I need to be extremely grateful!!

On Sunday we talked about keeping journals. I spoke up and said...this blog IS my journal now. So forgive me if I blabber and talk about the good/bad things that are happening instead of just the "fun" things we are doing in our lives. Right now, those are far and few between, so you get to hear my thoughts more than anything.

A few nights ago, I was talking with my sister-in-law, Kristen. She was telling me how her 18 month old was always getting into things and was a little daredevil with climbing and had no fear of things. She then asked me if Justin was into everything. I stopped and thought about that a few moments and realized, you know, he really isn't!! So forgive me if I talk about what a great kid I think I have. I"m sure everyone thinks this, so I'll just vocalize WHY i think mine are so great. Justin doesn't get into things, he listens and he knows what he can't play with. I am so glad he doesn't "test" me, even after I say no. I get the "feel goods" from his sitter who raves about him every time I pick him up about how good he is, she doesn't have to worry about him getting into all of her stuff and that he just plays and is "so easy". She is fascinated by how well he eats his food. I just figured, if he doesn't eat what I make, he can eat at the next meal. He's learned to eat almost anything on his plate. I just feel lucky and extremely blessed.

Then there is James. You really can't ask for a better older brother. His favorite thing right now is to rock Justin at night after family prayers. He loves to snuggle him and then put him into bed. He loves to just be with him! On Saturday night, Kevin and James had been gone all day and when they walked in the house, Justin started screaming because he was so excited and ran over to, well, I thought Daddy first, but bypassed Kevin and ran straight into James' arms and couldn't have been a happier kid. Sometimes, I have to remind James that he is the brother and not the disciplinarian. He loves to be Justin's dad and tell discipline him all the time. At least I know he'll be a good dad someday! I let James feel the baby the other night as well and he told me, "I had a dream you already had him. I can't wait." He isn't jealous of Justin at all and just loves him unconditionally. It is great to watch the two of them together.

So those are two reasons I am extremely grateful. I need to remember this more often, especially when Justin is placing stickers on my face and pulling them off and my hair comes along with it. Kids are fun and even though I am extremely nervous to have two little ones around, I know the joy they bring and the love that surrounds them.

The last few days

So James passed the sacrament on Sunday for his first time. We were there early, waiting for someone to show him what to do. They didn't really "show him" very well. They kind of "pointed". So when it came time to pass it, James just followed someone across the front of the room. He was so confused and didn't know where to go. Luckily someone quickly pointed it back out to him and he passed very successfully. I asked Kevin to explain the "waiting" period, until the bishop has received it. James just kind of ignored that fact. He looked so "old" standing up there and so tall! He has really grown a lot this past year and his pants are proof as they get higher and higher. I'm sure he'll be as tall as me pretty soon. Wow. Time just flies on by!


We also have a new "addition" to our family. An old roommate of mine, Marilee, has moved in with us while she is trying to find a place to live. She was living with her brother and now her other brother is moving in with him, so she decided to take the opportunity to find a place to buy on her own. In the meantime, we have a new roommate! When we were putting up the shower curtain in her bathroom she commented, "I've never had my own bathroom!" I figured, it's about time!

I will get some more pictures of Justin too. Kevin keeps forgetting to bring in the camera from his truck. I have to post a pic of Justin where my heels. It's so cute to see him moving along in them!

James

I don't want to post too much on only Justin. James is a part of our family too. I just don't take as many pictures of him, since he's here only on the weekends. Last week, however, he turned 12. In the LDS religion, it is a very important time. Kind of like a celebration of age, more responsibilities, etc. (like when a child reaches of age in the Jewish religion). He is now going to pass sacrament on Sundays (which ps, I had a horrible dream last night that we missed church on Sunday and thus missed out on James' first sacrament passing. I felt horribly guilty), go on scout camps for a WEEK at a time, not be in primary, and the list goes on. Kevin and I were looking at the video from when he proposed and I saw James in the video and he was barely up to the middle of my chest and now he is only about 5 inches shorter than me. He's becoming a young man! Am I really responsible for a 'tweenager?? Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!
He is an excellent brother and will make an amazing father someday. He loves Justin and can not wait for his new brother, he was a little sad it wasn't a sister. I won't lie. He loves to rock Justin at night before bedtime and lay him in bed. Instead of always going off and playing with his friends, he'll play for 2 hours with Justin and be in heaven because he is with his brother. It will be nice to have James here on the weekends to keep Justin entertained, this summer!

Sleep is so wonderful!

Justin just started at a new sitter's house on Monday and she loves him. I mean, come on. He is my child. What is there NOT to love! hee hee She is so impressed at how well behaved he is (I had to remind her it has only been 2 days, just wait until he gets comfortable), how well he eats and especially at how easy he is to get down for a nap.

So I've been thinking about naptimes for him and where we came from and where we are. As an infant, he loved to take 30-45 minute naps and then be wide awake for a few more hours. Granted, he would do this 3 times a day at least, but still. So around, I dont know, let's say 14 months, he started regularly on a 2 nap a day schedule, like clock-work. If he got whiney, or just irritated, he'd go down for a nap. No questions asked. Now, if he is tired, he grabs his bink and/or blanket (which was lost for 5 weeks, but recently recovered and he is none the wiser) and he is ready to go to sleep. He can be running around like a banshee, screaming and laughing and as soon as that blanket and bink comes out, he is instantly snuggling and ready for bed. It's actually kind of funny. Sometimes, he'll even fight be on taking them because he KNOWS what is coming and he knows he can't stop it. It's like a medication enters his body. It really is pretty funny.

Anyhow, the whole point of this post was to say how grateful I am for a little boy who loves his naptime, takes a great nap and is completely refreshed afterwards. I still ask my husband, "what did we do to have such a great kid?" He's so easy to read....whiney = naptime. He just shrugs his shoulder with no comment. It must be my genes rubbing off on him! Now I pray this next child is the same way. I do have one question...is it bad my kid takes screwdrivers and plastic rakes to bed? He's obsessed. There is nothing cuter than seeing your child asleep, grasping his blanket and screwdriver, so he can be ready to help Daddy at a moment's notice.

Help to make it cute!

I see all these blogs that have cute backgrounds, fonts, etc. How do you do it? Help me, help myself!!

Let's get this thing started!!

So here was a cute picture of Justin showing me his socks, to get this thing off rolling! All my friends have a blog and I look forward to their new entries. It can be addicting! I doubt anyone will feel the same, but at least now family and friends can see/hear the happenings of our family; especially those who live so far away and aren't able to see our family on a regular basis.

To bring you up to date. We are expecting a baby boy at the end of May. Maybe it'll be the middle of may, who knows. As the time gets closer, we'll keep a closer eye on this guy so as to not let him get to be over 10lbs!! A 9-pounder will seem small to me!! I went to the doctor yesterday and I am measuring right on time, which is wonderful news! With Justin, he was always a lot bigger (2-3 weeks), so this is EXCELLENT news to me right now!! I'm trying to keep my weight under control and really really watching what I eat. I've lowered all my carbs down, but I kind of cheated a little this past month, hence a larger weight gain! So, needless to say, back to the drawing board. Low-carbs. If you want to know what to bring me when the baby is born--chocolate covered pretzels. That is all I want!!