Marriage Tip # 4

Courtesy of my very own grandparents, married 58 years.

Grams: We've been married almost 60 years!
Me: What's your secret?
Grams: Well, you have to put up with a lot of stuff.
Gramps: Just say, "Yes, dear."

Love you G'Ma and G'Pa!

Marriage Tip #3

Keep Her time.

Keep His time.

Keep Your time together.

Kiss each other every night.

Marriage Tip #2

Wife: "Have a sense of humor."

Husband: "It helps if you like 'em."

The Secret to a Happy Marriage

Most of you know that most of the patients I work with are 50+ years old. I always try to start conversations so that therapy is less work and more of a social visit. And I enjoy hearing what they have to say. More often then not, some one is celebrating a 30, 40, 50 year wedding anniversary. I always ask him/her what their secret is to a long and happy marriage. Last week, one gentleman replied, "Instead of looking at her faults, I choose to look at my wife's good qualities. Everyone has faults, but not everyone has much more of the good stuff."

Valentine

Thad and I planned to go to the Melting Pot for an early Valentine dinner on the 13th...to avoid the crowds on the actual day of love. We dropped Jovi off at his sister's house and sat down at the restaurant with a bottle of wine. I leaned over and asked Thad if he would be my valentine. He shook his head no and said he already had one. I, making sure to look hurt, asked him who the lucky girl was. He said we just dropped her off at the sitters on the way to dinner. (sigh) The daddy's girl era has begun. I need to have a boy...mommy needs to be some one's valentine!

Wild Woman

Dance Party

I think this video is self explanatory...other than that Jovi LOVES playing with her cousin Alex.

Glasses

I was told she looks very studious. I think she is "stinkin" cute.

We always knew Jovi like music. She even has a "style". Her little eyes light up, and she gets her little sassy groove on when Jack Johnson or John Mayor come on the radio. In church or on the radio, when the music pauses between songs, you hear her little request, "More! More! Pease!" Her brother got the rock band game from Santa this year. Jovi hogs the microphone is working on her drum skills. She even rocks out on the guitar while daddy plays the drums. When the "Greiner" band hits the stage, Ben on lead guitar, daddy on drums, mommy with vocals...Jovi gets her groove on and tries to steal the mic. It's quite the entertainment....for the neighbors, I'm sure.

Here are a few other fun Christmas 2008 photos!

Happy Halloween!

I think it is safe to say, my Little Strawberry is going to be a Halloween fan. She loved being outside...running back and forth in front of the house while her dad (dressed as an inmate...cuffs and all) and her mom (dressed as a ballerina...tutu and all) sat on the front porch and handed out candy to little Jedi, princesses, and teenage mutant ninja turtles. The friendly strawberry said "hi" and "bye" to everyone who walked, drove, biked, and skated boarded past. Enjoy the photos!

Tag I'm It.

Memory Loss Meme: I was tagged by my friend Trisha. The game is: open your 6th photo folder/album, and post the 6th picture in the album.

Spring Banquet 2004!? Spring banquet was one of my faviorite events each year of OT school. I loved the excuse to dress up. This year in particular, I loved my dress (thank you Leah)!! Although the reward ceremony always seemed to go a little longer than preferred, the bar flowed freely with beer and wine. When I look at these photos, I can't help but be reminded of my now husband's attempt to pay me a compliment. I think he was intending to be very sweet and clever, but the remark came out oh so wrong! I'll spare you all (and myself) from the exact words he uttered. He was quite embarrassed after he said it....as was I. Babe, you're lucky I love ya! Regardless, the night was a blast.

Tag to Krista and Bambi!!!!

A true Fire Fighter's Daughter

On August 30, 2008, our little "Tinkerbell" had her first birthday party. She is quite popular for a 1 year old, with her friends and mommy's friends waiting to see her dive face first into her cake. However, that quick little stinker pinched our her birthday flame (with an excellent pincer grasp, by the way...her OT mom was very proud). Needless to say, Jovi wouldn't touch her birthday cake after that. Afterall, that cake bites back. Jovi prefers ice cream.

My...

My Joys:
*Watching Jovi learn something new everyday
*Saturdays when Thad, Ben, Jovi and I are all home
*Extended family reunions - getting all of the "babies" together
* Something to look forward to.

My Fears:
* that Jovi will not feel as beautiful as she is
* Thad will loose more time with Ben
* I'll never get my student loans paid

My Goals:
* Work a little, stay home with my kid(s) ALOT!
* Find a comfortable budget
* Find a love for home making (be more like Krista and Bambi).
* Rediscover a my artistic side- singing, painting, playing piano...

My obsessions/collections
* E! Television
* Shopping - I'm better off staying away
* The proper position of Jovi's car seat

Random Surprising facts about me:
* During a conversation with my sister, Krista, I realized I could live without Peanut butter
* I am an introvert (maybe not surprising to the rest of you). I used to think I was more extroverted because I like gatherings where there are lots of people. I, however, realize this is because with lots of people around, less is expected from me.
*Someday I will own a Cooper Mini

New Tricks

Jovi seems to learn something new everyday. Check out the new photos and video below to see Jo's new tricks!

Jovi had no fear of the water...jumped right in face first
Say Cheese!
Jo and Alex

A face says a thousand words....

Jovi and Aunt Amanda.

Funny Girl

I struggle with fining ways to add captions to the photos and videos without sounding too cheesy. Looking back at previous blogs, I haven't succeeded with the cheesiness bit yet. Jovi is getting to be quite a big girl...and wanting to be busily independent. She's getting herself into all sorts of trouble...eating Chloe's food etc, hence the baby gate. She is getting silly too, making faces at us, pretending to cough and then laugh when she doesn't want any more vegetables and wants fruit puffs instead. Here are a few photos and videos. Enjoy!

Jovi-larious!

Jo is now 5 months and 1 day old. In the last 2-3 weeks, Jovi has decided to become such a big girl! She is learning to sit...and acts awfully proud of herself. She sat for 30 whole seconds before attempting a swan dive into the carpet. She has figured out that if she throws her arm around with a toy in it, it makes the greatest noises! However, I'm not sure she realizes the key is to grab the toy before smacking her arm against her thigh. We've caught her waving her empty arm in the air like crazy, then looking about very confused like "wait a second...where did my noise maker go?". However, the best achievement and the one I've been waiting and waiting for, 1 day after her 5 month birthday...her first all out Jovi-laroius laugh!! Talk about making your heart melt! Take a look and have a great belly laugh yourself!

Keeping up with the Sauder sisters

Friday at work, I introduced myself as "Bobbi Sauder" to a patient and her mother. It's been a whole year and a quarter since I married and changed my identity, but yet introducing myself with my maiden name spewed right out...smooth as butter... or cream, or whatever. I think I had such a surprised look on my face, that the people I was speaking with probably thought I didn't know who the heck I was! Anyway, I thought my sisters would enjoy and relate to this slipped up Sauder incident. Really....I just wanted to have something moderately interesting to post on my blog...the other two Sauder sisters...yep, you know who you are... maintain their bloggerdness more often than I. :-) J (an unofficial Sauder) and I will try to keep up.

At Last

Jovi is already almost 7 weeks old! I can hardly believe how fast the time has flown by. The last 4 weeks of pregnancy seemed to drag on FOREVER!! At last, my bundle of joy was born and time has never gone faster. At last, I have a waist line...albeit still carrying around a remaining 7-8 pounds. At last, my wedding ring slides back on my finger. At last, my cankles have disappeared. At last, I can sleep on my stomach. At last, my Jovi is here. Jovi has already accumulated a plethora of nicknames: Jo Jo, JJ, Jo, Jovilicous (my favorite), J-balls (I don't know, ask Daddy), Tutti Fruiti, Punkin, Baby Spook... I believe she favors her daddy in looks and her aunts say they can see a bit of mommy in her too. A card from grandma Marcia says it well "A little You Guys". Grandma Sue thinks she'll be a daddy's girl....I tend to agree. Jovi loves when daddy smacks his lips at her....when I try the same strategy to elicit that beautiful smile, all I get is a face that reads, "What is this crazy woman trying to do? Just feed me lady." Sometimes I look at her little face and think, "That belongs to me? I'm responsible for this baby!!?" It's still seems so unreal that I am a mother. Every time I walk up to this Jovilicious Baby and her face lights up with a grin, the sweetest smile, it makes my day and my life.

At last...

The Guarentee

Now, being 38 weeks pregnant, I have a new appreciation for a few things I used to think were women's way of dramatizing pregnancy. I now understand that"waddling" is NOT a choice. It truly feels like walking with a melon between your legs...in all actuality, there is a melon there (the baby's head). No use in trying to slip past someone in the grocery store or restaurant either. Inevitably, your belly or, worse yet, your backside will bump into the person. Yes, it's happened to me. It is also impossible to complete the simplest of tasks without grunting and lots of effort such as putting on socks and shoes, rolling over in bed, or painting your own toe nails. Overall, pregnancy has been fun! I've gotten lots of attention from strangers most of which is unsolicited. I've made relationships with key people at work who've suddenly taken an interest in my becoming a new mother. It is amazing how that has improved my effectiveness as an OT at work. I've also built a special bond with the little thing in my belly who kicked or elbowed me in the ribs and bladder at least 100 times. And there is, of course, the fact that I am the incubator housing a new "little soul", as my mom called her, that I am responsible for bringing into this world. That in itself is pretty remarkable.

As much as I have enjoyed the love hate relationship with my body these last 9 months, I have to say, I am over being pregnant. This realization began just after the 36 week check up where my midwife casually said, "You are 1-2 cm and 80%." One phrase comes to mind, deer in the headlights. I immediately started crying, and then had to explain to poor Thad what those magical little numbers meant. Of course, I felt unprepared for the potential that the baby could arrive so quickly. So, that week was busy with packing my bag and reading the labor and delivery sections of my pregnancy books. Nothing like hurry up and wait. 37 week appointment. I was so sure she was going to send me straight over to the hospital. I was hoping for "4 cm and 100%" but.....no change. I asked her to make a prediction on when she expected this party to start. "I guarantee you won't be pregnant forever." As surreal as that sounded, it was quite comforting.

Second Guesses

I have had 2 different people suggest I was having a baby boy...not knowing anything about me...not even my name. A patient's mother, not even my patient, mind you, said to me, "You're having a boy aren't you?" Nope, I replied. It's a girl! With a shocked expression on her face she added, "Get ready for a huge surprise!"

The next day, a woman putting the fix-ins on my Subway sandwich offered, "Are you expecting a boy?" Again, my response was the same. And again she responded with a look of shock and disbelif. I'm not sure what is spookier, having someone I don't know telling me about my unborn child OR the possibility that these 2 women are psycic. Either way I can't help but second guess the 3 little lines indicating "girl" on the ultrasound!