Valin knows a new trick!

Oh, that title makes him sound like a dog. Well, anyway. This morning, during breakfast -while I waited for him to finish eating- I taught him to clap. I knew it was coming because yesterday he would grab my hands and clap them together. So the next step was to teach him how to do it himself. And it's the cutiest thing because he gets so happy with himself, which is only increased when he saw our reaction. We laughed and clapped along with him.

Then, he did it again when I put him down for his morning nap. He would lay on my chest, like always, then I would hear giggling, he would push off so he could see me, and then clap. I would give him an encouraging reaction but then gently put him back down so he could fall asleep. He did it two more times, until I finally layed him down and he fell asleep.

And then at lunch he loved to fling food onto the floor as he clapped for me. He smile and laugh made me giggle too, despite the dirty floor. And then agian when I was rocking and singing him to sleep, he would push off my chest (with a giggle) and clap, then immediantly would lay back down. I decided that he must have loved my singing preformance so much. Either that, or he wanted it to end.

Anyway, it was turly one of the cutiest things he has done yet. The coolest thing is that he loved something I taught him. I loved to see that. And another great thing is that things like this are going to be happening more often now that he is nearing the toddler stage. I'm so excited. Oh, and I forget to tell, Valin is walking now. He still looks like a drunken sailor, but he'll slowly get the hang of it. Crazy how time just flies! And just 17 more days until he is one year old!! Wow! I love my life!

We are here!

So it's been a crazy, exhasting, and yet fun weekend. Saturday started eairly and busy. we really had time to get breakfast and finished packing , when our help arrived. Patxi had been gone for a while, having our brakes checked, so it was just me there leading the packing and cleaning. It turned out that we needed to have our brakes replaced so Patxi didn't get back until the truck was loaded. So neither of us was where and how they were placing things into the truck. They did wonderfully, ture testrus masters, but it was hard after we got to Pilot Rock to know the places of the things we needed. So yesterday, besides organizing everything, was switching things out of the storage unit and putting some back in. It was crazy, but things are a little more organized now, which puts my mind at easy.

The hardest thing was not to organized on Sunday. Next time we move, it'll be on Friday, or sometime where I'll be able to go ahead and organize my house. But everyting is great now. I so happy that we have a bedroom and that Valin has onw too. I never really like our sudio apartment because there was a lack of privacy or the bedroom. I am going to have to let go of my love of total privacy, but I think the Lord wants me to learn patience, which is about time to finaly gain that virtue.

Anyway, everyting is great and I'm very excited to be back with family!!

We're Moving!

Patxi finally found a job! The other part, is that it's in Eastern Oregon, so we're moving to Pilot Rock on Saturday the 16th. Crazy how fast it all happens and how it seems to come at you all at once. Anyway, we'll be living with Patxi's parents to save money, so that sould be fun. But the best part is that we'll be closer to family. Oh and we'll have income, I'm very excited about that! The sad part is that we love our Salem ward and will be very sad to leave them. We've made so many friends in the short 1 1/2 years we've been here. But I hope (and think very strongly) that we'll be back after Patxi's deployment. So we're only saying good-bye for a short time.

All in all, it's a good thing that we're moving, just not without sacrifices. So thanks to everyone!

Christmas at the Armory

For the last day of drill in December, there is always a Christmas party. This year was a little more fun because we actually had a kid. So we got to participate more and enjoy. Valin also got to see Santa for the first time. Valin's reaction was more like "whatever" then of horror like the other kids infront of him.

I was quick and fun, perfect for Patxi and my liking.

I'm back!

Sorry about the break from technology. Though, it was kind of nice, I really missed being seprarate from the outside world. Anyway, I have some catching up to do. First I'll like to share a few cute faces the Valin has been making in the pass few days.





Isn't the cutest thing!

Computer Troubles

Hi, everyone! This is Denise, Jessica's Mom. She's having major computer problems. So she is unable to write on her blog. She feels really bad, because many of you check the comings and goings of the Waite family daily.She's getting her computer worked on as we speak. So, hopefully it won't be long before we get the Waite family highlights again!

Healthy Body Calculator® - Ask the Dietitian®

I did this calulator thing on the interent that gives me, not only my healhly weight range, but also a way to achieve it. So here is my goal, roughly speaking (I will prably change things a little as I wrestle with reality and my situation in life) It's got me very excited at what the future holds for me. I can do this! I can be at a heathly weight. I know that I've lost alot already (60 lbs. before I got married and 30 lbs. since I had Valin), but I really need to get to a normal -meaning if I didn't have terrible eating and non-activity habbits- weight. I'm not trying to be athlete perfection with a bmi of 8% body fat (will not yet anyway, he he), but I'm sick of having a muffin top, arms that still swing after I've stopped, and not really having to own a swim suit because I wear a t-shirt and shorts anyway. I'm sick of it!!! No more! I'm done! I will control exccess eating!! I will be more active! It's time! it's my time!!! I can do it!!! Yes!!! Agh!!!! Hear me roar!!!

Boy, I love a pepp talk.

Healthy Body Calculator® - Ask the Dietitian®

A day in the adventures of Valin Kade: The sequal

So today, I think he's starting to growl, like play growl now. He really only does it when he's on all fours and so are we. I don't know if we did it first and he just copied, but today I was watching Patxi play with him as if you were dog and Valin growled. It was so cute.

He just jabbered up a storm today when I put him down for his second nap. He talked for more then 30 minutes. So un-boy like.

He tooked two different steps today. One from Dad to me and then one back to Dad. Valin really likes to hold onto our fingers and walk, which is what we do when trying to get him to walk on his own. The trouble is he feels us letting go and he sits down as a reflex. So when I tried to send him back to his Dad, I placed my hands under his armpits and slowly removed them. He took a step forward by himself with great confidence and then took a step back because he was losing his balance and then sat down. So I hope this new palcement of our hands will stop his handicap or realizing we not holding him so that he will try.

Today Valin tried Spegetti sause for the first time and devored as much as he could. It was torwards the end of dinner and he was fixated on what I was eating so I let him try some on bread. Well, he absolutely loved it! So I continued to give it to him on peices of bread. After a while I realized that he would suck off the sause and then spit the bread out. It was so funny. But I hope it's okay for him to have some. I stopped after a while just to makes sure he wouldnt get a tummy ache.

Oh and then after dinner I was dusting with this long purple duster and as soon as I entered the room, Valin's eyes were on me and the duster. He continued until I left which is when he winned to tell Patxi to put him down so he could follow me. He loves that duster, probably because he grabbed it once and I took it away from him. He wants what he can't have.

That's really the only interesting things I can think of (maybe even the last one isn't that interesting). It was a pretty slow day, so I luckily had time on my hands to post again. But as it seems, when you have the time, nothing really interesting happens. Sorry if I bored you to death! Valin is still the cutest thing in the world, and I still love to talk about him.

A day in the adventures of Valin Kade

I thought that at the close of each day I should share something that Valin did, discovered, or learned durning that day. It'll help me remember and cherish each moment and somewhat document the milstones. Plus I can talk forever about Valin -my little bundle of energy and joy. So here I go!

Valin is starting to do this thing where he has to talk himself to sleep. I usually rock and sing to him a little and put him in his crib before he falls asleep. He use to cry a little -trying to persuade he that he wasn't tried- and then would fall a sleep shortly after. Well now I put him down and close his door and he just jabbers away. After about 10-15 minutes he's out, but it think it's so funny.

His is also going through a phase where he would rather eat food with his fingers ten times more than by a spoon feeding. I think he just wants to mush it in his fingers, show me, and then pass it through his hair. We have bathtime almost after every meal. But he has also gotten more picky than he's every been. I had to open three different baby cereal boxes this morning before I found the one he wouldn't spit out.

Then today after dinner, I gave him a bath -it was kind of a hetic dinner so I let him have half a banana to himself, which he ate the entire thing and got it all over himself, of course. I placed Valin in his baby tub -he still slips so much in the regular one- and turned around to get his towel and the next thing I know he had discovered the fun of splashing the water with his hands. I wish I could have taken a picture of the look of pure glee on his face. After I smiled, from his look and not my wet bathroom, he never stopped. I had to refill the tub twice more after that. Then, after I started to scrub him with soap, he found out how fun it was to splash the bubbles, which of course lead to eating the bubbles. I tried to stop him, but that poor kid probably drank more water (and soap) during this bath than he has his entire life. Oh, he makes me laugh!

That's it for today, I guess. If I remember anything else, I'll add it to tomorrow's post. I might have other things to do, but I'll try my hardest to write something everyday.

Playing with Valin

we all love to play with him!

Valin's love of vaccuums

He still doesn't know what to do with them, but is to curious to leave them alone.
He is so cute!

Fun with cousins

We spent the weekend before Thanksgiving in Pilot Rock and Valin got to play with his cousins.


This is his cousin Summer who is only two weeks older than him.

Thanksgiving! Sorry it's so late

All that food!


My Mom always makes a stunning place setting!

Everyone except the real body of Jillian (and Mom, she's taking the picture)

The coolest thing about this Thanksgiving (besides the fun we had with Jill's picture -see two earlier posts) is that My Grandma Georgia and Bill came up to surprise us. It was so great to see them! Together we all went to see the production of "Into the Woods" my parents were in. It was great and really added to the visit. We had so much fun! Even though we missed Jill, it was a great Thanksgiving! Thanks Grandma!

For many different reasons I decided to make an Oreo Cheesecake, a surgar-free pumpkin pie, and (of course) a blackberry pie. The table spread just isn't the same without them, right? We actually didn't even get to them until hours after dinner, but I think they still were delicious!



The story behind this pie is somewhat embarassing. I like to do pretty and creative things with the air holes of my pies. So I thought that I could free-hand "Happy Thanksgiving." "Happy" went on without a hitch. Then I started "Thanksgiving" with the middle letter to make sure of my spacing. Well, after I finished the first "i" I realized that I would have to finish the word by putting "ing" underneth, which I did, and it looked fine. Then I started the "Thank" and barely squized it in. Then I notice (with a great cry) that I forgot the "h." So I placed it underneth with an editor's arrow pointing it to its place. But it turned out that when it was read, it said, "Happy Tanksgiv hing" Opps! All well, we had a nice laugh over it.

He must be mine

I found this picture of me and instintly saw Valin. Huh, He must me my kid
(he he). I wanted to find a picture of Patxi when he was Valin's age and then ask which of us does Valin look the most like. The troble is that all of Patxi's baby picture are in storage. I think it's time we get our stuff out of Patxi's parents attic. Huh. I guess when we do get the stuff I'll post it again, or something. Anyway, here it is:

Valin:


Me:

Jill wasn't able to make it :(

Thanksgiving was awesome except for the fact that everyone was there except for my little sister Jillian. But we still tried to include her.




We went to see the movie "New Moon" -just us sisters.










The movie was good, but the ten minutes before were hilarious. It was the most fun we had with Jillian, without her being there. Love ya, girl!