Our family is growing

Dear friends and family,

Many of you have heard this exciting news already. In case you have not yet, Jared and I are expecting baby #2! Stuart is going to be a big brother!

I've tried to explain it to Stu, but it will make more sense as it gets closer, I'm sure. I also keep trying to explain it to Jared, but....

just kidding. :)

Baby #2 is expected at the VERY end of September. Maybe even the beginning of October. That makes me 13 weeks pregnant. I am hopefully coming out of that weak and sickly time. The last few weeks have been rough at times. I've found that as I stay hydrated, eat whole foods and satisfying natural fats I feel healthy and strong.

However. just a few days ago we had a delicious dinner of pinto bean tacos on hard shells with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, salsa and avocado. I really liked it. Even after smelling the beans cook in seasonings all afternoon. A rarity these days. As we finished up, Stu wanted a sip from Jared's glass. Jared said, "Stu, are you going to add floaties to my water?" That was it. That was all it took for me to lose it. And my dinner was gone. Never to come back. I returned from the bathroom and was so mad I lost my precious dinner. When I told my mom, she laughed for 5 minutes straight about the simplicity of Jared's comment. She was laughing so hard I though SHE might lose her last meal. :) What a volatile world to live in. When a comment about backwash wastes a perfectly good meal.

It is all worth it. This little one joining our family is well worth it. Bring it on: morning sickness, weight gain, clothing discomfort, not sleeping on my belly, more sitting down, smelling EVERYTHING, middle-of-the-night bathroom breaks, tears, vomit, kicks in the ribs, huge belly. BRING IT.

As long at it comes with naps, TLC from my mister, fluttering and amniotic somersaults, encouraging compliments, Hypnobabies, midwives, and a baby that's ours, then BRING IT ON. I'm ready and looking forward to a second beautiful birth. Thank you God for our growing family.

Remember

19 months. Was it really that long ago that Stuart was born? Such a beautiful experience.

There's so much to remember about his growth and his amazing personality:

He has 4 molars, one in each corner of his giant smile. Four front teeth and one very asymmetrical incisor. He can communicate mostly with me because his pronunciation needs practice, and because we have our own language. Part of that language is sign language. He can sign more, please, thank you, eat, drink, apple, peach, help, bird, cow, horse, airplane, book, pain, bubbles, all done, and up. He does more when we show him too. He asks to go outside and for a banana almost immediately in the morning. He loves cheese. Mostly because it is a treat in our house, along with bread. His current obsessions are ducks (or any bird), bees, books, racing matchbox cars, regular cars, trucks or buses, toes, belly buttons, his blanket (still), lights, and airplanes. He likes to sing the ABC's as we brush his teeth and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" especially the heads and toes.

We spend lots of time on our balcony: eating, reading, unofficial tanning, painting (pictured above), anything. It overlooks a path and a busy road. He constantly waves to the passing cars and joggers. He especially loves the travelers with dogs. Some of them hear him say "hi" and are so kind in return. We are working on going down stairs standing up. He enjoys having his shoes on. His newest invented game is pushing our knees together when Jared and I sit with our legs open. He giggles like a mad man. When racing his matchbox cars he mimics, "on your mark, get set, go!' although the word "go" is the only clear one.

He sleeps 12-13 hours a night with no interruptions. But it's been that way for over a year. He still sucks his thumbs as he snuggles into bed. He gives hugs and kisses willingly, more so to Daddy. Maybe because he knows Mommy will steal them anyway. He knows all the parts of the face, including teeth, tongue, and cheek. He painted with liquid watercolors for the first time last week. He loves helping with meals, watching anything "HOT!" on the stove or in the oven, and doing the laundry. Especially putting the dirty clothes in the running washer water. He goes to nursery at church now. No separation anxiety.

He can drink out of a regular cup, but spills sometimes. He says "Ah-bee" for Amen at the end of prayers as well as The End at the end of books. He loves being tickled, wrestling, and hiding under blanket forts. He loves balloons, and we love that they are free at the grocery store we go to. He can play on the playground equipment all by himself and loves the slide. He climbs up, sits down at the top and pushes himself onto the slide, shimmies off the end, laughs and runs around to do it all over again.

The little girl that I babysit is such a good friend for him. She is 8 months younger and so laid back. They both have learned which set of bars on the balcony are far enough apart to put their head through. There is only one opening wide enough. So they like to battle for that spot on the balcony. :)

I'm impressed. If you read all that "word vomit" - if you will - then good on ya! I just wanted to write everything that came to mind that I want to remember about him right now.

Pi Day

Yesterday was Pi Day.

3.14

Also known as PIE day. My college roommate (who studied math education) always enjoyed a pie party every March 14th. And I happened to marry the Pi King. After Jared memorized 100 digits of the number Pi for a high school talent show [EDIT (Jared): I memorized approximately 180 digits for Pi Day for Mr. Whitehead's 9th grade Algebra II class which was an excuse to have a holiday more than anything at the time.  Since no one else tried to memorize pi for our class competition, I won!  And the part about them parading me around the school to random English, Biology, and Gym classes is completely accurate.  All 4 years of high school.  Oddly enough, no one ever made fun of me for it, and to this day I get emails/Facebook posts around this time of year about how they remember that.], his peers paraded him from class to class to recite it for the students every March 14th. LOVE Jared and his amazing mind. Just brilliant.

Well, I made a blackberry pie yesterday. Not because I remembered it was Pi day. But because I wanted this pie my friend shared on her food blog. Thank you Adrienne. It WAS pie nirvana. Not to mention I baked with and learned about vanilla beans for the first time. I love learning. Did you know that the vanilla bean is the second most expensive spice (below saffron) because the vanilla pod takes 10 years to fully mature? Wow.

When a friend came over in the evening she pointed out that it was Pi day. What a delightfulcoincidence! Thanks for reminding me, Lisa.

Come on over if you want a piece. Come quickly. It won't last long. :)

Mom O's birthday and quilt

Yesterday was Mom O's birthday. She would have been 52. Too young to be gone. I missed her a lot this week. Luckily she's not too far away.

I have been thinking of her a lot in the last 2 months due to a new textile exhibit at the DC Temple Visitors' Center. I got an email in January about the exhibit accepting original textile creations, like embroidery, tapestry work, hand weaving, needle point and quilting. The theme is Family Ties. Now, of course I thought of the 3 little quilts Mom O helped me create, but more dominating was the thought that I should enter one of her quilts instead. She made an incredible quilt for me and Jared when we got married. A December wedding of course called for red and green. And of course I entered it into the exhibit.

I also entered this quilt that I made, but when decision-making time came it didn't make the cut. Although I am disappointed about that, I can't complain. After all, I did tell the judges I would prefer that if there was not enough room for both quilts that they make sure there is room for hers. I really wanted this exhibit to be a tribute to her. She never would have tried to sell or seek praise for her work; she just wanted to give them away to someone she loved. I decided she deserves some praise for at least this one piece.

So, if you live close to DC and want to see the exhibit and her quilt, come on down! Check out the above link for the Visitors' Center. You will find the hours and address. The exhibit opens TODAY (the day after her birthday) and runs until April 29. See you there!

Happy Birthday, Joe!

Happy birthday to my brother-in-law, Joseph. He's the best pilot I know and I am so proud to have a military man in my family. I recently gained a greater appreciation for all the work and sacrifice all service men and women give, including what my sister and her family may sacrifice. I read a biography, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. This book was incredible and brought to life the trials of war, the rigors of training, and the uncertainty of military service. I know - Joe - that you are not fighting in WWII. But, you still are a resilient survivor and I am grateful for your service, sacrifice, and love for my sister. Happy birthday, bro. I love you!

February pictures

We have had a full month of traveling, visits from family, visits to family, and snuggles at home. Here are some highlights.

Our weekend getaway to the timeshare with my sister and nephew. Stuart and his cousin Camilo mesmerized by the off and on of the electric fireplace. Jared thinks he's so funny. And he is. Stu didn't ever figure out it was his daddy doing it. Not magic.

Lunch at Jungle Jim's. We all enjoyed the kid's menu masks a bit too much. :)

Jungle Camilo and his fair lady Jungle Krista

Jungle Stuart and his Jungle Mama

Anniversary party to celebrate my Aunt and Uncle's 40 years of marriage. Live music (my other Uncle's band!), family, dancing, food, balloons! So fun. Stuart fell asleep in the car and slept on the floor while we danced the night away. Amazing to have him as a kid!

Smiling. Imagining 40 years together.

"Worker guys" outside our house. Stuart watched them on their equipment for 30 minutes repeating "ooo" and "hot" as the steam rose from the pavement. Watching him was the highlight of my day. Usually is.

Our art project. Can you tell which one I painted and the one he drew? :)

Play dough/ dino time.

Jared's "french fries" for Scout night's cake contest. They were served with strawberry "ketchup" in a cupcake foil. So clever and yummy - That's my mister!

You know your smoke alarm goes off too often when your one-year-old takes the trash can lid and pretends to waft at the ceiling. Sad. He's seen us do it so many times to stop the noise. In defense of my cooking, our alarm is really sensitive and our oven smokes even a little bit when preheated. I think we spilled olive oil and it has a low smoke temperature. So glad Stuart knows what the smoke alarm it, though. :)

PS. He doesn't NEED that bib. He just likes the cat.

Thanks for looking.

Frying Pan Park Farm

It was a beautiful spring-like morning. Sunny, but cool. We enjoyed an adventure at the farm with Stu's cousins and Aunt Jenn. The pigs stunk like good bacon should, the horses were so much bigger than I remembered, and Stuart called all the birds "ducks." It was heaven.

Old farm outhouse. :)

Thank you Father for creating such beautiful animals!

Gratitude and Boondoggles

Every few weeks I catch up on listening to the devotional talks from Brigham Young University-Idaho, my alma mater. Today I am listening to this wonderful talk. The following portion made me swell with tears for the love and sacrifice of both my mother and my Father in Heaven. And I remember the good old day of boondoggles. I hope you like it too.

Do you remember sitting at an arts and crafts table somewhere, sometime in your life, braiding some long strips of plastic into what some people call a boondoggle or a lanyard? One of my favorite American poets writes of one he made as a 9-year-old boy and gave to his mother:

I had never seen anyone use a lanyard

or wear one, if that’s what you did with them,
but that did not keep me from crossing
strand over strand again and again
until I had made a boxy
red and white lanyard for my mother.

She gave me life and [nourishment from her own body],
and I gave her a lanyard.
She nursed me in many a sick room,
lifted spoons of medicine to my lips,
laid cold face-cloths on my forehead,
and then led me out into the airy light

and taught me to walk and swim,
and I, in turn, presented her with a lanyard.
Here are thousands of meals, she said,
and here is clothing and a good education.
And here is your lanyard, I replied,
which I made with a little help from a counselor.

Here is a breathing body and a beating heart,
strong legs, bones and teeth,
and two clear eyes to read the world, she whispered,
and here, I said, is the lanyard I made at camp.
And here, I wish to say to her now,
is a smaller gift—not the worn truth

that you can never repay your mother,
but the rueful admission that when she took
the two-tone lanyard from my hand,
I was as sure as a boy could be
that this useless, worthless thing I wove
out of boredom would be enough to make us even.¹⁶

These words hit a little close to home for me.

The realization of the magnitude of my debt to my mother came to me in phases: haltingly as a teenager; in great heart-wrenching waves as a missionary and then later as a young parent. Even now, as a middle-aged fat man, it settles on me from time to time and makes me weepy.

But, as the poet says, confronting my debt to my mother is not the most disturbing part of this. Rather, it’s the realization that I have actually felt (at least sometimes) that my pitiful expressions of gratitude to her were enough to make us even.

And even more disturbing, I find that I sometimes think the same way about what I owe to God. I go on as if my sporadic temple attendance and my pretty-good personal prayers and my hit-and-miss family nights are enough to make us even; that these “lanyards” I offer to God are a sufficient trade for Eternal Life and Glory and “all that [the] Father hath.”

It makes me wonder, "what lack I yet?"

Party at Grandpa's

Stuart's new grandma ("mimama") brought this fun jungle gym from ID just for Stuart! :) We visited grandpa and mimama this weekend, and Stuart enjoyed the ride.

Happy Birthday, Jenn!

I have been so busy with traveling, visiting family, house hunting, and our dying computer that I have not posted about anything. Sorry. Not to mention, all my pictures of the BIRTHDAY GIRL are lost in the abyss of the computer. Sorry, but this is all I could get my hands on. Although, she is stunning, isn't she?

This week, my tribute is to my favorite Jennifer! This sister-in-law is more like a sister than an in-law. Jenn first joined our family almost 12 years ago, but has watched me grow up since years before the wedding. She has contributed to my development and learning just as much as my sisters have during these last couple decades. I love you, Jenn!

I admire so many of her strengths. When I think of Jenn I think of boldness, health, thrift, honesty, and faith. I can count on Jenn to tell me the truth, tell me clearly, and know that she speaks out of love. Some of the most difficult truths have come from Jenn and yet from them came the greatest growth and self-awareness. I can call on Jenn for health suggestions and the latest deals. She loves and listens to her body and has helped me do the same with mine. She knows where to find a sweet bargain and has saved our family hundreds of dollars with her resourcefulness and generosity. She is what author Malcolm Gladwell calls a maven: an information specialist and one who gathers information, especially about the marketplace. A maven might also be "pathologically helpful." Jenn can't help herself when it comes to helping others find a good deal. My wallet and my husband are very grateful for this strength of hers too.

Finally, I thoroughly admire Jenn's faith. She doesn't give in to the pressure and norms of a worldly environment just to neglect her values. I know from timeless encounters that Jenn will give up the ghost before she will doubt in her Lord's power or give up on His promises. I expect to see her physically move a mountain one day. Her faith is that great.

Thank you, Jenn. Just keep being you. It makes my brother happy and I adore all your children. I love you. Happy birthday!!

Bucket head

Stuart chose this as his favorite "hat" weeks ago. He wears it almost every day while playing and following mommy and daddy around. It's getting him ready for when I make him wear a helmet for the rest of his schooling years. . . . Just kidding. :)

What a day!

Today has been so fun. My dear friend, Adrienne, is visiting with her 2 kids and so we met downtown at this WONDERLAND for children. I wish I had played at a place like this when I was little. With four kids and three adults, it was very tiring and fun. This "Playseum" is like a mini town with lots of rooms made up to be like shops for kids. Each room has lots of books that match the theme. The rooms were themes like grocery store, farm, grandma's house, pet shop, crafts store, pizza shop, the bakery, a musicians stage, sports, Africa, and many others. It was amazing!

The pet shop has real animals to see.

How could we NOT have fun in such company? Radiating happiness.

And before I even left the house this morning, I added family pictures to Stuart's shape puzzle, like this:

Before

After: with several (but not all) family members added for him to find under the shapes. Oh, and yes. Jesus is part of our family. :) Stuart really enjoyed it, as you can see in this video. He's saying "HI" but then it sounds like he says "Hi, Jesus."

It has been a great day, and it isn't even over. Dinner is bound to be good too. The dough is rising for the spinach and feta calzones. Mmmm.