1 month.

Little Evelyn Rae. How are you 1 month old already today? In some ways it seems as if you have always been with us, but it is incredible that you have stolen our hearts in such a short period of time. The other day your father commented that he just sits in class and stares at your picture while he is away from you and can't wait to get home and snuggle you. That's how I feel even when I'm holding you.
Our love for you is profound.

this is how i clean my house these days when i get around to it

With a baby harnessed to my body. Indian tribal mothers know how I feel. This child will NOT let me put her down today. I've read books where they say to ignore your house, laundry and other duties for the first 6 weeks, but I couldn't look at the crumbs on the floor any longer. So on came the wrap and the child knocked out. I can't believe she would rather have been strapped in for an hour while I bent over mopping, vacumming, cleaning, changing sheets instead of being all roomy up in her crib. I guess I'm that awesome to want to be with.

Finger Lickin

This weekend we met up with my family in San Marcos where my sister and her husband reside. There were 2 objectives this weekend. My family's objective: smother the baby as much as possible. The Oakden objective: get down with some serious rib action. So both familial needs were satisfied at 

Phil's BBQ. Phil's has been the key to Jared's heart for quite some time, so we had to share with my fam.

Also, our cute little turtle is really getting good at holding up her head. That makes me proud and sad at the same time!

For eternity.

When I brought Ev home from the hospital, my Grandma gave me a card with this poem inside:

My day old child lay in my arms

with my lips against her ear

I whispered strongly "How I wish-

I wish that you could hear;

I've a hundred wonderful things to say

[a tiny cough and nod]

Hurry, hurry, hurry and grow

So I can tell you about God."

My day old baby's mouth was still

and my words only tickled her ear.

But a kind of light passed through her eyes,

And I saw this thought appear:

"How I wish I had a voice and words;

I've a hundred things to say.

Before I forget I'd tell you of God -

I left him yesterday."

I feel so blessed that God gave me the opportunity to be a mother. I am so grateful for my religion that gives me direction and purpose. I am grateful that I know where I came from before this earth life and that my family can be together for eternity.  If you would like to know more about God's plan, you can view my Mormon profile, or click here.

spree time

Well, for months now I have been warning Jared that when the baby weight came off,  I would get my shopping spree on. Well, folks, turns out I'm less than 5 lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight. BUT, the catch is that everything still needs to shrink and get toned. Now this makes sense to me, so tell me if you agree - a good majority of my skirts do not fit me like they used to. My guess is aimed at the fact that my body spent the last 9 months expanding and my rib cage and birthing hips need still need time to retract from the balloon state I was in. Am I right on that, because that's my only explanation and if I need to invest in new skirts, Jared's got a shocking receipt coming his way. Just kidding. If there's one thing I love more than clothes, its frugality. Yes, I wish I could dress JCrew every day with JCrew clothes, but actually I can still do that with the following beauties:

1. Kmart - $7.79

2. Target - $17.99

3. F21- $5.80

4. Old Navy - $29.50

5. Target - $17.99

6. Target - $9.00

7. F21 - $7.80

8. F21 - $5.80

9. Kmart - $7.79

10. Target - $9.99

11. Target - $22.49

12. Kmart - $12.49

Yeah, Kmart and Old Navy are on my list. I'm loving that romper up there. Gotta get my hands on that. I'll be honest and say that Kmart online rocks. You have to dig through to find a diamond piece, but great style for cheap. Of course, Target is the go-to for everything. I bought that fedora this weekend. I've never been a hat person, but I tried it on and I digged [dug?] it. So I decided to be adventurous with that purchase. Kinda like the time I decided to forgo my usual side part and part my hair down the middle. That was a big move for me people.

for the love of rap

Jared and I are white folk, but we do appreciate the finer things of other ethnicities, such as rap music. Jared in particular is drawn to the poetic abilities of certain rappers, I kid you not. I think he about fell off his chair with Kanye's "tell ya girl like doritos thats not your [nacho] cheese." Yes, my husband is that classy. So the other day when he quoted some lyric and I questioned "What the crap was that," I knew that it was time to get him this book. I wanted to give it to him for Christmas, but they were sold out at 2 bookstores, so I held off until Valentines.

We spent a good portion of the afternoon educating ourselves on certain lyrics, so as to better appreciate the creativity involved in the rap industry. Be enlightened, won't you?

LYRIC: HOCKEY PLAYERS PAGIN' ME TO PRACTICE ON MY WRIST

White explanation: I have so much diamond jewelry covering the end of my arm nearmy hand that individuals who enjoy a certain cold weather contact sport are contacting me on my outdated alphanumeric communication device, having confused my bracelet for an ice rink they would like to use to improve their athletic abilities. 

We've learned a lot from this helpful compilation. You're intrigued now, are you? You want one more?

LYRIC: SWIMMING IN THE MONEY, COME AND FIND ME, NEMO

Explanation: It is possible that you could have so much money that there would be nowhere practical to store it all and eventually every room of your house would be filled with paper currency. Anyone who stopped by to visit you in this virtual ocean of money would have as much trouble finding you as an animated talking cartoon fish father had finding his animated talking cartoon fish son.

On another note, today when I was on MarthaStewart.com trying to find a decadent dessert I could make for Valentines Day, I got sidetracked by a link that said "craft ideas for restless kids." After clicking through a couple, I realized that I am not a kid, I'm just restless. Can't Martha make "craft ideas for restless mother!?!" I'm such a busy body and this staying at home thing is kinda cramping my style. What is a nursing mother of a 2 1/2 week old supposed to do all day?

sunday morning over here

I used to love Sunday mornings for the sleep-in factor, which always brought with it extra cuddle time.

This Sunday morning:
+Wake time: 1:30-4:30 [ I guess Evelyn mistook the nightlight for daylight and decided to grace us with her alertness for 3 hours]
+Nap time: 4:30-6:30am
+Second wind: 6:30 - until Jared and I decided it was pointless to try to sleep through her grunting

However, I was smart enough to reach over and grab my phone to capture daddy/daughter sleep time.

We still love her when the sun rises.

this is big news over here

Someone finally has a belly button!

I discovered it in Evy's diaper during our 4am wake-time. That thing was darn stubborn and was hanging on by a thread for days! Of all things Jared has experienced during the last 2 weeks as Dad, the dried umbilical cord has grossed him out the most. Say whaaa?! Buck up, Dad! So since the cord is now off, Evy got to take her first fully immersed bath today in the tub-a-dub.

two weeks old today.

Here are some things I have learned about you, Evelyn dear:

+ you like bath time, but despise lotion time [just like your mother]
+ your most awake time is from 6pm-10pm
+ you moan yourself to sleep and throughout the night [this is more recent]
+ I think you're developing two indentations behind both of your ears from where my thumbs hold you when you nurse - sorry kid, I'll try not to grip so tight
+you get hiccups more than any person I know, and they sound painful
+ I feel sorry for your digestive system. Each bowel movement seems like you're pushing out a rock
+ you don't fuss when I dress you up in 50 different headbands in 2 minutes
+ you LOVE photoshoot time
+ you look like a cute little turtle with your button-slit nose and and pointy tongue
+ no matter how long your father and I burp you, you will spit up AFTER the burping session is over and when the burp rag is no where in sight
+ you think you're getting good at holding your head up. I love watching your terrific effort everytime I put you over my shoulder and you bob your head up, only to have it tumble down 0.0005 seconds later
+ I don't care if the doctor says smiles aren't an emotional response until 6 weeks - you always smile for me and it gets me every time
+ I may or may not cry during the day when I watch you sleep and think that you're mine - at night time my cries are hardly for cuteness factor but out of sleep deprivation - but I still love you anyway
+ You sit quietly with me at 4pm so I can watch Ellen Degeneres [I've got to get in that audience! She gives away the most insane prizes!]
+ I love your milk mustache

One Week Old.

Time is already going by too fast.

I really am trying not to make every post about this beauty, but it's hard not to! Especially when she's all I do all day. 

Still Same Ol' G, but With a Baby

The past 5 days have been quite an experience for me. I've gone from a blown-up tummy that looked like it  was about to pop, to a deflation process resembling a... well, I don't know what a shrinking tummy looks like but it isn't pleasant. Luckily it has sucked itself back in rather quickly an I have a belly button again!

Wow. I never knew I could be so attached to something so little. I can't believe I've only been at this for 5 days - it feels so natural. I think it kinda weirded Jared and I out a bit at first, but now he's asleep on the couch after burping her and I'm here typing and all seems the norm.

I'm not one to share the intimate details of my birthing experience, but let me say the first 16 hours were rather smooth - the last hour not so much. We checked in to the hospital Wednesday night at 7pm. I was going to receive some drug that was supposed to "ripen" [such a distasteful way of saying soften] my cervix before starting the pitocin. Yes, my due date was Monday and she was only 2 days overdue, but we both kinda wanted her before the weekend so we checked in Wed night. So when I got there, unbenounced to me, I was actually contracting every 2 minutes so they started me on pitocin that night. Contractions weren't unbearable until about 5am, when I asked for the epidural. What an experience! Seriously, I wish I could get an epidural everyday, I would be an ADDICT! I told Jared it felt like everything was floating, even the roof of my mouth! Ah, so all was blissful until 11:30am on Thursday. I started feeling contractions again, so I increased my pitocin. 5 min later I could still feel them, so I upped it again. Still could feel them. Then I felt this pressure and I told Jared I felt the urge to push, but the doc didn't predict I would go into labor until that evening, so I felt I was acting prematurely on this feeling. So we call the nurse in and sure enough I'm full dilated and ready to go. Jared was not planning on being a part of the labor, but he got the lovely job of holding my right leg during the whole process! What a trooper. At 1:45pm on Thursday Evelyn was born. She's beautiful! Not a flaw. I've been addicted to her cheeks since day one. She is such a great baby, although the first night she fooled Jared and I and kept us up with her vocal cord testing. Wow! But now we get along great and we are one happy family!

Weird to think that a week ago she wasn't here and that I was just me. But now I'm me + a baby.