It's random, lovely, full of misspelled words and terrible punctuation. It's about me, Erin, my family and friends, in real life. There's sugar but no sugar coating.
"Come what may, and love it!......Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result." ~ Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
Asher would grab the slimy seeds and say, "pinch" to try to "shoot" them. I'll give you one guess who taught him that.
This is a picture of a robot that Noah drew. Pretty good, heh?
I know, pretty cute looking family! Don't judge. This blog is called erin in real life. In real life, I don't fix my hair and wear makeup all the time.
ok, Maybe this is too close but I wanted you to see the pumpkin on Asher's face (he thought he might taste it) and not so much my uneven skin or messy hair.
It's true that it's hunting season. Also, true that Asher is totally done with his splint and has only gained one pound in the last 6 months. Ugh!
As I write little Asher is asleep.
Asleep with no brace on his right arm and a mark on his forehead from falling yesterday and sacrificing his head to save his arm.
The occupational therapist came yesterday with news from the doctor.
We were to start being more aggressive with his range of motion exercises and he was to stop wearing his brace day and night. Originally he was suppose to wear it for 6 months at night.
I have been taking the brace off more and more but I wasn't expecting that.
During therapy we let him play most of the time then we had to stretch his little arm.
Push it down toward his side.
We were "being more aggressive".
He cried hard. I mean hard.
The kind of cry where there's no sound for a period of time and his lips turn blue.
When we finished I had tears in my eyes and Jessica, the occupational therapist, said, "Don't do that or you'll make me cry."
She teared up too.
She said it would be good if I tried to do an aggressive stretch 3 times a day.
What a hard thing to ask a mother.
To hurt her baby? man!
I stretched him this morning. The aggressive stretch.
He cried again, no sound, blue lips, and I thought he might pass out.
I held him hoping he wouldn't hate me when this was all over and hoping he wouldn't remember any of it.
He let me hold him and didn't act like he hated me.
He hasn't had the brace on since yesterday morning.
Today he actually walked some without holding his right arm but he was hunched over like a little old man.
This has been one of the hardest and longest trials of my life and it's not over which in a way makes it harder.
But please don't feel sorry for us because we have also received some of the best blessings.
I used to look at families with children that "weren't perfect" and think something like that would never happen to me and think it must be hard for them.
I only truly understand now what a blessing it is.
Today I made pizza for dinner. Heath's not home so I don't know if he likes it but both kids liked it.
I'm not quite sure what the real test is...Heath or the kids!?!
Noah has been saying lately, "So, mom, I don't fink so."
Tonight when I was putting a little chocolate in their milk, I was helping Asher and trying to put chocolate in the milk at the same time. Then I hear a little gasp from Noah. I look over and I'm not even over the cup. Noah said, "mom, are you ok?"
This may not be funny to you but it was to me.
Asher has had his brace off most of the day.
The therapist came and she said she thinks he had a little more range today. Yippee!
She also has a call in to his doctor.
He's so funny. I'm going to put a video on here that only...well, grandparents might enjoy.
It wasn't really what I was trying to capture but notice he's not wearing his brace.
Yes, these are unusually large pepperoni's but gluten free. I bet you didn't know some meats have gluten in them as a filler.
Rules to follow
-Hide the brace when not in use.
-Don't take the brace off before breakfast.
-Don't take it off near bed time.
He doesn't like it off but he really doesn't like it off during those times.
It's been about 6 weeks since the cast was removed. He should already not be wearing the brace during the day but his shoulder is still tight and he won't bring his arm down.
Today we kept it off for a good while.
He cried and whined for the first few hours and then he figured I wasn't going to give in (which was hard)
He started out doing a weird little scoot thing on his bottom first.
Then he was using his arm more to play.
Then he started standing (holding his right arm with his left)
and than finally started walking around (still holding the arm)
I think I'm too much of a push over but I'm getting to the point that I know If I don't do it now it will be worse later.
This is what you get when there's a dad that needs to shave, you're short on time, you have a crying baby, a dad that loves, and a wife/mom that likes to take pictures.
I know...cute!
P.S. I love my husband.
P.S.S. I don't edit pictures. That's not my thing.
Tonight we had a small birthday party for our "baby" Noah.
He's into Spider man and Iron Man lately so Heath found him some cool Iron Man toys.
He soooo loves them.
Heath even got a little present for Asher to open so he didn't feel left out.
How sweet of a dad is he?
Anyway, here's some pictures.
Don't worry that thing is gluten free. I did, however, make the icing a little too thin but made it with organic extra virgin coconut oil instead of shortening (tasted yum).
Pay no attention to the dirty kitchen in the background.
Can't believe he's 4. How does that happen?
The birthday hat.
Smashy's present.
ONE
TWO
THREE
(DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS BLURRY BUT IT'S THE ONLY ONE I CAN FIND)
Asher is such a sweet baby.
He always wants to help me.
Today there was some "O" cereal all over the floor in the living room. Yes, Noah!
Anyway, I got the vacuum out and Asher went for the broom saying "help, help".
He "swept" saying "help, help" while I vacuumed.
Yesterday I was unloading the dishwasher and all that I had left to put away was the silverware.
Something on the computer pulled me away.
While I was on the computer I hear "cling" "clang".
Asher who is not tall enough to put the silverware in the drawer where it goes was throwing it in and making practically every shot.
He likes to grab wipes and "help" me when I'm changing his diaper.
He also grabs one after the change and wipes his bum over his pants for good measure.
He likes to clean things.
He will point for a paper towel. I give him one and then he is off wiping things down (including his nose).
He calls his little stuffed money poop.
If you ask him the monkey's name he'll say "poop" and than usually "toot". I don't know.
He loves to help stir when I'm baking (which has been a lot lately)
He drinks green smoothies with me.
When he has an ouchie he knows to grab the lavendar essential oil and a band aide.
The band aids are usually Diego (got them for free) so he'll sing " eeeeeeaaaaago"
He also like to sing "Bob builder"
He never watches T.V. he doesn't like it but Noah does so he hears it.
He sleeps in my bed with me.
He's had a rough week with therapy. He is suppose to be able to put his arm down by his side by now but that's not happening.
He won't let it down for the most part but that's on top of tight muscles.
I have made an appointment at Shriner's to get the pediatric occupational therapist there.
He loves chocolate. I bribed him with gherardelli milk chocolate chips so he would get in the jogging stroller this evening. he says "mmmmmmmmmmmmmm" when something is good.
When he sees a picture of himself or the video on the blog he says, "babies"
When he decides he wants a drink, instead of swallowing what he's got in his mouth, he spits it out. I don't know.
When his brace is off and he's nervous about doing his exercises and/or crying he says "bace, on"
Something he says often is "pants on" cause he's so skinny and his pants will fall down. I see him every now and than trying to walk while holding his pants up. other times the pants have fallen to the floor and he yells from where he stands, "pants on! pants on!"
If you're eating he likes to share.
and share he does.
When he's asking for something (like yesterday I made some gluten free chocolate muffins) he says, "ont" for "I want". I gave him a muffin and he looked at me and no lie he said, "two" so I gave him another.
He took one into Noah who said, "nank you"
He did the same with a sucker.
He really is sweet and so cute.
and Noah
he is so funny.
last night while reading scriptures he said, "Jesus is a superhero!"
We said, "yes, he is."
Today he told me he was going to Jesus' house. I said Ok tell him I said hello.
He likes to grab anything he can find out of the kitchen and make it a spaceship.
a can opener, a steamer, some forks, a baby food processor thing, wooden spoons. you name it.
Now this kid loves to watch movies and anything at nick jr.com
He would watch it all day (i'm sure) if I let him but we set a timer.
He does a really good job a quoting movies and acting them out. I'm really impressed.
He likes it when we act a long.
He's not much of an eater.
He's very polite and says "please", "nank you" and "excuse me".
He's finally got his colors down (well still a little trouble with purple)
He's still a little nervous about pooping on the potty but has done really well the last few weeks.
He always says just randomly "I like you mommy"
Today the light was shining through one of the windows and Noah had hit the couch or something (can't remember exactly) anyway there were little dust particles floating through the air in the sunshine. He licked his finger, swished it through the air as if he were getting a particle on his finger, put it in his mouth and said, "mmmm, tasty! mommy it's candy. You like candy?" and than repeated the finger licking.
He loves chocolate too and yes, I did bribe him.
Ok, I've got to get these kids off to bed.
I'll save some for another post.
As I listened to Jeffery R. Holland this morning give his talk my mind reflected on my own parents who sacrificed a lot for their children.
I remember my mom telling me that when they were a young married couple she used some of the money budgeted for groceries to by shoes for one of the kids.
My mom and dad were always going without their wants and needs so that their children could have more of their wants and needs.
Growing up we lived in a humble home.
We had food to eat, clothes to wear, transportation to get around.
I remember that my mom didn't always have a lot of clothes but she never complained.
When I got older and was able to work I bought her a dress.
I went to the mall specifically looking for something for my mother.
I walked into a store, found a dress that she might like, guessed at the sized and purchased it.
I could hardly wait to give it to her.
When I did she said, "What is this?" tears in her eyes
I said, "It's a dress for you."
We hugged and cried together (as we sometimes do).
She went and tried it on and to my surprise it fit perfectly.
Sometime later, my sister who was pretty newly married and had one baby with another one of the way and a husband in school, found herself not being able to fit into a lot of her clothing and not having a lot of money to purchase more.
She called my mom.
My mom, still having little clothing and wanting to do what she could, gave my sister the dress I bought for her.
It was a little bigger than my sister so it would fit her pregnant belly.
I know my mom liked that dressed and some time later she told what she had done, hoping I wouldn't be mad.
How could I be mad? She was helping (and sacrificing for ) my sister.
Helping my sister and helping me by being the good example of charity she most always is.
I'm grateful for my parents who raised me with principles of the gospel.
Who sacrificed things for me (even when I was making unwise choices as a stinking teenager).
I love them.
Thanks mom and dad!
We've decided to go gluten free. This week has been pretty much gluten free. Heath has had a more strict diet than the rest of us but really it's not bad AT ALL.
I started wondering about gluten. With all the hybrids of wheat (that man did) with it's increased amount of gluten. Don't you wonder why they take autistic kids off gluten. me too.
Time to revamp the food storage.
a day in the mud.
It's true that Noah like to "play" exercise with me. He likes to be the guy that doesn't exercise and goes around correcting people. It's true that gluten free flour isn't A flour it's a combination of a bunch of flours. I'm planning on a gluten free Christmas dinner. watch out Utah here we come :)
He's a Grad student. He makes pots. He likes hunting and hanging out with his boys. You can visit his blog at www.checkoutmyblogatmyblog.blogspot.com (or click the picture).
"We artist are indestructible, even in a prison cell or a concentration camp I would be almighty in my own world of art. Even if I had to paint my pictures with my wet tongue on the dusty floor of my cell." - Pablo Picasso
Asher helps me develop faith. He has a nerve injury on his right arm. He also has trouble gaining weight. He sees an occupational therapist 2 times a week. He is sweet and shy but has a funny personality.
this is our story.
i called him. he said yes. he kissed me. i said, "i love you." he said, "i like you twelve." (that equals i love you.) he said "will you?" i said, "yes". we got married. he started school. we had noah. i became a mom. he became an artist. we moved to pa. he became a grad student. then came asher and i became the mom of 2. we moved back to utah. he became a teacher. me? the mom of three. we are happy. we are blessed.
Children are made readers on the laps of their parents. - Emily Buchwald
