Baby Tristan

Carrie had her baby, little Tristan, and both are healthy and doing just fine! He is adorable. I love holding babies, especially ones that I didn't push out!! I would love to be on this side of the bed and be able to take the baby home! Oh the wishes we have.

A few quick funny stories. First, Drew was biting me, not maliciously he was doing it oh so slowly just testing his boundaries. He's done this numerous times over the last few days. When it started hurting I flicked him on the forehead. He immediately stopped biting me, grabbed his forehead and said "ow don't hurt myself, ow." I tried explaining that biting hurts people and he shouldn't bite people, but he wasn't listening, he looked at me, and said "don't hit me. That hurt myself." It was sad and funny because he couldn't get his pronouns right, but you aren't supposed to laugh when disciplining right?

Second, Alexis absorbs things a little too well. I tell her things like: "you have to get your hair done or people will think you look like a rag-a-muffin." There's nothing wrong with saying such things and it helps to get her to do what is socially acceptable, although not always. Anyway, today John came out of the bathroom and she says: "Your hair looks silly, will your friends at work make fun of you?" Then I took them to John's work while I went to class and I packed a lunch for them. When we got there, she and Drew wanted some baby food, so I opened some up for them and let them have at it. Alexis started whispering to us and we couldn't hear her so she whispered a little louder: "Don't let daddy's friends see me eating baby food." I thought only thirteen year olds were so worried about appearances, but I obviously helped that process jump forward a little.

Madison is starting to get into the crawling position. I'm somewhat apprehensive about her starting to crawl because it means more work for me. More vacuuming, picking up the little tiny toys, baby gates and locking cupboards. I guess everyone has to grow up sometime, although it happens too fast with little ones. She's already seven months!

I am still getting used to my hair, but it has some big advantages: I can go to bed with it wet, I don't have to spend forever drying and curling for it to be done, the kids can't pull it or get stuff in it and I don't have a big pony in the back that hits the couch every time I lean back. One fun thing I've found with this hair cut is people's reactions, and they run the gamut. Today in school I was walking down the hall and I heard someone say in a rather loud voice: "WHAT DID YOU DO?" I of course turned to see what the heck was going on, and it was directed at me! A guy from bio lab last semester was walking in the opposite direction and noticed the new do. I was surprised he recognized me, a lot of people don't. John asked if he liked it, I don't think that he did based on the response, he repeated the same phrase at least three times but they got quieter each time. I know I shocked Carrie when we went to see the baby (she said she liked it) and poor Rob wasn't sure what expression to wear. A guy at church made a very loud noise for lack of better wording and then followed it up with: "Did he know you were doing that?" I don't think he liked it either. I have gotten a number of compliments though, they just aren't as entertaining as the comments from those who aren't impressed with it.

While planning our California vacation, we couldn't decide if we wanted to drive down to San Diego to do Sea World or not. At first I was all for it and John didn't want to and then we flipped sides of the fence. Finally, I confessed that I didn't want to go to San Diego because they might have an earthquake and it would fall into the ocean, completely ludicrous I know. I knew it was irrational and if he really wanted to go I was willing to, but I just didn't feel good about it. We obviously decided against it. But, I was partially correct. On our way to California, they had a medium sized earthquake right where we were supposed to be driving through. So, I had the earthquake right, just not to the right magnitude. (Side note: Costa Rica (john's mission) got hit with a hard one while we were on vacation.) Then on the way home I kept getting antsy and I told John that even though it was ridiculous, I felt like a deer was going to jump in front of us. Guess what. . . about ten minutes later on the side of the road we saw a family of deer just standing there. No, they didn't jump in front of us thankfully. So, why am I posting these you ask . . . because when I have one of those little nagging feelings I want to be able to come back to this and show John that he should listen to me more often. In other words, I want to win a discussion and this is my little tool at some point, even when he thinks I sound crazy.

John speaking here. Any man knows that he never ever actually "wins" a discussion with his wife or significant other. And in the event that he does "win" the discussion, he really in essence still loses if he is sleeping on the couch. I am getting wiser in my old age.

Side note: If John is sleeping on the couch, it is usually by choice. No, it's not because we fight. He usually asks to sleep on the couch when Madison or Drew are having a really bad night, ie sickness, and he has to get up and go to work. Honestly, who goes to work and actually works now days?

Me again... It's sad. you know you're not a newly-wed anymore when getting to sleep downstairs on the couch is a great reward!