Elysse's new trick!

This video was taken January 3rd, and was the first time we spotted her trying to do what her sisters do when they get dressed. I started shooting the video after she was at it for a good 5 minutes. Talk about persistance!


Since this time, Elysse has put everything over her head: bras, shirts, necklaces, keychains, anything that has a big hole. Once she spotted a lady's purse at church. She looped the strap around her head and tried to take off down the hall with it!

Are you sure?!?

A question I found myself asking quite often recently. Once I walked into Nate's office. He had a very solemn look on his face and he stared into the computer screen. I asked if he was alright. "Yeah." He said. I looked at the computer screen, which was all white except for the words "What to do when the waves are TOO BIG : DEPRESSION" Hmm... are you sure?

Apparently he was putting together a graphic for an article on his magazine but the circumstance was pretty funny.

We were leaving a friend's party and I was backing the car out of a long, curvy driveway. Nate asked if I would want him to get out and guide me. I was confident I would be fine, so I said no. Again he asked and again I said no. Right after that, we heard a "CRUNCH!" and everyone around stopped and turned. I completely smashed their driveway light. This time it was Nate's turn: "Hmm...are you sure?"

And then the other day we were riding bikes to the playground. I was helping Kezia ride without training wheels, and Ivy took pride in the fact that she didn't need any help with her trike. Our friends were passing by and Ivy was riding straight for the curb as she turned her head and bragged, " I don't need any help!" But on the word "help" she hit the curb and found herself spread eagle on the sidewalk. Hmmm.... are you sure?

Gone Paddling

Last Monday we fulfilled one of the last Christmas experiences by paddling as a family down the river. We were joined by some of our friends, too. Gong Xi Fatzi! (Happy New Year!) Afterward we set off small fireworks outside our place. Our new friends came out to join us. Then the rain chased us all inside.

Happy Birthday, Ivy and Elysse!

So, we are a little late on Ivy (Jan 14th), but today is Elysse's birthday!!!  I feel a sense of relief, like I made it through the first year!!! Happy birthday to two of my beautiful daughters!

A new swimsuit, sticker book and car seat from Grandma Burgoyne!

Trying to catch the cake...
Looks like she got it!

 

Seeing Jesus

Tonight Kezia asked if she's ever seen Jesus. That got us talking about how we can see Jesus in people, since everyone has the love of Christ in them. She said she knows a girl in school has that love in her because today in recess Kezia was not having fun with a hula hoop, and the girl noticed and said to her, "Why don't you just drop that thing and come play with me?" And so she did.

So there you go.

Year in Review

I had wanted to write a year in review at a time when it seemed more appropriate (say, New Year's?) but better late than never. I chose this picture because I think it sums up our year: the world went a bit topsy durvy, I look like I was going mad, but we're still hangin' in there as a family. ;)

Elysse was born February 3rd. Since then, she's learned to do all the baby things: smile, eat, poop, crawl, put gross things in her mouth, gabber, and win hearts. Her favorite discovery this year has been her lungs. She loves to use them to her greatest ability, often combining her cries and yells with body thrashing and wiggling. Funny thing, I gave her part of her middle name, "Wailana" meaning "calm waters", with the hope that she will take on the challenges of life with the patience and gentleness of calm water. But it seems like this will be more of a goal than a description at this point. Nevertheless, we all love her and are so happy she is part of our family.

Ivy continued her music classes on Wednesdays until April with her friend Rylan and loved going-- it was her class. Ivy has been a joy to have around, always full of hugs and kisses. Her favorite thing to do is snuggle with her blanket, which I have learned is an art form: rubbing the bottom of her nose with a corner of her blankie while sucking two fingers on the other hand. She often says, "I want to go home and snuggle", or "Do you want to snuggle with me?"

Ivy has found her place quite comfortably in Kezia's play world, that of pretending to be different animals (dogs, usually,) mommy and baby, Dancy the Dog superhero, or anything else that uses a very active imagination. Ivy took swimming lessons this summer (with me as teacher) and she loved that, although she was a bit nervous about the whole "not holding onto the wall" idea. Ivy began Joy School and Great Beginnings preschool. She loves to be with her friendsIvy's vocabulary and speaking skills have sky-rocketed this year, beginning with being a "not-yet- 3 yrs old babbler" to "will this child ever take a breath between words? almost 4 year old." Ivy has been our fearless one, when it comes to movies, stories, etc., and more fearful when it comes to physical things, like swimming or coming down from something high. (Funny thing, because Kezia is not as fearless about physical things, but imaginary things frighten her terribly.) But by the end of the year, this fearful side has been quickly shedding. She decided she loves hula, and is very good at it, too, performing after only a few practices (and practices at home).

Kezia finished her last year of Joy School and Great Beginnings. She also took swimming lessons and loved being in the water. Her imagination is still so strong, and I have recently asked myself why it is that we have toys and games when all the girls want to do is run around the house imagining different situations.

The biggest news about Kezia is that she started Kindergarten! And she loves it. She began at Hale Kula, a school on an army base, and although she loved it, I was not happy with a lot of things at the school. And then came a big blessing for us when she switched schools and now has a teacher who really enjoys what she does, has a personal care for each student, encourages students instead of put them down, believes that naptime is necessary for 5 year olds, and is teaching Kezia at her level! She used to come home with these silly assignments, like "color all the T's green" -- way too basic for her. Her new teacher immediately put her in a more advanced group and now she is reading and writing and the whole jazz. (Yes!)

Kezia also joined a soccer team this year (check out http://www.rainbowsoccer.blogspot.com/) and loved running around kicking the ball around. Kezia loves her hula class and likes to pretend to be the hula teacher at home.

Nate has been amazing this year, stabilizing Immediate Property Solutions and Stand Up Paddle Surfing Magazine, as well as beginning numerous other businesses, taking on transcribing work from 4am to noon several days per week, and being in the Bishopric. Nate has really enjoyed entering surf competitions this year. Since beginning stand up paddle surfing, he has turned into an amazing surfer, taking on big waves at breaks I'm too scared to go to. One great blessing is that despite lack of sleep, high stress, and 90+ hour work weeks, we have been blessed with great health this year. Nate swears by his MaxGXL that that is why he is able to keep up such a demanding schedule.

Heidi: I had a poignantly difficult year, and am so grateful for my "angel-sister" Janae who has been there for me for a good part of the year. I have felt a great deal of stress and anxiety this year, and that has been compounded by a baby who loves to cry and scream, and doesn't understand the reason for taking good naps or sleeping through the night. I have been learning to be verrryy patient, a lot more empathetic, and even more grateful for the little things in life. I have found some things to be quite relaxing, such as blogging, (so now you know the reason), reading to elderly people through an organization I started called Tutu Stories, sitting on the grass cheering Kezia on with the soccer ball, teaching swimming lessons, reading chapter books to the girls at night, and, of course, surfing.

We have been blessed with so many things this year, more than we can count. Of course, Elysse joined our family -- that was a big one. On the forefront were these, in no particular order:

One of the new businesses we started is Rainbow Watersports (http://www.rainbowwatersports.com/.) We opened up business in October teaching stand up paddle lessons in Haleiwa, and we absolutely love it. We have such a good time taking people out on the water and teaching them something that we love to do, and then opening up to them the beautiful world of the ocean and river. What could be better than making new friends while doing what you love and getting paid for it?

We have been blessed so, so, so greatly this year through a miraculous move back down to the North Shore, our "home town". We are so happy here; one more day in our old place and I think I would have cracked. I think about being here and I feel all warm and happy inside. We are so lucky to live where we can see the ocean from our back door, walk to the beach and to a friendly playground, enjoy silence outside instead of roaring motorcycles and cars, be in a good school district, be close to our surfing spot and our SUP surf lesson location, and be surrounded by happy people. So so lucky and blessed, and we are so grateful for it.

We have also been so blessed to have so much company this year: my parents and brother Shaun and nephew Nathan, Nate's log time friend Andrew, my long time friend Amy, and friends the Schields, my cousins Stacey and Craig, Nate's aunt and cousin, Nate's other cousin, Nate's mission companion and wife, and I am sure others who slip my mind at this midnight hour.

We were also miraculously blessed with the opportunity to go to the mainland in the summer for my family reunion and to visit Nate's siblings and grandma as well. After thinking we weren't going to be able to go, it all came together last minute and it was so good to be with family again.

This year we are particularly grateful for supportive friends and family members, good health, a great place to live, nutritious food to eat, light switches that work, and our family.

Have a very happy 2009 and may it be a wonderful, prosperous year for you!

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Thank goodness for vigilant big sisters!

Today we went to the beach and Grandma came with us. I saw a whale in the water, and it was moving in a direction behind rocks that were blocking our view, so Kay and I stepped over a bit to see if we could see it again. Kezia interrupted our google-eyed gazing when she called, "Mooom! Elysse almost went into the water!" We turned to see Kezia carrying Elysse back up to the blanket. We laughed, realizing we left Elysse by herself in search of a whale.

Why I love four year olds

A few weeks ago Ivy and I were walking through the park. I was pushing Elysse in the stroller, and kicked a baby coconut out of the way. Ivy exclaimed, "Hey, Mom! Don't do that! That's my favoritist thing in the whole wide world." And then she picked up the coconut as though it was a fragile kitten and put it in the stroller to keep.

Today we were at the beach. Ivy was sitting closer to the grass and singing this pleasant song: "This is a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful plant!" I went over to her to see what kind of plant would be worthy of such a flattering refrain. With her arm outstretched, she handed me a raggedy baby beach plant, dirty root and all, its solitary two small leaves botched with brown marks. Beautiful, Ivy!

Kezia got Stitches

We have a curtain covering shelving that is foolishly held up by some ceramic pieces. Kezia tugged on the curtain, causing a ceramic elephant to fall down on her forehead. I was right in front of her, but on the other side of the bathroom door ready to get into the shower. I quickly wrapped myself in a towel and came out. Blood was pouring down the side of her face and squirting everywhere. I called for Nate, who had been outside doing something in the van, but, thank goodness, had happened to be in the house at that time. Nate applied pressure and the bleeding stopped, but the gash looked deep enough we thought it would need stitches.

While we drove, Kezia dozed off, and had a hard time waking up, but after some songs and a phone call with my mom, was able to stay awake.

The doctor agreed, and I stayed in the ER with the girls while Nate packed the van with stuff from the condo. We said a quick prayer, including that Kezia would feel peaceful and not scared about the stitches. With such a long wait, I was so grateful I had grabbed food for Elysse and an entertaining computer for the girls.

Nate arrived at the ER just in time for the stitches, which was such a blessing because he and a nurse held her tight, since she was freaking out. I mean, the blue-in-the-face, screaming and thrashing "I DON'T WANNA DO THIS!!!" freak out. And then all of a sudden she completely calmed down. Just closed her eyes and rested in the nook of Nate's arm as though she were falling asleep. After the doctor put in 2 stitches, the kind nurse gifted Kezia with a teddy bear.

I had seen that freak-out scene before every time it's vaccination time. So hoping to glean some wisdom, I asked Kezia in the car what made her calm down so quickly. She said she didn't know. But tonight before she went to sleep she said, "Mom, it was Heavenly Father." I asked, "What was?" She said, "Heavenly Father helped me feel peaceful and calm."

Crab hunt!

One of our family activities that we had for Christmas was a crab hunt.  We walked to the beach after dinner with a bucket and flashlights in hand in search for tiny sand crabs on the beach.  At first the girls were timid, walking along a vast beach in the darkness.  But after 1 or 2 caught crabs, they really got into it, and they loved it!  We caught about 20 crabs before letting them loose.  Definitely a repeat activity.