Tell me the Stories of Jesus (as told by Treyden)

Remember me telling you the story of how my Treyden blows my mind (see #7) by singing all 3 verses of the primary song we learned in primary that Sunday? Here you go...

FYI...fishie mask.

My little Caleb has run into more random injuries, illnesses and conditions than I thought a healthy little boy could eek out in his measley (not quite) 3-year existence. We've run into a NASTY urinary tract infection, which was apparently due to a condition called urine reflux. He had a procedure about a year-and-a-half ago to take car of that. He has cracked a knee cap (don't ask, I have NO - honestly - NO idea how it happened), multiple black eyes, speech delays, and I've performed the Heimlich maneuver on this little one half a dozen times. The current issue is viral asthma. The poor kid has had "bronchiolitis" 5 times in the last 4 months. We do breathing treatments (fishie mask) every 3 or 4 hours and they seem to eventually go away, sometimes sooner than others. EVERY time he gets sick he has trouble breathing and coughs incessantly. We just came back from the allergist today and there was good news and bad news. Good news: he doesn't have any allergies. Bad news: he has viral asthma - not bronchiolitis. That means that every time little Caleb gets sick, it goes right to his lungs and his asthma kicks in. He coughs so much at night I'll sometimes go in while he's sleeping and do 2 or 3 breathing treatments. You'd think, especially knowing my Caleb, he'd fight tooth and nail to prevent this inconvenience. Amazingly, it works so well, he ASKS me for fishie mask. 

I wish I had known more about allergies and asthma to understand my options months ago so we weren't fumbling through this condition. If your child coughs and coughs every time they get sick, he/she may also have viral asthma. I wouldn't have found out if I hadn't asked my pediatrician about asthma (moms know WAY more than doctors). So, there's your fyi...

Punk Baby

We've tried the faux-hawk successfully for about a year now. It has totally fit Caleb's personality and looks adorable on him. Well, my baby is going to be 3 in 2 - count 'em 2 months. I thought it was time to graduate to the real mccoy. My philosophy on hair: It'll always grow back. I'm somewhat embarrassed to say that when our trusty Kathy pulled out those clippers and they vibrated my baby's blonde tresses away, I was nothing if not eager to see how it would look. I had no fear about the prospect of having to pull out my own clippers when we got home to "fix" mommy's poor choice. I'm quite happy to say - I couldn't be more pleased with my punk baby, and OH YEAH - it's real. No faking this hawk. AND those of you who know my sweet Caleb, can tell, this coif fits my punk baby like a glove. I loved the looks I got from the teenagers as I walked through the mall. Especially the ones who also pointed at his black vans. 

May I introduce you...

...To Genie Blue Train...

...and Tigger.

We have a brilliant (thank you Jenna) system in our house to elicit positive behavior. It is called the "black rocks". Whenever the boys demonstrate positive behavior (sharing, eating well, no fighting while mom's in the shower...you get the idea), they earn a black rock (or 2 depending on HOW good the behavior). Once they earn enough black rocks to fill up their treasure chest, they get a treat. In the past it's been a trip to the zoo, picking out a toy at the toy store, but this last black rock treasure chest went towards 2 very finicky, shy fish. Trey and Caleb were beside themselves as we walked into Petsmart this week with some minor criteria in mind; Trey: HAS to be BLUE, Caleb: feeshee!!, mom: no filters, no heaters, no lamps. Now that our beloved Tigger and Genie Blue Train are home safe at last, we're battling a new set of criteria: mom: DON'T TOUCH THE FISH!! DON'T FEED THE FISH! DON'T PUT ANYTHING IN THAT TANK OR THE FISH GO BACK TO THE STORE (or in the toilet - depending on what it was and how long it was there). 

Grateful Sunday

I have so much to be grateful for in my life. My top 10 at the moment:

1. Being a mom. I'm so grateful that I'm blessed by the love of my children. They give love freely, and most often, I'm the recipient. Parenthood has taught me so much about selflessness on so many levels. I try to savor every moment with them as if it were my last.

2. The temple. It is such a miracle to me to be sealed to those I love most in this world. I'm so grateful for my testimony of eternal families. I love the spirit I feel when I enter the temple and the peace it gives me to be in the house of the Lord.

3. Disneyland. I've created some wonderful memories here with my family. I'm grateful for the way it brings me closer to my children. 

4. My Friends. I'm blessed to have the most caring, giving, loving friends a girl could ask for. Most of them will never know how much they have blessed my life forever. I love you!!!

5. A book entitled A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. This book has brought me such a deep spiritual understanding. It has helped me understand life in  way I never thought I could. It has changed who I am. It helps me understand how to attain peace and happiness in a very deep and permanent way. Go Oprah!!                                                                                                                                                                                            

6. The Atonement. It is such a blessing to know that I don't have to do it all by myself. The feeling of knowing I'm never alone brings such security and joy. I thank Heavenly Father everyday for the Atonement.

7. Primary songs. I'm the Primary chorister in my ward, and there is nothing sweeter than hearing the 5th ward primary sing "If the Savior stood Beside Me". Today I told my primary that hearing them sing is music to my ears. I told them if they sang really well, I would thank them for the music to my ears with a treat that was sweet to their tongue. I've never heard them sing more beautifully. (hey - I'll take what I can get - I don't care if I have to bribe with sugar). I also love to see my beautiful boy as he silently sits in the front row - too embarrassed to sing. Every night before bed, he blows my mind by singing the whole song - all 3 verses. My Treyden inspires me.  

8. Yoga. This is triangle pose - one of my favorites. Yoga is my sanity. It gives back 10 times what I put in. Even teaching I feel a peace and stillness at the end of an hour of practice that I struggle to find anywhere else.

9. Prayer. Heavenly Father is just genius. He gives us a line of communication that's always open, always free, always connected, and he always gives us the answers if we just ask and then listen. I gained a testimony of prayer when I was 14, and I've never lost or forgotten what a powerful tool prayer is if you use it correctly. I truly consider prayer one of my greatest gifts.

10. My bed. No explanation necessary.