Christmas is more important than blogging

So, life hits pause when it is Christmas time. No blogging, no exercising and definitely no starting new projects (or finishing old ones....like Jack's stocking...poor kid.) We spent days making cookies, fudge, caramel chocolate things....oh the joy!! Not so joyous when I tried to get my jeans buttoned, though :) Shopping and Christmas parties, watching a million Christmas movies. Ahhhh, it just doesn't get any better than that.

When I was 4, on the drive into preschool, I asked my mom how Santa was going to get down our chimney that year since the fireplace was broken. She said, "Lindsay, your dad and I put the gifts under the tree. There isn't a Santa. We have Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus. But, you can't tell the other kids that there isn't a Santa because their parents will be mad at me". So, I cried all day at preschool, my teacher asked me what was wrong, I told her that my mom said I couldn't tell. I really wonder what was going through her mind. My mom is lucky that she didn't call Childrens Services. Haha! Anyway, while I am glad that my mom always stressed the importance of the real reason we celebrate Christmas, I still get a little sad about Santa not being real. Sooooo, you better believe that I am going to tell Jack that he is real. We are going to make cookies for him and leave them by the fireplace with milk and carrots for the reindeer. I am going to make Jay go outside and ring jingle bells....the whole shabang.

P.S. If your kids are old enough to know about the whole "No Santa" thing, Jack can't hang out with them until he is at least 10, so they don't spoil it for him. And if you tell your kids from the very beginning that there isn't a Santa, then Jack can't ever hang out with them because who knows what other weird things you non-believers are teaching your kids.

Here is Jack on Christmas morning going for the presents and the tree. Notice how it is barely light outside? A boy after my own heart....wakes up before the crack of dawn on Christmas morning. So happy I have already taught him so much :) Ha!


I think it was a little soon to have him open his own presents. He looks a little bewildered. I put him down for a nap and then opened his presents and put them in his toy box. So much for wrapping them :)


I saw these at a White Elephant party a few years ago and then Jami sent me the instructions to make them. Maxi Pad slippers!! Wahoo!! :) I took them to a Young Women white elephant gift exchange. They were a hit :)


Jack's love of hats.....


This is Jack's sweet new trick. It is a full on bridge. No hands. He balances on his head and feet. Apparently he is going to be a wrestler.


Lounging in his bouncy chair. Think he is getting a little big.


Have a very fun New Year!! Good luck with your resolutions that will last 2 weeks :)

Don't do anything that I wouldn't do :)

I Britney Spears'd Myself - minus the mental breakdown

My sister, the bomb hairstylist, was in town last weekend. When I am around her my courage about hair skyrockets and I usually do something I wouldn't do without her saying, "Oh come on you big sissy. If you want your hair like that, do it!" So.....I did it. I'm still getting used to looking more like a boy than a girl. I have really pulled out the big guns with jewelry and make-up so that people are not confused. But, I love changing it up. Now I just need to put some sweet color in it :) Any suggestions??

I tried to do my best pissed off Victoria Beckham look, but I couldn't keep a straight face. Tadah!



My Inspirations :)

Grandma almost got run over by a huge deer

Remember the crazy stampeding deer that almost skewered us? Well, here is the beast. He was in our backyard harassing some helpless little gal who obviously wanted little to do with him. I dont think he was catching her signals.



Thanksgiving was great! We had tons of family and tons of food! We can't wait for Jay's family to move back to Colorado someday so we can see both families for each holiday! We tried to get some family pictures for Christmas. As you can see below, our attepmts were pretty sad.

Yesterday we got a TON of snow! Probably about a foot. We almost couldn't get out of the driveway for my sister's new baby, Mya's, blessing. Luckily we made it!!! Isn't it gorgeous???? I love Christmas time :)

Here is Jack mauling little Mya.

Jack and Jay playing in the snow. I am a really bad mom....Jack doesn't have a coat or a hat on :)

Puke Patrol

Jack doesn't like ham. Not one little bit. Especially mixed with oatmeal and bananas. Can't say that I blame him, but I thought I would try anyway. He had his 6 month check up yesterday and he is in the 5th percentile for weight. The Dr. told me to try some new foods with him and try and fatten him up a bit. Well, ham was obviously the wrong decision. So, I have officially been inducted to the Puke Patrol Hall of Fame. Jay is a pansy and does not receive the same honor. Maybe next time he can help me clean it up without turning green and dry heaving :) On a brighter note, Jack is in the 90th percentile for height. He's gonna be a dunker.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Jami, I will miss gossiping with you tomorrow during turkey bowl.

To the Twilight movie Naysayers

Let's just talk about the Twilight movie for a little bit. We ALL knew it wasn't going to be as good as the book and we ALL knew that any Edward they picked would never be sexy enough (no such being exists as far as I'm concerned...sorry Jay, even you have to agree)....so why focus on the negative? It's a movie about Twilight for heavens sake! It doesn't get much better than that! I must say that Robert Pattinson has really grown on me. I might even say he makes a decent Edward...even downright hot at times. Jay and I went to see it this afternoon and I thought it was great! Plus we saw it early enough that all of the 13 year old girls weren't out of school yet, so that was a plus. I was pretty excited I have to say. I hope they make enough money to keep it going. Although, I couldn't help but laugh at Peter Facinelli playing Carlisle. All I could think about was when he played Mike Dexter in Can't Hardly Wait. If you haven't seen the 90's classic, you should rent it. A top notch flick in my opinion :) On another movie note, they showed a preview for the new Harry Potter and I must say, that is going to be seriously sweet.

In other news, my mountain man husband is back and sporting a healthy looking beard. I must say, he looks pretty hot. Jack is thrilled to have him back and can't take his eyes off him. I think he is scared that he will leave again. I am happy to have my little family back together.

Go OU tomorrow. You are really going to need some luck.

Attack of the Killer Dear

We were on our morning walk the other day when we heard the thunder of hooves. We looked over and saw a HUGE deer running full speed toward us with his antlers down and ready to spear us. At the last moment he ran right around us and just kept on going. We looked behind him to make sure there wasn't a mountain lion or something chasing it. When we saw the coast was clear, we all gave a sigh of relief and went home to change our pants.

The other night Jack was getting fussy at dinner. My mom took him out of his high chair to settle him down. Suddenly, he was very calm, which made me look over at him. My mom had given him a chicken bone to chew on. No joke. Apparently we loved them as children and it gave us something to do during dinner. Personally I think it's a little degrading to treat children like animals, but it certainly kept him happy. No wonder I have an issue with chicken on the bone and only buy boneless/skinless chicken. Haha! Here's the proof.



Five more days until Jay gets home! Woohoo!! Here is what you are missing, babe.....

Adventures of a klutz

You know when you get the urge to do something really stupid? Today I indulged one of those urges. I went running...in the snow. Yes. RUNNING. Mind you, I kept to our property so that I wouldn't be exposed for public mockery. Anyway, after about a 1/10 of a mile, I tripped on a log, nearly decapitated myself, got a snowflake in the eye, and walked back home. Maybe I should take a break from extreme sports. Perhaps try something stationary...maybe one that involves a mat and the floor. The Stairmaster might even be a bit risky.

Jack the Magic Dragon

Being the un-crafty/creative mom that I am, much to my sister Julie's dismay, Jack wore a store bought costume. Quite frankly, anything I would have tried to do myself wouldn't have been nearly this cute. I may not be creative, but I sure can shop :)




So, I love the movie, The Christmas Story. My favorite part is when Ralphie and Randy's mom dress them so warmly for school that Randy can't get up when he falls due to the volume of snow clothes. I got Jack ready for our morning walk in the cold and started to laugh because he looked just like that part of the movie.


Jack got a high chair yesterday and he is thrilled to sit with the family. However, even sitting in the chair, he still has to have his feet up by his head.


Jack holding his sippy cup. He still doesn't really know what he's doing, but he really likes to do it himself. I fear a very stubborn child is making his independence known.


Jack always has to see what is going on behind him. Even if nothing is. This is usually the position he is in, if his feet aren't in his mouth.


Jay, this is so you don't forget how cute I am while you are gone. Xoxo :) Haha!

First Day of Snow

I really love fall because it means I can listen to Christmas music without funny looks from people. It finally snowed this past week and I was so excited! However, there is also something about this time of year that makes me feel like I should be in school and I have been feeling guilty all week...like I've been ditching class. I love being a stay at home mom. It really has it's perks :)

Here is the view from our back yard. So lovely! Sorry Kate and Diana if this makes you homesick, but it's your own fault for moving far away :)


Here is Jack bundled up and asleep after our morning walk. He loves to be outside.


He also wanted to show off his new hat. I had to get him a bigger hat for his huge noggin.


We sure have been missing Jay. Only 4 more weeks until he comes home! Here is an update from Jack...

Dear Dad,

I really miss you. Mom isn't as much fun to play with. She is too careful with me. But, I am trying to be good so that I get lots of presents from Santa. Here is a picture of me in my fun chair. I am getting really good at sitting up straight and playing with my toys. I also can touch the ground now from my chair and I am practicing my jumping so I can dunk some day.


I decided this week that I am too big for a bottle. They are for babies. I only want to drink out of a cup. Gram still has to help me because most of the time I just dump it down my chin. I guess I still need a little practice. Maybe I better try a sippy cup first.


Look at me trying to sit up all by myself! My head is so huge that I have a hard time holding it up. Mom says I look more like Quasimodo than a kid when I try to sit.


This is my really cool new hat. I like to wear it all the time, even when I'm naked. My feet are still my favorite toys. I can even pick my nose with my big toe.


This week I learned how to roll onto my belly all by myself!!! I am such a stud! However, I still can't roll from my belly to my back, so I get stuck a lot. Mom usually has to come rescue me and roll me back over. She gets really mad at me when I do it at 3 am, but I think it is a funny joke, so I usually try to do it a few times a night. I also like to get my legs stuck in the slats of my crib. Soon, I will be rolling all over the house and mom will be chasing me. She said she hopes you come home before that so you can deal with it :)

Yesterday we went to a pumpkin patch! It was really windy and so much fun! Here I am about to pet a baby goat, but then I saw my feet and decided I would rather play with them. Do you like my really cute hat?


Here is a picture I like to call "Jack in the Cob". I kept trying to look at the cool corn I was sticking my head through, so mom had to hold my head up for the picture. I got really mad about that.


You can just call me Jack the Pumpkin King. Mom looks pretty cute, too, eh?

I love you, dad. Have fun in Washington. Don't forget to bring me home a little present.

Love, Jack D.

For the Ladies -Men, you may skip....you won't appreciate it anyway.

Today, Jack and I went to Wal-Mart...where I got carded...for buying spray paint. I guess you have to be 18 to buy spray paint and the guy thought he had a case of Juno and teen motherhood on his hands. I showed him my I.D. and he said, "26, huh? Wouldn't have guessed that". I could have kissed him! Had he looked at me a little closer, he may have noticed the extra 10 pounds of baby weight I am STILL carrying and the fact that my boobs are practically hanging into my armpits. I realized the other day where cleavage used to be is now completely sternum bone.

I have been working my butt off to get rid of these last 10 pounds. I am walking with my mom in the mornings and doing my Hip Hop Abs.....now before any of you think these are sally pants walks, I can assure you they are not. My mom walks about 47 mph and I trail behind her about 10 feet supporting myself with the stroller, gripping my side and gasping for breath. Anyone have ideas of how to fix the above weight problem without giving up butter, cheese, pancakes or chocolate?

Tales of the Work Widow

Well, this week brought a lot of changes! First big change to note was moving Jack out of our room! He now has his own room. I have to admit that I think I struggled more than he did. I think I checked on him about 307 times before I could finally sleep and then I couldn't get more than two hours of sleep because I had to keep going in his room to make sure he was still breathing, warm enough and not kidnapped. However, all is well now. He slept for 11 hours last night. It was heaven and I think he sleeps better away from his paranoid mother :)

Second change to note... I am now a single mother :( Jay got a job up in Tacoma, WA. for 6 weeks. He is roofing some family housing on the Army base up there. He has been gone for two days and I am ready for him to come home. I am glad we are still living with my parents so that I don't get too lonely :) He should be home the week before Thanksgiving. So, I am including lots of pictures of Jack, so he doesn't miss anything good while he is gone :)

Here is a cute little video of Jack laughing. It was the best I could get. As soon as I pull out the camera, he gets too focused on it and forgets to keep laughing. I also held the phone up to his ear today so Jay could talk to him. He tried to eat it. I don't think he's quite ready for the phone yet.




This is Jack's little bouncy thing that my sister Kate sent for him. He loves it but is still a little too small. And yes, we are a little redneck and let our kid run around in just his diaper.


If any of you have ever been to Boulder, CO. you may have see the contortionist man who can get himself in a teeny tiny box. Well, I think Jack may have found his calling in life. Watch out Pearl Street hippie! His feet are his greatest discovery. If I try to move his feet away from his mouth to change his diaper, he yells at me. If I put socks on him, he takes them off. Apparently they don't taste as good as baby feet.

I thought all 5 toes in the mouth was pretty impressive.


Finally for the last great news! My sister the Champion FINALLY had her baby yesterday. She was 8 days overdue. Yes, 8. I'm pretty sure I would have just lit a match and smoked the thing out by that point. But she is the patient one of the girls. They induced her and the baby basically slid right out. My sister is the 6 push queen. She weighed 8 lbs and was 19.5 inches long. She would have been just a wee little thing had she come on time! Her name is Mya Anne. She is a beautiful baby! Lovely skin and lots of black, black hair.

Hail the Conquering Hero!

Yesterday Jay took the GRE so he can start applying to grad schools. He did EXCELLENT! He got a higher score than he needs for all schools to which he is applying! WOOHOO!! I didn't know I married such a smarty pants :)

We are looking at:

Denver University
George Washington University
University of Maryland
Cornell
Yale

Anyway, we need some help. Jay is looking at a few degrees and having a hard time deciding which one to choose...so I figured I would get some input. If we can't decide, maybe we'll just put it to a vote :)

I put a little poll on the side so you can give us your 2 cents :) (Personally I think he should do International Security....then he could be like Jack Bauer :)

Bessie the Milk Cow has hung up her udders

Yep, you read the header correctly....hung up the udders!!! For my birthday, Jack gave me the gift of freedom. He decided that he had enough of breastfeeding and weaned himself! WAHOO!!!! I am loving this. My goal was to breastfeed for 4 months. Well, we did it. However, we are both moving on to greener pastures and the happy world of formula!!

Things I will like about not breastfeeding....
1. Staying dressed ALL day long
2. Sleeping on my stomach
3. Leaving him with Jay for more than 2 hours
4. Being able to feed him where ever we are without having to go find a private place

The list goes on and on :) So happy!!!!

He had his 4 month check up on Friday. He weighs a whopping 12 lb. 14 oz. (10th percentile, poor little runt) and is 26 inches long (90th percentile!!). We also started him on rice cereal today. He loved it and totally gets the concept of the spoon :) Child genius I tell ya. Sorry for the commentary in the video below. I didn't know Jay was recording :)








Someone should have told Jack not to talk with food in his mouth. How rude.



Jack tried out the Bumbo. He was less than impressed. Good thing I borrowed this from my sister and didn't actually buy it . The face says it all :)