A couple of couch moments

This week my cousins from Missouri surprised us with a visit. Here is my cousin Katie showing her ring tones to Conrad. He loved the Rooster cockadoodling and the frog ribbeting.
Today I caught mykids being couch potatoes. They are cute ones, though, right?
Conrad and I and Amelia stayed home from church today because Conrad caught my yucky cold. We didn't have the heart to share it with his whole nursery class. I am on the tail-end of mine, so I have hope that his will only be around for a few more days.

Answer to my un-said Prayer

Every time I "go check my e-mail" it takes me an hour. You may be the same as me. You end up perusing around other people's blogs to see if they have updated yet. I counted how many blogs I visit... 39. That's a lot more than I thought it was! That is why it takes me forever! Josh has gotten jealous of the computer. It seems when I "check my e-mail" I end up on the computer a lot longer than it should take to read a few e-mails.

Blogger came up with a new thing to add to your sidebar. A Blogroll. I had heard of a blogroll, but I didn't know how to add it to my blog. A Blogroll is a list of the blogs you visit and it includes when they last updated, what the title of their last post was, etc. To say the least, I am so happy to announce I put a Blogroll on my blog last night. Hallelujah!!!!!! So, if you want to be at the top of my Blogroll (and be really cool) you have to update lots! Or, at least be the most recent person to update your blog! (Perhaps this will be enticement for my family members that only update quarterly, ugh).

Happy Blogging!

My distant relative, with whom I don't feel so distant.

Disregard the Santa hat, I pulled it off my Uncle Glenn's website and he was posting about how excited he is Christmas is getting closer.

I am posting this picture because this is how I feel lately! See the huge bags under his eyes??? That is where I get it from. I have noticed lately that they are getting worse. I look tired all the time. Any tips out there? I heard hemorrhoid cream works. I'm getting desperate enough to try it.

Baby Shower for Heidi

So, here I am online waiting for Amelia to get tired. She seems to like hanging out with me after Dad and Conrad are in bed and it's just the 2 of us. It seems to be a trend the last few nights, up until 1 am. So, I am posting my blog about the shower I hosted tonight for my cute friend Heidi.

Here were the refreshments: No, I cannot take credit for it all. A good friend Ruth helped get the chocolate fountain all put together and she supplied the yummiest dipping items for it, too (strawberries, cream puffs, marshmallows dipped in toasted coconut). She had the best attitude about helping out. THANKS RUTH!

I copied the idea of a candy buffet from Nick and Mandy's wedding last summer. I loved it, so I did it here. The pink note says, "Thanks for sharing this SWEET experience with Heidi, please take some of the SWEETNESS home!"
Adam the neighbor dude didn't mind helping himself to it! (He had a good purpose of being there other than to get some candy. His wife [Jen, aka. Favorite] just broke and fractured her foot and had surgery on it 4 days ago so he was there to help her.)The guest of honor: She is due in 4 more weeks!!! We are so excited for her!
Here is Amelia having a playdate. Not with the mommy's. L-R: Emily pregnant with baby boy coming out to play July 22nd, Amelia, Heidi pregnant with baby girl due July 27th, Amy pregnant with baby boy coming out in 4 more months.
It turned out really great despite the fact I lost my voice! Right at the beginning of it. Can you imagine hosting a party and losing your voice? Argh, it was so frustrating! So, I designated Ruth as my voice. She was a great sport. After the party died down and there were only a handful of guests here it started to come back.

Josh was an excellent help for me today and tonight. He did a lot of the behind the scenes work. I couldn't have pulled it off without him. I'm certain I would've been a basket case if he hadn't helped me.

I think Conrad is dreaming about "Pink Balloons" tonight. He was infatuated with them.

And... Amelia is still hangin out. She's laying on the ground content to just listen to the classical music playing. She's got the hiccups. That is her nickname, designated by Grampy Shepherd because she gets them so much. At least once a day!

Thanks for looking at my blog!

Cool!

I need to make a new Label for my posts. One called "Ali's Milestones."

Guess what I did during naptime today?

No, I didn't finish the advent calendar. No, I still haven't hemmed the material to make a tablecloth for our kitchen table. (I am scared to death to even attempt the sewing machine still!)

I can't decide how to say this, so here are my different ideas:

I made $40!
I mastered Craigslist!
I sold our stroller!

Yipee! I can't wait to tell Josh. I think we'll celebrate with pizza for dinner. (I deserve a break for all that hard work, right?)

?

What's the deal with summer colds? How in the world did I get it? Why do I feel like I have a mild case of the flu? All I know is I hope it doesn't last for 2 months like the one I had back in January through March!
I'll try not to sneeze on you...

p.s. I'm hosting a baby shower for my adorable friend Heidi on Thursday, so I hope to post about that to show off my amazing hostess abilities. HA! we'll see how it turns out... I'm making lots of lists to make sure I don't forget anything. I have that at least.

Tootie Fruitie on Rudy!

He really picked up on this. It started with the colors of cars and trucks on the road, and now this is what we talk about at breakfast time. It's like being a little kid all over again! :)

p.s. If you can't hear him you can push the PAUSE button on my music, that might help.

Random shots

Here is a shot of Amelia's curly hair-style. Notice how it's straight on the sides and curly on the top... it goes either way.
This seems to be her favorite pose: I love this picture of Conrad:
I love this one, too. He was upset that he couldn't see the pictures of Conrad on the camera. Because we were taking one of him!
Check out our Sunday Dinner and dessert below!

For Sunday Dessert: Ice Cream???

For Sunday Dinner:

We had baby burritos!

Not really, but it was a funny title, right? Conrad wants to be just like Amelia, can you tell?

Flashback Friday

Hurray! I get to flashback! I am doing it in a hurry b/c I have Conrad making a mess of our office while I type!

This is me and my baby sister Erin. She is serving on a LDS mission right now in Brisbane Australia. She comes home this September, I am hoping to get to go back to Utah to welcome her home. I am missing her!
She was helping me with my Bridals at Antelope Island. It was the end of November and VERY cold!

Welcome

I updated my blog's look and sound. I hope you like it. Don't be too judgemental on my choice of songs on my Playlist... some of them are on for sentimental purposes!
Amelia's pictures last night had to be postponed... she was not cooperating. She was grouchy and not sleeping like she was supposed to. After Aubre (my friend the photographer) left, Josh was holding Amelia, trying to calm her down, and she let our a great big ... fart, or toot for those of you who say toot. She fell asleep right after that. Go figure. And then she slept ALL through the night last night (6 1/2 hours!!!).
Anyway, we will be attempting the photos again this weekend hopefully!

Our Front Room

For those of you wanting to see our new couches and paint: (and laundry, sorry, I forgot to notice it was there). Notice Miss Amelia sleeping.
Here is the crafter behind the work!
I love you Josh!

Amelia waking up

I know, a video of a newborn is pretty boring. They mostly just lay there and stare. So, you don't have to watch this video unless you are absolutely bored to death looking for stuff to do. However, I think it's dang cute. Of course, I am her mom. I adore her!!!

I took pictures this afternoon and this is what my kids look like now:

Amelia's fave way to sleep: It's odd, most babies hate being on their belly, but she couldn't be happier in that position.

Conrad says, "Cheese" in this picture. He's amazing me everyday with everything he understands. It's more and more everyday... I just think he's the best. :) Am I a proud mom?
Here you see Conrad trying to be like Amelia. He really wants to have a Binky like her (yet he doesn't know how to suck on it because he never took one) and he LOVES her blankets. Especially this one because it's so soft and cuddly. He is doing pretty well still with the transition. He's definitely testing us all the time, going to time-out lots, but I know it's just a part of the process.
WOW! She's holding her head up here! She is so strong, she's already holding it up. I think she's a bit ahead of the game (compared to Conrad, I don't think he really started doing it until 2 or 3 months old.
Today I had her weighed at a WIC appointment and they weighed her in at 10 lbs 14 oz. 22 inches long. She is just constantly growing!
I had to go buy her some Binky's because she was not liking the green hospital one they give you. She has been falling asleep so much easier with it. Last night I laid her on her back to sleep (that is what you're supposed to do to prevent SIDS) and she did not sleep through the night. That's OK, though. I don't think I'll gamble my baby's life for a full-night's sleep!

Sunday Style

Conrad decided he wanted to relax this afternoon in his underwear. Here he is playing in his new toy box, wearing Daddy's shoes.

I've figured her out...

Amelia slept "through" the night last night! If you count me going to bed at midnight and laying her down then.... to not getting up until 6:30 am, then she did it! I count it. I think it's fabulous. She has a favorite way of sleeping: on her belly. With a binky. So, I just wanted to document this fantastic achievement. 1 month old today!!!

I am excited to announce I am getting pictures taken of her tomorrow or Tuesday by my very talented friend Aubre, so I hope to post some on here, and perhaps send out some birth announcements.

Sorry I've been a blog slacker. We've been decorating and getting things organized around here. On another day I spent the day doing laundry. Things take a lot longer to get finished with 2 kids!!! But our front room looks AWESOME. We painted it, bought a couple of furniture items, and are proud to bring visitors here now.

I am picking out a Father for me!

Happy Father's Day Dad! Thanks for the thermos! You're the best dad I could ever ask for!
I hope your day goes swell!

Mommy of 2

Today has been officially my first day as a mom of 2. Josh left to school around 7:30 this morning and I haven't had any relatives here to help me. So, I have been doing it all by myself. Let me just say, my weight loss plan is to just take care of my kids! With 2 flights of stairs, washer and dryer in the basement, and the bathtub upstairs I am hoping to lose some weight just taking care of my kids and house!


Many of you may know that I didn't gain that much extra weight with this last pregnancy,
-but-
with my eating habits as of late I think I'll gain all that weight postpartum. Yes, I inhale everything I see. I am a bottomless pit. Don't ask me to compete with you in a pie-eating contest because I will beat you. Don't ask me to put down my fork before I am finished eating or else I may just eat you, too. And then I'll still have some room for dessert.

So, once you consider my weight loss plan and my eating habits I'll probably end up balancing out.

(By the way, Josh just came home and saw that I ate 7 cookies up to this point in the day and said, "You better take advantage of that nursing baby!" I told him I am.)

Being a mom of 2 has been awesome. I am a different person with 2 than I was with 1. It may be my hormones or the weather, but I am just filled with joy! I am constantly happy. It is so wierd, because I've battled depression on and off through out my life, especially post-partum with Conrad. But, I am so happy to do my job.

I don't mind the mid-night feedings or changing Conrad's dangerous morning poopy diaper. I love the work it takes to run a house, and love taking care of my little ones. I don't even mind cleaning up after Josh as much. I simply have a better attitude about it all. I find myself making the bed in the morning and smiling. Life is great. I don't find myself saying, "I can't wait for..." anymore. Yes, we are going into debt hundreds of thousands of dollars for med school, but it's part of our journey. And I am enjoying it!

I used to really envy people that were just naturally happy and optimistic. They bugged me. I am naturally onery, pessimistic and very sarcastic. I have realized that this is my burden to bear in life. Since I've made that realization... that first step...my outlook in life has not been as bleak. Many thanks go to Josh for helping me with that. He is one of those naturally happy people. He doesn't understand the whole depression disease. He has helped me see the positive in life. He never understood why I was angry or frustrated when we had a beautiful son, and good general circumstances in life. Thanks Josh for being patient with me when I wanted to throw any thing I could get my hands on at the wall. And for still loving me! lol

So, I am feeling great, life is wonderful. Things are going good for us.

The Ice Cream Truck is here!!!

This was taken at Penguin Park, you have to watch it!

More pictures

Here is Amelia! She's our little girl version of Josh!!! However, I'm certain she's got a mouth like mine. She even has Josh's toenails. Her hair color is probably going to be like mine. It's light brown tipped, and growing in very light blonde. If any of you read the last e-mail from my sister missionary Erin she misunderstood something my mom said about Amelia having a HUE of red. She doesn't have red hair. It's going to be blonde!

Conrad LOVES Amelia. When he's crying, he says her name. Not "Mommy" or "Daddy" anymore. This shows a glimpse of his joy for his new sister.
Just a different shot of the sweet girl:A nice picture to show her not-chubbiness, despite being 9 lbs 5 oz. at birth. She's just well-proportioned. She hasn't been weighed since her 2 week check-up, which was a week ago and 9 lbs 14 oz.
That's our girl! You may see a little binky in the background... she is a binky baby!

The Move

We moved again!!! My mom and crazy cousin Chelsea hauled a TON of stuff from a 2 bedroom townhouse to a 3 bedroom. It was only across the street, but it was across a hot asphalt pavement in 90 degree weather plus humidity. :P

We had a lot of other great helpers, too! Here is Josh hauling our big TV armoire. Kyle our trusty-neighbor friend is hiding behind the huge piece helping Josh as well.

As you see Tyler and Paige decided Chelsea couldn't handle that air mattress all by herself. Chelsea looks pretty relieved!
Here you see Kelly really taking the brunt of the load:These are my 2 lifesavers that hauled everything so I wouldn't have to. They had the best attitude about crossing the hot pavement, too! What wonderful family I have!
Here is Josh and my mom in action crossing the hot pavement.
Conrad even enjoyed himself to a slice of the pizza we lived off for a few days!We're here and so happy! The move went much better than expected thanks to an awesome husband and excellent helpers!

Our kids

Amelia's 2 week check-up was on Thursday, she weighed in at 9 lbs 14 ounces and was 21 1/4 inches long. She's growing!