Cameron, is that the greatest title of a book ever or what? I just read the most interesting article about it, and was completely enthralled. The book is a sort of memoir, recalling the big events in her life with sketches and pictures of the clothing that she remembers in perfect detail. There are just certain outfits that women feel different about, that we think somehow define who we are at that moment. And to be perfectly honest, I even have a few outfits of yours that I will treasure as special for little moments in your first year. I even bought you outfits last month to wear for your birthday party and your birthday photo shoot.
So here, in random order, are the top five outfits that hold a special memory for me.
1. My wedding dress. Girls dream of their wedding day, spend ridiculous amounts of money and time to plan it, and think that their life truly begins once they have lived through the ritual of a wedding. I dreamed of a very metropolitan, elegant affair with fine china but our setting (little old Abilene) and budget dictated a much more modest soiree. Knowing that I wanted to be able to comfortably dance at the reception, I chose a dress with a shorter train and no extra layers of puffy ruffles to make the skirt larger. Searching through magazines, I decided that I wanted a more traditional dress with a strapless sweetheart neckline, intricate lace overlays, and a "candlelight" color that would compliment my skin more than stark white. I loved it from the second I tried it on and my mom happily paid $600 for it, a steal compared to the thousand(s!) dollar couture gowns we saw on TV. Your Daddy said that it was the most beautiful that I had ever looked. Even now, when I look back at the pictures, I think it was completely perfect and love the memory of how it felt to wear it.
2. The summer between my junior and senior years of high school, I decided the perfect job would be to work as a lifeguard. I landed a job at a country club in a very wealthy part of town and was told I could wear whatever suit I wanted as long as it wasn't a bikini, rather than the standard red suit that says "lifeguard." (Besides, Baywatch totally ruined those for people with real breasts anyway.) I wore a tankini just long enough to fit the rules, but still left a little line of tummy showing, which incidentally left me with odd tan lines. But I loved having that deep tan, flirting with older boys who were lifeguards too. I lived in that suit all summer long and remember being totally flattered when someone told me that I had a "cute figure." And on my first day as a senior, I decided to show off my tan in a skimpy tank top that totally violated the school dress code. I guess I figured no one would send me home on the first day! Looking back, I have no idea why my mother let me get away with it... But I felt like I was more grown up and attractive, finally out of that awkward phase and turning into a woman.
3. I remember packing my black velvet dress in case we had a fancy dinner that trip or maybe wearing it on Christmas Eve to church. It was knee length and had three-quarter sleeves with lace trim, and I remember thinking that it was flattering without seeming overtly sexy or trying too hard. When my father passed away so unexpectedly, I ended up wearing it to his funeral instead. It was so cold and windy that day that I had to put my hair back tightly, but it kept falling out anyway. I knew I would never be able to wear that dress again without thinking of that day, and how we buried my father in jeans, a t-shirt, and a leather motorcycle vest rather than a stuffy suit he would have hated. I still have it in my closet, but haven't looked at it in years.
4. Six years of my schooling were pretty much dictated by a version of one outfit - my cheerleading uniform. Worn on game days (even though it also completely violated the school dress code), I got to be one of the very few girls who were part of this group. We had a whole pep rally to plan, supposedly to inspire the football players to victory, but mostly to avoid class and enjoy people cheering for us. Each year, we ordered new uniforms, always purple and white and yellow (never the shiny gold), and I remember the year when we finally got the "flyaway" skirt. It basically had slits up to the hips so that the flaps laid together to appear like a skirt, but gave you more movement and freedom for stunts. We just thought it was cuter, and got to order different bloomers, the "boyshorts." Those ten girls probably made a few others jealous, but I remember my small group of friends (all non-cheerleaders) and how I didn't really feel popular at all. It mostly just made me feel like a basketcase because I would continually show up with the wrong uniform on. White was for home games and purple was for away games, but for the pep rally we wore the opposite. I was always having to go get a pass, leave school and drive home to change. It became such a pattern that eventually I would pack both all the time. I often wondered how in the world I kept getting voted in (by the entire school) since I seemed like a big nerd masquerading as the cool captain that I appeared to be.
5. One of the best perks of joining a sorority is the chance to dress up and go to a fancy party. Every spring, we had our formal dinner to say goodbye to graduating members and officially welcome in the newest pledge class. My junior year, I found a slinky black dress that was completely beaded with the most gorgeous floral pattern in red, turquoise, and gold. I wore smoky eye makeup, bold red lipstick and a red rose pinned into my hair to complete my "sexy senorita" outfit. I was President of my sorority that year and wanted to look like a total knockout. After the banquet program, we cleared out the floor to dance and have fun, and I of course ditched the high-heeled black shoes that were so uncomfortable. Unfortunately, my dress was suddenly dragging on the floor. In front of everyone, I was busting a move, stepped on the hem and the beads slid like crazy on the hardwood floor. I fell flat on my back and burst out laughing. My friends rushed to help me up, but I was too embarrassed to dance after that. I took a breather and left to start the after-party a little early. :)
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
It's ON, Baby!
Hi Prairie Dog,
Well, we are spent, both in the monetary and emotional energy kinda way. Friday night, I realized that we had no plans so we might as well get to the shopping. We loaded up and headed to San Marcos to check out the Pottery Barn outlet. I was super excited to find a low cabinet with two shelves and two drawers that just needed a little TLC. It has a two-inch gash across the top and was missing the knobs off the front, but was marked down from $1200 to $285! After checking one other store, we loaded it up and happily took it home. I figured the stand on the TV would completely cover it anyway, and I was right. Bo was very proud of my thriftiness, and we found great knobs the next day at Home Depot for around $8. Fabulous!
And Bo got to purchase his TV on Saturday. He really did shop around to get exactly what he wanted at the best price, so I was pleased too. And man, is it a great picture. Of course, Bo would happily watch football for the rest of our lives, but I did sneak in some time to watch HGTV (in high def!) and catch up on two shows that were recorded from last week. The only downside is that now all the equipment is at prime level for you to grab, so we are working to keep you away from all the buttons. You just smile when we say no!
But as great as it is to have the TV crossed off our list, we still have to figure out how to get the old TV out of our living room. It is parked about 5 feet away from its previous home because it is so heavy that Bo and I cannot possibly get it down the stairs and out the door. (Okay, mostly I am the problem.) Plus, we can't really sell it in it's broken condition, so what do we do with it?
Fortunately, we had a wonderful distraction from all that mess. You took your first steps this weekend! You have been holding onto things and walking around a lot, but this weekend you really tried to make a go of it. We were visiting our friends' (who thankfully have really cushy carpet) and you decided to let go of the trunk you were holding onto and managed to get about three steps in before you plopped down. I told Daddy that "it's on now!" Plus, you have figured out how to climb the stairs up to our loft area, so the baby gate is going to have to be a permanent fixture for a bit.
It's going to be an exciting week! On top of everything else, we are praying for Daddy because he has an important appointment coming up. Supposed to be this afternoon, but got bumped to Wednesday, so more time to pray! I will cautiously not share too much, but let's just say that it could be a wonderful change for him and we are praying for God to throw open the door right away. At least we have a fun weekend to look forward to, with Daddy taking a guy's getaway to Corpus Christi and my mom and sister coming to visit. The days need to go quickly! And something tells me that with you up and on the move, they most certainly will.
Well, we are spent, both in the monetary and emotional energy kinda way. Friday night, I realized that we had no plans so we might as well get to the shopping. We loaded up and headed to San Marcos to check out the Pottery Barn outlet. I was super excited to find a low cabinet with two shelves and two drawers that just needed a little TLC. It has a two-inch gash across the top and was missing the knobs off the front, but was marked down from $1200 to $285! After checking one other store, we loaded it up and happily took it home. I figured the stand on the TV would completely cover it anyway, and I was right. Bo was very proud of my thriftiness, and we found great knobs the next day at Home Depot for around $8. Fabulous!
And Bo got to purchase his TV on Saturday. He really did shop around to get exactly what he wanted at the best price, so I was pleased too. And man, is it a great picture. Of course, Bo would happily watch football for the rest of our lives, but I did sneak in some time to watch HGTV (in high def!) and catch up on two shows that were recorded from last week. The only downside is that now all the equipment is at prime level for you to grab, so we are working to keep you away from all the buttons. You just smile when we say no!
But as great as it is to have the TV crossed off our list, we still have to figure out how to get the old TV out of our living room. It is parked about 5 feet away from its previous home because it is so heavy that Bo and I cannot possibly get it down the stairs and out the door. (Okay, mostly I am the problem.) Plus, we can't really sell it in it's broken condition, so what do we do with it?
Fortunately, we had a wonderful distraction from all that mess. You took your first steps this weekend! You have been holding onto things and walking around a lot, but this weekend you really tried to make a go of it. We were visiting our friends' (who thankfully have really cushy carpet) and you decided to let go of the trunk you were holding onto and managed to get about three steps in before you plopped down. I told Daddy that "it's on now!" Plus, you have figured out how to climb the stairs up to our loft area, so the baby gate is going to have to be a permanent fixture for a bit.
It's going to be an exciting week! On top of everything else, we are praying for Daddy because he has an important appointment coming up. Supposed to be this afternoon, but got bumped to Wednesday, so more time to pray! I will cautiously not share too much, but let's just say that it could be a wonderful change for him and we are praying for God to throw open the door right away. At least we have a fun weekend to look forward to, with Daddy taking a guy's getaway to Corpus Christi and my mom and sister coming to visit. The days need to go quickly! And something tells me that with you up and on the move, they most certainly will.
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Post Where I Say "Ostentatious"
Camo,
You probably haven't noticed at all, but our big screen TV croaked this past Sunday morning. On the day of a Cowboys game, that is like a national disaster. Apparently, there is a part thingy that we have already had to have replaced once before that went out again, and it would cost about $300 to fix for the second time. So we start shopping around, and your daddy realizes that he can get a brand new plasma TV for $800! And we would be paying $600 total to repair this enormous dinosaur again. My vote is to just get a new, much thinner, more streamlined TV.
So we headed to Best Buy to ask some questions and see the options. Apparently I came across as a bit bossy, because I made your daddy a bit upset by refusing to even consider the bigger sizes. I actually remember saying in a huffy voice that we already have a huge TV that is a complete eyesore (giant, black, takes up a whole wall) and that I didn't want the next one to look so ostentatious! He hates when I toss out big words...
The thing is, it occurred to me that we could take a mission trip to Guatemala with that money, or feed a whole orphanage of children for one day! Or we could replace the tile floor in our house that has cracked. Ugh, so much to consider. And on top of that (or more appropriately, below that) we have to find a piece of furniture for the TV to sit on. Our big screen now is so big that all the equipment sits on top. So now, we have to find some kind of cabinet to put all the stuff in, with the TV on top.
We have saved our money and are being responsible, but it is still tough to spend that much and not think it over completely. Yet another example of me being the spender and Daddy being the saver. I want to just run to the Pottery Barn outlet and buy any cabinet that I really like and go get the TV. He wants to shop everywhere and find the best deal. We compromised and agreed that he was in charge of picking the TV and I get to pick the furniture.
So this one is my favorite, but it costs WAY more than the whole TV. Ridiculous. Anyone know of any really cool resale shops where you can find furniture? I would be up for refinishing or repainting something too...
I am just hoping that someday you will actually sit through an entire movie and be thankful for all the stressing and shopping that we went through to get a TV. All week we haven't been able to watch anything recorded on the DVR, and I actually had to sit through all the commercials last night to watch a 2 HOUR LONG season premiere. Dreadful. And your daddy feels so deprived. The other night we were sitting on the couch after dinner and he goes, "You know how some people just live without a TV and say that it allows for more conversations? Well, it just sucks." And we both died laughing. Thank goodness he is so entertaining all by himself!
You probably haven't noticed at all, but our big screen TV croaked this past Sunday morning. On the day of a Cowboys game, that is like a national disaster. Apparently, there is a part thingy that we have already had to have replaced once before that went out again, and it would cost about $300 to fix for the second time. So we start shopping around, and your daddy realizes that he can get a brand new plasma TV for $800! And we would be paying $600 total to repair this enormous dinosaur again. My vote is to just get a new, much thinner, more streamlined TV.
So we headed to Best Buy to ask some questions and see the options. Apparently I came across as a bit bossy, because I made your daddy a bit upset by refusing to even consider the bigger sizes. I actually remember saying in a huffy voice that we already have a huge TV that is a complete eyesore (giant, black, takes up a whole wall) and that I didn't want the next one to look so ostentatious! He hates when I toss out big words...
The thing is, it occurred to me that we could take a mission trip to Guatemala with that money, or feed a whole orphanage of children for one day! Or we could replace the tile floor in our house that has cracked. Ugh, so much to consider. And on top of that (or more appropriately, below that) we have to find a piece of furniture for the TV to sit on. Our big screen now is so big that all the equipment sits on top. So now, we have to find some kind of cabinet to put all the stuff in, with the TV on top.
We have saved our money and are being responsible, but it is still tough to spend that much and not think it over completely. Yet another example of me being the spender and Daddy being the saver. I want to just run to the Pottery Barn outlet and buy any cabinet that I really like and go get the TV. He wants to shop everywhere and find the best deal. We compromised and agreed that he was in charge of picking the TV and I get to pick the furniture.
So this one is my favorite, but it costs WAY more than the whole TV. Ridiculous. Anyone know of any really cool resale shops where you can find furniture? I would be up for refinishing or repainting something too...
I am just hoping that someday you will actually sit through an entire movie and be thankful for all the stressing and shopping that we went through to get a TV. All week we haven't been able to watch anything recorded on the DVR, and I actually had to sit through all the commercials last night to watch a 2 HOUR LONG season premiere. Dreadful. And your daddy feels so deprived. The other night we were sitting on the couch after dinner and he goes, "You know how some people just live without a TV and say that it allows for more conversations? Well, it just sucks." And we both died laughing. Thank goodness he is so entertaining all by himself!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Girl on the Go
It's apparently a very busy life when you are ten months old. So close to standing on your own, so many places you can explore on your hands and knees. I am still thankful that almost all of the things you do, you do with a smile (and sometimes scrunchy face).
The thought of you getting too big for your jumperoo is just too sad to contemplate. We are enjoying it for as long as we can!
Someday I will look back at this picture and be amazed that you could stand up and not even bump your head on the cabinet...
You are really starting to remember people too. Even though our family is far away, they want to spend tons of time with you so that you know and love them just as much as they love you!
It won't be long before you want to do everything by yourself, I am sure. Daddy caught you reading your favorite book, "Busy Chickens" to yourself the other night before bed.
I just loved this picture of you talking on the phone. Gotta keep practicing your "Hi!"
The thought of you getting too big for your jumperoo is just too sad to contemplate. We are enjoying it for as long as we can!
Someday I will look back at this picture and be amazed that you could stand up and not even bump your head on the cabinet...
You are really starting to remember people too. Even though our family is far away, they want to spend tons of time with you so that you know and love them just as much as they love you!
It won't be long before you want to do everything by yourself, I am sure. Daddy caught you reading your favorite book, "Busy Chickens" to yourself the other night before bed.
I just loved this picture of you talking on the phone. Gotta keep practicing your "Hi!"
First Day of Fall
Hi Baby,
Thanks for always being so cheery and fun. Last night while Mommy was at bible study, you ran a few errands with Daddy and came home later than your normal dinner time. He said you were so good, that you ate quickly, took a bath, and were happy to play a bit with him before bedtime. You two spent a lot of time together this past week, so apparently you are best buds now.
I have to brag on you a bit. I can't believe how smart you are getting. We have had a little ring toy laying around for a while now, and you have always liked pulling them off one by one. Just this past week, you figured out how to put them back on with some super concentration - it is adorable how slowly you aim for the middle part and clap for yourself when you get them all on in the right order. Mommy loves it.
And just this morning, we were walking past Joe Dog on our way out the door (we always wave and tell him to be a good boy), and I could have SWORN that you told him "Hi." I will hold out from marking it down as your official first word until I hear it again, but I got so excited and couldn't believe your brilliance. Next up, physics lectures. I am sure of it.
You have really gotten good at holding onto things with one hand and walking around. You love to dig through the tupperware cabinet in the kitchen (the only one without a child safety lock on it). And you just had your first wrestling match with Daddy. He said you were hilarious, that you would throw both arms up in the air and just fall over onto him laughing. Mrs. Cara has probably seen you practicing your moves with Ainslee for quite a while now, but Daddy was so happy to finally get to play with you like a big girl.
Well, today is the first official day of fall, and it is actually below 70 degrees and raining here. It just makes me feel like the end of your first year is approaching and a bit sad. Gotta get on that birthday planning, for you and for Daddy!
And we are still contemplating Halloween costumes. Daddy hears all the time that he looks like Mark Mcgwire (former baseball player), and I have to agree. See?
So he suggested that he dress up like him, and I could go in a lab coat from the company that supposedly sold him steroids. Very family friendly, don't you think? Okay, we'll keep working on it...
Thanks for always being so cheery and fun. Last night while Mommy was at bible study, you ran a few errands with Daddy and came home later than your normal dinner time. He said you were so good, that you ate quickly, took a bath, and were happy to play a bit with him before bedtime. You two spent a lot of time together this past week, so apparently you are best buds now.
I have to brag on you a bit. I can't believe how smart you are getting. We have had a little ring toy laying around for a while now, and you have always liked pulling them off one by one. Just this past week, you figured out how to put them back on with some super concentration - it is adorable how slowly you aim for the middle part and clap for yourself when you get them all on in the right order. Mommy loves it.
And just this morning, we were walking past Joe Dog on our way out the door (we always wave and tell him to be a good boy), and I could have SWORN that you told him "Hi." I will hold out from marking it down as your official first word until I hear it again, but I got so excited and couldn't believe your brilliance. Next up, physics lectures. I am sure of it.
You have really gotten good at holding onto things with one hand and walking around. You love to dig through the tupperware cabinet in the kitchen (the only one without a child safety lock on it). And you just had your first wrestling match with Daddy. He said you were hilarious, that you would throw both arms up in the air and just fall over onto him laughing. Mrs. Cara has probably seen you practicing your moves with Ainslee for quite a while now, but Daddy was so happy to finally get to play with you like a big girl.
Well, today is the first official day of fall, and it is actually below 70 degrees and raining here. It just makes me feel like the end of your first year is approaching and a bit sad. Gotta get on that birthday planning, for you and for Daddy!
And we are still contemplating Halloween costumes. Daddy hears all the time that he looks like Mark Mcgwire (former baseball player), and I have to agree. See?
So he suggested that he dress up like him, and I could go in a lab coat from the company that supposedly sold him steroids. Very family friendly, don't you think? Okay, we'll keep working on it...
Friday, September 18, 2009
Swine Flu Survivor
Cameroni,
Your Mommy has missed you so much these last few days. I started to feel bad on Tuesday night and woke up at 4:00 am to a horrible fever and achiness all over. The doctor just around the corner from our house could miraculously see me that afternoon, and confirmed that I had a 104 degree fever and a positive test for Influenza A - which they were assuming and treating as the the dreaded swine flu!!! The doctor told me that it was actually a milder strain going around now than it will be later this winter, so maybe it was a blessing to get it now. He said most people are better in 3-4 days, which in my case was accurate.
But man, did those three days go by miserably. As if the fever and aches weren't bad enough, the medicine that I got, Tamiflu, is apparently the chemotherapy of flu treatments. It apparently has to almost kill you to make you feel better. I was suddenly feverish, then had chills, then I couldn't keep any food down. I am all for losing a few pounds, but the flu is not the way to do it! The first two days, I barely left our bed at all. Your Daddy said the best way to not contaminate the whole house and get both of you sick too was for me to just avoid contact with the rest of the house. We tried to keep everything super sanitized with Lysol and bleach wipes and hand sanitizer, and as hard as it was, I think it really did help. (Wish I could go back in time and give myself a heads up that spraying Lysol on your new dark bronze door handle will actually ruin the finish, but hey...)
The hardest part was that I couldn't go anywhere or touch anything or anyone. Thank goodness that Mrs. Cara didn't freak out and still let you spend the days with her and Ainslee. She figured they had already been exposed to my germiness earlier in the week, so what good would it be for you to be stuck home around me even more? I just missed holding you and giving you kisses. Thursday night, I cried watching Daddy feed you dinner because you seemed so happy and content and I just felt like I was missing out. I even asked if maybe I could put you to bed if I took a shower and used lots of hand sanitizer, but Daddy said we had been doing so well and had better stick to our guns. I just had to settle for you waving to me every morning before you left and each night before you Daddy put you to bed, but mommies need more than just waves! It was like I was stuck in prison or something! Just miserable.
Your Daddy had to pull double duty this week, driving you everywhere, doing all the dishes, going to the grocery store. I told him it was a taste of being a single dad, and he said he didn't know how people manage like that. Fortunately, you seemed to barely notice how one-sided things were. You seemed happy to have all that extra Daddy time and he said he loved getting to spend so much time with you too.
So I think I am slowly getting over the hump. Yesterday, I only made it out of bed to shower, and today I managed to get out of bed long enough to wash all the sheets. So much better. And I managed to keep down a real dinner. I was getting really tired of counting Gatorade as a meal. Mostly, I wanted to say thank you to all the people that have told us that they are praying for us - for me to feel better quickly and for you and Daddy to stay healthy and avoid this flu. Friends, co-workers, even your Grandma's church group! And I think it is working. I guess having a paranoid husband who works in the medical industry can come in handy. :)
And here's his bad joke of the day: A friend sent a text asking if I was feeling better, and Bo responded, "Much better. The doctor gave her some OINKment." sigh.
Your Mommy has missed you so much these last few days. I started to feel bad on Tuesday night and woke up at 4:00 am to a horrible fever and achiness all over. The doctor just around the corner from our house could miraculously see me that afternoon, and confirmed that I had a 104 degree fever and a positive test for Influenza A - which they were assuming and treating as the the dreaded swine flu!!! The doctor told me that it was actually a milder strain going around now than it will be later this winter, so maybe it was a blessing to get it now. He said most people are better in 3-4 days, which in my case was accurate.
But man, did those three days go by miserably. As if the fever and aches weren't bad enough, the medicine that I got, Tamiflu, is apparently the chemotherapy of flu treatments. It apparently has to almost kill you to make you feel better. I was suddenly feverish, then had chills, then I couldn't keep any food down. I am all for losing a few pounds, but the flu is not the way to do it! The first two days, I barely left our bed at all. Your Daddy said the best way to not contaminate the whole house and get both of you sick too was for me to just avoid contact with the rest of the house. We tried to keep everything super sanitized with Lysol and bleach wipes and hand sanitizer, and as hard as it was, I think it really did help. (Wish I could go back in time and give myself a heads up that spraying Lysol on your new dark bronze door handle will actually ruin the finish, but hey...)
The hardest part was that I couldn't go anywhere or touch anything or anyone. Thank goodness that Mrs. Cara didn't freak out and still let you spend the days with her and Ainslee. She figured they had already been exposed to my germiness earlier in the week, so what good would it be for you to be stuck home around me even more? I just missed holding you and giving you kisses. Thursday night, I cried watching Daddy feed you dinner because you seemed so happy and content and I just felt like I was missing out. I even asked if maybe I could put you to bed if I took a shower and used lots of hand sanitizer, but Daddy said we had been doing so well and had better stick to our guns. I just had to settle for you waving to me every morning before you left and each night before you Daddy put you to bed, but mommies need more than just waves! It was like I was stuck in prison or something! Just miserable.
Your Daddy had to pull double duty this week, driving you everywhere, doing all the dishes, going to the grocery store. I told him it was a taste of being a single dad, and he said he didn't know how people manage like that. Fortunately, you seemed to barely notice how one-sided things were. You seemed happy to have all that extra Daddy time and he said he loved getting to spend so much time with you too.
So I think I am slowly getting over the hump. Yesterday, I only made it out of bed to shower, and today I managed to get out of bed long enough to wash all the sheets. So much better. And I managed to keep down a real dinner. I was getting really tired of counting Gatorade as a meal. Mostly, I wanted to say thank you to all the people that have told us that they are praying for us - for me to feel better quickly and for you and Daddy to stay healthy and avoid this flu. Friends, co-workers, even your Grandma's church group! And I think it is working. I guess having a paranoid husband who works in the medical industry can come in handy. :)
And here's his bad joke of the day: A friend sent a text asking if I was feeling better, and Bo responded, "Much better. The doctor gave her some OINKment." sigh.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
The Wonder of Genetics
Mommy came across this picture tonight and WOW. Check this out.
Daddy's Scrunchy Face
Cameron's Scrunchy Face
In the words of Maury Povich (such a classy show), Bo - you ARE the father!
Daddy's Scrunchy Face
Cameron's Scrunchy Face
In the words of Maury Povich (such a classy show), Bo - you ARE the father!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Catching up... Labor Day Weekend
It's finally time to catch up on Labor Day Weekend! We made the trip to Abilene on Saturday morning and you were so excited to get out of your car seat. I just keep telling myself that eventually you will be able to watch a movie and sit quietly, but those four hours just seemed to crawl by. We went to your Uncle Jordan's Pop Warner football game that evening, celebrated your Great Grandpa Bill's birthday on Sunday, and had one last pool party of the year at Brittney's house. Here are just a few pictures from the weekend, but of course we were having so much fun we forgot to take some during most of our visits.
Here is just one piece of evidence of the powers of intoxication that the Lovey possesses.
You had such a good time at the football game with your Savta. She carried you around everywhere since the bleachers were a disaster for crawling!
And your Sabba kept you entertained with his keys, your new favorite thing.
Here's Daddy's impressive diving skills, just showing off to Ryan at the pool party. Flying Squirrel!
Emerson had waited all week to see you. She is saying so many new things, including calling you "Cami." And when you ask what her name is, "Emmi!"
It was party time with all the cousins together at Brittney's house.
Your Great Grandma was excited to see how well you are standing and your little steps when you hold onto things. She knows we will be chasing you around by Christmas!
And Mommy's shades look fabulous on you as well. They are my last resort toy to give you... Which explains why they have bite marks, smudges everywhere, and are slightly bent. But hey, whatever will work for the four hour drive back home, right?
Here is just one piece of evidence of the powers of intoxication that the Lovey possesses.
You had such a good time at the football game with your Savta. She carried you around everywhere since the bleachers were a disaster for crawling!
And your Sabba kept you entertained with his keys, your new favorite thing.
Here's Daddy's impressive diving skills, just showing off to Ryan at the pool party. Flying Squirrel!
Emerson had waited all week to see you. She is saying so many new things, including calling you "Cami." And when you ask what her name is, "Emmi!"
It was party time with all the cousins together at Brittney's house.
Your Great Grandma was excited to see how well you are standing and your little steps when you hold onto things. She knows we will be chasing you around by Christmas!
And Mommy's shades look fabulous on you as well. They are my last resort toy to give you... Which explains why they have bite marks, smudges everywhere, and are slightly bent. But hey, whatever will work for the four hour drive back home, right?
New Tricks
Brilliant Girl,
You are learning so many new tricks! This weekend you became a clapping maniac and have really enjoyed trying to make the same motorboat noise as Daddy. Of course, you usually just end up spitting everywhere, but it's still cute.
Next up, Daddy is trying to teach you where your nose is...
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
If you notice Mommy limping....
It's because I let Daddy pick some exercises for me to do last night. I know it is seriously whiny of me to complain after a ten-minute workout, but hey, that's what I do.
Before you arrived, Cameron, Mommy had just started going to a gym and enjoying some group classes. I had lost a few pounds, and was super excited to buy a smaller size of clothing (a size I am not even fantasizing of fitting into any time soon). I love to do yoga and really love how relaxed it makes me feel when I am all stretched and pleasantly tired. Since I am SO not a fan of running, I figure I had better stick to exercises that don't make me sweat uncontrollably or make me want to throw up.
But the problem is that now, we have a pretty tight routine to our days. I don't want to leave you at Cara's house for an eternity (and I am sure she wouldn't appreciate that either), so I try to leave work as close to 5:00 as possible and inch my way through traffic to pick you up. It usually takes somewhere between 35 minutes and several centuries. But then we have to hurry home to feed you dinner and hang out before you go to bed at 8:30. Seeing you for only 3 hours a day just sounds terrible, but that is the reality of a commuting working mom.
So the thought of still trying to go to the gym is just ridiculous. I already have my Monday night bible study, so I don't want to miss out on more time. But the thought occured to me last night that I should stick to baby steps. (Your daddy said that I can't buy an eliptical because I already have a Wii fit that I never use.) Maybe I can start doing easy exercises at home that don't require any equipment at all.
Since your daddy is a Licensed Athletic Trainer AND a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, I figured I should put his expertise to good use. So I suggested that every night before we go to bed (which he informed me is not actually a good time at all for exercising) that we each do three short exercises of the other's choosing.
Of course, he immediately said "three sets of ten" of whatever, which I had to remind him was not at all what I signed up for. We compromised at two sets of ten, and I gotta tell you, it was killer. I haven't exercised ANYTHING in way too long. Here's what I was unfortunately assigned: backward lunges (focuses on your booty), squats, and pushups. And I couldn't even finish.
Is that sad or what? The lunges killed me. I am actually still sore today, even after some good stretching and a quick massage on my thighs. I am a disgrace! But am I thinking about how good this is for me, how much I need to take care of this body so that I will be healthy and have more energy?
No. I am thinking that I need to do some research to find the most strenuous and potentially painful exercises to make your daddy do tonight. Google, don't let me down!
Before you arrived, Cameron, Mommy had just started going to a gym and enjoying some group classes. I had lost a few pounds, and was super excited to buy a smaller size of clothing (a size I am not even fantasizing of fitting into any time soon). I love to do yoga and really love how relaxed it makes me feel when I am all stretched and pleasantly tired. Since I am SO not a fan of running, I figure I had better stick to exercises that don't make me sweat uncontrollably or make me want to throw up.
But the problem is that now, we have a pretty tight routine to our days. I don't want to leave you at Cara's house for an eternity (and I am sure she wouldn't appreciate that either), so I try to leave work as close to 5:00 as possible and inch my way through traffic to pick you up. It usually takes somewhere between 35 minutes and several centuries. But then we have to hurry home to feed you dinner and hang out before you go to bed at 8:30. Seeing you for only 3 hours a day just sounds terrible, but that is the reality of a commuting working mom.
So the thought of still trying to go to the gym is just ridiculous. I already have my Monday night bible study, so I don't want to miss out on more time. But the thought occured to me last night that I should stick to baby steps. (Your daddy said that I can't buy an eliptical because I already have a Wii fit that I never use.) Maybe I can start doing easy exercises at home that don't require any equipment at all.
Since your daddy is a Licensed Athletic Trainer AND a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, I figured I should put his expertise to good use. So I suggested that every night before we go to bed (which he informed me is not actually a good time at all for exercising) that we each do three short exercises of the other's choosing.
Of course, he immediately said "three sets of ten" of whatever, which I had to remind him was not at all what I signed up for. We compromised at two sets of ten, and I gotta tell you, it was killer. I haven't exercised ANYTHING in way too long. Here's what I was unfortunately assigned: backward lunges (focuses on your booty), squats, and pushups. And I couldn't even finish.
Is that sad or what? The lunges killed me. I am actually still sore today, even after some good stretching and a quick massage on my thighs. I am a disgrace! But am I thinking about how good this is for me, how much I need to take care of this body so that I will be healthy and have more energy?
No. I am thinking that I need to do some research to find the most strenuous and potentially painful exercises to make your daddy do tonight. Google, don't let me down!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
