Babies shouldn't change your lifestyle, they should fit in yours.

Or something along those lines.  I heard that once.  The husband and I were talking about how we used to do all this crazy stuff.  Camping, Kayaking, going on random trips, hitting 200,000 miles on our car, decorated our giant, fallen blue spruce tree with lights, explored old mine sites for rocks, swim in gross ponds by our old house, dressing up as polygamists, taking pictures of asses, playing soccer together.  I mean, I haven't been to Ishpaming in a while. . .

Ya, we used to be CRAZY!

They say that babies shouldn't change your lifestyle, but it is kind of a life changing event.  I blame the fact that we haven't been doing our "usual" is because, well, I have been pregnant for 18 months out of the last 29 months.  7 months out of that nursing (Hoping to add 18 months to that stat.) 19 hours of that time was spent in labor.  Just this week I have caught poop (not mine mind you.) in my hand 3 times. I mean, having babies kind of rocks your world. 

Crazy.

Yes.

Now, after thinking about those lovely stats, I realize, that it's okay that we haven't been doing all the cool stuff we used too.  Babies are worth it.

Instead of camping out in the great forests, we now spend a lot more time in the backyard.

(Hali and her ever-never-ending awkwardness.)

It's almost the same. The Kona is still there, trying to steal the food. It's just now there is this miniature table to make things easier for her.



Plus a tiny person who feeds The Kona all the time.

Yeah, babies kind of rock.  

Sisters

I've been trying to make a big effort to get Aiko out more.  I realized that I am somewhat of an introvert, but she definitely is not.  She LOOOOVES to talk to people, watch people and just hang out.

We've been trying out all the parks around town too.  This girl loves to climb.  Sadly, her short little legs only let her climb so high.  People just gawk at her when they see her running around.

 

Swinging has become a new favorite.

Of course, when Auntie Hali comes round we have to do something awkward.  It seems it's a must.

Oh, and this is the car I really wanted, so I took a picture in front of it. 

I have a husband that does Graphic Design.

This would be like, maybe the 3rd thing he's done for me.   If you're married to a Graphic Designer, you are no stranger to the fact that in order to get your creative spouse to "design" for you, it only entails begging, almost crying, anger, excessive nagging, giving up, trying to do it yourself until he can't stand watching how slow you are, etc.  

You should tell the husband of mine how awesome it looks so I can get him to create other fantastical things for us.  

What is Memorial Day all about?

I was a little sad to learn that we would be out of town and I couldn't put my flag out.  Then I realized that I didn't know why I put my flag out.  That's just what you do.  Right?  

I feel slightly ashamed I had to google this. I mean, it's Memorial Day.  I  am very proud of my flag, I like being an American.  

I actually asked around why we have Memorial Day, was it a government holiday?  Was it the day to remember the dead? Why do we have it?  No one really knew exactly why.  

For the husbands family it's quite the occasion, they take the trimmers, gloves, and flowers and clean up all the family graves. Family actually travels to get to the gravesides. 

My family would go to the graves, if we were in town and go place the mums and water all the flowers.  Some of the family members are quite faithful about visiting.  There is even section of the cemetary where they used to bury only the Japanese.  It's quite a site to see. 

(Photo stolen from my sister)

But again, I never really thought about why, it's just what we did.  According to Wikipedia, I've found that it is federal holiday, honoring the American men and women who died during battle. American flags are placed on the graves.  (Not to be confused with Veterans Day, which is honoring all veterans.) Apparently, you can volunteer to place flags on some of the bigger cemeteries.  

But I didn't stop reading there.  There are many sections of information.  It talks about how it's a big BBQ weekend for people, camping, a day to mark the beginning of summer. 

No one really knows when the first I Memorial Day happened, buts it's a long tradition from the early 1900s. 

I noticed that my dad posted this poem, "In Flanders Field," which, I didn't know why either.  I found it again while reading on Wikipedia about Memorial Day.  It's a lovely poem.  

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow

      Between the crosses, row on row,

   That mark our place; and in the sky

   The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

   Loved and were loved, and now we lie

         In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

   The torch; be yours to hold it high.

   If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

         In Flanders fields."

So, while you celebrate with BBQ sauce and jello, just take a moment to remember.  Remember those who have died while fighting for us, remember to put your flag out, remember your loved ones and remember Flanders fields. 

Finally, getting it.

People always ask me if I can teach them to crochet.  Thing is, I had to try crocheting multiple times over 20 years to finally get it right.  I remember the first thing I crocheted...it was suppose to be just a square.  It ended up being some kind of trapezoid shape.  

Fast forward years later, in order to get it right, I had my mom sitting there, reading instructions with me and testing it all.  Even now, 5 years later, I still go to her to see what she thinks this pattern is saying.  It's crazy how there are so many different ways to write crochet patterns.  Everyone has their own way of saying the same thing.  I've made a lot of stuffed animals lately.  Only in the last couple months, and only making tons of these bunnies (here) have I figured out how to make my own patterns.  Like this little lady.

So, if you want to learn to crochet, maybe you should ask my mom instead.  Since, really, it took me over the course of 20 years to learn crocheting.   Good thing for moms right?

Aikoisms

I feel that this accurately portrays my little raptor baby.  (Previous Raptor Post Here.)  She's kind of crazy as of late.  I put her amber necklace again to see if it helped with her teeth.  Yesterday, I noticed she had two teeth coming in on the bottom.  Later, she screamed, rolled around on the floor and was decidedly unruly.  

Next day, we go to the store.  She doesn't want to get in the cart.  I had my moby on so I thought well, she technically could still fit.  So I put my tiny 19 month old child in the wrap.  All is going well.

Until she gets bored and then starts scratching at my chest and neck with her claws.  She gets distracted by some kids so I pull her out to walk around.  She's kind of learned to run too.  Why, oh why do we play that game of "I'm gonna get you, in gonna catch you?"  Obviously, we teach them to run away.  Then she starts picking up bags of things, jabbering the whole way.  I take one item only to take another from her.  Finally, I'm done with this game, so I pick her up.  On our way to the check-out she rips down a display of glow in the dark stars.  They all fall to the floor, one breaks open, and now we have 30 stars that I somehow have to pick up...and pay for.

 

As I pick up the stars, all the while Aiko helping, I realize that we are going to have to purchase these stupid things.  Thinking they were a dollar I felt okay, until I looked at the display and found they were three bucks.  That's just irritating.  

Throwing the child back into the moby we head for the check out.  All the while she has taken to screaming and flailing.  
Check out was long, I only had five items.  And of course, I had to "wait for assistance" at the self check out.  I played it cool and calm, all the while staring down people watching my crazy-toothing-angry-raptor-like-toddler.  

I know, I know, this is just the beginning.  She's not even 2 years old yet, I'm sure there will be more and more fits to come.  In the mean time, we'll probably only go to the store when she isn't teething or when her dad is home.

One month!

Our First Baby Animal Days!

  

"Neiiighhh!  Yay!  Neiighhh!"

Aiko was so excited, she screamed animal noises as we were walking into the field. 

 Then, we put her on a horse. 

(Little Jayden was a little concerned as well.)

The biggest horse they had there.

You can barely see her lip pouting.

Then she screamed.

Unhappily. 

The entire ride.

   

So sad.

  

The whole horse thing left her a little grumpy. 

She wanted nothing to do with any of the animals. 

  

Jayden loved them all.  Maybe it was because her mom could tell she didn't want to ride the horse. 

Adorable Goat...I mean, Auntie Mitsie.

  

These poor guys didn't move the entire time we were there.  It had just rained, so they look extra sad. 

She was still upset.

Yup.

  

Wouldn't even touch the adorable little bunny.  It literally just sat there the entire time. 

   

Aiko will have to take lessons from Jayden.

They had a sheep sheering show.  It was kind of weird, I felt that it would be a little traumatic for the kids.  Also, this guy explained that the brisket is the breast of the sheep.  I'm a little traumatized from that little nugget of knowledge.   Check out the "Position of Submission."

Yeah, it's weird baby. 

 

Proof for little brother that he was there too.  See his arms sticking out? 

  

Aiko finally started waking up from her little horse coma. 

She really liked watching the piglets. 

Which they were adorable.  They would run around like little puppies, playing and frolicking around.  Wagging those cute little tails.   

Mmmm, highly fried potato goodness.

  

It ended up being a lovely day. 

So glad Bree and Jayden could come with us!  Until next year Animal Days.