Month 5

Dear Luke,

5 months!! I can't even believe it. This month went by especially fast, though the summer just flew by. It's already fall, but in our new home in Las Vegas it still seems like summer. The days are getting cooler though, and I like the weather right now. This month has been such a roller coaster ride for our family. Daddy is really into the swing of things at school and loves it, and you and I get to stay home and play all day long. It's the best thing, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I don't think I would be able to get through the day if I didn't get to spend it with you. You keep me going right now because this move has been really hard on me. Thanks for being my motivation right now little man. It's always a new adventure with you, every day. You are getting so big and smart. We went for your check up appointment after your ear infections and you were 17 pounds! I think you are teething, but your teeth may be coming up and down because nothing has come through yet. Here are some of the things that happened this month.

-You got your first ear infection, in both ears. Poor baby!
-You have tried most all the solid foods and decided you will be picky about which ones you
like.Of course, the fruits are your favorite.
-You roll ALL over the place.
-You can sit up by yourself for like 15 seconds! I think you could do it if you weren't too lazy :)
-You had to "cry it out" (sooo sad) but it only took 2 nights and now you sleep from 8-5 and then until 8. It's heaven!
-You had the biggest blow out ever to date. It ruined your p.j.'s.
-Helped mommy and daddy pick out a house to buy! You love it too :)
-You still think it's fun to put everything in your mouth...guess you are a normal baby.
-Your turning toy table is your FAVORITE. You shreek with joy when you see it in the morning.
-You have realized how to work your dad and I and how far each of us will go. Spoiled.

There are so many things you do every day. I am sure I'm missing SOMETHING. Your likes and dislikes haven't changed this month AT ALL. New likes....

Like:
1-Apples, bananas, pears, carrots.
2-Staring at the slideshow of your newborn pics on our computer. You talk to them :)
3-Playing by yourself for 30 mins to an hour. Thank you sweetie!
4-Your new stroller and walks!
5-Taking naps in your crib.
6-Chewing on EVERYTHING.
7-Drooling on EVERYTHING.
8-You might be getting sick of breast feeding because you are starting to LOVE bottles. :(

Dislikes:
To be honest, nothing new here! But does anyone have any advice on how to help him like, well, tolerate his carseat?! We have tried letting him cry...

Luke James I love you with all my heart! You are just growing and changing every day and soon you'll be talking and walking I'm sure. (I already think you say mamamama when you are crying.. :) Wishful thinking..) You are my sweetie pie no matter how bad the day is. We love you more and more every day and couldn't imagine our lives with out you. Slow down this month!

Love, Mom.

Precious boy, ready for a nap.

You love to sit in your bumbo and watch me clean/cook/whatever.

Cutie.

You are being an elephant for halloween! Your costume is a HIT with everyone.

:)

Where to start...

I've started this particular post about 17 times before finally deciding to actually do it. I realize my blog is mainly focused on Luke right now, which is good. I don't scrapbook, and I've gotten really lazy when it comes to keeping a journal, so this is the closest thing I will have as far as documenting important events. Aside from just the fun events and updates, I realized this might be the only record I have of my feelings as well. Since this is mostly for personal records, (as much fun as it is to share fun things with everyone), I decided I need to blog about this specific thing, so that I remember it in the future.

I am a small town girl. I LOVE the street I grew up on. I was able to ride my bike with my friends around the whole block, waving to the majority of the neighbors as we rode by. I LOVE that I was able to play night games anywhere in the valley without my parents being worried about being in "that neighborhood" after dark. I LOVE the feelings of friendship and care from a whole community of supporters and friends. I LOVE that the main street in my town only had 3 stop lights growing up (now it has more) and limited choices of where to eat. (We didn't need many choices, Dairy Keen was always our #1.) I LOVE that I know the name/face of every single person in my grade, even if we never hung out together. I LOVE that even though there were small clicks in my high school, it never got to the point of bullying and fights because we cared about each other. I LOVE that all you have to do is say the name of your parents and people know who you are. I LOVE the fact that "traffic" in a small town means 5 extra minutes to get home because there were 5 extra cars on Main Street. I LOVE how everyone goes to high school sports games and everyone goes to the parades. I LOVE how my whole family lived in the same town, making it easy on Holidays, or even for Sunday dinner every once in a while. I LOVE how your doctor or dentist or teacher can also be your bishop or sunday school teacher. I LOVE how it takes 20 minutes tops to get from one point of town to the other. I LOVE that you have to travel atleast 20-45 minutes to get to actual restraunts and malls. I LOVE that when you go to the store, you wave or smile at almost everyone you pass because you know them. I LOVE the summers full of fairs, carnivals, and parades. I LOVE that my whole life I was able to live in places like this.

I could go on and on about Heber and Cedar City and the things I love about them. I miss the little things, and the big things. I feel SO blessed to have been born and raised in a place like that. It's very hard for me to accept the fact that my children might not have these experiences. Although I know my husband didn't have them, and he loves HIS city like I love my own. Maybe we can incorporate each others' loves into one that meets our families needs together. I know we're where we are supposed to be, but this move has been without a doubt the toughest thing emotionally that I've ever been through. Now i haven't had the worst of trials in my life, and I know for a fact most people have had to deal with a lot more than I have. But I do feel like the trials I've faced have strengthened me in my own terms, after I have come to accept and deal with them. This is one that is taking much longer to accept and deal with.

I have a very understanding and amazing husband. My little boy is without a doubt THE cutest thing to ever have been born. (I know this is a fact, no fighting this....:) ) We are now financially able to buy a house and start saving. I am able to apply to a school that isn't available everywhere, and continue my education. There are opportunities here for Luke and our future children that they wont have anywhere else. We are all (for the most part) happy and healthy. These are the positives I am currently focusing on. Little by little, I hope that my prayers, my positive thoughts, and counting my many blessings will pay off. I want to be able to LOVE my new home because it's where I am building my life with my loves. Though I know it will never fill the place in my heart that my home town does, I've realized that is okay. You can love two different places for two different reasons.... right?

P.S. As I said earlier, this is mostly for personal records. Sorry for the over-flow of emotion in this post.

Help! I'm frustrated...

Okay. I need to vent. I love my baby boy. More than anything. He is my world. But for a week now he has been such a mean monster! He had two ear infections and a cold two weeks ago, and we got antibiotics for him. During that time, he was a little grumpy and fussy but not so much that he couldn't be soothed. A week after we started the antibiotics, he started getting more and more fussy. He would get to the point of screaming and wouldn't eat, be rocked, sleep, or even take a bath without grunting and whining. We have "Hylands colic tablets" that we have given him since he had all his gas troubles that worked wonders, so we bought the all natural "Hylands teething tablets" to see if they would help, no luck. We try cold rags/teething toys, tylenol, cold water bottles, and much more. Everything that normally makes him happy, doesn't. He wakes up in the morning crying, like-tears and red eyes crying, and from all naps the same way. He hardly eats. He has to be held. ARGHHHH!!! Can you sense my frustration? I just don't know what to think. I'm not sure if his ear infections are just hurting him now after 2 weeks of finding out he had them? Or if he's actually teething or what. I can't feel or see a tooth, so I'm not sure about that...but I could be wrong. Anyway, I love him, really. I just hope that in the next couple days whatever is wrong will go away. If it is a tooth, I hope it pops through. Even then though, he has a lot more teeth to come in...and I don't know if I can handle a week and a half of spawn of Frankenstein. Somebody, anybody...please give me advice! I don't know what to do, and if it continues like this I might just call the Doc so he can confirm whether it's teething or his ear infection or what. Here's a cute pic of my little poop head. :)