This One's for the Grandparents

For the grandparents and others that don't get to see him often, here are some videos of Zachary this past month- dancing, playing doctor with his cousin, and putting a bucket on his head. Whatever.

*Hint: Pause the Playlist music on the left and crank the volume up to hear the videos.

Enter Sandman

Zach is over 10 months old. He has been walking all over the place, dancing, eating solids, and a variety of other milestones, but, as of last week, had not yet to fallen asleep on his own and/or slept through the night. He would wake up several times through the night and cry until I came in and fed him. I have not slept more than 4 hours straight since I was about 6 months pregnant!

We tried to follow the "Babywise" routine early on, but it did not work at all. He would just scream and wail when I would try to get him to fall asleep on his own. I was really consistent, but Zach was just not ready. I regretted trying to make him fit into "the box" that so many people swear by. I wish I would have just held him and snuggled him during all those hours that I was trying to "sleep train" him. I think part of it was that he was a bit colicky, and partly that he was just strong willed. Not all babies fit into that mold of being great sleepers, or being ready to sleep through the night early on. I read all the books, and found that there is a little good in all of them, but none of them could work on every baby--especially mine. Plus, being a working mom, I wanted my baby to know that I was there for him during the night when he needed me since I am gone during the day.

But last week, in complete exhaustion, I decided it was time to try again. I read through the book "Sleeping Through the Night," which quoted many studies that showed that putting the baby into its crib before he falls asleep in your arms is the best way to help them learn to soothe themselves into falling asleep. We were worried about letting Zach cry himself to sleep that first night. The book says to expect the crying to last 45-60 minutes the first night, 60-75 minutes the next night, and that it will get progressively shorter, until the baby is not crying at all and is sleeping through the night within 2 weeks. We were skeptical, but desperate for some sleep.

Tuesday night I fed him, rocked him, prayed with him, and sang to him before setting him in the crib at about 9:15. His angry screams lasted 35 minutes, and caused Corey and I as much anguish as it did Zach. I had to awaken him at 4am to feed him, which is what time he usually awakens. Then he slept until 7:30. We were worried about those screams lasting longer for Night 2, but were pleasantly surprised that he tuckered out after just 15 minutes of crying. He awoke around 5 again to eat. On Night 3, I laid him down and didn't hear a sound for ten minutes. At that point, he whimpered for about one minute, and then was silent. Wow! He slept until 6:30 am before awaking to eat. HEAVEN!! Last night he went down without a whimper, and he didn't wake up when I went in to take these photos an hour later. Before, he would wake up at the slightest sound. We kind of miss rocking him to sleep, but we still snuggle him plenty during the waking hours. We love this boy more than anything!!! And we don't mind all of us getting some longer stretches of sleep, too!!

He loves to crawl under the fabric cover of this chair and play peek-a-boo or just hide out.

Corey got him this hat to match his BYU shirt

Zach likes to rock out to music these days. Check out his sweet moves!

All my Exes Live in Texas

To call us indecisive would be an understatement, I know. It's getting to the point that I don't remember who I have and have not told about our moving decisions of late, so I decided to post them.

We went out to Portland/Vancouver over Labor Day to search for housing and a job for me. Now that my National Health Service Corp Loan Repayment Contract obligation is over, I have vowed to do all in my power to only work part time. It has been torture working full time since Zach was 3 months old. Luckily, he's had the best childcare in the world with Tessa, Missy, Corey, and my mom. But still, it has been extremely difficult for me to leave him for four ten-hour-days per week the last 7 months (minus a fair bit of vacation time). I purposely chose a profession that would allow me to provide well for my family working only part time hours, which is great if I can find someone who will hire me part time, or if I want to buy/start my own practice (which often requires more stress and time than working for someone else, at least at first). Eventually I would like to own or be a partner in a practice and work a couple days per week, with a room that my children can be watched in attached to the practice, possibly. Maybe Corey and I can even share office space in the future. But for now, we are not ready to make the huge investment of time, effort, and money required to buy/start a practice, so I am at the mercy of working for someone else.

We visited both Portland and Dallas this summer, and found things we liked about both. The economy is great in Dallas, with dental associate jobs abounding, and a reasonable housing market. The weather and scenery, however, leave much to be desired from those who have enjoyed the beauty of the West.

Portland, on the other hand, has gorgeous surroundings and is much closer to home, but the economy there is extremely poor. Housing is higher and quite unstable, and worse, there are very few dental jobs available. I was offered only one position, and it was at a dingy, outdated office with the managers insisting full time hours.

We were honestly ready to come out to Portland for Corey to begin school in October, but especially without knowing anyone I trust to care for Zachary, I can't feel good about taking the position there. We figured out how much money we will have from student loans after tuition is paid, and it's a measly $680/mo. That's not even enough to cover a tiny apartment in Vancouver. We could borrow more at an exorbitant interest rate, but it doesn't make sense to do so if I can pay the bills by working just one or two days a week. Plus, I really enjoy what I do and do not want to lose the skills I have worked so hard to attain.

SO. I called up one of the contacts that tentatively offered me a job in Dallas, and the doctor said he was still interested in having me. What's more, he is a member of the church and familiar with my family values and is happy to have me work just two days a week, and offered a generous salary!! To top it off, the dental practice is like walking into a day spa. There are chandeliers, fountains, and you can even have a paraffin hand treatment while you wait in your massaging dental chair! It is a great opportunity for me to learn to do more complex and comprehensive cosmetic procedures while also learning to build and manage an extremely successful practice for both Corey and I.

We are tentatively planning on being in Dallas no later than January, but we may head down a bit sooner.

Of course, don't be surprised if our plans change again, either.... You know us!

...and Climbing

Sorry this one is kind of long- 1 minute- and may take awhile to download. But I thought at least the grandparents would enjoy watching Zach 's new climbing techniques. Enjoy!

He's Up and Running!!

I think with this Little Athlete, we all knew he would run before he could walk, right?! Well, at 9 1/2 months old, he is taking his first quick steps toward things he wants. I'm not sure if we want to encourage this behavior yet--we can barely keep up with him as it is! Man, we love this kid!!

10 Years of Wedded Bliss

We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary last weekend. Corey picked out dozens upon dozens of my favorite flowers and had Meadow create a beautiful arrangement that they brought to my office on Wednesday. It was filled with hydrangeas, lisianthus, Bells of Ireland, and other gorgeous flora. I adore it!!

Thursday morning we left for Las Vegas, where we stayed at the Paris Hotel on the Strip, which was, coincidentally, built the same year we were married.

I LOVED our room! It was on the 30th floor, right across from the Bellagio, so we had a great view of the water shows. I really liked the modern red and black decor.

Zack enjoyed the view, too! He loved playing in the sheer curtains and looking out the windows.

We decided against going to a show due to the cost and having Zach with us. Instead, we hit up the best French buffet in town. It was well worth the $25 price tag for the numerous delicacies. We especially enjoyed the crab legs and dessert bar.

These are views from the top of the Eiffel Tower. We were able to see an entire Bellagio light/water show, which was even more amazing from above. We arrived right at sunset, and enjoyed the lovely views. I was glad we didn't even need to leave the resort to the dirty old Strip in order to have a great time. There is so much trash coming at you from every direction on the Strip. There are also beautiful and amazing architectural and entertainment masterpieces. What a weird place!

I love the intricate decorations around the different hotels in Vegas- look at these sinks!

The next day we went to Corey's sister, Melanie's, house on the northwest end of town. It is like a different world out there. She lives in a lovely home with a giant swimming pool out back. She was kind enough to watch Zach while Corey and I ate at the Cheesecake Factory and went to the temple. We slept over there and headed to the Hoover Dam with the whole family on Saturday. It is an amazing structure. I always knew it was extremely tall- about 700 feet- but I never knew it was nearly as wide as it is tall- about 625 feet!

We drove to St. George to stay the night, and stopped at Bryce Canyon National Park on the way home. It was gorgeous! We were stunned at the beauty that we enjoyed. We took a short hike around the rim with Zach riding in the hiking backpack. He loves it! We had to buy him the fourth sun hat he's had this summer because they keep disappearing. Zach kept taking it off through the whole hike- I guess that explains the mysterious disappearances. Finally I put a blanket on his head to protect him from the sun, and he was fine with that. Go figure!

The way the geology changes so suddenly astounded Corey and I. We were driving along looking at sagebrush and pine trees, when the landscape immediatley changed to the gorgeous red rocks and towering "hoodoo" rock formations, as they are called. It made me want to take a geology course to understand how exactly that happens. Then I remembered that only nerds take geology. Just kidding. It was even free park day, which saved us $25. It's about 3.5 hours from PG, but well worth the side trip.

I had such a great and memorable 10th Anniversary Weekend. Thanks Honey!!

Westward Ho!

BEWARE! This post is long and may be extremely boring to you. It chronicles our decision of where to move for the next 3+ years. At least I illustrated it!

So we narrowed our choices for Corey's chiropractic school down to either Dallas or Portland. We visited Dallas last month, in the heat of late June. The heat was CraZy!! Every time I opened the door to our air-conditioned car, it was like delving into a sauna. It was around 100 degrees and nearly unbearable. The good news- the school was amazing. It made my dental school look like a dump! It had nice, cushy seats, fully equipped, clean labs. It was great. The administrators were extremely gracious and helpful. It is really a top-notch school. The housing there was bizarre to us. Any of the newer homes were on these minuscule lots with about 10 feet of yard around the house. That was not inviting to us, as we relish our 1/3 acre here. Honestly, the homes were packed on like sardines. The insides were nice, but it just felt so foreign. I interviewed at a couple of dental offices and was offered a position at a fabulous office of one of the ward members that looked like a MANSION. It was stunning. It would be the perfect job. So we kept an open mind for our visit to Portland.

Fast forward a couple of weeks to our trip out to Portland which served the dual purpose of being at Mikey's wedding and checking out the chiro school and housing. On our flight, there was suddenly a HUGE mountain out our window, with others in the distance. Mt. Hood, Rainier, Bachelor, St. Helens, and a few others were clearly visible. It was a breathtaking view. As we came in to land in the city, I could already feel like we were coming home. I said something about it to Corey, but said I'd keep an open mind until we saw the school.

We drove through ridiculous midday traffic to get to our lodgings and back to the school for a tour. In a word, the school is ghetto in comparison to Parker in Dallas. It's like Motel 6 in the shadow of the Hilton. It is an old girl's Catholic school that has been disguised as a professional school. Everything about it is OLD and MUSTY. The grass is dead, the paint is peeling, the chairs are old and wooden or plain plastic. It leaves much to be desired. The administrators were nice enough, but none of the pampering we received at Parker. We spoke in-depth to them concerning the curriculum and philosophy, and had a good impression. The students we spoke to had no regrets about their choice, though neither did those at Parker. We looked at housing in Vancouver, across the river (no income tax and lower housing costs than Portland), and felt a lot more familiar with the housing styles and lot sizes. They are still a little smaller than we are used to, but acceptable.

By the end of uor trip, we both felt that Portland was THE PLACE, despite the outdated school facilites. Corey says the material being taught is more important than the surroundings. Jobs are fewer and further between for me. I have an offer 45 minutes away, but that will get old quickly. It's also tricky because it's on the border and I may have to get licensed in both Washington and Oregon- yuck!

SO. Now we have the wonderfully, stress-free job of getting OUT of this house and IN to another. We purchased this one at the peak of the housing market highs, and it has drastically dropped in value. We may have to rent it out for awhile until the market recovers, which I fear. Or we may have to look at other options. We will keep you updated on what we decide. School starts in early October.

As a sidenote, we loved our entire stay in Oregon. Mike and Erica's wedding was beautiful! We stayed a few days on the coast and loved it, although it seemed unseasonably cold and windy to me for the beach. We look forward to exploring it more in the coming 3 years.

WESTWARD HO!

Welcome to Our Nuthouse

Our happy little Buckeye.
This super cute outfit that Melanie got him for Christmas FINALLY fits him. I am so afraid it's going to shrink now when I wash it. I am learning some things the hard way, like 3-6 months means the size it is AFTER it is washed. These clothes sometimes look HUGE, so I wait to put him in them. Then I wash them, and they're tight. We hope he fits this well into football season!!

Like all his Alexander boy cousins, Zach already loves to play with swords. He can't wait to have his cousins come stay with him for awhile while they are finding a new house. He LOVES all his cousins! Zach is starting to crawl all over the place. He also pulls himself up to things, like the couch or a chair. Watch out if you are holding him- he likes to rock back and forth and might just give you a fat lip with his headbanging, like he did to his mom!

We are still not sure where we are moving to. There are so many huge decisions to make! We are visiting both Dallas and Portland in the next month, and will decide on one or the other. We are concerned about selling or renting out our house, finding a good 2 day-a-week job for me, and finding great housing and childcare where we move. There is so much to do- things are a little crazy around here!

Happy Half Birthday to Zach!!

6 months old!

5 months

4 months

3 months

2 months

1 tiny month!

Can anyone believe it's been 6 months already? We have grown to love our little Zachary beyond our ability to comprehend. He has the sweetest personality. He is full of energy and strength. We are so grateful he is part of our family.

Announcing the next Dr. Wilhelmsen...

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, Corey decided he wanted to go to graduate school. However, his wife jumped the gun on him, and applied first, so off they were to Ohio. Corey got his Ph.T. (Put her Through) at OSU, but most places didn't give that a second look on his resume. So, he forged onward, graduating from UVU with his biology degree, still wondering what heathcare field to pursue. Fast forward a few years, and he has at last decided!

Can you tell he's excited?

So I made him put on a happier face!

I am proudly announcing Corey's acceptance into chiropractic school for the fall of 2009!!! I am so elated that he will be able to continue his education and earn his doctoral degree in an exciting field of healthcare. (Plus, how perfect is it for a dentist to have her own personal chiropractor at home, waiting to adjust her aching back? Genius!) He has patiently waited many years, encouraging me in my educational and career pursuits, and now it is finally his turn at bat. I am so grateful for his support throughout my schooling, and now I hope I can be equally supportive while he begins his journey. I love him so much and am so proud of him, not only for his many accomlishments, but of the amazing, caring, kind, wonderful husband and father he is.

Now for the big decision: where to go?

He has been accepted in Portland and Dallas, and we are seriously considering applying to schools in Port orange, FL (near Daytona Beach), and Hayward or LA in California. It will, of course, break our hearts to leave our beautful home and communtiy here in PG. But onward we must press. We probably wouldn't have stayed here for life, anyway-- too crowded.

There are a lot of important things to consider, and we'd appreciate input from everyone. Of course we'll pray about it and let inspiriation be our main guide, and we will also "study it out in [our minds] ." Since the programs are very similar in price and reputation, we are focusing on the following categories, and are still unsure of what factors are most impotant to us: (All categories have been researched on Sperling's Best Places website)

Proximity to family- OR and CA are obviously closest, but still a good 10-14 hour drive. Not too expensive or long for flights. TX and FL would be an expensive, all day flight. Also good to live where people enjoy visiting- CA, FL, OR.

Cost of living-TX=dirt cheap, could easily own a house & have less debt on graduation. FL=next, OR=after FL (maybe less if we live across the river in WA w/no income tax), then CA is exhorbitant, of course.

Weather/Scenery- my opinions: love sun, outdoors, beach, mountains; dislike clouds/rain/snow/cold; humidity not great, leaving CA #1, FL#2, TX= OR

Crime-FL=safest, OR, TX, and CA are about equal close to the schools. There are suburbs of course, but we are not too familiar with them.

Possiblity of staying there permanently-Hmmmm. We'd honestly love to reside in Hawaii. Depends on all the previously mentioned factors. TX not likely.

Ease/cost of dental licensure- FL by far the hardest/most expesive, then CA, then OR. TX=cheap and easy. hmmm.

WE WOULD HONESTLY LOVE ADVICE ON THESE PLACES/ISSUES. IF YOU HAVE SOME, EVEN IF WE DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU, PLEASE LEAVE US COMMENTS!!

Daily Dose of ProZach!

When I'm glum, all I have to do is look at this Little Angel and my spirits are immediately boosted. I hope this little dose of "ProZach" will have the same effect on you!

What's up Homey G?

Once again, what's up?

I decided I could do just about as well as Kiddie Kandids- without the hassle!
So what if I cut his feet off in the pic- he's smiling, right?

The lighting was kind of weird on this one, but I love how his eyes match his sweater.

The little treefrog on his Jumparoo creeps Zach out a little. He often has stare-downs with it. Last week he stared at its bug eyes for a straight 15 minutes and then just conked out for a nap!

Zach is ready to crawl. He rolls and scoots all over the room now. He also puts everything to his mouth for a quick taste-test. Time to get a better vacuum.

He really is "Super Strong." He can do a full-on sit up from lying down if we hold his legs down.

He recently discovered his ear.

We thought he had an earache because he kept touching it and was fussy. I think he's just teething.

He also discovered his thumb a couple of months ago.

Handsome Little Sharp Dressed Man

Snuggly Angel

Future Missionary- Just like Dad!

And Future President

So Cool

Look at those gorgeous blue eyes and sweet, little face!

Zach is starting to sit on his own. He just can't hold still for very long. He's a mover and a shaker!

His new tricks of sccoting around and making funny noises.

Hope you're feeling better now. Tune in next month for his Half Birthday Bash.

I know, I can't believe it either!