Thoughts from Paige:

Dear reader,

My name is Paige. I'm only 4 months old but already I am assessing the situation of my life and coming to the conclusion that certain changes need to be enacted. Primarily, my mom tends to be a flibbertigibbet space-cadet who forgets to document the significant events of my life (and I have had many.) Therefore I must take matters into my own hands - which I have recently discovered taste sooo good - and summarize a few things which have occurred over the last 4 months.

1st: A week after I as born my Grandma Nordstrom came to visit.

She took care of both mommy and me. At night she'd cuddle and snuggle me until I stopped fussing and fell asleep, and then would take me to mommy when I was hungry.

This taught me my very first

lesson of life: love. I am loved. It also quickly instilled the concept of day versus night. It was good for mommy to have her mommy's company all day long; they went out to eat, some shopping, and in my opinion, overdid it just a bit. Either way, I know mommy was so grateful to have Grandma with her.

2nd: About a month after she left, my Grammy Thuet came. Mommy was in so much pain and struggling with the doctor's news that there was nothing they could do but let all the internal tearing heal on its own "it can take a few months." Plus they told her I needed to eat more frequently because I was too skinny...whatever. I look great. Anyway, she was pretty desperate, but luckily Grammy was able to come out for a weekend and what a relief it was to mommy!

3rd: Next came my first Halloween, but mommy did post that one, amazingly enough.

4th: I was anxious to meet Papa

Nordstrom,

so out to Washington mommy and I flew. This was such a relaxing trip, especially to mommy. She hardly wanted to leave the house; just stay in the cozy home and hang out with her parents. I was introduced to Liverpool Rummy, Rancho Viejo, and wild animals that fly into the house. I

also met some of mommy's high school friends: Lexi and Ryan. But mommy told you about this trip, so lets move on.

5th: 2 weeks later I had my first road trip. An eleven hour

drive to Chatanooga, TN

to see aunt Natalie, uncle Shane,

and cousin Collin and Lydia. Mommy posted a couple of photos/videos from this, but she left out how aunt Natalie babysat

me while my parents went on a date to see some movie called New Moon, followed by a visit to the cupcake bakery.

Natalie brought

mommy breakfast in bed, and uncle Shane made his famous pancake designs. And then we drove to the home of Natalie's friend

and had Thanksgiving dinner! We were sad to go home.

6th: Lastly, I met Santa!! I want to be just like him

when I grow up! Fat and red? Well, maybe I'll just stick to looking like one of his elves.

7th: We're

going to Vegas for Christmas! So much to look

forward to!

I'll keep you updated even if mommy is slightly scatter-brained.

- Paige Thuet

Cooking Spree and Dinner Party Flop

For the last 2 weeks I feel my life has regained a small semblance of sanity and structure; it almost feels like we have a schedule - almost. Nevertheless, I took advantage of the respite to attend a few of my slightly neglected responsibilities, for instance, feeding my family. Well, Paige gets her meals, but I mean Dave and me.

Tuesday I awoke feeling refreshed from a baby sleeping from 10pm to 5am! (Yeah, hasn't happened since.) So I awoke and made scrambled eggs and the Barefoot Contessa's sour cream banana pancakes. Dave, Paige, and I all had breakfast in bed.

next came a triple batch of homemade granola, and then I experimented with cream cheese fettucini alfredo with citrus steamed vegetables and pecan parmesen chicken. Mmmm.

Wednesday I made a dish I loved, but Dave chose to take parmesan chicken for leftover lunch instead. It was a teriyaki rice bowl with sesame seed oil dressing.

Thursday I again consulted the Contessa and used her chicken stew recipe to make the best chicken pot pie I've EVER tasted! Wow.

Friday morning I spent the day in the kitchen. Because I left my sling in Tennessee I had to improvise (thus the photo with Paige in my apron.) Then when I didn't want to be holding Paige I put her in the bedroom and rigged up a floor fan to blow the ceiling fan just enough to keep Paige's attention without being too fast. I dangled something for her to look at as well. (Please ignore the bare walls and unmade bed.)

That morning we enjoyed the granola and ate fresh fudgy banana muffins (Hershey chocolate in the center.) Then I spent the rest of the day preparing for a few dinner guests in honor of a hopeful dental student staying with us while he interviewed. I made bacon spanish rice, garlic black beans, coca-cola pork, and a green tomatillo/ranch dressing. Kind of Cafe Rio style. For dessert we simply had homemade hot chocolate and cinnamon pecan twist bread.

Sound impressive? Allow me to tell you what a flop the whole thing was! First, I made the pecan bread dough early thing in the morning to give it plenty of time and get it out of the way. Unfortunately, I let the "warm" oven get a little too warm and instead of simply rising the whole outside of the dough baked. I had to scrape it off and use only the gooey half in the middle. Then I kept it in the oven until it was time to bake. What I didn't realize was with all the stove stop cooking the oven would still get hot enough to melt the brown sugar inside the bread and so when it finally baked it was flat with a puddle of brown (sugar) oozing out of it. Luckily it still tasted good.

Next, the black beans were kept hot in a crock pot after baking on the stove - they turned into mush looking like black refried beans.

The rice: I didn't notice the recipe said "Serves 40 people." Need I say more.

Hot chocolate: I love dark bitter chocolate and so it didn't occur to me that perhaps "add coco powder to taste" might have negative repercussions. No one finished their cup but me.

But the real kicker, I didn't even taste my food until it was cold because my baby decided to throw her first full on, inconsolable, fit. I spend the first 45 minutes back in the bedroom trying to calm her while everyone else ate.

At least the company was nice, and the fact that Dave cleaned the kitchen.

Baby Blessing

Paige was blessed by her daddy on November 15th. Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos of her that day for two reasons: 1st, I left my camera memory card in Washington; and 2nd, she had a blow out shortly after her blessing. It was daddy who discovered the mess, but when I checked for an extra outfit I realized I had not packed one. Paige spent the rest of church in only a diaper with a blanket wrapped around her. When I was home and preparing to clean her blessing dress I could not find a stain anywhere. When I asked Dave where it got on her dress he said it hadn't, just her tights. Um... so why did our child go around church naked when there was a perfectly clean dress she could have worn? Oh, he hadn't thought of that. What a silly daddy you have Paige.

The little dress may look slightly old, and that is because it is. It is the same dress all four of us sisters wore for our blessings, and now both granddaughters have been blessed in it as well.

I dressed her up a few days later.

What do you think she is trying to communicate with this face?