Criticism

This week, someone from my past wrote to me on Facebook.  This person criticized my entire life.  I know this person was wrong and that everything they said was false.  They spoke out of jealousy and ignorance.

I replied with facts and truth and I stood up for myself and I know I'm right.  But.... I cant get their words out of my head.  

I know that, slowly, the voices will fade and this irrelevant person who disapproves of my life will be a faint memory that I rarely revisit.  I just wish that would come sooner than later.

Baby Xavi

I had the honor of taking newborn portraits for Xavier!  He was only several days old and was a real trooper throughout the whole shoot.  Carina and Scott were so proud and so sweet and tender with their precious baby.  Grandma Karen was a big help, too.  Grandma's seem to know exactly how to calm a baby every time.

His nursery was perfect!  Grey and yellow, homemade items, and lots of sweet, little details.  And that skylight is amazing!

I've known Carina since we were kids because we went to camp together with my best friend Sara!  I just recently found this photo that I took of Sara and Carina at camp... We were probably about nine years old. Do you like their TOTALLY RAD sweatshirts?!

Congratulations, Scott and Carina!  So happy for you!  Welcome to the world, Xavi Baby!

XOXO,
Lindsy

I ♥ My Bike

Dan got me a bike for Christmas.  It was just the bike I wanted only he didnt buy it new from stores (he's a thrifty dude).  He found it for free on Craigslist and it was totally used and abused. So, really what he got me for Christmas was a project.  I'll admit, I had a lot of fun getting it working.  First, we took it apart and I sprayed the frame yellow.  Then, I got a baby and I left it in my neighbor's garage for a few months.  (Sorry, Andy!  It wasn't bike-riding-weather anyway).  

Some friends put it back together a few weeks ago but we didnt have all the right tools to get it just right.  That's when our friend Dan told us about 2nd Cycle, a non-profit that helps fix their bikes.  They sell used bikes and recycled bike parts.  Since I didn't take any of their parts I didnt have to pay but I made a donation for all the time they spent with me.  Now this beauty runs like a champ!  I bought a baby trailer to hook up to the back so we can go on rides as a whole family.  I'm going to use it to pick up BB from daycare today.  It's finally bike weather now and I'm so excited to ride!

Because You Just Have to See This

Created by Pho.toLab for Android.

Yep.  Created by Pho.toLab for Android. Deleted after this awesomeness was made because, well, the app is for pre-teens not sophisticated adults, like me.  Also, follow me on Instagram @lmrphotos.  Have a nice weekend, amigos!  

A Little [Photo] Update

[Spoiler Alert:  If you're like me and you bore easily, you shouldn't read this post.  Just look at the pictures.  But, if you love the mundane details of everyday life, please, continue reading!]

Life is just humming along.  Dan left a couple days ago and has had really bad cell reception.  He's playing a festival in Kentucky for a couple days.  Not having cell reception is not something we anticipate this day'n'age.  Dan and I usually get to video chat and text and call as much as we please so the past few days have been a challenge.  He gets out of there Saturday so hopefully we'll get to talk enough next week.

I am very pleased to report that daycare is going really well!  BB's eating and napping and having a blast.  What a relief that he's doing well in daycare!  I dont know what I would do if he didn't like it or if it caused him to wake up a hundred times a night.  He's been so tired when I pick him up but he's happy and cuddly so I can't complain.  He's going to be at daycare 3 days a week while Dan is on tour. I am so glad it's all working out because I've been able to focus on my work and I've noticed a huge difference in my productivity and accuracy.

Our evenings have been nice and peaceful and I've found time to just sit and be still.  One of my favorite things about this house was the backyard and we've been enjoying it just about every day!  It's not officially summer in these parts until after 4th of July but I've been wearing sundresses and top knots and cleaning up the yard.  Dan is painting our house but didnt finish before he left on tour... for a month... so there's a lot of detail work that I'm doing while he's away because I just cant stand to look at it.  ::cough, perfectionist, cough::

Also, this kid had a double ear infection but one ear didnt heal so he's on new antibiotics and he's teething!  WOO!  Fun stuff.

25 Questions for Me! Dan!

1. Are you young at heart, or an old soul?
 mos. def. young at heart
2. What makes someone a best friend?
 That's a great question that has so many answers to it. I think it's someone who always wants the best for you and would go into the darkness to pull you out. Someone who maintains your level of joy as well!
3. What Christmas present do you remember the most?
 I asked for a lump of coal when I was 11 (because I was a jackass) and my parents got me a black bunny rabbit and named it Coal.
4. Tell me about a movie/song/tv show/play/book that has changed your life.
 The book Messy Spirituality really changed me a lot! I also loved Blue like Jazz. The show Full House obvioulsy had a big impact on me (although I always wanted to be Uncle Jesse, I figured I could at least get away with being Uncle Joey. But if I'm honest with myself, I'm more of a Danny Tanner)
5. Name one physical feature that you like about yourself, and one you dislike.
 My chubby cheeks and my wrists. I won't tell you which is which.
6. Name a song that never fails to make you happy.
 anything off of Jimmy Eat World Bleed American or Chase this Light.  (Those are album titles)
7. If you could pick anywhere to live the rest of your life, where would it be?
 Way too tough to answer. I get restless in one house after too long, let alone one CITY!
8. Can money buy happiness?
 Can money buy cookie dough?
9. Where was your favorite place to go when you were a little kid?
  I loved the pool. I could swim all day, everyday.
10. Do you enjoy being with only one or two friends, or with a large group of people?
probably one or two friends.
11. Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever bullied anyone else?
  Yes. I was bullied a few times in jr. high. But don't cry for me, I'm sure I've hurt quite a few people in my days (Okay, never on purpose).
12. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
 BBQ everything with a side of salmon, Mexican, Asian, and pizza. Also, ice cream for dessert.
13. Name a TV series you didn’t enjoy until after it ended.
 Cheers (I think)
14. What’s your “quirkiest” habit?
  Stretching my wrists. All day eerday.
15. What is one thing you could never forgive?
  Permanently harming or damaging someone elses life for selfish reasons. i.e. rape, murder, etc.
16. Where do you and your friends go to hang out?
  Currently, the backyard.
17. What is the best TV theme song ever?
 Saved by the Bell!!!!!!!
18. When you were young, what would you dream you would be when you grew up?
 A farmer (dream big).
19. What gets you out of bed in the morning?
 Lindsy OR the thought of coffee!!!!
20. What was your favorite grade in school and why?
Senior year. Because I finally took classes I enjoyed.
21. What’s the best route to your heart?
 Words. Or gifts.
22. Who was your first crush?
 Kristin Sanders.
23. What is something you want to change about your current situation?
 I wish I had more time.
24. What was the longest car ride you’ve ever taken?
 40 hours. Lindsy and I drove across the country and there were no empty hotel rooms so we slept (in the car) for a few hours and just kept driving. It was insane.
25. What was it like becoming a father so suddenly?
Incredible! I honestly wouldn't change it for the world. And it was so easy to love (on a level I had never experienced) before I even met him! Pandemonium!

-Dan

Father's Day

We had a fabulous weekend!  We drove to Spokane to attend my sister's college graduation.  (We are so proud of you, Karli!)  The drive home was HOT!  BB was a trooper, though.  It's a five hour drive and he was happy the whole time.  He enjoyed the hotel and didnt sleep as much as we would have liked but it went a lot better than I thought it might.

For father's day, we took Dan out for Mexican food.  We went at 2pm so we were the only people in the place.  Which is fine since BB has decided to scream when he's happy.  LOUDLY.  We think it's cute but some people might not so we try to keep the public from experiencing his happy shrieks.  Thus, 2pm lunch.  We also went for a walk, despite yesterday's freakishly strong winds, and got some fro-yo.  A laid back father's dad for a laid back dad!

Dan is such an attentive, hard-working, super-fun, dreamer!  I love being his co-pilot as we navigate through new parenthood.  He has been so amazing these past few months and he gets better each day.  He is an excellent dad in every way.

As BB starts daycare and Dan heads off on a long tour, my heart is heavy.  We will definitely be missing our entertainer, the one who keeps me sane.  We love you so much, Dan.  Happy Father's Day!

Daycare

I'm slightly embarrassed to announce that we are putting BB in daycare on the days when Dan is on tour.  Why am I embarrassed?  Because I work from home.  I could "make it work" but, honestly, I've tried and I've been making too many mistakes lately.  I made a $17,000 mistake last week by forgetting to add something to a client's budget.  The budget and client are fine and there's no real mistake at my job that would ruin anyone's life so it's not a big deal.  But, I need to focus.

We don't have family in town.  Both of my parents are still working and Dan's family is 2,000 miles away so, my choices are:  Ignore BB all day and do a good job, be a good mom but let my job suffer, or put him in daycare.  Obviously, daycare wins.  We found a great, little place that's close to home with a nice, older woman named "Nana".  She is licensed for 9 kids (as opposed to the usual 12) and right now only has 4 during the day and 2 more that are in elementary school who show up after nap time.  We've gone twice to see how he likes it and let him play with the other kids and he seemed just fine.  He loves other kids and he's still a little behind developmentally so we know he'll do well there.  He will only be in daycare when Dan is on the road and on days when he doesn't have any appointments, which will equate to about 10 days out of the month.

Playing with a box - cuz that's fun, right?

I still haven't decided how long I want to leave him there.  Since the daycare is so close to my home office, I could drop him off and pick him up almost any hour of the day.  I'm thinking 9am - 4pm but we'll see... They eat at 11:00 and nap from noon to 3 so it's not like I'll be missing out on anything too fun, right?  At least that's what I'm telling myself...

I love the posts about childcare on Liberating Working Moms.  This site has been a huge help to me in figuring out how to make this working mom thing work!  Hey, readers!  Yes, I'm talking to you.  Did you ever put your kids in daycare?  What was it like for you?  How was the transition for your kid(s)?

Anything can be a toy if you set your mind to it....box...towel...

We're All Dying

We're not all dying... BUT!  It's been a crazy 24 hours.  Dan and I are exhasuted and BB is sick.  It started with a lazy Sunday.  I thought BB might be finally getting his top teeth because he had a runny nose.  He was fussy and he slept a lot but we ended up going on a nice walk in the woods.  He slept all night without a peep but woke up with thick, green snot all over the place!  Then, I found out that Dan's flights got messed up and he was no longer getting home at 10am, he was leaving at 10am and getting home at 4pm.  Oy vey.

I called the pediatrician this morning and was told that there's nothing they can do about a runny nose.  So, I kept using the saline spray, which BB actually likes, and the bulb syringe, which he loathes.  Eventually I decided I should check his temperature and found that it was 101.5 so I called the doctor again and they got us in right away.  A few pokes and prods later and we find out he's got double ear infections!  Lame.  Amoxicillin to the rescue!  I'm hoping he's not allergic to it.  I took amoxicillin at the ripe old age of 1 and it had me breaking out in a crazy rash and running circles around the coffee table for hours. And, it was while we were on vacation. You're welcome, mom.  Let's hope history does not repeat itself.

Dan just played 3 festivals in 3 days and is totally exhausted.  I am starting to think that I need to see a doctor about my seasonal allergies.  They are getting out of hand, almost debilitating at times.  So, we are a sad sack of whiny babies right now.  But, we're happy to be together!  So, tonight the three of us will probably just sit and breath out of our mouths while watching the Turtle Movie tonight since it's all the tv that BB has ever seen.  And, it's fascinating!  Watch the trailer below.

 

Friday Favesies

Have you noticed that all the pictures are missing from every one of our posts before February 2012?  I have a lot of work to do and I've been avoiding it.  What better way to avoid than by wasting time enjoying other people's NOT screwed-up blogs?

I just found this picture, from last year.  I dont remember taking this picture, nor the Polaroid.  

Linking up with Ruthy at Discovery Street for Friday Favesies.  Okay, here we go.... Here are some of my favorite posts from the week....

I'm forever obsessed with Nursery Notations and Andrika King's amazing finds for children's rooms.  Like this wall paper!  I would love to wallpaper everything but why does it have to be so permanent?  Dan and I have owned and renovated two turn-of-the-century homes so I know first-hand that taking wallpaper off is a PAIN!!!  I never want to remove wallpaper, therefore I am probably never going to put up wallpaper.  Except for the forrest motif photo wallpaper that I put in the bathroom in our loft (pictured above in the Polaroid).  That was rad.

I loved Sydney's rendition of her son Everett's wake-up procedure - so much like BB!  He's totally doing this fake cough thing, too.

I loved Jess' rant about thrift stores at IROCKSOWHAT.  Dan and I have shared some of the same sentiments.  Why is FREE stuff so dang expensive?

I was really sad for Veronika at Tick-Tock Vintage.  Her bunny, Peter, died unexpectedly.  I know the feeling.  My bunny died totally unexpectedly, too, and it's the worst feeling because you had no idea and you think that maybe you could have prevented it.  So sad.  Hug your bunnies, people!

I loved Hanna's post of her daughter's first birthday party!  The decor was amazing!  Like something you'd see on Pinterest.  A violet theme for her daughter Violet!  How cute?!  And Dr. Pepper?  Yes, please.

I loved Mrs. Jorgensons DIY Garden Labels!  What a great idea.  I planted our veggies weeks ago and never labeled anything.  I remember where everything is... I think... but, still, these corks would be super cute.  So, I'm doing it.  It's done.

Happy weekend!!!

Summer. Or, Lack Thereof.

Oh, Summer!  Or lack there-of.  I recently realized that I have about 4 free weekends between now and Labor Day.  Between my best friends wedding, the bridal showers and bachelorette party, two major events that I'm in charge of for work, visiting Dan's family, and my sisters college graduation, we are booked solid.  I must use these four free weekends wisely!  I would love to take BB camping and hiking and swimming this summer.  I must make that a priority.

And then there's the weather.  Must I always write about, talk about, and complain about THE WEATHER?  I wish I didnt have to.  It's raining.  In June.  I'm certain that it's rained in June before, maybe even in other parts of the world, but I am so disappointed today.  C'mon, sun!  I need you!

Somethin' Special

Darling, sweet boy --

I thought I loved you when I met you and I was sure I loved you a few weeks later but now I know that I love you more than I ever knew I could love something.  I'm crazy about you.  You are amazing!

You are getting so wiggly!  You love to move.  You are starting to cuddle and snuggle more and one of my favorite times of day is right after I feed you and before I put you to bed, you lay your head on my shoulder and completely relax in my arms.  I love to make you laugh - especially because it's so easy.  You smile when I sing "You are My Sunshine" and you giggle when I sing "Who Let the Dogs Out" and I LOVE that you love music!

Photo by Jade Ehlers

You are truly somethin' special.

Love,
Mama

A Change of Heart

I used to hate my husbands job but something has miraculously changed.  For the past two years, Dan has been in a touring band that plays 150 shows a year.  For two years, I've told him that I will never like his job because I dont like it when he's gone and I will never like being home alone.  The latter might be true, I will never like being home alone, but I think I am starting to like my husband's job and this could be very, very good for our future.


His transition from "weekend warrior" to full-time-touring-bass-player was not easy.  It came at a very difficult time in my personal life.  I felt abandoned.  I thought that this new life would allow us some free time but he was working constantly.  When he wasn't touring, his job was booking shows.  They had a manager but he wasn't a booking agent so that was Dan's job and he was obsessed with it.  There were several times when I had to slam his laptop shut and beg him to stop.


His hard work has paid off and over time his band has gained popularity so that the offers are coming to them instead of them begging working to get shows. I started to notice that Dan had more time when he was home to do things around the house and have fun and it was so nice.  Then, we got a baby a few months ago and life changed again.  We've realized how desperately we need to slow down and cherish every giggle and developmental milestone.  We've realized that our top priority is to give our son everything he needs and let him know that he's in a safe home.  We've also realized that Dan needs to keep working hard and plan for our future.  So, I know that he does need to zone out in front of his laptop everyone once in a while.  I need to be patient and realize that he's come so far and the work he's putting in now, between feedings and naptimes, will pay off one day when the band has more people working for them and Dan's only job will be touring, playing bass, and writing songs.


I've realized that I've been taking Dan's job for granted.  I love having Dan home.  We get to spend all day, every day together.  It kind-of feels like we're in college again only now we live together and have a baby... and bills... All I was focused on was the time that he was gone.  Yes, he's gone a lot and I will probably never like that but I have to remind myself that I see him more than I did when we were both in the same town working regular, full-time jobs.  I love getting to spend so much time with him.  So, I guess that I like being a road widow... for the parts when I'm not actually a road widow.  And this new leaf is bound to make our lives a lot easier and our family even better.  

[Also posted on Road Widows.]