Birthday Week

Getting older each year isn't fun. But, it is fun to have a whole day (or week, in my case) to have a good excuse to celebrate. And celebrating I have been doing. It started out with a family dinner on Sunday night. Mom, Dad, and Lee (Tiff and kids were in Utah) came over for dinner and cake. On Monday, a few gal pals and I went to get pedicures and out to lunch. Relaxation, good friends, and good food...can't beat that. Then on Tuesday, my actual birthday, I took the kids swimming with some friends. The kids had a blast and I enjoyed soaking in the rays. That night we got a babysitter and I had a hot date. Blaine took me out to dinner and then we went and played miniature golf and hit some balls at the batting cages. It was a throw back to the day when both of us used to actually play sports. Although I'm quite certain that back then, I didn't feel it for days to come like I do now. My right arm has been sore ever since (even 3 days later). I guess that is the evidence that even though I can still hit the ball, I'm not a teenager anymore. I am looking forward to cashing in one of my gifts and ending my week of celebration with a massage tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for celebrating with me.

My very own Tiger Woods of miniature golf. He beat me by 8 strokes (is that the proper golfers terminology?)

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Yesterday there was an incredible double rainbow. Bella was so excited when she saw it. We started telling her all about leprechauns and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Her eyes were wide in amazement and, of course, she wanted to trek off right away to find the pot of gold. How magical it is to be a child and to believe in such things as pots of gold, Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy. And for me, it is also magical to actually BE Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy.

Happy Father's Day

Bella drew this picture of herself and Daddy for Blaine for Father's Day. I think she really captured Blaine's look well. Don't you? I was actually very impressed with her detail in making Blaine's eyes and hair brown and her eyes blue and her hair red. She also tried to write her name...not bad.

Bella was tagged to do these questions about her Dad...

1. What is something dad always says to you? "Clean up."
2. What makes dad happy? "Cleaning up."
3. What makes dad sad? "When I go in time out."
4. How does dad make you laugh? "Play the guitar." (Ouch, Bella. What is she trying to say about his guitar skills?)
5. What was dad like as a child? "Um, play."
6. How old is your dad? "I don't know."
7. How tall is your dad? "Big, like you, Mom."
8. What is his favorite thing to do? "Clean up."
9. What does your dad do when you're not around? "Play, play, play." (Uh, I think that is actually, work, work, work.)
10. If your dad becomes famous, what will it be for? "For Baby Ezra." (???)
11. What is your dad really good at? "Cleaning up." (I asked "anything else?" and she said very quickly and adamantly, "NO!")
12. What is your dad not very good at? "Nothing." (Aint that the truth.)
13. What does your dad do for his job? "Clean up." (Was Blaine cleaning today while I was gone???)
14. What is your dad's favorite food? "Oatmeal. Not Ezra's kind of oatmeal."
15. What makes you proud of your dad? "Happier."
16. If your dad were a cartoon character, who would he be? "Grandpa."
17. What do you and your dad do together? "Clean up. Play games."
18. How are you and your dad the same? "I don't know how me and daddy are the same."
19. How are you and your dad different? "Putting stickers on us."
20. How do you know your dad loves you? "Just from kissing me."
21. Why do you love daddy? "Cause I do."




I just wanted to say how very lucky my kids are to have Blaine as their dad. He loves them so much and he works so hard to provide for them. He is such a hands on dad...diapers, bottles, late night feedings, hide and seek, walks to the park, popcorn balls, rice crispy treats, etc. Both kids adore him. I kind of like him, too.

This is what 4 ounces of formula looks like...

all over my floor.


Sorry if this picture grosses you out but this is the second time today that Ezra has taken a full bottle and then puked it all up. It's not fun to clean up and worst of all, I know that his little body isn't getting the nutrition that he needs, especially on a day like today. Like I said before, it comes in waves and apparently, we are in high tide.

8 months today

Our little man is 8 months old today. He is doing so very well considering the complicated way in which his life started. He is gaining weight very slowly, although not for a lack of eating. He still gets up one to two times a night to take a bottle but he still vomits quite a bit, too. The vomiting seems to go in waves. It had improved to the point of just one big one a week but lately he has been doing it daily again. I don't think my carpet, couch, and wood floors will ever be the same. But, hey, a little vomit (or a lot of vomit, would be more accurate) is a small price to pay for such a sweet little guy. I love how his eyes twinkle with excitement about life and the world he is absorbing. He is a happy guy who is constantly smiling and laughing. I feel like I have always known him and that he has always been mine. Was there even life before Ezra and Bella? I can hardly remember...

Here he is reading up on his divine nature.

Carrot face.

Chicks dig him...I know I do.


And a few pics of my Bella Joy.
Here she is with her cousin Grace wearing matching pajamas at our sleepover this weekend. You'd think that they were biologically related with how similar these two look and act!

Having fun with bubbles.

It happened to me

The doorbell rang tonight and when I answered it, the milk man asked if my Mom was home. This happened to Blaine years ago when he was still in his mid-twenties. I am in my 30s and it happened to me tonight! I have to admit, I've been feeling like I have really aged lately so it was nice to know that at least for one, middle aged man (who is probably partially blind) I looked young enough to be living with my mom. I guess it doesn't take much to flatter me.