Let's Get Reacquainted! Part IV: Cristina

You weren't sure if I would round off our family with an update on me, were you? Well, just to satisfy here you go.

This is Me (Cristina). I'm 24, going on dead. I turn 25 this year and it makes me feel OLD!

It's hard to find pictures of me for 2 reasons. Firstly, I'm almost always behind the camera. Secondly, like many women I know, I hate how I look in pictures. I often go through the camera and delete pictures Ian has taken if I don't like how I look. He hates that. Lucky for me there's no way to get those ugly pictures back.

That being said, I'm about to post some older pictures of me. I think Holly was about 8 months old so, these pictures are nearly 2 years old. I don't post them because I want to. I'm posting for comparison. Believe me...it hurts to show these to you.

Wow. Like I said, it hurts to share those, but it is necessary for an update. Since we moved away from Rexburg 1 year ago, I've lost 20 lbs. I visited with a doctor in California for a check up and for the first time I heard 5 painful words....you need to lose weight. What? Don't you know I just had a baby lady? Okay, she might be 18 months old, but who has time for exercise with 2 children under 2? Not me!

Well anyway, it hurt my feelings a lot. It's not that I felt like I was the perfect shape or anything. I just didn't think I was in so bad of shape that anyone had a right to tell me to lose weight. She wasn't gentle about it either. She even gave me a target weight! I am proud to say I have met her target weight and it feels good! In fact, I weigh less than I did when Ian and I got married! I still don't like that doctor. In fact, I will never go back to her office.

Eight pounds have come off in the last 6 months since we moved here. I had no idea how much I was changing except Ian kept telling me my clothes looked baggy and unflattering (it was meant as a compliment). The reality hit me this week when I went to the doctor and stepped on the scale. Wow. Now what do I do? I was looking to hit this target weight and now that I'm there...what?

Well, I've decided to get my body back...or to try. I don't know how long it will be before I have another baby, but whatever exercise I do until then will only help me with the pregnancy and labor. So, I've started yoga! I once thought yoga was weird with all the named poses (warrior, downward dog, etc.), but that was back when my exercise was more intense. I thought yoga was for sissies, then I had a baby and realized I have no flexibility or core strength. Anyway, I haven't been doing it very long, but I have felt the burn! What I love most about yoga though, is that as I focus on my breathing I feel a lot of stress relief. I desperately need that these days because...

...this is my life.

I love love love these kiddos so much, but even when I'm trying to relax in bed and play a game, I have little arms reaching all over me! Ahhhh! Yes, sometimes I want to scream. In fact, sometimes I do scream. It usually followed by a lot of apologizing and repenting. But, despite the stress they bring I would never change the way things are. Why? Because for every one of the pictures above, there are about 10 pictures like the ones below!

Being married and additionally a mother has brought me the most happiness of any decision I've made in my life. I was happy to find out that I had a full tuition scholarship, but not as happy as when I found out I would be a mother. I was happy to graduate college, but it was vastly over shadowed by the day I brought Holly home from the NICU. We love living in England, but the experience overall is enhanced when Atley and Holly slip into mild british accents. SO cute!

As for my other work, I'm in the primary and it's really growing on me. I've always felt a little awkward around children, because you have to be a little silly for them to really like you. My self esteem often prohibits silliness, except with my own children. They have to love me. :-) I'm learning all about how primary works and am more and more grateful for the primary leaders who taught me.

Another thing I've been working on since before we moved here is the piano. I had a feeling I would need to sharpen my skills and that they would be needed here. So, the first day in our ward they asked me if I could play the piano. Ha! Good thing I've been practicing. In the last 6 months I've gotten a lot better. I play just about every week in Sacrament meeting and I frequently fill in in primary. That is my favorite. I get to be with the children and watch them sing and have fun without having to be too goofy. Though, I do think they get a giggle in now and again when I hit wrong notes. Hey, I said I was getting better, I didn't say I was perfect! I have enjoyed the blessing of a supportive husband who sits in church and tries to keep our kids reverent and away from the piano while I play. They like to help...too much. Again, that's why I need yoga!

Lastly, one of my favorite things I've been doing is trying new foods.

Some have rocked my socks and some have left me missing home and the familiar foods of my childhood. Belgium was definitely a highlight--as previously mentioned. The See's Candy peanut brittle I got yesterday in the mail was at the top of the list. We'll just gloss over the fact that it isn't really new, just the best I've ever had! English food, Turkish food, Indian food, Chinese food (like from China...not the U.S.)...all so different and so good in their own way. I find food to be a great adventure. When I enjoy it responsibly, I find it can be my friend and not the enemy I've been carrying around my hips, legs, and belly all the time. I often wonder if I'll have cravings for English foods when we go home. Only time will tell...

That rounds it off for our family. I know, I know, you were hoping for another one. Don't worry. Someday we'll have another baby and you'll have so many posts you'll be begging for mercy. Just be patient. We'll wait together :-)

Let's Get Reacquainted! Part III: Ian

I've been so excited to write this post. Ian and I have been talking a lot lately about his personality and what a secret treasure he is. It's not very easy to get to know the real Ian because he is so shy sometimes. I feel blessed to be one of those people that he has let into his life. I love being able to share his accomplishments and all the wonderful things he does to add to our family.

This is Ian. He is 26 years old and getting better with age! He is the love of my life.

Lately for exercise, Ian has been playing basketball. He asked me for a basketball very subtly by adding it to my grocery list. I looked around and when I found one at a great price, I obliged. There is a court just down the road from our house and if he gets there first thing in the morning he has it all to himself. I've gone down with him a few times and have seen some real progress. He smoked me in our game of PIG the other day! One thing he has noticed about the English, is they aren't very keen on basketball at all. The other people vying for the court are usually Chinese. They all want to be like Jeremy Lin or Yao Ming. If there are English people on the court they are usually using it for something else like badminton or hockey.

When we're out and about as a family, you'll most often find Ian pushing the stroller. He has been so good to me with this. I have told my family that true love isn't buying flowers and chocolates, it's pushing a double stroller up a Sheffield hill. Ouch! He never complains (probably because he knows I'm in bad shape) and always assumes his place without compulsion. I love love love him for this.

Ian is a great cook. He loves doing it and I love that I get a break as much as 3 or 4 times a week! He has been compiling his own recipes and taking pictures of the dishes. It is very creative and it really helps out when we have no idea what to cook. Lately he tried his hand at chicken curry which I surprisingly liked. My favorite thing Ian cooks is Beef Stroganoff. I melt to think about it. The only small complaint I have is that he is so good at the presentation side and it puts me to shame. I mean, look at those neatly folded napkins and the perfectly lined veggie tray! Mine would taste as good, but it never looks as good.

In our ward Ian is the ward mission leader. This is his second time as a ward mission leader and he's been a ward missionary twice. I guess maybe he just has the missionary look to him or something. One of our first weeks here, a 14 year old girl asked him if he was a missionary. That was a first. He kindly explained that he was much too old to be a missionary, that he was married and has 2 children. The missionary work is moving forward in England more rapidly than anywhere else we've lived. We've been having baptisms at least once a month and have met people from all over the world. Ian has even been able to use his French language in teaching some French speaking African people. He confirmed two of these people in French around Christmas time and has since been labeled by an older man in our ward as "Frenchie." We're pretty sure that guy is convinced that Ian is French. It gives us reason to giggle from time to time.

Ian loves to video chat. Sometimes he's really talkative and sometimes he doesn't say much, but he always likes to be involved. We spend our Sunday evenings chatting away with our families and we love it. Ian gets to talk sports with his Dad and Brothers which is a great boost to his morale. If you've never tried video chatting we're more than happy to introduce you to it. Skype is a great place to start. Download it today and look us up! We're always on!

Mostly, the reason we live in England is because of Ian. As you know, he is working on his Master's Degree in Politics. He has completed 6 of his 8 essays. Just 2 more to go as well as a whopping dissertation and he's done. The above pictures are usually how we find Ian once he has turned in a big paper. He works and works and then when it's all over, he is good at relaxing. He even has a relaxing effect on the rest of our family (notice Holly napping close by). In his relaxation time he has been developing his art skills by painting and making some toys for the kids. I know I always breathe a sigh of relief with him because we can enjoy more time with him. I also sleep better at night because he doesn't grind his teeth as much!

Of course, the most important thing that Ian is doing is being a fantastic Father & Husband. He is one of the very few people among his peers that is married and even fewer that have children. But whenever we talk about this difference he always says he wouldn't have it any other way. We find ourselves in awe at the joy we feel just because we're a family. Our playtime is more fun, our hugs are more special, and our lives are challenged and enriched by this great blessing.

Ian is more than I disserve. He is encouraging and forgiving, kind and helpful, smart and funny. Since we've been so disconnected from family, and often our friends, I have found that Ian is a rock in our family. We can always depend on him to support us emotionally and physically and are happy to do the same for him in return.

Atley's Fear

Remember how I said Atley was afraid of Ladybugs? Well, we encountered one on the playground yesterday. It was so terrifying he wouldn't climb the stairs to reach the slide. I took a video...wanna see?

My favorite part is when he runs away saying "No, no, no, no!" I also like when he stops to say hello, asks if she is a ladybug, and upon confirmation, he runs away.

See! I told you he was afraid of ladybugs!

Let's Get Reacquainted! Part II: Holly

This is Holly. She is 2 years old.

She is a Daddy's girl! While Atley comes to me in the morning, Holly always goes to Ian. She will not go down the stairs in the morning, unless Daddy lets her ride on his back. When the door opens for Ian to come home from school she is the first person (even before me!) to jump up and run to give him a hug and kiss. I love it when Ian in disbelief says "She really likes me!" He is perplexed why this little girl is so attached and in love. But, isn't every little girl's first love their Daddy?

She is very good at pretending...too good. She refuses to use a baby doll and instead uses the most random things as her baby. The weirdest by far has been her underwear. Yes, her underwear. She will take them out of the drawer one by one and talk to them. It helps that they have princesses all over them. Here's a great example of her random toys as people. She's using a bead, baby powder, hand sanitizer, a play ketchup bottle, a dinosaur, and a rubber ducky. I'm not quite clear on the story line here, but when I asked her later she told me the hand sanitizer was the Mommy and the powder was the Daddy.

She also loves to play dress up. She'll ask me to put a ridiculous amount of bows in her hair and then tells me she is Repunzel. Then she has a blue dress and whenever she wears that dress, she is Belle. Here she is dressed up as a butterfly. Also, check out that crazy long hair! It's a recent development.

Holly loves to have her nails painted, but I'm finding that I should probably only paint her toes. She uses her fingers for undesirable purposes and I quickly find that the polish on her fingers has been sucked off her thumb, or deposited on a booger in her nose. This was our exchange the other day when I told her picking her nose (and even worse eating it!) is disgusting.

Holly is sensitive. With even a small reproach, even teasing, she breaks into tears. We've found that we have to be very careful how we talk to her. Once she took a piece of bread from the dinner table. It was her bread but Ian was teasing her about taking it. She slowly put it back with a frowny face and then started to cry. It took us at least 3 weeks of very positive reinforcement to get her to help herself again.

We love Holly and are so glad she is part of our family. It is amazing to me to see the different personalities that my children have. Their differences strengthen my testimony of divine nature. They came to us from living with their Heavenly Father. They have spirits that are so unique. I love discovering what makes them unique and feel blessed that I get to see these changes in them from day to day.

Let's Get Reacquainted! Part I: Atley

I've been thinking. We moved away from Rexburg 1 year ago. We had a flash in the pan in California and Florida, and now we live in England. A lot of things have happened to change us in that time. We need to get reacquainted!

This is Atley. He is the second love of my life. He's 3 years old. These days I am his best friend. I love that. When Ian is off at school and doing homework, I love that I have a snuggle buddy. He often comes around to my side of the bed in the morning (and sometimes in the middle of the night) and says "Can I snuggle you?" How can I say no to that?!

Atley loves animals--except lady bugs. He is terrified of lady bugs. We only recently discovered this when a lady bug crawled up on my bed where Atley was sitting. He began to cry and back away until Ian put her outside. Now whenever we talk about lady bugs he reminds me "I scared the lady bug!" The English is a little broken I know, but I find it so adorable! (Note: In England, Lady bugs are called Lady birds...weird, right?)

Atley loves his school. He often asks me if he can go to school and if it's a non school day, he'll ask to go to Primary! I think the association with other children (besides Holly) has been really enlightening for him. In school and in primary he has come a long way. He used to march to the beat of his own drum and had trouble joining in regular activities. Now, he sits fairly reverently in primary and has his schedule at school down pat. I have been very pleased and impressed with this little bit of maturity that he has found.

He's getting tired of sitting in the stroller. He wants to walk everywhere, but he walks soooooo slow! To him, it's not about how long it takes to get home (sometimes it takes 45 minutes), it's about how many rocks he can stick in his pocket on the way. I try to find times to walk with him like to and from school. He has his very own landmarks to get him there and back home. We talk and play games while we walk. I love this special time with him. Holly is usually at home napping, under Daddy's supervision, so it's a unique opportunity for us.

Atley is a singer. I am amazed how quickly he learns the primary songs! I was even more amazed when he performed "Be Our Guest" in full length in our kitchen the other evening. Wow. I had to take a video to share. It's long because as I said....it is the WHOLE song!

His prayers make me giggle and melt. We've been praying with Atley every night in French for about 2 years now. He is getting very good at both french and praying. This is a typical Atley prayer:

Pere Celeste, Merci pour Mommy (pause) annnnnd Daddy (pause) and Holly! Merci pour les my friends, pour les french fries (or whatever he ate that day), pour les my school, pour mes teachers, pour Heather (said Heva), pour Amy, and Shelby. Beni moi. Au nom de Jesus Christ, Amen.

He is a bit confused at using his french articles and how they go with English words. We could also work on his french vocabulary so he doesn't use English in his prayers, but I love it! Baby Franglais! He often reminds me "Mommy, we speak french!" It's so much fun to see him grasp the language even in small ways. It also comforts me some to know that he struggles with English, too. The other day he was sick and throwing up. I explained to him what throwing up was. I thought he understood pretty well, but instead of throw up he said "Mommy, I roll it up." It was too cute to correct.

Atley is very good at making me feel better. If I'm crying he'll shake his hand and me and say "Don't cry don't cry! Here, I give you a kiss! Muah!" He is thoughtful and kind. He loves to play hide and seek.

I find that as I focus on him (and Holly) and these parts of his personality, my joy of being a mother is realized. It can be hard when I'm sad or frustrated to see what a great blessing motherhood really is. I am grateful for these little moments with Atley where I can feel the love of my Heavenly Father. I am overwhelmed with joy that a little boy could make my whole world seem brighter and happier and I know that motherhood must be a gift from him.

...and that's just our first try. Just wait until you see Holly!