Random Stuff

I had a request to post a video of Kyle and all the things he's doing lately. So, I heard him up in his room this morning, playing. When I saw "playing," it usually means emptying drawers, knocking over his hamper, and pulling the blankets out of his crib. When I went up there, in addition to those other things, I actually found him spinning around and doing some of his recent tricks. Of course, as soon as I got the camera, he just wanted to come sit on my lap.

So, here is a video of Kyle, just so those of you who don't get to see him everyday can watch a minute of his morning. He starts off by bringing me my makeup bag, which I was on the way to put away when I thought I would have a chance to capture him 'en vivo.' Then, every time I try to pull his binky out, he puts it back into his mouth. This seems to be a new thing, like HE is the one that doesn't want to be without it. He tries to walk backwards, but falls, tripping over my makeup bag. He also backs up and sits down on my lap, twice. Sorry you end up seeing so much of the back of his head. It's nothing amazing or anything, just a chance for his grandparents to see him walking around. I will continue to have the camera ready, trying to capture something more noteworthy.

In other random stuff news, I FINALLY organized the garage today!!!! It was that one thing on my list that I kept putting off. Everyday brought a new excuse. I needed shelving and some containers to replace the ones that cracked in the move, but conveniently hadn't made it to the store. I didn't think I'd have enough time to get it all done during Kyle's naptime. Plus, who wants to go work in the garage in the middle of a hot, humid, Miami day? So, I finally took a "big girl pill" today. Stephen went to the store to help me with the shelving, which I put together MYSELF! Kyle took a long nap, and I was able to get everything orgazined in about an hour! The last cluttered strong-hold in my house is officially conquered!

Miami Doesn't Have "Fall."

Stephen informed me that my other fall background wasn't appropriate for our new surroundings. There aren't seasons in Miami. We don't have changing leaves. The more I thought about it, he's totally right. I should just leave the tropical ocean/sand background up all the time, but I'm the type of person who needs a change every now-and-then. I think the pumpkins are a better representation of some part of autumn that we can actually claim to have.

Hurricane Kyle

From the moment we left our door in Midland, it seems we've been faced with the wind and rains from one storm to the next. Whether it was Tropical Storm Edouard, downpours all the way to Miami, Tropical Storm Fay right after we got here, threats of being hit by Gustav, Hanna, and Ike, it seems like we are on constant storm-watch.

At the beginning of the hurricane season, we knew that if there were enough storms to reach the letter "k," the name of the storm would be "Kyle." So, of course, I've been waiting and wondering and preparing to post something clever about the storm when it was coming. You know, something about MY Kyle's path of destruction and the mess left behind and the cleanup efforts. I just knew my local news and their "all-weather-all-the-time" attitudes would keep me informed and updated. Apparently, they only do that if there is a possibility that a storm will come to our area.

That's right. There's been a storm named "Kyle" out there for several days now. Actually, by now it's not even a threat at all...it probably won't even be classified as a "hurricane," although at one point, it was. Now, they're on to the new storm-a-brewing. So, there you have it. My hopes of using some clever creative writing to compare my son with a natural destructive force have come and gone. The window of opportunity has vanished in the wind, literally! ;)



I guess he doesn't need a hurricane named after him to still make a mess. (I think we may even have to claim two dead....Elmo and the Aggie Bear!):

God Answers Prayers

I know our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers, even those of little old me. There have been so many times in my life where I have been able to look back and see God's hand in shaping my experiences. In the past few weeks, there have been two specific concerns of mine that have been truly answered and I feel so grateful and blessed.

First, I was struggling with some frustrations and some concerns in relation to some people I know....some things said and not said and questions over reactions to things. I am not the type of person to just sit and stew over it without knowing the truth, and I was praying over how to proceed and feel at peace. I asked Stephen about what he thought I should do and what he thought about all of it. He thought everything would be fine, but if I really needed to talk to the person about it, I should. I didn't do anything right away, but just kept praying about it and contemplating the best thing to do. Then, the most incredible thing happened....I received a phone call, and the conversation answered so many of my former concerns and helped put me at peace!

Also, this week I have been really trying to figure out how I'm going to meet people, get more involved, make some friends, and find something to do to get out of the house. I am NOT outgoing, and it's a real struggle for me to step out of my comfort zone. I have really been trying to figure out how to solve this. Well, today at church, my prayers were answered! I met Raime, who came up to me and told me that our pregnancy experiences sounded the same. (I mentioned a little bit about that in my talk last Sunday.) She has a 10-month old and only lives about a mile from us. We are planning on doing something this week! A little while later, Michelle came up and talked to me and told me that there are a few ladies who get together on Thursday mornings for a play group. She got my number and told me she'd call to tell me about this week. Then, I met a couple (Tiffany and Scott) who just moved here a week ago from Utah. They have a 14-month-old who could almost be Kyle's twin....they're the same size, both very busy/active, almost no hair, and they were wearing almost the same outfits! (The picture of Kyle up above is without his pants/shoes. If he had those on, it would be about what we had at church.) Anyway, she was asking her husband about the same thing this week (things to do/friends), and I got her number and told her about the play group! Hopefully it will all work out and we'll get together on Thursday.

Okay, so these aren't life-and-death concerns, but are important to me. Being able to witness these answers to my small prayers is a faith-building experience that lets me know that our Heavenly Father knows me and knows the things that I need in my day-to-day experiences. He is willing to bless me and allow me to feel at peace. How grateful I am to be so blessed!

Dishes

After taking his evening bath and getting ready for bed, Kyle decided to help me with the dishes. Just check out his crazy hair!



He even knows how to turn it on!

P.S. Can you believe that Aggies actually won a home game? I wasn't sure if it was going to happen this season.

At the Playground

Kyle and I both needed to get out of the house and breath some fresh air today. (Maybe that will help us both sleep well tonight.) After Stephen went to his evening class, we decided to take a walk around the pond and over to the playground. Kyle had a great time climbing the steps...


.....going up and down the slides....



.......playing in the sand (and eating a little)....

.....and playing chase with his mom.


He had a pretty rough morning, as far as attitude goes, but after we got back from our outdoor adventure, he couldn't have been any better! Maybe we need to schedule some outdoor time every day!

A Small Miracle

Two days ago, something happened to me that hasn't happened in years. I woke up without my alarm, perfectly rested, after a full night's sleep. What a GREAT way to start a day! I realized that I hadn't woken up at all that night.....not to pee or for Kyle or because of snoring! I didn't have to wake up to an alarm yelling at me to get up for work. There was no crying interrupting my dreams. I simply woke up.

I guess that was just a small "tender mercy," something to cling to when reality hit the next night and last night. Kyle hasn't been sleeping well. On a good night, he wakes up around 5:00, but doesn't really want to go back to sleep. Lately, he's been up sometime around 2:00 a.m. I get up with him and get him back to sleep, only for him to wake up again, sometime around 5:00. I usually end up falling asleep on the couch with him, which does NOT a restful slumber make.

Oh, how I miss being able to count on a eight hours!!! I am a person who doesn't function properly without being able to sleep. So, if you find me roaming around the streets in a daze, unsure of who or where I am, you can bet that I haven't been meeting my full quota of Zzzz's.

Before & After & Before

Today was a day for haircuts, except for Kyle. Stephen has found a cool little barber shop, that does a fast, good job for only a dollar more than his barber shop in Midland. I, on the other hand, am not so sure I've found the salon I will continue to visit. It's hard to find a good place here just by looking in the yellow pages or online. You never know if they speak English in there, or actually do more than just weaves and hair extensions. The only way to know is to drive up, call, and take a chance.
After driving around the neighborhood and getting a list of about 5 places, I called them all when we got home. There was only one place where the phone was answered in English, so that was the place where I decided to start. They had an opening for today, so I took. it. It's just hair, right? It can grow back.
When I arrived at the salon, the girl I made the appointment with was backed-up, so she asked if I would mind having Maria do my hair. Maria was nice....at least I think she was being nice. It was hard to understand since most of what I got was Spanglish. I never really know how I want to be done. That's why I like to talk to my stylist before-hand. She's the expert, right, so she knows more than I do and should have some input on what would look good. That really wasn't going to happen today, but I basically said I wanted it shorter but not TOO short. I'm pretty happy with it, but think I may keep looking around. Here's the before and after pictures from today.



As far as the "other" before picture, I was going through my email inbox, deleting old emails, and found an email from my birthday 2 years ago. My teaching compadres threw me a surprise party up at school. We had so much fun and food, and this was the "last supper," of sorts, before I started Weight Watchers...the FIRST time. The day after this party, I went to my first meeting. I lost almost 30 pounds and then found out I was pregnant. I put it all back on during the pregnancy. After Kyle was born, I started again and am now at my goal weight. Anyway, I thought it was interesting that I'm wearing a pink shirt and the same necklace in this picture. This is a true "before" picture on my Weight Watchers journey. It helps remind me why I'm doing what I'm doing. I want to maintain my weight loss efforts!

Temper, Temper

Kyle has a little bruise on his head:


I'm sure you can all picture many, many events which could have led to this injury, but I'll go ahead and tell you the story, since he told the whole thing to me..........He was standing on the toilet, and he was hanging a clock, and he fell and hit his head on the sink. That's when he came up with the idea for the Flux Capacitor, which.....is what makes time travel possible.

If only that were the truth! The true reason Kyle's head is bruised up is that he has a short fuse. If he gets mad, he bangs his head against different surfaces....the couch, the coffee table, the wall, the carpet. This time, he found out the hard way (literally) that his head and the kitchen tile are NOT compatible. So, there you have it. My child is stubborn, doesn't have much patience, and is easily frustrated. As Stephen says, "He may look like me, but he ACTS like you!" I think all this head-banging may be slowly canceling out his chances of being a prodigy! At least he's "hard-headed!"

First Day of Fall

Maybe fall "fell" where you are, but it was just another mid-90's day today in "Sunny South Florida." I don't think we really have seasons, other than hurricane/not hurricane.

Here's a couple of today's pictures of Kyle.

1. Laid back!

2. Caught off guard.

3. Posing for the camera.

4. Clapping.

5. Flexing, as "The Hulk."

A good story for the day:
I went into the nearest AT&T wireless store because my cell phone is acting up....it may be trying to give me the warning signs of a meltdown. I walked in and there are only 2 sales stations; both are occupied. There is one family before me in line, so I'm not too worried. I decide to look around at phones and try to get a good idea of what I want, so once I actually get some help, the process will go quicker.

I soon began to notice that I was going to be waiting MUCH longer than anticipated. The customer in the back was going ON and ON about phone problems and problems with the economy and who knows what else....just shooting the breeze when there are other people waiting. He kept coming up with other things to add to his order, just when I thought he was done. Thankfully, after about 20 minutes, he finished up and I was next in line, as soon as the other counter opened up.

It didn't really matter because the lady at that front counter wasn't going anywhere for A LONG TIME! She barely knew where she was, let alone how to change a cell phone plan (If you've ever seen the Seinfeld episodes, featuring Jerry's parents in Florida, or "Del Boca Vista," you know EXACTLY the type of person I'm about to describe.) We'll just call her "Old Bag-of-Bones-Snow-Bird-New-Yorker-who-came-to-Florida-early-this-Year." I just really don't think certain people should be allowed to own cell phones or any modern electronic device, for that matter. Sadly, she already was given permission to operate one by Sprint. She was trying to switch her plan to AT&T. When I first walked in, the salesperson had all these pamphlets and phones sprawled out on the desk, obviously having to go over EVERY detail with the woman. In the time I was waiting, she called her husband's assistant/care taker FOUR times to ask various questions....
"Gloria? Is Richard there? Put him on the phone. Richard? Are you happy with your phone?"
"Which phone?"
"Your MOBEEEL." (she meant "mobile" or "cell" but called it "mobeeeel," for some reason.)
"Yes. I'm happy with it."
"Well, I'm down at the AT&T and I'm going to switch mine. Do you want me to switch yours?"
"I'm already with AT&T."
"No you're not."
"When I open the phone, it says 'AT&T'."
"That's just because that's where you bought the phone."
"No. I get the bill. It's AT&T."
"Okay. Bye."

(You may be wondering how I know the entire conversation. Well, every time she called anyone, she left it on the LOUDEST setting of SPEAKER! Who does that in public?)

So, then she wants to change her phone from Sprint, but she wants to PICK her number, one that's "easy." If it's not easy, she wants to keep her other number, since all her friends and family know that one. So, he tries to explain that she can't choose her number, that the system gives her a number from the available ones for the day. Of course she's not happy with it, even though it's so easy I STILL remember it! (954)494-8494. Is that not an easy number? She's crazy. And rude.

She just decides to keep her old number, so the salesman starts to sign her up. Then, she changes her mind and wants to look at the plans again! She's going out of town tomorrow and just needs a phone and wants the CHEAPEST plan. But, she has the salesman explain the details of ALL the plans. After each one, she jots down the info and pulls out her abacus to calculate how many hours she can talk per month. She puts in another call to Gloria and thinks she has a plan. Surely, they're almost done.

The salesman has already gone through all the system to set her up and she changes her mind AGAIN! She doesn't want to do her own plan...she wants to just sign up on her "husband's bill." The salesman explains that if they want to do that, she has to be with her husband. It's his plan, so he has to add her. Here comes another call to Gloria to find the "mobeeel" bill. (I guess she thinks that if she has the bill on the other side of the phone, she has the power to change another person's plan.) By this time, the salesman has to call a corporate office to delete the previous set-up and clear it out so he could start over. He kept looking over at me, like I could offer an escape from his current cell phone hell.

Thankfully, it was now my turn. I had already waited 40 minutes, but was finally going to get my new cell phone! My salesman logged on to look up my account and see if I am eligible for an upgrade. He asks my phone number. He doesn't recognize the area code. He asks where it's from. It's out of his area and he can't access it. He tells me that I have to go to a national store to get anything done.

So, there you have it. 45 minutes of my life, wasted. Maybe "Old Bag-of-Bones-Snow-Bird-New-Yorker-who-came-to-Florida-early-this-Year" finally got what she wanted out of her new "mobeel." I'll never know, since I was out the door while she was still on speaker phone.

Sunday Update

Stephen and I both had the opportunity to speak in church today. Usually when new people move into a ward, they are asked to speak, as a way for the congregation to get to know them better. I talked about making our prayers more meaningful and he chose to focus on the power of prayer. I think we both did a fantastic job!

I also got asked to serve as the Compassionate Service Coordinator for our ward. Basically, I get to organize service (visits, meals, other help) that we give to people who are sick or need of help after having a baby or suffering a loss. Even though I've never done this before, I look forward to the opportunity and think it will help me to get to know more of the women of the ward.

One of my new friends, Tina, made us some homemade wheat bread today! What a nice surprise....and fabulous! (She and her husband also volunteered to watch Kyle while we spoke.) When we got home from church, we all had a nice snack of bread, and then Kyle got busy reading. Overall, it's been a pretty good day!

A&M vs. Miami

It's another game day, and we had a good time watching A&M play Miami. Things were looking up on the first snap of the game when we scored a 62-yard touchdown. There was much rejoicing around here and kisses all around....Kyle loved that! The Aggies took the lead on the first drive for the first time and for the last time in the game, sadly. It was all downhill from there. We didn't have high hopes going in, so we were just glad to get to watch our Aggies on tv.

Part of the fun was trying to keep Kyle entertained during the game. For some reason, he just doesn't want to sit still and watch an entire football game. (Imagine that!) He got out all his favorite books, and somewhere in the mix found a sticker color and learn book. It has over 100 stickers that match with the word (in English AND Spanish) and a picture that can be colored. I tried to get Kyle to help me put the stickers on, but I think he's a little too young. Once I got started, I didn't want to stop! I sure had fun putting all the stickers on the right pages, and Kyle had fun playing with the scraps! It's amazing what can keep them busy!

Swimming

Stephen has only a few more Thursdays off before he starts going to the hospital, so we planned to use this week's Thursday to go swimming. We put on swimsuits and sunscreen, got the towels out, put Kyle in the stroller, opened the door, and.........it started to rain!!!!

Against Kyle's wishes, we went back inside and decided to eat lunch, let Kyle take a nap, and wait a few hours. Thankfully, the weather cleared up and we were able to get in a swim in the sunshine, after all. Before getting in the water, we made sure to shower. I think Kyle enjoyed that more than the pool!

Then, he posed for a couple of pool-side photos.


He also spent a lot of time walking around the pool, looking for leaves to pick and throw in the water. Once he gets in the water, he loves it, but he's so busy and curious about everything. He doesn't waste too much time JUST hanging out in the water. There's more to explore on the outside, as well.

14 Months Old

It's that time of month, again, when we celebrate Kyle getting older. He is now one year and two months old! He didn't have the greatest day today...lots of crying and carrying-on. That's okay. Everyone is entitled to a bad day, every once-in-a-while.

He does seem like he's growing up. We notice new things he's learning everyday. He can understand so much of what we tell him, and can even communicate a few things back to us! He is also starting to drink from his own water bottle. (Yeah, the sippy cup thing still isn't going so well! Maybe he'll just skip that step!)


We so much enjoy each new day with this boy, even if it happens to be a gloomy one, like today!

Ohhhh Nooooooooooooo!

Most of you (especially Auntie Deb!) probably remember Mr. Bill. He is most famous for his appearances on Saturday Night Live. Each Mr. Bill episode would start out like any normal day, but he somehow always got involved in dangerous adventures. The violence usually resulted in Mr. Bill being crushed or dismembered, while squealing, "Ohhhh noooooooooo!!!"


I think we need to name Kyle's sock dog "Mr. Bill." Kyle keeps trying to end the sock dog's life in various ways. This morning I found the sock dog version of "Mr. Bill" thrown across the room. Kyle must have catapulted the poor thing out of the crib. Our "Mr. Bill" has been tossed down 2 flights of stairs. He's been stuffed in the laundry basket. Kyle can be found sitting on "Mr. Bill's" head or giving him a "body slam." Today, Kyle attempted a new level of violence. He tried to drown our "Mr. Bill" in the toilet!!!!


Luckily, I was able to stop the violence before it was too late! Just look at this face, right after I told me NO!

We're Back!

We made it back to Miami! It's good to be home and back with Stephen! Now it's time to catch up on posting about what we've been up to over the last 5 days.

Today's flight was MUCH better than Thursday's. We had a direct flight, even though we had to make 2 stops. Kyle slept, played, and cried, but we made it, even a little bit early! (While we were waiting for the flight, Kyle LOVED playing with the wheelchairs and getting to explore the practically empty airport.)


I'm glad another day of flying is over, and look forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight!

Four Generations

Before Granna and Jules had to leave on Monday, we got the four generations together for a picture. Then, we shed a few tears and waved goodbye. It was a short visit, but a good one.


Shortly after they left, Kyle got back to business....TOYS!

Then, we were off to school. Kyle and I met up with Michele and Rhonda for a reunion lunch at Jane Long. How fun it was to see so many of my former co-workers and WITHOUT having to return to work! Also, the looks on my former students' faces when I walked into their classrooms to say hello were priceless. My visit was so unexpected, but me being there seemed to really make their day! They were my favorite group of students, so it was really special to get to visit with them.
Michele planned a traditional lunch of salads from Pizzaria Venti and Route 44 Sonic drinks. We had a fun time catching up and reminiscing. While we were eating, my Red Raider, 4th grade teacher friend stopped in to say hello. Kyle, as if to send a little message, quickly popped his A&M binky in his mouth! I'm so glad we got to go to school, but didn't have to stay. (Although, a "help wanted" sign on the front door was tempting. They need a lunch monitor. Should we move back to Midland for this great opportunity?)

Party "Princess?"

After church on Sunday, Auntie Deb opened all her cards and presents. We all had some great laughs, but we were laughing with her, not at her. Kyle was so caught up in the spirit of the festivities that he donned the birthday crown and tossed confetti in Auntie Deb's honor.