The 9-er Boy!

I always wonder what these boys do when I'm not home. I love finding gems like this:

That is 9 month-er boy.

Doctor time. I think I'm finally coming to grips with the fact that everything he is doing is so normal. The nurse reads this big list of things like, "Does he babble and pull himself up from a seated position..." yada yada and everything they read off they say it so normally.
These are HUGE people! Come on.

 It's funny because when your world is your little one you think everything they do is so amazing and then you go to the doctor and they read this list like they are about to fall asleep and it's what every baby does. Yah, so I guess he's not so amazing. You might fall asleep looking at all the NORMAL things he does.

NOT!!!

It is exciting, okay? I love everything about this little boy and I am glad he is doing things that other babies do and life is so so so fun.

 He loves standing sooooo much.

He looooves his reflection. He laughs and waves to himself (like his reflection is his little friend) in the mirror. Talk about cute.

More teeth! His top two incisors are cutting through. Tooth brushing has become a struggle though! He refuses to open and let me brush his teeth. I try 3+ times a day, trying to make it as fun as possible, not forcing to make it traumatizing but he just won't. 

He makes a sad face before he starts crying now to get my attention. His eyes just scrunch up and he makes little "eh-eh" noises. I know, looks really like he's crying but it's just an expression to get me to pick him up or help him with something.

He juts out his jaw and his bottom teeth cover his top teeth. It's cute but then he scrapes! Ah! I can't take the grinding!!!!

Screaming at the top of his lungs. Then laughing. Then stop. Scream. Laugh. Repeat.

Scooting and "revving" moving forward onto his knees and making sure each time he tries this that he can move back to his bum.

Eating a dust bunny under the fridge- yuck!!!

Constipation....:( We've been sneaking prune concentrate into peaches and pears and he eats it- poor baby.

Personality.

Scared of people- very affectionate to his parents especially when others are around. Goes with sleeping too though- he wakes up and realizes we aren't there and cries out.

Biting....he dives for my chest when he wants milk but that's not all- he bites our toes and knees and fingers and he bit my collar bone the other day! Ouch those teeth are sharp!


Hair is getting lighter.... He still has his dark mo-hawk then the lighter hair on the sides....

And it still stands up in the back sometimes. It's more a wave now instead of straight feather looking.

Looks like weight has leveled off thank goodness and is moving lots slower.

Still gots the chunkiness going though. Those cheeks.

And he is so cuddly. I love having a baby who will just randomly move in close and snuggle and hug you. It makes your day 1000 times better.

He loves the guitar!!!

Nursing: he is starting to kick at me and his body is moving away from mine while still attached at the breast. Uh- what do you do with that? ha ha. Other than that, it's so easy now- I can't believe at one time it was hard to nurse.

Double chin time!

How cute can you get? Seriously.

Perfect. 

The Hubs turns 25!!!!

So guess what?

I made a new friend! Yay! And she asked me how old I was....

I sat there thinking for like 30 seconds! 

Then answered: 23.

She laughed and thought I was so hilarious that I had to think about my age. *um yikes! seriously aubrey? you forgot your age? now you don't have to feel bad when I miss your birthday or something- just think, "oh yah, that girl doesn't even know how old she is". and chuckle to yourself.

Then I remembered Jay is turning 25- that means I am 24! 

Totally didn't tell her. So I now have a friendship starting with a lie. 

January 29th, 2013

So Jay's birthday?

We celebrated the weekend before by going to the dollar theater! We haven't been in ages and we went and saw "Here Comes The Boom". It was good and we laughed and then shared a frozen yogurt. It was fun to get out for a night and really just be the two of us. 

Then, birthday morning I made him blueberry muffins! He lovvvves Costco muffins so I tried to do a copycat recipe but they were a little different. I didn't have eggs so substituted applesauce (it does wonders). Well, he said my muffins were better than Costco- good hubby.

And now you are probably craving blueberry muffins so here's the link to the recipe:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/our-favorite-blueberry-muffins-recipe#ReviewSection

They are really really good.

Then, I gave him my gift which is a framed word art wedding picture. I wrote the words to one of my favorite songs that Jay wrote for me while we were dating with fancy letters and such. I think it's cute and he said he liked it!

When you say something that was meant to mean something that it totally didn't sound like

Yah, I was talking with a couple of friends I haven't seen in a while.

One of them said something like, "You are so pretty!"

And my reply was:

"Thanks! I don't even remember you being...I mean you are....beautiful.........."
gulp.

I meant to say, "You are even more beautiful than I remember!" *Actually that even sounds kinda iffy. Ugh. It was supposed to be a compliment and sounded a lot like I am surprised that you look beautiful because you were always so hideous.

Help!

Maybe someday I'll actually be able to use words correctly when I'm talking face to face with someone. Typing is so much easier- I can erase if something comes out funky. Real life is a little different.

I just hope she thought it was funny instead of insulting. sigh.

8 Months!

Well, my baby is 8 months old! It's hard to look at this little person and believe I was once carrying him in the womb. I still remember those feet kicking me though and his hiccups.

his eyebrows are so expressive.

I've finally started doing yoga again- it feels sooooo good to exercise! I don't feel like I look that different than before I was pregnant so that's good I guess but I feel like I am a completely different person, which is a totally good thing because learning to me a mom is no easy feat.


New Stuff:

• First wave "bye-bye" to Uncle Austin on Christmas Eve.!!!! It's a whole arm floppy kind-a-deal and he loved the reaction it got- just general "yay baby you are so amazing" dealio. 
• So my baby learned to roll over just shy of 8 months and get this...while he should have been sleeping!  So mark the day 1/7/13 as the night I rocked baby G for an hour and finally gave up and said, "Okay, play time- but we are going to practice a skill!" WhaBam Shicka Wha Wha! Guess who's rolling officially now?!!!!! Yah, he learned when he should have been sleeping- but who cares?!!! My baby is mobile! All those cute fat rolls can move from point A to point B. He only rolls one way and from his stomach to back but once he does it he sits there waving his arms like a madman and making sounds that resemble a chip monk. Ah! It's adorable. And it's so fun to watch his face scrunch up, about to protest being put on his belly, then realization that if he doesn't want to be on his belly, he doesn't have to be on his belly. Then a sideways glance, then plop! Over he goes with the most satisfied look on his face and biggest, toothiest grin.

• Hair is getting lighter- So the big question is, "Will it turn blonde and become the blonde boy in my dream?" Did I tell you I had a dream of 3 children? One blonde boy with brown eyes, the oldest. One with dark hair and blue eyes next and a cute little curly dark haired young girl with green eyes. I don't really think it means anything other than I dreamed of having children..but what if.... all I know is I am totally guessing my next one is a boy.
• I know he just barely learned to roll, but this kid wants to walk. He is taking steps when we are holding onto his little dimpled hands. Real walking steps. He might skip crawling.
• I did start crawling lessons. I had to, I really want him to crawl. I'll put that video on another post...hopefully I'll be able to put him first trying and then the end result...which will be crawling of course.

• When you drink from a cup he stops whatever he was doing/ drops whatever he was holding and moves his wrist and hands around excitedly. He loooooves drinking from a cup. 
• He is enjoying books more and more. He will sit for a good 6 or 7 books and enjoy them! I'm taking him to a library class, "Book Babies" where there are other little people for him to laugh at and mimic. We sing songs and read interactive books and it's just a whole lot of silliness. We've only gone twice but he LOVES it!!!!

Lovin' This:

• Growling when angry or upset. Not even kidding. He will growl at me. It used to be a big sigh, but now he is letting me know he isn't happy with something with animal  noises. 
• Wrist excitement. And hands always moving around- man it would look weird if we as older people always moved like that but it's very, very cute on a fat baby.
• Chubbiness. I still love it. I can't help it, he is so cuddly and drool worthy.
• Snuggles. He is a very loving baby. He loves hugs and cuddling and it makes everyone happy- they always exclaim, "He just hugged me!" like it's the best thing that's happened to them that day, which maybe it is:)
• Cornmeal sandbox in the kitchen. Kept him so happy and engaged for a while! Will for sure be doing it again.

• Rolling. I love that he can do it now. I love seeing him happy with himself being able to control where he goes somewhat- more than he ever has which makes him so happy.
• The "I'm-not-going-to-smile-even-though-you-are-hilarious" smile. He purses his lips and closes his mouth tight when he thinks something is funny but doesn't want to smile. Funny that he does this- why? I don't know....???
• Eating. Both nursing and feeding him solids. Baby-Led-Weaning is the bomb (no purees)! I will have to do a post about it because I absolutely love it. And nursing is so much more comfortable now (yes, even with his teeth- he usually doesn't bite if he isn't teething or in pain). I find it our little happy place to just quietly snuggle and nurse.
• What About Bob enjoyment of eating. Here's a video of what it sounds like:

Experiences:

• He's had a few colds and I know it's normal for a little one to have around 10 colds is what I've been told in the first year of life. Well, the last few colds were nothing compared to what happened just a few days ago. I think he might of had the flu- he just couldn't get comfortable no matter what we would do- he wasn't interested in anything and he was congested to the max. I held him and rocked him all day and all night (well, Jay helped at night) for 2 days and nights straight. He was either crying or sleeping so I tried to help him sleep as much as possible. I even resorted to watching some movies, something I didn't want to have to do until he is at least 3. I don't want to rely on the TV to be a babysitter, I want him exploring and trying things and doing things. I mean he already is having a hard time keeping up with the moving around part of life with other kids 1/2 his age (yes, I just met a 3 month old who is already rolling) so I would love to encourage no TV for awhile. Anyway, I did resort to letting him watch a couple of shows while I held him so we had about 1/2 hour of no crying! It was wonderful and I think it was a great tool to use to distract him from his discomfort. It's not all bad I suppose;)

Out And About:

• Why is it that I feel conceited saying that I think my baby is the most adorable creature on the planet? I know he's cute- it's just a fact- am I allowed to say that? When people oogle and drool over him I just want to run over next to them and drool right along with them. I want to whisper and point at "that cute chubby baby". But I think I'm getting the whole drill down where people exclaim what a cute adorable baby and I nod and thank them politely while inside I want to scream, "I KNOW!!!! Holy cow what a cute baby right? Oh my goodness- look at these thighs!!! And his teeth! And his perfect eyelashes- oh you should hear his laugh!!! Watch this!" Then tickle him to get the world's most adorable chuckle out of his chubby face. Anyway I feel very lucky to get to hold and cuddle him all the time. I get to be the one to laugh and play with him all day every day. I am one lucky mamma.
• He is starting to get active in the grocery cart. I finally understand why moms leave their carts right smack in the middle of the aisle. It isn't to be in the way of other people! It's so their babies don't knock everything off the shelves. 

I still love him. 

ha ha

like anything else could ever be possible.

Oh and his head is officially too big now for the beloved Eskimo hat:

The Family Bed

Okay, so I know all of you have been dying to know what the heck this girl is thinking letting the baby sleep in her bed. Why would the hubbs allow that as well? Crazy?

Anyone who finds out gives me the look with eyes that say, "yikes". My mom has come out directly and told me it isn't good for my marriage. Others have stated they couldn't do it- as in they would have been incapable of it.

I am not going to say that I disagree completely and I'm not going to sit here and lie to you and say it has been soooo easy and I love every aspect of having the baby in our bed and that everyone and anyone should be doing it. No, I won't say that.

What I will say is this:
I sleep better.
Baby sleeps better.
Nursing? Easy- just roll over- plop here ya go baby- close eyes- sleep.
I do not have to resort to letting the baby "cry-it-out" so he learns to sleep on his own.
I get lots of snuggling time and contact with the baby (touch is so important for a baby to grow healthily). I hold him during the day, yes- but it's just extra time to be close- giving him more contact.
I know he feels safe.
I feel safe.
First thing I see when I wake up? A glorious smile from the baby and energy to start the day excited about being awake!


Well, I'm not really going to go into much of explaining how it works other than maybe giving you an analogy.

How about eating healthy?
Some people say you don't enjoy life without certain junk foods.
"How could you live like that?" they ask.
I have friend that tell me when I say I am avoiding high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated fats that "I could never do that". Maybe too much work?
Well, it is possible to be normal and happy and have fun too.
Gasp.
You can have fun without high fructose corn syrup? What?
Is it easy?
Not really.
You have to do a little bit of hunting to find foods without those ingredients.
You do have to live differently than those around you and people may think you are crazy. It is a change of life-style from the norm, true.


So,
different?
Yes.

Easy?
Yes and no.


Happy?
Yes.

Are we keeping baby in our bed?
Maybe, maybe not.
We just take things one day at a time.

Christmas: We Are Rich

  Christmas this year was different than any other I have ever had before. 

I've thought I've been poor before.

Nope. Now, I know a new meaning of having "no money". As in literally.

In fact, as we were looking over things, we didn't know how we were even going to eat in the month of December. I've heard stories of people in our situation, but never have I imagined being in it. We paid our tithing which would have covered us for food and then had faith.

Well, I have never seen so many little tender mercies. 

As I was shopping one day, I knew I couldn't buy very much but I was putting things in my cart because I wanted to compare and decide which ones I really wanted. Well, the baby started fussing and I glanced and knew I was over the budget but just went to the register with the extras, maybe it's not too bad- maybe I can just get rid of a few higher priced items and not look too much a fool. 

Luckily nobody is behind me in line. So, I try to laugh and joke about how I just get out of hand and sorry but I don't need some of these items. 

She gets a basket out to send the food back to their proper places.  I purchase some of the food and realize as I'm bagging my items that I am putting some things in the bag that I know I put aside because it was out of the budget. I look up and there is this older couple smiling and as I'm hesitating to put the things in my bag, trying to sort out if the checker accidentally put the stuff on the belt, forgetting that I didn't buy them. But the older lady that had showed up out of nowhere comes up and says, "Those are yours" and nods encouragingly. Then I know. I realize that they had bought these groceries for me. My emotions were strong. I was so embarrassed but at the same time just in awe that a perfect stranger would do that for me. I teared up a bit and I don't know but then the lady was giving me a hug and I was asking her why she would do that for me. She said they were looking for an opportunity and here was one.  I just said thank you and muttered things like, "You don't even know me" a few times and then wanting to run for the hills from embarrassment and hug these two angels were my conflicting emotions. When I reached my car I finally broke down and bawled. 

It wasn't the fact that I didn't think we were going to be able to eat and these strangers and saved us from certain starvation (we have food). No, that wasn't it.

It was the fact that I felt the Lord was telling me I was someone of value. That I wasn't just a little blob on the earth but that I was noticed. 

That I was loved.

 I wasn't nothing. 

I am someone worth something.

Then, Jay was able to find a few odd jobs doing flower arrangements which is actually quite good at.
Then, I was able to sell some random things that I put on ksl months ago but in the month of December, they sold!

Then, I was at Kid to Kid looking at all the baby toys, just wishing that I had a few bucks to buy him something different with lights and music. Then, the very next day the neighbors come knocking on our door with baby toys they are getting rid of and thought of us!

There are many other little things that have just shown me that we are not forgotten to the Lord. He is aware of us and our needs and we are important to him. 

This Christmas was amazing.

Here's some more reasons why:

• We have each other

Jay and I are best friends. We love playing games together, chatting together and sipping hot coco once the baby is in bed. So, Jay suggested we should find a mug for the other person this year as a fun cheap gift. I had so much fun hunting one down!

That is what Jay and I did this year for our presents to each other:

Jay's mug left (I picked it because it made me laugh). And my mug right (Jay knows how badly I wish to go somewhere tropical).

The bottom of Jay's mug! Great right?

We tried to get creative with our gifts for family this year....a few failed but one of them turned out!

I made my sister's gift (left). I just covered a bulletin board with fabric I had left over from my bulletin board (right) that I had recovered last year. 

I printed some pictures of her and the family.

I think it turned out cute! I hope she liked it! I always know a gift is good when I want to keep it- I wanted to keep it so it was good I conclude.

I printed some pictures for my bulletin (It was fun to find we had some colored ink! And I used my photo paper I bought from some mula from my birthday!) and I hung it right above the kitchen table. I love that I can swap the photos out whenever I want a change. It makes me happy to look at these people I love.

•  We have new friends!

Our new has such awesome people we have met so far. We are so excited to get to know everyone more and more this next year.

Ward Christmas party was so fun. They had great food!

Love his hair.

He thought Santa's beard was fascinating. I couldn't persuade him to look at me. Then I thought he was just going to bawl.

Nope, looked at the beard then made this face for me.

Just bored to death. That's all.

• We have FAMILY!

We headed out to Erda for some pre-Christmas fun. 

Grant fell asleep on the way. Look at those lashes.

He looks like a perfect little baby doll. Rosy cheeks and all. I love watching him sleep. 

He fell asleep with Grandpa. 

Grandpa held Grant while I ate, then we swapped.

And he kept sleeping.

We had so much fun with the Jensens!!!! We loved the gifts too!!!!

Then Christmas Day we celebrated with my family in Provo. 

Family is the best. 

•  We have our health! I am so thankful to feel well and whole and be able to do everything that is required of me.
•  We have a warm home! I am grateful to live so comfortably when I know there are others not so fortunate.
•      We have the Gospel in our lives.

I know our lives are better because we are striving to live differently than the world. I know that Jesus Christ died for me and offers peace to broken hearts. I know our family will be happier following his teachings and serving others. I am so so thankful to have this knowledge and know that there is always hope and love from our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I always want to keep learning how to be more like him! I have so much to work on but I've seen the power of the scriptures change people around me so I know it has power! I am so excited for this coming year and for the chance everyday to try again.

This has been my most favorite Christmas of all time.

We are so rich.