Ugh - time to whine.

Tuesday morning I was getting ready for work and packing up the kid's stuff. Sometime between packing the diaper bag and dropping the kids off, I hurt my back ... bad. I have no idea what I did, but that is the thing about back pain, it doesn't really take much to tweak it.

The first time I really hurt my back (again I don't know how) Mylie had just turned one. I remember having to have Jeff come home from work because I couldn't lift her out of the crib. I went to the doctor and they gave me pain killers and muscle relaxers, neither which worked too well while being home with a baby. They knocked me out. After a few weeks I felt better.

The second time I hurt my back Mylie was 2 and I was in Washington D.C. for work. It may have been the ice skating I felt I had to do at the outdoor rink down the road from the Capitol building. I'm not sure, but I could barely get off the plane afterwards. After a week or so home I decided try going to the chiropractor for the first time ever. After many many visits I was finally feeling better. Shortly after that I got pregnant with Blake and had all the aches and pains that come along with pregnancy.

But since he has been born I have been feeling OK, until now. By the time I got home from work on Tuesday I just crashed. Thank goodness I didn't have to work the rest of the week and that Mylie is easily entertained. We have pretty much been camped out watching movies. Thankfully Blake will nap wherever (couch) because I can't lift him into his crib. I did get into the chiroractor after Jeff got home from work yesterday and I felt a bit better. We went to Costco and I made it through our shopping. Today I had promised Mylie we would go to lunch with her friend Helen and I totally thought I would be OK.

Wrong again. Melissa and I sat chatting for a long time at Carl's Jr. while the kids played. When I tried to get up, I couldn't, it's like my back had completely stiffened up or something. It seriously probably took me 5-7 minutes to just get upright. Yep, I felt awesome there, all the other chicken nugget moms watching me. Melissa graciously got Blake into his carseat. We made it home eventually, Blake got a bottle, Mylie got a snack and I landed in the recliner, not to move for hours. Mylie is an amazing help with Blake, thank goodness.

So here I still sit in the recliner. Back pain is the worse! I told Jeff tonight (and I mean it) this is worse than giving birth. 4 days down, hopefully not too many more to go.

OK, whining over.

"When you grow up what will you be?"

Mylie and I were watching Dora yesterday and there an episode about what jobs she and Boots the monkey will have when they grow up. They sing a song, "When you grow up what will you be? There's so many jobs just look and see!" Mylie turns and looks at me and says, "When I grow up I still want be with my family." I love this kid.

Camera #2

I have two cameras and I don't get the pictures off of the one in my purse uploaded as often. So here, in no particular order, are some random pictures (and videos) of some happenings from our summer.

"Mom, you crack me up!" Lunch at Red Robin in Layton, Utah on our was to the family reunion.
An afternoon of swimming with Helen.
From earlier in the summer, when Blake was starting to eat cereal. "Yum! Real food."

Summer picnics in the backyard.
Saturday, after dinner at Fudruckers. Mylie posing on the Harley.
Blake one day after his nap. He was totally giggling too.
We were at Joe's Sports (Jeff's favorite store) when Mylie spotted this 4-wheeler. "I have to show this to Papa!"
This little dude is trying to figure out how to crawl! He can get his bum up in the air ...
or his head up, but just not both at the same time ... yet.

This video is from Jeff's birthday. We took him out to ice cream that night and he picked Roe-Anns in Emmett which has the best milkshakes! (Carmel is my favorite.) Afterwards we went to the park and Blake enjoyed the baby swings.

And this one is from last night. The picture is kind of grainy because it was dark, but Mylie is working her big sister magic to get Blake to laugh. I could just listen to the two of them giggle all day long. It makes me happy.

Saturday

Saturday was a busy fun day! Mylie's friend Helen had her 5th birthday party in the morning. It was supposed to be a pool party, but someone left a, let's say a deposit, in their neighborhood pool. The party was moved to their backyard and the girls all had fun in the wading pool, the slip and slide and the sprinklers. Blakey was having fun watching all the fun. (Yes, he has on a muscle shirt.)
We did have to leave the party early for a very special event ... PAPA!!
Mylie has 4 Papas and she just may have every one of them wrapped around her finger. She adores them all. She was extra excited that my Dad was coming to visit her. He and my Uncle Steve and one of their friends rode their motorcycles over for the weekend. Papa planned to spend all of Saturday afternoon with Mylie. She had been planning and calling him often with new ideas of what they should do. So we met him at the zoo. Mylie loves the zoo, the animals and the merry-go-round. She has been working hard to keep her room clean to earn $1 to take herself and Papa on the merry-go-round. Mylie chose the elephant to ride. Papa decided to just stand.
After the zoo it was off to the paddleboats. Mylie has been planning this one for a while. "Papa, I am going to drive the boat and you peddle. It's OK that I don't have a driver's license."
{Just playing around with this one a little. Doesn't it look like the cutest date ever?}
After the paddleboats we went to the playground at the park and then Dad treated us to his favorite, Fudruckers! Yum. Jeff and I both lucked out with awesome parents who are also awesome grandparents. Some of my best memories from growing up are with my grandparents, so I am excited for my kids to have those kinds of memories too!

A few observations about Blake ...

• He squeals like a girl. However, I figure this is because a girl taught him to squeal (thanks Mylie).
• He got his first two teeth on Friday. Mylie asked if the tooth fairy is coming, I don't think she understands the concept quite yet.

Kissing ...

So tonight the kids went to Grandma and Grandpa Breach's house. Mylie was so excited all day. I was reminding her that Daddy and I weren't going with her and told her we were going on a date. She asked, "Is it a kissing date? Ewwwww!" Somedays I just really wonder where she gets this stuff.

The last few days and the next few days ...

• Friday night we drove to Twin Falls (about 2 hours away) to attend the open house of the new LDS Temple there. It was so beautiful and just a neat evening. Mylie picked our her fanciest dress to wear. I thought she would sleep on the way home (we didn't get home until 11), but she asked me to turn on her primary songs CD. Daddy and Blake slept the whole way and Mylie and I just sang songs. They are doing a Primary program this fall so she was asking me to help her practice her songs. It was so cute! (Photo courtesy lds.org)
• Blake is starting to move. He rolls across the room, he gets on his tummy and lifts his bum up in the air and tries to scoot to what he wants. So funny. With Mylie I couldn't wait for her to do everything, to roll, to crawl,to walk, etc. With Blakey, I just want him to stay a little baby and snuggle me. If he starts crawling when Mylie did, I only have a little over a month left! Yikes.
• I may have found a new favorite yogurt today ... pineapple upside down cake. So yummy!
• Things are going to get crazy busy at work very soon. September is my busiest month as I spend the bulk of it at high school recruiting volunteers for Youth Court. I think I went to 18 high schools last fall.
• I really really want to scrapbook! I got the new Stampin' Up! catalog from my friend Carey yesterday and looking through it just sparked my creativity. My scrapbooking room is a disaster right now, but I am off on Thursday so I am hoping to get it put back together.
• Our friend John is doing so much better. The kids and I went to their house yesterday and he is up and moving around. When we got in the car Mylie said, "Mom, John is doing better. It must be from all those blessings I asked for him." Sometimes I have to remind myself that I am the one that is supposed to be teaching her.
• Thursday night the kids are going to Grandma and Grandpa Breach's while Jeff and I go to dinner and to a community meeting about the new community college opening here.
• Saturday is a packed day ... Helen's birthday party in the morning (a swimming party) and then my Dad is going to be here. He and Mylie have a busy afternoon of paddleboats, the zoo and the merry-go-round planned.
• I signed Mylie up for fall soccer this week. She is in the 4 year old league and her team is the Pumas. Jeff is going to be her coach again. She can't wait!
• And I am super tired already! Not having the satellite has been good for my sleeping. I have been going to bed so much earlier. In fact last week one night, I went to bed at 8 right after the kids. I think I'll head that way now.