Being a Mommy

Just my thoughts on why parents talk so much about their kids and why there's nothing wrong with that. Now I remember how I felt when I was the childless one always being asked (by people I barely knew), when Michael and I were going to have kids. I remember feeling like there was no reason to hang out with the other girls I knew because I wouldn't have anything to contribute to conversations, etc.

So why is it that mothers only seem to be able to talk about their kids and nothing else? For some people it's probably just because that literally is their life and they truthfully don't have much else to talk about. But I feel like I live a relatively well-rounded life. I stay informed. I get out and do things and see people. But I still talk mostly about Jessica. Take this whole blog for example. 90% of the entries and pictures are about her.

The reason she dominates my life is because I want her to. I could talk about other things. But I want to talk about her. Yep, I have an opinion on the war, on the presidential election, on Darfur, heck, I have an opinion on Britney Spears. But those topics all pale in comparison to my child. Some feminists may say that's just because I've limited myself so much. I haven't really experienced life like the childless or the working mother. But this is life. I love her more than I could ever describe. No offense, but no one but another parent could ever understand how much I love her. And that's why I want to talk about her so much.

So I'm sorry if some of you may think it's crazy that I'd rather talk about the fact that Jessica has just learned how to say "please" (peas) than about Britney Spears or Hilary Clinton, but quite frankly I think that her milestones and the lives of all children are way more important than any other topic.

Lessons learned from Jessica - be nice, even to flies.

So I am truly convinced that we have the cutest child imaginable. Jessica was in the living room playing when all of a sudden a fly came up and landed near her (yes, we have flies). She was so interested that she just stared until I explained to her what it was. She got the biggest smile on her face and waved at the fly saying, "eh-woah" (hello). When it flew away she waved again and said "bye-bye" to the fly. Sooo cute (if anything involving a fly could be cute). It came back one last time and landed really close to her. She took out her binky and put it right next to the fly (she is always trying to "share" her binky). Ok, admittedly that last part is a little gross. But it is so fun watching her explore the world and how she reacts to new things.

Happy Birthday little bug!

Our little Jessica bug is a whole year old as of August 21st. Wow - what a year! She has brought us more joy than I ever could have imagined. We love her with all of our hearts and are so happy with how perfectly our lives have turned out. Jessica got a few parties. One in Idaho Falls with my family, one in LA with Michael's family, and a mini one in San Diego with my beautiful sissy (thanks for the boogey board, sis!).

Sugar high


Opening presents all by yourself is tough work!

As far as other news is concerned - Michael is now officially happy. BYU football season has started and (drum roll please) they won their first game! Yea! We were both pretty excited. I was more happy about that fact that now Michael will be able to sleep tonight. He has trouble if they lose. Silly husband. :)

Yeah, she's pretty much the smartest girl EVER!

Up and Down

Pretty, Pretty

Life

Jessica has developed a crush... on the Life Cereal box. Not even kidding. This morning we set the box on the table and she had one look at the boy and got the cutest little shy smile. She would get super mad at us if we tried to turn the box around or move it farther from her. Too funny.

The boy on the front box - Jessica's one true love.

Proud to be an American

As some of you may know, my sister's husband has been deployed on an Air Craft Carrier with the navy for the past 7 months. (They've only been married 8 months). Monday the USS John C. Stennis pulled into San Diego! So my sister (Karen) had me come along with her to welcome Jake and the rest of the troops home. Wow! What an incredible experience! Just watching it pull up with all of the sailors and Marines lined up on the deck was so powerful. I just about lost it when they started playing the national anthem. When I think of the sacrifices that our military and their families have to make in order to defend the freedoms we enjoy, it truly makes me proud to be an American. Welcome home Jake! We love you and we missed you!

My sister Karen and her Jake. :)

3 Years and another move

We had our 3 year anniversary yesterday. Wow. It's hard to believe we've known each other so long - almost 4 years in all. But it's been such a fun crazy ride. Michael is my very best friend and truly the love of my life. He is the perfect husband and father. People may think I'm lying, but we've seriously never had a fight the whole time we've known each other. I guess we're just too alike. :) We celebrated our anniversary by going to the Redondo Beach Pier (yep, we're back in CA, more about that in a minute) and wandered around and had dinner at this fun Mexican restaurant overlooking the beach. Our past two anniversaries we've done something "white-trash." In part it's because it was funny and partly because we're ALWAYS in a transition time on our anniversary. Year #1 - Pizza Hut, we were moving from Las Vegas to Provo. Year #2 - Grocery store fried chicken picnic style in our living room, we were about to have Jessica, our first baby, and we'd just recently moved to San Diego. This year we're also in a moving process. We left Idaho Falls on Friday and we're in LA with family before heading to San Diego yet again. We contemplated going somewhere really nice, but figured that would be spitting in the face of tradition. So Mexican food it was! :)

Three years ago.

So, yeah, we're moving again. We had a fun summer, but we're excited for the sun and the beach. We just went to the beach yesterday and Jessica had a ball. She's too fun. I think it'll be a fun fall... if we can survive law school year #2. :)

Some random things you may not know about us

• Laura's favorite candy is chocolate covered cinnamon bears.
• Michael loves the "Messin' With Sasquatch" commercials http://jacklinks.com/home/wildside/commercials.aspx
• Laura makes a lot of her own jewelry.
• Jessica's first word was "quack," like a duck.
• Laura ran track in college http://byutrack.com/WOMEN/Main/Athletes/profile.asp?user_id=403
• Michael was President of the BYU English Society.
• Laura has kissed 5 boys; Michael has lost track of how many girls he has kissed a long time ago.
• Jessica loves brusselsprouts.
• We almost took a job with Merril Lynch in Palm Springs, instead of going to law school.
• Michael is the oldest of 4, Laura is the youngest of 5.
• Laura's favorite color is black, but she's not gothic or depressed.
• Michael served an LDS mission to Honduras and Belize; he has been back twice since.
• Michael was an English major, business minor; Laura was a Communications major.
• Laura is allergic to cats.