Worrywart

It has not been a good day. My sister Bekah had thyroid surgery where she lives and I've been worried about her all day. She's going to hate that I've mentioned this but I just can't stop thinking of her. My Aunt Carole flew to be with her and called me with updates, saying it went fine and she's fine. Bekah called me too and she sounded upbeat. But you know, I wish I was there. My excuses are that I have a nursing baby and few vacation days at work, but I wish I'd figured something out.

Other things have been awful today. My baby Ben fell off a bed and banged his nose up (he looks like Rudolph). Max has a bad cold (he also looks like Rudolph) and did not nap for the third day in a row, meaning I did not nap very well. JB was in St George, and my parents and siblings are driving across the country as I type this. My dad was transferred back to Missouri so that's where they are moving.

I've been worried about Bekah, Ben, Max, JB and my family. I just have the worst imagination that jumps to awful scenarios. That's not the way to live, so tonight I'm shaking off those doldrums by tucking the boys in early, eating some chocolate ice cream, cuddling under a quilt, watching "Last Comic Standing" and going to bed early. It's already helping.

Lagoon

We've been to Lagoon twice this month (JB's dad works there and gives us the great hookups). Max is now tall enough to start branching out onto other rides besides the kiddyland, although he still has his favorites there. And he's still a little scared of some -- they stopped the Dragonfly and had him get off because he was hollering "I don't want to, I don't want to!" But here he is riding the Odesea with JB.
He loved Rattlesnake Rapids, but thought we were saying Rabbit instead of Rapids so he asked the second time we went to Lagoon to go on the Rabbit Ride and it took me a while to figure it out.
We floated down the Lazy River at LagoonA Beach. Max is clinging to JB. He hated the waterslides, and it took some coaxing to get him into the shallow water. He is my child after all.

Ben's first train ride, being held by Uncle Bart. My friends Natalie and Meredith made that shirt for Max and I love it.
There are animals you see while you ride the train, including elk and some tiny breed in the deer family. Max was awestruck by the "big deer" but still talks about the "baby deer" we saw. Never mind that the tiger roared at us or that the bear showed its big claws. My son was enthralled by the deer.

More birthday pics

Here's a picture of the picture of JB and me when I turned 24 -- our first birthday of mine we had together.
Here's JB and me in the same spot, in his parents' kitchen, on my 29th birthday last week. He does the buzz-thing now, but sometimes I think that curly hair ought to come back....
My brother Joe did this when I wasn't looking at Max's birthday BBQ yesterday. I'm not sure if Nathanael's mom was looking either. He says the boys liked it. Hmmmm. I do like how Ben's binkie stayed attached.

By the way Ben at 7 months is the size of Nathanael, 15 months. He's my big boy!

Max's birthday

Hard to believe three years ago our little guy came into the world. The first thing the nurse said was "look at those lips!" Then they all guessed how much he'd weigh -- I was due August 11th but an ultrasound at 37 weeks estimated he was already 9 pounds 3 ounces. So I was induced July 26 and he was born about 1 AM on the 27th. He weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces. So much for my worries he'd be huge!


He got one of his presents early, from our neighbors, and slept with it at naptime and that night --a cash register their kids used to play with.
Here he is blowing out his candle. I made the cake (from a box) and frosting (from scratch). I want to take a cake deocrating class someday, but I think it turned out OK.
Aunt Suzanne gave him a t-ball set and helped him try it out.
He loved his new suitcase. My funny boy had been asking for one for months. Nona found one with his name on it! His cousin Nathanael is on the scooter behind him.
JB's smoker is behind Nathanael. He made smoked pulled pork for dinner. Yumscrumpilicious. Ben liked gnawing this corn cob.
Max I think was a little overwhelmed by the end of the day and slept quite soundly. But I think he had a nice day!

Birthday Fun

Me with my cakes last night.

It's been a really fun day. All at once I had some fun deliveries when I got home from work. My friend Autumn stopped by with a present -- some yummy-looking dark chocolate sauce. Then the FedEx man dropped off a chilled box (complete with ice packs) of chocolate from my sister Bekah.Then JB's mom and sister came by with some Kentucky Fried Chicken. Such a yummy lunch. I really do love chicken and chocolate. Max does too. When JB came home from work we took the boys to their cousin Emily's house to play and went to the Dodo for dinner. He spoiled me with some nice jewelry, swimwear and spa-stuff with which to pamper my tired feet.

I've always had nice birthdays. Sure on my 16th birthday I failed my driver's test, but I'll always remember going out to eat with my mom and dad. Just me and them. I remember a Barbie cake my mom made when I was 6 or 7, and a clown cake when I was even younger. My 15th birthday I went to see The Lion King with my friend Sarah. My sister Bekah always took good care of me on my birthdays in college. I loved the surprise she arranged for me on my 21st birthday. She walked me all over town while my roommates Meredith, Alicia and others decorated the apartment and made chicken and cake. My 24th birthday came while JB and I were dating and he made me a raspberry filled layer cake that slid a little. We have the picture in our living room. Three years ago today we also had KFC (I really do love chicken) and I was filled with anticipation for being induced the next day with Max. He took his time, so that's why his birthday is the 27th. Now on to preparing his special day!

Birthdays

Today is my birthday. But according to my toddler, it's that bump in the road on the way to his birthday. Max turns three on Sunday and we've been talking to him about it. But when we mentioned something about my birthday and he yelled, "No, it's MY birthday!"

Last night we had some cake and ice cream for my bday with JB's family after a Pioneer Day BBQ. Then later, while JB was helping Max with his prayers at bedtime, he prompted Max to say, "Help Mommy have a nice birthday tomorrow." Max instead prayed, "She had her birthday at Nona's and now it's my turn." !

PS The picture above is from Cakes de Fleur, where JB got a carrot cake and chocolate cake for me. Sooooo goooooooood.

PPS I am 29 today. Or as I call it, the fast track to 30.

Car Woes

I got off the air this morning after the show was over and called JB like normal to see how they were all doing. He was at the tire store-center-place. On the way to Nona's house, they got a flat tire! My big stud changed it there on the side of the road. Max could watch from his car seat and thought it was pretty cool. I would have panicked, called JB, called my dad, all of my brothers, my older sister (I don't care if they are in other citites and states) and Triple-A in tears: "What do I do? Help me!" I really have to learn how to handle a situation like that. By the way that's not a picture of it, but I figure a picture spices up a blog post. Thank you Google.

This caps a week of car fixin'. We had our brake pads replaced on both our Subarus. But I love having our cars. They are an 03 and 05. My first car was a 91 Volvo, and one of my favorite memories now (scary at the time) was when I was driving in the rain at night with my friend Autumn and the windshield wipers started going haywire. They ended up crossing in the middle. She hung out the window and uncrossed them. I sold that car to a mechanic who works nearby, and I often see it, still with my BYU Alumni license plate holder on the back.