Day 14: A picture of you last year: how have you changed

March 2010

Here I am- 18 wks along or so- So at this point I was over being sick (unless your hubby passes gas in your face.... long story) and I had a little baby bump. So yeah, a LOT has changed. Really, 

my entire life has changed from pre-mom to mom. It's amazing. 

I feel like I really am a different person, or at least I'm trying to be. I am trying to be more selfless as a mom; selfless for the right reasons anyway. Parker has changed most everything about me, and I'm so glad that it was for the better. Being his momma is awesome, and such a blessing. 

Also, since then, I have changed my hair style soooo many times. It's fun for me. I've seen the ocean since this picture, and have gotten new perfume. So yeah, a lot has changed :) 

p.s. I still have those glasses. This is the longest period of time that I have kept the same 

pair of glasses- because they usually get broken mysteriously.

Day 13: Goals

Well, not too long ago I had a rather detailed post on my goals here,

but I do have a few specific goals for this year. 

1. get organized

I'm proud to say that I have already organized 2 areas in my house that were once scary. I also created a binder to organize my daily tasks, and completely redid my filing cabinet. In this category I have a few more specific goals, like organize my car console and get rid of stuff that we don't need in there (and the trunk). Also, I have a few binders full of church related material that I would like to get organized. Then to my computer. Oh, how I am not looking forward to that. But, I gave myself the whole year, because I really need it.

2. Have more charity

This has always been a goal of mine, but I really want to focus this year on charity. Specifically, I want to learn to love people that are difficult to get along with, and to continue doing family history work. This really is a great act of charity- becoming Saviors on Mount Zion, something that really cannot wait. Also, after a great Stk. Conference, I am adding to this category to become more selfless- both as a mother and wife.

3. Become more healthy

Not a huge fan of dieting, but I would like to lose some excess weight- so, I have decided to become more healthy. Both through working out and eating better, and if (when) I lose some weight, then I do. But I haven't set any specific time-line for the weight loss, but so far so good. Because I gained so much water at the end of my pregnancy- I lost all my prego weight when Parker was 2 weeks old. But now, I would like to lose some extra poundage that is not welcome on my tummy. :)

How are you doing on your 2011 goals? If you have given them up, its okay! Restart- there's no rules against that! :)

Parker Post

I can't believe it. My little boy is 6 months old! 

Whoa. 

That's crazyyy. 

Here's a few pictures of my favorite little boy, Parker. 

After his first feeding of the day

 Before Daddy has to go to school. 

(I love when he does that with his lipsss)

 It's hard not to love this kid

 Lifelong BYU fans

 Going down for his first nap of the day

 Starting his second feeding

 This is the face he makes while I'm getting ready to feed him. 

No matter how fast I go, it's just not fast enough.

 Getting ready to run errands with Momma

Now, time for some glamor shots. 

This little boy is amazing. 

After a little rough patch in the beginning with some physical issues, he has been the best little baby. His schedule is so like clock work, it's amazing. He now wakes up around 7AM and goes to bed no later than 8PM. 

He eats every 3 1/2 hours- almost to the minute- and is just so incredibly happy. 

His grumpy periods happen right before he goes down for a nap. He usually fusses for a few minutes until he settles in and wakes up about 1 1/2 hours later. Then he fusses until I can get my bra undid, and then he is as happy as a clam. :) 

Parker is now eating some solids- usually in addition to a feeding-- and he sure loves it! 

The only thing we've given him that he didn't care for was broccoli. But that's okay. Who likes broccoli anyways? 

I just steam so vegetables, blend them up, and freeze them in an ice cube tray. 1-2 ice cubes is what he'll eat depending on how hungry he is. 

Parker recognizes any picture of Christ and will just stare and point at it. It's really amazing. During sacrament meeting, I talk to him about the bread and the water and what they represent, so that he'll start to understand the meaning of being reverent during it. 

A few fun facts about our little boy: 

Height: 27.5 inches-- 75%

Weight: 16 lbs-- 50%

(yes, we have a long skinny baby.... hmm, wonder where that comes from??)

favorite book: Barnyard Dance

(or anything Jed or I are studying... cuz that's what I read outloud. 

Yay for writing workshop-- that's what he read about a few weeks ago)

favorite activities: playing with Mom and Dad

bath time, diaper change, EATING, singing/dancing, sucking on anything, 

hanging out in his exercaucer, and brushing his teeth

favorite song: Hokey Pokey

(that's and Daddy and Parker game)

Milestones: He roles over from front-back and back-front, 

grabs and plays with his feet, passes a toy from 

one hand to the other,  almost sits up 

Other: He loves when I toss my hair in his face. 

He closes his eyes and coo's. It's adorable.

Parker hasn't always been this easy. There were times when he was a newborn when I questioned if I would ever have any other children- I mean, around the clock feedings, really? But he just thrives on a schedule, so I'm so glad we stuck it out for the first little while, because now he's mostly a breeze.

And I know it won't always be this easy. I just wanted to document this for my own sake, so that when he is crawling/walking and being a terror, I can remember that he was a cute, innocent, easy little baby. But, I CAN still wish that maybe, just maybe, he'll stay this way forever, right?

Day 12: Something you don't leave the house without

Growing up, I often heard the following phrase: 

"You never know when you're gonna meet your future husband. "

My mom never left the house without putting her "face" on. 

It was just understood that we were supposed to look our best when leaving the house. 

So, I'm one of those women. 

However, with Parker, I am not able to get my entire "face" on before leaving. Heck, getting my teeth brushed is a huge feat, so I settle for the following regiment: 

I put this one on first

With this glossy coat on second (in raspberry) 

I think these are a good combination, usually with my eyelashes curled, some mascara-- 

a bun and I am good to go.

That is what I never leave the house without.

Well, and my phone. Except it's usually dead. 

I need to get me one of those car chargers.

Ahhh, someday.

Day 11: favorite TV shows

These are some of my favorite TV shows. 

I like TV shows more than movies because they are shorter, and have some closure at the end. 

So here they are:

Here they are folks. My fav TV shows. Well, and of course Studio 5. :)

Day 10: Something you're afraid of

Well the thing that I am most afraid of is-- 

Jed dying. But since I soooo don't want to even talk about that, this is something 

I am afraid of, but not on the same {level}. 

Actually, I am a huge baby, so there are tonzzz of things I am afraid of. But there is one

that shoots itself to the top of the list. 

What is it? 

B.U.G.S. 

I know, I know. No one likes them. 

But I am terrified. TERRIFIED of bugs. terrified people. 

2 Examples will illustrate this. 

Case study 1: Spider in the laundry room

Most of my childhood memories are from living in Rose Ghettos (meadows) with my mom and little sister. We were just three girls livin' it up. (not). 

Anyways, there was this slightly {huge} gap in the corner of the laundry room where two baseboards met. There would frequently be small little things around there, and luckily I didn't go into that room very often (I still call my mom to ask her what temperature to set the loads at. don't judge)

Okay, so one night my mom screamed like a little boy which really scared me. (She never screamed about stuff like that) anyways, my sister and I went in to the laundry room to find my mom hunched on the washer machine screaming about the very large spider in the corner.  As soon as she said that I LEAPED onto the machine with her and after seeing the spider, I .... wept bitterly cried.

Then my mom left and told us to figure it out, so my sister and I did what any civilized girl would do.  We got all the aerosol cans of whatever we had (bug spray, hair spray, Windex etc) and sprayed that spider until he shriveled up and died. And then I wept bitterly cried some more. 

Case study 2

Today. I was doing laundry, again. (okay, so there must be something about gross, icky clothes and bugs-- i really should give up laundry)

I was sorting the clothes and getting to the bottom of the basket, when a little spider crawled out of the sleeve of Jed's shirt. I screamed, ran out, slammed the door, and {literally} have not been back into my bedroom since. 

I don't know how I am going to finish the laundry now because I am NOT gonna see another spider. 

Terrified doesn't even describe my fear of bugs.  I saw a caterpillar once on my back porch and started going out the front door and walking all the way around the house to get to the backyard.

So now you know. Want to see me pee my panties?? Show me something small and harmless icky. 

{Or just make me laugh really, really hard}.

P.s. Remember when I said I was gonna do a Parker Post on Friday? Last Friday??

Well, one week late, but not short on pictures-- his update with be tomorrow. i promise. cuz hey, I won't be doing the laundry, right?

Day 9: A favorite picture of your best friend(s)

I know I added the (s) to friends, but that's just the way it is. My mom always used to say that three girls just don't mix. In middle school when I would hang out with three girls, one of us always felt left out, ignored, and it usually caused drama.

But when I say that I have two best friends, that at one point in our HS career we did everything together, and we still have long 3 way conversations, have a special FB group to communicate through, and we still all consider each other best friends-- it {is} for realzzz.

Here we are

Jennifer (left) is amazing. She has beautiful long blonde hair and really gorgeous finger nails. She has an uncanny ability to make other people feel really good about themselves and she has always been there to comfort me- usually through recommending a song or making a mixed CD for me. We have been through a lot together but she has stuck through it: she's in it for the long haul. Jenn is studying to be an event planner or something awesome like that, and she is really smart. She is way into books and movies and I recall many times walking over to her house (about 157 steps) and laying on her bed watching a movie. Jenn has been there for me unlike any other person. She really is my best friend, and I'm so glad that she puts up with me.

Heidi (center) is my unborn sister. I mean- yeah, she's born, but I think into the wrong family. Okay. She was born into a great family, but we really could be sisters. haha.
Heidi is the sweetest person I have ever met. She literally has never said anything mean, degrading or harsh towards anyone that I can recall. She is very athletic (she has ran several marathons, including the Chicago Marathon)  and even when I ask her for help being more healthy- she has never once made me feel bad for relapsing (4+ times). Heidi fits very well with my family, and sometimes I am afraid that my mom or grandma would trade me for her. :) She is a great person- always does the right thing, and has always been an example to me. Heidi is studying to go into the medical field, and will someday go to Africa and set up hospitals for those that have nothing. I am so glad that Jennifer and I welcomed her into our group that day at the bus stop (don't make fun. we didn't have our licenses yet) Heidi really is my best friend.

So there. I have 2 best friends. Jennifer Wheeler and Heidi Chamula: I love you. Thanks for being such great friends, for putting up with my ridiculous-ness, and for helping me be a better person. Here's to a life filled with great friends.
{cheers}