The Zoo...MAN it's still hot!

We braved the Florida heat and ventured out to the zoo today. I wish I had some sort of creativeness to write about the fun we had today...but my wit seems to have escaped me, along with my ability to keep my eyes open, coincidentally.

The lions were actually awake today! We even got to see them playing with each other...I'd show you a picture, but my camera is a piece of garbage, so you'll just have to believe me

This is where I learned something rather disgusting about giraffes today...
Oh, man...Dallin is into it! Can't you just sense the excitement?
Hayden, posing by the giant manatee
(Why did it take me 4 tries to spell that correctly?)

Walking back to the car...not very exciting, but I think Mike looks funny here

Middle Child Syndrome

Dallin will be my middle child...I am aware of this - so you'd think I'd do everything in my power to prevent "middle child syndrome", right? It seems as though I'd have hundreds of pictures flooding this blog, boring all of my readers to tears...however, I am a slacker of a mom and I do not.

Hayden has countless pictures...most of them he's just sleeping. He was my first, so everything was cute and exciting. Not that Dallin isn't just as cute - but I guess I haven't seen the need to photograph him sleeping five times a day every day. OR it could be that I have a toddler tugging at my pant leg all day everyday...probably both.

But anyway - enough of my rambling. Dallin has started smiling a bit so I dusted off my camera and tried to get a good picture of it...these will just have to do:

Hayden loves to get in on the action...good thing he's cute!

Why did the best one of the smile come out so blurry?

The Prestigious Titles of a Mom

I'm totally stealing this from my friend Amber's blog...I think it is very fitting!

Toilet Flusher in Chief- The only person capable of flushing toilets. This does require and extraordanite amount of skill and precise pressure applied. I’ve been practicing for many years to know the exact moment that toilets need to be flushed. My family knowing this allows me to undertake this job rather then try to learn themselves.

She Who Must Change the TP- Only one person in the house is allowed to do this chore. Preferably it’s the same person who is the Toilet Flusher in Chief since the skill set is much the same. Must also know the proper placement of the roll (always over never under).

The Nagger General- Decide what needs to be done when by whom (usually based on things they need to know how to do in order to grow up to be a responsible adult and functioning member of society). Remind them repeatedly until they do what is expected of them. Make them go back and do things again until they’re done to the General’s specifications. If this job isn’t done then nothing in the house will be done. It’s harder than it looks. Things that you need to remember to nag about: chores, homework, piano practicing, kindness to siblings, friends and non-friends even. Skills that are needed: expert negotiator, previous experience as a ‘fun sucker’ is a bonus.

Fun Sucker- See anyone having fun. Stop the fun immediately at all costs. Give anyone having fun a chore to do. Punish them further if it’s possible to do so.

The Bossiest Boss of the Universe- Sort of like the Nagger General but takes over after the Nagger General has asked 5 million times. Much meaner than The Nagger General.

Universal Bladder- Decide when everyone around you needs to pee. Tell them that. Make them run to the potty. Be right 98% of the time.

Secretary/Receptionist- Make phone calls, schedule appointments, answer phone calls, take messages keep track of all paperwork that comes home in folders, sign and send paperwork back to appropriate places…

Time Keeper- remind people where they need to go and when. Also arrange rides to and from those places when needed. Don’t expect any tips. Do expect whining and trashing of your vehicle.

Master Volume Control-Repeat these phrases with me- “your music is too loud turn it down” “you need to talk louder if you want me to hear you” “No screaming in the house!”

Referee- Must know how to use penalty cards, call a flag on the play and how to perform a foul shot. It’s not suggested that you say, ‘how about if I hit you every time you hit your sister?’ very often. May result in a time out for the referee.

Sanitary Officer- Having a superior sense of smell is a must. Sniff out stinky kids, dirty clothing, teeth that need to be brushed, hands that weren’t washed and shoes that need some Lysol.

I had no idea I could actually be happy...

I wrote this on August 7th but wasn't ready to post it on my blog. Postpartum depression is very real and extremely scary for everyone around. I think it is important that people realize it is a serious disease and not just something that can be ignored.

After I had Hayden I had really bad PPD. I didn't hold him at all in the hospital other than to feed him and at home Mike took care of most everything. He was tongue tied so nursing was a nightmare. The crying made me insane and I could hardly stand it. I felt nothing but gloom and doom. The exhaustion was all I could focus on and I hated my life. At one point I wouldn't allow myself into the kitchen to cook or clean because there were knives in there and I feared how far my condition would allow me to go. Thankfully I knew my limits and I would put Hayden in his crib and just let him cry while I went to get a shower...no baby has ever died from crying, but many babies die from exhausted, stressed, depressed mothers who don't seek proper help.

I don't know what is so different this time...I've only been on medication for four days (over a month now) so I don't think that's it...maybe I was more prepared, but this time I have really really enjoyed Dallin. I did a lot of skin to skin in the hospital and he has really been a fantastic nurser. I don't freak out when he cries - sometimes I actually just sit and listen to it and somewhat enjoy it. I love snuggling him and just can't get enough.

I had no idea having a baby could be this enjoyable. I had no clue I could actually be happy. I feel bad that I didn't feel like this with Hayden but I can't change the past...all I can do is try to enjoy Hayden the way he is now.

I'm just so in love with my boys. I know I'll probably have some of the same frustrated feelings with Dallin as I did with Hayden, but so far it's been a million times better.

21 Days Closer to Christ

I have started yet another blog. It is more for me than anything else, but I welcome you to follow my journey to become closer to my Savior. To view the blog, please click HERE.

Below is my first post:

Things have become a little crazy in my life lately. With the addition of another child, my husband starting a second job as well as school, and me just trying to keep my head above water keeping house, I have lost sight of what is really important. I have neglected my scripture study and it's not uncommon for me to skip saying my personal prayers for a day or two.

My testimony of the Savior is not wavering at all, but it sure could use some strengthening. I am one who needs structure in order to get something done. If I plan a party, there are spreadsheets, notebooks and photo examples of decorations and recipes, but if planned correctly - it turns out quite spectacular. I figure strengthening my testimony and getting back to the basics of the gospel should be no different...but where should I start?

While at Time Out for Women I purchased a book called 21 Days Closer to Christ by Emily Freeman. Each day there is an invitation to read specific scriptures as well as a step in the "journey". The idea is that after reading this book, becoming better acquainted with scriptures about Christ, and completing each step in the journey, you will become closer to Christ.

So there you have it! It's all laid out for me in a book containing uplifting stories, beautiful artwork and an invitation to come closer to Christ. You're welcome to follow me in this journey if you wish. I will post the scriptures and the step in the journey each day and then my thoughts about them.

Be sure to read from bottom to top so you can follow my journey in the correct order.

One Month Old

Well...actually - one month and three days...but there was some camera drama.

Go Jaguars!

Every Labor Day Chick-fil-a gives you a free chicken sandwich if you wear your favorite sports team logo. So today we all got dressed up in our best Jaguar gear and headed out for a dinner on the cheap.

I don't always look this tired...I promise

Don't they look thrilled?

Lickable Finger Paint

I've been looking for fun things to do with Hayden and a friend suggested "lickable finger paints". Hayden had a lot of fun!

For those of you who are wondering what on earth "lickable finger painting" consists of, I give you detailed intructions:

Mix a box of instant vanilla pudding according to directions. Divide into separate bowls and add a different food coloring to each one.

Paint on wax paper, lick your fingers clean when you want to change colors.

Pose for camera with cheesey grin!

Mt. Rushmore

You know, there are some things that you just never think of.........like, Mt. Rushmore from the Canadian side.

I know...totally pointless, but it made me laugh!

Quiet Down Cobwebs

I never had a very good rocking chair when Hayden was an infant so I didn't get the pleasure of rocking him every day. That was one thing I really really wanted to be able to do with Dallin, but due to our financial situation I came to the heartbreaking realization that it wouldn't be practical to purchase a new glider.

While expressing my sorrow to Mike's aunt she very kindly offered me the beautiful glider that sat in the corner of her bedroom that has never been used. I am so grateful for her and her generosity and I will always cherish my rocking chair.

To sum up how important a rocking chair is to me, I'm taking a few words from an email a friend sent me after telling her I was going to be sensible and not spend money or gift cards on something so silly as a rocking chair:

Almost ten years later, it is still in the nursery- stained from years of use. At one point, it had been broken by my kids, and I came home from my grandma's funeral to find it pieced back together and repaired. I still rock my babies in it. Whenever I sit there, I think of an article I once read about how generations of women have rocked their babies. A million things make our lives so different from our ancestors, but a mother rocking her baby is an image that spans the centuries.

Babies Don’t Keep
By Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due,
Lullabye, rockaby, lullabye loo.
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo,
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo,
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs;
Dust go to sleep!
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.