Crazy Eights

Here are the rules:
1) Post rules on your blog
2) Answer the six '8' items
3) Tag 8 others

8 favorite TV shows:
1. The Office
2. Lie to Me
3. 24
4. ER
5. Studio 5
6. Good Things Utah
7. American Idol
8. Law and Order

8 Things I did yesterday:
1. Took Princess to preschool
2. Made dinner
3. Saw my sister and her little family
4. Went to parent teacher conferences
5. Went Visiting Teaching
6. Held my new niece
7. Helped kids with math
8. Walked around the block with my new stroller

8 Things I'm looking forward to:
1. Finding out where my brother will serve his mission
2. Learning all about my new camera
3. Spring break
4. Having a backyard with grass
5. Enjoying the rest of the newborn stage
6. Watching my kids grow up with cousins
7. Seeing my tulips pop up
8. Easter

8 favorite restaurants:
1. Moochies
2. Costa Vida
3. Ruby Tuesday
4. The Roof
5. Olive Garden
6. Sizzler
7. LoneStar Steakhouse
8. anything chinese

8 Things on my wish list:
1. Children that are always healthy
2. That Strider could be completely finished with school
3. A comfortable house
4. Year's supply of food
5. My kids getting chores done without nagging
6. Sleeping through the night
7. A vacation once a year
8. A reliable, newer van

8 people I tag:
1. Ashley
2. Wendy
3. Jess
4. Kelli
5. Kristy
6. Rachael
7. Danika
8. Kodelle

Menu planning

Meals this week/Meals on hand

Spaghetti, salad, cheesy bread
Hot Dogs, pasta salad
French Toast
Hamburger Casserole, fruit salad
Beef Stew, rolls
Chicken Broccoli Braid, baby carrots
Potato Soup
Pork Chops, rice

Oh, the POOP

I preface this with an apology to those of you readers that are not the least bit interested in baby poop. Maybe you haven't experienced it, or maybe you just don't care.

If you've ever cared for a baby, though, you know the poop story.






You hold your sweet little thing, keeping their gaze and marvelling at the wonder of it all. They smell so sweet, their cheeks are so soft. You are so connected right now.

Then a sound breaks through the silence. There's a bit of an explosion of sorts going on in the trusty (we hope) diaper. Why are they grunting so much? It's just liquid for pete's sake.

Now this sounds high-volume. Panic begins to set in as you wonder what the next 10 minutes has in store for you.




Questions run through your mind. Is she wearing the name brand diaper right now or the cheap-o one? Did I put a onesie on? Who gave us this outfit? How expensive was it? Do I have time to soak the outfit and do a load of laundry before I go visiting teaching?

More explosive sounds. Now you have to deal with the dilemma of how to hold the child while she "finishes". You don't want to put pressure on the exploding area - what if you made it squish all over? Can't lie her down, same problem. So you decide on a strange under-the-armpit dangle while hoping for the best.

Periodic checks to see if the offensive substance is beginning to leak anywhere, and really wishing you hadn't worn your white shirt today. Sure enough, we are beginning to show orange through the blanket sleeper back.

Where to assess the damage? In the nice clean bassinet where you normally change diapers? Well, this is not a normal diaper. This is the once-a-week "tell daddy about it" kind of poop. Ok, still dangling infant (gotta keep the white shirt clean) you pass the hamper and see a dark colored shirt on top. Perfect. No stains. You lay baby in the bassinet but on top of the dark shirt.

Where to start? Sheesh, the more you deal with the legs and bottom parts, the more it will flow out the top of the diaper (curse Pampers). Remember that the little pink sleeper was a hand-me-down and not worth the trouble. After way too many wipes, wrap up the garbage and outfit together and throw in trash.

Get baby dressed in something cute and do it quickly. It's almost time for visiting teaching. And pray it doesn't happen again - at least not today.

Did someone let a Leprechaun in the house?

Uncle Matt is home

My little brother is home for just three days during spreak break before he heads off to another wrestling tourney. On Sunday he got to see the first baby born while he was away (my sister also had her baby the day before his flight got in).

First niece

Babies, babies everywhere.

My little sis finally had her baby! Many of you who read this blog know her, and know she was overdue and ready.

Well, Friday was the magical day. She had to be induced, but even with the pitocin she went unmedicated. So impressive. She had such control and a reverence about her.

I was honored to be there and witness the miracle. I certainly have given birth many times but I've never watched another baby be born. How exciting!

Baby Sugar
9 lbs 6 oz
22 inches long

So Strider and I now have a niece!

Someone hears me

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Mid-week ramblings

Random Tuesday stuff.


First of all, don't you just want to eat this child? Scrumptious.




Second, it better be a big bite. At 5 weeks weighs in at 11 lbs 12 oz.

Third, after a week of my sister waiting for me to stich these burp cloths for her, I finally did. I am enjoying sewing even more than I thought I would. They turned out really cute, even for a rookie like me.

Fourth, I ventured out yesterday before the snow hit for some fabric. So excited to see my stash grow. I didn't get really anything else done yesterday, but fabric is a priority, ya know.

And fifth, tell me this guy isn't handsome. This is my baby brother at his military ball over the weekend. He wrestles for Iowa State and is also there on an ROTC scholarship. This is his first college date, awwww. He has submitted his paperwork for a 2 year mission for our church, and any day now should hear where he gets to serve!

Someday

What do you want to talk about this Tuesday? Visit The Lazy Organizer for more topics.





Every so often I feel like I've adjusted to this baby thing. And then the other 23 hours a day I feel like my head isn't even screwed on straight.

Why is this so hard? Aren't I a pro by now? Haven't I done this many times?

I have had a really emotional couple days this week. I feel like I am spinning my wheels and not getting anywhere. Yeah, I know time flies, blah blah blah. Enjoy her while she's little. I get that. I just can't rationally approach life yet or something.

I am forgetting EVERYTHING. Even more than when I was pregnant. I am a total flake. I am tired. I am always hungry. I am always in the 'grass is greener' mode. I am glad I'm not married to me. I am impossible to please lately.

Where is the old me and is she coming back? When?



Someday I will make sure my preschooler really has her show 'n tell stuff on the day of show 'n tell.

Someday I will look at my baby and not feel guilty for not snapping a picture of whatever she is doing that moment.

Someday I will stop yelling over spilled milk. Or marker on the shirt. Or cereal all over the floor.

Someday I will study my scriptures again, instead of skimming over a few verses to myself after family scripture time.

Someday I will look at my older children and not have to wonder when their last bath was.

Someday when my mom buys a cute bracelet for Rosebud I will actually remember to put it on her before her little wrist outgrows it.

Someday my kids will be able to get dressed by pulling clothes out of their drawers instead of running half naked to check the dryer.

Someday I will have dinner prepared before my husband gets home.

Someday I'll take each dirty diaper outside to the trash right away instead of accumulating them next to the changing area.

Someday I'll get reacquainted with that place called the library.

Someday I'll check books out at the library and remember to read them instead of just sitting them on my nightstand.

Someday I will have the time and energy and free hands to create and sew and imagine and do again.

Oh, to be six

Jedi asked me yesterday right before supper if he could have cold lunch today. (I'm a mean mom and hate packing the two lunches I have to everyday, so I make my other kids have hot lunch). I figured it was fine this time, so I said yes. I planned on helping him later on.

What I didn't realize was that he had 1: already made it by the time we had our meal, and 2: already eaten some of it because he was so hungry.

Here is the interesting lunch I found at bedtime.

Ignore the crappy pics, Costco has still not found my new camera!

Half eaten bologna sandwich, with conversation hearts inside (no, I'm not making that up)

Bulging baggie of chips combined with Club crackers

A browning banana plus an apple with two bites taken out of it.

Meal planning

Well, I am no longer organized enough to say what we are having when.


But I do have food on hand for the following meals:


*Poppy Seed Chicken, spring greens salad with vinaigrette *
**Meatballs in brown gravy over egg noodles, frozen corn *
*Italian subs (ham, pepperoni, salami, banana peppers, mozzarella) with pasta salad
*Stuffed Manicotti
*Apricot Chicken
**Taco Bake *
*Chicken salad
*Tortilla soup
*Beef stew
**Southwest Layered Salad *


To bake:
Triple Lemon Cake
Breadsticks

Mix up:
one batch of homemade granola

Blessings

We had a wonderful day yesterday surrounded by family and friends. The baby blessing was beautiful, the dress was gorgeous, the food was yummy - it was a happy day.

And yes, I got my blinds, I got my new lamps, and I got my camera (sort of. I bought it at Costco, they couldn't find their inventory, they are calling me when they can locate them...)

It was a busy crazy weekend but we loved it.