What's in a name? That which we call a rose...

So it's official. Little Baby Girl W. has a name. (drumroll please....)

Ellis Grace Wylykanowitz!

ELLIS: My grandmother's full name was Miriam Ruth (Ellis) Elison, and we wanted to name her after my grandma long before she passed away.

GRACE: The way she was able to join our family sandwiched between my appendix operation and the end of our maternity insurance was a truly lesson in grace.

Thank you all for your suggestions, it was fun! I'll be copying them down for her scrapbook.

For John

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Make a Smilebox slideshow

I had promised my brother John that I would create a photo essay of my town for him back in April. Only I didn't really know how to go about doing it until I saw a smilebox creation on my friend Heather Goodworth's blog.

Emily and I hired a babysitter and spent an afternoon tooling around the countryside and many of these photos come from that afternoon in June. A couple are from 2008 as well as the Sandusky County Fair. Jacob and Riley on the trampoline was taken at Emily's house and the final photo was at Maddie Householder's blessing at the Findlay LDS ward building.

I hope you enjoy the tour!

The Swingset

So here's the joke:

How many Mormons does it take to screw in a light bulb?
10: 1 to screw it in and 9 to bring the refreshments!
(ha ha ha)

This was our swingset adventure for the last year. We had decided, as a family, to save up for a nifty new swingset last August. We had a huge glass pickle jar that we put our change in every night and watched as the funds grow. It was supposed to be a lesson for the children in planning, budgeting, delayed gratification and patience. But I definately think I had much more fun finding and counting coins than they did. As a family we saved around $160 in almost a year. Phil also donated $200 when an old case from his solo days paid off then the kids received WalMart gift cards and money for their birthdays which went into the pot. All total we only paid $100 out of pocket!

BUT...we still had to build the darn thing. Which we KNEW was going to be the real test of endurance. So, we asked for help. Phil as Elders Quorum president is constantly setting up and running service projects for those in need and I felt we were in need. The two of us would love to be DIY-ers, but we just aren't. Our kitchen ceiling STILL needs to be painted from the bathroom disaster at Christmas.

So I asked him to just go in there and ask for any help anyone could give and think of it as an old fashion barn-raising. We would provide as much food and drinks as people would need to help us get this thing built.

Our volunteers were: My mom's husband, Rob Ridoutt and sons (our brothers, we just love these guys, even before the swingset), Ammon and Rob. The elders and Brother John Jiskra. And a little help from Jacob and Mena. Everyone was awesome! The missionaries could only stay an hour but Rob and Robert are engineers and they had that thing moving. Phil had worked since 6:30 am sorting and marking wood sizes and when everyone showed up at 9 they just really took off. I did construct the glider and swings as my contribution. And...It only took them half a day!






The day wasn't as hot as earlier in the week but they still needed LOTS of Gatorade and ice pops. I had bought a dozen doughnuts and Rob brought a dozen as well. I had also ordered a meat and cheese tray from the deli to feed 20-25 because when I ordered I didn't know how many had signed up, plus sides That was the best. I think I'll be getting one week until our little girl is born so that I don't have to cook anymore.

After it was constructed we let the kids stay up until after 10 pm playing, and in fact at 7:30 Sunday morning Jacob was out there in his jammies swinging some more. We love it.


And it has been a good lesson. In family home evening two weeks ago we were discussing our pickle jar and what to do with it now. And Jacob helped make the decision that we are now saving until Christmas to help a family in need. So the first half of the year is for something fun for the house/yard and the second half is for service. The jar has a new name: The Wylykanowitz Love Fund.

p.s. A half day really means 9p.m. (5 men:12 hours). But hey! It IS half a day!!! :-)

Mena's Third Birthday

Mena celebrated her third birthday on the 30th of May. She is such a big girl. She's strong willed yet loving. A no fear thrill seeker, yet is terrified of water in her eyes. She'll tell anyone who listens that she starts ballet classes in the fall but clings to me in private, "I don't want to go to pre-school, I don't want to leave you".

She can't wait to have a new sister now that she's seen the ultrasound and accepts that there is a baby in mommy's tummy. Now she likes to read to the tummy and has even offered to share her Lambie with the baby!

I've been sleeping in her room at night because the twin mattress on her floor gives more support and is more comfortable for my girth right now. Last night she climbed into bed with me because she was scared by the "monster" pile of clothes in her room that need to go into storage. Finally waking at 9 a.m. she looked up at me, "Last night I got lots and lots of cuddles".

I've come to believe that most of her fits that went beyond the normal two-year-old tantrums came from a place where Mena knew that I have spent too much time at school or on schoolwork, Jacob, church responsibilities, housework, etc. and not enough time cuddling her. Her favorite place to be is on mommy's lap and now that I'm home my lap is too big to hold her comfortably. And there are days that I just can't get enough of my beautiful Mena and worry that I have failed her in some basic way.

I remember when she was born and we were in the hospital together without anyone visiting. I would put her little naked, diapered, body inside my nightgown so that we were skin to skin and we would lay together for hours. My princess. I promised her that she would always be my special little one. As family came to visit I would become anxious if they held her too long and she wasn't in my arms.

All mothers have to make sacrifices when raising their children. Whether with time, money, other responsibilities, and sometimes even self.

I really appreciate this quote on motherhood:
"Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together." ~Pearl S. Buck

And I'm grateful to all the mothers who are part of helping my children become their best selves. Grandmothers, Aunts (and my children are blessed with LOTS of aunts from many generations, those with children and those without, who absolutely adore them), friends of mine, teachers at church and at school.

Yesterday, Mena and I were talking again about her baby sister in my tummy, when I added that someday she might have a baby in her tummy too. And we giggled and tickled over that. While tickling I thought about how someday she is going to go on her first date, have her first heartbreak, then another, and another. She will go to college (YES!), she may serve a mission, most likely get married, have her own children (through birth or adoption) and live a very full life, if we are so blessed.

But like usual I get ahead of myself. I'm really working on living in the present. My theme song these days is: "Slow down, you move too fast, you've got to make the moment last. Just, kickin' down the cobblestones...doo doo doo doo, and feeling groovy!"

Here's to my groovy little 3 year-old Princess Baby Mena!

Amy's 35th Birthday Party - All are invited!

Last Wednesday I had my now bi-weekly baby doctor appointment. Baby W. will be arriving on July 28, 2009. I had big dreams of delivering on my birthday, the 29th, but Dr. Bass only delivers planned cesareans on Tuesdays. So there you have it.

We thought we had a name but now I'm no longer sure. So all the names posted on the left are still in the running. And I'm being sincere when I say I am poring over all of them and my baby name book. I think this one may be a wait and see situation. Yesterday I had a brainstorm. "Phil! What about Matilda Ruth and calling her Tillie?!" Uh, that was a no go. So feel free to let me know if you are having any inspiration.

But on July 29, 2009 I will be hosting my own 35th birthday party at the Wood County Hospital in Bowling Green, Ohio. Most of you know I'm kind of a quiet birthday gal but there will be streamers and balloons, cake and ice cream for all who would like to come meet our sweet little one.

I am posting the photos of all the babies born by my fellow bloggers/friends/family thus far in 2009:

The year started with my cousin, Sharon Pearson's 5th child, Jaiden Pearson (also shown with 4th child/2nd daughter Valencia):


and our friends from Portland (now in Blackfoot Idaho) Heather and Tim Goodworth welcomed their third daughter Meg:



Then came Kathryn Conser. My dear friend Megan, from Portland, gave birth in February to her third child/second daugher:


Last Tuesday, Aaron Choate was born to my USU roommate, long time friend and blogging celebrity, Loralee. This is her fourth son and baby:


Yet to come in 2009 are:
Collin Knapp (#2) to my sister Allison - due date 7/27/09
Baby Gates (#3) to my other Portland bosom buddy, Julie Moyer-Gates- due date 10/09
Baby Resek (#2) to my LA/DC roommate Adrianne (Smart) Resek and if it wasn't for her I would never have moved East and met my sweet Charlie Brown- due date 10/09
Baby Webb (#3) to my sweetheart Paula (Yokum) Webb - due date 12/09
Baby Kinnunen (#2) to one of my very oldest and dearest friends, Nicole (Coloff) Kinnunen-12/09

I keep a scrapbook page at the end of each year for annual baby announcements I think 2009 is going to bring us a bumper crop!

P.S. I stole these photos from their blogs which can be found to the left. If you would like to see more pics of their little darlings just click and enjoy!

Princess Baby Mena!

I was wishing my mom in California a "Happy Mother's Day" and telling her about the kids. She loved Jacob's soccer photos but I realized I had never posted Mena's dress-up pics. This is what Mena calls "playing make-up". The above is my favorite. It has such a sense of joy and freedom. Enjoy, she's a CUTIE!

Jacob - MVP

Our son Jacob has many, many talents. But focus and teamwork aren't two of them. Or the love of nature either, for that matter. His two favorite sports are swimming and gymnastics. Where one is safely indoors.

This spring we offered him either T-ball or soccer. He chose soccer. Great! Thought I, there is a lot more room for social visibility. You know, no one ever says "Hey, look at that cute T-ball mom." Whereas soccer moms are just so suburban chic ;-) And of course it's all about me.

But here's the kicker, vanity gets me every time. I'm still not the cute soccer mom. My huge tummy crowded in sweatpants, they are all that fits. Stained t-shirts because my wardrobe budget can't keep up with the tornado that is Mena. And sporting the ponytail while my hair shows off my bad roots because I can't figure out a hairstyle I want or the time to get to the salon.

So I'm actually having to pay attention to my son playing the game instead of flaunting my cute soccer mom self.

These pics are from his first game last Saturday. His team, Crew, lost 0-4 but then won on Tuesday 2-0. On Tuesday he even helped defend the goal with a his head. All the parents cheered and asked me his name. Beaming, I said, "Jacob, and he meant to do that!" But of course moments later he is galloping to the bench yelling, "Ow, ow,ow..." Later, he made a successful pass to a little girl teammate who made a goal. And he even attempted a goal himself.

We're very proud of him, this year he is no longer twirling in the back corner like lasts year's attempt at Rugrats Sports. He's actually listening to his coach and watching the ball 50% of the time.

When Tuesdays game was over he came running to me for some H2O. "Honey," said I, "your coach is talking to all the kids you need to go over there". In which my little "Beckham" spins and begins skipping back to his group. "Run, Jacob run! Don't skip, sweetie."



p.s. At the library today I checked out "Great Hair: Secrets to Looking Fabulous and Feeling Beautiful Every Day" by Nick Arrojo of TV's "What Not to Wear".