Keeping Busy

"Are you nesting again?" was Richard's response to my request for him to take all of the kitchen blinds down before he left for work on Friday morning. I'M NOT nesting but one might think so as of late. I am not certain where this burst of energy has come from, but burst it is. Don't get me wrong; usually I am productive and get some things done...never as much as I would like to, but lately my productivity levels are unexplainable.

Last week (we'll see how long it lasts) I made a meal plan for the week and actually stuck to it everyday, the house was clean, I made a skirt as well as a pillowcase dress, and I made a list of extra, big chores to do each day; and believe it or not they actually got done. So the kitchen pantry is now cleaned and organized, all Sarah's toys have been washed, the kitchen stove was detailed, the blinds are now white instead of dusty, dingey grey, and all of our carpets have been steam cleaned!

I'm not writing this to brag but basically so that next week I can read this and remember how I used to be productive because I am certain I will need some motivation soon enough. It's just not in my nature to be quite so on top of things and I know I will need reminding!

So Richard if in a week you come home and the house is a disaster and I am eating bon-bons on the couch, will you kindly send a copy of this my way?!

DO IT AGAIN!

My Grandma Weldon is the BEST backscratch giver EVER! Growing up I always wanted to be in Grandma's lap with her fingernails "tickling" my back. NOTHING made me more relaxed--it was, and I must admit, still is euphoric-ish. I LOVE having my back scratched, just ask Richard. He certainly must get sick and tired of my requests & he probably wishes they were returned more often than they are.

Sarah Jane has never really loved having her back tickled. CRAZY girl. But today she cuddled up next to me and the more I tickled, the more quite and cuddley she became. I was in HEAVEN! It might have been even more heavenly than when Grandma tickles me.

Sarah is a mover and a shaker and really good, close cuddles are few and far between. She'd rather be crawling on me and rough housing so this moment was SPECIAL and still makes my heart flutter.

Feast From The East, I am dreaming of you. I can hardly wait until lunchtime. PLUS, the date Sarah and I get to go with isn't half bad!!! How I LOVE Tuesdays at 12:30!!!

Baby By Day, Big Girl By Night

This is Sarah Jane in the evening when Daddy is home feeding her.

During the daytime, it's a whole different story. Can you imagine who has to hold the bottle then?!

All By Myself

Look what I just "whipped up" yesterday. I found the free pattern for the Lazy Day Skirt here, http://www.oliverands.com/

Strike a pose--work it baby, the camera loves you!

ALL BECAUSE OF DANA AND MY DESIRE TO DO ONLY HALF OF WHAT SHE DOES, I SPENT MY AFTERNOON HERE

IN SEWING 101!

A Long Time Coming

Bright and early this morning I went for my first bike ride in probably 14 months or so. It was wonderful to pull the Cannondale down out of the rafters, pump up the tires, and go for a ride. I am determined to ride a couple times each week now. What a WONDERFUL treat!! Thanks Eva!

Belated...WHAT A BUMMER

I have been waiting for this day just so I could send out accolades to all the

W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L

grandparents in our lives. Come to find out that the calendar I have has the date incorrect. Grandparent's Day was on the 7th, not the 9th! Bummer, big bummer! But so that you all know how much we love you, I am doing it today anyway.

You give me a kiss.

You give me a hug.

You smile when you see me, too.

I wish every child in the whole wide world

Had Grandparents just like you.

You read me a book.

You sing me a song.

You whisper you love me, too.

I wish every child in the whole wide world

Had Grandparents just like you.

I'll try to be good;

I'll do as I should.

I'll whisper, "I love you too."

I wish every child in the whole wide world

had Grandparents just like you!

PnG, Great Grandma Bigelow, Grandpa Ernie, Grandpa & Grandma Atchley, and Grandpa & Grandma Bigelow---

WE LOVE YOU!!!!

Love,

Kim, Richard, and Sarah Jane

How Refreshing

Tonight Richard, Sarah Jane, and myself all ate dinner together at the same time and at the same table. While the adults ate spaghetti and meatballs, peas, and orange slices, baby Sarah ate peas and meatballs all by herself. What a wonderful moment to eat dinner and know I didn't have to mash up hers and spoon feed her hers after I was done. I am now in the hunt for more finger friendly foods.

Up to date

Yesterday I talked with Sarah who left us for CO and though she misses it here, she's happy that she did. (Not Baby Sarah, Sarah Z) Our conversation, followed by an email this morning from a dear friend, has left me thinking. I have a love/hate relationship with blogs.

Eventhough I hadn't talked with Sarah for weeks, I knew what her apartment looked like, that she had had 3 sets of visitors since moving to CO, that she had fallen off her bike, that she made MOH a terrible meal while visiting. All of this without one single conversation.

Because of blogging I have become even worse than I previously was at keeping in touch. I feel like I know everything that is going on with everyone from my daily reads, but it's not the same as hearing someone tell it to me or asking, "How are you? Tell me what you've been up to."

I love blogs because I feel a part of people's lives who are away and I know that they feel connected to mine. I love that I can be a part of my nieces and nephews experiences and that Grandma Weldon knows everything we're up to although we're hundreds of miles away. It makes the miles seem fewer, but I should keep in better personal contact with people.

One on one convo is important and special, as emphasised in an email I received from a non-blogging buddy who I am terrible at keeping in touch with and thus have no idea what they have been up to until I get her updates every now and then. "I am not good at blogging. Email is my main addiction mostly because it is very personal to me and I love reading and writing things that are meant for specific people."

I guess my point is that I love blogger because I feel a part of so many different things that I miss out on and I don't like it because I keep in worse contact with people then I did before I began blogging. I think I need to change things a little and do a more to keep in better personal contact, because my friend is right, there is something personal about an email addressed to just you!

Look out for phone calls and emails coming your way very soon!! And maybe if I am feeling a little crazy, snail mail as well. I love non-bill/junk mail---who doesn't?!

Strapless

The Stats: 9 MONTHS

Sarah had her 9 month checkup today and is doing very well! Remember the old days when we worried because her legs looked like this and she was losing weight instead of gaining? Well, the doctor couldn't be happier with the progress she is making and says to keep doing what we are doing.

**19 pounds 4 ounces--65th %

**27 1/4 inches long--45th %

**46 cm. head circumference--90th % (she really does have some Bigelow in her!)

**Sits up tall
**Crawls

**Crawls up the stairs
**Pulls herself up to things

**Lets go of whatever she is holding onto and can stand by herself for a good amount of time

**Babbles like crazy. Lately her favorite sounds are BaBaBaBa and VaVaVa---I'm just waiting for it to turn to MaMa and Richard is rooting for DaDa (I better win)

**Eats like a champ. Loves solid food. We were at a friend's house on Sunday for dinner and they have a daughter 13 days older than Sarah. Tauna put out Cheerios for the girls. I warned her that Sarah would be chowing them down by the fistfull; she didn't let us down. She taught Claire a thing or two that day. :)

**HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY! I know we don't have another baby to compare it to, but I think she is the happiest baby ever. She is such a trooper and goes wherever we take her and always enjoys herself. In the beginning I didn't think this would be the case.

**Has 2 toofers

**Still sleeps through the night; has for months and better for months to come!!

**Still must be swaddled.

**Stands in her crib and calls for us. Today she was bouncing like it was a trampoline. Trouble, we've got trouble!

Sarah Jane Atchley--WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beach Day

**LA County, I apologize if tomorrow you notice that Leo Carillo State Beach is missing most of it's sand. It came home with us today, either in my baby's belly or bum crack. I'd return it but you probably wouldn't want it back! :)

We spent the day at the beach. I might have to retract a few statements I made in an earlier entry because I am learning that everything is more fun with either a husband, a baby, or both!

What wouldn't be fun with this HANDSOME fella? Nice fu manchu--the style for today before he shaves it all off tomorrow for the temple.

We had the best day!

Sarah really had the best day. She loved everything about it...the sand; probably more than she should have, the water, the waves; especially when they splashed her and then would pull her legs back out to sea, the starfish and sea urchins, the sun, her swimsuit, when mom and dad went sea kyaking and tipped over on our way back in (better then, rather than when we were way out there over the kelp beds...not my favorite part of the day), all of it. She wore herself right out and was asleep before we left the parking lot.

Anxiously waiting for the next wave to catch.

Looking forward to a beach adventure on another day! Can you believe I just said that?!

MMMM---I just LOVE her!!!