9 tricks up his sleeve

So I haven't blogged about my son in a while. I think I only have about 2,000 more pictures of him since the last entry. Life as a mom is getting easier. I mean, it's still the hardest job I've had and will have in all my life. But I'm relaxing a bit and really enjoying myself. Marshall makes me laugh every day and every new "trick" he learns give me the greatest satisfaction! 

Trick no. 1

He learned how to watch out the window. Yes. That's a trick. And he's good at it. I know I'm not that cute when I look out the window. 

Trick no. 2

He learned how to lift his head up while being on his tummy. Clarification: he learned this a while ago. He just recently learned how to do this trick while not crying his eyes out. A bonus trick.

Trick no. 3

He learned to like people food, or grown up people food... Except I, as an adult, would never eat this food. Rice cereal and puréed green beans. Yuck. But he likes it. Especially the face part of him. 

Trick no. 4

He knows what a cow is, and how they smell. Thanks to grandma. GRANDMA doesn't smell like a cow, she helped him meet a cow at the Cache Valley county fair.

Trick no. 5

He learned stranger danger. Stranger = anyone but mom (and sometimes dad)

Trick no. 6

He learned that uncle Jamo's head is bigger than his, but he still looks better in his hat.

Trick no. 7

He finally learned how to be Italian. 

Trick no. 8

This is an old trick, but he still loves bath time best. He could be on the edge if hysteria, but when he hears the soothing sounds of running water not far off he instantly stops crying and looks around for me, waiting to be stripped to his nothin's. (incidentally this has become my favorite part of the day to

And finally, trick no. 9 (sorry, couldn't think of another trick to make a catchy phrase like; "10 tricks my son has learned" or "10 tricks why my son is the best" or "how my son became 10 tricks better than you") 

He learned how to turn 5 MONTHS OLD! (Not sure he actually learned this, but he accomplished it with style)

Is it possible to love your kid too much? I keep telling myself I need to find something else to blog about. But since I literally eat, sleep, and breath with Marshall always by my side, he's all I can think of, which I guess, that's ok with me.

Past 2 weeks

I missed last week but I will not be deterred. This baby is growing up fast! Last week we returned from a fun fishing trip with Lee!s family, our anniversary, and the 24th of July. Biggest news of that week... Marshall went swimming for the first time in his life! He loves his baths, so I figured he'd live to swim. A swimming pool is just a huge bath tub, right? Well, he didn't scream or cry or laugh, he just floated there and kicked his legs every once in a while and then he zonked out in grandma's arms. He was probably preoccupied by the enormous amount of sunscreen I plastered on him...  

This week has been boring in comparison, except Marshall has become a pro at holding his head up high! Hooray! He sure knows how to make his mama proud. (Not hard, I think)

And for good measure, his sooo cute church outfit. It was finally not 1000 degrees, so we could dress him in something other than his diaper!!

Weekly update #4: stick it in the mouth

This week Marshall has fine tuned his flailing arms so once he grabs hold of something (usually by luck, he can't grasp very well) he stuffs it in his open mouth, usually resulting in drool all over my hair. I'll see how long I can hold out before I have to pull my hair back permanently. He still refuses to sleep without me holding him, a habit I'm working hard to break, because what is happening is a tired mom with dried spit hair who can't shower while her house falls apart around her, but is strangely content to sit and watch her little boy's face while he sleeps. 

Weekly Posts, I promise?

So! Lots and lots has happened since my last post. biggest news (at least for Lee and I): our new baby boy!

presenting

MARSHALL JOHN MATHESON

He is my pride and joy. Never knew that being a mother would change me so completely! It is a hard job to be mom, but I could not ask for a better, more fulfilling job! It also makes me realize how ungrateful I was to my own mother! So mom, thanks (times infinity!)

Other news, my big sis is now a MRS. Donovan and his son, Kyson, joined the Midgley ranks (good luck we're an interesting bunch, as Lee found out quickly). It was a great wedding, and my parents are celebrating the SECOND family wedding. Two down, three to go. (C'mon boys!)

The next big news, my kid brother has left the nest! My youngest brother, Aaron, left in June to serve his mission in the Concepcion, Chile mission. He has been in the MTC for 4 weeks! And then he's off to serve the Lord far, far away. We are very proud of him! He's going to be awesome at preaching the word!

 Which now brings me to my promise of weekly posts. I promised Aaron I would email a picture of Marshall to him every week of his mission with a short description of what my baby is up to. Also, David (my oldest bro) had a grand idea to take Marshall's picture in the same position for the whole 2 years and then do a time lapse video. So i decided to prop up my not-sitting-up-yet baby and to temporarily pin down a 11 month old I'll use the trusty BUMBO chair. We will see how this goes. first 2 weeks went smoothly. Aaron's first week in the MTC happened to be Marshall's 3 month birthday! (and then I forgot the 2nd week, my bad, messed up already!)

WEEK ONE/TWO

WEEK THREE

I uploaded a nifty photo editing app on my iPad, so I decided to share a few of them here as well.

(I just can't help taking so many pictures of this cute little boy!!)

Had to add this last one, because... just look at that baby's face. Irresistible!