point of view

So the move was exhausting, overwhelming, and too dang hot! With everyday being over 100 degrees, it was hard to get a lot done. But we made it, and now we live in a home with boxes everywhere. It is driving me crazy! But, I just keep telling myself, this too will pass. However it won’t pass until I actually start working, which totally stinks. I just want to jump in a pool and never get out. I think J.M. and I probably lost water weight with all sweat dripping from our faces. Why did we have to get a very uncommon heat wave on our moving day? It was very annoying. (Can you tell I am very not enthused about my move?),

As for my old house, I will miss it. I said goodbye today, like it was a little pet or something. Weird I know, but I get attached to the craziest things (cars can be added to the list). However much I will miss my little house, I will not miss the noise. I am actually loving the quiet street we live on now. It is nice not to be woken up by a bus at 6 a.m. or a motorcycle zooming by at 3 in the morning. I am also really loving having a second bath. Even if it isn’t the nicest bathroom, it’s my bathroom. J.M. can go shave, spit, and put the toothpaste blobs in his own sink now, which may be the best part of this move. Once I was married, I quickly missed my single days where my bathroom was my sanctuary. Maybe those days are here again!…lets hope.

Okay, I will stop ranting. Here are a few photos from the move. ENJOY!

Here is my little Cartito anxious to help Dad move the boxes in, well not really.

Here is an amazing shot of Jameson lifting the spa from our backyard over our roof. This saved a lot of headache having a crane operator in the family. Thanks Jameson!

Carter watches in amazement, as any boy would when there is big machinery around. My husband included.

Though we moved, we won’t be far. So please keep in touch!

I loved this book! It was good clean fun, with loads of silliness and sappiness…just the way I like it. The funniest part about the main character, Jane, was how much she reminded me of myself. Here is the list of similarities:

1. She’s a graphic designer

2. She loves New York City

3. She used to paint before she went to design school (I really miss painting late at night)

4. She LOVES Pride and Prejudice

5. Her mother is eager to marry her off (my mom thought for sure I was doomed for single life when I graduated college unwed)

6. She has had her fair share of relationships that ended badly… I mean really badly. (Hmmm, that rings a bell)

7. She wanted to give up on men in general (okay I didn’t take it that far, but it did cross my mind at times while single)

The list could go on and on…but you’ll have to read the book! It is a fun one.

For Father’s Day I decided it would be a fun idea to get J.M. a new suit. He has been wearing the same suits from after his mission (he only weighed 135 lbs after 2 years of sharing his lunch with Peruvian parasites). He is not 135 lbs now, so the top button of his suit is busting every week in church (hopefully you haven’t noticed). So anyway, I went to Macy’s to check out the suits and saw this dreamy Calvin Klein and said “that’s the one.” It happened to be 50% off! What a deal! However I hesitated. J.M. has very particular taste, especially when it comes to church attire. Even after 4 years of marriage and tons of persuasion—J.M. still insists his tassel loafer shoes are cool.

So, I decided not to risk it and let him pick out any suit he’d like. We went back to Macy’s and I showed J.M. the suit. At first he was not loving it. Too modern or something—Not the right color. But when he looked around, he saw that it was the best looking suit there, so he tried it on.

One look at it and he was sold. No tailoring needed, this suit was made for J.M.! And he deserves it. J.M. is an amazing Dad and husband. His hard work and love doesn’t go unnoticed. Happy Father’s Day!

Here are some photos of the suit as well as some great daddy shots.

For a week now we have been less than enthused about entering the realm of tantrum-hood. Carter has been teething and has not been in the best of moods. Last week he had a tantrum in the grocery store, and again this week at Trader Joes. Since he’s learned how to walk, the tantrums have become worse as well. If he had it his way, he’d be running all over the store doing whatever he’d like.

What is ironic about this stage in Carter’s life, is that I can relate. My mother said I was the worst toddler, always kicking and screaming when I didn’t get things my way. I’d throw a tantrum just about anywhere. She said she couldn’t wait until my kids did the same to me. In fact, I remember her saying those exact words to me while I was in the midst of a huge crying fest.

It is very interesting now the tables have turned and I am the mother. When I was young I threw giant tantrums that must have sent my mother’s patience through the roof. The weird thing is that I remember them so vividly. I remember one incident when I was about 3 or 4. I was put in my room for bad behavior that sent me into a tailspin of emotions. I don’t remember why I was sent to my room, but I do remember that I had two choices. One was the choice to calm down and wait until my mother came in to speak to me, or two—pick up the jack-in-box on the floor and throw it against the door. Can you guess which one I chose? I hate to say it, but it was a great way to release the anger I had inside. Once I threw the jack-in-the box at the door I realized that I was out of control and didn’t know how to get back into control. Unfortunately for my mother, it took me a while to learn how to get “in control.”

So as I saw my son “out of control” I could relate. I knew he couldn’t help it. So I just let him freak out, until he was too tired to continue. He was so out of control he would just follow me around the house screaming asking me to help, but not really knowing how I could help. I think my mother would be proud that maybe all of those tantrum days taught me something about motherhood. Sometimes tantrums are ways to tell the parents that our children are tired and don’t know how to get control of their bodies. I know that with time, he will figure it all out. In the mean time if you see me at the grocery store with a crying baby and I looked stressed, remind me that this too shall pass.

It seems (now more than ever) that my days have become centered around keeping Carter alive ever since he started to crawl. He is always getting into everything! Now that he is walking, this task hasn’t become any easier.

I am a Stay-at-Home Mom/Stay-at-Home Graphic Designer. These two roles haven’t been easy to juggle, but lately it has become almost impossible. Usually I can work while Carter is taking his morning or afternoon nap. Unfortunately this week, I bit off more than I could chew with a few jobs that have seemed to keep me up late at night and keep my mind away from Carter. I try to keep Carter in the office with me by bringing in some of his favorite toys, however he prefers to venture off into the rest of the house. I only leave him alone to roam the house for brief moments due to his ability to get into anything and everything.

Well this week tested my motherhood, as I was late on a deadline and was distracted to say the least. After a few phone calls I noticed that my little bamboozal was missing, and he was nowhere to be found. I started to panic, and raced around the house yelling out his name. I heard a big bang coming from my bedroom and really started to freak out. I opened the door as fast as I could to find Carter smiling up at me. He had accidentally bumped the radio and it had turned on. He was happily dancing to the music. Though my heart was still racing from worry, I couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of the song he was dancing to. It was Staying Alive by the Bee Gees. Luckily that was what Carter was doing without me, Staying Alive. Thankfully!  And lucky for me I get a second chance at not letting Carter roam free.

Litterally. I put him to sleep with soft baby gums and when he awoke, 2 razor sharp teeth bit down on my finger. I couldn’t believe it. I must say I am sad that my baby is growing up. Isn’t that wierd? I mean most people are probably so excited that their infant is sleeping through the night, rolling over, and sitting up, and getting teeth. Don’t get me wrong—I am, but when I saw that he had teeth—I got a little sad. Babies don’t have teeth, they have gums! I realized I am entering into a new stage in his life. I guess that is the way life goes, and I shouldn’t get too attached to a specific stage or age in his life.

It’s been a while since my last entry due to the insane idea that it would be a good time to start working from home. I thought it would be a good idea to buy a gift for my husband’s birthday with money I earned myself. However, it couldn’t have come at a worst time. This week I was called to be the second counselor in the primary presidency. My first week on and I already had meetings I needed to attend. My second calling is assistant teacher of Activity-Day Girls, in which I had to come up with a craft and teach the girls a lesson on being nice and Christlike. I was nervous about how this lesson would come across. I had to cut out so many pictures of Jesus that my hand about fell off. (I am learning quickly that you have a lot of things to color and cut out in primary. I’d better get my forearm and fingers in shape!)

That is not all. My husband is writing a paper for a class he has procrastinated for a year. The deadline is October 31st, and guess who had to proofread/re-write it? ME. Isn’t that what spouses are for? All of this and I took on a project from Clorox….not smart. With long hours at night—I finally got it turned in on time.

So now it’s Saturday. Finally Saturday. Today I reflected on my busy schedule and realized that it was actually great. Though life was busier than normal, I shouldn’t complain too much considering I get to be home with Carter. I would rather be stressed with church-work and a small project at home before I’d ever go back to work. And as much as this week was stressful, my life is so much better with a baby to care for. I told JM that I am the happiest right now in my life than ever before. I know it has a lot to do with my husband and my son. Kudos to JM for helping to give me the life I’ve always wanted.

It’s true. Even when he cries for 2 hours straight, or when he wakes up every two hours in the middle of the night. I would rather be with him when he poops five times in a row than be at a design convention in NYC. He is the most fun I’ve ever had, and I am not just saying that. I love being a mom. I think it’s because I led the single life for a long time, and that totally stunk. I also had a career for 5 years before being a mom, and there is just no comparison. I guess you can say I know what it’s like to be doing something other than being a mom, and I would never go back to my old life. I tell everyone that being with Carter feels like retirement. Isn’t retirement the time when you leave your former life to lead the life you truly wanted? That’s what I’m doing. I am defiantly leading the life I want, and it’s more rewarding than winning design awards, or having your artwork published in a design magazine. My new self-confidence comes from doing what I know to be right and raising a family in the church.

JM and I met due to his roommate daring him to call me (We were in the same ward for six months and had never met) Anyways, I had been on an awful date with JM’s roommate, Adam just weeks before. Just to give you a little clue as to how bad it was, Adam started the first 10 minutes of our date with “You’re not as stuck up as I thought you’d be… to be honest, I am really surprised.” It was down hill from there on out. Anyways, I guess after the date, Adam went home bragging to JM and his roommates about how we were totally meant for each other and that I was really into him. JM just couldn’t believe that I could be attracted to him (sensing that I would know a socially inept guy when I saw one). After Adam had tried many weeks to get a second date with me, JM asked Adam if he could give it a try. Mad at the idea, Adam said “Yeah, we’ll see if she’ll give you the time of day and handed him the phone.” JM took on the challenge and dialed my number. Needless to say, we had a very long and flirty talk over the phone. It was memorable enough to distract me from a guy I was currently dating. I thought for sure the call would end in a proposition for a date, but instead he said “well nice talking to you” and said good-bye. Are you kidding me? He didn’t want to ask me out? I became intrigued even more (JM is pretty sly) So the conversations continued without dates. This was really confusing for me, therefore making me more interested. JM finally asked me out, but I was going to be out with the guy I was dating. I was trying to keep JM an option, so I didn’t tell him about Mike. Finally I ended it with Mike one night and called JM that very night and said “Are we going to go out tomorrow or what?” Surprised JM said “Uh…yeah, I guess so.” JM & I have been together ever since. But JM didn’t have it easy. After about 4 months of dating, JM was proposing. I say proposing, because he proposed everyday for 3 or 4 months! (JM’s version is more like 1 month, but I remember it differently). It got so bad, that poor JM had to give me an ultimatum. He said I had to make a decision right then and there. And I replied angrily, ” if I have to give you an answer right now, it’s definatley no!.” JM quickly and humbly replied…”Take your time April…no rush.” And its a good thing he didn’t rush me. I finally came around. On an October day JM gave me his daily proposal, “Marry me April” And I finally said, O.K. Surprised, we both smiled and started to immediately plan our lives together.