What Brings the Smiles

I haven't been in much of a writing mood lately. In fact, last night I couldn't sleep and I thought about writing...but no. I have plenty of inspiring things to write about, but I just don't feel it. I think I have also discovered the problem- I am overly stressed. What tipped me off on this was the appearance of a tiny, cumbersome bump on my lip...which grew and grew into a medium size cold sore over night. These usually appear after being sick- which I haven't been- or having experienced stress over a long period of time. What could stress out someone who has a perfect life? The thought of "bliss" ending.
That isn't completely true. The most stressful part of my life right now would get into way too much detail that probably wouldn't be much fun to read. So instead we will focus on what is keeping me smiling.
Jared is the greatest husband ever. I don't know that I have anything unusual to say about him to convince any one person that he is great. What makes him the greatest to me is that he is PERFECT for me. There are so many moments in my life that I think, "I couldn't have married a more perfect man for ME." Times like when I have just overreacted to something and he just smiles and makes things right, he doesn't mind me telling him that he is in a situation that would really stress me out so I am glad it is him instead of me (he just knows how to handle those situations better), he continuously tells me how attractive I am without make up, he is more than happy to make me happy in sending me to see my mom for 4 long days without him (he even paid for it with his "tip" money from work, until my mom insisted that she pay for the trip), and those are just the most recent happenings. One of the best things that has happened in the last couple of months of changes in our life and business is that we have become so much closer- or at least I feel a lot closer to him. I believe challenges could one or the other- bring you close or create distance. I am grateful for the closeness!
The other day, a regular attendee of my Body Works class at LA Fitness brought me a stack of books for my baby. So sweet of her! When I got home, I was looking through the stack and one of the books was titled "Porn for New Moms". I had to reread that title a couple of times, and then it took me even longer to decide whether or not I should even crack it open. I wonder if she thought twice about giving this book to me, or if it is just common place in the world. Well, I did crack it open and read the introduction, which then lead me to read a few more pages. I couldn't help but hand it to Jared when he got home. He was just as shocked as I was upon first glance. Here are some lines/quotes from the book: "Let me get rid of this junk, so we'll have room in here for the jogging stroller." "I figure if I drop the sports channels, we'll max out the college fund in no time." "I changed the sheets so we can all snuggle up together in a nice, clean bed." "No, you relax for a while. I've figured out how to fold everything one-handed." EAch quote is accompanied by a clothed, well groomed, maybe sexy to some, man with a baby. The idea is that women are mostly turned on by dads with babies and dads performing simple household chores. So I share this with you only because of this: Today Jared spent 5 1/2 hours of hard labor with many other men in our ward ripping off an old roof. He came home beat up, tired and hungry. He only a had a few minutes to shower and throw something down his throat before we were off to Sea World to meet up with the Barrington's. After our time there was through and we were on our way home for him to again, quickly throw something down his throat before he was off to work at the stores, he told me he was glad we went to Sea World. I really had to question where he was going with this one because I could only imagine how his mind had to be thinking it would have been nice to have had some rest in this long Saturday. He proceeded with, "Because I was able to watch Corban be a boy." He explained that is was fun to just enjoy time with Corban, chasing him around, watching him enjoy the sea animals, and whatever else happened in those 3 hours. This was instead of having stayed at home where he would have had something else nagging at him that would have kept him from just enjoying his boy- GS work, church calling, work around the house, or even sleep. That was probably the sexiest thing he could have said at that moment. And here it is 11 pm and he still isn't home from work. He is going to be a tuckered out little soul.
Corban is the other producer of smiles in me. This little man I could watch for hours. The other night while in Manti he decided he wasn't going to sleep in the middle of the night. Unfortunately I had decided to go to bed late, so when he woke me up minutes after drifting off, I wasn't too excited. There was no coaxing him back to sleep. So after laying there trying to keep him quiet to no avail, I decided to let him get up and play. I allowed him to play upstairs for a little, until he was banging a wooden spoon against a chair because he liked the noise (he commonly repeats things over and over that make loud noises). Then we tried downstairs. Mind you, I was VERY tired and just wanted him to play while I layed down. I was lying on the couch just watching him sift through the toys, touching buttons here and there, picking up toys and carrying them across the room, pulling rolling toys that follow behind his foot steps, finding a trackor and making car sounds (a gurgle in his throat) as he rolls it over other toys, and on the list goes. I realized, even though I was so tired, I couldn't help but just enjoy watching my little boy learn and play with all these new things before him. Lucky for both of us, he finally realized he was tired. He came over to me and layed his head down on his blanket that was covering me. I took that as a clear sign that we could try going to bed again.
A quick list of other things I adore about Corban's personality as of recent:
He walks and swings his arms forward as if he is trying to clap- many times he does. This is something he does quite often, whether it be when just walking around the house, or out in public.
He gives "five" just after learning it from Sinjin this week.
He gives open mouth kisses.
He loves to play with Nika- today he would hide in the curtains and she would come up under the curtain to see him and he run out laughing and screaming, just to come back and do it again.
He enjoys a great game of hide and seek as long as he is the one hiding- yesterday Jared was taking care of the nighttime routine and Corban ran and hid under the dinning table. Jared would walk around asking where Corban was and then would peak down under the table and say, "There he is!" and Corban would laugh and laugh.
He LOVES to throw things. The louder the hit, the better he likes it. While in GS tonight he found an empty bucket that he picked up and threw over and over again- all because of the sound.
He is all smiles when you get him out of bed in the morning and after naps. If he was crying, it instantly turns to a smile when you open the door and he sees you.
He lights up when he realizes there are buttons to push on whatever is before him.
He whines when he doesn't get what he wants- this isn't exactly an admirable quality, but it really can be funny at times.
He doesn't stay busy with any one thing for very long- he could have touched and played with 10 toys in just one minute. He is so busy going from place to place.
He loves being naked. The second you take off his diaper for a bath, he runs away enjoying the freedom. I can't help but love the little naked bum!

That's all I can share for now because my hubby just came home...and soon we will be off to dreamland. But just so you know, my stress has been reduced 10 fold just by writing this post.

Keeping Memories

Yesterday I was going through this list with Jared of things Corban did to melt my heart. As I was retelling the story I realized I couldn't tell it like it happened and there was no way Jared could completely get the picture. Then I realized- soon I won't have that vivid of a memory of these moments either. He told me to journal/blog about it, which I am doing, but even then, it isn't the moment. And I don't have nearly the writing skills it takes to paint the picture. So we settle for this:
After Jared left for work, I could hear Corban up in his bed talking. Every once in a while it would sound like he was moaning/crying, so I decided it was time to go in and get him. As I slowly crept into his room, he looked up with his smiling eyes, still sitting in his bed, he lifted up his monkey with whom he was talking. It was like he was showing me the monkey because there was something cool about it. Apparently, because this monkey was keeping him quiet for quite some time.
After his nap was over, it was a similar thing- I could hear him start to whine a little so I slowly opened the door and peeked in (more in play than as if I were checking on him- I had full intention of going in to get him). He was lying down, but could see me through the bars of the crib. His face suddenly lit up and he started talking (still only jibber jabber).

These aren't anything new, it is actually a part of my everyday life. I just really do feel so blessed to be able to experience it. I guess I have started to pay more attention to these things as I am preparing to go back to work. It aches me to think about not having these moments with him. I don't know how other mothers do it.
A favorite game of Corban's is to go up stairs and close the gate (which is at the top of the stairs). When I come up to get him, I growl his name, and he squeals as he runs to either side-- my bedroom or down the hall. As long as I stay behind the gate, he will keep coming back to have me "scare" him again. It is hilarious to watch him squeal and "run" away.
He definitely has a will he likes to exert often. He knows what he wants and right now he thinks whining and crying will get it for him. That is, unless he can get it himself, then that is exactly what he will do. I have had to block off a planter that has some favorite rocks in it because my floor was starting to look like the garden. When he hears the bathtub turn on, he b-lines it to the bathroom and starts to climb in. We are lucky he can't just yet get his leg on top of the tub. He did figure out the shower door, so Jared just started taking all his showers with a little companion. There is no force feeding this boy. And somehow the sign for "all done" has changed to just standing up in the highchair- yes, this is why they have straps. My favorite is when he is busy doing something and he suddenly gets up and heads, with great determination, somewhere else. He owns this house!
Oh, I just remembered one of the funniest moments. One evening I was busy downstairs and I knew Corban had gone upstairs, but I decided to finish what I was doing. When I finally realized it was probably time to see what he was doing, I went upstairs to a dark bedroom (the sun had just gone down so the lights were not on upstairs), with a TV playing and this is what I saw:

Hilarious! He moved from that position very shortly after I walked in, but can you guess what great movie is playing?

And the crowning moment for these parents: Corban sleeps through the night! This can all be attributed to "The Baby Whisperer" and the father, and probably the fact that our child is very amenable. I just don't have the stamina it takes, but Jared did it in three short, but they felt VERY LONG, nights. There have been a few nights after the initial training that we have had to repeat the process, but not nearly as long as those three nights. And to my amazement, this week I have enjoyed giving him loves before putting him in his bed with NO TEARS! He now quietly goes down for bed, and today I had the same pleasure for nap time. Incredible!

Sure hope the next one's a charm :)

Just guess what is going on here:

An introduction to our next biggest challenge- potty training :) This is my indication of when he is "busy". I truly is more funny when it is your own child. I can laugh about his potty habits to someone without children and they give that friendly smile. Parents laugh.