December's sweet and funny moments

Dec. 4--One of the Christmas songs I love and wanted to teach the girls is "Do you hear what I hear?" We were singing it at lunch and when I sang, "Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy..." Elle chimed in with a loud, but totally serious, "BAA!"

Dec. 5--Changing Eden's size 3 diaper, and Elle (who also wears size 3 diapers to bed at night) crouches down, scrunches up her nose and says, "Oh, yook at that cute diaper!"

Dec. 7--I had sung "The Friendly Beasts" with the girls before bedtime and Elle's favorite verse talks about the cow sharing her manger for Christ's bed and her hay for his pillow. As I laid her on her own pillow she said, "Jesus only had hay for a pillow. Maybe I could share a big soft pillow with him."

Later that day, Elle was giving out roles for playtime and she directed me, "You're going to be ridiculous, Mom." Ryn protested loudly, "No! I want her to be beautiful!" Thanks, Ryn :)

Dec. 8--I had promised a Christmas movie and told Ryn it was time to turn off the TV after she had finished. "But Mom, we just watched one. The third one will be the last one."

Elle had to go to the bathroom so I said, "Hurry, Elle!" And she said, "I'm not Elle. I'm a wise man." I said, "OK, Hurry, wise man." She said, "OK, Mom Wise man." And as an afterthought as she raced her tiny chickabooms to the potty, "I'm a yittle wise man."

Dec. 12--Back to "The Friendly Beasts" chime-ins. I was singing it to Eden to help her stop crying. That wasn't working by the time I got to the dove verse: "I coo-ed him to sleep, that he would not cry...." So Ryn must have thought, If it worked for that dove, maybe it would work for me...and she leaned over crying Eden and softly, "Coo, coo, coo....". So cute I almost cried.

We were talking about every one's 'long' names and 'short' names--how Ryn's long name is Kathryn Noel Linkous and Elle's is Elle Nora Linkous. Elle turned to me and said, "Your long name is Mommy Linkous."

Dec. 13--Something broke and Ryn came to show it to me and offered this, "It broke. We need sticky syrup."

Dec. 14--When there's a run on the girls' bathroom (both needing it at the same time), we just put Ryn on the toilet and Elle on the little potty chair. This time the girls ran in together while I was doing the dishes and soon I heard this make-you-laugh-out-loud dialog:
Elle--This is so fun, Ryn!
Ryn--It's a potty party!

Later that day, Ryn saw me leaning over to give Elle a hug at lunch and she put up her little hands like she was holding a camera and said, "I gotta get a picture of that!"

Dec. 16--Ryn has picked up the phrase, "Hey! Check this out!" and it gets us every time.

She tried to explain the rules of who does and doesn't need a pacifier:
"Pacifiers are for babies....(but then she remembered Elle still likes her pacifier when she goes to bed)
...and for sisters...(but then she remembered that she is a sister)
...if they look like that, they do (pointing to Elle)
...and if they look like this, they don't (pointing to herself)." WHEW! That was more complicated than she thought it would be!

Dec. 21--Ryn was being a little grumpy so we were using her birthday party as incentive to be happy. You know, a little "birthday parties are for happy girls, not sad ones, so you'd better be happy." Her response was classic. "When I'm done being sad, I'll be happy."

Earlier that morning, she and Elle (who are sharing a room now) tiptoed in to wake us up and Kev heard Ryn whisper, "Let me show you how to wake up your Daddy. You tap him three times like this...." Then he felt Ryn's 3 taps and Elle's echoed 3. "....and you say, 'Daddy, wake up.'"

Elle needed Kev's help in the bathroom and after calling him once with no result, she added this, "Daddy, get off the stool." (she knew Kev must be perched on our bar stool checking something on the laptop on the counter)

Dec. 24--For our family Nativity, Ryn was going to be Joseph and Elle, Mary. I told Ryn what she needed to say to the Innkeeper and was waiting for her to say it back to me when Elle chimed in, completely in character--sweetly and patiently, "Joseph, we need a place to rest."

Dec. all month--Any time we were reading about bad guys in a story or in the scriptures, Elle would get a very serious look on her face and stop us and point out the worst part of that whole thing, "They're not going to get a present from Santa."

Dec. 28--Ryn was looking at the miniature Salt Lake temple I gave Kevin for his wedding present and said wistfully, "I wish we lived by the temple." I reassured her that it wasn't very far away at all, reminding her that we had just been there to see the lights. But she was firm. "No! We live far away. We live by the dogs." (The family that lives behind us has dogs that are always right by the fence barking :) )


Dec. 29--Elle came into my bathroom while I was getting ready and opened her eyes wide with shock, "Mom! There's make-up all over your face!" I guess I need to put on make-up more often :)

Dec. 31--The Snow White DVD was one of the favorite Christmas presents and has already been watched more times than I can count. So Elle was sweeping with our broom singing "Whistle While You Work" and told me that I was supposed to be the animals. When she finished her song, I praised her with a hearty "Bravo!" "No!" she exclaimed. "Don't say 'bravo'! Animals don't say bravo." Quite right. Quite right.

Sometimes I swear I live with an angel...

Yep, on this 12th anniversary, I really feel like singing a country song :). (sorry, Joy, and anyone else who hates country) There is a song by the Wilkinsons that has always made me think of Kevin, and I sing it to myself almost daily as I watch him anticipate everything I need and do it before I even ask--sometimes even before I think to ask. It's actually a little scary, but mostly completely wonderful.

Sometimes I swear I live with an angel
Sent from above to watch over me
He wears his love just like a halo
If he's not an angel, what else could he be?

He wouldn't say he's anything special
That's how, I'm sure, all those angels are
But when he comes around, miracles happen
I felt the first one when he touched my heart.

Though I've never seen him fly,
On the wings of love he carries me.
Heaven-bound I'm mystified
How with just one look he made me believe
In angels...
Though I've never seen him fly.

I love you, angel.

The definition of SWEET!

I can remember as if it were yesterday every little detail about welcoming our angel, miracle girl into the world!

4 years ago Kathryn Noel Linkous came to our family ending 8 long, very painful years of waiting. The tears still flow freely as I think back to that moment when I first cast my eyes on her sweet face. The nurse carried her over to the scale and then to the warmer and the whole time my body just ached to hold her and kiss her and you know what? Things haven't changed one bit after 4 yrs.

Every time she opens her mouth to say something or flashes her adorable innocent sweet smile complete with Daddy's dimples it makes me just want to gobble her up and freeze that moment in time. Her hugs and kisses are to die for and really when you "try" to sum up what makes Ryn Ryn, the best way is -pure sweetness!!!! Not only is she the perfect daughter, always doing her best to obey and listen but she is also the best big sister. As much as we love and adore Elle and Eden we know without a doubt why Ryn was the first to come! I sometimes will sneak into her room after she is asleep and just kneel down at her bedside and allow myself to soak in every feature of her sweet face and burn that image into my heart and mind. RYN I LOVE YOU!

As wonderful as it is to celebrate and remember the birth of a child, for me it is bittersweet. It is also a reminder of the cold, sometimes cruel fact that they are growing up--which equals less of a need for Mom and Dad and the drawing nearer of them entering the far too often mean, unfair world of life.

Ryn Happy Birthday angel! Thank you for coming to our family and into my heart. You were the first baby to arrive and make me feel whole as a man and allowed me to experience the indescribable joys of being not just a father but your father! You completed our love and to this day you continue to do so, every minute of every day! The true miracle is not just that you came but that God loved and trusted me enough to be your Daddy, the Daddy of an angel!

Mom here :). I have to take my Grandma and Grandpa Ellis' words and, "I say Ditto, all the way!" to what Dad wrote. Christmas is forever changed for me since you came to be my angel. That whole Christmas season when I was pregnant with you was the most powerful I have ever experienced . I hope someday you might be lucky enough to be expecting a baby around Christmas. Everything was magical. Everything held more personal meaning for me. I thought every day about Mary, Jesus' mother. I thought about how she must have felt during the last few weeks before His birth. How humbled she must have been, how anxious, how excited, how happy--completely full of joy. I know she must have felt that way because that's how I felt. I also sang every Christmas hymn with even more joy and rejoicing than ever before. Even though I had only waited for 8 years for you to come--the world had waited since the fall of Adam for its Savior--I knew the praises I wanted to sing (actually I was singing almost every minute) and shout every minute of every day for you were as fervent and sincere as those of the heavens and earth when Christ was born at last. And my praises and thanks to Heavenly Father for this gift of His most precious Son were greater than ever before because I knew that gift would make possible keeping you, my precious angel, forever. I pray and strive every day to be worthy of such priceless gifts. Thank you for coming to me--to us. So very many people prayed and waited and watched with us. Thank you for making my life, and every other life you touch, magical and happy and beautiful.

We had a fun family party this year--bowling :). We had gone this summer in Houston with my parents and Ryn was jumping for joy the whole time, so we knew she'd have fun. The automatic bumpers and a slide for the girls' balls made it tough for Kevin and Ryan to beat their scores.
Ryn wanted to decorate her own cake, complete with an inch-thick layer of sprinkles :)
I didn't even know they made bowling shoes that could fit Elle, but she loved them even more than the actual game.
Eden loved hanging on where the action was.
Happy day :)

Holiday Fun!

As much as we love Europe and especially the Christmas season there. Something magical happens when you step foot on Temple Square and see the millions of lights reflecting in your children's eyes! As their heads swiveled around and then back again with their eyes and mouths wide open, I couldn't help but feel transported back to when I first stepped foot into the same twinkling world.
I love being a Dad and it has been way too long since I last recorded how happy it makes me to see, hear and watch my 3 little angels grow and learn. They truly are too sweet, too adorable and too funny!
Ryn continues to amaze me with her sweetness and angelic big sisterliness :) She also LOVES to learn and really is like a sponge with her ability to hear or see something once and then store it!
Elle has an incredible grasp of the English language for a 2and 1/2 year old and has such a concrete idea of what she wants. For example she is NOT cute, that is just unacceptable, she is beautiful. And Eden, she is such a cutie-pie. I have to admit that she adores me:)And I love that whenever I come into the room she starts bouncing for joy and saying Dada Dada and reaching out to me.
When I leave for work Ryn and Elle both run and wrap themselves around my legs saying, "we won't let you go, we don't want you to go to work." Life is good, life is wonderful and life is whole!

Create

So life with three little girls is crazy, but hey, why not make it a little crazier? :)



Here is my new work-in-progress website
http://www.wix.com/snapsbykit/Snaps
where you can see the fun creations I've made over the past few months. I started before Halloween--I wanted some cute, simple shirts for the girls and couldn't find any I liked at a price I liked :). After the ghosts were made, my mind couldn't stop working until I had sketched over 100 different ideas (only about 50 of which are on the website so far).

I know our blog is only read by family and close friends, so I would appreciate any comments or suggestions you'd care to share--about the product or the website. I already plan on getting better pictures with Kevin and Michelle's help (be ready for my phone call, Michelle :) ), but I did these on my own with my photography-challenged skill set so I could get something up and running before Christmas.

I was talking to Natalie about these shirts, as well as some adorable modge podge wall hangings she has made, and we both agreed that the joy of creation President Uchtdorf talked about is real and necessary. Here is a portion of that great talk that will hopefully inspire you to find happiness as you Create--smiles, harmonious homes, family memories....