"Happy Day Daddy" - Maisey

Yesterday was Shaun's birthday! I got up early with Maisey so he could sleep in. I told Maisey that it was Daddy's birthday and I taught her how to say "Happy Birthday" but it comes out as "Happy Day!" We made him a birthday sign and hung it on the wall. Maisey colored the whole thing by herself! Once he finally woke up, we headed out to run a couple of errands and then he went to my mom's to watch the new James Bond movie with my mom and my brother. Maisey and I stayed home and made Daddy's birthday cake. That night Shaun and I went to the Blazer game. My aunt gave us tickets at Christmas time! They were 7 rows from the floor. We could hear everything the players and the refs were saying! It was so awesome to be that close! My mom baby sat for us and Maisey did great, just like usual!

Getting ready to tip off! The Blazers won 86-66 I think.

Maisey gave Daddy a new game, I gave him a new 8 GB flash drive, and he bought himself that Oregon State Beavers football jersey that he is wearing. He also got some gift cards from my family.

Maisey was SO excited about Daddy's cake. We made it Saturday afternoon but we didn't do cake and presents until today! So for the last day and a half Maisey has been going around saying either "Happy Day" or "Cake?" Maisey was glad to help Shaun blow out the candles if it meant that she got to eat some.

Maisey thinks she is such a big girl and has to eat with a fork. She wouldn't just shovel it in her face like she did 7 months ago at her own birthday party!

She wasn't getting it in her mouth fast enough, so she decided to go with 2 forks!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY! WE LOVE YOU!

19 months and FINALLY in Nursery! (At least for today)

I started taking Maisey to nursery a few weeks before she turned 18 months to help her get used to it. She loved being in there and loved all of the toys. So I thought the transition would be so easy. Well, the first Sunday that she was 18 months, was also the first Sunday that the male nursery leader was back from being sick (the Nursery leaders are an older couple in our ward, they are VERY nice!) But, Maisey has this big fear of men. Really of most people she doesn't know, but especially men! So nursery lasted about 30 seconds the first Sunday. Since then I have been sitting in the Nursery with her so she can get to know the Nursery Leaders. Well, today I had to teach the Relief Society Lesson and Shaun teaches the Teacher's Quorum, so Mais had no choice but to stay in the Nursery by herself. I stayed in there for a little while at the beginning to help her get used to it, then I tried sneaking out. She caught me. I went back in for a little bit longer and then as I went to leave she totally had a huge meltdown. I told the Nursery Leader to let her cry for a while before she came to get us. (She would bring her to us after like 1 minute) Shaun went to peek through the peep hole between Sunday School and Priesthood, and she was totally asleep on the Nursery Leader's lap. So she stayed in Nursery by herself today, but she slept through most of it. So one small step forward for us today. :) What a big girl!

"CHEEEEEESE!"

Shaun set up this new rocking chair last night. We got it a while ago for the baby and it's just been sitting in our garage. This morning, Mais came out of her room, and walked around it several times to "check it out" then gladly claimed the ottoman as her new spot to read books. She has pretty much planted herself there all day.

Mais loves to read her Maisy the Mouse books! She even got daddy to read them to her today! Lucky mommy got a break! (She is so funny when you read them to her because she has all of the words memorized, so if you pause, she will fill in the word for you! I love it!)

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!

Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I secretly hoped it would be a boy because I really wanted to decorate his room in BYU football stuff. So when I found out it was a boy, I was so excited. We painted the room and started collecting stuff to put in it. I ordered a football wallpaper border on January 5th, and it ended up being on back order and I called on it like every week through last week, and FINALLY I got it in the mail today! 2 1/2 months later!!!

A few weeks ago, Shaun and I put the baby's room together. Everything except for the wallpaper border. So maybe we will work on it this weekend and then I will post pictures! It looks AWESOME so far and will look even better when the wallpaper is up!

Maisey has a hard time going in that room and leaving things alone. She LOVES football or "ball ball" as she calls it, and gets really upset because she can't play with the things in there. She is going to have some serious adjusting to do when this baby comes!

A Small Reason to Rejoice

WARNING: This is kind of a GROSS post. You know you are a mom when you are proud of your daughter's poop!

There aren't too many happy things going on right now, but I wanted to share one thing we were excited about. Mais has started telling me when she has to go poop. I have sat her on the toilet (She doesn't really like her potty chair) a few times, but she doesn't stay on very long and I don't want to force it so I just take her off and put her diaper back on and then she immediately goes in her diaper.

Well, today, she sat on long enough to let out the smallest little poop out. I was SO excited I kind of, maybe, started to scream a little and I think I scared her, so she was done. Of course, as soon as I put her diaper back on she went more, but I was so excited that she went in the toilet that I made Shaun go get the camera to document the event.

Maisey is so proud of her little poop!

And she got to flush the toilet, just like a big girl!

Mais got her first "potty treat"! That's what she was most excited about! Hopefully there are many more to come!

Another Reason to Cry

Wow! I thought Saturday was a rough day. . .

We have fallen victim to the economic crisis.

Shaun, along with 50 % of his office, was laid off today.

Things are pretty crazy right now, to say the least.

My baby is due in less than 8 weeks, and I am having to worry about insurance and making sure that no time lapses between different insurance coverages and trying to find something that my current doc takes. Who wants to worry about that this far along in their pregnancy? Or anytime in their pregnancy for that matter.

How are we going to find another job with similar pay when all other companies are laying off employees too?

I think the hardest thing for me is that I am always the one who is a support to my family and friends. Who is able to lend a helping hand during tough situations, who is there to cry with when something comes up. But now, I am in the exact opposite role. I am the one struggling, and it's hard to know even where to start.

Well, let me tell you that I am so thankful to KNOW that Heavenly Father has a plan for all of us and that He will lead us in the right direction if we continue to live our lives worthy of His intervention.

I am thankful for my hard working husband who couldn't have done anything different to avoid this situation. I am thankful for his faith and determination.

I am thankful for Maisey and for how concerned she is when she sees her mommy cry. For the pure joy that she brings into our lives. (We had an FHE Monday night about being reverent and now every once in a while she will randomly fold her hands and say "reverent." How can that not make you smile, even in the most difficult situations?)

Thanks for listening to me blab! My thoughts are so disconnected right now.

Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk

Today was just one of those days...

I had to do this Goodwill Goodturn event this morning with the cub scouts. It was cold, It was raining, and parents were late picking up their boys.

Shaun took his car to get the oil changed. It died on him twice, my mom picked him up, he found out it needed a sensor replaced, he took it in to the mechanic to get the sensor replaced and ALL day and $200 later, Waalaaa---His car is fixed.

We were planning to take a tour of the Family Birthing Center at the Salem Hospital today. The only time we can go is on Saturdays and they only have them on the first Saturday of every month. And today didn't go as planned. So I guess we will be going next month since our baby is due in 8 weeks.

To top it all off, I was filling Maisey's cup up with milk at 10:15 am. A full cup! Maisey was waiting in the car, I was in a hurry, and I bumped it as I went to put the lid on, milk spilt everywhere, including under the fridge. That is when I almost lost it!

But don't worry, one good thing did come out of today! When we got home at 5:30 pm tonight (notice the time span) our house did smell like sour milk. So we pulled the fridge out and I cleaned underneath of it and I found all of Maisey's alphabet magnets! She was delighted!