Maisy Dean

My baby turned one almost 3 weeks ago. It seems that upon turning one, she developed opinions on everything. She doesn't want to be carried. She wiggles and yells to be put down. She wants to hold your hand and walk, but not hold two hands, just one will do. She loves to sing, dance, and clap to almost any music she hears. She loves her comforts. I'm never going to get rid of her binki. She wants it all the time, not just when she sleeps. She wants to drag her blanket around with her everywhere, so it's always filthy dirty. She may be scrawny, but she still has the best squishiest cheeks to kiss. She still scrunches up her nose when she smiles, and she's added an eye blink to let you know that you're really special. Along with a social courtesy laugh if everyone else thinks something is funny. If you ask her if she's the cutest baby, she enthusiastically nods her head.She's a peek-a-boo master, and likes to play so much that Dylan is often yelling, "I don't want to play that with you, Maisy."
She's trying out new words and signs all the time. She loves her dog and gives her hugs and kisses all the time. She loves her Dada, but her Mum more. Her brother is her best friend or her worst enemy. She's started to yell and shove back. Someday she's going to give it to Dylan and I'm going to let her.My poor baby's mullet gets worse everyday. The piggy tails help disguise the business up front, party in the back. At some point it's got to even out, but I'm not really sure what to do until then. She's on the skinny side, and before you say look at her parents. Wes and I were huge and fat and our mothers' biggest babies. She's not a great eater, but she does love yogurt and wheat thins, sweet potato fries and ice cream. She's gaining weight so I guess we're not worried that she hasn't hit 17lbs by her first birthday. She'll just keep being our Little Bit.

Very Blessed

I had an amazing experience at horse therapy today. And I was just a bystander!

I knew there was a documentary crew coming today, but I figured it was for the same old thing. "You're a different type of therapy program. Tell us about what you do." Turns out it was more than just a documentary. They came in and gave Cindy an arena to use. Which is a huge blessing, since we've been in between and through a few arenas in the last few months. And 3 different sets of volunteers. It was so huge, and generous. It may be the opportunity she's been looking for to grow the program.

I've kind of taken off this winter session, feeling that I needed to spend some more time with my kids. And while I've truly enjoyed my time at home. I have missed how rewarding it is to work with people as caring and generous as Cindy. And to know that voluneering my time really impacts people. I think that even if I didn't see the results of the therapy I would want to do it for the humble blessings that doing this service brings to my life. I learn more than just new ways to challenge the core and fascilitate muscles.

I would like to thank everyone who has ever watched my kids so that I could go participate. Also, my family and friend who have come to support the fundraisers. Your support blesses more people than you can imagine.

A Dream Come True

On Saturday, Wes was packing up to go to a LAN party. To distract Dylan from his dad leaving, I asked him to go to the fabric store with me. He said, "I don't want to got to the fabric store, Mom. I want to go up in the mountains and go skiing." Inside I was doing a small dance of joy. If my son WANTS to go skiing, then heck yes I'm going to take him. I was worried that we've been dragging him up the slopes and he was faking having fun so we wouldn't feel bad. I immediately started calling for some place to stash Maisy for a few hours. While an afternoon of skiing the bunny slope isn't a dream day of skiing for me, I will gladly invest the time in my kids now so that someday when they ask to go skiing it will be an ideal day on the slopes.

On a side note, Dylan was an amazing skier. It was his first time going reins free. It was all him occasionally bombing it down the hill, but for the most part making some good turns. I'm really proud of him.

I Faced My Demons

When I was about 4 months pregnant with Maisy, I had a horrible dream that Sampson slashed me to bits and got me sent to the hospital. The next day at therapy, someone was running a lawn mower outside the arena and he got all freaked out. So I untied him before he hung himself and tried to lunge him to get his mind off of it. I'm already a little nervous because of my foreboding dream, then he keeps turning to face me instead of lunging and I'm thinking, "this is it, he's going to kill me." Anyway, got through it. Still alive.

When I was about 7 months pregnant, I had caught him to get his feet trimmed. While we were waiting for the ferrier, he started dancing and getting upset. Again. Took off a bit of my finger (my OBGYN was not too happy with me.) So I became afraid of my own dang horse.

Getting his feet trimmed again today, in the snow, kinda spooky. So he started his little fit. But this time I stood my ground. My heart was pounding and my hands were shaking like all the times before. But I didn't cave. I wanted to ask the ferrier to reschedule, but that would mean that Sampson won. Again. Not today. I'd let him throw his fit. Then I'd pull him back in. I'd talk to him, pet him, while another hoof was trimmed. He's throw another fit and we'd start all over again. By the end, he just stood with his head down, and took it like the old man he's supposed to be.

That horse will never get the best of me again. Dylan spilling hot chocolate couldn't even phase me. I have my A game on.

Delilah

We got a sweet new puppy today.
She's a 10 month old goldendoodle. In all reality, she looks (and sheds) like a straight up golden retriever. I think someone lied to her previous owners. We haven't heard her bark yet. She is so unreactive to everything. She fell asleep on the floor while my kids played with toys. She needs a lot of obedience training, but her disposition is perfect for our young, active family.
We'll call her Lilah, because it's kind of a mouthful for the kids. But I'm still chuckling to myself because my horse's name is Sampson.

The Man from Snowy River

Most of us have seen this movie. Wes and I watched it again the other day, because all I really remembered of it was this amazing ride straight down a mountain.That I could watch a everyday and not get tired of seeing it. But I'm sitting there through the movie, before he rides down the mountain, thinking; that can't be the MAN from Snowy River. Where is he? Does this kid grow up sometime?I even watched Return to Snowy River just to confirm that this kid doesn't grow up. He's a pretty amazing rider, but he's a 17 y/o farm boy. I'm voting to rename this movie: The Boy from Snowy River.

Raising Children Dogless

I do not know how so many people have kids and no dogs. It's been almost 2 weeks and I've never vacuumed my floors so much. And if you know me, I'm a floor Nazi. It's a bit of an obsession. I thought, "Now I won't have to mop as often, because there won't be paw prints from Mela going in and out. Also no drool spots (less common)." Instead there are crumbs. Crumbs that stick to your feet at every opportunity. That makes me more crazy than paw prints and dog hair ever did. I never would have thought that my floors would be cleaner with a dog.

Also, Dylan spilled/smashed a cracker on the carpet in the basement and I told him he needed to pick it up. He looked around and asked, "Where's our dog? Where's Mela?"

I reminded him, "Mela died. Remember? She went to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus."

"Well, when are Heavenly Father and Jesus going to bring her back to our house?"

Me trying not to laugh, "They're not bringing her back she died and is living with them forever."

"Let's go to the dog store and get a new dog. A black dog."

I love that kid. Even yesterday he asked if dad had brought home a black dog yet. I think there's going to be a new dog sooner instead of later.