Santa and the Baby.

Yesterday we had a family party, in which we decorated cookies for some of my older neighbors,(grandmas friends) made snowflakes for the children at Sandy Hook elementary, read twas the night before Christmas, and enjoyed a visit from Santa who, upon accidentally seeing him drive up, one of the kids exclaimed "Santa drove his car!"

It was a nice party full of service, excitement, and fun.

Needless to say though, Abby did not like Santa.

Thanks Erik, for making this video.

She'll come to. 

Merry Christmas everyone!

Life Lately, According to my Phone

Life lately has been hanging lights on our house, and then looking at lights everywhere.

It's been decorating our tree and making sure Abby doesn't go too close to it. (don't worry. Only about 5 ornaments have been broken.)

It's been finding some fabulous boots at the mall, going to the zoo with her cousins, playing with the toilet paper while I'm trying to clean, and helping me unload...or load...the dishwasher.

It's been temper tantrums, sad mornings, shopping trips being embarrassed of her parents, and just plain getting exhausted over it all.

Life has been cuddling on the couch, couple matching envy (and a seemingly upset sister), Christmas tree love, and Abby annoying Jack with her kisses.

It's been excited to watch Sesame Street while I shower, Sam breaking one of our chairs, Abby still fitting in and loving her bumbo, and making a mess of my house. Darn those DVDs.

 Lastly, life has been meeting Uncle Jake for the first time and seeing all 4 of the Tappana men as returned missionaries 10 years later. A handsome group of men indeed!

1 More Week

Being the youngest in my family, I obviously never had a little brother. That is, until I married Sam and got the coolest little brother ever.

Jake comes home 1 week from today, and I am soo excited. When I was first around the Tappana clan, I was so shy and didn't even talk. But then Jake started coming to my house with Sam sometimes to hang out or to watch movies. Then Sam left on his mission, and Jake would frequently text me about girls or he would check up on me while I was at school. Those texts, especially my first semester when I was missing Sam and home so much, would brighten my day and keep me going a little longer. It was at that time he declared to me I was his sister, and I thought of him as a brother.

Can't wait to see him in one week!

Weekend

This weekend was fantastic, giving me a full 3 nights in a row home, which makes the fact that it is Monday sting a little bit.  I'm not going to lie, I may or may not be a little depressed. Perhaps its due to the fact I fell off the eating bandwagon, so today I'm banishing myself to eat like a bird til Christmas. Or maybe it's because I also fell off the cleaning/cooking/anything homemaker bandwagon as well so responsibility is back this week.

Either way, enjoy this brief rundown of our weekend. Because I know you're just dying to know what we did.

Friday

Lunch with grammy and daddy

Long needed nap

Having a good old time at our ward party.

She was seriously enthralled with the Taylorsville Madrigals

Going to bed together!

Saturday

Breakfast work party(Kneaders French Toast!)

Lesson planning

Naps

Temple square with Krissy, Greg, and Baby M

Oh that bike race

Postum, Christmas movie, and falling asleep by our space heater

Sunday

Church, with primary lesson included and Abby's first time alone in Nursery

Hart of Dixie

Naps

Sam fixes dinner (while I watch Hart of Dixie)

Shake making

Holiday in Handcuffs

I love us. 

Thank you weekend, for being so great. Better get my day started now. Wish me luck with it all.

My very selfish self-centered wish list.

• I wish Abby would stop growing so fast and be this cute one year old for a little bit longer.
• I wish the more food I ate the less calories I would consume.
• I wish the more money I spent, the more money I would get.
• I wish I liked water more.
• I wish my hair would do itself. (and my makeup too)
• I wish I could cut back the nights I work.
• I wish Abby got her long lashes from me.
• I wish vegetables tasted like chocolate. 
• I wish we could get our house more fixed up.
• I wish for a walk-in closet with a never ending clothes/shoe/purse supply.
• I wish I could be more trendy.
• I wish we had a hot tub...or even just a jet tub.
• I wish we also had a swimming pool with a pet dolphin named bubbles in it.
• I wish I lived closer to my best friend. And that the Floo Network really existed. (whaaa?)
• I wish Abby didn't find it funny to throw her food on the ground
• I wish Sam and I could travel the world. We would hit Disneyland first. Harry Potter land second. (I know. Why would a freak like me put HP second?)
• I wish I had a cook, and a maid. Like Emily Gilmore.
• I wish I could write a book. 
• I wish I could be in a movie.

A girl can dream, right?

16 Months

Little Miss Abbigale Mae is now 16 months. I know I sound like  broken record, but seriously, where has the time gone? Abby is getting such a personality and turning more and more into a toddler and less baby every day.

She is a huge fan of Gilmore Girls

 Abby LOVES babies. Real ones, kids her age, dolls, it doesn't matter. She will repeat 'bebe' over and over again when she sees one. At my morning work out classes, if a baby is there, I can barley work out because I am so busy trying to keep her away from poking the baby, or trying to give it her famous open-mouthed kisses where she kisses so hard she stabs with her teeth.

My visiting teacher was nice enough to let Abby hold her Emmy. 

She is a super good walker now. She went from virtually no walking, she preferred crawling or would only walk holding hands, to practically running. I didn't think it could get much cuter than crawling, but boy she is so cute when she walks. However, she still loves holding hands when she walks, especially if she is holding both our hands and can speed walk. She also is a cute talker. She will tell us full stories, pointing at all, while her little tongue sticks between her teeth occasionally. I can't really describe it, but boy she babbles on and on and on. She also is starting to know little actions for things, such as when she wants to get picked up (no one can resist when she sticks her arms in the air and wiggles her fingers) and when she is done with something she will shrug her shoulders.

Abby is a super picky eater. Somedays she will eat a ton. Other days, she refuses. And when she refuses, it typically comes with throwing her food on the floor or throwing one of her famous fits. She falls down dramatically on the floor and either sits on her belly and cries or rolls over like her world has come to an end. I do believe we are in trouble when she hits her teen years.

Other little tid bits our little Abby does, she loves brushing her teeth. If she ever sees Sam or I doing it, she has to come and ask for her toothbrush. She loves her books, and now will bring them to us and sit on our lap, ready for story time. She is very explorative,  (not a word?) and causes the biggest messes when she is doing so. I don't know how some moms can keep their houses immaculate. I clean one thing only to turn around to an Abby mess. However, I do find her messes cute. Looking around at all her little piles of havoc make me smile. Abby also LOVES to sit on things her size; the stairs, our space heater, her cousins car-seat, anything. She can also click her tongue now. Don't know when or how she learned it, but it's adorable.

Sam and I still can't believe we made such a perfect little human being, but we are sure glad we did. We just can't get enough.

Thankful

As I sit here on my couch in my turkey-induced coma, Abby finally asleep in her bed and Sam sitting next to me browsing Netflix, I realize I cannot let Thanksgiving go away without writing the famous thankful blog, for I have much to be thankful for this year.

• I am thankful for my job. I complain about it a lot yes, but last night Sam and I had a spur-of-the-moment McDonald's french fry craving and I noticed they were going to be open all Thanksgiving day. I may have to work late nights, but at least I don't have to work holidays.
• I am thankful for my hideous green sweats. They sure are comfortable. Not to mention Sam thinks they are sexy. (not)
• I am thankful for my fun family. I had a blast with them all tonight.
• I am thankful for my in-law family. I married into a great one.
• I am thankful for Sams job. He makes a decent living for our little family, and the company is so good to him.
• I am thankful for Advil. Without it, I'd be going to bed with very achy legs tonight.
• I am thankful for Zumba, and the fact that I was able to go to it with my sister today to aid in burning of a fragment of the calories I ate tonight. 
• I am thankful for my jogging stroller so I can go jogging whenever I want. 
• I am thankful that Dell Taco has such good chicken soft tacos. 
• I am thankful for all food, the good and the bad. I do wish however that it didn't stick to my body so easily.
• I am thankful for Pumpkin Pie
• I am thankful for my house. I am so glad we have such a wonderful place to live, a place that keeps us warm at night.
• I am thankful we have such a great ward to go to. 
• I am thankful for my fuzzy slipper boots to help keep my feet warm.
• I am thankful for the gospel, for the scriptures, for church, for Temples, for my Heavenly Father and Jesus, for these things keep my life steady in such a crazy scary world. 
• I am thankful for my body, for the amazing things it does.
• I am thankful for the sleep I do get.
• I am thankful that I am a mom. Nothing gives me more of a sense of accomplishment then taking care of my little girl.
• I am thankful for a daughter who is a light in my life. Knowing that she is mine forever and that I was capable of making such a human being still amazes me. 
• And of course I am thankful for my husband and our eternal marriage. I truly married up when I married him.

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. I know we sure did. 

Saturdee's Date

Saturday, Sam and I FINALLY were able to get out and go on a date. And let me tell you, it was the best date we've had in a while. I think it's because it was so low key, and we were able to just talk and relax and eat and walk around.

We had a gift card Sam got from work to Cheesecake Factory. We had only eaten there once before because it is pretty pricey, so I was quite excited to go. We headed to our favorite place in Utah: downtown Salt Lake, and ate at the City Creek location.

We got there early and it was already pretty busy, so we sat outside and waited, people watched, and talked. It was nice to not feel rushed to get our seats. We really enjoyed just sitting there.

Trying to be photographic with my ring.

Our dinner was just wonderful. I was pretty much in heaven. I ordered probably the best thing I've ever eaten. (ok maybe not EVER, but it was wonderful.) Sam was even jealous of it, and I'm usually jealous of his food. It was chicken chipolte penne pasta something. I can't remember the name, but boy it was creamy, sweet, and spicy all wrapped up in one amazing dish.

Not only was my dish heavenly, but the company was just amazing! Sam and I just talked and talked and talked. We talked about Abby, about our future, Abby, finances, Abby, school, Abby, the holidays Abby, our hopes and dreams, and of course Abby. Basically what I'm saying, is there wasn't even a lull in conversation. Not to say we usually eat in silence, but before we were parents, we would go out to eat so much and were basically always together that sometimes conversation lacked. Nope. Dates are so much better now.

Famous Sam eating shot. 

After dinner, we shared a White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle cheesecake and then decided to walk around looking at things. It reminded me when we used to live there. We sure do miss it a lot, so I am glad we still live close enough to enjoy it. We walked around City Creek, then walked to Gateway and around there. The weather was perfect and it only rained while we were indoors!

Somehow Sam got some black on his nose from who-knows-what?

Seriously. I was so happy there in that moment. It was so nice being just the two of us for an evening. However, when it came time to go home we both were missing Abby and hoped she would still be awake. And she was. We walked in to hear her sqeeling downstairs as grandma Sue read to her. It's so nice escaping with your spouse, but it is even better coming home to your baby I think.

Abby is weird. 

Thanks babe, for a wonderful night. Sure love you!

Sometimes The Child Wins

Today I was so incredibly frustrated with Abby. For a while now we have had a really good afternoon schedule. Lunch at noon, nap at 12:30. Lately, she has done this schedule beautifully. I put her in her crib at 12:30, hear little noises as she falls asleep and voila! She is out for a good two-and-a-half-sometimes-three-hours, and I know I can get a decent nap in myself.

Well today was different. I put her in bed at her normal time. She had no problems until about 1 when she started crying. I ignored her til 1:30 finally went to peak in at her. First mistake. She didn't want me to leave. So I took her downstairs, turned on a movie and tried to cuddle her. All she wanted to do was play however. I knew she was tired seeing as she was tweaking her ear so at 2 I put her back to bed and she screamed for an hour while I cleaned. Finally at 3 she was quiet and I thought I had won. I climbed into bed gloatingly.

I was wrong.

Again, a half hour after that she was screaming. Finally I got so frustrated that I just brought her to bed with me and just like that, she fell asleep cuddling with me. And all my frustration melted away. What is it about a sleeping baby that is so heart-warming? Sure, I never got my nap. Sure, she was hogging my side of the bed, but it was totally worth it cuddling my sleeping daughter for a few minutes.

Well played Abbigale Mae. But tomorrow, we play mommy's way.