Rhen James Robinson

It has been over three years since Rhen's birth. I have dishes to wash and laundry to fold, but instead I write. I write because one day my memory will be stored with so much more that I am afraid to remember less and less of the day he was born.

Rhen's birth was a surprising experience because I had pictured it very differently. I had gone in to work that afternoon feeling extremely drowsy. I was moving slowly and that was very unlike me. A couple hours into my shift I lost my mucus plug. Instantly, I knew that he was ready to join us. I told the manager and my co-workers that I was leaving, and I wouldn't be back because I was having a baby that night. I don't know how serious they took me, but my intuition could not have been more spot on.

I showered, straightened my hair, packed a small bag and arranged where Anistyn would stay if I was really to go into labor. My husband teased and said, "It'd be nice if you could get me out of work tomorrow." I said I would do my best and we all went to bed.

12:01, the first contraction that woke me. I had never experienced contractions at home. I laid still. Minutes later, another one. Okay, is this really happening?! I got up from bed and went to use the restroom. I stood in the hall after and wondered if maybe I should go downstairs and start walking on the treadmill to get this show on the road. I decided to go back to bed and started to time them. I drifted off to sleep again but it wouldn't be long before things really started moving along. I felt the sharpest contraction that would break my water and to this day I still recall hearing a loud pop right before it happened. It was baby time!

I don't know if there is anything that will make a man sky rocket out of bed faster than his wife telling him that it's time to go have a baby. We gathered our things quickly and were on our way. Because I had experienced a 13 hour labor before and was aware that all I would be able to eat in the next several hours were flavored ice chips I asked Ben to make a pit stop for powdered doughnuts. I ate them all as I twisted and turned in pain in the passenger seat. 

Checking in to the hospital and signing consent forms while experiencing labor is not an easy task. The receptionist asked if she could get me a wheelchair, but I declined her offer. As I tried to make my way to the OB department I clung to wall for support and looked back to see her bringing this wheelchair I had previously turned down. 

I am not sure if I don't remember as many details or if the next part was truly a blur. Everything moved along so quickly. I was informed that the doctor I had bonded with the last nine months of pregnancy was out of town and would not be delivering me. I don't recall the reasoning but an oxygen mask was placed on my face and as a result I could not hear anything the anesthesiologist was saying. I expressed my frustration and the powdered doughnuts started to make their way out. It got more exciting. There was no time for an epidural. It was time to push. WHAT THE CRAP?! Ben gave me a blessing in the most chaotic moment and we laugh about that sometimes. I have to put this in here because I know he will appreciate it, but if you have watched Dragon Ball Z he said that when I was experiencing the last moments of labor I turned into Goku Super Saiyan because of a bulging vein in my forehead. Push, scream, vomit...push, scream, vomit...and he was here. What a relief it is to nestle a warm, wet, healthy baby right next to your face. I kissed him and held him close. Children are the reason I believe in love at first sight. 

Rhen James Robinson

February 5, 2016

4:34 AM

7 lbs 1 oz

HOBO

Hey! It's only been over a year since my last post, but here I am! Since my last post I was sealed in the temple to my lover and our babies. Oh yeah, I had another baby! We'll play catch up later. It's Summer time and I am so thrilled that I'm not being a hermit this year. I don't understand why they call it morning sickness because I could be sick ALL. DAY. LONG. Anyway, cheers to a nausea free Summer. About two weeks ago I was talking to my husband how I wanted to have fun this year and put housework and other responsibilities on the back burner. I just want to relax and make it memorable for the kids! Let's just put it this way...my house is SUFFERING. I guess I will balance my housekeeping duties and play time because I guess we really do need clean clothes to wear and the dishes won't be washing themselves. Boo! Here's another little dilemma with this season. I don't want to cook. I don't want to turn on the oven, the stove, not even the microwave. But hey, these people count on me to feed them! This weekend is Father's Day and all my husband wants to do is go camping. I was thinking about it and my inner light bulb turned on. HOBO DINNERS FOR THE WIN. I fired up the grill and dinner was cooked in no time. I didn't even dirty that many dishes! You can't go wrong with these, ladies! That's my excitement for today. Please share your quick, delicious and easy recipes with me! XOXO 

Dear Anistyn

Dear Anistyn, 

You are currently sleeping on me. You are 18 months old! You go to nursery and you LOVE it. You know how to make the sounds of these animals; horse, kitty, dog, puppy and recently after a visit to the zoo you learned what the monkey says. You STILL love your binky. You STILL avoid taking naps. You know how to put on your shoes...sometimes on the wrong feet. Recently I started putting your hair in pigtails and I just can't stop because they are tooooo cute! I love when you fold your arms for a prayer when you see food on the table. It reminds me that you are starting to notice things and that I need to be a good example...AT...ALL...TIMES... You say, "peas" for please. Your favorite song is FEEL THE LIGHT by Jennifer Lopez. You like to eat string cheese, chicken and pizza! You have 12 beautiful teeth! You think you are way older than you are. Yesterday you didn't want to ride in the cart. You followed me and pushed the cart all over the grocery store and didn't show a glimpse of tiredness after. You call your Dad, "Mum". You call your grandma, "Mum". I must be your favorite! We are so blessed to have you! 

Birthdays When You're Older

Hellooo Twenty Fooour!

Birthdays have always been special to me. It is so fun to have that one day out of the year be all about you.

My husband gave me the best card this year and I want to share what it said.

"Love of my life. TRUE LOVE, when it comes, is always worth the wait. Sometimes I wish that we had met sooner, that the detours along the way could have been fewer. But then something tells me we found each other at just the right place in our lives. Now here we are - right on time and so right together. And I want you to know I would've waited forever for this, for you, for the love of my life. Happy Birthday."

Of course that is all Hallmark, but he added his own touch of words at the end and they were even more beautiful. We have always talked about cutting out all the old loves and heartbreak and wishing we would have been together from the start, but just the thought of knowing he'll be my birthday card giver for the rest of my life is so much better!

I received such fun gifts. I didn't clean, cook, run errands or open a textbook. I took a nap. I ate the best food and I shared my day with the most important people in my life.

Birthdays when you are older are so much simpler but so much more meaningful. The gifts you want aren't gifts you can buy anymore. Here is to 24!

Easy Chicken Fajitas

We love Chicken Fajitas at our home.

I mostly love them because it is a fast meal you can serve your family in no time!

I always make extra everything because my husband takes leftovers to work the next day.

 

Serves: 3-4

 

Ingredients:

3 Chicken Breasts (Cut Into Cubes)

1 Fajita Seasoning Mix

1 Green Bell Pepper (Srips)

1 Yellow Bell Pepper (Strips)

1/2 Yellow Onion (Strips)

1 Tomato (Diced)

Wheat or Flour Tortillas

 

I like to buy all my vegetables from the produce section, but if you're in a hurry I think a bag of fajita vegetable mix would also taste great!

First, I cut my chicken and vegetables. It's the part that takes the longest, so if my husband is home we split the work. He does the chicken and I'll do the vegetables. Cooking is more fun with a partner anyway. :)

Sometimes, I season my chicken with garlic salt and onion powder. 

Once all my chicken and vegetables are cubed, sliced and diced I cook my chicken on a skillet that I've sprayed with olive oil.

Once the chicken is completely cooked I sprinkle the Fajita Seasoning Mix all over the chicken. I usually will add about 1/4 cup of water so it doesn't become dry.

Add the vegetables, cover the skillet and occasionally stir.

Cook until the vegetables become soft.

 

 

We like to add sour cream, 4 cheese (Mexican) and salsa to our chicken fajitas. I also use wheat tortillas to make me believe we're eating healthier. ;)

 

ENJOY! 

 

 

Verb:

Making : Coffee
Cooking : Salmon, brown rice and steamed vegetables for dinner.
Drinking : Going to be drinking coffee with my new favorite creamer. SO Delicious coconut milk creamer.
Reading:  Gangsters Without Borders - GREAT ETHNOGRAPHY!
Wanting: A bag of peanut M&M's
Looking: Laptop screen
Playing: House Wife and Mommy, my fave!
Wasting: TIME! I'm always wasting time.
Wishing: For this semester to be over.
Enjoying: Life
Waiting: For my order from SlyFoxThreads to get here.
Liking: Green tea and boiled eggs.
Wondering: What time husby will be home.
Loving: My bareminerals foundation, Fall Clothes & my Revlon black cherry lipstick
Hoping: I do well on my exams next week.
Needing: A getaway with husby. :)
Smelling: My pumpkin marshmallow Scentsy
Wearing: Victoria's Secret jammies
Following: Fitness Moms on Instagram
Noticing: Anistyn is getting two new teeth!
Knowing: I should be studying instead.
Thinking: Of my husband.
Feeling: On top of the world!
Opening: A box of Honey Nut Cheerios
Giggling: Anistyn's facial expressions
Feeling: Grateful for the beautiful life I am blessed with.

MIA

A couple of weeks ago I made a life changing decision...I DEACTIVATED my Facebook. Okay, life changing sounds a little drastic, but it has been...kind of, sort of...but not really. I always had a love/hate relationship with Facebook. I am a social person and I love to share, share, SHARE! I love to share positivity, I love to share pictures of my loved ones and occasionally something exciting or funny would happen in my life/our lives and I could share it with all my friends and family in a matter of seconds through a status update. How CONVENIENT, right?

Many reasons led to my decision, but my two biggest reasons were my family and Fall Semester 2014. The moment I deactivated my Facebook I felt relieved. Literally! But a couple hours later I felt lost. I realized that an app on my phone had so much control over my time, my attention and my soul! Okay, again with the drama queen, but seriously. For now the Robinsons will be 80% MIA because I'll be damned if we aren't on Instagram. :)