Independent Isaac

It’s really been a while. Blake and I took back our exercise bike that we got for Christmas so now we are trying to run in the evenings after Isaac is in bed. By the time I do that, I don’t want to head to the library to use the internet. And Blake downloaded a nifty gmail app that lets me view my email offline, so that’s further incentive not to make the effort.

I don’t know if it’s just cold, or if pregnancy did something crazy to me, or if I’m just getting old, or if I’m a wimp, but my joints just ache when I go running. Hopefully my body starts whipping into shape soon or I might be doomed to run a 12 minute mile for the rest of my life.

Blake was super romantic and got me...a babysitter for Valentine’s! We went on a real date to the Olive Garden. (Cute flower he got me below...)

We’ve had a couple of good weather days so I’ve tried to take Isaac for a walk in his stroller. He doesn’t like those few extra inches away from mom so if we go longer than 15 minutes, sometimes 10, and sometimes 2, he cries to get out. But we’re working on it, and I know some day he will be happy to go for a walk and sit in his stroller. He used to hate his car seat too, but now he will giggle when I put him in because he knows he will get to go somewhere new.

Isaac is still running all over the house with me as chauffeur. He is getting more stable and can stand if he’s holding on to the couch. He still refuses to crawl. One day this week I was kneeling as I held Isaac’s hands so that he could walk, as usual. I noticed that we had begun to turn in pretty tight circles. I realized that I was wearing some red crocs and Isaac was trying to get to them, but every time he moved, they moved!

He’s becoming more and more independent. It’s getting hard to steer him the direction you want him to go because he has a good idea of where he wants to go instead. He’s drinking half apple juice half water in a sippy cup so now he will take a couple bites of food and then refuse to eat until he’s had a sip of juice. I love my opinionated boy.

As a random thought as April 15 draws near, let me just say that taxes + one kid + paying tuition = awesome refund and an extra bonus!

Isaac trying to look at my face underneath the camera

He's discovered the cd tower. My sister told me three years ago when I bought it that my kids would soon make me regret my purchase. Wise words.

Don't let that smile fool you, he hates it! He won't eat anything green, including this, which is broccoli.

Standing all by himself (sort of)!

I'm in love with his chubby legs.

Isaac has also discovered the dresser. Oh, the everyday fun things to play in.

oh, my back!

Isaac now insists on walking around the house, occasionally stopping to eat/slobber on something. But if you sit him down, he will protest. He wants you to hold him standing up while he eats/slobbers. It's exhausting! He has no interest in crawling, and I guess who would, when you have a personal chauffer such as mom?

He seems to be getting a top tooth, as he is really fussy and has a tiny appetite. Hopefully it breaks soon!

Dada

Isaac said momom first, just for the record. But it’s really cute to hear him say dada too. The flailing arms is classic Ike—he makes me nervous sometimes. It’s like he’s saying, “Whatever you’re doing, mom, do it faster!”

We were able to go to the temple last week thanks to some good friends who came over and hung out while Isaac was in bed. (He went to bed a 6 PM.) I prayed in my mind all day that Isaac would sleep through our absence—I was really worried about leaving him. Apparently my praying throughout the day really worked, because Isaac slept until an unheard of 2:30 AM, ate, and then went back to sleep until 7 AM. Wow! He usually wakes up 2 or 3 times a night.

I ran out of sweet potatoes and bananas last week so I gave Isaac applesauce instead for a couple days. Now that he has tasted that goodness, he will not go back! He will not eat anything except applesauce and rice cereal. Any suggestions?

also a classic Isaac pose

Two flights and two teeth later

I can’t believe Christmas vacation is already over! We flew home to Utah the Saturday before Christmas. Trophy goes to the St. Louis Airport, which has numerous rocking chairs which I took use of during our small wait for our flight. Isaac did very well on both of our flights. And we got extra peanuts because we had a baby!

Blake stayed two weeks and I stayed two and a half weeks. We really missed Blake when he left, especially because Isaac slept horribly for our whole stay and Blake was nice enough to take Isaac when he woke up at 5 AM and let me sleep. We’re not sure whether Isaac just knew he wasn’t at home, or whether waking up every two or three hours at night is just par for breaking two teeth! Great timing on that one.

It was fun to see the interactions between Isaac and his cousins. Eli was entranced by Isaac and wanted to hug him. Gavin wanted to give him toys. Seth always wanted him to sit in his lap. Justin said Isaac was cute. Kate constantly asked, “Can I hold him?” Hannah and Isaac batted and kicked at each other, excited to find someone their own size. Joshua just stared. Matthew was jealous and wanted Isaac’s toys.

Christmas was great, as always. Isaac got way too many toys, with which he has played and gotten sick of and now wants bigger and better things like space heaters and laptops.

Highlights: We went to see the lights at temple square. I think Isaac liked it. However, he didn’t like the Gateway mall or Park City outlets and fell asleep. We watched the Sugar Bowl—GO UTES! My mom’s stovetop exploded, sending glass shards into my back, as well as Chris’ and Bekah’s. No one was hurt. We got to use Blake’s parents’ elliptical to work out. We had a waffle party with old high school friends. I got to sew with Bekah. Blake and I went on a “date” to my sister’s new house to dinner. We left Isaac at home in bed which makes the first time we have been alone together since his birth.

Now that we’re home, Isaac is sleeping much better. He’s also using his new teeth—last Saturday he bit me so hard he drew blood and now it is really painful to nurse him. And we’re working on getting him to crawl. We lay him on his tummy and put something in front of him. He’ll get excited and scoot backwards (the wrong way). Or he’ll scoot sideways. But he’s moving a little! He’s getting so old! He’s a good little eater, as always. We have fed him rice cereal, bananas, sweet potatoes, peach, and applesauce so far.

6 month photos (before Christmas)(didn't copy very well)

self photo

cousins!

4 Generations

cousin Seth

quilting with Bekah

The aftermath: can you see his teeth?

Isaac’s first cold

Oh no, a post with no pictures! Boring boring boring. Read no further if you only come to see Ike’s smiling face.

Isaac has a cough and runny nose. Poor kid. It is so sad to hear him hack away. He got it Saturday. We went to our church Christmas party that night and it was obvious where he picked it up!

We went to the pediatricians last Thursday for Isaac’s 6 month visit. It was like Isaac remembered the trauma there because as soon as I started undressing him he started to cry. But hey, I cry when I get shots too. He also always screams when he’s weighed. Stats: 17 lbs 5 oz, 26 inches. That’s about 50^th percentile for both. My little brother informed me that it is unacceptable to have an “average child”. He also informed me that Blake and I are perfect for each other because we are both “uber nerds”. What a geeky, average family we are.

And a funny story to end on.

On Thursday, Blake came up to me with a guilty look on his face and said, “Marie, I can’t find my wedding ring. I’ve looked all over the house and all over school.” I just looked back at him with my own guilty look.

You see, on Wednesday I noticed that Blake had forgotten to wear his wedding ring to school. So I decided to hide it. I thought that when he came home, I could “notice” that he didn’t have his ring on and ask him where it was. That would lead to a five minute search for his ring, during which I would interrupt him with a “Just kidding, it’s right here!”

Except I promptly forgot about it after I hid it. It reminded me of how my brother sabotaged my scholarship application, except that was infinitely worse. Sorry, Blake, to make you waste precious time looking for your ring when you should have been studying for finals! Luckily, Blake thought it was kind of funny. But now I am watching my back for his revenge.

Isaac talks!

Happy Thanksgiving

We have been very lucky to have visitors lately! My dad, aka Pops, came to visit a month ago. He was a very generous guest and he left us feeling very spoiled. Pops is welcome any time! We went out to eat and I got the best pasta I have ever had in my life. The restaurant is Eleven Eleven, if anyone dines in St. Louis. Pricey, but amazing.



For Thanksgiving, my brother Chris and sister Anne came to visit. We played lots of games and watched Brian Regan dvds and ate lots of dessert. And drank gourmet root beer. Apparently I have the king of all suppliers of gourmet root beer right down the street at a grocer called Straubs. I never knew what I was missing, but now Chris is very jealous.


We went to some Indian Ruins--the Cahokia Mounds. Pretty cool.

Woodhenge (no really, that's what it's called)

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, we took off for Independence, Missouri to see some church history sites. We planned on leaving at 8, when Isaac usually wakes up. However, Isaac didn’t sleep very well that night and woke up much earlier than usual. So I was really worried we were in for a cry fest in the car. We left at 8:30, right when Isaac was wanting to take a nap. Chris sang to him in the back seat and Isaac sucked on his pacifier and watched Chris and fell asleep with no crying! Amazing! I was floored. Throughout the whole trip, Isaac did so well. I am so proud of him!

Being entertained by Chris

We walked around the old Independence temple lot in Independence. We then drove up to Adam Ondi Ahman (also in Missouri). It was beautiful, even in the winter. Then we drove down to Far West and saw the cornerstones of the old temple there.

Truman's House in Independence

On Wednesday, we drove to Liberty and saw the jail, which is inside a visitor’s center. It is rebuilt on the original foundation. It was neat to see the place where Joseph Smith was incarcerated for so long, for no reason. Then we drove to Richmond and saw a couple graves. I didn’t get out for the last two graveyards because Isaac was falling asleep while I sang endless verses of Old MacDonald had a farm. . .

I am so grateful for our pioneer heritage. Traveling to these sites made me again realize the sacrifice that the pioneers made in standing firm in their beliefs and not giving in to mobs and temptation. They were endlessly persecuted for their beliefs but had the courage to endure and build up the kingdom of God.

On Thanksgiving, I cooked all morning—mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, rolls, and turkey. It all turned out ok, except I still don’t make as good rolls as my sister or mom does. I was nervous about cooking a turkey but it was surprisingly easy. Chris did the hard part of carving. We went to the arch and for a walk around our neighborhood and to the medical school.

And then our visitors left the next day. That’s ok, because we fly to Utah in three weeks!
Happy Thanksgiving!