Denver - April 2010

In April we were able to take a quick vacation to Denver.  It was nice to be on a vacation that didn't include work for me - that hasn't happened very often lately!

Our hotel room had a counter with bar stools that fit Liam perfectly.  He was very cute eating his meals at his little counter.

Isn't he yummy?

Easter 2010

This is the only picture I have of Liam's first Easter.  As I wrote in my last post, Will and I got up early and went to Salt Lake for General Conference.  We came home and took a nice nap and then had a lazy afternoon and evening.  Liam did do a little easter egg hunting with his cousins but wasn't really into it.  He did get a fabulous Easter package from his Grandma and Grandpa Doutre and some fun summer clothes from my parents... spoiled, as always!

General Conference - April 2010

Very early Easter Sunday, we headed out to attend LDS General Conference in Salt Lake City.

These girls got up early and made the trek with us.

We had fabulous seats, courtesy of my dad.

Because it was Sunday morning, we also got to hear Music and the Spoken Word.  The Tabernacle Choir is amazing.  Listening to their hymns of praise is a fabulous way to start your day.

It was Will's first time to attend General Conference. I think he liked it (even though he didn't like getting up early).  I've lost track of the number of times I've been able to attend - I've probably attended more of the semiannual conferences in my life than I haven't (that's a lot!).  

Beautiful ladies - Megan, Anna, Chelsea and Meisha.  

The Salt Lake Temple.  I love visiting Temple Square.  While we didn't stay long, I love the peace and tranquility I feel when I am near the temple.

Southern Utah

I haven't blogged this weekend because I'm in Southern Utah with my
sisters. We are having a fabulous time and there have definitely been
some bloggable moments. Stay tuned for fun pictures and stories when I
get home!

--
Sent from my mobile device

Auntie Kathy in Albuquerque - April 2010

I have been trying to cut back travel for work since Will now has a job and can't just travel with me at my whim.  I've stuck to day trips and one three-day trip to Eugene and have been saying no to almost everything else (except the three-week June adventure just on the horizon).  

However, in January, a colleague of mine invited me to attend a think tank meeting in Albuquerque.  I think she was really surprised when I said yes.  I told her I could go as long as my aunt Kathy was available to watch Liam while I was at my meetings.  Luckily, Kathy agreed and Liam and I were off!

I was a little nervous about leaving Liam all day.  I've only left him all day with Will and was nervous about him being with someone new.  My nerves were for naught.  He loved Kathy and especially loved playing with Sheba.  Sheba (the dog) was very protective of Liam and an excellent babysitter.  I am so grateful for extended family that I love and trust and that love me enough to take on a baby for two days!  Kathy let Liam unload her bookcases, chew on her cables, and basically made him want to hang out with her because she is much more fun than his mom. 

I also enjoyed spending time with Kathy.  We had some great talks, as always and ate good food, as always. Love you, Kath!

He was really distracted by Sheba when we were taking these pictures.  :)

Just in case you were wondering...

This is how I make it through the airport when Liam and I travel alone.  I'm excited we're taking along a travel nanny (aka tranny) (aka my sister Megan) on our next grand adventure.

Liam loves to ride superman style on the front of the stroller or carseat and usually is much more energetic than this (aka leaning much further over the front or standing straight up).  Often I receive looks of disapproval and wonderment that I could be so irresponsible.  It keeps him happy, though.  Even through hours of waiting for late flights in Portland and running to catch flights in Albuquerque.

Here we are in Denver, happy to have met up with Will - he carried the big bags so I was just pushing this load and not pulling an additional suitcase behind me!

The Nat - April 2010

A couple of weeks ago Becca and her boys came down for the weekend.  Will and I babysat the boys while she went with my mom to the Tooele Republican Convention and decided to take them all swimming at the Bear River Natatorium.  We had a fabulous time and the boys were great.  Only one person asked me how old they were and how I managed to have three boys so close together.

We weren't sure if Porter would love it, but he had a great time in this floaty and stayed in the water much longer than I thought he would. 

We knew Liam would love it.  This kid loves water.  He had a lot of fun splashing.

Liam also is very good at floating on his back.  If we support his head, he will float pretty well, until he hears kids playing and wants to turn and look at them.

My boys.

This picture is for Becca - her boys in her former locker room!  

Preview Post

I'm tired tonight but I did upload new pictures tonight that I can start posting.  I'm amazed that I'm to April in my catching up posts... I may even be caught up to present time by the end of the month.  What will I blog about then?

Here is a preview to tomorrow's post.

On Being a Mother

My first Mothers Day as a mother.

I could easily write a tribute post to the amazing mothers in my life.  In addition to a fabulous mother, mother-in-law and grandmothers, there are so many people who have mothered me - aunts, friends, teachers, mentors, etc.  I truly am grateful for them and honor them today.

But, the tribute in my mind tonight is to my amazing husband and son.  I thank them for making me a mother and for letting me be the mother that I am, even if I don't fit the perfect mom mold, and for making me feel like a great mom even though I sometimes feel like I fall short.

Will and Liam gave me a beautiful necklace today (an emerald, Liam's birth stone) and card with very heartfelt messages.  I felt loved.  I feel loved.  I'm a mom.  Liam is almost a year old and he is a happy, healthy baby.  I'm blessed to have a job that allows me to be home with him (even though lately I've started to wonder if I work at home or live at work).  I have a husband that supports me in everything I do.  He still loves me even though he does almost all the dishes and a lot of the laundry.  He loves me for what I am and forgives me for what I'm still working on.

And, who is more forgiving than a baby?  Liam gives me a new chance every day to become a better mom and quickly forgets how sad he gets when I have a long teleconference during playtime or we don't get to go for a walk or bike ride because I'm working.  I love his sloppy kisses and even the bite marks that he leaves on my chin sometimes when his loves get a little aggressive.

I've waited for years for this day to be here.  I prayed for years to be a mother.  And, I am.  Will and Liam were both worth the wait.  I am so grateful for them and to them.  I am happy to be a mother.

WIR - May 2 to May 8

Another busy week.

As I mentioned in a post earlier this week, Liam has been such a trooper accompanying me on outings.  He really loves to be out and about and is so friendly.  This week we had a lot of coming and going.  Monday we didn't go anywhere because Will took Liam's carseat to work with him but that was okay.  I'm still pretty overwhelmed with work and didn't have any time for extra outings this week.

Tuesday, I had a dermatologist appointment in Logan so we went to the meeting and then went and visited my mom at her office on campus.  Thursday we went to Brigham to another doctor appointment and then went and met Will to go shopping and to dinner.  I shopped for clothes while Will and Liam went Mothers Day shopping.  They did very well, more on that to come. 

On Friday, Liam and I went to the Salt Palace with my mom to help her set up for the Utah Republican Convention on Saturday.  It was fun to witness the chaos of the convention without having to deal with the crowds and listen to the speeches.  Liam loved crawling through the tent that we created with two of her signs.  He behaved fabulously, smiled at all the right political figureheads, and ended up riding home in just a diaper because his mom didn't make sure there was an extra outfit in the diaper bag. 

But, his weekend was just beginning.  Friday evening, Will and Liam headed up to a farm for our ward's Fathers and Sons' outing.  They decided against camping over in the cold and came home to their soft beds but enjoyed dinner and visiting with friends and family.  Just a couple more years and I'm sure Liam will be able to convince Will to camp in a tent (even though I haven't been able to yet).  While they were having a boys' night, I went shopping with my mom and Megan.

Saturday, Will and Liam both experienced Lagoon (Utah's amusement park) for the first time.  Liam loved it and Will didn't mind it either.  We decided to get season passes so we can go often and enjoy the water park this summer along with several of my cousins who have season passes.  Liam's favorite things are people watching and being outside so he really was in his element.  He rode the carousel and the sky ride with us and Aunt Megan took him on the train.  He even missed a nap and didn't skip a beat.  We went straight from Lagoon to a shower in Salt Lake for Jenny, Ross' fiancee.  As Menloves do, my mom and Megan and I couldn't stop with that (Megan and my mom got up really early for the convention) and went shopping after the shower.  We finally arrived home at midnight.  Liam slept really well once he finally made it home to his bed. 

The convention results deserve their own paragraph.  This is my mom's fourth campaign for the Utah House of Representatives.  However, it's the first time she has had a challenger within the Republican Party.  The campaigning has unfortunately been a little negative but she has been so diligent in following up with the state delegates and ensuring that her constituents know she really is working for them.  Her hard work paid off and she received far more than the votes she needed at convention to avoid a primary.  Although there will still be parades and appearances, this means that she won't have an opponent in the general election in November.  She is quite amazing.

This next week should be a little slower for us.  We've started it out with a fabulous Mothers Day and Liam and I are going to end it with a trip to Southern Utah with my sisters while Will is at Jamborall with his Scouts.  Wait, maybe this week isn't really going to be any slower. 

Brynley Belle

Earlier this  year, my sister-in-law Marisha and niece Brynley spent some time in Utah.  Bryn came over a few times to play with grandma and Liam.  She is four months older than Liam and I think they will be great friends!  

She is very active- it's hard to catch a picture of her sitting still.

One of the highlights of her visits was going for rides in grandma's wagon to visit great grandma and grandpa Rudd.  Speaking of my mom, as I type she is at the Utah GOP State Convention.  The state delegates from her district are voting to determine whether there will be a primary election between her and her opponent.  We're all hoping that all of her hard work leading up to today will be sufficient to guarantee that she will be able to have an unopposed (and much less stressful) election in November.  She really has worked tirelessly to ensure that people are well-informed and know that she truly listens to and fights for her constituents in the legislature.  If she does have to full-on campaign, I'm sure Liam will be willing to ride in the wagon for neighborhood canvassing and parades!

We with Taylor, Marisha and Bryn lived closer but are grateful for the time we've been able to spend with them this year, in Utah and Denver.

Bath Time

Liam loves his nightly bath and fun bath toys.  About six weeks ago there was a warm day and I got excited for summer, swimming, etc. and bought a couple pool toys.  The boat found its way to the tub and has become a new favorite tub toy for Liam and his cousins.  We also tried it out at the pool and it was just as fun!

Outings

A couple of outings I haven't yet recorded:

Liam's first (hopefully of many) Aggie Basketball game.  Go Aggies!

My cousin Jake's band concert.  We went with my grandparents and he very attentively sat on my grandpa's lap and listened and watched the whole time.  He even got into the applause.

He is such a good boy to take with me.  This week, I had a dermatologist appointment and took him along.  He played fabulously in the waiting area with another little boy (for about an hour - frustrating) and again in the room while we were waiting for the doctor (whom my mom calls Doogie Howser based on his very young looks) for about 30 minutes (more frustrating).  By the time the doctor came in, he was getting a little restless and missing his nap but he was still really good.  My main purpose in visiting the dermatologist was to have him look at my scar on my finger to see if I can do something to get it looking a little less ugly and like I nearly chopped the side of my finger off.  The first step he recommended was injecting the scar full of cortisone to relax the scar tissue and hopefully smooth out the scar.  Cortisone is thick and scar tissue is very dense so the injection was rough and slightly painful (my scar is bruised a little now).  He was going at it, using both hands to push the syringe, and I began to feel like I was passing out.  They quickly laid me back and I only blacked out for a few seconds.  But, then I had to recover.  Liam wasn't very happy that he couldn't see me (he was playing on the floor) and fussed a little.  The nurse picked him up and he only would come to me, he wasn't going to let her hold him.  So, we laid there for a while.  He was an angel.  

Not so much an angel when we went on a bike ride last night.  He was dying to get on the bike but did not want to wear his helmet.  Eventually he gave in and kept it on but I heard about it!

Our Baking Adventure - St Patrick's Day 2010

Liam and I decided to bake some cookies for St. Patrick's Day.  He loved it.  The first thing he did was push this step stool all the way across the kitchen.  He was quite proud of himself.

He really enjoyed helping put in the ingredients...

...and even broke one of the eggs for me.  

His favorite part, by far, was licking the beaters from the mixer.  I have great memories of fighting over the beaters with my siblings when I was younger.

He also enjoyed playing with the spatula (and eating one of the finished cookies).

He is quite charming, isn't he?

May the Fourth be with you!

This is all new to me but based on Liam's newest tshirts and his obsession with anything his dad does or likes, I probably am going to have to watch Star Wars eventually.  Yup, I haven't seen Star Wars.  Pretty amazing, right?  Maybe I can be forgiven for remembering that today is Star Wars Day and even dressing Liam for the occasion.  He looks like such a kid in this picture, it kind of scares me.

If the picture and tshirt don't make up for my Star Wars inadequacies, this has to!

Cute PJs

I'll follow up that very wordy post with a picture-heavy one!  Little boy clothes are so cute - especially pajamas.

Week In Review (WIR) - April 26 to May 1

I made it through another month of blogging.  With the traveling I did, I'm feeling pretty proud of myself.  I didn't even schedule any posts in advance - I blogged every day!

As part of a commitment to continue blogging along with increase worked, getting ready for our big trip to the Pacific, and starting to train for a triathlon, I'm going to try to get in one post a week - a WIR post.  I have fun catching up with a friend who posts each week.  Maybe I'll get out all of the journaling in my weekly WIR post and find time to post my thoughts on other days!

So, April 26 to May 1.  Isn't is supposed to be Spring?  April left with a bang this week - Monday night we had a wind storm that moved things in the yard around, shook the house and kept me up all night.  Later in the week we had snow, hail, etc.  Sounds like typical May weather, right?  (Today started getting warmer but my mom informed me that it's supposed to snow again this week.)

We had a pretty typical week.  Will worked a lot, held Scouts on Tuesday evening and spent an evening with Liam while I went to Salt Lake.  He doesn't love his commute and looks forward to living closer to Hill sometime soon.  He is looking into some car/vanpool options that would help but probably mean he would have to wake up much earlier. 

I've been working far beyond my part-time status the past few weeks in preparation for the Academy we are holding on Guam in June.  I enjoy my work but am once again frustrated that I'm working more and playing with Liam less.  I did meet an important deadline this week which felt great!  I know I'll be working a lot the next month but I'm taking most of the month of July off from work so I have that to look forward to.  I also am starting some exciting new consulting work in the next few weeks.

Liam continues to grow.  He gets smarter all the time.  I have to close the bathroom doors because his very favorite pastime is tipping over garbage cans and going through their contents.  He still hasn't figured out that crawling might be easier on his knees but has the army crawl down!  He's fast with those elbows and somehow uses his whole legs to propel himself.  He's working on walking.  He has yet to take any steps on his own but pushes my grandma's walker back and forth across her living room like it's nothing.  I'm not anxious for him to be running around..  I have a feeling I'll be moving my "office" to the porch for the summer once he gets going.  He started saying mamama this week.  He's also very funny.  When I change him, he pulls his shirt up over his tummy when he wants a raspberry and he has decided that picking dad's nose is just great fun.  Will didn't appreciate the bloody nose last night.

Other happenings this week -

Monday evening we went with my parents to see my cousins Jake, Anna and Catherine in their high school musical, Grease.  As posted earlier, we all enjoyed the show, including Liam.  My dad, being the VIP he is in the schools here, scored us a tour of the construction happening at the high school following the show.  We had a good time. 

Thursday evening, I went to dinner with Megan and then we met Ross and Jenny at the Conference Center for A Celebration of Family History.  President Eyring spoke, the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performed and David McCullough - author of John Adams, 1776, Brave Companions, etc. - spoke.  It was fabulous.  I was inspired to be a better journal writer and to start investing more time in family history, especially recording the stories and conversations I experience with my grandparents daily.

One such story - this week my grandma told me about when their ward was formed (have to ask her when exactly!).  They came to each member of the new ward and asked them to make a donation to help to build the new chapel.  They asked my grandparents to contribute $2500, quite a large sum at the time, and they didn't know how they could possibly afford it.  They worked hard and helped through dinners and events to raise money.  In addition to raising money,  they donated many many hours of labor to build the chapel.  (Now, members are not allowed to assist in construction.)  My grandpa would go to the church and mix all of the mortar for the brick layers.  Even though they were not able to save enough the year the chapel was built, they continued to contribute until they had contributed $2500.  They were blessed for it.  They own and farm land adjoining the chapel and since then, that land has been some of their most fruitful.  The year after the chapel was built, it yielded their best sugar beet crop ever and my grandma says that somewhere she has a picture of my grandpa standing in very tall wheat in the field.

Liam and I truly enjoy spending time almost daily with my grandparents.

And that, friends, is our WIR!

Kaitlyn's Junior Prom

 

This is my cute cousin, Kaitlyn.  Not too long ago, Kaitlyn went to prom.  For those of you who aren't familiar with prom at BRHS (the local high school), it's a big deal. The prom is a community event - everyone goes to the high school auditorium to watch promenade - each couple is announced and walks out on the stage and through the auditorium.  Then, they load up and go to the actual dance and dinner and whatever else you do on prom night.  This year the dance was in Logan - a good 30 miles away.  

Back to Kaitlyn.  We didn't make it to the promenade but Liam and I went over and watched her get ready and then hung out (along with my sister, Kaitlyn's grandma, etc.) until her date came to pick her up.  No pressure.  :)

Liam was very excited about her cute dress and jewelry.  He really wanted to teeth on her pretty ring, necklace, you get it.

  

 

 One of the most memorable moments was when it was time for Kaitlyn to put the boutonniere on her date.  She was struggling and her dad came to the rescue.  He owns a funeral home and has a lot of practice.  It was a very cute moment that showed the softer side of my Uncle Joe.  (Don't worry, he did have a gun out sitting on the piano when her date arrived.)

I have to end with a shot of their choices of footwear.  Cowboy boots and fancy flip flops.  That's prom.