Confessions of a Jealous Mommy

Yesterday I took Julia to a pumpkin patch.

I didn't take Julia to just ANY pumpkin patch. I took her to THE pumpkin patch.

You see, after hearing from my friends about their wonderful fun experience with their kids and seeing pictures of other babies Julia's age loving pumpkins and petting zoos and everything, I had convinced myself that I needed to go. And Julia would love it.

I was jealous. Green with envy. I wanted that experience for MY child. I wanted MY child to have a cute picture with a pumpkin. I wanted. I wanted. I wanted. Really, it was all for me.

So, should it surprise me at all that it was cold and windy yesterday and Julia's hood wouldn't stay up? Should it surprised me that while Julia enjoyed "petting" the kittens, she had no desire to feed or pet the goats? And really, should it surprise me at all that when I set Julia next a pumpkin to take a picture of her with it, she screamed in terror? And, no matter how many different times or ways I tried to sit her by a pumpkin, she would cry and start crawling towards me? Should any of that have surprised me?

No.



However, it sure did hurt my feelings. I sure felt like I wasted three hours of my day. And I sure felt silly for being so jealous in the first place.

So, I will put a picture of her screaming and crying next to a pumpkin in her baby book with the "I had fun at Carroll's pumkin patch." sticker firmly placed next to it. (Oh, the irony!) And, besides being a funny story for the future, I will also use it as a reminder of how poisonous jealousy is for the soul.

(I did manage to get a few pictures of Julia on a wooden tractor and wooden horse that she deemed "okay" places to be. And, I soothed my soul a bit by visiting my favorite quilt shop to buy fabric for some Christmas gift aprons. However... I most certainly did learn my lesson!)

Tractor and horse pictures:

Piano Lessons

Quite regularly, Adam gives Julia "piano lessons". He and Julia have been doing this ever since she came home from the hospital. It started with her sitting on his lap while he played, to her trying to tear the books off the piano while he played, to her hitting a key here and there while he played... and now she likes to bang on the piano like there is no tomorrow! Next step? Teach her to "copy" Adam by her hitting a key he hits... yah, we're not there yet. :)

Julia Gets 'Low'

We went to a wedding on October 4th, and here is a video of Adam helping Julia 'dance'...

Odds and Ends

It's the end of another week, and October is half over.

WHERE did 2008 go?

It was one of those cold, rainy, gray fall days... one of those days that remind me that it is FINALLY fall and why I love fall so much. I made chili today in honor of the weather and even added a little bit of Cincinnati to my bowl at dinner time with some spaghetti... yum!

Today Julia and I hung out... and virtually did nothing other than eat, sleep, and play. It was a glorious day! I'm posting a few pictures and videos here from the last week... Julia is almost 11 months old, and really enjoys playing with mom and dad. She sure is a lot of fun these days!

Julia loves to sit in her rocking chairs (she has two). She thinks they are loads of fun. Here she is today...


Yesterday I brought out her pom poms that go with her Green Bay Packers cheerleader outfit to see if she liked them... not so much. She thought they were fun at first, but then she got mad at them and tried to tear them apart. I think the feel of them was a little weird for her.



The weather hasn't been completely cool... we had the air on a few days last week! (And ha, the heat on most of this week.) Last week Friday we sat out on the deck and Adam and Julia played peekaboo with one of his bandanas.


I was getting Julia ready for the day last Saturday and went to take her jammies off... this is Julia Pajamahead!



One of Julia's FAVORITE things to do is to take a bath...!



After her bath, 'reading' a book, in her OTHER rocking chair...


I hope you all are having a good week!

erin

For my Housing Friend... you know who you are...

Hey, friend. It is Monday.

Ha.

This last weekend we had a blast... a really great time visiting with old friends... attending a wedding... what fun!

Friday we drove to Potosi, Wisconsin, and toured the Potosi Brewing Company, which houses a National Brewerania Museum as well. Neat stuff! We ate dinner at the Potosi Brewing Company (beef ribs with hoison sauce... yum!) after our self-guided tour and trip to the gift shop.

Adam at the brewery:


Adam and the head brewer, Steve Z.:


A Potosi Brewing quilt:


Julia tasting a lemon at dinner:



After our trip there, we drove to Platteville, Wisconsin, where we planned to attend the UWP Housing Reunion. Both Adam and I went to school at UW-Platteville and both worked on the housing staff while there. We had a great time talking with friends from our college years... catching up... hearing about marriages, kids, and the like... what fun! It was really great to see everyone and hang out a bit!

And... after some ever-so-slight chiding from a school friend... I have resolved to be a bit more active on my blog... and even said I would post today! :) So here you go, friend!

Saturday morning we toured the new residence hall, Southwest. Then we stopped by the bookstore and our whole family (Julia included) are new owners of UWP t-shirts! :) Then it was off to the EMS (Engineering, Math, and Science) Alumni tent, where we dined on Wisconsin brats and beer. We had a wonderful chat with our friend and past professor, Fred Domann... he and Adam had a fun chat about brewing (and other things), we discussed the bailout a bit, he loved on "Julianna" a bit... it was wonderful to see him! After a few good hugs, we were off to the brewpub in the "new" student center.

Views from 6th floor of Southwest Hall:

(New engineering building)




A picture of Southwest Hall:


Cutie patootie baby on a campus tour!


Then... off we were to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where we planned to attend the wedding of one of Adam's friends, Rick Heller.

The wedding was beautiful; brown tuxes, gold bridesmaid dresses, an amazingly beautiful bridal gown... calla lilies and berries... simply beautiful. The bride and groom where both happy and glowing... I love weddings! I have always loved going to weddings; we have surprisingly been invited to ten of them this year. I love the very beginning of a wedding; when the man first sees his soon-to-be wife and the service begins... I always choke up a bit at that point.

The reception was unique and interesting! Julia proved to be a bit of a challenge as we dined (appetizer-style) at the ara Gallery. This gallery is one of expensive art and furniture... wow! It was interesting trying to find a place to feed Julia such that she wouldn't get food all over a $4,000 couch... but it was a really neat place and fun too! And, I can now say that I have changed my baby on a $872 bench...! Ha! (There were two bathrooms, with benches in each one, and as opposed to changing her on the floor, I chanced changing her on the bench... the bench in the other bathroom was $1411...!!!) Seriously, though, it was by far one of the most unique receptions we have attended... and we did enjoy ourselves!

The 'getaway' vehicle... I mean... 'Just Married' vehicle...


Adam and Julia at the reception:


The fancy gallery...



The happy bride and groom... (RICK!!!)


Adam and Julia getting 'Low':


After being at the reception for a bit, eating really tasty appetizers, feasting on delicious cake (chocolate with peanut butter mousse in the layers... um... YUM!), and dancing it up a bit on the dance floor ('Low' by Flo Rida), we headed back to Pella that night.

And then, as if magically, yesterday was just a 'normal' Sunday... we returned to our 'regular' routine... and now it is Monday, and we are both back to work. Have a great week!

Erin

Can you believe it is August 11th already?

Where as the time gone?

In 13 short days, our little baby girl will be 9 months old. WOW!

(In 8 short days, I will be 30. Imagine that?! A note: It doesn't bother me one bit, so don't think that razzing me is going to do anything. Ha.)

I've been absent from blogging the last couple of months; I have much to catch up on! We have been busy this summer... enjoying each other, enjoying traveling (as much as we can with a 8 1/2 month old)... summer really does fly by anymore! However, I would be lying if I told you I wasn't looking forward to the cooler months of fall, the smell of the leaves, and the overall crispness of the air.

(I was not made for hot & humid, I fear. Unfortunately my dear husband has no desire to move to northern Canada.)

Recently I have started a weight loss challenge with a gal that lives in Dallas that I met online through a 'Birth Month Board'. Don't worry, we've 'known' each other for 17 months now. Whoever loses the challenge, which ends on October 25th, travels to the winner's house for baby's first birthday party. I'm so excited! Either way I get to meet my friend Charity and her daughter Mia, but also, I am losing a few pounds. When the stakes are high enough... ha.

Either way, I have been doing really well, but today I want to eat. I'm not really all that HUNGRY, but food is enticing me today. I am trying very hard to remain 'good'.

This last weekend I spent more time than normal watching TV... due to the Olympics starting. I don't know if it's that we have a baby now or what, but suddenly, after not showing much interest for the last 15 years or so, I am suddenly back into the Olympics and cannot turn it off. Julia was content to hang out with mommy and daddy, play with her toys, and try to pull up on us. It was really cute. Saturday morning I also had to opportunity to go to the Farmer's Market in Des Moines with my friend Melissa. There's nothing like getting up at 5 am on a weekend day... even when I hardly did anything all day, I still felt 'accomplished' for having gotten up so early. Well, that, and ironing a load of clothes. :) I didn't buy much at the Farmer's Market, but it was fun to see what was there. I'm looking forward to when squash is more readily available.

Here are a few recent pictures of Julia... I will post more about recent trips, etc., but I wanted to put these up here for you to see. Another of my online friends, Kim, made tie dye onesies for anyone who wanted one and they turned out super cute... or at least I think! :)







Ta ta for now... I'll be back with more throughout the month...!

erin

Bath Time Fun!

Julia isn't a big fan of getting a bath anymore because she's too big to have her hair washed under the sink and now I just dump water over her head. (She's getting more used to it.) During a particular bath recently, I couldn't help but want to put a mohawk in her hair. :) TOO CUTE!





erin

Memorial Weekend Fun!

Over Memorial Day weekend, our whole (the three of us) family visited Wisconsin.

On Saturday the 24th, we traveled to Wisconsin. We stopped at a brewpub in Mineral Point, WI, and enjoyed some tasty food and a few beers.







Then we traveled on to New Glarus. Adam wanted to see the new brewery, which isn't open yet, and then we stopped at the old brewery and spent a little money at the gift shop in beer and other paraphenelia we cannot purchase in Iowa.

We visited with friends as we celebrated with Patti and Donny... they will be getting married in August in Idaho. So... this was an engagement / pre-wedding party, and it was great to see so many friends and new babies of friends!

Sunday we went to a graduation party and saw more of Adam's family, and then we spent the evening 'camping' (but not overnight) out at Dan & Claire's land. There was a great thunderstorm, and this was Julia's first real experience outside at night with a campfire, etc.





Monday we spent the entire day driving home. It is a trek anymore with a baby, but still worth the visit!

erin

I want my (M)TV!

Julia has become a bit of a Drama Queen lately when attempting to take things away from her. Here is a video that Adam captured when she had gotten a hold of one of the remotes and he went to take it away from her. Too funny!

erin

A few new pictures!

I have all sorts of updating to get done, so I'll begin!

Julia is 6 1/2 months old... WOOHOO! She is doing really well and had a great 6 month appointment. She is a little peanut, though:

Weight: 14 lbs 1 oz
Height: 26 inches
Head: 16 inches

She did really well with her shots, and with continued chiropractor visits, she seems to be doing really well and hasn't had any illnesses lately.

Julia started daycare last Wednesday and I am now working two days a week. Today is Day #2 and so far so good!

Here are a few pictures from this last weekend:





I will upload more pictures later!

Erin