A Decade

Happy anniversary to us! I can't believe Stephen and I have been married for ten years. It's amazing how time flies. I've now been married for 1/3 of my life, and it's definitely been the best third yet.

Before Stephen and I were married, we both wrote letters to each other to be read the morning of our wedding. It sure was fun to pull those out today and have memories flooding back.

May 31, 2000....
To Mel:
"...You are the light of my world and you give me reasons behind life, my true self, and what happiness really is. I want to love you, help you, take care of you, and please you....Mel, we will be happy together. You are my queen, my love, and the most beautiful girl in the world..."

To Stephen:
"...I have always felt like I belong with you and was so comfortable to share any thoughts and feelings with you. I guess you explain that as a feeling of home...I love you, Stephen. I miss you when you're not near. I laugh and smile in your presence. I love to see you happy, and I see myself happy loving you. You truly are my best friend and there is no one else I'd rather come home to...."


Our wedding day was a wonderful day. I wish I could remember more about the ceremony and the words that were said. Mostly I just remember feeling beautiful, special, and being truly happy. Much of that day is a blur as I think back to it, but the most important thing was that we were starting the rest of our lives and eternity together.

May 31, 2010....
My life has not turned out exactly as expected, but that is what has made it so wonderful. We've had trials and blessings that I never could have foreseen, which have made us stronger and our lives that much richer. Ten years ago, many people thought we were crazy--crazy to get married while we were both in school, crazy that we were engaged after not dating very long, unsure if we were the right people for each other. A decade later, we've proven the naysayers wrong. We finished school. (And one of us kept on going and will finish again--for the last time-- this year.) We're happy and still in love and make each other better people by being together.

(This photo is NOT from today, but is the most recent one of us together and NOT in the hosptial right after Ryan was born.)

I'm so happy to have been together for 10 years, and I'm REALLY looking forward to celebrating where we are for #11!

Sunday Edition

Another Sunday, another report.

Stephen is in Houston for a quick trip to spend time with his family and attend Claire's baby blessing at church. That means it was another Daddy-less Sunday for me and the boys. After a wonderful week last week, I was prepared for Kyle to take a step or two in the opposite direction. I wasn't disappointed. It was a rough day in nursery for several kids, Kyle one of them. I walked up to him having a time-out in the hall, and decided to go in to offer some help. I think there was just something in the air today. Kyle did turn himself around and was very good in sacrament meeting. I'd say he was batting .500 for the day, which is not bad at all. It will be nice to have Daddy back at church again. Wait, I think he has another weekend at the hospital soon.....

Ryan was practically perfect, but church behavior isn't his issue at this stage in life. He's more rowdy in the early morning hours. I was so happy to get him back to sleep this morning. He looked so sweet and adorable at 4:00 a.m., and I just had to take a picture.


To end on a positive note, there have been some highlights for both boys this week. Ryan started rolling from front to back this week. He doesn't like being on his tummy. I'll put him down on a blanket, turn around for a minute, and when I turn back, he's rolled himself onto his back. Kyle actually started calling me "Mom" this week instead of "Ma." He also loves to "count letters," which is how he explains saying the alphabet. He sang the ABC song with me for the first time this week, too. The little things help keep me going. Plus, next Sunday is a whole week away!

The Joke's on Mom

It's been quite a while since I've had to feed Ryan twice in the middle of the night. He usually wakes up around 4:00 and then gets up for real sometime around the time Kyle does. Last night he decided to switch things up on me--maybe he was ready to party while Dad's out of town?

So, we're up at one-something, and I dozed off while feeding him. (I decided to give up trying to stay awake watching t.v. while he eats and try to take advantage of any extra shut-eye I can, even if it's only 20 minutes at a time.) Anyway, at 2:15, I awoke suddenly because I felt someone staring at me. Kyle decided to join our party, too!

Do these boys get together and plan these things? You know what would be a real blast, boys? How about everyone sleeping a full 8 hours tonight! Or, maybe I should teach Kyle how to give Ryan a bottle if he's going to be up anyway.

P.S. Is that a dimple I see???

Fractured Fairy Tale

You all remember the story "The Princess and the Pea, " right?


If any of you ever finds yourself in the unlikely predicament of needing to test if someone you know is truly a real princess, let me know. I think we have enough blankets around here to set up the story in real life.



I kept only a few of our favorite blankets from when Kyle was a baby because we didn't even use all of the ones he got as gifts. I probably could have just given away all of Kyle's blankets and started over because we received a plethora of new ones for Ryan. I guess a blanket is an easy baby gift? Someone even gave us a blanket with yellow and pink on it! For a boy??? (I was cleaning and organizing today and pulled out only a sample of our stash for the above photo.) I think someday when we are through having babies, I will cut up all of the baby blankets and have them made into patchwork quilts for each of us. Until then, I'm sure they'll come in handy sometime soon for building forts in the living room.

Do It

I didn't post yesterday, and I'm forcing myself to post today. Maybe it's kind of like praying: when you don't feel like praying, that's the time you should get on your knees and pray until you do feel like praying.

Let's start with the biggest question of all--what reason would I have for needing to force myself to update this blog? Anyone who knows me knows that it's something I love to do. First of all, I don't have any new pictures, which is what most people are looking for each day. Also, the past few days have not been my favorite. A short list of reasons:

• Day after day of not enough sleep is catching up with me. I probably should just give up on trying to get back to sleep after Ryan's middle of the night feeding because it never fails that Kyle wakes me up right after I get back to bed!!!!
  
• The nanny (a.k.a. baby swing) decided to go on strike yesterday. Talk about one of the things that irks me like no other--something I rely on deciding to quit working.
• I'm attempting to potty train again.
  

Instead of complaining, I'm going to think positively.

• In the grand scheme of things, this time of little to no sleep doesn't last long.
  
• I guess we can just go out a buy a new nanny/swing. We'll charge it to our future selves.
  
• Potty training will come, eventually. Plus, I have a whole bag of dum-dums to use as bribes. Added bonus: they keep Kyle busy for at least 20 minutes.
  

On a different note, I've started Weight Watchers again. As a Lifetime Member who took a break during pregnancy, I now have 6 months to get back to my goal weight in order to return to my Lifetime status. That means I have 6 months to lose 28.4 lbs. I really miss my Texas WW support system, so I may be calling you in times of stress.

That's all for now. I'll try to work on taking some pictures to spark my desire to post again tomorrow!

My Boys

Kyle LOVES when his Daddy comes home. Sometimes throughout the day we'll hear our neighbor's door open and shut, and Kyle will think it's ours. He'll shout, "DAD'S HERE, DAD'S HERE!!!" How sad he is when I have to tell him that Dad is still at work. But, when Kyle sees his Dad at the top of the stairs at the end of the day, he is one excited boy. He immediately starts to follow Stephen around and asks to play "the game." I am so grateful for the bond between father and sons and that Stephen will play with Kyle and hold Ryan when he gets home so I can get dinner ready or just have a short break.


Don't you just love Kyle's outfit? He picked it out himself.

Monday Mommy Moment

I've been inspired by a few books I've read lately on motherhood, so I've decided to take Monday as a day to reflect on some of the thoughts, quotes, and ideas from these books that have stood out to me. Maybe it will become a new Chronicles tradition.

This week's theme comes from Contentment by Maria Covey Cole.

She uses a major theme/lesson learned from the play Our Town to remind us "to live life to the fullest; to realize the moments of everyday existence that we so often take for granted....The most important moments and the most worthwhile experiences in life are found in the simple routines of a single day."

It's so important for everyone, not just mothers, to not take our lives for granted. How easy it is to get lost in the busyness of life and not find joy in each moment. So often, I find myself waiting for the next big event, counting down days until something "major" will happen, or complaining about a difficult stage in life. The trick to true happiness is to be content with the here and now while setting and keeping goals for the future. If we just slow down and look for things to be grateful for in the "simple routines" of each day, each day will help make our life that much fuller. Let these simple moments go unnoticed, and they will slip by. In the words of one of my favorite movie characters, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it." There's so much about each day I don't want to forget or miss, so I need to start finding joy in each day.

Here's some of my joys in the simple routines of today:

Ryan in his first Aggie outfit

Dressing up our boys in Aggie gear makes me smile. They may choose a different path when they are older, but for now, I can imagine their futures and hope that they will become part of the Aggie Network someday. I also just think they look so darn cute, which makes me happy.

Kyle's first purchase

Kyle has been earning coins for his piggy bank for good behavior, attempting to potty train, etc. Today, I wanted him to see that his coins could do more than just fit into the slot on the top of his bank. We counted out 5 dollars and some change and headed out to Target. He picked out some new cars, paid for them himself (the cashier was quite impressed), and came home to enjoy his first purchase.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!!!

This post is brought to you by Stephen keeping Kyle entertained and Ryan hanging out here:


The Lord knew I needed to have a pretty good day at church, since I was quite close to only going to part, if at all. (Last night was not a restful one.) Since the Mother's Lounge at our church is often at maximum occupancy when I try to use it, today I decided to just go into the corner of the nursery room when it was time to feed Ryan so I could keep an eye on Kyle, too. I was so proud of Kyle today. I hardly had to reprimand him--just for not sitting on the blanket during lesson time and trying to get too crazy during singing time. He played well with others, didn't hit anyone (even though a kid hit him) or throw any toys, shared some cars with a boy who was having a hard time being in the nursery for the first time, he didn't hit anyone, and he got a glowing report from his teacher!!! They say I'm the "Kyle Whisperer," and my presence in the room has such a positive effect on him. If it's best for him and the entire nursery, maybe I will go in more often.

Ryan was his normal, baby self: sleep, cry, eat, poop, sleep.....I can handle that. Soon enough, he'll have me on my toes, right along with Kyle. Someone else asked me today if he's a preemie, though! He's not that small. I just don't make big babies, but I'm not complaining about it. I'll take pushing them out in one contraction vs. the alternative.

Happy Sunday to everyone. It's been a good one for us so far!

Cheese!

I was near a camera yesterday when Ryan started grinning from ear to ear.


Unfortunately, Kyle kept getting in the way or bumping me every time I tried to take a picture, which led to several blurry images. Ryan was on the couch and his brother kept jumping around, trying to climb on me or the back of the couch, and squeeze into the picture, too . He wanted to love on Ryan and tickle him and try to get him to smile, which happened, but without much acceptable photographic evidence. Isn't it ironic that I have to beg and bribe Kyle to get close enough to Ryan to take pictures when I WANT to have a photo shoot with both of them, but when I just want to capture a simple image of Ryan smiling (alone) I can't keep Kyle away??? Most of the pictures I tried to take came out looking like this:


It looks to me like Ryan's thinking, "I barely made it out of that one alive!"

Alive and adorable, that is!!!

P.S. These are totally giving me deja vu of Kyle. I am also reminded about having to return to teaching when Kyle was around this same age. I'm so glad that part isn't true this time around!

Six Weeks Old

Six weeks ago, we were in the hospital, anxiously awaiting Ryan's arrival. Now, it's hard to imagine our family without him!


Life seems to be falling into place quite nicely around here. I'm SO grateful I don't have to think about returning to work this time around. That seems to help because I don't stress out so much about having to keep to a strict schedule, especially with another kid. Sure, it takes longer to get things done, but that's okay. It's okay that right now all three of us are still in pj's, even though it's past noon. (This week is a bit different, since Stephen is on the p.m. shift at the hospital and just left for work. We've been having "dinner" for lunch and spending time with him in the morning instead of doing our regular morning routine.) It's nice to be able to be flexible with our time without having to stress about being out the door by 7:15 a.m.

Before Ryan was born I was so nervous about how I would be able to be a mother of two kids. Amazingly, I've learned that you just do whatever it takes. The adaptation comes quickly and naturally because you're learning along the way. Sure, my way of juggling is probably different than others, but that's the plan. I think God knew he had to bless women with almost super-human powers when it comes to being a mother. Before I became a mother, I never thought I would be able to get so much done on 5 (+/-) disjointed hours of sleep, day after day. I've become quite good at multitasking, even while breastfeeding. (I'm sure it's quite a sight watching me try to carry a screaming Kyle into time-out with one arm while holding/feeding Ryan in the other arm.) I even went shopping with both boys the other day at a place that didn't have shopping carts, and I didn't have the stroller with me--AND no one got lost or run over! I'm barely phased by the daily attack of spit-up and pee and "poot." (Yesterday, the boys must have joined forces against me: they attacked me with all three, on me AND in the bathtub.) We did ease back into doing "school" this week, but I must admit that Kyle has become addicted to watching Sesame Street, which I let him do more than I probably should--should I be concerned that his favorite episode is one called, "Princess Show"???? I've noticed that Kyle has gotten much better at saying all of his letters, though! Hey, even superheroes need a little help every now and then. Sesame Street and Disney to keep Kyle entertained are mine.

Life is great and we are making the most of each day. As a quote from a book I read recently mentioned, "Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." (George Bernard Shaw) This really hit a chord with me, so much that it could be my new life motto. For years, Stephen and I kept trying to "find" what the Lord had in mind for us in life. We tried several different options until something finally worked out, but I think a major reason why things started to fall into place is because we were willing to do whatever needed to be done, to "create" a new path. Also, I see this quote from a mother's eyes. Becoming a mother truly added so much to my life. I always wanted to be a mother and had to wait more years that I had planned before this dream became a reality. My life was full and rich before Kyle and Ryan entered it, but I always felt like something was missing, a sadness that I wasn't as fulfilled as I wanted to be. Before becoming parents, Stephen and I created a nice life for ourselves, both discovering and using many of our talents for good. But, having these children enter our lives has added an extra level. Sure, it's challenging and different, but fulfilling and joyful. I also find it rather poignant that "life is about creating yourself," and I literally had a part in creating these lives that make my life even more complete.

Homemade Photo Shoot

I LOVE having pictures of my boys together, but actually capturing them is no picnic. As I attempt to shoot these two rascals, I am more and more amazed at what real photographers are able to do. Between Kyle not wanting to get too close to Ryan, to sit still or stay where I put him, and Ryan not being in a very good mood, especially when I tried to take away his binky, let's just say this do-it-yourself photo shoot was more like a three-ring-circus. After much weeping, wailing, and bribing with M&M's, we were able to get a few decent photos:



I think they look a lot alike in this one:


I love my boys and am grateful that they will (for the most part) indulge my desire to have lots and lots of pictures of them, especially together.

In With the New

I said I wouldn't blog about how well my baby is sleeping. I'm not going into details, but let's just say Ryan has hit a small milestone when it comes to sleeping. I think we can give up lugging the car seat upstairs at bedtime because he has slept in his bassinet, successfully, now for two nights! What a big boy.

P.S. Who knows if these eyes will change to brown, but for now everyone is loving his big, blue eyes.

Brainwashing, Take Two

One of my favorite things in our nursery--we got it before Kyle was born--is our Aggie Mobile. I love that's it's unique and something that represents our past, since both Stephen and I are Former Students. We're hoping that by playing the Aggie War Hymn (brainwashing) to our infants, someday they'll attend Texas A&M, too, and the it will also represent our future! (Warning: Longtime readers might feel a little deja vu with this image!)


I realized that I haven't taken any video of Ryan yet, and he was being very calm this morning. It seemed like a perfect time to get some evidence that he's wide awake and kickin'. Kyle also makes an appearance in this video and attempts to say several things that are unintelligible, even for me, but you can probably pick out a few of his latest phrases. Sorry it's sideways; you can tell it's been awhile since I've used my camera for video, since I forgot that you can't hold the camera vertically! Hopefully, you won't get a sore neck from turning your head to view!

Wide Awake & Fast Asleep

Ryan smiled yesterday! I tried and tried to get a picture of it when the grin appeared again this morning, but I just took photo after photo of him staring back at me with those big eyes. I love how wide awake and active he is, especially now that I can tell he truly recognizes us and is starting to have some personality.


This one has plenty of personality, too. Today was a bit of a rough day, though. For some reason, whenever Stephen is home, Kyle decides he's going to be whiny and throw tantrums all day long. (I'm sure that really makes Stephen want to have days off...) When time-out, taking toys away, and the wooden spoon weren't enough to stop Kyle's poor behavior choices, it was time to for him to go to his room. After he was up there for 20 minutes, we finally had a lull in the latest tantrum. I climbed the stairs to let him out, and found that he had tucked himself in bed for a little nap. I think we all needed it!

Sunday Report

Neither boy really wanted to have his picture taken before church this morning. Kyle actually went as far as hiding under the table to avoid the camera, but I was able to snap this shot while he was busy playing with a truck.


Ryan was tired and kept trying to find his hand to suck on, so I got a few pictures of him crying and then this one where he just looks worried. Oh well. Not every photo can be fabulous. Sometimes the ones that don't turn out so well can tell a better story.


Stephen had to "work" (slave at the hospital for free) this weekend, so the boys and I attempted church without him. We made it on time and I was able to attend most of Sunday School, before needing to leave to feed Ryan, and the last half of Relief Society--meaning Kyle stayed in nursery for the entire 2 hours. I picked him up from his class and commented to his teacher, "Well, you didn't have to bring him to me. That's progress." She responded, "I'll be honest with you. We just decided to give you a break and try a new tactic with him: Time Out. He spent A LOT of time in Time Out." I told her to keep doing it! He needs to know that his parents are not the only people he needs to obey. Sacrament meeting was next, and Kyle didn't have to be taken out once! He ate a snack, played with toys, read some books, colored, was bribed with some chocolate, and actually stayed in the pew with me for the entire hour! (Thank you, Tina, for holding Ryan toward the end of the meeting, so I could focus on keeping Kyle entertained.)

Many Sundays I just come home exhausted and discouraged, wondering why I even go at all and if Kyle is ever going to stop hitting other children in nursery or if I'm ever going to get to go to my class without an interruption. I've read a few books this week about being a mother--A Mother's Book of Secrets by Linda Eyre & Shawni Eyre Pothier and Contentment by Maria Covey Cole--and I'm trying to change my outlook into a more positive one. My children will not be small for very long in the grand scheme of things, but these years lay a great foundation for the rest of their lives. Many of the daily tasks of motherhood are monotonous and mundane, not something requiring a college degree, but feeding/clothing/caring for those who cannot do it themselves is how we serve our Savior. I love being a mother, even though it is difficult. I'm trying to find contentment and happiness, even on the hardest days. Before I know it, these boys are going to be grown and I just might miss the days of getting spit up on right after changing into my church clothes or when they needed me to clean up spilled bath water, get up in the middle of the night to feed them, and pick out their clothes. As for now, I'm trying to find joy in every moment. In doing that with Kyle and church, it's interesting how I'm starting to recognize and be grateful for progress, even in the smallest steps. Anything in the right direction is great!

Swimming

I was advised to not go swimming for six weeks after having a baby, but my doctor told me last week that I'm as good as new. I take that as clearance to swim again, even though it's still (technically) a week early. Plus, it's just so hard to stay inside on a beautiful, sunny day like today when the swimming pool is calling our name!

I found this flotation wet suit up in the closet from last season and decided to try it out again. I think it's a little better than floaties because it seems to get Kyle to kick and try to swim more instead of just relying on letting his arms float on top of the water.


The only way I make this swimming thing work is that Ryan sleeps in his covered stroller, in the shade the whole time. That way, I can actually get in the water with Kyle, or at least hang out on the steps while he plays. I'm able to keep an ear out for Ryan waking up. When it's time for the baby to eat again, it's time for us to pack it up and go home!

Bath Time

Rub-a-dub-dub--
Just hanging out in the tub!

I think we're starting to find a good schedule for our new little family. It's fun figuring out how to balance new tasks, while still juggling everything else from the pre-Ryan days. I've learned even more about planning ahead, keeping lists of things that NEED to get done vs. what I would LIKE to get done, and not worrying if the LIKES take longer to accomplish. It helps that I've already established a pretty good schedule with Kyle and can just add Ryan to the mix...like bath time!


Now, I just need to figure out how I'm going to start working out again. I really would like to fit back into more clothes than my gauchos and the 2 stretchy skirts I own!

The Big Brother

For those who didn't get to see Kyle's birth announcement and him in the same outfit that Ryan had on in yesterday's photos, I couldn't help but put these photos up so we could all look back and remember...



While I'm on the topic of memories, here's a few things Kyle has been saying/doing lately that I don't want to forget:

• Kyle used to answer questions with a very precise and clear "YES," if in the affirmative. Now, he simply responds, "K." Example: Me~"Do you want to go to the park?" Kyle~"K." (I could give MANY more examples, but you get the idea. I guess I must say "ok" a lot. "K?")
• Whenever Ryan is crying or when Kyle wants to talk to his little brother, he'll say "oh, tweet, tweet boy." This came from Grandma's song: "Grandma loves this old sweet, sweet baby. Grandma loves this old sweet, sweet boy." Instead of saying, "sweet, sweet boy," Kyle has changed it to "tweet, tweet boy."
• Kyle's a big helper when it comes to changing diapers. He will hand me what I need and throw the diapers in the diaper trash, too. But, his favorite thing is to observe the actual changing process and comment on the contents of Ryan's diapers. He will tell me if there's "pee and poot" or if the diaper is just "too wet." He's also made that he has a penis, "like Baby Ry."
  
• Uncle Bando served a mission for our church in Brasil, and has passed on a few Portuguese phrases to the rest of us. One of those is "Rapaz," which I would never have known how to spell correctly because it's pronounced more like "HA-pies." I'm told this has two meanings: literally, it means "a young boy," but it's used informally to ask, "What the ____?" Kyle picked up on Grandma's use of this phrase while changing his AWFUL, stinky diapers. Now, whenever he sees a diaper (including his own) full of "POOT," he yells, "Oh, Rapaz!!!"
  

I'm so glad Kyle keeps us laughing. I'm sure his sense of humor will serve him well in the future and just might help him survive the Terrible Two's.

One Month Stats

Ryan had a appointment with the doctor today for a check-up and the next round of Hep B shots. Here's the stats:

Height: 21 inches
Weight: 8lbs. 4 oz.
Head: 37 cm

Dr. Clemente was impressed at how wide awake and active he is and said, "Ryan, you've passed all your tests--for a 2 month old, even." Ryan is strong--holding his head up already. As she was telling me how strong, alert, and active my little one-month-old is, I started having flashbacks of Kyle at this age and remember Dr. MacFarren making very similar comments. My, oh, my! If Ryan's activity level continues to mimic that of his older brother....Heaven help me. I'm already starting to see similarities in the brothers, especially when I look at pictures like these...

Mean Mommy

I had such high hopes for today.

We were up early, all fed and bathed, and headed out to the park on time for our play group. It wasn't too hot outside--82 degrees, but cloudy with a slight breeze--perfect park weather. Kyle was able to watch the firemen at work/training(?) again. Ryan was awake and alert, enjoying being outdoors. I was going to get to chat with some friends....but, it was all downhill from there.


We pulled up to the park at 10:09 a.m. and drove away at 10:48 a.m., (this includes time spent loading and unloading), thanks to Kyle's awful behavior. During only about 28 minutes of real play time, Kyle:

• had to be pulled away from his friends for throwing sand (or attempting to--not sure which since I was trying to nurse Ryan and a friend intervened on my behalf)
• was given a time out by the fence for hitting a girl on the head
  
• slapped a kid on the head/face multiple times.

(Granted, a girl came up to him and screamed RIGHT in his face and hit him, so he hit back. AND, that girl's little brother--who was on the receiving end of Kyle's face-slappings-- slapped Kyle first. It doesn't make the behavior tolerable, but I'm just saying.....)

After that, "Mean Mommy" showed up for real and packed up all our stuff and half-carried/half-dragged a screaming and crying Kyle back to the car, while carrying a bucket of sand toys AND pushing Ryan in his stroller.

And, while I'm writing this, Kyle is up in his room for some "quiet time," which interpreted, means "Kyle made one too many bad choices today and Mom needs a break from the tantrums he tries to throw when put in regular time out. His bedroom door will at least muffle the sound of crying a bit."

Don't you just love this warm and fuzzy tribute to Motherhood only days after that wonderful holiday called "Mother's Day?"

That's what I get for trying to optimistic this morning.

Birth Announcement

I had a goal of getting Ryan's birth announcements made and mailed before he turned one month old. I was able to do it, thanks to having an extra Grandma (or two) around to entertain Kyle! "Traditional" birth announcments are a little old-fashioned and unnecessary, since his birth has already been announced through this blog, Facebook, email, texts, and phone calls, but I still think it's nice to get something tangible and real. Sadly, I didn't have enough for everyone who reads this blog to get their very own, so here is what they look like:

(So much for something tangible and real, huh? Sorry about that.)

Here's the picture that goes with it, taken in the hospital. Another Cooper boy "born to be an Aggie." I guess only time will tell if that's really the case!


You're one month old, Baby Ryan. Congrats! You've survived this long with Kyle. Only a few more months and you'll be able to fight back--or at least defend yourself properly.

Mother's Day

This Mother's Day is my first with two children, and although I'm sometimes overwhelmed, I love being a mom! It's hard work, you're always on call, the pay isn't great, and you rarely get a vacation. However, there is no job on earth of more importance or with more influence--positive or negative.

Mom and Her Boys
(Ryan's crying in the one where Kyle looks good, and Kyle's doing something with his arm in the other. Put them together and it's one complete look!)

Ryan is one month old today, which is quite fitting for Mother's Day. I look into his eyes, that already seem to recognize me, and am humbled. It's amazing that our Father in Heaven sends these perfect little spirits into our homes, trusting them to us completely. What a huge responsibility! Nothing has taught me selflessness more than becoming a parent.


I've felt very special this Mother's Day. Not only is this my first Mother's Day with my two boys, it's also the first one that Kyle could tell me, "Happy Mother's Day!" Hearing that from his sweet smile made my morning. Kyle also made me some magnets in nursery, one with his picture and one that says, "Mom."

My wonderful husband has also helped make this day amazing. He totally surprised me, which isn't easy. Yesterday, Stephen told me he wanted to go hit golf balls, so he packed up his gear and headed out. Instead of going to the driving range, he went out shopping. When he returned from "golfing," he unloaded his clubs and had a great (fake) discussion with me about how it all went. Over lunch, he even asked what I wanted for Mother's Day, which made me think he hadn't really done anything. But, when I got up this morning, out came a big gift bag with a new, blue purse and wallet from "Kyle and Ryan." I've also had all meals cooked for me and cleaned up after, too! The sweetest thing is having him tell me that I'm a great mom and making me feel special.


Being a parent also makes me reflect on my own parents and makes me even more grateful for all they've done for me. (Stephen, too!) It's especially great that both our moms were just able to be here and help out after Ryan was born. As a Mother's Day tribute to our moms, here's a few memories:

One thing that defines my mom to me is music--not that she has a degree in it or was in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but that music can be found even in the smallest parts of life. I can remember few days of my life without hearing my mom sing or play music in some form. My mom can tie almost any phrase, experience, activity, or action to a song, and segments from hymns/show-tunes/Carpenters' lyrics have been known to bust out in my house at any time. This singing was at times humorous and playful. At other times songs were just to be sung. Some music was annoyingly attempting to teach a lesson ("Let us oft speak kind words to each other," in the middle of an argument.) Some songs have left a traumatic impression--"Here comes Gunny Bag......" (Gunny bag came out and "ate" our toys if we didn't pick up. Brandon was NOT a fan.) I cannot think of my mom without thinking of music.

These memories have come to the forefront of my mind because I find myself doing the same thing as a mom. Just today, Kyle was throwing a fit and I started blaring, "If you chance to meet a frown, do not let it stay." (He, of course, was NOT amused. At first. And then we all started laughing hysterically!) A few days ago, in response to Ryan's desire to constantly be eating in the evening, the first thing that came to mind was "Belly up! Belly up to the bar, boys..." While I sing Primary songs or songs that teach Kyle colors or body parts, I'm reminded of Family Home Evenings or learning songs from my mom. And, as I'm sitting here trying to think of a clever way to end this memory, "The Circle of Life" runs through my head. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. Love you!

Stephen remembers his mom's cooking. She always made sure there was enough for the family and for friends who might stop by. His friends always wanted to go to his house because of his mom's cooking, too! She took food to people in the ward for service and was the first to sign up to bring treats to school or team functions. She loved making everyone their favorite dessert/cake on their birthdays. Even though he gives her a hard time over meatloaf, roast, and other food on his dislike column, there's plenty of things she cooks that he loves--even when she forgets the butter in the German Chocolate Cake!!! Food=Love. Happy Mother's Day, Lou!

Happy Mother's Day to all women out there!

Money in da Bank

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse has taught Kyle many things: the colors of the rainbow, that a stop sign is an octagon, the hot dog dance....

One thing he's really picked up on lately is how Pete the Cat is always showing up and requiring Mickey and his pals to pay entrance fees or buy tickets for things. Out comes Mickey's piggy bank and coins.

Kyle was recently looking through a junk basket and found some coins. Using what he's learned from Mickey (and Toy Story) he put two and two together and realized that the coins could go into his own piggy bank. Ever since that day, any change left around the house or even in my wallet will find its way into Kyle's possession and into the bank.

"Big Coins and Small Coins"

I'm thinking I might put this new interest in money to good use. Maybe THAT will be the incentive for potty training that actually clicks.

4 Weeks

Can you believe Ryan is already FOUR WEEKS OLD? It's crazy to me how the time between a certain event (like Ryan's birth) and the present can simultaneously seem to fly by and feel so long ago.


As I was trying to get a couple of new pictures of Ryan, Kyle couldn't help posing, too!


Overall, I'd say it's been a great four weeks!