What In The World is Your Problem Buddy?

[ Picture A]

I believe one of the reasons I may have been chosen to live among midsoutherners is to have my patience tested pertaining to the road and drivers.

Memphis drivers are absolutely insane!

Here's the situation...
<--- This guy is behind me. We will call him "Dork". There is NO ONE in the lane to the left and no one behind him. The smart, NON-dorky person would just slide on over to the left (as seen in picture A.)

But what did Dorkus-aurelius do (see picture B)?

[Picture B]

<---- THIS! What in the world is your problem buddy?!! I hope you get a melvin! (or in non-Utah terms, a wedgie).

French Manicure

Madeline and I have a great idea for you ladies out there...

If you're ever in a hurry because you've got a hot date or some plans to go somewhere nice and you didn't have time to get your nails done, just change a baby diaper, make sure you use Desitin and then don't wash your hands (eww, the things we do to make an impression)!!

It gets underneath your fingernails and looks exactly like you've had a french manicure! ----->


You're welcome!!

Happy Halloween!!

Having a cute little love bug has made Halloween so much more fun this year.

We had a good time carving our pumpkins. This is our baby Madeline pumpkin...

And here is Kitty's pumpkin...

The whole fam all aglow...

Happy little love bug...

Sleepy little love bug...

Royally steamed little love bug...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!
(On Friday)

Tip Top Shape & Loving My Home

Madeline and I went to the doctor this morning for my 6-week check up. It looks like everything is in tip top shape and we can get back to life as usual. I can vaccuum, lift things (with proper ergonomics of course), exercise... all the normal things people do, without any restriction. Not like I haven't already been doing most of that stuff already... shh.

It isn't the best day to be out and about with an infant... it is pouring rain today, and will continue to do so for the rest of the day and night according to the weather people. I love the rain, but it's hard to get our GIGANTIC stroller out of the trunk and get Madeline in it without it and her getting wet. Her staying dry and warm was my number one goal and I succeeded, but me and the stroller weren't so lucky. It's okay. It's just water. You know, I used to dance in the rain when I was younger so it's not like I was suffering, and I did put on waterproof mascara today. I need to get myself a pair of rain boots so I can do that again! (Birthday is April 8th, boot size 8 1/2 - 9)

It rains a lot here in Memphis. Ya know, I've realized something. In the almost 7 years Paul and me have been here part of me has fought loving my new home of Tennessee. Utah and Tennessee are two different worlds. Weather-wise, people-wise, climate-wise... SO different. I never imagined growing up that I would be the one in my family who would be living far away from everyone else. I always planned on staying in Utah forever.

Glorious, beautiful Utah... with it's vast stretches of towering mountains that surround the valleys below... almost as if it were tucked in by a giant hug from Mother Earth. The four seasons of weather - the sunny warm summers; rainy, color springs; comforting crisp falls; and white wonderful winters. The smell - you know, when it rains in Utah, there is this amazing smell (I guess that depends on where you are really, hehehe). I miss it. I will always love it... but Tennessee, I am realizing, isn't so bad either.

Tennessee is humid most of the year, yes, but that is actually good for your skin. It is so hot here sometimes - that mixed with the humidity - you might as well go commit a crime of some sort because it already feels like you are in hell. But the trees... there are SO MANY trees. They're so beautiful and green. Many of the trees have vines growing up them, the vegetation is so immense. There are tons of roads that have trees crouching over them on each side so it's like a tunnel. The cotton fields, which I imagine as miles and miles of marshmallow bushes, are so fun to look at. Like I mentioned before... it rains a lot, and I like rain. Those months when it is cool - it's s crisp and nice... you want to be outside. We really have met a lot of amazing people here too. Friends - lifelong friends - who would do anything for you.

I actually love the way my life has turned out and the direction it has taken. I love my little family, my friends here, my home, my job... who I am. I love my home of Tennessee. Besides, this is where my little baby girl was born too - which makes it even more special to me.

Madeline stretchin' on her changing table

I still REFUSE to adopt the Southern accent though... not gonna do it. Ya'll can count on that!

Wildly Fun Weekend!

We had a great weekend together... we did absolutely NO cleaning, which was apparent from the rays of dust you could see when I opened the blinds this morning. Technically we did do some laundry... ahhh who cares, life isn't always about everything being clean and organized. I'll get to it.

Friday night we went out to dinner. It was so awesome for Madeline and I

to get out of the house. We get out every day - we get the mail, or go stand in the sun for 10 minutes to help our Vitamin D synthesis, or take a walk - but not to dinner. It was a monumental moment in our lives also because, I, a new mom, breastfed in public for the first time. Yeah... I know! At first I was a little hesitant, but with my trusty nursing cover that I got from a friend and the eagerness of my wee babe, we were successful! I guess you could say Madeline got to go out to dinner too!

Paul and me thought it was funny because I was eating steak; steak = cows; I was being milked LIKE a cow... HAHAHHHAHAHAAHAAAAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHa

Here she is in her adorable pink corderoy jump outfit that I got from my friend Tina. This is what she wore to dinner and I must say she is workin' it!


This weekend we also got lots of sleep (well some of us did, notice I am NOT in any of these pictures) and had lots of fun!


After lunch and a long nap, we ventured out to Jones Orchard and picked two pumpkins from a pumpkin patch (we plan on carving them tonight probably). It was so fun - even though Madeline slept the entire time.

Here are some corny pictures...

We also spent some time at the mall and going grocery shopping - NOT a fun thing to do with an infant. Honestly, I feel like I need to take a shower when I get home from Walmart. I used my Purell I don't know how many times and still felt as if I was crawling with bugs. I think since I have become a mother I am much more germ attentive and sometimes that can be annoying... just ask Paul... hahaha

Thoughts and Contemplations

101208-Daddy&Maddy
Originally uploaded by EdithAnnith

This is a picture I took of my family on Sunday during a walk we went on together around the neighborhood. I have literally looked at it a million times today. I can't seem to stop looking at it, I love it so much!

And now, my thoughts and contemplations pertaining to this photo...
- Damn! My husband is sexy.
- Look how he holds her
- My baby is so unbelievably adorable it is ridiculous!!
- Her facial expression is so cute
- These are my people... I am SO lucky
- We really need to water the lawn
- I don't ever want this moment to end
- I wonder if Madeline will be looking at this same picture one day with her children.
- I would love to be there to see what they say about it
- I need to make this my wallpaper
- I need to print this out
- This is nuts, I need to get going... I have a lot to do today
- I am so happy
- I could stare at this picture forever... it never gets old
- Of course, it is Fall. The lawn is going to change color. Nevermind on the watering thing.
- We need to plant some flowers next year... maybe red ones.
- Man I am so in love with those two
- sigh

You Are Not Going To Believe This...

Paul's Mom sent us a huge box of gifts from yet ANOTHER baby shower that was thrown for Madeline. This time it was in Paul's hometown and a shower that was thrown by his mom's co-workers.

Friends and family sent gifts that are absolutely amazing and adorable!! I just don't think there are enough exclamation points to express how awesome it is to realize how many people care about us and our family!!
Look at this stuff... tons of cute clothes, hand made knitted and quilted blankets, decorative frames, books, bibs, AND a substantial gift card!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

Madeline's Monthly Message: Month 1

Dear Madeline,

Today you turned one month old.

Each month I plan to write a message to you about how you have changed and what experiences you've had. I hope it will be a fun and meaningful thing for you to look back on when you are older. A way for you to know your mama and dada better, and maybe understand why you are the way you are.

This was our first month with you! Some things I want to remember about you this month... It truly has been an exciting, overwhelming, joyful, and happy adventure. We love being your Momma and Daddy. Your birth lasted 14 hours and 49 minutes. You were induced on September 10th, 2008, the day after my due date - and it was a good thing because when you were born you were already 8 pounds 12 ounces and 21 3/4 inches tall. You were a pretty big baby! I can't imagine how big you would have been if we had decided to just wait let you come on your own accord.

The healing process for Momma is going well. At this point I am feeling well and almost back to normal. I've already lost 25 pounds since I had you - that of course includes you - and am back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Now I just have to lose the 40 pounds I had on before. A few days ago my wrists started hurting - probably because I am not used to pick up a chubby baby over and over all day. So I now wear wrist braces to help keep them a little more sturdy. Hopefully these will help and this issue will resolve soon.

You were 10 pounds at your 2-week check up and a couple days ago I weighed you on our scale (by difference) and you are now about 12 pounds. Yes - you love to nurse. You do it a lot. We've had no major problems with breastfeeding from the very beginning (other than a little soreness). It sort of frightens me how quickly you are growing. I am trying so hard to enjoy every second with you.

Honestly, you are a perfect baby!

When you sleep you do a soft moan, you snore, your eyes roll, you do fake cries, fake laughs, and smile really, really big. You are a very active sleeper!

You have beautiful brown eyes. They get puffy and red when you're tired or upset - just like your dads. From the very start you've been curious about your surroundings and love to look around.

Some of your favorite things to look are the ceiling fans and our faces.

You have thick, chocolate brown hair, and lots of it.

It combs into a curl when it's wet but dries straight as a board and gets extremely poofy. Even if I try to comb it down it poofs up.

I love your smile. You've been smiling from the beginning, but started to really smile at me (without the help of gas bubbles) only a couple weeks into life and now you do it all the time. Your smile is like magic can make any sadness or negative feeling immediately disappear.

You're a very calm baby. You only really cry when you are hungry or want a hug. You love to be held and kissed... especially by your daddy. He loves to hold you. I love to watch him hold you. It is the moments when you two are together sleeping or hugging that I wish would last forever.

You're already really popular and have several great friends. The best among these include:

Momma and Daddy, who will always love you the most.

Kitty,

who at first wasn't so sure about you, but now sits wherever you sit and regularly licks your head and leg.

Brooke Olivia (and her Momma and Daddy),

born 12 days after you, with whom you share a middle name and later will probably share a love of grapes and competitive game play like your fathers...

And of course Leopold the giraffe, Winston the elephant & Frederic' the frog (who is from France and prefers his name be properly pronounced as Fred-er-eek).

As you can see and will soon understand your Momma has quite the imagination. Will I embarrass you later in life? Probably, but for now just go with it. I promise you will have many laughs along the way. I'll try to tone it down when you start dating.

I love you Madeline. So does your great big family and all of your friends. I'm excited to wake up every morning because I know you are there to hug and kiss and take care of. I am so looking forward to the many months to come.

Love,
Your Momma

Updates & Excerpts From A Dog & Cat's Diary

Things are going really great so far. Madeline will be 1 month old in a couple of days - I KNOW what in the world?!! A month already... sheesh!

Madeline has grown a lot. She seems longer to me and Paul and she is definitely heavier. She's an eater, and she loves attention. She likes to be held and talked to. She has started cooing and trying to talk back and she regularly smiles. She definitely knows how to get attention and we are starting to read her cries easier. They are definitely different.

Several days ago she started getting a rash on her cheeks (face) and chin. Sometimes you can barely tell it's there and other times it flames up and gets really red and bumpy. I have stopped using lotion and soaps on her face. I'm not sure what it is really. Everyone keeps telling me it's "normal". I don't really care that it's normal, I want to know what it is so I can fix it!! She is fine otherwise though... no fever or uncontrollable crying.

Here are some recent pictures of the most beautiful baby in existence:

This is from a few days ago before we went on a walk. Madeline loves her bunny slippers that her Aunt Amb got her.

Madeline also loves her daddy


She HATES headbands. She thinks they make her look like a dweeb.


She does love hats though.


More that headbands and hats though, she just loves hangin' in her diaper.
(this picture was taken by mistake with a camera setting that makes fuzzy, dark pictures - this upset me very much cause it is such a cute picture... grrr)

And now, for a change, something that has nothing to do with our baby...
This is pretty old, and you may have seen it before, but I think it's funny and thought I'd share...

Excerpts from a Dog's Diary
8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Diary
Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.

They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.

In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomitted on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. Bastards!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow --but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches.

The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now . . .

The Heavens Are Shining Down

She's only 3 weeks and one day old and early this morning Madeline started to smile at me. Don't get me wrong... she has smiled before. But it has only been with extreme pleasure from release of gas or when she is in her "half asleep/half awake moaning and making adorable high-pitched noises" phase of consciousness. Today she has smiled several times at me, wide awake, in response to an "I love you" or an invitation to nurse (I will capture it on camera, just haven't yet... not the nursing, her smile, ya perv). Her smile is like peeking into heaven.

I cannot express with words how it feels to be a mother. It has been something I have hoped for my entire life. I never imagined, when I was younger, that I would have to wait as long as I have waited for her (I am 30), but everything that has happened makes sense now. Everything in my life has happened for a reason. Certain things needed to occur before Madeline arrived.

I needed to meet Paul. There is no other man in existence, no other man that I could love more than I love him. He was meant to be Madeline's dad. He is the perfect husband, friend, and father, and it only gets better every day. We needed his patience, forgiveness, knowledge, and unconditional love.

I needed to finish my degree. We needed to be financially stable enough and be in a home so we could provide her with the life she deserves... and now, she is here. The time is here, and the love I feel inside is overwhelming! I love many people. I am blessed with a family and friends who are universally and eternally awesome (you know who you are)... but I have never loved like this.

This is us yesterday taking a walk, stretchin' our legs.

This little person, who is speedily growing mind you, chose us. We were chosen to take care of her. We were trusted with her enormous spirit. It is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me.

Photographer On Crack.

These are Madeline's hospital pictures. My child is, indeed, beautiful beyond measure. It's fun that she is so awake and looking straight at the camera. The proofs that were shown to us right after they were taken were awesome. We were really excited that her pictures had turned out so great!

So when we got them in the mail like THIS, I was pretty mad. Two of them are overly contrasted. So much, that Madeline looks like a Spanish/Asian baby. Don't get me wrong, I love Spanish/Asian babies. Yes Madeline has nice skin and dark hair - but it's not tan skin, and it's not black hair like these pictures portray. And then look at the third one... HELLO?? Is there a reason her hands and head are cut off in this picture?????? Did someone get a little zoom-crazy?? And can you even tell the blanket she is wrapped in is pink???!

Paul and I paid a pretty penny for these pictures. They wouldn't allow us to just get one of each... we had to go with a package. And of course in the packages you can only use ONE picture, so if you want copies of the others you have to pay an arm and a leg to get a copy of them. For the price we paid, I was expecting perfection, ya know? I mean, I could have done them myself with my camera and made them look better using photoshop!

I still love these pictures because they are of my little girl. I just think if a company is going to go around spouting crap about how professional they are and then we get photos of this quality, it shouldn't be so expensive.