I said I'd never do it....

So remember that time I said I would never ever let my child cry it out?

Well, consider me a liar.

When Evan was nine months old he woke up to cuddle with momma...not to eat.

Before that time he always woke up and drank 5 oz. I don't feel like babies wake up and eat 5 oz just "out of habit." At least I didn't feel that way about my child and I'm a mom therefore I have a mother's instinct and that's how I felt.

Anyway, he has continued that little charade up until last weekend. 

It was getting to be really difficult to get any sleep because Greg and I couldn't sleep in bed with him for fear would roll on him so when he was in our bed we were constantly waking to check on him. Evan on the other hand slept nice and sound with his little arms stretched above his head and just soaking up the time with mom and dad. Other times I would lay on the couch with him and that didn't work because I did the same waking thing.

So we tried off and on but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't let my little man cry. So we would stop. 

I tried everything. Every little trick I've been told to do and nothing has worked. So as a last resort we did it. He cried it out. ugh... I hate even saying it. 

Last weekend we decided we just had to, because this wasn't working for any of us. All three of us were exhausted everyday. He would always go down just fine but it was in the middle of the night that was a problem. We were also doing the whole go in and check on him every 10-20 min, love on him, and put him back to bed but that only made it worse. He knew we would come in so he just kept doing it.

We put him down Friday night and he got out of his bed and cried for a good hour while banging on the door at 3am. He fell asleep for maybe 30 min and then did the same thing. This went on until 5am and then he officially fell asleep and then woke at 7:30am.

Saturday he cried for another hour

Sunday 45min

Monday 30min

Tuesday 15min

Wednesday 10min

Thursday NO CRYING!

Friday NO CRYING!

Success my friends. Success.

Greg stays up later doing homework and watches Ev on the monitor. He said he wakes up but he doesn't get out of bed he just toss's and turns and tries to re position and sometimes sits up but then lays back down falls asleep. He's sleeping from 8:30-7:30-8. These past two nights have been glorious.

The pacifier deal...not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. He forgot about it 2 days after we took it away. He knew where we kept them and he would walk over and point and say, "BEE!" so I would show him they weren't there and then he would go play with something else. He never really cried at night for it either.

Unfortunately, I am a firm believer in this at night...

Turns out, it leads to this....

I don't know who these babies are but I love this kids hair!

Patience is key

First, remember that time I said I was waiting for Evan to fall asleep on the floor? Well, it happened or should I say happenS....

I put the blanket there for an easier landing if he fell out of the bed...

I just love this blurry picture because he's snugglin' that bear...

Guess what!? I will be going part time at my job starting next week! I will only work 3 days a week! I feel like I'm practically a stay at home mom :o)

We have been feeling like something needed to change we just weren't sure what or how....so what does any LDS person do when they don't know what to do? You go to the temple! We had some friends of ours watch Evan one day and we had a date at the temple. Greg felt very impressed for me to go part time at my same job (I later received confirmation of his revelation and I have theories as to why he received it first). Finally! We had an answer and we could move on! 

That following Monday I asked my manager to go part time and she said no....

So you know here I am thinking- What!? God told me to! I have to!

So then we start thinking...well maybe this answer was supposed to lead us to do something else and yadda yadda...

Then I was reading my scriptures one day and I read a verse that really stuck out to me and it was something along the lines of - follow the Lord's commands with exactness. I told Greg about it and so it was then just a waiting game because we felt like maybe when I had asked it was bad timing...and it was.

Other events took place which allowed me to go Part time the 2nd time I asked.

It may not seem like I would have learned much from this but I learned a ton from this experience! The Lord hears and answers your prayers. Maybe not the way you want them answered or in your time frame, but he does. I am so grateful for the ability to receive divine guidance because no way would I survive in this world without it.

P.S. We are going to Vegas in August!!!!! We are staying at the Mirage where the dolphins and white lions are!!!  I am so excited for the M&M factory and Greg is excited for the Coke factory and the wax museum and so much other stuff! EEK! 

Changes for a growing boy

We changed Evan's bed into a toddler bed. All we had to do was take the front rail part off and add a little toddler rail. He loves his bed! He climbs in and out of it all the time and occasionally jumps on it. When it's time for bed he goes down pretty well. Naps on the other hand....he has to be exhausted to not get out of bed. We haven't had him fall asleep on the floor yet...I'm still waiting.

I'm waiting to fix those scratches on the crib from our last move until we move back to Ohio. 

We also got rid of the pacifier. When I had some dental cases at work I chatted with some docs about when to get rid of it. My pediatrician said two and that's what the dentist's at work said, but one of my fave dentist's said we should just do it now because it will only be more painful at 2. Also, he said that when the molars start coming in, you want to get rid of it because the bink will start to push his teeth out and he already has 3 molars! I waited until he was in his bed a few days and then we just never gave it to him at night and it only took 15 minutes of crying before he fell asleep. He woke up and around 3am and said, "Bee! Bee!" But then he went right back to sleep. It was seriously so hard for me not to give it to him. He's just so sweet and it's his "BEE!" But the good thing is that he has a few bears that he sleeps with and I watched him on the camera grab one of his bears and snuggle. 

It makes me sad to think about how fast he's growing but he's learning so much and he's so much fun. We could just eat him up! We can't get enough!

My favorite thing right now is that he says, "more" in sign language and then "PEAS!" (more please)
He is also repeating everything we tell him to...it's pretty amazing that he can go from saying, "uh oh" to repeating everything in just 5 months!

Father's Day

So I made cinnamon roll pancakes for breakfast

and I made a tie for Greg with Evan's footprints on them it was pretty cute!
Then we went to church and then came home and just had some fun playing with the babes.

BOO!

He calls his bink, "Beeee" (I'm not really sure what happened to "Beets')

It's my brothers birthday today!! Happy Birthday Timmy!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, Baby! The places you'll go!

We went and picked my brother and his wife up at the airport and then headed to Moab Thursday and came back Saturday morning.

He pretty much did this the whole time we hiked

These rocks look like Money heads

you can't see us, but Kim and I are under the arch :o)

we ate here simply because it was called the love muffin cafe.

first time I've ever seen cactus. I might have been a little more over joyed about seeing this than the normal folk.

So to sum this trip up...

-Saw lots of big rocks and lots of big holes
-Old European lady steals child out of Greg's arms (very awkward moment)
-Man hikes barefoot
-ate at lots of yummy restaurants
-had muffins from the Love Muffin
-laughed
-spent time with family

Greg and I are planning more trips this summer in and out of Utah because this is our last summer in Utah, so we are packing it all in!

So just a quick funny Evan did today- I was feeding him Oreo's and milk and I got up to get a rag to wipe his face because he was done and he grabbed the milk off the table and spilled it on the floor and then Greg came over and was talking to Evan about it saying something like "did you spill milk buddy?" and Evan said some gibberish, shook his head no, and then pointed to me as if to say, "I didn't do it, she did!" haha

A delish feast and a simple treat

So I made these today

Oreo Truffle's

about 40 oreos (make that 38- Evan scored 2 off the table)

8oz of cream cheese 

dipping chocolate

I threw the oreo's in my food processor and then mixed the cream cheese in. Then made them into balls and put them on wax paper. Then I put them on a cookie sheet and threw them in the freezer for a little bit until they got hard and then melted chocolate and dipped them. Delish.

Something else that's amazing?

Chicken Piccata

Chicken

Juice of 1 lemon (3Tbsp)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp basil or oregano
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pasta
2 cups dried penne pasta
2 Tbsp butter
Juice of 2 lemons (6 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup half and half (or heavy cream)
2 tsp dried basil
2 Tbps capers
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Chicken
Combine first 6 ingredients and mix well.  Place chicken in a ziplock bag and pour marinade over chicken.  Marinate overnight in the refrigerator (I only marinated for like 2 hours).  When ready, grill until done.  Allow chicken to rest for a few minutes and then slice into strips to serve over pasta.

Pasta
While chicken is grilling.  Cook pasta according to directions (10-12 minutes).  Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain.  In same sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Whisk in garlic and lemon juice.  Pour in half and half and whisk until hot.  Add some salt and pepper to taste.  Add the parmesan cheese, basil and capers, and heat until cheese is melted.  Check the consistency of the sauce and add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if necessary.  Toss in pasta.

Greg: I feel like I should pay you to eat this! It's so good!

I'd call that a wife win.

sentences

Sooo this guy

  

has some 2 word sentences going on

me: Evan look at the ducks!

Evan: Duh! (Duck)

Me: Yeah, good job!

Evan: Guh Jaw! (good job)

Me: Got you!

Evan: Guh Ew!

Me: Oh, yeah!

Evan: ooo, yuh!

He also calls his bink "beets"


PS- I'm dying to sew something! I just need to figure out what it is I want to sew!

we sorta like to have fun always

Hiking

Juicing some Grapes. pineapple, and oranges to make- Grape Juice, Orange Juice and my fave-Pineapple slushies oohhh yeeaaaahhhh (with no added fake bad for you sugar I might add) This was Evan's first time having juice and he loved it, but it's expensive to make so it will be a here and there thing.

Grilling out on our tiny hillbilly grill

My 14 month old looks like he's 2...he said yellow and Green today

I could chew on him always...

Little tiny adorable baby flip flops

Who even knows anyway?

I may or may not have accidentally burped the other day and now Evan fake burps. My burp on video was a fake one....I wouldn't even call it a burp....what am I teaching my child?

Knuckles

Knock Knock

He's very trusting