September FUN!

Austin eating his lunch on the flour bucket. He asked for it so why not?

Austin would run around all day with a blanket tied around his neck being a superhero. I decided that it was time to make some capes. I found a very easy pattern that really requires one line of sewing. I then made appliques of stars and lightning bolts. I think they turned out really cute!

Playing at the park. He won't do anything but stand up there, however he loved it!

This box with rice has kept him entertained for hours this month. He loves to bury his toys in the rice.

The capes were a hit with all the boys I watch. I made enough so they could each have one to wear when they are over. How cute are these superheros?

Austin-ism's

Lately Austin has been saying some pretty funny things. Here are a few:

A: "My booty shaken'."
Mom: "What?"
A: "My booty shaken' hurts!"
Mom: "Your booty?"
A: "Yeah, my booty shaken' hurts, Mom!"

A: "I want to go to Heather's cool!"
Mom: "You want to go to Heather's?"
A: "Yes, and swim in her cool!"
Mom: "Pool?"
A: "Yeah, cool!"

A: "I'm having hangaburger buns, you having tacos."

A: "Mom, I need money. I need cash!"
Dad: "You need cash? For what?"
A: "Yeah, I need cash for light, it's broken."

About anything: "What happen?"

"Set my timer up!" when he doesn't want to stop doing something.

Anytime I tell him to do something and he doesn't do it I say "I told you ___________ would happen if ________ wasn't done."
His version: "I told ya." Which he says to me all the time about anything, however, he doesn't say it in a mean way.

At church today:
Mom: "Good job Micah."
A: "Micah, good job!"
*I start laughing*
A: "Good job Micah! Good job!"
*All adults present laughing*

Putting Austin to bed tonight this happened:
A: "Fluffy mango!"
Mom: "Fluffy mango?"
A: "Yeah, fluffy mango!"
Mom: "Ok."
A: "Gus is a fluffy mango!"
*Laughter for the next 2 minutes from both of us, I was laughing at him laughing so hard!*

I sure love that little goofball!

Summer Time!

I love summer time! It is so nice to play with my little boy in the beautiful weather. We don't have access to a pool so I spend most afternoons on the porch with Austin in the kiddie pool. He will ask me to get in and splash around with him. That is one of the best moments of my day. I love that wants to play with me!

Watering the dirt instead of playing in the pool.

Also, I have started watching some kids n the neighborhood. Some days are crazy and I think I can't do it, but other days are so great. I think the hardest part has been for Austin. All these kids in his house, playing with his toys, hugging his mommy. He is getting better but still has his moments. You would think after being at someone else's house pretty much every weekday he wouldn't have a problem. He never did at the other houses, but I think it is so different because it is his house. The nice part is all the playmates he has.

We went to the splash pad in The Riverwoods after dinner last night. I think that Brandon just wanted to go home but Austin didn't.

A few weeks ago we went Wheeler Farms. This is a working farm that you can visit and explore. It is totally free which is nice, especially since we can get closer to the animals than the zoo. Austin loves going to Wheeler Farms.

He was able to feed the ducks with Daddy while we were there.

He also milked a cow. After we left he told us that was his favorite part. When it was happening though he wasn't really enjoying it. When he first started milking the cow, he had the utter pointed towards him and so he sprayed milk on his leg. Oh well!

This past weekend we went to Thanksgiving Point for their Dairy Days. They had a place to make your own ice cream, little games to play, and free milk. Austin had so much fun!

Well, that is until the cow train. We went to go wait to ride it but the driver needed to take a break since it was so hot. We sat on the grass in the shade and waited. The driver passed by and asked if we were waiting on the cow train. Austin said YES! We followed him over, and I put Austin in one of the cows (which is just a big barrel). Austin had a huge smile on his face. After a little while the train took ok and Austin screamed "Yay!" His excited only lasted until the train started moving farther away. The farther it got, the more he cried. About half across the field, the driver stopped and took Austin out. I had to walk across the field to get Austin. I told Austin he was missing all the fun and he told me "yeah." I just laughed.

Happy Summer!

May

This has been a busy month. The beginning of May seems like forever ago.

I have been busy with work. Since I am not going back next year, I have been so busy packing and thinking about packing. I have been making a list of all the things that I needed to do, and I have been keeping busy checking them off. I am now done, thankfully, but still. After four years of teaching in the same classroom, you end up having a lot of stuff! I even thought I was doing a good job de-cluttering through the years. However, apparently I could have done better. ;)

Austin is in charge of doing the silverware, setting the table, and cleaning up his toys. You can always tell when Austin does the silverware. I just chuckle every time I open the drawer and find this:

Austin loves to dress and undress himself, much to our displeasure at times. He will just pull off whatever he is wearing whenever he wants and run around the house laughing. However, this is also a good thing because he has figured out how to put on his shirt, pants, and socks. Here he is putting on a pair of Daddy's socks, and ended up with one of my socks.

Austin loves to eat and will just help himself to whatever he can find in the fridge. Usually, it is strawberries, apples, or oranges. He can even peel open Cuties. One day, I went upstairs to grab something quickly and came down to find him with strawberry juices all over his face, and a half eaten strawberry. He does this regularly, even when Daddy is getting readying in the morning. At least he chooses the healthy things.

He took off his pants, put on my sunglasses, and climbed on the counter to eat his snack. Oh Austin!

 

Eating a lime! He spit it out shortly after.

He loves his Thomas the Train conductor hat.

Austin goes through phases where he is really into something, doing it all the time, and then other times where he will still do that one thing just not as much. As soon as we walk into the house, he sits down and pulls out his books. After about 5 minutes, he will come grab my hand and pull me over to read with him. He will do this for the next hour, and then picks it back up again after a 15-minute break. I love how much he loves books. Even when he isn't in the "Books Now" phase he will still sit down for about 30 minutes a day and read.

We went to the Dinosaur Museum again with our friends little boy. They had such a good time!

Austin still loves to come here, but he still hates getting the wet sand on him. He freaked out the first time he touched it that day and Brandon showed him how to nub his hands together to wipe it of. Austin still wasn't happy about it, but would wipe and wipe and wipe his hands when they got "sticky" as he calls it.

 Every year our school has a History Fair. This is a lot of work, but in the end it is worth it. Each grade picks a subject that they cover through the year and focus on it for the History Fair. This year we chose Vikings! The students loved learning about them so it was even better to spend a little more time on it. Here is what it looked like:

Entrance to the 2nd grade hall

We made a long-ship down the wall with desks, so we needed a proper dragon head for the front

Some of what was made: Helmets, shields, hammers, and boats

Viking Runes

My classroom looks so bare. I have 2 1/2 days left. I will be a little emotional leaving this place; I have loved it so much.

Austin loves his camo camping chair from Uncle Scott and Aunt Ashley. He has been caring it around all day.

Happy May!

Mother's Day

I just wanted to take a moment and reflect on my mom.

My mom is great. Yes, we have had our ups and downs over the years - mostly because of my strong head - but yet she is still one of my best friends. I love talking to my mom. Her and I could chat for hours and not even notice.

When I was going through the miscarriage it was so hard to be away from my mom. Growing up, whenever I was sick or down, she was there. She would sit on the couch, I would put my head on her lap, and she would stroke my head until I fell asleep. She would make me soup, and just be a mom. Therefore, going through something like that without her was hard. I know that she would be been here if she could, but she couldn't. It made me grateful that I had her that close growing up. It made me appreciate all that she has done for me more.

Today at church all the women were sent to Relief Society while the men took over our classes. There were a few things that where shared that I was touched by. One of them was a comment that what our children see us do spiritually will stick with them. It brought to mind a memory that I have of my mom. She goes to work very early, and yet she still takes time out to read her scriptures before work. Now, I am not talking like a quick read, but I think about 20-30 minutes. This has always impressed me about her. One morning, I needed to be up very early, and I came downstairs thinking that she was already gone. As I walked down the stairs I saw her sitting on her favorite chair reading her scriptures. This has always stuck with me, and motivates me to set an example like that for Austin.

Another that was shared was this video:

Thank you mom for all that you have done, and continue to do for me. I am grateful to have you in my life.

Thank you to all the women that have touched my life, and been like a mom to me as well. I wouldn't be the woman I am today without you all.

Happy Mother's Day!

Eternal Connection

Brandon was able to take work off on Monday, but he is switching jobs next week and he felt like he needed to be there so he went back on
Tuesday. Before he left he gave me a blessing.

I had been doing okay, but it was definitely something I needed. It was
mainly about the fact that there is more to this mortal life and about the plan
of salvation. If you would like more information about the church click here.

Now, I have grown up in the church and have heard all this stuff before.
However, there are times when certain aspects hit you more than other times.
The Lord knew what I needed to hear right then and there. Ever since then, I
have been doing so much better.

There was a talk
that was given last General Conference that keeps coming into my head. Elder
Dallin H. Oaks gave the talk. It said: "We are all under the Savior’s
command to love and care for each other and especially for the weak and
defenseless." Even though I will not be able to care for and raise this
baby right now, we still have Austin. Everything will be okay as long as we
love and care for the one sweet child that we have right now.

Also, I went to the doctor's Tuesday and was told very similar things from
the day before at the hospital. That it wasn't my fault. That there was no way
to see it coming. That even he was shocked because it was after 12 weeks, and
everything looked fine a few weeks ago. That there was something wrong and so
my body is taking care of it. I guess the fact that he is my doctor made it all
easier to hear. I am grateful that Brandon and I went back to him. We had a
great experience with Austin's birth but now I hope that he accepts all future
insurances we may have.

So many people don't understand what it is like, but there are those that do. We have been touched by the sweet words of comfort from those that have been there, and even just "I'm sorry" that others have shared with us. I am especially grateful for my students. They are all so worried about how I am doing, and touched by this loss, even though they haven't seen me since it happened and are 8 years old on average.

Dear Baby

This is personal, but I felt like I needed to post it. I wrote it more for myself.

April 15, 2013

Today, I woke up, and showered not knowing what the day would hold. All that quickly changed when I noticed I was bleeding. Now, we all know that this type of bleeding isn't normal. I instantly became worried and then sad. I just knew what the problem was.

We loaded in the car, Austin with his blanket and all, ready to go to the hospital. Brandon gave me a hug and asked if I was ok. I told him I was, but really I wasn't.

It seemed like we were at the hospital forever, but yet so quickly. I went back for an ultrasound and the tech didn't say anything at all. I just wanted to know.

After going back to the room in the E.R. for about 20 minutes the doctor came in and told us the news. I knew, I just knew that I was going to hear that, yet I hoped I didn't. Does that make sense?

No sign of life. No baby. I went into the bathroom to change. For some reason I just needed to be alone and take it all in. Brandon was waiting for me so I didn't take long. When I walked out, he hugged me and I just couldn't hold it in. Poor Austin had no idea what was going on, just that his mommy was sad.

We all sat down on the bed, Brandon holding Austin and his other arm around me. I am grateful he was with me. He told Austin that Mommy wouldn't be having a baby anymore. That hurt! To hear it so plain and simple like that. I know that it is the truth but yet, still.

I thought that I was in the clear miscarriage wise. I mean I was 14 weeks and 5 days. I had heard the heartbeat just 2 1/2 weeks before. Yet, it had happened.

Spontaneous abortion - that is the technical name for it.

For now, my heart is heavy but I can go on. It will take some time, of course, but I will go on. We were all playing on the bed today, laughing and having a wonderful time. My first thought was "I can make it through this if I just have my man and my boy."