Sleep and Moments of Motherhood

Last night I climbed into bed just after 10.

Lewis had been awake all evening and just fallen asleep.

I was sure that he would sleep for a few hours and I was ready to get some sleep.  

I read a few pages of my book and then quickly dosed off to sleep. 

Only to be waken up at 11 by a hungry Lewis.  

I was so angry.  Not at Lewis.  Just at the fact that I was not sleeping.  

Ask Daniel.  I was angry.

After feeding my hunk of love I laid him down and quietly hurried into bed.  

As soon as I dosed off I heard Thomas at my bedside.  With his pillow and blanket in hand I honestly don't know what he said, I could only muster up enough energy to tell him to climb into bed with us.  

After him rolling around for an hour I finally picked him up and took him into his room.

As soon as I laid my head down I heard Thomas cry out.  His blanket wasn't on just right.  Then he needed a drink.  Then he didn't know what he needed he just couldn't sleep and wasn't going to let me sleep either.  

It was now 1 in the morning and I was climbing into bed for the fourth time.  

Only to wake up to Lewis needing to eat at 2.  

I sat in my bed feeding Lewis and my heart was full of anger.  I couldn't believe that I was still awake and the worst part is that my night had just begun.  It wasn't going to get any better.  I knew that the rest of the night was going to be very similar.  I also knew that tonight and tomorrow night and the night after were going to be similar which only made me more mad.  

As I carried Lewis back to his crib my anger suddenly went went away and I had this overwhelming sense of LOVE.  

A feeling of LOVE for being a mother to two sweet little boys that I do LOVE with all of my heart.  

It is times like these when I am reminded why I do everything that I do for them.  Times like these that I live for and make being a mother worth all of the sacrifices.  

I LOVE them so much that I  literally sacrifice all of my sleep for them.... but I can't promise that I won't get angry in the middle of the night (or afternoon).

HIS and HERS

HIS reading material:  Ensign, scriptures, a school book, a journal and the biography of Nelson Mandela.
HIS decorations:  lamp
HIS bedside must haves: ipod, phone, marking pencil and a journal to capture deep thoughts
HIS extras:  love note from me of course, note cards, belt, bookmark, ipod charger and a card of the Rexburg temple

HER reading material: scriptures, better homes and gardens and a biography on John and Jackie Kennedy.
HER decorations: a lamp and picture of our hands on our wedding day.
HER bedside must haves: foot cream, body lotion, Thomas's journal, Lewis's journal and my journal to occasionally write in after a long day!
HER extras: diapers, wipes, desitin, hand sanitizer, snot lollipop and a folder from the hospital with all sorts of baby info.

As I was sitting in my room and feeding Lewis today I looked at our bedside tables that my Grandpa Dunn made for us, I realized how much they tell about each of us.
They tell about our interests, about our personalities, our organizational habits and all the things that we don't like getting out of bed for at 3 in the morning!  These are all things that I want to remember about our lives at this time.

Thunder Cake

Today was an overcast, stormy, thunder cake kind of day.
Thomas, Lewis and I stayed in our pajamas all day.
We only went outside to check the mail and throw away the garbage.  (yes in our pajamas)
We read books.
Watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
Played dominoes.
Painted pictures and wrote daddy love notes.
Sword fought.
Sang songs.
The usual overcast, stormy, thunder cake kind of day activities.
"What is thunder cake?" one might ask.
I would then reply, "Thunder cake is a book written by Patricia Polacco.  It tells about her memory of the summer storms that would roll in and a yummy chocolate cake that her grandma use to make when she was a little girl to help her overcome her fears of thunder."
It is a book that I grew up reading and I love.  It is about memories and cake!  Need I say more.

Not only did we stay inside because it was an overcast and stormy day and read this book, but when the wind started blowing and the clouds started rolling in we decided to make the very cake from the book.
That is why today was an overcast, stormy, thunder cake kind of day.

Daniel came home this evening with good news and the thunder cake was the perfect way to celebrate!
Maybe you too will find the perfect opportunity to have a thunder cake day.  It was a deliciously relaxed and enjoyable day!

Thunder Cake


Cream together, one at a time
1 cup shortening
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs separated (blend yolks in. beat whites until they are stiff, then fold in.)
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup pureed tomatoes


Sift together
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup dry cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt


Mix dry mixture into creamy mixture.
Bake in two greased and floured 8 1/2 inch round pans at 350 degrees fro 35-40 minutes.  Frost with chocolate butter frosting.  Top with strawberries.  

Roller Bladens

Thomas was spoiled by his father and got some
ROLLER BLADENS, as he calls them.
Thomas has been practicing really hard and I have been laughing really hard as he practices.
I just can't help it.  His skinny little legs just wobble and sometimes collapse in the funniest ways.
One time as he was wobbling and collapsing he said, "Whoa, thats easy!"
It was so cute and funny I couldn't help but laugh.

Fall is definitely setting in here in the valley.
A chill has set in and there is definitely a change in the mood. Summer is gone.  Swimming, popsicles, the lazy relaxing feeling of summer are all things of the past.
There is a feeling of seriousness. A feeling of order and routine that has settled over us.
School has started. Which means Daniel is gone most of the time.
Buses and children in their new school clothes and animation covered backpacks can be seen out our window.
I normally love this time of year.
This year things seem different.
Maybe it is because I am growing up and all of the things that I use to love about this time of year are just memories.
Going back to school.  Seeing people again.  Football games.  All memories of the past.
Even though fall is setting in and the mood has changed here... we will continue to practice our roller bladen and laughing!

Tony Grove

 

Daniel doesn't have class on Fridays.  

As it is Labor Day weekend we decided to hit up Tony Grove Friday afternoon before the crowds.

I am glad we did, when we were leaving in the late afternoon a lot of people started showing up.  

It was a lovely relaxing day.

We packed a picnic.  Thomas has been asking for one.  

We walked around the lake.

Skipped rocks into the water.  

Watched the curious mouse/squirl try to get our food.

Soaked up the sun and enjoyed the fall air that was blowing in.  

There is just something about going to the mountains.  

Something that is rejuvenating and calming.

We sometimes joke that on Sundays we are going to just go to the mountains.  It is only a joke.  

I can't wait until the leaves start to change colors throughout the canyon.  

It will be amazing.  

I am sorry for the amount of pictures that I have been posting lately.  My camera is full of them.  This post isn't going to be any different.  Daniel told me to take a lot of pictures at Tony Grove to make the post of all posts.... here it goes.  

Hunk of Love

Dear Lewis,
You are my Hunk of Burnin LOVE.
Oh how I love you.
Your healthy and strong you are.
I love your chubby body.  All 9 lbs 15 oz of you.
I love your kisses.
I love your wimpers.
I love your smile.
I love that you tickle me when you are eating.
I love that you get ANGRY but usually only when you are hungry.
I love that you sleep with your hands by your face.
I love that you eat like a ravenous animal.
I love that you grunt.
I love learning about you and getting to know you.
I LOVE YOU.
OH HOW I LOVE YOU!

Brothers

Oh how I love that these two are brothers.  

Sure we are bound to have "competitive rivalries" between them.

For now we will enjoy the "love".

The love that consists of... 

Hoop hugs.

Raspberries.

Kisses.

Helping change diapers.

Helping during bath time.

Giving the binkie.

Asking, "where's brother?"  Every morning first thing.  

Holding.

Reading.

Sharing toys.

All very important things to build a relationship on.  

You are lucky to have one another. 

Lucky to always have someone that loves you.

Lucky to always have a best friend.

Even if you don't always agree or get along.  May you always recognize that your differences make you individuals and not enemies.  May you always feel lucky to have one another.  

Oh how I love you both more and more everyday!

Bloody Nose

My mom use to always say, "If you fight with the bull you get the horn."
Thomas learned this lesson while wrestling with Big Daddy.
He actually just tripped on the couch and face planted into the arm rest.
The result... his very first bloody nose.
It was mostly just a little trickle, but still there was a blood sighting and I feel this is his initiation into manhood.

It must not of bothered him too bad... as he continued wrestling with his daddy.
I am glad that this initiation into manhood wasn't too traumatic.