14 Months (Almost)

I'm currently watching the State of the Union address. Is it just me or does the SOTU sound like a bigger load of crap every year?

So moving onto something more pleasant . . . 0ur little kiddo is almost 14 months old. He gets to be more of a rascal with every passing day, getting into all sorts of trouble and making us laugh with his constant craziness. He's quite the talker still. He can repeat almost anything we say to him and has totally grasped the concept that everything has a name and walks around pointing to things and saying "what's that?" He really gets into that at bedtime--he'll just start randomly pointing to things to stall. He's obsessed with cars and trucks and everywhere we go it's "caws, caws, caws" ("cars" with a Bostonian accent). He thinks pots and pans are named "hot" because everytime I cook with them I tell him they're hot and he can't touch them, so whenever I pull one out of the cupboard he points to it and tells me it's "hot." He just got into pointing to eyes and saying "eyes" which sounds more like "is." He's totally got a lisp which I personally think is the cutest thing I've ever heard. Oh how I love this boy and wish sometimes that I could freeze time and keep him this endearing forever!

Here's some recent pics. He looks so old in this picture I can hardly stand it (taken yesterday). He's all about opening drawers and playing with spatulas, spoons, etc. Although his number one favorite thing to play with is the broom. He'd pull it around the house all day long if I let him.

France and Lindsay (our best/totally-miss-them-more-than-anything dental school friends) gave him this outfit when he was born. I didn't think it would ever fit him but it fits perfectly now and is one of my favorites (probably because it makes me think of them whenever he wears it).


A few weeks ago we gave him a much needed first hair cut (MUCH needed)! The poor kid still doesn't have much hair but there is a thicker patch of hair on the very back of his head that was turning into an outright mullet. Since we live in the south we thought it was fitting to keep it this way for awhile but then I kind of got embarassed by it and made Brian cut it.



So this post isn't that exciting. I thought I had more pictures to share but it turns out I don't. And let's face it, Pres. Obama's address is so compelling I better get back to it. :)

Reality Mormons

For some reason, I am missing Richmond today. Not the city itself really, but my life there and all the friends we had. Maybe it's because it's Monday and every Monday all the student wives would get together and watch ABC's The Bachelor (don't judge--you know you watch it, too). I wasn't as into it as some of the girls, but I sure did enjoy having so many LDS girls live so dang close to me and if I had realized how drastically that was all going to change I'm sure I would have taken more advantage of it. Currently the nearest LDS "neighbor" lives about a 10 minute drive from us. Needless to say, I am sure missing these ladies! Can some of you please move to my neighborhood in Knoxville? I'd sure appreciate it.

(Kind of a weird picture I know, but this is the first one I found on my computer of a bunch of us. Here we are at the Dental Prom--I don't remember what it was officially called but that was Brian's name for it. I can't believe it was almost a year ago!)

But back to "The Bachelor" and the real reason I started this post. Did you know there is a Mormon Bachelor? No joke (it just started a couple weeks ago). There was also a Mormon Bachelorette who is now engaged to be married to the guy she chose on the "show" (it's an online version). I did something I shouldn't have last month and signed my sister up to be on it. The guy they chose to be the Bachelor looked hilarious and well, a sense of humor is one of the most important qualities in a guy, right? I thought Andrea would enjoy a date with him. She was mad at me for a couple of days but then got over it (thank goodness)! She agreed to do the show after one of the producers called and begged her to do it. So a few weeks ago she flew to southern California to go out with "The Mormon Bachelor." I'm not sure if there was a love connection made but she had fun and luckily doesn't hate me for getting her into it. To see Andrea's version of the date, go here. The Mormon Bachelor has 22 first dates. After those are over he chooses 8 ladies to have a second date with. They post a new video of the next date every day along with the Bachelor's commentary of how it went down.

Now I'm sucked into the show (partly because it's super awkward to watch, as dating usually is, and partly because I have no life).

Here's the link to the Mormon Bachelor site: http://www.themormonbachelor.com/.

Andrea was date #4 (she was actually his third date, so I don't know why they posted it fourth, but whatever). If you get hooked, too, I'm sorry! There's also a super funny kind of parody site that does an outsider's perspective on each date. Sometimes it's kind of mean, but sometimes it's hilarious. And let's be honest, it's Monday and we could all use a good laugh to start our week: http://www.realitymormon.blogspot.com/

That's all. Happy Monday to everyone!

Twilight Zone

Sometimes I think James and I are connected mentally somehow--at least during nap time. He's never been the best napper, although he is getting better. But without fail, after he's been sleeping for awhile I'll think "James has been asleep for awhile now--I'm glad he finally went down easily today" or "Wow, James is finally sleeping, and I'm actually getting things done. This is nice!" or "I just need him to sleep for 20 more minutes and then I'll get everything done I needed to today!" and WITHOUT FAIL, he will wake up within the next 30 seconds or so of me thinking that. Not even kidding. I've timed it. This happens almost daily. It's so weird. Whenever my mind starts drifting to one of those thoughts I try to contain it and think "Don't do it, don't think it! He'll wake up and you still have so much to do!" But by then it's too late and I usually hear him waking up. Not even kidding. It is so bizarre.

On an entirely different, although still creepy note, when my parents came for Christmas my mom brought me a bunch of old toys from when I was young. One particular toy I am in awe of. In awe that parents actually bought these things for their children! I ask you, how were these things EVER popular!?!

James loves walking around tickling our faces with the hair. Awesome.

See Ya 2010

I did a lot in 2010 . . .

Turned 29

(keep repeating "30 is cool, 30 is cool" and maybe I'll believe it before I turn it)

Quit my job to stay home with Jamers

(trying to come up with a term that's better than "stay at home mom"

--oh how I detest that phrase!)

Watched Brian graduate from dental school

(no more smurf blue scrubs!)

Sold our townhouse in Richmond

(truly nothing short of a miracle)

Had a wonderful trip to Disney World with the in-laws

(can we go back, please?)

Watched my little sister get married

(think John is the awesomist in-law ever)

Moved to Knoxville, Tennessee

(thought for sure we were moving to Chicago)

Bought a new house that we love

(anyone want to donate $1000 for new furniture? Our living room is empty)

New Ward/New way of life

(this is a big deal because our nearest mormon "neighbor" is 10 minutes away,

sooo not what we're used to)

Witnessed my little boy learn to crawl, walk, and talk

(life is both easier and harder all at once because of these things)

Flew by myself with James three times

(a big deal for me!)

Enjoyed FOUR visits from Andrea!

(what oh what would I do without her!?!)

Had the best Thanksgiving ever with my sisters

(sisters are the best!)

Experienced life in the South to the fullest

(fried food, anyone?)