Strawberry Fields For-NEVER

I've been trying to introduce Chloe to a variety of fruits and vegetables, in both baby food form and the real thing. I really don't want her to be as Food Fussy as I am. It's really hard to cook for!

She's done very well so far, with the exception of baby food peas, and I can't blame her. They smell worse than the real thing. I was trying to feed her peas on a night we got McDonald's for dinner. She actually threw up the peas, and I felt bad that we were getting junk food and she had to eat mashed peas, so I gave her applesauce or something instead.

The other day I gave her a piece of real strawberry. She scrunched up her face, and I said I understood, they can be very tart. Even I like a bit of sugar sprinkled on mine, which kind of negates the fact that I'm eating fruit, but I guess it's better than a handful of Oreos. So I didn't force the strawberry.

I asked Bryan to pick up some of the baby food Puffs for her. It's like Cheerios but they dissolve instantly so there's less risk of choking. He picked out the strawberry and banana flavor. Sounds good! I gave her one puff in the morning and she spit it out. No big deal. In the afternoon, I tried again. She spit it out instantly. I tried to put it back in her mouth and she pinched her lips shut. I tried one more time and she pinched her lips and made a "raspberry" sound. Pffft! Chloe does not like strawberries!

6 Months

Dear Chloe,

It's time you got to know the true nature of your Mom. I'm a slacker. It's only because of the thrill of finally having you here and the newness of you that I've been pretty "with-it" at taking your monthly picture. It's also due in large part to your Aunt Malissa. Here is your "6 month old" picture. You are acutally 6 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days old. So technically it's 6 months, but just barely. I guess it's not too bad. Ask your Aunt Cathie some time about having baby pictures.


Love,
Your Mom


Oh, yes. You sit up now. I'd like to point out the fortress of pillows set up for your protection. Just because I don't take pictures on time doesn't mean I don't love you. It means this was May, and Mama is a teacher. Not good timing.


We are so happy for you, achieving your life-long dream of being able to sit upright all by yourself. You've been trying to do it yourself and insisting that we hold you sitting up since you were born. Really, even in the hospital you were trying. Congratulations!

Here you are, laughing at something silly Daddy is doing. He makes you laugh all the time. You have a very sweet little squeal that you do just for him.


And here is your close-up. Not a fan of the flash on the camera today. But cute as ever! Thanks, Kimmy, for the very cute outfit!

Chloe is 5 months Old

Well, really she's older now, but these are her 5 month old pictures, taken by her talented Aunt Malissa. Thank you, Malissa, for capturing her cuteness!

Chloe's Firsts

First time sitting in her Bumbo Feb. 9, 2010
(and loving it!)

First time riding in her stroller without the carseat Feb. 15, 2010

First haircut March 7, 2010
(Chloe had like 10 long hairs that looked scraggly that needed to be evened out with the rest. That's what happens when Mommy is a hair stylist! Notice that it was real hair shears doing the trimming, of course.)

First time at Sea World March 16, 2010


First time eating rice cereal March 18, 2010
(notice that Mommy hasn't even bought baby spoons yet)

First time wearing a sun hat (where she can see the brim) March 21, 2010

First time eating baby food- carrots March 28, 2010

Followed by her first time sitting up in the bathtub March 28, 2010
(notice her slicked- back hair do)

Happy Anniversary!

February 3 is a big day for me. TEN years ago, I left the MTC to fly to Canada for my mission. I can't believe it's been TEN years. That was an important day as I entered the mission field to find those who needed to hear the Gospel from me, and the person that I was then was about to be drastically altered, for the better, as a result of my service.

Maybe just as important is that it's also the THREE year anniversary of when Bryan and I got married. We've had a lot of threes in our years together, and I thought a list might be a fun way to commemorate:

3 pregnancies (but only one baby)

3 weddings (Ours, Cathie's, and Bryan's mom's)

3 deaths (Bryan's dad, Bryan's Grandma Wanlass, and my Grandma Dees)

3 new nephews (Jaxx, who was born on the night of our first date; Crew; and Stone)

3 fights (Maybe. At the very most.)

3 types of flooring downstairs (we started with my original tile and carpet, then pulled that out and put in bamboo, then we just switched that out for walnut)

3 t.v.s (I finally broke down and gave up my 36 inch behemoth Tube tv. We moved the 50 inch Plasma out of our bedroom and down to the living room, and put a respectable 32 inch LCD in our bedroom. What a compromise.)

3 of the happiest years of my life!

Thank you, sweetheart, for putting up with me! I love you!

2 month old pics

Here are some pictures of 2 month old Chloe. Special thanks to Malissa for the fabulous photos!

Catching Up

Friday, November 13, 2009: Chloe had this weird little vibration/kicking thing that she'd do while still in-utero. It was always a surprise, and I'd look down at my belly and ask her, "What are you doing in there? How can you kick so rapidly?" On this day, I was holding Chloe while sitting on the couch (I basically had held her non-stop for her first week of life) and I saw and felt her do the same little leg kick again. It was such a shock to see it happen this time. It was also a great moment of connection with her. It was HER in there!

November 18, 2009: Happy Birthday to me. 31 years old. Wow. That just sounds old. This year's theme song is "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder.

Isn't she lovely?

Isn't she wonderful?

Isn't she precious?

Less than one minute old

I never thought through love we'd be

Making one as lovely as she

But isn't she lovely, made from love

Isn't she pretty?

Truly the angel's best

Boy, I'm so happy

We have been heaven blessed

I can't believe what God has done

Through us he's given life to one

But isn't she lovely, made from love

It's really more about Chloe than about me, but isn't that what Motherhood is all about?

December 16-19, 2009: Chloe took her first road trip to California for Auntie Cathie's wedding. Time was when Bryan and I could pack a bag, throw it in the back of the Durango and be on our way. Here's a picture of the car once we had packed all that we needed for the trip. How could one little tiny person need so much stuff??

Aunt Chelsea pushed Chloe in the stroller while we went inside the temple for Adam and Cathie's sealing. While she was walking around out front, the temple workers invited them inside to sit in the waiting room. Afterwards, we were walking through the foyer to the waiting room, admiring the beautiful decor along the way, when I heard a baby's cry. It was Chloe, and I knew it, not just because she was the only baby around, but because she was MY baby and I knew her cry. I elbowed past Bryan and charged down the hallway toward the waiting room, as fast as was temple-appropriate. It was so innate, automatic, and instant. I'd even knock over Bryan to get to my baby!

While in California, we were all gathered around watching Chloe drink a bottle. She's even cute while eating! She had finished, but kept wanting to suck on the bottle. I didn't want her to because I didn't want her to swallow so much air. I started thinking out loud, "Maybe if I took a nipple without being attached to a bottle...but then she'd suck in air, so maybe if I plugged the hole up with something, she could just suck without the air...." My sister Chelsea looked at me and said, "Dude, that's a pacifier!" Dang! Someone beat me to it! Kind of like last winter. I was trying to invent "something that had the warmth of a shoe, with the ease of a flip-flop." I pondered that phrase for about a week until I realized, it's already been invented. They're called slippers.