Movie monday...

Nov 29, 2010

Self feeding begins...




The aftermath...

Nov 26, 2010

Giving Scarlett her own spoon might have been a bad idea...but it was fun.

Good Parenting?

Nov 24, 2010



This video debut is long overdue on the blog. This happened a couple of months ago. I'd like to draw your attention to the way the father quickly swoops to save his helpless daughter from danger. No hesitation or fear, just love for his little girl. Seriously, well done dad.

p.s. Note the daughter's drink selection. Another victory for paps.

Movie Monday...

Nov 22, 2010



Scarlett loves "talking" on the phone. When Chris is at work and I am at home he always tries to give us a "check in" call during the day...I think Scarlett gets confused.

Camping extravaganza...

Nov 17, 2010




Curvy roads are not my favorite. Curvy dark dirt roads, surrounded by fog, with a screaming hungry and tired baby are my least favorite. Our friends the Wards invited us for a little weekend getaway to the elevation of 7,400 feet. Tent packed and clothes layered we were off to a rocky start. The higher we climbed the less of the road we were able to see, 17.5 miles from Idyllwild Chris and I squinted in the dark to spot the dirt road that was supposed to lead us another 5 miles to our final camping destination. A half hour, 5 mile climb later, we found ourselves flashlights in hand setting up our family sized tent for the first time. Setting up a condo of a tent for the first time in the dark...not recommended.

The trip continued to challenge us by throwing in a nearly freezing dirt floor with nothing but a sleeping bag and tent to keep us warm (our fault being completely under prepared). Scarlett was in her pack n play crying, but still warm above the ground and surrounded in blankets. She wouldn't sleep, wouldn't eat so I brought her in my bag and cuddled up close...very close...it was a mummy bag. With no light, no clock, nothing to suggest any sense of reality, I lay there eyes closed drifting in and out of a light sleep. I woke to rub my feet together hoping to gain a little warmth but the movement only let more cold air in, I reached over to Scarlett and quickly realized that there was no movement, no breath only a cold stiff face. I yelled to Chris to wake up, shaking my bag off and squeezing her tightly, blew in her face and kissed her lips. It was then I heard it, through the ruckus that Chris and I were creating there was a soft breath of life. She was breathing, our little girl that just seconds ago I was fearing for her life, was breathing. She was sleeping quietly, still oddly limp. Chris and I bent over her, laying her with kisses. I have never had a moment in my life when I was more thankful for the grace of God. I laid her next to me for the remainder of the night, arm draped over her chest to count the rise and fall of each breath. We laid this way for what seemed like days but I am sure was only a few hours. In these moments I felt the deepest love. A love that I know Scarlett will never understand until she has a child of her own, a love that will get me through the teenage years of "I hate you mom", a love that will bring tears to my eyes when her father is walking her down the aisle.

Needless to say the rest of the trip had nowhere to go but up. We hiked, we ate, we drove to a new, lower altitude and much warmer campsite, we laughed, we shared and we watched the girls play together in the dirt. It was a successful first family camping trip with a few bumps along the way, memories that will last and stories that we will share for years to come.


Movie Monday's

Nov 16, 2010

I love home movies, I love watching them over and over again.  I love how they remind me of a moment in time that was captured and frozen unable to thaw by the dulling memory.

In an attempt to indulge this deep rooted love I am making myself a goal of recording one home movie a week and posting it.  I am calling this escapade Movie Monday's!  I am doing this in a hope to capture all of the first of our little monster.  She is turning one and I am anticipating lots of new words, new steps, and new laughter.  I can not wait to savor these moments as they come and be ale to smile back on them as I share them with her when she is grown.

P.S.  I am fully aware that it is now Tuesday...is that a new weekly blog post goal faux pas?

New favorite activity...stair climbing.  She could do this ALL day long...

Halloween...

Nov 12, 2010

Yes, I know this is two weeks late...but better late than  never right?

Chris and I went for a costume that made the viewer think outside the box, grasp the whole picture, and still  come out perplexed...


Small Wonder and The Hanging Gardens of Babylon...yes, small wonder and a "big wonder" of the world.  I blame Chris entirely.

Crawling



I found this little gem on my dads iphone the other day and quickly emailed it to myself to share via blog land.  I was happy that this was recorded as Chris and I failed our parental duties of documenting all major developments in our daughters life.  Scarlett is now a full blown crawling machine, escaping us one dirty knee at a time.

Thanks for saving us from a serious parenting failure Grandpa!

Fun with grandma...

Nov 9, 2010

One of the best ways to put a smile on my face is to remind me of how much I love my little girl.  I think she is the best thing, the bee's knees, the cat's pajamas.  She makes my life so full.

Sitting at work I got a couple smiles today after my mom sent me this...
with the caption of "does this ever happen to you?"



Getting out

I have found I spend most of my days off inside, doing laundry, putting away laundry, tidying up the house, shopping, cooking dinner.  And therefore, Scarlett spends the day inside.  Yesterday I sat outside with Scarlett and my granny enjoying the beautiful day and realized that Scarlett LOVES being outside.  She picked leaves, reorganized the patio furniture, played with sticks, said her first word, "Dexter" (my parents dog).  She explored something other than the cabinets and carpet.  I have been using the excuse "until she can walk" but she takes in the fresh air around her and loves every minute of it regardless of the lack of total coordination.  I now admit, I have been a lazy mother.  It has been easier for me to keep tabs on the up and coming toddler when she is playing with the same toys and opening the same cupboards.  I am ready to move out of the expected world of clean clothes and embrace the holes in the knees and dirt in the fingernails.  Look out nature, here comes trouble. 

A new play toy...

Nov 3, 2010

Toilet paper.  Chris accidentally bought single ply, way to thin to not get pee on your hands, toilet paper, Scarlett overheard how much we hate it and is making it her mission to rid us of our final roll...at least it keeps her busy and next to me when I am getting ready in the morning.