New Poll

I just read that Mitt Romney has suspended his presidential campaign. On my poll, 80% of you voted for him. Now that he is out of the running, who will your vote go to?

My Great Communicator

I would have given my right arm (or maybe my left, since I'm right-handed) to know what Makayla was trying to say to me when she was a baby. I pulled my hair out in sleepy frustration trying to figure out what the heck she wanted. Oh, the incessant crying!! It's a shock that I had the courage to try again with another baby.

You think I'm exaggerating. Just ask anyone who knew her as a baby. Seriously!

But this post is not about Makayla. It's about Ellie, my insanely smart, super-communicating 14 month old. She was seriously the BEST baby. She hardly ever cried. She cried so little that I thought something might be wrong with her, until my mom and mother-in-law convinced me that this is how most babies act. She slept through the night at 6 weeks. Heaven!

Now she is moving out of the baby phase and moving into the toddler phase. She is such a great communicator. I'm sure part of this is because this is my second time around on the mom thing. And part of it is because she has an older sibling to learn from. Whatever the reason, I am loving that I can understand what she wants.

Her sign language is coming along, and she can speak in 2-4 word sentences. My favorite new acheivement of hers is telling me when she wants her diaper changed.

Yesterday morning she toddled up to me, grabbed my finger and said Mama, dad-pah (diaper). Then she pulled me over to the diaper changing spot, layed down on the floor and started to fiddle with her zipper.

I was pretty amazed. I thought that it was, perhaps, a fluke. Then it happened in the afternoon and again this morning.

As crazy as this idea may seem, I'm thinking about pushing the potty training. I have her potty chair sitting out already. She loves to sit on it right before bathtime. And sometimes when we are in the bathroom getting ready, she points to the toilet and says I go.

Now I am fantasizing about having Ellie potty trained at 18 months. Wouldn't that be the coolest? It sure would beat potty-training a stubborn 3-year-old.

Who Are You Voting For?

I got this email and link from my sister today.

Answer 10 questions at http://www.votechooser.com/ and find out which presidential candidate is most similar to you!

She matched up 100% with the candidate she is leaning toward. I scored equal on the 2 candidates that I can't decide between.

Take the quiz and see how accurate it is for you.

Don't forget to take the poll on your right. I'm really curious to see who everyone else is thinking about voting for.

Superbowl Commercials

If you are like me, you think the best part of the Superbowl is the commercials. I found this website that has all the commercials from the Superbowl yesterday all in one convenient spot. So if you saw a commercial yesterday that you'd like to see again, or if you didn't watch the game and want to see the commercials for the first time, head on over. Some of them are really funny!

The Only Promise That Remains

I really LOVE this song! I keep trying to find it on project playlist so that I can add it to my blog, but so far I have been unsuccesful. This was the best I could do. It's from the performance Reba and Justin did on Oprah last September. (Oh yeah! Don't forget to pause the music at the bottom.)

A Giant Among Men

I've noticed that several others have paid tribute to this great man on their blogs this week. Now I would like to do the same.

Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Prophet of God, passed away earlier this week. I watched his funeral this morning with tears of sadness, of laughter, and of joy.

Sadness for my own loss. I never met him, but I always felt like I knew him. I am sad that I will never again hear him speak from the pulpit at General Conference or the First Presidency Christmas Devotional or any number of meetings. His quick wit and genuine love for people are two things that I have always loved about him.

Laughter because of the stories and remembrances shared during the celebration of his life.

And joy because I know that he must be so happy to be reunited with his dear wife again. I know he missed her. You could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice when he spoke of her following her death in 2004.

I love that President Monson called him a "giant among men." It was so fitting of him.

I think my sister summed it up best when she said, "the best tribute we can give is to actually strive to follow the words that he spoke and lived."

Good-bye President Hinckley. You will be missed.

Young Love

Makayla goes to preschool 4 mornings a week. There is this little boy, Wyatt, in her class that has a huge crush on her. It's so adorable. I can't get over what a sweet little boy he is.

Yesterday morning I took Makayla to class. As always, she hung up her backpack and coat and sat down at the table for craft time. Wyatt was already sitting, working on his project. As soon as Makayla sat down, he picked up his stuff and moved around to the other side of the table. He scooted his chair right up against hers and then sat down.

It was so funny!

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Everyday the kids have to check in and check out of class. This is done by taking their Dora backpack that has their name and photo on it and place it on the board. Inside the class to show they've checked in and in the hallway to show they've checked out.

Each day, Wyatt waits for Makayla to check out so he can put his backpack next to hers on the board. One day, Makayla put her backpack on the board, but the spot next to her was already taken. So Wyatt moved the other kid's backpack so his could be next to Makayla's. This happens every single day!

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On the way out of the school, Wyatt always tries to walk next to Makayla. Then they part ways with a See you tomorrow, or Have a good weekend.

For the past week, once we get into the car, Makayla has said to me He's my girlfriend. So I asked her Did Wyatt say you were his girlfriend?

Yes. I'm his girlfriend and he is my girlfriend.

I tried to tell her that he is a boy and therefore, a boyfriend. But she will not be convinced otherwise.

Kasey's not crazy about this whole situation, but I think it's adorable and find it a daily source of entertainment. Of course, I may not feel the same way in 10 or 12 years.

P.S. I had my ice cream, and it was totally worth 12 hours of work!