Addendum?... update?... or something.

It's late. I'm dreading going to bed, though, because it's just awful lying there wanting to sleep and not being able to. So I've been reading my older blog posts. And I just have to say something.

I am immensely grateful that colic is over. A lot of my whining was due to the inevitable 3 to 4 hours of screaming that my husband and I faced every single evening. This is not Lincoln's fault, of course. The poor little darling didn't CHOOSE to have colic. Believe me, no one would! But it was a challenge for our *very* newly formed family. Add to that my inability to sleep (sometimes due to insomnia, sometimes to mothering a baby), and you have an overwhelmed woman.

But my boys and I are doing quite well these days. My husband amazes me each day with his growing patience, kindness and maturity. Our baby is happy, healthy and so adorably sweet. And I thank God for both of them.

Lazy Sunday

We really have the knack for slow, relaxing Sundays. They happen quite often. Because I had a lot of trouble sleeping last night (more than usual) Tyler played and laughed with Lincoln while I slept in.

Then we munched on fresh strawberries. Lincoln made most of this mess with his mesh net (a really cool invention that allows babies to safely enjoy foods that pose potential choking hazards) but for the pictures I just handed him a whole strawberry.

And then, Tyler hung out with his boy some more while I studied. This semester is going to be very enjoyable, as long as I am diligent with my MANY readings. ;-) The two of them went for a walk. But about 20 minutes into it, I received a call from Tyler, saying there were free plants outside a house a few blocks away. I've been wanting more greenery in our apartment, so I drove over and hauled away these babies!

I think a cat got a hold of this one. A few of the leaves had hair on it, and the trunk is scratched. I'm not exactly sure what kind it is... The leaves are succulent like our little jade plant, but they are also smaller. I know for a fact that I have a few "ghost followers," so if any of you have an idea of what this is and how to take care of it, I would love some tips!

This one is obviously a pot of cacti. A cute adornment for the windowsill!

Now I am going to delve into my books once again, while Tyler bakes some cookies. (Yes, we have been trying to eat healthier... but I have the most vociferous sweet tooth you can imagine, and Tyler offered so... I couldn't refuse.)

He sounds like heaven.

Only God could have created something as perfect as a baby's laugh.

Blah-blah is Evil

There is a man I dislike. Quite a bit, actually. But I'm going to do him the favor of changing his name slightly in this post. Lets call him Joe Blah-blah. So, Professor Blah-blah. Thankfully, I've never attended any of his classes. He makes himself known, though, and it's hard not to know of this man if you're a Mass Comm major at the University of Utah. In every single class I've had in the department, Professor Blah-blah has either made an appearance or been the topic of discussion on several occasions. For good reason, too. The guy is an ass, and I've told him so to his face.

Why all the hate? For me, it's personal. Long story short, he made me leave a computer lab during a pretty heavy snow storm, when I was 9 months pregnant. There were several empty seats, and he wasn't lecturing at the time, and all I had to do was print off ONE piece of paper to hand in to another professor (whose office was right down the hall). But because "This is not an open lab, young lady," I had to leave the building and find another computer lab, then trudge back through the snow to turn in my paper. Barefoot. 10 miles, yada yada. ;-)

Two semesters later, when he walked into the very same lab during one of my classes, I gave him one of my best glares and said, "This is not an open lab, sir." Of course he didn't remember me. He's a jerk on a daily basis, to many people. But I felt compelled to confront him about our little encounter, now that I was preggo-free and a little more emotionally stable. All the explanation I could get out of him was that he "has no sympathy for pregnant people." Awesome. Here's where I inserted my "ass" comment. I do have sympathy for the poor woman who was pregnant with him.

I'm not proud of my extreme dislike for Professor Blah-blah. After all, compared to the majority of the world's citizens, I live in a cocoon of wealth and safety. This man didn't physically harm me or anyone I love. He didn't cut off my town's water supply, inhibit my ability to find employment and provide for my family, or even infringe upon any of my legal rights. This is simply a petty, personal vendetta against a man who inconvenienced me once, while I was in a fragile state.

That being said, the following instance made my day. My mass media law professor began class yesterday by saying, "If there is ONE thing that you remember from this course-- If there is only ONE thing that you take away from the material I'm offering you-- let it be this." He then proceeded to write, in extremely large letters, across the entire whiteboard,

Blah-blah

is

EVIL

I applauded. In fact, I gave a teary-eyed standing ovation. Because I think I'm guaranteed a full-blown A++ in this course.

What can I say?

It's been a while. Hmmm....

Tomorrow marks the first day of my last semester. In just a few months, I will finally be a college graduate. ;-)

We bought a blender from Costco and I can make an amazing mocha shake. (mocha mix, banana, soy milk, almond butter and ice.)

Lincoln loves standing on his legs and walking around while I hold his hands. He sways back and forth, doing some kind of adorable dance.

I have really puffy eyes. I've battled dark eye circles for a while, but now my eyelids are swollen. The skin is red and scaly. Bad allergies? A symptom of the nasty cold Lincoln and I have? I don't know, but it's not very pretty. I look ten years older than I really am!

I like etsy.com.

My friend Traci makes delicious treats. Which I can't help but gobble up in two days, tops, no matter how much she gives me. Yum.

On a related and yet unrelated note, I love working out with Tyler. And then boasting about how sore we are the next day. ;-)

Lincoln has decided that he can't fall asleep unless something is covering his face. I put him down in the crib awake with a blanket and a couple stuffed animals (SIDS days are over) and when I check on him, all I can see are hands and feet spread wide beneath a blanket or teddy bear. If I weren't so worried about his breathing, I'd leave it there because it obviously comforts him.

I love this life.

Yellowstone (warning: lots of pictures!)

This past week Tyler, Lincoln and I stayed with my brother and mom in a cabin near Yellowstone. We walked the boardwalk around vivid pools and gushing geysers, spotted an eagle, elk and buffalo, and ate a lot of chocolate. Lincoln took his first boat ride and hiked (with the help of Grandma and Baby Bjorn!) to his first waterfall. There was a lot of driving, and my baby handled it all impressively. It was fun to hang out with the family! Take a look:

Cabin on Lake Hebgen:

Phase 10.

These chocolates were both full at the beginning of the trip. :-)

A mad game of tether-ball.

The beach and dock. What a gorgeous day!

Our awesome stroller, pulling its weight.

See? We're nice sometimes!

Silly Grandma. Didn't get in the water once!

And here's who baby gets his thunder thighs from. ;-)

Turtle legs!

My boys.

The mosquitoes ate us alive. Especially poor Evan.

"Hey Dad! That's MY hat!"

My mom, just chillin'.

It was a fishing boat that went nice and slow. (Which I appreciated. Not one for speed!)

At first, Lincoln wasn't so sure about the boat ride. But he warmed up to it.

Yellowstone outings:

I think the canyon is one of the prettiest areas of the park.

Hiking to the Lower Falls Lookout.

My little family on Artist's Point.

Me, my mom and brother Evan by the river.

Here's the happy crew!

We both drank a cup of coffee that morning...

The bacteria creates some gorgeous coloring!

Me and Ev.

Looks like a fake backdrop, but it's the real deal!

So inviting... I'd jump in if the water wasn't boiling hot.

my little trooper

He's getting pretty heavy for this thing...

underwater geyser

I love the turquoise pools!

And the green ones.

Over and under eager.

Checking out the lilly pads!

Thanks to my wonderful mother for making this trip happen! She cooked homemade meals everyday and helped us take care of the baby. Lincoln loved Yellowstone so much, he's been a crankpot ever since we came back home! So, I'm sure we'll be returning someday.