Silly Dude

Nile was on a very silly kick tonight. He must've been in an odd mood because he was very clingly and super sweet.

It was the most adorable when Nile threw his stuffed Wall-E and stuffed dog Cramen onto the couch and threw his little arms open for a hug as he said "I love you guys." I couldn't help but marvel and laugh all at the same time. It was so precious. He had a great time rolling around on the floor with Wall-E and kissing him between the eyes.

Nile sleeps with Cramen (a gift from Uncle Cameron and named in his honor) every night. He loves that little puppy and unceremoniously drags him around the house in the morning.

Nile was also having a great time practicing his colours today. We've found a great little system. Nile loves to munch on dry cereal and I bought a box of Fruit Loops the other day. Before he eats each single piece he has to tell me what color it is and if he doesn't know or remember he waits for me to tell him. He really seems to be getting the hang of it. He does have some trouble differentiating between Yellow and Orange but with Fruit Loops its hard to tell the difference.

Nile was also quite keen to tell me to "open your mouth" so he could force feed me some of his cereal. He's quite the giver.

Nile's mean streak also seems to be lessening. He's starting to relax a little. He's less likely to snap "Don't say that" or "stop that." He also hasn't said "shut up" in quite some time. I'm hoping this means he's finally over the small anxious phase kids grow through when they start to gain some control over their world.

School is still going well...in fact...I should probably be busy on Math homework right now...

Good News Everyone!

Well, after over a month, I finally have my Mazda back. For anyone that didn't know, a little backstory. The last week of November, I loaned my Mazda to Greg so he could go grocery shopping and I spent the day with my boyfriend.

About half way through the day I noticed my phone had several missed calls, several voicemails and several text messages. So I checked the voicemails only to find out Greg had been in an accident with Nile in my car. Nile and Greg were both fine but my car was not. It was taken to the shop and thus the process of appraisals and deicisions began. I was worried when they told me the damage was going to amount to over $9,000 and I knew the car was only worth $10,00 or $11,000. Luckily for me, they did not total my car.

After a month of repairs, me in a rental car and for the last few days my dad's truck, they finally called to say my car was done. I was ecstatic! I couldn't wait to have my sporty little ride back. I went and picked him up, he ran beautifully and looked all shiney and pretty. I'm so happy to have him back and super grateful for American Family (and our agent) and the other ladies insurance through State Farm.

Nile is still doing super with potty training. He even pulled on his jeans by himself today, albeit backwards, but still...The kid is just so aware and independent. He's also started drinking from a big boy cup. He's had several spills but he's doing great.

Work is going really well and I actually get to attend my first big business conference in March. I am so excited. I feel like such a big kid. I'm really looking forward to all the stuff I'm going to learn and getting to spend the time with my boss.

School started yesterday and I'm really enjoying it. It feels kinda weird to be back, but I suppose that can't be avoided. I have a lot to prove to myself and I'm determined to really excel in school. I'm far too old and far too much is relying on me succeeding. I can't take this lightly or with any of my former cavalier attitudes. Here's to a "Straight A's Semester!"

2010 - Here's to a New Beginning

Well, alright, as we roll out into a new year and a new decade I (like everybody else) have set some goals. One of the goals I've set (a full list can be read at my alternate blog http://buildauniverse.wordpress.com) is to blog about Nile and life and myself at least once a week, hopefully more like once a day. I've also set a goal to take at least one photograph of Nile (sometimes with me) a day.

I feel like I'm losing out on documenting some of my little man's biggest milestones because I seemingly never have my camera and I've been focusing my blogging on less personal things, and by less personal, naturally I mean things not involving Nile.

So to start this thing off right, I thought I'd jump in with a little update. Starting with myself, since I have a little less going on, 2009 was a whirlwind year. All of the events of the year have really got me jazzed for moving onward, upward and out. I will be moving back to the Provo/Orem area in February. I'm starting classes at UVU this week. I'm going to be finishing my Bachelor's degree in Forensic Science. I'm really looking forward to it but am also quite daunted at the thought of balancing Nile, full time work, full time school and any semblance of a social life/personal time. I am, however, very glad to be making personal progress.

As for Nile, the boy continues to amaze me. All parents are very fond of touting the latest achievements of their children and as much as I'd like to say I'm different, I can't help but regale the world with Mini-Me's skills. Nile is 2 and 1/2 and already speaks nearly as clearly as his 4 year old cousin. Nile has really begun to master the sentence. Nile's responses to questions are probably the funniest of his language skills.

Me - Should we go see Grandpa?
Nile - Probably not at work.
Me - Yes Nile...Probably not at work...

Me - Hey Nile? Would you like some Mac and Cheese for dinner?
Nile - Yeah...Sure.

Friend of Aunt Heidi - Is your mom's name Casi?
Nile - No, her name is Sweetheart.

Nile has also developed a good mastery of emotion. Nile is very quick to identify when He, me or even cartoon characters are Sad, Scared or Happy. When he notices someone is sad, he will often ask if they're going to cry. It's been helpful, though, for me to know he's learning emotions. When he's acting strange I can ask him if he's happy or sad or scared and get a real answer. When he sees someone he thinks is sad he will also ask to give hugs or kisses. His father also relayed an experience where he was feeling down and Nile helped him wipe away tears with his blanket.

Nile's really gotten into movies lately, too. His favourites include Cars, Wall-E, Toy Story and Monsters vs. Aliens. Generally speaking he will pick one movie and watch it at least once daily until I suggest something new at which point he'll watch the new movie until I again suggest something new. Cars is a perennial favourite. He loves talking about Mater, Mac and Li-ning A-Queen, Sheriff and Doc, Big Red, Chick and King. He does, also, love chatting about Wall-E and Eve.

Nile is currently in the process of potty-training and seems to be grasping it really well. He does well at the Sitters and at home which has given me hope that he'll continue progressing and be fully potty trained in the next month. He's always been so independently minded that it's almost comforting that he needs prodding and suggesting to remember he needs to go. I have to hang on to these little shreds of dependence lest I miss my infant too much.

Nile and I have been very blessed and lucky to have such a good home with my parents. They have been more than accommodating and have really helped to make us feel at home and feel like we're always welcome. I am still looking forward to moving out. They have done so much to help us recover after the divorce and I really thank them for that but I am also more than ready to be in my own home again. I miss cooking, I miss having quite, private time, I miss really being in control of what and how and where and when and all the silly little things that most people never think about. I miss doing my own grocery shopping. I miss those little tiny details.

So, here's to a new beginning. A new year, a new decade and a new future.