Taiger and Edward

I only have a moment to write. My Mom took Taiger to the park, and you Moms out there know how that is...you are torn between wanting to savor every silent moment and read a book or sleep knowing this may be your only opportunity to catch up on laundry or cleaning. You also know it is your only chance to organize the toy boxes without all of the toys being pulled out even as you are putting them away. So much you could be doing but so little time in which to do it. You know you can't do it all, so which do you do? Laundry? Toys? Nap? And even as you are trying to decide which one to do, you are losing precious time! AGK!

So...in my indecision, I blog. :D

As many of you know, I am letting Taiger grow out his hair (and for those of you who didn't know, I am glad you do now so when you look at my pictures on my blog you don't wonder why I am neglecting my poor son and refusing to cut his hair). With this Twilight craze, Taiger has a new-found interest in vampires (this is certainly NOT spurred on by his mother, who has loved Vampires since LONG before Edward met Bella!). The only vampire movie appropriate for him is Twilight...and only a few scenes from that. Thus, the only "real" vampire Taiger has a visual on is Edward (and co., of course). Therefor, the only vampire Taiger wants to be like is Edward...and that includes LOOKING like Edward, hair and all.

I don't have the heart to tell him that no matter how long he grows his hair, it will not do a pompadour in the front. He knows exactly how it will go, once it is long, and he uses his hands to show how it will go, "like this".

Yes, I have shown him pictures of Emmet, who has short hair, and tried to convince him to do his hair like that.

I even showed him Laurent's hair and said he could have his hair like that (I even looked up online how to do yarn extensions in African hair!), but he doesn't want that, either. He just wants to look like Edward.

So, day after day he continues to grow out his hair. I don't pester him to cut it...this is something important and "cool" to him, and it isn't really doing anyone any harm. At least, it wasn't until recently. Now that it is so long, it is really starting to hurt him when I pick it out. I feel SO BAD! I make sure the hair is wet, and use detangler, etc...but it still pulls at the knots. As he starts to cry, I tell him I am sorry and we can cut it so it won't hurt. As soon as I mention the "c" word, he stops crying and holds in the tears. Poor little man!

Yesterday, I realized his hair is (finally!) barely long enough to braid. After the morning pain, er, combing, Taiger was more than happy to agree to letting Mommy braid it! (Maybe in the end, Laurent's -do will win?!)

After reading Peculiar Family's blog, I have learned that the first braiding job does not have to be perfect...it only matters that you keep trying. I did the best I could, but I know it isn't perfect. So, I will keep trying at it. However, I do think it turned out pretty cute!! Everyone thought he looked adorable with his little braids. :D He liked them, too, which made me happy. Also, I think this style will be a lot cooler (in temperature, I mean), which has been something I have worried about with his thick, long hair. Anyway, here are some pictures of his new -do. Please feel free to leave comments...AND SUGGESTIONS! (I really do NOT know what to do with African hair AT ALL! I am totally at a loss! Today, after he slept on it, many of the braids had come out...any suggestions on how to keep them from getting "frizzy" or coming undone?! Thank you to ANYONE who has ANY suggestions!)

Thank you all!

Fish Story!!

Taiger and his fish!

So, we lived through our big, FOUR DAY CAMPING TRIP...you read that right, folks...FOUR DAYS...CAMPING. But really...it was AWSOME! Unfortunately, it was rainy and WAY cold, but it didn't dampen our fun!

I will write more about the trip later as I have little time now. However, wanted to tell the most exciting event that took place while we were camping! TAIGER CAUGHT HIS FIRST FISH! It was SO EXCITING for him! At a good 12", his was the biggest fish anyone in our camping group caught!! GO TAIGER!

Because it was rainy, we had set up our pole and then ducked into the truck to stay out of the rain and watch our poles from the front window. Amazingly, the lake was the only place from where I got reception so I called home to wish my Dad Happy Father's Day. While on the line, Jeremy ran back to the truck saying we had a bite! I hung up on my family (sorry guys!) and flipped on the video camera on my cel phone. Jeremy grabbed Taiger and ran him to the water's edge to reel in the fish. Taiger had taken off his shoes in the car as they were caked with mud. I ran through the mud in my muddy shoes, slipping and sliding all the way to where he was about to grab the pole and begin reeling. I got there and with one hand began taking video so I could capture the moment, and with the other, snapped wildly with my 35mm camera.

It certainly was an exciting moment. I was so proud of Taiger and he was so proud of himself. He usually doesn't like to have his picture taken, but for these pictures he was all smiles! Once the fish was in, he held it up with pride for every picture and was excited to have his picture taken!!

Below are some pictures and a video of him reeling it in. It is pretty cute if you want to watch it, but if you DON'T watch it, you have to at least hear what he said...

As he was reeling it in, we were all shouting and excited and he was beaming and reeling with all his might! As the fish splashed exuberantly out of the water, pulled by its hooked mouth, Taiger shouted in a sentimental voice, "Oh! Does he love me?!"

I really think he thought he was catching it to take home as a pet. Oops.

(You will notice in the pictures the fish is all white...it is an albino trout...really! Red eyes and everything. So cool!)

Taiger after he caught his fish.

The fish after Taiger caught him

Jeremy puting the fish in the water

Taiger and Mommy hiding from the rain and cold! Taiger is a "happy camper"!

Video of Taiger reeling in his fish!

(I only WISH I could say that annoying and LOUD voice is not mine...but, alas...it is mine. I guess I should be proud that I love my child enough to be excited for him. At least I will never be accused of being a Mom who doesn't care! LOL!)

(OH! And BE SURE to mute the music before turning on the video! You can mute it by scrolling waaaay down to my playlist on the left of the post and clicking mute!)

Scottish Festival!!

When I was young, we lived in Denver, Colorado. One Saturday, my parents packed us all in the car and we headed out of the city limits for some hiking, something I had never done. Dressed in jeans and sturdy shoes, we sang songs in the car and were excited for some fresh mountain air. As we drove along, watching the buildings turn to trees, my Dad saw a sign for a Scottish Festival! My parents spoke quickly, and then asked us if we wanted to go to a Scottish Festival or hiking. The plan had been to go hiking, we were dressed for hiking, we had our snacks and everything ready for hiking...so NATURALLY we chose the Scottish Festival. My Dad flipped a u-turn and we found ourselves moments later surrounded my badgipes and kilts. This was a world I had never seen. I loved it! The dancing, the music, the native costumes. We had a wonderful adventure that day, and I learned something very important that I wish I could put into words. Something about how unimportant plans are. How you can not think that because you are enrout to somewhere that is where you will end up. How having an adventure is more important than where you end up.

From then on, each time there was a Scottish event in the area, we attended. One Sunday, rather than going to our church, we went to a HUGE, old stone cathedral and attended the Scottish "Blessing of The Tartans". Again, kits, bagpipes, dancing, singing...and that feeling of breaking away from the norm. Each Scottish event we attended reminded me of that lesson I had learned when we went to our first Scottish Festival.

The years passed and we moved to less culturally diverse states and we didn't attend any more Scottish Festivals. However, as I travelled around the world, I remembered that lesson. Sometimes, I would be on my way somewhere and have the opportunity to go somewhere completely different than planned, maybe even somewhere I was nervous to go. I would remember our hiking trip that ended at a Scottish Festival and I would flip a mental u-turn and head for the unknown!

When I moved to Utah, I learned of a yearly Scottish Festival in the area! I was so happy, but Taiger was always too small to go, or I was too busy. Well, a few days ago they announced on the news that the Scottish Festival would be this weekend! I decided we would go! So, last night, I dragged Taiger and Jeremy to Thanksgiving Point and the bagpipes and kilts of a Scottish Festival!!!! We had a WONDERFUL time! Something about it was so exciting, and I realized that although the overall spirit of the Festival was meant to evoke that warm, exciting feeling, there was something more. I know it was a reminder of the lesson I had learned about walking away from the beatten path.

I hope that is something I can teach Taiger. That no matter WHAT, it is more imporant to have an adventure than to stick to the plan!!

Anyway, here are some pictures of the Festival!! It was SOOOOO FUN!!

My Chocolate Baby

I just wanted to post this thought. Feel free to comment your opinion:

Sometimes, I call Taiger "chocolate", but often get strange looks from people...looks that scream, "Is that politically correct?!" All I can think is that he is not a politic, he is my son, and to me he is sweet as chocolate, and as dark!

Star Trek

So, Jeremy and I planned to go see Ghosts of Girlfriend's Past, and I had a family thing that night and ended up making us late for the movie. When we got to the theatre, we decided we would go watch something else rather than coming in 20 mins late to the movie. So we checked out what was playing, and decided to see Star Trek! Yes! Me! I have always thought it was so dorky to watch Star Trek! My dad used to watch Deep Space 9, and I would watch it in bits and pieces, but never understood the big draw and was bored by it.

Well, I will anashamedly admit here...I really liked the movie! It was great! I would totally watch it again!!!!!! I wouldn't say it is my favorite movie, or even that I would buy it and watch it over and over again. BUT I did really, really enjoy it! I think anyone who is anti Star Trek should watch it just to realize not EVERYTHING Star Trek is "Trekky"! LOL!

Taiger's First Spanking

I am totally, anti-spanking! I think it is just silly because we are trying to teach our children not to hit, so we hit them. We are trying to teach them to control their anger, and we lash out in physical aggression. So, I use time-out. It has been SO wonderful, and Taiger hates Time Out just as much as some kids hate being spanked. When Taiger goes to Time-Out I get to his eye level, tell him what he did wrong WHILE TOUCHING HIM (very important!) and then he has to put his palms on the wall for one minuet for how many years old he is. When his time is served, I again get down to eye level, remind him of what he did wrong, and then he has to say "Sorry, Mommy, for____". Then we give hugs and all is forgiven. I don't keep bringing it up or anything. He says sorry and it is done.

I just gave Taiger his first ever spanking. Yes. Me. Anti-Spanking. I was on my work phone and he was trying to see how far he could go before I would get angry. He even hit me! I kept giving him "the look", but he just laughed. When I would point in anger at him, he would point back and laugh. He was testing me and thought since I was on the phone, he could get away with it. Well, I took him (while I was on the phone!) and stood him in time out. He laughed and walked away. And WHACK! Okay, it was more like TAP! But it was still a spanking!

I am sure I was completely inattentive to the gentleman on the phone (who, I will say, was asking a million questions that were just ridiculous). Once I got off the phone, I put Taiger in Time-Out, using all of my old tactics, EXCEPT he had to stand there longer. Oh, and instead of using my nice "teach you a valuable life lesson" voice, I was yelling! I was MAD!

When it was time to get off Time-Out, we had longer hugs and I said sorry for spanking him.

I am the Worlds Worst mom...I can't believe I swatted my son on the behind!

Surprise Date at Lagoon!!

So, Jeremy surprised Taiger and me and brought us to Lagoon!!!!! YES! REALLY! We had NEVER been before, but we had always wanted to go! I always told Taiger we would save our money so we could go "someday". Each Wednesday we pass Lagoon on our way to our music lessons, and Taiger beggs to go to Lagoon. Each Wednesday, I tell him "when you are older, maybe we can go! Save your money and some day we will go!"

Now we got to go!!!!!! Jeremy brought his sister with us to tend Taiger while Jeremy and I went on some of the "big" rides, but for the most part we all stayed together and rode rides Taiger could go on as well. It was fun! Taiger rode most of the kiddie rides. We also went on Rattle Snake Rapids and it was fun! The best was going on The Bat with Taiger. It was one of only a few "scary" rides that Taiger was tall enough to go on. He was REALLY excited to go on it, and wanted to go on it again and again. Unfortunately, it was the last ride we went on and it was time to go as soon as the ride ended. :( HOWEVER....I hope to go again some day and we will ridd it again and again!

After riding on The Bat, the only BIG roller coaster Taiger could ride on. He LOVED it!

Jeremy and I went on the Colossus, the Samurai and Blast Off. They were REALLY fun, as I LOVE scary rides! However...the BEST ride we went on alone was...THE SKY COASTER! YES! I went on it and LOVED it! (It is like a BIG swing that you LAY down on and they strap you on. Then, they lift you WAY up high, pull you back, and let you free-fall, swinging forward and then back and forth. The entire time you are "laying" on your stomach and it feels kind of like you are flying! AMAZING!)

In line for The Sky Coaster

Jeremy and I gearing up for Sky Coaster. Those were like REALLY heavy, canvas blankets that strapped on in the back and then hooked to the main line on the ride. It was much like when kids wear over-alls and their crazy uncle lifts them up by the back and swings them around!!

One of the BEST things was that Jeremy bought us "Dippin' Dots" to share and Taiger had never had them before! He LOVED them!!

Taiger eating Dippin' Dots

Anyway, it was the BEST Surprise Date EVER! Taiger hasn't stopped talking about it since we went!

Taiger's First Barbecue

Another thing that happened while my computer was not working was have our first "REAL" meeting for Small Stones (check out more info on that at sixteensmallstones.blogspot.com)! It went SO well! Anyway, for our meeting we went to the park and had a little barbecue. Taiger LOVED it! Jeremy showed him how to turn the hot dogs and Taiger was vigilant in making sure they didn't burn (in other words, Taiger turned them every five seconds, and most of them took at least one trip to the ground...One fell on the ground, like, 7 or 8 times! HA HA! Needless to say, NO ONE would eat that one!). It was really fun for Taiger and he was SO CUTE checking the hot dogs and turning them.

SO proud of himself!!

Jeremy showing Taiger how to turn them without dropping them...HA HA! Where would the fun be in that?!

Bryttan forgot the cups, so anyone who wanted some pop had to drink from the bottle. Luckily, we are all "friends", but MORE luckily, everyone was REALLY careful not to get their mouths on the bottle...Everyone, that is, except Taiger!

Although we met at a FUN park so Taiger would have something to do while we had our meeting, Taiger spent most of his time sitting in the grass, watching the other children play. Since it was Memorial Day, the park was full of other children. Taiger DID play some, but, as anyone who knows him will attest to, Taiger likes to play with a small group of friends, or alone rather than with many new children. He likes to observe when there are more children playing, especially kids he doesn't know.

Camping

As you may have guessed with my lack of "blogging", my computer has been broken. WOW! What a traumatizing experience that was for me, but I made it through, and can say I am stronger now that I came through that challenging time in my life! HA HA! Anyway, so I want to give a quick up-date on what has been happening while we have been out of Bloggerland!

I have the most seriously CREEPY eyes here! Sorry! I am not really trying to shoot you through the computer with my x-ray vision, or anything like that.

Jeremy and I went camping with a BUNCH of his friends and their families. It was really, really fun! It wasn't in a camp ground, but rather on some mountain property a friend owned. It was really beautiful land! It wasn't as "woodsy" as I usually like for camping, but it was REALLY nice, and great to camp away from a camp ground. We were up there all alone with no other campers, etc. The scenerey was SO beautiful!!!!!! The sky was so clear at night, with SO many stars! One thing I LOVED was that, from where we were camping, we could see the Manti Temple in the distance! It was SO VERY, VERY BEAUTIFUL! We only stayed one night, but stayed all the next day, so we got in some good camping fun.

Manti Temple up close. Jeremy took a little detour and drove us past it on our way home!

This is the scenary from where we were camped! It was SO beautiful!!

First thing in the morning, we went and shot a gun Jer's friend had brought. It was my first time shooting (other than a couple of times my dad took me when I was really...REALLY...young...as in, too young to remember it!) I LOVED it! It was a LOT louder than it sounds on the movies. Also, the kick from the gun is different than you think it will be. I really enjoyed it, though, AND...I hit the can on my third or fourth shot!!

Me Shooting

We also had a huge game of Horse Shoes...something I had never played! It was really a blast, and I did pretty well, shooting TWO "Ringers". GO ME! I was the only girl who played, though, and wanted to start singing, "Where my girls at, from the front to back, get you feelin' that, put one hand up..." but that is all of the song I know, so I didn't sing it...that, among other reasons. LOL! Anyway, Jeremy's team came in First Runner Up! GO JEREMY! :P

We took the 4-wheeler up the mountain with some of his friends. It was fun! Jeremy drove up, and I drove back down, only nearly killing us once.

There was a really big fire pit so everyone had room around it. We roasted marshmallows and sat around it keeping as warm as possible...it was rainy and cool while we were there. But that is how I like it! It wasn't cold, but it wasn't hot. It was perfect, and we had a lot of fun!

I was sad we could only stay one night...I really was up to stay another night! But the next day was Sunday, and Jeremy and I both needed to be to church. Anyway, it really was THAT fun, not to mention totally relaxing, with no work, cel phones, responsibilites...We had a good time! It was a really fun mini-vacation!

Tooth Update

So, the day after Taiger had his tooth pulled, the Tooth Fairy came! The night before, I told Taiger about the Tooth Fairy and that, if he left his tooth under his pillow, the Tooth Fairy would leave a prize under his pillow in place of his tooth. That night, he layed right down and shut his eyes as tightly as he could. He told Jeremy and I that Jeremy needed to leave so we could all hurry and go to sleep. When I asked why, he said so that the Tooth Fairy would come and not pass by our house! He was SOOOO excited!

Well, that night the Tooth Fairy DID visit our house, leaving Taiger a letter AND a dollar. Taiger LOVED the letter and had both my Mom and I each read the letter to him. He also was SO excited to recieve a dollar! It was so cute, he called it, "A one dollar!", as in, "The Tooth Fairy left me a one dollar!" Totally redundant! I LOVE children's grammar!

You can REALLY see in this picture how SWOLLEN his face was for DAYS after the accident! His eyes were very puffy, as were his cheecks and lips.

Besides getting rich off the Tooth Fairy, another good thing came from him losing the tooth. When it happened, it hurt too badly for him to suck his binkie...You see where this is going?! Well, he didn't suck on it for several days and when he did, he said it STILL hurt his tooth! I don't know how it could HURT, maybe just feel "weird", but who am I to argue?! So, he decided to give his binkie to the Tooth Fairy, as well. So cute! Unfortunately, the other night he left a note asking the Tooth Fairy to please return the binkie. FORTUNATELY, it still hurts his "tooth", and he wants to give it now to the Binkie Fairy, who DOES NOT EVER, EVER give Binkie's back once she has them! He has been thinking a lot about this, and I don't want to push it. But...his binkie IS still sitting here on the night stand, and he is FAST ASLEEP! Could this really be the end of the binkie?!?!?!? NOT that I care...but WOOOOO HOOOOO! :D :D

So anyway, back to the tooth...Taiger looks so very cute without a tooth. Actually, it makes him look OLDER if anything! It also works GREAT to make him look more like a pirate! ARG!!!!