This little piggy went wee wee wee, all the way to the InstaCare

As Clark already mentioned (he's a fast blogger), I broke my toe this morning. I was out running errands this morning, and when we got back it became rather apparent that Julia had in fact leaked out of her diaper. It was everywhere. But you don't want to hear that. So, Julia is starting to get hungry, but I just can't feed her while she's covered in poop, so I take her upstairs, get her clothes off, get her diaper off, use 6 wipes to clean her up, and draw her a bath. As I'm coming back into her room, I bang my foot onto the door frame. Or, as it turns out, I caught my pinky toe on the door frame. So I'm laying there, on the floor, saying, "Ow, ow, ow," and Julia is naked on her changing table (I know, I'm a bad mother, I shouldn't have left her up there, that's part of the reason why I was hurrying). And then I look at my foot and say, "Oh dear, that doesn't look right." The toe was poking out to the side. And seeing my poor toe look all wrong made me flip out even more. It didn't even hurt that bad, but seeing it like that made me quite concerned. So I called Clark, and flipped out at him for a minute. He came home and rescued me. We had Stephanie come over and watch Julia (because remember how she had a blow out, all over her car seat? No way was she going back in that thing without some major cleanup) (oh, and THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU TO STEPHANIE!), and Clark helped me hobble over to the InstaCare. Where it was determined that I broke my toe.

Yes, I broke my toe by walking into a wall.

The words you are looking for are, "What an idiot!"

Anyway, the InstaCare man consulted with an orthopaedist, who said it was possible that I'd need a pin. And so I went over to his office this afternoon. Where he maneuvered the toe back into place (can you say OUCH), took some x-rays, and he seems to think that a pin won't be necessary. PHEW! That was a huge relief. Next week I'll go back for another x-ray to make sure we're doing ok. And I now have a beautiful shoe to wear for the next 2 weeks. Joy.

Seriously. What an idiot.

What's This? A POLL?!

We've had the same shower curtain since our wedding:

It's clear, got some pretty seashells on it, fun. It's served us well. However, we've gone through quite a few shower curtain liners. The approach for the first 3 years was to buy the cheapest liner available ($2-3 at Target), and replace it every 3 months or so, whenever it got the mold on it. Then, about a year ago, I discovered the anti-fungal liner. It was a little more expensive ($9 at Target), but it promised to stay free of mold! And it worked for quite a while. But now it's starting to look pretty bad. I could clean it, I suppose, but that would require some sort of working space, which I just don't have.

Also notice that we have 11 shower curtain hooks. The curtain has 12 holes. We got a package of 12 when we got married, but one broke pretty early on.

And so, I now must ask the Poll Question:

What kind of shower curtain should we get?

Should we stick with the seashells and get a new liner? If so, which kind? Should we go for a whole new curtain? If so, should we stick with vinyl? Should we go the fabric route? (Can you just wash a fabric shower curtain when the need arises?) Go vote.

Return of the Weekly Video (and some photos too!)

What with all the vacations, I haven't posted a weekly video every week. I've been taking them, I just haven't been posting them. Partly because they take so long to load up. Anyway, here is one from yesterday. Don't pay any attention to the lack of sheets on the bed (they were in the wash). And I called her Big Red, but I'm not exactly sure why. It just popped out. Maybe it's all my hopes of a red-headed child being subconsciously vocalized. Maybe it's because that was the color of her face most of the day yesterday (I think she's going through some separation anxiety. And she started fighting naptime. Boo to that.) I don't know. But I haven't called her that since then, so I don't think it'll be sticking. Anyway, enjoy the video!



And here are a couple of non-moving pictures. The first is Julia in the cute dress Aunt Melissa gave her (don't worry, it's a big fit, so she'll be wearing it for quite a while). I like the constantly moving feet.
Then I decided to snap a photo demonstrating her neck strength. The problem is, the first picture never turns out, but the flash has dazed the child, and so every photo after that she either has a confused look on her face, or she's downright upset. But maybe that makes her more endearing, I don't know.

Weekly Quote 7/28/08

"It's like a little clue." Sleepless in Seattle quotes kept coming up while we were on vacation. Such a great film. New quote up!

Memory Time

I thought this was kind of a fun "tag." And while it would be awesome if you played along, I won't be heartbroken if you don't. I'll just feel like no one remembers me. (take a joke!)

Here are the directions:

1. Add a comment on my blog and leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot just do anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you.

It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

More from Colorful Colorado

You've got to admit, I'm getting better about taking pictures. Instead of taking zero, I now take like 10. Sure, I've got room to improve, but I'm on my way.

Here are some pictures from our Colorado Adventure! (Colorado Caper?) This is from our motel in Green River - the Robber's Roost. Like Clark said, it was like staying in your friend's grandma's basement, but it served our purposes very well. We just needed a place to rest our heads until morning. We were glad to see that they were Proud Pirate Sponsors.

Once we got checked in to the motel, we decided to go grab a bite to eat. Unfortunately, the one fast food restaurant in town (the Burger King in the gas station) closed at 9:45, which is about 1 minute before we arrived. Our other options included this winner:

Mexican "Food?" Yeah, that isn't encouraging. So we decided to go to one of the gas stations and get some packaged sandwiches and pop tarts for breakfast. This gas station had an "Internet Cafe," which consisted of one computer in the middle of the store. Woo. Mental note: do not go to Green River on vacation. You'll be sadly disappointed.

As you can imagine, our hotel in Colorado Springs (the La Quinta) was a palace compared to the Robber's Roost. It had a pool, the rooms were nice, and it even had a cute little gazebo that Lauren enjoyed sitting in. She had to try out every chair. And she told me what color everything was as well. Smart girl.

We went on one adventure every morning, and then had the afternoon to relax, swim in the pool, take a nap, and just hang out.

The first day, we went to Cave of the Winds. I took exactly zero pictures of this.

The second day we went to Garden of the Gods. This is a beautiful place, made me feel right at home with all the red rocks. We went on a loop walk/hike. Julia flipped out right after we hit the halfway point. So the trip back was a fast paced walk with a crying, hungry baby. But it was still beautiful. Here's a photo of some people and some rocks:

For dinner one night we went to a Mexican restaurant, Jose Muldoon's. I got some Pollo Bippolabampo (or something like that), and it was tasty. Jessica got cold, so she borrowed Julia's blanket:

On Tuesday we took the train up to the top of Pike's Peak. Pike's Peak is 14,110 feet high. This is the highest either Clark or I have ever been.

And while the train ride was fun, and the view was spectacular, we both agreed that being on top of a mountain isn't quite the same unless you hike it. It was still incredible to see, and it was still a fun experience, but you don't get quite the same rush as you do when you've worked hard to get there. Not that I'm going to hike Pike's Peak any time soon, I'm just saying. As a side note, I think Angel's Landing is on our agenda to do this year. I may or may not make that last 1/2 mile with the double drop offs, but I was encouraged by our hike a week or so ago. Which I never posted pictures from. Stay tuned, I'll get around to it one of these days.

Wednesday we drove home. It was long.

And that's our trip. We really had a fantastic time, and it was wonderful to see the whole Blockburger clan. Julia has now met all her aunts, uncles, and cousins, which I think is pretty good for 3 months old. Now, to all you folks who were on the trip and actually took pictures, send us copies! There were a lot of fun pictures taken, and we'd love to get our hands on them. This means pictures of everyone, not just us. We want to see the Lowes at Pike's Peak! We want to see Jessica at Garden of the God's! We want to see the Shaefers at Cave of the Winds!
And now I'm guessing you all want to see this blog post end.

Fin.

I Believe in Family.

I've become somewhat of a blog stalker lately. I have this lovely half hour about 6 times a day where I can sit here and read all the blogs I want (it's called "feeding time for Julia"). I guess I don't always read blogs, sometimes I read a book or a magazine or the newspaper. But I really enjoy feeding time, because it's become My Time, in a way. Multi-tasking at its best.

So I have this blog that I've just started reading, hola isabel! It's really quite good. Yesterday I was reading this post, and that coupled with our little Blockburger family reunion trip got me to thinking: we are blessed to have a wonderful family. Hopefully you don't think I'm Seriously so blessed. I just love my family - including my in-laws. We had such a great time on this trip to Colorado, just being with everyone. Sure there were stressful moments (how could there not be with 10 adults [I count Jessica as an adult] and 6 kids?), but I reveled in the chance we had to relax and hang out with family. We only see the Lowes about once a year, but when we get together it feels so comfortable, like no time has past. Same thing with my brother and his wife. I can't imagine going 30 years without seeing my siblings, that is completely unfathomable. Maybe it's because I had all sorts of aunts and uncles close by when I was growing up, but family is important to me. In fact, it's the most important thing in my life. On the drive home yesterday, I kept wishing that we lived closer to all these people. Salt Lake isn't too far away, but Colorado is far, and Texas and New York are even farther. And I don't even want to think about how far Germany is.

So if you are a member of my family, know that I love you and I enjoy every minute I get to spend with you. And maybe one of these days my good intentions will turn into actual phone calls. Did you know that I'm terrified of making phone calls? I have no problem answering the phone, I just have this terrible paranoia about calling someone. What if they are too busy? What if I'm interrupting? What if they don't want to talk to me? And when I finally make the decision to dial, what do I say? I was thrilled the day I learned you can order Cafe Rio online, because then I didn't have to call and talk to someone. They say you should do one thing every day that scares you. My quota is filling up fast with this baby stuff (I'm scared to clip her fingernails, and sometimes to leave her alone in her room all night [what if she quits breathing?!]), but maybe one of these days things will get less scary and I'll make the darn phone call. Maybe.

Weekly Quote 7/21/08

"They speak very fast and very loud and nobody listens to anybody else with the result that nothing ever gets done."

And that, my friends, is how things are run in the New York legislature in the musical 1776. New quote up!

Vacation!

Clark, Julia, and I are currently on vacation! We're in Colorado Springs with all of Clark's immediate family, and having a wonderful time. We went to the Cave of the Winds this morning, which was nice a cool, a welcome break from our lives in St George. Julia slept most of the time.
Good job, Julia. We like to keep her happy. This afternoon we went swimming. Julia has only been once before, and this was her first time at an outdoor pool. Luckily there was a spot of shade that grew bigger and bigger as time wore on. You think I'm white? You should see my baby. Oh wait, we're basically the same color.

Here is before the water (no, that's not water from the pool dripping down her face, that's drool):


Here we are all together, enjoying the pool:

I'm only posting right now because Julia is taking a nap while everyone else is still at the pool. So I said to myself, why not blog? I have the computer, the camera, and the time. And there you go.

Some Pictures

Here is a smattering of photos I finally took off my camera.

This was a delicious breakfast I had one morning at my parents house:
Julia on the beautiful quilt from her Great-Grandma Hurst:

Shortly after this shot, she spit up all over the beautiful quilt, which is why she's never been on the quilt before (but spit up is better than poop):

My futile attempt at artistry. I particularly like the diaper genie in the background:

I actually used the sling again the other day, and it worked even better than before. She definitely looks more comfortable in a vertical position, and now that she can hold her head up, I feel safe putting her like this:

And a video! Now that tummy time can last more than 30 seconds without strenuous crying, she's finally starting to explore a little bit. And how does she explore? She scratches things. Of course, it's probably a sign that she's learning to use her hands, and she'll start grabbing for things soon, but I think it's hilarious. Now, when I say "head" in the video, know that I really mean "neck." Her head might be strong too, I'm not sure. But it's her neck I'm talking about. What an idiot!

Crash Hot Potatoes

Now, I haven't tried it yet, so I can't say how it tastes, but this looks so yummy (and easy), I had to share.

Crash Hot Potatoes

If any of you try it before I do, let me know what you think.

Note: I will not be serving this with an iceberg wedge. Or with a steak. Do you realize that I've never cooked a steak in my whole entire life? Something about a huge hunk of beef sits wrong with me. All I can think is, "I'm eating a cow's muscle. I'm eating a cow's muscle." Gross.

Older Pictures

While we're talking about Brett taking pictures, I never posted the pictures he took of us back in February. We decided that we wanted family pictures before the baby came, and we wanted some of us with red rocks, since we're St Georgians now. It's so weird to see my pregnant belly - it's really hard to remember what that was like, even though it was only 3 months ago. And again, Brett did a good job. I feel like I have movie star hair in the first 2. Did my hair really look that good when it was long? I think the correct answer would be, "Not usually." Good thing we took pictures on a good hair day.



Next step: print some of these, frame them, and get them on our walls!

Pictures

Have I told you about my new photographer friend? No? Well, I think he does a great job. We had a little photo shoot while we were hanging out in Provo. I think we got some excellent shots:



Good job, Brett. I think we'll be back for more.

Weekly Quote 7/14/08

" Let's say it with firecrackers and banners held high
Let's have a real old-fashioned noisy Fourth of July."

This was from one of my favorite movies, Holiday Inn. New quote up!

What a Week!

We had another whirlwind weekend up north. Actually, I guess it was almost a week. Wow, time flies.

We headed up to my parents' house first to spend some time with the Anderson family. Stewart and Michelle were in town, and we thought it would be nice for Julia to meet her Uncle and Aunt. Silly Uncle Stewart:

Michelle and Julia looking at Silly Stewart:
(She'll meet Aunt Melissa and Uncle Adam next week, along with all those cousins, and then she'll have met the whole fam!) For the 4th of July, we (the Anderson and Tvedtnes families) went up City Creek for a hike/walk, and then had a picnic lunch at Memory Grove. After lunch, some people played sand volleyball, but I stayed inside. It's called air conditioning, my friends, and it's a beautiful thing. Besides, the babies were sleeping.
Julia and Alex. Alex is Julia's 2nd cousin, and Stewart and Michelle's nephew. They are 11 days apart, so it's fun to see them side by side. And what did we do the night of the 4th? Went to bed. Yes, it turns out we're getting old. (Just tonight Clark and I were talking about this. He asked an interesting question: when does middle age start? And are we getting close to that? I feel like we're barely old enough to be married, let alone have a kid. Let alone be middle aged. That's enough of that talk.) On the upside, Julia went to sleep, and we didn't have to worry about the fireworks waking her up because we didn't see any.

So after a couple of days with my parents, we spent some time with the Blockburgers. Julia really liked to hear Grandpa Blockburger sing, especially when he was singing Julia by The Beatles:
Oh, and we visited the Porters. It had been far too long since we'd last seen them, and we were so glad that we managed to be in the same town at the same time. Laneah really liked the baby. This is the only picture that turned out OK. And my child looks possessed, but I don't have the energy to take out the red eyes.

Then we headed down to Provo for a few days. Clark had some business in Orem, so we got to stay in a hotel, which was fun.

Monday night we had dinner with Clark's old roommates. It was so great to see everyone! We broke tradition by having a potluck dinner at Brian's house instead of meeting at Brick Oven, and I thought it turned out rather well. There are too many children involved these days to have a successful gathering at a restaurant. This was much better. And we had Cafe Rio-esque burritos/salad. Mmmmmmmmm. Yummy. And don't worry, I didn't take a single picture.

Sabrina and I went visiting on Tuesday. And boy did we see a lot of people! We saw Al and Tyler's new house (but we missed baby Kate by 2 days!). I even remembered to get a picture of the 3 little girls together:

Nobody looks thrilled to be there, but at least everyone sat still long enough for a snapshot.

After that we had lunch at Pei Wei with Anna and Margo, and Margo's adorable children. Julia had a major blowout. I used about 10,000 wet wipes. Good times. Then we headed back to my mom's house so Adie could nap, I could feed Julia, and Sabrina could see the house. It took us a really long time to get there, we were foiled at every turn. Seriously, it took us 1/2 hour to get from Sugarhouse to the freeway. There was just no good way to go, construction all over the place. And who knew you can't get on I-80 these days? Obviously we didn't. Anyway, we headed out west, and after visiting with my mom for a little while, we went over to Amber's house to meet baby Zoe. She is so sweet, and so small. Hello, I had a baby less than 3 months ago, and I can't believe how tiny Zoe was. They change so fast. It makes me wonder where my newborn went. And, of course, I forgot to take pictures.

We're almost done, I promise. I just have two more pictures to post. Since we stayed at a hotel that had a swimming pool, Julia went swimming for the first time.

She doesn't look too sure in this one:
Yay for swimming! Remember how everyone has to wear swim diapers now? Well, the smallest ones I could find are for babies 16-26 lbs. I may have a round baby, but she's not that big. So the diaper basically went up to her chest. Not exactly a good fit, which is what makes swim diapers work so well. Oh well, we went swimming anyway. And Julia had a pretty good time. For the first while she had this look on her face like she was trying to figure out what was going on. But by the end she seemed a lot more relaxed. Not splashing and smiling, but relaxed.

So there you have it. A very long blog post about our very fun week.

Weekly Quote 7/7/08

"Breathing is a foreign task,
And thinking's just too much to ask,
And you're measuring your minutes by a clock that's blinking eights."

This was from the Dashboard Confessional song "The Brilliant Dance." Since we were out of town this week, the quote is late. Oh well. It's up now!

Crocs!

I've been holding on to these shoes for months now, waiting for the day they'd fit our baby. Well, they are still slightly big, but close enough. We're into shoes, people. Shoes! And she just started "standing" a couple of days ago. I call her Julia Standish now. You know, like Myles. Yeah, I'm a dork.

Dancing Queen: The Sequel

Silly times at the Blockburger residence.

Weekend Report

Guess what? We actually did stuff over the weekend! It's amazing, I know. I'd say that having a baby has made it harder to get out and do stuff, but the fact of the matter is we didn't do much pre-baby anyway. You might say we're low key. You also might say we're boring. But the point is, we were not boring this weekend!

Saturday morning we went hiking in Kolob Canyon. It was so great to be out in nature, and especially in Kolob, where it's cooler than St George. We went hiking along Taylor Creek up to the Double Arch Alcove. The trail was the perfect length (5.4 miles round trip), and really didn't have much elevation change. And it was much less crowded than Zion, which was nice. Especially when I had to stop and feed Julia.

The alcove was really quite beautiful - all the red rock with lush green plants growing out of it. And it was significantly cooler there, which made it the perfect spot to stop and have lunch.

Saturday night we had a little mingle with Clark's co-workers. It was fun to meet some of the newer employees, and to show off Julia. And we got to see little Haley who is 6 weeks younger than Julia. It's amazing how big of a difference 6 weeks makes at this age - Julia looked enormous next to sweet little Haley!

Sunday was even crazier than usual because we spoke in church. I kind of felt like we were running the whole show, what with me playing the organ, both of us speaking, and Clark playing the piano for the musical number. I guess it went well. I'm the type of person who has to write down exactly what I'm going to say or else nothing intelligent comes out. We're talking every word. "Good morning. My name is Shannon Blockburger." You would think I could remember my name, but strange things happen when I get nervous. So if anyone missed it and wants to know what I said, I can email it to you and you'll get it exactly word for word.

So there is our weekend. Oh, and Julia had 2 baths (one on Friday because it was time, and one on Saturday because of all the sweaty, dirty hiking), and I actually remembered to pull the camera out. I think she's so adorable in her hooded towels (thanks Grandpa Blockburger!), and I've been meaning to take a picture for a while now. Love it.