Week One Wrap Up

So much for not allowing Saturday to become the day of housework. My first week back and I spend Saturday morning cleaning windows and washing bed sheets. I also had errands to run:

Barbara Ann's Dry Cleaning (where Barbara Ann called my temple dress "dingy")

Costco (where I rudely rushed passed Jana and fam without stopping)

and Target (where......... nope. Nothing interesting happened at Target.)

And I worked less than 20 hours this week.

Mark and I did go to the temple last night. And we did get some swimming and baking in. So still a good amount enjoyment for the weekend.

I digress. Benjamin (or Ben-ja-jin as Parker calls him) is 3 months old today. Although most people think he looks older. I guess when you weigh 15 pounds at 3 months that's what happens.

Parker's starting to take a little more interest in his brother. He's at least noticing when Ben is awake and asleep and says "Hi Baby Ben" every once in a while. (Much improved.)

Peace out kiddos. It's been real!

Twelve weeks gone by just. like. that. I return to work on Monday. I will miss them. The title of my post does not reflect my true sentiment.

I had a mental list of what I wanted to do during my break. At the top of the list: birth a baby and hold that baby as much as possible. For Parker, my list changed six weeks in. I dropped teaching him to dress himself, use scissors or draw shapes. (I was forced. He's not interested in any of the above.) I changed the goal- learn something new everyday. It's really fun to teach a 3 year old. You feel like the most amazing mother/teacher ever because they learn so easily. Little sponge I tell ya.

We filled our days with zoo trips, story times, museum visits, swimming, cooking, indoor play grounds, and every community event I could fine. I'm so excited I won't be working Friday's anymore so we can continue to be out and about.

I've heard people who warn against SIDS say, "Mothers bond with their babies when they are awake. Not when they are asleep." I beg to differ. Mid-day naps with Baby Ben are at the top of my list of things I will miss while working.

Another thing at the top of the what I will miss list is having time during the week to do laundry, housework, and grocery shopping. I didn't realize how much our little family was missing out on by filling our Saturdays with chores.

I have two goals moving forward: 1. Continue to learn something new everyday.

2. Don't let Saturdays become the day of housework.

I also hope I can find time to continue scrapbooking. I have so many pictures of Handsome Ben I need to scrap!

Case in point:

Thank goodness for friends!

Freshman year at BYU my BFF was Wendy. I was from Texas. She was from Oregon. We met in the dorms.

(Christy and Wendy 2001 or maybe 2002)

Wendy had a crush on a boy from California.

(Mark and Wendy 2002)

She spent a semester chasing him- finding any way to hang out with this California dreamboat. Often dragging along her BFF.

She did that one too many times.

(Mark and Christy June 10, 2005)

Don't feel bad for Wendy! I'm the one that lost my BFF! Just kidding... we're totally facebook friends. She found her real love and is happy with her hubby and two kids!

Happy 6 Years!

A Check Off the Bucket list

This last week we took a family vacation to New Orleans, LA. New Orleans feels a lot like home. Familiar streets, familar faces, familiar food! I've been wanting to take Mark there since we met... and finally he got to experience a part of my family he never has.

My favorites (in this order):

1. Getting pictures of my kids with their Great Grandparents. (And visiting with these grandparents.)
2. Seeing Parker run around my grandparent's house with my cousin's kids- just like I used to run around with those same cousins.

3. Showing Mark and Parker the town- seeing them make memories in the same places I have so many memories.

My Maternal Grandparents, Reid and Jewel, in New Orleans

My Paternal Grandma, Betty, in Mississippi

Parker's favorites:
1. Grandma Betty's house in Mississippi. He sweat-ed it out all day chasing dogs, cats, frogs, lizards, hornets, etc. Little boys are made for the country.

2. Alligators on the swamp tour and the sharks at the aquarium.

3. Riding airplanes, buses, a train, boat, and ferry all within a weeks time!

Parker was a sweaty mess the entire trip.)

Mark's favorites:
1. The food, the music, and the architecture of the French Quarter.
2. Experiencing the greenery and country pace of Mississippi.

Ben's Favorite:

1. Always having someone's arms available.

This post doesn't near capture the flavor of New Orleans! I wish I could pass on the taste and sounds thru blogger. But I can not. You should just add a trip to the Big Easy to your bucketlist! Be sure to get some po boys, beignets, crawfish, shrimp, jambalaya, Hubigs, snoballs........