My Philosophies of Life (Part 1)

• Have enough socks and underwear to last 2 weeks. That way, if you miss a week of laundry all is well.
• A closed door only means an opened one just out of sight.
• 30 minutes of exercise makes all the difference.
• The fruit of my tree of life is a peach. The world's greatest and sweetest peach.
• Don't try to out smart your kids--as soon as you try, they out smart you.
• A little bit of rain is sometimes all you need.

A Messy Tale: Sequel to "A Poopie Story"

With a pure, breast-feed infant, it's amazing this doesn't happen every day. Oh wait, it does...well, not every day, but often (and diaper brand doesn't make a difference). But it's not usually as messy as these last few times.

This story follows just about the same story line as the previous adventure: A Poopie Story

He's at it again.

Uh-oh!

Too messy to carry.

Can't wait for bath time.

All clean!

The little car-bouncer is clean now, too (although, it will probably always have this stain).

And the clothes are soaking, in order to become clean.

We love our pouting little stinker.

Happily Ever After (please, let there be no next time).

No Longer Pirates

About 5 years ago, I wouldn't allow a friend to borrow one of my CDs because he was going to burn it. That was the first time I stood up to pirating music. To the best of my knowledge, I haven't burned a CD of music since then. But, I didn't get rid of all my previous pirated stuff, so kind of hypocritical, right?

On Sunday, Sam and I listened to this clip, and decided it was finally time to stop pretending to be pirates and chuck all of our pirated music--music that either A) we ourselves had burned from other people's collections, B) we downloaded from other people's collections, or C) illegally burned music we were given by other people.

I didn't count the number of CDs, but here's what it looked like (minus a few we threw away in a bag that's already in the dumpster):

We made a to-purchase list on Amazon of all the songs and albums we actually want to keep in our collection. That shopping cart total is right around $300. We'll be buying some every now and then for the next long while.

How about you? Rrrr you still a pirate? (you wouldn't still a car would you? haha)

A Poopie Story

Once upon many times, Winston sat on his Daddy's lap when suddenly he was passed to his Mommy because [see photo below].

Winston was simply minding his own business, when suddenly he made a terrible mess--all over the chair Daddy sat on, all over the carpet below the chair, and all over himself. Luckily Dad missed "the mess" this time, although he was not so lucky in the past. Mom held him up as "the mess" continued to pour down his little shaky legs.

He couldn't understand why nobody wanted to carry him anymore, and he found himself fully clothed in his very own baby bath tub.

But when the tub became messy, too, Mom just put Winston in the big bath tub for his very first time. Winston loved it--he kicked and splashed much.

Finally, "the mess" was cleaned off the carpet. And the chair. And the kitchen sink. And the baby bath. And the big bath. And the baby.

And they lived happily ever after.

With a funny, but messy, story to tell. The end.

Until the next time...

Jibber Jabberer

This footage was all taken today, yet there was much more that we didn't catch on film.

We're not sure what (or who) he was looking at to his left. Something that definitely got his attention.

He sure was a talker.

Lil' Hoodlum

This little dude even looks like he has some gangster signs goin' on.

Winston has been jabbering A LOT today. One day (maybe) I'll post a little video that sort of shows how talkative he was.

So, you know how most babies LOVE the car seat and strollers? Not ours. No way. But he is starting to better handle his loathed car seat and stroller. We went on a 20 minute walk and he didn't even peep in detestation until we arrived back to the apartment. And he is slowing crying for less amounts of time in the car seat now. Hooray!

4 Months and Counting

Winston had his 4 month check-up today. He is 12 lbs 14 oz (17th percentile-ish) and 25 1/2 inches long (75th percentile). He's healthy, wealthy, and wise...and suffering mildly from his poor battle wounds (immunization boosters), but he's a tough little guy.

I Think I Have a Monkey

The ultrasound of Winston at 20 weeks looked like a little monkey baby. (Click here to refresh your memory) In many ways he still does look like a little monkey.

Winston has really been smiling at himself in mirrors lately. And yesterday I was holding him as he stood on my lap. Multiple times he looked up on the wall above us at the photo of himself, taken 3 months ago, and smiled a HUGE smile each time. My mom said that monkeys and humans are the only creatures that recognize themselves in mirrors and photos. We really do have a little monkey baby.

And we LOVE little monkey babies.

Kings Peak in One Day

Start Time: 5:50 am

Summit Time: 11:45 am

End Time: 6:20 pm

Total Time: 12 hours & 30 mins.

Distance: 28 miles

Elevation: 13,528 ft.

Doughnut Falls Hike or Let's Go To The Same Place As Every One Else Around Here For Labor Day

On Labor day we "hiked" to Doughnut Falls up Big Cottonwood Canyon--with everyone else and their 5 kids and dogs. Note to self: avoid such easy gettaways on Holidays.

It's a really short and easy hike--our 2 year-old nephew did it all (almost) by himself.

Super Dad (aka Mr. Mom)

Sam has Tuesday mornings off, so he watches Winston while I work. I came home today and he had done all of the following:

- bathed and dressed Winston

- bathed and dressed himself (how many moms do you know that don't?)

- 2 loads of laundry

- gone on a walk with Winston

- thawed and warmed breast milk and fed Winston

- ran 2 errands

- put Winston down 2 separate times for naps

- checked email and uploaded music to the compter

All within 3 1/2 hours.

Sheesh! That's quite the standard for me as Mrs. Mom to live up to, don't you think? What a wonderful man I married!

And I can't be sure, but I think Winston was looking around for his Daddy after Sam left for work. He likes his Tuesday mornings with Papa.

Yes, There Are Things We Miss About Duchesne

Namely:

• Short lines (and friendly faces & conversations) at the post office.
• Walking every where we needed to go (church, grocery store, post office, library, & work).
• The simplicity of life--not having to go so many places at once.
• Fresh eggs & milk from our neighbors' chickens & cow (fresh is always so much tastier).
• Being acknowledged with a wave and a smile when a car drives by or when walking by another. Even if you don't know them. Or see them. (Just ask Kalvin how many times he waved and I didn't wave back. Can you blame me? He has tinted windows and doesn't wave until after he's passed me.)
• How connected everyone is--there really is a sense of community there. (It feels like everyone is family...oh wait--they are! And it's a good thing.)
• Our friends and coworkers. There are so many people we hope to keep in contact with. We are grateful for their friendship--we miss them!

First Giggles

Thanks to all who helped us figure the too-large video thingy out.

He giggled a few times before this, but this is the first really good one we caught on camera. I laughed so hard my side and mouth hurt.

Things I Miss Since Being a Mom

1. Having regular use of my hands & wrists. My sports-medicine-doctor brother says I have carpal tunnel, but to wait until 1 year postpartum because it might go away. (How in the world is numb & tingly hands related to pregnancy and postpartum hormones? The body is truly and amazing mystery.)

2. Makeup. Since I've had our little dude, my face has been ultra-sensitive to eye shadows. I'm soon going to embrace some of that mineral makeup and see how that works (any suggestions?).

3. Not having hands full of dead hair woven through my fingers every time I touch it. Or shower. Or look at the back of my shirt. Or take a burp cloth off my shoulder. Or vacuum (wow...there's always tons of hair in the vacuum container each time I vacuum and sometimes I vacuum multiples times in a week). Ick. I know, I know--it shouldn't last much longer. But seriously! It's icky.

4. My mind. Maybe it's the interrupted sleep. Maybe its the cute distraction Winston is. Maybe it's the new job and apartment. But I sure seem to forget things easily or not notice things. Never happened while pregnant ("pregnancy brain" as it is sometimes called), but it happens now. Lots.

"Of all the things I miss, I miss my mind the most."

Of course it is all worth it. Just one look at this guy verifies that:

Cruisin' in My Automobile

My mom gave Winston this rockin' little car. Winston's a wee bit too small for it right now, but he finds it oh so fascinating.On another note entirely: I tried to post a video today, and it failed. Over. And over. And over again. Does somebody know a trick? It's just a 40 second video from my digital camera. Blogger keeps saying it failed. Erg!