Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Well. . .

Well. . . We're still working on the potty training thing, but it's starting to go well. L is finally starting to figure out when he needs to go to the bathroom on his own. The break through came a few days ago when he was playing and suddenly said "I need to go poop!" and ran to the bathroom. I think I jumped up and down I was so excited. And the last couple days he has made it through the day on the same pull-up. He even decided that it was ok to use the potty at the gym this morning. So I think we've finally gotten away from being afraid of other potties outside the house. I am sooooooo excited! It seems like the end could be in site. . .provided he does not get sick again and regress a whole bunch. But if that happens then I guess we'll just deal with it. I guess we all learned to go poop sometime. To make the situation funnier, and here's the TMI warning, his poop clogged up the toilet! Which I totally fixed, thank you very much, and did a little victory dance.

As I type I'm listening to Q chatter and talk to herself. She's been doing this for the last hour and a half. I was thinking that she was going to take a nap, like she normally does, so that I can get some things done. Instead she has been a little stinker. It would be fine if she just talked the whole time but she definitely had a monster fit a while ago, and I had to go in there and calm her down. She seemed convinced that I was going to pick her up, however I'm not that nice today. Admittedly, I needed some time for myself and I was in the middle of giving myself a french manicure when she was having her silly fit. Since we have been through this nonsense before, and a back rub and some quiet talking later she was laying back down again and going to sleep. Or so I thought! Some times it's just too much for a Mommy to hope for. (At this moment I think I can hear her jumping in her crib. Here's hoping she doesn't hurt herself.)

I think we all have our little guilty pleasures that we indulge in while our kids are sleeping or otherwise occupied. One of my favorites is Rob and Big, another is Fantasy Factory. It's great to just unplug my brain for a little while, or just laugh at people doing things that are just TOTALLY INSANE! At the moment though, I am watching a rerun of Keeping up with the Kardashians/Kim's Fairytale Wedding. I normally don't pay attention to silly people with too much money who are famous just for being famous, but watching these people sometimes makes me very thankful for the life I have. As much as I like looking good and trying to look put together, I am so glad that there is no one waiting outside my house to take my picture. No one cares if I look like crap going to the gym with my kids. No one is paying major attention to whether I lost a few pounds or gained a few pounds. No one outside of my family cares much about my day to day decisions, and I like it that way. If I really screw up my hair and it turns green, there is no major image issues that I need to worry about, other than explaining it to DH. . . While I would like their money and their closets ("can we say fur collection"), I would not trade my husband or my kids or my Mom or my sister and brother or my in-laws for their lives.
In other words, I LOVE MY FAMILY!!!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Dear Dad

Dear Dad,

Looking at the calendar, I realize that it has been more than two decades since you left this earth to go back to our Father in Heaven on this date in 1990. At first glance this might look like a letter in sadness but I hope that you'll look at this for what it is, a celebration of what has happened since that time.

Over the course of my life I have met many people who, out of the goodness of their hearts, wanted to feel sorry for me because you were not here. At a younger age I might have played into it a little, but as I've grown older, I've realized that I don't want any one feeling sorry for me. True you have missed out on a lot of firsts. First dates, first days of school, first checking accounts, first grand baby. But in my heart I know that you were there for all of that, even though I couldn't see you. You were there with me when I got my first job, when I scratched up my first car. . .you were probably watching when I had my first kiss. Although I kind of hope you were not watching. I also know you were there in my moments of broken heart, when I was convinced that the world was "SO UNFAIR" (although I'm sure you were on Mom's side). I know you were there when I made the decisions to go through the Temple, and the decision to get married to DH there. I know you were with me in the days and months while I was on bedrest with L. You were there in the hospital when they told me I was in labor, 10 weeks early, and that you sat with me that night while I prayed it would all stop so my baby would not be born too early. I know you kept me upbeat while I was sitting on the couch trying to be still and keep Q healthy before she was born. I know you were there when both of them were born and celebrated with Mom (I'm sure she knew you were there). I know that my kids knew you before they got here and that you probably told them all about me and our family, although sometime I think I'm glad they can't remember. Like when you told me about the time I. . . Yeah, never mind.

Looking at it this way, there is no way anyone would feel sorry for me. I know where you are, and that you're here when I really need you. In some ways, you can keep better tabs on us way better than other Dads (at least that was always Mom's threat, "I can't see what you're doing all the time, but you Father can!"). There are definitely times I wish you were here, but I know that you've probably got more influence for good in every one's life where you are. For that I thank you. If nothing else, the promises of the Temple, that our family will be together forever, is what holds me up on bad days. On good days, I smile when I see the Brooks Brother sign, a joke about handle bar mustaches. . . and the sight of a bow tie will always make me think of you.
Love,
Kari