Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

Sophie is so busy these days. She always has to be grabbing something or reaching for something or gabbing about something.

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There's Nothing Like a Good Nap

(note: She had a little help standing up. She tries to do it on her own though)

Smoke Alarms

(everyone knock on wood before reading this post.

I would hate to talk about how ridiculous my smoke alarms are,
only to have my house go up in flames)

I live in a 1349 square foot, 3 bedroom home. We have EIGHT smoke alarms. Our hallway leading to the office has TWO alarms in it. They are 6 feet apart. And, the far smoke alarm is only 5 feet away from the one in the office.

The first picture shows the 2 in the hall, and the second pic shows the hall one next to the one in the office (you can see the alarm above the door).

Last night we heard the distinct *beep* of a smoke alarm with a dying battery. Jake went into the garage to get the ladder, and I stood in the family room - evenly spacing myself between the FOUR smoke alarms that I thought could be the culprit.

*beep* We decided it was the close hallway alarm. Jake set up the ladder, pulled out the battery, and replaced it with a new one. *beep* We were wrong. We got the battery back.

I went into the den and Jake went into the office. It was definitely the one in the office. Jake replaced the battery. *beep*

We got the battery back. I stood up on the ladder in the den so that my ear was right by the alarm. *beep*

It was loud. It was definitly the one in the den. Plus we had tried all the others. Jake replaced the battery in the den. *beep*

A faint beep? There were TWO culprits at the SAME TIME. It turns out the office needed a new battery after all.

So after a crazy scavenger hunt, we finally got the beeping to stop. BOTH beepings.


p.s. The little one is smiley today.

Fashion Faux Pas

Sophie experienced her first fashion faux pas today at church. She was sporting her newest spring dress, a "6-9 Month" size, none-the-less.

I'll admit it. She looked stylish.

However, we walked into church, only to find her "friend" Grace, sporting the same gear. Sophie played it cool. She greeted Grace as if nothing was wrong, and even joked with her about her keen eye for fashion. But inside I could tell she was furious.
Lucky for her, Sophie was totally working it in her outfit, and Grace was, you know, just wearing it. I think they can still be buds. They'll just have to have more communication in the future.

Journal Jar #9: Trials

What challenge or trial do I really want to overcome?
How am I going to do it?

I'm not sure if this question refers to trials in my life, or if it refers to my own weaknesses, that I can work on to overcome. Something that I consider a challenge is my ability as a wife. I would like to improve my wifely skills, specifically in keeping the house clean, dishes done, laundry folded, etc. I have a cleaning schedule set up, and if I follow it, I should meet all my goals.

Roses are Red

Can you believe I grew these?

And these?

Well I did. All by myself.

Dear Mabel,

Dear Mabel,

Look at these 2 cute girls!








Do you know who they are? They have the same outfit on! They both look extra cute in it, don't you think?

Love,

Abbie

Journal Jar #8: Friendship

Am I a good friend to other people?
If so, how? If not, what can I do to improve this?

(I actually made this yesterday,
so that Jake would always remember that he's my best friend.
He says that he's saving it for "Special Occasions".)

I'd like to think that I'm a good friend. I think that friendship is easier to maintain now that I'm all grown up and married, and my teenaged anxieties and dramas are all in the past. It's easier to be a friend not only because I'm more mature, but also because I think people don't expect as much out of an adult friendship. A phone call or an e-mail monthly can keep a friendship alive.

I try to be conscious of my friends' feelings and situations. I try to call if I know they're having a bad day. I try to send holiday cards and thank-you letters. Living in Tucson, all of my friends right now are long-distance. This has its benefits and drawbacks. It's nice because, if I'm not in a friendly mood, my friends won't necesarily know this, and they can still think I'm totally awesome. However, sometimes it's hard not being close to anyone.

To improve, I can call more often, I can e-mail to stay up-to-date on events, and I can make a better effort to visit friends when I'm in town.

Our Newest Addition

Say hello to the newest addition to our family.

After our tragic loss last August, we had an empty place in our hearts. And by our hearts, I mean our front yard. Since the weather is nice and mild now, we thought it would be a great time to replace our sad fallen friend.

Chilean Mesquite, you will forever be in our fond memories. But now, it's time to focus on your domestic cousin, Texas Honey Mesquite, who is supposed to be stronger and willowier than you were.

Right now, Texas is just a little baby (can you spot it in the yard?). Hopefully we'll see some real growth over the next several months.

A Fond Farewell

Thank you Dr. Karp.

Thank you Happiest Baby on the Block.

Your advice has been absolutely priceless.

Sophie is now completely weened from the 5 S's. She loved every one of your methods, and so did we. We were religious with them. She needed them to be a happy baby. But now she is 6 months old (6 months old!), and she is mature enough to calm herself.

I am proud to say that she is sleeping through the night now without her white noise, swaddle, pacifier, or swinging.

Don't think of this as a farewell, Dr. Karp. Think of it more as a "See Ya Later".

Your book will defintely be dusted off and re-read when we decide that we're ready for Baby #2.

*(Star Mini-Blanket can be purchased here)

I Want That

Sophie has entered a stage where she is very curious about anything I am holding. If ever anything in my hands comes in semi-close proximity to her reach, she'll grab for it. She's so interested in everything Jake & I do.

Now.

Before you scroll down to see this picture, I need to do some explaining. (As I've learned from other funny pictures I've posted on this blog)

No, she did not eat any. No, I didn't even let her lick the salt off the packaging. Yes, she's in the driver's seat, but we were parked at the law school waiting for Jake to get out of class. Yes, she was fastened in her car seat the entire time we were driving. No, she hasn't learned how to drive a stick shift yet. No, she's never had a fry in her life. Or chocolate, etc.

Okay, here you go.













I just wanted to show how it's impossible to hold anything near her. She also took control of my drink. It's amazing sometimes how extended her reach can get. Sometimes I think I'm at a safe distance, and then whatever I'm holding gets swiped from my grip.

Decisions, Decisions

On Saturday, Jake and I came across a table at an estate sale that we just couldn't refuse, even though we don't need a table. We're usually more practical than that, but the price was right and the style is great. It has a leaf to extend it to fit all 6 of it's chairs. It's solid wood, it was made by The Lane Co., and the upholstery dates it to at least the 60's, but we have no other info on it.





















Yesterday, we bought new fabric and padding, and began reupholstering the chairs.

So the question is:

Do we keep this new table and give our old table back to it's owner? Or do we re-sell the new one and make a profit? If we sell the new one, we get money now, and a new table when we need one. If we keep this one, we'll have our own table with matching chairs, that can extend when our family does.

OLD TABLE:

NEW TABLE:

Journal Jar #7: My Mom / EASTER

What are the things I admire about my mom?

• Smart
• Educated
• Great Personality
• No-Nonsense
• She'd rather have an accoustic show at the clubhouse than an HOA meeting, and makes sure that all the residents stay out of the way so the kids can have a good time
  
• World famous (in Mesa, anyway: "Oh, you're Susan's daughter??!!?!?!)
• Thrift Store shopper
• Knows EVERYTHING about EVERYONE (be careful what you disclose). This is good if you need info, but can be bad if you're the one with the news. Most stories that Cathy starts to tell me get interupted by me saying, "Yeah, Mom already told me."

EASTER

We had a great Easter complete with dinner with Ben, Macey, & Kiley. With our forces combined, we ended up with a delicious menu including ham, cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole, salad, rolls, & Martinelli's, with a chocolaty dessert. We couldn't have asked for a better way to end our Easter Sunday, especially since we were both spending the day away from our families.

Sophie sported her Easter dress & sweater at church - Thanks to Robin (It was her Christmas gift, but it didn't fit 'til now.) Perfect timing. Perfect cutie.

May I Introduce. . .

SOPHIE GRACE
Spokesbaby
Baby Ava Designs
Tucson

After several negotiations, Sophie accepted the offer to become the newest Spokesbaby for the Tucson division of Baby Ava Designs. Her first order of business will be to show off her brand new headband on Easter Sunday tomorrow.

Thank you to Diana for her generous offer. Sophie is excited to begin working (aka: being cute).



In other news:

Sleepyhead

Look what Sophie did last night:


She went to sleep at about 6:45pm, and I heard her wake up once at about 2:15, but she just talked to herself for several minutes, and then dozed back off. She ended up waking up at about 6:30am. Just shy of 12 hours. That's about an hour before she normally wakes, but I didn't mind at all. Plus, she just ate and played for about 20-30 minutes, and then went back to sleep until 9:15. That's right folks.

As for me, I only woke at

11:00,
1:30,
2:15,
2:47
(where I went in to check on her),
4:45,
5:30,
and
6:15.

My body is so used to waking every 3-4 hours, that it had to wake up quite frequently since it's not used to this. I'm pretty excited to get a better night's sleep now. That is, if Sophie keeps this up.

Hair Accessory

2 for 2getherness

(As tagged by Robin)

2 things you compliment your spouse on while in his presence:
1. He's an awesome papa and husband
2. His hotness

2 compliments you make to your friends about your spouse:
1. He’s an awesome dad
2. He’s a hard-working guy

2 traits you married him for:
1. His sense of humor – he makes me laugh every day
2. His faith, chivalry, and because he makes me smile.

2 days you cherished most when you and your spouse were together:
1. Our wedding day
2. The day(s) Sophie was born

2 material things you could give your husband if you just inherited a fortune:
1. A cabin near the ski resort(s) of his choice
2. Maybe a fancy car or season tickets to all his favorite teams

2 things you would miss the most if he left for two weeks:
1. His help with Sophie & emptying the dishwasher
2. His company

2 thoughts that crossed your mind when you first met/saw your spouse:
1. Mmmmm, he’s hot.
2. A big belt buckle, huh? That’s pretty cool.

2 favorite dates:
1. Grand Canyon
2. Patagonia

2 funny things you love about him:
1. He takes his socks off with his toes
2. He talks in his sleep

2 places you have lived with your spouse:
1. Mesa
2. Tucson

2 favorite vacations:
1. Our Honeymoon to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
2. Our trip back to his mission: The Dominican Republic

Journal Jar #6: Summer

Describe your Favorite Summer Activities

Lately, my favorite summer activity has been swimming in my parent's pool. It's fun because it's always a big deal, with brothers & sisters and Mabel & Oliver - no matter how many times a week we do it. It was especially nice last summer being large with child in the AZ heat, and I'm really looking forward to it this summer with Sophie.

This isn't an activity, but I also look forward to summer because it means that Jake doesn't have homework. Even though he'll be gone longer durning the day, once he's home, he's HOME. No worrying about papers or reading or finals.

As a kid, I always loved swim & synchro lessons, Mesa Parks & Recreation classes ("Arts & Crafts"), going camping in the forest over 3-day weekends, and hanging out with Kellie full-time.