Tour de Coops

On Saturday, Brandon and I did Tour de Coops, a self guided tour of urban backyard chicken coops in Salt Lake City which was sponsored by Wasatch Community Gardens. We are interested in having a chicken coop ourselves (cause it would be a pet that actually produces something!) but not with where we currently live as we don't have much room and it is against HOA rules and is also not allowed in SL County.


Here is one of the pet chickens that was roaming about.



Not many of the coops were in walking distance of each other so we were constantly getting in and out of the car. Even though the carseat, it was easier to lug it around than getting Lucy strapped in and out and she was also sleeping the majority of the time.



Every home that had a coop also had gardens as well and some even had beehives. It was amazing to see the variation of design from one home to another.


We took a little side trip to Gilgal Sculpture Gardens because one of the coops was located right next to it. Neither of us had been there before and it was pretty interesting to see Joseph Smith as a sphinx. There were lots of scriptures carved into stone. It's admirable that someone would be so inspired to invest so much money and time into making works of art in dedication to his faith.
This coop was designed by an architect and was one of the nicest. He was also one of the few with beehives as well. Who knew you could have all this with city living?

Classy!

So here is a picture of a license plate I saw while taking a walk around my neighborhood. I'm not laughing so much at the message but more at the use of the conjunction (or rather the misuse).

What Happens When Daddy Dresses You...

You can tell by the look on her face that this girl does not appreciate her father's fashion sense. I guess it is better than the onesie that just had the blowout in it.

Latest and Greatest Lucy Pics

Here's our latest photo shoot with little Lucy. She still gets somewhat distracted by the camera but we're getting better at catching her smiles. She is just so expressive, it's amazing! We'll have to get some video up but it just still doesn't seem to compare to the real thing.

We get lots of comments on who she looks like but I think it is just impossible to tell at this age because she is changing all the time. But when she smiles, she looks an awful lot like her dad in his baby photos. And I think that she may have inherited the bags he has under his eyes although we're pretty sure that she has my eyebrows and hairline. We'll just say she's the perfect mix of both of us.

Father's Day Breakfast

I come from a family that is pretty mellow. We don't make a big deal about birthdays or holidays. I guess that this can also be seen as lazy. Holidays like Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day and Father's Day often seem over-commercialized and just a way for Hallmark to make money with those over-priced cards. But the thing is, we (or I) should be putting the meaning into those holidays and I don't need to do it by spending lots of money - just by being thoughtful. So instead of avoiding the commercialization of the holidays by completely ignoring the holiday, I just have to find meaningful, thoughtful ways to sidestep it. Because it's a great thing to celebrate mothers, fathers, birthdays, and the birth and resurrection of Christ even though "the world" tries to tell you that the best way to do this is to spend more money than you have. Sigh.

For Father's Day this year, especially since it was Brandon's first, my sister, Elaine recommended that I make him a yummy breakfast. I started getting all these ideas of just how I wanted it to be but alas, it ended up much simpler than what I had planned in my head. I even shelled out the $4.29 for the card even though I felt like I could make one just as nice but knew that I never would. But I guess there is always next year to be ambitious and then I can start earlier (if I remember to).

Breakfast was french toast with strawberries and cream. I wish that I could have done breakfast in bed but we don't have a tray. Brandon had no idea and it was quite hard to get him out of bed. It was also extremely hard for me to even find the motivation to make breakfast so early but I didn't want to look back and regret that I did nothing. It was a small sacrifice to make my husband know that he is appreciated as a father even though the gesture was relatively small and simple. And there is his overpriced Hallmark card but I think that his eyes actually watered when he read it, so well done, Hallmark. There should have been a framed picture of Lucy on the side for Brandon to take to work but that was one of those ideas that never happened...

Here is a picture of the new father in some bad light (or is that my bad photography skills). We ended up being an hour late for church because of breakfast but I figure Father's Day is a good excuse to be late to church. Besides, church is three hours long so two out of three ain't bad.

Happy 1st Father's Day, Brandon!

With a new baby, there comes a new holiday to worry about with your spouse - Father's Day. I'm bad enough with birthdays and anniversaries so I am sure that Brandon has pretty low expectations about Father's Day. But I should take this opportunity to express what a wonderful father my husband is. The first several weeks with Lucy were incredibly hard for me but Brandon was the best support I could have asked for. Even before Lucy was born, Brandon was researching books and reading up on how to be a good parent and made sure that I was taking care of myself too. And once she actually came, he was getting up with me to feed her and change her and hold her. He also mastered the art of swaddling and thank goodness cause I had no idea how to do it.

Lucy's face just lights up when Brandon comes home (with the exception of when she is hungry and all she wants is mommy's boob) and he is a pro at playing with her unlike her mom can. I am very grateful to have such a loving, involved, present father to my daughter. I think that being a good father goes hand in hand with being a good husband and Brandon excels at both. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Here's a mini-celebration in pictures of my husband's awesomeness:
This was at a BYU vs. Utah football game in fall 2007 (I'm pretty sure that BYU won). With enthusiasm like that, Brandon was destined to be a great dad.

Brandon may look a little bummed out here but that is only because Laura and Lee's wedding (September 2007) had come to an end and he couldn't dance anymore. Or he may just be exhausted. Either way, I know that he won't be afraid to cut a rug with Lucy, even when she starts being embarrassed of him.

Brandon often says that we work so well together because we are the same amount of lazy. I guess you could turn that around and say that we are the same amount of active. This picture was taken December 2008 and we went on this incredible hike where I was five months pregnant. I'm really grateful that Brandon helped to keep me in shape while I was pregnant because it was so beneficial in having a healthy pregnancy and labor & delivery. Lucy is as awesome as she is, half in part to her father.

Brandon is a very deep thinker as can be seen in the above picture which was taken at Rob Engar's wedding reception summer of 2008. Even amongst the festivities, Brandon can be found deep in thought - probably wondering how it is that someone can be as handsome as he is...

Here is Brandon in Japan in spring 2007 sporting some long hair and a great beard. When my cousins met him, they joked that he looked like Jesus. You can't get much better than that!

I love you, honey - Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Happy Father's Day to my Dad living all the way in Japan. The picture above was taken in Japan at the Edo-Tokyo Museum the last time we visited in May 2007. I imagine that sometimes fatherhood does feel like manual labor and having a little too much weight on your shoulders.

I haven't seen my Dad since last July but I look forward to this September when I will see him again in Japan and introduce him to his newest granddaughter. Lucy didn't inherit Dad's blue eyes like her cousin, Maya but she did inherit his hands with long, skinny fingers which her mom also has. Hopefully, she didn't inherit the Sturgis legs.

But I'm grateful to my father for always supporting me in all that I do. He was fully supportive when I wanted to major in pharmacy at University of Connecticut instead of following the family tradition of going to BYU. Then he was fully supportive of my decision to transfer to BYU when all that didn't work out. He was even fully supportive of my decision to tranfer back to UConn after I thought BYU wasn't working out although it never happened. He was fully supportive of my decision to get married while still attending BYU (maybe because then he wouldn't have to pay my last year of college tuition).

So I have to give my dad props for being able to deal with a daughter's constant mind-changing in college and the terrible teenage moodiness I gave him in high school. I don't know how he put up with me. Maybe because he's a father and that's what fathers do. Happy Father's Day!

Two Month Check-Up

Here are Lucy's stats from her two month check-up today:

Height: 23 1/2 inches (75th percentile) - This is a 2 inch increase since she was born.
Weight: 10 lb 5 oz (30th percentile) - Almost a 3 lb increase.
Head circumference: 39 cm (50th percentile) - I can't remember what this measurement was when she was born but if I am reading her newborn care record correctly, it looks like it was 33 cm...

So far, she is long and lean, much like her older cousin, Maya but without such a big head. But that doesn't mean she doesn't have big brains - when the pediatrician was examining her, she marveled at how alert she was and informed me that her alertness and eye contact was very advanced, something that she would expect to see in a 4-month old. A lot of family and friends from church have also made this observation so I can't help but come to the conclusion that I have a genius baby. Okay, okay - I'll try not to be one of those mothers. It's just nice to know that she is healthy and developing normally.

Lucy also received some vaccinations today which included three shots and a liquid form. She wasn't crazy about the liquid Rotavirus vaccine but got it down. And she took her shots like a champ - there was some crying immediately after but no tears were shed. By the time I got her dressed and we left the exam room, she had completely stopped her whimpers (which are so adorable) and fell asleep after some nursing.

And to mark the momentous occasion, here are some pictures. I wish I were better at capturing her cuteness but it is really hard to catch her smile on camera. Well, here are the attempts:

Because her eyebrows are dark, it gives a lot of expression to her face but there is a tendency for her to look upset because they're always kinda knotted.

We're halfway there...

And there's a smile!

She wasn't as upset as she looks in this picture - I was just trying to get a shot of her band-aids on each thigh.

I don't often lean her against pillows like this because she never seems very comfortable (as seen on her face) and often falls over to the side. But I know she'll be sitting up before I know it - I just can't get over how quickly they change!

Worst Mother Award?

Does every new mom feel like she deserves this award at times? Yesterday was one of those days where I definitely felt it. I know that we can't protect our children from everything and there will be times when something happens and they will get hurt. It's inevitable, right? But what if you're the reason that they get hurt or you could have done something to prevent it?

Well, here is my story - I like to multitask and get things done (though not always useful things) so when I nurse, I often do it in front of the computer so I can check my e-mail, pay bills, read other people's blogs, etc. I put a pillow on my lap and Lucy is pretty happy just sucking away as I hold her with one arm and type/use the mouse with the other. So yesterday was just like any other day and I put the pillow on my lap and Lucy on top of it and then I started fiddling with my bra to get situated. All my nursing bras were in the dirty laundry so I was wearing a regular bra and it was not cooperating for me to get access to the goods for my baby. Before I know it, Lucy has slid/rolled off of my lap onto the floor. She immediately starts crying which is really hard for me because Lucy barely does that kind of cry. Her cries for attention, food, or a dirty diaper are so soft and not continuous - more like these little mini-cries which are adorable. But this was continuous, loud, and heartbreaking. I was absolutely horrified as I scooped my baby up and wondered what sort of permanent damage I had done and if I needed to call 911. She had landed on her side and it wasn't a very long fall because the computer chair is low and it was on the plastic mat on the carpet. To make matters worse, Angel (one of the cats) was sitting on the top of the back of the chair and Lucy's crying really freaked her out so she started swatting at Lucy's head! So I start screaming at Angel while I am simultaneously trying to push her away with one hand, holding Lucy in the other, while also crying and Lucy starts wailing even louder.

It all happened so fast and I don't even know how it happened cause Lucy can't roll yet and I was so sure that she was planted firmly in my lap. And I keep replaying it in my mind and I see her tear-streamed face that is somehow asking me, "Mommy, what did just let happen to me?" What a horrible experience. And what is so terrifying is that I know that it probably won't be the last. Cause things like this happen sometime - and then it reminds us to be a little more careful in the future until we turn careless again.

Anyway, Lucy is fine (I think) and she stopped crying within a few minutes. There didn't seem to be any bruises or bumps and her arms and legs seemed to have full range of motion when I moved them (and she didn't show any signs of discomfort as I did this). But I tell you, it scared the hell out of me and it took some comforting from Elaine over the phone to put me at ease (thanks Elaine). I still cry just thinking about it though. I don't know how good an 8 week old baby's memory is but hopefully, she will forget or at least forgive her careless mother. And I just hope that it was more of shock than actual pain that made her cry. I'm wondering if my stress level going through the roof combined with my screaming at the cat while also blubbering, "I'm so sorry, honey!" contributed to her cries as well. I'll never know...but for now, no more nursing at the computer and make sure that nursing bras are clean!

The Cutest Outfits

So I used to be a bit of a clothes horse (and maybe stll am) but after having a baby, I felt this incredible need to simplify things and become a minimalist. I felt that we had become so materialistic so I wanted to pare things down to the necessities. When I registered for baby stuff, I was somewhat disgusted by all the "stuff" out there that we didn't really need and this consumerist culture that had developed in our country trying to convince us that we needed everything. I was even somewhat annoyed by all the baby clothes that I received because in my mind, I was thinking that all Lucy really needed was onesies and anything else was just fluff and more to take off when I have to change her diaper. But today was a little colder than usual so I put on her matching pants to this onesie (gifted by co-worker Marlene) and it just looked so cute all together as an outfit. So I am trying to change my attitude a bit - I don't have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on baby clothes or things but I can certainly enjoy what has been given to me as gifts cause they sure are cute on her. Not only was it a little too warm for pants before but they didn't quite fit her even though they were for newborns (I think that she's a little skinny-mini like her dad). So they fit her quite nicely too except that they are a little short because she is so long!

She seems pretty happy too.
These pictures were taken right before a giant poo soiled this cute outfit and I had to change her into another cute outfit. So maybe it's a good thing I have all these baby clothes...

Catching Smiles and Coos

So here is my attempt to catch the adorableness of my daughter on video. The past couple of weeks, she just started to smile and do lots of baby talk. We try to mimic her noises and she will go on and on making the sweetest little sounds. The video doesn't do the experience much justice but it is cute nonetheless. I have NPR playing in the background and obviously, the one talking is me. I think that Lucy was distracted by the camera so she wasn't quite as animated as she usually is...

I Just Love This Girl

Lucy spends much of her day (and most of the night sleeping) although she is starting to get more interactive during her waking time. But even when she is asleep and doing nothing at all, I just fall more in love with her and feel like I could stare at her for hours. She looks so incredibly peaceful and almost always has her arms up by her head and her little legs in the lotus position. And she makes these adorable little sounds as she sleeps - I'll have to try to record it sometime.

Have you ever loved someone so much that it just makes your heart ache? That's what this is like.

Little Cottonwood Trail Hike

So we have a goal this summer to go on 15 hikes (or something like that) because here we are in Utah with all this access to great outdoor activities and we don't know if we'll always be in Utah so we better take advantage of it now. And it was Sunday and we were both feeling a little crappy and stir-crazy so we thought the fresh air might do us some good. So off we went to Little Cottonwood Canyon. I lamented on the way that we lived on the west side instead of the east side because even though the mountains are fairly close, they would be so much closer if we lived on the east. Oh well - it's no excuse not to get out though.

Here is proud papa with the brand new Baby Bjorn that we just had to get cause it was 30% off at Babies R' Us. But also, Brandon wanted to be able to carry Lucy and the Moby Wrap just wasn't working with his style. And I was more than happy to let Brandon take over carrying duties and give my back a break.
On our way up the trail, we saw some people carrying these rectangular mats and we wondered what the heck they were for. And then we saw these huge boulders and I guess people place the mats on the bottom and climb up the boulders unharnessed. I had never even heard of this activity before but it looked pretty cool - like mini-rock climbing.

Up at the top, we realized that we weren't on the trail we were supposed to be on so we started to head back down.

I was happy to carry the Camelbak which is much easier carrying on your back than a baby on your front.

We think that this must be the area where they got the granite for the Salt Lake City Temple but it was just a guess.

I tried to get all artistic on the way down as I took pictures of these pretty purple flowers I was admiring. I'm always surprised by all the beauty there is just naturally and glad to be able to stop and take a look.

We took one more look at the people bouldering (I don't know if that is the right term)...

and check to make sure that Lucy is still breathing because she has her face squished into Brandon's chest (which is why I like the Moby wrap so much because it keeps her head turned in place). Carrying Lucy seems to automatically put her to sleep but she can't really see much anyway facing in.
Then we get in the car and drive up a bit until we find the right trailhead for the hike we really wanted to do.

We must have had a really good snow pack this past winter because the stream was running like crazy. But it was really nice to hike along the water because it keeps it really cool.
We never actually finished the hike because it wasn't marked very well and the trail kept splitting off in all these directions so we weren't sure where to go. There was supposed to be some kind of old mill or falls at the end but we never made it. But, it was still worth going to get out of the house. We're not really sure how much Lucy enjoys it either but hopefully, it will get her used to being outside so we can do this more when she is old enough to enjoy it more.