no...

Reed started shaking his head "no" today. At first, I thought he just liked to shake his head and held no meaning for the action. I was wrong...

Situation One:
Me: "Reed, do you want a bite?" (He always wants a bite)
Reed: shakes head.
Me: "Do you want a bite?"
Reed: shakes head and crawls away!

Situation Two:
Reed is sitting by the Christmas tree at the house where we babysit. He starts to pull off the oraments.
Me: Reed, no sir! Come here, baby.
Reed: Shakes head. Pulls off a new ornament.
Me: Reed...come here.
Reed: Shakes head. Pulls off another ornament. Laughs.

Situation Three:
I sauteed squash and put some on Reed's tray at dinner. He took one bite, shuddered, and spit it back out.
Me: Reed, the squash is so good, though.
Reed: Shakes his head no. Laughs. Shakes his head no some more.
(repeated twice)

What a stinker. I can see I have a lot to look forward to...good thing I like him :)

Stats & Videos

12 month stats:
Weight: 22 lb. 12 oz. (40th percentile)
Length: 28 in. (25th percentile...according to the nurse. My growth chart puts 28 in. in the 5th percentile. Odd.)
Head: 48 cm. (90th percentile)

So he's short, a little chubby, and has a giant head. No wonder it's hard to get shirts over that noggin--90th percentile, my goodness! Oddly, he has not grown in length since his nine-month appointment. Hopefully he hasn't hit his peak height so early in life. Only time will tell.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, here are videos of a few highlights of the party. My favorite is the second one--don't miss it.

Here is Reed actually enjoying opening one of his presents (this wasn't the case for most):


And here he is escaping:


And, of course, the cake:

In the spirit of giving: A second way to serve this Christmas

This is such a wonderful time of year; we remember the wonderful things in our lives, we think of others, we become better people. There’s an organization that helps people do those very things all year long, it’s the School of Life Foundation. This wonderful foundation helps people, especially youth, learn how to Achieve Straight A’s in the School of Life. They are trying to raise $100,000 by New Year’s Eve and I challenge each of you to help make this happen. Donate $1, $5, $10 or whatever you can. I know times are tough right now, so even if you can’t donate please pass this message on to your friends and family and let’s make this goal a reality. Thank You!

Just follow this link to donate: http://www.schooloflifefoundation.org/donate.html

From the School of Life Foundation website:
The School of Life Foundation is committed to the social, moral and character development of youth. We donate our workbook, Learn To "School" Your Toughest Opponent, to sports teams, schools, church groups, at-risk programs, and other youth organizations. The book offers life-guiding principles and values to help youth achieve straight A's in the school of life.

From me:
My dad, Jack Rolfe, founded the School of Life Foundation in August of 2007. During the past two years, SOLF has donated the Straight A's in Life program to over fifteen thousand youth in nineteen states and eleven countries. I have seen this foundation grow exponentially from its inception and feel that this growth is due to the exceptional program it offers--a program that really does change lives. This program is helping kids change their lives for the better. Please help if you can.


From a student at Millcreek High School (an alternative high school in St. George, UT):

"I had to read 'Learn to School Your Toughest Opponent' for a school project, but by the time I was half-way through the book, it wasn't that I had to read it-I actually wanted to keep reading. Amazing I know. What teenager actually wants to read something their teacher assigns them to read?! I was thinking the same thing, but what Mr. Rolfe was saying in this book changed my opinion on a lot of things. Now I don't look at everyday like 'what do I have to do today,' but now I look at everyday like 'what can I do today?'

It's funny because after finishing the book I called up my two best friends to tell them about it. I told them about how 'Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it,' and how little things like saying 'Thank You' actually do make a difference. I even told them I wanted them to read it so we could work on it together.

I was surprised to find that the things written in this book actually did make an impact on my life-and I think anyone who reads it will find that it will make an impact, little or big, in their life, too.

So…I'd like to say 'Thank You' Mr. Rolfe for helping change my life, and I hope everyone chooses to read this and change their lives, too."

In the spirit of giving: A way to serve this Christmas

We recently found out that a friend from our ward in Provo, John Jones, passed away in a caving accident last week. (You can go here to read an article about the accident.) He and his wife, Emily, have a fourteen-month-old daughter and recently found out that they are expecting their second child. John and Emily are both amazing people. I was Emily's visiting teacher for a while, and I was always impressed by how I left their house feeling uplifted. You couldn't help but be happy when around John and Emily--they are two of the most upbeat, kind people I know. I'm grateful we had the chance to get to know the Jones family.

In light of Emily's situation, a few memorial funds have been opened. If you would like to contribute, donations can be made to

The John & Emily Jones Memorial Fund (Utah Community Credit Union and Wells Fargo)

The Emily Jones Children Donations (Zions National Bank)

For those of you not able to go to these places, you can donate online here.

There is also an online auction at A Daily Scoop with funds going toward the family. There will be daily auctions, and there are instructions on how to bid (check out the first auction here). If you would like to contribute any item to be auctioned off rather than bidding, then you can e-mail the blog author (stephaniewaite@gmail.com) or comment on the blog saying you would like to contribute. There are several really cute items already up for bid, and this is a great opportunity to help someone else out while doing your Christmas shopping. If you can't donate, please spread the word.

WLW Week 3

Woot woot for Weight-loss Wednesday.

How I did this week:
1. Run 3 times/week (3/3--check)
2. Pilates 3 times/week (3/3--check) First time I've "check"ed on Pilates--thumbs up.
3. Drink 64 oz. of water a day (7/7 days--check) This could be a lie, but I'm pretty sure I get a check here.
4. Cut down on sweets (check)
5. Smaller portions (check-ish.) Thanksgiving was a little bit of a killer, but I did pretty good, considering the amount of delicious food on the table in front of me.

Progress/Results:
I lost 3 pounds. Hip hop hooray!


And, in related news:
I found this great blog that gives excellent, straightforward, easy to follow tips on becoming healthy. I really like this blog because it's tips are actually applicable and it is written by someone who knows what she is talking about--she has a Masters in Nutrition.

Happy Birthday, Reed!

We celebrated Reed's first birthday with my family last weekend. Reed got extremely spoiled in the present department and ate a lot of food (I'm amazed he didn't get sick); at dinner alone Reed put down four meatballs and five or so jello jigglers, in addition to a breadstick and spaghetti. Somehow, he still had room for cake later.      

Family!

Kid table.

Great-grandparents Steel.

Spaghetti-Head Hambly enjoying dinner.

Then we moved on to presents. Reed was kind of pumped about ripping paper for about the first three presents; but then he started to get mad because we would take away whatever he had just opened to give him another present. Then he got distracted by a balloon. But possibly my favorite part of the party was when Reed decided to make a break for it halfway through opening presents and took off toward the stairs. Poor child was a little overwhelmed, I think. He loves all of his new toys--they are pretty cool, after all--but I think his favorite present was the balloon I let him keep. He has been playing with it all morning. Perhaps I should skip buying presents for Christmas and just get him a $1.25 bag of ballons--I'm sure he would be happy with it.

Opening presents--he got really excited about this one!

So excited, in fact, that he had to stand up to fully check it out.

Opening presents with daddy.

After presents, we moved on to cake, of course. Our "theme" for the party was Winter Onederaland (get it? haha), so we had a snowman cake. Reed was a little hesitant at first--he ate his cake one piece of Oreo coating at a time. Then Ryan grabbed a chunk of cake and let Reed taste it. After that, Reed couldn't be stopped--he became a cake-eating torrent. After he got tired of eating cake from a plate, he dumped the cake all over himself and proceeded to eat it off his lap.

The hat. That he tore off his head. In about 10 seconds. I knew he would tear it off, but I made him wear it anyway so I could get a picture. And I made Mandi hold his hands so he couldn't rip it off before I got a picture. Does that make me a mean mom?

Smash cake. I think everyone was a little jealous of Reed's cake.

Our cake (thanks for the help, Mandi & Mom!)

Pretty light!

He was a little hesitant at first.

But then he started shoving it in.

And finished by dumping the remnants all over himself, then eating them off his lap.

Happy Birthday, Reed!

12 months

This boy loves balls. Of any shape or size. He likes to throw them, chase them, throw them again, chase them again...repeat.

Lately, Reed has been blessed with the gift of tongues. He has been babbling whole paragraphs of noises and it seriously sounds like he's speaking in a foreign language.

Reed can open pretty much anything he wants to. He loves doors most of all, though. If a door is open a crack, he will sit by it, opening and closing it repeatedly.

It's getting "cold" in St. George (haha) so now we have to bundle up to go to the park. Don't kid yourself, though--the hat was off about two seconds after we took the picture. Reed doesn't like his head to be warm.

Reed has added a few "words" to his vocabulary: "go" and "yeah." He usually says "yeah yeah" at appropriate times, but I don't think "go" really has a meaning yet. He is also getting more accurate at naming "mama" and "dada."

Reed loves other kids. His cousin Kody is one of his favorites--Reed loves to give Kody hugs. He also likes to tackle Ashlynn (the seven month old we babysit) to give her "loves."

His bear is also a frequent recipient of his "loves"--even on demand. When I tell him to give his bear loves, he grabs whatever part of the bear is nearest, holds it against his face, then leans his head to the side. It is ridiculously adorable.

Reed loves to wave and waves to everything. When we leave a room,  he waves bye-bye. When he takes a nap, he waves bye-bye. When anyone leaves, he waves bye-bye. When anyone comes home, he waves "hi."

Prodigy, perhaps?

A favorite "toy."

Reed is starting to understand how to use toys a little more. He can turn on most of his toys and is starting to learn how to put shapes in their corresponding holes.

Reed thinks everything is funny--he is such a joyful child. He cracked up when we played "peek-a-boo" in this laundry basket.

Reed does not lay still for diaper changes. I think he shocked a few young mothers in the mother's lounge when he was standing by the end of the diaper change and I was diapering him while he stood.

Thugs. And besties.

Reed likes to copy what we do--actions and sounds.

Eight teeth now call his mouth home.

Reed will frequently let go of whatever he is holding on to and stand, unsupported, for a few seconds. But he has not yet attempted any steps.

"The Daddy Smooch" never fails to get a laugh out of Reed. Ever.

Happy 12 months, buddy!