Today, I Enjoyed The Little Things Most.

(This post is for Tuesday. It's early Wednesday now.)

As I read more blogs I realize two things. One, I will never have the time to do the fabulous things that some of these women do with their blogs. I mean, there are true blog celebrities out there, like my friend Jen. Others even make businesses out of them and make a nice living doing it. How fun and creative! The second thing I realize is that we've been using this blog to just post about "big" things...milestones and such. So, I'm trying to move away from that...I want to use this not only to share our family, with you, but also as a memento, a virtual keepsake, if you will, with all the little things that make me smile now, as well as the big things. You may even hear my 2 cents now and then. I was never much of a diary-keeper, but this is kinda fun!

Matt is away tonight for the Dave Matthews Band concert at Pine Knob (okay, DTE theatre or whatever they call it now...for the past 10 years or so). Paige an I gave him a ticket to go with our friend/Paige's godfather, Darby, for Father's Day. It's funny not going, as we've always gone together almost every year (we blogged about it about a year ago), but I don't mind missing. He's getting some well-deserved guy time. It was evident that guy time was in order when Matt had a fit in a store where there was an entire section of funny greeting cards dedicated to "The Motherhood".

Paige was uber-bubbly today. The neighbor lady came by, and she gabbed her ear off, making every noise she's learned so far. I had to try hard not to laugh while said neighbor lady was rattling off her health issues to me as Paige started spinning in circles by sitting on her bottom and planting her heels into the floor, babbling the whole time. I wish I could have got it on camera. Then there were diaper changes, where she not only played peekaboo (she covers one eye with one hand, and her cheek with the other, so she can keep an eye on you...we used to think she had a headache when she started this), but she nearly said it! I heard a singsong "ee-ah-rhoeh" or something like that.

Later we went to Meijer and she flashed smiles at every old lady we passed, charmed a Japanese man who didn't even speak English (he spoke to her, and she replied every time and clapped for him), and sent multiple raspberries to our cashier...right after eating a Goldfish cracker, so cheesy spit went a-flyin'. After eating dinner, we went for a walk to the elementary school, with Paige singing the entire way. One short trip on the swings, then we headed back...much quieter, as she finally dozed off.

And here I am, blogging when I should be sleeping...morning will come before I know it!

Trying To Be A Good...

Student. Mommy. Wife. Friend. Nurse. Christian. Person. So many things I'm trying to juggle right now, and trying to be better than just good. I have to say this really quick, because Matt has taken Paige out of the house for the entire day so I can both do my homework and sleep before I go to work tonight...There are SO many other enjoyable things (and some not-so-enjoyable) that I would rather be doing right now!

Which reminds me, I never posted on here about my going back to school. I'm going back to MSU part-time for my Master's in the Nurse Practioner program. Okay, back to the grindstone and away from the blogosphere.

Rock Band?

Paige loves music. No, Paige REALLY LOVES music. Many people noticed when she was as young as 3 or 4 months that she would stop and listen when music would start playing, which progressed to dancing (bouncing) when music played, and stopping when the music stopped. If this is normal for an infant, keep quiet and let me bask in my ignorance.

Paige's new favorite is Matt's guitar. If those chubby fingers get growing (right now they look like her Aunt Susie's fingers, which at age 21 are still too short to reach all of the buttons for Guitar Hero), I'm sure he will be teaching her in no time. But for now, there's Kindermusik toys, and hopefully Kindermusik classes, if we can get enough interest at church for some lower-cost sessions. Seems she's figured out what to do with the egg, and has a rockstar face in the works as well...

I know, I'm doing the silly laugh again in the background. I can't help it!

The Catch "U.P". Edition

I've made a mid-year's resolution: to blog more...at least once a week! I know I know, you've heard it all before, but I really do enjoy updating the blog, and sharing Paige's progress. And what progress she's made!

We'll start waaay back on June 14-16, when Paige and I (Nicki) went with Aunt Susie and Grandma Buning to the U.P. to visit our dear friend Mary Ellen, in Houghton! That's right, 10-hour road trip with baby! We drove straight through Sunday, made great time, and met up with Mary Ellen. Then she took us up to Copper Harbor, where we drove to the top of Brockway Mountain, then ate lunch in Eagle Harbor, and finally went to a most "heavenly" bakery...Jampot, a shop run by monks who live right up there on Lake Superior! If you're ever anywhere near it, it's worth the stop! The weather couldn't have been better, and having Paige and Mary Ellen meet was wonderful. We're already looking forward to the next meeting! On the way back, we caught Pictured Rocks, Horseshoe Falls (bit of tourist trap, but fun), some cool antique shops in Blaney Park, and of course, Mighty Mack and fudge! Yep, the she-trolls had a grand time in God's Country. Paige even cut her first two teeth during the trip, and was a great sport the whole time!


Matt's first Father's Day was a great day for all three of us, as Matt had been gone for the previous week on a mission trip with church to Red Bird, Kentucky! After church that morning, we checked out the Fulton Street Artist's Market (the Farmer's Market is all artists on Sundays...check it out!), had a delicious brunch at The Landing, and a nice family nap!

On to Independence Day! We celebrated Paige's 1st 4th at Sandy Pines, where Paige loved riding around on the golf cart (even fell asleep a few times!) and rounded out the day at the Whitecaps baseball game. The local ALS Association had a big turnout of families to recognize people living with ALS as well as those who had passed on. Grandpa Johnson's picture was up on the Jumbotron, too. It was really special to remember him in that way. And, of course, the game ended with fireworks! Paige didn't seem to mind them; I covered her ears, and she sort of stared and pointed, and clapped her hands a few times.

Paige also declared her own independence by starting to crawl on July 2nd! She's already walking along furniture and trying to stand up mid-crawl! We've finally had to baby-proof, and find new things to move/hide every day!

Well, that's the paraphrased edition of June/July. If I just stick to my resolution, it won't happen again!