2 Years Old!

We celebrated Blaine's 2nd birthday for a month straight (or at least it felt like it). I insisted on throwing an extreme Cars birthday party (bounce house included), which ended up being a little too much for my overwhelmed two-year old. Lesson learned: Two- year olds are scared of bounce houses. At least some of the other kids enjoyed the large attraction, including myself.


We got Blaine a big wheel. Too bad his feet don't reach the peddles...



Carissa and her professional Cars cake.




Blaine sneaking extra bites of the birthday cake.


During Blaine's actual birthday (May 31st), we were in Newport with Ben's family for the week. Britta and Amanda threw an amazing plane party, cupcakes and banner included.

Five Years

Today Ben and I are celebrating our five year anniversary. I must admit that in the beginning I never thought we would survive to the five year mark. Placing two type A personalities together can be volatile, but we made it. And life is better than ever (at least now that Ben's law school finals are over). April 15th (our actual anniversary) was bipassed due to overwhelming stress and nerves on both our parts, and was replaced with today. So here's to five years, and maybe five more...just kidding!

Blaine's happenings:

- Easter was spent at Grandma and Grandpa's house where we had a big dinner and easter egg hunt. It took Blaine a while to catch onto finding the eggs, but once he did he spent his time throwing them against the retaining wall.

- The other day I took Blaine to the park, and we brought his Toy Story ball to play with. There was another mom there with her son and a ball as well. Blaine spent his time following the mom around saying "varoom, varoom". I had to explain that apparently her Cars ball was cooler than our Toy Story ball.

- Blaine is pretty good at sharing when I ask him to. But once in a while, he has something he really wants (like candy), and it's really hard to share. I'll ask him for a piece, and he'll reach out his hand and almost put the candy in my mouth, only to change his mind and stuff it into his own mouth. While eating the candy from the easter eggs, I asked him for a piece, at which time he quickly found all the pieces lying around and stuffed them into his mouth all at once so I couldn't have any. I guess we'll have to work on that.

From Toy Story to Cars so quickly?

For months now I have been planning and anticipating Blaine's Toy Story birthday party this year. A week ago my mom and I took Blaine to the Disney store to look around. We, or course, went straight to the Toy Story section in order to point out all the cool Buzz and Woody items. To our dismay, Blaine ran off in another direction and returned with a box containing Lightening McQueen and his trailer. To which he proceeded to hand it to Grandma, repeatedly saying "pease, pease". No effort on either of our parts could distract him from Lightening McQueen. So Blaine spent the remainder of the time fully lying on the ground playing with Lightening McQueen. When the store finally kicked us out for closing time, Blaine screamed bloody murder throughout the mall, and I'm pretty sure I saw a few people pull out their phones to call CPS on me. So I guess we'll be having a Cars birthday party?

Blaine's doings:

- Today Ben was in the process of disciplining Blaine for something, when Blaine went and snuggled right up to him and looked innocently at him with his big blue eyes. To which Ben said "nevermind". I wonder who's going to have to be the disciplinary in this house.

- One of the first animal noises I taught Blaine was an elephant (along with a bunny). Blaine purses his lips together and blows air out. The best part about this little trick is that he now enjoys doing it when he has a full mouth of juice. He especially likes doing it when I get my face up close to him. Regardless of how mad I get, he laughs and thinks this is the best trick.

- Blaine has started to be put in time out for repeated bad behavior (throwing dirt all over the house and hitting me when he doesn't get his way). I love that he now knows what time-out is, and I can threaten him with it to get him to listen.

- He has started becoming attached to his blankets. He likes to take his blankets with him out of the crib and snuggle with them. Sometimes he brings a blanket to me and wants me to wrap it around him like a cape, and then sit on my lap. He also will grab a blanket when we're going somewhere and want to take it in the car. However, the best was the other night Ben and I were sitting on the couch and I was using a blanket to keep warm. Blaine got up and came and got my blanket, then proceeded to give it to Ben. What the heck?!

- I took Blaine over to his cousins the other day to try and ride a tricycle. I was so fun to push him around and try to keep his feet on the peddles. When I finally let him try it himself, he sat backwards and pushed himself around with his feet. I guess he'll get it sometime?


- Blaine is obsessed with his cousin Carly. Whenever he sees her (even from a long distance), he runs to her yelling "Caly, Caly". He wants to do everything she's doing.

- Blaine has decided he's way too big for his high chair anymore. Whenever I tell him it's time to eat and to get in his high chair, he goes straight to his mini table and sits there. If he's eating something messy, I force him to get in his highchair, and it usually turns into a huge fight. By the time I get him in the highchair (forcing his legs through the holes), he refuses to eat anything because he's so mad.


The Wild Animal Park with friends:





Blaine folding his arms during the prayer, but he can't keep his eyes off Toy Story:




And now for the REAL news: Gus turned four on March 25th. And the poor neglected dog wasn't even remembered on his birthday...so we threw him an extreme birthday party on the same day as my sister, Natalie's, birthday, cake included. Natalie is for Natalie, G for Gus (Grandma made the cake).

Pro-Runners

Lately Ben has become an extreme runner; meaning he runs six to eight miles with the dog in tow. He has downloaded apps that track his running, how fast and how far. He has been sending me countless emails inviting me to participate in every half marathon from San Diego to Texas. And this past weekend he all but coerced our family into joining the Race for Autism run/walk-a-thon. Of course we all good-heartedly showed up with just a little grumbling about the early hour of arrival. But the real trial began when Ben and I ran the 5k together; by together I mean that he would not leave my side. Since we were late (true to the Mack in Ben) we had to sprint the first half mile to get past all the speed walkers, at which time I was spent for the rest of the day. Regardless of my efforts, I could not shake the ameba attached to my. I considered pushing Ben off the Balboa bridge as he kept sticking out his hand for a high five and taking pictures of me in all my glory with his phone. We did finish the race with both of us alive, barely. Next time I'm getting a new running buddy.





Blaine indulging in frosting:



Blaine's cute moments:
- A few months ago, Blaine got so used to reading scriptures that when we said "scripture time" before bed, he would crawl under the end table and bring us the scriptures. Once I was busy watching tv, and he decided on his own that it was time to read and he brought me the scriptures.
- When we say a prayer, Blaine folds his arms. Every once in a while he'll slowly unfold them in the middle of the prayer to start eating the food in front of him before we're done.
- Blaine hates getting his diaper changed. I'll say "it's time to change your deep", to which he runs to the corner and covers his eyes with his hands (like that makes him invisible).

Mini Vacation

The longer I'm married, the more I appreciate what a wonderful, thoughtful husband I have; and the more I appreciate a good girlfriend. Being able to voice exactly what I'm thinking and feeling without the fear of being judged; having a deep conversation where I feel that I learn more about myself by talking aloud.

Maybe I'm going through a midlife crisis, I'm not quite sure, but I feel that my life is a ticking time bomb right now and every second must be filled. I am filled with anxiety that tomorrow is going to be here too soon, and I didn't do enough with today. At the same time, I have grown such a strong appreciation for the life that I possess. Crazy? I might be.

While visiting Newport the past few days, I basked in the opportunity to reflect on my thoughts and really observe my son interacting with life.








A few things Blaine has been up to:

- Blaine has learned to say "cool" when he thinks something is really neat. In Newport we put him and Scarlett in a bike trailer, to which he repeatedly said, "cool".

- Whenever Ben is home, Blaine has to be with him (meaning Ben either has to hold him or he has to sit on Ben's lap). This behavior continues even while Ben is on the toilet, Blaine does not care.

- When saying prayers, Blaine spends the whole time staring at us, smiling. He waits until the end and then yells, "Amen amen". One time he decided he was done with the prayer early and started saying, "Amen" in the middle of it.

- I keep Blaine's pacifier tucked in the side of my bra so I always know where it is. Sometimes when he's looking for his "binks" (pacifier), he'll come up to me and pull down my shirt searching for it. This happens quite often in public places, and I think I might have to rethink my hiding place.

My Big Boy

Looking through previous posts on my blog, I've come to the realization that I really haven't been documenting my baby's life, and the next time I blink, he's going to be all grown up. Therefore, I've decided to change my take on this blog, and dedicate it to Blaine and keeping everyone updated on him (because let's face it, Ben and I are not very interesting).

This past weekend Ben was sweet enough to send me on a girls cruise, that was the best think possible, and helped me to realize that I'm still alive (not half-dead, going through the motions of a mother and a wife). When I would see other kids on the cruise, I would laugh to see them exhibit some of the same behaviors as Blaine. Here are some of the fun things Blaine has been doing lately:

- Every time the doorbell rings, Blaine runs to get it, screaming jibberish the whole way. He's always so excited to see whoever is there, and is just positive that they are here to see him. He also insists on taking my phone from me and talking to whoever is on the other end (this especially happens when I'm in the middle of an in-depth conversation).

- Blaine loves his Dada more than anything in the world (sadly more than he loves me). The first thing he does when I get him up in the morning is to run into our bedroom to see if Ben is in bed. On the mornings that Ben goes to school a little later, Blaine has enormous bread downs as Ben leaves. I'm not really sure what to do about this. We've tried having Ben sneak out the door, but I read that they're supposed to say goodbye so that the child doesn't think he just going to disappear any second, and he learns to understand that they are coming back. Either way, it's a tramatic scene in our house.

- Last night Ben taught Blaine to throw the football (the mini football) with one hand. We're pretty sure he's going to be a lefty, he tends to do most things with his left hand. He was so proud of himself each time he threw it and then he'd run up to us and grad the football like he had caught it.

- He decides when he's ready for a snack and goes to the cupboard and grabs something. He comes running to us repeatedly saying, "pease, pease". Usually he brings a bag of cookies or candy and we have to tell him to go find something else.

- It's so fun to watch him start to process and understand what we say to him. When we tell him to throw something away, he will. He looks for his juice when we ask him where it is.

- He tells on himself when he does something naughty. He knows he's not supposed to play in the dog food and water. I'll come in the room and see him staring intently at the dog food, he'll look at me and point to the food saying, "no, no". When he spills his snacks, it's usually followed by an "uh oh", and then a "no, no", as he begins picking it up.

- Blaine loves to throw dirt and rocks. There have been many days where I have to change him several times because he's covered in dirt. In nursery they call him the manly man because of what a boy he is.

- He loves Toy Story. Anytime you mention Toy Story he comes running and yelling "toy tory, toy tory". I want him to love Woody because I like Woody, but he seems partial to Buzz. So much for forcing my opinions on him...

I love this guy, and I love how much his Dada loves him. There's nothing better than watching the love between a father and a son.

"I know a place where the grass is really greener"

After a series of wandering years, we have finally returned home to stay (at least I'm pretending we're here to stay). I may rightfully be charged with being extremely partial to San Diego, even claiming that Zion is found in San Diego. But really, I think it might be. As Katy Perry put it: "You could travel the world, but nothing comes close to the golden coast". Call me snobby, but after being here you won't argue.

My two children (that includes the furry one) are also loving our new home. They both spend most of their time frolicking in the backyard, throwing dirt and chasing each other around. The best part of our new home is that we're so close to family that we see them almost every day.

So here is my new commitment to posting more often than I have been...maybe