Eleven Months

Did this past month just fly by?  I feel like I just wrote Nolen's 10 month post!  Nolen is 24 pounds and has officially taken 5 steps all by himself.  He is roughly 29.5 inches tall and ready to loose some of his little baby chub.  He can say "uh, oh", "Mamma", and "Dada".  He is so squishy and lovable!!

He's WALKING!

"Can't you just control your kid?"

A long, long, long time ago (2 years and 8 months ago) I used to wonder why people just couldn't control their wild children.  I would see a crying kid in the grocery store or a screaming kid at church and think,

"Can't you just control your kid?  I am going to be a WAY better parent and control my child." 

Wow!  I want to say: I was wrong.  Way wrong.  I mean, WAY wrong.  I was so far backward in my thought process that I actually thought I could control another human being.  What a fool!  What a real fool! 

So, to those parents that I may have judged, THIS is my apology to you.  I am sorry.  I was wrong.  I had no idea that a 2 year old had a real mind of his own.  I had no idea that a 10 month old could have such a strong will.  I didn't know that you couldn't just tell your child to be quiet and then they would just be quiet. 

For the record, they cry harder when you tell them to stop crying.  For the record, they sleep when they want, they eat what they want, and they do what they want.  (All within reason, but you catch my drift).  They are humans.  Tiny humans, but humans none the less. 

If I don't get what I want, I get upset.  If I can't sleep or eat when or what I want, I get mad.  Why do we as adults expect a different behavior from a child when we can't even control ourselves? 

If you are reading this and you have yet to have a child...

I know you think you can do a better job, and if you didn't think that then you would never have kids, right?  It's all about making a better society.  I just want to give you a small heads up, Children have their very own bodies, brains, and with that comes a strong will.  They are people, too.

The curls

What a lucky little boy. Edward was born with the most beautiful curly hair!  I love it... I wonder if he will love it as a teenager and adult.  For now, it is just adorable to me.

Riding the 4-wheeler

Memories

I am so glad I blog.  I love to blog.  I love to keep memories in a place that is convenient to me and my family.  I love to look back on where we have been and what we have done. 

I have boys.

My boys may not want to ever read my blog.  They may never be interested in what I have written about them and they may not want to see what they looked like as little, teeny babies; however, I do. 

2004

With my cousin Lindsey and roommate Rachel. 

My life changed forever after this semester at BYU-I.



2005

 My all time favorite picture of me and Stephen. 

We are happy.

2006

 One of many engagement pictures. 

I thought I was fat. HA!

You and Me become: US.

2007

 Deena Barnes (Stephen's cousin) came to live with us.

She was killed in a car accident shortly after this picture was taken.

Her life was too short. 

She was a mother.

She was amazing.

She taught me to live for every moment.

2008

Me and my beautiful sister, Sharla.

We ran a half marathon together.

She came back to run with me.

She could have finished 30 minutes before, but she waited.

She loves me.

I love her.

2009

Edward Forrest Barnes enters the world.

This is the first picture ever snapped of him.

Many pictures will follow.

His birth was a gift.

2010

Nolen William Barnes enters the world.

This is the first picture ever snapped of him.

Again, many pictures will follow.

His birth made me realize I am strong.

2011

This is me.

Now.

Happy, forever.

This blog is for me.  Sometimes I think about making it private for only my eyes, because I write for me.  Then I look at who reads my blog and, really, there aren't many who read it while those that do read are dear friends that I trust and love and want to share my life with always.

With all that being said, this post is about my memories.  I am totally and completely in love.  I love my life.  I love my husband.  I love my boys.  I love them for miles and miles and miles.  I, sometimes, look back and get a little sad at how fast time is flying by for me.  I can't believe I am 30.  I have done so much, yet, I have done so little.  (As a side note, I used to think I was ugly and fat... what a waste of time.)  I look at pictures of me and my family and I can see how happy we really are together.  I want to bottle up these moments and keep them in my heart forever.

Since a bottle of magic memories is not available, I blog.

Kingman in September

We had the greatest time in Kingman this last week.  We did everything Kingman had to offer and them some.  The boys had a fun time playing with cousins and helping Grandpa with projects like cleaning out the pond and taking care of the fish.

We celebrated my Dad's 60th birthday and all pitched in to get him an awesome Rolex watch.  We a fake one in with the real one to see if he could tell which one was the right one.  I think he loved it.

We spent another day out at Wade and Sharla's gold mine shooting guns and riding 4-wheelers.  I forgot about all the dirt and cow poop involved in heading out in to the desert so maybe this trip will be more fun when Nolen can walk.  He was stuck in the car most of the time because he really, really wanted to eat the cow poo.

Edward had a "small" accident on the way to the gold mine.  My Dad spent the drive getting out and "pruning the desert" so that his truck wouldn't get scratched and Edward's diaper could not hold any more, so we had to set his new wranglers out in the sun to dry.

Nolen is patiently waiting for his turn to shoot the gun.

After an awesome day shooting guns we spent the evening at the train park in Kingman.  Edward and Nolen love trains.  Surprisingly, I had not taken them there in past trips.  They had a great time climbing up the steps and pretending to drive the train with Grandma.

Another adventure we hadn't done in the past was to ride one of the 10-15 horses that are in the back yard.  Edward kept saying how he wanted to take Rose home with us.  So much fun.

We have the greatest time taking baths in Grandma's HUGE bath tub and then reading books with Grandpa at night before bed.  Edward and his cousin, Logan, have the greatest time together.

As I was getting ready to leave, I let the boys out in the back yard to play.  I forgot that it had rained the night before and I didn't really think they would find their way to the mud, but they did.  I walked outside to find this....

We had such a great time and I miss Kingman the moment we leave.  Until next time.