Writing on the wall.

"Writing on the wall" what does this really mean? In our home it means Levi's scribbles all over our white walls. Thankfully, this time it was pencil, Ben had to use the eraser to fix it. Ouff!
This summer, we have been enjoying the sunny hot weather and spending time outside. We bought the year before a kiddie pool, cost less than 10$ and have used it over 5 times. Advice:buy items at the end of season, things go on sale for good prices. It was a great purchase and well worth it. He's not only been swimming in the baby pool but also the lake,the  inside and outside pool, splash pad. He has been swimming in style with one of the cutest swimsuits, frog suit with matching hat. We have received lots of compliments.

 Today, it was our family day. Ben had the day off and we biked for over 3 hours. I biked and pulled the bike trailer with Levi in it and Ben roller skated all the way. We didn't stop once we got home, oh no, right away we changed and went for a swim. So, I'm exhausted, my quads are hurting, my butt is sore but I feel great. Remember folks, I am a pregnant lady, I  biked while pulling her toddler and was going mostly uphill during this adventure. I did quit on my way back, I was a block away from home when I decided to walk the rest of the way home. I just couldn't do it, I was feeling sick. I am proud of each other, it was long. As for Levi, he had a nap on the way there and back, but did stop at half way , he went on the swing and went to the splash pad. We will be doing this again soon.
Other news: we are having my family over soon and will be seeing more family the week after and Ben got an A on his Clinical psychology class. I have a smart husband.
Summertime is great!

He knows!!!

I caught Levi in his room with the bottom dresser drawer opened and emptied on the floor. He knows how to open drawers and jars. He didn't stop there, he opened the kitchen drawers and emptied what he could, while mommy was trying to pick up the rest. ARG... and thumbs up for you baby, you're so smart. It does mean more work, to tidy things up but it was meant to happen.
Levi has been saying new words, two of my favorites this week is "please" and "mango". He is now enjoying trying to blow bubbles, coloring, playing in puddles and using his utensils and cup. For comfort he has been sucking on his bottom lip and touching his and my belly button.
 Ben, my wonderful husband. He made a toy wooden chest for Levi's toys. Amazing! I showed my dad and ,said he needed one too. Its a light wood with a padded blue leather seat/cover, that matches perfectly with his bed comforter. He is talented. He is soon going to finish his summer courses and finally get somewhat break from it all. Levi's father's day gift to daddy was peeing on the toilet seat, one drop might have gone in the toilet.
As for me ,my tummy is growing. If you didn't know me well enough, you'd think I was fat but really its a baby bump. I have geared up on summer clothes, yoga shorts, and one bigger t-shirts. Pregnancy has been better to me, less barfing but more blotting and other unpleasant things. Our bathroom is cleaned regularly, almost every day, it needs to because I'm spending lots of time there. I'm excited and looking forward to that first ultrasound to see our baby and to know if its a girl or a boy. I like to ask Levi where the baby is, he points to my belly. He will soon be the Big Brother.

Brain Freeze!

Have you heard of the great sale at Costco? Jumbo freezes on sale. Woohoo! It has been a hot summer and I have been craving freezes. Levi loves them and for the first time today, had his first brain freeze. Ouch but hilarious at the same time.
By the way, we're pregnant. We are so happy and in disbelief. My family and others are cheering for a girl. It really doesn't matter girl or boy, either way he or she will be super cute and super loved. We are again expecting a winter baby. How am I feeling? For those who remember my first pregnancy, I was having diarrhea and I was barfing at the same time, appetite got smaller and craved for fruits, tomatoes and Nutella. This time, it's dry heaving, occasional barfing, diarrhea again, blotting, need to go to the bathroom regularly. For foods fruits, tomatoes and Nutella are still a must , and my new craving for Freezes.
I have to say, I have been praying more often to my Heavenly Father to help me cope with it all, so I can take care of Levi. Prayers have been answered and my doctor has recommended drugs, but those will have to pass. I survived with my first pregnancy without using any drugs and now, I will try my best not to use them again. I am grateful for modern medicine but only in desperate needs and as recommended by your doctor. I'm not desperate yet! Ben has been wonderful as always, helping me out with everything and been sympathetic. I love him, he is a wonderful husband and great father.
"Still want 5 kids?", I get this question often and I do ask myself the same, "Can I really do this another 3 times after this little bundle of joy comes??? I don't know, but I did a few hours after my first baby. I said "One down, four more to go." My mother-in-laws answer to my reply was "Bless your heart".
I am scared of a few things for this pregnancy: natural labor instead of C-section, 3 first months of sleepless nights and baby blues, constipation and recovery. I think pregnancy is not the tough part , its the afterward ....DA...DA....DAaaa. Besides my fears , I am so grateful once that baby is out. You feel this flow of love just overcome you and feel so happy and grateful to be its mom. Motherhood is so amazing. I love to be a mom. I have tears just thinking about it, 6 months to go.
Other great news, my best-friend Virginia is back with her family and hope , they are staying for good. My brother will be visiting us in July for two weeks and by August I should know if I'm having a boy a a girl.

Life is great!

Appreciation!

This week has been super busy and overwhelming for my poor husband. Sadly, that is life and time will not stop for anyone so they can get a break. Aside from all obligations and responsibilities, family support must be felt.

Yesterday, I was not feeling too well. I'm not sick, just felt blah, tired , not comfortable in my own body. Ben was tired from his 8 hour shift, standing for that period of time with no air conditioning in the building. Plus he worked 28  hours this week , is taking 2 classes, one of them is a 3 hour lecture twice a week. He has had no days off and is currently working today, Sunday. I wish they would respect him more and honor his desire to keep the Sabbath day Holy. Basically he was tired.
We debated on whom should go and get some groceries or give Levi a bath and do his night routine.  I was certainly not bugging in about going out, so we agreed on just eating what we had.  Levi is not a choice, plus we LOVE him so much,  of course we will care for him. I finally started to get Levi ready when Ben said: I'll go and get some groceries.
Once Ben came back he handed Levi a Hotwheels' car and me, a magazine + chocolate covered almonds. He said these gifts is to show us that he appreciate and loves us. How sweet. I haven't been craving chocolate covered almonds but they are my favorites. Thanks Honey! We appreciate you too.

Second story. Last week I taught about prayer and had 3 activities during our 40 minutes lesson. We had fun. At the end I asked my kids: "Do you like my lessons?" -"Yes Sister Cole!!!" That made my day. I've been teaching in Primary for over 2 years. Let me tell ya, I have learned lots and still am. I thought that I was just filling in a calling that it really wasn't meant for me. I was wrong, I'm glad that I was.
This week, the lesson was about the Holy Ghost. I organized a scavenger hunt for my class, as a gesture of my appreciation for their appreciation for me. I had 5 rules.
1.Not aloud to speak unless asked to speak
2.No running in the church
3.Running is aloud outside of the church building
4.We must all stick together
5.If rules are broken, all must go and sit in Sharing time for the last 2 hours of meetings.
I was very stern and clear about all the rules. Rules were repeated many times before the hunt. Class had 3 chances or else.
The kids seemed to enjoy the lesson, and I didn't need to stop the lesson because of broken rules. This was a success. Hurray!!

Levi was impressive too. He stayed in nursery for a whole 15 minutes by himself, no Gramma. She has been taking him, he is just too busy for Sunday school and Relief Society. He will be there, once he turns 18 moths. Our baby boy is growing up.
This week has been nice and sunny. We've had lots of fun going to the park and picnic with the Coolest Mommy group, Devyn's birthday party, hanging out with Grammy, gardening with Carolyn, going to the park with daddy.

 Life is wonderful. 

Remember to appreciate and love one another.

Domination.

Giggles, I can't help myself. Who would have thought that I would become a board game geek?! I have a philosophy about any competitive games, "Play for Fun. But if you win, celebrate." I feel I can rub it in to my husband's family noses just because they are SUPER COMPETITORS. Bless their hearts. I do agree that it has helped build strong family bonds but at the same time has brought disputes and contention. Remember friends and family, its all for fun and its only a game.
Playing games  is what I look forward during Christmas time at my in-laws. Playing games is what I look forward when Levi goes to bed. Playing games is something I know I will lose at, more than 50% of the time but that's o.k with me.

Tonight, I celebrate. Another sweet victory against the "Trader of all traders"= Ben and Carolyn the Genius builder, at Traders and Barbarians of Catan. 

So what's new? Levi and I have been sick for the thrid time with a cold. It seems to happen every time we're around little ones. Oh well, we are building stronger immune systems. I do have to say that I do have a headache from blowing my nose so many times. Besides that, Levi has been recuperating well and cheery like always. He helped the other day by cleaning the kitchen floor. He was happy to be part of it all.

Despite all of this we have been going to the park almost every day. Here's Levi in his new summer hat. One of these days, it was so hot I could feel the sweat off my chest. I was amazed at the heat because I had the chills from my cold. Levi was protected from the sun, I did use sunscreen. He did not mind and now has a tan.

I am so grateful to be a mom, its the best and you can only understand once you have a baby. I get it now Mami! We are soon going to visit my parents and brother. They have not seen Levi since he started to walk. He can converse and sing, walk backwards, eat on his own, make more animal sounds, follow simple instructions, give kisses and hugs, make puzzles, play with hotwheels on tracks. He is one amazing little guy. 

As for daddy, he is still in denial about cutting his hair. He says he feels like Samson, his hair is his strenght. He is just been silly. We have notice that he does have his mom's hair, blond and curly with ringlets. It is gorgeous hair , its just too much of it. Summer's heat will convince him to get it cut.  He started this week summer school. He is working hard and we are grateful for him. He makes us happy, laugh, provides shelter and food for us and love. I know he has lots of responsibilities, and must feel so much pressure. I am doing my part, to make his load lighter. I know he appreciates me, and he does show me. Families are awesome, and eternal founded upon the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Cookie Monster to the rescue.

Fifteen month anniversary Levi! This month is important for my little boy. It was time again for him to receive his immunization shots. I have been bringing  him to his every appointment. I am grateful for modern medicine but not for his cries and tears after his injections. He was pricked with 2 needles on each arm at the the same time. I had him sitting on my lap and holding his little hands. He was trying to let loose as soon as he felt the needles go in. As you know, flexing your muscles makes the pain worsen. He had crocodile tears running down but I changed him right away and sang the Cookie Monster song. The one that goes " C is for cookie, its good enough for me...cookie, cookie, cookie, starts with C" His frown turned into a smile right away. Of course, I did have cookies to reward him for his bravery. He honestly only cried for a minute. I don't think it was my horrible singing that made him smile but the message of the song. Cookie does start with C and Levi loves cookies.
The nurse said he was a happy boy , brave, and he apparently looks like Keanu Reeves.

Other good news, Ben received his final marks for this semester and has done wonderfully. He has an A average in University. Woohoo! We are so proud of him. That's my man.

Cheese Please!

Rumors.
Rumors have been spreading about Levi. He has been accused of stealing other kids' snacks in nursery. Gramma Cole has been taking him to nursery because he is getting more difficult to have him sitting down for class. Cannot blame him, our services are 3 hours long and he does not understand yet what is going on. His agenda is to explore, talk to everyone, play, eat and sleep. The funny part in this is, that he is the first one to finish his snack and will steal cheese from the other kids. Cheese monster.

Independence.
Feeding Levi is a NO. Only because he wants to eat by himself. We have a shirt bib to help with the mess. Today's menu was Red River Cereal and a cup of milk for breakfast, followed by an egg salad sandwich, yogourt, banana and cheese for lunch and finished with Grammy's spaghetti with meat sauce and strawberries. He did eat all of those meals by himself. He is no more a baby but a little boy. I have to say that I had to bathe him after breakfast. His cereal was all over him and in his nose. He also took a bath after his lunch. I'm glad that he loves getting baths.

Victory.
Board games is part of my husband's family traditions. I was initiated, I was willing. I admit , I have not won many games but have tried to. I need to be reminded at times, that  they all have been playing games since they were little children. Once in a while, luck shines on me. Last night, we played Traders and Barbarians, part of the Settlers of Catan board game. Interesting game, it had a new twist on things. Besides collecting resources from the earth, you can also be fishermen and collect fish. Fishes gives you certain privileges. Its awesome. What is more awesome is that I won against the unbeatable Carolyn and Ben the game expert. Woohoo! I was giggling the majority of time because I could not believe I was actually winning. Of course when it got close to the end, I was picked on. Oh well, victory was mine.