Stream of Consciousness Update

I have all these random things to say, so a disorganized blog entry is a good place to say them. First of all, Josh and I did the Dirty Dash! Anna did it with us and the three of us had such a blast. Anna even bought a picture to memorialize the event but she asked not to be posted on public places like this blog or facebook, so I did crop her out but only because I love her--not out of shame or vanity or some such nonsense.

The whole time we were there, we kept talking about how awesome it would be if Margaret had been able to do it with us. Team Grasshopper wasn't quite the same without her, but she was recovering from HAVING A BABY! so she was duly excused.

Let's see, I have here a picture of nutella-strawberry-banana-buckwheat pancakes. Josh and I make blueberry pancakes every week for Sunday breakfast but one Sunday we tried something different. They turned out pretty yummy, but I like Nutella as a dessert rather than a breakfast spread and the buckwheat texture is a bit too grainy to eat with something as smooth as chocolate. It was like mixing brussel sprouts with cotton candy. Different worlds.

Still delicious, though.

I'm steadily working my way through my schoolwork. I've got four out of five tasks completed for financial analysis and I passed the first task for leadership although I don't technically start that class until next Monday. I also finished risk management my first weekend back in school. Not bad for my first month back. I just really want to be done with my schoolwork so I can spend my free time playing with Scarlet. She could take up all my time if I let her. I wish I could let her. Hopefully I'll be able to knock out my MBA classes this term and be finished in time to participate in NANOWRIMO this year. I can't have schoolwork hanging over my head come November, so I just have to finish everything this term. I did 12 CUs last term, which is barely more than required. That means I have 21 CUs to complete this term, but I have to do it around work and Scarlet. I can totally do it. I think. I'll try anyway.

My family's coming up to visit me next weekend! I'm so flattered because there's no reason for it--they're just visiting. I love it so much! I can't wait to show them Scarlet's room. Her room is surrounded with books since that's where we're keeping our bookcases. Sometimes I go in there and sit on the rocking chair and just read while she's napping. It's a wonderful room. I love that she finally has a room of her own. It's done wonders for my sanity since her small sleep noises no longer wake me up all night long.

Last Saturday I was supposed to work on my school but instead Josh and I hiked up to Timpanogos Cave and took a tour with Scarlet. Scarlet cooed and talked throughout the entire tour, requiring Ranger Molly to talk louder to be heard over Scarlet. It didn't help that the cave was pretty echo-y. It was both funny and embarrassing. I proudly carried Scarlet up the trail (1,065-foot rise in elevation over 1.5 miles. Very steep!) I had to stop every two or three minutes because I was so out of breath. Josh kept offering to carry Scarlet, but I just really wanted to say that I had carried her up the mountain (Josh keeps referencing Holes and Stanley's relative carrying the pig up the mountain). It took 70 minutes but I totally did it. I carried her through the cave too but then I gave up and let Josh carry her down the mountain. Enough is enough.

I washed out my shoes thoroughly after the Dirty Dash but they were tight and stiff when I wore them on Saturday, so I rubbed quite a few blisters on my heels, the backs of my feet, and several toes. I even have a callus on one of the knuckles of one of my toes. My shoes had to be completely broken in again during that hike even though I'd had the pair for several years and have even run a 5k in them. I guess soaking them in the bathtub made them shrink up a bit after the Dirty Dash? In any case, my feet are recovering at the same pace as my sore calf muscles. What a fun Saturday, though! Afterward we went to the Kneader's about 7 miles away from the cave, but there was a line out the door (Highland's only Saturday-night venue maybe?) so we drove back to Murray and went to the Kneader's close to our house. Holy cow, that place makes some awesome sandwiches! I had only eaten breakfast there so I didn't know how amazing the place was until this past weekend. Wowza. We thoroughly enjoyed our sandwiches after putting Scarlet to bed. We watched a National Geographic episode on Netflix about hammerhead sharks (we are such nerds) and then collapsed into bed. Scarlet was kind enough to let us sleep until six a.m.

That's about it, I guess. A lot of random stuff, but that's sort of life right now for me. Lots of Scarlet and school and fun. I knew 2013 would be an amazing year, and the first half of it sure lived up to expectations.

Scarlet's Four-Month Check-up

Scarlet is four months now! It's crazy because I feel like I *finally* know what I'm doing with her and what she's like. I don't freak out about every movement and hiccup and frown and sniffle. Don't get me wrong--I'm a long way off from experienced--but it's nice to not be guessing and stressing out all the time. We sort of have a groove now.

So I took her to the pediatrician's for her second round of immunizations. She is such a trooper with those shots. The first time I took her I thought she would be traumatized and cry for hours, and then I thought I would be traumatized and cry for hours, but we both behaved very well. She cried for four or five seconds and then stared around. Today, she cried while the needle was in her thigh (less than two seconds) and then stopped. She is a rock star.

She sported these two little bandaids on her legs (I had to hold her legs apart to take a picture of the the two bandaids) for a day or so and the tiny scabs healed over in a couple of days.

The nurse came in while I was holding Scarlet and she asked if Scarlet was asleep. I said no, she was just cuddling into me. The nurse was so sweet and sort of gushed about how lucky I was to have a cuddly baby. Then she went out to get the shots and came back in after the doctor had seen Scarlet. The nurse asked again if Scarlet had fallen asleep. I reiterated that she was still just cuddling and the nurse started all over again with affirmations of my great fortune. I do feel lucky, though--cuddly babies are the absolute best.

In other news, the doctor said she can start being introduced to real foods if we want to, but Josh and I agreed we'll wait just one more month. It'll be amazing to not have to get everything done in two-hour increments in between feedings, but she's just way too young to think about weaning her off nursing entirely. When she is five months, we'll start trying her out on some fruits and vegetables for fun. The doctor said when we pick a food we should let her body adjust to that one food for a few days before trying a new food item. By that measurement, it'll take her like a month to try five new things, but that's okay because she'll probably be nursed for at least another six months anyway. We can take it slow with the food things.

She's now too big for her 1-3 month clothes and I'm devastated. When did she get so big? Will she really never fit into that adorable dress again? My heart is broken and my only consolation is that she has some pretty cute clothes lined up for the next segment of growth as well. There's just so much to look forward to with this baby!