boys will be boys

Matthew has started doing "tricks." He particularly enjoys showing me these very cool tricks, "ma, LOOK!" as he jumps onto the sofa and freezes, his legs hanging in mid air. Or there is the ever cool falling down trick. Or, as I was talking to friend outside, he comes running out squats on the edge of our entry walk and yells, "ma LOOK, ma!".

Then I'm in the backyard with Jane swinging on the porch bench while Rick does yard work. And then I hear, "Hey Vanessa!" And there is Rick showing off some really cool trick (bench pressing tree branches for instance...real cool). And that's when I realized some boys never grow up.

Crazy weekend part 2-Jane's baby blessing

Rick blessed Jane on Sunday. My parents and Rick's parents came out for the event. Jane is growing up far too fast. I just wish I could enjoy the newborn stage a little longer. I just don't get to hold her enough. Jane's smiling. And she's found her fist,which entertains her for awhile (even though I've seen this with the other kids, I still find this little milestone so cute) . And she's gained three pounds since birth.

Best buds.
Matthew loves my dad. Matthew is quite timid around other people, except for my dad, who he never forgets. Matthew is a mama's boy and loves to be held. So, my life is always that much easier when my dad is around because Matthew is less demanding of me.

Note to self: do not wear flats when standing next to Rick. I look far too short.

Yes, she looks like Rick, which is why everyone thinks she's a boy. It's a good thing Rick's so handsome. However, I need to start putting bows in her hair, so I don't have the awkward, "he's so cute. What's his name?" me: Jane. "James?" me: no Jane, "Oh, it's a girl. I'm so sorry."

Crazy weekend Part 1-Dr. Sonntag's Retirement Celebration

Last weekend was an absolutely crazy weekend. It was the BNI symposium/Dr. Sonntag's retirement celebration with dinner... after dinner... after dinner, ending with a black tie event. Sonntag is a bigwig in neurosurgery-operated on the Queen of Saudi Arabia, quite an interesting story.

(Rick, me, Anna and Tim Uschold-resident with Rick and good friends)
I stressed about what to wear for three reasons: one, couldn't afford black-tie attire (why they invite residents to such an event still baffles me), two, I had to wear something that allowed me to nurse, and three, I'm Mormon and usually dresses are too short, too low, or sleeveless. Thanks to my friend Lynsi and sister-in-law Mindy (who mailed me an outfit all the way from Virgina) I was able to put together something that was elegant, yet, nurse friendly, which was a good thing because I had to nurse Jane twice. Rick's parents held Jane out in the lobby during the event, bless their hearts, and would call when she was hungry. All in all, the event was nice, I only wished there had been dancing. However, there were far too many people to do such a thing.

Chrissie's 4th Birthday--February 17, 2010

The birthday girl.
This year Chrissie's birthday was celebrated in Utah with all her Lochhead cousins (13 of them, 10 were four years old and under, slightly chaotic) and a few Zinn cousins-a wonderful way to celebrate a birthday. No organization needed; just being with all those cousins was a party in and of itself.


cousin Isaac, aka "ladies man."
Chrissie and her cousin Thomasin fought over this boy. And on more than one occasion one of the girls was crying because the other one wouldn't "share" Isaac.

The birthday cake, as requested by Chrissie (she had seen a similar one in a book.
When I brought out the cake, she stared at it for a moment and then proceeded to point out the differences between the one I created and the one she remembered seeing in the book. And when we returned home, she got out the book to physically point out the differences. Apparently she didn't appreciate that I put the horses in snow and that the mama horse was at the bottom of the cake and not the top with the baby.

Singing "happy birthday"

I love my little girl.

She got a bigger tricycle (she had the kettler tricycle, which I highly recommend). She has since developed a love/hate relationship with this bike, mainly, she doesn't like falling off.