A Touch Of Tyrell

2 days, 5 states, and 21 hours of driving.... but it was so worth it! (Great grandma, grandma, aunt Effie, uncle Braxton, and aunt Bridget) Just imagine being a 6 year old uncle!

At Everett's one week check up, his pediatrician asked me if I was taking anything other than prenatal vitamins. I proudly announced that I wasn't... thinking that was a good thing. He then proceeded to tell me that I NEED to take Omega 3's because when you are nursing your body requires extra omega 3's. Apparently omega 3's are stored in our brains and so your baby is literally eating my brains away if I don't take extra supplements. So I got some and told Jake all about what the Dr. said. So now, whenever I say something that doesn't make since or forget something, Jake will ask me if I have forgotten to take my brain pills. This morning Jake couldn't find the car keys. I asked him if he checked the front door.... (where he left them to dangle all night next to a busy road with our car in the driveway). The other day Jake and I couldn't remember how old I was. Seems like both of us need extra Omega 3's! So it was no surprise this morning when i...

My family is coming for a visit. They are driving each and every one of the 1265.42 miles that separate us. Everett is praying you'll make it safe. He wants to meet you! Drive safe.

Happy one month birthday to my little buddy!

Everett is growing way too fast. I have no scientific proof of exactly how fast, but fast enough to have out grown his newborn outfits by 3 weeks. Its a good thing I take pictures every day! *This outfit is supposed to go to his ankles!

I went to preschool for a little while. I can't really remember for how long or how old I was... but I remember going to preschool. There was a time of the day when all of the kids grabbed a mat and laid down while the teacher read to us with the lights off. Then, of course, was nap time. I could never fall asleep. I didn't want to miss a thing... even if there was nothing to miss. I just couldn't find the logic behind sleeping in the day time. After several sleepless nap times, I got up and told my teachers that I couldn't sleep. So from then on they let me stay up and help them prepare the snacks for the other kids when they woke up. I still can't nap. That's why I have so many picture of Jake taking Sunday naps. He can, I can't. Turns out Everett is a lot like mom. He just doesn't see the logic. J/K! Honestly though, we are working on nap time. It's a work in progress and I have learned that it is easier to establish habits earlier than later. Par...

"What cha thinkin about" Jake knew I wasn't sleeping. But I sure was thinking. Thinking about what used to be. How we used to pay 1/3 the money in rent that we pay now, how I used to work from 7:45 am to 2 p.m. and wished I had a better job, how working a "late night" for Jake used to mean he was home by 6, how I thought getting up for seminary in the morning was hard, how I used to cook dinner every night.... The times were so good. Now we pay 3x the amount of rent we used to pay, I work 24 hours a day, working a late night for Jake means he is home between 8:30 and 11, how getting up at any time throughout the night is hard, how I can't wait until my family is here to visit so we can have real dinner food.... I told him all things on my mind and we just smiled at what used to be. It was beautiful. But now the times are much more beautiful....and adorable:

A few weeks ago I decided it was time to change the colors in our living room (Operation Red) with the intention of making it more summery and relaxing. So I went to the only logical place to shop... Ross. And luckily the change hardly cost a thing. A few new lamp shades, a mirror, a rug (or two), and a few accessories. I bought a green table cloth for $3 and recovered two pillows... and this bench. Jake loathes this bench but I love it. 8th grade graduation landed me this beauty (from my "old man"). Then there's the mantle. Switched out the picture for a mirror and added some clearance decorations and candles. If I wanted to completely remove the red, I had to get rid of the red bird too. So I made my binders a bit more boring with the brown scrapbook paper... but everything else was just rearranged from around the house. The two bird pictures my Uncle Johnny drew during a trip we all took to Mexico (a long time ago). He drew one for me and one for my sister but like ...

I've never been big on exposing any part of my body.... except my gorgeous stretchmarks.... so nursing has been a small challenge for me. My sister in law heard of my ordeal and let me borrow her Udder Cover . It works wonders for a person like me. I had to have one. Their $25 price tag had me bummed. I had also heard of Hooter Hiders but they came with an even higher price tag. Thanks to google I found some directions on how to make my own. I made two of them for under $20. Modest is Hottest!

Happy Fathers day Dad. (And Jake!) You guys are the very best!

Its so hard to post about things other than your super cute baby who is growing way too fast.... but these flowers grew in our backyard. To be honest, I don't even know how they grew because the sun hasn't been out since Everett was born (last Saturday was the one day exception). Sun, come out come out wherever you are!

A little boy in such a big bed.

We are on a roll! Everett and I totally understand each other now. So if you ever want to babysit, I'll let you know what these faces mean: 1. It all starts like this. A smile and a full tummy 2. Then he wakes up 3. Oh dear 4. Time to push 5. Holy smokes 6. There we go 7. WHAT a relief! 8. OHHHHHHHHHH man, that stinks! 9. I feel much better 10. Oh great. Now my pits stink.

Everett loves family outings. He sits in his car chair and just hangs out. And sometimes he even pretends he is a puppy.

He has my big hands and feet, and my eyes. He has Jake's hairline and skin color. Where he gets his singing..... that's a blessing all of his own!

I didn't change a diaper until we got home from the hospital.... thanks to a great husband. Everett wasted no time when it came to dirty diapers. One of the first diaper changes that took place between the two was sort-of.... um.... Jake's initiation into fatherhood. Everett let loose and peed all over Jake. I laughed and was impressed at the projectile of my offspring. The very next day Everett did it again. At 4 this morning I was thinking about those occurrences and was filled with pride that I had dodged my motherhood initiation. And that is precisely when this little prince charming peed all over me, himself, and the blanket I was changing him on. Then again at 7. Now I know why moms always have laundry to do.

We are doing so much better. Everett slept for 4 hours straight last night. Miracles do happen! Its amazing how one baby can take on so many looks! Sometimes he looks chubby, sometimes he looks just like my, sometimes his lips look huge... And check out these booties!

I can't even begin to tell you how valuable your comments are to me. My days used to be measured in production... things I made, bills paid, laundry done, dinner made, and all of my responsibilities at the office taken care of. My days are much different now. All I want is for my son to be happy. Its incredible that I haven't even had him for 2 weeks but he has devoured my every thought, action, and care. I love him so much and that is why every cry, noise, burp, toot, grunt, sleepy smile, dirty diaper, and full tummy mean so much. Its hard to explain the joy I feel when I understand why he is crying, but the incredible disappointment and discouragement when I can't. That's why I value your comments....so I know I am only being normal. Normal that I've been wearing the same black Adidas pants, bath robe, and nursing tank top since we got home from the hospital. Normal that I haven't WANTED to look in the mirror. Normal that I struggle having a conversation with ...

I almost don't even know what to write today. Yesterday was a real hard one. I haven't slept for more than 2 hours at a time for the past week and a half and it caught up to me. I really don't mind getting up with our little squirt at night.... if he would go back to sleep. On page 18 in Tyrell's book of How To you will find 'how to deal with lack of sleep' and the answer is almost always cry. Crying doesn't fix anything or make you feel better.... it actually makes you more sleepy and look terrible, but for some reason it just happens. I have been trying to write Everett's owners manual. Sounds terrible, but actually I am just trying to write down when he sleeps and eats and how long and other important details. So far he has slept for 3 1/2 hours in the last 12. I'm so tired. One thing is for sure.... how do you do this with other kids at home.

I love this little face.

I know you just want to take him out to the ball game! If he could talk... he would probably be saying: Mom, this is how big I have to open just to get some milk Oh my gosh, WHAT is that smell Ooooooooooooh Thumbs up! Do you see any boogers up there? Look, I can wink with my forehead!

Lately, its been doing a whole lot of this: *Raining* Its okay though, because I've been lovin' on this guy Why is he wearing the same outfit as yesterday.... because I haven't washed anymore of his clothes yet!

We have been asked how we came up with the name Everett. A long time ago our neighbors' last name was Hudson. I thought that would make the perfect name for a little boy. So for the last two years we planned on naming our first son Hudson. Hudson Heinz just sounded so cute. About 2 weeks before he was born Jake and I went for a walk and towards the end of our walk I mentioned that I didn't think we should name our son Hudson anymore. Jake agreed and said that he had been feeling the same way. We spent the next few hours looking up names online and trying them out. We went though dozens. Trying to name a baby is so difficult. By the end of the night we had a list of 4 names. Everett, Harrison, Jensen, and Hudson. The next night we both talked about it and loved the name Everett. Neither of us had ever met anyone by that name and it just felt right. Simple story, but that's how this little guy got his name. After his first bath. He had a MAJOR explosion this morning. His nice...