Thursday, February 19, 2009

Facial Manipulation

Last night as Evan was getting Kyle undressed to eat in his bouncy, I walked in to this scene....



I couldn't help but video tape it. I'm the one trying not to laugh in the background, by the way. Kyle likes to move....he loves to be thrown it the air, feel the dropping sensation, bounce, shake and all sorts of things. So don't worry, if you can't tell in the video, he's smiling at Evan.

Well I unpacked my cord--again--after I had repacked it from unpacking it last time. Hopefully, nothing cute will happen until I am settled in at the new place so I don't have to unpack it a third time.

What's Up My Ninjas?

Evan and I have a very good friend named Nate. Nate is currently in Alabama training to become a helicopter pilot with the National Guard. However, right before he left in the fall he purchased a house. We often drive right by the house and I often say things like, "Hi Nate. We miss you." It was hard for us when Nate left because he was one of our favorite random hangouts.

Last night, Evan and I were stopped at the light close to his house. Our conversation went something like this. [Note: Evan works with Alzheimer's patients.]

Me: Hi Nate! We miss you.
Evan: You know he's not there right.
M: Come back from Alabama soon.
E: This is what it's going to be like when you have Alzheimer's and I have to take care of you. I'll go like this (huge sigh and sad drooped head shake).
You'll always talk about Nate and I'll have to say, 'Holly, Nate died in a helicopter crash back in 2015.'
[Light changes]
M: Bye Nate!
E: I'll get a plaque that says, 'Nate's dead,' and just point at it.


I know that this is possibly a little morbid, but I was rolling in my seat laughing. I just wonder where Evan comes up with these elaborate stories. I would have just said to someone, "You're an idiot for talking to a house," not my creative husband.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Valentine's Day

So I should be packing because we are moving this Saturday and I am not close to being done. However, instead I unpacked a box to find my camera cord to upload pictures so that I could blog. I am very responsible, trust me.

Evan and I had a wonderful Valentine's Day. Neither of us are very romantic and neither of us are good with waiting or secrets. We exchanged gifts by about Wednesday and we both knew what we were getting early. Evan received Nerf guns of his choosing.....


This is my new Doctrine & Covenants book. It has all of the text and bonus materials like quotes and background information along side. I was so excited to take it to church this week, but I forgot.


I did tell Evan that I wanted our plans to be a surprise. Ekitzel baby sat Kyle and we went for a very romantic dinner at....


I love this restaurant and we went all out. We even had their crispy caramel banana cheesecake crepes for desert, which were very yummy if you have an Evan to eat the banana slices. I always get the strawberry stuffed french toast and Evan got biscuits and gravy. We're simple folk, what can we say?

After that we headed over to Trolley Square. We walked around and window shopped. Stopped at Restoration Hardware and coveted all the $5000 leather couches we can't afford and spent my Christmas money from William Sonoma.

On our way out we took a picture one-handed (our specialty) in front of the lit trees. Evan was a little shaky so it turned out like this and we love it....


While we were at IHop, Evan and I couldn't resist purchasing this bean bag monkey for Kyle. This particular shade of pink (Susan G. Koman Foundation breast cancer pink) is Evan's favorite color. Kyle seems to like it a lot and we have been taking it everywhere. The widow's peak on monkey reminds me of Kyle, especially when Kyle raises his eyebrows.


It came with a rather silly name, but like all his stuffed animals (all three) it goes simply by the species: monkey. It's friends are puppy and bunny, both of which came from a loving nana.


As we were out today, three people mistook him for a girl. That has never happened. I wonder if it is the pink monkey. :)

Smooth Criminal

Evan and I have a good friend Elliott who we used to live with. Every time we see Elliott, which is at least once a week, he makes insightful comments about Kyle. Sometimes it's, "I always forget you have a baby," frequently I'll hear, "he's like such a little person." Sunday's comment was never to be forgotten, "He's got his own personality. You can see him totally hatching schemes and plans in his head. I wouldn't be surprised if he was involved in the underground crime syndicate." Although my five month old is not a smooth criminal. Elliott always makes me realize what a wonder Kyle is and how much he changes day to day.

I just wanted to show some of the more mundane but lovable moments that we've been having with Kyle.

You can't really blame Kyle for seeming mischievous or scheming. I'm the one who let him use Evan as a standing post while Evan was trying to sleep. But look how happy my baby was and Evan didn't seem to notice... ;)

Forcefully chewing on my hand...a common source of play...


Bunny love...


Stealing glasses for chewing...


Play time mat...


Airplane on Daddy's legs...


Swing magic...


Dinner...and yes, it is inside the nose...


Trying to devise a way to get the sound buttons in his mouth...


After nighty-night bath...


Kyle is a little talker. He will talk in his stroller, in his car seat, in the store, eating before bed and naps and always in the morning when he wakes up. Instead of straight out crying he has even taken to whining and speaking his way through his discontent.

To capture this I took a video one morning of him talking away to his bunny in his crib. I know that it is dark and you can't see him, but note, that he doesn't know I am there. At the end, which I wish you could see, he pulls his bunny in and begins to chew on him.



Kyle's a morning person, which in some ways might draw people to wonder about paternity......

This weekend, we are moving. Although it is literally across the street everything still has to be packed and unpacked. Next weekend, we are taking our first road trip. So it means that I am very busy so I will most likely not be posting until we return the beginning of March.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Draper Temple Open House

On Thursday afternoon, Evan, Kyle and I went to see the open house at the Draper Temple. It was a snowy, foggy afternoon but it was starting to clear a little after we got done. We were bused up from a meeting house further down the hill and we were bused back after the tour and light refreshments (bottled water and four different types of cookies).

The picture I got of the temple as we were bused back down. Sorry it is a little blurry.


Evan and Kyle in the bus.


Kyle and I on the bus. Hard to get a complete family photo when there are just three of us.


From the meeting house, you could see the sunset and into the valley. It's hard to see, but if you look closely directly next to the light post, you can see some bright yellow. It was like a snake watching the traffic as it headed south on I-15.


Looking up to the top of the Point of the Mountain. The temple is nestled pretty snuggly again it.


Beautiful sunset as we got on the freeway. It was a gorgeous evening to see the new temple.



P.S. It was also Kyle's 5 month mark. I want to keep doing the comparison pictures, but the Mac has been declared dead and we haven't transferred the pictures over yet.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Dog & Senior Fun

So I don't like these.......



I know that you are thinking, "but they are so cute, what a hard heart she has."

They are cute, from a far, far distance. I have issues with snot and drool. Human or beast. I don't mind any other bodily function/excretion, but not that. I'll deal with human drool, but why should I have to with a beast. I also don't like dog hair or having to play with them. If they curl up somewhere and leave me alone that is great. But I get tired of guarding my food, watching where I step or any of those other things that come with dogs. In general, I'll tolerate little dogs (real little-like fifteen pounds) or puppies. Most people don't even know how much I dislike dogs.
Well, in our complex you can have pets. But you have to pick up after them and keep them on a leash. So many people in our complex don't bother to keep them on a leash and we have a lot of people with dogs around us. Usually, it will be later at night, Evan and I will be coming home and someone is out toileting their dog without a leash. Usually I suck it up, keep my distance, and glower at the owner.

Except....a few times.

Often in response to my obvious avoidance behavior, I hear, "He won't hurt you." How is that an okay explanation for leaving your dog off of a leash? It doesn't cover it. I don't care that he won't hurt me. I don't like them. Get them away. What if I was allergic? I am forced to stand still on the sidewalk and wait for their idiotic animals. So twice, this lady has used that excuse with her dog. The first time, I told her straight out, "I don't care. I don't like dogs. That dog needs to be on a leash." Last night, I told her, "I don't care. I don't like dogs." She did nothing and her dog came over and was inches from my legs and trying to smell into Kyle's car seat. And of course there is nothing I can do, but move to another apartment complex without animals.


Another fun human interaction this week....


....involving seniors. I do like seniors. Sometimes, I feel awkward and as if I don't have anything to say to them, but I do like them. Particularly Evan's grandparents.....

Evan and I went to Walmart to get diapers (Walmart off-brand, is better than any other brand we've ever had). I pulled up behind a white SUV and dropped him off. It was at the front door. Any of you Walmart customers know, Walmart parking lots are often crazy and full all hours of the day and night. Evan entered the store and the SUV in front hadn't moved. He wasn't pulled up on the sidewalk or anything--just sitting there dead stopped. Well, another vehicle was trying to pull from an aisle into the lane. We were blocking that lane. I honked a, "hello, I'm here in case you didn't see me honk." Then another when I got no response. Then another longer, "move," honk, then I laid on it. By this point I was fed up.

Well, the SUV engine went off and a grandpa got out of the car and walked back to mine. I locked my doors. In all honesty, I'm not a passive, patient driver. I expect people to know where they are going and go. And...within the last year, it was August, another person got out of their car to yell at me (because they wanted to pull into my lane which happened to be the on-coming traffic lane and I was in their way, but that's another post). It is a scary situation to have an angry person approach your car.

The senior through my window said, "Are you honking at me?" After a few attempts to communication through my window, I rolled it down. He asked what my problem was. I said, "You are just sitting there." His response, "So?" I said, "You can't just sit at a stop sign." He said, "Who are you to tell me what I can and can't do." I told him, "It's illegal." His response, in all maturity, "Oh, shut up." This point he left and moved his car.

If you must wait for someone, circle around or pull into a parking spot and when they come out go drive and get them. Not such a hard thing. Lanes are for moving vehicles. We also went to Provo twice this week, but I won't tell you those idiotic driving stories.....I'll leave you with this though---should you enter a lane when there is a car where you are trying to go?

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Hives

On Sunday, after the blessing we were at mammy and grandfather's house hanging out. For several weeks, Kyle has had rough patches on his upper arms. I have thought it was dry skin and been putting a great deal of lotion on it. I wanted mammy to look at it because she is a pediatric nurse and much more knowledgeable than I. I figured she would tell me it was nothing and that lotion was what I should be doing. Wrong!

By the time I remembered I wanted to ask, I pulled up his sleeve to show her....Kyle had large areas covered in angry, raised, red bumps. I took off all of his clothes to see what the extent was. He was covered, both arms, both legs, tummy, and back. Mammy said it looked like hives. We thought of laundry soap changes, new clothes, new food to me, new foods to him, and anything else---there had been no changes. We waited a few hours to see if the hives (mammy's diagnosis) would get better as is often the case. They hadn't. I called the on-call pediatrician and he told me I could give Kyle a dose of Benadryl because it might help if it was an allergic reaction and couldn't hurt. I gave him a dose according to the pediatrician, it turns out that in converting from teaspoons to cc's, I gave him a small dose.

Still this is what Kyle looked like when we got him home that night--it took several hours for the drugs to kick in. He sure slept well.

This is Kyle after we got him home and out of the car seat. He fell asleep on the changing table almost immediately and stayed that way all through getting ready for bed. Imagine if I had given him a full dose of Benadryl.


The next day the bumps were smaller, but still raised although not red. We took him to the doctors. Long story short...80% of the time it is an ingested reaction, 50% of the time you never know why. Keep an eye out and next time take pictures.

But while we were at the doctors we got him weighed. 12 lbs 10 oz! That means that since his four month check up on the 12th of January he has gained 2 lbs 9 oz. That was only three weeks ago. Way to go, Kyle. All afternoon, I told him what a fatso he was and how proud of him we were. My little chunk of a baby.

Blessing The Baby

On Sunday, Evan and I were able to bless Kyle. It was a very special experience, and we were extremely blessed to have so many of our close friends and family be there to witness it with us. We even had friends come up from Provo and be there by 9am in the morning--what good friends. There were a few dark spots. Evan's grandparents were locked out of the car and didn't make it in time to see the blessing and our good friend, John Van Orman's wife was sick and they also did not make it. It was such a good experience though and I don't think I've been that happy or glowy since my wedding day. I cried like a baby all through the opening hymn, the blessing, and some of the sacrament.

This is the little family at the grandparents after the blessing.....


This was the blessed boy....I love the sweater and I love the shoes. I just think he is so handsome. And, as is the case, as soon as I put the sweater on he spit-up pears all over the collar. I have been saving that outfit though, so I cleaned him up as best I could and went with it.


This is Kyle and Ekitzel sleeping in the lobby before church. It was really cute.


This is the generations picture with four generations of Young men.


This is the family from left to right: great grandma, mammy, Evan, Avery, me, Kyle, Zoie, grandfather, and great grandpa.



It was so special--and there is not much more that can be said. I now understand why blessing posts are rather short. No words really express the experience. I'm so glad that Evan is a worthy priesthood holder and was able to name and bless Kyle. He did a wonderful job and is a great leader in our household. After, the bishop told him to hold Kyle up so everyone could see. It was a little Lion King-ish. But everyone laughed in the congregation at how cute he is.

VBS

***Disclaimer: If you don't enjoy Evan's sarcastic humor, please do not continue...

On Saturday night, Ekitzel came up and spent the night with Evan, Kyle, and I. We were driving out by Fashion Place Mall in Salt Lake City. We passed a Christian book store that had a sign advertising cirriculum for VBS.

Ekitzel: What's VBS?
Evan: Vacation Bible School
Me: It's like you never lived in the mid-west......
Ekitzel: But I have.
Me: I know, how could you not know that when you lived in Kansas?
Ekitzel: The kids usually left me alone after they realized I was Mormon.
Me: I've gone to so many vacation bible schools. I even went to a Korean vacation bible school. I could sing "Jesus Loves Me" in Korean when I was little.
Evan: What is "Jesus Loves Me"?
Me: [in shock and awe] you don't know "Jesus Loves Me"?

---after calling my mom to get help with the tune, I sang them a beautiful version of "Jesus Loves Me" (only the first verse)-----

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died,
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! loves me still,
When I'm very weak and ill;
From His shining throne on high,
Comes to watch me where I lie.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He will stay,
Close beside me all the way;
He's prepared a home for me,
And some day His face I'll see.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
-------------------------------------

Me: You guys really don't know that song?
Ekitzel: No.
Me: Well, I guess you guys were being taught, "I am a Child of God."
Evan: That's right, we were learning why Jesus loves us and the mechanics of his love......[said in the most condescending sarcastic Evan voice]

I love my husband. He cracks me up--

He Rolls and Chews

While I take a shower, I lay Kyle's play mat on our bed with him on it. He is usually content to play until I am done. Right next to him I lay my clothes. I came out of the shower last week, he'd worked himself over to my clothes and had grab them and pulled them close so that he could hold them and suck his thumb. He's gotten in this habit of holding with all his fingers some cloth while putting his thumb in his mouth. When I was young, I had a blanket with a silky binding and did the same thing, except that I would rub the silk binding against my check. It feels good to know that he has some of my personality in him.

Those are my pajamas that he is holding onto. It's hard to tell, but he's sucking his thumb too.


For my shower gift, my mom gave me a tummy time mat that doubles as a cover for restaurant high chairs and shopping cart covers. It prevents your child from chewing on a fairly scary handle of the shopping cart or the restaurant high chair. I tried to use it for Kyle as a tummy time mat, but he did not like to be on his tummy on the floor. So we were finally able to use it at a restaurant last week. Although, it was a short time in the high chair (as it takes several weeks for Kyle to like new toys or chairs), but he did enjoy chewing on the strawberry and I like being able to put him somewhere instead of having to hold him while I eat.


This was just laying with Daddy on the couch last week. If you can't tell he wears his new fleece hoodie everywhere.


Monday, Kyle finally rolled over again. On December 12th, he rolled over for the first time. But we are fairly certain that was a fluke and had nothing to do with his coordination or understanding of how his limbs work. Now, almost exactly two months later, he just started to roll over. It happened at Mammy and Grandfather's. It happened the first time, and since then every time he is on his tummy it happens.

This is Kyle playing with Auntie Zoie. She is taking credit for teaching him how to roll over because last week she gave him a tutorial on how to do so, much like how they taught the dog. Now she is teaching him how to sit and stand. Who knows what I'll post next week.


This is kyle in his bed. When I put him down he was on his tummy and ninety degrees to the left. This is how I found him. The first day we had major problems getting a nap because he would just flip himself over when I put him down and Kyle can't sleep on his back as he never did. I have to go in and flip him on his tummy until he wears himself out from rolling over and is able to go back to sleep. It has made night feedings a lot longer.


This is the video I took Monday night of him rolling over. I love that he uses his bum as a fulcrum to throwing his weight over. He often just ends up on his side for several minutes and will stay there for a long time if he has a blanket he is cuddling and chewing on. Unfortunately, the video starts after he's already gotten his bum in the air. I'll have to get a better one later. It's so funny because it is a smooth action that I didn't even realize that I was seeing him roll over the first time. Luckily, Evan was on the phone with me and so he was able to hear about it as it happened.



I'm so excited for him to crawl now.