IvyMeLuke. Mostly Ivy.

Most of the time, I have a general idea what I am going to write about before I start a blog post. Not today. I have no idea what the title of this post will be. That's usually how it was with the papers I wrote in college too, and those turned out okay most of the time.

I realized a few days ago that for the past 7 months, I have written exactly one blog post a month. Last year, I was way more dedicated, but then again, last year, I wasn't being stared at by a beautiful baby, like I am right now. I don't know if that sentence is grammatically okay. But still.

I've been watching crime shows lately, of all varieties, and it has seriously started to make me a nervous wreck. Today, a nice man came over to fix the brakes on our car. That's right. He came to my house and fixed the car so I could stay home and watch crime shows. But then I was all like, "Oh geez. He's obviously here to murder me and Ivy and I'll have to write his name on the wall in my own blood to help the CSI people solve my murder." But he was totally nice and did no such thing. Which is good, because I don't even know his name. Maybe I'd write "BRAKES" on the wall. Yeah. That's what I'd do.

I was talking to some of my friends about how much freakier life is now that I have a baby, and they all agreed. I thought that having a little buddy would make it nicer to be home alone but it makes all my concerns more vivid and it makes me feel much more vulnerable. Before Ivy, the worst thing that could happen to me wasn't really so bad - torture, death, whatever. But someone taking her away or hurting her is a thought that keeps me up at night. I feel like such a paranoid maniac when I go down that path, but we've all been there, right? Guys?

Since last we spoke, my little family went on a camping trip, which involved driving 10 minutes from our house and camping 10 feet from a fully functional bathroom, but I liked it a lot. Ivy did great. We set up her pack and play outside while we got the fire going and she fell asleep in it. She never does that!

I made tin foil dinners and they turned out perfectly. I had serious doubts about them, since most recipes I found online were all like "use canned everything or you will catch salmonella and die and be a bad wife" but I just used ground beef, carrots, onions, and mushrooms, with lots of seasoning, and cooked them until I was sure they were ashes, and they were great. I want to try more variations.

In other news, we got Ivy a Bumbo chair, which she is currently using, and she loves it. She's a little small for it, so sometimes she gets stuck - all slumped off to the side or the front, but I love planting her on the kitchen or bathroom counter while I'm doing stuff and talking to her. You can tell she's an excellent listener.

My aunt made that little doll for her and the matching blanket, which you can see in the first picture. She loves that doll and I love that she does.

This past Monday, we went to Thanksgiving Point with Luke's mom and siblings and nieces and nephews. Babies are so lame at places like that, but maybe that will make it even more awesome when she actually appreciates these things. And doesn't scream when I put her in her carseat. That would also be awesome.

And this is Ivy today. She was so wiggly and cute this morning, I tried to take her picture for ages, but they were all blurry. So be it.

Thanks for reading all that. You are the best. We are still waiting to hear back on Luke's security clearance, and are thinking about moving in with his parents at the end of the summer to save some money before the move. Hopefully we know more by then. Also, I turn 24 in a week! I'll catch you all in August. :)