Life After Vampires

In the past year, if you've asked the question "What should I read right now?" most likely you were told Twilight and its sequels. And if you've read them and are now wondering the same question, here are a few books that I've enjoyed recently:

• Princess Academy, The Goose Girl, Enna Burning, and River Secrets by Shannon Hale (I would read them in that order; the latter three are kind of a trilogy.)
• The Tale of Despereaux, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (These are great for reading to kids, too.)
• Uglies, Pretties, and Specials by Scott Westerfeld (to be read in that order)

P.S. These books are from the sci-fi/fantasy genre; however, even if you think you are one of those people who doesn't like sci-fi/fantasy, these books are fairly mainstream, and therefore you will enjoy them.

A Common Pattern

Apparently this blog is going to be 10% from me and 90% from Paige, and this post is so I can stop hearing Paige ask me to post once in a while. I'll write about her and the pattern I am beginning to notice. The other day was laundry day, and we had just washed our sheets. Paige asked me if I would go up and make the bed with her. So being the nice guy that I am, I carry up the sheets and start making the bed. I had it half done and Paige had not come up to help yet. Then before I know it, the bed has been made and no Paige sightings at all. I then began to think back and realized that this is not so uncommon. If this is Paige's way of tricking me into making the bed, I guess it had worked. All she really needs to do is ask, "Kincade, could you go make the bed?"

Reverently, Quietly

Stella has been practicing important things like falling asleep on her own without being rocked, peeing in her diaper before we start changing it, and folding her arms during prayers. (She just needs to work on closing her eyes.)

Say Cheese!

Stella and I have had a plethora of photo shoots as I attempted to capture her rare smile...without success. Kincade tries once and look what he gets. (I think he's discovered his true career as a photographer.)

The Many Faces of Stella Upstill

Content
Curious
Amused
Disgruntled

Do or Do Not; There Is No Try

Did you know that H&M has cool clothes for little people too? This is Stella's Jedi Master outfit.

The End of Sleep

Last night, we went to the ER because I had a severe pain in my stomach. (It's a recurring pain that might be because of my gall bladder. I'm having a test done next week.) So this is what our night looked like:

11:00 p.m. Went to bed
1:30 a.m. Fed Stella
3:00 a.m. Onset of pain
4:00 a.m. Went to ER
5:00 a.m. Left ER
6:00 a.m. Fed Stella

Will someone tell me when life becomes normal?

About $150

That's how much money is there. You'd think I was trying to plan a fun trip or buy something really cool, but I'm not. The main reason why I collect change in a big glass container is because I think it looks neat as part of the decor (don't laugh; it's true). Plus every couple of months it's really fun to dump all the money out and count it (again, don't laugh; all true). And did I mention that I break dollars at the store just so I can have more change?

P.S. Kim, this is about two years' worth of collecting. Kincade and I could go to Europe in forty-three years.

Growing Baby

One-day-old Stella

Five-week-old Stella

She seems to be getting much longer but not much fatter. "Wait a minute," you say. "Stella's parents aren't tall. I don't know where she's getting this length from!" Neither do we.

It's Hard Being Me

Bloggers Annonymous

I've got good news: I'm addicted to blogging!
I've got bad news: I'm addicted to blogging.

Blessed

Stella's baby blessing was on December 30, and it was nice to have so much of my family here for it. It was also nice to have Kincade's family here but lots of them live in the area so quite frankly those people are always around.


My other favorite part about the day, other than the wonderful blessing Kincade gave, of course, was that Stella finally got to wear the super cute dress I bought for her months ago. (Thank you, OldNavy.com.)

'Twas the night before Christmas....

Stella really liked Christmas. And she really liked wearing the fun onesie her Aunt Casie bought, right up till she peed all over it (Stella peed, not Casie). And even though she didn't get to make a gingerbread house or open any of her presents, she still had a good first Christmas. Halloween is her favorite holiday, though, if you were wondering.

Lost and Not Found

If anyone who has been at my house in the past few weeks happened to notice this book, could you tell me where it is? I bought it for Kincade for Christmas, and then hid it so well that I still can't find it. I hope you had a merry Christmas anyway, Kink. (Now go find your present.)

New Baby, New Life

Welcome to my new blog! I'll start with the most recent and exciting news: baby girl Stella Nadine Upstill was born on Saturday, December 8, 2007. She weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces and was 19 inches long. Here she is as a newborn, looking surprised.


Now she's two weeks old and looks like a monkey.


And here she currently is, one month old, alive and well and pooping like a champ.