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!?! :)

Count Your Many Blessings

Yes, Snap, you do have a daddy and you should be down right thankful for the WONDERFUL one you have!!

Working where I do I often get many questions and comments as to how I can handle seeing these children come to the shelter in order to escape the abuse that is happening to their mothers and sometimes themselves at home. Most of the time I am able to leave work, and I do a pretty good job of leaving work there. These children are really happy while they are in the shelter; they are fed, clothed, sheltered, and loved beyond measure. I see them at their best. Yes, they miss home, friends, and their fathers, but realize that they are in a good place and that we can help them have better lives!

My job usually teaches me to go easier on those I love and makes me realize just how lucky I am to have what I have and grateful for the choices that I have made! Working at the shelter really makes it easy (most the time) to forgive when my hubby doesn't take out the trash, make the bed, leaves his shorts in a wad on the floor, or forgets to start the dishwasher in the morning. It is easier to forget these things because I realize that my life could be much worse and that many women endure much hardship by the hands of those who supposedly love them!

With all of this in mind, here is a conversation I had today with 2 students, both girls.

6 year old: Mrs. A., are you going to have a baby? (Up until this point she had never asked about my big belly)
Me: Yes, I am!
6 year old: I think it is a girl...or, maybe it could be a boy. If it's a girl I bet it will look just like you. I look like my mom.
Me: Well, we don't know which it will be but we will find out soon enough.

6 year old: Yeah, but Mrs. A., it's sad that your baby won't have a daddy!

Me: But my baby does have a daddy.
6 year old: It does? Where is he?
Me: He's at home and at work. I don't live here, I go home after work.
7 year old: Yeah, she doesn't sleep here, she goes home after school and then comes back.
6 year old: Oh, okay! (With a very relieved, happy face...isn't it amazing how perceptive and in-tune little ones are. She knows what she's missing right now and didn't want anyone else's baby to go through the same thing.)

So, yes, Snap, you do have a daddy unlike many little kids who don't or whose daddies make poor decisions for their family. You have a daddy who loves you more than you will ever know. He is already a wonderful daddy who would do anything for you or me. When you count your blessings, be sure to include him in your list...right at the very top!