18 months....and lovin' every second

My Little Mama is officially 18 months old today.

Old enough for Nursery, old enough to push her own stroller, old enough to walk the dog, old enough to fly a kite, and old enough to go down the big slide.

Sarah is amazing and great and smart and such a good kid and I have no idea where she gets it because I was and still am a brat and well Jimbo was and is a trouble-maker so how we ended up with a peach is beyond me.

Sarah and I get a lesson on kite flying from Jimbo who gives Sarah
the string, she lets go like 2 seconds later and
he has to go to the neighbors to get it from their back yard.
Texas is windy silly boy...don't let go or Elmo is gonzo!

A good shot of Sarah's mullet blowing in the wind. Remember all of the
whining I did about wanting my kid to have hair? Well now she does
and I have no idea what to do with it...it figures!

Because of my stellar back Jimbo has been in charge of bath time
from the beginning and it is the dang cutest thing to watch ever!
They have songs and games and she puts up with all of his splashing.
I am jealous but I do love just to get to be a spectator.

A shot of the hot-shot on the big slide.

I know a picture is worth a thousand words but this just isn't cutting it.
She was so excited to get to walk Roxie and so they went for about 1/4 of a mile
before they both got bored and wouldn't stay on the path anymore.
My kid and my dog have the same attention span!

Sarah and Roxie
Zoom in on this one because nothing is more
adorable than chubby knees...except for when they are mine!

ummmm we thought this trail was a loop but it turned out to
be a dead end. By then both Momma and Sarah needed a piggy-back ride.

Sarah mugging on Buster. These two are best buddies and I can't believe
how much Buster puts up with her loving torture!

Who's that kid with the Oreo cookie?

All in all she is growing up too fast. I turned around the other day and
she was reading the For the Strenght of Youth booklet to Roxie and though
I was impressed I am really not ready for that just yet.

Love you little girl...Big Kiss!

I get by with a little help from my friends.

Or in my case – a lot of help from my friends. Let me address my blogging hiatus by telling you that sitting in a chair hurts. Really bad. You see, I have a bad back. I am among the ranks of many of you with chronic back pain, however, I am gigantic and pregnant and can’t really do a dang thing to relieve the pain. Of course little baby boy Larsen is my first priority and so I suffer but not in silence and so for all who have put up with my complaints and tears – thank you.

I have read many a blog post regarding amazing husbands and I have to add my spouse-man to the list. To say that I have been out of commission for the past few weeks is a huge understatement and Jimbo has become in his own special way a single Dad of 2 baby girls (the one not in diapers being much more work). I am not going to go on about every thing he has done to keep our house running because I would run out of space and I would be embarrassed to admit all he has had to do for me personally. I am usually an extremely stubborn do-it-yourself-er so to have to ask for so much help is just about as painful as the actual pain. I love you Jimmy, thank you for picking me and for putting up with me!

I am improving each day and for that I am grateful. I can hold my baby again but not for too long, I can sit on the couch for a while with lots of strategically placed pillows and I can dress myself – wahoo!

My next goal is church but the thought of those wooden benches makes my left leg go numb – literally! Many of you would say sit by me I will help you, if you hurt lay down – who cares? That’s the problem, I do. A lot. I would be mortified in fact. Did I mention this has been a humbling experience?

A month has gone by and I have not gone to church, I have been released from my calling and to take me back to my Mississippi Mission, I am backsliding. (no pun intended) The irony of it all is that without my amazing ward I would not be doing as good as I am. There have been countless really yummy meals, visits, and funny gifts of encouragement including flowers, chocolate and Ben-Gay. You have lent me the talents of your spouses and you have kept my spouse fed which if you know Jimbo you have to admit is probably the most important.

I don’t know how to adequately say thanks. I can send cards and I can tell you how much you have done for me and my family but I don’t really think you will ever know. Maybe that is the secret behind selfless service. You think you provide a simple meal that maybe you just whipped up but to me you nourished my family, body and soul and I hope to someday repay your kindness.

Big Kiss,

Angel

Well that explains the barfing

It's official - It's a boy!

I made the tech tell me a million times that she was absolutely sure it was a boy so to get back at me she printed these funny pictures. She was a doll and in one of the shots the baby's hand was right next to his "boy parts" she has 3 sons and she told me that was how she was certain he was a he and that they never stop playing with it - - Super!

Here's to you and your boy parts, I can't wait!

*I should tell you this 'bottom' shot is exactly that - a shot of him from behind showing us his business and I couldn't be more proud of my little exhibitionist!

The big news

The big news, even though everyone already knows it.

Jimbo got another one past the goalie again and we are expecting baby number 2! I would like to say how excited I am but I can't stop barfing long enough to actually get excited. It was never like this with Sarah, I sailed through her pregnancy but this one is proving to be much, much different. We have decided that it is either a boy or one ornery girl and I gotta tell you the second option gets my vote.

I looked through my old pictures to find even one pregnant one that I liked. I mean I love pregnant - on other people - I think it is adorable but on me, not quite as cute. I have picked one though mostly because it is of my family on a good old weekend trip to Park City.

Random + Random = Jimbo & Angel

The spouseman loves the blog. He loves it. If he got to be the stunning housewife he would post daily. I am sure there would be much discussion of cars, sports, cage fights and poop but there would be a post and he would be proud.

Me, I over think it. I over think EVERYTHING. I drive myself nuts most of the time playing the "what if" game and Jimbo mocks me. Daily. I muse over what I will write, what pictures I will carefully crop, post and what the caption will read. I know, try to bite your tongue now because you are all thinking, "really, she thinks about it and that it what she comes up with?" Kinda sad.

Anyway, this is my attempt at random and if I dare I might even post an embarrassing picture of myself that I really don't want anyone to see. I am breaking out, I am new, I am fresh and I am not going to over think it but I might take it all down by tomorrow!

it's peanut butter jelly time, peanut butter jelly time,
peanut butter jelly, peanut butter jelly, peanut butter jelly with a base ball bat.
(I guess it works better when you sing it, which I will for you anytime)
(there is a dance too)

always willing to share


Sarah showing dad her kissy-face and just look at those pig-tails, so grown up



We went to the Marine Corps Ball but we are too cheap to have a
professional take our picture so this is what we end up with



Maybe next year we will spring for the professional, but then again, maybe not

Sidebar: saw Twilight last night at midnight with a bunch of crazy
Mormons and teenagers and freakin' loved it.
I really thought it would be a big suck-o but I can't wait to see
it again and I am thinking that even macho Jimbo might like it.

I am so over you, October

I know I am not a Little Mary Sunshine and that I have my share of pessimism a runnin' though my veins but for the most part I really try to see the good in things. I look for the silver lining, I think about the good in people and all of that positive energy crap but I gotta tell you October has pushed me to the limit and I am done. I have been crapped on by you, you mean 31 days and I am not gonna take it any more.

I am counting on you, brave November and though we have started out a little rocky I need you. You are a great month. A month of gratitude and chilly weather, a month of the anticipation of Christmas and lets just face it you bring my favorite meal where the copious amounts of gravy I cover my plate in is finally considered acceptable! Bring it on November I need your gravy more than ever.

You have missed a lot of what has happened in the Luscious Lives of the Larsen's because of my slothfulness and I am sorry. I will now attempt to make it up to you by bombarding you with as many pictures and stories as I have time to upload!

We had a super fun 1st birthday party with lots of friends & yummy birthday cake that Sarah sat on (pictures at another time)!

Sarah got to wear a very special 1st birthday dress...thanks Auntie Wendee


Grandma and Grandpa Stenquist came to visit and to spoil their granddaughter


Can you believe all those presents


We went to the arboretum


and loved the giant pumpkin house


Sarah discovered a new way to eat cheerios...I think she watches the pets too much!

We did lots of zoomin' with dad-a-dad

Dad gave Sarah the super fab flying wedge hair do.
(If you don't know about the flying wedge then you aren't watching Kath and Kim and you are missing out on some fine, fine programing.)

the most adorable thing ever!


a little afraid of Batman and the Joker


but not dad!


it was so cute to see her walk in these shoes


and then October ended and we await a better month though we will miss the candy!

My Little ONE

A few things I learned from Sarah this year.....

Babies Poop. They don't always wait until you have a new diaper on and the poop doesn't always stay in the diaper either! So. Much. Poop.

One little smile or coo makes me forget all about the poop.

I hate shots just as much as she does. And even though I am not the bad guy with the needle she will still look at me with eyes that say "why did you just let that happen to me?" Big tears...from both of us.

I can never take too many pictures.

Jimbo is a big softy ans will do just about anything for you.

First are fun. From your first roll when I found you on the other side of the nursery, to the first time you crawled to chase the cat, to your first steps into my arms - I am lucky to have been there for every event!

Even though you do just fine in the big tub, giving you a bath in the sink every now and then will always be my favorite.

I don't mind the lack of sleep when I get to wake up to your chubby cheeks.

I have finally made peace over the fact that 'dad' was your first word.

Just like the Grinch, my heart grew 10 sizes the first time I saw you.

I am one lucky girl to get to be your mama.


Happy 1st Birthday baby Sarah...I love you.