yearly parties

China is also kind of a big party, we celebrated my birthday this week and are having our second anniversary. Yes, second. Two years ago I was a single girl getting ready to be married. I never would have guessed 2 years later I'd have TWO kids! Phew, I think we'll be slowing down our kid producing pace in the years to come. :) Life has changed SO much, but it is SO much better. I'm so glad to be married to Brad, he's given me 2 of my favorite years!

This year I turned 26, which I realized wasn't a big deal since it is so easily rounded down to 25. Very prime years. Next year will be another story though...27. Why does that sound so much older than 26? It's practically 30 and makes me glad I already have a couple kids under my belt. :) Seriously though, is there any better way to spend your birthday than having your sweet little babies share it with you? I think not.

I had lunch with the Lewis girls, Brad did some thoughtful things, and we ate a delicious dinner- just the two of us. What more could a girl ask for? (A trip to China? Check!) ;) I am pretty spoiled.

It was a perfect birthday. And the best part is...we can use the candles again when I turn 62!

wanted: babies

I've got a good PR guy "up there" who must have made up this flyer to lure the girls here:

Charming home in Holladay, UT. Loving and adventurous husband and wife desiring parenthood. Space for 1, but preferably 2.
Picture a rainy day, you can gently rock in your bouncy seat or be held on demand at any time. A woman with red-rimmed eyes will tend to your every need, and when she doesn't a man with red rimmed eyes is there for backup.
*High-end nursery suite with ample noise makers and swaddling blankets to make you feel warm and cozy, very wombescent.
*Free, live entertainment. Besides the nightly shows available, you will simply need to look at the woman, who seconds as a court jest, with your doe eyes and she will make all attempts to entertain. Singing, dancing, tickling, crazy baby talk- it won't stop till you stop smiling.
*Heated indoor sink baths, at least 2x weekly
*Meals include: continental breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, late supper, and a midnight snack. All meals include fresh, warm milk for two.
*Fast, efficient, and sanitary diaper changes made frequently throughout the day.
*Same day laundry service specializing in hydroflourescent orange stains.
*Clothing optional. Numerous adorable, coordinated outfits will be provided for the fasionista baby-on-the-go.
*Intense gym training with a personal trainer including tummy time and the popular kicks and wiggles program.
*Follow your workout with a relaxing massage, nested in cuddling arms that rub your back and pat those tired muscles.
*Several exotic day trips are available. Visit local grocers, grandmas house, and more!
All services are free and included in the package. Just show up and give us a try.

P.S. There is an eternal contract, once you join us we'll never let you go.

the birds and the bees

Don't be a pervert. I never even understood that metaphor, and I'm actually just talking bees here. Just bees.

If you follow me on facebook or twitter you may have heard about the evil little creature that stung me night before last. It was a little traumatic for me. At first I thought it was a needle, and before brad turned on the light I really thought (and hoped) it wasn't some crazy spider or bug and that I just had a random nerve misfire of sorts. When I saw this huge (relative to there being nothing) moving thing in bed I flipped. My skin crawled. There was some gasping and maybe even a little screaming. I told brad I felt like the universe had turned on me or something. He didn't get that. (what besides the spider? Nothing.)
But you get it right? I'd fed babies and got them to sleep, I was tired and relaxed, about to lay down for a peaceful rest....when all of the sudden I'm stung, for the first time in my life, by a bee who happens to be in my bed, who happens to be right where I lay my hand down to get in bed. It caused me pain, but worse it messed with my chi. That bee was where I lay the babies swaddling blankets, where I normally lay the babies to swaddle them on every other night but this one. What if it had got one of them? The possibilities horrified me and I was certain that bee ruined my whole night's rest and I'd have crazy dreams of animals crawling into babies cribs. How could the wild kingdom intrude my private space like that? My BED! The special place where I sleep, which is my new favorite hobby. Why? My bed of all places should be a safe place. Brad finally convinced me the bee's friends weren't around and I got back in bed. Then he said something beautiful after another bout of my rambling discontent, "There is no peace anywhere!" Yes! He got it. I felt so validated and understood. "Exactly!" I shouted with glee, "There is no peace anywhere!" to which he replied, "No, there's no bees anywhere." He was just being factual.
There's something you must know about Brad to kind of understand how funny this was. In almost 2 years of marriage I haven't been able to get him to even just try and come up with the "right" responses that a girl would like to hear. He says what he thinks, which is often no response at all. I try to tell him, why don't you just say "yes that lady was rude, how frustrating, I can't believe he would say that, that's exciting, how awful the bee stung you, etc, etc". But he'll have none of it. I can't even get him to say "yea" sometimes, just so I know he's listening. I love him so. He had no sisters you see, so I cut him some slack. But I thought he finally understood, or at least understood to pretend to understand. When I realized the one time he said a "right" response that I'd actually just misheard him, we both erupted in laughter. Even while praying I kept getting the giggles. I laugh every time I think of how enthusiastically I shouted "exactly!" with such relief that he finally decided to humor me with a correct response. (and a semi-dramatic one at that)
I suppose instead of trying to teach him how to make me happy with his responses I should just fantasize/hallucinate the correct response right out of his mouth. He'll thank me later. Now that's healthy marital communication, problems solved. I am a champion of world peace. (even if sometimes there is no peace anywhere.)