18 months

My wee man turned 18 months last Friday and with everything going on it just slipped past me. I can not believe he's a year and a half! I know everyone says where did the time go or the time went so fast but it seriously does! I wish I could just rewind and savor it all again, I didn't know he'd get so big so fast...

So, some things about our big boy lately is:

• 27 pounds...he's gained 18 pounds since birth!
• 33 inches tall...gone up a whole foot!
• Walks and runs. He's so cute when he runs cause it's kind of like a skipping run. His feet kick up forward when he runs. Guess he's got a spring in his step, ha.
• Has signing down pat. I'll try to video him sometime and put it on here for those of you who haven't seen it. Things he can sign: More, drink, milk, eat, friend, play, and ball. 
• I can't even begin to tell you everything he understands. He follows directions very well and sometimes will help me pick up toys or throw away trash. He picks up on cues very well too. When we start to put our shoes on he heads for the front door cause he knows we're going somewhere. 
• He's started trying to repeat words and knows animal sounds. He recognizes and can make an elephant, dog, lion, bear, tiger, cow, and monkey sound. He LOVES animals!
• His newest accomplishment is he can climb onto the couch by himself. 
• He still loves to read books.
• His new favorite "tricks" he can do...Buzzing his lips, rolling his tongue, aaaand spitting. 
• He's still a thumb sucker.
• He loves to watch baby Einstein still, but also likes anything with cars or animals. 
• He's still such a cuddler, I love that he loves to cuddle.

It still blows me away sometimes the things he can do and everything he's picking up on. Sometimes I still find myself in awe sometimes that he's ours and I know it sounds weird, but that he's an actual little human being. It's so fun to watch him develop preferences, have feelings, find things funny, and just take enjoyment in life.

I love his little profile. I like his little chin...Sometimes when he's sitting like this I pinch it in between my fingers cause it's so cute.

My little rag-a-muffin.

Ya I see you nakey! Notice the water is only about an inch high? It's cause he POOPED and I had to drain it...didn't feel like filling it all the way back up.

He loves to point at the pictures and have me tell him what they are. He says, "Wa sis" which we think means "What's this?"

Him having a fit that I wanted to take his picture...

He decided to cooperate, love my little man!

19/30: Live

19/30: If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

So this was a fun one to think about...And I've got to give a few places for different reasons. First, ideally in a perfect world where everything worked wonderfully I would honestly pick home. Why wouldn't I? Sure, homes a little rough around the edges, but it's still home and I'd totally in a perfect ideal world want to live near my parents. 

It's home and I still see it as so beautiful, in it's own way. I think you have to grow up here to appreciate what the desert can offer. Again, I say in a perfect world because I'm not sure I'd want to have to live in California (it's nice to visit, but it's expensive to live there) and my family commutes an hour to civilization and I kinda like living down the road from everything. But, in a perfect ideal world where money wasn't an issue, I'd totally live there.

Next, in a crazy dream-like world I'd live in Tahiti. I'm dieing to go there and keep hinting to Robby if he ever wants to take me on a surprise vacation, take me there. 

Ya buddy, that's my house right there. Lets swim to the store shall we?

Lastly, I just couldn't help myself but think back to my home away from home. Rexburg. Call me crazy! I know! But if the cards fell right and Robby landed a real nice job up there, I'd move back. I miss the quiet, safe, peaceful country feel you get living up there. It's close to the mountains and there's tons of roaming farm country and I just miss it SO much. It'd be such a great place to raise kids too.

Snow and all...I'd go back.

Ga-ga for spray paint

It's true...In the past month I've kinda started having this obsession with spray paint. I NEVER knew it could be so awesome! My obsession began when my sweet husband found this perfectly good, sturdy, not cheap mind you mirror down at the dumpster. Sure...it was gold framed, but little did the original owners know you can totally spray paint stuff to look different! The heavens opened and I was hooked.

Before and after, isn't spray paint wonderful?

I LOVE this mirror!

Next...Mother's Day was coming up...So I began searching for something cute and crafty to make those special mama's in my life. Bingo. I decided on this project which consisted of painting plain ol' mason jars.

Plain ol' mason jar...

Kabam! Cuteness!

This was the final product...Cute right!?

So ya...I'm a wee bit obsessed with spray paint at the moment. I didn't know how much you could actually use that stuff for. In other crafty news I also made some home-made body scrub for my special mama's. I used this project so if you'd like to check it out feel free! It smelled divine if you like the smell of thin mint cookies. My grandma and mom actually thought you could eat it while taking a bath. I said good heavens no don't do that it's made of salt! Ha.

My special little helper showing you the cute containers of body scrub.

Happy painting! I know I will!

18/30: Forgiveness

18/30: What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?

Myself. Plain and simple. I am terribly un-forgiving at times but extremely when it comes to myself. I put the most pressure, expectations, and criticism on myself and leave no room for excuses. Without going into too much context or detail, which I'm more than comfortable at doing but feel like this isn't the time or place to divulge everything, I'll explain the hardest instance I ever faced in forgiving myself.

Like most teens I only had about half my brain developed. I truly truly believe teenagers are missing part of their brain until they are matured to at least 20, myself included. I was terribly stupid and like even some of the good ones I was trying to find myself and figure things out. I did some sinful and stupid things which I'm not proud of. I won't go into detail but I will say nothing sexual, just dumb shameful things. I beat myself up for years and years and YEARS over the things I'd done. I felt dirty and felt like I'd never be worthy for anything. I'd pray and pray for forgiveness and hope that God would take me into heaven someday. I always joke with my husband that the only reason I'm getting into heaven is if they let me sneak in with him. It's a joke...kinda...

It was coming up to the time I was going to get married. For those of you who may not be familiar, to be married in the Temple you have to go through an interview with your Bishop. I was dreading this because all I could think about is everything I had ever done wrong. I just knew I was going to be cast out of my church, and wouldn't be able to get married. We began the interview and I just burst into tears. I regurgitated everything I'd ever done to him and just bawled. He asked me a few questions regarding when, if I'd prayed, if I'd ever done those things again, etc. When I answered everything appropriately I'll never forget what he told me next. He said I had been forgiven, and that I just needed to forgive myself. I just bawled. For YEARS I had been beating myself up over things I had probably already been forgiven of. I just held myself to such a high standard that I felt like once a mistake always be damned or something. I remember feeling such a weight lifted off my shoulders and though it was hard, I forgave myself. I forgave myself for being human and making mistakes. I forgave myself for being imperfect.

Mother's Day

This was my 2nd of many Mother's days I got to celebrate. I was more excited about the things I had given to others than how my actual Mother's day would pan out. I really put some heart into the gifts I was giving, and hope those who received them felt loved and appreciated. I can't express how much I appreciate the mothers in my life that take care of me, my family, and display such an example for me to follow. Here's a compilation of my Mother's day in picture form.

Mother's day flowers. These look so pretty sitting on my bar!

Mother's day cards. I'm pretty sure I'll keep this one forever and ever.

Mother's day gifts...I LOVE this! Thanks momma!!

Mother's day pictures...I'm so grateful to be his mommy!

My sweet handsome men and I!

FOOD. This is the only shot of the amazing food I got...Cause I ate the rest too quick. Tuxedo cake, yum!

And the best part of all was having Grandpa here! It was so incredibly fun to watch him interact with Grandpa. I was very lucky to have such great men-folk company today!

I LOVE this one. They are so cute to watch.

It was a great Mother's day, and I'm so proud to be able to celebrate it. I couldn't ask for a better more wonderful little guy to make it possible. Happy Mother's Day!

17/30: Great

Halfway through this list...Halfway to go! Here's another post...

 

17/30: What is the thing you wish you were most great at?

If there were one thing I wish I was great at it would be piano playing, or just being musically inclined period. I took piano lessons as a kid but I was an idiot and quit keeping up with it. I've always wanted to be musically talented. I'd love to play the piano, guitar, and violin. I'd love to be able to just pick up an instrument and be able to start playing. 


Up next: What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?

 

Bye bye Idaho.

Hard to believe it but we've been in Arizona a year now. It flew by I think, and it still feels like yesterday we were living in cute little Rexburg. I really miss it a lot, even after a year. Hard to believe a year ago we were moving into a little house in Miami, Arizona for what would be quite the year. We've battled scorpions in our home, gone through an Arizona monsoon season, packed and moved again, made huge milestones (like crawling, standing, and walking), made new friends, and begun another chapter here in Phoenix. Not much has changed in that year, except for Robby. Of course he's changed drastically in a year. Here's a few shots of a year to give you a sense of just how little he was!

Look at that chubby baby face!

SO sweet!

Look at that hair! And that wee man!

I don't miss sharing a bed with him..but I do miss our morning snuggles and this HAIR.

Crazy right? I miss that baby so much! But our little active toddler is fun for different reasons. It's amazing to watch him change and discover the world.

From then till now...

Climbs on his own toys. This one spins and he can bounce.

LOVES to read books!

More book reading.

An added bonus with a toddler. Tantrums! ;)

Sleeps ALL night in his OWN bed! It's been a year of this awesomeness.

MORE book reading!

Can feed and carry around his own snacks.

LOVES playing and running around at the park.

It's so crazy how much has changed...But it's all part of the journey I guess!

16/30: Accomplishments

16/30: What are your five greatest accomplishments?

1. Being married in the temple. Above all else this was always on my mind and an accomplishment I wanted to achieve. Getting married period was always a fear of mine; I just figured no one would want me. There was never a second guess in my mind that I wanted to be worthy and able to be married in the temple.

2. Graduating from college. This was so huge for me. I always knew I wanted to go to college but to FINALLY after five years be able to walk across the stage and get my degree was amazing. I’m so proud to have been able to succeed in furthering my education. 

3. Becoming a mother. I love being a mom and it’s something I always wanted to achieve along with being married. I couldn’t ask for a more perfect little man to make this accomplishment.

4. Losing 69 pounds. You wouldn’t know now…And I wish I had the pictures available to show you, but I lost 69 pounds in high school. I still think it’s an amazing feat and hope to do make this accomplishment a 2^nd time soon.

5. Being myself. “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

I find that being able to be myself and live my life according to my beliefs and how I should be living is quite an accomplishment. In a world that promotes so much recklessness and chaos it’s good to be able to stand strong and not be influenced by others.