Many times I have been caught in the trap of thinking "When I graduate from college, life will be so much better" or "When I have a different job, everything will be great." After often thinking things like this, I heard or read some where that you need to live in the moment. Don't say "I'll be happy when..." just be happy now! That has always stuck with me over the past few years and has made me look at things differently. Sure there are things I look forward to in the future...more time with babe dad, a garbage disposal, having a dishwasher, not having to go outside to get to our washer and dryer, a real couch that will fit through a door frame, a shower that's bigger than a refrigerator box...but I love, absolutely LOVE the simplicity of life right now. I enjoy our lack of closet space because it makes it so easy to not buy more stuff. We want for nothing. I love not having money (besides loans :) because I just don't shop, or plan trips, etc. This is a new concept for me and I was nervous about the very tight budget. It's opened my eyes a lot though. We are keeping it simple and it's nice and very refreshing.
I also love this quote that a friend recently sent me:
Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: 'The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.'

I really can't believe that after "one more bedtime" (as I tell Caroline each day as we count down) my sisters will be here! There was talk of a visit in the Spring, and it is definitely not spring here in Concord, but they arrive tomorrow! Maybe I'll have a baby every winter. We have missed them so much and I truly can't believe they are coming.
Corinne has 4 darling boys that I can't believe she is leaving for this trip. She can't bear to be away from them. She is the best mother and I learn a lot from her on how to parent. I admire how patient she always is with her four rambunctious boys. They are always doing something fun and when we were in Utah we loved going along. She's a spazz and we definitely have that in common. She can make all of us siblings laugh by her craziness.
Erika is the major brain of the family. She is a pharmacist and I swear she became one with ease. We have had many exciting adventures together. We lived in Africa for a couple of months and bonded eating snail, showering in the rain, walking from village to village, and helping Erika get over illness. We backpacked through Europe with friends which was bliss. The hostels seemed like 5 star hotels after being in Africa! Erika is also naturally very athletic. Adam and I joined her two summers ago to run the 188-mile Ragnar relay. We were so glad she set it all up!
I've always wantedto be like them in so many ways. Oh I heart them and am very touched that they are coming to visit!

I love being 7 weeks old

I love being swaddled
I love to eat every three hours
I love slurping down the milk very quickly
I love sleeping 4-5 hour stretches at night
I love making the sweetest cooing sounds
I love trying to smile and have smiled twice...and melted my mom's heart
I love laying "punch drunk" in mommy's arms after my afternoon feeding
I love my Burt's Bees Baby Bee lotion for my sensitive face
I love my white noise cd
I love that my sister tells daddy to "Kiss Olive before you leave" when he goes to school
I love when Caroline loves me and kisses me, and I also love when she gives me some personal space back
I love that I have had so many Utah visitors and can't wait to meet my aunts next Thursday, and then see Grandma Mary and Grandpa Wayne
I love to strike glamour poses

Dance moves?

(Warning: You may get motion sick from watching this footage)
I know you will all be wondering, "Where does she get those great dance moves?...it must be Andrea." Yes, well we all know the truth and remember the time I was called up on stage at the Samples concert and bobbed up and down, looking oh so foolish. Caroline is dancing all day to this loud, yet quite catchy, play it over-and-over again tune (thanks Mechams, really she LOVES it!) I catch Adam singing the tune while cooking, shaving, etc. This is to put a smile on the grandparent's faces, please note the hip action.

Goodbye tears

I try to be a positive person, but I have to be honest here and say that the past few days have been filled with tears (both Olive's and my own). There is nothing worse than not being able to soothe and comfort my little girls. Over the past few weeks, I have been truly baffled at what seemed like such discomfort for Olive. A million questions have run through my head...
Is she still hungry? (right after I feed her)
Is she poopy? (no, just changed the diaper)
Is my milk supply low, bad quality, is it something I ate?
She must be tired?
Gas? Upset tummy?
Is she in pain? Then my mind goes wild...bowel obstruction? (no she's pooping)
As a nurse, I just tend to look for symptoms and identify a cause.
Is it colic many have asked? Well, here is ignorant me not really thinking colic was a valid answer. I was thinking it was a catch all for all problems.
A little reading about the nature of colic and how to deal with it and wha-la....a very happy baby who is sleeping soundly right now.
After expressing my discouragement to my hubby, he secretly did a little research online, and put "The Happiest Baby on the Block" on hold for me to pick up at the library today. We had previously heard of the 5 S's to help calm a baby:
Swaddling
Side/Stomach
Shhh
Swinging
Sucking
But what I didn't realize was that there was an order that helps calm a baby right down, and even more so, a colicky baby with an intense temperament. The book cites 10 Universal facts about colic. It was very comforting to read them and realize I that this is likely what has been going on.
It's only been half a day, but I am really hopeful. Things went surprisingly well using the tips and tricks I learned and I hope it continues.

Happiness is...

While Grandma and Grandpa B were here, they went with Adam and Caroline to White Park to go sledding. There was a beautiful fresh blanket of snow covering Concord so it was a perfect day to go. Caroline loved making snow angels, being buried in the snow up to her neck, riding down the hill, eating it, and as you can see in the video..rolling in it. As Caroline rode through the fresh powder she would say, "Clouds, clouds, clouds." Adam said she had no fear of the cold. She would take her gloves off and dig her hands into the snow to get handfuls to eat. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for getting such great pictures and video so I could enjoy the outing from home. Olive and I stayed home and spent time together making homemade pizza for lunch, we had a lovely time as well.
Adam's parents have been gone a while now and oh how we miss our house elves that would have the kitchen clean after meals and make Caroline crowns and keep her fully entertained while I would be tending to Olive. We do hope that all of our visitors backs have or soon will recover from sleeping on the futon :). We love and miss you all!
p.s. Also let it be known that Adam returned to school today, therefore I was home ALONE with the two little ones. All I can say is, the house is still standing and we are all alive, it was a pretty good day. Reality is here and I think I can do this!