March Madness

Here's just a random sampling of the Madness that has been going on in our lives during the month of March.

"Look mom, a pelescope!" (Yes, pelescope, with a "P")

Stockton's "Boy Tea Party."

Stockton has been way into the iPhone lately. He plays games, watches videos, draws and rearranges all of Brady's icons. I came into the room with my camera and said "I want to take your picture with the iPhone." Next thing I know he was handing me the iPhone and it was all set to go with the camera app. That smarty pants!

He loves to watch music videos on youtube. He likes a few country songs that Brady looked up for him (Gag me! Hate country!) And I got him hooked on Mike Tompkins. He loves "Firework." I don't really know how he found it, but one day he started listening to Foot Loose. He loves it! He calls it "Cut Loose." Now he knows about every word.

Cut Loose from Rachel Haider on Vimeo.

Here's a little video of Stockton dancing to "Cut Loose." (I'm talking on the phone while I'm taking the video, that's why I keep saying random things.)

RoShawn stayed in town for a week with the kids. One day we went to Gardner Village, where Holly works, and had lunch and played.

Sitting on the "funny bench" with Grandma.

The kids loved watching the ducks and the fish in the pond.

I celebrated my 29th Birthday, and my father-in-law Rob has a birthday 3 days after mine, so we celebrated together. I put my self in charge of the cake...cheesecake, of course!

Helping Grandpa open his birthday gifts.

Stockton and Anellina munching on veggies at the birthday party.

One night I came home from a RS activity and found Stockton dressed like this. It looked more ridiculous in person, but it was pretty funny. He had on a green and brown rugby shirt, navy blue sweat pants that were short enough to be capris, dirty white socks, and his Sunday shoes. You gotta love daddy's fashion sense!

Stockton has been falling asleep in some pretty funny positions lately that were photo-worthy. Like the classic, "Blankie over the face" position.

"Fall asleep in the hall" position.

"Snuggled up with Daddy" position.

"Falling out of bed" position.

Welcome Baby Isabella!

My brother Dustin and his wife Rachel had a beautiful baby girl, Isabella Marian Orgill. They are going to call her Bella for short. And Marian is my mother's middle name, and my great uncle's name. I LOVE that name!

Little Bella fits her name perfectly, she is a little beauty!

Stockton just adored her. He was so excited to go visit her at the hospital. He hadn't ever really ever heard the name Isabella before and he couldn't remember it, so he called her "Baby Cabella!" Now every night in his prayers he asks to "Bless baby Bella." Such a little sweetie. He's going to be a great big brother!

City Creek Center

We decided to join the crowd and go see City Creek Center the weekend it opened. It was neat for me to see because the engineering company I used to work for was involved in the project. I was able to go take pictures of it when it was still under construction. So I loved seeing the finished project. (I have no idea why Stockton looks like such a crust in all these pictures. He wasn't in a bad mood. I guess he just wasn't very photogenic that day.)

The retractable roof!

I LOVE how they used the old ZMCI facade.

The actual City Creek running right through the shopping center.

City Creek from Rachel Haider on Vimeo.

We knew that my parents were there that day. We had a hard time meeting up with them, because their cell phones were acting funny. But, we found them listening to live music. I started filming them from the balcony. Just then my mom looked up and saw me! What are the chances? I didn't realize my Uncle Skip and his family was standing right behind them, too!

Stockton and Grandpa playing in the fountain. That was Stockton's favorite part!

Cool too see downtown revitalized.

Afterward we walked through Temple Square and saw the Christus.

Stockton was enthralled. So sweet!

Some BUNNY Special

Stockton's Aunt Holly "is friends with" the Easter Bunny at the mall. (Yes, sorry to burst your bubble, but the Easter Bunny is a girl! Well, at the Southe Towne Mall at least!)

So the other day I pulled up to the mall and parked right next to a familiar car... Holly's car! I had totally forgotten she was working that day. I hurried an texted her and her shift was about to start. So we went to visit the Easter Bunny. City Creek had opened that day, so the mall was dead. So we had an exclusive audience with the Easter Bunny, no lines, no people behind us! It was great!

We love you Easter Bunny! The Easter Bunny's boss even hooked us up with a free 5X7!

Then Stockton heard and saw the train going around the mall. He begged to go for a ride. Who can deny that darling face? He loved every second of it! It was so cute!

Bye Bye Binky!!!

I'm happy to report that we are binky-free!

Stockton has loved his "bunka" ever since he was a newborn. I was waiting until I got over my first trimester of pregnancy to really crack down and get rid of it. I tried to prep him for weeks, telling him that the Binky Fairy was going to come. I even asked him what he wanted the Binky Fairy to bring to him in exchange for his binkies. He told me he wanted "yellow suckers."

Then we watched an episode of Sesame Street where Elmo gets rid of his binky. And Elmo sings a song called "Bye Bye Binky." I kept singing the song to him for weeks. Then finally one night we put him to bed with no bunka and the Binky Fairy left him some yellow suckers (the wrappers aren't yellow, but the suckers are) and some Dinosaur chicken nuggets. He only asked for his bunka a few times, but really has been totally fine! I was pleasantly surprised! YEAH!!!

I Will Go, I Will Do!

A few weeks ago we had a very inspiring Stake Conference that focused on the Book of Mormon. Several speakers emphasized the importance of reading the scriptures with your children. So we started doing a very basic scripture study with Stockton.

When I first told Stockton that we were going to start reading the scriptures together he looked at me with a very concerned look on his face, "But, I don't have my own scriptures!" What a little cutie! What two-year-old is worried about not having their own scriptures? We let him use a little miniature set that we use for traveling. He was so excited about it!

I used the cut outs from the friend of Nephi and his brothers and I found a coloring sheet of the liahona and the next few days we focused on a few stories about Nephi. Stockton was enthralled! He listened and retained so well. And he loves the "Nephi's Courage" song.

My parents thought it was so cute, so they gave him an early birthday present- Action figures of Nephi and his brothers. Stockton LOVES them! And of course he loves his Grandpa Orgill.