June 2010

This is mostly just an effort to keep updated. I wanted to post about both boys in case everyone thinks I forget about my firstborn. Rest assured, he's the type of kid who won't allow that to happen! Babies change so fast and I want to make sure that's all documented, I also realize that in the process C1 doesn't seem to be talked about as much. So here's a healthy dose of both boys. And all of us, really :)

CAMERON

Cam just turned 10 months recently. And I think I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I've never quite believed we get to keep him here, for some reason. I don't want to call it a lack of faith. I just tend to run on the anxious side, and if I'm worried about something sometimes I just don't ask Heavenly Father about it at all. I'd rather not know and deal with whatever comes if needed. Weird, I know. And for some other not-quite-known reason, 10 months has been the magic age in the back of my mind. Now he's a substantial size and I guess just been here long enough that I really believe it. I still stare at him every day in gratitude and thank Heavenly Father that he joined our family.

I also marvel at how different the boys are. Christopher was such an easy baby, and Cameron is both more curious and has had more complications. But of course, everyone comes with their own personalities, and just because C1 was an easy baby does not mean he's always been easy! More about that later.

C2 is at an interesting phase, with lots of stuff to keep up with. Teething, crawling all over, trying to eat anything he can get his hands on. And his eczema complicates things a bit. We still have to put socks on his hands often to keep him from scratching himself mercilessly. He still loves to be wherever his brother is, and involved in what everyone else is doing. Something I haven't mentioned before and that is kind of new is that he just LOVES his Papa (my dad). As soon as he sees him, he wants him and only him. He cries if he sees him leave. It's pretty darn cute, if a little annoying for me to deal with :).

Here's a cute recent pic of him with Joel at my office at Coors Field when they came for a game. I just love this picture.

CHRISTOPHER

And here's the big boy! I am astounded as he grows. I can't believe he is now just about school age and still find myself surprised that I'm a mom at all at times, let alone am about to have a child in kindergarten. Everyday I am aware of the responsibility we have as parents, and how complicated it is to worry- or not worry- about every little choice we make and whether it will affect or "damage" them in the long-run. This is a lot more prevalent with older kids than babies or toddlers, I am learning.

Christopher is a very strong personality, and we call him a control-freak daily. He tends to melt-down if thing don't go his way, or something is not what he thought it would be. I'm trying really hard to work with him on it and let him know that most of these things are not really a big deal. But I'm sure to him they seem that way. At the same time, I'm often pleasantly surprised by his reaction to things, and it seems sweeter in contrast to the fact that he has the other reactions. I guess it's that whole "you have to experience the bad to appreciate the good" concept.

He's very smart (aren't they all? :)) and keeps me on my toes. There are lots of times he'll work really hard to get my attention, to the point that I'm extremely annoyed and say "what?!" only to have him say "I love you, Mom" Usually this is in front of others so that I'm properly ashamed :). He's also very sweet and loving a lot of the time. And he does LOVE his baby brother, but he's also becoming more and more aware of the jealousy issues, and getting annoyed with Cam on a daily basis when he wants to play with him and just messes things up.

I think I have decided to go ahead and put him in kindergarten despite the fact that we will most likely move mid-semester and I know he'll have a hard time adjusting. I try to talk to him about it and prepare as much as possible, but I think the benefits of him interacting with other kids and learning new things out-weighs the negative aspects. And honestly, I'll have to deal with his issues with change either way!

Here are a couple of cute pictures my sister Denise took the last time she visited:

LOVE LOVE LOVE these boys. I am learning so much as a mother. It's amazing how much capacity we have to love, to think outside of ourselves and put someone else first. To care more about that little baby than getting sleep, or putting on makeup and looking decent :). I'm so grateful that we get to have our little family. If it grows, all the better! But I have realized lately that I feel really fulfilled and just want to raise my family in righteousness and so that they're happy and have a great life-experience.

JOEL and KRISTEN

Not too much is new with the adults around here. We've been dealing with lots of crazy stuff with friends and family, which has caused us to be very reflective and talk to each other more about things. But it has also made us really grateful for our lack of major hardships and each other, and I think has made it easier to overlook the little things. We're looking forward to the future and trying to deal as best we can with the present. We worry about all of the things everyone worries about in the present economy situation. Joel recently took the second pay-cut in 6 months, which makes things tight and complicates our plans for saving; but we're grateful to have our jobs at all and try to count our blessings.

We are enjoying the little things like watching our boys grow and appreciating the things we get to do, and this time we have to spend with my family and our local friends; and look forward to seeing old friends and Joel's family more, and doing new things in Orlando later this year.