Don't Judge a Book By It's Cover

I don't know what gets me more about this: the fact this woman is chubby with furry eyebrows and her voice doesn't match her appearance, or that the judges and audience were outright laughing at her before she even got a chance, or how the judge's jaw's dropped when she began to sing, or the fact she chose I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables (SO apropos!!!) or how the men waiting in the wings were so excited for her, or just how very sublime her voice is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

I can't embed but I'm telling you, watch it, watch it, WATCH IT!!!

Nature or Nurture?

Grandpa Nielsen is a bit more lenient than Brent and I when it comes to Liesel. Come to think of it, there isn't much he says "NO" to where she's concerned. Liesel has him wrapped around her little, tiny finger. Dad's always had a soft spot for his grandchildren and Liesel is no exception.

One of her many interests these days is electronics. She really loves cell phones, iPods, remote controls, car door openers (she's also a big fan of setting off the car alarm), blackberries and of course, laptops. Brent and I have carefully protected our laptop to keep her from destroying it because that little girl packs a surprisingly hard punch. Grandpa on the other hand, couldn't deny her wish when he was in town a few weeks ago. We were amused at what ensued when she finally got her little paws on that laptop:

What kills me is how she even seems to know how to use the touch pad to open a program! Either she's a natural administrative assistant, or she's been watching Brent and I when we type. Whatever the case, this should settle the question as to who authored the post entitled Hello Mother, Hello Father.

Baby Steps

For months now Liesel has been on the verge of walking. She'd creep alongside the couch, cupboards, and just about anything else at her height. She could walk from one end of our apartment to the other, just holding on to fingers. In the kitchen she loved holding on to the chair while scooting it across the floor. I was visiting with a friend while she scuttled around and I held her lightly by the elbow when she hurriedly took a few steps. She almost did it alone... almost! We could tell she was seriously contemplating becoming fully mobile.

It's almost like something clicked with Liesel's first birthday. One day after the blessed event we were at the Sorenson's. I was playing Blockus while Brent hung out with their kids. He showed them some of her finer "tricks" when Liesel started free standing. The Sorenson's were so enchanted with her and I think that was the motivating factor. With a captive audience, she suddenly took that first step. Then she did it again, and again. Now she's taking two and three at a time. There's no stopping her now! I'm so grateful Brent thought to pack the camera so we could catch some video.

I love how she throws her hands in the air and yells. Clearly she knows she's doing something monumental. Her triumphant screams are absolutely priceless. We can't help but laugh every time we watch this and since yesterday night that's been about a dozen times. I'm so PROUD of her!!!

Be Kind To Your Web-Footed Friends

Liesel turned 1 on Thursday! Hooray!!! We celebrated with much fanfare which included: a trip to the Dr. for immunizations, turning the car seat around, photos at JC Penney's and the traditional birthday cake.

Having been inspired by the show Ace of Cakes I decided to try my hand at making a cake in the shape of Liesel's favorite toy; a duck. We're on a budget so I didn't shell out the money for a cake mold but I tried to improvise. We already own an oval glass dish which served as the body. I got a Styrofoam ball from JoAnn's which made the head and cut arcs into it for the bill. The bill was made out of (what else?) Pringles and I cannot begin to tell you how HARD that part was. I didn't need a whole Pringle, just half a Pringle and as it turns out, they're pretty fragile. I nibbled on about a third of a can (they can't be cut with a knife!) before I had two halves that would work. Jr Mint eyes with pink jimmies for eyelashes worked well. The turned up duck tail was a tough one until Brent brought in half of a plastic Easter egg we had just used for Liesel's one year photos. Perfecto!

The only problem was when I ran out of time. Brent needed to head out for the Elder's Quorum dinner before Priesthood session and we were quickly losing daylight for decent photos. The cake wasn't entirely cooled and you can see the frosting started to slide off. Still, I'm glad we were able to get it done and very happy with the results. Liesel was surprisingly persnickety with the idea of digging in, much to Brent's delight. Before I even placed it in front of her, he kept telling me if she didn't destroy it too much we'd be able to have some later. All in all, I'm very happy with it, especially considering I'm a complete amateur with this stuff.

We love our beautiful girl so very much and are so thankful we get to be her parents. To many more!!!

Bracket Schmacket

It all started when we picked our alma mater to win in the first round. Somehow it felt disloyal not to (ahem JANEAL :)). We're true blue, through and through and thought our Cougars, who turned out the likes of Danny Ainge, would win at least ONE game.

As I researched the teams to complete my bracket I tried to use my "third eye" to find my champions. When I heard Syracuse beat UConn in a six overtime game I thought I'd found it. A team with hunger. A team that could take down the giant. My underdog that would surely win it all (this is America after all) and secure my bracket.

So BYU fell almost before they started. One of my coworkers even stopped by my desk to convey his condolences. As you can see Liesel was pretty torn up about it as well. Then Arizona won (WHAT?!?!?). Then it was just a blood bath with Memphis, Duke, Wake Forest and Pitt losing. My brackets are obliterated. There's almost no point in watching anymore. What really kills me is seeing Brent like this. Basketball is his thing, and it's like the game just spit in his face. It's so sad... so very sad.

The Ties That Bind

Brent woke up a bit late for his temple shift this morning. He rushed about getting showered, putting in his contacts and frantically throwing on his Sunday clothes. In general I love watching him tie his tie but this morning even more so. He quickly ran through the dozen or so things on his mind with me while he quickly and precisely tied his tie. In the few years we've been together I think I've bought him a dozen ties. Initially it was because all his ties were totally wrong for him. Olive green, grey and burgundy just don't fit an upbeat, happy, blue-eyed, blond. Eventually I bought them because I came to love watching him handle something I'd given him with such mastery. The end of the tie flies in various directions before he gives it two firm tugs and slides it up, perfectly knotted, to his crisp, white collar. Oh my, it really is impressive.

There are a couple of other random things I adore about him. Anytime he holds Liesel I'm struck by how tiny she looks and how natural he looks. Brent was truly meant to be a father and even more so, a father of a little girl. When she's tired and she puts her little strawberry blonde head on his chest while she rubs her eyes I just want to cry it's so cute. Even at almost a year old, Brent can still carry Liesel in one hand. Perhaps it's the two ear infections I've had lately, but I tend to teeter when I pick her up. Brent has a way of doing it so smoothly and easily. It gets me every time.

Almost everyday Brent impresses me with some random fact. Did you know Amber Alert was named after a girl called Amber? Or that the Rooney family who owns the Pittsburgh Steelers initially purchased them for just thousands of dollars? Or Liam Neeson's wife who is the sister of Joely Richardson and daughter of Vanessa Redgrave recently died? Casual conversations are never boring with Brent and when he really impresses me with some tidbit of information he gets a sparkle in his eyes (no kidding, they really sparkle!) and the slightest smile. It's so adorably humble and I love it when he does that. Seriously, it just kills me.

Liken These Things Unto Yourselves

I cleverly brought along my In Style magazine to read while I waited in the dr's office. This month's Man of Style is Matthew McConaughey and he mentioned that his son, Levi was born at 6:22 which happens to be his favorite passage in the Bible's book of Matthew. It reads, "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light."

I thought that was really sweet! It got me to thinking, so we decided to look up Liesel's birthday in the Doctrine and Covenants. Consequently, there are no scriptural books named Brent, Danika or Liesel. Her birth time of 5:31 wasn't very interesting so we tried her birth date of April 2nd. D&C 4:2 reads:

"Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."


Given our love of missionary work, Brent and I thought this was very cool. Next we looked up Brent's birthday which would be 7:5 for July 5th:
"I say unto thee, Peter, this was a good desire; but my beloved has desired that he might do more, or a greater work yet among men than what he has before done."


Again, very cool! So okay, lets check on mine which would be 10:27 for October 27th:
"And thus he goeth up and down, to and fro in the earth, seeking to destroy the souls of men"


Ok , so I have many ex-boyfriends who might agree with that, but anyway. Talk about being born under a bad sign! What's yours?

Misery

Folks, I have been sick for three weeks now. By "sick" I mean really sick. Like some-strain-of-the-Black-Plague-sick. It started with a sore throat and rapidly deteriorated into a hacking cough, congestion, stomach aches, cold sore and ear infections. Yes, that's a plural. I'm 32 and have had an ear infection in both ears within the last month. The first week was tiring; I haven't been this sick in a long time. The second week was annoying and the third week was depressing. I don't want to be sick anymore!!!

The low point was definitely Thursday when I went to get a filling taken care of. In general, a trip to the dentist is no field of daisies but to have shots of nova cain and multiple instruments in my mouth with someone drilling away while I was under the weather was akin to torture. Between the ear infection and the drilling it sounded like a motorcycle was driving right through my brain. My wonderful new dentist has a bit of an accent which complicated things because I could only hear him out of one ear. In the end I just tried doing everything: closing my mouth, opening my mouth, turning to the side, gritting my teeth, etc until I heard him say, "Thasssss eeeeet." Afterwards, my jaw was sore and when I drank water it spilled out the side of my mouth because I couldn't feel half my cheek and lips. I looked like I'd had a stroke.

Since I was fresh out of antibiotics and had the worst night of sleep since just after Liesel was born, I went to Harvard Vanguard's urgent care yesterday. The doctor told me it appears my body is fighting it so he didn't want to give me anything but recommended yawning and hot showers. Oh, and I should try not eating dairy for the next few days (see previous post on Girl Scout Cookie ice cream). I left the urgent care an hour and a half later not feeling any better and with a parking ticket on my car. Last night was a similarly rough night and I desperately want to not be sick anymore.

Brent, of course, has been an absolute gem by taking over the general household duties while I try and rest. The odd part? Liesel is more clingy than ever. I'm trying to avoid being too close to her because the last thing we need is a sick baby but she's constantly reaching out for me. Brent thinks she's trying to comfort me. Please, someone, put me out of my misery!!!

I Know God Loves Me

On sale, $3 off at Shaws, waiting just for me. Well, actually hidden behind some crappy light ice cream as if one of the stockers stashed it so they could hoard it once the store closed. So basically waiting just for me.

Compromise

Imagine my horror the day I found a huge pile of rotting t-shirts in the back of Brent's closet. Not hip, vintage, concert-type t-shirts, but discolored, high school, concert choir-type t-shirts. Any sane person (or third world country for that matter) would have thrown them out long ago. I tidily folded them and when Brent came home from work I encouraged him to think about throwing them out. He would never wear them again, we couldn't give them away or we'd have to pay for the accompanying tetanus shot, and they were just taking up space.

However, as I made my plea I could see the look on his face... THAT look. The sweet, sentimental look that quickly told me this pile of garbage meant something to him. His blue eyes cast about as if his dog just died and his lips turned down oh so slightly. Really, it was completely pathetic. So I thought about it and thought about it. Finally I came up with a compromise: I could make a t-shirt quilt that would memorialize these memories for him.

I hate t-shirt quilts. I think I've only seen one that I actually liked. Most of them look like a bunch of sweat-stained t-shirts sewn together which is about as artistic as a chia pet. As I got into it, I found that I actually like hacking into the old shirts. A trip to the fabric store to choose a border proved men really don't care about that kind of stuff, even if it's FOR them. Brent pretty much walked up to the first fabric he saw and told me it was what he wanted. He didn't even look around! He didn't even pet the bolt of fabric! It completely threw me off and I've never been in and out of Fabric Corner so quickly. I entrusted my favorite quilter to make the whole thing look better than I ever could while giving it a masculine tone. With a snow day today, I decided to put on the binding, snip the threads on the back and finish the sucker.

All in all I'm happy with it, Brent's closet is a bit cleaner but even better, he's relieved it's been spared from the garbage. The things we do for the ones we love!