I don't like solid food

Dear Mom,

I don't like solid food. I don't know why you bother every day to try to feed it to me. I only take one bite and that is all I want. And to be honest with you, I hate it smeared all over my face. Does it look like I'm enjoying it?! I don't think so.

I'd rather eat my hand.

Plus, I'm distracted with other things. I don't have time to eat the gross-looking green stuff you're trying to feed me.

I promise you I'll someday like solid food. I just don't right now. Thank you for understanding and getting me out of that high chair and letting me play naked.

You're the best mommy in the whole world. I love you.

Love,
Everett

Happy Birthday to My Husband!

Today was my dear husband's 28th birthday! Happy birthday to the love of my life and to the exceptionally wonderful father to my child. Never could I possibly wish for a more caring, thoughtful, hard-working, supportive, and loyal husband. I love you!

Oh Blog, how I've missed you.

I have failed to keep up on my blog recently. I've taken full responsibility of managing both of my boss's residential and commercial buildings. Triple the work, triple the pay, and triple the stress. I'm adjusting to the work load and trying to prioritize things while trying to juggle watching Everett, household chores, time with family and friends, and all other things that life consists of. It's currently hectic in the Connors' household but Dale is being so supportive and helpful with it all. I can't ever imagine my life without this wonderful husband of mine.

We had a recent experience with Everett's Pediatrician that has left us with a horrid taste in our mouth and we are amidst changing health insurance companies and we found a brand new Pediatrics office 5 minutes from our house. Everett has his 9 month appointment with them next week!

Everett is quite the active, little boy these days and is crawling everywhere and pulling himself up onto any leveled edge. I am so proud of his recent milestones he's hit and love seeing the big smiles of achievement on his face when he crawls or pulls up onto things.

Everett now has his 2 bottom incisors and his 2 upper/outer incisors and is working on his 2 upper/inner incisors. I always thought the upper/inner incisors came in first.

His night sleeping has been good for the most part but has been sitting up in his sleep from time to time. He will either wake up crying because he doesn't know to lay himself back down, or will slump over and fall back to sleep.

I don't know what got into me today (maybe it was the combination of stress and lack of sleep) but a little silliness got into me and I gave my son boobs.

Everett is still getting his groove on. This time, naked style!

Dale has the next 2 days off and I am really looking forward to taking some time to relax and enjoy some family time. While I feel like I need to take the opportunity to check off the list of work items that need to be taken care of, I have vowed to keep my priority of family over work and will be focused on getting some quality time in with my boys. My parents always said that you gotta work hard and play hard. We've been working hard but not nearly playing as hard. It's what I intend to do.

Teething Biscuits

I bought Everett some Earth's Best Wheat Teething Biscuits.

He showed more interest in it than I anticipated.

I love this guy more than anything. Often times, my heart feels like it's going to burst because of the over-abundance of love I have for him.

Dale's mom came over for a few hours today so I could run some errands and have some time to myself. I went and got a pedicure and I have to confess with guilt that I enjoyed the time to myself and really enjoyed the momentary feeling of being baby-free.

I chose to go green. It seemed "fall-ish" to me. I'm really enjoying my choice in color. I find it refreshing.

Here's a quote I ran across.

"Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body." -Elizabeth Stone

Annual Hergert Picnic

Yesterday, we attended the annual Hergert Picnic. The weather was perfect, there was plenty of delicious, home-cooked food, games, and an endless amount of family time. Many there had not met Everett yet and as he got passed around, he had more separation anxiety than I had ever experienced before. He lasted all but a few seconds before he cried such a pitiful cry as if I had given him away. I told Dale it was good for him.

He allowed Grandma to spend some time with him as long as Dale and I were in sight. It was really great to see extended family even though at first, it's a guessing name game. I got called Jessica, Brieanna (my sister), and Whitney (my cousin). But then again, I am probably guilty of calling others by the wrong name too. Even so, it was another great reunion as it is every year and I'm already looking forward to next year.

Sunny Saturday

Today started out with early signs of Fall weather: the air was crisp and cool and you could see your breath when you breathed out. It was the perfect morning to enjoy my first pumpkin spice latte of the year. As the day progressed, the sun came out and warmed everything. We spent a lot of the day with the windows open, enjoying the fresh air.

Everett made a new friend and his name is Elmo. Elmo does a funny chicken dance.

Everett is trying to pull himself up onto everything lately and has become oh so good at standing up all by himself.

Everett started doing this:

Everett likes to stick his thumb into Mommy's nose right when she takes the picture.

Everett loves to be silly.

On Food News, I made Crunchy Peanut Butter Balls for our annual Hergert Reunion/Picnic tomorrow. I'll be up bright and early to make the lasagna for the main dish I'll be taking.

Dale took tomorrow off so he could attend this year's reunion. I can't wait to spend the day with family: parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, great aunts and uncles, 2nd-3rd-4th cousins, and so on. Every year, we just sit around and eat a ton of food, have a ping pong tournament, water balloon toss, swimming, board games and card games, and just good 'ol hang out time and soaking in as much of each others company. I can't wait!

Current Read {it sucked and then i cried by heather b. armstrong}

"Heather Armstrong gave up a lot of things when she and her husband, Jon, decided to have a baby: beer, small boobs, free time — and antidepressants. The eighteen months that followed were filled with anxiety, constipation, nacho cheese Doritos, and an unconditional love that threatened to make her heart explode. Still, as baby Leta grew and her husband, Jon, returned to work, Heather faced lonely days, sleepless nights, and endless screaming that sometimes made her wish she'd never become a mother. Just as she was poised to throw another gallon of milk at her husband's head, she committed herself for a short stay in a mental hospital — the best decision she ever made for her family.

To the dedicated millions who can't get enough of Heather's unforgettably unique style and hilarious stories on her hugely popular blog, there's little she won't share about her daily life as a recovering Mormon, liberal daughter of Republicans, wife of a charming geek, lover of television that exceeds at being really awful, and stay-at-home mom to five-year-old Leta and two willful dogs.

In It Sucked and Then I Cried, Heather tells, with trademark wit, the heartfelt, unrelentingly honest story of her battle with postpartum depression and all the other minor details of pregnancy and motherhood that no one cares to mention. Like how boring it can be to care for someone whose primary means of communication is through her bowels. And how long it can possibly take to reconvene the procedure that got you into this whole parenthood mess in the first place. And how you sometimes think you can't possibly go five more minutes without breathing in that utterly irresistible and totally redeemable fresh baby smell.

It Sucked and Then I Cried is a brave cautionary tale about crossing over that invisible line to the other side (the parenting side), where everything changes and it only gets worse. But most of all, it's a celebration of a love so big it can break your heart into a million pieces."

A New Day Comes New Memories

At times, I have wished for consistency in my days. To know what each day holds so I can plan accordingly and be prepared. I have realized that life wouldn't be the adventure that it is supposed to be if I knew what was going to happen. Today, for me, was different in many ways than yesterday or the day before, or the day before that. On some days, you may have memories that leave you tired and stressed, but those are the days you grow and learn to be a stronger person. I've had a share of those kinds of days recently but today brought change. Today gave me an opportunity to make memories that couldn't be made on any other day but today and I am so thankful to have been given this opportunity.

It was a lazy day for Dale, Everett, and I but a wonderful day indeed. Everett was so cuddly today and loved on us so much while we loved back with everything our hearts had.

I had a few work items to take care of which didn't take too long but Dale and Everett came with me to help so work today was a family event! We tried out a Vietnamese/Thai restaurant, Vi Thai (how original) for lunch and agreed to come back and put it on our restaurant list.

Everett had lots and lots of play time and even practiced crawling for a little bit before bedtime.

Today's memories will be ones that I cherish and will look back on and remember. Here's to tomorrow and what tomorrow will bring!

Challenges

It has been an extremely challenging week of parenting this week for both Dale and I. I feel so unworthy of such a beautiful child when I find myself so frustrated to the point that here I am making time to write about how I emotionally feel like I am at my wit's end. Am I actually complaining about my child and having to meet his needs? I surely do not see it that way but I feel that is the way it may be unfortunately portrayed to others. It's not the case, really.

Before having Everett, I had heard stories of how parenting is one of the toughest responsibilities to take on. I unknowingly brushed off these stories and asked myself how hard could it be? You change, feed, sleep, and play with your children. If you do all these things, they are happy. How ignorant was I? It's far more than that, and unfortunately, you don't get a practice run and you can't plan how you will raise a child. I have realized that you have to take what each day gives you and handle it the best way you can. The next day, it will be completely different.

Not knowing the cause in Everett's demeanor and sleeping pattern is far more frustrating to me than the lack of sleep or dealing with the fits and screams itself. Knowing that you're the one person who can settle him and not being able to succeed at it makes you feel like a failure of parent, even though deep in the dark corner of your mind, you know it's not the truth but you can't help but feel that twinge.

I also never realized that in order to maintain a healthy relationship with your child and with yourself, you need time. Time for yourself. I ask myself, if I want to be a better parent, why would I want to spend time away from my child and take on such a selfish act of partaking in things that I enjoy doing for the sake of keeping my sanity? Because. Because doing so and recognizing that it's relationally healthy makes you a good parent in itself. You know it's good for both you and your child. I have observed many parents, mothers especially, who have started despising their children and understanding in their minds that parenting is something they have to do, rather than something they want to do. I remember growing up when my mom would just leave for the entire day. No one knew she left until we realized we needed something but she was nowhere to be found. She would later come home with relief struck across her face and with more patience than we usually were use to. She never told us why she left and why she needed this moment for herself but as we got older, we understood why. And now that I am a mother, I understood more than ever.

Next week, Dale and I will be visiting
Steppingstone Day School
to check out their facilities and options. We are only considering daycare for only half a day to a full day per week. Dale insisted that if we like it, we will sign Everett up right then and there. I informed that it's harder for me to have it so said and done. I am so emotionally wrapped around this child of mine that my heart already wrenches at the thought of putting him in the care of someone else and it makes me want to curl up into a fetal position and cry a little. But, sometimes, people don't know what's good for them even if it slaps them across the face. Well, I've felt the stinging pain of the slap finally and I know what's good for me.

I won't go into detail of the things that have recently made parenting so challenging. It won't enlighten my feelings any but it has been refreshing to jot my thoughts down.

When I see this face, it melts me every time. This automatic ability, I will never understand but it erases all my frustrations and puts me at a calming ease.

Labor Day

Everett and I spent Labor Day with the wonderful Nielson Family. We had a nice relaxing afternoon over there and went out for Vietnamese Food.

It was refreshing to get out and about today and it was a wonderful way to spend a day! Thanks for having us over, Josh and Tiffany!

Everett is 9 Months!...and Other News...

What a day! Dale and I were so busy today and the day just flew by. I hope this isn't a sign of how September is going to be. The month of August came and went so fast that we barely had time to even enjoy it. September is my favorite month of the entire year and I hope I'll be given the opportunity to enjoy it a little. Work is slowing down though. School has started and the warm, sunny days are coming to an end and people are getting themselves settled into their homes. I'm having fewer rental inquiries and fewer move-ins. All I gotta say is : Praise. The. Lord. For the past month or so, with work being so busy, it has been compromising my one-on-one time with Everett, his nap times, and affecting the time and energy I have to put forth maintaining our home in a clean and orderly state. Today, our place looked like Hurricane Earl made a quick stop and left us with a frantic mess. There were toys EVERYWHERE and you were lucky enough if you didn't trip and break your neck, dishes covering about every inch of the kitchen table and counter tops, clothing hanging on the backs and arms of the couch, piles of dirty laundry upstairs, piles of clean laundry begging to be folded and put away, and so much clutter on the coffee table that trying to find something would be like playing "Where's Waldo." I turned into Super Woman for about 30 minutes and flew around the place cleaning and picking up everything. I've always been a very clean, tidy, and organized individual and I can't sleep if I know that there's things to be picked up or cleaned. At least I know I'll be able to sleep tonight.

Everett is 9 months today! My birthday boy was full of giggles and silliness today (which was a one-eighty from yesterday). He was able to spend a lot of time today with Dad while I was busy with work appointments.

I've recently been into trying out new recipes and tonight, I made Chicken Stuffing Bake. I know it's good when Dale scarfs it down and tells me I need to make it again!

I also signed up for a one year membership at Curves today. It's finally time to get myself into shape. I've missed wearing my skinny jeans and am tired of having all my skinny clothes stare at me everyday.

I'm really looking forward to September and the upcoming Fall and Winter months. I'm ready to cozy up with Everett and Dale on rainy days where we can all cuddle up on the couch and watch movies, sip on hot cocoa and pumpkin spice lattes, and to have cinnamon and vanilla candles flickering amongst our home. Here's to the beginning of Fall and all it's memories that are waiting to be made!