Another for Rob

Here is the other one that I couldn't get to work before. It is Sariah clapping:

Videos for Rob

Okay to some of you these are probably pretty boring. But here are just a few clips for Rob. Sariah clapping for you and talking to her giraffe.

Okay just kidding I can't get both videos to load. I will keep trying on the other one. Here is the giraffe for now.

Sariah's favorite Giraffe

When we went to CA for vacation, we got Sariah this stuffed animal giraffe at the Santa Barbara Zoo. I just thought it was really cute with its big eyes. I didn't realize just how much she would like it. She is in love with her giraffe. She loves to give him kisses and studies his little tuffs of hair on his head and tail.

So now comes my favorite thing. As much as I love to rock Sariah to sleep I think I love even more when she puts herself to sleep while playing on the floor. She is just playing along and then starts to quiet down and move more slow and next thing I know I look down and she's asleep on the floor quite often with a toy in hand. Today it was her giraffe. She was laying on her back with him on her tummy playing and fell asleep that way. It was so cute I couldn't resist the photo opportunity.

Old and New Header

So it's time for a change...

Old Header:

New Header:

Needing to vent

~~~~Disclaimer~~~~ I do not intend to offend someone from this. But I do realize that I might. I have chosen to write it anyways for my personal benefit. I do believe that we each choose to be offended by someone. So if you choose to take this offensively- I'm sorry.


So my visiting teacher came over today. And we had a fun venting session. Sometime that is just what you need. To get it all out there and be upset and have someone listen. It was great. I got to know her a lot better and realized that I'm not alone with some of my frustrations. I had a discussion with her and also one yesterday with a friend that have caused me to reflect. The ward split has been hard. It was sad for me to know that most of my close friends were staying in New Mark while I was booted out. Then it was hard to get to know who people were in the new ward. Now I'm in Relief Society and trying to plan events, and struggling to know how to get people to come. Our ward is very friendly on Sunday. You've heard of Sunday Christians. Well sometimes I feel like we are Sunday Friends. Yes, we are cordial and ask how you are doing, and seem interested when we pass in the hall on Sunday, but during the week there isn't anything there. No one calls to hang out or invite you to things. And I'm not saying I'm all the victim here. I know that I'm also to blame because I don't always call either. But I want to be more than Sunday friends. I want to be the kind of person that people think of and want to call to invite. How do I reach that inner circle? I had some of these feelings before in the other ward. I would hear about people hanging out or getting together and wonder, why don't they call me? How can I get in on that?

I am not blessed with my husband's talents, but sometimes I wish I was. He has an amazing ability to self invite. He can get "invited" to dinner by dropping someone off at someone else's house. It is a gift. I think part of the gift is that he always assumes he is wanted. I struggle with knowing this. I think my self doubt creeps in and says they are just inviting you to be nice, are you sure they really want you to come?

I had this struggle in both wards, but a little more so in this one. There are a lot of people in my ward that live right next to each other. And it is like they have their own little world. Part of me is jealous of it. They have the convenience of people right by to socialize with, trade babysitting with, do things with. But if you aren't in that little world, it is hard to do those same things with them.

So what do I do? I can't just sit and whine because I know that as much as I want to just do that, it won't change a thing. So I think I need to set some new self goals. To go more out of my way to make friends. During the week friends! People that I feel comfortable calling to grab lunch with or just hang out with for the afternoon. And then pushing myself to do it. To pick up the phone and just call. I've decided to try to have a once a month Project Party at my house. So that I can get together with people and scrapbook, or make jewerly, or bows, or whatever project I feel I want to work on that month. And I think I'm going to throw a Halloween Party. James gave me the go ahead so I think that I will.

There I have a resolve- Wish me luck!

Our new chair

So a few weeks back, Sariah successfully flipped herself out of the Bumbo. Which meant it was time for a new chair! So I didn't want to get a big high chair. They seem so bulky and I liked having her right at the table with us- with them Bumbo. So we found this:

And no don't get excited. She doesn't really drink out of her cup. Right now it is still just a toy! :( I put water in it with the hope that she will drink, but no luck yet. And yes I've tried helping her put it in her mouth- she doesn't like it when I do this as she is trying to play with it.

Sundays and Scrabble

So when we lived with my parents, we all played Scrabble a lot. It is one of their favorite games and it is nice and relaxed so you can still talk while playing. Usually, my dad and James are neck and neck and me and my mom are pretty close. It is always interesting. I don't think I've ever won......but who's keeping track of that. This last Sunday, we had them over to our house for cookies and scrabble. I made no bakes and oatmeal raisin cookies while we played. I think that dad won, maybe it was James...again who keeps track. It was a lot of fun though. And I got to snap these cute pictures of my parents with Sariah afterwards:

She still doesn't know what to think of Grandpa's beard:

Biffed it at church

So Sunday, I totally biffed it at church. I had stayed to practice with the choir afterwards and was pretty tired since I had subbed for the Primary Chorister and had Sariah with me all through church. (James has to leave after Sacrament.) So I wasn't paying attention and obviously wasn't picking my feet up enough. I caught the edge of my shoe or something trying to go down the stairs from the pulpit. Thankfully there are only two stairs and some how I ended up like this:

I was kneeling with my feet on the top of the 2 steps and my knees on the bottom and holding Sariah. She wasn't hurt a bit. She cried because it scared her, but didn't get hurt. My knees were pretty sore and I am still wearing band aids on one of them.

Thankfully, there were only 2 ladies who saw, so I couldn't get too embarrassed!

Old picture

So I recently changed computers, and I'm working on my website. Between the two events, I was looking at a lot of my pictures. I came across this one. It is of Molly, my friend Kiera's dog. I took it one of the times we house sat for them and just tucked it away in my picture files. I just think it is a cute shot. So here's to Molly.

MORE TEETH!!

I know you have to look pretty close on the picture but I promise they are there! Sariah's top 2 front teeth have made their appearance. I could see them pushing for a while but they are now through!

Her gangster side binkie pose:

One of her clapping! Anytime you say Yay she will clap for you. And sometimes sporadically just do it. Weird- as I'm typing this she just clapped for no reason!

Yummy Chicken Salad

Okay I am a slacker and didn't think to take a picture of this, but I tried out a new recipe last night. Ever since I started going to the cooking class, I've been trying to be better about getting and trying new recipes. So here is the latest. I had my parents over and we tried this out. My mom LOVED it and wanted the recipe. I actually got this off of the Start cooking podcast-

http://startcooking.com/video/476/Chicken-Salad-with-Wild-Rice-(Classics)


It is a yummy way to have a filling salad. It has wild rice, chicken, red pepper, green onion, alvocado, pecans, and salad greens.

I would highly recommend! It is easy and tasty!

Bottle it up

Okay a baby laughing is just the best noise ever. Sariah is now more and more ticklish. So it is the best to tickle her and really get to hear her little giggle. I just want to figure out a way to bottle that sound. I mean how can I save that forever. I guess I will just enjoy it now. I'm off to tickle my daughter!!

Open mouth insert foot

So many of us know that my husband has a way with words. The other night we were trying to make plans and I had a lot I wanted done. So James was going to run an errand and then I was trying to get him to clean and watch Sariah when he got back so that I could paint. Well he wasn't sure that he could clean with her. I asked, "Well how do you think I clean all day with her here." And he flatly replied, "You don't."

Foot in mouth- need I say more.

So what's new

It seems like whenever you see someone again after not having been in contact they ask "so what's new." I never know how to answer this. Usually it has been a while and so I'm sure many things have happened, but either my minds blanks or the things have all been resolved, or I'm just not sure they really want to hear the saga of my life. So what do you say-- the traditional oh not that much how about you?-- do you go into detail on all the happenings-- or meet in the middle and try to tell them a few big things (hopefully you have a few big things to say.)

So here goes with what's new- (If you want to be spared the saga of my life just stop here! hehe)

1) My little rolly polly! Last week Sariah figured out how to use rolling to get something she wants. People kept asking if she could crawl. I know that they are just making conversation but then I start to have complex and wonder if she should be able to and she isn't and maybe I'm not stimulating her enough... So I put her down with some toys- just out of reach. And while she isn't crawling she is moving a lot. It was like one day she just figured out how to move around and get to things. She is especially gifted at getting paper, electronic devices, and anything else I'm not sure I want her to have.

2) Clapping- Yep she can clap now. It is really cute! Her little chubby hands!

3) I finished painting my kitchen and living room. After almost 2 months, I'm done painting. It just kept going and going and going. But I love the results. I haven't taken pictures yet, but I will do so and post them soon.

4) My dad will start chemo treatment soon. End of the month is the plan.

5) James has been at his job a few months now and still loves it. I love that he comes home so much earlier. I feel like we can actually do things in the evening. With the other job, he would come home eat dinner and go to be pretty much. It is such a blessing to have him home by or before 5.

6) My work is going great. I've been a bit of a slacker this week, so the next few days I need to work harder. But I'm realizing how blessed I have it. I have pretty much the perfect job.

7) Jessie has moved out. She is in Connecticut now. This I think will be awesome for her. She will be able to learn a lot and really grow. It is weird to think that if James had stayed with his previous job, we would be the ones that had moved. I'm glad we stayed. I think this worked out the best for us- I could imagine moving or rather being moved already.

8) We got the DISH. James finally broke me down and convinced me to get the Dish with a DVR. I will admit to him that it hasn't increased how much TV we watch and now I just watch what I want.

9) John and Kate Plus 8 addiction. So now that we do have the dish, I'm addicted to John and Kate plus 8. I don't watch it that much, but I have it all DVRed for when I do want to watch TV. I just love them! I think they are funny and it makes me realize how simple and easy I have it. It is a good reality check that someone else has a lot more to do than me and I should be thankful.

10) I am working on my photography website. I plan to really work hard and have it done by next week. I want to get it up an running again. So I will let you know when you can check it out!


So I guess that is my 10 things of what is new with me. Now I will have to remember them for next time someone asks! :)

Cheetah Shoes

Ok, so my friend Jessi got these ADORABLE shoes for Sariah. But she has such tiny feet, I had to wait forever to put them on her. Now they finally fit! Look how cute:




She looks super tall when James holds her like this:

Doesn't she look just like her mommy? (Only yes she still looks tanner than me. Not that that is really all that hard to do! )

Look I'm standing!! (Okay I am still holding on the her onesie from the back, but she is doing pretty good I think!)

Waking up in the night

Okay, so I felt very blessed that Sariah started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks. But recently that blessing has ended. She is now waking up again on a pretty regular basis. Usually about 2:30 to 3:00 in the morning. I'm not sure what to do. Occasionally, she will put her self back to sleep after crying for a little while. But last night, no such luck. I got up with her. Changed her diaper and fed her and laid her back down and she slept until 8:30 this morning. I don't know if getting up with her is a good thing or not. Maybe it encourages her to wake up more if she knows I will come get her. But I do wait a while before going in. I'm trying to narrow down what is causing her to wake up as this has been going on for at least a month now- I think longer. I have the following ideas:

1) Teething- it looks like her top teeth are really trying to push through. Maybe they are bothering her and waking her up.

2) Congestion- I think this is from teething, but she has a very congested nose. Lately she has had trouble eating because she can't breath through her nose.

3) Hunger- I'm not sure what to do on this one. I do nurse her when she won't sleep. But I'm feeding her cereal and nursing her just before she goes to bed.

4) Noise- Maybe there is some noise happening around that time of night that I don't hear but it is enough to wake her up.

5) Growing- Maybe she is just growing and that is making her extra hungery and uncomfortable.

So any thoughts or suggestions?