Our First Rockets Game

We went to our very first Rockets game! We will have to go to lots of games this season since next season we will most likely have to buy Alex his own tickets (kids under three feet tall do not need their own ticket. I wish they did ages, but I understand that height is easier to enforce).

We went into Houston early and found an amazing parking spot where we only had to pay 25 cents until the meter ended at 6pm. We walked to a Subway that said it was only .2 miles away. But it wasn't there. So then we walked to the next one. It wasn't there either. We walked to another one that was inside an office building that was closed. Then we called one, and walked to it. A little over a mile. I am pretty sure we burned off whatever food we ate at the Subway once we got there. Downtown Houston really shuts down at night. There are still the bars and restaurants that are busy, but the area of the skyscrapers is a little dead. It was kind of spooky. We have been going to Subway a lot recently. When we signed up for a gym membership, I wrote down the name of a lady in our ward as our referral. They gave her one month membership for free for referring us. But she couldn't just accept that, she had to repay us. With a $50 gift card to Subway. Delicious.

Despite the Subway runaround, we still managed to get to the game early. I am glad we did, too. There was hardly anyone there, so the boys could settle in. We also got to see the helicopter balloon fly around which I can confidently say was Alex's favorite part of the night.

When we first got there, I didn't want Edison to go on the ground. Later, I was okay with him being on the ground as long as he didn't eat anything. By the end of the game, I was okay with him eating something as long as it was ours originally.

Alex got bored with the game and wanted to climb up and down the stairs, so instead we entertained him with videos on Sam's phone. He kept asking for the remote so he could turn off the game!

Every time Alex saw someone holding beer, he would ask for soda! We told him they weren't drinking soda and he couldn't have any!

The Rockets ended up losing 98-95, but it was still fun. I like Astros games more, but that is probably just because I like baseball way more than basketball.

 After the game, we put the boys in their pajamas and drove home. Edison fell asleep and Alex chatted the whole way home. Alex is hysterical; I don't think he would ever sleep unless we told him it was time to sleep. He has so much energy.

The next morning, Alex said, "Fun basketball." I said, "Did you have fun at the basketball game?" He said, "Yeah, way fun."

Edison's Edition (10 Months)

Weight: 20 pounds, 1 ounce
Length: 29.5 inches

I remember wanting Alex to grow up faster. I was always waiting for him to sit up, crawl, walk, talk, etc. With Edison, I just want him to slow down. I talk about him like he is a four month old. But then when I am asked how old he is, and I say, "10 months" it is really starting to sink in. He is growing up so quickly. He is going to be grown up and out of the house before I know it. I cannot take Edison out somewhere without getting comments on how cute/handsome/perfect/happy he is. He really has turned into such a good kid. If you tried telling me this would happen when he was a month old, I probably wouldn't have believed you even if I had been able to hear you over his screaming/crying. I love him. I am so grateful to be his mother. I hope I live up to what he deserves.

He had his first blood draw. He cried when the phlebomitist was tying off his arm, because I had to hold down his other arm. He also cried when she pulled the needle out. Strange.

"How did you get under there and how do I join you?"

I couldn't believe he was big enough to sit in here. He pushes himself backwards only.

He wants to play with the big kids at story time.

Keys are still his favorite toy.

He was so aggravated that I blocked this outlet. It was the only one I had to block because it was the only one he cared about. He cried when he first figured out that he couldn't stick his tongue in it anymore.

He was sick for 24 hours.

He was burning hot and so pathetic.

He screamed for about four hours during that day.

He loves snuggling with soft things.

Part of his morning ritual is to clear off the bookshelf.

Then he settles down for some reading. Surprisingly, he does not rip pages.

He has the biggest, most beautiful eyes. I love his face.

"Hey, so... are you going to clean up this mess, or what?"

Boxes are so fun!

He gets to be a big boy and drive the cart with Alex.

Lounging around.

He is such a mess when he eats. I thought Alex was bad. Nope, Edison has a special skill for eating very little, and flailing lots.

Eye gouge.

Huuuuug!

He loves to stand with this toy but does not walk.

He can stand up freely now.

He still loves going on walks.

Sometimes he looks like a grown up.

He shoves food into his mouth with both hands. Most of the time, he gets more hand in his mouth than food.

Adorable. He is just too cute.

He has got some awesome chins.

Filthy mess. He went right into the bath after this rice cake.

"I'm gonna get ya!"

Late night snuggle with Daddy.

He tries to keep up with the crawling choo-choo train.

He is very quick at crawling, but sometimes not fast enough.


The boys got kazoos for Christmas and Edison thinks they are hilarious.


He is always making this noise. We love it.


This is showing Alex's face, but it is Edison cracking up.


Eating baby food, and hating it.

One of my favorite things is watching these boys play together. I just sit back and try to not interrupt.


How did he grow up so fast?


Edison going back and forth between Alex and Daddy.

Here are a few more things Edison does for which I do not have a matching picture:

He...

...is always getting pulled down or sat on by Alex. He cries, but then he quickly recovers once Alex is sent to time out. It's highly suspicious.

...never wore socks or shoes but then I noticed the tops of his feet were covered in slivers from crawling around our back deck.

...will sit up while nursing. Then he looks at me and whines like, "How did I get here?!"

...sticks his index finger in my mouth while nursing.

...is extremely clingy. Just in the last few weeks he has become a total Momma's boy. He will cry and cry until he gets into my arms.

...loves swinging doors open and (almost) closed.

...no longer gets swaddled during naps.

...takes 3-4 naps a day, but doesn't sleep through the night. He wakes up 2-3 times each night. I don't really mind it though.
...loves cats and tries to pull all of their hair out.
...is growing up so fast that Sam thought he was only nine months old today!
...has a huge crush on the vacuum. He follows me around and then sits exactly where I am about to vacuum. Once I stop to move him out of the way, he climbs up on the vacuum like he is going to ride it.

See You in Two, Jared!

I feel like Jared got  his mission call so long ago, and I kind of put it out of my mind. Then when he was about to head back up to BYU after Thanksgiving, I realized it would be my last time seeing him for more than two years. We hugged and said goodbye but it still wasn't time for him to actually leave. But now the time has come; Jared entered the MTC today.

We were able to talk for about 15 minutes earlier today. He said he didn't know what to expect so he didn't know what to be nervous about. I am really excited for these next two years in his life. Jared and I are four years apart, which now seems like so little. But while we were growing up, it seemed like so much. Despite the geographical distance, I am sure we will grow closer over the next two years. I will miss my resident computer guy. He was always fixing our computers for us. I am sure he will make a great impact with the people in the Taiwan Taichung Mission.

Little Thief

Warning: There is a picture of throw up in this post. Yep, I am that mom.

Last Friday, I went to the grocery store with Alex. I was letting him walk around instead of making him ride in the cart. We were checking out, and I was finishing placing the contents of the cart onto the conveyer belt. I turned around, and Alex was huddled in the corner. He was unwrapping a pack of gum! I did not think this lesson would be coming at such a young age. I quickly handed the pack of gum to the cashier, and once it was scanned, I placed it in my purse before Alex could see. There was no way he was going to get the gum he had tried to steal. Alex doesn't know how to chew gum. He swallows it almost immediately so we don't let him have it.

On Monday night, I was showing Sam the pack of gum and Alex's attempt to open it, and then Sam put it in the drawer of his nightstand. (Mistake #1.)

On Tuesday morning, Alex was playing and I fell asleep during Edison's first nap. (Mistake #2.) I woke up when Alex came up to me with two hands full of wrappers and said, "Wrappers, Mommy! More?" I realized he had eaten all ten pieces of gum. I had not been asleep for very long. Alex had only eaten an apple for breakfast that morning so he must have still been hungry.

An hour later, we were headed out to go feed some ducks with a friend. As I got bread out of the fridge, Alex grabbed a Capri-Sun. We pulled out of our neighborhood and Alex started coughing. He just kept coughing like he was choking on something. Suddenly it all started coming back up.

A few days earlier, a little girl threw up on our couch while I was babysitting her. I knew she was sick, but her mom really needed a babysitter. (Mistake #3 since I think Edison now has what she had).

I wasn't sure if Alex was sick because he had caught his friend's illness or if it had been because of the gum. The throw up did not smell at all. It was just apple, gum, and juice. I could see each little red piece of gum. I am so glad he didn't have cereal that morning.

I did a quick U-turn, called to cancel the play date, and put Alex in the bath. Edison was jealous that he couldn't get in, too. I asked Alex where it hurt because I wanted to know if he was sick. He gave me a quizzical look while shaking his head and said, "No hurt, Mommy."

He wasn't phased by this at all. He did have red marks on his chest from where the throw up sat while I was trying to get home and get paper towels. None of it got on the car. It was almost all on his clothes. Lucky duck!

Although the events of stealing the gum, eating it, and throwing it up were too far separated for Alex to make the connection, I am going to use this as a lifelong lesson for him; bad choices on his part lead to not-so-pleasant consequences for everyone around him.

Accessorizing

I was flipping through channels today during nap time. I ended up on America's Next Top Model reruns. I haven't seen this show for years; I had a roommate in college who was obsessed with it. During a photoshoot, the models were replicating childhood photos. One model had a picture of her holding her baby sister. For the replication, they asked her to model while holding a baby doll. She said, "I don't know how to hold a baby." They told her that doesn't matter; "hold it like an accessory." They went on to describe the baby as a purse.

This is the picture from that photoshoot (source).

I laughed when I saw the result of holding a baby as an accessory. I remember a time when I only had one child: I could look cute, dress up Alex, and then go out like we were super awesome. He kind of was an accessory; a high-maintenance accessory, but still a compliment (alternate spelling and definition of complement also applies) to me.

Babies are the accessory that you can never change out. You cannot get bored with it and go buy a new one. They are not a novelty or a fad. One baby gives you something to talk about or something to distract you if there is nothing to talk about. Two kids don't even give you the chance to talk to other people, so it is a moot point. Now that I have two kids, I spend most of my time looking frazzled. There are many days when I cannot squeeze in a shower between the boys' destruction of the house and nap time. I feel like I am always late to activities. Edison has worn shoes three times in his entire life; I have a white trash baby. I have the frumpy mom look down so well, it is starting to feel normal. I don't even know how to dress up anymore. I feel like I have become the boys' accessory. They use me when and as they please. I am there to provide snacks and entertainment, and to open their doors.

Alex and Edison are my sidekicks. If I am without my kids, I usually just sit staring off into space kind of confused on what I should be doing with myself. I guess they are the purses I will never be replacing. I have found my style. I think they are pretty darn cute accessories.

The one child accessory, and the two children chaos.

New Year's Eve

I wanted to make New Year's Eve special so I decided to make fondue. I think this is going to become a tradition. We did it pretty simply with just one cheese and one chocolate, but it was more than enough for the four of us. The cheese recipe was delicious and I found myself thinking about it later, so I am going to share that recipe at the bottom of this post.

Edison mushed the bread. Alex didn't try the cheese at all. These boys love their carbs.

Alex has a small obsession with party hats now. He insisted that all of us kept our hats on the entire night. If we switched colors, he would get upset and say, "No! Daddy's hat!" It was adorable. He wore his almost the whole night. Edison ended up ingesting part of his hat so we took it away.

We had a lot of different fruits to dip in the chocolate, but by the time we got to the second course, we were all so full so I only used bananas and strawberries. I made the cheese first, then after we were done eating, I made the chocolate while the boys played in the backyard.. I knew that if I put them both on the table at the same time, Alex would not eat anything besides chocolate and fruit. But once the chocolate was on the table, Alex didn't even want to try it. He only wanted fruit. I had to tell him that it was candy in order to convince him to try it. Then, of course, he drenched himself in it. 

We went to the Sugar Land Town Square NYE party. It was pretty insane. It was family-friendly 7-9pm. There were a lot of little street acts and there were a ton of people. Alex decided to be Mr. Independent and sprint through the crowds. Sam said he had never seen Alex run so fast. We almost lost him a few times. Sam and I got separated because he chased after Alex and I stayed with the stroller.
 

We were showing Alex the motorcycles and then one of the officers said that Alex could sit on it. Alex looks really concerned, but I think he enjoyed it.

Alex loves dogs. This doggy was really nice and we tried to get Alex to pet it but he decided to instead stand a few feet away and point his head toward the ground and then look out of the corner of his eye at the dog. So the dog wouldn't know he was being watched? No idea. Alex is crazy.

You may notice that we are dressed very lightly. It was 72 degrees. It was beautiful.

They did a firework show at 9pm for the kids. It was pretty weak. It lasted for about three minutes. We saw better fireworks on the drive home. People in Texas take their fireworks very seriously. I could not believe how loud it was in our neighborhood. And not just for a few minutes, but for more than an hour! Before and after midnight, people all around were setting off large fireworks.

We got home around 9:30 and transferred Edison into his bed. Alex was not tired at all. I actually considered letting him stay up until midnight. He was bouncing around and was being so cute. We decided it would be best to put him in bed though, since midnight is meaningless to him.

 No pictures from midnight. Kind of lame, but we didn't really want to be screaming with the boys asleep. We had sparkling cider, and headed to bed a little while after that.

Ultimate Cheese Fondue

Source: The Sister's Cafe

2 c. grated Swiss cheese

2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tb cornstarch
Dash of pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
French bread, cubed
1. Melt Swiss cheese and Monterey Jack cheese in 1 3/4 cups chicken broth with garlic added. Keep broth barely under a boil, stirring until cheese is completely melted (it will be stringy).
2. Combine cornstarch, pepper, salt, nutmeg, Worcestershire sauce in 1/4 cup chicken broth. Add to cheese mixture, stirring until smooth. Put fondue mixture into a preheated fondue pot and keep at temperature hot enough to maintain desired texture without scorching.
3. Cut French bread into chunks. Sourdough rolls are great too. Cut so each bite size piece has a bit of crust on it. It is a good idea to cut the bread and leave it out in the open for awhile before dipping into the fondue.