Eliza: The Future Comedian

If you are friends with me on Facebook, you have probably read a number of Eliza's quotable quotes. Nathan wants me to make sure they are all written down on the blog, though, so she can read them 10 years from now and realize just how funny (and clever) she was at age 3.

Here are some of the highlights:

Eliza to her friend, Ruby: "Do you want to have fun? Just pretend you're me. I am so much fun."

(After watching Mary Poppins)

Eliza: "I can't clean, Mom. I'm too shy."
Cecilia: "Why does that mean you can't clean?"
Eliza: "I don't want my toys to see me."

Eliza: "Are you really tired or something?"
Me: "Kind of. Why?"
Eliza: "Because you look like you got hit by a ton of bricks."

Me: "Eliza, did you brush your teeth before getting into bed?"
Eliza: "No...and you can stop judging me!"

After dinner, I gave Eliza and me each an Oreo. 
Eliza: "Can I have half of your Oreo, Mom?"
Me: "Well, we each get one."
Eliza (walks over and breaks my Oreo in half and begins to eat it): "You need to learn how to share, Mom! This is how you make friends."

Eliza to a random stranger at Walmart who came over to touch the babies: "My mom doesn't like it when you touch our babies. Didn't you read our sign!?"

Eliza: "Mom-- I just love you. I really love you."
Me: "Aww...thanks, Eliza! You are so sweet."
Eliza: "Some days I don't love you, but today, I REALLY love you."

Eliza: "Mommy Eden Robbins!! Are you listening to me!?"
(Yes, her middle name is Eden.)

Eliza (whispers): "I see that my daddy is gone. Would you like to lay down by me? It would be our secret."

Eliza: "Mom, you need a stepsister so you don't have to mop the floors anymore."

Eliza: "Mama is so dang-ing hot, dang-ing hot!"
Me, obviously surprised: "Where did you hear that!?"
Eliza: "Daddy." 

Eliza (after she'd been crying): "Can you help my eyeballs? My eyeballs are dripping."

Eliza: "My body is telling me I am very sleepy. Your body is telling you that you are sleepy too and that you want to lay down by me and give me a little bit of chocolate milk. Got it?"

I hope those made you smile :) She really is an amazing little girl!

We've Been Busy

Adjusting to our life in Utah has taken some time, but we are incredibly happy here in Springville. As you can see, my blog posts have become less frequent. When I was pumping and nursing 5-6 times a day, I had several opportunities to blog. Once I stopped pumping in January (I still can't believe I made it 14 months), my posts dramatically decreased. There just isn't much time! These days, I spend my days chasing two 15 month old boys and trying to entertain a three-year-old girl. By 8 o'clock, I am so exhausted that I just want to sit and read or watch mindless television. I am trying to remember that I really love blogging and that my children will enjoy reading all about our lives one day. I hope that motivates me to do better about keeping this family journal of sorts.

Currently, Eliza is crying in her bedroom. We are trying our best to get her back on a normal sleep schedule, but it has been difficult. After we first moved, we let her stay up past her normal bedtime of 7:30/8:00 because things were unsettled, the environment was different, and she really didn't seem too tired. However, the bedtime of 8:30-9:00 PM has slowly crept up to 10:00-10:30. Obviously, that isn't an acceptable bedtime for a three-year-old. With daylight savings, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to reset her internal clock. Not so. Not so.

Last night, she went to bed at 7:30 and cried in her room until after midnight. Of course, Nathan and I went in and talked to her countless times, but she just didn't want to go to sleep. She expects to go to bed when Nathan and I go to bed, which just isn't going to happen. Ezra and Elliott are perfect sleepers, and although I realize Eliza doesn't have to be perfect about sleeping 12-13 hours a night, I would appreciate having a couple hours of alone time before going to bed each night. I think every parents deserves a few quiet hours to relax and recoup their energy after a hard day's work.

Because Eliza went to sleep even later than usual, she was terribly grumpy today. I know she needs an earlier bedtime (she really becomes deliriously crazy if she is up past 8), so that makes listening to her scream and cry a little easier. Being a parent is a hard job, but I really know I am lucky that Ezra and Elliott go to bed with no complaints and wake up happy each morning. Eliza used to be the same way, and I am confident she will find her natural sleep rhythm again.

In the meantime, I'm praying her admirable amounts of determination soon diminish. She definitely doesn't give up!