Baby Mine

Yesterday I did what I haven't done in a while... rock my baby to sleep at night. Lydia usually only wants to be rocked to sleep (or rocked at all) when she's sick. She usually falls asleep nursing. I know that's not the best, but it's the quickest and usually that's all she wants when she's cranky and sleepy and just wants to pass out.

So last night she ended up staying up til 12:30am due to having a late nap (from 4-6) while I was gone donating plasma. Well, what can you do? Me and Jon were both, surprisingly, tired and wanted to sleep earlier than Lydia had in mind. He went to bed and I was on baby duty (like usual) and Lydia was wide awake. After she played for a while I shut off the lights and put her in the recliner and rocked her to sleep. I love her big yawns as she's getting ready to let go and dream. It's my favorite.

While I rocked I sang. I sang a song that touched my heart before she was even born. It still does. I remember those vivid memories. I remember being in Texas in our first apartment as newlyweds of 3 months after finding out we were expecting. I remember cooking or washing something in the kitchen listening to my iPod playing songs. And then this song came on and I played it over and over and over. And tears came to my eyes. I couldn't wait for my baby to be mine.. to be here..and I still had a long way to go.

Baby Mine

Baby mine, don't you cry
Baby mine, dry your eyes
Rest your head close to my heart
Never to part, baby of mine

Little one when you play
Don't you mind what you say
Let those eyes sparkle and shine
Never a tear, baby of mine

If they knew sweet little you
They'd end up loving you too
All those same people who scold you
What they'd give just for 

The right to hold you

From your head to your toes

You're not much, goodness knows
But you're so precious to me
Cute as can be, baby of mine

(from Dumbo; the version from The Essential Disney Love Song collection sung by Paige Morehead.
I tried to get her version because it's more up to date and sounds better, but this will have to do!) 

Our 2nd Anniversary!

I left the mushy stuff in my other post. Today I will talk about the wonderful day we had yesterday. I'd like to say that our anniversary happened before Pioneer day was made (basically..a holiday in Mormon culture.. really, even the school was closed yesterday haha) but unfortunately, Pioneer day was made first. AND, when we were planning our wedding and chose a date, we seriously had no idea it was on Pioneer day, nor did I even KNOW there was a Pioneer Day! That's what I get for living in Alaska! :D

Anyhoo. The night before our anniversary (like, around midnight or so) my crafty side came out and I locked myself in our room while Jonathan was playing halo. I decorated our room with a little banner made out of paper and yarn. So cool, I know. ;) But it looked kinda cute. I have to say..his reaction to it was pretty funny. He walked in after I was done and saw it.. then walked out and said.."Did you do that?? :)" and I replied, "No, somebody else did. OF COURSE I DID! Who else would have! Haha" Goofy boy.

I then stayed up way way past my already-late bedtime WAITING for Jonathan to go to bed, who, by the way, had a nap, so he was up for forever! I was trying to make the dangly notes you see above, in secret. I went through all of my journals and found the entries where we started dating up to where we got married. Yes, I wrote in my journal EVERY DAY (before I got married haha) I was so good at keeping on it. (I wrote in a lot of detail and mentioned everything that was going on in my life at the time. I love my testimony and the conviction I had for the gospel and the love for my friends. And I was very honest and open about how I felt about Jonathan. I love reading about my past. It's unfortunate that I'm not good at keeping up in my journal still. Maybe if I get a new one I'll be more motivated.) But anyway, I photocopied the important or funny ones and rolled them up. We were up til 6am! (Partly due to our printer being jammed with a hair clip-don't ask) Luckily he didn't know what I was doing with my journals haha. I did all the hanging the next morning before Jonathan woke up. Baby has a magical sense of always waking up at 10:30, no matter what time I go to sleep. Haha

Surprisingly, even though it looked like Jonathan woke up multiple times while I was trying to hang them over the bed (due to Tiki yelling at the hanging things from the ceiling.) He told me later he had no idea I had even hung those and was yet surprised again. Yes!!

If you see Mrs. Behner's name.. it's because it says I saw her in the airport and she came home from surgery on her wrist. I told you I wrote in detail. haha

Don't laugh, just be glad I don't write like this on my blog!!!

After we woke up we got ready and I finished washing the dishes and started preparing our crock pot dinner for later so I wouldn't have to do any work. Jonathan then turned on our wedding playlist on my ipod and started dancing with Lydia. She loved that. So did I. It was a good flashback to our wedding day. We then left to see if we could get pick up Jonathan's paycheck. The school was closed, due to a holiday..dur.. haha. And then Jonathan surprised me and took me to Applebee's! I had never been there before, so that was fun. 

my meal.. 3 cheese chicken penne. I ended up boxing my leftovers.. and then leaving it there. Real smoothe, Anna.

Jonny's chicken, shrimp and rice somethin'

Appetizer: boneless chicken wings. Mm

Afterward, we went to the cheap theater to watch The Avenger's. Lydia did surprisingly good. She was actually asleep in the beginning in her carseat..but then I tried to unbuckle her so it wasn't so restraining on her and of course the sound being so loud woke her up. So she was awake the whole movie. After that we went home and relaxed and then had dinner.

Chicken drumsticks soaked in Yoshida's terriyaki  in the crockpot. With rice and veggies.

After dinner and Baby was in bed we tried to watch our wedding slideshow, but it was being lame on all the viewing programs on our computer. We got it to work once and then it froze and quit. After that failure we opened the rolled up journal entries and read about our first Christmas together (which was really spent a part), about when we first met in real life (which is pictured above in the beginning), and other times. I also included a few testimonies as well as the time I found out I was pregnant. We enjoyed our "floating memories."

After that...well, you can use your imagination, I'm sure!

The Best Two Years

You're sitting across from me in the living room on the recliner

owning zombies on Black Ops..

I notice the clock's time say 12:25am and I tell you, "Happy Anniversary, Delicut."

and You say, "Happy Anniversary, Grill." Barely glancing over.

And it makes me laugh, the silly kind of love we share. Our goofy nicknames and our {super} laid back romantic-ness.

Thanks Hannah, for the pictures

But I know you love me truly, even when you're focusing on the undead creatures crawling measly toward you on the screen. I think two years ago I would have been disappointed with the weird romantic way you love me, possibly a-romantic way you love me (I kind of have to remind you to buy me flowers-ha!). But now I embrace it, because I've grown accustomed to it and I know that's how you are. When we got married I thought our love would be perfect - had to be text-book. I thought you'd sweep me off my feet every day and we'd never argue and the bed would always be made and you'd offer to wash all the dishes (I can still wish for that one, right?). But two years later, 730 days later, I know that it's not ever going to be like that. It was part of my "ideal love" but now I finally realized you don't have to love me like that for me to know that you actually love me. Everyone loves in their own special, different, unique way. And no amount of trying to change someone to make them love you a certain way is going to work (Remember that 5 love languages book? Ohhh the arguments that spewed from that! Haha! We don't pull that book out anymore..)

One thing I love most about you is that I can't stay mad at you... even if one time you made me fall off the bed and I made a dent in the wall with my knee. And I love how you don't stay mad at me for very long, even when I blurt stupid, hurtful words out sometimes. Thank you for forgiving me. And always accepting my apologies.

Thank you for pursuing me back in the day, before we even dated, when I felt like I couldn't have a long distance relationship with someone living in Juneau. Thanks for still liking me, even when I only replied that you were a "nice, funny guy" when you told me you liked me. And thanks for waiting and being faithful all throughout our long distance relationship, and even still.

Thank you for making me laugh. Thank you for your silly impersonations of people, especially of your "all american white male" impersonation..and always wanting to fire your pretend-receptionist, "Sheila." It always makes me laugh.

Thanks for quoting Batman. I know I tell you it drives me crazy, but I think I laugh the hardest when you quote that silly youtube video.."Two Clowns?" I actually enjoy it (now, don't go overboard!), especially with the iPhone Batman mask app. You should know - I had tears in my eyes from laughter the other day. Oh, how I love you! Thank you for being so goofy!

Thanks for letting me play games with you. I love playing Halo or FIFA (soccer) or Black ops training Nuke Town, even if you are AMAZING at kicking my butt. :) It's still fun. One day I'll learn not to squeal in excitement, or push the joystick so hard I  hurt my thumb and turn it red. One day. 

Thank you for all the road-trips we've ever had and sharing your secrets with me. I love getting to know you better and I love road trips with you because we're STUCK together for long periods of time and you're forced to talk to me, mwahahaha! But really, I love those times because I love being with you.

Thank you for always being the protector in our family. I remember a few months after we got married in Texas, I was walking down the apartment path and some creepy neighbors standing on their balcony started talking to me and asking me questions. You power walked over to me with such a protective stance, grabbed my hand and whisked me away. It felt really good to be watched over by you, even when I felt they were kind of harmless.

Thanks for holding me when I woke up with a cry from that nightmare that one time. Thanks for caring.

Thanks for being a good dad to Lydia. Thanks for watching her when I go out and playing with her. Thanks for loving our little girl.  Thank you for being by my side while I gave birth. I watched your face the whole time.

Thank you for doing your duty and calling in Church, and knowing so much about the Gospel. I feel like sometimes you out-beat me in the tiny details of the Church, things I should know because I've been a member my whole life! 

Most of all, thanks for the change that you've over come within the last two years. You've grown so much. You've learned to put the immature things aside and focus on what's really important for your family and for your life. You've experienced so much as a husband and father and it's made you into a better man. My man.

I love you hunny!! Thank you for the "Best Two Years, of my whole life."

Everyone Has a Bucket List..

 ..And I'm still fillin' Mine!

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* Go to a Kentucky Derby. 

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 * Get to see/know my dad got finally visit his Mom/family in Czech Republic.

* See all my children grow up, graduate high school, get married, and have kids.

* Go camping as a Hernandez family. We have yet to do that. (August 23-30th)

* Go to Disneyland with my husband and kid(s).

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* See a real live Euro or World Cup Soccer Game.

* Go to a midnight movie viewing. (7/20/12 Dark Knight Rises) :)

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* See Jonathan graduate from BYU-Idaho and any other school/place he pursues.

* Be at Time Square for New Years.

* Go to a Drive-In Movie. (August 15th)

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* Buy and learn to use a sewing machine...and then make something!

* Ride first class in a plane.

* Be fluent in another language.

* Have a legit food storage.

* Go to another country.

* Do something BIG for someone else, without them knowing it was me.

* Watch the Mormon Tabernacle Choir live (hopefully happening soon! They're coming to BYUI) 

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* Make a real 72 hour kit. One we could actually use - ha.

* Ride a horse and not be afraid.

--I know these aren't your typical "bucket list" ideas, like "wrestling a gator" or  "I wanna go sky-diving before I die!" ... uh, no thank you. Did you see that old lady on youtube who was falling in the air and her parachute didn't work!? Yeah, not gonna be me!... And in Jonathan's own words, some of them might sound "so Mormon it makes me sick!" Hahaha oh well!--

At least I can say I've scratched one off the list.

*to be continued*

Milk and the Miracle

Here's our success story! I finally got Lydia to drink (strawberry) milk! Hooray!

But first, backing up a bit. And don't worry, half way through you might be asking if I have a point... I do.

Ever since Lydia turned one, I've been wanting her to drink cow's milk, although I was nervous at first about allergies, since I am clearly allergic to milk. Milk+Me= no bueno! So that was one of my biggest fears. Usually if she's allergic, her skin around her mouth develops little red spots/blotches, that kind of look like acne. I'm thankful it shows up so clearly and fast, so I can tell what's bothering her right away. Luckily she's not allergic. So, I thought once we figured if she was clear of that she would take to milk really fast and love it.

Boy was I wrong.

For the longest time she's always taken water and occasionally juice in her orange and blue sippy cup. She is just a water-lovin' baby. It's kinda funny. So, when I tried putting milk into her blue sippy, every time she'd grab it to drink it, she'd make a sour face and let all the milk spill out of her mouth. She went for it multiple times thinking there was something other than milk in her sippy cup and then was sorely disappointed. When she didn't take to the plain milk, I noticed friends' comments on facebook mentioning to add chocolate or strawberry to the milk, to coat or hide the thickness of whole milk. So, off I experimented!

Nada.

I was talking to my friend earlier this week and asked about association with sippies and if I should get her a new one just for milk. I kinda figured she always associated her blue and orange one with water, so maybe I should get another one just for milk. My friend agreed and said she has done the same thing with her kid and it worked for them. So off to the store I go to get a new sippy. Hay, I'm willing to try anything... I don't want to nurse forever! I do enjoy the experience, but there comes a time when you don't want your baby pointing to your boob and then her mouth, at Church. That's kind of embarrassing hahaha. (And it happens all the time!)

Anyway.. Soooooo I thought I tried everything:

Whole milk plain, chocolate milk, strawberry milk, half milk-half water-strawberry flavored, in a baby's bottle, warm, in a cup, pretending to drink it myself, etc... The only thing I didn't try was pumping/hand expressing my own milk into her cup going halfsies with whole milk. There isn't really a possible way for me to do that. But, you get the idea.. it was becoming very frustrating for me. I just wanted her to drink her milk! I want her bones to grow strong and I want her to enjoy drinking milk.. If it doesn't harm her, and aids her health and growth, I am all for it. :) 

So I got the new cup for her, with handles because that's how she likes it, but I got the one with a hard spout, and she's used to a soft one she usually chews on. Oops. It took me multiple tries for her to even TRY to suck on the spout. She'd shake her head and push her arms against the cup. She did NOT want it. 

I felt at a loss. I know it sounds silly, but I couldn't figure out what else to do.

But you wanna know something? I thought I had tried everything, when really I had forgot to ask the One person for help, who could help me the most - the Lord. 

And it wasn't even like it clicked in my head at the time to just ask Him. It was later when I was saying a prayer over food or something, I can't even remember, and the thought just came to me to ask for help with Lydia and for her to start drinking her milk and enjoy it. Later, when I offered her sippy cup again, she tried sucking on the spout and realized delicious strawberry milk came through those three tiny holes. And she was happy and kept on suckin'! It was then that I realized my prayer was answered. The request that I had asked for so simply, was given. A little miracle happened. If only I had asked sooner.

Lydia still doesn't take her sippy with milk all the time; she'll still chug water over milk, but I believe with time she'll learn to really like it. She gets better at it as the days go on. You know when they say "it's the little things"... well, it really is the little things that matter, and I'm glad the Lord sees it that way, too.

It's funny I feel like I was good at raising a baby. I felt like I knew what to do at least 85% of the time with Lydia her first year. But now as a toddler I feel like I am starting all over again. I feel like I have no clue what I'm doing with her. Is she supposed to have shorter/longer naps? One nap a day? Cut her morning nap out? Am I supposed to put her to bed earlier? Am I now allowed to give her certain foods? Should I have a structured day routine? What should I be encouraging her to do at this age? Should I teach her more signs? Why isn't she picking up on the ones I've been signing this whole time? The questions go on. It's all a learning experience, but at times I feel like I make more mistakes with her now than I did before. I guess I should go study! Haha

I just hope this message, however insignificant, can reach moms wherever they are and let them know they're not failures, even if something new and challenging comes their way. Embrace it and learn from it, and don't forget to include the Lord. 

He usually has a better outcome than you do anyway.

...Our dark Dark Knight night....

As I sit here trying to think of things to say for my "Dark Knight" post, I can't help but think of the people who lost their son or daughter, brother or sister, friends, and even little children in the mass shootings last night. We were all just trying to enjoy life, have a bit of excitement and fun; enjoy a really good movie. It was my first time at a Midnight viewing and I was excited. And someone had to go and ruin it for all of us. I wasn't there, but the feeling is just as ruined for me because I feel guilty that I got to watch the movie safely, and other people were running for their lives and died watching it. Makes me so so sad. And mad. None of those people deserved to die. It makes me want to cuddle up with my family and hold them tight, because you can never prepare for something bad to happen, or know when your time has come.

Sometimes I wonder, and this is just my opinion, but maybe we go a little too far with our theatrics in superhero movies. The Batman trilogy is the most realistic of all. You look at the Avengers or Spiderman, those have aliens and gods and all most of us know (I hope!) those are fake, but Batman can be taken more realistically - a super wealthy man trying to do good, and people who use science and technology as weapons. "It could happen." It sounds goofy, but take a movie that's 90% fighting/rebellion and 10% inspirational and good and guess what people are going to be thinking about more? Even my husband enjoys the Bane character over all, and he's the very epitome of evil! (Sorry hunny ;) )
I won't say I didn't enjoy the movie, because I did, but the 10% of happy feelings/inspirational-want-to-do-good is kind of overpowered by all the darkness of the movie. What do we really come away with thinking? Not that I blame the producers of the movie, because that murderer made his own decision to kill/hurt people, regardless of the movies, but our actions are preceded by our thoughts. And what we love determines what we seek and do.

"For what we love determines what we seek.

What we seek determines what we think and do.

What we think and do determines who we are—and who we will become."

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Anyway, there was my little rant.

Okay, I promise the rest of this post is happier! This is how my first midnight showing went! Here is a little glimpse of our "knight", plus the day preceding it. We had a Batman marathon Wednesday since Jonathan worked all night and had school Thursday. 




Wednesday: 

To start the epic night off, we began by going to Snoasis and getting the Dark Knight flavored shaved ice..icee thingy. So yummy.

While sipping on our snowcones, we watched Batman Begins, followed by the Dark Knight.

 And then we had Heath bars, tribute to the late Mr. Ledger.

 Me and the TIK, enjoying the movies

For last night, we got tickets to see the 12:20am showing. We also got tickets for Alex, Jonathan's brother, as a belated birthday present. Our neighbors Whitney and Jared babysat Lydia for us (who unfortunately woke up 20 minutes before we left; I was hoping to have her asleep the whole night for them and she ended up going to bed at 3! 15 minutes before we came home! Lil stinker!) We got there at 11:15..because Jonathan was a little paranoid there would be a long line. Needless to say, there wasn't, thanks to small town Rexburg. But about half an hour later lots of people started showing up. 

Killing Time

Somebody dressed up as Batman! 

Mr. Bruce Wayne.. kinda sorta.. without all the cool effects/money..haha ;) *Just some random dude! Ha!)

We also got to see Scarecrow and Harley (the Joker's girlfriend..from the game/comic? I'm not sure which, or if she's in both, I've only seen her on the game. Wow.. I sound like a real nerd now.) Really bad pictures of them, I know. But I didn't feel like going up and asking them for a picture. haha


My little insignificant review (Go watch the movie yourself!):
 The movie was great. And that's an understatement. Really good storyline. Makes you wanna cry in some parts, be angry in others. I kind of had a love-hate relationship with Catwoman. Anne Hathaway played her character well, but I didn't like how bratty (okay, dishonest!) Catwoman is (well, until the end. I liked her in the end haha) but I guess that's how she's supposed to be. There were good graphics, and of course Batman always exceeds expectations. He always comes out on top, eventually. But there were parts where you wondered how much more he could endure and still live? I could barely keep my eyes on the screen while watching Bane beat up Batman (I'm not spoiling anything, it's in the previews!). It's not as funny as the first two, probably because it's a bit more serious - heck, the town is getting destroyed! haha Totally unexpected things happen in the end, multiple times, so I was surprised...multiple times. All in all...it was an incredible experience. And sad to hear them say that was the end of the trilogy for Christopher Nolan, because the end makes you want to have a continuation of another movie!


It was a great night, until we came home and read the news. That sure put a damper on things.

Rest in Peace to all those innocent lives lost last night.

Stake Summer Party!

This past Monday was the annual Stake Summer Party here at Porter Park. There were lots of people, tons of great food, ice cream, and fun and games. Our wonderful men from our ward (plus others) grilled for 3+ hours! And even sacrificed playing time with their wives and families to grill for the many many people who showed up. There was music playing, the carousel was free that day, blow up bouncers for kids, a bishop dunk-er thing, and then tug-o-war against the wards at the end. Our ward had a great turn out, so we had no problem whippin' everyone elses' butts at tug-o-war!!

Little Miss was getting bored.. and probably tired/overstimulated with all the people/noise

Jared and Whitney!

other ward

our ward

We had a great turn out and won every time :)

I love the little Munchkin! <3