Michael Buble and Shania Twain

It's growing on me.

Merry Christmas!

"This Christmas, mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again."
- President Howard W. Hunter, "The Gifts of Christmas," First Presidency Christmas Devotional, 4 Dec. 1994.

Postpartum

Can the next three and a half weeks hurry up? I am dying to go running again!

75 Christmas Cards

You won't believe how fast we blew through them. We might just need 100 next time. It's a pretty good life to have so many people to love!

The Other Problem With a December Baby

The weather hasn't been too bad, so we've still be able to go on (short) walks, so that's not it. The problem is that it's been a few weeks to I'm finally ready to start seeing people, but almost everyone I know is gone for holidays!

Laugh All You Will

I just bought these from Costco for $20, and I am so happy about them. Yes, they are Skechers shape-ups, just like the ones all my aunts wear. I am one of them now!

The Problem with a December Baby:

How am I supposed to get skinny again when everyone keeps giving me Christmas treats?

Mother/Son Date

The other night my boy and I went to the store just the two of us. A little over a week ago that was life, not a special date, but already I felt like I was missing something (like another child). It's so strange how what was normal just a few days ago just isn't anymore.

Happy Due Date!

Thank you, baby, for being here over a week! It's been wonderful.

Thoughts for myself: Weighing myself this morning was about the dumbest thing I've ever done in my life. What was I expecting? Geez.

Big Life Changes

After something big happens to me (like Baby 2!), I feel like I have to get reacquainted with everyone and everything. Even friends I saw the day or week before she was born I feel like I haven't seen in forever and have to catch up with because such a big thing has happened to me since I last saw them.

Two Years in a Row

I can't believe I made this mistake once again: not buying enough Brach's candy corn at Halloween to decorate my Thanksgiving table with. Stores get rid of it all before Thanksgiving, and it's not worth it to buy other types of candy corn!

My Gmail is Snowing!

I am beautiful because . . .

I love learning. Even though choosing motherhood may mean that I never have an advanced degree or a professional career, I will be learning, growing, and achieving throughout my life.

Laundry

Thank goodness we have a washer/dryer unit. I don't know how I would live without one. I swear I've done at least one load of laundry a day since Baby was born. Sometimes it feels like it's all I do, but, hey, our clothes are clean and there are no quarters involved!

Joy and Rejoicing

Baby is (1) down for a nap (2) in his toddler bed (3) and it's just after noon (4) and we did it all without a fight. Oh, happy day!

81 degrees

Doesn't quite feel like fall.

Welcome to the Season

I am so excited. Here are a couple recipes that are first on my list of what to try this year:

Pumpkin Cornbread

Pumpkin Pie Coffee Cake

Frozen Go-Gurt=

Super easy frozen yogurt popcicles=DELIGHT.



I may have eaten three of them today . . .

One of My Least Favorite Things:

Changing the toilet paper roll in the dark in the middle of the night. It never goes smoothly and I always feel like a fool feeling around for the new and/or old roll that I dropped on the floor in the dark.

I've Gotta Quit

Reading food blogs when I'm really hungry. It's torture and ridiculous!

Paper or Plastic?

I really want to know. Which in the world is better for me to get at the grocery store? All growing up paper was bad because it killed trees. But now the paper bags advertise "Sustainable, Compostable, Recyclable," and I'm so confused. For a time my recycle bin said no plastic bags, but I guess they've gotten over that. I still don't know though. Do they teach the update in schools nowadays? Do I need to go back to get the current recycling information? Please, someone help me. I'm always wondering at the checkout what the right choice is!

Now the Top-Hitting Post Label:

Pregnancy.

It's a little consuming. And this is yet another post labeled "pregnancy."

Ah! The First of the Season

My Financial Maxim

Happiness is having as much as you need, not having as much as you can get.

On Mooching

The economy stinks. I don't know how to fix it. I attempt to understand it, but that's about as far as I get. On the other hand, looking around at some of my peer, neighbors, and friends sucking as much as they can out of government programs just to have a free ride kind of drives me crazy. I don't know enough to be the judge, but isn't people taking hand outs that they don't need a reason why our government is so badly in debt and we're still not able to take care of many people who are really in need?

Sorry for the soapbox. More than harping on anyone's personal or political ethics or policies, I mostly want to say that I am so grateful to know and understand the God-given principles of provident living and self reliance. Working hard, striving to be prepared, looking at everything God blesses us with as a stewardship, giving to others, trying to do things for yourself, and accepting help when it's needed--all these things are what give me financial peace and stability. I am so grateful for that. I wish I could share this peace with the rest of the world because I am certain that if we all lived God's welfare laws we wouldn't be in such an economic mess.

Does someone want to make me a homemade pie?

Anyone?

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow . . .

I have a sink full of dishes to wash.

Anyone feel like coming to the rescue?

Why, Oh, Why

Did I just make cookie bars that take 40 minutes to bake and 2-3 HOURS to cool? So much for satisfaction!

Simple Request

I could seriously use some Oreos right now. Anyone want to come to the rescue?

P.S. I have learned from sad experience that reduced fat just aren't worth it.

Not Yet, My Friend!

The other day I was talking to someone about how it had been a busy summer so far and they said, "Well, it's almost over anyway." Heck, no! I'm not buying that! I'm living this summer for all it's worth. You can tell me it's almost over at the end of September--k?

Free Mother

Today Baby has been sick and sleeping all day to get better. We're talking a six hour nap here, and I just don't know what to do with myself and all this free time. So I'm wasting it blogging, but I just wanted to share that I miss the sweet little guy when he's not around. Long naps are great, and needed for both of us, but after about two hours I start to miss him and get excited for him to wake up. I like that.

Furthering My Weather Obsession

I Really Need to Clean My House

But I'm tired and hungry and headachy and I want to just sit and do nothing instead. Maybe I should just go take a nap. Anyone else want to share?

Making Sense

So remember all those crazy posts about sunburns and obsessions with food and chocolate? Come to find out they were all symptoms caused by Baby 2--which I didn't even know about at first. Just to justify, I've marked them all with a "pregnancy" label. Now you know that I wasn't really that insane!

I Just Want to Share

That's it's summer, noon, and only 72 degrees. Oh blessed relief.

Lunch Today

Hot spaghetti for 1.5 (Baby #1 didn’t want any).

Foods I Crave

ALL THE TIME: A beefy cheeseburger from Fuddrucker’s, a huge salad from the Olive Garden, Betty Crocker fruit snacks, Arby’s curly fries or any type of wedge fries, fresh oranges, cheese, and cherry Fruit Leather. I guess this baby’s got all the food groups covered.

What Baby 2 Says Most Frequently

Very strong signals from the womb: feed me, feed me, feed me, feed me, feed me. I just can’t keep up with this kid’s appetite, I swear.

Do I Need to Change My Blog Name?

To “Chronicles of a Second Pregnancy” or something? Sorry about the obsession. It’s a little consuming to me too. And, FYI, most of these posts I wrote months ago before the existence of Baby 2 was public. At least now we both know why I was so insanely obsessed about chocolate a while back. It wasn’t my fault, see?

Why The Worst Cold Ever is Torture When You’re Pregnant

1. The yucky taste of a sore throat makes me throw up.
2. Gargling makes me throw up.
3. Coughing makes me throw up.
4. The taste of cough drops makes me throw up.
5. Repeat all of the above over and over again.

6. You can't take any cold medicine!

If Only

There are so many things I could be doing if I didn’t feel nauseous at the moment (and most other moments), such as working out, spending time with friends, taking my boy on a walk to the park, cooking dinner, cleaning my house, working on my many hobby goals, gardening, or pretty much anything else besides lying on the couch like a zombie. If only—but then I wouldn’t be getting a new baby for Christmas. So I think, despite zombiness, I’m still on top.

Serious Perks About Baby #2

I know I’ve mentioned a lot of these before, but I’m so excited about them that I have to make another list!

1. I know what’s going on. I’ve been pregnant before. I’ve delivered a baby before. I’ve taken care of a newborn before. I’m sure there will be differences, but not being so in the dark has been totally great.

2. We have most of the baby stuff we need already. Okay, if it’s a girl we’ll need some clothes, but that’s about it. We’ve got all the gear already, so if there’s anything that I didn’t buy last time that will make the whole ordeal nicer or more convenient for me (like a wedge pregnancy pillow), it’s not a big deal because we don’t have to buy very much at all.

3. The wait really isn’t so bad. I couldn’t wait for my first baby to come (and we had waited so long already before we knew he was on the way), but it’s not like that this time. Sometimes I’m terrified of being a mother of two (am I really going to be able to handle this?), so the months of pregnancy before me really aren’t that big of a deal. I want to make the most of the time that’s left of my first boy being the baby. I want to shower him with attention while I can. I even want to take professional family pictures of just the three of us because we’ve never gotten around to it. I’m excited for the changes in our family for the future, but I want to make the most of what we have right now. So I’m savoring the wait.

4. I’m not working out of our home! Yay! And YES! I don’t have the guilt of quitting my job during a hiring freeze when another lady in my office didn’t. I don’t have to worry about whether or not I’ll like being a stay-at-home mom because I already LOVE it. I don’t have the stress and demands and stress and stress and stress of professional life. I can nap when my baby naps and sleep in when he does. I have time to cook whatever I feel like eating. I have several friends who decided to be stay-at-home while they were pregnant, even before their first baby. I would never have let myself do that, but I can see how nice it would have been. Lack of work means a lot less stress!

Folklore

Once I heard that a man in Italy (maybe named Alfred?) invented fettuccine alfredo because his wife was morning sick and he was trying to come up with a nourishing meal that she could keep down. I pretty much believe it.

Umm, and check out this picture. Is anyone else's mouth watering?

Not So Perky

1. Nausea/vomiting
2. Fatigue3. Heartburn/indigestion
4. Gas/bloating5. Bathroom trips times fifty
6. Aches and pains any and everywhere
7. Bad circulation (especially in my feet this time)
8. Tenderness up top (you know what I mean)
9. Forgetfulness
10. Crazy-frequent hunger
11. Loss of agility/weight gain/increasingly huge tummy
12. Gingivitis
13. Possible diabetes

14. Rapid hair growth in places you don't want (like where you pluck and shave)

Yet, with all that, it is still SO worth it!

Pregnancy =

Hunger. All. The. Time. Seriously, Baby, I just ate. What more do you want?

At This Very Moment

I am barefoot and pregnant. And both of my own free will.

Sometimes I Wonder What We're Doing

Okay, it happens a lot. But especially when my one-year-old is up ALL night teething and we can barely handle it. And then I think what in the world we are ever going to do with two.

Pregnancy Perks

It’s nice being on my second time through because I know what’s going on so I can recognize and appreciate the perks a lot better, such as:

1. Lack of Periods—hallelujah.
2. Fingernail Growth—it’s insane.
3. Lack of B.O.—strange, but true.
4. Not having to worry or wonder if you are pregnant because you already know you are.

5. I have some cute maternity clothes that I look forward to wearing.

6. You don't have to worry about having a flat belly or sucking in or anything like that.

Call for Inventions

I sure would appreciate it if someone would invent the following:

(1) sippy cups that my baby likes to drink out of that don't spill all over the place when he carries them around and (inevitably) drops them.

(2) playground structures that don't get burning hot in the sun.

That's all. Thanks.

What's Great About Taking a Long Vacation at Home

1. Mom's cooking.

2. Automatic babysitters and baby entertainers any time we need them.

3. A much fuller fridge and pantry than our student budget allows, meaning everything feels like a buffet all the time.

4. Not having to cook a single meal for two weeks.

5. Only having to clean to help out and be nice instead of it being my responsibility.

6. Mom doing our laundry and ironing along with everyone else's.

7. A large screen and enough floor and ceiling space to do my pilates workout without having to re-angle my mat or laptop screen every three minutes.

8. Baby getting to know his grandparents and aunts and uncles who love him from afar.

9. Rekindling old friendships with friends I haven't seen for 4-7 years.

10. Being home. Period.

In Praise of Basements

I know I complain about living in a basement a lot, but right now it's 91 degrees outside and 72 in our apartment, no A/C needed. Beautiful.

Connections

So when Dad isn't home and the phone rings, baby says, "Da--da!" When I'm not home and the phone rings baby says, "Ma-ma-mum!" We think he's brilliant.

Lobster Legs

Hi, that's me. So I'm pretty good about putting sunscreen on baby, but I've been really bad about remembering for myself. Hopefully the past four days of terrible pain will cement this lesson into my brain. I'd hate them to be worth nothing.

How Cell Phones Have Changed Social Etiquette, by and Non-involved Observer

1. No one makes definite plans anymore, and flaking or changing plans isn't so bad because people just call when they're on their way, when they get there, or when they can't get there.

2. People don't say, "Hi, this is _______"; they just say, "Hi," and expect you to know who it is because everyone assumes that everyone else has caller ID.

3. Many people don't leave messages, assuming that you'll see that they called on their missed called list.

Unfortunately while these things are normal to most of the world, I still have a land line (shocker, I know). I can call you before I leave the house or when I get home again, but that's about it. It might take me a minute to recognize your voice because I have no caller ID. And, if you don't leave a message, I have no idea that you called and never will. The End.

On Spiders

"Itsy-Bitsy" or "Eensy-Beensy"? I really want to know, but I find myself singing both just randomly.

Look at This:

It's a cake. No kidding. Isn't it amazing? I can't believe it! Check out more here.

I'm Addicted

To this. And it isn't a bad way to go either.