Saturday, March 31, 2007

Old Friends and Conference Weekend

This weekend has already been a good one and it's not even over yet! Yesterday I was able to meet up with my old friend Amber. We were roommates in Rogers Hall together the summer of 1998 and it was seriously one of the best summers I have ever had - so I have lots of fond memories of her and those days. Amber and her husband and little boy live in Tucson which is only about an hour and a half to two hours away from where I live. In the 2 1/2 years that they've lived here though . . . we've never managed to get together. But finally on Friday it worked out! (Thank You to Rob for letting me be a Stay at Home Mom!) Amber, Luke (her husband) and Jackson were coming up to the Phoenix area to do some shopping at Ikea and decided to make a whole afternoon of it. So we met at my favorite gelato place in town - Angel Sweet - catch up a little bit. It was so fun! I just wish she lived closer. I would put a picture of us from that summer in here but my scrapbook of freshman year was stolen when I went on vacation to Florida after the year - so I really don't have that many!

Today was a fabulous day of conference and I was really excited for this afternoon session because President Monson talked about my aunt Misti! If anyone was listening or watching - President Monson talked about the little blonde girl in the balcony that knew she would get her answer by going to Conference. Misti is my dad's youngest sister and my favorite aunt on that side. Plus she has the cutest kids ever and another on the way! It was exciting to me to hear that story and to be reminded again how a decision at age 8 can make a difference for the rest of your lives and for other generations to come.



My Aunt Misti, Uncle Bob, And cousins


In between conference sessions - my sister in law Erin gave me a much needed hair cut. Thanks Erin! I don't feel nearly as frumpy anymore. :)

And during Priesthood session - Nicole and I met up at Red Robin for a little gab session and some yummy food. I never get to go there since Rob isn't a huge fan of the place. And Ellie was nice enough to sleep the whole time and let us talk.

Oh and Ellie slept 6 hours straight last night! I think that is definitely helping my mood today. I woke up in a panic after 6 hours wondering if I just didn't wake up when she was crying earlier but I'm pretty sure I would have heard her since she sleeps right next to my bed in the bassinet! Let's hope she keeps up this good sleeping.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Friends

I have been neglecting the blog the last week because I've been lucky to have some of my best friends come and visit! First Jen came down from Utah to hang out with me and Nicole and see Baby Ellie. Unfortunately I forgot to take any pictures! Then Shanna came from Virgina/DC to see us. It was fun to hang out although I wish both of them lived a lot closer!!



"Aunt" Shanna, Ellie and I



Ellie had a really rough week a couple weeks ago (or maybe it was me that had the rough week) but she has been so great lately and besides my lack of sleep - I couldn't be happier to be a mom to her! She has been sleeping more regularly again and Nicole finally got her to take a pacifier/binkie and since then she has been able to go a lot longer between feedings and we've had less spit up. So props to "Aunt" Nicole! She is just getting the chubbiest little cheeks and they are just adorable!! I love it.



Finally using a pacifier!



Sunday we took Ellie to church for the first time. Nicole and Shanna helped me pick out a cute new outfit for her at the mall on Saturday since she doesn't fit into any of her 0-3 month clothes still (although she is finally outgrowing the newborn size). She was great during church! Pretty much slept through the whole thing and let "Aunt" Shanna hold her the whole time.



Ellie in her adorable Sunday dress




I just liked this last picture because she totally fell asleep with her hand wrapped tightly around Rob's chin! He got up from laying on the couch and she wouldn't let go of her strong grip on his chin.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Dogwalking with Baby - Take 2

So I was brave today and decided to try walking my dogs with the baby again. Only this time - I stuck Ellie in the Peanut Shell (sling). Thanks to Kristen for this great purchase idea! I wasn't sure if I was using this sling right so I've been putting Ellie in it for just a little bit each day. Like her car seat - she really isn't too fond of it when she is first in it but then gets used to it and usually will fall asleep. It was so much easier to manage my dogs with both hands available! Although I forgot how hot it was outside (currently 93 degrees!!) so that part wasn't very fun. I guess in the summer I will have to be up early to walk the dogs!! I think this Peanut Shell is going to come in really handy. :)

Friday, March 16, 2007

Baby Insomnia

Can newborns have some form of insomnia? It sure seemed like Ellie was dealing with it yesterday!! She took maybe 1 hour worth of naps between 10 a.m. on Thursday morning until 1 a.m. on Friday morning. It was quite bizarre. She's had other days where she is awake alot but never that much. And she wasn't even really fussy or anything. Granted - I had to be in sight at all times or she would get fussy but she was pretty happy to just stare around. I was the one struggling because I wanted a nap and she would seem to cry every time I closed my eyes. I also learned yesterday that I can sleep in a sitting position! I started nursing Ellie right at the very end of the Late Late Show last night hoping it would entice her to fall asleep since she doesn't take a binky/pacifier or anything . ... well that time apparently worked because I woke up around 2:30 still sitting up with my back against the headboard of the bed and holding Ellie in my arms (she was asleep too). Kind of scared me a little because I hear those stories of people accidentally rolling over their babies when they fall asleep like that or suffocating them accidentally or whatever. I really think that is the tiredest I have ever been though! And Rob was gone on a scouting activity so that didn't help matters! At least today she is going on a 2 hour nap so far - thank goodness!

Thursday, March 15, 2007

One Month Old

Eliza is one month old today! I can hardly believe how fast this last month has gone. It doesn't quite seem real yet!! I decided to copy an idea that I saw from one of my friends and take a picture with a little sign on the 15th of every month and help my scrapbook pages along. I'm going to take some more later but here are a few from this morning.


Ellie startled by the camera flash



About to cry . . .



Sleeping peacefully in her carseat




I decided to take Ellie and the dogs on a walk during lunch before it got too hot here (high is in the low 90's today). Bad idea! Ellie loves being outside but not a good idea to try and walk my dogs while pushing a stroller. I think Ellie is going to have to get used to the sling or the baby bjorn before I can walk my dogs and take her outside at the same time. Live and learn though!

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

No More Trees

After 2 years of living in this house - we finally got rid of all of the trees in our backyard! Apparently the people that lived in this house before us wanted an orchard in their backyard (no joke) and they had planted 5 lemon trees, 3 orange trees, a fig tree, and a Christmas tree (yes a Christmas tree in Arizona). Only 4 of the trees actually got fruit on them though - at least while we have lived here. Rob started the project a couple weeks ago but on Saturday him and his business partner Ron took care of our 2 huge lemon trees, our orange tree and the fig tree. I used to be really opposed to taking these trees out until I realized how much work they are to take care of and how much fruit they produce! I had lemons coming out my ears - I couldn't give them away fast enough. And the orange tree only produced 30 oranges a year so not a very productive tree. We now have a completely empty backyard and just need to figure out what to do with it! We're thinking of putting in some grass, maybe a bbq area, and then maybe a built in spa. We looked into the "spool" idea some more but due to where the electrical lines run in our backyard - it would be put in a really odd place in the backyard . . .so our next house! :) Roxy and Max are loving this backyard right now. I look outside during the day and they are literally running laps across the backyard. It's hilarious to see.





In Ellie news . . .she is growing bigger and bigger by the day! I've had to learn to be very accomodating with any sort of schedule I have planned. Some days she wants to sleep all day, other days she wants to eat every hour and only take 30 minute naps. So I never know what kind of a day it is going to be! Luckily she's so cute that I am willing to put up with it. lol. I never realized how much of a schedule and planner I was until I couldn't do it anymore!

Here are a couple of pictures of her with her Grandma Bodine (Rob's mom) and her Great Grandma DeYoung (Rob's grandma). I need to take more pictures again - I've been slacking lately!


Monday, March 05, 2007

Backyard Fun

Rob needed to test out a piece of machinery that he uses for work and I've always hated the trees in our backyard - so Rob was nice enough to tear down 4 of the 8 trees in our backyard on Saturday. It was quite entertaining to watch him use the excavator but he was pretty good at it by the end. We need a bigger bucket before we can tear down the remaining 4 trees . . but it's a start! Since Rob is now in the pool building business - his business partner is trying to talk us into building a "spool" (basicaly a cross between a spa and pool) in our backyard. We have plenty of room to add one in - I'm just not sure how much longer we will stay in this house. The price would be right since they could do almost all the work themselves. So we'll see. Maybe we'll get a spool put in and people will come to visit more often! :)







In Ellie news - she had her 2 week check up today and weighed in at a hefty 7 lbs 12 ounces. The doctor was surprised that she has already almost put on 2 pounds since she was born. I have to say that I'm not too surprised since I feel like I'm nursing 24/7! What can I say though? She takes after her mother and likes to eat! Hopefully she'll inhereit our metabolism too.

Saturday, March 03, 2007

What do you think?

So we finally got a new printer that lets me scan pictures! While we were setting it up - we found my old scrapbook with some of my baby pictures in it. There really aren't a ton of baby pictures of me (I know cameras weren't as good then!) but we found this one and thought it really could be mistaken for Ellie if we didn't know better. Besides the huge ears I seem to have in this picture - what do you think?

Swing Fun

My in-laws were nice enough to buy us the Fisher Price Papasan Swing. Everyone that has this swing just raves about it and so far I've been loving it as well! Ellie wasn't quite sure what to think when we first put her in it. But she really likes the little mirror above her head and the music that plays. We just laugh at how tiny she looks in this swing!