One Reason I love my Husband

I hate, hate, hate cleaning bathrooms. When Justin and I first started dating he would come and pull the hair out of mine and my roommates bathroom drains. Disgusting! But, what a guy!
This was a lot less expensive than before Justin. I would buy my little sister a ticket to Salt Lake and bribe her with Joes' Crab Shack if she would clean out the hair. No kidding.
When we were first married I decided to continue the bartering. I would do all the grocery shopping if Justin would clean the bathrooms. Signed, sealed, delivered. Deal.
About six months ago I started to feel a little guilty. I honestly had not cleaned a bathroom in years and I was staying home while he worked. So, I cleaned the bathroom.
Two hours later, I had hives all over my body. My eyes were totally swollen. We assumed it was the chemicals. So, we switched to Green Cleaning.
Justin insisted he take over the cleaning again. It takes him awhile but he is very very thorough. Last Saturday, I started to feel guilty again. That is when he reassured me.
And I quote, "It is ok honey. I knew when I met you you were meant for the life of a princess."
Finally, someone who agrees with my childhood fantasies! What a great husband!

Sailor Boy

Carson's Uncle Cody has joined the Navy and gave him this hat. Carson is very proud of the hat. He did not want to take it off the other day. I would take it off and he would get a very serious look and put it back on.
On the flip side, I put a headband with a big flower on his head as well. I was not trying to torture him, I purchased it for someone else and wanted to see it on. He was very very proud. He sat up straight and tall and smiled. When I took it off he kept attempting to put it back on and became very frustrated when he could not do it.
I knew if Dad saw, I would be forced to go back to work while he stayed home with Carson. No more of those shenanigans.

(I do have to say he looked very pretty with the flower but I do prefer him looking like a boy)

An Eventful Day

It all started when Carson's book from my mom did not arrive... AGAIN. She confirmed via UPS tracking that is was indeed delivered. I asked her to read the address out loud. Aha! She was a digit off.
The good news... that was only a few houses up the street. I would run over there... they were probably holding the package as it was neighbors we did not know. That is what most people would do, right? They probably had the best of intentions of getting it to us but did not have time.
I started to grab Carson to go with me. Then had second thoughts. Not sure why... but glad I did. He was busy playing with dad.
Some other neighbors who lived next door to the 'package holders' were outside. I chatted for a minute and asked if their neighbors were nice and explained the situation. They made a face and then said "well, they will talk to you" no confirmation on the nice part. I jokingly asked "well, do you guys have my back if anything goes wrong"...they laughed and said if I was in there over an hour they would come and get me. I made them promise ten minutes tops.
The gentlemen who opened the door was not friendly. Either was his dog that was barking behind the screen. He said he did not receive any packages. I told him UPS said it was on his porch last Saturday. He said he would ask his wife.
The wife came up and said no, no packages. I told her there were two delivered to this address and the address was verified. I was still smiling and being very nice.
The dog continued barking. I was giving up. Then the dog sprang out from the screen door and sank his teeth into my thigh. Not so fun.
The lady grabs me and says "INTO THE HOUSE!" as the dog was now trying to get at me again and I was trapped on the porch.
The man stayed on the porch with the dog. I was inside. She asked to see my leg. It looked worse than I thought initially. The adrenaline was making it so it wasn't so painful yet.
Then... the man lets the DOG BACK IN. He starts coming out me and blocking the front door...my only possible out!
I start yelling, "LOCK THAT DOG UP!" I could not leave. They throw the dog in the bedroom while the lady grabs me and runs me into her bedroom. She is distraught and apologizing while applying all manner of ointments to my leg. It is stinging. I yell, "WHAT ARE YOU PUTTING ON ME?"
The man comes up to me and continues to talk about the packages.... very slowly. The lady is blowing on my leg. He is saying, "I told her we can't keep the dog, it is our son's" He is being mean to his wife. She apparently will not let me leave until she has me "fixed up". I just want to go home. It is a bit surreal.
I keep asking, "Does the dog have shots?" I can not get out of my head the urban legends of the kids who had to get 126 rabies shots in their stomachs. They keep saying "Yes, Yes." I am not convinced.
The man tells well yes, they did receive a thin package. But he is sure it said Orlando. That is his son. I do not care about his son at this moment. I have been attacked by Cujo, I am being held captive by the medicine woman, and my Victoria Secret sweatpants have teethmarks. The ones I begged and cajoled my husband for. They have stolen my son's 1st birthday present book from his Grandma that she paid an extra $10 to overnight in time for his birthday.
I look at the man. "I just want to go home." And I push my way out of the back bedroom and out the front door. Cujo is still barking on the other side of the door.
My neighbors are still outside. "That dog really scared you huh?"
I laugh. "No, he actually bit me"--they are shocked and look like they feel bad. They tell me before Justin goes and kills the neighbors to come talk to them.
I walk home. When I walk in and see J and Carse staring at me I cry. Then I do not want my son to see me sad so I tell J what happened. I am so relieved my son was not on my hip.
The end result:
Antibiotics, pain meds, and apparently some muscle that was torn into
Animal Control Incident Report
No 1st Birthday Book
Waiting to hear about dog shot verification
A good excuse to not get up tomorrow morning to exercise
Hoping Cujo gets locked up permanently before a Girl Scout knocks on the door.....

I am seriously considering putting out a notice in the neighborhood!

Help! I am SO Tired!

What is happening?
Carson has been sleeping through the night since about 12 weeks thanks to "On Becoming Babywise". It has been a dream.
Things are changing!
Since the night of his birthday he wakes up several times a night, screaming at the top of his lungs and not able to catch his breath. We rock him back to sleep but the moment you lay him down he cries again and reaches for you, becoming hysterical.
Sunday night this went on from midnight to 4am. The next night it went on for two hours and then we let him cry it out which took another hour and was distressing.
Last night was the hardest though. He woke up at 10pm and I rocked him for an hour. I went to bed relieved. A half hour later he was up again. I rocked him for 30 minutes, trying to lay him down several times. He acts scared of me leaving and hides from the shadows on the wall. Finally, back to sleep. At 2:30am though he was crying again. I was so tired I broke my rule; I brought him into my bed.
The next four hours were him crawling on me trying to get comfortable. If I even laid him beside me he would scream. He had to be right on top of me, preferably with his head nuzzled under my neck and an elbow in my 'milk makers'...very comfortable let me assure you. He did at one point give me a kiss and hold my hand to reward me for my patience.
From what I am reading online and his very attached actions lately, I think he is going through separation anxiety???? Experienced moms, what do I do??? I need my sleep.

Mister Turns One!

I have been quite a bit busier than usual and have been meaning to post....we had a huge event in our household on Sunday... Carson turned ONE!

This year has flown by!

Despite my best efforts, I was a bit emotional all morning on Carson's birthday. I thought back to the fateful day 10 years ago when I was told that my chances of having a baby were less than 5%. I thought off all the prayers, tears, and oh let's not forget shots in the hopes that we could have a baby. Justin likes to remind me of the night I had to do the first shots. This was before the bigger needles even (in fact it was so tiny you could barely see it). I completely flipped out, I said I refused and would not come in the house... I was so scared of needles. I sat crying on the porch and told him we would have to save more money so we could adopt. (To my credit I had been on crazy hormones on and off forever already!) Now I look at my boy and I am so happy that I "stuck" it out--literally. I was traveling about 3 weeks a month then and by the end I was giving myself the huge needle shots in hotel rooms in between meetings. Yeah, the ones the Fertility Clinic said only a nurse going through it had done it for herself before. But, it was either that or go ask room service to do it for me and start the whole stinkin' process again!

Anyway, enough of that... time for some cute pics:



How precious! This is when he was still so happy about his first birthday...mesmerized by the candle and everyone singing to him...

This is after. My child is terrified by cupcakes now that his parents let him put the candle out with his fingers. I mean, seriously, could we not see this coming? We put a lighted candle within reach. Poor guy....
Please note the cute hat I made him for his birthday.. and for a few more braggin rights I made a banner too:

We had Nana, Grandpa Mark, Uncle Nick and Aunt Essie, Liesel, Andrew and Shannon and Genesis at the party. We made fun hats, played, opened presents, and had cake. It was a great time:

Umbrella Stroller

After Carson was born I took my sis-in-laws advice and purchased an umbrella stroller in addition to his travel system bigger one.
I got a great deal for $5 at Mervyns' and was very proud of myself. I would say I have gotten my money's worth (that sentence sounds wrong but I am too tired to know for sure). Anyway, I love how compact it is. Plus, Carson can see more and it is easy to bring anywhere.
I have found a problem however and have decided to look for a new umbrella stroller as I foresee at least another year or two of use.
First off, Daddy and Nana don't like to push it because the handles don't go high enough. Even me, at my whopping 5'5" tend to get a little sore. This is ok, because I often am very proud to push my adorable boy around and don't want to turn over the reigns to anyone. But, sometimes it might be nice.
The bigger issue? The wheels have no traction while in stores. When I bring it to the mall or into shops, it virtually stops. Sometimes with someone right on my heels, who gets irritated while tripping over me and my baby. The wheels do not go well with polished, waxed store flooring. Hello??!!! Was the umbrella stroller designer a man who wanted to discourage his wife from shopping? Not ok!
I do not want to spend too much on a new one as my bigger stroller is very nice...although not so compact.
So, any moms out there with suggestions would be greatly appreciated (or tall dads).

Happy New Year

Well, I just wrapped up the best year of my life so far! But there is so much to look forward to!

My Top New Year's Resolutions:

Lose the rest of the baby weight. I mean really, there are no more excuses when he is about to turn one. But how predictable, huh? I'll bet 80% of resolutions involve losing weight.

Increase exercise--minimum two times a week to start. I am such an all or nothing person that I need to start small and work up. It is easier in the spring and summer for me because I love walking. But ever since it got cold I am SO out of shape.

Eat more veggies- I have tried for years to convince myself that I like veggies. But, if there is an option for just about anything else or a veggie, I usually opt for anything else. Unless of course it is an artichoke--hmmm!

Get organized! My stress would decrease dramatically if I was more organized. But, I take one step forward two steps back...constantly. So, I am going to take it week by week. I figure in the next 52 weeks I should at least be in a better place than I am now, right?

Well my New Years Resolutions are very common, boring and typical. And since I seem to make similar ones every year you start to wonder what the point is anyway. My husband thinks that New Years is a silly excuse to change things and you should always be progressing anyway. But he is someone who is good at sticking to goal. For me, I like the fresh start idea. Plus, it eased the guilt this last week as I pigged out and was a lazy bum! I kept saying...hey. I will start on the 1st.

Anyone got any creative resolutions?