26.2

I think Adam rocks!!

We Love Harry Potter!!!

We are Harry Potter nerds, and today has been a Harry Potter day. We love him! Katelyn told me that there was a pretend Harry Potter sitting next to her on the couch while she watched the movie. I thought I might have squished him, but she assured me he was fine. Apparently he scooted over when I sat down. Phew!! Did you know that Half-Blood Prince comes out on July 15th? I can hardly wait--and there's nothing like a little Harry and the Potters to get you in a Hogwarts mood. My favorite is "Save Ginny Weasley From the Basilisk". It's been stuck in my head all day.

Enjoy!!

Katelyn's First Lesson

I gave Katelyn her first official lesson today. She was spectacular!! She played this song beautifully!! She is great at dynamics (knowing when to play loudly and when to play quietly). She is still working on her finger numbers, and could also improve on listening to her teacher.

*wink, wink*"Mom, didja hear me!?"

"Yes! Bravo, Katelyn!"

Just Beachy

Let's go fly a kite...Me and LittlemanCousins!She sells seashells...

We love you Grandma and Grandpa B!!

Thanks for coming to play with us!!

Twelve Months!!

Elie and Zach are turning one,

And invite their friends to come

To a night held in their honor;

Party with two Little Monsters!

Elie: It's past my bedtime...how about you, Zach? The Uglydoll cake. Jana's creation--super cute!!The post-party meltdown.Zach: I want my crib...Happy Birthday Little Monsters!!

Zachary Eve

A year ago today I was in labor--all day (and most of the night before), but it took me a while to realize it.

A year ago today I was nervous. I was a self-taught HypnoBirth-er and I was starting to second-guess myself. Did I prepare well enough? Would I be able to have my baby naturally?

A year ago tonight, Adam rushed me to the hospital. They sent me back home. :-)

A year ago tomorrow Zach was born. Oh happy day!!

Today he took his first step (so proud of my LittleMan)!!

Tomorrow we celebrate his 1st birthday!! I'm very excited!! Hence the exclamation points!!!

**Haha! We just noticed that we're wearing the exact same outfits in this beach picture as we are in our header photo! Zach was in my tummy then, too...just too small to see yet. I love my brown dress...so sad that it's starting to fade and wear out.

Q & A

**When she said this I just had to laugh...I remember asking myself the same sort of thing in Junior High. Too funny!!

"Mommy, why did Jesus make me small private parts?"

The Concrete Jungle

I h-a-t-e downtown Los Angeles.

Specifically, driving in it.

I grew up in the country. Many of the roads were so narrow and deserted that the county didn't even bother to draw lines on them, which got really tricky in the fog, but I lived.

My cousin moved from similar circumstances to Redondo Beach. She has to commute on congested freeways a lot. It causes her extreme anxiety.

I feel for her.

The only reason we ever venture to downtown LA is to visit our friends, Adam and Marlene. They spent the past four years living in the concrete jungle and loved it! But I am sad to report that we just had our last LA visit with them. They are moving back to Nor Cal. I am sure we will still see them often, but I will miss our LA adventures now that they are gone...(minus the driving part).

We came for Braden's b-day party at the most fancy apartment complex I've ever seen.

The Ortini--or something like that.

The hand-made Telly Tubby pinata was the coolest. It was full of stale Charleston Chew and Simpson's fruitsnacks.

Braden was NOT happy when the other kids had a turn. He is inconsolable in the background! I love that Marlene is laughing about it!!

Happy Birthday Braden!!

We won't miss our adventures on Figueroa, Hope and Flower, or the traffic at the Staples Center, but we will miss the time we spent with you.

Good luck you guys!!

I Wish I Were...

Today I decided to meet Adam for lunch.

Little did I know we were about to encounter

THE WIENERMOBILE!!Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener,

That is what I really want to be,
'Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener,

Ev'ryone would be in love with me!!

(I'm in love with him!)Zach: That's a BIG wiener!!Katelyn: I don't like wieners!K: But I do like weenie whistles!

(We're holding weenie whistles, if you can't tell)Me: Come inside, it's fun!

Kate: I don't want to go in a wiener!

(She thought it would drive away with her in it.)

In other news...

Did you know Zach is a playa' ?

Today I am Grateful.

Today I am grateful for the times my husband tells me I am a good wife, and I can tell that he means it.

I am grateful for the times that Zachary doesn't bite me while he's nursing (like right now), and I'm grateful to be able to type with one hand.

I am grateful when my daughter tells me "I want to be like you when I grow up." If no one in the world ever tells me those words again it won't matter, because she thinks I am worth emulating, and that means the world to me.

Arrrgh! Zach just bit me! Yeah...I'm really grateful when he doesn't do that.

Another thing I am grateful for: SLEEPING BABIES!

Ooh Say Can You Seeeee...

**Exciting News: This summer I get to sing the National Anthem at Angels Stadium!!

Of course, most of you just thought to yourself...but Dana doesn't sing...and scratched your head in confusion, but it's the truth. I really will be singing (in a group, I should clarify).

Anyway, I'll explain later. For now, mark your calendars...you know you want to be there!!

Happy Day

My card: I love that Adam drew a little shoe on the "M"

My present: my feet are in heaven!

"Mother, I love you; mother, I do.
Father in Heaven has sent me to you.
When I am near you, I love to hear you
Singing so softly that you love me, too."

"I see my mother kneeling with our family each day.

I hear the words she whispers as she bows her head to pray.

Her plea to the Father quiets all my fears,

And I am thankful...love is spoken here."

* Mother, I Love You and Love Is Spoken Here from the Children's Songbook

Oh...I think I am going to cry. These are the songs that my wonderful Primary children sang in Sacrament meeting today, but I wasn't there to lead them. (Thank you Mari for filling in!!) We were still home with the flu. I didn't get to hear Katelyn sing them either, but that's okay. Today was a perfect day. My wonderful husband and kids made it that way.

I love them so much!!

Mom and Mominlaw, I wish I could have been with you both today. Happy Mother's Day. I love you both!

NieNie, I can't stop thinking about you today. I have a hunch that you are one of the world's best mama's. I hope you had a special day...you deserve it!

Bertha, you too. I hope you feel better soon!

In other news, we're all feeling much better. Katelyn had the strength to lift her head again today (yesterday was a very hard, sad day), and by the end of the day she even wanted to help make dinner. She actually ATE it, too. Here's the best part: nobody threw up!! Once everyone's cha-cha's are over

I will be a very happy woman. So...

...let the deep cleaning begin!!

Carpeted dining rooms:
I don't understand why.

Blegh!

Littleman was sick on Tuesday. Katelyn and I came down with it on Thursday. It seemed like a 24-hr thing and I was looking forward to feeling better today, but La Chiquita (that would be Katelyn) still can't keep anything down this morning. Blah! That's how we feel.

Leah, I'll have to get back to you about this weekend. If things don't get better today we won't be able to come...I would hate to get your babies sick. :( I'll be in touch with you...

Here we are with Littleman, trying to catch his BM in the toilet.

You know...eliminate the middle man (aka the diaper).

Here he is with the thermometer. He thought it was a cell phone. He thinks a lot of things are cell phones, actually. Like this morning he was talking to the Wii controller. Ha!

Kate likes to talk on the "phone" as well.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Thanks Desiree!! I had so much fun with you tonight!! I know you probably weren't sure at the time, but I love, Love, LOVE my new haircut. Forgive me if I was GRIPPING the rails of your swivel chair...but I always get that way when my long locks are being chopped. Let's just be glad I wore my Smellamagood because I was sweating! (I tried to play it off...hopefully you didn't notice.)

Hip...

with just a hint of "mom"...

...and a pinch of RockStar!!* This time I'll try not to wait A WHOLE YEAR in between cuts...I promise!

Today I cleaned up barf and caught poo with my bare hands.

I think I deserve something nice for Mother's Day.

I'm just sayin'....

Cold Turkey

This morning I decided there would be no TV today.

At least one of us is already experiencing withdrawals.

Best Friends

When I was five my parents took me to Disneyland and bought me a stuffed Minnie Mouse. I remember how excited I was to get her. I really loved my Minnie Mouse that night and I couldn't wait to bring my new friend home.

Last night we bought Katelyn her first stuffed Minnie. She was so excited. She and Minnie bundled up under a blanket in the stroller. Katelyn made sure that Minnie's face wasn't covered, so she could see everything. Together they smelled the kettle corn, they sat and listened to the man playing keyboards in Downtown Disney, and they clapped when he was done.

On our way back to the parking lot I could hear Katelyn whispering to Minnie.

"What did you just say?" I asked.

"I'm just talking to Minnie. It's a secret," she replied.

But I could imagine what she was saying:

...Here's our car. We're about to get in it. You're going to love my house and all my toys. We'll be there soon. Watch out for my brother...he drools. We're going to have great times together, you'll see...

How do I know? Because I remember saying those same things to my Minnie doll so many years ago.

Brownie Delicious Baby Food: Just For Babies

Katelyn: What are you making, *Chef Louie?

Me: Taco Soup. How about you?

Katelyn: I'm making Brownie Brownie Brownie Brownie Delicious Delicious Delicious Delicious Delicious Baby Food. It's not for grown ups. It's not for big girls. It's not for little boys. It's just for babies.

*Chef Louie is the crab-obsessed chef from The Little Mermaid...and, on occasion, me.