I think my baby ate an earwig

I think Jamison just ate an earwig.

About a half hour ago I was putting some dishes in the sink. I saw an earwig.

I stepped on it. A couple of times, just to make sure it was dead.

It's sweep and mop day today, so no big deal. I'll sweep it up in a minute, I thought to myself. Then I get called out of the kitchen for some reason or another.

A few minutes ago I return to the kitchen to make Jamison a bottle so I can feed him and put him down for a nap. I leave him in the living room while I measure the water and scoop in the formula. He crawls into the kitchen and sits at my feet to see what I am doing. I look at him and smile. He smiles back.

He's got something in his mouth. Thinking he's found a piece of Duncan's dog food (again) I reach down and poke my figer in his mouth to try and pull it out.

He swallows and then wails angrily at me for the intrusion. Nothing in his mouth anymore.

And then I look to where my smashed earwig was lying, waiting for its final interment in the garbage can.

It's gone.

I ask Jamison, "You didn't just...? Did you...?"

He smiles like he's been a little rebellious and he's proud of himself.

Secretly I hope it was a piece of dogfood.

Fireworks

This has been such a busy month, I haven't had much time to do things for myself. Yesterday was a slight break, Keaton and I went jeeping up a beautiful trail in providence, but there will be more pictures of that later.

I had wanted to go to the Clinton fireworks but because the family session I shot later that evening went long, I didn't have time to get the boys packed up and dragged off to the park. Instead, I spread a blanket out on the cement, put the camera on its tripod and waited for the fun to begin from the comfort of my own driveway. I thought I'd share a few.

You know you're a mother when...

The other day I was so relieved that Keaton had finally come home from work to take my teething, fussy child off of my hands so I could--finally!--get the grocery shopping out of the way and fill up our very bare cupboards. I was so relieved, in fact, that I didn't want to give him a chance to change his mind or add something to the list or delay me in any way. I hurriedly grabbed my purse, grabbed my car keys, dashed out the door, looked down, and realized...

I forgot to put on any shoes. Halfway to the car before I even noticed.


And today--
(I cannot believe I'm posting this. But what is a blog for if you can't make your reader's eyes burn with a visual they could go their entire life without?)

So I really had to go to the bathroom. But Jamison has been very clingy and fussy while he's been running a fever in this weeks teething episode. I couldn't put him down a minute or he'd start into this tragic, broken-hearted cry which, of course, had me saying things like, "Of course I won't leave you, baby! I'm right here!" And I'd swoop him back up.

When I finally got him playing with some blocks on the living room floor I knew it was now or never and dashed to the bathroom, which is right off the living room and up seven stairs. I'd just barely plopped myself down when I heard an unmistakable da-da-da from outside the bathroom door. Too close outside the bathroom door. So what do I do?

I jump off the pot, hop to the door with my pants around my ankles, find my baby on the fourth step up, and lunge to catch him--dropped pants and all--as he tips backwards, losing his balance after the startle his mom gave him popping out of the bathroom like a crazy woman.

I managed to save Jamison, but there was no hope for my dignity. It was dead on the scene.

One of my old coworkers warned me that going through pregnancy and childbirth would rid you of every shred of dignity you possessed.

I beg to differ.

Afternoon, sir

Poor little guy.

Naptime isn't over for him until mommy has taken a thousand pictures.

There is only one thing to be done.

Take away her toy.

All Things Being Equal

Last week, when we were out to eat with Carma and Steve and Keaton's brother Logan, we started discussing the fact that Carma and Steve were staying in West Valley and driving back and forth between Davis and Weber counties and West Valley because Steve's parents had a nice guest bedroom. "One day," I told Carma, "we'll have a guest bedroom and you can stay at our house, its halfway between."

This got Keaton on a subject we've been over many times before. "We need to get a King size bed and then we can move our Queen to the guest bedroom."

"He's always complaining," I told the rest of the group, "but he complained more when I was pregnant. Go figure."

"We still need to get a new mattress," he insisted. "It isn't as bad as when you were pregnant, but still..."

"We don't need a new mattress," I said, "the one we have is fine."

"But," Keaton said in exasperation, "you take up like, fifty percent!"

Logan didn't miss a beat. "What you're saying is, that she takes up an entire fifty percent, leaving you with only....fifty percent?"

Keaton computed that. We all broke into laughter. He stammered for a minute, trying to justify his statement, but even he started laughing.

I thought marriage was about being equal with your partner.

I guess not when it comes to bedshares.

Later, Keaton decided that if we go by size, it really should be 70-30. Which is flattering...but I think I'll keep my 50%. I makes up for the 100% of the covers he steals.

Rainy Day Photo Shoot

Carma came up for the holiday weekend from Arizona and we decided that we would do a mini photo shoot so A. I could get a good photo to put on my blog and website and B. so I could impart my vast photo knowledge to her eager young mind (not really, she already knows most of it, I was just teaching her a few of the tricks and tips I've learned in the last little bit). But it rained...and rained...and rained... which was fine for the lighting (it was SO GORGEOUS) but not so good for the hair. (But check out the black and white of Carma. I made it big because wow)

Paula has advised me that the pictures I've put on my new header and profile pic don't really look like me because I'm not smiling! So here is a smiling one...

Its a little dorky, but I guess thats just me...

Exhibit A

Reasons why I couldn't quit until we had health insurance:

And yes, he is holding a chainsaw.
Sidenote: He did fall later and scraped up his arms and legs trying to keep from breaking his neck.