Sunny 9 for 2005 March

Lately I have been listening to a lot of John Grisham novels on tape. I have gone through The Summons, A Painted House, The Last Juror, and Bleachers. I really like the fast pace of his novels, even though some are predicable and always about law. However, A Painted House and Bleachers are his only two books (I think) that have nothing to do with law or the justice system. Having said that, I think Johnny Boy should stick with law books. Right now I am listening to Anna Karenina abridged. So far so good.

On Wed night John, Sharon, and the kids including Alyssa and Corey excluding Jill and Camilla came to see me. They were in town b/c Jill was in Provo for an EFY interview, so they went to their favorite restaurant Chinatown. They had some time to kill before Camilla got out of her class, and since the restaurant was so close to me they popped in for a pleasant visit. It was fun to catch up. Unfortunately Lily had already been put to bed so they didn't get to see her.

The weather has been so nice lately. While on my walks I have been spotting so many other mom's with strollers. I feel as though the flood gates have been opened here.

Aaron got me a new pair of shoes for Valentine's Day. It was pretty creative b/c I didn't ask him or mention to him that I needed some new shoes, I just thought to myself a week before that I should get some new ones, but then dismissed the thought b/c I didn't want to start entertaining new thoughts of me having new shoes.

Anyway, he got me new Vans which I loved but they didn't fit. Most my old tennis shoes don't fit since I have been pregnant. My foot has grown 1/2-1 size bigger, so when Aaron looked at my shoes in the closet to get the size, it wasn't right. When I returned the shoes he did get me, they didn't have my size so I had to pick out new shoes entirely. I picked these all gray New Balances. I am so pleased with them. They go with everything, they are so comfortable, and they are stylish. Thanks for the shoes babe.

A comment that Sumana made about Anna Karenina started me thinking. The book is about infidelity and I was wondering what the difference was between these so-called ‘Classics’ which seem to hold their own on immorality, and daytime TV soaps and other such shows. The TV shows certainly aren’t Classics, so why are the ‘Classics’ revered and immortalized? Is it all smut?

Then a comment was made in church on Sunday about in today’s society agency and choices are divorced from accountability and consequences. In the vulgar TV shows (I admit I watch occasionally) there really isn’t a correct portrayal of reality and how people can spend, spend, spend, but no one declares bankruptcy. Or they have affairs and inappropriate relations, yet it can’t really expose the true unhappiness and sorrow it leads too.

I couldn’t believe in Anna Karenina how nonchalant the character went about the affair, and how it was all about pretenses for their peers so they aren’t disgraced. But then I realized in the end, it got the best of the character and led to their demise. There’s a bombshell of a consequence for ya.

Tonight for dinner I am making fried Halibut, with the halibut that Aaron caught in Alaska, with Caesar salad and onions rings. One of my favorite but not to often dinners. I am going to miss the halibut when it is all gone. I made Stroganoff last night with these new Barilla pasta twirls. It was really good, but I was especially impressed with the pasta. It is called Barilla Plus, and it is made with ground flax seeds, so it has Omega 3 fatty acids, and wheat, and something else that gives it lots of protein too. And they aren't all grainy like wheat pasta usually is. Have you tired Barilla Plus, Aly? I recommend it.

Lately, Lily's favorite thing to do is press her lips together in an O and blow making a buzzing noise. It is really cute, but not so much when she is eating rice cereal or baby food and I get specs of it on my face.

We made a big step yesterday in development and lowered Lily's crib. The flat part is no longer high, but on the bottom of the port-a-crib in preparation for her being able to sit up. She is getting pretty good with help and can even stay up for 5 seconds, but then tips over. My baby is getting so grown up!

Isn't that a great street name? It's mine, and I am glad to have a real address after having numbers for so long and people messing up my address b/c they are out of state and don't have a grid system. Plus I really like the whole Irish theme of my neighborhood. It is called the Hills of Shaenfield. Sounds romantic.

In other news, I forgot to mention that Lily is now getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth. She is getting closer to crawling...Now I am going to have to keep the floors mopped and vaccumed all the time.

Last night was fun at John and Susie's. We talked so much we ended up leaving just after 10pm. Lily survived but reminded me of her late bedtime at 2:30 then again at 5:15 then finally at 8:15. It was totally worth it though. ;)

Today I forgot to pump before I left for work. How could I do that??? I hurt. Tonight Aaron invited his home teaching family over to play Settlers of Catan (one of my favorite games). I hope the house is clean when I get home. It will be fun to get to know some people in our ward.

Lily has developed some new habits not so endearing, but all the same cute (at least to the mom- sometimes). She has now started to: play with my hair, or pull my hair; however you want to say it. This one isn't too fun, but I think it is cute she wants to play with it and touch it. The worst is when she only gets a couple pieces of hair and pulls instead of a chunk. For some reason pulling only a couple hairs hurts way more than pulling a bunch.

She also shrieks. Some of her favorite places to shriek are during Sacrament meeting or church altogether, the library when her mom isn't done selecting and it is very quiet and she wants to leave, and at the store when she wants out of her carseat even though I am only halfway done shopping and I can hardly hold a child in one arm and steer the cart with the other hand.

Another thing she does when she is excited, frustrated, or just for fun (and sometimes along with shrieking) is clenching her fist together and shaking them by her head as her face gets red. This is hilarious to watch. It is as if she has all this energy cooped up and is trying to release it.

She has also started to pull her hair. This one makes me sad and I wonder why she does it, but she never cried b/c of it. It looks like she pulls it hard too. It is usually when she is tired or eating. When she is eating she usually has rice cereal on her hands from grabbing the spoon, therefore gets the cereal in her hair when she pulls it.

I was looking at my stats on this blog and I found this and thought it was interesting. Apparently it keeps track of your most common words you use and I posted my top 30: Most common words

1.Aaron:134

2.really:95

3.don't:71

4.going:69

5.about:69

6.think:62

7.didn't:51

8.there:51

9.can't:48

10.could:48

11.night:42

12.getting:39

13.would:37

14.first:37

15.little:36

16.before:32

17.house:32

18.since:32

19.still:31

20.other:31

21.after:30

22.having:29

23.family:29

24.thought:28

25.though:25

26.never:24

27.people:24

28.hours:24

29.Also,:23

30.pretty:23

I think that it is funny that I have written Aaron the most, but then again why shouldn't he be first. Poor Lily isn't even in the top 30. Also, I guess I really like to say really. I think it is also funny that top 2 and 3 words are opposites. I either love things or I hate them I guess.

Aaron and I got Manhattan Murder Mystery from Netflix. I love the idea of Netflix b/c now with a child, we can't go out on the weekends, and if we do, it usually isn't worth it b/c Lily cries during a movie or ruins a nice dining experience. So back to the movie. It is with Diane Keaton and Woody Allen, and was suprisingly good. I normally don't love Woody Allen humore but then again I have only seen a couple Woody Allen movies. We are waiting in the mail for Taxi and Spies Like Us. Aaron can't believe I have never seen Spies Like Us, which is supposedly Chevy Chase's best movie.

I finally finished up my community service to pay off the ticket I got in Texas on the way back during Christmas. I did it was the Utah State Hospital cafeteria. I kept wondering if I was going to see anyone like Wanda Barzee. I could say if I did though b/c of a confidentiality form I signed. It was interesting, scary, and easy. I only had 13 hours and it was totally worth doing instead of paying $160 for the speeding ticket. I forgot what it was like to work at a place where most people weren't Mormon if any at all.

Have you ever been IMing someone to find out to your horror that you are IMing the wrong person?!

At my job I call people to verify info that they send us on their stories. Anyway, one of the most annoying things that happens is when I get the answering machine and I am halfway done leaving a message and all the sudden they pick up the phone and say hello. This is highly irritating to me b/c first of all I wasted my time and breath, secondly I hate the fact that they were just sitting there listening to me leave a message and at their discretion pick up the phone. I think it is rude. It just bothers me when people screen their calls. Maybe it is because I never get telemarketing calls. Listen people I have worked in telemarketing before (not now though) and the best thing to do is answer the phone and tell telemarketers to put you on their DO NOT CALL list, b/c if you just try to avoid them they will keep calling you back until they get a yes or no on whether you want to buy their product. That way you don't have to treat people who do have legit reasons to call like they are doing something wrong when in fact they are doing you a favor. So there!

This weekend lots happened. I got a perm for one. I just wanted to do something fun and new. I like it right now, but I still have to play more with it to see what I can do. It is more of a wavy perm than a tight curl grandma perm--like the ones my mom used to get.

Also, we rented Mystic River from Clean Flicks. I liked it more than I thought I would. It is disturbing but I wanted to try it out since it got all those Academy Awards last year. Some things were disturbing about some characters and I just want to shake them and say wake up. I recommend it but not if you have a weak stomach for murder and molestation. I kinda thought it was like a Law and Order SVU episode.

Baby Lily is sick again. Poor thing has a cold, and she hates when we force her to blow her nose. It's sad to hear her trying to breathe with all her congestion. We have made a break-through in her schedule though. She has been sleeping excellent this whole week. She goes to bed at 7:00pm then wakes at midnight for a feeding, then wakes at 7:00am for a feeding and sleeps more till 9:00am. Sometimes she will wake up slightly through the night but I just go in there and pat her back a little bit and she usually goes back to sleep right away or in 10 mins. But the difference is that her cries are little whereas before they were angry cries if I didn't pick her up and feed her. It has been so nice to be able to sleep like a normal person again.

Today we found out for sure that Aaron's was accepted into the Air Force Dental Scholarship program. Any little bit of help counts and it won't be so bad owing them year for year they pay for school.

Today I got in the mail a package from Grandma Smith for Lily. It is the most precious Easter dress with matching sweater and shoes. She also gave us the cutest summer outfit and little skirt and sandals. Aaron's mom has the best taste in baby clothes. Thanks Sherry!

Today I went to Children's Place to buy a baby shower gift for my friend. While I was there I picked out a couple cute outfits for Lily. I felt like I could because I had a $10 off coupon, but I got a little more than I told myself I could get. (Shh, no one tell Aaron.)

Today the cutest thing happened. I think Lily was kissing my cheek. I kiss her all the time, and I think she has grasped the concept. I picked her up out of her crib and she gave me a huge grin and then planted her mouth on my cheek. Her mouth was open and I think her tongue got me a little, but I really think she was trying to kiss me b/c she moved to my mouth and other cheek. Then she started to blow on my cheek, and her cheeks got all round. It was precious. Sadly, this morning she fell off our bed. Aaron was in the room putting his shoes on and I was brushing my teeth and I walked by the door in time to see the end of the fall. She fell head first but was holding onto the down comforter and that helped break her fall some. She was very sad but I think more scared. She cried like she did yesterday when she got her 6 month shots.

This bad weather is really putting a kink in my routine. I hope it clears up so I can resume my walks. Lily has been a little clingy because she is sick. She has a cold and I think maybe a small fever, but I am not sure b/c I don't have a thermometer. Tonight Aaron is going on a campout with the Young Men in our ward. I think men are dumb because they think that going camping in freezing wind and rain/snow in the canyon (below freezing temperatures) is fun. Who can even get a fire going that lasts with it raining? I think it is reckless, miserable, and stupid. My idea of roughing it calls for a camper!! :) I can handle ideal conditions in a tent though, but I like to have my cot with me. I am not that much of a weenie though b/c I did go camping when I was 7 months pregnant.

Aaron's parents are in town. His grandmother passed away so we are heading up to Idaho tomorrow for the funeral on Wed. We also got new cell phones, so take note of our new phone #s. Kristen- 671-1598, Aaron 671-0446. Things have been a little crazy with everyone in town, but as always it is fun to hang out.

Easter we had dinner at Aaron's brother's house and that is about it. Today during lunch Lily wanted what I was having so much. SHe had to settle for lettuce b/c it was the only thing she could have without it hurting her tummy. The look on her face was hilarious but she kept coming back for more. She is a cute little growler now. She will growl at whoever looks at her and it is hilarious. She will even clentch her fists and shake them while she growls. She is really growing into her own. She hates to be alone in a room even more so than before, but fortunately she doesn't mind strangers or going to them.

We're back. It was a good trip. There is something about funerals (at least for grandparents) that is rejuvenating and spiritual, and you resolve to be a better person. Plus, I love the family reunion that exists because you are all back together again. The services for Aaron's grandmother were remarkable. We had a sort of devotional before the funeral where relatives could stand and say a few memories and thank you’s and good-byes. It was touching, and grandma Beth Smith was very much apart of her family and an amazing lady.

Everyone thought Lillian was a doll, and too cute. She is cutting her bottom front teeth finally! Her poor little gums were bleeding today, and she was bawling in pain. She is going to look extra cutie with two pearly whites sticking out. We decided that she has her grandma Smith's short lip, and her upper gums show when she smiles, just like Sherry's. She recognized more of Aaron and her side in Lily, and I am starting to as well.