Joy...

I was just bending over to put on my shoes and found it so easy. Yes, putting on shoes made my day. So I thought I would make note of the joy in my life.

1. Miles - ok, that's obvious - but I never thought motherhood could be so amazing and wonderful. I truly love every second with him (even at 1 AM). I miss him when he naps (see #2), and I'm excited to see his little eyes peek open at me. Yeah, I'm in love.

2. Naptime - As much as I enjoy my little man I sure do love an hour or two to pee, eat, do dishes, do laundry, clean bathrooms, make cupcakes, put things away, craft, type with two hands, and the list goes on and on. (And then rest when he wakes up!)

3. Nursing - I love nursing! I had hoped from the beginning that it would work for us and I'm so grateful it has. He latched on the first time I held him and we've been able to battle through our difficult moments (why does it take so long for milk to come in??) to have a successful 3 hour feeding schedule (Jamie and Kelli, I can do 3 hours!!!) I'm working on pumping so little man can keep up the milkies when I have to go back to school.

4. A c-section - yes, be surprised, it was not in my birth plan and was fun in no way BUT it did give me one thing (besides the obvious) - two extra weeks off work! Thanks to the zipper I don't have to go back to school until Dec. 18, and will be there for four whole days before Christmas break. After the break, now that will be tough.

5. Shoes - well not just shoes, but general mobility. Going from very pregnant to a giant incision I have been itching to MOVE! I am finally feeling mostly functional, and have the doc's clearance to move, bath, and vacuum (why that was restricted I still don't know). It's so nice to hop in and out of bed at will, and crawl under the bed to get another box of diapers, and just generally sit and stand. Movement is nice.

6. My home - It's our first Christmas here. Last year we were homeless (sort-of) and did not decorate. I'll admit it was fun to get out our stuff and find new places for everything. We got the tree up last night and hung up a third stocking on the mantle, it's just nice to be home for the holidays. (wow, that sounded cheesy)

7. My family - This is the first Christmas I haven't been close to home and it's a little weird. I didn't get to hassle my mother about her hoards of decor, or help her pick out all the Christmas jammies. I won't be at Heidi's on Christmas Eve arguing with Andre (not a smart idea) in a game of Apples to Apples; however, I will get to see the whole lot at Miles' blessing on the 23rd, and we are very happy that Art's parents will finally get to spend the holidays with us!

8. My Love - We are home most of the day together, him in and out to classes, but we are home a lot. He is learning about babies and what he will do when he is home alone. He spends a lot of time talking to Miles. Together they goo and coo and make a lot of noises, and it makes me so happy to hear him giggling at Miles and finding utter joy in this tiny human. He really is a great Papa. 

How could that not fill your every waking second with happiness? (Now, talk about cheesy)

My growing boy...

It's much easier to post pictures to facebook. And since almost everyone who reads my blog is on facebook it's a bit redundant. But there are a few who are not, and I am posting pictures of other peoples children, so I'll do it here...

Thanksgiving! Miles first large social outing - and now he's got a cold. I love germs. At least he's cute, and all his cousins got to ooh and ahh over how cute he is. And the auntie's got to fight for cuddle time. And Grandma got to change poopy diapers and lay him in the middle of the counter. So it was all worth it.

 Olivia...Bompy

 Roxy

 Eliza

 Eli

 Lulu preferred visiting Lulu...she did eventually hold him, when her mom was there to help..

 I don't know what to think of all this activity!

 Talkin' to Grandpa...

 The whole brood at Thanksgiving... 12 adults, 14 children... we're outnumbered.

 My very cute Thanksgiving shirt from Grandma and Grandpa Reina

This stuff is exhausting...

Just a cute photo shoot of my bright eyed boy...

 4 weeks old...this is what he wore home from the hospital, if he would have stretched out his legs you could see how much bigger he is, and much rounder!

Miles has the strongest head, he loves to hold it up and look out the window, or, if I'm lucky - right at the camera!

He was talking to Papa last night, the phone is so close because we were recording his Goo's... They talked for nearly 15 minutes, Miles staring intently the whole time. He looks at you like he completely understands what you're saying...

I have about 50 more, from the last week, but I think I'll refrain...

More cute...

I finished writing his birth story, but the birth part alone is several pages (the whole story is 46 pages single spaced). So I figure most people just want to look at pictures anyway, so I'll post those.

The Man with many faces...

I love them all...

ok. skip to pictures...

I started to write the story of Miles' birth...I got through a paragraph then the realization of how hard it is to type with one hand, while nursing. So here are some pictures instead.

First day - all bundled up

 Bright eyes - they look blue, but we all know that can change. 

 Visiting with Aunt Heidi who changed stinky bums, helped with latching, and shared lots of love while Mom napped.

 There's nothing he likes more than sitting on his Papa's chest...

 All dressed, ready to go home from the hospital.

 Waiting until they say 'go' - and Mom gets a couple more shots...

Such silly faces and alert eyes...

So who does he look like??

more to come... when he's like 18 and I can type with two hands again...

For Jamie...

Remember when we were little and we used to cut papers in half and tediously make little keyboards (in alphabetical order until we finally saw a real keyboard), and then we would put them in books, and on shelves, and in cupboards, and carry them around with us as mini portable computers. And then remember how we used to pretend that we had mini phones that could call, AND control the whole house like the ultimate remote control. In our 'houses' we would have automatic beds, lights, music, all controlled from our little paper computers and remotes. Then there was the vending machines where you could press any button and pretty much any food would come out, hot and ready. And, of course, the catalogs that you could just touch - "got it" - and automatically those things would be sent to your home.
Well, I think we invented Apple, and I think they owe us a lot of money.

Patience

Last night my spiritual message was about patience:


“Patience—the ability to put our desires on hold for a time—is a precious and rare virtue. We want what we want, and we want it now. Therefore, the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and, at times, bitter.
“Nevertheless, without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace.”
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Second Counselor in the First Presidency

It's fitting for right now.
However, I'm actually very calm. I know he'll come when it's time. I have SO much to do at work to keep me busy, the time will pass and before I know it he'll be here.
It's everyone else that can't seem to wait - and asks repetitively - and wonders loudly - and checks on me frequently.
Be patient! He'll come when it's time!

Nesting...

I wish it was as simple as gathering sticks and grass and making a simple little nest. But as humans, we like to complicate things and make our nesting involve everything from organization to cleaning to baking.

I have been 'nesting' at school for some time. I already have OCD, now it has become extreme color-coded OCD. I've reorganized, labeled, sorted, foldered (that's a word) and categorized everything in my office. Fortunately my classroom is organized, and most of it is our leveled library which I have already unleashed my OCD upon. I keep telling myself that I'm being anally organized so it will be easier on my sub, but I know that it's really just me building my little school nest.

One of the reasons I nest so much at school is that it's hard to nest at home. I clean - I clean all the time, but unfortunately other people, and dogs, live here and are constantly messing up my cleaning. If I could i would tip-toe through the house for the next couple of weeks, leaving everything in it's perfect tidy place - and kick everyone else out. But that's not really an option, so I try to be patient with Art's piles, clean what I can, when I can, and overly organize Baby's stuff. It puts a few little sticks in place.

I have found one avenue of nesting that I can follow here at home. Cooking. This weekend I felt the overwhelming  need to stock my freezer. So much so that we did a rush trip to Salt Lake and back so I could start the process. Yesterday I cleaned the fridge, did the shopping, and made Art Gazpacho (that's not really stocking the freezer, just making him happy). This morning I was up at 6 (my brain is SO tired, but my hips will not allow me to stay in bed), and by 9:00 I had made and frozen a batch of cookies, a batch of scones, and 6 loaves of bread. I also made croutons, got a roast in the crockpot and prepped my potatoes for dinner. Then I cleaned up after all my cooking, wiped up the cabinets, scrubbed the sink, and wiped up the kitchen floor. A few more sticks were put in place for our soon-to-be-full nest.

The Nursery .... sort-of

It's finally a nursery - sort of - because it's also an office, and Art's closet, but there is room for baby! the giant recliner is going in the basement, but I've been sleeping in it fairly regularly. Soon it will go downstairs, and the room will be a little more open. 

Now, if he could just arrive. 2 weeks to go... (But not until after next week, I've got school work to get done! After this week I'll be ready to walk away from school - THEN he can come.)

Thoughts on Pregnancy

Today I had a shower with all my friends at work. They are so cool and low key - when I said we had a million cute outfits and we just needed essentials they were all over that. We got diapers, burp cloths, a bathtub, our port-a-crib, and much more - it was pretty awesome. Maybe, perhaps, we're ready for this little man to come.
He's got clothes, a name, diapers, a carseat, a bassinet, binkies, and lots of soft blankeys - what else could you need?

So, I am thinking about bringing my pregnancy to a close - in 6 (or more) weeks - and thought I'd share a few thoughts on pregnancy (you know, now that I'm an expert and all)

1. Pregnancy Brain is the truest thing in the world. Just now, I am trying to remember if I've already written this post, or just thought about it. I really don't know.
2. Pregnancy is a FULL BODY experience. From your nasal passages to your sore feet it effects everything in between.
3. Sleeping while pregnant is preparation for a newborn. I haven't slept through the night since February, and currently I sleep no longer than 2 hours because I have to get up - go pee - stretch my calves - drink water - maybe take some tums - climb back into bed - readjust the pillows - get the  belly and knees properly supported - and then attempt to sleep - and by that time, I need to pee again.
4. Telling a pregnant woman that "You'll never make it that long" or "Are you sure it isn't twins?" or "6 weeks, wow, you've got a long way" - are NOT NICE THINGS! Stick with, "you're glowing" or "pregnancy suits you" - or I might cry.
5. Speaking of crying - it's uncontrollable, unreasonable, and most often unexplainable - but it's also unavoidable. As Art says, "go watch a chick flick or something so you at least have a reason to cry..."
6. Men don't understand. They try. But they don't get it. Accept that, and then talk to your sisters, girl friends, or even your female dog - they all have a better grasp on what you're going through.
7. There is no solution to eating. It either makes you nauseous, have a foul mouth, or causes heartburn. And no matter how much you eat, you feel like there just isn't enough room in your belly to house the food - so what's the point. Oh yeah, you're starving all the time.
8. Baby bellies are heavy! They make you tip over, they are nearly impossible to hoist out of bed, and hauling that thing up the stairs makes you completely winded. I knew it was "weight" but I never realized it would be 'heavy'!
9. Moving is not easy. I have tried to stay 'active' during my pregnancy. I walk or swim every day. I stretch every night. I do lots of things to keep me moving, but it is so dang hard. I used to think it was funny when Kassie couldn't put her shoes on because she had a big pregnant belly, or Kelli need a pedicure because she couldn't reach her toes. Karma sucks - I can't do either. Nor can I lift, twist, stretch, sit, stand or lie down. Please can I have my body back?!
10. It's 40 weeks. Whoever first said '9 months' is an idiot. I've been pregnant for 34 weeks, that's 8 1/2 months, that doesn't mean I only have 1/2 a month (2 weeks) left. Could we all please just say 40 weeks from now on? (And yes, I understand I've really only be PREGNANT for 32 of those 34, but those two were pretty dang important.)

So with that, I'm going to waddle my way through the next 6 weeks, they're considering a pool at work to predict his birth date since they all think I'm coming before 6 weeks. That's fine, as long as I get the money.

Oh Summer

Well it's that time again. You know how I feel about summer. It's long, and boring and hot. I know, I'll probably get fired from the teaching world for saying such a thing, but I can't help it.
However this year, it's worse. I have had my shoveling, ladder climbing, yard working privileges all revoked. So now I have to fill my days with non-hardworking activities. yikes! And Art is home to monitor it!
It's actually just been a weird summer because we're both home - Art working on projects and school work - me, trying to fill the time with curriculum, cooking, and classes. It's strange to be with your spouse all day long, but it's been fun too. We're trying to enjoy it since we're in the last months of 'just the two of us'.
I did get to go to Portland last week for a conference on assessment. It was really nice weather, great food, good company, and an informative conference. I so enjoyed eating a little fresh fish and getting to walk the streets of Portland every evening. I did stay up way too late, but it helped me sleep better.
We got back Friday night and I spent the weekend in Salt Lake so I could go see the derby bout and have a prenatal with Heidi. It's interesting to see her doctor side in the morning and her derby side in the evening... thankfully there is no blocking involved with prenatal visits - ouch!

This week I've been busily preparing for the start of summer school next week. I am actually really excited, and grateful, to have summer school to get me through July. It's 9-12 every day, and I get to teach math - can't ask for more fun than that (seriously).

Speaking of math, Arts major class this summer is getting through math. He's doing an independent study course where he learns, practices, then takes a test to move on. Well, the learning and practicing on your own self motivation thing was not going too well - so I had to take the reigns as teacher. The first few days were bad. I had to get out of 5th grade mode and he had to get into taking his wife seriously mode. But we got settled and now we do a couple hours of math every day. At first he was totally frustrated and lost but we got through it and I can proudly say he laid in bed doing algebra for a good 2 hours last night - of his own free will! (He had already taken the test and got 95%) I think I may have created another math nerd. 

On the baby front - I've got quite the belly. I'd post a picture, but the only one that has been taken was immediately deleted for it's hideousness. I am just not photogenic. So you'll just have to believe me, I'm fat. But it's alright cause I have this wiggling little boy to remind me it's all worth it. He's so wiggly, it's fun to lay in bed at night and watch my belly move like there is an alien inside. Art can't really believe that it's him making all that raucous, trust me, it is. According to Dr. Sylvester we're measuring well and all is healthy so that's good - just a little over 13 weeks and it will be his arrival time (I'm expecting promptness young man!)

So that's summer..surviving, but grateful for the time to relax, be with my hubby, and enjoy a little cool Logan air...

Snoop!

Ok, not really, cause I'm posting the pictures.
I've had several folks come to check out the house and they ooh and ahh appropriately. But few bravely open, or ask to open, the cupboards and frankly that's my favorite part! Art got a few more things installed the last few weeks and I am officially completely unpacked. (except for the missing 9x13 pan, where is that thing??)

 Fancy sliding roll-outs for the food pantry...

 Dedicated baking roll-outs, I still need a couple of organizational boxes, but haven't found the perfect - affordable- ones yet.

 Pan storage and can pantry - cans and pans - it just makes sense. I feel as though I need more baking pans, it looks so sparse. Others (Art) might disagree.

 Down below are pull out garbage, recycling and dog food. Can I just say that I love having all my dog food (an entire Costco bag fits) in one rolling location, it makes life so much easier!

 Big pan storage in the pan garage...

 Office station; still needs some organizational features. Notice the perfect fitting step stool in the bottom cupboard, it's essential - hidden - and necessary in a full height kitchen.

 That is so much storage! One day I calculated the cubic footage and we determined we have more storage on one wall that in my whole old kitchen!

 Drawers - soft close - it's awesome. Even Grandpa-Great was impressed by soft close. Art is building me the peg system to hold the plate and bowl stacks so they don't slide, but it's pretty amazing already.

 The few 'uppers' we have...

 Our very fancy pull out pot and spice rack.

 Yep, the bottom two rows are all sprinkles. It's an obsession. I blame my mother.

 Susans

 One for 'metals' - like pans, metal bowls, colander, etc. The other for plastic and glass. yes, this is a very odd way to organize, and I'm not sure it's the best. But when I'm sorting bowls I like to choose the type by material so it just seemed like they should be organized by material. I'm weird.

 Sink cabinet! This was the last to get doors and trim, it was tricky. Not sure why I didn't take an open picture - maybe because it's where I keep all my top secret stuff - maybe because I'm pregnant and after taking 15 pictures with the doors open, I forgot.

And that's my kitchen!! HOORAY! Did you look carefully and notice there is still a top cupboard full of tools? I would worry, but I don't know what I'm going to put in there. I really want a food processor, and I think it's because I now have a place for it. We actually have three cupboards that are nearly empty. We're debating shelves but haven't decided so they sit empty, or keep tools - cause everyone needs a chisel set in the kitchen.