Fun Photos

David has been experimenting with doing different, fun Senior photos, so Cassie and I volunteered to be the ones he practiced on. I have to say, it was SO MUCH FUN! Here are a few of our photos...

Apple Pickin'

Neil and Monica (David's cousin and his wife) invited us to go up to apple country to get some yummy lunch at Apple Annie's and to get apple cider donuts. I planned to pick a bunch of apples to make homemade apple pie but apparently it's expensive to pick and buy apples yourself instead of just going to do store. Who would have thunk?! Being the cheapskate that I am, I opted out of picking them (plus it was COLD!!) and just went for the delicious donuts. They were crazy good. I never knew you could make so many things out of apple. It was a great fall activity and I plan on going back to actually pick some raspberries when it's the right season. And we saw real snow so there! In other news, it's been in the 80s all week and I could not be more thrilled about it! :)

I miss my mom A LOT. I'm used to spending every Thanksgiving with my family, going shopping with my mom and sister(s) and playing board games together. I'm used to seeing my mom every couple months when she'd drive down to Utah to see me and my sister. I'm very happy in California but I'm just missing my mom so much. I think the holiday season makes it worse but I wish I could live next door to my parents forever. And I wish Sebastian could grow up by his cousins. I sure love my mom!

Happy Gobble Gobble

I hope you all had a GREAT Thanksgiving and got nice and fat. We had our big turkeyfest last night instead of on actual Thanksgiving. We went to Knott's Berry Farm and enjoyed funnel cake on Turkey day instead. Trust me, funnel cake does NOT taste like turkey and gravy!! I have to admit I was a little sad to miss the turkey and all the trimmings on the actual day but it was still fun. This was the first year we didn't spend it with my side of the family too so I was pretty bummed, but I had a great day anyhow. I'm most excited for the fact that Sebastian got to sit on Santa's lap and get some AWESOME pictures at Knott's. He's just getting so cute and HUGE. I can't believe my little baby is already over 6 months old. That can't be right can it??
We also braved the Black Friday lines and ended up waiting at Target at 10pm to get some shopping done. I went for the entertainment value but was gravely disappointed at how calm it was. I wanted at least one person to fight for an item or hit someone with their cart. I left completely disappointed, but did up with a few cheap DVDs. Yes, I waited 2 hours for DVDs. The next day, I saw on the news the lady using pepper spray at Walmart to get to the items she wanted and was SOOOO mad that we didnt got to Walley World instead. I know where I'm headed next year for my entertainment. We're putting the old Christmas tree up tonight and I couldn't be more excited. Bring on the happiest time of the year! I hope Christ stays in your heart all year long.

P.S. Just so everyone is aware, Christmas trees are meant to be hunted for not pulled out of a box, fake, and set up pre-lit. I need to get my own place because this is COMPLETELY unacceptable. Where is the wonderful smell of pine and peppermint? I miss home.

Gettin' our Getty on

David had to go to a museum for one of his nerdy Art History classes, so Sebastian and I tagged along when he went to the Getty in LA. I'm usually not musH for art museums but I surprisingly had an AWESOME time. The museum was huge and it was just fun to get out of the house and see some crazy expensive works of art. David, of course, was nerdying it up with all his Art history talk and knowing EVERYTHING about every piece (practically). If you're ever in LA, you should check it out. It will not disappoint.

Disneyland!!

David and I took the Chinese girls to Disneyland on Friday. It was the bomb-diggity once again. We hadn't been in 3 years so it was fun to take in the Disney spirit again. I always forget how magical it is there. It was raining pretty hard on us but it was the best because that meant the lines were so short. We only had to wait 10 minutes for Space Mountain AND Indiana Jones--unheard of! Luckily, it stopped raining after lunch and we got to enjoy the rest of the day without herds and herds of people. I tell you what though, I've gotten so soft living here. It was like 55-60 degrees and I have FREEZING to death. I don't know how I dealt with snow all those years. I miss summer so badly. Winter is so overrated.

Happy Halloween

Happy Haunting for the few bloggers still reading my boring blog. We had a GREAT halloween and went to a really fun party on Saturday night. It's always a blast getting into the spirit of things and dressing up. The last two years our costumes have been the bomb-diggity, if I don't say so myself. This year was not quite up to my usual standards but I did sew them myself (for the most part) so I still feel as cool. It's always interesting when people ask me what I do for a living now and I say that I sew competitive swimsuits. But I LOVE it and is has greatly improved my other sewing skills. For my costume, I had to sew my first shirt and now I shall be attempting some other projects that I've had in mind the last couple years but was too scared to try. Let me just say, the only reason I'm sewing at all is because I have the RIGHT equipment. You may think you're cool and all because you have a domestic sewing machine like a chump. I used to think that too because I have, what I like to call, a "civilian" machine and a serger as well. However, now I have access to the real deal--6 commercial machines that kick your domestic machine's butts. The difference between the machines is unreal. It's like the difference between Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and the Walmart nasty cheese brand. YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE. Anyhow, that's enough nerdy sewing talk. Here are some pics because that's all you want anyways.

Dear Abandoned blog,
I have ZERO desire to update you until Sebastian is 5 years old or at least sleeps through the night and is independent enough to be put down for 5 seconds alone and unsupervised. I don't see you becoming any less abandoned any time soon so please don't pester me any longer about my lack of posts. I will try to update you once a month, no more no less. We hope to have a new picture of Sea bass when he turns 5 months old in 2 more weeks. Until then, stay tuned.

P.S. Please keep updating your own blogs because I still have PLENTY of time to read your blogs. Thanks.

Hugs and Kisses,
Claire

Okay, it's official...

We are MOVING on Friday, August 5th to California. Since it is finally official, I can post now. More details to come. I better memorize Katie Perry's "California Gurlz" in a hurry. Hello sunshine. Hello beach. I'm so excited and scared at the same time. Wish us luck.

Finally

Can I just tell you how obnoxious it's been to not be able to update my blog? I have written at least 4 separate posts about Sebastian but my work computer wouldn't let me upload them. And since that was our only operable computer, I didn't have a lot of choices. Luckily, we have a computer now so I'm really hoping this will work. Something was messed up with the "Java Script" and apparently just googling how to fix it doesn't quite cut it. My computer skills are more than limited. :)

So...we've been having a great time with lil' Sebastian. He is HUGE now and too cute. He weighs about 12 lbs now and smiles like crazy. Oh and did I mention that he sleeps through the night?! This has got to be the best thing in the world. I finally feel like a human again. Every morning he wakes up at either 6 or 7 and I think to myself "I'm too tired to get up." But I walk into his room and he immediately starts cooing and smiling. I love it more than I can express. We love having him around and getting to know his little personality better. I wish he would stay small forever, but I have a bad feeling that he's going to keep growing and growing. I'm sure your kids are cute, but my little guy is still the cutest baby alive. Sorry! :) Here's a picture David took after his blessing. I have to get more pics of him from our external drive, but this should tide you over for a little bit.

Gotta love this little face.

A few pics...

Here are a couple pics for your viewing pleasure to tide you over until I can get a real post going. Enjoy! I may be a LITTLE biased, but I'm pretty sure we have the cutest baby alive.

Our lucky Friday the 13th!!

It's a boy! We had little Sebastian Gene Rogers at 1:46 pm on Friday the 13th! He weighed exactly 7 lbs and is 19.5 inches long. We bawled our eyes out and are now happily home with our main man. We are so happy he's here. Sorry pics to come...

3 months later

I finally finished those dang bumper pads that I started 3 months ago!! Just in the knick of time to welcome our little boy into the world. I dreaded doing them forever because I thought they were a lot harder than they actually were to sew and because I had zero space to sew or move. As soon as we moved into our new MANSION, I finally bit the bullet and started/finished them in like 2 days. Now they are happily waiting in the crib for our main man to make his grand appearance. One way or another, he'll be here on the 21st if he doesn't come out himself (I have to be induced that day since my doctor is getting induced the next day and she only lets me go one week after the due date). I was originally aiming for the 6th but now we're going camping on Friday/Saturday, so I'd be thrilled if he came the 8th. I'm starting to accept the fact that he's probably not coming early, despite my best efforts. The stairstepper doesn't seem to bother him anymore. He's happily kicking my ribs as long as he can. I'll enjoy my sleep while I can. It's probably a good thing too since I haven't even THOUGHT about packing our hospital bag yet. I'm still very much in denial. The second I pack that bag I feel like I have to admit that I have to give birth. Still terrified...

My exciting life...

There's nothing quite like having the cops called on you twice in one day because you have an angry tenant who refused to move their stuff out/do their final cleaning check so you fail them and charge them $85 for getting the place cleaned. Oh wait, never mind, I know something a little more exciting...getting pushed by the father of said tenant because you still refuse to do their final check-out. Oh wait, that was David, but it was still exciting. Too bad both calls to the cops resulted in NOTHING happening on their part. If only their threats would result in something. It was a nice try though, I have to admit. Don't you just HATE when managers are the devil because they give you over a week's notice to get something done and you refuse to follow the THOROUGH directions and then the cops won't help you out either? Sometimes you just have to laugh or you'll go insane. ;)

Dear Poking-and-Prodding doctors/nurses,

I'm terrified of you and am SO not looking forward to Wednesday when you start your weekly "inspection" to see how far I'm progressing. I'd rather you left me alone until I'm in utter pain, in the hospital, and BEGGING for an epidural. Until that happens, I'd be much obliged if you kept your hands to yourself. Please oh please don't have Strep B. and be stuck with the penicilin drip. I can't take much more of your testing, blood-drawing, and interferring. Also, unless I'm 10 centimeteres dilated, please don't give me any updates. I'll just get way too excited if I'm dilated at all and will be useless because of anticipation.
In other better news, we MOVE on SATURDAY! Hello more-than-twice the space and a baby room/nursery. And by "we", I actually mean David will be the one moving because I'm too big and pregnant to be lifting or helping with anything (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! I've officially put myself on "maternity leave" whenever there is something I don't want to help with). A new(er) place right before Easter??...Things are definitely looking up. Now if I can just get motivated to finish the pumper pads I started 3 months ago, I'll be much closer to having our little man. Why do I get these crazy ideas in my head? I should have went to Babies R' Us and bought one already ready and assembled for me. Oh well, it will be adorable when I'm done. If not, I'll be running down there last minute on the way to the hospital because I like to procrastinate. Normally I'm not a procrastinator in the slightest, but when I'm nervous about things, I can ignore them for weeks on end. In fact, I'm still in denial about how babies are born. I'm waiting for the stork to arrive on my doorstep next month. ;)

Dear Stretch Marks,

Why do you keep getting bigger, longer, and more red when I lather you in body butter 24-7?? What a crock. Seeing as this is my first baby, I thought you wouldn't show your ugly head until child 2 or 3. Good thing I would never wear a bikini in my life or I would be even more mad. You have made me lose my extremely soft and pleasant baby skin that I have always had. I always loved me skin until you showed up. Thanks a bunch! You hurt and itch and I despise you. Please leave me alone or at least stop multiplying and elongating. Also, take your friend Mr. Heartburn with you when you leave. I could do without both of you.

P.S. really?? heartburn from brownies?? Really??

Dear Maternity clothes,

I don't know if you were supposed to fit all the way until the end of the pregnancy or not but I'm sitting here at almost 8 months and things are getting a little too snug for comfort. My rather large wardrobe that my friend Amy gave me is now severly limited to the few giant shirts that still fit...yes, the same giant shirts that when she first dropped them off I thought to myself "if these EVER fit me I will kill myself." My pants still fit so hopefully they'll last the remaining 5 weeks....make that 2.5 weeks until I'm "full-term" and then I'll be on the treadmill 24-7 until I can get this baby out. I'm sure I'll regret that the second he does come when 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 feedings come around. I figure since I NEVER sleep now anyhow, I might as well get to hug and kiss our little sweetie. Luckily, I ordered a non-crying, sleep-through-the-night newborn ahead of time. :) I've been mostly fine with this last trimester up until lately. I feel so uncomfortable in my own skin. I never understood that saying until I got pregnant. All I do is waddle and sweat and be uncomfortable. Couple that with the fact that I feel like I'm stuck in a giant fat suit and things aren't going so great. Can I just meet my sweet little man yet? He's plenty big now if you ask me. Please oh Please be one of the 5% that come early. I know, wishful thinking.

Color Festival Take 2

We and some friends from RG went to the Color Festival again this weekend. It was a little brisk, but other than that it was a really good time. And this time we actually got to get colors because they weren't sold out like last time so we were happy about that. Afterwards we all got in the hot tub and hung out. It was a nice relaxing day. And I ate my first cheeseburger in 7.5 months and it actually tasted good. Since being pregnant, I have despised the even thought of a hamburger. I guess I've been missing out. I'm trying to live it for the remaining 6 weeks before our little bunting shows up because after that I doubt I'll be seeing anything but the inside of our apartment for weeks....and I can't WAIT!!

At the very begining before we got plastered in colors. Look at that massive belly! :)