Model material?

I got an e-mail suggesting I enter Matilda in a baby model contest. Do they take crazy babies?

By request: humiliating belly photo/recent shots of Matilda

Okay folks, this'll be short and sweet cause between painting and organizing and painting and appointments and painting and playing with my gal (and did I mention painting?), there's not much time these days for blogging! So, let's get the worst part over with:

La Mama, obviously ecstatic about having her photo taken at 38 weeks gestation with a full moon just days away! Fingers crossed for a full moon baby. We can't wait to meet her!

Now to the real point of this post, of this whole blog really: here's what our little Tilly Wonka is up to these days.

Cruising in her carriage

Playing dress up with my clothes

Making forts

Being cute and looking reeeeally old to her mammy and pappy

Driving the golf cart with Grandpa

Learning to share

Loving her new stash of toys from Auntie Debbie and Uncle Ed

Helping around the kitchen

Being a farm girl in Nauvoo

Next up, being a BIG SISTER! We'll keep you posted!

Crunchy Con

I had only heard of the term "crunchy" yesterday. As I explored the world-wide-web to understand what kind of person would be considered "crunchy", I found that there were pieces of myself in the descriptions, but the overall motivations for the "crunchy" life-style did not match my own. I then ran across this clip from NPR describing "crunchy cons" (not con like con-artist, but like conservative). Not that I like labeling people, least of all myself, but I think I can say with a high level of confidence that this one fits me.

Love to all our readers,
Chace

That's Amore!

My first thought was, "That guy's got some weird taste in shoes." Then he said he'd served his mission in Italy, and it made sense--poor guy hadn't gotten over the mission yet. How sad.

Then I dazzled him by spouting off all the Italian I could remember from the "Italian For Kids" cassette tapes I got from the library when I was about 10, mostly useless phrases like, "Where is the door? Where are my friends? One, two, three... I like school. Where is the teacher? Four, five, six..." That pretty much exhausted my mastery of the language. Little did I know I'd have a very foxy, Italian-teaching husband tutoring me through my accelerated Italian class mere months later!

We sat together in Music 101 thenceforth (consequently learning almost nothing about music). He was dating someone. I was dating someone. Most days after class I borrowed his cell phone to call my beau to see where he wanted to meet for lunch! But after a few "study sessions" (during which we didn't study a lick, but only succeeded in driving everyone else in the group crazy with our shenanigans--just ask Ang...) and a really enjoyable little outing (not a date!) his flirting became more bold. Finally, during lecture a few days later, I wanted some answers.

"Why are you flirting with me?"
Stunned pause.
"I mean, are you just a flirt? Or do I merit some special attention?"
"Well no, actually, I'm not. And yes, actually, you do."
"Okay. Let's talk about it."

Later that night we meandered around campus for hours. We decided we'd both end things with our significant others and see what would happen. Then we hugged.

And I was home.



Happy anniversary, Darling. Here's to five years of me trying to change your taste in shoes... maybe I'll succeed sometime in the next five?

Copycat

I have a little problem. All I want to do is read. And there is much to be done around here as we try to get this house in order before my little woman comes in just a few short months. So I've been trying to justify my reading by doing it in conjunction with other activities. Consequently I end up spending way too much time in the powder room and lingering over my meals. So, having finished eating my breakfast yesterday, I sat "waiting" for Matilda to finish, chin in one hand, this fascinating book in the other, when I noticed she had stopped eating and was sitting completely still doing this:



Just like her mammy.

Word of the day: Full

In heart and belly. Full in the belly because I cannot seem to stop myself from devouring insane amounts of the complimentary hors d'oeuvres, drinks, candy and other junk available at every turn here in my hotel. Gluttony, thy name is Rivka. And is it just me, or is yesterday's chicken wing trying to take flight from inside of me? Oh, wait. That's just my five-month old sea monkey fetus stretching her little fins, who, by the way, is the size of a papaya and is now supposedly eavesdropping on all of my conversations. Judging by the increasing magnitude of her little kicks and punches, she's either growing or she's just on a major sugar-high. Or both. But I have a feeling that this week's prenatal weigh-in will be more telling of my mini-Twix consumption than her growth... there's a bowl of them right near the elevator, delicious little devils.

My heart is full for so many, many reasons. The past couple of weeks have been the sort that have kept a perpetual smile of glee and gratitude on my face. And it just keeps getting better and better. The first and foremost cause for rejoicing is the aforementioned sea monkey. I feel giddy each time I feel her wriggling around and I am going crazy with curiosity and excitement to meet her. As far as I'm concerned, October 24th couldn't come soon enough. In part, what makes me so excited for her to come is the fact that I've had so darned much fun with her big sister! She is the perfect pal, and we've had grand adventures together lately. We've spent days with wonderful friends at "the beach,"

Evenings playing in the park with Papa,

Cool mornings taking delicious naps,

Hot afternoons eating ice cream cones on the lawn,

And, of course, plenty of time perfecting "The Intimidator."

We've also recently celebrated the birthdays of several of our dearly-beloved, including our handsome new nephew Caleb,

Chace's fabulous sister, Katie,

And my darling sister, Liz.

We've welcomed my baby brother Adam home from a two-year stay in the state pen.

Just kidding. We have actually welcomed him home from a two-year church mission in Taiwan.

We welcomed my other brother Pietr home from his mission in Taiwan just a few months ago,
And we get to see them both, as well as the rest of both our families, in just a couple of weeks! In the meantime, Chace has had meetings this week in Michigan, so Matilda and I tagged along, which means that we got to spend five precious hours driving there, with nothing to do but read Wendell Berry aloud. This is the one we're on currently.

(If you're not familiar with Wendell Berry, read him. And if you don't like it, don't tell me, because that might be the end of our friendship. But you will like it.)

While here, Chace and I have gotten to see some dear friends and Tilly and I have spent some quality time taking walks, reading books, playing at the splash park... and taking more walks! There are so many people here that we love and our visits are always too short, especially when I don't have a car to make the rounds. But even to be stuck at the hotel with nothing to do but dote on my babe is a welcomed change.

Tonight Chace is out with some customers, so here I sit while Matilda sleeps, enduring the christian rock concert going on in the park outside my window (Please, make it stop! Whoever invented this genre ought to be shot! Not very christian of me to say, I guess...They ought to be horse-whipped. Better?)

But now I come to the point, the reason I opened this random, scatter-brained post in the first place: while sitting here thinking about the sea monkey, pondering on the same question that has occupied my mind almost constantly since learning of her existence, namely her name, a new one popped into me little wee brain that I never considered before. Here it is: BLYTHE. I like the meaning, but is it too hard to say? Does it sound like an upchuck? Does it go with Matilda? Is it too weird? What do you think?

Stolen from my sister, Anna.

My thoughts exactly this Mother's Day (I know, it was a while ago...)

http://akmallen.blogspot.com/2011/05/mothers-day.html

The Intimidator

Chace says this photo needs some explanation, as it's rather disturbing. We call it "The Intimidator" and Matilda does it to be funny, which it really is because her eyes go just a little wonky as she lowers her head, as you can see! The problem is that now she thinks that this is what it means to "bow your head" for prayer because this is how I look when I try to show her how while looking to see if she's doing it too. She copies me and thinks it's such a great joke. Not very reverent.

What do my eyes tell you?

They're saying, "Hey! Chinese birth chart! Get a clue!" We couldn't be more excited for another little woman to join the girl party!!!
And boy will Miss Milly be glad for me to have another victim besides her!Now your task, Gentle Reader: find me a decent girl's name before Chace goes through with his evil threat to name this poor, innocent child Belindafur!

Make your predictions!

And by this time tomorrow, we'll know if you were right! Chinese birth chart says boy. You?

Advice from Elder Busche

This was shown in my Sunday lesson today. I thought is was so timely and uplifting. Hope you enjoy it too!

Full text here.

Spring is bustin' out all over! (& post edit)

We woke up this morning, as usual, to our ducky friends happily quacking away in the back yard. But only when we went out to say good morning were we met with this happy sight!



The ducklings have arrived! And we came down for breakfast just as they took their morning stroll past the deck. It's officially spring in my book. See?


And after a few days of wondering why a certain mama robin went berserk each time we walked out our front door or past our lovely blooming tree, we finally discovered the reason:


Now riddle me this, friends: What do this mama robin and I have in common?


*Hint: Matilda the Hun is very excited about it! And spring isn't the only thing that's bustin' out all over around here these days!

Happy Mother's Day!

Post edit:

1. Chace says that last sentence about bustin' out all over is a little TMI. Sorry.
2. Yes, we're expecting bambino/bambina number two in late October!!! We are ecstatic.
3. After checking on them at least once a day, the chicks are finally here! (I know you were all on pins and needles wondering...) Aren't they cute? Can't wait for mine! Happy Spring!