The Biggest Loser

Alright, Jenny, my sister-in-law, started a competition between friends along with the show The Biggest Loser. I decided to give it a go. I just finished my first workout and I have to say it kicked my butt. I am doing the P90X videos and they are intense. Our competition is going to 10 weeks and I am hoping to lose 20-25 lbs during that time. Wish me luck and any encouragement you can spare.

Happy Anniversary

Today is the third anniversary of our wedding!!! Clint and I dropped Leslie off with a babysitter. My boss from Eddie Bauer, Nancy, offered to watch her. I was a little nervous about it but after dinner and a few minutes of wandering around IKEA we can back to a very happy girl. I guess she cried for about 3 minutes and forgot about missing us. It was nice to have some time to ourselves and know that Leslie had a good time too.

The youngest of Nancy's two boys is Jacob. I think he is about 7, has become Leslie's special friend. She loved Jacob and occasionally acknowledged Easton's presence, her 9-year-old. She also very much like their dog, Basil. We said goodbye a dozen different times and finally made it home an hour after bedtime.

I love my Clint and am so happy that we are together. Here's to many more years together.

Like Mother Like Daughter: Part II

I love to read. As far back as I can remember I have loved to read, maybe my mom can counter that from very early childhood but I don't think that's likely.

Leslie also loves to read. We go to the library on a regular basis and get all kinds of books. The books we have at home are wonderful and we read them often enough that Leslie remembers what comes next in most of them. She could probably tell some of the stories all by herself If she had all the right words. She even gets ahold of my books occasionally and brings them to me to read out loud.

I love to watch her sit quietly by herself and look through her books. It makes me think that maybe she is a little like me after all and that our books are something we can continue to share as she gets older. I love my little book worm.

Like Mother Like Daughter

One of my Dad's favorite stories, accompanied by an appropriately embarrassing picture, about me is when I got a hold of some Desitin and had a little quality time by myself. I'm not sure how much of the tube I used but my legs were completely white by the time I finished. Well, Leslie has shown a similar fascination with Desitin.

Now, she didn't get quite as far as I did but that didn't seem to stop her from enjoying it to its fullest. I'm sure it was easier for her because now they sell the 'creamy' variety, I had to use regular.

I'm SO crafty

I, Julie Long, have actually made something for my daughter. I have been wanting to make her a tu-tu for a while now and I finally did.

I put in three different colors and I think it turned out rather well. It is a little long but that will take care of itself in time.

I want to start making some other things for her but am not sure how to get started. If anyone has good directions for making a duvet cover I would love to hear about it. I have a dozen different ideas for an amazing girls' bedroom. Also, anyone that can make hair barrettes she could use some of those too. Leslie has really beautiful hair but sometimes it could use some embellishment.

Seeing the Baby

So Leslie and I did, in fact, go to see Jenny and Brian's baby today. We had quite a time getting to the hospital. I have never been to the U of U hospital before and didn't know exactly where to go. After we drove around for about 20 minutes, after driving 25 to get there, we were told that we weren't going to be let inside because there was a bomb threat against the hospital earlier that day. So Leslie got to take half her nap in the car as I drove home to wait for another time to see the baby.

Brian called us later to say that the visitor ban had been lifted and we tried one more time. We got to see a beautiful little girl who is as yet unnamed. She is just over 6 and a half pounds. It sounds crazy but you really forget how tiny babies are. She has a smattering of dark hair on her head and lovely long fingers. Brian is excited to have a girl thrown in with his boys. She is going to have great big brothers!

(BTW there was no bomb in the hospital)

Slacker

I just have to say that I am aware that I am one of the biggest blog slackers ever. I am amazed that people post every week or more than that. I'll try to get a little more news about the Long family out there.

Here is the most exciting news. Clint's sister, Jenny, just had a little girl! There were some concerning circumstances but everything turned out well and they are both doing well. Leslie and I are going to see them today, at least that's the plan. Jenny and Brian, her husband, have three boys, Jacob, Aiden and Jack. It will be exciting for them to have a little girl in their home. I am ecstatic for them, maybe because I love my little girl so much.

Leslie constantly amazes me. I am daily stunned by how much she talks. Here is a list of some of the words she says-what I can think of right now

mama Elmo outside inside stairs up down hair nose eyes ears
dad foot toes sneetch bear cow read grandpa grandma shoes socks shirt pants book bed milk juice water nap grass green blue yellow red diaper pee-pee poo-poo jump no yes walk car truck baby Leslie two six nine

Okay, there are probably this many more that I'm not thinking of at the moment. And these are all words that are easily understandable. She also tries at saying rhinoceros and dinosaurs. She gets few syllables of those two. It seems like every day she learns a little more and it won't be long until she is stringing sentences together.

I am glad that she likes reading as much as she does. It make me thinl that maybe she is a little like her mama. She reads with Mom or Dad or even alone. There are some books that we read that she remembers what comes next and says it before we turn the page. I think that is pretty great considering she is only a year and a half old.

Well, we're off the see Leslie's new cousin. I'll try to get another post up soon.