Happy

We sure love our happy girl!

Vaccinations

When it comes to vaccinations, there are more opinions out there that I can count. My friend recently lent me a new book "The Vaccine Book" by Robert W. Sears , which I have yet to read. Overall I feel vaccinations are very important, though many raise questions about how many a person should get, when they should get them, etc.

And that brings me to the flu shot. This is not a "mandatory" vaccine, though it is often recommended. I had influenza once as a teenager and let me tell you, it was miserable. Since then I have been motivated to get my flu shot annually, though I missed a few years of it in college.

Today I am attending the funeral for 13 year old Katie Haggard. Their family used to live in our ward (before we moved here) and we actually met them when we moved to Connecticut. They are an amazing family. While visiting some friends here in Washington with her mom, Katie started feeling sick. Her mom took her to the doctor and within an hour she had almost passed out from lack of oxygen. Katie had MRSA pneumonia. MRSA is a drug resistant form of staph. The disease hit her lungs hard and she was put on ECMO (life support). ECMO is okay for awhile, but if you are on it for too long, it can create problems of its own.

So how does this relate to the flu shot? Doctors in this area are saying when immunocompromised by something like influenza, people are more susceptible to MRSA (which normal healthy people can be carriers of). They are encouraging people to get their shots.

So would a flu shot have helped Katie? I don't know. I don't think you really can spend too long on questions like that, because you really don't know what the circumstances were that led to the disease.

My heart has broken over and over this week for their family.

Katie passed away on Easter with her parents by her side, bitter-sweet in light of the holiday and the hope that comes through the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal families.

undo

Yesterday I dropped some papers and my first thought was

Ctrl Z

Have I been spending too much time on the computer?

8 Months

I feel like there is an explosion of new things MaryP is learning to do. Every day it seems she figures out something new. I was certainly surprised to see her standing in her crib a few days ago!
She is a delight to have around. When I take her places people often comment on what a happy baby she is - she loves flashing her smile. She also loves to jump. And jump. And jump. Maybe she will more jump then walk when the time comes. But I'm not encouraging walking. This crawling business is keeping me busy enough! Exploring has also produced some bumps and bruises, but I guess that's part of the learning curve.




MaryP generally prefers regular household items (such as the pot we were playing with below) to colorful plastic toys, though she enjoys her toys if there is no wooden spoon or such available.

She has been sick the last two days and I believe she is much more pleasant to be around then I am when I'm sick! She gets that from her father. We sure love our sweet girl!!

Geek in Pink

One of the things I really respect about my little brother is that he is a go-getter. It's motivational for me. When he was little he started a face painting business and actually made some money. When he was a little older he decided he wanted to get his black belt so he started in Tae Kwan Do and several years later, black belt. He may be skinny, but you don't want to mess with him! :) He decided to audition for school musicals and was the lead his sophomore year. He's not afraid to try new things, even if it means falling down sometimes. He always gets back up and keeps going. His freshman year of college he joined an a capella group. They were ok. After his mission he and one of the other guys decided to form a new group so they held auditions and got some good responses.

Here's one of the songs, Geek in Pink**, that they performed at the BYU a capella jam in the fall. For a start-up a capella group, I think they are pretty good!! My brother is the whistler and some background singing in this one. I'm so proud of him for always being willing to stretch himself and try new things. He's already accomplished so much, I'm excited to see where he will go in life....

**I'm experiencing technical difficulties - my lack of internet savviness being the difficulty. Until I can fix that you'll have to trust me, it's good!

Mobility accomplished.

For your queue

If you are looking for a good book to read just by yourself or with your kids, here are 2 I'd highly recommend.

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

This is not your typical Dave Barry writing. It is the story of before Peter Pan, and how he became the flying boy he's known to be. The chapters are short and action packed. My book group read it (before I showed up) and it's fun for adults, but is technically a children's book. It stirs the imagination. It is recommended for 10 and up because the bad guys are bad (though with comic relief, of course) and scary things do happen (how could they not with pirates and such). I know I would have loved, loved, loved it as a kid. At the end of each (short, kid friendly) chapter you wonder, what next?!! I give it 2 thumbs up. *As a side note, the next 2 books after this one have a much darker bad guy. If your kids are nightmare prone like I was, I'd say stick with book 1, it's fun and has closure.

The other recomendation is for Alcatraz Verses the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson. Again a kids book, but Wood and I read it together. It's a quick, fun read and while it's definitely aimed at kids, some of the jokes are pretty funny for adults too.

So there you go, if you have no good books on your queue, here are two. But you don't have to take my word for it (bud-duh-dump-dump.)

Ski Colorado

Last week we made our way to Colorado to spend time with my parents and to ski. Things went so, so well!

For starters, it was a miracle (and I really mean a miracle) that we were able to go at all. Wood has to request leave (he can't just announce when he's taking time off, he has to get special permission) and he has been really busy working on his qualifications. Both of us thought he wouldn't get leave, but he put in the request anyway. We were amazed when it cleared.

Vacation planning is in my blood (it's genetic?) and so I'd already compared airline prices. We didn't find out that we definitely had leave until a few weeks before my parents were going skiing. Thankfully Southwest still had their amazing deals going and we were able to purchase very affordable tickets, hooray! We did not purchase a seat for MaryP, but since Southwest does not have assigned seating and there were open seats both ways we were able to take her in her car seat on the plane. One, I feel safer knowing that she is buckled in (though obviously if I had to I would have just held on tight). Two, she's much more likely to entertain herself in her car seat rather then on my lap. She was a good baby on both flights and enjoyed chatting with the people around us. Things just worked out so well.

I've missed skiing. Last year we didn't go at all because of the pregnancy. I'm not a pro at it by any means, but I've been skiing since I was 5 and I enjoy it.

*As a side note, one of the humbling things about being married to Wood is that he is just so good at everything he does. He's picked up on skiing really quickly which, while wounding my ski ego, makes it a ton of fun to ski together. He's so talented! :)

Anyway, growing up my family used to get up early, drive to the slopes, get dressed in all of our ski gear in the car, ski all day with a brief lunch break in the crowded, stuffy lodge, and fall asleep on the drive home. Skiing for multiple days and staying up in the mountains is a totally different experience. You wake up, have a relaxing breakfast, check out what the weather is like, finally decide to get ready, walk on out to the slopes, ski, come in for lunch, maybe a nap, and decide if you want to go back out in the afternoon or if you'd rather relax inside. Talk about luxurious. It was so fun.

Mom and hubby happened to be reading the same book

- the race was on to see who could get ahead.

Part of the invitation we were given was that my parents would watch MaryP so that we could ski together. It was nice to get a vacation for me, and MaryP loved her grandparents and all of the extra attention. I don't know if it was the altitude or attention, but for the first time in awhile she finally slept through the night. (Unfortunately with the grandparent factor gone, the waking up in the middle of the night has resumed....rats!)

One of the cutest things to me was that when my dad would give her horsie rides on his knee and then would stop and put his hands down, MaryP would reach out for his hands and start bouncing on his lap as if to say "again, again!" I also got a kick out of seeing my mom with MaryP in the elevator (as I was coming in) going to check out the building. Talk about living it up. Around here it's "I need you to play with your toys while I _______" (fill in the blank with some task). We do play together, but she sure had a lot more attention last week!

We skiied Copper Mountain. I wish I would have taken the camera out with me. The weather was perfect (30's-40's) and the views from the top of the lifts were absolutely spectacular. I can't even describe how amazing it was to look out over a snow covered expanse of the Rocky Mountains. Breathtaking. Oh, and since it's not spring break yet there were hardly any lift lines. Were we spoiled or what?!

Here is a picture I found online. It doesn't do the view justice, but you get the idea.
So we're already talking a fabulous ski vacation. But to top it all off as a birthday gift my parents watched MaryP one evening so that the two of us could go out to dinner. It's been awhile since we've really had a date and we haven't seen much of each other recently. So it was a perfect gift.

Sure there were little glitches here and there, but why dwell on those when, as you can see, things went so well.

Thanks Mom and Dad for a great time!

Brains

So after reading the last post, my grandma sent me this clip about men's and women's brains. If you have a few minutes, check it out. I think it's so funny because it is (in part) so true. Enjoy!

Quintessential

Last night laying in bed - I look over

Me: What are you thinking about?
Wood: Oh, not much really.
Me: Oh come on, what are you thinking about.
Wood: Tanks.....
(pause)
Wood: With really cool treads

I couldn't help but laugh - it just seems the quintessential boy/man. Of course, in his defense, I had been thinking about a chick flick ......... :)

6.something

(The lighting is bad, I know, but I love the smile).

I seem to miss the month marks for MaryP, so here is a 6.something month update.

MaryP is a delight. Who knew babies could be so fun? She did well at her 6 month check up, and is average for both weight and height. She is also learning to recognize who her parents are and was all smiles for the doctor until he held her - then it was panic and crying until she was back with mom. Fortunately she doesn't do this with everyone (phew!) but I must admit that it's fun to think that she knows her mom and even wants her (on occasion). Babies can be good for your ego.

MaryP LOVES her daddy. When he comes home from work is smiles and happy noises and making eyes. It's really cute.

Her first 2 teeth are in!

She wasn't too happy when they were coming in (and I really can't blame her) but now that they're here she's back to her cheery self. She "chews" some of her food now and though that may seems like a small thing, I continue to marvel at the things she does without anyone teaching her.

The new teeth also mean increased drool

and she chews on everything that can fit in her mouth....as long as it's not fuzzy.
She sits up well, but still tips over when she gets distracted. Today she was rolling all over the place in her bedroom - I've never seen her do it quite that much - and was pushing herself up on her knees. I have a sneaking suspicion it won't be long before she's really mobile. I guess I'd better evaluate the baby-friendliness level of our home. Unfortunately we have floor heating, meaning hot electric heaters on the walls down low. I think that will be the place we will start in the "no touch" department. Any tips on teaching a baby to "no touch" would be appreciated.

MaryP still loves books (apparently they taste very good) and will turn the pages for me as we read. I have to hold a page up enough so that she can grab only that one page, but she knows just how to turn it. It's a good thing I can talk quickly (as those who have heard me get excited well know) because when she's really into turning the pages we fly through Brown Bear, Brown Bear, and other classics.

Happily, she is finally settling back into a routine (our move really cramped her style for awhile) which means both of us are sleeping more at night. Hooray!

We sure are lucky to have her in our lives.

Addicted

61%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

After I saw a friend do this, I had to try it. Just how addicted are you?

Just 15 minutes

This hike is just 15 minutes from our home. I think we will be going there again, and again......

I guess I'm the worst at Tag

Five things I was doing 10 years ago:
1. Getting ready to move out of my house in SJ and into my best friend Jay’s house.
2. Just finished a rigorous Christmas time singing schedule for my High School Madrigal Choir
3. Playing GURPS with my friends.
4. Talking on the phone for long periods of time with my little sister M who already moved to CA.
5. Participating actively in the Quill & Scroll Society, the Bread & Jam club* and the Croquet club.

Five things on my to do list today:
1. Study for the GRE
2. Hike in the Olympic mountains (in Washington - not Greece, though Greece would be nice too)
3. Play the Piano
4. Read scriptures
5. Catch up on my sleep – from my last underway on the submarine

Five things I will do when I'm a millionaire:
1. Get a house preferably close to family and a beautiful national park, or place to hike and camp
2. Save still
3. Go skiing with my father in law and wife
4. Try becoming a landlord
5. Go back to college

Five things I'll never wear again:
1. MC Hammer pants
2. The shirt “I got stitches from Sacred Heart Hospital” with a teddy bear on it, that I wore for two weeks straight in kindergarten before it got thrown away because it was filthy.
3. Diapers (hopefully)
4. Ensign Bars
5. Tights (for our Madrigal Medieval Banquet 10 yrs ago)

My favorite toys:
1. Hiking Boots
2. Ticket to Ride (board game)
3. the Computer
4. Settlers (board game)
5. Blokus (board game)

Five people to tag:
1. Ben
2. Jay
3. Tim
4. Bill
5. Caron

_____________________________________

* the bread and jam club was invented by some of my friends in High School as a club where we would meet after school and eat bread and jam. Someone would bring in homemade bread and homemade jam and it was delicious. I even listed being a member of the bread and jam club on some of my scholarship applications. You know, come to think of it, I got that scholarship too, probably only because of the B&J club!

Rolling

About 2 weeks ago MaryP figured out how to roll from her back to her tummy. (She's been able to roll the other way for a few months now.) Today she made a new stride, or should I say roll, in her progression. I left her on a blanket in her room while I took care of a few things and when I came back she was part way across the room. Yikes! I guess this is just the forefront of the "nothing is safe" part of life. But it's fun to see the new changes and developments!

Feeling Good

A few weeks ago a friend was telling me about an awesome workout class that she attends, and from what she described I knew the class was definitely not for me. Not that something like that wouldn't be good for me, it's just I know that at present I'm out of shape enough that I would pass out mid-class and seriously embarrass myself.

I have been wanting to get back in shape. Nursing and not eating lunch (I forget to when Wood is at work and MaryP is napping - I just get busy doing other things) has brought me down to below my pre-pregnancy weight. This is great because I wanted to lose weight pre-pregnancy anyway.

Unfortunately 1. I'm not nursing anymore (which I'm sad about but there you go) 2. I'm going to make a concerted effort to eat lunch - it just makes me feel more normal, and 3. Just because I've lost weight does not mean I'm in shape. I get worn out too easily.

At the library we found this great DVD and I liked it so much I bought it. This is big for me because I don't usually enjoy work-out videos more then once or twice, but I love this one. No, it's not intense. No, I'm not maximizing my work-out time. But yes, I am moving. I'm getting up and doing something. And it makes me feel really good and gives me more energy for my day. And, I love that I can do it with MaryP - I enjoy spending that time with her. MaryP is still not so sure how she feels about the video, she looks at me like "Mom, what are we doing?" But she tolerates it. I also got Baby Reps. We want to do a lot of hiking in this area, so hopefully between the three I can get to a place where I really feel good.

Twilight on New Year's Day

We drove to Port Angeles on Highway 101 today.

However, we didn't see any vampires, werewolves, or silver Volvos. Too bad.

Merry Christmas One and All

To all our friends out there, we hope you have a wonderful Christmas. We hope that the love and spirit of Christ's mission on earth can warm each of your hearts. Merry Christmas from our family to you.

(Of course MaryP is our poster child) She's so cute!

Going Bald

My older brother said that as a child I looked like a white Diana Ross. My hair has always been "large and in charge" so to speak. I've often had it intentionally thinned at hair appointments in an attempt to manage it. I usually still end up with a small afro by the evenings.

Lately though I've been worried about going bald. Well, not really, but about a month ago MaryP started taking more bottles (for a variety of reasons) and I'm only nursing about 1/3 of the time now. Ever since then my hair has been falling out and every time I brush it, especially right after I wash it, more hair ends up in my brush then I feel good about, and more in my hands too.

I've heard about post-pregnancy hair loss - how long does this go on for?

Hopefully not too long, or Diana Ross could end up looking like Sinead O'Connor.

The last month

We've been busy this last month here in Washington. Wood's work is in full swing and he's actually been on his sub (woo-hoo!). We helped make the decorations for our ward Christmas party a Who-ville theme complete with a 13 foot cardboard mountain for the Grinch. The decorations looked awesome - I wish I'd taken pictures. We're still rooting through boxes and trying to find/make a place for everything. I'm a good pile mover - I move piles from one room to the other. So I really need a place for everything to reduce my piles. We are official Costco members and have purchased gross quantities of diapers, dishwasher detergent, toilet paper, and other "bulk" items. We're trying to get to know people from our ward and the boat. We've been able to visit some family and hope to visit more. We've had sunshine, snow, and rain. Since they don't believe in snowplows around here, any snow, especially the wet, sticky stuff is pretty debilitating. Church ended early 2 Sundays ago for 3-6 inches of snow. We barely made it home (seriously). The next day Wood came home early because of severe flooding in the area. Fortunately we were fine, though many of his co-workers were affected. I guess they usually have a storm like that this time of the year, so hopefully it's out of the way and we won't have another one like that for a year!

MaryP has been busy too. She'll hit her 5 month mark on Tuesday. It seems like she's learning something new all of the time. Like grabbing my dishes at the table. Those little hands can be pretty quick! She's as cute as ever and a delight to both of us. Here are just a few pictures of what she's been up to.

Outgrowing her pajamas

So she got her first trundlebundle
(aka: soft footie pajamas with a zipper)

All clean!

Finding her feet

Getting ready for the ward Christmas party

I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful husband and a wonderful daughter!