St. George Vacation

Braxton and I went to St. George with my parents for almost 2 weeks. We did a lot of fun things and had a good break from the daily routine. I got to go golfing for the first time in 2 years, since last summer I was recovering from a C-section and the year before I was pregnant. I did a lot better than I thought I would and was actually very happy with how I was hitting my driver and irons. My short game needs some serious work though. We also got to spend some time with my Grandpa and Grandma Merkley. We took Braxton to this really nice park by my parent’s house. His favorite things were the swing and the dog park. He literally giggled non-stop as he splashed in the hot tub and we took some really great pictures when we took him hiking up in the turtle reserve behind my parent’s house. Here are the pics:

Could it be love?

Maybe, but definitely the start of a beautiful friendship. Braxton and I have started doing some playdates and it is going pretty well. Braxton and Kennedy play so well together—pretty much they just follow each other around and try to play with the same toy. It is cute.

Also, we decided to enjoy the snow before it is all gone for the summer (not that I want it to stick around or anything). Here are some random pictures of my boys sledding. I think Braxton liked it!

Worst Three Minutes of My Life

Parenting comes with all kinds of highs and lows. Two weeks ago I definately had a low point. Braxton and I were just hanging out on the floor watching American Idol. He was crawling behind the couch and came around and sat down by me. He went to put a toy in his mouth, when all of a sudden he scrunched his face up like he was going to let out a major cry--but the cry never came. I looked at him closer and he started turning purple and convulsing. My first thought was that something fell off the toy and down his throat, so I picked him up and started the heimlich over my arm. I swear I pounded his back so hard, I was expecting broken ribs. I am not sure how long it lasted but the girl on AI that had just started singing when he started choking was being judged by the time he was breathing again--so at least a minute or two.

I am grateful that I acted so quickly; however, I came very close to stopping the heimlich and calling 911. The object would dislodge every 20 seconds or so, but when he tried to breath in, it would get stuck again. After this repeating 4 or 5 times, I started to panick and that was when it came dislodged for good. Unfortunately, it didn't come out and he spent the next minute swallowing with great effort to get it down. Once it reached a certain point, he just looked at me, sighed like 'thank you mom' and then wanted put down to play again.

I immediately ran over to the toys and looked them all over--nothing was missing of course--and spent the next 20 minutes hysterical and on the phone to Brian, my parents, and the after hours nurse at my doctor trying to decide whether or not to go the hospital for an X-ray or ultrasound to find out what it was. The nurse told us as long as it wasn't a battery or 2 magnets together and he could eat and drink and act normally, then we should just wait for it to pass.

Well, it's two weeks later and we still have no idea what he swallowed. The best ideas we've come up with is some change--like a penny or nickel that was just under the couch--or a sales receipt. The nurse told us that paper can block the airway like that and we won't see it come through.

Sifting through diapers is disgusting and even though I think I have looked through them good, I still have probably missed the item and we will never know what it was. All I have to say is that choking is definately on my top 5 list for things you hope never happens to your children. It was terrifying and for sure the worst 3 minutes of my life.

Becoming eFriendly

This week I’ve given up on a small dream. The people who know me best know that if there was electricity and indoor plumbing back in the days of Jane Austin novels, that is the time I would want to live—you know if I could guarantee that I was above a certain class level. One of the many things I love about that era is that your home was an estate with its own name, but most of all they had libraries built over generations. I have always wanted that Beauty and the Beast library with ladders and spiral staircases. For the last few weeks I have been pondering this dream and have come to the conclusion that a mega library is just not very realistic anymore. Even if I had the space, my 50+ books would fill like two or three shelves. So, I have let this dream go and got an eReader.

Actually, I had only decided to get one and was going to exercise restraint and wait for my birthday. But, Brian surprised me with a Nook for Valentine’s Day. I love him and I am loving my Nook. Here are a few benefits of owning an eReader:

1. 1,500 Books all in one, with the option of adding a memory card for more
2. I’m not killing as many trees for my enjoyment
3. Brian doesn’t have to haul my Rubbermaids of books when we move
4. Books are cheaper online
5. The screen on this thing is amazing—just like reading a book
6. Isn’t it cute?
I LOVE MY VALENTINE. He is always surprising me with the nicest things. We started falling in love on Valentine’s Day 9 years ago, and I am more in love with him now than ever. LOVE YOU HONEY.

Slow Down Boy

For two months we’ve been saying ‘He’s going to crawl any day now’. Well, finally it’s happened. But, that’s not all. In the same week, his top two teeth broke through, he started feeding himself treats with the pincher grasp, and pulling himself to standing in his crib! We’ve been on a tornado of childproofing because he is now into everything! Cabinet and drawer locks, gates for the stairs, a cat door to the basement so we can close the basement door, gummi crib covers so he doesn’t chew up the crib, hiding any cords—he is already obsessed with them, taking off door stops—loves those too, and the list goes on.

The crawling, teeth, and feeding himself I am plum happy about. The pulling himself up to standing on anything and everything he can is so frustrating and I am not ready for it. His forehead is covered in bruises from smacking his head on the way down when he loses his balance and he won’t just go down for a nap anymore. The second I put him in the crib, he pulls himself up and cries for mommy to come back—it’s heartbreaking! All I want to say right now is SLOW DOWN BOY. Here are some pictures:

We Will Miss You Grandpa!

After a long battle with Alzheimer ’s disease, my Grandpa Foster passed away on January 10th. Braxton and I spent the week in Idaho for his funeral. Unfortunately, Brian was unable to come because it was his first week in the office at his new job. The funeral was so nice and grandpa looked so good—more peaceful , happy, and more himself than I had seen in years. I will miss him so much, and I am so grateful for everything he has done for me. Although we will miss him, we are so grateful that he is no longer trapped inside his deteriorating body on this earth and he can now be himself—working harder than anybody on the other side. Love you Grandpa!

All I Want For Christmas Is . . .

MY TWO FRONT TEETH

The week before Christmas Braxton was acting very irritated and would wake up during the night crying, so we had a pretty good idea that they were coming. Sure enough, he woke up at 5 am on Christmas morning with his two bottom teeth poking through his gums. Exciting? Sure, but more exhausting for all of us then I thought teething would be. Here’s a more recent picture of the teeth, since at the time he wouldn’t let us touch his mouth for a picture.

Oh, I haven’t mentioned . . . the teeth came in while we were in MEXICO! Yes, I have such wonderful parents that took us all to Riviera Maya/Cancun for Christmas! We spent the week at a beautiful resort hanging out by the beach and pool, eating tons of food, and exploring Mayan ruins. Here is a picture overload from our trip. Enjoy!

My parents watched the babies while the adult kids spent a day touring Mayan ruins. We had the most amazing LDS tour guide ironically named Lemuel. It was really special to read the scriptures about highways that sunk into the earth during the destruction before Christ came while we were standing on a highway with a huge sinkhole. There really aren’t words to describe how testimony building this day was for me. Here’s Brian at the main temple at Chichen Itza.

Just a few months ago they started digging around the temple at Chichen Itza and found another layer of the temple under the ground that dates back to before Christ. So cool that we got to see it!

We went swimming in this gorgeous cenote

We also visited Ek Balam ruins and it was amazing. The statues in the temple are actually ‘acting’ out the symbols of the endowment. This ruin hasn’t been restored very much and has only been open to the public for a few years, but that only made it more special.

My boys at the pool

On Christmas Eve the whole family including the kids went to Tulum. It was SO hot that day. Braxton overheated and was downright miserable, but it was so good to see this amazing ruin again.

After Tulum, the boys (my dad, my brother Clint, and Brian) went snorkeling in another cenote that had crazy elaborate caves. Brian wants to go back and scuba to the ocean through the caves. Sounds scary to me.

My boys in the hammock

Braxton loved the ocean except when it splashed in his face

Even though Braxton didn’t really know what Christmas was, he still opened some presents and really liked ripping the paper. He also got some pretty special antique presents from the Lulloff side including a 50+ year old bouncing horse and a 100 year old rocking chair. He already loves them!