oldham

book worm.

2012-01-25T11:19:00.001-08:00

never mind the fact that i have about a zillion photos to edit & document here from the holidays. never mind the fact that my carpets need to the cleaned, my couch needs to be vacuumed & the cushion covers need to be washed. never mind the fact that i have a load of laundry to fold & put away & a few more waiting anxiously to be started & dried. never mind the fact that there are toys strewn about my house & remnants from a certain someone eating breakfast is all over the kitchen floor. never mind the fact that the dishwasher needs to be unloaded & re-loaded.

never mind all those facts because, all of those are irrelevant when it comes to caring for our dearest nugget bebe.

aaron said sarcastically to me this morning, "good thing Roe has a million books." my cheerful reply, "ya it is." but really though. & everyone knows that you can never have too many books - duh. & it really is a good thing because our child has become quite the 'reader'. he would much prefer pull a book off the shelf & flip through its pages than mess with the slew of toys that are all over our living room. so, no thanks to aaron & i {both self-proclaimed non-readers} our son has become quite the book worm. not only does he flip through the pages on his own, but he will toss a book on the floor & chuck it my way while saying "bo, bo" & insist for me to read.

the best part of all of this though, is that all the while the nug sits like this:

also, never mind that all the above photos are blurry. you get the idea & in true mom form, i still love. every. single. image.

on the ninth month.

2012-01-11T19:21:00.000-08:00

to my milkdud, the master of the house, my heart & my world,

you have truly changed my world for the better. i have never known the trials that i know now, but when you smile at me, find comfort in my arms or willingly plant a slobbery, open-mouth kiss on me i know, that it is all worth it. this ninth month {that has now come & gone} has been my very favorite thus far. you have learned & accomplished so very much.

you have perfected the art of standing & walking-while-holding-on-to-furniture. grandma oldham watched you the other day & counted the 30 times that you made your way around the ottoman in our living room. like i said, you've perfected this art. you are so proud of yourself & excitedly breathe in & out so quickly that your dad & i are certain that one of these days you will in fact hyperventilate. you can pull yourself up on anything {furniture, the wall, drawer handles, cabinet doors, the oven, our legs} & i thoroughly enjoy the freedoms that this has allotted both you & i. exhibit a - i can stand at the kitchen sink doing dishes & you can find your way into the kitchen & turn the lazy suzan to your hearts content.

although many moms complain about messes that their children make, unless you are coloring on walls, i am thrilled with messes. messes mean that you are finding a way to entertain yourself & that makes me a happy mama. you tear down just about anything that is stacked or sorted within your reach. me & your dad got quite a kick out of this just the other morning when we stacked small piles of dvds on each corner of the ottoman. sure enough, after flinging one stack on the floor you made your way to the next stack & then the next & then the next making certain that every last dvd was swiftly cleared off the ottoman. it was hilarious. you are hilarious.

when you first learned that you could rip the books off the shelf you seemed on a die-hard mission to removed every last morsel off the shelf, but you have now graduated to a much less manic removal of the books & now take breaks from creating mayhem to sit & flip through your books. you have always had an affinity for turning pages while we read to you, but you have mastered holding & flipping on your own now & it is thrilling to watch you. you turn the book upside down & read it backwards & will then turn it over & read it again. you repeat this process over & over as if it were a new book each time you turned it. i certainly hope that you love books as much as you do know when you finally realize that they are more than just pictures {something that is lost on your father & i}.

you have become quite the conversationalist & a fabulous mimic'er. 'mamamamama' means you want food, you want more food, you want mom or you want to nurse {all of which are geeeenerally the same thing}. just in the past few days you have been saying 'yes'. not just 'ya', but 'yes' with an S. it has alarmed us a few times, but me & your dad are certain that you are now saying 'yes'. besides your usuals, 'dada', 'bye' & 'hi', you mimic every little thing that we do. any sound effect that we make while feeding you, while we are driving around town or while we are reading books you mimic to the very best of your abilities. i dont know why i am even slightly surprised that you want to be talking so much, you are in fact your fathers son.

you still love it most when you are outside. you love bananas & green beans best. you love music & playing anything as if it were a drum. you love waving at strangers & clapping for yourself. you love, love, love bathes. you love spending time with your dad. you love being tickled & wrestling with us. you love scooting around the house on your tummy, getting into the fireplace & attempting to climb into the tub. you love sleeping in your own bed. you love watching older kids play. you love the attention of both parents at once & we love giving it to you.

forever, your mama

instagram mash up.

2011-12-05T20:07:00.000-08:00

although some days it doesn't feel like it, i promise that we do leave the house every once & awhile. thanks to the trusty iphone for providing living proof that i {sometimes} get ready & that as a family we do in fact contribute to society.

bundled up to watch the nephews championship football game.

lunch date with daddy. passed out in the car running errands.

picking up mimi from the airport for a visit. my handsome little devil.

supporting a pal @ his first concert. family trip to the riverwoods mall to see the lights.

my littlest rascal. cuddle time on a sunday morning.

hottest buns around town. shopping for oh christmas tree.

a mover & a shaker.

2011-12-05T09:06:00.000-08:00

to my tiniest boyfriend,

you turned eight months old in the middle of november & since then our lives have been a whirlwind.

daylight savings turned out to be a little miracle under our roof because you started going to bed @ 6:30pm & it works fantastically for you. i will even go one step further & say, i think you quite enjoy it. for a few weeks you slept from 6:30pm to 6:30am & would go back down after nursing until around 9am. but per usual, a good thing cannot last long.

you must have known that you were a month older & wiser because on that very day when i walked into your room to retrieve you from your nap, there you were kneeling on the side of your crib grinning with pleasure. i had been waiting for this moment; the moment when i would start to worry about you leaping from your crib. that same day, i had your dad lower your mattress. now, my little adventure seeker, you have learned to stand up in your crib & i think you are quite confused with this new power. on the one hand, your daddy & i cheer you on as soon as you pull yourself up on the ottoman in the living room & we encourage you as you attempt to climb the stairs in the kitchen. on the other hand, while alone with your accomplishment in your crib, you cry & scream as you hold on tightly to the side-rails, absolutely petrified to let go. this has proven to be quite a challenge, as my once fabulous napper has turned into a boy that will not lay down in his crib. as hard as it has been on both of us, i could not be more proud as you learn more & more each day.

you love reading books. & by 'reading', i mean turning the pages. you have an affinity for two books in particular & i am not sure what it is about 'go dog go' & 'goodnight moon', but i have them both memorized now. beyond turning the pages you love hitting the book we are reading like a drum & then you often follow the hitting with a slobbery kiss on the pages. i hope that this hunger for books stays with you always because your daddy & i are in no way, shape or form "readers".

we do everything together. while i do my hair, you sit in the hall & watch me until you cannot stand it any longer and lurch forward to clammer up my leg. i have mastered the art of brushing my teeth & applying my makeup with one hand because you love being in my arms taking equal time to look at yourself in the mirror. we go shopping together & you sit so proudly in the shopping cart these days. we eat out together & you look forward to any scraps that i send your way. just last week i had to renew my costco card & got a new picture . . . with you in it. i can kiss you all day & you have recently learned to give daddy & i hugs on command. you, my littlest friend, are the boyfriend i never knew i was missing.

you have turned into a fabulous eater & although you would prefer a banana & applesauce day in & day out, you are tolerant of many things & have never put up a huge fight against anything we have given you. you are great at feeding yourself & would prefer it that way. you have gotten so good at this art of feeding yourself that even when a tiny morsel of banana or broccoli falls to your lap your tiny fingers scramble to save the scrap & bring it quickly to your mouth. this has proven to be messy most of the time, but i would not have it any other way. you relish in these small accomplishments, as do i.

now that you are sitting up so well, bath time has become on of your favorite pass times. you love being naked & bask in my undivided attention so on top of being able to splash in the warm running water i will dare say, bath time is your favorite time. you love holding your little hand under the faucet & have recently started putting your open mouth under the faucet like a thirsty little bird. your bath toys dont give you as much amusement as does the water around you, but you still splash in the water with caution. after the water has run cold & your feet & hands are sufficiently pruney i wrap you in a huge towel & you happily snuggle with me. you love, love, love being enveloped in the big towel & i love having my arms tightly around you.

your daddy & i love you to the moon & back and are so very proud to call your ours.

<3 mommy

we are family.

2011-11-08T15:07:00.000-08:00

i love saying "family". sure, aaron & i were a "family", but now with the nugget on board we really are a "family". thanks to the fabulous & talented nicole christensen, we have the below beautiful images of my sweet, sweet little family.

festive.

2011-11-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

we enjoyed the halloween season, mainly because the weather was supreme & our friends hosted a gamut of social events for us to attend that allowed us to really get into the spirit. monroe still doesnt get it, but that didnt stop me from forcing him into costume a few times.

as you can clearly tell our son is a tad confused on how to feel about all of this. poor {darling} chap.

the mess.

2011-10-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

i have previously mentioned that prior to the nuggets arrival i thought that i wanted to be one of those mothers that maintained a household where not a trace of baby could be found. obviously, those plans have not worked out as well as i planned. i would not have it any other way. i love that our babe permeates our very existence & that there is not a doubt that we have a baby due to the toys, diapers, crumbs, socks & mayhem that is the state of our abode.

this last picture, KILLS. ME. he is turning into mr. personality, let me tell you.

looking up.

2011-10-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

roe & i have been soaking up this fantastic weather & spend our afternoons taking adventures crunching the leaves beneath our feet & looking up into the rapidly changing fall colors above us. we strolled to a park the other day & although each attempt to capture God's grandeur around us failed miserably i was able to catch my darling kiddo on camera. of course.

my life in a nutshell.

2011-10-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

those lips.

2011-10-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

well my little roe buddy - you have reached your seven month mark & both you & i are still alive, phew. i would be lying if i didn't say we have our rough days, but each & every day gets better & better. each day you learn a new trick, get into something different or agree to eat a new food & my life could not feel more complete.

you are talking more & more & every little happy sound you make makes daddy & i smile from ear to ear. you still babble out 'dadadada' however your current favorite phrase of choice is 'bababababa'. you prefer to speak unprovoked & have come to simply respond better when we talk to you like an adult. there are so many instances when i talk to you & i really think you understand what i am saying. in fact we ran into some friends at the mall the other day & when i asked you to say bye, you waved & said what sounded freakishly like 'bye-bye'. since then you have waved goodbye to many a stranger & shown off your new talent to daddy in the mirror just today.

your wide toothless grin may not be toothless for much longer. no pearly whites have physically appeared, but you did have a recent tantrum spell where you would wake up in the night screaming & refused to nurse. lucky for mommy & daddy, we got to stand with the freezer door open while we finger fed you ice chips, since that was the only means of soothing you at four in the morning. we have recovered since then, but i am nervous for those teeth to rear their ugly heads.

you are an ambitious little fella & determined as all get up. you have perfected the scoot & can easily make your way to anything on the living room floor. of course the cords under the TV & daddy's shoes by the front door are your toys of choice, but for the most part i am just elated that you are moving. mothers talk about how they miss the days when their child couldn't get into anything, but i could not be more excited that you are into everything. i watch as you learn that if you pull something down from too far above that it will inadvertently crash onto your face. i cheer as you reach with determination for the books on the shelf & beam with pride when you finally pull one down & hit its pages with joy. & although frustrating, your daddy & i laugh when you squirm & roll out of a diaper change & charge for the nearest interesting object.

i was nervous that we were never going to get you to eat anything since you defiantly rejected everything at first, but the recent days have proven otherwise. you favor applesauce & peas, but have been a great little eater, downing green beans, yams, bananas, avocado & rice crackers. you still just bang your own spoon of your highchair tray, but open your mouth wide when we feed you, bite after bite.

your personality is growing each day & your intensity for life makes us crazy happy. you giggle more & scream more. you cry more intensely & laugh more fervently. you love the outdoors & stare in awe at other babies & kids. you climb out of our arms easier, but also spend many sweet moments snuggled in our arms. you listen very intently while daddy plays radiohead for you & calm down as soon as i start singing itsy-bitsy spider. recently, when you get really excited or really frustrated, you clench your fists along with every muscle in your face & body. obviously your daddy & i find this more than amusing & laugh & laugh. when we laugh you laugh & your smile permeates my very soul.

you, my handsome boy, are the joy that i never knew i was missing. even after spending just a minute with you everyone comments on what a happy & beautiful baby you are. imagine what my life is like, being in your presence always? bliss, i tell you, absolute bliss.

my whole heart is yours - mommy

insta update.

2011-10-10T10:53:00.000-07:00

last night aaron & i spent most of the night catering to a seemingly helpless teething babe, but this morning i am counting our ever so small victories & basking in their glory! first, we found another food that our sweet babe will enjoy - enter, yams.

my second, third, fourth & fifth victories? the bed is made, my car is clean of clutter, make-up is on my face, a brush has been through my hair & i am ready for the day. furthermore & most importantly roe is sleeping sweetly {hopefully making up for last night - poor guy}.

these victories allow me to update our blog with photos of our recent happenings. before all this crazy cold weather hit we took a family bike ride to station22 on provo center street - roe loved it & snuggled with us in the crisp fall evening air.

we spent a majority of our summer sitting on our front lawn & since those days are certainly numbered now, i have been soaking up each day of sunshine with our little outdoors boy.

thanks to instagram for keeping track of our life photo-style! here is to the small {yet enormous} victories!

follow me on instagram @kaytioldham

fallin'.

2011-10-04T15:44:00.000-07:00

of course aaron & i have fallen head over heals in love with our little nugget. i joke about this with friends, but even though i giggle about it, i am being deadly straight serious when i say that even when roe is not giggling on the floor or snuggling in my arms i am thinking, talking or editing images of roe giggling on the floor or snuggling in my arms. he really is my entire world.

this sunday we handed the camera over to my fabulously talented SIL joanna oldham & shot a few {hundred} photos in the beautiful fall leaves. thanks again jo, it was so refreshing to not be the one behind the camera!

yeehaw.

2011-10-03T10:27:00.000-07:00

monroe went on his first 4-wheeler ride yesterday in the cautious arms of his father. he spent most of the ride nestled into aaron shoulder & all in all loved the wind in his hair.

& so my needs are great.

2011-10-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

this weekend was LDS General Conference weekend & in turn was a peaceful, uplifting weekend spent with incredible friends & a fantastic family. all i could think of the entire 8 hours of listening to our beloved prophet & apostles was how to apply their teachings in my life so as to become a better mother & wife. i knew my life would change dramatically when i had Monroe, but i had no idea how persistently he would be at the very forefront of my mind. i sing him 'i am a child of God' each time i lay him down to sleep, but i had no idea that even the simple words to that little primary song would take on a whole new meaning to me. i understand that i am quite literally raising a child of our Father in Heaven & that mantle upon my shoulders is one that i carry with pride, admiration, honor & love. in turn i could not be more grateful for the loving examples of mothers all around me. i look up to my girl friends for support & council & i turn to my sister-in-laws for advice & love. it really does take a village to raise a child & my village is full of absolutely incredible people.

we started our sunday with a few of the afore mentioned amazing friends & shared waffles & great conversation about the temple, going up just a few short blocks from our house, among children's laughter & babies coos {or, as in roe's case, cries}.

we finished up the afternoon up at my, also previously mentioned, fantastic in-laws home. where, despite his lack of naps, the onset of teething & obsessive attachment to mommy, roe spent a while in the arms of my sweet father-in-law.

i am so very grateful for the guidance we received this weekend from our church leaders & for the ongoing acute advice & loving support from our dear friends & family.

weekend.

2011-10-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

we had a beautiful weekend, together, as a family. until i get the rest of these images edited the way i want them {just you wait for picture overload} here is a teaser shot from this afternoon up in covered bridge canyon.

did i mention fall is here? did i also mention the perfect weather & the days spent with friends picnicking & evenings spent with aaron & bebe strolling? let me repeat, i love my life.

back to reality.

2011-09-29T11:02:00.001-07:00

amidst all the bebe business that consumes our every minute, aaron & i have found time to call our own. a few weekends back we called up a babysitter {ya RIGHT, did i just say i called a babysitter?! as if having your own child doesn't make you feel old enough, myyyy heavens chiiiild.} & hit the town with our besties the ross's. after dining at the classic college/high school hang out 'chilis' we made our way down to the provo beach resort at the riverwoods mall for some fanciful croquet.

none of us knew how to play nor did we find it necessary to read the rules, thus we made up our own rules - get through the course as fast as possible. the group playing ahead of us, however, were the 'play by the rules' type & we found ourselves on their heels the whole time. we made due of the wait time & as always shared a night of laughs.

i love our little nugget more than i ever felt i had the capacity to love, but it is so refreshing to spend time alone with my first love; the man that makes my life as a mother possible & complete.

go for the gold

2011-09-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

roe has learned to scoot/army crawl & each time he moves on his own i beam with pride. want proof - well you got it!

Untitled from Kathryn Oldham on Vimeo.

even the smallest accomplishments are so pivotal in a mothers eyes.

boob man.

2011-09-27T11:53:00.000-07:00

our child is somewhat particular when it comes to his grub. in fact so particular that he refuses to take a bottle, gags at rice cereal & throws his head back with defiance when applesauce, pears, butternut squash, sweet potatoes and sweet peas are projected in his general direction. we cant blame him, have you smelled those things? whoof. he, as aaron calls him, is a boob man.

we have found ONE food however that he will eat willingly & excitedly. enter, avocado.

two of a kind.

2011-09-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

i pictured what aaron would be like as a father, but what i had envisioned was nothing compared to what our reality is. right from the get-go aaron possessed a knack for reading & interpreting our little bebe. in the hospital, the only thing that would put roe to sleep was sucking on aaron's finger & i would stare in awe as they slumbered together in peace. as soon as we arrived home, aaron was the one to give roe his first bath & he is still the official bebe nail clipper in the house. if you have ever encountered our babe with his pants unbuttoned, rest assured that aaron recognized that the babe was uncomfortable & when asked aaron would say "they were just pinching off his circulation. he's a man, let him be comfortable." the same applies if you ever see our kiddo without pants entirely or shirtless out & about because aaron knows when roe is overheating as well. all in all aaron knows what is best for our nugget.

a picture is worth a thousand words - am i right?

brunette am i.

2011-09-21T13:16:00.000-07:00

i love my life.

i love that my husband works hard for our family & allows me to stay home with our nugget & raise him right. i love that we have a home to call our own & a big front yard to host 'mom hour' & take mini-photo-shoots of bebe roe. i love that i have family & friends so close who support & encourage me daily. i love that i have finally found a stylist {hollar, Bethany Kartchner} who rocks my socks & who is a delight to chat with for three hours.

& now, i love that i am a brunette. i may never go back.

thanks for the photo nicole. you 'da best!

half a year.

2011-09-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

my dear baby roe,

it was just half a year ago when my life changed for the better, when you, my dear baby roe, came into my life & turned it upside down. for better or worse, i have loved every single moment that we have shared together so far. we have shared days when you have cried tears of an overtired babe & days where i have cried along with you as a helpless mommy. we have shared days where you have learned a new trick & where i have cheered & clapped with sheer joy at your smallest accomplishment. each day you grow a little stronger, a little chubbier, a little smarter, a little happier, a little more opinionated & take another little chunk of my heart while you grow from my newborn, shrimp of a babe, to a little boy.

for awhile now you turn around on your tummy like a turn table & it cracks me up each time. you move your buff little arms around in the most determined manner as you pivot yourself towards the cords that are placed so enticingly under the dresser in our living room. you use this same technique in your crib during the night & most mornings i find you with your head in the opposite direction i laid you down in. as of yesterday you started scooting/army crawling around {advanced, if i do say so myself, for a six-month old}. i laid you on the floor in the hall outside the bathroom while i brushed my teeth & the next thing i know you are hitting my feet with your tiny hand. i started laughing & you looked up at me with those big eyes & wide-mouthed toothless grin & we shared in that moment that you learned how to follow me around.

last month was rough for both of us & we got to know the older, wiser & bigger you. the only way you were napping was in your car seat on the way to park city & as fun as that was for both of us, neither of us were getting the sleep or time to ourselves that we needed. in a bout of desperation i bought a book & both of our lives changed for the better. after a night of letting you cry for an hour in your crib at bedtime, we were able to establish the habit of bedtime at seven-thirty & nap times at nine, one & four. you have really turned into a different baby - a happy, healthy & agreeable baby! you love your sleep & i love you for it.

you & i are somewhat attached at the hip & although you may cry in other arms it brings me relief to know that my arms are the ones that you find comfort in. your accomplishments are my happy place & i love you to the moon & back.

muah - mommy

mildly obsessed.

2011-09-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

i used to loathe reading blogs where all the writer ever did was talk about her dang-nab kid & here i am eating my words. all i do is talk about my kid & gush over him all day long, but when your days are consumed by that one tiny human & his sleeping, eating & playing schedule there is not really much left to discuss.

our little nugget is the ripe old age of six months now & it boggles my mind to think that half a year ago we brought that little stranger into the world. i look at the pictures hanging all over our house from when Roe was a week old & i hardly recognize him. my oh my how time changes our little ones. mimi {my talented mother} sent Roe a gift, she knit him, for his six-month milestone & we have been playing with it all day.

my sweet boy's bright blue eyes are fading & he is looking more & more like his handsome father {what more could a lady want than a miniature version of the first love of her life?!}. i love the two men in my life & thank my lucky stars each day that i have the privilege of raising this smiley & curious little nugget.

oh & for those of you who felt the way i once did about baby-obsessed-mommy-bloggers, just you wait until you have a nugget to call your own. damn straight you will be obsessed & you have every right to be!

take-over.

2011-09-19T11:56:00.000-07:00

i swore that as soon as this baby came i would keep up a house where my visitors could not detect the slightest hint of baby. alas, real life is just not so. in real life it is a miracle if i get to shower so let us not even mention putting those obnoxious baby toys away twenty-plus times a day. i have grown to love this reality however & could not help but smile when i woke up from an afternoon nap to the above face. our lives have been taken over by baby & i would not have it any. other. way.

vacae.

2011-09-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

since lake powell was a total bust with a three month old, the handsome husband & i were itching to get out of provo for a little change of pace. enter, st. george, pool, sun & sleep. we shared our time with our dear pals the christensen's & it was brief, yet extremely wonderful.

us lady folk made certain that we made a day trip to the vegas for some shopping & after dragging our dear husbands & babies all over town we settled down for a delightful dinner @ the cheesecake factory. the only picture i got in the vegas was the follow which is actually quite appropriate & encompasses our lives {waiting for our men, with our tired yet tolerant babes on a street corner on the vegas strip}. can you imagine what people were thinking? hollar @ hot mama nicole!

& then there are days

2011-09-04T21:11:00.000-07:00

like today. when i apply what i have learned from books & follow my motherly instincts. it all started with putting the nugget down @ seven-thirty the night before & ended with three naps during the day, the last of which he didn't even fight, & another seven-thirty bedtime where not a single tear was shed.

when baby sleeps, mama is happy & when mama is happy everybody is happy.

besides myself.

2011-09-03T09:28:00.000-07:00

i am venting & beyond tired. so, take everything i say with a grain of salt.

there are days, most days, when i do not feel qualified for motherhood on any level. there are days when i look at my dear, sweet {TIRED} baby & wonder how mothers ever find balance in their lives. there are days when i run to the grocery store without a bra on early in the morning & i finally understand {& sympathize} why some mothers look so haggard & am perplexed where other mothers found the time to put on a bra & make-up. there are days when i cry the entire day because my baby is crying & i have exhausted all of my best silly faces, funny songs, we have read every book & the pacifier still isn't soothing. there are days when i feel really alone as my five month old wails for an hour in his crib after i put him down for naps & then i feel defeated when i have to go pick him up & tell him everything is okay when often i dont even feel myself as though everything is okay. there are days when i sing 'itsty bitsy spider' 80 times over & run out of things on the bus to imitate while singing 'wheels on the bus'. there are days when i plan my entire day around driving to salt lake or park city just so that i can get my babe to rest for 45 minutes.

then, there are days like today. where the babe wakes up four times in the night & after crying for an hour when i put him down for a morning nap {like the books say, mind you} he still cries for another hour in my arms midst rubbing his eyes and pushing me away as i try to nurse, sing, rock, swaddle & generally soothe him back to sleep. days, like today, when i think i am making headway, when i think we are taking steps forward to getting our sleep deprived baby on a sleep schedule & i end up feeling like we are taking four steps backward. days, like today, when i want to scream at the book i am reading because all i read about are success stories & feel like i am the only one living with the story of a baby who cries hour after hour that i try to get him to sleep {regardless the technique}. days, like today, when i recall people saying 'stick to it!' & 'it's worth it' & wondering if it really is because through my tears, headache and generally tired mind i cannot see how that can be the case.

i make it sound like i have a colicky/fussy baby & let me assure you that this is not the case, but it is embarrassing & unnerving when your family or friends comment on how fussy your {once happy} baby is being or what bad habits he has. i simply have a baby who will not sleep. the baby i know just wants to laugh & learn & be apart of the action, but in turn the baby you know {the baby who has not slept} complains & fusses. so here i am, following every piece of advice i have been given & read on sleeping, still feeling besides myself because my sweet little babe refuses to sleep.

there are, however, hours of the day when my babe makes me laugh & when we make each other smile. there are days when we walk to the park, lay on a blanket under the trees & enjoy the sunshine together. there are days when he learns something new & i tell him how proud i am to be his mother. there are days when he giggles when i tickle him & flirts with the ladies at the mall. there are days, every day, when i am happy to call him mine & love him more with every frustrated tear we share. there are moments when roe nuzzles into my shoulder or sits calmly in my lap & even, on the rare occasion, that he sleeps there, in my arms. there ARE days when he naps {my beacon of hope} & however inconsistant they may be i relish in the ever so small accomplishment for both of us. there are days when we lay on our tummies together, he grabs for my camera & i try my best to catch this tender & perfect moment.

on days where it is rough & seemingly no end in sight, i relish, bask & cherish the moments below.

chchchchanges.

2011-09-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

the nugget is growing up. i liked the newborn phase, but hallelujah our boy is growing up. he woke up last week saying 'dadadada' & believe you me aaron is BEYOND elated that his first words are "daddy". on the same day our boy tucked his knees under himself in an attempt to crawl towards a toy; too bad his head spans further than his shoulders & the before said crawl attempt resulted in face-plant after face-plant. the nugget is laughing more & more, gets bored easily, grabs at anything & everything in a mile radius of him, refuses to eat all solid food, only falls asleep in the car {more on that later}, flirts with all he comes in contact with & loves to be outdoors.

and on that note.

ombre' bebe.

2011-08-30T16:08:00.001-07:00

a few weeks back i organized a little late night {meaning kids are in bed, phew} craft night just for the gals. we dyed onsies, t-shirts, socks etc in the ombre' affect & i think it was a ravishing time.

here is my five month old model workin' it.

it wasn't until after i took all these pictures that i realized how much roe resembles a smurf. ah well.

cry baby.

2011-08-29T08:24:00.001-07:00

i am blogging. i am blogging because my baby is crying in the other room & i am trying with all of my might to stay strong so that both of us can get through the next year together happy & well rested.

i may or may not be crying right along with him. dont judge.

five months.

2011-08-12T10:40:00.000-07:00

our little* guy is five months young. it is so incredible that although roe has only graced this earth for five short months he has had time to develop his likes & dislikes and that his personality continues to blossom right before our eyes.

we still have yet to get him on a regular schedule and these days he is more sad than happy, but instead of dwelling on the negative, lets take a gander at the little nuggets' first experience on the swing.

*18lbs 13oz. he takes his feedings very seriously.

rewind.

2011-08-09T15:43:00.001-07:00

lets just pretend that i am not over a whole entire month behind on posting. then lets pretend that we are back to fourth of july weekend. alright, are we all on the same page? great.

we started off the weekend right by attending our annual block party {think street shut down, bouncee houses, meat grillin & loads of fireworks}.

then we joined our friends the christensens & the rest of the zoobies & hipsters in provo at the rooftop concert featuring 'beatles' covers.

saturday night the festivities continued when aaron's family joined us on our front lawn to watch fireworks from the stadium of fire and set off a few of our own.

mimi strawn flew in sunday and celebrated the official holiday with us. after my dedicated husband stayed up until four in the morning saving our prime spot we watched the parade just a few blocks from our home and ate scones with our fellow ward members.

the holiday was fabulous and i could not be more grateful that it lasted all. weekend. long.

of my own heart.

2011-07-29T22:18:00.000-07:00

after a long day of driving to and from salt lake during rush hour on a friday night for absolutely no reason, my dear four month old was, spent. after pulling off of the freeway twice to soothe said dear four month old and getting back on the freeway only to listen to more of my sweet screaming baby i finally got the notion to turn on music. as soon as the piano keys from 'the fray's album filled the speakers said unconsolable baby calmed and was soon snoring in the back seat. at that moment, at that very moment i knew that the crying baby in the back was mine. more than that, i knew that he was ours-aaron and mine.

i see so much of me in him when i look at him and when i hear his laugh and watch him sleep peacefully i see aaron. as each day passes and our little nuggets' personality blossoms and in turn i get to know him better i feel more and more like he is really my little boy. aaron makes us both laugh, he is ticklish in the same spots as his dad, he sleeps on his side just like aaron and i do, he loves the outdoors and calms down when we are exploring and socializing just like his dad, he is wide-eyed and loves the world and most of all appreciates music . . . just like his daddy and i do.

ode to roe.

2011-07-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

dearest bebe roe,

you make me smile every, single day. morning arrives around 7am these days and some mornings i just look up at the ceiling, not ready for the day begin. still drowsy, i make my way to your room and then . . . i see you. you recognize your daddy and i now and each morning i am reminded of what an incredible miracle you are in my life. regardless of how much sleep i got the night before every morning is a little treasure i hold dear. you smile so big. we tell you we love you and shower you with kisses and you smile even bigger. while we hold you in bed with us, you eat up the attention from both parents at once and you coo with sublime happiness. i ask you how you slept and daddy asks about your sweet dreams and most of the time you look up at us with your fist in your mouth, but some mornings you tell us all about your previous night. some mornings we will play music for you and you sit captivated and wide-eyed. mornings are blissful.

july 2nd, you laughed for the first time. it was the most incredible experience, proving yet again what an amazing and vibrant little miracle you have become in our lives. we were at the zoo, it was a hot day and you had tolerated well as we dragged you around to see things you still have yet to gain an appreciation for. daddy had already changed two big blow-outs in a patch of grass in the shade by the monkeys and we were preparing to change the third. he gathered the necessities while i held you trying to keep you entertained while you fought sleep with all your might. i started bouncing you up and down and . . . you laughed. of course the world stopped in that moment and both your daddy and i looked on giggling and cooing with you. video documentation was made and has since been shared with everyone we come in contact with because we are just boastful, proud parents like that. you have laughed a handful of times since and you are ticklish on your back ribs right under your armpit {how specific is that?!}. which, if you are tired enough and we tickle in just the right way will trigger laughter as well.

four months means more shots and more milestones, but this month you weighed in at 17lbs. 12oz. i am so glad that my milk is doing you some good!

you have gotten so good at tummy time and your daddy and i could not be prouder. you hold your head up so well {which is really a miracle in and of itself, seeing as your head spans the width of your shoulders and is in the 90%} and your little arms have gained the strength to support your shoulders as well. i lay on my tummy with you and just tell you how well you are doing and how proud i am of your accomplishment. you just smile a shy, toothless grin at me and i can tell you are proud of yourself as well.

we introduced you to the bumbo chair and an exersaucer and you seem to like the independence for a short while and then you realize that either your legs are squished into the bumbo or you feel stuck in the exersaucer and you yelp for assistance. you enjoy yourself most, laying on your back, kicking your legs, flailing your arms, reaching for anything near you and rolling from side to side. gone are the days when we can leave you on the couch and run and grab your diaper supplies. you are squirming constantly and anything that is within your reach subsequently goes to right to your mouth. in fact, you have learned to pull out your binki and return your binki from your mouth. obviously your daddy and i are agreed that you are the smartest baby to ever grace this planet.

more than anything, you enjoy being outside. just yesterday evening you laid on your back on a blanket outside and chatted with the clouds, trees and birds above you about their beauty. you love taking walks in the stroller or attached to the front of your dad or i and you calm down immediately as we step out the front door of our home. grammy visited last week and you sat on her lap and watched with bright eyes while the rain came down heavy on the windows, the thunder rumbled in the mountains and the lightning crackled bright in our living room. you enjoy going to the pool, no so much because you love the water, but because there is so much to take in around you. your head turns when kids scream at the pool and your eyes follow cars and motorcycles as they whiz by while we are on walks.

we got off of your schedule for awhile there, after returning from the oldham houseboat on lake powell, but you are back on track. after a few tortured evenings of allowing you to cry, you have learned to sleep in your crib both for naps during the day and bedtime at night. you have also discovered how you are most comfortable sleeping and you soothe yourself by sleeping on your side. of course i think that is the most darling thing and send your daddy pictures of you sleeping on your side at least twice during the day.

you have acquired quite a few nicknames and go by roe, rodeo, baby roe, son, nugget, buddy and punk, to name a few.

roe, we love you. we are proud to call you ours. there are days that daddy and i turn to each other and question what we did to deserve such a darling and cooperative baby. regardless, we thank our heavenly father daily for sending you to our family and for blessing you with all the smarts and chubby cuteness a baby could posses. you have become our entire world and my full time job and we could not be happier.

muah - mommy & daddy

*knitted afghan, compliments of grammy! <3

million reasons.

2011-07-19T14:22:00.000-07:00

there are beyond a million reasons why i love my husband, but one of the most incredible things about my husband is that he is a rock star. not in the stereotypical 'girl screaming-fan chanting-head banging-drugged out-long haired-tattooed-sunglass wearing' way, but in the 'anything he puts his hands on he understands and makes beautiful' way.

lake powell is a great time to chill out, throw caution to the wind and sing at the top of your lungs. thus, husband learned 'nobody' by johnny cash.

neglect.

2011-07-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

i have neglected the blog and in turn have failed to post our lake powell trip, bebe roe rolling over, fourth of july weekend celebrations, grammy's visit from portland and bebe roe hitting the fourth month milestone. ah well, all in good time.

for now, a few shots of me and rodeo in lake powell.

family stroll

2011-07-01T16:48:00.001-07:00

aaron and a took the bebe on a stroll up to bridal veil falls the other evening. it was a fabulous & relaxing evening ever reiterating what a beautiful place we live in.

{nevermind the fact that we had a little excitement on the way home, plowing over a deer who left our car majorly jacked!}

some days.

2011-06-29T12:34:00.001-07:00

there are days, like today {when you drive almost all the way to the pool and then realize you left your munchkins swim suit at home, mostly because you got five hours of sleep that night}, when i feel like this.

thank you oliver ross for helping us all express our emotions - i love you more than you know.

jowels.

2011-06-28T21:51:00.000-07:00

need i say more.

chilly waters.

2011-06-24T17:28:00.000-07:00

in true form, we applied our sunscreen. obviously, bebe is not quite sure about this one.

then proceeded to get on our gear. still . . . unsure.

and then went for a little dive. as if the frigid water was not enough of an adjustment?! bebe was quite a trooper.

monumental.

2011-06-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

today, roe said "hi".

three times in a row.

he was sitting on my tummy this morning while we still lay in bed and i said, "say hi to daddy!" and he turned to aaron and said, "hi". did i mention he did that three times un a row? i dont care what you say, i am raising a boy genius.

oh aaaaand he rolled over. all by himself. of course aaron was going to the bathroom and i ran to get his jammers and lo and behold we arrived in the living room to a baby on his tummy. and of course we tortured the poor child trying to get him to do it all again, so we could capture it on camera, to the point of tears {on his part}. no luck.

for the record though this kid brings us more and more joy each and every passing day <3

we're baaack.

2011-06-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

this last week we spent in lake powell on the oldham family house boat. over the next week i aim to tell our little story through the zillion pictures that i shot.

the nights were rough . . . as always though, the nugget was quite a champ.

padre.

2011-06-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

i always pictured in my mind what aaron would be like as a father, but i never imagined how fantastic it really would be. from the first moments that aaron talked me through what baby roe was experiencing from across the delivery room as he stood by his side and shot pictures of those first precious moments, i fell further in love with him and felt so assured that he would always care for and love our son unconditionally all the while letting me know that he loved me first. he has struck a perfect balance between being a fabulous father and the perfect husband that i have known for years now.

i am so proud to call him my husband and child-raising-counterpart.

as of late.

2011-06-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

today marks the third month that our buddy roe came into this world and made our family complete. it feels like ages ago that he arrived because i can vaguely remember life without him. although errands take ten times longer and our house is constantly in disarray i can say that i have more joy in my life than ever before.

to: roe-deo

three months has whizzed by, but you have accomplished so much during that time. you are sleeping through the night in your own crib and in your own room. the first night that we left you in there all alone i about had a panic attack that someone was going to come in the back door and steal you and so, needless to say, i didn't get much sleep, but you were {obviously} wonderful. now when you wake up around 6am when your daddy or i come to get you, you are so excited to see us and give us the biggest grin and start wiggling your little body in your burrito sack {which you will not sleep without!}. as soon as we let you out of the little straight jacket to feed you, you stretch your little arms and legs so tall and then sigh with the relief of a good nights sleep.

you have always had an affinity for sucking on your hands and i am sure that one of these days you will figure out how to suck your thumb because that affinity has not passed. at times you will even gag yourself trying to stick all of your fingers in your mouth. you have gained more control over your hands and your arms and can now pull down the toys we have hanging from your play mat {a lesson you learned while i was doing dishes, only to come in the room to a fussy baby because you had hit yourself in the face - boo}.

you are so talkative these days. we have full conversations and at times it feels like you know what we are talking to you about. when you are not blowing bubbles with your lips or spitting, you are trying the tricks that dad taught you with your tongue and making tons of noises. i laid you down for a nap the other day and you just laid in your bed staring up at the ceiling laughing, talking and cooing to yourself. i like to think little angels were there hanging out with you.

you are sitting up so much better now - we are sorry you inherited an enormous head, but you are not letting that hold you back from the adventures that you want to have. in fact just today you actually enjoyed tummy time and i laid on my tummy with you and cheered you on. i think you felt proud of yourself.

you LOVE being outside. dad's new trick for getting you to fall asleep is to take you out on a stroller ride, to which he has calculated, you fall asleep after two blocks. you love the wind in your face and although it takes your breath away {literally} you seem to want more. there are so many colors and sounds around us, now that it is finally spring/summer, and we can just see you soaking it all up with your big blue eyes.

you want to be apart of everything and you are a very social baby. you are at your happiest when you are laying on your back and both your daddy and i are talking and playing with you. we could not ask for more. you are such a fun, cheerful and happy baby. we really got lucky with you buddy.

love: mommy

bebe

2011-06-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

roe is no longer fitting into his 0-3 month clothes, so until we buy new clothes . . .

gag reflex.

2011-06-05T19:03:00.001-07:00

sorry for all the sappy posts. for the record aaron and i are not in a fight, nor were we during the previous post. also, our kid is the cutest. okay, im glad we got that all cleared up.

undeserving.

2011-06-03T15:46:00.000-07:00

let me introduce you. to my husband.

many of you know him as the funny, talkative, jovial, cheese-finger-licking man that he is, but i know a person of much more depth than that. he is a man of his word and will pull through for anyone, whatever sacrifice that may be on his part. he is a wonderful friend and thinks constantly about those he cares for. he is a dedicated and loyal son and brother and would quite literally give his right arm for a family member that needed it. he gives everyone the benefit of the doubt and holds no grudges or judgements against anyone. he is determined and he accomplishes all that he sets his mind to. he is a talented plumber, carpenter, electrician, drummer, singer, guitarist, stand-up comedian, gardener, cowboy, painter, cartoonist. he is a beyond fabulous father and tends to carefully and lovingly for our little one. he is the perfect husband and caters to my every whim and puts my happiness at the top of his priority list. he is my everything.

today i am feeling very undeserving. first, i am feeling that my dear husband in no way shape or form deserved the chiding that i handed him over the phone. and second, i am feeling that i do not deserve the patience that he exerts with me and my daily outbursts.

i love you boo. i do, i do, i do.

m is for monroe.

2011-06-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

these days we {otherwise, roe} spend our days kicking our legs, sucking on our bottom lip, sticking our tongue out, blowing bubbles with our spit and mowing down on our hands. life is good.

yogrit.

2011-06-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

some things popular because they are trendy, but other things are popular because they are just dang good.

enter yogurtland.

i have never been a super intense fan of traditional yogurt {i am one of those, 'if i am going to eat sweets it may as well have a zillion calories and have big chunks of brownie in it, otherwise it is not worth it', types of people}. thus, i was a little reluctant when we planned to meet our dear friends the ross' there. i was very pleasantly surprised and rest assured that i will be visiting there frequently!

tradition.

2011-06-01T14:20:00.000-07:00

my dear and talented aunt ketti has started a tradition of making fabulous quilts for all of her great nieces and nephews. hence as soon as we announced that we had a little manchild on the way, ketti chatted with me about fabric choices and colors. trusting in her fantastic taste and experience i turned it all over to her and i am more than pleased with the results.

and yes, she did name the quilt 'manchild' because she is just that wonderful. from the bottom of our hearts, thank you aunt ketti - we love it.

its raining. its pouring.

2011-05-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

although i hate this dreary, grey wet weather with a fiery passion and may have mentioned yesterday to mr. oldham that we might have to move to sunnier pastures, i love that i can still stick warm hats on our little guy. i have been anxious to try on the following hat that my friend brianna made for roe and it was just as darling as i thought it would be.

so, thank you rain for sticking around a bit longer. and thank you brianna for the fabulous accessory!

squeaky clean.

2011-05-28T18:18:00.000-07:00

roe and i love baths equally. we both love the smell of the night time bath soap we use. we both love scrubbing his head and washing away the toe jam found between his fat little feet. we both love toweling off and then the lotioning and massage that ensues.

i know this, obviously, because he told me. oh and the fact that these pictures just say a thousand words.

among other news.

2011-05-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

i promise that although we have a newborn, we have still been living our lives. in fact a few weeks back some friends threw a backyard garden party to kick off the summer and despite the chilly weather we enjoyed good food, great atmosphere and fabulous company. images via the ever fabulous nicole

so blessed.

2011-05-11T20:48:00.000-07:00

today, may 11th, our little manchild is two months old.

to: david monroe oldham

this last sunday {mothers day} your dad blessed you in church and since then i have not been able to push the feeling aside of just how incredibly and overwhelmingly blessed you really are.

first of all, i hope that you know and grow to appreciate the amazing man that your father is. not only will he always make you laugh and teach you how to wakeboard, but he will lead you by his example, to live a honest life, be the best friend a person can ask for, to uphold the priesthood and to love the Lord with all your heart. i hope you know how much i love him and how grateful i am that he is your father - we are both so very lucky to have him.

second, i hope that you know how many people love you. your extended family is made up of people who want the very best for you and who will encourage you from your very first step to the day you open your mission call {and further, of course}.

last of all, as cheesy as this sounds, i hope you know how honored i feel to be your mother. we are coming up on trying times and i know that you were saved for these days to be a beacon of light in our little family as well as to all of those you come in contact with. your smile, even now, warms up a room and i know that feeling will only become stronger as you learn and grow each day.

i love you. with all of my heart, i love you kiddo.

images from the blessing via Nicole

little ham.

2011-04-17T13:59:00.000-07:00

our little guy is turning into quite the ham - i love watching this kid grow up right before my eyes. it seems that each and every day his personality develops even further.

one month older

2011-04-11T20:53:00.001-07:00

and wiser too! happy one month birthday to you, Roe.

to: monroe

it has been one entire month since you were welcomed into our lives and i can certainly say that we have changed for the better having you around.

the minute you were born was - a relief. you were one entire week late and you daddy and i were so anxious to meet you, hold you and kiss you. i was relieved when they set you on my chest and your breathing calmed and your fever suppressed. i was relieved that you had all of your finger and toes and that your eyes were open and alert. i was relieved to see that you inherited your daddy's dark hair and my blue eyes. most of all i was relieved that pregnancy was over and that life with you HERE with us had started.

today i took you to the doctor and they weighed you in at 11lbs 14oz - we asked for a manchild and that is certainly what we have gotten. you grunt like a little man when you are hungry and obviously you dont skimp around when it comes to eating. you are awake more these days and your daddy and i do everything that we can to get you to interact with us during those hours, but you are still working on that. for now you are good kicking your legs and simply soaking up the world around you.

here is to your first month and to many more joyous months to come.

we love you: mom & dad

chit chatty.

2011-04-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

doctors say that when babies smile it is just a reaction to gas, but we like to think otherwise. i look forward to many more days of making our baby laugh and watching him grow.

sleepy sunday.

2011-04-10T15:42:00.000-07:00

although mom and dad may not get much sleep these days our little buddy enjoys lots of naps through the day.

maybe if our kid were uglier i would take a nap while he napped instead of staring at him obsessively. sigh.

snow day.

2011-04-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

what do you do when it is snowing outside during the first week in april?

kiss on these cheeks, doi.

daddy duty.

2011-04-05T14:55:00.000-07:00

since baby roe has been welcomed into our family aaron has been, in one word, a saint. he has gotten up with each late night feeding, has changed diapers willingly, has become the token bather of our boy and rocks the manchild to sleep when i am besides myself. best of all though, aaron loves our boy.

to: our little roe buddy

when you were still in my belly your dad and i would talk to you and play music for you so that you would learn to recognize our voices and start to love the bands/artists that we love. your dad's favorite line to say to you was "hey roe buddy, its your daddy. i love you." and he would say it over and over again to you. i think you remember that because even now when he says that to you, you calm down and search diligently with your eyes. right from the get go you and your dad had a special connection - you refused to sleep without sucking on your dad's finger in the hospital. even now when you get fussy and are ready to eat again your daddy picks you up, holds you close and after kissing you on the cheek you try latching to his cheek or onto his nose.

your dad calls during the day to make sure that you are doing ok and asks you how your day was when he gets home from work or school. i just want you to know how much he loves you and how much more i love him for loving you.

love: mom

saturday

2011-04-02T11:14:00.000-07:00

is a special day. to gush over your baby all day long.

good morning

2011-04-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

morning arrives at 4am and then again around 7am for us these days. when the sun is out and the babe is cooing we know it is going to be a good day.

to monroe:

you are three weeks old today and each day that passes you grow more alert and aware; your dad and i are really looking forward to the day when you can actually respond to all the funny faces and noises we send your way. you love to lay on your back, pant, kick your legs and flail your arms about and when we change your diaper you insist you keeping one leg kicking at all times. we had to invest in a few 'pee-pee teepee's because you like to shoot yourself in the face while we are changing you. your cry sounds a little like a teradactyl and breaks my heart, but you only cry when you need something and your dad and i are always willing and able to provide you with what you need. against the wishes of our doctor, you love being rocked and cradled to sleep, but honestly i have no objections to snuggle time with you. you listen when i sing to you and as soon as you hear your daddy's voice you start looking around trying to follow the sound. you still have a little bit of fuzzy, brown hair on your back and down your arms, but it is far less than when you were born and i am sure will all soon be gone. your double chin has started and the rolls on your wrists are getting fatter by the day; we cannot wait until you are covered in chubby rolls! your hair is still dark and full, like your dad's, and your eyes are still deep, deep blue, like mine. you dont adore being kissed all the time, but your dad and i are going to give you all the kisses we can until you just wont allow it anymore. we love you, probably more than you will ever understand.

love: mom

two weeks ago

2011-03-25T17:44:00.000-07:00

the manchild who has changed our lives for the better came into this world.

now at one entire pound heavier and waking up only twice during the night our love for you grows each and every day.

dear grammy,

2011-03-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

we already miss you dearly.

thank you for singing 'row, row, row your boat' and reading mother goose nursery rhymes to us. thank you for cleaning and tidying up the house constantly and being at our beck and call when we rushed to the ER just days after coming home from the hospital. thank you for making meal and washing the dishes after. thank you for knitting and sewing projects for us with love and for holding legs after major diaper blow outs and holding the pacifier during moments of panic.

most of all thank you for being here for it all and for your love and support during this transition in our lives.

all our love,

aaron, kayti and baby monroe

a very good place to start.

2011-03-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

it feels like just yesterday that i sat in bed devouring an entire bag of lay's original potato chips before peeing on the infamous stick to reveal that we were in fact pregnant. i felt a rush a emotions then, but the one that sticks out predominantly in my mind is how elated i was to tell my sweetheart. aaron and i had shared so much up to that point in our lives, but finding out we were pregnant just days before our 2nd wedding anniversary seemed fitting. i knew what an incredible husband he was and anticipated sharing his humor and passion for life with little ones to call our own.

our due date of march 3rd came and went, but my SIL Meredith Carlson took some fabulous pictures to document those long months that i carried our manchild. i love look at these images because they encompass all of the anticipation and happiness that aaron felt during our pregnancy and the days surrounding our baby's due date.

here we are 10 months later with a little one to call our own and i love every minute of it.

arrived.

2011-03-14T15:51:00.000-07:00

as of march 11th, 2011 at 5:14am aaron and i are the proud parents of 8lb 7 oz little boy Roe. he is the center of our universe and we love every minute of it.

prepping.

2011-02-28T09:37:00.000-08:00

i know that the nursery does not have to be in order before our munchkin arrives, however i have been working on two graphic art pieces that i am excited to put in his room to make the room his own. i am so excited to see these images in person and framed in his room!

here is a modern family tree to add some history to our buddies space.

and the alphabet poster i made with his name highlighted in red.

here comes the son.

2011-02-17T16:27:00.000-08:00

i am aware that its been awhile people, but in all reality these past few months have flown by. i stood by our fridge the other day staring at the ultrasound pictures of our little munchkin and realized that the last time i saw our baby was on that day months ago when we found out that we were having a - manchild - as aaron would say! i look back at those blurry ultrasound pictures and wonder how much has he changed, who will he look more like, is he going to be healthy both of body and mind, will he take after aaron's humor or my non-altheticism, will he be as passionate about music as aaron and i are and does he know how much he is loved already.

dont mind that these pictures are subparr because they are scanned, but you get the idea.

aaron and i were ecstatic that our little bun in the oven had a pecker, not only because we could not agree on girl names to save our lives, but because we both wanted to start off our family with a 'manchild'. that excitement has not worn off as we pick out clothes for him to wear and imagine summers teaching him to play catch and kick a soccer ball.

fast forward to now.

2011-01-30T12:02:00.000-08:00

now, we are 37 weeks along in pregnancy {two weeks shy of our due date - march 3rd}.

now, we are saving for our little man to come along and preparing our home for his arrival and welcoming gifts and donations from our dear friends and family.

now, we are balancing aaron's school schedule, my work schedule, doctor visits, our church callings and the precious hours left of our social life as a couple.

now, we are sinking into the fact that aaron was aired during the superbowl and that his commercial is now on television nightly.

now, we are excited about aaron's new real estate website and all of the clients that he is helping find homes right now!

now, we are taking one day at a time, anxiously awaiting our little buddy's arrival, soaking up time with each other and time with friends and best of all, aaron makes me laugh everyday.

movin on up.

2010-10-15T15:43:00.000-07:00

besides getting knocked up this summer, the mr and i moved. not very far, but we did graduate to a place with a living room, extra bedroom, a full size oven and a full yard we can call our own. i dont miss our old place on any level, but i did manage to take a few shots of the little details that made that little rabbit hole our home.

the dl.

2010-10-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

so here is the scoop people and the reason i have been missing in action for the past little while. we are now 20 weeks along in this little adventure {for those of you like me, who still dont understand a time line in weeks - we are three weeks into the fifth month! yikes}. that means that for the past few months my best friends where our couch, all the seasons of 'the office', smut tv and a mcdonalds cheeseburger and value fry daily.

aaron turned to me the other day while we were driving and politely mentioned that we had missed the summer. ya, i guess that is what happens when your wife feels like h-e-double all the time. none the less i think we were able to fit some fun things in and to even document a few of those summer endeavors.

my sister in law, joanna, introduced us to the slc farmers market. i got myself some cherries and then the people watching ensued, as did mowing down on the fresh marionberry pie {pictured below}.

we have since visited the provo farmers market and i gotta say, i love me some local farmers.

we are so stoked.

2010-09-22T21:55:00.001-07:00

a lot of nervous and some denial, but completely and utterly stoked none the less.

so mr oldham,

2010-07-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

its been two years aye?

here is to an eternity of making each other laugh and you comforting me when i cry. to more success in real estate and more vacations with friends. to more nights spent catching up with each other and many more days cheering each other on. to more projects accomplished together and more saving for our future. to more testimonies to be shared and many more trial to endure.

i would prefer no other companion than you. forever yours - faithfully.

on the days

2010-07-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

that i dont feel so great, have to do the laundry by myself, get yelled at by a drunk guy in the grocery store, get awoken from a mid-afternoon nap just to move my car out of my own drive way, miss my husband like crazy and just overall want to scream, but cry because i dont have the energy to scream - i just look at these photos.

thanks to meredith and jake for producing a little peach that gets me through the not so good days. {dont mind that these arent even half of the photos that i took of this little red-head over lake powell - you would too if you just spent a few minutes with her}

www

2010-07-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

we might just be getting into the swing of this now, but i want to attack some of the questions that you beloved readers have had!

q: i would really like to know where are best places to shop and what is the best amount of money to spend and on what (you know, a good price for a shirt, good price for shoes etc.)?
many thanks - brianna

a: already girl, i am no professional shopper, but i can give you a few suggestions. like many of you, i am on a budget. also, like many of you, i have expensive taste. with that said i get all the catalogs in the mail to that stores that i wish i could shop at exclusively {j.crew, anthropologie, urban outfitters}. after drooling over all the wonderful outfits, i run back through again and dogear each page that i would like to recreate within my own wardrobe. from there i filter through my own closet to see what i already have and write a list of things that i need to recreate the outfit that i love. i keep this list in my purse and whenever i go thrift shopping or run to the mall i attempt to find that item that i need at a cheaper price. (PICTURE)

TIP: just like they say dont go to the grocery store hungry or without a list {you will end up spending more money and buying things that you dont need} the same goes for shopping for clothes. because of your own personal style and taste you are commonly drawn to the same items and because of this you may own pants that are all the same cut, wash or style. in order to switch it up and recreate those outfits that you want to, keep that list near you when you go shopping and you can focus on what you are there to buy. this way you will spend less on things that you dont need, make sure that you purchase those things that you really want and also broaden your existing wardrobe in a way that works for you. ALSO, if you do not like or want to get catalogs use websites like frugal fashionista for modern inspiration.

as far as how much you should expect to spend - i am kind of a frugalista, but here are the rules that i try to live by.

1 - i love jeans. they are the staple in my wardrobe so this is what i allow myself to spend the most money on. {whatever your staple is, shoes or skirts, make sure that you are spending your money here because your staple is what gets worn the most in your closet} this does in no way mean that i spend my entire paycheck on my jeans, but i have made a resolve to not spend over $100 per pair of jeans. this is easy - shop places like nordstrom rack, or the sale section of anthropologie {online is best there} and you will make sure that you are getting the most bang for your buck.

2 - shoes in my opinion are an accessory, so unless we are talking running shoes, toms or a dang nice pair of heels that will match every outfit you wear for the next three years, i refuse to spend anything over $30. you can get really great, designer brand shoes at ross, tjmaxx or nordstrom rack for a very reasonable price.

3 - since jeans are my staple, i need to make sure that my tops are diverse and that i have a lot to choose from. however, since i feel like i need a lot of them i need to also make sure that i am getting the best deal on them. honestly, i dont think that i have purchased a full price shirt {even from target} since possibly ever. it not worth it to me. and being the bargain shopper that i am i know that everything i look at will, at one point, go on sale. my rule here is, never spend over $20 per item. so i suggest shopping at plato's closet, savers, old navy, target, j.crew, anthro and forever21 for shirts. dont forget - dont eliminate sizes that are too big if those are the ones available on sale, a little snip here and a little sewing there you can make that shirt fit right to your body!

www

2010-07-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

this is what i wore to our neighborhood block party saturday night in an attempt to be patriotic - i think i did alright.

i love this country of ours. i love that we are free to worship as we please and that for the time being we can carry guns ;)

goodnight,

2010-07-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

fourth of july weekend. you were long and wonderful.

a little parade action in the morning and a small bbq in the night made you one sweet holiday.

fiesta!

2010-07-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

kim and i threw a grand fiesta for, birthday girl, lindsay - i dare say it turned out perfectly.

the birthday girl and her birthday cupcake from provo bakery.

my co-host, kim, the fabulous bread pudding she made for the birthday girl and the lady of the hour.
all the men folk sat on one side.
while the ladies sat on the other.
the food was fantastic {thanks kim!}.
and the mood was just right.
there would be no fiesta without a pinata.
and virgin pina poladas to top it all off.
i hope that your birthday was perfect lindsay - you truly deserve it.

fitness friday.

2010-06-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

i am currently at lake powell, but before i left i asked my personal trainer to walk me through a short workout that i could do everyday that would not require weights or cardio training, but would keep my heart pumping and my muscles strong.

so you dont really have an excuse - you can do this outside in your yard before dinner or in front of your tv during the bachelorette. try this little workout on for size and tell me what you think.

exercise 1 - push ups. 10 reps
it doesnt matter how you do these, girl style or as i say "real ones" all that matters is that your back stays flat and that you abs stay tight!

exercise 2 - reverse crunches. 12 reps
for this you will start laying flat on your back, feet extended out in front of you. from there lift your body pulling your knees into your chest while peeling your neck and upper back off of the floor using only your abs. try to go all the way to the floor each time, but if you need to extend the legs less each time that is fine - just make sure that you are getting in all 12 reps.

exercise 3 - plank. 30 seconds
hold your abs tight the entire time and make sure that your hips and shoulders are not rounded, but stay flat as a board.

exercise 4 - squats. 20 reps

make sure that you keep all of your weight in your heels and your knees shoulder width apart, this will ensure that your quads are burning by the end!

exercise 5 - burpies w/ pushup. 10 reps

repeat this set four times, trying to get faster each time! Good Luck!

around

2010-06-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

as you may be able to tell, i am completely enthralled with learning to use this new camera.

neighbor, brianna's potted flowers on the front steps of our house.
the dirty hose on the side of our house that lends to feed flowers and wash cars.
a rose creeping through the fence into our driveway.
the view from our right front lawn.
the urban aspect of our front yard, that might save our lives one day.
another group of roses trying to make their way over our driveway.

i love our little home - however small it might be, the summers emphasize all of its beautiful and very redeeming qualities.

lets ride.

2010-06-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

i got a bike for my birthday - thats just how rad my husband is.

a few saturdays back we mosied on down through the streets of provo and found ourselves buying maple bars, baclava and milk at provo bakery. talk about the perfect afternoon.

monday moment.

2010-06-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

a few weeks back i had the chance to visit my grammy in oregon who was then in the process of being moved from her home of 30+ years to an assisted living home in salem oregon.

in short, the visit was wonderful.

i sat on her bed while she sat in her wheelchair and held her dainty, weathered hands while we chatted about memories that she had from when her and my papa met. she asked me how my love life was and i kindly reminded her that aaron and i got married almost two years ago and that i was happier than i have ever been in my life. i sat next to her while she ate dinner with three other elderly ladies from the home and watched as she wrote all of her children and grandchildren's names on her paper placemat in her infamous perfect cursive. i massaged her wrinkled hands while filing and painting each of her fingernails and laughed with her while we tried to decide on which nail to place the tiny, gold butterfly decal. i sat beside her while she and my mother and aunts sung old songs from their childhood and saw the light in her eyes as she remembered each word and note.

i love my grammy and although someday soon she may not even remember my name i am so grateful for the memories that i have made with her through the years and for the incredibly talented and supportive woman that i have to call my grammy.

image via flickr

thats right folks,

2010-06-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

the oldhams are escaping our rabbit hole of a home and headed to warmer waters for a week. here we come lake powell, see ya later rain!
i know that you are worried about not hearing from me, but i have planned for a few posts this week so stay tuned in!

its the little things in life,

2010-06-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

that make life worth living.

example, the moment when the below three year old opened the back door to her house and yelled "there is a pecker!".

waiting.

2010-06-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

as i sat waiting at the auto shop for the ac to be repaired on our car i took the chance to use the camera that we have on loan from my fabulous sister in law - its funny how much more beautiful all the little details seemed from behind a lens.

shout hooray.

2010-06-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

i had a birthday - the most perfect birthday.

a day full of french toast, bike assembling, zupas, aquarium tour, shopping, dear friends and family and best of all undivided attention from my best friend.
and for your viewing pleasure, below is a video of me talking through the three inch thick glass at the penguins, whom, might i add, i am obviously in love with.

i am so pleased

2010-06-09T20:26:00.001-07:00

with the feedback from www! so i want to take some time and hand out a few suggestions that were requested.

Q - where do i find sweet t-shirts?
A - j.crew. there is no doubt in my mind that their t-shirts are by far the best investment because they are both well made and fashion forward while offering options from super flashy to extremely subtle. just take a lookie at the ones below.
i found all three options in the sale section for under $20 - go see for yourself (jcrew.com).

www

2010-06-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

since none of you readers have written in with outfits/occassions that you would like assistance with, then i am left to blab on, as usual, about whatever i dang well please. sooooo - today i will talk about my go-to outfit.

every girl has gotta have their "go-to" outfit. ya know, the one that you could wear everyday of the week and sometimes do because you dont see the same people everyday. the one that makes you feel bangin even when the weather is super gloomy and its that time of the month. the one that compliments your skin tone no matter the lighting and people compliment you on your eyes while wearing it. ya, that one.

not every girl is going to have the same "go-to" though. while mine might be jeans and a t-shirt, yours might be leggings and a blouse, or an a-line skirt, a cami and a cardigan. regardless what it is, you need to find an outfit that makes you feel smokin hot so that on those not so hot days you dont have to stand in front of your closet while having a mental breakdown {does anyone else have those days?}

with that said here are a few examples of outfits that i reach for when nothin else is working for me and i guarantee if you have seen me within the past week i have been wearing one of these outfits:

fedora/forever love ($8) t-shirt/h&m ($12) jeans/old navy ($25) flip-flops/target ($19)

t-shirt/thrifed ($8) navy pants/anthropologie ($39) gold toms/nordstrom ($52) revlon polish in 'gum drop'/smiths grocery ($2)

i hope that i have proven that you dont have to buy high price items to feel great about yourself - now its your turn. what outfits make you feel the best on a day to day basis?

your gal pal, www

mr fix it.

2010-06-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

i had no idea that my husband knew how to fix cars - i guess i have a lot more to learn about him.

sometimes,

2010-06-08T21:25:00.001-07:00

i get to watch this little doll.

those are very good days.

a real man.

2010-05-26T20:09:00.001-07:00

my man, is a real man, a real mans man. if you dont believe me take a gander at the below picture.with that said here are his cliff notes from what to wear wednesday's post {see below and preferably read first}:

"this is from a mans point of view. first of all, I agree with the skin stuff... but c'mon babe, washing your face doesn't take thaaat long. I'm told that if you have sensitive skin over-washing or using a micro-bead type wash will only worsen the skin. try using a lighter face wash or don't wash every night...

secondly, with the pony. funny enough, ponys are supposed to be fast, yet these photos represent ponys that were still done by stylists and a lot of product. when I hear pony I'm thinking a light pull-back with some whispys on each side of the face and the occasional need to tighten the pony with a double-hand pull to each side. a pony is supposed to be fast, and it's always sexy.

boho hair is hot too, just do what the lady says to get that action going.

if you have flat hair, don't put too many things up there for volume. head stuff is already on its way out, at least for me because i'm old school. stick to the pony and boho. if you really want to, stick to non-trendy headbands and avoid enormous flowers unless you're the babe off the movie "North Shore."

the fake lashes are sexy, especially on you blondies, but beware they end up on your pillow and apparently need to be "filled" often. $$$ not that awesome from a man's point of view. just sayin. they do take away the tarantula-legs look though which is nice.

only do really bright lips if you can. some of you girls out there can't pull it off. rule number one for girls SHOULD be: not all styles work for everybody. don't be sad if you can't rock a certain style. there is another good one out there for you... and please find it. "

thanks,
the male

www

2010-05-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

i wanted to start our 'what to wear wednesdays' with the basics - those small but essential items that make me feel glamorous despite what i have to choose from in my closet.

numero uno wardrobe essential - your face.
your face is the first thing that people see when they meet you, it is the emotion center of your appearance and must be well maintained. unlike most women, i hate washing my face. to me, its so much hassle - pull my hair back after scrambling to find a clip and headband, getting the water to the right temperature, then splashing my face a few times, then applying wash and scrubbing, then rinsing and after all of that cleaning and drying the counter of all residue {ew right?}.

i have not yet perfected the skincare method, but i did recently invest a whopping $5 in this little number from sephora:its called the 'precision pore cleansing pad' and it is magical, trust me. this way my gubby fingers never touch my face while washing and it feels like a mini-vacation every time i use it. regardless of your regimen make sure that your face takes a top priority when you get ready each day, clean, moisturize and care for that face of yours; you are stuck with it for the rest of your days :)

numero dos - your hair.
if your like me a bad hair day equals bad day all around. im trying not to sound super shallow here, but good hair is kind of a big deal to making sure that you are put together. NOTE: this does in no way mean that you must spend hours pulling your do together. however it does mean that if you want your outfit to look bangin, then you need to start at the top.

here are a few simple, fast and easy ideas that i recommend.
1 - the pony tail.
this can work in so many ways - see beyonce rockin the slick back look with the high pony (be confident in that big forehead;), or nicole richie with the feminine braid into low pony or lauren conrad with the elegant side part and low, side pony. test a few things out and find a go-to pony that works for you!

2 - beach waves aka "boho".
for some this look may require more effort however, i love the above picture of jessica szohr because it proves that you dont need to have perfect ringlets to pull it off. my secret? sleep with damp/wet hair twisted into a bun - wake up to waves!

3 - classic straight.
if your hair has body, embrace it! dont try to flatten that natural volume out. if your hair lays flat naturally, embrace it! accessorize with headbands and add volume with style, but no matter what figure out what works best for you!

numero tres - eyes/lips.
you gotta pick a team here people - you either like your lips better or your eyes. either way make sure that you are emphasizing ONE of these daily (never do flashy eyes, flashy lips at the same time - trust me, its too costumey). ie. powerhouse eyes, nude/light lipgloss. bright red lips natural eyes.
i have always preferred my eyes and so for that reason i invested in eyelash extensions {email me for more details and my girl's info. it will change your life}.

ladies, i only say all of this stuff because this is what makes me feel beautiful, not because i think that this is the only truth about feeling beautiful. was this helpful? do you disagree with what i said? what is your regimen for feeling like a rockstar when you are running errands during the day? do tell!

your gal pal, www

what to wear.

2010-05-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

do you ever stand in front of your closet and wonder what provoked you to buy those things staring ominously and coldly back at you from three season ago?

ya i have those days too.

in fact, we all have those days.

as a woman and former fashion design major i try to take pride in staying current on the fashion trends of the now, but also try to find that delicate balance between making comfort my top priority and staying within my financial means, all the while dressing for my curvy body type.

if you are like me {and by 'me', i mean not eight feet tall and not mistaken for a clothes hanger or a lamp post} then you know how difficult it is to find clothes for every occasion in your life that are both comfortable and fashion forward all while flattering your body and catering to your own personal style. (can i get a hallelujah?!)

so why am i going on, and on about this awful predicament we are all in together? welp, i want to find a solution. i want to be the girl that you go to on those not so hot days when you look in the closet, the mirror, the pocketbook and wonder, "what do i do now?".

welcome to 'what to wear wednesdays' or 'w.w.w.'!

you and i will dish about events, problems, body types and circumstances that put you in a fashion brain fart {per say} and iron out all of those kinks. i will provide you with weekly suggestions pertaining to new topics, but all surrounding the fashion conundrums that you, my marvelous readers, face daily.

so, bring on the dish. email me at kaytidan{at}gmail{dot}com.

may day.

2010-05-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

today is the first of may and i had every intention of gallivanting around a may pole this afternoon, but of course it snows this morning. needless to say those plans were averted.

may pole dancing or not, i am still excited for may - all of these recent april showers are bound to bring may flowers and green grass which will in turn bring bike rides and picnics. besides that my birthday is in 27 days {not that i am counting} and i really love birthdays.

i havent bragged

2010-04-30T16:54:00.001-07:00

about my husband in a little while, so for those of you with weak stomachs, i do not suggest reading any further.

aaron has been a realtor for almost three years now and has worked extremely hard each and everyday, he has proved time and time again that he could be successful despite what the news portrayed about the real estate market and most importantly he has worked hard for each of his clients regardless of his compensation and has treated each of them with respect. during the highs and lows of the past three years aaron fought through and he has prevailed with his chest held high.

i am so proud of him - proud of him for never giving up, for taking heat from people who said that the market wouldnt be fruitful, for staying educated and current on all real estate information throughout the years, for tolerating people around him making money without working half as hard as him and for doing all of that with a smile on his face and knowing to take everything in stride.

as a couple we have been so blessed from him hard work, but as an individual i could not feel more gratitude or pride to call aaron my husband and best friend.

girl talk.

2010-04-30T16:49:00.000-07:00

this might be a little graphic, but i am just going to throw it out there - does anyone else have troubles finding and maintaining a bra that fits? that both holds up the girls, but stays in place (you lds women know what i mean)?

i am in need of some advice.

getting somewhere.

2010-04-13T21:45:00.000-07:00

finally.

i have finally lost some poundage. not in a "wow you look great" kinda way, but in a "the scale tells me so" kinda way. regardless i am really proud of myself. i have been working really, really hard and i know that i am the strongest i have ever been in my life. i am going to start posting my workouts and hopefully use the blogging world to find and provide encouragement for my struggle to look the way i really want to.

what do you guys do to make yourselves look the way you want?

a'muse'd

2010-04-13T21:25:00.000-07:00

forgive the title, i really couldnt think of anything better and it really does fit because last monday aaron and i went to see muse in concert.

aaron got off work a little early, we drove through JCW's for burgers and headed to the e center in salt lake. both of us had been anticipating the concert since we heard they were coming, but didnt commit to buying tickets until a few days before so we were very, very elated about our purchase. aaron had seen muse live a few times by himself and i had seen them once on a date with another guy so it was time for us to share the life changing experience {if you have ever seen them live you will know what i mean} together.

it was a really great night. the show was fabulous {duh} and the company was fabulous {double duh}, but all in all i just re-realized how fabulous it is to be married to my very own rock star.

above is one of my all time favorites and classics from muse. i dont know why i allow myself to forget how good they are, but they are all that has been motivating me at the gym recently. so very good.

i feel like -

2010-04-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

i just need a big bonk over the head. like one of those in the cartoons where after a big whack the words "pow" pop up and then little birds start flying around in a circle. ya, i need one of those. and not because i have a headache or because i need a headache, but because i just feel stuck in an attitude rut of sorts.

i lost touch

2010-04-06T20:11:00.000-07:00

with this blogging world. and i dont even feel bad about it. it is a good thing when "real life" things catch up with you and you forget to open up your laptop and just word vomit all over the world wide web.

on top of it all i have writers block. all i can think about right now is how crabby i am {ever have those days?}. even listening to the smiths isn't inspiring any witty, thoughtful or clever banter, so i will just curtsy and say 'adieu'. {oh, and post a current picture taken by the ever fabulous Meredith Carlson. man that woman is talented}

looking forward.

2010-03-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

staying at home and making my own schedule has made "hump day" aka wednesday, sort of irrelevant. however today has really made me look forward to the following things:

spin class tonite and another tough workout with lindsay
dessert with my cousin and her family this evening, who are visiting from out of town
meeting my new personal trainer on the morrow and figuring out why i have gained six pounds since this whole fiasco began
sunday. the only day that i have the husband to myself, sort of

what are YOU looking forward to?