This Time

This time last year I was beginning the very painful process of bringing a child into this world. My how the times have changed. This time last year my aunt Jenny and her family had just left from a night of girls playing and boys working. Jenny's youngest Bella, spoke to my tummy and said "Come out baby Paige, I want to play with you" Less than an hour after they left I began having very painful and frequent contractions. This time last year I was in labor. That's such a crazy thought! I have mixed time perceptions. On one hand it seems like just yesterday I was in labor and on the other hand I seems like I have had my little baby Paige for years and years. This time this year, I am sitting on the couch, taking a break from the hours I have spent in the kitchen baking cakes, wishing I was closer to being done. Today I spent my day playing peekaboo, dancing, reading, watching Mickey and Tangled with Paige. Has is really been a year? I think 10 months have gotten stolen from me! There is no way I have a 1 year old daughter!! Holy cow! I really can not believe my baby is turning 1 tomorrow. Crazy!! Well, enough freaking out/ reminiscing, time to get back to the cakes. Pics of the big day tomorrow to come. =>

Junk Mail

Both Jared and I get our fair share of junk emails. I periodically will go thru and move the addresses to my "blocked" senders list, because they annoy the crap out of me. Tonight was one of those nights. I had 45 junk emails in my junk email folder, mixed with a couple more emails I wanted that somehow end up in there. My email provider took away the button to automatically block a sender (or just put it somewhere I have yet to find) so I have to open each email (attachments blocked of course) and manually copy & paste the senders address into my blocked category. Tedious yet somehow therapeutic. Tonight I came across this email. I busted up laughing, which caused Jared to come over and see, out of curiosity. He busted up. I dont know if its just late night giggles or just partly, but I find this email HILARIOUS! I had to share it. Now most scams are pretty good at sounding legit. I can see now people are duped into falling for them, but this one, its just.... oh Ill just let you form your own opinions:

Hello Dear,

I am ill and would die having been diagnosed with cancer disease.

I want to distribute my funds to charities in your country through you.

Please respond for more details.

Respectfully,

Paul George

My 2 Loves

Yes, I love Jared and Paige, but they are not my two loves I am talking about today. Instead, let me gush about my new 2 loves: Laser hair removal and Couponing!

I know I know, odd loves, but let me tell you, they are AMAZING!

I have had 4 treatments of Laser hair removal on my underarms. Last year Jared bough me a Groupon package that had 6 treatments, so I have 2 more to go. Oh my goodness I am in love! To be honest, the first three treatments I didn't see much difference. They kept telling me that they had to synchronize all the growth cycles, etc etc, and that I would potentially notice more hair until the 4th treatment. They were right. But then, the miracle happened. After the fourth treatment all the hair was gone! GONE!! Zap! Finito! I shaved yesterday for the first time in over 2 1/2 weeks, not because I needed too, because I still hardly had hair, like you couldnt see any unless you looked with your nose in my pits (and who would do that?) but because I felt weird not shaving for 3 weeks. I guess I will have to change my mindset because its going to get even less with two more treatments!
Now I'm not gonna lie, its starting to hurt like crap. The first couple times felt uncomfortable but this fourth time it genuinely HURT! But only for the duration of the treatment. After it was fine. So even if the last two treatments continue in this pattern and get even more painful, it will be SOOOOOOO worth it! Oh, not shaving and still having no hair is BLISS!

As for coupons. I don't think I can say enough about them! They are such a BLESSING! I started couponing in Feb. I have heard about it many times, since Utah is probably the couponing capital, and it intrigued me, but not enough to actually go and spend money on the newspaper. But then Jared and I happened upon a show on TLC, Extreme Couponing, and it was very fascinating! That pushed us over the edge and we signed up to get one Sunday newspaper a week, for $4 a month. I have even gone to Couponing seminars to learn how to better do it.
I am not a professional yet, and to get amazing at it you need multiple papers and places to store things. For now, I am doing what I can and it has been AMAZING!! The best food shopping trip I had I saved 56% on our groceries, an that was back in Feb, and we still have plenty of the food and are still using it! And just yesterday I saved on diapers and we shouldn't have to buy any until late Aug/early Sept! I spent essentially $0.17 a diaper, instead of $0.25. And on 810 diapers thats around $64 in savings! I know those aren't HUGE numbers, but to us they are gigantic! So the paper is definitely paying for itself, more than 10Xs! I get this high when I get such a great deal! Its kind of addicting! => I LOVE LOVE LOVE being able to save money and have all the things we need! Oh coupons, I love that I found you!

Cleaning & Necklace Diva

We are alive, don't worry. I am just lazy in the picture department. Oh I took plenty on our trips, I just have not taken them off the camera yet. Instead I have been spring cleaning. (which means re arranging furniture and MAJOR decluttering.)

I "spring clean" about every season change, but this time of year it is expected by the world rather than just my extreme need for organization. I really love the feeling of a new furniture arrangement, its like having a whole new house. Couple that with unbelievable clean and vwalla (sp?) you have a little bit of heaven. haha

The only problem is: things get drastically messy before they become neat and orderly. So at the moment, and for the past couple days, my house looks like a tornado hit it. I deep clean one room at a time, but that means all the other rooms that have not been cleaned get crap put in them for the time being. And with an almost 1 year old (how weird is that!?!) this process is going a lot slower than normal! But I can just envision it now, a whole new and improved apartment! Oh how blissful! haha

So basically, when this is done, and I complete my couple projects I promised myself I would complete before anything else (Paige Easter present, & fixing some broken clothes), THEN pictures of our CA adventures and other things that happen between now and then will grace this blog.

For now, you get to enjoy the cuteness that is my daughter from the beg of March. Paige LOVES to wear my necklaces and scarves. I think she partly likes the necklaces because its a chew toy always in reach, but also because she is a girl and loves dress up already! Oh I hope it continues! I would love LOVE love it if she wanted to dress up when she is older!



Dispite her look, she really did want it on, and
would get upset if we tried to take it off



Paige was so excited when Jared put the scarf
on her again! (we had it on earlier & I took it off
when Jared got home)





One Sunday after church she wore this little beauty around. What a fashionista!




In Idaho, and my aunt Amy's hosue we put Paige in all Amys
dress up necklaces. Shae ate them all. =>




This is not a necklace shot, just an ADORABLE hat Jared's sister had made for Paige. I couldnt not put a pic of this on. Cutest hat Ever! 



Watching Mickey Mouse clubhouse. With her necklace.




Jared came home in the middle of her MMC, she had to go see him, but then she
had to watch Mickey too. So funny. And she has no clothes on because just 30 mins before
I was having her try on clothes we got from my aunt. She got sooo sick of clothes she would
NOT wear any more, but she HAD to have her necklace.



Babysitting Mania

I just got back from an 8 day babysitting experience in ID. (I babysat my aunts 3 girls). It was crazy, fun, and definately an eye opener about future stages of motherhood. Then, I am shortly leaving to go watch my brothers in CA while my Mom travels "across the pond". I'll be there for a couple weeks. That will be another adventure. So, this blog will most likely continued to be neglected until beg/mid-ish April. Hopefully, then I can get back on this blogging bandwagon. haha

Angry Face

Paige has started doing, what I think, is the most adorable thing! She makes this face when she is mad/frustrated.

She also breaths very heavily thru her nose when she makes this face. Ok, so she actually started doing it a couple weeks ago but I could never get a picture. Finally on Sunday I decided to make it happen. haha So while we were playing I had Jared block Paige into a little corner, knowing she would get frustrated. I am probably like the worst mom, but hey I got some pictures and now we can always remember this cute little angry face!

15 Informational Tibits About Me

"Tagging".... a game-ish thing going around some blogs I follow. This one is writing 15 interesting things about yourself. I have been "tagged"....... interesting......... haha. I think it will be an exciting challenge, to think of 15 things about myself (I am not gaurenteeing any of them will be interesting). I honestly can not remember the last time I took the time to get to know myself, so I think it will be a worthy challenge. haha Here goes nothing......

15 Informational Tidbits

1.  I added to the teenage pregnancy rate in Utah. Yep, I got preggers when I was 19. NO, we did NOT plan it, yes I had my baby when I was 20, but I still was counted in that statistic. Maybe I should have made a television show out of it? haha jk

2.  I need order and organization, like need it to function. Everything has to have its place and be straightened up and organized. Not just counting household things; computer files, pictures, emails, movies, clothes, etc etc... Jared says the perfect place for me to live would be a space shuttle, because everything always has to be put away, in its place, and out of site. haha

3.  I am lactose intolerant, but I L-O-V-E ice cream and chocolate! I didn't when I was little, because come on, what little kid would willingly want to get sick? But I have since matured and discovered the joys in some dairy. And I know there are pills I can take to help it, but no thanks, I just choose the times I indulge wisely, and just know I will suffer the consequences. But most of the times, it is SOOOOOO worth it!

4. I am missing two teeth. My body never made two "grown-up" teeth and when I got braces the dentist pulled out the baby teeth. So now I have two teeth sized holes in my mouth, and will until I get implants..... and that wont be for a while.

5.  I LOVE Disney. Everything about them!! Parks, characters, movies, plays, you name it, I LOVE it! I love how they are clean and wholesome, perfect for all ages, yet they have some of the funniest jokes and story lines. And yes, I am living/going to live vicariously thru my daughter with this great princess empire Disney has built.

6.  Photography is my new passion. Can I take your picture, pretty please?!? I am just learning but I get such enjoyment out of it. Such a fun hobby!

7.  I do not find pleasure/enjoyment in cooking. I love food so I cook, not the other way around.

8. I sing in the car. All. The. Time. Loudly, and theatrically. Yes I am one of those people you see singing crazily in their car and you think they are a freak. I don't care if people think I'm weird. My car, my singing =>

9.  I have not danced in years but I LOVE dancing. I will still say its my ultimate passion. And since I have not danced in years, I have not stretched for dancing in years. But I am still crazily flexible. What a gift! =>

10.  I thrive on change. Two big ways: I really enjoy moving (apartments, states, cities, etc), and I am constantly rearranging furniture and decorations.

11.  Saturday was my first day "extreme couponing" and I saved $70.68 on our groceries! Not too shabby for my first time!

12.  I love love love water! Swimming in pools and especially playing at the beach. But I am deathly scared of any and all living creatures in the ocean. So, its a love/hate relationship.

13.  I celebrate EVERYTHING, even the tiniest accomplishment. They don't always have to be a full blown party (some definitely are) but even shooting a trash ball into the garbage can and getting "nothing but net" deserves a big "Wahoo" and a jig! I never thought that was out of the ordinary until my husband pointed it out. My philosophy: Celebrate every accomplishment, big or small. It gives more satisfaction and joy to your life.

14.  I am VERY competitive. In practically everything I do. I will "fight to the death" to win. So is Jared, which make for some hilariously funny moments while playing games.

15.   I always eat sweet and salty together. I don't enjoy having my mouth overwhelmed with one type too long. Ill have a couple bites of sweet, then change it up with salty, the sweet, etc etc. It always has to be an equal balance. This prob goes along with #2 and #10.


Holy cow, can I just saw how hard that was!?! Who knew finding 15 facts about yourself could take so long and be so difficult! But I have to say, I enjoyed it. => I challenge you to try and state 15 facts about yourself. Since I have to name a couple people to continue this "tagging" game, I tag: Heather, Tess, Danae, Amber, and Jen. I look forward to your 15 facts, as well as any and all of you who are reading this! I want to read your 15 facts too! Good luck! =>

Paige Gets Tubes

So one day I will actually talk about me and Jared...... when we get lives that more happen in than working and raising a baby. Sometimes I can not believe I am one of those people whose blogs turn all about their child. Its my goal to change that one day, but for now its all about Paige! =>

Paiges first surgery for tubes was scheduled for Monday Jan 24. We did all the preparations and everything for her sirgery the night before (mainly not feeding her), then went into the hospital early in the mornign for surgery. We were there for an hour but no surgery. She was still too sick to have it done (although she was MUCH MUCH better). So then we go home and do it all again the next Monday, the 31st. And she was well enough to actually get it done! Wahoo!!!

 



Isnt she just the cutest little thing in the hospital gown!?!?!



 

So after surgery the doctors and nurses warned us Paige would have a REALLY hard time, that all babies do. When they come out of anestesia they feel super funny, which scares them, then they wake up with a whole bunch of strange people around them, which scares them more. They told us to expect lots of screaming and crying for the first few hours after but then things shoul dbe better than normal.

Little did we know just how much screaming and craying would happen! It was one of the HARDEST things I have ever gone thru. I HATED seeing (and hearing) my daughter being so upset and distressed and being powerless to make things better! I tell you, I was so grateful Jared was there to help calm me down as well as help me with Paige. =>

After we got the OK from the hospital to take her home (still SCREAMING like no other mind you) we knew one of us had to go to WalMart to get Paige some formula (we had one bottle full left). Jared, being the amazing husband he is, told me to go so I could get time without the baby before he had to go to work. So I went, and I hurried as fast as I could because I did not feel right taking my time while leaving Jared with an inconsolable SCREAMING baby. I was gone no longer than 10mins (no joke) and I came home to find something similar to this:

***This is a "reinactment" picture. I didnt get a pic of the original happening but I couldnt
not have somewhat of a picture of it! And great timing of the shutter, Paige was awake and
playing around when I took this pic! Perfect timing! haha

Paige was asleep on Jareds lap, and Jared was asleep with his gun canceling ear covers on. It was one of the funniest and most unexpected sights I have ever seen! I almost had a heart attack when I walked in the house and didnt hear a thing! haha So then I woke Jared up (because he had a meeting to go to, if he could have stayed home I would have let him sleep) and we put Paige in her crib. She slept for 3 1/2 HOURS! It was AMAZING!!!! And I had a pretty hefty size nap in there too! After she woke up she was one of the HAPPIEST babies I have ever seen! Success!

Tubes = Miracle workers!

A Little Update

So, I have been a slacker on the blogging aspect recently. Let me try and catch you up on our lives. (trust me, that wont be hard).

The main thing is we are moving into our doctors office. Not really but we might as well! We (and by "we" I mean mainly me but occasionally Jared) have been taking Paige to the doctors AT LEAST twice a week for the past 5ish weeks. Thats right. I told you, we should just move into the doctors. She has had a double ear infection since THANKSGIVING! And NOTHING the doctors are doing is even breaking it slightly. The poor girl. Every time we go in the docs exclaim how bad it looks and how they are amazed at how bad it is/how long its lasted. So basically, thats my life. Doctors, doctors, and more doctors. And sprinkle on a lot of crying, cranky, baby (and who can blame her? ear infections hurt like the dickens!).

We have an appt tomorrow (suprise suprise) but its with a new doc,  Ear Nose Throat (ENT). The appt is a preliminary one for Tubes. The thing is, Paige has not only had ear infections these past weeks. Its about every other sickness you can think of too. (I had to collect her poo for some tests bc of one of these "sicknesses", collect the poo wihtout the pee. these doctors want the impossible I tell you! haha =>) So now we are fighting as hard as we can to break her most recent sickies, a WICKED BAD cold/cough/etc. If we dont get it broken by tomorrow (its lasted 2 weeks already) there will be no tubes until its gone. Meaning, cranky, grouchy, in pain baby for longer! So we are hoping for a HUGE miracle here.

OK, didnt mean to get ont hat big rant. But im not gonna lie, it kindof feels good to get it out. => But basically thats what has consumed my life for the past loooong while. My goal:get this baby better, then maybe I will have the strength and motivation to blog more.

Another thing I am debating is this being private thing. I know its "safer" and more protected, but Im missing the things that happen when you are public. Like people actually reading your blog and commenting haha. And, I know this is insignificant but i do miss my name moving to the top of peoples "friends" list when I posted. Idk what it is about that, makes me feel special or something, haha. But you dont get that when your private. => We will see what becomes of this. haha (prob nothing, just another rant thing =>)

And what is a post without pictures? Nothing! haha So here are a few recent pics of my little sicky! And even though she is deathly ill at times, she can always turn on her happy charm and be the cutest baby in the world. Thats probably the only thing that has saved her during this period of illness. =>

 

She loves cand canes



 



We left her Bumbo high chair in Idaho so we let her eat on the table. Mesys but oh so adorable!



 



Love this face! =>



All she wants to do in the bath is walk around. She doesnt quite graso the concept of bathing yet haha



Jared was making Paige laugh



She was laughing so hard! It was sooooo cute!

Playing with cousins, wearing Mr Potato Head glasses, a comic already



I just love this little girl!!! No matter how sick she is (although, I would appreciate it if she would just get better haha)

Look What My Baby Can Do

Paige is a little cruiser now! She is crawling, scooting, shuffling, and......

walking everywhere! Jared and I absolutely LOVE it! And it makes for some fun hide-n-seek games trying to find your baby when she is not in the place you left her! haha

Opening Presents!

This year I did Christmas in a way Jared calls "Hanuka Style". We opened presents with just our little family on the 22nd, then Jared got me one more present that I opened on the 23rd, we went up to Idaho and had Christmas celebrations on the 24th, and opened presents again on the 25th. That is a strange way to do it, and it wasn't exactly planned like that, but it was good and fun none the less! We opened presents on the 22nd because they were driving me crazy. Not because I wanted to know what was in them (bc I knew what they ALL were) but because they were taking up room in my house and making it look dirty. I just wanted to be able to put all the presents away int here places and have a clean house! haha And these presents were the ones that we were not taking up to Idaho. Because lets face it, thats a lot of effort to pack up all those boxes just to open them up there and bring them back home. We took just 2 small presents each to Idaho. These are the pictures we took that first present opening night (22nd)..... and yes there are lots because I have the cutest daughter in the world, and its her first Christmas! hahaha


Paige opening her first present EVER! She was more interested in opening the presents when she wasnt supposed to and now that she could, she didnt really care. haha

 

Once the present was opened Paige went right for the wrappings.=>



On Paiges second present she did better. She ripped open half the wrappings by herself, in order to eat them.

She almost looks like she is guilty haha. But just enjoying the wrapping paper



Paiges 3rd and last present for the night. Baby Einstein music toys from Mimi and Pappa (my parents)



Paige was ADORABLE with this toy! She kept looking up at us and smiling then leaning over to check it out!

Look at that smile, she just loves that toy and she haddnt even played with it yet. haha



Her hand must have been on it for 15mins, she was not going to let us take that box from her!



Paige was having ablast with all this Christmas stuff, even tho she didnt really understand what was happening. haha

Jared and I were consentrating on one of his presents he just opened (nice shirts and ties) and we look over and see Paige like this. We laughed pretty hard and it scared her off but before that she was super consentrated on eating the box. haha

Caught in the act of attacking the paper. haha

By the time we were done this little girl was all tuckered out, and she just layed down in the wrapping paper.



Our little one is all Christmas-ed out for the night haha

 It was fun to open presents with our little family, but both Jared and I agreed its more exciting to open them with more people. Maybe once Paige knows whats going on it will be more exciting. haha We love Christmas and we love presents! haha

Christmas Traditions

I love Christmas time! And I especially love all our Christmas traditions! A little while before Christmas my family and I (the ones that live in Utah) got together and had our Family Christmas Party!

First we have a family gift exchange. How we do it can vary year to year from white elephant, to "pass the gift" story, to assigned people. This year each kid got assigned another one. Even Paige and Kylie got to join in the fun!

 Next it was time for the Nativity play! This is the BEST Christmas tradition ever! We have a "script" that mixes scriptures to tell the nativity story and Christmas songs to emphasise the points. Oh I just love it!!


Paige was the sheep! So ADORABLE!




Sydney was our Angel! Beautiful!




Love how the shepherd had to get bribed with M&Ms to sit in place.




The sheep wasnt too interested in what the Angel had to say, but Mary was. haha




Raygan was an Awesome Mary!




Now Paige is interested. => I just cant get enough of this baby!




Pretty soon after her "part" Paige discovered the Christmas tree lights and could not get enough of them




Brooklyn was a GREAT wiseman!

  I love Christmas and I am so glad we were able to get together and had a fun night of celebrating Christ! Normally we do all this and a little more on Christmas Eve, but it was GREAT to be able to think of Christ, and center Christmas around Him even more! Merry Christmas! =>