The Snyder Family

8 Months

2011-10-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

Today Liam is 8 months old! Hard to believe, I still feel like I just brought him home from the hospital only a couple of months ago. Dang, it feels like life is on fast forward. Here are all the new things Liam has been doing.
Eating! This little guy loves to eat just about anything I'll give him. It was slow at first, but now he just seems to love everything. He has tried just about every veggie and most fruits and has had a little bit of chicken and turkey. He is a slow eater and gets distracted easily, but that doesn't really bother me. I've got all the time in the world for him. He is also a very messy eater! He always wants to grab the spoon away from me. I usually am able to keep a fairly firm grip on it, but those tiny hands are so quick! And just about every meal ends up all over him, including his hair and ears.
Liam loves to play with everything! Especially anything plastic that makes noise. He also loves his Sophie, his racoon, and his toys that when you pull on them they vibrate. He also loves his talking puppy, "scout" who sings songs with Liam's name in them, super cute. But Liam is really content crawling all over and finding anything to play with or to put in his mouth or something he can grab onto to stand with. He loves to lay inbetween mom and dad on our bed so that he is able to play with both of us. He'll switch back and forth, it's so cute. He loves when his dad is goofy with him and also loves a good game of peek-a-boo. He still loves to stick out his tongue and he gets the biggest kick out of squirming away from me in the middle of a diaper change. He laughs and smiles all the time, I love him so. He makes it so hard to get anything done, I just want to cuddle and play with him all day long!
We are currently working on getting Liam well again. He is developed a cough last Thursday and I thought it best to have him seen on Friday when he began wheezing as well. The after hours Pediatric office I took him to, perscribed an albuterol inhaler which was far less than pleasant to give an 8 month old. Luckily our primary pediatrician perscribed it to him on Monday in a syrup instead. She also thinks he has another ear infection. Poor babe. They also performed a 5 minute breathing treatment when we were there to see if it would help, it did a little, but he cried just about the whole time. And just to make sure there wasn't any pnuemonia she had him get a chest x-ray. If you haven't seen one done on an infant, let me fill you in. It's sad. They put Liam in this little wooden seat with these plastic like sleeve things so that his arms were held up above his head. He was so good during the ordeal and was giggling when I took him out of it. He gets excited over the wierdest stuff sometimes. So, we're armed with 2 perscriptions, an inhaler, vicks baby rub, and a humidifier. I want this baby healthy again! I'm just relieved that Liam is acting fine and dandy as if he had no health issues going on.
When they weighed him on Monday he was 17lbs 1oz, he is still lean, so I think he is more muscle and not much fat. And on September 1st he was measured at 24 3/4" in height and I can't remember what his head circumfrence was, but he does have kind of a big head hahaha! That's just because he is a genius baby, of course. I never pay much attention to the whole percentile stuff they tell you. I know it would just tell me that he is short and skinny. But he is happy and my perfect baby.
Does not sleep through the night and hasn't in months now.
Takes 2-3 naps a day.
Has no set bed time.. (we're working on it, folks..)
wears some 6 month clothes, some 6-12 month, 6 and 9 month pjs, and in pants 3-6 month
LOVES our kitty, Toulouse and giggles and smiles whenever he see him.
Started babbling about a week ago and loves to just go "baabaabaabaa" on and on, it's adorable.
Loves to eat Gerber Puffs!

Playing catch up

2011-09-09T23:49:00.000-07:00

I always get so behind on this blog thing. Sometimes it's because I feel so overwhelmed with all the things I should blog about I just don't blog at all. Sometimes I'm too busy playing mom and attempting to play good wife. Sometimes I'm too busy on pinterest and/or dreaming of all the projects I want to do. Sometimes I 2nd guess updating, not knwing if anyone really even reads this anyways. Right now I'm going to try to catch you all up on what has been going on with us. :)

Brandon: No more internship! Yep, you heard right! Brandon's life has calmed down so much since his internship with the Hilton hotel ended about a month ago. He still works very hard at his job, as a manager in a powerwashing business. He also does little side projects here and there. And always has another idea cooking up for his next business venture. We are crossing our fingers that bigger and better things come our way. Brandon did just get a raise (well deserved, of course), and while we are so grateful for the blessing of a good job, Brandon still hopes to work in his family's business one day. And that business could even take us to the Dominican Republic one day. We'll see. Maybe not. Brandon is loving being a daddy. And Liam loves having a daddy to rough house with (very gently, of course!) and gives him the best giggles all the time. It sure makes this momma's heart happy to see the two of them playing.

Liam: I feel like I could go on and on! I'll start off with informing you this kid has just survived 7 flights in the period of a month! He really was a tropper on all flights as well as our 2 trips. I will write more about the trips later. In between our 2 trips Liam got a cold that started with Brandon and then went to me, and then unfortunately to poor Liam. I wasn't even sure at first if he even had anything. He was just so happy. After debating for a few days I finally did take him to the doctor. Since we were going on another trip, I thought it was best to just make sure it was just a cold. It was just a little cold- PHEW! AND big news, the doctor finally gave us permission to start Liam on solids! They had wanted to wait until he doubled his birth weight, he had done just that and even a little more! A little less than a week later, we left for Ohio and he seemed like he was fine. I don't know if his cold was just doormant for a few days or if he caught it again from his younger cousin, but while we were there Liam seemed to be getting sick again! When we got home from our trip Liam was supposed to have a check up and his latest round of shots. We went only to find out he couldn't have them since he had a temperature and an ear infection, stemming from the nasal congestion from his cold! Poor baby! And to add to it, Liam started getting another tooth! This one, on the top. (I love how sometimes when he smiles really big you can see the 2 on the bottom) He has done really well for a baby with so much going on! Tomorrow will be day 10 and the last day of having to give Liam his Ammoxicillin twice a day. Thank goodness, that was getting old.

And while this has all been going on, we have been trying to finally transition him to the crib. If you didn't already know, Liam has been sleeping in his swing from the time he was about a month old! Crazy kid! Too complicate things even more, Brandon accidently broke the crib while trying to force it through our doorway, hah! Luckily, that crib had been used by at least 2 other families before it made it's way into our grateful hands. So, before going to Ohio I ordered a new crib. Only I didn't think to check if it our mattress would fit it. So, while it did get delivered before I got home from OH, we don't get the mattress until tomorrow. I wish we could have just walked into a store and have boughten one, but the mattresses made for "mini cribs" are few and are only sold online. Bah. So new crib- check, new bedding-check, new mattress- to be delivered tomorrow. Now, I admit he has been sleeping in our bed a bit since we got home from OH. The crib only came with a little pad, combined with Liam being sick, and I haven't wanted him to get back in the habit of sleeping in his swing. I know doctors and others everywhere are giving me the stink eye reading this. We are safe about it, I assure you. Our bed is pretty big, and neither me, nor my husband are big.

He is now 16 pounds.. or was 10 days ago. He doesn't care for rice cereal or green beens, but tolerates banana oatmeal, and seems to like sweet potatoes. He is sitting really well on his own and is making tons of new faces, it is so fun to watch. He is still as happy as ever and enjoys rolling underneath our furniture. He has discovered he can stick out his tongue and spit and loves doing that all the time. He can also scratch his bum haha and still loves to play with his toes and stick them in his mouth. Liam still loves bathtime, especially now when he is playing with bath toys and/or turning on the faucet or shower. He still wakes up a bunch at night and demands a lot of attention during the day.. but he still takes 1-3 good naps a day, allowing me to get in at least some rest.

Me: Well, what is there to say.. hhmm not much to write about. I survived traveling alone with an infant. And as a mommy traveling all alone.. well, you will never see the amount of kindess from strangers until you are in that situation. I will post later about my trips, both were lovely though. I have big dreams about craft projects and home projects. There is just so much to be done, I haven't even done any of it. I also don't much like working on projects alone. I really wish I had friends that lived closer that could just come over and chat with me as I did things. Moving on. I am slowly building up my post baby wardrobe. I'm working on trying to embrace what I can't change and finding the clothes that fit and flatter my body. And when I say "what I can't change", I'm not talking about a few extra baby pounds, that I can and will get rid of soon. I'm talking more about my wider hips and ribs. Crazy how carrying around a baby in your tummy can alter your body. Some of me still can't believe I'm even talking about "mom" stuff. Goodness, I'm so dang lucky, blessed, and whatever better word you can think of. I just love my sweet boy so much. He makes me want to be better. The best I can be. Because that's what he deserves. He is perfect. Everyday I'm grateful for every minute with him. This whole little family thing is turning out to be pretty incredible.

Almost 6 months!

2011-08-08T22:19:00.000-07:00

Want the bad news or the good news?.. Haha. Alright, I'll start with the bad news. Well, just over a week ago my teeth started hurting really bad; and we don't have insurance. But, luckily Brandon had bought one of those online groupons to get x-rays, check up and a cleaning. So, I went a few days ago and the bad news is I need to get a lot of work done on my teeth. I knew it was going to be bad by the way I felt. Pregnancy killed my teeth. That and not seeing the dentist for about a year and a half. Blah. At least the dentist gave me a perscription and I'm already feeling a lot better. And since Brandon's uncle is a dentist, I'm going to fly to Ohio for a week and visit family and friends and hopefully get at least the most expensive dental work taken care of there. Phew! I'm really glad to be able to get it taken care of. It really is amazing how much even just a problem in your teeth can make you feel awful! The right side of my face and even my head was hurting really bad. And it's hard when you don't feel 100%, then add to that being tired from taking care of an infant all on my own.

I have so many projects I want to start right now! I have fallen in love with DIY/crafting blogs, and I am eager to get some things done for my home. I'm also working on some stuff for my girls at church, which has been fun. I hope that I can accomplish it all and that it all comes together for them. Brandon's last day at his internship is on Wednesday!! Can't believe we can finally close the book on this 2 job nightmare. And to make it even nicer, Brandon's manager salary will be raised to compensate! I still might pick up a shift here or there at Disney.. maybe haha. It's just hard to imagine leaving my dear sweet boy for too long.

Speaking of which, Liam is only days away from turning 6 months old. Dang, where have these past 6 months gone?! Hard to believe the tiny newborn with his chocolate brown hair is no longer a newborn! (And his hair is kind of an auburn color now, and he has even more of it!) He is still just the sweetest baby. The last few days I have really been reveling every moment with him; especially the cuddling. Everytime I have been holding him as he is drifting off to sleep, I've been holding him extra long, not wanting to give him up to his bed. I almost wish I could freeze time and keep him just the size he is. I know exciting developments are going to come and that he will still be a sweet little boy, but the thought of him not being my baby boy kind of breaks my heart. I am so grateful that I'm his mom. What a beautiful gift he has been to his daddy and I, we love him to pieces. I love when he sees me, how his eyes light up and he gives me a big toothless grin. I love the way he stretches when I pick him up and snuggles into me as he is still waking up. I love whispering in his ear, secrets for just the 2 of us. I love his happy sounds and how you don't even have to see him smile to know that he is pleased about something. I love how everything is a toy to him and how he can get into things. I love how when he has something he isn't supposed to, how firm of a grip he has! I love his easy laughter when you kiss or blow a rasberry on his tummy. I love how quickly he can get across the room by only rolling. I love his beautiful blue eyes and his crazy hair. I love the way he smells, especially his hair after beeing washed. I love how when he is scared, his cries only last about 10 seconds, then he is over it. I love the way he looks at his daddy, like he is the coolest thing ever. I love the way he tries so hard to sit and stand when he is just a little guy. I love that he loves baths like I do. I love the way he loves to roll, even when I'm trying to change him. I love the way that he laughs when I'm telling him that he is being a bad baby. I love his little hands and they way he holds me when I'm feeding him. I love his easy going personality and how he is always happy. Is there anything I don't love about this kid?? I try to find something.. but I just can't.

Mythbusters

2011-07-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

There are some moms out there who make having a baby look like cake. Well, I'm here to set the record straight. IT'S NOT. Some moms just look like they have it all together.. I am not one of them. Are they faking it? Hhhmm.. not sure. If you don't want to hear my soapbox speaking, you may want to stop reading now.

Myth: It's easy to "bounce back" after you've had a baby. I still have body issues. I had Liam over 5 months ago.. my closet has been cut in way more than half, as I now have (permanent?) wider hips and have yet to loose the few extra pounds of prego weight.. have I been trying to loose it? Honestly, between Liam waking up 3 times still most nights, cleaning, laundry, diapering, feeding baby & self, bathing Liam, changing baby after he spits up (again).. there is little time or energy for working out. Hopefully with Bran's internship ending soon, he'll be able to give me a hand more often. If you've forgotten, my husband is currently working 2 jobs. Yuck. It's insane. I did just get my hair cut yesterday, and for the first time since before I got pregnant, I feel pretty. Funny how something that seems miniscule can actually make yourself feel better. Another boost to help me keep goin.

Myth- It's easy and fun to take a baby out. FACT: It is not. Before you even go anywhere you have to pack your bag and/or double check your baby bag to make sure you have everything and anything you may need to keep baby clean and happy. A bottle. A pacifier. A 2nd outfit. A blanket. Toys. Diapers. Wipes. Spit up cloth.. And of course, you have to make sure you have your own keys, wallet and phone. If you forget, you have to take the baby out of the carseat and all the way back upstairs to the apartment. And, if your in-between naps, it's only a matter of time before baby is tired and ready to go back to sleep. Every minute counts. I can typically only be away for about an hour before Liam informs me it is time to go home. There is also the whole issue on where to put baby once you've arrived at the store. In the cart? Only if baby is big enough and you have one of those covers. Otherwise you have to bring the carseat in, too, which is very heavy. And then most stores if you put the carseat in the front part of the cart, it does not lock in, leaving baby in a precarious spot. So then, you may have to put the carseat in the main part of the shopping cart, where it takes up 90% of the cart leaving no room for the groceries. The other options are either a baby carrier-make sure baby is secure before you go into the store, because if you need to adjust it, there is no where to put baby down. OR you can bring in your stroller, which is only convenient if you're going to a department store or something. And if you are like me and you still need to use the carseat or don't have a little stroller, you have to deal with folding and unfolding the big stroller. Bother. And there is also the whole feeding issue. If you're going to be out and about for a while, you may need to feed your baby. If you have a bottle, that is doable. If you are nursing... good luck. The only place that has a mother's lounge is Babies r us. I don't know why more stores don't take a leaf out of their book, it's seriously genius. I'm talking to you, Target. It makes me want to shop at Babies r us even more knowing I can stop and feed my baby somewhere private and quiet.

Myth: Chaning diapers is awful, and boys go potty all over you. Liam isn't one of those babies who cries if he needs his diaper changed, thank goodness. He also never minds it being changed, either. I give him the clean diaper to play with as I get him undressed, which he loves, then as I change him I'll sing to him and make funny noises for him. He gets a kick out of it. The only time Liam has used the restroom without a diaper on, has been when I have left him nakie for a few minutes. And the only time I have been peed on was in the begining, when either we didn't put the diaper on correctly or if he was in a cheap diaper. We've improved, and learned our lesson about cheap diapers.

Myth: Having a baby will improve your marriage and/or make you happier. PLEASE don't take this out of context, or make you believe that I am not happy with being a mom or a wife. Being just a married couple is DIFFERENT, than being a married couple that are also now a mom and dad. Having a baby is fun, but it comes with a lot of difficulties and a lot of emotions. Emotions run high when you are constantly exhausted, stressed, busy, ect. We just have a different relationship now and a different happiness. Different does NOT mean worse or better. I will also say, that being a mom has made me feel more complete, nothing could be more fullfilling. And I KNOW that nothing in this world could ever be more important than being a mom. A good mom. Nothing could bring about the feeling of love that a mom can have for her baby. It's almost unexplainable.

Fact: Baby smiles and giggles never get old. But screaming does.

Fact: You can never have too much baby stuff. Everything helps to make life easier and convenient. And if it doesn't .. you return it for something that does. :)

Fact: Just because you're a mom, doesn't make you know everything or that you are super woman or have amazing patients. But, I'm learning and growing everyday; if Liam is healthy and happy.. then I've done my job.

Fact: Sometimes you might feel like you're going to have a nervous breakdown from all the crazy hormones, lack of sleep, stress, ect. Don't be worried or embarrassed, I have a feeling it happens to most, if not all moms.

Well, there you have it, folks. Honesty. Some people want to sugar-coat the struggles that is motherhood.. I'm just not one of them. Even though there are lots of struggles, I wouldn't trade a day away from my sweet precious boy. I could spend all day snuggling with him. He is my greatest accomplishment and I am so blessed that I was trusted with the gift to be a mom.

Comings and Goings

2011-07-08T21:26:00.000-07:00

Life is still kind of hectic, but we make due.

Brandon was recently promoted to manager at his new job. I'm super proud of him and excited that he is no longer hourly, but salaried. With his internship with the Hilton hotel ends in August, we are begining to see the light at the end of the tunnel! Plus, he says he is going to try to buy me a new car in August! Wooo! What a relief that would be. We are still hoping for bigger and better oppurtunities that will lead us out of Orlando someday.

Liam is doing good.. most days haha. He is typically the sweetest, happiest baby I've ever seen and he is such a joy to have in our home. He loves rolling around on the floor, but even more lately, he loves having me help him to sit and stand. He has a smile and a laugh that melts me all the time. He loves to be played with and read to and being lifted into the air. Only problem is, these are things he loves to do ALLthe time. Liam hardly lets me leave him alone for 2 seconds before he starts to cry. At least lots of playing leads to naps! He is a great napper; as long as he is at home, in his swing. The only other place he will sleep is in the car, and he wakes up almost the moment the car stops. Liam doesn't sleep at night as well as he used to, but he started to regress when he started teething. And though, it has been a week it seems, since they were hurting him, he still is doing only slighty better at night. Luckily, it usually doesn't take too long to get him back to sleep. Since he's been teething on and off, Liam has been spitting up like crazy. More laundry for me. Joy.

Not much of an update for me. Just been working on keeping my home clean, and my family happy. The only other thing of note, is an upcoming vacation. Liam and I will be going to visit my parents and my brother (and his adorable new wife) in Idaho. I'm pretty pumped, but I'm terrified about the thought of traveling all alone with Liam. I hope he doesn't scream in the airports and our on flights. I hope he sleeps alright away from home. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Goals

2011-06-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

Being stuck inside my apartment sure has given me a lot of time to think (maybe too much time) of all the things I want to do to our home, the things want, (yep, you heard me being materialistic, who isn't) and the goals I have for my family and myself. I finda figure that by writing it on my blog, it makes it official and I HAVE to at least try to get through my list.

Apartment stuff: Seeing that we may be stuck (yes, STUCK) in our apartment until fall 2011 I figure I need to do whatever I can to make it better.

The whole apartment needs to be deep cleaned, organized, and in some rooms a little paint is needed to cover marks and little holes in the walls.

Our apartment is small. So, less is definitely more. We need to throw out (give to Goodwill) all the clothes we don't wear, all the ugly furniture we don't use and is just taking up space, and just the junk we have acquired over the years.

Our little storage unit needs to be looked over, organized, and more de-junking.

Liam's "nursery" needs more shelves/storage and pictures framed and put up.

Things I want: notice how I did not say "need".

Big food containers for things like sugar, flour, rice, beans, ect.

Under the bed/crib storage boxes for my maternity clothes (I GUESS I'll want another one someday), Liam's little clothes he can no longer wear and the ones he can wear when he gets bigger. We already have a couple currently housing our winter clothes.

A carseat sun shade for Liam. http://www.amazon.com/Mommys-Helper-Car-Seat-Shade/dp/B00125NZSQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1HIYF99IXBEJF&colid=2B9THSMZHW98B Taking 2 trips to the car everytime I want to go somewhere is not so pleasant in the FL heat. By the time I've gone all the way back to the apartment, up the stairs to fetch Liam and all the way back to the car, buckled him in.. I'm sweaty. Please keep in mind a typical day here is in the upper 90's. Gross. I got him a carseat fan just the other day. So, I think if I had this to keep the carseat cool while he is not in it, it would be very beneficial. Save me the time and unnecessary sweat in making multiple trips to the car that feels like a sauna.

Speaking of cars... I would like a new car. A nice car. A safe car. A car I can turn on (and turn the a/c on) without even being in it. I car that I can press the little button on my key and hear a reassuring little "beep beep" when I can't find it.

I would love some books for Liam. We have a few, but I would love to add to it. Some of my favorites would definitely include classics by Dr Seuss and Shel Silverstein.

Now, this want is the bottom of my list, which really surprises me. Clothes. I hate pretty much all the clothes I have from my pre-mommy days. And either they just fit me awkwardky now, or I just feel weird wearing some of them now (I already look young, I don't want people to think I'm 18 with a baby).

Now this want tops all the other wants. I want to be financially stable. I want my husband to have a good job, with benefits. I want a him to have a job that allows him to be home with his wife and child. And I mean be "home", not "be home and sleeping because he just worked all through the night and/or worked almost 24 hours straight". He deserves it. He has held many jobs, and has worked his tail off at each and every one. And he has a degree, which shows he is a smart cookie. He seriously can accomplish anything he wants to. He has the determination, motivation and passion that most people can only dream about. And he is a good person. I have never met someone who is so willing to help another person out.
I think these wishes and needs are attainable, and I really don't feel like I'm being unreasonable.

Liam's stats

2011-06-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

Liam had his 4 month doctors appointment today. Which is kinda crazy, how did my baby get to 4 months already!? For the first time the office was super busy. We had arrived on time, but still waited a good amount to be seen, which was really hard since Liam was really sleepy. He did great at waiting untl the very end, what a trooper.

He weighed in at 12 pounds 8 ounces and his height is 23 1/4 inches. I knew he had gotten taller, I think we had to adjust his carseat straps twice in the past month. I was a little worried that he hadn't gained enough weight, but Liam's doctor says he is doing great. Phew! He has hit every developement landmark that he should have. Go Liam! He had to get 4 shots today, which is always the hardest part, but I had a bottle ready and waiting for him. That really helped! He slept all the way home, and continued his nap for a couple of hours. Which meant I got a nap, too. Nice! He's been a little fussy since his shots, but he went to bed just fine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him sleeping all the way through the night.

Liam has had a few new developments over the past couple of days; he can grab his toes and loves them! He has discovered his thumb, and while very frowned upon by his dad and me, it looks so cute when he does it. He can turn completely over! SO fun to watch him be able to move around.

I haven't taken any pictures since our Sarasota trip! I couldn't find my charger and I was stubbornly looking through our bags again and again. I finally gave up and called the Hyatt, and they had it! Thank goodness! I should get it in the mail in a couple of days.

Liam-isms

2011-06-11T15:16:00.001-07:00

Sorry, about the Debbie Downer post yesterday. And thank you friends for your sweet words and encouragment. Today's post is going to be all about my sweet boy. Goodness even as I just think of him, a smile is brought to my face. Here are all the things I love about my boy

He is so darn cute. The only time he has not been the cutest was probably the night he ws born. (All red and with a swollen face.. not cute, but still precious to me). He only had that not so cute newborn look for maybe a night. He looked really normal and darling right away!
His hair! Oh my gosh, it's the best. And sometimes you can kind of see that one day, he is probably going to have his daddy's curls. His hair gives him such personality and it looks even cuter when nothing is done to it.
His smile. I have never seen a baby smile this much. When he wakes up in the morning and I go to fetch him, he sees me and right away gives me the sweetest grin and it instantly brightens my day. You don't have to do much to get him to smile, it's amazing and rewarding. It helps me keep going, when sometimes I feel like I'm running on empty.
Liam's laugh. I don't think anyone, but his dad and I have gotten to hear it. It is the cutest thing and can typically only be brought out by his dad. Brandon will tickle and kiss his tummy and Liam will let out the cutest giggles.
His hands. Though Liam has entered the grab and yank stage, it also means that his is grasping onto everything. While in the bath at night, he will do his best to grab his washcloth from me (he usually is successful). He is holding onto toys, and of course, sticking them in his mouth. When he is being nursed he insits on holding onto my hands and/or my fingers. And if he is getting bottlefed, he tries his best to attempt to hold his bottle. If anything light enough is left near him, he will find ir=t.. and so will his mouth.
It may not always be fun, but he is putting everything in his mouth. If I hold him near my face, he will often suck on my cheek or my neck haha.
For a couple of weeks he did the cutest thing, where he would suck on his upper lip while still sticking out his tongue. Haha, it would crack me up, but he doesn't do it anymore. :(
Watching him develop is amazing. He can hold his head up really well now and can hold his weight on his feet while standing if his hands are being held.

Liam's favorite things:

Playing with daddy
Eating!
Taking baths
Being sung to
Falling asleep with 2 toys (one being his lovie), with arms or hands around each.

Well, there you have it folks. He is the best, and I get to be his mom. :) Jealous? You should be.

Happenings

2011-06-05T17:27:00.000-07:00

I know I pretty much haven't blogged since Liam arrived, but he is the best distraction ever. He keeps me busy and I don't mind a bit. Now, not only have I been keeping busy with my sweet boy, but I've also been contemplating making my blog private. I'm glad friends read this, but I don't like the idea of creepy people looking at my baby. I'm still debating. So, while I decide I'll give you a few updates. And I'll try to elaborate on these topics later.

February:

Liam arrived a week early. My mom and dad were there to celebrate and mom stayed for a few days to help me and teach me how to take care of my sweet boy. Don't know what I would have done without her.
Brandon's mom came to visit. Another great help.

March:

The Snyder family comes to visit.
Liam finally gets to take real baths and is nervous at first about them, but after a few minutes loves them.
Liam goes to Bok Tower twice! It is beautiful there.
Starts to smile a bit and it melts me.
We celebrate Brandon's 26th Birthday and our 2nd wedding anniversary.

April:

Liam's first trip to Disney.
Liam's first Easter.
Liam begins to kind of play with toys, mostly just holds them, but it's still fun to see that.
Brandon begins an internship for Hilton.
Brandon finishes school at UCF. Hallelujah.

May:

Liam starts on/off sleeping through the night. Also is doing really well with naps on somedays when kept to a strict routine. A good day means 3 naps.
My hair starts falling out. Thank you pregnancy for stealing my body and my hair. At least you left me with a gorgeous little boy.
My first Mothers Day
Liam is developing so much, can hold his head up and can hold his weight on his feet while standing. Has the CUTEST laugh if you can get him to do it. He is also grabbing at EVERYTHING (my poor hair): toys, blankets, wash cloths, my clothes, diapers, his bottles, ect.
Liam is also smiling all the time. He is such a sweet patient boy and we are enjoying him even more it seems.
Liam gets his first set of shots since the hospital. So sad to see my little boy scream, I appease him with a bottle and all is alright.
Brandon's aunt and uncle come to visit, to Liam's disappointment many trips to Disney ensue.

June

Brandon's fam comes again, they take us on Liam's first vacation for a couple of days to Sarasota, and with great preparation and packing, he does great!
Brandon starts working a 2nd job so that I can stay home with Liam, luckily he's working with other people from our church.

February 13th 2011

2011-03-04T08:46:00.000-08:00

Alright, if birth stories scare you/freak you out you may want to discontinue reading now. You've been warned.

So, the day before Liam came can you guess where I was? Disney. Haha! I was at Epcot for most of the day with my sweet husband (who insisted on pushing me around in a wheelchair.. Liam probably would've come that night otherwise) and 2 of our friends. When we got home I bounced around on my yoga ball a bit. I had heard that helps to get labor started. Went to bed late as usual, around 1ish, since we typically sleep in on Sundays. Well, around 4:30 I awoke with contractions, I slept for a bit and by 5 I was completely awake with the contractions coming about every 3 minutes. I had worried about the contractions, never knowing what they would feel like. I was worried I would have them and not know that they were contractions. Or that I would mistake braxton hicks for the real thing. I grabbed my hospital bag and packed a few more things in it. I didn't want to overreact or anything so I waited until 7 to wake up my husband. He didn't freak out, he was actually pretty calm.

We got to the hospital around 7:30, and was hooked up to the monitors and when the doc came and checked me I was only at 3 cm. I was a bit disappointed considering I had been at 2 cm for at least 3 weeks. I was told to walk for 2 hours and come back. So, we walked around the empty hospital for 2 hours, I was having contractions the entire time! Ouch. It's funny to think I thought those contractions hurt... Anyways, we went back at 10am, and I was at 4cm. The doctor told me I was in active labor, but I still had a ways to go. So, I was given the option to stay and be put on pitocin, or go home only to come back in a couple of hours. We choose to stay and I was admitted right away and put on the pitocin within the hour.

At first I felt fine, I even let my husband leave the hospital to meet up with a friend who lived nearby for lunch. It wasn't long before the contractions began to hurt BAD. I asked for my epideral and texted my husband to come back. I guess I should have asked for the epideral before I was in such bad pain because it took him a good half hour or so to get there and then of course he wanted to walk me through what was going to happen and all I wanted to do was sign the freaking form. And then he either didn't do it right, or I did something wrong because he had to do it twice. Not enjoyable.

But once the epideral started working I felt so good. I wasn't in any pain and didn't even care when they put a catheter in me. Gross, I know. I watched tv and even got in a little nap. Around 8 my parents came to visit me. (They were already in town for business meetings, hoping Liam would come before they left). They had literally just left the room when I was checked and was at 10 cm!

At 9pm I started pushing and I still felt great, I couldn't even tell that I was really pushing. Which felt weird. I was thinking how the contractions pre epideral were so much worse than this and that this was super easy. After a few pushes all the sudden little by little I started feeling more pain. By the time Liam was coming out I was in SO much pain. I became one of the screaming ladies on tv, haha! I recall even saying at one point "Get him out!!" Oh goodness. I feel ridiculous, but that is the most pain I have ever been in. The doctor was telling me I could give myself more of my epideral medicine, so I did.. but it did not help at all. I was having such a hard time getting him out that the doctor gave me an episiotomy. Out he came! And they discovered Liam was holding his arm up in front of his face and that was one of the reasons I was having a hard time getting him out. I was so relieved that he was out. He was so beautiful and I could not believe he came out of me and that I had a baby! I thought it was all over. Nope.

I then had to get out the placenta, but I was still in so much pain. I was crying and the awful contractions just kept coming. So the doctor gave me a sedative, which at first didn't help at all and the doctor was pushing down on my stomach and such trying to get it out. HURT SO BAD. I just wanted to die. Eventually it came out, but it's really blury from there. I began to vomit. The sedative they gave me all the sudden made my heart rate drop dangerously low. I vaguely remember them trying to get me to respond to them and having an oxygen mask being put on me. I just remember the feeling of chaos.

I then remember vaguely the doctor telling me I had to go to surgery and something about a blood clot. I remember them waking me up after my surgery, but being so out of it I couldn't talk. I needed to vomit more, but couldn't seem to open my eyes nor talk. So I was making a box with my hands. Eventually someone figured out what I wanted. The doctor kept asking me questions and all I could do was give a weak thumbs up. I didn't want them to worry and I was hoping my husband wasn't freaking out too much. The next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room with people who kept trying to keep me awake. I was so out of it, so drained and weak. They wouldn't even let me hold Liam. So, he lay in his box next to me and I just wanted my baby so bad. After about 2 hours I was finally taken to my room.

The next few days, seriously felt like a dream. As if I was in some kind of zombie state. I was very weak still and had a hard time moving. I stayed in the hospital until Wednesday. I was really glad to leave after that. Being home is good. No nurses coming in every 2 hours harassing me about feeding my baby.

I love my little boy. He is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I can't believe he came out of me. I can't believe Heavenly Father would let me be his mom. I'm so lucky. That's my labor story. Totally not what I expected. Very happy that all the problems that happened, happened to me and not to my sweet little baby. Very happy to have a healthy boy and knowledgeable doctors whose quick actions helped me.

Getting Ready!

2011-02-11T20:50:00.000-08:00

I feel like all I ever blog about these days is my Liam, but it is so hard not to! He pretty much encompasses my life right now and he is not even here yet! I'm just going to ramble a bit right now and probably make a lot of incomplete/run on sentances, so forgive me. I just want to get a few things down.

For the record: Liam is at 39 weeks.

Do I want him here? YES. But I am finally getting really freaked out about not only labor, but bringing him home. Liam will be my life. And that is not a bad thing, just something kind of daunting to me. We will have a little boy to care for 24/7. It will no longer be just my husband and me, a dynamic I've gotten quit used to/love over the past 2 years. Don't get me wrong, I am excited. I'm also nervous.. which makes me realistic...

And then there is the whole caring for an infant, which is super surreal to me. I can't believe I have been entrusted with the care of a perfect little sweet boy. Crazy to believe that he wont be a baby for very long. He'll be a toddler and then a kid.. a teenager.. an adult someday. How do I make sure I instill in him all he needs to be a good, a smart, loving person? Big task.

I want to be all he needs. All he deserves.

Thank goodness human beings aren't able to recall their infancy! Ha! Hopefully Liam wont be able to remember all the shortcomings of his new parents who are learning.

Getting ready for our little boy! I have been cleaning like crazy! And when I'm not cleaning I'm resting and thinking what I need to clean next! I sure love my husband, but it is hard when I clean and then he comes and dirties the room I just cleaned! I guess he is just preparing me for when I have to clean up after Liam! I have also been going over all the stuff we have for Liam and making lists of all the things we still need. Which is actually a very small list! We had 3 showers and then we were able to purchase most of the things remaining from Target, Babies r us, and mostly Kohl's. Thank goodness for our Kohl's charge card! And thanks to Brandon's aunt and uncle who gave us Liam's crib and dresser! We have 95% of what I feel like Liam will need. Right now it's mostly just little things like diaper creme that we need. It's also hard to know what size diapers we need! We have some in newborn, some in size 1, and 1 package of size 2. I would buy some more now, but I'm afraid to get a certain size that he just doesn't need. So, more diapers will definitely need to be purchased. I've also begun to pack my hospital bag. I know I should have already done it. I think it's just my way of putting off in my mind that baby is actually coming at any time.

I will try to post some new pictures soon!

Maternity Shoot

2011-01-23T22:05:00.000-08:00

Brandon and I recently had some maternity pictures with a friend from church. Angela was our photographer and she is incredible. The photos turned out beautiful, I can't wait to see more. Follow the link to see a few of her favorites.

http://www.blessedlittlefamilyphotography.com/the-expectants/

Liam Update

2011-01-23T21:49:00.000-08:00

This past Tuesday I went to my ob appointment. I was at 35 1/2 weeks and my midwife had told me during the prior appointment that she would be checking me for signs of labor. I was a bit nervous, but wasn't worried too much about it.

WELL, she checks me and discovers I'm 2 cm and Liam's head is very low she tells me. She also informs me that if I went into labor that day she would not stop it. Whoa. I'm healthy. Liam's healthy and I guess the little guy is about ready to grace us with his appearance!

I'll be 37 weeks on Friday and no Liam yet. I would like to make it at least until February 4th for my baby shower. Anytime after that is fine with me. But we'll see what Liam thinks about that, I guess.

January

2011-01-23T21:30:00.000-08:00

Brandon and I came home from our vacation (regrettably) on the 3rd. It is ALWAYS hard to say goodbye to Ohio. And it was really crazy to think that the next time we see our Ohio friends and family Liam will be here. Whoa! So far this month has been full of work, getting ready for Liam (planning a shower with the help of a couple of good friends, church stuff, and doctors appointments.

My biggest accomplishment this month came in the form of me putting together Liam's highchair all by MYSELF! It was super easy, it just takes me a while to get anything done these days. I feel like a sloth. It is super cute and I got it for only $55!

You can see what it looks like, here:

http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/kids/babygear/highchairsboosterseats/highchairs/PRD~782309/Eddie+Bauer+Classic+Wood+High+Chair.jsp

2010 Recap

2011-01-17T08:38:00.000-08:00

I know that we are halfway through January, but I wanted to recap major things about 2010. So here it goes:

January 2010: Started teaching a new Sunday School class at church, teaching the 7 year olds. My sweet little class was fun, kids are cute and still sweet at that age.

February: Celebrated our first Valentines as a married couple. Lovin my husband and life is good.

March: Brandon turns 25! We celebrate with just the 2 of us, cake and presents. We also celebrate our first year of marriage. We made it through, and it just keeps getting better. Celebrated at the beach and had a fire.

April: Snyders come and visit. We had a lot of fun going to Sea World, Bush Gardens, Aquatica, and (for the first time!) Discovery Cove. Love our family.:)

May: Brandon gave me my first Mother's Day present! (Though Liam was not even a thought yet, haha!) He took my to Star Wars: in Concert, amazing! On a sad note, my friend Joe passes away.

June: Surprise, I'm pregnant! Haha. Found out a week before Father's Day. We are excited, yet very overwhelmed to take on this new and exciting challenge.

July: Brandon's sister, Kristen, comes to visit. We tell her our news. And have a fun week taking her to Disney and the beach. We then go to OH to spend time with the Snyders, attend a friend's wedding, and of course to tell them our news. Everyone is surprised and even more surprised when the next day Brandon's brother and his wife find out their expecting as well!

August: Another trip! We go to Idaho for a family reunion with my immediate family. Everyone was there and we Make another announcement of our pregnancy. Everyone is surprised and it is fun being surrounded by my pregnant sister and 2 pregnant sister in-laws. When we get back to Orlando we have our first ultrasound for baby Liam. Love seeing his body and face and fall in love with him even more.

September: We take our first trip to NASA! It was a bit tiring walking around all day pregnant, but it was a lot of fun!

October: Liam's 2nd ultrasound! Finally! 23 weeks and we get the news that baby Snyder is a boy! I turn 24, weird. My sweet husband buys me lots of maternity clothes and a couple of dvds and CHEESECAKE!

November: Baby Liam's nursery starts to come together! It is so fun finding cute things for Liam's "room" as well as many cute clothes for our sweet boy. I fly by myself for the first time in a few years to Utah. Not pleasant alone. Even less enjoyable pregnant. But I got to see my brother sealed in the temple to his adorable wife. SO happy for him. Another Thanksgiving at our friend's, John and Renee's house. They do all the cooking.

December: Christmas at mom and dad Snyder's house. We have tons of fun and it is very hard to leave. Liam is getting so strong, kicking and moving like crazy!! As well as he gets hiccups a lot, poor boy.

Well, that's about it. 2010 is a year that not much happened, but the biggest thing that will change our lives forever happens. We can't wait to welcome Liam in 2011!

Christmas with the Snyders

2010-12-31T22:17:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas from Ohio! This years Christmas was lovely and loads of fun spent with the Snyder family! We woke up to even more snow, than had been there the night previous and it snowed pretty much all day, how beautiful!

Celebrations started off in the morning around eight, with presents and a break 3/4 through for breakfast (Rhode's cinnamon roles-yumm!) and then back for more presents! My sweet husband had gotten me such nice things (as he always has- he is a great shopper!). I made out with an incredible lens for my camera, an external flash for my camera and a beautiful aquamarine ring! Brandon also got me a couple of things for baby Liam that I love! It was kind of hard not having our sweet baby there, with him being so close to making his entrance into this world. But at the same time I'm really happy that by the time Christmas roles around next year, he'll be super cute and may actually be able to unwrap his presents! I admit, I did fill a stalking of little things that I bought for him.

Brandon's family is so good to me and really make me feel like I'm part of their family. They all gave me such NICE things! I already bragged about the things I got from my honey, so just know that I got many great gifts that I've already gotten great use out of.

I admit I had a hard time shopping for Brandon this year. He is not big on electronic stuff or gadgets (which is prob great for me in the long run!), but it makes it a bit difficult to find presents! So I ended up putting lots of healthy snacks in his stalking, got him a few things for working out and school, and got him a bunch of new clothes! Brandon looks so good in everything and has an easy body to shop for, so I always enjoy finding him new clothes. I love making my man look good!

Brandon's family showered him with amazing gifts as well! Is it a sign that he got 3 new coats and a couple of hats (the cold weather type!)..? I would love to move somewhere with a winter! His favorite present will probably be his Ray Ban sunglasses! I was telling my in-laws how I was going to save up to buy him a pair as a "new daddy" kind of gift, but they decided that they would pay for them! How nice! So when we get home, Bran can choose out a pair that he likes.

What a great Christmas it was. I love this special time of year when people are so focused on one another and on the Savior and his miraculous birth. People tend to think more of their loved ones and giving, instead of selfish wants. I hate to see this time end. I wish Christmas lasted longer, that I could just press "slow down" on a watch and enjoy it for a bit longer.

Surprise Shower for Liam!

2010-12-25T14:30:00.000-08:00

Right now we are on vacation, visiting the Snyder fam for Christmas. They are wonderful, and I'm constantly reminded of why I love them and why I love being part of their family. The other day my sister in-law picks me up and takes me shopping. And we are gone for a good 3-3 1/2 hours and yet she keeps stopping at more places, instead of going home. By the time we got home it was around 7. We come in, where I am meet with a Surprise Baby Shower! There was lots of awesome food, and yummy deserts. We played one game, then opened presents. Now, I know that is always one of the best parts, seeing all the cute things for baby. And trust me, the fact that my cute little boy was getting all the cute stuff made it even better! Though I was surprised to see how many people came! I knew maybe a 1/3 of the women there! So many of Brandon's friends (from mainly curch came) who I didn't even know! How generous! I was completely overwhelmed with how nice all the women were to me and little Liam. I guess that's how you can tell that the Snyders are loved by so many!

Christmas List

2010-12-13T10:04:00.000-08:00

As I get older it seems like my Christmas list gets smaller. But that is probably a good thing considering what Christmas is really about. I was thinking of what I would like this year and can't think if much.

Any of the following dvds: Dear Frankie, Pride & Prejudice (the A&E version), UP (on bluray)
Hair ties (my kitty loves to eat them and I have run out)
Clothes (prob not maternity, post baby clothes to motivate me to loose my baby weight)
Anything for baby Liam
Money! To take care of bills and use on general needs

That is all I can think of. I know my sweet husband has probably already gotten me something/s that are fantastic that he probably spent way too much money on that I will love. He always finds me such great things every year and it seems like no matter what I get him, it doesn't compare to what he got me.

Breath of Heaven

2010-12-13T09:35:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, a woman at church came in to teach our Young Woman (they are 12-18 years old) a lesson on Christ's birth. She showed the most appropriate movie. I believe is called "The Nativity" and there is no vocals, just a song playing, that is sung by Amy Grant. I found myself thinking a lot about Mary and how she must have felt. How hard and scary it must have been for her. I whine so much about being pregnant, and I can not even imagine being pregnant and going through what she did. I found myself getting very emotional over this as I was watching this movie.

If you have a couple of minutes, check it out. It's not excessively religious, it's simple and tasteful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icilgwdHiZg

Craft projects

2010-12-13T07:48:00.000-08:00

Though I don't have the time/money to do many crafts, I really enjoy the occasional craft project. I have a small list of the projects I'd like to do before Liam gets here.

I'd love to make 1 or 2 decorative pillows for Liam's crib. You can see a cute example here:

http://www.spearmintbaby.com/2010/12/handmade-pillows-and-quilts.html

Love spearmintbaby.com!

I'd like to find some cute prints/pictures,ect and some cute frames to put on the wall in the "nursery" and once again here is an example of what I'd love to do:

http://www.spearmintbaby.com/2010/12/gender-neutral-nursery.html

I'd love to get some wooden letters, cover them in fabric, and spell out "Liam". Similar to this:

http://www.spearmintbaby.com/2010/09/mod-podge-letters.html

Don't know if I'll actually do this one, but I think it's super cute! It's a ball garland to hang on a shelf or in a window.

http://www.spearmintbaby.com/2010/02/felt-ball-garland-my-diy-project-this.html

AND I know this is going to sound ridiculous and unnecessary, but I really want to sew 1 or 2 hospital gowns. YES, I know that they may get messy and I might need to throw them away. YES, I know that I wont care how I look when it comes down to it. I think it would be fun and I might not even wear it while I'm delivering and just put it on afterwards for when visitors come/pictures are being taken. I want it to look something like this:

http://www.trendytummymaternity.com/maternity-hospital-gowns.html?gclid=CIOvtrrW6aUCFU0J2godRD-TtA

Snyder Update

2010-12-12T20:08:00.000-08:00

Well, I haven't blogged in about a month, not much going on, really. Here is an update on how our little family is:

Brandon; keeping busy with school, but will be done with the semester tomorrow! I'm sure he is really looking forward to a nice long break. Brandon's next semester will be (hopefully) his last at UCF. I know he is relieved to get out of there, so we are looking forward to the next step in his career. Though whatever that next step is, is as of right now, a mystery for both of us. We would both love to get out of FL and be closer to family.

Brandon has also been getting into shape and has been enjoying playing sports with his friends from our church. I have told him a few times he can't loose too much weight, haha. I don't want to look any bigger next to him than I already do!

He has also perfected his back rubs/back scratches, which I appreciate.

The momma: workin, but actually enjoying it, thanks to the beautiful weather we've been having. Of course, now that I have to wear a dress at work, I am a bit cold. But it's not too bad, and I'll take the chilly weather over our horrible awful summer days. I typically work 3-4 days a week. And the hardest thing is just the drive.

I guess I've begun the whole "nesting" thing, I have been really into cleaning the apartment lately and getting ready little by little for Liam's arrival. Can not believe that once January is here, I'll only have 1 full month until he is here. Sometimes I can't wait, other times I feel very overwhelmed by the idea of our life changing drastically and not being prepared/ready enough for him.

I've also been really busy with my calling at church. "Calling" is basically a job in my church, but you don't get paid. I work with the youth, specifically the girls age 12 to 18. I am the secretary and I work with 3 other ladies, planning activities, Sunday lessons, and I also do all the invitations for activities, bulletin board decorating, and organizing/updating records. It keeps me busy! But it can be fun, and rewarding, and if nothing else, I sincerely hope that at least I can be a positive influence on these young girls.

Right before Thanksgiving I was able to go to Utah and see my last brother get married! Woo! Now all the Rowe men are married. I am so happy for him and his wife, Allie, I hope she is able to handle our big family. The only hard part was that I traveled alone, which was not fun. And being pregnant made it even less enjoyable. I told Brandon I'm never flying alone again. Haha.. hopefully not.

Thanksgiving: Brandon and I spent the day at a friend's house and they were nice enough to cook all the food! Nice!! And this is the 2nd year in a row they had us over.

Pregnancy update: I generally feel great. And I use the word "great" really in comparison to how I use to feel. I've come to realize I can not sit for very long, more so at the end of the day. I either need to be on my feet or laying down. When I sit, by back hurts and chest (right underneath my bra line), perhaps Liam gets squished when I sit and he pushes up on something. I don't know. Also I still have been having plenty of heartburn and reflux, but Tums and I have become good friends. I have also reached the "you're too huge to sleep" step, I toss and turn all night now.

Baby Liam: Hit the 30 week mark last Friday! He is very active and I love feeling him moving all over and kicking me like crazy. I love getting my weekly update on steps he is making in his growth. He can now open his eyes! How amazing is that!? My next o.b appointment is on Thursday, and I'm really nervous. I had my glucose screening done last week, hopefully I don't have to do the 3 hour test!

Well, that's about it. I'll try to get some pictures up of our Christmas decor and tree when I can. Working a few days this week, and next Wednesday we leave for Ohio to spend Christmas with the Snyders!!

Baby's little nursery

2010-11-14T18:28:00.000-08:00

So Brandon and I decided that since we never really use our dinning room table anyways, we took it out to make room for baby. Baby now has the entire dinning room! It is still a work in progress, but it's coming together! We're going for a woodsy vintage kind of feel.

Pregnancy woes and update

2010-11-14T17:43:00.000-08:00

Ouch. Labor isn't here yet, I didn't think I'd be having to put up with pain DURING the pregnancy, too! Haha, shame on those perfect ladies who say being pregnant is fun and amazing. For about the past three weeks now my chest and back have been hurting like crazy everyday. Somedays the pain doesn't hit until about 4ish, or even later in the evening, but on somedays I feel it by 1 o'clock. Some women have told me it's because he is right on my rib cage and that I have a small frame, so it hurts. And the only thing that helps my pain is lying down and getting a good back rub from my husband. I see my ob on Thursday, hopefully she can give me more insight/tips on relieving the pain.

I'm starting to get pretty big now, getting noticed by strangers/guests. Which is usually fun and I enjoy happy conversation about babies, but there are those who say too much. This one nice man in a store yesterday said something like "Not too much longer for you, huh?" and I had to tell him, "Well, I have about 3 months to go still.." Haha. Or some of the girls at work who perform in parades were talking to me about how they thought I looked farther along than what I am. Thanks.

Update: not too much to say..

I'm 26 1/2 weeks, and baby moves like crazy some days, every once in a while I can even feel his hands (or some other part of his body, maybe an elbow) and feet at the same time! Here are some things that baby is going through right now (thanks to parentconnect.com).

Air sacks are developing in your baby's lungs, which means it just might be possible for your baby to take a breath at the end of this week. Other highlights this week:

The retina completes the development of its normal layers this week—all the better to see you with. Well not you, per se, because his eyes are still sealed shut and it's really dark in there, but your baby's eyes are now fully developed.
Brainwaves for the auditory and visual systems are detectable in baby's noggin this week. That means baby's brain is registering things like sound and light.
As hearing continues to develop, your baby will start to recognize your voice. Research has shown that newborns actually recognize familiar sounds after birth. Proof that your baby has been paying attention all along.
Break out the sparkling apple juice—baby has now completed two-thirds of his stay in Hotel Womb. Your baby is about 1 2/3 pounds and is 14 inches long head-to-heel.

Here's an update on me: Reaching for things/bending down/getting up/getting down at work to take pictures is not so fun.

Cravings: hhmm apples? And milk. I don't really crave that much, really.

Weight... not sure I want to be open about that anymore. Lets just say it's more than 10.

maternity clothes: I wear them, for sure. And one of my shirts that hasn't looked cute on me before because it didn't fit, fits now.

Sleep: Fine other than waking up early on occasion to go to the bathroom or eat.

What do I miss: Feelings skinny?? Sorry that probably sounds vain. That and feeling comfortable. Being able to do more (now that I always find myself being forced to lay down).

Other symptoms: heart burn, acid reflux, shortness of breath.

Best moment of the week: Seeing the little nursery come together.

Baby's got a bed!

2010-11-06T19:14:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Brandon's wonderful Aunt and Uncle, baby Snyder has a crib and a dresser! Brandon and I set it up yesterday, and today we added the cutest bedding. The bedding has little forest animals on it. I didn't like much of the crib bedding that had animals on it, but ours are so cute, and it also has trees and leaves on it. So the animals aren't too overwhelming on it.

Halloween

2010-11-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

This years Halloween we started celebrating a few night's prior at our friend's apt, carving pumpkins. Also, the Saturday before Halloween we participated in our church's "trunk or treat", put on for kids. We decorated the car and handed out candy to kids. Some of our friends joined us, and it was an enjoyable night. The next day we headed out to babysit Brandon's cousins. The older kids all went out with their friends for the evening, leaving just the 2 youngest to take trick-or-treating. Lauren, who is about 2 went as a pink kitty. And though she had a costume, she wouldn't put it on; she said it was "itchy." So, I found her a pink outfit and drew a pink nose and some pink whiskers on her cute face. And Devin, who is about 5, went as a ninja. Luckily, the neighborhood they live in is pretty small and gated. Brandon stayed at the house to hand out candy to the few kids who came by, and I took the kids to the maybe 20 houses.

STYLE

2010-11-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

Whose going to have it? Our baby. That's right. Once again Old Navy came through for us. They were having a huge sale, 50% off their sale items! Woo! We got lots of way cute things, from newborn stuff, all the way up to toddler stuff. So, though we got lots of stuff, there is still plenty we need (each size range only has a couple of items). And the best part was everything we bought was under $5. The pictures show a few of my favorite items.

24

2010-10-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

24 is gonna be a good year! Yup, I hit the 2-4 this past Friday. My sweet husband took me to lunch at one of my favorite places, Panera Bread (where I had their new mac-n-cheese, so good!). And afterward went a did a little shopping at Target, got some cute gloves and a new hat for our trip to OH for Christmas. Then went home and I had a nap and then we went to Khol's to do some more Birthday shopping. And if any of you have been pregnant/are pregnant or perhaps have had a pregnant friend know, we get emotional very easily. I was shopping in the maternity section hoping to find a new shirt or something, and there was NOTHING. Khol's maternity section was so ghetto ugly. I'm not 50, nor huge. So, I walked around and sulked for a good 30 minutes, on the verge of tears. How dare I not find something on my Birthday.. haha. But Brandon decided it would be a good idea for us to just hit up the mall. Hallelujah for his quick thinking. And thanks to Old Navy, I now have 3 new pairs of pants and 3 new shirts and didn't even break $100. Crisis adverted, the pregnant lady is happy. Then we went home where Brandon surprised me with 2 dvds I had been wanting, Beauty & the Beast on blu ray and a yoga dvd for prego ladies haha. He had also gotten me 2 tubs of Sara Lee cheesecake bites that he had stuck little candles in. What a sweet guy.

P.s, in the picture I am at 23 weeks and 2 days, it was taken a day after my birthday in one of my new outfits :).

Baby BOY Snyder hits 6 months!

2010-10-23T20:36:00.000-07:00

Had a great doctor appointment on Thursday! Saw another one of the doctors in my office (there are 3) and she was so nice! Apart from having to wait forever, it was the best appointment I've had yet. I liked the doctor I saw way better than the one I've been seeing who really isn't an official dr anyways! The one I saw on Thursday was much friendlier, and seemed to care much more than the other, who would always shove me out of the office. The new doctor was also very surprised I hadn't gotten another ultrasound yet and quickly made sure that I got one. After leaving the office, I called the hospital and they were able to give me an appointment for the next day! Wooo!

So on Friday, baby hit 23 weeks and we finally got to find out the gender!! Baby Snyder is definitely a boy! Which is what I had been feeling it was from the beginning. I can't wait to see him grow to be just as handsome as his daddy! But I know he'll be a little monster, and I'll have to keep him out of trouble.

The two pictures are from our ultrasound and really the only 2 even halfway decent. Bah. Oh well, can't have everything I suppose. The first one is of course, baby's little arm. He must have been trying to show us his muscles already. And the 2nd one is baby's face with his arm held up right in front of it, the way he was the entire ultrasound.

22 weeks and feeling big!

2010-10-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

I'm currently at 22 weeks and 2 days! So crazy. No, I don't know if we are having a boy or girl yet.. though I'm asked what feels like a million times a day.

On a brighter note, I'm feeling great! Hurray! Though I know that probably will only be temporary with my tummy growing so big. So, I'm really trying to enjoy how I feel now and just be content. An even better note is that the baby is moving like crazy! Brandon can now feel it too, and it is so fun to be able to share that together. We also discovered yesterday that we can see my stomach move with the baby kicking stronger! Amazing! It is funny and weird (of course), but mostly it is just incredible and so fun to watch.

I only have 2 negative things resulting from the pregnancy right now and that is being moody and my back has been hurting! Thank goodness for a husband who can give a great back rub! Don't know what I would do without him here experiencing/supporting me through this. What a hard, but amazing journey it has been so far.

Halfway there

2010-10-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

On Friday the 8th I will be 21 weeks, whoa, flying by! As excited as I am, February is approaching and it's a bit daunting knowing that our simple life is soon to be not so simple. How can I prepare myself enough for caring for an infant??! And not screw up.. aahhh. I think I'm just feeling overwhelmed today because last night I had my first baby nightmare. Actually I had the same nightmare or a slight variation of it of few times. In my dream I had the baby (a girl), but for some reason the baby wouldn't eat very much and just kept getting weaker and weaker. And in the similar dreams I would leave the baby in the bedroom, forgetting to fed the poor thing. What an awful set of dreams.

Prego Update:

I've been feeling SO much better, finally! Somewhere between 18 weeks and 20 weeks, not only did my stomach pop out, but I also started feeling a lot better. Food is more appealing, though I still eat small portions, I'm able to eat more often and food is just looking better. Hurray!, I was begining to feel I was going to be stuck feeling awful for the remainder of my pregnancy.

New development: backaches! Ouch. I have only gained a couple of pounds, and yet somehow, my back hurts! I've never had this problem before and it is not pleasant. Luckily, my husband is pretty awesome and gives me almost nightly massages! Heaven.

Eating a lot of: toast with applesauce, cereal, soup, instant oatmeal, ice cream, milk

Anyways, here is the latest picture, taken a day after I hit 20 weeks.

NASA day

2010-10-06T19:16:00.000-07:00

Friends are nice. Friends with super cool jobs that take you to see things you would've never been able to see otherwise.. are even nicer. Last weekend our good friend Wayne from church took us to NASA! We were able to see the space shuttle itself getting worked on, as well as the main building where the space shuttle is assembled. It was really interesting to see all the many details that go into the shuttles. I was feeling particularly pregnant and tired with all the walking around, but it was still a very enjoyable day. Plus, we made our first baby purchase! I love this little baby sleeper, I think it'll look cute on a boy or girl (despite the fact that many people think it's a boy outfit).

Boy or Girl...?

2010-09-21T19:10:00.000-07:00

Who knows? I don't. And I don't know when! Bah. Today I had another prenatal appointment with my ob. And when I asked about when I will get my next ultrasound I was quickly shuffled out of the office and was told that the hospital where I get my ultrasounds done will call me to make an appointment. And to begin with the hospital had not yet faxed over the info/pictures from my first ultrasound. Goodness. And my ob saw me for what felt like a total of 3 minutes.

On a brighter note, I'm measuring for where I should be size wise, the baby's heart sounded great, and I have gained 2 pounds in a month. Two pounds seems about right to me, I haven't been feeling my best, but I know I'm still eating quit a lot more than what I typically do. I was wondering if the doc would think that I needed to gain more weight, but she didn't seem to think it mattered that I've only gained 2 pounds during the past 18 1/2 weeks.

I've been looking through all the free catalogues/magazines I've been getting, and there are so many cute things! I wish we had more money to buy all the things I'd like for our little baby or even a 2nd bedroom that could be "the nursery".. :( Oh, well.

Prego Update

2010-09-19T10:18:00.000-07:00

I really wanted to document my pregnancy, so I never forget how hard being pregnant is. Haha.

1st Trimester: bit sick to my stomach on and off all day, very hungry & thirsty, very tired, little baby bump, having to go to the bathroom a bit more, waking up too early hungry

Cravings: chocolate milk, goldfish, watermelon

2nd Trimester (though most of these negative things went away after I hit 18 weeks): very sick in the mornings and at night, vomiting a bit (typically when I'm working in the heat, in the mornings), not much of an appetite, gag reflex getting very intense, hiccuping & burping a lot (and every time it makes me feel like I'm going to vomit), more frequent trips to the bathroom, still waking up early to eat and/ or go to the bathroom, backaches, calf cramps, little less tired than my 1st trimester, tummy growing (but no weight gained yet), eating a lot of bread, cereal, and soup, heard baby's heartbeat at the doc office and saw the baby during the ultrasound at the hospital, more excitement, more maternity clothes, freely telling people that I'm pregnant (though it's pretty obvious with my tummy)

Cravings: ice cream, Wendy's frostie and fries, breakfast food (NO MEAT)

So, there it is. I'm currently 18 weeks and 2 days, almost halfway done! Should be finding out soon the gender of our little baby, so excited! I'm thinking boy, but I would love a girl to dress up. I'll be seeing my ob on Tuesday, so hopefully I'll have an update after that.

Our Next Adventure

2010-08-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

In June (or Maybe even the very end of May) I started feeling really hungry, tired, and sick to my stomach. So after feeling this way for about 2 weeks I took a pregnancy test, and it came back negative. I still wondered if perhaps I was, but I really wasn't worried about it. I still felt the same way over the next week, so I took another test and it was POSITIVE! I wasn't shocked, but I was surprised. I debated keeping the news from Brandon until Father's day (which was a week away), but I just couldn't so I told him I had an early Father's Day present for him and gave him the test. :) He was surprised as well! We then were debating on how to tell our families and since we already had trips planned to see them both, we figured it would be best to just wait and tell them in person. It was hard to keep the secret from them for so long, but it was worth it to see their faces.

We told the Snyders by buying a children's book that is apart of a series that both Brandon and I read when we were kids. The book is "Little Critter: Grandma, Grandpa and Me". We thought it would be fitting, considering this is the Snyder's first grand baby! So, we gave it to Brandon's dad and told him it was a belated father's day gift. He unwrapped it and looked puzzled and so finally after a moment of silence Brandon had to announce 'You're going to be grandparent's, Rachel is pregnant!" Mom and Dad were very surprised, as was everyone else. It

I racked my brain for someway to be creative with my family, and soon realized when we got to my parent's house that is was next to impossible to get everyone in one room! So after waiting all day for a good opportunity or for everyone to be together I began to realize that it wasn't going to happen. So when there was a good size group available I seized my opportunity. My dad asked if we wanted to get in the hot tub and I casually said "Brandon can, but I can't because I'm pregnant!" It took everyone just a moment to realize what I had said. haha But once they did there was lots of hugs.

I finally got to see my ob yesterday and was surprised to hear that she believes I am 16 to 18 weeks pregnant! Whoa! I got to hear the heartbeat of the little babe inside of me and everything just began to feel so real. And tomorrow I will have my ultrasound! I can't wait. Hard to believe that our simple life is going to be forever changed. I can't wait to meet this little baby and hold it. What a feeling it is to know that there is a life developing inside of me.

Rowe Reunion

2010-08-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

We were able to get together with my parents, all my brothers & sister and their families in beautiful Idaho! It was so fun and the weather was nice. We went to my Grandmother's cabin, went canoeing, and spent loads of time with the family. The picture of the cute little boy is my adorable nephew, Dallin, he is wearing Brandon's hat.

Stan Hywet

2010-08-24T19:33:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places in Ohio is Stan Hywet Hall, a beautiful mansion and gardens built between 1912-1915. The house is incredible and the gardens and grounds go on for over 1,000 acres. I wish these pictures could do it justice, but they don't.

Snyder Fam

2010-08-21T22:41:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely visit with the Snyders this summer and as always had a lot of fun. We relaxed, Brandon was in a wedding party for a good friend of his, went shopping, went to parks, had a fire in the backyard ect. I love how different Ohio is, there is so much history there, it looks like it just walked out of a book or a calendar.

Beach Days

2010-08-21T22:29:00.000-07:00

While Kristen was here we also went to the beach 2 or 3 times. It is nice living in an area where the beach isn't too far away. I love going, though I rarely get in the water haha. But I enjoy relaxing on the beach, listening to my ipod, resting, reading, or taking pictures.

On another happy not, a young married couple has moved into our apartment complex and they attend our church. :) Which is very nice to have more friends to hang out with.

Trip to Disney with Kristen

2010-08-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

In June my sister in-law Kristen came to visit us. She was so fun to have around and was so patient in just running errands with me or laying out at the pool. But as a usual, a visit to Orlando could not be complete without a trip to Disney. We went to Magic Kingdom and Epcot, and ended up spending a good 9 hours in the park! (Which really surprised both of us). It was really hot, but we got poured on twice, so that helped. We hit a couple of rides (just the kiddie ones like "It's A Small World"), and saw a bunch of characters, Kristen thought it was cool I knew where they were all at haha.

I may not be a big fan of going to Disney in the summer, but I really had a nice day with my sister and I'm glad I'm able to take her and other family members when they visit.

Mothers Day

2010-08-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

I know back in May I wrote a short blog about Mothers Day, but I wanted to now to now take the time to blog about how Brandon and I celebrated. Brandon surprised me with tickets to a concert- Star Wars in concert! If you know me well, you know that I love Star Wars. I may not be a die-hard fan, but the movies always make me happy and nostalgic.

The concert was at the Amway Arena, which is actually where Brandon and I were engaged (Nov 2009). The music from the movies was played beautifully by a big orchestra while scenes from the film were played on a huge movie screen. I wish the concert could have gone on all night, it was so fun. I love having a husband who thinks of me and the things I love.

Mass Post Warning

2010-08-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

So, as usual I got very behind on my blog. I'm now going to try to catch up. Enjoy.

Goodnight Joe

2010-05-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

Lost another good friend. Heavenly Father sure is keeping great company these days.

I met Joe when I joined the Disney family as a Jungle Cruise skipper in fall of 2006. I met Joe right away, he was hard to miss with his smile, laughter, and Broadway tunes being sung over the intercom on his boats. He accepted everyone, and was always smiling, even through the FL heat. Often times, he had a joke to tell you on your breaks backstage. Whenever I saw Joe, he always greeted me with a big hug (I never cared how sweaty he was haha). The more I knew Joe, the more I loved him. He was the kind of guy I would want apart of my family, I started calling him "Uncle Joe", he then begun to call me his favorite niece. I'll miss his jokes he told to the guests as they left his boat, he would talk about all his favorite movies, and food. And he would inform the guests to go to the Hall of Presidents because they have a rotunda! He enjoyed saying rotunda. haha! Oh, Joe, there will never be another skipper, or friend quite like you.

Cell Phone

2010-05-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

I hate having a cell phone most of the time. If I could make it so that only certain people could call me I would. I don't like being called really late at night or in the morning. I hate voice messages. This may sound mean, but I'm really honest. I wish people didn't know I had a cell phone sometimes. haha I do get good use out of my phone and they are great for safety and emergencies. But I'm just not an avid phone talker. Unless I am driving to/from work. Perfect time to call me! It's about a 40 minute drive and it's incredibly boring.

bad timing

2010-05-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

So I'm a little worried right now because I think my teeth need a little work done and I don't have any insurance. Yikes! Not so sure what to do.

Orlando LDS temple

2010-05-15T00:09:00.001-07:00

I love temples! They are beautiful, and incredible peaceful. Even if I don't go inside, I can still feel so good just looking at them.

These are pictures of the temple here in Orlando.

http://www.lds.org/temples/purpose/why/0,11581,1953-1,00.html

You can take the skipper out of the jungle, but never the jungle out of the skipper

2010-05-14T23:53:00.000-07:00

An incredibly long subject line; I know. I recently spent an afternoon with 3 great friends, all of whom I met while working at the world famous Jungle Cruise. It was such a fun day, my friends always keep me laughing the entire time I'm with them. They are some of the funniest people I know and I love that no matter what we are doing, if we are together it is a good time. The friendships I made while working at the Jungle, are the best thing that has come from working at Disney.

Long Distance

2010-05-14T23:31:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine recently came into town from Utah. Yippee! She may have come to see her family that lives near me, but she got the added bonus of seeing me as well.

That's the interesting thing about living in FL, people don't typically come specifically to see you.. more than likely they are just coming for a vacation. Coincidently, it is more than likely that it is a vacation that you helped bring about. My fellow castmembers know what I'm talking about, here. I'm often asked by family to help them out with tickets, resort discounts, ect. And I usually don't mind a bit. It's fun that I get the opportunity to see family that otherwise I may not see. haha

BUT, it is interesting how friends of family members love to try to take advantage of their connection to me. haha

I have totally gone on a rant there, though this post was supposed to be about seeing my good friend, Brooke. Brooke and I lived together while I was at BYUI and she is such a great gal. It was a lot of fun to see her and catch up with her, I should thank her parents for moving down to FL so that I could see my friend.

Shout out to the moms

2010-05-14T23:22:00.000-07:00

A little late... Happy Mother's Day to Moms and future Moms. There can be no greater gift than being a mom and I can't wait to have the blessing of motherhood.

This picture I took the other day at my apartment complex. I assume a kid made it, it's so cute. Seems like something that I would have done when I was a kid.

Daytona Beach

2010-04-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

Another adventure we did while the Snyder's were here was go to Daytona to see Brandon's sister Kristen compete in a collegiate dance competition. We had to leave really early to get there, or so they thought haha. We got there so early we were able to go to the beach and saw the sunrise. It was so beautiful, there is just something about sunrises/sunsets and the beach.

We were able to see Kristen perform twice and tons of other colleges that were incredibly talented. We also ran into the mascot from Akron University during lunch. Brandon used to go to Akron when he lived in Ohio and Kristen currently goes there. The tourist in me came out and we had to get a picture with him.

In between shows we went down to the beach again and relaxed. Another nice day with the Snyder fam.

Love my mother in-law

2010-04-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to dedicate this post to my mother in-law. She is so cute. And she bought me a cute shirt and shoes while she was here. She is wonderful.

Tampa

2010-04-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

Another day, another theme park. This time we went to Bush Gardens in Tampa. This trip was with Mom & Dad Snyder and Brandon's Brother Kurt. Luckily Kurt likes coasters, so he accompanied Brandon. I spent time with Mom and Dad doing different things. Brandon and I both really like Bush Gardens, they have so many cool animals habitats. It is such a different park. Oh, and their stilt walkers are crazy cool.

2010-04-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

I think we did about every tourist-y thing you can do in Orlando besides Disney. These are some of our pictures from our day at Sea World. It was a nice day and super fun to hang out with Brandon's brother Davey and his wife, Heather; as well as Brandon's uncle Josh, and his wife Jenny. Mom, Dad, and Kurt showed up later on.

One big and sad difference from all the times Brandon and I have gone to Sea World was the Shamu show, "Believe." The coolest part of the show was always when the trainers would get in the water with the whales and do different tricks for about 5 minutes. It was such a cool display of the relationship they have with the whales. And now that is completely gone, the trainers no longer get in the water with the whales. I know they are doing it because of the recent accident, for the safety of the trainers. But it really left you not only wanting more, but also feeling kind of gipped. They didn't do anything with the time they took away, so the show was super short.

But the weather was great and it was a nice day.

Discovery Cove day

2010-04-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

The first and best thing we did with the Snyder's while they were here was definitely Discovery Cove. Discovery Cove is kind of a water park, but way nicer and more expensive (might I add). But all the food is included and they only let it about 2,000 people. At Discovery Cove there is a giant lazy river that looks like it's ( kind of) natural and not man made. You can also freeze in a river with fish and sting rays. You can also swim with a dolphin for an extra huge cost. But I was perfectly content to stay in the lazy river for most of the day and chat with my sister in-law Heather. It was a little chilly out the day we went. Also, being able to go and eat whatever and whenever and not have to worry about paying for it was really nice, and the food was good.

The top picture was me and "Flat Emma" for my niece's kindergarten project.

Easter 2010

2010-04-19T18:35:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I had a very nice Easter with the Snyder family. I am so grateful to be part of the Snyder family, they are so sweet and tons of fun. I am also grateful for the atonement and the opportunity it gives me to return to Heavenly Father because of Christ's sacrifice. How lucky are we? It's crazy that one selfless man would sacrifice his life for an imperfect person like myself.

On a materialistic note, Brandon received a new shirt for church along with a lot of candy and I got "The Princess and the Frog" on blue ray. It is such a cute movie!

Our one year!

2010-04-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

March 28th marked 1 year of happy matrimony for Brandon and I. I feel so grateful, blessed, and lucky to have such a great man by my side. Being married has been greater, harder, and more fun than I could have imagined it would be. I feel like I learn more about patience, love and the importance of communication everyday. Brandon may not be perfect, neither of us are, but we help each other strive to be more continually.

We celebrated by going out to lunch and then going to the beach to watch the sunset and light a fire. Wish we had more money so that we could have gone on a trip somewhere. But that is not the case. Oh, and the picture with of the card is a card that my in-laws sent to us for our anniversary. They are so sweet.

Brandon's 25th

2010-04-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

March 22nd was Brandon's Birthday. After asking many times what he wanted to do and ending up with nothing, that is pretty much what we ended up doing. Brandon did school work and I went to work during the day. And on my way home from work I picked up some dinner and an ice cream cake (Brandon's favorite). Brandon got a bunch of nice new shirts from me and a couple of other gifts from family. It is kind of weird to have a husband that is 25, makes me feel like I'm getting old. haha I know everyone is thinking "you're not old!". I'll be 24 in October. I kind of wish I could just press pause right now. We are happy, life is good. Though I can't wait for the adventures ahead of us.

Lists

2010-04-10T20:46:00.000-07:00

I have made 2 lists:

Things to blog about when I have some time, possibly Monday:

my cute Sunday school class that drives me crazy

Brandon's 25th Birthday

Our 1st year of marriage and anniversary

Easter/ Snyder's visit

My other list is a bit pathetic, but its things I want/ need to save for

A new comforter

Picture frames and other decor so our apt looks nicer

An external drive for my computer

More memory for my computer

Ilife for my computer (really cool software for Iphoto)

2 trips this summer, 1 to Idaho for a family get together with all my siblings and the other to Ohio to see family/ friends and go to a wedding

Health insurance (including vision and dental-thanks again to Disney!)

3 and a half years

2010-02-24T21:13:00.000-08:00

Disney. I joined the Disney team back in September of 2006, I was 19. I came kind of on a whim just for something to do on my semester off from school at BYU Idaho. If someone would have told me 4 years ago I was going to work in a theme park for as long as I have been I would have laughed in their faces. And yet here I am. hahaha

I started my journey at the world famous Jungle Cruise, where I "drove" a boat in circles in ten minute intervals. I never thought I was going to be good at it. I never thought I would make friends. Now the first statement is still unknown, haha; not sure if I'm the best comedian. But my best cruises were always when I was tired, grumpy and didn't care. And on to the best part, my jungle friends. In the 4 months I worked there I made some incredible friends that I can still today call friend. I wouldn't trade those 4 months for anything in the world.

After Jungle I moved on to entertainment, where I have remained since. It was so completely different from Jungle, but I really learned to love it. I loved my performers, taking care of another human being took on a whole new meaning for me. And heck, I found out that I was really good at my role. I have gotten to work at all four Disney World theme parks and I even got trained as a float driver for Mickey's Jammin Jungle Parade at Animal Kingdom.

With all this said, lets fast forward to now. I have completed 2 Disney College Programs, was a full-time cast member, and now I am only part time and scrimping for hours. Though I love what I do, sometimes it makes me CRAZY. I feel like I give 110% at work and now I feel like I have been fed to the dogs. I am only getting scheduled 1 -3 shifts a week and have been forced to beg for shifts from others. It is getting old. Not sure how much longer I can last doing this.

Idaho: my favorite pictures

2010-02-09T19:03:00.000-08:00

Christmas in Idaho

2010-02-09T18:01:00.000-08:00

I thought it was about time I blogged about our trip to Idaho to see my family for Christmas. We had such a great time spending time with my family and getting away from Orlando. For me it was especially nice to be away from Disney, because at Disney we start celebrating Christmas on November 1st. But after seeing the same decorations, shows, and listening to the same Christmas music from November 1st until around January 12 for the past 4 years, Christmas just isn't the same. I love Christmas, but by the time it rolls around at Disney, it's kind of just another day and you want it over. But, getting away from that for just a week and a half made all the difference. I got to see snow and family, and it was Brandon and I's first Christmas being married. It was special and we enjoyed it so much.

I have to say that seeing my family was probably my favorite part of the trip. About 2 years ago my parents moved to Idaho, making a trip "home", a little different from what it used to be. My mom is from Idaho and much of her family is there. Spending Christmas with my family was so nice, and something I haven't done since 2005 (following my senior year in high school). I loved it. I loved being able to have casual fun (basically anything not involving taking people I love to a theme park, surrounded by 30,000+ people). The highlight of our activities was definitely playing laser tag with a few of my siblings and some of my cousins. Seeing my Grandma Packer was so fun, she is so special to me.

besides laser tag, we relaxed, went skiing (well, really Brandon went skiing, I think I went for an hour, but it was his first time. He got to go twice, and LOVED it), shopped (they have an awesome store called Down East Outfitters that has such cute clothes), saw movies (they have 2 cheap theaters and a regular one, so we saw like 4 movies), played games, and RELAXED.

It's a pity that Rexburg is so far and such a hastle to get to. Well, that and the fact that we are broke, I really do wish we were able to visit more often. I went to school in Rexburg, it's such a beautiful place and I do wish we lived closer to family. Not so sure I could ever lived there, but we have family all over, so who knows, maybe one day we'll be living closer to some of them!

Another great part of our trip was on the way out we stayed in Provo for the day so that I could spend time with 2 great friends of mine. I was able to see my best friend from the time I was 11 until now! Kellie and I went to church and school together and haven't gotten to see much of each other since we graduated from high school. She is one of the smartest women I know and I'm really glad we have remained such close friends. We stayed up most of the night talking about everything and anything, as if we had never spent years apart (I hadn't seen her in I think 2 years or more) The other friend I got to see was Sandy, whom I roomed with during my college program with Disney. She is so fun, we had such a great time catching up at a yummy Italian place, followed by games. It made it even more fun that we are both married and our husbands had a good time, too. I am so happy that I have some great friends that I may not get to see very often, but have remained such good friends. After losing one of my great friends just barely a year ago it has really opened my eyes to the great friends I love and care about. So, though I may not see you very often, or call as often as I should, it is more than likely I'm still thinking about you. One of my New Years Resolution is reminding my close friends about how much they mean to me.

Orlando Christmas 2009

2010-02-02T18:28:00.000-08:00

Since Brandon and I were going to spend Christmas with my parents in Idaho, we decided to have our own Christmas before we left. The Sunday before Christmas we got up early before church so we could open our presents from each other. We both came out with great loot! Brandon gave me lots of great things, but my 2 biggest presents were 2 lovely necklaces! One is a silver key, with diamonds, and the other is a beautiful gold one. I cannot believe Brandon bought me such wonderful things! And Brandon received a few small presents, and then tons of new clothes! Now he has a whole new wardrobe for his new University haha. It was a great Christmas.

Sea World adventures!

2010-01-19T10:54:00.000-08:00

More fun times at Sea World! This time we went with Wayne and Shannon, another couple from our church ward. They have season passes, too. We went during the Christmas celebration and had a great time watching shows (they even had an ice skating show that was good), and riding rides. Sea World is a nice change from Disney, a breath of fresh air.

Disney Quest

2010-01-19T10:21:00.000-08:00

So Brandon and I have found a few good friends that we go to church with. I have really discovered how nice it is to hang out with other married couples, it is fun! We recently went out with one couple (Jason and his wife, Jessica) to Disney Quest. There, we enjoyed the 5 floors of games. There is old school video games, and many new ones. We had a great time hanging out with Jason and Jessica.

Our Tree

2009-11-29T15:09:00.000-08:00

The other night we stopped in Pier 1 to look around and Brandon and I found some really cute ornaments that ended up being the inspiration foe our Christmas tree this year. :) Last year we did a blue and silver tree and it was pretty, but I gotta say this year's tree blows last year's out of the water. Our tree this year is kind of an earthy/natural tree, it is beautiful! I'm really proud of it and it really does look exactly how I wanted it to. We bought ornaments at Pier 1, and at Michael's we got some more as well as a garland that we cut up and put the (what we think are) cranberries in the tree. We also put in white poinsettias, pine cones, and fake twigs that have "ice" on them. We were then able to find a topper that matched perfectly at Target! It was a success.

Festival of the Trees

2009-11-29T14:52:00.000-08:00

Brandon and I attended the annual Festival of Trees to benefit the Orlando Museum of Art. We went last year too and it is such a fun experience. The museum is transformed into a winter wonderland with rooms of decorated trees, wreaths and vignettes. There is also a Gingerbread Village, Toyland Town and Christmas Village. It gave Brandon and I great ideas for our own tree and really got us excited for Christmas.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-29T13:32:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness for friends! Brandon and I had nowhere to go for Thanksgiving, but we got an invite from our good friends in Lake Buena Vista. We used to go to church with them before we got married and have remained close with the family since moving to another ward and another part of Orlando. They have to be one of the nicest families I've ever known.

Brandon woke up early to play football and I watched the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. We then went to our friend's house; ate, relaxed, watched Muppet Christmas Carol, went to Michael's crafts to get great deals, watched another movie and then went home. It was a great day.

Movin on up

2009-11-29T12:43:00.000-08:00

Brandon and I have both upgraded things in our life recently. Brandon's upgrade is a bit more important than mine, I'm afraid. I am so proud of him and happy to announce that Brandon was accepted to the University of Central Florida. No more community college for him! Though before being at Valancia he was at Akron University, so it's not as though he has never attended a University before. He has been working so hard this past semester and studying for HOURS everyday. He will be studying Spanish and construction engineering.

Now for my upgrade. I got new glasses. Yep, that's it. But they are way nice, not only are they a stronger prescription, but they are also fancy. They are Gucci, which I didn't realize when I bought them (at the time my eyes were dilated..). I see in HD now! kidding. They are just the nicest glasses I've ever had and it's nice to be seeing better.

Birthday post (finally!)

2009-11-29T12:20:00.000-08:00

So, I'm finally going to catch up on my blog, but really there is not too much to blog about so I figured I'd start with my Birthday. I turned 23 on October 23rd! haha Brandon surprised me with a cake the night before; it was thin mint ice cream cake. Very tasty. And on my Birthday we started the day with my favorite breakfast (McDonald's hot cakes) then drove 2 hours to Tampa and spent the day at Busch Gardens. It was really fun, though it was a hot day. I really enjoyed some of there rides and loved that they mixed in animals. The bad part is that I get motion sick and for some reason as I have gotten older it has gotten worse. So I rode some coasters with Brandon, then during a 3D movie I ran out to vomit in the bushes. Gross. I felt sick the rest of the day, but still managed to enjoy myself for the most part.

I feel really content with my age, though I'm still getting used to saying that I'm 23. I'm happy at the stage of life I'm in and that I'm spending it with Brandon.

Ohio Trip part two

2009-10-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

So we did so much on our Ohio trip, each day we did something. We visited with lots of family and friends. The Snyder family is a lot of fun and they have so many good friends that we were able to see and go out with. We went to Grandma and Grandpa's 'cottage house" that is so cute and beautiful with the leaves turning colors! Bran and his dad, brothers, and uncle were able to hang out and play a game of what they call "frisbee golf". We attended a wedding a reception for one of Brandon's best friends from high school. Going to weddings always reminds me of the differences between being LDS and not, we are so blessed to have had our temple marriage :) We also went to an Indians baseball game, and after the game they had a really cool fireworks display and sing-a-long. And one of my favorite things we did was go and tour an old mansion that was built in the early 1900s, it was incredible. Brandon and I really enjoyed Ohio and we're even thinking about a possible move there! We'll see...

Ohio Trip part one; Amish country

2009-10-06T17:45:00.001-07:00

So Bran and I took a little vacation to Ohio. We had a lot of fun with Brandon's family and friends, and I really enjoyed the beautiful cool weather. We did lots of fun things, but one of our favorite outings was to Amish country. It was so cool! First thing we did was go on a drive through safari, where we feed animals through our windows and walked through an Amish house. What a simple, interesting life they live. We stopped at a store where there was a girl making hand dipped candles, went to a little grocery store and bought cheese curds, and ate lunch at a very tasty Amish restaurant. It was a chilly day, but Brandon and I really enjoyed our day with the family.

Good times

2009-09-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

So A few months ago Bran and I bought Sea World, Bush Gardens, and Aquatica passes; and we have been really enjoying taking advantage of our passes. We haven't gone to Bush Gardens yet, it's all the way in Tampa, but we'll make it there soon! We also have been enjoying spending time with Bran and I's only family here in Orlando (Bran's uncle & aunt and their kids), went to one of their kid's football game the other weekend. Which reminded me of the lovely FL heat. And the other night while we were leaving our friend's house Bran found a huge frog on his car! And Bran and I have discovered a great ice cream place just down the road from us, well, it's actually italian ice and custard. It's called Rita's, it is way tasty, but we are now trying to cut back and get in shape. Uh, I hate exercising haha

This is about all I have to blog about right now...haha..Oh, wait, we do leave for a vacation on the 23rd to Ohio. YAY! I cannot wait.

Our little kitty is growing

2009-09-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

So Toulouse is our kitten that we've had for about the last four months. We are thoroughly enjoying our little kitten. He is so sweet and has such a fun personality. He is getting really curious and recently has discovered climbing. He loves to climb up in our closets, the pantry, shelves, and dresser. He also loves getting into bags (suitcases and grocery bags mainly) and going under rugs. He is still loves being wherever we are and sleeps in our bed at night. Which only creates a problem come morning when he wakes up and decides it's time to play! Oh and with him growing up came the time to get him fixed. Poor Toulouse had to be in a cone for five days! Poor kitty, he did so well and didn't seem to be in any pain as he recovered.

I miss my friend

2009-08-25T17:16:00.000-07:00

I wanted to write a post about an amazing woman named Jana. She was my best friend/roommate while I lived in Rexburg, Idaho (only about 4 semesters, I think) and she was one of a kind! She was so open, loving, and totally unique. I could tell her everything, she always was laughing and smiling. She was beautiful and we would often share clothes, something I had never done with anyone (not even my own sisters!)

Anyways, Jana stayed in Idaho, while I decided to move to FL for 8 months in the fall of 2006. But when I came back to ID for a semester after that she welcomed me back with open arms. And while I had changed a bit from all my experiences, nothing had changed about our friendship and I enjoyed that semester with her more than any. After the semester was over we took a girls trip to California. It was the best trip I have ever been on. We spent a week with many good friends, relaxed on the beach and at the pool, went to Disney and Sea World, it was so much fun.

After our trip I moved back to FL and returned back to my life. I got so distracted with work and friends, I really neglected Jana. We talked every once in a while, facebooked, ect. But before I knew it Jana was getting married! So, last September I flew out to attend her wedding reception, and while I was very excited to see my friend, she lived very far and I almost didn't go. I had to fly to Utah, take a bus to Rexburg, and drive another 2 1/2 hours to a tiny town in Idaho called Albion. Jana was one gorgeous bride and we enjoyed getting caught up. I was so excited for Jana and the new life she was starting.

When I got home from my trip I got wrapped up in planning my own wedding that once again I didn't talk much with my good friend. At the end of January, when my life was crazy with wedding stuff, I received an e-mail from Jana's cousin. It told me Jana had been in a car accident with her husband and she had sustained such brain damage they had her taken off life support and she passed away.

I miss her everyday. I know I can see my friend again, but I still ache when I think of her. I think of the things she is missing out on, and the conversations I can't have with her. I think of the kids she wont have, the nieces that wont know their aunt, the family that misses their daughter and sister. I never thought I would loose a friend, when I am only 22.

But life and death happens so fast. And we have such a few precious good friends. I hope I can do better at letting my friends and family know how much I love them because we never know when we will loose the people we love.

I love you Jana!

Celebrating 4 months!

2009-08-03T13:56:00.000-07:00

So Brandon and I just had our 4 month anniversary! I'm not usually one who thinks about month to month anniversaries, but we both didn't realize that it had been 4 months! For some reason, we were thinking it was three and when we discovered it was actually 4 we decided to celebrate. Seems really crazy that we've now been married over 4 months. Wow, time flies. I love being married to Brandon, he is such a wonderful person.

Well, all we did was go to Tony Roma's for dinner and Rita's for desert. Dinner was pretty good, but Rita's has now become our favorite ice cream place. It's actually not ice cream, it's italian ice, SO YUMMY!

Working for the mouse

2009-07-25T20:04:00.000-07:00

So lately it has been getting harder and harder at Disney. Everything is just getting more frustrated. The mouse doesn't like me anymore. haha The new and ongoing problem is that I couldn't get Sundays off. I work full-time for this company for over a year and half and even before that for 8 months as an intern.

I HAVE PAID MY DUES.

I work in a department that is totally fun! But I spend my days getting yelled at by disappointed guests. This is not a good feeling and gets REALLY old. So already I feel beaten down by the guests, add in crap from managers and not having the convenience of having Sundays off..gggrrr! I was told at the beginning of this current "bid" I was not able to secure having Sundays off due to lack of seniority. I was told I had the right to trade or give away my shifts, and this has worked out pretty well. I have had the majority of my Sundays off, though it is a hassle and I hold my breath everyday when I check my schedule not knowing if I will be attending church on Sunday.

And it has just gotten better. Cause apparently now Disney is saying that I'm not working enough hours to be full-time statused with benefits. So basically I have to pick up on one of the days I'm already off (which cannot be done until I give away Sunday and sometimes I don't know that I even have sunday off until the day before...) And there is not always shifts available! GGGRRR so frustrating!

So Disney can terminate me to part time status if my hours don't improve (30 hours a week is what I'm supposed to work, I currently work about 27 without working sundays-a 3 hours difference! but it's "company policy"!) and if I go part time I will no longer have dental, or vision insurance, and the health insurance is not great..

which is not good, cause my benefits is one of the few good things about Disney. And I'm planning on staying with disney up until I start having kids cause the health benefits are awesome.

Anyways that is my Disney rant.

Not much

2009-07-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

So I feel like I should be updating my blog, but I really don't feel have much to blog about. Every time I open up my blog to write, I end up just closing it, due to lack of interesting things to say. :( Not that I'm not enjoying my newly married life, I just haven't been doing much that merits "bloggage".

One fun thing Brandon and I did was buy season passes to Bush Gardens, Sea World, and Aquatica (Sea World's water park). We got a good deal and may have only used our pass twice, but I think we'll get good use of them. We keep planning weekend trips to Tampa so we can use the passes at Bush Gardens, but stuff keeps getting in the way! We have enjoyed the other parks though, even with this summer heat. Sea World actually has a few really good coasters and the shows may be a bit campy, but they are enjoyable.

I have been working on my new calling at church, for the past month and a half I've been teaching the Valiant 9. It comes with it's challenges, but I'm trying my best! It's typically a small class, even though our ward joins with the Spanish ward for primary.

our little kitty, Toulouse, is growing and becoming quite feisty! He is getting into a bad habit of waking us up early in the morning wanting to play. Brandon just takes him in the living room and sleeps on the couch and he is fine! Weird, huh? We don't keep our bedroom door closed so he could just get up and leave, but he likes company! Especially when he eats..so weird, anytime Brandon or I go into the bathroom Toulouse runs in and starts eating his food. EVERYTIME! Brandon and I decided that he is a social eater. haha

The past few months we've had a few visits from my father in-law as he is working on business. These visits are fun, though I always worry about being a good hostess and what-not. And in September Brandon and I are going to Ohio to attend a wedding. It will be really fun to see the rest of the Snyders, whom we haven't seen since the wedding.

Brandon has been working so hard on his schooling this summer, I am so proud of him! I honestly thought he would abandon his studies and want to go to the beach ever other day or something. But he has been spending just about everyday doing schoolwork and studying. Gee, I don't miss college. I've been slaving away in the FL heat working at Disney! But I do actually prefer work over school, which I guess is obvious. Work has been pretty hectic, it being the summer. I've just been trying to work on my patience cause I don't have much left, I'm afraid.

So 2 of my favorite things that have happened this summer:

The new Harry Potter movie. I don't care how lame I may sound, but I enjoyed the new movie and I'm not making too many comparisons to the book, I like it better more when I don't compare it.

And the 2nd thing was buying a couple shirts from a modest website

http://www.modbeclothing.com/index.asp

Bought 2 shirts that I really liked and will totally buy from again! Yay modesty that is cute.

A thought

2009-05-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

So, from the time I was engaged and leading up to now I have really enjoyed looking at other's wedding photos. And I do not want anyone to take this the wrong way, but I've realized something..I'm so grateful that I have parents that paid for such a beautiful wedding. I wore the dress I wanted, the cake was cool, and the reception was so beautiful. To me it was pretty classy. It was not over the top at all, pretty simple, but perfect. I remember worrying so much that things such as the flowers would not be as good as I wanted, we were not spending the amount that a typical wedding would spend..and yet they turned out PERFECT. I am blessed.

2009-05-22T18:02:00.000-07:00

So it has been raining in Orlando almost non-stop since Monday! It has been nice, no heat, and has given me and the rest of the WDW entertainment department a bit of a break. But it has made lots of flooding and car accidents. Here is a few pictures of the flooding at our apartment complex.

What kittens do best!

2009-05-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

Brandon and I are really enjoying our new little kitten Toulouse. Last night he slept until about 5 right next to me, I was relieved he did so well (the 1st night was a different story). After he woke up he ate a bit then went back to sleep next to Brandon. I love our kitty! He is already showing a cute personality. He loves just being with Brandon and I and loves to cuddle and sleep right next to/or on us. This doesn't bother me at all! He likes sleeping right by our faces all curled up. While we were brushing our teeth last night right before bed he just sat and watched as he waited for us. And today he was perched up next to my face and was watching me play on the computer. He whines a bit if he wants attention or if he has forgotten where his food or litter box is. But other than that he just likes to sleep and play with us.

Welcome Toulouse!

2009-05-18T20:10:00.000-07:00

So, Brandon and I went out tonight to get me new shoes for work, (the ones I have been wearing the sole is so worn that I went home with wet socks today) and we came back with a kitten! He is adorable! He is a tabby with socks, and we have decided to name him Toulouse, after one of the kittens in the movie, The Aristocats..or you can think of the French Painter. Anyways, we'll see how he does, but we love him already!

wedding happiness

2009-05-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

Wedding Pictures

2009-05-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

Wedding Day :)

2009-05-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

For those of you who weren't there for the wedding and/or the reception I wanted to tell you a bit about it:

Our day started off with breakfast with Brandon's family (I had stayed the night with Brandon's mom and sisters so that his cosmetologist sister in-law could do my hair) and then a bit of a rush to get ready. Brandon's dad took us to the Houston temple where we met up with my mom, leaving all the rest to get ready, they didn't need to get there for a while.

We then went through a few things and I changed into my gown (which was GORGEOUS by the way haha). Standing with my mom in the bridal room was so special. After we got ready Brandon and I got to sit together while we waited for everyone to assemble waiting for us. I started to get a bit nervous here, it was a bit overwhelming thinking that I was about to get married. We then were lead to the room where we were sealed. It was so quick, I try to think back on what was said and I can not remember..but I remember the intense feeling of joy I had kneeling there holding Brandon's hands, surrounded by our family that loves us. The feeling is so overwhelming joyful.

After many photos at the temple (which actually turned out great, even with the wind!) , we met up with our family for lunch at Carrabba's for some amazing italian. And then as a suprise a plateful of delicious Italian deserts were brought out, Brandon and I were so full we didn't eat any! Bah! We then went to the reception hall at the Avalon clubhouse where I changed back into my dress and took more photos. We were forced to stop by guests showing up..

The reception wasn't quit as busy as we had anticipated and both Brandon and I had a couple of our good friends show. So, it was great, and the cake tasted good, too. haha

That night we stayed at the airport Mariott, so that the next day we could fly out back to Orlando for the night and the next day to the Dominican Republic!

So, we have now been married for about a month and a half and honestly, it really doesn't feel real that I'm married. Really hasn't hit me yet. weird. But I know that I'm happy and content. I wasn't searching for a man to marry, Brandon kind of came out of nowhere and now I have a new life, a great one.

What did you do with your brain??!

2009-05-12T16:53:00.000-07:00

So in the past year it seems like the guests at Disney have gotten even more dumb. Everyday I come home with at least one story to tell Brandon about, which is one of the highlights of my day. Out of all the dumb guests today, one in particular stands out. Today I was hangin out with Alice and the white rabbit, and Alice only has 5 or 6 appearances before she leaves for parade. So I was out with White Rabbit and I had closed the line so that White Rabbit could go inside, the last gentleman in line first stood there and debated wether or not to get in line (the line was about 10 minutes long NOT LONG FOR DISNEY) and I kindly explained to him that White Rabbit was about to leave so if he and his daughter wanted to see White Rabbit they had to get in line right now. They did so, but as they stood there the man kept on insisting on seeing Alice, who by now has been physically gone for a couple of hours, and will not be returning for the rest of the day. I explain to the guest that Alice left for the parade and will not be coming back. He keeps on asking where he can, what can he do to be able to see her...and then as I was turning away other families and letting them know when the White Rabbit would be back the same guests asks if he can come back at that time to see ALICE...??? HUH?! Did this man miss something that I had just been saying for the past five minutes? Anyways, guests just keep on getting more dumb. :(

Stressed, but coming along

2009-03-10T17:46:00.000-07:00

So for those of you wondering how my wisdom teeth adventure went, here it goes;

Once I had the iv in, I was knocked out almost instantly. I remember the doctor saying "think of a nice dream to have..", and I think I answered "anything thats not Disney.." haha

I remember Brandon helping me into the car and waking up when we were almost home. I wanted to talk so bad and I was already in pain that I started crying for some reason. We got inside I spit out the cotton that was preventing me from talking and took the pain meds and applied ice to my cheeks and feel asleep.

Though I didn't sleep long before I woke up getting sick. That was gross. That is pretty much how it went all day, little bit of sleep and then throwing up.

Each day got a little easier, though the meds made me sick to my stomach so i would try not to take them, but then I would be in pain.

I missed 9 days of work. Which I wasn't planning on, but Oh well.

Life the past few months

2009-01-26T13:54:00.000-08:00

So the past three months have been super busy, but full of fun crazy new things.

In October I turned 22, which for some reason seems more important than my grace into 21. Didn't do anything crazy. Just spent it with Brandon. And Brandon and I took a trip to Idaho to meet the rents, it was a nice trip.

In November, I got engaged. Which was the most surreal moment of my life. Brandon asked me to marry him right before a Coldplay concert (which, fyi, was AMAZING) and gave me the prettiest ring I've ever laid eyes on.

A couple weeks later, I meet the rest of Brandon's family in Ohio, which was a lot of fun and a Thanksgiving with snow.

December brought hardly any cold weather to Florida and my third Christmas with the Disney family (which was just as awful as my first Christmas with Disney). But it was a nice Christmas for Brandon and I, neither of us went home.

January has come and almost gone. And I feel like all I've been doing is working and preparing for the wedding in March. We've been getting rid of things we don't want anymore and getting the furniture for our new place. We move in, in April, right after we get back from our honeymoon. Also loads of Brandon's family were able to come and visit. We had a lot of fun spending time with them, but got a little "disney'd out" (I would be ok with not going to the parks now for a couple more months. And the last exciting thing that January has brought has been a lovely trip to the Oral Surgeon to have my 6 wisdom teeth removed. Which will take place this Wednesday. Should be exciting.