JINXED IT!!!

Well ... I jinxed it! Landon cried for an hour at 3:45AM, fell asleep for 10 minutes, woke up, and cried for another 10 minutes. I could only get him to sleep with a bottle.

No more announcements on how well he is sleeping!!!
(until maybe a 7 day streak)

Another kid update

I love being a mother! I truly LOVE it!!! Last night we were all sitting and reading books as a family and I just couldn't help but to tear up ... I am just so lucky! In that moment I could clearly remember before I was married and dreaming about perfect moments exactly like that one. I appreciate my children so much and just cannot get enough of them. I had to wait for them, they came to us unconventionally and I am so lucky to be their Mama!




Evan-ism: Lately everything is "dats awesome!!"

Evan is starting to talk so much. I thought he was a chatter box before, but he is only talking more and more. Even since Christmas he has gotten clearer, makes believe more (with voices) and has reasoning. An example of this is the other day when we got a cupcake for our friend Kaffy (aka:Kathy) in the morning while running errands. I told Evan it was her birthday and we were going to drop it off later. The whole day he kept saying. "Mama ... when we go Kaffy's house so we can give her present, and I sing Happy Bird-day to Kaffy" He really got it! This happens all the time.

If any of you know Justin, you know that he often speaks in a "sing song" voice. Evan does this all the time and I love it!!!

He loves to help me out with Landon. I have a method of carrying both of them down or upstairs so I don't have to make two trips. When I am carrying both of them Evan always wraps his arms around Landon, gives him kisses, and says ... "I help you carry Wandon Mama"

One night this week I had already put Evan to bed and was putting Landon down in the next room an hour later. I sang Landon a song, gave him a kiss and closed the door. The next thing I hear is Evan calling me from his room. I go in and ask him why he isn't sleeping. He gives me the cutest smile and says "I heard (pronounced "heeered") you singing Mama. You sing pretty. Sing to me please?" How could I resist?

I asked him the other day what he wanted to be when he grew up. Evan very confidently replied ..."Daddy!!"


Landon is days away from cutting his first tooth!!! The best part about it is that he is going to be a snaggle tooth!! It is the tooth right next to his front tooth that is going to come in first :-)


Sleep training has gone remarkably well!!!! In fact on the first night I was feeding him a bottle and I told him that he better drink it because I would not be coming in again until the morning, and that I didn't care how long he cried in between. That was the first night that he slept through. In fact there was only one night that he woke up and he only cried for 45 minutes, and then slept through until morning. I sure wish I knew earlier that all I had to do was vocalize that I wouldn't be getting him. I am also hoping that by making the announcement that he sleeps through the night I am not jinxing it!

Landon now weighs 22lbs.


We have now added veggies to his diet and surprise surprise ... he likes them!!! :-)

I doubt Moses was this big!! :-)

Landon's thighs are so big that he gets stuck in his bumbo!!

Seven years ago yesterday (January 25, 2010) my dear husband proposed marriage to me. I accepted and I am sooo happy I did!!!

on a happy note

Before illness took over our home we actually had so much fun. We were able to build snowmen together, go sledding twice, and see the Olympic torch run by. Here are some pictures of the happy times we have had lately.

(the torch pictures are coming ... I will hopefully download them tomorrow)

ENJOY

Once there was a snowman, snowman, snowman.

Once there was a snowman, tall, Tall, TALL

Justin was throwing snow at our window and Evan thought it was the funniest thing he has ever seen!
What a silly boy!

Some of his new things are:

-he is always saying ... "that's awesome!!"

-"Mama sick and Evan sick ... right Mama?"

-he is such a silly boy and is always making silly play and telling jokes.

Landon is so mobile!!! He is everywhere and really starting to get into mischief. He is so curious now and grabs at everything. I am telling you this baby is full of personality, constantly blowing bubbles, gabbing, and just wanting to be with you!

We are going to start heavy duty sleep training this week. Landon is almost 6 months old and we are literally tired of getting up 3 times a night. (Wish us luck)

The food that Landon now has under his belt

-rice cereal

-sweet potatoe

-avacado

-carrots

I know what I'm doing today

Wow ... last night was not fun! I am sick. I really don't feel all that awful, and I have no fever. I have pretty much completely lost my voice and the occasional cough is a barking cough that hurts my chest. Other than that I am just fine ... I even have a lot of energy.

Of course I gave it to Evan.

He started with a minor cough, and got more irritable through the day. By the evening he had stopped eating, thrown up, was in pain, and was panting. We took him to the emergency room.

Because I am not feeling well and Landon was sleeping I didn't go. This is the first time that Evan has ever gone to the emergency room and this is the first time I wasn't with him for a major medical experience. (two firsts that I wish I didn't have to experience)

They took him back immediately, put him on oxygen, took x-rays, and gave him loads of medication. He and Justin got home at 4:30am, with a new stuffed moose wearing an oxygen mask. Needless to say, it is 10:20 and Evan is still sleeping.

I know what I am doing today ... staying home! Maybe the three of us will get out of our PJ's, maybe not.

I am so grateful for the doctors who go to school to help families like mine. I am so grateful for medicine that can give immediate help and relief. I am so grateful that God gave me Justin. What a wonderful man and amazing father.

Distracted Driving

Oh man, this is something that I have thought about a lot in the past year. I used to text and drive but slowly I have had a wake up call. I know that it is hard to drive while distracted and I made the decision a while ago to not text while driving so I could avoid meaningless accidents. After watching Oprah's show yesterday I think I am going to run right out and get a blue tooth (as soon as I find my wallet) so I am not talking on my phone while driving either. It just isn't worth it!

the end of our trip

January 3, 2010

We went to the museum of making music. It was AWESOME!!!! I even got to play a theramin (which is something I have wanted to do since my sophomore year in college when I learned what it was!!!)

Uncle Ben and Evan playing around

have you ever heard of a harp guitar???


A piano signed by Steinway!!


Justin and my brother really like each other!!


Me, playing the theramin ... (don't know what it is??? Listen to Beach Boys "Good Vibrations" it is played at the end of the song)


Evan had a blast!!

January 4, 2010
We fly home!!! SOOOOO SAD!!!!!!!!!

Once again, I was AMAZED by the airline and how helpful they were and how wonderful my boys were while traveling. I have it made!!

I have to share a story about a good Samaritan in the airport. Our second flight was delayed and we had about 2 hours to kill. We sat down to eat some dinner and then went back to our terminal. The isles by the seats were very narrow and it would be impossible to get our double stroller (or Evan's chair) through them. My only options were to sit in seats on the ends. Our society apparently has a phobia of sitting next to strangers as there were many empty seats, but only one here or there and none available on the ends. Justin has taken Evan for a walk at this point and I need to feed Landon. I am balancing a busy baby on my crouched lap, unloading a ton of crap to dig out the formula, and water to make a bottle. It is difficult but I am used to people just staring at me with a curious look on their face. Finally this old woman asks me if I would like to take her seat on the end so I could be near all of my stuff and more easily manage everything I was doing. I told her it would actually be very helpful to me and thanked her. It was so wonderful that she saw my need and actually helped me out instead of just staring at me, wondering how I do it all by myself.

The best part was that I actually ended up sitting next to her on the flight too. We talked the whole time and she was such a joy. I am really glad that I got to sit next to one of God's human angels for a whole 1.5 hours. :-)

..... and we are home. Do you think Evan went to bed right away???

read if you dare

If you are male ... you may want to tread lightly

--------------------------------------------------------------------

I really have come to terms with my infertility. It took me about 3 years of our 4.5 years trying to have kids to do it, but I am completely at ease with it now. Of course there are moments that are hard, but then I remember the life I have and I am almost immediately ok. Having said that I would now like to say that I believe it is a very cruel trick of nature that I am denied the pregnancy experience but have to endure some of the worst menstrual cycles I have come across. The pain, agony, and sometimes debilitation that I face comes hand in hand with my endometriosis. Now how is that fair???

My point is, I am feeling better now and I will be back online tomorrow. I have so much to catch my blog up on!!!

I forgot an Evan story that I just HAD to add. Yesterday Evan and I were being pirates and he asked for something. I said, "Evan what do you say??" He replied in his best pirate voice and hook in the air ... "aargh ... please" ;-)

Update on my boys

Amidst the update of our life I wanted to give a quick update about my boys.

Evan:

-Evan has a special friend at church. She was called just to help him out and watch out for him in his classes. We are so grateful for Kristen Schow to accept the calling to help our little man. We prepped him the whole week before that he wouldn't be working with Daddy anymore and that he would have a special friend. Our nursery is sooo big and he really needs a one on one person. He always works with us and it is good for him to work with someone else. The first Sunday went really well. I feel like I am rambling, but we feel like this is so wonderful and we couldn't be happier.

-Evanism: "tooyoo's" (tools)

-He got a set of Doctor tools from Santa. When I was at my Physical Therapist appointment (where I have IMS done, it is similar to acupuncture). When my PT asked Evan what he got for Christmas he says, "I got doctor tooyoo's ... LIKE YOU!!!" I had never taught him that and he said it with such enthusiasm when he came to the realization that he was like my PT. My heart melted right there on the table.

-Evan now weighs 19.7 lbs

-we had family night with some of our friends tonight. We went to ice cream afterwards and their little girl rode in our car. With a huge silly grin on his face Evan says "Daddy, put on a movie for me and Brookie. Oh Please, Oh Please, Oh Please!!!"

-----------------------------------------------------------

Landon:

-Landon is officially the big little brother. He is heavier than Evan coming in at 20 lbs, but I need to weigh him again because I really think he is heavier now.

-Landon is days away from crawling. He can get anywhere he wants by launching himself. He is up on all fours, rocking like a mad man. He will pick up his hand and leg ready to crawl before he falls over. The way he gets around so quickly is by rocking, getting up on his hands and toes (like a push up) and launching himself forward.

-we are now calling Landon "Moose" and sometimes "Tank" (seems appropriate to me)

New Years Day

(Yes I managed to get the ball flying straight at my camera lense ... I have talent:-)

Just take a good look at these pictures and tell me if I didn't have the BEST New Year's day EVER ... despite it being a little too cold for my liking. Some of the family braved the frigid waters, but we all had fun regardless. It was fun to watch Landon experience sand for the first time. He couldn't get enough of it and was soooo happy!!!

I even saw something this day that I had NEVER seen before. Many times that I have gone to the beach on the Pacific Ocean there are dolphins swimming in the waves. Sometimes they get quite close to the shore and even ride the waves. It is very impressive and one of my favorite things to sit and watch. As we were leaving there were dolphins and we were just watching them. All of a sudden ... one of the dolphins jumped completely out of the water. It was so magestic and was the perfect end to my perfect New Years Day!

enjoy the pictures .....

Grandma and Landon

Grandpa helping Evan build a sand castle. Evan would often times get confused saying Sand Castle. Sometimes it came out as "cand sassle, or sand cackle"


love this picture of Sydney


my sisters are crazy: they actually went in

my sweet Grandma

New Years Eve

We got to go on a family hike around Torrey Pines. Torrey Pines has many special meanings to me. It is the beach that I grew up going to (10 mins. from my house), and it is one of only two places in the world that the Torrey Pines grow naturally. These trees are endangered and are so unique. In fact, they are the trees that were the inspiration for Dr. Suess' cartoon trees. I love this area ( I LOVE the beach ) and had such a blast hiking with my family.

p.s. the weather was gorgeous this day

Sarah and I goofing off with the camera

Sharley and Landon

Coming down the mountain was great!!! You can't see everyone, but we literally crammed 16 people into my parents mini van. We rolled down the windows and sang pop and rap songs at the top of our lungs!! People just kept staring ... but Evan loved it and kept asking for more! If you thought we got looks then, you should have seen the looks we got from passerby's as we piled out of the van.

I love our family!!!

After hiking Grandma treated us to Souplantation .... mmmm :-)

so .... my brothers have MUCH bigger mouths than I do!

cute Evan!

That night Justin and I (who have been married for 6.5 years) decided to go with some of my siblings to the young single adult dance! We just wanted to party and have a good time, and we paid our money ... so I think it is ok. ;-) It really was a good time. I found out that I am not very good at laser tag, but my Alycia, Trevor, and Justin all are. (our team still won). It was very weird/cool for me to be at a dance with my younger siblings. I really only ever attended events with Brandon because of the age gap. This is the first time I have ever been in that kind of setting with Alycia and Alex. I really enjoyed myself and just LOVED that I was able to ring in the New Year dancing next to my hubby and siblings. So fun!

my cousin and his wife worked the event, so we got to hang out a bit. When everyone says that I am tall I tell them that my family is actually the short ones. Peter is a good example of why I don't feel that my 5'10" stature isn't that tall.

LOVE this picture!!!

my baby brother all grown up and gettin' down

me and my siblings. Alex and Alycia

now THAT is talent!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!