Under where?

I just made you say underwear. All joking aside though, Elizabeth has discovered that she can lower her head to crawl under things - and so that's usually where we find her. Under the table, under the microwave cart, under the chairs, and periodically stuck between the horizontal bar that holds the chair legs together and the seat itself. This usually happens when she tries to crawl over the bar. Of course, I never have a camera ready when this happens but if I manage to get one soon, you will all see. She even goes as far as to lay her head and body completely on the floor and army crawl in order to get under something. It's a hoot. Oh, and Happy Halloween!!

I'm officially un-pregnant!!!!

Most of you know my opinion on breastfeeding and pregnancy. For those of you who don't, it is my opinion that as long as you are breastfeeding, you are still a little bit pregnant. And while I certainly condone breastfeeding and all the health benefits and 'bonding' that some women experience, it is something that I have never enjoyed. So, my milk supply has dwindled to the point that after nursing, Elizabeth continues crying and will drink 4-6 oz of formula (the same amount that she drinks if we don't nurse first). So, I figure I can be done. As I'm sure most of you haven't kept count, I've done the math for you. Today is my first offical day of un-pregnancy in over three years!!! Happy day to me!

so close...

We have made half-hearted attemps at breaking Julia from the binky habit for several months now. It usually goes something like this...No binks during the day, but she can have it for sleep time. After a couple of weeks, it's going pretty well so I think, next week we'll take it away at night too. Then she gets sick. You know, the sick where she whines all day and doesn't sleep enough anyway. So I inevitably give it back to her to save her sanity and mine. However, for the past 2 or so weeks, she has been waking up between 5 and 6:30 screaming for her bink which she has generally either lost beside her pillow or thrown across the room knowing that she won't go back to sleep without it. Smart little bugger. It didn't take long for me to decide that I'd had enough of that and so on Sunday we quit cold-turkey. I'm amazed at how many binks she's had stashed in random places. She's like a squirrel or something. No wonder we could never find one when we needed it. She has found them in the most random places. Like the one she hid in the bathroom cabinet....but I digress. The good news? Yesterdays nap and bedtime last night were scream free. Today's nap has required about 5 minutes of crying, but I'm confident we are almost there. And, I stand by my opinion that it's much easier to have a bad week of breaking the habit than two years trying to keep them pacified without it. Well, that's the long of it. We are (at least for one child) bink free!!

croutons

So this is really a pointless blog but as I sit eating my salad with delicious, crunchy, cheese and garlic croutons on top, I'm becoming increasingly frustrated. Croutons can make or break a salad. They add depth of texture and the flavors are incredible. So, why the frustration? Well, you can't eat a salad with a spoon and you can't eat a crouton with a fork. I keep trying to stab these things and they crumble - which brings me to my epiphany. We need pre-crushed croutons for salad toppings. That way, we get the crunch, the flavor, and the tiny pieces should stick to the dressing well enough for pleasurable consumption.

bittersweet release

I was released today from my calling as a counselor in the R.S. presidency. I can't believe what a feeling of relief I have. It didn't feel like a great burden while I was there so I didn't really expect to feel much lighter-but I do. Then I look back and just hope that I learned what I needed to and served the way I was supposed to. Suddenly what I could have done better is obvious. But mostly I'm excited. Some fantastic new women have been called to those positions and I'm really excited about that.

Pictures of the short-lived pet

I promised pics of the pet worm but I find I'm getting lazy in my blogging. So even though they are a bit late, they are here. Have you ever seen a kid so happy about a worm?

Julia's new...um...pet?

Julia and I were outside a few days ago and she spies a worm making its way across the driveway - but not quick enough. Thinking she is somehow related to me and will be grossed out by a worm, I suggest she look at it closer. Apparently, she is 100% David's child b/c she quickly reached out to 'pet' it. It, of course, curled up in defense which sent her into hysterics. I don't know my child at all. So, of course, this cycle of petting the worm and laughing outrageously continued for about 10 minutes, when she gets a bit more bravado. She picks up the worm and hugs it! Gross! Puts it right up under her chin like a little puppy and pets it over and over. Obviously, worms aren't made for this kind of treatment and he eventually came apart. Julia looked at me and said, 'worm broke.' Everyday since we've had to go out 'hunting' for worms. Not being much of an animal person myself, there is a good chance that this is the closest thing she will have to a pet for a very long time. I'll post pics of Julia and her 'friend' later. It was humorous.

I'm officially a mom!

Ok, I guess I officially became a mom over 2 years ago. But the telling sign appeared yesterday. It's 4:30 in the afternoon. David has to go to work at 6 and I realize I've forgotten that my family might want to eat. So, what do I make for dinner? The first thing that comes to mind. Not spaghetti, not some other easy fast meal that still constitutes dinner. Nope, grilled cheese and tater tots. Yep, like a day care or public school lunch that has to be served for the masses. Now, we all have weak moments where we don't give it our all in the culinary department, so maybe this was mine you say? Nope. The interesting thing was that there was not one tot or grilled cheese square left. However, the lasagna I made last Tuesday...I had to give away just to get it out of the fridge. And it's not entirely because I'm a terrible cook (though that may have contributed somewhat). I think I've just entered the mom stage where real food ceases to exist. If it can't be prepared in 20 minutes or less, it must not be food.

A day at Perkin's farm

gotta love belly shirts

Julia LOVES Laura!! She's one of the few people Julia is excited to see outside of family and other babies.


Yes, the turkey mooned me as I tried to take her picture (I think it's a her...the male turkey died as a result of a goat incident...funny story)
Julia doesn't actually like bell peppers, but always wants to taste one when she sees it. She then quickly says 'like it' which means 'I don't like it' and gives it back.


Julia's nursery leader lives 'out in the country' and has a host of not-so-usual pets. So, I thought it would be fun for Julia to go see the interesting animals. An abbreviated list includes a goat named billy, a turkey, some chickens, pot-belly pigs, horses, and dogs. Oh, and a couple of geese. Sister Perkins (Julia's nursery leader) has three sons, two of which Julia is particularly fond. I thought I'd post some pics of our day with Laura, Jesse, and Matthew and their pets. Thanks so much for letting us come!

It worked!!!

Yea for picasa. Boo for flickr. You may notice my slideshow up and running in under 10 min. To think, I had spent over a week trying to get one loaded from flickr. Thanks to a friend's tip, you can hopefully view a series of pics that are either too old to tell the story or they don't have one of particular interest. Enjoy...(Thanks Alia)

Firsts for Elizabeth

So not long ago, you all were able to see Elizabeth crawl. Yesterday, her first and second tooth came through. So today I figure she's all grown up and I give her a grilled cheese sandwhich for lunch. Not necessarily something I would recommend others offer an 8 month old, but E loved it. It's amazig what they can gum at this age. Maybe later I'll serve her steak and twice baked potatoes...maybe not.

Tenley May is here!

Wanda and Ryan's daughter was born Sep 30 after what seems to me to be a ridiculously long labor (though it was pretty normal by most standards). Mom and baby are both healthy and apparently she has a head full of sandy blond hair! Who would have guessed? The crazy thing...since Wanda tested pos for group B strep, baby had to stay 48 hrs. That's not odd but since the hospital is so overloaded, Wanda was released this morning and baby can't leave the maternity ward till tonight - just because there are too many women having babies right now! What was Pennsylvania up to 9 months ago? I guess we all know. When Wanda arrived, she had to wait a couple of hours before getting a room herself. There she was, wandering the halls at 4 cm. Crazy. I'm way too used the the cushiness of Southeast Hosp. I guess I was spoiled. Anyway, Congrats to Ryan and Wanda!