Halloween

Chewbaca and Leia with the Egyptian gypsy (I look more pregnant in this picture than I really did that night, promise) My cousin Michayle and I have shared a love for Halloween for years. I remember one year while I was attending Chandler Gilbert Community College, I dressed up as the Devil for halloween. I had sexy black pants, a tight red shirt and a red glitter pitchfork and some horns. I have to admit, I was a hot little devil. To my shock, dismay, and slight discomfort, I was the only person with a costume on in sight. Surely someone, a special someone out there shares my love for this sacred occasion of costumes. Nope. Not a soul. I do have to give honorable mention to the girl wearing an orange sweater and spider socks. Nice try, but not good enough to take home a prize. Well, as class let out and streams of "mature", costumeless students were streaming into the hallways and courtyard, I behold a vision. Wearing a short, dark navy blue dress with a star on the front, a gold crown and belt, and red heels, it was none other than wonder woman. There was another person on the planet who was cool enough to dress up. And I mean dress up. This hot girl really knew how to do a costume. I had to go introduce myself. As I got closer, I realized that she was not only cool and hot and dressed up, but she was my COUSIN MICHAYLE! We ran toward eachother, Wonderwoman and Lucy-fer, arms outstreached and swung eachother in circles. Our dramatics were only enhanced and livened up by our mutual love for costumes. After lots of stares and attention (isn't that what we're out for, anyway?), we held hands and skipped into the sunset and lived happily ever after. Mimi has had the privelege, and I the honor of being together nearly each year after that for Halloween, and this year was no exception. She was able to make it for my annual fiesta.
Oh- and Halloween is the first night that Michayle, Brooke, James, Drew, Tiffani and I all hung out together when I had barely turned 14, starting what I'd like to think of as the best friendships teens could ask for. We were at the park on Southern and Pueblo hanging out and later trick or treating (my last real year. I guess I had to move on some time). So Happy Anniversary to my old time besties from Jr. High and High School.

Anyone who knows me knows that Halloween is a sacred holiday to me. I have twice as many Halloween decorations than Christmas, if that tells you anything. It's pretty sick. I own 2 fog machines and more skeletal parts than is normal and healthy. I love costumes, and I love the idea that everyone can dress up and be something creative and different even when they're big kids. Every year, I host the annual Halloween Spooktacular, extravaganza, whatever. We have a little shin dig. It's nothing much, just great friends, some decent food and a nice alternative to ritual animal sacrifice. This year, I was hesitant to plan the party, because of Merrick's due date being early October. I decided that the show would go on, even if I was in labor. He was 3 weeks early, just 4 weeks old when we had the party. Good thing he came early, I had a party to throw. It was pretty low key because I was a little tired. So only 4 boxes of decorations came out this year. Amy Stewart as a classy catwoman, Drew as WHAM. And please, never wear those cutoff jeans again.

I felt like tapping into my cultural heritage this Halloween. I'm wearing a Galevea that we bought while in Egypt (I decided to wear it mainly because it camoflauged my loose baby belly) , Eddy's in his Yassir Afrafat garb. Merrick's got his "Mummy loves me" onsie on. We're really not sure what we were... Joseph and Mary? Islamic Extremists? Obama Supporters? You decide.

We were so glad that the Seth Harris family could join us. He was in the valley from Duncan for nursing rotations. Claudia was dressed up as Seth, he was the nurse from Hell and the adorable boys were cowboys.

Kate Winsor, my good buddy and her Mauri outfit. She totally wishes she was polynesian. This was just before her adorable baby, Wyatt was born.

Katie and Lanny Hogle as America's famous team, Hot dog and Baseball. Cute. Katie wouldn't let go of Merrick all night. And Lanny walked around making comments like, "Hey, quit looking at my Weenie" and "Wanna touch my Wiener?" We love him for that.

My lovely parents, Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber. They came down to party it up with us and won best couple while they were at it.

Tiffani and Chad flew home from California early to make it to the fiesta. Audrey Hepburn and Joe the other Plumber. His bald head affords a special touch.

My lovely Aunt Liz. She is so much fun and always supportive and helpful for any party or gathering. My mom jokes that I'm more her kid than my mom's.

Doctors, doctors, doctors...

Kim and Scott Lineweaver and the cutest little chicken ever.

Nate and Lauren Cooley. Adorable friends of ours. The Spartans? We guessed that was it.

James Deeave-e-e-er! and whom else, but the "Statue of Libert-e-eah!" (Carlee) Get it? Haha. This great guy is one of my favorite best friends since we were all 14. He made the phrase "Statue of Libert-e-eah!" famous on a trip our high school took when were were Jr.s to NYC. While we were on Ellis Island, looking at none other than the Statue of Liberty, James walks up behind us, smacks Tiffani's leg, slides his hand up to her butt (which defies gravity) and grabs it, while exclaiming in a tone that sounded like he enjoyed it a little too much, "STATUE OF LIBERTY!" People all around looked on in amazement while Tif dropped to the ground in shock and the rest of us dropped to the ground laughing so hard. There you have it for the record. Thank you, my Dear James Douglas Dever.

Ryan really wanted to be David Beckham. I recieved no less than 4 phone calls and emails with pictures to help him nail down the hair and outfit just right. Jenyce, a little worried that she couldn't become anorexic and uber tan in just a week, decided to go as Aunt Jemimah (Ms. Syrup bottle herself) instead of Victoria. I personally think she looked uber tan anyway, she may have gone for the scandalous outfit, but oh well.

November trip to Duncan (that's right, I said Duncan)

We decided it was time for Merrick's first roadtrip. We loaded up our new Honda Pilot (Eddy kept asking if I didn't think that I needed a safer car... cute) and headed over for the boy's annual deer hunt. Or as I refer to it as, "Camping with Guns". Usually for something to qualify for a deer "hunt" deer would actually need to be hunted. Shot? Maybe. At least seen. Anyway, better luck next year, boys! Here's how Eddy ended the hunt early. The entire night on my mom and dad's bathroom floor. I opened the door occasionally and threw in a popsicle or some water. Everyone had the flu bug. I used positive mental thoughts and drew a purple bubble of health around Merrick and I (why purple? Not sure, I just figured it would keep us safe. And I had to do the positive thinking for Merrick, since he was mostly an innocent bystander) And p.s., everyone in town (well, all of my family, which comprises 1/2 the town) was driving the porcelain bus. But not Merrick and I. Not us in our purple bubble of health! We took a trip upstairs from Aunt Sunny's to visit Grandma and Grandpa foote.

Merrick loved Grandma and Grandpa. They are so tender and so loving to all of thier grandkids. He's so lucky he had the chance to meet them. Wonderful people that we come from.

Merrick wasn't so sure, however, about the big smooches from them.

But they sure loved kissing all over him.

I just love this picture of my blind Grandma Foote looking up lovingly at her husband of 60+ years with adoration. Maybe it's because she's senile, maybe it's because he's the greatest. The world will never know...

Speaking of senile, imagine my joy when I wandered down the lane to Fairlene's Fitness, the best (and only) gym in a hundred miles, to work out. Who, you might ask, to my utter glee, did I find, but Mrs. Ada Mae Foote herself!

She may be blind and sweet as can be, but she's fit as a fiddle. She'll probably outlive her mind.

This was exactly as I found her when I walked in the door to work out. Smiling from ear to ear, sweating to the oldies, no one but Fairlene around to supervise her. Now if that's not inspirational, I'm not sure what it will take to get your butt to the gym.

Here's Eddy in happier times, pre puking his guts out. He's all decked out in his brand spanking new camoflauge. Never you mind that he's as white collared as they come. He's not going to let that stop him from donning his gear and trying his best to fit in with the menfolk. My secret thought is that he's going to be the one who finally kills the biggest deer of all. That'll show them to make fun of his aim again. (I just hope my brothers and dad are safe when he and a gun are tring to sort things out.)

And here's the adorable Grandma Francie giving him his much loved bath in their sink. Notice her ever appropriate manner, covering his manliness.

Welcome home Merrick!

My mom was here for a week, which is the only way to go and makes me so grateful that I have such a wonderful mother around to lend me a hand. I felt so great and my recovery was awesome, I even got up the morning we came home and cooked breakfast for my mom and I. (again, I was starving) My mom told me she was here to do anything for me, but (newsflash) she doesn't cook. Good thing I had great friends to bring me dinner and treats. And of course,what would I do without Eddy and Tiffani? It was so nice to have Eddy handy to take a few late night feedings and Tif to call a few mornings when I hadn't slept and couldn't hold my own head up so she could let me nap.

Our first few weeks with Merrick were great. I was more tired than I've ever been, more in love than I've ever been and we just had so much fun. Some great pictures of his first bath and his teeny tiny cuteness.

Sometimes I bring Merrick to bed in the mornings so I can nurse him lying down. I realized he was all done eating and when I got up to get ready for the day, this is what I captured. Melts your heart, huh?

We went to visit Brooke at her parent's house when Merrick was only a few weeks old and did a fun photo shoot there.

Those tiny buns. I know it's wrong to exploit a child. Seriously, how could I not?!

This is probably my sweetest little picture that captures my angel the best. Amazing little guy.

I'm obsessed with the crazy faces babies make, this picture is no exception. My 90 year old man.

Getting naked for our photo shoot.

This is who I had sleeping next to me in his bassinette every morning. Pictures don't do justice.

Eddy is toweling off Merrick after his very first bath. He loves his bath time with daddy!

I can't believe how tiny he was in that BIG baby bath. A mere 4 months later, he fills it up.

Peanut becomes a Person

Merrick with Dr. Christine Brass-Jones at our 6 week check up.

FYI I have been trying to post and upload pictures of this, the most blessed and incredible event of my life so far, to no avail. Anyone know how to shrink images or expand my brain? Any help is appreciated. Here goes another try...

Peanut was a happy baby boy inside of his mommy. He kicked a little, squirmed a lot, and looked forward to being born. So much, in fact, that he decided to make his grand entrance in a beautiful fashion nearly a month early. September 20, 2008 was a pretty day. A little warm, but my garage was a mess. Cleaning it was urgent, even though I was too pregnant to think about doing all of it. That morning, with the garage door open, my neighbor, Bill, walked past and insisted that I stop. "You're going to put yourself into labor!", he said. "You must be nesting". "I've been nesting since I was born. And my husband isn't cleaning it any time soon, so I'm going to do it. Can't have Peanut comming home to a garage like this.", I reasoned.

The day turned into night and I got all dressed up to go to dinner with Eddy's lovely client, Linda Coll, at her clubhouse restaraunt. Prime rib was the special that night, with a side of fries or a salad. Anyone who has ever eaten with me knows that I'm more prone to ordering grilled chicken with steamed veggies than that fattening option. Seriously. After Eddy and Linda both ordered what I was wanting so bad but trying to resist, I caved. I mean, I wasn't getting any skinnier at this point, was I? So I took the prime rib. And fries. Why the heck not? We were force-fed the chocolate lava cake afterword and finished off the night visiting with Linda at her lovely home.

Any of you who have been pregnant know that sleep in the 8th month doesn't come so easy. This night was no exception. As I finally drifted off to sleep without Eddy (there were some fights he had tivo'd and wanted to watch before joining me), I was rudely awaken by my "pot-smoking hippy" neighbors. Now I say that because they were holding a seance or poetry reading by light of a bonfire accompanied by some random drum and stand up bass in thier back yard. And because they work at Trader Joe's. Not necesarily because they smoke pot. Or are hippies. I actually like them a lot and have more in common with them. But this is beside the point. I was being woken around 2 am by the "ba-du, ba-du-ba... dadada-ba-ta!" over and over. Eddy finally crawled into bed with me and we fell asleep inspite of the arts festival going on behind our house.

Then, without warning, I felt like Peanut was massaging me. From the inside out. Really hard. And it sort of hurt. Like deep abdominal cramping. No water broken, no sudden realization that Peanut was to be joining our family later that morning. Just a deep tissue massage. What a nice baby. I called my mom and dad (in Duncan, AZ of all places) to alert them of my status, then tried to go back to sleep. After another 30 minutes of deeper and deeper massaging, I realized that sleep was a luxury I would be replacing soon enough for late-night feedings and diaper changes. I called my mom and dad back and encouraged them to join me at thier soonest convenience that following morning at the hospital, if they intended to be there for their newest grandson to be born. I also called Tiffani and Chad, who were visiting them for the county fair that weekend (and who had tried to convince us to join them, reasoning I was far enough from my due date to travel 4 hours by car to a remote and medically unadvanced town of 700.) to invite them to join us, too.

Around this time I also called Jessica Wild, my doula and birthing educator. She taught us several wonderful classes and had consulted with me about my idea of the birth I wanted to have. Then she encouraged me with all sorts of ideas on achieving that ideal birth, complete with meditation and affirmations (everything short of pot smoking- I am the same hippy as my neighbors :). We had several meetings to discuss our plans before Peanut's birthday. I intended to have a natural childbirth experience, laboring mainly at home. "I want to walk into the doors of the hospital pushing", I told her. I knew that it would be uncomfortable to say the least, but for some reason I really wasn't afraid or nervous for the experience. (my mom's best efforts to scare me about every single pain and trauma I would encounter aside)

Jessica arrived around 3 am. She filled my bathtub with hot water, cracked open some young coconut and poured the juice into a few water bottles for me (excellent source of rehydration- nearly identical to our plasma). She lay behind me in my bed, Eddy in front, and they massaged, encouraged and comforted me for the 5+ remaining hours that we were at home. I was in the tub, she poured hot water over my huge tummy and Eddy gathered the things we were going to need for the hospital (my bag, of course, along with Peanut's, was already packed. I was so anxious and excited for him to come home with us!) The experience was intense, other-worldly, and beautiful. It was a huge excersize for me in mind over matter, and I was very blessed that so many things fell into place to allow me to have the amazing experience that I did. So much worked together in our benefit, and I know it was just an incredible blessing, all of it. We decided that it was time for the bumpy and seemingly endless car ride to the hospital, and mom, dad, Tif, and Chad all arrived at our house right about then. Francie took the still shots, Tiffani manned the video, Dad and Chad were the drivers and Eddy carried our things to the car and drove as quickly and safely as possible.

The Banner Gateway hospital is only 5 miles north of our house on Higley, but I was in a time warp. It could've been 5 minutes, it could have been 5 hours. I didn't know. All I had energy for was to breathe in, then breath out. After being quickly admitted and checked, I found out I was at a 9 1/2 cm. It was time for Dr. Christine Brass Jones to come and catch him. I had about 1/2 hour in the hot shower before I was helped back to the bed to push. 45 minutes later, the biggest conehead known to man dive-bombed out. He was healthy, alert, and well. I was so relieved and grateful and overwhealmed and tired and happy and shakey... welcome to motherhood. I had him placed on me so I could hold my new baby and nurse him. He wasn't really hungry, but it's amazing how their instinct kicks in and they just know what to do. From day 1 he's been a great little nurser. He's so easy to take care of. After that, they took him to measure and weigh him, clean him off, and bug him. 6lbs 12 oz and 19.75 inches long. Daddy went with the nurses and Jessica helped me back into the shower. I just sat there on the chair and cried with relief and gratitude. I am so humbled to be blessed with a sweet little angel boy and I realized what a miraculous gift that was.

After all the hoopla settled down, my mom and dad went to Crackers and Co. to pick up our huge breakfast order. I ordered eggs benedict and pancakes with fruit. Mmm... Lay off, I'm starving. When it was time to be moved into our room, the nurses came to get me and my sweet boy and my sweet bigger boy to go. I got up and gathered all of my things and COULD NOT WAKE EDDY UP for the life of me :). He just kept sleeping on the couch. Finally I told the nurse to just give me the wheelchair, I made Eddy get in and pushed him and the baby. It was pretty funny to see. Picture to prove it is included. We loved having so many of our friends and family to come and visit and welcome Merrick into the world. We needed all of their help naming him, after all.

Ryan had all sorts of great ideas. Ryan, Ryaniha, Ryanicus, Ry Ry, etc... Any way, after borrowing the hospital's book of names and narrowing it down to Luke, Bryson, and Merrick, and asking every nurse's opinion, drumrolllll please... MERRICK WILLIAM TORRIENTE!

We didn't decide until we were leaving the hospital, all packed up and checked out. Eddy made the big call and we were glad to be on our way home to start life as a very happy little family.

NO BLOG?!

"Why don't you have a blog?!" "Why don't you have a blog yet?!" "Why aren't you updating your blog?!"... Well, let me tell you why. Everytime I sit down to create a new post at the request of my loving and distant cousin, Mimi, or cave to harassment by Shelley or Kristi from the salon, or to keep my wonderful in laws abreast of the latest happenings in our family, KAPUT. Yes, even on my new laptop."Internet Explorer is not responding... do you want to a) close this window b) restart computer or c) throw the laptop at the wall and never attempt a blog posting again? C! I choose C!!!
Another problem I keep running into is the fact that I have a life. Crazy, I know. After looking at all of the fun posts and cute layouts of my friends (that I actually love to read) I have come to the conclusion that none of you have lives. That must be it. Anyone else out there trying to figure out when to work out, make dinner, do laundry, grocery shop and breastfeed an adorable yet demanding infant? How about work a few hours a week? Shower and brush teeth and possibly put on makeup and a bra? And don't even get me started on parenting a 17 year old to be. I like to think that your nannies and housekeepers are keeping your lives together for you while you spend your hours making your blogs cuter and more informative and all decked out than the next guy. Or girl. Well, I have news for you... listen here and listen good. I have a blog. My blog is not the cutest (but my kid (s) and husband are-hehehe) nor is it the most creative or frequently updated. But here it is. Take it or leave it. And you can kiss my blog's butt while you're at it.