Birthday Boys!

Today is Jonas's birthday! He's six (unbelievable). He woke up this morning to his brand new bike--a cool green and black number--and hopped right on before school started this morning (even though the seat was still a little high and he crashed into the garage door because his feet couldn't touch the ground :-). We fixed the seat and now he's off and pedaling. We also went to see "The Last Mimzy" as a family after school, and Wyatt was nice enough to sleep through the whole thing. Although now I'm a little sick to my stomach from Coke and popcorn. The movie was pretty good--the kids loved it--and Jonas says he's having the "Best Birthday Ever." He has his karate party with his friends tomorrow, so I'll have to post about that later. Here's a picture of Jonas with the remote control car he got from Aunt Mindy and Uncle Pete:



We also celebrated Forrest's birthday yesterday. Mindy came over during the day so Forrest and I could go to lunch at the new Market Street in South Jordan. Luckily for us, Market Street is our favorite restaurant, and to have on in SJ is so fun. We had a tasty lunch, although my fish tacos had cabbage inside--and I don't like cabbage--and Forrest wasn't in love with his crab sandwich . . . but you've got to try new things and not always rely on the halibut! But the clam chowder was still wonderful. And we had a tasty little barbequed shrimp appetizer. I wonder when they're going to start posting calories on restaurant menus. It will be a sad, sad day. I think it's one of the wonderful thing about restaurant eating: you can have your rolls, your clam chowder, your crab sandwiches with thick European cheese melted inside two slabs of buttered sourdough, and although you realize you're eating a hearty lunch, it's easy to be in denial about the number of calories actually consumed. I imagine clam chowder will be much less fun to eat once the cold, hard truth is made apparent. But enough of that culinary tangent. The important thing is that Forrest is now 36 . . . the age my Mom was when Forrest and I started dating!!! (Ahhh!). To commemorate, I got him a golf shirt and a DVD of the latest James Bond movie, which has quickly become one of his all time favorite movies, along with Teen Wolf, Captain Ron, that historical seafaring movie with Russel Crowe that's cool to watch even though it's impossible to tell what the actors are saying with the wind and the banging and the English accents, Pirates of the Carribean, and Fletch.

And lastly, a couple of adorable shots of Wyatt. Grandma and Grandpa Sweat came over last night and Grandma got him really smiling just before his bath. Nothing fills you up with pure joy like smiling at a baby and having him smile back, don't you think?




Aren't those just the best? He's getting so cute I can hardly stand it.

Wyatt Urp and the Skisters

Wyatt had his 2 month appointment this week and the doctor says he's a Gerber baby--not because he's the cutest baby she's ever seen (he's the cutest baby I've ever seen, but I'm prejudiced :-), but because he came in at 50% weight (11 lbs. 5 oz.), 50% height, 40% head (can't remember those measurements), so he's the average American boy, pretty much. Everything looked good, although the doctor does think that he has acid reflux. I hadn't thought about it because he doesn't vomit, really--just urps, sometimes swallows it, sometimes spits. But as she was watching him at the appointment, she noticed him gurgling and hunching (I'd just fed him) and was pretty sure he had acid reflux, a particular kind that comes about halfway up the esophagus and then back down again. She prescribed some Zantac--not to be confused with Zanax, for your depressed baby, or Zantex 3, for your overweight baby--but he's used it for a few days and I don't seem to notice much of a difference, either with fussiness or urping. (And if you got the little "Wyatt Urp" joke in the title of this entry, good for you :-). So now I'm feeling hesitant to use the medication. First off, it tastes TERRIBLE (put some one my tongue, and Elise went "MOOOM! You're not supposed to take medicine that's NOT FOR YOU!"), and it's medicine, period. I hate putting drugs in my own body, let alone a little baby body, if I can help it. So we'll see if I keep it up or not.

Speaking of drugs in little baby bodies, Wyatt also had his immunizations, and for the first time that I recall I had a baby with a reaction :-(. He had a ton of shots (four needles and one oral vaccine--too many, I think), and when he came home he slept for three hours and then woke up like a shot, screaming. He screamed in pain for about a half an hour, then Forrest came home with the infant Tylenol (only had kid Motrin, and I know, not very prepared of us) and he calmed down after that and slept again. He woke up with a fever of 101 and was sleepy and warm the rest of the day. I know that it's not uncommon for a child to have a fever after shots, but I hate, hate, hated it. And although I'm glad he's protected from polio and measles and all that jazz, I can't get over my distaste for pumping my infant full of dead viruses and chemicals. Ughh. So I think next time I'm going to see if I can do fewer shots all at once and hopefully that will help.

But here's another new picture of Wyatt, since the immunizations didn't affect his cuteness:



I chose this one because it showcases his new hairdo. His baby hair is falling out and his new big boy hair is coming in all at once, like a little chia pet. He looks kind of like a Marine with a buzz cut. We're calling him Sarge.

The other big news of the week was the kids last day of skiing lessons. Although it was a big commitment of time--and not cheap--I'm so glad that we did it. Elise was so scared of skiing the first day she tried it, but now she's a pro. And Ethan and Jonas are both looking great. On the last day they had little races for the parents to watch and all three of the kids did awesome. (Each of them "won" their race, too--even though it was just against one other person!). It was just gorgeous up on the mountain and so fun to watch. Grandma and Grandpa Sweat even came up to check 'em out. Here's some shots of the kids skiing. And sorry they aren't better. I was using the super fast shutter speed, but I didn't zoom in far enough and started taking them too soon . . . sigh . . . not the best action photographer. I should have taken more video, too--I only got Jonas right at the beginning, then I was intent on getting some good stills, which I did NOT do. Bad Mommy. But I tried.









These are various skiing shots you can probably figure out on your own--but it was a fun day. And now it's Spring!

After two years, I've figured it out.

I haven't been a very good videoer (is that word?) since we moved to Utah. During the first six months the camera was in storage, and since then I haven't had the wherewithall to locate the camera and turn it on very often. And recently I haven't been able to find the battery for the camera, so poor neglected Wyatt has had nary a video to his name. Yesterday Jonas was doing great on his bike and I wanted to video him, so I thought I might check out my digital camera and see if it has a video feature. I'd tried it once before, but it didn't work, so I'd given up on it. But after a ridiculously easy amount of fiddling, lo and behold, my digital camera takes videos! With sound! I was so excited. So I signed myself up for youtube and got these puppies downloaded.

This first video is of Wyatt with his best friends in the whole world, the two dangly elephants and dangly lion on his bouncy chair. You can see for yourself how much he loves them (more than us, I think :-);



This next video is of Jonas on his bike. Last Fall he had learned to ride but wasn't very confident, especially about starting. But with our nice springlike weather, he's hopped back on and now has no fear. He even rode his bike into the grassy "pit" across the street at the park without a twinge of fear. So here's the bike rider boy:



I also have a really cute/hilarious picture that I forgot to post a couple of weeks ago. It's of Wyatt all bundled up, getting ready to go out on his first official walk around the neighborhood:



So there's all sorts of media for you to enjoy. Right now Wyatt is asleep in his swing (hallelujah!) and is having a much better day than yesterday. He basically stayed awake--with four or five 7 minute naps--from noon on Monday to noon on Tuesday, punctuated by a night of waking up at 12:30, 2:30, 4:30, 6:00, and 7:30. When he finally fell asleep yesterday afternoon, he slept for 4 hours, which was a good thing because I was about to call Forrest in Minnesota (he's there doing interviews for a salesman he needs to hire) and tell him we've got to sell the Tahoe so we can hire a nanny :-). He's been good today, though--cuddly and smiley this morning, and willing to sleep. Like I said, Hallelujah.

Actually, I don't think I could ever have a nanny, and not because I'm too proud, just because it would be weird having some other non-related person hanging around the house, working while I--what--blog? Maybe that does mean I'm too proud. I remember when we lived in England in the fall of 1999, the furnished rowhouse we lived in had a maid that came once a week and mopped the floors and washed the sheets. I always had to put the kids in the stroller and leave because I felt guilty watching her clean my house.

Also, just finished reading Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, the Mormon girl with the rags-to-riches writer story that I wish was my own. It's techincally adolescent lit, but I liked it: it was fast paced, fun, kept my interest throughout. Andi and Amy, you might like it (although you don't have as much nursing/reading time as I do!).

Celebration Central

Whew!

It's been quite a week of partying at our place. We had Wyatt's aforementioned blessing on Sunday, then I had the Relief Society Birthday Dinner that I was in charge of on Wednesday, then yesterday was Elise's birthday party. Add to the mix Forrest being gone from Mon to Wed (although he arrived home, blessedly, at 4:40 on Wednesday, just enough time to let me put on some lipstick and get to the church to decorate) and your basic sleep depravation x fussy baby bouncing, and I felt a little bit wiped out last night. But I feel good this morning. I woke up to a glorious sunny day (another one--we've had a great string of them!), and Wyatt was good all morning, letting me clean the kitchen, shower and get ready without being fussy. The rest of the house was clean from the pary preparations, so once Wyatt went down for his nap, I had a clean, sunny house all to myself (the kids and Forrest are at ski lessons). I opened up the blinds and lounged on the couch reading this month's book club book (Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer) for one whole hour. And now I'm blogging and Wyatt is still asleep. Although he's grunting--I can hear him--so we'll see how much more blogging I can do.

Elise's party was at Build a Bear Workshop and she and her little gaggle of friends had a great time. She's getting so . . . OLD. On the way to the party, she and her friends were singing along at the top of their lungs to all the pop songs on the Disney AM radio station, and on the way home, they were playing "boyfriend/girlfriend" with their Build a Bears, having them ask each other out on dates and then break up. Hilarious. Here's shot of Elise and the girs at Build a Bear:



She had two other girls invited, but one had a dance competition and the other got sick and was throwing up. When her Mom called to say she couldn't make it I could tell the little girl was really disappointed to be missing the party, so Elise and her friends built her a bear, too. That's why Elise is holding two. But a good time was had by all, and it makes me glad to see Elise making a lot of cute friends here in Utah.

Also, a Wyatt update. He still has hip up days and his down days. He even has sleepy days and wakey days. Some days he'll konk out in his car seat, in my arms, in his bouncy, wherever, and sleep for a good long spell. Other days he'll only sleep in 7 minute increments every two hours and it feels like I'm carting him around, bouncing him, wrapping him, shushing him, feeding him, all day long. I think today is going to be a sleepy day (hooray! since yesterday was a wakey day, just ask Grandma who watched him while we went to Build a Bear!). He's also broken out SUPER bad in baby acne, worse than any of my others. Poor thing. Hopefully it will go away soon. But he is rewarding me with some wonderful smiles. Just this morning the two of use were sleeping on the couch (where we'd been from 5-7:30) and he woke up happy, not crying, and we were looking each other right in the eye when we woke up with him snuggled right next to me, and he broke out in the most beautiful grin. Makes everythign worth it. His favorite subject for smiling, though, are the toys that dangle on the toy bar of his bouncy chair. That bouncy chair is my lifesaver since he loves it and will stay in it for a long time, and we've taken to calling the little dangly toys his "friends." It's hilarious. I tried to get a picture this morning but didn't get a great one (dang digital cameras!) but you get the idea. The other picture is just cute:




And yes, ding!, Wyatt's turkey timer has popped. Three hours since his last feeding and he's up and crying, so better get him.

Wyatt's Blessing

Yesterday was the big day: Wyatt's blessing. And he was such a good boy! Not only was he drowsy and quiet during the actual blessing, but he was a good boy during all the hubub of the open house afterward. Forrest gave Wyatt a beautiful blessing, too. One of the best parts of new momhood is sitting in the congregation and seeing all the men you love up there in a circle, doing all they can to give your child a good start in life.

We had a lot of folks out to the house (Amy & Dave came out from CO, Tony & Cindy and clan, Mindy & Pete and their kids, Denny and Joe and Emma, Great Grandpa and Grandma Hiatt, and Julia and Chris . . . and of course Grandma and Grandpa Sweat!). All sorts of good food was eaten, Wii games played, babies held--not to mentioned the amount of cookies swiped by sneaky gradeschoolers and toddlers. We missed all of you who couldn't be there! And it was a reminder how nice it is to be in Utah and surrounded by so much family.

Here's a couple of shots of Wyatt on his big day. Of course he's broken out in baby acne (all my kids do in the days leading up to their blessings, like clockwork) but he's still cute:




I love both of those shots. And here's a picture of the fam:



Okay, so Wyatt doesn't look too happy here. But he was happy most of the time!

Smiley

Wyatt has started smiling more--usually right after he gets done eating. I've been trying to snap some pictures of him smiling but darn it if my camera doesn't just miss it. But here are some that get close:







Still not quite getting the full on smile, though! Here's another cute one of Wyatt all bundled up after a bath.



Now that he's hit the six week mark, he's broken out in his little baby pimples. All of my kids hit six weeks and like clockwork, out comes the acne. I think they time it for the baby blessing. He's also been going crosseyed a lot . . . so what with the pimples and the crazy eyes, sometimes he looks a little wiggidy. I tell him not to worry, though--that it's just an awkward phase and he's going to grow out of it by April. :-) And even when he's wiggidy, he's still cute.

Besides Wyatt's blessing on Sunday, I have a few other events coming up that are forcing me back into regular life living. One of them is the Relief Society Birthday Dinner that I'm (supposedly) in charge of . . . but I've been letting the Enrichment committee do more of the work this time since I've been in la la land for the last six weeks. And they're a good bunch, they understand. I'm doing decorations, though, so I need to head out to the Pary Depot or some such place and get some bright ideas. I was just talking to my Mom today and she mentioned that she was going to be making origami bumblebees for her ward's RS birthday party and it made me feel like perhaps I should do something more creative than pay somebody at the grocery store to inflate some multicolored balloons and plop them on the tables. Especially since the food that the committee chose to serve (Hawaiian haystacks--a Mormon favorite, but not the most glamorous of food, but hearty and filling nonetheless) was recently coopted by the Scouts. I went to Ethan's Blue and Gold banquet yesterday and the minute they asked me to bring three cans of pineapple chunks I KNEW they were serving haystacks! And alas, I was right! So the 10 women who were at the banquet yesterday will have to grin and bear it when we serve them more Hawaiin Haystacks next week. But even if I do just end up putting balloons on the table and serving Scout food . . . it's still okay, right??? Homemade pasta alfredo (last year's dinner) and oragami bumblebees notwithstanding???

I also have Elise's birthday coming up on Saturday (the 17th). We only do parties every other year and Elise was due to have one last year, but last year we were at Disneyland over her birthday, and she knew so few people since we'd just moved that we didn't have one. So this year she gets a GOOD one. I had been looking for someplace to have it because I'm too tired to contemplate doing an entire party at the house right now, but everything we found was so expensive, even just to rent out the space. (For example, the LIfetime Fitness was $150, just for a party room, access to the pool, and a cheese pizza. And the kids in this neigborhood don't get too excited about swimming anyway since there's a pool across the street.) So, long story short, we decided to minimize the number of guests and go to Build a Bear Workshop. Elise is thrilled and so are the kids she's invited, so it should be fun. AND I don't have to do a lot of decorating and come up with creative games. So we're all happy.

Now it's 10:20 and I should really go to bed. Forrest is at a ward basketball game . . . I'm kinda waiting for him to get home . . . but sleep is precious. (Wyatt did sleep from 9:30 to 2:00 last night! But then he was naughty from 2:00 to 4:00. So he gets a B. Law of averages.)

Oh! And one final thought. Have still been laying off the chocolate but find that I still need some treats. (Don't we all?? And Andi, you'd better not say that not only do you do Plan of Salvation Scavenger Hunts when your kids are sick on Sunday, but you've also stopped eating all sugar and don't even miss it! Teasing. You know I love you even though you do everything right. :-) So I bought some Brach's Chicks and Rabbits, which are exactly like those marshmallowy circus peanuts but shaped like (you guessed it) chicks and rabbits. Bad, bad idea. Those things are like heroin. Or what I would imagine heroin to be like. And the funny thing is lots of people can't STAND them. When I bought them at Target Jonas made me open the bag (okay, so I kinda wanted to open it too) while we were driving home so he could have one, and he popped it in his mouth and thought it was so gross he couldn't swallow it, but he also couldn't spit it out, so he sat there with his mouth full of Blue Rabbit until we made it home and he could spit it in the toilet. But I love em. Can't buy them ANYMORE!

NOW I'm going to bed.

Transfers

Today I sang at the funeral of the mother of a friend of my mom's, Debbie Solberg. It was fun to sing with a couple of talented singers and the funeral was very nice. (I only stayed until after I got done singing, though, since I had both Wyatt and Jonas with me.) When Debbie was speaking, she mentioned how her son, who is on a mission, sent an email titled "Transfers?", talking about his own transfer in the mission field and his grandmother's "transfer" to another phase of life.

It got me thinking as I drove home about the phases of our life--the stages we find ourselves, and how often we end up wishing our way forward or backward, either to an idealized (and not often accurately remembered) past or to a future that most certainly contains all the elements we will need in order to be happy. Especially in young adulthood I remember spending a lot of time waiting for the future that would make me completely fulfilled and content: college graduation, marriage, a home, a career, children, etc. etc. It was a shock when, once I had all of those things (at the age of 24) I still found myself happy enough, but a part of me was restlessly looking forward to a future in which I could REALLY be happy: when the kids are in school; when we have more money; when we move back to Utah; when I finish my degree; when I get to start teaching again; when I lose 20 pounds; when I get released as Primary President; when Forrest stops traveling so much; when I have another baby . . . and on and on and on.

I know that "living in the present" is a very Oprah-esque, self-helpy kind of word (and, speaking of words, are "Oprah-esque" and "self-helpy" good ones?), but I've been trying particularly hard to apply it to my own life since Wyatt was born. Although I love having a new baby most of the time, it's very easy to wish a way a baby's little-babyhood, particularly when said baby is a bit fussy and when you're not getting enough sleep. There's even a part of me that, although I don't regret having another baby one iota and wouldn't change it for the word, looks backward a tad longingly at the relatively "easy" life I've had for the last few years and wonders if I really knew what I was getting myself into starting over again. But then I have to remind myself how fast this time goes and to savor it and not wish it away; to enjoy all the little details that come with being a mom to a newborn. Like Wyatt's warm, round head tucked up under my chin while he's asleep on my chest. Or the dimple in his cheek when he gives me a little half-smile. Or the uncomplicated, one-purpose life that I truly enjoy: being able to focus on this baby and this baby alone for a few hours each day, keeping my life free all the other distractions I so easily find myself chasing.

So that's my philosophizing for the day. Wyatt's waking up, gotta go feed him--and I look forward to having an excuse to sit in my big green chair and rock him for a half an hour, flipping through the channels, kissing his cute little noggin.

Quick Update

Just wanted to let everyone know that Ethan has decided to start blogging again, after a long absence. So if you'd like to read his latest entry, click on the link to the left.

Things are good here . . . not a lot of time . . . will blog more later!