Taft's REAL Birthday

Taft is officially ONE year old today. He started the day off with a yummy change of pace from his regular daily bowl of oatmeal,  and had French Toast. Then he played with friends at the Kids Club where they sang Happy Birthday to him while Mom exercised. Then Bumski and Mom went to Baby Book Time at the library and picked out some new books to take home. After the library, Mom and Bupski went to the park to play and have lunch. They had a great time but Bupski got tired and took a short nap before heading home for a real nap. When he woke up Dad came home and he got to go on a ride in the running stroller. Then everybody headed out for pizza where they met up with Grandad, Nana, Lanx, Tates, and Cousin Amy. It was back to Bupski's house for presents and cake. Bupski got lots of great gifts but maybe the best of all was a newer, cleaner, bigger version of Monkeyfriend. Bupski thanks everyone for the birthday wishes and gifts. He has learned to give kisses so consider yourself virtual kissed by the Bupski.

Seth's New Ab Workout

Taft's Birthday Party

We had Taft's birthday party this weekend and boy was it fun. We had a "ball" theme. Since most of the invitees (other than family) were under two years of age, everyone was asked to bring a ball to play with. I figured that could keep the kids occupied while parents and other grownups ate and socialized. I might add that only 2 of the 10 kids under 2 that were invited actually came (a whole other post on the concept of RSVP to come later) but I think we still had a blast. At least Seth, Taft, and I did.  We had food resembling ball shapes or circle shapes like sandwiches on rolls, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes cut into circles, cupcakes with a gumball on top, and lollipop party favors. I really had fun planning it all. We had it at our church since our place is pretty small, and the party ended with a Herway vs. Bluth basketball tourney in the cultural hall. A special shout-out to the Dan/Lara Herway clan who made up half the party with their big and darling family. Seriously, it's too bad for ya'll that their blog is private because their kids are CUU-UUTE.

Taft's actual birthday is on Tuesday so we will celebrate again then! Enjoy some pictures of our fun day.

Taft trying out cake for the first time...it doesn't look like he has much of a sweet tooth. His cousin Brauer, on the other hand, seems to LoooooVE sweets. Yep, he's dipping his sucker in his frosting.

I Lost My Phone

so until I get a new one, the only way you can contact me is through email.

heidiherway@gmail.com

Or Seth's number if you have it. 

p.s. If you have an extra at&t phone laying around, holla atcha girl.

For Grandparents

Please enjoy:

Also, I'm not sure what to call this? A Slinky Fairy? Somehow Taft got all caught up in a Slinky today. I love that he just went about his business with it stuck on him.

"You REALLY needed a haircut"

Ever since Taft was born it seems a few things have been on the back burner, namely Self-Grooming. Until yesterday, I hadn't had a haircut since like April or May, just after Taft was born. It was getting ridiculous:

Exhibit A:

I decided to go to a cosmetology school to save on cash. The girl was slightly obnoxious (no offense girl) and confirmed that I did indeed need a haircut by saying: "Your hair will feel SO much better once it's cut, I mean, like you REALLY needed a haircut."  Thanks chica. And for the record hair cutting people, when you ask "What kind of shampoo do you use?" try not to use such an accusatory tone and you really don't need to follow up with "Oh REALLY? Did you know that stuff is like way bad for your hair?" Yeah lady, I didn't really figure the shampoo that is $1.50, sometimes $0.88 on sale, was the best stuff out there. I just have better things to spend my money on that $20 shampoo bottles. Lets be honest, I don't even HAVE $20. Doesn't the fact that I've waited a YEAR for a haircut, and am now at the hair SCHOOL, indicate that high end shampoo isn't on my priority list? Just sayin'.

Well, I have a new haircut now and it's not the worst thing ever, but it does feel a little 1999 Rachel Green from Friends. Today I even painted my finger nails a lovely "sheer blush" shade and then did my toenails a "Satin Shoes". I honestly think the last time I painted my toes was the fews days before Taft was born. I wanted to have pretty toes to look at while in labor I guess.

Now that I've taken care of myself a little these past two days I feel pretty good. In fact, in the words of the great Shania Twain, "Man! I feel like a woman, hey, hey".

For the record, I don't think it's really THAT important to have painted nails, just that it feels nice, ya know?

Little Black Dress

This is a random request, but I need to borrow a semi-formal/formal dress from someone. Seth has a formal dinner coming up for school and I don't have anything appropriate and I'd rather not buy something because I won't have many occasions to wear again I'm guessing. Does anyone have something I can borrow? Like maybe from a formal night on a cruise you went on?

It's hard to find a modest "Little Black Dress" but I think this one is so pretty. And sorry it's so huge, I don't know how to change it.

(p.s. I tried your dress on Nicole and I'm so sad that I look like an oompa loopa in it. Thanks for letting me borrow it though)

Photography Session Giveaway

My friend Staci is doing a photography giveaway! She lives in St. George but is in the Salt Lake area fairly often. She's super talented so go enter and you might win!

On My Mind

Stupid, stupid, stupid Jake. Stupid me for watching this show, but Jake is even stupider. Is Ali going to be the next Batchelorette? If so, I don't wanna watch. I don't know why I watch this show in the first place, it is SO painfully retarded, yet I schedule it into my Monday night routine each week.

I've eaten at least one peanut butter and apricot jam sandwich a day for the past two weeks. It's like dessert for lunch. Or dinner. Or breakfast. Or second dinner.

Is it normal to lay awake at night thinking about how I want to decorate the next apartment we live in?

I've become obsessed with design/sewing/craft blogs and it's becoming a problem.

I bought decorations for Taft's birthday party and I am getting very excited. Seth thinks I'm crazy, but he's trying very hard to be supportive a birthday party for a one year old that won't realize/remember any of it.

Happy Sunday

Rank List

As of this afternoon we have a submitted, official rank list. This rank has list has taken over practically  every conversation Seth and I have had for the past few months. Now that it's submitted we have no idea what we're going to talk about with each other.

The List:

1. UCSD-San Diego, CA

2. Mayo Clinic-Scottsdale, AZ

3. Wake Forest-Winston Salem, NC

4. UAB-Birmingham, AL

5. Univ. of Michigan-Ann Arbor, MI
6. Mayo Clinic-Rochester, MN
7. Dartmouth-Hanover, NH

The list goes on, but hopefully we go somewhere in the top 4. We'll see. We only have to wait a painstakingly long 21 days to find out where we go.

I Love His Laugh

We had dinner at a friend's the other night and their daughter got Taft to laugh really hard. Enjoy.

Mullets and Museums

My headache is gone, Taft took a late afternoon nap, and now I'm in a much better mood and ready to blog about something happy.

Saturday Taft had his first big boy haircut. It was Taft's first time in a "salon" and it will be the last for quite some time. The moment I paid $15 for two little snip-snips, I realized that I need to learn how to cut boys hair. Taft did great and didn't cry until the end when the hairstylist bonked him on the face with a balloon.

Before: Mullet

During

After: Handsomest Little Dude Ever

Like I said in my previous post, we went to the Discovery Gateway children's museum today. Taft is too young for a lot of the stuff, but there was actually a lot that he could do and loved it. My SIL and her sister have passes and are gracious enough to let me bum off their passes for free.

Battle of the Naps

We're having a rough go at dropping a nap here at the Herway household. Taft seems to have decided that he sometimes doesn't want a morning nap and sometimes doesn't want an afternoon nap. I've decided to start skipping his morning nap and just put him down after lunch. We met up with Lara (SIL) and her kids, and Amy (Lara's sis) and her kids, at Discovery Gateway this morning. On our way there, which only takes less than 10 minutes, Taft feel asleep. Great. I woke him up so he could play at the museum and he was happy, happy for most of the time, we had lunch together, and then headed home. Before I could even pull out of the parking garage Taft had crashed. MAN! I knew this was going to mess him up for the rest of the day if I didn't put the pedal to the metal and haul a**. Of course, I hit every red light on the way home, which is nearly every other block along 2nd South. I finally made it home, gently took Taft out of his car seat, made it inside, and changed his diaper and pants, all while he was still asleep. I laid him down and HELLO, he's awake. DANG IT! I made him a bottle hoping he'd fall asleep again. Now, he's in his crib and has been for the last 15 minutes saying "da da da" "aaaah da" "aaah da". I knew I should have just laid him in his crib and not taken off his coat, but I couldn't, I thought he'd been uncomfortable. IDIOT!

AND I HAVE A REALLY BAD HEADACHE. (and sadly I think it's because I only had one can of Diet  Coke yesterday) WAAA. 

Anchors Aweigh Pete Sweet

(This picture isn't great of us. I look possessed, the picture is cut off so it looks like Pete is bald, and Taft looks high. Seth still looks good.)

Monday night we had a send off dinner for my brother who left for the Navy later that night. Last Sunday we had a big family party filled with great food, patriotic decor, and of course patriotic cupcakes and cookies. He's in Illinois for basic training for about two months and then he's off to Monterey, CA for Linguistic Training. I think basic training will be challenging for several reasons, but most of all is he CAN'T HAVE A CELL PHONE. Seriously, he's been glued to his iPhone since the day he got it. 

I'm really, really proud of Pete and deciding to serve our country. He's always had so much potential and I'm so glad he's putting his potential toward such a noble cause. I know it hasn't been the easiest decision for him to do this, but I strongly believe this is going to be the best thing for him in his life right now. He's been wanting to be a linguist for a while now and I think this is the most direct path to his goal. 

My mom heard from him Tuesday that he made it to Illinois safe and sound. 

God Bless Sailor Pete!