Cabin This Weekend with Bryce's Family

Robert, Ross & I went into St. George on Saturday and Robert rode in the car cart. He loved it

Robert, Max & Bryce watching Dora on the dvd player. Robert enjoyed crawling all over Bryce.

Robert was trying to wear my shoes. I have a video of this but it's not uploading right now.

Sleeping on the car ride home. So precious.

Cabin New Year's Weekend--With my family

Josh & Jazzy Sledding

Jazzy & Josh being so so happy to be in the snow!

My dad got the Excursion partway up and the truck only made it up a little :)

Bryce & Robert

Me & Robert!!

Robert did not like the kiddie goggles I put on him. Maybe cuz they were pink....

Robert Says...

Recently Robert has really been repeating everything I say but he's putting words to things now.

We went to my family's cabin this weekend with my in-laws and we pulled up and Robert pointed and said NANA. That's what I jokingly called my mom last time we were there. She didn't like it but she did like that he was missing her.

His storage container for his bathroom toys is a turtle and he will say turtle now. It's actually adorable the way he says it. tuturl.

And tonight after we got home, I paused his DVD player to bring him in but I wasn't going to bring it in and he points to it and says BUZZ.

His two favorite things are keeeys and ownnnn aka phone. We gave him one of our old cellphones and he thinks he's so big.

He's understanding so much. He will point to mine and his own head, ears, eyes and nose. Today he said tongue when he clicked it. He likes to stick his fingers up your nose in true boy fashion.

He's also pushing his limits. He very curious. I thought he was just being defiant so I started ready up about it. Apparently at this age is they want your reaction. So they say "NO" and do the naughty thing to see if you'll change your mind. We're not particularly fond of this new stage but we love him still. This has also lead to fits. They're actually funny and I just step over him and leave him be. They last about 5-10 seconds and then he realizes it's not working and then he's fine.

He has become quite the mama's boy and if I leave the room he cries. It's pretty sweet.

He was REALLY grumpy this weekend. He's had a cold and a slight fever and just wasn't himself. He hasn't been eating and he's thrown up a little a few times. We just thought flu/cold. This weekend he'd cry all night and had an upset stomach and to top it all off he cut his top TWO molars! He now has 8 teeth. 4 middle top, 2 middle bottom and his two top molars. Not really the right order but we'll take it :)

Weekend Recap & Robert Says

Before I talk about my weekend, Robert has a new favorite word. It's SHOWER. It sounds like showa and it's SOOOOOOOOO adorable when he says it. He loves baths and he loves to take a bath while I shower. So he points to the bathroom and says Showa and I say yes that's where the shower is and he's satisfied.

He's still stopping anything when he hears aircraft and says copter. And this weekend, he asked for a fork. LOL. Didn't know he knew fork.

We also put in Toy Story 2 for the first time and he sat in his recliner for 30 minutes and watched the movie. He was so glued to the screen. That's the longest he's EVERY watched TV.

I've decided that I hate the show Backyard Agains. we have a Nick Jr combo movie and it has Dora, Backyard Agains, Wonder Pets (which drives me crazy because they whine), Max & Ruby and Little Bill. Well the Backyard Agains has a episode about being a Queen for the day and if you listen to the lyrics of one of the songs it's like everyone must listen to me, i'm always right, i rule the world, etc etc. NOT teaching what you should be teaching your kids.

Ok, now that I'm off my soapbox, this weekend I didn't accomplish nearly what I wanted to BUT I did accomplish some and I spent some much needed time with Robert. Robert pretty much makes it impossible to organize when he's awake, so I didn't organize until he went to bed. I have a big box for the DI and a very organized storage pantry. Tonight I hope to organize the food pantry and maybe take down my Christmas Tree.

I also got 5 or maybe it was 6 pages of Robert's book scrapbooked. The first page is just how we found out and then there are 3 pages of my growing belly! It's so fun to see them all together. Then there is a page of when Bryce broke his ankle and my SHREK feet and then his ultrasound oh and his room. so that's 7 pages :) I'm going to do the baby shower next and the two weddings we went to when I was VERY prego and then I can scrapbook his birth. I just need to get the pictures from my brother....they were all taken on his camera!

Clarification

So my last post was supposed to be saved as a draft. It wasn't finished when it was posted. I had several comments and a very sweet one from someone I don't know and some sweet ones from friends.

Somedays are just overwhelming. I have an EXTREMELY busy life. It's my fault! I admit that but I have hobbies that I won't give up, friendships that I cherish and an amazing husband and adorable 15 month old little boy.

I work full-time. I hate it but it has to happen. January means tax season beginning and what people refer to in the accounting world as the beginning of 4 months of hell. It's so busy! Luckily for me I'm not an accountant, I'm just a bookkeeper but that just means January is my busiest month! Everyone wants their W-2's. Well this has worked fine until this year.

Bryce is working 55+ hours a week. He leaves the house at 5am. He USED to do daycare duty. His sister watches our son and she lives in Pleasant Grove (45 min from our house) so she meets us on the south end of the valley in Draper and takes him to her house (she's amazing). Well, She's not going to meet Bryce at 5:30 am. It's not fair to her or Robert so now I have to do it. Which is fine but I work downtown. So it adds 45 min each way to my day in the car. It also makes it really difficult to do ANYTHING after work.

Robert sleeps like clockwork. He sleeps from 7pm-7am every single night. It's amazing. But when I get home between 6 and 630 with him that doesn't give me very much time to spend time with him. We try and make the most of that time, but sometimes that's when I have to run errands because I never know when Bryce is going to get off. So that means that I want my weekends to be all about the little man.

This is house my house has gotten the way it has gotten. I'm a messy person. I always have been. I have a lot of stuff. I've been downsizing but I haven't done it enough. Bryce is equally as messy and two extremely busy and messy people is not mixing very well. So we were home all weekend and played with Robert, caught up on sleep and watched our favorite shows (that we watch on hulu because we're too cheap for cable :)). We should have been cleaning but we miss our time with each other.

So yes, I've set some pretty outrageous goals. But I need to schedule my life. I need to have expectations for myself. Maybe they're too high right now, BUT I feel like they're really long term goals. If I make 1/2 of them this month I will be thrilled. That's why I reset my goals, in hope to make them more achievable. At this point, my goals for the month are to get my house clean enough for Stamp club. Keep it clean. Take down Christmas. And start working out. My body is doing some pretty funky stuff. Pregnancy didn't really agree with my body and has thrown some things really out of wack. They're dealable, not life threatening but annoying. I have to do some extreme exercise if I want to lose the weight. I want to do a triathlon with Dougie this summer. I'd actually like to do 5 but I'm shooting for at least 1. I did the swimming part of an olympic tri last summer (it's twice as long) so I think I could do the whole thing but I need to train, so that's how I'm going to lose my weight. Extreme Tri training. WHEN DO I HAVE TIME. At 8:30 after Bryce and Robert have gone to bed! Then I can come home and clean. :)

Life is busy. But if I can get my house clean, then my goal is to do a quick pick up each night and little more indepth clean up on the weekends.

So I'm trying, I'm succeeding in some things and not in others, but I'm trying and right now, that's the best I can do!

Why Do I Let Him Control me?

I woke up this morning feeling defeated already. It's Monday. That's not a good feeling at all. Why, do I feel defeated. Well I had come to the realization that I was allowing Satan into my home way too much. Not in the normal ways people think of when they say that but I'm allowing him to convince myself that I don't have to clean and I can sit on my butt all night and watch TV. I'm embarrassed by my house. If you were to come over today, I wouldn't let you in. We'd stand outside in the rain/snow and talk. That's how bad it is. That's what happens when you spend a week at your in-laws to go out of town for the next weekend and then to be LAZY.

Bryce and I allow our home to get so messy it's overwhelming. We have WAY too much stuff and I'm done. I'm publicly writing this because I'm making the commitment to do better. I'm going to think of something that will really keep me motivated to do it. Maybe I need and incentive. I think it will be a new Dishwasher! Oh that would be a fabulous incentive :).

So my goals for cleaning for this week are as follows:
Dishes: and then keep up with them
Fridge: clean it out and then actually clean it
Kitchen: clean it and keep it clean
Locks: get locks on all the cupboards so Robert can't make a mess
Diningroom: clean it
Living/Family room: Take down Christmas (yes it's still up!), go thru Robert's toys
Stairs: Clear them and don't use the landing for storage
Laundry: at least a load a night and PUT the clothes AWAY
Robert's room: Organize clothes and toys and everything. Lower his bed the rest of the way.
Bathroom: clean it, get a new clear shower curtain and maybe some rugs.


That's A LOT of cleaning goals. Especially because I have stamp club on Wednesday and Thursday but that means my upstairs HAS to be clean so I don't really have an option to be lazy. So to tonight! Clean! I also have to find time to work out!!! UGH!

• Doctrine and Covenants 10:5

  Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.

• Alma 38:12

  Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness.

SIMPLIFY

SIMPLIFY


That's what my theme is/was going to be for the year. The faster this month goes I realize that I'm failing miserably. I'm going to simplify my goals. I'm going to create goals that go with the ones that I already set and make them so I can check them off. I don't want them to be goals that seem unachievable. I'll set new goals each month.


January 2011 Goals (I only have 2 weeks to hit these goals)
1. Work out 3 hours this week January 17th-22
2. Work out 3 hours the week of 24-29.
3.Try to get Dougie to upload pictures so I can scrapbook Robert's birth
4. Scrapbook "My Growing Belly" from when prego with Robert
5. Make a list of household projects and estimated costs
6. Do 4 loads of laundry this week.
7. Read 5 books to Robert---I'm a terrible Mom
8. Organize Robert's room (this is going to be a tough one)
9. Organize Stamp Room (again!)
10. Get my temple recommend (should have it tonight :))
11. Go to Seth and Fallon's Sealing (tomorrow)
12. Go to church, be early so we can sit in the benches this week.
13. Read Mosiah
14. Blog twice a week
15. Order Robert's 1 year pictures
16. Hang Picture Frames
17. Only use cash
18. Go over budget with Bryce each Sunday
19. Find someone to serve
20. Personal Goal

I think that's enough for this month. I realized I had set myself up for failure. It's my busiest month of the whole year at work (people want their W-2's :)) and I set 40 pretty crazy goals. I think I can achieve all of these goals. I will update them as I achieve them.

More Robert Says

This might get annoying from some but he's really doing more and more each day and I'm using my blog this year as more of a journal so when I scrapbook, I have it all written down.

Last night, Robert was eating in his highchair--hamburger and tomatoes--tomatoes are his FAVORITE food (cafe rio---all he wants is pico). All of a sudden he was saying something over and over and over again and wouldn't let it go. So I got him out of his highchair so he could show me. Well, he was pointing and saying "TASH" or Trash. I guess he also says TASH CAN (Shelley told me that this morning). He's been obsessed with the trash cans lately and ours is usually on a chair so he can't get to it (he throws sippies and toys away). Well, he was excited it was down--Bryce took the trash out that morning. I helped him get a few things that needed to be thrown away and he was SOOOO proud of himself. When Bryce got home a few minutes later he had to show him how he could throw stuff away.

This morning I was getting ready and he was playing in the bathroom. I actually think he was chewing on his toothbrush (he WILL NOT let me brush his teeth but I figure they get somewhat clean this way--I start each morning and night trying to brush them and then let him chew on the toothbrush for awhile). So all of a sudden I hear him say "DOOR" and he pushing the door closed.

Not that that's a HUGE thing but he's not starting to say words with the items more and more. He's understanding so much. It's like something has clicked in his mind. It's so fun. He's so cute.

Oh, the other thing he does is when I got in his room, if he's thrown something overboard, he points to it and says "uh, oh". Which is helpful because he always shows me where his sippy is :)

Robert Says

I'm just going to start a ROBERT SAYS POSTS so I don't forget. My SIL puts most of the on Robert's blog that she does for us but she didn't put this one up today.

He said "choo choo" while playing trains.

So Brionne (my fabulous SIL) was telling Max (my adorable nephew) that conductors drive the trains. So Robert says "con cutr" or conductor. Seriously child! You're growing up too fast!

Robert Jack is 15 months Old

At his 15th Month Appointment--Check out those calves that he inherited from his mother!

Watching Ice Age on the iPad with cousin Max (Max's daddy's iPad)

I've been meaning to do the post for a couple weeks now but I keep forgetting. Robert was 15 months on December 30th. We had his Dr's appt that day and he was 25 lbs 4 oz and 32 inches long. I'm pretty sure that was 60% and 84%. His head was in the 80% and I think was 19 inches. I can't remember exactly.

He's really progressing and it's really fun. She asked me some pretty specific questions that they have to ask now for Autism and he passed. The questions she asked were, is he running, does he have 3-5 words and the big one was does he play with an imagination. I had to think about it but he uses my blow dryer as a car. Yes he does. Does he mimic you? Like want a rag when your cleaning, etc. Yes he does :)

So to point on those questions, Robert doesn't really walk anywhere. He's an on the go boy. RUNNING and falling and RUNNING some more. He almost had to get stitches the day before his 15 month birthday. He was running with a HUGE toy and fell on it. His Grammy was watching him and she felt terrible BUT I'm sure he'll be just like his Uncle Dougie and have LOTS of sets of stitches.

As for words--he has way more than 5 he says:
Mama
Dada
Papa (his FAVORITE person)
Mama but it has different inflection and it's Grammy
Ma Ma and that's Max--I promise you can tell the different
Mooore=More
Dun-Done
Up
Tank To-Thank You, but he only repeats it
Soooos-Shoes. I tell him we need to put his shoes on and he says it and then will bring them to me
Trash
Booooom-Broom-his favorite toy
Caaw-Car
Ball
Bank-Blankie
Bippie-Sippy
Nana-Banana
Ceeese-Cheese
mmmmm-Yummy
buh bye--bye

First combined words was "dada buh bye" that he said right after Bryce left.

Animal Sounds
quack quack--this became the sound for EVERY animal and we're slowing getting him to say the other animal sounds again.
Mooo
Cak a doo--Rooster
Swack, Swack-Parrot


He pretty much will repeat anything we say or at least try too. He knows where his nose is and where our noses are and says beep. He knows where his BIG OLE belly is. He loves his belly for some reason.

Robert is REALLY strong. Very unusually STRONG for someone his age. The other day he had the broom and popper toy in one hand and the play basketball in the other. He's always been strong but he's starting to throw things so we have to keep a very good eye on him so he doesn't hurt or break someone/anything.

The reason I remembered to post was because I didn't want to forgot to write down this story. Shelley said that yesterday as she was watching him he came into the kitchen (his favorite place to be since he has lots of gadgets) and got out two lids and a big spoon and he took them back into the living room and started scooping food from them and making smacking noises with his mouth. She just watch in awe. He's never used his imagination like that ALL on his own. So much fun. His most imagination was most things are cars and make a motor sound.

He loves to pretend to vaccum and clean our windows---maybe he's trying to tell me I need to do it more. He loves everything that makes noise. Most kids run away and Robert runs towards it in awe.

Our goal is when our boys (and girls if they want) turn 12 they get to pick out a MAJOR fixer upper car and they will work on the car until their 16. If they work on it with Bryce and learn and fix it up, then they can have it. I forsee this being Robert's FAVORITE thing to do. I see him outside in the summer with some fake tools helping Bryce fix the fence or helping dad mow the lawn. He's getting too big too fast!

I can't wait to see all the fun things that he does in the next few month.

I'm going to try and record them more often.

What is a goal?!?!

A read a book a long time ago when I was preparing a talk for church. My topic was goals. It was an awesome talk. Probably the best one I've ever given and since then I've really learned to love Zig Ziglar. Here are some of my favorite quotes of his:

"A goal properly set is halfway reached."

"If you can dream it, then you can achieve it. You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want."

But one thought of his is actually a quote from someone else (I didn't know that until I was searching for the exact wording of the quote) that is my all time favorite. After seeing a friends post today, I decided to copy her and really buckle down and get my goals written. Zig Ziglar says that a goal is not a goal unless it is written. My dad always reminds me of this :)

“There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

After seeing a friends post today, I decided to copy her and really buckle down and get my goals written. Zig Ziglar says that a goal is not a goal unless it is written. My dad always reminds me of this :) How determined am I to achieve my goals. Very determined. I set some long term goals that some make take a few years to achieve and each month I'm going to break down those goals into smaller goals that will lead to me achieving the bigger goals.

Here are my Jan goals--some are more like a task but that is a step in the right direction, right?!?!

1. Go to the gym at least 3 times a week for at least 30 min.
2. Eat breakfast AT HOME at least 3 times a week
3. Lose 8 lbs
4. Drink 16 oz of water (I'm lucky if I get 4 so this is a start)
5. NO MORE ROCKSTAR
6. Blog once a week
7. Be prepared for Stamp Club ahead of time
8. Scrapbook at least 6 pages
9. Make a list of house projects and estimate costs and importance
10. Wash sheets weekly (yes I know I should already do this---I'm terrible)
11. Laundry at least 3 times a week and put it all away UNTIL caught up, then stay caught up
12. Stick to the budget and use cash
13. Go over budget with Bryce weekly
14. Set Financial Goals with Bryce
15. Start Saving for Fence
16. Make an extra credit card payment
17. Organize coupons
18. Cut coupons before EACH shopping trip
19. Plan a menu
20. Eat out less
21. Write up a routine for bedtime and impliment it at least 4 times this week until we're doing it daily
22. READ to Robert nightly
23. Take time to REALLY play
24. Organize Robert's room
25. Be more aware of Bryce's needs
26. Show more love to Bryce
27. Think before I react
28. Spend less
29. Be more aware of people in need
30. Find someone to serve
31. Be more grateful--maybe write a post about it.
32. Personal DAILY Prayer
33. Family DAILY Prayer
34. Robert DAILY Prayer
35. Read 10 verses a night
36. Get a new temple recommend
37. Go to Seth & Fallon's sealing
38. Attend ALL my church meetings
39. GO to church each Sunday
40. Be mindful of my goals--Read them daily

YES! That's 40 goals. Some are easy and I just have to do once. Some rely on others. A LOT rely on the spirit and a lot are fun.

They're continually goals!! I can do this. REMEMBER....

“There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.”