"Old Men" Weekend

A.K.A: Conference Weekend!

Jordy and I met Tyler at work on Friday and then went up to my mission reunion at my mission president's home in Bountiful. It was fun to see some of those I served with and- most importantly- show off Jordy! :)
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve a mission and for all those that supported me along the way.

Michelle Almeida- one of my companions!

We are enjoying our relaxing conference weekend lounging around at home. I've seen several people post about conference on facebook talking about listening to "cute, old men." I don't know that that's how I'd choose to describe conference-- however, I needed some excuse to post all these pictures! :) *We took these a few Sundays ago, but I didn't upload them till now-

I couldn't help myself. The hat was $1 and he was a good sport as I took lots of pictures! 

Conference is always a good opportunity for me to self-reflect. I have been thinking recently how being a mom has given me the "opportunity" to be humbled. A LOT. And OFTEN. I knew that having a baby would change things- but I was quite naive just how much one little person would change things! I had no idea just how hard it is being completely responsible 24/7 for another person who is completely dependent on you. It has made me so much more impressed and amazed with every other mom out there-- how did they all make it look easy?! I thought that I was a fairly independent person...liking to do things for myself as much as possible-- but this semester has shown me just how much I NEED others. I can't do it on my own. I have mentioned before- but for my 2 classes, 4 different people watch Jordy, plus, anytime I meet with the client for my thesis research is another time someone watches him. I have seen over and over how weak I am and how many faults I have (getting tired and frustrated with Jordy or not knowing how to calm him down, etc.) and how much I've relied on others to offer support, encouragement, advice, or even just to listen to me vent for a little while. I am so so SO grateful for all the help I've received-- especially these last few months. To be honest- I still ask myself almost daily, "Is this worth it?" to keep juggling school while Tyler is working full-time and Jordy is so young. It has been the hardest semester ever. I hate feeling like I'm not giving my best self to what I'm doing- especially to Jordy and to Tyler...

President Uchtdorf's conference talk really made me think again about my level of gratitude. I shouldn't just be grateful for things but be grateful while in different circumstances. Even when I don't understand everything. So no matter what ends up happening- I'm forever grateful for those that have helped make things work up to this point- both here in person and those at a distance. Yes, I wish it were "easier"- but I am learning so much from these moments (not just from my classes about speech and language topics) but also about myself, my family, and most importantly- the Gospel in action in my life. 

This is Jordy "singing" along with the choir! 

Our little monSTAR :)

 

Recently we watched Space Jam - featuring another favorite Jordan of this household! :)
It finally hit me who Jordy has reminded me of every time we put him in his dress and bag for the night!
See the resemblance?!

Jordy is living up to the "monster" label in other ways...for some reason he has recently decided to make having a messy diaper a big event by saving up for a week and THEN going...

Yeah- that was a real MONSTER to clean up (of course it was right before Tyler got home from work- so I got to do it all by myself...Jordy got his first shower of his life! Just sprayed him down :) 

My friend, Holly, has been watching him on Wednesday mornings when I go to class. She has a little girl, about a month and a half older than Jordy. She is usually sleeping when I get back to pick him up, but a few times, she's been awake and just stares at Jordy with the look of "what is this boy doing here?" Well- this last week when I got there, they were both awake and had been playing on a blanket. I held him up (he's just as big, if not bigger than her already!) and she stared at him awhile, but then, kept reaching for his hand. It was cute! However, Jordy must have remembered the "dirty" looks from before, because he wanted nothing to do with this hand-holding. In fact, at one point, he tried putting her hand that was holding his into his mouth. Real smooth, Jordy! That's ok...there will be plenty of time for hand holding later. MUCH later! :) 

The stare-down! 

Just not interested...

3 months!

Oh, this little man makes me happy! 

Some things about Jordy this month: 

- He is awake more...he usually can last about an hour to an hour-and-a-half after eating before he's ready for a nap again

- He still prefers sleeping on his tummy- but he'll at least let me put him down right next to me rather than having to hold him for him to sleep

- He is so strong! The baby book said by this time he should be able to lift his head up to 45 degrees while on his stomach- he's been lifting it up almost 90 degrees for awhile and raising his chest while on his stomach! 

- He smiles so much (even spontaneously!)-- even when he's starting to get tired/fussy...if we smile at him he smiles while still trying to whimper...pretty cute (not the whining part- just the can't-help-but-smile part!) 

- Is getting close to laughing

- Unfortunately- he's a little backwards with his sleeping schedule. I didn't realize how lucky we were, but after about a month, he was practically sleeping through the night- or at least going 7-8 hours without needing to eat. Within the last week, he started waking up wanting to eat (almost like clockwork) every 3-4 hours. Maybe he's going through ANOTHER growth spurt?! I just hope he reverts back to his old sleeping pattern soon...

- He's still entranced with the lights on the TV or phone and he'll follow it from side to side (which makes doing facetime a little hard because he's just mesmerized by the screen. Sorry- I promise he's more fun in person!) 

- Is a STRONG kicker and likes to pretend to stand up when we're holding him (he's been doing that for a little while as well)**We're making bets if he'll be crawling before rolling over...he doesn't seem interested at all in rolling over, but he can already kick his way around

- He almost prefers his fist over his pacifier at this point...(however, he gets SO slobbery)

- LOVES to "talk"...ok- maybe being in the speech field makes me overly-optimistic. However, he is cooing and ooing and ahh-gooing a LOT! (Yes, it's the difference of Vowel-only and Vowel-Consonant sounds. "BIG" difference :) And to Tyler's dismay- he squeals a lot too...really loud and high-pitched! (Tyler keeps trying to tell him that boys don't make sounds that high...Ü )

- Really seems to like playing pat-a-cake or any other "hand-game" (he's probably just laughing at us as we make a fool of ourselves -- but we'll pretend he's playing with us!) 

- Likes watching and listening to the rainstick and other music (Tyler and I are re-learning the primary songs while listening to them with Jordy!)

- Is blowing lots of spit bubbles

- Doesn't seem to be as fussy lately-- he just likes being the center of attention and being talked to. He still isn't a big fan of being put down while I try to do something else. And the minute he gets tired, he lets us know...but he usually calms down pretty fast. 

- Still likes snuggling

- Some of his happiest moments during the day are when he's getting his diaper changed

- Still has pretty blue eyes

- Has finished a pack of size 2 diapers already (for 12-18 lbs babies...hopefully he won't outgrow those too fast-- we just bought 2 more boxes of them) **He seems to be longer than "chunky"...except for his cheeks! :) 

This is what Jordy REALLY thinks of me trying to make him do photo-shoots! :)

To which he says, "Fine then. I'll just eat my hand..."

 "Not fair! Dad made me laugh!" 

The best part about being a mom: 

Getting excited about each little "milestone" or "new trick" Jordy does! I think before now, I heard moms talk about their kids' new developments and I'd think to myself "really, you're excited about THAT?!" But now, I AM excited about exactly THAT! :) I love telling Tyler "guess what Jordy was doing today" when he gets home from work (even though, let's be honest- to someone else- Jordy just hung out while I tried to get something done- his new little smile or whatever wasn't anything earth-shattering) But to me- it IS earth-shattering!! This little guy- MY SON- is doing something NEW! And he's doing it WITH ME! It's so fun to see him develop more of a personality and be able to react a little more with me. It's also what has made it so hard for me to try doing school right now...I don't want to miss ANY of those moments. 

Jordy "talking" (about the basketball game)

And one of my favorites: we caught a time when he was "phantom sucking" on his pacifier! :) 

Little leprechaun

Even though Jordy has been pretty fussy lately and has just had a hard time being comfortable in any position (we actually went to the doctor today and are trying out an antacid medicine to see if that will help with possible reflux) -- this little man can still make it all worth it with his smile! :)

And this kid is hilarious. Good advice for any "new" person...so listen up, Jordy! Ü 

"Laughing's the best!" 

A few BIG lessons from a little person

Some fun Jordy moments! (I hope someone enjoys these...I just spent over an hour trying to figure out how to upload these because the videos were too big at first. Grrr...but it was still more fun than doing my reading, or research, or the dishes, or... ☺)

This is one of the few moments when Jordy let me put him in his bouncer. He's wearing his favorite: the bunny dress! (I can't tell you how many times I get "wapped" in the face with those stupid bunnies while he's sleeping!) He's trying to figure out what those toys are doing in front of him...

Jordy: Talking at 1 o'clock in the morning! 

Smiling with Dad! 

The other day when I was trying to change Jordy with lightning-speed as he was screaming at me, (even though I wasn't the one that made poop go all the way up his back- in fact, I was the one HELPING him!) I had this little realization:

I've had my own "traumatic" diaper-changing moments in my life.

And then, the more I thought about it- the more I realized there are MANY valuable life lessons that Jordy is teaching me.

Here are a few so far:
1. Life is like a diaper change. Maybe not literally. (I still like thinking life is more like a box of chocolates than a diaper...) But I realized this: Jordy screams and gets so upset when he's getting changed, not realizing that what's happening is really GOOD for him. No matter how many times he's been through it before, he always seems to forget that it lasts a short time and that he feels so much better when it's over. How many times do I get so upset in the moment- even when I know that whatever discomfort I may be going through is only temporary, and that I'll feel better after?
2. Jordy is so "quick to forgive": One minute he can be so upset and red in the face, and then, (hopefully) within a few minutes, he's snuggling into me or even giving me smiles. It's made me think- would I be that happy if I would just not hold grudges against people?
3. Simplicity is key: All Jordy really asks for is a clean diaper, some food every couple of hours, a little attention now and then, and a nice comfortable place to sleep. Wow. I feel so high-maintenance and selfish and greedy compared to him. For example: I have so many clothes that I don't even end up wearing- yet, I don't like what I have and always am looking for others --> Jordy wouldn't care if he wore the same 3 outfits every day. He just cares about the ESSENTIALS. The other day I had to watch a movie about repairing cleft palates in India and other third-world countries for one of my classes. There I was watching it on my big TV, sitting on my couch, in a comfortable home- watching a little 8-year-old walk barefoot for hours to get to the city so she could get her cleft lip fixed. Talk about feeling humbled. Sometimes I feel frustrated as I'm running from one place to another, juggling an upset Jordy in my arms and I've thought, "why is this so hard?" Ha. Because I MAKE it hard! I really should be thinking about how blessed I've been to have so many opportunities.

Another twist on the simplicity theme: The few times I've been able to put Jordy down for a couple minutes- I always feel like I have to try getting a million things done (as I've realized there is a limit to what can really get done one-handed) Yet, seeing as I only have 10-15 min. or so...I've had to prioritize what is most important and what REALLY needs to get done first. If the dishes sit in the dishwasher for another day...oh well! Jordy "helps" take the mystery out of knowing what are the most important things to do and has helped redefine what daily "successes" are (ie: getting dressed, getting something for dinner, etc!)
4. Independence is a blessing. As much as I enjoy being at Jordy's every "beck and call" (quite literally)- it's made me think how different my life would be if I depended on someone else for EVERYTHING- getting dressed, eating, changing, etc. (I know that I still do rely on so many--I don't think I will ever be entirely independent!) But at least I don't have to wear a diaper anymore...
5. It's kind of a given with what I'm studying and all-- but I've again seen how important COMMUNICATION is! (Remind me of this when Jordy is a teenager and I wonder why I ever taught him to speak!)
6. We have a quote in our kitchen/dining room that says: "We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do." Jordy is living proof of this! Ü There have been times that I just don't think I can do another day of screaming and crying...and then he'll smile at me and I think that Jordy couldn't be more perfect! I seem to forget about all those frustrating moments with that big cheesy grin of his! He really can brighten my day!
7. Trusting others. Something I have a VERY hard time doing- yet- Jordy does this every day, all day long. He has to trust that someone will feed him, and keep him safe. What if I trusted others that much?
8. The other day in my primary class the lesson was supposed to highlight how Jesus had started as a baby and then grew up choosing the right-- so I asked those 4 year-olds if they thought a baby could do different things right away, and they said no. I told them they were right, babies have to be taught things. Then one little girl blurted out "just like a dog! You have to teach a dog to do stuff." Although that wasn't exactly the point I was hoping to get across- it did make me realize she had a point. It is up to me/us to teach Jordy pretty much everything initially (somehow he's got crying down and I know I didn't teach him that!) That hit me hard: YIKES! I'M responsible for teaching him something! What on earth can I teach him?! But I think more than any facts I can pass along to him- he's going to learn by example-I know I learned so much from the excellent examples of my parents and others around me- A reminder to me to be the kind of person I want Jordy to see and learn from.

First Mini Road Trip

Tyler has been staying pretty busy these last few months. He's been juggling being on "Jordy duty" when he gets home from work (which has switched to a different lean-manufacturing system- so he has a different title now: Operations Analyst Manager- which means he has new responsibilities there) with his new calling of Ward Clerk (so he has to go to Sunday Bishopric meetings and mid-week interviews) with also studying for the GMAT test that he has to take to apply for business schools! For the last month and a half he was staying up in Salt Lake on Tuesday and Thursdays from 6-9:15pm taking a prep class. This meant he didn't get home until after 11pm because he had to wait for the next train which wasn't until 10:11 :( He studied hard and took multiple practice tests these last few months. On Saturday, he took the dreaded test in Bountiful (starting at 8am). Jordy and I met him at his work on Friday and we all stayed in a hotel in Salt Lake so Tyler wouldn't have to drive so far that morning. I am so proud of Tyler for his hard work and dedication, studying and doing practice problems on the train and on the weekends. Those tests are long and frustrating- but Jordy and I are so proud of him for taking it! 

When Tyler finished the test, we decided to walk around Temple Square for a little bit because it was such a gorgeous day with a clear blue sky! What a great way to relax after a stressful test! I had a mission companion that always was so eager to just see the temple...she said it brought instant peace and comfort to her just looking at it. I agree! 

I'm still not sure what's in our future...but I sure am grateful for our Eternal Family! 

Happy "Un-birthday"

Jordy turned 2 months old on February 30th...oh wait, there is no February 30th!! Thus, he had an "un-birthday" moment! I can say "he's getting so big" with proof: the outfit he's wearing in these 2 month pictures is a size 3-6 month! (It's a little big, but not by much!)

These past 2 months have been a steep learning curve- but they've also been the best we could have asked for!

A little about Jordy:

- He weighs 13 lbs and is almost 24 inches! (The pediatrician said 66th percentile for weight and 80-something for height...but I think he may have switched those numbers! He is wearing mostly 3-6 month clothes now)
-He has blue eyes (for now!) Almost everyone that meets him for the first time comments about his eyes :)
-He's starting to get some hair...in some light it has a reddish tint, in others it looks more blonde/light brown
-Has long eyelashes
-Can hold his head up and ALMOST control it
-He is finding "tummy-time" more tolerable...more so when he's on our chests. But he is looking around a lot and often becomes fixated on things
-Is smiling a lot more (mostly intentional) Ü
-Hates being dressed/undressed
-Doesn't really like being in his carseat
-Likes being "Mommy's little helper": meaning he needs to be held constantly...if he's in a really good mood he might let me put him in his swing or bouncer chair for 15 min. max
-Is eating every 3-4 hours on average and has cut the time down from almost an hour to about 15-20 min!
-Likes being in the water for baths
-Sleeps on average 6.5- 7 hours at night (I'm usually the one waking him up to take Tyler to the train in the morning)
-Hates sleeping on his back or sleeping alone :(
-Is a kicker! When he's sitting on our laps he can't keep his legs still!
-Is "coo-ing" and "oo-ing" more and more
-Has figured out that HE controls his hand and therefore, it is his new favorite thing to suck on (however, he still really likes his pacifier and gets upset- even while sleeping- if he notices it's not in his mouth...one of the cutest things he does is "air suck"...or make the motions of sucking on his pacifier even when it has fallen out)
-TMI, but I can't help it: Another thing that I find super cute- maybe just because I'm his mom- and just for this stage in his life- but he'll be stirring in his sleep and stretch and then he lets out little toots!

Jordy's newborn socks that Aunt Rachel got him (on the right) which he's outgrown. More "proof" that he's growing so much! So now he's wearing the 0-6 month pair on the left...I think he's destined to have big feet!

My Sleepy Head! It's all about HIM being comfortable! 

His new favorite discovery: His FIST! :)

We got to see Uncle Ben play soccer with his co-ed intramural team. He did SO well...he made it all the way to the championship game!! We were so excited to watch him play and Jordy was proud to sport his soccer gear as well! (Even if he looks as round as the soccer ball himself!) 

Way to go Ben! :) 

Some of Jordy's fun faces!

Doing facetime with his grandparents! I don't think he knows what to think about people talking to him from a screen! :) 

Another favorite thing about being a mom:

I love spending hours of my day just holding him! I have held other babies, but there is something different about holding Jordy! YES- there are definitely times when I wish I could put him down to be able to shower or make dinner or just to give my arms a rest...but at the same time, it's kind of fun realizing I have a buddy with me all day long! And he's my SON! (I'm STILL trying to really wrap my head around that! Maybe I'll comprehend what that means before he's 18...) Yes, going anywhere takes longer with him and he often gets grumpy going on my little errands- so, as much as we can, we just chill at home. I have a growing list of "projects" that I might not get started on until Jordy is 10 or so at this rate, because I'm amazed how much time I can spend just talking to Jordy, trying to get him to smile! (Convincing him that he has a crazy lady for a mom!) I often don't get my reading done on time or scramble when it's time for my midterms or my sessions with my thesis client...but I wouldn't trade that 'Jordy time' for anything. That's what I call TIME WELL SPENT! I love my little guy- and I just need to remember this in those moments when my arm feels like it's going to fall off...

*Things I've figured out how to do one-handed: Unload the dishwasher, put on makeup, feed the fish and write emails!  

Because Jordy got "jipped" out of a 2 month birthdate...here's a 'BONUS': 

It's an indescribable feeling knowing that I am responsible for this little person! I hated taking him to the doctor and watching him get shots as part of my 'responsibility'- and I don't like not knowing how to make him stop crying all the time. I feel like I'm constantly googling "my baby does this..." or "is this a concern..." as I'm trying to learn things as we go and I'm definitely overwhelmed with feeling inadequate to be a parent. But there are enough moments when Jordy looks at me while eating and he stops to just smile at me and it melts my heart. There are some things that only I can do for him...and that's a different feeling knowing that I am at least useful to one person in some way! I wish I had all the answers for parenting- but for now- it's nice knowing that I can still do something for him.