Hi, my name is Emily, and I am a recovering Afrin-aholic.

(There should be devil horns attached to that box.)
Death to Afrin. You heard me right. Afrin Nasal Decongestant Spray is one of the worst things that has ever happened to me. Our relationship started as any innocent relationship does. I was first drawn to it because of its attractive packaging and smart advertising - the promise that I would have clear nasal passages for 12 hours straight. At the time, nothing sounded better. It was first drawn to me because of my stuffy nose and constant congestion that was a result of a minor cold + pregnancy. At the beginning of this pregnancy, I made two lovely trips to the ER for bloody noses (we're talking ones that resembled a faucet...not the best time of my life.) They required overnight stays and blood transfusions, and every prescription under the sun to get my nose to stop bleeding. I guess you could say that was when the addiction started. The ENT doctor that I saw recommended that I do 2 sprays of Afrin (ugh...even the name makes me shutter) every 3 hours. Apparently, it constricts the blood vessels so that your nose will stop bleeding faster than it would otherwise. Since I had tried everything else (even getting my nose cauterized), I figured I would listen to this "sound" medical advice. Now, anyone who has used Afrin or read the package knows that it is only to be used for probably 2 or 3 days at the most. But, being the trusting patient that I was, and desperate for the awful bloody noses to stop, I started "using." When a slight cold came on about a month ago, there was nothing better than squirting a few sprays of this "magic potion" into my nostrils and 30 seconds later being able to breathe, sleep and eat normally. Any mom knows that with kids, there really isn't any time to be sick. It was wonderful. I was pro-Afrin. Oh, how quickly things in "our relationship" changed. I started to not be able to breathe without it. I would have dreams where I was being buried alive. I would panic if I left the house for more than a few hours without my handy-dandy bottle in my purse. Jason finally threatened to throw my "precious" away, and I just about lost it. That's when we both knew it was a problem. He said that there was a look in my eye that he had never seen before. What had I become?! I brainstormed possible hiding places for the Afrin...but, eventually, realized that I needed to put a stop to the madness. I tried quitting cold turkey...it was a no-go. I went for about a week, and became so sleep deprived due to the fact that I could not breathe, that I felt like I was going to die. So, after much research, I tried the ever-popular one-nostril-at-a-time solution. It went a bit better; I can finally semi-breathe out of one nostril during the day - night time, forget about it. It has been over 2 weeks now of not "using" at all, and I feel like I can just barely see the light at the end of this long, dark tunnel. I am still pretty miserable at night, but I am hoping it will only last a few more days and I will be back to normal. When you can't breathe or have to consciously think about breathing, it makes you realize how much you took advantage of this supposed involuntary function. Before I quit, I started panicking about the possibilities of me being in labor at the hospital and struggling to breathe at all between contractions. I knew that even if I had snuck a bottle of Afrin into the delivery room, Jason wouldn't have let me use it. I panicked about the possibility of having an emergency c-section and laying there, unable to move, and unable to breathe. Could I sneak a quick spray before delivery? This all makes me laugh now. I thought that my baby would come out all snorty and congested - a real-life "Afrin baby". Luckily, after speaking with my doctor, he put all my fears to rest, but did say that I needed to quit. So, here I am. There is still a mostly-empty bottle sitting in the cabinet in the medicine closet, because I feel like I need it there to remind me how far I've come. If I just threw it away all together, I wouldn't feel as if I had completely overcome this funny, but all-to-real addiction. It isn't a temptation anymore. In fact, when I see those cheesy Afrin commercials where the "users" talk about how great it is, and how they can finally breathe, etc., I grimace in disgust. Afrin really should just be prescription-only, if at all. Needless to say, our relationship ended badly. It was on-again, off-again, and after many fights and breakups, I can finally say that it is over for good. No more hiding Afrin bottles. No more crazy-eyed Emily when the threat of my Afrin being thrown away presents itself. Although slightly stuffy in one nostril (the right one, to be exact), I have never felt so free. Please, learn from my mistake and don't partake of the forbidden spray, no matter how tempting it might be. You will thank me later.
My name is Emily. I am a recovering Afrin-aholic, and that is my story.

Doppleganger

Jason and I have always joked about our "Dopplegangers." Apparently, it is or was "Doppleganger Week" on facebook, a joyous time in which you change your profile picture to a famous person that you have been told you resemble. We were having a conversation, trying to figure out who our celebrity dopplegangers were. I told Jason I have always kind of thought he looks like the character "Billy Riggins" from the show Friday Night Lights (GREAT show - highly recommended). Although, the more I look at this picture, the more I think it is probably just the facial hair and plaid shirts, haha.

After much thought, Jason decided that I look like Bonnie Swanson. Who, you ask? Well, I didn't know either, so I had to do a google image search. Apparently I look like Peter Griffin's friend, Joe's, wife...from Family Guy. She is always pregnant. Thanks Jason!

Love

Friday is a special day because it is the one night a week that Jason gets to spend with us. Poor guy is usually so exhausted from the week that he is usually struggling to stay awake by 7:30 pm. But, being the cruel wife that I am, I make him stay up and watch my favorite show of all time, Dateline, with me. Reagan went to bed last night at her normal time, 7:30 pm, but for unknown reasons, she woke up crying just as Dateline was about to start. Since this is not like her at all, and usually indicates that she is either not feeling well or that she pooped, I went in to see what was the matter. She wrapped her arms around my neck and wouldn't let go, even after I rocked her for a bit and tried to get her to lay back down. I figured since she doesn't get to spend very much time with the both of us together, I would let her "break the rules" a little and come out and watch Dateline with us (a girl after my own heart). We sat her between us on the couch and she just sipped on her water bottle, as content can be. About a half hour later, I asked her if she wanted to go back to bed, and she shook her head no, and put her arm around me. She then proceeds to turn to both of us and say, in her tired little raspy voice, "Love you guys!" It totally caught us off guard, making us laugh and even cry a little (pregnancy hormones?). Not something that comes out of her mouth very often, if at all, and it was the sweetest sound I have ever heard. I am so excited that she is starting to be able to express her feelings. I live for moments like this, and it is so nice to know that she really does love us!

Engagiversary

This picture is framed and up in our house. Even though it was taken less than 4 years ago, we both agree that we look SO YOUNG. Does marriage make you age exponentially, or is it kid(s)? Either way, we should really take it down. I'm tired of telling people that no, we haven't been married for 10 years, it just looks that way!

Today is a fun day in both the Pratt/Wilson households. It is the day that Jason and I were engaged 4 years ago, and it is also the day that my parents were engaged, just a FEW years earlier. We didn't get engaged on the same day on purpose, but it makes me smile that we were. I like my parents - I think they have a pretty good hold on this whole "marriage thing," and I appreciate their example of making sacrifices for each other and their family, and of making each other laugh. To me, laughing or the ability to have a sense of humor in any given situation is an extremely important part of making a relationship work. I don't think a day has gone by since Jason and I were married that he hasn't made me laugh. I'm so grateful for that. We didn't do much to celebrate today. Jason was home for about an hour and a half in between school and work, but he did bring me two gallons of milk (we go through milk like CRAZY lately - no idea why), and a dozen long-stemmed roses. I specify that they are long-stemmed because I'm no flower connoisseur, and since I couldn't find the one reliable vase that we own, I cut a significant amount off of all of the stems and stuck them in a mason jar...oops. I made a bad choice. Jason told me it was okay, they are my flowers and I can do with them what I want. 4 years doesn't seem like a very long time. I feel like we have been married forever, and in a good way. I sometimes can't even remember what life was like before Jason and Reagan became a part of it.

eeees a appo!

Conversation we had today.

Me: (handing her a piece of peach) "Reagan, would you like a peach?"
Reagan: "A appo?" (an apple?)
Me: "No, it's a peach. Do you want some?"
Reagan: (pointing to something on the counter) "No, a apppooooo!"
Me: (realizing she is pointing to a big juicy tomato) "You want a tomato?"
Reagan: "Nooo, eeees a appo!" (No, it's an apple!)
Me: "Alright, here's your 'apple'..." (hesitantly handing her the tomato)
Reagan: (devouring the tomato) "mmmmmmm appo!"

She ate the whole thing. Couldn't win that argument.

Thoughts on a Sunday Evening

Isn't she so beautiful?



My good friend Amanda, photographer extraordinaire, just took some family pictures for us. I just cherish these pictures. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Amanda! You have such an "eye" for these things...what talent!

I am now 31 weeks pregnant, yet feeling like I am full-term already. Not sure what that means. Although I haven't gained as much weight to this point as I did with Reagan, I feel ENORMOUS. I was blessed/cursed with the torso of a ten year old (read: short), and so the more pregnant I get, the more my baby and my body battle over who will win. The baby usually wins, and by jutting outward as far as she can go. I am constantly asking myself, "Can this baby girl get any bigger?" and then she reminds me that yes, indeed she can, with a swift kick to the ribs. Reagan was, I believe, born 10 days after her due date. This baby needs to hang on until at least 6 more weeks, then she's welcome to make her appearance. "This baby" officially has a name now, too. Although I never 100% decide on the name until the baby comes out and we meet her face-to-face, we're 99% sure that she will be called Ember (middle name to be decided) Wilson. Ember means "a small, glowing fragment of fire," which, bear with me, is what this baby's spirit and personality really feel like to me already. I hope that she is fiery (not furry), and that, despite her size or stature, she will always be glowing. I am so excited to finally meet her. It has gone by so fast. Please remind me of that those last few agonizing weeks, okay? =)

I also wanted to share something that was really inspiring to me this morning while I was going over my Young Women lesson for church. Marvin J. Ashton gives a talk entitled "In His strength," in which he talks about, among other things, the youth feeling like "nobodies" as they go about their daily activities. It's not just the youth, though. I'm thinking that we, as adults, also go through phases where we ask ourselves "who am I to deserve this?" or "who am I to have my prayers answered?" I know I do. How often do we tell ourselves that we are "nobody"? Probably too often. He goes on to talk about Joseph Smith and that, despite being 14 years old, and calling himself an "obscure boy," he always trusted that, in God's strength, he could accomplish all of the things that were required of him. Which, as we know, were A LOT. Ashton says, "As children of God we are somebody. He will build us, mold us, and magnify us if we will but hold our heads up, or arms out, and walk with him. What a great blessing to be created in his image and know of our true potential in and through him! What a great blessing to know that in his strength we can do all things!" I loved this. It's nothing new - we've heard it time and time again, but for some reason, it really hit me hard this time. We (I) might be "obscure" or awkward, but I am a child of God. And so are you! I love this thought.

Alright, so I should have switched this next thought around with the last one (it's a lot "nicer"...oh well? =) I am seeking advice from all moms about potty training. Did you read a book that was particularly helpful for you? If you were expecting while your child reached an appropriate potty training age, did you wait until after the baby was born? I've never been one to rush Reagan into anything she isn't ready for. I'm all about letting her take her time and doing things when she's good and ready. However, lately she's been obsessing about ANYTHING to do with poo-poo, bums, and potties. She tells me when she has to go (only #2 so far), rushes into the bathroom, pulls her pants down, and wants to sit on the potty. She HATES when she is dirty. She will grab a diaper, lay on the ground in front of me, and say "Bi-doe?" which, in Reagan language, is "diaper?" In other words, in a lot of ways, she seems ready. However, when we do make it to the potty and she sits down, she kind of (well, not kind of) freaks out and, besides rare occasions, stands up right away and runs out of the bathroom, terrified. We have had a few successes on the potty, and I let her try when she wants to, but I don't want to rush her into something she isn't ready for. I realize that she is not even 20 months old yet, which seems pretty early. Should I just keep on doing what I'm doing and let her try when she feels like she can? Or is there some "magic formula" or step that I am leaving out? I try to make it a positive experience for her, and give her lots of praise when she decides to try and sit down on the potty. I know she knows that it is not something to be scared about because, more often than not, she ends up in the bathroom with me, and sees that I don't "freak out" about anything. I guess I am just kind of lost at what to do! Any advice would be appreciated! I always feel a little silly asking for advice about parenting, because, for the most part, I feel like I know what's best for my daughter, but potty training is something that I just honestly am not very well-versed in!

Last, but not least, here is a picture of my sister, Haley, snorkeling.

She lives the LIFE out at BYU Hawaii! When I look at pictures of her and all of the fun adventures she has been having, I sort of feel like, in Freudian terms, I am watching my id. And I mean no offense by that, either. I just may or may not be extremely jealous of all of the tropical goodness she is soaking up out there! Reagan misses her Auntie "Hayhee" though, and is constantly telling us that "Hayhee died." Yes, apparently my daughter has a dark side to her. We always have to remind her that no, she didn't die, she's just at school. And she is LIVING life to its fullest!

2009

My friend Whitney recently wrote on her blog that blogging had lost its luster lately. I'd have to say I couldn't agree more. However, with a new year already started, I feel as though I should give an update, especially to those family and friends that we don't get to see as often as we'd like. I'd like to be a better blogger, but I find that the less time I spend online, the better. I feel a little less "connected," but I like it that way. If anyone wants to give me a faster computer, however, I might reconsider my sparse blogging ways! I've decided that in order to motivate myself more, I'll try to take a different approach to blogging for a while. I got this book a while back that asks questions about your life and gives prompts that get you started writing in your journal. Since this is a "journal" of sorts, and I may one day have it printed out for journaling purposes, it might be a good place to start. Since this post is long overdue, here is our year in review.
JASON
Jason had a very busy and productive 2009. He started business school at Western Washington University, which is both exciting and sometimes stressful (for the both of us!) Last semester he took 22 credits which, to me, is unheard of, but somehow he managed to do so getting all As. Don't ask me how he did it - it doesn't make sense to me! I remember my first semester at BYU taking 18 credits and realizing (too late, of course) that it just wasn't possible for me to be able to focus on that many classes. This semester he's toned it down a bit with 19 credits. Yep, still crazy. But we still love him. He will be getting his degree this time next year, and we are so excited! It leaves our future rather open and unpredictable at the moment, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Ideally, after he graduates, he'll find a job somewhere here in western Washington, but we just won't know until it happens! We both really love it here, and love the idea of raising a family here, so we'll keep our fingers crossed.
Other than school, Jason is still working the night shift at the group home 6 nights a week. It is really hard having him gone at night, but it's an ideal job right now while he's still in school. It gives him a lot of time to study and do homework too, which is nice. Somehow with work, school, and church responsibilities, he still manages to be an excellent father and husband which Reagan and I both appreciate. Reagan adores her dadda more than I can even explain. He is the one person that can get her to do almost anything... go nigh-night, brush teeth, say prayers, cuddle for hours on the couch, watch college football, and have intense dance parties in the living room (a personal favorite). He loves his "goonzie girl" (I don't even know how this nickname started, but somehow it stuck) so much, and it is the best thing in the world to see them cuddle and play together. She definitely has him wrapped around her finger, but I'd have to say that he has her wrapped around his as well. He always tells me how excited he is to have two "goonzies" running around the house. He is definitely a guy that can handle being a dad to multiple girls, which is something that I've known about him since before we even had kids. For that I am very grateful, because having two teenage girls very close in age is going to be interesting!
You'll also all be happy and relieved to know that Jason is still as handsome as ever, however seems to be doing some sort of "disappearing man act," where he loses significant amounts of weight in short periods of time. He calls it the "stress and no time to eat diet." It's better, however, than his diet years ago, when he had just gotten off his mission. He called that one the "I'm too poor to buy food and eating isn't a priority" diet. Another important thing to note - Jason grew a very impressive "Billy Mays-esque" beard over the holidays. I can't find a picture, but just know that it was very festive and full of lumberjack charm.
Emily (me)
I had a wonderful 2009, but I have to say that I am more than ready for this new year and all of the excitement it will bring. This was the year that I really "settled" comfortably into my new job as a mom. I kind of feel like I have this whole mom thing figured out, but if I've learned one thing, it is to never get too comfortable feeling like I have everything figured out, because something always happens to make me realize that I don't! I have found so much joy this year as a wife and a mom. I don't really have anything significant to write about myself. My biggest triumphs this year were those that I watched Jason or Reagan make, or experienced with them. I like it that way.
One of the most obviously significant things I experienced this year was finding out that I was pregnant with our second daughter. Although scared at first, I have realized that becoming a mom has helped me to discover strength that I never knew I had, and has helped me to really become the person I have always wanted to be, just never realized I could be. I owe a lot of that to Reagan, and I imagine that I will owe just as much of my growth as a person to this baby girl as well.
I can't say that I grew a beard this year, but I did: make new friends, strengthen my relationships with old friends and family, get addicted to Afrin nasal spray and am currently "detoxing" (you wouldn't laugh if you knew how miserable this was!), get my first blood transfusion, attend the sealing of a best friend and a best cousin, go to Disneyland and realize it was a lot more fun when I was a kid, make a trip to Minnesota to laugh and love with family, make progress decorating and making my house a "home," and learned a lot in my calling as a young women leader and teacher.
Reagan (Goonzie)
More than both Jason and I, Reagan probably had the most drastic life changes in 2009. Learning to walk and talk seem to be pretty significant skills that will help her throughout the rest of her life (or hurt her, if she's anything like me...clumsy and put my foot in my mouth a lot). I can't even explain how much this funny little girl has changed our lives for the better. She is almost always happy with a smile on her face. She loves to eat, loves to sleep (hallelujah!), and loves to make everyone around her laugh. She usually does this by either blurting out things like "bum!" or "I tooted!" (what can I say, we are a family with a genuine love of potty humor), or busting one of various dance moves she learns from Jason or my sister Haley. She has a current obsession with Elmo. She literally goes to bed talking about Elmo, and wakes up talking about Elmo. The word 'elmo' currently exists in almost every little thing she says. A close second to Elmo are princesses, which she calls "happy" because we have a book where the Disney princesses sing "If you're happy and you know it." (It's amazing how kids make these kinds of connections.) She is a smart little girl, repeating everything we say, and even some things we don't say. She talks and talks and talks, all day long, usually about a movie she just watched, or a recent visit to Nana and Bumpah's house. She loves babies, animals, apples, yogurt (this girl would eat yogurt for every meal if I let her), reciting the names of everyone she knows, nursery, and music. She is easily entertained, and keeps us laughing all day long. We are so grateful for our little goonzie girl. She brings out the best in us!
Well, folks, that is our year in review.

Unsure about her visit with Santa at church.



Trying on Auntie Hayhee's stylish glasses


Me, 29 weeks pregnant, and wearing a black body suit (I did put on a dress over this otherwise lovely ensemble)


The girls' room. I went a little non-traditional and painted it blue, but I like it. Its a work in progress.





My funny little girlfriend




These were just my most easily accessible pictures. More to come!