Spring Break

Spring Break for us wasn't so eventful. But I have been able to spend lots of time with Max. Today is a beautiful day and when he wakes up from his nap we are going to go for one of our first walks outside in months. Max enjoys walking around in the grass, but I think we need to see some scenery. It may be spring break but I've still been doing school work. I have a paper due on Monday and a test due on Wednesday. I also have a paper due on April 9th, which I haven't started, but have began research for. It must be 6 pages single spaced. I haven't written a paper that long in 2 years. My allergies have been starting to bother me so I'm trying out some new allergy medicine. I'm just so glad that I'm not pregnant this year.

Last month Jake and I decided to stay in Salt Lake until he finishes his Bachelors degree. I think we were both really excited to move onto something new, but it would be too expensive to move right now. We are trying to get R.A. positions but the competition is on, we still might have a chance in getting it, but I'm not planning on it being a definite position just yet. A few weeks ago I started Weight Watchers Online. I haven't had too much time to exercise but I've still been loosing 1/2 to 1 lb. a week. I just want to feel comfortable this summer wearing a swim suit. Also, I just want to be a little healthier. I can't believe how many carbs I normally consume.

Most of Max's teeth came in over the past couple of weeks. He was having a really hard time with it for about 5 days. It was like we couldn't take him anywhere. If anyone looked at him, he would grimace and then cry. He kept bitting Jake's shoulders and would do things to try to be annoying like through stuff at you. I stopped by my old work place the Early Childhood Education Center. I hadn't seen any of them since the beginning of last spring. Max was angry the whole time and wouldn't let me put him down. I was embarrassed and kept saying he isn't always like this. Even when he had RSV back in February he wasn't this bad!

There is officially one month of school left, and then summer classes start. I haven't taken a summer class since 2005. I'm taking one class that is twice a week from 6-9 P.M. But that class is only in session for one month. Then I have a class that is online that goes until August. It should be a good sumer. Jacob and I bought passes to 7 Peaks Water Park. Groupon had a great deal that we couldn't pass and Max gets in free. I really want to spend a lot of time outside this summer and to take advantage of the time Max, Jacob, and I will have before school starts again in the Fall. That's all for now. I'll post some picture real soon.....at least Pictures of Max before Jake chopped off all his hair.

February.

It's been awhile since I've written in our family blog, but school has been so crazy and time consuming I just haven't found the time or desire. Right now Jake is reading his comic book version of the Book Of Mormon to Max as he attempts to brush his own teeth. He loves when I bring out his tooth brush, I guess it feels really good on his gums. Tomorrow is Presidents Day and I'm glad we have the day off from school. Mostly so I can get some school work done and take a little time to relax before my test in my Hearing Disorders class on Wed. That will be the 3rd test since I've had since last Wed. I guess 15 credit hours will wear you out!

Valentine's Day was really mellow for us. Jake had class and I had to study for school so we didn't make it out Monday night. We did exchange gifts. He got me a little pink IPod shuffle. I like the shuffles cause there isn't too much music that I really enjoy so it works out for me. I gave him a funny little card to open up Monday morning and then had a pizza delivered to his work for him to enjoy at lunch. It was a pleasant surprise.

Jake wanted to make dinner this evening. We choose Tamale Pie since we already had all the ingredients for it. It didn't turn out very well and nobody ate it, it went down the garbage disposal. I hate wasting all that food. So looks like our Sunday dinner will consist of leftovers and cereal. Max is still not walking. He can do it, but chooses not to. I guess that's just his stubborn personality shining through. Last night we went to California Pizza Kitchen with Grandma Mary. Max liked watching all the people in the crowded restaurant get up and walk away then come back. That place is expensive and overrated, I don't think I'll be going back for a long time.

We realized how funny little Max is today while we were in church. During Sunday School he kept smiling at all the people and going over and greeting them. I'm just glad he's a friendly little guy. Apparently he was the main entertainment during Priesthood.

A New Year

School starts in a few days and combined our books are going to put us in the poor house. I'm taking 15 credits, which makes me a little nervous. All of my classes are 5000 level but I usually do fine. I'm taking child language development, clinical methods, psychometrics, and Hearing disorders and evaluations. All of these classes are on campus and for my Speech Pathology major. I am also a Teaching Assistant for my Finance class that I took last semester. I am way excited to have this opportunity, but also nervous. People's grades will be in my hands. But I've always wanted this opportunity so I accepted it even though my school load is enormous. Max will spend some of his afternoons with his friend Alena while I'm in class. They live right upstairs and most of the time I'm gone will be during his two naps. I hope I don't miss out on too much. I'm sure he will be taking his first steps in the next couple months and I definitely want to witness that.

Jacob is taking 9 credits this semester but 2 of them are math classes. I hate math with a passion. He finished up his applications for a few Universities this past week. They aren't due until February but we decided the sooner the better to get them in so we can prepare for the future. Jacob applied to BYU, the UofU, and SVU (Southern Virginia University). School will be much easier for him once I'm graduated and done, which won't be until next Fall.

Last week we went to Petco to buy a new light bulb for our turtle's cage. When we were leaving I saw this woman with her four dogs and her little boy. He looked like he was three, and he had a binkie shoved into his mouth. I understand how important and necessary binkies can be. But I don't think it is a necessity when your child is talking and walking. Max only likes it when he's sleeping or when we cuddle trying to help him fall asleep, which he doesn't really due much of anymore. I've decided to ween him off of it slowly. He is only allowed to use it once a day, which means he can only use it for one nap and that's it. He can't use it at night at all. Oh well. I think I'm doing good, but sometimes we forget that there is a binkie already hidden under the blankets in his crib and he finds it and sticks it in. Hopefully we will continue to progress nicely.

Max has become a talker. He talks to himself, his toys, the wall, and me. He is starting to repeat a lot of the phonemes that I say to him. la la, da da, ba ba, etc. I'm excited to take my child speech development class this semester. I hope it will help me to understand what little Max is going through and comprehending.

Sledding

Max and Jacob went sledding the other night. Jacob was really excited to break in his new sled that he got for Christmas. Max was fine with the cold wet snow, until they hit a snow bank that they created their first time down the hill. After that Max cried all the way home, which was about 100 feet to our house.

December is ending

Christmas has passed and so we are on to New Years. Jake and I really aren't New Year's Eve type of people. I've always thought it was kind of a boozers holiday, I'll be lucky if I can make it till 12 without falling asleep, I'm like a ninety year old. Christmas was great. Grandma Boots finally made it, and shortly after her departure announced that she was moving here. It will be nice, but weird having her around so much. I remember when she use to drive me everywhere when I was growing up: the orthodontist, golf lessons, Pom practice, etc. Who knows, maybe now I'll be driving her around. On Christmas Eve we went over to Laura and Nathan's cause their townhouse had the most room, Nathan's two children joined us and we played a mean game of "Scene it". Jake and I are still debating over who really won. Max got the most gifts out of everyone, and was the least excited to open them, he just wanted to play with the paper that was already on the floor. From Grandma and Grandpa, he got a cool little kids tent that came with a tunnel, socks from aunti Laura, and of course lots of money. We will help him spend it wisely. Jacob didn't let me spend a lot of money on him, later I found out it was so he could spend a ton on me! Loser. Jacob got a new sled from my mom and dad. It's just like the ones we had growing up, and they lasted for years. He got a Josh Groban C.D. from me and a few other small things. Laura and Nathan gave him a cool swiss army knife that even had a flash light on it, and Boots gave him some money, I think that will be put to good use in getting some more clothes. Getting that guy to buy clothes is like pulling teeth.

For Christmas Jake got me a minny food processor. My other one was too big to just chop up small things, and since our family is quite small a smaller one was more helpful. He went to Sur La Table and got me a lime juicer. I'm so excited to use it, I hate squeezing limes when I make pie. I also got money from grandma, an Aveda Shampoo kit from Jason (something I would never buy myself because it is ridiculously expensive), and lots and lots of gift cards, which I have already put to good use. I bought lots of good stuff because of the after Christmas sales, and even got a nice dress to wear to church from Banana Republic. when in doubt, always go to the outlet mall in park city during or right after a huge holiday.

I tried to do my part by baking a few items this holiday season. I made rolls on Christmas eve. It was Barb's recipe, I wasn't sure how to roll them at first, but Erinn helped us figure it out. I also made Annette Bell's famous Tea Ring. It turned out really well and was the hit of Christmas morning.

Now that Christmas is over, it's time to start preparing for the new year. Jake doesn't do resolutions, but I'm a big believer in them. I just finished a book on Tape by Doctor Laura. She said that people should try to set aside 10-15 minutes every morning and do something that is important to just them. I figure this would be a good time to read my scriptures and other materials. The thing is I would have to wake up before Max and Jacob to actually accomplish this. It's worth a try. I must come up with some other good ones as well.

Final Thought: Nate Berkus is annoying.

Tis the season..

Christmas is only a few days away. My Grandmothers flight got canceled, twice. I think she was a little nervous to make the drive into Chicago after all the fog, but she's coming tonight. We won't see her until tomorrow cause Max will already by asleep when she arrives. Jason gets here in the next hour. He is excited to see Max and I know the little guy is happy to see his uncle. Jacob and I are having a nice quiet Christmas. But we are excited to get our grades back. Jacob did very well this semester, he even got an A in statistics. Only one more semester and then it's time to run with the big dogs, a University. This holiday break he is applying to a few schools: University of Utah, Utah State, BYU, and Southern Virginia University. I did really well this semester too. I got three A's and one B. The B was in my Hearing Science class. That class definitely kept me humble over the past few months. Audiology is not my area of expertise nor in my interests, but it's a requirement for my major. Next semester I'm taking 15 credits, it should be quite eventful, and I'm getting some 5000 level credits for being a T.A for my finance teacher. It should be interesting, but I'm a little scared to correct people's assignments.

Max finally got over his angry spell he was having, which naturally occurred during finals. It was like nothing made him happy, and he wanted to be held for a few minutes then would cry until I put him down. We thought maybe he was teething, but that wasn't the situation. We noticed he was getting an infection on his private parts and decided to take him to the doctor. As soon as he examined him he knew exactly what the problem was. Since his circumcision last year the skin had been growing back together wrong, and eventually was leading to the infection. I had to leave the room for the procedure, but of course Jake stayed to take care of little Max. now he is doing good, and he's back to his old self. Just in time for the holidays. I'm so excited to spend all of this time with Jacob, and happy that we are able to go out at night during the week, instead of focusing on school.

Max's First Birthday

I wish I could have said it was a carefree day, but it was quite the opposite. Max was upset because he was all hopped on sugar that Jake had been sneakily feeding him all morning, and he wouldn't take a nap. So of course he cried during his party and had to take a nap through almost the whole thing. We invited some of his friends, Otto and Alena. They were more excited about his toys than he was. At least someone had a good time. Grandma gave Max a space heater, which we needed since our heat turns off all by itself every now and then. Aunti Juli gave him a cool truck. He loved it. But of course Jake and I got him the best gift. A turtle. We spent weeks preparing for our new turtle. His name is homer and he's still a juvenile, but we are taking good care of him. We hardly ever take him out of his water tank, but I think he enjoys living with us. I ruined the cake because I was making it in a hurry. This was the week before finals so Jake and I were cramming and celebrating at the same time. Grandpa Jim couldn't come to the party because he wasn't feeling well, and Grama and Grampa Brooks sent Max a card with a small present. I was a great day, but I'm sure turning 2 will be more eventful.