So, this is my blog…

and it was amazing.

Ok, so here is the story. I was sitting one afternoon thinking of something fun that Chris and I could do to be creative with our date night. Chris and I have been together for 10 years, not married that long, but together so it has been a long time since we have been on a first date. I thought it would be fun to feel the pressure and the excitement that comes along with the first date. It was so special. We really committed to the role and had a blast.

Once we decided that we were going to do this, Chris took the initiative. He called me randomly one day and totally asked me out. When I realized that this was happening I got warm all over and started sweating. It was hilarious. I really allowed myself to believe we did not know each other.

So we set the date and I waited anxiously for the night. I got all dressed up in something fun and sassy and he picked up at the door smelling like a tall, dark, and handsome movie star. We both walked to his car blushing and with a strange sense of adrenaline. The conversation in the car on the way to dinner was so fun. Being that it was the 1st date we tried not to have any awkward silences. We just let our conversation guide us and it was easy. I found myself so curious with the life that he lives.

He took me to Benihana’s in Anaheim, which is a great place for a date because it is entertaining and delicious, but slightly awkward because you sit at the same table with 6 other people. We ate and had great conversation. Every now and then our feet would touch or his leg would touch mine and again it was just like it was 10 years ago, totally thrilling.

The car ride home was great and the goodnight kiss was too :

I totally recommend this experience. It can be awkward and weird if you do not completely commit to the role. But if you can , it will be amazing. I love my husband deeply and this experience allowed me to enter back into that excitement of falling in love in love with him. I am so thankful that Chris asked me out 10 years ago. He is my best friend and soul mate and I feel very fortunate to share my life with him.

Thank you, Chris for one hot night!!!

I am totally into this season of the Bachelorette. I am caught up in DeAnna’s intensity and determination to find love. I wonder if she is just trying to prove to herself that an atmosphere like this show can produce lasting love. I am yet to be a believer, but I cannot help but get caught up in the absolute absurdity of it all.

Next Monday is going to be intense…

Any of you out there bachelorette fans?

This year has been very special. Chris and I have both had the opportunity to celebrate our first Mother’s and Father’s Day.

This weekend we take time to celebrate you, Chris and the amazing man and Father that you are. I love the way you love your little girl.

You cherish her and create an atmosphere for her to safely grow into a woman. I love the way she looks at you after you come home from a long day at work. She knows that her big huge smile will make the long day worth it.

I love the way you crave time with her and how you spend time with her at night. I truly feel that parenting with you is a partnership of two individuals who could not be more in love with their baby and each other.

Thank you for your dedication to providing for this family even when I know that all you want to do is be home with us.

We love you!

Your girls

It is amazing to think about how we all had to learn everything we know how to do. There was a first time for everything that we can do today. I cannot believe that there was a time where the only thing I knew how to do was eat and sleep. Having a child of my own has given me the privilege of witnessing a lot of firsts. It is the little unprovoked moments that are so amazing. This evening I watched my little one work so hard to get one of her toys into her mouth. She has an exersaucer with lots of overstimulating sites and sounds, but one caught her eye and she spent the next fifteen minutes working to get this specific toy into her mouth. There are many other toys that are much closer and easier for her to grab, but it had to be this one. I can’t help but wonder why it had to be this blue bird. This bird is attached to her exersaucer and it hangs in a trio with other birds that are also easier to grab. She would reach and reach with her mouth wide open and her hands extended as far as they can go. I loved seeing her face once she got it into her mouth. “Victorious, I can do it,” is probably what she was thinking.

I hope I never take these little moments for granted. I loved watching her try on her own. Here are some pictures of the moment.

We recently took a mini vacation as a family to Palm Desert and it was amazing. I love it there. It is a very nostalgic place for me. Anyway, we just relaxed and introduced CB to the swimming pool which was very fun and oh, so cute. It was also CB’s first time with sweet potatoes. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy! Oh and by the way, I cannot figure out how to organize pictures on this darn blog So sorry they are not more orderly.

Wow how time flies. I am remembering all the anxiety I felt anticipating your arrival. Would I be a good mommy to you, and would I be able to make you laugh. Would you look like your daddy or me. Now you are such a big girl. Sitting up has given you a new view of your world. Your eyes are filled with wonder and amazement with each new sound and sight. You look just like your mommy and daddy combined which makes you perfect in every way. You love to roll over and play games with your toys. You have learned how to take your pacifier out so you can chew it and then put it back in when you want to suck again. (this is hilarious to watch). Anything that is within reach must be in your mouth so you can chew on it. You are a busy baby and in no time you will be crawling all over. You love to smile and laugh when someone does something silly, and your full body smiles are contagious. The sound of your laughter makes mommy and daddy’s heart melt. You love hugs and kisses, which is good because you get a lot.

Watching you learn and grow has taught me so much and it is a joy to be with you everyday. We love you CBK.

and there are blogs coming. Thank you.

ok, so I think I officially have insomnia. I get sleepy at night but by the time I wash my face and brush my teeth I am wide awake. My mind races for at least an hour. It is awful. Waking up to feed my baby at 5 am might not be so bad if I wasn’t going to bed at 12:30am. I tried going to bed earlier to see if it was just that my body needed an hour or so to wind down, but no I ended up lying in bed for 2 hours instead of 1.
The worst part is that my husband and baby are both in deep sleep and I can hear their deep sleep breathing and it makes me so jealous. I envy there ability to get in bed and fall asleep within literally one minute. Seriously, I have timed it before. My mind is just racing with thoughts and then I get adrenaline thinking about all the things I could be doing instead of sleeping.
Some of the things that run through my mind are:

Swim lessons

Target trips

Grocery lists

Vacations

scrapbooking

buying a fire ladder ( i have this horrible fear that my house is going to burn down and I wont be able to get my baby… its horrible.)

Thoughts of exercising

Self criticism (I think about all the dramatic things I say to people during the day that may be misinterpreted)

Decorating/ Organizing my house
And much more…
No joke, I have thought about all these things in just one sleepless night.

Do any of you out there have any advice for how to get better sleep? Your advice is welcome unless you are going to tell me to avoid the 200mg of caffeine that I have throughout the day, but that has nothing to do with loss of sleep, right?

Ok, so my sister in law recently posted on her blog a list of 25 things about her and well she basically tagged anyone who read it so I thought why not. It could be fun to sit and think about 25 things you may be interested in knowing about me.

These are in no particular order:

1. I am a very habitual person. It is almost concerning. What I ate today, I will probably eat tomorrow and the next day and so on. It is very hard to break the habit but once it has been broken it is quickly replaced by a new one.

2. I fear commitment. I am a very loyal wife, mother, and friend, but if you ask me to commit to show up weekly to home group, bunco, Tupperware parties, or anything that involves small talk with tons of people I will run for the hills.

3. I am impulsive. I hate waiting for things. My unofficial new years resolution was to practice patience and it has been extremely challenging.

4. I would love to be a part of an ensemble like on Saturday Night Live.

5. I say “sorry” for everything. Even when I do not need to say sorry… it’s a habit. (see #1)

6. Although I was like 10 in the 80’s, I live for 80’s music. There is just something about it that touches my soul in a deep way. My heart is happy when 80’s music plays.

7. I hate small talk. It is so bad that I often times intentionally “forget” to take my sunglasses off in the grocery store to avoid awkward encounters with strangers. Having a baby makes this extremely hard.

8. I love good conversations. When one begins I never want it to end.

9. My husband is my best friend. We have known each other a long time and I love spending time with him. A good conversation with him is priceless to me.

10. I used to be a raging extrovert but now I have taken a turn towards a more introverted lifestyle.

11. Favorite Activities: playing tennis, poker, exercising to good music, dancing, laying out in the sun, and good conversations. Although I rarely do most of these things.

12. I ” Should” on myself a lot. I am constantly telling myself all the things that I should be doing and I end up to tired to do them because I am overwhelmed with all the should’s.

13. I love chocolate chip cookies. I could eat them everyday, and I pretty much do.

14. I actually hate shopping, but I love buying.

15. My favorite thing to do when I am sick is have homemade chicken noodle soup and watch “friends” until I fall asleep.

16. I think my husband is a better cook than me even though I cook most of the time. My favorite meal he makes is spaghetti and meat balls.

17. I can’t start a project until my house is clean and my bed is made, but this may change now that I have a baby.

18. I wish I was good at scrapbooking, or at least keeping a good record of special moments in my families life.

19. My favorite spring time vacation is Palm Desert. I have been going there since I was a baby and it is a very special place to me.

20. I love entertaining at my home. Despite being more introverted than I used to be I love having close friends and family over.

21. As challenging as it is, I love being a mom.

22. I generally try to give people the benefit of the doubt. Because I am a people pleaser to the core I will take blame before accusing anyone else.

23. I love the communication process. I love analyzing the way people interact with each other nonverbally and verbally. (knowing that I hate small talk, observing me at the grocery store might be entertaining. see # 7)

24. I am excited about the thought of creating something that others could enjoy. I have no idea what that is but the thought of it is invigorating.

25. I will only eat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt. Of course I have tried many other flavors but none of them comfort me as much as plain vanilla and ice cream is pure comfort food.

Well, there you have it. It is not me in a nutshell by any means but it was definitely fun to expose this side of me.

Now you tell me some things about you.

My apologies to my loyal readers. There is no excuse for my lack of commitment to this blog except for my complete bondage to habit and routine. If I do not make a habit or a routine out of something it will just not get done. For instance this blog. I began this blog when my precious baby girl was still waking up at 11pm to eat so between 10 and 11 I would sit and listen to my husband snore and write about what was going on in my head. Now that things have changed my blogging has come to a complete stop, until now of course.

Thank you to all of you who checked daily for something new on my blog. It means more to me than you know and I will try to give you more attention going forward.

Just as an update here is the cute little nugget occupying most of my time