Blog Every Day in May: A Favorite Photo

A Favorite Picture of Myself and Why

First off, I don't know why the picture isn't that clear.  I really hope I have a clear copy saved somewhere on my computer...

This is by far the coolest thing that has ever happened to me: being pregnant, giving birth, and raising a child.  And if for some reason I'm not able to experience pregnancy again, I'll always be grateful I got to experience it at all.

The picture was taken moments after my baby was handed to me for the first time.  I had no clue what to do next.  I had a relatively easy delivery, I think.  From the time my water broke the baby was out about 8 hours later.  I pushed for what seemed like eternity, but then again didn't seem that long at all.  I clearly wasn't timing it, and the hubs doesn't really remember...he thinks about an hour.  My lady parts went through the ringer, and the pushing on my belly after the baby was out was more painful then actual labor.  But even now as I think back on the occasion I get emotional.  I would do it again in a heartbeat.  And I couldn't have done it without Adam.  It was the first time that I felt I really needed him; that he was my family.  

Leading up to D-Day I had this grandiose idea in my head that I would look perfect when I got to the hospital.  (The idea being if I looked perfect when I first got there, I'd look okay when all was said and done.)  At the very least I wanted to have my hair done.  But it didn't work like that--at all.  My water broke shortly after I showered (at least I was able to do that)...and my hair was completely wet.  I tried to blow it dry a little, but my heart just wasn't in it... ;)  I should point out that my hair is NOT the kind that can ever air dry and look okay--ever.

I love this picture because it's raw and real.  No make-up, hair a mess, blood, sweat, and maybe even some tears (Adam's, not mine...j/k...kind of).  It is my greatest accomplishment.  I always said, if I never did anything else in life I wanted to be a wife and mother...and now I am.

Ten Things That Make Me Happy

Ten Things That Make Me Happy

In no particular order:

 1. Cookies! (and Brownies!)  I love, love, love homemade cookies.  Nothing makes me more happy then to eat homemade cookies.  I prefer the classic chocolate chip cookies or oatmeal chocolate chip.  But the MUST be made with milk chocolate chips!  I seriously don't get why everyone doesn't make chocolate chip cookies with milk chocolate chips.  I think the argument is that it will make them too sweet.  To that I say, not possible.

2. My baby girl.  She'll be a year old next month.  It's hard to believe I've had a baby for a year now.  She's cuter and smarter then any other baby I know.  (I'm completely biased.)  She is the best baby I could ask for.  She is sooo happy all. the. time.  It makes me really happy and life pretty easy.

 3. Psych.  Shawn and Gus.  The ultimate duo.  The show is entertaining without being inappropriate.  It's silly, clever, and lighthearted.  I love it.  Before we knew we were having a girl, with toyed with the name Gus or Shawn...yes, this show makes me smile!

4. Exercise.  I love working out.  I've been going to the gym since I was a teenager.  Fitness has always been an important aspect of my life.  After having a baby it was hard to figure out how to make going to the gym part of my routine.  But I've found a way; and that makes me very happy.

5. Basil.  I can't explain it exactly, but I love basil.  The smell, the taste...everything.  Tomato and basil is a GREAT combination.  Pesto is also one of my favorite sauces.  Basil is the best!

6. Fall.  The changing of the leaves, the brisk air, the cooler weather, the lingering sunshine...it's a great time of year.

7. A really good book.  Sometimes I have months between books because I'm afraid I'll start something that turns out to be no-good.  It's a weird excuse, I know.

8. Church.  My religion.  Having something to believe in.  Hope.

9. My little family.  The fact that I have a little family.  The hubs, the baby, and hopefully more babies...

10. Grocery Shopping.  I love walking up and down each aisle trying to figure out if I really need another bag of chocolate chips.  (I'm a hoarder of chocolate chips...I just never want to run out!  The hubs won't let me buy them if he's with me...so I buy double when he's not around.  My cupboard is bursting with a double-digit amount of chocolate chips...I love it!)

Another Post

Okay, now I'm just picking and choosing which prompts I actually do!  Haha...The hubs is off for the week so I haven't been doing much of anything.  I didn't even workout yesterday!  But we did go to the zoo, and Liliana loved it!  She's been do the zoo several times, but this was the first time she's been old enough to sit up in the stroller and also walk around.  The weather was perfect too.  We'll definitely be going a lot more this summer.  (Have I mentioned that the Omaha Zoo is easily in the Top 3 best zoos in the country??  It's amazing.)

Well the post/prompt I chose for today is: What do you miss? (a person, a thing, a place, a time of your life...)

A Time and Place I Miss...Sort Of

I have a pretty good life right now, and there's no one that isn't in my life that I wish was--does that make sense?  But there are certain aspects of my "pre-life" that I miss.  I grew up in So. Cal. and lived there until I was 25, and I loved it...so I miss that.  I miss the fabulous weather--all year-round.  I took that for granted, I think.  I didn't realize the rest of the country didn't have it as good as I did when it came to weather (and everything else).  Seriously.  Some times I think I grew up in a bubble.  I was blissfully unaware of the rest of the country, or rather I just thought the rest of the country was like California.  (Turns out, it's not...)  I miss living close to the beach (and mountains), being near some of the best shopping (hello South Coast Plaza and The Beverly Center), and I miss being on the cusp on all things Entertainment.  In Utah (where I went to college) the Pop radio stations played TuPac...from 1995!!!  They played some crazy old stuff...

Anyway, that's actually not the part I was going to say I missed.  When I was 21 I moved from Long Beach to Orange County (from there I lived in several parts of Orange County: Brea, Placentia, Anaheim, others)...I had a good job (that I didn't love, but it paid the bills and then some), I had great friends, and a fun life.  I miss going to Bagel Me in the mornings to get a whole-wheat bagel (I love all things whole wheat or multi-grain...I always have) and a root beer.  I did that almost every weekday morning for a couple months straight--at least!  I miss going to the gym...going to several gyms.  There are tons of 24 Hour Fitness gyms in California...that's not true almost anywhere else in the country!  Sometimes I miss being able to go where I want when I want.  I don't miss the traffic of So. Cal., but I got used to it and figure it took at least 30-45mins to get anywhere.  For the record, without traffic it took 15 minutes to get from my home to work.  I miss living close to In-n-Out.  

I miss a lot about California and Orange County...but I like where I'm at now.  It's not bad, just different.  But I'm really starting to feel like where I'm at now is home.

A Moment in My Day

I am wayyyy behind with this Blog Every Day in May thing....I've lost a little motivation, I guess.  The hubs has had the main computer with him this past week, so I haven't been able to do anything on the computer.  Then when the computer was available I just didn't have the drive to blog...I guess that's part of the challenge; blog even when you don't want to.

A Moment In Your Day

 

Saturday we attempted to go to a Farmer's Market, but it was colder then we thought and the wind was killing us.  So, after a few minutes there we decided get inside and check out the local Sheel's.  The store is huge, and they have everything...and it's all a bit more pricy then I'd like.  I am long over due for new running shoes, so I was able to try some on.  I found a pair I really liked...they're $110...A LOT more then I wanted to spend on shoes...so in this picture, I just thanked the sales woman for her time and told her I needed to talk to my husband before I made any decision.  So in this picture we found a little bench in the store to sit down on and talk about it.  Liliana was riding around in this ridiculous looking cart.  But she loved every minute of it.  It may look silly, but kids really seem to enjoy riding in it!...And that's a moment in my life. 

Fears

 

THE THING(S) I'M AFRAID OF THE MOST

Blog a day in May...I'm starting to like it.  At least it gives me something to blog about.  And today we're talking about our fears.  But not just any fears, are biggest ones.  For me, the thing (or perhaps things) that I'm most afraid of is that I won't be mother and wife I always thought I'd be...the one I want to be.  Well, that seems like something I should be able to easily avoid...but I know plenty of people (plenty?  probably not.  But I do know some) that start out the perfect mother and wife and turn..............crazy.  They become arguably the worst wives, mothers (that's all relative..."the worst").  I feel like I'm rambling, and not getting my point across.  All I'm saying is that I have the highest hopes for me to be the best wife and mother.  I want my husband to always be happy with me, and I want me kid (hopefully kids--plural--someday) to be think of me as the greatest mother.  I will do anything for them.  I want them to be able to count on me for love and support.  I worry that if I slack on my job to love and teach my child(ren) morals and values that they will look for validation through means that I completely disapprove of. 

To make a long story short...I'm afraid I'll fall short of my vision of the "perfect" wife and mother.  It will be hard work to obtain this goal.  But I feel it is of the utmost importance to do everything I can to be the perfect wife and mother for my family.

What I Do

Okay, I've already failed at blogging every day...but in my defense the hubs had the computer I use with him at school.  We technically have 3 computers, but two are older and in comparison they are annoying to use.  So I don't unless I have to...

WHAT I DO...or rather WHAT I DID (yesterday)

These days I don't have an tax-paying, report-to-my-boss kind of job.  I get to hang out with the cutest little girl.  Lately she's been waking up in the 6:30am range...she wakes up happy and plays until her first nap.  Shortly after she wakes up she eats breakfast and plays some more.  Usually, we get ready to go to the gym, but yesterday she seemed a little extra crabby and clingy so we didn't end up going.  (Hopefully she'll be okay today...it's not even 8am yet.)...Then we do random things, go visit friends, hang out at the library, go to the grocery store, and other stuff to keep busy.  The weather is finally starting to heat up so we'll start playing outside more.

Daddy is in the middle of his 2 weeks of finals.  Yesterday he completed his 4th final.  He comes home after the final (instead of staying to study more) and since I didn't workout in the morning I went running when he came home.  When I came back from my run I found the hubs and baby playing outside, so we hung out there for a little while.  Then we came home, made dinner (BLTs), and got the Snuggle Bug ready for bed.  After that we watched an episode of The Good Wife.  We are watching season 1 because my husband hasn't seen it...so I'm re-watching it with him.  Then off to bed...and we do it all again tomorrow.  Or a variation of it!

Things That Make Me Uncomfortable

This is the prompt for the Blog Every Day for day 2 or 3.  Since I started late I won't do all of the prompts, but I'll do this one, and maybe one other that I missed, then get back on track.

THINGS THAT MAKE ME UNCOMFORTABLE

1. Silence.  But only silence when I'm with people I'm meeting for the first time, or that I'm still getting to know.  I once had a friend that said one of the things she liked most about her now husband while they were first dating is that they could go on long car rides without saying anything to each other--just sit in silence.  This is so not me...I would be going crazy thinking of stuff to say!  Especially if I was in the newer stages of dating...oh no no no.

2. Other people's family fights.  Before I was married I really worried about taking my guy home to meet my family.  We have our share of problems.  I thought he would take one look at them and run for the hills.  I was legitimately afraid of bringing my future spouse home to meet my wacky, abnormal family.  I was so convinced that I was got a bum deal, and that everyone else's family was just fine and mine was crazy.  But as I meet more people (and their families) I realize that EVERYONE has issues in their families.  Almost everyone comes from a "crazy" family.  But that doesn't change the fact that I get uncomfortable being around said families while they're having a "crazy-moment".  When it's happening I try to will myself to just melt into the furtinure.  How do you get out of a situation like that?!

3. Parents yelling at young kids.  Everyone says you'll do things you never thought you would when you have kids of your own, but I certainly hope yelling in not one of them.  Especially in public.  The other day I saw a dad or grandpa yelling at his two young (under 5) boys in the parking lot of our apartment complex.  I wanted to scream out at him to stop yelling at his kids.  It makes me so sad and angry.  If you're bold enough to yell at your kids in public, you're probably doing it a lot inside the walls of your own home.  He was yelling at them to get out of the car faster or something, and I'm pretty sure they decided to move slower because of it.

4. The hubs rambling in public.  I never noticed it until recently, but he has a tendency to ramble and never get to the point of whatever it is he's trying to say.  He does this when semi-important people are talking to him.  I'm not even kidding, sometimes he'll stop talking mid-sentence.  Or he'll take 10 minutes to answer a yes or no question!  I'm not even making this up!  It makes me uncomfortable because I don't know why he does it.  He's very smart and articulate.  In fact, I would say speaking in public is one of his strong points.  Lately, I've taken to chiming in and answering questions for him.  Sometimes I worry what happens when I'm not around...

Blog Every Day in May

So this blog that I recently found (and love) is participating in "Blog Every Day in May".  It was initiated by another blogger that I haven't been following...but I soon will.  The idea is that I will blog every day during the month of May.  Obviously I'm slightly behind.  So I will try to make up as much as possible.  I'm doing this because I want to be more of a blogger, and since I have a hard time coming up with things to write about (sort of) I figured this was a great way to jump right in.  It's like in college when I'd be given a topic rather then coming up with one on my own...sooooo much easier this way.  Anyway, let's get started:

P.S.  Writing is all about revision.  I think any good writer will tell you that.  I was looking over past entries, and they were lacking the spunk and personality I intended.  So, I'm gonna start revising periodically!

ABOUT ME IN 250 WORDS OR LESS

I don't enjoy wearing make-up; the whole application and choosing colors is more then I want to do.  In my 20s I was able to get away with not wearing make-up, but now in my NOT-20s I'm starting to feel like my grace period is O-V-E-R. 

I grew up in beautiful and eventful southern California; Long Beach to be specific.  I went to school in Utah, and received my degree in English.  And yes I realize you're now looking at my spelling and grammar with a fine-tooth comb.  And my favorite book is usually the last thing I read.  And contrary to what you may have been taught, it is okay to start a sentence with "and"--although probably not three sentences in a row.

 I met the perfect man for me while working in South Carolina.  We got married a year later in the Los Angeles LDS Temple.  Our first child came two years after that.  I had a hard time adjusting to not having a job or being a "productive member of society".  However, I love to cook dinner every night, and I bake sweet treats all the time.  Exercise and healthy eating are important to me.

Scary movies are not my friends; even scary commercials will give me nightmares. I have many strong opinions on just about everything, but I choose to keep most of those controversial opinions to myself.

Life can be messy, but I love every minute of it--well almost every minute of it.

Pity, Party of One

Today I'm having a pity party...I just feel a little down.  I didn't go to the gym this morning--because I didn't feel like it.  (And I normally go every. single. day.)...I'm just a little down about my size...I've been my pre-pregnancy weight for a while now, but not my pre-pregnancy size.  How is that possible you ask?  I don't know, but trust me--it is.  I workout constantly, and I don't eat too crazy (well sometimes I do)...and yet I can't seem to get back to the size I was.  It's starting to get really, REALLY annoying.  And I refuse to be that "big" girl, so I haven't bought any new clothes.  Plus I stay at home, so there's really no need.  But seriously, what the heck?!  Some say that sometimes when you're nursing your body will hold on to extra "chub" (for whatever reason)...so maybe that's what's happening???

And it's Finals weeks--yes WEEKS...so if I thought I didn't see my husband that much before, I certainly don't see him now.  Yesterday he saw Liliana for 30 minutes before it was her bed time!  And his birthday is tomorrow...I ordered him what he wanted online.  I ordered it over a week ago, but yet somehow it still says it won't get here until next week!  I know that's not a big deal--and I know he doesn't really care that it won't come on his birthday, but I really wanted it to!

And there's other stuff...I just wish things were a little different right now...not too different, but a little different.  But on the bright side, in a week Adam will have completed his first year of law school, and we'll have a little break before he starts summer classes.  (Yes, he's taking summer classes now too, because he's doing the dual program in which he's also getting a Masters degree.)...He works hard so the least we (me and Lili) can do is be supportive.

Well I guess that's it for now...I mean nothing too terrible is happening--in fact we're doing really well over here...but sometimes I just wish I could have everything I want!  ha!