Until Next Year

It was a wonderful holiday season here in Sunny Southern California. I love everything about Christmas; the lights, the tree, the smells, the treats, the decorations, the chilly (relative, I know) weather, and especially the traditions.

Growing up my family had many traditions, most of which Richard experienced this year. We decorated our tree with my ornaments I have received every year, dating all the way back to my first Christmas in 1976. Santa filled our red Gram Weldon stockings full of delightful treats. I love my Gram stocking, but must admit that I was a little jealous of Richards. His had the traditional tree and candy cane, but it also had a cabin, a bike, a palm tree, and a guitar. Talk about personalized! We look forward to Sarah having a red family stocking to hang above the mantel next year. Richard also had to endure (yeah, right!) the traditional Bigelow Christmas breakfast of sticky buns and breakfast casserole. I am sure that was the most difficult part. Sarah even got PJs from the Sandman, however mom did not! :( It was fun for me to be able to incorporate some of these traditions that I hold so dear. into my own family along with a few new ones.

Well, this weekend Sarah and I were able to participate in one of Richard's Christmas traditions and it was a blast! I was laughing my head off. We live in the house Richard grew up in and it's just a few blocks away from Douglas Park. The city of Santa Monica recycles Christmas trees if you take them to the park and drop them off. Ever since Richard was a little boy he has taken his family's tree to Douglas park via skateboard. Now, Richard is not a skateboarder, but for one day a year he becomes one. Picture this, 39 year old (or 10 or 12 or 25) on a skateboard with Christmas tree in hand coasting down approximately 3 blocks to drop off the Christmas tree. It's a good thing we live above the park or it would be more difficult. He even uses the tree as a brake to slow himself down when he approaches stop signs, cars, or obstacles in the way. The bystanders were quite impressed. I actually wish we would have seen more people because I found it quite entertaining and wanted to show off my ingenious husband!

I was so worried that he was going to hit a car or the curb or something...but not a scratch!

Our Christmas tree is on top of this pile somewhere.

Not the Craziest California Mama

It's true...I met someone MUCH crazier! Yesterday Sarah and I went to her doctor's appointment and on the way home she fell asleep. I decided to attempt to go to the mall to make a few returns since she was sleeping. There we were waiting in the neverending line at Macys when a mommy behind me struck up a conversation that went something like this.

Macy's mom: How old is your baby?

Me: She'll be one month on Sunday. (with my proud mama smile)

Macy's mom: You just had a baby a month ago. You look great. (Not really but hey, I'll take it) After my baby was born I was more swollen than when I was pregnant. And now my a** just keeps getting bigger because I never have time to cook. I am so exhausted. It's not from lack of sleep that I am exhausted it's from worrying so much. So, she's only one month old and you take her out? You go to the mall? But she hasn't had her shots yet!!!!!! (She was aghast)

Me: Those immunizatioin shots are for measles and big catastrophic things. Probably not going to pick those up at the mall. I have to get out of the house...stircrazy!

So we continued to chat for a bit and I said something that made her realize that I had driven Sarah and I.

Macy's mom: You drove yourself here? Just you and the baby? But what if something happened? What if she coughed or something worse happened. You aren't sitting in the back of the car with her? Is that okay to do? Is that legal?!

I was laughing hysterically and told her now I knew why she was so tired...she really is worrying about everything. I should have told her I had a C-section too. I am sure that would have really sent her over the edge.

So, as you can see, eventhough I stress about whether Sarah hates her cloth diapers because she screams like a madwoman when we change her, weigh her on all the scales in the house, want to pump all my milk and give it to her in a bottle just so I KNOW she's getting enough milk (not doing by the way), thought I would be able to keep mommying simple and now own every kid contraption there is, constantly stare at her head in her carseat because I think it moves around too much, and the list goes on and on. But eventhough I do all these things and more, there is still atleast one mom crazier than me!

Now doesn't that make you relieved mom?

The Biggest Gainer

She's still sleeping so I figure I might as well keep at it and attempt to get another post done while I can.

This post will just let you all see how crazy Rich and I are; especially when sleep deprived, stircrazy from all the rain that has kept us in the house for days(usually I love the rain, but when you have a little baby and just want to go for a walk, it really puts a damper on things), and when you are as anal and paranoid about doing everything right, as I will admit I am.

Last night Richard and I attempted to weigh Sarah on every scale we have in the house...and yes, that includes the kitchen meat scale.

According to the scaleS she weighs between 8 1/4 pounds and 8 1/2 pounds, fully clothed. At her last appointment she weighed 7-7, in the buff...so I would say she's making progress. Thankfully, all these hours feeding appear to be paying off and we no longer have the biggest loser living in our house.

Just Because

I emailed Ron yesterday and commented on how Sarah was still the cutest. His response was, "Sarah will be the cutest until..." Even after until...I still think she will always be the cutest! Here are some pictures to prove my point.

I'll Be Home For Christmas

Ever since we got married I still refer to Boise as home and Richard corrects me each time and says that I am home right here in sunny California. I always agreed and let him believe I felt at home here, but I never really did...something was missing. However, since Sarah's arrival I have a new outlook on home and now, Boise will always be my home away from home. I am home with my husband and new little daughter and feel that I am in just the right place wherever they are. I have gained a new appreciation for enjoying the place you are in and being happy with where you are at the moment. I am not certain why Sarah's birth brought this out of me and just being married didn't, but I am determined to make Sarah's life pleasurable and complete wherever we are. I want her to feel at home with us.

So, although Boise and all my loved ones there will always hold a special place in my heart, I will be home for Christmas this year and am looking forward to it. You will all of course be missed GREATLY, but I think that this Christmas will be a memorable one with my little family, our beautiful tree, and the love I feel at home!

We put up our tree last week when Richard took the week off to spend it with Sarah and I (best week ever!). It was so much fun for me to get out my box of ornaments I have been receiving since I was a baby and to put them on our tree. It brought back so many fond memories of decorating our tree on Musket.

Remember sisters when we would want to put out EVERY ornament we had and mom would make us pick our favorites so that the tree wouldn't be too full? Remember putting all the ornaments on the front of the tree and then being so disappointed when you would find yours on the back of the tree? Well, this year I was able to put up every ornament I wanted and I put very few in the back so that they would all be seen! So fun.

Thank you for starting this tradition with us girls mom and dad, Grandparents, and Aunts and Uncles. It is one I will continue with my family. I told Richard the only gift I had to get Sarah was an ornament so that one day when she feels at home with her very own family for their first real Christmas, she too will be able to pull out her box of ornaments and feel like she has the most beautiful tree, full of the best memories ever!

Happy Holidays!

P.S. Don't read too much into this. Just because I am happy now doesn't mean I want to stay here forever. I would still like nothing more than to make my home closer to all of yours. Maybe one day I will have the best of both worlds.

Sarah Square Pants

Just one of many nicknames...very applicable when staring at her in her cloth diapers. When we were in the hospital we used the disposables for ease of use. When we arrived home from the hospital Richard and I put on the first pair of Kissaluv fitted diapers along with her diaper cover. We laughed hysterically. It hurt my incision SO BADLY but we couldn't help ourselves. On Sarah's little birdlegs the diapers looked enormous. Since she's filling out a bit they don't look quite so large anymore, but she still doesn't and as long as we use cloth she won't have a tiny little bum. (I should say you can't see her tiny little bum) It looks sortof fluffy, but still oh so cute!

The cloth diapering is going pretty well. Have had a few leaky ones, but are starting to figure it out. Once she stops screaming AT THE TOP OF HER LUNGS everytime I change her, I will be happier with the diaper situation. She's a modest little thing and doesn't like having her clothes off. You go to unbutton her onesie and the fight is on! :)

Happy Halloween

Halloween costumes almost 8 months pregnant...who wants to do that?

Well, not I until I saw Sirri's costume and decided that even a pregnant girl could pull that off.

Sirri loved the idea of Snap and me being the same as her, and so here it is; in honor of Grandpa Bigelow...Strawberry Ice Cream with Sprinkles X's 2 or should I say 3!?! :)