So Rusty works at the University of Phoenix as most know and last week they had a SPIRIT WEEK. I loved Spirit week and the chance to dress crazy with out everyone thinking you are weirdo. Anyways, so Rusty had a Spirit Week and they had some great incentive to dress up everyday. At the UoP they have Teams (there are a lot of teams and different sections of teams and that's how they would be judged. If your team won, they would be put in a drawing to win free catering for a week. Rusty was just excited that he didn't have to follow the dress code all week. Here are some photos from their Spirit Week.
Monday - Crazy Hat Day 6.22.2009 *They won* Rusty actually forgot he could wear jeans all week and came home sad that he had forgotten. Tuesday- Pajama Day 6.23.2009 *They won* By far Rusty's favorites day! He said he accomplished so much more since he was comfy. (He's all about being comfy!!!) Wednesday- Sports Day 6.24.2009 *They won* Rusty isn't a sports guy, one thing I have always been grateful for. However, he didn't have any sports attire to wear so Tashie (She's in the yellow #7 shirt) bought a shirt at a thrift store for Rusty to wear but it was like two sizes too small and for a guy who likes comfy he said it was miserable. As soon as they were judged he took it off. Thursday- Hawaiin Shirt Day 6.25.2009 *They won* Rusty said this was a great day because it was like his office was in Hawaii. Everyone went all out for this day and here are the photos to prove it: There were even monkeys in his office. This is Rusty's favorite. One team had a boar roasting over a fire! Super clever if you ask me... Friday- Team Choice 6.26.2009 *They did not win* Jimmy, Rusty's manager, use to work at Restaraunt called Nello's so he got an employee shirt for the whole team. Rusty said they have pretty good food there. I think they should have gone with their first idea which was dressing up as bums. It would have been more fun!
So they got their Team name in the drawing four times, however, they did not win the drawing... Sad Day. But Rusty said it was a lot of fun and I am glad he got to do something like that!
So I have been thinking lately about my role as a wife. I have realized that I am going on four years of marriage and I am nowhere near the kind of wife I want to be, or that which my husband deserves. I hardly make dinners or clean as much as I should. I complain WAY too much and still expect my husband to read my mind when I am upset! (This list could go on for a long time but I think in this situation less is more.)
Well, I have decided that it is high time I straighten up. Not only are my actions effecting my spouse and somewhat hurting our relationship, they are effecting me and anyone else around me. I'm not really sure how some of these bad habits and emotions have sneaked their way into my life but they have and I have got to put and end to it!
I read this book a year or two ago called "Strangling Your Husband Is NOT an Option: A Practical Guide to Dramatically Improving Your Marriage" by Merrilee Browne Boyack . I read it and I thought, I can do this, I can improve my marriage. Only to forget about it a week later. Well, I recently read it again and have felt the need to really take some of her advice to heart. Some of the things she says hit too close to home for comfort but those words are exactly the things I needed to hear. One thing that I liked about this book is that since she is LDS she shares stories and quotes from church leaders that give her words and added depth to them. (I will not go to say that I agree completely with all of the authors opinions. However, there was a lot of good advise which I would encourage people to read and pray about, see what fits you and your relationship.)
One of the biggest things that stuck with me was to not kill the things that worked in the beginning. When you dated your now husband, what did you like to do? Go on long walks? Dance? Do puzzles? Or did you do what you do know sit around watching a movie while he sits at the computer.... When you knew you were going to see him, what did you do? Throw in some extra sit-ups at the gym? Try on several outfits? Clean your apt. up? Or did you sit around in your PJ's all day with a ponytail hoping he will come home and want to do the dishes you didn't want to do...
When you are a stay at home mom it is difficult to get motivated and do the things you once loved to do. (At least for me, but boy do I see other mother's and wives that really have it going on.) It's sometimes so easy to feel like you have lost yourself and lose all of that self confidence and that fun attitude you once had. But is that the person you were when you fell in love? Is that the kind of person you want to be? I know it's not what I want to be and I know the only way to get back to that is by taking action.
I am so incredibly lucky to have the husband that I have. He is so patient and understanding all the time. I just want to be that person that he married and not someone he dreads coming home to. I have a goal and although it might take me a while to get back to the "fun-living" wife I once was, I know that I can. Through this process I will not only make a happier husband I will make a happier ME.
My sweetheart of a husband and I Nov. 2008
(This song I felt was appropriate for this post, although I know my husband wouldn't leave me if I had my hair in curlers. It's an older song and I wish I could figure out how to post an exert of this song on my blog but I am just not that tech savvy. You could always rent The First Wives Club and listen to the opening song.)
Wives And Lovers Hey, little girl,
Comb your hair, fix your make-up.
Soon he will open the door.
Don't think because
There's a ring on your finger,
You needn't try any more
For wives should always be lovers, too.
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you.
I'm warning you.
Day after day,
There are girls at the office,
And men will always be men.
Don't send him off
With your hair still in curlers.
You may not see him again.
For wives should always be lovers, too.
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you.
He's almost here.
Hey, little girl
Better wear something pretty,
something you'd wear to go to the city.
And dim all the lights,
Pour the wine, start the music.
Time to get ready for love.
Oh, time to get ready,
Time to get ready,
Time to get ready
For love.
This last month Brayden has really been showing us how much he REALLY knows. Now I know most parents brag about how smart their children are and how they have helped that progress along. I take no responsibility in his abilities. He has always just been a head of the curve ever since he was little baby but it doesn't cease to amaze me when he does some things.
A couple a weeks ago Brayden surprised my by walking down the stairs (which he can do all on his own) and started counting. He and I sometimes walk down the stairs and count all of the steps together (there are 16). As he was coming down, all on his own, he started counting and I was just listening to see how far he would count and to my amazement he went all the way to ten with no mess ups! I just never thought a 22 month old could count to 10 with out any help from Mom. Since then he has done it several more times but when I try to get him to do it (for the camera or anyone else) he gets really shy and just stops counting. It's a little frustrating but he did it and he has done it for Rusty too.
His language skills have also picked up A LOT. He is constantly saying what things are, repeating us and asking questions. He's favorite question, "What was that?". He will hear a sound and ask "What was that?" and we will tell him and he'll go "Oh...(and repeat what we said it was)" It's really cute! He is really working on his alphabet, he doesn't really have this one down yet but he does try. He recognizes letters and when he sees them he tries to sing the alphabet song and tries doing the letter signs which leads to the fact that his signing has also improved. He just loves to learn new signs and is perfecting the older ones.
Another great thing that he has been doing is singing! This by far is one of my favorites! He started singing "Popcorn Popping" all by himself and he knew a good amount of the words. Along with "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes" and all the fun songs they sing in Nursery. At night we have a routine where we brush our teeth, say prayers (another thing he doesn almost all on his own now. He leads the prayer and I am just there to help him out), read scriptures (He can say 'Nephi' really well, so darn cute) and then I usually rock him a little and sing whatever song he requests. Well a couple of weeks I ago I asked if I should sing "Child of God" He repeats it, which is his 'yes', and as I started to sing he knew almost all of the words to it. It was so sweet, I just couldn't believe it! He is growing up so fast and it just amazes me! He also loves to make up songs, I guess I am rubbing off on him.
Last thing I want to talk about is how sweet and kind he is. He is still a rough and rowdy little boy but he can be so sweet. When ever he accidentally hurts someone he goes up, stokes their cheek and says "sorry" in the cutest way. Not only does he do this when he hurts someone but when he sees another little kid crying he will go up and ask "You okay?" and then tries to give them a hug and says "sorry". It just amazes me that he is already showing empathy. The sad thing is if it's a smaller kid they kind of just push Brayden away thinking "what is this kid doing?". But he still sticks around to make sure they are okay and then will try to help distract them by giving them a to play with. He also loves hugs and kisses. He will come up to me or Rusty and just ask "Hug?" and we will drop what we are doing and give him one. It's usually followed by a "kiss? mmmm (that's him prepping for the kiss)" and gives us a nice big kiss on the lips or the cheek. He also loves to give his toys that have "faces" kisses. He is just a really sweet kid and I couldn't ask for a better little boy (well, most of the time).
I am a little upset at myself for not documenting all of Brayden's achievements and when they happened. I did a little bit but not nearly enough. As I am really on the process of catching up on the blog, I am realizing that I should have done more. I think it is my one regret as a mother so far. I am really trying to be better. It's a good thing I have a pretty good long term memory or I would be in trouble.
So I really appreciated all the votes that were cast in figuring out what our baby will be. I am going to let you know now that it is very improbable that I will be having a platypus as a baby but since it received 22% of the votes, I see that people believe Rusty and I to be freaks.... and I think I am okay with that!
Here is the results of the poll: Boy 16% of the votes Girl 61% of the votes Twins 16% of the votes Platypus 22% of the votes
We were able to get our first ultrasound yesterday and we were super excited to be able to see how big our baby has gotten. However, the baby (and my uterus) did NOT seem excited. He/she just would not cooperate! There are a few things that came up during the ultrasound:
#1 We had trouble getting a decent picture of the baby, but we did get a picture.
We got a straight on face shot. Just like Brayden's first photo. Don't see a butt chin on this one though.
#2 My placenta is too close to my cervix, thus we will most likely be getting another ultrasound to make sure there will be no problems.
#3 We did get a shot of the pelvis area and the lady was "almost positive" that our baby is a.....
We are hoping at the next ultrasound we will find the sex a definite and not a "almost positive".
(I have a total of 8 videos with Brayden telling us what our baby is. The last one I have I think is super cute but it's really dark and hard to see him so I put this one up.)
#4 My uterus is crazy, it was not the way it should be. And due to the way the baby was laying, the fluid, the placenta and some confusing images the lady (who spent almost an hour looking at the baby) is thinking there is a possibility that we might have twins. That is something else that we will be looking for when we get another ultrasound. Some people don't even know they are having twins until 6 months. So it is a small possibility. And knowing that both sides of the families have prominent twins, and other factors that will take to long to explain, it wouldn't be too far fetched for us to have twins.
Brayden and Daddy were there during the ultrasound and it was such a great family experience and considering we were in there for over an hour Brayden did a great job at being a good boy!
I am a wife and mother who loves being a wife and mother! I get to stay home with my handsome little boy and watch him grow. And am expecting a new little baby boy/girl Nov. 12, 2009. I love to do anything that is a part of the arts. I love performing! It doesn't matter if it's acting, dancing or singing. There is a lot going on in our family and I am hoping to be motivated enough to keep everyone up to date!
email: olivia.m.odom@gmail.com
Monday - Crazy Hat Day 6.22.2009
Tuesday- Pajama Day 6.23.2009
Wednesday- Sports Day 6.24.2009
Thursday- Hawaiin Shirt Day 6.25.2009
There were even monkeys in his office.
This is Rusty's favorite. One team had a boar roasting over a fire!
Super clever if you ask me...
Friday- Team Choice 6.26.2009
Rusty said they have pretty good food there. I think they should have gone with their first idea which was dressing up as bums. It would have been more fun!
