Advice to Reuben From Rich

Since Reuben shared his thoughts on dealing with pregnant wives, I thought I'd post about poopy diapers. Yes, Reub, poopy diapers.

If you are a girl, stop reading now.

OK, there is always a way to get out of changing a poopy diaper, you just have to be a good deciever.

1st. Make sure your wife thinks you are perfectly willing to change poopy diapers. The best time to establish this is when they are newborn. Newborn poop doesn't smell much. Change a lot of diapers at this time. The older babies get, the smellier they get. That goes for kids and adults as well.

2nd. Take advantage of Dora when possible. Dora loves changing baby diapers for some reason. All you have to do is make sure she is in the room and can hear you, and then say to the baby, "did you go poopy?" Dora will grab the baby while giggling and cooing the whole time, and you're off the hook. And you've given your mother a little bit of joy.

3rd. Honey do list. Make sure you have a honey do list that annoys your wife. Yeah, she'll nag, but it's worth it. PS - Don't ever clear this list, that's just bad gameplanning. When you smell the poopy diaper, and you see the baby looking up at you with a "I went poopy, aren't I adorable" grin on his or her face, get up and tell your wife, I'm going to do a few chores, can you watch the baby. Your wife is tickled that you are knocking a few things off the list, and she will notice poopy smell and change the diaper while thinking, gee, I love my husband, look at him oiling that hinge, that's hot. Once she has changed the diaper, cease working on the list and continue football watching.

These are just a few tips, but they have worked for me for over 13 years. Let me know how it goes.

Harvest Festival

We spent a very hot day at the Montessori Harvest Festival. Richard was selling tickets and I was helping the boys sell some popcorn for Boy scouts/Cub scouts but we found some time to play around. Jordan and Brendan both entered a pie eating contest. They actually were neck and neck but Jordan ending up winning and earned some free tickets. The fire department came and cooled everyone off by sprinkling water down from their ladder. The boys got soaked. I tried to join them but I was holding Jake and he hated it. After pony rides, face painting, marshmallow gun fights and all of the above...we were pretty worn out. It didn't take long for Dylan to crash after we were home.

Jacob 7-9 months

At Jacob's nine month visit he was 18lbs 9oz and 30inches long

He has gone through a sticking out his tongue and spitting phase
Loves when you help him walk
Pulls himself up and walks along furniture
Army crawls but just started crawling on knees
Sits up
Got an ear infection (8months)
Got four teeth
Loves to go everywhere he is not supposed to
Squeals in delight

Flour Tower

I really don't know who started it. It all happened so fast. Flour going everywhere. Jacob starts crying, everyone else starts laughing. Then Dylan got some in the eye-he starting crying, the rest of us still laughing.

I have yet to hear the ending of our lesson that included this "flour tower" but I know it had to do with families so I think it served it's purpose by bringing our family closer together through flour.

The missionaries came over for dinner and as Sister Stevenson was preparing the "flour tower", Sister Larsen talked to use about the family proclamation (a statement from our church about the importance and roles of a family). The flour tower is actually a game where a penny is placed on top of a tower of flour. Each one of us took turns cutting out a section of flour trying not to make the penny fall. The person who makes the penny fall has to get the penny off the plate with his/her nose. Jordan was the unlucky one who made the penny fall so he started to get it with his nose but decided to blow the flour out of the way so he could find the penny. Then Richard pushed his face in the flour and that was it-full on flour fight. The flour fight continued even after the family portrait was taken. We had to take Jacob to bed because he would look at our faces and start crying (we must have looked pretty scary). We tried to leave the missionaries out of it, but they eventually got themselves involved and they were covered. They had an appointment right after so they did their best to clean themselves off and help us clean up before they had to go. I am still finding flour in places, but it was a fun night we will not forget. Brendan enjoyed it so much he pulled out his journal, he has never written in since he was eight, and started writing down what happened. Good times.

Fall Break

I think this was our busiest fall break ever! We had something fun to do everyday if we wanted. We did some normal activities for break like go to the movies and beach but the funniest things we did were the things we don't normally do.

It took us 3 yrs. but we finally found a pumpkin patch on Maui. It was a cute little farm with horses, chickens, and a goat. It really got me in the fall spirit. I can't wait to go again next year.

After visiting the farm we went across the street to go sledding on cardboard. It was so much fun the kids can't wait to do that again.

The next day, with friends and family, we got to go on a free train ride through the tropical plantation and then went on a hike in Iao Valley. The hike was beautiful and we stopped by a stream to have a picnic. No one was planning on getting wet but it was so hot most people jumped in. Jordan was so good to help carry Jacob around. Good times!

Week in Review

How old am I???

I am so old my candles make a fire you could roast hot dogs on. Out in one breath though, that's got to count for something right?
I had a great birthday! I went out to lunch with all the women in-laws. Stacie made me a yummy cake for after lunch. Richard bought me lots of flowers and took me out to eat at Ferraro's. We had a beautiful view of the ocean and watched the sun set. Came home so stuffed I couldn't eat the cake Rich bought me or my other cake my friend dropped off that night.

Oct. 1 was the Maui Fair Parade. Brendan walked with the cub scouts. It isn't the greatest parade on earth but it's the biggest event on Maui so I've got to embrace it. Conference weekend. Time to listen to our church leaders, and hymns, fill us with inspiration and guidance. Brendan was singing one the hymns while Jacob just listens and watched without moving. A rare thing for Jake.