"Here's lookin' at two, Kid!"

So Ian turned two on the 23nd and what a birthday he had!!  Grandma Jeanne was in town, which was a special treat all on its’ own.  His celebration day began with two big surprises.

A brand new shiny red Radio Flyer scooter (or googah in Ianese) and ...ya-ta-ta-dah...

...a new kitchen!  Complete with fake produce, junk food, and miscellaneous kitchen wares.  Following our delightful breakfast of German pancakes (made by Dad), and some play time with the new scooter and kitchen, we went to the park to really give the scooter a good test drive.

Then we went to Hermann Park and Grandma took us for a fun birthday ride on the cool train that circles the park.

Later than evening we had cupcakes and opened presents at home.  

The following day Grandma Jeanne and I hosted a little party at the park for Ian’s friends from church.  We had Ian’s favorite foods: pizza, cupcakes, and juice.

It was a truly awesome day!  The weather was great and a lot of Ian’s friends were able to come.  Later that day it was still warm enough that Ian got to try out another one of his new toys.  Our neighbors, the McMillan’s, got a cool Elmo sprinkler for Ian.  He’s a big fan of Elmo and playing in water, so this was a perfect gift.

Lily and Grandma had fun being outside too.

Burn Sid!

A lot has happened since my last post.  I always think of things I’d like to post and then never do it.  I’m going to blame it on Lily.  She’s not on a schedule yet so I have a hard time finding time when I have both my hands free.  She is starting to go to sleep at around 9/9:30pm and even sometimes stays asleep till midnight or 1am.  So this is my time to get things done.  

About a month ago Matt and I began a totally crazy pursuit.  He received an email about an opening for a resident associate (RA) at one of the dorms at Rice.  He proposed the idea to me and I ran with it.  Our minds boggled as we contemplated the possibility of an extra thousand dollars a month.  All we had to do was convince the student committee of nine that we were indeed the best candidates for the job.  The job: Live in the dorm with the kids, mediate disputes, play on their intramural sports teams, eat meals with them, and thwart suicide attempts.  The hitch:  The accommodation for said RA was a converted two bedroom dorm with one room as a kitchen/living roomette not big enough for a full sized futon.  The challenge:  Condense our 1800 square foot, 4 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage home into a 300 square foot 1 bedroom, 1 shower apartment.  And by the way, we do have two kids under two.

Anyway, that thousand bucks was real attractive to us, especially since we spend all our money every month making ends meet.  So we got psyched, went to Ikea to get ideas, and then wrote a great application.  There were 20 applicants in the beginning.  Miraculously we were chosen as 1 of 5 finalists for the position.  For a whole month we did everything we could to convince these kids that we could A) do the job better than anyone else, and B) make the space work for our family.  In reality we thought we would likely all end up sleeping in the one bedroom.  But it was worth it because we were going to sock away money like mad and buy a house with cash much sooner than we thought possible.  We drug our kids out to that dorm every night to have dinner and schmooze.  We went to every activity.  We knew all the kids on the committee and many in the dorm by name.  The only other candidate who came around (but not as much as us) was this smarmy blond grad student.  We gave it our all.  

In the end it was yet another exercise in futility, or faith (you choose).  They chose this couple who hardly came around and looked like (physically) they wouldn’t be participating with the kids much at all.  We just got their  “thanks for your effort but take a hike” email yesterday.  I vacillate between being somewhat relieved and annoyed.  After all we did quite a song and dance for them, poured out our souls, and let them into our lives.  We are a bit embarrassed about groveling to a bunch of kids for their crappy free apartment.  In the end I’m sure they didn’t choose us because they probably thought it was somehow inhumane to stuff a family of four into 300 square feet.  But I say, “Screw you!!!”  We would have been way better RA’s than baldy and his wife.  In addition, then we would have really had something cool to blog about.  Who wouldn’t want to read about how we were going to make something like that work out?  Or, maybe we owe those kids more than we think.  Perhaps the confined quarters would have driven us to sheer insanity.  No, I’m staying with, “Screw you!!!  You all suck!  Burn Sid!”  As Matt says, “I only have to be a good looser to their face.”  So here, among all our friends we can express how we really feel.  Their loss because we wanted and needed it more than anyone.  Because of that we were greatly motivated and would have been the best RA’s they every had.

I have more to say but it’s about Ian.  I love him and I don’t want to include him in this post, which is about angst.

BURN SID!                 

Doin' It Dave Ramsey Style

Last year we sold our home in AZ, paid off all our debt, and began a new and exciting journey. Debt free living! It has become a fun hobby for us to work together to budget and live within our means. We enjoy the freedom and peace that we feel and hope to be able to keep this up for the rest of our lives. This sketch was on SNL. Aside from being really funny it pretty much encapsulates the way we feel about consumer debt and how we make purchasing decisions. So here it is for all of you to see.

So far...

Today is our anniversary.  Three years!  Although it’s not a long time, Matt and I both feel like we’ve always been together.  Until I met Matt I always felt like that circle in Shel Silverstein’s book.  Just rolling along till I found my missing piece.   Matt is such an extraordinary man.  I feel privileged to be married to him.  Every day with him is a gift.  I feel like my real life began when he entered it.  I love that the New Year ushers in our anniversary. 

Things have been really busy since we returned from our holiday in Utah.  Both kids have been sick and Matt and I felt under the weather too.  Everyone seems to be doing better now and I’ve finally got all the Christmas decorations put away.  So now that I’m a little back in the swing of my pre-vacation routine I thought I’d offer a little recap.

We introduced Ian to snow at a community holiday festival here in Houston prior to leaving for Utah.  In an attempt to demonstrate what you can do with snow I accidently got the little guy in the face with a little ball of ice/snow.  To say that he was stunned is an understatement.

When we got to Utah where the real snow is Ian was already somewhat familiar with the concept.  We had so much fun there.  The first few nights we stayed with Seanna’s family.  Adam and Brandon took really great care of Ian.

Matt and Ian went sledding with Seanna’s family and Uncle Thomas, who came over after work.

This was fun for me because I got to stay home and hang out with my sister.  I also got to go shopping with Seanna the day after Christmas.  That was a lot of fun because Matt kept Ian so I would get to enjoy myself instead of wrangle him.  (He is a handful these days.) 

From Christmas Eve till New Year’s Eve we stayed at Matt’s parent’s house.  We also had a great time there.  There were so many people to help with my kids and hold them that I really did feel like I was on vacation.  Ian got a lot of great presents and so did Matt and I.  But the best gift of all for us was just getting to be with family.

After Christmas my family trickled into town.  Matt went snow boarding with Eric and his kids, Seanna’s family, and Thomas while I spent the day in Sandy with Cathy.  The day before Lily was blessed my sisters and niece, Patience threw me the best baby shower I’ve ever had!  It was just with family and a couple of close friends.  Jen Powell (mission buddy) came as did Susan Westover (Young Women’s leader).  It was a special treat to get to see them.

On Sunday, December 30th we blessed Lily in Matt’s parent’s ward in Kaysville.  It was a very special experience for Matt and I.  Even my brother Craig made it to the blessing on his way to Idaho.  I was so overwhelmed with love and joy as I saw my brothers and Matt’s Dad, Grandpa, uncles, and brother go to the front of the chapel and surround our baby.  It was a moment I’ve always dreamed of and that I’ll never forget.  My family made such a great effort to be there and it really meant a lot to me.  It was so wonderful to share that with those we love so much.  

Following the sacrament service we returned to John and Jeanne’s for a great luncheon.  We really appreciate them hosting all our family and providing such a great feast.  Sadly, we packed that night and had to get ready for our flight home the next morning.  

The trip home was especially interesting because we had to get 6 checked bags and four carry-ons to the airport, on the plane, and then in our little CR-V.  Miraculously we made it home with everything except a jar of Aquaphor.  What a great trip we had!! 

Since then we have just been getting over illness, organizing, and getting back into our rhythm and routine.   

    

Our Lily

On the 23rd of October Matt, Ian, and I went in for my 37-week check up.  After waiting for over an hour they were just going to send me home because the doctor had been called away on an emergency.  So before leaving I asked if they would just listen to the baby's heartbeat.  I had felt kind of funny all day.  I had been having increasingly more contractions over the last couple of days.  Also, I had been having these sneaking feelings that I should be more prepared for the baby to come.  But, since Ian was two weeks overdue, I pretty much ignored my feelings to "get ready now".  Anyway, the baby's heart rate was too high.  So they monitored me in the office for a while.  Then they had another OBGYN take a look at me and listen.  Before I knew it, we were on our way to St. Luke's hospital, just across the street, to be monitored.  They put me on an IV and after a couple of hours the baby's heart rate was fine but I was in labor.  I was having four-minute contractions and not dilating.  

We were not prepared.  Ian was with us and we didn't have anything for going into the hospital.  While Matt took Ian to a friend's house to spend the night, my doctor, who had been monitoring me at the hospital, came in and told me that we'd be having the baby that night.  When Matt had left with Ian we were under the impression that we'd be going home after a little more monitoring.  So I called him on his cel and told him that the plan had changed.  By 7pm I was signing admission papers and being prepped for surgery.  By 8pm I was lying on the operating table soon to meet our new baby.  Lily arrived at 8:09pm healthy, screaming, and pink.  And, she came with a bunch of dark hair.  After they got her cleaned up Matt went with her to the nursery.  I spent the next hour getting sewn up and trying not to go into shock.  I don't know why but I was a lot more freaked out then when I had Ian.  I spent the next few days in the hospital and then got released on Friday the 26th of October.  We are so happy with our new little girl.  We love her so much.  And we are especially happy that she came early so that we could enjoy her sooner.  She is very sweet and mellow.

We have been very blessed to have Matt's mom, Jeanne, with us since Lily was born.  I've had a harder time recovering from Lily's delivery because I kept trying to pick Ian up when I first got home from the hospital.  After hurting myself and seeing my progress grind to a halt I realized I had to take it easier and stop lifting Ian.  So I had to turn it all over to Grandma.  Jeanne became the mother of our home and did a great job taking care of all of us.  I can't thank her enough.  On top of all that, I got the worst breast infection I ever had.  Jeanne had to take care of both the kids and me while I recovered from that.  Having Jeanne with us was really great because she got to spend a lot of special time with Ian.  Ian, of course, has been having a difficult time not being the only child.  He seems to have a genuine affection for Lily, he just doesn't like having our attention divided.  Ian was cheered greatly when his "Papa", Matt's dad, John, came to visit this past weekend.  We didn't really go anywhere because that's when I had my breast infection.  However, John was busy enough while he was here building the most awesome doll house for Lily.

So my mother, Joann, and I want to express our deepest heartfelt gratitude to Jeanne for coming for three weeks to take care of Matt, Ian, Lily, and I.  And I want to express my sincerest gratitude to all our family and friends who have prayed for us, brought us meals, wished us well, and who have called or written to express their love and support.  This means so much to us.  We have loved hearing from you and have greatly enjoyed sharing this happy time with all of you.

Grandma Jeanne went home yesterday so now I am at home figuring out how to shower, eat, and get things done with two kids in tow.  It's a lot fun and I enjoy the new challenges.