- Love is the Motive -

Then He Turned TWO

2012-02-13T15:10:00.000-08:00

My little big boy Hyrum is now a two-year-old.

I know this post should've been done a long time ago but things have been a whole lotta crazy in this household.

Anyways, we had a nice little party in our house with some of Mavs family. My mum cooked some pancit and lumpia and I baked a (not so) fabulous cake.

Hyrum had a lot fun having his cousins over to play with.

Now for some fun facts. Hyrum is now 35" tall and weighs 32 lbs 5 oz. He is in the 80th percentile for height and 95th percentile for weight. Which basically means he is tall and fat. Hehe. Although we think he is more muscular than he is fat.

He is obsessed with helicopters and airplanes. He makes them everyday with anything he can get his hands on. Paper, crayons, blocks, other toys... He likes to pretend he's an airplane and 'runs fast' with his arms spread out like wings or spins round and round to be a helicopter.

He is a talker. With full sentences that you can really have a conversation with him. We can ask him questions that he will (sometimes) truthfully answer which makes things a lot easier (or harder depending on how you see it). We've been asked a number of times if he was three yet based on his language coz he can say (and mean) a lot more words than an average two-year-old. But, his favorite word is the plain and simple NO word.

He knows his ABCs and can count to 10 without any help. He can also recognize them too and would frequently point out letters and numbers when we are out and about.

His toy helicopter got stuck on his hair a lot of times

He is still as active as ever! He honestly doesn't know how to walk coz he is always running or jogging everywhere. It's tough going shopping or being anywhere in public with him coz he is always on the go, which has made for a few embarrassing moments with strangers.

He is a sweetie. And he frequently makes my heart melt with his endless kisses and "huggas". As long as it's not for his little sister.

My little big boy also went through a drastic change in appearance as he got his very first haircut. It reached all the way down to the middle of his back and the poor child was always mistaken for a girl since no one here keeps their little boys hair long.

HALOWHAR!

This child is very stubborn though and has an opinion of his own. If he doesn't like it we have quite the time trying to get him to do it. I guess what comes around goes around.

Regardless, we are just in love with him and how he makes our lives alive.
He helps us witness Gods' miracles each and everyday day just by being his crazy and very smart self.

And even though he is constantly testing our patience and our ability to perceive that we are good parents, we love him dearly.

And are grateful that he is in our lives.

HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY BUDDY!

A Daughter for Me

2012-01-25T23:04:00.000-08:00

Introducing

Halia Chiya Carreon Mitton

Let me start with the meaning of her name.

HALIA - pronounced hali-yah. Is Hawaiian which means remembrance.

CHIYA - came from my little sisters nickname, Chia. She died at 19months in 1989.

So pretty much, in remembrance of Chia.

This beautiful little angel came into our lives on January 12, 2012. At a small size of 5 lbs and 15 oz, and 18 1/2 inches.

At around 12:15am I woke up with painful contractions that where almost unbearable but still around 10mins apart. I didn't think much of it since i woke up the previous night with similar contractions at 10mins apart which went away in the morning.

At around 1am, they were getting worse and the time was closing in at around 6-7mins. I decided I'd wait one more contractions till I wake Maverick up. One more contraction turned out to be 3 more and by the time the third one came I was in CRAZY pain!

I woke Maverick up and told him it was time and we packed the car and headed to his brothers house to drop Hyrum off, then straight on to the emergency room.

We got admitted at around 1:45am and hurried to labor and delivery which was annoyingly on the 3rd floor and through a bunch of hallways. By this time, I was in a lot of pain and was feeling that "pushing time" was close.

I told the nurses that I labor really fast so after I hurriedly changed into the hospital gown, they checked me and said that I was already at 8cms.

I had nurses left and right trying to do all the pre birth stuff, like ivs n paper work. The doctor arrived panting from running up 3flights of stairs and checked me right away. Still at 8cms 100% effaced, he decided that there is still a little bit of time left so he left to get his clothes changed and do his prep.

Dr. Romney only saw me twice before I gave birth coz I had to transfer hospitals when we moved.

About 10mins later I felt the urge to push. The nurse beside me who was still typing things then checks me again then runs outside to call the doctor.

Maverick says that by the time the doctor sat down her head was already crowning. They didn't even have time to take the stirups out n such. The dr just had to sit sideways on my bed. 2 pushes later her head was out, then 1 more for the rest of her body.

She was born at 2:11am. 26 minutes after we got to the hospital.

Meeting my little girl for the first time.

PRETTY CRAZY STUFF! Based on my 4hr labor with Hyrum, we knew I was going to be fast... But not THAT fast!

So now we are a family of four.

MY LOVES!

She is a perfect little addition to our not-so-perfect little family. It's still pretty surreal for me to have 2 kids. I called the doctors office today to make Halia's 2 week and Hyrum's 24 months check-ups and I was caught off guard when I said "I'd like to make an appointment for my son and my daughter." I was like, woaahhh! I have a daughter!

So we are adjusting well. Hyrum is starting to warm up to his sister (he wouldn't even look at her at the hospital). She is eating well (thank goodness), sleeping well and is already bringing so much joy into our lives.

Finally touched her. (Didnt last very long tho)

Im excited to see what her personality is going to be. Still hoping that she will be my calm child that will be satisfied with just watching her crazy brother.

Post-partum Blues

2012-01-23T17:53:00.000-08:00

Ow the hormones have kicked in.

Which are causing crazy changes.

Massive breast and meaningless emotions.

Like when I cried watching Justin Bieber Movie.

And that's saying a lot since I never cry in movies and I don't like Justin Bieber.

Being left alone with a rambunctious two year old and a newborn three days after giving birth was pretty overwhelming.

I was very much regreting having the baby early (not that I had any control over it).

But, alas, we made it through the week with a lot of help from Barney, Super Why, Blue Clues, Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the Toy Story gang (we watched Toy Story 1, 2 & 3 a gazillion times that even Hyrum has lines memorized).

Ow and of coarse, the people in the ward that brought us dinner everyday of the week that was enough to go on for lunch the next day.

Halia by herself wouldve been easy to handle. And Hyrum im used to spending the day with. But together...

Especially when this happen...

Makes me want to pull my hair out.

Don't get me wrong, I think pregnancy and childbirth is a MIRACLE that I am very grateful to have been given opportunities to experience.

And I have embraced motherhood with arms wide open (although it didnt happen overnight) and Ive been enjoying it and making the most out of it.

So theres my rant. Thanks for 'listening'.

Observation

2012-01-19T01:30:00.001-08:00

My son doubled in size overnight...

Or at least that's what it feels like.

It seems like he grew soooo much once the baby was here.

Anyone else felt the same when the second child came along?

I have TWO babies?!?!

2012-01-11T16:15:00.001-08:00

I now have TWO

Kids

Children

Babies

No longer a kid, a child, a baby.

My spawn is now plural!

That is insane!

Mind-boggling!!

Out of this world!!!

Alrighty. I'm gonna go get some rest now...

Crazy birth story to follow.

39 Weeks

2012-01-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

I was exactly at this point of my pregnancy when I gave birth to Hyrum.

The day I gave birth to Hyrum

Me yesterday

I am still hoping to go until 41 weeks (Jan 21st to be exact), but anything goes right.

It is getting A LOT harder to be pregnant. Which makes me want to give birth NOW!

I am NOT taking any extra efforts to get things going like last time. Maybe if it wasnt so cold outside I would maybe go for walks with Hyrum...maybe...hehehe

Anyways, anyone wanna guess when baby girl will grace our presence???

Catch up post: 3-year Anniversary

2012-01-03T22:39:00.000-08:00

Our third year anniversary this year fell on a Sunday so we decided to celebrate it on a Saturday. Little did we know that that Saturday was going to be the final moving day so it was a lot crazier than we anticipated.

Amidst all the packing, cleaning, unpacking and more cleaning, we just decided to take a break to dress up and go out to dinner.

So we dropped Hyrum off at Mavericks brothers house and we went to a nice Italian restaurant.

It was a great break for an otherwise very busy day.

Bad quality low light camera phone...sorry!

We both got great food and had a great time just sitting down and talking without the distraction of a rowdy child who doesn't usually do well in restaurants.

Best of all, dinner was on Mavericks new job.

a week on the job and he got a Christmas bonus

So here's to another grand year full of adventures, trials, laughters, and mystery. We had a good amount of downs this year (specially being miles apart at the beginning of the year) but it has taught us a lot of life lessons that has definetly strengthened our relationship.

I'm so grateful I get to spend eternity with a great guy.

Who loves me, cares for me, works hard and is a great father.

Pink-a-mania

2012-01-01T18:38:00.000-08:00

I am not a big fan of PINK...

It's a very girly color and too much of it makes my eyes kinda scream.

Not that it's not a pretty, it's just isn't in my top color preference.

Then in comes the baby girl...

And we are seeing PINK!

EVERYWHERE!!!

Although I am very grateful for everything that we have been given (we've only bought about 20outfits from a yard sale plus the going home outfit)

All these pink is making me even more nervous to have a girl!

AAAAHHHHHH!!! 2-3 more weeks to go!!!

From baby shower with family in Oakley

From baby shower put together by Burley 4th Ward sisters.

Christ-Centered Christmas

2011-12-24T14:12:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas Eve!!!

With all the moving craziness the week before Christmas, I havent had the chance to update the MANY happenings that has occurred recently.

But, of coarse, the most important event right now is CHRISTMAS.

Since Halloween ended, we started getting into the Christmas spirit coz it is Mavericks favorite holiday. So weve been listening to Christmas songs, watching Christmas movies and such for quite a while now.

This year though I have been paying more attention on Christmas traditions and how I can make it more meaningful. Especially with my growing family, I want to start now on what I want Hyrum and future children to know about Christmas.

I have noticed that it seems Christmas is now more centered towards spending money on presents, decorations and Santa. Which is all well and good to make the holiday season feel special from any other days BUTTTT what is the real meaning of Christmas?

So Merry CHRISTmas everyone!

Always remember the reason for season.

New Developments

2011-12-09T08:51:00.000-08:00

Maverick got a new job. YAY!

He is now a Rehabilitation Aide at a big fancy new hospital in Twin Falls. DOUBLE YAY!

But he gets paid less than his personal trainer job. BOO!

But we figured it's better in the long run since he is pretty much doing what a Physical Therapist Assistant does, without the certification (hence the lower pay grade). YAY!?

But it's about 45mins away (more during snowy days) from wer we live now. BOO!

So we gotta move. DOUBLE BOO!

We have been searching for another place with hopes to move by Christmas but it's been harder than anticipated. BOO!

So wish us luck that we can get the ball rolling sooner rather than later and be settled into a new place n environment before our lives gets turned upside down again with a newborn.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-29T13:17:00.000-08:00

I know this is a late post but im behind on this blog anyways so I thought id still publish it.

Thanksgiving is an American holiday that I am trully grateful for.

I didnt have Thanksgiving holiday growing up both in the Philippines and New Zealand and I really wish I did.

Besides the 4-day-weekend, ginormous turkey, scrumptious pies and other yummy food, we get major family time and fun.

And I just like the idea of dedicating a day to giving thanks.

Before Thanksgiving, I came across this video

And it is such a great reminder to be thankful for everything that we are given

ALWAYS.

Which made me realize how greatful I am to be a photographer.

To find the beauty in little things around me.

To capture little miracles of life.

To freeze time to be remembered in the future.

I am very thankful for the knowledge that I have that all of what we have here on Earth is given to us by our loving Heavenly Father.

And that despite all the negativity that goes on,

we are surrounded by GREATNESS

and MIRACLES

and BEAUTY

and JOY

and we should LOVE every minute of it

EVERY SINGLE DAY that we are here on Earth.

WEEK 33

2011-11-28T18:00:00.000-08:00

So the title of this post was originally WEEK 30. Soooo its been in my draft for 3 weeks now...

So I thought id finish it today while the little rascal is napping and Grey's Anatomy is on.

SOOOO. 33 WEEKS PREGNANT!

Well it flew by quick...

but from now on, im sure it is going to get slower. Since I remember the last months of my first pregnancy was sooooo dang sslllloooowwww!

Its crazy how different my 2 pregnancies has been.

31 weeks with baby girl

32 weeks with Hyrum. I guess I didnt take a 31 weeks photo.

At my last doctors appointment (last week) I was told I was measuring 2 weeks late. Everything else is going great with her development and such but she is just measuring on the small side. So on my next appointment they are going to check further but it could just mean that she is a small baby.

But, she could also still catch up in the next couple of weeks.

Because I was measuring small, I got another ultrasound which was great since the last time I saw the baby was at 18 weeks. And we found out that the babys head is way down with little or no chance of flipping over to a breech position.

GREAT NEWS!
Seeing as I was very worried because I had a dream that she was breech and had to get a c-section.

As for other updates, I have terrible terrible round ligament pain and pretty constant heartburn (esp at night). My lower back is also a killer which makes standing, sitting, sleeping, walking and pretty much moving kinda uncomfortable. Although, im not complaining too much (besides to Maverick) because ive had a relatively easy pregnancy which I am very greatful for.

Most people (including me with my first) want to have the baby out as soon as it is full term which is 37 weeks. But, this time around, I want to keep this baby in as long as possible.

My reasons are:

- I already have a crazy life with a crazy toddler who needs my constant attention. A baby would need more attention which will result in a CRAZIER life.

- Maverick just got a new job (more about this on another post), and it is in a different town about 45mins away from where we live now so we would probably need to move sometime soon.

- My mum doesnt get here till the 22 January and im due 14 January. It would be nice to have my mum here for when the baby comes or at least as close to the delivery as possible to help with the crazy toddler.

- As much as I want to deny it, having 2 kids with birthdays close together will be easier and cheaper in the long run.

- Its a lot easier to keep a baby warm in utero than outside, especially in January (or in a couple weeks time) when it is going to be FREEZZINGGG!!!

So there yah go!
Stay inside now little girl. Ill put up with all the crazy things that you are putting my body through for 'convenience' purposes.

True Hawaiian Born

2011-11-18T15:19:00.000-08:00

It snowed for the first time this season last Saturday.

Maverick is so excited for Hyrum's first snow. Unfortunately, he had work early that morning so he called me up at an indecent hour (9am) to wake up and take Hyrum out to play in the snow.

Being the obedient wife that I am, I got all dressed up to go outside and by the time I was done, Hyrum was awake so I got him all bundled up in his first snow outfit.

THEN, we went outside and this happened...

He stepped into the snow...

Wondered what it was...

THEN CRIED...

AND CRIED...

and ~~asked~~ demanded to be picked up...

and didnt want to touch it...

and cried...

AND CRIED...

AND CRIED...

It was so pretty though...

Poor little Hawaiian baby...

"Where's my sand and ocean???"

11-11-11

2011-11-13T09:36:00.000-08:00

YOU WERE GOOD TO ME!

First of all, it was Veterans Day, so we had Maverick home until work time which was 3pm.

So my day started with a 9am sleep in.

After breakfast we headed out so that we can do this,

11:11am on 11-11-11 on 11th Street.

The park was right across 11th Street so we let Hyrum play for a bit.

Then we headed off to feed the ducks.

Hyrum was sooo excited that he had a bounce on his stride and this cheeky grin.

Too bad the ducks didnt quite like us (I dont think they are used to having people feed them).

So we went to the shops instead and finally found baby girl her going home outfit.

Hyrum had a football going home outfit so I was in search for a ballet one that wasnt pink.

Then, we headed home to take a nap while Mav goes off to work.

We Skyped with my parents after nap time which was great.

After dinner we had some good wholesome family fun and put up our Christmas tree.

I know some people think that its a little early to be all Christmassy, but its Mavericks favourite holiday and he gets all giddy and cant wait to decorate.

It was lots of fun! Hyrum had a blast helping out.

He would hand us the tree branches with a "heeya go mommy/daddy".

and go around and around the tree saying "cush me kishkish (Christmas) twee".

Then we helped him put ornaments on then sat back to say "oooo, pwitty".

Then we sat down for a movie and called it a night.

MUCH MAHALO for being GREAT 11-11-11.

BLESSINGS

2011-11-10T23:30:00.000-08:00

Every single day is a mystery.

New problems, new challenges, new accomplishments.

And the past few months for us have been just that,

A MYSTERY.

My pregnancy...purpose in life...sanity...

Maverick's schooling...job search...GRE preparations....

Hyrum's mood...appetite...developing mind...

and so on...

But mostly, our livelihood has been a mystery.

and it has been TOUGH!

BUT

I FEEL BLESSED!!!

"Across the world, this is a time of economic instability and financial uncertainty. In April general conference, President Thomas S. Monson said: "If you are concerned about providing financially for a family, may I assure you that there is no shame in a couple having to scrimp and save. It is generally during these challenging times that you will grow closer together as you learn to sacrifice and to make difficult decisions." -Elder Neil L. Anderson

Despite all our 'problems', we are surviving.

we are happy. we are BLESSED.

Blessed by our Heavenly Father,

to have both sides of our families supporting us,

to be surrounded with wonderful members of the church who genuinely cares,

to be given things that is just what we needed,

to have enough for the necessities.

I AM BLESSED.

and I can never say it enough.

TO BE LIVING THE LIFE THAT I AM LIVING.

BACK IN BUSINESS!

2011-11-05T10:24:00.000-07:00

Sometime in January my DSLR Rebel camera took its last breathe and gave up on me with an "error 99".

Given to me as a payment for doing my internship with an advertising company, it served me well with numerous photo sessions and random shoots of the little monkey.

Funnily enough, this is the last picture that it took.

Being very low on funds, I didnt know the next time that I would own a DSLR camera.

In comes my wonderful parents. Who got me a brand new Canon 600D!

(Although, I think they put it in my tab of 'to pay back when we get out of our student financial status')

WOOOHOOO!!!

So with the financial problems that we are in right now, I am hoping to put this baby to work and book a few photo sessions so I can help pay for rent and not have to move out.

Soooo help us out a little here.

If you or anyone you know has photography or design needs and lives fairly close to where we are, please direct them over my way.

Or just simply spread the word for me.

My Facebook page is:

www.facebook.com/AissaMittonphotodesign

THANK YOU!

Potty Training Preparation

2011-11-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

ALRIGHT!

Im taking on the challenge of potty training in one week.

I figured Hyrum is ready since he gets ANNOYED of his soiled diapers and he FREQUENTLY takes it off himself.

We bought him a seat that goes on top of our toilet seat a few months ago and he has gone pee-pee in it a few times. But I/we havent been consistent about it to stick.

I've been reading about it recently and I am definetly motivated. (Lets see how motivated I will be during it though).

So for the rest of this week I will be gathering my weapons.

Potty charts, stickers, treats, rewards, bribes...

Potty Chart from here.

I know one week is quite a fantasy. If that doesnt happen then I will keep going in hopes to have only one child in diapers.

Wish me all the luck in the world! Come Monday, ITS ON!!!

Food Glorious FOOD!

2011-10-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

I WAS NOT A COOK!

(key word: WAS)

So much that when Maverick asked my dad if he could marry me, my dads first response was,

"You know she can't cook right?" HA!

The kitchen and I didnt have a relationship seeing as I burned everything that I attempted to make.

I always had the mindset of 'my poor kids will not know what a genuine home cooked meal taste like'.

BOOOYAAHHHH!!!

Enter my new HOMEMAKER title.

(Im sooo sorry! Blog post about being a stay-at-home mom will be a frequent topic for a while.)

I am now proud to say that my family has a home cooked meal for the majority of the time.

I do have my 'lazy' moments where I would go back to my old ways and succumbed to serving $5 Papa Johns Pizzas instead. But I honestly dont feel good after it.

It could be the whole pregnancy thing, but I just feel icky after eating fast food.

But, I guess thats a good thing. Since I now demand that we have a frequent stock of fruits, veggies, meat and other ingredients in our fridge and pantry.

Oh, my mother would be sooooo proud!

Here are some of the big hits that ive cooked recently. Not my pictures since I was so hungry to stop and take a pic. hehe! But they all tasted pretty good. And I know I've done a good job when the toddler and the picky eater husband goes back for seconds.

Potato and corn chowder with bacon.

Cabbage beef casserole

Shepard's pie

Eggplant parmesan

Chicken pasta bake

Lemon and rosemary chicken bake

Kumara (sweet potato) soup

Cream of broccoli soup

Chicken adobo

Peppered Steak

Spinach pasta with asparagus

Stir fry with my own teriyaki sauce

Although, I am not IN LOVE with cooking, its not such a chore to do anymore.

And it makes me feel good inside and accomplished knowing what was exactly in the food that we are eating. We even had organic ingredients since my mother-in-law has a huge garden with all sort of fruits and veggies.

Crochet Creations

2011-10-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

I cant remember the last time that I had spent this little time on Blogspot and Facebook.

(Hence, the lack of blog updates).

A new 'time-waster' has taken over my life.

PINTEREST.

But I say this 'time-waster' is a little bit more productive than all the others in ways that I actually do something productive because of it.

Couldn't have come at a more perfect time since I was in search of something to keep me sane.

and not feel like a lazy bum watching life go by in front of the computer screen and TV.

This whole 'I am a HOMEMAKER' card is new to me and was very hard to swallow in the beginning.

But I am starting to get the hang of it now and finding a lot of joy at it.

So with that, here are some examples of what's been keeping my sanity in check.

Slippers

Beanie and bootie for baby girl

Baby earflap beanie

Headband with interchangeable flowers

First attempt on an adult size beanie. Sorry for the blurry photo

Butterfly baby beanie for my cousins baby

Earflap beanie for baby (I forgot to finish it off)

Baby booties and earflap beanie for Auna baby boy (i ran out of the multi colored yarn so I had to improvise)

Hair clips - Ok this isnt crochet but I made it during a Relief Society activity

It really is quite exciting seeing a ball of yarn turn into a wonderful creation.

Its very addictive.

Also, what's GREAT is that one of my best friend is in this journey with me of finding the homemaker within us. So its been fun to compare and share our creations with each other. See her blog here.

Watch this space for future creations.

2011-09-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

You know that its a serious addiction when I am on it more than Facebook...

I guess its more 'productive' than FB.

If only I can get off it and actually do some of the stuff that ive pinned.

Baby No.2 - First Post

2011-09-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

I just realized that besides the 'announcement' post, I havent really blogged about my second pregnancy.

Soooo, here is me now at 23 weeks

I think I look a lot different from 23 weeks with Hyrum

Im a lot pointier this time which is great coz I didnt like my squareness last time.

Being pregnant with a crazy toddler around is a lot different from being pregnant with nothing to do.

For one thing, I am more motivated to go on walks since its hard to keep Hyrum indoors.

Which is great coz that means I will most probly not gain anywhere near the 60 lbs. that I gained with Hyrum. I have been trying to pay good attention to my weight gain this time around coz I worked really hard to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight last time. Plus, it really isnt very healthy to gain that much that fast. So far im at 11 lbs!

Anyways, I had a fairly easy pregnancy with Hyrum and so far, this one has lived up to the same expectations (knock on wood). Besides the usual 'I gotta eat every 2 hours', I havent really had any sort of cravings. Well, I guess except for that one time that I saw someone eating mint chocolate chip ice cream on Desperate Housewife.

I have noticed a BIG difference on movement though. By this time with Hyrum, I was feeling somersaults a la Cirque du Soleil circus happening in my tummy. I guess that is probably why Hyrum is a GREAT big ball of energy! This one is very timid. I only feel her 2-4 times a day and are usually very very light taps. Maybe its coz its a girl but hopefully its coz she is going to be a timid baby who will be satisfied just sitting there observing her crazy brother run around like a mad dog. Well, one can hope right...

As for names, I THINK we have one picked out. Still not 100% sure about it though. We havent told anyone yet (even parents) but I am am pretty happy about it because it has a great meaning which is really near and dear to me.

We are still very much STRESSED and WORRIED about our financial situations with this baby seeing that I dont have any insurance BUT we are happy that we are all healthy and we are happy that we are all HAPPY! Which is the most important thing. Besides, its only fitting that the girl is already costing us sooooo much. (First pregnancy was under 'government insurance Quest' so we didnt see any bills).

Wells, thats about it for now...

Fail-proof Foods

2011-09-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

I was NOT born a cook.

Quite the opposite actually.

I HATED cooking!

BUT,

I think i've someone grown out of it now...SOMEWHAT...

I don't actually mind cooking now,

Maybe coz I am at home all day with no husband to cook for me and a son who has a bottomless appetite.

BUT,

Thinking of WHAT to cook for meals or even just for snacks is STRESSFUL!

So im asking for HELP...

All you veterans (or not) mommies out there,

What are your favorite, tried and tested meals???

Also for munchies?

The little boy LOVES to eat! But sometimes we miss the target and buy something that is not acceptable. Then it ends up being left alone for weeks and thrown away coz its stale.

He loves fruits and other fruity stuff like raisins. Not very into candy cept for fruit snacks and gummi stuff. Likes crackers like wheat thins but not ritz.

Sooo what snacks do you have on your cupboard at all times? Id like to try more stuff and see what works and what doesnt.

Much Mahalos!

(I really miss saying that)

Birthday Wish

2011-09-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

TWENTY SIX

REALLY?!?!

I have lived twenty-six years come 16th of this month,

and life has never been harder...

The past couple of weeks has been quite a challenge in our household.

We had financial "downfalls" one after another.

LOTS of heartbreak and stress.

Enough to last us for the next couple of years,

at least I hope so...

But we are optimistic about the future

Maverick and I have had many talks,

with parents,

families,

friends,

each other,

HEAVENLY FATHER.

and I have a feeling that

EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT.

We have a long road ahead of us.

BUT

My wish is that we will come out of it

Stronger

Smarter

and with a better relationship with each other

and with the important people in our lives

including our Heavenly Father.

Just gotta keep on going forward.

Besides, finding this FIVE LEAF CLOVER can only mean good luck.

EMPLOYED

2011-08-21T09:05:00.000-07:00

So I got offered a job...

the ONLY ONE that I applied for...

the one that I waited an answer for for two months...

Its just a "test proctor" for College of Southern Idaho.

So a testing center person who checks people in to do their test.

Sooo nothing special....

I felt pretty proud that I got the job though...

so I went to training on Wed.

Looks pretty manageable.

No hard labor or long time standing up.

And its not minimum wage.

So we are GOOD!

Then Maverick and I sat down that night to work out our schedules.

We did the math, made a daily schedule and day care expences for Hyrum and came to the conclusions that we would only have a $60 profit.

NOT WORTH IT!

Sooo, I quit on Thurs morning...

Anyway, the whole point of this post is to share what I realized during this whole process.

Maverick voiced out during our discussion that it is very important for him to not have Hyrum (or any of our future kids) to be bounced around all over the place or in day care for long periods of time.

Which I totally agree on, BUT staying at home ALL DAY EVERYDAY can get pretty old.

Maybe I would feel a lot better about staying at home if I can drive,
or if I was better at keeping the house clean,
or if we had more money,

or if I had friends.

But the past few weeks I was feeling really down about myself.
like there was something missing...

I felt like I really really needed a job because we are NEEDING the extra income to not only pay for everyday necessities but also to prepare for the new baby.

I also felt like I needed a job so that I can have a break from Hyrum. My 'lack of adult interaction' has led me to become easily frustrated and its rubbing on to Hyrum. I felt like it would do both of us good if I left him in someone else care for 3-4 hours a day.
Its not that long after all...

I grew up with my mum ALWAYS having a job.
So I NEVER imagined myself being a stay-at-home mom.
Actually, i've always known that I will have a career despite my wants to have lots of kids.
And MAYBE I will...

BUT, I realized that right now
the BEST THING for our family
is for me to be with my son 24/7.

So with that, im still unemployed.
And have been since December 2010.
I havent been unemployed for this long since I was 15 years old!

But im ok with it because now I choose to see it from a different perspective.

Because, I am in fact, EMPLOYED.

My job is to teach, to nurture, to discipline a child of God.

And come to think of it,
THAT IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT JOB.
If not the most important!

Yes! I scream at him, and get angry, and send him to timeout
and sometimes I just ~~want~~ NEED timeout myself.

BUT, in all reality,
He makes me laugh, and love life, and
BE HAPPY
more than he makes me cringe.

So here's to declaring that
I AM A MOTHER.

I dont get financial security, medical benefits, and company meetings.
INSTEAD,
I get wet kisses, soft cuddles, "abb oo" (love you), and "tee tum" (thank you).

Much more 'Eternally Beneficial', if I say so myself.

Oh, Baby! Go, Baby

2011-08-17T13:03:00.001-07:00

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

OH, BABY!

THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on your way up!

You'll be seeing great sights!

You'll join the high fliers

who soar to high heights.

Except when you don't.

Because, sometimes, you won't.

But with banner flip-flapping

once more you'll ride high!

You'll be ready for anything

under the sky!

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

Congratulations!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So ... get on your way!

- Oh, Baby! Go, Baby!

by Dr. Seuss

Hyrum with his little sisters' first picture.

Expecting baby number two in January. AND its a GIRL!!!

I am T-E-R-R-I-F-I-E-D! But super excited!

*ultra-sound pics are both babies. Hyrum the first one and baby the second one.

Bargain Hunting

2011-08-15T21:25:00.000-07:00

My dad is a garage sale JUNKIE.

And I LOVED waking up bright and early Saturday morning to go with him.

So naturally, I still enjoy going out and looking at other peoples junk to find treasures.

Too bad the other half HATES it...

Anyways the past couple of weeks I've found some great deals...n i thought I'd brag about it for just a second.

8 books for $1 at the local library annual book sale

Elmo and Lightning McQueen for 25c each at a yard sale.

Brand new $16 bought from the thrift store for $2.

Brand new $5 snow pants for Hyrum at a children store sidewalk sale.

25c at a yard sale

I wanna learn to crochet so this 10c yarn from a yard sale was perfect to practice on

Cars wall decals for 25c at a yard sale

Brand new diaper genie for $5 at a yard sale. Normally $40.

On a really tight family budget, yard sales (or any type of sales) is the way to go.

I enjoy it! and I get such a thrill coming home with cheap treasures...

18 Months

2011-08-02T12:58:00.000-07:00

A little behind on this post.

My little Hyrum turned 18 months in July and I just wanted to do a little update.

He is 33.5" tall and 29.8 lbs heavy.

The little boy isnt quite so little anymore.

He is quite a character.

Always moving!

Never a dull moment as he is always up to something (but its not always a good thing).

Under the fort with daddy

I am truly blessed (though exhausted) to be witnessing the developments of this child. Each day is a different day and everyday is an adventure.

He is talking a lot more now and can usually express his wants and needs, which is great!

The doctor said that at this age 12-15 words is where they normally are at. So I sat down and listed the words that he uses frequently and I know he understands and he has over 80 words. He even has a few sentences like 'daddy at work', 'no more juice/snack/milk/etc', 'oh no broke'. Some of my favorite words are clock (cwock), helicopter (ahahter), milk (mack), remote (meemot), thank you (teetam), rubbish/bubbles (babish), donut (totak), and of coarse, MOMMY!

He learned to sign milk, please, thank you, food, open, and water but barely uses them now since he's been saying it instead. He is very smart and can mimic things really well. He knows the actions to wheels on the bus, twinkle twinkle little star, popcorn popping, monkeys on the bed, itsy bitsy spider, pat-a-cake, and little piggies. He is very good at making animal noises too.

He RUNS EVERYWHERE! Walking doesnt exists in his book.

He HATES clothes! Since its summer right now and usually very very hot, he runs around in his diaper at home. But of coarse to look civilized, we put clothes on him when we go out and he DESPISES it! We have to hold him down to put clothes on then he spend a few minutes afterwards crying about it and trying to pull it off.

He loves Barney, Elmo, Blues Clues and Lightning McQueen. We only let him watch about an hour of TV per day. Just when im cooking or cleaning and I need him to stay put.

Bedtime is STILL a problem! He wakes up 2-4 times a night crying bloody murder and stops quickly as soon as I enter the room and hold his feet. He's worst now with sleeping than when he was a newborn. But he still takes a 2-3hr nap a day which is heavenly for me.

He is truly a BOY. Loves conquering the playground up to the very top which sometimes makes me nervous. He loves trains, cars, trucks, but his absolute favourite are planes and helicopters. We would YouTube planes taking off and helicopters and the likes, which will occupy him for a while. Any stick that he picks up is a sword and he likes to throw things (balls, rocks, grass, toys) which is sometimes not good as well.

He likes to throw away his diapers after being changed and take dishes back to the sink. He "helps" out with sweeping, wiping the table, vacuuming, moping the floor and tidying up his room. But he is also VERY stubborn and enjoys doing naughty things like pull DVDs out of the cabinet, pull on cords, mess up mommys cds and flushing the toilet.

He eats like a champ (most of the time) and shows off his Asianess because his favorite things to eat are rice and noodles (besides noses).

Playing with cousins Elizabeth and Naiella

He has a beautiful smile and a contagious laugh. I love it when his eyes disappears when he laughs or smiles.

And lastly, hes a ~~little bit~~ LOT weird...

Maverick and I laugh and do the 'hes your child' glare whenever he shows off his weird side (which is pretty often).

For example, he runs at full speed then runs into the fridge/door/couch on purpose. Pretends to give you kiss but gives a lick instead. Climbs on the couch and slides off to the floor head first. Does a happy feet dance and have the funniest facials while doing it. Blows raspberries on peoples tummies even if they are standing up. Spreads his leg far apart as to go on a splits then says 'ow wo wo wo'. He also HAS to say goodnight to the vacuum every night after saying family prayers.

But, despite being a BIG ball of ENERGY, he is also a very sweet very cuddly little boy that we just cant imagine life without. Everyday we are grateful to have him in our lives. His presence makes our life more exciting and meaningful.

Watching a child grow from a helpless little fragile newborn to an indestructible hyperactive toddler is truly a miracle. It is not always easy, but it is DEFINITELY worth it!

Water Fun Tuesday

2011-07-19T22:05:00.000-07:00

So the weather has been at least 90 degrees during the day right now.

So it gets pretty warm inside the house since we only have one fan.

So Hyrum and I need other activities to help us get through our warm sunny days.

So sometimes we go to Mavericks work to hang out coz they have A/C.

But most of the time, its too hot to walk on over there.

So Hyrum LOVES water.

So I thought I would do some free easy outdoor entertainment.

So I put on his swim shorts and slapped on some sunscreen.

So I gathered some random things around and off we went outside.

So here is our water fun that we did today.

So we had a lot of fun.

So its safe to say that we are going to do it again.

Sleep Solution...ANYONE???

2011-06-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

Alright blogger world...

I NEED HELP!!!

The boy is NOT sleeping and we have have ENOUGH!

We have been in our house for about 2 months now and I have NEVER spent the night on my bed.

We are pretty consistent with our bedtime routine.

Dinner, bathtime, stories with milk, brush teeth, prayers then night night.

Most of the time he goes down without a problem and by 7:30-8:00 (as long as I am in the room with him).

Then I leave and he is good for a while (3-4 hours)

Then he wakes up and wont go back to sleep unless I go back in the room.

I dont have to do anything though, I just sit there.

If I have enough energy I go back to our room.

This usually happens twice then I am too tired so I end up sleeping in his room for the rest of the night.

SOOOOO...

Any ideas how we can change this?

Crying it out DOES NOT work!

We tried it when he was 4 months, 6 months and right when we moved in. This boy has STAMINA!!! He would cry for 30mins stop and fall asleep for about 5mins then repeat the process.

We are honestly not believers of the crying it out method...At least not for Hyrum. He could and would cry for 3 hours (or more) straight. And we dont want that.

My theory is that he has major separation anxiety.

He was sleeping in the same room as us up until 2 months ago.

When he was an infant, I would put him in our bed and nurse him back to sleep.

When he got a bit older, I would just put him straight back to our bed whenever he would wake up.

The 4 months that we were in NZ he was on the same bed as me every night.

It just seemed easier that way.

So how do I break it?

Moving On

2011-06-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

We FINALLY have internet! Its amazing how much we rely on technology nowadays.

Although it was a nice break, we were both itching to get connected again.

Sooo I have somewhat caught up with life.

Key word - SOMEWHAT

But as life goes on now matter how behind you are, here is what we have been up to.

After my one week stint of being deathly sick with major vertigo and loss of hearing on my left ear, Maverick and I went on a house hunting frenzy.

It took us two weeks to find out humble abode.

A little two bedroom apartment just slightly bigger than TVA but $200 cheaper.

I think that it is perfect for what we need right now. Hyrum has his own bedroom (which he is still getting used to) and the washer, dryer, fridge and stove comes with.

The day we signed the lease they gave us our keys and we had our first dinner there. We moved in the next day.

10 mins walk from Mavs work, 3 mins to the church, 10 mins walk to our doctor, 5 mins to the city center, 15 mins to the grocery store and 10 mins to the hospital. Walking distance things are pretty important to me since driving isnt any use to me. We are also pretty close to the library, the dollar store, post office, city hall, our bank, number of parks and about 10 mins drive to WalMart, DI, and fast food places.

So we were pretty stoked when we found it, and signed the least right away. Then moved the next day. hehe.

Right now, we are still pretty much a mess. We are still missing a couple of dressers, a Hyrum bed (he is on a futon on the floor at the moment), and just more organization. But, im ok with it.

As for other news, Maverick works for Impact Athletic as a personal trainer. Burley (where we are currently living) is a pretty small town so I was shocked when I first saw the size of the gym that he works at.

The best thing about it (at least for me) is that we get FREE gym memberships!

Which means free access to an indoor pool, cardio room, weights room, basketball courts, racquetball courts, volleyball courts, sauna/steam room, walking/running track, spinning studio, and massage therapy. They also have a few group fitness classes but I am only interested in zumba and aqua zumba. Best part is, they also have CHILD CARE services! Well we have only dropped Hyrum off once and it didnt go very good since he saw Maverick out on one of the windows. So no perks with that one just yet but we'll keep trying and one of these days we'll be able to take advantage of it.

So yah, dats about it...

This has been a rambling post. I think its been too long since I last posted so ive forgotten how to blog.

Maybe i'll try harder next time...

Moving In

2011-05-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

We moved into an apartment 2 days ago.

Its all very exciting!

But, it is a MESS right now.

We still need a lot of things like dressers and dining table and such.

Its a lot different than moving into TVA. We didnt seem to need to worry about little things like can opener and spatulas and such because of the freebie bin.

We dont have internet yet (and wont have one for a while) so I will only be able to update when we go over to my in-laws.

So yah, ill do updates later.

Traveling Adventures with my Little Sidekick

2011-05-08T21:54:00.000-07:00

For my own sake, I want to record my great accomplishment of traveling alone with Hyrum. So bear with me, this may get a little boring.

PS. This post is a little delayed since I was out of commission for a week.

Thurday 28 April (NZ time) 11ish am

Last moments with doda, dodo and toti

Left New Zealand on an 8 1/2 hr flight to Hawaii.

In Auckland airport there this viewing place where people can do their last goodbye .

Got a special assistance from an AirNZ crew which was nice since we buzzed through security, got to pre board before any of the pre boarding was called and got a whole row (3 seats) all to ourselves.

Hy fell asleep while we were taking off so right away, I was confident that it was going to be a good flight.

I only slept for an hour of the 2 hours that he did.

Then, as soon as he woke up, it was PLAYTIME!

Hyrum watched TV, played games on the TV, played with toys, played with the seatbelt, played with the people sitting behind us, played with stickers, paced the aisle, bugged the stewardess, admired the clouds, had lots of snacks, read books, peed on a seat (coz he took his diaper off and I didnt notice), and smiled and waved at everyone that payed attention.

I brought 4 books

Playing with the tv remote

Never ending snacks

Playing with stickers

This one kept him entertained for a while

The flight actually went surprisingly fast. Except for the last hour, where he had just had enough. And this is the time when we needed to just be seated coz the plane was descending. So he kicked and screamed and refused anything that I was giving him. This was also the time that I was tempted to bust out my secret weapon (benadryl). But I didnt since he stopped squirming once he started to feel the pressure on his ears. Then he started to whine because he felt the pressure on his ears but since he didnt want to drink, he just slept it off.

Then, it was the moment of truth. Facing immigration.

If we wouldve risked it 4 month ago, this was the stage that I was scared for.

I was still pretty nervous. Especially after they sent me to another place and got me to sit down on a couch after checking my passport for about 30mins. Good thing Hyrum was asleep during this time.

After all the paperwork was done, I got finger printed, briefed on policies then sent off my merry way.

Kealani Makaiwi with her husband Josh and twins Jordan and Jayden came to pick us up and welcome us back to Hawaii.

Jordan and Jaydon with Hyrum making mischief

Thursday April 28 (Hawaii time)

NZ is a day ahead so we had a Thursday redo.

We headed off to Laie with Kealani and the twins at about 6am and dropped off our luggage at the Ke Alakai office for safe keeping during the day.

We stayed there for a little bit till I got the day all planned out.

Then we went to TVA to say hi and goodbye to old neighbors then off to the beach.

Hitomi and Amy with baby Tae and baby Marcus

A quick photo shoot with Marianna to remember our Hawaii then it was me and Hyrum time with the beach.

My phone camera doesnt give Temple Beach any justice

I sat there with Hyrum on my lap feeling the sand and the waves. It was really nice. I talked to Heavenly Father then said my Aloha O'e.

Went back to TVA and had a shower at the Gomez's then met up with Leahi and Alex to do a quick geocaching run. Then picked up Bro. Crowell's truck so we could use it to go to the airport.

My first geocache out of NZ

Then off we go. Security was a hassle. Hyrum was active. Waiting was a pain. Then we get slapped with a..."This flight is full, stand-by passengers will now be put on the next flight." Did I mention we were flying stand-by for the first time... The next flight (and last flight out of Oahu to the mainland) was to San Francisco which was also full. Turns out, an earlier flight with 300 people got cancelled so all those people had to be on another flight. Which means all stand-bys had no chance of getting out of the island. After much confusion, stress, anxiety and calls to Maverick, we decided to just purchase a ticket for the next night to secure a seat. I called Ckaz who lives in town then caught a taxi to crash at her house for the night.

Honolulu Airport at 1AM, shot while waiting for the taxi

My poor Hyrum was so exhausted. Im sure he would be cursing me for putting him through this ordeal if he could talk. I was so mad at myself.

Regardless, we had a good night sleep and woke up ready to play.

Friday 29 April

Just chilled at Ckaz's house. Took naps, played with baby Kalen, last minute Walmart trip to top-up the snacks. then off to the airport again.

It was great to spend the day to catch up with these two

Security was still horrendous, waiting on the gate was long, the flight was super full, but, as soon as the plane engine started the boy was OUT!

and he didnt wake up until we landed in Pheonix, Arizona.

Thank goodness for red-eye flights!

Saturday 30 April

LAST LEG OF THE TRAVEL!

Ive done so much traveling already that a little hour and a half plane ride to Boise, Idaho was nothing.

I can finally see the end!

Thank you jetlag and time difference since it was still only 4am in Hyrums body clock.

He slept right through this flight too, which made it so easy!

We landed. Turned phone on. Walk (jogged) towards baggage claim. AND

THE END WAS THERE!

Mr. Maverick Mitton in his reggae color shirt and shorts with a smile beaming from ear to ear.

16 weeks and 4 days has come down to this very moment.

TOGETHER AGAIN!

And as a bonus, Hyrum recognized his daddy and would push me whenever I would lean in to hug him.

I CAN BREATHE AGAIN!
(Until I got deathly sick a day later)

DIZZY dizzy DIZZY

2011-05-05T10:02:00.001-07:00

Too much traveling has gotten me all DIZZY dizzy!

Like literally.

I havent been able to get up without stumbling since Monday.

Which means looking after the little one has been everybody elses responsibility.

Kinda sucky!

BUT, im getting better.

THIS IS IT!

2011-04-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

We leave NZ in about 20 hours.

Then we get to Hawaii and stay there for 25 1/2 hours.

Then we have a stop over in LA for 2 hours.

Then we FINALLY get to hug Maverick again.

With that said, the next couple of days is gonna be beyond EXHAUSTING!

Bitter sweet for me to leave New Zealand. More on that later.

As for now, I gotta get back to packing!!!

2 DAYS!

2011-04-18T13:47:00.000-07:00

I get my US Embassy interview in 2 DAYS!

Im a little bit nervous

a little bit anxious

a little bit scared

but a lot bit excited

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Aloha 'oe Hawaii nei

2011-04-12T04:39:00.000-07:00

You have given me more then I ever anticipated.

I will be forever in debt of all the wonderful things that happened in my life while I was in your midst.

I am very saddened that I didn't say goodbye.

That I couldn't say goodbye.

Maverick closed our TVA R-150 door behind him for the last time this morning.

It was empty and ready for a new couple to move in.

Sad day as he also closes the door to this chapter of our lives.

Ready to tackle new adventures and challenges.

Whatever they may be.

Mahalo nui loa for all the aloha.

And.

Mahalo for teaching me how to give aloha.

Aloha 'oe Hawaii nei. Till we meet again.

Liberated?

2011-04-11T04:52:00.000-07:00

Today I went to the city to get my booster immunization for my US visa medical.

ALL BY MYSELF!

Since parking is horrendous in the city and my dad is home from work antways, I figured it would be easier if I left Hyrum at home with my dad and I take the bus.

And OW MY GOODNESS! It felt weird...

It's been a while since i've gone out in public ALL BY MYSELF.

I mean ive left Hyrum before at home with my parents but he would usually be asleep or nearly asleep already. And I would leave to be with a friend or something.

It was liberating? in a weird kinda uneasy sort of way...

I dont really know how to describe it but I honestly did not know what to do with myself as soon as I stepped out of the door.

And by the time I got to the bus stop, my mind was racing.

It was filling up with ideas, memos, random thoughts, fears, reminiscing and all the other fluffs in between.

Good thing I thought of bringing my journal along right before I left. I ended up writing 5 WHOLE PAGES! that has never ever happened before!

So for the 3 1/2 hours that I was away, I felt like I was free as a bird. I was pretty satisfied just shutting everything out while I listen to my music and write away. (I mean...you cant really do much while on a bus).

I was glad to have had that 3 1/2 hours to myself.

But, I was pretty happy to come back home to see my boy again. Who was eating his dinner like a big boy! All poised with a spoon on one hand carefully spooning out a bit of rice from his bowl.

He did greet me with a frustrated scream after a short-lived big smile. Nonetheless, I wouldnt trade being a mother for anything else!

These pictures aren't from today but its always nice to end with pictures.

Maverick the College Graduate and leaving paradise

2011-04-09T04:42:00.000-07:00

It has taken longer than expected (thanks to me making him drop some classes and a semester).

BUT

My wonderful amazing husband is now (or gonna be in a few hours) a college graduate.

Hyrum and I are very PROUD of him!

But mostly just me since Hyrum doesnt really have an opinion yet.

And very VERY grateful for all the hardwork that he has done during his last semester.

Full-time student, part-time job, senior research plus he packed up our WHOLE house by himself.

Told you he was AMAZING!

I wish, more than anything at this moment, that we are in Hawaii to celebrate with him.

Ive been looking forward to this day since I graduated a year and a half ago.

I was excited to do a graduation photo shoot, then make his grad invite/announcement, plan a little shindig with his workmates and friends.

I was excited to pack up our house, do garage sales and give stuff away.

I was VERY excited to leave the BYUH/Laie bubble and move to the real world.

I wish I was there.

I wish I was there.

I thought I was ready to leave Hawaii.

I'M NOT.

I am 4 months less of ready.

I feel like i've been robbed of that 4 months that was necessary to properly say goodbye to paradise.

I had 5 AMAZING years in BYUH.

I grew up A LOT during those 5 years.

A LOT!

The people that I encountered there will continue to inspire me.

The experiences that I had will be treasured FOREVER.

Most importantly.

I met my eternal companion there.

and was sent out first angel.

Hawaii is definitely my special place.

Maverick flies to Idaho on Monday and will (hopefully) start looking for a house and car for us.

Which means that Hyrum and I will go straight to the mainland once my visa gets approved.

Dont get me wrong, I am VERY excited.

Im excited to start our new life.

Im especially EXCITED to be with my college graduate again.

BUT, mark my word Hawaii.

I WILL BE BACK!

April IS the month

2011-03-31T12:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got the letter that I have been patiently waiting for.

The one from the US Embassy Consulate.

The one that was suppose to say we can leave and be with Maverick for his graduation.

BUT...

no such luck...

My interview is not until April 21.

So my poor husband is ALONE...graduating and packing up our house.

I am very disappointed to say the lease.

I didnt know my time in beautiful Hawaii would abruptly end. Let alone be away from Maverick for such a long time.

So if you see Maverick during graduation, give him some love from us.

We miss him tonnes!

On the other hand, at lease we now know that APRIL is definitely the month.

Unless US still dont want me and decide to deny my visa again.

Whitianga Vacay

2011-03-26T05:10:00.000-07:00

Favourite shot from our 5-day Whitianga vacation last week.

The trip, once again, reminded me of how BEAUTIFUL New Zealand is.

PS. I was impressed with my point and shoot camera during this trip. My SLR camera broke a few of weeks ago...so im gonna be trusting my point and shoot camera for a while.

Ive Been TAGGED!

2011-03-18T14:17:00.000-07:00

...for four times four.

4 places i go
1. Normanton Park
2. Glenfield library
3. Glenfield mall
4. Takapuna chapel

4 favorite movies or tv shows
1. Parenthood
2. Teen mom
3. Glee
4. Sound of Music

4 favorite smells
1. Freshly cut grass
2. Pine trees
3. BBQ
4. Frying garlic

4 recommendations
1. Always look on the bright side of life
2. Count your many blessings
3. Go to Brigham Young University - Hawaii
4. Families are the most important part of life. Material things will disappear but families can be together forever.

4 people to tag
1. Janice
2. Drena
3. Sam Taylor
4. Mikensi

Happy Birthday!

2011-03-09T12:46:00.000-08:00

Dear Daddy,

Another day older and wiser too!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Wish we were with you to celebrate your special day.

So mommy and I decided to go out to Lollipops Playland to honour your birthday.

I had a lot of fun DRIVING.

I might even be able to drive before mommy can.

I also went down the BIG SLIDE.

But my favourite was the BALL PIT!

I had lots of FUN!

But mommy wont stop taking pictures.

And I got a lollipop when we left

And I was pooped after all that playing.

We both LOVE you SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!

Mommy said to tell you that WE LOVE YOU this much ][

From one ] and around the world to the other [.

We miss you sooooo much and I am very excited to see you soon.

CHHHEEEEESSSEEEE!!!!

Love you,

Hyrum

Not a Good Day...

2011-03-04T03:16:00.000-08:00

I feel...

UUUURRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

thats a screaming, frustrated, impatient, annoyed kinda sound.

Hyrum was grumpy and I could not figure out what he wanted.

I was grumpy because he was grumpy which made me grumpier. and the cycle goes on.

To top it off, i got my monthly reminder that im a woman. GREAT!

I fed him so he stopped crying...then he cried again. We played so he stopped for a few minutes...then he cried again. Bathed him so he stopped...then cried again. Put him down for a nap which took a lot longer and he (we) slept for 30 mins...then he woke up crying.

It was one of those days.

So I let him cry. and cry. and cry. and cry.

Till my dad woke up (hes in night shift this week so hes asleep during the day) and he picked Hyrum up and gave him all the attention that he wanted. He still cried. But my dad handled it.

Im glad that the day is over!

and tomorrow is a NEW day.

I will face it with a new attitude.

Besides, we are going to the Hamilton Temple. So it should be a good day.

Positives out of the Negatives

2011-02-25T17:04:00.000-08:00

When Hyrum was 2 months old I went back to work full time.

I was a little apprehensive on working 40/hrs a week but it wasn't as bad as I imagined since it was only a 5 min walk from our house.

I saw Hyrum during my lunch breaks and when Mav had a class he brings him over to my workplace.

We only needed babysitters for 2-3 hours a day. But besides dat, Maverick was Mr.mom for the majority of the time.

My positive in this whole visa dilemma that we are in right now is that I get to spend all day everyday with my little monkey.

It is a very very tiring "job" to be a full-time mother but it is by far THE BEST job that I have ever had and probably ever will.

I mean who wouldn't want to play, laugh, wrestle, run, catch and tickle all day? Then get paid with giggles, cuddles and kisses. Pure bliss!

Although we do get bored staying indoors, sooo with my limited independence (yes! I am a 25 yr old mother who is terrified of driving. Kinda embarrasing) we go on mini adventures wherever my feet and his 3 wheels (stroller) can take us.

Our favourites are our local park (Normanton), Glenfield mall and Glenfield library.

I've been try and change it up once in a while. We even went on a bus ride to Takapuna the other day (Hyrum LOVED watching the cars go by and pointing to different things that he sees). This was quite a challenge coz of the narrow, stroller unfriendly aisles.

If we can't (or I'm just lazy) go on an adventure, we play catch, blow bubbles, wrestle, play tag, swim in his little pool, watch Hi5 and Yo Gabba Gabba, race cars and run around the house. It can get pretty intense.

I love seeing his developments that seem to rapidly increase each and every day.

He can say a lot of words now like bawoon(balloon), babll(bubble), bud(bird), appll(apple), tat (cat), doogy(doggie), dieger(tigger), buk(book), bed(bred), ffshh(fish), na nigh(night night), babye(bye bye), daty(dirty), nat dat(not that), aysh(eye), ta(star), oon(moon), tar(car) hi, duck, no, this, wow, up, mommy, daddy and really mean it (or sometimes just to copy).

He can also sign milk, more, water (or any kinda drink the he sees in front of him) and all gone.

Definetly not my little baby anymore. He is very much a hyperactive toddler who is very independent, opinionated and dramatic and he is not afraid to show it if he doesn't get his way.

But, he is also a sweet, loving mama's boy who LOVES to cuddle.

I don't mean to gloat but I'm doing it for my own record.

On a different note. My visa application is moving along. Not as fast as we want it to be but at least it's getting there.

There is still hope for us to be back in Hawaii in time for Mavs April 9th graduation and I am still fasting and praying that our wish will come true.

There are days when everything is fine and dandy but there are also days when I just want to curl up and cry.

Although I have yet to do the latter, I do get a little emotional when I get asked about 'the situation'.

Good thing I have a little person to confide in.

He's a VERY good listener, and he doesn't answer back with advices and own personal stories. He JUST listens.

Unless he decides to walk away and play with a toy instead.

APPY BALEMTIMES

2011-02-14T13:26:00.000-08:00

Dear Daddy,

APPY BALEMTIMES DEY!!!

We miss you lots and lots.

For Balemtimes dey we went to Browns Bay Beach with lolo and lola.

I was a scaredy tat at first (I forgotten how much I used to love the beach)

But I eventually got used to it.

I had a lot of fun!

Mommy wanted to bury me under the sand so that she can have a picture

that would say "Hyrum heart U".

But I didnt want one.

So we're both in the picture.

I still LOVE you lots tho!

Your little monkey,

Hyrum

My Valentine

2011-02-14T12:57:00.000-08:00

Here's to my Eternal Valentine.

Warning: Very cheesy. But isn't Valentines suppose to be cheesy?

Hope you had a great Valentines Day with you loved ones!

One HOT Sunday

2011-02-10T19:27:00.000-08:00

Dear Daddy,

It has been SSSSSOOOOOOO HOT lately!!!

So mommy and I went swimming in the backporch.

IT WAS FUN!!!

Love, Hyrum

One Month

2011-02-06T02:16:00.000-08:00

Dear Daddy,

Its been a MONTH since you left New Zealand.

We are both doing really well.

BUT WE MISS YOU A MILLION TIMES A THOUSAND!

Mommy has been taking good care of me.

I like to walk around everywhere now and make her chase after me.

She lets me help out with groceries...

I don't really help, I just lie to drag the bags around.

Don't worry daddy!

She's feeding me well.

My favorite snack is a WHOLE cucumber!

I carry it around and take big bites until its all gone! YUMMY!

But I still like to be messy when its meal time.

I can chew really good now too!

Its coz I have 16 CHOMPERS!!!

That's 8 at the top and 8 at the bottom.

Aren't you impressed!

OHH! and wanna know something really exciting?

I met RONALD MCDONALD!!!

Pretty cool huh? He's kind of a big deal everywhere.

Anyways, hope you enjoy your day!

LOVE YA!

Hyrum

"Im ONE!"

2011-02-02T01:17:00.000-08:00

Dear Daddy,

I turned ONE last week!

On my actual birthday I got a yummy pancake for breakfast.

Then mommy, lola (grandma) and tito (uncle) took me out to Chipmunks Playland

Where I BOUNCED,

and CLIMBED,

and SLID down the big boy slide all by myself...

only BACKWARDS.

Then we went to Paint the Earth where mommy put red and blue gooey stuff

on my hand and feet.

and painted this ceramic tile for me.

This is how they turned out after five days.

That's my painting on the back of the tile.

On Saturday, January 29 I had a fun birthday party

I know you weren't there but mommy put up a lot of photos of you so that it would seem like you were

SEE my photo wall...you are all over there

There was a lot of yummy yummy food

and a bouncy castle too

But my favourite part has GOT to be the cake.

Mommy made it especially for me!

I had a hard time blowing it!

I think coz mommy put way too much candles on it.

I had fun eating it!

But dont worry. I shared some with mommy.

When I got changed they took the bubble machine out.

It was soooooo pretty!

and everyone was screaming 'BUBBLES' so I said 'BUH BUH BUH BLLL'!

I really wish that you could've been there but its okay.

I know you're going to make it up on my NEXT birthday...heeheeheee!

I love you lots and lots,

Hyrum

Then a Year has Passed

2011-01-24T01:04:00.000-08:00

The day I first became a mother, I set in motion a life-changing journey along the most extraordinary path of wonder, joy, challenge, and fulfillment.

My life which was first shared with my husband was amazing. Then when my son came along, it became even better with an almost indescribable happiness.

Let's first review my 9 months of growing.

I cant believe I got sooo BIG!

Now lets review Hyrum's 11 months of growing

I cant believe he is sooo BIG!!!

It has definitely been a whirlwind of a year with many ups and downs. Plenty of laughter and lots of new memories.

I can still 'somehow' remember the uneasy, anxious, nervous, excited feeling that I had this time last year as we drove towards the Birth Center with an iPod on my lap counting how many minutes apart my contractions were coming.

4 hours of labour, 20 minutes of pushing and a whole lot of pain later (without an epidural may I add), we finally got to meet our 7.9 lbs. 19" Hyrum Ichiro at 8:42pm.

Our life has NEVER been the same again.

AND WE LOVE IT!

To my sweet gorgeous son,

Happy happy FIRST birthday!

I cannot believe you are 1 already!

You have brought more meaning into my life.

I am thoroughly blessed to have been given the opportunity to be your mother.

You are my happiness.

TRULLY HEAVEN SENT.

Love love love you to the end of the universe and back again.

and daddy too!

TEETH...

2011-01-17T00:55:00.000-08:00

...why do u have to suck???

I mean, i guess we need them to eat.

and they do help our smiles look pretty.

BUT...holy canoli they do very bad things to babies!

My poor little Hyrum is not enjoying this part of growing up.

Right now he had his first molar that surfaced last week.

I could only imagine how painful it was.

Then in the past couple of days he has leaked watery poop a few times, projectile vomited on the bed once, woken up screaming for no reason a lot, been unusually fussy all throughout the day and is totally IN LOVE with ice.

This afternoon, I poked around in his mouth and found 3 teeth that will probably surface within the next 2 days, 1 half out, 1 nearly out molars and a very very swollen gum space for another molar.

CRAZY HUH!

I just hope he inherits Mavericks teeth coz I have the WORST teeth in the world!

Unexpected Changes in Plans

2011-01-13T02:46:00.000-08:00

Its been 10 days since Maverick left.

WE MISS HIM SO VERY VERY MUCH.

We were all suppose to go back to Hawaii on Jan 4th.

But circumstances changed.

If you arent aware of what is happening, I applied for an extension student visa since my OPT (work permit) status is still considered a student. Anyways, I got denied on a count of no ties that would lead me to come back to New Zealand since I have a husband and a son who are American citizens.

DUMB HUH!

So the only way that I can go back to the US is if Maverick petitions me to get my residency visa.

Easier said than done.

It's so hard to be apart from each other.

Even harder if the time apart is indefinite.

We are all hoping it doesnt go on for longer than 3 months.

But, there is a possibility of it taking 6 months. Or even a year!

Ive been praying so so so so hard that its only for 3 months...

Maverick graduates in April 9th.

Which also means that we need to move out of our apartment by April 11.

And move our life over to Idaho.

It is going to be sooooo much pressure on Mav if im not there to help.

So please please please. We need your prayers.

I feel a bad asking for your prayers because no one is sick or in a critical condition.

But, I really really NEED to be there before April.

And Hyrum needs his dad. Esp now when he is developing so quick.

I cried the other night because this happened

We were chatting on skype and Hyrum was blowing kisses and smiling and saying 'dada' to Mav. Then it was bedtime and we said our goodnights and I closed the computer. He got upset and was trying to open the computer while saying dada over and over. I said its time to go to sleep and we will see him again tomorrow. He eventually went to sleep hugging my laptop.

I have BIG hopes!

Heavenly Father won't keep families apart...

2010 Overview

2011-01-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

TWENTY TEN was a great year!

Here are some of the highlights

JANUARY

- Mum came to Hawaii to help out with baby

- Welcomed our little Hyrum Ichiro

FEBRUARY

- Valentines day date with my hubby - my first time being away from Hyrum

- Hyrum was blessed at church by his dad

- Maverick extras in a movie called Soul Surfer

MARCH

- Mum leaves Hawaii

- Maverick turns 25

- I start my internship with the school magazine Ke Alaka'i

APRIL

- Hyrum meets his wife to be Reyna Auna

- Hyrum takes his first dip in the ocean

- Hyrum gets his first tooth

MAY

- My first real mothers day

- Hyrum starts on 'solids'

JUNE

- Hyrum rolls over

- We go to Idaho for summer vacation - Hyrums first plane ride

- Hyrum sits up

JULY

- Hyrum gets more teeth

- Hyrums first 4th of July

- Hyrum starts to crawl

- We go back to Hawaii

AUGUST

- Hyrum stands up

- Hyrum gets a passport

- Start my work out regiment and "diet"

SEPTEMBER

- Aissa turns 25

- Start making homemade Hyrum food

OCTOBER

- Went on our first pumpkin patch

- Hyrum takes steps

- Hyrums first Halloween - dressed up as a monkey

NOVEMBER

- Laie Temple is rededicated. I got to take pictures of President Monson,

Elder Eyring and Elder Cook for work

- Organized an improv musical at BYUH cafeteria

- Got back to pre-pregnancy weight

- We give thanks to everything that has been given to us

- Hyrum and I leave Hawaii for New Zealand

- Hyrum starts to prefer walking than crawling

DECEMBER

- We make our first Christmas card

- Maverick flies to New Zealand

- First Christmas in New Zealand for Maverick and Hyrum - first since 2005 for Aissa

- Maverick and I celebrate our 2nd anniversary 5 days late on a dinner cruise along Waitemata Harbour - Mav was on the plane for our actual anniversary

- Leave for Brisbane, Australia on Christmas day

- Go to Movie World, Sea World and

Wet n Wild theme park and had sooooooo much fun
- Got sealed to my parents for time and all eternity

So many good things happened in 2010! The start of 2011 is here and unfortunately we have encountered a little hiccup to dampen the beginning of it.

At present, Maverick is in Hawaii finishing up his last semester while Hyrum and I stay in New Zealand.

So we decided to stay and wait in New Zealand rather than risk consequences as said on my previous post.

Although we will be apart for the first few months of 2011, I have high hopes that everything will be okay.

We just got to count our many blessings and pray that the processing doesnt take very long.

Hope you had a great Christmas and a had a happy New Year!

Greetings from Australia!

2010-12-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

First time in Australia

AWESOME!

We are staying in my moms uncles house in Gold Coast for a week and its been sooo much fun

sooooooo busy tho

yesterday we went to Warner Brothers Movie World. My mom took Hyrum so it was Mav, me and my two cousins goin crayzeee with the crayzeeee roller coasters.

Next in the agenda of theme parks are Seaworld then Wet and Wild.

SOOOO FUNNN!!!!

I dont understand why soooo many people pay sooooo much money just to scare the shiznittt out of themselves.

I still do it tho...

On a different note, im going to get sealed to my parents today.

YAY!!!

HEEEELLLPPPPP!!!

2010-12-21T13:49:00.000-08:00

Alright everyone!

I NEED YOU HELP...

Lets say you and your spouse are from 2 different country.

Then your spouses country denied you of a visa.

Which means it will take between 1-3 months till you can go to that country again.

WOULD YOU...

risk going into the country on a tourist visa (with the possibility of being sent back to your country), not be able to work but be together

OR...

stay in your country while applying for a visa that is a sure thing you will get (green card status), be able to work but be apart for 1-3 months

I just wanted to see other peoples opinions so I can think this through properly and weigh in all the different options. Any feedback is appreciated.

BTW, this is a true story...

Not Completely Complete

2010-12-10T04:26:00.000-08:00

I LOVE HIM!

and I MISS HIM!!!

and that (above) is the look that I get when

-i do something funny or dumb or stupid or crazy

-i say something funny or dumb or stupid or crazy

-i act funny or dumb or stupid or crazy

so its fair to say I get that look a lot

Its kinda weird sleeping by myself again.

and im getting a little taste of what its like to be a single parent.

Im excited to be with my everything again.

and become completely complete.

8 more days and counting...

Photos kindly taken by the amazing LeeYen of Loblee Photography

Overcoming Flying Fear

2010-12-10T04:04:00.000-08:00

I LOVE to travel!

probly one of my fav things to do.

and i am very VERY grateful for planes,

they make seeing different parts of the world or experiencing new cultures soooo much easier.

which I LOVE!!!

I LOVE exploring the beautiful world that we have been given by our loving Heavenly Father.

If I had a lot of money, I would do it more often.

But im getting off topic here now.

The whole point of this post is to say that i was TERRIBLY TERRIFIED of flying solo...

with a hyperactive 10 month old!

BUT lo and behold,

I MADE IT!!!

and I overcame my fear by getting him as tired as possible while waiting to board,

having bottles and snacks readily available,

breathing in and out,

and my secret weapon,

a never been seen light up ball still in its box.

it actually turned out to be quite a pleasant experience.

Maybe because he had his very own bassinet.

Or maybe because I had a whole row with 3 seat all to myself.

A time that La'ie will NEVER forget

2010-12-08T00:32:00.000-08:00

This post is a little late but ow wells...

Last week we had a once in a lifetime experience.

Definitely a weekend to remember.

The Spirit of God was felt extensively.

and the hand of the Lord was over the whole of Laie.

It was a GREAT weekend!

First, President Thomas S. Monson came to the Polynesian Cultural Center. A lot of people gathered to welcome him.

I could not believe I was an arms reach away from the prophet!

Plus, I was LUCKY enough to be standing next to a little boy who he stopped for to show him his ear wiggling skills.

He looks like he's angry but he's actually just concentrating hard on wiggling his ears

Then Mav, Hyrum and I went to see the night show.
President Monson, President Iring and his wife and Elder Cook and his wife was there.
The show was pretty much the same but the cast came out after the finale and sang Teach Me to Walk in the Light for the prophet.

Here is my video of it.

Then the next day, I was again lucky enough to be the official photographer for the Cultural Celebration for the Campus News Center.

So I got a coveted ticket, which was only available to parents of the 2000+ youths that performed for it.

Here are a few of my photos. FYI: I took more than 300.

Dats right! Pres. Monson made peace signs at me.

This girl got a kiss from President Monson when he was on his way out of the CAC.

I LOVED her character!

It was a great show!

Made me wish I were on stage with them. I miss my performing days...

Then the next day was the long awaited Laie Temple Rededication.
We went to the 9am session, which was great! 2 of my old roomates got to sing in the choir inside the celestial room so it was cool watching them too.

There were 3 dedicatory sessions and after the last one I happened to be at the temple taking a friends family pictures when we noticed that everyone was gathered at the entrance.

So we went and sure enough after 10mins, President Monson and President Iring came out.

It was a great way to end a GREAT weekend.

I kinda wish Hyrum and Maverick was at the temple that day too but they were at home and would’ve missed it if they tried to come.

WHO KNEW???

2010-11-13T13:30:00.000-08:00

We look sooooo young!

First official date

Who knew

that the person i broke up with

this time three years ago was

going to be my husband.

I SURE DIDNT!

First picture together

9 months

2010-10-29T02:22:00.000-07:00

Hyrum Ichiro at one week

9 months

30 inches

21.4 pounds

8 teeth later

My little charmer boy!

LIFE HAS NEVER BEEN SOOOO JOYOUS!!!

VOTE for Hyrum to be the next Baby Gap model.

click HERE

VOTE EVERYDAY!!!

8 months

2010-09-24T01:51:00.000-07:00

This little munchkin is gonna be 8 months on Saturday.

Time sure flies when you are having fun.

Big news of the week: He can now stand on his own! I was so proud!!!

And I was on a roll with making Hyrum food the other day because our visitors, Wendy and Janice (Mav's cousin and friend who helped their daughters move into the BYUH dorms), gave me one of these

for my birthday! Which makes baby food making 10 times easier.

I made sweet potato, carrots, carrots and peas, potato and broccoli and pear.

And he LOVES it more than the Gerber jar mush.

HIGHLY recommended!

Fall Semester

2010-09-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

I am not a student anymore but Fall Semester started today and i am STRESSED!!!!

It totally crept up on me...

TOTALLY!!!!

with that said...I am not prepared!

I didnt know Mav's class schedule...

which means I had to work out my work schedule...

not to forget babysitters...

my list of things to do when Mav is out of school is no where near half...

uuuhhhgggghhhhh!!!! STREEESSSS!!!!!

then i have other things to worry about too...

like that BLASTED green card application...

S T R E S S ! ! ! ! !

did i mention that Mav has an internship from 3 - 8pm MWF!

and classes from 11 - 2:30!!!

so it tough finding a babysitter for that long...

so if you know anyone who can look after a Hyrum for a decent college student/starting family price...

SEND THEM MY WAY

PLEEAAASSSEE!!!!

Much Mahalos!!!

- Love is the Motive -

Then He Turned TWO

A Daughter for Me

Post-partum Blues

Observation

I have TWO babies?!?!

39 Weeks

Catch up post: 3-year Anniversary

Pink-a-mania

Christ-Centered Christmas

New Developments

Thanksgiving

WEEK 33

True Hawaiian Born

11-11-11

BLESSINGS

BACK IN BUSINESS!

Potty Training Preparation

Food Glorious FOOD!

Crochet Creations

Pinterest

Baby No.2 - First Post

Fail-proof Foods

Birthday Wish

EMPLOYED

Oh, Baby! Go, Baby

Bargain Hunting

18 Months

Water Fun Tuesday

Sleep Solution...ANYONE???

Moving On

Moving In

Traveling Adventures with my Little Sidekick

DIZZY dizzy DIZZY

THIS IS IT!

2 DAYS!

Aloha 'oe Hawaii nei

Liberated?

Maverick the College Graduate and leaving paradise

April IS the month

Whitianga Vacay

Ive Been TAGGED!

Happy Birthday!

Not a Good Day...

Positives out of the Negatives

APPY BALEMTIMES

My Valentine

One HOT Sunday

One Month

"Im ONE!"

Then a Year has Passed

TEETH...

Unexpected Changes in Plans

2010 Overview

Greetings from Australia!

HEEEELLLPPPPP!!!

Not Completely Complete

Overcoming Flying Fear

A time that La'ie will NEVER forget

WHO KNEW???

9 months

8 months

Fall Semester