since we last left our heroes

many things have happened. i think it all kind of started when we discovered that baby #4 will be joining us in july (no, it was not a surprise, and yes, we are finally having a girl:), necessitating a bigger place to live.

this bit of news brought up The Big Question (TBQ) about where exactly we would be settling down in our bigger place to live (i.e., somewhere with more than one bathroom and a kitchen that would admit more than one person at a time--oh, and at least another bedroom, and a yard). then troy got a raise, which broadened our search to include (much to my dismay at the time) our current neck of the woods. so before actually answering TBQ, i started looking around here, sort of half-heartedly, but with a realtor, so sort of seriously too. i say half-heartedly because i was holding out for exiting the golden state in favor of greener (read: cheaper, more seasonal) pastures. friends of ours (who also work for google) recently moved to Colorado and have found it to perfectly suit their needs and desires. we went to visit them sans fils (thanks to a well-timed visit from Grandma Corinne--you're the best!) and came home feeling that, while our friends' move to CO was the perfect thing for them, it was not the perfect thing for us at this juncture.

so that's how we spent january--looking for a house. in february, we found a house, made an offer, got accepted, and then proceeded to agonize over a lender, choose a lender, and sign at least 4,000 documents (i wish i were exaggerating more). we closed escrow on time, and this month we've been making arrangements for the move, and now moving day is almost upon us! we are scheduled to move on tuesday next.

meanwhile, we're still living our lives and enjoying the cuteness that belongs to parenthood. reed is our greeter. he says, "hi!" and "bye!" to everyone we pass--he even asks me to open his window so he can say hi to people as we're driving. he talks and sings all the time. my favorite is when he leaves my room, closing the door as he leaves, and says, "goo' night, mommy. i yeh you!" (in case that was too cryptic: "good night, mommy. i love you!") this is in the middle of the day, and sometimes while he is still eating his breakfast.

max has become something of a philosopher over the past few months. he really thinks about things, and then lets us in on his process.

this morning max said, "is it morning?"

"yes, it's morning."

"yeah, it's not time for dessert."

other funny max quotes that come to mind: "mom, when something is too hot, i lose my muscles."

"are these sunday socks?"

"no, sunday socks are dark."

"yeah, these are my wednesday socks! they give me running power!"

in case you didn't already know, max is a superhero. he zooms around with his complex lego creations (usually spaceships), singing his theme music (usually star wars), complete with sound effects. he even dreams it. i hear him in the middle of the night making light saber noises or some other kind of dramatic sound. here is a kid who has no trouble entertaining himself. :) he is also very aware of his brothers. he always wants to save part of his snacks for dean when he comes home from school, which i find very sweet.

dean is coming to grips with switching schools and houses, but had a total breakdown when we initially told him we were moving. he is reading like a pro now, even in the scriptures. his current obsession is a computer game that is amazingly motivating. he gets to play in the morning before school if he can get all ready beforehand. and for the past few weeks, he has been ready to go to school, shoes on, teeth brushed, bag packed, by 7:20 (go time is 8:00). he also knows how to start a load of laundry. he's turning into quite the big man.

next week dean will start formal piano lessons with a lady in our ward. he showed interest in playing and Grandma Corinne taught him some while troy and i were in CO, and since then i've tried to give him a lesson or two, but he rolls his eyes and sighs a lot, and nothing i say seems to change anything, so i figure we'll give it a shot with a third party and see how he does.

baby #4 is treating me well, but i'm really grateful that we are hiring movers this time to pack us. my back gives out at the slightest provocation. the boys have gotten really good at leaving me alone when i tell them i need to lie down. i just have to deal with differing levels of destruction when i emerge. troy is happy at work. his boss is thrilled that we're staying in the area. we will see where our final destination takes us. :)