Being a parent is hard sometimes...

Because sometimes, you have to say "no no" to this face...

But being the Mommy to this face, and meeting this little boy's needs is so easy. Being the one he turns to when he is afraid or hurt or needs something, the one he can trust and reach up to knowing that he will get picked up and loved beyond all measure. That part of being a parent is effortless.

Check out K and his little girlfriend here.

Check it Out Them!

Aren't they cute?

I am just so thrilled for my little sissy. She found a wonderful man who makes her crack up. I couldn't be happier for her and her Nicholas Proctor. And yes, he knows about the dime (that was a little something special for all you insiders :) They will become Man and Wife, well, he's already a man, but she will become a wife on December 28th.

I can't believe my little sister is going to be a wife!

Have you met my son..

The Godfather?

Can you believe it?!

Now, I know I have been absent from the blogging world, and I will continue to be, but I had the mini-est of breaks and decided I needed to document my cutest baby boy, in the cutest stage ever. Here's his classic Klein face at 11 months.

If you want to see more of K, check out his blog here.

Meanwhile, I am done with my first 10 week nursing class and I was pleased to have received an A! I honestly didn't think this would happen in Nursing School (which school happens to be the number one in the country for pass rates for the RN exam, 100% the last two years! I didn't know this when I got in).

I have started my Mental Health class and my first test is tomorrow, so my work is not done... about two more years to go, but it is going by soo fast!

Anne's engaged to an amazing man, Grant got a promotion, our apartment flooded so we had to move, which move happened to land us right next door to another couple, which couple is a member of our church, and has a 12 month old little girl who is obsessed with K, and our monitors work in eachothers houses so we have built in babysitters!

Anyway, life is great and we are looking forward to our trip to Chicago in a couple days,Thanksgiving in our new place together, K's first birthday, Christmas and a wedding and New Years! AND a month off from school! Can you tell how excited I am?

Epic Fail

So, it's me again. It's been a while. I feel like I have to get reacquainted with you all and gain your trust back. I know I come and go, but that's just how our relationship is. You understand.

Well, I have been a little busy between deciding to go to Nursing School, getting accepted into Nursing School (yay!), taking the Nursing Entrance Exam (phew!), then having to enroll in an English class to satisfy a pre-req (long story), then moving (down south), then having fleas in our new apartment (where's the tape!?) and having to keep everything off the carpet (for 2 weeks), then actually moving in (on to the carpet), then trying to find a nanny/daycare, then having to get all my stuff they need me to have for the Nursing program, and yeah...

It's been crazy 'round here. I was accepted into Saddleback's nursing program starting THIS FALL and I am so excited, but so nervous, and so sad, all at the same time. So excited to get in to the program because there was over 600 applicants this year and they accepted me (again :), so nervous because I hear it is such a tough program, and so sad to leave my little Him for 3 days a week for roughly the next two years. So so sad about this.

Speaking of my Little Him...

Here he is practicing his fake cough:
(I'm on to you ,little mister)

Here the little Ham is making his kazoo noise (drooling all the while...)

Oh, and have you met my other son...

Rick Moranis??
(I don't know where he picked this face up from. He's never seen any Rick Moranis movies.)

We have moved to Mission Viejo and we are really enjoying it. It was hard to leave though. I have been spending quite a bit of time trying to get our new place feeling like home.

Anyway... just a little updeezy since I haven't posted in a while

Oh, and the reason this post is called Epic Fail is because... that's what I am for slacking on my other "oh, I'm going to post a picture every day" blogs. Yeah right, and I'm sure most of you guys knew that it wasn't going to happen the second I posted about it. I mean, I can't even keep up with one blog...

I'm still going to try though.. But especially with Nursing School starting in a couple months, I am going to drop off the face of the Earth! and I'm not looking forward to it.

I've got to do it though. Strangely enough, I feel like it's what I'm supposed to do right now. Just with the timing and how everything has worked out...

It will just be for two years (sounds like a long time, but it's really not, in the grand scheme of things) and then we'll make it up to Klein and give him a brother :)

Kleiners

Klein is so funny lately. This age is definitely my favorite for many reasons. He can entertain himself quite well, he is rolling over and figuring out the crawling position. He has this surprised look on his face half the time.

My mom remembers certain faces we used to make as babies. Anne's classic baby look consists of a look of determination/obliviousness with her tongue hanging out. This is the face I will think of when I think of Klein as a baby. I just love it!

UNCLE KLEIN WANTS YOU...

... to vote for this picture in the Parent's Magazine Readers Choice contest.

This picture was chosen for the Readers Choice contest. Click here to vote. You can vote everyday until May 26th. If we get enough votes, it would put him in the running to be on the cover!!!

Thanks to all of you!!

Mother's Day, The Happenings

Grant was inspired by this...

...and decided to bust this little baby out...
(the song, "with arms wide open" goes through my head when I look at this grill, because it almost looks human with arms)

Grant also went all Euro and made some eggs with which to top the burgers...

So yummy (you should try it).

And then we had a Mommy Baby photo shoot.
(Klein has this thing that when you hold him, he doesn't look at you. I guess it makes him a little uncomfortable. So funny)

Owie! (I actually muttered this phrase TO MYSELF the other day when I stubbed my toe. Klein was no where in sight. Then I paused and thought, "I just said Owie to MYSELF". So out of control.

Baby Babble, and I totally get it.

It was a fun first Mother's Day.

Mother's Day

I feel sooo lucky to be this little man's Mommy.

PS. I am putting this picture everywhere because it's so cute I just can't stand it! It sums up my little Klein's personality perfectly. I just love that little face!

Happy Mothers Day to all of you!!

Tie courtesy of Babybystevie

March and April

Life lately has been a little crazy. I have been contemplating this post for a while, wondering what to use to break my blogging silence. Hmm. Well, I'll just start off with the facts. It was my 29th Birthday on April 6th and to celebrate during the day, we (me, Oma, Bailey and Kleiners) took it to the park with In N Out. Here is Klein in the swing. It was his first time to the park, and in the swing!

There is so much going on here. The park in the background, the In N Out, the blanket for our picnic, the bubbles that we brought for Klein that he got from the Easter Bunny.

Here shows my success at getting ALL the candles out. They were atop a sugar free cake that my wonderful husband tracked down for me. Whataguy.

Not a half bad picture of me. Lately, those are really really rare...

Which brings me to my next topic. Working out. I have had bouts with P90X, pilates, gym cardio machines, walks around the neighborhood/beach. The thing that I have recently taken to is dear Tracy Anderson. Now I know some mock her Method, but I happen to really enjoy it. I am her fan on Facebook and her follower on Twitter (before this kind of behavior might've triggered a fear response in some people, but now it's normal to be a follower of someone, okay?) I was doing her workouts (Mat and Dance Cardio) before I got preggers but then stopped during my pregnancy. Now, I am back at it with her new DVD's (which I happen to really love). We will see how it goes... Here I come "teeny, tiny".

In other news, I introduced Klein to Formula and since I got a plugged milk duct and other things, he has kinda taken to the formula so I am weaning him more or less. I am having a rough time with it. I feel so guilty about it. What do I do? I mean, I nursed him for over 5 months. Isn't that saying something? I know breastmilk is best for him, but he is starting in on solids and rice cereal. I don't know, he just doesn't seem like he's that into it, only nursing for like 5 minutes at a time, and I could really love being able to diet and get in shape without worrying about milk supply, etc. He's so healthy and happy. It's okay, right?!

Klein is sooo much fun these days. I think I love this 4-5 month stage. He is all smiles and loves to play. He is grabbing and reaching and putting everything near his mouth. He knows me and he likes me around. He can also entertain himself for a little while so that is nice for me to get my workouts done. I could just eat him up!

Okay, this post is way too long. I feel like I'm talking to an old friend who I haven't talked to in a while. There is just so much to update!

One more thing, Grant and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary. He got me the cutest leather key chain and wallet (3 year gift is leather). I got him a subscription to the Wall Street Journal, not leather, but we missed the Paper year (the 1st anniversary gift) so I figured it was fine. Grant was also called as our ward's EQP which is great. He's really thrilled about it.

Klein had his first Easter and General Conference and he got through them just fine. He even found 4 eggs. Right now, he is just laying on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. No pacifier, no toy, just laying with his hands above his head, his legs sprawled open. Totally just hanging out. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat him.

XXcited

I'm so excited about this band called The XX. I find myself really loving their sounds! Check out their song Islands for a starter.

Yay!!

I won! I won the giveaway on Tell Love Chocolate! And I won this adorable hat by Katarina Couture. I am so thrilled!

Now I will be stylin' in Chicago when we go out there for the Holidays!

Blessing Day

It was Klein's Blessing Day this last Sunday (Feb. 7th). We had a bunch of family in town and it was so fun seeing everyone and having them meet Klein. He was a hit.

Grant did such a beautiful job with the Blessing and wasn't even nervous. Klein was a good boy too. He stayed asleep the whole time and when Grant held him up at the end of the Blessing for the congregation, he was looking up at the lights in true Klein form. He looked so cute in his blessing outfit. I just loved sitting in church with so much of our family there for us. That hasn't ever happened for me before. Thanks to everyone who came!! For more pictures and details, check out Klein's blog.

In other news, later that day, Klein got to watch his first Super Bowl with his Daddy, Uncle Todd, Uncle Levi, and both of his Grandpas! There were other friends there too. I don't know that he will have that opportunity again. It was a good time!

Tradition

About a week ago, Grant surprised me with the news that we were going to see Kooza! I was so thrilled as I LOVE Cirque de Soliel and I die at the thought of going to any of their shows. They have a show in Irvine and Grant surprised me for Valentines Day and we took my mom too! Here are the festive Big Tops at nite.

Before the shows start, they usually have some sort of clowns or other types of characters walking around the audience and entertaining. It's fun, but those characters are probably my least favorite part. They are funny sometimes, but I'm just not that in to physical comedy which is what most of it is. It's fun while your waiting for the show to start though.

Here we are. So excited to get in there!

It was an amazing show! I caught myself screaming out loud more than once at the suspense and the tricks they were doing. I highly recommend it. They are almost done in Irvine but they are going to San Diego next, which isn't too far for the locals in this area. It would be well worth the drive. Usually we have to drive to Vegas to see a Cirque show.

This is the second Cirque show Grant and I have seen together (our first one was O in Vegas for our anniversary). I told Grant I wouldn't mind it becoming a tradition of ours. One Cirque show a year. I like it!

Lullaby

This morning I lulled Klein off to sleep with Aqueous Transmission from Incubus. It is such a great lullaby. Also, I've always LOVED Pale September by Fiona Apple as a lullaby. Both songs that I have fallen asleep to myself. I'm not just talking baby here. I am wondering what you all fall asleep to. I would love to get some good suggestions.

I Just Love...

watching the Food Network on a Sunday nite. Tonite it was battle mackerel. I wonder who will win.

In a Effort

In an effort to improve my photography skills and my artistic eye, I have commissioned my friend Sjauna who lives across the country and is also photography-minded to start a project with me just like this one.

It is called Jem Days and it is one picture every morning for a year. I hope to make it into a coffee table book.

Here is the link

http://jemdays.blogspot.com/

Check it out if you feel so inclined.

A Day in the LIfe

I know tons of you are dying to know what it's like to be Klein. Well, for those of you who are interested, I am starting a photo blog of Klein's first year. He's not quite 7 weeks so even though I missed a few days, I'll be on track to get most of it documented. Starting today, I will be posting at least 1 picture a day of the Meister or something having to do with being him.

Here is the address:

http://kleinmeister.blogspot.com/

Hope you all enjoy!

Summing it Up

This pretty much sums up our (mine and Klein's) life right now. This is an actual picture of my face. I haven't posted it in a while (and with good reason). See little Kleiners looking at his mommy. I wonder if he knows me yet.

I don't know why I love his little fussy face so much!

Such a sweet boy.

His eyes are really starting to lighten to a blue color instead of the slate color they were when he was born. He's looking more and more like Daddy every day.

At 6 weeks this little man...

• weights over 11 pounds
• loves to lift his head up and look around
  
• loves the ceiling fan
• loves his rattle toy with a black and white bullseye
• loves faces
• smiles back with the cutest dimples
• is cooing
• is in the 50th percentile for height, weight, and head circumference
• is a happy boy
• is loved so much by all (especially his mommy)
  

Perks

One of the perks of being up at 3 in the morning is moments like these...

But I can't think of any other perks about being up at 3 in the morning.

Just enjoying the view.

Klein 3 Ways

These were taken a while ago to send to the girl who got us this cute outfit and I just think they're so funny.

Picture 1: Mischievous
Picture 2: Prayerful
Picture 3: Skeptical

Broadway

When Anne and I were younger, and sometimes still today, we have a song. It goes like this:

"Broadwaaay, I'm on Broadwaay..."

That's it. That's all there is. And it's so funny. Because we sing it in a Broadway voice and we joke that it is our dream to be on Broadway.

This picture reminds me of our song.
In Chi-Town a year ago, there was a sighting of Anne's Broadway ghost in front of the Water Tower.

It made me laugh so hard.

Going through old pictures, I became depressed thinking about the vast expanse between the way I look now and the way I'd like to look. Although it has only been one month since having the baby, and I definitely look better now than I did when I was preggers, I still have a long way to go...

This Thursday I should hopefully get the okay from my doctor that working out is fine and I hope to be able to get myself in gear and make Klein proud and reassure Grant that his marriage choice was not a bait and switch.

PS. Klein is asleep in his swing and he keeps grunting and then I hear these baby fartinhos (that's Portuguese for little baby farts). It makes me laugh. He's really working hard over there. It's funny because his fartinhos sound like adult farts, only cute. Grant and I were talking about how everything he does is cute. His sneezes, his coughs, his grunts and squeaks, his burps, his farts and poops (well, maybe his poops aren't cute, but they aren't gross). We are enjoying the cute phase,

and the dream of being on Broadwaay.