Life Lately

Life around here has been pretty busy lately as we are trying to adjust to our cute new addition to the family, which hasn't left much time for blogging. There has been a lot that I've wanted to write about, but kept putting it off, and now it's a little overwhelming to me to write individual posts on. So, here is a long post about some things that have happened since Lydia was born.

Life with a baby is awesome. Lydia is the light of our lives, and we are having so much fun with her in our family. She is growing up too fast, and I can't believe she is close to 3 months now! The time has seriously flown by and I so wish that I could slow it down to more enjoy each little moment. She is now on a schedule and is pretty much sleeping through the night. We'll feed her at 9:30ish, and then usually she'll sleep until 6:30 the next morning. Finally, in the mornings I don't feel like a dead woman! She is smiling a lot now, and is really drooly. She is starting to coo a little bit, and she loves to be talked to. She's enjoying her bath a lot more lately, and she hasn't lost any of her hair like everyone said she would. :) She is a perfect little angel, and sometimes I still just cry when I hold her because I love her so much.

The two people I love more than anything, in my favorite color! Both are pretty in pink!

Lydia used to LOVE being held like this by her daddy. She now hates it, but she used to fall asleep just staring at him. It was the sweetest thing in the whole world.

If you need something to cheer you up, this will. 

Now that Lydia is here safe and sound and the holidays are over, my mom and I and Dave (not because he needs to, but because he is such a supportive husband and he loves to be healthy anyway) are on a diet. We are doing the Body for  Life diet, and it is currently kicking my booty. The diet consists of 6 days of exercise a week, alternating between weight training and aerobic exercise. The exercise part isn't too bad, it's the food part of the diet that is such a struggle for me. We have to eat 6 little mini-meals a day, and each meal has to consist of a lean protein, a carb, and a vegetable if you'd like. We can only have a portion of each food at each meal, and a portion is as big as the palm of your hand. The idea behind it is that you're never supposed to be full, but you're not supposed to be hungry. We also get one "free day" every week where we can eat whatever we want and whenever we want. We don't have to be limited to our 6 meal schedule. We've been on the diet for 2 weeks, and it has been kind of a rough transition from no sort of schedule to 6 mini meals a day and no sweets except on free day. I've already lost 5 pounds though, and am hopeful to lose the rest by the time this 12 week diet is over. Dave has done P90X 3 times, and P90X2 twice, and has now started doing Insanity. It's a big change for him, and it is currently kicking his booty. We exercise at the same time together in the basement, and I will look over at his side every once in awhile, and he always looks like he's about to pass out and is just dripping with sweat. I love the commentary from his video too. The workout is very aptly named. It's tough for him right now, but it won't be for long. He's a good exerciser, and he will master it pretty soon, I'm sure. He always does!

I started teaching piano lessons last September, but I don't think I ever wrote about it on my blog. I teach some little kiddos in my neighborhood just the piano basics, and it is so much fun! I really do miss teaching, so this gives me a little teaching fix and a little more money on the side. I have 6 students right now, and they are making so much progress. I'm really proud of them and all they are learning. I think we'll do a recital sometime in the spring.

I found a new British series that I'm in love with! It's called The Paradise, and it is amazing! It's about a department store in a little city and how it grows and changes the city with it. Sounds boring I know, but it is SOO great! I watched it with my Mom, and then of course I loved it so much and so I had to buy it to re-watch with Dave. Season 2 is airing in Britain right now, so I'm hopeful that season 2 will be out soon.

LOVE IT!!!!!

Christmas! Christmas was so much fun this year with a little baby. Lydia was so small in December and it really made Christmas very special to me this year. I couldn't help but think of the little tiny Christ child, who was just as tiny as her, whose birth we celebrate around the same time. It made me realize just how humble of a birth Christ had, and how of all things, he chose to come to earth as a helpless baby. I now know just how helpless little babies are, and having one in our home around Christmastime made it very special for us. Dave and I didn't really give each other any gifts this year either - Lydia was our Christmas gift, and that made it really special too. Elder Holland came to speak in my parents stake, and they invited us to come and hear him. He's always been a favorite of mine, and so we decided to go. His talk was AMAZING, and it was so great to see him so close. But, my favorite part of the meeting was at the end when the choir sang Silent Night. They sang the last words, "Sleep in heavenly peace..." and then it was quiet for a while. Lydia let out a little cry right when it was silent, and I was panicked that she was ruining the spirit of the song and instantly started sweating. She let a few more whimpers, but nothing too loud. I was kind of embarrassed until after the meeting was over when the lady in front of me turned around and said that she felt the spirit of Christmas when Lydia let out that cry. She said that it reminded her of the little baby Jesus in the manger, and that it couldn't have come at a better time and that it had really touched her heart. After that I wasn't embarrassed anymore. I guess she summed up the way I had been feeling all season long. This Christmas we were able to focus on the real meaning of Christmas and it was my favorite one so far, one that I will always remember.

If she's ever fussy, she loves to be danced with, especially danced with daddy. :)

Dave's family does a themed Christmas party every year, and this year the theme was Italian. Dave was in cahoots with his Grandma, and told her that she should surprise everyone and dress up like La Befana, the Italian Christmas witch who brings all the good little boys and girls little goodies in her basket. She totally looked the part, and the family loved the surprise.

Our Disney Christmas family!

Here were our little gifts that we exchanged with each other. Small, but still fun. :)

Lydia's Christmas gift from my mom. She is still trying to figure out how to not hate it. :)

Lydia's Christmas presents. See that Disney certificate in the corner? That is from my Dad, and it is a stock certificate in her name! She is a shareholder in Disney! I am so totally jealous of her. 

My brothers came into town after Christmas, and we were able to spend a few days just hanging out with them. We all slept at my mom's house and we were all a little cozy together, but it just made it more fun. We hardly get to see them anymore, and so being together for a few days straight was great. My two brothers both had babies this year, so my mom got three new grandbabies this year. Jeff's baby (Garrett) was born in February, and Preston's (London) was born in October, just almost exactly one month before Lydia. We kept saying that they were all going to be best cousins, especially London and Lydia since they both have L names and were born so close together. It was fun for all of the cousins to meet, and we had a great time seeing everyone again. We played games, had some great food, took family pictures (with BOTH of our families), and just spent time together. It made me realize how much I miss them. I so wish that we lived closer together.

Let's just say Lydia wasn't all that enthused to meet her new cousin, London. :) She wasn't like this all the time, we just caught her at a bad time and it was a pretty funny picture. London is so mellow like this all the time, and Lydia was really grouchy, but they were both in cute Christmas outfits and we wanted to get a picture. 

Some pictures from Dave's family shoot. My family's are still getting developed, so stay tuned for those.

We chose to have Lydia's baby blessing the last Sunday of December so that my brothers could be there to help bless her. She was so beautiful, and she wore the same blessing dress that I wore when I was blessed.  Dave did an amazing job blessing her, and it was a great day for our little family. I was overwhelmed when we saw so many men go up to the circle to hold my little baby girl and participate in giving her a blessing. We were so humbled by all of the people that came to support us, and it was so fun to have so many people that we loved all together with us. My cute family helped with all of the food at the open house afterwards, and we couldn't have done it without them. My mom cooked 5 batches of homemade lasagna and made homemade breadsticks and some salad to go with. She is seriously super Mom. My sister and sisters-in-law were there to help serve the food, and to clean up when it was over. My Dad even donned an apron to help out in the kitchen! My sweet mothers-in-law brought some delicious food to share as well.  It's events like this that make you realize how awesome your family is, and my family is the best. Hands down.

Seriously?? Isn't she cute??

Cousin love. These two loved their little cousin Lydia.

That's it for now! If you made it here, congratulations! :)