Sneaking a Snuggle

Every night at Sloan's bed time, I nurse her and she usually falls asleep in my arms. This time has become my most favorite time of the day. I look forward to stealing a moment of time with her. I lay back and hold her on my chest and just stare at her. I try to study everything about her, her smell, her little dimpled chin, her perfect button nose, the way the light makes her hair look different colors, her little baby breaths...everything. I think about how much I love her and how happy she makes me. I let my mind wander to what I think she will be like as she grows up and I think about all the hopes and dreams I have for her. These moments give me a glimpse into what I think Heaven will be like. I picture all my children gathered round with their heads on my lap as I play with their hair and tickle their backs. We talk about our life's adventures and how silly were were in thinking that everything else was so important when really the important things were right in front of us all along. I lay on the bed and soak in the moment because I know that tomorrow it will be a little different. She will be a little older, a little less cuddly, a little more independent. Every night I hold her longer and longer because I want it to last forever. I try and file these moments in my memory because I know I will need to remember them when Sloan is 3 and throwing a tantrum in the grocery store, or when she is 10 and wants to hang out with her friends instead of her family, or when she is 19 and dating a guy I am not exactly thrilled about. So each night I sneak my snuggle and take it all in because I know it is a fleeting moment that I won't be able to get back. It is the little things in life you need to hold on to. It isn't about money or fame or career success, it is about moments like this. These are the things you can hold on to and the moments you will look back on with fondness. So I plan to sneak my snuggles for as long as I can because I realize how blessed and lucky I am to be able to have them!

Baby Ironies

As I sit here enjoying my much too short weekend of no work with Sloan, I thought to myself, someone should write a book about baby ironies (maybe someone has and I just don't know it?). Life with a baby is just so funny and entertaining to me. So I thought I would post a few of the baby ironies in my life and I am sure the life of many other mothers.

Baby Irony #1: Why is it that you can go to the store and spend $50 on new toys and when you get back home your baby loves the packaging far more than any of the actual toys?

Baby Irony #2: Why is it that your child can do something so cute 10 times in a row, but the second you turn on your video camera to document it, it is like the cute trick never even existed?

Baby Irony #3: Why is it that it can take a mother a good 7 minutes to mesh, mold and squeeze a shoe on her babies foot but it only takes your baby about 7 seconds to kick it off?

Baby Irony #4: Why is it that your baby can completely ruin your TV settings on your TV with one push of a random button in the 2 seconds they sneak over and grab it and it takes a parent 20 minutes to figure out which button they pushed and how to get the TV back to normal?

I am sure I will think of more to post. Feel free to add your own. Who knows, between us all maybe we can come up with a pretty funny book to publish!

Got Teeth?

Sloan officially has 4 teeth and two more that are about to cut through. Now everyone knows that teeth totally change the look of your baby, but Sloan's teeth are special. Why you ask? Well see for yourself...







Zoom in real close and you can catch it. I mean could the gap between her two top teeth be any bigger? I mean you can fit a whole other tooth in there! It is so funny. I guess she takes after her mama. For now it is just about the cutest thing ever. But I guess we better start the orthodontics fund. Cute when you're 8 months old, maybe not so cute when you're 18!

What's The Best Birthday Present in the World???

THIS IS!!!!



Happy birthday to me! The best present I got you ask? Sloan came to visit me at work (obviously this isn't a picture of that moment as I didn't have a camera). Can't think of anything else I wanted for my birthday!

8 Months Old

Where has the time gone? We made it to Arizona and through the first few weeks of the new job. Although we are missing dad, and he is missing lots of fun moments, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. We think Lee should be out her sometime mid June (hurry up and get here quick).

Sloan is 8 months old, I can't believe it. She has hit some major milestones over the last month including her first day in the pool. That is one of the good things about living on the sun here in AZ...you can swim in May. Here is a list of the fun things Sloan is doing at 8 month old:

1. She has 3 teeth (two on the bottom and one on the top) and 4 more that are coming soon.

2. She can go from laying down to sitting up all on her own.

3. She is in the crawling position and can move backwards and is just on the verge of being able move forward.

4. She can clap and wave and I am pretty sure she can do a few signs like milk and more...but I may just be making that up in my head.

5. She loves to jabber and make this high pitched squeal (usually at the most inopportune times like during dead silent moments at church). She says dadad and babab and a few others,

6. She loves to blow raspberries and does it pretty much constantly, especially right when she wakes up in the morning.

7. She loves her baths and really enjoyed swimming. I think this will be a summer filled with some serious pool time (since it is right in the backyard).

8. She loves to hold her hands behind her back. Her Grandma Sally thinks this is hilarious and we have lots of pictures to document it.

All in all she is just a happy, smiley little girl. I have loved every second of the last 8 months and can't wait for all the fun milestones that will fill the next 8.

D.C.

Before I left Charlotte, Lee and I went to D.C. to visit Lee's sister. We had such a great time. We saw all the sites and museums and Lee's sister watched Sloan pretty much the whole time so we could go everywhere and not have to worry about naps etc. We were able to go to the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Most of the Smithsonian Museums and the Holocaust Museum. It was so much fun. Thanks to Jill and Rich for letting us come stay with them and for watching Sloan while we had lots of fun. Here are some of the highlights.



Washington Monument



Lincoln Memorial



Potomac River



George Washington's House-Mt Vernon



Famous Georgetown Cupcakes...they were YUMMY!



Hangin' on the grass at George's house



Sloan and I at Jill's house

6 Times in 7 Years

6 times in seven years...the trend continues...we are moving yet again. For those that haven't heard, it is true, Lee and I are moving back west...again! The job market here in Charlotte isn't good sadly. Although neither Lee or I have officially been laid of, we aren't waiting for the inevitable. I have been interviewing for jobs in AZ because there just hasn't been opportunity here for either Lee or I. Too many unemployed bankers battling for the small handful of open positions that are out there. Needles to say I was offered a job with Wachovia/Wells Fargo in AZ and Lee and I decided it would be best for us to move back. There are more opportunities for both of us in AZ since this is one of Wells Fargo's main headquarters, so it just makes more sense. I have to be in AZ the first week in May and Lee will be here in Charlotte until he gets his notice and wraps up everything with the sale of our condo and the transfer of our stuff out to AZ. We will probably be apart for a few months, which will totally suck, but we will make it work. It is all about sacrifice in this day and age. Who would have though two years ago that we would move across the country only to move back in two years? I can tell you NOT ME! Well I have always been an overachiever, I mean we don't do things small in our home. Our motto is go big or go home I guess since we like to move from one side of the country to the next...more than once! So here is to yet another move. Hopefully like our move out here was, it will be for the best.

When Lee asked me two years ago if I would move to Charlotte, I completely shut down the idea. I had no desire to move, I loved AZ, my house, my friends, my job etc. When it came down to it and Lee was offered a job out here I bawled my eyes out. I didn't want to go, leave my comfort zone and family and friends. It was so hard to pack up and move across the country to a place I had never even seen. Not to mention that this was the 5th time in 5 years we had moved. But I went and it turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to us. Not to mention all the nastiness we avoided in AZ with the job and housing market, but I absolutely fell in love with Charlotte.

I am really going to miss it here. Needless to say I cried when I came and I am going to cry when I have to leave. Here are the things I am going to miss the most:

1. Living in the city. Anytime I had to leave the city, and was driving back home, the second I saw the city come into view this decision was reconfirmed for me. It was an amazing feeling that never got old. I especially love driving into the city at night. This is probably the thing I will miss the most.

2. Being able to walk to any restaurant, sports or theater event, museum, and work in 5 min or less.

3. Experiencing life outside of the "Mormon Bubble." Not that this bubble is bad, but I love being the exception, not the norm. I was able to share my beliefs with lots of people because the second I said I was from Utah, the next questions was ALWAYS "are you Mormon?" It is also a lot less critical outside of the bubble.

4. Southern hospitality. I have met some of the nicest people here in the south.

5. Working with a great and might I add eclectic mix of people.

6. My ward out here. The people are amazing. It is the first time I have actually really connected with a ward family and I will really miss all of them.

7. The amazing green trees EVERYWHERE. It is like driving through a forest any time you leave the city.

8. Ron, Odie's amazing groomer. I know it is silly, but I LOVE him. I want to pick him up, put him in my pocket and bring him with me to AZ. He is a poodle fanatic and the only person I have ever met that loves the breed more than I do. I think he owns one in ever color.

9. My doctors. I have an amazing "baby doctor" (the doctor that delivered Sloan) as well as an awesome pediatrician that I love, love, love.

10. Most of all I am going to miss one of the best friends I have ever had. I met Jen pretty much the day I moved here since she works with me. I had no idea at the time, but she was going to become the most amazing and best friend ever. I hate more than anything that I have to leave her. She is a true friend, the kind that you only find once in a lifetime.

11. Second most of all I am going to miss Sarah. She took such AMAZING care of Sloan and I will love her forever for loving Sloan almost as much I do. She was such a great nanny and I wish I had lot's of money so I could move her and her family to Arizona with me...because I totally would!

I could go on and on for days about the things I will miss here, but these are the basics. So it looks like it is an official two year itch, because every two years we move. Even though I always say "this is the last time" it never is. I guess I should admit that I kind of like moving. It is kind of a really expensive way to see different places, meet new and amazing people, and experience new cultures and lifestyles. So while I bawled my eyes out when I learned I had to move to Charlotte, I am definitely going to bawl my eyes out when I leave. It has been a great two years and I wouldn't change living here for a second. Every experience has been awesome and Lee and I have been able to accomplish a lot of our life goals here. I am so sad to leave, but it is on to new adventures and a new chapter in life for us.