How's Life In Adorable Land?

Pretty great!

Forgot password?

Throughout my internet career - yes I am a professional internetian - I have signed up for many accounts. Accounts on picture sites, video sites, message boards, email engines, and clubs... and to keep track of all the many user names and passwords I have created, I came up with an idea to put them all together in one document so that if I ever forgot them, I would be able to pull up that document and voila!! I would have my answer.

Now, if I can just remember the password I used to password protect THAT document.

Who ARE You?

If you read this blog, I want you to comment. Just this once. Please? It's easy. Anyone can do it. Even you babe. it can be anything...

A proven fact

A Christmas message

A "hi"

A poem... I like poems.

Anything you want.

Also, I want to give a shout out to my homies who regularly comment... Kam, Shawna, AmberLee, Amber, Stacey, Kim, and Tyra. Your comments are like getting regular mail (good mail, not bills)... SO nice. Thanks!

**Anonymous commentor, a.k.a. Paul, Makes a good point. Some of you may not know you can leave a comment or how to do it. All you have to do is click on the comment link at the bottom of this post. There is a "post a comment" link at the bottom of the comments. Click on that, and you can post a comment Anonymously, leave your name, or if you have a blog, post as your blog account. Type in the comment box and push "publish"... It's that easy!

Things Bears Love

Website: http://www.thingsbearslove.com/

An example of things bears love: Team Building exercises



Check it out.

Photo Tagged

Rules of this tag are you have to take a picture of these seven things, no cleaning or straightening, just click and take a pic right then and there!

1. My favorite pair of shoes. They're cheap, light as air, and green! Who wouldn't love 'em?



2. My side of the closet. I wear about 10% of these clothing regularly.



3. My bathroom sink. I know, I need to clean my mirror. I'm a messy toothbrusher.

4. My bedroom. Our bed is huge, it takes up most of the room.

5. My favorite room in the house. The hearth room... mainly cause it's decorated so nicely for Christmas and we spend a lot of time together in here.

6. My child and what she is doing right now. Napping. Awwwww

7. Me. Ugh! I should have combed my hair... but I wanted to follow the rules. Gimme a break, I just showered (yes at 12:30pm. That happens when you have babies).

I tag whoever wants to do this.

Wait Just One Second

Apparently because of the Earth’s slowing rotation, another second will be added to our clocks this year. The leap second will be added at 6:59:59 p.m. on Dec. 31.

So for those of you who complain there isn't enough time in the day... you can thank the International Consortium of Time Keepers for a little extra time.

Do You See What I See?

A broken ornament.

The evidence is clear. This ornament was hanging on the tree. It is now broken in pieces on the floor near the tree and scattered on the floor on the side of the couch where we can't see it.

Kitty obviously planned this and thought she could get away with it.

Madeline's Monthly Message: Month 3

Dear Madeline,

Three months has gone by like a heartbeat, and you are growing and learning just as fast (this months letter is a few days early). At your 2-month check-up on November 12th, you were 14 pounds, 12 ounces, and 24 inches long. Your weight and height are in the 95% for your age. I wonder if you are going to be taller than your momma? It's pretty likely. It will be interesting to see. I am 5 ' 5" tall but your dad is 5' 11". Maybe you'll be right in the middle?

You are still a very good eater. I've actually stopped keeping track of when you eat and when I last fed you. I feel like it is important to follow your cues more than some chart or book. Of course, in the back of my mind I still glance at a clock, I just don't write it down anymore. You are chubby, happy, and you poop and pee a lot - I think that's a great indicator you are doing well. You aren't spitting up as much, if at all now, and you no longer have blood in your poop. No more taking pictures of your poop to show the Pediatrician (momma likes to be thorough). I am staying away from eggs, chocolate, most dairy, and sugar when I can. Momma has a sweet tooth though.

Nursing time is a wonderful time for me. You have started to talk to me and smile while you eat. Sometimes we play this game where you start to drink, then pull off, say "ah-goo!" and other wonderful baby sounds, and then start drinking again. It makes me laugh so hard sometimes that you smile really big and start laughing yourself.

*[ADDED 12/10/08] You have slept through the night for the past 3 nights! It has been pretty nice getting sleep! Not that you were giving me hard time before... you were only waking up once or twice. Now, if my breasts would just adjust to the schedule we would be set! I wake up so engorged it is hilarious!! It's like a loose fire hose at times.

You take a bottle AND a binky now. Reasons for this will be explained in further reading of this letter.

It was at your 2-month check-up that you received the first of what will be a series of annoying poking and prodding that will occur the first few years of your life - your vaccinations. This time around you received 3 shots and 1 oral medication and you! were! MAD!! The nurse was a brunhilda beast and very mean - at least, that is the impression I got of someone stabbing my baby and telling me to hold your arms. I am sure that she is just a nice person who has to poke babies for a living and tries to disconnect herself from the immense pain she brings to angelic babies each day. It was hard for momma to see you get a shot. I see people get shots all the time, heck I GIVE them shots, but seeing you... sigh

On November 13th, 2008, my mother's mom, my beautiful Grandma Vivi passed away.

Vivi is very special to me and so is my mom, your Grandma Suzi. Vivi has always been my favorite grandma. I feel sorry that you will not know her personally in this life. I know you knew her before and you will know her again though, so I don't dwell on that thought much. I will share my memories of her with you when you are older. Because of her passing, you got to go on your first airplane ride and also learned how to take a binky. Under any other circumstance I would not take you on an airplane at your age, but this was important. So me and you took a trip home to Utah. You were such a good baby. You loved sitting alone in the airplane seat. Such a big girl! It was a bittersweet trip. The funeral was very nice, and it was so great to see all of the family. At the funeral we saw many pictures that we haven't seen before. One was of my mom as a baby. You look a lot like your Grandma Suzi did when she was a baby.

#1 Four generation photo - my mom, G. Vivi, G.G. Lily, G.G.G. Lily's Mom.
#2 Madeline and her Grandma Suzi
#3 G. Vivi as a young woman.

I was very happy that you were able to meet my brothers and sisters and your other cousins before you got too much older. I wanted them to have the opportunity to see you in person and hold you while you were a baby. They loved you. Everyone wanted to hold you and hug you, and they did. It was special.

You and the only other girl cousin on my side of the family, Aubrey Kay.

On November 24th my maternity leave was up. This meant that I would be going back to work. Your Dad and I both feel like it is best that we take care of you. We know there are nice people out there in the Daycare centers and who do babysitting in their homes, but we don't want that for you. We want one of us to be with you at all times if possible, and with some sacrifice, it is possible for us right now. If that changes, we will do what we have to do, because sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do to take care of your family. It was not an easy decision. I have been back and forth with it... Should I just be a stay-at-home mom? Should I try to get the evening shift at work and your dad and I can do a baby swap? Should I do part-time? What if I can't get the evening shift? Should I take this other job that is PERFECT except for the shift time that a friend told me about? Basically, it finally came down to my instinct.

I feel it is extremely important for us, for you Madeline, to always trust your instincts. They occur for a reason. What my instinct told me was to be a stay-at-home mom. So, I talked to my boss, who is awesome and totally willing to work with me on whatever I want to do, and told her I was giving my notice. I was going to stay home with my baby. I made this decision, not because I don't think your Dad can take care of you, because he can, he does, and he is amazing at it (more about that later), but because I feel like as a woman, and as your mother, I have something special only I can give you with my time and love. I also feel like I can take better care of your dad, our home, our kitty, and myself if I have a little time to get our lives back on track and on a schedule.

So I went to the hospital, I had my resignation letter in hand, and I had filled out the exit interview form they ask you to fill out and it was ready to turn in... but I had this feeling. Maybe there was a compromise? You see the wishy-washyness? In politics, this is known as "flip-flopping". I met with my boss one last time and decided I would stay on and work just 1 day a week. There are a number of reasons for this. First, the economy is really bad. We are in a recession right now, and companies all over the country are laying off people in the thousands. What would we do if your dad lost his job for some reason? Second, I need to keep my skills up so when I do start back full-time (when you are older) I won't be completely lost. Third, I think sometimes I am a baby hog. This time when I am away will be good for you and your dad to bond. Last, maybe I need some time away. I hate to say it cause I love you so much, but a breather from babytime is a good thing once in a while. And it just makes seeing you again so much more of a cherrished moment. I can handle 8 hours, 1 day a week away from you - but just barely. This is why you had to learn to take a bottle, and you do very well with one. So, on December 2nd, I went back to work and you stayed home with your dad. We will be doing this, for now, every Tuesday evening. Your dad did wonderfully well taking care of you - I had no doubt - and I felt good being back at work. It's a good compromise. I can do everything I want to do for my family and most importantly, be with you.

About your Dad. He is now a pro. It has not taken him very long at all to learn the basics of baby. He changes diapers at the speed of lightning - a little heavy on the Desitin - but we can never say your dad isn't trying to protect you from all that may harm you, including diaper rash. And at least he does it. Most dads/men try to stay away from diapers. You and your dad still enjoy hours and hours of "changing table time". He lays you on the changing pad and you come alive. You talk, and coo, and smile, and kick while he reads to you, talks to you, sings to you, does exercises with your arms and legs... He loves you so much Madeline, and you truly love him. You really are a "Daddy's girl".

I look at him in awe on a regular basis. I knew when I married him that he was special... that I was lucky. I never imagined that my love for him would be as huge as it is. It just grows more and more every day. To see him with you makes it even more immense. I want that for you. I want you to have a relationship with your future husband like your dad and I have. We will try our best to teach you how to find that special person. Someone like your dad.

This year, and hopefully for years to come, we spent Thanksgiving with our friends Misty, Michael and Brooke.

They are like our family out here. They are easy people to like. Very kind and happy. We split the food duties and gathered at their house this year. It turned out great and it was a lot of fun. It made it a little less hard to be away from our New York and Utah families.

You and Brooke are the most adorable baby models ever.

Sharing your life and your happiness with other people is very important Madeline. I believe that to be a friend to someone and to be kind and giving, is one of the purposes of our lives. It is also important to surround yourself with the kind of people you want to be like and that you admire, who make you happy. If you are ever around someone who regularly makes you unhappy, who is mean and selfish, you need to get away from them. It's that simple.

Thanksgiving weekend we bought our first BIG Christmas tree.

#1 Kitty's ornament, #2 The Tree, #3 Madeline's ornament



Previously, your dad and I had a 3-footer, which we still have and have given to Kitty who regularly attacks it and tips it over, but it was time for an adult tree, a 7.5-footer. This Christmas is full of firsts for our family. It's the first Christmas with you, in our house, and with Kitty (Last year she stayed at Petsmart while we travelled). I am so excited to create traditions and memories with you. Hopefully you will have fond memories of your childhood - of these special times during the holidays and of those regular everyday times.

I love you!

Love,

Momma

Bunny Slipper Kickin

You try this... lay on your back and kick like crazy. I tried it and I can tell you, it is NOT for the faint of heart.

Yogurt is Nancy

Last night watching TV. A Yogurt commercial comes on...

Edith: Why aren't there ever any men in yogurt commercials?
Paul: Because, yogurt is girly.
Edith: What??!
Paul: Yogurt is a girl thing.
Edith: You eat yogurt all the time, what are you talking about?
Paul: I only eat it cause you give it to me.
Edith: You wouldn't eat it if I didn't give it to you?
Paul: Nope.
Edith: That's ridiculous!
Paul: I'm just sayin'... you won't catch me makin' any special trips to the grocery store for yogurt.

Travelling Companions

Madeline on her first airplane ride... such a big girl!
Madeline and I travelled on an airplane together to my hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah on Saturday, November 15th. My beautiful and amazing Grandma Vivi passes away on November 13th, 2008, and we went home to attend her funeral.

My Grandma Vivi has always been my favorite Grandma. From my very earliest years I remember spending time with her and my Grandpa John. She was the best cook ever, and for some reason she always made even healthy food seem delicious! I hated grapefruit until her. Our family also has a tradition (which is still continued today with my mom)... when it's your birthday, you go spend a weekend with grandma. She gives you $25 to spend on anything you want, and you get to sleep over at her house and have special one-on-one time. Those memories are some of my very cherrished memories.

My love of rainbows, puzzles, crystals, glass bottles and figures, art, museums, and learning are partly because of her. She is the kind of woman all women want to be - kind, loving, thoughtful, smart, and well-rounded. I will miss her terribly.

Watching my grandma Vivi as her mother passed, and now watching my mom as her mother passed away, and now being a mother myself, this eternal relationship between mothers and daughters has been made permenant in my mind. My mom and I have always had a very special relationship. From birth, she was my favorite person. I never liked being away from her, and she always made me feel happy and safe. Even to this day, if something is wrong or if I need advice or help with something, she is always there for me. She has always been a cheerleader and has supported me in every decision I have ever made in my life. Her hug always makes things better.

I believe the people we share our lives with are chosen companions. Sweet spirits we have known for eternity who will always be connected to us no matter what path our lives take. Among those travellers are those closest companions, who are with us through our most meaningful and personal life experiences - Our Grandparents, our Fathers, our Brothers and Sisters, and our Friends... our Husbands or our Wives... and our Mothers and Daughters.


Becoming a mother, and knowing that Madeline is my daughter has been one of the most important things that has happened to me in my life. Recently, that bond has been strengthened even more. I'm so glad she is my travelling companion.

2 Month Check Up

This morning was Madeline's 2-month check up with her pediatrician. After answering the 300 questions I had written down, her doctor said the same thing to me this time as she said to me last time,

"I can't find a THING wrong with her. She's just perfect!"

I agree with this.

Here are the stats:

At 2 months old, weighing in at 14 pounds 12 ounces and laying at 24 inches long, Ms. Madeline is in the 95th percentile on the growth charts for her age. Her head circumference in in the 75th percentile. I guess my breastmilk is working.

Madeline also got 3 vaccinations today. She was supposed to get 4 (we have to go back on Friday for one more shot, which kind of irritates me). The nurse that gave her the shots was a total beast. She comes marching in the room, no "hello baby!" or "it's gonna be okay little one *smile*", and immediately tells me to hold Madeline's arms for her. So I do. She proceeds to alcohol both little chubby thighs...
Oh man, you guys, it was awful watching my baby get shots. She was looking around all peaceful-like, smiling and happy... the beast pulls out this huge needle and digs it into her sweet little leg... you should have seen her face. She screamed so loud. She did one of those screams where you stop breathing for a few seconds... and THEN to be stabbed AGAIN! I almost cried myself. I had this urge to give Miss Beast a knuckle sandwich right in the kisser! The crappy part is we have to go back Friday to get another one because their fridge broke and the last shot she was supposed to get was ruined or something... sons-a-bidges.

That must suck though... having to stab babies all day.

Madeline's Monthly Message: Month 2

Dear Madeline,

Today you are two months old. I feel like I just had you yesterday - time has flown by so quickly. You have grown a lot also. We are slowly getting into a pretty regular routine. You sleep pretty well. You are usually asleep by 7:00 or 8:00 pm and you sleep until 12:30 or 1:00 am. Then MAYBE you get up at 3:30 am, sometimes you go until 5:00 am. Then - if I am lucky, you sleep another hour or so after you eat then and I can shower. I have found this will probably be the best time to do my meditation and exercising because you are pretty awake during the daytime.

This past Saturday you, me and your Dad attended our 2008 Baby Class Reunion, and you were seriously the biggest baby there. You were bigger than a little 4 month old girl that was sitting at the next table. You even won a prize - a very nice photo album, for being "The Baby Who Weighed The Most At Birth" - which surprised me a little. I mean, 8 lbs. 12 oz. is a good sized baby, but I've heard of babies being much bigger than that. It's cool though - we like prizes and presents.

At the baby class reunion they had a lady from Kinder Music come and sing and teach moms and dads how to do certain activities with their babies. She was really weird, but you had a good time. You liked the bubbles - I thought. Your dad didn't think you liked them. You and I spent most of the class reunion outside the gym or in the ladies room eating and changing your diaper. You sure poop a lot. But it's okay - better out than in!

As time goes on, I can tell you really love your Dad, and I know that your relationship is just going to get better and better. You love the way he holds you... it's this weird crooked position he does when he's standing up, but it always calms you down when you are fussy. When he gets home and comes to say hello to you, or when we wake up in the morning and he leans over and smiles at you, you do this huge, open-mouth smile that says, "Hey! I know you! You are my Dad and I love you SO MUCH!"

You also love to sleep with and on your dad. I totally understand this. He is a very comfortable person to lay on. There is just something about him that makes a person want to say, "Hey you! Come over here so I can lay on you and take a nap!"

I still can't really tell if the cat likes you or not, but she has adapted to you being around. She follows you and I around the house and sits wherever we sit. She often licks your leg or sniffs your head. I think she has realized that wherever you are, there is sure to be some lovin' available for kittys too. I love when you scream all of the sudden for no reason and kitty is around - she does this look at you, with her ears flat against her head, that looks like she thinks you are psychotic.


Your health is great. Your rash that you had on your face has pretty much disappeared. We think you have a sensitivity to the laundry detergent so we bought some purex to use instead. It has no dyes, no fragrances, and is gentle. We also found some really great cream to put on your face for rashes and dry skin. It is working well.
You are a colorful, chubby little woman. You spit up a lot still though. We are working on that. I have limited my intake of sugars, dairy, and yeast products. Also, I am trying to spread out your feedings a little more. You love to eat and sometimes you will want to nurse almost every hour. When you nurse every hour for 30 minutes or so then you are nursing every 30 minutes sometimes. Lactation consultants, Moms, and doctors alike have all told me "YOU CAN'T OVER-FEED A NURSING BABY". I am not sure if I agree with this. At least in your case. Also, for some reason, it just seems my breasts won't stop making milk - not that I am complaining about this.

And now to talk about your poop...
You've also had an issue with your pooper, but we are taking care of it. It seems you were having some pain when you were pooping and have a bit of a sluggish bowel. Your poops were
coming out a bit slimy and you had some tiny dots of blood in a couple of your diapers. This scared momma to death. I am happy to say that you have had normal, neon yellow poops for the past week. Momma understands that your little baby body is new, and is still adjusting to the world. We have started doing baby massages each morning and I am working learning and perfecting energy medicine. There is an awesome routine called "The 5-minute routine" that gets your natural body energies flowing properly (I will post more later about this. It is some cool stuff!!).

I love dressing you up. You tolerate it for about 30 minutes and then start getting fussy. You really dislike headbands. You look so adorable in them though!! I'm sorry, but sometimes you just have to wear them for momma.

Smiles are now a regular part of your life. You smile all the time. You talk too. I swear you try to copy the noises I make to you. I say, "hello baby!" or "Hi Madeline" and you make similar sounds. It's awesome.

Another smiley picture - I can't get enough of it.












This past month you also experienced your very first holiday - Halloween! You went to a pumpkin patch with me and your dad and slept while we picked out your very first pumpkin. It was fun to be out together.

Technically we didn't pick the pumpkin, they were all layed out on the sides of the walkways... oh well. It was still fun.

I just want to be honest with you.

This is a Halloween onsie that your Grandma Suzi sent you. It was cute, so you wore it a couple times during October. I liked the long sleeves.


I decided that you would be a love bug for Halloween this year. Aren't you absolutely adorable???!






On November 4th, 2008 a very historic thing happened in this country. An African-American named Barack Obama was elected President of the United States. This is the first time in history that this has happened. This event has given thousands of people hope. Many, who before believed they couldn't do certain things because of their race, have a newfound belief that maybe all men and women really are created equal. It is a very exciting time, and it makes me excited for your future and the future of my grandchildren.

It is my wish that I will be able to teach you how to have faith in yourself, in God, and in other people. Faith that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. Faith that people will make good decision and do what is right. Faith that you have a purpose in this life and you will accomplish many great and wonderful things and touch people's lives. I'm not sure who first said it, but a great quote to remember is,

"Faith can move mountains. Doubt can build them."

I love you Madeline.

Love,

Momma

~*^*~*^*~*^*~*^*Smiles *^*~*^*~*^*~*^*~

Why Don't You Just Put Me IN A Diaper?

A tragic event has occurred. Unfortunately, Kitty upchucked a real wet and messy hairball in her shoebox this weekend (formerly known as the "safe zone") and we had to trash it.

This is the only kitty-sized box we could find in the house at this time - a Pampers swaddlers box. Kitty is a little embarrassed about having to sit in a diaper box. I know it's no yellow shoe box, but it will do until we can find her more comfortable accomodations.

Until then kitty can just sit on/in one of the other million places she sits every day - the couch, the chair in Maddy's room, Maddy's crib (No!), on the back of the leather couch, on our bed, in the windows, in our bath tub, on the dining room chairs, in the bassinet, on unfolded piles of laundry... I think she's gonna be just fine.