Ashby

My 14 month old

2012-01-23T20:05:00.003-07:00

James has been a busy baby lately. It's so fun to see him learn and grow. It seems like just this week he has learn a few new tricks:
-He makes animal sounds. Namely Monkey "ahh ahh", Dog "arr arr", Snake "thhhh", Horn Bill (Honn Honn which should be honk honk :)), and Elephant "".
-He says apple "bapple" or sometimes "bap". He will see an apple on the page of a book and point to it and say "bapple". Really cute.
-He is obsessed with books. This is my favorite thing in the world. He pulls all of his books out and finds his favorite book of the moment, and brings it to Sam or me to read. If I say "ket's go bye-bye" he quickly runs and grabs as many books as he can carry for the trip. Then he spends the entire car ride pouring over his literature.
-James is very chatting. Usually it sounds like "Muna muna muna" or "Booda booda booda". So funny.
-He will smile proudly for the camera:

-He blows kisses but refuses to clap. He has clapped once, but is not into it.
-In place of dancing, he flaps his right hand. Not arm, wrist and hand. It's hilarious.
-He LOVES it when Sam and I dance and sing in silly ways. It makes him laugh so hard.
-He still sleeps really well although he has decided to cut out 1 of the 2 naps.
-He is never afraid, and always stands up for himself.

I just cannot get enough of this kid. He is so amazing. I am one lucky mama.

He gets it

2011-12-11T19:50:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I accidentally forgot to zip up my make up bag, which I keep in James room on the ground.

Excellent place for it I know.

Anyway this morning I went to put on my make up before church and my favorite brush was missing.

It is a nice brush used to apply eye shadow that I am pretty sure I would not be allowed to replace it if it went missing.

Since it wasn't in my bag I started to look around the room for it.

I couldn't find it.

Of course my shadow, James, was there the whole time.

So I turned to him and asked him, "James, do you know where my make up brush is?" he replied "Yeah!" I said, "then go get it for mommy."

I was kidding.

Of course.

Because a 1 year old wouldn't understand what was happening right?

So I went to the bathroom to grab something else.

To my surprise James did not follow me as he usually would.

So I went back into his bedroom to see what he was up to.

Lo and behold my child was standing in the middle of the room holding my missing make up brush.

Yep.

James understands what we say.

I now expect much more of him.

Well, not really but I was impressed none the less.

Time, please slow down!

2011-11-17T22:38:00.000-07:00

How was this my baby 1 year ago??

The best year

2011-11-17T12:12:00.001-07:00

I have had such a good time this year. I am so happy I have such a great little baby. He keeps me smiling...

Halloween

2011-11-01T12:07:00.004-06:00

hope your Halloween was as much fun as mine was.

Moving and other such things

2011-10-03T22:42:00.004-06:00

We moved!

A whole 9 blocks, but we still had to pack up our entire place which is good for a few things: throwing stuff away and organizing.

I get through about 70% of our stuff sorting, donating, organizing, packing (blah blah blah) then I get burned out and throw everything in one scattered mess into any empty boxes and feel fine about it.

I have now unpacked and organized about 90% of our new apartment and it feels AMAZING.

Sam and I are trying to decide what color to paint the living room.

And once we decide on the color we will have to decide if we will paint just 1 wall? 2? all of them? We shall see.

I am partial to Labrador Blue by Benjamin Moore:

And yes, Sam has opinions about these things (thank goodness bc I am partially color blind-ish, or color dull or something. Blues and grays and blacks are all very similar looking to my eye:/)

Our common area is much larger than our other place which leaves me feeling like it is very empty.

In other news I am going to Chicago to see my younger sister and her gorgeous muffin in less than 1 week!!

I am so excited.

Also a bit nervous.

I have never flown on a 3+ hour flight w Jams before.

I have no iPad.

No iPhone.

No portable DVD player.

No laptop.

Nothing to entertain him but hand puppets and books.

I mean my parents did it right?

In related news, I want an iPhone.

Is it really worth it?

James knows how to throw a ball

2011-09-14T17:01:00.001-06:00

The many (silly) faces of Jams

2011-08-26T22:38:00.005-06:00

Thrifting

2011-08-26T15:59:00.006-06:00

I have been searching for a mirror tray ever since my sister got one a year or two ago, and look what I found at the Good Will a couple of weeks ago:

Don't worry, they were $1.50 and $2.00 respectively.

I also found these very cool frames that I am trying to decide what to do with:

Initially I wanted to paint them but the wood is such a good color I may keep them as they are.

Free Steak Dinner

2011-08-24T21:39:00.001-06:00

https://outbackfreesteaks.com/

Nursing Bra

2011-08-12T23:14:00.003-06:00

If you are in the market for an amazing nursing bra, might I suggest the Fiona or the Helena by Moving Comfort.

My mother gave me one last week and I am in love. It is actually a sports bra but the straps are velcro and adjust in the front, which make it a functional sports bra. It is amazing. Here is a visual:

My grandfather

2011-08-07T20:27:00.003-06:00

It's been a little over a year since I had to say goodbye to my grandfather.
Some days I miss him so much and it makes me so sad that I want to cry.
When I have days like that, I love to look at this photo and remember that I was always my grandfather's girl.

My Niece Greta

2011-08-04T00:10:00.003-06:00

I just don't even know what to say.

This photo has rendered me speechless.

Greta is so gorgeous.

Can't wait to see her (and her mama) next week, hooray!!

PS. Click on it to make it big. Oh those blue eyes. I'm in love.

You learn something new every day!

2011-07-29T12:39:00.002-06:00

My little mister is all of the sudden learning new things every day. It is crazy:

-This morning Sam saw him and said "Hi Baby" James replied, "Hi Da" and they did that back and forth about 6 or 7 times. Amazing.

-If you ask him "do you want milky?" he will say "yeah!" if you ask him "do you want to go to bed?" he will answer "uh uh!". Sometimes it is hard for m to believe an 8 month old could communicate so well, but he does.

-He can now pull to stand.

-He goes from crawling to sitting like a champ.

-He has days where he crawls and other days when he forgets how.

-He says Mama but only when he REALLY wants my attention (I have only heard him say it a dozen times or so as opposed to Da or Dada which he says all the time)

-CAN PUT HIMSELF TO SLEEP!! This is our second best team effort thus far, second only to learning how to nurse.

-Gives kisses.

-Still wants to be held all the time but I do not mind. In fact, I like to hold him as much as I can.

-Loves it when I sing at the top of my lungs in the car.

-Loves dancing with me.

-Laughs at the same things I laugh at.

-Smiles when I take his photo, he knows exactly what's going on when he sees a camera pointed at him.

-Loves to swim (see video below).

-Loves to eat bananas.

-Will finally eat rice cereal!! Hooray!!

-Will always stop dead in the middle of a tantrum if I start to recite "Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?"

-Loves to read books with sound effects.

-Has traveled more in his 8 months of life that most do in the first 8 years of their lives (12 flights under his belt)!

James is so much fun. We love having such an amazing, sweet, and happy little baby in our lives. We love him so much!!

Our water baby

2011-07-24T16:34:00.000-06:00

Sleepy Baby

2011-07-23T08:28:00.004-06:00

To get James to sleep each night and for each nap I sit on an exercise ball and hold him and bounce him until he falls asleep. Usually it would take about five minutes. On tough days more like 25 minutes. Lately, it wasn't working at all. I would bounce for an hour, hand off to Sam who would bounce as long as he could stand it, and the kiddo would not fall asleep. When James and I went to LA a couple weeks ago it was just the 2 of us in a big bed and James slept through the entire night for the first time in his life; he was ready to have his own space. The 2 factors combined lead to one answer that I have not wanted to face: I have to sleep train him :(

And last night, James slept in his crib the entire night!! It was hard for baby, harder for mama. I would have snuggled him all night until he was in high school. But Sam, in his wisdom, informed me 8 months and 1 week was long enough and that it was time to transition the baby bird out of the nest. None of us have been sleeping well for the past few weeks.

Taken at 6 AM this morning:

Irrationally, I was scared James wouldn't like me anymore. But he was still his sweet snuggly lovey self when he woke up at 7AM:

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-19T22:52:00.002-06:00

I forgot to post this earlier, oops!

I hope you enjoyed your 4th more than James; the fireworks were a bit too loud for him.

Non Creepy Crawler

2011-07-18T21:23:00.000-06:00

Car Seat Coolers

2011-07-18T08:04:00.004-06:00

Living in Arizona in the summer time requires a bit more out of a mom. For one thing it can be tough to avoid heat rash. To help, I have been making car seat coolers. Basically a car seat cooler holds ice packs in your child's seat to keep the seat and the buckles cool. That way, you don't burn your kiddo when you put them back in the car. Here is one I just made for a friend who has a new baby girl.

And it folds up nice and small so it can fit in your freezer!

Jammer's first trim!

2011-07-15T18:11:00.003-06:00

Honestly I loved his shaggy look, but Sam convinced me it was time.

Well, that and people started to tell me how pretty my daughter was :-/

I wasn't super into the mohawk look, so I restyled it at home....

Isn't he handsome?

My slippery fish

2011-07-14T21:44:00.003-06:00

I signed James up for swimming lessons. The class ages were 6 months to 2 years. It was a steal of a deal at $20 for 2 weeks. The lessons were held at the rec center and who knew there was a fun mini water park that is so close to home? AND it's only $3 per person!! We will definitely be getting season passes next year!

The first day of lessons I quickly noticed all the other kids were on average 2 years old. One mother admitted to me her kiddo was 3 and a half. So while the other kids practiced blowing a ping pong ball across the pool, I focused on making sure James didn't put the ping pong ball in his mouth. We did have fun little games and James loved jumping in (which was really me sitting him on the side of the pool counting to 3 and then flying him in the air and then into the pool). I was getting a decent workout and a decent tan. James did however improve his splashing skills. Now he goes wild in the bath tub soaking almost the entire bathroom.

Today was the last day of lessons and James was so excited to get there. He knew where we were going, I love seeing him flap his arms and kick his legs when he gets excited about something. I am really glad we did it, and I may even try to sign up to do it again for a later summer session.

To Learn

2011-07-13T12:51:00.003-06:00

Have you heard of http://www.khanacademy.org/? It's amazing. You can go on and watch tutorials about various math and science subjects and learn, for FREE!! Amazing. I have always wanted to keep my math skills current so I will be able to help my children when needed. Now, there is an easy way to do so! I'm excited.

Cousin Outtakes and other things...

2011-07-08T14:30:00.010-06:00

James, doing his Jim Carey impression

Um James, we're cousins, don't hold my hand.

Luke is bored with James' game of 'watch me get my binki with no hands'

Grace's best Courtney Love impression

CC is very helpful in quieting the baby, James is doing his best frog impression

Grace is checking the nutritional facts on the Marshmellows

Luke is preparing to be the next S'More spokes kid

Say S'More!!

Grandpa's 1st S'More, EVER!

Yum!

James just loved grandpa Ducks!

James met Kat for the first time!

And Uncle Richard

And he got his first set of bunny ears

He went to the beach for the first time.

And caught his first wave

And went on his first beach walk

(No idea what I was doing)

And on the walk wanted desperately to roll around in the sand

He spent WAY too much time in his captain's chair

He spilled an enormous glass of water in mama's lap.

And went on a golf cart ride around Friendly Valley.

He decided he had way too many treats while on vay-cay so he has been doing his best to work off the calories. Check out his Push-up position.

Note, he is balancing perfectly on his toes which he says makes for a tougher workout. With those muscles, who is going to argue?

Book Worm

2011-06-24T22:36:00.005-06:00

I like to read. I like fiction for leisure. I like informational books, especially if they are relevant to things I am experiencing. I find self help books are tough for me to muddle through so I tend not to even try. Maybe there is a self help for readers who don't like self help books? I like to read religious book, but I get a bit picky about the authors. And pretty much, I will read anything Ambyr recommends to me.

I thought I would share some books that have been particularly helpful to me within the past 2 years:

-"The Fertility Book" by Dr. Richard Marr. While we were "trying" (I hate that term but what else can you call it?) I read this book. It helped me to understand everything I needed to know about fertility. I found this book very empowering. It was informative and helped me to know what I needed to be concerned about and what would be considered normal. It helped me to ask all of the right questions. This book has A LOT of information. I overheard a part of one of Sam's lectures on reproduction the other day and told Sam I could probably ace that section on the boards (I was completely joking, but partially wondering how I would do). One side effect, for better or worse, when I have friends who are "trying" (:-/) I all of the sudden cannot help myself and I become very nosy. Only because I want to help them figure out if there is anything to be concerned about so they can fix it if necessary. I have to give myself a mental face slap to snap myself out of it. If I have done this to you, sorry, know it was out of love.

-"The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League International. I use it more as a reference book rather than a cover to cover read but it taught me so much about nursing and I love the way they really encourage nursing if at all possible. As mother's know, nursing can be very difficult and it was nice reading this book and feeling like I had enough information to do it.

-"Caring for your Baby and Young Child" by Steve P Shelov (among others). For first time mommy's this book is a must!! It helps you to know everything about caring for a new baby. It makes for an amazing gift as well. Ambyr gave me mine and I use it almost daily. It tells you all of the different milestones. What to expect. What different symptoms could be. Example. James had a rash. I went to my little book and it had photos of various rashes. James had a heat rash so I knew it wasn't anything serious and not worth taking to the pediatrician. Side note: I took him anyway :-/ I mean I am still a first time mom and wanted to be 100% sure.

-"The Read~Aloud Handbook" by Jim Trelease. If you like to read, you should read this book. If you do not like to read I insist that you read this book. It discusses the importance of reading to your children, reading yourself so your children see you reading, and how reading will improve your child's test scores and help them to become a life time reader. Simply put, Reading= Smart. People do not get this and I don't know why. If you read, you will know stuff. Certain people I know pretend to know stuff, but the secret is you can actually know stuff! Just read about it. Getting information from friends, relatives and acquaintances is good and can certainly be helpful but reading about the subject and getting information from various authors and subject matter experts is very informative and will make you smarter. It will also help to improve your grammer and your vocabulary.

-"Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. This is a political book by a Russian woman who calls her political philosophy Objectivism. I learned a lot from this book and I have to say, it is my favorite book. What I liked about this book is it shows the importance of learning, working, thinking and action.

James wants his recommendations included as well:

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" By Eric Carle

"Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" by Henry Holt

Anything by Sandra Boyton

"Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown

(Yes, he is wearing Halloween PJs, don't judge me).

Happy Reading!!

A bit of bad luck

2011-06-23T09:58:00.004-06:00

Lately some fishy things have been happening around the Ashby household:

-A few weeks ago Sam kept getting flat tires. The odd part was after he would fill the tire, it would be fine but a few nights later a different tire would be flat.

-One night, Sam left his window cracked a bit and someone threw rocks in his car.

-A week later, someone keyed the driver's side of his car.

-Then someone tried to steal my car! Yeah that's right steal it. Something felt off the second I walked up to the car. Sam had been driving it the night before and the driver's door was unlocked. The rest of the doors were locked. Sam is very conscious about locking doors, I have never seen him leave a door unlocked so right away I knew something was wrong. Then, I got into the drivers seat and the chair was moved forward even more then where I would place it. Sam is 6'7" so it should have been all the way back, where he left it. Then I noticed all of my consul contents were all over the floor. Then I tried to put the key in the ignition and the car was left in the start position. And the battery was dead. Luckily they didn't take it but scary for us.

-The next night someone wrote on the hood of Sam's car in permanent marker.

-The next day James was napping and I heard a loud pop. I looked everywhere but didn't notice anything weird. Then when Jams woke up I looked at the window and saw this:

We're hoping things get back to normal soon...

My 6 month old

2011-05-17T00:11:00.002-06:00

I completely forgot to finish and the post this, so sorry. I have failed my blog lately. I have also failed to read blogs lately. I will attempt to explain in a future post until then...

James is a very happy baby.

He smiles and laughs all the time (and in my head I picture him saying "smiling's my favorite!"

I'd officially call him an easy baby, although he still wants to be held most of the time.

James weighs (well weighed at his 6 mo appointment) 20lbs (99%)

James is (was) 28.5 inches long (99%)

I do not remember what his head measurement was; but usually he is usually around the 70%.

James got tiny little bumps all over his face one day. The next day they were on his chest. And the day after that they covered his entire body (poor guy). Turns out, he had heat rash. I now carry ice packs with me and when we get out of the car I have to line his seat with them. Since I have been doing this, his heat rash has disappeared.

James isn't super into solids yet. He will take about 5 bites (max) and about 3.5 of those bites end up on his bib. Then he gags and clamps his mouth closed so I can't feed him anymore.

He still nurses every 2 hours (day and night). It started to slow down a while back but he is in another growth spurt and with the heat like this I'm sure he is a bit more dry than usual.

He likes to prop his feet up on me. On my arms, or legs, or chest; whatever he can.

He is a chatter box. I LOVE listening to him rattle on and on in his baby talk. Usually it sounds like Da da th th th th waaa et aaaahhhh. I'm pretty sure it means, I love you mommy.

James loves books. He no longer tries to put books in his mouth when I read to him! He watches the pictures and tries to turn the page.

The second I lay James down on his back he rolls over to his tummy, then waves his arms frantically as if he is trying to swim.

While in the crawl position he arm crawls with one arm. No legs. He can actually make an entire circle!

I still bounce James to sleep for every nap and for bedtime, people tell me I am spoiling him. Really I am just enjoying every second with him. Is that so wrong?

We do bedtime routine each night. I think he is just starting to expect that bedtime is approaching when we do story, scripture, song, pray...

James has a nervous laugh. When he is anxious to eat, or prematurely wakes from a nap, he laughs. Not his normal laugh, but almost an irritated laugh. Wonder where he picked that up...

James is the most cuddly baby I've ever known.

When Sam walks in at night, James immediately smiles his best smile and starts to make happy noises. He knows Sam is just about to scoop him up and entertain him. It's my favorite part of the day, watching them play together.

Fun photos from Callie's shower

2011-05-09T23:24:00.033-06:00

Last weekend, Becca and I threw a shower for Callie, who is expecting a son in just a few short weeks!

We made sure to do a photo guestbook.

(thanks for the tip sister!!)

The Guest of Honor:

Callie Crum

The Hostesses:

Becca Thomas

Our Guests:

Trisha Wood

Kim Tanner

Little Miss Tanner

Karrie Wood

Shanna Maznio

Kate Abraham

Dayna Abraham

Lori Conium

Chrissy Jacobson

Mark Thomas

Brooke Bushman

Amanda Petersen

(love how her top matches the decor)

Kindi Walstrom

Judy Boyd

Emily Gladden

Emily Goodman

Tiffany Larsen

The Kiddos:

Zina Thomas

Wilson Thomas

Ellie Larsen

The 2 cutest men alive:

Sam & James

Hoppy Easter

2011-04-25T22:43:00.004-06:00

We had an amazing Easter:
-Went to church and arrived right on time

-Came home and took an amazing nap for an hour and a half.

-We woke up and had a fun Easter photo shoot:

-Put James down for a little nap.

-Put the potatoes in the oven, which I preprepared the night before.

-Made the rolls (which I had also preped the night before)

-Finished the food 15 minutes before we needed to leave.

-James woke up just in time to get dressed and go to the Walstrom's house for Easter dinner.

-We had an amazing meal at the Walstrom's and had a great time hanging out with our friends.

-We came home and put the baby to bed.

-I got to spent some time with my husband.

-Went to bed.

Such a great Easter :) We are so blessed to have such great friends while we live so far from our families.

outtakes

2011-04-15T23:59:00.005-06:00

My friend KC does outtakes of her daughter Holland so I thought I would borrow the idea since it always makes me laugh to see the silly faces she makes.

I love him too

2011-04-15T23:38:00.005-06:00

Since most, well all, of my posts seem to be about James these days I wanted to be sure to mention the other man in my life; my husband.

I love Sam very much.

He works really hard in medical school.

He loves our baby very much.

He loves me a lot.

I feel lucky to have him

(even when he leaves crumbs on the counter:)).

It's the month of our anniversary.

Three years of wedded bliss.

(Such a "Sam" face)

James is 4 months old!

2011-04-02T21:46:00.003-06:00

He is actually 4 and a half months old but I'm afraid I'm a bit late.
His stats:

weight> 17lbs 7ozs- 91%
length> 27inches- 99%
head> I don't remember :( but it was the 52%

James is SUCH a happy boy.
If I lightly touch his nose and say boo he laughs every time.
He is a great sleeper. Naps every 1.5 to 2 hours like clock work. Goes to bed around 7:30PM and wakes up around 6:30AM (sometimes when I am VERY lucky as late at 7:30AM)
He can stand up when holding on to the ottoman.
He is close to sitting up unassisted. He can do it for a few seconds but not for long. I think it's because of his healthy sized bum and legs. They make him a sturdy sitter :)
His best sign so far, as stated in an earlier post, is "up":

We are now working on signing "milk" which he has done once before.
He loves his bouncer.
He will sit in his Bumbo on the counter and watch me cook (a safe distance from the stove and not close to the edge of the counter of course).
He has the best lips and I kiss him a million times a day.
He loves Sam, I know I say this in all the updates but seriously he already knows how funny his daddy is and who doesn't love that?
He has already flown 8 times and has been a dream baby every. single. time.
He still looks a lot like his daddy but I also see a lot of his Auntie Ambyr in him.
His hair is strawberry blond and getting really long in places. I don't have the heart to trim it.
He has bright blue large eyes.

He is growing up way way too fast :( I'm just glad he's still so snuggly :)

American Idol top 11 wrap up

2011-03-31T22:08:00.003-06:00

So American Idol, Elton John week: AMAZING. EJ has been a family favorite all of my life and I was super excited to see the Idols perform his stuff. A couple of my faves were left out:
1. Harmony (my #1 fave EJ song)
2. This Train
3. I Want Love
I am happy no one did The Lion King soundtrack.

I have to say, I am starting to "get" Jacob. His voice is smooth and easy to listen to but he is beginning to remind me of Billy Ocean (see what I mean here)

I think Paul should have performed Harmony. It would have been PERFECT for him. I am starting to feel like he is losing his flare in this competition. His voice is still amazing but he reminds me of Chris Cornell post Sound Garden excluding Audio Slave, incredible voice, not singing the right songs.

I hate Niema.
I hate Stefano.

I like Thea's voice but I find her to have zero personality :-/

I LOVED Lauren Alaina's performance.

I think James Durban is okay but highly over rated and SUPER cocky. Did you catch last week when he said "I got to save something for the finale?!" Skewz me?!?!

Pia irritates me too. More because it seems like she has tractor beams for Paul which I find hilarious. Their kids would have amazing musical talent though ;)

LOVE Haley Reinhart, I like her best of all the ladies. Love her growl.

I won't miss Scotty McCreery when he's gone. Sowee.

I wouldn't have missed Casey...

I almost DIED when Paul was in the bottom 3! Not cool. I voted online so I did my part.

Questionable propriety

2011-03-31T21:21:00.002-06:00

I finally got my little man to take a nice long nap solo!
Two whole hours.
Just long enough to organize our closet and sort through some clothes.

However, as you can see, he is silently protesting...

Grandma Ducks!!

2011-03-26T11:57:00.002-06:00

I want to wish my Grandma a very happy birthday. She is so good to me and my family. I love her very much and love when I get to spend time with her. I just wish it was more often!

Hannah, Greta, my Mom, James, and I all met up in Southern California at my Grandma's house 2 weeks ago. There were a lot of us, and there was a lot going on but it was such a great time and it was all thanks to Grandma.
Love you!!

Belated St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-25T23:27:00.008-06:00

What do leprechaun's do after St. Patrick's Day?

Apparently they hibernate and look very grumpy and cute while doing so.

Side note, yes James has redish hair (think strawberry blond) but in this photo he looks like a full blown ginger baby. Although I wouldn't mind, I think it's just a trick of the lighting.

side note: ginger isn't a negative thing to call a red head right? I am operating under the assumption that it's like calling someone raven-haired or toe head.

The Great Debate

2011-03-25T22:32:00.004-06:00

Sam and I have been having an on going "discussion" about what to do with his lovesac. It is huge, it is black, and it has no place in our apartment. We used to keep it in the living room of our other apartment, but I refused to allow in my new living room which is smaller, and a bit more restrictive of furniture. When we moved to a 2 bedroom we literally stuffed it into the closet in James' room (he has an entire wall of closet which he doesn't necessarily need) but it broke the closet doors and ultimately did not fit. Somehow, it ended up in James' bedroom:

As you can see it takes up a lot of space and throws off the baby vibe I was attempting to create for our kiddo.
We have 2 balconies. I told Sam his options were:
1. Selling it on Craigslist.
2. Storing it at a friend's house and allowing them to use it.
3. Putting it on the balcony.
He didn't like any of the 3 options. His idea was to leave it where it is because it "wasn't in the way". I mean if it is blocking the dresser drawers and taking up the place where the rocking chair is supposed to go I'd say it was in the way but that's me;)

Today I discovered the answer a Sport Utility Cover:

This way we can safely store the lovesac on the balcony! Hooray! James' room can now be anything I want it to be :)

It's Baby Signing Time

2011-03-23T09:36:00.003-06:00

Little known fact about me: I know sign language.

I wouldn't say I am fluent, but I am decent. I started taking classes in 7th grade and continued through college.

That said, I decided a couple weeks ago to try to teach James a few signs. Mom, Dad, Milk, and More. He didn't seem very interested. So I went to the library and grabbed a book on teaching your baby to sign and a couple DVDs. Since he is so young I decided to switch up my strategy and do one sign at time. I decided to teach him,"up" since it's easy to sign and easy to demonstrate. Well what do you know a short 4 days later and he's got it! In hindsight maybe up wasn't the best one to teach him because if he signs it, I have to do it to reinforce his sign. So I am picking him up just seconds after putting him down. Oh well, there is nothing cuter than a little 4 month old signing, I love it.

St. Patrick's Day Romper

2011-03-17T20:12:00.005-06:00

I dressed Jammer up in a cute romper, previously owned by his cousin Luke. It's brown with a light blue pattern. Sam insisted it made James look like a girl. He begged me to change him but I wouldn't. Sam then said, "This is an outfit you put your son in and people ask if your baby is a boy or girl." I ignored him. Fast forward 20 minutes, we are checking out at Safeway and the cashier says, "Oh SHE is watching you." Yep called my little man a she. Thank you random checker for proving Sam's point :-/

Note: Never before has my manly baby been mistaken for a girl; not once.

American Idol pick- Paul McDonald

2011-03-02T14:37:00.004-07:00

I thought I may have jinxed Alex Lambert last season, with my early prediction and his premature departure. But now that he has a record deal, a TV show and a career maybe I didn't jinx him after all. That said, my season favorite for the men:

Paul McDonald.

I'm obsessed with his amazing voice. He is an incredible performer. And he's got a great look.

His duet of Blackbird was the best I've heard from any performers this season:

I also found this little gem. It's his band, The Grand Magnolias, performing what I assume is an original song:

Okay so although I love him, Maggie May?! Really? I get that he has the same rasp of Rod Stewart but um hello little teeny boppers are the faithful idol voters, not my grandparents. You may want to choose a more current song. It was well performed but this week is SOOO important. They are cutting so many people. Not a good week to choose Maggie May.

I wasn't super impressed with anyone else. James is pretty good but I am not sure butt rock is right for Idol either.

Last "Idol" thought. Jacob Lusk. I don't get it. I don't think he is original. I don't enjoy listening to him. Is it just me?

PS. I dreamed they called me as a wild card pick to perform on American Idol and I performed "Stay" by Lisa Lobe. So random.

He's a morning person

2011-02-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

We love today

2011-02-22T11:50:00.002-07:00

After several sleepless nights and cranky days, today is a good day :)

All dressed up

2011-02-13T13:49:00.001-07:00

Mr. Fancy pants says Happy Sunday!

Someone please tell James to stop getting so big so fast!

Lately

2011-01-28T11:11:00.006-07:00

James is 10 weeks and 3 days.
James does not sleep through the night.
James still eats every two hours (day and night); yes full feedings.
James screams bloody murder if I try to wait 2 hours and 1 minute to feed him.
James is 15lbs.

James still has acid reflux.
James has several chins:

James loves to go on walks

James cries every time he burps or spits up.
James' colic is MUCH better :)
James naps have to be on mama:

James loves his daddy!
James loves to flare his nostrils:

We're sure lucky to have this little guy; we love him very much.

My best friend

2011-01-21T13:13:00.003-07:00

Mama said there'd be days like this... But she never mentioned nights.

2011-01-17T12:06:00.005-07:00

Last night may have been the longest night of my life. I put James down at 8pm and then went to bed myself. James sleeps with us so this is pretty normal. Usually he closes his eyes and goes right to sleep. Last night he just laid there, wide eyed, starring at me. I tried rocking him, snuggling, nursing, white noise... Finally rocking worked. But the second I tried to lay him down he was wide awake again. Along with being up, he was also very cranky. I'm sure it was the colic and reflux. The medicine doesn't seem to be helping yet. Hopefully it will kick in soon. All night long he was fussy, wanted to nurse, wouldn't sleep. Today is pretty much the same as it was last night. Poor little man.
Because of this, I've decided to try to live on fruits, veggies, chicken, and whole grains. I am hoping it will help with James' digestion. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not the healthiest eater but I've now found motivation.
But even after a very long night, and a napless morning, James is still smiling:

Hubba hubba Mr. Chubba

2011-01-15T19:28:00.001-07:00

Have you ever seen anything cuter?

Cutie

2011-01-15T11:37:00.003-07:00

It's hard to blog lately. It may have something to do with my son who wants to be held 99.9% of the time. I'm not complaining though I kind of love it. Although, it would be nice to be able to do some housework once in a while:)
He's getting so big. I love all the one on one time we have together; even on days he cries all day he'll give me a sweet smile and the rest of the day washes away. I know I am sappy. What can I say? Being a mom is the best.

Auntie Hannah got this cute top for Jammer. I love it. Sam said he looked like he was dressed like a teenager which is kind if true. The photos don't show his socks that look like shoes, red and black checkered Vans no less.

James is 8 weeks old!!

2011-01-12T11:41:00.005-07:00

Stats:

Weight- 13lbs 12ozs, 92%

Length- 23.5 in, 74%

Head- 15.75 in, 52%

The doctor said James has colic and acid reflux... Oh, so that's why he wakes up screaming every morning at 4am until 9am. Good to know there's a reason for it. Luckily he is halfway through it. Most doctors say it goes away around 4 months.

He also got 5 shots. Surprisingly James wasn't the only one who cried. Why didn't someone warn me?

Greta Rose Bryan

2011-01-05T13:36:00.003-07:00

My new niece

Greta Rose Bryan has arrived!

1 day early

December 31, 2010

at 10:47am

5 lbs 10 oz

19.5 inches

Isn't she gorgeous?!

1 month old James Russell Ashby

2010-12-14T22:46:00.007-07:00

James is 1 month old today! Where does the time go?

His current stats:
Weight- 11lbs 1oz
Length- 22inches
Head- 16inches

He can hold his head up very well.
He eats every 1.5 hours (hungry little man).
He sleeps with mommy and refuses to sleep anywhere else, we hope to break this habit ASAP but it doesn't look good since he screams bloody murder until he gets his way.
He smiles at mommy and daddy and giggled for the first time yesterday when mama gave him an Eskimo kiss.
He has deep blue eyes and a little turned up nose.
His cute scowl tells you exactly what he is thinking.
He has the biggest hands I've ever seen on a little.
He has the most perfect pointy little chin.
He has a cute dimple in the middle of his left cheek.
He has his daddy's big lips.
He "talks" a lot, usually in grunts and sighs.
He breathes very loudly which keeps mommy up at night.
He will occasionally allow mommy to put him in the swing, and for about 20 minutes a day he will play by himself in his crib; other than that he requires mom (or dad if dad isn't at school) to hold him all day and all night.
After about a week of fussiness and worries of colic, he has turned a corner and does not seem to have tummy troubles, hallelujah. It was SOO sad to see him in pain and not be able to do anything about it.
He has tiny little ears.
He loves his daddy, and anytime daddy holds him to his chest he has to look up right into his eyes. You've never seen anything sweeter.
His once tiny legs (which earned him the nickname little) have become quite chunky, just like the rest of him.
He can take his binky out and put it back in again, putting his large hands to good use.
He likes to bounce on the yoga ball and rock in the glider.
He has a "zero to ten" personality. He will be perfectly content one minute and completely lose it the next; just like his mama ;)
He HATES getting his diaper changed although he doesn't throw quite the temper tantrums he used to he does however make frustrated grunting noises the entire time he is being changed.
He loves bath time.
He likes his baby carrier, but only in short intervals.
If you try to give him a binky and he doesn't want it, he clamps his mouth shut and flares his nostrils, it's SOO darling.

I love my little man, he's the best thing to happen to me and Sam. Happy one month baby boy!!

Big hands I know you're the one

2010-12-13T13:03:00.001-07:00

I ask you, have you ever seen a newborn with bigger hands than this?

Tough and yet not so tough

2010-12-11T23:07:00.003-07:00

Having our new baby boy James in the house is amazing. He's so sweet, and cute, and I just cuddle him all day and all night long. He's so fun to have around and somehow I don't really remember what life was like before he came along. Sam and I are both smitten with this little guy. I take 100 photos of him every day because he seems to change so fast, I want to remember every look, every face, every stage.
Right now I am trying to figure out how to do normal things with a baby. I didn't leave my house for 2 weeks straight. I pretty much sat home and held my little day and night. I realized I needed to go to the market today so I ventured all the way to Safeway (which is directly across the street from where we live) and within 5 minutes of being at the market, James was screaming bloody murder. So much for errands. Is it normal to be scared to leave the house? I've been reassured by all of my friends and sister that this is a temporary thing and in a few weeks James will be much more tolerable of outings. I'm hopeful.
Meanwhile he has the cutest lips I've ever seen:

Sometimes

2010-12-09T21:26:00.001-07:00

James screams and I think it's really cute...

James Russell Ashby

2010-11-25T19:48:00.011-07:00

As usual I'll let my photos tell the story:

A baby story

2010-11-19T22:02:00.005-07:00

I'll keep the details to a minimum but I thought I would let you know a bit about the labor. First of all, I realize my experience may have been a bit easier than most and I am grateful for it. I also realize that my next ones may not be so smooth but here is how it went.
I checked into the hospital Tuesday just before noon.
I was given a softener to encourage the baby to come. Nothing happened.
A few hours later a different nurse gave me the softener again and she was a bit more aggressive with it.
This time within 5 minutes of the application I began having full on contractions.
One on top of another.
Each contraction lasted 1-2 minutes and I would get about 10-20 seconds between each. They were intense.
After an hour of this I insisted someone find the anesthesiologist. He came in, and after just EIGHT tries the epidural was in. Now under normal circumstances his eight tries would have really frustrated me but with the amount of pain I was experiencing, it could have taken him 1,000 tries and I would have felt eternally indebted to him. The result of his eight tries was the best epidural known to man. I had nearly complete control of my legs, but I couldn't feel any pain. It was amazing. At that point I was about a 3 so they gave me a yoga ball to hold and within 2 hours I was at a 10 and ready to push. About 6 (give or take a couple) pushes later my little man was here and forever changed my world.

I love James so much; which I realize is kind of a given but he is the best thing to happen to me and Sam. We stare at him all day, entertained by the smallest noise, or the littlest facial expression. He's such a good baby and he has the cutest face a mom could want.

Michael Bublé "Haven't Met You Yet"

2010-11-10T22:45:00.003-07:00

The words to this great song make me think of my little James and I tear every time. I'm so excited for him to get here. I just hope he waits until Sunday:)Press play on my playlist if you want to hear it:

I'm not surprised, not everything lasts
I've broken my heart so many times, I stopped keeping track
Talk myself in, I talk myself out
I get all worked up, then I let myself down

I tried so very hard not to lose it
I came up with a million excuses
I thought, I thought of every possibility

And I know someday that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, that I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

I might have to wait, I'll never give up
I guess it's half timing, and the other half's luck
Wherever you are, whenever it's right
You'll come out of nowhere and into my life

And I know that we can be so amazing
And, baby, your love is gonna change me
And now I can see every possibility

And somehow I know that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

They say all's fair
In love and war
But I won't need to fight it
We'll get it right and we'll be united

And I know that we can be so amazing
And being in your life is gonna change me
And now I can see every single possibility

And someday I know it'll all turn out
And I'll work to work it out
Promise you, kid, I'll give more than I get
Than I get, than I get, than I get

Oh, you know it'll all turn out
And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And I promise you kid to give so much more than I get
Yeah, I just haven't met you yet

I just haven't met you yet
Oh, promise you, kid
To give so much more than I get

I said love, love, love, love
Love, love, love, love
(I just haven't met you yet)
Love, love, love, love
Love, love
I just haven't met you yet

Am I ridiculous?

2010-11-09T13:15:00.003-07:00

One obvious worry I have as an expectant mother is the health of my baby. Is it ridiculous that I requested all family members (on both sides) who would be within baby range before his 3 month mark get their DTaP? Or that I am considering getting him a baby mask to wear while flying to Utah for Christmas (recirculated air in December, no thank you!)? I want my kiddo to be healthy. My friend at work sent this photo below to be funny, but when I saw it I thought, "That's a great idea!" does this make me a little overboard?

GAP 30% off

2010-11-08T09:04:00.001-07:00

In store only, I learned this the hard way last time :)

Enjoy!!

Changing Table

2010-11-02T22:33:00.004-06:00

I bought the cutest dresser/changing table at a garage sale last week. It was perfect. It just needed a little paint. I kind of remembered to do a before photo this time:

The "Before" shot, even though it is after I'd removed the drawers and primed the top.

All primed and ready.

Love the grey color (I know the lighting isn't the best).

Tada!!

And the lovely knobs are from Hobby Lobby.
A special thanks to Brooke for the coupon that saved me 40%!

Random thoughts...

2010-10-31T00:01:00.003-06:00

-My nephew was born this morning!! Baby Ashby-Stevens 7lbs 11ozs, SO excited for James' cousin to be here.
-I turned my playlist off. You can click on play if you want to hear the music...
-My ribs ache but other than that no complaints about pregnancy. I hit 9 months this week... Well kind of, I am 36 weeks and 2 days. I am not sure if that's actually 9 months but if not, it's close.
-I asked my doctor if I will get a little relief when baby "drops". He said not to count on it. My doctor thinks the baby is very long and even though he seems like he is high, he is also low. I was hoping the largeness I have come to expect would happen after he was born...
-2 more weeks until the kiddo is here.
-I have SO much clothing for this boy he can probably wear a different outfit every day for the first 6 months of his life.
-I bought a changing table but it came with a dresser and twin bed which I have no room for. It's all shoved into the nursery right now. And I plan to paint the dresser/changing table ASAP.
-Brooke and Liz threw me an amazing shower today. It was so much fun and I appreciate my friends being so good to me.
-I wake up several times throughout the night and people LOVE to tell me to enjoy my peaceful nights while I can... Funny.
-Lots of women have mentioned the last 3 weeks of pregnancy dragging on. I feel like it's flying by and I have too much to do before he arrives. I mean I still need to wash all of his clothes, buy a baby carrier, paint the changing table, etc...
-Sam keeps staring at my stomach. I try not to take it personally because it isn't like my large tummy is all that big but he's been doing it a lot lately. When he sees that he's been caught staring he'll say, "It's just so crazy our son is in there." It's pretty adorable actually.

Work Shower

2010-10-26T19:01:00.004-06:00

My team at work took me to The Cheesecake Factory for a baby shower. It was so much fun! The best part? Sam came too!

Love Birds

2010-10-22T21:20:00.004-06:00

I have been looking for some wall art for our guest bathroom for weeks and haven't found anything that seemed to fit. I was browsing at Target after work today and found these great little metal birds and I knew they would be just right with the look I'm going for. What do you think?

PS. The shower curtain is also from Target. I saw a sample of it and fell in love. I checked with customer service and not only was the store completely out of stock but so was every single Target in Arizona. I called 10 stores in California near various relatives and found a Target near my mom's that had a couple on hand. My mother was nice enough to go that same day and buy it for me. Then she brought it all the way to LA. Thanks mom :)

Holy Hail

2010-10-20T22:30:00.002-06:00

A couple weeks ago I was at Costco. It was a little chilly and sprinkling when I left my house so I had a coat with me. I was all finished shopping, I had a cart full of groceries and I walked to my car, coat free because it wasn't sprinkling anymore. When I got to my car, I opened my trunk and at that very moment it started to downpour which almost immediately turned into hail. I had to load up my car, but I was getting soaked and so was my purse (with my phone, iPod, and camera in it). I had books in my trunk which were getting ruined but I just had to get the groceries into the car ASAP. When I got in my car, I was SOAKING wet. I mean it looked like I showered in my clothes or something. When I got home to my apartment complex I found a bit a destruction (photos below). Now I am pretty sure the storm lasted just shy of 20 minutes, but it was pretty rough on Arizona.

Room for more

2010-10-14T16:22:00.003-06:00

It's crazy to think in 4 weeks I'll be adding another man to my life...
For so long it was just Luke. Then Sam. Now here comes Jimmer Jammer.
I can't wait:)

Showered with love

2010-10-07T22:29:00.006-06:00

My amazing Aunt Shelly along with her amazing crew: My Mom, Grandma Ducks, Ambyr, and Darlene put on the best shower ever thrown this weekend. We played guess the nusery rhyme character, who sings it (with the theme of baby of course), and name the nursery rhyme. It was perfect, down to the very last detail. I just want to thank those mentioned above for everything. I love you and I LOVED the shower!!

32 weeks... Almost

2010-09-29T10:00:00.004-06:00

On Thursday I will be 32 weeks pregnant. Although I was sick at first, I think I am one of the lucky ones who has had a pretty easy pregnancy, so far. Lately I have been getting a bit more uncomfortable:
My stomach cramps all the time (and yes I drink plenty of water)
My back aches after sitting at work all day
It's hard to breathe
My restless leg syndrome is out of control
It's impossible to get a decent night's sleep

Now, I want to make it clear that I am NOT complaining, because I love being pregnant (honestly), and I feel SO incredibly blessed to be having a baby. But I will say I won't miss this paticular part of pregnancy.

I now also realize I should have finished the nursery a month ago. I have been so busy with painting and craigslisting every night, and all I want to do is rest.
I am getting even more nervous about labor.
I am excited for my shower in LA this weekend.
I am excited that Heidi is 38 weeks and will be having little Ryder any day!!
I am so curious to see what little James' face looks like.
I can't wait for my Mom, sister, and grandparents to visit.
I am really looking forward to maternity leave.
I haven't taken any belly shots because Sam is always studying so we never get to do anything anymore :-( so we never take photos...

Lots of random thoughts I know, but I thought you may want an update.

Crib, check!

2010-09-25T23:16:00.005-06:00

A month ago Sam and I purchased a really great crib, actually my Mom bought the crib but we picked it out and brought it home.
The crib is so cute, the only issue was the color. It was that almost white wood color and I am not a fan. I couldn't decide what color to paint it and then I found this cute photo of a nursery where the furniture was all grey and I loved it. With the help of Sam and Ambyr, who both have a better eye for color than I, we selected the perfect Grey color I like to refer to as Anony-Mouse which isn't the real name but seemed much more fitting that the actual name,Anonymous, given the grey mouse-like color.
I primed the crib with Gripper a couple of weeks ago (and of course forgot to take before photos darn it) and I painted the crib today. It took me all day to paint, even with the use of my fancy new paint sprayer. Side note, I do not recommend painting a crib. It's was LOT more work than I thought and although I love it now, I wouldn't want to do it again.
Anyway here is the final product:

The nursery is still a work in progress but knowing if the baby came early (which hopefully won't happen) we'd have somewhere for him to sleep makes me feel good. It also makes the birth seem more imminent...
Now the question is, do I paint the walls? If so, what color...

Art project

2010-09-23T23:05:00.005-06:00

My sister Ambyr has generously bestowed A LOT of her baby things to me. Some temporary, some for keeps. She was kind enough to give me her "like new" bumpers, crib bedding, valences, rug, and bed skirt. They are all in the Pottery Barn "Farmyard Friends" theme, and very cute. She also gave me things called wallies which match the Farmyard Friends theme; they are cute little woofs, peeps, oinks, and moos that you can paste to your walls. Since I'm not sure I should stick things to the walls I decided to frame them. I found 3 frames, for $3 at Tuesday Morning. They had a whole "Cow Jumped Over the Moon" scene painted on them, so I painted over the scene with white acrylic paint. Then I pasted the wallies on to the frames and voila!

Love him

2010-09-22T21:54:00.000-06:00

Baby sling deal

2010-09-22T16:39:00.001-06:00

http://dealnews.com/Seven-Slings-Baby-Slings-for-free-12-s-h/390961.html
Go get one, I did.

Resemblance

2010-09-21T15:48:00.004-06:00

Is it me or does my muffin:

Resemble this muffin:

(This is our nephew Graham, on Sam's side.)

Don't even get me started on James' lips!
How will I keep the girls away?

Lambert

2010-09-16T23:00:00.004-06:00

Remember how I LOVED Alex Lambert from American Idol? Somehow I found a show on Hulu called "If I Can Dream". It's produced by Simon Fuller (Same guy as Idol) and it is about aspiring stars working to get into show biz. Apparently after Alex was prematurely kicked off of Idol some smarty started a petition to get Alex back on Idol (yes I signed it) and it turned into a big deal and all these celebs were involved or something I don't really know but a lot of people were really mad about it. Instead of putting Alex back on Idol Simon Fulled put Alex on this show.

I watch the show and it's an okay show but what I am really excited about is that I think it means Alex is going to be big time some day. Like have a CD and all that. I can't wait.

A little sample of why I think he's such a great singer:

Arizona it is...

2010-09-13T21:45:00.002-06:00

You know when something you really really want that is just too good to be true seems like it might just work out?
For Sam's 3rd year of medical school he had an option to rotate for an entire year in California. Oh I was all ready planning the trips to the beach, Burlingame, Fairfield, Fremont... Of course.
Back to the rotation situation. Most students want to stay in Arizona because they don't want to move. Well, there are more students than rotation slots so you have to enter a lottery to see if you get to stay in Arizona. You have about a 70% chance of getting into the rotation. I was hoping against hope that we would be the 30% that "had" to go to CA.
No such luck.
I am stuck in Arizona for at least another year and nine months.
It isn't that bad. But I do miss my family. And my friends. And the beach. And the weather.
Sam is thrilled, the rotations here are more established and supposedly will be better for his career so of course I am all for that. But man I miss California.

This just happened

2010-09-10T14:23:00.003-06:00

I was brave enough to wear some regular jeans today as opposed to maternity. They fit fine this morning.
After lunch I got to my desk to sit down and the button was killing me. A bit too much pasta maybe. Naturally I unbuttoned my top button. Who cares? I sit at a desk all day. Until a buyer, Steve, asked me to come to his office to discuss an issue. About 20 minutes into the conversation (I had been standing the entire time, Steve sitting) I realized my top jeans button was still unbuttoned. I was holding a binder which I used to cover myself for the rest of the discussion but I am almost sure it was too late. So embarrasing. I'll stick to elastic waist bands from now on.

Only one way out...

2010-09-08T23:21:00.004-06:00

I've been thinking about having a baby lately. Not having one here in the house but the actual act of having a baby. It scares me. A lot. I get that women have been birthing babies forever and the way we do it now is cake compared to our fore-mothers. But it's still scary to think about.
I'm really relieved Sam, Ambyr, and my Mom will be there for me because I'll sure need them. It seems like the closer my due date, the more real it becomes. I was lucky enough to be there for my nephew Luke's birth so I have an idea of what to expect; But I am more than aware that actually being the one in labor, having the baby, will be a completely different experience.
To calm my nerves I am working on a playlist for the big day. Sadly there aren't many mother-son songs but there are plenty of others, namely Justin Bieber's "Baby, Baby, Baby". Don't judge. I am sure there will be plenty of Beatles, Beach Boys, Elton John, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, etc... on there so we'll balance the auto-toned pop music out with real talent.

I am sure I have posted the photo below on my blog before but this photo captures the very moment I realized I wanted to become a mom and it makes me really excited for my little man to be here to kiss and cuddle.

Pain in the Back

2010-09-07T11:18:00.002-06:00

Sam and I bought a crib and glider on craigslist this weekend.
I'm so happy about it and I love them both AND we got an amazing deal.
I decided to paint the crib white, so I started yesterday by priming it with Gripper which is this amazing sticky primer that allows you to paint without sanding.
While I was priming the crib I was sitting in a funny position, the necessary way, when painting while sitting on the ground 7.5 months pregnant...
Out of nowhere my back went into spasm and I was stuck on the floor.
Luckily while frozen in position I finished priming the crib but I have been in agony ever since.
I have all kinds of back spasm medications, but again when 7.5 months pregnant, there's really nothing you can take.
I couldn't go in to work today because the only position that is comfortable is laying down.
I called my OB but they said to go to the ER, which it the LAST thing I want to do.
I am sure they would give me shots of muscle relaxers in my back but I don't think I want to have that... Considering baby.
So here I lay, on my couch, unable to move, all alone.
Hopefully I will have a miraculous recovery by tomorrow.

Sam's Blog

2010-09-06T11:42:00.002-06:00

So far Sam has refused to contribute to "our" blog. I'm hoping maybe he'll blog when the baby comes but I won't hold my breath. Last night however, he decided to create his own blog. It keeps him laughing all day, and he couldn't believe the domain name wasn't already taken:
http://freeoncraigslist.blogspot.com/

7 months pregnant

2010-09-03T00:02:00.004-06:00

I am officially 7 months pregnant today.

Currently:
I crave milk, constantly.
I have restless leg syndrome like never before.
I have gained 13lbs.
My little man wiggles and hiccups and kicks and moves ALL the time.
If I rest my hand on my tummy he will kick my hand, it's how we communicate.
I have to use the bathroom every 10-20 minutes.
I am SO excited for the 3D ultrasound on September 21st.
I am trying to decide what to do with the nursery.
I feel like the luckiest mama in the world because my boy and I are healthy.
I love my husband SO much, and I miss him (recently lost him to the library).
I am already dreading going back to work after the baby comes.
I use Mama Bee each night, and recently found it doesn't work :(
I love Mad Men.
I am obsessed with finding the perfect bathroom decor but can''t find a single shower curtain I love.
I've been listening to the Beatles everyday.
I'm SO excited for our baby shower in 4 weeks.
I'm even more excited that my mom and sister will be here for the birth, and that my grandparents will be here shortly after.

I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Note to self

2010-08-30T16:41:00.002-06:00

When asking Sam to hang mirrors and picture frames, tell him exactly where the top of the mirror should come to. His perception may be a bit skewed due to his 6 foot 7 build:

February

2010-08-26T14:34:00.004-06:00

PetSmart has a daycare here in the office which I signed up for in March when I was about 27 seconds pregnant. They informed me I can be on the list however, they didn't foresee an opening until April. APRIL!! I needed that kid enrolled for February. What was I supposed to do with James for 2 months? I don't have family close and I feel like asking a friend to watch a newborn for a couple months would be WAY too much to ask of someone, even if I paid them. So I have been stressing about this for MONTHS. Pretty much my entire pregnancy. Sam's point of view was, "Don't worry about this now. These things end up just working themselves out."
I disagree.
I think all of my stressing and worrying works these things out. He has his way and I have mine...
Well today I went into the daycare to see if there were any updates and what do you know, my worrying payed off and James is officially in to the PetSmart daycare for February.
Hooray!!
Now I can breastfeed. TMI? Sorry. But it was a big issue for me to consider.
For anyone judging me for putting my precious infant in daycare when I should be a good Mormon mommy and stay at home with him, save it. I feel sick about it. I want nothing more than to stay home with him and be with him every second of every day but it just won't work out. With Sam in Medical school I have to work. If I work now, we will be in a much better financial position as our family grows. No one made us have a baby while attending med school, it was our choice. This is the price we pay for being so anxious to have a little one in our lives. We'll see how I deal with it when the little guy is here...

Baby bump or baby mountain

2010-08-25T21:21:00.004-06:00

Either way I'm loving it...

I am 27 weeks pregnant, and I really can't complain. James kicks all the time, I think it's to make sure I don't forget about him (like that would ever happen). We had an appointment yesterday and the doctor said everything is perfect, just what an expectant mom loves to hear. I feel very blessed that the pregnancy has gone so well, that the baby and I are both healthy, and that I have a great husband who loves the baby as much as I do (if that's possible:)).

I thought I would share a little belly action with you...

Mirror makeover

2010-08-25T20:24:00.003-06:00

We thought our black mirror needed a face lift :)

Shopping 30% off at Gap

2010-08-23T09:03:00.002-06:00

Just click on the photo below and print. Take it in to any Gap store (including Gap, Banana, Old Navy, Gap Kids, etc) or use at Gap.com.

Ever have one of those days?

2010-08-16T17:05:00.001-06:00

Sew what?

2010-08-05T23:14:00.004-06:00

I have been begging Sam for a sewing machine for about a year. He kindly let me know we do not have room for a sewing machine and they are expensive so it may not be a great idea right now.

I have had my heart set on getting one.

When we went to LA last weekend I mentioned my current desire to my family, and what do you know but my ALWAYS generous grandma gave me her sewing machine!!

It's like brand new and it works beautifully. I found the perfect spot for it in our home so Sam and I are both happy and excited.

My first project, maternity pants.

Why must most maternity pants come with bell bottom legs? Pregnant women don't want to look or feel even more ridiculous than we all ready do.

I pined up my pants and hit the sewing machine.

My mother was on the phone for tech support purposes, which helped immensely. She gave me the help I needed and the pants looks pretty good, take a look:

Fish Tank

2010-08-04T22:38:00.005-06:00

Monday mornings have a bad rap, and this Monday I found out why. It seemed like everything was going wrong. One of my vendors had a huge recall (which is a very big deal and very time consuming), I forgot my breakfast, and I was so tired from our LA trip that my eyes were literally burning.

Then I heard a really loud thud.

I didn't go to see what was going on, instead I rolled my eyes wondering what else this terrible Monday was going to bring.

A few minutes later on my way to the bathroom this is what I saw:

A small lake in the middle of the walk way

A very sad Erin

An extremely embarrassed Kevin

Needless to explain someone (namely Kevin) dropped Erin's 10 gallon fish tank. There was glass, water, and tiny rocks everywhere.

Immediately several PetSmart employees ran to Erin's desk with buckets of water to save the fish.

Luckily, the fish were removed prior to the tank transport.

Opinions

2010-07-30T12:47:00.002-06:00

I am a pretty opinionated person, not as much as some but probably more than most.

One thing I have noticed is pregnancy brings out the opinion sharing in people. Strangers/acquaintances love telling you their perception of your size and your rate of growth. I find it hilarious (and of course a bit irritating but it seems like EVERYTHING irritates me these days:)).

I had a meeting with a vendor today who has known about my pregnancy since 12 weeks. She has 2 of her own children who are now grown. She asked how the pregnancy is coming, I let her know all is well and I am really enjoying it. Then I told her I am about to begin my 3rd trimester. She very quickly corrected me and said, you mean your 1st trimester. I was really confused and restated that I was about to begin my 3rd. She insisted I was mistaken. Not exactly sure how to reply, I said well next week I hit my 6 month mark so... To which she replied with an unrecognizable mumble which may have mentioned that she thought I was saying I was ending my third trimester or something. Do people not think I know where I am at in my pregnancy?

A woman I sit by at work (a woman who doesn't have children yet) informed me, I am small now, but 3 weeks before I deliver I will swell up and look enormous. Thanks sweetheart, how lovely a thought... However true it may be.

A different vendor of mine who has 5 year old twins told me I am going to have a big baby. Apparently I look large in her opinion. In my opinion I look just as I should but whatever.

Luckily my husband (the only opinion that actually matters) gives his opinion only when asked, and always insists I look perfect:) He always knows just what to say...

Something to consider

2010-07-28T16:52:00.002-06:00

I'm still at work.
It's Wednesday at 4pm (most people leave work around 4pm here).
There is one thing on my mind.

Brownie Batter.

My next thought, would brownie batter taste as yummy without raw egg...
(As you well know a pregnant woman cannot eat raw egg due to the possible salmonella)
I won't tell you if I try it.
But know that I am thinking about it.

Mexico

2010-07-26T19:59:00.008-06:00

Mexico was AMAZING. I try not to get too cheesy on here but Sam makes me feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world. He is sweet, loving, and kind and this trip made me appreciate him all the more.
Enjoy the photos:

Oh babies!!

2010-07-26T19:40:00.003-06:00

Is it me or is everyone pregnant? Pregnant and having a boy that is. It's so much fun. I have 3 friends at work who are due just after me all 3 having boys. My boss' wife is due around the same time I am, also having a boy. Basically at PetSmart it's baby boy fever.
Baby fever has also hit my family life. My sister Hannah is pregnant due January 1st (1/1/11, how cool is that:)). Our kiddos will be just weeks apart,h we couldn't have planned better had we tried. Darlene, my sister by love (Ambyr's sister-n-law who is actually as close to a real sister as you can get) is also pregnant due in the end of January. We don't know what Hannah or Darlene are having yet, but we are SO excited to find out. I am betting on boys but I may be bias :)
My cousin Aubrey is newly pregnant (about 12 weeks) and we are SO excited all our little ones will have so many buddies to play with at family events.
My best friend Heidi is having a boy in early October. My friend Christie is having a girl (the only woman I know having a girl now that Holland is already here:)).
Aubrey, Madeline, and KC all had their gorgeous babies 4-5 weeks ago...

It's such a fun time.
I'm loving all these babies in my life.
I cannot wait to meet my little one.

Grandfather

2010-07-26T19:06:00.004-06:00

My grandfather passed away a few weeks ago... I haven't lost anyone since I was a child, and because we grew up just a short drive away from their house, my grandfather has always been a big part of my life.

My grandfather stood in the the circle when I was given a name, he was a witness at my baptism, he placed his hands upon my head and gave me the gift of the holy ghost, he was there the first time I went through the temple, and he was a witness when Sam and I were sealed for eternity. In every important day in my life, he has been there with me. He is the one who gave me father's blessings, blessings of comfort, and blessings of health. I was always very grateful he was a righteous priesthood holder and that he was always willing to share it with me to bless my life.
I can honestly say my grandfather never uttered a single cross word to me. He was always positive, uplifting and patient with me. I'd go to church with he and my granny some Sundays, I would spend days at their house, and I would often come for family home evening to listen to the message, and hear my grandfather sing and play guitar.

As a child when he would greet me he would always say "Heady bum betty, to the eather go sketti. Bow legged, bull legged, bow legged Heady." I know it seems silly but it made me feel special, and it showed me he loves me. I miss him very much.

Here are a few photos of the funeral:

Naming Names

2010-07-09T20:14:00.002-06:00

We have probably decided on a first name for our son: James. He seems to like it. He's been kicking a lot. It's so amazing. I love knowing he is doing well and getting strong. He never lets me forget about him that's for sure... We're so excited to meet him. Just a few short months from now.
My tummy is sticking out a noticeable amount. Enough for strangers to feel confidant to ask when I am due, which is fun (you know I've always loved attention).
And thanks to my little sister I have learned that airlines are very accommodating if you mention you are pregnant. In fact, Sam are flying to Mexico soon and I noticed our seats were BOTH middle seats and that we aren't next to each other. I called the airlines and let them know I am pregnant and need an aisle seat since I'll have to be out of my seat more than normal, and that I'll need to be next to my husband since I may need assistance. They put us right next to each other in preferential seating which has extra leg room AND it's in the very front. Thank you USAir!

A few thoughts on the name game

2010-07-01T14:25:00.000-06:00

I’m happy we are having a little boy. I always pictured having 3 boys, and then having 2 girls. Obviously, it isn’t my choice and I will love my kiddos in whatever gender order they come to me in but that’s how I imagine it.
My main concern about having a baby boy is what to name him.
-My very favorite boy name in the entire world is Asher. I love it. I picture this little blonde/tan baby boy running around on the beach. I would absolutely name my baby Asher, if my last name weren’t Ashby… Sadly, they just do not work together.
-Before I knew the gender, I was set on naming him Michael. It’s strong, related to the gospel, and in my opinion very beautiful. But as time has gone on I learned it has been the #1 most popular name (not year over year but decade over decade) forever; or at least since the social security bureau has been keeping track. I don’t want him to be 1 of 3 Michael’s in his class, so I am rethinking things.
-As I have come to think about it more and more, I realize that there are about a handful of boy’s names that you hear (in some variation or another) repeatedly. Michael, Matthew, Christopher, Robert, Richard, David, James, Steven, Craig, Kevin, Bradley, Daniel, Ryan, Benjamin, William, Jonathan, and Nathan. I like all of these names but I don’t want to use the same name you hear over and over again.
-I’d love to go for something unique but Sam would never agree. I names like Weston, Keller, Donovan, Finn, Enzo, Tosh, Atlas, ect… Sam isn’t into them.
-Sam really wants to name him Robert and although I like the name, I don’t want to use it and I do have my reasons.
-I like the name Joshua, but Sam doesn’t care for it.
-I would love to name him Sam Jr, but Sam won’t go for that either.
-I like Donovan, Sam doesn’t.
-We both like Chase, but Sam says “I like it, but not to name my child”.
-Sam likes Daniel, it’s a nice name but I am not into it.
-Luke is already taken (by Ambyr’s son), but I would use it if I could.
-I like Bradley but it doesn’t go well with Ashby and Sam doesn’t like it.
-We both LOVED the name Henry but that is now taken (by Sam’s sister’s son).
-There are too many men named Ken in my family so that’s out.
-If I were to name him Steadman, everyone would reply, “Oh like Oprah’s boyfriend”. No thank you.
-I like the name Ryan but I don’t like that it is becoming androgynous.

-In short I have no idea what to name my child. I’m open to suggestion.

Ashbaby Bump

2010-06-28T09:02:00.002-06:00

I'm still in New York but I wanted to show my baby bump progress.
Obviously, I am still working on it but there is definitely something there these days.

Good Bye Phoenix

2010-06-24T10:34:00.003-06:00

And Hello New York!

My Sister's and I planned a 50th birthday rendezvous in New York City for our Mama. We leave today. We're in for a weekend of site seeing, shows, shopping, eating, and celebrating. I can't wait!...

Male Carrier

2010-06-13T19:35:00.003-06:00

You may want to watch this on mute so you don't have to listen to me talk the entire time. But here we are at the doctor's office finding out that our little is definitely a boy.

Why we are moving from our current apartment...

2010-06-08T12:20:00.005-06:00

Although we have a lovely lake view from our apartment, amazing AC and the best ceiling fans money can buy, our lease is up, and we need another bedroom, so we are looking for a new place to live.
Here are a list of things I will miss most:
-The woman who sits on her patio all day and all night listening to a police scanner.
-The man who ALWAYS smokes a pipe (even when it is +115' outside) who does nothing but sit in and walks around his Ford Ranger.
-Our neighbor who walks through our gravel area with a laundry basket going who knows where, for who knows what reason. (The gravel is not a walkway, it is covered in bushes and brush. I have no idea why he does it but listening to him kick rocks every 20 minutes by our living room window irritates me to no end.)
-The middle eastern man who's front door is near our parking spot who when asked "how's it going" he replies "working hard like a sniper". (Are we supposed to report things like this?!)
-The Ford Focus that parks next to us and draws swastikas on the hood of their car with wipe away chalk.
-Quackers and his new little ducklings, who despite the pass of mating season still wake me periodically.
-The tree that is manicured to go right through the walkway so you can't actually use the sidewalk.
-The 30 drunk people who congregate around the pool every single weekend, Friday through Sunday monopolizing the BBQ and the rest of the pool area.
-The couple who has 3 cars but only drive 1 and leave the other 2 in the only available close parking spaces, making them unavailable to anyone else who may need them; literally for MONTHS at a time.
-Our other neighbor who smokes right outside our front door when our windows are open(a smell pregnant woman can't get enough of).

Good-bye friends you will be missed...

Our little

2010-06-01T19:27:00.003-06:00

Sam pointed out that I like to over shoot dates. For example I tell people we dated almost 2 years with our 1 year break in between, this is a gross exageration. We actually dated for 12 months prior to our break up, and then 6 months from the time we got back together to when we were married. Substantially short of the 2 year mark I claim. When we had been married for 9 months, I would tell people who asked that we had been married almost a year. I need to get better about this, I want to be an accurate source of information...
As usual, with my pregnancy I have jumped the gun. I thought I was 15 weeks. I blame it on thebump.com. I put my due date in, and the date of my last period ect and it emails me each Monday to tell me what I am. Yesterday's email, said "you are at week 15!" I am not, according to the doctor I am 14 weeks. Which means, they can't tell the gender of the baby for another week! They said, "It might be a boy, but it could be a girl." Then he said he'd call it a boy and double check in 2 weeks. So there you have it, I might be having a boy... Or a girl.
Can you believe how clear these ultra sounds are?

He was kicking his legs the entire time, it was so cute.

Grandpa Enger

2010-05-26T22:54:00.002-06:00

While listening to the eulogy, the talks, and the memories shared by the speakers at Tuesday's funeral service, I sat there feeling very sad I didn't know the man they spoke of. When I first met Grandpa Enger in 2006, family had just begun to notice the signs of his deteriorating health, which proved to be but a beginning of his battle with his health issues which followed him through the rest of his life. As such, I feel like I never really got to know his true personality; and after listening to the amazing things his children and grandchildren had to say about him, I feel like I really missed out. I wanted to list a few of things said that really stuck out to me about this great man:

-Self taught to play the piano, by ear
-An amazing mechanic who was heavily relied upon to fix cars for the family. 3 grandchildren spoke, all mentioned how many times he'd switch cars with them, and spend as much time and effort necessary to get their cars running again.
-He was an artist who painted well and painted often. He would give his paintings to family members as gifts.
-He served as a bishop twice in his life, and was beloved by his congregations.
-He took his grandchildren on camping trips in their motor home each year, and taught each of them how to fish.
-He was a generous and thoughtful man, one grandchild had a sensitive stomach and would often become car sick, so Grandpa Enger would pack ginger snaps and ginger ale for her, to help keep her tummy calm.
-He would have the grand kids over for sleepovers and would pile all of them onto the upstairs deck outside and set up a telescope and show the stars and planets to the grand kids to teach them about Astronomy.

In summary Robert Enger was an amazing man, loved by all who knew him... I wish I had known him.

patience

2010-05-20T14:31:00.002-06:00

I am currently 13 weeks pregnant.
My doctor has incredible ultrasound equipment that may let us see the gender of the baby on week 14 if, said baby, cooperates.
I have been counting the seconds!!
My appointment is supposed to be this Tuesday...
I couldn't think of a single thing that would make me miss this appointment.
Until...
We received a text at 4 in the morning yesterday that Sam's grandpa died.
The funeral will be held on Tuesday in Sandy, Utah.
We will not be able to keep our appointment.
Paying our respects to Sam's grandpa, and spending time with family is what matters right now.

In other news, Heidi is having a BOY!!! Congrats Heidi and Gordon!!!

*Ashby*