11 Months

The other day Rhett didn't want to eat his dinner so I asked him how many more bites he should eat. 

Rhett: "How about 3 more bites?"

Nicole: "That's the exact number I had in my head."

Hope: "That's the exact number I had in my butt!" I love the stage Hope is in. She knows she is funny and she knows how to make us laugh all the time. 

It's a good thing Rhett likes his sister. My kids spent a good week and a half on the couch. Rhett had bronchitis and Hope and Noah both had RSV and earaches. One morning Hope told me her ears hurt but it didn't seem like a very big deal. Thankfully I decided to take her and Noah to the doctor that afternoon. The doctor told me Hope had really bad ear infections in both of her ears and Noah had an ear infection in his right ear. When we were waiting for the pharmacist to fill the prescriptions Hope tells me "my ears are all better!" I tried to tell her that's not how it works. So all three kids have been on antibiotics and our dishwasher has been filled with syringes.

My mom sent my kids some super hero costumes. This is how Rhett looks like these days.

Noah is now 11 months. He has the funniest sense of humor. He will throw himself to the side when you are holding him to make sure you are paying attention to him. As I am holding him during Primary singing time he will launch himself upside down to look at the kid sitting next to me and then uncontrollably start laughing very loud. He loves to attack his brother and sister by grabbing them, growling and then he tries to eat them. He wishes he could walk but he can't crawl on his hands and knees yet he still army crawls really fast. So the whole walking thing isn't going to happen for awhile. He recently discovered how to grab onto something and stand up and now he is always standing up on anything. He loves waving at everyone especially to say goodnight.

When you have a sister like Hope you're going to be dressed like a fairy a lot!

How to potty train an 11 month old in one easy step: Step #1 if you see your baby straining in the bath tub immediately grab him and stick him on the potty. DONE!

The Men's Bathroom

As I think about what I am about to write I still can't believe it happened.

Due to Spencer's calling at church, for the past several weeks I have been alone with my kids during Sacrament Meeting. My kids have been amazing during this time but one thing I can always count on is at least one or all three will need to venture into the bathroom during Sacrament Meeting. I make my two kids use the bathroom several times before we come to church but without fail they still will need to go very badly at church. It wouldn't be that big of a deal but 3 kids in those small bathrooms can be difficult but nothing could have prepared me for the bathroom break two Sundays ago. Right as the Sacrament Hymn started Rhett said he had to go to the bathroom really bad. I told him he would have to wait until after the Sacrament but obviously that was not possible. So I told him to just go by himself (he's done it before no big deal) but again to his almost 5 year old mind that was not going to be possible that day. I asked Hope to sit with the family that was in front of us but my 3 year old seemed just content to sit all by herself. Rhett has discovered that boys don't go in the girls bathroom which meant he took himself upstairs to the men's bathroom. In our building the men's bathroom is on one floor and the women's bathroom is on the other it makes it difficult sometimes. So he went in the men's bathroom a moment later he opened the door frantic and said he needed help. I told him to get his jacket he had taken off in the bathroom and to come with me to the women's bathroom so I could help him. Again not an option. So he went back in the bathroom. I could hear him behind the door almost starting to cry. An older man who was sitting on a chair in the hall offered to go in and help him, but two seconds later he came out saying Rhett did not want his help. So he told me that I could just go in the men's bathroom and he would guard the door for me. I thanked him for his help and entered. Apparently Rhett was scared his tie was going to go in the toilet when he sat down and he didn't know what to do about it. So I put his tie behind his back and Rhett was just fine. However he was almost going to pee on himself so I said "make sure you pee in the potty." Rhett then looked up...at someone. My first thought was "the old man didn't guard the door and here I am in the men's bathroom and some other guy needs to pee, but he can't because a girl is in the men's bathroom." But people it was worse. Rhett finished his business, I awkwardly stood up holding Noah, turned around and there was the deacon with the bread tray. The deacon.. was in the men's bathroom...with the sacrament bread. I couldn't believe this was happening. I looked at the kid and said "wow this is the most awkward taking the sacrament ever!" The kids just stared straight forward refusing to make eye contact or move at all. After the toilet was flushed Rhett took the bread. The man who was supposed to guard the door was holding the door open for Rhett and I, I looked at him and said "that was a first and hopefully the last time that happens." The old man laughed. Remember how the men's bathroom upstairs and not the women's. the half dozen people who came late to church and were in the foyer waiting to go in the chapel all saw me come out of the MEN'S bathroom, and they all know that I took the sacrament in the men's bathroom. Then I realized most likely I told Rhett not to pee on himself while the old man was holding the door open so more people than I know heard me tell my son to not pee on himself. The sacrament was still going on so we were just going to wait in the foyer but of course my Rhett ran for the doors a teenage boy stopped him before I could get to him but then I was told just to go in since Hope was sitting by herself. When we got back to our seats Hope said very loudly "You didn't get the bread!!" Oh but Hope I did get the bread.   

When I told my parents my dad said the only thing that would have made this story better is when I took the bread I should have taken the tray then handed it to Rhett while he was still on the toilet. Next time this same scenario happens I'll remember to do that.