The Steeles

Loss

2012-02-18T14:40:00.000-05:00

Andrew's Grandmother died this morning. She had been fighting pancreatic cancer for months, and this was a peaceful end to a life well-lived.

We have such love and respect for this woman. It had been 43 years since she'd lost her husband (Andrew's grandfather). He died of renal failure at the age of 32, leaving her with 5 young children to raise alone. She did a phenomenal job. Hers is a close and good-natured family, full of love and concern for one another. Hers was a life of sacrifice, kindness, compassion and faithfulness. We are so thankful for her example.

She will be missed, but I know we will see her again. The gospel of Jesus Christ gives us such peace and hope in things to come, and I am so grateful for the knowledge that death is but a quick passage from one life to the next, and that families truly can be together forever.

We love you, Granny.

The Killjoy

2012-02-09T00:32:00.004-05:00

Things have been busy this week. Borderline chaotic, really....but today...today was a day. A start early, run like crazy, do everything day. It involved multiple tasks, people, locations, and last minute changes. But I won't give you the details. They're tedious. I'll just tell you how it all culminated tonight.

We had a pair of missionaries over for dinner, one of whom we'd never met. I made some creamy spinach ricotta pasta, and happily, everything looked wonderful. We had just started eating when Asher left his little table, tugged on my shirt, asked to be held, and then threw up everywhere.

In .003 seconds, I felt shock, pity, disgust and panic. Poor sick baby...I thought he'd been acting a bit off. Poor dinner guests...trying to eat their food while vomit splatters their shoes.

I jumped up, screamed, "Look away!" and scrambled for the Lysol. Andrew had grabbed a very soiled Asher and was charging up the stairs towards the tub when the poor toddler threw up again - an astonishing amount - all over our backless stairs. Meaning...vomit fell down to the flight directly underneath. One puke, two puddles.

Meanwhile, Asher is crying, "Mommy, mommy!" which makes me feel a swell of maternal pride as I realize we all want our mothers when we're sick, and I, in fact, am this little boy's ultimate source of comfort. I take a millisecond to bask in that, then demand Andrew switch jobs with me, all the while apologizing to the stunned Elders. This took place in 24 seconds.

I soothed Asher and started his bath while Andrew cleaned up all three messes. As he was working on the basement stairs I heard an "...oh no..." and asked if he'd stepped in it. "Worse.", came the response. Confused, I investigated to find some of the upstairs mess had dripped down on his head.

That's when I lost it. I couldn't stop laughing even though the house wreaked, our boy was sick, and I was covered in the former contents of his stomach. Our guests remained pleasant as they ate and looked on, amused at the mayhem.

Just another day in the life.

Then it all slowed down...Asher got a warm bath and fresh pajamas, we finished dinner (the men with the stronger stomachs, that is), and enjoyed a nice little message. The missionaries left, we cleaned things up and put Asher to bed. I practically raced to the shower.

Clad in my cozy fleece onesie, I left the bathroom 20 minutes later to discover noises from Asher's room. He was still up and talking. Normally I'd just let him go down on his own, but thought maybe he was feeling funny and could use some extra help tonight.

I scooped him up, held him like the little baby he no longer is, and began rocking him back and forth in the glider. He stared up at me as I sang him lullaby after lullaby. I soaked up every beautiful sweet second of holding him close as his eyes grew heavy and finally closed. Will this be the last time? I kept wondering. Maybe so. He'll grow, but I'll remember him this way.

Reluctant to end a precious moment, but eager to let the child sleep, I lifted his lifeless form to my shoulder to carry him to bed.

And then, a gurgling sound shattered my serenity. In a cruel flash, my son blanketed me with chunks of proof that I am, truly, a mother. We were both covered. The carpet, the rug, the glider, were covered. I called for help, the lights shot on, and a sick and sleepy Asher began to cry.

Vomit is such a killjoy.

But you know what? It's not all bad. I think our boy felt a lot better after round three, and he's now sleeping peacefully. Hopefully it's out of his system. Two showers have made me feel extra fresh. My house is cleaner than ever and I love the hum of the washing machine, doing my dirty work for me. All of tomorrow's plans have been cancelled, and the prospect of a free day or two at home together sounds positively appealing. Maybe vomit is just what the doctor ordered.

;)

Weekend in the Ville

2012-02-07T00:03:00.004-05:00

The weekend before last, Asher and I made a little trip to our old hometown. Andrew had a camp out and a big test to study for, so we figured it was as good a time as any. It was so nice to see family and friends!

In an effort to become more picture-takey, I packed our camera and a big, empty SD card. Took more pics than usual, but still failed to get capture everything and everyone. Oh well.... here are the shots we got!

Asher and my youngest sister Amy.

She says she's sixteen, but I don't know...

Beautiful girl.

Teaching my sisters how to look fly and keep it real.

My family had a little birthday party for Asher, and the kid ate it up!

Grammy piped her fingers to the bone on this delicious monkey cake!

Thought this was a pic of the kids playing with toys together, but noticed later they were just getting into the box of sippy cups while I took pictures like an idiot.

Isaac and Grammy

This is sweet Hannah, who is 18 and gorgeous.

Even in that funky old Siegfreid and Roy shirt. :)

This is my friend Heather, who delivered twin boys, Hudson and Porter, the very next day! Way to go, Heather!!!

Me thinking I'm being hilarious. Heather knowing the truth.

Love being 3 short hours away from so many people we love!

Quote of the Day

2012-01-31T23:40:00.003-05:00

Andrew: "You've been a good boy today, Asher."
Asher: "I'm trying, Daddy. I'm trying."

He was so sincere. We just laughed in disbelief. :)

What We're Into

2012-01-25T23:35:00.008-05:00

Thought I'd hammer out a little post about what each of us is into and up to lately. It's a great way to update!

First, Andrew: The good news, you all, is that I married Russel Crowe. The bad news is that he's not Gladiator Russel Crowe, he's Beautiful Mind Russel Crowe. Watch the movies and you'll know what I'm talking about. Andrew is into studying right now. Crazy, bleary-eyed, all-consuming studying. Here is a picture of what he's turned our bedroom into:

I look at it and laugh, then feel stupid because I understand 0% of it. Very grateful he's working so hard for us, though! Way to be dedicated, Roo!

Andrew is also into BYU Basketball. Sometimes he tries to combine his two loves. Just tonight, he told me his friend was coming over to "help him study for Neuro." Direct quote. As I'm upstairs getting Asher ready for bed, I hear enthusiastic voices and vigorous clapping and feel shocked but proud my husband is so passionate about Neurology. Atta boy!

It made much more sense, however, to discover they were watching a BYU game. But with open books. ;)

Finally, Andrew is into the Political Scene. He has been watching the primaries very closely, tuning in to most every debate and reading all kinds of articles. He is a big time supporter of Romney's policies (hence the "Mitt'08 sticker he refuses to remove from our car), and if ever I wish to engage him in conversation, have only to make brief mention of what's happening on the campaign trail.

Sarah: Dole's Ultimate Caesar Salad kit. It is the best salad I've ever eaten from a bag. Maybe ever eaten, period. This all-natural Ultimate Caesar takes this romaine-based classic to a new level. With shaved, authentic Parmesan and Romano cheeses, artisan-style roasted garlic croutons, delicious cracked pepper-herb seasoning and Dole’s Own Caesar Dressing, it’s a salad to savor! ...okay, I just copied that from their website, but it gives you the idea.

I didn't even know I liked Caesar salads until this little beauty entered my life. Yesterday, Asher (yes, even my two-year-old loves it) and I ate almost the entire 4-serving package for an afternoon snack. Say whaaaat? I felt both proud of and disgusted with myself. It's lettuce! Healthy, right? And I'm teaching my son to love leafy vegetables. Wait...creamy dressing. Cheese. Croutons. And you ate almost the whole thing? Sarah girl. You nasty.

But I digress. The bottom line is that you should make room on your grocery list for this stuff. But exercise restraint and share with a loved one. Who weighs more than 30 pounds.

Nivea Chapstick. Why? Because it is makes my lips feel super smooth and healthy. Like I'm applying pure moisture. I put it on every night before bed, and usually once before leaving the house. A word of caution- if I use it any more than that, my lips natural moisture production is thrown off and they seem to dry out more quickly. Someone check the science on that. Still, it's marvelous stuff. Everyone should own it, especially during these dry winter months.

Potty Training: Not me, Asher. I've been in the gold star club for a blissful 23 years. Asher, on the other hand...let's just say he's a work in progress.

Feel free to skip this part if you're eating or aren't a mom, but we've been potty training for 4 months now, with only modest success. Asher seems to enjoy going potty on the potty chair...and pooping in his pants. He went number 2 on the potty 3 times on Monday, due to the fact that I bribed him with new and exciting treats (from a party gift bag). But since I ran out of novel incentives, he's again waxed casual in his efforts. He goes potty in the toilet a few times a day, and then uses his diaper to do the rest of his dirty work. There are so many false alarms when he says "Potty!" and I rush him to the bathroom, frantically undressing him as we go, only to sit there waiting forever, then leaving with nothing to celebrate. I feel defeated.

Right now I'm studying up on different techniques (because when I'm honest with myself, I realize I'm totally clueless). I am going to have to take a more aggressive approach...I know a big rule is not to train until their ready, but if he can do #1, then he can do #2. There may be a lot of accidents in our future...but not buying diapers will be worth it. Anyway, sorry for the potty rant, and wish us luck!

Asher: First and foremost, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. It started as an innocent distraction and has now blossomed into a full-fledged addiction. For months and months I tried in vain to get Asher to watch something - anything - for more than two minutes, but he never seemed interested. Now, all of a sudden, the child requests to "See Mickey House" multiple times a day. I will admit to loving the extra time for productivity, but have had to establish boundaries...parenthood is always changing. It's actually a great little show, though, and I love to see him learn and enjoy something so thoroughly.

"Ce-e-yah" - Cereal, that is. He requests it first thing in the morning, and I have come to love our little routine of pouring, blessing, and sitting down to share a bowl. He's gotten to be a total cereal junkie and honestly likes every kind he's ever tried. Especially the sugary ones we shouldn't buy. Some of his favorites are Honey Bunches of Oats, Cocoa Puffs, Honey Nut Cheerios, Kashi, and Mini-Wheats.

Green Eggs and Ham - Asher boy loves to read! He is finally sitting still and listening through entire books. He loves a lot of different ones, but his longtime favorite is Green Eggs and Ham. Tonight as we were reading it for the bahjilienth time, he actually quoted it in the voices we use for the characters. We heard him say, "...green eggs and haaaam? I DO NOT like them, Sam I am." So cute. We sure love that little chatterbox.

And that, friends, is what we're into and up to. Let us know your thoughts!