just eat it

I got to spend three whole days in a row with Little Miss J over Christmas and I discovered all the new foods that she likes including -

snow crab legs
paella
spinach and mushroom quiche
feta cheese
corn souffle

I'm still trying to figure out the whole parenting thing, but one thing that both Gus and I agree on is that Little Miss J should typically eat whatever it is that we are eating for dinner. So far it's worked out fine and just like her Mommy and Daddy, Little Miss J loves delicious food. I am so grateful she is such a good eater.

and so it begins

Little Miss J sitting in a box with a laptop and a phone. Kind of like being at work. Does it start so early? Makes me die a little on the inside.

A workaholic in training, just like her Daddy.

let it snow

Our first Christmas in Arizona and we even managed a little falling snow. There is an outdoor mall where it "snows" every evening. We met up with our friends, Tracy and Andy and their daughter, Cicily, tonight after dinner. Dinner was Chinese food - a new Christmas Eve tradition for the Chunglunds.

Little Miss J and Cicily had a good time playing in the snow and running around the giant Christmas tree.

It was our first real Christmas without family of any sort. In the days leading up to the holidays I was feeling a little bit sad and missing my family, but today was a relaxing day where we had nowhere to be and could just hang out at the house, take a nap, go out to play, meet up with some friends. Now the child is nestled all snug in her bed, and we've got the rest of the evening to hang out. 

So what have we learned today - (1) Little Miss J LOVES crab legs and (2) where to find snow in Phoenix. 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

chung & berglund, LLP

Happy 4th Anniversary to Chung & Berglund, LLP! This partnership was formed in a rented Mercedes at a drive-thru window ...  no really, it was. SEE!

It has been four years filled with several moves (including one cross country), pools of tears, fits of giggles, and unimaginable joy and love.

We have spent the entire year training our newest associate, Little Miss J. With "NO" being one of her favorite words, she seems to be getting the hang of objections. Watch out opposing counsel! She is still developing her writing skills and I have to imagine they will improve once she can use something besides a crayon. Overall, this little rookie has been a fantastic addition to our firm and she has been voted Rising Star 2011 by us. In the midst of training our new associate, we also closed up shop in Minnesota and hung our shingle in Phoenix, Arizona. We are currently renting temporary space, but are hoping to move to something more permanent in the coming year. Oh, and of course we are enjoying the sunny weather. After a winter of shoveling every single day, Mr. Chunglund is pretty happy that you don't have to shovel sunshine!

I am so very proud of our little organization. Life is often hard and full of the unexpected.  No matter what life throws at us, We seem to come out in tact. It is our resilience during the hard times that reinforces my certainty in knowing that I've found the right person to build a life with.

A very merry happy Chunglund anniversary to us! Love you, Mr. Chunglund!

thank me later

In my opinion, one of the biggest let downs in life is opening up the best Christmas present ever - the one you wished for, the one thing that made you think twice about writing on the wall with your red crayon - only to have your dad tell you that "we aren't going to open that right now" or "let me figure out how this thing works." This is why I have taken the liberty of assembling (it didn't take much work) Little Miss J's big present prior to wrapping it. This way she can open it up and start playing with it immediately. She won't have to pretend to wait patiently while thinking that her head might explode if she doesn't get to play with that super cool toy right now.

Little Miss J, I have saved you at the v. least, several minutes (which in toddler time is probably hours) of agony having to watch your dad reading directions and fumbling with the air pump. You can thank me later.
Love, Mommy

letters to juliet

I've tried to keep track of Little Miss J milestones via blogging. My good friend, Jenn (who is coming to visit next month and I can't wait!) mentioned that she hoped I was saving these letters some place permanent. While not totally permanent, I wanted to share a little idea that we've been using. I set up an e-mail account for Juliet and I try to send her an e-mail once every week. I thought it would be fun for her to read through them all someday. So yes, I've been C&P some of the blog posts into e-mails for her!

family sunday

Last night was our office holiday party so I got to spend the entire evening with my husband and some fun coworkers. The icing on the cake? Gus had today off from work! I got my long run in outside in the sunshine - 8.3 miles. I actually need to be doing more short runs during the week because this morning really took it out of me. My legs still hurt and I have been pretty worthless all day. In spite of this, we took Little Miss J to the park where she rode the carousel and went on the swings. Then off to Costco where she loved all the samples. She ate chicken tamales, artichoke and jalapeno dip, crescent rolls, and meatballs, it was a regular buffet for the munchkin. I used to get the Sunday blues - now that it is typically the only day that I get to spend with my whole family I look forward to it. Hopefully, today has recharged me for the week.

raindrops on roses

Dear Little Miss J,
You are 14 months old today. Here are a few of your favorite things.

Favorite foods: tofu pad thai, steamed baby carrots, bagels, dog food
Favorite toys: mostly things that are not toys, such as alarm clocks, tampons, toothbrushes, etc. But really, you like the rocking horse, tricycle, and kitchen at daycare, you love things you can shake like maracas or jingle bells - you will walk around the house shaking them all.day.long.
Favorite nighttime friends: IKEA puppy from John and Karen and the monkey from your Grandma Amy
Favorite dog: Carl. You've learned how to pet him nicely and give him hugs. However, he is not your favorite dog when he eats your bagel.
Favorite game: You love it when mommy chases you around the house and pretends to "get" you. It makes you laugh and smile like crazy. Sometimes you laugh so hard you fall over.
Favorite things to do: play outside, ride the carousel, swing at the park,
Favorite bath toys: the cup that I rinse your hair out with and the mesh sponge
Favorite words (aka the only words you say): mama, puppy, bubbles, no, mine (Daddy taught you this one and I'm not so happy about it), bye-bye, night-night.
Favorite thing to do to make Mommy smile: Give kisses. You kiss with your mouth wide open like your going to eat my face. I love it.

This goes without saying, but you are an actual little person. Both your Dad and I enjoy watching your little personality develop. For the most part you are a happy little girl. When you are walking and laughing at the same time, you typically fall down. I chalk it up for your enthusiasm and exuberance for life. Pretty much everything you do (even the naughty stuff) is the best, cutest, or funniest. Keep it up.

Love you always,
Mommy

zoolights aka my redemption from the arizona balloon classic fail

Last year we did Bentleyville. Little Miss J was only 2 months old and it was pretty chilly. This year it was Zoolights at the Phoenix Zoo. Still a bit chilly for Phoenix standards. Holiday music, some hot chocolate, and lots of Christmas lights-it was the perfect family outing for us despite the chilly weather.

At first glance, I am clearly more excited than Little Miss J about the whole Christmas lights in the shapes of animals.

She did however perk up when she saw the carousel. If you need a refresher on Little Miss J's love for carousels, you can find it here. As we walked past the carousel at the zoo, she pointed and shouted "da," her standard exclamation to most things.

She had so much fun on the ride that there was a bit of an incident when she realized that she had to get off and there was not going to be another ride. Fortunately, she got over it pretty quickly with the help of some milk and twinkly lights.

Hopefully we can make this a holiday tradition ... minus the carousel meltdown. Oh, and my holiday cards have been delivered! Time to start addressing!

she's crafty

Tonight's project inspired by Pinterest

little miss j's top 10

Little Miss J is really soaking everything in. She is learning new stuff every day. Here's the recent top 10 -

1. When you ask her where her toes are, she grabs her foot.
2. She claps when people on TV are clapping and cheering.
3. She loves rocking horses. She loves Carl. She loves climbing on Carl and trying to rock him.
4. She says "bubbles," when we are blowing bubbles.
5. Last night when we were singing a song, she started doing the motions all by herself.
6. When she's hungry, she walks into the kitchen and tries to open the refrigerator. So much for the sign language.
7. This morning she said, "puppy."
8. She waves and says "bye-byeeee."
9. She loves to play outside. Every morning while still wearing her pajamas, she gets her shoes and brings them to me. After we put them on, she runs to the door and bangs on it to get outside.
10. She knows where her diapers go. The other day she took a clean diaper and tried to put it in the diaper pail.

happy thanksgiving!

It is our first Thanksgiving in Arizona. When I called home late this morning to say hi to the family, I got a little homesick. Most of my family was either gathered in Duluth at my aunt's house or in Big Lake at my brother's house. I miss seeing all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and nieces.

We did manage to have a lovely little Thanksgiving here though. This morning I ran the Turkey Trot in Mesa with my good friend, Suzanne. She's in town for Thanksgiving and I'm so thankful she comes to Phoenix often because otherwise I would miss her terribly. We had our Korean food early for lunch and then piled on the traditional Thanksgiving goodies later at an early dinner with some friends.

Our new friends also have babies born in 2010-2011, and all the babies had a fantastic Thanksgiving. Little Miss J ate all here vegetables - roasted carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, and even brussel sprouts! Her Papa Roger would be pleased to hear that. She had a bit of turkey and a few bites of pumpkin pie. Between dinner and dessert, the mommies took the babies for a quick stroll through the neighborhood. I do enjoy the temperate weather. Dessert was pumpkin pie, homemade vanilla frozen custard, and a delicious apple blackberry crumble. Good friends, good vino, and some delicious food. We were all stuffed to the gills and Little Miss J was so exhausted from playing with Thomas and Madeleine that she passed out in the car on the way home.

So much to be thankful for - mostly my perfect little family! So happy we got to spend the whole day together before Mr. Chunglund goes on a work binge. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

arizona balloon classic

Little Miss J and I headed to the Arizona Balloon Classic last night. We went to watch the "desert glow," which was described on the website as "a field full of illuminated, tethered, hot air balloons will glow in time to music." Sounds pretty cool, no? Unfortunately, either we missed the actual "glow[ing] in time to music" or it actually wasn't this impressive. We were a bit late due to the parking situation, which was a bit of a nightmare, and this is what we actually saw:

I do have a tendency to over exaggerate, but really there were only about 5 or less balloons, and I didn't hear any music unless you count the radio station DJ with which the balloons were not glowing in time. While I may have been a bit disappointed, Little Miss J seemed to be having a pretty good time! Don't worry that is actually her happy face.

Oh yes, and there were fireworks that I described to Gus as being 30% better than the ones my Dad lights off illegally at the cabin every 4th of July. We started the long trek back to our car as soon as the fireworks started and still hadn't arrived by the time they were over. Of course, it is always good to hang out with the other mommies, daddies, and babies - that part never disappoints - and I like to take Little Miss J to things even though it is probably more for me than her.

oh christmas tree. no christmas tree. aka the christmas tree saga of 2010

I am obsessed with the holidays. I love Christmas decorations, Christmas cookies, Christmas carols, Christmas trees, peppermint mochas from Starbucks, and the list.goes.on. Last year, it was our first Christmas with Little Miss J and our first Christmas as owners of the home that will go down in history as one of the biggest wastes of money we have ever known (another story entirely).  Anyway, I wanted an upgrade from my $29.99 6-foot pre-lit Charlie Brown looking tree.

After an hour of pushing my newborn through Menard's, looking for the best tree for the best price - we Chunglunds are all about BEST VALUE, after all - I managed to convince Mr. Chunglund that we should have a 7-foot pre-lit tree. Not the skinny 7-footer either, I wanted a nice big fatty one. Oh and did I mention I hate multi-colored lights? Yes, my tall fatty Christmas tree must be pre-lit with only white lights. We got it home and Mr. Chunglund set it up. To my dismay, my new tree was so robust that even I had to admit it had a life of its own and was overtaking our living room. So back in the box it went.

Mr. Chunglund and his brother returned the tree and brought a new one home ... with multi-colored lights. Did I mention already that I hate multi-colored lights? Yes, yes, I think I did mention that. Mr. Chunglund convinced me that he got such a good deal on this tree and I being a sleep deprived nursing mother crazed about having the perfect Christmas tree agreed to give it a go, multi-colored lights and all. Well, this tree was no better. In fact I would venture to say it was worse because half of the tree lights didn't even work properly. Not going to lie, it was a bit manic - blinking like crazy on one half while the other half remained completely dark.

In the end Little Miss J's first Christmas was celebrated with the $29.99 sad looking Charlie Brown tree. Oh.the.horror. Much like the time I sold our couches on Craigslist so that Mr. Chunglund would get serious and buy a new one or face a fate of sitting on the floor in the living room, when we moved to Arizona I threw out the Charlie Brown tree with hopes of the perfect tree to be found in Phoenix. With Black Friday approaching, I have high hopes for finding a new tree!

our weekend

We had our typical busy weekend, and now I feel like I need a weekend to recover from my weekend. Friday night we drove to North Phoenix for dinner with some friends. Little Miss J stayed up way past her bedtime, but had fun running around and smiling at everyone. Saturday, we went out for pancake breakfast and then stopped by a coworker's house for a little visit. We all walked (or sat in a stroller) to the park where Little Miss J loved the swing. I wish I had had a picture of it - she was smiling and laughing the whole time. Saturday night, it was Mom's Night Out and I joined a few other moms at a wine bar. Delicious food and wine along with some great company - plus home by 10:00 p.m. Can't beat that! Sunday a photographer came over and we got some one-year photos of Little Miss J. I think there will be some good ones so can't wait to see how they turn out. After a little nap, we took Little Miss J to Gymboree to play and then we looked at a couple houses with a potential realtor. We'll need to keep looking, but we've got the ball rolling, I think. Today, I am back at work and already looking forward to next weekend!

a sunday well spent brings a week of content

Mr. Chunglund and I don't get many days off at the same time so we try to make the most of them. My Sunday Funday started with some delicious Bloody Marys. We had dim sum for brunch and then drove around looking at some Phoenix neighborhoods while Little Miss J napped. This afternoon we went to Gymboree so Little Miss J could play and then hit the mall for some walking around. We even let Little Miss J ride the merry go round.

She loved it so much that when we took her off after her first ride and started walking away, she made a break for it - running straight back toward the merry go round. So, being the softies that we are, we let her go again. I mean really. How do you say no to that chubby little face?

 Well, we obviously had to draw the line somewhere ... and this is what happened. I guess we now know that Little Miss J likes the carousel.

Tonight we are chilling at home watching football and I'm making caramelized onion stuffed BBQ meatloaf with mashed potatoes. A perfect fall Sunday!

eye of the tiger

Little Miss J has an an October full of Halloween fun. There was the Mommy/Baby Halloween bash, some trick or treating (sort of) at the YMCA, a family Halloween party put on by the City, and she even wore her costume to play group this week. Little Miss J was born in the year of the tiger so we thought her costume was fitting.

Much like the pumpkin patch, all this Halloween fun has been more for Mommy than for Little Miss J. For the actual holiday, I think we'll just stay home and hand out candy. Not gonna lie, I was hoping Little Miss J would score some candy for her mom ...  maybe next year. Happy Halloween everyone!

i have the measles and the mumps, a gash, a rash, and purple bumps

It's been a heck of a week at the Chunglund household, but we are on the mend. Little Miss J wasn't feeling well last week. On Thursday I stayed home from work to take her to the doctor. It turned out that she had hand food and mouth disease and there wasn't much to do except try to keep her comfortable. Her little throat was so red and had little blisters. Damn daycare! I felt so badly for her.

Friday she had perked up a bit so we went to the park and then dressed up in her insanely cute Halloween costume to do a little trick or treating at a YMCA event with some of our mom and baby friends. Saturday she lasted all of 15 minutes at library storytime and wasn't very playful at her play group. Sunday we had our holiday photo session in the a.m. Little Miss J did OK, but she wasn't her usual smiley self. Be prepared for the serious faces on the Chunglund holiday card this year. We then laid low the rest of Sunday.

By Sunday, my throat was so sore that I couldn't eat or drink. I hadn't slept well for the past two nights because my throat had been so sore. I went to urgent care on Monday to find out that I had strep. After a shot of antibiotics and another shot of steroids, I can finally swallow and am starting to feel like a million bucks. BTW, those shots freakin' hurt. I had no idea. I couldn't walk for a good hour after I had them. Good thing Mr. Chunglund was there to drive me!

Little Miss J went back to daycare (a new one) on Monday and I will be back at the office tomorrow. So things are looking up for this coming weekend!

it's the great pumpkin

We took Little Miss J to a nearby pumpkin farm. It wasn't as "rural" as one could have hoped for, but it was definitely better than the temporary tent set up on an empty corner lot at the intersection of two major streets, which advertised itself as a pumpkin patch. At least this place had some dried cornstalks and a hay ride - a hayride that went past some commercial property, a major road, and a housing subdivision, but I don't think Little Miss J minded too much.

She was pretty nonplussed by the hayride

Let's go find a pumpkin, Dad!

Which one do I want?

Maybe this one?

Nope, I want this one!

Oink oink. Mooo. Bye bye weird farm on the side of the major arterial street.

Perhaps next year, we'll have to do a little bit better pumpkin patch research. As Mr. Chunglund said, this was really a trip for Mommy.

happy birthday carl rove!

Carl turned 2 years old a few days ago. There's been a bit of sibling rivalry between him and Little Miss J, so I wanted to do something special for him. He went to day camp and got a bath on Friday and then Sunday I got him an "indestructible" toy that he destroyed in the first 6 minutes and baked him a special birthday cake, peanut butter and carrot with cottage cheese frosting. We all sang to him and cut him a slice.

Carl, you really are the nicest dog. You have a lot of energy, which sometimes makes it difficult. Managing you and Little Miss J is always a bit of a challenge because when I arrive home with her - she's typically a little cranky after a long day and you are chomping at the bit to go outside. Let's just say our homecoming is a little chaotic. But you are the sweetest dog in the world and are just so happy to sit with your head in my lap in the evenings after Little Miss J has gone to sleep. Happy Happy Birthday Carleton Rover!

carlmageddon

If you've been following the saga, you know that Carl has been acting up lately. I can only think it is a response to severe lack of attention since Little Miss J came along coupled with the lack of exercise resulting from living in an apartment. I've been trying to get him to day camp at least twice per week to let off some steam, but this week has been particularly hard due to work.

A few weeks ago, Carl chewed up some of Little Miss J's stuffed toys. I started putting the toys in her room and shutting the door while I was at work. Unfortunately, I left out a basket of books and the next day he went on a book feeding frenzy. This past week, he actually opened the door Little Miss J's room and chewed up some more toys. The piece de resistance? He also crapped all over the carpet.

I know he is acting out for attention so I feel badly, but I really wish he could cut me a little bit more slack. Needless to say, he's been kenneled at home for the past couple days. Poor pup.

happy birthday dear baby j

Dear Baby J,
Happy happy birthday sweet little girl! I cannot believe you are already 1! This past year has been THE hardest and the most transformative year of my life. I never understood the love between a parent and a child, until I did. You are the most wonderful daughter that any mom could ask for and I am so blessed that you are mine. We have now been a family for one whole year!

One year ago today, your Dad and I were in the hospital. I was so scared and excited. I remembered hugging your Dad and telling him, we're going to have a baby today. I couldn't wait to see you! And when I finally did, you.were.perfect. Not gonna lie, the first several weeks and months were hard. I often felt guilty because despite how much I loved you, I was just so tired and all I wanted to do was sleep. I didn't embrace middle of the night feedings and I wasn't the mom who bounced right back, ready and eager to meet your every need. It took me awhile to adjust and to heal and to overcome the sheer exhaustion and physical trauma that was your birth.

These days we've pretty much got it down though haven't we? Even after the longest day of work, I am so excited to see you. When you hear my voice as I walk into the door to the daycare, you turn your head and your face lights up into the best little smile. You used to crawl straight toward me, but now you stand up and walk! I look forward to giving you a hug and taking you home every day. With your Dad's new job, for the most, it's just you and me in the evenings. We do dinner, bath time, and bedtime every night - just mommy and baby. It's our special time together and I love it.

You're sleeping now after a big day at the zoo, presents, and cake. I hope you are having sweet dreams and that you know how many people love you!

Mommy and Daddy love you so very much and we wish you many more happy happy birthdays!

Love,
Mom

look ma!

Dear Mom,
Tomorrow will mark 10 years since you've been gone. I miss you. We all do. I know I say this every year, but it is still true. Baby J will be one year old on the same day. I'm so sorry you haven't met her. She is wonderful. I hope that I am half the mom to her that you were to me. And if I am, then it is because of you.

One of my favorite memories of you is how special you made each and every birthday. I loved walking into the house after school with my friends. You would always decorate the house and you always did such a good job with my birthday cake. I remember some of the early parties where if I was going to invite one boy than I was required to invite two. This was obviously a good rule since clearly Kirky and Kyle are having a good time.

So as I began thinking about Baby J's first birthday, I knew that I had some big shoes to fill when it came to birthday parties. And while I won't be quitting my day job, I think this is a birthday cake that you'll be proud of.

It's not winning any awards, but it has clearly been made with love.

Mom, you continue to inspire me every day. I love you. Please continue to watch over Baby J as she grows up. I will always remind her what a special angel she has watching over her from heaven and we will continue the tradition of excellent birthday parties!

Love,
Nina

let your tears come

This day has nearly brought me to tears, but not quite.

First, I have been presented with a great opportunity to distinguish myself at work, which is difficult in a company with 4,000 plus employees. If all goes well, it would allow me to attend a conference and perhaps be involved in lots of other projects in the future. Unfortunately, the work isn't billable and will require extra hours at night, after Baby J is tucked away in her crib, and perhaps on the weekends. But when someone takes an interest in helping you develop your career, it's difficult to say no.

Second, I had to pick Baby J up about a half hour later than usual from daycare today because I had a couple errands to run. She hasn't been sleeping enough at daycare, which leaves one crabby Baby J by 5:30 p.m. Tonight she cried all the way home, all the way through dinner, and all the way through her bath. At around 6:00 p.m., I gave her a bottle and rocked her to sleep. Since I didn't get much quality Baby J time tonight, I would have held her for longer just to get some snuggles in - but I had work to do ... see above. Not getting any playtime in with my little munchkin left me feeling so disappointed and guilty about being a working mom.

Finally, over the past week, Carl has developed some serious sibling rivalry. I guess nearly 12 months of near neglect has finally sent him over the edge. Today I came home to one chewed up pair of baby shoes (thank goodness they weren't her new ones) and several chewed up baby toys. Yesterday, it was her stuffed snowman and a clothes hanger.

Today the fact that I can't give either Baby J or Carl all the attention they need and deserve was overwhelming today. I want to be everything for everyone, but it simply is.not.possible. I need to reevaluate and just accept that all I can do is all I can do. I know Baby J loves me ... Carl perhaps not so much. He also headbutted me this morning and I still have a sore spot on my forehead.

where were you

In September 2000, I had just moved to New York City into a high rise in the Financial District, just 5 blocks south of the World Trade Center. I had just graduated from Carleton and was beginning a graduate program at New York University. I returned to Minnesota three times while I was living in New York.  That fall my dad was airlifted to the Mayo Clinic and had emergency surgery. I was home for Christmas and then in the spring of 2001, my mom, who had been battling cancer, became very ill. That summer I decided to move home to be closer to my family because my mom was dying.

I transferred to the University of Minnesota and on September 11, 2001 I was standing in line at the financial aid office trying to straighten out my loans. I watched the plane hit while I was standing in that office. I don't even recall if it was the first or second plane. Watching it televised, I couldn't really grasp the gravity of the situation because I felt so far removed. I called my mom and told her to turn on the TV. David, my brother, was with my mom - trying to get in as much mom time before she was gone.

Later that fall (October 9, 2001), my mom passed away. As my mom, she always watched out for me. Whether she knew it or not, she saved me from being 5 blocks from the World Trade Center on 9/11.

11 months

Dear Baby J,
Not counting the in utero months, I have now been your mom for 11 months. Sometimes I don't feel like I have any business being your mom. I don't know much about babies or toddlers or kids, in general, and there are times I have no idea what I am doing. But all it takes is for you to look over and smile at me and I know that whatever it is I am doing, I must be doing something right. You are the most lovable little girl with the brightest smile and being your mom continues to be my greatest joy and my greatest challenge.

You've completed two sessions of swimming lessons. You can use the steps to crawl out of the pool and know how to hold your breath. You clap when we say "good job" and hand over even your favorite toy when  asked. You continue to eat everything we give you from Thai curry to portabella mushrooms and polenta. You're not so good at sharing and you are a little bit greedy. If there is something you like, you will try to grab all of them even if it means holding some of it in your mouth. For example ...

And I've saved the best for last ... you have been standing up on your own for nearly a month now and your Dad and I have been just waiting for you to take your first steps. A few days ago, I saw you take one step forward. Then today at your baby play class, you were standing around like you usually do, holding a toy in each hand, and all of a sudden you just started going - five steps and even managed to get from the floor onto a yoga mat without falling! Your first steps (of many) in this lifetime. Baby J, you are on you're way to great things and Mommy and Daddy can't wait to see what you will do next!

Until next month, 

Mommy

"You're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting ... so get on your way!" - Dr. Suess

once upon a time

There was a little girl who found a watermelon.

She tried to pick it up, but it was too heavy

She tried to eat it, but the rind was too thick.

All that work made her very sleepy and she was ready for a nap.

THE END

make new friends

Over the past month, I've met some great moms through Meetup groups. I left a fantastic group in Duluth and while it took a little while to find some women that I could connect with in the Phoenix area, I think I've finally found some great women. I'm one of the only worker bees, so I don't get to do all the fun stuff during the week, but I've managed to attend a couple mom-only get togethers, as well as several play dates.

Stephanie, one of the moms, invited us to her daughter Madeline's first birthday party on Saturday. For an activity, she had a Kindermusik teacher come and teach a class. While most of the babies sat nicely with their respective moms or dads, Baby J, being the adventurous little one that she is, crawled around taking other children's toys, sat by the teacher, or posed in the middle of the circle and basked in all of the attention. She's really got one heck of a personality on her!

I tried to take Baby J away from some of the action to get some photos, but she's more interested in eating the camera rather than posing for it - so we got some close up shots.

It feels good to finally be making some new friends. Let's just hope they still want to be friends after Baby J steals all the toys.

just another Sunday morning by Baby J

I woke up and took a quick shower

Then I weighed myself. I do it every day. It's a bit obsessive, but it's really fun. I'm trying to hold onto all these adorable little baby rolls. The scale always says 0.00 anyway. 

After I weighed myself, I thought I'd have some Pellegrino. Mom seems to like it, so why not?

By then it was about 10:00 and Mom and I went on our weekly trip to Costco.

That's a typical Sunday morning with the Chunglund ladies! Talk to you next time!

lions & tigers & bears, oh my!

I went on a date to the zoo with the beautiful Baby J. There was a special evening event at the Phoenix zoo and for $6 we got to walk around and look at the animals. There were some activities for older kids like a splash pad and some games and contests. Some of you probably saw me mention on Facebook, that Baby J probably would have been just as happy playing in Carl's water dish at home, but it gave us something to do and I enjoyed. it.

We saw - 

a lion

a giraffe

some very friendly turtles

and an elephant

And then Baby J passed out on the way home and had a good night sleep, making Mommy very happy.