3.31.2010

9 months

Two week ago, Londyn had her 9 month doctor's visit and I forgot to blog about it! For the purpose of keeping a record, I figure it's better late than never!

We decided to switch from our family practictioner to a pediatrician for Londyn. There were many reasons as to why we switched, but ultimately we felt it was the right decision. Not to mention, we are first time parents and need all the help we can get from those that know babies! After lots of recommendations, we decided to go with Dr. Sarah Rollin at Providence Medical Group Sherwood. I wasn't too worried because my nieces and nephew see her and had only great things to say!

In our visit with Dr. Rollin, she was very thoughtful and informative while interacting and really connecting with Londyn. She was very sweet with her and I appreciated the extra info that she gave me... since I have no clue what I'm doing! Dr. Rollin is pregnant and due in a week or so, which means she will be on maternity leave for a few months! I'm not too worried, because we don't need to see her back again until Londyn's 12 month check up! I can't believe how fast our 1 year mark is approaching!

Londyn is growing wonderfully! She weighs 21 lbs. 5 oz. and is 29 inc. long! I can't believe how big she is getting. I miss her tiny little self, curled up in a ball in my arms. Now, she sprawls out and nearly makes my arms fall off when I hold her!

sew inspired.

I have been in a creative frenzy lately! In an effort to improve my skills and develop new talents, I am determined to teach myself to sew! As a youngster my mom taught me the basics of sewing and I even took clothing classes in high school. But... time has past and I'm beyond rusty! With all of the DIY boutique-chic blogs and sites out there, I am inspired! Fashioning my little girl doesn't have to break the bank!
Don't look too closely... but below are photos of my first project! Believe it or not, this is a dress I made for Londyn out of a simple white eyelet pillowcase, from my sister's linen closet! Super simple! I can't wait to design more!

When I was finished constructing the dress, it looked a little too plain for my taste. I guess less really isn't more in my book! So of course, I decided to embellish! Another nice feature about my ruffled embellishment is that it hides quite a few flaws!

Not only do I look forward to more sewing experiments, I have lots of other projects in the craft queue! Stay tuned...

3.29.2010

Let's Say Thanks!

Xerox is providing a way for individuals across the country to recognize our troops stationed overseas! By submitting a message through this site you have the opportunity to send a free personalized postcard greeting to deployed servicemen and women.

These patriotic postcards were selected from a pool of entries created by kids across the country!

All you have to do is click on your favorite design and either select the message that best expresses your sentiment or draft a personal note. The postcards are then mailed in care packages by military support organization Give2TheTroops®.

Express your gratitude to our troops overseas!

This is the postcard I chose! I love how Mandy from San Diego shows how diverse our country is. America is filled with men and women of all different shapes, sizes and colors! It's a beautiful thing, our country. I'm pretty sure The little girl on the right... with the fuchsia top is definitely me! Nice job Mandy!

3.28.2010

Semper Fidelis

At 6:30am tomorrow morning, Andrew will fly to Washington D.C. and meet up with his dad and brother Johnathan. They will be attending the burial service at Arlington National Cemetery for Colonel Gerard Thomas Armitage, of the United States Marine Corps.

This honorable man was Andrew's uncle, whom he had the opportunity to visit two Summer's ago, just a few weeks before we got married. Pops and Andrew flew to Florida to visit with his Uncle Gerry and Aunt Emily. Andrew gave him a U.S. flag that he had brought back for him from his time served in Iraq. Uncle Gerry shared lots of amazing war stories with Andrew and his dad. It is a blessing that Andrew has that memory with his uncle.

Uncle Gerry enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in March, 1939, commissioned in February, 1942. During World War II, he participated in operations at Guadalcanal, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and strikes against the Japanese homeland. During the Korean War he commanded the Marines at Bunker Hill Battle, August, 1952.

Semper Fidelis

Uncle Gerry
1921 - 2009

crackin' up

When Londyn gets the giggles, it is just too cute not to blog about! She gets in these silly moods and laughs at the simplest things. I'm not talkin' "haha... funny funny"... I'm talkin' full on belly laugh! Well, take a look at it yourself!

3.27.2010

Family Road Trip

The past 7 days have been SO MUCH FUN for our family! Last Friday we set out on our first road trip with Londie Lou and headed to Utah to visit family and friends for some much needed R&R.

The drive lasted a record time of 12 hours with a 9 month old baby who was surprisingly an angel. She played, slept and ate... making for a fabulous start on our adventure!
Although we had visited only 2 1/2 months ago, the cousins had so much more fun with Londyn because she could crawl and play with them. They loved holding her and watching her chubby little self get around. The mass amounts of slobber and drool that came from Londyn's mouth was their least favorite part.
We got to spend lots of time with Nana & Pop Pop! Aside from the everyday down-time, just hanging out and having fun, we were able to go to the Home Show in Orem, out to dinner at our favorite Korean restaurant: Sam Hawk and dessert at Cold Stone, out to lunch at Winger's... breakfast at a yummy coffee shop in downtown Payson and yummy homemade meals with the fam. I promise, not all of our fun was spent eating!
Londyn and I took a drive to Springville and visited my friend Lindsay and her son Jaxon. Lindsay and I went to beauty school together a few years ago. Times have sure changed! Now we get to hang out and catch up with our kiddos! Love ya Linds!
At the Home Show, Pops got a helicopter play-structure for the grandkids to play on! Once it arrived, Andrew was excited to put it together!
While the sun was out most of our visit, Londyn and I took a walk to a park nearby and enjoyed the warm rays!
It's been over a year since I have seen my cousin Kayti and her hubby Aaron. FINALLY, we were able to see them and introduce them to Londyn! Our first visit was at In n' Out (my first experience... and will not be the last) for lunch and then they also came to a family BBQ in Payson. I love my cousin and her hilarious husband! Miss you guys!
We also saw my best friend Andre. Andrew and I always look forward to spending time with Andre. He adores Londyn and is so much fun to be around. Of course, a visit with Andre would not be complete without a photo shoot with his fabulous camera (photos to come soon). He claims that Londyn is America's Next Top Model. Love you Uncle Andre!
With all of our visits and time spent with family... ultimately, my favorite times were spent with each other. Rarely do I get to have full and entire days to just hang out with my man. It was nice to sleep in, relax and enjoy our family.
Our trip ended way to soon and the drive home was not anticipated. Unfortunately, I got very sick the night before our departure and I was not much use on the car ride home. To our surprise, Londyn was again, a sweetheart and no trouble at all. She slept, ate and played the whole way home. We turned her car seat foward-facing before we left and she loved being a big girl and being able to see us, the whole way home!
One of our favorite visits is not pictured but we were able to spend some time with some of the Marine wives from Andrew's former unit. Their husbands have about 2 months left in Afghanistan and will soon be home! Visiting with them meant so much to us and hearing what's really going on over there was a blessing. These wives are so strong and truly an example to me. I keep them in my prayers! Thanks for letting us visit Megan & Stephanie!

We had the time of our lives on this trip! It would not have been complete without family and friends. They are what made this trip special!

3.18.2010

Peek-a-Boo...

Londyn see's you!
We just weighed the "chunk" and she has reached the 20lb. mark! She is movin' and groovin' all over the place, so much that we finally had to put the gate up this morning. At first she thought it was a fun toy to pull her up, but once Daddy climbed over and went upstairs... she was hoping for a "get out of jail free card" and started to cry. What a meanie, that Daddy-man.

As most of you might know, the MC was planned to send Andrew for 2 months of training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. This has been an on-going event that has been pushed out 3 times already, so we were sure he was going in April, as they had told him. Unfortunately, we were notified that he will not be leaving until June "or after." Whatever that means! Is this wife complaining? Not at all! (well maybe a bit)
So what are we doing about this little predicament? We're taking lemons and making lemonade! That's right, we're loading up the car and running away from our problems! (okay so that might be a little dramatic, but what else would you expect from me?) We're taking our first road trip with Londyn to Utah! We had planned to go to Utah and visit the Armitage clan in July, after Andrew's return from training. But, since he'll probably be gone around that time, we are pushing the trip up to... NOW! It was fun to call my MIL and ask her how she would feel if we showed up at her doorstep tomorrow! I can't wait for Londie Lou to see Nana and Pop Pop again, along with the rest of her aunts, uncles and cousins.
We will be staying for an entire week! We have no agenda and no obligations. Just the goal to HAVE FUN! Andrew really deserves this break... and hey, so do I!

3.15.2010

YW movie night

For mutual last week, we had a combined activity and watched The Legend of Johnny Lingo. I didn't get a chance to catch the flick... because I was, as usual... chatting with the girls and other leaders. But, Londyn got a taste of the film with her cousins Megan, Mikayla and the other girls. Of course, Londyn thrives with all the attention! I wonder where she gets that from? Hmm.

Morgan, Londie Lou & Megan

escape artist

Escapology:
The practice of escaping from restraints or other traps. Escapologists (also called escape artists) escape from handcuffs, straitjackets, cages, coffins, steel boxes, CRIBS, barrels, bags, burning buildings, fish-tanks and other perils, often in combination. - Wikipedia

After today's morning nap, I walked into Londyn's nursery to find our escape artist, attempting to make a climb for it!

3.14.2010

if you're happy and you know it...

CLAP YOUR HANDS!


Londyn is mastering lots of new things every day! Right now, we're working on clapping, pointing, arms up, arms down and saying bah-bah and mama. Just a few things...

3.10.2010

trouble...

...with a capital T.

I leave her for literally 2 minutes to put the wet clothes in the washer, into the dryer... and this is what happens. So much for that March issue of Southern Living. I don't have time to read it anyway.
She's into everything these days!

mom moments

Mom Moments... ya know, the ones that take place and you take a step back and realize you're really doing it. Being "The Mom."
When I was little and wreaking havoc, wanting this and that and touching breakables in antique stores that I wasn't supposed to (long story... I broke an antique phone after being instructed to "look with your eyes and not with your hands." This led to hours of chores to pay off the dang phone) ... of course, I would always question my mothers authority and she would say, time and time again, "because I am THE MOM and when you're The Mom, you can do it your way." Now that I think about it, I have always wanted to be a mother... my life's dream. But, did I want to be The Mom because of the control factor? To do WHAT I want, WHEN I want?...pshh... nah.

Two nights ago, I had a Mom Moment. After a pretty average day of singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star 20,000 times, running and folding laundry, getting Gerber Sweet Peas sneezed into my hair, taking out and putting away toys 18 times, getting a 30 minute workout in, grocery shopping, working on my YW lesson, taking the baby for a walk, throwing something on the stove for dinner and awaiting my husband's arrival in a sexy little number that I like to refer to as over-sized sweats and smelling of perfume I sprayed to mask the soy formula that got spit up all over me... I decided to take a bubble bath before I plopped in to bed for a long-awaited recharging. When I got into the bath tub, I closed my eyes and tried to think of nothing. I usually sing in the tub, getting in touch with the stage diva in me. When I opened my eyes, I looked around and saw tons of bath toys... foam letters, a rubber ducky and hippo and about a bazillion more. When I got in the tub, the toys didn't even faze me. This was my Mom Moment. Toys in my bubble bath are a regular occurance now. Smelling like soy formula is just as good as any perfume... and taking bites of Gerber Sweet Peas to trick my child into eating them is a day in the life of this mom.

I'm really doing it. Last night, Londyn and I fell asleep on the sofa. All I could think about was that there's nothing better than being a mom and having those little moments. Family is all that matters.

3.06.2010

girls just want to have fun.

While Andrew is away at drill all weekend, what better therapy than to have a girls weekend? Today I took two of my nieces, Mikayla, Kamry and their friends Megan and Emily to the mall for lunch and shopping. Londyn was such a trooper and pulled through the entire outing. It was fun to crank up the "hot" tunes and wave to all the random cars passing us by.
Oh the adventures of being a teen again!

Then we came back home and hung out for a while... which led to a sleepover, including my nieces Mikayla, Kamry, Megan, Kaylee and my adopted niece for a day- Megan D. We had a full house! Once Londie Lou went to bed, the fun began! But it's all fun and games until your oldest niece Mikayla duct tapes your cupboards, fridge and microwave shut.
haha... very funny Mikayla.

Of course, the girls got hungry... which led to the preparation of a hearty and nutritious spread of mac n' cheese, tater tots and Country Time lemonade. What can I say? I'm a health nut!

Thanks for the fab time this weekend girls! I love being an aunt!

3.05.2010

RIP Lcpl Aragon

My heart goes out to the Marines in the 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and loved ones of LCPL Carlos Aragon. This 19 year old Marine was serving among Andrew's former company in Afghanistan. Although Andrew never met this young man as he came in after we moved, he is a fellow Marine and that means more than most of us will ever comprehend.



3.02.2010

shout out to Nana & Pop-Pop

Today I received a thoughtful e-mail from my MIL which may not have been much to her, but her words of appreciation made my day! One of the reasons why I keep up with our blog is because I feel that it is so important to stay connected with family. Family is #1 in my book and having the Armitage clan spread out across the country makes it a priority to update and share our lives with each other, even from afar.
I am so thankful for wonderful in-laws that don't drive me crazy! Stereotypically, some don't mix well with their in-laws, but that is not the case with me. Another plus, my family loves Andrew's family and vice versa. In fact, if our mom's lived closer- they would be trouble!
This post is for Nana & Pop Pop who we love and appreciate bunches and bunches!

Love,
Doo Doo, the Princess and Londie-Lou


Rarely can I catch the many hilarious faces that Londie makes on camera, but I was able to snap this at dinner time. She pulls this face whenever she is done eating and refuses to put anymore in!

day at the park.


3.01.2010

Happy 8th Month

What a ham.
Loves the paci.
Little BIG girl.
Londie Lou is getting to be such a big girl!
Every day, Andrew and I are reminiscing about these past 8 months. It truly seems like just yesterday she was sleeping all day on our chest, in a little ball.

Now she is on a consistent daily schedule, sleeping 12 to 13 hours a night. She thinks she's a big girl and wants to do everything we are doing. If she's not being included, she let's you know how she feels about it... and trust me, it's not pretty.

We love you Sassy Pants
Happy 8 Months!!!