This Halloween Was A Scream

So this year we were SO excited to dress up! We had the perfect costumes lined up. It was going to be awesome.

I wish I could remember to stand up straight... Grr.

Woohoo!! Star wars!

Except you see little Yoda there?

Ok, here's the deal. Our church was having a Halloween party tonight, a pizza potluck and games for the kids and socializing for the adults. Everyone dressed up, it was tons of fun... except for us. I was in the room for about five minutes, and then Gummy Bear decided it was time for a meltdown. A total, utter meltdown, complete with screaming that the ear has never heard from his little lungs. We're talking, SCREAMING.

At one point the Sister Missionary from the older missionary couple came over, and said "I am so glad to know that he cries! I have never heard him cry, ever!" I guess he is pretty well-behaved during church.

So I took my pizza out in the hall and tried to calm him down, and when nothing worked-- no formula, no binky, nothing at all-- I just laid him on the couch and let him scream. After he had stuffed himself with pizza, Husband Man came out and sat with Gummy Bear, and finally he stopped crying and ate a little. We dressed him up and tried to put him in the carrier on Husband Man's back (you know, like in the movie, with Luke and Yoda....) but Gummy Bear sat there for about two minutes and started crying again. So we took him out and managed to chat for a bit, shoving the binky back in GB's mouth, and then after I had talked with a friend about the problems with our apartment I went out and found GB asleep in Husband Man.

So Halloween definitely wasn't as much fun as we thought, but I'm still glad we were able to dress up! It was so fun, and everyone got a kick out of Gummy Bear being Yoda. (I always get some selfish satisfaction when my son draws good attention, I'll admit it.) I'll have my dad check my hearing sometime soon, and hopefully next year will involve a lot less (unnecessary) screaming.

From Idaho to SoDak!

So mid-August Husband Man was finally offered a job! They only offered it to him a week before the starting date, though...!! I admit that I panicked, and so instead of trying to pack all of our stuff up in four days, we just packed to be away from home for a couple of weeks. I stayed with my parents while Husband Man started work and found an apartment for us to live in. At the end of August, we borrowed a truck and horse trailer from my dad, and in a whirlwind weekend we drove to Idaho, spent a day packing and cleaning our entire apartment, and drove back to SoDak. (Yes, we did it all in three days. It was a LONG weekend. AND we got our entire deposit back! Minus the cost of carpet cleaning, but whatever.)

Once everything was all packed I took a moment to take a picture of our apartment, and then it hit me. We're moving on. We were married during a semester of college, and because we did three semesters a year we did nothing but school and classes for the first two and a half years of our marriage. We spent two of those years in the same apartment, in the same ward, making friends and memories. Gummy Bear joined our family only a couple months before the move. And suddenly, almost without warning, it's all packed in a horse trailer and we're going somewhere else. It was tough. Even writing this, over a month since the move, I still remember those feelings of anxiety, stress, of being sad that we're moving and leaving everything I'd worked so hard to have for those two, almost three years.

And then I turned around and took a deep breath, hugged my husband, and got in the car and drove away. I'm not too dumb to know that there isn't more for us outside of Idaho, more opportunities and people to meet and places to see.

We were so blessed, SO blessed, to find an apartment with almost the same amount of space as our old one, with a washer and dryer (YESSSSSSS), for only about $200 more than we were paying before, utilities all included. The people in our church branch have been so warm and welcoming (reminding me how much small-town mentality is awesome), and the members are still asking how we're doing and if there's anything they can do for us. Husband Man likes his job, he's just finished training and he is waiting to be placed in a project. We're literally three hours from every city in SoDak, and shopping is scarce here, and it's difficult to visit our families or the temple without planning a whole weekend, but I'm still so happy that we're closer to family and have more opportunities throughout the year to see them.

So close to rolling over!

Simplify, And Be Content.

This afternoon, while browsing Pinterest, I came across a beautiful quote from a very intelligent lady:

[This is not my image/subway art/etc. I just found it on the interwebs.]

Marjorie Hinckley is the wife of the prophet Gordon B. Hinckley. I don't remember overly much about either of them because I was young when they were alive, but whenever I see pictures of the two of them, you can tell they love each other SO much. This quote is, I think, so beautiful, and greatly depicts her wisdom and intelligence. 

As women, we tend to feel pressure. Pressure to be the perfect mom, the perfect wife, to turn our children into geniuses and our husbands into romantics. Pressure to have perfect meals, to have a spotless house, worthy to be in a magazine. Pressure to look fashionable, to have clean and presentable children. Pressure to never get sick or depressed, to have endless amounts of energy. Pressure to create perfect projects, to host perfect parties, to take beautiful vacations, to host perfect holidays. Pressure to document our perfect lives to prove that our lives are perfect. Pressure to do it all, and then some, without relief, and never complain. 

News flash! Women are imperfect, and that's ok.

"We have to decide what is important..."

Seriously. What is important to you? This isn't the same answer for everyone. Some women crave romanticism from their husbands. Some women want to host perfect holidays for their children. Think through what you do in your life, and decide what takes priority. Maybe your housecleaning isn't quite as important as taking your children to a park or helping them build with legos. Deciding what's important is up to you.

"...and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us."

Maybe you have too much on your daily plate of things to accomplish. Maybe you squash that thought in the back of your mind that tells you that you can't do it all. Maybe you feel like you're always tired and rundown, and when you lay down to sleep at night you dread the thought of waking up and going through it all over again. Maybe what you're trying to do is simply too much.

"We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something."

Why do you have so much on your plate? I understand that some days are just full, messy days. What about all the rest of your days? What is filling them that you feel pressure to do so much, and then feel failure every time you don't succeed? What are you trying to prove? What does it matter?

"We have to learn to be content with what we are."

This part and the maturity part are my favorite parts of this quote. I never thought of trying to do it all just to keep up with other women as a lack of maturity. I think one of the biggest downfalls of being women is that we judge each other. We do. We judge each other all the time, and in doing so, we compare ourselves to that other person. Whether it's "Oh, she's so beautiful and amazing, I'll never be able to be like that" or whether it's "Look, she made a mistake, and that makes me feel good about myself, haha on her", we are still judging and comparing ourselves to each other. And what is worse, I think we do it without realising it sometimes. I figured that out one day when I said something to the effect of "I'm not pretty" and when my husband asked why, I compared my post-pregnancy body to that of another woman, to which my husband asked "Why do you do that to yourself?" I realised that I was almost saying things like that because I was used to it, as if I couldn't give any other answer besides "I'm not good enough ever". 

I know we can't change overnight. I know that the world isn't going to change. I know that we'll always feel pressure to act like nothing can stop us, not even childbirth. I know that there will always be that neighbor, that sister at your church, maybe even a relative or that in-law, who does seem like they can do it all. Maybe a few of them can. But I bet you five bucks that the people who look like they do it all shed countless tears into their pillows because they feel overwhelmed, because they can't do it all. But how you feel when you look at those people is entirely up to you. No one else. No one else should tell you that you're not good enough, because what's good enough for you isn't the same as what's good enough for someone else. There will be times when we fall short of goals and things that we felt like we should accomplish. There will be times when something as simple as vacuuming the floor just doesn't happen. That's ok. There are times when we should expand what's good enough for us, and we might not get it right the first time, or even the second or third or seventh or eighth time. That's ok too. I wish we could all look around and realise that it's not a contest. That we're good people. That successes and failures don't necessarily define us. That we are each individuals that are worthy of feeling content and happiness.

Psalm 46:10 tells us to:

Jacob 6:2 reads "O be wise; what can I say more?"

And Dieter F. Uchtdorf reminds us that...

Simplify. Take the little steps you need to slow down your lives as much as you can. Make sure you are taking care of yourself-- exercise, eat (as healthy as possible, without setting yourself up for failure), read scriptures, pray, sleep. Caring for yourself will only help you care for your family. Once you simplify, be content. And smile! A woman always looks best when she's smiling.

[Note: All images in this post were found on the internet. I honestly don't know who made them, or where they originated. If I find out, credit will be given where it is due. Thanks to those who make such beautiful art with the words of the wise.]

Texting Meema

Texting my little sister after her week-long horseback trip...
Meema: I am so filthy dirty right now I broke every single Sorensen record. I stink. Bad.
Me: How many days have you gone without a shower?
Meema: In the past six days I have showered once. Its been three days but I'm still in the same clothes I wore yesterday, and I've been wearing these pants for six days.
Me: How was the trip then? Awesome?
Meema: Heat exhaustion, dehydrated, and lack of sleep. Trip was awesome. Lots of gallivanting around in the moonlight when I should have been asleep. My hair still smells good which totally clashes with the b.o. smell
Me: You said "lots of gallivanting" and I pictured you and your horse prancing around together in a moonlit field
Meema: You pictured correctly

Me: You know what bothers me more than people who complain about their bad choices?
Meema: What
Me: People who whine when they're doing something amazing. "I just got a sunburn in Hawaii it hurts so bad :( "
Meema: Geez! You say, "shut up! Take it like a man! Life is about experiences! I hope you get skin cancer as karma for whining!" Did you say anything?
Me: No
Meema: Doesn't matter. Do it for America! ... Whoops, I'm sorry. I'm used to hollering at scouts.
Me: Hahaha that's awesome!
Meema: "GET UP THAT SPAR POLE! YOU CAN DO IT! YOU'RE ON FIRE! WHICH IS BAD CAUSE WE'RE IN A DROUGHT! SLOW DOWN!"
Me: Bahahahahaha no mercy from Meema!
Meema: "IS THAT HOW YOU PLAY LOGGER BALL? MY LITTLE SISTER CAN PLAY BETTER THAN THAT!" So much fun.

Meema: Well, I guess what will be, will be... My feet stink. Also my shoes. I'll never have non stinky feet.
Me: You've always had stinky feet. ... I mean, I'm sorry
Meema: Oh yeah? At least I shower! ........or did.


Meema: I could go inside and sleep but drivers seat of my truck seems just fine.
Me: Weirdo
Meema: For that I think I can drudge up some energy and move
Me: You're going to come home and sleep on the floor because your bed is too comfy
Meema: BAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA OH MY GOSH YOU DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW FUNNY THAT IS
Me: But it's true! You sleep anywhere but a bed!
Meema: I made it in the bunkhouse
Me: I just pictured you dragging yourself across the ground and through the doorway of the bunkhouse
Meema: In the past week I have slept: on a porch swing, on the floor, on uneven hay bales, on the roof of a shed, and in two different bunk houses
Me: So if all the workers sleep wherever they end up, then it must resemble what looks like after a party with drunk hungover unconscious people all over the place
Meema: I was going to deny that and then I thought about it and realised that's probably true. Even at base camp, where we all have bunks and where everyone goes on their days off, people sleep on the porch and on couches
Me: Cause beds are too comfy for you now
Meema: More like they just sit down and are too tired to get up again


Me: How are you??
Meema: IM JUST GREAT
Me: Bahahahahaha really?
Meema: REALLY GREAT. SO GREAT. FANTASTIC.
Me: AWESOME
Meema: ISNT IT


I sent her a picture of Gummy Bear...
Meema: OH MY GOSH HE'S SO CUTE I COULD JUST THROW UP BUTTERFLIES
Me: OH MY GOSH WHAT KIND OF BUTTERFLIES
Meema: ALL MAGICAL KINDS


Me: I'm going to try and send you a package tomorrow if I remember
Meema: It's alright, I'll be home next weekend
Me: I'm sorry... :(
Meema: Haha it's cool. I went to Walmart yesterday
Me: Woah. Civilization.
Meema: NO KIDDING THERE WAS A CAR SHOW IN TOWN TOO MANY PEOPLE I FREAKED
Me: Did you hide in the clothes racks?
Meema: Hahahaha no... But I refused to eat at KFC, so I took my food and parked at a dead end somewhere.
Me: Hahahahahahahahahaha
Meema: It was really pathetic, actually.


Meema: I've decided that when I have a kid, I'm going to decorate the nursery in camo.
Me: Do it


Me: Oh my gosh I smell so bad
Meema: Me too.


Meema: Hahahaha talking to one guy and he ran into a chair and realized he was going the wrong way oh my gosh I feel bad because he's embarrassed but I really want to laugh so hard
Me: Bahahahahaha
Meema: Hahaha it's still funny hahahaha


Meema: This guy thought I was 24
Me: Bahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Meema: Why is that funny
Me: It's just weird to think of you as 24 hahahahaha
Meema: I know. I was flattered though


Trying to talk to me about My Fair Wedding With David Tutera...
Meema: Aha hahahahaha David has a cowgirl bride and he's so confused by her and wearing boots to the wedding hahaha hilarious
Meema: "What's a redneck?" Hahahaha David hahaha he doesn't know what a hick is either
Meema: David Tutera can't get on a horse and he ripped his pants oh my gosh I'm crying this is so funny
Meema: HELLO WHERE ARE YOU
Me: I'M MOVING INTO MY NEW APARTMENT
Meema: TALK TO ME OR I'LL CRY


Meema: So today the boss sent me to buy a soda cause the machine always takes his money and the machine took the money and didn't give me a soda but I heard it drop so I kicked it and reached up  in it and got two sodas and a penny somewhere so now I'm the coke machine master
Me: Hahahahaha that's funny oh man hahahaha
Meema: I feel so accomplished
Me: You can put that on your resume. "Coke Machine Master"
Meema: Another one from my boss: "How do I get across this? me: "Well the road goes by the fence, sir." "yeah but there's a gully." Minute later "Emily?" "yes sir?" "why didn't you make me listen to you?"


Love you, Meema!

Gummy Bear: 2.5 to 3 Months Old

So I was going to write a post when GB was 2 months old. Then I didn't have internet. Then I was going to write one when he was 2-1/2 months old, because that's about when his 2 month appointment was (because of the move and all). Then we discovered that every time I went to upload a picture, the internet crashed. Finally the landlord fixed it properly, so now you have tons of Gummy Bear pictures for your viewing pleasure!

He's become a lot more active. A LOT. He squirms and wiggles and kicks his feet, and he LOVES to look around and see everything he possibly can. When he's focusing on his toys or his hands or whatever, he purses his lips and drools like crazy and sometimes blows spit bubbles. He's become very drooly lately.

At his 2 (and a half) month appointment he weighed in at 13 pounds and just about 24 inches. I wish I knew percentiles, but they didn't say and I forgot to ask. He impressed the pediatrician with his strength and alertness, and he passed all his exams with flying colors. When it came time for shots, he took it like a pro. I stood next to him and held his little hand while the two nurses stabbed each leg at the same time. Three pokes, two on one leg, one on the other, and he wailed so hard he almost forgot to inhale. He only cried for 30 seconds, maybe a minute, however, and then he just looked up at me with big sad eyes and sucked on his binky. He is such a trooper, and he didn't start getting fussy until hours after he'd gotten the immunizations.

Snoozing with Dad! I swaddled him and left to rinse out his bottle and came back and it was too cute to pass up! He still does pretty well at night, although the last week we've had some serious trouble. (As in, up every two hours, which he rarely did before, and is not acceptable to his mom.) I think we're evening that out again, but he still has a "night", so even if he does get up every two hours, he goes right back to sleep after eating. THANK HEAVENS because Mama needs her sleep something fierce.

He also LOVES bathtime. He lays in the water and pumps his feet and waves his arms, splashing everywhere. He likes staring at his rubber duckies, and he gets really excited when he sees it. (This is as close to a naked picture as we'll ever get.)

He also LOVES to eat. If he wakes up from a long nap and it's past his three-hour eating mark, he makes sure to let us know how unacceptable it is. He usually eats four ounces (the norm), but sometimes demands dessert and has consumed six ounces in one sitting before!

He likes to sample whatever gets close to his mouth. Usually it's his hands, or his burp rags or blankets. He'll lick them and drool until whatever it is is completely soaked! Sometimes he chews on the side of my hand when I'm holding him.

I still love to snuggle him. There's just something about a baby cuddled up on your chest...

He also loves to sit up- none of this sissy reclining business (although he does tolerate that occasionally.) This walker turned out to be perfect because it's curved enough that it holds him up just enough. His feet are slightly closer to touching the floor now than they are in this picture, but he doesn't know he has feet yet so it's ok.

He also has this contagious smile! Lately he's become more social, and loves it when we focus right on him and make faces and talk to him.

People tell me how strong he is. He's always held his head up well, and he instigated that on his own-- when we saw that he was interested in it we just tried to help him out. He'll stick his legs out and stand up (with full support from us of course) and look around. Right now, when we do tummy time, he'll hold his head up really well but I think he needs to figure out his arms before he'll get anywhere. He does a pretty intense plank-- he'll arch his back and his feet wave around in the air and if his head is up high enough then he actually tips or "rolls" over. Sometimes he pumps his legs and gets them up under his tummy, like he's going to get up on his knees, but because his arms aren't strong enough that just shoves his face into the blanket and makes him mad. After a while though it seems to get harder for him to keep his head up (he gets tired, maybe) and then he starts grunting and complaining, all while licking his blanket or whatever is underneath him.

This is the latest trick he's discovered. He's been sticking his fingers in his mouth a lot lately. I've been trying to keep an eye on it, because I know if he gets them back far enough he can gag himself, and I also have to keep his fingernails trimmed even more now so he doesn't scratch up his mouth. He keeps scratching his face-- I even saw a scratch inside his ear!-- and I can't figure out how to fix that, or even just help it.

He has also become VERY vocal. He will talk and coo and squawk, and he can get very loud sometimes! It always makes us smile because he knows exactly how to charm us! We love him very much, and can't imagine our lives without him!