Garrett- 5 months



On December 22nd Garrett turned 5 months old.  Over this past month it seems he has really grown by leaps and bounds.  At the beginning of December, he started grabbing things with his hands.  If you hold something in front of him, he will reach out and try to grab it.  Most of the time he still needs some guidance to actually grab it and hold on, but he's getting better. 

He also found his voice.  Now when he's awake, he is always squawking and screaming, even though most of the time he's happy.

Garrett has a very wide-eyed look that makes him always look like a deer caught in the headlights.

It's absalutely adorable.

We also just started feeding him rice cereal.  He is still trying to figure out how to chew.  But he's getting better at it. 

Also on Christmas eve he rolled over!  A few days before he rolled from his tummy to his back....but he always seemed to forget how to do it, because he'd do it a couple times, and then the next day not at all.  Then on Christmas eve he rolled from his back to his tummy, and now he does it ALL THE TIME!  Whenever I put him on the floor, he just flipps over.  I'm sure we're only weeks away before he is rolling across the room.

I just love his wide smile that greets me every time I take him out of the crib.  He's a very happy baby.  And only cries when he's tired or hungry.  He doesn't really even mind being left on the floor, as long as he's not ignored for too long. :)  At his 4 month doctor's appointment he weighed about 19 pounds.  He was in the 75th percentile for height, 50th percentile for weight, and 90th percentile for head size.  He's a solid baby, and I just love him to pieces!

 

Here's a couple videos of him being his cute little self.  I just love his fat thighs!  He may not be a fat baby, but he's the fattest baby I've ever had....and I absalutely love it.  Whenever I'm holding him I'm just kissing his cheeks.  I just can't get enough of 'em!  I just wanna eat him up!

 



The other day I got him to giggle, and somehow managed to take a video.  Thank goodness, because it's actually pretty hard to get his gut-busting laugh going.  I was so glad I got a video!  It's one of my favorite things to watch.  He's such a joy in my life.

December update

We started the month off getting a Christmas tree.  I got into our tote of Christmas supplies only to find that 3 strands of lights were completely shot.  When I plugged them in, there was NOTHING.  A quick trip to Walmart, and about 3-4 hours of decorating and the tree was finished.  We like to get a tall Christmas tree because it looks so good with our vaulted ceilings.  As a result, it's quite the project to get the thing decorated.  But it looks lovely when it's done.

December seemed to FLY by so fast.  We had parties and activities every weekend it seemed like.  The second weekend in December, my parents came to stay for a visit.  I didn't get any pictures but it is always so nice to see them.  They even babysat the kids for us so Parker and I could get some much-needed Christmas shopping done.

 

We had our ward Christmas party, and the kids got to sit on Santa's lap.  Angie has NEVER been shy around Santa.  Even last year.  As soon as she figured out he was giving out candy, she was more than happy to sit on his lap.  The girl is a blood hound.  She can find snacks and junk food no matter how well you hide it.

This month we also found an early Christmas present.  We've been talking about buying a new TV for MONTHS.  I've never been able to feel good about it though.  We wanted a big one.  We have a 32" flat screen that the bank gave us as a gift when we bought our house.  But in our 8 years of marriage we have NEVER bought a TV.  Anyway.  We had been looking at ones anywhere from 38" to 50".  I just could never justify spending that much when we have other priorities for our money.  Even though we found several good deals.  Then one day I got a call. Walmart had put their display TV's on clearance.  This particular one was 54" Samsung 1080P.  It's like a 1200 dollar TV.  For Black Friday week the price was about 700 dollars.  Then when Parker found it they were asking ony 400 dollars!  It's true it was the display TV, so it had already had hours of viewing time, been touched by customers, and no longer had a box.  BUT, it was still under warranty.  Parker made them plug it in and made sure it still works.  Then he brought it home.

One thing big-screen TV's always do when you get your first one, is make a mockery of your entertainment set.  The TV didn't fit inside.  So we put it on top for a few days.

 

Funny story.  The TV started glitching out on us.  It would shut off, and then turn itself back on seconds later.  At first it only happened once in a while.  Then it started to happen more frequently.  Then it came to the point where it wouldn't even work anymore.  I'm thinking.  There goes our 400 dollars down the drain.  Parker called the samsung support number on the remote.  The warranty covered in-home tech support, parts, and labor.  So.  They called a repair company.  They came and picked it up.  It was gone over the weekend, and then they brought it back fixed.  No charge to us.

 

While the TV was out of comission, Parker fixed the entertainment center.  He basicly chopped it in half.  He dropped the top down about a foot and a half so that it was just the height of my stereo.  And not the TV sits on top, and doesn't look awkward (like the TV outgrew the entertainment center).  I'm so glad he was able to fix it.  Entertainment TV stands are usually about 2-300 bucks.  (for a good one anyway).  Can't beat free!  Here's how it looks now.  Pretty good considering that stupid entertainment center is the one my parents had when I WAS A CHILD! 



December has also meant lots of time off for me.  It's been SO nice to be at home with my kids.  

The other day I just HAD to get a picture of Angie's morning hair.  I really don't know why it's so crazy!  I guess because it's so thin and fair.  It is always standing straight up, unless I do something to it.

Just after Christmas we had our first snow-fall.  The kids put on their snow-clothes and ran out into the snow.  It was a light, fluffy, powdery snow.  So it didn't make very good snowmen.  But they honestly just enjoyed watching their own foot-prints and making snow-angels.

Caleb got a new coat just before Christmas.  He had a really nice green coat, but his report to me is that he fell off the monkey bars at school and the entire backside ripped.  He loves his new one, and it's double-layered so he can dress according to how cold it is.

Angie is quickly out-growing her snow clothes.  Her snow pants look like floods, and her 2T coat is getting short in the arms.  But I think it'll last for the rest of the season.  She didn't complain.  She just looks like she's been stretched.

 

My kids are growing so fast!  I hope I'm recording enough on this blog so I won't forget what was like when they were little. 

This month we were going to the bishop's office for tithing settlement.  It was after church was over so we had gone home, and then back to the church.  It was a particularly windy day, and Angie was complaining about the cold as we got out of the car.  I was holding her, and Parker was carrying baby G.  I decided to run across the parking lot in order to get her out of the cold quicker.  As I came to the curb, I tripped and then my other foot caught on my long dress and we both went down.  Hard.  I couldn't even brake my fall because I was holding Angie.  She hit her head on the sidewalk, and all of my weight went onto my right wrist which was my only free hand to brake the fall. It was very painful and emberassing.  Angie was crying, and I almost was myself.  I had bruises on both knees and bloody scrapes through my dress.  Worst of all.  My wrist was sprained.  It took several weeks to heal, and still causes me pain when I torque it just right.  I kept on working and living.  My first day at work after the injury I was dropping things all over the place because pain would shoot through my wrist and I just couldn't keep hold of whatever was in my hand at the time. 

 

Angie won't let me live it down either.  She's always saying things like, "Mom- remember when you dropped me at church?"  and she doesn't like me to run while I'm carrying her anymore.  I can't say that I blame her.  

Released

Last week at mutual, Brother Darrow (counsellor in the Bishopric) asks if he can talk to me.  Oh no.  Can't I just say no?  If he doesn't talk to me, then he can't change anything.  If only.

I sit down and he lets me know that the Young Women's president is being released, and therefore all callings in Young Women's are being released.  What?  I haven't even been doing this for a year!  He tells me that the girls really liked me, and that they've enjoyed having me as an advisor.  (His daughter is one of my Beehives).  He says, the release probably won't happen this coming Sunday, but the one after that. 

After he said that, I started figuring things in my head.  So.  Maybe this coming Sunday they'll come and get me and tell me they're putting me BACK into young women's....maybe in the presidency or something this time, and then the following Sunday they'll release me and sustain me at the same time.  I didn't fret anymore.  I was getting released, but it couldn't possibly be permanent.  I had so many plans.  I'd just scheduled a week off work so I could go to camp this summer. 

Then Sunday came.  We were late to church.  I won't begin to go into the grimey details about how frustrating Sunday mornings are and how no matter how hard I try or how much help I ask for from kids and spouce, we can't seem to make it to church when we should.  We've mastered the art of arriving JUST as the meeting starts.  Last Sunday though, was not the case.  We were LATE.  We walked in after a baby blessing.  We'd missed ward business.There were rumors flying around that we're getting a new bishop.  The entire stake presidency was attending our sacrament meeting, and also an area Seventy.  Eeek. 

When sacrament got over, I went to another member of our Young Women's presidency and asked who was called as the new relief society presidency.  THEN I find out that I HAD been released.  AND they called an entire NEW young women's presidency.  All positions filled today.  And I was not in any of them.  What?!  I was flooded with emotions of frustration.  Why couldn't have we been on time today so that I didn't have to find out this way?  Why didn't they put me back in young women's?  Then sadness.  Not just a little sad.  Pure, terrible, depressing sorrow. Suddenly the relief society president comes up to me and says, "Are you going to be in Relief Society today?"
Still digesting the news, I say, "Apparently I am."
She then asks if I can play the piano for opening exercises.  I've never disliked the fact that I play the piano.  But at that moment, I was NOT happy to get to sit on that bench.  I shouldn't be here.  I should be in the OTHER room with the girls.

I sat through Sunday School and hardly paid attention to the lesson being given.  Tears rolled down my cheeks through the entire meeting. But it wasn't because it was a good lesson (which it was) or because my heart was being touched by the spirit.  I was feeling sorry for myself.  I haven't felt so down in a long time.  I was on the verge of tears for the entire day.  The girls came up to me after church and hugged me.  "I missed you today."  they said to me. 

As the days go by, I'm slowly adjusting to it.  But I am still losing sleep over it.  Isn't that so dumb?  It's a CALLING!  You serve where the Lord asks you to, not where you WANT to.  But I've never had a release rock my world as bad as that one did.  I lie awake at night thinking about those girls.  About the plans for New Beginnings, Camp, and personal progress that I'll never get to do.  About how they just changed the curriculum for teaching the youth, and I was all prepared and trained on HOW to do it.  And we were supposed to start in January, and now I'm not going to get to. 

They're calling the new relief society presidency next week.  But nobody's said anything to me, which means I'm probably not gonna be a part of that either.  Which means they'll probably make me play the piano for some organization.  Primary or relief society....or worse.  Sacrament meeting.  Our ward needs piano players so bad. There's only 3 or 4 of us who can.  But I'm dreading it.  It's not what I want.  10 years of piano lessons, and here I am for the first time hating it. 

I think more than anything the suspense is killing me.  They may not call me to play the piano either.  I don't know WHAT they're gonna do with me.  Do I sound so self-absorbed or what?.  I suppose I should take a lesson in humility.  And say a few prayers.  I find myself hoping beyond hope that they'll make me camp director.  That's at least SOMETHING to do with Young Women.  But good grief.  You'd think I could take a little taste of humble pie, and say something like, "I'll serve where the Lord wants me to."  I'm slowly getting there.  I know the women that are NOW serving in Young women's are amazing people.  And the girls are gonna love them too. It's just funny that something as silly as a release has caused me to go through some pathetic trial of faith?  Not that I've lost my faith....but apparently I need more. 

I AM ready to do whatever the Lord calls me to do.  Whether it's in young women's or not.  If I say it enough, eventually I'll believe it right?   

Thanksgiving

This year Thanksgiving was with Parker's family.  Parker's work has made some changes lately, and he no longer gets holidays off.  Oh sure, he can take vacation....but HR department has to be open on holidays, because the casino is open on holidays.  Anyway. Parker decided he'd work Thanksgiving day and take off a couple hours early, and then take black friday off so we could spend the entire weekend at his mom and dad's house. 

So on Thanksgiving day, I hung out at home with the kids.  I spent the entire morning and afternoon in the kitchen, since I was in charge of making pies.  My first 2 were pumpkin.  I still have frozen pumpkin from the one my dad gave me from his garden LAST YEAR.  So anyway.  2 down.  2 to go.

For my other pies, I did apple (made with fresh granny smith apples....which was all well and good, except I had to practically beat away the kids with a stick because all those sliced apples were so inviting for a free snack!)  And my second pie was cocoanut cream.  I got the recipe from my sister, Anna.  It's AMAZING!  I will confess that over the thanksgiving weekend, I pretty much ate half of that pie myself.  Which I'm allowed to do because I MADE IT!  :)

We had a late dinner, and stayed up late visiting with parker's parents and Garrett. 

 

On black friday, we went and cut a Christmas tree.  We just went to a tree farm about a mile from Paul and Claudia's house.  The guy charges 20 dollars no matter the size of the tree.  Then I laid down with Angie, while Parker, Paul, and Caleb went on a ride on the four-wheelers. 

 

Then Saturday we relaxed and although we'd planned on doing some shopping, it never really happened.  I got another nap (which truly NEVER happens) and that afternoon Claudia and I took the kids to see, "Wreck It Ralph."  Cute show.  

Garrett and Garrett.  I'm sorry to say this is their first picture together.  At least it's a cute one right?!

Tree Farm

Here are some photos of when we went and got our Christmas tree.  We went to a tree farm just down the road from where Parker's parents live.  10 bucks for any tree.....regardless of size.  Not bad.

Parker and Caleb drove over on the 4-wheelers.  Angie, baby G and I took the cozy car.

Wait till you see how good it looks all decorated and stuff!

200K

Last week our little Hyundai Elantra (which we've had since our first year of marriage....and started with about 50,000 miles) reached 200,000 miles!  It's our commuter-car.  And parker drives it the 50 miles to and from Jackpot every day.  I had the car the day the odometer hit 200K. 

Parker wanted me to take a picture....so when it happened, I pulled over the car on the side of the road and got out my phone.  I was so concentrated on trying to get a good photo that when I finally looked up, there were red and blue flashing lights in my rear-view mirror.  The cop had allready pulled over and was walking towards me.  WHAT?!  How did I miss that?!  Am I in trouble? 

I realized he'd probably pulled over to make sure I was ok.  I had turned on my emergency flashers so that nobody would think I'd just parked the car on the side of the road like that. 

I rolled down the window and stuck my head out.

"Officer- I'm ok....."

"Are you sure?  I thought you might need some help."

"Oh no.  my car just reached 200,000 miles and I wanted to take a picture."

he stares at me.  Then laughs.

"Oh.  I thought you were broke-down and trying to make a phone call."

"No....just getting a picture."

"Well ok....thanks for pulling over."

 

HA!!!  What a great way to remember this moment.  Just so you know.  That little car hasn't had hardly ANY engine troubles.  It's still running strong, and I have no doubt we will drive it into the ground.  We'll never sell it.  I'm sure we'll make the kids drive it when they start driving (if it's still around by then....which it should be.)

Hang in there Purple Elantra!

Cheer Camp

A few weeks ago Caleb came home from school and asked me if he could participate in a cheerleading camp.  He was sure that I was going to say no (for some reason), but I told him he could.  I made sure he knew that there was a chance he would be the only boy at the camp.  He said he didn't care, and that he still wanted to do it.  So.  I paid the 30 dollars and he got to spend a Saturday morning learning a cheerleading routine from the Filer High School cheerleaders.

The camp fee included a t-shirt, a water bottle, and 1 adult admission ticket to the girl's basketball game that evening where the kids would be performing the routine they'd learned.

When I dropped him off at the school, the first thing we noticed was that he WAS the only boy.  I was worried for about 5 seconds, until we walked through the door and about 4 girls saw him and squealed, "CALEB!!  HI CALEB!"  Ok.  He's got friends, he'll be fine. 

 

And he was fine.  He had a blast actually.  I have a video of him performing, but it's on Parker's phone.  maybe I'll upload it later.  When it was over, he kept asking me "did I do a good job mom?"  He really did have fun.  And I'm glad.  It's now his favorite t-shirt.

No-Shave November

Behold:  the "Novem-beard."  Apparently November is "prostate cancer awareness month" and all the guys at Parker's work (and apparently all the guys in our ward as well) decided to grow a beard for the cause.  (You must be wondering HOW growing a beard could help spread awareness for prostate cancer.  I'm still trying to figure that out myself.)  However it works......there are lots of men ALL OVER THE PLACE sporting the "novem-beard."  And I just think it's so funny that MOST men would agree that facial hair is "manly" and is to be viewed as some kind of accomplishment rather than the itchy, scruffy nuisance that most WOMEN think it is.  If I HAVE TO tolerate some aspect of facial hair....the beard or goatee is ok with me.  But I HATE the mustache.  Not.  A. Fan.

Parker had to keep the beard "tidy" looking for work.  But I think he enjoyed his 30 days of scruff.  And now it's December.  And I've BEGGED him to shave it off.  So here's the last photo.  Guys.  If you want your girl to think you're manly.....do some chores without her asking first.  She'll be MUCH more impressed with that than she will with your beard.  :)  Happy December!