9.11.11

 I've been a little busy lately.  And my internet access has been intermittent.  And when I get online I spend a lot of time catching up on other people's blogs.  And I haven't felt like blogging lately because I try to stay positive for my audience, but I haven't been feeling too positive lately.

But Hannah, who blocked me on Facebook, said she'd un-bookmark my blog if I didn't update soon.  And we can't have that.

But I also figured nobody wants a play-by-play of what I've been doing the last few weeks.  So, in the spirit of my good friend Holly, I'm going to just give the run down on each member of the family.

First, Rex.

Rex has been really into temples lately.  When he got the August issue of the Friend he was very excited to see the Salt Lake temple on the cover and told me all about how he was going to get married in the temple and that after he got married, I could have a turn, and then Daddy could.  When questioned who was he was going to marry, he at first said Daddy.  Sometimes he says himself, and once he even said Grandma Pattie.  Koodos to me that he knows what a temple is and that he ought to get married in one, but I think we need to work on the concept of marriage, especially since Greg and I aren't married and Rex is going to marry his grandmother.

Rex also requested that we go to the temple for family night (good for me that he knew what family night was--man I am an amazing mother).  So the Monday before we left Utah, we went to the temple and looked at the flowers.  This is the Mt. Timpanogos temple, where Greg and I got married (yes, we really are married).  Rex was pretty excited to see the blue temple and to be so close to it.  Luckily the temple was closed so we didn't have deal with keeping him outside.

Since we moved out of our old house, Rex has decided that he doesn't need naps.  But he does.  I find him like this a lot.  He's started just falling asleep in random places at really bad times--like 5 o'clock in the afternoon--and then not going to bed until 10 or so.  I am not ready to give up my naps.

Also before we left Provo, we went bowling with two of Greg's sisters.  Rex had a ton of fun for the first two rounds, before getting bored of having to take turns and going to the arcade instead.  Next time, we'll just let Rex bowl all the frames.

 I didn't think they'd make Rex wear bowling shoes, so didn't bring socks for him, so he wore my socks and he adorable shoes.

Otherwise Rex is adjusting to his new house and getting ready for baby.  He walks around the house asking which stuff is ours and getting really excited when he finds something that he knows is ours that he hasn't seen for a while.  He also really likes to show people his new room and his new big boy bed (he's in a regular twin now) and showing people baby Alice-y's crib.

He also really likes black people (is that ok to say?).  I think it's because whenever we go anywhere here in the South, we run into black people (imagine that) and so far all the older women have been super nice to Rex.  They shake his hand and ask him his name and how old he is.  He's taken to just walking up to people and saying, "Hi, I Rex."  It's adorable.  Today at church he saw an older black woman and waved to her as we were walking out of the chapel, but she didn't wave back--he is only 2 fee tall so I don't think she saw him.  So, Rex walked up to her and just stood there by her waiting for her to say hi.  Finally, I had to interrupt her conversation so she could shake Rex's hand and we could go to nursery.  Did I mention that Rex also introduces me--"I Rex.  Dat Header."  Sometimes he even calls me Heather instead of mom...not sure how I feel about that.  I could go on, but Hannah really only wanted pictures so I'll move onto..

Second, me.

I am trying.  Trying to make the best of things here.  I still miss Provo desperately.  I cry at least twice a week about it--usually when I'm lost or driving 45 minutes to get to the grocery store and am just missing the ease that was Provo.  I met a super nice lady at the library the other day and she said to give Charlotte a year--she said that's how long it took her to appreciate it.  So maybe in 11 1/2 months.

On the bright side, I have nearly the whole house unpacked--just a few more boxes that were waiting for new carpet.  I also have a pile of pictures to be hung, but am trying to decided if I should even bother because I need to paint most of the house.  We did paint Rex's room yesterday--bright green, I love it--so at least I can get some things on the walls in there.

I've also made a few friends and the Relief Society president calls me at least twice a week to see what I need--I haven't worked up the courage to say that I really need some help painting, yet.  Maybe when she calls me next week I'll do it.

I also have a new midwife.  We tried one practice here in Charlotte that wanted us to do the same thing we did with Rex--tests, tests, tests, early induction, NICU.  We decided we didn't want to do that again, so we transfer to a very small practice in South Carolina.  We see only one midwife and will deliver at a birth center in South Carolina.  I am excited to have a normal, natural birth.  I am not excited about being sent home two to four hours after the birth--but then again, hospitals don't really let you sleep anyway.

And last, Greg.

Greg loves it here, but knows that I don't.  He bends over backwards to make things easy for me.  He didn't complain when he had zero clothes to wear.  He painted Rex's room nearly by himself yesterday.  He gets on line when I call him when I'm lost to tell me where to go.  He takes Rex on adventures around the 7 acres we currently live on almost every day after work so I can do whatever.  He takes Rex on errands and watches him after work so I can rest.  He takes me a drives through actual neighborhoods and reminds me that one day I will once again have neighbors and sidewalks.

Greg still enjoys his job.  He has a few funny stories to share every day, but he seems to work a bit more at this job than he did at previous jobs, which I suppose is a good thing.

He has also been going on adventures around the basement/garage/shed here.  It's like living in an antique/pawn shop.  Two nights ago he found an old cradle that he's hoping to get painted before baby arrived and the high chair his grandpa used as a baby.  He's also found various computer parts and cables that I didn't think we'd need so left in Provo and a few other little treasures.

Once I get a few more things set up here, I'll post pictures of my favorite parts of the house.  We do have several interior brick walls, which I love; two huge fireplaces, which just scream talent show; and some very regal looking window boxes that make me feel...rich.

And so that's what we've been up to--in a very large nutshell.

8.28.11

It's not just stuff; it's my stuff.

My stuff is who I am. I support businesses and causes and present myself to the world through my stuff.

My stuff is a representation of my (or Greg's hard work). We work hard for our income, which we then turn into stuff. The more we work, the more stuff we can buy (in theory).

My stuff is my independence. I don't have to rely on others to make dinner or wash my clothes or what ever else I want to do because I have my own stuff and can do what I want with my stuff. I can break or spit on or beat with a bat or love and clean my stuff in whatever way I want because it's my stuff and I worked for it and I paid for it. But when I don't have my stuff, or my stuff gets left in my garage, then I'm not independent. I am a leech. Other people have to feed my and my family. I have to borrow stuff from other people and worry constantly about not breaking or spitting on or beating with a bat or loving and cleaning other people's stuff in a way better than they would, because they worked hard for it and they bought it and it's there's--not mine.

My stuff isn't just stuff, it's mine and it's me and I want it back.

Some of my stuff I left in Provo on purpose--some of it I just didn't want any more, and that's ok because I worked for it, I bought it, and I decided that I didn't want it anymore. Some of it I left because I want to have it to come back to, because I still haven't accepted that this move might (might) be permanent. Some of it I left because it just didn't fit on the truck. And that's the stuff I miss the most. My swing set. I want my swing set back. Nobody else is going to take care of it and play with it the same way I would. Nobody else's husband sold a gun and worked for weeks to build it. Nobody else spent months checking KSL everyday to get a slide for it. Nobody else searched the internet for months for the best deal on climbing rocks. Nobody else knows the work and fun that that swing set brought me because it's mine. It's my stuff. It's my stuff and I want it.

So no, my stuff is not just stuff that can be picked up and left at will with no thought. My stuff is not just a pile of things I use for a short time and then leave. My stuff is mine. It's a part of me. And that stuff that got left behind: I think about it just as much as I think about the people that I left behind. The only difference is that the people will send me Christmas cards and the stuff with sit and rot and be uncared for and it's hard to take because it's mine and it's my work and my independence that goes with it.

8.27.11

Me: I love you, Rex.

Rex: no response.

Me: Can you say 'I love you'?

Rex: K.

Me: No, say 'I love you.'

Rex: I love me.

8.17.11: 9:22 pm

9:22 pm

R: Mama

H: Yes.

R: Came back!

(I'd been at a baby shower my wonderful friend Kristi threw for me)

H: Yes. I came back.

9:30 pm

H: Rex, if I get you more milk, will you go to bed?

R: Mo milk

H: Stay in bed. I'll go get you more milk.

R: Came back baby shower.

(Where does Rex learn these words and why does he remember them?)

H: Yes. I came back from the baby shower.

(I get Rex milk and lay down with him for a bit)

H: Rex, I have to go do my chores now. I love you. Do you love me?

R: Um, k. A Geezus lo me?

H: Yes, Rex, Jesus loves you.

R: A Daddy lo me?

H: Yes, Rex, Daddy loves you.

R: A you lo me?

H: Yes, Rex I love you. Good night baby.

R: A do cores.

(Rex is so adorable)

8.6.11: More of Rex's night time adventures

Sharing a room with Rex has been quite the experience. I've learned a lot about him that I didn't really want to know, but nonetheless, I now know. For example, he regularly is up until past 10 o'clock--no wonder he takes such good naps.

As mentioned, last night, Rex had another adventure in his room. When I went into go to bed, I found him on the floor by his door. I moved him to his little bed and got in mine. At 4 am, I hear him get up and bring his pose with him over to my bed. I scoot over so as to allow him in; we get him all situated and get to the business of going back to bed when Rex jumps out of bed and tells me he has to pee in the potty. I tell him to hurry, which he does. But he stops at the end of the bed and informs me that he earns a popsicle for peeing in the potty. I told him he could have one in the morning. He cries. He then proceeds to pee on the carpet. He wanted a popsicle for peeing in the potty and refused to pee in the potty unless he got one. I jumped out of bed, ripped his underwear off and practically throw him on the potty where he continues to scream and pee. But he did not get a popsicle. And he didn't get one this morning either.

All I can say is Rex is a fast learner--he has learned to use his bodily functions to manipulate me. He wants candy, he forces himself to pee. Today he learned that he could sneak extra nursery time at church by telling me he had to pee in the potty and then quickly running to nursery where the tiny toilet is. He would then play until I could get him into the bathroom or back to the chapel. He eventually did pee in the tiny toilet, but this was after about 4 false alarms. Tricky kid.

Now if he would just poop in the potty, I might declare him officially potty trained.

8.6.11

Last night, Rex insisted on wearing his snowman pajamas to bed. It was 87 degrees in our house (I try not to run the swamp cooler very much). I tried to tell him he'd be too hot, but he wouldn't listen. At 10 I decided to sneak into his room and remove his clothing so he wouldn't die. As I stuck my head in the door, he sat up. He was sitting on my bed, leaning against the closet, using one of my pillows as a blanket. He was shirt less. And then he stood up, and he was naked. "A pee potty Mommy. A diaper off. A pee potty." Good job Rex. That takes a lot of talent. He managed to take of his clothes off and pee in the potty in the dark.

He also got out his puzzles and actually did some of them. In the dark. If Rex were a super hero, his super power would be night-vision puzzle doing.

He also got out a new diaper and a few other things.

I figured I might as well go to bed too, so I put on my pjs and got in bed with Rex, who insisted that it was breakfast time (curses on me for feeding him at 3 am a few nights ago). I got him some blue cheerios (Fruit Loops), which he then tried to feed to me--did I mention that he now sleeps almost exclusively in my bed? He eventually fell asleep with his head in my armpit. I tried to move him back to his bed later, but he got right back up and got in my bed and put his head back in my armpit. My shoulder hurt when I woke up this morning from being in the same position all night so as not to suffocate Rex.

When he woke up this morning, Rex rolled over and put his little arm around me. It didn't quite reach, but he tried. He is a pretty sweet boy.

8.3.11: The stuff Rex gets away with...

Not having a dad around is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I knew I would miss Greg and that I would have a lot of one-on-one time with Rex, but, we'll just put it this way, I NEVER really want to be a single mom.

Having said that, here's how yesterday went.

First Rex got to eat three popsicles because I felt bad for him and am too tired to be strict on his food consumption lately. Then, around 6, he started getting really onery so I made sure to put him to bed right on time at 8. I was super tired too and not feeling so hot but since Rex and I are sharing a room now, I had to wait for him to fall asleep. I waited until 11, but he was still half awake when I went up to go to bed. He ended up in my bed. At midnight, I moved him back to his. At 2, I couldn't sleep because I was so hot so I moved into the living room under the swamp cooler but left the door to Rex's room open. Not two seconds later, I hear his little pitter-patter feet. So we go back to his room. By 2:30 it was apparent that neither one of us could sleep so chatted for a while before Rex decided he wanted to play. I let him get up and play while I attempted to sleep. But Rex wanted me to play with him. At 3:30, Rex said he had to pee in the potty so we did that. Then he said he wanted breakfast, and since I was hungry too, I obliged. We had pancakes. Then we cleaned up his room--he'd gotten all of his toys out. By 4:15 we were back in bed. But Rex still couldn't sleep so he played with the blinds while I tried, once again, to sleep. Finally, around 5, he started to settle down and eventually, after some idle threats on my part, he feel asleep. And slept until 9. I was pleased.

Then today, while he was supposed to be taking a nap, he pooped in his pants. So I changed him and put him back down. He then peed in his pants and colored all over my bed. He did not take a nap today.

And now I am tired and want to go to bed, but have to wait for Rex to fall asleep...I may just sleep on the couch.

Just one more month until we kind-of have our own place again--not to mention a live-in dad.