5 things we have been up to lately

Somedays my life is so busy I forget to eat. Life is busy right now but good. So much fun to be had and work to be done. This is what we have been busy with lately:

1) Traveling and blogging here. Travels have included: Fresno, North Dakota, Las Vegas, Arizona, Hawaii and more- which is just the beginning of this year's travels.

2) Work. I am still working from home as a social media consultant and copywriter. Reid is still working at Skywest as a multimedia developer (programming e-learning training for pilots and flight attendants).

3) Kissing this cute girl. As well as the accompanying copious quantities of dirty diapers. She has started rice (although we do multi grain) cereal and LOVES it. She sings while she eats it.

4) Side projects and businesses. Reid is working hard with TriMutiny and my blog is keeping us busy as well as freelance writing, and Reid's freelance designing and programming.

5) Reid is in scouts, in which he chases around ten year old boys trying to help them earn merit badges.

Although we are busy- we love it, love life and love each other.

Keep on keeping on!

Shameless Plug

I have a travel blog- did you know that? Check it out! Learn it, live it, love it. Visit often. Toodles!

http://www.dottingthemap.com

Post Script

Reid read my Hello Sunshine blog post and said I was creepy. And I had to agree with him a little. Maybe that's what becoming a mom does to you? Makes you a little creepy?

In other news... I have become a crotchety old lady who waves her broom at teenagers. Not really but sort of. The other day me neighbor- who's mother must not have been home, although it wouldn't suprise me if she was- had some little hoodlum friends over and they were climbing all over the roof, yelling and being obnoxious. In all honesty I would have been annoyed normally because I live in condos and we are all so close we need to have mutual respect- but because my baby was sleeping I was even more annoyed. PLUS if one of the little hoodlums would have fallen and cracked open their skull not only would I have to see the blood everyday I go to check the mail- it would be the HOA that would be responsible. So I did the only thing I could think of in which a normal mature adult would do- I opened my door, stood there with my hands on my hips and yelled for them to get off the roof or I would call the cops.

WOW! What on heavens earth has happened to me? I swear it was yesterday it was me that was up to no good. My how times have changed.

Hello there sunshine!

I haven't really posted on this blog much because I started a mommy journal. I figured people would get sick of me gushing about my baby all the time. I do plan on sharing some of my entries on here though. So reader beware it's going to be a gush fest today.

Dear Sadie baby,

Those crystal clear blue eyes and ginger hair are perfect but nothing compared to that smile and those giggles. If I lost my house, my computer, and everything else but was still able to see and hear those giggles I could be happy. Being a mom is really hard and someday you will understand that, but if I’ve had a stressful day and then you giggle it’s all out the window. Someday you will also understand how much I love you, but only when you have a sweet little girl (or boy) like you, will you get it. I know you don’t love me as much as I love you and that’s ok. My life changed the moment they set that warm baby in my arms, changed forever. I could barely even see you through those tears of joy. I felt like a piece of my heart was missing before but was filled when you entered my life.

Tonight I held you while you were sleeping. I tried to put you down but I couldn’t. I wish I could freeze time. I’m afraid if I blink it will be your wedding day. Please know you mean the world to me. Please know you are never alone. Sometimes when nothing else works to get you to sleep I lay you in your crib and you fuss a little but quickly fall asleep. You may not know that I’m sitting in your room, but I am. I know the world is scary and hard but I’ll be there- sitting in your room, even when you don’t know it. I love you, little princess.

Love and kisses,

Mommy

Random thoughts and happenings

I love being a mom. It's the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love ever minute of it and having Sadie in our lives has brought so much joy and happiness. She loves to smile and when she smiles I can't help but smile.

The past couple of weeks have been crazy. Crazy with a capitol C. It all started two weeks ago which was the week of tests and dr. appointments for Sadie. These tests I had been dreading since I was 32 weeks pregnant and found out Sadie's kidney had blockage and she would probably need surgery to correct them. Well the time had come and we carted Sadie into primary childrens for tests. I cried as I loaded her in the car and said a quick prayer that she would be comforted as these uncomfortable and invasive tests took place. I had no idea the tests would take an hour and felt like the worst mother ever as my hungry baby was given an IV and stuck with a catheter. She screamed and I cried again. Reid grabbed my hand and told me it was for the best, but I just wanted to pick up my little baby and run the heck out of there! We watched on the screen as they pumped radioactive material into her little kidneys and could see one kidney noticably larger. Sadie was a trooper and though her little legs and arms were pinned down she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

Two days later we went to the pediatric urologist and got the results from her tests. Her kidney is swollen and retains the fluid but eventually drains. Which was the best news I had ever heard in my life. This meant no surgery for baby Sadie. I really tried to fight back tears but they overcame me as they always do. Months and months of prayers from not only us but family and friends for her little kidney and it turned out to be ok. If that's not a testimony builder than I don't know what is.

That weekend Reid blessed Sadie in our ward, surrounded by friends and family. She is one loved little girl. It was a beautiful blessing and a great day. Stressful times with the multitudes of family and our house has a few bruises but completley worth it.

This past weekend we went to MN to watch Chris and Lisa get married (Reid was the best man). It was a beautiful ceremony- fitting for such a beautiful and sweet couple. We wish them all the best. Sadie did amazing on her first flight, which is good because she will be doing a lot of that.

It's time to get back in the swing of things for only a week before we head to celebrate Christmas with my family in Las Vegas. It's good to be here and to be alive. I'm grateful for all of our blessings.

I was tagged on FaceBook

What are your middle names?

Cameron and Leigh

How long have you been together?
five and half years

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
three months

Who asked who out?
It was all Reid... I wasn't about to chase him around

Whose siblings do you see the most?
Reid's definitly.

Do you have any children together?
yup the cutest baby named Sadie.

What about pets?
No, if it were up to me I would but Reid hates animals.

Did you go to the same school?
Yes we went to the same college that is how we met.

Who is the most sensitive?
I'm definitly the most sensitive in this family.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
We don't really eat out. Unless we are on vacation.

Where is the furthest you have ever traveled as a couple?
the Bahamas and Alaska

Who has the worst temper?
I wouldn't say neither of us have a temper we just definitly lose patience with one another.

Who does the cooking?
Me. But since the baby was born Reid has taken up two nights a week "cooking".

Who is more social?
Neither of us. With work, our businesses, baby, church and traveling we don't have that much time but it's totally a cop out.

Who is the neat freaks?
Reid more so than me but we both like a clean house.

Who is the most stubborn?
We both are and about different things.

Who hogs the bed?
Depends, ususally Reid but when I was preggo the bed was mine.

Who wakes up earlier?
Well.... do you mean for the day? If so Reid but I wake up at 5 am for Sadie to feed so...

Where was your first date?
Spiderman 2 the movie.

Who has the bigger family?
Reid- he has four sisters. I have one brother and one sister.

Do you get flowers often?
Never. Reid knows I would rather have sweets.

Who eats more?
Reid although I rivaled him while pregnant.

Who sings better?
Me.

Who does the laundry?
We both do

Who's is better with the computer?

Reid is a computer genius although I'm not too bad myself.

Who drives when you are together?
Always Reid- he can't stand my driving.

Who picks where you go to dinner?
We share that task.

Who is the first one to admit when they are wrong?

Whoever is wrong at that particular moment, and we share that pretty equally.

Who wears the pants in the relationship?
I'd say we both have one leg in the pants.

Who eats more sweets?
We are both guilty of that, but I buy more and bake more sweets.

Who cries more?
I've seen Reid cry like four times total. I cry everyday.

What's your best day together?
Our wedding day used to be our best day but now it would be Sadie's birthday.

Where did you honeymoon?
Cabo San Lucas

Favorite date night?
what's that? haha I wish we had more time for such things... but probably temple night.

Favorite TV show to watch together?
The Office and 30 Rock

Couple I imagine us growing old like?
uhhhhh

I tag everyone! Your turn!

Reflections on motherhood...

Leaving the hospital after Sadie was born was hard…really hard. More than that it was surreal. It had all happened so fast and I couldn’t really get a grip that she was here and I was a new mother. I was expecting Sadie to come late. Her original due date was October 10 and I expected her to come on October 18. She was born two days early. So my nesting wasn’t quite complete and I wasn’t all that ready to not be pregnant anymore. I loved being pregnant. I wasn’t one of those woman that complained of the pains and not being able to sleep. I loved feeling all of her movements and I felt secure knowing she was safe in there.

But all of a sudden, it was time to leave the safety of the hospital and become a real mom. It was too much. So I cried. I cried a lot. I cried as I packed up my belongings, I cried as we changed her out of the hospital clothes into her going home clothes, and I cried as Reid carried her in her car seat out to the car. I was a mess.

The real problem was that to me leaving the hospital was synonymous with her turning eighteen, going to college and getting married. I figured if this all happened so fast then her growing up was going to happen so fast. And I loved my little baby. I had never felt anything so powerful before and it really frightened me. To look at something so pure and innocent and know I was responsible for teaching and guiding her? Yikes. She had just come from being with her Heavenly Father and I brought her into this scary world, how could I protect her? How could I make sure she would be able to get back there? It was all too much.

It doesn’t help that everyone tells me to enjoy the newborn phase because it goes by so fast. I don’t want it to go by so fast. She is beautiful and I love her being so little. So I have made sure to enjoy every little newborn moment with Sadie. When I change her diaper I kiss every one of her newborn toes. During our night feedings after I have nursed her and she has fallen back to sleep in my arms I take that extra time to stare at her, kiss her and cuddle her. Because someday when she does turn eighteen and I’m dropping her off at college, I want to remember that I took the time to admire and adore her as my little baby. I have the rest of my life to sleep. For now all I want is my newborn cuddles.