Back to Life.

I feel like I have received a small part of my life back. I found a terrific baby-sitter! (All you neighbor gals are beyond terrific, but I just can't use you when I want to hang with you!) She's an absolute doll and she actually asked if she could come back again! We used her for the first time Friday night and I came home to a clean house, Myka sound asleep, and Carsen tuckered out from playing games and basketball. (Of course she had given him the requested strawberry milk and popcorn. It just couldn't be the conclusion of another day without those two items for my little man!) My hair dresser referred this cute 13-year-old to me, and I feel like I could kiss both of them! Here's the start of a lot more outings (without having to rely solely on my sister-in-law Robyn!) For those of you who know where I live and what surrounds me, you realize how difficult it is to find a good baby-sitter. I think the average age for kids around here is like 5......Not quite baby-sitting material!

On a side note. I am ready for the month of January to be over with. I feel like this has been the "sick month" for my family. (We really are a very healthy family. I can't believe the illnesses that have been through this house this month!!! Yikes!) I am on the rebound today from Strep throat. The first time in my entire life that I have ever had this awful thing, and I hope it's the last. Eating, talking, sleeping and drinking are absolute chores (when normally they all come very naturally to me)! Thank heavens for antibiotics...I'm just mad I waited so long! Only one more day of this dreadful month!

Doing Better.

A week later I am happy (and very relieved) to report that Myka is back to her happy little self. It was a milk issue after all. I have switched her to a different formula (made of gold). I am sad to be finished with nursing, but it's time..... She seems very content with this new 'milk' and seems to be bulking up a bit! (At her 9-month check-up this past week she only weighed 16 lbs 9 oz.) Such a petite little Princess! Although, quite rowdy. Her Pediatrician even asked how I get her dressed and change her diaper. I replied, "It's a wrestling match."

It was also Carsen's 3-year-check-up. I must brag and say he "wowed" his Pediatrician with his skills and vocabulary. His latest thing is letter recognition. We will be driving down the road and he will say, "Hey look, there's a D" and he will point at the Home Depot sign. Last night as we were pulling into Costco he happily reported, "Costco has two O's......." He started Kindermusik on Wednesday's with his little buddy Bode. He was excited to have a backpack and told everyone he was in "Kindergarten." (not yet!)

Let Them Be Little....

Thanks to my cousin Jill for sharing this moving music video. I love it (in a motherly/parent sort of way). I found myself teary-eyed and vowing to be a more attentive, care-free mom. I'm sure you'll all feel the same way!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBu_yXGF2Uw

Good News....

After visiting 2 different Wal Marts this freezing January evening, I was able to receive store credit for the Shuffle. (Thanks for the suggestion Mimi!) Hooray and good riddance!

Shuffle Anyone?

FOR SALE
My thoughtful husband bought me an Ipod Shuffle for Christmas (I have a Nano...okay, well I took over his Nano. And I have an old model Shuffle.) I have no need for another Shuffle....

I am not a big fan of standing in a 2-hour line at Wal Mart to return items right after Christmas, so Saturday we ventured out to return Christmas items. Chad ran in the stores while I sat out with the snoozing kids......We were making good time and getting rid of the unnecessary. Then came Wal Mart. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Wal Mart known for their "excellent customer service?" Not so. Little did we know, they have a 15-Day Exchange policy on music players! (Saturday being mid January did not qualify for 15 days.) What a joke!

Now I am stuck with a fabulous Ipod Shuffle (never even been opened) and I really have no need for it. Any of you (or anyone you know) in need of a motivating work-out buddy or just something to tote around with all your great tunes? Shuffles really are fabulous and very practical, but I just don't need another one! This one is pink.

Here's the deal.....it cost $78.72--but I will sell it for $55! (What a steal!)

Good Luck Lou Lou and Nat Rat!

This is a little tribute to my running buddies of olden days.....Here we are the morning of the Salt Lake City Marathon 2006 (oh, how time flies....I've forgotten how miserable that Marathon was and am actually possibly considering another one. Possibly.)

Good luck on your 1/2 Marathon Saturday Leslie and Natalie---Just be glad it's not a FULL!

Milk Allergy?

It was a rough night...Actually, it's been a rough string of nights. (We're closing in on one week tonight!) Poor little Myka. First I thought she had the flu. Last Friday morning I went in to get her out of her crib and she was poopy....then I later saw that she had thrown up all over her blanket! (How sad is that?) As the day went on she seemed to be fine....then that night it was the same thing during the night. (She would wake up crying and I would go in and sniff her--learned this sniffing thing from my big bro Kye--and I would find she would be poopy again, and there would even be times she would be wet with throw-up. I felt like she was a newborn again waking up with her like 4 times in the night to change her diaper (and clothes).

As the weekend went on she continued to have the "runs". By this point I figured she had the flu, so we were trying to shove the fluids down her. (Bottle after bottle with some nursing intermixed). I also thought I had solved my bottle issue! (Hooray, but not for long).

On Sunday we went for a little drive to get some fresh air.....we got a lot more than that. As we were driving (and not close to home) Carsen says, "Ewww...Myka threw-up!" I hop back to the back and find Myka sitting in a pool of puke (lovely, I know). It was more throw-up than I had ever seen in one sitting (this would be all the bottles we shoved down her throat). It was so sad! (By this point I had started bringing extra clothes with me, because of the constant poop). We changed her clothes and Chad threw away the car seat cover. All the while I am sitting in the front seat trying to comfort her and give her some of my water bottle....next thing I know I am sitting in a pool of puke myself.... (Thankfully this one was just water)!

We make it home with Myka strapped in her car seat sitting on the foam part....(It was time for a new car seat anyways--just a little sooner than I had anticipated). That night was the same thing.....And by this time she is pushing away her bottle, which is driving me crazy because I am in the process of weaning!

The next morning I called her Dr.'s nurse and she told me she probably had the flu and to just keep fluids down her......so we tried to keep the bottles going. (Mind you this is Monday, which was the day I took to be sick. Chad followed me on Tuesday) That night was a repeat of crying, poopy diapers and waking up way too often. (Normally I would just let her cry it out, but she's my sick little girl!)

Here it is Thursday morning and late last night (after waking up and changing her diaper two times) I had an epiphany (or more accurately an answer to a desperate prayer). She has got to be allergic to milk! I was allergic as a baby, so she probably is too. I sat on the Internet and searched up everything I could find regarding milk allergies in formula:

• diarrhea (check)
• irritability/colicky (check check check check check)
• trouble sleeping (check check check check check check check)
• vomiting (check check)

I am hoping my discovery is right so I can put an end to these sleepless nights, out of control poopy diapers and vomiting. I kept calling Chad's cell phone to catch him before he drove home from the gym so he could stop and pick up some Alimentum.....Anybody heard or used this before??? According to all the posts on the product, it is a miracle worker in situations like this---now I just have to convince her to take the bottle again! (I am hoping the reason she didn't want the bottle was because what it was doing to her......)

Such fun to be a mommy!

A neighbor of mine asked Carsen to come and sing for a video she was putting together of little children singing.....She wanted him to sing "I am A Child of God." (He did such a cute job! We couldn't resist having him re-in-act the moment so we could have it on video as well) Such a little song bird---it's too bad he won't be able to show off his skills in Primary just yet--he's got another LONG year of nursery. (Missed it by 5 days!!!) Except, we aren't allowed to call it Nursery--he insists we call it "School."

Nap Justification.

Well, for those of you who don't know, I am a daily napper. Yup, I am admitting it to everyone who visits this blog. And guess what, I am quite proud of it! (I defend myself in saying that I wake up at approximately 4:30 every morning to go the gym. That may differ by about 30 minutes depending on the day. But at that early hour it's all the same to me!) I realize there are others of you out there who wake up at that disgusting hour as well, and you make it through the day just fine without a snooze.....But guess what I read today? People who take an afternoon nap have a better memory! It all makes sense now....I can recount any past event....(Chad will ask me what we did on this date back when and I can tell him....) it's all due to the daily nap! There you have it---I can justify my nap even more!

My favorite time of the day (besides my nap) is when I fetch Myka from her crib--she is all smiles and practically hyperventilating at my presence. I wish I felt that way when I woke up!!

Birthday Bliss....

Opening presents with Alli, Ashlyn and Myka.

Yummy!

I can't believe my little boy is 3! (Carsen was insistent Chad wear his Jazz jersey too. Anything for the birthday boy!)

It wouldn't have been a birthday for Carsen without candles and cake...We convinced Jason and Robyn and the girls that the pink eye was on the heal---and they were cool to come and join in celebration. Carsen loved having Alli and Ashlyn there to sing to him, and was delighted to open another birthday present. The best part was the Cold Stone ice cream cake...so much for New Year's resolutions.

Myka Having a Ball....

Everything goes in Myka's mouth....She's such a silly little thing. We are (more like I AM) working really hard on converting to the bottle right now, because not only does she enjoy putting things in her mouth, she is also a little biter...It's amazing what two little teeth can do!

Pink Eye Birthday!

Three Years Ago.......

1st Birthday

2nd Birthday (We were in Central America on a cruise)

3rd Birthday

AND.......

Little Scritcher Scratcher and her two teeth! (Even though it's not her birthday I had to add this picture because it was a great shot of her sparkly whites! Even though she looks a little scary!)

It was a cold and snowy day (just like today) three years ago when our little Carsen Scott Peck was born! Our doctor had told us to come in around 8 a.m. to see about getting thing going (I was almost a week over-due).......when things were still the same (nothing) we decided to go ahead with our decision we had made the day before. A c-section. So at 5:25 p.m. Carsen was FINALLY born. (A hefty 8 lbs 13 oz! Although, I have come to realize that the birth size of a baby means pretty much nothing! Heck, I was 8 lbs 8 oz. You'd think that would result later on into something....nope....just 5'3" and some 100+ pounds)! Our poor little three-year-old has Pink Eye! Yesterday morning I noticed his eye looked a little red, but I figured Myka had poked or scratched him. (Her new nickname is Scritcher Scratcher...because she's like a little kitten)! As the day progressed the eye did not look better. So, I googled (of course) and researched pink eye. I then called "Dr. Nat" (my friend who has kids and used to be a pharmacy tech). I hauled Carsen over there to let her give me her expertise advise---sure enough---pink eye! Carsen's Pediatrician called in a prescription and now we are just waiting it out! (Good thing I didn't have some big birthday party planned for him! I was partied out and figured (selfishly) that he wouldn't realize he was missing out on a birthday party.) Besides, Carsen would rather spend the day hanging with his Daddy. We had to cancel our game night with friends and hunkered down with basketball in the basement and me watching "Friday Night Lights" upstairs. (It was actually quite a fun evening!) This morning we took Carsen to Kneaders for breakfast and then he opened his Birthday presents (a new bike, a Mack Semi Truck and more costumes! Which he has already changed in and out of at least three times each) and now Chad and Carsen have their tools out and are doing a "manly" project for me! (Assembling my food storage rotator! Hooray! What a great Christmas present!) Happy Birthday Carsen! We love you!

ALL ABOUT CHAD...

Thanks Nat...This is a good way to start off the New Year! (I hope.)
THE HUSBAND TAG....

What is his name? Chad Gordon Peck (Chadders, Daddy, Charming Chad (that was his college nickname)!
How long have you been together? Married 6 years and almost 7 months.....
How long did you date? We dated from September(ish) and got married in June. There was that time when we said "Let's date other people. But neither one of us ever did...." (ahhh)
How old his he? 28 (29 in April)
Who eats more? I would really hope he does... When it comes to Popcorn though, it's a race to see who can eat the most. (I have to be fast or I won't get any.)
Who said I love you first? Chad.
Who is taller? Hah. I wish that were even an issue---I'm 5'3" and he's 6"0.
Who can sing better? Chad by far. He would never admit it, but he has a really nice voice! It runs in his family...but since he's a 'guy' he would never be the type to volunteer his talent in any public situation. I just get to hear the silly made-up songs he sings to the kids.
Who is smarter? Definately Chad. Not only does he have street smarts, building smarts, work smarts and people smarts---he also is always thinking and scheming ( i love that about him!) I am more "schooly" smart.
Who does the laundry? Me. I honestly can't think of a time when Chad did a load of laundry--but on his defense--I can never think of a time when I finished the basement, built stairs down from the deck, finished an office or built shelves in the garage--and works!
Who pays the bills? It's a good thing it's not me. Chad is much more organized and meticulous when it comes to money.
Who sleeps in the right side? Chad does. Which doesn't make sense, because I am the one getting out of bed in the wee hours of morning to tend to little Myka.
Who mows the lawn? Not I. The yard is all Chad's. (I pick some weeds here and there and tell him where to plant things.) Chad enjoys having a well-kept yard.
Who cooks dinner? Me. If we BBQ Chad is all over that.
Who drives? Not me when we are in the same car. I can't think of a time when Chad has sat in the passenger seat. I like it that way (and I'm pretty positive Chad does too!)
Who is more stubborn? That would be me!!! Chad is super chill and laid back. I have to pester him to get in a good argument.
Who kissed who first? Well, it was kind of me. But, he asked for it! We had been dating for quite a while and he said to me, "You're never going to kiss me, are you." How was I supposed to respond to that???? I had to give him a little kissy or else he would think I didn't like him!
Who asked who out first? I'm looking awfully agressive here.....It was me! We had a Book of Mormon class together (oh so typical of Ricks College). We had met a couple of days before and after class one day we were walking out and I invited him to go to Yellowstone on a day trip with a bunch of roomies. It was the first of many!
Who proposed? Chad. We were in Jackson Hole on March 10, 2001
Who has more friends? It depends how you look at it. Chad works, and therefore he is surrounded by lots of people. Chad is probably a better friend than I am though.....
Who is more sensitive? Me!!! I can cry at a silly little book!
Who has more siblings? Chad. He has 10 siblings! (Kind of).
Who wears the pants? Depends on the situation. I think we both have a leg in there somewhere...

Now I TAG: Kelly, Keri, Jill, Erin, Crystal and Janene.

Ring in the New Year

We headed to Idaho to ring in the New Year with Chad's family.....who are the most fun people in the world! I love starting a new year. It's a time to reflect on the happenings of 2007 and plan for 2008....Now I have to get through January in freezing cold Utah (with no parties to plan, Christmas presents to buy or people to host at my house!) I do have a cruise the first of March to get ready for! (hooray!)

Surprise!

My entire month of November and December were focused on a SURPRISE 40th Anniversary party for my wonderful parents. (In fact, I feel like I missed out on enjoying the holiday season, but in the end it was all worth it!) When I initially mentioned the idea of a party to my brother, I wasn't envisioning such a task. I thought we would throw something simple together. Then the more we started planning and thinking, it turned into a bigger event. There are so many important people in my parents life, and we didn't want to leave anybody out, so we ended up reserving my church to hold all the people. Plus, I wanted to put together a digital scrapbook of all their years together and create a DVD for everyone to watch.

It was so hard to keep it a secret from my parents! They were staying at my house the whole week before the big party. We told so many lies and ditched them so many times during the week, I'm surprised they were even still around for the party! One night everyone went to the movie, but we told them we didn't want to find a baby-sitter. We told them we were having some friends over to hang-out. (Really, we were working frantically on a DVD while they were away). We did the same thing a couple of nights later. We told them we were going to play games with TJ and Rachel, when really we were finishing up the DVD. (Actually, I can't even say WE--more like TJ and Rachel...Talk about awesome friends! They worked all night long and all the next day and the end product was amazing! Thank you guys!)

To top it all of...Chad and I got my parents ski tickets for Christmas. We thought this would be the perfect way to get them out of the house and out of the way for an entire day.....We told them they should go on their anniversary (which was Saturday). As the week went by they kept hesitating about going skiing on Saturday. Finally, Friday night they were like, "It's too cold to go skiing. I think we'll come back to Utah another time and use these passes." YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. This was my only way to get them out of my house for the entire day so I could get the shopping done, haul the Christmas trees out of my house, and pull of an anniversary party. Luckily Kye intervened and took them for most of the day.

I must say...the party was an absolute success. But it was only a success because of all the helping hands that went into it. I have the most amazing aunts who were part of my party planning scheme from the beginning--they had fabulous ideas for food and helped me organize, delegate and decorate. My amazing friends (I love you girls to death) were there helping me cut up fruit and prepare all the food for the party. (Plus, they had to listen to me every morning on the way to the gym talk about the party preparation). Super rad cousins (thanks Jill) who came early and helped set up and then took my camera from me and made sure there were lots of pictures to remember the evening by. Uncles and other family members were there till the end cleaning up the mess and helping us get out of there! And of course Kye and Kelly--they put together the best song in the world and Kelly accompanied us on the yukelalee (however you spell that darn instrument)! They were the ones who found all the last-minute items we needed and made the party run smooth. And, I must say....it never would've come together had it not been for Chad. He is the best husband and does things without being asked. (Plus, he puts up with me!)

We had over 100 people come to surprise my parents...and boy was it a surprise! They had no idea and truly were shocked! It was so fun to see so many family and friends from all over the state (and out of state) come to support my parents on this special day.

I love you Mom and Dad!

Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Christmas was at our house this year. My parents, my brother and his family, and my grandpa and aunt were all at my house for Christmas Eve and stayed over to enjoy the mass chaos of Christmas morning....The kids loved playing together and we all ate ridiculous amounts of food...before the main course was even served. (I tell ya, I could live off of appetizers!) The kids sang songs for us on Christmas Eve and were so excited about Santa Clause.... I have one thing to say about the whole event...thank heavens for a finished basement! But even more importantly--thank heavens for a wonderful family who I love so much!

Christmas morning, Carsen was speechless at his "Darth Vader" costume. (He seriously requested that. He has never seen Star Wars...nor have I....but for some strange reason he wanted a costume and a mask.) He also requested a computer (I think he was slightly disappointed with the computer he actually received--I think he envisioned he was going to receive the computer he played with at the Apple store.) And of course a gun...this one makes noise. He was in heaven. The other presents were just simply something to open and then toss aside so he would resume playing with the gun and the costume.

Myka just wanted to cruise around and pick up all the little pieces of wrapping paper everyone left on the ground. I felt like I was pulling paper out of her mouth all morning.

It was a wonderful Christmas with fun surprises and thoughtful gifts.

Carsen playing with his new gun Christmas morning.

Darth Vader! (I wonder where the mask was during this picture...He usually had it on.)

Myka playing with her new toys. We should've just given her 'rights' to Carsen's toys..That's the ones she wanted to play with.

Carsen and his cousins opening their Christmas Eve jammies. (No, Carsen is not a mechanic. That is his Power Ranger costume.)