It's been a while...

Well, hello there.

I think it's safe to say that I took a much-needed break from this here blog. I guess that I will go ahead and update with her 7 month post. I will try to come back later  and write her 8 month post, and then MAYBE (just maybe) I will come back and write about something other than poop, first words, and drool. I know, get excited, people!

So... here are the pictures I took of her at about 7 months (no, I couldn't pick just one. Sorry) and the monthly letter:

Dear Elsie, 

Holy cow. You're seven months old. I know I say this all the time, but it really is crazy how time flies. Each day I look at you and I see that you're not my tiny little newborn anymore - you're getting so big. So big, in fact, that you said your first word! You'd said "dada" multiple times before, but never really made it obvious whether or not you knew what it meant. This time was different, though. You were crying because I'd changed your diaper and you wanted nothing to do with me. I picked you up to try and comfort you, but then Daddy walked into the room. You turned toward him, sort of reached for him, and, whimpering, said, "Da-da!" It seriously melted my heart. After that, we knew that you'd figured out who Daddy was. It's your only word, but it melts our hearts every single time you say it.

You're chowing down on solids, so you must be going through a growth spurt. The other day, you ate 2&3/4 cups of solids. That is a TON! I think it's safe to say that you are a big fan of the veggie blend. Thankfully, you've slowed down a little bit, so I don't think you'll quite outgrow ALL your clothes. You're still breastfeeding like a champ, but you just don't seem to be as interested as you used to be.

You've still got only two teeth, thank goodness! I say thank goodness for a few reasons: 1. You're kind of grumpy when your teeth decide to pop through. I'm not a fan. 2. You've decided that you like biting me. OUCH. 3. Have I mentioned how grumpy you get when you're busy getting teeth?

I lost count of how many diapers you've used. I know, I know. Terrible mom alert right here! I bet you're happy, though, because this just means that info won't be shared with your first boyfriend. Anyway. You're still in size 2 diapers and 6 month clothing. Carter's is still the brand of choice. I think you're about 27&3/4 inches long, but I have no idea how much you weigh. You're probably somewhere around 14 lbs and a few oz. So... long and skinny.

Other fun things:
You love bath time.
When we put you in your high chair, you bring your legs up, prop them on your tray, and lean back with your mouth open like you're waiting for us to feed you grapes or something. I'll have to get a picture of that one.
Screaming is your favorite.
You love the baby in the mirror.
You've learned the art of crocodile tears and the fake temper tantrum.

You start laughing and hitting things every time you see another baby. It's like you turn into a monkey for a minute because you're just SO EXCITED that there are other little people like you.


Basically, we love you.

Love, 

Mom

Something to be Thankful for

Happy Thanksgiving... (a day late)!! 

Hope you all ate tons of turkey and all that good  stuff. As for us? We just hung out with Mike's family. It was so good to spend time with everyone and I am so grateful that we have family just a few hours away. Anyway, here are some pictures of our day... and then a little six month letter to Elsie bear.

Dear Elsie, 

You're six months old now and I seriously can't believe it! I know I say this all the time, but it really does just feel like I just found out that I was pregnant. Anyway, you are as cute as ever - super long and lean at 27 inches and 13 lbs, 11 oz. I'm so glad that you've started "chunking out" a little bit - I seriously thought you were almost 29 inches by now... suffice it to say that I was wrong. :)

Anyway, you are so talkative, so aware, and so smart! You say "da da" when we tell you to, but I'm pretty sure you're not really aware what it means. You can sit up without support and go from sitting to your tummy (or your back, but that's usually because you've lost your balance and have fallen over). You really have no desire to crawl, and we're okay with that for now (less work for us). You don't really enjoy being on your tummy for more than about ten minutes at a time, so you tend to just get mad and roll right back onto your back.

You started solids about two weeks ago and so far your absolute favorite is Thanksgiving mush (turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, peas, corn, and stuffing put into a blender). You love bathtime, reading stories, and music. You've got quite the temper and can be a little brat when you don't get what you want - it's not the most endearing quality, but I'm sure you'll outgrow it by the time you're 30.

Love you more than anything, stinker!

Love, 

Mom

Sometimes I Wish I was a Polar Bear

Happy Tuesday! Long time, no see. Sorry I've been completely absent from everything. I haven't read blogs in who knows how long, and I really miss you guys! Maybe I'll get the chance to do some catching up over Thanksgiving break - we'll see!

I will have a 6 month update on little Elsie-bear, but her well child check-up isn't until this afternoon, so I don't have her stats yet. I also don't have her pictures done because, well.... I've been lazy pants.

Anyway.... back to the title of this post. My office mates were sitting here watching a polar bear video a few minutes ago, and I thought to myself, "How flipping awesome would it be to be a freakin' polar bear?!" 

Answer: really flipping awesome. 

1. I could drink all the coke I wanted, and I'd get it for free in exchange for the occasional commercial appearance. 

2. I would not be freezing my butt off when it's 0 degrees out. In fact, I might even like the cold weather.

3. I could have a pet penguin. Sure, the penguin would be terrified of me and try to run away every chance he got, but that's not important.

4. I would be cute and cuddly, but absolutely terrifying at the same time. Not even Bigfoot can accomplish this, you guys.

5. I could stay underwater for up to 9 minutes at a time. Think of how awesome that would be!! I mean, really.  

And.... that's all I've got for you on this chilly Tuesday morning. Drink some hot cocoa for me!

Elsie 5 Months

Hi Guys! 

So... this blog has been pretty neglected, but I guess that's what happens when you're a full-time mommy and grad student with a photography business on the side. Anyway... it's time for my monthly update on little miss Elsie. Yeah... sorry that almost all of my posts lately have been more for me than anyone else. I promise that if I can get a routine down, I will try to get into blogging a little more next semester.

Dear Elsie, 

At five months, you are still just a long, skinny thing. I'm not exactly sure how long you are or how much you weigh, but my guess would be that you're around 28 inches long and almost 14 lbs. You're wearing 3-6 month onesies and 0-3 month pants. You're getting close to moving into the 6 month onesies, but I get the feeling that it'll be a while till you fit 6 month pants.

I'm a little disappointed - I lost count of how many diapers you've gone through. I know, I know - I'm a failure of a mother.

You've now got TWO teeth! You're a bit of a grumpy pants when your teeth cut through, but can I blame you? No, not really - it seems like it totally sucks. You laugh at everything and are so, so alert. You talk constantly (just like mom), and it's so fun to have conversations with you.

You're a daddy's girl through and through, but you still have days where you just need your mom, and I'm totally okay with that. Your cuddles are rare, but when you give them, they instantly brighten my day and I feel like the luckiest person in the world.

We've tried solids a few times, but you don't really seem to be a fan. I think you just like secondhand ice cream and tacos WAY better than nasty mushed carrots or rice cereal. I can't blame you - I'm almost 25 and I still don't like carrots. They're icky.

Anyway, you're awesome and I love you lots. Keep on growing and learning, little monster!

Love, 

Mom

Thoughts and Progress

Hello and Happy October, everyone! 

First of all, I want to express my gratitude to all of you who expressed interest in my ideas about women's empowerment. I want to give an update here now, and will try to go through my emails from that post and write back to all of you!

How I Want to Start this Project: 
1. A blog (probably tumblr?) where women and girls can submit their stories - struggles, accomplishments, joys and pain - I want it all. I want to post motivational words, art, and videos. I want this thing to go viral. Many of you suggested that this be an internet-based project, simply because of ease of access. I figure a tumblr account will work for this purpose, but if anyone has any other ideas, please feel free to let me know.

2. A YouTube channel where inspirational stories and videos are posted regularly - I'd love to be able to do something weekly, and that's where I need help from other bloggers (and women in general) who care about the issues facing the rising generation of women. Ideally, I would like to find one blogger in each state who would be willing to work with me directly. Those bloggers, in turn, would seek out women in different areas of their state to work with. Basically, I want to be able to reach out to women and girls in all areas of the country. I'd like personal stories, thoughts on today's society and the struggles that women and girls face, inspirational music, acts of service, whatever you can catch on video. Send me clips of the video throughout the month, and I will try to compile a 10 minute inspirational video for the channel. I will need one-two bloggers who are good with video who would be willing to hep me manage the channel.

3. A presence in schools, churches, and communities across the country. I am going to sound a little full of myself for a minute, so bear with me - I am a good public speaker. It is one of the talents that my Heavenly Father has blessed me with, and for a long time, I didn't see it as a talent that could be shared. I'm also an incredibly passionate person (which can lead to some pretty intense moments). Now I think to myself, why not combine my passion and my talents to reach out to others? This presence will probably be the most difficult part of this whole project. I have no idea whatsoever how to build this, how to get people to let us in. If any of you have experience with this, please PLEASE help me!! Let's get women and bloggers across the country spreading the word and encouraging girls!

So. If you are serious and you want to be a part of this, please comment or email me directly. If you aren't interested, but you know someone who might be, share this post with them, please! We can make a difference - even if we only affect one person, we have accomplished something to be proud of!! 

"The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity."
--Margaret Nadauld

QUIT GROWING, DANGIT!

4 Month Stats: 

Length: 26 inches

Weight: 12 lbs 6.8 oz

Dear Elsie, 

You are such a smiley, happy little baby! I honestly don't know how I got so lucky. You've been rolling over from front to back for about three and a half weeks now, and you've started to try to army crawl. You know how to roll from your back to your tummy, but you have no desire whatsoever to do so. You love to blow spit bubbles, laugh your little belly laugh, and squeal at the top of your lungs. About a week ago, you discovered your little feet and grab onto them whenever you can. You've also discovered that you can manipulate mom and dad - way to go, smarty pants! 

You absolutely love music, and you sing. I know people think I'm crazy for saying that my 4-month-old baby can sing, but you can! You hum along when I play your favorite songs - I can't wait until you have words to put with your little hums. Dad is so excited for that, too, because he's convinced that you two are going to sing lots and lots of duets together. 

Other things you love: bath time, story time, and being outside. Oh, and bananas. But you don't get any more of those till you learn to like your veggies. 

We are working on teaching you German - so far I think you're doing great. I mean, you've already got all the growling and gagging sounds down... now you just need to combine those sounds with words and you're set! 

Anyway, you're pretty much the most amazing, most advanced baby ever. Obviously. 

As far as the ongoing diaper count is concerned, you have gone through 714, with another pack of 180 open and about halfway gone. You're in size 2's - your time in size 1's was short lived. I think you'll be in this size for a while, though. Oh, and you had your first massive blowout a few weeks ago. I mean, it was on the walls and everything. Pretty gross. 

So to sum it all up: you are smart, curious, lovely, funny, goofy, and perfect in every way. I don't think I could love you any more than I do if I tried. My heart is so full of love for you... it's the most amazing, phenomenal feeling knowing that you are mine. I am blessed to be your mama. I love you, Elsie Lyn. 

Love, 

Mom

Women (and Men?) of the Blogosphere, Let's Make a Difference

Hey there, everyone - long time no see! 

To say I've been busy with school and life would be the understatement of the century. That being said, I just want to tell you all a little something (please humor me and read my mini-rant). 

The young girls of today need to be empowered. They need to be taught that there is more to life than being sexy. They are not objects, dammit! They are smart, beautiful, curious, and strong. They have worth and EVERY SINGLE ONE of them is important and valuable. Where the hell do the media and corporations get off marketing sex to kids as young as 3 and 4 years old? HOW IS THAT OKAY?! 

Answer: it's NOT. It's not okay, and something needs to change. I don't know how to go about doing it, but I want to stand up and voice my opinions. I want to band together with other women across the country who feel the same way. I want to take those girls who don't have a positive role model in their lives and show them amazing they are. I want them to realize that they are more than a sexy outfit, more than an object, more than the size of their jeans or the color of their hair, and that any man worth their time would recognize that. Let's breed confidence and poise in the next generation of women!

So. I've thought about this list of things that I wanted to do before my 25th birthday. This is where #18 comes in. This cause is near and dear to my heart now that I have a daughter. I know that I can teach my daughter these things, by I want other girls to know how valuable they are, as well. There are plenty of young girls out there that don't have positive role models in their lives. They are shoved aside, left to wonder why. They turn to sex to feel wanted, desired, and important, and that's not okay. This is not some agenda to try and force young girls to dress modestly or remain sexually pure until marriage. That needs to be a personal choice. No, instead, this is my mission - to make young girls realize their worth. 

This is where I need your help. I don't know how or where to start. I don't know if this idea should grow into a non-profit organization, or become a sort of internet movement, with a youtube channel, short videos, an online store to raise money to eventually make professional videos, etc. etc. I need other women who care. Other women who want to make a difference. We need to band together and stand up for our beliefs. Any ideas or suggestions are welcome. 

Note: Although I am LDS, this will NOT be a faith-based organization. This is simply me, a mother of a daughter, trying to raise awareness of an issue about which I care very, very deeply.