Cleaning the bathroom:)

So...Friday is cleaning day. I have been sick all week with a sinus infection and it was nearly impossible to get myself motivated to do it this morning....but I guess it won't clean itself...plus jaxson helped as you can see from the pictures below:)

He so kindly unrolled the ENTIRE roll of paper towel!
aaaghhhhh! Look at his face...priceless! He is such a spaz...

Complaining session (sorry): I quit! Except for the small fact that mom's don't get a day off...do they? I am soooo tired this week and I have been so sick. Of course, it is Jarom's finals week and I have absolutely no help. My sickness is stretching on and on...it has been almost a week and I would give someone a thousand dollars to watch jaxson while I climbed in bed, took an OVERLY LARGE dose of NyQuil and went to sleep. hee hee. Instead...I will probably see Jarom again sometime on the afternoon of December 10th (after his last test)...and until then I will plug along like always! Do you ever have days like this? (those of you who don't live close to family for help I mean:)???? I swear...I have wondered so many times this week if I'll survive! HA. Especially this morning when I, with a fever and all, was scrubbing the shower and realized that my little angel had Destroyed everything in his path and I would get to spend the next few hours cleaning up what he had just accomplished:) Being a mom is the best.....sigh!

Climbing out!

I really am stumped at how fast a child can go from a newborn to this! He is learning so quickly I can barely keep up. Today I heard giggling and a pounding noise coming from his bedroom. I decided to get the camera and when I flung open the door to his nursery I saw this. (picture below:)That little stinker was pounding away on his crib and leaning over it with one leg lifted as if he was trying to get out! He looked at me with a huge grin and I about died! This was my tiny baby a few weeks ago?!?...I swear:)

We just lowered his crib about two weeks ago....looks like it will be lowered again today!
SIDENOTE: Sometime last month...I woke up and realized jaxson's toys were totally pointless! (anyone with this problem?) Now give him a coaster, cell phone, laptop or blow dryer cord, electrical outlet, FORK....now that is a TOY!!! He loves anything dangerous and is a total boy. I cannot believe I have spent so much money on toys...when little household items work so much better. On Thanksgiving we were at a friends house and he was being onery. So....I went to her cupboard and gave him a measuring cup and a hot pad....HE WAS ENTERTAINED FOR THE ENTIRE MEAL! I wish I would have known this before now....

"look mom, one hand!"

Note: This kid is only 8 months old! Maybe this behavior is completely normal at this age...but since he's my first...every new thing is a HUGE event and it's dawning on me just how quickly time flies...

He can Stand!

I am amazed at how fast they grow!!! I am loving it and hating it all at the same time. It is so fun to see their little minds working and watch them figure out new things....but this child would lay wherever you left him, couldn't move, and would tip over when sitting alone ONLY 2.5 months ago! How does this happen? I think it's some cruel way of making you want to have another baby quickly....because I already miss so many of his phases. Some of those phases seemed to only last a week. For example: He learned to sit-up and I was totally loving it...but before I got to enjoy it....and only 2 weeks later he could crawl. He could crawl for only 10 days when he started pulling up on furniture and NOW is trying to climb out of his crib! What in the.....?????

Anyhow, Jarom took this little video clip of him cruising around the end table on sunday afternoon! He is also putting a dent in the side of it with a coaster....(just like a dad (or man) to watch him hit my furniture repeatedly and not do anything about it!).

Thanksgiving Day!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! It has become tradition since moving to Omaha to have Thanksgiving Dinner with a group of Law students and their families. I absolutely love it and am going to miss it! This was our last one...Joel and Maranda were nice enough to host at their apartment! This picture is of my friends Brittany (3rd year law) and Maranda (1st year law) and me. I look pretty scary actually. Jaxson is teething and I'm suspecting an ear infection as well..so that has meant for some pretty late nights and mid-night nursing sessions! I'm so TIRED! It was a fun day though....

Jarom always amazes everyone with his "mashed potato volcano". It seems the group looks forward to seeing him create one and then completely devour it every single year. Sick! I hate men....they can eat like that and it doesn't matter:)

Jaxson loves other babies. I keep begging Jarom to give him a little brother...but Jarom refuses. This other baby is name Rain. He is adorable and jaxson kept trying to love him and attack him! It was so cute.
YUMMY! Jaxson's first taste of mashed potatoes!

One of the tables. This is Brittany and Bryce. She has been my best bud since we moved here 3 years ago. I walked into a job interview (at a dermatology office) after living in Omaha for only 3 days and she was a nurse there. In my interview I told the doctor that I just moved from Utah, my husband started law school on monday, and I was mormon! He laughed (he's a jew) and then called for Brittany! It was love at first sight...ha ha ha! She had only been working for a few days and had just also moved from Utah and was mormon! Bryce then met Jarom on the first day of school and we've been a pair ever since. I'm so thankful to experience this hard, exciting, stressful and emotional few years with somebody who knows exactly what I'm going through!

More please.....

Going through the ads....Yep, me and brittany were at Kohls at 4:30 a.m. Can you believe it? It has also become tradition and she promised to fly to Utah next year and shop again....I have to go with her! Just another thing that will make me bawl when I have to leave. I have made so many traditions while being here. We then hit Target (where brittany had to remind me to stop running so I didn't get escorted out by a security gaurd) and then our list of other stores. We get serious about it! We actually plan out times we can be in each store and WE CANNOT GO OVER. This way we make it everywhere we want to go. You should have seen the deals I got....I felt like I was practically stealing:)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Christmas Pictures!

(Almost) 9 month pictures! He looks like such a big boy in this one...it makes me sad. He was posing and cooperating so nicely...I was proud!

Just like most mothers...I am addicted to getting jaxson's picture taken for any and EVERY holiday or occasion. Christmas is such a fun time of year....I couldn't resist. Below are a few of the ones I thought turned out cute.

He looks so big in this one. I can't believe he is growing and learning so quickly. I bet he is walking by christmas...or soon after.
I am so in love with his grin....

His first STEPS....not alone of course...I am not ready for that!

Big Kiss! This picture was hilarous to me...because he is famous for trying to get AWAY from our kisses and loves. How rude! After all the stress and stretch marks....I should at least be able to kiss him as much as I want. Look at that face he pulls!....This is his new favorite game. We pretend we are coming to get him and he will immediately start screaming (in a giggling way) and he tries to run (or crawl quickly) away from us! It is so funny to watch. He can't get away fast enough!

He thought the ornaments were great! Of course, anything dangerous or made of glass looks more fun than a toy!

Our family on Sunday afternoon! I had my friend Brittany over this afternoon to make batches of my mom's homemade strawberry jam...yum! She snapped this picture of my family by our little tree.....I am getting so excited for the holidays! Enjoy your week everyone....

Tagged by Deb...!

Ok- I was reading a tag on Deb's blog and laughing at how similar we are....so she tagged me....there are so many quirky things about my personality it was hard to pick just 7....but here goes:(As she so nicely put it....Laugh. Criticize. Do whatever with this information....I can't help it....It's just me!)

(1) SASSY! Jarom thinks I am the sassiest person he has ever met! I don't think a day of our marriage has passed without him reminding me of it! I'm not sure if that's a compliment or what but I'll take it...because it is so true! I have a very sarcastic, joking personality most the time (not all the time...but MOST) and I can get darn fiesty during an argument. So much so that I sometimes wish I could travel back to High School and be on the debate team because I know I could win! Give me a subject and I will learn it inside and out until I can hold my own in a conversation about it. It bugs me when people try and talk about something they don't understand! (My students get this soap box all the time!) I have turned into a total nerd. I live watching Discovery Health Channel or reading dental articles about my obsession with teeth! I get really sassy with jarom but he just laughs....I don't get it......it of course just makes me even more sassy! Most people probably get frustrated with it...but Jarom says it was what made him fall in love:) HA HA.

(2) PARTICULAR! I hate to use the terms OCD or anul...because we are so NOT Deb.....we are Particular about things:) Doesn't that just sound so much more nice? Anyhow, whatever you call it I am a total perfectionist and am particular about anything and everything. I love to have things in order and organized to death. My idea of a fun saturday afternoon would be to clean out the rubbermaid tubs in my storage bay and take load after load to the salvation army! Then, of course, come home and dust! I have an obsession with dusting. I love my house to smell clean and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the smell of lemon pine sol after mopping the bathroom. My mom laughs that I'm this way...but I know she totally made me like this...because I grew up doing these same things to her house! I am very particular about having everything "in it's place". I will fold jaxson's blankets 20 times a day and put them in his basket....even if he freaking needs them in 5 mintues (according to jarom)! I am particular about having all my christmas presents wrapped in the same paper so they match....or at least coordinate with each other. Half the present is the presentation in my book! You name it....I am probably particular about how I like it done. Oh, folding the towels.....and how they are placed in the cupboard....jarom doesn't even try anymore! I can't help but fix them:)

(3) Can't say NO! It doesn't matter if it's a favor for a friend, something for church or primary or something for work I WILL NOT and CAN NOT say NO! Even if it is the last thing I want to do....even if it makes me scared, stressed, emotional, or is completely out of my way I will say YES and do it with a smile on my face. I will completely change all of my plans in the blink of an eye to accomodate someone else or what they would rather do. I believe this is a disease. Jarom always tries to convince me this particular qaulity is a good one to have....but I sometimes wonder when I have 400 things on my "to-do" list and I might die before I accomplish half of them! I feel so much better when I serve people and I find joy in doing little favors, running errands, or substitue teaching for other people. The problem is that I get myself over-commited and then my little life and family get the brunt of it. The other counselor in my primary presidency tries to coach me on this one.....she will always test me by randomly asking something of me or waiting until someone does and when I say YES....she calls and gets after me! It's funny.....I appreciate her efforts. I learned this one from my mom too.....if anyone needs anything give me a call!

(4) Rule- Follower! I totally agree DEB! I hate doing things I know I shouldn't....it eats at me. I kissed a boy when I was 15...yes I know....and I felt sick for weeks because I was afraid my dad would find out....and I wasn't 16! He did find out....then he cried...didn't speak with me for a few days....and then made me pay! From that day on I hate to break rules. Whether made by my parents, school, work, church....I just guilt myself into a giant mess if I do. Another example: I was in the 7th grade at Adele C. Young Middle School....literally 5 steps away from my front porch. It was lunch break and the school rule stated that "we were NOT to leave school property during school hours". Well, all of my friends paid this rule no attention and decided to sluff and skip off to the neighbor girls house. Who was left alone....right next the fence that separated my house and the school....bawling her head off....YEP, ME!?! My mom was scrubbing her bathroom that particular morning and she looked out the window to see me sitting there bawling. She opened the window and yelled at me to come here. I then "bawling my head off remember" yelled back through tears "I can't mom, I can't leave school grounds during school hours!" I will never forget that! Another disease I think.....

(5) List-Maker! I love to have a list. Oh ya, and a day planner in my diaper bag at all times! For some reason it is the biggest rush to cross something off after I have completed it. Maybe it gives me a sense of accomplishment...who knows? I make several lists a day! No exaggeration. I have one sitting in front of me this second:) I have to have one so that I can remember the 50 things I told people I would do!

Ha Ha. Especially since I quit working full-time. Not that having jaxson isn't a hand full....but now that I stay home the majority of the day I feel so much better if I have written down something I should accomplish that day....and then I make sure I don't go to bed until it's DONE. Don't get me wrong....they don't all always happen....but it gives me a sense of direction I guess.

(6) Ultra-Senstitive! I think my sassiness sometimes disguises just how sensitive I am. I am trying to work on this one....but it's hard. I get hurt so easily and I usually takes things to literally. I have many examples...but not many I want to share! Even talking about them or thinking about them will make me cry. For some reason, if I get my feelings hurt I will forgive but NEVER forget. I remember pretty much EVERYTHING that has ever upset me. Whether it was a lie, gossip, a confrontation, whatever. I get so emotional when I think someone doesn't like me. Maybe it's because I honestly feel like I would do ANYTHING for ANYBODY....but having them dislike my personality....now that makes me a mess:) Jarom hates that....his approach is "who cares...it's there loss?" Ha ha....can you see why I married this man? My reaction is to pick apart every last thing about myself and wonder if thats what bugs them. Maybe it's my lists, or that my house is Organization Central, or my Sassiness that bugs them? Who knows....but I will stew over it for hours....all the while jarom will just listen and watch my tirade of tears!

(7) Hate to be ALONE! I am a talker. I can't stop it seems. I TOTALLY get this from my dad! That means that I hate to be alone. Poor jaxson has had to listen to me non-stop for 8 months now:) I would rather do ANYTHING with anybody...than be alone.... just so that I could have the company. I have gone to the grocery store with people, I have driven on errands, I have come help them clean their house.....just about anything for the joy of being with somebody else. Last night I had the night off of work for Veteran's Day and Jarom was studying for a big trial that he has today....I could have just enjoyed the evening, made some dinner, scrapbooked....but that's not fun alone! My first reaction upon hearing that Jarom had to work was....call my friend Brittany and tell her she has 5 seconds to pack her scrapbook stuff and get her butt to my house for some dinner, scrapbooking and watching The bachelor! I am a people person.... and I would so much rather be with people.

Wahlah! There they are. Upon closer examination I am a complete crazy person! I should totally erase this and not let anyone know me.....but it took a long time to type and I'm trying to work on the whole #6 and take jaroms advice "Who cares what they think....". ENJOY!

"O Christmas Tree..."

I typed everything before posting pictures! Whoops:) Scroll down!

Trying to get away! Now that he can move....HOLY COW my life is different. To be honest I HATE IT! Everything is harder and he's Quick! I'm mostly worried about him hurting himself...but I guess banging his head a few times is inevitable.
He can crawl like crazy...and is already pulling himself up on furniture. I bet he walks by 9 months.....AAAAGGHHHH!

Jeri (MOM) I love, love, love my nativity. THANK YOU SO MUCH! My sweet mother-in-law gave me this nativity a few years ago and putting it out is ony of my favorite things about christmas! It is so beautiful....and jaxson enjoyed helping play with the thousands of boxes it comes in! THANKS AGAIN:)

I Know...I Know...everyone thinks I'm crazy. That or I am making you feel major anxiety about how quickly Christmas is coming! Get crackin' people...I saw a sign on saturday that said only 44 shopping days until christmas! HA HA HA

So the story is: I have to work a lot over the next few weeks and I decided yesterday that I was going to put up my tree and get all decorated for christmas...Yikes! I have admitted on this blog COUNTLESS times my love for any holiday...so you probably saw this coming:) Also-We always travel to Utah for the most part of December and never get to enjoy our tree or our home decked up for the holidays. This year....I'm happy to say that won't be the case:) We'll be eating Turkey next to the Nativity and Tree:)

I could have done it the day after Thanksgiving....but tradition says I'll be lined up at Target with my friend Brittany about 5:00 a.m.: Hat, Scarf, Coat....and a mug of hot chocolate...just waiting to buy every Disney Movie they have for my little jaxson! Holidays rock with a kid!!!

I even gave jaxson these new little red striped penguin pajamas to wear throughout the season...he looked so cute. Enjoy the pics of my "EARLY CHRISTMAS"....

Sorry...more 8 months pics:)

It was too late and I was just plain tired last night when I posted his crawling video...so these pics had to wait until this morning. I can see that some of you have already seen him in action. Sorry there's more:)

I'm 8 months old...Wahoo!

He's 8 months...and crawling!

November 7th, 07! Jaxson turned 8 months old today! How already?, you ask....I thought the same exact thing. It's a good thing I worked 12 hours today and didn't have a second to think about how emotional I was about him growing! Luckily, I did have a few hours off this afternoon and was home to see jaxson crawl (more than a few steps) for the very first time! What a monumental day! I honestly am such a cheeseball when I am around my baby....so don't make fun of the video segment. I wanted to post this little video jarom taped of him crawling....but as I watch it, I laugh at how ridiculous I am when I am with him. He just makes my day and I start talking in baby voices and making high pitched squeals just like he does! SO ENJOY:) I just can't help myself.

Jaxson at 8 months is: CRAWLING, Yay! And starting to pull himself up on furniture. This weekend's tasks include: baby proofing all the cupboards and drawers, vaccuming under all furniture so he can't find anything to choke on and trying to de-junk so he'll have fewer things to bang his head on:) Man this parenting thing is hard.

Jaxson is: TEETHING! Holy Moly it is bad. He is a pretty happy baby so it could be worse, but I am so used to his cheery attitude that it's thrown our little "Routine" off a bit. He has 2 precious little bottom teeth. One of them looks like it has mammelons (the little ridges on the top that look like mountains)...completely normal by the way.....PHEW! They can be sanded down if I'm correct and it won't hurt a bit! (I am so anul about teeth!)

Jaxson is: EATING A TON! It seems that every other day I am going to the grocery store for more baby food. Man he can eat! Takes after his mommy I guess. He loves every food you give him except "Peaches" and "Chicken Noodle Dinner". I don't blame him, that one stinks:) Plus I taste them all so I'm not being incredibly cruel by making him eat things I would never touch! He is so right....both of them are nasty. HA HA!

Jaxson is: GIGGLING! He is full of giggles all day long and especially thinks it's funny to bite me during nursing. I can see it in his eyes....and if it didn't hurt so bad I would think it was the cutest thing on earth. I can tell it's his way of being playful....but we need to find a new game, because OUCH! Tonight he bit me 5 times in a row. I kept pulling away and then letting him try again....because usually he'll stop and get started eating. Nope....that little bugger bit down and pulled back....looked up at me and let out the loudest gut laugh you've ever heard. Jarom was sitting right there....ask him, he witnessed it!

Jaxson is: SPOILED BY DAD! This one is so true. This week we had a little argument. Ya know, those ones where you disagree on a child-raising issue. Well, jarom feels it necessary to rock, bounce, swing, sing, sway or WHATEVER to get jaxson to sleep for Every Single nap and bedtime. I, on the other hand, am too impatient and put him in his crib....thinking that he will cry himself to sleep in 5 minutes tops. Am I mean? Well....jaxson is milking it for all it's worth because he has refused to sleep (even for naps) this entire week unless you adhere to the following ritual: enter into my walk-in closet, shut the door providing a pitch-black atmosphere, sit down on my "CORE SECRETS" ball (yes the one that is SUPPOSED to be used for crunches or some form of exercise) and bounce up and down on your bum until he is rocked to sleep. How Jarom learned that this would work is beyond me....but IT DOES!.... I was just happy to see that the core secrets ball does serve a purpose at our house other than collecting dust!

Jaxson is: Still the highlight of our lives! I am getting so excited for him to experience his FIRST thanksgiving and first Christmas! I love all these "FIRSTS" and the fun amd joy a baby brings....

Happy 8 months Jaxson!

Ellie!

Ellie started a blog! YAY! I am so happy, and grateful because blogging keeps me somewhat connected to friends and family in UTAH:) Jarom thinks I am "addicted" as I have mentioned before....but when you live 1500 miles away from home...it is WONDERFUL!

For those who don't know my friend Ellie....I would love to dedicate this post to her:) Some things about Ellie:

Ellie is the best. I first met Ellie at Aspen Dental in Logan Utah while attending Utah State University. We both worked for Dr. Matt Lyman (who later was arrested and charged with touching patients while under sedation...no lie....we always knew he was a perv huh Ellie! HA HA) Anyhow, I instantly was in love! She is the complete opposite of me. Laid back, Happy all the time, carefree, never Too Serious, and she has this Quiet confidence about herself. I think that's what attracted me to her personality! I YEARNED to be that ok with myself....that Happy regardless of the situation....That NOT stressed out about getting straight A's in college....or missing a day at the gym:) I was only 18....wierd....and hanging out with Ellie was so therapeutic for me....I need people like her in my life! That explains my choice for a husband! (OPPOSITES attract is such a true statement!) She helped me relax and when I was with her we would have so much fun. She made me put down my Psychology text book or statistics homework and ATTEND girls night EVERY THURSDAY to watch "Friends" and make pina colada's!

I actually didn't like living in Logan....but one thing that could make me go back for sure.....is her! We instantly became friends and I used her house as a "refuge" during mine and jarom's first "newlywed" fights! She was there to witness our wedding and the entire first year of "US". I laugh when I ponder the memories of showing up at her house at 10:00 p.m. in tears and completely in need of her during those fun "first 6 months" of marriage! :) We would jump in "Charlie", her old red truck, and head straight for a milkshake at Sonic! Those were the days.

She is the best cook....and has EVERYTHING pampered Chef! She taught me a lot about cooking and gave me recipes that contributed to my 65 pound weight gain with jaxson! We would love to throw bridal showers, baby showers, or anything that required planning, decorating, a theme, or cooking! It was so much fun.....

We were obsessed with the Dollar Tree....so strange....but Logan doesn't have manu options!

She grew up in Texas and is OBSESSED with the place. She has Texas decorations all over her home and a Texas flag shower curtain. I will never forget that. I loved that about her. She was so passionate about things she loved. She also taught me really crazy sayings that would make me laugh and laugh. I still use some of them and people turn and look at me....like I did when I first heard her say them! Some of my favorites are : "I'm fixin' to __(anything)___!" or "I'm so hungry I could eat my arm!". I used to laugh and laugh at her crazy Texan expressions. She made me want to grow up in Texas!

Oh- She also has Really big hair....oddly enough, she inspired my Huge hairstyle! I still remember the day she taught be to "back comb" the way she does in her half bathroom behind the kitchen! I owe you girl! The bigger the better:)

We loved to gossip about all the crazy things going on at Dental Offices around Logan. It would really amaze you to be honest. We loved to joke about the "thing" the collections guy had for her.....we almost LOOKED for reasons to send people to the collections agency just so he would have to stop by our office. The man who worked there was BEAUTIFUL! (did I mention she loves bald men....) he was bald:)

I could go on and on.....

I am so happy I will be able to check in on her now.....and stay more connected with her life until I move back and am a part of it again!

I love you Ellie....everyone needs a friend like you:)

Happy Halloween!

Well...I'd love to say my Halloween was spent eating yummy treats and visiting family...but unfortunately I had to work. Next year....no matter what....that is what I will be doing. I have taught the last 3 Halloween's in a row...HOW RUDE! It's a good thing I love my students and enjoy my job....because missing a holiday is one of the worst things ever for me! I LOVE every holiday.

I am a teacher at Vatterott College in the Dental Assisting Department and "college-attending adults" do not get off school for "trick-or-treating"! DARN:) (Although I did notice on my calendar that we get off for Veterans day....stupid.) Thank goodness jaxson is too young to know the difference....or I would have had to take the night off! Instead I spent my Halloween teaching students how to chart Root Canals, Crowns, Bridges, Fillings/cavities, and any other problem that can occur in the mouth! FUN FUN FUN:) I also forced some of them to work on mounting x-rays...I am the worst! Anyhow....below is a picture of my little giraffe who came to visit me and my students during class! He was adorable.

I was the TOOTH FAIRY! A very stressed, worn-out, wind-blown, TIRED tooth fairy...but it was fitting since I'm a dental teacher. I bought some wings, a wand....and forced my husband to draw a molar on my cheek with paint 5 seconds before I ran out the door to work! HA HA.....he is such a good sport. (So am I for driving down the free-way looking like this!)

One of my evening students, Suzanne, brought her little boy Jonathan to class for a little bit as well. He just turned 1 and is just ADORABLE. He was a little turtle. It was soooo cute. I wish I would have gotten a picture of the back of his costume because he had this huge stuffed shell.....it was my favorite part. Jaxson LOVES other babies and he was laughing and squealing at him all night. The only thing is Jonathan can walk....and it was making jaxson frustrated that he couldn't get up and follow him:)

I look so disgusting.....It was a long day at work!

Jarom snapped this picture of me at my desk. I was grading paper after paper. Finals week is in ONE week and the preparations for it NEVER END it seems. At this point it was probably 9:30 p.m....with still over an hour to go.....

My little giraffe crawling around my classroom.

Kisses! Jaxson was giving jarom loves as they both hung out by the foot of my desk and kept me company for an hour. As you can see in the background from the candy wrappers....I had ditched my wings and eaten SEVERAL pieces of chocolate to keep me going!

Happy Halloween everyone!

p.s. my computer has a nasty virus! I am ticked. Everytime I open someone's blog a million pop-ups come up....and NAUGHTY ones:) I must have done something to deserve punishment....because I am a blog addict and it's killing me. I will have a LOT of catching up to do next week. I did see everyones halloween pics though.....I just can't leave comments! They were darling. Cute monkeys chels, LOVE the chicken channa, jamie...your lions were adorable, Tegan....peyton made a great cheerleader, Pam-Such cute little bugs:) I will hopefully get this thing fixed and be back checking the rest soon!