"In our day to day actions, it is often the small and simple things that will have a long-lasting impact. What we say, how we act, and how we choose to react will influence not only ourselves but also those around us. We can build up, or we can tear down." -Per G. Malm

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Nature vs. Technology

So last night during that crazy wicked cool Thunderstorm I learned that nature is truly more powerful than technology. I am laying in bed trying to sleep and a HUGE clap of thunder hits and I hear these sirens go off. I freak out and grab some clothes to throw on so I can grab Emily out of her crib and hide out in the bathroom because I thought what I heard were tornado sirens. I look out to see if I can see a twister and realize that the thunder had been so powerful that it had set off a car alarm in our complex. Crazy huh and it happened a couple of times after that. Pretty amazing!

Monday, May 19, 2008

Weekend Recap

So let me tell you about this last weekend and the wedding Emily was in. So thanks to Anna and George for watching Emily overnight on Thursday so Brock and I could celebrate my birthday since we couldn't on Friday. I left Friday night for Archibold, Ohio around 4:30 about 1/2 hour late. Nothing like holding up the entire rehearsal. And as we are driving I think that I smell poop but I'm like ah nah I passed a field. Emily is eating crackers in the back and fairly content. Then she drops her sippy cup and freaks out. Well I obviously can't stop because hello we are late so I'm reaching around on the floor trying to find it, Emily is crying and saying "reach" and my arm gets stuck in between the console and the pack n play which was put in by my loving husband perpendicular to the back seat instead of parallel for some odd reason. I finally manage to break free and save the sippy cup. A little later I hear crys of hunger emitting from the back seat. So I bust out and pass back a banana. Again I think I smell poop but pass it off for the other field I am driving by. Emily is picking at the banana peel and then I hear "ewww" so I assume she has gotten banana gunk on her. I pass back a napkin and she passes it back up. I look at it and this is not any color that should have come from a banana. And like a good mom, I smell it and almost puke because it is POOP! I knew I smelled it. I look back and Emily has resumed eating her banana. I am praying there is no poo on it (no time to stop and check). Finally we get to the church and then she wants me to carry her. I don't think so. Her overalls had come unsnapped in the crotch and her diaper had leaked out and that is how the poo got on her hands. (Maybe that will teach you to stop putting your hands down there kid). So glad that I packed a spare outfit I hold her hand and drag her into the church and head straight for the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later we bustle into the chapel of the church. (I made really good time so we actually arrived on time but the diaper incident made us 15 minutes late.) So there is no way that Emily is going to walk down the aisle and the little ring bearer was a little intimidated by this too. Fortunately there was a back up plan of a little wagon that he could pull her in. We practiced three times and each time Emily looked around crying "mommy." I walked down the aisle beside/behind her and we decided that is what would be best for the wedding too. I am so thankful that Brock's cousin was not a bridezilla and was really flexible. Then we went to the restaurant for the dinner and again I smell poop. Mind you this is the 5th poopy diaper that day. So of course I head straight for the restroom. And it is so small, and there is no koala changer, and the counter is big enough to hold the sink. So I lay her down on the floor and hope no one else has to go potty because We take up the whole floor in this restroom. We get everything taken care of, eat, blah blah blah. (Brock didn't come with us because we found out a week and a half before the wedding that his graduation ceremony was also the day of the wedding but in the morning. So he stayed home to attend that and then came to the wedding with his mom and stepdad. ) Instead of driving all the way home Em and I were staying at Brock's dad's house in Ohio. But they weren't home as they were at Cedar Point. So they left me a key and Em and I crashed there. It was so scary by myself there. Emily freaked out crying and said "dark, scared". I didn't know she new what scared meant but I guess she does. We were sleeping in the same room so I went out into the living room to wait until she fell asleep to get into bed. I had taken Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. Thank goodness I didn't read any scary chapters or I wouldn't have slept at all. Not that I did anyway. I got to bed at 11:00. Woke up to pee at midnight. Emily rolled over I woke up. A train went by, I woke up. I had to pee again at 3:30. She was half awake so I couldn't get out of bed as to not wake her up all the way. Plus I didn't want to get up and tried to hold out till morning. No such luck. At 4:30 I got out of bed to pee. Realized I was hungry and had a small helping of Lori's Oreo dessert in the fridge. Went back to bed. Emily rolled over, another train went by finally around 5:30ish I fell asleep. Emily woke up at 6:20 for the day. Hmmm. Then we did the whole breakfast, nap, bath, leave for wedding pictures thing. I just re dressed her in the spare outfit on the way to the church for two reasons. One I wanted the dress to last looking as nice as possible for the ceremony and two the whole leak out and "stained" her car seat with this liquid poo smelling stuff. GROSS. After I get her changed and ready we attempt pictures. I think they might have got one where she wasn't crying but had a whimpering look on her face. No smiles though. So now its 2:10 and the wedding doesn't start until 3:30. So what are we supposed to do. Fortunately this church had a nursery at the back of there chapel and we played in there for a while. About 3:10 I decided to check the drawers and sure enough POOP. I am changing this diaper and it is like Bright Green. I have never seen anything like this in my entire life. So I wrap it up in a bag and save it in case we need to go to the doctor and they need to see it. (I threw it away today by the way). So the bridal party is lining up and I tell Emily its almost time for her wagon ride and we need to put down the pretend juice and cup from the kitchen play set. That was dumb. Wails wails wails. So I said whatever, gave them back to her and put her in the wagon once the crying had subsided. She didn't throw any flowers but she didn't cry or try to get out of the wagon. (go juice cup). I am walking behind the wagon stifling these tears. What the?!? Can you imagine what it will be like when she actually gets married? I mean she was just a flower girl for crying out loud! So once Emily was done in the wagon I took her out and took her to the pew where we to be (front row) I hear "we are gathered here .... Yep looks like its the nursery for us. So I spent the entire wedding in the nursery watching Baby Einstein and playing with Emily. I did get to open the door a couple of times and see what was going on until Emily came running to the door. That night was spent at Brock's dad's again and we went to Church in Ohio. They have this little branch in Bryan that we arrived 1/2 hour late too and left 15 minutes early thanks to our sweet little girl who was not so sweet at the time. Nursery was a no go. She was the fourth of four kids in there. I snuck out and during the opening prayer of Sunday School hear "Mommy". 5 minutes later I hear the door to the class room open. I knew it was for me. I go and get my puffy eyed tear stained child and go back to class. 15 minutes later we are out in the hall. (This is like a phase 1 branch building remember those? Super Small). She is pounding on the door leading to the outside and I harshly whisper "stop it." I am returned with a loud "STOP IT." I scooped her up in my arms walked into the class, grabbed my purse and headed to the car. I had decided to drive her around for a nap the last 15 minutes of church and come back to pick up Brock but he just followed me out and we went back to his dads. It was the most exciting adventure I have had in a long time. Not too sure I want to repeat it very soon but memorable non the less. All in all I had a really good time.

The Joys of Parenting

I am so glad for all the experiences I have that remind me how much fun it is to be a parent. For instance. I was taking a nap last week and Emily and my dad came home from the store. I heard her coming up the stairs. When I opened my eyes I saw this little cutie pie head peeking over the edge of the bed with a bouquet of flowers (Stem side up) with a little voice saying "wowers mommy, wowers." Then she climbed on to the bed and stuck them in my face for me to smell. Then she smelled them and went "mmmm." As I am unwrapping them from the plastic almost all the leaves fall off from the stems as they had been dragged up the stairs and onto the bed. But they still looked beautiful. Example number two: The next day we were out running errands and Emily was singing very loudly "lead me, guide me, walk side me," It was so cute I almost starting crying. I love being a mom. It is the greatest thing in the world and thank goodness for great friends and the zoo to help with those days when you want to throttle the little cuties.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Life Pending

In request of Abbey I am updating my blog because she's right Stake Conference was a long time ago. However this is just an update to let everyone know that everything in my life is boring, however I haven't had time to write about the great stuff. How does that work? I am leaving today to go out of town for the weekend and I promise I will update Sunday night/Monday morning on everything that has been going on. So be prepared for some posts.