Letters to Lyla and Lottie

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Mexico: Numero Dos

1 comments Posted by Todd & Chelsea at 10:01 PM

Our first real day in Mexico. We "slept in" (if you can count 6 hours sleeping in) and then hung out in our fancy digs while my mom, Todd and Kenton venture to Wal Mart. I'm told it was a cultural experience of its own. Todd said they had a worker designated to fanning flies off the baked goods. They also have a whole Torillaria inside. They did their best to find food we recognized that we could eat for the remainder of our trip. It mainly consisted of baked goods (hopefully fly free) like crossants and real tortillas, salsa that was weird, refried beans in a bad (weird but so good), Mexican cheese (so good I wanted to die that I couldnt' eat it) and torilla chips.

When they returned we anxiously set out for the pool. We spent the rest of the day there. We were lucky not to feel too much jet lag but relished relaxing after the hellish day traveling. The humidity took getting used to. As you can see, my camera struggled with it as well. The pool was the perfect remedy.

The resort was just what we needed. I have mad love for the lazy river. I spent some solid hours in there with Todd and Lyla in her floatie. She loved it as well. Laying out at the pool, with an amazing view of the ocean, jumping in the lazy river when you got hot, etc. etc. was simply the picture of relaxation. I felt like a queen. Lyla also had a ball. There was a shallow swim area that she and I would sit in and slash around. Jenny's kids loved the splash pad part and the slides. We were pretty excited to spend the next 5 days there.

Did I mention we bathed in sunscreen?!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Mexico: Numero UNO

0 comments Posted by Todd & Chelsea at 1:53 PM

The first day of our Mexican vacation was FULL of travel and travel only. We left Cedar City around 7:30 am, drove to Las Vegas, met up with The Calls, waited in the airport for a solid 3 hours (flying international with a baby is a major pain), and FINALLY took off for Mexico City. I have to say that 4 hour plane ride went impeccably well. Some nice Mexicali offered to sit in the back so we could have the 3 seats to ourselves, so that we could be comfortable with the "bebe". I could have kissed him!

We had sooo much room, making play time and breastfeeding time WAY more comfortable. True to Lyla form, she didn't sleep at all, but she was happy and played with toys and the little drop down table.

By the time we got in to Mexico City we were all pretty spent though. The humidity hit us like a brick wall and we immediately started sweating. Combine that, with 3 different security check stations (with huge lines), custom procedures we couldn't understand, lots of walking to our gate, a delayed flight, a nasty dirty cement waiting area, AND zero places with edible food (old crusty Krispy Creme donuts were pretty much the only option), and you get several UNHAPPY campers. By the time we took off for Acapulco I was spent. Luckily that flight was less than an hour and Lyla did sleep for about 20 mins (keep in mind we'd been traveling for a solid 12 hours at this time and she had not slept at all).

When we landed in Acapulco we had a few more security check stations but after a short walk we found Baldo (our awesome taxi driver) who drove us the short 10 minutes to the AMAZING Grand Mayan Hotel.

Pulling up we knew it would be awesome. Grand is a great adjective for it.

When we finally got to our rooms after what seemed like hours of check in time, we perked right up at the sight of our new digs. Marble flooring, kitchen, king bed, flat screens, giant balcony fit with your own small soaking infinity pool, and much much more. The Call's room overlooked the Ocean which was very beautiful. It made the loooonnng 16 hours of travel worth. Did I mention Lyla woke up like every 2 hours that whole night?

Mobility

0 comments Posted by Todd & Chelsea at 1:49 PM

June 22nd. Lyla mastered mobility today...in the form of crawling. She has been so close to connecting her arm and leg movements so that she can crawl, and today she did it. For the last few weeks I knew she was close. She'd get on her haunches but then sort of wonder what's next. Today in Primary the desire to get to all the kids coloring on the floor must have won out because she just took off! It was amazing. She has never actually crawled but today she did it perfect! No strangler leg or anything--everything moving in perfect synchronization! I gasped when I saw it and then cheered....and then later I cried. She's getting so big. She's crawled all day since we got home. Go Lyla Girl. Just in time to go to Mexcio. The video was taken a few days later.

Guess its time to baby proof!

To my baby daddy

0 comments Posted by Todd & Chelsea at 1:37 PM

Thanks for being you!

Lyla is lucky to have you as her papa.

I hope you had a great Father's Day fit with breakfast in bed, steak dinner, blue ray DVDs (new obsession), and PS3 college football.

You deserve it.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Childbirth for Infants?

1 comments Posted by Todd & Chelsea at 4:14 PM

Someone once told me that teething was the infant equivalent for giving birth. True? I hope not! Because poor Lyla girl isn't getting an epidural! Her first tooth made its appearance June 5th, while we were in Logan for a wedding. We drove all over town trying to find motrin as all the infant meds have been recalled! She got her second shortly after, June 18th. They are both in the middle bottom of her mouth. Pretty sure the top two are on their way. Watching the gums all flare up and then feeling the razor sharp buggers poking through makes me wonder if it is in fact like giving birth. Poor girl! She has handled it like a champ. She gets a little fussy and has a harder time sleeping at night for about 2 days before and then she's good. I have to say breastfeeding with teeth involved is so unholy.

Are infant spinal taps in our future?! lol

We finally got a photo of the teeth! Enjoy the sneak peek from the 4th :)

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Stream of Consciousness

0 comments Posted by Todd & Chelsea at 10:04 PM

In therapy sometimes we do this crazy thing where you have the client simply talk about all things in their brain and try to follow the stream of consciousness (crude explanation but it suffices).

I think I'll do that now. Because I never just update anymore (just on Lyla of course!). And lots seems to be going on. And I feel like writing. I'm gonna go ahead and TRY to write without this being totally about Lyla (dream big) right

I am settling in to my new jobs finally. It was a major transition, with

trainings for the new jobs and training my replacement. I absolutely love working 12 hours a week. I'm learning to love the work. Hospice is hard in ways I didn't anticipate. Chrysalis has been more clinical than I imagined and quite enjoyable.

.....

I regularly get told things like the middle finger means "F you and Bitch". "

That _____ is a Fer because he erased ___'s tivo".

That it's completely normal for grown men to like barbie movies

And that diapers aren't just for babies

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I've had some strange health issues lately that I don't care to really talk about for some reason. My issues of losing my vision and numbness from before (during my pregnancy) have return sporadically and may not be my crazy heart after all. I've been subject to some crazy tests (MRI-death trap, and sleep deprivation test), which have not yielded too many answers. Tumor and blockages in the brain have been ruled out. Now to seizures and other stuff. I feel at peace with it all. I really think i'm okay.

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Todd started traveling this week. Lyla's been teething and sleepless. I'm hating it already. Being a single mom blows.

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Todd is still hilarious and a great companion. He has been enjoying yard work and his Ps3.

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I love kettle chips

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This summer has been crazy busy with trips to Mexico, California, Logan, Mesquite, and Brian Head.

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I cannot wait for the next Hunger Games Book to come out

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Todd bought me a kindle for our anniversary. I got it early to take to Mexico. He is good right? I LOVE the little thing like a mini, tech savvy, baby.

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I am loving Big Love on Netflix right now. And the Real L Word, The City, The Hills, and all things TLC. Not sure why I love trashy TV so much, but I do.

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I'm thinking of starting the Harry Potter books. finally.

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Walks, swimming in the pool out front, laying in the grass, snow cones, vacations, are the reason I live for summer.

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Eclipse was the bomb.com

Lyla's Dr. is pretty much forcing me to quit breastfeeding. Her weight gain has been poor (2nd percentile) and she thinks it may be due to the milk allergy. I've done so well, no cheating at all. But there could still be transient dairy being passed I guess. I try to tell myself 10 months was good enough. But I feel robbed. I love breastfeeding so much now. I've never even made a stinking bottle before! It feels intimidating. the bottle thing. We see a gastrointrologist (or something) in two weeks. He'll have the final word on if it'd be best to switch. The main issue is how to wean her at 12 months. Most babies go to milk but Lyla can't do that. So now what?! Lyla's dr has never had a baby not get over the allergy at year 1. Lyla doesn't look like she will. So we'll see. I'm trying to be a peace with it. 10 months is enough right?

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I've encountered an identity crisis lately. I think about fun ways to do my visit teaching/primary lessons throughout the day, go to play groups in the ward, search the best ways to puree baby food, host bow parties..and the list goes on.

Who is this person I've become?!

In church circles I feel like I don't belong at times, because I don't have as many kids as most the women I socialize with. When with my HS friends I feel like I don't fit because I'm the only one of all of them, with a baby, who plans to get a mini van next, who wants to talk about milestones ad naseum. In social work circles I feel like I don't fit in because I chose work I don't like as much, to stay home more, because I'm Mormon. Because I don't drive a subarau (lol, jk!).

So not to sound like a whiny teenager but I feel a tiny bit lost.

And I've felt this way forever.

Is it because I want to have my cake and eat it too?

I want to be progressive, offensive, and free minded...and religious, raise my daughter conservatively, and get the social benefits the LDS culture provides so nicely?

Is it because I want to honor my past friendships with my HS friends, the great ladies they are, but be the person I am now...who is so widely different then I ever said I would be?

When spewing my woes on to Todd he replied "you're right where you are supposed to be...with her, in your arms". Like I said, he's good huh?

Ok. Thats all foks. Love you.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Memorial Day

1 comments Posted by Todd & Chelsea at 2:51 PM

We spent the weekend at a little condo in Brain Head and decorated the graves Sunday. I hope we make this a tradition as it was fun to just chill together, swim, watch movies and play games. Some pics...