Finding Joy

Mason can barely talk, but the other day when we were reading scriptures, he started doing this.



And, on an unrelated note, Bree just walked in as I was watching a clip of Ree Drummond, the "Pioneer Woman," on a Fox TV clip making cinnamon rolls.

Bree: "Mom, make some cinnamon rolls."
Me: "Cinnamon rolls are kinda hard and take a long time to make."
Bree: "I'll just wait."

She settled for a chocolate pudding cup from the fridge.

Last Week

Last week the five of us went to Flagstaff to play in the snow with our cousins. We shoved the kids into snow gear. I bundled Riley inside my coat, and we struggled through the deep snow to the sledding hill. Chad helped the kids climb the hill and sled down over and over until they couldn't take it any more. I took pictures. Last week our family of five drove home again. Last week we came down with colds.


Last Thursday I spent all day in bed reading a book and holding my baby boy. I made meatball sandwiches for dinner. We said goodbye to Chad as he went back to work, and I nursed Riley on the couch. I put my baby on my bed and went through the bedtime routine with Bree and Mason. I got them in PJs, brushed their teeth, read them a book, and turned out their lights. When I went back to pick up Riley, he wasn't breathing.


Last week I called 911. I tried to resuscitate my baby boy. I gave him to the paramedics and he went to the hospital. By the time Chad and I got there, Riley was gone. Last week I said goodbye to my baby.

This week I have prayed and cried. Family and friends have written, called and visited. This week I went to a mortuary to make plans for my own child. I have dealt with a cold, cough, and Strep throat. This week my body still thinks it should be making milk for a nursing baby. This week I have talked to my mom every day. I have hugged my husband and children often. I have thanked Heavenly Father for all my blessings. This week has been the hardest week of my life. I couldn't have gotten through this week on my own.

What sledding is all about

Bree and Mason had never had the privilege of sledding, but they're getting old enough to know when they're missing something good. We finally made the trip up to the mountains to visit my cousin Kellianne's family and play in their abundant snow. Getting the kids dressed in snow pants, coats, gloves, and boots proved much more difficult than I had anticipated. There were complaints and tears, and we almost didn't make it outside at all. But, we explained, getting suited up was a necessary part of sledding.

Getting to the sledding hill was quite a trek. Even short distances are cumbersome when you keep sinking in 4-foot snow. There was some whining, and the adults tried to give the kids rides as best we could (I carried Riley inside my coat the whole time, which is also why I'm not in any sledding pictures!). But walking in the snow is part of sledding too. Then the kids didn't want to climb up the hill. We explained that you have to climb up in order to sled down. Chad and Aaron showed their physical prowess and carried or pulled kids up the hill. Their smiles and shrieks as they sped down the hill on their sleds made everything worth it. The hot cocoa afterwards made it worth it too.

We had a great time visiting Kellianne, Aaron, Jenna, Kenzie, and Caleb (Kenzie and Caleb are close to Bree and Mason's ages). We crashed a birthday party that their friends were throwing at Peter Piper Pizza. We enjoyed free pizza and cupcakes, and our kids had tokens to play games and ride the mechanical tractor (so generous of perfect strangers!) Our kids thought they had never experienced anything so amazing! Bree got to sleep on the top bunk, and the adults chatted the evening away over Jiffy Pop. I fell in love with the beautiful neighborhood and life in the mountains. We'll definitely be taking advantage of our cousins' hospitality again soon!

Terrible/Terrific Two

It has not really been my experience that the age of two is necessarily terrible. Mason may be a little crazy at times, climbing and jumping off of anything he possibly can. He has a new bruise every other day to show for it. And he is much more stubborn than Bree was. But he's more of a cuddler. He loves his siblings. And, most importantly, the screeching that started when he was about 15 months old has greatly decreased. "Speech" is increasing instead, and although he is difficult to understand, we are under the impression that he is of adequate intelligence.

So Mason turning two is exciting. We're looking forward to a year of improved language skills, potty training, and lots and lots of sports-themed play time. He loves the soccer ball ("hocca bah") he got for his birthday, and is completely obsessed with his new baseball glove; he wears it everywhere, and falls asleep with it on. We draw the line at wearing the glove at the table, but Mason's become a pretty big fan of food (not that you could tell by looking at the skinny kid), so it's not a big battle to take it off to eat.

We celebrated with a couple friends and a Mickey Mouse cake (it turned out cute and "vintage" looking...true black and vivid red frosting is beyond my grasp). Of course, Mason doesn't really eat cake. But that didn't bother the rest of us. Bree was more than happy to eat Mason's share.