Happy Fourth of July!

If it was up to Elizabeth, I could actually be super well rested these days. Sadly, all the forces are working against me on this one. First, I have a hard time turning my brain off to go to sleep so I stay up long after everyone else has gone to bed. I have to drag Abigail to the bathroom once or twice a night to keep her bed dry, Elizabeth wakes up once or twice a night to eat, and Brady has decided that his crib is scary, so he climbs out screaming at 2am and again at 7am, waking us all up (or at least Abigail and me). Last night I took Abigail to the bathroom and then went to sleep around 12:30. I think I heard Brady crying at 1:30 but I'm not sure if he really was and fell back asleep or if I just saw the clock wrong. He for sure was crying at 2:30 and by 2:40, if woken myself up enough to get him (he was just screaming by his door since I'd locked it). By 3, the agreement was that I would keep his bedroom door part way open if he stayed in his crib and if he got out then I would come back and lock it. So luckily he stayed in. I thought something happened at 3:39, but I'm not sure what. Maybe I woke up myself and took abigail to go potty? I seriously have no clue. At 5:45, Elizabeth woke up to eat so I fed her and then maybe took Abigail to the bathroom? I only took her twice during the night. I just can't remember when that second time happened. And then at 7, Brady had climbed out of his crib and woken Abigail up which she was a good sport about but obviously not really happy about. They fought back and forth and cried off and on (both being tired and cranky) and Brady came into the guest room every 3 minutes crying about something until 7:45 or so when I think I threatened my kids with something bad enough that they finally went to the kitchen to get a banana and not disturb me anymore. I was seriously so angry at life. I had such a horrendous headache and was so tired I couldn't even fathom how I could attempt to function. Poor Abigail. Got woken up by Brady and then I made her take care of him. I'll have to pay her back for that one. Next thing I knew, it was 11:00 and Elizabeth was stirring. Chris had taken the kids to the pool and gotten there around 10 or 10:30 when it was still empty. 

By 11:00, things had picked up. 

I texted him that I would feed Elizabeth and get us ready and walk up to the pool so I did that (and threw in a load of laundry), and was there by 12. Elizabeth fell asleep a few minutes after we arrived (because she's amazing) and didn't wake up til 3:30. So in the mean time, we hung out and are pulled pork sandwiches and cookies and snow cones and lemonade and listened to music and participated in pool and party games and hung out with tons of church friends and neighborhood friends and it was amazing. So so fun. I wasn't really looking forward to the Fourth of July this year because we weren't going to be in Atlanta running the peach tree and Chris's family wasn't going to be getting together. But seriously, it was such a fun day and I'm a fool for doubting the day. ; ) 

Chris took Brady home around 2 because he was done and thought it would be good for Brady to get a nap and for me to be able to enjoy the pool with one less kid. He slept for several hours.  Like 2:45-5:45 or so. On Abigail's little bed. Because his crib is scary, remember? 

Meanwhile at the pool, I really was enjoying it with one less kid. Primarily because I was hanging out with my two easiest kids. After I fed Elizabeth, I just wanted to hold her and admire her and it was perfect because the clouds came in and cooled things off and took the IV count down enough for us to sit under and umbrella and feel okay about it. I'm so worried about her getting burned that I allllllways just keep her in her car seat at the pool, even when she's awake. But this time she hung out with me while I watched Abigail swim in the big pool and when she got sleepy and drifted off, I just couldn't keep my eyes off of her. Which made it a fun surprise for me when Abigail got out and walked over to me all "mom, I've been practicing putting my head under water over by the steps over there!"  Ha. Amazing! That's a big step for her. I was truly shocked, but her head was completely wet so I got excited and asked her to show me. So she hopped back in and just jumped on the steps for the next forever (until adult swim) popping her head under water over and over and over again. We were both loving sharing that moment together. And having Elizabeth asleep on my lap too... It was one of those perfect moments in time. 

When they called adult swim, she came to the baby pool and kept doing it. I gave her her goggles so she could dive for her pool toys. I think she would barely open her eyes, but I think once she figures it out, she'll think it's super cool. 

And then the lifeguards called it for thunder and lightening and we decided it was time to head home. Practically everyone left was just this one big group of adults all hanging out in the pool with their cans of beer. It was funny because at one point not too much earlier abiGil was all "mom, can we stay until the end of the party?"  I wanted to say "look aroun at our company... This *is* the end of the party!" But I just smiled instead. Because she reminded me of me. 

Chris had carried Brady home on his shoulders and I couldn't push two strollers so Abigail pushed one for me. Barefoot because shoes are just one more thing to keep track of for the pool. Totally unnecessary. She was so helpful. We got along great today. 

She's adorable. 

And was really cute to talk to on the way home. 

She saw everyone having a water fight at Lucy's so she ran over but then it started to rain really cold rain (Brady woke up and I held him in my lap on the camp chair on our front porch while we watched it goether) and so eventually she ran home to get dressed. We bathed the kids and I got Abigail decked out before sending her back over to play. Mu think I got this dress at Walmart last year for $3... Retail was only $5, but whatever, I still thought it was a good deal. The sweater was a gift from Jodi, the headband a gift from Julie (in Chris's office), and the flip flops are old but we're only $1 I think at Walmart. Sorry Brady that nothing. Really came together for your Fourth of July outfit... Some things just happen and so we go with it. 

It had been six days since I gave Elizabeth a bottle so I fed her two ounces of one when she woke up. She took it great! Didn't fight it and had no problem finishing it fast. I cracked up at the end though when I realized that she was holding it... So I let go and took a picture. She's so tiny that even the small bottle seems huge. ; ) 

I got her dressed and wrapped in a blanket and Chris and Brady and Elizabeth and I headed outside. Steph and rob had invited people over. One guy came to play hockey with chris and another couple came over to meet us (they live on our block) and so that was cool too. Dave and carol. They're Lutheran and were in salt lake at the beginning of May for a religious thing. They met with a Mormon person representing and they took a tour around the conference center and the temple grounds and were really impressed by both. The whole conversation started when I told them that chris and I met at byu and then Dave was so excited because he and carol were just in Utah. I had fun telling save that actually chris and I were married in the salt lake temple. It's true, it's a huge and gorgeous building with insanely awesome grounds. 

Then we all started lighting off fireworks. Brady FREAKED OUT like Parker was being bombed by terrorists. I don't think I've ever seen him so scared in his life. I kept hoping he would get over it but it just wasn't happening so I took him inside and we watched the fireworks (the ones on the street that our friends and chris were doing and the ones going high in the air in a bunch of other areas of Parker. Turns out Abigail's room is a perfect place to see them all!) from inside where it was quieter and it was perfect for us. Eventually I swaddled elizabeth and put her in her basket and took Brady outside again with me. He was still freaked out but doing much better since he enjoyed them from inside Abigail's room. 

Pretty much as soon as Brady and I got out there, Abigail said she was tired and wanted to go inside. So I told her she could go to sleep and just to head up to her room and get in bed. She sat on her loveseat and watched from her window which was so cute because her glow sticks were just barely visible and gave our house a hint of Halloween. After a bit, I looked up but didn't see anything do I figured she'd gotten in bed.

Chris lit off more fireworks (he had a bunch he'd gotten from Wyoming a long time ago) and our neighbors loved it because they only had the ones from Colorado. Our neighbors did more of theirs too and then a finale one. We hung out a bit more and then called it a night. 

When I went to check on Abigail...  

She was cuddled and still glowing. 

And then I had to break up this cute setup and drag the girl to the bathroom and then to bed. I think that should I ever have need to hide a body or something, I'll have a lot of experience with dead weight. The girl just doesn't wake up. 

Brady thought this green glow stick was amazing. 

Also, I decided to try out this set up tonight since Abigail was already asleep. How can she never stay on her bed anymore?!

I fixed Brady's blanket so he wouldn't be so hot and I out Abigail back on her bed. 

24 minutes later... This.

Brady had woken up and was head downstairs crying "mommy!!!" as loud as she could, and Abigail had managed to fall off her mattress again. Ha. 

I took Brady back to bed (I think he was wanting to come sleep with me but I can't be sure because he was crying so much that he was super difficult to understand) and sat on the loveseat until he fell asleep... And then forever after because... I can't turn my brain off at night and I write blog posts instead. 

That's how I keep myself sleep deprived even though Elizabeth is such a good sleeper. Like her great night last night sleeping 8 hours and 15 minutes and then another 5 hours. And what did I get?  Just a whole lot of broken sleep. 

Hoping tonight goes better. Even though it's already 1:30... Whoops.