Birthday week

I had my birthday last week; it was fairly uneventful, which is how I like it. Tyson gave me a DVD boxed set of A&E romance classics, which I wanted mainly because it contains the Colin Firth version of Pride & Prejudice. I started watching the BBC versions of all the Jane Austen works when they came on PBS earlier this year. Now I keep checking them out from the library and watching every version of every Jane Austen movie that was ever made. I'd never read the books, so I also bought Pride & Prejudice and Persuasion and read them both several times. I think Persuasion is my all time favorite of her books.

Tyson also bought me a new stapler to use when I clip coupons so that I would stop taking his (which was actually mine that he stole from me a couple of years ago and he now keeps in his desk). He actually gave me that gift first, and I just stared at it for a minute trying to figure out if I was missing something or if he really bought me a stapler for my birthday. After he explained it though, I thought it was great. It has a really comfy grip and even has a staple remover that fits into the handle and can be taken out when I need to use it.

Tyson has a new calling at church. He's the new ward mission leader, which means I see much less of him because he is often out with the missionaries. Tyson has always helped the missionaries a lot, so it was fairly easy for him to transition into his new calling.

Yesterday Tyson and I packed up the kids and headed out to Grapevine Mills Mall. It's a bit of a drive, but both of the kids have outgrown almost everything in their closet so I was ready to hit some of the outlet stores in the mall and restock their clothing for the next year and a half. Every store we went to was running massive sales and we got most of the stuff for more than 50% off. LittleMan has his first sweater vests and slacks. I tried to find some dressier clothes for him several months ago, but apparently those sorts of things are somewhat seasonal and are difficult to find if it is not near Christmas or Easter.

We bought some new dresses for BittyBit too, and we are planning to get family pictures made next weekend. We are way overdue for family portraits, since the last time we had any made was back in 2001, when it was just Tyson and me. We've had some pictures made of the kids individually, but nothing with all of us except the occasional snapshot - and now that I think about it, we probably have less than 10 photos with all four of us in them.
Out of the ten pictures I took of the kids before church, I don't have one where they are both looking in my general direction and smiling, but they sure look sharp in their new threads.

Yesterday when we were in the Carter's store looking for sleeper pajamas for the kids, BittyBit saw a pair and said,"Wow, those are HUGE! Maybe you can wear those mama." They were probably about size 8 in the little girl sizes, and I guess they were huge compared to BittyBit, but um, yeah - now I'm old and apparently huge.

But lest you think that BittyBit only gets into makeup and humbles me to the dust, she had a really sweet moment in the car on the way back from the Trunk or Treat on Halloween. LittleMan had had enough and was tired and sobbing. I loaded both of the kids into the car and was about to take off when a friend came up and asked me a question. I closed the door to drown out LittleMan's screaming, and was amazed at how soundproof my vehicle is: I couldn't hear a thing from the outside. I fully expected him to be in full blown hysterics when I climbed in the car a minute later, but it was nearly silent. He was quietly staring at his sister, who was softly singing I am a Child of God to him over and over to calm him down.
I'm more amazed by her every day. She is so thoughtful and considerate of other people, especially her brother. Every night when we have our family prayers she prays for us each by name. She comforts us when we are sad and she pipes up randomly throughout the day with,"Mom, I love you!". If LittleMan cries when I step out of the room to grab the laundry, she is right by his side hugging him and saying,"It's OK, mommy will be right back. It's OK." - in her best soothing mommy voice. Her tantrum moments are few and far between, which is fine with me, and I'm glad to see the young lady she is becoming.