Frustration

I wasn't planning to use this blog as a vent-site, but today I have to make an exception. I found myself in tears, standing in the baby food aisle at the grocery store today. In the last two weeks, the price of 2nd foods has gone from 47 cents to 69 cents a jar. That's almost a 50% increase! We were already spending about $70 a week on food for Michael, and that increase would put it up over $100. We just cannot continue to do this. It's time for a change, but I'm really worried. Most of you know what a frustration feeding Michael has been. Most people don't believe me when I tell them that he only eats baby food. They think, "Oh, and crackers, and cookies, and toast, and...." No. I would throw the biggest party ever if he would eat a sandwich. He'll eat Smarties and SweetTarts and suck on licorice, and that's about it. Other than that, it really is just baby food - and not just any baby food. It has to be the right brand and the right flavor.

But anyway, yes, we have to do something. There is no possible way that we can afford to keep buying baby food. Jeff and I are going to make some baby food tonight, and explain to Michael that we aren't buying it any more. He has to learn to eat it. The next few weeks will probably be extremely difficult.

So here's the funny side of this story: When I first saw the prices in the baby food aisle today, I said, "Oh no, I think I'm going to be sick," and then I said something about how this is too much money. Michael has been very concerned ever since. While helping me clean the bathrooms today, he kept saying, "You not sick, that not too much money!" I think he's trying to make me feel better.

Lots of Random Thoughts

Yesterday morning Jeff was getting dressed when Michael came into our room. He picked Jeff's belt up off the bed and said, "That's a biiiig belt!" Jeff and I were laughing, and Jeff was like, "Thanks a lot!"

Michael is such a good big brother - here he is singing "Down by the Bay" to Faith.


And here he is sorting laundry. He really is very good at it.


And here is the latest video of Faith. I was putting her to bed, and Jeff was reading to Michael in his bed. Michael kept standing up and jumping on his bed, then bouncing down on his knees. Faith saw him and cracked up. Jeff got the camera and taped it, but the first couple of times were better than the video.


And I think I'm going to follow Callie's tradition of the Thankful Thursday, posting five things for which I'm grateful:

1. I'm grateful that Jeff is willing to stand up for what he believes, even to people who might not believe the same. I've been thinking lately about a time when he told his sister that he had voted for the amendment to the Utah Constitution which would define marriage as between a man and a woman, and he also said that he would vote for it again. He told her this even though he knows that she and her partner could not be married under that law. I just admire him for that. I voted for it, too, but I'm not sure I would have told her that I did.
2. I'm grateful to have a job that I love but do not really need.
3. I'm grateful that my family is close and that we care about each other. Some people think we're always in each others' business, but I feel like we all matter to each other and we just want to stay close.
4. I'm grateful for the internet. What would I do if I couldn't search for the answers to my many questions (How much B-12 should a 5-month-old have? What's a good recipe for London broil? And most recently, which organs make up sweetmeats? - Don't ask).
5. I'm grateful that Michael is so cute. If he weren't, my frustrations would boil over and I would scream. But he has this way of just disarming all of it. The other day I was very angry at him, and he put his hands on my cheeks and said, "Mommy, don't be sad. Be happy." It was so cute that it made everything better.
6. And as a bonus, I'm grateful for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? It is seriously my veg of choice while Michael and Faith nap in the afternoon. I would have won $250,000 today, if only it had been me instead of what's-his-name from wherever. Aahh, wishful thinking. Maybe someday....

Some Random Success

Da da da dum!! We had a breakthrough!! I am very pleased to announce that Michael, all by himself, bit into a hamburger bun. I was cleaning up after dinner and putting the buns away, when Michael said he wanted one. I asked, "Are you going to eat it?" and he said, "Yes." So I gave him one and watched as he sank his teeth into it - twice!! Did he actually take the bite off and chew it? No, but that's not the point. Those of you who know what a struggle eating has been with Michael, know what a big deal it is that he even put the bun near his mouth. I was so excited. We are making progress, even though it is painfully slow and frustrating.

In other successful news, I made my first wedding cake for profit this week. It turned out beautiful. I was very happy with it. Here are a couple photos:

close-up of the roses (I made these from fondant)

I made this cake for Ruth May, a lady in Huntsville. Grandma and Jodi did the food for her reception, and Jodi suggested to her that I do the cake. Thanks, Jodi!! It was fun to do. And thanks, Jeff, for taking the kids while I worked on the cake, and especially for driving slowly through the canyon so we could get it there in one piece - well, two pieces. But both pieces survived the trip. Phew. Getting it there was my biggest worry.

Here are some photos of other cakes I've made:

I sent this one to Jeff's work.

Sesame Street cupcakes for Michael's birthday.

These flowers and birds are made from frosting. They're edible, but they don't really taste that good. Just sugar and water. They look pretty, though!

Coming soon: a cake for Riley (an Army tank), one for Hunter (a track-hoe and a dump truck), and one for Julia (still to-be-determined, although her mom is thinking of a daisy, and something with the color purple). Julia is my friend April's little girl. She'll be one next month.

I've been thinking of doing this as a little side business, along with selling my crocheted stuff - baby dresses and name doilies. But I need a name for my little business. Any suggestions?

Clean Freak

And you all thought I was a clean freak. Well, I used to be, before children entered my life. Now I am satisfied if all the toys get picked up once each day. Michael, on the other hand, has become our little clean freak. He spends a lot of time each day sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming. He also loves to dust and clean the bathroom, and do laundry and dishes. He'll come into our room first thing in the morning and sort laundry. And he actually does a really, really good job. He knows what is dark, light, bleachable, etc. Then when the dryer stops, he gets the clothes out and folds them neatly and puts them away. I must say, he does a much better job than his father.... only because his father doesn't really do it at all.

Speaking of Jeff, he is all better now. But now Faith has a cold. Yuck.

Poor Jeff....

Jeff has been pretty sick the last couple of days. I don't know exactly what's wrong, because I can't get him to talk to me coherently enough to understand. But I do know that he's congested and has a low fever, and his back hurts. This is kind of mean (sorry, Sweetie), but it's kind of funny to see him try to walk when he first gets up off the bed or the couch. He is stiff, and he kind of sticks out his chest a little bit, which makes it look like he's sticking out his rear, which makes me think of the chicken dance. I hope he doesn't kill me for saying that. If you call me and Jeff answers and mysteriously doesn't know where I am, be worried. :)

Land of the Free, Home of the Brave

Today we went up to Huntsville for the 4th of July parade and patriotic program. I had a really good time. I love Huntsville, and I love the 4th of July, but I think mostly I just love seeing my family and spending time with them. The program was particularly nice, I thought. I always always always get choked up when they do the tribute to the various branches of the military. I was grateful it was dark, because I had some tears when Grandpa stood to represent the U.S. Marine Corps, and especially when the young man who had served in Operation Iraqi Freedom stood. I'm so proud of my country. I'm very grateful to live here and to have the freedoms that we have. I have some issues with some of the decisions that our leaders make. I have issues with the economy, and I have issues with health care, and I have issues with the handling of the Iraq War, and I have issues with the war itself. (Let's face it, I just have issues.) But I am so thankful that we have the privilege of voting for or against the people who make those decisions, and that we can make choices without the fear that so many people in so many countries have when they choose to support the "wrong" party (Zimbabwe comes to mind). Even though a lot of countries have free and fair elections, where there is no "wrong" party, I still wouldn't choose any of them over the good ol' USA. We're pretty blessed here.

On another note, Michael was really funny today. He's always been a little freaked out by crowds of people and by loud noises. I was kind of worried about the parade, because they have tractors, sirens, guns, etc., and I was worried about the program because he doesn't like the clapping and cheering that comes with that sort of thing. But he did great. In fact, he clapped and cheered along with everyone else. It was cute, because he'd get this big grin on his face and put his hands up high in the air and clap and clap and clap, and say in this high-pitched voice, "Yaaaayyyy!" It was really fun.

Where does he get this stuff?

Thank you, Kris, for telling me how to get the photos where I want them. It worked perfectly!

I thought I should post some recent pics of Michael, too, since I have photos of Faith here.

Sometimes Michael says the funniest things. This morning I was downstairs on the computer, when he walks into the room and says, "What's happening in here?" What? I have no idea where he heard that.

Yesterday he wanted to play with some stamps and an inkpad that my mom gave him for his birthday. He kept asking for the "yeenk." I said, "Ink." He said, "Have the yeenk please?" I said again, "Ink." We went back and forth a couple of times, and I guess he realized he wasn't getting anywhere with "yeenk," so he said, "Michael have IT?" It made me laugh.

Yesterday we went up to Huntsville to visit my grandparents. He started doing something I've never seen him do before. He'd get on the play tractor up there and say, "Michael go shopping now. Bye! Love you, bye." Then he'd go down the sidewalk for a minute and turn around and come back. I asked him what he bought at the store, and he'd say, "Chocolate and SweetTarts." Then he'd pretend to eat the SweetTarts. It was so cute to see him run over and give me the blue ones (he won't eat the blue ones). He'd say, "Michael share Mommy with SweetTarts!" and hold out his empty hand. I'd hold out my hand, and he'd put the imaginary SweetTarts in my hand, and then he'd pretend to eat the other ones, while saying, "That so good!" It was so funny. He even shared his "chocolate" with Grandpa.

Faith has started squealing. It's funny, because she cracks herself up when she does it. She really gets going. Of course, I can't get her to do it when someone else is watching. Of course.