To Pixie or not to Pixie?

I go through this every year, and I'm beginning to think I should just keep my pixie. So the question today: to pixie or not?












Neither of these photos are particularly good, but what do you think? I'm a little more hesitant this time around because my face isn't quite as gamine as it once was...

Bubbles and Prams

Hello, I'm Maia. Let me introduce myself.

I like really hot baths with bubbles in them. Disregard that "safety" rule of 2-3 inches of water in the tub. That simply won't do.





Also, I really like my pram. My crib is okay, but only for an hour or so at a time. The pram provides mom with up to four hours of working time.



I'm particularly interested in looking around. During this sacred time, I refuse food by forming a small "o" with my mouth and gazing upwards at anything that moves.



I am also proud to announce that I am the new owner of an additional pound. You know those commercials that always say "real women have curves?" Well, I definitely felt like less of a woman in the 5 lb. range, but at 6.5 lb, I can safely say I'm more legitimate.

That's all for tonight, as I want to scream bloody murder at mom for putting me down.

We have a baby!

During my last post, I had a cold; turned out I was pregnant. Maia Kirstine Strawn was born on April 12,2011 at 5:09 via emergency C-Section (at 34 weeks). She is currently in the Spokane NICU, and we hope to have her home soon!

I went through 30 hours of labor (yes, I felt it all), and she was delivered within an hour of arriving at the hospital. Here she is being prepped for the helicopter ride to the NICU.



Here she is, tanning under her UV light (for jaundice).










And here, all 5 lbs., 1.5 oz. of her is attempting to shield herself from the camera. Got a good neck-roll, no?







Not the birthing and parenting experience I wanted, but she's alive, breathing, and potentially coming home this weekend (the first estimate from the doctors!).

Everyone has been obscenely generous and kind, and we appreciate everything that has been done for us (and that which continues to be done).

Seriously?

We have MICE! How wretched! Matt heard a little scratching the other day, so we placed a couple of traps and....

caught 6!

Is it bad that I think these little guys -- are cute? I feel a little ashamed for killing them, but what else can I do?

So, we're out to find the source of these little buggers. Yech.

Homeowners, Missing Bunnies, and Picture overload

I never post. I know this. Forgive me.

But, you know, I thought I'd get back on the wagon while I'm stuck at home with the cold of the year.

Things I did within the last three months:
1) Finished 1 year of graduate school.

2) Bought a house










3) Bought a lop-eared bunny.

4) Lost the bunny.

5) Had my sister, Lela, visit!













6) Started reupholstering my ugly couch










7) Refinished this cool dresser!











I now deem the Strawns caught up. We'll be back.

Totally Awesome Lesson

It's rare that this happens, but I had a wonderful class today. Every student was present, we ate brownies, and learned ALL about evaluation. I want to record the incredible success my heart feels today, but I suppose a post will suffice.

Activity 1: Turn in your paper, get a brownie
Activity 2: Boggle (spelling and critical thinking--I'm not a slacker)
Activity 3: The four parts of evaluation--this was great because although I lectured a bit, there was so much input
Activity 4: How you evaluate; I gave each group a photo of a stereotypical person, and the group had to create a name, profession, etc.

I think my favorite part was the brownie bit. Everybody needs some cheering up sometime.

This Semester...

This semester...
1. I promise to NOT sit on my knitting needles


2. I will create something every month


3. I will be a more positive person

Bugles & Brownies

So, a couple of weeks ago Matt got food poisoning from Taco Bell. I like Taco Bell, but not when liking them requires going to WINCO at 3am or watching my husband vomit his innards into the toilet.

I buy peaches, Pepto Bismol, some more veggies, and some Kashi cereals. I fill the fridge and cupboards with fiber-rich, low-fat rabbit food. And a few snack foods.Yesterday, I return from school, expecting Matt to, you know, have eaten something.

"Oh, yea. I had the bag of Bugles this morning. And...uh...three brownies for lunch. I don't feel too good. Why do I feel sick?"

Um, because you ate (as my friend Katie would say) like a 14-year old boy on vacation.

Greetings. We're in Idaho.

When my mommy came to visit last year, she was astounded at the incredible SLOWNESS of everybody around her. She hustled her car up to the front of the line, drove agressively and defensively... just in case. I tried all weekend to impress upon her that Moscow is filled with slow-moving people, and just to get used to it. I hadn't yet come up with the perfect explanation, but I found this little tidbit on CNN this morning!

"There's this sense that we're so important that every single moment has to be filled; we can't even pull over or we're going to miss five minutes' driving time or 10 minutes' driving time. The pace is at this breakneck speed," said Condren[...] "The truth is nobody is that important or that in demand that they can't practice safety and good common-sense behaviors."

Exactly my thoughts. I dislike visiting L.A. for this reason: people think they have to get somewheres right away. Common-courtesy=Common-sense. Open doors for people. Let them in at the light. Smile like you might have something in common; because, chances are, you do!

Bad Analogies

Who doesn't need a good laugh? I shared this story with my neighbors yesterday, and thought you might want to roll around on the floor for a while, clutching your stomach.

In that discussion about children, the one that most couples have at some point, Matt voiced his concerns about being in the delivery room.

"Imagine if I were taking the biggest dump of my life, and it hurt, and you knew it was your fault. How would you feel?"

"Hm. No. Not the same at all."

Immediately I conjured images of Metamucil, Apples, and 8g Fiber Bread. Would that produce the equivelant pain of passing a human through something the size of a quarter? Perhaps not. Maybe if they were the size of cannonballs, as pictured above.

And yes, I am aware that this picture is really, really gross. It was my intention.