Warped

WARNING!!!
Do Not under any circumstances drink the kool-aid in the orange pitcher at the ROOK household. The results are quite undesirable, and unfortunately, we haven't quite figured out how to reverse the side affects yet. It's a good thing we all like to laugh around here and none of us have a warped sense of humor. ENJOY!

p.s. And YES! I had a little to much fun today and didn't get any laundry done. But I did get a lot of exercise laughing as I played around!

**click on the photos to make them bigger**

More birthday photos

Is it just me, or is he starting to look all grown up?
Gosh. He sure is a handsome little bugger!

Three

My Baby turned three on Saturday. I can't believe how the fast he is growing up. It just seems like yesterday that we were still in the hospital. We love you little guy!

This was taken the day I went to the hospital- at the baby shower.

Joshua's due date was April 16th (Easter Sunday) and this was March 11th. All that week I was having major back pain, but didn't realize that I was actually in labor. The morning of the shower, my plug fell out and I really didn't feel good at all. Every one told me I was in false labor and to just take some Tylenol. So, I took some pills, went to the party, and as soon as the party was over, was taken to the hospital where I was already dilated to a three. The doctor gave me a shot of Demerol and was about to send me on my merry way when I started to leak amniotic fluid which meant I wasn't going any where. I was put through four days of Hell before Joshua was finally born on March 14th at 4:11pm weighing in at 5 pounds and 0 ounces. The umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and body twice which is probably the reason the little guy wanted out. He was born perfectly healthy and has stayed that way in his three year old existence.
This is the worst possible picture of me ever! Just remember that I was in a hospital for a week on the nastiest meds ever invented. In fact, I was pumped full of so many fluids and drugs that I was bigger when I left the hospital than when I went in. My maternity clothes were almost too small! My feet were so swollen that I couldn't even fit them into my tennis shoes. Luckily, it only lasted about a week after I came home.
I just can't believe how far Joshua has come. Being his Mother has been so much better than I ever thought it could be. He is the sweetest little boy I have ever met.

One week old


One year old


Two years old


Three years old and so grown up!


Our family wouldn't be the same with out you Bobo! We love you!


I'll post about his fun birthday party after I finish uploading all the photos.

Listen

Bloom where you are planted

**Sigh**

Life is hard. I guess if it wasn't it wouldn't be as exciting when we conquer something. But, I am ready to take a break. I am tired of all the stumbling blocks, and I am DEFINITELY tired of all the people who are so anxious for my little family to fail.

It has just been one thing after another these past few months. Right when we get two feet away from getting out of the tunnel, we hit a slippery slope and end up near the bottom again, in a big muddy mess. It is getting quite ridiculous, and tiring, and I feel like I don't have enough energy to climb out of the mud puddle and make the trek to the end of the tunnel. . .again. Sometimes it's just easier to sit and look at the light for a while and contemplate what it will feel like when you can finally stand in the sun again.

But in spite of all that is going on, I am trying to be optimistic and see the good in everything. I don't quite accomplish that every day, but it is a work in progress. I have a lot to be thankful for and I don't want to take for granted all that I have been blessed with.

I am just asking for a little bit more sunshine, a little bit more water to fully bloom where I have been planted. I want to be able to reach the potential that I know is buried deep down inside. Is that too much to ask?

Raisins

So, Joshua says the funniest things some times, and it's usually the way he says them instead of the actual words that come out of his mouth. I swear he acts like he'll be turning 10 next month instead of 3. I've been cracking up all day just thinking about his little epiphany yesterday.

I had just cut his hair(which he hates cause it "tickles")and had put him in the tub. He played with his bath toys for about 33 minutes (plus or minus) till he decided he was ready to get out. We pulled the plug on the drain and just as I was reaching for him to get him out, he looked down at his hands and exclaims, "What the heck!? I look like a raisin!" It was the funniest thing ever cause he was totally mystified how his little fingers could have ended up all wrinkly while playing in the tub. Too funny.

Can you tell he hangs out with his teenage Aunts a lot who say "what the heck" often? **sigh** only in Mormondom do you find three year olds who use that phrase. So sad. . . We have to watch everything we say around here cause he is the most absorbent little sponge I have ever met.

Fairies

Yep. I got bored last night while waiting for Joshua to fall asleep. (He makes me sit at the computer while he drifts into La La land. . .) I wanted to try out a new technique and this is what I ended up with.
"When the first baby laughed, the laugh broke into thousands of pieces and they all skipped about. That was the beginning of fairies."

**click on the photo to see it large**

Pretending

Joshua is growing up so fast. One of his favorite things to do lately is to play pretend. He especially loves to pretend he is cooking. This morning, he barges into our room with his usually, " Look Mom! I wake up!" Then he climbed on our bed and asked for a peanut butter sandwich- with jelly and raisins and peanuts on the side. I told him I was too tired and that HE should make ME breakfast. So, he asked me what I wanted and I told him pancakes. He pretended to mix all the ingredients, stir the batter, and even put the pancakes on a plate- and He even fed them to me. They were quite delicious if you asked the cook. He then asked his Daddy what he wanted for breakfast. Joseph told him he wanted French Toast. Joshua hesitated for a moment then shook his head and said, " No Daddy, YOU get cereal!"

And we have been giggling about that the rest of the day!

We Sure do love that kid!

San Diego

These photos were taken back in November, the day before Thanksgiving when we went down to San Diego so Joseph could take the Real Estate Brokers exam. (which he passed!) I'm just now getting around to editing them. . . These photos are a little different than what I normally do, but I'm really glad at the way they turned out. I might even frame a few of them to hang on my wall!

This one might be a little over saturated, but I still kinda like the way it looks. I like all the color.

I was hoping for a little more color in the sky, but unfortunately, I can't control everything.

I really like the crashing waves in this one.

I wish the sky looked like that All the time!

This is the lighthouse at Point Loma at the Cabrillo national monument. It's a beautiful place. If you've never been there, you should try to go. I learned a lot and we all had a blast!

An oldie but goodie

This is an older photo, but one of my favorites. I got bored and was playing around with the editing. The photo was taken in September of 2007. . . .and he still makes that face when he is being scolded. :)
Hope you like it!