Maya 'N' Me

Our Lousy Weekend

2009-06-11T13:38:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I woke up and had the idea to go to my Grandparent's cabin on the spur of the moment. Reluctantly Jerms agreed. It turned out to be such a lousy trip it's worth documenting. We got a late start and had to stop so I could feed Harper mid-way. Maya was jabbering non-stop and it was pouring rain.

Finally getting there we walked into standing water due to a leak in the washing machine. After getting that cleaned up Jerms is tries to turn on the hot water pump & heater with the really crummy directions we were given. He is so mad I make fun of him by snapping photos (he will hate me for this posting this picture above).

That night Maya kept us up all night. Attempting to sleep with her was not a good idea. But the next morning there was a small break from the rain so we did a walk-about. Jerms and Maya found a huge moth, the kind with big blue eyes on it's back.

Harper slept great so she was oblivious to all the tiredness. After we all napped we decided to go to the hot springs before it rained AGAIN!

We loaded everyone up and I went to grab my purse from inside and the door was locked. All the doors were locked and the key was inside. A great debate followed about what "do you have the keys?" means and we chalked it up to the crummy locks on the door. The bummer part was that we used the spare key to get into the cabin so there was no spare key to find and none of the neighbors had one either.

After failed attempts to brake in now pouring rain and thunder and lightning we pack up again to go find dinner. Turns out a tow truck driver just happened to be at the cafe. He was having a bad day too but made some money off of us with his lock out kit. I had to talk Jerms out of driving home that very minute we got back in the cabin but we did pack it all up to leave first thing in the morning.

We were home by noon and couldn't be happier. At least we got some cute pictures/video out of it. We won't be going back for a long time.

2009-05-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

Partners in crime. Their "Wanted" posters would have completely different descriptions.

Maya has her little hands on all of Harper's essentials. I am sure this will be the norm from here on out.

Maya & Brooklyn R Buddies

2009-05-11T08:04:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn is Maya's little cousin. Little by on 3-ish months.

Now that they are both over 1 they are right in stride with each other.

I think it's safe to say they like each other.

And judging by these poses they will be a kick in the pants to watch grow up together.

Harper is 8 Weeks Old!

2009-05-11T08:03:00.000-07:00

More smiles and looking like Dada more all the time.

She is out of all her newborn stuff just in time to wear Maya's summer hand-me-downs.

This cutie-pa-tootie outfit is from Nana. Darling!

Maya's Earth Day

2009-05-11T07:40:00.000-07:00

This weekend it was finally nice enough to get the garden planted. Jerms built 4 raised bed for us in the garden that has been sitting empty for the last 4 years.

We started seed in a variety of different veggies and they were screaming to get out of their containers.

Maya has been very "helpful" during the process of seeding, watering and moving the seeds from the garage to the back yard each day.

She even laid in the dirt to make sure it was nice and soft for the seedlings to live in. Now that the seedlings are in the ground we are at war with the squirrels, birds, and dogs, not to mention my brown thumb.

After gardening we were so dirty we changed into clean clothes. I was feeling very close to the earth I guess and thought a tie died dress from Nana would be appropriate. Getting her to sit still for the camera anymore is impossible so this is as good as it gets. At least she is obviously happy.

Thanks goodness spring is finally here. We all (including the plants) were very ready for it.

The End of April

2009-05-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

Another month goes by and here is what has happened.

Harper is 7 weeks and has started to smile a coo!

She also had a big growth spurt that has left her much longer and sleeping much better (now that it's over).

Maya is getting more comfortable with her "big sis" role. Sometimes a little too comfortable.
Harper is more alert and really starting to figure out who's who in the family.
Maya is more adventurous than ever. Every morning she's ready to go outside rain or shine. This time of year in Idaho you'll never know what it's going to be.

She's also sprouting up, sprouting new teeth and sprouting an attitude. The "terrible twos" are definately approaching. I know she will emerge just as sweet as she started.

Sister Time

2009-04-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

I realized that I need to rename my blog to be more inclusive of the whole family but I'm out of creativity. Any suggestions?

Easter Success

2009-04-13T10:57:00.001-07:00

Maya's first real Easter Egg Hunt. It was a big success.

Decorating Easter eggs was a success.

Harper chilled out in her Easter dress.

Maya could hardly sit still in hers.

She could sit still to eat candy with intense focus. Easter candy was a success.

The picture with the cousins was a success. We had 3 cameras going just to get one.

How come Easter is only once a year?

These Days

2009-04-09T08:59:00.001-07:00

Maya is a cute as ever especially with her new "haircut".

Haircut is somewhat of an overstatement since I did it myself. I wanted to even things out until there's enough hair to merit spending money on getting it cut professionally.

This is about the best photo I can get of the two of them together. Never fails that Harper wakes up crying the minute I put her next to Maya. Then Maya looks at me a little freaked and says "out". I'm not sure cute sister pictures are in the near future.

Here is cute "baby sis" as of today. Her cheeks are filling out and she is smiling from time to time. She is still mellow and waking up about once a night on average. She's so cuddly I can't get enough of her buried in my neck.

Hi! I'm Harper!

2009-03-18T20:39:00.000-07:00

This is our new addition...Harper Paige Lanningham

Here's the story about her intro into the world:

We were scheduled to have her by C-section on March the 18th but she was squashing my sciatic nerve and I was in a ton of pain. Enough pain that the doc had me have it checked out on Thursday the 12th. When I went in we found out that I was mildly contracting but regularly every 4-6 minutes. When the doc heard that he scheduled me for the next morning to get her delivered. I was ecstatic! We showed up at 6am on the 13th and I was contracting every 3 minutes. It seems that Harper was coming on the 13th regardless. The surgery was pretty textbook with exception of a "true knot" in the umbilical chord. It's where the baby swims around so much it ties it's chord in a knot. Her time of birth was 7:52 am, she weighed 8 pounds 7 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. Of course we compare everything about Harper to Maya but all I can say right now is that the experience has been totally different but just as wonderful. We are over the moon that she is here!

Brinner

2009-03-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

I had to post a new picture really fast because seeing my crying kid every time I went to my blog was annoying me. Plus, Jerms says she is going to hate me one day for posting it. She might hate this one more when she's in highschool. This is not an intentional hair style I created but syrup from dinner that Maya's sticky hands made. A complete original work of art if you ask me!

Polar Opposites

2009-02-28T19:14:00.001-08:00

Maya's dramatic side. We were getting ready for a bath the other night and I was splashing the water to get the bubbles to foam. The water was too low but she tried her hardest to help me. In a flash her belly was high centered and she slipped face first into the tub. Lucky she wasn't hurt but I wish I would've had the camera the instant it happened. Her face was covered in bubbles and she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She settled for crying.

Today we enjoyed the sunshine. The weather was just cold enough for her to wear the hat Aunty Tammy made. It's actually for the new baby but as you can see we are going to get double the use out of it. We love hats!

2 Preggos & 2 Skinnies

2009-02-18T12:10:00.000-08:00

Here are my peeps. On my right is Michal from Portland, on her right, Tammy from Bozeman, and to her right is Carmen from down the street. We all go WAY back, like Jr. High/High School. Tammy and Michal both have family here but it's been two years since their trips were able to coincide until last week. By the end of this year we will have 7 kids between all of us. The fun just keeps growing. Love ya girls!

My Trouble Maker

2009-02-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

Last week while I was back in the bedroom the toddler sounds came to a halt. I just knew Maya was getting into something she shouldn't. I snuck down the hall and this is what I found.

It was so sweet seeing how she climbed up in the chair on her own with a book and was so intent on it. I just watched and watched and then didn't want to the moment to end so I snapped some pictures.

I feel bad for assuming that she's going to be naughty any time I turn my back. I guess that's my cue to let go a bit. I have a great kid.

Dad Time

2009-01-24T19:39:00.001-08:00

When Jerms babysits we always end up with funny pictures. Here's a few recent ones.

Here Maya's eyes look like they are changing from blue to some other color, but today they look totally blue. I don't know what it is going on with them. You can also see her new teeth and swollen gums. She's being very sweet considering that HAS to to hurt.

Peanut Butter and Jelly could not be more fun anywhere else.

Still cheeks of plenty.

Jerms loves taking pictures of Maya's wild and crazy hair at the end of the day. He has all sorts of names for her, Phyllis Diller, The Cure, etc. She keeps us smiling.

Real Sledding

2009-01-16T19:51:00.000-08:00

This is what we did today. A beautiful sunny day hiding above the cold, grey, polluted valley. We parked at a turn out and gave our new sled a test drive.

This is us getting going after PB & J's, tears, boogers, and ditching our coats, hats and mittens. It was soooo warm!

Finally, a smile after giving Maya the reins.

Here we are really getting the hang of it. Each time she got a longer and longer ride.

This was a big hit, laying down in the sled on the way back to the car.

This is our trip home.

Ghetto Sleddin'

2008-12-31T12:47:00.000-08:00

I don't know why we didn't get Maya a sled for Christmas since it was such a white one but we made do with what we had lying around the garage. It makes my back ache just watching Jerms push her like that and she thought it was great.

Ahhh Christmas Time!

2008-12-27T15:16:00.000-08:00

Sick of Christmas shopping we goofed off in the store instead. Nobody was lucky enough to get this hat for as gift. Maybe next year...
Waking up Christmas morning. Not looking too impressed with being awake and her hair is still in pigtails from Christmas Eve. Oops.
Elmo Live showed up and to Maya's surprise he moves like crazy and is very loud. She was pretty hesitant at first but now he's just part of the family.
Photo op with the cousins before present destruction. I don't think any of the kids are lacking in gifts.
Momo's tradition of reindeer antlers and Santa's hats to open up presents in.
Brook and Maya got matching babies. They both sat down and played like little mommies. Pretty smart for their age.
Half the morning Maya had her new "cell phone" attached to her ear. She could tune out all the other distractions to have a very intense conversation with someone. Hopefully it wasn't' a boy!
We finally got Maya in some snow clothes. Much like Randy in the Christmas Story she had very limited in mobility. She fell over a couple of times and couldn't even sit up.
We finally got some fresh air and what was left of the sunshine. It was still stinkin' cold though.
A wonderful white Christmas is what we had with lots of family for many days before and after. We are so blessed to have our lives filled with family and good friends. We hope everyone had a great day and wonderful year to come!

Christmas Card Rejects

2008-12-15T10:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we tried to take Maya's picture for our Christmas card. Let's just say that getting our crazy dogs (see Maggy below) to sit and stay is 10 times easier than a 17 month old! We did get some good ones but these are the cute ones that didn't make the cut.

Polling Results

2008-12-13T20:32:00.000-08:00

Thanks for taking my poll friends! I remain victorious! Since the poll I've been compiling opinions, stories, strategies and tips of how other people have transitioned their babies from cribs to beds. I'm thinking that after the holidays we will give it a try and if it just isn't going that great we will wait until the new baby comes and is sleeping thru the night. I decided not to put too much pressure on us to get it done before the baby comes but it would be nice.

I Made Something-Amazing!

2008-12-06T21:06:00.000-08:00

Today I finished a project! Amidst some family drama this kept my mind occupied all day and into tonight. This will be Maya's blanket for when she moves into her toddler bed. The jury is still out on when that will take place but at least she'll be warm when it happens. Let's take a poll!

I'm hoping that Maya doesn't reject it altogether because of her extreme attachment to the blanky Aunty Tams made. The wonderful little thing is going to have to retire one day to the baby box. It's very loved and it's showing!

The owls are a tribute to my hubby and Grandma, they both have a fondness for them. Maya is now understanding the difference between birds. She says owl, chicken, and "caws" when she sees crows. Her Grandpa Jay taught her that when you see quail you go "bang bang!" Silly guy! They are too cute to shoot so you just feed them lot's like Momo so they get nice and fat.

Not Much New

2008-12-05T09:06:00.000-08:00

With this time of year there is lots going on but lately snapping pictures of all that stuff hasn't managed to happen. We didn't take one single Thanksgiving picture but did get a couple of the tree lighting at the Grove. A little lack-luster if you ask me but Maya had a good time listening to the singers and playing with the candles. Can you believe they let that many small children play with fire?

Cool and Not Cool

2008-11-22T10:31:00.000-08:00

COOL...Maya enjoying a little Sesame Street on the computer with Mom. She's pretty cute how she says "Elmo" and really cute when she dances along with him and his friends. Random note: See how she's already mastered my fake smile. And her teeth must be coming in. See the drool stain?
SO NOT COOL... this is what Jermy found in the garage this morning. Yuck, yuck, yuck! Last time I saw a black widow was last summer outside in one of our basement window wells. When you see 'em they are definately memorable because your freaked out for the whole day.

Celebrity Collage Humiliation!

2008-11-19T19:15:00.001-08:00

http://www.myheritage.com/collage

I saw this widget on my friends website and since I took a picture today of my new hair color to send to my girlfriends I thought I might as well try. Nice that there is only one brunette.Well there was one more-Daniel Day-Lewis-thanks a lot! Hope you get a good laugh...

Halloween and Before & After

2008-11-01T15:23:00.001-07:00

Halloween was great this year! Maya loved her pumpkin and didn't fuss about wearing the costume. I forgot the nose paint but considering all we did that day I think that's a minor oversight. The skunk costume has a perfect tail that swayed side to side as she waddled around. Super cute! Today we raked leaves and it was sprinkling so we put Maya in her oversized rain coat. She didn't seem to mind a bit. More waddling cuteness.

Girl Power!

2008-10-31T12:48:00.001-07:00

That's right! Our suspicions were correct. We are having a girl! She was very cooperative giving the tech very good poses and she had all the important parts and pieces. We are so blessed to have 2 healthy kids!

So now we have a night of trick-or-treating ahead of us which means I am going to need a nap. Hope everyone has a fun safe Halloween!

The Time Has Come

2008-10-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

Maya is officially a walker! It started yesterday when my mom took Maya to my Grandma Mabel's for a visit. Nana got lots of video for us since I was at work and Jerms was hunting. This one is from tonight in her cute pj's. I guess life as we know it is forever changed!

Perfect Day for a "Punkin" Patch

2008-10-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

Maya's first hay ride to the pumpkin patch. She had a blast and so did we!
Miss Jabberjaws can say "punkin, punkin, punkin...." over and over and over and while we were there she counted to two.
Jerms packed out the biggest one he could carry. You get more for your money that way. Which is shinier the pumpkin or his head? Ha Ha!
Maya picked out a perfect white pumpkin. They said kids have to carry out there own pumpkins but since she can't even walk yet they let us off the hook. See next year punkin patch.

What a difference a year makes!

2008-10-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

Maya at 1 week.

Maya at 1 year. Don't I look pregnant? ;)

Happy Sleeping!

2008-10-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

So, here's the Wednesday night dinner scene. My mom cooked for us and stayed for dinner. We are all at the table and Maya starts trying to put her head down on her high chair and saying "night-night". We laugh and go on eating. Soon she's frustrated and saying "night-night", "Bye-Bye" and "Blanky". So finally we get the point...she was wanting to go to bed...at 6:30! Sure enough we put her to bed and she fell right asleep. Why do I find this significant? Because she is 15 months old.

I attribute this to the book "On Becoming Babywise" by Gary Ezzo. We have friends that have used this book and say their kids ask to go to bed but I didn't really think it would happen to us and so soon. If you don't know the theory behind Babywise I would sum it up as a guideline to establish healthy sleeping habits based on the order of sleeping, eating, and being awake. The only frustration I have about the book is how misunderstood it is and that every mother in the world doesn't know that it is an option. However it's more frustrating hearing how lucky you are that your baby slept thru the night at eight weeks and knowing that it wasn't luck at all. Where we are lucky is that we know people that used the program and saw it work long before we had Maya.

Is this our stubborn child?

2008-09-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

Today was my 14 week apt. As with my last apt. the doc could not find the heartbeat with just the sound machine (I have no idea what it's technical name is). So off I go to have another ultrasound and everything is A-ok! I'm 3 for 3 on having ultrasounds with my apt.'s and the next apt. is the big ultrasound where we find out the sex. Right now doc says the heart rate is in between a boy and girl at 150. Hmmm, hopefully that doesn't mean we get both sexes in one child...I don't know the technical name for that either but I'm betting it's a girl. So here's the pics from 6, 10, 14 weeks. You might have to double click on them to enlarge them since they are so tiny.

Carmen Is Almost Old

2008-09-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday Dear Carmy,
Happy Birthday to You!
Sorry you have to spend the day is school, but I hope you get a nice present from your hubby and that Vera is extra sweet today! Our gift to you is some pictures from about 10 years ago. Oh how things have changed! Here's my theory on growing old: You aren't old until you have two kids. So Tams and I have ya beat so enjoy your youngness while it lasts. Love, Us

Future Librarian

2008-09-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

We always get asked how many words Maya can say but I never know the answer. She's always jabbering about something and really enjoys books. So I thought I'd document the words she knows before I forget. Here they are in no paticular order.

1. Mama
2. Dada
3. Doggy
4. Ball
5. Lights
6. Book
7. Ane (plane)
9. Ruck (truck)
10. Apple
11. Teeth
12. Boob (don't ask)
13. Bottle
14. Blanky
15. Hi
16. Bye-Bye
17. Night Night
18. All Done
19. More
20. Eggs
21. Bum
22. Momo (Grandma Janie)
24. Nana (Grandma Chris & bananna)
25. Grandpa
26. Juice
27. No-no
28. Becky
29. Cheese
30. Bike (Jerm's Fav.)

I think that's about it. She's probably telling us a lot more but we just can't understand her. Oh, but it won't be long and then I will never stop.

Love Bug

2008-09-12T10:10:00.000-07:00

I love when Maya gets to discover new things. Sorry the video is a little shaky, it was hard to keep track of three moving things all at once.

A Little R & R

2008-09-11T15:47:00.000-07:00

We just got back from McCall. We figured we better go somewhere before the weather changes and we haven't been outta town since last November. It's nice going after kids are in school because it's not crowded at all. Maybe this will be our vacation week until our kids are in school. Anyway...we hiked.

And napped...

And picnicked at the lake.

McCall is just the right distance with just enough amenities. I don't think we'll be "roughing it" for another 5 years...too complicated. Carms, maybe we can make a tradition of taking the kids up there. Michal and Tams, you up for that?

Holy toledo it's been a long time!

2008-09-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

Hi out there if you happen to still look at my blog...I thought I'd add one of those baby widgets so I can keep track of how far along I am in my pregnancy. I think it's pretty common knowledge that I am pregnant so I'm not going to make a "Big Announcement" out of it. The way this pregnancy has gone is like the last..sick and tired of being sick and tired. But I think I'll be getting a reprieve soon, come on 2nd trimester! My due date was changed from the 20th to the 25th of March. Ya never really want to hear that your due date is later right? I'm sure he's prepping me early for what's to come. Anyway, on the home front Maya is days or minutes away from walking and her pretty smile now has 4 teeth, two top and two bottom. She continues to be a sweetie for the most part and always my good sleeper. I promise to post pics soon but I haven't been taking many pics because the camera is always missing when I want it and most of the time I'm just surviving to get thru the day. Jerms is mellowing out with freelance gigs and a thorn-in-his-side project at work got cancelled so that seems to have a good impact on his mood. We are headed to McCall this week for a little R & R. We're planning on bundling up and going for hikes and bike rides and hopefully some smores. I'll post pics when we get back!

Happy Birthday Vera!

2008-08-17T09:39:00.000-07:00

This is as close as we get to singing on the internet. We love you Vera and wish you lots of Birthday love!

Double Trouble

2008-08-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

I haven't taken many new pictures lately so here are some cute ones from Maya's Birthday. She is with her cousin Brooklyn who will be one in October.

I can almost here her saying " hey Brooke try this, it's really yummy!"

Weekend Away

2008-07-31T19:54:00.000-07:00

So...this weekend I'm in L.A. First trip away from the kiddo and it's going to be almost 5 full days! I'm going to a workshop for 22 hours of prep to take the NCIDQ exam in Oct. I'm figuring that will keep my mind occupied from missing my daughter and husband. I'm staying with my lovely aunt, uncle and cousins who are gracious hosts. They come with airport service and loaner cars :-) Gotta love family!

Sun Dresses for Summer

2008-07-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

Maya got this cute dress from my cousin. I think I've put her in it three times already and we've had it 2 weeks. I love that it's blue. Not too many girl things are pulled off well in blue. Good find Holly :-)

Typical Day at the Beach

2008-07-22T21:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if I'm the only one who does this but from time to time I find myself wanting to live somewhere else, primarily Encinitas, California. It doesn't take me long looking at real estate listings to ground myself and count the blessings I have here. However, the image above is what I looked at on a daily basis when Jerms and live there in our dumpy 400 s.f. duplex. It's ok to miss it isn't it?

Pimp My Pug

2008-07-19T09:49:00.001-07:00

What can I say? My girls have expensive taste! Maya loves this "truck" as she calls it. The dogs also found it fun and soon a war took place over the Escalade in the bathroom. Maya was crying, Violet was barking, and Maggy just growled with it in her mouth but ended up victorious on the couch. You go girl!

Birthday Yums

2008-07-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

I wish I could share all the pictures from the party but there's too many! I'd be at the computer until dawn. Here's at least what most people wanna see..the cake eating. Like Maya does with most new things she has to analyze them first and then goes to town. The cake was no exception! Thanks friends and family for loving her as much as we do!

Birthday Prefunk

2008-07-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Tasting our first Birthday cake batter. Mmmmm...

Tams, you would be so proud! No box mix and the cakes turned out!

Daddy Quote

2008-07-02T21:58:00.000-07:00

"This is the best part about being a dad"
(referring to all the nights we check in on her sleeping).

Her room is the hottest in the house and we have weeny fan in there that isn't quite cutting it. At least I know she's not cold.

You talking to me? I'll show you!

2008-06-30T19:23:00.000-07:00

Another side of our daughter. The video is crappy quality and I can't figure out why blogger won't upload my video with out me having to compress it thru iMovie. If anyone knows I'd love some help!

Saturday Fun

2008-06-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

Today we went swimming at Nana's. Then we followed up with a bath before bed time. Jerm's gave maya a "wig" and I blew it off for her. The far right bottom picture shows Maya's new bottom teeth really well but might be too small for the blog. I'm sure you believe me but I'm still amazed because they've taken so long to get here. Hope ya'll had a great weekend too.

Teeth Like Popsicles

2008-06-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

Finally, after almost a year Maya is cutting her bottom two teeth. Her unusual crankiness and waking up crying at unusual times are the wonderful side effects we have around our house these days. At least we can see the little ridges to know that this too shall pass...hopefully.

We enjoyed dinner in the backyard tonight and what better way to soothe teeth than popsicles for dessert.

Isn't Maya is looking much like her daddy these days?

We love B.O.B.!

2008-06-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

Recently we caved an bought a bike trailer for Maya to ride in. We went with a cheaper model because we figured it would do the job. Turns out it does the job but does it lousy. The old saying "you get what you pay for" is true again. So Sunday we ditched the trailer after maybe a mile for the old reliable B.O.B. Could I love a baby product more? It goes anywhere, Maya loves it, and when the dogs are spent from a day in the sun they can ride along too. Everyone is happy as long as B.O.B. is around!

To My Baby's Daddy

2008-06-15T13:32:00.000-07:00

Jerms I couldn't ask for a better daddy for my baby. Here's why:
You're the only dad that I know of who takes pictures of yourself and your daughter in the bathroom mirror.
You're the only dad that I know of who when puzzled on how to deal with your daughter you look it up in the book on your own.
You're the only dad that I know of who's mother-in-law thinks you make up excuses not to leave for work on time because you love your baby so much (I know the real reason of course!)

You never complain about watching Maya so I can do my stuff and your more patient with her than I most of the time. She thinks you are more fun too. I'll never forget this last week when Maya heard you walk in the kitchen door from work she looked at me, completely lit up, and said "da da, da da, da da" before she even saw you. I know there are more reasons why you're the best dad on earth but this is what I thought of today in the shower. What a lucky house of girls we are and we love you VERY much!

Yo Dad! It's your day!

2008-06-15T08:11:00.001-07:00

Fa-la-la! Maestro please...

Happy Father's Day to You!
Happy Father's Day to You!
Happy Father's Day Dear Daddy!
Happy Father's Day to You!

One Month Left

2008-06-13T09:24:00.001-07:00

Well, we have one month left until the big 1-0! I can't believe how fast the year has gone as cliche' as it sounds. Here is how Maya is looking these days. For her Birthday I think I will break down and have professional pictures taken. Trying to set up mock photo shoots at home by yourself is more difficult than it sounds and ends up looking totally amateur. Regardless of my lack of skills I think she's stinkin' cute!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

2008-06-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

Thank you Dryden boys for giving Maya this book. It has provided hours of entertainment for her. She "reads" it on her back, using her feet to prop it up or on her tummy so it's easier to turn the pages. When we first started reading this book together we'd go page by page and point to each picture and I'd say what it is. Now she just does it herself... in Maya language!

Our Goofy Girl

2008-06-03T20:58:00.000-07:00

Look at them blue eyes! And props to Aunty Michal's amazing knitting skills. She has this hat pattern memorized. She's no amateur! If only we all could be so gifted.

Here's one of Maya's many facial expressions beyond her endless smiles. It's one that has been hard to catch on film. Maybe Dad dressing her up as Little Red Riding Hood brought it out.

This is NOT a facial expression we like seeing very often but how can you not laugh at this? I guess she doesn't like Moms creative hair-do. I'd imagine this won't be the last time we see her crying over her hair. Ahh, the teenage years!

Modified Girls Weekend

2008-06-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

Our grand plans for a long girls weekend was foiled by the economy and life in general. We went from a trip to the cabin with 4 friends, 4 babies and 1 toddler to 3 friends, 3 babies and fun in Boise. Our missing person from this photo: Aunty Tams. We missed ya sweetie! We will definitely get a rebate! In the mean time here are a few pics from the weekend.

Once we pushed Maya's cheeks out of the way she was able to squeezed into Vera's life jacket. She wasn't too thrilled but Vera was a splashing fool in it.

Vera trying out Maya's raft. She's not only a water baby but a stylish one at that. Noah and her looked like a retired couple from Miami. SUPER CUTE!

This is a rare sight! Maya and Vera both looking at the camera at the same time, even smiling. They are going to teach each other so much and they'll probably fight like sisters. For now we'll cherish they're sweetness :-)

As much fun as we have it's hard to jump back into reality after weekends like this. It hits you right in the face that half your closest friends live hundreds of miles away and we have to work. One of us HAS to win the lottery! If only it were that simple. Love ya girls!

Ribbit, Ribbit

2008-05-25T21:01:00.000-07:00

Maya and I spent half Memorial Day weekend up at my family's cabin. Here is just a couple of photos of us on my uncle's newest antique purchase. It's a 1967 snowmobile. Isn't it cute? I think it looks like a red frog. The cabin is full of fun stuff like this. I have great pics of Maya with the rest of the family that I will post later. Happy Holidays!

Pug Tease

2008-05-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

Are we teaching Maya animal cruelty? I hope not but she sure thought it was funny. I must point out how nicely Violet sits. Next time you visit our house and she is outta control just give it a try. She'll listen.

Who is Spuddy Buddy you ask? He's a stuffed potato that Gus' won at Saturday's Famous Potato 10K race. Way to go Gus!

Baby Love

2008-05-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

You hug your baby on your ear right? Well, Maya does. She also hugs the remote, her bottle and now mom and dad.

Mother's Day Madness

2008-05-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

Starting Saturday we had lunch at my mom's with Grandma Mabel, Cousin Holly and Hayley, and Aunt Anita. We all agreed we need to get together more than just at holidays. Sunday we had Maya dedicated at church. It was very special having Jeremy, our preacher and the congregation pray for Maya and us as parents. I firmly believe when it comes to parenting prayer is the first and sometimes only place you can start, and the more prayers the better. Thanks to our friends and family for supporting us and keeping us accountable. After that we visited Grandma Clarice. Maya sat on her lap for a long time with out getting antsy and she showed Grandma how she's learned to kiss her baby. That lit Grandma up like I've never seen before. Our final stop was Grandpa's and Momos where we hung out and played until it was way past Maya's bedtime. My first Mother's Day was great and Maya was an angel!

Before and After

2008-05-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

About this time last year I looked like this...(yes, I know I'm huge.)

This year WE look like this. I must say taking the first picture was much easier with Maya still in my belly. This time around she was all wiggles.

Being in the foothills for me is a similiar feeling to living by the ocean. We live in a hustle bustle world but just minutes away is peace, quiet and great views. We hope to teach Maya to love them and respect them as we do. However, there are days that I would give anything to have both foothills and ocean but I will count my blessings daily.

Squatty Body

2008-05-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

I thought this one was cute of her short little body. She stood like this for a long time just jabbering to the world.

Say Ahhhhhh

2008-05-07T19:30:00.000-07:00

After saying it to Maya a million times one day she opened wide and said "Ahhh". Sometimes it's this face with no sound but you get the idea.

My New Favorite Thing

2008-04-30T19:55:00.000-07:00

Maya is really into standing up now. She seems to like using me as her prop and I love it. The kitchen counter is the perfect height for her to stand and be face to face with me. She wraps her arms around my neck and jabbers like no other. This particular night dad used me to play peek-a-boo with Maya, obviously after her bath. After giggling took the wind out of her she'd collapse onto my shoulder, her cheeks smooshing up against mine. I'm so glad there was a camera around to freeze frame this moment.

Ready for Summer? I am! I am!

2008-04-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

So, Friday Maya spent the day at Nana's house so Jerms could work from home. I picked her up after work and this is how I found her. My mom cranked up the heat in the house so she could play in her new swim suit until I got there. Silly girls!

I can only imagine what Fridays will be like when the pool opens up. I'm already jealous but....Fun-in-the-sun=tired baby=sleeping in Saturday! Life is good!

LOST Time Travel Theory

2008-04-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

If you're not one of my girlfriends you may not know that I'm addicted to LOST. I tried not to get into it but the dvd's kept showing up in the mailbox (thank you Jerms and Netflix) and I kept watching them. So now that I'm caught up I'm hooked. I must say it's frustrating at times because it seems to be dragging on forever but there are ways to cheat and get a little more insight into the confusion. If you are into it check this out if you have a good chunk of time. It's pretty interesting.
LINK TO TIME LOOP THEORY

Inchworm

2008-04-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

One more new thing we've got going on around here. Maya is getting rug burns on her forearms but doesn't seem to mind. However, we just found out, she does mind dumping the dogs water bowl on herself. Hmm...what will she be into next?

Yeah!

2008-04-19T19:09:00.000-07:00

With a nine month old things happens so rapidly it's hard to keep up with what's new. Before I forget, today Maya kissed me twice and she signed Milk in context. Oh I Iove my baby!

Stinky Face

2008-04-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

We finally got this on film! For a couple of weeks this face has been elusive to the camera. Don't ask me what it means but it involves exhaling thru her nose. It cracks us up!

Happy B-day Nana!

2008-04-14T08:57:00.001-07:00

Nana, for your Birthday I wrote you a poem ALL BY MYSELF!

Nana Banana it's your special day
I hope the tax man doesn't make you pay (tomorrow)
Nana Banana I love you in every way
I'll clap my hands, and click my tounge all for you today!

Love, Maya

Maya Belle or Mabel

2008-04-13T19:06:00.000-07:00

After a busy weekend it's time to chill out and blog a bit.

This pic makes me laugh cuz I think she looks like my Grandma Mabel with the sweater and the hat. If only I had a picture of Mabes, as we call her, in her similiar get up. Maya is only missing her cane :-)

The other ironic thing is that Maya's first and middle name spell Mabel. This is the clue we gave my mom so she could guess Maya's name before she was born. Aren't we mean? I didn't think she would guess it but she enlisted help from my Aunt and her friends so she cheated!

Getting to Know Me?

2008-04-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd copy my friend Michal and post this on the blog instead of doing the forwarding thing. Aren't you lucky?

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:15
2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds
3. Last movie you saw? The Kite Runner (the book is WAY better)
4. What is your favorite TV Show? LOST and Biggest Looser.
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? 2 Eggs & Coffee
6. What is your middle name. Christine
7. What food do you dislike? Anchovies
8. What is your favorite CD at moment? Nada Surf-Lucky
9. What kind of car do you drive? Subaru Legacy
10. Favorite sandwich? Pulled Pork
11. What characteristics do you despise? Competitiveness/1-uppers
12. Favorite item of clothing? Curvy Boot Cut jeans from the Loft.
13. If you could vacation anywhere where would you go? Indonesia
14. Favorite brand of clothing? Ann Taylor Loft
15. Where would you retire to? Costa Rica
16. Favorite birthday? None that I can speak of
17. Favorite sport to watch? Why watch?
22. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night
23. What is your shoe size? 6 1/2-used to be 6 until I had Maya
24. Pets? Two crazy pugs, Maggy and Violet
25. News you'd like to share with us? I'm running a 1/2 Marathon
26. What did you want to be when you were little? A vet.
27. How are you today? Mellow-Jerm's is working late tonight.
28. What is your favorite candy? Cadbury Mini Eggs
29. What is your favorite flower? Poppies or Gerbera Daisies
30. What is a day you are looking forward to? May 30-girls trip
33. What are you listening to right now? News
34. What was the last thing you ate? Cereal
35. Do you wish on stars? Only if I'm camping which is rarely
36. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Red
37. How is the weather right now? Breezy and nippy
38. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Jerms
39. Favorite soft drink? Diet Dr. Pepper though I rarely drink it.
40. Favorite restaurant? Mai Thai
41. Hair color? Brown
42. What was your favorite toy as a child? Legos, designing early
43. Summer or winter? Is San Diego an answer?
44. Hugs or kisses? Hugs
45. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate
46. Coffee or tea? Coffee but tea at work
48. What is under your bed? Leaves to our dining room table
50. What did you do last night? Gym and a pilates video
51. What are you afraid of? Maya or Jerms getting hurt
52. Salty or sweet? Sweet, definitely!
53. How many keys on your key ring? 4
54. How many years at your current job? 2+
55. Favorite day of the week? Mondays, my extra day off
56. How many towns have you lived in? Oh boy, in order, Boise, Great Falls, Meridian, Eagle, San Diego, Oceanside, Encinitas, Ketchum, Boise
57. Do you make friends easily? Yep, you can never have too many!

Growing Nine Months Strong

2008-04-08T19:19:00.001-07:00

Maya got this dress from Nana for Christmas. It was size 12 months so I thought it wouldn't fit her for a LONG time. Well I thought wrong. We have now moved up to the next category: 9 months old.

For this week we have a few "firsts" to report. No, nothing as exciting as crawling. In fact two "firsts" were bonehead manuvers of the part of her Mama. She got her first bump on the head. Nothing serious but boy did she scream the most heart breaking cry. She really scared herself more than anything.

Another "first" was at the grocery store (I'm sure all the moms are laughing at me right now). I saw from the corner of my eye her hands wiggling and low and behold they were touching baby food jars. Before I could get around the other side of the cart they dropped. Only one broke luckily and it wasn't a huge mess so I'm glad that one is out of the way.

Then she kissed her baby and a bear statue for the first time. We got the bear one on video so maybe that will be a future post. Stay tuned for the first tooth, crawl, walk and all that but believe me, I'm in no rush. I just want to enjoy each day for as long as possible.

Something to Giggle About

2008-04-06T21:17:00.000-07:00

This keeps me smiling long after my girl has gone to bed and I still can't get enough of her. Hope you giggle too.

Maya's Momo Time

2008-04-02T20:26:00.000-07:00

Jerms must have taken some pictures before he went to work one day. I thought this one was super cute. It's such a peaceful feeling when I'm at work and it's 3:00 and I realize I haven't worried about my baby once all day. Maya lights up when she see's her Grandma's and they teach her so much with out the colds and flu that comes with daycare. I'm certainly a very blessed Mama!

Hello Noah Geoffrey Schutt!

2008-03-30T10:07:00.000-07:00

Maya's cousin Noah was born the 22nd of February! 6lbs.6oz. Michal is a rock star a deliverer!

Nice to meet ya buddy! We're so glad you came to visit with your pretty momma for the weekend. I bet you're missing your daddy lots. You look lots like him.

I'm sorry I had to shove this camera in your face. You were so sweet to let me hold you and take your picture. I just couldn't help but share you to the world.

Here's all the "cousins" are together minus the Partain brothers. We sure miss ya. Noah was feeling all the estrogen around him and had to pass out :-)

Easter Parade!

2008-03-24T08:33:00.000-07:00

Baby's first Easter came and went without incident, just very busy. We packed our day full and Maya was a champ. We are blessed with family that love and spoil us, not to mention a God that loves us...the real meaning of Easter.

Here's a quick recap: In the middle Maya poses in her Easter dress.
From Top Left Clockwise-Maya's Easter excitement, Maya's ruffly bloomers, cousin Brooklyn so cute, Maya's only cousins, Nana Chris & Gus bring Easter to us, we pose quickly before a melt down, Maya rolls herself up in a blanket, Momo and Grandpa cook a great meal, Great Grandma Clarice shows off Maya to her friends, Maya loves the new dress from Aunty Becky, Jerms and Jamie share a cake since their B-days are 2 days apart, Maya and Nana play with a new hat. Phew! That's a mouthful!

Spring Swing

2008-03-22T21:24:00.000-07:00

You know what I mean...

Saturday we walked to the park with Dad. It was his first time seeing Maya swing. He took a million pictures. Here are four of my favorites.

The NCIDPoo

2008-03-19T18:11:00.000-07:00

Actually it's the NCIDQ, the certification test for interior designers. If I'm going to further my career I should have this under my belt and the sooner the better. I've decided to dedicate one night a week to study...for the next six months! Maya seems to be more excited about it than me. Maybe she can study for me and pass the two day exam. I'm totally procrastinating, hense this post. So I better get at it.

Mondays are good days

2008-03-18T20:03:00.000-07:00

After wishing Jerm's a happy Birthday we packed our day full. We walked with our friend Jen then took a drive to the country. Maya's great grandparents live in Wilder, about 45 minutes from Boise. Since we probably won't be able to see them for Easter we went to visit early. Then we came home to have Nana babysit so Jerm's and I could go out for dinner. We had a great time people watching downtown. Anywho...this is Grandpa Paul and Grandma Shirley.

Doesn't Maya look like a little kid? My BIG girl! She's actually standing.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

2008-03-17T08:47:00.001-07:00

Dad, for your Birthday I came up with this sweet serenade...

Dad, Dad, I'm sorry you lost your youth
For your Birthday I might get a tooth
Today I'll be an angel with no more tears shed,
And when you get home from partying I promise to be in bed.
Mom wishes she could give you a boys week of surfing
She says you'd miss me too much and you'd come home weeping
You are the best dad this world has ever seen
I can't believe you loved me ever since I was a baby bean.

Hope you have a great day! Love Maya

Sick of winter? So are we!

2008-03-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

Despite the nip in the air the sun was enough to bring us out of hibernation. Maya and I watched the dogs play and Dad do yard work. Hope ya'll were able to get out and enjoy the spring weather too.

Look who's topless!

2008-03-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

Before you call CPS all the parts are appropriately covered. There's nothing sweeter than a baby in diapers.
Maya playing hide 'n' seek with dad.

Weekend Update w/ April Lanningham

2008-03-09T17:20:00.001-07:00

Friday night was mellow. Watched a crazy documentary called King of Kong. For all you "retro gamers" out there this is for you. I think Dave Schutt comes to mind. King of Kong Trailer

Then Saturday I got a long run in. Can't say it was enjoyable but felt a sense of accomplishment in the fact that is was 8 miles. Isn't there a movie with that title? Maybe the soundtrack should be my "power song".

Later in the evening we went to Jenny's for dinner. Put the kiddo to the test on how long she could go with out a melt down. Great food and company and Maya didn't puke on Jenny, much to her relief :-)

Today the spouses were so gracious to babysit the kids so the girls could go for coffee! Notice the lack of kids hanging from our necks? Being women we caught up and planned two parties all in a four hour time span. Good thing we talk fast. We missed ya Tosha and Danielle. We were long overdue for some girl time.

Stay tuned next weekend for more updates from Lanninghams

Just a happy kid.

2008-03-08T21:22:00.001-08:00

It's not just play time anymore.

2008-03-08T08:27:00.000-08:00

I found these 2 pieces interesting. Press "Listen Now" to hear the original stories on NPR.
Old Fashion Play
Creative Play

Fartin' Contest

2008-03-07T18:47:00.000-08:00

This is how Maya and Nana spend their Fridays!

Moving on!

2008-03-03T20:29:00.000-08:00

I guess the 15 days of Maya is over since tomorrow starts my new schedule. I thought I'd document our first Monday off but it didn't work out that well. Poor Maya's allergies are flaring up and she's not feeling that great. She did help me finish up a blanket for a new friend, Baby Easterday. We had lunch with Jennifer, the new mom-to-be and Maya was a great sport despite being so tired. I'm excited to have another friend to swap stories with and her blog is sooo cute!
Peapod Easterday

Here's some photos from this morning.

My snowboard girl. Yesterday Jerm's and I went up to Bogus and I couldn't help stare at all the cute kids. I can't wait to go with Maya.

This blanket was problematic. I wanted to make the "softest blanket ever" but the stretchy velour was hard to sow. My best bud Tammy told me this but I didn't listen. She has way more skill than me at sowing so what was I thinking? I hope Baby Easterday likes to suckle it like Maya does hers, even if it's not the best craftmanship.

15 Days of Maya-Typical Saturday

2008-03-01T21:37:00.001-08:00

Visit from Grandpa Gene. Dad you need a haircut!

Friends John and Lisa came over for dinner. This is their cutie Alex.

After dinner play time with Alex. I'd say she's ready for a baby sister :-)

15 Days of Maya-Family Visit

2008-02-28T20:19:00.000-08:00

Since Jerm's went snowboarding tonight I spent some time "geeking" out with my photos :-) Maya's Great Granparents Paul and Shirley, and Great-Great Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Searcy came to visit yesterday (that's a mouth full). Maya showed of her rolling and dancing skills making everyone laugh.

From left to right, top to bottom:
Proud Grandma, scoping Searcy, giving Grandpa's hat back, reading books, picking Searcy's nose (I kid you not, she put that finger in her mouth right after), Rebecca's lovin', Maya's excitement, and figuring out Grandpa's buttons.

I'd say we're very blessed!

Mission Accomplished

2008-02-28T18:56:00.000-08:00

So this morning while I was waiting for the pound to open I decided to walk my new friend around the neighborhood to see if he could lead me to his home. The first couple of blocks were unsuccessful so I went the opposite direction. Before I turned the last block before heading back the only car I saw on my walk flagged me down. Turns out it was the owner! They were so relieved and so was I. After offering me a reward I told them the only thing they could do for me was get the dog a tag and a COLLAR!

We interupt Maya's photos to so say: COLLAR YOUR PETS!

2008-02-26T20:20:00.000-08:00

I am a bleeding heart. This dog is currently sitting in our garage hopefully getting a good night's sleep before, unfortunately, I have to take it to the pound in the morning. It breaks my heart to even say that. I nearly hit him backing out of my driveway tonight. He's super sweet but what owner doesn't put a collar on their pet? It's a pet peeve of mine. Many of you know a stray cat story of mine that didn't have such a good outcome :-( I beg you, spend the $6 to get a tag and save me the heartache!

15 Days of Maya-Photo 11

2008-02-26T19:49:00.000-08:00

MBL at 6 months. She's actually sick here. See the bags under her eyes? But she has barely enough hair for a bow so that makes up for it!

15 Days of Maya-Photo 10

2008-02-19T19:52:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving 2007-Maya 4 1/2 Months old. Hands in the mouth is typical.

15 Days of Maya-Photo 9

2008-02-19T19:49:00.001-08:00

Bath time with Papa. 6-ish month old.

15 Days of Maya-Photo 8

2008-02-19T19:47:00.000-08:00

Maya helping Momma with laundry. 7 months old.

15 Days of Maya-Photo 7

2008-02-19T19:41:00.001-08:00

BFF Vera Mae and Maya were born 1 month apart. New buddy Noah was born yesterday. Congrats Dave and Michal! That makes 4 babies for 4 best friends in 8 months. Much praise to be given!

15 Days of Maya-Photo 6

2008-02-19T19:39:00.000-08:00

Time to give props to Nana Chris. What a wonderful vacation in Mexico!

15 Days of Maya-Photo 5

2008-02-17T21:38:00.000-08:00

Maya New Years Day 2008-5 1/2 Months

15 Days of Maya-Photo 4

2008-02-17T21:37:00.000-08:00

Maya practicing her pilates. 4 1/2 months old.

15 Days of Maya-Photo 3

2008-02-17T21:27:00.001-08:00

Goofy girl eating her sock. About 5 months old.
Tomorrow I'll post a pic of how that girl does it.