Tuesday, September 1st
Shaelyn is so happy to be home. She's been back to her normal, happy, playful self. I'm so glad I'm seeing "this Shaelyn" again, and not the Shaelyn that's been traveling with me this last month. It doesn't hurt that she's been seeing Daddy on a regular basis again.
Wednesday, September 2nd
I just found out that a good friend of mine (who lives in a neighboring city) lost a baby a few days after giving birth to him. It happened almost 2 months ago, but since I'm not on Facebook, I didn't know about it until today. Not that this motivates me to get on Facebook (yet...), but I'm sad that I wasn't aware, and therefore unable to go to the memorial service they had for him. I was directed to a memorial page they created on Facebook, and spent a long time looking at the pictures and crying. However, my friend is a model of hope and assurance in the atonement - and she knows her son is hers forever. She is such an optimistic person, and I'm grateful I've had the chance to get to know her and have her example in my life. My heart is with her today.
Thursday, September 3rd
Michael and I had our first official "parent/teacher" event of our career as parents. Shaelyn is starting preschool next week, and so tonight was a chance for parents to go and meet the teachers, see the classroom, learn the "rules" and pay a bunch of money! I really like Shaelyn's teach and I am excited for her to go meet her tomorrow for the "kids' open house."
Tonight Shaelyn was too excited (about everything) to go to sleep. We've been caught between a rock and a hard place of prepping her for school without getting her too excited to go (because then she doesn't want to go to bed at night). Tonight, after coming to the door for the third time, she said "Mommy want to lay down?" I agreed to lay down for a minute. "Mommy want to scratch my back?" She lifted up her shirt and I rubbed her back as only mommies can. Then, "Mommy want to brush my hair?" I ran my fingers through her hair and on her forehead until she relaxed. Then I left her room, missing my mommy and all the times she did that for me. Because try as hard as they might, husbands are just not as good as mommies at back scratching and hair playing.
Monday, September 7th
Ahhh! Finally, a relaxing, enjoyable family vacation - that didn't involve going anywhere. What a great weekend! Everyone was happy and energetic and, most importantly, peaceful! And I even got a chance to post on the blog! And this has got to be the first journal entry to have an exclamation point at the end of every sentence - except this one. Or I mean "!"
Tuesday, September 8th
Nothing really to report. Same ol', same ol'. But I did make these cookies - that Michael just said were GREAT! - that I just can't put down. And I don't even think they're all that great. They're oatmeal cookies that I added Craisins and chocolate chips to. They are a little dense to me. Yet I can't keep myself from eating at least 4 a day. And I baked more tonight. And I was doing so good! I was only 3 pounds away from my pre-preggo weight. Since baking and eating all these cookies... up 2 pounds. Dang you oatmeal Craisin chocolate chip!
Wednesday, September 9th
Rachelle climbed the stairs tonight. All the way to the top. Well, I was right behind her the whole time, spotting and sometimes supporting her bum, but it counts, right?! I'm counting it! She was totally motivated by Shaelyn, who did a GREAT job being Rachelle's personal cheerleader. She stayed one or two steps above her, coaxing her up, clapping her hands, and saying adorable things like "You doing it Chelle! You so big!" Rachelle climbed the whole way up with a HUGE open-mouthed smile on her face.
Thursday, September 10th
I've started (yet another) new incentive program with Shaelyn: "operation stay in your bed." She goes back and forth with this, sometimes being a rock star about it (like, thank goodness, when I was on vaca at my parents', sister's, and BF's house), and other times driving Michael and me insane (see: currently). So a girlfriend of mine (can't remember who or I would give you credit) talked about using "bedtime bucks." So tonight I introduced the bucks to her, explaining that each time Mommy or Daddy have to come to her room, she loses a buck. She gets five a night, and whatever she has left over in the morning, she gets to keep to use to "buying" a reward. The fair is coming to town, so I told her if she can hold on to her "bedtime bucks," she can buy a ticket to go to the fair. So far so good. She's been in bed for 2 hours and I haven't heard a peep!
Also, Rachelle stood up today. By herself. For about 2 seconds before falling down. Amazing!
Sunday, September 13th
Church choir has started back up again. We go on long breaks and sing sporadically, because we only have about 8 people in our choir, and it's kinda ridiculous to hold regular rehearsals for a choir so small. I wish there were more people to sing, but with our tiny little ward and very big boundaries - making it hard for people with little kids to stay after or come before, we're lucky to get our 8 regulars! I love singing. Especially church songs. Especially choir songs. The pretty arrangements, the beautiful words - they just bring the Spirit so strongly for me. I always leave choir practice feeling uplifted.
Monday, September 14th
I was driving on the interstate today (something I never do anymore) and was coming up on "the deadliest part of I-40" as I call it. Sure enough, there was an accident. I drove past this section for 6 months commuting back and forth to work the last 6 months of my pregnancy with Shaelyn, and there was an accident there almost everyday. But this accident really rattled me. It had just happened, so we were able to see all the details before everything got cleaned up and cleared away. It involved several cars and a semi, and I'm pretty sure at least one person died. I couldn't stop thinking about the friends that I've lost due to car accidents, and the families of those involved in this one. I cried the whole way home. It really shook me up.
Tuesday, September 15th
I went up to check on Rachelle tonight before going to bed myself. She had been coughing and started whimpering, so I went in to see what was wrong. She had thrown up all over her bed and herself. Horrible. So now I'm at that "do I nurse her again?" stage. I decided to put her in the swing to see if she'd go back to sleep. So far, 30 minutes and no sleeping. This may be a long night...
Wednesday, September 16th
It WAS a long night last night. Or maybe I should say a short one. Rachelle threw up several times and wouldn't go back to sleep. Her crying woke up Shaelyn, so at 4:00 AM, Shaelyn was UP! I got Rachelle back to sleep by 4:30, but Shaelyn was having none of it. "I AWAKE, Mommy!" I didn't want her and all her noise to wake up Rachelle. So we went downstairs, watched some Cinderella while I half slept on the couch, and wondered if she would fall asleep on the couch, too. Nope. By 7:30, both girls were up and Shaelyn was WIRED. They both took a nap at 10:00 - Shaelyn's only nap for the day - and were both in bed by 7:30 tonight. Shaelyn was ASLEEP by 8:00. So I'm hitting the sack early. Because you know those two rugrats are going to be up by 6:00 AM tomorrow morning!
Thursday, September 17th
And so it starts. SYTYCD last week. The Office tonight. All my "shows" are coming back on the air. And I'm so excited. Finally something to look forward to watching. Michael and I have been renting movies all summer to watch after the girls go to bed - but they are too long and we are not disciplined enough to watch half and go to bed, so we end up staying up WAY too late and pay for it the next day (or days on end). Here's to a good fall season!
Friday, September 18th
Can it PLEASE stop raining already? I mean, we needed the rain (our grass says thank you!) but my 2-year-old is going to burn this place down if she can't have some outside time, and SOON!!! If she doesn't burn the house down, I just might. Today I turned on a movie, put Rachelle in the swing, and went and sat on the front porch while both girls occupied themselves in front of Mary Poppins. Our front porch faces a lake with a fountain. 10 minutes of that was very soothing. And kept at least one of us from having to file a fire insurance claim later.
Saturday, September 19th
Michael and I just recently ordered new checks. I decided to declare my love for my alma mater and get BYU checks. I was so excited for them to arrive. They got here today, and they are a little disappointing. Kinda like the game today. BYU lost. I mean, got KILLED! There goes their top 10 ranking.
Even though it was so overcast today that it looked like we were living in a cloud, it finally STOPPED RAINING! So I took the girls out to play. Shaelyn ran around the backyard like she had escaped from prison or something. Which is probably how she saw it.
Sunday, September 20th
Rough Sacrament meeting today alone with two girls.
But now Daddy's home. Whew!!
Monday, September 21st
I got out the girls' "fall clothes" today. We don't officially need them yet, but Rachelle is outgrowing more of her clothes and needs to move up to the next size. Plus I wanted the clothes out and ready, so I don't have to fish for them one morning when it really is cold. But it was so sad to pack away Rachelle's clothes. Because even though Michael and I want to have more children, I'm not sure we'll have another girl. Or if we'll even be able to have more. So knowing that this could be the last child that wears these clothes was really hard for me.
Wednesday, September 30th
This last week and a half has been a blur. I was going to catch up on my journal, but I honestly can't remember most of the things that happened that I wanted to say. Which is why I need to update this thing NIGHTLY!! My life is flying by and I can't remember it. Some big milestones:
Rachelle has cut her first 2 teeth!
Rachelle can stand on her own without touching anything for 5-10 seconds at a time!
Shaelyn has memorized more Disney Princess songs!
We are only allowed to listen to Disney Princess songs in the car now! (per Shaelyn... and that one gets a different kind of exclamation point - you know the kind I'm referring to)
September's a wrap. Now on to my FAVORITE MONTH OF THE YEAR!!!
New Year's Day Polar Plunge!
2 years ago
