Memorial Weekend

This weekend was so much fun! It is so hard getting back into the grind today. I just don't want to clean my house. But every good thing must come to an end, right?

Highlights of this weekend.

• Lunch on Friday with Grammy and daddy. Chic Filet always makes me happy.
• A birthday party for my cute 2 year old niece, Emery. Good food, family, and fun.

•  Sitting in our PJ's in watching Netflix Saturday morning til about 1:00
• Family date night at Applebees
• BBQ with the family Sunday
• Early morning breakfast with the Family Monday, along with a late lunch. (another BBQ)

•  Another yummy BBQ with my in-laws that night!

 Lowlights of this weekend.

• Abby deciding she doesn't like food. She has learned how to push it away and spit it out. And not finish her bottles.
• Abby falling and bonking her head on more than one occasion
• Having to work last night after such a fantastic weekend
• Not doing a lick of house or yard which makes my day even more busy. (worth it)
• Most likely gaining 10 pounds because I ate my face off all. weekend. long. And because of that, being quite sick by last night.

But hey, despite the setbacks of this weekend, it was fantastic. And let the summer, and more BBQ's, begin.

Guess What?

Monkey's Butt!!

Abby is now in the double digits: 10 months old! In the past 10 months, Abby has accumulated a bunch of nicknames. Here are a few of our favorites:

The Abbinator

'Nator

Gale

Schnicklefritz

Schnickles

Tiny

Snuggle Bums

Bitty Bums

Bits

Bits n' fits

She has had many more, but those are the ones that we keep using. A girl as cute as her can't just be called Abbigale. She needs many names. 

So now for her 10 month update. I'm going to steal the format of my Bff8's baby update. I just really like it. And I should have started doing it like...10 months ago.

Poundage: Abby is a whole 18 lbs. At her 9 month appointment, weighing 17, her doctor said he wasn't worried about her weight or anything, but maybe a little fattening up wouldn't be so bad. So that is what we have been doing. And she has already gained a pound. (we think)

Abby loves graham crackers and watching TV, but hates pureed meats.

Food she is eating: We are feeding her more baby meats, and she is just now realizing how disgusting they are, so I've been breaking up lunch meat or chicken into bite-size pieces. She also loves her finger foods: puffs, Cheerio's, cut up grapes, graham crackers, dried yogurt bites, all those things. She also loves string cheese and yogurt.  I can't believe she is eating more human food!

Downward dog, clapping with daddy, and just being adorable.

What Abby can do: It seems like all the sudden this 10th month she really learned tons of new things. She can crawl, clap, clap our hands, play patty cake, wave bye bye, (although that is still being worked on) she can feed herself better, can walk along furniture, and does a great downward dog. (she sure does love coming to yoga with me). And she is a pro at getting into things now that she is mobile.

Oh. And she learned to climb the stairs.

Ya. We be in trouble.

What we are working on: Drinking from a sippy cup and straw, balancing without furniture, growing more teeth, and learning what 'no' means, (she just grins at me when I tell her no)

Dancing, crossing her cute feet on a walk, and forgetting her bottle to watch daddy play football

Her favorite things: Eating her shoes, babbling, dancing with daddy, walks, and watching tv.

We had a food fight. And she won.

What Abby hates: Pureed meats. Hates, hates, hates. Don't blame her.

How mommy's doing: Awesome. I love being home with Abby all day long. I love watching her learn new things, and I love how satisfied I am with life. Being a mama is great.

What we're looking forward to: Lunch with daddy and grammy tomorrow downtown, and Memorial Day weekend! Yard work, BBQ's, mountains, and lots and lots of food and family!!

Thanks Mel, for letting me borrow this!!

The Spider and the Girl

As most of you know, I hate, hate, HATE spiders. Whenever I see one, I freeze while chills run up and down my body. If Sam is home, I scream for him to kill it. If he isn't home, I usually trap it under a plastic bowl or cup, so he can take care of it when he gets home. Yep, that is how I did things around these parts.

That was, until I became a mother.

Now my friend is Pine-sol.

I see a spider, and especially if its one that will harm my baby, I douse it with Pine-sol until it's a crinkly disgusting ball of legs. But I still usually hide the body under a  bowl until Sam comes home. But now that Abby can crawl and puts EVERYTHING into her mouth, that had to change as well.

So today, things changed. There I was, feeding Abby her rice cereal with strawberries and apples, when I see a yellow, 8- legged creature rearing its ugly head right by my daughters arm. Right on her high chair. I immediately drop the spoon full of said meal, and blow the spider away from her. Then, quickly marching off to get the Pine-sol, I mumble in the words of Mrs. Weasly, "not my daughter you...spider" and spray the crap out of that spider until it dropped from her seat into a puddle of the Pine-sol. Then, to not let it get the best of me, (and to make sure I didn't later see Abby with a spider leg hanging from her mouth-shudder shudder) I scooped up the spider into a dust pan, and walked, trying not to spasm too much, to the toilet, dumped the spider in and flushed it away, victorious.

Caitlin: 2 Spider: 0.

So a word of warning to you other creepy, crawly, disgusting, 8-legged, many-eyed creatures, I will get you. Come within feet of my daughter and my mother-ire will shoot up, and I will kill you. You have been warned.

And not to worry. Sam is scheduling an appointment with someone to come spray our house as I write. (well I texted him to anyway. Hopefully he is.) And if that doesn't work, I'll buy a basilisk.

Spider free is the way to be.

They say the first year is the hardest...

I disagree. Our first year of marriage didn't seem very hard. Sure we thought we were poor, (when really we were both working full time jobs, and rent was super cheap) but honestly, adjusting to married life seemed pretty easy for us. I'd say our hardest year of marriage has been our 3rd. And I don't mean that negitivly. The hardships we have been through have helped us grow closer as a couple, more than I ever thought possible. But needless to say, they have still been hard and challenging.

Our first big challenge came when we bought our house. Buying a house is stressful people. It's a huge decision, not to mention more monthly, but we did it and we are so glad we did.

Our second challenge came in the form of a baby, and it wasn't too long after we bought our house that we had Abby. All the sudden, we had a tiny human being at home with us, and had no idea what to do after that. (Ok so it wasn't all the sudden. We did have 40 weeks to prepare.) This tiny human being depended on us for EVERYTHING and it was terrifying. But as terrifying as it was, it was also wonderful.

Not only learning how to be parents was challenging, but poor Sam getting used to my post baby hormones was a ton for him to deal with. I went from laughing to crying in 2 seconds. Not to mention being easily irritated from my lack of sleep.

Our other biggest challenge came with our money situation. We felt it wasn't the best idea to go back to my old job, so we have been making do with what we have with the job I have. I don't make as much, but through praying and fasting, we both feel it is best. It gets stressful to perhaps not have the money we once had, but it is worth it. And struggling together brings us closer.

So yes, our third year has definitely been our hardest, but it has also been the best to date.

Our anniversary was wonderful, and simple. It was Sams turn to plan, and he knew it would make me so happy to go to Olive Garden, so that is what we did. After that, we walked around Target, getting ideas for our house, and then went to Sub Zero for dessert and sat outside talking forever. It was simple and perfect.

At Olive Garden

My homemade necklace.

Sub Zero

One handsome man

Walking

It was a wonderful day honey. Thanks for an amazing third year. Can't wait to see what we have in store for the 4th.

3 Years and Counting...

                     This is the first blog I have ever done and I just wanted to express to Caitlin how much I love her!

This was us three years ago on our wedding day. I can't believe it is already three years. We have had so many fun and exciting experiences. You are my best friend, the best wife and the best mother!

These past three years have been the best time of my life! I really love who you are and how you make me feel each day! I love everything about you!! You are beautiful! Happy Anniversary Caitlin! I Love You!


Sam

First Mothers Day

Mothers Day was wonderful. I still sometimes look at Abby and I have a hard time believing she is mine. Me and Sam made her, and we'll have her for eternity. Nothing brings me more pure joy then my little girl. I love watching her learn new things, I love when she squeezes me, I love when she gives me kisses, I love when she prefers me over anyone else. I love the fulfillment she brings me.

Sam made me feel so special today. Church did too. It was a good day all around being able to talk to our little brother Jake, and then later having almost my whole family over to our place for a BBQ.

And to my mom, thank you for your example to me. Thank you for all you have taught me. Thank you for always listening to me when I call and have no idea what I'm doing, and the advice you give me. Thank you for passing on all the songs you sang to us, so I am able to sing them to Abby. I love you mommy!!

Treat Your Mother Right

I know I post this video every Mother's Day, whether it's on here or facebook. But every year, I just can't get over it's awesomness. Especially this year, being my first Mothers Day.

Really, if you just skipped over this video and continued to read on, I insist you go back and watch it. If you don't, I pity the fool. It's so rad. So rad in fact, that when I was pregnant one of my besties made the most awesome gifts for me. (Thanks Jess!)

The picture is displayed on Abby's dresser, so she'll always remember to treat me right. And I seriously wear this shirt as often as I can. Not only is it stylish, but super comfortable too.

Happy Mothers Day everyone! Be Somebody.

Valentines at Hogwarts.

I know Valentines Day is now a few months past, but the other day I was looking on the computer and found some forgotten gems I meant to blog about. So although Valentines Day is past, nerdy Hogwarts Valentines are never out of date. Enjoy!

Hope you got a laugh out of them like I did. Happy Wednesday!

Music Monday: Weird Video, Great Song

The Mr, Abby, and I had a pretty good weekend. It consisted of pizza, taco's, organizing, helping Brigham and Kari move, and yard work. And lots and lots of much needed sleep. (when I say lots of sleep, for me it just means 2 solid 8 hour nights. Thank you no work. And thank you Abby!)

So here's to another week. This song is amazing; one of my many favorites. The video is pretty crazy, but the song is awesome just the same. Enjoy!

Lucky

Words can't describe how much I love these two. I know other woman with babies and great husbands know the feeling. They make me incredibly happy. Life wouldn't be as good as it is without them.

Eating Mango's together.

I feel as though I am the luckiest woman in the world.