Dear Gibson,
I just got back from picking you up from school, and as you and Aubrey got into the car, you were talking about reading. She was saying that her teacher misses a lot of school because she has to go to training meetings, and you said it's because she needs to learn how to teach you to read more and to like reading more. Aubrey said that reading is boring, and asked you if you thought that reading is boring, too. You said, no! Reading is so fun, it takes you to lots of places and you love to read because it helps you use your imagination because you like to imagine yourself in the book.
Bestill my heart...you love reading. I love it!
Love,
Mom
Friday, April 6, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Dear Gibson,
It has been much too long since I've updated this journal, but things are calming down after a very overwhelming year. So it is my goal to re-up with this project!
To preface this little story, I want to point out that you have made a personal goal this year to read the Book of Mormon all by yourself. You have become a very accomplished reader in 1st grade, and it's really fun to see how your skills are being strengthened as you read the scriptures out loud. Now I see how missionaries can learn a language by reading the BoM in the language they are trying to learn. We didn't begin this undertaking at the beginning of the year, we just started a couple of weeks ago. Again, I'm finally ready to work on some projects! Tonight, we read 1 Nephi chapter 14. It was your turn to read (we switch off reading verses), and your verse had the word "abominable" in it a couple of times. You were tired and trying to hurry, and you said, "the abominable snowman" instead of the "abominable church." It was hilarious. The funny thing was that it took you a couple of lines to realize what you said, and then you said, "I said snowman, didn't I." We cracked up.
I'm so proud of your decision to read the Book of Mormon before you get baptized next year. We aren't very far into it and already I see your testimony growing, and I see you trying to make sense of what we read together. Thank you for always trying to be good, and I can't wait to share with you again all of the wonderful things you do that make me smile.
Love,
Mom
It has been much too long since I've updated this journal, but things are calming down after a very overwhelming year. So it is my goal to re-up with this project!
To preface this little story, I want to point out that you have made a personal goal this year to read the Book of Mormon all by yourself. You have become a very accomplished reader in 1st grade, and it's really fun to see how your skills are being strengthened as you read the scriptures out loud. Now I see how missionaries can learn a language by reading the BoM in the language they are trying to learn. We didn't begin this undertaking at the beginning of the year, we just started a couple of weeks ago. Again, I'm finally ready to work on some projects! Tonight, we read 1 Nephi chapter 14. It was your turn to read (we switch off reading verses), and your verse had the word "abominable" in it a couple of times. You were tired and trying to hurry, and you said, "the abominable snowman" instead of the "abominable church." It was hilarious. The funny thing was that it took you a couple of lines to realize what you said, and then you said, "I said snowman, didn't I." We cracked up.
I'm so proud of your decision to read the Book of Mormon before you get baptized next year. We aren't very far into it and already I see your testimony growing, and I see you trying to make sense of what we read together. Thank you for always trying to be good, and I can't wait to share with you again all of the wonderful things you do that make me smile.
Love,
Mom
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Dear Gibson,
You woke me up this morning by nudging me and saying, "Mom, I have our camping list! Read it!"
Here is the list, I admit it took me a minute on some of the words, but I got it - and it's a pretty great list! I wanted to put it here, just in case the original ever gets lost.
Very well done, son! Our first camping trip of the season is in two weeks - we'll make sure to pack all of the things on your list. And you are getting very good at phonetic spelling, by the way!
You woke me up this morning by nudging me and saying, "Mom, I have our camping list! Read it!"
Here is the list, I admit it took me a minute on some of the words, but I got it - and it's a pretty great list! I wanted to put it here, just in case the original ever gets lost.
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| Tent Food Wood Camp Light Poison Mosquito Blankets Supplies Swimming Suit Plates & Cups Pillows Stove Cooking Supplies Fire Starter Fishing Supplies Shoes |
Love,
Mom
Friday, June 17, 2011
Dear Gibson,
Today you had your first swimming lesson. You've been very nervous about it, since you haven't really had a lot of success in years past. This year, you're doing private lessons at a pool near Grandpa Gary's house with one of their neighbors. Grandma Arloa got you a special swimming suit to wear to your lessons, and this morning we were at the pool at 8:30. Early for us!!
To sum up, you were amazing! You were so focused and attentive, and did everything she told you to. By the end of the 30 minutes, you were kicking across the pool with a kickboard! She said that you have a natural talent, and that your body is built for swimming, and that in a year or so you would be able to join the Junior Swim Team. You lit up! I hope you find joy in swimming, even if you don't decide to join the swim team. At the very least you'll possess a valuable life skill!
I'm so happy that you overcame your fears and discovered that you really can do hard things.
Love,
Proud Mom
Today you had your first swimming lesson. You've been very nervous about it, since you haven't really had a lot of success in years past. This year, you're doing private lessons at a pool near Grandpa Gary's house with one of their neighbors. Grandma Arloa got you a special swimming suit to wear to your lessons, and this morning we were at the pool at 8:30. Early for us!!
To sum up, you were amazing! You were so focused and attentive, and did everything she told you to. By the end of the 30 minutes, you were kicking across the pool with a kickboard! She said that you have a natural talent, and that your body is built for swimming, and that in a year or so you would be able to join the Junior Swim Team. You lit up! I hope you find joy in swimming, even if you don't decide to join the swim team. At the very least you'll possess a valuable life skill!
I'm so happy that you overcame your fears and discovered that you really can do hard things.
Love,
Proud Mom
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Dear Gibson,
Today you said the sweetest thing to me, and I have to write it down before I forget. We were talking about how I go to school, and you asked me what I was going to school for. I told you I'm getting a degree in Family Life. "What does that do?" you asked. I said, "Well, it teaches me all sorts of ways to be a better mommy." Then you said, "Well, you should stop going then, because you're already a great mom."
Sigh. That's what makes it ALL worth it. Thanks for making my day.
Love,
Mom
Today you said the sweetest thing to me, and I have to write it down before I forget. We were talking about how I go to school, and you asked me what I was going to school for. I told you I'm getting a degree in Family Life. "What does that do?" you asked. I said, "Well, it teaches me all sorts of ways to be a better mommy." Then you said, "Well, you should stop going then, because you're already a great mom."
Sigh. That's what makes it ALL worth it. Thanks for making my day.
Love,
Mom
Friday, June 3, 2011
Dear Gibson,
Today was your last day of Kindergarten. You are now officially a 1st grader! Woohoo!!! I want to take some time to write down some of your accomplishments from this school year, because there are many.
First of all, you are now a reader. A pretty good reader, if I do say so myself. You have brought home your take-home book and read it every night without fail, and with no lost or damaged books! You have brought home library books each week, all about dinosaurs. You comprehend well, you read with inflection in your voice, and you are pretty good at reading to your sister. I love to read, and am so happy that this is finally something that we enjoy to do together.
You are a math whiz. Kindergarten math is mostly estimates, patterns, comparisons, and simple arithmetic. But you are good at all of it. You say your favorite subject is math, which is amazing to me because I NEVER liked math. I still don't! I really hope you're good at math, it will be so valuable to you!
You have learned to make friends. You are a nice guy. Kids like to be around you, and that is awesome.
Your handwriting is getting much better!
You always smiled and waved to me when I was working at the school (I love that).
You always showed me everything in your backpack. SO important!!!
You learned to sleep in on Saturdays and value the precious weekend. Thank you.
You learned to wake up with an alarm clock so I could sleep longer. Thank you, again.
You have grown up a lot this year, and I know how excited you are for first grade. It's going to be an exciting summer, and pretty soon you're going to be in school all day! I am so proud of you and everything that you are becoming. You make me very proud.
Love,
Mom
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| You on your first day of Kindergarten. Such a big boy! |
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| You and your teacher, Mrs. Walker at Shelley Elementary. |
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| Holding your Kindergarten diploma! You did it! |
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Dear Gibson,
Sometimes you talk in your sleep. Sometimes you walk around in your sleep. Sometimes you do both. Last night around midnight, I heard you talking upstairs. I got up to the kitchen, and you were standing there with no pants or underwear on - just a T-shirt, and saying, "tell them I don't want to take off my tie."
"Your tie?" I asked.
"Yeah - I don't want to take it off."
"Which tie?"
"The red one. Tell them, mom!"
(To the people who were taunting you) "Gibson doesn't want to take off his tie."
"Thanks, mom."
After that, we walked to your room, you put on some new underwear, and went right back to sleep. Of course, you have no recollection of this event, but it was really funny.
Love,
Your tired mom
Sometimes you talk in your sleep. Sometimes you walk around in your sleep. Sometimes you do both. Last night around midnight, I heard you talking upstairs. I got up to the kitchen, and you were standing there with no pants or underwear on - just a T-shirt, and saying, "tell them I don't want to take off my tie."
"Your tie?" I asked.
"Yeah - I don't want to take it off."
"Which tie?"
"The red one. Tell them, mom!"
(To the people who were taunting you) "Gibson doesn't want to take off his tie."
"Thanks, mom."
After that, we walked to your room, you put on some new underwear, and went right back to sleep. Of course, you have no recollection of this event, but it was really funny.
Love,
Your tired mom
Friday, May 27, 2011
Dear Gibson,
Today was your end-of-school-year Dance Festival. It's been totally funny to watch you practice your dance to "It's a Small World." I love you, but you are one of the funniest dancers I've ever seen. And I mean that in a good way! Let's just say that your dancing skills are a little less Mexican and a little more Gringo. That being said, you did a great job in the dance. You do have great rhythm, which is why you'll make a great drummer someday. You can't see yourself very well in the video, but it's proof that I was there and sometimes that is the only parenting points you get in a day. Showing up points. The crazy thing is, that in one week you'll be done with Kindergarten and on to First Grade! I remember that time of my life very well, and it's hard to believe that now its my own son moving into grade school. Ahhh, well. I'll try not to get too emotional about it.
You're the one in the red shirt and Hawaiian lei, by the way.
Love,
Mom
Today was your end-of-school-year Dance Festival. It's been totally funny to watch you practice your dance to "It's a Small World." I love you, but you are one of the funniest dancers I've ever seen. And I mean that in a good way! Let's just say that your dancing skills are a little less Mexican and a little more Gringo. That being said, you did a great job in the dance. You do have great rhythm, which is why you'll make a great drummer someday. You can't see yourself very well in the video, but it's proof that I was there and sometimes that is the only parenting points you get in a day. Showing up points. The crazy thing is, that in one week you'll be done with Kindergarten and on to First Grade! I remember that time of my life very well, and it's hard to believe that now its my own son moving into grade school. Ahhh, well. I'll try not to get too emotional about it.
You're the one in the red shirt and Hawaiian lei, by the way.
Love,
Mom
Garbage. I can't upload the video. It's too long. I'm so good at taking video! Sorry about that, bud. Just know that it was very, very cute and that you did a great job. Love you!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Dear Gibson,
Today you lost your first tooth!! It was only loose for a day, but you really wanted it out. We tried before church, and I learned that Daddy has a very weird way of pulling teeth. He doesn't pull; he flicks. Needless to say, it kind of hurt you. Part of the problem is that your adult tooth has already grown in behind the baby tooth. You look like a shark! So there wasn't really any traction on the baby tooth. Anyway, you fiddled with it all through church, and when we got home it was ready. You told Daddy he had one more try and then you were going to have Grandpa pull it. Daddy flicked it one last time, and sure enough it popped right out! You were excited, but a little freaked out at the same time. You cried. It was so adorable! So here we go into the next phase of your childhood. I'm not ready! Now your smile has a little hole in it. We had pictures after that, and you made sure to put your lip down just a little so your tooth hole showed.
Good job, buddy. Now you can wait for the tooth fairy to come!
Love,
Mom
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Dear Gibson,
I think you might be a baseball player! You've been playing catch with your dad lately, and you have quite the arm! Today I asked if you are going to be a pitcher, and you said no - you're going to be a baseball thrower and hitter. Ok, then! Sounds good to me! But you still have to learn to play the piano. And play percussion in the band. Deal?
Love,
Mom
I think you might be a baseball player! You've been playing catch with your dad lately, and you have quite the arm! Today I asked if you are going to be a pitcher, and you said no - you're going to be a baseball thrower and hitter. Ok, then! Sounds good to me! But you still have to learn to play the piano. And play percussion in the band. Deal?
Love,
Mom
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Dear Gibson,
My goodness, it's been a long time since I've made the time to write you. I'm ashamed! You can see now why New Year's Resolutions are difficult to keep. There's just not enough time in the day sometimes! OK, there is, but lately your dad and I have been hooked on a show called "Bones" and that has taken a bit of a priority. We're so obsessed that we've made you kids sit and watch episodes with us. Probably not the best material for kids your age, but hey - I've never claimed to be mother of the year. We're justifying it by saying that maybe it will inspire you to someday be a forensic anthropologist. Anyway, a lot has been going on that someday we'll be able to talk about but in the meantime, there are a lot of things that I can't wait to write down for you.
Lately, you've been really beasty. Almost as beasty as Georgia, which is really saying something for my mild-mannered little boy. What's the deal?! Let's just hope it's a phase and it passes quickly. No matter what goes on during the day, though, you are always my sweet boy and I love you more than words can express. More than air. As you grow and change, I hope you always remember who you are and the powerful example that you are to our family. You have the ability to soften hearts, and that is the most amazing gift I can think of. You soften me every day.
I love you very much.
Love,
Mommy
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Dear Gibson,
I have to first apologize to you. I am a distracted mommy. I have lots going on, and sometimes most of the time I end up spending too much time on other things and not enough time playing with you and Gibson and being a good mom. Today I got home from work a little bit early and needed to go to the store to pick up a few things. You and Georgia were fighting in the car, no surprise there. I was feeling overwhelmed, and then I saw a playground. I promptly pulled the car over and said, "Who wants to play on the playground?" You went crazy. It's not that you've never played on a playground before, but this was out of the blue - a special surprise. We played for almost an hour. I took off my shoes and we went down the slide together, we climbed the tree, we took pictures, we played tag. It was a really wonderful hour. I didn't make it to the store, but I got everything I needed from you and your brother. I needed to spend some time with you. No distractions, no email, no phone - just me and my kids having fun together. I promise I will try harder to be the kind of mommy that I really want to be and know that I should be. I watch how fast you are growing and can't figure out where the time has gone! Spring is almost here in full force, so I hope we have lots of opportunities to just play together.
Love,
Mommy
Friday, February 4, 2011
Dear Gibson,
Over the weekend, we went swimming. Call it mid-winter blues, call it get-the-heck-outta-dodge syndrome...we needed a break. So we got a hotel and spent hours and hours and hours at the pool. I'm pretty sure it's the longest you've ever been in the water. And you loved it! You got over your fear and actually learned to swim underwater! I was (and am!) so proud of you! We will have to do that again, soon. It really was so fun!
Over the weekend, we went swimming. Call it mid-winter blues, call it get-the-heck-outta-dodge syndrome...we needed a break. So we got a hotel and spent hours and hours and hours at the pool. I'm pretty sure it's the longest you've ever been in the water. And you loved it! You got over your fear and actually learned to swim underwater! I was (and am!) so proud of you! We will have to do that again, soon. It really was so fun!
A split second of control...
and then the fight breaks out. Typical.
Big fish.
Love, Mommy
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Dear Gibson,
I have been a neglectful mother. The past couple of weeks have been particulary challenging for me personally, and I have not cared for you like I should. The hardest part of being a mom lately is stepping out of myself and my own trials and showing you the happy mommy that you deserve. I owe you a sincere apology. Let me tell you about some of the things that have been weighing on my mind, in hopes that someday these lessons will help you understand me a little bit better.
I have a calling in the church that I love. But with this calling has come a lot of contention and hurt feelings. Someone said some very hurtful things to me in a public situation, and my heart was broken. I have never been so humiliated and broken in all of my life. My confidence was shaken, I was filled with anger and hurt. I was consumed with the ins and outs of this situation, and spent more time in hot baths than with you and your sister. Throughout all of this, I have learned several things.
1.) We are all human, and all make mistakes. That being said, we need to be careful in how we speak to people and use constraint, especially when we are angry.
2.) Being the bigger person can sometimes make you feel very small. Doing the right thing is almost always harder than following your first instincts (like telling someone they can just take their you-know-what and shove it)!
3.) Forgiveness is easy - forgetting is much more difficult.
4.) Your world doesn't have to end just because I felt like mine did.
5.) The only opinions that matter are mine, my family's, and the Lord's.
6.) Apologizing when you were the one that was hurt can be very difficult. But sometimes you have to grease the skids.
The list could go on, but I want you to know that I have been prayerful and humbled. I hope I can take the lessons I've learned and be a better mother, friend, daughter, sister, and church member.
Thank you for being patient with me. Thank you for making me smile in spite of myself. Thank you for being amazing, as you are every day.
I love you.
-Mommy
I have been a neglectful mother. The past couple of weeks have been particulary challenging for me personally, and I have not cared for you like I should. The hardest part of being a mom lately is stepping out of myself and my own trials and showing you the happy mommy that you deserve. I owe you a sincere apology. Let me tell you about some of the things that have been weighing on my mind, in hopes that someday these lessons will help you understand me a little bit better.
I have a calling in the church that I love. But with this calling has come a lot of contention and hurt feelings. Someone said some very hurtful things to me in a public situation, and my heart was broken. I have never been so humiliated and broken in all of my life. My confidence was shaken, I was filled with anger and hurt. I was consumed with the ins and outs of this situation, and spent more time in hot baths than with you and your sister. Throughout all of this, I have learned several things.
1.) We are all human, and all make mistakes. That being said, we need to be careful in how we speak to people and use constraint, especially when we are angry.
2.) Being the bigger person can sometimes make you feel very small. Doing the right thing is almost always harder than following your first instincts (like telling someone they can just take their you-know-what and shove it)!
3.) Forgiveness is easy - forgetting is much more difficult.
4.) Your world doesn't have to end just because I felt like mine did.
5.) The only opinions that matter are mine, my family's, and the Lord's.
6.) Apologizing when you were the one that was hurt can be very difficult. But sometimes you have to grease the skids.
The list could go on, but I want you to know that I have been prayerful and humbled. I hope I can take the lessons I've learned and be a better mother, friend, daughter, sister, and church member.
Thank you for being patient with me. Thank you for making me smile in spite of myself. Thank you for being amazing, as you are every day.
I love you.
-Mommy
Friday, January 21, 2011
Dear Gibson,
Today you went to a friends house to play. It is a friend from school, and I don't know his family very well. I was okay with you going, but as soon as you drove away, I wanted to go and get you and bring you home. I don't think I'm ready for you to have school friends. Too much unknown; too much could go wrong. Next time you want to have a playdate, it will be at our house where I can have you as close to me as possible. I'm trying not to be one of those moms. But deep down, I kind of am. I'm sorry. I am overprotective and want to shelter you from the world for as long as possible. You will be exposed eventually, but until then...you're my baby. And, dangit...I am going to keep it that way!
We are off to a Utah Flash basketball game tonight. You got tickets at school and even though we wouldn't normally go to something like that, your enthusiasm is contagious and so off we go. I love nights out as a family, and it doesn't matter what we do - we always have fun together.
So here's to a fun evening!
Love,
Mom
Today you went to a friends house to play. It is a friend from school, and I don't know his family very well. I was okay with you going, but as soon as you drove away, I wanted to go and get you and bring you home. I don't think I'm ready for you to have school friends. Too much unknown; too much could go wrong. Next time you want to have a playdate, it will be at our house where I can have you as close to me as possible. I'm trying not to be one of those moms. But deep down, I kind of am. I'm sorry. I am overprotective and want to shelter you from the world for as long as possible. You will be exposed eventually, but until then...you're my baby. And, dangit...I am going to keep it that way!
We are off to a Utah Flash basketball game tonight. You got tickets at school and even though we wouldn't normally go to something like that, your enthusiasm is contagious and so off we go. I love nights out as a family, and it doesn't matter what we do - we always have fun together.
So here's to a fun evening!
Love,
Mom
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Dear Gibson,
You are officially 6 years old. Man, time has flown! Since it's your birthday (ok, it was yesterday, but we're celebrating it today!), I want to share with you the story of when you were born...It all began...
On Thursday, January 13, 2005. I went to the doctor's office to see how things were going, and they gave me terrible news. It was going to be at least a week before you were ready, they said. I left the office crushed, and tired. I was huge, uncomfortable, and really sick of being pregnant! You were due on Saturday, and I knew that that day was going to come and go with no baby. Bummed is a total understatement! The next day, I went to work and planned to be there all day. But at lunch time, I started feeling really tired. I asked my boss if I could go home and take a nap, and he said no problem! See you Monday! I walked across the street to our apartment, and laid down. When your dad got home from work, I asked him if he wanted to get the carseat installed in the car, since he was going to have a busy week at school. He put it in, and for the first time, we felt like this was real! We're going to have a baby in a week! It was very exciting. After my nap, we went to Salt Lake for a concert that Uncle Dillon was playing in. He had just started playing the drums, and was playing a 'gig' with the members of his class. We were in the basement of a strip mall, in a dark room with loud music and VERY hard chairs. Halfway through, I just wasn't feeling right. I had to stand up and walk around a little bit. We drove home, and I watched TV for a little while before I went to be around midnight. Daddy was going to stay up for a while and work on the computer. Around 2am, he came into bed. Not long after that, I woke up to (ew, gross) go to the bathroom. At that point, I realized that (ew, double gross) I was bleeding a little bit. I called the hospital just to make sure that that was normal, and they said it would be a good idea for me to come in as soon as possible, just to check things out. I went in and woke up daddy, who wasn't very happy with me since he had just gotten to sleep. Nevertheless, we gathered up a few things and drove to the hospital. We checked in, and they put me in triage and hooked me up to all sorts of monitors. I was 2 centimeters when we got there around 3:30 on Saturday morning, January 15th. They said they would check me in an hour to see if there was any progress. At 4:30, they checked and I was still a 2. The nurse said, "well, let's give it another hour before we send you home." So I sat there a little bit longer. When she came back, I was a 4! She said, "it looks like you're going to have a baby today!" We called grandpa and grandma and told them to come whenever they could. They were there about 1/2 hour later, just as we were getting settled in our birthing room. I had the epidural just before 7, and it all went very smoothly. After the epidural, I fell right to sleep. It was the first time I was comfortable in 6 months! I slept for a few hours, and only woke up every now and then when the nurse came to check on me. I was making steady progress, and pretty soon you were ready! The midwife was busy with a few other moms for a while, and so I just kept getting pushed to the bottom of the list which made grandma and Auntie very upset! It was finally my turn, and the midwife came in and woke me up to start pushing. It was around 11:00 in the morning. I pushed on and off, because I kept falling asleep between contractions. The midwife was really laid back, and actually ate her lunch while I was in the middle of pushing! Jenell asked her if it grossed her out to eat a taco while she was delivering a baby, but she said no. It was pretty funny! I pushed and pushed, but you just wouldn't come out. I think it was because I was a little too relaxed and just wasn't pushing very well. It's very hard to push out a baby! But after a while, you were finally coming! My mom was in front of me, watching everything, and I noticed that she started crying. I started crying too, and seconds later, at 12:50pm, out you came. I remember telling the midwife that I didn't want her to lay you on me until you were all cleaned up, but your umbilical cord was very short, only about 14 inches, so there was nowhere for you to go but on me! You were born with crud in your lungs, so I got just that brief glimpse of you while daddy cut the cord and then you were rushed by the respiratory therapists to the NICU to be monitored to make sure you were breathing correctly. I didn't see you again until I was settled into the recovery room. I'll never forget the first time the nurse wheeled you in in that tiny bassinet. You were so swollen and pink. I could tell right away that you looked like your daddy. But there was a little bit of me in there, too. I was completely in love. You were like a little piece of heaven, right there in my arms. You were perfect.
Every day since then, you have blessed my life. Watching you grow and being a part of your life has truly changed me. Thank you for being my baby.
I love you,
Mommy
You are officially 6 years old. Man, time has flown! Since it's your birthday (ok, it was yesterday, but we're celebrating it today!), I want to share with you the story of when you were born...It all began...
On Thursday, January 13, 2005. I went to the doctor's office to see how things were going, and they gave me terrible news. It was going to be at least a week before you were ready, they said. I left the office crushed, and tired. I was huge, uncomfortable, and really sick of being pregnant! You were due on Saturday, and I knew that that day was going to come and go with no baby. Bummed is a total understatement! The next day, I went to work and planned to be there all day. But at lunch time, I started feeling really tired. I asked my boss if I could go home and take a nap, and he said no problem! See you Monday! I walked across the street to our apartment, and laid down. When your dad got home from work, I asked him if he wanted to get the carseat installed in the car, since he was going to have a busy week at school. He put it in, and for the first time, we felt like this was real! We're going to have a baby in a week! It was very exciting. After my nap, we went to Salt Lake for a concert that Uncle Dillon was playing in. He had just started playing the drums, and was playing a 'gig' with the members of his class. We were in the basement of a strip mall, in a dark room with loud music and VERY hard chairs. Halfway through, I just wasn't feeling right. I had to stand up and walk around a little bit. We drove home, and I watched TV for a little while before I went to be around midnight. Daddy was going to stay up for a while and work on the computer. Around 2am, he came into bed. Not long after that, I woke up to (ew, gross) go to the bathroom. At that point, I realized that (ew, double gross) I was bleeding a little bit. I called the hospital just to make sure that that was normal, and they said it would be a good idea for me to come in as soon as possible, just to check things out. I went in and woke up daddy, who wasn't very happy with me since he had just gotten to sleep. Nevertheless, we gathered up a few things and drove to the hospital. We checked in, and they put me in triage and hooked me up to all sorts of monitors. I was 2 centimeters when we got there around 3:30 on Saturday morning, January 15th. They said they would check me in an hour to see if there was any progress. At 4:30, they checked and I was still a 2. The nurse said, "well, let's give it another hour before we send you home." So I sat there a little bit longer. When she came back, I was a 4! She said, "it looks like you're going to have a baby today!" We called grandpa and grandma and told them to come whenever they could. They were there about 1/2 hour later, just as we were getting settled in our birthing room. I had the epidural just before 7, and it all went very smoothly. After the epidural, I fell right to sleep. It was the first time I was comfortable in 6 months! I slept for a few hours, and only woke up every now and then when the nurse came to check on me. I was making steady progress, and pretty soon you were ready! The midwife was busy with a few other moms for a while, and so I just kept getting pushed to the bottom of the list which made grandma and Auntie very upset! It was finally my turn, and the midwife came in and woke me up to start pushing. It was around 11:00 in the morning. I pushed on and off, because I kept falling asleep between contractions. The midwife was really laid back, and actually ate her lunch while I was in the middle of pushing! Jenell asked her if it grossed her out to eat a taco while she was delivering a baby, but she said no. It was pretty funny! I pushed and pushed, but you just wouldn't come out. I think it was because I was a little too relaxed and just wasn't pushing very well. It's very hard to push out a baby! But after a while, you were finally coming! My mom was in front of me, watching everything, and I noticed that she started crying. I started crying too, and seconds later, at 12:50pm, out you came. I remember telling the midwife that I didn't want her to lay you on me until you were all cleaned up, but your umbilical cord was very short, only about 14 inches, so there was nowhere for you to go but on me! You were born with crud in your lungs, so I got just that brief glimpse of you while daddy cut the cord and then you were rushed by the respiratory therapists to the NICU to be monitored to make sure you were breathing correctly. I didn't see you again until I was settled into the recovery room. I'll never forget the first time the nurse wheeled you in in that tiny bassinet. You were so swollen and pink. I could tell right away that you looked like your daddy. But there was a little bit of me in there, too. I was completely in love. You were like a little piece of heaven, right there in my arms. You were perfect.
Every day since then, you have blessed my life. Watching you grow and being a part of your life has truly changed me. Thank you for being my baby.
I love you,
Mommy
Saturday, January 15, 2011
5 Things, Part 5
Dear Gibson,
Here is the conclusion of the 5 Things that have made me proud this year.
Proud Moment #5
You discovered your "style." There's nothing like when your kids are little, and you can buy whatever you want for them to wear, decorate their room however you want. But then there's the day when you realize that you little one has opinions of their own! It's shocking, and very hard to swallow. With Georgia, she's had her own opinions from the time she was 6 months old. But you always let me have my way. Until this year! You wanted certain clothes for school, you want certain kinds of food prepared certain ways, you want your stuff arranged the way you like it. It's been really fun to see what kinds of things are important to you. But don't be misled - you won't get your way in everything! You like to collect junk (garbage, I like to call it). I don't let you. You like to go to school with no gel in your hair. I always put gel in it. There are many more things like that. But I promise this...the future will bring a lot more opportunities for us to disagree. Always share your opinions with me - it is important for you to have a voice. But do understand that I'm still the mom, and I have a right to override any aforementioned opinion that you might have. But have fun being yourself. Be creative. Be spontaneous. Be organized. Be proactive. All of those things will help make your life more fun! This year will be a big one for you...losing teeth, starting full-day school, and lots of other things. You will become a little bit more Gibson, and I'm excited to watch you continue to grow and change.
Happy Birthday!
Love,
Mom
Here is the conclusion of the 5 Things that have made me proud this year.
Proud Moment #5
You discovered your "style." There's nothing like when your kids are little, and you can buy whatever you want for them to wear, decorate their room however you want. But then there's the day when you realize that you little one has opinions of their own! It's shocking, and very hard to swallow. With Georgia, she's had her own opinions from the time she was 6 months old. But you always let me have my way. Until this year! You wanted certain clothes for school, you want certain kinds of food prepared certain ways, you want your stuff arranged the way you like it. It's been really fun to see what kinds of things are important to you. But don't be misled - you won't get your way in everything! You like to collect junk (garbage, I like to call it). I don't let you. You like to go to school with no gel in your hair. I always put gel in it. There are many more things like that. But I promise this...the future will bring a lot more opportunities for us to disagree. Always share your opinions with me - it is important for you to have a voice. But do understand that I'm still the mom, and I have a right to override any aforementioned opinion that you might have. But have fun being yourself. Be creative. Be spontaneous. Be organized. Be proactive. All of those things will help make your life more fun! This year will be a big one for you...losing teeth, starting full-day school, and lots of other things. You will become a little bit more Gibson, and I'm excited to watch you continue to grow and change.
Happy Birthday!
Love,
Mom
Friday, January 14, 2011
5 Things, Part 4
Dear Gibson,
Proud Moment #4:
You learned to make the best of a less-than-perfect situation!
Exhibit A: Since I work a few days a week, you and Georgia go to daycare after school each day. For the longest time, you would cry and throw a fit whenever you found it was a daycare day. It was everything I could do to even get you out of bed on those days. You dreaded it. I'm still not quite sure why! But, towards the end of the summer, I had a very serious chat with you about the reasons that you went to daycare, and the importance of my job for our family. I explained that you needed to be an example for your sister, and try and have a positive attitude. I shared some experiences about how sometimes it's hard for me to go to work - I really don't want to, but I have to! It's my responsibility. And being nice at daycare was your responsibility. After that, on daycare days, I could tell that you still weren't that happy about it but you tried very hard to be a big boy. You make a great improvement, and it made our mornings go much more smoothly.
Exhibit B: You really hate the fact that daddy and I stay up later than you. Every night, it was a battle to get you to bed without crying. Sarcastically, you would say, "Have fun staying up, mom." Like I was doing it to punish you and got some kind of satisfaction from your misery. When I'd had enough, I sat you down for another big-boy chat. I told you a story about how when daddy and I first got married, we got to spend a lot of time together. When you were born, we still spent time together, but we were a family so most of our time was spent taking care of you. Now that we have 2 kids and jobs and school, it is really important that we get to spend time just the 2 of us. And sometimes, I just need time to be Brittney. Not a mommy, or a wife, or an employee. Just...Brittney. You finally understood! Now, if I ask you why it's important that you go to bed on time, you say, "So you can just be Brittney and not Mommy." I love it.
It is so nice that you are getting old enough to understand more "grown-up" ideas. I forget sometimes that you are capable of understanding and I still talk to you like you're a baby. But I promise that this year, when you're six, I will try really hard to treat you like that maturelittle baby big boy that you are.
Only one more day!
Love you,
Mommy
Proud Moment #4:
You learned to make the best of a less-than-perfect situation!
Exhibit A: Since I work a few days a week, you and Georgia go to daycare after school each day. For the longest time, you would cry and throw a fit whenever you found it was a daycare day. It was everything I could do to even get you out of bed on those days. You dreaded it. I'm still not quite sure why! But, towards the end of the summer, I had a very serious chat with you about the reasons that you went to daycare, and the importance of my job for our family. I explained that you needed to be an example for your sister, and try and have a positive attitude. I shared some experiences about how sometimes it's hard for me to go to work - I really don't want to, but I have to! It's my responsibility. And being nice at daycare was your responsibility. After that, on daycare days, I could tell that you still weren't that happy about it but you tried very hard to be a big boy. You make a great improvement, and it made our mornings go much more smoothly.
Exhibit B: You really hate the fact that daddy and I stay up later than you. Every night, it was a battle to get you to bed without crying. Sarcastically, you would say, "Have fun staying up, mom." Like I was doing it to punish you and got some kind of satisfaction from your misery. When I'd had enough, I sat you down for another big-boy chat. I told you a story about how when daddy and I first got married, we got to spend a lot of time together. When you were born, we still spent time together, but we were a family so most of our time was spent taking care of you. Now that we have 2 kids and jobs and school, it is really important that we get to spend time just the 2 of us. And sometimes, I just need time to be Brittney. Not a mommy, or a wife, or an employee. Just...Brittney. You finally understood! Now, if I ask you why it's important that you go to bed on time, you say, "So you can just be Brittney and not Mommy." I love it.
It is so nice that you are getting old enough to understand more "grown-up" ideas. I forget sometimes that you are capable of understanding and I still talk to you like you're a baby. But I promise that this year, when you're six, I will try really hard to treat you like that mature
Only one more day!
Love you,
Mommy
Thursday, January 13, 2011
5 Things, Part 3
Dear Gibson,
Here is Proud Moment #3:
You learned the value of giving! Last fall, a member of our ward came around collecting donations for "Pennies by the Inch," a fundraiser for the children's hospital. He came into the living room, and waited while we went downstairs to the change jar and filled a plastic baggie with pennies. You watched as I handed him the baggie, and he gave me a pamphlet outlining where the money was going. I briefly explained to you as he was leaving that the money was going to help kids that are very sick. I said goodbye to him, and closed the door. Suddenly, you said, "Wait mom, I want to give some money, too." I asked if you're sure, and you said yes. I called the man back to the door, and told him that you wanted to donate some of your money. You came out of your room, and poured two hanfuls of your pennies into an envelope. As he left again, you had a big smile on your face and asked me if I thought that your pennies would help the sick kids. I said yes, and you gave me a big hug. You never mentioned the pennies again, but every now and then you mention that you felt really good when you helped the sick kids.
Giving service, in whatever form it may be in, is something that will bring you joy throughout your life. There are times that it will be very hard, and you will have to make hard choices in order to make time for serving. But, just like with the pennies, you will never look back and remember the sacrifices - you will only remember the blessings that came from them. Always listen to the promptings that will lead you to those who need help. And just like with the pennies, act on those feelings...as quickly as you can! You will be an instrument of our Heavenly Father. Every single "penny" that you give will make a difference in someones life. And never forget that every day you make a difference in mine.
Love,
Mommy
Here is Proud Moment #3:
You learned the value of giving! Last fall, a member of our ward came around collecting donations for "Pennies by the Inch," a fundraiser for the children's hospital. He came into the living room, and waited while we went downstairs to the change jar and filled a plastic baggie with pennies. You watched as I handed him the baggie, and he gave me a pamphlet outlining where the money was going. I briefly explained to you as he was leaving that the money was going to help kids that are very sick. I said goodbye to him, and closed the door. Suddenly, you said, "Wait mom, I want to give some money, too." I asked if you're sure, and you said yes. I called the man back to the door, and told him that you wanted to donate some of your money. You came out of your room, and poured two hanfuls of your pennies into an envelope. As he left again, you had a big smile on your face and asked me if I thought that your pennies would help the sick kids. I said yes, and you gave me a big hug. You never mentioned the pennies again, but every now and then you mention that you felt really good when you helped the sick kids.
Giving service, in whatever form it may be in, is something that will bring you joy throughout your life. There are times that it will be very hard, and you will have to make hard choices in order to make time for serving. But, just like with the pennies, you will never look back and remember the sacrifices - you will only remember the blessings that came from them. Always listen to the promptings that will lead you to those who need help. And just like with the pennies, act on those feelings...as quickly as you can! You will be an instrument of our Heavenly Father. Every single "penny" that you give will make a difference in someones life. And never forget that every day you make a difference in mine.
Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
5 Things, Part 2
Dear Gibson,
Proud Moment #2
Proud Moment #2You started kindergarten! After 2 years of preschool, it was finally time for you to head to big-boy school. We talked about it all summer, and you couldn't wait! About a week before school started, daddy and I took you out on a "date" and bought all of your school supplies and took you to dinner. It was just the three of us, and we had so much fun. You were so excited, especially to learn how to read. Your first day of school was so fun. You picked out your outfit the night before, woke up really early, and came down to our room completely dressed with your backpack on and you were ready to go! It was hard to keep you busy for the entire hour before you had to actually go to school. You are in a carpool with the Dean's, and even though I really wanted to take you to school on your first day, you wanted them to pick you up. I have to admit that I was more than a little bit bummed out, but I wanted you to feel like a big boy so off you went, driving down the road. You waved to me from the window, though, and I'll never forget the look of sheer joy on your face. I did get to pick you up, and you were smiling so big! You had finally arrived! Even now, I'll pick you up from school and you will be smiling from ear to ear. Sometimes you just had a really good day! In any event, it is a big moment when your first child begins going to school. It seems like just a moment ago I was holding you in my arms...now you're reading! It flies by, and I'm grateful for every single minute that you've been part of me.
I'm so proud of you and the smart little boy that you are!
Love,
Mom
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