5 years ago today...

Five years ago today I married my best friend. It was a fabulous event in my opinion; one that I look back on with so much happiness and joy. The day was great, but what I think has been even better has been the time Kurt and I have spent with each other the last five years. Here are my top five favorite moments from our marriage so far (in no particular order):

1. Two days after we were married, we were scheduled to fly to Cancun for our honeymoon. We had a 6:00 am flight that Kurt worked really hard to get. As soon as we got to the airport I realized that I didn't not bring my birth certificate or my driver's license. There was no way I was getting on a plane to Cancun without those two things. I immediately burst into tears... I am talking sobs. I felt so bad! So I just cried and cried some more. As we gathered our luggage and waited for another shuttle to take us back to Diamond parking I looked over to see Kurt crying too. Not because I had ruined one whole day in Cancun, but because he felt so bad for me. He was crying too! I knew at that moment that I had married a very sweet guy who wasn't embarrassed to cry in public, but also was concerned about my feelings.

2. On a weekend getaway to Manti, Kurt and I decided to go four wheeling up the canyon. We were riding along on this trail when all of a sudden a HUGE bird was in front of us. Kurt swerved and I ducked and luckily the bird wasn't hit. We laughed as we continued on, contemplating how funny it would have been if we had hit a bird. The next thing we knew the bird was chasing after us. I was yelling at Kurt to go faster as the bird gained on us. I started screaming, "It hit me! It hit me!" when I felt feathers on my head. The chase/attack was about 30 seconds long; all the while I was screaming "It hit me!" When the bird was finally gone and we stopped the four wheeler on safe ground, Kurt touched his head only to find that he was bleeding profusely. Apparently when I had felt the bird's feathers on my head it was digging it's talons into Kurt's head, yet I was the one screaming that it had hit me. Kurt's head healed, we stopped laughing, and were eventually informed by the forest ranger that we had been attacked by a Goshawk. Here is a blurb from the encyclopedia on Goshawks "Adults defend their territories fiercely from everything, including passing humans." I would definitely agree with the phrase "fiercely"!

3. Last year when Kurt and I went on the Western Caribbean cruise with his family, Kurt had a surprise for everyone on formal night. He had gone to the DI and bought the ugliest and tightest suit I had ever seen. Then, he wore it proudly among everybody else's evening gowns and tuxedos. But, wearing it was just not enough for Kurt. He attracted all kinds of attention by posing for pictures with statues, singing, and of course dancing. He danced all by himself in the middle of the disco for a good 10 minutes while we all died laughing watching him and listening to everybody else comment on how drunk that guy must be. Even though he looked ridiculous, I loved every minute of it and him.

4. Last year when I was pregnant with Mason Kurt and I decided that we would go to Carmax and see what they would give us for my car so that we could get a newer, safer one for the baby. I don't know if any of you have ever been to Carmax, but if you haven't let me just explain how it works. They take you back to this cubicle while they send someone out to assess how much your car is worth. When they were done, two men came back to the cubicle to go over everything with us. They started playing this power point on the computer that basically told us how great our tires looked, and how clean the car was etc. After going through every detail of my car they asked us if we were ready to find out how much my car was worth. The anticipation was killing us! Then they clicked to the next slide to tell us that my car was worth a whopping $250. We immediately DIED laughing. We just couldn't stop! The two men sat there straight faced as we struggled to get composure. After like 5 minutes of us laughing, finally the two men left to let us talk over our decision to sell or not. As soon as they left, I turned to Kurt to break him in on the news that I had just peed my pants! Yes I did! I peed my pants in Carmax. Kurt just died laughing again then worked quickly to clean off the chair with Kleenex. I made it out of there without anybody knowing, but to this day Kurt and I can't get over that experience.

5. I don't have a specific event in mind, but one of my favorite experiences in our marriage includes Mason. The very best thing is just hanging out in my family room with Kurt while we watch Mason be silly. Kurt and I just laugh and laugh at Mason. He is probably the only other person that I can do this with - that doesn't get bored watching how cute my son is.

It has been a great five years. I look forward to many more. I love you Kurt!

P.S. If you made it through this long post I thought that I would reward you with the news that we are having a little girl!

It has been a long time, but I am coming back strong

Well, it would be ridiculous to recount everything that I have failed to post these last few months so I will just tell you the big things.

Mason turned 1 in September. We had a football themed party. I would post cute pictures of it except we lost our camera. I don't want to talk about it.

Since Mason was little we have been trying to teach him the baby sign language. In September he just took off with it. Here is a list of all the things he signs (a majority of them he actually says when he signs them)

1. more
2. all done
3. water
4. juice
5. eat/food
6. dog
7. banana
8. cracker
9. hot
10. milk
11. grandma/grandpa
12. hurt

We are loving that he communicates with us. It makes things so much easier and there is a lot less tears. The funniest part about it though, is getting a glimpse into his mind. For example, he is a big fan of the "all done" sign. As soon as I put him in the bath, the car seat, etc. he politely informs me that he is all done. The other day we just sat down in Sacrament and he repeatedly told me that he was all done. We now know to expect that about three to four times a week Mason will wake up in the middle of the night and as we are struggling to put him back to sleep he will let us know he is all done sleeping. It could be 3:00 am and Mason is telling me in a nutshell, "yeah, I'm all done sleeping for the night, so don't waste your time trying to rock me back to sleep." It is more humorous in the morning than at 3:00 am.

In August Kurt and I went to Maui to celebrate our five year anniversary. Really our anniversary isn't until December, but that is a hard time to travel so we went in August. Mason stayed with my mom and had a great time without us. A second honeymoon to Hawaii = a second baby. Baby #2 will be coming to a hospital near you this May. I am about 16 weeks along. We checked for gender but the baby was in a bad position, so we will wait until December for that bit of news. We were not planning on it, but we are thrilled!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Yeah, I know... I am a crappy blogger lately. Things have just been so crazy. Kurt and I both got new callings in a new ward that have pretty much consumed all of our free time for the past month. Not that I am complaining. I love serving in the Primary and I feel so satisfied working with these young kids. It has just been a lot of work setting up a brand new Primary and nursery from scratch. I am sure it will calm down soon enough.

Mason is just so dang cute! I can't believe how old he acts. He plays with cars like he is a four-year-old. He pushes them around, lays on his tummy to examine the wheels, and makes a loud humming noise whenever we see or pass a truck on the road. We love watching him make those kind of connections.

Some new things with Mason are:
1. We now brush his two teeth. He just loves it! We go through the entire act of spitting, rinsing the mouth with water etc. He thinks he is so big.

2. We switched him to a front-facing car seat. It makes life so much easier and it is a lot of fun being able to show him things out the window.

3. His favorite thing to do right now is push rubber balls down our stairs. We bought a bag of 100 balls and one by one Mason pushes them down the stairs. He lays there with his butt in the air and watches them plop down each step. Then he claps with delight. It is a huge mess! There are balls all over my house, but I love it.

4. We have conquered all of our sleep woes. I now feed him a bottle, lay him in his bed, and simply walk away - ahhh! It is so great! Sleep at our house could not get any better. To all of you out there who are dealing with sleep woes, hang in there!

Now on to other matters of business. I know that there is a new Twilight book out, I think it is called Breaking Dawn. Even though I am not a huge fan, I read the other books and now need to complete the series to find out if he bites already. To be honest I am rooting for Jacob. I feel like that romance is a little more believable. My whole point in telling you this, is that I am looking to borrow the book from anyone who has it and is done reading it. I would purchase it myself, but I don't love it, so I don't know that I really want to own it. So if anybody in the neighborhood has a copy for me to borrow, let me know. Then I can write a negative post about the book that will get me kicked out of the "Universal Book Club" yet again.

I'm not sure when I'll post again...

We're back

We have been to the pool, to Lagoon, to Lake Powell, to Manti, and back to the pool. Here is what you missed...

Mason at the Manti pool with his Keisel cousins. Notice the Manti temple in the background.

"Mister Lake Powell" catching some rays.

Mason loves wheels, so he was thrilled to see this big round thing on the top of the boat.

Bath time with cousin Caleb.

A Weekend of Firsts

The fourth of July weekend was all about "firsts" for Mason (we are still keeping in line with The Summer of Mason). For the first time...

1. Mason was extremely pleasant with my family all day long. Apparently he has a lot of respect for our country's independence. He was outside all day and missed a nap, but still showed great personality and enthusiasm for the days activities. Our temperamental child surprised us all by being so pleasant.

2. Mason rode a horse. During the day we went downtown to Heritage Park. They had a ton of activities to do including a pony ride. Mason was not quite sure about the big horse at first, but by the end I think he really enjoyed himself.

3. Mason went to a petting zoo. He absolutely loved the animals and would squeal with delight whenever they got close to him. I did feel bad for the animals though because Mason was extremely rough with them. Often hitting them and pulling their hair.

4. Mason discovered a glow stick. It entertained him for hours while we waited for the fireworks to start. It was such a great babysitter, we even took it to church with us yesterday.

5. Mason went boating. He absolutely hated wearing his life jacket, but he loved the lulling bounces of the boat that eventually put him to sleep. His favorite part however, was when we were loading the boat. He would stand on the bow and yell as if he were the captain.

What a great weekend! I am excited for many more like it the rest of the summer.

The Summer of Mason

"I'm really going to do something with these three months... This is gonna be my time. Time to taste the fruits and let the juices drip down my chin. I proclaim this: The Summer of George!"

George Costanza

In the Keisel household, this is the "Summer of Mason." We are all about activities that Mason might enjoy like swimming, Popsicles, walks around the neighborhood, parades, etc. I used the phrase "might enjoy" because Mason is very particular about what things he likes. For the most part, he doesn't like the sun, the grass, the heat, loud noises, church, or people. Despite his dislikes we are still forging ahead with The Summer of Mason. And, he really isn't that particular... well, not all of the time.

Lately we have been enjoying living in good ol' Lehi and all of the festivities that they have for this time of year. Friday night my sister Kendra, who lives about 1 minute from me, called to see if Mason and I wanted to go to the Lehi parade with her and her kids. We had such a great time. Both of our husbands were working late and if she hadn't called I would have sat home all night wishing that Kurt was home. Here are some pictures from the night.

The next day, Mason and I went to the Grand Parade with Kurt. The entire first half was the exact same parade we saw Friday night, which I really didn't need to see again. So for next year we will probably just attend only one of the Lehi parades. Saturday night we also attended the Rodeo with some friends. It didn't even start until 8:00pm, so Mason was not too excited about it. He did however last over an hour before we had to pack up and head home.

All in all, I would say that The Summer of Mason is in full swing!

Paper Boy

One aspect of spending your life with another human being is the fact that you suddenly inherit all of your spouse's quirky habits and traits. What did I inherit as a result of choosing Kurt Kenneth Keisel as my life partner? Little pieces of paper.

For the past four 1/2 years, I have been cleaning up off of counters and dressers little pieces of paper. You might wonder what is on those pieces of paper. I wonder that too. From what I can gather, some are his "to do" lists. Others have random equations on them leaving be to believe one of two things: Kurt is either the next John Nash from A Beautiful Mind or there is more to pharmacy than counting by fives.

Then there are the papers with names on numbers on them. These are the scariest. I can't possibly throw them away because the day will come when Kurt will inevitably ask where that paper is with so and so's number on it and what can I say? So, what I do is let the paper hang out on his dresser for a while; monitoring of course how often he refers back to it. After a few weeks, if the number has not been needed I throw it out. This tactic has been less painful then immediately throwing it away.

In the beginning the papers drove me crazy, but now I embrace them. I make cute little figurines out of them and awesome airplanes... not really.

These are actual pictures from his dresser and the papers on the bed are ones that I cleaned off of the kitchen counter and from the pocket of his pharmacy smock. If you look closely, you can see the equations and the names and numbers. Classic!

What if I can't remember?

I have always heard mothers talk about how they don't ever want their kids to grow up and move away. Or, at missionary farewells mothers often would talk about how the moment they found out they were having a boy they immediately dreaded the day their baby would leave for two years and go on a mission. So far in motherhood I haven't had those same feelings. I look forward to Mason growing up with excitement. I can't wait to get to know him and his little personality better. I get happy butterflies in my stomach when I think about different stages in life that I get to go through as a mother with him.

I don't fear him growing and leaving me someday, but I do fear that my memory will leave me someday. I get so worried that I won't be able to remember how cute his fat thighs are or exactly what his face looks like when he is pulling a fake smile. I fear that I won't remember what his little babbles sound like or how his soft, pudgy hands feel against my skin. This is what breaks my heart. What if I can't remember?

Luckily we have pictures, videos, scrapbooks, and journals to help our memories out, all of which I do regularly. I am also hoping that mother's have a special memory that stays in our hearts. I often marvel at my own mother's memory. She would tell you that it is terrible, and perhaps it is when it comes to ordinary things, but get her talking about one of her kids and she can tell you the details of her children's lives.

Each day I try to take in Mason and the little details of his life so far. Hopefully each nuance that I notice will be imprinted on my heart forever.

Kicked out of the "universal" book club...

I hesitate to even write this post, knowing that I will be crushing the hopes and dreams of so many of you out there, but I can't keep this to myself. For the past year I have heard everyone talk about the book Twilight; how great it is and how they are in love with this vampire, Edward. I have purposefully avoided reading the book, fearing that I would not feel the same way. I have never loved what the majority loves. For example, I thought Harry Potter was lame. However, so many people loved Twilight and loved the romance in it. I am a die hard romantic, so I thought I better give this book a try.

Let me just first say that my negative opinions have nothing to do with the fact that the book is about vampires. In fact, that is one of the only intriguing things I found in the book. I believe the reason why this book makes me roll my eyes over and over again is the corny, unbelievable, lustful romance between Bella and Edward. I could gag every time the author explains how they caress each other's face or how his nose traces her throat. Puh-lease! Again, this is not coming from someone who isn't into lovey stuff. The whole reason why I read romance novels is to turn me on, benefiting Kurt later.

I just don't find the characters believable at all. Don't even get me started on Bella. Could she be anymore awkward with her lack of self-esteem? And I hate how many times the author has to remind us as readers that Bella should be scared, terrified even, but wasn't. Yeah obviously! If your hanging out with a vampire I get that your not scared. And why is she always stumbling and forgetting to breath when he touches her. That is just stupid!

This romance doesn't work for me because the author has to spell out the passion for me. She is constantly describing how their chemistry creates such electricity and drama instead of writing the love story in a way that you FEEL the electricity. Compare it to one of the great authors of all time in my opinion, Jane Austen. The scene she creates when Mr. Darcy tells Elizabeth Bennett, "In vain have I struggled... You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you" and then he goes on rattling off all kinds of insults while trying to tell her that he loves her, this sets up a great love/hate relationship for which Elizabeth replies, "...why with so evident a design of offending and insulting me, you chose to tell me that you liked me against your will, against your reason, and even against your character," in my opinion, that kind of writing creates electricity and passion that I feel from my head to my heart when I am reading it. I know that it is probably unfair to compare Stephenie Meyer to Jane Austen, but I am tyring to prove the point that I don't like to be told how the connection is developing between the characters; I want to feel it!

Oh and... if she uses the adjective "chagrin" again to describe the way someone is smiling, I might just throw the book across the room. Use a thesaurus lady!

Now that my negative ranting is over, I should tell you that I am not done with the book yet. I still have 140 pages to go. Perhaps my opinions will change, but I doubt it. I guess I will just stick to reading the classics for now as to avoid any more Lit 2020-in depth-essay-like posts. But I would love to hear your feedback on the above critique, even if you rip me to pieces for my negative opinions.

Word Verifications

If you have ever posted a comment on someone else's blog you have come across the "word verification." You know what I am talking about; that little rectangle where you have to type in the correct letters that appear on your screen to prove that you are a human being. Well, I have something to say about this... sometimes they are hard! Maybe it is just me, but there are times when I concentrate so hard and I still can't figure out what letters they have jumbled together. And as embarrassing as this is, I have failed on more than one occasion (and it was not because of a typo). Please tell me that I am not the only one who has failed the verification process.

I have a theory. I think the blue words are fairly easy, but if you get a long red one, watch out! Those things are dang hard. So if I haven't commented on your blog in awhile, you know why.

What time do you wake up?

For the past eleven days Mason has slept through the night. I can't even begin to express my happiness on the subject. Each morning I am so grateful I feel like I immediately need to say a prayer of thanks. Those of you out there who have had a baby who was not a good sleeper can relate. The past eight months I haven't slept and then to be sleeping... well it's nothing short of a miracle. With that said, I don't want to sound like I am complaining, but we have a little bit of an "early to bed, early to rise" situation on our hands, except it is not making me "healthy, wealthy, and wise" like the primary song promises.

Mason's bedtime is 8:00 pm. He is averaging about 10 hours of sleep at night, which is pretty good, but that puts his wake up time at 6:00 am. Now, sometimes he doesn't quite make it to 6:00 am and we hear him pounding on his crib at around 5:30 am. That is just too early! Thinking I am so smart, I put toys in his crib to entertain him in the morning while I pretend not to hear him and sleep. This works sometimes, but basically I get up every morning at 6:00 am.

For some reason, 6:00 am just seems so dang early! Maybe it is because the world doesn't really start until 8:00 am so I have two full hours trying to entertain Mason on my own. Whatever the reason, I just want to know what time other mothers or non-mothers are getting up in the morning. Maybe there are some of you who get up for the day earlier than me. While that is terrible for you, it would make me feel better. Or, those of you who sleep late because you can't get the bed off of your child's back, I will secretly be jealous and hate you just a little bit.

So the question is... what time do you wake up every morning?

What's Been Happening...

Here is the latest at the Keisel household...

Since Mason learned to crawl things have been crazy! I can't keep my house clean. There are different sets of toys in every room so that when he goes in that room he has something to play with. Right now his favorite room is our bathroom. I used to set him outside the door when I was getting ready. Now he loves the fact that he can come on in. Seeing him crawl around on my bathroom floor and around my toilet bowl has really motivated me to deep clean things every few days! He has taken over the bottom drawer and loves to play with Tampons.

Bath time is so much fun! Mason has a "bath buddy" that he can't get enough of. He will be crawling around the tub playing and then all of a sudden he will catch a glimpse of himself and just giggle. He then crawls towards his "bath buddy" and either has a stare down or gives him a kiss.

We broke out the bubbles the other day and I think they were a hit. Mason doesn't really like to have them blown in his face because then they pop on him and he gets all wet, but he does like to sit and watch them float around. This has been a good activity to fill a unit of time during the day.

Kurt and I went to game 3 of the Jazz and Lakers series. We had a blast! It was a great game and nice to get out for awhile without Mason. I always have to laugh at sporting events though. Human beings are so funny. We stand and yell and make noise just because a screen is telling us to. And I am the worst. I completely lose control, yelling at the refs and booing Kobe Bryant. It's great! (And Kurt got a summer buzz. I am not sure if I am a big fan of it)

Mother's Day was great. Kurt did an awesome job taking care of Mason all day so that I could have a break. He also was a sweetheart and gave me a "day at the spa" on Monday. I had a massage and a facial, both of which were amazing! It was kind of funny being there in my robe with cucumbers over my eyes because I am so low maintenance, but it was fun to actually experience "spa" treatment. Now I know what it is like.

Tag time

Here are the rules. Post these rules on your blog. List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

3 Joys -

1. Kurt and Mason
2. Hanging out with my family
3. Food

3 Fears -

1. Failing at motherhood
2. The death of a loved one
3. Getting raped (sorry this one is kind of weird, but I am so stinkin scared of it happening!)

3 Goals -

1. Losing 10 more pounds. It seems like I have been on a diet forever, but so far I have lost 17 pounds! YEAH!
2. Finish sewing a "crazy quilt" baby blanket
3. Get caught up on Mason's scrapbook

3 Obsessions

1. The Molten Lava Brownie at Chili's
2. The Bachelor, American Idol, Survivor, The Office, and Grey's Anatomy
3. Chips and Salsa

3 Random Facts

1. Instead of Chap stick, I use Mentholatum on my lips. Kurt hates it!
2. I have the worst toes... first off they are webbed! And secondly, I have a serious problem with ingrown toenails.
3. I listen to the dorkiest music ever. I am not hip at all in this department. I love oldies, ABBA, disco, the 80's of course, and bands from England. I am always about a year behind on anything current. I just barely got acquainted with that "Bubbly" song if you can imagine that. However, I am a library of cheesy songs that they play at wedding dances. Celebrate Good Times, woo hoo!

Red Knees

At exactly 7 1/2 months, Mason has learned to crawl. He has been close now for about a month and I have been wondering when and how he would finally do it. Tuesday I was sitting at the computer, blogging of course, and he just took off. Then, treating him like a dog playing fetch, I put his favorite toys in front of him and called him to me. I even found myself patting my leg and saying "Go get it." I guess old habits die hard. If he really wants the toy bad enough, he will find a way to it, whether by crawling or by using his legs to scoot his tummy forward.

After his initial break through, I thought for sure he would be following me around the house everywhere I went - my little crawling buddy. However, that is not happening just yet. I don't think he knows how mobile he can be. So, for now we will just play fetch with him until he realizes he can actually use his crawling skills to explore the house.

I thought it was really cool to see him learn to crawl. The entire process fascinated me. Aren't human beings amazing!?! Being a parent is the best. We have been loving every minute of Mason lately. His personality is so DANG cute. I am constantly cracking up at his playfulness and his sense of humor. It is so fun to see him comprehend things. I think Baby Sign Language is awesome. He can't make any signs yet, but I can see he is beginning to understand them.

It is crazy to look at my baby and see the beginnings of a little boy. We just love him to death!

Oh Crap!

I am quickly learning that there is a first for everything with parenting... and a second. The other day Mason had a "accident" in the tub. Two days later he did it again. Apparently the warm water is relaxing him. What a bummer for me (no pun intended).

I've always been told that it was an old lady who lived in the shoe. Not in my shoe. I have found that it is an old piece of poo that lives in my shoe. We are not quite sure how it got there. Perhaps it rolled out of a diaper during transport from Mason's behind to the garbage can. We will never know for sure. One thing is for certain, I am grateful I noticed it before I put them on!

On a side note, I mentioned a few posts ago that I was beginning to think that Mason was a little vain.

Need I say more?

Insanity

1. Mason's highchair
2. My kitchen floor
3. My kitchen counter
4. Mason's face
5. My family room floor
6. My shower and Mason's bathtub
7. Bibs
8. White onesies
9. My car
10. Mason's rear-end

--Things I can't seem to keep clean!

Like sands through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives

Can I just say that I am so glad the writers strike is over! It's not like a had that many shows I was missing. I am more of a reality T.V. junkie than a sitcom junkie. But today is Thursday and that means another new episode of "The Office" is on tonight. How I have missed "the world's greatest boss" and his employees.

I am even more excited for next week when my most favorite, "Grey's Anatomy," is back. I realize that to some people Grey's is a sinful show that I shouldn't be watching, but I just can't help myself. Oh the drama and the passion! Perhaps, my love for sleazy shows began when I was a little girl curled up between my parents watching "Knots Landing" every Thursday night. Or each day when I would witness Stefano DiMera dodging death once again to inflict more pain on the Brady family in "Days of Our Lives." The funny thing is, I was fully supervised by my mother as I sat and watched these Soap Operas. Even more funny, is the fact that I could turn on "Days" today and still have a pretty good idea of what was happening in the plot.

Back to Grey's Anatomy. I can't get enough of Derek and Meredith. I am probably the only one on the planet that would still like to see the two of them together. To be honest, the plot peaked back in season 2 and 3. Still, my little heart is excited each time the commercial comes on giving me a taste of the drama yet to unfold.

Thank you to Tivo, which allows me to watch my shows after my baby falls asleep - making me a much better mom!

TA double G ED

Cute Asher Moore has tagged Mason. It is all about his favorite things, so Mason and I sat down and created this list (he was very particular about what he wanted on it).

1. Mason loves Kurt! I guess that is to be expected in a father son relationship, but I think this goes beyond that. Kurt is his toy. He enjoys being thrown up in the air, swung around the room, and hung upside down. I was always hoping for a "mama's boy" but learned quickly that Mason isn't going to be that boy.

2. Mason loves to have his ears cleaned out. I think he gets this one from me. He could be squirming and screaming, but as soon as you put the Q-tip in his ear he doesn't move! A look of wonder and satisfaction comes over his face.

3. Mason loves mirrors. Again, this is to be expected, however I am getting the feeling that he is a little vain. He probably thinks this post is about him.

4. Mason loves a book called "The Pigeon Loves Things That Go," by Mo Willems. I have tried to read him other books at bedtime, but he wants nothing to do with them. I guess the author has other books about the pigeon that I am going to have to invest in. I actually think the book is cute myself - I recommend it.

5. Mason loves to arch his back and throw his had back. This is not a tantrum position. This is his relaxation position. He now sleeps with his head completely back behind him. It is really funny.

6. Mason loves the keyboard. In fact, I have been wrestling him this whole time. I have tried to give him the fake toy keyboards, but he knows better. I am waiting for him to brake this one so it can become his toy.

Now I tag Mara and Brookelle!

To cry or not to cry, that is the question

When Mason was 4 months old he had a terrible habit of waking in the middle of the night every two hours. Then in order to get him back to sleep it was another 30 minutes of bouncing, rocking, and singing while he screamed in our arms. At that point I knew we needed a change. So taking the advice of everyone, I let him "cry it out" only to find that it was me who was actually crying it out. Tears poured down my face each time we left him in his crib. And, thinking that if Mason wasn't happy then I shouldn't be, I turned his monitor up and sat on my couch in silence listening to his shrieks. Or, I would take comfort on the floor next to his room. Even doing something as pathetic as stroking his door with my hand. I just love to be dramatic! Kurt thought I was crazy.

This sleep method seemed to work at first, but became less and less attractive to me as the days went on. I had such anxiety about his naps that I would purposely run an errand, hoping Mason would fall asleep in the car and I could avoid the crying all together. In the end I cheated. I kept going in and rescuing him. It was so much less stress for me to go get him than to listen to him cry.

Since that time his sleeping patterns have improved. He went through a phase where he would sleep all night. Now he has evolved to waking once a night. That sounds manageable and would be if he went right back to sleep, but Mason likes to make things difficult. When I wake up with him that one time it is usually an hour ordeal to get him back to sleep, often with visits from Kurt making sure everything is under control.

I know it is time to let him "cry it out" again if I want any chance of sleep, but I still hesitate telling myself that I lead a simple life, and could schedule a nap during the day to make up for our middle of the night rendezvous. But, with that logic I can see myself a few months down the road trying to rock a toddler to sleep!

However, it is not like I go in his room the minute he makes a sound. There are multiple times when he does put himself back to sleep after a few minutes of fussiness. Therefore, I know he can do it, but that makes me think that the times he doesn't put himself back to sleep he really does need my help. Or, my mind wonders thinking of all the things that could be wrong with him - a dirty diaper, a burp, spit up on the sheets therefore on his face if he lays in it, etc.

Perhaps the question has nothing to do with "To cry or not to cry." Maybe the real question is "When did I become such a wuss?" So many of you out there have let your children scream into the endless hours of the night. How are you so strong? You must value sleep more than me or you are deaf! These are the only conclusions I can come to, without of course concluding that I am a wuss.

So I guess the purpose of this post is:
a. to see if any of you out there have access to a magical wand that I could wave over my child's head that would send him to peaceful sleep each night
b. to see if any of you have a spare Valium that I could take while Mason is screaming his way to sleep. I guess I should really be asking Kurt.
c. to find advice from other mothers on how to become strong and leave my wuss-like qualities behind me in order to ensure healthy sleep habits for the entire family.
d. or, any alternatives to "crying it out" that work.

Please help this seemingly helpless mother!

Steve-o

The other day I was talking to my mom about my blog. She hadn't read it in awhile and was thanking me for the nice things that I had said on it about her. My dad was in the background and jokingly mentioned that I hadn't said anything nice about him on my blog. So, this one's for you dad! I have always been daddy's little girl. It may have started Saturday mornings sitting on the counter watching my dad make breakfast and listening to him yell for my siblings to come and eat. After a minute if they didn't roll out of bed for his award winning breakfast, he would yell to them that the kitchen was closing. Of course none of them believed him, but he never changed his tactics. For those of you who don't know Steve, he is the kind of guy who finds two parking stalls for everybody in his caravan before taking one himself. He can fix anything from vacuums to dishwashers, he reads three newspapers daily, and will "trade you straight across" in a restaurant if you don't like what you've ordered. My dad is known for his cooking. He, along with my mom, make the best Mexican food in Utah. If there is a holiday or a family vacation coming up he will plan the menu for weeks, watch the Food Network for new ideas, and shop for days to make sure that it is the best meal we've ever had. He has a silly sense of humor that always cracks me up even though I have heard every joke a million times before. Kids love him because he sings outrageous songs to them, puts the gizzard of a turkey in his mouth, pretends a banana is a telephone, and uses the top of the refrigerator as a toy. I love that growing up I could look over at him during a musical number in sacrament and find a tear rolling down his cheek and that every time I call to talk to my mom he will also get on the phone and listen. I think that all of you who know him would agree that "Steve-o" is one of a kind. I am lucky to have such a great dad and I am so excited for Mason to get older so that he can have as much fun with my dad as I have. I love you dad!

The funny thing is, I am pretty sure my dad won't even see this post unless my mom stumbles across it and reads it to him.

One look

Yesterday we had Mason's six month pictures taken. I had been planning them for weeks - what he was going to wear, what time of day it should be, and how I was going to work his naps to produce maximum smiles. In my mind, all of my preparation was going to create the "Kodak moment". I was sure of it! Mason had his own plans for picture day and his plans included skipping all naps. I tried everything to get him to take a nap yesterday and nothing worked. The pictures were scheduled at 4:00pm and usually by that time Mason has had two naps for a total of four hours of sleep. I was concerned that my perfect picture planning was going to turn into a cranky, crying baby. However, Mason surprised us again. He was very happy during the whole experience. Happiness didn't always convert into smiles. Instead, he was mesmerized by the lights and the flash, producing the same look in almost every picture - mouth open as wide as possible, drool running down his chin, and wide, puzzled eyes. Kurt called it his "stoic" look. Despite Mason's look of wonder, we got some really great shots. In fact, I feel like we captured Mason's everyday face, not just his smiling one. And, I just love this kid! Here are just a few of his pics (there are more than a few, but that is so his grandmas can see them).

An Arizona Easter

Over the holiday weekend we had the opportunity to visit my relatives in sunny Arizona. The trip originated because my grandparents are not in good health, so my parents decided instead of traveling to Arizona for a funeral why not go when everybody was still alive. My parents planned a surprise celebration in honor of my grandma, grandpa, and Frank. We put together a really cool video where we talked about our favorite memories with each of them and told them how much we loved them. It was so much fun to hear stories about my grandparents that I never knew. The night was amazing, but I walked away a little sad. I was sad because I didn't get to grow up with them nearby. I don't have the same kind of relationship with them that my cousins who live in Arizona do or even my older siblings. Hearing fun stories about my grandma, made we wish that I had my own fun stories and memories. The good news is they're not dead yet, so with a little effort on my part there is still time to create memories and moments. This whole thing also makes me realize how important it is for Mason to have both sets of grandparents in his life as well as his cousins. I want him to have all the relationships that I didn't have when I was growing up. For those of you who have family close by, be thankful for that blessing in your life. And, don't forget to give your grandma a hug! On a side note, anybody who has seen my mom knows that I got jipped when it comes to genes. This became even more apparent when I viewed pictures of my mom's mom in her youth.

This is a picture of my Grandma Colleen at the Mrs. Arizona pageant (this is after she had three kids!). I sure would have loved growing up with those genes... tall, slender, dark hair, and dark skin. Can I just say thank you to my dad for his amazing genes that overtook the logically dominate dark genes. Thanks dad!

Here are a few more pics from Mason's first vacation. Mason was great on the plane, hated swimming, hated the sun, wasn't too sure about grass or the Easter egg hunt, but loved his great grandparents (that is grandma and Frank. Grandpa is not pictured). For those of you wondering who Frank is...let's just say it is a long and complicated story!

How we've grown...

Mason had his 6 month check up on Monday. His stats were 18 lbs. 7 oz. and 26.6 inches long. I can't believe how much he has learned lately and what his accomplishments are. He now sits up, sucks on his feet, babbles recognizable words like da da, ba ba, and ma ma (although I am sure he has no clue what he is saying), sleeps all night...well sometimes, rolls over and back and over again, and scoots himself around on his tummy. One of my favorite things right now is getting him from his naps. It is always so much fun to see where in the crib and in what position he is in.

All of this thinking about Mason's growth has made me think of my own growth as a mother the last six months. I am taking a page from my good friend Erin's blog and am listing things I have personally learned that will help me with the next six months and the next baby.

1. Books don't know everything. I read so many before Mason was born thinking the knowledge was empowering me. What I found was that it actually crippled me. I put so much stock into what each book said that every time my baby or my life didn't match up to what the book said I freaked out. None of the books' tips, schedules, and methods worked for Mason. I thought I was failing when really not everything is "black and white".

2. You can't compare your baby to other babies. My friends and I all had babies at the same time. It has been so much fun going through this process together, but I have found myself feeling bad on occasion because it seemed like they all had this parenting thing figured out and I didn't. Of course, their babies slept through the night early on and were wonderful breast feeders. Mason didn't do either of those things. I had to eventually learn that all babies aren't the same. Along those lines, you can't compare a first child to some one's third or fifth. They get a different amount of attention. Until I realized this, I was getting pretty bummed at church when their children would sit in their car seats the entire time and mine was screaming out in the hall.

3. Parenting is hard. Not for the reasons I originally thought though. The constant changing of diapers, clothes, and persistent crying are not what makes it hard. For me, it is being so tired that you feel like you can't even take care of your baby, worrying like crazy about every little thing, long days combined with long nights, and feeling like you have no clue what you are doing. However the hard work every day is no comparison to the joy that you feel when you look in your baby's eyes.

4. You have to start trying to lose the baby weight right after you have the baby. This seems like commonsense, but for some reason I didn't even start trying until Mason was almost 5 months old! Now here he is 6 months old and I still have 15+ pounds to lose. Next baby I am going to get a jump on it sooner.

5. A baby changes your marriage. I knew this, but was not ready for it. For the first time in mine and Kurt's marriage we had to actually work on our relationship. You just get so wrapped up in the baby that you sometimes forget about your spouse. Or, you are too tired to care about your spouse, but you have to make time for each other. We kept Mason in our room until he was 4 months old. Once he was gone it didn't seem like their was a baby between us anymore. Next time around I might move the child out of my room sooner. Four months is the longest I will go for sure.

6. He really does need some toys. For some reason I have been against buying big toys for Mason thinking that I would be helping him instead of hurting him. However, I learned the other day at my brother's house that Mason loves toys. He loves the sounds they make and the lights that come from them. So off to Toys-R-Us I went and I am pretty sure Mason is grateful (as am I - he will play for 20 minutes or more all by himself).

7. Through this process I have gained a new appreciation for my mom. She really does know everything! I can't believe she did this 9 times. And, I can't believe how much I have relied on her advice and wisdom. She is the best.

8. They all eventually sleep through the night. Mason only does it a few times a week, but those nights are so appreciated. I tried everything early on to get him to sleep all night...even "crying it out" which for me was so much more stressful than worth it. From now on I won't worry about it so much - hard to do though when you're up every two hours.

9. Formula won't kill your baby. I had such anxiety about stopping nursing...or to stop pumping (Mason really only took bottles). I drove myself crazy for days. Guilt stricken because I was putting my child on formula sooner than I thought I should. It all turned out fine and he is fine. In fact, formula has some serious benefits. I never have to leave a family party now to pump. You all know how I hate to miss a good party.

10. A schedule is helpful, but don't freak out if it is only a "tentative" schedule. The first few months of Mason's life I was so concerned that he didn't have a regular schedule. I couldn't pin point any pattern in his days. One day he would do this and another day he would do that. Finally I just came to realize he might not take a nap or eat at the same time every day and it is okay. Now, I have a pretty good idea of how each day is going to go and it has nothing to do with what the clock says.

I know a lot of the stuff on my list seems like common knowledge. Most of the items I thought I already knew before I had Mason, but in the jumble of life I guess I just forgot them. The most important thing I learned in the last six months is that I LOVE being a mom. I always wanted to be one and I am sure glad that I am.

I have been "Hubby" tagged

WHAT IS HIS FULL NAME? Kurt Kenneth Keisel (yes his initials are KKK)

HOW LONG DID YOU DATE? A very rocky two years

HOW OLD IS KURT: 28

WHO EATS MORE: Unfortunately me. I can eat and eat and eat. Poor Kurt gets "sick" if he eats too much (for those of you who read the 100% love blog I did a few weeks ago you know what I mean by "sick")

WHO SAID "I LOVE YOU" FIRST: Kurt did, but he said "I think I love you" which at the time was huge progess in our relationship.

WHO IS TALLER: Kurt

WHO SINGS BETTER: Are you kidding? Us sing! Ha!

WHO IS SMARTER: Kurt has me by a long shot!

WHO DOES THE LAUNDRY: Me

WHO DOES THE DISHES: Me again. Unless it is Sunday then I clear the table and Kurt does the dishes.

WHO SLEEPS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BED: Kurt

WHO PAYS THE BILLS: Throughout our marriage we have taken turns depending on who has the crazier schedule. Lately though, it has been me. But, whoever isn't paying them doesn't trust that the other person is.

WHO MOWS THE LAWN: Kurt or our neighbor if it gets too long for him to handle.

WHO COOKS DINNER: Chilis, Taco Bell, Quiznos, Subway, and Cafe Rio. Honestly, it was me until I went on a diet to lose baby weight and extra lbs. put on from Chilis, Taco Bell, Quiznos, Subway, and Cafe Rio. I really miss cooking and look forward to starting up again once I stop dieting!

WHO IS MORE STUBBORN: That would be me. I could go for days without talking sometimes just to say that I didn't cave, but Kurt is so sweet. He would never let that happen.

WHO KISSED WHO FIRST: Kurt kissed me.

WHO ASKED WHO OUT FIRST: Kurt asked me.

WHO HAS MORE FRIENDS: Well, right now I have more high school friends that live around us, but Kurt is the "Big Man on Campus" when it comes to ward friends. He is like a rockstar. All I ever hear is how funny my husband is. I swear women want to hang out with me just so they can hang out with Kurt. It is quite pathetic.

WHO HAS MORE SIBLINGS: The Dana 9 beat out the Keisel 3

WHO WEARS THE PANTS: Mason. That little kid has us wrapped around his finger. However, in our relationship Kurt wears the pants. I want to wear them and put forth effort to, but Kurt just won't listen to me... even if I cry!

Ladies didn't I hit the jackpot when I found Kurt? He sure is something!

Okay now it is your turn... Chelsea, Erin, Jen, Mckenzie

Alive and well...

To my surprise Kurt and I didn't die on our vacation and neither did Mason! I am sure our cell phone bill is going to be a record breaker, but all of those phone calls brought comfort during my I-miss-my-baby-so-much-who-cares-if-it-is-the-Caribbean moments. Here are some pics of our week away.

Mason wanted to go so bad that he even tried to hide in my suitcase.

Everglades National Park in Miami.

On the top of the cruise ship watching us leave the port of Miami. That is South Beach behind us.

Kurt learning to surf on the cruise ship.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

St. Thomas, Virgin Island

In St. Maarten, we went to a zip line course that lasted 2 1/2 hours. There were nine zip lines total. In between each line, you had to cross these "Indiana Jones like" rope bridges. It was insane! This picture shows one of the longer lines. It was over 600 ft. long and 200 ft. above the ground at its highest point. Pretty scary! That little black spec in the middle of the picture is me cruising along.

Group shot before the zip line.

Singing karaoke (he sang Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond)

Dancing in the Disco Bar

On every cruise they take a million pictures of you. The pictures are then on display for the entire cruise ship to view. Kurt did not take this seriously and was cracking my family and other passengers up with his many poses.

As you can see we had a great time in the Eastern Caribbean, but I was so glad to be back home with Mason. I can't believe how much he changed in one week. I feel like I am getting to know him all over again.