squeeee!!!

That's me being excited by the way. I know I'm slacking on my updates but I have good reason. I've worked so hard this month towards my goals and it's paid off. I am officially on target to earn my first FREE car with Mary Kay and am officially a Sales Director-in-Qualification..... Yay! I know most of you don't know what that means but it means I'm good! ;) Things are going to be a little crazy for the next couple months but I am more than ok with that because I know that means that I get to spend the next 18+ years at home with my baby and any future babies. I'll take all the help I can get so here are some ways my family, friends, and yes, even internet strangers can help:

1. First and foremost, pray for me!

2. Words of encouragement are always welcome.

3. If you're in the market for a new mascara, or cleanser, etc, think of me!

www.marykay.com/kristaperry

4. If you or someone you know is looking for a way to earn extra money, needs more flexibility, or a way to be home with their babies please let me know. I'd be happy to give them some information. Because of my big goals, if you refer someone to me who becomes an active consultant in Mary Kay, I'll give you $50 in free product as a thank you!

I included some of my favorite pictures of my sweet baby Farrah this week as a reminder that she is my "why." She's why I get up in the morning and start working before she wakes up, and why I keep going when I get discouraged. She has changed my life in ways she'll never understand.

Tummy Time = FAIL!

I'm pretty sure the point of tummy time is for babies to lift their heads and gain strength in their necks. My child apparently is already learning to cut corners. I hate to admit it but she takes after her mom. I put her down on her play mat for her tummy time and I look over and she's laying on her stomach, hand in her mouth, head turned to the side flat on the mat, watching TV. I watched her for about 2 minutes straight and never once did she turn her head. I couldn't believe she's trying to cheat the system at such a young age! She did it again the next day! I had to document both days with pictures for proof that if her neck is weak... hey I tried! Is it weird to say I'm almost a little proud that she's smart enough to realize that it's easier to do it how she wants so she does it her way instead of how she's "supposed to." Ok I've officially over-analyzed the situation so I will leave it at that.

Sorry for the space between posts. As the theme of the posts over the past couple months... busy! I'm so close to my work goal and I can't wait to drive Farrah around in that FREE Mary Kay car! Updates soon!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

... says Farrah! To my amazing hubbs, I love you so much!

I know now that we are parents, we kind of get pushed to the back burner, and our bday's really are nothing to write home about anymore, but I wanted to do something special for him so Farrah and I decided to do a photo session and I took these pictures, printed them in sepia tones and put them in a frame that has 4 slots to hang on the wall. We desperately need some good pictures of Farrah to hang on the wall. I couldn't contain myself after I made it so I gave it to him 2 days early. Those of you who know me, know I can't keep surprises.... oops! The 4 pics I put in this post were the ones that made the cut and maybe if I have time I'll put the other ones in a separate post.

And the winner for worst mommy moment of the day is....

ME! I feel so bad about this. I know it was an accident and luckily nothing bad happened but I still feel awful. I went to Target this morning and I put Farrah in her carseat inside of the cart. (not sitting on top of the child seat part, but down in the cart). They were doing some renovations at our Target and it was super hot in there. I noticed Farrah was acting funny, started to make faces and noises of discomfort and all of a sudden she turned beat red so I quickly undid her buckles and grabbed her out of her car seat, took off her little jacket and stared at her to make sure she was ok. I think she just got over heated. I carried her around for a while because I didn't want her to get too hot again but after a while it's hard to carry a wobbly baby and push a cart at the same time so I set her back down in her carseat. Didn't buckle her in just set her on top so she had some wiggle room and hopefully wouldn't overheat again. So I finish my shopping and we leave. I decide I need a Starbucks so we drive off to Starbucks which, luckily, was in the same parking lot. I get to the drive through line when I finally realize I never buckled Farrah into her carseat! She's just laying in there hanging out totally unrestrained which is kind of the point of the car seat. I jumped out of the car in the drive through line and ran over to her side and buckled her in. Obviously she was unaware as to what just transpired but I felt awful!
I've had several mommy moments up until this point but this takes the cake. I know most might say it's no big deal, but I could never live with myself if something had happened. I really need to get this mommy brain thing under control. No pictures for today... just had to confess my sins. Off to hold my baby tight!

What do you think?

... of my new do? I didn't want to spend any money but it had been so long since I got my hair done and it was driving me crazy! I hated the blah color and lack of style. I had made an appointment to get it done at 10am with a lady recommended by a friend. However it didn't occur to me that I'd have to bring my baby with me and 3 hours in a hair salon with a 3 month old probably wasn't the best idea. So I cancelled that appointment. But then I was resenting the fact that I couldn't do this one thing for myself so I called the local JC Penney hair salon because I figured I might be able to get a last minute appointment there more easily than at some of the other salons here. When Abe got home I handed Farrah to him and was out the door to get my hair done. I think I'm happy with it (anything's better than before.) Although next time I think I'll go back to my super blonde ways. I miss blonde me. Plus I think the highlights are a little too chunky for my taste but, again, much better than before.

I felt like a 16 year old taking these pictures of myself but no one was home to take them for me except Farrah and she was a little busy playing with her gloworm to help me out ;)

Ummm... I'm a little worried about my baby

I think we might have a future nudist on our hands. She loves having her diaper changed and she loves when we change her clothes and she loves her bath time. Common theme here is naked or partially naked. She's going to be one of those kids who rips their clothes off in inapropriate places such as the mall, or a restaurant. I can just see it now... having to apologize to the Applebee's patrons for my child stripping down while they're trying to enjoy a nice family dinner. Literally the moment I set her on her changing table and undo the first of the million buttons a onesie has, a huge smile creeps on her face and she starts making this happy gurgling noise. It's so cute and hilarious but it makes me wonder why she likes it so much... kind of a weird kid I have.

So I found a dog. (Sorry for the lack of transition to a new subject.) We already have our dog Jimmy Choo and 3 kitties Jodi, Dylan, and Marley.... and of course a kid. There is now way we can take on another dog right now but I just had to stop because it was running down the middle of the street. I pulled over and opened my door and she jumped right in. She's been in our back yard ever since hanging out with Jimmy Choo. I'm pretty sure she was just dumped by someone who doesn't want her which is so sad to me. There have been several dogs on our street alone that have been dumped and are just wandering around. Who would do something like that to a family pet? I put up signs and an ad on craigslist. Next I'm going to see if she has a microchip or if anyone has reported a dog like her missing to the pound. Then I have to go through the process of finding her a home if none of that works out. Wish me luck because there's no way we can keep another dog right now.

The pictures this post are a special dedication to my dear friend Carla. My bestie has up and moved to the middle of nowhere (shout out to Arkansas!) and these outfits were from her to Farrah so we had a photo session this morning. (With the exception of the Farrah outfit) The Farrah outfit was a gift from another friend who makes awesome customized kids clothes. Check her out at http://www.tinyteesbyiris.com/

Enjoy!

Getting to know us... if you really care

So I copied this from one of my fave blogs http://www.exploitsofamilitarymama.com/ who apparently copied it from someone else. Shout out! Thought it would be a fun way to pass my time while I listen to Farrah cry in her crib.... I've got 10 minutes... ready go!

1. What are your middle names?

My middle name is Nicole... no special meaning I think the parentals just liked how it sounded. Abe on the otherhand has a story behind his middle name. His name is Abraham Hagop. He's Armenian and Hagop is an Armenian name. His dad's name is Hagop Abraham, and his grandpa's name is Abraham Hagop... get how that works?

2. How long have you been together?

5 years. We started dating in Feb 05, got engaged Feb 07 and married Oct 08.

3. How long did you know each other before you started dating?

I'd say about a year. We met at work but were just friends, then I went to study abroad. When I came back, I went back to the same job and we started dating after that.

4. Who asked who out?

I'm not really sure anyone asked anyone out. It was more like dropping hints that we were interested in eachother and then one night we went out to dinner and we're like... "ummm... so we're dating right?" Really romantic I know!

5. How old are each of you?

I'm 25 and he's 24 (turning 25 March 18th) I'm a cougar I know!

6. Did you go to the same school?

College yes, High school no.

7. Are you from the same home town?

Not even close. He's an LA boy and I'm a Bay area girl. We were about a 6 hour drive apart.

8. Who is the smartest?

Although he'd argue differently, I'd say by a long shot he is. Don't get me wrong I have lots of strong points, but for God's sake he's a teacher and a tutor... I sure hope he's smarter than me! Exhibit A: We were watching some dumb reality show quite a while back. I think it was with Flavor Flav (not a great way to start this story.) And on his date he brought in a tiger and the trainer was having him and his date feed the tiger raw meat. So I thought a second and said to Abe, "wait, so tigers can eat raw meat?" I instantly knew I had said something really dumb. Like the tigers really take down their pray and then whip out a George Foreman to cook it up. Everyone has dumb moments like that (hopefully not that dumb) but I have yet to see Abe have one. I'll let you know when I do.

9. Who majored in what?

I majored in Comparative Literature with a Foreign Language emphasis (Spanish) and a Spanish minor. I'm starting to lose the Spanish so I really need to keep practicing. Abe majored in Black Studies. No, he's not black, so whenever he tells someone what his major was he often gets this confused look. But it's something I really admire about him. He started off a business major, thought that's what he "should" do, but wasn't really feeling it so after taking a couple black studies classes and loving them he switched. I hope our kids will be brave enough to do what they think is right instead of what they think everyone wants them to do.

10. Who is the most sensitive?

Definitely Abe. He writes poetry. He loves hip hop music (the real stuff, not the bitches and hoes kind.) He's always been known as "that really nice guy."

11. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?

After we graduated from UC Santa Barbara we took a 3 week trip to Europe. I'm really glad we did it before we settled down. Traveling together can be pretty stressful so I'm glad we got to see that side of each other ;)

12. Who has the worse temper?

Me for sure. I hate to say it because I'm sure most will want to barf but we've never had a real fight before. We've (and by we I mostly mean me) had some dissagreements but he never really gets mad. In a way it sometimes makes me more mad because I want him to get mad but he just can't seem to bring himself to that point. I can't complain I guess.

13. How many children do you want?

We said 4 originally but I'd be happy with 3.

14. Who does the cooking?

Both of us but usually Abe. I'm usually either working or taking care of Farrah when he gets home so he does that for me so I don't have to.

15. Who is more social?

I'm not really sure. Both of us are very content being homebodies. He can be kind of quiet when he first meets people, and he also doesn't drink so I think people can mistake him for a non social person but that's not really the case. He's a DJ on the weekends so I don't know too many non social DJ's

16. Who is the neat freak?

I'd say both of us and neither of us at the same time. Since having a baby, you kind of have to let some things go. But both of us get in these moods where we absolutely can't live with it anymore and have to go on a cleaning/organizing spree

17. Who is the most stubborn?

Me for sure. I come from a long line of stubborn women so it's kind of hard to avoid.

18. Who wakes up earlier?

Him because I try to sleep until Farrah wakes up around 7 because I know I'll need all the rest I can get for the day. He probably wakes up around 6:15.

19. Where was your first date?

It wasn't supposed to be a date because a coworker was supposed to go with us but she couldn't last minute so it was just the 2 of us. We went to Chili's and then to see the movie Coach Carter.

20. Who has the bigger family?

Probably him. He has one brother and a sister and a whole bunch of cousins. Some in Cali and some in Rhode Island. I just have one sister and quite a few cousins as well.

21. Do you get flowers often?

I used to. Not so much anymore. I honestly don't care though. We're trying to save money and I don't want to waste it on flowers. Honesly, bringing home frozen yogurt is more romantic to me than flowers ;)

22. How do you spend the holidays?

Since our families don't live close we can't do both in one day. We just kind of switch off. We don't keep tabs and our families are so great they understand.

23. Who is more jealous?

I'm not sure. I'm normally a jealous person but he has never given me a reason to be remotely jealous so I haven't been jealous in a long time. We have an ongoing joke that he's jealous of Channing Tatum because I once told him I had a dream Channing Tatum was trying to seduce me and he now despises him. So now I'm kind of thinking he's the jealous one.

24. How long did it take to get serious?

Really fast. We said I love you about a month in. Neither one of us had ever been in a relationship before so I'm sure a lot of people thought it was a first love thing that wouldn't last but obviously they were wrong ;)

25. Who eats more?

Hmmm... we love to eat so I'd say it's a tie.

26. What do you do for a living?

He is currently substitute teaching until he can find a full time teaching position. He also tutors and DJs on the side. I'm a full time mommy and I also work teaching skin care and color cosmetics with Mary Kay and leading a team of women who do the same. Right now my focus is earning our first free car.

27. Who does the laundry?

Both of us. Whoever has a free moment to do it does it because you don't know when you'll get a free moment again.

28. Who's better with the computer?

Navigating the internet? me. Troubleshooting? him.

29. Who drives when you are together?

Usually him. I have to be in the front, though, otherwise I get sick.

30. What is your song?

Our first dance song was Donny Hathaway's "She is my lady." Also, "She's everything" by Brad Paisley.

That's all folks. That took me much longer than 10 mintues but Farrah finally fell asleep about 4 minutes in. So don't worry I wasn't letting her cry that long. Thanks for caring enough to read!

My little monkey is 3 months!

Although she's not looking like such a hairy little monkey anymore. I'm not sure if you can tell by the pics but she's losing a lot of hair, especially in the front, and it's growing back much lighter. It's almost got a redish tint to it in the light.

I finally broke down and bought the girly # stickers for her onesies. I couldn't stand the thought of her looking like a boy for another set of monthly birthday pictures. Of course the month 3 one looks a little boyish to me but the rest of them seem to be super girly.

As I was taking these pictures I couldn't believe the difference in her in the past month. I'm not sure how well you can tell comparing her 2 month and her one month pictures but, to me, the difference was more apparent in how sturdy she was. I set her up in the same spot as I did last time (in the rocking chair). Last time I would have to hold her and then quickly move my hand before I took the picture as she started to slide down to one side. This time I sat her up and she stayed there all by herself and held herself up so well (leaning against the back of the chair of course.) She didn't slide all over, I didn't have to hold her up at all. What I did have to do in order to get a good picture was take her hand out of her mouth a few times though. That kid is so fascinated by her hands. They're always in her mouth and when she first started doing it I thought it was because she was hungry but now I realize it has nothing to do with hunger. They are some pretty cute hands and I want to eat them up too sometimes so I don't blame her.

She is absolutely the light of my life and her smiling face makes me so happy. I feel so blessed that I get to spend as much time with her as I do.

I present to you pictures of the 2 month old Farrah Lynn vs. the 3 month old Farrah Lynn. I'd love to hear if you can see some differences!

Holy balding!

My daughter, who is known for her lucious locks, is unfortunately balding. I know it's normal for babies to lose their hair but I was hoping hers would stay. She now has weird patches and bald spots, but might I say, she rocks it. In other news, for the past 3 months she was being patient and taking both the boob and the bottle (sorry for the lack of eloquence). Now, the bottle is her best friend and the boob is no longer an option. This means mommy has to pump even more... not my fave. It's bad enough having a low milk supply, but then to know that I don't even get to have that bonding time with her while I am giving her the breast milk is a low blow. At least she's 3 months old and not 3 days old while we're having this issue. She got a solid 3 months of nursing and supplementing. Now I'll have to settle for bonding with a bottle and being forever strapped to a breast pump.

Sleep training is going ok. Putting her down to bed for the night is much easier than her naps using the previously explained method so for her daytime naps I've been putting her in her swing when she's already a bit sleepy after a feeding. This is a big step from putting her in her swing with a bottle in her mouth until she falls asleep so I'm happy with where we're at. It's working for us.

On a side note, as many of you know, one of Abe's many jobs is a DJ, and this weekend he brought his system home from the DJ studio to practice a bit. This explains the picture of Farrah in her Baby Bjorn (side note: she decided she now likes the Baby Bjorn as long as she's facing outward and can look around) learning the ropes from her daddy. Please know that although the headphones are on her head, no music is playing through them so save your nasty comments about possible future hearing damage.... I know... we're not that dumb.

And the swimsuit is a result of a January trip to The Children's Place. I know it was January but when I saw this swimsuit and pictured Farrah with all of her cute rolls hanging out, I had to buy it. It's much funner to go swimsuit shopping for her than it is for me that's for sure.

Sorry to keep it short and sweet but as I've mentioned before I'll be busy working for the next few months. I need to earn that free Mary Kay car like no other so I apologize for the gaps between posts. However tomorrow Farrah turns 3 months! Expect 3 month pictures very soon.