He Likes My Ears

Every time we would have corn on the cob from the garden, Brent had to comment on how nice the ears were. And since he's pretty much a professional corn grower these days it felt good to get his praise. He often continued "look at how straight and long the rows are. What do you attribute to your success? You must have had a good fertility regimen or phenomenal weed control practices." To which I snicker. All of the above I think to myself. "It must have been the manure I "spread" with the front end loader in deep clumps on our corn patch. I'm surprised it didn't burn the corn. Or what about that weed control when I went out 9 months pregnant to find my corn dwarfed by the two foot tall kochia and Russian thistle. I didn't even think twice, I armed myself with my weed sprayer full of Roundup and went to work." What corn wasn't killed by the above mentioned practices yielded such nice cobs, worthy of Brent's adoration.

living out of the car

On Tuesday we rolled into Mom and Dad's house (our pitstop for our "business"/family trip) at about 9:30 pm. Hudson was busy playing with Grandma and Grandpa until way too late, about 11:00. The next morning started out way too early. By 7:30 am, we were headed to Jerome. Brent had to inspect our new chopper and meet with the salesman. During these 4 hours I let Hudson do the guy thing by tagging along with Dad and play with his bulldozer in the dirt while Dalanie and I had a photo shoot in the car.
We ate lunch in a restaurant, but then it was back in the car. We visited many truck lots and sat in the car while Brent talked with even more salemen while I tried to entertain a very tired 2 1/2 yr old. But alas at 5:30 p.m., he finally found the semi he was looking for in . . . Burley. By then I was a little (understatement) irritated and wondered why I spent the entire day in the car instead of in the comforts of my parents home? After another quick and random pit stop at Mom and Dad's we were back in the car headed for home. Our house was a very welcome sight!
All in all, I consider the spilt milk (it makes our car smell awful --like dirty diapers) very inconsequential considering that our car was home for a day. In all fairness to Brent, I think he needed a second opinion and some support for all the big decisions he had to make that day, so he requested my company.

Trash to Treasure

My wall really isn't this tomato red, it's darker and . . . prettier in my opionion.

I decided to share my latest garage sale find because I was pretty excited about it. I brought them home, gave them a good coat of black spray paint, sanded the edges and viola! Once I had them hung beneath my oven hood, I started looking around my house and realized that many accessories and furnishings in our home have been discovered in unlikely places. (see previous post about old door from a junk heap ) Nothing a little scrub brush, elbow grease, paint, or odor ban couldn't fix.

Making Pappa Proud

The other night I decided the kids and I would all benefit from getting out of the house. I decided that we'd go and cut some wheat to use in our home for decoration. I told Hudson he needed to get ready. (In all fairness he already had his jammies on--which are too big by the way. But they have loaders so he doesn't see any of his other pairs as much of an option.) He brought me his boots, and this is what you get. I think he might have learned this from doing chores with Grandpa Parish who occassionally wears his pajamas. Speaking of which, I still need a copy of the pictures with Grandpa and Hudson together in their irrigating boots.

On another note. I was hanging a headboard yesterday during naptime and impressed myself. Not that what I did was necessarily impressive, but because I was able to do it alone--something my Dad has always prided himself in. With a little creativity and ingenuity I hung this stinking heavy old door above our new king family size bed just like a pro. I felt like doing a WEP jig, (not creating one) but doing a little dance.Snug as a bug in a rug. I love sleeping babies and tired dads.

Hudson Highlight

Hudson is busy discovering new things in the world around him. He is continually making me smile. His curiosity occasionally leads him into trouble, but I have to remind myself that curiosity brings learning. So here are a few of the highlights from his 2 1/2 yr. old perspective.
Hudson loves:
-helping "stir" the batter and help make waffles for breakfast.
-his TV time in the morning with Jakers! and Curious George.
-helping Mom water the flowers and pick vegetables from the garden.
-riding with sissy in the trailer on bike rides.
-picking out the clothes he wears (usually consists of his boots and one of his many hats.)
-putting music in his radio and pushing all the buttons to make it play and then singing and dancing along.
-playing with his loaders, trucks, and farm animals. He pretends to haul hay and chop corn, pretty imaginative considering he doesn't have any of the right equipment.
-goats- he now notices them while we're driving (along with any tractor, truck, or loader.
-cutting things with scissors- scary considering his Mom ruined many things with scissors when she was little.
-eating watermelon, cantelope, and corn. I don't know what he's going to eat when summer is over.
-helping. Whether it's Grandpa Parish and his chickens, Mom and dishes or bathing Dalanie, or Grandpa Hillman taking salt to the cows. He is most happy when he's helping.
-church. He requests to go there several times a week.
-singing songs. Some of his favorite include Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Popcorn.
- the number two. Whenever you ask him how many horses, goats, trucks, etc. he promptly replies, "2."
-his sissy.

Celebrating the Good Life

Around the Hillman house, we've had plenty to celebrate about. First, the arrival of Dalanie who is so sweet and healthy. Secondly, the good adjustment made by Hudson in becoming a big brother. (We've attempted to potty train without much luck, but rest assured--a big celebration will be in order when he figures it out.)

Next, I just celebrated my 2? birthday last Saturday. Yes folks, that's 26 years I've been living and breathing on this great planet called earth. It scares me that I'm getting right close to 30. It was a good day full of garage selling with the two little tykes, icecream, and friends. I've gotten used to the fact that it falls in a busy time of year. Now that I don't expect any presents or even a card from Brent, it's gotten much better. It's become more of a personal day, where I evaluate my current position in life, count my blessings, and celebrate the good life. Our good friends did take us out for dinner that night. It was late and a bit spontaneous, but if you're not young-- you've got to act young once and awhile.
And finally, (to bring this post to a close) Brent turned 28 on Tuesday. He was busy with work, but Hudson took him lunch and rode with him in the chopper. We made him a sign and decorated it with balloons. I think it was more of a treat for Hudson as he was so excited for his dad to see it. We took rootbeer floats and corn on the cob to the crew to round off the day. Nothing too special, but hopefully a memorable one. I'm so grateful to have such a good husband that works so hard. He has so many demands facing him. I'm proud of the way he handles life and am glad that I get to go through it side by side with him.Sure, our happy little life isn't always perfect. In fact, we have a bad hair day once and awhile (just ask Dalanie) but all in all I consider it a good life. Our family is healthy, our business is growing, (wheat prices are up) and I have a knowledge of the gospel. What more could a girl want to begin her 26th year in life? I can't think of anything else.

What I Wish

I wish that holding a sweet smelling baby all day was what being a mom was all about. Unfortunately days seem to fill up with dishes, laundry, and cooking. With Brent in the middle of straw harvest, the days have also included a lot of running. Running breakfasts and lunches to him, running people back to pick up vehicles, running parts and so on.
Hopefully tomorrow will bring a little less running and a lot more holding.

30 Seconds From a Break Down

Yesterday was Dalanie's 2 week check up. She passed with flying colors. If you consider her super red bottom from a horrible diaper rash and white mouth from thrush. Good thing we didn't have to add a yellow jaundice baby to the list. Other than that, she's a healthy baby. She's already gained 11 oz and is starting to fill in. I can't believe her legs are already getting chubby. But that's good. . .you know what they say--"A chubby baby = A happy baby."
After the appointment we had a few errands to run. My previous experience with taking the 2 kids to stores hasn't been bad. Every place we went ended up taking 30 minutes longer than anticipated. By the time I finally got the insurance issues cleared up at the pharmacy and Dalanie's prescriptions, they were both starving. The pharmacy tech asked if Hudson could have a sucker, I quickly consented trying to hold back the tears. What kind of a mom keeps saying "just a minute and we'll get you fed" for well over an hour?
Thanks goodness Nik lives in Blackfoot, so we could feed and change the kidlings and I could regain my composure.

One Week Birthday

It's hard to believe that Dalanie is already a week old. Time passes so quickly and they change so much. She is still the sweetest little baby. She is a delight to have in our home. Hudson is adjusting to being a big brother, and becoming quite a good one.

The kids and I set out to Burley to pick blackberries with mom. Traveling with two was a bit of a trick. Hudson would shush Dalanie as soon as she'd make a squeak. By the time we turned on to 500 S. Dalanie was convinced that she was pretty hungry. Once again, big brother tried to quiet her. This time he kept saying "Momma," like he knew we were almost to Grandma's and that she'd make everything better.
We had a good visit. Hudson fed the chick-chicks and horses and even caught 2 frogs with Grandpa. Dalanie got to meet her Aunt Tameka and I got a much needed haircut, not to mention the 2 1/2 gallons of blackberries we got picked.

My Helper

Hudson loves to help me with Dalanie. He is my little runner. He fetches diapers and burp cloths. His favorite things to help with are bathing her and putting lotion on her. I think he also likes to kiss her- as I catch him doing this quite frequently.
There are a few things he doesn't quite understand. He doesn't think she really gets a bath without getting in the tub. He is also puzzled by the entire nursing thing, especially my nursing pads. I tried explaining how I feed Dalanie milk. Now he just says "Mom, cow." Why didn't I think of that?

Soaking It Up

It's been hard to take it easy since I am feeling so well. I tell you what, I'd give birth any day over being sick for the first 4-5 months. As predicted, our little 'Lanie has tons of hair. It is jet black and so incredibly soft. (I think Hudson has as much fun dolling her up as I do. He brought her headband to me this morning and wanted to help put it on her.) I still cannot get over how tiny and perfect she is. She is a very good baby.
Yesterday we decided to put her in the sun, activate the vitamin D, and hopefully avoid a bad case of jaundice. Mom, Brent, and I all thought should would have a fit lying on the bed without a blanket or clothing as security. Much to our surprise, she loved it.

She's Here

We dropped Hudson off at Nikkala's and headed to the hospital bright and early Friday morning to have our baby. Once admitted, they proceeded to induce me. It was an uneventful morning, just laying around and waiting for the medication to take effect. By noon I was beginning to make progress dialating, so they ruptured my membrane and started pit. I kept holding out on getting my epidural until I was a 6 and my contractions were becoming severely uncomfortable. We anticipated a few more hours of laboring until I would be fully dialated, so I decided to get an epidural. The anesthesiologist administered my epidural immediately and was just cleaning up when the nurse checked me again. I was fully dialated and ready to push. (This all happened within about a half hour.) We had to wait for the nurses to finish the final preparations before I could begin pushing. Three pushes later and our beautiful baby girl was here at 3:44 pm. Dalanie weighed in at 6 pounds 11 ounces and was 20 inches long.
Everything happened so quickly that my epidural never had time to take effect. It was nice to be able to get up and use the bathroom without having to wait for my legs to wake up. I was numb during delivery though from medication they administer to fill the gap until the epidural begins working. That was a good thing.

All in all, it went very well and I am feeling great. Maybe too good in fact, my mom keeps threatening me.
We feel very blessed to have our baby here, safe and sound. Birth is such a miracle.

Mini Me

Today I've been trying to get everything in order since we're scheduled to have our baby tomorrow. Hudson has been a great helper. We've mowed the lawn, he's mopped while I've cleaned bathrooms. I'm taking a break to get my monthly pages posted for Adornit. While they upload I decided to make a blog entry.
It's funny, the closer I get to having this baby- I start wondering more and more what this little person is going to be like. Will she be anything like Hudson? Or will I have to learn a new way of mothering? I also wonder what she'll look like. Odds are that she'll have hair (since I've had heartburn) and that she'll chunk right up with me nursing her.
I ran across a picture of me when I was little. Is there any question who Hudson looks like? Brent asked me why I have to have such dominant genes. Who knows, maybe our little girl will be a mini-Brent.

Pregnant Lady Ramblings

I have officially lost my mind. They say it happens when you're pregnant, never to be totally regained. I have my own theory on the matter. I think it's a necessary part of pregnancy. Your mind just goes numb and you're out to lunch during the last weeks of your pregnancy. Otherwise, how would you deal with the anxiety of labor/delivery, the misery and discomfort caused by your expectant little one, and lack of motivation to do anything? Add to that your whacked out hormones and emotions and you've got a serious case on your hands. I am officially zoned out.
Just waiting.
Waiting for our baby to come.

Lessons From Grandpa

During one of our visits to Grandpa's this summer, he taught Hudson how to share grapes. He would put one in his mouth and hold it with his lips. Hudson would have to "kiss" Grandpa in order to retrieve it. Well, we were spending the day at Ross Park Aquatic Center on Saturday with Stephens', Mom, Jacie, Kolby, and Mason. Hudson was eating his Swedish fish that Grandma gave him. Before we knew it, he had a fish dangling out of his mouth and he was proceeding to share it with Grandma.
Before you knew it, Grandma and all of the kids had cheese puffs, gummy worms, and fish hanging out of their mouths and it was a kissing frenzy.

Dad can sure be proud of the valuable lessons that he teaches his grandkids.

Watch My Corn Pop Up In Rows

Here are a few pictures from awhile back. By now the corn is over your head. It grows crazy fast this time of year. Hudson loves to help Dad. When we're driving and he sees corn he always asks if it's Dad's. If I say no, he questions "Pappa?" Little does this kid realize that there's a lot more corn being grown throughout the world than just in Bingham County.

Backseat DJ

I didn't know that 2 yr. olds could have an opinion when it come to music, turns out they can. We were on our way home from Burley and I was listening to the radio to try to keep myself awake. Pretty soon I hear Hudson say "Tis" (the name he has affectionately given to his Uncle Chris.) It just turns out that Chris is an aspiring singer/song writer and we have a few of his cd's. (Go check out the 4 chord song- I quite enjoy it.) I put a cd in and Hudson was completely content. He actually sang along, lalalala.
Fast forward to this morning.
We were in the car on the way to my Dr. appointment and Hudson puts in his request for Tis. As soon as it was playing he kept saying "Tis!" "Tis!" He had a smile from ear to ear. Thanks for saving the day Uncle Chris. I'm just wondering when your going to produce a kid cd with toddler hits? I don't think he needs to be inundated with all of your lost love and breakups quite yet. ;)

Burley or Bust

Hudson and I sent Brent off to youth conference bright and early Friday morning. Shortly after, we got in the car and set out for a weekend in Burley. Despite the heat, we had a lot of fun filled with of water, ice cream, and crazy Grandpa.

That afternoon we ran some errands in town and took Hudson to the kiddie pool in Burley. It was all fun and games until someone pooped in the pool and they shut it down. Friday night Grandpa set up his slip and slide and took Hudson down it. It was quite entertaining to say the least. Tameka hosted a movie night, showing Little Rascals with our projector. Too bad us oldies were too tired to enjoy the show.

Hudson loved helping Grandpa feed the horses apples and gather eggs. He taught him how to use his shirt as a basket. It was okay as long as someone was helping Hudson fill it, otherwise he tried to put the apples under the shirt.

Saturday morning Mom and I took in a few garage sales. Nothing too impressive, but Mom got 3 very versatile pairs of shorts. The funnest was trying to find homes for them. We also checked out the farmers market at Gossners and I had my first icrecream of the day at 9:00 am.

Once home, Mom made the finishing touches on the baby's blessing dress. We hung out and tried to beat the heat. It took a few more icecream cones and popsicles to get the job done. Nik and Chod came and the boys enjoyed playing in buckets of water. All in all it was a good trip.

Free Kids Movies

At the play group today, I found out that Edwards Cinema in Idaho Falls offers free kids movies every Tuesday and Wednesday during the summer at 10:00 am. Here's the schedule for rest of the summer. Oh yeah, and they said to get there 30 minutes early because it fills up so fast. Enjoy!

July 17/18
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (Rated G)
&
Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (Rated PG)

July 24/25
Charlotte’s Web (Rated G)
&
Monster House (Rated PG)

July 31/Aug 1
Everyone’s Hero (Rated G)
&
Barnyard (Rated PG)

Aug 7/8
Jonah: A Veggie Tale Movie (Rated G)
&
Open Season (Rated PG)

Aug 7/8
Curious George (Rated G)
&
Flushed Away (Rated PG)

Christmas in July

After I dressed Hudson in some shorts and a t-shirt, he brought me his jacket and wanted help putting it on. Next he proceeded to get his cowboy boots. I kept telling him that he would be too hot outside, but he didn't seem to listen. I walked him to the door so he could go outside and he ran back to the mud room and pointed to his gloves. Once again I assured him that he wouldn't need them and that he would be too hot, but he persisted. As I was putting them on he got excited and exclaimed, "Snow!"

Poor kid, that makes two of us wishing for a little relief from this summer heat.