Sunglasses and Peaches

Recently I sorted through some boxes and found a couple old notebooks a former high school friend and I wrote in to each other our freshman year. Yesterday I started reading them, and all I have to say is wow, I was such a weirdo! The notes are pretty lame. We talk about the same stuff and inside jokes over and over and over. It's really annoying and pointless. And I realized how incredibly not funny I was. I think I tried too hard. I wasn't comfortable being myself so I would try to emulate the fun characteristics of my friends and fail miserably. Anyway, I'm going to finish reading the notebooks just for fun and then throw them away!

Oh, yeah, Sunglasses and Peaches were our nicknames (I was Peaches). I have no idea how they came to be.

P.S. from Caden

Mommy forgot some stuff:

• I love to rock back and forth violently in the exercauser. I can't wait to ride roller coasters!
• Sometimes I laugh by clearing my throat. I make a lot of funny noises; I like the sound of my voice.
• I like to lean my head sideways to the left and make Mommy and Daddy copy me. I like when they copy my sounds too.
• I am very ticklish!
• I love bath time and especially being naked. Who needs clothes?
• I can drag myself forward now. Mommy says I look like a little crippled boy.
• I hate having my face and nose wiped, so much so that I throw a tantrum whenever Mommy tries.
• I can walk if you hold my hands.
• I love playing underneath things. No matter how much Mommy moves me, I always go back under the table to play. I try to go under the futon too, but I always hit my head.
• The easiest way to get me to sleep is to bounce me up and down. Mommy used to do that on the edge of the bed, but found that bouncing on the exercise ball is much easier.
• I like to bite Mommy while nursing and then laugh when she taps my cheek to get me to stop.
• I like to watch basketball and golf with Daddy. Mommy's shows are b-o-r-i-n-g.
• I am my mother's son: I love to dance!

I'll let you know if I remember any other wonderful characteristics about my cute little self.

Back to Caden

Ok, I've been spicing it up for a while. Time to take a break and update on the baby.

Caden loves food! He likes almost everything we've given him. Yet he eats depending on his mood. Sometimes he gobbles everything up, other times he's not interested. When he does eat, his initial reaction is always the same--confusion--but once he swallows (which usually takes him a few spoonfuls to remember how to do), he wants more. He started out on rice cereal for a few days and green beans for a couple days, but the rice cereal stopped him up, so I quit solids for a week until he was normal again. Now he's back to eating and was introduced to banana by Grandma a couple weeks ago. Next he had avocado and pooped out guacamole! He's also had peas, carrots (another one that went right through him), and pears (only one he doesn't like). His favorite by far is green beans.



Caden is a fat little guy. He still hasn't figured out crawling, but gets closer every day: he rocks on his hands and knees like crazy and gets onto his toes. He can scootch backwards and in a circle and he's an expert roller. The second you put him down on his back, he rolls onto his tummy. Getting dressed and diaper changes have been a challenge ever since. When he rolls on the floor and bumps into something he gets upset. He hasn't figured out just to roll back the other way. Sometimes he'll force himself to still roll over regardless of the barrier; takes a lot of shifting his body. He loves to stand up and try to walk. Justin thinks he will skip crawling and go straight to walking.

Caden also discovered splashing a couple weeks ago, but isn't consistent about it, thank goodness. A few weeks ago he starting sitting in the shopping cart. I love not having to cart around a car seat anymore! Currently he's into patting everything. Put him on the bed--he pats the bedspread. Put him on the couch--he pats the seat. Put him in the highchair--he pats the tray. Weirdo. He's also in a scaredy-cat phase on top of his separation anxiety phase. Things he used to love scare him now: the vacuum, my hair dryer, the hand mixer, and other noises. The only noises that don't scare him are the washer and dryer.

Caden loves to play with paper. He crumples and rips it to shreds. I have to be careful if I'm holding him and an important document at the same time. Other favorites are the shower curtain and water bottles. His absolute favorites are wires and the TV remote--such a man! He also likes his exersaucer, particularly the long plastic piece that he chews on and the steering wheel (again, such a man!). Lately he's been doing this evil laugh. It's so funny.

I love this little baby so much and can't believe he's growing up so fast. The first month was slow, the next two were normal, and these last few have gone in the blink of an eye. Next thing you know I'll be writing about his first birthday!

Go here for more photos.

Green Monster

I've got serious jealousy issues right now. Sometimes I feel like a failure. I know I shouldn't compare myself to others, but it's hard not to. I know I should just do something about it instead, but I don't know what to do.

Trash TV

We're all guilty of it: watching that one show (or shows) that we know is absolute junk yet so fun to watch. I've given up one show that I'm too embarrassed to tell you I was addicted to. It got too ridiculous. Although I don't watch it anymore, I admit I am still curious to know what happens. Another show I love and try to give up but can't is "America's Next Top Model." This season is especially entertaining. I can't stand when the girls gang up on another girl for being a you-know-what, not realizing that they are being just as mean and arrogant. I really hate hypocrisy and unaccountability for one's actions. Anyway, what trashy TV show are you addicted to?

Worst Mommy Award

The Worst Mommy Award goes to me. Yesterday I hosted a baby shower at my house (separate post on that later) during Caden's nap time. He fell asleep in my arms, so I laid him in his crib, but he woke up from a couple particularly loud-yapping women. So I held him again and he fell back asleep. By then the pregnant mother's little girl was playing in his room, and although she offered to get her out, I didn't want to risk him waking up again by her calling to her daughter and the daughter protesting. So I put him on my bed--mistake #1. (You know where this is going, don't you.) I was going to transfer him to the crib as soon as everyone left--mistake #2. That took a while even though I ended the party a little early, five minutes after putting him down. I ran outside to help the mother leave, went back inside to unlock the door, and heard the scream. I bolted to my room and, sure enough, no baby on the bed. He was on the floor by the wall. He must have woken up and rolled off because I laid him on Justin's side but he fell off my side, and he doesn't roll around that much in his sleep. It was about a two-and-a-half-foot drop. Luckily, I think he landed face first because he was on his tummy and his forehead was red. But otherwise he was fine. No bumps or bruises. After I held him and nursed him he was back to normal. I, however, was not. I felt like one of those parents you hear about on the news whose child gets injured because of their stupidity. It makes me sick to my stomach every time I think of it. But wait, it gets worse.

When I told Justin, he was furious. He got over it and the rest of the day was fine, until night came. Caden was super clingy, probably because of all the craziness that morning, and would not stay asleep in the crib or in Dad's arms. He only wanted me. I didn't mind, but I wasn't ready for bed. Justin was mad at me again for something else and hanging up laundry, so I took out my contacts and brushed my teeth with a sleeping baby in my arms. Pretty impressive, if I say so myself. However, I couldn't go to the bathroom--problem #1. I lay on the couch with Caden to wait for Justin, who stormed off to the bedroom, where my water and tissues were--problem #2. So we slept on the couch. At 2 a.m. I woke up with a runny nose, a parched mouth, and a full bladder. The immediate issue was my nose, so I left Caden on the couch to go to the bathroom. I ran the risk of waking him up from blowing my nose, but I did it anyway. Whether or not I woke him up I do not know, but you know what happened next. Thunk, "Waaaaaaa!" He rolled off the couch, this time only a foot drop onto padded carpet. But still, not a pleasant surprise when you're asleep. Seriously?, I thought. Twice in one day and both could have been avoided. I obviously hadn't learned my lesson. Man, I felt like scum. My poor baby! Again, I nursed him back to sleep and he was fine. I then put him in his crib, which I should have done in the first place, so I could go to the bathroom and get my stuff out of the bedroom. Justin doesn't know about this one, though. I can only handle so much of him being mad at me.

Then this morning as I was typing the first paragraph, Caden fell again! We are in his room. He was sitting and reaching for something and fell forward on his forehead. He cried pretty hard too and wouldn't nurse. Now he's cranky.

On a side note, he's also fallen off his potty chair a few times. Those falls are harmless and funny. One moment he's sitting there reaching for the wipes, and the next thing you know there's two little butt cheeks in the air.

So, after reading this, I hope you don't think I'm a complete idiot and incompetent mother. I know my parents will probably be upset. I'm embarrassed to admit all this, but I feel it's an appropriate punishment for me. Never again will I be so stupid! What's the worst thing that has happened to your kid while in your care (or lack thereof)? Or do I stand alone here (which could be a good thing)?

In Defense of Dr. Laura

I recently read an LDS feminist blog post bashing Dr. Laura's book The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands. I thought the comments were off the mark. First, let me share an analogy.

Let's say I buy The Biggest Loser: The Weight Loss Program. Everyone loves it and says it's great. I try it out and see minimal, if any, results. Does that mean it doesn't work? No. The problem is the book is not meant for a petite woman like me but for overweight people. That book has a specific audience of which I am not part. So it is with any weight loss, exercise, or diet program. They may all work but not for everybody. The trick is finding the one that works for you.

The same applies to Dr. Laura's book(s). The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands is not for every marriage. It is an ideal book for more traditional men and women, not feminists and their husbands. More specifically, it's for women who have trouble respecting and being kind to their husbands and are therefore having marital problems.

The feminists argued it puts men on an animalistic and over-simplistic level, saying that all they need to stay satisfied is sex and a sandwich. I own and have read the book several times and have no idea where they got that from. First of all, the book does the complete opposite, reminding women that men have thoughts and feelings and that not everything is about us. Second, sex is discussed in one of the last chapters, after more important topics. Third, for some men, sex and other physical affection are necessary to feel loved (read Dr. Chapman's The Five Love Languages). Fourth, cooking is not about being a maid to your husband, but rather about him coming home to a ready meal in the one place he wants to be at most. Besides, who, regardless of gender, doesn't appreciate a delicious home-cooked dinner after a long day at work or school?

They also argue that the book puts all the blame of marital issues on women. The reason it seems that way is that the target audience of the book is women who are knowingly or unknowingly causing the problems. The book is not for men! I'm sure she could write a whole book on things men should do to care for their wives, but this book is not about that.

I think those ladies completely missed the point of the book--that men need to be respected and loved and that women should be less selfish and demanding. If you have already mastered this, then great, this book is not for you! Go enjoy your marriage and let others use the tools in this book, even if you don't. Do I think the book is perfect? No, there are some things I disagree with. But that is how advice works. You go through it and decide what is good and what is not good for your situation. The only valid argument the blog brought up was that it could have used a better title. I can't help but agree that it sounds more like a book for new pet owners, not wives.

As for their accusing Dr. Laura for living a hypocritical life, I think that the best givers of advice are people who have actually experienced whatever they are giving you advice for. She probably gained her wisdom not only from counseling others, but also from her own relationship and moral mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes; no one is perfect. I could probably dig up dirt about those ladies. But that is irrelevant (and mocks the Atonement if they have repented). The important thing is that they are in the past and that you learn from them. Even if she were as terrible as they say, her advice is still helpful.

What do you think? Have you read the book? Do you like or dislike it?

Words

I remember a girl in my seminary class who hated the word moisture. I have no idea why. But there are words that sound gross to me. I hate the word beefy. It makes me think of a fat yet muscular, very hairy, sunburned, mean guy in a wifebeater. I also don't like the word caress. I've heard it used inappropriately so many times it creeps me out. Justin doesn't like the word yogurt although he likes to eat it. What words bother you? There are also words I really like: baby, smile, snuggle, love, whimsical, ice cream. What words do you like?