Mothers Beware

"Insanity is hereditary...you get it from your kids." :)

The Lost January

I don't know if it has been the same for anyone else, but I am completely at a loss for where January got off to. I cannot remember a single thing about the month apart from nursing children back to health (through several sicknesses) and cleaning my house (over and over and over). Fortunately, I did take some pictures as evidence that the month did actually happen. According to the pictures...

We got bundled up every time we went out so as to combat the freezing cold and prevent sickness (much good it did, though).

We painted Adelyn's nails (look closely), ate some delicious hot dogs (or at least Addie and Ryan did), and sometimes wore sad faces.

We held each other close... or rather I held both my children at the same time, all day, everyday while they were sick. I realized that the only thing worse than a sick child is sick child'ren'. It has been a tricky juggling act, and I'm grateful that my mom came up to help me a couple of days last week, or I'm afraid none of us would have survived.

We played games and did puzzles. Adelyn was obsessed with this puzzle which she referred to as "my Strawberry Shortcake game." We did it over and over together and now she can assemble all 63 pieces by herself. It is quite amazing to watch!

We smiled a lot, especially Preston who rarely finds any reason to be sad.

We danced around the house.

I bargained with Adelyn for some computer time. She loves playing her "Winnie the Pooh" and "Mickey Mouse" preschool games. She's learning so much about colors, numbers, and letters. And Ryan and I are so proud that our two year-old can already "drag and click. "

We goofed around and just spent lots of quality time together indoors. How grateful we were to be sheltered from the cold and surrounded by the people we love most. Hopefully in the coming months we will encounter a little more productivity and a little less sickness, but isn't it amazing what you can get through when you stick together.

Tagged Again!

1. What time did you get up this morning? I wake up a lot lately throughout the wee morning hours thanks to my teething baby that I can't seem to be able to oust from my bed. But I don't think I actually got up until 8:30 when Adelyn yelled, "Mommy, I'm ready to wake up!"
2. What do you usually have for breakfast? Cereal, but I always enjoy quick and easy French toast, scrambled eggs and toast, or yogurt. I thrive on variety.
3. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Probably something country. I'm into Martina McBride and Rascal Flatts.
4. What kind of car do you drive? Oldsmobile Alero.
5. Favorite sandwich? Melted ham and cheese on wheat with tomato, lettuce, spicy mustard, and avocado if I have it.
6. Favorite item of clothing? The long wool coat I got for Christmas.
7. If you could go anywhere in the world for a vacation, where would you go? Paris with my husband. He's been several times and would love nothing more than to show me around his city.
8. What color is your bathroom? Brick red, sage, and tan.
9. Where would you retire? Probably Southern France (that was for Ryan again). How 'bout Nice; that would be quite nice. For me, somewhere close to my children and grandchildren (grandchildren, now that's an strange thought).
10. Most memorable birthday? Sweet 16, baby! But Ryan has always been really good at making my birthdays special and memorable.
11. Favorite sport to watch? Volleyball, track, gymnastics, BYU football.
12. Are you a morning person or a night person? I'm an all nighter these days, with a little sleep here and there (refer to question 1 for details). :)
13. What is your shoe size? 8 1/2, but a 9 fits so well I wear a 10! Not really, that's just what my grandpa used t0 always say.
14. Pets? Not anymore. I've recently tried my hand at fish for Adelyn, but I think I must have starved them to death because they all died off. Poor, fragile creatures.
15. What did you want to be when you were little? I was never sure. I was surprised to read back in my journal from 7th grade because apparently being a nurse had already sparked my interest, although I didn't officially decide until my freshman year of college after taking "Career Exploration." Being a mom was always a desire, but I never thought I was particularly good with kids, so I was scared. Now being a good mom is my only real aspiration and being a nurse will more likely just be a hobby.
16. What are you today? Wife, mom, homemaker...I may go work part-time at the hospital in the summer--we'll see.
17. What is your favorite candy? Anything chocolate with peanut butter, caramel, or mint. Snickers, probably. Isn't that everyone's favorite?
18. Your favorite flower? Daisies, lilies, roses.
19. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Adelyn's 3rd birthday or Preston's 1st. I love having little parties!
20. What are you listening to right now? The breathing of a sleeping baby in my arms. If I try to lay him down, I'll probably hear crying...Yep, sure enough! :)
21. What is the last thing you ate? Chicken salad sandwiches, yum!
22. Do you wish on stars? No, but I liked the idea from the movie "Stardust" that the stars might be watching us (and maybe wishing themselves).
23. What faith are you? "I'm a Mormon, through and through." (Does anyone recognize that song?)
24. Who was the last person you spoke with on the phone? Ryan's mom. We lined up a birthday get together for my sister-in-law. We're making the cake!
25. Hair Color? Naturally??? I used to be a nice platinum blonde, but my hair seems to have gotten darker with each pregnancy. Now, I'm a highlighted blonde.
26. Name of your favorite school teacher? High school: English teacher, Mrs. Coon and good ol' Coach Bob. College: Nursing professor, Renea Beckstrand (she was just so brilliant and she always brought us homemade candy).
27. Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate for anything except ice cream. Vanilla ice cream with yummy mix-ins for me please.
28. When was the last time you cried? Last week while reading the book "Sarah" from the Women of Genesis series.
29. What is under your bed? A broken coffee table, some food storage, and probably several neglected toys.
30. What did you do last night? Went grocery shopping at Walmart (exciting Friday night, I know).
31. Favorite smell? Newborn babies, laundry right out of the dryer, Ryan's home cookin'.
32. What are you afraid of? Scarring my children for life.
33. How many towns have you lived in? Let's see: Murray, Tuttle (Oklahoma) followed by Oklahoma City; West Jordan, Lehi, Provo, Lehi, Orem, Provo, Lehi, Taylorsville, Provo. Wow, my life just flashed before my eyes! I think that was eight total, and it appears I am turning around in circles rather than getting anywhere from all this moving.
34. Do you make friends easily? Sure, superficially. I'm fairly outgoing, although less than I once was perhaps. But I think good friends are hard to find, so I'm grateful for the ones I have.

I tag Heather S. and Heather K., Mom, Barb, Ashley, and Shirlene. Fill one out and tag 6 people you know.

Potty Training Diaries

So, I can officially say that Adelyn is potty trained. She and I devoted the entire month of December to the task. Though we encountered such obstacles as the stomach flu, two colds, and staying with grandparents over Christmas break, she managed to keep with it. But lest you think it was all fun and games, you might be surprised to know that the experience was up there with the hardest things I have encountered with motherhood. Quite different from being up countless nights with a restless baby or being thrown up on, potty training is something that you, as a parent, have very little control over.

I looked back in Adelyn's baby book and was shocked to see that the first time she went to the bathroom in the potty was last January. I considered at the time that it might have just been a fluke, and boy was I ever right on. Adelyn's potty chair remained in our bathroom for the rest of the year and served as little more than a hideous decoration (it is green, orange, and white--Ryan picked it out). With me working full time during the summer prior to Preston's arrival, potty training stayed on the back burner. She loved reading potty books and watching potty shows, but more for entertainment than instruction, it seemed.

This picture was taken last March.

Sometime in the summer, Adelyn started wearing pull-ups and wouldn't go back to diapers. That put a strain on the pocket book, but still no increase in potty going. We made some progress with a sticker chart, but then Adelyn found the stickers and put them all on the chart without permission, so the excitement was lost. Asking Adelyn if she had to go never worked. She ALWAYS said no, then would have an accident within 10 minutes (apparently she lied). After consulting a few books and friends, I developed a plan involving candy. She would get one M&M for trying and one more if she had a result, and I took her to the potty every hour or two for a week. Candy was our breakthrough! I've never been so grateful for sugar! After a week with only a few accidents, I had renewed hope and Adelyn thought it was fun.

For the next month, we gave her candy less and less and substituted it with other rewards like reading her stories and praise. If she had an accident (which happened all too often and especially the smelly stuff), we just played it down and reprimanded her bunny or bear later because Bunny had gone poo-poo in her pants. Adelyn loved saying, "No poo-poos in your panties, Bunny!" and the message was clear enough to her. I wish I could say that I never have to remind her to go potty and that she never has accidents, but at least we're making progress. And I get my running in with frequent races to the potty, for which Adelyn is, of course, always the victor.

Well, it is nice to check off yet another thing on the parenting list toward independence. I cannot believe how fast my little blue-eyed blond is growing up. As my mom always says, "She is a little ray of sunshine," and I am so lucky that I get to be the one to raise and care for her. I frequently do a double-take when I look at her and realize how big she is, and I often mourn for the loss of my baby girl. Being a parent is so hard. We want so badly for our children to grow up, but want to cry when we realize that they actually are.

Christmas Fun!

I figure it's about time to give a report on our great Christmas this year. It was our first Christmas as a family of four and we had lots of fun celebrating it with our family and friends.

We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas party with Ryan's family a couple weeks before Christmas. We did our annual gift exchange, ate fabulous food, and swam in the indoor pool at the hotel. Adelyn thought it was quite a treat to swim in the middle of December. In this picture, Adelyn was playing with the bubbles she got from her grandparents. She was so content to play with the toys decorating her gift that she almost forgot to open her big gift--a pink instrument set, which she absolutely loves.

Ryan got an awesome tool set from Brandon and Andria. Boy, was he excited! I think Brandon has gotten tired of Ryan always borrowing his tools. :)

We had the opportunity of taking Adelyn on the Heber Valley Railroad "Polar Express" adventure this year. It was REALLY fun for the first half hour. Unfortuantely, after that Adelyn started throwing up and was miserable the whole rest of the ride (stomach flu). We were stuck on the train for another hour trying to contain the mess and comfort her. Adelyn didn't even want to look at Santa when he came to our cabin, and the next day she said, "Mommy, I don't even like Santa Claus." She does, however, enjoy playing with the bell Santa gave her and remembers that she got it on the train ride. But I'm afraid she may be a little wary of trains for awhile.

This picture was taken while Adelyn was still feeling good. She and her cousins thought it was so fun that they could all fit together on two seats without any parents sitting next to them.

Adelyn actually opened her gifts from "Santa" on the evening of Christmas Day. We spent Christmas Eve with my family in Salt Lake and slept over that night because of the snow storm, then went to Ryan's parents' house Christmas morning and spent most of the day there. Adelyn got up from her nap and opened her gifts (not quite as exciting, but Addie still enjoyed it). Every time we asked Adelyn what she wanted for Christmas, she just said "Dora," so we got her Dora's Game House and a set of Dora books. She LOVES them!

It looks like Addie got what she wanted!

Preston was happy to open his first Christmas gifts. Of course, he needed a little help.

Ryan finally wrapped the gifts he got me right before I opened them. I'm a rather difficult person to buy for, but he did a good job and gave me some nice surprises: a hat, gloves, and scarf to match my new coat.

Preston showed his acceptance of the new high chair he got from Grandma and Grandpa Rocque by eating the straps the first time we put him in it. Little does know that we will actually feed him real food in it soon.

I've Been Tagged!

So, I guess I'm supposed to list six random facts about myself and then tag two other people, so here goes. Warning: some of these may come as a shock!

1. I love to sweat! I know it sounds gross, but it's true. I have been a runner since I was 12 and frankly, it comes with the territory. And I can be somewhat of a psychotic runner when I get into it. I actually enjoy running in the bitter cold and the scorching heat, and in high school I often went running around my neighborhood at midnight or later (with a sister or friend next to me on a bike, of course). And if you look at my injury history, it is apparent that I'm not very good at knowing when to quit. Fortunately, I have wised up quite a bit and am far less psychotic now that I have children.

2. I have been told by several sources that I chew on my tongue when I am concentrating (i.e. putting on make-up, doing something difficult for the first time, playing games, etc.) Of course, I am completely unaware that I do it, but apparently it is an inheritable trait because I sometimes catch Adelyn doing it when she's really focused.

3. I am obsessed when it comes to keeping my history. I have kept a journal since I was 6 or 7 years old and have never gone longer than 2-3 weeks without writing. I have also scrapbooked every event of my entire life! I currently have 14 journals and 12 scrapbooks (including my recent family scrapbooks). I realized a couple months ago that at this rate I am going to have upwards of 100 memory books before I die! Am I crazy?! Who is ever going to want to read or look at all this stuff?! Oh well, I guess I enjoy doing it, so what's the harm?

4. I LOVE condiments! A sandwich is not complete without a slice of tomato, lettuce and cheese. And in my opinion, the more the merrier when it comes to layering food. I find myself eating my sandwiches in a circular fashion, making sure that the very last bite is a perfect one--complete with every delicious condiment and taste.

5. I love to sing, but I don't have the greatest voice. I took a voice class in college when Adelyn was younger and the poor girl was subjected to hours and hours of my singing while I practiced. Sadly enough, since then she usually only requests songs like "Old McDonald" or "Little Bunny Foo-Foo." I'm afraid I wore her out with the show tunes long ago.

6. I am enthralled by little things, like produce. Did you know that there are three separate sections of bananas? Or that carrots have a core at their center? Pomegranates speak for themselves, but I am most fascinated by oranges. They have a peel, then little bite-size sections, but within those sections are hundreds of little delicious juice pockets! How amazing is that! (I could say the same about a grapefruit, but they aren't as tasty.)

Well, there you go. I hope you don't think I'm crazy. Who cares if you do, I guess. Well, I tag Heather S. and Andrea. I'm excited to read about each of you.

Family Portraits

Getting our family pictures taken this year was quite a fiasco. Ryan got one of his friends from graduate school to do it. Adelyn was being really good in the beginning, but by the time the lighting was right, Adelyn was no longer cooperative. Fortunately, we managed to get one with all of us looking forward and this was it. I don't think it is the best picture of me, but you have to take what you can get, right. I was pleased to finally have a family picture with Preston in it, and he's even smiling a little.

This is the first "portrait" of Ryan and I since our wedding (sad, huh). We are almost unrecognizable without a kid or two in our arms. :)

We coaxed Adelyn into taking some individual shots by making it into a game. We had her run across the room, jump onto the ottoman, turn around, and smile. (Ryan's brilliant idea.) I think they turned out pretty darn cute, especially considering the state she was in at the time. We wanted to get some individual shots of Preston too, but unfortunately he fell asleep and we thought it best not to disturb him.

Building a Happy Home

For Family Home Evening this past Monday, we decided
to try our hand at Gingerbread House building. Other than
almost losing the roof, the task was without incident.

Adelyn thought making a house out of candy was
just about the funnest thing in the whole world! She'd
put a candy on the house then one in her mouth!

Here's Addie with her Daddy, the architect.

Thanksgiving Turkeys

Well, I've failed to get on the ball and post these pictures

of Thanksgiving, But I figure it's better late than never, right?

This is Adelyn and her cousins Savanna and Kiley sneaking
into the dessert. And what can we do, kids love sugar!?

This is a nice picture of Ryan's sister Heather and her cute
family (minus Savanna). We all gathered at the Rocque's house
to enjoy a delicious meal and just hang out most of the day.

It has happened--as of this year the Ostler Thanksgiving
dinner had to be held at a church to accommodate the masses
(our huge family). The kids were able to play in the nursery and
the men played basketball while all the girls did what we do best
(talking of course). It was perfect! Here's me with my sister
Verna. It looks like we have both pawned off our babies.

Oh, there's Preston! My sweet (and gorgeous, I might add)
sister Camille lives in Arizona and she finally got to meet my boy.

We did our family Christmas gift exchange a little
early this year. Adelyn is showing us Preston's "Veggie
Tales" show that she decided was hers.

For those of you who don't know, Ryan is obsessed
with French food. He got a professional crepe maker
for his gift. Of course he loves it. Good job, Alison!

I Am Grateful For...

• Two beautiful, healthy children.
• A hard-working, devoted husband.
  
• The fullness of Gospel of Jesus Christ
• My sisters who are my life-long best friends.
• My parents who are my heroes.
  
• Walks with friends on crisp autumn mornings.
• The smiles and laughter of little children.
• The warmth of the holiday season.
• The privileges and freedoms of living in America.
• The opportunity to pray and receive answers.
• A husband who loves our children.
• The scriptures and other good books.
• A warm and comfortable bed to sleep in.
• Supermarkets.
  
• A washer and dryer in my house.
• A car that starts on the first try every morning.
• Feelings of comfort and peace.

I just wanted to share with everyone some of the things I am grateful for. I realized as I got thinking that this was just the beginning. I know that God is in every seemingly insignificant detail in my life, and his "tender mercies" abound in every direction. There are so many things to be thankful for when we look around. During the Christmas season, it is easy to get caught up in what we don' have and what we want to acquire, but I really want to make an extra effort to focus on my blessings during this holiday season and throughout the coming year.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween was a lot of fun this year with our two kids. We
took them to Cornbelly's and Barnyard Boo at Thanksgiving
Point, Gardner Village, and of course trick-or treating. We
also enjoyed a Halloween Carnival in our ward. I think
Adelyn wishes it was Halloween everyday.

For those of you who voted for the cow, you got your
wish. Mostly, I just decided on it because it was the warmest
and Preston seemed to always be smiling while he wore it.
Here is our little cow in the cow chair. How cute is he?!

After refusing countless times to try on her wig, I was
afraid Adelyn didn't want to be Raggdy Ann for Halloween
and would never wear her costume. This called for drastic
measures! I got some Raggedy Ann stories at the library
(both books and CDs) and her grandpa bought her the doll.
Finally, on Halloween morning, Adelyn surprised me by
asking to try on her wig. She ended up wearing her
costume the rest of the day. What a relief!

Captain Jack Sparrow and Raggedy Ann. It is amazing how
well these fictional characters get along considering their very
different personalities and backgrounds. :) Aren't they so cute!

Here's the whole family at our ward Halloween Carnival.
If you can't tell, I'm a witch and Ryan is G.I. Joe.

This is just a darling picture of Preston I had to throw in.
He has the sweetest little face to match his sweet nature.

News Brief

I thought now would be a good time to give an update about our most recent family events. As of August, Ryan has returned to teach French at Lakeridge. Because they got new textbooks last year, he has been very busy recreating lesson plans and unfortunately feels like a first year teacher all over again. He is also taking his last required graduate course for his Master's. His thesis is moving along on schedule and he plans to complete and defend it early next year and graduate in April. In addition to all this, he is currently looking to apply for graduate schools with hopes to start his PhD next year. He was released from being young men's president and now enjoys teaching both the Elder's Quorum and the Temple Preparation classes in our ward.

I am still in the Primary and loving it. Our primary program is coming up in November and I've been doing a lot with our cub scout program and baptisms as well. I recently decided to not return to my job at the hospital for now. With Ryan being so busy, it just makes sense to stay home with the kids full-time. I am excited to focus all my efforts on enjoying my roles as mother and wife. I love going out and doing things with the kids. We love going to story time, walking to the park, playing outside, and doing other activities with friends. I'm also currently working on catching up our family scrapbook and getting back into running (slowly).

Adelyn is growing smarter and more beautiful everyday. She loves to sing songs, read stories, play outside, and watch "Dora." She can get dressed by herself, count to 12, sing her ABCs, identify all her shapes and colors, and is starting to name her letters and even their sounds! She also knows more animals than I do and the sound they make. It's crazy! She loves to learn. Her favorite songs are "Old McDonald," "I'm a Little Teapot," "Once there was a Snowman," and "The Wise Man and Foolish Man." She will not go to sleep until we've sung ALL of these songs and more. We've been trying to get her potty trained, but she still doesn't cooperate much of the time. I'm just waiting for her to decide the time is right.

Preston is almost 3 months old and is over 15lbs. He is so sweet and smiley; I just can't kiss him enough. He loves to eat, sleep, take baths, suck on his hands, squeal, go for walks, and just hang out (big surprise). Really, he likes to do just about anything except ride in the car. He is starting to sleep for longer stretches in the night off and on (which is very nice for me). Adelyn absolutely adores this little guy and helps me take care of him however she can. Her daily kiss quota for him is somewhere around 100.

Well, that just about sums up the last few months. We are really happy and getting to be more and more comfortable managing two kids. The days and weeks are just flying by and we feel so blessed.

Which Costume?

I need some help choosing a Halloween costume for
Preston. Please post a comment and vote for your favorite.

Option 1: A half-naked pumpkin. Okay, we'll probably
put clothes under the pumpkin bib.

Option 2: A wide-eyed bumble bee.

Option 3: A happy cow.

Preston's Blessing

Preston's blessing was a memorable event. We knew from
the beginning that Preston was a very noble little spirit, and
we were reminded of this fact by the powerful blessing Ryan
gave him. It was a special experience to share with our family
and friends. And we were amazed at how well everyone
fit into our small condo. What a special day!

Can you believe Preston's little smile?! And he looks so
much like his daddy. How cute are they!

Here's our family of four. We're so happy to have
our new darling addition.

Best Friends

In appearance, these two silly kids, Jaron and Adelyn, seem to
be opposites. He's a tan, dark haired boy; she's a fair, blond girl.
But you would not believe the trouble these two can manage
together. They have been friends for over a year and a half
and have enjoyed many adventures together. Jaron's mom
Heather is one of my best friends and we always joke that
our kids act like a married couple because they love each other,
but they fight ALL the time!

Because some days they have such a difficult
time sharing, we decided this was a Kodak moment.
Aren't these Pooh slippers so cute!

I got this pool late in the summer because I was feeling guilty that
Adelyn didn't get to swim much this summer due to the baby.
She was obsessed with it and wanted to have all her friends over
to play with her. This picture is a fine example of Adelyn playing
bully. It doesn't look like Jaron was real keen on getting wet, but
Adelyn sure thought it was funny to splash him.

This slide made the pool twice as fun. They'd go down it over
and over and over until they had splashed nearly all the water out!

Bath Time!

Preston loves baths, but he is such a wiggler and

so strong that he constantly slides down and I have to
move him up his mesh bath over and over. And
just look at that darling little round tummy!