False Alarm

I'm tired today.

I guess that's what false labor pains and little sleep will do to you. It really stinks having contractions for most of the night and then not producing a baby from your body's painful efforts. But I guess the good news is that she will be here no-matter-what on Friday.

Yep, I'm being induced this Friday, October 2nd and I cannot wait. There aren't any problems; she just gets to come early because her mom is anxious to see her cute little face.

I've been busy the last couple of weeks nesting. It feels great to be able to get so much done and have everything ready for her. Although it is exhausting. Here's a little of my checklist:

Crib bedding made and nursery decorated, check.

Halloween decorations up, check.

Old windows that have been waiting to be hung on my family room wall for the past two months up, check.

New van, check.

Boys's room decorated how I like it, check.

Clean house, check.

Current prego picture (39 weeks), check.

Oh... and dressing my youngest son in one of his sister's new outfits, check.

Why is it that I have been wanting to get some of these things completed for months but they didn't happen until the baby is almost here? Oh well, at least they're done, right? Now there is the peaceful feeling of knowing that things are done and in order for the wee one to come home.

Here's to hoping that tonight's sleep is uninterupted, or if it isn't then there will be something to show for it.

First Day of School Tantrum #2

Jace is back to school. Hip-hip-hooray! Now as a Pre-K student he is attending twice a week and is very excited about it. He keeps saying that this is his last year and then he gets to go to kindergarten. He wants to grow up so fast. On those long, exhausting, trying days I wouldn't mind that, but most days it's a bit sad to think how big and old he is.

We tried for a "first day of school picture" today, hoping that it would go better than last year's. Remember last year's picture?

Again he vehemently refused. Talking sensibly didn't work and either did bribery. Nothing. Nada. And so I did what any good mother would do, I tried to sneak one of him. And here it is:

And this is the reaction I got when he saw that I took it:

What a happy little preschooler. It was a great morning!

Cole wanted his picture taken for preschool. So here is Cole on Jace's first day of Pre-K.

A Permanent Residence

It's been a year exactly since we moved to Eagle Mountain. My, how time flies. Over the course of this past year we've grown to like it here more and more. Every time someone finds out where we live they ask, "Do you like it there?" And every time either Bryan or I answer it goes something like this:

2 second pause/hesitation, with a drawn out "Yeaaaaaah. We do. We like our house and ward and neighborhood. It's just......out there."

It's true though, we do like it out here. We've met some amazing friends and people that we've learned a lot from, the neighborhood is nice and quiet, we have awesome views, we love our house,we love our yard, and overall things have worked out that we're just better off living here.

When we moved here a year ago, our plan was to stay at least 2 years. At that point we could reassess our needs and wants and see about moving to a location/city that we REALLY wanted to live in. A short, "temporary" stay, if you will. We were not planning on staying long.

Well, last Sunday things changed a bit. Apparently Someone with greater plans wants us to stay a bit longer here in Eagle Mountain. You see, Sunday our ward split, and with that split a new bishopric was put into place, and my sweet husband was put in as first counselor.

We'll be staying a while. Definitely more than just another year.

Bryan is handling the change really well. He had a few moments when he was overwhelmed and nervous; but this past week, Tuesday thru Friday, he's had meetings all night and he's adjusted very well. I had no doubt that he would be just fine. His amazing personality, his sense of humor, and his ability to make people feel comfortable around will help him immensely in this calling. Even though things may be a little busy and crazy at times for our family, I'm just extremely grateful to have a worthy and honorable husband who can fulfill this calling.

It's amazing how the Lord blesses our lives. I did not want to move here, but the Lord knew we needed to. And we have been blessed for it. We have our own, self-made plans, but the Lord has His plan for us too, and of course His is always going to win out.

And it's a good thing it does.

8 Years and 2 Bumpers Later....

We have made it another year together, making it a total of 8. Thanks to our wonderfully charitable parents we were able to spend a night together down town dining, shopping, movie going, and hotel staying to recharge our relationship. Thank you Mom and Dad, Pam and Gene. We love you so much.

They say that love grows. I say love grows and matures. Our relationship has proven that these last couple of weeks.

A few weeks ago I drove Bryan's car, pulled into the garage and closed it. Bryan came home a short while later and asked why the garage was open. I told him I had closed the door. That's when he walked to the back of his car.....and saw it: the two, no three, large scrapes down his bumper. Not just scuffs, but scrapes, as in it scraped the paint off.

I held my breath, waiting for the major reprimand, waiting for the anger. But it didn't come. My sweet husband took a deep breath, said my name and "hon" (a couple of times), sighed, and walked away.

At that moment I realized that his love, our love, had matured over the last 8 years. Because we all know that wouldn't have been either of our reactions a few years ago. I had to find him and tell him three things:

1. I'm sorry I scratched your bumper

2. Thank you for not getting mad at me

3. I love you.

He kindly responded to me, "You know, I have learned a few things over the years."

My love for him grew.

A week later, Bryan returned the favor. He drove my car, pulled it not far enough into the garage, and shut the door. A couple of hours later, as we were preparing to leave, Bryan walked around the back of my car and saw that he had shut the garage on my car. We both assessed the damage.... and had a good laugh.

Eight years is proving to be good to us. We've both grown and matured. We're definitely two better people now than the day we got married. Thank goodness for that.

I love you Bryan, and am so grateful for what you add to my life.

Watch What You Say

I definitely need to work on watching what I say around Jace.

Saturday night the boys were going to be sleeping over at Grandma and Grandpa Erickson's and we were then going to meet them Sunday morning for church. Bryan was helping the boys pack their bag when he asked me if I wanted to send some hair products with them so that his mom could do their hair. I assured him that there was no need since she has plenty of hair products she could use. Then I added one more thing that I shouldn't have. "Maybe I should take their hair stuff with me to church in case I have to fix it. You know, Grandmas kind of struggle with the boys' hair."

(In all reality, their grandmas do just fine. I am just very particular about some things, and the boys' hair just happens to be one of them.)

The next morning we met up with the boys and Bryan's family, and the boys looked great - I was actually pleased with their hair. No complaints here for they looked very handsome.

After church I was talking to Pam (my mother-in-law) and she told me a funny little story. She said that while she was doing Jace's hair he told her......

"You struggle with hair. My mom even said so."

Open Mouth. Insert Foot.

I was mortified! Luckily I have a very good-natured mother-in-law, who I love, that just laughed; which then allowed me to laugh too until I could recover and think of something nice to say to make up for my incredibly rude comment.

Three Words I Detest...

(especially when I'm in the shower)

"I'm all done!!"

Interpretation:

"Come wipe my bum!!"

This is not one of the more glorious jobs of a mother.

Call Me Crazy

I know. I haven't been the best at blogging these days. There's just a lot going on and to be honest there's other things that occupy my time over updating my blog. I know it's important for the "posterity of my children."

But now I have something to say. And maybe one day, they and I, will look back at this post and realize that I was just a crazy, overprotective mother in their early years.

I know I live in a safe neighborhood. It's very quite here, there's not a lot of hooligans running about, and there's not a lot of traffic. I feel safe here, things are good. However, whenever I am outside working in the yard or just out there with the boys, my maternal instinct kicks in and I can't help but wonder, "What if.....?"

Our yard is not fenced and so the boys wander about the yard while I'm working, and every so often I lose sight or sound of them. And I holler for them. I have to know where they are and what they're up to. One reason is for their safety, one for my sanity of knowing, and another because Cole can be way too mischievous (and naughty) for his own good. But to me it's always important to know where they are - you never know if they've wandered into the street and a car won't see them or some nasty stranger saunters by. You just never know.

So as I was outside with my boys - plus three other little ones I was in charge of at the time - it baffled my mind to see a one year old walking up and down, in and out of the street with no parents in sight and not even caring. Or to see a two year old riding his small little tricycle in the middle of the road (where the road curves) and no older siblings or parents in sight. I mean, really?

Maybe I'm just paranoid and overly sensitive. Maybe my maternal instincts are on overkill. I don't know, but I'm not even comfortable yet to allow my 4 year old play outside by himself in an un-gated yard. Maybe after a few more years and maybe a couple of more children my paranoia will ease up a bit and I'll learn to relax. It seems that that happens over time.

But until then, maybe I'm just a crazy, paranoid mother.