This morning I find myself both overjoyed and a little wierded out. You see, I found a comment (always welcome) from a friend I have never met. Her name is Terresa, and I found her blog through my Aunt Lynn. It's called The Chocolate Chip Waffle and is completely wonderful. I checked it out one day and found a love of writing and of words that closely mirrors what is in my own heart. I added a link to her blog on the sidebar of my blog, but never announced my presence to her. No comments, nothing. Apparently I'm not as anonymous as I thought....
At any rate, Welcome Terresa, and any others who may be watching from afar!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
New Grammy on the Block
This past weekend was the last reception for Megan and Merrill (Ryan's brother). It was in Idaho, for the Roberts' benefit. Of course, we were invited... and commissioned to decorate the cultural hall for the reception. It was much fun. We drove up Friday night, didn't get enough sleep, and woke up early. We took advantage of our babysitters and went to the Temple for a couple of hours. That was wonderful... I haven't been through a session since before Cara was born. It was neat to go together.
We took Ryan's car to Big-O to get his winter tires put on, and ended up spending more money than we were expecting because one of them was broken and had to be replaced. Ah, life.
We went to the church and ate lunch. We also saw a fantastic rendition of Merrill and Megan's courtship, as written, directed and performed by the Famous and Slightly Irreverent Aunt Chari and accompanied by various other members of the family. Critics gave it two thumbs up and said, "The songs were wonderfully adapted, beautifully performed, and amusingly put together. It was an emotionally charged piece of art that is rarely seen in this generation."
The afternoon was spent setting up tables, trees, crumpled newspaper, and blue fabric. I was accused of having too much fun, which I'm fully okay with. I must admit, it looked good. Way to go Becky!
Unfortunately, before this trip began, I had been fighting with a sore throat for several days. It wasn't a big deal, but because I hadn't gotten enough sleep, I lost that battle for a couple of days. By the time the reception came around, I was exhausted, sniffling, coughing, and sneezing. Cara, however, was the belle of the ball... next to the bride, of course.
"Grammy Cracker" Roberts has been wanting grandchildren since before Ryan and I were married. According to her, providing grandchildren is really my main purpose in the family. :) Well, that's not true, but does show just how much she wanted grandchildren. "All my friends are grandmas," she would say. "I want to be one too!" Well, three months ago she got her wish, and at this reception, she got to see all her friends and show off her new grandbaby. It was the perfect occasion! So she stood at the beginning of the line and (I'm sure, though I didn't actually hear any of this) told everyone to look for her granddaughter at the end of the line.
And so I sat, trying not to cough on the nice people who came through the line, or on Cara herself, as she was admired by young and old alike. She handled it beautifully, greeting everyone with wide, curious eyes and big smiles. She was gorgeous in her dark blue gown, and was the perfect accessory to my blue and white skirt and sweater. ;)
It was a very nice event. My favorite part was dancing with Ryan while Becky held a sleeping Cara.
The next day, Cara and I got to sleep while everyone else went to Church, thanks to my cold. Apparently I missed an adorable primary program, but was too grateful for the sleep to have minded much.
But after everyone came home, lunch was eaten, and extended family had departed, we were left alone with Ryan's parents. We started to pack up our things and then came out to the family room to find Cara, sitting contentedly in Grammy's lap, listening to and completely enraptured by a Dr. Seuss book. Grandpa O sat in another chair, watching the scene. Ryan and I settled in on the couch to rest before our drive back to Utah. Cara greeted us with one of her huge grins, and then turned her attention back to the book. Right there, in that quiet room, with the late afternoon sun streaming through the window and surrounded by family, I knew a moment of happiness that I long to replicate every day. Thank you for the good weekend, Grammy Cracker and Grandpa O!
We took Ryan's car to Big-O to get his winter tires put on, and ended up spending more money than we were expecting because one of them was broken and had to be replaced. Ah, life.
We went to the church and ate lunch. We also saw a fantastic rendition of Merrill and Megan's courtship, as written, directed and performed by the Famous and Slightly Irreverent Aunt Chari and accompanied by various other members of the family. Critics gave it two thumbs up and said, "The songs were wonderfully adapted, beautifully performed, and amusingly put together. It was an emotionally charged piece of art that is rarely seen in this generation."
The afternoon was spent setting up tables, trees, crumpled newspaper, and blue fabric. I was accused of having too much fun, which I'm fully okay with. I must admit, it looked good. Way to go Becky!
Unfortunately, before this trip began, I had been fighting with a sore throat for several days. It wasn't a big deal, but because I hadn't gotten enough sleep, I lost that battle for a couple of days. By the time the reception came around, I was exhausted, sniffling, coughing, and sneezing. Cara, however, was the belle of the ball... next to the bride, of course.
"Grammy Cracker" Roberts has been wanting grandchildren since before Ryan and I were married. According to her, providing grandchildren is really my main purpose in the family. :) Well, that's not true, but does show just how much she wanted grandchildren. "All my friends are grandmas," she would say. "I want to be one too!" Well, three months ago she got her wish, and at this reception, she got to see all her friends and show off her new grandbaby. It was the perfect occasion! So she stood at the beginning of the line and (I'm sure, though I didn't actually hear any of this) told everyone to look for her granddaughter at the end of the line.
And so I sat, trying not to cough on the nice people who came through the line, or on Cara herself, as she was admired by young and old alike. She handled it beautifully, greeting everyone with wide, curious eyes and big smiles. She was gorgeous in her dark blue gown, and was the perfect accessory to my blue and white skirt and sweater. ;)
It was a very nice event. My favorite part was dancing with Ryan while Becky held a sleeping Cara.
The next day, Cara and I got to sleep while everyone else went to Church, thanks to my cold. Apparently I missed an adorable primary program, but was too grateful for the sleep to have minded much.
But after everyone came home, lunch was eaten, and extended family had departed, we were left alone with Ryan's parents. We started to pack up our things and then came out to the family room to find Cara, sitting contentedly in Grammy's lap, listening to and completely enraptured by a Dr. Seuss book. Grandpa O sat in another chair, watching the scene. Ryan and I settled in on the couch to rest before our drive back to Utah. Cara greeted us with one of her huge grins, and then turned her attention back to the book. Right there, in that quiet room, with the late afternoon sun streaming through the window and surrounded by family, I knew a moment of happiness that I long to replicate every day. Thank you for the good weekend, Grammy Cracker and Grandpa O!
Friday, October 23, 2009
No Boys Allowed
Because this post is about nursing.
A few weeks ago, my mom asked me if I was enjoying nursing. She asked me in the warm tone of voice that said plainly that she had enjoyed it and fully expected me to enjoy it as well. To tell the truth, until she asked me that, it hadn't even occurred to me that I could enjoy it, much less that it was natural to. Of course, since that time, I've been analyzing it, feeling guilty, etc.
I knew that it would probably hurt for the first little while. It did, more than I had anticipated. I also knew that the pain would pass. It did, and now it generally doesn't hurt anymore.
But I still don't like it. I don't hate it per se, except when we're caught away from home. I suppose that it doesn't help that, ever since puberty hit, I've disliked that part of my anatomy. Combine that with an active sense of modesty, and when feeding time hits I feel anxious, exposed, and stuck. It also doesn't help that I am big enough that I can't hold my baby in the traditional manner without suffocating her. I have to lay her on a pillow and hold my skin away from her nose.
Plus, I am working on losing weight. I didn't lose any baby weight after Cara was born. I have lost a few pounds in the last month, but it was by changing my diet. I have had to work to lose it. I don't mind doing this, but I need to in order to fit into my clothes again. Seriously, it's either that or buy a new wardrobe. Hence, I'm not producing enough milk for her and she gets so fussy- understandably, poor thing! Her tummy hurts!
So, the last couple of days I have been supplementing her meals with formula. There are too many health benefits to nursing for me to give it up altogether, but I like this supplementing thing. She has started taking naps again! She smiles and talks during the day! Plus, it opens up possibilities for leaving her with other people so we can go on dates and such.
Maybe it's wierd for me to genuinely not like nursing, but that's me, and I'm okay with that.
A few weeks ago, my mom asked me if I was enjoying nursing. She asked me in the warm tone of voice that said plainly that she had enjoyed it and fully expected me to enjoy it as well. To tell the truth, until she asked me that, it hadn't even occurred to me that I could enjoy it, much less that it was natural to. Of course, since that time, I've been analyzing it, feeling guilty, etc.
I knew that it would probably hurt for the first little while. It did, more than I had anticipated. I also knew that the pain would pass. It did, and now it generally doesn't hurt anymore.
But I still don't like it. I don't hate it per se, except when we're caught away from home. I suppose that it doesn't help that, ever since puberty hit, I've disliked that part of my anatomy. Combine that with an active sense of modesty, and when feeding time hits I feel anxious, exposed, and stuck. It also doesn't help that I am big enough that I can't hold my baby in the traditional manner without suffocating her. I have to lay her on a pillow and hold my skin away from her nose.
Plus, I am working on losing weight. I didn't lose any baby weight after Cara was born. I have lost a few pounds in the last month, but it was by changing my diet. I have had to work to lose it. I don't mind doing this, but I need to in order to fit into my clothes again. Seriously, it's either that or buy a new wardrobe. Hence, I'm not producing enough milk for her and she gets so fussy- understandably, poor thing! Her tummy hurts!
So, the last couple of days I have been supplementing her meals with formula. There are too many health benefits to nursing for me to give it up altogether, but I like this supplementing thing. She has started taking naps again! She smiles and talks during the day! Plus, it opens up possibilities for leaving her with other people so we can go on dates and such.
Maybe it's wierd for me to genuinely not like nursing, but that's me, and I'm okay with that.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
This is Really Cool
Click Here
Especially for a Recreational Therapist who believes that RT has become too much about paperwork and too little about fun. There are 3 videos that can also be seen on YouTube, and it's just a fantastic idea!
Especially for a Recreational Therapist who believes that RT has become too much about paperwork and too little about fun. There are 3 videos that can also be seen on YouTube, and it's just a fantastic idea!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
It's Just Not Fair...
...and some of you might hate me for this. In the kindest and most loving way possible, I'm sure. :)
I am pleased to announce that, as of a week and a half ago, Cara sleeps through the night! Woohoo! It's nice to sleep for a solid chunk of time again.
But here's a cute picture to soften the blow, curtesy of Living Love Photography:
I am pleased to announce that, as of a week and a half ago, Cara sleeps through the night! Woohoo! It's nice to sleep for a solid chunk of time again.
But here's a cute picture to soften the blow, curtesy of Living Love Photography:
Friday, October 16, 2009
Playing with Ponies
So there's a family in my ward that has 4 horses. These horses haven't really been ridden in about 3 years, and when Cathy found out that I love to work with horses, she invited me to come over and play while she babysits. How do you pass that up? Well, you don't. :)
Today was my first time to really get a chance to go and play with them. So, for two hours, I chased them around a big field. After an hour or so Cathy came out and asked if I was trying to tire them out. It surely looked that way. But no, I explained to her that because the horse I was trying to work with was jittery about being caught, I was teaching her to catch me. I did this by reacting to everything she did. At first, she just ran all over the field. I kept my attention on her- and her alone- and stopped walking after her whenever she would look at me, even if she was just turning around. After awhile she got tired and turned to face me a little more often. Each time she did, I just stopped. Then, after a few seconds, I would try to approach her hindquarters. Of course, each time she ran off again. Eventually, though, her friends got tired of running and realized that I wasn't after them. They stayed in the corners and ate while Little Lady and I kept at it. Because she had slowed, I had to change my tactics a little bit. I would swing my rope all the way around if she went faster than a walk. When she was just walking, I kept the rope swinging below my waist. Again, I would stop everything whenever she would stop and give me two eyes- which she started to do more frequently. Yay!
After awhile of doing all this, she figured out that she didn't need to move all of her feet when I went to her hindquarters. She just needed to move her hind feet and face me and I would leave her alone. Eventually, she let me come up and touch her. Woohoo! I rubbed her all over with my hands and the rope and found her itchy spot... it was awesome. Then I let her go. I caught her 3 more times after that just to cement the lesson for today. And in the meantime, I played with Sacari.
Sacari is a mustang, complete with tattoo. She's big, though. The owners think she has some draft blood in her, and she sure looks like it! She's a sweetheart, too. The first time I met her, she showed her left-brained extrovert nature, and I thought she would be a handful. But no, she's just really curious. Granted, she's very confident and in charge, but she's such a sweet girl! I played the first 3 Parelli games, and she did great with them all. I tried to Yo-yo her, but she wasn't nearly as confident with that.
But I got outside! I played with horses for 2 hours this morning in the glorious fall weather! I had so much fun. I can't wait to go back!
Today was my first time to really get a chance to go and play with them. So, for two hours, I chased them around a big field. After an hour or so Cathy came out and asked if I was trying to tire them out. It surely looked that way. But no, I explained to her that because the horse I was trying to work with was jittery about being caught, I was teaching her to catch me. I did this by reacting to everything she did. At first, she just ran all over the field. I kept my attention on her- and her alone- and stopped walking after her whenever she would look at me, even if she was just turning around. After awhile she got tired and turned to face me a little more often. Each time she did, I just stopped. Then, after a few seconds, I would try to approach her hindquarters. Of course, each time she ran off again. Eventually, though, her friends got tired of running and realized that I wasn't after them. They stayed in the corners and ate while Little Lady and I kept at it. Because she had slowed, I had to change my tactics a little bit. I would swing my rope all the way around if she went faster than a walk. When she was just walking, I kept the rope swinging below my waist. Again, I would stop everything whenever she would stop and give me two eyes- which she started to do more frequently. Yay!
After awhile of doing all this, she figured out that she didn't need to move all of her feet when I went to her hindquarters. She just needed to move her hind feet and face me and I would leave her alone. Eventually, she let me come up and touch her. Woohoo! I rubbed her all over with my hands and the rope and found her itchy spot... it was awesome. Then I let her go. I caught her 3 more times after that just to cement the lesson for today. And in the meantime, I played with Sacari.
Sacari is a mustang, complete with tattoo. She's big, though. The owners think she has some draft blood in her, and she sure looks like it! She's a sweetheart, too. The first time I met her, she showed her left-brained extrovert nature, and I thought she would be a handful. But no, she's just really curious. Granted, she's very confident and in charge, but she's such a sweet girl! I played the first 3 Parelli games, and she did great with them all. I tried to Yo-yo her, but she wasn't nearly as confident with that.
But I got outside! I played with horses for 2 hours this morning in the glorious fall weather! I had so much fun. I can't wait to go back!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
A Post of No Import
How did the Binky become the Binky? It is not a brand name, like Kleenex. You don't hear the word "binky" anywhere in the word "pacifier". In fact, the two words don't even share any of the same sounds! And yet, universally, it is understood that a binky is a pacifier. How is that?
Monday, October 5, 2009
Taking Turns
Dating with a baby is hard. We knew this would be the case when we decided to have one. It hasn't been a huge problem because, quite frankly, we both feel like we're on a date just by being together. However, we've decided to try to be better about doing official dates. With Cara's eating and sleeping schedule, and the fact that we don't have money to hire a babysitter, we're starting small. On Friday night, we decided to make a homemade pizza and watch a movie. It was good plan- allowing us to stay home and keep an eye on Cara and also to have our official date. If luck was with us, Cara would be quiet and content or even sleep through it all.
Luck wasn't with us so much that night. Cara decided that it was a great time to be all sorts of fussy. And so we took turns... one of us would hold her and entertain her while the other would be in the kitchen working on the pizza. We joked that whoever was in the kitchen was on the date, while the other was babysitting. Technically we were together. Technically, we both went on a date. The fact that we were on the date at different times... well, we're still working out the kinks. Fortunately, I fed Cara and we put her to bed in our room and were able to watch the movie mostly uninterrupted. Gotta love life.
Luck wasn't with us so much that night. Cara decided that it was a great time to be all sorts of fussy. And so we took turns... one of us would hold her and entertain her while the other would be in the kitchen working on the pizza. We joked that whoever was in the kitchen was on the date, while the other was babysitting. Technically we were together. Technically, we both went on a date. The fact that we were on the date at different times... well, we're still working out the kinks. Fortunately, I fed Cara and we put her to bed in our room and were able to watch the movie mostly uninterrupted. Gotta love life.
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