closing song, and the closing prayer was said, Brooklyn realized with a panic that it was time for nursery. "don't want it nursery! Want go potty!" So I took her to the toilet thinking, "she REALLY doesn't want nursery to want to go potty..." But then when she finished up she said, "Want MOMMY go nursery and pway." So I went WITH her and she didn't cry. She played and had fun. Emily had all the kids on a blanket singing under an umbrella so I snuck out to go to relief society bc I wanted to witness Jesse's first time teaching.

Brooklyn was brought to me almost immediately and I told her she had to sit very quietly. "yesh, ma'am." And Layla came in with Jesse's mom (those two girls and nursery... the only ones that have issues with it). Jesse gave a wonderful lesson and I have no idea why she was nervous. She did GREAT! Layla and Brooklyn, reunited again, began where they left off. When we were singing a hymn Brooklyn said, "Layla wanna da-ance?" And Layla giggled and started swaying and twirling and Brooklyn copied every move she made. When we finished singing they exclaimed, "YAY!" and started clapping. Then they both sat on their little bums, folded their arms, and Layla squinted her eyes shut and had her head completely tilted over for the prayer. Brooklyn doesn't do good with putting her head down during prayers OR closing her eyes, but since Layla was doing it, Brooklyn attempted it, although she was peaking at Layla through her squinted eyes. They both exclaimed "AMEN!!" at the end of the prayer and were ready to go home. I just love our girls... they never cease to amaze me or to crack me UP. I'm glad they'll have each other when they get the boot in a month or so when their little brothers arrive. I can't even imagine what that is going to be like.

Starling and I had a fish fry with the missionaries after church and then we went to take a family nap. We slept until SEVEN and then went to eat home-made bread and cobler at the Blalocks. Now THOSE are some funny people. I always leave laughing (and feeling a little bit more normal) after hanging out with them. Autumn, having 12 children, makes me feel a little more sane. (She doesn't really have 12 children. She has 5). Then we went to my parents house and exchanged our vacation stories. Starling and MY story- dreadful North Carolina car story... My parents: Cruise to Jamaicca, the Cayman Islands, and where-ever else they said... I was lost in my envy at the first part that I stopped listening..

Starling assured me that we'd take a cruise soon to which I asked, "Oh really? With a two year old and a newborn? THAT should be fun." My mom said she could watch them while we went... "A newborn? For a week? I can't just leave a boob with my parents to feed the runt while I go off to get mastitis in my other one trying to vacation." The way I figure it... I won't take a COUPLES vacation until I'm at least 30.. THAT's if we don't have any trouble getting pregnant every 2 years until we've successfully popped out 5 rug-rats. PLUS, I think I'd kill over dead to leave Brooklyn for 7 days. Everytime Starling and I DO go places ALONE, the entire time we are saying things like, "OH! Brooklyn would LOVE THIS!" and "I miss my little Brook Brook.." But I'm sure we'll be saying, "WHAT A RELIEF!" once she hits the terrible two's. For now... we just can't get enough of her (except when I've HAD enough of her).

Anyway- Brooklyn and my dad have been practicing balancing SMARTIE candies on their noses and catching them with their tongue. (my child is so well rounded). Brooklyn wanted Daddy and Mommy to try this. Starling couldn't do it and said he needed to practice in front of a mirror. I told him, "You're going to have to grow a longer tongue and a shorter nose to do this." And so he said, "Well lets see YOU do it." So I attempted it. AND THEN GOT made fun of for THIRTY minutes because my tongue is 3 feet long. (BUT that is what makes me a great kisser- so laugh all you want short tongued people who can only flick your tongue at your partners TEETH)! We then had a catching SMARTIE contest which we were having great fun playing until I realized I felt very much like a dog awaiting a treat. Starling, Bradley, and I were lined up in a row with our mouths open like baby birds and Brooklyn would say, "Want Bladly to tatch it!" And my dad would throw it and he'd catch it and then so on and so forth. After about 8 packs of smarties sitting in my stomach, I felt nauseous and didn't want to play anymore. We MADE Brooklyn leave at 11:30 pm knowing my mom had to be up at 4:30 in the morning and that Starling and I were going to be VERY busy, also.

I went straight to bed with Brooklyn and Starling stayed up to clean our floors. He swept and mopped and earned 1500 brownie points on Wendi's Good Boy List. And then he woke me up when getting into bed after he was finished and lost 1200. Sigh... poor man that lives the life of Wendi's husband.

Today was FABULOUS. Boston came and played with Brooklyn and they didn't stop giggling for 3 hours. Everything Boston says or does is hysterical to Brooklyn. She thinks he is the cream in the center of an oreo. He would "fall" down and say, "OUCH!" and Brooklyn would fall over clutching her side giggling so hard tears were falling down her cheeks and she'd say, "ah..man... Boston es silly!" And everything Boston says he wants to do she is ON BOARD 110% and she is getting me up and hopping to it IMMEDIATELY. And he's so sweet to her. She was fussing a bit, which is unheard of when he's here so I glanced down the hall to see what was up, and Boston was trying to hold her hand and she kept saying, "STOP IT! NO!" And I said, "Brooklyn! He's trying to hold your hand! That is SWEET" and she looked at him and said, "O. otay, mommy" and held hands with him while they walked back to their toys. I NEVER catch those moments on vIdEo!

And then I talked to Starling who gave me GREAT NEWS!! He got a nice raise at his RealEstate Brockerage. He got a 10% commission split raise PLUS they restructured how they do commissions so after you make a certain amount you get another 10% and then so on until your getting a 90% commission split. The house he is in the process of buying (well his CLIENT) is a BIG PRICE (I'll just say that. I don't know that talking numbers is allowable or something... I don't know what realtor code of ethics are so I'll just say he'll probably never sell or buy a house this much again) and he'll be getting 10% MORE than he thought PLUS it'll put him into the second bracket which means the rest of his sales this year will be even MORE! (and THAT, my friend, is SERIOUSLY wonderful because we SERIOUSLY need some money! especially with this new baby coming and Starling having to do an internship starting in May). He's basically working PART time with all this school stuff and then ME... miss NOT working and should be cooking and keeping a clean house and NOT doing that either. (Although I did do laundry today and vacuumed and started unpacking... kind of).

Well my mom is here to get us so we can go see my cousin's new baby! I need to get out of my sweat pants!