Pacifier

Evan's most prized possession(s) would be a pacifier. He has a good handful around the house and they are HIS. This can be witnessed several times a day in different ways. Whether the fact that he may have one in his mouth all the time. Or the hilarity of seeing him find a second one while sucking on the first and then spend the next ten minutes switching them in and out of his mouth. Or if Ryan were to have one and Evan sees it, the race and then battle of getting to Ryan and taking it away from him. Well. it's funny to see Ryan(who doesn't use them, but will suck on them every once in a while) whne he comes across one. This afternoon I turned around to see the following which will be told with the art of photography.

The end.

(And how cute is it when kids begin to "show" things to you?!)

Shorter than ever

But I think I like it.

Please Don't Shout

Have you ever thought of the little things that make us all unique? I know that you all have some idiosyncrasies. I have a handful of my own. Do those idiosyncrasies alter how you view the world?

Evan has one of these that has been showing a little more often the last two days than normal. Evan doesn't like unexpected loud noises. Our first realization of this was when he was 2 months old at a basketball game.

Since then, we've tried a football game (with just as much success), some Residence Life dances, and now just try to make sure that we don't go anywhere that may have unexpected cheering or screaming. You would think that a crowded cafeteria would not be the best place for a child with this quirk, but usually the cafeteria is more of a loud din than anything unexpected. Until last night. Evan and I went to eat dinner at the cafeteria. I stroll him over to the cereal bar and start to decide what cereal he wants when 5 lovely freshmen females, who are just being enthusiastic about life and have no idea the torture they are about to put my 2 year old through, start a very loud chant right next to him. I quickly bend down to cover his ears, but its too late and he looks very similar to the above picture. It breaks my heart when it happens, but I can only comfort him. Then again today after coming back from taking the trash to the dumpster, Oliver cheers for me(sometimes its a fight over who will take the trash out) and it scares Evan.

What is he thinking? Why instead of just being startled and it lasting for a few seconds, does it linger and make him cry? Will this last his whole life? Or just throughout his childhood? Will it be debilitating? Will he be able to enjoy a concert or a play or a sporting event? Will we all as a family be able to go to such events? Have any of you ever had something alter your experience of life on this earth?

Stranger in the House

I know this little boy... But who is this?

Hopes for 2009

It has been interesting to see such a great uproar about a talk given by a counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave some inspiring words to the women of the Church in October of 2008 titled "Happiness, Your Heritage". Our ward's Relief Society President focused on that talk during our Sabbath meetings and gave us some questions to ask ourselves at the beginning of this year connected to Elder Uchtdorf's words.

What is one thing that you feel you accomplished in the last year?

What is our Heavenly Father's happiness?

What is something you are going to CREATE this year?

What is something you are going to do to improve the "world within you?"

What can you do this year to better emulate the Savior by being compassionate?

Great questions to ponder and answer for yourself.

So here are some of the goals I've thought of for myself.

1. Create a happy, healthy home for my family by

a. creating a bedtime ritual (so far so good!)

b. get organized

c. taking each day at a time and giving enough time to everything/everyone each day.

2. Create a happy, healthy me by

a. exercising

b. eating healthier

c. taking time for myself

3. Create a happy, healthy relationship with my husband by

a. showing him appreciation

b. communicating about life

c. dating him!

Okay, so that's really cheesy and open ended. I would love to achieve all these. I would hope that by creating those things, I will also be able to be more compassionate. I do have some ideas of specifics, but aren't quite sure if thye are definite...like doing a triathlon, and going to a national park. I want to celebrate my 5th anniversary by doing something out of the ordinary.

It's fun to think of all these things as this year begins, and I hope that I can achieve at least half of them. Happy 2009!