September: The Month O' Fun

We just spent five fabulous days in Lake Powell with people who KNOW how to play. It was so much fun, I'm wishing I was still there. I'll have more about our trip later when I get some pictures from others that didn't misplace their camera the first day of the trip (grrrr!).

Just went to the store today to stock up our freezer full of dinners that require little effort on my part. Randy leaves this Friday for India, and I have no intention of cooking a full meal while he's gone. Sorry Andrew. On Saturday, me and the boys will set off to San Diego to spend time with my mom (and the beach) for nine days. I'm so looking forward to it!

As for October, wish me luck, I'm going to need it....

My Kid?

I took Andrew to the dentist yesterday. I prepped him the night before our appointment by having him practice opening his mouth wide. I told him we were going to the dentist and if he'd let them look at his teeth, he'd get a toothbrush and a toy. I figured he'd maybe let them take a quick look at his teeth, after hearing of other parents' dentist woes. But he did so good! He let them take X-rays and clean his teeth. The bummer part was the dentist found a cavity, but he was able to repair it right then without numbing him. I'm so proud of you Andrew!

Our Slumbering Babes

Josh and Andrew have two, very distinct sleeping styles. Andrew, being the monkey that he is, likes to sleep sideways or upside down, with his blankie covering his head. We still can't figure out how he can breathe! Joshers likes to take up as much room as possible in his crib, his arms outstretched and his legs look like a frog laying on its back. He looks so comfy! It's our favorite thing to sneak into their rooms before we go to bed, just to watch them looking so sweet and peaceful.

The Road Less Traveled

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference

~Robert Frost

Randy and I have been lucky throughout our marriage; the big decisions of life have come easily for us. The decision for Randy to study chemical engineering; an easy and logical decision. It was a very difficult degree, but Randy enjoyed it. By the time he actually graduated, he had enough credits for two bachelor's degrees. BYU wrote us a fun letter that basically said to hurry up and graduate, or else!

During our engagement, Randy decided to pursue medicine. Another easy decision. We knew it would be hard, but we naively forged ahead. It was an uphill battle to complete his B.S. degree, get his GPA up to par (Randy, math genius that he is, FAILED calculus and had to retake it), and jump through the MANY hoops to be a competent medical school applicant (volunteer service, shadowing, research, publications, etc.). Randy took the MCAT not once, not twice, but three times! In the end, our dreams came true, and we were accepted to our first choice; we've been so happy and grateful to be here.

In the midst of this, we made another decision to start our family, another easy and natural choice. We started our new life, just the three of us. Medical school has been hard, and at times, way more than we bargained for. Randy studied his heart out his first two years, and more times than not, he'd be just one point away from making honors. He studied, and studied, and studied, while I kept the home running and chased around our little guy. He took his Step I board exam, passed it, and then jumped right into his third year. A lot less studying, but very long days. On some rotations, he worked 80+ hours. Josh came to us during all of this (an even easier decision), with colic and reflux, but also joy and sweetness. We made it, and I think it's made us stronger.

Somewhere during third year, Randy decided to pursue Radiology for his residency. It's a competitive residency to get into, we knew it would be another uphill battle, but we felt like it was the right and natural course for Randy to take. A research opportunity all but fell into Randy's lap-an all-expense-paid trip to Bombay, India for one month. We knew this would be the golden ticket Randy needed for his upcoming interviews, so we gladly accepted with little reservation. It seemed that our trail was once again easily forged ahead for us.

Then a little bump in the road: A rotation in the Intensive Care Unit. Call every third night was grueling for Randy. He enjoyed the learning, but he was tired, and burned out. The reality that he would have rotations like this one, for a year during his internship, hit us hard. And the reality that a Radiology residency also meant a 60+hour work week for another 4-5 years after that intern year, hit us even harder. It wasn't just the 60 hours that was hard to swallow, but the many hours he would need to study just to keep up. And once residency was over, it is a 50-60 hour work week (plus call) until retirement . We took many walks up the canyon this summer, and talked and talked and talked about our options. Randy kept mentioning Pathology and how he couldn't quite take it off the table. Pathology doesn't require an internship year, and the residency has very little call and the work week is between 40-50 hours. He decided to shift his schedule around so that he could squeeze a month-long rotation in Pathology. He figured that after a week of exposure, he'd be able to make a decision to either stick with Radiology or pursue Pathology. The decision needed to made soon because applications for residency were being accepted in a few weeks.

Well, the week went by, and nothing. Another week, nothing. We spent our evenings talking, going in circles, about which residency would be best. We prayed, fasted, attended the temple, and at last received an answer: Both decisions are good. You decide. So, Randy decided Pathology. And I decided to support him in whatever decision he made. He also told his Radiology professor, who was heading up the research experience in India, that he had decided a different path, knowing that he was burning a big, and very important, bridge. She still wants to send him, and we are grateful.

It has been a few weeks since we've made the decision. At times, we both have felt peace about it. But we've also felt a little unsettled about it. Randy has dreams where he switches back to Radiology. And I almost daily ask Randy if he's sure he still feels okay about it. I think we are feeling a little uneasy because we've never taken this road before: The EASY road. More time for family, hobbies, vacations, and whatever else we want to do. Weekends! To run around and do errands together or play. To not miss out on the hunting and fishing trips, and other family events. To not have to squeeze in a little fun here and there. To live a completely normal life; and no more uphill battles.

I still keep waiting for Randy to switch back. And who knows, he just might do that. But as September 1st draws closer (the first day we can submit our application), the notion that we are actually taking the road less traveled is becoming more real....

Goodbye For Now.....

I said goodbye to my best friend and lovely step-sister today. You'd think that living the student life, where good friends come and go, I would be okay with letting her go. Nope, this is different. I'm going to miss her like crazy.

Cristiana and I first met in Provo where we both lived as newlyweds. We made the 12-hour drive to San Diego together to go to our parents' wedding; we became fast friends. We both moved to the U so that our husbands could go to grad school and we had our first children (both boys) just a month apart. We spent many of our days together, taking our kids on walks, going to the zoo, swimming, shopping, watching movies, sewing, and many other fun excursions. And even though we lived just a couple of miles apart, we had at least one 45-minute phone conversation a week. Our boys were best friends and it's going to be tough the next time we go to the children's museum because I know Andrew's going to ask if Pete is coming. We had our second and third children (she had twins) just 6 weeks apart (all boys again!). She has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly side of me, and still loves me. I love her confidence, patience, and sincerity. She is an amazing mom and example to me.

We sure are going to miss them, but we're also excited for them and their newest adventure: Wade will be doing his post-doc in Nashville, TN. We love you guys! Good luck!

Card Ideas

I don't even know how I found this website: http://cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/

What they do is design a layout for a card idea, and then people submit their ideas. A lot of these cards are then snatched up by Scrapbooking Trends magazine for publication.

Also: I've started taking pictures of our card swap cards (so I can give them away without feeling regret)-just go to the "CREATE" label.

Here are some cute ideas from that website:

Andrew's Idol

Coy lives in our neighborhood and his Dad is one of Randy's classmates. He is a year older than Andrew, but I wouldn't exactly classify him as one of Andrew's friends...he's more like Andrew's IDOL. Poor Coy couldn't shake Andrew from his side when we went to the zoo today. Andrew didn't care much for the animals, or me, or really anything else unless it involved Coy. He followed him around EVERYWHERE and did exactly what Coy did. When Coy was out of sight, Andrew would say, "Coy? Coy? COY!!!?!," and if he couldn't find him, he'd come running to me in a panic. He tried holding Coy's hand on several occasions (and we won't mention the kissing incident during our camping trip this summer). Well, Coy wanted to hold Nicole's hand, NOT Andrew's, so sweet Nicole said, "Andrew, you can hold my hand."

Lucky girl, or should I say, Lucky boys?!

Coy has helped me out quite a bit this summer:

"Andrew, COY uses the potty like a big boy."

"Andrew, can you talk like a big boy, like COY?"

"I bet you can put your shoes on all by yourself, just like COY does."

He also taught Andrew the art of peeing in the trees (only for camping, of course!).

My Cheesers

The Sweetness

It took two trips, but we finally got some good shots of Joshua. Target has a good deal right now; no sitting fee, a free 8 x 10, and 1 sheet for $3.99 (expires Sept. 10). The only way he would smile was when I was holding him up in a standing position. Such a stinker.

Did your kids do this?: He likes to roll onto his tummy when he's sleeping and then gets all mad because he can't roll onto his back again. I remember Andrew doing this, too.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

I'm fully convinced that there is a "crafty" gene; and I'm fully convinced that I've inherited this gene from my mother. From a very young age, I've loved doing "crafty" things, and since I've entered the world of motherhood, I've been able to fully embrace this instinctive need to create.

My mom's craftiness has surpassed all comprehension in the last few years. She picked up sewing, and she's gotten really good at it. She enjoys making gifts for others, and I've been the lucky recipient of many of her creations. Check out her website, D&M Custom Creations.
(She gives great discounts!)

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~Marianne Williamson

Silver Lake

We got to escape the heat this weekend and took a short trip to Silver Lake. There's a boardwalk/trail that circles the lake (wide enough to fit a double jogger). It's a great walk for little monkeys that need to expend some energy.

First Tooth!

Joshers cut his first tooth today! It doesn't seem to bother him too much.

He does the cutest thing: When he wants to reach for something that we don't want him to get, his shakes his head. He also shakes his head when he's done eating. He also does it when he's happy or bored, so it may not necessarily mean "no," but sometimes I think he really is trying to say no. Andrew's first word was "no."

The SL Bees Biggest Fan

We went to a Bees game tonight. Andrew would have gone home with the Bee mascot if we would've let him. It was so cute to watch him follow the Bee around and Grandma said, "He just thinks you're the best," so the bee knelt down and gave Andrew the biggest hug (I missed it as I was running to get the camera):



There was lots to keep us occupied while at the game. There was a train to ride on, a huge jungle gym, and a bouncing tent.

Thanks for taking us Grandma & Grandpa!

Hallelujah! The Kid Rolls!

I was talking on the phone yesterday when I heard Josh let out some yelps and whimpers. I went into the living room where I had left him and he was on his tummy (with one of his arms still stuck under him). At 7 months, the kid rolls. Go Josh!

During Sacrament Meeting today, the Primary children sang a song about Pioneers for Pioneer Day (July 24th). After the singing, Andrew stood up, started clapping, and said, "Thank you! Thank you for the singing!" Ok, how cute is that!?!

A Call For Harry Potter, Book 7

We don't buy books. One, we don't have room for them, and two, they're expensive. So, if any of you want to lend me the new Harry Potter book, I'll make you some yummy chocolate chip cookies and I'll forever be your friend. I'm pretty excited to find out what happens to the characters we all love!

If you're feeling especially nerdy, there's a great website to go to after you've read the book: http://www.beyondhogwarts.com/.

Every time I look at this picture, I'm surprised how big he looks-he's completely lost his baby-ness.

My Sweet 7-Month Old

He can sit up (and he is so happy about it).

He loves to get his hands on any object within reach.

He can't stand it when he's unable to get his hands on objects NOT within reach. Unfortunately, his cute chubby legs and his cute big belly won't allow him to roll yet. In the meantime, he carefully surveys each room he's in, making note of the things he'll delve into once he's mobile.

He's become an adventurous eater and will eat just about anything I feed him.

He ADORES his big brother-and will laugh easily for him (while it takes great efforts from his parents to laugh at them).

This kid will melt your heart with his smile. So I thought our second attempt to Kiddie Kandids would be a success....he was as straight-faced as he could possibly be. We managed to get a decent one, but then we found out the price tag. We're off to Target next week (free sitting fee and 8x10).

A First!

Andrew has never done this. I just finished feeding the boys, put Josh down for a nap, and then got distracted with taking pictures of the high chair I want to sell. Andrew was watching a Thomas DVD and passed out right in the middle of our living room floor!

The Pursuit of Happyness

If you haven't seen this yet, watch it. Amazing story.

It Takes A Village

I love that there are always friends nearby that let me bounce my parenting ideas off them. Thank you for listening, validating, and giving great advice. I heard someone say once that it take a village to raise a child; I'd have to agree.

Cristiana emailed me a fun article from BabyCenter and I loved these ideas:

The BabyCenter Seven: Ways to turn your child's frown upside down

What do you do when your child's in a slump? We asked BabyCenter parents, who shared their favorite tried-and-true tips to chase away the blues and bring a smile to their child's face.

The power of praise: Whenever Chloe gets stuck in a crying jag, I try to find something to praise her for. It can be any little move she makes toward calming herself, like going to get herself a tissue or taking a deep breath. She can't help smiling when I do this. Then the meltdown is over and she's able to move on with her day.
— Kate, mother of Chloe, San Francisco

Get your ya-yas out: I have a very physical, "spirited" child. It took me forever to realize that whenever Ben was really grumpy or frustrated, what he needed most was to get outside and play or simply run around the house for a few minutes. Even if I'm busy and trying to get ready for dinner, I stop and announce to Ben that it's time for him to "get his ya-yas out." Now he even uses that term when he's feeling out of sorts. Getting his ya-yas out always cheers him up.
— Colleen, mother of Ben, Atlanta, Georgia

Take a good mood car wash: One day when my daughter was in a funk, I got the idea of putting her through a car wash that would wash her bad mood away. I have her push an invisible button to enter the "good mood car wash," and then I twirl her around, tickle her, and make silly sounds. She's falling over laughing by the time we're done.
— Sheila, mother of Charlotte, Westport, Connecticut

Stop and listen: When my older son, age 8, is feeling upset, sometimes he just needs me to listen to him. With kids, we're often in a rush to try to find an answer to their problems or a cure to whatever is bothering them. But I think it's often more helpful to stop everything and be in the moment and simply ask him what's wrong. If he's not ready to talk about it right then, I give him individual attention, play with him, and make sure I'm just there for him.
— Elisse, mother of Noah and Aidan, Berkeley, California

Foster a social butterfly: My two sons always seem happier when they're surrounded by a group of family and friends. Some of the times I've seen them happiest are at large family gatherings, when they've had a chance to interact with a lot of people they know and love. For that reason, we include our sons as often as possible in social outings. I also like that it teaches my sons about the joy and skills of interacting with many different kinds of people.
— Jim, father of Chris and Alec, San Francisco

Make a pizza: I use the same trick as the dad in William Steig's book Pete's a Pizza. When my daughter's grumpy, I say, "Okay, time to make you into a pizza." I pick her up and knead the dough and toss her in the air, which is really just tickling and gentle roughhousing. Then I sprinkle her with make-believe cheese, tomato sauce, and pepperoni — another good chance for tickling! Then I plop her in a pretend oven (the couch) and presto, her bad mood is over!
— Fred, father of Hazel, Burlington, Vermont

Let the air out: When we're driving in the car and my daughter is feeling upset, we roll the windows down all the way, even if it's freezing out and snowing, and then we blow all the "bad" air out of our bodies. She always feels better afterward and so do I!
— Chandler, mother of Lily, Monterey, Massachusetts

Two Healthy Babies, One Lucky Mama

Andrew & Joshua had their well-child checks today. Here's the stats:

Andrew
31 lb. (37%)
3 ft. 2 in. (65%)
Tall & skinny little dude

My concerns for Dr. Allred were minor-eating and potty training. Dr. Allred wasn't concerned about either one, so neither am I.

Joshua
18 lb. 6 oz. (54%)
27.7 in. (79%)

My concerns for Dr. Allred were Josh's disdain for fruits & veggies and his motor skills. He still hasn't rolled over, but he's getting close to sitting up. Dr. Allred said to not worry about the baby food and it looks like he's developing just fine. Josh's reflux is just about over-he still spits up occasionally, but he no longer needs medication. Yay!!

Dr. Allred made the comment that my smile was bigger at this checkup. I was pretty much a basket case those first few months of Josh's life. Two kids at ages 3 years and 6 months is WAY better than at ages 2 1/2 and newborn! I'm loving being a mama of 2-it's the best and I'm so grateful for every minute I have with them.

Please Admire My Bathtub

I clean my bathroom once a week, but the bathtub never gets as clean as I'd like it. The little skid-resistant grooves on the bottom still hold on to the grime, no matter how much I scrub or what cleaner I use. When Maintenance came to do their annual cleaning, they couldn't get it completely clean either. Well, today, I searched on the net to see if I could find some tips and someone said that Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser would do the trick. I had one on hand and tried it. With very little effort on my part, my tub is now sparkling white!! I'm so happy, I had to blog about it.

Happy Independence Day!!

Every time we make the annual 4th of July trip to Uncle Lewis & Aunt Amaria's home in Midway, I'm reminded of how much I love it there. It's heaven on earth and I really hope they build a big hospital there so we can call it home. A girl can dream right?

We spent the day with the fam-eating way too much good food and playing in the backyard. Andrew monkeyed around with his cousins and especially loved following Cassidy around wherever she went. He also made himself useful by helping with the bonfire. Josh enjoyed being passed around and being able to stay up WAY too late and eventually falling asleep in his mommy's arms.

The fireworks display from Memorial Hill is awesome, especially when the hill catches on fire from time to time. We watched from the backyard, but you can hear cheers and whistles from all around town. It was a fun holiday, one of my favorites.

First Harvest

This is the first picking from my garden-the bite marks aren't from pests. I picked this zucchini and proudly showed it to Andrew. We rinsed it off and I let Andrew hold it while we walked back to our apartment. Before I knew it, I heard Andrew say, "Mmmmm. Yummy!" He was chomping away......and I wasn't about to protest! When we got home, we chopped it up and steamed it, added a little butter and Mrs. Dash, and had a tiny feast!

Happy Campers

Don't I look pretty? We spent three days in American Fork Canyon this week. I've come to find out that three days is PLENTY with two kids, but we had a really fun time. The highlight for Randy was the fishing; for me, it was Jacob's amazing storytelling abilities; for Andrew, it was learning to pee in the trees and getting filthy; for Josh, it was being able to spend most of his time slung on my hip. We camped with the B-Team crew and each family was in charge of one meal, so we ate great. The kids slept (surprisingly) well in the tent; Andrew kept us warm by sleeping with us in our bed and Josh slept super-bundled in the Pack 'N Play. The only complaint I had was our air mattress that has a hole, we had to inflate it two times during the night. It was a fun B-Team reunion and a joy to be surrounded by such good friends.

The B-Team

From left to right: Jacob, Randy, Brayden, Matt, Mike

Est. 2004

(sometime during the 1st block of medical school)

Facts compiled during our camping trip:

• Jacob needed a friend and someone to study with-he sought Matt as his obvious choice, Mike was Jacob & Matt's lab partner and joined as well
• Randy was studying in the room they wanted to use, he joined by default
• Brayden became a "staple" soon after
• Fellow classmates formed a group of their own and were endearingly labeled the "Dream Team" due to their incessant question-asking abilities, their eagerness for being at the top of the class, and their front-row seat tendencies, this is how the "B-Team" got their name
• Study sessions consisted of talking out the material and the World Series of Flatus (Matt won, Randy received all the publicity for it)
• Nicknames (don't ask): Matt-Weak sauce, Jacob-Hot sauce, Brayden-Uro sauce, Randy-Mercapto (a.k.a. stinky) sauce, Mike-Bleep sauce
• If they could be the Scooby Gang, Jacob would be Velma; Mike, Daphne; Randy, Scooby; Matt, Fred; Brayden, Shaggy
• 2 Members of the B Team are AOA (top 5% of the class)
• On our first camping trip-3 children tagged along; on our 2nd camping trip, there were 9.
• At least one B-Team wife has been pregnant throughout medical school; Brayden & Cassy contributed every other pregnancy; most of us had a baby during 3rd year (the hardest year).
• I never worried about Randy when he was gone, he was surrounded by good men.