Happy Birthday To Me

I am spending the last half hour of my birthday day

Sitting on my favorite chair

catching up on blogs and 

eating huge dollops of Nutella 

on Ritz.

I am listening to the rain storm outside

and the gentle snores of my almost 1 year old 

as he lays on the couch next to me.

Happy day to me.

Last Sunday...

I was sitting in Church on the back pew scrunched between my hubby and my two foster sons with a bouncy squirrelly baby on my lap. The usual.

I really try to listen, but it seems like Jahno always steals the show. With Gabe, Nate, and Felipe intently looking at Jahno's every move and giving him their full attention and range of facial expression, it was really hard to get anything out of sacrament meeting. Honestly, I was getting annoyed. Not that I don't think Jahno is worthy of every look and smile that comes his way, but I think there is a time and place to make obnoxious baby noises and faces, even if it is under your breath.

I think maybe it's a guy thing.

I asked Gabe to take Jahno out so the likelihood of the entire back half of the chapel paying attention to the wonderful talks being given would rise significantly. Gabe likes spending this time with him, anyway.  

As I was self-righteously trying to get back to listening to the speakers, I couldn't help but look over again out the door toward the side foyer area, where Gabe had taken Jahno. Another first-time father named Andrew, whose son Hudson is the same age as Jahno, had also taken his son out and so both Gabe and Andrew were eagerly watching their sons interact with each other. All four of them were sitting on the floor. 

I looked next to me at Felipe and Nate watching them (because of course it was more interesting watching two nine-month olds going at it than watching a person talking at the pulpit). I realized this was actually a very beautiful moment. Here were two men who looked at their baby sons like they were the world, and just genuinely enjoying their interactions with each other, each man probably secretly thinking his son was the best one because of such-and-such a reason.

Each man really loved his son and was enjoying fatherhood. Each was in Church on Sunday, doing the normal family thing. Knowing they could be with their families forever.

Then I see Felipe. I wonder if he thought of his own father then? I wonder if he thought of his future children or family? I thought the same with Nate.

I hope they remember this moment. Maybe someday they will realize how important this little glimpse of happiness, this truth, is. For them.

I love

my baby's hair

when he's sleeping

 and the humidity of his 

warmth makes

beautiful curls more beautiful. 

Forget Kama Sutra...

Is there a manual on diaper-changing positions?

My suggested entries:

1. Traditional with Table

Baby lies flat on back in transverse position on changing table, head by mother's left arm and feet by mother's right arm; left hand holds both ankles in the air while right hand holds baby wipe.

2. Left-Hand Traditional with Table

Reversed from above position

3. Traditional on Floor (incl. Left-Hand Variation)

Baby lies flat on back in transverse position on floor, head by mother's left knee and feet by mother's right knee as she kneels over baby, holding both ankles in left hand as right hands holds baby wipe.

4. The Backseat Swap

Baby lies flat on back in whatever space is available (backseat of car, a friend's couch, high school hallway, etc); Mother places opened diaper underneath existing diaper. As soiled diaper is removed, clean diaper is simultaneously cinched as to avoid mess.

5. Diversionary Object

Prior to diaper change, mother locates safe diversionary object to induce lull in movement. Mother acts quickly to change diaper while novelty is sustained.  

6. The Waterskier

Baby lies flat on back on floor in Post position (feet pointing toward mother, and head pointing away) with mother sitting on bottom, both feet pinning corresponding biceps of baby so as to prevent rolling. Both mother's arms are free to change diaper.

7. 3AM Patch-up

Overly sleepy mother detects mega-overloaded diaper after nightly feeding. Working by feel, mother softly slides new diaper under baby, removes old diaper, and attaches tabs just enough to keep diaper on and baby dreaming.

 8. London Bridge

Baby lies on back in transverse position on floor. Mother sits on floor with left leg bent over baby, so as to make a "bridge" across baby's chest. Leg can be lowered as needed to prevent rolling and/or wiener-grabbing.

*This position enhanced by Diversionary Object 

9. The Big Boy

Mother holds clean naked baby upright in standing position, placing clean diaper across back of baby and holding baby against chest while bringing up front of diaper between baby's legs and across pubic area. Tabs are initially secured and then tightened in Traditional Position as needed. 

*This position best assists positions 6, 8, and 10.  

10. The Poultry Hold

*Imagine one attempting to hold a flapping chicken by one leg*

Mother goes in "cold turkey" (huh-huh-huh, pun intended) by grabbing squirming baby by one leg once potentially disastrous diaper is loose. Mother does not allow child's pelvis to touch ground despite determined twists, yanks, and yells. Mother wipes down pelvis area en plein vol after which she allows baby to temporarily crawl away in retaliation before progressing to position number 9.

  

The last couple of days I have had to resort to numbers 9 and 10, which are very advanced, I'd say. Stressful, though. I can only imagine what the future will bring...




Oh. And by the way. I won King Diaper today. So I bought myself a $4 candy bar.

fun game

Yesterday I played a fun game with Jahno where I snuck around the big chair in our living room to scare him. He would wait in anticipation for me to come get him but when I was no where to be found he would slowly crawl toward me as I hid from him. Then I would surprise him and "get" him (with kisses, tickles, bites, etc.). It was great when he would be expecting me to come around one corner and I'd fake him out and appear around the opposite direction. So stinkin' fun!  

So as Jahno lapped up a delicious bit of yarn this afternoon, 

I came up with a great idea.

Have you ever heard of a "king cake" at Christmas parties where a little trinket is hidden somewhere in the cake and whoever finds it in their piece of cake gets rewarded? 

In case you're drawing a blank, go here to know what I'm talking about.

So I'm attempting to scratch this little morsel off Jahno's tongue but give up because I'm pretty sure he already swallowed it. 

Oh, well, I think. It will just come out in his diaper eventually.

Then I think: Yes. Yes it will come out into his diaper eventually. 

Why didn't I think of this before, like for example when he gnawed off a couple bits of Gabe's belt and it made a grand exit the next day?

So now I have the solution to every young wife's issues of an AWOL husband when it comes to diaper changing.

King Diaper!

The parent who finds the undigestible trinket gets privileges!

Privileges!

Things I'm happy about today

I'm so proud of Felipe. He gave a talk for the first time in church today. Meaning he stood up at a pulpit in front of a hundred people to give a message about a topic he really knows very little about, but was willing to share what he has learned. Nevermind that he got the topic wrong (Brother LeVeque began the meeting by saying that the topic was on "reverence" when we had spent the week preparing a talk on "revelation" Oops). He did awesome. After sacrament meeting Dr. Winn came up to me to get the okay for Felipe to be called as the first counselor in the teacher's quorum presidency.

Gabe mentioned the other day how much Felipe has changed, and how we must support him with that. He reflected on the changes he made at Felipe's age with getting into the church and how he had so much support from Church Lady (as he calls her). Having the gospel completely changed Gabe's life for the better. We are now that support for Felipe. I'm very proud of how he's taken hold and making that "leap of faith" with this church and gospel. I know it will benefit him for the rest of his life and after; the decisions he is making now will affect himself and countless others as he decides what kind of person he wants to be and what kind of life he wants to live. This is one huge reason why Gabe and I wanted to do foster care for these boys, essentially putting off our own life pursuits in the meantime. Four years of providing a stable home during these crucial years will do more for these boys than anything else will for the rest of their lives. It's a small sacrifice considering the gravity of what these boys need during this time of "moulding," which is literally the last chance to make an impression. 

I see raising kids as having two chances: once when they are small and another chance right as they are learning to be independent individuals and have the ability to choose who they want to be. Both opportunities provide the highest likelihood of accepting beneficial change.

"O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in they youth to keep the commandments of God." Alma 37:35

I also have been lovin' my little lovins today---Jahno is SO CUTE. Lately his voice has been hoarse. I don't know why that is. He sounds as if he's been crying for three hours straight even though he rarely cries. But he does fancy high-pitched shrieks and squeals more than most babies, I think (from listening to too much James Brown and Led Zepplin?) Is this the beginning of a Rod-Stewart-esque trademark? Should his nickname be Rasp? I just hope he's not suffering from some bizarre form of vocal cord degeneration disease or something. Yet it is just so stinkin' cute anyway.

Mid-year's resolutions

Gabe and I are GREAT at making goals for ourselves. Just don't ask us if we finish them. The point is that we stay motivated and don't get discouraged when we find we don't follow through. For every ten goals we set, I think we genuinely follow through on maybe three. But that three feels wonderful.

One idea that came to mind was training for a race with Felipe and Nate (and even Bubbas aka Jahno aka John). Why not? I think that would really be something we'd remember doing together. I think Nate definitely has the stubbornness to do it. Felipe I'd have to prod a little once running everyday got old, but I think he would do it, too. I always thought my high school cross country coach was so lame when he talked big and deep about the sport. But now I do see all the lessons that can be learned with distance running. I wonder when the next local race is? 

--Aaaannnd, maybe I should rethink my diversionary objects for diaper-changing?
I'm running out of ideas.

Any tricks for keeping a squirmy squim on his back for a couple minutes so as not to douse the house in excrement?

What about feeding tips? Right now the score is Baby 10--Mommy 2. I celebrate with the touchdown sign each time I get a well-aimed spoonful into Jahno's mouth because he will not open up. Will this kid ever eat normal food???

On the bright side, it's a way to keep him quiet while Gabe catches up on sleep.

Perfection is...

A quiet evening after everyone is in bed and I'm still awake watching my baby fall asleep on my lap. 

Then after awhile hearing him suddenly laugh in his sleep. I wonder what he dreams about?