Family Vacation to Oregon Part II

For the second part of our trip we head to the coast where my mom lives in Newport, Oregon. We ate lots and lots of good food, including fresh sushi, oysters, clams and berry cobbler. (I think I gained 10 pounds on this week long trip.) We sat in the hot tub, looked at out at the ocean and went to this little community seafest deal the city does. Roger took his test and interview for his possible job at the jail (waiting on word from that now) and looked at some houses in the hope we are moving up there soon. The weather was great, around 68 degrees during the day, I even had to wear a jacket, which was a nice change from the over 100 degree weather we've been having here in Vegas. It was a nice trip, and now we wait for a job offer for Roger.

2008 Family Vacation to Oregon Part I

Finally, it's that time again... vacation time!!! Thank goodness, because this year we really needed a nice break out of the heat, this town, and from work. Well, part I our 1 week trip started at Roger's aunt and uncles farm in Rogue River (which is in southern Oregon). We hung out there a few days, sat and relaxed in lawn chairs and took walks around visiting the neighborly animals. Roger's family has a 12 acre piece of land almost about a mile from Rogue River and it is very pretty. We love visiting there because it is so relaxing and peaceful and its just a slower way of life down there. You can just sit in a chair in the yard in the evening, stare out at the beautiful view, and picture what country livin' is like....... Clover enjoyed the animals and playing in the grass (which she hardly ever sees in vegas).

Father's Day Present

Me and Clover made our Father's Day gift this year. I thought that since it was Roger's first father's day that I should get something that he could keep and remember. We went to a pottery store where you pick an item and paint it yourself. I picked a plate, which I thought we could put on a stand or hang on the wall and enjoy. I picked my colors and tried my best to paint this thing while holding Clover and telling her that she had to help mommy make a present for daddy. At first I wanted her hand print, we tried twice to paint her little hand and push it down on the plate but she wouldn't keep her hand flat and it just turned out to be a blob so plan B was to do a footprint. (My kid has huge feet by the way) So i got her foot painted with ease and then I wrote out our little saying, and yes, even though it looks like a child wrote on this plate, it was really me. Hey, its hard to write in paint ok. I am not Martha freakin Stuart. So here are the results. I think this kind of thing is a good idea for birthdays, fathers, mothers day etc. for kids to do because its something they can make and it lasts for years to come.

Clover Updates...

Let's see, I have to update everyone on Clover's accomplishments to date. Her newest thing that she just figured out how to do this week is to wave. I've been trying to get her to do it for awhile but she finally got the skills to do it. It is really cute. She likes to do it at random now, but we're still working on waving bye bye to daddy when he leaves for work. Clover also reaches out for you to hold her, she's done that for awhile. She sticks out her arms like she's pointing at things but her little grunts don't really give me any clues to what she wants. Oh, she has also figured out how to shake her head no at you. (Gotta love that one). She has figured out that there are buttons on the x-box and if you push them lights flash and things open. Clover has just discovered music and has started bouncing and bobbing to songs and her toys. It is quite funny. I have started putting on XM Kids and XM Disney on the radio while we play. The most exciting one for me is that she is starting to stand on her own more and more and for longer periods of time before she plops down on her butt. I hope next she will work on moving those little feet one in front of the other and taking some steps. (Yeah, I know she's a bit young to be walking but a mom's gotta have a dream right). Something wonderful that I have recently discovered are those little gerber puffs. She LOVES those things. They are like crack for babies. Sometimes I bribe her with those things if I just want her to chill out for a few minutes and just sit and entertain herself for a bit. Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes! Since I got laid off we have been going out in the morning as a family for some exercise. Roger runs and I rollerblade while I push the stroller around the block. We are going to become the "fit family". I am getting some good running shoes so I can start getting back in shape like I was before I got pregnant. Me and Clover also go out in the evening by ourselves while Roger is at work and take a nice leisurely walk around the neighborhood before bedtime.

Stay At Home Mommy

well, it's official i guess. I am now a stay at home mommy. i got laid off from my job today. It's not really that big of a shock. They have been kinda talking about it for a few months now but it was a little bit of a surprise today that they said hey, guess what... Well, it's kind of bitter sweet because I liked my job and I've been there for over 2 years now. I have had a lot of fun and have grown a lot in those 2 years. I am going to miss my friends there but now I get to do my real job of being a full time mom. Taking Clover to the babysitter has been getting to me lately because she has started to want to go to the babysitter and not me sometimes. That killed me and I started thinking about how much time the babysitter gets with her in the day and how much I get and it made me a little depressed. Who wants someone else raising their kids ya know. So getting laid off wasn't all that bad. I get to be home with my baby and actually see my husband other than a hello when he crawls into bed at 11pm and goodbye when I leave in the morning for work. I guess unemployment is going to have to do the trick for awhile until we figure out a plan. We are really really hoping Roger gets this sheriffs department job in Oregon. Does this ever happen to anybody else that just when you think things are going smoothly and you're getting ahead something comes and knocks you back a step and says hey, don't get too comfy. Here's another hurdle to overcome. That seems to be our life. Things never seem to run smoothly for very long before another trial comes our way. Well, I was going to hire a maid to help me keep up with the cleaning but now, dangit looks like I'm the new maid. Well, I guess if I've learned anything in life so far it's that you just gotta roll with the punches and have faith that everything is going to work out for the best.

Wobbly Wanna Be Walker

Clover got a new toy today. It is one of those walker toys that helps them take their first steps. She is obsessed with standing up and hanging on everything so hopefully this will help her to figure out how to put one foot in front of the other and start walking. I think she is going to walk early because she is very coordinated, and very daring. She is not afraid to hold on to anything and she is starting to let go a little bit too. She has been able to stand up all by herself with no help for a few seconds a couple of times. She just has to get the stepping thing down.

Pull-Ups

She is now not only crawling, she is pulling her
self up onto everything.... She is getting into everything she can high and low and always wants to stand up like a big girl. She gets so proud of herself when she pulls herself up, and laughs and smiles, but she hasn't mastered getting down without plopping down hard on her butt yet. Gotta love these little munchkins......

What's New....

Well, lets see... what is new in the world of the Campbell Family... Clover is doing great. She is crawling around fabulously. She is also pulling herself up on everything too, which makes for some bumps and bruises and spills and scary times for mom. I guess if she's going to learn to walk she's gotta do it so I always encourage her and tell her good job. She has had her two bottom teeth in for a few months now but the top two front teeth are breaking through and those are making her a bit fussy at times. I am working on getting that child to sleep in her crib ALL night long. It's a process I tell myself... Work is going slow, they might lay off people soon, but I actually wouldn't mind because then I could be home with Clover more. Roger is working like a dog at the prison. He is working lots of overtime, which is nice in the wallet but we don't get to see him as much as I'd like to. We have decided we really want to move back to Oregon and Roger has applied for a position with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department in Newport. We will keep our fingers crossed that something comes out of that. Oh, I got my hair cut short, and I went blonder for the summer. I really like it. It's pretty easy and not in the way and Clover doesn't pull it as much anymore. I guess it's the mom's right of passage to cut her hair after kids huh? Well, that seems like all I can think of for now, I will keep everyone updated as things happen. (We're really not very exciting)

Creepy Crawler

Clover has done it. After many weeks of scooting, hopping, and wiggling she has finally learned to crawl. Well, sort of... She can get around now, which I wanted so bad for her but now I'm rethinking that wish because the minute she figured it out she was going for dog toys, dog bowls, electric sockets and computer cords! Yeah, the fun has begun. But, she hasn't quite got her technique down so good because she kind of pulls one leg and drags the other. It's actually quite funny. She has also decided that since she can crawl that she doesn't want to waste any time and is also trying to pull herself up now too (which kinda scares me because I just picture her face planting on something and busting up those 2 little budding teeth out of her mouth). Well, just when I get used to one of her stages, she goes onto another one.

Splish Splash!

Clover went swimming for the first time this past weekend. We went to our friend Sandra's house and hit the pool. She did absolutely great and didn't have any problems with it at all. We splashed around, and got to borrow this little floater from our friend Sara's 18 month old daughter Ava. I even put Clover under the water for a split second to see how she'd react. She just batted her eyes and looked at me like, what did you do to me mom. She is almost 8 months now and has really come alive with personality and curiosity and nothing seems to really faze her.

Sleeping Beauties

These are what our lazy Sunday's consist of. Pretty exciting huh? Clover has decided that she doesn't like to be put down for naps so sometimes giving in and holding her for her nap is just easier. We are such suckers!

Happy Easter!

I have once again tortured my daughter by dressing her up and making her pose for pictures. I just can't help it though because she is too cute. I found these bunny ears at Target for $1 so I couldn't resist. I think Easter is one of my favorite holidays because it's springtime, you get a fun basket and you get to hunt for eggs. Next year will be much more fun when she can enjoy the festivities a little better. But for now I will just enjoy each holiday by making her my little dancing monkey. As you can see in one of the pictures I even wore her out from my ridiculousness.

I'm A Big Kid Now!

Clover is learning how to put weight on her legs and hold herself up, with a little help of coarse. She is trying to get the crawling thing down, she will get up and kind of rock back and forth but then just falls on her face. She will get it soon and will be a terror any month now. In these pictures I'm trying to get her to hold onto something and hold herself up. It works for a second, but then she inevitably ends up toppling over. I think she might be in the beginning stages of teething because she is really adamantly chewing on things. She is having a good time at her babysitters and loves to sit and try to play with the other kids. She is getting so big, we go to the doc for her 6 month check-up this month. She is about 21 pounds right now and is a happy healthy chubby baby.

Mmmm Good!

Clover ate food for the first time this week. My little girl is growing up! She has been curious and wanting to try what we have been eating for awhile now, and I've been letting her taste some of the foods that we eat but I didn't want to start her on anything too early. I finally decided at 6 months it was time to start letting her try some "real" food, if you call whole grain rice cereal real food. She took to it right away and seemed to love it. She gobbled the whole amount down with no trouble. She hasn't quite gotten the swallowing thing done yet, but she's getting there. I can't wait to try other foods to watch her face as she explores her new world of big people food!

Goofin' Around On Valentine's Day!

Clover's babysitter made her a fun little bag of treats and presents for Valentine's Day. One of them was this pink elephant. I was trying to get Clover to hold the elephant while I took a picture of her, but she wasn't exactly cooperating so I just ended up putting it on her head. Another one of her gifts was this little cylinder that when you shake it, it makes a weird noise. I started to shake it in front of her and it scared her, but then she started laughing hysterically at it.