Classic Ammon Moments

I am finally going to finish a post I started last week. We are in Seattle visiting my brother and his family. The posts have slowed because we have been on the road since last week.

Ammon keeps saying and doing the funniest things. Last week was his first time going to the dentist. Suprisingly he did pretty well and lucky for me he had no cavities. Later that day I told him how good he did at the dentist and how he is such a big boy. He just smiled and said, "yep." Then I said, "Do you want to go to the dentist again?" He looked at me with a scowl on his face and said, "Probably not." He went on to tell me that he didn't like the taste of the toothpaste and that he would rather go to the doctor.

Later that day we were at my parents house doing laundry and I looked at Ammon and noticed that he looked bigger. Then I saw 3 or 4 different collars sticking out of his shirt. He had brought his backpack over to their house and had packed it full of clothes. He had gotten them all out while I was doing laundry. So I asked Ammon to come over and I counted five shirts on him. I asked him why he had five shirts on and he just said, "because I want to." About twenty minutes later I convinced him to take off all but one shirt because his cheeks were getting pink from being hot. After I got the shirts off he turned and asked me," Mom can I take my underwear off too?" I told him that he had to wear his underwear and he said,"well can I take off two of them?" I just about died. I took his shorts off to find five pairs of underwear on! This kid cracks me up.

P.S. Does anyone ever have a problem with soap scum? Tasha introduced me to this stuff and it is awesome! All you do is spray it on the tub, let it sit for 5 minutes, barely scrub and your tub will be sparkling clean. I love it! Thanks Tash.

A steal!

Okay so when did it become so exciting to buy furniture or things to decorate my home with? About a month ago I bought this picture from Target. I had seen it for months and really liked it but never would pay $100 dollars for it. So I saw it a month ago and it was in a clearance aisle marked down to $50. Jody's dad had given us each $60 gift cards to Target and so I was contemplating buying it. I left that day with the idea of going back with my mom to get her opinion of it. Well Alex and I ended up going back to Target two days later and I walked down the aisle, found the picture I wanted and decided to buy it. I had already gotten it into the cart when Alex said something like,"It's only 25 dollars now." I freaked out!!! I mean literally Alex was dieing laughing at me. I couldn't believe it was only 25 dollars. After I calmed down Alex said,"you know I can't really imagine ever wanting to spend money on things for my home or get that excited about a picture." I looked at her and said,"I never thought I would either it's just something that happens when you get married and have your own place." I don't know if anyone else feels this way but I can't wait to have enough money to decorate and make a home the way I really want to. I can't imagine how much fun it would be to live in a place that truly feels like your own. Someday.

The picture looks much better in person!

Hooray for Sunshine!

Most of you know that Humboldt County is known for its gloomy fog filled days but this week has been beautiful. It's weeks like this that make me say to my husband, "I could live here forever if the weather was always this nice." But we all know it will pass and then we won't see the sun for another month or so.

My boys and I have been out enjoying this beautiful weather. My dad belongs to a men's club called the Ingomar Club. He takes his customers there and his work pays for all of it. It's suppose to be a really nice elite type of club that people obviously have to pay a fee to be in but my sisters and I joke about it because we don't think the food is that good. Sometimes we get to go with my mom to lunch there and I splurge and get whatever I want because heck I'm not paying for it. Oh and I always get a shirley temple. They have a pool at the mansion and we recently found out that we can use it all summer long. So Alex and I took the boys there on Tuesday. It was pretty fun. The temperature was a little over 70 degrees and the pool was heated. A waiter comes around the pool and takes food orders. We got to get lunch compliments of my dads work, of course. It's just nice to have something else to do in this one horse town. Poor Alex was stuck with Ammon in the pool the whole time. Cohen only wanted me and Ammon wanted to swim the whole time. When she finally got him out he kept telling me,"Mom I'm getting too hot, let's get back in the pool, you want to mom?" He is so smart but doesn't realize that in 70 degree weather I won't fall for being "too hot."


Last summer 11 girls in my ward were pregnant with babies all due within a few months of each other. So yesterday we had a little birthday lunch at the park for all the one year olds. Cohen loved the cupcakes. He had one and then ate off of everyone else's. Poor Tasha didn't get much of hers. Later he went in the swing with Summer. We joke that Summer and Cohen will be dating someday. If any of you are O.C. fans you know why we say that.

We were planning on going to the lake this weekend but have decided to stay home and enjoy this beautiful weather while we can!

FHE

Last night was Monday night and we had our regular family home evening with the kids. They don't get much out of it so we try to make it short and sweet with an activity at the end. We went to the temple last weekend to see a friend go through for his first time. Ammon loves going to the temple. So last night we talked about the temple and tried to explain what we do at the temple and why it is so special. I told Ammon that daddy and mommy were married in the temple and that someday he too can be married there. He smiled and said, "Mom can I marry Lexy at the temple?" So precious. I said,"Ammon if you still like Lexy in 20 years you can marry her." He is seriously such a sweetheart. Jody asked him who was the prettiest girl in the world the other day and he said, "mommy is." Sometimes he reminds me of Lindsey because he makes the goofiest faces and does things she use to do. Like, "I love you so much!" while pointing to his eye, then heart and then you.


After our short lesson we went outside and played basketball. Jody and I played PIG and in between our shots Jody would pick Ammon up and let him put the ball in the hoop like Michael Jordon. It's nights like these that make me so grateful to be married and to have my children. Today it is beautiful and sunny here so Alex and I are going to take the kids to the pool. I will blog pictures of it tomorrow!

Cohen played on the grass and ate rocks while we played basketball. He has the most beautiful blue eyes, this picture doesn't give them justice.

Our New Dog

Like I've said before Ammon has quite the imagination. He dug out this Halloween costume the other day and wanted to wear it everywhere. When he put it on he truly became a dog. I would ask him a question and he would just bark. He crawled on all fours up and down the stairs. It was so hilarious that I had to take him over to my parent's house for them to see. I was driving over and looked back at him and just died laughing. When we got to their house I let him out of his car seat and he crawled all the way to the front door. Alex opened the door and he started barking. Later that day he would bring a ball over to me in his mouth and tell me to throw it for him. Then he would bark, crawl on all fours and retrieve it. Alex and I have said over and over to each other, "What a weird kid." I also overheard him telling Cohen,"Cohen take Harley on a walk to the park." He of course was Harley which is the name of my parents black lab. He never ceases to amaze me with his imagination.

Cohen was playing on the kitchen floor while I was making dinner. He got some of Ammon's chocolate money and was smart enough to put it in his mouth. Before I knew it he was covered in chocolate and very, very happy!

My parents are almost all moved out of their house. :( It is still weird but it will be wonderful for them to have a beautiful new home. All the rooms are empty and all that is left is some cleaning, a garage sale, and my dad's junk in the garage. Last night me, my mom, and Alex were organizing things for the garage sale. It was hilarious. We found some pretty random things and I scored a gameboy. I love spending time with my sisters and my mom. No matter what we are doing we can manage to have a good time doing it as long as we are together.

Home Sweet Home

My parents put their house on the market last year and it obviously didn't sell. This summer they put it on again and after not showing it for a whole month someone finally put an offer on it. The realization that they had finally sold their home, for me, was bittersweet. Bitter because I grew up in this house and have almost every childhood memory in it. Sweet because my parents will get to build a brand new, beautiful home next to some of their best friends. What can I say I am a sentimental fool. I had a red Acura in high school that was a hand me down from my brother. Every time I would back down the driveway, after it had rained, cold water would pour down my back from the leak in the sunroof. My dad joked that when I would pull up it sounded like a helicopter was landing in the driveway. You would think that when I finally sold the car I would be ecstatic. But when I saw that little red car pull away from our house I almost cried! Same thing happened when I sold my Honda Accord, but that time I did cry! I was the same way in college. When I would move apartments I would get all sentimental and gooey. Thinking I would never sleep in my room again or eat in the kitchen or go pee on the toilet. Pathetic I know.

So last weekend and this week we have been moving my parents out of their home into a rental that they will live in until their new house is built. At least twice a day I say to my mom, "this is so weird aren't you sad that we'll never be in this house again?" At first she agreed with me but today she said,"actually I am just ready to be done with it." If only I could have that attitude. As the house has become more and more empty and as our voices have begun to echo off the walls I have realized that it isn't the house that makes it a home but the people in it. Luckily those people aren't going anywhere.

Our Latest Adventures

Last night we had a "9th of July" party at the Jones house. Ammon got to play with sparklers for the first time! Mickey Jones bought a bunch of illegal fireworks on his way home from riding fourwheelers in Utah. We were all at Trinity lake on the fourth so we let them off last night. They had some great fireworks and had a lot to go but a policeman came halfway through and made us stop. He was suprisingly nice and said he would have looked passed it on the 4th but had gotten 9 complaints on his way over. Do people seriously have nothing better to do with their time? It was fun while it lasted.

We were at the lake on the fourth and had a great time. We laid out in the sun, skied, wakeboarded and ate lots of food. Our friends camp right next to us and Ammon was always over with them sitting around their camp fire. We would get off the lake and he would head right over to the McCartney's, sit down on a chair and not say a word. It was hilarious. He also learned to swim (with life jacket on) alone on this trip. Before he would get really nervous in the water even if we were holding him. Now he loves to swim and is always saying, "I'm a big boy now, I swim by myself!" He loved going on the tube with me but didn't like it when we went over the wake and water splashed him in the face. One of the many good things about having boys is that they can pee anywhere. When we drive to the lake we usually have to stop a couple of times for Ammon to pee. It's not a big deal because he can pull down his pants and just pee on the side of the road. Unfortunately he has decided to do this in camp also. It's convenient for me but not too pleasant for other campers who may happen to be on a leisurely stroll, walk pass our campsite and see a three year old peeing naked.

This week Ammon will have his first dentist appointment, we will be moving my parents out of their house, go to the Medford Temple, and I hope to squeeze in a girls night out! I bought a Nintendo on Ebay and it should be here any day!

Take the Quiz

What European City Do You Belong In?

You Belong in Milan
Stylish and sophisticated, you want to enjoy a truly

European life - away from tourists!

Milan fits you perfectly. Great shopping, high quality food,

lots of culture... with very little hype.
What European City Do You Belong In?

Thanks Heidi!

I have never been to Milan but have always wanted to go. My husband took the quiz and he belongs in Amsterdam. If I could choose a European city to live in I would probably choose London. But then again I have only been to six European cities, so who knows.

First Sleepover

Ammon had his first sleepover last week. His friend (I should say girlfriend) Alexis had been asking if she could stay the night for a while so I told her she could when he got his tent from his Aunt Kasey. Kasey got him a tent and made him a Superman/Batman cape for his birthday and he loves both. I was a little worried that the kids wouldn't sleep or that she would get scared and want to go home. But she was great. About 9:00 she told me she was tired and ready to go to bed. So we brushed teeth, put on p.j.'s and got them settled in the tent. I was saying good night and giving hugs and kisses when Lex decided she would be scared if I didn't stay down stairs with them. So I brought the tent up to my room and the kids slept on our floor. It was so cute to hear the two of them talking to each other in the tent. They were singing and telling each other stories. Finally after they both went to the bathroom 3 times they went to sleep. Besides the 5 a.m. wakeup, to take Lex to the bathroom, it was a success! When Lex's mom came to pick her up she told Ammon, "Now you can stay with me tonight!" What have we gotten ourselves into!

Two Thumbs Up

Cohen has been SO fussy lately. Today I was about to lose my mind and told Jody I needed to get out by myself. Luckily I have a wonderful husband who understands my needs and he told me to go. I went to a movie all by my lonesome today for the first time. It was wonderful to just sit and watch a movie for two hours with no interruptions. So I obviously went to The Devil Wears Prada and I really enjoyed it. I did feel a little awkward when I laughed out loud because I was sitting by myself. As much as I love my kids I can get burnt out and going to a movie was the perfect way to step out of my life for a few hours and regain a little sanity.

The movie was very entertaining. I love Anne Hathaway and especially loved all the clothes she wore in the movie. She looked beautiful. This white outfit was one of my favorites. The girl who plays Emily in the movie was hilarious and had the cutest British accent. It is definitely a chick flick that every chick should enjoy.

I eat therefore I am!

I am a lover of food. My sisters and I know that this wonderful trait was passed down to us from our mother. When we go on trips we plan our vacation around places we want to eat at. We love to eat. We go to Snowbird, Utah every other Thanksgiving and spend many lunches and dinners at Cafe Rio. We also love Olive Garden, Pei Wei (cheaper version of P.F. Chang's), Jamba Juice, and Panera. When you go grow up in a little town you tend to enjoy the finer things in life. Just looking at this picture of lettuce wraps makes my mouth water.

As a consequence of loving to eat, I also love to cook. I love to cook because I want to eat good food. When I say good I don't necessarily mean "healthy", what I mean is yummy. My mom gets in these moods sometimes where she will start trying all kinds of new recipes. I'm more of the type that finds a recipe that sounds good and then I store it away for a few years, never get around to trying it and throw it away. But because I live by her I get to try out all of her new recipes. A lot of us brag about how she is such a good cook but she modestly shrugs it off by saying,"A good cook just has a lot of good recipes." Funny that most of my recipes come from her! In conclusion I am going to start posting some of my favorite recipes for others to try. I am also going to start trying out new ones. I'll let you know when I find a good one!

Teething:(

Ah the joys of motherhood. It seems that when my kids are between the ages of 1 day old to 1 year old I blame their crankiness on teething. If Cohen is fussy after having had a nap he must be "teething". If he is whiny after being fed of course he is "teething" again. Ammon didn't get teeth until he was a year old but you better believe I said the words, "I think he's teething" at least fifty times before he finally got teeth! Well this time it is true, poor baby Cohen is definitely teething. He got his third tooth, which is one of the top front teeth, about a week ago and the tooth next to it is about to break through. The reason I know he really is teething is because I can see it! Poor little guy took about an hour nap and woke up screaming bloody murder. SO I put baby Orajel on his gums, nursed him, gave him tylenol and shared a popsicle with him. The last part wasn't so bad. So now he is back to crawling around and getting into everything. Yesterday we did the same routine but he just wouldn't calm down so I finally put him back in his crib and let him cry for 10 minutes until he was back asleep. What a mean mom.

So True

Okay so I love Parents magazine. I had never gotten a subscription to it until a few months ago when I bought a thermometer that came with a free subscription. This is one magazine I will always have in my home, until my kids are older. Last night I couldn't put it down. We had rented "Failure to Launch" and I told Jody to go ahead and start it without me because I was engrossed in my current issue of Parents. My favorite part this month was an article about the difference between having your first child and your second. Well let me just quote it because no one could have said it better.

"When you first become a mother, every little decision can throw you into a fit of anxiety. Should you pick up your baby or let her cry? Is it okay to call the doctor at 2 a.m. about a rash? Too many women stress themselves out instead of enjoying the experience. But baby number two is a different story. By then, the angst is gone. You've learned to trust your instincts and figured out how to make life simpler." One mother said, "I worried about the timing of every milestone when Isabella was a baby. When would she roll over? When would she start walking? I never stopped to appreciate our little moments together. When Michael was born two and a half years later, I stopped obsessing and let myself enjoy the baby stage. So what if he walked a little later? That just meant I got to hold and cuddle him even more."

I think this article explains exactly how I felt as a first time mom. SO overwhelmed! But when Cohen was born I wasn't worried about the lack of sleep, when he would start crawling or eating solid foods because I suddenly realized that this time truly does fly by and I just wanted to enjoy it while I could. I was in too big of a hurry for Ammon to get bigger, so we could do fun things together, to enjoy him as a baby. With Cohen I have tried to enjoy this precious time.

Another article I read both scared me and made me aware of the risks of drowning. As many of you know we spend much of our summer at Trinity Lake and this article was really good for me to read. I am very paranoid with my kids when I go to the lake. My mom told me just last weekend while we were there that if one of my kids fell in the lake we would have time to get to him because they wouldn't just sink. Untrue mom, the article says they would sink to the bottom like a rock. Yes, horrible to think about but it will keep me in paranoia which could be a good thing. It also says not to leave kiddie pools out with water in them because even a 3 year old could get a mouthful of water, get scared, not know what to do and drown in a few minutes. Lastly it says a child will lose consciousness after 2 minutes and suffer irreversible brain damage within 4 to 6 minutes. I tell you all this not to scare you but because I know a lot of you have kids and want you to be aware of the risks of drowning. Our kids are so precious and we have to keep them safe. If you have access to this magazine please read it! Let me just finish with this.

"The bottom line is that drowning is almost always preventable, emphasizes Dr. Eichelberfer. "Whenever you're in or near the water, you should be able to reach out and touch your child. Sadly when a child drowns or is disabled after a near-drowning, parents have to live with the fact that they could have done something to protect him. You never want to be in that position."

The Search Is On!!!

Did any of you play Nintendo growing up? My siblings and I got one for Christmas one year and I remember playing Super Mario Brothers for hours in my brothers secret cubby hole. In his room you could walk into his closet and go through a passage way into a dark little room that didn't have a window in it. In this room we laid on bean bag chairs and played hours and hours of Nintendo. Well lately I have been itching to play some Mario Bros. 1 and 3 and so Jody and I have begun to search for a Nintendo on eBay. eBay has everything you could want and more on it. I have bought and sold on it and just think it's the greatest, most innovative idea. I recently lost my cell phone and have begun shopping on eBay for a new one. When in doubt try eBay!

A Superman Birthday

Superman is here to save the day! Ammon had his 3 year old birthday party last week and as you can tell it was a Superman party. He had a wonderful time playing with his friends and opening presents. The funniest part was when we all sang happy birthday to him and he sang to himself, "happy birthday to Ammon" louder than anyone else! His grandma got him the outfit that blows up so he has muscles. He refuses to take it off when he is home and would wear it to bed if I let him. I worked hard to decorate that S on the cake but it was worth it because when Ammon saw it he loved it! We also made capes for all the kids out of plastic table covers from the dollar store. I can't believe Ammon is already three years old but I can't believe I ever had a life without him.

She's All Grown Up!

My little sister Alex just graduated from high school last weekend. When Jody and I first moved to McKinleyville she was 14, with braces and just starting high school. She has changed a lot since then. Sometimes I can't believe that she will be leaving us. She is going to UVSC in Provo Utah. I will miss going to her volleyball and basketball games but even more I will miss having someone to go to Eureka with, share clothes with and to call when I need a quick babysitter. She has been such a good girl and a wonderful example to the rest of our family.

I was looking at pictures the other day and can't believe how much we look a like. Many people have mistaken us for each other. When I was in college I would often come home for the summers. One summer day it was sunny outside and I didn't have to work so I decided to take a bike ride down to Safeway. I was riding back up the hill to our house when a little 6th grade boy, who was Alex's age, said, "Hi Alex!" I about died. Here I was 19 years old and Alex was 11!!! I mean seriously I must have looked really young or the boy desperately needed glasses. One time Jody thought she was me from behind and put his arm around her. That could have been the most physical contact she has ever had with a boy! J/K (go Alex! or should I say Jody?)

I will miss Alex terribly but I know that she is getting ready to have the best time of her life.

A Brief History

20 years ago I was...........
1. 6 years old, going to Trinity Lake
2. Finishing 1st grade at Dow's Prairie Elementary school
3. Playing T-Ball with Tasha Jones

10 Years ago
1. I got my drivers license! (driving my moms mini van)
2. Was attending McKinleyville High School, going to early morning seminary at my house, playing volleyball, basketball and softball.
3. Wasting my time with a stupid boyfriend.

5 Years ago
1. Living in King Henry Apartments in Provo, UT (where I met my hubby)
2. Having one of the best times of my life
3. Working at Budget Rental Cars and Ruby River Steakhouse.
4. Saving for a trip to Europe with mom, Lindsey and Grandparents
5. Stalking Melissa's (old roommate) crushes, making midnight trips to Walmart, and eating brownies a few hours later.

3 Years ago
1. Attending HSU
2. Living in Chicago while Jody sold Alarm systems.
3. Waiting to give birth to Ammon (who will be 3 on Friday)
4. Walking all over Chicago with my mom, throwing up after drinking Castor Oil, and doing other things ( I won't mention) to try to go into labor.

1 Year ago
1. Swimming in the water and laying on the beaches in Hawaii with yet another big belly.
2. Graduating from HSU in Elementary Education
3. Getting Ammon to sleep in his big boy bed.
4. Buying land in Fortuna
5. Waiting for Lindsey's wedding in Arizona which was a month before I was due with Cohen and the temperature just happened to be 117*.

So Far This Year I........
really haven't done anything too exciting.
1. Went to Yosemite for the first time. (thanks to Lani)
2. Went to San Francisco with my mom and boys for a few days
3. Went to Georgia to visit my husband's family
4. Bought a new car.

Yesterday I....
1. had a garage sell with Tasha
2. took Ammon to two birthday parties
3. went to a baptism
4. went to stake conference
5. watched Glory Road
6. made cabbage soup for Jody who wants to lose 10 lbs. (and has)

Today
1. I have cleaned my apartment
2. Given Cohen a nap
3. changed two poopy diapers
4. plan to organize Ammon's birthday party
5. will go outside and enjoy the beautiful day
6. Find my cell phone (hence the reason I haven't called you back Kasey!)

Tomorrow I will
1. I will go to Eureka to Winco (cheap grocery store)
2. hopefully work out
3. get ready to go to the lake on Thursday

In the next year I shall....
1. go see Lindsey in London
2. see Cohen walk
3. start Ammon in preschool
4. Get a house
5. Be Happy!

Someday...

As most of you know Jody and I have lived in an apartment our whole marriage. I don't know if this is normal but I am really getting antsy to have my own home. Mostly I just want a washer and dryer of my own, a garage to store things in and a backyard for my kids to play in. Okay I lied. I actually want, at least, one more bedroom and walls that are my own so that I can paint! About a year ago we bought some land in Fortuna which is 35 minutes from McKinleyville. First we had planned to build a home for us on it. Then we decided that we didn't want to live that far from my parents plus if we were to stay on the North Coast we would only want to live North of Eureka. So then we decided to build a home on the land and sell it. Well to give you the short story we decided to just sell the land. We currently have a few couples who seem to be pretty interested in it.

The price of homes in California is ridiculous. So Jody and I have decided that we will probably move out of California before we buy a home. We could scrape buy and purchase a 1400 sq. foot 3/2 home for $360,000 or wait and buy a nice home somewhere else, where it is cheaper to live. I am blown away at the price of homes in other places. Jody and I looked at homes last month when we went to Georgia. I love craftsman style homes and we found a few new subdivisions where they are building this style. I like both homes above but wouldn't choose those colors for the one on the bottom. These were both 2700 sq. foot homes with 4 bedrooms, dining room, living and family rooms, granite, hardwood floors, and many more details. Plus they were on 1 acre parcels. Well these homes were priced around $320,000! To me that is a bargain. I love looking at homes and hope to purchase our own soon!

Off to the lake!

Of course "the lake" is our beloved Trinity Lake. Even though a lot of you probably haven't been there you should have heard about it by now from me or a family member. Every summer since I can remember we have spent about 3/4's of our summers at the lake. When my siblings and I were very young we used to camp at a place called Tannery. This was true camping because the bathrooms only had toilets and sinks in them and we cooked outside and all slept in tents. My mom would take all five of her kids to "the lake" with a few other friends of hers and there would be 15-20 kids. The husbands would go up on the weekends. My mom was SO desperate for sun and heat that she would camp out with 20 kids 4 adults and no husbands. CRAZY! I remember people seeing us all together and asking my mom, "Are you running a summer camp?" It was crazy but one of the highlights of my childhood.

Later the Jones family decided to move camp to Pinewood Cove. Well Pinewood Cove is a luxurious place compared to Tannery. They have a swimming pool, dock, little store, hookups for trailers, a park, pavilion (for movies and games at night), and most importantly SHOWERS! Well gradually we all started going to Pinewood Cove and have now been camping there for about 12 years. When I was young I would go to the lake with the Jones family for a week and then my parents would come the next week and I would stay with them. Basically Tasha Jones and I would stay the whole summer at the lake between both of our families. We had a great life.

Now my parents have a trailer they leave at the lake all year round. Last weekend we got everything set up for this summer. We got the boat in the water, the tent up and the trailer dewinterized. My mom works part time at the hospital so we will go up Wednesday or Thursday and my dad and Jody will drive up on Friday. We live for the lake and many of my childhood memories involve experiences I've had there. It has provided summer romances, beautiful tans (hopefully not skin cancer) and a retreat from the North Coast fog. It truly is the best lake in the world.

The pictures above are of Ammon who had asked his grandpa if he could get into the boat. He obviously didn't listen. Before we knew it he was diving head first into the boat! Later we looked over to see him trying to ski down the hill. Needless to say he loves the lake.

My Blue Eyed "Baby"

My sweet "baby" Cohen is quickly losing his babiness. He is crawling all over and pulling himself up on everything, before we know it he will be walking. He tries to talk to everyone. He says "Da-Da" all the time and finally started saying, "Ma-Ma" last week. He has been an angel. He is the best sleeper. The first night we brought him home he slept for 6 hours. This was a dream compared to Ammon who didn't seem to sleep for the first 6 months of his life. Cohen has slept through the night on and off since about six months, due to teething and being sick. But right now he sleeps from 7:30 to 6:00 every night. At 6:00 a.m. I nurse him and usually he will go back to bed until about 7:30. He also takes two long naps during the day and when he isn't sleeping he is pretty happy. He likes to crawl around and get into everything or sit in his high chair and munch on food. I had to put the gate up in front of the stairs a few weeks ago because he was starting to crawl up them. He is so easy to get to smile and laugh.

When Ammon was born I couldn't wait for him to get bigger so that I could play with him. But with Cohen I have tried to enjoy each new age because now I realize how quickly they do grow. I am already baby hungry again! But don't worry people I won't be having more until we have a house. Being a mother, though very demanding, is like nothing else. I never realized I could love a little face so much. I know that they must get so sick of me kissing them all the time. The best name in the world is, "Mommy." Last night I wasn't feeling well so Ammon laid by me and rubbed my back for about 15 minutes. It was the sweetest thing. 15 minutes is a long time for a 2 year old. Yes I have given up a lot to be a mom. I can't go to the bathroom in privacy, plan my day around naps, change poopy diapers all day, can't eat in peace and can't go anywhere without strapping two kids into car seats, just to name a few. But I wouldn't want my life to be any different. People say that being a mom is the hardest job but it is honestly the most rewarding job in the world.