We've had some great photo ops lately:

We are still waiting for her booster chair to come, so I tried feeding her in her swing today. Needless to say, her rice cereal went a-flyin'. I looked about the same as she did after we were done.

Snuggling with her bunny in the rocking chair

A Reason to Celebrate!

Siena is officially 6 months old today! She got her 6-month set of vaccines today as a present from the doctor. (I think she is a little "toughie"; her developing diaper rash bothers her more than her pokes.) She's 17 1/2 lbs and about 25" long and has pretty much stayed in that 75th percentile ever since her 2-month checkup, the little porker. We love her to pieces and can't get enough of her smile. It's been so fun to get to know her mannerisms and see her sense of humor come out. She's definitely developed Stranger and Separation Anxieties because she always wants Mommy to hold her and if anyone else so much as looks at her at the wrong time, she'll start to cry. Yet Siena is still so independent! She refuses to accept either a pacifier or a bottle from anyone... she has to be the one to put it in her mouth. It's so funny to watch because she doesn't have that "hand-eye coordination" thing down quite yet-- she can't ever actually get what she wants, where she wants it. (After about 2 minutes of trying, she starts to scream out of frustration, and THAT'S where it becomes "fun" for me.)



As much as I am realizing how difficult parenting is, and is going to be, I wouldn't DREAM of changing my life as it is right now. Siena has brought Juan and I so much happiness on a level that we couldn't even have imagined before she was born. They say that the "pre-children years" are the "Honeymoon Stage" and that "life will never be as blissful once your first child is born"; to that I say "What-Evah!" It's true that Juan and I were so incredibly happy-in-love those first two years before Siena was born, but we get so much more marital happiness in Siena's "Rice Monster" face than any ol' "high school reunion show-and-tell". WHAT I MEAN IS..... seeing the little family that we've become is not "replaced joy", it's a higher degree of well-being.

Help! I've Lost My Changita!

Has anyone else out there had a manipulative 6 month-old? Siena has started screaming and screaming when it is time for bed and refuses to stop until someone holds her. Who stole my child and replaced her with this one?

I know that she's not sick and not in pain because once she is held or brought into the room where everyone is, she starts giggling and flirting. My suspicion is that she knows it's bedtime and she also knows that she can prolong her waking hours if she gets Mommy to laugh and play with her... so she acts alive and funny so she doesn't have to go to bed. I can't help but laugh because she does this thing where she throws her arms above her head and moves her head from side to side in a really fast motion while she's giggling. It's hilarious!

This has happened for a few nights now and I know that I need to change my reaction to that in order for her to realize that she really does have to go to bed. There have got to be more solutions than that (I really like playing with her, and it's so rare that she is so animated.) Am I missing something? Anyone? Please, all mothers out there, I need some advice on dealing with this. Thanks!

Anyone Know Tofu?

We want to try cooking with tofu just for the experience, but we want it to be a good experience. So if anyone knows of any delicious tofu recipes, please let me know.

ps (Janine, if you are reading this... do you know of any "tofu cheese fondue" recipes?)

Capogiro Date

Oh how lucky we are! Shanelle volunteered to babysit Siena last night so we could go on a date. We decided to go to the Art District in Downtown Philly because there was this gelato place that looked oh-so-delicious. It's called Capogiro and here is there website. It won "Best Dessert" in CitySearch last year, so we knew it would be good. Besides the city atmosphere and the cool mood at the 13th street location, the main reason we went there was because they claim to have uncharted flavors of gelato. As Juan was researching this place before we left, he saw that they had a Cilantro-Lime flavored gelato. New=Good. Although we tried many interesting combos, we ended up ordering: Basil (our top pick,) Bacio (choco-hazelnut... "you say 'gelato', I say 'Bacio!',) Pineapple-Mint (innovative,) Blood Orange (pretty,) Papaya (so fresh and so clean, clean,) and Valencia Orange (really, really sour!)

Anyway, we enjoyed our solo evening thanks to Nelly. Today we went to the King of Prussia mall. Fun. Tiring. Glad to be home and off our feet.

Now I'm preparing my lesson for class tomorrow and finishing laundry; it's been a great weekend.

if ALL else fails

We have tried everything, but Siena has put her foot down on using a bottle. She will not do anything but gnaw on the side of it. After buying a couple more different bottles for her to use (translation: after wasting money and time,) I decided to just try a sippy cup. We had a little improvement; at least she likes to bring it to her mouth to munch on. She has yet to actually suck with real intent. So we busted out the boon spoon (courtesy of our always-thoughtful neighbors.) Siena couldn't get enough! We would like to share part of that experience with you:

We have more good news!!! Shanelle is living with us for a while, which is a great help; she helps me out by watching Siena and keeping me company. She's looking for a nanny position, so if you know of any opportunities like that on the East coast, more leads would be nice. Thanks to all of you who have already given her suggestions.

For Your Political Amusement

Can you guess who these people are?

answers in order:

1. John McCain
2. Ron Paul
3. Mitt Romney
4. Fred Thompson
5. Barak Obama
6. Bill and Hill Clinton
7. John Edwards
8. Rudy Giuliani
9. Mike Huckabee

For Those Who Apply:

Remember to vote today. That's all I have to say.

Pictoral Update

Lovin' the little drool queen

Electrical projects with friends

The semi-finished product

Out of focus, but still cute

The negotiation

I'm Purple At This Moment

After watching the Republican and Democratic debates over the last two days, I am getting more and more curious to see what will happen in November. I have no wish to discuss politics, but I want to highlight my favorite topics of debate: healthcare, illegal immigration, and tax reform. These are very hot on my brain right now because I have now either had personal experiences or close ties to these issues. Evidently there needs to be some change; however, I like multiple solutions that many of the candidates have brought to the table. By the same token, I don't agree with at least one thing with every candidate. This presents a problem: I cannot choose one single person to vote for. Luckily I have until April when the PA Primary is held. Good luck to all of you Utah voters this upcoming Tuesday.

You Know What?

I wish I had more windows. Yep, I want to tear down the entire east side of our apartment and put in walls of glass, (not gonna happen, we rent.) I can't believe how much I miss sunny mornings, bright afternoons, and saturated sunsets; I'm sure they're still out there, but we can't see them through the cold, brick walls. This has brought me to start a list of things I must insist on for our next house:

1. Windows, lots of them, especially on the east and south sides of the house. Double-paned, Low E, Argon gas-filled. The whole kit and caboodle. (This will be my dream house, because it will probably remain in my dreams.)
   
2. A yard with growing space. Meaning a large yard in which I can grow lots and lots of plants and still have lots of grass for the little kiddos.
3. I would prefer having wood flooring. Actually, I don't want real wood, as strange as it may seem; I would like to have the laminate wood paneling because it can look as refined, but it's way easier to clean-up and maintain (and replace, if necessary.)
   
4. Recessed lighting. After seeing our friends' new lighting, mmmm..... Stacia like.
5. I'm sure I could go on and on... but this will be the last one for today: a butler. I want a butler who can say "Sorry ma'am, she's not here"... even when I am, so I can stay in my pajamas all day long.

When My Words Are Not Enough

Over the last two days, I have been struggling to find the right words that express my feelings about the passing of Gordon B. Hinckley, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He was not the first President to pass away in my lifetime, but since I was older, I remember much more vividly the feelings I had when I heard his testimony in every talk I listened to. I am so sad that the world has lost a great leader and a man whose life was dedicated to God and service to his fellowman; however, I know that there is life after this in heaven and that President Hinckley is once again happily reunited with his dear wife, Marjorie.

Since I know that others can write it better than me, I will turn your attention to these stories:

• Beloved Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, Dies at 97
  

• Feature Story- President Gordon B. Hinckley
  

• Leader Biographies

• Testimony of President Gordon B. Hinckley
  

• Succession in the Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• New York Times- "Gordon B. Hinckley, Mormon Leader, Is Dead at 97"

• Newsweek-Gordon B. Hinckley: 1910-2008

It's Always About Me...

...so I decided to give the blog a break from "Stac".

I think Siena gets her good looks from her Papi.

I'm so glad that Juan reminded me that we have our own baby pictures on file...

For Christmas, Siena received a hand-made sweater from her Great Grandma Wood. This is no ordinary sweater, as my grandmother is no ordinary woman. You see, she knit it in the fashion of sweaters she used to knit many years ago when she was working at the credit union. For every child that was born in the small town where she lives, she knit a sweater and anonymously mailed it from the post office in the town where she worked to the family's post office box. She spent countless hours doing this, not in search of any praise on her craftsmanship or thanks from the recipients, but out of sheer service and love.

Now, she suffers from tremors in her hands that make it difficult to pursue many of the hobbies she has loved for years; however, she was able to make this sweater for Siena last year and when I think of the time and effort that must have taken, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. When I see it I will not only be reminded of her selfless love, but also of her example of what true service is.

yep, that's little Stac

The second woman I would like to highlight is my other grandmother. After raising a family of 3 boys (4, if you count my grandpa) and 1 girl, she continued her teaching career at the elementary school. I was fortunate enough to be in her class when I was in 2nd grade and remember learning many things, but two in particular: first, that I should always try to write in cursive; second, that I should never address her as "Grandma" in the classroom, but as "Mrs. Camp" like everyone else. To this day, whenever I write a letter or in my journal, I try to write it in cursive because I can still hear my teacher, Mrs. Camp, telling me that cursive is best.

Whenever I run into anyone from Salina, I introduce myself as a Camp, and most of the time they say something like "Oh, Mrs. Camp was my favorite teacher!" My sister who is attending college in Idaho said that she had a professor from Salina. On the first day of class she introduced herself and the professor asked, "Are you related to the Camp family in Salina?" She nodded; the professor set down his roll book and started to tell the entire class about how wonderful Mrs. Camp was as his own teacher about 30 years ago. I know that my grandma's classroom was a place where everyone felt important and needed and those memories are lasting.


Because of these two women, I have parents who have been taught by their example and who both have these same qualities. I challenge anyone reading this to take a moment to ponder the things your parents and grandparents have done for you and if possible, let them know of the things you have learned from them.

Gratitude isn't gratitude unless it's passed on.

Now I Can Have My Cake, and Write About It Too.

There has been an idea poking at my mind for some time now... a recipe blog (ask Juan, he'll tell you of my woes in trying to come up with the name of the blog; yep, that was the only thing holding me back.) Luckily, I have been invited to be a "contributing chef" to this fantastic blog: Where Cooks Collide. I will be posting my latest invention there soon- Chocolate Orange Drrrrrizzle.

About Juan and Me

How long have you been together? We got married in November 2005

How long did you date? Seriously: 9 months. Casually: 2 1/2 years.

How old is he? 24 years old.

Who eats more? Depends on the day...

Who said "I love you" first? I did. It took him another month or two to say those three words.

Who is taller? Juan.

Who sings better? Juan. You see, I never have known if I was a good singer or not, so sometimes I test the waters and say things like "Sorry, I won't kill your ears any longer" after I sing. Nobody has ever protested to that, so now I know....

Who is smarter?
Science: Juan.
Math: Juan.
Finance: Juan.
Religion: Juan.
Foreign Language: Juan.
Economics: Juan.
Psychology: Juan.
Technology: Juan.
Anything -ology: Juan.

Who does the laundry? Most of the time I do it, but sometimes he helps out.

Who does the dishes? If I cook, he does the dishes. If he cooks, I do the dishes. (At least, that's how it is supposed to work.)

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? My right, or the bed's right?



Who pays the bills? Juan, (after nagging and nagging from the wife who doesn't want to deal with them.)

Who mows the lawn? Our gardener, Jacque, and his team of grass experts. They use baby-small shears and clip the grass blades one-by-one so as to ensure that the lawn is well-groomed. They cost a fortune, but it's worth it to be the best lawn on the block!

Who cooks dinner? 60/40. You can guess which names go with which numbers.

Who is more stubborn? It's hard to say. We're both eldest children, so if that gives you a clue....

Who kissed who first? Juan kissed me... by the river... on a big rock... it was beautiful.

Who asked who out? Juan asked me out to a Tim McGraw concert. I decided that night that I had better start liking country music!

Who proposed? Juan proposed to me... by the lake... on a big rock... it was beautiful. He put the ring in a fortune cookie and gave it to me on our "9 month dating anniversary". (Yes, we celebrated every month on the 20th!)

Who is more sensitive? I don't like this question. It's offensive.

Who has more friends? If you compare our Facebook accounts, then I am. But let's be honest, Facebook is just a bunch of people who are tragically trying to prove to everyone from their old high school how cool they are... so that's not a reliable source. (To everyone out there with a Facebook account, I don't mean YOU, we're still BFF! Go Bulldogs!)

Who has more siblings? I do. (Thanks for being born, Spencer.)

Who wears the pants in the relationship? I would say that we equally share the pants... but he does a lot better job at it, thank heaven.

Who are you tagging? Nicole, Tatum, Erin, and anyone who wants to do this. I actually like reading what people write, so please share.

Euro Trip 2005 pt 2

Stacia's Composition of the Year!

So I finally learned something new on our piano. It is that I can record a song in multiple layers and save it as an mp3. How cool is that!?! So I decided to start simple with a basic "lefty" broken chord with an easy melody and added two more layers of harmony (which weren't exactly "right on", but hey, it was my first time.) It was fun to play, but the effects sounded a little like Mogwai. Anyway, after listening to it all put together, I decided it was a song for an anti-depressant commercial... so Juan helped me make one with my song in the background. Here's the result: (oh, and don't sue me afterward for giving you the blues... and don't mind that the pictures are looped three times.)

This is our new favorite picture of Siena

I Thought I'd Share

This is the start of a short series of Europe Trip 2005 slideshows. Hope you don't mind, but I really want to reminisce.

Perfect Dress

It's so fun to window shop, I mean "browser shop". I found myself very lucky yesterday when I landed this website: www.shabbyapple.com

Everything a girl could ever want is there... maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but I loved everything I saw. Modest couture. So I had to find out where the business is based. No address listed, but the phone number had an (801) area code, so..... makes sense.

Anyway, if anyone wants to fork over a Franklin for an flattering dress, my favorite is here. (And no, I'm not serious, Juan. Believe me when I say, DON'T do it! Let me dream.)

Scrabble, Thanksgiving and Loupes

The latest on the Chavez family: 1.) we've been playing Scrabble a lot with our neighbors (okay, only twice so far, but hopefully this is the beginning if a great pastime.)



2.) We also had a second Thanksgiving meal yesterday with our friends, the Vests. I didn't realize how much I wanted Thanksgiving dinner year-round until last night. The menu was extensive and delicious... thanks Dani and Kurt!

Go here for the best sweet potato recipe ever!



3.) Juan came home from school today with a box that he was guarding with his life. His loupes finally came. Because there is a huge learning curve with those, he decided to lose all financial inhibition and buy them now... just kidding, I think it was a very worthy purchase.

Major Chavez Milestone

We are so proud of our little nena. She finally figured out how to roll over! She gets really frustrated being on her stomach, and the little trooper figured out that if she pushed up more with her right arm and twisted her waist, she could get what she wanted... off her pot-belly.

(p.s. don't mind the "mother-ese"... I have to do it, or she will not recognize me.)

It's all just Frou Frou

...or Imogen Heap, a name by which she is more recognized.  Her music is what I kindly term "Bjork for sensitive ears".  She is one of the UK's little gems and I have grown a liking to her odd lyrics and quirky rhythms over the last 2 years that I have been aware of her existence.  Go  here to learn more about her.

Whew, She's Finally Asleep

There's only the sound of the typing in my house right at this very moment. Siena has fallen asleep and Juan is out running errands... so I get the next hour or so to do whatever I want. Wahoo! I now choose to blog.There's only one problem with this scenario... I have nothing to blog about. Talk about bad timing for "spare time".
Hmmmmm... there's always the default Recipe of the Day!

We had this on Monday night. I'm telling you, even if you don't like seafood, the salmon is amazing, and if you pair it with the rice, AAA+aaamazing! The recipes are both from Wal-mart recipe cards... if you can believe it. (If you are on a student budget like us, just get the inexpensive frozen salmon portions they sell in the deli freezer section.)

 

Christmas Trip (...in as few words as possible)

The Homemade Gift Results

As I blogged before we left for Utah, at least one of our gifts had to be homemade. I didn't think Juan would do it because I really didn't give him that much notice, so I decided to just make it into a joke. My dad actually inspired it: he asked if anyone I knew needed a napkin holder. Hmmm, strange... I don't keep tabs on napkin holders, but it was lucky he asked because we didn't have one. He said he got a kit for it at Deseret Industries (the "Utah-equivalent" of The Salvation Army.) I sanded it, painted it, and put it all together. To finish it all off, I painted hearts and dots and "Chavez" on it to make it even that much better. Well, Christmas morning I gave it to him with eager anticipation of his reaction. He was genuinely happy that I gave him something homemade and I was enjoying the joke.

However, the joke turned on me. He pulled out a homemade gift for me. It was a spiral-bound book entitled "Our E-Story". He had compiled all of the saved e-mails he had of before we were dating until the time we were engaged. He said he had panicked that day that I mentioned that we should give homemade gifts and had "scrounged this together." It was one of the best gifts I have ever received, and he was left with a heart-shaped napkin holder. How he ever manages to put up with my shenanigans, I will never know.

I Resolve...

The beginning of a new year is about change. Usually, there is a specific process I undergo whenever change occurs: I first abhor it because I am comfortable with where I am, what is going on, and who Stacia is. Then, after a minuscule panic attack or two, I come to realize that, in general, old things must continue and I try to go on as before. It usually doesn't take long before I discover that I can't go on as before, I need to adapt to the new change. I do, as painful as it is, adapt. New Stacia. New schema of Stacia. I then embrace the change as if I had planned it myself. I entertain myself with the idea that whatever happened is "precisely how I had hoped it would be" and I get cozy with the new me. Not surprisingly, just as that happens, (yep, you guessed it,) another CHANGE! and yada yada yada, the cycle continues.

Now, I know that this happens to virtually everyone on the planet to some degree. And most everyone, including myself, actually encourage change at this time of year. So, knowing this will be painful, I will start my New Year's Resolutions (however late they are in coming.) I do not dare type them out into cyberspace, because who knows how well I will follow through; however, I will say this: they are there and I have half a mind to actually accomplish them (which is more than I can say for most of the previous years' resolutions.)

So to all of you who are starting up on your New Year's "Changes", I say in the words of Red, "Keep yer' stick on the ice."

pps. (Do I need an excuse to post a picture of Siena?)