Famous First Words!

Today we were all teasing Red Fish and trying to get her to say Mommy, Grandpa, Daddy etc. at the same time. She turned very deliberately to her Dad and said very clearly- Da Da! Then she got scared when we all screamed. She repeated it again later when prompted. So cute! I'm not sure she knows what it means but I'm very proud all the same.

Going Organic

I worked for two different health food companies for several years. A big part of my job was researching ingredients and reading food articles. I could hold a very lengthy very paranoid discussion on this topic. However I HATE HATE HATE to cook. I hate grocery shopping as well. (I know you are thinking Poor Two Fish!) All of this knowledge of healthy eating has done very little to affect the way I eat, especially now that I don't research it on a daily basis. It has however affected the way I feed Red Fish.

I've gotten a little paranoid about the food I give Red Fish. I have been trying to carefully introduce ingredients one at a time. I read all the labels and try to give her organic food with no preservatives or evil ingredients (sugar, corn syrup- who gives that to a baby anyway?, white flower, MSG, mystery chemicals etc.) She's still really little so this is pretty easy. Her current food list includes: chicken, beef, brown rice, barley, oat meal, corn, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, yellow squash, summer squah, white potatoes (not great I know), watermelon, bananas, apples, pears, appricots, green beans, peaches, organic biter biscuits, and avacado.

I worry about what to do when she is a little bigger and I have to start feeding her real food instead of selecting a jar and giving her easy nutrition. We are going to have to change the way we eat if I'm going to continue giving her the same level of healthy food. This is going to be hard for me but I realize it's important. I keep thinking I have time to think about how to do this but time is steadily running out. Anyone have any tips on cheap/easy ways to eat healthy?

Lovin' Summer

We are really enjoying our summer. Yesterday Two Fish's office had a party at the local amusement park. It isn't all that impressive and I definitely wouldn't want to pay their big prices (I'm a cheapskate!) But Two Fish and I did have a really good time. It made me feel like a kid again. Remember that amusement park smell? It still smells like that. The new rollercoaster is pretty good too.

Then tonight we went over to see a friend from my childhood. Cody grew up down the street from me but I haven't seen him in years! It was so fun to see his cute wife and their twin girls. We just had dinner and caught up a bit but I'm really enjoying getting in touch with old friends. Plus it's fun that we all have babies and can get together to do stuff. Tomorrow is a BBQ with family (our second BBQ this week.)

Splashing Mommy.

Floating on her back. I love this picture!

See those little legs kicking?

Red Fish is definitely a fish. We took our niece and nephew swimming today (their Mom is in the hospital recovering from a new baby- CONGRATS you guys!) They were so cute. B has a new snorkel set so he wanted a snorkeling lesson. L just wanted to hang onto us the whole time or jump off the side of the pool. Red Fish has decided she likes her life jacket now which makes things a little easier. She just LOVES to swim though. She kept pushing away from me and wanting to float on her back. She kicks her legs furiously and splashes with her hands. She was actually SWIMMING! It was so cute. I wish we had taken our video camera. She stayed in for an hour and a half. If it doesn't look like she is smiling in the pictures it's because she has decided that it's important to buzz her lips in order to propell herself through the water. We're loving summer!

Here Comes Trouble

I went in Red Fish's room yesterday to get her after her nap and she was laying across the rail on her crib ready for a nose dive. Who knew she could stand up?!? It gave me a pretty big fright but she just looked up at me like "Hi -what are you doing here?" Of course after I had her straightened up and she was no longer trying to dive out of the crib I needed a picture of this new feat. We immediately lowered her matress in the crib. I think we are headed into very fun but very dangerous territory.

Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga

Hunter S. Thompson was (or is? I'm not sure if he is actually dead) a fascinating cultural anthropologist and he writes about the humanity and complexity of this outlaw biker gang. The book is definitely a rough and the language is a bit much for my sensitivities at times but it's interesting none the less. I think my favorite part of the book is actually when he describes the madness that occurs in his apartment when he isn't riding with the Hell's Angels. He is a madman for sure but his dedication to truth and art are admirable. He takes you on an intriguing trip with rebels and explores their true motivation and their relationship with their bikes. His wit is biting, his predictions uncanny, and his writing refreshing.

My New Full Time Job

My new round the clock job lately has been trying to secure an identity for my daughter. You know, birth certificate, social security number, passport etc. Apparently it's much easier to steal someone else's identity than to get one of your own. I spend most of my days calling government offices, waiting in line and pleading for someone to give me information. I ask you- should it really be this hard?

Father's Day Part 2

Grandpa and Red Fish

We had a great time at my grandparents celebrating Father's Day. We ate dinner out on the lawn and sat around talking. It was lovely. A great end to the weekend.

Fun With 2nd Cousins

Mimi with all of her great grandkids.

All of us together.

Cousin L with hubby and daughter

Playing with cousins

On Thursday my cousin L and her family came into town. So my Grandma (Mimi) had all of her grandkids in one place. My cousin D also just moved here so we got to see him as well. My cousin's wife S brought her daughterover so we had quite a crowd. All the kids were pretty wild and Red Fish loved every minute of them. Half of the time she just watched from the sidelines and laughed.

Red Fish meeting my cousin Damian
Getting smothered in Gammie's kisses.

Books Currently Sitting On My Nightstand

If you haven't noticed I've gotten back into reading quite a bit. My brain was feeling mushy from lack of education in the last couple years. I am currently reading Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library) by Hunter S. Thompson as well as Paradise Lost (Norton Critical Editions) by John Milton. Quite the mix, I know. I also have a huge stack of books waiting for me on my nightstand and waiting to be picked up at the library.

The Rest of the Chronicles of Narnia (I haven't finished the last three books yet.)
Of Mice and Men
Catcher In the Rye
Catch 22
Slaughter House Five
Crime And Punishment
Confessions of A Shopaholic
The Fall

Any suggestions for the rest of the summer? I hate Oprah's book club- every book I've ever read that happened to be on it- I always hated. I'm also not a fan of any sort of romance novel. I like classics, fun reads, and art books.

A Wonderful Weekend

Enjoying the fresh air.

Red Fish riding in the jogging stroller on part of our walk through the mountains.

Red Fish looking cool with her hair spiked up from the sunscreen and her giant sunglasses. She is a tiny fashionista.

E and Red Fish

We spent the weekend up at my parent's cabin in Park City. We went with my childhood friend S, her husband, and their daughter E. E and Red Fish got along so well. They kept passing toys back and forth and patting eachother on the back. They also gave eachother plenty of kisses. It was really sweet. It's the first time I have seen Red Fish really interact with another baby. She loves little kids but she is usually kind of indifferent to other babies. I guess she is getting older and more active so it makes it fun.

We watched a movie last night and played with the babies. Then yesterday morning we went on a nice walk through the moutains and then drove down to do a little shopping. Red Fish slept through most of the shopping but she had a good day. After lunch and cleanup we went home so Two Fish's Father's Day present could be delivered. I bought him an eliptical machine because he keeps talking about how he wants to work out but hates to be away from home more than he has to already. (He works kind of far away so the drive time makes for a long work day.) He was pretty surprised I bought this without him knowing. He had no idea I ordered it weeks ago. For the last couple weeks he has been spotting sales and driving me crazy to buy one. I was way ahead of him. (Plus I found a better deal- which I always love. I'm all about deals.)

Last night we started off the Father's Day celebration at Two Fish's mom's house. We had dinner with family and went to the park for awhile. It's been the perfect kind of park weather.

Two Fish's first Father's Day. Red Fish was to interested in the birds and plants to have her picture taken. She loves going outside.

Now we are headed to my grandparent's for another Father's Day dinner. Should be fun. Busy busy busy as always.

How Do I Remember It All?

I keep seeing these little newborn babies and I already can't believe that Red Fish was ever that tiny. She is growing up so fast and I don't want to miss any of it. I want to remember the little grins that she gives me and the way she waves at me with her whole arm. I want to remember the way I know she is done with her nap because her little bum is poking up out of her crib like a turkey timer when she is ready to get up. I want to remember her crazy little "give me attention" cough and the silly little face she has been giving me with her eyes all squinted and her lips sucked in. She changes so fast I'm afraid I'm going to forget what it feels like to have a 7 month old.

The Importance of Being Earnest

A fun quick read. Oscar Wilde is always entertaining. It's always satisfying to read something in less than an hour and this play is witty and funny.

Recent Reads

I've been trying to read alot more lately. I used to be a voracious reader growing up but I haven't made alot of time for it recently. Here are some quick reviews of some recent books I have read this month.

Escape by Carolyn Jessop- the story of a 6th generation polygamist woman who escaped her brutal upbringing and marriage along with her eight children. I was reluctant to read a book on the FLDS church that was written by an ex-member. It seems to me that someone who has left a church (especially in anger or poor circumstances) is never a good expert on that religion. I was pleasantly surprised by how kind Carolyn's writing is to those of the FLDS church. She is very direct in the way she addresses things but not unfeeling towards believers. I was shocked and horrified by the events and abuses chronicled in this book but it was an interesting and enlightening read.
Love In The Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez- The supposed love story of a jilted lover who has 622 affairs while waiting for his love's husband to die. The language is beautiful but the level of description is nauseating at times. I despised the insipid protagonist. The premise of the book is slightly revolting and the story is painfully slow. I really wanted to like this book but it just didn't happen. I definitely DO NOT recommend this book.

The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia) by CS Lewis- The story of creation in Narnia and the first of the series. It isn't my favorite of the collection but it's a nice quick read. I love the creation of the balance of good and evil. It's poetic and fun.

The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia) by CS Lewis- Four children travel to the land of Narnia where they join and epic struggle between good and evil. This is one of my all time favorite stories. I grew up watching the cartoon movie of this story daily as a child. I love the characters, I love the parallels with the bible. There simply aren't enough uplifting and simple stories like this one. I have loved it every time I have read it.

The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia) by CS Lewis- The story of two misplaced children trying to find where they belong. The adventure and magic of the story make for a wonderful short read.

Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia) by CS Lewis- Nothing like the movie that was recently released. The movie had too many battle scenes for my taste. The children return to Narnia to find that the balance of power has changed dramatically. They join Aslan to restore peace and happiness. I love all of the Narnia books and I HIGHLY reccomend them!

STOMP

We went to see STOMP tonight for my Mom's birthday. It was fantastic! It's a group of percussion performers who use their bodies, dance, and crazy props to create music. At one point there are people swinging from ropes banging into signs, cans, and tons of garbage. Some of their props include:

8 Lids 1 Tall Bins UK 5 Short Bins US 10 6ft 6in poles 15 Pounds of Sand 4 blocks of Athletes chalk

12 pairs of Drumsticks 200 litres of Water 8 Bananas 12 boxes of Matches 30 Brooms and 4 kitchen sinks!

I highly recommend it. You can see some clips at: http://stomponline.com/show3.html

She's On The Move

It's official! Red Fish is mobile. She army crawled across the whole family room and straight to the DVDs to throw them off the shelf. I'm sure she has been wanting to play in those for months. All week she has been up on all fours rocking so we knew it was coming. It's slow going but she is really moving now.

Okay is this cute or what? Lovely N stopped by today to show off her new hairdo and Baby A decided to give Red Fish a big kiss. I love Red Fish's expression. She looks delighted!


In other recent happenings- Blue Fish was shaved for the summer. He looks really cute! I had no idea he was so thin. I thought he might be a bit pleasantly plump but under all that hair this thin little body was revealed. He is a little disturbed about the shaving but seems to be over it. Now Red Fish won't be pulling out chunks of hair anymore!

Baby Swim Day

Gotta protect that white little baby skin!


Baby A

Modeling her swimsuit and feeling the grass

Sponge Bob Square Pants

Swimming

We had the first official baby swim day yesterday. In other words lovely N and I took the babies in my Mom's pool for the first time. Baby A had some fun but decided she liked nap time better. Red Fish loved it! She stayed in the water for over an hour slapping the water and kicking her legs. She did not, however, appreciate the life jacket I bought for her. I think she couldn't feel me holding her with the jacket on and it pushed against her chin when she was floating. She will have to learn to like it though if we are going to take her on the boat. Two Fish tried to give Red Fish a bath last night and she was twisting and kicking and trying to stick her face in the tub water. I think she might actually really be a FISH!

My Dad's New Best Friend

Recently my Dad met Richard Simmons in the airport- they are now lifelong friends. They have a weekly dinner date to gab about everything that is happening in their lives and my Dad has ordered matching shorts for the two of them.

Actually... my brother saw Richard Simmons in the airport and asked to take a picture with him. Richard Simmons jumped up saluted my brother and then wanted one with my Dad. I believe he threatened to scream if my Dad didn't agree. I love my Dad's face- he looks like he was the one who was going to scream.

A Truly Perfect Weekend- The Beginning of Forever

This was really a wonderful weekend for us. Yesterday we took Red Fish to the Temple. We were sealed together as a family for all eternity. The joy I feel at knowing Red Fish is my daughter for eternity is beyond measure. She has been a true miracle in our lives and I couldn’t possibly love her more than I do. We couldn’t have asked for everything to go more perfectly. When we first walked into the temple the workers took Red Fish to the nursery to be dressed. Two Fish went with a worker to get ready and I went with my Mom and Mother in Law to get dressed.

We had some friends and family with us in the sealing room. Both my Mom and Mother in Law held Red Fish (They had us ask someone to hold her and hold her hand on ours on the alter.) Our sealer, was Dad’s mission president in Sweden. He sealed Two Fish and I when we were married. The sealer's health is not good because he has Parkinson's so he told us it was very special to seal us because it is probably the last one he will do. He waited in a smaller sealing room with the two of us until all the guests were seated. After we went into the sealing room the workers brought Red Fish in. I think everyone in the room gasped a little when she came in. She just looked like an angel who knew we were all waiting for her arrival. We bought her a really beautiful dress but there was something about her expression that was just perfect. She was so happy and glowing. The sealing ceremony is very short but the entire time she just smiled like she knew exactly what was happening. When the sealer talked about her Dad she looked at her Dad. When the sealer talked about her Mom she looked at her me. It was very sweet. Nothing can break this sealing. It is binding for eternity. We thought that was pretty poignant. The spirit that was in the room was almost overwhelming. I wish I could know what Red Fish saw because I’m sure she saw angels.

We took a bunch of pictures after the ceremony with our family in front of the temple. My lovely friend N took them so I will post them as soon as I can. I haven’t seen them yet. It was really wonderful weather so hopefully we got some good ones. After pictures we went to dinner for grandma’s birthday. Then we went home to get the house ready for today and make some breakfast casseroles.

Then Today Two Fish blessed and named Red Fish in church. He gave her a really beautiful blessing. He blessed her to know how loved she is and for many good things in her life. Red Fish wore the same dress and looked so beautiful. She was so sweet and good for the whole thing. When Two started the blessing she reached up and grabbed his lips. She had her headband in her mouth by the time they finished but she was SO GOOD. We couldn’t have asked for everything to go better.

After church we had both of our extended families over to our house (around 40 people in a small house) for brunch. The kids all ate on a blanket in the backyard and were really well behaved so it went well.

After everyone left we went to my Mom and Dad’s house (we took our dog over there this morning to keep him out of trouble.) We played in the grass with the dogs much to Red Fish’s delight. Then we swung in the big hammock and ate some lunch. We had a really lovely leisurely day. I even went on a ride with J on his new motorcycle. It was a little scary. Then we just kind of napped and played. It was a truly wonderful day. Can it possibly get any better than this?

Blessing Day Pictures

Sadly I did not get alot of pictures taken most of them after people started leaving. Just a few turned out. The ones of the kids ended up blurry and weird.

Right after the blessing.

Grandma coming out of church.

Brunch!

Waiting for food.

Bockum the great grandfather and Red Fish in her blessing/sealing dress.

Gammy holding Red Fish and our cousin K

Our friend A holding Red Fish.

Mimi (great grandmother) groaning from trying to hang onto the bouncy baby. Red Fish LOVES to jump!