The last 18 months....

Spring 2011: (Picking up from my last posts almost over 18 months ago) Right before Will was born, February of 2011 we moved to Providence Utah. Back to my home turf.  That was a hard move for me or should I say Eric where he had to move the majority of the stuff because I was about ready to pop. We left our cute home in Ogden for an apartment in Providence. It was a nice apartment that we moved to but I will always miss our home in Ogden and the friends and the experiences we had there in such a short time. Eric I were able to pick out everything in the Ogden home; from the layout, colors, carpets etc...but to move back to Providence and be closer to family was worth it. 

Three weeks later, March 13th, 2012, Will was born a week early. Will's arrival has been the biggest blessing and life changer for Eric and I. I kept saying I just wanted to wait and have this baby until we had everything in place for him and unpacked. As soon as the last shelf was hung in Will's soon-to-be room by my dad and Eric I went into Labor the next day. 

March 13th 2011 and the next few months...several months, are all a blur... They were my most challenging months I have ever experienced to this point in my life. I went back to work full time when Will was three months (maternity leave flew by), started school back up again to be able to do Behavior Supports for the company I work for, Eric was working, a full-time student while watching Will 9 to 5 everyday. I always felt so guilty and sad for myself that I couldn't be with Will as much as I wanted. I wanted do all the new mom things that I saw on Pinterest :) and I thought all other moms were for sure fitting them into their schedules. Professional pictures every three months, make his Halloween costume, make baby food from scratch, have a huge 1st Birthday party for him, spend mornings at the parks with him. Some of the stuff I managed to do that I thought were musts (huge 1st Birthday Party :)) but those "things" almost killed me and made me feel even more crazier. I had and have to work really hard to learn how to put first things. Most mornings on my way to work, I had to pull off the road near the temple and pray for peace that I could make it through the day. I would explain to my Father in Heaven that I didn't want to go to work, I was feeling bad, sad, felt I was missing out on my new baby, prayed for Eric and Will and hoped someday I could be home with Will and my life would be easier. I am sure he smiled when I was under the impression my life would be easier once home full-time. I always felt and knew He was aware of me, knew how I felt and lifted me up daily to make it. I couldn't have done the last 18 months without a Heavenly parent, HeavenlyFather, that had my best interests in mind, loved me, loved Will as much and as more as I do and cared for his well-being. I was so blessed that Eric could be home with him. Will and Eric had such great days together. Eric is such a great "dadda" and Will adores him. I have learned one thing, everyone told me with a new born that it only gets harder and so far I disagree. Now, at this point in my life, I am having so fun with my baby. I finally found some light at the end of this tunnel. I am finally getting sleep, kinda getting the hang of it and found that Will is quite durable :). I love looking at his little face when he is concentrating, happy, sad, content, wrestling with dad, learning and as he sleeps in my arms....and sleeping in my bed next to me. Yes, he's still in our bed. Were a little co-sleep'n family. We HAD to invest in a King Size bed when he was just a few months old because we found ourselves sleeping on the floor and Will enjoying the whole bed. He will sleep anywhere but if anyone knows me, when I am sleepy, to get enough "umf," to do anything is impossible. So to carry Will into his room when he fell asleep (I usually fell asleep putting him to bed) and wake up and walk to his room and feed him at night, was not an option for me. Eric will sometimes put Will in his own bed when he comes into bed and we are both taking over the sleeping quarters and there's no room for Eric in the inn and Will does fine in his big boy bed. We will need to transition him soon so we don't have two babies in bed with us. That would make for an interesting night; although, I swear my parent's had five kids in bed with when morning arrived growing up. One at a time, through out the night we would wander in. They had a huge old water bed and it could fit us all. 

Winter 2012: February 2012 we moved to a cute home near The Logan Country Club golf course. We love it up here. It's the perfect place to take walks. We have apple, plum, cherry and pear trees, we have tons of grapes, strawberries growing and mature trees and flowers everywhere. Every season we've had in this home brings new surprises and we never know what produce or flowers will pop up next. Our neighbors have treated us so good and we love our Ward. Right when we moved here in February my appendix ruptured before we had met our ward. I was in the Hospital for the next few days and after I was released we had dinner brought to our home by women in our Ward that were 3 to 4 times my age... 70, 80, 90...not an exaggeration. Eric said that we should call and say he's sick too and maybe they would've thrown in some extras. No doubt that they would've been right over. 

Spring 2012: March 13th 2012, Will turned 1! He was walking, talking (in his own language), smiling all the time and growing so big. Every doctor's appointment that we take him to they say he is going to be a football player, a line backer:). He always in the 90 plus percentile in height. He loves being around his cousins and I love to watch him interact with them. 

May 2012, yeah, I went to part time hours!!! Eric will soon be hired on as a full time rep for Northwestern Mutual where he's been an intern for the past year and a half, which means we can start getting our benefits through them making it possible for me to cut back on my hours where we are needing health insurance from my work anymore. Eric and I are still in school and still busy but I love working part time versus of full time. I hope to never go back to full time hours while being a mom with young babies. 

 Summer 2012: We had a blast at Bear Lake, having my sister Laurie and her family visit us the month of July from Missouri, swimming at my Grandma's pool, attempting to grow our first garden (failed), eating cherries from my dads cherry trees, spending summer days in my parent's back yard, Lagoon, celebrating my Brother Jeff and his new wife's wedding, Bryce Canyon hiking and swimming and visiting Eric's sister in Hawaii.  This summer we also found out that I was pregnant with our second babe. I am now (September 30th 2012)16 weeks pregnant. I am hoping this time around proves to be a little easier or just not almost kill me. Am I ready for this? When life gets a little more calm I guess it's time to mix it up again. Throw in some more game pieces.

Fall 2012: As much as I love summer, this fall has been so beautiful and I think I can officially says that fall is now my favorite season. I love the fall candles, the fall candy (M&M Candy Corns), football, the crisp cool air, the leaves in Sardine Canyon, having to wear a jacket, playing outside and walks with Will. And the best think about this Fall is, I finished the course work to become a BCABA for my work and took the Board Exam last Tuesday. I am done!!! Well, if I pass I am done but I am done for now at least with studying. That's freed up so much more time so I can more fully enjoy this time of year.  Eric Finishes up school this semester and will continue to work with Northwestern Mutual. He loves his job, understands it and works hard to learn more about it and works hard at it. 

  The end...........