Addie's 3

When Adessa was first born the nurse told us she was a feisty one. This she told us was "a good thing, for it is the feisty ones that survive." She hasn't lost the Feisty and I am eternally grateful for her nature.

Sep. 20th 2005

32 weeks 2pds. 12oz.

Of course, she had to make a grand entrance!
(much like sacrament meeting each week)

1st Birthday Party

2nd Birthday Party
3rd Birthday Party

I honestly can't believe my miracle baby is 3. There are so many things that I adore about my Addie Dawn, but I will list just a few:

1. She falls asleep wrapped up in a pink feather boa.
2. She says hi to everyone she sees.
3. She has a great sense of self.
4. She is friendly and outgoing.
5. She is a great helper.
6. She is clever.
7. She has super facial expressions when telling a story.
8. She isn't afraid to tell you what she thinks.
9. She uses her hands to talk.
10. She doesn't walk, she dances.
11. She loves pizza and fruit snacks.
12. She isn't afraid to try new things.
13. She uses her manners and is obedient.
14. She can count really high.
15. She will only bath if she thinks she is Ariel.
16. She only sees pink.
17. She gives the best hugs and kisses.
18. She can play independently.
19. she has a great imagination.
20. She let's me do her hair.

Of course I could go on and on, I am a mother after all! I love you Addie babe, my miracle child, my little fighter, my frou frou princess, and feisty little troll.

It's Back

Oh what joy fills my heart, my show is back! I cried as I do every time I watch the Biggest Loser. They analyzed this L.T.'s physiological age and he is like 49 in his body rather than 23 which is his biological age. He eats and he smokes, I don't know how he will ever quit both addictions. Crazy! After watching the first show I already have a few favorites and a few hopefuls selected. The main thing is that it always motivates me to be improving myself in some way. What better way to spend the evening than reflecting on how you can improve as a person. I love watching people overcome what is hard and seeing the joy that they feel when they have accomplished a difficult task. There is just nothing like it. I strongly recommend watching this fantastically motivating show. You won't believe in 5 weeks how different these people look. Imagine losing 24pds. in 1 week.

Easily Persuaded

I have always prided myself on the fact that I don't give in to peer pressure. I never just went somewhere I didn't want to so I would "be cool", I really didn't care as much about being cool as I did about having fun. So why is it that as an adult I have become so much more of a push over? I have boldly stated that I thought that Facebook was creepy. Why on earth would you want to subject yourself to the cruelties of high school all over again? So after a couple months of family and peer persuasion I buckled like the curb in front of my house. Yes, I am on there with tons of other random people and yes it is a little creepy. However, it does have its plus side. I have been able to chat with former Hunter high school friends that I haven't seen since my junior year when I moved, I have found a number of my dance buddies from college, I have been able to chat with my favorite professors/friends from SUU, I have found people from Woods Cross who I haven't seen since graduation, I have gained contact with old roommates and friends from the college ward, and I have found friends in my ward and neighborhood. All in all, it has thus proven to be more of a positive thing than a weird thing. I am not going to pressure anyone to join up, like I said, it is a little creepy, but if you do, don't be surprised when you see my face pop up. Facebook is a great way to network for those of you networking types or just a great place to quickly catch up with old friends. You may want to check it out, or not.

I'm an Old Mom

I remember thinking that when you have kids in pre-school and dance you are an old mom. Technically speaking, and by my own definition, I am now an old mom. Freaky! I learned a valuable lesson on the first day of Dancing School and that is, you don't tell your child they have dance until 1/2 hour before it begins. From 10:00 a.m. until dancing was over at 5:00 p.m. she paraded around in her dance suit and asked every 2 minutes "am I going to dancing school now?" Needless to say, we left 2 hours early just to appease her. Adessa loved Miss Sarah, she talked about her all night and wanted to call her on the phone this morning if she pooped on the potty. Don't worry, a drew a line there. Confession: after dropping her off and taking pictures I cried. Yep, I couldn't choke them back. There is something surreal about seeing your baby walk confidently away from you. She seemed so big and yet she is such a runt. John said that we would have to give Miss Sarah a nice Christmas present for daring take Addie on, but the verdict was that she obeyed and participated. The only glitch was when she said she wanted to do a running leap instead of flicks across the floor. This is minor to crying, or peeing in the studio. I still think we will have to give Miss Sarah a nice Christmas present before this is all over.

Great Reads

Maren and I need to talk. She has given me a number of books for my Birthday, Christmas, and various other reasons, but there is always a central theme to them; First, they are all youth literature books and Second, they all make me bawl like a baby. Knowing this, I resisted reading "Milkweed" for about 3years (sorry Mrn), after "Star Girl" and "Out of the Dust" both favorites of mine, I knew that I had to be emotionally stable to start reading this most recent installment. So since I am on Clomid and an emotional mess anyway I decided to read the book. Am I going nuts? No seriously, having spent oodles of hours on planes and in airports I was able to tear through 3 great books without interruption. The first was the "Alchemist" a popular book in my ward right now. It was wonderful, inspiring, and paralleled a lot of my own feelings and philosophies about life. I Highly recomend it. The second was Bram Stokers "Dracula" one that I have always wanted to read, but haven't taken the time to do so. Like most classics, you have to be very patient while reading this 1897 masterpiece. I decided with all of the recent "Twilight" and vampire hoopla, that I would compare and contrast the original concept and beliefs of vampires with this new contemporary image created by Stephenie Meyer. It was fun to see the similarities that she decided to keep and how she decided to make them different. It's worth the time and patience. The last was "Milkweed" this will be for those of you who love the WWII literature. It is enlightening and devastating. The writing is brilliant as the story is told by a young child who literally has no idea who he is. Certainly worth the very quick read and tears. Call me crazy, but I always imagine myself in each story that I read. It wasn't until I was in my early twenties as a college student that I really developed a passion for reading. Now I can't seem to stand going to bed until I have stayed up way too late in the night escaping to a time, place, or land that someone else has created for me. For those of you non-readers out there, I strongly recomend Youth Literature. I personally think that if you don't love to read it is because you haven't found the kind of literature you enjoy. I love classics, youth literature, and murder mysteries. Maren, let's think happy thoughts for the next selection. I am not sure how many times I can experience devastation and love (I always feel way too deeply for the characters) in my life before I become a complete mess. Do you know of a good Star Trek book or anything? Come on you're killing me. No seriously, I love all the books you have given me and I thank you for fueling my night time addiction.

Adventures in Liverpool

If you were to look up the words green and beautiful in the dictionary it would say: Liverpool, New York. I have never been to a more lush and wooded place in my life. Not only was I able to enjoy the beautiful "country" scenery, but I was able to visit my sister and her 2 kids. Never a dull moment. Immediately upon arrival the adventure began, and the series of unusual events didn't cease until I had safely landed in Salt Lake. I could seriously blog the longest account of my vacation in the history of all blogdom, but to spare all including myself I will abridge the story into a list of highlights with pictures.

Highlights:

1. Having 4 "slumbers" with a very excited nephew and niece.

2. Sleeping on a couch for 5 nights with 2 decorative pillows and 2 baby blankets.

3. Going to "Mamma Mia" the Sing Along version with only 1 other crazy person singing to the subtitles in the theatre.

4. Meeting my sisters interesting friends and neighbors.

5. Answering my sisters interesting friends unique questions about our religious beliefs, like "where do we put the warehouses that we use to sacrifice the animals?"

6. Eating a huge NY sausage at the NY State Fair. So unlike me, but I did it knowing that John would be proud.

7. Seeing more food, alcohol, tattoo's, and similar shaped noses at the Fair than I have ever seen in my life (everyone in NY has the same looking nose).

8. Going to the largest Heavenly shoe store that I have ever been in in my life.

9. Getting questioned and followed by an employee as to why I was photographing the largest shoe store I have ever been in in my life (he he).

10. Sweating to death and breaking out with wildly uncontrolled acne from the heat and humidity.

11. Seeing the beautiful area with rivers, tree's, and oodles of foilage.

12. Eating fudge, ice cream, and Chocolate chip cookies from Wegman's.

NOT so Highlights:

1. Having to un board the hottest plane ever on my way home because of weather issues in Detroit.

2. Missing my flight from Detroit to SLC because of the weather.

3. Booking a new flight to Chicago connecting to SLC the next day.

4. Another slumber with the niece and nephew on the couch with the decorative pillows and baby blankets.

5. Having to pay to check my bag because I am now flying United.

6. Getting flagged to be wanded and patted down in front of 3 drooling, staring, pervy, male security officers. Ughh, humiliating.

7. Flying on the hottest and smallest plane ever, with a broken toilet that oozed refuse odour.

8. A flat diet coke on the last plane. As if I hadn't been through enough already, but now I am being served a flat diet Coke and 0 pretzels!

All in all, it was action from take off to landing. I am so very blessed to have a wonderful sister whom I love and admire dearly. New York is beautiful, the people were different but great, the humidity didn't do me any favors, and I am sure I will get over the airport complications. I am continually amazed at what a super mom my sister is. The love and devotion she shows to her children is astounding. I can't wait until my next trip to New York, Adessa will love it!

Liverpool Pictures