New Year's

New Year's Eve two years ago, Sam made a great run in our game of tackle football in a foot of snow. . . and lost his shoe somewhere in the process, never to be found by the dozen of us who had been playing.

New Year's Day a year ago was the day we found out I was pregnant and expecting Ked. Never has a simple little stripe brought me so much joy.

We've never stayed up until midnight on New Year's Eve since we've known each other, and tonight may be no different. The most exciting thing we do this year may be just watching Ked roll over. With help. (Added later: Ked really did almost roll right out of this swing on New Years Day. I looked over when I heard the swing stop, and there he was on his side, being held by the ledge. Guess I'd better start using the safety belt.) And while I really wish we were still in Iowa with Sam's family to enjoy the time with them, I am content and happy to just be home with my two favorite guys. I love my life.

More on Christmas later, but for now, Happy New Year!

Swashbuckler

Sam taught me how to embed. I'd tried to figure it out myself several times. Finally, I know how to do it!

Love this. Reminds me of Sam and Ked already.

Ked and Dane, Dec. 22, 2009

We were so happy to get to stay with Brandi's family in Kentucky on our way to Iowa for Christmas. Ked and Dane are about half a year apart. I like to imagine them looking back on these pictures in the future when they are roommates at some BYU school. :)

Dane held Ked's hand in a lot of the pictures we took. So cute. Of course, he also grabbed Ked's nose, ears, eyes, etc.

This (Dane's accomplishment) happened moments before we arrived.

Dane: It was him.

Ked: Not me!

Happy Ked, December 2009

Ked LOVES the front pack. He never complains when he's in it (unless I stop moving). I use it to go for walks with him, get the mail, grocery shopping, etc. But some days it's too cold for him, even when he's this bundled up. He especially likes to chew on the front cloth (or Sam's jacket).

I love making this boy laugh.

Ked has attempted to suck on his hand from practically day one, but now he seems to favor his two fingers the most. He never exactly sucks on them, but just sticks them in his mouth and moves them around his tongue. Sometimes he sticks them in a little too far and makes himself gag.

Three Months, Dec. 1, 2009

Flexing. Look at that six pack!

Sam saw a 10 month old standing up on the pews at church and thought Ked should try it to. He loves it. (More than the couch, which he can't see over.)

Disc Golf, Nov. 21, 2009

On a nice November day, Sam and I went disc golfing in a really neat course nearby. We kept losing the frisbees in the leaves and Ked's pacifier on the course, but we found them every time eventually. It was amazing to me how comfortable Ked was with his head bobbing up and down as Sam ran around on the course. I did finally have to tell Sam to hold Ked's head when he threw the long distances, though. I was afraid Ked would get whiplash.

Ked asleep snuggled up against Dad.

Ked chewing on the frontpack.

Gross stuff. Yum.

Well, I'm still alive and well, so at least you know there's a happy ending to this story. At least I hope you think that's happy. Anyway, so I was enjoying a scrumptious meal of rolls, salad, and breaded chicken with cheese and sauce on it, prepared by my sister Brandi on our stopover in Kentucky on the way to Iowa for Christmas. Next to the salad had been a bowl of some white, flaky stuff that I had assumed went on the salad. I typically eat salads because they are good for me, not because I actually enjoy them, but I was loving this one. Partially because of the white flakes. So I asked Brandi what it was. This is how our conversation went.

Brandi: Oh, it's just provolone.
Me: Really, I didn't know it came like this.
....several minutes later.....
Me: So this is really provolone? I really like it on the salad. How do you get it?
Brandi: Oh, you mean on the salad. I thought you meant on the chicken. On the salad it's just cheddar cheese.
Me: White cheddar cheese?
Brandi: (questioning look. . .) Oh, it probably just looks white to you because it's mild.
(Now it's my turn to be confused. White cheddar, just because it's mild?)
Brandi: Oh, you mean the Parmesan.
Me: No, I know what Parmesan is; what's the white flaky stuff?

Brandi walks over to me, looks at my salad, gets this panicked, disgusted look on her face, then explains that that is what she used to bread the chicken and I am probably going to get sick and die from eating raw chicken juices. Gross. So I was a little disgusted, but mostly just felt dumb for being a ravenous porker while we all laughed about it. I figured most of the flakes that had gotten wet had stayed on the chicken, so I wasn't too worried or grossed out. But then Brandi showed me the bowl again and all the little chunks of raw chicken and the soggy, chicken juice-aggregated flakes in the bowl among the "salad topping" I'd thought had been so great. Then I suddenly felt sick to my stomach and couldn't get it out of my mind the whole night.

I'm still tempted to try a mixture of potato flakes, garlic salt, and Pamesan cheese on my next salad. But I'll pass on the raw chicken. Brandi suggests I should mention that the chicken was also dipped in raw eggs before being dipped in the topping, but I'm not as concerned about that--raw cookie dough is something I've always hungrily eaten, despite the raw eggs.

One of these days I'll stop talking about food and get some more pictures of Ked up.

Two Random Thoughts

Spinach: Popeye must have had a stomach (and taste buds) of steel. Or no sense of smell. Spinach itself is great, but canned spinach? YUCK!! While it has more vitamins and nutrients than other canned vegetables, it's place in our food storage will no longer be rotated into our regular meals. It will stay just that--food storage--until it is either thrown out or desperately needed.

Sleep: So now that Ked is pretty well trained to sleep through the night (more or less), how do I get myself trained again to sleep through the night?