Our Christmas Season

Christmas is different with kids, but not really when they're 2 months...
It started with Miles' blessing on December 23rd at my parents house.

First time meeting the Reina cousins, they really liked Miles

The Reina family

Trin & Rafa and Drew & Joni (Drew baptized Art's parents in Spain 33 years ago, and is now nearly a family member)

Big day for both of them...

Those Nielson boys are full of personality

The Greats

Four Generations in one photo

December 23rd also marked Miles 2 month birthday...

Here he is at 1 month...

 Now here he is at two months...

Christmas Morning - Miles slept through the present part...

But Lulu and Rudy REALLY liked opening gifts!

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!