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.