Our Family – Forged with Love

Last year, Eliot was determined to grow her hair long so it could be styled in a variety of ways.  She did very well to grow it, and it grows beautifully, but she hasn’t really loved having it styled OR combed with all the snarls.  A few months ago I tried to help her understand that having it short may be the better option because it would have less snarls and although we wouldn’t do much to style it, it would look better than just straight and scraggly hair.  I wasn’t at all convincing.  Even when she complained of her neck being uncomfortably hot, my short-hair-cut solution wasn’t as strong as hers – two piggie tails every day, just below and behind her ears.

It wasn’t until we were on the webcam with Montana one day and she showed us her new haircut that Eliot decided it would be a good idea to cut it short.  “I want to be twins with Montana!” was the repeated comment.  So, we tried to act fast before she changed her mind and made an appointment with my friend Alyson.  Her hair was so long we were even able to donate it to Locks of Love.  Eliot filled out the donation form herself and is anxious to get her “receipt” letter from them.  Here are some before, during and after shots:

I LOVE the way it looks on her, and am continually amazed at what beautiful hair she has.  She has received so many compliments, and she really enjoys them.  Even a lady we didn’t know in the check-out line behind us at the grocery store just a few days after the change said, “I love your hair cut.”  Eliot smiled and politely said ‘thank you’ but quickly turned to me and asked, “How did she know I got my hair cut?”  I tried to explain that the lady didn’t know it was such a recent -and drastic- change, but rather liked the style.  We have since made several bows that allow Eliot to easily clip her bangs back, but she’s already complaining of snarls again.  What to do…?

I told Mom long ago that I’d send these pictures to her, but am just now taking the time.  Enjoy!  And thanks for the fun!

I think Sid decided the pacifier trade-off was worth it.

…part 2 of our weekend started shortly after we got home from the movie.

Trevor rushed off to the Stake’s Tailgating Party previous to the Priesthood Session of General Conference and Eliot went to Brinley’s house to have dinner and play for a bit.  I tried to offer Sid some dinner but he still wasn’t eating well.  Brinley’s mom called and said the girls wanted to ride bikes but since Eliot didn’t have her bike they were going to take turns on Brinley’s bike and scooter, but wanted to see if I was okay with it since they don’t have a helmet for Eliot.  I said I needed to run an errand anyway so I would bring Eliot’s bike and helmet and let them ride for the 20-30 minutes my errand would take and then be back to take Eliot home.

I had barely arrived at my errand destination when Alyson called, and since I knew she knew I was coming right back I thought something was wrong.  apparently Eliot collided with a neighbor friend while riding bikes and Alyson thought Eli might need stitches.  I returned to Alyson’s quickly and found Eliot with drops of blood all over her clothes and bike.  She removed the paper towel wad from her nose/mouth area and I immediately thought of this:

I think I’m finally recovering from a “Mom’s Reality Check” weekend.  Here’s part one:

Rather than brave the busy crowd at the elementary school carnival, we decided to brave Sidney’s behavior at the dollar movie to see Tangled.  He just doesn’t like to sit still for two minutes -or on someone’s lap at all- but just ten minutes after the movie actually started he seemed to be getting comfortable enough to fall asleep in my arms.  I thought it was working perfect because he hadn’t had an afternoon nap and it was his bedtime.  Those thoughts were suddenly interrupted when I realized we were both covered in vomit :(.

I hobbled to the restroom, but paused along the way to ask the usher for help.  The help I received was very appreciated as I tried to clean myself off while Sidney took a bath in the sink of the women’s restroom – I’ve never been so regretful that I didn’t have a phone or camera in my pocket :).  We made it back to the auditorium and I thought we could sit through the movie, until I noticed Eliot breathing strange.  I realized she was trying not to smell the stink radiating from me and I concluded that those in the surrounding rows probably smelled the odor as well, so we left.

The drive home was interesting too; since Trevor is a “sympathy” vomit-er (and Eliot seems to be) we tried to blow the stink out by having all the windows down.  However, each time we slowed or stopped, the stench of course got worse; and, Sidney throwing up twice more before we made it home didn’t help either.

A little ironic or sad, really, but on the way to the movie that night I mentioned to Trevor that I forgot to refill the diaper bag so I hoped we wouldn’t need to change Sid’s diaper.  It made his “bath” that night a little more interesting as I tried to salvage the diaper he had been wearing.  And, it was earlier that day as I put him in the car seat that I told myself, “I REALLY need to clean this.  Tomorrow I’ll finally take it out of the car and disassemble it to wash the cover and everything.”  There’s nothing like a good throw-up to really convince you it’s time to clean a car seat :).

Saturday afternoon Eliot, Brinley and I headed back to the theater to use the rainchecks and actually see the entire movie Tangled.  We were able to watch it in 3D, which was funny in itself.  Every time there was a chase scene or it started to get a little tense Eliot would quickly reach up and tear off her 3D glasses.  She told me she likes to see movies in 3D, but it makes them more scary.  Brinley, on the other hand wouldn’t wear her glasses at all and said she didn’t mind the movie being blurry.  Funny…

A couple weeks ago a letter came home from school stating that a piece of Eliot’s artwork had been selected to be displayed at a district art show.  I asked her about it and she said she didn’t know what we would see.  We went to the reception last Friday evening and she was so excited to identify her art, and see some classmates as well.

Eliot’s was listed as “cut paper” and she pointed out each piece of fruit.  However, the green one on the top left with white “seeds” she couldn’t remember :).  She explained, “There’s a banana, blueberries, an orange, grapes and… a strawberry? or an apple?”  So, I guess it’s true to artwork: it’s up for your own interpretation.

I’m very proud of her, and it was enjoyable to see her own excitement and pride.

Several evenings a week Trevor will spend time in the garage working on projects or just cleaning up from the last one.  I usually want his help with the kids in the evening, and we’ve found this to be a good solution: Sidney in his high chair in the garage.  The loud garage noises have scared our other kids too, and I’m sure I can find pictures of them wearing ear protection (I’ll have to look and add them later *I found one, and embellished and added below*) as well.  I’m so glad they enjoy spending time with Trevor, even if they can’t wander around “his space” and get into the tools as they want to (it’s rare that Sid is out there without being strapped in).

Yesterday our neighbor was using a pressure washer and Sidney and I could hear it as we were finishing our lunch.  Before I let him down from his chair he would point to the pantry door (that leads to the garage) and say, “Mama?” each time he heard the loud sound from outside.  As soon as we were done and I let him down he quickly moved (he is almost running) to the closed pantry door and seemed to listen closely.  As soon as he heard the pressure washer again he knocked and called “Mama” several times.  It confirmed two things to me:  1. that what we’ve been thinking the past week or so is true; he calls Trevor “Mama”, and 2. he knows that loud sounds come from Dad and the garage.  It was kind of funny to me.

Sidney loves his dad very much and loves spending time with him.  The other day we switched cars and the yellow truck was left in the driveway.  As we returned home from getting Eliot from school, we were still a few houses away when the truck came into view.   Sid immediately sat up from his stroller, reached out and pointed while yelling “Mama!  Mama!”  He continued until we got home and almost went running from the stroller as soon as he was unbuckled.  It was so sad to see him race around the house and once again stand at the pantry door trying to yell into the garage to get Trevor’s attention, since Trevor was still at work.

I’m glad our children love Trevor -and show it- as much as they do.  Trevor is a great father and really looks forward to sharing more garage time with them.  He continues to take Eliot to The Home Depot for the Kids’ Workshop every month, and it’s definitely time she looks forward to.

For months we have seen little to no activity at the home of our next-door neighbor.  Each day we pass their house as we walk to school, and the blinds of their front window were open enough that I could see the back of a piano.  I mentioned to Trevor that I would love to have what they seemed to not be using, but never thought about what I would do if I had the opportunity to ask them about it.

As we returned from church a couple weeks ago there was a car in their driveway.  I got so excited to think I could actually ask them if I could buy it, but wasn’t sure how to go about it.  I had a small amount of cash I could offer and didn’t want to be offensive, but decided it was worth them telling me no if they chose to.  I knocked and told them I didn’t know of their current situation but noticed the piano and wanted to know if they would consider selling it.  I got an immediate response of “Absolutely!”  I was so exited! but nervous about the negotiating.  He let me sit down and try it out and look it over for a time and then said, “I’ll let you have it for free if I don’t have to help you move it.”  Wow!  I was even more excited to think that I could save my small cash stash even longer.

I went home to ask Trevor to bring it over and told him I had a new piano.  I think he was kind of surprised, especially when I told him I got it without paying, and then said “Ah man, you’re making me work on Sunday!”  I asked a neighbor across the street to help and he and Trevor basically had to carry it as there’s no wheels on it.  After we got it home and Trevor looked more closely, I think he said something along the lines of “Your piano’s going to have to take a number and wait in line to get repaired.”  It could definitely use some body work, but sounds in tune enough to me.  Trevor’s already re-glued some of the ivory, but there’s plenty more wood work to do.  The night he was gluing he said he felt like he was sticking to the seat, so he’s already scrubbed that too.  He does some good work; I love his willingness, even if it’s not something he would choose to have.

Right now it’s just in our entry hallway because I don’t really know where to put it.  Trevor says it belongs in our front office room (that has kind of converted to my crafting room) but there’s not room for now 🙂 so it sits in the hall.

Just a short time after getting it in our house, the kids were pretty quick to “plunk” the keys and Trevor was just as quick to ask “Really?  Is that really what you want to hear all the time now?”  Honestly, I’ll probably get irritated soon, but it was really a happy sound to me and a sound I’ve wanted in my home for a long time.  I don’t have a lot of sheet music (and what I think I have is in a box somewhere) but I already love having it.  I don’t really get to play very well with the kids because they, of course, want to be involved but it’s still such a pleasure to me.  Sid will sit on my lap and add his own playing to what I’m playing, and Eliot wants to play songs with me by me telling her which keys to press.  I think I’ll look into some beginner books I can teach her from when school’s out.  She was even more interested when I told her Montana and Tracer were both taking lessons.

Several times I have thought back and been extremely grateful that I was willing to ask for something I wanted, and I wish there was more I could do to express my appreciation to my neighbor.  Soon after we took it from his house he left, and I’ve not seen him back.