There's been things that are worth writing down for memory's sake and I just haven't done it yet. The biggest is that Peter is no longer nursing. I went to Leadership Academy at the end of January and when Peter asked to nurse when I got home, I told they were broken. Tonight was the first time (it's been almost 2 weeks!) that he didn't ask for a nurse. I've been wearing a bra to bed, but the other night I didn't. He crawled in bed and asked for a nurse. I told him they were broken, but he grabbed me and said, "No, they're fixed!' and laughed. That night may have been the last time he's asked actually. The first three days after I got back I didn't really stress about nap time. But, day 3 I did try to put him down for a nap like normal. He was really upset that he couldn't get his nurse. I laid down on the bed like normal, and he got up and pouted. He told him, "I not sleepy. Just nurse!" He left the room and banged around a bit, then pretty soon he was back - naked - and telling me he wanted a nurse. Eventually he came and snuggled up to me -complaining the whole time that he didn't want to go to sleep - and fell asleep. It's gotten better since, but our schedules have been crazy enough that it's not been stressful. The next step is to get him to sleep in his own bed without me laying down with him.
This boy is obsessed with Superman, Captain America, and Batman. He wears his Superman cape every day and will usually say, "I'm Superman!" and then ask who we are - or will ask if we are someone specific. Today we spent the day at the Hales house and tonight when he saw L he said with a grovelly voice, "Because I'm Batman!" It was funny. And later on I was on facebook and JHale's pic came up b/c we were messaging. Peter saw her and said, "I LOVE Sis Hales" over and over. It was sweet.
An incident happened at church tonight with J (two weeks ago it was A :P). Basically him and 2 other boys were left behind. I sent a text to all the YM leaders and the pres responded with great apology. I think J felt bolstered by my championing him. He was pretty upset before. I felt like the issue was pretty much resolved, and then I got a FB msg from his wife saying she thought I was out of line for what I did. I responded with what I hope was a kind response, but unfortunately now I feel there is 'a disturbance in the force.' gossip goes a long way.... But really, why did no one notice three boys were missing?! And if they did, why did they not seek them out?! This is the heart of the issue. And I know that he feels awful about it and I think Jared is over at this point, so as long as they learned from this I'm fine. There's just weirdness now..... ugh.
On another note. I've put myself on Instagram to try and generate new business. I had my first person answer my call to action and join my MIJ group! YAY!!
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
So bad about updates.... :/
The last couple of nights I have had a hard time sleeping. The quiet is too appealing. Tonight I decided I'd make a much needed journal entry.
Matthew:
For a few months was obsessed with family history specifically revolving around his ancestor John William Baugh and figuring out which of the John Williams Baughs were related. In the process, work has been done for several other family members including his wife (whose name I was able to go through the temple for). I had the impression that once her work was done, doors would open enabling John William Baugh's work to be done as well. Indeed it has been so. We went to Utah Memorial Day weekend and on the way back home, Matthew had a dream that his dad was talking to Eliza about her son who died in infancy an the plan of salvation. She was so excited that she could have her son again that she began sharing the gospel with her family. Between Bob and Eliza, the family is being converted and allowing their information to be found and the work done. I don't remember exactly how the dream went, but basically he told Matthew (I think) to not be surprised that he is doing missionary work. It says in his patriarchal blessing that he would be the key to bringing his family to the gospel. When we got home, Matthew pulled out the blessing and found the paragraph referred to. It's pretty exciting.
Matthew has submitted a letter to have Bob's blessings restored. The plan is that Jared will get to be baptized on his behalf.
Jared:
Jared tried out for the Las Vegas Youth Orchestra and was shocked to find out that he made it. After a little deliberation, decided to accept the opportunity. We registered him and got his music last week. I am so proud of the young man he is and is becoming. He finished the year off strong with all As and Bs - even in English where he struggled the most. He accepted his nomination to the STEAM Magnet school next year as well so he could have an opportunity to do band AND computers. It was a heavy decision, but we felt it right.
Signs of growth and hormones are making their debut for him. Zits line his forehead. Occasionally I think his voice even gets a little warbly though I think he's still has a little bit of time before it changes. His pediatrician said he's grown 5 inches this year - 2 of them just since November. His guess is that he'll continue to grow before the summer is over too. He is only an inch shy of 5 feet.
Aaron:
This has been a challenging year for him. He had a teacher who expected him to work and work hard. He has risen to the task for the most part. It was certainly a growing experience for him. He's made some great friends this year though.
He has also grown in height. Both boys got bunk beds in March and Aaron took to his rather well. Peter shares the bottom bunk with him. They make a pretty good team.
Peter:
Oh man. What an interesting child. We went to the ped in March for his checkup and Dr D gave a list of differences between an 18 mo old and a 2 yr old. One of them was walking down the stairs unassisted. It was like he took that as a challenge. That evening when we got back to Mark's house he insisted on going down the stairs by himself and started working on jumping. At this point he can jump. It's fun to watch him get excited about it.
Bunk beds - what a monkey!! Jared taught him to hang on the bars of the top bunk from the bottom bunk. He can hang a nice long time and climb the wall while he's at it. He's got quite the grip! He does pushups and situps for fun.
His vocabulary continues to amaze me. Jared was working with him today on the ABC puzzle and monkey was a favorite. He talks in more intelligible sentences every day. One of his newest favorite phrases is, "mine now" It's cute, but fiesty!
Around March Peter started getting interested in the toilet. For a couple of days he'd tell me when he needed to go and we'd run to the bathroom and he'd go. It passed quickly though and I realized it was a phase. Well, his interest has picked up again and for three days he's been using the potty more and more. He'll even poop! He freaked out a little bit the first time he pooped b/c he'd never really seen it before. It's something that gets wiped up in a diaper while he's told not to touch because it's yucky. He was saying, "Uh oh!" over and over again, but I'd counter it with, "Good job! You just went poop in the potty! YAY!!" I plopped it in the toilet, and we waved good-bye to it as he flushed. So now he tells his poop good bye every time (it's been a total of three times which is pretty awesome since he's been doing this for three days). He is doing amazingly well with the concept and today he even went while we were at the store. Peter loves being able to do things like a big boy. His reward for pottying is a mint candy. Matthew started giving him these mint candies he got at work about a month ago. Peter LOVES them. They come in a little black tin that say Las Vegas on it - kind of like an Altoid tin. Matthew gave him an empty candy tin and every once in a while would put a mint in it. It was totally random, but Peter loved discovering when it was full. Then something happened to the tin and Peter didn't get them anymore. The first time Peter peed in the potty, we offered a mint to him and he got SO excited to have one of Daddy's mints. It's been a charm! I don't know how long he'll keep it up, but we'll go with the flow. We have a few trips planned in the next couple of months. It'll be interesting to see whether we'll be making potty stops for him or if he'll be in diapers at that point still. It'd almost be easier to not be potty trained. But it'll be cheaper for us if he is!
Matthew was gone in March and April and it was my goal to have Peter in his own bed by the time he got back. Well, I did. Mostly. He starts in his bed and makes his way to our room in the middle of the night. Usually about 1:30 am. The transition of Matthew coming back was rough. Peter can be very possessive, and he did not like the fact that Matthew and I share a bed. Yesterday Peter found Matthew in the bedroom and actually curled up on him and went to sleep. This was a first. Tonight he's sleeping for a nice long time too. We'll eventually get to the point where our bed is empty again and we'll all sleep through the night.
Peter really is pretty fun and a light in our home. Sometimes it's hard to imagine how we got along without him.
Me:
I've been serving as the 2nd C in Relief Society. From the time I received the call up until a month or so ago, I had the feeling that I'd be called as the new RS Pres. There was a shift in the feeling, and I'm not sure what caused it, but in the end I was not called. I am however, the new 1st Counselor. It's an interesting position to be the old newbie. I'm grateful for the opportunity to get to know these sisters though. They're pretty great.
I love the summer months with my kids home. So far this one has been challenging though. It's like I turn circles all day and get nothing done b/c everything that is done gets undone in my own wake. I was realizing that the heat of LV is very confining. The boys want to go to the pool all the time, but it is just isn't always practical. We were spoiled by our location in UT where we could just walk out the door and be there whenever we wanted. The boys could go outside and spend all day there too. The heat and the travel to the pool is just something I have a hard time wrapping my head around. This month is passing me by and I feel like nothing is being accomplished. I have this idea in my head of things that need to get done and they aren't happening. Today I realized that there is no down time for me. Today I was really frazzled by 4 pm. Productivity/Accomplishment is a really important part of my day and it just isn't there right now because there are so many people in the house. I need to figure out how to get a routine or expectation in order for the sake of my mental health.
However, we are enjoying some things too. Yesterday I played board games with Jared and today we had a small contest with a game as well. Aaron spends most of his time reading. Jared plays with Peter. These are moments that are precious. I feel like there is some good bonding going on - especially between me and Jared. We had some really rough years, but right now is really good. I'm so grateful for that!
It's 1:30 am. I should probably head to bed. Peter will be awake soon I'm sure.
The last couple of nights I have had a hard time sleeping. The quiet is too appealing. Tonight I decided I'd make a much needed journal entry.
Matthew:
For a few months was obsessed with family history specifically revolving around his ancestor John William Baugh and figuring out which of the John Williams Baughs were related. In the process, work has been done for several other family members including his wife (whose name I was able to go through the temple for). I had the impression that once her work was done, doors would open enabling John William Baugh's work to be done as well. Indeed it has been so. We went to Utah Memorial Day weekend and on the way back home, Matthew had a dream that his dad was talking to Eliza about her son who died in infancy an the plan of salvation. She was so excited that she could have her son again that she began sharing the gospel with her family. Between Bob and Eliza, the family is being converted and allowing their information to be found and the work done. I don't remember exactly how the dream went, but basically he told Matthew (I think) to not be surprised that he is doing missionary work. It says in his patriarchal blessing that he would be the key to bringing his family to the gospel. When we got home, Matthew pulled out the blessing and found the paragraph referred to. It's pretty exciting.
Matthew has submitted a letter to have Bob's blessings restored. The plan is that Jared will get to be baptized on his behalf.
Jared:
Jared tried out for the Las Vegas Youth Orchestra and was shocked to find out that he made it. After a little deliberation, decided to accept the opportunity. We registered him and got his music last week. I am so proud of the young man he is and is becoming. He finished the year off strong with all As and Bs - even in English where he struggled the most. He accepted his nomination to the STEAM Magnet school next year as well so he could have an opportunity to do band AND computers. It was a heavy decision, but we felt it right.
Signs of growth and hormones are making their debut for him. Zits line his forehead. Occasionally I think his voice even gets a little warbly though I think he's still has a little bit of time before it changes. His pediatrician said he's grown 5 inches this year - 2 of them just since November. His guess is that he'll continue to grow before the summer is over too. He is only an inch shy of 5 feet.
Aaron:
This has been a challenging year for him. He had a teacher who expected him to work and work hard. He has risen to the task for the most part. It was certainly a growing experience for him. He's made some great friends this year though.
He has also grown in height. Both boys got bunk beds in March and Aaron took to his rather well. Peter shares the bottom bunk with him. They make a pretty good team.
Peter:
Oh man. What an interesting child. We went to the ped in March for his checkup and Dr D gave a list of differences between an 18 mo old and a 2 yr old. One of them was walking down the stairs unassisted. It was like he took that as a challenge. That evening when we got back to Mark's house he insisted on going down the stairs by himself and started working on jumping. At this point he can jump. It's fun to watch him get excited about it.
Bunk beds - what a monkey!! Jared taught him to hang on the bars of the top bunk from the bottom bunk. He can hang a nice long time and climb the wall while he's at it. He's got quite the grip! He does pushups and situps for fun.
His vocabulary continues to amaze me. Jared was working with him today on the ABC puzzle and monkey was a favorite. He talks in more intelligible sentences every day. One of his newest favorite phrases is, "mine now" It's cute, but fiesty!
Around March Peter started getting interested in the toilet. For a couple of days he'd tell me when he needed to go and we'd run to the bathroom and he'd go. It passed quickly though and I realized it was a phase. Well, his interest has picked up again and for three days he's been using the potty more and more. He'll even poop! He freaked out a little bit the first time he pooped b/c he'd never really seen it before. It's something that gets wiped up in a diaper while he's told not to touch because it's yucky. He was saying, "Uh oh!" over and over again, but I'd counter it with, "Good job! You just went poop in the potty! YAY!!" I plopped it in the toilet, and we waved good-bye to it as he flushed. So now he tells his poop good bye every time (it's been a total of three times which is pretty awesome since he's been doing this for three days). He is doing amazingly well with the concept and today he even went while we were at the store. Peter loves being able to do things like a big boy. His reward for pottying is a mint candy. Matthew started giving him these mint candies he got at work about a month ago. Peter LOVES them. They come in a little black tin that say Las Vegas on it - kind of like an Altoid tin. Matthew gave him an empty candy tin and every once in a while would put a mint in it. It was totally random, but Peter loved discovering when it was full. Then something happened to the tin and Peter didn't get them anymore. The first time Peter peed in the potty, we offered a mint to him and he got SO excited to have one of Daddy's mints. It's been a charm! I don't know how long he'll keep it up, but we'll go with the flow. We have a few trips planned in the next couple of months. It'll be interesting to see whether we'll be making potty stops for him or if he'll be in diapers at that point still. It'd almost be easier to not be potty trained. But it'll be cheaper for us if he is!
Matthew was gone in March and April and it was my goal to have Peter in his own bed by the time he got back. Well, I did. Mostly. He starts in his bed and makes his way to our room in the middle of the night. Usually about 1:30 am. The transition of Matthew coming back was rough. Peter can be very possessive, and he did not like the fact that Matthew and I share a bed. Yesterday Peter found Matthew in the bedroom and actually curled up on him and went to sleep. This was a first. Tonight he's sleeping for a nice long time too. We'll eventually get to the point where our bed is empty again and we'll all sleep through the night.
Peter really is pretty fun and a light in our home. Sometimes it's hard to imagine how we got along without him.
Me:
I've been serving as the 2nd C in Relief Society. From the time I received the call up until a month or so ago, I had the feeling that I'd be called as the new RS Pres. There was a shift in the feeling, and I'm not sure what caused it, but in the end I was not called. I am however, the new 1st Counselor. It's an interesting position to be the old newbie. I'm grateful for the opportunity to get to know these sisters though. They're pretty great.
I love the summer months with my kids home. So far this one has been challenging though. It's like I turn circles all day and get nothing done b/c everything that is done gets undone in my own wake. I was realizing that the heat of LV is very confining. The boys want to go to the pool all the time, but it is just isn't always practical. We were spoiled by our location in UT where we could just walk out the door and be there whenever we wanted. The boys could go outside and spend all day there too. The heat and the travel to the pool is just something I have a hard time wrapping my head around. This month is passing me by and I feel like nothing is being accomplished. I have this idea in my head of things that need to get done and they aren't happening. Today I realized that there is no down time for me. Today I was really frazzled by 4 pm. Productivity/Accomplishment is a really important part of my day and it just isn't there right now because there are so many people in the house. I need to figure out how to get a routine or expectation in order for the sake of my mental health.
However, we are enjoying some things too. Yesterday I played board games with Jared and today we had a small contest with a game as well. Aaron spends most of his time reading. Jared plays with Peter. These are moments that are precious. I feel like there is some good bonding going on - especially between me and Jared. We had some really rough years, but right now is really good. I'm so grateful for that!
It's 1:30 am. I should probably head to bed. Peter will be awake soon I'm sure.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
There's been lots I've wanted to write, but haven't taken the time to do it. I don't have much time right now either, so I'll get straight to my points:
Peter
- becoming more and more articulate. Yesterday Jared said, "Hi, Peter" and he immediately responded with a clear, "Hi, Jared". He'll sign and say 'more' and 'please'. He gives enthusiastic yes's and 'no's and 'mine'.
- becoming more and more opinionated. He has a clear idea of what he wants and doesn't want.
- loves Masha and the Bear and Star Trek Voyager
- loves his back being rubbed. In the wee hours of the morning he wanted to nurse, but I told him I'd rub his back instead. I was able to get him to go back to sleep this way. I was excited that a little bit later when he woke again, I was able to rub his belly with the same results. Eventually he become more insistent, but I was able to hold his hands in the position as if he were nursing to sleep and he slept deeply at that point.
- is a great helper. The other day he spontaneously cleaned up all the toys he'd pulled out. On Thursday he vacuumed along side me and helped me sweep the floor too. He'll put dishes in the sink or hand them to me from the dishwasher. He'll wipe up spills.
- is becoming more independent. He wants to dish himself up at dinner and help make food. The other day he helped me make a batch of muffins. I got the ingredients in the measuring spoons and he dumped them in the bowl and helped stir. He will help me wipe himself when I change his diaper.
- likes things to be in order. We got new puzzles this week and I've allocated a shelf for them at the moment. I put them away on the shelf, and he had to rearrange the order so that they matched the order they were in originally. There was another example of this, but I can't remember at the moment.
Me - I am getting some moles checked out. I originally had an appt tomorrow, but the reviews on the office were so poor it made me nervous and found a different dr. Now I'll need to wait for an extra week. The mole on the right side of my neck has gotten extra itchy and irritated. Other spots on my skins have also started to raise red flags. It's been a bit of a wake up call as I consider the real possibility that it could be cancerous. I've always assumed I'd live longer than Matthew, and thought it was realistic that I'd only have another 15 years with him. This week the thought came, what if it's me instead? What if that is the reason my journals would be so important to my posterity? What if I don't get to watch Peter grow up? It's a sobering thought. I'm two - now three - months back into reading and praying regularly and it has made such a difference. I feel like I'm so much closer to my old self - who I really am. It's been amazing. I was able to be in the temple two weeks in a row thanks to Matthew's encouragement. Tuesdays are supposed to be night off to go to the temple or participate in other activities but only recently have I actually had the night free to go to the temple. The first week was sealings, but I desparately wanted to do an endowment session. It was too full, and I yearned to return soon. Tuesday rolled around, and I remembered I could go again. It was wonderful. Everything was so clear. I realized all the extra stuff is just that. What really matters is the gospel and my family. Now to translate that into action. I want my family to know how much I care. I want them to know I love them. I want us to be together forever. I want my boys to know the Savior. I feel that burning inside that ignites a passion for sharing the gospel. It is reality.
I need to get the boys up for church now, but I want to share about Jared and Aaron too. Hopefully later on today.
Peter
- becoming more and more articulate. Yesterday Jared said, "Hi, Peter" and he immediately responded with a clear, "Hi, Jared". He'll sign and say 'more' and 'please'. He gives enthusiastic yes's and 'no's and 'mine'.
- becoming more and more opinionated. He has a clear idea of what he wants and doesn't want.
- loves Masha and the Bear and Star Trek Voyager
- loves his back being rubbed. In the wee hours of the morning he wanted to nurse, but I told him I'd rub his back instead. I was able to get him to go back to sleep this way. I was excited that a little bit later when he woke again, I was able to rub his belly with the same results. Eventually he become more insistent, but I was able to hold his hands in the position as if he were nursing to sleep and he slept deeply at that point.
- is a great helper. The other day he spontaneously cleaned up all the toys he'd pulled out. On Thursday he vacuumed along side me and helped me sweep the floor too. He'll put dishes in the sink or hand them to me from the dishwasher. He'll wipe up spills.
- is becoming more independent. He wants to dish himself up at dinner and help make food. The other day he helped me make a batch of muffins. I got the ingredients in the measuring spoons and he dumped them in the bowl and helped stir. He will help me wipe himself when I change his diaper.
- likes things to be in order. We got new puzzles this week and I've allocated a shelf for them at the moment. I put them away on the shelf, and he had to rearrange the order so that they matched the order they were in originally. There was another example of this, but I can't remember at the moment.
Me - I am getting some moles checked out. I originally had an appt tomorrow, but the reviews on the office were so poor it made me nervous and found a different dr. Now I'll need to wait for an extra week. The mole on the right side of my neck has gotten extra itchy and irritated. Other spots on my skins have also started to raise red flags. It's been a bit of a wake up call as I consider the real possibility that it could be cancerous. I've always assumed I'd live longer than Matthew, and thought it was realistic that I'd only have another 15 years with him. This week the thought came, what if it's me instead? What if that is the reason my journals would be so important to my posterity? What if I don't get to watch Peter grow up? It's a sobering thought. I'm two - now three - months back into reading and praying regularly and it has made such a difference. I feel like I'm so much closer to my old self - who I really am. It's been amazing. I was able to be in the temple two weeks in a row thanks to Matthew's encouragement. Tuesdays are supposed to be night off to go to the temple or participate in other activities but only recently have I actually had the night free to go to the temple. The first week was sealings, but I desparately wanted to do an endowment session. It was too full, and I yearned to return soon. Tuesday rolled around, and I remembered I could go again. It was wonderful. Everything was so clear. I realized all the extra stuff is just that. What really matters is the gospel and my family. Now to translate that into action. I want my family to know how much I care. I want them to know I love them. I want us to be together forever. I want my boys to know the Savior. I feel that burning inside that ignites a passion for sharing the gospel. It is reality.
I need to get the boys up for church now, but I want to share about Jared and Aaron too. Hopefully later on today.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
I'm planning on making a trip to Dollar Tree today. The odds of me actually being pregnant are pretty slim, but Sunday I was peeing a lot and started feeling nauseous. Every day since I've struggled with feeling yucky. Aaron has been feeling yucky too over the last couple of weeks so there is a chance it is just a bug going around, but I also feel crampy. General Conference weekend Aaron colored a "family" picture from his packet that had four children in it. He said the youngest was a baby sister. When questioned, he said it was "if" but he's been pretty right on with the last couple of pregnancies so we'll see.
Peter is growing and developing like crazy. He is so much fun and so cute!! He's speaking in sentences though we can't tell what all the words are. Ball, water, more, mama, dada, Jared and Aaron are all words we here often.
If I'm going to DT guess I better get going. I only have a little bit of time before school is out.
Peter is growing and developing like crazy. He is so much fun and so cute!! He's speaking in sentences though we can't tell what all the words are. Ball, water, more, mama, dada, Jared and Aaron are all words we here often.
If I'm going to DT guess I better get going. I only have a little bit of time before school is out.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Peter is almost completely walking. The last two days he's claimed a pair of too big shoes for him to use as well. He was almost as excited about wearing shoes as Aaron was. His mouth is almost completely full of teeth. He has one molar and possibly three more front teeth coming through. The morning after coming back from Vegas, he was so excited to see Aaron. He was rubbing his back and hair and saying "Nanan." I think it was pretty clear the distinction between Aaron and Jared now. It was sweet.
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Peter is officially a toddler. Today he is 13 months and he's been toddling around for two weeks. He's also grown two more teeth: the fourth front bottom and one on the opposite side in the back. Isn't it too early for molars?!
Sunday seemed like a light switch went off and all of a sudden he was communicating more clearly and just seemed more with it in general. He signed and said, 'done' for the first time and was saying, "dad, dad" and reaching for Matthew. I've come to understand that his sign for 'water' is more of a universal sign for wanting food or drink. He'll stand in the fridge now and choose items out. He'll shake his head 'no' when he really doesn't want something. He'll wave and say, 'bye-bye'. The other morning he woke up and was upset when I wanted to get him dressed and change his diaper right away. He fought me and pointed out of the room and made some sounds that made me think he wanted to go see the boys. Sure enough, that was what he wanted. I took him to see Jared and Aaron and then he was fine and cooperated. He has a word for both of them, but I can't ever tell which one it is because they sound very similar.
Jared introduced him to "the Doodle" as we call it. It's that magnetic board you can draw on. He loves it. He can spend quite a bit of time with it just doodling. He holds the pen like he knows what he's doing and is quite intense. It'll be interesting to watch this develop.
Sunday seemed like a light switch went off and all of a sudden he was communicating more clearly and just seemed more with it in general. He signed and said, 'done' for the first time and was saying, "dad, dad" and reaching for Matthew. I've come to understand that his sign for 'water' is more of a universal sign for wanting food or drink. He'll stand in the fridge now and choose items out. He'll shake his head 'no' when he really doesn't want something. He'll wave and say, 'bye-bye'. The other morning he woke up and was upset when I wanted to get him dressed and change his diaper right away. He fought me and pointed out of the room and made some sounds that made me think he wanted to go see the boys. Sure enough, that was what he wanted. I took him to see Jared and Aaron and then he was fine and cooperated. He has a word for both of them, but I can't ever tell which one it is because they sound very similar.
Jared introduced him to "the Doodle" as we call it. It's that magnetic board you can draw on. He loves it. He can spend quite a bit of time with it just doodling. He holds the pen like he knows what he's doing and is quite intense. It'll be interesting to watch this develop.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
I am not doing well at keeping up with my blog :P Hard to believe last year I was writing almost daily. Life with a baby certainly has changed things around here. Everything seems to take so much more effort :P But I wouldn't change it for anything. There's a lot of love and enjoyment centered around that little boy.
Summer is here, and it looks very different from last year. For one, the pool by our apartment was plowed under and a dog park is replacing it. Poo. Literally.... At the moment there is only one pool open and it is up by the leasing office. It takes so much more effort to get there than it did when we could just step out our side yard and be there. Carting a baby around and all his trappings make it that much more of an ordeal. I did finally get to do free time in the pool the other day b/c he was still asleep in the car seat when we got there. I was honestly a bit grouchy with the boys in an effort to get them to move quicker so I could actually get some swim time. I got a few laps in before Peter started complaining enough I had to get out.
I've been taking a tot and me swim class the last two weeks. Peter loves the water. He has no fear. The class has been good though that little guy is showing his strong will already. We have a basic routine that is being added to with each class. Last week the child was to sit on the edge of the pool and wait while the parent is a few steps away counting to five. After the five counts, we approach the child, say their name, and tell them it is ok to get in the water. Well, Mr. 11 months old was having a hard time with that concept (of course. ) But he is a smart one and quickly realized that if I wasn't going to let him in the water, he'd just take off the other way. Pretty soon he was crawling away from the pool and giggling the whole way!! I've been trying to apply the principle in other areas too - namely being on the bed. I think (hope) it is starting to work b/c twice now while I've been in the shower he's cried and complained like normal, but then by the time I get out he's just laying on the edge of the bed waiting patiently. This first time he did it I was quite surprised and pleased. Progress, I hope.
The first day of summer I did my walk as usual while the boys rode their bikes. I'm not sure what happened, but it wore me out! Seems every effort I make to exercise this summer has given me the same result. So, I haven't done my routine walk since. We hiked Neff's Canyon Trail with one of Matthew's college room mates a week ago. It was just about the right climb for me, but it wiped me out for days and my calves were so sore!! It was a beautiful place though. I had to descend early to find some facilities, but while I was gone Aaron had a run-in with a coiled snake. Thankfully he was
safe. He'd said that it hissed at him, but my guess is that it was a rattle he heard.
Matthew signed himself and the boys up for a triathlon to be completed this coming weekend. This month has zoomed by, but when he registered them it seemed so far away. And now here we are, the week of the competition. The boys have worked hard running, biking, and some swimming. Aaron really has no swimming skills, so Matthew spent some time teaching him how to float and do the frog stroke. Hopefully that will help some. Thankfully I was able to register them for swim lessons starting this week too. I hope he can make some good progress between now and Friday. Jared is mostly concerned about the run, but everytime they've done a run, he's walked. So, he should be worried. He'll be awesome on the bike though. Aaron gives his whole heart to the process.
Last year for my birthday I was obsessed with getting a bike and that was to be my present. I never really found one. Well, I did this year - at Good Will for $20. I found a bike for Aaron too so everyone would have one for the Triathlon. Aaron's needed a few tweaks, but for $6 it was worth it. Well, Jared took my bike for a ride, played with all the gears and has basically claimed it as his own. It was so funny when he got back on his previously preferred red bike. He claimed someone shrank it. We've been trying to tell him he was getting to big for it, but it wasn't until he rode a bigger bike that he believed us. So, now I am once again without a bike. Oh well. It is a pretty sweet bike.
My birthday also brought dairy back into my life. So far Peter seems to be handling it well. I need to do better about exercising control, but it is good and weird to be free to eat cheese again. I have done pretty well to maintain my weight since the end of the contest. Since my birthday I've fluctuated a few pounds but still done pretty well to maintain - not bad for three months of staying the same.
Our lease was up in April and we debated what to do. Months before that when we were trying to figure things out, the answer I received was "stay." Ultimately that it was we did despite an apartment opening up (right across from THE pool) that we really liked and wanted. At this point I am grateful because we will only need to move once this year now (which was part of the reasoning for not moving). Matthew had applied for the AGR program (full time military position) earlier in the year. He was told that if he could get unflagged for his PT, they would have a position for him. In the meantime, he got hired on as a civilian for a local unit. He was able to pass his PT test recently and his flag was removed, enabling him to be hired on as AGR. We knew it was coming but had no idea when. We hoped the timing would work out that his year of probation in his civilian job would end before he was given an AGR assignment. We've had these balls in the air wondering when they would land and what the plan would be, but it was all speculation. The balls finally began landing over the last few weeks. At the end of May he found out his civilian position was being dissolved. Boo. However, he was being transferred back to the unit he left, just not as a paralegal. The change is good because he is no longer doing the work of five people, but the work of one. He only has to wear the UA hat. yay! It also helps that he knows all the office staff and they know him. He started his new position on Monday.
Ironically, the Wed before that he got the AGR call. The offer is in Las Vegas and not as a paralegal. He accepted the assignment and the ball has not only landed but is rolling steadily that direction. They have told him that he can expect orders about July 10th with a tentative start date of July 31st. So, the rest of this summer is a balance of enjoying the last bits of UT and preparing for our next adventure.
Summer is here, and it looks very different from last year. For one, the pool by our apartment was plowed under and a dog park is replacing it. Poo. Literally.... At the moment there is only one pool open and it is up by the leasing office. It takes so much more effort to get there than it did when we could just step out our side yard and be there. Carting a baby around and all his trappings make it that much more of an ordeal. I did finally get to do free time in the pool the other day b/c he was still asleep in the car seat when we got there. I was honestly a bit grouchy with the boys in an effort to get them to move quicker so I could actually get some swim time. I got a few laps in before Peter started complaining enough I had to get out.
I've been taking a tot and me swim class the last two weeks. Peter loves the water. He has no fear. The class has been good though that little guy is showing his strong will already. We have a basic routine that is being added to with each class. Last week the child was to sit on the edge of the pool and wait while the parent is a few steps away counting to five. After the five counts, we approach the child, say their name, and tell them it is ok to get in the water. Well, Mr. 11 months old was having a hard time with that concept (of course. ) But he is a smart one and quickly realized that if I wasn't going to let him in the water, he'd just take off the other way. Pretty soon he was crawling away from the pool and giggling the whole way!! I've been trying to apply the principle in other areas too - namely being on the bed. I think (hope) it is starting to work b/c twice now while I've been in the shower he's cried and complained like normal, but then by the time I get out he's just laying on the edge of the bed waiting patiently. This first time he did it I was quite surprised and pleased. Progress, I hope.
The first day of summer I did my walk as usual while the boys rode their bikes. I'm not sure what happened, but it wore me out! Seems every effort I make to exercise this summer has given me the same result. So, I haven't done my routine walk since. We hiked Neff's Canyon Trail with one of Matthew's college room mates a week ago. It was just about the right climb for me, but it wiped me out for days and my calves were so sore!! It was a beautiful place though. I had to descend early to find some facilities, but while I was gone Aaron had a run-in with a coiled snake. Thankfully he was
safe. He'd said that it hissed at him, but my guess is that it was a rattle he heard.
Matthew signed himself and the boys up for a triathlon to be completed this coming weekend. This month has zoomed by, but when he registered them it seemed so far away. And now here we are, the week of the competition. The boys have worked hard running, biking, and some swimming. Aaron really has no swimming skills, so Matthew spent some time teaching him how to float and do the frog stroke. Hopefully that will help some. Thankfully I was able to register them for swim lessons starting this week too. I hope he can make some good progress between now and Friday. Jared is mostly concerned about the run, but everytime they've done a run, he's walked. So, he should be worried. He'll be awesome on the bike though. Aaron gives his whole heart to the process.
Last year for my birthday I was obsessed with getting a bike and that was to be my present. I never really found one. Well, I did this year - at Good Will for $20. I found a bike for Aaron too so everyone would have one for the Triathlon. Aaron's needed a few tweaks, but for $6 it was worth it. Well, Jared took my bike for a ride, played with all the gears and has basically claimed it as his own. It was so funny when he got back on his previously preferred red bike. He claimed someone shrank it. We've been trying to tell him he was getting to big for it, but it wasn't until he rode a bigger bike that he believed us. So, now I am once again without a bike. Oh well. It is a pretty sweet bike.
My birthday also brought dairy back into my life. So far Peter seems to be handling it well. I need to do better about exercising control, but it is good and weird to be free to eat cheese again. I have done pretty well to maintain my weight since the end of the contest. Since my birthday I've fluctuated a few pounds but still done pretty well to maintain - not bad for three months of staying the same.
Our lease was up in April and we debated what to do. Months before that when we were trying to figure things out, the answer I received was "stay." Ultimately that it was we did despite an apartment opening up (right across from THE pool) that we really liked and wanted. At this point I am grateful because we will only need to move once this year now (which was part of the reasoning for not moving). Matthew had applied for the AGR program (full time military position) earlier in the year. He was told that if he could get unflagged for his PT, they would have a position for him. In the meantime, he got hired on as a civilian for a local unit. He was able to pass his PT test recently and his flag was removed, enabling him to be hired on as AGR. We knew it was coming but had no idea when. We hoped the timing would work out that his year of probation in his civilian job would end before he was given an AGR assignment. We've had these balls in the air wondering when they would land and what the plan would be, but it was all speculation. The balls finally began landing over the last few weeks. At the end of May he found out his civilian position was being dissolved. Boo. However, he was being transferred back to the unit he left, just not as a paralegal. The change is good because he is no longer doing the work of five people, but the work of one. He only has to wear the UA hat. yay! It also helps that he knows all the office staff and they know him. He started his new position on Monday.
Ironically, the Wed before that he got the AGR call. The offer is in Las Vegas and not as a paralegal. He accepted the assignment and the ball has not only landed but is rolling steadily that direction. They have told him that he can expect orders about July 10th with a tentative start date of July 31st. So, the rest of this summer is a balance of enjoying the last bits of UT and preparing for our next adventure.
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