Tuesday, September 25, 2012

On a rainy Tuesday...

We all know Mondays are...eh, somewhat exhausting?  But I've forgotten how "blah" they feel since Tyce doesn't work Mondays, so for the past three years it's like they didn't exist.  They're like our pseudo-Saturday, making the week fly by.  And we liked it!

However.  Tyce recently began work with a new company, requiring him to work Mondays, and man, it's totally throwing off my groove!  It's Tuesday and I'm still feeling the "Monday lurch" (a.k.a. I'm typing this in pink plaid drawstring pants...and yes, some may refer to them as pajamas).  Add rain to that equation and I think I need a cinnamon roll and new pair of shoes.

So, with an admission of a little laziness/distraction, I present a few favorite pictures that remind me of warmer times, which I've saved for very rainy, pajama-ish days.

Friday, September 21, 2012

What my daily exercise program looks like:

(isn't my personal trainer so cute?)

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Don't go, summer...

We're kinda taking the seasonal change hard.  Personally, I'd rather wear shorts than a jacket, wear my hair braided rather than in a hood, and be warm!  Oh, how I'll miss the warmth!  I do know, however, that our electrical bill will not miss it...and perhaps our bank account, since being in the heat always makes us (me) crave a slurpee.  One day?  Harmless.  Thirty days?  It gets a little out of control sometimes, I'll admit.  But still.  I'm not super excited for all this "jacket" nonsense.

Monday, September 17, 2012

a few pictures from the time

my family crammed themselves into our tiny apartment 
to try and spend more time with us (cough *Lincoln* cough) before they went back to California.


Everyone, that is, except my brother McKay, who is currently working in North Dakota...

...at least we got to spend time with him (back in June), while he drove to a state I forgot existed (as did the rest of the world, which means bank for everyone there, at least right now).  What a sexy beast, if I ever did see one.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

At 18 months, Lincoln...

*says "duuuuude" to express excitement/interest
*loves classical music
*we have dance session (a.k.a. run circles in the living room) at 10:00 a.m. sharp every morning.  Usually to something hip-hop (Lupe Fiasco, anyone?) 
*drums with wooden spoons or Tyce's real drum sticks (if he's lucky) daily.
*knows sign language for food, activities, places, moods, and a handful of people.  I have no idea what we'd do without ASL.
*can say the word to almost every sign, the sound of most animals, and lots of small sentences.  Our favorites are "Ray" for Aunt Ray, "Maynah" for banana, "buh-bowz" for bubbles, "baah-bee" for baby, and "...go?" for "where'd it go?" 

*knows where (and can say) most of his facial features/body parts 
*goes down for naps/bedtime much better: after a book, he waves and tells himself goodnight in the mirror, calls "Neigh?" until found (our nightly game: hiding "Neigh" in Lincoln's room before bedtime, easing the transition from our laps to his bed because he gets excited to find his favorite stuffed animal to take to bed), signs his version of "I love you" (gun fingers), then blows us kisses.  It's an art form.
*is a master park slider  
*adores animals, particularly cats and dogs, who he barks or meows at 
*waves and yells "hiiiii!" at everyone, everywhere.  Even legitimate gangsters wave and say back.  The few people who ignore Lincoln seriously creep me out.
*still isn't hyped on solid food, but we're getting there
*possibly watches too much Curious George
*climbs on everything (possibly related to previous notation?)  
*is beginning to test boundaries
*still hardly has any hair, but still rocks the transparent few he's got
*laughs.  A lot.  (thank goodness!)

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Beginning again.

I'm beginning to realize how much my actions, tone, and attitude are Lincoln's main behavioral example.  You'd think this would be obvious, but when these tiny copy-cats are woven into his behavior day by day, it's more difficult to notice than when Lincoln copies something out of the ordinary.  Duh, right?

Here's the brick that gave me a nosebleed a few days ago: I had a horrible stomach ache, so horrible I could hardly walk (immense amount of iron in Prenatals + no nursing = extreme pain).  Later, I saw Lincoln doing a squat-walk, looking very similar to a sumo wrestler, but he was holding his stomach and grimacing.  I wondered if it was something we ate?  After a second he jumped up and ran around normally... and I realized he was copying me.

Two things hit me: first of all, I need to suck it up when I'm sick because honestly, who wants to look like a constipated sumo wrestler?  And secondly (possibly most importantly), how incredibly important it is to enjoy the moment, to not worry about "the mess," or ever trade a bug hunt for a few minutes to myself.  To have a good attitude.  To be happy.  With a toddler, I personally don't think it's possible to be happy and have a perfectly clean house/fully get ready every day.


There is definitely a balance, but I'm realizing more and more that if I want to set a good behavioral example, I have to be happy.  And if I want to be happy, I can't worry about the silly things (that will still be there tomorrow) that so often distract me from enjoying time with Lincoln.  Because tomorrow Lincoln is a little older, and soon I'm looking back on a year, wondering where the time went so quickly.  The line from Hook always comes to mind: "we have a few special years with our children, when they're the ones that want us around.  After that you're going to be running after them for a bit of attention.  It's so fast...it's a few years, then it's over."

I'm beginning to realize that these moments are few, that I cannot push rewind.  I'm beginning to re-learn life's viewpoint, trying to have messy, curious, exciting fun again.  And isn't it ridiculous that we, as adults, have to try and have carefree fun?  I'm beginning to think so...and the grocery shopping may or may not be done, and I might not have showered in three days (okay, four...unless "Irish showers" with a debatable over-dousing of Chanel Au Fraiche count), but Lincoln is one happy kid lately!

p.s. I know you can't tell my hormones have gone haywire from the "no mas nursing" shift I'm going through, so I thought I'd let you know I won't be spilling my emotions for that much longer (pray for me).

Thursday, September 13, 2012

The Spin Cycle.

This picture gives me flashbacks...like this one.  The only difference about this visit into the dryer was Lincoln climbed in himself...no big deal, except when I realize the the older picture was less than a year ago...now that is a big deal!  And it is also very rude.

It's so cliche, but I'm just gonna say it: I wish there was a "pause button" for the little moments in life, the ones that slipped away so fast because they were so tiny and fleeting, the ones that I didn't realize how much I'd miss until they've passed.  That thing we call "time."  I tell ya.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

A few highlights that made us smile. Really big.



During Education Week, most days Lincoln took his nap on our drive down to Provo; once we got to BYU's campus, my mom would meet us and Lincoln happily waved goodbye.  If we stayed for late classes, they'd take a walk to meet us, then break our hearts by leaving adorable chalk messages behind our car's parking space.

And apparently, feed my child mass quantities of sugar while we were sitting in classes.  No wonder he was so excited to wave goodbye (and majorly crash on our way home)!  

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Sometimes I wonder

how I got so lucky to have such a beautiful boy in my life every day!  
I don't have an answer (in this lifetime)
and rarely do I feel good enough to be the mother
of such an extraordinary gift, 
but when I see that smile...
...it makes my focus shift from 
"everything I should be doing better," 
to 
"I must be doing something right!"  
And oh, does that feel so good.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Hugs and Kisses (not the chocolate kind)

My sister, Rachel, stayed with us for a week before heading back to school in Idaho.  Lincoln has always adored her, but this time, he learned the sign for "aunt," plus would say (in Lincoln language) "aunt ray."  Every morning while getting him ready, Lincoln would sign "aunt" by circling his fist around his cheek, saying, "auuhn aaey."  It killed me and gave Rachel a heart attack (the good kind) every time Lincoln did it.  

I'm 100% positive Lincoln would've hidden in Rachel's suitcase and (after stealing his car seat) Rachel would've buckled him in and drove away.  Peanut butter and jelly, those two.  

Looking on the bright side: although goodbyes are the worst, at least it's solid proof we seriously loved our time together!  

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Ducks in a row (not anymore, sucka's!)

Our (okay...my) favorite thing to do when spotting ducks is chasing them back into the water.  At the parks we frequent, the ducks can be quite aggressive when onland, so it's more fun to avoid getting snapped at because my bracelet resembles delicious licorice, and just run at them.  It's like playing the game "chicken," except...they're ducks...and we know we will win.  Don't call PETA, I know the ducks love showing off their water skills, so it's fun for everyone.

*the only exception to this game is when there are ducklings - I would never chase those adorable babies away!  I'd even let them have a bite of my bracelet.

(I've just been informed these are not "ducks," they're geese.  Knowledge is power, kids!)