9-14-07

Brad:

Hey sweet cheeks! How is everything going? I've been loving your letters. I especially liked the letter I just got from you with diagrams of your buildings and where you live. Now I feel like I can better picture where you are and what you are doing. I've decided that in this letter I'm going to give you a day in the life of Jessie (it was actually my day yesterday because it was more eventful than today) so that you can better imagine what your sweetie is doing during her day. If you get time, and you feel like it, I would really like you to do the same thing for me, a day in the life of Brad.

This morning I woke up about 4:30 am with Maren and I fed her a bottle then changed her diaper. She was still hungry so I fed her another bottle, which she didn't finish. Then she pooped so I changed her diaper again, swaddled her up, and then laid her back down in her bassinet in the laundry room. My alarm on my cell phone is set to go off every morning at 7 am in case Maren hasn't already woken me up for the day. So I went back to sleep (obviously) and then ignored my alarm at 7 am, but Maren woke up at about 7:15 anyway. I got up with Maren, but my mom was up to. So she fed her and changed her diaper while I did my yoga and woke my body up. I was starving so breakfast was the next priority. Waking up so hungry kind of scared me because it hasn't happened in a long time and it usually only happens when I'm pregnant or nursing. But don't worry, I'm not pregnant. We've been apart for a little over a month (you left CA on the 9^th of August) and I've had absolutely no symptoms... Anyway, I ate frosted shredded mini wheats with bananas and studied my scriptures. It wasn't too long before Jane started calling to us, in her own little way, to come rescue her from her play pen. I walked in to get her and said, “Jane, put your binky in the bed.” and she immediately did. My mom, who usually walks with me, wasn't feeling good so she went back to bed. Once I changed Jane's diaper and got her going on breakfast, I was able to get Maren back down for a nap. Then Jane and I both got dressed and ready for our walk. Sara and Luke came with us and we put both kids in the double stroller since I was leaving Maren at home, sleeping, with Mom. We walked to North Beach and back and then stopped at the park because the kids were pretty bored and it is their reward for enduring the time in the stroller. We had the park to ourselves and Jane and Luke did some swinging, some sliding, and played on the playground. After awhile we headed back up the long hill home. Maren and Mom were awake when I got back and Mom and Dad were getting ready to leave to go check out a truck (they want to buy one for Oregon) in San Juan. So I took over mommy duty of Maren and my parents left. I then made Jane a snack (cream cheese and jam sandwich and grapes) while Maren chilled on her floor mat. Then, after a diaper change, Jane was ready to go find her binky in her bed and take a nap. I watched a little Lost while I fed Maren another bottle, then checked her diaper (it was ok so I didn't change it), then put her back down for another nap. Then I spent a little time getting the house clean and organized because the cleaning lady comes every other Thursday and we wanted it to be ready for her. Then I showered (should have shaved my legs, but didn't), got dressed (wore a pair of old jeans for the first time in a while because they fit now), and did my hair (back in a pony tail with some snappy clips). Then I watched a little more Lost and got some work done on the computer. In the next little while both girls woke up again and we all ate lunch (chicken nuggets and string cheese for Jane, formula for Marne, and a meatball sandwich for me). Then I turned on Hook, while Jane went through drawers in the kitchen and I picked at Maren's peeling scalp. Then Ramonda, the cleaning lady, came over and started working on our house. My parents got home a little while after that and they did not buy the truck. Then I got out tons of clothes because I decided that today was the day that I was going to put away the clothes that were too small for the girls and get out the next size. We had so much fun doing this because Jane is such a girl and loves to play dress up. I kept trying different clothes on her and she was putting on hats and shoes and necklaces and carrying socks (she is walking so great these days) and shoes all over the house. Then Sara and Luke came over and joined in the fun. So basically the living room was a wreck because it was strewn with clothes and toys, but I was still able to get them all organized and the right sizes folded up and in the right bins. Then Mom watched the girls while I cleaned up the back rooms of the house and got them ready to be vacuumed. Then I vacuumed the back area of the house so that we could put Jane down for another nap (she isn't scared of the vacuum anymore and doesn't cry while it's in use) while I vacuumed the front. So Jane (and eventually Maren) slept while I vacuumed the front, finished getting all of the clothes put away, and everything back in it's place. While I did this my parents did their companionship scripture study so that they could get the mail (that's the deal they made to help them get it done every day, my dad has to do his personal scripture study before he can check his email in the morning and they have to read together before they can get the mail, it seems to really work for them), and my dad cooked the pizza for dinner (that pizza thing I told you about in my other letter didn't end up happening that night, but we did it tonight instead). So, both girls were still asleep while we had dinner. Luke and Sara came over and joined us since James was still at school. Then Maren woke up and my mom fed her while I cleaned up dinner. Then I gave Maren a bath and Jane was still asleep and it was like 7:15 pm. So I went and got Jane up and she ate her dinner while I finished up Maren's bath, got her dressed, and cut her finger nails and toe nails. Then my mom held Maren while I got Jane cleaned up from dinner, gave her a bath, got her dressed in pajamas and cut her finger nails and toe nails. While all of this was happening we were also watching Twister. Maren fell asleep in my mom's arms so I went and laid her down in her bassinet for the night unswaddled (she's kind of transitioning away from being swaddled, but still likes it sometimes). Then Jane had a bottle and watched a little more Twister with us then I laid her down with two binkys (one for her mouth and one for her to play with) and she went right to sleep too. So now I was off mommy duty. I got all of the girls clothes and bath stuff cleaned up then I worked on this letter for you. Then James and Sara came over with ice cream and we all had ice cream and finished Twister. Then (while the movie was still going) I rearranged a huge beautiful bouquet of tropical flowers that we got at the funeral and split it into two and made one arrangement for our house and one for James and Sara. Then the movie was over, James and Sara went home, and my parents went to bed because they have to get up at like 4:30 am for their Friday morning temple shift. Then I got all ready for bed, watched a little more Lost and finished this letter for you. Then I checked on the girls, said my prayers, took off my glasses, climbed into bed, shut my eyes, and fell asleep.

Love-Jess

P.S. My next letter will be hand written. Your wish is my command. I love it when you give me specific requests like that of things that I can do to make you happy...keep 'em comin'. :)