Being a new mom and not knowing the signs

Its the future president. Doesn't it look like a picture a president would take. What a goofball!

I am a first time mom. Yes, I have been around babies from the time I was a baby. I was still in the single digits when my siblings started having babies. But no one, and I mean NO ONE, tells you about all the things toddlers who can't talk are trying to tell you.

Let's just say, mom's mess up some times. And boy howdy, did I today. I watch another little boy who is a little older than Nathan. And they are different developmentally as any two boys could be. Nathan was the walker and the runner and the eater and the ball kicker and the loud one! Logan, is the talker and the fine motor skills one and the calm one! They are teaching each other so many things and its fun to watch. With Logan, he tells me what he wants and shows it to me. Nathan can't talk so his actions and volume do most of the telling.

Well, today I messed up and I am so thankful that Nathan will not remember this day unless I tell him about it. All day today, Nathan was a fussbucket. He screamed and pulled on my shirt, he would cried and throw his water bottle. He wouldn't share or play. The frustration of not being able to communicate to me was awful for him. However, I know he understands a lot. And when these actions happen, time outs come with it! He got more time outs today than I can even remember. Probably the most he has ever gotten since we started doing time outs! That is how bad it was.

This is the start. The chewing on fingers and the drool. I knew the molars were coming!

This shows him about to fall asleep and how miserable he was today.

Finally, about an hour after nap time he seemed to be in a good mood. So I was able to play with him. He is liking it when we let him hang upside down on our laps. That's when I saw it. A MOLAR. We knew they were coming we thought it would be as easy as his first teeth. Drool everywhere and a lot of chewing on things but nothing prepared me for today. I saw the first molar and then I looked all around his mouth. Molars coming from every direction and getting ready to break through at any moment. I can't believe it took me all day to figure out that Nathan was trying to tell me how miserable he was. He was acting that way because he was in pain. Finally some tylenol, daddy time and good bath helped him fall right to sleep and hopefully tomorrow will be a better day! Oh and lots of I'm sorries from me.

If you look closely you can see how swollen his gums are. This is right after snack time and he let me play with his hair.

Keeping in Touch

My missionary friend Kelly home for a couple of weeks in Dec. (we happen to be in the same place at the same time)!

One of the hardest things that has happen to me since moving out of California, resigning from my position as youth pastor and moving away from all family, has been keeping in touch. Motherhood and Wifehood has become my life. People say that the older you get the harder it is to make friends, well its true. Especially when you uproot your life right in the middle of making new friends. Since all of my close friends are either in another state or country or even continent it has been extremely hard to stay connected to them. Even with the wonders of email, cell phones, facebook, and blogs it is still extremely hard to feel like you are still apart of their lives.


Not having the face to face time with these dear people to me has been a true test to faithfully remember them in my prayers. I can post all the pictures and comments I want and email all I want but not seeing their faces daily or even weekly has given me a new sense of truly giving these people up to God. So every night Nathan, Joel and myself pray for all those people that are in our lives but not living near us. It has given us such a peace knowing that we can still keep in touch through our heavenly Father!