I've been in San Antonio since the 1st of December. Scheduled to arrive back home on the 12th. My little sissy Caiti flew me out to watch her 3 boys, Gavin (10), Ryan (8 - almost 9), and Liam (2).
I've had a lot of fun, and I wanted to document some of the fun/funny things that we've done, and funny things that I hear from Liam on a daily basis.
First off...I don't know how mothers do it. I really don't. I have wanted to be a mom so badly and I now worry just a little bit if I will be a good mother. I mean I have had so much fun here and have seen so many things from these boys that have melted my heart, and have made me laugh out loud...but it's tough work being a Mom...and a single one at that (wish my hubby could have been out here with me). I don't know how women do it.
I don't know how my sister does it. She's a full time Mom/Wife, part-time BYU-I student, and Relief Society President in their ward. Plus she's a regular at the gym, cooks each night, etc, etc... I don't know how she does it.
Ok, let's back up to when this trip started.
I am a nervous flyer. A VERY nervous flyer. I don't like flying...actually...I don't mind flying...I just don't like the take-off part - HATE IT! Once we're high up I'm good - but still always nervous and on guard for anything that may happen.
I had a stop in Las Vegas on this trip, so two take-offs is hard for me. I was a nervous wreck from a few days before leaving until later in the night after landing. Talk about ulcers! I really do think I have them...
Anyway, the flights went great and I landed safely. Now I just have to get home....yikes. (Flight to Phoenix was perfect...flight to Salt Lake was not so fun - so bumpy!)
Being here has been good for me. I've learned a lot about myself. I've learned that I'm not as grouchy as I thought I was when I didn't get enough sleep (Ryan would say otherwise), I've learned that I can be funny and happy in the morning, that I am a responsible person, that I enjoy making dinners, that I still don't like it when boys rough-house (have two younger brothers that did this growing up, drove me nuts, still does - but I do LOVE these boys). I've learned that even when a toddler is crabby and grouchy, he can also turn right around and want nothing but to hug me. In his words..."Ha-tee (auntie)...HUUUUUG!" And saying this with a huge grin. I've learned that sometimes I need to just give in and let boys be boys.
So, here's how my schedule has been each day since last Tuesday.
-Get up up before 6:30 to make school lunches, help get two boys ready for school, comb hair, feed them breakfast, sign off on homework, wake up Liam, change his diaper, feed him breakfast, drive the morning carpool and get them to school before 7:45am.
-Get home from school, turn on blues clues and snuggle with Liam for a few minutes. Play with him for a few hours, snuggle some more, until nap time.
-Nap time between 11:30/12 - 2.
-While he's down for a nap I clean up breakfast, make beds, pick up toys, do laundry, shower, and try to make the house presentable again until he's done with nap time..
-Nap time is over by the time I'm done with things. I get lunch made for him, change his diaper, and play until boys come home at 3.
-3pm get afternoon snacks ready, have boys look at their check list (something I started doing each day of things they need to complete by 5pm. If everything is done by that time then we get to do something fun. ie: Chick-fil-A for dinner, or watch a Christmas movie and eat popcorn, go see Christmas lights and make Gingerbread houses, or go have some Orange Leaf, etc. They caught on with the check list and knew I meant business. If anything wasn't checked off then we didn't get to do what I had planned. They did great at it!
I hope they have built memories of the fun things we did, and not the checklist...hahaha! Ryan came home last Friday and said, "Auntie Shannon, I really don't like this checklist thing...lol!" I guess that means it's working??
-Dinner at 6pm.
-Liam goes to bed between 6:45 - 7pm.
-Hang out with the boys until they go to bed at 9.
-Clean up dinner mess, clean up house and make it presentable before heading to my room.
-Skype with Ryan for a while
-Bed time by 11 or so.
Day starts over. Although Thursday and Tuesday I've been going to the Gym to do a Spin class held on those days. Holy sore-ness!
Here are some of the funny things Liam says...cracks me up!
-YIKES! over and over. Liam says this when something is happening that he doesn't want to be
happening. For example. I'll give him some food and if it's not done in a certain way, or the way he likes it he'll yell out yikes, over and over while whining. It's soooo funny! I've never heard a 2 year old say it like that. It's like in his mind he's thinking, "no, I don't want it like this!!" but just says Yikes to sum it all up I guess. Hilar!
-"Ha-tee, HUUUUG!" over and over. We'll be snuggling on the bed in Caiti's room watching TV and he'll turn over to me, wrap his arm around my neck and pull me close to him and say, "Ha-tee Huuug!" followed by an "awwwww" from him. He does this over and over. It's so dang cute! Or then he'll say, "Ha-tee Kiss!" and kiss me on the cheeks or mouth. With his crabby side, he sure does have a sweet side that makes my heart melt, and makes me forget that he was cranky just a few minutes before hand.
-"oopy daisy" I take credit for this one. The first night I was here I heard Liam say, "oops" as he was trying to build something. So, I repeated the "oops" but also added, "oopsy daisy!". He caught on in a snap and started saying it over and over. We laughed so hard!
-When he goes down for his nap and for bed at night he says 'Nigh-night" to everything he sees. For example: "nigh-night chair, nigh-night basketball/soccer ball/football/baseball, nigh-night Curious George, nigh-night Blues Clues..." etc. You get the point. I LOVED it!
One day I let Liam Skype with Uncle Ryan and Max the dog. He got a kick out of seeing Max. So, that night when he went to bed he said, "nigh-night doggy Max, nigh-night Uncle Ryan." So cute!
Ok, now I'm finishing this blog at home...
I really, really loved my time in San Antonio. As people ask me how my time was I tell them it was so fun. Caiti asked me on my last day there, "what was the best part of it, and what was the hardest?"
I told them that the whole experience was so good for me. I learned a lot! The hard parts were overshadowed by the good things. I remember one Sunday after church was over Liam was having a hard time; Caiti thinks he was getting his molars in. Anyway, during Relief Society they talked about forgiveness. One lady made a comment on how she needed to see people in the way the Lord saw them; they too are a Child of God and we need to treat them as such - even if they bothered her, etc.
So, that day Liam was being cranky and I admit, I was getting a little overwhelmed by it. There was a moment where instead of whining he stopped and stood there in the Living Room watching Blues Clues and was focused on that. I looked over at him and stared at him as he watched. I remembered what was said in Relief Society so as I looked at him I repeated those words in my head, "he is a son of God - treat him as such." Immediately after that he looked over at me, smiled a huge grin, and came over and said, "ha-tee, HUG!". I honestly believe he heard my words. It was so amazing! And it was confirmation for me that every one needs to be treated as a son or daughter of God. I need to be better at that.
Ok...so now here are a ton of pictures from Texas...in no particular order because that would take forever.
These boys love playing and rough housing.
River Walk
Ryan & Gavin playing on my ipod.
Gav & Ryan building Gingerbread houses.
The completed village!
Stinky diapers and me don't get along well. I always have to cover my nose.
Frost on the airplane window.
Blurry jumping picture on the River Walk
Liam wearing Mom's head band. Funny how I told the picture in mid-blink.
Cutie pie watching TV.
Sesame Street
Putting together Train tracks.
Liam found the Shamrock glasses.
Everyday routine...packing school lunch.
Me and everyone at the River Walk
Showing how long my hair is getting.
(the picture of the monitor above cracks me up. I had put him down for his nap, but instead of sleeping he was talking and saying goodnight to everything in the room, and then talked about his birthday cake, etc. So funny!)
River Walk Christmas boat rides.
Photo op with me, Gav & Ryan
Me and Liam running errands. His smile kills me!
This is Liam's "HUG" thing he does. If he sees mom and dad hugging, he'll run up and hug them, and then call for Gavin and Ryan to come hug too. So funny!
Sunrise over the wasatch mountains just after take off. Gorgeous!
Clouds over San Antonio
Snuggling with Liam
Older boys want in on the snuggle action too!
Snuggling on the couch and watching Blues Clues.
Went to a Spin Class one day. Kicked my behind!
Liam does not like car rides. He did this after I asked him if he wanted to go on a ride in the car.
Caiti later let me know that he is not a fan.
Woke up to a CHIIIIILLLY Texas morning so I made them pancakes and hot chocolate.
My last morning taking the boys to school.
Liam's face that he makes while watching Curious George. So cute! And he was so happy when Mama came home!
Another cute TV face...
On the way to the airport. Took a detour to see the San Antonio Temple.
Beautiful!
At the San Antonio Airport saying goodbye!
My and my little sissy (although he's much more mature than I am)
Liam was crying when I had to leave. I'm sure it's just because he was tired, but I'd like to think it's because he'll miss his favorite "ha-tee"
So long...farewell...until I come to SA again.
Love,
HA-TEE
