Diablo III

Yesterday was a day Sean had been looking forward to for quite a while. One of his favorite video games was releasing a sequel: Diablo III. Diablo II came out about 10 years ago. Four years ago Sean found out that Blizzard Entertainment would begin working on the third, and finally yesterday it was released!

Sean loves video games! But he is also very picky. More often than not he tries a new game once and decides he doesn't like it and takes it back to Game Stop (luckily they have good return policies). After watching him play and after analyzing his gaming preferences I've determined that Sean is mostly into games with good stories, good graphics, fun multiplayer play, and challenging strategem. Playstation fulfills a lot of these requirements, but Sean definitely favors the three games made by Blizzard that are made for PC. Yeah, they only make three games. And these three games are POLISHED, let me tell you. Artistly, they are extremely impressive. Sean also loves them because they are diverse in their play style. In the past Sean has played World of Warcraft with his brother and little sister (she's an undercover gaming nerd). haha. Lately, he has been playing with some of the guys that work at Texas Roadhouse who also happen to be into gaming. The owner at Texas Roadhouse is actually into these same games as well (kinda random), so they've been playing together with a couple of other guys.

I think Sean's love of video games will be the thing that keeps him young. haha. I don't know if all other men are like this...by that I mean, I don't know if all other men have some hobby they love that is kind of boyish, but it seems like a lot of them do. Kinda funny, really. I've been working on developing my hobbies lately . . . but usually I just wanna sit down and look at facebook or watch Netflix. I need to find something that I also can get into with other friends etc... I'll figure it out, but until then I guess I can just live through Sean. :)

Sean and Lincoln before Sean was heading to Game Stop for the midnight release. Is it just me, or can you see a major resemblance in this picture?

Toofers

Well. IT. HAS. HAPPENED. One of my greatest fears has come to light: Lincoln's bottom two teeth have broken through his gums. Why is this my fear? Two reasons. One: I'm terrified of being bitten while nursing. I heard about this lady whose baby bit her and cut through the flesh of the nipple. It got infected and obviously is was extremely painful. She couldn't nurse and it was terrible. ha. I laugh because of course something like this would freak me out, even though I highly doubt it will happen. Luckily being bitten isn't as much of a concern until his top teeth come in, which won't be for a little while (hopefully). Reason two: After spending a year working at a pediatric dental office I have developed a fear of baby teeth. I can't tell you how many molars I have seen that literally have holes in them, or brown spots all over the tooth. I have also seen countless x-rays that reveal significant decay on front baby teeth. Cavities in young teeth are a nightmare! Fixing them is no cake walk. Usually it requires general anesthesia because no child under the age of 5 will sit still long enough for a dentist to fix a tooth, or multiple teeth. Not to mention is also costs a fortune to pay for dental work on teeth that will eventually fall out...only not for a few years. All things considered...I hope Lincoln likes brushing! Bubble gum flavored tooth paste might become my best friend! :)

But anyways...I will say that his teeth coming in has also been very exciting! Now that it is actually happening I've calmed down about it a bit. He hasn't had terrible teething symptoms, but was definitely showing the signs this whole week, proven by his drooly face in the photos above.

The photos below are just of him having a good time in his 'Wonderbug' and with the kiddie Texas Roadhouse sunglasses Sean brought home. Cuties! :)

Reality...and Motherhood

Have you ever been in the middle of your day and all of a sudden thought, "Woah, how did I get here?" Lately, I've been thinking this fairly often. The fact that I'm married, have a baby, and am a stay-at-home mom still catches me off guard.
When I was pregnant with Lincoln, everytime we saw Sean's dad he would always say, "Your life is about to change..." and then he would go on a little about becoming a parent. When Lincoln was first born he would say "Can you believe how your life has changed?" Now, after the initial shock of caring for a tiny infant I'm starting to understand more of what he meant. My life has drastically changed! And it's never going back. Once you have a child you can never think the way you thought about your life before. For example, sometimes I have random thoughts about random things I would like to study or a random job that I think would be fun to have. And then I remember that doing things like that in the future would never be done the way they were in the past. Another example: last Saturday was my grandpa's 80th birthday party. Lincoln and I drove to Richfield (2 hours away) with my dad and brother to celebrate. We were gone pretty much the whole day. Throughout the day I kept noticing how my tasks operated differently than anyone else there because I was the only one who had a baby. All of my cousins that attended are future parents (some sooner than others), and all of my aunts are quite a ways past the baby stage (and possibly into the grandma phase). I didn't even see one other person with a baby at the event... and needless to say, it became even more obvious how my day basically ran around Lincoln. He needed to nurse, he needed baby food, he needed a nap, he needed a diaper change...REPEAT. I can't just leave him to fend for himself! He's got needs! That I fulfill! Go figure.
With this said it's just funny how I sometimes feel like I'm in a temporary phase of life--like summer betweeen school semesters. And then I slap myself back into reality and remind myself it's not really gonna change. I will be doing this for quite a while. And it will only get crazier and more complicated as soon as Lincoln gets a younger sibling, and as soon as Sean climbs farther up the Texas Roadhouse ladder. But is it weird that I daydream of those even crazier days?
Not surprisingly, the first few weeks that I was done with my job and staying at home were completely amazing. Some of that joy was attribited to my new, less stressful life, but those days were also some of the best days of my life in terms of just feeling like I was making an important difference to someone's life. I love it. Every time I think about being a mom and taking care of Lincoln I just smile. Motherhood is the most fulfilling thing I have ever done. And I've tried to find purpose in a lot of things, let me tell you. Nothing has worked out as well. The whole process of being pregnant, giving birth, and taking care of such a tiny and delicate life is magical and beautiful. Don't get me wrong, it's also brought me closer to insanity than ever before, mainly because of unnatural sleep levels and excess doses of physical discomfort. It's also taken away a few freedoms that I won't get back for a while, but I would never go back. Being a mom is wonderful! It just is! There is just a feeling about it that is unlike anything else. It's a special type of love that makes you more selfless than you ever have been. And I am very grateful to be able to enjoy it as thoroughly as I have. I would recommend it to anyone... :)

7 months

Stats as of April 12th: 19lbs; 28in long

Lincoln loves anything that he can shake to make noise. He got to this toilet paper and had a blast shaking it around. He also loves to shake blankets and pillows. Who knew they could be so fun?

Lincoln has been learning a lot lately. It's amazing how a baby can learn the smallest little thing and it seems like such a big deal.  For example, last Friday night we went to Texas Roadhouse and he figured out how to drink from a straw. Wow! It changed his life! He has also started to try to pull himself up onto things. Because he can't crawl he can't try to pull himself up onto furniture, cuz he can't get to it. But, he loves to sit in our laps or on the floor or couch next to us and he'll grab our clothes and try to pull himself upright. When we put our hands out he can grab them and go from sitting to standing. It also cracks me up when he's sitting on the floor and if I walk past he will whine and try to grab my pant legs to pull up on. I think it's funny! :)

This picture was caught just an hour ago. Sean let him lay on the recliner on his tummy like that and he ended up falling asleep. haha. I love it when he falls asleep randomly. It's so funny. I sometimes wish it happened more often because it gets a little frusterating when it should be his nap time, but he's awak and cranky and won't settle down. This method is much easier! :)

He LOVES baby food! He will pretty much eat anything. The only thing he hasn't seemed to care for is Mango. I had no idea they made mango's for babies, but it's got a weird texture. He wouldn't open his mouth anymore after a few bites. But he loves apples and pears mixed with anything. He also really likes sweet potatoes, green beans, and carrots. He has always loved rice cereal as well. Lately we have learned that Lincoln is quite friendly. When people, especially women, come say hi to him he will often put out his arms and reach out for them to hold him. Like any other curious baby he grabs jewelry, hair, and anything else that looks potentially interesting.

As of May 10th he can officially roll back to front and front to back with no problems. He does it whenever it seems necessary. :)

Chocolate-chip Cookies

What is the deal with chocolate-chip cookies? I swear there are like a billion different recipes out there for them; everyone makes them slightly differently. Some people like them chewy, some like them flaky, some like them crunchy, some like them doughy, and then there are the few that like them burnt. There seems to be a recipe for every preference.

When I was in 7th grade I had a home economics class where we cooked simple recipes, sewed things, and did other domestic stuff that I don't really remember. This is where I starting making chocolate-chip cookies the way I've made them for the last 12 years. I remember the first time I made this recipe in school I couldn't believe how good they tasted. I took the recipe home and started to make them for my family. My mom like to bake occasionally, but even still I liked to bake cookies so much it became my sole responsibility to make cookies whenever necessary. I would make that recipe, and I also had a few other specialties that we all loved. But, I had especially perfected this recipe to the point that I could pump out perfectly delicious cookies almost every time. When switching between altitudes I didn't have to worry: I knew if the dough was right by touching it after everything was mixed.

As I got older, so did my younger siblings. Nate especially would request my cookies. When I was in college and would come over on Sundays for dinner he would always say, "Lets make cookies," as he raised his eyebrows and nodded his head. I went on my mission and started making these cookies for members, investigators, and of course, Elders. They were always a hit. Because of the lower altitude in Texas these cookies were even better. I don't know how it happens but they were soooo good. Just sayin'. Anyways, this is where my cookie story ends: when I got home from my mission the higher altitude totally threw my recipe off I couldn't remember exactly how much flour I normally used in Utah and it took me quite a long time to get it right, especially because I wasn't making them as often. Until recently, I hadn't really figured it out since leaving Texas (that was two years ago btw...). The past few months Sean has been requesting cookies more and more and finally I have regained my ability to perfect this recipe. We have also learned that between the two of us, we prefer them made slightly differently. I like them to be doughy, but also flaky. He likes them doughy and chewy.

So here's my recipe:
1 stick butter at room temperature or slightly colder (This is important. If it's melted it will mess up the cookies.)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 and 1/4 cups flour plus about 3 tablespoons
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup oatmeal
chocolate chips

Sean's recipe:
1 stick butter at room temperature or slightly colder
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup oatmeal
chocolate chips

The only thing all cookies seem to have in common is the order in which you add the ingredients. So you cream the butter and sugar first. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat really well! Make it fluffy, people! Blend in flour, baking soda, salt, and oatmeal. Then, with a spoon, mix in as many chocolate chips as you feel is necessary. I never measure that. :) Bake at 350 degress for 9-10 minutes, unless of course you like them crunchy or burnt.

So now I've shared MY recipe. And I'm pretty sure that for the rest of my life I will always make chocolate-chip cookies this way. I look forward to the day when my kids recognize that these specific cookies are the ones their mama makes. It will always give them a good reason to come home.

Tub Time

So, I love pictures of babies in the tub! They always look so adorably chubby. And usually they are happy as well because they love being in the tub! Lincoln loves it for sure. Any stressful night can get better once I get him into the bath. These pics from tonight are fun because it was one of the first times where I let him sit up in the tub by himself. I've been holding off for a few weeks, and now his balance is good enough that he can catch himself if he starts to tip over.

In this photo above I kept saying, "smile for Auntie Melissa"... this is what I got! He's finally starting to smile for the camera. Before he would just stare at it intently waiting for it to go away. I'm excited to send her these photos. :)

I don't know about you, but in these pictures I think he looks so much like Sean. He's a little Seany with blue eyes and no hair! haha.

Lincoln's 6 month photos by Greg Deakins