My little Parrot

We are having so much fun with WW lately, his vocabulary increases daily and his pronunciation improves in the same way. We have noticed however, that we have to be very careful about what we say around him. Not that we say anything terrible, but sometimes when Brett gets frustrated he'll say "fetch", then we hear a little voice that copies right after. (In this instance he didn't quite catch the word Brett had said, but he definitely caught the intonation and passion in whatever it was he repeated.)

My new favorite though is something he got from me... he'll come find me in the kitchen or bedroom and he'll say "Hi Honey" It is the cutest thing!! I'll have to catch it on video to give the full effect.

I just can't wait now for the crazy things he'll come up with when he is creating sentences of his own. I just think it is so funny the things kids say sometimes.

Dreading...

I've actually been dreading this post for the past few days, but figured I'd get it out quick... like pulling off a bandaid. Say my bits, and move forward. It has been difficult to talk about, but also healing at the same time.

So last week (Jan.7) Brett and I lost our little baby at 15 weeks. There is this movie I remember watching once and there is this line.. the girls says something about how the doctors told her she lost her baby, she had a hard time with the phrasing because it was as though it was a pair of keys or something. They are never really lost, but it seems like a much more thoughtful term than many of the others... miscarriage... spontaneous abortion (definitely hated that one... makes it sound like it had been my choice) It has been a tough week but we have been overwhelmed with support from everyone. (It was the unexpected thoughtfulness that was the most touching... BJ works with all these guys in the petro-canada refinery... I always imagine them as these stereotypical oil and gas guys... but they are some of the most thoughtful and caring people)

The toughest part was being in the hospital right after and being admitted to stay overnight and ALL the next day waiting for surgery. I would rather have been anywhere else, as long as I was with my husband and my baby... I was extremely overwhelmed, in shock and in serious lack of sleep. I couldn't escape my own thoughts and that was the worst. It scared me the most to think that I didn't know if I'd ever be brave enough to try again, considering the possibility of it happening again.

It has also been difficult not knowing what caused it...( hopefully nothing that I did), but also knowing there isn't really anything you can do to prevent it either.

Once I got home, slept in my own bed, and got extra love and cuddles from WW I felt SO much better. It now seems like a horrible nightmare.

It is amazing how we can be so blessed in times of trial. This was absolutely the worst experience of my life so far, but I can tell you that I have never loved my husband more for going through it with me, and being the most incredible support ever. I have spent more quality time with my son in the last week, I appreciate him more, and will never take him for granted... I recognize what a truly amazing little boy I have been blessed with. I also look forward to another pregnancy and another chance at bringing another sweet spirit into our family.

My sweet boy that makes everyday so much fun!

WW and I have also started a babynastics class at Salto gymnastics. We have so much fun climbing and jumping. He gets lots of exercise and gets his fill of climbing done where it is safe, rather that at home on my coffee table.

ALSO, I cut off all my hair! It has been super long for as long as I can remember... like junior high even... I finally was confident enough in a hairdresser to just let her do her thing. And I love it. It felt so good, like a fresh start after my difficult week.

Not a very good picture of me, but you get the idea of the hair.

Happy New Year!

It's 9:30pm on New Years eve and I'm planning on writing this and then going to bed. Wow how things have changed in only a couple years. My social habits may have changed dramatically, but I think I feel the same way about the start of a new year as I always have. It's exciting to think of a fresh start, new goals, and new surprises. It is nice that it is snowing outside too, that way when I wake up everything will look brand new. {but then I'll have to go shovel :) }

BJt is definately the motivated member of the family. Every year he sits me down to set some new goals... I dread it everytime he brings it up, but am realizing that living life day to day without things to look forward to, or things to improve upon would become completely monotonous. We set goals in three catagories... Spiritual, Physical and Personal. This year we will be sure to post them somewhere where we can reflect regularily.

My favorite goal of the year is under the personal category. We as a family are going to try and help someone secretly... or hopefully more than one person. We have been reading the conference talks lately and there was one recently we read by Elder D. Todd Christofferson called "Come to Zion" definately a good one! There is one section about caring for the poor with a little story that made me cry... if you are interested in reading it let me know and I'll email you a copy... I am just reminded constantly of how truly blessed I am, and there will definately be something that I find this year that will enable me to share even a little bit of that with someone else. By doing that, I think in my own little way I'll be showing gratitude to the one that has given it all to me.

We had such a great Christmas this year... It was fun to watch WW open the gifts and want to play with each one right away. We have such wonderful families that we were able to spend time with... I am feeling VERY blessed this year.

JF reading the Grinch that Stole Christmas to most of the kids.

WW waiting patiently for Grandma Fixsen to set up his basketball hoop.

Christmas morning at Grandma and Grandpa Mabey's... BJ has to work Christmas day this year so WW and I spend the day at my parents. We are happy BJ will be home next year!

WW got this great gift from my sister for Christmas. He just loves to draw and use the chalk board... only trouble is that he's a little confused and is writing on walls too... He'll learn quick... no damage as long as he's using washable writing utensils.

My family... from left to right

Me, BJ, WW, Kevin (my brother), Chris (Brother in law), Kim (sister), Jude (Nephew), Dave (uncle), Meagan (Cousin), Willi (Aunt), Mom, Dad.

Happy New Year!!! Hope it is a good one!!

Sleep...

We went visiting teaching today and HF-my companion/sister-in-law mentioned how you will never get a good nights sleep again after having kids. I have to say that I have to agree with her. The last few weeks- since I've been pregnant I think- I've been rocking WW to sleep and singing him songs and then laying him down in his crib for the night. Most of the time he will sleep right through... but the last few nights he has gotten up around 2am and wants to be rocked some more, or to cuddle and I just can't get him back to sleep. As soon as I'm positive he is really out, I try to lay him in the crib and he's wide awake again. So last night I had had enough, so let him cry it out to tire him out some... but that didn't work. So then I stayed in his room and held his hand through the crib bars... he just layed there staring at me, and as soon as I made it through the door of his room he would notice me missing and cry again. We ended up sleeping together in the single spare bed in our office.

I remember when WW was only 7 or 8 months old and I thought I had messed up at a parent, but figured I knew what it was I needed to change... so I was trying to convince Brett to let me start again with a new baby. Obviously I'd still keep WW, and try to improve on the habits we had developed in him... but I was so sure I'd be a better, more experienced mother with the next one... no sleep issues, and I'd be WAY better at the whole meal/food thing. Now that the next one is coming... I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will remember how to avoid the "mistakes" I've made with WW- (every mom is more lenient with their first baby right???? )

p.s. I am seriously having the most CRAZY dreams lately... did that happen to anyone else while pregnant?

This is the most peaceful picture I think. Sleeping while eating... he put his hand up there to support his head all by himself. What a sweet boy!

It's been a while.

I'm feeling disappointed in myself for being such a terrible blogger. The funny thing is that I like to read about what everyone else has been up to on their blogs, and am sad when others have not updated. I'm also jealous of everyone who has kept such a wonderful record for themselves and their families. I am reminded everyday how incredibly fast our little one grows, and would not want to forget one moment of our life together. Therefore, my new years resolution is to be better at this, but I don't want to wait till January 1st. Who knows what might happen in the meantime. Let alone what I have already missed. I'll catch that up soon...

But for today, just as an experiment... I will make an announcement and then I'll know for sure if anyone follows this. Even though I write it for myself, I'm interested who my audience is...

Brett and I are excited to announce that we are expecting another little baby to join our family in the first week of July!!! We are thrilled!!!

This is our most recent family photo... taken at Thanksgiving this year!

First Haircut

Baby WW,

Today was a big day for you... your very first haircut. I was so proud of what a good boy you were. You are such a handsome little man now!!! We went to Beaners which is a salon that specializes in kids cuts... you sat so still in a black Hummer, and made it pretty easy for the girl cutting your hair. You only made a little fuss... Mom and Dad were very proud!

Before

During...

After!!!

Mom and Dad think it's so funny that people have the wrong impression of you... You are such a fun and silly boy at home. Always talking and laughing, but when you go out, and are places that you are not familiar with, you get very serious... So the majority of people who don't know you as well as we do, think you are this quiet and serious little boy... but we know the truth!

We have started to get you on a strict sleep schedual at night time. 9p.m we start you bath, and then we eat, have stories, brush your teeth and then it's time for sleepy time. You are catching on so well, and are even sleeping all the way through the night sometimes... even if you do wakeup though, it's alot less often and you are able to fall asleep again by yourself without mom having to nurse you. We are so proud! You have figured out how to roll over finally, and so when you have been upset at night, you roll over and climb up to standing in your crib, so we find you standing there in the dark crying... it's so sweet, but very sad. So... mom stays with you now for a few minutes until you fall asleep... it is one of my favorite times of the day. You lay on your side, and hold my hand through the bars in the crib. It is our special bed time routine, and I love it.

What a week.

Dear WW,


You constantly impress me... this week however must have been the biggest yet. You have been working on getting mobile. You've been quite successful scooting backwards, or else getting up on to hands and knees and sitting back down into another place, but on Wednesday you put all your disorganized attempts together, and finally crawled! It was quite the sight, we tempted you with your new favorite distraction... Keys... and without breaking focus, you came after them and crawled right across the room. Here's the proof... Sorry it's not a great video... your Auntie Kim took a MUCH better one but we haven't gotten it downloaded yet.

You are also working on a few more teeth... The bottom two are in, and the top two are on their way... I must admit that you have had your moments during this teething process, but mom's working on her patience, and we are hoping it won't be much longer... It's tough right now, but the sooner they are all in, the faster you will be able to eat all the big people food you can't seem to wait to get your hands on.

Valentines day was this week too. I made this great craft for Dad that I was SOOO impressed with. SH and I made these cookie bouquets, heart shaped sugar cookies decorated with pink, red and white icing, and then stuck into a flower pot and wrapped up nice. So impressed was I with what we made, that I ate the majority of the cookies. I'll definately have to find other reasons and occasions to make these sweet gifts. Here is a picture of Sheri's... mine looked almost identical.

We are planning to sell our condo and move into a house... We are quickly running out of space here and that is with alot of our things stored at my parents as it is... I'm so excited to have a basement and a garage, and to not worry about attached neighbors. The only trouble is that there is alot of work I need to do on my own house to get it ready for the market. Especially with the market slow like it is, I need to make my little home appealing. So I'm planning a HUGE declutter and then I plan to stage the house to sell it. I've looked it all up on the internet, and Elesa did that with her house when she sold it, and it went super fast. People want to see themselves in a new house, they don't want to see you and all your stuff. So I just need to get motivated and get started!!! wish me luck.