Child #1: Micah, Family, Family Life, Ireland, Photography, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Travel

Dingle Peninsula

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We drove around the Dingle Peninsula. It was super pretty. I thought Dingle was prettier than the Ring of Kerry although they were both a very nice drive. When we went to Dingle, we went to a tiny branch for church called Tralee. It was the smalled branch I have ever been to! There were hardly enough people there to run the branch. Nevertheless, the rented building was remodeled and I felt like I was at the temple. It was a neat experience for us to go to a small branch and see how the church is growing.

Child #1: Micah, Parenting, Toddlers

Early Potty Training for Boys – Where to start?!

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This is Micah. He is 19 months old and he can go pee in a bucket. He only wears a diaper to nap, when we go out, and bed time. I wouldn’t say that he’s “potty trained” but it’s definitely a start! If you’re reading this, I’m telling you right now that I’m not an expert. I only have very little experience and what worked for us might not work for you. I’m writing this post mostly for my sake so I don’t forget when I do this the next time around. 🙂

Also, if you’re potty training a girl… this post probably won’t help you very much.

Why did we start so early?

I’ve read lots of criticism about early potty training. There’s a lot of negative opinion out there warning people not to start potty training too early. However, both my husband and I felt very strongly that we should start teaching Micah. Micah was getting really horrible diaper rashes and wearing diapers was not helping.

It hasn’t really been easy. It has tested my patience and self control in may ways. I definitely don’t think early potty training is for everyone. It’s taken some time sacrifice and lots of work but, recently, it has paid off for us!

What worked for us?

  • I started by taking of his diaper and letting him run around with a naked bum.  (Scary! I know!)
  • I got a bucket… yes a bucket not a potty. Also, I got lots of paper towels and disinfectant.
  • Then I gave him lots (I mean lots) of water, juice, and milk. This allowed Micah to go every 15 to 20 minutes sometimes.
  • I watched out for his “gotta go” signs. Micah would cross his legs, squat, or hold himself.
  • I watched the clock and kept track on paper when he needed to go. I saw a pattern really fast of when he needed to pee and when he needed to poop.
  • I tried to keep him contained in one area when I knew he needed to go soon. I read him books, watched youtube videos, or let him play with the Ipad in the kitchen next to the bucket.
  • I was on alert and had the bucket ready to catch his discharge at all times.
  • Every time Micah was going, I tried my best to catch his pee or poop in the bucket. Trust me… this wasn’t always easy and I missed a lot! When you miss that’s where the paper towels and disinfectant come in. 🙂
  • Afterwards, I would show him what he did, congratulate him, and give him a piece of chocolate.
  • This helped Micah pay attend to what is going on with his body and soon he figured out how to use those muscles. He also figured out fast that he got chocolate every time he went pee or poop in the bucket. I was trying to be really nice and encouraging at first so I would give him chocolate even if he missed the bucket but then as he got better I would only give him chocolate when he made it into the bucket.
  • Then after a while of doing this catching thing… Micah learned that he can control his bladder muscles!
  • I slowly cut Micah back to normal amount of liquids but I still kept time on his bowel movements. I notice what time during a normal day he needs to go without filling him up with juice. For Micah, it is poop/pee right when he wakes up, then pee ~every 1.5 hours until nap time… ect.
  • By now I could give him underwear which is really nice to prevent him from touching his private parts but not so nice because it’s an extra thing to worry about.
  • Now, when I know it’s time and I see the “gotta go” signs, all I have to do is help Micah take off the underwear and prompted him “Do you need to go pee?” Then I show him the bucket. He goes to the bucket, aims, and pees. Afterwards, he points to the cabinet where the chocolate is and ask me for one. 🙂
  • I also started to say “sssshhhhh” to encourage him to start going when he’s next to the bucket. I don’t really know if it works but it’s just what I’ve read in the books. I also make sure to use the same potty terminology so he understands what I’m taking about.
  • We’re still working on Micah to sit on a real potty to poop but it’s pretty easy to catch that too since it’s only two times a day.

What didn’t work for us?

  • I read online that I could try putting Micah on the toilet/potty every 15 minutes. This got him really frustrated and angry with me.
  • Making Micah sit on the potty/toilet in general didn’t work for us. I tried to read him books on the potty but sometimes it took hours and nothing would happen. Other times he would just go right after he got off the potty.
  • Rushing him to the potty/toilet didn’t work because it scared him and made him frustrated. He would tense up and not do anything.
  • Freaking out every time he peed on the floor didn’t work. At a point Micah was afraid of me and didn’t want to be near me when he needed to go. He would literally go hide in the corner because he was scared of me.
  • Not giving Micah enough fluids was bad because I would be waiting and waiting and waiting and nothing would happen.
  • Giving underwear too early didn’t work because he would just think it’s a diaper pee all over the place.
  • A intense potty training day didn’t work for us because in the long run I needed to show Micah consistency.
  • Too many reminders to go pee didn’t work because I would sound like a broken record and Micah would become resistant.
  • Being overly excited when he had success was actually discouraging. A simple “Good job” made Micah feel better than being overly exaggerating.
  • Potty training on days I felt stressed or overwhelmed was a disaster… on those days I find it better for Micah to be in a diaper so I don’t stress him out! 🙂
  • If I ever got too forceful in anyway, Micah would rebel quickly. We’ve tried our best to allow Micah to choose whether or not he wanted to be potty trained.

Now what?

I have no idea… just keep trying I guess. I don’t know what the future brings. One big thing I’ve learned is God is here to help even with potty training! From the beginning we felt inspired to start potty training. My husband and I prayed about it a lot. We prayed for help. We prayed that Micah would be ready. We prayed that I would be patient. My husband and I both received inspiration on how to start potty training. We counseled together when ideas fail and then celebrate together when things start working out!

What has worked for you? 🙂

Babies, Child #1: Micah, Parenting

Breast Milk Jaundice vs. Breast Feeding Jaundice

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As I’m prepping to breastfeed my new baby. I remembered that my first baby had a type of jaundice that was induced by my breast milk called Breast Milk Jaundice. He was NOT mal-nutrition that is called Breast Feeding Jaundice.  Breast Milk Jaundice occurred when he was about a week and a half old and, usually, Breast Feeding Jaundice occurs during the first week of life. Rather there was a protein in my breast milk that caused my baby to not be able to break up bilirubin which made him really yellow looking. The doctors couldn’t tell if he had jaundice or if his skin was just “asian colored”… lol (see picture above). They asked me to stop breastfeeding for 1 day. They tested my baby’s bilirubin levels before and after. Surely enough… his bilirubin count dropped significantly after 1 day of being on formula. There is nothing they could do about Breast Milk Jaundice and it is not harmful to the mom or baby. The Breast Milk Jaundice disappeared when he was about 6 weeks old and his skin was as white as can be (see picture below). If this happens again, I won’t be stopping breastfeeding for them to test it.

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http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000995.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neonatal_jaundice

Child #1: Micah, England, Family Life, Travel

London Pictures

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I decided that London was one of the hardest places to take pictures at! It’s because it’s so crowded. I enjoyed our trip to London but I am so grateful I don’t live there. London is the most populated city I’ve ever been. I’m not used to crowds and lines. It was a new experience for me. It was the first time I’ve taken a real subway system! The tube is absolutely amazing. I can’t believe a train comes every 2 minutes and it’s packed with people. We went on a Harry Potter walk and shopped at a fancy shopping district. I thought London was exactly what you see in the movies. The best part of the trip was meeting my long lost cousin for the first time.

Child #1: Micah, Children, England, Family Life, Photography, Temples, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Travel

Preston England Temple Pictures

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The Dublin Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints went on a temple trip in March. The stake spent a whole day traveling to get the temple by taking the ferry and bus. Then they spent the entire week doing temple work all day long. The temple patrons and their families can stay at the temple accommodations which is like a hotel.  The temple only charges 11 pounds per person per night.  My husband called it EFY for adults. 🙂

I’ve never had to travel so far to go to the temple since I’m from Salt Lake City. It was so nice to be able to go to the temple again! I haven’t been for three months. Every time I go to the temple I can feel the peace and comfort of the Holy Ghost. I’m so grateful that I can go to the temple to pray to God and ponder about life’s questions.

Can’t help but to add some pictures of little Micah. 🙂

Family Life, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Living a life guided by revelation

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Today marks five years since I got baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was one of the most difficult but life changing decisions I have ever made. I was never a religious person. My family wasn’t religious either. I didn’t know if there was a God nor did I care to find out. Whenever I saw missionaries I would run and hide behind the couch. I was an epitome of the “disappointing investigator”.

Growing up in Utah, most of my friends were “Mormons“. They invited me to church, activities, dances and camps. The social part of church was fun and all but I was never interested in learning religion. Most of my friends tried once or twice to teach me the gospel but usually left me alone after I told them I wasn’t interested. Some of them were more persistant than others. 🙂

Yet, like most people I went through a series of hard times in my life. I was plain miserable and depressed. No matter how hard I try to pick myself up, I felt hopeless and my life was falling apart.

I could go on with details of my conversion but the details don’t matter as much as how it happened. Eventually after years and years of people inviting me to read the Book of Mormon, I was finally ready and willing to read the book. Along with reading the Book of Mormon, I started to pray everyday to ask God if He exist and if the Book of Mormon is true.

It was March of 2008 when I started reading the Book of Mormon and I got baptized on April 19, 2008. I didn’t know very much doctrine and I didn’t have a sure knowledge of God when I got baptized. I just knew that I felt the Holy Ghost a few distinct instances during the time I was truly investigating the Church. However, the feelings always left me and I had to act on pure faith. It was not an easy decision! I felt very criticized and doubtful at times but that just lead me back to my knees to pray to ask God again. On my baptism day, I felt dark and lonely but all the darkness went away when I made it to my baptism and received the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Now after five years, I can truly say that I know without a doubt that God lives and that He does answer prayers. I know without a doubt that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on the earth and is lead by apostles and prophets that are called by God. I also know that Jesus Christ is the foundation of this Church. I know all this because I have lived the last five years of my life being guided by revelation from God through the gift of the Holy Ghost.

My Original Plans

  • Graduate from high school, go to the University of Utah
  • Graduate in 4 years in Electrical Engineering
  • Get a nice job and make lots of money
  • Get a MBA and be promoted
  • Become successful!
  • And hopefully get married sometime around 30 if the right guy comes
  • And may be have kids sometime

God’s Plans for Me

  • 2008 – Get baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints

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  • 2008 – Move to Logan, go to Utah State University on a scholarship and meet lots of new friends. Attend church, institute, read scriptures and pray everyday, be part of lots of clubs, and here have the best roommates in the world!

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  • 2008 – Grow spiritually so here are some callings: Family Home Evening Mom, Primary Teacher, Ward Missionary, Bulletin Board Specialist

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  • 2009 – Meet Dallin, your future husband

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  • 2009 – Be an EFY counselor

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  • 2010 – Get engaged, go to the temple and get married in the temple

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  • 2010 – Transfer to the University of Utah and study Computer Science

  • 2010 – Live in the University Village and meet lots of happy families.

  • 2010 – Have some more church callings: Relief Society Presidency, Stake Primary Presidency and Ward Missionary

  • 2011- Have a baby and name him Micah!

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  • 2012 – Graduate from college and be a full time mom

  • 2013 – Take your family to Ireland and serve in the Bray Branch.

Has my life been easy the last five years? No. I still have lots of trials and problems. Were the decisions I’ve made easy? Not really. But has it been worth it? Most definitely! I know by experience that because the atonement of Jesus Christ my burdens can be made light. Living a life following God’s plan is not always the easiest but it has definitely been full of joy, blessings, fulfillment, and miracles.

Can you believe what I would’ve missed out on if I never decided to get baptized five years ago?! I would not be the person I am today or have my family or be in Ireland for that matter. I would be completely lost in my own world.

I love the quote by Presiden Hinkley that says “When you save a girl, you save generations.” It’s so true!!

Child #1: Micah, Family, Family Life, Ireland, Landscape, Photography, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Travel

I like to look for rainbows

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It’s 50 degrees f (10 c) outside and the sun finally came out! I can definitely understand why Ireland is famous for their rainbows. It’s because it rains so much here! It rains pretty much everyday.

This is the most magnificent and brilliant rainbow we have ever seen! It reminds me of the primary song When I am Baptized.

I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain
And ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again.

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.
I want to be the best I can and live with God again.

I know when I am baptized my wrongs are washed away,
And I can be forgiven and improve myself each day.

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.
I want to be the best I can and live with God again.

My husband came home from work busting through the door. He told us to go outside quick! Micah was going to the potty. We ran outside and Micah had no pants on but at least I remember to grab my camera. 🙂

Main Dishes, Recipe

One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese

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This recipe is awesome. It’s cheap. It’s easy. You can feed a big family or have left overs for the whole week! It’s really toddler friendly too. Micah loved it. This is definitely a recipe I’ll use again.

Chili Mac and Cheese

Serving Size

  • 8 people

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbs brown sugar
  • 1 pepper diced
  • 1-2 celery stick diced
  • 4 Tbs flour
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 beef bullion cubes
  • 4 cups water
  • 3 cups macaroni
  • 2 cups frozen corn (or 1 can corn)
  • 1 can red kidney beans
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Put 1 Tbs olive oil in a pot that is at least 4 quarts big. Turn heat to medium.
  2. Add onion and garlic cloves. Cook until onion is caramelized.
  3. Add 1 lb ground beef and cook till brown.
  4. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 2 Tbs brown sugar to pot. Mix well.
  5. Add diced pepper and celery to pot.
  6. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  7. Add flour to meat mixture and stir well. Cook for another minute.
  8. Add 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 can crush tomatoes, 2 beef bullion cubes,  4 cups water, and 3 cups macaroni. Stir well.
  9. Turn heat to high. Wait until simmer. Stir frequently to make sure noodles don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
  10. Once simmering turn heat down to medium low.
  11. Add corn and red kidney beans to pot.
  12. Put lid on pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  13. Turn heat off and add grated cheese to pot. Stir until cheese is melted in.

Enjoy it while it’s hot!

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