Star Wars Fanatic

Notice the Darth Vader on her shirt too.

For the last month Maisie has been OBSESSED with Star Wars. We finally introduced her to the original trilogy (which is far superior to the prequels- in our opinion) last month. It all came about because we couldn't agree on a movie to watch. We wanted something tame, but with a more intricate storyline that Maisie could keep up with. So we borrowed them from our friend and decided to give it a go, completely thinking Maisie would lose interest within the first half hour. She fell in love the second the opening song and credits turned on. She begged to watch a Star Wars movie every night until we blew through the whole collection. She has been begging to watch them again, but unfortunately we don't own them yet so we have to get creative with blaring the soundtrack in our home and in the car (who needs Christmas music right?), watching "The Clone Wars" and the Phineas and Ferb episodes "May the Ferb be with you 1 & 2" on Netflix, YouTube clips (these are her favorites, she calls them R2 funnies- 1 & 2), playing the Star Wars Lego game on the iPad and just by Googling/Pinteresting anything and everything related to the movie.

Maisie knows the entire story, who every single character is and has since developed an undying love for R2D2 and although she won't completely admit it, she totally has a crush on Luke Skywalker because "he's awesome and cool and awesome". Her words, not mine.

Every night before bed we tell funny stories about Maisie's adventures with her friends R2D2, C3PO, Luke and Darth Vader (yes, once again Maisie has a thing for the villain). Some times Wickett, Leia, Chewie and the Sand People get in on the action too. Often times she pretends one of them is coming over to dinner. The nights she invites Darth Vader are the especially fun because she's scared and excited all at once and she wants us all on our best behavior so we don't get forced choked.

Her Christmas requests this year are all Star Wars related items and you better believe I am so thankful the remake came out shortly after her obsession began because it would have been much more difficult finding the items she would like to have without "Star Wars VII The Force Awakens" coming out.

Speaking of "The Force Awakens" we took her to see it today as an early Christmas gift. We were going to wait to take her after Christmas because we obviously got her a couple Star Wars related gifts and we wanted her to have them for the movie, but the timing worked out better to do it today- our babysitter was available to watch Ellie and we were already going stir crazy with Christmas break just starting. We ended up letting Maisie open one present before the movie so she could proudly wear it- her very own R2D2 shirt (conveniently in her favorite color and also with glittery letters). Taking her to see the movie has been one of the most fun times I have had as a parent. She was so excited. I can't tell you how many times she cheered, clapped and made happy little screams during the movie. Seeing all her favorite characters and also BB8? Man, how do they make these little droids so lovable?! The movie was 6 thumbs up (two for each of us) and made our nerdy little family very happy. Now we just have to wait two more years until the next one... Oh boy.

After the movie and just after a refill on our bucket of popcorn. How cool is Maisie's shirt?

P.s Maisie is already planning a Star Wars themed 6th birthday party... only 5 months early.

Halloween 2015 - AKA The worst Halloween ever

Well this Halloween was eventful and it was really fun until it wasn't.

I was feeling funny the day prior, but didn't think much of it- loss of appetite and a sour feeling stomach. Anyway, on Halloween we all got ready in our Alice in Wonderland themed costumes (mostly homemade) and walked to the event just a handful of blocks from our house. When we got about halfway I commented how my stomach wasn't feeling great, but still not paying too much attention to it. We walked around for a couple hours, eating, playing games, riding the horse drawn hayrides. Then as we walked home I said "I might just throw up tonight". Anyone who knows me, knows that throwing up is about the worst thing my body can do. I fight it at all costs and cry like a baby after every "episode". Within a half hour of being home I knew I had the stomach flu (not really flu, but that's what everyone calls it). I hopped into the bath covered in goosebumps from the cramping, stomach churning and every fiber in my being aching with dread because it knew what was going to happen next. Then it happened.

Relief for about 20 minutes and then again and again and again for the next 8 or so hours. I was in bed the whole trick or treating experience and I cried hot tears knowing I was missing Maisie's favorite holiday. As I was trying to catch sleep between throwing up I heard Austin trying to get the girls ready for bed. Maisie mentioned that her stomach was kind of hurting, but Maisie's stomach is almost always hurting for some reason so Austin didn't think much of it. Big mistake. Huge. Within the hour she was sick as well. So allllll night long me and Maisie were alternating who was throwing up. While I could handle myself just fine (although nursing Ellie through the night was rough stuff) Austin was thrust into what I call panic mode. Maisie was so exhausted from the day and is such a deep sleeper that she wouldn't wake up all the way when she needed to throw up so Austin would hear a gurgle and immediately have to spring into action- changing clothes, starting laundry, bathing Maisie, making sure she stayed hydrated and comfortable while dealing with Ellie when she would wake up and checking in on me every so often.

Maisie and I awoke in the morning exhausted, dehydrated and empty, but no longer sick. It was such a relief to have had it pass. Definitely not the way we had intended our Halloween going,  I mean if someone is going to throw up- it better be from sugar overdose and certainly NOT the stomach bug. We will remember this Halloween for years to come, if only it were for better reasons.

p.s Austin and Ellie ended up getting it exactly two nights later- why, oh why, did it have to hit us two at a time!? I can almost say that, that night was worse than when I had it. But at least I had it first, which is usually not the case- I am usually last. So while I didn't enjoy watching Austin and Ellie deal with it, it was nice knowing I couldn't catch it... again.

Pumpkin Patching 2015 - Treehouse Nursery

The weekend before Halloween we went to a local pumpkin patch called The Treehouse Nursery. It was a fun family owned farm. How fun would it be to own and run a pumpkin patch? I think it's my calling in life... that or a Christmas tree farm... or a sheep farm? :)

Family Photos 2015

I think this is my favorite picture- it was Maisie's idea to pose like this.

In mid October our friend here in Rexburg kindly offered to take some family photos for us. He's a photography major at the University and has all the fancy equipment any professional would have. He will be famous one day, I just know it! His work is awesome and we are so thankful for him, that he and his wife took the time to get some pictures of all four of us. I would be lying if I said getting these photos were easy because my normally photogenic and cooperative children decided that day would be a good day to want nothing to do with pictures. Playing in the mud and throwing rocks seemed like a better way to spend their time and while I can respect that, it didn't make for a good time for either Austin or I. Herding cats I tell you! So you will notice there aren't many of just the girls or with all of us together. It was just not going to happen that day- oh well. That's just the season of life we are in.

P.s we had to hike down to this spot from a bridge out in the middle of nowhere Rigby/Ririe area. It was a muddy venture and there were fresh moose tracks everywhere. We even heard moose calling from the other side of the river- it was pretty intense and REALLY loud. I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared- I have seen one too many videos of people being mauled by moose(s?).

The search for the perfect family pet & introducing...

So Maisie is fond of animals. Really fond. She has always wanted a pet of some sort. Mostly a dog, but we have never been in the position where we were able or willing to get one. Maisie would also like a cat, a few goldfish, some hermit crabs, a turtle, a rabbit, oh and a yellow boa constrictor that she wants to name Banana... sensing a theme? If it's an animal, sign her up.

Austin and I had a dog, Scooter, when I was pregnant with Maisie and for a few months of Maisie's new life. New parenthood, busy schedules and our demanding responsibility to care after a baby proved to be too much and unfortunately we made the difficult decision to re-home him. It was rough, but I am comforted with knowing we made the right decision for us and for him. I think that experience scarred us for pets. We didn't want to relive the attachment and disappointment of losing something that we really wanted. So we knew that when it came time to start discussing pets we needed to be ready, willing and able to put any and all effort it required. Well the time came- it helps that we have a willing 5 year old who in the most part is fairly responsible and likes to take care of things.

So an email was written to our landlord discussing our intentions of having a furry creature as a new resident of our living quarters. He responded back with "I guess a cat would be fine." So after a couple weeks of debating we drove to the local shelter and almost immediately fell for a little black and white kitten with green eyes, who followed Maisie around where ever she went, doing figure eights around her legs. If that wasn't enough to push us over, it was when he gently climbed up onto my shoulders, draped his body around my neck like a scarf and happily purred with his eyes closed. Handsome "George Clooney" came home with us.

He would constantly hang out on our shoulders or necks.

The first night.

All was well until the next morning when I woke up with puffy, blood shot eyes and a nose that dripped like a leaky faucet. I just thought I was getting a cold until I left the house for a few hours and noticed I felt so much better. Then lone and behold, within minutes of being home I was back to itchy eyes and not being able to go more than a few minutes without blowing my nose. I was devastated. We all were. We knew I couldn't go on feeling like this for 10+ years of cat ownership. We tried bathing him thinking that might help, keeping our bedroom door shut permanently and diligently vacuuming. But after two days and even with doubling up on my anti-histamines I still was just a mess with allergies. So we tearfully took him back to the shelter. We were sad for us and sad for him, but had no doubts he would snatched up soon, but selfishly we wanted him.

Austin was reliving our Scooter debacle again. He forever swore off pets, until we came across an animal I never thought in a million years we would own mostly because it's a rodent. But we all fell hard for... wait for it... a guinea pig (!!!!)?

It turns out he is the perfect pet for us. He bonded quickly with both Maisie and Ellie. He wheeks, whistles and purrs when he's excited, or when he hears the closet door open that houses his food and hay, or when he hears the fridge open for lettuce. If you talk to him he quickly scampers out and excitedly talks back. Also, turns out guinea pigs are actually really smart (like associating the sounds of the closet and fridge with food) he even has potty trained himself, knows his name and also can be taught to walk on a harness (yes we are totally going to walk our guinea pig in the summer). The best part is that he can be put back in his cage. We don't have an animal running around our house all the time, with fur and accidents and scratched up door jams and/or furniture. Even after months of owning him, the girls still get excited to see, pet, hold and feed him. It also helps that he's adorable...

Oh and for his name? Meet Benny Porkchop: (yes, Maisie named him)

The first night we got him. Only a couple months old.

Maisie excitedly holding her new "responsibility". His eyes crack me up! They were bugging out like this for the first two days we had him- he may have been a tad freaked out.

A few weeks into our guinea pig adventure.

Maisie and Benny a few weeks ago.

While are are excited for the day we own a home with a yard, so we can eventually get a dog and the various other animals Maisie and Ellie talk us into, we are content now. We are happy with our addition of sweet little Benny Porkchop Lee.

Ellie actually has teeth!

So the day has come! Finally, at just a few days shy of 15 and a half months old, little Ellie has cut her first tooth- her top right to be exact and following closely are about 7 others! Poor girl.

I am just relieved that she actually has teeth. I was getting a bit worried that maybe she would be forever toothless, but here they are! A little late, but here regardless.

P.s I found it surprising just how much stuff Ellie could eat being without teeth. Just about everything we ate she did too, not without special precautions, but still!