Great Weekend, Bad Nights

Kai is officially on a rebellion. What type of rebellion? Well I'm not really sure. I guess I would categorize it under the "sleep rebellion", though technically he is going to bed just fine. We put him down for his naps and down for bed just fine, but for one reason or another he is wide awake at 2am screaming his head off. This has now been going on for 4 days and we finally got some relief last night. Actually, praise the Lord, A LOT of relief. He slept 10 straight hours without a peep. Then I fed him at 6am and he went right back to sleep until Brian woke him up for church at 8ish. It was great to finally get some quality zzzzzzz. Thank you Orajel. It's so hard to pinpoint what exactly is the problem. It could be teething, it could be that he's growing, it could be that he is just being a little stinker. I am proud of us though because through it all we haven't had any major drama (between us) and though I have been on the verge of break-down, it has yet to happen...which really could only mean that it's building up, but I'm praying that it is not the case and that the Lord has just blessed Brian and I with extreme patience lately. I really just feel so bad for him because we can't do anything to sooth him. I mean, I guess I could feed him every night, but let's face it, I do not want to get into that habit.

On a better note Brian's team won AGAIN last night AND Fort Hays lost, which means that UCM is officially #1 in the MIAA conference by 1/2 a game. WOO HOO! And to make things even better, Fort Hays lost at home, which means that when UCM goes there in a few weeks, they are TOTALLY beatable (which we already knew ha!) On a not-so-great note, the game last night was the most boring game I have ever witnessed. I would have rather watched paint dry. In all seriousness, UCM scored 2 points in 8 minutes...and Pitt State scored 0 points in those 8 minutes. Needless to say, it was NOT pretty. But hey, a win is a win and we'll take it! And to make things better, it was a 3:30 game so that means Kai and I got Brian ALL to ourselves for the rest of the night! And after he ate his cereal and ham Brian got to give him his bath. I needed a little break. Yeah, breaks are nice.

So the weekend is almost over and the laundry is slowly getting done. Celtics play the Lakers (aka the Rapers) today so I gotta get my Garnett jersey on and ready. Kai has his Celtic green diaper on and is ready to go. Let's hope the game poops him right out and he sleeps well again tonight!

Banana Bread Disaster

Brian and I both LOVE bananas. We probably have one every day unless, of course, we are out. Well a last week we had these 2 bananas that were looking pretty pathetic so I thought to myself, "Hey I should make us some banana bread!" Clearly 2 bananas aren't enough to make it so I went out and bought some and specifically kept my mitts off so they could get nice and icky. I am not one known for baking or cooking masterpiece creations, but lately I've really enjoyed baking so I figured this would be a great little project for me to do.

So Tuesday I was feeling extremely motivated and took a stab at the banana bread. Everything was going great - Kai was playing in his highchair perfectly content and Hayden was in the swing talking away to himself. I whipped up the perfect looking banana bread dough, put it in the pan, placed it in the oven and put the kiddos down for their nap. Amazingly they both fell asleep without ANY crying (for Hayden that is a VERY big deal). I was so proud of myself...I know, it doesn't seem like a lot to be proud of, but this is my first banana bread and it looked delish, even uncooked. Also, all the laundry was clean and laundry, and I have realized that this is a very big deal when you have a baby and are using cloth diapers. Honestly, the laundry was quite hideous prior to that day. Okay, so my timer is set, the kids are sleeping, the laundry is folded and put away and I am about to FINALLY finish 'Eclipse' (the 3rd book of the Twilight saga). Things are looking good...until my timer goes off. I get up to check it and the bread is nowhere near done so naturally I plop it back in the oven. 15 minutes later the apartment is smelling absolutely delightful and I am becoming more and more impressed with my baking skills. I walk over to the oven to check the bread again. I pull the baking rack out a little so I can reach the pan and BAM. The pan slides off the baking rack and smashes onto the oven door, banana bread goop spilling everywhere. I stood there in shock for about 3.3 seconds before I heard a voice yelling in my head "SAVE THE BREAD WHAT ARE YOU DOING SAVE IT SAVE IT". Quickly I reach for another oven mitt and scoop the bread and uncooked dough into the pan and cook the rest. Almost at the exact time that I dropped the pan, both kids started crying and then I started crying. I was so flustered and obviously saddened by the events that had happened before my eyes. I guess I shouldn't have been so proud of myself...

It's okay though, the bread came out just as yummy as one could expect. I told Brian it was my artist attempt at abstract cooking. It's still edible and we're still eating it. Lesson learned.

B-less

So Brian has been gone pretty much since Saturday. UCM played their rival (Southwest Baptist) on Saturday night in Bolivar and though they came home that night, Brian was up at 3am headed to Alabama and Mississippi to do some recruiting. It was sad to see him go, but hey, it's his job and Kai and I will be eagerly awaiting his return on Tuesday. BTW they won on Saturday! It was UCM's first time beating SBU in Bolivar since 2007. Brian was really really excited - he said it was his "new favorite win" of the season. Kai and I were fortunate enough to be able to make the 2 hour drive up there with my dad. We caravaned with my friend Melissa and her family and we stopped in this little podunk town of Collins for dinner. Hello people, the population was 187. It was teenie tiny, but the meal was AMAZING (also probably at least 7,000 calories) and I just happened to top it off with the most delish slice of coconut cream pie. BE STILL MY HEART...yes it was that good. I also met one of the most fabulous ladies on the planet, Ms. Norma Bishop. She just happens to be one of the boosters at SBU and is a friend of Brian's family (and is now a friend to me - YAY). Seriously one of the cutest ladies ever - I'm not really too sure how old she is, but she's getting up there and let me tell you, she is FULL of life. Her and Kai really hit it off. He spit up on her hand - his true sign for "I love you". Anyway, it was a good win and I had to heckle Ms. Norma a little bit - during the game we both agreed to not be as rowdy as we normally would (not to mention that I was sitting with her in the middle of a sea of purple SBU fans and I did not want to get mobbed). Norma and I agreed that Brian, myself and Kai would visit her again when his season died down. She knew all about Smith's and we thought that it would be a good place to meet...apparently she likes their pie too :-)

So the weekend really wasn't too bad without Brian here, but like I've said, nights are the worst. I did have a bit of a distraction as my dad came in on Friday night. He left this morning, but it was nice to have him around so I could get out of the house and leave Kai at home during his naps or just to play with his Grampy. I even took the time to FINALLY buy some curtains. WOO HOO. I cannot believe it took me this long. Our little apartment is slowly but surely coming together and is really starting to feel more like a home to me. Maybe that has to do with all the baby toys everywhere...

Tonight was a really nice and relaxing night with my little guy. He wasn't too fussy (though he was earlier in the day) and we just sat and played. As always, he didn't have the best nap this evening, so around 6:30 we got all snuggled and he (and by he I really do mean "we") took a little 30 minute nap before eating and his bath. This is night #4 of green beans and he actually really seems to enjoy them. Unfortunately he likes to grab at everything and tonight he tried to grab the bowl and grabbed just enough to make it go flying in the air and get all over the place...a majority of it in my hair. I just looked at him and had to laugh. I mean seriously, can one really get mad? After that I moved the Bumbo to the floor because he kept trying to turn himself around and grab at everything that was on the counter. That kid has grabby hands. I'm going to have to start watching him like a hawk. The other day I tried feeding him in the highchair but since it was so new he was looking all around trying to figure out what was going on...so I've started to sit him in this a little bit each day so he can get used to the idea. I might try him in it again tomorrow in hopes that I don't have to wash green beans out of my hair again. Thankfully we got him (and me) all cleaned up and ready for bed and BING BANG he was out like a light. Last night he slept for 10 hours (finally back on track...he had a little sleep regression there for a bit) and I'm hoping tonight will be the same.

Life with a kid is a daily adventure and boy oh boy do we have our hands full...already.

Ps. Vicki you should really come visit...pronto.

1/2 Birthday.

So my little guy is officially 6 months today! Woo hoo! I cannot believe how fast time has flown by. When I think of him being 6 months it doesn't seem like it has been that long...but when I think of how it's been 6 months since I've left my job and we've moved from Dallas, it seems like that was FOREVER ago. Crazy how life plays tricks on you. I guess time is all relative.

So naturally, since Kai is 6 months he had his doctors appt. Nobody worry, everything is great! He is just under 27in and he weighs in at a lean mean 13lbs 11oz. He is in the measly 5th percentile for his weight, but I've honestly stopped worrying about it. He is going to grow at his own pace and since he's started on solids I'm sure he will sprout up just fine. Not to mention, incase you didn't notice, Brian isn't exactly a beast. He is tall, but definitely skinny. Nobody tell him I shared this, but he told me his Mom used to have to safety pin his pants so they would fit in length and not fall off...AND he used to have to wear girls shoes because his feet were too skinny. No judgements though because he can wear big boy clothes and shoes now :-)

My least favorite part of today was definitely the shots. I still cannot watch when the nurse gives them to Kai and I still cry a little. He did really well though - gave a couple grunts and then looked at me with a quivering lip, rested his head on my shoulder and let out one little cry and it was over. A few seconds later he looked at me with a big smile. I love being able to comfort him. Even if he would have screamed until his face turned blue and everyone was looking at me, I wouldn't have minded because I wouldn't want anyone else to be there to cuddle him, sooth him and love on him. Nothing compares to a mothers compassion, gentleness and love. How do I know this? Well because sometimes all I want is my mom...

Happy 1/2 birthday little man. We love you!

It's All Mental

So as most people know Brian's job requires him to travel a lot. When we were first married and living in Dallas these nights were definitely something I dreaded and often times I begged to either go with Brian or for him not to go...usually without success. Then as married life continued I started to enjoy my nights alone, but always looked forward to his return. Sometimes it was hard if he had been gone for an extended period of time because I would get accustomed to living on my own and doing my own thing and then BAM he would return and I would have to readjust to married life causing a little tension (clearly I am not good with change...). I started to get better at this adjustment when BAM, Kai was born, we were in a new town, didn't know anyone and I was left to take care of Kai on my own. With Brian being gone it made me realize how much he really did help out BUT once again, I got accustomed to taking care of things on my own. I had a specific order and way of doing everything and then when Brian would try to help he would do things "wrong" and I would get so irritated instead of just relaxing and appreciating the help. So the big cycle continues on accepting that Brian is and will be gone for extended periods of time and learning to appreciate all the help he gives me when he is here...and allowing him to help me without thinking he is doing it all wrong.

Though the above is true and is something that I value, I have also realized that he is my best friend and one of the reasons I'm so "bothered" when he's gone is that I have to go to bed alone and wake up alone. Though I thoroughly love having the whole bed to myself, I tend to just stay on my side curled in a little ball, which is defintely NOT the case when Brian is home. Poor guy practically gets shoved off the bed! I'm not really sure when this all started, but I've noticed recently that at some point in my sleep one of our extra pillows will make its way down into the bed and act as a "replacement" for the one who is missing. Because of this I find myself in the middle of the bed most mornings and a lot more rested. I guess it's just one of those things my brain does to play tricks on me. Which is why I said, it's all mental...

Peas and Teef

Last night we took a leap. After just starting Kai on solids we have moved from oat cereal to peas. Now, I was a little worried about this for many reasons. One being that peas are absolutely disgusting and make me want to vomit and two, it took him awhile to get used to just the cereal. At least with the cereal you can add a little grape juice to it to sweeten it up...what can you really do to peas to cover their taste? I mean, yes, as adults you can add loads of butter or cheese (Brian tends to do this with all green veggies), but what can a baby do. So naturally we took pictures. It was very entertaining as I watched Brian feed Kai because I couldn't tell who was more anxious or who was concentrating the most (and the award goes to...Brian!). Thankfully the peas were a big hit. I have to say, starting on solids was a lot easier than I thought. Well, the second time around. Since we have a tiny little guy the pediatrician suggested that we start him on solids after 4 months. We tried it for a few days and he just wasn't ready. So we held off for a couple more months and it was A LOT better. A couple more days with peas and then we'll hit our next stepping stone: green beans!

So these last few weeks have been...hard. Not hard in the sense that, "oh my life is so hard", but hard as in challenging in "mom terms". 2 weeks ago Kai started losing his voice. He sounded hoarse and let's face it, he sounded just like Macy Gray did as a baby. Naturally, this being my first child, I brought him to the doctor where she told me it was just a cold and maybe some reflux. How an infant can have a cold with no runny nose and no fever is beyond me, but hey, she's the one who went to med school, so for now I will trust her. Then, just as I was getting used to the Macy Gray impersonator living in my house, Kai started teething. That's right folks, in a few weeks my baby will have his first toof! Well, we'll see. Many have told me that sometimes these little schemers like to pop up and then go back down before they make their grand entrance. Either way I have had the joy of dealing with a more fussy, more drooly and more needy baby. But let's be honest, I don't mind. It gives me an excuse to take little naps with him and hold him close. Mama bear has GOT TO COMFORT! I still can't believe my baby boy will be 6 months on Thursday. SERIOUSLY! Time flies...

Also, Brian is gone for today and tomorrow. I never realize how much he really helps me out in getting Kai ready for bed until he isn't here. I need to remember to thank him...

I Caved In

I know many people who blog, but for one reason or another I never really felt the urge to. With Facebook it's just so easy to keep in touch with everyone that I didn't feel the need to blog...that is, until today. I was reading some blogs of friends and realized that blogging might give me a good outlet. Something to get me away from laundry and cleaning...not that I do that all the time, but just something else to take up my time.

Let me give a brief rundown on how we got to where we are. For those of you who don't know, last year was crazy for us. We had our son, Malachi (we call him Kai) July 21st and though we weren't planning on kids yet, God had a completely different plan for our lives and we couldn't be more in love! On July 23rd, while we were still in the hospital, Brian was offered the Assistant Coach position at the University of Central Missouri and a week later Brian and his mother where in a moving truck headed north. Kai and I were left behind to stay with some very VERY generous friends (thank you Blake & Mary and Sam & Lindsay!!) for another week. On Kai's 2 week birthday my dad and I loaded up the car and drove to our new home! Brian and his mom were studs!! By the time we got there they had an apartment picked out, the water/electricity on AND had all our stuff moved in to their proper places. Sometimes I don't know how we got through the craziness and we have so many friends and family members to give thanks to!

Since then our hectic lives have started to settle down. After the family visits, our lives started to become more of a reality. Thankfully the Lord blessed us with a very "chill" baby, otherwise I just might be in a mental hospital.

Brian's season is now in full swing and after being ranked #1 in the nation (DII) for a time, they are still holding strong at #7 (I could be wrong) with a record of 15-1. We have all learned so much already about what it's really like to be a "coaching family". We are all invested in Brian's career as a coach and honestly I don't think we'd have it any other way. It hasn't been easy, but we're learning as we go...it helps that Kai LOVES going to the games and though I tend to watch Kai more than the game, I still enjoy getting out and being with friends!