A Christmas Treat!

So as I was trying once more to download pictures from our video and still camera, I had lots of trouble. But, to my pleasant surprise I received an early Christmas treat and I was able to download pictures from our camera! Hurray! So, here are the latest pictures of Adam, such a sweet little boy that's constantly into everything. Adam getting into the popcorn popper as we prepare to make caramel corn to start off our season celebrations.

Check out those biceps! Man this kiddo is buff...woo!
It snowed! I didn't think it snowed this much in TN, ever, but I was pleasantly surprised!
Adam can now balance on his knees and likes to kneel in front of buckets, boxes, the oven, anything really, and clap his hands or grab anything he can.Thanksgiving day at our house. Adam got to go out and play on the grass and enjoy the sunshine. This is what he thinks of it. He didn't particularly enjoy crawling on the grass. He just kind of stayed in one spot and moaned instead of crawling. Silly boy.

Well, we're off for Texas in the morning and NC tonight. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Another Dr.'s Visit

Well, here we are again just after another Dr. appointment for Adam. It's a good thing we like Adam's doctor, since we go there a lot. And please don't think I'm one of those paranoid moms that takes her kid to the doctor every time he sneezes. Today we had an ear-check appointment to see if his ears had gone back to normal after the last ear infection. And once again, Adam got a cold this past week and I kept putting off taking him to the doctor because we already had an appointment for today. Well, once again--yup, you guessed it--Adam has another nasty ear infection. Round three of antibiodics please! Doc said that they have a standard of 4 ear infections within 6 months or 6 within one year and they usually put tubes in their ears. We're well on our way. But I am happy to say there is help for these recurring ear infections. Plus, I'm so grateful that we are blessed to have insurance. I'm grateful that Brian has a good job and for all the many things the Lord has blessed us with. I think of how much worse it could be and find myself happy that we have the trials we do. Kind of silly to be thankful for trials, but we are. Another happy note, well maybe not happy, but kind of cool, Adam now weighs 20 lbs. 14 oz. The kid's growing like a weed! I just love him so much! We are truly blessed. Hopefully, you are all doing well and enjoying the blessings you've been given as well.

Tag! I'm it! Wait, I'm it?

I've been tagged for Christmas...so now my idea of posting a wish list doesn't sound so silly when I've been tagged to do it by a friend. All I want for Christmas...not a lot really.

#1. To see our family. Half of this wish will come true when we go to Texas for Christmas this year. I just hope I don't have to wait until next Christmas to see the other half. I realized last night that none of our family, except Scott and Melissa & co. have seen Adam since he was blessed back in May. They're going to think he's a giant! We miss our families and love them so much.

#2. To see our friends. I don't mean our TN friends, we see you guys, so that makes me happy. But I'm referring to our Utah friends and California friends (most don't live in those places anymore). Remembering Christmases past I'm forced to realize how vivid and unstoppable change is. While we can't stop time, I'm so grateful for the past and look forward to a bright future. Friends, you are missed.

#3. A wheat grinder. Brian and I followed the prophet's advice and bought wheat...and want to use, but don't have a wheat grinder. So, Merry Christmas to us, this is what we're getting each other. We're so happy! Bring on the wheat bread!

#4. A pastry blender. Yes, seriously, I don't have one. It's kinda silly to watch us try to make pie crusts or biscuits with forks or knives. Just don't get Brian and I trying to do it together...we might start sword fighting...or fork fighting.

#5. A baby food grinder. Scott and Melissa are letting us try theirs out and it's great! Adam loves pasta...only, well, not so much on the chicken alfredo (I think he didn't like the garlic and other spices). Now he gets plain noodles mixed with cereal, veggies, or whatever I can think to throw in. And yes, I'm a nut and make my baby's food. It's cheaper!

#6. A camera. Just a wish, don't think it will happen any time soon. Our old clunker is doing alright...but as we can't get the pictures downloaded to the computer, feelings of compassion for it are a bit sparse at the moment.

#7. A rug. Yeah, our front room has hard wood floors and a rug would just make the room. Really, it would, I think. Plus, it would make it softer when Adam tips over and smacks his head on the floor.

#8. A date with my hubby. Seriously, I'd love it. But it has to be a date with him, and just him. I love my little boy, but every once and a while, Mom and Dad need to catch up. I think I'll take up the offer of a few sisters out here from our church. We need a night out. Talk about romantic! Even if we hide in our yard barn and make Christmas presents...ok, maybe not.

#9. A closer temple. We are 4.5-6 hours away from 6 different temples. Raleigh (NC), Nashville (TN), Columbia (SC), Louisville (KY), Atlanta (GA), and Washington, DC. We were blessed to go to the Raleigh temple a few months ago when Scott and Melissa watched Adam for us, since they live close by. It was glorious! I think it's the best date we've been on! I wish we had one closer so that we could go more often. I think we'll have to take some friends of ours and go on a temple trip and do a baby swap so we can go. The temple is so wonderful and such a blessing!

#10. A ball. For Adam. We only have this old kick ball from my single days. It has a leak somewhere and is always flat. Don't worry, we washed it before we let Adam play with it. We love the simplicity of children in the fact that they love simple things...like cardboard boxes. Good thing we have lots of them.

When was the last time you went "Wahoo!?"

Quite honestly...Monday night was the last time I went "Wahoo!" We finally got the internet! Hallelujah! Now I can update the blog and check email...at home! It's just wonderful. And since Adam is finally taking a nap, I'm enjoying a chance to update.

Adam is...well, he is just adorable. It appears that tooth #8 will soon be making it's debut into the world. Adam is crawling all over the house and standing up on everything. He's starting to cruise a little bit, grabbing onto chairs and then stepping so carefully to get closer. It's rather cute. Adam is also fascinated with our fireplace--BAD idea. He usually hears "Adam! NO!" and then gets pulled away. He always goes right back and plays with the metal screen. Constant Viligence! Adam also loves to pull every single DVD off the shelf and then crawl over them after chewing on them a while. He's really cute about it. Adam is also kneeling now and does well balancing. I'd put pictures up, but our camera is a doof, and the computer won't read the card and we can't find the cord at the moment. It's probably under Adam's bed...maybe I should check there. Adam is obsessed with cords and wires. That and shoe laces. Silly boy. I'll get pictures up as soon as we figure it out. Maybe Santa will bring us a new one...we'll see...Santa's on a tight budget. While TN has a low cost of living, living is still expensive. And you all thought Santa lived at the North Pole.

Well, I best be off, preparing the treats for Brian's work buddies. And getting Christmas cards and such. And the laundry...this really is a busy time of year. But we're so excited! And...Adam gets to see Grandma and Grandpa Daniels in 10 days! He's so excited! Maybe that is why he hasn't been sleep well. Anyways, hoping your holiday preparations are going well. Happy Holidays everyone!

Happy Little Helper

So Adam helped me with the laundry the other day. "Helped" meaning he mostly pulled clothes out of the basket and pulled himself up on the basket. But when we went downstairs to collect the clean laundry, the only place I had to put him was in the basket. He was content and it was just so cute I had to take a picture. And don't worry, I took him out and carried them separately back up the stairs. It's quite a workout!
Adam has also now discovered that he can pull himself up on our window sills because they are large windows and are only about 18" from the floor. I love the big windows! This is Adam looking out our bedroom window. The only bad thing is, the sill is the perfect height for Adam to chew. On Tuesday I walked into his bedroom to check on him and found paint chips all over his lips and shirt from where he had chewed on the window sill. At least it's not lead-based paint, right? We try to keep him away from the window sills or at least watch him carefully.
Adam has been making very funny faces lately and this is a typical Adam face, as Brian has described it. He's just so cute! And I must say that those overalls are probably my favorite to put him in of any of his clothes. He's just stinkin' cute! And I seriously mean, "stinkin'." Adam, yet again, has double ear infections and the doctor has tried him on a different antibiodic. Since Adam has started taking it he has had 5-6 messy diapers a day. AAaaahhhh!! This morning, I changed him, yes messy, and honest-to-goodness in 2 minutes he was messy again! Poor little guy!
We are currently painting the spare bedroom, during the last warm days of the season...it's supposed to drop temp this weekend, so we figured we'd get it done and not go crazy waiting until spring. I'll post before and after pics when it's all finished.

On a silly-me note...something silly happened at the store today. First, remember that Brian is a chemical engineer and as such shares his chemical knowledge with his wife, frequently. It started off when we were first married with him coming home, holding something up for me and asking, "Honey, what type of plastic is this?" Well, because I have such a good teacher....I was at the store today and decided to browse Halloween items for stellar deals (I got some great ones!) and I selected a plastic jack-o-lantern; I turned it over to see what type of plastic it was and saw the label: ABS and I said to myself, "Oh, that's Acetonitrile Butadiene Styrene." Hahahahaha! I told Brian and he just started laughing. His Dad will get a kick out of that one. First off, it's scary that I knew what ABS stood for (and could remember how to say it! I had to ask Brian how to spell it). Second, why on earth was that the first thought to come into my head?! Some of you might think, "well, that's actually kind of dumb and super nerdy." I say, "Welcome to the family!" We are super nerdy...our children have no hope for normal society.

Another silly-me note (along the nerdy lines): I was shopping for a shower curtain and there were two kinds: vinyl and EVA (Ethyl Vinyl Acetate) and me being a chemical engineer's wife, called said chemical engineer at work and asked what the difference was (other than the shocking $6.01 price difference). He just laughed and laughed until he could finally tell me that the EVA would last longer. Ha! This is proof that the longer a husband and wife are married, the more they become like each other. I love my husband in all his nerdy glory! He's truly amazing!

Happy Halloween!

Sorry it's been so long since we've updated. We're working on the internet in the new house and I was in NC all last week helping Scott and Melissa (Brian's bro and sis-in-law). Melissa just had her second baby and so I was able to go and help with Enoch (2 yrs.). We're so excited for them! Zach is a beautiful baby! And we know that Grandma and Grandpa Daniels were really bummed because their three grandsons were all in the same house and they weren't able to be there. But don't worry, it will happen again in December. And November too, most likely. You're welcome to come for Thanksgiving!

Well, Adam started crawling about a month ago and now he's into everything! Definitely keeps me on my toes. Now he's decided that crawling is not enough. He's been pulling himself up on everything! And he hasn't quite figured out how to safely get back down, so when he gets really bored or scared, whichever comes first, he'll cry and wait for me to help him down. Silly boy. His eyes are very brown and very handsome on his cute little face. Last night at the ward Halloween party many said he'll be a heart-breaker. My little boy is growing up so fast!


Speaking of Halloween...Brian and Adam and I returned home from NC on Sunday night and went out Monday night for groceries and needed supplies. I said to Brian, "Umm, the Halloween party is on Thursday, and Adam still doesn't have a costume. So, what'll it be: Peter Pan? Or a pumpkin?" Brian picked a pumpkin, so we bought some orange flannel and green felt and on Tuesday, I created a masterpiece. The lady at the cutting counter asked, "So, are you one of those people that can see something and then make it without a pattern?" Ha! Yeah right. I almost always use a pattern! But I figured a pumpkin couldn't be too hard...so I made my own pattern to fit Adam and created his costume. His hat looks just like Robin Hood's. Maybe he'll be Robin Hood next year and I can use the same hat. Anyways, here's our little pumpkin. And in case you're curious, it's a little dificult for him to crawl in it, due to it's puffiness, but he can do it--he's determined.

We're Moving!

It's finally happening! We close on our house on Friday and we move in on Saturday. We did the final walk through yesterday and I just got so excited that we are going to have our own house and I love the house! Yay!

Adam had peas for the first time this past week and I thought I would post a picture of his face. Sadly, it just doesn't convey Adam's first feelings toward peas. Today he ate up his peas so quickly you would think I added sugar (I didn't), but I did mix it with cereal, he likes it better that way. We'll be trying carrots when we get to the new house.

Adam had his 6 month check-up on Monday. He's had a cold for a few days and I've had to suck out his little nose just so that he could breath (it's awful!). Come to find out my poor little Adam has an ear infection in both ears. The doc gave us some antibiodics for him. They flavored it, but he still doesn't like it. He loves Tylenol, though. Silly boy. Our little Adam measured at 27 inches long and 18 lbs. 9 oz. Basically still 75th percentile all around. So, bigger-than-average boy. I asked about the spit-up and was told there's basically nothing we can do. We could try a medication, but it would help with frequency or amount, it would just make it less painful for Adam (which he doesn't seem to mind spitting up anyway). We'll just give it more time and see what happens. He's a big boy and he's really a good baby. We just love him! With his two front teeth he looks like such a little boy and not a baby anymore.

With the new move, we won't have internet for a while until we get it set up and who knows how long that will take. So, I will post again as soon as I can. Until then, you can call us--we'd love to hear from you all. Ha ha, random thought, I caught myself saying "ya'll" the other day...I'm picking up the lingo, subconsciously. It really is quite funny. We hope you all are well!

A Little Adam Update

Adam being silly with his pants on his head...ok, Mom being silly by putting his pants on his head.


Silly Adam again...he has these "chew toys" and this one is our favorite--bright green and shaped like an eight. They were great when he first started teething at around three months because his hand-eye coordination wasn't great and he couldn't hold anything in his little hands. But these were great!

Adam is now getting up on his hands and knees and attempting to crawl. He really just rocks back and forth, gaining momentum until he collapses on the floor. It's really cute! I'm not looking forward to him crawling though, because that means he can get places and get into everything!

Adam is eating solid foods! He says, "rice cereal is yummy...I'm so cool now that I can eat foods with a spoon like Mom and Dad. Look at me, Mr. Coolness." He really is growing up so fast! I'm reminded everyday of what a wonder children are. I watch as he's starting to "get" things. Like learning he can open his mouth and grunt and he gets another spoonful of cereal. Or when he realized Mom grabs his hand and says "no" every time he pulls her hair...so he does it again. Maybe Mom should just remove the hand and ignore it...we'll see. He's such a sweet little boy!
The other night I was looking at Adam and he reminded me of Carter. It's fun to see different similarities between Adam and his cousins. Thank heavens for sweet babies!

Fall Craft Ideas

So as Fall approaches, Leah suggested making fall crafts and was looking for some ideas of something fun and something cute. So, here are some cute ideas I found online the other day along with the links as how to make them along with pictures.

Fall Candle Holders: Cute glass candle holders decorated with leaves and foliage. Place a tea light inside and enjoy! Very cute.

Fall Wreaths: Hay wreaths decorated with fall leaves and acorns and such along with ribbon and pine cones. Cute idea!

Pumpkin Window Hangers: Cute little pumpkins made with craft foam. Just a little touch of fall.

Make Your Own Candles: Making your own candles just sounds like fun! Make them the color you want and add the scent you want in your home. Just neato-jet!

Halloween Candles: These are candles made with Halloween napkins and pillar candles. I also know how to "personalize" it. You can stamp (with rubber stamps) and apply them to candles to make cool creations.

Salt Dough Pumpkins: Little pumpkin patches made with this salt dough and green toothpicks. You sculpt them, bake them, then paint them. Super cute!

Acorn Pumpkins: Small pumpkins made from acorns--great idea for kids to make!

Just some cute ideas with fall upon us. We'll have to start working on Christmas ideas next.

Solid Foods!

We had a landmark experience this past week...Adam started eating solid foods! Whoa! We just started out with rice cereal, saving the yummy stuff for a little later. He did such a great job! The first few bites were spit out, but that's ok, he's just learning. Now he has discovered that when he wants more and Mom's not paying attention, he can open his mouth and grunt, and he'll get more. He's such a smart little boy. My baby's growing up! He's a little boy now! Oh, I can't believe it. Adam really enjoys eating his cereal so far, so we may try some carrots or peas this next week.

Adam spits up like Old Faithful. He doesn't just do it after he eats...he does it at random times all the way up until it's time to eat again. We've tried what the doctor suggested two months ago, but to no avail. We were hoping that with solid foods, he'd do better at keeping it down. However, no such luck. He still spits up his formula...and it's still happening hours after he eats. So, we go to the doctor next week and will hopefully get some help. Poor little boy. I can't imagine that it feels good. It smells awful, so I can't imagine poor Adam spitting it up all the time. He's such a trooper! And I'm continually amazed that our little trooper is getting hair. Now he LOOKS like a little boy!

Brian and I made our flight arrangements for Christmas this weekend and we are so excited to see everyone! I'm a little nervous about taking Adam on the plane...but we'll do our best. He'll just want to crawl around and I hope he doesn't cry a lot. We'll just have to bring things to keep him occupied. Since the website isn't wanting to download the video...I'll have to take some pictures of Adam at dinner time and post them. Hope everyone is well!

Let's Try a Video

Well, we're going to try a video for today. This is just Adam jibber-jabbering in his high chair one afternoon. His two new teeth are starting to come in more, so hopefully the pain won't last too much longer for poor Adam. He sure is a cute boy though.

Well, another adventure for our little family...the laundromat here at our complex is getting new washers and dryers! They were supposed to get them early this summer...but no luck. We were told they would finally be installing them this past weekend, so the laundry would be closed. So of course I did all of our laundry Thursday to ensure everything was clean and we could make it through the weekend. Well, Brian and I went and checked last night to see the new said-washers and dryers...but it's still closed with no idea of how long it will take to get everything done. Sadly, Adam is out of burp rags and if you know anything about Adam, it's that you don't feed him without a burp rag. Looks like we get to find another laundromat. Kind of sits funny with me that we now own a washer and dryer, but can't use it and still have to use a laundromat until we move in. Only 3 more weeks! Wahoo! Oh boy! That means I can do laundry at 2am if I wanted to! Ok, I'd never want to...but will probably need to at some point. Anyways, that's the update for today. Hope everyone is well!

Growing Up Fast

Well, Brian and I are not the only ones growing up fast...buying a house and household appliances and all. Adam surprised us yet again with....another tooth! That's right! Now he has a tooth coming in up top, on the left. I felt the edges with my finger and it seems like his other tooth will be coming in shortly after. Reminds me of...."all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth..." Well, son, you'll have your two front teeth for Christmas, I'm certain.


Adam is super excited about his new cousin! Hannah is absolutely adorable and Adam can't wait to play with her at Christmas! Brian and I look at her pictures and I realized, Adam was NEVER that small. But, Jon and Jennie having a girl (and for a first baby, at that!) gives me hope that we might have a girl one day. I love boys, but I would like to have at least one girl. But, we'll be happy with whatever we're blessed with.

I thought I'd put up some new pictures of Adam, since he's growing up so fast. Sorry, no pictures of the new tooth yet. It hasn't cut through yet and our camera's not good enough to get a good picture. We're all doing well and counting down the days until we move into our new house. Now we just need home insurance. There's much more to buying a house than I ever realized. Enjoy the pictures and we hope you are all doing well!

We found the house!

We are now under contract to buy a home. It has three bedrooms and three bathrooms. It has about 1800 ft^2 and was built in 1994.

The drive way goes down on the left side of the house to the basement level where the two-car garage is. The kitchen was one of the ares of the house we have been most picky about. This one has lots of counter top and cabinet space.


We think it will be a great house for our family.

Internet....well, no internet

Sorry everyone for the lack of posts lately. We haven't been able to access the internet...so I'm here at the city library looking up a talk for my RS lesson this Sunday. Since I can't find our Ensign, and our internet is down, we go to the library.

We all are doing well. We're still looking for a house. I'm convinced that since it's taking so long, the house we finally find will be a great one...you know, like when you finally find your spouse after a long game of hind-and-go-seek? Ok, maybe just finding the person who is supposed to be your spouse. But anyways, all is well and we're still truckin' along.

Adam is growing so fast! I think he might have another tooth coming in, but don't quote me on that. He just has a rather large bump in his lower gum that looks like his other teeth when they were coming in. He's a happy boy! His hair is starting to grow in a little bit thicker and I'm still excited! I am also thoroughly shocked with myself for getting such an early head start on Christmas gifts this year...actually thinking about what to get people and getting them started so we can do some homemade gifts this year. Woo hoo! This will probably be short lived, but it's worth a try.

Well, it's time for Adam to eat and our time is at an end at the library. But I must comment on our great week. On Saturday, Brian and I were able to go over a family's house (they are in our ward, or our church) and help weed their garden. They are a really sweet family and the wife hasn't been feeling well, so we thought it would be fun to go over and weed in their garden for a while. We had a wonderful time! Brian and I got to spend some time together working and we got a break from Adam while he played with the mom of the family. It was wonderful! Then on Monday, the mom had me come over and make salsa with all her tomatoes that were starting to go (they had to be used!). So I learned how to make yummy salsa and can it. It turned out great! Well, Adam is fussy and we need to go. Hope you all are well! We miss everyone! We'll try to post again as soon as we can!

Unwanted Excitement

Well, I just keep thanking Heavenly Father that we're alright. Monday night Brian and I left shortly after he got home from work to see a rocking chair a friend of ours was selling and then do some grocery shopping down in Johnson City (20 minutes away). Well, when we returned a little after nine I walked through our dining room and saw a dark spot on the ceiling and thought, "that's odd...I don't think that was there before..." So we put the groceries away and I asked Brian to take a look. The hole looked like a bullet hole, but seriously, who would shoot a gun in an apartment? Perhaps it was something else. We thought it strange, but went ahead and gave Adam a bath. During the bath, Brian called the on-call security officer. My uneasiness kept growing. The officer asked if we would be alright until morning, which NO! That's why we called in the first place. We didn't feel safe there and so grabbed a few things and left the apartment. Brian had noticed the door of the apartment above us was open and the lights were off. All clues led to unexplained weirdness. We called our good friends Leah and Evan and they let us crash at their house. We heard back from the office who said the guy above us was moving out and "dropped something" that went through the floor. Yeah, like a bullet? Maybe an arrow from a triggered cross-bow...but not "dropped."

Well, yesterday we were finally able to go and talk face-to-face with our manager. We were told the full story. The guy upstairs (we call him mustang man, he drives a mustang convertible and leaves the top down during a rain storm and doesn't bother to put it up when people take time to go to his apartment and let him know it's pouring rain into his car), "accidentally discharged a small caliber weapon" in his apartment (that's what he told the manager). He thought it just lodged in his floor. He said he was taking the clip out and had his finger on the trigger when it "just went off." Well, they came in a checked it out with the police and well, "small caliber weapon" just isn't what it was. The guy discharged a 9mm handgun which sent the bullet through his floor, our ceiling, our floor, the ceiling below us and lodged in the concrete under the flooring of the apartment below. Ahh! Terrifying-yes. The guy thought we were out of town on vacation or something, I guess we're super quiet neighbors for him not to notice us.

The good news is that we're safe, we weren't home when it happened. We left about 10 minutes before the gun went off. I'm glad it was just an accident because I was thinking this guy had shot his girlfriend or her dog that yelps and whines. He's not a very nice person from our experience. I hope he finds some happiness someday. But we feel much better that he has moved out and won't be returning. No more smoke! No more loud music that makes our windows shake! Yay! In serious reflection, I have suggestion. Having grown up with guns, I was taught how to handle them and the rules of guns and I also took a hunter's safety class. I think that before anyone is allowed to buy a gun, they should be required to take a gun safety class and present a certificate of completion before they can purchase a gun. I think it would help prevent things like this. Who puts their finger on the trigger when they're removing the clip?! Gun safety and common sense people...I hope he learned his lesson. I thought about what if the bullet had hit Adam or Brian or I because we're always walking through the dining room into the kitchen. I'm just glad no one was hurt, in our apartment or the one below us.

On a light note: Adam's getting bigger and his hair is starting to grow! Craig, we tried to get a picture of Adam eating his fist, but this is as close as he would let us get. I know he's excited to meet you! He's getting big and he's so much fun to play with!This is Adam after a bath. He just looks so adorable in his hooded towel! I just had to share!

Top Baby Items

So Brian and I were talking to Jon on Sunday (Brian's brother) and we got to talking about baby things. Jon and Jennie are expecting a baby in early September and they were wondering what things we found really useful. Well, as I've thought about it, I figured I would put up the top things that we received or purchased that we are really glad we have. Adam is trying to help out by pushing the mouse button as I type...what a helper! He's so curious about everything. Anyways, back to the purpose of this post. Here are the top baby items that we have for Adam so far.

Item #1: Car seat and stroller. We got ours at Babies-R-Us in Provo. I researched online for nearly a month, then we went to the store and picked up, carried, and "tested" all the car seats and then test drove all the strollers. We decided on the Chicco "Key Fit" travel system. While it was expensive, we found the car seat the most comfortable and rated #1 for safety by consumer reports. The stroller was the easiest to maneuver and I can also open and close it with one hand (it's great). We also used a coupon for the set we got from a diaper bag from the doctor's office (free, from Similac or Enfamil; they usually give them out at the hospital too). This set is great because the car seat clicks into the stroller for when they're tiny and it also has a base for the car (click them in and click them out...talk about time saver!).













Item #2: Diaper Bag. We got a free diaper bag from our doctor and also one from the hospital, but they were a little big for my liking (I don't like carrying around a bag big enough to pack my room in). My sister-in-law, Angie, had one and I really liked it, so I looked for one similar to hers. We found this one at Babies-R-Us (also available at Target). It's even neutral enough that Brian doesn't have any problem carrying it. It's about a foot tall, a foot long, and about 5" wide. It's just enough room to carry the necessities and a few "just-in-case" items (like a change of clothes).


Item #3: Burp Cloths (or burp rags). We didn't realize how much we would need these! We didn't want to pay $10 for 4 burp rags at the store, so I got some fabric remnants at the fabric store of flannel and made my own for about 50 cents each. When we moved to TN, a sister in our ward gave me a couple called "Oopsies" and I like them because they're thicker. So I made some new ones, with a layer of flannel between the two outside layers. They're really absorbent. Scott and Melissa (Brian's bro and sis-in-law) also suggested the microfiber cloths. Some people also really like cloth diapers. If you have a spit-uppy baby, as far as burp rags go--the bigger the better and the thicker the better. These are some that I made.

Item #4: Diapers! Well, in our experience of different diapers so far, I've found that I really like Huggies diapers. With Adam, he doesn't seem to leak as much in Huggies as he did in other diapers. From our experience, we used about 4 packages of Newborns (the first 5-6 weeks) and then went to size 1 for about 6-8 weeks. He's currently in size 1-2 but ready to go to size 2 or 3. You can buy a case of diapers at Costco or Sams Club for about $30 and it lasts us about a month. I wouldn't buy a case in a size smaller than 2...unless your baby is small. Adam was big and he's growing fast. A package of about 40 diapers at Wal*Mart runs about $11 for Huggies.

Items #5,6, & 7: Baby body wash & baby lotion, Desitin, and Children's Tylenol.
Body wash & lotion: We have really loved the body wash because we can use it on every part of Adam and it's fairly quick. We have also really enjoyed washcloths, it helps to get that spit-up that can get caked on their skin behind their ears. Adam has also started to enjoy "lotion time" after baths. He didn't like it the first 2.5 months because he would get cold, but now he likes being rubbed with the lotion after bath and before bed. It helps calm him down.
Desitin: Wow! This stuff works great on diaper rash. Our pediatrician also recommended it for some sores Adam would get from kicking his legs so much. Plus, it rubs in well and isn't greasy.
Children's Tylenol: After taking Adam to the doctors for shots twice and dealing with a very grumpy baby, I thought I'd try everyone's advice and give him Tylenol. Well, it helped him feel better and it made me feel better because he wasn't screaming so much. Check with your doctor for dosage.

Item #8: Baby Bath Tub. We received this as a gift from the wonderful ladies I worked with. It has been wonderful with Adam. It fits in your kitchen sink and you can also use it in the big tub. The top and bottom fold in and make it easy to store. The foam pad down the middle keeps Adam from sliding around. It's great for the first week when you can only sponge bathe them (because of the umbilical cord) and great until they grow out of it for regular baths. You can get this item for about $10 at Wal*Mart.


Item #9: The pillow. The brand named one is called "Boppy" and the one I bought was on sale at Joanne's for $10 and it's called a "Nuture Nest." Either way, it's great for when you're nursing or bottlefeeding so that your arms don't get tired hold the baby up. It's also great for tummy time and also for when your baby starts to sit up. I made the cover for our pillow (pattern on the packaging for the nurture nest) or you can buy them at most stores (beware! they can be expensive, that's why I made mine).


Item $10: Play Gym! My wonderful sister-in-law gave this to me at my baby shower and I didn't realize how much I'd love it. We use it all the time! Adam loves to grab for the toys and sometimes just look at them with the different colors. Now that he's learning to grab things, he's learning that the toys make noises. It's been great to have! When I want to take a shower and Brian's not home, I just bring the play gym into the bathroom and put Adam on it and he's fine. I also use it in the dining room when I'm cooking or we're eating dinner so that Adam can still see us. He's starting to freak out when he realizes he's alone and no one else in the room paying attention to him. Some people really like using a bouncy seat. We got a Papesan, but Adam doesn't really like it and it doesn't bounce, it vibrates and plays music. My nephew, Carter, really liked it. It really depends on your baby.

Well, that's it for the top baby items we've discovered in the last 4 1/2 months. These are just what we've found and enjoyed. Sorry it's so long!

Back to Normal

Things here in the Daniels' home are getting back to normal. I'm able to get around fine now and can most things. I still let Brian carry Adam in the car seat, since he's so heavy. Adam has enjoyed practicing sitting up and is doing better. It's fun to watch him learn how to balance his little torso. This is a picture of Adam sitting up in his pillow on his play gym. He's doing such a good job!

Yesterday afternoon we were sitting with Adam when we found a book that we got with a case of diapers (gotta love free books!). We wanted to see what Adam would do, so we gave it to him and he was able to grip both sides really well and he was fascinated by the colors and pictures. Let's just say Adam is starting young and gaining an early love for reading. Woo hoo!

This weekend we went with some friends of ours, Evan and Leah and Noah, to Virginia to a beautiful area. It's called Natural Tunnel and it is, as you guessed, a natural tunnel. No one knows how it really developed, but it's this huge tunnel with a sheer cliff leading into it. It just happens to be large enough for a train to pass through, so they put down railroad tracks and the train still runs through the two tunnels (one small and one gigantic) to pick up coal. It was a total blast! We even saw a black snake...kinda creepy, but still neat in its own way. I'll post pictures as soon as I can get them from Leah. We had a blast! You guys should come to Tennessee to visit us and see these beautiful places for yourselves, instead of just taking my word for it and admiring pictures.

Four Months!

Well, Adam went to the doctor for his 4 month check up on Monday and he's doing great! He's a healthy little boy...well, maybe little isn't the right word. He now weighs 15 lbs 12 oz and measures 25.5 inches long. The doctor said that he is 75th percentile for height, weight, and head size so he's a big and healthy boy. She even said that with his big brown eyes, he's very "striking" and "handsome."

Adam is grabbing anything and everything he can get his little hands on. He's currently grabbing the computer and keeps making the cursor move to a different spot while I'm trying to type this. Slows progress, but it's fun for him. He smiles a lot and loves to laugh. He's getting to where he doesn't like being in a room alone and will start kind of yelling when he realizes it. He also has starting grunting...little monster. He's such a sweet boy. He's even working on sitting up! Adam is very curious and loves to feel and hear many different things. I love this stage!

In the end of June we took a mini-family vacation to Roan Mountain. It's a "mountain" (a big hill, from the perspective of someone who grew up at the base of the Sierra Nevadas and lived at the base of the Rocky Mountains). It is right next to the Appalachian trail, bordering NC and TN. It's very beautiful and we loved all of the wild rhododendrons. Right after we started walking there was a 5 minute down pour where all we could do was hover under the rhododendron bushes and try to keep Adam and the camera from getting too wet. It was wonderful! We're having a blast and enjoying Tennessee and wish we could see everyone more often, but still doing well. Hope everyone is doing great! That's our update!

Chompers!

Since we are far away from family and friends, we thought we'd post a video of Adam's latest achievement, two teeth! He's getting bigger and bigger and growing up before our eyes. Enjoy!

Here's a picture of Adam's first tooth...it's a bit blurry because he wouldn't hold still and because our camera isn't very fast. I'll post a better picture as soon as we have one.

July's Update

Due to multiple requests, we are finally updating the blog...one step at a time. Sorry guys! Well, we're still looking for a house. Kathy's getting a bit, well, frustrated really is the right word, with the whole process. Mostly because they rule out 98% of the houses due to having no yard or being ancient. Every time we look for houses, we find the same ones. It's a slow and grueling process that Kathy has come up with a great simile for: Finding your house is like finding your spouse; you have to have your heart broken at least once and it takes forever to find the right one.

Brian's job has gotten more busy and while some things are difficult, he's getting the hang of things and we're all grateful that is able to work and support our family. Kathy is very lucky to be a stay-at-home mom for Adam.

Kathy had her gall bladder out last week. That whole episode started during her pregnancy with Adam and finally came to a painful end last week. She's healing well and getting stronger by the day. The ward has been wonderful to help out with dinners the first few nights and young women to come by and help with Adam during the day (since she's not supposed to lift more than 10 lbs. for 2 weeks).

For the 4th of July weekend we went Chapel Hill, NC to visit Brian's brother and his family (Scott, Melissa, and Enoch). We had a weekend filled with cultural experiences and fun. It was a great trip! When we got back, Kathy was feeding Adam and happened to look in his mouth and find...a tooth! Then a few days later another one showed up...he's not even 4 months old yet! So, little man has two bottom teeth. He loves to chew on mom's fingers, the burp cloth and the pacifier. We got him some teething toys, but he doesn't have the coordination yet to hold them still enough to chew them.

We're doing well and we're happy. We'll try and post a little more often...sorry for the delay. Hope everyone is well! Here are some pictures of Adam from the last few weeks. Enjoy!

On Burping

I have decided that burping is ridiculous! I am smarter than mom and dad think! I have it all figured out already and burping is not eating! Mom keeps trying to tell me about spit-up, but she is much more concerned about it than I am.

I have decided to take an active roll helping Mom change her clothes. I figure I should spit-up all over one on mom's clean shirt per day. The fact that my outfit is usually soaked by then is just part of the job. That way I help ensure mom wears a new shirt twice a day. I love my job!

Adam

I’m what you might call a casual eater. I like to savor the taste of my milk. Really, its better that way!

And by the way, all the people that say milk tastes better cold really don’t know what they are talking about. People should trust the experts, like me.

I think my next adventure will be to taste something my mom calls "Oreo" with my milk.

Hillbilly Central

We have arrived! Well, it really is not that bad, but we are having a great time out here in East Tennessee. Adam, the hardest one to convince, is really loving it out here! He is becoming pro at cooing and stinky pooing. At his last doctor's visit he weighed in at a whopping 11 lbs. 14 oz. and measured in at 22.5 inches (though it looks like he's grown longer than just an inch...and his clothes will tell you the same thing).

We moved into our apartment when our things arrived on the 14th and there are still lots and lots of boxes...some unpacked, but most still packed. Brian looked for over half an hour last night looking for the rice cooker...but to no avail. We had potatoes instead. Personally, the potatoes were great...even better than rice.

Brian is enjoying his new job and all the associated training. If you had any questions about how to avoid slips, trips, or falls in a work place setting, I am confident he would know. The first key is to not tie your own shoe strings together! Really though, many of the training sessions (in person or computerized) have been instructive and beneficial.

My new job as mom has been different than the old job as a teacher. I've found that I need a list and a calendar with different things to do each day. Otherwise, I don't feel like I've accomplished much after feeding Adam 5 times and changing 6 diapers while Brian is at work becoming an accomplished engineer. I'm working on compiling a schedule containing things to do for each day of the week...and THE list that I can check off when I get those somethings done for each day. There's something about checking things off a list that is so...uh, satisfying. :)

Well, that's the most recent update. And seeing as we don't have internet yet, new posts won't be frequent...sorry. But we love you all very much and will update as soon as we can.

Welcome!

Well, we've finally gotten into gear and put together a website for all you adoring fans of ours...well, of Adam's that want to see more pictures. Adam is the latest and coolest addition to our family. He joined us on March 21st and squeezed into life at a whopping 8 lbs. 7 oz. and is now, 4 weeks later, finally back to his birth weight. As most babies, he eats, sleeps, and makes wet and/or messy diapers all day. To our delight, he also makes funny faces and loves to snuggle with any warm body (preferably a person). He's content and happy to be here (as far as we can tell...).

Life is going well for the Daniels' family. Brian is graduating this weekend from BYU and we're both super excited! Brian doesn't have any more classes and homework and can stay home and play with Adam and I. I am super stoked to have my husband back and actually see him at night and even during the day. :)

In two weeks, the first week of May, we're being packed up and moved to Kingsport, Tennessee. Brian has accepted a job with Eastman Chemical and will be starting on May 7th. While I'm not thrilled that it will take 10-12 days for the movers to get our stuff out there...I'm thrilled that we don't have to move it ourselves.

Brian's sister is getting married right before we move, so we're lucky enough to get to see most of the family before we head out...we're excited to see everyone and spend time making some great memories and Grandma of course will take pictures (I'm so glad!) because if there isn't a picture of it, well, it just didn't happen. Looking back, it's true...I'm glad Grandma is so diligent at taking pictures so we can remember all the great times we have together. She's wonderful!

Well folks, that's the update for now. Hopefully we'll get another update either before we move, or shortly after when we get settled into the apartment. Hope all is well with you and that life is wonderful!