Kelsey: Scary Baby

Aunt Kitty this one is for you!

A while ago I posted a blog and my relatives started commenting on it about how when I was a baby I had a ton of hair and I was cute and stuff. So I had to dig up some pictures to show what  actually looked like as a baby (any excuse to post an ugly baby picture!) I was like an evil cabbage patch doll come to life.

So I tend to do this thing with my eyes where I kind of open them too wide and look possessed or like I might be trying to move something with my mind.

I get it from my dad.

Crazy eyes. 

Lets just say it was not an adorable quality on a baby.

Semi cute with eyes shut.

This is where it starts to go wrong...

This is what I looked like right after I burst out of my mothers stomach Alien style.

It is still not ok when it is smiling.

I don't know why but this is my favorite. I think its the stache.

So while looking at scary baby pictures I was distracted by this gem of my mother pulling me around the front yard in a pampers box. White trash style.


But then there are these adorable photos which basically look like they came out of the 1950's except for the haircuts.

My mom with her mom at the Jersey Shore.

My mom and her dad. Pretty standard for them. How cute is my mom!

Sarah: How is Uganda?

Uganda is awesome. The weather is perfect (everyday), the people are lovely, the traffic is crazy, the food is delicious, and my family is better than I ever could have imagined. Here are some things I love about Uganda:

-People are friendly and polite. When you trip over your own feet, they say sorry.

-The weather is unbelievably gorgeous every. single. day. You have not experienced good weather until you come to Uganda.

-The food is to die for. I love me some chipati, pilau, and fresh fresh fresh pineapple. Yum.

-The last time I was in Africa, I felt like such an outsider looking in on African life. Now I feel like I am one - because I'm married to one.

-Everything is so green and lush. Even in the city. Prettiness all around me.

-Seeing Kelsey again has sucked. I don't know why we were ever friends. JUST KIDDING! I love that girl and the fact that I get to spend time with her in addition to my family and husband is a huge bonus.

-Speaking of my family - they are awesome. Yesterday Kels and I taught Grace (Frank's youngest sister) how to make pizza and it was such a great day. I have loved spending time with them and getting to know them : )

Because Frank's family was unable to attend our wedding, Frank and I decided to do a reception here in Uganda. His sisters planned the entire thing and it was so great. We had a thanksgiving service at the church with worship, a sermon (which was awesome), and prayers. Then we invited people to the reception at a Chinese restaurant. I could go on and on about the reception, but I'm just going to sum it up with this little nugget of gold: My womb was blessed by an auntie. She really wants twins.

I'm going to get on that right away.

Sarah was MIA

I'm sorry that I've been MIA for the past couple days. It was for a good cause, I promise. I drove home to Ohio on Sunday to await the birth of my little niece/nephew. I officially became an aunt to a little girl (!!!!) on Tuesday! Her name is

Luisa Irene Lamb

Normally, I think new borns aren't really that cute (as in they're ugly) because they're all wrinkly and I can't really distinguish any of their facial features because they're all scrunched up. And I also hate when people say "Oh, she looks just like (insert parent's name here)..." Really? You can tell that this squishy, scrunchy, day old baby looks exactly like so-and-so? When I have kids, please don't tell me who the baby looks like until it's at least a month old. Thanks.

Anyways, Luisa the prettiest new born I've ever laid on. Take a look for yourself:

Imma proud auntie : )

baby Lu!

happy!

My sister and brother-in-law asked me to be in the delivery room to take pictures while the baby was being born. It was such an honor for me to be a witness of Luisa's birth. This was the first time I have seen a baby be born (in real life...not videos) and I loved every minute of it. It was such an amazing day and when little Luisa came out, I cried. Seriously. 

I want a baby.

The Friendliest State

Do you know where I have been? I've been in the friendliest state in the country! O-HI-O! Get it?? I was visiting friends and family in Norwalk (my hometown) for a while. Until I just went back to Norwalk, I hadn't been home since Francis and I got married, and I was getting a little homesick. Frank decided to stay home so that he wouldn't miss out on work, so I went back to Ohio by myself. It was a lovely mini vacation, of four days, with time spent with my family and friends.

I went to Lakeside (where my husband and I got married) and spent the afternoon with my sister and aunt walking around, reliving old memories while dreaming of perhaps taking my future family there for family vacations.

Ceramic Mushrooms for sale

Half Blue Rasberry, Half lime Manhattan ices

The pier

I, of course, spent lots of time with the Clayton Dwyer Walter. We partook in our traditional lunch date at Peking House--only the best sesame chicken in America. Seriously. Clayton and I always get the exact same thing every time we go to Peking. We split the dinner portion of the sesame chicken with white rice. Clayton and I haven't been to Peking in a year, but the owner remembered us and our order. So sweet.

At Peking!

One of the highlights of my trip was Thursday, when Clayton took me with him down to Columbus to spend the evening with his home church. I spent the evening praying, worshipping, learning, and having fun with a big group of Christians. It was exactly the kind of thing I needed. It was intensely refreshing for me to be around a community of authentic, loving people who were so welcoming and open. I wish I had that  kind of community here in Elgin. That night, I saw a bunch of my good friends from high school (Lizzie, Ben, Madeline, Alaina, Emily, William) and I met some super awesome new people as well. I laughed, I joked, I cried, I sang. It was seriously SO good. Clayton, thank you for taking me.

I also had lunch with Kimberly, went swimming at Madeline's, had dinner with Madeline and her parents, watched Harry Potter with my mom, saw Larry Crowne, and had Toft's ice cream (the best ice cream in the US).

One of the main reasons for going to Ohio was so that I could take some pictures of my pregnant sister and her husband before she has the baby next month. Here is just a little appetizer of some of the pictures I took of them:

I'm trying to build up my photography portfolio, so if you know anyone who needs family/senior/maternity/wedding/engagement/anything-at-all pictures taken, let me know. I'm your woman.

The only way this weekend could have been any better was if my husband was there. And even though it was so good to get back to my Norwalkian roots, it feels even better to back at my real home, with my husband, in Elgin.

-Sar

Yes, Please!

My sister's baby shower was on Sunday and boy, am I glad it's over. That sounds really bad, but you might not know that I hate Hate HATE planning, coordinating, and orchestrating events (granted, I haven't had that much experience planning events, but still). For my sister's shower, I baked and cooked for three whole days, I made that cute bunting, and I worried about what games to play, if people would show up, etc. But the shower was great! My sister really enjoyed it, the games were tasteful, and I made way too much food.


Yesterday, I started training at Gap. Yeah, that's right, I finally got a job. I watched some training videos, filled out some paperwork, and bought some clothes. My first day I bought new clothes. But you would have gotten some new clothes, too! There was a final 50% off already on Sale items. And I get an additional 10% off sales items...so, that's 60% off sale items. $20 shirt for $4? Yes, please!

-Sar

p.s. Kels, to answer your question, I chose glasses #4. I just need to order them.

Stop peeing on me

This child will not stop peeing on me. Its becoming a problem.

Baby Alisha

People in Uganda  generally believe that diapers are not good for a baby. Plus disposable diapers are crazy expensive and wasteful so almost no one uses them. Baby pee is treated like something other than urine. If you get baby pee on you it is no big deal. You just wait and let it dry. If anyone here got adult pee on them they would immediately wash themselves and their clothes. But baby pee is like water for some reason.

Getting her third bath of the day

I first discovered this through my friend Amanda. She came to school one day and reported that when the babies peed on the couch or on the floor it was just left to evaporate. This was/is confusing because Ugandans are like the cleanest people on the entire earth. People take at least two baths a day and the floors are all mopped 2 or 3 times per day. I mean in America I mopped my floor twice all year. And I generally shower like every 2 or 3 days. Anyway baby pee. Its hard to get used to. The first time a baby peed on me I was in the mountains and I immediately handed the baby back and changed my clothes. People stared at me like I was crazy.

This is evil laughter. She is thinking about how many times she peed on me today.

Yeah you better run!

Maybe I should start taking more than 2 baths a week...

- Kels

How to make a baby like you. Kelsey's guaranteed method.

Step One: Do not be offended. Try not to take it personally when baby screams at the sight of your face. Put yourself in baby's shoes. To her white people look like ghosts.

Step Two: Try all normal methods of baby bonding. Tickle. Hug. Kiss. Give bottle.

If step two fails then proceed to step three

Step Three: Lick finger and dip in sugar. Put finger in baby's mouth.

Step Four: repeat step three often.

Guaranteed baby likeage in 48 hours. (Not recommended for American babies on account of nervous American parents)

 

Baby Alisha, no longer cries at the sight of me. 

 - Kels