Happy Halloween

These pictures are actually from when we got the costume in the mail last week. Gordon was so excited he ran around the apartment, flying and saying, "to and beyond!"

I am a little behind in some posts. I've got to post all about our Halloween festivities later. And yesterday we took a walk to a park and got some good pictures of the kids playing in the leaves. All to come...

Dollars For Diapers

A friend of mine is trying to do a good thing. I took this message from her blog. All she is asking from you is to spread the word. We have seen blogs do many great things (NieNie recovery) and I think we could all help her out by posting a little something. Thanks!

Dollars For Diapers

Our mission is to use the power of the blogging community to make a difference! Despite all the bad we hear about going on right now we still have the power to DO A LOT OF GOOD and we want to prove it! With the condition of the economy leaving many families stretching their dollars thinner than ever before we want to step in and help in whatever way we can. Every little bit a person can do helps!

We believe every baby deserves to be pampered...including their little tushes! With all the things parents have to worry about today we want to offer some relief from the worry of diapers. Diapers are the most expensive baby item that a parent must purchase over and over again until their child is potty trained. Many families have 2 or more babies in diapers and this can be a drain on the bank account. With no options left, many babies stay in 1 diaper for way too long or may go without a diaper for long periods of time. We want to relieve parents from having to make a decision about whether to diaper their child or pay the power bill. This is something we CAN DO!! Everyone can help this effort in one way or another. We are asking for donations of all sizes...pennies to big bills! Every little bit helps...so search under couch cushions and under car seats!

If you are one of those who are stretched too far you can contribute to this relief effort by posting a blurb on your blog about this effort and providing a link so that you reach all of your readers and get them involved. You can also tell anyone you meet and petition those with the ability to help to take an interest in this cause!

The diapers will be distributed based on how much funds and donations we can bring in. We will be accepting e-mails from you letting us know where you see a need for diaper relief. More details will be worked out as we see how big this effort grows. We know this service is needed in every nook and cranny of the United States so we ask every person reading this to find a way to get involved and help us reach each and every person that needs our help!! Right now we have "diaper stations" in Mississippi, Idaho, Pennsylvania, California, and Utah...soon we will have stations in all 50 states! Right now our stations are simply people who are working with the effort and will be available to distribute diapers in their area based on needs and funds available.

WANT TO HELP??? E-mail us at dollarsfordiapers@gmail.com!! Thank you for your interest and your support in this cause!

I did it, I really did it.

I read The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura Schlesinger. I know, I know four and a half years of marriage and I am just reading this book. I never really thought I would do it but...it was just after I had Edison and I felt like I had to do something for Chris because when we had Gordon I think Chris felt a little left out and it was really hard on him. Anyway, that's beside the point. The point is I read it and actually learned something. The reason I decided to do this post is because Chris has brought it up several times that me reading the book has made a big difference in our marriage. Most of the book suggested obvious things I was already doing but it was a good reminder. Here are some points I thought that really hit home for me:

1. Men Need Women. And this gives us all the power, you just need to learn how to use that power. So if you wanted to be treated right, treat your man right. A lot of times we abuse this power (this is totally me) to get what we want. Women can be hypocritical at times.


2. All men really need is Appreciation, Approval, and Affection.


3. Men and women are different. She talks a lot about the feminist movement and I in no way consider myself a feminist but I found I have been influenced by feminist views just by growing up with it all around me. The world says men and women are equal meaning they should be treated the same. That is not true. We can't expect our man to be a "girlfriend" who can understand everything we need and to be our manly man. We are different. Embrace those differences (everything that makes him a man- even those annoying things) and they will compliment eachother.


4. Not every thought and feeling needs to be said. Enough said.


5. Now, if I may for a moment be a little frank. Reading this book did a lot for me in the intimate aspect of our relationship. I always just thought of Chris as a man who just has to have it and is not very sensitive to my needs. Dr. Laura said, too bad if you're too tired because sometimes your man is too tired to come home and play with the kids or help make dinner but he still does! Anyway, I won't say anymore about that, just that it really made me look at things differently. And I think that is the biggest reason Chris says the book helped our marriage!

And some might say, "what about us wives?" Well after I read the book and started trying out the concepts, I noticed Chris helping out more and just on average everything running a lot smoother. Now if I could just get Chris to read the Five Languages of Love...

Curse of the Oldest Child

When I was pregnant with Gordon, I had hoped it would be a girl because I had heard that girls were the most helpful with the other children. Well, I think the oldest child just has to be helpful. Poor Gordon, I ask him to do so much for me, usually just little things, and I know he gets sick of it. The other day he was playing in his room, walked into the family room and stopped right by the couch and asked me if I would please hand him the burp cloth that was right on the arm of the couch. Mind you I was in the kitchen. I laughed and said sure because I'm sure he thinks I do the same to him! I wonder what he must think of me, "lazy mom!"

Overdue

I was going to wait to post this until I could edit some pictures of Edison but Chris seems to think that his homework is more important than my blogging! So you'll have to do with no pictures for now. Also, everything I say in this post is about two weeks ago...

Edison finally cut his first tooth, of course it had to be the same day Gordon was sick with the stomach flu. Edison is growing and learning so fast I need to keep a little notepad handy to write down all these little milestones before I forget, which happens a lot--mommy brain. Edison has also recently discovered his tongue; he is always clicking it, sticking it out and rubbing it all over his lips. It is pretty darn cute. For awhile now, Edison has been a scooter. He can get around pretty good just by scooting. He would try to crawl, get up on his hands and knees and just rock back and forth. He just couldn't move forward. Sometimes in desparation he would even get on his feet and hands (in the bear crawl position?) but to no avail, he just couldn't move his hands and knees in cordination and start crawling. Well, this last weekend we stayed at my sister's house and she has a 12 month old. I knew if Edison could just get a look at how a professional crawler does it, he would catch on real quick. Sure enough, today he started crawling! I am so proud of my little boy. Unlike some moms, I love it when my kids start to crawl. They seem happier after they get a little independance and can do things on their own. I love it that he doesn't have to depend on me to get his toys (because he can't communicate which one he wants so it is usually a guessing game.) And I don't have anything valuable that he could get into so its really not a hassle.
One of my favorite things about Edison is how he gently runs his fingers through my hair. It is so cute because he never pulls, just twirls it around his fingers. It sure has been so fun to see this little baby of mine grow.

Wow, sorry, I didn't realize that was so long. Whew.

Title

Today as I was getting in the shower, I had just put shampoo in my hair, I heard a loud knock on my bathroom door. Gordon was simply letting me know that he did a little poop in the potty and could he please watch a movie now. He used to watch a movie every time I got in the shower but now that we are potty training he only gets to watch a movie after he does his business in the toilet. I guess I chose the right thing to motivate him huh?

Potty training is going pretty good. Once I FINALLY got him to do the #2 in the toilet and showed him it wasn't scary at all, we've been doing much better. He still has accidents occasionally when we are playing outside with friends but I think that is understandable. He does good when we are out at the store too. I really can't complain.

Do I really deserve this?

I want to put a big THANK YOU out there to my amazing husband. This last week has been trying on me what with the teething and the potty training so my wonderful husband took BOTH boys to see his parents for the weekend! My old roommate Kyla came up from Vegas and we had an absolute blast doing girl stuff. This morning my cell phone alarm went off at 4 am (don't ask me why) and I jumped out of bed rushing to turn it off before it woke up the boys. Then I realized, there were no boys. And now I am just sitting here, alone, missing them. They should be here in about an hour and I know I should just enjoy the alone time, maybe get something done, but I find myself wishing they were here and I really don't know what to do with myself. But once again, THANK YOU Chris for a much needed break and THANKS Kyla for helping me to enjoy it.

Potty Chronicles Part:1

So it begins........its about time! Here's how it all started. I have been looking around for awhile for a kitchen mixer or blender for Gordon's birthday (November 9th- you can send gifts directly to the house or if you prefer to just send money that's okay too!) but couldn't find one anywhere. My friend informed me the other day that she just saw one at Wal-Mart so of course I piled the kids in the car and rushed off to Wally World before they were all gone. Gordon was so excited to see the blender (what can I say, I've got a protege in my hands here) but I told him he couldn't have it until he went pee pee in the potty. He acted like it was no big deal and that he would do it when he got home. I wasn't so sure. Well when we got home of course he threw a fit when I reminded him of our deal. After he calmed down, he asked to go on the potty and after a few minutes, sure enough he had done it! I wish I had the camera right then. He was so excited, jumping up and down with the biggest smile on his face, something along the lines of this-
We put him in big boy underwear, called daddy and grandma to tell them the good news, and of course gave him his prized possession, the blender.I guess all he needed was a little motivation. I love his skinny little legs. So far, two days in underwear, no accidents. He has had little squirts in his undies but nothing drastic and he has even done #2 in the potty twice by himself! Any words of warning, advice or encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

I don't know how you guys do it...

After seeing so many cute pictures of your little ones, I decided I needed to be better about taking pictures of Edison. One morning I grabbed my camera, got down on the floor and prepared to snap adorable pictures of my adorable little boy. Well, it didn't quite work out that way. I spent about a half hour on the floor and all I got was...

BLURRY BABY! At least he's smiling, right.
Then he decided he wanted my camera... He went right for it. I then came to the conclusion that a)it is really hard to take pictures of babies when they have just learned how to crawl or b)I am not as good at taking pictures as I thought I was or c)my camera really stinks. Let's just go with a. At least I got a few okay shots.
I'll post more about Edison when I can Photshop these pictures so they don't make you dizzy just looking at them. So really, what's the secret? I guess I just need to pull out the camera more often. That would be cheeper than, say, photography lessons!

Kids Say the Darndest Things Part:2

8/20/08 - Edison is the happiest baby ever! He smiles all the time, sleeps through the night, takes a bottle when he has to and is just a all around good baby. I am so blessed!

8/18/08 - The other day I asked Gordon to snuggle on the couch with me. Now he says, lets play snuggle mom! It is so cute.

8/10/08 - Today Gordon was wanting to call someone on Chris's cell phone. "I want to call something." After Chris asked him who he wanted to call Gordon said, "Um, Jesus."

7/12/08 - I was telling Gordon about the temple, trying to remind him how to behave and who was going to be there with us. I was naming all our family and telling him it was Jesus's house. Then Gordon said, "And Santa is going to be there." Where in the world did he get that?

7/12/08 - We came to the conclusion that Gordon has been spending too much time with his cousin Ashlynn when after I got him dressed to go to the temple open house he said, "I'm a princess!" Chris was concerned, "I leave for a week and this is what happens!?"

5/23/08 - We were in the car running errands and Gordon saw a digger and of course got very excited about it. He kept saying, "look Edison a digger; look!" It was so cute. I can't wait till they can really play together.

5/20/08 - Whenever we have to do something that Gordon doesn't like we say, "See, that wasn't so bad." Today Gordon was cutting his cereal with his spoon and I told him to quit playing and just eat. After he cut his cereal he said, "its not so bad mom." Thanks Gordon!

5/13/08 - Gordon has to say the pray by himself now and if we try to help him he will whip out his finger so fast and shush us, "No, I do it." Then he randomly says stuff about his toys or dinner and then we have to remind him how to close it or he could go on forever!

5/8/08 - Gordon has started doing this big sigh after I ask him to do something he doesn't like. It is so funny. I know he is got attitude but I can't help but laugh.

Thanks Guys

I got the costume for $15! I really didn't think she would budge on the price because there were some people selling theirs for $35. Anyway, thanks for talking some sense into me. I am usually pretty cheap when it comes to things like this but when I get an idea in my head I just don't act like I normally would. I guess I got so excited at the prospect of my little Gordon in a Buzz Lightyear costume, who knows how much I would have paid! Well, NOW I can be excited. But what to get for Edison...I don't want to pay a lot of money at all for a costume for Edison because infants don't usually like to stay in costumes all that long. Any advice on good infant costumes?

Halloween Costumes

Hip hip hooray! (everytime I say that Gordon says, "no mom; I don't want to go to the parade!" sorry for the tangent) I finally got Gordon's Halloween costume! I bought it on KSL Classifieds.Okay, hold the phone, back up! I was looking for a picture to post. The one above is from the actual ad. I was looking up on the Disney store website (thats where the seller claims she paid $40 dollars for it.) And I found a much nicer one for $37.00 with shipping and I am going to pay $25 for this one. I don't have any experience with online buying and now I am feeling like maybe it wasn't such a good deal. What do you think? I haven't sent the money yet so I could still back out. The Disney Store picture looks better but does the costume really look like that or is it the product of a lot of editing and fancy advertising?! Excitment gone. Help me please.