Ben's cousin Rachael finished editing our family pictures and even put them in a slideshow for us - She did such an AWESOME job! I love them!
Pictures by Rachael Rodenmayer http://www.serendipitiphotography.com
14 years ago
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Where do you begin?
No particular story post to tell, but little Andi is taking a nice afternoon nap, and I have some free time on my hands :) Oh the joy of not working!
There is one topic though that I have been thinking about - Infant messes. And cleaning them up. Even though Andi is only three months old, she's had her fair share, and the other day one of them took the cake and left me thinking - "Where do I even begin to clean this up?" :)
Most days, Andi has about 1 to 2 blowouts - nothing out of the ordinary - that's what babies do.
But, the other day I sure had a lot of cleaning to do. All before breakfast :)
It all started with a 3am feeding, when I noticed she had wiggled enough that her diaper wasn't on right anymore, so her clothes and bedding were all wet. Ok, I just change them.
Then she woke up hungry again at 6:30am, so I nursed her. But, as I lifted her to burp her all of a sudden this huge fountain of spit up splashed directly in my face, also hitting the back of the chair, and the wall behind the chair (that's like 3 feet!). I quickly turned her, but before I could do any damage control she spit up again, and a large fountain went over the arm rest of the chair, and onto the side table (soaking a tissue box, and several magazines and books) and onto the carpet floor. The cutie had such a suprised look on her face :) I then sat her on my lap so that I could at least dry off my face, when with full force she filled her diaper - and more - shooting out along her legs and up to her shoulders, soaking through her jammies leaving a big stain on my pajama pants :)
So now I was dripping, the wall was dripping, the side table was dripping, the chair and floor were wet, I had poo on my legs, and Andi was so covered in poo I didn't even know how to take her clothes off, let alone lay her down so I could start on the other stuff :)
Now, Andi is only three months old, and I know there have got to be much better stories out there :) So moms, if you feel inspired (and not too grossed out) to share, I hereby tag you to do so!
Some random pictures of the last couple of days:
Enjoying some evening sun together on the porch swing, watching dad mow the lawn (the only little bit of sun Andi gets, as I am always very very careful to cover her up - just in case she turns out as fair skinned as I am, instead of inheriting her daddy's tanning abilities :) )
Ben's first fathers day -taking a walk around Westminster (CO).
We also got our first professional family pictures taken! We were lucky that Ben's cousin Rachael (http://www.serendipitiphotography.com/) flew in from New York for a vacation, and was willing to take them :) Even though Andi wasn't the best model - hardly any smiles - I am very eager to see how they turned out - hopefully the next post!
There is one topic though that I have been thinking about - Infant messes. And cleaning them up. Even though Andi is only three months old, she's had her fair share, and the other day one of them took the cake and left me thinking - "Where do I even begin to clean this up?" :)
Most days, Andi has about 1 to 2 blowouts - nothing out of the ordinary - that's what babies do.
But, the other day I sure had a lot of cleaning to do. All before breakfast :)
It all started with a 3am feeding, when I noticed she had wiggled enough that her diaper wasn't on right anymore, so her clothes and bedding were all wet. Ok, I just change them.
Then she woke up hungry again at 6:30am, so I nursed her. But, as I lifted her to burp her all of a sudden this huge fountain of spit up splashed directly in my face, also hitting the back of the chair, and the wall behind the chair (that's like 3 feet!). I quickly turned her, but before I could do any damage control she spit up again, and a large fountain went over the arm rest of the chair, and onto the side table (soaking a tissue box, and several magazines and books) and onto the carpet floor. The cutie had such a suprised look on her face :) I then sat her on my lap so that I could at least dry off my face, when with full force she filled her diaper - and more - shooting out along her legs and up to her shoulders, soaking through her jammies leaving a big stain on my pajama pants :)
So now I was dripping, the wall was dripping, the side table was dripping, the chair and floor were wet, I had poo on my legs, and Andi was so covered in poo I didn't even know how to take her clothes off, let alone lay her down so I could start on the other stuff :)
Now, Andi is only three months old, and I know there have got to be much better stories out there :) So moms, if you feel inspired (and not too grossed out) to share, I hereby tag you to do so!
Some random pictures of the last couple of days:
Enjoying some evening sun together on the porch swing, watching dad mow the lawn (the only little bit of sun Andi gets, as I am always very very careful to cover her up - just in case she turns out as fair skinned as I am, instead of inheriting her daddy's tanning abilities :) )
Ben's first fathers day -taking a walk around Westminster (CO).
We also got our first professional family pictures taken! We were lucky that Ben's cousin Rachael (http://www.serendipitiphotography.com/) flew in from New York for a vacation, and was willing to take them :) Even though Andi wasn't the best model - hardly any smiles - I am very eager to see how they turned out - hopefully the next post!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Big News ...
I've quit the PhD program!
With a whole bunch of mixed emotions I went and talked to my professor last week, and resigned from the program. Like I said, with a bunch of mixed emotions. It was a very hard decision for me to make. In a post I wrote a while back, I said I wanted to give school an honest shot, because I truly love atmospheric science, and what I got to do there.
But, ever since beautiful little Andi came into our lives, my heart just hasn't really been in it anymore. I simply love being her mom. However, I don't think I will ever be able to look at a cloud again without wondering what is all going on inside it, so I'll be sure to teach Andi all about it :) (whether she's going to enjoy that or not, haha!)
It's a big praise that my superiors received the news well - they were all disappointed and sad to see me leave, but definately could understand my decision. They said that a PhD program is quite a hefty commitment without anything else going on, let alone with a little baby at home. They also said I didn't burn any bridges by leaving, so who knows, I might come back some day!!!!
Meanwhile, I am so excited and grateful to be able to stay home with Andi this summer! What a treat, I'm absolutely loving it! To play outside, meet up with other mom friends, go camping as a family, and have all the time available when my sister and her boyfriend come visit in August. Also, to just have the time to be a wife to Ben sure is very nice!
Last Saturday I went to UW to clean out my office. Quite the job taking out ~5 years worth of books, class and research notes and desk stuff all with a baby strapped to your body!
Our grad student offices probably had the best view of any office in town - from 6th floor engineering we had a great view north, and were always able to see the weather roll in!
I would love to have a part time job again come fall though. But, since that is a quite hard to find in my field, I am willing to branch out a little. Right now I'm applying for a job teaching math at the community college here in Laramie. I am looking forward to see what the Lord has planned!
With a whole bunch of mixed emotions I went and talked to my professor last week, and resigned from the program. Like I said, with a bunch of mixed emotions. It was a very hard decision for me to make. In a post I wrote a while back, I said I wanted to give school an honest shot, because I truly love atmospheric science, and what I got to do there.
But, ever since beautiful little Andi came into our lives, my heart just hasn't really been in it anymore. I simply love being her mom. However, I don't think I will ever be able to look at a cloud again without wondering what is all going on inside it, so I'll be sure to teach Andi all about it :) (whether she's going to enjoy that or not, haha!)
It's a big praise that my superiors received the news well - they were all disappointed and sad to see me leave, but definately could understand my decision. They said that a PhD program is quite a hefty commitment without anything else going on, let alone with a little baby at home. They also said I didn't burn any bridges by leaving, so who knows, I might come back some day!!!!
Meanwhile, I am so excited and grateful to be able to stay home with Andi this summer! What a treat, I'm absolutely loving it! To play outside, meet up with other mom friends, go camping as a family, and have all the time available when my sister and her boyfriend come visit in August. Also, to just have the time to be a wife to Ben sure is very nice!
Last Saturday I went to UW to clean out my office. Quite the job taking out ~5 years worth of books, class and research notes and desk stuff all with a baby strapped to your body!
My home away from home for the last ~5 years.
Our grad student offices probably had the best view of any office in town - from 6th floor engineering we had a great view north, and were always able to see the weather roll in!
I would love to have a part time job again come fall though. But, since that is a quite hard to find in my field, I am willing to branch out a little. Right now I'm applying for a job teaching math at the community college here in Laramie. I am looking forward to see what the Lord has planned!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
3 Months!
This past wednesday, Andi turned 3 months old! Definately no longer a newborn.
She weighs about 12.5 lbs (5.7 kgs) and has therefore already more than doubled her birth weight!
We are having so much fun - her laughs are getting more enthused, and the cutest thing: she's found her hands! - she keeps kneading them together in front of her, and can study them like that contently for quite some time. She's also learning to hold a toy - though not very coordinated, and it doesn't last long - she's really trying! Hard work being a baby.
Last weekend we had to make a trip up to Sheridan, then came down through Casper to attend a wedding, and she did great the whole drive.
3 Months, with Slungel
Chub chub at 11 weeks :)
(last Sunday) So cozy. ("Don't worry Grandpa Tom, no one caught us sleeping")
And all my favorites in one shot: Dad loves snuggling on the couch with his girls.
She weighs about 12.5 lbs (5.7 kgs) and has therefore already more than doubled her birth weight!
We are having so much fun - her laughs are getting more enthused, and the cutest thing: she's found her hands! - she keeps kneading them together in front of her, and can study them like that contently for quite some time. She's also learning to hold a toy - though not very coordinated, and it doesn't last long - she's really trying! Hard work being a baby.
Last weekend we had to make a trip up to Sheridan, then came down through Casper to attend a wedding, and she did great the whole drive.
3 Months, with Slungel
Her pretty smile
Chub chub at 11 weeks :)
Another one of her new favorite things to do: on rainy days, she loves taking an afternoon nap with Grandpa Tom:
(Memorial day) Showing off two nap styles: one with head tilted forward, the other with head tilted backward :)
(last Sunday) So cozy. ("Don't worry Grandpa Tom, no one caught us sleeping")
And all my favorites in one shot: Dad loves snuggling on the couch with his girls.
[P.s. In my next post I have some big news to share!! hehe ;) ]
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Mother's instinct
Over the last (almost) 2 years, Sage and I (now of course accompanied by Andi), have taken many walks in the field by our house. Even though the field is in between neighborhoods, we often get treated to some beautiful wild life encounters: we've heard coyotes, smelled skunks (Ok, maybe not so beautiful to the nose), of course seen bunches of antelope, even the occasional deer and rabbits, and spotted eagles and hawks. Every now and then, we've also seen a pair of foxes. Though of course I am not certain they are in fact a male and female pair (I am not a biologist, and I don't know about long-term relationships in the fox world), they do look distinct, suggesting so.
Today another encounter also suggested so. As Sage and Andi and I came over this little hill in the field, Sage's tail started wiggling even faster, and at that point I spotted a Mom fox with two baby foxes! What a treat! Of course Mom fox had already spotted us, and immediately directed her babies back to their fox hole. As soon as they were in, mom moved to a spot about 15 yards away from the hole, and started making a hole bunch of noise towards us - very loud, as if to distract attention away from the place her babies were in. It was sort of a distressed hissing, low-pitched miauwing noise - Mom was definately on the defense: don't you dare to come closer! We continued to watch for a little while, hiding behind a bush (luckily Sage must have also figured this fox did not want to play, and stayed away from her). Though I would have loved to stay there longer to observe, I sympathized with this fox Mom and figured she had already had enough adrenaline for one day, and would much rather also have a quiet afternoon with her babies, so we left.
But what a treat! I beautiful prairie fox Mom protecting her babies :)
Today another encounter also suggested so. As Sage and Andi and I came over this little hill in the field, Sage's tail started wiggling even faster, and at that point I spotted a Mom fox with two baby foxes! What a treat! Of course Mom fox had already spotted us, and immediately directed her babies back to their fox hole. As soon as they were in, mom moved to a spot about 15 yards away from the hole, and started making a hole bunch of noise towards us - very loud, as if to distract attention away from the place her babies were in. It was sort of a distressed hissing, low-pitched miauwing noise - Mom was definately on the defense: don't you dare to come closer! We continued to watch for a little while, hiding behind a bush (luckily Sage must have also figured this fox did not want to play, and stayed away from her). Though I would have loved to stay there longer to observe, I sympathized with this fox Mom and figured she had already had enough adrenaline for one day, and would much rather also have a quiet afternoon with her babies, so we left.
But what a treat! I beautiful prairie fox Mom protecting her babies :)
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