Not Funny. Not funny at all...

Worst moment so far being a mom.

My poor bug took a huge crash and busted himself up pretty badly.  We were playing on Aunt Kari's stairs and he tripped and nose-dived right into the corner of her tiled stairs.  I picked him up and yelled for wipes.  Poor Nana witnessed the whole thing.  He was so excited to go to Aunt Kari's house for a bit and instead busted his sniffer.

So in the evening, Aiden's cousins brought ice cream, gave him a bath, and snuggled him down.   

It just hit me

Last night, I was laying down with Mister after a great, relaxing day.  He was just snuggling close and I was looking at his "getting old too fast" face, when I realized that this little man and I have less than 5 weeks until we move.... again.  It will be a good move.  It will be a beautiful place with a back yard and good schools.

But this is where Mister learned to walk, to talk, learned his letters and colors, fell in love with trees, and started Nursery at church.  His milestones have happened within these four walls and it is hard to let it go.  I know it is time to move on.  The neighborhood is not great.  The rent is really high and I just can't stand the upstairs neighbors screaming at each other anymore at 2am.  But it has been our haven for this past year.

I am looking forward to our new place, with familiar faces, surroundings, and neighbors.  I can't wait for Mister to play outside without being at a park where 12-year old kids smoke weed.  I can't wait for my dog to run around in the grass while Aiden and I play tag or blow bubbles.  I can't wait to hop on my treadmill at any given time - day or night - without wondering if my downstairs neighbors are cringing at the noise.  It will be great.  New.  Fantastic and wonderful.

The memories yet to be made will be as great as the memories we made in our current home.  Just different.

Dream Come True

I had a goal when I started my weight loss in December - I wanted to do a 5K by June 28, 2012.  Walk, run, crawl, I didn't care.  I would consider it a gift to my boy.

Well, I am proud to say that one year early, I finished - not one, but two - 5K walks this weekend.  The first with my very sweet sister and her girls that were patient enough to walk slowly with me.  The second was with a group of 300 who - for most- have never done this before.  Today, I realize that many of my friends and acquaintances ran the Ogden Marathon.  Let me compare:  me walking a measly 3.1 miles (okay, I did walk it twice).  Them RUNNING 26.something miles.

BUT...   I talked to my sister who went with me to China.  I remember trying so hard to walk all over China, but having a REALLY hard time.  I couldn't walk the quarter mile to the shuttle without really struggling.  This weekend: 6.25 miles no problem.  She saw me at my worst.  I got to be my best today.  And be with my buddy.  Showing him that his health is important.  My health is important.

I was able to take Aiden to both 5K walks and he slept through one and sat quietly and watched through the other.

My walkin' buddies for the second walk.  Sorry, Kari, that I didn't get pics of the first one.

Marianne (the tall one) is my Weight Watchers coach.  Her cute girls and Marianne raced the crap out of the rest of us.  Her little man gets to see Aiden everyday.

Over 300 people trying to get fit.

Afterward, (and realize that Aiden slept maybe 10 minutes up to this point) we did one of Aiden's favorite things... the park.  Check out this fantastic day!

He is getting so big.  This little bug loves the sand.  He played for a little over an hour.  Mom just soaked in the sun.   Then, we went to work on our trailer.  

Our big camping trip is next weekend...  (Yay!!)

Finally, on the way to get some supper, Aiden crashed HARD!  So I took him home and lay him down.  My poor bug has had a long, fun, warm, sunny, outside day.  

So, I am finishing off my day, sunburned, tired, and watching my all-time favorite movie:  Oscar. 

And Mom feels wonderful to give this gift to my son.  And, more importantly, to myself.

Family Days

We have had the great opportunity to have a lot of really wonderful things happen over the last week.  A missionary home, a baby born and a beautiful young lady wed.

Braydon came home from Brazil on Friday, May 13th.  What an amazing man he has become.  He is so stinking cute, as always and I am glad he is home.

Then, we had a baby!  My sweet Michael and Amanda welcomed Olivia Jane who is the sweetest baby of all time.  She has Amanda's nose and Gracie's behind.

Then, the gorgeous bride, Melissa, had a rainy wedding day, but married the love of her life yesterday.  The temple ceremony was so beautiful and even the rain didn't damper anything.  Here is the family!

Conflict

Sometimes, being a single mother kinda bites.  Scheduling conflicts push back time with Little Monkey Shorts and there is not a darn thing I can do about it.  They are all really great, healthy scheduling issues, but (as you have probably guessed) being with Monkey is my absolute hands-down favorite thing in the world.  I get really, super grumpy when pesky things like, oh - work, get in the way of Monkey Time.

Last week, I was able to attend the most amazing 2-day conference on my career field.  It was truly impressive. And all I could think of while I was there was how much time I could have been spending with Monkey.  I didn't even have to stay overnight somewhere.  It was just close.  But I missed him.

Saturday was full of chores like cleaning out the tent trailer for our upcoming outing (SQUEAL!!).  Even though we were playing and puzzling and sunning ourselves, it felt like I was not spending quality time with Monkey.  Then, I had the opportunity to go to the temple with my beautiful bride-to-be niece, Missy.  I love the temple.  It was late when we were finished and when I picked up Monkey at 10:15pm, he was still awake and playing hard.

Is it just me who absolutely watches the clock every second until I can play with my boy?  He is so quirky and funny every moment.  Even this morning when he looked at me to see if I would really, really, really not let him drip his chocolate milk on Aunt Kari's couch.  I really, really, really didn't.  But it was cute to watch him try.

Mother's Day

Our Mother's Day this year was extremely low key.  It was overcast and wonderful.  I love the rain even though our area has had plenty this last few months.  In contrast to Saturday, it was a snuggly day.  Church was wonderful and it was followed by the best 3-hour toddler-snuggling nap I have ever had.

The best present I could have received for Mother's Day was a three hour nap.  I was so tired and my buddy snuggled with me the whole time.  I don't get nearly enough snuggle time with Mister now that he is in his big boy bed. (Okay, so he still comes in to my bed at 2am every night, but that is not snuggling.  That is waking up long enough to hoist his skinny behind in bed and then passing back out.)

Then we had dinner with Uncle Chris and it was lovely.  Turkey burger with sweet potato fries.  Perfect for my Mother's Day dinner.  I didn't have to cook/clean and was able to spend time with two of my favorite boys.

However, Mother's Day is always hard for so many reasons.  I miss my mother this year more than in years past.  I feel like a Mother this year more than years past which makes me connect to her in a way that I couldn't while she was alive.  I miss her.  I was thinking of all the things that are distinctly my mother: Little House on the Prairie nightgowns, herb tea, Diet Coke "just for headaches and allergies", lipstick applications before going ANYWHERE at anytime of the day or night, long talks when I know she was so tired.

It is that - the long talks - that I miss the most.  Yesterday, I would have talked about her vision of being a mother... how she kept her temper, her patience, her kindness... when raising her own and many other's children.

I know what her answer would be - keep the Savior in your heart and pray for love and patience.  It will come.  No parent is perfect.

She was pretty darn close.

Yet another day in paradise

This morning we went to the ZOO with Jessica.  It was so much fun.  Perfect day - around 70 degrees.  A slight breeze.  Yes, it was busy, yes, it was hilly, but it was fantastic.  Jessica makes things so fun.

Aiden wants to walk everywhere now, which makes it easier on everyone involved.  He is heavy.  And when we have the stroller, he wants to get in and out to see everything.  Works for me.

Fun picture, but check out the guy behind us.  A mutual friend called his look the Urban Sombrero.  Is there such thing as a Taco Hat?

Watching the Elephants.  Thanks, Jess, for coming with us!

Aiden calls the Rhinos "Nienoes"  This is looking through the wires to their habitat.

Bananas and milk for my monkey.

He was growling in this picture because he was a tiger.  Funny kid.

This giraffe was demented.  He/She (I don't know which...) kept licking and kissing the door jam.  Weird. 

In my defense of this picture, please remember that we were both tired, and I am going through an awkward hair phase until it grows out more. 

Jessica and I took bets.  I said he wouldn't stay awake to Sunnyside Ave.  Jess said he wouldn't make it to the car. She won.