11 Months

I LOVE getting to know this baby.

I find him to be a very interesting child. 

He seems to me rather...complex.

I feel like I'm thinking in a British accent. 

 

Anyway, me and my fancy camera are having a fight, so I had to take his monthly picture with my phone, which is fine when I'm lazy (read: on a daily basis), but not for these, but whatever.

 

 

I love my Richie Rich.

I love to call him Sweets, Richardson, Baby Richie, Baby Boyfriend, Boogers, Little One, Little Duck, and that's all I think of right now.

 

He's a very quiet child.

In fact, in public, he's practically silent.

Last month, T's brother watched the kids while we went and did that color race. 

After we got back, he asked, "Does Richie say anything ever?!"

The truth is, he cries, and sometimes he cries a lot, mostly at night.

He also talks and laughs a lot, mostly at home and usually exclusively to Me, T or JW. 

If he talks to you, take it as a huge compliment.

I think he also knows what "Baa Baa" means.

Whenever I say, "Do you want a baa baa?", he smiles and gets all excited.

 

He's obsessed with the dishwasher and any drawer or cabinet. 

Just now, I caught him trying (and succeeding) to pry open the socket cover from the wall.

 

 

 

This is his typical face in public.

He's not giving away anything.

So much like his dad.

I can't believe this month he will be one!

This year has flown by, and I consider myself lucky to be his mom.

I love watching all his firsts, and I'm excited to be apart of his beautiful little life!  

Father's Day 2013

Summer school is FINALLY over!

It was very stressful/frustrating for me.

I probably have a nice little silver highlight in my hair, thanks to summer school.

What's done it done, and I got paid, so let's move on!

Obviously, I was thinking about fathers today.

My father and my husband are wonderful examples of good fathers in me and my children's lives.

Maybe that's why I was attracted to T, because I knew he would be like my own dad.

He would take the time to show his children he truly cared about his children.

He would consider all the responsibilities of parenthood an equal and joint partnership.

He would change a diaper without blinking an eye.

He would watch the kids if I needed to go somewhere all day, without thinking twice.

He would give them nightly baths (he's the only one that does that), and think of it as fun.

He would make his children fall in love with him by building forts in the living room, jumping on the tramp, feeding them, putting them to bed, reading them books, snuggling with them when they have a bad dream; and after a long day, when he's exhausted and annoyed, he walks in the door like he's had a full night's sleep (which never happens) happy and excited to see his kids and like he can't wait to start his exhausting night. 

I love watching their little faces light up when they see their dad.

It makes me fall in love with T just little bit more and it makes me proud of myself for picking such an amazing person to father my children.

It also makes me proud to have the same type of father, so I would know what to look for in a mate. 

I love you, Dad.

And I love you, T!

Happy Father's Day 2013!!

10 Months

I probably say this too often.

Uh oh, don't care (name that movie).

But I have amazingly wonderful children.

Do they bug me sometimes?

Yes.

Is my house an absolute mess because of them?!

Yes!

Do I sometimes wish I could have just 5 min. alone?!?!

YES!!

Something that I've learned with age (because I'm sooo old) is that there is NOTHING in this life that is ALWAYS wonderful all the time. 

Motherhood is right up there.

All these feelings are real and overwhelming and I get stressed out often (poor T, amiright?).

But nothing beats the first moment you lay eyes on the child your body created. 

Nothing beats those quiet times when it's just you and your newborn and in that moment, you two beings are the only ones that exist.

Nothing beats watching your child discover the world around them with new eyes.
Nothing beats your sick child letting you hold and love them all night long.
Nothing beats watching them learn their first few words, watching the excitement all over their faces now that they can FINALLY communicate something!
Nothing beats washing their soft baby skin, but also being keenly aware of how slippery they are when wet!
Nothing beats being away from home all weekend, and watching their bodies relax the minute you walk into your house.
Nothing beats seeing how different they act in front of you vs. everyone else.
Nothing beats the first time (or any time, really) they intentionally give you hugs and kisses.
Nothing beats feeling their little bodies fall asleep on your shoulder (especially when they have long outgrown 'the falling asleep in your arms' stage).
Nothing beats the smile (even at a young age) that sweeps across their faces when you haven't seen them for awhile.
And nothing beats seeing your children laugh together!
I've been thinking about these moments lately,
 because my baby turned 10 months old.

He's becoming a little more clingy these days.
He's also started to mimic us a lot lately.

(ie: blowing raspberries, saying mom and dad)

He still LOVES his reflection and the open front and bathroom door.
Everything still goes straight into his mouth.

He also still LOVES following around T and JW and their shenanigans.
And JW is STILL the only person that can make him laugh, no matter what his mood.

And I love him for it.

At this very moment, he's found a shoe and is doing what he does when he's trying to experience it (ie: holding it over his head, hitting it, finding a way (and succeeding!) to put it in his mouth).
It's fun for me to just watch him sometimes (see above, the above discovering new things).

He's just trying to make sense of the world around him.

He's a thinking baby, that's for sure.
He has truly made our lives richer.

He has added a new and special element into our lives, and our family would be seriously lacking without his beautiful baby face.

He makes us whole...
I know JW loves this boy, because he loves talking to him and playing with him.

I really and truly hope these children are best friends.



Memorable!

The end of the month of May was to say the least, stressful and busy.

School was coming to an end, which meant checkout stuff to do, final grades, organizing, tying up curricular loose ends, and just plain doing all those things that need to get done before the school year closes.

We also had a REALLY long winter, which dragged into the beginning of May, which means we were feeling rather stir crazy, which means we were going crazy with all the things we NEEDED to do RIGHT NOW!

Which probably explains my wicked (farmer's) tan right now.

Anyway, along with the typical end of the school year stuff, we got to enjoy some not so typical stuff, too.

My little brother, Preston, was going on a mission.

Memorial Day weekend was spent down south (SLC) to spend it with my parents and brothers.

We got to go through the temple for Preston's first time, we got to hang out with some of my dad's family, and my children got to eagerly soak up attention my parents so gladly poured on them.

It was truly a unique experience to be able to be apart of Preston's special couple of days.

He's a great guy, and we are lucky to have him in the family!

JW was messing with the 'do not disturb the missionaries playing' traffic cone.   I'm pretty sure he is going to be one of those missionaries.   His dad is teaching him well!

I kid you not, there was a time when I was one of the taller ones in the family... Up until the moment before laying eyes on this picture, I thought, 'Sure, I am the shortest one, but probably not by that much.'

I can't be that short in comparison...maybe I'm standing in a sinkhole?  Maybe those two boys are on their tippies?  Maybe I'm slouching? 

Eh, whatever.

Motherhood

I love it when certain holidays (like Mother's Day) give me a reason to reflect on my life.

Like I need a reason, am I right?

As I sit here, thinking about the last 3+ years of my life, I imagine someone asking me the question, "What is motherhood to you?"

Truth is, if I were asked that question, I would be at a loss of words.

Sure, I could say the clichéd and overly used (probably by me), "Motherhood is the best thing that ever happened to me." or "Motherhood is the hardest, yet most rewarding thing I've ever done."

Do those words ring true for me?

Of course.

I guess I'm not sure if those words truly capture what motherhood means to me.

Honestly, motherhood means something different to me every time I think about it.

Right now?

Motherhood is 9:17 PM, both kids are lying down, and the house has gone quiet. While I'm basking in this simple, deafening, delicious, long awaited silence, only the clinking of the computer keys breaking it. 

Motherhood is going on a field trip all day, hiking 3+ miles, getting a tad sunburned, coming home and see your kids' eyes light up when they see you.  It makes you feel energized, and it instantly becomes the highlight of your day.

Motherhood is truly loving your job, while you send your precious babies into the hands of another.  You know they're in good hands, but you long to hold them, touch them, smell them. 

 Motherhood is seeing other mothers doing things differently and wondering, 'Is that how it should be done?'

   Motherhood is constantly asking yourself if you're doing right by your kids. 

Motherhood is a constant internal battle. 

Motherhood is guilt.

 Motherhood is your son allowing you to pick out his clothes only if he dresses himself.  Hence all his clothes are on backwards/inside out.

Motherhood is compromise.

Motherhood is the hugs your child gives when he knows you're stressed.

Motherhood is listening, watching, and laughing at the miracles you created.

Motherhood is marveling.

And lastly (at least right now), motherhood is trying to take a picture with your two children, only to realize one doesn't have pants and wants to run rather than sit next to his mom while the other cannot look at the camera long enough to snap a picture due to all the exciting things there are to see. 

Motherhood is my life.

 



Color Run

 I'll just say it.

I've been training for a 5K. 

I've actually been really enjoying myself, more than any other time I've ran. 

I did (I'm almost done) the Couch to 5K program, and I must say, it really works.

I loved the structure and I loved how it made all my goals so attainable.

This summer I'm planning on doing a 10K using the same program.

I suggest it.

Anyway, about a month ago I saw something on Facebook about the Color Vibe 5K color run coming to Cache Valley.

I called T and signed us up that day.

This last weekend, we went and did it.

Boy, was it fun!

I consider it the PERFECT start to my 5K races.

It was relaxed and everyone was in good spirits.

It felt more like a party than a race.

I want to do another pretty bad now... 

As a bonus, we got to hang out in Cache Valley for the day with our beautiful niece and nephews!

 As per usual, JW was in seventh heaven.

And as per usual, he screamed all the way home until he fell asleep, woke up, and screamed some more...

 



Here's the Story...

So, I've never needed glasses.

It was kind of a source of pride/rejection for me.

Sure, I was proud to say I'd never needed glasses.

People are always shocked, like I have bionic hearing or something.

But, I also always felt like I was missing out on something.

Obviously, I don't want to be blind, but it would have been nice to have a slight eye imperfection to justify getting some stylish frames.

Besides, people always used to tell me how good I would look with glasses.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago.

I was at church.

We sit in the back.

(We have kids, we're always late)

I couldn't see the hymn numbers!

I asked T if this was normal, and he looked at me, smirked, and said resolutely, 'No.'

This got me thinking.

Besides the mandatory eye exam they make you get before going on a mission, I'd never had an eye exam (if school ones don't count).

That was about 6 years ago or something.

Maybe it was time I scheduled one.

I went in, and first of all, the doctor was completely flabbergasted I had never really had an eye exam (except one).

During that exam, I realized I need glasses. 

At least ones to see things far away (does that make me near-sighted or far-sighted?)

He also told me I have an astigmatism.

I talked to a co-worker of mine who told me that's what happens sometimes when you have children.

So, not only did my kids give me (many) gray hairs, extra rolls in unsightly places, thinner enamel on my teeth (6 cavities last visit), and saggier skin in also unsightly places, but they have also stolen my eye sight!

Admittedly, I am excited about it.

It feels like I'm apart of this once seemingly exclusive club.

I'm not blind, but I now can justify buying those stylish little frames!

And I think they look pretty darn cute on me!

Check me out!

Now, I don't have to wear them all the time, just when I need to see things far away, reading a computer screen, and night driving, so it's perfect for me.

So those you in the glasses club, please welcome your newest member!