YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

On Friday night Justin was really nice and took me to dinner. We haven't been able to go out as much as we used to since having the baby so it was a rare treat. We were at Chili's and the waitress had came back with our appetizer and drinks. She took our order, but as she grabbed Justin's menu she accidentally bumped my diet coke which sent it flying right into my lap. I was SOAKED!!! Let's just say I could have literally rung out my underwear I was so wet. I was also holding Bri and one of her pant legs and socks was hit by the flying drink as well. Now I know accidents happen, that's just life, so I was really nice to the waitress and told her to not even worry about it, that it was no big deal. You could tell she was really embarrassed, so I made a point to be really nice to her. So having been a waitress before, I guess I just assumed that I would get some kind of discount when the check came. Um, just kidding. All I could think of when we got the check was "you've got to be kidding me!". Not only did she not give me my meal for free, there was absolutely no discount on our check. I mean come on, throw in a free dessert or at least give me the freakin diet coke for free! Now I am a real stickler when it comes to tipping - it's a must! Even if you give me poor to okay service you're going to get 15%, and if you're good, I tip 20% or more. So needless to say this was one of my very rare times that I didn't leave even a single penny. And in true Justin fashion, he even went and wrote her a little note on why she didn't receive a tip from us that night. He was very nice (due to my threats from across the table), he just told her that sometimes you have to at least pretend you care when you spill something all over your customers and give them some kind of discount, it didn't have to be a lot, just something to let us know you cared. Let's just say I was astonished as I waddled out of Chili's, looking like I'd wet myself, that I had just payed full price for this!

SAYING "I DON'T LIKE YOU" NICELY???

Telling someone you don't like them nicely, is there such a thing? Not that I know of. I ask this question because I find myself meeting new people here, and while these people are nice enough, they just aren't people I click with. I don't hate these people at all, they've done nothing bad to me, and they really are good people - I just don't care to hang out with them. So instead of just being able to tell them this, I have reverted to being that stupid teenager girl that keeps avoiding the phone call of that obnoxious ugly boy that keeps calling and calling and calling. Why is there is no polite way to do this? It's so frustrating. Why can't this world be a little less sensitive and just accept that some people just don't like your company? I mean I totally know that everyone in this world doesn't just love me to pieces. (I don't know why... but whatever - ha, ha, ha) So why can't we just say, "Hey your a nice person, but stop calling me because I really don't want to hang out with you" without offending them? So if anyone has some advice on this subject be sure to let me know.

RANDOM UPDATE

Just a little update on what's been going on around our house. Well yes folks, it's a long time coming, but Brianna is officially sleeping in her crib 100% of the time. She's been taking naps in her crib for a couple of months, but I still had her sleeping in her car seat at night. Why you ask? Well when she was born she was really burpy when she laid down to sleep. So every time that we laid her down, seriously in less than a minute she was awake screaming. We found out that she slept a ton better in her car seat when we took her home from the hospital and hence what started the car seat sleeping. Well I've known for a long time that I really needed to break her from this habit, I mean she has this cute crib and had never slept in it. So I started weaning her slowly by just putting her in her crib during naps. But I still kept her in the car seat at night, well because she slept so stinkin good in it (therefor, mom slept really good - get where this is going?). I think she's probably been ready for quite some time but it's been my hesitation of being afraid of getting less sleep that's prolonged this. Well after coming home from Utah Bri had a really messed up sleep schedule, so the mean mom that I am, thought I would just throw everything at her all at once and get it over with. She actually has done way better than I expected. She has her occasional bad nights where she'll wake up 3-4 times at night, but for the most part she's stayed at her usual 1-2. So I really can't complain - and yes, I should have done this along time ago - but oh well. :)

I know she's not sleeping in this photo, but I thought it was a cute one of her in her crib watching her butterfly mobile.

Bri is also trying really hard to roll, she's so close! She hasn't quite mastered getting all the way over because that stinking arm gets in the way. This picture is as close as she's come, see she's even on her belly,but that blasted arm is so hard to move out of the way. :) It's a work in progress.

And then I had to add these funny pictures of her in the bath. It's like she's saying, "Get me another drink and some peeled grapes while I lounge in my jacuzzi". (BTW- I showed these pics to her dad last night and he told me I had to delete them. He was very worried that I would let people see naked pictures of our daughter, but I promised I would edit them before I posted them. He's such a funny dad when it comes to protecting his little girl)

PUPPY LOVE

This was too cute not to share (at least I thought it was cute). Ever since we got pregnant with Bri we've been worried about how our dogs were going to react to the new addition to our family. We were worried that Daizy would be jealous, because being our first "child" she doesn't like anything that takes away from her attention. And we worried about Alley, well being Alley. We were afraid she'd be the goober that she is and feel threatened and attack Bri. (She doesn't get along with children very well.) But to our surprise we haven't had even one little problem with them. They've both been really good around the baby.

So last night as Brianna was having tummy time Daizy kept coming over to me and wanting to be pet. I kept telling her to go lay down because I didn't want her accidentally stepping on Bri. So as we were finishing up I rolled Brianna over on her back and here came Daizy again. It was really funny, she weaseled under my arm and laid down with Bri. Daizy has always been really fond of children (I think it's more that she has learned they drop a lot of their food, so if you follow them around you'll get treats). And then she started "nibbling" on Bri. Ever since Daizy was a puppy she has always nibbled us when she's getting pet, it's like her way of showing us affection. She'll grab a piece of your clothing that you have on and very gently nibble it. I felt bad because I kept having to tell her to stop because I was afraid she would accidentally pinch Bri. But it was just too sweet seeing my little girls playing together for the first time.

BRIANNA'S BLESSING

Well one of the main reasons that we made the trip to Utah was to have Brianna blessed . It was such an amazing day. The day was gorgeous, Bri was an angel and she looked like one too. (Oh man I'm already crying! :)) Bri's very proud grandpa gave her a beautiful blessing which we are so thankful for. Bri's such a special little angel and we are so lucky that she was sent to us. She has made our little family perfect. I pray that Justin and I can teach and guide her so that she will be proud to call us mom and dad. WE LOVE YOU BRIANNA!!!

Many of our aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends were able to come share Bri's special day - it was great. Thank you to everyone that came and helped out - we love you guys!!! After getting home I realized that this was the only picture we got on my camera of her in her dress (I think most were taken on my parents). We were running late for church that morning so I thought we'd just take pics that afternoon after the blessing dinner. Well our little stinker showed me - she pooped all over her pretty dress and I mean all over! This picture is actually after she did the deed, we're just strategically hiding it. Oh well, she's still beautiful!

FRIENDSHIP

So while I was in Utah two of my favoritest people were there visiting too. Chantel and Nicole have been my longest, bestest (yes it's a word) friends for forever - let's just say we've been friends since it was cool to have satellite dish bangs! :) Even though none of us even live in Utah anymore, it worked out perfectly that we'd all be there at the same time. I've really come to realize since moving away how very important good friends are. And even though I don't see or talk to them all the time (I'm a moron when it comes to talking on the phone - I hate it), it's so nice to know that when I do get the chance to talk to these girls we just start off where we left off. There's no awkwardness or loss for words, we can tell each other anything and everything. I know that these gals are still going to be my friends when we're 80 and going senile. The nurses in the old folks home will be listening to stories of "licking your face", Russian hats and New York adventures.

It was so good to see them and catch up. They both have two beautiful, crazy, fun kids and since none of my siblings have children yet, they've been a great help in helping me through my new baby fun. I am so fortunate to have these gals in my life and am very indebted to them for being such great friends.

I really hope that one day we'll all be back together in Utah again and be able to get together more often. And one day when Chantel's husband is a rich doctor and Nicole's is a rich lawyer, will be able to go on great vacation together. And well since they'll be rich they can pay for me - right? Ha, Ha, Ha! (Yes, I will never forget that Nicole still owes me a trip because she was the first to get married)

Here is a picture of us with our kids.

Love you girls!!!

IT'S A GOOD THING SHE'S CUTE

Well we are back from our trip to Utah. We had a lot of fun and so didn't want to come home. It was so good to see family and friends. Usually by the end of our trip I'm really ready to go home, but this time I really could have stayed a couple more weeks. Brianna had a really fun time seeing Grandma & Grandpa Anderson again and meeting her aunts and uncle. (I'll post more about our trip later.) Since we've gotten home Brianna has had a rough couple of days. Let's just say I think she got a little spoiled in Utah. She got constant attention from everyone while we were there and I think she's missing it. She's been really fussy since we've been home and every time you go over to her to see what's the matter she just smiles at me, like saying "stop ignoring me". She just wants to be held all the time. Which is kind of weird because she was almost too overwhelmed in Utah with everyone and we'd have to just lay her down on the floor and leave her alone for awhile. Also her sleep schedule is so messed up right now. She adjusted really well to Utah time, even falling asleep early at 8:30/9:00 every night (which is 6:30/7:00 Alaska time), but now that we're back home she's having a hard time readjusting. We're doing okay at keeping her awake as long as we can without a terrible meltdown, we've made it till 9:00 the past two nights, but she wakes up at about 3 or 4 in the morning and thinks it's time to play. After rocking her back to sleep 3 times in a row last night at 3:30 she woke up again and thought she'd tell be a big long story. I try really hard at night to keep talking and playing at a minimum, but she was wide awake and it was hard not to smile at her really exciting story that she was telling - it went on and on forever. I keep telling Justin that it's a really good thing she's cute cause this is getting a little annoying. Oh well I guess that's the whole point of staying at your grandparents house - to get SPOILED! :) She loved it!

Here are a couple of pics from the first couple of nights that we were there. My little sister Kristy had a softball game the day we flew in, so we decided to start Bri off on a good old Anderson tradition and take her to the ballpark.

And then on the 24th of July we went and saw the fireworks in North Logan. Brianna loved them! She'd start fussing when there was a pause between fireworks and as soon as they'd go off she was mesmerized. Too cute! Then we had a family firework show the next night - also a fun Anderson tradition.