Life as Mr. Mom

With Mallory gone student teaching every day, being Mr. Mom has been a great experience for me. I feel that I have learned a lot of new things, and have had a fairly relaxing ride. Luckily Madie is so easy to take care of.

Here are a couple of things that I have learned:

1) How to make bread! I am starting to make two loaves on a weekly basis, and they turn out really well.

2) Time management. It's hard because there are some things you just can't do while the baby is awake, and you try to get it all done while she is asleep. It hardly leaves time for a nap! Especially when she wakes up for a 5:00 am feeding. But I have learned to do some of those things that I didn't think I could really do while she was awake, which has really helped out.

3) Conservation. I usually only shave for job interviews, and for church on Sunday (although I did have a go tee around Christmas). It's been nice to not have to shave every day. I don't mind keeping the clean-shaven look, but I get really bad razor burn and doing it a couple of times per week has been great! I like to think of it as conserving shaving cream and razors,

4) What it's like to be a homemaker. I never thought I would have the chance to do what I am currently doing. The day actually goes by pretty quickly.

5) Really getting to know Madie. I have always felt really close to Madie, especially since I was with her more often than Mallory during our last semester of school (I only had six credits). Spending entire days with her has allowed me to get to know her better, get her into a healthy routine, and help her develop. It's been great! I probably won't have this opportunity with any of our other kids.

Recent Daily Objectives/Goals:

1) I usually clean things up every day, such as wash dishes, make the bed, vacuum when needed, etc.

2) I have started doing the P90X home workout program, which has been working out really well. I am finally to the point of being able to do entire workouts without cutting it short due to lightheadedness and nausea. I have always been good about working out, but it used to be strictly weight training. P90X encompasses everything from Yoga to Plyometrics.

3) Reading and studying has been something I have been trying to get better at. I have a pile of books I would like to blast through. Also studying for the GRE.

Future Outlook:

I have been applying to jobs like crazy! At least 5+ jobs per day. We are really willing to move anywhere, though we do have our preferences. A well-paying job is a priority right now, though it's not a necessity. I am going to apply to various graduate programs for this coming fall semester, so pretty much whatever happens...happens. I have had two interviews for jobs here in Salt Lake already, and one in Jackson Hole next Monday. I think there will be more in the future. The jobs are out there, despite the economic situation. But it's funny because I have been applying to jobs for restaurants, department stores, even jamba juice! The only call-backs that I have had for all the resumes/applications I have submitted have been for full-time, salaried, and benefit-filled jobs! I mean, I think that's great, but I would like some call-backs from the other jobs as well! I was thinking maybe they are a little scared to hire someone that has a college degree? Any ideas?

NO CHILDREN WERE INJURED IN THE MAKING OF THIS BLOG

Sorry about not having pictures, etc., up for a while. We've been having problems uploading pictures since we've been here in Utah. Tonight we took a video of Madie and I wanted to try to put it up. Now, of course, everything uploads fine! In fact, I think this is the quickest I've ever gotten a video to upload. Good grief.

Anyway, I thought I should include this picture now that we have it, to prove that Mike also graduated! YAY! Now we just need to find jobs that make our degrees matter.

Here is Madie learning to stand. Hahaha! We have pictures of her actually upright, but her face in this one was so priceless, I couldn't help laughing!

We got this one this morning. Mike handed her over so he could do something real quick, and I was going to make her a bottle for when he got back. I set her down on the couch and she burst into tears. (She had just woken up.) She had calmed down at this point, but these two big tears were just perfectly placed below each eye. Sooooo pathetic.

This first video is of Madie laughing. She actually giggles now, not just screams for joy, though she still does that too.

The second video is of Madie learning about new foods. She is very open to things like this. :) I just hope now that she's tasted fruit, she'll keep drinking formula and cereal.

Mal's Resolutions

Ya know, I'm pretty good at setting goals and keeping them if I discipline myself. New Years past though, I haven't taken resolutions very seriously. I think it was mostly because it's a tradition, and like many traditions, it has become cliche. So, it doesn't mean a whole lot. This year though, I've been thinking about my resolutions. I really want to set some and to set up a way to actually accomplish them. That means making a list. Or maybe two.

I love making lists. I actually get excited thinking about making lists and then at the end of making them, crossing things off as I finish them. You're just going to have to accept that.

I am going to make lists of monthly goals for each of my year-long goals so that I can be sure to actually accomplish my resolutions. Don't worry, I wont bore you with these lists. I'll do them some place private.

I will give you my resolutions though! Aren't you excited?! Here they are:

1) Learn some honest-to-goodness ballroom dance moves with Mike. (Maybe I should run this by him?)

2) Write two more short stories and send them in some place.

3) Learn to cook healthier, but just as scrum-diddly-umptious!

Wish me luck!

Madie's First Christmas

Sorry this is a little late, we have been having some issues posting pictures and can't figure out the problem. Anyways, Madie had a successful first Christmas despite the upsetting start. I woke up at about 5:30 am to the sound of Madie fussing around in the room she was staying in at Grandma Clark's home. I started to get dressed to go and assist her when all of the sudden I hear her potent shrieking voice! It was out of the ordinary for her to go full volume when she is just waking up, so I darted for her room to find out what her deal was. It was dark mind you, so I reached down to where her shoulders should have been and was shocked to feel her flailing feet sticking up in the air. I felt for her body, which she pushed OFF the head of the mattress (New mattress for her new crib, except the crib wasn't set up. We just put the mattress on the floor and called it good.) Luckily it was only 5 inches off the floor! She had a small indentation on the top of her head from the push-off, but nothing major. Needless to say, she was happy to be saved.

Opening her first present!

Happy camper.

Another angle of her first present. After opening presents at 6:00 am and having German Pancakes, we called it good and fell asleep until 9:00 am. Thanks Grandma, Nana, and Papa for letting us get extra sleep! Great Christmas Present.

We had a small get-together with the Clark side of the family for nice lunch that included our traditional ham, potatoes, fresh rolls, and Grandma's famous layered jello salad (I believe 7 layers?). These are all the great-grand children that live in the local area. Prior to opening presents with everyone, Grandma gave all the kids these elf hats to distribute presents to those present. If you look carefully, you can see Madie.

This is sometime during the break...can't remember when. Madie supports herself on her own strength. She is just so top-heavy that she can't balance very well yet.

She can even take a few baby steps here and there!

Sunday following Christmas, we decided to go to Temple Square in Salt Lake to view the temple lights. This is Madie with Nana and Papa in the North Visitors center, which featured some cool displays on the church welfare system, and scriptures/prophets.

There's our group. The lights were amazing.

On Sunday evenings, they allow 30 minute musical sets to local musicians. This was a family of 5 1/2 (baby on the way). Mom, six year old, and four year old on the violins. Two year old on a mini-cello (looks like she was learning the fingering). Husband on the piano. They were amazing! The six year-old was really good! She was keeping up with her Mom really well.

And of course the reflection pond on the east side of the temple featuring the nativity.

Finally! We're DONE! We had a long haul of it, and I still have student teaching left, but that's nothing to living in Rexburg for three winters, I'll tell ya. We've moved to our new apartment in Salt Lake and I start teaching on January 4th.

This is my professor Bro. Merrill after convocation. He and I have become great friends ever since I took a History of the English Language a year ago. I've also worked for him as a TA and I took another class from him, Mediaeval Lit. Great classes.

My Russian teacher, Bro. Felt. I took all but three of my Russian classes from him. He's also helped me a lot in researching what I want to do if I go to grad school.

Bro. Ivers, the dean of the College of Language and Letters. I took Foreign Language Teaching Methods from him. He is awesome. Very entertaining.

And my graduated family! Mike's parents took pictures of his convocation, but we haven't gotten them yet, so he said to just post this. He spoke at his convocation. It was a great speech, but I only got to listen to it at home. I chose to attend my own convocation instead.

Madie was great the whole time! Here she is in her little green sweater Grammy sent her. The pants don't fit so she wore jeans instead. The leis are also from my mum and dad. They wouldn't let us wear them during commencement or convocation (lame) so we just wore them afterwards.

Dad was able to come for graduation, which was awesome. Mike's mom and dad also came up, so it was a party! Thanks for all the support over the years!

Madie Might Be Teething...

Obviously, even if she is a little bit, we wont see anything for a while, but man the kid loves to chew! And she drools like there's a prize for it!

25

I was going to post this Tuesday, but didn't get the chance to. Instead we did it for Mike at dinner at Olive Garden. We had a small celebration. Luckily for you all, Madie woke up about an hour after I did, so we had some alone time this morning and recorded it. Mike appreciated the extra sleep (he usually gets up with baby, but I figured the sleep would also be a post-birthday gift), and we got to sing and dance bright an early! (I tried doing it with her pacifier out, but she wouldn't have any of that.) Sorry the video is grainy. I did it just with my computer camera so we could both be in it, and it comes out like this.

I gave him a leather-bound copy of Jesus the Christ, which he had been wanting for a long time. He also got a gift card to Amazon from his parents, which he spent promptly! (Sienfeld Season 6 here we come!)

A special thanks to Bryan and Karen for giving me such a good man for a husband!