Blog Update

I'm working on updating our blog. As many of you have likely noticed, the basic look has changed several times because I've been relatively indecissive about what to do with our bland blog. When I started this blog in 2005 there weren't cool tools embedded in the blogspot program. Nor were there pre-written codes to make the pages look cute, and I'm no genius on web design. But now I don't have to be. Over the next few days I hope to update this blog to a point where I don't feel like it must be changed every few months, but then again, who knows. Enjoy the new look.

Shin Splints Suck!

I have had shin splints on my right leg since before Thanksgiving. I have never had shin splints before so at first I had no idea what it was. Joe tried to tell me it was shin splints, but I didn't listen. After chatting with a neighbor who is a runner I finally came to terms with my "injury". Wanting the pain to subside, I went out and got new running shoes, I massaged my leg with ice, I took a week off of running, I started shin exercises, and I ice for more than an hour every day. And, after all of that, what do I have to show for it? New shin splints on my left leg and a ridiculous amount of pain in my right leg.

My 1/2 marathon is still about 5 - 6 weeks away, so I guess I'll take some more time off, but, I hate it. I already feel like I've been loosing my endurance because I've been slowing down so much lately to nurse these silly shin splints. I wish there was a cure, something that would guarantee their demise, other than rest, that is. I wish I never got shin splints. I hate shins.

Yes he can

Henry is smart! We already knew that, but now we have proof. I thought it was going to take a while to teach him 1 - 2 - 3. It just seems like a concept that kids learn later. With a little persistence, though, Henry has accomplished this task - minus the one. If I say one, he'll finish up with two and three. Smart indeed! Now if I could only convince him to say please!





As a side note, I MISS THE SUN!!!! I can't wait for spring.

Learning.

Some days I feel like I'm not teaching Henry enough. Don't get me wrong, he gets smarter every day, but on his own terms. I realize that at 17 months there's not much formal teaching that can occur, but I believe that with some guidance he will pick up on simple lessons that are important for him to learn. The current tasks are:

1. Say "please". We've been stressing this for two days. He said it once tonight, "plees," really quite and high pitched. For the most part, however, it goes like this: Henry points at something he wants. Response: say "please. Henry, say, "please". Crying. Henry, "please". Pulling on me and pointing. "Please" & then I quit and give him what he wants. Soon. He will say please everytime.

My neighbor has a son who says please when he wants something. He was being babysat recently and didn't want to be babysat anymore. So, he spent 45 minutes standing by his coat saying please. How sad.

2. Point to his ear. He's got his nose down. He can do his eye, but usually won't. He really seems to like his ears though. Since we started practicing this one he has started grabbing both ears when I ask where they are. It's cute.

3. Clean up toys. This one is impossible. First, it begins with that annoying clean up song, "Clean up, clean up everybody everywhere, clean up, clean up everybody do your share," because he responds to it. It continues through a partial clean up straight to throwing all the cleaned up items back on the floor. Then I clean them up while he naps. Just great!

4. 1 - 2 - 3. I originally thought this would be the hardest, but perhaps not. After just one day he's started pointing his index finger when I say one. Hopefully it'll catch on. We're teaching him this through games. One, two, three and then something exciting happens. Or, we show him items, one shoe, two shoes, three shoes. Do something, one kiss, two kisses, three kisses. And, pointing fingers. He responds to all of them and hopefully will begin to understand 1 -2 - 3.

As a side note, Henry gets to start going to nursery in one month. Hopefully, it'll stick. I think the structure to nursery will be a shock for Henry - usually he makes the rules.

Horrible Photos Indeed

All I can say is, we tried! In December Henry and his cousins did a horrible job of getting their photo's taken. First, his cousins Madison & Easton (my brother Josh & his wife Jenny's kids) went to a studio to get photo's taken. I don't have a copy to show you here, but you would cry or laugh if you saw the photo. Imagine, two crusty one year old boys sandwiching a three year old. Easton has a tear, Henry has a scowl and Madison a cute little smile.

Next, later in December, we attempted a homemade shot of all of the cousins on Joe's side (plus a second cousin for good measure). Also horrible, but I have 9 beautiful renditions for you to enjoy! Should I display one in my home?

McKenzie, Austin (Joe's brother Dan & Becky's kids), Lasse, Josef (Joe's sister Aliza & Tobi's kids), Hailey (Joe's cousins daughter) and of course Henry.

Where's Your Nose?

Henry's newest trick. Yep, he's smart. On a whim, I asked him to point to his nose. He didn't the first time, but after a couple tries, he was a pro at finding his nose. Now he even says nose when he points to his nose. He is SMART!

Long Overdue.

I've been meaning to update this blog for quite a while. For my absence the past few weeks, I apologize.

A few of the things we did in November:

The first ten days of November Joe, Henry & I watched our Bishop's two children, Isaac (6) and Eve (3). They were well behaved children and for the most part, fun to be around, however, the challenges of caring for three children for a mere 10 days were enough to deter me from including plans for an addition to our family for a long time. Between trips to school, feedings, naps and entertaining the three kids (Isaac, Eve & Henry) I had zero time for myself until after the sun went down. We do plan to have more kids, just not any time soon.

For Thanksgiving we traveled to Clifton, Idaho, where Joe's parents live. Joe was excited to spend his first ever Thanksgiving with his Mom's parents, Grandma & Grandpa Price, who moved from Paradise, California, to Clifton, Idaho, presumably to be close to the Atkin clan. He was soon corrected, apparantely he has had at least two Thanksgivings with his Grandma & Grandpa Price, but we're grateful to have spent the weekend with them anyway.

Most recently we ventured to Moab, so that I could run the Winter Sun 10k. I decided that I want to run the Canyonlands 1/2 Marathon in March, so, since late October I have been training to get myself to place where running 13.1 miles isn't torture. I do most of my training on a treadmill, because I'm a coward and I don't enjoy running in cold weather much, but I know there are huge differences in machine running vs. road running. So, I also participate in as many group outdoor runs as possible, the group aspect is incentive enough to get me running outside. Plus, running in a race is fun, and good motivation to keep training (I also ran a Cold Turkey 6k on Thanksgiving morning with my Sister Callie & my Cousin Kristin.) The bad news is that the Canyonlands 1/2 Marathon is a popular race, so you have to enter a lottery, I may or may not get a spot. I'm just hoping I do.

I think Joe has become jealous with my newfound obsession. He now wants to go to the gym with me everynight. Honestly, I've never felt better. It's such a good way to decompress after a long day.

Back to Moab... after running the 10k we spent the day just being lazy. We went to a fun light parade on Main Street in Moab and on our way home we stopped at Dead Horse Point, where Joe & I enjoyed the amazing scenerey while Henry slept in the car. I was a little relieved that Henry stayed in the car because I had a ridiculous picture in my head of Henry running off the edge and falling the 2,000 feet to the Colorado Rivier. Do Mom's ever stop worrying?