Dating With a Baby

First off, it's possible. Not always easy or as perfect as you might have hoped, but possible.

Getting a babysitter is always an option and a perfectly good one. But not everyone can afford one or has a community of babysitters at their fingertips (like you kind of do while living at Wymount). And, if you're like me, you might have a hard time leaving your child with someone who isn't family or at least close to you.

So that leads you to find other options.

Dalin and I were blessed with a super easy baby. None of the babies I ever watched as a youth were as easy as my own baby, though it's safe to assume they behaved better for their moms. But anyway, so far we've been really fortunate. Whenever I tell people that Tenley's easy, we always feel the need to mention that it probably means we have some hard teenage years in store for us, or that our next child (or one down the line) is going to be a bigger challenge. Hopefully not. But it seems like whenever we make plans to go out, Tenley has a "bad" day. Either she's more fussy or needy than normal, or maybe she just wants us to keep our attention focused solely on her. Whatever the case, it's frustrating, but somehow we still manage to make time for us!

It all comes down to strategic planning. With Dalin's work and class schedule, we usually know when we have spare time. Usually it means during the daytime during the week or Friday nights. We also know that the weekends are the busiest times at public places, particularly in a college town. So for us, the best thing is to plan activities on our free weekdays.

We go out to eat for dinner on days that Dalin works in the morning, and see movies in the daytime when Dalin has the day off, or his schedule permits it.

I was almost reluctant to share this secret because I'm scared that suddenly everyone will head to the movies now, but we have found that matinee showings of a movie, right around 1pm, usually are dead. Maybe it depends on the theater or time of year, but this has worked for us.

A few weeks after Thor came out, we decided to go see it at the Riverwoods Theater on a Tuesday around 1pm. We planned out everything, feeding Tenley just beforehand and bringing her carseat in with us in case she stayed asleep. We did not want to bother other viewers and had agreed that I would take Tenley out right away if she began to fuss. We were only about five minutes early and when we entered the theater we were completely alone. Just the three of us. We sat in the front section on the walkway in case Tenley needed to be taken out. We started to get excited, thinking we were going to be all alone in the theater. We would have been, if two couples hadn't come in halfway during the previews. But they sat away from us and it worked out perfectly. Because it was dark and no one was around, I was able to nurse Tenley right when she started to fuss without more than a jacket for cover. When she wasn't nursing, she was watching the movie or bouncing on my lap. Toward the end of the film, I went out to change her but, because the theater was basically dead, I just crouched outside the doors where I had light and changed her on a little mat on the floor so I could hurry back to the movie. (I feel like I'm always changing her in weird places, but it always works out and I've never gotten caught ;)

We were so amazed at how well she behaved and were happy when we recognized that we could still have some freedom and fun as a couple and include our baby girl!

Maybe we just got lucky, but if so, we were even more fortunate the second time we tried this. Catching Fire came out in the U.S. on November 22nd and we were both anxious to see it. Knowing that it was sure to be popular, we waited a few weeks before giving it a try. This past Wednesday, December 11th, (less than 20 days after it came out) we decided to give it a shot at the 1:30pm showing at the Riverwoods theater. This time again, it was amazingly dead. And this time, we were even more fortunate to be the only ones in the theater for the whole movie! No one else came in, so we decided to sit where we wanted and did not have to worry if she began to fuss (which she did a few times). Plus, I could nurse her without worry and, if I really had wanted to, I could have walked her up and down the hall.

So it is possible! And you have a nice dark theater in which you can discreetly feed your baby! I imagine having a bottle-fed baby would be even easier if you made one up right before going in for the movie.

Anyhow, I just wanted to show you that you CAN still have a life with a baby. Sometimes it's harder and you have to make sacrifices or do a little extra planning, but you can do it! And if all else fails, find a babysitter!

Do you go out with your spouse AND children?
What have you found works?
Would you ever try going to the movies with your baby like we have? If no, why not?

P.S. I'll add photos later. Gotta go grocery shopping!

Summer Has Arrived

LOVE the east coast.

Happy summer, everyone! I love summer. Usually it means going to the ocean, laying on the beach, jetskiing on the lake, camping, cabins, family picnics, trips, and lots of ice cream. This year is a little different mostly because we're in Utah with our first little baby on the way. Instead, this spring and summer has been filled with books, pies, dinners, movies, new babies, and a lot of waiting for our own baby. 

Reflecting back on an earlier post this week, I finally found another good book series! It's called Enclave by Ann Aguirre. I bought it for $7 on our Kindle and read it in two nights. I couldn't stop! I started the second book (just the preview at the end of Enclave) but I haven't had the chance to buy it yet. It's definitely a book for teenagers or young adults, but I really like it. It's not The Hunger Games...but there are similarities. I would definitely suggest it to someone looking for something new to get into.

I am so pumped to be at 34 weeks tomorrow! Everyone who sees me now asks, "When are you due?" They always seemed surprised that I still have a month and a half left. I should just wear a shirt that says "Due August 5th" so I can save some time explaining myself to everyone. I don't mind being asked, but I get tired of thinking about how much time I have left...I'm already impatient!

I made a chain at work to help me countdown yesterday...I only have 44 days as of today!!! (At least until she's due). Time is flying faster than I expected. I don't get how it is already June 22nd...but I'm not too sad that summer is flying by. Yesterday after work, Dalin and I visited our friends Daniel and Rachel whose baby is just nine days old! We got to hold him and he is precious! I seriously can't believe he is their's--we just saw them two weeks ago without a baby! It feels like they're just babysitting him. It's just so hard for me to grasp and I think it's because I've never met the first child of any close friends our age. I expect that it will be just as weird for us when we bring our little girl home. I wonder if it'll feel like she's ours right away or if it will take some getting used to. I am so excited for her to be here!!!!!!! I am not a very patient person so the suspense (particularly not knowing exactly when she'll be here) is driving me crazy!

After meeting the Nelson's darling new son, we had dinner with our new friends Emil and Stephanie. They are Resident Assistants at King Henry (where I work) which is how we met. They invited us over and we ate delicious barbecued hotdogs and corn for dinner. After, we had peanut butter cookies and got to know each other. Stephanie and I also watched Emil and Dalin play ping pong for what seemed like forever while we talked about all kinds of things. Later, we went back to their apartment to talk until midnight. It was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed getting to know the two of them!  

Today, we slept in (just because it's Saturday and we only have a limited number of weekends where we'll be able to sleep in together left) and when we finally got up, headed out to see World War Z at the Riverwoods' theater. We hadn't been to the movies (just the two of us) in a while and this was one we wanted to see (though, I will admit I had voted for Monster's University or that we wait until The Lone Ranger comes out next week). Anyhow, the movie was very good--but very scary. At least, that's what I thought. I only screamed once, but I had my mouth covered for about half the time so I wouldn't scream in the near-empty movie theater. I had to squeeze Dalin's hand or arm the entire time to calm down. Afterward, my body felt very tired and stressed from the emotional toll that the movie had on me. It wasn't sad or anything, but I was on edge for the full thing and it exhausted me.

Now Dalin is at work until 10pm, and I'm just missing him and trying to work up the energy to pick up the house. Dalin thinks it's fine, but he's a guy and I guess he just doesn't notice the clutter the same way I do. I am so grateful that summer has arrived! Pretty soon our little girl will be here!!!! I just need to be patient.

Below are some favorite pictures from last summer...good times :)

What is your favorite thing to do in the summer? 
What has your summer consisted of so far?

The Results of our Pottery Date

Well, if you read my blog every few days or so, you saw that Dalin brought me on an awesome date a couple of days ago. We each painted our own piece of pottery. Dalin chose to paint a mug, and I did a bowl. I promised to share pictures (unless mine came out terribly...) so that is the purpose of this post. The pieces were fired in the kiln and we were able to pick them up on Saturday! Here is how they turned out:

I love the inside of Dalin's mug...it looks way cooler in person

 We made the mug for Dalin's dad for Father's Day! Since we won't be able to see him soon enough and we don't want to risk mailing it, we are providing these pictures as a sneak peek!

Here is my bowl. It looks a little different than I'd expected, but overall I am pleased with how it turned out!

I painted the inside to look like sand.

In case you don't know, I'm pretty much obsessed with the ocean which is why I painted ocean waves washing up on a sandy shore. I am missing the coast a lot right now.

We don't know for sure, but we have a suspicion my mom (who is possibly more obsessed with the ocean than I am) might just want to take this bowl from us when she sees it. We'll see...but I think I would need a trade--like plane tickets to New Hampshire after our baby girl is born ;) 

What do you think of our artwork? Have you ever painted pottery before?

The Surprise Date

My husband does the best surprises. They come out of nowhere and they are always super thoughtful and unique. Yesterday, after I picked him up from work, we drove to an art studio called Creativity. If you are curious, here is their website. Inside, we each selected a piece of pottery and sat down at one of the pottery tables to paint them! Anyone who knows me well knows that I love doing anything artsy, especially painting. I love that Dalin thought of an activity for a date that he knew I specifically would appreciate. Doing so tells me that he truly cares about my talents and interests and wants to help me develop them. 

Creativity Art Studio...located behind the University Mall by the theater

I chose to paint a bowl and Dalin chose to paint a mug. I took my sweet time finishing mine because I really wanted it to come out well. I'm hoping it's something that I will love and want to keep forever. At this point, it's hard to know because pottery paint is very unique in that the colors are not as vibrant before they are fired and some don't look anything like how the end result looks. Still, I am very excited for the final product. I don't want to tell you what I painted just yet because I want to see the final outcome first (it takes about a week for them to get the pieces fired and ready to return to you). I wish I had taken a "before" picture because I thought it looked very pretty even with the paint colors being off from what they will eventually be. But since it was a surprise date, I didn't plan for anything! 

After leaving the studio, we were famished. The baby was kicking like mad, probably trying to give me a hint that I need to eat. We took an unintentionally scenic route to the Macaroni Grill at the Riverwoods which neither of us had been to before. Can I just tell you now, that place is great. They serve Italian food and it is way fancier than the name suggests. Seriously, I thought it was awesome inside--even the bathrooms were super nice! The food was also very flavorful. I got a pasta dish, Dalin got a chicken one, and we shared some delicious stuffed mushrooms for an appetizer. They were incredible! We went there only because we had a giftcard but we are both very much set on going back again. It's a little bit on the costlier side, so I would save it for a special date if you are considering trying it. It is so worth it though and they have paper down on the tabletop so you can draw on it with crayons which they provide! Dalin and I wrote little notes to each other on the paper during dinner. Hopefully our waiter read them after we left and thought they were cute. ;)

Anyhow, it was a great day and I feel very blessed to have such a genuinely thoughtful husband who encourages me to pursue my talents. He's also really, really cute. And handsome. And I love him. If you are looking for a date night idea or for something to do with children, this place was so awesome. They place soft music and it was really peaceful and meditative in there. If I hadn't been starving, I would have wanted to stay way longer. Definitely check it out if you ever can! 

Also, I will post pictures* once we pick up our pottery in like a week. 

*Well, I'll post pics of Dalin's. I'll post mine if it doesn't stink. Ok maybe even then. 

Do you have a favorite surprise date (or any date) that was extra special to you? 

What was it and why was it special?

The To Do List: Provo & Orem Edition

I'm not going to lie--I am starting to like Utah a little bit. You may be thinking, "Sheesh, it only took two whole years..." but seriously, we have found a few things around here recently that we never knew about until now (like a sweet short-cut to Orem for one...) and it has changed my outlook on living here dramatically. Not that I would want to make it a long-term thing--I'm still an east coast girl who needs the clear blue lakes and ocean--but I need to take the advice of numerous sisters in the church and "bloom where [I'm] planted." 

So I'm creating a "To Do" list, which will also be a bucket list of sorts, or basically a compilation of ideas and suggestions from people in the area (or previous residents). It can include restaurants, cafes, sights to see, or fun places. Or it can just be something we should do at a certain time of year and get a good deal (like near particular holidays for example).

What I would like from those who make suggestions are the following:

• the name of the place
• a summary of what it is/what there is to do (or what YOU did/ate there)
• the general location (preferably Provo/Orem area because we don't travel much)
• an idea of the cost (FREE, cheap, or kind of costly)

If you could give me a few ideas, I would SO appreciate it! We have just one year left here and I'm going to do my best to make it fun. So please,

Give us your suggestions! :)

Day 19: Fifteen Months of Marriage

I am grateful for 15 blissful months of marriage!

You know what they say, time flies when you're having fun ;)

What we've done right:

Telling each other we love each other...many times every day

Kisses, hugs, and snuggling daily

Smiling always

Laughing a lot

Saying sorry often

Forgiving constantly

Dates weekly

Couples' prayer night and day

Spontaneity...spontaneously!

Respecting the wishes of one another

Random acts of kindness

Giving gifts once in a while
Sharing chores

Playing games often

Having Family Home Evening weekly

Reading a chapter in the scriptures nightly
Planning our family...constantly ;)

Trying new things daily

Spending time together (for us, constantly)

Putting aside disagreements that can wait--just about always
Attending the temple together as much as possible

Making decisions together always

Being completely honest with one another

Always trying to be the spouse we want to have

We have lots to work on (mostly me) but we are doing our best.
And I am so happy with how things are going :)

What are some things you do to increase the love between you and your spouse?