Cool Dude

Cool Dude

7.01.2011

I know I'm biased, but I totally think Jed belongs in a baby GQ magazine.

Happy 4th of July Weekend!

Jed is fourteen months old and growing fast! Over the last few weeks he seems to have morphed from a baby into a little boy. He walks and jabbers and plays. If he is awake, he is moving! He makes us laugh!  And he makes us so proud.  I really like the little boy my baby is becoming and I am genuinely enjoying this stage of Jed’s development. I love seeing the world through Jed’s eyes. He requires oodles of energy to keep up with, but he is so much fun to be around! This morning, Bron brought Jed to me while I was still in bed. Jed wrapped his arms around my neck and gave me a long bear hug. That made my whole day!

Here are some stats to remember my fourteen month old by:
(Seriously folks, you don't have to read this because it's all for me!)

• Jed started walking one day during the first part of June (about 13 months old) and has never stopped since.
• Jed loves anything to do with animals, especially cows, horses, and dogs. Hmm… I wonder why? Just kidding. We live on a farm! Jed likes trucks and tractors too.
• Whenever he sees a dog, Jed starts pointing and squealing. He loooves dogs. They are a novelty because we don’t see them as often as other animals.
• Jed can wave!!!  Finally.  It's super cute.  He usually waves good-bye after we've left, but he waves nonetheless.
• It’s become obvious that Jed has my eyes and his dad’s barrel chest. His hair has also turned blond this summer.
• Jed is a ham. He likes to be the center of attention.  When we approach a big group he announces his presence with some loud vocals and some excited arm and leg movements.  He also usually knows when to show off that heart melting grin! Jed is such a good natured kid!
• Jed jabbers jabbers jabbers, smiles, jabbers, points, jabbers jabbers grins.  All day long.  I love it.  I just wish I knew what he was saying!
• Jed’s vocabulary is quickly expanding. Some of his favorite words are “dog,” “moo,” “dad,” and “mama”. And even if “mmi” isn’t a real word, I’m going to count it because I know he wants milk. He’ll get it one day. In the mean time, I’m enjoying what little communication we have going already. It’s awesome.
• If it's too big or heavy to carry, Jed drags it.  Watching him waddle and simultaneously drag something around is hilarious!
• Jed likes anything soft, especially a certain blanket and a fat stuffed monkey and dog.
• Jed is EXTREMELY attached… to ME! I love it and I hate it. I love being the one important person in his life that can fix any problem with a simple hug or smile, but I dislike how much he whines when I have to put him down or leave his side for a few minutes to get something done. Oh well. I suppose it’s just part of the territory of being a mother.
• When Jed is done with his meal, he flings food all over the floor. I don’t think I’m going to win that battle any time soon.
• I am spoiled; Jed sleeps in! He goes to bed around 8:30PM and doesn’t get up until around 8:00AM the next morning (give or take a half hour). Bliss!
• His nap time has suddenly changed from 10:30AM to something later (exact time still being determined) and he sleeps a solid 2-3 hours. I love having such a great sleeper!
• Jed is beginning to share and help! He offers his mushy half-chewed pieces of toast to me and likes to help put clothes in the dryer and shut the door.
• Jed is a cuddle bug. (He knows how to manipulate his mama!) Jed puts his head on my shoulder and will let me hold him. I often pat his back. And he pats mine! Melts my heart!
• I think I can safely say that grapes are Jed’s favorite food. (He takes after his daddy in that way.) Jed can eat six grapes in 30 seconds! Really. We timed him.

That’s my boy! We really like being his parents and wouldn’t trade Jed for anything.  Stay cool, Jed.

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Better Mother

Better Mother

6.28.2011

That little face is trouble!

Jed really likes these bright balls, so we went to the tennis court one afternoon.

Have you ever spent the entire day with your child but felt like you were never really there? Today I went through the motions of caring for Jed: I fed him, changed him, read him some books, and went for a walk. As evening approached, I realized I had never really connected with my son all day long. Even when we played together, my mind wandered. I kept thinking of the list of things that needed to be done, something I read, thought about a friend, or what’s going on this weekend. I had a hard time clearing my mind and concentrating solely on my little boy.

So tonight, after I washed the suds from his hair in the bathtub, I made it a point to really play with Jed; to interact, to make him laugh and see his eyes light up, to balance that silly plastic cow on the faucet before making it splash into the water over and over again because I want my son to know—that for at least ten minutes today—there was nothing more important in my world than him.

More than anything, I want to be a good mother. No, I want to be a great mother. I want to create moments, that though they may be forgotten in the stream of everyday life, the feelings of love still linger. My family is my world and I want them to know that. It’s dumb to let the clutter of everyday living interfere. So from now on, my goal is to drop what I think may be more important at the moment, clear my head, and connect with my child at least once a day. I hope it becomes a habit, a part of who I am. My family is my priority, not the dishes or my pictures or this blog. Bron and Jed are the center of my world and I ought to treat them as such. Perhaps Jed will become a better man if he has a mother who lights up when he enters the room and a mother who truly listens to him and knows him.

But really, it doesn’t matter how Jed “turns out”; I will love him regardless. I just think the joy and satisfaction I feel from truly being with the people I love will be more than worth any effort.

Tonight, Jed hugged me. He laid his head on my shoulder and let me just hold him. I patted his back. He patted mine. Those are the moments I want to wrap up and save forever.

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"Jed, What Does a Cow Say?"

"Jed, What Does a Cow Say?"

6.26.2011

"Moo!"

Jed purses his lips and tries to say it.  I just can't get enough of this face.

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The Graduate

The Graduate

6.22.2011

The New Master of Dairy Nutrition

Bron did it! He defended his thesis and PASSED! Aside from a few details, Bron is officially done with his Masters Degree! Wahoo!!!

Yesterday, as I sat there watching Bron present, I felt overwhelmingly proud of my man. This entire two year journey has been a labor of work, sweat, and even a few frustrated tears. But I think the rewards are going to be totally worth his efforts. Bron is so smart! He has an awesome job lined up. This degree has opened up so many new opportunities for him. It feels like the world is at his feet.

Bron was grilled by his advisors for a couple more hours after his presentation. When Bron walked through the door of the overpriced restaurant on Church Street, I immediately knew he had passed. I could see it in his face and body, a weight had literally been lifted. The food tasted delicious!

So last night, instead of working till the wee hours of the morning, Bron relaxed in front of the television and talked with an old friend on the phone. I think we’re all going to enjoy a little less stress in his life.

Bron, I am so incredibly proud of the man, husband, and father you are! You are more than I ever dreamed of marrying. Your potential is limitless; I can see it. I love you!

P.S. I left Jed with a pair of babysitters yesterday. It was the first time I’d left him all afternoon. It was liberating, but I missed my little man! By the way, my babysitters were awesome. I came home to a sleeping baby and a clean house!

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Let's Hear it for Dad!

Let's Hear it for Dad!

6.19.2011

My dad with little me and my brother, Joey

I know my dad beats himself up with regrets and about his shortcomings—like being horrible at remembering birthdays—but I couldn’t love him more! Much of who I am today is because of this man.

My dad calls me Jessie Baby. I think he would still hold my hand if I would let him. When I was little, I thought every man in camouflage uniform was my dad.  Nothing held a candle to my dad!  He did many things that dads are supposed to do, like teaching me how to throw a baseball so I never had to embarrass myself at recess in elementary school. He also taught me how to ride a bike. One of my favorite childhood memories are of our family bike rides every Sunday afternoon around Pearl Harbor. We stopped to chat with the fishermen on the pier, stick our fingers in sea urchins, and play at the park.

We’ve had a lot of adventures like that together because, well, that’s just who my dad is: outgoing and adventurous. He has many hobbies and interests that keep him interesting. I’ve been to countless places across the United States because of him. I don’t know how many old military forts I’ve visited or how many air shows I’ve seen, but most of them were pretty cool. I remember when he was learning to sail; he took my brother and me out with him in these tiny eight foot sailboats and we almost always tipped and went swimming in the ocean! My dad loves old cars, motorcycles, airplanes, and boats. He built a plane once or twice. And that time he tried to cruise “the berg” (his 98 foot yacht) from Victoria, Canada down the west coast will go down in history! He is pretty much the epitome of a man’s man.  But as I've grown up, I've come to realize that he is much more than that.  He is a sensitive and caring man too!  I know he loves me very much.

My dad has taught me what it means to work and to take responsibility for my own actions. He has taught me how to listen and communicate by example. I appreciate that we can have open, honest conversations about anything—nothing is taboo! It has helped me grow and be confident that my opinions are valid too. On top of all that, my dad has shown and continutes to show me how to live my dreams; how to dream a dream and just go for it! Life isn’t perfect. And it isn’t the destination that counts; it’s the adventure in the journey.

So thanks, Dad, for a wonderful childhood and memories that will live on forever. I love you and am so grateful to have you for a dad!

   

Jed and his Daddy

And it wouldn’t be Father’s Day if I didn’t honor the father who lives under my same roof. There is so much I could say about how awesome a daddy Bron is to Jed; about how hard he works, about how his instincts are often right on, about how well he takes care of Jed in the evenings when I’m working, and about how fun it is to have someone to share the joys of being a parent with, but I just can’t seem to find the right words.

Bron truly enjoys being a parent. He is so good at it that he sometimes makes me a little jealous. Jed loves his dad tremendously because when Bron comes home, he gets on the floor and plays! Jed laughs and chases and wrestles him. I can only see these moments getting better and better! Bron helps make us a complete happy family, and that’s what matters most.

I love you, my handsome man!

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Arizona or Bust

Arizona or Bust

6.16.2011

Have I ever mentioned how my life rocks and that I am spoiled? Well, to illustrate that point, I got to fly to Arizona—with Jed in tow—to see my sister sealed for time and all eternity in the Gila Valley LDS Temple to her husband, Don! It was an awesome weekend! I was only gone five days, but it feels like I’ve been gone a lot longer.

Compared with New York, arriving in Arizona was like arriving on another planet! It is so barren and desolate, but beautiful in its own colors. I flew into Phoenix Thursday evening where my cousins, Necia and Rachel, picked me up. We had a nice three hour drive to Pima in which to talk and catch up. It was great! I love my cousins. They’re much like sisters to me.

It's may be a desert, but it's its own kind of pretty!

Jed and I stayed at my sister’s apartment. Lauren and Don went out of their way to make us feel comfortable; Jed had a crib to sleep in and a high chair to eat in. Wonderful! We had all of Friday to play and catch up—just my sister and me. We went shopping, swimming, ate delicious banana milkshakes, hung out with Rachel, and watched movies after Jed went to bed. It’s crazy; even though we live thousands of miles apart and only see each other every once in a while, we sound exactly alike! We said the same things, at the exact same time, in the exact same way! Crazy! It made us laugh. I love my sister so much! I really cherish our relationship—it’s very special to me.

We must've been a sight at the pool!  My sister was nine months pregnant and I was pasty white!

My cousin, Rachel, with her two boys

It took a while, but Jed eventually liked the water!

Lauren made me laugh because every time she got herself a popsicle, she always grabbed two.  When you're a pregnant lady in Arizona, you always need two; might as well save a trip to the freezer!  haha

  

The prego ladies: Lauren 38 weeks, Rachel 29 weeks

Jed took off walking this week.  His new found (lack of) balance scares me sometimes! 

Then Saturday morning, friends and family all gathered in the Gila Valley Temple to see Lauren and Don sealed, or in other words, have the opportunity to be together forever! It was a powerful feeling to see so many people I love in the temple; I think it was a glimpse into the eternities. Our family is quite dysfunctional from time to time, but there in the temple, I felt nothing but love. I am sooo happy for my sister and her husband and their baby-to-be!

The rest of the weekend was spent eating and swimming. After church on Sunday afternoon, the entire family gathered again at Rachel’s house for dinner and heavenly trifles for dessert! Jed played outside with my little brothers all evening while the rest of us talked and ate and laughed.

I love my family. Thank you all for a wonderful weekend!!!

Jed with his 2nd cousin, Grady

Apparently, driving the jeep is serious business!

   

When the jeep runs out of battery, get out and push!

My uncle Jeff with his grandson, Traejan

We will forever be "the cousins"!

Me, my sister Lauren, and cousins Rachel and Necia

Prego ladies MUST. EAT. DESSERT! 

Okay, so I went back for seconds too.  The trifles really were that good.

Jed at play outside.

13 months old

A Peak at the Real Family Deal:

My mom and family took us to the airport on their way out Monday morning. Picture this: Eight people in a Sequoia. My stepdad up front is sick with the flu and driving. I’m sitting in the middle seat between my grandparents. My grandpa doesn’t have his hearing aid in and can’t hear a thing. He also suffers from mild dementia, so he starts rambling on about random things. My grandma is on the other side of me singing her heart out, trying to keep everyone entertained. My brothers are in the back seat singing their own gory version of what happened to Santa Clause when he went crazy. And Jed threw up all over himself. Needless to say, it was an eventful morning, and it all happened before 9:00AM.  Reflecting back on it, I can't help laughing.

Also, one word to sum up flying with a one year old: Ugh. It’s exhausting trying to entertain someone so busy in such a tiny area ALL DAY LONG. Luckily, Jed is a happy little boy and a great traveler. He fell asleep gnawing on pretzels more than once. Jed also made friends with everyone we met. And even strangers are nice to a lone young woman traveling with a baby. The gentleman making runs for the airport shuttle dropped me off right in front of our car and waited for me to reassemble Jed’s car seat before leaving me alone in the dark parking lot. Just another one of those tender mercies, I guess.

Jed and I were ready for a lot of this when we finally got home!

I love my sleeping child.

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