Updates February

January 31:
As for our week, Gary worked until 11 or later almost every night, including Saturday, so it's been nutty. Good thing is we'll have that in time off in the summer, and also his work is super interesting. Gary and I have discussed the merits of several bills before the media got wind of them. So, we'll let that be our solace, I guess. Josh went to Preston to hang out with his cousins for two days, so I got some great Noah-time. So, highlights of the week: Playing basketball with Noah, taking him to ice cream for FHE, going to the children's museum and Costa Vida on Friday night, and Josh discovering the Olivia books. Lowlights include spending all day Saturday trying to get things together for a trip to WalMart because we were out of milk and hadn't had an oil change in 6 months, finally getting there at 5:30, and then after taking all 3 boys through the store, finding out at pick-up time that although we were 1 quart low, they didn't change my oil because the last mechanic who did it put the plug in sideways and it's starting to strip. Also discovering a flat tire on the other car after church. Other highlight, the boys are playing basketball with Gary now and having a great time, and the rolls I'm making smell good. Thusly, life is good.

February 8:
Leah's wake-up routine reminds me of Noah. He wakes up and yells, "Mom, I awake, get me out!" He also sings to himself in his crib a lot, but he hasn't gotten it together enough to sing an actual song like Leah. Geez, Noah. And Candacy, so glad you have the means to whip up carb-delights. Makes life worth it. I just got a mix-ish thing and use it a lot. I tried to start putting whole wheat flour in with regular, to make things better, but Gary says he prefers just white. Too bad.


So besides noticing Eric's mysterious lack of antecedents, I guess we did do stuff last week. More working like crazy for Gary. The kids didn't see him from Sunday until Thursday when he came home magically early at 8:00. Both of our cars got fixed, and it wasn't as bad as we thought for either of them, so that's good. Josh has become obsessed with playing games this week, and it's fun since he's the man around here these days. My sister Kayla came and stayed with us on Friday and Saturday, so it was awesome to have another big person around those two days. She helped me fold laundry for 3 hours while she got caught up on Lost - that's how behind I get without Gary. On Friday night we had a game party - played Candy Land and Memory, then put Josh to bed and played a big-kid game. We also ate lots of candy, and Josh was so pumped. "We're eating candy and playing Candy Land!" he had to exclaim several times. Then on Saturday we went to the Children's Museum in Salt Lake and then met up with some more of my sisters and my mom to celebrate Kayla's 14th birthday at an Italian restaurant. Yum. Then I ran a marathon to work off the weekend's eating . . . I wish.

February 23:
Monday, Schmonday . . . if that is a real rule, I will rarely be able to write. :) The last two weeks have been a whirlwind for us. President's Day weekend the kids and I went to my mom's house while Gary stayed home to work 16 hour days every day but Sunday. We celebrated my mom's birthday by going to a Vocal Point concert - the came to Preston and it was tons of fun! Josh came, too, and loved it. I told him it was just okay because Uncle Christian was no longer in it. The next night when I thought Josh was asleep I heard him practicing vocal percussion in his bed. The next day I was hired as Vocal Point's tour guide through Preston's Napoleon Dynamite sites. My sister is actually good friends with one of the guys, so that's why we were asked to show them around. I haven't thought about Napoleon stuff in a long time, so it was a fun blast from the past.


While in Preston we also celebrated my neice Madeline's birthday (hooray, for a while there we were scared about that girl). Since I had two sisters expecting babies and my mom was planning on going to Barstow to be with one of them, the one left behind in Preston would have no mom-help. So, my sister Sarah and I made 6 different freezer meals for her while we were up there, so that she would at least have something. Then, last Friday, both of the babies were born. Katie's by scheduled c-section (breech baby), and Cindy's just decided that day would work for him as well. Katie's baby (Lily) is doing great, but Cindy's baby (Beckett) is still in the NICU. He swallowed some fluid after he was born and went completely blue and limp - not breathing for at least a minute. He was revived, and will be okay, but poor little guy (and poor Cindy) have a lot to deal with right now. I really want to go help her, but . . . my college roommate who had cancer died yesterday morning, and I am going to the funeral. Cindy says she really wants me to. I think it's close to her heart because her husband's dad died of cancer when he was young.

So, that's the sad news. If you are curious about my friend's story, her husband wrote a synopsis on their blog www.steve-catie.blogspot.com. The good news is, they live in North Carolina, as do some of my favorite people, whom I will get to stay with. Other good news is my dashing boyfriend got off work ridiculously early last Thursday (6:00!) to take me on a Valentine date. We ate at Noodles then went to find me a couple of things to wear that fit. Romantic? Oh yes, Gary is good at finding things for me a clothing store, it turns out. Also, I am motivated to get dressed when I have something to wear, and getting dressed is more romantic than jammies all day.

Speaking of blogs, if you haven't yet, you should check out the pictures of not-so-little Andrew on my blog: www.emilary.blogspot.com. A visit to my dad's office revealed he weighs 17 lbs. 8 oz. Not 4 months until Saturday. The same visit revealed a pretty abnormal tympanogram for Josh, which confirmed my suspicion that his hearing isn't the best. Hopefully the nasal spray he was given will help as it's supposed to.

Dear Catie

I wanted to find pictures, to write more of the memories, and more of the feelings. But getting to the funeral has required a lot of arranging, so none of that today. I wrote her a letter the day before she passed away because I wanted to let her know how great she was to me. I'm pretty sure she never read it, but I know she knows what it says. I'm posting it because for lack of time to write other things, it is my tribute to her.

Dear Catie,

I was taking a Sunday afternoon nap just now, and I had a dream that we were all sitting around in someone’s room talking, just like back in the day. You were cheerful and funny, and we were having a great time. Someday we’ll recreate that for real. The dream kicked me into action – I’ve been wanting to write you and tell you how great you are.

When I first got to BYU, I was pretty scared. I went down for honors orientation, but after I woke up and got dressed the first day, I almost didn’t go. Then, I met the nicest girl from Tennessee. I think she caught me trying to put some volume into my sadly limp hair. She and her dad were both super nice, and it was exciting to be with her all day as she would often exclaim, “I can’t believe all these people are Mormon!” Saved my day, and made me feel like I might actually make it.

So many memories, it’s fun to think. So many nights talking, So many nights talking way too late, Thanksgiving in Preston (my parents still love you), going to the football games, getting kidnapped to go to the Mo for my birthday breakfast, the infamous spelling bee, the Dallin Anderson fan club, doing the ‘N Sync dance, Stop in the Name of Love, swimming at the RB, buying a Christmas tree, enjoying the Jello you would always make, having an apartment hoe-down to your fiddle music . . . I thought of more the other day. It seems like a long time ago, but it was such an important time of my life. The time when I was trying to figure out how to be on my own, and I’m convinced the Lord gave me great friends to get me through it.

I know I never told anyone at the time, but the summer between freshman and sophomore year was extremely difficult for me. When I got back to school the whole thing was weighing on me and bringing out all of my other insecurities. It was no secret I was struggling, but I don’t even think I fully understood everything going on inside my head. But through the whole thing, you were kind and caring towards me. I remember one night you were typing a paper and I was laying on the floor for some reason. I don’t remember at all what we talked about, but I do remember feeling like someone cared. Enough that it's stuck with me. Going to Taiwan and then later to BYU-Hawaii were amazing experiences for me that shaped a lot of who I am, and I’m glad I went those places. However, it’s always made me a little sad that I wasn’t able to come back to Provo to be with you and the other girls. That’s okay, like I said, someday.

I was looking at the “We Love Catie” website a while back, and noticed a line at the top I haven’t noticed since the first time I logged on a couple of years ago. It basically says that the site is to cheer you on as you “fight and win your current battle with cancer.” I was kind of discouraged thinking about it, because it seemed at the time that the cancer was starting to win. This rolled over in my brain for a while, until it hit me on Christmas Eve as I was pondering the meaning of the holiday. The cancer can’t win. No matter what happens, the cancer can’t win because the Savior already beat it. Thank you so much for sharing all of your insights and your beautiful family with everyone during this struggle you’re having. I am trying really hard not to take little things for granted, like taking care of my children, as you have so often mentioned. Thank you so much.

Know that I love you, and I think about and pray for you and your family often.

Love,
Emily

P.S. To anyone who read this and wants to know what happened, her husband wrote a synopsis at http://www.steve-catie.blogspot.com/. Also, I loved what my friend Krista wrote here and here. I put the links even though the first one contains photos of me circa 1997. :) And yes, I knew she was dying when I wrote about someday. I know there are plenty of somedays.

It's "Little" Andrew

Here's my baby:

Oh, yeah, that's right. So perfect for cuddling and kissing. I knew he was getting big when I had to switch him to size 3 diapers and 3-6 month clothes around Christmas time (right before he turned two months). Then, at his two-month check-up he was 15 lbs., 12 oz. (99th percentile), and 24 inches long (just under 90th percentile). But after that, he's just kept getting bigger. I'm not really sure how big he is now, but he's 3 months old now, and I won't take him in for another month. However, I put him on the scale at the grocery store in the children's museum, and it said over 17 pounds. Who knows how accurate that is, but he seems big enough. I think it's cute, just as long as it's not the result of some disorder . . . for now we'll go with cute. Oh, and he's shiny in the picture because I just put Aquaphor on him.

His size is good for holding his head up and rolling. He rolled from his front to back the first time a month and a half ago, and now does it a little more regularly. When he's on his tummy pushing up on his hands, you can really see what his little face looks like, minus the extra rolls. This is how I see him.

Andrew has the hugest smiles, and laughs, too. I've never had a baby who laughed when tickled so early. He doesn't laugh every single time he gets tickled, but if he's in a happy mood it's just hilarious. I don't have great laughing pictures (hard to get with babies sans fancy camera or tons of luck), but here's a sample.

Yes, he's smaller in these last two pictures. They were taken in mid-December.

Josh is a good brother and often says, "Andrew really likes me." Josh has been known to put Andrew in his bed next to him to snuggle, and once I found Josh asleep with Andrew just calmly laying beside him. Too bad Andrew has gotten too big for Josh to carry, it was so cute.

Josh loves feeding Andrew a bottle (it's another issue, but please let him still take a bottle . . . he hasn't gotten one often enough, it seems.)

Andrew loves playing with his toys that dangle down. He stays interested way longer than Josh would have ever thought of at that age. Whether this is by force or by personality, I don't know, but it's cute to see him get all excited and talk his little baby babble as he plays.

Andrew gets covered up by this one, but the boys really wanted to all be in the picture.

Speaking of all the boys, I was trying to get all three of them together when Andrew was still pretty new, but neglected to actually dress them first. I take what I can get. Oh, and this was when Noah still had his cast.

Noah always says, "I want hold Anoos." So we put Andrew on his lap, and usually before Andrew really even settles there, Noah says, "I done."

A shot of him at about 6 weeks old.

When he was still pretty new.

And finally, his first bath where he could really get his whole body in the water, at around 2 weeks old. Very relaxing. (Although he did scream at first.)

We actually thought it would be funny to put all 3 of the kids in the tub at once, although this will not be repeated again for quite a while. I tried tonight, and the success level was low, as far as protecting my baby from injury. (BTW, no way he fits in that baby tub now.)

And in the end he gets all cozy in a towel.

So there you have it, my tiny little newborn baby. I'm going to go kiss those cheeks right now.

Question Regarding Word Verification

They say it's to reduce "comment spamming." I would hate getting that, but every time I have to punch in the letters to make a comment somewhere I wonder about it. I turned off word verification several months ago, and no problems so far. Have any of you turned off your word verification and had problems with getting random comments from monkeys banging on keyboards? (Or whatever else.)