Christmas Wishes

The girls made their Christmas Lists this weekend.  I am LOVING how simple their requests are.  Ella wrote hers all by herself and Maggie told Mommy what she wanted and wrote the list with me.  I kept trying to pick their brains and get them to ask for something more exciting, but then realized I was crazy for trying to do that.  I need to enjoy these simple Christmases where I can give them more than they ask for while I still can.  We're excited for this wonderful season!

Personalities

I got out my camera and followed the girls around as they were playing this morning. In the 10 minutes I was taking pictures I feel I was able to capture their personalities as I see them right now. I've always been amazed at the difference between Ella and Maggie. Ella is still pretty shy and quiet. Maggie is spunky and wild. I hope the two rub off on each other as they grow and balance each other out. Maggie can help Ella come out of her shell a little more, while Ella's calmness and obedience can influence Maggie.

 

Ella was in her own little world talking to herself in the backyard.  She said I scared her when I snuck up on her.  She had just jumped from off the top of our playground and I heard her tell herself, "I can't believe it!  I can't believe I did it and landed on my feet!"  (I pretended I didn't hear her, but smiled on the inside)

Maggie was so excited for the piece of gum she found (I'm still not sure where) and was proudly chomping on her treasure and hanging upside down from a chair and giggling.  This girl has some sort of radar detector for candy and sweets.  Somehow she always seems to find them, and as much as Brad may try to sneak a bite of something yummy when Maggie is not looking, she somehow always seems to know (even if she is in a completely separate room) and comes begging for a taste herself!

And then there is Hadley.  Who, for now, smiles and sits and watches it all.  Which one is she going to take after?  Or will she be an entirely different little person than her bigger sisters?

I REALLY love you, but . . .

Maggie's new favorite thing to say when she is going to do something she is not supposed to is, "I really love you but. . . ."

An example:

Yesterday I was in Hadley's room changing her diaper when I hear, "Mom, I really love you, but I'm going to turn off the light in this room."

or

"Mom, I really love you, but I really need a treat."


The best part about it is that she really emphasizes the word "really" and tries to make it super convincing.   It sure is funny to me, even if Maggie is being a wee bit naughty!

So I don't forget. . .

I imagine this little story will be a wonderful thing for me to remember when Ella is a teenager and wants nothing to do with me (but I'm still going to cross my fingers that that won't ever happen).

Last night we were reading in the scriptures about when Jesus was crucified.  Maggie didn't understand what it meant that "Jesus died".  She asked what "died" meant.  I explained to her that to be dead is like going to sleep and not waking up. . .that when someone dies they go to heaven and they don't live here on earth with us anymore.

We put the girls to bed and said good night.  About a half-hour later Maggie comes out of her room, so I take her back to bed.  While I am doing that Ella calls to me in a soft voice and says, "Mom, I don't ever want you to leave me."  I asked her what she was talking about and told her that I'm always here and I rarely ever leave!  She then replied, "No, Mom, if you went to heaven and left me I would be so sad."  She started crying and had tears streaming down her face.  It broke my heart.  I gave her a big hug and told her that I wasn't going to heaven and that I would always be here with her.  She kept crying and crying and just said "Mom, I just need you to be with me all of the time. . .I don't ever want you to leave. . .not even to take pictures of people"  (something I have been doing a lot lately).

This little conversation I had with her was so sweet and innocent and it was so nice to hear how much Ella loves me and needs me.  She is constantly telling me lately that she "loves me forever" which has replaced her "I love you more than you love me" comment.  I am so grateful for what a thoughtful, sweet and loving little girl Ella is and I certainly hope she always stays that way.

(I can't believe I'm really putting this picture up here with curlers and no make-up but I thought it was fitting so I couldn't help it.  I'm still not gutsy enough to do it in color so the black and white is all you get!  This was taken a few Sundays ago when we were getting ready for church.  Ella decided she wanted to have her hair in curlers just like me and then wanted to take a picture of us together.  In never thought we looked to much alike before but now I can see the resemblence in this picture.  I know one day she will realize that Mommy is not that cool, but for now I'll enjoy her wanting to be just like me--even if I think she is crazy for it!)

Happy Halloween!

We waited until a night we had Daddy around to carve our pumpkins (since Momma HATES cleaning the pumpins out).  In fact, I opted for a Mr. Potato Head pumpkin this year so I could decorate it without getting all gooey.  The girls always love wearing Daddy's t-shirts anytime we do something messy.  They designed what they wanted their pumpkins to look like on Brad's Ipad and then went to work carving their masterpieces.

We celebrated by going to our ward Trunk-or-Treat on Saturday followed by a Halloween party at our friends', The Wrights, house with yummy food and trick-or-treating on Halloween night.  I made my traditional "dinner in a pumpkin" and ended up having to clean out a pumpkin for that anyway.

Ella was a ladybug, but no ordinary ladybug, she insisted she was a "ladybug fairy".  Maggie was a bumblebee, and Hadley was the cutest little butterfly around.  You can't tell from the picture, but Brad and I dressed up as "Pest Control" and borrowed our uniforms and hats from a friend here who does that on the side in the summer.  Our family theme of costumes was almost ruined by Maggie who informed us she did NOT want to be a bumblebee, but wanted to be Cookie Monster instead.  I held firm, and she eventually came around and got excited about a bumblebee and stinging people.

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween!