Wheres Shalye??

I realized I have been writing much about the other two, and not so much on Shalye.  Until about the last few months she was the silent angel of us all.  She was so peaceful, happy, loving, and would sleep through the night.  Things have changed.  Aside from gaining fifty pounds the last two months, she has also got quite the fiesty personality.  She has this thing lately where she insists on being the most irritating that she possibly can.  For example Malia was sitting on the floor reading a book today in sacrament meeting while Shalye insisted on walking over the book like a bridge.  She stepped on Malias lap over and over and just laughed the entire time while Malia was screaming at her.  Another example is that if you are laying down, Shalye will just come and lay right on your head with all of her weight and wont budge.  Malia in particular freaks out and screams bloody murder when she does this. 

I know we say it all the time but Shalye is definately Tevitas mini-me in every way.  They look exactly the same and have that same boldness and determination.  The one thing that is different is that Shalye does slow down a bit and loves to cuddle at the end of the day.  She is so perfect and I love watching her just admire and adore her older siblings.  They love to play "Make me Laugh" with her and she always ends up laughing first.  Happy 18 month birthday baby girl.  I love you!

11.22.09 -- Jacquie and Peter's special day

These two are a match made in heaven.  I just love and adore them both.  I have been lucky to have known them over the last three years, but have been even more lucky to know what great friends they have been to my sister.  They have such a special place in my heart cause I know how much they have done for Sharon.  A few weeks ago they finally tied the knot.  The wedding was phenomenal!  Jacquie looked so stunning and Peter just stared at her with those adoring eyes all day long.  It was so sweet, and beautiful, and just so dang fun!  I was so honored that they asked little Malia to be their flower girl.  She took this job very seriously and practiced weeks before the big day.  Malia is just like me though, a little nervous and a bit uncoordinated too.  I was a bit worried how she would do at such  a task, but she was perfect.  Sharon walked with her down the aisle, just a few steps behind.  Malia could not walk and throw at the same time so she would take a few steps, stop and throw, then take a few more steps.  When she got to the feet of the bride and groom she stopped, waited for the photographer to get ready, flashed her huge grin and threw flowers at their feet.  My favorite part is that she continued throwing flowers all the way to her seat and then threw some at her chair before she sat down.  She is such a dollface. 

Happy Thanksgiving

I know this is so long overdue, but I really hope that every body had a great Thanksgiving.  I know I did.  It was a wonderful, relaxing, beautiful day.  Tevita and Tame woke up and rode bikes to the ward Turkey Bowl, while me and the girls stayed home and prepared food for the get together at Kalisis house.  We met at Kalisis around noon and enjoyed food, family, and football!  The weather was beautiful and the cousins always have such a great time getting together. 

After eating we came home and Sharon came up for the afternoon.  We just hung out, completely stuffed adn I think we all took naps.  That night I put up the christmas decorations since I was kindof bored and we got a new TV so we had to rearrange our living room anyways.

This year I even made a pumpkin pie from scratch!  I was not really feeling Halloween this year, so after we went to the pumpkin patch our pumpkins sat in our garage for over a month.  I have no idea why we still had them sitting in our garage the last week of November but we did.....and I was so glad.  The pumpkin pie was so good and so easy I ate the entire thing by myself in a day, and then made another one and ate that too!  I will never make pumpkin pie from a can again.  I swear!

I have to take the time and just write a few of the things I am grateful for.  I feel like I have been kind of negative lately, not for any particular reason, just negative.  So here goes for the many things I am so grateful for.  First is my family.  I have a wonderful husband who loves me and loves his children.  I have five step children who I love very much and am so proud of them.  I never tell them enough.  I am grateful to Tevita, Malia and Shalye, who on a daily basis teach me, love me and make me laugh so hard.  I have been blessed with such perfect family and friends.  Sharon has been my rock in so many ways, and I am so thankful to her for loving my kids as much as I do. 

I am grateful to have a house and a job, but more grateful to have my freedom and my health.  I am grateful for the gospel and the peace and guidance that it brings to my life.

I am so blessed!  I am so grateful!

Turkey Trot

For those of you who live in LAie, you know what a huge deal the turkey trot can be, so I've heard.  Well this year due to furloughs and such they have decided to hold it after school, and have made the kindergarteners run optional.  I was asking Tevita if he was interested in running and this is what he says, "Well, what do I have to do mom?  Do I have to ride the turkeys or eat the most turkey?".  I laughed so hard.

To My Daughter-

Dear Malia-

You brighten my day every single morning with that fro of yours and a squeaky "It's a beautiful sunny day today" while you grin from ear to ear.  And your laugh.  I love your laugh, especially the one with your eyes closed and your mouth wide open.  Your laugh is contagious.  It is impossible to not join in when you are laughing.

I want you to know how much I love you and how I adore watching you learn.  You love books and I hope the passion you have for reading stays with you forever.  You know all your colors, shapes, most of your letters and even some spanish and chinese.  You have soaked so much into that little brain of yours and just impress me with the things that you understand at your age.  When you see a letter you always identify it with something like an S for Sharon or Shalye.  And you love to sing, but hate when anyone joins in.  But you dont just sing, you let it all out at the top of your lungs and I crack up every time.

I love when we play hide and seek and you will say something like this, "Mom I am over here, under your bed, behind the blanket.  You will never find me." 

I love that you  care so deeply for your brothers and sisters.  You always feed Shalye and you are Tevita's number one cheerleader.  You watch Tevita intently and you learn from him. You get so excited when we look at pictures of Kalisi, Late, Elia, Tame and Sheila.  When I told you Elia was going to Alaska on his mission you asked me if that is where the polar bears live.  When I said yes your eyes lit up as you exclaimed "I LOVE polar bears, Elia do you love polar bears?"

I love watching you practice your ballet moves, with so much pride and thought.  And I think my favorite part is that you will not practice your ballet moves unless you are wearing the blue ballerina dress that Grandma brought back from Greece.

I love the way that you line up your stuffed animals so meticulously, the same way I used to do.  You tuck them into bed, kiss them, prop them up so they can see the computer, and change their diapers.

You are so stubborn and sometimes I call Grandma and vent.  She laughs and tells me that I used to do the exact same things that you are doing now.  You are stubborn and determined and will not back down.  You insist I tickle your back when you fall asleep, yet I have to do it in the exact right way with your foot in the palm of my hand and me rubbing the top of your foot.  Lately you have wanted me to go from rubbing to tickling back to rubbing, then from your foot to your chin to your back to your stomach until you fall asleep.  And I swear once you fall asleep you will wake back up if I even slightly stop moving my hand.  You will thrust your body into the air and grunt/mumble "tickle".  Nothing gets under my skin more than this and that scream of yours.

I am sure in years to come that we will butt heads many more times to come, but I hope that you know that I love you very much and only want the best for you.  I hope that you will forever be laughing and smiling, which will make all those around you do the same.  And I hope that you will never, ever forget that I think you are special and beautiful and unique just the way that you are and pray that we may forever be best friends.

I love you,

Mom

All I want for Christmas..........

Today I went on a date... with Tevita... to the dentist... to get fillings for the first time.  I was so scared for him because I know he HATES shots, so I had the doc prescribe meds to calm his nerves.  He was so scared to take the medication, reluctantly took a few gulps and refused the rest. (Note to self -Bad idea to schedule the dentist appointment on the same day he watched hundreds of kids line up to get jabbed by a needle while screaming their heads off for flu shots at school.  I say watched because he REFUSED to get his! Terrible planning.)  So he decided he was going to be brave and do it without the prescribed medicine.  Now don't get me wrong, I really like the kids dentist, but he has this policy that parents wait in the waiting room while the kids get their teeth worked on.  So there I was, wanting desperately to hold Tevita's hand, wipe the tears that snuck out while he was trying to put his brave face on, and tell him everything would be ok.  Instead I was kicked into the waiting room by the older latina lady hygenist. And instead of me holding his hand, he sucked on nitrous.  Little did I know when he went in to get a few cavities filled that he would come out with this........

I know it is hard to see in the picture, but he came back with not only a silver tooth, but also one less tooth!  That's right.  The doctor pulled his bottom front tooth right out from his mouth.  Not at all the way I had expected the first tooth to go, but after choking back the 'my son is growing up TOO fast' tears, I gave him a big huge hug and kiss.  And then spoiled him at Target with a new Transformer toy.  He has not stopped playing with it since he picked it out.  And now that he has a new Transformer toy he is happy again!  And ready for the tooth fairy to come.

PS. He requested the tooth fairy to bring him fifty five cents so he can get another transformer.

But wait, there's more

I am telling you, October just kicked my butt.  Seriously, just flew by me.  A few more accomplishments that I cannot let pass by.  My little Malia officially says "Its underwear butt time", or "It's Ariel butt time"  all the time.  Not just in the morning, but all the time.  Way to go Malia! 

Soccer season ended for Tevita.  He loved soccer and will miss it I am sure, but is looking forward to basketball.  We would have the same conversation every Saturday when I would wake him up for his games.  It went something like this.

Me: "Tevita, It is time to wake up for your soccer game."

Tevita:  "is it on the big one or the little one?"

Me:  "The big one honey"

Tevita:  "The one with all the colors"

Me: "Yes honey, the one with all the colors"

Tevita:  (eyes perking now)  "Yeah, lets go mom"

This boy lives for competition, and did not much care for practice, but come game day on the big field with all the colored jerseys, he would rock that field.  By the end of the season he completely understood the game and loved it.  I believe he scored every game too.  I really loved watching him.

Malia was so proud of her big brother and kept asking him if he was her best friend!  And the picture below brought a tear to my eye -seriously- cause he poured a bowl of cereal all by himself.  He is growing up way too fast.

 

And my poorest Shalye had the first real casualty of the family (aside from Vitas car accident of course).  She fell off the swing (I was not the one who put her on there peeps) and got a HUGE lip with a deep gash inside.  I was really scared cause I did not get stitches and thought maybe I should have, but the lip healed really quite perfectly.  I am so glad.  And she was such a doll the entire time.

Malia is beckoning me to scratch her back, so goodnight!

Writers Block

Why is it that my life is passing me by, and so many things are happening, and everytime I sit down to blog I have writers block.  I mean severe writers block.  Like it is late at night and my mind is jello and I just want to look at facebook so I dont have to think.  But then I realize almost a month has gone by, so many little moments are happening, and I must write about them!

It has been a hard month with Tevita.  Tame and I have been pondering, thinking, analyzing, fasting and praying about this little man of ours.  He has been extrememly defiant lately, and cannot focus on anything.  We have talked a bit about getting him tested for ADHD, but I really am not a fan of this considering he is a boy and he is five, and I think they all just might have ADHD to a degree.  But we do both feel the need to really focus on him, and his way of learning, and his way of listening.  We are struggling to find just whats going on in his little mind.  At times he is the sweetest boy, but we have noticed a REAL problem if things are not the way HE wants them. 

First was the primary program practices that he refused to participate in.  I was so angry at him, but really inside was feeling half guilty that he probably got the fear of public speaking from me.  I mean REFUSING to even go near the stage during practice.  He had no problem standing on his head near the sacrament table or juming across the benches or kicking and screaming his way out of the building, but forget even the thought of going near the stage.  Imagine how dissapointed I was when he woke sick that Sunday morning and had to stay home.....not at all!  Malia and I went, and she was so excited for her nursery class to participate in the program.  I gotta say, I was shocked that she was not a bit shy at all, and was in fact a bit upset when she did not get to say her entire line cause she forgot a word.  She did say "I love my dad and mom and baby sister Shalye".   So cute!!

Then there was the Halloween parade at school.  I love Halloween and thought my kids would too, you know with the candy and all.  But this year, like the last Tevita has refused to put on a costume.  Nothing, no coaxing, no bribing, no punishing, NOTHING was gonna get this guy to participate in the parade!  Instead he did this.......

while the other kids did this.......

It was not worth the fight so there he screamed and cried and flailed his little arms in the air while Malia and I watched the parade.  I really did think that maybe, just maybe, he would get a costume on that evening to actually trick-or-treat considering that there is handfuls of candy at stake, but to no avail.  Instead he was excited to be the one passing out the candy.

Malia LOVES dressing up though ans she insisted on being a green butterfly.  Thank goodness for Captain America for making that butterfly sparkle, or she would have been a bit dull.  But isnt she gorgeous.  She had no problem walking up and down Moana street collecting her small fortune, and corrected anyone who called her anything other than a green butterfly.

And Shalye was a chicken for about five minutes before deciding her bed was so much more cozy than her costume.

Astroboy has been the largest reason for anger around here lately.  Thats right folks, Astroboy!  The little toy that comes in the McDonalds not-so-happy meal.  This has been a real obsession for Tevita and I mean an obsession that McDonalds cannot keep up with.  They are only updating their toys every week or so, but he wants the whole collection of Astroboy toys.  NOW.  So we stop by McDonalds daily to harrass the workers for the next shipment of toys.  (And he has not even seen the movie.) Here is my little Astroboy now.......

Oh wait, that is just Tevita and his other new obsession.  Trying to see how far that little naked body of his can slide across the floor.  And while he is busy sliding across the floor Shalye is eating Jell-O............Ummm, I mean wearing Jell-O

She is still keeping us on our toes and shocks us every day how much alike Vita she is, both in looks and personality. She will find a way to get what she wants.  In the picture above she opened the cupboard, climbed on the shelf, then onto the cupboard door then onto the counter.  As sweet as she still is most of the time, that strong-willed side is starting to shine.  Why is is that all my kids are SO strong-willed anyway?  ALL of em'.  Is it in their genes? 

And thank you Mom for the Halloween Box.  We love you!

Happy Halloween everyone!

This one is for Jing!

It is 5:30pm on Sunday night and I finally have time to blog since Tevita has been sent to his room for the rest of the night and the girls have crashed out on the floor.  I have a pounding headache and am about to watch Extreme Home Makeover and Desperate Housewives to unwind.  Weeks have gone by without writing so i figured i would take a minute to tell you all what happened the next day after Tevita gave the sweet little boy in the yellow shirt a bloody nose.

***He gave him a thank you letter for the cookies and a blue airhead candy.*** 

Isn't that so cute.  My heart sank as I looked at this sweet little letter, and the way he drew the cookie instead of wrote the word was just adorable.  It is amazing these little moments how they shape and mold the world that they live in.  They both learned about apologies and forgiveness that day, and friendship.

And when I am not running around chasing Tevita around the halls of church (the reason why he is in timeout the rest of the night) I am chasing this little one.  And if I am not quick enough she just might end up like this.....

Yes, that is frosting for breakfast just incase you were wondering.  (and an ICEE).  And if she is not eating frosting for breakfast then she just might be taking a bath......

in the toilet.  So if you wonder why I am not blogging, now you know....I am just tryin to survive!!!  But seriously I just adore that little face.  She is getting so fiesty but she loves to explore, if music is on she will dance, and she loves to stand on the coffee table and dive onto the couch over and over again.  And probably her favorite thing to do is to dump the rice and sugar on the floor by the handfuls.  However just before I can scold her she will give me that little dollface look, and I will just strip off all her clothes and throw her in the sink.

The dreaded call

"Um, Mrs. Uluave, this is Mrs. Lamone, school counselor at Laie Elementary."  My stomach hurts.  "Well I have Tevita here with me in the counselors office because he punched a kid in the nose and gave the guy a bloody nose."  My stomach really hurts.  "Well he is here with me and I have been trying to figure out why he punched the little boy in the nose and he just is not answering me.  He is just talking like nothing ever happened.  He does not seem mad.  I do not really understand what is happening here.  This is really a first for me.  Usually I can figure out why they would punch a guy in the face".  Umm, I am still frozen.  My stomach still hurts and I am still trying to comprehend what the school counselor is telling me.  Now believe me, I was not completely shocked to hear that he punched a guy in the face.  He is a sore loser.  If he gets embarrassed he gets angry.  But for no reason???  I had to get to the bottom of this.  So when I picked him up from school I asked him how his day was, and then how recess was.  He just spit it all out "Well, recess was fun, well not really, well I just punched the boy in the yellow shirt in the face.  Oh, no not the face.  It was the nose.  I just punched him in the nose and the red one went everywhere."  I was poking and prying hoping he would give me some reason, but really there was no reason.  He just was being BEN 10 and fighting all the bad guys and the poor little man in the yellow shirt happened to be the victim.  So the afternoon was spent making cookies and a card, and the evening was spent begging forgiveness from the poor boy in the yellow shirt.  Here is the card.  Tevita drew a transformer, two hearts and a butterfly on it.  Of course what any little boy would want a picture of, right?

And the two boys did make up, high fived and hugged.  But I hope many more afternoons are not spent making cookies and cards.  And for the record, Tevita is no longer friends with Cartoon Network or Disney XD.

One year older and wiser too

I have been so busy lately doing nothing.  Am I the only one that feels that way???  By the time the day is over, and the kids are not fed, and the house is not clean, and I have not even showered, I am exhausted!  I feel like my days have turned into constant battles with Tevita lately about every-single-itty-bitty-thing. 

But, I did turn the big 3-0 and I am actually so excited.  I think this next decade is going to be great!  A few days before my birthday I went to update my drivers license and went from this  (barf)

to this......  so much better!

and that same day I got a fortune at Panda Express that said this.....

and my beautiful sister Sharon gave me beautiful Japanese Straight Perm for my birthday which just made my life SOOOO much easier.   I would highly recommend this to anyone.  So, here we are.  Out with the disgusting license picture that I would have to look at every time I opened my wallet, improved finances (we just refinanced our house--YAY!) and some beautiful straight hair. 

Just like Tim McGraw said that the next 30 years will be the best years of his life-- I totally agree.  I am looking forward to this year.

and three more words to look forward to...

kasha & mim

(more to come)

The good news and the bad news

I picked Tevita up from school today and I asked him how it was.  His answer:  "Well it was good and bad.  Well the bad news is lunchtime.  It is so boring and I got the hiccups."  I asked what the good news was, and his reply, "I don't know".  "Well, what did you do today?"  I pried.  "I don't know."  I asked him if he read any books, again he said "I don't know". 

Ummmm.... I think we have a problem!!!  I don't know, I'm just sayin.

The good news is he knows that he is a boy and has a penis.  And in his own words, "I am a boy because I have a penis.  Well girls don't have a penis.  They just have two butts".  And this little bit of information he has passed onto Malia who now informs me of this every time she goes to the bathroom.  Even in public restrooms.  I cant help but crack up a little every time she shares this information with me.

And some more bad news.  Shalye wont stop throwing up.  On me!  And the couch, and the floor, and the bed.  Its been almost twenty four hours now and she has not kept anything down.  I have to admit I love the cuddly, sweet, huggy baby she becomes when she is sick.  She just wants to cuddle all day, which is the perfect reason for me to come home, hop into bed and hold her.  But it totally breaks my heart when I see these droopy eyes staring at me. 

And some more bad news.  Our wonderful, sweet, beautiful, fun, babysitter Skyann (the one who posts all the photos and movies on facebook for your enjoyment) just moved back to Utah today.  She will be so missed just like all the others are.  My kids have been so blessed to have some AMAZING people in their lives to help me out.  I have been so blessed to know the girls watching my kids are not just babysitters, but family who have fallen in love with my babies.  I know they are safe and in good hands when I go to work.

Fashion Week

Words cannot even describe my Malia. She is one of the sillest, quirkiest, squeakiest, creative people I know.

I just love how she can make a game out of anything, a shape out of anything, a song out of anything.......I could go on and on (and I will in later posts). But this week is has been all about the fashion! She insists on dressing herself and it is one battle not worth fighting. It is always such a treat to see what she will come up with when I tell her to hurry up and get dressed. This morning she came decked out in Tevitas Fila warm-ups (backwards) and Reebok jersey (inside out). She was SO proud. And the outfit she is wearing with the jeans would not be complete of course without the size 9-12 month onesie that she demanded be worn on top of her size 4T shirt. The thing is so tight I just tucked in the snaps. She absolutely insisted, was so proud, and wore it all day even though it was likely the hottest day of the year!

Soccer season has begun

I cannot believe that my son is big enough to be playing soccer. Maybe I just cant believe I am old enought to be a soccer mom. Either way, its true....he is officially starting organized sports and I dont think there is any going back. He was thrilled to go to his first practice, and within five minutes he was laying completely sprawled out in the grass. He ran right back in once they started a practice scrimmage, scored a few times, high fived all his teammates, thrust his elbow to his hip multiple times while yelling "yes, yes, yes, did you see that? I totally scored". He is a total ball hog, and we'll work on that but at least he felt he went home a winner!