The end of an Era

May 11, 2010 I just saw this old draft that never got posted. Here it is.

Well, my baby is officially a toddler. Joshua turned 2 last Friday and I can just feel the babyhood melting away. Okay, technically toddlerhood starts at 1 but it never seems like it to me until they are 2. Already gone are the bottles and formula and soon (hopefully) the diapers and crib. I cannot believe how fast he is growing up! He can talk and walk and entertain himself for certain periods of time. It is wonderful and sad at the same time.

A few thoughts

I have been noticing a barage of parenting articles, advice, criticisms and calls to arms lately. I am really getting sick of it. There are those who like to tout their proven methods and those who want to scream at other parents for sucking. We all suck a little bit when it comes to being a parent don't we? The standard is impossibly high. We are created in the image of God, not Gods ourselves. From many of the things I have read it seems like a lot of ladies out there are feeling like losers because of all the cool things they see on Pinterest. Is that for real? I love pinterest. It gives me good ideas for me and my little family. It allows me to dream of far off places that intrigue me and that at this point in life I really don't care if I ever get to visit in person. I am not intimidated by the internet and all the cool ideas other moms have and I do not feel bad about myself when I see what other women are posting about their lives and picture perfect families. We want to put on our happy faces to the world and only post good pictures of ourselves and families, who wouldn't? Anyway I just don't think it ought to make anyone feel bad about themselves just because someone else is really good at blogging and posting cool pictures. There are so many ways to get it right and so very many ways to screw it up but I just want to stop hearing about it. So instead of being a whiner I am simply going to stop worrying about it. If this post seems weird and random, well it is. It is 2:30 in the morning and I couldn't sleep. Adieu Kim (I think Kim is the only one that ever reads this blog so just thought I would mention it).

Actually I think I might just be half asleep now. Not sure what brought this on but I am going back to bed. Here are some pics of the coolest fam on the internet! As long as they're happy, I'm happy. Look at those cute smiles!

My ramblings today...

My baby is turning 3 on a couple of weeks and I am having a harder time with it than I would have thought. I have always looked forward to a day when there would be no more diapers, strollers, cribs, etc. But now that it is almost here I am a little tiny bit sad. This is the child that when I found out I was pregnant I cried for 9 months because I didn't really want another baby. What an idiot I was, and how grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father who knows my needs, and the needs of my family so much better than I. You see, I need this baby. I feel like me life would have been ridiculously empty and selfish without him. He is a joy, I have often called him my little bonus baby. Luckily my little guy still loves to snuggle with me. In the morning after the big kids are gone to school, it's just me and him and sometimes we will just cuddle up and watch Winnie the Pooh for hours. I love this time with him so much. Of course, it's not all that bad to think he will grow up... lately he has been taking matters into his own hands every time he has a messy diaper and I will be glad when this particular phase is over. Al least I think I will be. I told a woman in my math class all about it and she just laughed and reminded me to enjoy it while I can, even the poopy times will be gone before you know it she said. Did I mention I am taking a math class? I am going back to school to get a degree in El. Ed. because, well, my dad was right about that useless communications degree, it seems a bit, well, useless. Don't ge tme wrong, the experience of college and work was invaluable but that particular degree doesn't really qualify me for much. Anyway, no more ramblings... time to get on with the day which will include: orthodontist, dentist, back to orthodontist, violin, soccer, t-ball and dance. TGIF!

Emily

Last week we celebrated Emily's 7th birthday! She has gotten to be such a little lady. We had a princess party and she had 7 friends come.

I have never really recorded details of her birth so here goes:

I remember when we went to the hospital to have Emily, we left at about 10:30 PM January 7, 2003 and drove to West Jordan to Jordan Valley Hospital. I coudn't tell if I was having contractions, it was more like constant and severe pain. When we got to the hospital they checked me out and said I was in labor. After several hours they decided to "help" me out a bit and induce me. I was very relieved when they finally gave me an epidural and I could rest for a short time before I had to start pushing.

When the pushing started, (with absolutely no effect whatsoever by the way), I began to wonder what would happen if I couldn't do it. Oh everyone assured me that she would come out on her own but I wasn't buying it! After 2-3 hours of trying to push, the nurse came in and talked me into using forsceps, she assured me it would all be over in 10 minutes- she was right! I feel sorry for all those women who might be bamboozled into thinking there is anything wrong with getting a little help through labor!

Sixteen hours of labor later with inductions and forsceps she finally decided to grace us with her presence! She was so beautiful, very pink, and her eyes where incredibly blue and big and sparkly, her mouth was open wide and she was screaming at the top of her lungs! (Incidentally, I don't think she stopped screaming for several hours as I attempted, unsuccessfully, to nurse her and get her calmed down). Everytime the poor little thing fell asleep, a nurse would come in and wake us up and tell me I needed to try to feed her again! Ugh!! Finally we gave her some formula in a bottle and there was peace for an hour or so. Emily was 6 lbs. 14 oz. and 20.5 inches long. She had black hair and was beautiful!

Emily is our little genius, she started talking and walking at 11 months. Her first word was "butterfly" and she could sing a stirring rendition of Twinkle Little Star before the age of 1. She was very tiny for her age and was not on the growth charts until the age of 2 when she finally reached 20 lbs. She was a petite little doll and still is, and despite her smallness, has always enjoyed wonderful health.

Emily is an imaginative, fanciful little girl and I always think of her as the "little Elizabeth" from the Anne of Green Gables books. She is quiet and thoughtful and loves to read and create art of all kinds. She is a beautiful little dancer and loves to prance around the house in her pretty ways. Pink is supreme in her world and dolls and Barbies are very real and fun companions for her. Although she has informed me of late that they are just pretend people.

She had an imaginary friend named Pink who was the size of her little finger, she lived in the little kitchen that has been in Emily's room since the age of 2. Emily says she is still there but likes to stay inside that plastic kitchen where no one will bother her.

Emily has been playing the violin for a year and a half and is doing very well. She is interested in all sports and dance and wants to do it all. We'll see if I can keep up. She does very well in school and is a top notch reader. She had her first crush this year although I am sworn to secrecy as to whom it was with :).

I am so grateful to have this little princess for a daughter. She informed her kindergarten teacher the first day that she was a "really, real princess" and she is right. She brings a lot of sweetness and love to our family and I can't fathom life without her!

Jacobisms

"Mom, can you please change the radio station, I don't like this song- it makes me super itchy."

"Did you know Oopsie (our cat) is really a lion? We should call the zoo right away and get him out of here!"

"Mommy, you're the best gil in the wold, will you marry me?"

As we are pulling out of our driveway the week after Christmas, we notice there is a pumpkin sitting on our neighbors tree stump. Jake puts down his window and yells to a boy who innocently stopped to look at the pumpkin, "it's NOT Halloween! It's NOT!"

One Sunday I put on a new dress for church, Jacob's comment, "wow- you look pretty, just look at yourself mom!"

Jacob has made up a word since it expresses things just right for him. "I am super-tackelly excited about Christmas!", I am super-tackelly tired mom", This is a super-tackelly long game" and so on.