this could take all day, but it won't

videopalooza

Since I'm leaving in the morning for Spokane and am giving myself a break from all things computer (I'm actually leaving my work laptop behind! You'd think it was all a grand gesture, but really I just don't want to haul the thing through the airport!) I'm gonna give you one grand post. I've got videos saved up for weeks now, so I thought why not make a giant post that will hopefully last you until I'm back in town with stories from my weekend to entertain you all with.

So, use your discretion. Chow down all at once, or savor over a few days. And don't forget to leave comments. This blogger sure loves them!

Sometime this past month Daisy changed from grumpy waking to angel upon waking. I tried to take a video to show you the comparison, but once the camera was on she was done smiling. But if you watch carefully, this video will totally make you crack up. She has the best faces!

Mommy doing her dardnest to keep the kid laughing, but Daddy's gotta go and distract her!

Thanks Grams and Gramps, she LOVES her jungle gym!

For a while there, whenever we'd put Daisy in her swing, she would stare up at the motor and just start talking away. She'd talk for 20 minutes or more. So I started teasing her that she was having a conversation with an angel we couldn't see. I wanted to make a blog entry about it, so kept trying to get it on video, but she wouldn't cooperate. Be careful on this one, it might make you dizzy!

While in California, Daddy discovered how much Daisy enjoys being startled. This ones great!

Laughing with Uncle Skylar!

And her latest trick: blowing raspberries. The day she figured out how to do it, she just sat and played with her mouth for nearly an hour. It was so cute!

3 months old

This letter was written several weeks ago, but was just waiting for editing before I could post it. So, think back two + weeks as you read.

September 6, 2007

Dear Daisy,

You are now officially three months old, and your parents no longer resemble the walking dead. While it is still hard to believe that I have a three month old (three months, really?) the benefits of you reaching this age have been enormous. Beyond the basics like only needing one “get up” a night, your third month has brought with it all kinds of new delights.

Like the fact that you actually take pleasure in things now. You have this great bouncy seat that you have loved since you came home, but now instead of just reveling in the joy that is your vibrating backside, you actually smile and laugh and coo and giggle at the bevy of toys displayed in front of you. I can’t wait to see how you react when you realize that you can actually bat at them and make them move! And even beyond with the fancy function that causes a song to play when there is movement. Ah…toys these days.

As instructed by all those great baby books, this month we instituted your bedtime routine that we have affectionately dubbed: the four B’s. They are: bath, book, boob, bed and you seem to have taken to the routine quite well. For the most part Dad is responsible for the bath and the book and because of this I have begun to think that you like him better than me. (Sometimes we’ll set you down and stand on either side and, much like the Sandy episode in Annie, we’ll call out to you to see who you’ll look at first. By far you prefer your father. And I’m okay with that…for now.) It seems about every other night that you put yourself to sleep easily with just a little talking and fist sucking, and on the opposite evenings you cry and cry until one of us pats your tummy until you finally drift to sleep. And once again, your Daddy is the best at this.

We are still working out daytime sleeps. I promise, kiddo, if you just take a couple naps during the day life will be much happier all around. Trust me on this one, will you? I’m your mom, and I know best.

Sometime during this month two things happened: our cranky morning baby started waking up to greet the world with the cheeriest disposition, and our happy afternoon baby turned into the crankiest of cranky monsters. Mornings with you have become my new favorite time and although I still hate dragging my tired bum out of bed in the morning, life is made all that much better by coming into your room and being greeted with the best grin ever. Your smile lights up this whole block. Daddy and I love the days when we have time to bring you back to bed with us, stick you on your back between and laugh and talk together. (One of many “who will you look at moments” occur here.) I hope this time continues to be as special as you get older.

But then something happens when the afternoon rolls around and nothing we can do will make you happy. Not your swing, not your seat, not being held and cuddled. You become this just unhappy kid. And we hurt for you. The massive amounts of drool and the thumb gnawing (not sucking) have made us wonder if by chance you might be teething early. Either way, we wish we could help you out and avoid all the screaming.

The screaming? Seriously, kid, we’re right there next to you doing everything we can to help. Could you maybe lower it a few decibels? Daddy and I would like to keep our hearing. That’s all.

Ultimately, watching you grow and learn is probably the coolest thing ever. Seriously. Ever.

Know that you are a child of God and that you are so very loved,

Mommy

Daisy @ 15 weeks

just in case you had some illusions of perfection

today I bring you

"How to win the worst daughter of the year award"

(1) Forget to thank your wonderful father for not only getting your oil changed, but also filling your car up with gas during your last visit. Notice it, think about it, but forget to thank him for it.

(2) Forget your mom's birthday completely. Forget to call or send anything for her special day. And not only that, but take 4 days to realize you forgot it. (I remembered only after reading somewhere about the Puyallup fair, and remembering that Mom said they were heading there for her birthday celebration.)

I read somewhere recently that when you've got a lot of balls in the air, the important thing is to determine which ones are rubber and which ones are glass. Those were definitely glass, and I feel terrible that in dropping them I hurt people I love.

Thanks for forgiving me, Mom & Dad. I love you both.

3 down, 2 to go

Well, one more of the Gemmer clan got hitched last night. It was a sweet backyard wedding. And Darin had the honor of giving Miss Sierra away. (I cried when she asked him to do so.) Here are some photo highlights (as always, click to enlarge):

 

 

Family Pics:

Mom & Sista

 

Please keep this new little family in your prayers as they have some tough challenges ahead. In a few short weeks, Michael will be shipping out for Iraq. Sierra will be living at home until he returns and then they will be setting up their home in North Carolina.

   

flying Daisy

So the little Miss did really well on our trip to California. Our flight to Seattle from B'ham was canceled on Thursday, so we ended up having a friend drive us to the airport. She doesn't have a car, so it was a great deal for her to get to use our car while we were gone. Plus, we had a great time visiting on the drive (and Daisy enjoyed having a friend in the backseat with her!).

Everyone said to nurse during takeoff and landing so that's what we did. And Daisy slept in between, which made for a great experience. People sitting behind us said they didn't even know we had a baby! We were very thankful that she was so well behaved because she got really cranky in the waiting area just prior to boarding, and Darin said he could just feel all the people hoping she wouldn't make the flight a nightmare. But she was a dream.

Here's the little Miss as we waited to de-plane from her very first flight:

 

On the flight back to Seattle she was a bit more cranky. Darin did a good job of putting her to sleep, but once she nursed on takeoff she was wide awake. And then there was the major diaper explosion in the middle of beverage service which was a fun adventure to clean up. And then she got in her I don't want to be held, just put me down so I can kick and squirm mood. So we cleared a spot at my feet and there she happily played. Until I tried to nurse her again and she would have none of it. So that part she was a bit fussy, but it wasn't awful.

On the flight back to Bellingham she was an angel.

The hardest part of the trip was interrupting her night sleep. The first two nights in Tuolumne she was up 3 or 4 times. I was getting worried that this was going to be a new pattern. But the last night we were there we were able to give her a bath and put her down at a decent time, and she slept until we woke her up at 5:00am to leave. And once home, she's back to normal. So I'm very thankful for that.

And thankful that our first flying adventure is over. Here's to hoping I can do it alone with her next weekend!

so, so, so, so excited

Darin's getting a raise!

I can cut back my hours at work and still keep benefits.

The combo means financially things will be ok.

Next weekend Darin and some other guys will be totally remodeling our bathroom.

But the most exciting of all? Jen puts it best here. Exactly what I need.

Daisy @ 14 weeks

On a sunshiny day...

linky links

So I kind of have this addiction to reading blogs. Darin thinks it's a little weird that I read and enjoy blogs of total strangers, but I do. I like hearing about lives that are totally different than mine. And some of these folks are great writers, or tell funny stories, or have cool scrapbooking stuff on there. So I keep reading.

But I do read blogs of people I actually know too. And so I thought I'd link 'em all over there on that sidebar thingy. So even if you don't know them, you can (like I do) enjoy a foray into a stranger's life, or get reconnected with someone you know but just didn't know blogged. (I'd especially recommend the Allen's in Africa blog--the blog of a former coworker who just moved his family to be missionaries in Africa.)

Wanna join in this blogging world so I can add you to my cool new list?

give him another chance?

So Darin has taken up blogging again. His post today was great. And he's told me he's got two more in the works. So once again I send you his way. Don't forget to say hello so that he's encouraged to keep it up!