Why I Love This Girl

As Emma inches closer to turning 2, she grows more fun and more frustrating every day, as any parent of a toddler can attest. Being pregnant and feeling icky with a toddler is way harder than being pregnant and feeling icky and teaching a bunch of teenagers. So at the end of the day, after dinner but not quite bedtime, I often find myself draped on the couch, exhausted. During this time my little chatterbox loves to accost me, talking loudly and trying to climb on me and poke me in the abdomen with her pointy elbows or knees. Tonight I closed my eyes and made a sad face, telling her "shhhh, Mommy sick." She toddled off and I lay in a quiet bliss for a couple of minutes. When she came back, she was toting a throw blanket that I often use. She lay it on me and said "shhhh."

Inside that sometimes crazy toddler is a very sweet girl. I think I had little to do with making her this way, but I am so glad that she is mine.

Baby Monitor

We've never had one, because when you're in 1000 square feet and your baby sleeps on the other side of the wall, you can always hear her. Emma rarely wakes up at night anymore unless she's sick, but since she'll be on an entirely different floor from us, I think it might be time to get one. Does anyone have a particular brand or model you suggest?

How to Make Your Daughter Bulimic in 4 Easy Steps

1. Get pregnant.

2. Feel crummy.

3. In your rush to make it to the toilet before you lose your lunch (or breakfast, or dinner), neglect to close the bathroom door.

4. As you bow to the porcelain throne, turn to see your two-year-old standing in the door frame, hunched over and making retching sounds.

Yeah. I'll never forget to close the door again.

One Word Tag

Here are the rules: I have to answer the following questions with one word answers and one word only! Then I must pass it on to seven others.

Here are the questions:

1. Where is your cell phone? Bag

2. Where is your significant other? Work

3. Your hair color? Blondish

4. Your mother? Friend

5. Your father? Twin

6. Your favorite thing? Books

7. Your dream last night? Donuts

8. Your dream/goal? Published

9. The room you're in? Office

10. Your hobby? Reading

11. Your fear? Bugs

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Happy

13. Where were you last night? Bed

14. What you're not? Skinny

15. One of your wish-list items? Furniture

16. Where you grew up? Connecticut

17. The last thing you did? Laundry

18. What are you wearing? Clothes

19. Your TV? Old

20. Your pet? None

21. Your computer? Old

22. Your mood? Hungry

23. Missing someone? Friends

24. Your car? Newish

25. Something you're not wearing? Shoes

26. Favorite store? Crate and Barrel

27. Your summer? Moving

28. Love someone? Family

29. Your favorite color? Blue

30. When is the last time you laughed? Hours

31. Last time you cried? Week

I tag...whoever wants to do this?

Why I've Been a Bad Blogger Lately

There's no question that I've been a bad blogger the last few months. At first my excuse was moving craziness, but for the last couple of months I've been at work on another project:



Yes, depending on how you look at it I've either been creating a baby or a jelly bean. I really hope it's the former, because I'm not much of a fan of jelly beans.

I'm about 11 weeks along and am due on April 21st, though with my luck the kid will probably show up some time in May. I've been feeling fairly miserable, though not nearly as bad as with Emma, so perhaps it's a boy?

Trip to Utah in Pictures

Way back at the end of August, Emma and I went to Utah for a week. We had frequent flier miles and 3 reasons to go: 1) my family was out there from Michigan to drop off my little brother at BYU, 2) my cousin Rachel got married, which meant that much of my extended family was in town also; and 3) my SIL Kallee--who really needs to start a blog!--was due any day with her little boy. Unfortunately baby Jordan chose not to make his appearance until after we'd left, but we very much enjoyed spending time with our family for the first 2 events.
PS. There are a LOT of pictures, so feel free to skip if you're not related to me.

Emma hanging out with her favorite member of the family, Shadow

Emma on a slide we found at "Swiss Days" in Midway

Brooke and baby Chase, who graciously let us stay at their house and eat their food.

Various family members waiting outside the temple for the happy couple.

My dad is all the way on the right, his twin brother is on the left, and their sisters are in the middle. There are 2 other brothers who couldn't make it.

My family: Kallee, Chris, Dad, Mom, Emma, me, Brittany

Emma looks like she's holding a street meeting on Temple Square.

My brother Chris, practicing for fatherhood.

My brother Tyler is definitely Emma's favorite. Check out her face after he showed up!

Emma and Tyler getting down.