on being a mom

3 | 13 | 15

Today I lay on the floor in the nursery and just stared at my baby.  He lay on his blanket chattering away in that sing song baby voice of his and I started thinking.

I've been doing this mom gig for four months now and, while that's not long, it's long enough to have some thoughts.

I've gotten up in the wee hours of the monring because baby decided he was awake and if baby's awake, we're all awake.
Except Dave.
So just I'm awake.

I've been pooped on, peed on, and spit up on and still deemed the outfit I was wearing to be socially acceptable.

I've sat in my rocking chair with a warm sleeping baby in my arms and wanted to cry because that seemed like the only way the happiness inside me could possibly escape.

I've watched this little guy go from being an infant to being a baby and sort of mourned the transition.

I've done almost anything to get that little boy to laugh.  That laugh is the best.

For four months I've fed, clothed, carried and cuddled this little boy and it is a job.

At first it was hard to be so needed.  So very, very needed.  It was overwhelming and almost suffocating.

Honestly, the fact that he took a bottle at 1 month was the best thing in the whole world for my sanity.  It meant a few more hours of shuteye and being able to leave him with his daddy so I could do something - anything - without a car seat and diaper bag in tow.

And now we're in a rhythm.  A rhythm that's hard to imagine didn't exist four month ago.

My life revolves around diapers, naps, and the sleep schedule of a tiny human being.

And, despite the multiple loads of laundry, the late nights/early mornings, and a crick in my back that needs some TLC pronto, it is good.

Life is so, so good.

Having a baby isn't really much like I thought it would be, but it's what it ought to be.  And I am grateful for it.

adventures

This weekend was all sorts of chill/ getting things done/ hanging with family.  My kind of weekend.  Even my lesson on Sunday went (mostly) according to plan.  I'm calling that a win.

We had my dad and little sister over on Sunday for dinner (since my mom was off having fun in the Midwest) and we tried out a few new things on them, including this, this, and making our own homemade mozzarella!  That was an adventure all its own.  It took longer than we expected and with some help from my dad (who lived in Italy for two years once upon a time - maybe that helped??), we got it to stick together in a little ball.  Its was tad salty, but still pretty delicious.  I think we'll have to try our hand at it again another time.

Speaking of adventures, one of my girl friends and her husband are down for the count with a stomach bug so I took their little 1-year-old for the day.  We watched a whole lot of Thomas the Tank Engine, I found out my apartment is nowhere near baby proof, and I had my first experience of trying to buy a quick something at Walmart with a sleeping babe in one arm.

Oh, and speaking of arms, mine are practically numb.  I'm going to have to bulk up before we have little munchkins of our own running around...

yesterday

Yesterday I started in on transcribing my Nana's journals.  These little treasures have been sitting in a bag in my parent's garage for a good long time now and are just starting to see the light of day again.

I've started off with her first one written in 1947 by her 16-year-old self, with a sweet little note in the front that say's: hands off see!  Among other things I've learned that she seems to have a beau named Don and wearing his sweater is just the best thing is the world, she has a test in Spanish on verbs and they took a Sunday drive through Pasadena.  The cutest.  I'm really getting excited to read more and to learn more about her.  And with 15 (almost) full journals, I've got a lot of reading and learning to do.

Wish me luck!

P.S. We also RedBoxed this movie last night and laughed hysterically.  Brett McKenzie?  Holy smokes, my sides still ache.

a wrap up

Well, two weeks ago this was what happened:

See ya later alligator!  He was off for two weeks away in Kentucky for work and tomorrow he comes hommmme!  I've decided two weeks away from each other is entirely too long and I'll be happy if we don't have to do something like that again anytime soon.

So for the first week he was gone, my view was lots of this:

Lots of kiddos and puppy dogs.  I was off to basketball practices, dance classes, talent shows, and all of that ilk.  Not to mention making lunches, getting kids out the door to school, and entertaining a 4-year-old for most of the day.  It was motherhood by fire and really a lot of fun.
And also exhausting.

On Friday night I ran home, repacked, and came down to Orange County to hang out with my family...and Bob Costas.  The Olympics have been on, more or less, non-stop since the Opening Ceremonies in this house.
As it should be.

We also make a lovely pilgrimage down to my favorite beach and dug up some family treasures in the garage. 

And now...it's just me and the dog.  The parents and the little sis were off for a long President's Day ski weekend up in Utah and I'm holding down the fort till David gets back to the west coast tomorrow. 

Ready for that guy of mine to be back home.

Newhall, CA

A Saturday afternoon walk was just the ticket.  It was organized chaos refereeing three pre-teens all morning, so when we got home that afternoon I immediately decided Dave and I needed to go for a walk around the neighborhood.
Nothing quite like fresh air and the setting sun to calm the nerves and settle the head.

Plus I love all the lemon trees in this part of town.

babysitting

This weekend, Dave and I are about to become parents of three.

And next week I'll be a single mother of five (six if you count the beagle;)

It's about to be a long week and a half over here, but lots of fun.  Dave will (sort of) be around to help out this weekend, but then he's off to Kentucky for two weeks starting on Sunday and I'm on my own with the next batch of kiddos.  It will be...an adventure.

I'm definitely counting my blessings (and impeccable timing) at getting these babysitting gigs right when Dave is going to go out of town so I have something (5 somethings) to keep me busy while he's not here.

Definitely a plus. 

Picture via

tidbits

 

A few weeks ago I had some extra time on my hands so I thought I'd try my hand at making my own bread for a while.  I'm loving it - David?  Not so much.  As a good husband, he ate it for a week or so and then, bashfully, admitted to me that it was too dense for him.  More for me then!

We saw Ender's Game on opening night.  Let it be made clear, David and I have only seen one other movie in theatres since we moved here over a year and a half ago (which was Wreck-It Ralph, and so worth it), so it's a big deal that we went.  And again, it was worth it.

 

Fall has started to sort of fall in our town, just not anywhere close to our house.  After church walks in Newhall are lovely.

We've got a rose garden here at our apartment building - this is our fall around here.

And on my mom's birthday earlier this month she was in the Midwest, so we sang her the Nemrow birthday song over Facetime.  If it's your birthday we take requests - we're also available for parties ;)

Oh, and happy 11/12/13!
xo

GOT SUCCULENTS?

Yes, it's true.  I totally and completely killed my one little succulent plant when we were out of the house so much last month.  Probably a combination of, um, no water and little/no sunlight.  Turns out succulents aren't indestructible...lesson learned ;) But I want to give this being a green thumb thing one more go.  Now, just which one to pick...

P.S. found some good tips for, you know, not killing your succulents here.

LIFE OF LATE

In the past week I:
a) Got a new phone case.  Finally!  Poor little blue anchor case was on his last leg...and was starting to disintegrate so...time to go.
b) Had a lot of time to myself at night with Dave getting home later in the PM.  Cue chocolate ice cream, How I Met Your Mother episodes, and pedicures.  This job change might not be good for my waistline...
c) Ate a lot of Nutella.  We ran out of bananas kinda fast over here...
d) And I finally got to see David's office!  He will most often be out and about doing audits, but it was fun to see where home base is from now on.  Thanks for the new job E&Y!

We also watched the BYU v Utah game over at the Owen's home on Saturday night.  It could have been such a better game, and we tried to distract ourselves by playing dominoes, but Dave would have none of it.  He cheered on the cougars til the bitter, bitter end.  And looked like this a lot of the time (aka, every time Hill tried to make a pass):

They tried Dave....they really tried. 

Oh, and I almost killed my phone on Saturday night.  The bathroom is no place for electronics.  Let it be known: the wet phone in a bag of rice trick actually works.  File that one away for future use.

And now the boy is off to Kentucky for the week doing his first big audit, and I have come down to be with the fam in Orange County.  No need to be home all alone for a whole week, right?

My thoughts exactly.  

locals

Last week I asked Dave if he wanted to meet up with my parents on Saturday to go to my mom's, cousin's, son's wedding open house...confused yet?  (we figured out later that he is officially my full second cousin, but would have been too easy to say)

So on Saturday we hopped in the car and drove down the 405 to Mulholland Drive, got lost once (thanks a lot Google Maps...) and finally found my cousin's house.  They live on a lovely cliff side with a view to kill for and it was such a lovely California evening to spend eating raspberries and bundt cake with the newlyweds.

Gorgeous right? 

After leaving the open house it was Dave's and my job to find a local spot for dinner.  We Yelped and found a few promising spots, but Dave thought he may have found the winner in a gastropub off Ventura Blvd called The Local Peasant.

Turns out the place was so local they don't really even have a sign on the front...so yes we walked up and down the street several times totally lost and almost gave up, but we finally found it, and we were so glad be did.  

This was the only advertisement of its existence...I don't feel too bad about missing it (and then getting mixed up with addresses, but that's another issue all together)

Dave had high expectations after introducing my dad to his new favorite LA restaurant, so it's not like there was any pressure or anything.  However, after deviled egg appetizers and seeing an heirloom tomato salad on the menu they were pretty much sold.  Oh, and pear, blueberry, raspberry crumble for dessert?  We weren't complaining.

Too bad we don't like spending time with these guys at all...

It was a fun local find and on a Saturday night around 6:30, the said locals started pouring in.  Always a good sign.

Perhaps we'll have to come back soon!
Adios! We're goin' back to the suburbs (where there's parking...)

happy grad-iversary

It is so strange to think about, but this time one year ago I was GRADUATING from COLLEGE.  I'm still not used to the idea of being a college alumni, of being old.  My laurels laughed when I told them I turned 23 this last week - they couldn't believe I'm that young.  Truth be told, I'm only five or six years older than them, which seems like nothing and a lifetime all at the same time. 

We're throwing our caps in the air in case you can't tell...

Since graduation we've started "real life," with our first "real" apartment, "real" jobs, "real" ward etc etc.  Everything's gettin' "real" around here, and even though it's hard sometimes, we're having a great time and trying to always look for the best in our situation.  Dave's nightly routine lately has been to come home, kiss me, and tell me that life is so sweet. 

Sometimes I agree with him more than others, but he's right.  Life is so sweet.

updates

Yesterday I made the deliciousness that is s'mores bars for our Young Women activity.  I ate entirely too many and  we have left overs.  Those 18-year-olds let me down.  I wasn't supposed to come home with ANY.  Not that I'm complaining...

Our couch and rugs have been studiously vacuumed this morning.  I hate stepping on our bathroom rugs after they are all fluffed up and clean.  I will probably avoid doing so for the next hour.

I have finished grocery shopping for the rest of the month.  The plan is to not have to go back until May 1st (Except if I need milk.  We can't do without milk).

Dave & I just started watching season 4 of The Voice last night.  I actually think it's a really fun show...hooked.

I'm thinking about sell our little bedroom dresser on Craigslist - Dave wants to start the bidding at $500 - I'm thinking perhaps we ought to be a little more realistic...

I just started reading The Work & The Glory series by Gerald Lund for the first time.  I've been pleasantly surprised by how much I've enjoyed it so far.

We're going on a double date to the LA temple this weekend with my parents.  Stoked.

I just realized we'll be hanging with the fam this weekend, next weekend, and the weekend after next.  Double stoked.

And tonight I'm following this yummy recipe for Hawaiian teriyaki bowls for dinner courtesy of one of my best girlfriends.  I'll try to match up to her mad Home Ec. teacher skills, but I'm not sure I'll best her tonight.

xo

#fail

Yesterday we were sort of running on time.  State Conference was at 7:00, it takes 5 minutes to get to the church,  and we were out the door by 6:50.

Cutting it close.

The door latch wasn't turning so I asked Dave to lock it.  As the door is swinging closed behind us I turn to him and say, "You've got the keys."  And he looks up and says, "No, you?" "Um, no."

"Click"

Crud.

Locked out.  If we were still in our basement Provo apartment we could have easily climbed in through our back window.  Now we're on the third floor with no such luck.  But don't fret: a phone call, 20 minutes, a locksmith, and 85 dollars later we got that door open and made it to the church for the last half of the meeting.

I think we win for the most dedication to get to Stake Conference.

issues

I have a problem.

I admit it.

I completely and seriously will not buy something that is needed until I find something I like.

My motto: If you don't love it, don't buy it.

I'd pretty much rather live without than live more conveniently with something I dislike.

However this can cause a bit of a problem, forcing us to live sans pillows on the couch, sans kitchen table, sans bedside tables, sans iPhone case, and sans calendar for a period between one to eight months respectively.  Currently we are sans iPad case.  I admit it.  I'm being incredibly picky.  I want a case, not a cute sleeve (like pictured above), something that covers both sides, is not a slip-in fit, and has a hard front (not one of the foldable one like Apple makes), and there are a few more specifications...

I actually was very proud of myself.  We DID buy a case about a week after we got our tablet (ahem back in December).  It was cute, affordable, and I was pretty sure it would do everything we wanted it to.  Unfortunately David uses our iPad almost more than I do and well...when it was delivered it was a little bit too pink for him to carry around and feel good about himself.  Darn.  So that got returned.

We are now again on the hunt.  Feel free to throw out suggestions.  I'm all ears.

Also we could use a few bedside lamps for the bedside tables it took us three months to acquire.  It's getting old to have to get out of bed to turn off the light.  This is my next project...

lately

Remember when I used to be so good at blogging?  These last two weeks have been craziness upon craziness and I get home only with the desire to eat, put on comfy pants, and cuddle.  I barely even get on Pinterest these days . . . what???  What is happening here?!  I'm sure I'll adjust eventually and get right back to blog stalking/ pinning, but for now I am relatively un-plugged and it's feeling kind of weird . . . good thing we just ordered me an iPHONE!!!  Now I can officially be a part of the 21st century.  Thank you very much.

Please note that my LG enV has served me well, but has now, more or less, bit the dust.  The time has come to move onward and upward.

My latest adventure to date was going to the fabric district (above) down in LA this past Friday (sometimes I work on Saturday and get that Friday off - pros and cons to that).  I needed to get some fun fabric for a certain young women function coming up at the end of this month - aka: Young Women in Excellence, which I am basically in charge of (yeep!).  I'm no seamstress and I've never been down to the garment/ fabric district before, so my mom and her sewing-savvy friend, Maryorie, were kind enough to meet me there, usher me around, and validate my fabric choices.  They were a world of help - honestly I would have been there hours longer without them.  Pictures of my little finished projects to come! (they are going to be SO cute, by the way)

This Saturday was also my mom's birthday and, happily enough, we were able to run down and spend Sunday afternoon with her, my dad, and Brooke.  It is still such a treat whenever we are able to spend time with them and we are sure milking it.  I honestly can't think of anything sweeter than always living close to family. . . now if we could only get the Nemrows and the Toblers to live in the same state . . .

Picture via Me and Him
Found via Pinterest