a blast to the past

This weekend we went back to my alma mater. Between going to the basketball game and the art museum exhibition, I stopped by my old stomping grounds... passing by my old freshman apartment. It was already dated when I went (clean, but dated), so adding a few years or even, say, 50, doesn't change it all that much. There was a printer now in the basement lobby, but other than that, by all essentials, it was the same. And if you were to come on cleaning day, you would assuredly smell the same vinegar and lysol cleaner smell. Two girls walked out of my old apartment, and other than height, weight, and hair color, they looked exactly like I once did. I even stood by the same tree that my roommates and I had once taken pictures by and it was... just the same. It was all the same... a new generation doing and being exactly the same. It seems as though I could step through a time portal and somehow be back exactly where I was. Or actually, it seemed more like I shouldn't even need a time portal to step back... I should still be there.

The only difference was that now I was standing, looking at myself in the mirror outside the door with two children by my side (and another one with my husband). And the two children called me "mom" (which still sometimes wierds me out). And I am now over 15 YEARS older. WHAT!?



But I guess it's okay, because after that we went to the creamery for ice cream, which I never used to do because I couldn't afford it back then.

Baby love

I must say that I was scared. In fact, I was more nervous with this third child than even the first. Probably because after my sick number 2, I had a much better grasp of just how hard it could be. Number 2, bless his heart... that was a dark time in my life... difficult pregnancy that moved right into difficult infancy. I love him dearly, it's true, but it took me about 4 years to even hold another baby willingly. So I was scared to the point of tears.

Number 3 will be 2 months next week, and how has it gone?

Fantastic. Really fantastic. While number 2 already had surgery by this age, we have dealt with not much more than suctioning noses (which as a pediatric nurse, I could probably do in my sleep). In the beginning, I was stressed out about nursing and poor weight gain (while my husband tried to gently remind me that it has happened with EVERY one of my children, so accept that I will never be a poster child for the La Leche league). By now, the hormones have settled down a little and I've settled down, too. One definite perk is that formula fills up a baby longer than breast milk, so other than when Rob is out of town, this baby usually sleeps really well at night (this baby feels that he needs to wake up frequently and keep me company whenever Rob is gone). So with some sleep, life has been grand.

The kids adore him, and bless his heart, he has been okay with all their adoration. No eyes have been poked out yet, knock on wood. Speaking of eyes, one cute little one is making eyes with me, so I better go do some oogling.

Highs and low

This weekend,
St George highs: 60 degrees
Las Vegas highs: 65
Los Angeles highs: 75

Salt Lake highs: 37
Chicago highs: 31

A friend and I were reminiscing about midwest weather today. You know, chiselling ice off the car, seeing the sun for 2 hours total in January, wind blown snow drifts. It reminded me of how great I have it here. But that sense of gratitude is wearing off tonight. I want to just up and drive south.

masses

Several years ago, in the middle of our 7 year graduate-school stint, Rob came home excited. "I calculated it out, and we can be millionaires by 45 if we can just put $30K in savings every year."

"That's great honey. Now we just have to make at least $30K". "

So now that we have a real job, Rob's brain is starting to plan. Just before Grandma died, while aunts and uncles were sitting around talking, Rob approached one uncle to ask for any investment advice. "Now that we are entering a new phase of life and beginning to amass wealth..." (meaning that we are now able to buy Costco blueberries more than once a year). What was heard was something about us "accumulating a mass of wealth". The aunts and uncles had a good chuckle about our mass of wealth.

It's true. I've used like 6 $3 off coupons for formula.

A play date

"Mom, can I have a friend over to play tomorrow?" my 4 yr old begged me again and again.
"Sure, who?"
"Max".
Max is our 17 yr old cousin. :) Today, Kyle asked to play with Richie, the 13 yr old cousin.

We have loved spending time with family this week as so many have come together because of the funeral, and then Sunday for our baby blessing. I LOVE FAMILY! I would love to have a play date with any of you any day.

a great woman

Grandma Bassett just died. She's technically Rob's grandma, but I couldn't have loved her more.

Grandma Bassett is one of those people that just LOVES you. Her family is her world, but her family includes about everyone who walks into her house. She makes no pretense of who she is or what her expectations are. Shoot, you know what she think, and she will tell you what she thinks you should do. But she also really gets to know you. I've noticed that when most people (myself included) talk, it often seems that they are almost more interested in talking about themselves than really hearing what the other person has to say and think. She is one of those people that really wants to know about YOU. And she remembers and will ask about what you have talked about later. For example, she knows what's going on in my life, my kids, and even always asks about my extended family, not out of politeness, but real interest. And it's not just me. At family dinners, many times she sits with her great-grandkids, the 3-6 yr. olds, and carry conversations with them that are just as important to her as with people her age.

I am trying to be that kind of person. The kind who really listens. OK, "trying" is the key word... I'm certainly not there yet.

Every parents dilemma

We have 6 bedrooms in our house. (And anyone is welcome to come visit and stay in one). Six. So why must all 5 members of my family end up in one bedroom every night? And you can guess whose.