Miriam has earned the nickname “Garbage Gut” from her grandpa. This is because she has the bad habit of refusing to eat the food given to her, and instead eats food from others’ plates, off the floor and out of the garbage can. The other day after my fruitless efforts to feed her oatmeal in her highchair, she gathered the other oatmeal bowls from breakfast and finished them off.

I can’t believe I’ve blogged for years and managed to avoid a weekly post with a clever alliterative title. In any case, I have one now.

Meeting people who defy stereotypes gives me a weird satisfaction. I feel like saying “Ha! You’re wrong!” to all the people who perpetuate stereotypes. I’ve been watching these short videos for awhile now, and I find them impressive, inspiring and amusing. I don’t post them just because they are about Mormons, although I do fantasize that having that one thing in common with these amazing people could possibly make me as good or as interesting as they are. I post them because they are everything I just mentioned and I think you will find them equally entertaining.

So let the tradition begin, every Monday a new Mormon.

Miriam is getting old enough to be an enjoyable playmate for Eli. Eli loves being the one in charge for once. I should clarify, she isn’t quite old enough to comprehend and execute his orders, but she a least isn’t giving him any. This works really well while Cameron is at school, and I’m looking forward to the fall when they can play together freely. But when Cameron isn’t at school we have some serious jealousy issues. Cameron’s feelings are hurt that occasionally Eli prefers playing with Miriam, whose inability to comprehend and execute orders prevents Cameron from holding a power position. So Cameron has no desire to play with Miriam, but I am hopeful that he’ll learn to play more cooperatively as an incentive to keep Eli as a play buddy.
It used to be (and still is) that Eli idolized Cameron and did everything, wore everything, said everything that Cameron did. Now Miriam is falling into that pattern with Eli as her idol. She found Cameron’s hat and put it on to look just like Eli.

Simon is two months old today. It has gone by so fast. Of course, everyone says that. He out-weighs all his siblings for this age. He is gaining weight really well despite his reflux. We are still doing lots of laundry though. He is giving us a smile here and there. Oh those baby smiles are priceless. He is also sleeping through the night. Also priceless. He loves the swing and I have to be careful not to leave him there all day. I call him “Little Dude” quite a bit but mostly we call him “Si.” In fact, it is the only family member name Miriam has picked up so far. Actually what she says is “Hi Sise.”

Occasionally Eli puts his pants on backwards. The other day I pointed it out to him and he said he wanted them that way. He also says that when he has his shoes on the wrong feet, and unfortunately I worry that it is his prideful way of stubbornly refusing to change. But maybe I’m over-thinking it…

**I apologize for the lousy formatting of this post. Blogger will not cooperate and I’ve had it. If you know how to fix this problem let me know.

My grandparents all passed away when I was young, so I feel blessed to have married into a family of wonderful grandparents. I believe the grandparent-grandchild relationship is the most mutually forgiving and tolerant family relationship. It is so… comfortable. Our grandparents are so forgiving of our faults, perhaps even more than our parents. And in return we are forgiving of them. We tolerate their too-personal questions, unsolicited advice and spoiling of our children better than when our parents do these things. The generation that separates us gives us more room for humor and patience I guess. Or maybe I speak too generally, and this relationship is unique to me and my grandparent-in-laws. Regardless, I love it.

This weekend we road-tripped over to eastern Idaho to visit Richard’s grandparents. (And other family and friends.) It was delightful. They are such generous hosts. Ray and Larene Bird are the least idle people I know. I was so motivated to be a better, less lazy mother as I watched them. Grandpa just does whatever needs to be done, and then some. If he doesn’t know how to do something he asks and learns. Grandma prepares meticulous meals from scratch and then cleans up the mess without complaint. This is just the way life is for them. They do so much work without ever acting like it is work. I admire them so much.

Grandma says that the horses are Grandpa’s best friends. When they see him and he whistles to them, they come a-gallopin’. We also got to see Sam, the new colt. Turns out Sam and Simon have a lot in common. A couple horses in the pasture got a little too friendly and SUPRISE.

Don’t worry Lori, it was just up and down the driveway out at the farm.

The Bird’s own a Motel with a pool where we did a little swimming. We thought Miriam would love it, but for the first time in her life she was happier just watching.

Grandma and Grandpa Wray got to meet Simon for the first time, and spoil all the kids with belated Easter treats.