T is Two and Two is T (Accompanies slideshow above)

As if you weren't already tired of photos of the youngest madhouse inmate, here's is a plethora for you! Just watch until you can't take it any more.

Today he turned two. It finally clicked when he watched me pull the birthday candles out of the kitchen drawer this evening. He requested "yeyo" ones and then started in singing, "Happy birtday a you...."

Yes, we did get him a baby doll. It was funny, we talked about it, the kids and me, and I suggested we get him a baby. No one argued. They were all in full agreement. Even though I just finished my human development class and a huge section on stereotyping and how we steer our children to be male or female from very early, I don't believe I have ever done this. I believe that at this point all of my boys have owned a doll at one point or another in their early childhood. I believe that this practice will make them good daddy's one day. T loved the doll, but even better was the pair of cleats he received.

Gone, Baby! Gone

I'm wondering if you notice a common theme in these pictures. All I can say is my how things have changed.

I took T in for his 18 month appointment awhile back. The doctor asked if I had any questions about him. I told her no but embarrassedly said, "He does still have a binky."

Very nonplussed, she replied, "There are a lot of adults I'd like to see with one of those in their mouths instead of cigarettes or other things."

I remember other physicians asking when I was planning on getting rid of my child's pacifier in the past, and I would quickly make plans and go home and do so. I know with youngest children, parents have a tendency, because he/she's the youngest, to baby that child. Being I think T has held onto his binky longer than any of my children.

Last Sunday evening, I was kicking back on the couch. It was T's bedtime. I turned to Z and asked if he would take T up to bed. This is unusual in our house. I am the bedtime choreographer.

Z went and did. After he got up there, I heard him holler, "I need an aya." Aya is the word for binky in our house, thanks to T. Well, we sent everyone on a mad scramble to find it, but it couldn't be found. Z said, "Well, I guess he's going to cry for awhile because I can't seem to find one." And that's just what T did.

He stopped after a little while. I went upstairs and then I knew why he'd stopped. I could hear the low voice of my husband humming from behind T's closed door.

Well, all it really took was that one night. He has done fine without since then. I was so glad that I asked Z to take him to bed that night because I would have searched until I'd found one just so I wouldn't have to hear T cry.

Oh, by the way, the next morning I found the last remaining aya.

T's Bedtime--Ahhh the Repetition of Toddlerhood

This is T's bedtime and naptime book:

I have read it twice a day everyday for the past week and a half. He calls it "Olio" and will have no other book read to him. This is it. Believe me, I've tried to introduce others--Dr. Seuss and others, but no go. When Q was this age, I read this book over and over again for months:

I think I can still read it verbatim. I love the illustrations in both of these books, so I really don't mind reading them again and again.

After we read this, he says, "Song. Song." I ask him to pray first, which consists of him saying, "Pada"--his salutation to Heavenly Father and then I say the rest. Sometimes he repeats after me. Tonight, his prayer consisted of thanks for motorcycles and helicopters (which are those seeds that fall from trees that fall like helicopter propellors; we pick handfuls of these up in the morning on the way back from dropping the kids at school and throw them in the air for him. Of course, once is not enough). He was also thankful for soccer, Olio, frogs and his upcoming birthday.

Then we get to the part that he really wants. This is T's current bedtime song:

I'm surprised I still remember the words. It's actually a traditional New Year's song in Japan. It talks about flying kites and playing with tops. A magazine the kids get had toys from around the world and what they are called in those countries. We were reading it and came across the word "koma" and a picture of a wooden top. I started singing this song. It caught on and now T wants to hear it all the time. He calls it "To." Not sure if that's two, to, or too, but that song's what he means.

When that one's done, he wants the "frog" song:

"Gua" is what a Japanese frog says as compared with an American frog's "ribbit." This to T is just known as "frog."

Funny that he doesn't want English songs. I assure you I know a whole lot more of those. My Japanese song repetoire is about used up with these two, but it's nice to sing them again (and again and again).

I forgot to mention that while we're doing all of this, he moves as far as he can, crammed over against the wall, and I'm laying next to him as my legs hang off the edge of his toddler bed. It's the BEST! I love it!

Good for YOU!!!

Disclaimer: I'm sure nobody else probably ever feels this way, so just accept that I live in a madhouse and these are just the ramblings of the chief inmate.

Even if this is all I do, it is good.

I had an interesting discussion with my hubby a number of weeks ago. In that discussion, he said, "When was the last time you felt truly satisfied?" As I contemplated that question and looked back over my life, I had to admit that it was back when he and I were first married; I was so happy! I mean there are times when I'm satisfied with certain things in life, but as for me feeling like I was completely, all around satisfied it had to have been all those years ago. How sad is that!!!

I got to reading the scriptures shortly after Z's and my conversation. If you haven't gone there yet, this is a great website to help get you going in your personal scripture study. I created a schedule for myself on this site to read the entire standard works in a year. I was surprised how short the daily readings were. Anyway, I started in Genesis 1, and I was immediately blessed with what I needed to learn. In that chapter, it is repeated seven times that God saw it and it was "good." He would stop, look around Himself and see and accept that what He had done was "good."

Many of you know my annoyances with the FlyLady emails and website, but one great thing that I've taken away from my experience with her system is that everything doesn't have to be perfect and every little bit of work you do is better than none at all. I think this principle is applicable to every facet of life.

I wrote a post once in which I brow beat myself fairly mercilessly for not being a great mom (I'm really good at this brow beating thing. I should probably have it listed as one of my hobbies in my profile). I think I even referred to myself as a "terrible" mom. That's just not true. No, I'm not the perfect mother. I'm definitely not "mother of the year" material, but dang it, I'm a good mom. Why don't I allow myself that? My kids are dressed and fed everyday. They know they are loved. Do I have a chance to sit down with each of the six individually everyday and spend quality time with them? No, not always, but I try. Do I step back from these times and feel and declare that what I have done that day was "good?"

I was talking to one of my kids the other day about this child's need for more sleep (it's not the child you're thinking it is, I assure you). I told this child that it was up to him/her to learn to regulate him/herself as the day would come when no one would be there to take care of him/her; he/she would have to learn to take care of him/herself now. I think this little lecture was me talking to myself as well. If I don't stop and give myself a "good job, Julie," or a pat on the back once in awhile, who's going to? Yes, I am blessed in my efforts. I know that I enjoy unseen pats on the back frequently, but if "men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25), isn't a huge part of that in accepting that what we do is good and worthy of rejoicing about?

It's shocking as I blog and keep a record of my thoughts and feelings (something that I've never done as well as I'm doing now--good for me!), how many times I write that I'm sad or blue or a bit depressed. I would propose that those feelings are because I've forgotten to count my blessings. I've forgotten how good I am and what good I can do in this little world of mine. I've pressed forward without looking back and around and seeing the good.

So, how's it going for you? Are you putting forth daily effort in this "mortal probation" and being better than you were yesterday even if it's just in little ways? Do you stop and look and realize how good you are? What are some of the good things you've done today?