Tami Talk

Colton's First Birthday!

2009-03-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

Colt with his two grandpas at my dad's house. My dad gave him a huge baby luau in Hawaii. It is Hawaiian tradition to put on a huge celebration for the first birthday. It was very fun!
Just a cutie pic of our one year old blowing kisses!
This was from his party in California. We let him try both chocolate and vanilla cupcakes. He didn't go crazy for either one but chose finger Jell-0 instead!
Colton and his buddy, Seth, and Seth's dad, Randy. They had fun playing at Colton's party! About a week later we cut Colton's hair and the cute curls are gone :( Pictures to come later!

11 months

2009-01-27T14:28:00.000-08:00

Colton loves this packing paper!
So excited he can hardly stand it!
Playin' it cool!
Mr. Blue Eyes

Continued from Below

2009-01-21T14:15:00.000-08:00

Colton LOVES lights so I knew that Christmas would be really special. He just stared at Auntie Terri's tree. He only tried to eat the ornaments once!
Helping Daddy in the kitchen. I can't believe it but he is crawling and standing on his own now. He's cruising everywhere. When this pic was taken he had just learned how to pull up to a standing position like this. See how proud he is?
Beautiful baby boy! Classic Colton.
A little hair malfunction but it was so cute! These two rebels are so cool. Clark is so handsome and his mini-me is adorable!

Way behind

2009-01-21T14:10:00.001-08:00

Okay so I'm very behind with my posts! These pics are from Christmas of course. Colton's first Christmas! He seemed to enjoy himself - his new toys and the wrapping paper most of all. He loved being with everyone and he definitely loved the lights. Here he is on Christmas Eve. We spent Christmas Eve at my sister, Traci's, and all the kids opened one gift each. Oddly enough his one gift was Christmas PJs from Granna but they ended up being...girls PJs. She didn't notice when she bought them (the eyesight is the first thing to go!) If you look closely below you will see that the polar bears are wearing pink scarves and there are ruffles around the collar. It's okay though - he looked Christmasy and he has no idea! At least not until we tease him when he hits about 15!

The Barnetts on Christmas Eve!

Colton on Christmas morning with his new fuzzy hat from Papa and Noni. He totally looked like an elf. It came with mittens but I'm not sure we will ever get those on him....

Normally Colton's ears don't stick out quite this much. But my sister, Terri, wanted to try this. See any similarities in the ears? She is naturally blessed with those ears :) Doesn't Colt look like Dopey from Snow White? So funny.

Catching Up

2008-12-11T15:12:00.000-08:00

Here are four generations of Barnett men. We took this picture at Lake San Antonio where we go every year with the Barnett extended fam to celebrate Thanksgiving and Clark and his dad's birthday. Clark and Clay share a birthday which is pretty special. I tried to have Colton share the day too but my February due date was just a bit too far from November! This picture looks like one person at four different stages of life! They are all identical and it is hilarious. My dad and I thought our genes were strong, um not quite! Barnett genes are supermanish (hence, Clark "Kent" Barnett).

Our little man is almost 10 months old!! (9 months in this picture though) He is really growing up and we are loving every minute of it. I do not have much sadness for the teeny baby he once was. I don't know if something is wrong with me as a mother because all the other mommies say how much they miss the previous stages and don't want their kids to grow up. I love that he is growing up! I love watching him learn new things and become more independent. I love that he doesn't need me to take him from point A to point B (because he will crawl there or walk holding onto things!) I guess some day there will come a time where he actually pushes me away - that I am NOT looking forward to. But any other stage where my boy can become a "big boy" makes me proud and joyful. I love him more every day.

The Barnett Family in Palm Springs. We were there with my dad, stepmom and sisters' families to celebrate Thanksgiving. While we were there we had a professional photographer take some pics of the entire family. This is a copycat taken by my brother-in-law. Colton looks really excited, doesn't he? Clark is whispering something amusing in his ear to get him to smile - very sweet! No doubt he is telling a knock-knock joke. Colton LOVES knock-knock jokes but just for the knock-knock part. We never get to the punchline! He's an easy laugh!

Old man Colton. So many people tell us that he looks like an old man. They say that all he needs are some wire-rimmed glasses and he could pose as an accountant. He's not THAT boring! (Just kidding to my accountant friends). Anyway, here he is in his too big pants that we pulled waaaay up. Go Pepperdine too!

Big Boy Colton!

2008-10-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Colton is 8 months old! My boy is growing up. I'm actually glad he is growing up and I don't miss the younger stuff so far. I love him more and more every day. I can't wait til he is old enough to talk and say funny things and say "I love you, mom." This is one of his newest faces. I think he is chewing on his lips b/c he is teething. Yes, folks, he has been teething for about 14 years and no teeth yet. They say the teeth are stronger the longer it takes for them to come in. While I don't usually believe in that stuff, I hope its true!

This is my boy playing with his stuffed animals in his crib. I kept looking at this pic and thinking the crib looked white! Then I realized it is the wall b/c the crib is brown. Weird, huh? Anyway, it just goes to show you how you can see things differently depending on your perspective. That's what my dad always says.

This one is for Teta! You know why, girl...but I don't think he is lying about anything....but he was probably up to no good. This was him trying to crawl. Still not crawling yet but he did scoot around backwards for a few miles (feet). Did I already blog that he says "mama"? Well really he says "Ama" when he is crying and need something. But he will face Clark and say "dadadadada" and then face me and say "mamamama" so I think he might be getting it.

Just a cute b'day suit pic. I love that smile. I think it is a smile that makes the whole world smile! SMILE, darn it!

Okay so now an update on Tami. "Who's Tami?" you ask? Well, the girl who once used to blog here until she had a kid and now its all about him of course. Anyway, many new developments. I have quit all jobs and I am starting my own law firm. I will be practicing adoption law, juvenile dependency (foster care stuff) law, I'll do legal guardianships, estate planning and some family law (special cases only). I'm just getting started and I have no paying clients yet. I know the Lord is faithful and He is literally providing for our daily bread. That is amazing to see. Sometimes when the money comes in regularly and you are pretty comfortable, it is tough to see God's provision. Take all that away and God's provision is clear. I'm thankful that I get to see that.

More Positive

2008-09-24T20:19:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to be more positive. Right now it is tough. I feel like I'm drowning. I'm reading a book called "A Complaint Free World" and it is great....but challenging. I am such a negative complainer. In all fairness to me, I often feel like I have a lot to complain about (haha, I don't). I genuinely feel that positivity brings about the positive.

I've got a new motto: "Get your hopes up". Usually we say the opposite but I feel that not getting your hopes up can sometimes be a lack of trusting in the Lord. While He doesn't always give us what we want exactly, He always gives us what we need. What is best for us and His kingdom. Anyway, I'm trying to get my hopes up about stuff but this is harder than it sounds. Getting your hopes up means trusting in the Lord with ALL your heart to do what you need Him to do. It means allowing yourself to be so vulnerable that you are not afraid to feel hopeful for what you desire. It means believing in what you want so much that you are shameless about your hope. Its okay to hope and not get what you want. We all have wants and its okay. The best thing is that God knows better - He knows what you need.

The Long and Short of 7 Months

2008-09-16T23:31:00.000-07:00

7 months - how did time fly? Only 7 months, feels like years! Those are the feelings I have on a daily basis! Here is a pic of Colton with mommy. He is regular hair and chubby cheeks. No teeth yet though but lots of drool (as you can see).

Getting ready to go to his cousin's high school football games.

Auntie Traci and Colton are soooo cool!

Colton and his pal, Jackson, had fun times together. They finally recognize each other and they interacted! Colton is on the left and Jackson is on the right - they could be brothers (actually they both look like miniatures of their fathers). Jackson is such a sweetie - look at those eyes!

Colton's First Trip to Hawaii

2008-09-02T20:44:00.000-07:00

Colton and I traveled to Hawaii just for the long weekend. We went so his grandpa and grandma could get a "Colton fix" and I could say goodbye to my Uncle Sonny who is living his last days with lung cancer. We had a nice visit and I was able to see my uncle who looks very thin and sick but will soon be in a better place.
Dad is absolutely in love with Colton and Colton loved him! It's easy to love the little guy because he basically laughs and smiles all the time. Here he is in his super cool sunglasses.
Grandma Beth loved having a baby in the house. She was even willing to wash all the bottles, bowls and spoons we used!
My dad gave Colton his first taste of poi and he LOVED it. I call it "crack poi" now because he couldn't get enough of it. Best of all for me - after he ate poi he slept longer and better than ever!
I was a little worried about the airplane and his ears but he was fine. He laughed and smiled the entire plane ride (and slept some of the time too). On the way home we sat next to the women's volleyball teams from Penn State and UCLA. The girls fell in love with Colton and he got passed around the airplane (which was nice for mommy too). All in all, Colton loved his trip to Hawaii.

Half a year!

2008-08-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

I know, I know! It has been way too long since I blogged. Here are some highlights of our lives since I last wrote:
1. Found a job - praise God! It is bittersweet because I loved my old job, my coworkers and my clients. I felt I was in my niche. But my new job allows me to be at home 3 days a week and the other 2 days are only 10 minutes away at the office. It's not practicing law but its doing research for a tech company. My research could eventually provide a great service to the community so I still feel that I'm helping people indirectly. I'm so thankful every time I get to wake up and not have to say goodbye to Colton.
2. Childcare is pretty much solved - hooray!
3. Clark started back at school - the first day he had a crier and a puker but he survived!
4. Colton is drooling like a bulldog but no teeth yet.
5. Colton has a new exersaucer - the best thing in the world as far as he's concerned.
6. Colton is almost able to sit up all alone.
The number one question we get is: "Is he always this happy?" Answer: yes, always.
Handsome like daddy!
Colton haha. I can't believe it has been 6 months. I've been a mom for half a year - I've survived half a year! Wow, it has been the shortest and longest 6 months of my life.

One of my new coworkers shared with me a concept I hadn't realized: Babies laugh because they are pleased, not because they are amused. Adults laugh because we are amused and think something is funny. Babies will just laugh out of pure joy. I'm glad he put it that way - when I'm around Colton I want to laugh out of pure joy too!

Recent pics

2008-07-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

No time to write now b/c it is tough balancing work and home! It is Saturday and I need to go be with my fam.

1st trip to beach - went to Zuma
First attempt at surfing - on land!

Best pal, Jackson, hanging out. Later Jackson peed on Colton in the bath - a story to last a lifetime!

PS Colton's health is really great. He has caught up on his weight and he continues to grow. We are very thankful to the Lord for taking care of him. We are hopeful he will continue to grow and be strong. Thanks for your prayers and love!

Some Cute Pics

2008-06-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

My wonderful little family : Clark and Colton on Father's Day! Clark is such an amazing father, I am so blessed to be partners with him for life and in parenting Colton.
Our friend from Pepp, Lauri, and her husband Jon, had a daughter shortly after Colton was born. Here is Colton meeting his friend, Kirsten, for the first time! Believe it or not she is 2 months younger than him and weighs two pounds more than him! Cute and chubby!
Colton giving his Father's Day card to his daddy. He was going to eat it but decided against it...
Colton playing the "Stand Up Game" with his Papa (Clark's dad). I didn't realize this was a movie! Hopefully you can see it if you want to. We took Colton on his first trip to Hanford (or as our friend, Katy, calls it - "Podunk") Haha! When Clay said "up", Colton pulled himself up to his feet with his own muscles (Clay just holding his arms to steady him). We are so proud of our boy! Colt absolutely loved playing this game with his Papa.

4 Months

2008-06-16T21:07:00.000-07:00

Colton was four months old on Father's Day! Here are some new pictures of him. I'll post the Father's Day pics later this week.
He has started grabbing his clothes a lot - not sure why but I think it shows good fine motor skills....
Colton went to work with me a couple of times this month. Here he is reviewing a file. He is very smart! He was the hit of the office.
Pig in a blanket? No...baby in a blanket!
Cool Colton wearing his sunglasses with his friend, Nancy (she teaches with Clark and is a great friend to all of us)!

Colton 3 Months Old

2008-06-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

Colton is almost four months old! In some ways it has flown by but in others it seems like it has been years! This picture is our little family of three at Clark's Open House for his third grade class. He did a wonderful job and the walls were decorated amazingly.

Me and Colton just hanging out.

This picture reminds me of that old Lily Tomlin skit where she sat in the big chair and acted like a little girl. I used to imitate her when I was a kid. Here is Colton sitting in the big LazEBoy chair that we usually rock him at night. Why is that giraffe looking at him like that?

This picture shows how much weight he is gaining! He just had a bunch of formula and he is goofy and full. What a cutie! I just want to eat him up!

Look at this Face!

2008-05-22T23:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some new pics of Colton. He is about 12 weeks in these.

Laughing with Grandpa Stan in the morning - he's definitely a morning baby. Too bad he has two nightowl parents!

Colton and his best bud, Jackson. They don't really know each other exists yet but they will soon!

Colton haha again. This picture is a good one to show how tiny he is. He's like the tiniest man ever! You should see how funny it looks when he "stands" on our lap. Hopefully we'll get a pic of that soon.

Help Me Out!!!

2008-05-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day back at work. I did pretty well, I only cried 4 or 5 times. Although I knew Colton was good and safe with Bree, I missed him so much! Then I began to wonder if it was all about me and he was just dandy without me. But then she told me he didn't sleep all day. As soon as I held him he crashed out. Currently he has been sleeping for over 2 hours - this is NOT normal for my son. He is not a big sleeper b/c of his breathing so he obviously needed to sleep! See this face in the picture? He's so happy to have his diaper changed in the trunk of my car - he LOVES the trunk! How can I leave that face - especially since I have to drive so far! I drove about 85 mph on the way home just to see him and it still took me 45 minutes (a record!) So I'm asking for EVERYONE'S help. Please keep your eyes open for any jobs that will allow me to earn a living while working from home. Please join me in praying for this opportunity. (OR you can pray that we win the lottery and that should take care of it!) For all you mom-friends of mine who haven't yet returned to work - it will be okay but its hard. For all my mom-friends who get to be home with your kids - I applaud you for the tough job you do but I'm jealous! God has truly blessed you and I'm praying for the same blessings. Thanks everyone!

Grandpa visits

2008-05-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

Last week my dad and stepmom came to visit and meet Colton. This was their first time meeting him although my dad called almost every day to see how his grandson was doing. This first picture is Colton and Grandpa laughing together. My dad came over every morning to hold Colton while I got ready for the day. During this time I would hear them both cracking up together! Colton loves his grandpa very much!
We all went shopping (window shopping) - Colton's first trip to Rodeo Drive! While my stepmom and I checked out the shops, the boys hung out outside. They are so sweet together, it was hard to see dad and Beth leave.

Grandma Beth and Colton on Rodeo Drive!

First Mother's Day!

2008-05-12T14:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a pic from my first Mother's Day! Boy, did it feel weird standing in church when they had the moms stand! We met my family for lunch and everyone made it very special for me. Clark imprinted Colton's feet in some clay for me - very cute! I am so blessed to be a mom to Colton. This has been a wild and wonderful ride so far!

Colton HaHa!

2008-05-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

Pretty happy for a boy who can't breathe! He gives us so much joy with his little smiles and coos. That makes every tough day VERY worthwhile.
Here are the updates from the appointment with the occupational therapist; ear nose and throat specialist; and pediatrician today.
Occupational Therapist:
We went to see the occupational therapist a week or so ago. Her name is Erin and she is wonderful. We are so glad we went, especially since we had no idea what to expect. She taught us how to work around Colton's special needs. She showed us some feeding techniques to help him with his suck, swallow, breathe reflexes. She also gave us a couple of optimal holds that will help prevent "pooling" of milk in his throat and minimize the possibility that he will inhale the milk and possibly contract pneumonia. She also gave us these little disposable hospital bottles (that we will actually wash and reuse) that will help with the flow of the milk. They are smaller so they show in milliliters exactly how much he is eating (since the regular bottles only show ounces and it often seems he isn't getting anything. We continue to add the rice cereal but don't really see much difference either way. I'm still pumping so he is getting my milk every day too which hopefully will help give him the antibodies he needs to ward off any illness. She also said he is exhibiting developmental milestones that they look for in 6 month olds. Our boy is a smartie!
ENT:
Went to ear, nose and throat doc again yesterday. He says we just have to close our ears and tune out Colton's noises b/c there isn't much to be done. He says he does not think it warrants surgery - we just have to focus on the eating and ensure he is gaining weight. He said Colton not only has struggles eating, he burns more calories b/c of the effort he puts into it. He mentioned an option prior to surgery of a feeding tube at night while he sleeps. I'm not quite sure how that would work but I'm not even considering it, just hoping we won't get to that point. The main thing is that he confirmed our pediatrician's statements which is what we wanted. Also, he told us that it is a bit optimistic to think he will grow out of this by age 1. He thinks Colton will grow out of it by age 4. Clark and I were both really glad to know this so that we don't panic if he reaches one year old and still gasps/squeaks.
Pediatrician:
Went to pediatrician today. Colton gained weight - he is now 9lbs13oz. That is a 7oz weight gain in about 12 days. Doc says that is good but not great and we still have to watch him. Doc says he is gaining the bare minimum of what is acceptable and we'd like him to gain more. Unfortunately, even though he gained weight, he went back down to the 4th percentile in weight. Head circumference stayed at 10th percentile and height was up to 24th percentile. The most important thing is that the head continues to grow. He doesn't want us to change anything (trust me, I asked) and we will go back in two weeks for another weigh in and 3 month check up and immunizations. Can you believe he is already 3 months! Doc says our ENT was too pessimistic and this shouldn't last until he is 4 years old - he should grow out of it by 1 year. We will just take one day at a time.

Thank you so much for all your prayers - we'll keep you posted. Let's focus on the good things for now - the adorable, cutie pie boy that gives Clark and I so much joy. We truly appreciate you all being on this journey with us. We love our friends and family!

Quick Summary

2008-04-24T22:28:00.001-07:00

Hi guys, here is the update from the doc today - thank you for your prayers. I'm off to sleep while I can!! Quickie update:

1. Colton has a narrow airway - he is getting enough air (pulse ox is good) but he has to work much harder to get it. Doc says it is like he is "breathing through a straw".
2. It is very serious and the only treatment left is surgery. HOWEVER, because he is gaining weight now and getting enough oxygen, the risks of surgery outweigh the benefits.
3. This condition should correct itself in about one year. Good news is that it can improve over the course of that year. Bad news is that it can also get worse before it improves.
4. We tried a breathing treatment on Colton but it did not work. Dr. did not think it would work but just wanted to try it in case it did. (this is usually for folks with asthma where the wheezing is on the exhale - Colton gasps on the inhale). I held Colton upright and held this covering over his mouth. It was so big it covered his whole face really. He did not cry, just looked up at me the whole time. My sweet boy. (see picture)
5. There is another breathing treatment but it is made of adrenaline and risky for a baby. He doesn't want to do it unless the ENT specialist thinks it is necessary.
6. He wants us to follow up with the ear, nose and throat specialist again.
7. He wants us to go the occupational therapist (appointment Friday at 3:30pm). She has us adding a teensy bit of rice cereal to his bottles to give it texture and make it easier for him to swallow. He doesn't seem to notice it much.
8. Unfortunately he doesn't think there is much we can do (but he wants us to meet with these other folks so I'm not giving up).

Your Title Here

2008-04-23T23:22:00.000-07:00

Hopefully this is coherent - I haven't slept much lately! :)

Colton and I went to the doctor again yesterday. He weighed in "pretty well" as the doctor said - 9lbs2.5oz. He gained the requisite .5oz per day that he needed to. But I guess my mommy intuition told me there is still something going on so I pressed him a bit. After all, when he eats it is so loud and he takes in so much air. Feedings take a very long time. The doc agreed with me that there is a problem but he does not think it is a metabolic issue anymore. He thinks it is an anatomical issue- something to do with the way Colton sucks or the way his mouth works. He referred us to an occupational therapist who can observe him eating and work with him. But the good news is that Colton is still gaining and he was strong enough to receive 2 of his 3 immunizations. We will go back in two weeks for the third immunization and another weight check. He grew in length and head circumference too. His percentiles aren't going up but they aren't going down either (although head circ went up so he must be a genius!)
Thank you for your prayers, we'll continue to keep you posted.

It is much later in the evening than when I wrote earlier and I wanted to ask for your specific prayers. Tomorrow Clark and I will be taking Colton into the pediatrician's office for some answers. After trying to feed him tonight and hearing him just gasp for air, I'm just done. I'm done seeing my baby struggle to breathe. I'm done hearing that this baby was like that and that baby did this like Colton. I appreciate that people are trying to encourage me but I'm afraid my doctor is sort of doing the same thing - aligning him with other kids and not seeing him as his own entity. It's not so much the eating and weight gain. I feel that is a symptom of something else. It takes forever to feed him and he hardly eats still. I'm so grateful he has gained weight but there are still some issues. Colton's breathing is different when you actually hear it. I only have one child so I didn't know how it was supposed to be but now I'm getting wise to it. I got used to his wheezing/squeaking/gasping but now I realize that the poor guy can't breathe, therefore can't eat and can't sleep well. Obviously these are important things so Clark has decided to take the day off from work and go with me. I won't leave the doctor's office until we have some direction. I may be a first time mom but this is the last time I'm going to leave that office without answers. I'm done. Thanks for listening - again, I'm very tired.

Praise!

2008-04-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
Your prayers were answered!!! Thank you so much for remembering our boy in your prayers this week. He gained a ton! Well not a ton but he gained almost four times what he needed to. God is good! Our doctor joked that he was "obese". The barium X-ray showed no abnormalities. I was so proud of Colton when he got the barium X-ray last Friday. He only cried once when the technician ripped her velcro apron off! He had to lay on that hard surface for a long time with nothing but a diaper and a thin pillow case on. At one point he had to drink the barium while lying on his stomach! He never even peeped! The radiologist did remark that he thought something was wrong with the bottle because he wasn't getting the barium and he was only getting air. I assured him it wasn't the bottle but it was our boy - hence the need for his services...Anyway, Colton did not seem any worse for the wear. My mom was in town visiting. It was a huge help to have her here for support. She loves her grandson!
So today was a success. Colton weighed in at 8lbs13.75oz. That is a 7.75oz gain in only 4 days. We know that it is because of your prayers so thank you. We will go back next Tuesday to make sure he's still gaining. If he is, the doctor will give him his immunizations. We'll keep you posted.
Here is a picture of Clark and Colton hanging out on our patio - I love these guys!

Please Pray for Colt

2008-04-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the pediatrician and Colton had lost 2oz. As you can imagine we were very disappointed, especially given the fact that he had "overgained" for the previous appointment. He weighed in at 8lbs5oz (he was born 7lbs7oz and is 8 weeks old today). Our pediatrician has decided that it is time to do the barium Xray to determine if there is anything abnormal about Colt's esophagus and tummy. We will have the Xray at 1pm today (Friday). I am told that this will not hurt him and does not put him at any risk. He just has to drink that yucky stuff (which the doc says doesn't taste so yucky anymore).

We have another appointment with the doctor on Monday. He says this is Colton's last chance to have gained 2oz (1/2oz per day). If he has not gained, we will need to do some bloodwork to see if there is something else going on. He will also have the Xray results on Monday. The doctor also had me cancel Colt's 2 month appointment that was already scheduled for next week because he will not be big/strong enough to get his immunization shots.

So far Clark and I have been pretty okay, just working to get our son to gain weight. I think we are both growing more concerned after yesterday's appointment. Please join us in praying for Colton when you think of him today and this weekend. We definitely feel we have done all we can and we are at an impasse.

On the positive side, Colton looks very healthy and otherwise IS very healthy. Doc says his muscle tone is good and he's strong. His brain is growing which is a very important fact. We see him learning every day. This week he has started to smile and laugh with us (the absolutely most joyous thing I've ever experienced). He has better control over his hands and can now get them in his mouth. Our boy is definitely growing in some ways.

Thank you for your prayers and support.

Answered Prayer!

2008-04-05T21:36:00.000-07:00

We finally have wonderful news! Colton weighed in at 8lbs7oz this morning! That means he gained 5oz since Monday when we last saw the doctor. He is supposed to gain 1/2oz per day and he gained almost 1oz per day. I knew my son would be an overachiever eventually :) At 7 weeks old, he is now 1lb heavier than his birth weight. We were very pleased to see that this special formula is working. We will continue with the formula but add back in breastfeeding and we will return to the doctor on Thursday at 12pm to make sure he has continued to gain weight. One concern is that, every time we start a new regimen, he starts to gain and then stops eating and loses weight again. Very frustrating!! So we'll see what happens this week. We are very hopeful that he will continue to gain. We really appreciate all your prayers and emails and comments of support. Here are some cutie pie pictures of my guy. This top one is our fetus-like picture. This is exactly the way he was in the womb but now he is on Clark's chest.
Baby blues!
My handsome boy - he looks so much older to me. I can almost imagine what he will look like as a little boy running around. Oh, he just makes my heart melt!

My 7 week old newborn

2008-04-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

So...I have decided that I have a 7 week old newborn. After all, he is the size of many newborns. He isn't sleeping through the night at all and often wants to eat every 2-2.5 hours like a newborn. We don't have any kind of schedule and when people ask "what kind of baby is he?" "is he a good baby?" or "does he sleep through the night?" I really have no good answer. In many ways I feel like I still don't know him that well. This is probably because we have changed his food like a million times and the poor guy can't get on a good schedule. Yes, poor mommy and daddy too. Today, for instance, I was not able to eat, pump, take a shower or brush my teeth until about 1pm. The shower actually didn't come until about 4pm. I'm very tired but I'm glad it is the weekend! Of course, I look at this face and I can't be too unhappy - he is so cute!
These onesies were made by - guess who - my niece, Alicia. Colton is wearing them proudly and seems to agree with what they say!
I'm sure my sister slyly had Alicia make this one! There were others too "If you think I'm cute, you should see my dad" "future surf stud", etc. They were very cute and something to treasure! Thanks, Alicia!

It's all Relative!

2008-03-31T11:48:00.000-07:00

Today we had another weigh in for Colton. The good news is that he gained weight but the bad news is that it just wasn't quite enough - should be 1/2oz per day. The goal was 8lbs2.5oz and he was 8lbs1.5oz. Our pediatrician is still optimistic though. He thinks little Colton's tummy just doesn't seem to be taking in the milk/formula and digesting it well. He has gone back to having too many bowel movements even with the lactaid drops. So...the new plan is to give him a special (even more special!) formula alone for one week and see how he does. This formula is still milk-based but it is pre-digested and therefore does not have enzymes in it, etc. It's pretty fancy and expensive but it is definitely worth it if we can beef up our boy! This will make the 4th type of formula we've tried and we're hoping its a winner. I'm supposed to continue to pump this week in case we go back to nursing + formula or some other derivation after this week. We are disappointed that he is not in the clear but we have an amazing pediatrician and we trust him to closely monitor our little guy. We know the Lord is watching over him and will help us figure out how to help him gain weight and be healthy.

On to more exciting things and the reason for my creative title! Below is a picture of Colton with his new little buddy, Jackson Bankhead. Jackson is the offspring of our dear friends, Sue and Todd. We had an opportunity make another short trip last week to visit them and meet Jackson. Jackson is about a week old in this picture and he is a tiny guy at 5lbs (Colton is 5.5 weeks). So you see, it's all relative! Jackson makes Colt look like a giant! Although with Sue and Todd as parents, this may be the last time Colton is bigger than Jackson. Jackson is a future pro footballer if you ask his dad but right now he is about the size of the football! What a sweetheart he is.
Me and Sue with our boys! Doesn't she look great for having a week old baby! By the way, in case you need a little help, we are holding each other's kids, not our own...It was great to see them and know that this will be a friend Colton has for life! We love this family!

Monkeying Around

2008-03-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

We took a day trip to the central coast to introduce Colton to his great grandparents. We had a lovely time and Colton seemed to really enjoy being held by his Great Grandma Cake (aptly named because she always has a homemade cake ready whenever the grandkids are around). Here are Colton and Clark having some quality time (with the monkey).
So one day I put all of Colt's stuffed animals around him in his crib. At first he seemed to be interested in one tall giraffe like fellow. However, after a few minutes it seemed quite clear that the monkey is the only one he had eyes for. Because he chose to stare at monkey for so long, we have tried to bring him along wherever we go. Colton never fails to stare at him. (hopefully it is because he likes the monkey and not because he's scared of him or something - its hard to tell what he's thinking!)
Handsome just like his dad!
Well, hello, Mr. Monkey! Look at that smile! (Colton's not the monkey's)

The Littlest Gainer

2008-03-27T01:18:00.000-07:00

Colton made his weight! (That is a wrestling phrase borrowed from his dad's high school wrestling days). Colton weighed in at 7lbs 15.5 oz - 1/2 oz more than his goal. We are very excited and encouraged. Doc says we aren't completely out of the woods yet and we need to keep monitoring it but it looks good. So we go back Monday for another weigh in and the goal is 8lbs 2.5oz. (in other words, he should be gaining 1/2oz per day). Dr. Saul says to continue things exactly as we have been (but we can let him sleep an extra hour at night - hallelujah for mom and dad!)

Praise God for fattening up our kid! We appreciate your calls and prayers. We love you! Here is a picture of Colt from his first Easter and his first trip to church. He had a great time and seemed to like the singing.

Wee One

2008-03-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

I'm borrowing the term "wee one" from my friend, Holly (currently living in Scotland where that word seems to be used liberally)! We had another appointment with the pediatrician on Friday. Colton weighed in at 13.75 oz. Last time we were at the doc's office (last Monday), he weighed 7lbs13oz when the nurse weighed him. Then the doctor calibrated the scale and in between Colton had a small bowel movement. When the doctor weighed him, he said his weight went down even more but did not tell me exactly what it was. He didn't make a huge deal out of it so I assumed it went down an ounce or less. Well, apparently Colton weighed 7lbs9oz! That is only 2oz more than his birth weight. Okay, I learned my lesson - always ask! So it is difficult to know what Colton's true weight was last Monday so therefore it is difficult to know how much he actually gained.

Our impression from the doc is that we need to continue to monitor Colton's weight but we shouldn't worry too much yet. We are to continue doing all that we have been doing (formula supplement after every other breastfeed and lactaid drops before each feeding) and return on Tuesday for another weigh in. It's like we're on that show "Biggest Loser" but instead, it is "Littlest Gainer" we're shooting for! The doctor is very hopeful that Colton is on his way to getting on track but he says Colt only has until Tuesday's appointment to prove he is gaining enough. The good news is that the lactaid drops seem to be helping a lot. He's had less gas and fewer bowel movements (so he's retaining more of the nutrients from his feedings).

After that appointment, if Colton isn't weighing at least 7lbs15oz, we will need to do a barium X-ray and see if there is anything more serious going on internally. We are praying that we will not have to do that so our poor little guy can be at peace! We appreciate your prayers too and we will definitely keep you updated after Tuesday's appointment (at 2pm).

Is That a Smile?

2008-03-19T14:41:00.000-07:00

This face was made while he was wide awake and without any gas being emitted! Therefore we think it is a smile. It happened a few days ago and hasn't happened much since. But I'm glad I was able to capture it in a picture!

Here is the latest on little Colton based on Monday's one month check up. When I say "little" Colton, I mean it! Unfortunately our little guy is not beefing up the way he needs to. In fact, he was born 7lbs7oz and he is now only 7lbs13oz after 4.5 weeks of life. Our pediatrician says he should be gaining 1 oz a day at this point and he only gained 6 oz in 19 days. Colton is in the 4th percentile for weight for a baby of his age. (That means only 4% of kids his age weigh less than him). He is in the 25th percentile for height, having grown only .25 inches. He is in the 6th percentile for his head circumference.

For the past two weeks, Colton has been breastfeeding really "well" but it has been tough because he will try to feed for 1.5 hours or more and he is constantly "rooting" for food. He often chokes or needs a break because he is gasping for air. Mealtimes are not the most fun! Doc says Colton's lazy voicebox or narrow trachea are not allowing him to suck efficiently enough to get all the food he needs. Also, he is having too many bowel movements and seems to be losing the nourishment as soon as he takes it in. Doc thinks he may be lactose intolerant.

So we are now supplementing every other feeding with soy formula and giving him lactaid drops before each feeding. We will return for a special visit this Friday to check on his weight. Our goal is for him to gain 2 oz by Friday. A tall order for our little guy! Please keep him in your prayers, we need to get to the bottom of this very soon. It's very puzzling and it's like I told Colton - "Your parents don't have any trouble gaining weight...where did you get this trait?" We are confident in our pediatrician's ability to monitor and care for Colton so we aren't too worried yet, but we feel bad for our son (who is probably hungry all the time!)

This last picture shows how he is growing older. Do you notice it? We do, but then again, we are with him all the time.

Colton's New Pal

2008-03-18T15:36:00.000-07:00

Today Colton's new and long-awaited pal, Jackson Thomas Bankhead, was born to our dear friends, Sue and Todd. He was a tiny guy but no doubt will grow big and strong like his parents! We are so excited for the Bankheads and we know better than anyone that they have a challenging but wonderful road ahead of them! We love you three!

My boys

2008-03-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

Clark is an amazing father. I have been so impressed by his love and care for Colton and for me. He genuinely wants to be home to help with Colton and he misses him when he is away. Clark doesn't shy from changing diapers, cleaning the kitchen, rocking the baby or anything that needs to be done. Also, Clark reads to him every night! Yes, it is pretty adorable. In fact, Clark started reading to Colton while we were still in the hospital. Clark is also just shamelessly loving of his son which I adore. I'm so blessed that the Lord brought us together. Clark is a great husband and an incredible father. Colton has a good example of a man to look up to.

Second Blog of the Day!

2008-03-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

For some reason I can't post more than 3-4 pics in one blog - yeah, it really bugs! Anyway, here is a good pic of those chubby cheeks I talked about last blog. I kinda bit his cheek because it is so cute. Don't report me, I just gummed it softly! But I couldn't help myself - could you resist if you were around them all day?
He often sleeps like this - his ultrasound pictures were very similar. Guess this is his comfort-sleeping pose.
Just too cute - I took this picture about 5 minutes ago! You can't see it, but his shirt says "Hug Me". I think I will go do that!

Me Again!

2008-03-10T16:08:00.000-07:00

My days are filled with Colton! He's growing up - I can't believe he is 3 weeks already! He's actually 3 1/2 weeks today. I think he is getting chubbier, certainly his fingers are chubbier. These are things only parents notice I'm sure! He is becoming more aware, staring around and taking it all in. This picture is a good example of this!
Colton was so sweet sleeping in his Nana's arms. His cheeks are getting bigger too!
Just the two of us...ALL DAY LOOOOONNGGG! I love my son but I miss interaction with grown ups - basically anyone who talks.
Okay, so football season is over but we had to put this onesie on him before he outgrows it. He and Clark just hung out instead of watching the game. They were still really cute though!

My days with Colt

2008-03-06T16:47:00.000-08:00

I'm usually the photographer so I don't have many pics of me and Colton but here is one that I made Clark take! He's such a cute bundle!

This is a great pic of his beautiful blue eyes (or as my niece, Alicia, says Beautiful Smokey Blue Gray Eyes). It will be interesting to see what color his eyes end up being. I never would have dreamed my son would even be born with blue eyes and such light hair! Did I have anything to do with making this kid?

Oh my goodness, I had to take a picture. Every day I pick out his little outfit, it is one of my favorite things to do. This outfit is courtesy of his Teta Katy (fyi Teta is Auntie in Croatian). These jeans are so huge on him though! Doesn't he look like an old man? Shortly after this picture, we nixed the jeans and went for a more casual look :) But it was very fun to try them on - sort of like my own personal dress up doll. Poor kid!

It's a Small World

2008-03-03T17:56:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is a small world - my world, that is. I am embarrassed to talk with my friends because I literally have nothing to say unless you want to discuss my adorable son or American Idol. That's right folks, American Idol. It is amazing that Colton doesn't think Ryan Seacrest is his father because he heard his voice as much as Clark's while in utero. I listened to Ryan's radio show every morning on the LONG drive to work. Now, thank goodness, American Idol allows Colton to hear his alternative dad's voice three nights a week.
I think it is very sad but I absolutely cannot wait for Tuesday night when I can watch the show again. Whenever anyone comes to visit me, I offer them a viewing of the most recent show that I of course have Tivo'd. (Warning, you may not want to visit me!) And in case you're wondering, I love David Archuletta and Michael Johns - watch the show!
Anyway, I just thought I would share this/confess this to you all. If you are a friend and haven't heard from me much lately, it is not just that I am busy with my baby but also that I am shamelessly boring. I don't want to be "that person" who only talks about her baby (and American Idol).

Irresistible

2008-03-02T11:07:00.000-08:00

Yep, he's cute. We agree.

Sweet Boy!

2008-02-29T22:59:00.000-08:00

Here are some more pics from Colton's second week of life! Today is February 29th and it is his due date. He is 2 weeks old today. I wanted him born today because leap day is really cool but I'm glad for two things: a) I wasn't pregnant these last two weeks and b) Clark, Colton and I have made it through these first two weeks and I wouldn't want to repeat it! Of course every day with this little guy is wonderful but I'll be honest with you - it's tough! But look at those cheeks! I'm in love.
I'm trying to get a picture of his face up close but it is hard to do with squirmy mcsquirmy and because his eyes close when the light flashes. Poor guy, he'll probably have to wear trifocles at 20 because I'm taking so many pictures.
This sort of doesn't look like him. Funny that I can say that about a baby. But he was trying out his bouncy seat. He's not sure he likes it yet but we'll keep trying!
A rare picture of the two of us because I usually am the photographer. Two weeks ago I would not have believed that I would allow this photo to be put on my blog in public! I guess someday I'll be able to do my hair and make up again. I love it when Colt is burping and he lifts his cute face up to look at mine. Oh, I could just eat him up! (But I won't).

Guess Who!

2008-02-25T20:08:00.000-08:00

Colton goes for a car ride - wearing the hat his Aunt Mindy made for him!

Clark is absolutely in love with his son! It is so cute.

Buddies

2008-02-25T20:05:00.000-08:00

Colton met his pal, Seth, this week. Seth has been waiting a long time to meet his new friend - about four months! Seth was very happy to have a new friend and Colton seems to be enjoying himself too! Seth seems a lot bigger than Colton right now but they are only four months apart. We see lots of fun times ahead for these two!

Colton the Cute

2008-02-21T10:37:00.000-08:00

This is our little boy on day 5 of his life. We are getting ready to go see the pediatrician about his jaundice. It seems to be getting better now. Praise God!
Kinda fuzzy but it sort of looks like him!
Colton is chillin on the blanket my mom made for him. But not for long, if there were another picture after this it would be of him screaming :) But he's still adorable if you ask me and Clark!

CAB is here!!!!!!

2008-02-18T17:12:00.000-08:00

Colton Alaka'i Barnett was born Friday, February 15th at 1:09pm. He was 7 lbs 7oz and 20 1/4 inches long. Alaka'i is Hawaiian and it means "leader". Colton's grandpa (my dad) picked that name but did not know we were going to use it until he was born! Colton seems to be a very cute, sweet-cheeked little guy. He has a bit of jaundice and had to be kept under lights all day Sunday before going home Sunday night. He may still need lights but we are waiting for more info from the doc. This is me and Colt's first picture. Despite the pain (yes, ladies, there is a great deal of pain regardless of the meds) I was overjoyed and actually in a bit of shock that I was a mom! Can you beleive it can happen like that - one second you are in labor and its all about you - next second it is all about you beautiful baby boy (or girl, make the story your own). Colton has a squeak in his voice when he cries but doc says he has a narrow trachea and it should develop more on its own. But Clark and I definitely agree that the squeak is adorable.

Amazingly enough we didn't have very many close up pics of Colton on our camera with his eyes open. This is the one where he has goopy stuff in his eyes that they gave him after birth. Oh, he's so cute!

Okay, not my best moment but I promise I wasn't using drugs. This is just the only picture of our little family of 3 and I wanted to share it with you all. Colton was induced because I had mild preeclampsia and so I had to have magnesium sulfate in my IV which makes you feel like you have been hit by a truck (or you have a really bad hangover). I'm going to post another cutie pie picture in the next post so look up!

Still Nothin'

2008-02-12T15:08:00.001-08:00

That's all you need to know - still nothing! I go back to the hospital Thursday for another Non-Stress Test. Yes, folks, Thursday is Valentine's Day. I'm giving up the hope of not having the baby on Valentine's Day. I want him to come whenever, wherever! He can arrive in a box, with a fox, while I'm eating lox. He can wear sox, he can tell me he rox. Yes, I'm silly - delirious with water weight! Pray for us - health, peace and IMMINENCE!

And, if you're in the area, come visit! I've really enjoyed my visitors so far!

Now We're Ready!

2008-02-09T22:26:00.000-08:00

Today we had our fifth and final baby shower! We are so incredibly blessed with friends, co workers and a church family who were willing to put the time, energy and finances into baby showers for us! Clark and I are truly humbled and appreciative of our friends and family. These pictures are from our baby shower today in Thousand Oaks. It was a mixture of people from various areas of our life but everyone seemed to blend quite well and had a great time. It was a classy day, a tea party! Hosted by Katy, my dear friend from college. She put so much effort into the shower and it seemed to be well worth it to me! Tons of food, fun and friends. This picture below is of me and Clark's Grandma Collins. She made this quilt for us! It is absolutely beautiful and even the stitching around the edges is in the shape of whales, rabbits and doves. She worked very hard on this and it will be meaningful to our family forever.

Here are the grandmas! Clark's mom is on the left in red and my mom is on the right in tan. We know they are both excited for the new grandson. This baby is very blessed with so many grandparents who love him already!

Our lovely hostesses: Stacy, Katy, (me), Kathy aka Coco, and Ann-Marie. We are finally ready now. We can have the baby! I go back to the doctor Monday and I'm hoping that will be the day. I'm ready to not be pregnant and if my health is borderline at risk, it seems it would be okay to just have the baby! I don't want the baby on Valentine's Day and it is tough to be on bed rest. But of course, his health is the most important thing, followed by my health and so I won't do anything my doc doesn't advise me to do! Please keep us three in your prayers, specifically my blood pressure, swelling, delivery, possible C-section and a healthy baby. We are excited and we hope all our friends will visit us and meet him soon.

Not quite yet

2008-02-05T08:54:00.000-08:00

I figured I should update everyone about my doctor's appointment yesterday. He was concerned about the swelling and weight gain (water again) and my blood pressure was up. He sent me to do some labwork and said if it came back abnormally he would induce me last night. They were normal! So now I have to go back Thursday morning and he'll check me again. With my blood pressure rising there is no telling what will happen!
Again, you all know this up in the air business is killing me! I just want to plan things out...but the Lord is teaching me patience and trust. Two good things to learn as I enter into the world of motherhood! So I'm going to sit and grudgingly learn these lessons while my feet continue to swell :)

Clark on the other hand, is very excited! He is not afraid at all. He ran around yesterday telling his coworkers he might be a dad in a few hours. He is so cute, I love it! I'm glad one of us is not freaked out of their mind. I'm not afraid of the labor, just the parenthood part.

But we will definitely let you all know when the time comes!! Thank you for your prayers!

Doc says he's coming soon!

2008-02-03T19:32:00.000-08:00

So I went to the doctor a week ago Friday and he said that he is concerned about all the swelling I have been having in my feet, hands and face. Yes, that's right, it's not ALL fat! I can't fit any shoes, my ankles are as big as my calves. Actually, I'm swollen all the way up to my thighs (at least that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!) So my ever-so-eloquent-and-sensitive doctor says the next step is "preeclampsia and then you die". I told him I didn't want to die so please do whatever it takes to avoid this. He says he will monitor me and he will likely induce the baby early. So my due date is Feb. 29th but it looks like I will not make it that far. Right now I'm 36.5 weeks along. Usually preeclampsia (aka pregnancy-induced hypertension) comes with high blood pressure. So far my blood pressure has been perfect, however, this weekend Clark has been checking it and it has gone way up. My next appointment is tomorrow (2/4 Monday) at 11am. We'll see what the doctor orders. He may just set me up with bedrest (what the heck? What is that?) There are still quite a few things we do not have for this kid but I guess the Lord will provide as needed.
For those of you who know me even a little know that I would prefer for Baby CAB to send me an email with his plans for arrival. I'd like a short itinerary with when contractions will begin and the items I should be checking off my infamous "To Do List". If he would only do this for me, I could sleep a little easier, well maybe not but my mind would be more at peace. That being said, Clark and I are very excited and nervous. I'm still ready to not be pregnant, even more now than ever! I actually WANT to exercise (I'm sure that desire will last until I am able to exercise and then it will quickly fade). So keep checking this blog because it seems there may be a new development after tomorrow (how's that for a teaser?) I appreciate all your prayers for a safe delivery. I'm really not afraid of labor and delivery. I trust that my body was made for that. I'm more scared of the unknown and of actually having the responsibility of a little one. I'll keep you posted!

Church Baby Shower

2008-02-03T14:22:00.000-08:00

Last weekend (the morning after Garth Brooks), our wonderful church family gave us a baby shower! There were 10 hostesses for this one and Clark and I are just speechless at how many people would give so generously of their time and energy to make this happen. My mom was able to come up for this shower and so many people were there to support us despite the wet weather!
Here are a few of the beautiful hostesses: Angie, (me), Regan, Kari and Jenny. These are not only incredible friends but they are Godly examples of amazing, integritous women. I will definitely look to them as parenting examples (Jenny's not a parent yet but she's still very wise!)
Several other hostesses: (me), Helen Young, Angie, Claudette Wilson. We are so honored that these Pepperdine icons and amazing Christian leaders would host our shower. We were at Helen's home (Angie's home too). Missing hostess are Brooke, Heidi, Tammy, and Lydia. We are so thankful for this shower and the love that went into it.

Garth Concert!!

2008-02-03T14:12:00.000-08:00

I'm playing catch up with some blogging - sorry its been so long! More explanation later. Clark and I got to go see Garth Brooks live in concert last weekend at the Staples Center! He is incredible! He did 5 shows in one weekend and we saw the last one. My doctor said it was okay but I sure did think I might be in labor a few times during the concert! We sang our hearts out - we knew every song. He is such an amazing performer. All the proceeds of this concert went to benefit the fire victims of SoCal. See how close we were? The tix were very affordable but sold out so fast. I can't believe I was one of the lucky ones who got tickets. Clark and I won't soon forget this last cool "date" before baby.

Not only did Garth perform, but his lovely wife, Trisha Yearwood, made a special appearance. They sang their duet together and then "Walkaway Joe" with Garth doing back up. They are very sweet together. This concert was so much fun!!!!

Setting up CAB's crib!

2008-01-20T16:36:00.000-08:00

We picked up our crib this week! Clark's co-workers generously pitched in and bought it for us, along with several other great gifts. Clark did a great job putting it together - he even read the directions! Now that we have the crib in the baby's room, we feel like this is really happening! Clark is generously giving up his surfboard/golf club room for the baby...
Me and the crib all set up. My coworkers have a pool going as to when I'm going to deliver. Almost no one thinks I'll make it to my due date. I hope I make it because Leap Day is such a cool and special birthday to have. But I have to admit, it would be nice to not be pregnant anymore. I miss such interesting things as shaving my legs, feeling my hands (they're too swollen and I have pregnancy induced carpal tunnel), running (not that I did much before but now I wish I could), wearing a belt, going to the hot tub, wearing cute shoes (my Shrek feet don't fit) and not having to shade blush on my cheeks to make it look like I have cheekbones! There's more but it would probably be a bit personal to go there :) Anyway, I'm not sure I'm ready to be a mommy, but I am ready to not be pregnant. Don't get me wrong, pregnancy has been incredible and I'm so blessed to have this journey to reflect on. I would not change one second of it!
Okay, I'll try to write about something other than baby soon. I don't mean to be obnoxious about it but I have to admit that it is mostly what is going on in my life!

Teachers Shower Us With Love and Gifts!

2008-01-16T21:15:00.000-08:00

Last week, Clark's co-workers hosted a baby shower for us. It was our first one and we were so excited! They were extremely generous with us. This picture of me (aka Big Momma) and my dear hubby is of us opening our "crib". The teachers bought us our crib and mattress and many other wonderful gifts. I was speechless and teary - they are so good to us. It is so incredible to be part of this family. So many of Clark's co-workers have become like family to us. We are blessed!
Here we are with our hostesses: Clark, Nancy, Kim, me, Renee, and Allison. They are wearing their Reading Rocks T-shirts from the assembly they had that day!
A creative idea: each teacher was asked to bring a package of diapers. The size depended on the first letter of their last name. This was very clever and we ended up with so many diapers in all different sizes and brands! Hard to believe we will use them all but I have been told these may not even make it through the week! Scary...

Ringin' in 2008

2008-01-03T21:36:00.000-08:00

We spent this New Year's Eve/Day with our friends, Sue and Todd, in San Diego. We went to a park for a picnic on New Year's Eve and watched surfers, a wedding and a couple doing some inappropriate things in public. It was very fun. The best part was eating Smokey Joey's BBQ because that place is the pregnant lady's palace!
The guys were acting cool. They played XBox 360 most of the weekend - always kids at heart!
Sue and I are both expecting little baby boys in 2008! She is not due until April but we are hoping our kiddos will be pals. Here we posing with our baby bumps. Aren't we cute? It's really fun to share this pregnancy with a close friend. When we were trying to get pregnant and couldn't, it seemed like everyone in the world was pregnant except me. Now I feel so blessed to know that there are others who waited. So if you are trying yourself and you feel all alone, just know that God has not only a plan for your family but friends to share it with!

Amateur Seamstress

2008-01-02T21:17:00.000-08:00

This is our baby bedding! Believe it or not, I am MAKING it! I don't know how to sew but my mom is teaching me as I go. I saw a pattern I liked and wasn't able to find it again so I'm making it happen, darn it! It is navy and white. The back is all navy courderoy. So far, the pillow is all that I've done but I'm up to my neck in the bumper right now. Fun, fun, fun!

Christmas pic!

2007-12-28T23:48:00.000-08:00

Oh yeah and here is a Christmas pic. My work party! We had a great Christmas, hope you did too!

One baby, two chins

2007-12-28T23:47:00.000-08:00

Well, hello there friends! Sorry it has been a very long while since my last blog. We have gone through TWO holidays since then! Here are the most recent pictures of our newest family member. Several things to note - his adorable cheeks and his little feet! He was very shy this visit so he did not show us his face. This was the only picture we could grab of his face. I'm at about 31 weeks right now and I'm HUGE! Seriously, not joking, I'm HUGE! Most people tell me, "you're about to pop!" which is funny since the whole popping thing is not supposed to happen for 9 more weeks. Thanks folks! Oh well, its all for a good cause and I wouldn't change it :) But it is me that I'm referring to when I say in the title of this entry "two chins". I literally have formed a second chin this month. I liked having one and more is not necessarily better in this scenario. But, yet again, its worth it. I'm round and I'm proud!

I had many more profound things I was going to write about and I have either forgotten them or I'm too tired to write them. Hopefully I will write again soon. I miss my blog friends. I still check your blogs but haven't contributed much. So enjoy and may you all have a Happy New Year!!!!!!!

Tami's Pumpkin Belly

2007-11-12T18:18:00.000-08:00

I made this costume for Halloween! I guess you can call it Baby B's first costume! I love Halloween - its so silly and fun! Oh and you can also check out how big my tummy was at 23 weeks!
Yes, I did wear this to court with my suit. My judge loved it and so did my little clients!

Reigning Champion

2007-11-12T15:03:00.000-08:00

For those of you who know me well, you know that I can be just a tiny bit competitive. I really enjoy competition that is just for fun. I enjoy turning it into an all out war - all in fun of course! Well such is the case for the Halloween Door Decorating Competition at my office. All doors must cost less than $20. Last year was the first annual competition and my office-mate, Susan, and I blew away the competition. We won first place!
This year, with a new office-mate, a bigger tummy and much less energy, I wasn't sure I should even attempt to enter. But at the last minute, Sheila and I created this incredible door. A pillar of excellence in the holiday community. The awards were given out differently this year - Most Talked About, Scariest, Funniest and Most Creative. Sheila and I won...Most Creative! That is really the best one to win, right?
Summary of the Art: A Pumpkin inspired by the "Great Pumpkin" with vines at the bottom (spiders are crawling on the vines throughout but it cannot be seen in this picture). Bats (Sheila's handiwork) are flying out of our pumpkin's mouth and ghosts are flying overhead. The entire artform is 3D and made completely out of paper (except for the little spiders). Our door cost us $2.99 and a backache.
Now that we have reaped our just rewards, we will turn it into a friendly pumpkin that says "Happy Thanksgiving!" We are considering painting it and turning it into an ornament for Christmas!
Martha Stewart even sent us an "award" telling us how incredible we are. But I have a feeling that was something cooked up for the benefit of grudging co-workers who are poor losers :) (Note, I would probably be a poor loser too, good thing I DIDN'T LOSE!) Haha. P.S. I'm generally a much nicer person than this when I'm not in a competition...

End of the World?

2007-10-23T15:10:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems like the end of the world outside. It's dark and ominous and smokey. Today is a bit better than yesterday, I can see the sky a little! Clark and I are okay - we are not really near any current fire and have not been evacuated. Of course we do keep a list of our precious, irreplaceables just in case we have to pack quickly. Our friends in Malibu at Pepperdine were evacuated to the gym/cafeteria areas but have been back in their homes for a couple of days. The church that my sister got married in has burned down. My family in San Diego is taking the brunt of this. Thank the Lord we have not lost any people or property but one sister has been evacuated and the other is on constant watch just in case. She is actually housing another family with eight dogs and four puppies! Isn't she a saint? My mom is doing fine along the coast. We are all trying to stay inside and not breathe in the yuck, especially me for the sake of Baby B.
The wind is the worst part for our area. When I drive to work I pass the Santa Clarita valley area and the wind just whips my car into the other lanes. I have to use all my strength and both hands! Guess that means no cell phone, no pretzels and no chapstick! The wind actually took down part of our friends' tree and lifted the entire tree up like six inches at the root! But so far it is still standing...
I hope that you are all doing well, my friends! If you need a place to stay please call me. We gotta stick together in SoCal!

Most Requested Blog Item

2007-10-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

Okay friends - here's the fatty! I'm at 20 weeks and this picture was taken October 11th. All kinds of things are expanding. In fact, I'm not fitting into my maternity clothes anymore but that is not b/c of my belly - I'll let you figure that one out! Clark took a closer up picture below so you can see my "maternal glow" aka the flu that I have gotten this week from the flu shot - go figure! So if I look a bit peakish, that's why. I'm a little intimidated by my friends who are further along than me who are not nearly as large - I guess Baby B is gonna be a big boy or I'm gonna have A LOT of weight to lose next spring :)

We registered this week which was fun and a bit overwhelming. I cannot believe how much stuff you need to prepare for a baby. It's more than backpacking and I thought that was a lot of equipment! We've picked initials for the baby - CAB. Clark's initials, his dad's initials and his great grandfather's initials (I don't know what happened to his grandfather who's name is Don). Anyway, the middle name will probably be Hawaiian so this honky kid of mine will know his roots! And that is all the name info we've agreed to give out at this time. We are halfway there now and things are moving along more quickly. The first half felt like 5 years rather than 5 months because of all the sickness and pains. Things are a bit better now, praise the Lord! We are excited to meet this boy and see what in the world he looks like.

Expanding

2007-10-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, people - I'm finally posting a belly picture! This is actually from a few weeks ago when I was at 18 weeks. I'm going to post another picture right away that is more current so you can compare. You might notice the chaos in the background - we have completely turned our house upside down to get ready for Baby B. Lots to do!

Most Embarrassing Moments

2007-09-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, those of you who know me well know that I have had many embarrassing moments in my life. For someone who does not get embarrassed easily, these moments are undeniably mortifying. From the time in high school where I slipped on my butt getting off the bus right as I was saying hello to my crush to the time freshman year in college when the egg exploded on my face with a loud POP in the middle of the cafeteria, I have had some doozies. But yesterday I was humbled in a new way.

As I was driving home, I felt like keeping my window down. It was, after all, a beautiful breezy evening the likes of which we haven't seen for awhile. As I'm driving, the talented Carrie Underwood comes on my radio (Go Country 105.1 - great station fyi) and she is performing her new hit "So Small". Great song that you can really belt out. And that is what I did...loudly. At about this time, the stoplight turned red. I stopped my car but continued to sing along with Carrie. All of a sudden I hear this man saying, "Sounds good!" What?!?! He was in the car next to me and had apparently had the same window down idea. You know those moments when you feel like you are all alone and no one is watching but then you realize that someone IS indeed watching - and critiqueing?! That was me. He told me I was blushing, man leave me alone! And of course that was the longest red light I have ever stopped at.

Been Awhile

2007-09-08T11:44:00.001-07:00

Things are moving along nicely in my uterus from what I'm told. I'm at 15 weeks and 2 days as of today. I think our baby is about 3.5 inches long now but will grow to be 7 inches over the next two weeks. I'm generally feeling much better but I still have my days where food is not my friend. On the contrary, food is my best friend most of the time. I have to eat food constantly to avoid being sick. Its actually to the point where eating is not that fun anymore - I know, did I actually say that? Thank you to everyone who sent me encouragement about having a boy. I know the Lord will show me how to parent a boy and He has blessed me with a boy for a reason. I'm getting quite used to the idea!

Clark started back at school last week. He's teaching 3rd grade this year as opposed to fourth grade. So he has 20 students (as opposed to a max of 36) and he has 3 recesses (as opposed to 2). He likes it, duh! The kids are very sweet and of course, as usual, he is great with them. He has this way of putting them at ease with his calm manner and easy going attitude. I think it is unique and special to have a male teacher - it allows kids to do well who might otherwise struggle. Of course, female teachers are important too (Amber!) They have special attributes that Clark doesn't have. It's good to have a balance.

I had one of those "I'm making a difference" days at work yesterday. I had a couple of boys who's caretaker wanted to kick them out for not behaving, doing drugs, etc. These boys were only 11 and 14 by the way! I have never laid it out so harshly for a client before. We had a nice heart to heart and rather than rolling their eyes and not paying attention (as my clients often do when we have these nice talks) they were listening. Whether it will stick or not, we'll see...I could tell they are good kids, they just need structure and guidance. I actually felt like they need a father (caretaker is a female).

Also, my favorite female client came to court yesterday. We have worked so hard on her case lately. I won't go into details but lets just say she has experienced more than any of us probably ever will in our entire lives. She is doing really well now and I'm so proud of her. I realized after the hearing that I might not see her again because I'll be on maternity leave at her next hearing. Then I probably won't be coming back to this job because of the commute. Anyway, I told her I'm pregnant and she was so excited. She's going to come to court in October just to see me and say goodbye. She and I were both very sad.

As I contemplate finding a new job, I have mixed emotions. I just feel like the Lord has put me in this place for "such a time as this". There is so much that I have done and so much left to do. I hope that I can continue to help kids in whatever I do next. But the most important thing to me right now is being there for my own child(ren). I never wanted to neglect my own kids for the kids I work with. That would defeat the purpose! So I'm looking for a job within 20-30 minutes of my home - any ideas? Please pray with me as I go on this new journey. So much is changing but it will be great, I know!

Baby Barnett #1

2007-08-24T13:46:00.000-07:00

We are pregnant! After a year and a half or so of loss, fertility treatments and a desire to have a child, we are expecting! This is Baby Barnett #1 just hanging out sucking a thumb. So far, this pregnancy has been full of very bad morning sickness. I seem to be a little better now as we come out of the first trimester. Praise God for our little blessing!

Do you see, um, a male part? The doctor thinks he sees a male part. Clark is ecstatic. I am quite nervous and will be doing a lot of praying for the next 6 months! I will love this kid regardless but I grew up with two sisters and a mom. I will have to learn how to relate to a boy...Any suggestions? We'll keep you posted on any new developments. Thank you to everyone who has been praying and supporting us throughout this journey. We love you and we can't wait for you to meet Baby B.

Catching Up

2007-08-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't written for awhile! It's a good thing Tracey is in Asia or she would be letting me have it! These pictures are from our visit to San Diego a few weeks ago. Technically it was a birthday trip for me but it was just fun to go and spend time with Sue and Todd. This is Todd and Clark at the Old Spaghetti Factory. I love that place! If you ever go (which is difficult to do because so many of them have closed) - I recommend the manager's special with half Mizithra cheese and half marinara. To die for!
Me and Sue - She was so sweet and took me to a fancy spa for spa pedicures! My feet never looked so pretty. This writing is the color of our toes at the end of the pedicure!
These sweet picture is of our dear friends, Jen and JD on the left and Nicki and Nathan on the right. We met Jen and JD through a Pepperdine friend that grew up with Jen. They were new to the area and we wanted to make them feel comfortable. That was two years ago and over time, they have grown to be our closest "couple" friends in the area. We spent time with them about once a week and Jen, Nicki and I met and prayed together every week. Amazing answers to prayer came from those nights. Now Jen and JD have moved and this picture is from their last night with us. They have gone on to be worship ministers for a church up north - they have truly been blessed with beautiful voices and leadership qualities. We are very sad that they are gone but we know God has incredible things planned for them. And we met Nicki and Nathan through Jen and JD and we love spending time with them too! And if you ever need a great haircut, Nicki's your gal! Anyway, we love you guys - all four of you! We wish you the best blessings, Jen and JD, in your new adventure!

More Birthday!

2007-07-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

My co-workers celebrated my birthday in style too! In court, my court reporter, Elsa, and court partners, Ezra and Mike, brought in cupcakes. Another court partner, Etty, brought me delicious pastries. My court clerk, Patty, brought me flowers and candy. Another attorney brought me a card with a little gift. Then my office mate, Sheila, organized a lunch and cake. She "made me" wear a tiara and everyone sang to me! Another wonderful blessing in my life - a great job and incredible co-workers and supervisors! From left to right: Ezra, Etty, Alex, Sheila & Mike. And yes, Mike does have a girlfriend, I know you're wondering!

My Surprise Party!

2007-07-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

For my 30th Birthday (July 12th for any of you who may want to celebrate next year!) :) Clark threw me a surprise "Friends" themed party. When I say "Friends", I'm talking Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey and Phoebe. Some might call me obsessed, I just think I appreciate the finer things in life! So we ate meatball sub sandwiches in honor of Joey & Neslay Tollooose cookies for Phoebe. We watched "The One Where They All Turn 30" - very fitting! And at the end of the night we played Friends Scene It - it doesn't matter who won, we just enjoyed the game... :) This picture is Angie, me and Kari. Friends from church and life. Both are expecting little ones this fall/summer! Angie is due in August and Kari is due in October (she is adopting). We are so excited for them and they are both, along with their husbands, so supportive of Clark and I.

These are our neighbors - Dixie and Tim! Dixie is cuddling with my niece's dog, Roxie. We are dogsitting for 3 weeks. Um, dogs are a lot of work!

Me and Clark - I'm so blessed that my husband is so thoughtful to throw me a surprise party. He had a bit of help from my friend, Jen, but she tells me he did most of it on his own! I was completely surprised and I really had fun! What a guy!

My 30th Birthday!

2007-07-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

These are friends who were at my party - Nicki and Nathan. She cuts some great hair and is one of the two girls I pray with every week. An amazing and Godly woman! Nathan's a great guy too and his dad actually teaches with Clark - isn't it a small world!

This is Renee and Kim - they teach with Clark but they are MY friends! I love these women and I am so bummed that Clark will be leaving the 4th grade team he has taught with for the last 5 years and going to 3rd grade. But luckily we will still have Friday night dinners at Kim's house :)

This is my cupcake tower! For those who don't know: I LOVE CUPCAKES! Sam and Jenny are behind it - they are dear friends from college, church and now our neighbors too!

Visit with friends

2007-07-13T10:53:00.000-07:00

I try not to put kids' pictures on my blog but I figure kids without faces is okay! Earlier this month, Clark and I traveled to San Diego to visit with our friends Sue and Todd. Our friends Brian and Heather (now Colorado-ans) were visiting with their adorable son and daughter. This is the 8 of us at Coldstone Creamery - a big hit! Heather is in the middle and Sue is holding the baby.
This is Brian aka B-Smooth back in the day. I met Brian before Heather and then had the privilege of watching this incredible couple meet, set up their first date and quickly (very quickly) fall in love! It's hard to believe that was years and two kids ago. We miss them so much!
This is just plain cute and I had to include it! She is so tiny!

Fourth of July - Go USA!

2007-07-05T00:16:00.000-07:00

This year, as we do almost every year, we attended the Dodger Game/Fireworks Spectacular! For only $8 we got to spend time with friends, watch the Dodgers get beaten by the Braves and go out onto the field for some of the best fireworks ever! Here are some flags that were marched out onto the field during the Star Spangled Banner. There was also some fancy US Air Force carrier plane that flew overhead which was cool. We had 52 people in our group from church, Clark's work, my work, random friends and neighbors. Plus people from our "sister" church were there too - I got to see Amber and Jeremy. Also, our friends, Brian and Heather and their kids were in town from Colorado. You'll see more of them in a future blog because we are heading down to San Diego this week to spend more time with them. Anyway, the game was like being with old friends! It was a blast!
Ann-Marie, Renee and Michael. What a cast of characters. These are the folks we carpooled with and boy did we get entertainment. We picked up Michael from the airport on our way to the game and that's when the fun started! We had an interesting car ride talking about relationships, massages and pedicures (all things he wanted to talk about from what I remember!)
This picture is of Jen and JD, our dear friends from Thousand Oaks. I say "Thousand Oaks" because we really met through a friend who doesn't live here anymore. Jen and I are a lot alike - scary! We meet together every week with our friend, Nicki, and pray. Any requests? Anyway, we love them and are so glad they could come and bring their parents and brother, Steven.
Here is a bunch of our group. We got a bit scattered so not everyone made it into the picture. Kim's family; Nicki and Nathan and family; and the previously mentioned folks are all in there. We really enjoyed spending this holiday with everyone.

Rich and Sherry's Wedding

2007-07-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Clark and I attended the wedding of my dear friend, Rich, from college. He married a lovely woman, Sherry, and it is clear that they are perfect for each other! Both are fun and fun-loving, Christlike and intelligent. What a great combination! This picture is one of my dearest friends, Katy, who attended the wedding also. She is always great comic relief when at anything formal! For those of you who know her - doesn't she look great? She's a wonderful friend!

This next picture is Clark and I with college friends, Mike and Shauna. They flew in all the way fro Pittsburgh for Rich's wedding! While we were there, all three of their kids caught the flu but did they panic and go home? No! They stayed and let grandma and grandpa deal with it :) Great tactic! Mike and Shauna are wonderful Heidelberg friends.

This last picture is with Rich and Sherry - the new happy couple! They are off to Hawaii for their honeymoon but hopefully we'll see more of them when they get back. It was good to see some Pepperdine people that we haven't seen for awhile.

Vegas, Baby!

2007-06-10T22:42:00.000-07:00

Clark and I went to Las Vegas this week to visit my dad and stepmother. They flew all the way from Hawaii but did not come to LA or San Diego to see their daughters, no - they went to Las Vegas! Of course they did, Hawaiians are crazy for Vegas. But luckily we had the chance to go meet them and spend some of my dad's hard-earned cash in the slot machines! This picture above is me and my best friend from high school, Adrianne. We were inseparable in high school but we haven't seen each other since. A lot of life has happened in between but now she lives in Vegas and we were able to meet up for brunch. She looked great - exactly the same as high school! We had such a great time at brunch and I was able to meet her adorable children too! I hope this is the beginning of more visits with her.

This picture is Clark, me, Beth (stepmom) and Dad. We were in front of the Hilton Showroom waiting to see Barry Manilow in concert. He was absolutely amazing! He is such a class act. Really connected with his audience and band and put on a great show. I highly recommend his concert to anyone because we all know the songs - after all, he writes the ... "Songs that Make the Whole World Sing"!

Music and Passion was the title of his concert and it was very fitting. Even at his age, he was spry and active and really worked the stage. You could tell he was completely passionate about music. And he sounded amazing - his voice was strong and steady. No lip syncing like today's entertainers :)

Clark and I at the concert. My dad about had a heart attack that I wasn't more covered - sorry, dad!

Me and my daddy at the concert.

Dad and Beth

Mr. Manilow shaking his groove thing - he really did shake it! He definitely made me a "Fanilow".

Feelin' Good

2007-06-03T20:14:00.001-07:00

Since I shared before I figured I would share again that I have lost 28 pounds so far! I'm kind of stabilizing now (mostly because I love cookie dough too much) but I'm not gaining so that's great! Clark has lost 30-something and he looks hot (tribute to Paris Hilton).

I hope you are all doing well, my friends! Have a blessed week!

Incredible Wedding!

2007-06-02T16:57:00.000-07:00

Okay, Tracey Clem, so you are right! There has been stuff going on in our lives over the past month. Just last weekend we traveled to the Central Valley for a wedding. My co-worker/office-mate/best work friend was getting married. This was the most amazing wedding - it was actually 4 days long! Let me tell you a bit about it. Friday night they chartered 3 motorcoaches and took us into down San Luis Obispo for a concert. Susan and Chris love concerts! Then this picture is of Clark and I on Saturday at the Edna Valley Vineyards. We took the motorcoaches there for wine tasting, tours of the winery and a full dinner! It was absolutely beautiful as that entire area of California gorgeous! There were many very sweet and some not so sweet but quite funny :) speeches made about the bride and groom.
Sunday was the wedding at a resort cliffside. It was a beautiful, sunny day - perfect for a wedding! The ceremony uniquely blending Jewish tradition and faith with the creative and personal touches of the couple. In the end, the guests all pronounced them husband and wife which was really cool! This picture is Clark and I at the reception. The reception was outside in mini-tents but as you can see it looks like it was indoors! There were actually working chandeliers over each table. The dinner was five courses with a different wine for each course. I got to sit on this cool couchy seat.
This is the beautiful bride after an evening of dancing and partying. I can honestly say that she and Chris looked like they were having the time of their lives. They clearly had a blast which is the most important thing! They were absolutely celebrating their love and their life together.
This is Susan and Chris - he has so much energy! At this point they were busy doing disco era dancing to a funk band with these incredible wigs. What fun! We feel very honored to have been invited to such a beautiful and special day. I wish them infinite blessings and as they travel around the world for the next year, I pray safety and wonderful adventures over them.

Yosemite!

2007-04-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

So this was my first trip to Yosemite! My friend, Amber, who grew up right there will be appalled to know that until last weekend, I still had not been in Yosemite! It was gorgeous and the perfect time of year to go because the waterfalls were flowing and the weather was nice. Clark and I camped in our tent which was really fun - if you know me well you might be surprised to know that I love to camp. But...I don't love to hike. I have to admit, hiking is not my forte. Well, I like the places we hike TO but I don't like the getting there part. Unlike my dear husband, Clark, who loves the journey. I wish I did but I don't - I'm glad he married me anyway!

Me and Clark resting when we reached the top of Vernal Falls. My body hurt so bad and a squirrel tried to steal my lunch right out of my hand! Stop feeding them, people! A girl's gotta eat.

He's just so cute!

Tiffany Continued - Finally!

2007-04-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

When you go to church in Malibu, you gotta have La Salsa afterward! Yummy!

Tiffany and Matt came to visit awhile back and I haven't had a chance to finish writing about it all! We had so much fun and it was so good to have an old friend in town. It's great to be around people who have known you at different phases of your life and have fun memories. She is such an incredible person with a beautiful heart and a beautiful smile. One of these days I might finally get to Nashville to visit her! Matt went to law school with us too but now he's off galavanting in Arizona. I think it might be time for him to move back to California!
Here's me and Tiff at Venice Beach. The sunset was so incredible - she took literally like 35 pictures. We had a great time.

This last picture is with SUE! We met her and Todd for dinner in Irvine. The Irvine Spectrum is about half way between San Diego and Thousand Oaks so we have been trying to make it a regular get-together place. But things keep getting in the way...we'll make it happen soon!

Had to Share

2007-03-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

I just need to put it out in the universe that I have happily surrendered 18 pounds in 5 weeks by cutting my carbs. Feels great!

T-Fo in da house

2007-03-15T22:41:00.000-07:00

My dear friend, Tiffany Fox, came to visit me last weekend. She and I became great friends in law school. We bought special slippers for studying and hid them in the card catalogs in the library; we played nerf tennis in the study areas; we did ALOT of hot-tubbing and listening to BB Mak. Those were the days, the days of misery with Tiffany being one of the bright spots! We also lived near each other in Venice. Sue and I lived in #203 and she and Lauri lived at #203 down the street! We particularly enjoyed watching the six hour Pride and Prejudice (I highly recommend this to any female reader and I highly do not recommend this to any straight male reader) and we made many late night runs to Diddy Riese (incredibly good and inexpensive ice cream sandwiches in Westwood - also highly recommended for any and all genders).
So Tiff came to visit from Nashville and our friend, Matt Simunds, came out for one night from Arizona. We went to Malibu Seafood (at Matt's request); the Pepperdine Heroes' Garden

Clark has to do comments for report cards so I will finish later :)

Jury Duty

2007-03-09T20:53:00.000-08:00

Possibly the most boring thing I have ever done. I was there ALL day and I didn't even get called into a courtroom. I would really love to be on a jury - it's always been a dream, really - but I could do without the jury duty part altogether. Luckily I have a friend who is a deputy DA and we had lunch. Not sure we were supposed to but since I was not selected (nor would I have been probably) we figured it was okay. Plus it was the only bright spot in my day. Oh, actually, I really enjoyed Clark's happy hour with his co-workers also. Boy, those teachers can really party - they always like to have fun! I wonder if Mrs. Matt and Mrs. Brookings used to go out drinkin' after work...well, they had me in class so probably!

Comments

2007-02-28T20:26:00.000-08:00

Hey if you want to comment on these last two, please do so here! I accidentally disabled them.

Tyler's B'day

2007-02-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

So last weekend I had the delight of spending one night with my sister, Traci and my niece, Tyler, and four of her little friends to celebrate Tyler's 13th birthday! First of all, I can't believe I have a niece who is a teenager. And I can't believe my sister has a daughter who is a teenager - I remember when SHE was a teenager. It's just so weird. And Tyler is a really cool kid, like we could hang out and it would be totally fine, like hanging with a friend.

So my sister, being the ultra-hip mom that she is, planned a scavenger hunt on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the occasion. We stayed overnight (slumber party!) at a condo that they own in downtown LA. Let me tell you, these girls were so fun. They were up for anything, very outgoing. They ran all over Hollywood Blvd looking for various items, stars, painting their lips Marilyn Monroe red and their nails purple, taking pictures with perfect strangers and just having a generally outrageously good time. They even glued a quarter to the ground and watched people try to pick it up - how funny! Another thing that made it cool was that the Academy Awards were the next night (Go "The Departed"!) and so there were some famouses about (as my buddy, Sue, would say). We saw Lisa Ling and Roeper (as in Ebert and-) Tyler got interviewed on MTV! What a fun time we had. So Happy Birthday, Tyler, and thanks for inviting your old aunt to join you!

For the people

2007-02-28T17:47:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I have been checking my friends' blogs and I have been irritated that they are not posting anything new for me. I guess I've been looking at it as a personal thing which it is not, of course. So then I thought, hey!, I should probably write something of my own for the people so here it is.

I am in court ALL THE TIME. I barely have time to process my cases and get ready for the next day. Then I drive 1.5 hours minimum both ways to work. Why do I do this? Because I love my job. I love working with kids and I love helping kids. Last week I spent some time talking with 3 teenage boys about drugs and getting into trouble. At first they were totally ignoring me and putting up a wall but by the time I was finished, they were looking at me and nodding, one kid in particular. It may not make a lasting impression but if it helps a little bit, it's worth it. When we got up to court, my bailiff called them punks. He thought they were beyond help and it ticked me off.

We have all these kids in the world who were raised by parents who weren't involved, had their own problems and basically provided no supervision or guidance. Then we expect them to grow up and be upstanding members of society? That isn't fair. Children need guidance and love and support. They need to be shown how to live with integrity, it isn't born in most of us naturally. So the next time you see a "punk kid", ask yourself why they might be acting out. Remind yourself if you have had wonderful parents that not everyone does. And how can we demand so much of someone without giving them the tools to succeed? It's like telling someone to build a house without giving them a hammer and a nail and some blueprints. These kids are living without blueprints. Thank God He will never leave them. And He loves them more than we ever could.

On a lighter note (literally):
Clark and I are still on the low carb diet and...I have lost 7 pounds! I'm so relieved that there is some reason for putting the kebash on my doritos; mashed potatoes; mac and cheese life. But the things that I think about most, even daydream about them, are cupcakes. I LOVE CUPCAKES! I will not leave them alone forever, someday I will return to cupcakes and I will love them as I always have. Sorry Dr. Atkins, that is just one God-given gift that I cannot fail to delight in.

Blog Etiquette

2007-02-25T11:59:00.000-08:00

So what is proper blog etiquette for adding someone to your links? Am I supposed to get permission first or just go for it? So far all the links you see were added completely without permission. Although, they are dear friends so I don't think they will hold it against me. I was just wondering b/c I'm new to all this...Have a fabulous and blessed day, my friends!
PS My favorite part about my blog so far is all the color that I can add - like this purple - I'm usually very plain so this is cool.

My Big Blog Debut

2007-02-23T21:12:00.000-08:00

Well I'm in! I'm in the blog world, that is. I had the most wonderful dinner with my friends from college, Amber and Tracey, and much talk surrounded "the blogs". Although I'm not sure I can post often enough to keep you all happy, I will at least try it for a bit. I'm torn between sharing my thoughts and sharing my life stories. I think I will mix it up! And since I recently started the Atkins diet and I'm on carb-rage all the time...things might get interesting...

And for my first thought: Isn't it really interesting how friends from college are really different kinds of friends from every other stage of life? I mean, they know you better than anyone else. In high school you have friends that you don't really know because you don't even know yourself that well. If a friendship continues, you can grow together and learn each other which is great. But friends from college were with you all day and ALL NIGHT! And you played pranks with them and cried with them and double-dated with them. They seem to know you, the core of you, better than anyone else. And friends you meet after college are wonderful, but it is hard to find those "it" friends - where you can connect intellectually, spiritually, relationally and have fun together. And then it is hard to find the time!! I realized all this at dinner and I'm so thankful for my college experience and my wonderful friends (from every stage of life).

I can't wait for you all to join me on this journey. If nothing else, it will help us connect better across the miles or mile if you live near me.