One

Henry is one! So hard to believe. All of the email updates I get on his development congratulate me that he is now a toddler. It's a bittersweet moment, and I have this odd feeling that I'm entering a new stage of my life (that's right, I am turning my son's birthday into a discussion about me).
For the past year, Henry has been forming his basic developments, like sitting up, crawling, learning about food and what his hands do. And now it's his independence and communication skills that are developing (quickly, and with a lot of attitude, I might add). But he is still my wonderful little buddy, and I am thankful for him every day.

Henry got some awesome presents, and we (especially Ben and I) have enjoyed playing with them. Henry's interest in toys is sporadic. We got him bath toys, and he much prefers to play with the bucket they came in. He has quite a thing for buckets.

We had some people over for cake yesterday, and Henry got his own little cake to tear into. His method was slightly hesitant at first, and primarily frosting-focused. But as he became more comfortable with the cake, he settled into a slow, steady destruction.

Basically, I love this kid.

Lighting up (a tree)

The Detroit Christmas tree was lit up this weekend, and because of Ben's work, we got into an event held by United Way. It was great--good food, lots of desserts, fancy dinner for professionals and a fun room for kids. There were all kinds of activities like coloring, cookie decorating, and a photo booth. We mostly stayed in the kids room...

We tried to get Henry's face painted, but every time the brush went near his face, he turned to look at it. We gave up after a few attempts.

He picked up these two rolls and it was awhile before he paid attention to anything else.

There was a man doing balloon animals. Henry got a candy cane, though we had to carry it around until he was done eating.

Still eating a roll...

Ben guarded the candy cane while Henry's hands were full of bread.

Henry was very popular with the adults and kids. Young kids about his size (but usually six months to a year older) would walk up to him and point at him or talk to him. One little girl kept giving him hugs.

Last year we took a picture in front of this tree, but we were outside and it was freezing. And I was 8 months pregnant. And Ben had a mustache. This year was much better.

The tree lighting festival is by far the best thing Detroit does. The city is all lit up and alive. It's one of the very few times that it's actually full of people (despite how it looks in this picture)

Touchdown!

Morning routine

Being a mom is stressful. But there are little moments that I know I'll remember for a long time that make it so rewarding. This morning Henry woke us up and "snuggled" with us in bed, like he usually does. To paint a picture, his snuggling usually involves laying his head right on your face, putting cold hands on any exposed bit of skin he can find, and crawling all over the bed (and us) while talking loudly. Oh, and since he's been sick, wiping his nose all over us and the bed. It's one of the best parts of the day.

This morning, I had a hard time waking up, so wonderful Ben took over Henry and let me doze as much as was possible with a hair-pulling almost-one year old. Henry spent most of the morning following his dad around. They took a shower, which is always a fun interaction to see. Ben teaches Henry how to flick water in other people's faces and Henry sucks the water off Ben's shoulder and giggles. When it came time to pull Henry out and get him dressed, both Henry and Ben pouted quite a bit.

As soon as I had Henry dried and diapered, he took off back down the hallway toward his dad. He loves watching Ben and he especially enjoys mimicking him. Henry has his own toothbrush, and when Dad brushes, he brushes (even if it's with the wrong end). Same with brushing hair--Henry wants to have his hair brushed if that's what Ben is doing. On mornings when Ben just wets his hair down, so does Henry.

Lately, when it comes time for Ben to leave for work, Henry can tell. He starts crying as soon as Ben puts his jacket on. Poor kid. This morning was no exception. We have to distract him when Ben walks out the door, because he's so sad to see him go. I love that about him. Then in the evening when Ben comes home, it's awhile before Henry wants anything to do with me again. I love my boys. One of the things I love most about them is how much they love each other.

Fall

Uncle Josh spent the week with us, since he is going on his mission to Brazil in two weeks. We tried to keep him busy and show him the good sights of south eastern Michigan.

Henry has been practicing walking with shoes. He likes to stretch first so he doesn't pull any muscles

Henry also enjoyed his first doughnut and apple cider at the Cider Mill. I should say he gobbled down two bites and then became indignant when we didn't give him more. Mmm sugar.

Part of the Cider Mill was a nature walk. Josh and I kept asking what it was leading to and Ben had to explain that nature walks don't necessarily go anywhere.

Pumpkin carving. Always a good fall activity. I won't bias you by pointing out that the one on the bottom is the best. (Editor's note: The awesome one in the top left is a man with suspenders and a bowtie).

It's Happening...

Henry is walking. He's not very steady--he mostly does it to show off. His preferred method of transport is still crawling or being carried by Mom. But it's still amazing. My little baby is becoming a toddler....

In other, equally exciting news (maybe), Ben fixed our car this weekend! The driver's window wouldn't roll down. It's always slightly embarrassing going through a drive-thru and having to open your door to hand them your money. He did an excellent job, it works perfectly. Henry helped by holding a screwdriver and eating rocks.

Last of all, today is my little brother's 22nd birthday. Happy birthday Elder Fernquist. You're the best present Mom and Dad ever gave me.

Name Calling

There's an interesting thing about Detroiters that I've noticed lately. Henry and I walk around a lot, and people here are friendly and often say hi. The difference between Detroit and anywhere else I've lived is that people call you what they think you are. For example, I have heard pretty, baby, beautiful, mama, girl. That last one may sound like stating the obvious, but there's something about the way they stretch it out into "giiiirrrrrl" that makes it sound more descriptive than it actually is.

The level of creepiness varies on the person saying it (as well as their tone of voice). I'm actually surprised by how many young men have said "Hey baby" to me and not creeped me out. I honestly think they're just being polite. But still, it often catches me off guard. And what should I respond to that? Good afternoon youth. Hello hoodlum. Good day wrinkly old man.

Food, birthdays, bedrooms

Well, our baby is now 9th months old. He's stopped growing quite so much, which has a lot to do with how mobile he is. He burns calories like nobody's business. The best part about him being 9 months is the wide array of foods he can now eat. We're talking lasagna, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, beef stroganoff. And boy does he love food.

Ben's birthday was this past week. His main birthday present was going to a Boise State game in August, but we had a few festivities here. My present to him was a martini glass full of gummy bears. Why? Because we saw a martini glass full of gummy bears on tv and he said, I want that. So I delivered.

I have also been extremely motivated in my housework lately. I'm hoping it's not just a passing phase. I've been slowly cleaning out Henry's room out since we have lived here. I've finally finished up, rearranged it, and hung all of the things I've made for him. I'm quite proud, and I feel very crafty.

Giggles

This kid is great. He obviously loves his dad. Lately, every time Ben walks into a room, Henry squeals in delight. No matter how long they've been apart, whether it's been all day or 2 minutes.

Work work work

So... I got a job. Yeah, it was just as much a surprise to us, since I wasn't even looking. I got an email last week from a transcribing company that I had applied to a year ago. They use the same software I have a license in and they do remote work, which is why I applied for them--We had just moved to Michigan and I thought, I'll do some typing while I'm huge and pregnant and don't have anything to do all day.

Since I never heard a response, I had completely forgotten about them until this email came. It was the ideal hire--no stress, no pressure and fast. By the end of the next day, I had been interviewed and was hired. Go figure, when I'm actually looking for a job it takes months of rejection, but when I'm not searching, something falls in my lap. Isn't that how life is...

What I do is very similar to what I did as a transcriber in Provo, except instead of going to classes with the students, I listen in from home via Skype. It's great, and so far I've been able to get a schedule that fits nicely with Henry's naps. Just an hour or two a day while he's sleeping. And I get to listen to college classes like British literature, liberal arts, research methods... without having to worry about the homework.

We decided to try it out for awhile, and as long as it doesn't interfere with my ability to tend to Henry, it's a great setup. It's a great blessing, and I think it will be good for me to do something that's all mine. And now I will end with a cute picture of me and Henry.

 

Compare/Contrast

I've been going through Henry's clothes this week and I found one of the hats he wore while he was in the hospital. I thought I'd have him try it on and see just how well it fits 8 months later.

Nananana

Lately it seems like all I do is pick things up. This is something that every mother has probably had to deal with, and I have yet to find a solution for it. At least, one that doesn't involve putting everything in our house at least 3 feet off the floor. I don't know what the appeal is of pulling things off shelves. But it seems to be very strategic and compulsive. A few minutes ago, while Henry was napping, our living room was clean. Now it looks like this.

Yes, that is a Batman shirt. Complete with cape.

Westward ho

We got back last night from a long vacation out west. And surprise, I'm actually really happy to be home.

We spent a couple of days in Idaho at Ben's parents' house. There was a big reunion for the Bernie Fisher family, plus I had my 24th birthday (which I was sick for--super lame). Henry particularly enjoyed the apricots from the orchard.

We also visited Ben's grandpa, who is Henry's middle name sake. If you notice Ben's dad in the background, you can see four generations of fathers and sons. Precious.

Next was our trip to Yellowstone with my brother Josh, who just finished up at BYU-I and is now getting ready to go on his mission to Brazil. It was our first time at the park. Lots of prettiness, like this ginormous hot spring.

We found ourselves in the middle of a buffalo stampede that was quite intense. Keep in mind that this was a one-way street that dropped off in a steep cliff.

Needless to say, it was a very long day.

Henry timed this just right--as we were taking our picture in front of Old Faithful, he leaned over and gave me a big kiss. My boy loves me.

We also saw my dad and spent some time with Ben's grandparents and some other family in Utah, but I don't have any pictures of that. All in all, it was a good trip. But thank goodness for Henry being able to sleep in his own room again....

Declaration

I declare that I like to stand in my crib.

He Crawls!

What he lacks in grace he makes up for in enthusiasm.

No doubt

It seems that Henry is a No Doubt fan.

Missionary Moments

I had an interesting experience today when I went to meet Ben for lunch. Many afternoons I walk downtown and we have lunch along the river by the Renaissance Center, near his office.

Today as we were eating outside on a bench, a woman came up to us and said she had recently moved here with her husband from San Francisco and that they had started a church. She asked if we went to church, and we said yes, every week. She then said okay, and left. I think we both wondered why she hadn't continued with the slight opening we had given her, but I forgot about it as lunch went on.

A little while later, Ben asked me what I would have said if she had invited us to her church. I wasn't sure, but I told him it didn't seem nice to give someone false hope when there is no chance that we are leaving our own church. His response was that it would be a good missionary opportunity for us as well.

That got me thinking as I headed home. I saw this woman talking to a few other people as I walked, and I couldn't get her out of my head. I thought about my brother Geoff, who's on a mission right now and does exactly what this woman is doing every day (not to mention Josh, who goes on his mission in November). But I kept pushing the thoughts aside and I had left her behind and was about to head home when I decided I should turn around. 

So I walked back a ways and searched for this woman, determined to walk up to her. However, she approached me first. She told me about how she had always been Christian, but she became truly converted a few years ago. She told me how happy she is now, and how it has transformed her life. It was a short, beautiful testimony.

She then said goodbye and started to walk off, but I knew I couldn't let her get away. So I asked her when her church meets. She gave me a card with information about the time and location of her church and we exchanged contact information.

I never even mentioned the name of my own church, but I feel  like a door has been opened. I honestly don't known what will come of this interaction. Possibly nothing. Maybe the only reason I was prompted to talk to her was so that she would experience something other than the constant rejection I witnessed her receiving from other people. Or maybe it was more of a lesson for me than for her. I find I struggle with missionary experiences--out of shyness, I tend to keep my mouth closed. But whatever the reason, I'm glad I can look back on this experience with a warm heart and not regret.

Normalcy

Ben's work in Minneapolis is officially over (cue hallelujah chorus). Finally, after what seems like forever, we can get back to our normal lives. This morning was his first day back at his office, and it felt great to watch out the window as he caught the bus. It's funny the things you miss when everything changes. Plus my motivation to work/clean/cook is much higher when he is around. It's much easier to just wallow in my own filth when I know I won't be seeing anyone that day.

0.5

Being a stay at home mom is wonderful. I know it's not possible for everyone, but I also know it is exactly what I should be doing right now. Henry is now 6 months old and I have thoroughly enjoyed this half of a year with him. 

I'm not saying it's always easy. Most of the indications that you're doing a good job as a mother (i.e. raising a secure, well-mannered child) only manifest themselves over a long period of time. The daily tasks like laundry, dishes, etc. never seem to end (possibly because they are sometimes left to stack up a bit longer than they should). And maybe it's only me, but having a job that requires you to stay at home with a baby all day long can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. After all, it's not a very enthralling conversation when the response I get to everything I say is, "dadadad." No matter how cute the giggle that follows may be. 

It's been especially hard having Ben out of town for so long. He's been working in Minneapolis for the past six weeks and he flies home on the weekends (though this is the last week!) This means that unless I make a considerable effort to be social, I can go days without any adult interaction. Not good for the emotional well-being of a new mother. Or anyone, for that matter.

But my real purpose here is to express how, despite everything, the benefits of being a mother far outweigh the costs. I know that everyone has struggles. That's just part of life. But the great thing about being a parent is that children seem to somehow make it all worth it. I have never so instantly and absolutely loved a person the way I love Henry. And aside from Ben, I have never loved anyone so completely. Henry is easy going, happy, intelligent, observant, beautiful, and one of my best friends. So here are a few of the things that I love most about Henry:

When he smiles really big, his neck disappears.

He gives me kisses which consist of him putting his open mouth on my cheek or chin.
He talks to himself all the time in a very squeaky voice.

Sometimes when he is nursing, he stops just to look up and smile at me. Which, in addition to being really cute, gets me really wet.

He often has an intense look on his face like he's trying to figure something out.

He does not like to go to bed because he prefers to spend time with his parents.
He often sucks on a blanket/toy/his toes so loudly that I can hear it from across the room

He is not a snuggly baby, but when he is tired or not feeling well, he will rest his head on my shoulder.

He absolutely adores his dad.

He shrieks when he is excited. It actually sounds like he's choking, and it scared me the first few times, but now I don't notice it until someone else asks me if he's okay.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is, I don't know what I would do without him. 

Teeth

This video says many things about Henry. First of all, yes he is teething. Secondly, he prefers rubbing items over his teeth instead of biting them. I don't know if this means he is creative or just lazy. Third of all, he has learned to shake his head back and forth, which he now does all the time. It looks like he is constantly saying no. Fourth, one of his favorite things to play with is a remote. Whether it is for the TV, Wii, or whatever, if he sees one he will grab for it and inevitably push buttons making something happen that I will not know how to reverse. The only thing he likes doing more is ripping paper. Last, he now smiles/squawks every time he sees me. It's wonderful.

Like Mommy Like Son

Everyone that meets Henry has always said that he looks just like Ben. That's great and all, but half my reason for procreating was to get some mini-me's. And despite what other people say, I see a lot of similarities between Henry and me. So here is my argument that he does not only have Ben's features:

I'm not saying we're twins, but come on. Those are some similarly chubby-cheeked, button-nosed babies. After all, Henry didn't get his blonde hair from Ben.

Napping

Following Megan's list of places that she has nursed Henry, I thought I would contribute the interesting places that I've been able to fall asleep. Rachel has suggested that I make it into a coffee table book, but in order to do that I'd have to spend less time sleeping and more time taking pictures of places I've slept. To make more sense of it, I've arranged them by categories.

• Geography: In 18 Countries (United States, Germany, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, Cambodia, Italy, United Kingdom, Taiwan, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine [Controversial Political Statement], , Austria, Estonia, Latvia,  Hong Kong [China?]) and I don't know how many states.
• Nature: On top of the Grand Canyon, in front of Big Ben, in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, underneath a waterfall, in at least 14 different trees, while rappelling (waiting to rappel but still on the rope), and in plenty of caves, including three snow caves, and the red double-decker buses in New York and London.
• Transportation: In a car, on a train, on a plane, in a bus, on a boat, in a canoe, on a raft, on a bike (not driving the bike), on an inner-tube, on the subway (at least five times standing up).
• Tourist locations: In front of Big Ben, in the Metropolitan Art Museum, in the Getty Art Museum, Disneyland, in front of the Last Supper, inside the Pyramids in Egypt, at Petra in Jordan (ref: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), in Red Square, atop the Taipei 101 (the world's second tallest building), on a zip line in Thailand (I think, I'm not sure about that one), the British Museum, and downtown Tallin.
• Religion: The West Wall in Jerusalem (Judaism), two mosques (Islam), the Duomo di Milano (Catholic), too many temples (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), Shrine and Gardens in Haifa (Baha'i), Ankor Wat (Hindu?), Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Buddism), other Christian churches, and in the Garden of Gethsemane.
• Furniture: beds, couches, kitchen table, counter tops, floors, bathtub, shower, rocking chair, Laz-E-Boy, bar stool, barber's chair, dentist's chair, waiting room, piano bench (curled up), airport seats, park bench, bleachers, auditorium seats (for operas, ballets, plays, and General Conference), and every work chair I've ever had.

I don't think most of those would have made very nice entries into a coffee table, but at least it's a list. 

Nursing?

Henry flew again yesterday--though I never know how to count how many flights he's been on. He's been on two separate trips, one roundtrip and one only a one-way flight as of today. Each leg had a layover, so in total he has been on 6 separate planes.

He's not bad to fly with, but he gets quite antsy and the change in air pressure hurts his ears. Since he won't take a bottle or pacifier, I've realized that the only way to alleviate the pain is to nurse. At first I was too afraid of breastfeeding while in such close quarters with other people, who are often men. But after the flight last month, when he cried for almost an hour straight (which is a lot for him), I decided to go for it. Who cares if other people are slightly uncomfortable, right? I'm completely covered and it keeps him from screaming. Plus, women bare more by wearing low cut tops all the time.

I think there are definitely times when nursing in public is not appropriate (like in church--just go to the mother's room, they have comfy chairs). But sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. After all, breastfeeding mothers have rights. So I've made a list of some of the places I've nursed.

• Detroit Tigers baseball game
• 3 separate airplanes
• Corner booth in a Cheesecake Factory (I was desparate and hidden from view)
• Starbuck's bathroom
• Kansas City and O'hare airport bathrooms
• Bathroom at Greenfield Village
• Deserted eating area at Greenfield Village
• Detroit Institute of Arts bathroom
• Car (many locations, both front seat and back seat)
• Holland Tulip Time Festival

Growing Boy

Today Henry is 5 months old. And the more I hold/carry him, the more I realize how he is growing. I'm pretty sure he eats straight butter when my back is turned.

Speaking of eating, he has eaten rice cereal a couple of times. He seems to enjoy solid food better than a bottle (thank goodness). Sometimes we let him lick/suck on a fruit or vegetable we are eating. His favorite so far has been watermelon.

We haven't gotten a high chair yet, so we had to improvise....

Henry has also gotten rather mobile. Relatively speaking. He scoots around (though only backwards and to the left). He's also getting better at sitting up and is rolling over more (kind of-ish). However, his favorite thing to do is what we call the superman.

We also recently (finally) got a crib for him. This means moving out of the co-sleeper in Mom and Dad's room and into his very own big boy room. It was a bit difficult for me the first night, but now I love it. He sleeps much better through the night.

We have also been very busy having fun. We have had many visitors in the past couple of weeks including Ben's sister Kelly, Ben's parents and his high school football coach.

On the steam-powered train at Greenfield Village

With Kelly in front of Grandpa Bernie Fisher's airplane at the National Air Force Museum. The cutest part was when Henry saw his great-grandpa's picture. There were many giggles and big smiles

After Henry's first baseball game, the Tigers versus the Royals. He even got a certificate celebrating his first game.