Scraps

Kalia has her meals in two parts. The first course is served at the table. The second course takes place afterward and is located on the floor. It certainly helps her eat more and less for me to clean up.

 She's really becoming quite the camera ham. I don't know where she got that from...

We took Kalia through this aquarium store. This was the huge koi pond at the front of the store. The look on her face is priceless that I couldn't help but share though it's blurry. She'd just caught site of one of the foot long golden fishes opening and closing its mouth at the surface of the water. I imagine she was thinking the fish was going to eat her with a mouth so big!

Spring what?

This past week was Tristan's break from school and I just want to say, "I WANNA REFUND!"  I demand not a refund of money, but of time.  This week was not what we expected it to be.  Not that anything horrible happened it's just that we didn't see much of the much missed daddy.  I was so hoping to have so much more hang out time.  I'm grateful for a husband that is so willing to help others.  He moved two families, helped a friend put in flooring, and attended a business conference designed for practicing dentists.  I think the information he got there was most valuable,  but we sure missed you.  I guess it's my own fault for not having every minute of our time together planned so he'd have no choice but to stick with us.  I just hope we can pull it all together and get back in to things for the horribly busy quarter with studying for boards heaped on top.  I think we'll be lucky if we see him at all... Sigh.  All in hopes of having a happy future.

Sorry to be so whiny.  We did have some fun.  We spent time together walking and shopping.  We even visited the zoo.  We're going to have to remember our camera the next time we go see the animals.  Kalia gets pretty excited.  She makes faces and points and the animals.  She's started making different animal noises.  Tristan told her the red panda made a clicking noise (he demonstrated) and she did it back to him!  It's mating season and all the geese were announcing it.  We arrived to have lunch by the large pond at the entrance and waited for our friends to arrive.  While we were eating some geese put on quite the show.  Kalia was talking back to them and pointing excitedly.  Luckily the birds didn't notice our food, so we were pretty safe.  The zoo was definitely a high point of the week.

We also headed to one of the malls.  We'd received a gift card for Christmas to JC Penny that we'd been debating back and forth what to buy.  We finally spent it on.... Kalia.  Of course.  We bought her a princess worthy Easter dress.  I can't believe she fits a 2T!  Of course it's a bit big and we wanted her to be able to wear it for a while.  But still... I think we should have been moving through dress sizes a bit faster.  12 month fit like shirts and barely cover her diaper.  For the most part she's wearing 18 month for dresses, but 12 month in everything else.  I'm hoping to take pictures and post them soon.

A thought about the pains of life

I'm in the growing family phase of my life.  As are many of my friends.  I know some that are hoping for marriage, recently married, hoping for kids, and those having kids.  I have heard uplifting stories of amazing experiences.  We have friends that are doing really well with their newborn boy despite his 10 week early arrival.  We have 5 families in our ward that have struggled with fertility for years and I believe 4 are adding a new addition this year.  In the past year Tristan cousin and his wife experienced miscarriage after miscarriage to finally conceive but the pregnancy was eptopic, threatening the life of the mother.  That couple was able to adopt a beautiful little girl in August.  We have friends that have tried for months before conceiving and others are successful the first month.  In life there are such a variety of experiences that we will go through.  I'm so glad that I have my set of challenges and I don't have to experience everything.  Only our Savior Jesus Christ endure all pain from every experience.

When Tristan and I decided to start our family we went off the pill in February.  March started with high hopes but some disappointment when we realized we'd have to keep trying.  April again brought excitement.  I though for sure I would get pregnant.  I was crushed when my period arrived.  I told myself to be patient and give it time.  Though I knew in my heart that I would get pregnant when I was supposed to I had a hard time waiting.  May came and went and I hadn't started my period.  One week over and I knew it wasn't coming.  I was right and the following February Kalia was born.  Those few months of waiting were so hard for me.  Because of that experience I really have sympathy for those out there that struggle to get pregnant.  I understand that I only got a glimpse of what infertility is really like, and my heart breaks for them.  

I am so blessed to be expecting our second child.  I would like to say I learned from the first pregnancy and waiting for the second was easier, but I would be lying.  Each month would bring a roller coaster of emotions; hope, disappointment, fear, jealousy.   I experience them all.  And I know I gained more empathy for others' hoping and disappointments.  

Then I read stories that tear me up further.  I empathize very strongly with others.  I have daily cry sessions as I see glimpses into the lives of those that are hoping to adopt, conceive, or dealing with loss.  I guess it's all part of life.  We have to learn to get through whatever trials are given us.  But that doesn't stop me from crying for those in pain, or be amazed at the strength people show to weather the hard times.  

I am so grateful for how blessed my life has been.  I grew up in a strong, stable home.  I knew my parents loved one another and all of us kids.  I knew that there was a purpose to life and if I followed certain steps I would continue to have happiness in my life.  There have been few stumbling block, more of pebbles in retrospect.  There are many people out there that have been dealt a far worse hand.  I believe that because of those choices that I made to stay away from drugs, alcohol, pre marital relationships my life is a whole lot less complicated than it could have been.  I'm so grateful for that.

Last week we had our birthday party activity for the Relief Society.  Three sisters were asked to share how their lives have been blessed by Relief Society.  I have been blessed especially by visiting teaching.  The realization has taken a while to come.  Mostly because of lack of faithfulness.  Once I began being more diligent in my service I have come to see the blessings in my life.  I have a wonderful group of sisters that I have come to know through visiting teaching.  I have sisters I can call friends and a guaranteed outing three to four times a month.  It's been wonderful motivation to get out of the house and talk to people.  It's so easy to do when you enjoy the conversation.  Now I just need to figure out a better way to give the message... I'm so grateful for visiting teaching.

Some thoughts and pictures

I decided the best way to blog is to upload my pictures.  Of course it is remarkably one subject so I will have to remember to supplement with commentary from the rest of us to add to the star of the show, Kalia.  

Kalia and I headed to the local science center with our friends to enjoy some exploration into the world of water.  Kalia loved that she was tall enough to stand at the table and splash.  She loved playing with the purple foam balls.  Though I would cringe each time she'd put it in her mouth thinking about all the other kids that had touched/licked it.  But she's healthy so it didn't hurt her.

For my birthday some friends gave me a couple of balloons.  We had a lot of fun playing with them.   I was impressed how long they lasted.  By the time Tristan popped them Kalia was starting to call them "baw" or balls.  She was determined to hold them both at the same time.  I introduced her to the world of static electricity by rubbing her hair to make the balloon stick.  We did the same thing to the cat.  I think Kalia enjoyed the balloons a lot more than Saphira.

Kalia had a friend come visit her.  He had a rough time at first but soon they were playing a sock swap game followed by the sippy switch.  These two play give and take really well.  Luckily (for now) no one gets upset.

I love to get pictures of Kalia playing.  Much of the time she finds me and the camera more interesting and forgets her game or toys.  I find myself holding the shutter button half closed to try and speed up the camera and catch the more fleeting moments.  However,  Kalia realized a small orange light would show up and became quite distracted.  She was trying to pick up the light.  She does the same thing with our laser pointer.  I don't know who is more amused, me or her.

Aren't these curls adorable!  We got caught in a small rainstorm and her hair just curled up.  She wasn't sure what was happening, since the last time she got rained on she was about 6 months old.  Not exactly a memory she has.  I thought her looks of surprise we so fun, but the camera didn't come out until we were inside.  I guess those mental snapshots will join many others.

Tristan's been working really hard the last week to prepare for finals this week.  We didn't see much of him but treasured those moments between reviewing lectures.  During those times he'd chase a squealing Kalia around the couch and coffee table.  She's getting pretty fast.  when he catches up to her she gets so excited her body just shakes.  I love watching them.  We've also been trying to get her to take a few steps on her own.  We try to get her to walk back and forth between us.  She'll take a step or two then fall forward giggling as she's caught.  It's become a favorite game.

I've been spending my time chasing after Kalia between naps.  Most days I need a nap too.  I've read some good books recently.  I put a lot of energy into to meals.  It takes so much to decide what to eat.  Either I can't eat anything or everything sounds good.  That's my biggest chore right now.  I can't wait for my appetite to stabilize somewhat.

Some Answers

Yes, we are expecting! (If you missed the announcement, click here.)
The Parry family will become a foursome in October.  Around the 9th.
I am now 9 weeks (well, tomorrow I will be).
We expect the next ultrasound to be mid May.
I have been doing well as long as I keep my tummy full and drink lots of water.
We are super excited!

Bragger post!

Tristan got a 96% on his Pharmacology test!

YAY!  We are so proud of you!

Hard work pays off.  I guess working well under stress helped too.  

Kalia's favorite bedtime story

This is one of my favorite moments of the day. I love to see Tristan playing with Kalia and there's just something special about dads reading to their kids.