The cutest little man ever!

Well, there has been so much that has gone on the past couple of months, there is not way except pictures to explain. :) As you can see, Dawson truly is the pride and JOY in our lives. There is not a day that goes by he doesn't make us laugh. I can't believe how much he has grown and come to understand. So here we go....

One thing Dawson has started is opening the fridge and saying..."UUUUMMMMM???"
Then he picks out what he wants to eat. Today was Top Ramen, and he runs to his chair, and loves to not have help and feed himself. This is what he concluded with after many tries of keeping the noodles on the fork...

LOOK MOM! NO HANDS!
(Safety first! Helmet and knee guards. He insists!)

We took Dawson bowling with us last Friday night with our friends. He was hilarious! He's got the game down. He actually was a good luck charm-he helped me get a strike! He loved watching the balls come back up and out of the machine.

At the bowling alley he was super happy! We would tell him to say CHEESE for the camera and this was his reply

As you followers of this blog you probably know that Dawson loves animals-especially dogs and horses. Uncle Matt brought his horse to the house in Kanab and Dawson couldn't get enough. He kept loving him, kissing him... and....

He got to ride him! He did NOT want to get off! He would hold the reins and say" Go. Go!" He would also lean forward to give the horse a hug. He's so sweet!

The week before I put the mattress up against the couch to have room to play and Dawson loved sliding down it. This special day he decided to slide down the wrong side...lol! He went in-between the sheet and mattress!

The week before we made some cream cheese brownies! They were pretty good! So as a good mother I gave him the sweet part instead of eating it myself (It was hard...) Dawson just loved it!

The week before that we had cousin Carson come stay at our house for a week. They play SO GOOD together! It's so much fun to play and watch them. Here is one of the many bath times! They both love them! must be a Shelley thing :-)

For christmas they both got little cute sleeping bags. So each night we'd roll them out and they would have a sleepover. They actually comforted eachother in the night and slept so good! It's like they both feel to make sure someone is there and then go back to sleep.

Other than that we have been so good, and so busy! I would like it to slow down...but it never does and we just keep going :) I really believe the Lord knows us best because I think I have patience, more than I used too...but its testy. If Dawson wasnt' so smart and didn't understand or talk the way he does I can't imagine how I'd be.
AND!! for 2 nights he has slept all the way through the night in his crib. We didn't do anything, it was all Dawson's decision. He wanted it one night and he does for naps, and each night now. Of course there will be bad nights here and there, but its a start. He is so much happier when he gets his sleep, mom too!
J.D. is doing so good! He is studying a lot! We don't see him much, but we know its for a good reason. It makes us both feel so good when he studies hard and does well in school. I'm very lucky to have him :)
I'm still trying to get my swim suit body ready for our cruise this summer-sometimes it's so hard, especially when you have a husband who loves you the way you are. lol! Cleaning, cooking and taking care of most things so J.D. can focus on school. And, I find myself spending more time playing with Dawson and teaching him things since he helps me with all of the responsibilities. He's a good little exerciser! (spelling?)
Until next time, We hope everyone is doing well!

The Bachelor

Tonight was so much fun! We had some friends come over to watch the Bachelor with us! It's so much funner to hear comments from others and come up with our own scenerio and "what's going to happen".
I find it so funny that they always advertise, "Never before has this happened..." when last season on the Bachelorette, the same exact thing has happened with Ali, that happened with Ed. Maybe not EXACTLY, but same idea.... I'm not sure if she comes back or Jake just says that he's grown with the other girls in their relationships.. hmmmm???Suspense is awful!
OHHH my goodness! The cheesiest moment was when he was with Ali and she tells him she's falling for him...and then Jake stares at her, he slowly looks down, removes his scarf and gloves, slowly lifts his head, and grabs Ali's head to kiss her!!! LOL! Our friend Shane has the best reinactment of this! It was so cheesy and makes me think Jake is kinda nerdy...maybe it does happen and seeing it on camera was just weird to see...
Anyways, I really hope Tenley wins...but can't figure it out. If she doesn't we decided she should definitely be the next bachelorette! :) There's my spill and until next time, have a fun week just nonstop thinking of what's going to happen. I'm obsessed with this show...

Party & Competition

Once again, I couldn't get the pics to come up... But this last weekend we went to Holden to our nephew's birthday/Swimming party! It was so much fun to swim in a warm indoor pool in the winter! Dawson loved it! It was so much fun!
Then on Saturday we drove to UVU to see the High school State Drill competition. it was so much fun to see all the dances! J.D. and I both enjoy going to the competitions. Especially when we have someone to watch-my niece Sari competed. She dances for Kanab High and they did a great job. Unfortunately they didn't get state, but they got 3rd! Millard (J.D.'s highschool) got 2nd. and South Sevier got 1st. AND for all the Cedar citians... Cedar High recieved 1st in every dance and won 1st at State... Canyon View recieved 2nd in all the dance categories and got 2nd overall. I don't know anyone who dances on either teams..but we live in cedar so thats cool. (Laci-I still think Bear River stood out more :) ) It's hard to judge the dances since it really almost comes down to what the judges like or prefer. All in all its an awesome experience.
After we saw my brother Choc at his work! It was good to see him! And J.D. got me this amazing smelling perfume from Charlotte Reusch-Refuge! it is one of my new favorites.
It was such a fun weekend. I will try to get pictures up soon when it works.

WHOOHOO for J.D.

This may not be as exciting as it sounds, but I'm so proud of J.D. He is doing so great this semester! and year too! He has put so much time into school. We definitely feel like this is the right time for us and him to apply. Last year we debated and he took the DAT.. He was working 56+ hours and got a 15. That's pretty amazing when you consider all that was going on in his life. This year he has been way more on top of things.

The exciting news... we've been trying to debate on who to write recommendation letters for him and Wednesday he was studying at the school and a professor walked up to him and just complimented him so much and THEN he offered to write a letter. That's 1 down! It's always nice when they offer and you don't have to ask cuz then you know its going to be a good one :) Anywho, he came home way excited not only for that, but also because the teacher wanted J.D. to help him with his research project this year. Which means more credits, and you have to have research to apply ... so all in all it helps us feel more confident in applying this year.
Things are just working out for the better. And I love to see him so excited about things like that. It's very rewarding for both of us.
So GOOD JOB HUNNERS!

My lovely Immune System

Well...here we are 3rd or 4th time this winter having the flu/fever again. Dawson is sick again as well. What a trooper he is! I am so blessed to have such a happy child. He is still so fun and smiling even when he's sick. It really makes an impact on my attitude that's for sure. I was watching him sleep and it got me thinkin about my childhood and sickness....

I definitely have plenty of memories waking up in the bathroom in the middle of the nights, or sleeping next to my parents door in the hallway just to have more comfort. I was born with a way too sensitive stomach (thats what my mother says) or a horrible immune system. My mom claims I was always the first to get sick, and then it would run through my family, and I would get it again. Lucky me right? She would say it would happen once a month at least. I remember not wanting to wake my mom up from not feeling well, so I'd sleep next to her door in the hallway, or go take a bath.
One night I fell asleep in the tub. I'm not sure how long I'd been in there. My dad drove truck and was usually gone all week, but would stop in once or twice in the middle of the week to shower and get a good meal. Well... I was very lucky that he choose to stop in this night. He was trying to wake me up in the tub, the water was pretty cool, and it's the first time I remember my dad actually being pretty stern with me and saying, "No more baths at night."
Now that I'm older, I thought maybe I'd become immune to all the flu's right.... Wrong. they still come often... I hate to say we are always sick, cuz I don't think we are. But I feel like we catch more than normal in the Stevens household...between me and Dawson anyways.
It's pretty sad for Dawson since he can't explain he's not feeling well.. If I don't get sick right away and he has been sick, I feel like a terrible mom in not being in-tune with his tummy. :) sounds funny, but I think I'm going to try more.
Also, I'm not very patient about it. When J.D. gets sick I honestly don't feel compationate enough. I realize it, but need to control it more. I start thinking, well i didn't get sleep and when I'm sick I deal with it and do things myself....Well, J.D. does do a lot more than I realize when I'm sick. anyways, it's a weak part of me that I intend to make stronger. I don't want to be that way when my kids are sick.
Another thing of being sick...it's working as the best birth control ever. It reminds me of being pregnant, and I'm extremely terrified to get pregnant again. I have had a huge scare this month with being sick and not having a period.(I've had one every month since Sept.-which isn't normal for me) I just cried and cried praying I wasn't pregnant. I feel like my body is just gettng back to its normal cycle though-which is 3-4 times a year. Yay for me. :) I'm definitely not pregnant. I love being a mom and I certainly want more children, but I don't know if I can handle it. I just don't have a strong enough mind set for now anyways. And I don't feel like its time. I guess the Lord knows us best right?

Anywho, enough ranting... I just felt like sharing. :)

Potty Training at 16 mo???

So the other day Dawson kept pointing at the potty saying
"pease!pease!peas!...."
I looked at him with curiosity and replied," You want to try use the potty?"
Dawson: "Ya. Ya. Ya." and nodding his head.
So, I took off his pants and diaper- he helped of course. He's very good at stripping his pants and diaper off now :). I set him on the toilet and he kept pushing. He didn't go for like 2 minutes, so I took him off. I went to put his diaper back on and he said boldly,
"No.No.No.No." pointing at the toilet,"pease. pease.pease."
So i put him back on and he WENT POTTY!!!! WHOOHOO! I had recently taught him how to flush, put the seat down, pull pants up, wash hands, and dry hands. I had placed him on the potty before just for fun, and to teach him the process..
So after he was done going potty, I got him off, he immediately turned around and flushed the toilet, put the seat down and laid down for me to put his diaper back on!!! NO JOKE! I put it on without difficulty from Dawson. Then we got up and we washed hands and dried them. He then walked out. WHAT A KID! I couldn't believe it!

So today, he came up and did the same exact thing!!! I'm not going to push him, I think i will just keep doing it his way. I've noticed lately he has been recognizing here and there that he's peeing, but I don't think he truly gets it all the way. That's why we're just going to stick with how he wants it done. lol!

GOOD JOB DAWSON! :)

Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Years

sorry for no pics...our computer wasn't working right..
so long post...
Thanksgiving was spent in Holden this year! We had a blast! It was so yummy! Then right after the last day of finals we drove to Kanab. J.D. worked on remodeling my parents home... Remodeling is an awful thing to have to do by the way. But it's starting to look better thats for sure. We finished decorating the Kanab house for Christmas. It turned out really fun to have my whole family there. We all drove to St. George that night to give meet my brother flying in from Missouri. We waited til they got there to give my parents there gift...which is A CRUISE to the EASTERN CARRIBBEAN!!! My parents and all siblings are going for 1 whole week in May! WHOOHOO! Right before Christmas my grandpa passed away, so Sunday we drove down to Mesa and went to the funeral on Monday, and drove back that night...Then we spent the day in St. George. My mom had all of her grandkids together so we got pictures done. We drove to Holden on Wednesday to spend New Years. We finally made it back to Cedar City after 4 long weeks of being away. While unpacking Dawson found a new love... sitting in front of the heater. lol! He is such a cutie!
Update on Dawson... He has 4 new molars and 1 other front bottom tooth. At 15 mo. old he is in the 3rd percentile for weight, 46th percentile for head circumference, and 94 percentile for heighth! He doesn't look skinny.. I think he's just built lighter. He is talking more and more. He can say
Hello/Hi
Bye
Thank you/please
Yes/No
Cheese (for the camera)
hat
bum
dog/woof
He knows ring around the rosies and loves to play it over and over and over again.
J.D. is studying like crazy and doing great! He is preparing mroe and more for the DAT and for his classes. He's staying very motivated.
I'm working on exercising to look good in a swim suit for the cruise ;) lol, and staying at home with Dawson. We have learned how to cook so many new things with our new recipe book from christmas. Also making sure J.D. stays motivated for the next 5 months.