flight of the thorups

maybe he did, maybe he didn't. what did he maybe do?*

2012-01-30T20:24:00.000-08:00

I have some other posts in the works that aren't about the center of our universe, but I figured Dr. Grandpa David could use some new pictures at work tomorrow :) EZ has doting grandparents that depend on this blog to see lots and lots (and lots and lots and lots...) of photos of their favorite boy. I'm just fulfilling my daughter-in-law duty, you see!

Oh, and because I have to share this picture. THIS PICTURE, you guys. THIS is our son. If you've ever thought "I just don't know if I've seen enough pictures of EZ to know him, you know?" Then this one is for you! This is the perfect picture of Ezekiel Red as a 6 month old.

His round, round (mostly bald) head. His big, blue eyes with petite pupils (it's a real thing, I asked his doc to be sure it's ok that they're smaller.) His button nose that slightly angles up. His lips that are mostly hidden and just barely fall down in the corners. His right ear that sticks out just a tiny bit more than his left. The immaculate squish of his upper thighs. His grabby hands with those dimples. And last, but certainly not least, his chin. Oh that glorious chin! It's usually hidden within waves of chub, but on occasion it peaks out and shows it's mightiness.

As much as EZ smiles and giggles, this stoic picture is him. Him to a capital E and Z. And I really do like it, I dare say.

Plus, it looks like he's questioning things. Always questioning things, this kid. Like.. when, when are we gunna git a gig? (FotC fans unite!*)

Why not throw a few more photographs up? Like this obsessed mother peacock could show just one! I'm a show-er, hence the self given peacockery I just threw down.

{"Don't put me in here with him. I'm innocent. I'm innocent." 3 conchord references in 1 post! I still got it.}

face!

2012-01-26T07:31:00.000-08:00

Everyone says EZ looks like Matt, and I've studied both of their faces enough (and baby pictures) to know that is correct. He will definitely look like his daddy.

However, that does not prevent him from having facial expressions like his mommy. Example:

He really is my son. And I really do love everything about this picture. (He was slap happy because it was way past his bedtime! I seriously love when he is slap happy.)

Oh, and this next face he's pulling? All Matt. That is not mother given fo' sho ;)

Haha.

pictures of pictures of a picture book

2012-01-23T12:28:00.000-08:00

For the past few years, I've been using mypublisher.com to create photo books of our life. I take thousands of pictures every month (well, at least since we had a baby...probably only hundreds pre-baby) and if I don't catalog them, edit them, and put them out for display- then what's the point? So I'm really trying to stay up on it before the project becomes too overwhelming. Enter mypublisher. Their software is easy to use, they always have sales or discounts, and the quality is superb. Ashely Ann {who is my hero} was how I found out about this company and I'm so glad I did. (And no one is paying me for my opinion even though I really think they should! Or hey! At least refer me (email carlathorup @ gmail) if anyone out there uses their site.)

EZ's first book is my favorite. Hard cover, 98 pages (extra pages free sale!), and I was able to put every picture (including my thousands of iPhone ones) of his first 4 months without having to leave any out. Whambamathankayamam.

Kid #2 is going to be forever jealous of EZ's documentation. Good thing I grew up with the mantra that life ain't fair, and I intend to pass it on.

My publisher featured a few pages of this little baby book on their facebook wall today :) So basically it's not just me that thinks Ezekiel Red needs to be an online celebrity.

I am his hiring agent if anyone else is interested. I warn you, he's quite expensive, but he is a dream to work with. Giggles and slobber included!

adventures of a first time foodie

2012-01-22T20:27:00.000-08:00

EZ digs pears the very most. Rice cereal is his number 2. Bananas make him gag (the texture). Avocados are his least favorite thus far, but he does make the very best faces & dry heaves the most with them. Next up are sweet potatoes and green beans. My next goal is to clean off the dern table and try not to open my mouth every time I give him a spoonful.

So far he's taken to eating like he's taken to life: easy peasy.

{We didn't name him Difficult Red.}

Bless this kid and his growing belly.

being consistent

2012-01-20T08:54:00.000-08:00

When I get into serious cleaning mode, I always have to be wearing an accessory. A hat, glasses, a headband, a fancy pair of shoes... for some reason it helps me really get down to business. Like I'm playing a part in some tidy production. I also wear an apron & gloves to clean the kitchen, and usually keep the apron on for the rest of the house. Maybe it's my inner housewife? I have chick music blasting (beyonce, b spears, gaga, x-tina...) and prefer headphones so I can't hear myself sing. I do have to be quieter now that I have a baby sleeping down the hall, but I still manage to work it.

That said, Matt and I will never win an award for being the cleanest house on the block. Our drawers and closets don't get closed that often, we don't mop nearly enough, and we are never the type to "maintain" cleanliness. We clean, make a huge mess, and then clean again after a few days of living in the mess.

In the past three months I've had to put myself on a (loose) schedule to make sure things are gettin' done. Tuesday is laundry/bedrooms/clutter. Thursday is front room/dining table/kitchen. Matt is in charge of the bathrooms. And the other days I do whatever I can after work, but don't feel guilty if I lay in my bed snuggling my boy instead. I'd rather cuddle than have a clean home, that's fo sho. (And reading about Dragons usually beats cleaning too.)

Oh, and then there's exercise. And food. And budgeting. And responsibilities. And fun. And leisure. And and and.

So many things that need to be managed.

So my goal (since about November) has been consistency.

If I can just be consistent in my efforts, then it's cool if I have a bad day here or there. At least I know that I'll pick back up again tomorrow, because I'm constantly choosing the life of a consistent person. Consistentite. Consissy Consistentor. Consistentadora. (It's difficult to get a noun from that word, but Consistentadora is growing on the spanish girl inside me.) If you say consistent too many times it starts sounding weird. Consistent. Consistent. Consistent.

One of consistency. You can count on her, because boy! is she consistent. That's what people will say about me one day. That Carla, such a consistentadora.

listen up if you are a lover in love (and also not married...)

2012-01-18T09:05:00.000-08:00

My homegirl Jalene is doing a killer contest for anybody engaged or about to be engaged over on her blog... and if I didn't already have a hunka hunka burnin' lovah of my very own, I may consider getting married again JUST to have wedding photos by her. I mean, I guess I could marry Matt again... but wouldn't that be cheating just to win the contest? I'll have to read the fine print just to be safe.

SO.

If you remember our pregnancy photos (wherein I show my true colors about Bieber) & EZ's newborn photos (my favorite shots of our boy)... then you'll know this is a prize you want to win. She is super talented, people! We actually already have a family shoot scheduled for summertime because we like her so much.

There are some rules you have to follow to submit your info, and then there is a contest where people will vote for the winner... so click on the picture below and find out the exact details!

Seriously, I hope someone I know wins. Free, beautiful wedding photos?! Can you even imagine?

matt turned 27 with a pair of eyebrows!

2012-01-17T10:29:00.000-08:00

alternate titles for this post:
oh the nerdy, nerdy things i do for him
ez, the last eyebrow bender
it's cool to be 27 and into cartoons
are those real?
only a few handful will get this, but it'll still make everyone else laugh

matt turned the big two-seven on saturday, but on friday he was visited by a very special visitor while he was at work...Aang from Avatar:The Last Airbender series! matt (and most of his office as well) is a huge fan of the art & story of the nickelodeon series, and what better way to celebrate his day of birth than dressing up his own son?

and that is up there on my list of random things i've done in my life.

doesn't ez look awesome with thick brows? it actually doesn't even look like our baby boy. really! and some of the people at his office actually asked if they were real... which they are not. he doesn't actually have little caterpillars hanging out on his face. but he does have an arrow taped to his head. i was laughing so hard getting him ready, but matt laughed even harder when i showed up with this sweet, sleeping airbender of a boy.

definitely less long-distance sweet than last year's birthday poster when he was up in seattle, and equally awesome but more nerdy than 2 years ago for his UP birthday party. i am really quite proud of my random birthday skillz. (for reals, i floated balloons up to his 2nd story office and now i've put eye-shadow eyebrows on his boy. i can't wait for next year!)

i hope you all got a laugh.

happy birthday & we love you, matt!

unless you're a dragon, elf, or mythical creature... i'm not interested

2012-01-13T06:46:00.000-08:00

the one exception is matt.

since his birthday is tomorrow, i guess i'll be interested in him.

well, and ez red.

i'm always interested in that little dude. (plus he cries if i'm not... what a baby!)

BUT.
anyone or anything else, don't bother.

i'm currently only interested in dragons.
dragons and elves.
dragons, elves and riders.
dragons, elves, riders, and humans.
dragons, elves, riders, humans, and dwarves.
dragons, elves, riders, humans, dwarves, and werecats.
dragons, elves, riders, humans, dwarves, werecats, and war.
etcetera, nerdy etcetera...

once i start into a thick book, it's hard to function in both worlds. does that happen to you? of course it does. i see your nerdy, mythical minds racing right now as you drift off into la la story book worlds.

i can't wait to share other nerdy things coming out of casa de thorup as well. stay tuned (after i finish my book, obv.)

p.s. the book I am reading is Inheritance (the 4th in the eragon series.)

...

2012-01-12T15:27:00.000-08:00

[Ezekiel Red... Ryan Gosling... tohmato tomahto]

life via the iphone

2012-01-10T09:53:00.000-08:00

we've stayed in bed to do our tummy and toe time

we've enjoyed the weather at the park and in the house

we had our first go at solids... the 2nd go around he was more into it

we've had lots of dad and baby time

we've slept... and sometimes not slept when we should have been sleeping

i love the iphone. fo' reals. i just finished making a photo book from ez's first 4 months and i included many an iphone picture. they just show the day to day so well. i'm so glad they were invented.

also, i say "we" a ton more because it feels as if ez and i are one unit. lilypad and marshmallow anyone?

one last christmas post to get it all out of my system.

2012-01-04T21:17:00.000-08:00

this year we had some incredible family parties and i just want to post a few pictures and write a wee recap of each party so that we remember how much fun it is to hang out with our families. i just can't let them slip by in the hubbub of new year's resolutions.

my dad's party (ken & kim's party):
festive clothing (casey/heidi/ez were the clear winners.) cafe rio. jingle bells. white elephant. reindeer antlers. big purple bunny face. woodland christmas decoration. deep, heavy laughter.

my madre's party (danell):
chicken cordon bleu. delicious sherbet beverage. fun kiddie presents - the animal blankets! matt's yo-yo show (which left quite the impact on the chillens.) noelle's holiday song riddles (which were totally hard). lots of kid playing and adult joking.

the thorup's party (david & carole)
we stretched the thorup's christmas out over 3 days as it was their year. 'twas awesome.
#1 pizza factory. bowling (david won by 1 pin! and showed off his singles & crack ;) daaaavid) the christmas light house. i didn't actually take very many pictures... but DJ did... so maybe he'll email me some? (hint hint)

#2 christmas eve. dee dee & grum's house. the best tamales everrrrrr (also, pizza.) ez showed off his tricks & his delicious legs. matching jim jams. sibling gifts. josh revealed his never-nude status while ez disapproved. pleather condom hat. dj wins at christmas and gives nerf guns to everyone. WAR ENSUES. (srsly, like 45 minutes of nerf battle. megan & her 6 month pregnant belly yelling AMMO! and we women totally owning the boys. carole pulled hero and took care of our boy since matt and i totally got lost in competition and forgot we had a kid for a bit.) it was epic (and i do not use that word lightly.)

#3 christmas morn. generous present giving. lots of picture taking. kinect gaming. book reading. nap taking. family lounging.

it really was a superb year. merry christmas, indeed.

recappin' 2011

2012-01-01T20:02:00.000-08:00

Oh, 2011, you little precious devil, you.

I figured since people that read this blog (or are real life friends) probably don't have a clue what went on in our lives in 2011, I should write a blog post about it. (hardy har har...)

Matt lived in Seattle and grew a huge, gnarly beard.

Carla stayed in Utah and started growing a pregnant belly.

We reunited and it was great.

AND THEN WE HAD A BABY NAMED EZ AND HE IS THE BEST BABY IN THE WHOLE WORLD AND THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A CUTER BOY OR A BETTER BABY AND WE LOVE HIM AND CAN'T BELIEVE WE WAITED SO LONG BECAUSE IT IS THE BEST THING EVER AND HE IS SO GREAT AND DID WE MENTION WE LOVE HIM AND WE ARE OBSESSED WITH HIM AND BASICALLY CAN'T TALK OR THINK OR WRITE ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE WE LOVE OUR BABY SO MUCH AND OH MY GOSH I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER STOP USING CAPS WHEN I TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH WE LOVE OUR BOY BECAUSE HE IS GREAT AND AWESOME AND WE JUST CAN'T GET OVER HIS PRECIOUS FACE AND HIS LITTLE FINGERS AND TOES AND HOW MUCH WE LIKE HIM.

Yeah, that about does it.

Happy New Year! I can't wait to use CAPS more often in 2012!
{photos 3&4 by jalene}

my sweet 5 month old boy,

2011-12-29T06:55:00.000-08:00

EZ! You're 5 months old! It's so great.

Let's start with your stats, shall we?

15.8 lbs of deliciousness & 25 inches tall. You carry most of your weight in your cheeks and thighs, and your head is not getting any smaller. Mah big boy! You know how to roll over all the different ways, but sometimes forget. One minute you're like "oh i totally got this!" and then the next minute you are super duper frustrated because you forgot. It's really sweet & mostly funny.

The comments we hear most from people are "Does he ever cry?" and "He is SUCH a good baby." You have this calm, laid back personality and just like to sit and observe. You smile and giggle and have started screeching just this week. You like when I dance with you, and really like when papa bear is around. You turn into a super version of yourself when we are both around and really turn out all the tricks. We all thrive when we're together.

You spend a lot of time with your aunts, uncles, and wonderful grandparents and will never ever lack love or attention. That's the truth.

You love your hands, just found your feet, and will lick anything that is near your mouth. You especially think it's funny when it's a nose! You love your bumbo & sitting up, and have recently taken a liking to your doorway jumper.

We have been doing straight breast milk for the full 5 months and haven't rushed starting solids. Probably next month? I love nursing & make sure twice a day I do nothing but look at you while you're eating. No distractions, just memorizing your eyelashes and your button nose and your sweet fingers. You usually squish my lips and nose with your free hand while you eat, and it's basically my favorite thing. I hope it lasts. You also take a bottle really well, which everyone appreciates. And you'll take a binkie, but usually only when you're tired.

I usually sing Goodnight Sweetheart to put you to bed, but Matt prefers Folsom Prison Blues. You sleep soundly with either, but it does seem you like Matt's deep voice a bit better.

Speaking of sleep, you my EZ, are a champ. Matt and I decided early on we wouldn't force you into a schedule for the first 6-9 months, but you've sort of set up your very own schedule anyway. On a normal day, you'll take 2-3 naps, be in bed by 7:30 pm, wake up once during the night to eat (around 4:30-6:00), and then wake up around 8-9:00. You don't really get cranky if you miss a nap, or stay up too late, and will basically fall asleep anywhere. (The movies, the bowling alley, any 'ol house, church... like I said, anywhere.) You like to be swaddled like a burrito the best, but will fall asleep even without your tortilla blanket. Just in the past 2 weeks you've started crying before bed, but it seems like you're just sad to be missing out on fun. You are so tired, but can't bear the thought of missing anything so you cry until the tired takes over. Matt and I take turns snuggling you just right (face against chest, blanket pulled up just above your nose so you can feel it against your cheeks) until you drift off. And then we check on you a minimum of 5 times before we go to bed.

Christmas was magical with you around, and basically the past 5 months could be described as magical. I knew having a baby would be good, but it's more like good to the power of uh-mazing. Matt and I constantly talk about how much we like you, and I'm sure your Guido dog likes having you around too (now that he's gotten used to being #2.)

Thanks for being so freakin' cool.

We love you, squeezy EZ.

As big as the sky and as wide as the sea.

Love,
Mama + Papa

nap time yesterday

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Just 'cause.

I like when he breaks free of his swaddle mostly because I like his legs. Squish!

Also...

Here is a little video from uncle DJ of Zeke's new screeching voice. He sure does love his Grumpa & his uncles. And screeching like a pterodactyl.

our christmas morn

2011-12-27T13:01:00.000-08:00

EZ & Matt both looked dapper for Christmas Sunday (slicked, parted hair and all!), and our sweet boy slept through the whole church program since we kept him up past midnight on Christmas Eve. This Christmas was so special with EZ. I thought a lot about Mary and how she and Joseph welcomed a precious babe to the earth knowing full well what his life was going to be like. I can't imagine some of the hard stuff EZ will have to go through (and I don't think about it often, because it makes a mama's heart hurt), but to be in Mary's shoes as a mother is unfathomable. Jesus Christ atoned for the sins of the world, and Mary could do nothing to ease His pain. Joseph could do nothing to ease His pain. Heavenly father could do nothing to ease his pain. He suffered and died completely alone for us, His brothers and sisters.

As we celebrated Christmas, Matt and I tried our best to keep Christ in the center. Becoming a mother has made me feel closer to heaven as I watch over my Ezekiel, and I really understand unconditional, all-encompassing love more than ever before. For God, for Christ, for Matt, for EZ, for Family, for Friends. It really is incredible.

After church, we changed back into our PJ's, grabbed Guido to join in the party, and had some good 'ol fashioned gift giving.

I surprised Matt (and his parents) by re-creating a photo of Matt @ 4 months old (right) with EZ @ 4 months old (left.) They look a lot alike, but our boy has a few pounds on Matt! And funny story - a while back Matt and I talked about fake, Buddy Holly inspired hipster glasses and we BOTH bought the exact pair for each other. Hello! We are married for a reason, people! EZ got a high chair and some lovely new toys, and can't wait to start eating solid foods next month! (We are still stunned he's old enough.)

What a merry morning!

happy christmas!

2011-12-24T15:22:00.000-08:00

He obviously loved Santa. Doesn't look indifferent at all.

Hope everyone's Christmas weekend is Merry and Bright!

Go, tell it on a Mountain
Jesus Christ is born!

merry birthdays!

2011-12-21T13:09:00.000-08:00

grandma bibi's birthday was sunday and emily's golden birthday is today! 21 on the 21st! yeah buddy! (this is matt's mama & sister!) these two lovely ladies watch our sneaky zekey while i work on mondays and wednesdays and we sure do 'preciate them. and he sleeps really well after i pick him up because they just play and play and play... no sleeping required when you're at grandma's house!

under the light of the christmas tree

2011-12-17T16:01:00.000-08:00

Basically since EZ arrived, it sort of feels like we are constantly dreaming. I just keeping waiting to wake up and find that we never had a baby and our pretty great life of just us 2 continued. BUT THEN I do actually wake up only to peak across the hallway and find that we DID INDEED have a baby, and he's totally super awesome and perfect & has made our life so much greater. I find myself telling Matt "I can't make this shiz up!" far too often because it's usually happier than my brain can even fathom.

Last night after a fun-filled family Christmas party, we came home (much past our boy's normal bed time), changed into PJ's, and sat next to the Christmas tree for his nightly ritual. Stare at pretty lights, eat, cuddle, play, and then eventually drift to sleep. (We also watched the new Prep & Landing and it was brilliant.) The entire evening was pure magic. Oh, and EZ's laugh makes our world go round.

I'm pretty sure reality is better than any dream that I've ever had for my future family. Nobody pinch me in case I awake.

So very thankful for my Matt and Ezekiel. And even Guido most of the time.

Oy. My heart just might explode of bliss if I watch that video for the 17,909th time. (he really likes my fake high pitch laugh & i am happy to indulge anytime for that face!)

ez's agenda

2011-12-11T21:20:00.000-08:00

1. Hanging out with his main boy, Guido. [also: trying not to be licked to death.]

2. Perfecting his furrow. [also: trying to grow more hair]

3. Constantly having at least 1 hand in his mouth. [More often: both]

4. Trying to simultaneously grab his toes while keeping said hand in his mouth. [also: exploring the fact that he has toes!]

Quite the busy week ahead.

What do you have going on? And will you be wearing striped knee high socks at any point during the week? I sure hope so.

this week

2011-12-09T08:52:00.000-08:00

we are getting in the holiday spirit.

squishing mama's lips while we eat.

sleeping with one finger on our nose.

walking or running every single day.

hanging out nearly nekked just for funsies.

a new cousin

2011-12-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

my sister had a baby back in October, and she is really cute. almost 3 months behind my boy zeke, and she really makes him look huge.

also, EZ has a baby boy cousin{!!} coming in April on the thorup side :)
and a lot of other friend-cousins on their way too.

i love babies so much. i'm so glad more are on the way.

500 babies!

turns out i have a type

2011-12-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

I like 'em tall, real, and not too thick in the middle with a clear view of the trunk.

I'm talking about Christmas trees, obviously.

I always had a fake one growing up, but since we married I've been converted to real.

This year ours is a bit crooked and just skinny enough to peak the curved trunk in between each set of branches. Probably the best one I've ever seen. And we made sure to choose real quick to avoid cold, red baby nose.

At the tree farm I liked the wild ones and Matt liked the full ones, so we found one right in the middle to please all. Compromise, it's what marriage is all about.

We've been laying under it to get to know it better, both day and night.

November 2011

2011-12-04T21:12:00.000-08:00

November was the perfect balance of busy and relaxed. Matt worked his day job and made time for leisure art at night. Carla worked part time and made snuggin' EZ her full time job the rest of the time. We sold a car, bought a van, and started making legit progress toward adult-hood. Matt and Carla went for 1 real night out, hired their first baby-sitter, and tried to make more time for Guido (like dog park visits and wrestling.)

EZ went from 3 to 4 months old and just got cuter in the process. Smiles got bigger, laughing became common place, and on the 2nd to last day of the month he rolled over from his tummy to his back! He went to work with mama a few times, was mostly an angel baby for his sitters, and really started to notice Guido {pretty hard not too... when the dumb dog is up in his grill as often as he possibly can.}

We celebrated a very happy Thanksgiving, spent time with both of our families, and went on plenty of walks since the snow has yet to arrive. EZ loves to be outside and is so observant of his entire world. He doesn't cry unless something is wrong, eats & sleeps as he should, and is the most entertaining thing in the world. He has a calm demeanor and more and more of his laid back personality is showing itself every day.

We ended the month by pulling out the Christmas decorations and getting a head start on the upcoming December festivities. It's a good time to have a 4 month old, people.

not sure if i made it better...

2011-11-30T20:59:00.000-08:00

...but it's still cute because it's on a tiny human baby. I felt like sewing and made this cardigan my tiny experiment. I like the elastic, but I wish I wouldn't have messed with the top. Ah well.

Then EZ straight up begged me to put on his new beanie, even though it's totally for Christmas. Just couldn't say no to his squishy face.

Yeah. Christmas is going to look good on this kid.

thanks-giving 2011

2011-11-27T21:50:00.000-08:00

man alive, it was a good holiday weekend. bowling before a big feast at my dad's house. i made home-made stuffing and it was DE-licious, thank you very much. lots of family time and good, hearty, inappropriate laughs.

ezekiel had his first nightmare (which wasn't cool), but he sleep-cried and wanted to be cuddled so tight. it was so sad and yet precious at the same time. he had the sweetest face all squished up on my shoulder while we rocked and i sang him back to a peaceful slumber. it was my most grateful moment of the weekend. that kid. i love him.

matt and i deep cleaned the house on friday, and you know it's really really bad when it takes you longer than an hour to clean your bathroom, and you are sore the next day from scrubbing the tub. so much shame. we also watched super 8 and we really liked it. it totally reminds me of matt and his brothers and their halloween movie making shenanigans.

we went out to a pub on friday night {while my brother and his wife watched EZ at our place} specifically so matt could show his brothers "the chubby melt." grilled cheese, burger patty, grilled cheese. pretty good for a heart attack. while at the pub, we saw a guy get kicked out, our waiter get punched by the guy that got kicked out, and played a round of darts. quite the party for a night out. we are putting a nice dart board on our christmas list. we also played reverse charades with my bro's friends and it was awesome.

saturday brought us french toast, bijou market (where i bought cute things for EZ's room), a new nerdy thing for matt's computer, a sunshine-filled visit to the dog park, and then we went to moneyball with family. baby boy slept the whole time in my arms and didn't make a peep. we even brought a pillow to put under my arm to make it more comfortable.

and today, sunday, was great. just great. so much gratitude.

bless this happy weekend. and all of food we ate during it. sooo full.

there are a lot of kissing pictures lately. now that i've noticed i'll remedy that in future posts.

the big white bed

2011-11-22T08:15:00.000-08:00

magic exists on the big white bed,

cuddles and kisses and love.

where forts will be built

and sleepovers had

all on the big white bed.

dancing and singing

reading and snugs

movies and napping, too.

whole worlds abound in

blankets and sheets

all on the big white bed.

share-a-van

2011-11-17T20:14:00.000-08:00

green van in da houuuuuse.

baby to the power of awesome

2011-11-15T21:32:00.000-08:00

We usually have naked time once a day. Who needs clothes anyway! (Me. I do. I definitely do.) But a baby!? No need. It's really quite spectacular to watch a little human learn how to use his hands. Grabbing and putting everything in his mouth like a freakin' maniac.

on saturday...

2011-11-14T15:52:00.000-08:00

We bought a green van.

It's like, ironic.

You wouldn't understand.

We also went to a concert.

It was like, underground.

You probably haven't heard of them.

...

I mean, can you even imagine the pictures?

Well you're going to have to, because I didn't take any photos.

Gasp! No photos?

Whaaaaat?

You know when you feel like you look cool and then you see a picture of yourself and you realize that it's all in your head? I didn't want that to happen so I kept the cameras away. I felt like I looked cool and Matt said I looked hot so I went with it. Plus, it was our first time hiring a babysitter and I wanted to be totally present. If I even have my phone on my body it's a distraction (hello texts, emails, instagram, twitter, fb, photos!) So Matt held my phone all evening and I actually thought I made more memories than I would have with a lens.

Matt is a funny cuss. I like when we hang out. And kiss.

Oh, back to the green van.

Lately we've taken a hard look at our life and have felt unsatisfied with our finances, more specifically all of our debt. So we sold our hip Mazda and went looking for a really good deal in any shape or color. Just shaking things up!

And that's where we stumbled upon a nice mini-van that was 90% less expensive than our old car, was in nice condition for a 1998, and it was a nice shade of green. HELLO. Sold. So now we have a turtle wagon.

Pretty hilarious that on the same day we bought a mini-van we also went to a rock concert. We.still.got.it. The Devil Whale and Fictionist were playing in SLC and 2 hours before the show I decided we should go. So I called upon some wisdom and found some babysitters (EZ was already asleep... so really their job was kush), put on a new dress and some boots, then proceeded to bump and grind my husband for a few hours. Well, not really. BUT! We do own a van now... and do you KNOW how much space we have? Bowchicawowow.

Van4life.

And the concert was really good. It's refreshing to hear live music.

And the babysitting gig was really kush because he slept the entire time and only moved his head 6 times (she counted) while they watched the Princess Diaries II. Oh, that Anne Hathaway.

And that is the story all about how our life got flipped, turned upside down...

yo home to Thor-up... Or something like that.

lazy with a side of cookies

2011-11-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

since the day light saving time change (no s on saving, kacey!) on sunday, matt and i have been super lazy at night. the darkness beckons us to be in PJ's by 7:30 and watch tv instead of any type of excercise or productivity. we have baked cookies every single night after EZ is asleep and usually eat them in bed while watching netflix.

heaven help us that we don't continue all winter this way, or our bums will be less licious and all booty.

we did however sell our cool kid's Mazda CX7 and are in the process of purchasing what we like to call our Turtle Wagon. green? van? if only matt still had his beard!

and just because i can, here is EZ dressed in his prison best. ---->

thank goodness it's the weekend.

we go out walking

2011-11-07T08:58:00.000-08:00

Guido likes when I take him on walks without the stroller because he has more freedom. EZ likes it because he usually falls asleep all cuddled up. Carla likes it because not even air separates her from her baby boy.

It's a true win win win situation.

{One more win gets added to the pot when Matt's with us.}

the barnyard dance

2011-11-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

alternate title? the one wherein you hear my voice.

videos are harder for me to post online because you hear my real voice instead of my "blogging" voice. and not only my real voice, but my book reading voice. and it's pretty weird. and raw footage instead of carefully selected pictures (because yes, i always choose the best ones... is that vain?)

however, this is my life. and this is my voice. and this is my insanely cute kid loving this book. his face lights up at the very first sentence and i am melted into a puddle of mama goo.

so there you have it, internet. my voice. and EZ's chatter & spit. and his favorite book :)

October 2011

2011-11-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

Matt and I spent too much time discussing adult things in October. Insurance, premiums, deductibles, bills, IRAs, HSAs, HRAs, more insurance, more bills, blah blah blah. Sometimes being an adult is so boring. And stressful. And never ending.

At least we had that cute kid to snug on all month long. The difference between a 2 month old and a 3 month old is astounding. He went from smiling occasionally to greeting us with smiles every time we made eye contact. And eye contact in general is amazing. And he started laughing! And responding to books and stories and kisses and tickles.

Halloween seemed to last 2 full weeks since the Manor Massacre movie was on the 14th and we partied all the way 'til the 31st.

Matt did a lot of insanity work outs, built a spook alley for the ward party, and got an official copy of his first published game, Helam :)

Carla turned 26, started working part time, and spent a lot of time with her sister. She also took like 500 pictures on her iPhone because she is crazy obsessive.

EZ read a lot of books, spent time with his grandparents & cousins (and got a new baby girl cousin!), and was kissed so many times his cheeks were nearly rubbed raw.

Goal for November is to take more photos of Matt and myself, eat a lot of food while simultaneously feeling grateful for everything we have, and gear up for a bangin' holiday season.

the papa

2011-11-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

this guy.

oy. these guys.

all hallows day

2011-10-31T06:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

love,

Mario, Peach, Yoshi, & the One Up Mushroom

{10 years ago today Matt kissed me for the first time...
and now we have a dog and a baby.
Must have been a really good kiss, no?}

our three month old

2011-10-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

Seerrriousssly. Our sweet Zeke is so freaking cool.

And now he's 3 months old. The spit! The thighs! The smiles! The giggles! The sleeping! I can't wait to see what he'll do tomorrow since it's something new every.single.day. We sure do love him & his big, bald, round head so flippin' much.

And he really loves the Barnyard Dance :)

i wish somebody would call me their shorty

2011-10-24T20:57:00.000-07:00

So I've had the same song stuck in my head for a week now, and it just pops up in the most random apple bottom jeans... boots with the furrrr, the whole club was looking at herrrr times. And I usually end up tapping my foot or swaying my booty or nodding my head like some crazypants woman stuck in her own world. But I'm pretty sure I am stuck in my the whole club was looking at herrr own little world. She hit the floor, next thing I know, shorty got low low low low low low low low.

I started working part time at the beginning of October and it keeps a mama bear b to the izzy. Thankfully EZ is with stellar sitters {thanks Em and Carole!} so I can work hard & get lost in my job for a few hours. And he does come to the office with me on occasion because my boss is beyond accommodating. It is nice to be good at something and super productive, even though I miss my boy sumpthin' fierce. There are always trade-offs. Such is life, isn't it?

I went running for the first time post-baby last week and all I could think was "Oh! I need me a second sports bra!" Seriously. But! I am starting a 5k running schedule over the next few weeks and then plan on running a half marathon in the spring. Girl's gotta keep her goals.

Sometimes it pays to have an apple obsessive husband because you get a fancy new upgraded iPhone 4s the day it comes out. Even when he doesn't get one for himself. What sacrifice! The camera quality is coco-nuts nice.

Suburgatory is a great television show. As well as Up All Night. And of course, The Community. Television is so much better than movies.

And I love my book club. Can't wait for the Thursday night party.

Brain dumping feels good.

if i didn't insta-gram it, did it really happen?

2011-10-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

my user name is carlathorup. and mostly it's all about EZ. like everything else in my life.

the random present

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Matt woke me up on my Bday at the beginning of this month to a yarn maze strung all over the house. He knew my birthday wishes, which meant my presents had to be picked out in person (like my shoes and my make up), and both of those items took up the whole budget. He did want to do something surprising, so at the end of the maze {and after 26 pretty darn nice things about me} I found a sack full of my favorite treats & this random microwave s'more maker.

Microwave s'mores? Why would anyone buy such a thing? Are we actually going to store this contraption in our kitchen? I wonder if we can take it back...

These were my initial thoughts.

But! I have to tell you, making s'mores in the microwave is actually a very delicious thing to do with this toy (for lack of a better word.) Yes, you are correct that it doesn't have the campfire taste, but there are some benefits! The chocolate gets just melty enough that it oozes all over the mallow! The graham crackers get just a teeny bit soft to take the overly crunchy edge off of the bite! It takes 30 seconds!

We have been a bit bananas over s'mores in the past two weeks. Maybe I'll purchase one of those flame torches for the outside of the mallow and we'll reach inside s'more making perfection? I'll let you know.

the greats

2011-10-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

Great Grandma Dee Dee & Great Grandma Boerup.

One from each side of the family (& 2 more in heaven!)

EZ is so lucky to have such fantastic Greats to love on him.

There is something so lovely about grandmothers holding babies.

named & blessed

2011-10-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel,

We celebrated your baby blessing on October 9, 2011. You were handsomely dressed in a white romper, blue & white striped socks, and a perfect little bow tie. Absolutely scrumptious is how we'll remember you.

Your papa was nervous and his hands were shaking before he stood up to bless you, but you wouldn't have guessed that with the power that came out of his mouth while asking our Heavenly Father to watch over you. The holy spirit was strong and sniffles were heard through out the chapel. Priesthood holders upheld and encircled you as you stared wide-eyed up at your papa. My favorite part was when he reminded you of how many people love you {made apparent with how many loved ones came to support} & when he blessed you with open lines of communication between your parents and most importantly, your Heavenly Father. Oh how important those two things are! If you just remember that you are loved and that you can always always always talk to us & to your father in heaven, then you will never feel alone.

There are big things ahead, my boy. Big things just for you & and it's a privilege to sit front row to all of it.

Your father and I hope you know that we have a testimony of Jesus Christ, and pray each day that you'll know that for yourself one day. We are closer to heaven because of your spirit in our home. We understand true love better and are so grateful to be your parents.

You didn't hold back your charm all.day.long and made sure everyone got smiles and big blue eyes when they held you. You really know how to crank up the volume on cuteness, EZ. And although people came over to our house for a light brunch, you really had them eating right out of your hand. Or right out of those edible thigh rolls... because man alive are they delicious.

And right when everyone was leaving our house, you decided you were done hanging out and just wanted some food, a snug, and a nap. So that's exactly what mama gave you.

We love you as big as the sky and as wide as the sea, baby bear. So glad you're ours.

love, Mama & Papa

interrupting the regularly scheduled programming (and by that i mean the usual overload of baby pictures) to bring you...

2011-10-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

the 7th edition of the Manor Massacre Production's Halloween Movie! In 3D! (not really)

Remember how my husband and his brothers and their friends put on a Halloween movie each year? Let me remind you... 2008 The Hitchhiker, 2009 Macfisto, 2010 Sicks (watch the full movie here), and now... 2011 is the year of THE DEVICE.

Oooooohhhhh. Scary. Like the poster says, you can go to www.manormassacre.com for more info - and you can also watch the trailer there! Or you can watch it by clicking play below! I'm making it too easy for you.

From what I've heard about the final product... it's quite a bit scarier than the previous years, so come prepared to be spooked! (Possibly be over the age of 13 as well... for scary content) Need more perks for coming? It's located at the Post Theater on the U of U campus, so you'll look like a college student! (unless you already are one, then you'll fit right in!) It's only $6! It'll get you in the mood for Halloween 2 weeks in advance! Live music before the shows! Oh, did I say shows? YES! There are TWO showings! 7:00 pm or 9:15 pm! Come to one or come to both! AND don't let me forget the raffle with lots of free prizes!

So here's the final run downizzle: you get to see a scary Halloween film, dance to live music, look like a cool U of U student, feel the spirit of Halloween, and also possibly win a prize? Need 1 more incentive?

Bam! That's right, you can get Zeke'd on because this dude will totally be there. And I'll even introduce you to him and possibly let you fall in love with him.

So yeah, it'll be worth it.

{Like I can do a post without including his picture. I'm obsessed, remember?}

So come! Halloween is the best, so celebrate in freaking style with the Manor Massacre crew.

THIS Friday, October 14th @ the Post Theater (U of U), 7:00 or 9:15 pm, you can buy tickets online or at the door (just $6!), live band, raffle with prizes, and some baby snugs! Win, win, scary win.

birth announcement

2011-10-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

Matt did the design and we used a picture from his newborn shoot by Jalene (my favorite one!) I think they turned out brilliantly and will probably always keep on on our fridge. We are prepping for his baby blessing this Sunday and I'm excited to throw a shin dig specifically to celebrate our boy.

September 2011

2011-10-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

We started the month with a newborn and ended it with a full blown man baby. We are still #obsessed with EZ and almost everything we did revolved around his precious little face. We also switch between calling him EZ or Zeke or Red in almost every conversation, and are already planning on him having a wee bit of name confusion in the future. At least we are preparing! We got excellent news that a Thorup cousin is a comin' next April and are excited EZ won't be solo no mo'. And even more 2nd cousins next spring as well. Babies everywhere!

We went to 3 different lakes, spent a lot of time outside (some would even say I have a "tan" on my pasty skin), and kept our house clean 68% of the time. We tried to take a lot of family pictures together- some turned out cute, others were just plain funny. And Guido is still part of the family, even when he drives us bonkers and chews on things he shouldn't. We even gave him his very own binkie (he stole it... we just let him keep it.)

Matt finished working on his first published video game (comes out in November!), and in the credits it not only says Matt's name, but it also says "Babies born during production: Ezekiel Red Thorup." So basically he's famous in his 2nd month of life. Booyah. Matt's favorite part of September was hiking up Bell's Canyon while carrying his boy on his chest, even though it rained and we all got a bit damp. Lunch was delicious next to the lake, and so was the company of a 15 week pregnant Asian. Love you Janno!

Carla was still a woman baby-obsessed while also trying to find a way to function in society. Apparently being able to function in society is important (I guess...) so she's been working on it. Also, she is figuring out how to navigate the PBB. PBB = Post Baby Body. Proportions are all out of whack! My armpits smell different! She is much bustier than she knows how to handle! Cool it on the muffin top, girl! It's definitely been an adjustment, but the month of September allowed her to work out most of the kinks. And she chopped her hair off at the end of the month just because. And likes it.

EZ is still way awesome. {Like we could hide that fact if we tried.} He was so sweet and little at the beginning of the month, and by the end he was a smiling, chubby, strong-necked 2 month old. The doc said he can hold his head up like a 4 month old! What a champ. Also, he really liked all of the hats I made him wear. And he can furrow his brow like a professional furrow-er. He gets fussy around 7-8 pm and just wants to be snugg'd with his binkie & to go to bed. Oh, and he is a sleeper! Must be his daddy's blessed genes. He consistently sleeps 5-6 hours at night (from like 8:30-2:30 or so), then is up for 40 minutes and goes back down for 3-4 hours. That means mama doesn't even need a nap! Oh, and sometimes he even sleeps for 7 hours straight! We had a few mom dates, went walking a lot, and even went to the zoo! He loves hanging out with me, I can just tell.

Not bad, September. Not bad at all.

party like it's your

2011-10-03T09:52:00.000-07:00

BIRTHDAY.

26th Birthday to be exact.

I want to:
kiss my dashing husband.
snug my effing adorable kid.
buy some new make-up.
maybe some new running shoes.
eat a chicken gyro with feta cheese.
have a piece of pie.
maybe even 2.
and spend all day putting "birthday!" in front of every word.

birthday breakfast!
birthday shower!
birthday shopping!
birthday dance!

you see? Fun!

{and I chopped my hair off. Just in case you can't tell from el foto.}

stripe pants

2011-09-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

I made EZ some pants out of Matt's old T-shirt and a big 'ol pair of underwear {a new pair, just waaaaaay to big and we couldn't return them. Matt purchased them when my water broke with no actual knowledge of what size underwear I would need... haha.)

Striped pants! Striped pants! EZ looks awesome in striped pants!

That's a little diddy I like to sing to him to make him happy.

Nailed it.

{And he's 2 months today! And totally awesome! Like his pants!}
{Stats: 11.5 lbs & 21.25 inches long}

sometimes we do actually set him down

2011-09-26T21:57:00.000-07:00

just not in these photos.
or very often.

probably a perk of being the first kid.

my ez boy's nursery

2011-09-22T09:21:00.000-07:00

How it went down:
+Painted white walls
+Martha Stewart Precious Metals Paint for the striped wall
+Perfectionist friends who painted the stripes
+Matt changed the closet from brown sliders to white bi-folds.
+Free glider was painted white and recovered blue (with help from my mama & Rac)
+$5 garage sale little rocking chair was cleaned, sanded, conditioned
+Baby Mod ParkLane Crib from walmart online.
+Ikea expedit shelf turned sideways with legs for the bench/bookshelf
+The changing table is actually an Ikea desk that we already had.
+Curtains from Ikea, and I added the blue strip at the top to match the glider fabric.
+Most proud of the yellow & white chevron bumper pads because I made them, piping and all!
+2nd most proud of the chalkboard because we used Home Depot rulers for the border, and they are the correct dimensions to measure EZ's height as he grows.
+Yellow frames from D.I. then spray painted.
+Posters on the wall chosen by Matticus, the silver EZ painted as a present from Rac.

There would be a few more things I'd change or finish if I had a bit more time/money (remember when I had a baby 2 days after this post? pretty funny.)

But, we like it.

group shots

2011-09-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

i try to remember to take a group shot at least a few times a month so we can remember how we all fit together. guido and zeke both look thrilled ;)

showing up for his party: ezekiel's birth story.

2011-09-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

We'd been asleep for a few hours when I suddenly awoke in a puddle at 2:45 a.m. on July 28th. I thought I had peed my pants and in my sleepy, dazed state I said, "Matt, I can't stop peeing." He mumbled, "Go to the bathroom then." I replied a little louder in a whiny voice, "Maaatt, I CAN'T stop peeing!" I was really upset because I thought I was dreaming about going to the bathroom and then suddenly lost all control of my bladder muscles. A pregnant woman crazy-dream brain in full force.

Matt got out of bed and helped me waddle to the bathroom, uncontrollably dripping all the way. It still hadn't clicked. I sat down and said "WHY am I so wet?!" I looked up to see Matt's eyes wide and a little panicked. "DID MY WATER JUST BREAK??!"

And that is how Ezekiel's birth story begins.

I was 37 weeks and we were not quite expecting his arrival this soon.

After we realized that it was indeed the breaking of the water, we got really nervous and I cried a little, then we went into excited baby mode. He was coming! Holy hell he was coming! Our baby!

I cleaned myself up and wrote a list for Matt to head to Wal-mart to pick up a few things for the hospital bag (like baby onesies, you know... for our baby!) I also told him to pick up Windex because it was really important that we cleaned the bathroom mirror before we left. I just couldn't comprehend having a dirty mirror when coming home from the hospital! Matt went and picked up supplies, including a sweet baby blanket and a bouquet of flowers that he called "water breaking flowers." So sweet.

We started some laundry, prepped the hospital bag, and then laid down around 4:30 to try to rest up for the festivities ahead. I didn't feel like it was urgent to get to the hospital because my water was clear, and I figured we'd go once the party actually got started. We both were able to fall asleep for a bit, and around 7 a.m. I called the midwife's office to let them know what had happened. She suggested we come into the clinic to make sure all was on track. Contractions hadn't started yet and I could still feel baby boy moving about. We packed the car and headed downtown to the hospital, stopping at Einstein's Bagels where I scarfed a sausage sandwich and a blueberry bagel. If I could have seen into the future, I would have eaten more!

(remember when I was this pregnant!? it's so weird bc it doesn't seem real.)

We checked into the hospital around 11 a.m., and the midwife said we could try to get things going without intervention, but I was only at 2 cm and wasn't actually actively laboring yet. We walked and walked and walked the halls while simultaneously begging for labor to start, but by 3 p.m. it had been 12 hours since the rupture and no active labor. Bummer. Matt and I had prepped with a Hypnobirthing class and really wanted things to go naturally if possible, but knew we would have to go with the flow to get him here safely, so with the flow we went.

We started pitocin and labored with steady contractions until around 9 pm. Matt and my mom were really supportive and awesome the whole time, gotta give that shout-out! And David and Carole and my dad stopped by to keep morale up. Unfortunately, after 6 hours I was only at 4 cm. Second bummer. I hadn't eaten for nearly 12 hours and knew I wouldn't have any energy or strength to meet my son if I didn't get pain meds to help get him here, so I opted for an epidural. Getting an epidural while also experiencing contractions every 3 minutes... ouch. Good thing the doc was a sweetheart. Thanks Greg!

I was not a fan of the epidural. Yes, it totally took away the pain of contractions, but holy smokes I hate being numb. Gah. Not awesome. And it gave me the shakes & made me fairly sick. Then EZ's heart rate immediately decreased from 150 to 70 when I laid down to get checked, and even though I was at 7 cm by 11 p.m. that night, baby boy wasn't doing so hot. If I moved, his heart rate would drop. If we upped the pitocin to kick up the contractions, his heart rate would drop. He also hadn't moved very low in the birthing canal, and if we could get to 10 cm we'd have to use forceps. My midwife brought in the on call doctor to assess the situation, and that was the first time a C-section was mentioned. Forceps? C-section? These were possibilities that we hadn't even considered because we'd been focused on things going smoothly. At one point we had 3 doctors and 2 nurses all talking medical jargon about me and my son, and I had my mom push everyone out of the room so I could just cry. Matt held my hand and we just took a moment to wrap our heads around the situation and just cry it out. The excitement & fun from the previous water-breaking-in-bed morning was dwindling, and I just wanted it to come back. Or at least let go of all the fear so we could focus on getting our baby boy here, all expectations aside. They had to monitor EZ very closely, and at one point had to give me a shot to stop contractions in order to allow him to recover his heart rate. Stop contractions? Not helpful when we're trying to have a baby.

I was at 8 cm by about 1 a.m. on the 29th, but had to stay sitting in a completely upright position with my legs straight out - otherwise my sweet son's heart rate would drop instantly. Third bummer. The doctor was upbeat that we could get to 10 cm, and allowed us to try for a few more hours. It was exhausting and very emotional, and thankfully Matt kept me calm (and laughing) while my mom kept us both sane. And at least EZ would always recover after his heart rate dropped, because it did multiple times over the next 4 hours.

5 a.m. arrives and it's determined by the doc that I'm still at 8 cm, and my contractions have mostly died off. Baby boy responded negatively to pitocin, so they couldn't give any more of that to help the process. At this point it'd been 27 hours since my water ruptured and the doctor declared it was time for a c-section. They weren't sure why his heart rate was dropping (the most likely suggestion was severe cord compression), but it would be impossible for him to come vaginally and they didn't want to put me or him at any more risk. It was time to have this baby.

Matt got dressed for surgery, we had a sweet moment together to say goodbye to our time as two, and then they wheeled me into surgery to make us a three. Matt held my hand the whole time until the doctor said "Stand up, Dad." We heard Ezekiel cry out immediately and it was thrilling! I'd never been more grateful to hear a sound in my life. They rushed him off to the adjacent room and Matt followed closely behind with our camera in tow. The surgery went well, and after they pulled the placenta out they realized the umbilical cord was attached to the side instead of the middle which probably caused the water to rupture prematurely, and also caused the dips in EZ's heart rate. The midwife and doctor both agreed that he wouldn't have come out if they hadn't done the c-section. Super grateful for doctors and hospitals and modern medicine.

Oh, but our sweet sweet son. He screamed so loudly until Matt started talking to him and touched his little hand. I could get glimpses into the other room and all I saw were big eyes staring intently up at his daddy. It was so incredible. He was here and he was with his papa. Matt would rush back and forth between the rooms showing me pictures and telling me how perfect he was, and then head back to hold his son's hand. There was never a baby more perfect. Healthy and strong and cute and just perfect. That has been our word of choice ever since.

About an hour after he was born I was able to hold & meet my boy. Oh, the feelings! He was mine and fit so perfectly on my chest that I never wanted him to leave. He calmed me and I calmed him, and we felt complete. Deep, raw love that rips your heart open and leaves you a new, better version of yourself.

Unfortunately, I didn't do too well after surgery. Lots of shaking, and sickness, and throwing up for hours after, and I wasn't my usual self until about 24 hours later. Matt was amazing with EZ and the nurses helped so much, but most of Friday is fuzzy. We had excited visitors come over, but no one stayed too long because I was too exhausted, and frankly so were EZ and Matt. The last 24 hours were quite traumatic and we definitely needed some time to recover.

When Saturday morning came, I finally had some food (48 hours had passed since I'd had anything real to eat), and all seemed right in the world. I was me again, Matt was right by my side, and we had the most perfect little baby boy to stare at for hours and hours and hours.

Never before have we loved so fiercely. I'm writing this story down so he knows how he got here, but also so he knows that I'd immediately do it all over again a million times for him. It doesn't matter that it didn't go to plan or that it was long & exhausting. What matters is that he's here. And he's ours. Oh how I love that he's ours.

Ezekiel Red, we love you bigger than the sky and wider than the sea. Thank you for being ours. Forever and ever and ever. And ever.

{photo by jalene}

kangaroos have it right

2011-09-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

carrying my boy around in a sling or front pack is my activity favorito. i've picked and washed pears, done the dishes, blogged, ate lunch, walked, and slept all while he's snugged up to my bosom. and check out his hat! lookin' fly while being protected from the sun.

grandparent's day

2011-09-12T11:52:00.000-07:00

Did you know the Sunday right after Labor Day is Grandparent's Day? Yesterday! I just wanted to give a shout out to all of EZ's fantastic G-papas and mamas. Ken (and his wife Kim, but we don't have a pic with her yet!), DaNell, David, Carole, and Great G-mama Dee Dee makes an appearance in that last pic. Never has a boy been so lucky :) Spoil him, please!

more instagramming

2011-09-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

the iPhone is just too darn handy for documenting the day to day.

sleepy boy.

chubby cheeked sweetheart.

snugs.

profile stroller walking.

mama stripes.

apple store downtown dating.

big eyed almost thumb sucker.

seriously, zekey boy looks different every single minute.

and angle. and awake. and asleep. it's so nutty!

labor daying at silver lake

2011-09-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

the weather was perfectly overcast as we walked 2 loops around the lake. the drive up we talked about goals and get rich quick schemes to always have 3 day weekends. EZ slept almost the whole time, but wasn't a fan of the huge burritos we had for dinner. we changed his diaper right when we got home, and then couldn't figure out why he was screaming 10 minutes later. after 15 minutes of shushing and trying to calm him down, we noticed he had over-filled the new diaper. sorry it took us 15 minutes, buddy. i probably would have been crying too.

holler for mountains and fresh air and days off work.

August 2011

2011-09-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to journal more of the normal stuff in our lives as months pass by and I forget so many details. This is my newest attempt: blog about the previous month around the first of the current month. It'll be wordy, and I won't be offended if you just scroll down for the few pictures and move on.

Two days before August officially began, we welcomed sweet Ezekiel Red into our lives. August has been a month devoted to him. It's been awesome. Like super awesome.

EZ (pronounced eazy) has become the best kind of normal at the casa de Thorups. He spent his first few days learning how to eat, and when that didn't come easy for him, we used a shield to help him latch. At his first pediatrician appointment (and after some hinting from Grandma DaNell), it was determined EZ was a wee bit tongue tied, so the Doc clipped a teeny bit under his tongue to make his reach longer. It has made all the difference in his latching abilities, and after 2 weeks of weaning from the shield, he has become an un-assisted expert eater. And it's showing! In 33 short days on this earth he is already starting to chunk up. He is more alert, his eyes are clearer, and his little smiles are appearing more often. He also learned how to really belt his cries when he's unhappy, fill up a diaper in no time, and furrows his brow more often than not. He usually sleeps at least one 4-hour shift at night, and occasionally 6 hours! He'll take a binky, he likes walks, his neck muscles get stronger every day, and he loves to be held in mama's sling. He's lost most of his hair on the top of his head {due mostly to too many kisses & snugs}, and still has most of his side/back hair.

Carla's August has been completely filled with EZ boy. She was generously given 2 months off form work (she will head back part time in October), and has spent the entire month of August smothering her son with kisses. Also learning how to breastfeed, how to change a diaper without really opening her eyes, the best way to remove neon yellow poo stains from clothing, and how to lay low while recovering from a c-section. She hasn't really mastered keeping a clean house yet, but does manage a load or two of laundry each week. She is excited to get her body back (fully) from birth, and can't wait to start exercising again. She thankfully hasn't suffered too much form postpartum emotions, and napped quite frequently through out the month. She also will eat anything in front of her, especially if it's high in sugar!

Matt has been working hard for the money, and went back to work the day after we came home from the hospital. He is enjoying his job, but is doing more 2D art rather than 3D like he'd prefer. He also has been doing freelance logos on the side for extra income, and raised his son in the "lion king" manner more times than we can remember- song included. He has been suffering from migraines more often than normal this month, and we are trying to work that out with various types of doctors/chiropractors/shamans/black magic. He hosted a UFC fight night, walked Guido a lot, read a lot about bare-foot running, and still found a lot of time to eat Wendy's nuggets.

We received so much generosity from friends and family this month. Lots of presents, dinners, and excitement. None were more excited than Matt's parents- Grandpa David and Grandma Carole. EZ is their first grandchild and they are SO ECSTATIC. I had to capitalize that, because really - it's TRUE. And it's been really great to see them start this new phase of grand-parenting. Grandma DaNell was over almost every day for 2 weeks to make sure the house was clean and Carla was eating and sleeping. All of the other family members and friends made the month of August fly by with lots of visits and phone calls. People really showed up for the party!

Guido is adjusting alright, and sneaks licks to the face/feet/hands multiple times a day no matter how hard we try to avoid that happening. And he is wicked fast at stealing baby socks.

August was one of the fastest months of our lives, but also so full that it'll probably go down as a favorite. Lots of baby lovin' and free food! What more could we have asked for?

All pics were taken during EZ's first week on earth by the ever talented Jalene of J. Taylor Photography (also did our cute pregnancy shots.) She totally nailed it! She was a delight to work with... even when EZ pooped all over the pillow/me/carpet she didn't even bat an eye and kept on going! And she came over when she was super busy and getting ready for a 10 day vacation because she knew it was important to this new hormonal mommy. You should hire her! Thanks Jalene!

mustache bash!

2011-08-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

*if you are interested in the mustache bash invitations- my husband designed them and he is willing to sell the PDF version. Email me at carlathorup@gmail)

My BFFS threw me & my manly son a fantastic Mustache Bash baby shower. Of course it was originally scheduled on July 29th... but I happened to have a baby that morning, so they graciously re-scheduled for August 15th :) But bonus! Everyone got to meet the baby instead of rub the pregnant belly. Although it is funny that I had to nurse during a baby shower... normally that's not usually an issue!

We ate delicious manly food like hot wings and lil' smokies and drank (root)beer until the sun went down! It was a good chick night all around, and boy am I lucky to have such fabulous friends.

Thank you thank you!

EZ was so hung over with happiness that he kept the stache on until the next morning!

zapatos

2011-08-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Shoes for a newborn?! He does not look particularly amused. Maybe even a little embarrassed?

Oh wait...

How about a SECOND pair! BAM!

one month!

2011-08-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

We think you are awesome.

Happy one month Sleazy EZ!

noteworthy

2011-08-25T14:52:00.000-07:00

*striped socks are all the rage. they look like knee highs right now and it's so flippin' cute.
*peanut butter m&ms are not to be consumed in full bags (may cause extra gassyness for all parties)
*thanksgiving point visit wherein i actually got sun on my face & had an official mom-outing.
*teeny tiny foot & hand prints were made before a bath.
*matt earned super dad points for staying with EZ while mom went out with the book club for a movie (the help.)
*he is almost 4 weeks and i'm not even sure how it happened. time moves so quickly it's unreal.
*the stroller arrived and we are walking regularly. recovery is definitely on track.
*we will have a chunky baby on our hands in no time.
*sometimes all it takes is a good cuddle and he'll sleep like a champ.
*news radio is pretty funny. and we already went thru friday night lights. good thing for netflix.
*guido is still adjusting, and is mostly good - until he's not. we're working on it. he loves to steal baby things and hide under the bed.

bathing bubba

2011-08-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Squeaky clean Zekey. Next time we're hoping for more smiles and less furrows... but he still liked all the warm water. We think. Sometimes it's hard to tell with this kid...

a movie

2011-08-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

Matt and I took Zeke to a movie on Saturday.

We planned it so we could have the most successful outing:

-Movie started at 10:50 AM, so an early early morning matinee
-I nursed right before we left so he'd be asleep and snuggly
-We sat on the top row of the theater so I could stand up and bounce if necessary
-There were only 3 other people in the theater (we checked before buying the tickets.)

It almost went off without a hitch... except he let one rip right when we were walking into the theater and I had to change him before it blew out of his diaper. Oh, and that woke him up - so he was wide awake instead of sleeping. We almost threw the white flag in surrender when he started rooting right when I sat down... but instead powered through! I nursed, then bounced, then he finally fell asleep in his sling for the second half of the film. He squeaked a few times, but didn't even bother a single person! Twas very empowering for parents of a 3 week old :)

hundreds

2011-08-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

the # of photos i've taken on my phone in the last 3 weeks.

i cannot stop myself from clicking away.

i have over one thousand with my camera and phone combined since he was born.

heaven help our hard drives.

hipster baby//cute jean bum

three!//snuggs

mama loves//papa loves

what are these curious things?//sleepy boy

awake//happy slinging

goooood morning salt lake//first official michael jackson pose

instagram photos are all over the place, this i know. but i am on the bandwagon and cannot stop myself. and basically this blog is now a baby EZ blog. so if you're not really invested in this kid, you may want to look away now or forever hold your peace.

papa bear

2011-08-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

Matt turned into a natural papa the second he saw sweet EZ. Like he literally begged the nurses to show him how to best change a diaper & swaddle the little man. Also, I was pretty spent (and sick from the drugs/surgery/trauma) on EZ's birth day, so Matt pulled super-dad and took care of every little detail of our son's first day of life. And the next 3 in the hospital as well. I wasn't very mobile and he jumped at every opportunity to flex his new dad muscles.

And it's awesome. Like really really awesome to see the boy that I have loved for so long comfortably hold his new baby. And kiss him! Sweetest little bearded kisses!

Consider me melted.

2 week boy

2011-08-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

EZ had his 2 week check up on Friday and he's up to 7 lbs 6 oz! Mama's milk is doing him good and it's fantastic. Matt and I chose his pediatrician based on proximity to our home (very close), but after our first meeting, we think she's awesome. Matt and I think we're pretty funny and laid back, but when she said "you two are doing great! and might I say, you're very laid back compared to most first time parents, so well done" she pretty much sealed the deal with our relationship. And her staff thinks we're really funny (like when the jokes just keep on flying!). Win win win.

He's alive! And gaining weight! I was given the go head to stop waking him up every 3 hours (we've been on a very strict mama made schedule to make sure he's eating enough), and let him wake himself up on his own. He slept nearly 4 hours straight last night! And he peed all over the doc's office like a champ! Matt and I often fist pump or give high fives and say "Ha ha! We're doing it!" It really does sort of feel like we're winning at life lately.

And I made that car seat cover and it's cute. And strangers can't get too close to my precious lovehead.

slow and steady

2011-08-11T08:28:00.000-07:00

Recovering from a c-section hasn't been as terrible as I thought it'd be, I just have to remind myself to take it slow and steady so I don't do too much. I hear it gets really terrible if you split any part of the scar, so I'm making sure to avoid that. And my doc says it's a pretty c-section scar, so I have that going for me...I guess. Sometimes it makes me feel limited because I'm not supposed to lift more than 10 pounds, but mostly it's been really great to be home and not have anything to do but feed/stare/hold/sleep and repeat. We take a walk each night when the weather cools down, and yesterday I made it all the way around the block! It used to be just down the street and back, so we're seeing progress.

good mornings

2011-08-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

I love mornings with my boy.

He isn't great at burping yet, but he sure does try.

He almost always has his bottom lip sucked in tight, unless he's just eaten. Then it's plump and out.

The iPhone, the boppy, and a large water bottle are necessities when nursing. Netflix is optional, but nice during the day.

I've been listening to the Book of Mormon during our late night nursing sessions to keep me alert & focused. Funny how becoming a mother helps to see things with a new perspective.

Matt gets up and checks on EZ during the night just for his own peace of mind.

He is sleeping in a bassinet next to our bed because I can't imagine him far away. Never thought I'd be one to use a bassinet.

I love nursing. And how perfectly he fits in my arms.

one week with zeke

2011-08-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel.
EZ.
Big EZ.
Lil' EZ.
Zeke.
Zekey.
Squeaky Zekey.
Sleazy.
Sleaze.
Sleazy EZ.
babeeze.
Red.
Big Red.
EZ Red.
EZ Kill.

So many nicknames in just a week.

One of the reasons we chose the name Ezekiel Red was for the endless possibilities of nicknames. Oh how I love nicknames!

The other reason was because of what it means.

Ezekiel means "God will strengthen."

If EZ only had one good quality in his life, I'd hope it was that the strength of God runs through his veins. Thankfully, his short time on this earth shows me he has a million good qualities. Matt and I only hope that he'll know how deeply his parents love him, his grandparents love him, and mostly God loves him. And literally that he'll possess the strength of God to make it through this mess of a mortal world. And lead with it. And love with it. And share it with all those he meets. And continually rely upon a loving Heavenly Father to strengthen him in all that he does.

Red was Matt's choice and we only hope he gets the passion and fury for life that is often associated with red heads (whether he is a ginger or not!) Plus, Matt has a huge red beard that he quite likes :) And it sounds like a viking name! Also, I pray every day that he turns out like his father. I love that man endlessly, and seeing him as a father has me standing back in amazement. It's incredible what his son has done to him as a person, as a husband, and as a man. He will forever be a new man because of this precious baby.

Thorup is not only Zeke's last name, but an honor to have as a title. A badge that he comes from a superb heritage of men & women of faith, hard work, and love. I am grateful every day to be apart of the Thorup family, and am so glad that our boy will hold this name forever. (I also must say that he is a Glade (my maiden name) - because look at that nose! That is a Glade nose, people. And he is pretty lucky to come from my stock too! We are strong stock, the Glades.)

hey there!

2011-08-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

Guess what?! We had a baby!

Oh right, you knew that.

Let me tell you all about how we feel about our little EZ Red...

MUSH. Lovey dovey cheesey cheesey happy happy mush.

That's basically what I turn into when I try to express this past week with our sweet boy.

Labor was not quite like we had envisioned or planned for... but oh well! We have a healthy baby and a healthy {recovering} mama and we couldn't be more grateful. It started when my water broke in bed at 2:45 am last Thursday, and ended with EZ entering the world via C-section 27 hours later at 5:59 am on Friday.

We are in deep deep smit over here.

Oh. I must go stare at him right now and kiss his peachy head. Thanks for all the well wishes we've received! Ya'll must be smitten as well :)

The big EZ

2011-07-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

Hello all! This is papa Redbeard signing in. (The C bear is asleep right now so I stole her blog.) I would like to gladly announce the newest member of our flight, Ezekiel Red Thorup! 6lbs 10oz, 19 inches long, and born 5:59am on July 29, 2011! Mother and baby are doing great, and I have become a professional swaddler.

He is perfect in every way and we Love him!

peeking

2011-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

this week is all about finishing the baby's room. 37 weeks today! that's full term up in the hizzouse. i don't think he's coming until middle/late august though, so we've still got time.

our friend, the edge.

2011-07-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

Hey Edge buddy,

Just wanted to let you know we love you.

We all are so happy you are part of our family, and hope that your old dog-joints have been healed and you're running a-muck with Fuji & Ashes up on heavenly grass.

Thanks for always being so happy. Your sweet face will go down in history at the Thorup house, as well as those terribly stinky farts :) We'll keep the matches out in honor of you.

Thanks for watching hundreds of Jazz games with Josh. You were the only one that could really stand him when he got crazy angry, and I know he'll miss you the most.

Say hi to our baby boy for us, and maybe lick the bottom of his feet. We're pretty jealous that you get to meet him first, but I'm also really happy that he'll know his sweet, rockstar dog-uncle, The Edge.

We hope the grassy fields are endlessly long, the sun is always out, and the food is an open buffet of hot dogs and steak.

You are a great dog.

Love,

All of us.

when your heart's under attack

2011-07-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Anyone around here remember a few months back when I posted about my very own bieber fever? Yeah, it was back in March. And now it's July and I can totally say the bieb's been with us through-out this pregnancy. Stay strong til the end JB, I may need your tunes at birth.

Also, have you ever wondered what people are like in real life? Like outside of their blog? Of course you have if you are into blogging at all. Well, I am happy to report that if you head over to J. Taylor's photography blog (penned by the ever lovely Jalene) then you'll see exactly how Matt and I are in person. Like, you can't hide behind those crazy eyes or the facial expressions, because that's us. 100%. She caught us exactly how we are in this baby making stage of life. I love her for that.

So typical.

And I want to kiss her for making the photos so beautiful. And for being so easy to work with. And for letting the bieber fever hang out un-apologetically. And for all those nice things she said about us, she may want to kiss me back. And I'd be okay with that Jalene! Get over here!

Thanks, girl. I'm super stoked about these, and can't even imagine the thunder you'll bring for the baby's newborn photos. Double stoked! Un mes más!

Also, check out that cute AnaPad (an iPad for children!) that I purchased for Matt from Twig Creative. Cute, right? I think so. It's been a fun little toy since Easter, and hopefully it will actually distract the kid from playing with all of Matt's real techy toys.

thirty thirty thirty five. last week.

2011-07-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

This baby burrito moves! Matt thinks it looks like he's trying to break out, and reminds him often that "it's not quite time, buddy." But by golly, it's getting closer! My weekly midwife appointments start tomorrow, I am working on a baby project every single day of the week (sewing, painting, hanging things!), and I have my first of four showers taking place this week.

Emotions are high and easily available as time is getting closer. I can't think of anything not related to our baby, and Matt is learning so much patience with the demands of his pregnant wife. I miss my ankles and I've gone up a shoe size, my poor wrists and fingers have carpal tunnel and often lose all feeling while I'm asleep, and tums are still a girl's best friend. But I'm also sleeping pretty well, I still have quite a bit of energy, and I think we've settled on his name. A name! That means he is a real person! We can always change our mind, because that's the power of being the parents, but still. A name! I can't wait to put a face to the name.

good intentions a few days late

2011-07-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

Matt made me this shirt to really feel like we were participating in the magic that is Harry Potter. And this is the only picture I got. A crappy cell phone pic before I spilled something on it like I always do. And pregnant face is here, there's just no getting around that.

BUT- So fantastic. The shirt, the movie, the emotions.

I love HP. I'm so glad to be a part of the Harry Potter generation. And when the magic starts to wear off, I'll have my own kid to re-live it all over again. Hopefully even a ginger or two!

Also, this baby really was made with magic. Matt was only home a few times last fall... like Thanksgiving time... when the previous movie came out... and bowchicawowow... you can guess where that sentence was going.

I got sleazy with my very own Ron Weasley :)

And thanks to my internet friends for keeping me in the HP spirit all last week (like Brissa!) Week 35 was not my best pregnant week, so it was nice to have a lot of people doing all the celebrating prep work for me.

project train

2011-07-13T08:33:00.000-07:00

We are still trying to get projects done around these parts. And by "we" I mean mostly me and Rac, with occassional help from Matt :) He does his part and keeps the dishes clean, so we're good!

This week was spray painting various chairs, and isn't Rac's chair going to be the most perfect shade of blue? Love it. We take turns spraying since we haven't invested in a nice spraying handle, and our fingers get tired. We worked on making my glider white for the baby's room, and also found some time to do some sewing. I like being productive because it makes me forget about my hugely swollen ankles.

Also, shout out to Rac on her 25th Birthday today!! You finally made it girl! Let's party!

it's so vivid

2011-07-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

We got stuck in a crazy downpour on our way to Logan on Saturday night. Buckets of water thrown so quickly on our windshield that our wipers couldn't keep up, and we pulled off for a bit. Nutty.

But it made the drive home extra pretty with double rainbows and a beautiful sunset.

And then we watched the youtube video of double rainbow (as well as other classics) when we got home. Still funny! {and pretty awkward too... what does it mean!?}

just take it ez

2011-07-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

It started with my ankles. And then moved to the toes. And then the calves. And then the dreaded pregnant face. And all of a sudden the lip quiver came and the hot tears arrived. There was no stopping the pity party I was about to throw, and the hormones saw to that.

Hormones! For the past week or so, I have intermittently fallen into bouts of crazy pregnant woman. It's real, it exists, and it's totally okay.

By the end of the work day, my ankles are at least twice the size. My entire bottom half (and fingers and occasionally, my face!) feels swollen. The heat + the pregnancy + the 30 extra pounds I'm hefting around are taking it's toll on my cup-half-full way of thinking. And then I start crying and pouting and I'm Mrs. Crank, president of Cranky town. It's a hard cycle to break once it's started. My thoughts are mostly irrational ... "SO HUGE. SO PREGNANT HUGE. SO SWOLLEN. SO SWEATY! MY BABY WON'T LIKE ME. WE CAN'T DO THIS! I'M NOT READY. MY ANKLES! OH NO, CANKLES! IS HE MOVING ENOUGH? THE PREGNANT FACE HAS ARRIVED. WE HAVE 6-8 MORE WEEKS. I'LL BE CRAZY FOREVER. NOTHING FITS. STRETCH MARKS! OH HELL, STRETCH MARKS! WHY AM I STILL CRYING? THE BED IS IN THE WRONG SPOT. WILL I EVER STOP CRYING? ..."

And so on.

But thank the lucky stars it's only temporary and then I return to my 'ol self and realize it's all good. We're fine. Frankie says relax. My ankles will eventually come back. And my baby will like me more than anyone has every liked anyone in the history of the world. And my husband loves me and my roundness & stretchmarks & cankles. He has to - that's part of the marriage oath he took. And so what! My body is creating a miracle and of course there will be war wounds! Battle scars! Evidence to show my baby boy later on to make him know I was serious about bringing him into this world.

And then I bought a new pair of pants that actually fit and realized, I'm not that huge! My pants were just too small, silly. {Even though I am actually very aware of my size... and it's very pregnant people, which is quite spectacular.} Then I bought a nice american shirt on sale and ate cereal at midnight in my yellow swimming shorts while admiring my new pedicure in my newly organized bedroom and breathed easy. Our strong little baby boy moved about as I snuggled up to my loverpants and fell into a nice relaxed sleep. August will be here soon enough.

Now if I could only find my wedding ring, we'd really be set. Pray to the magical wedding ring finders please?

faces of summertime

2011-07-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

oh, the funny things you do

2011-07-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

America, America, oh this is you.

Celebrating the start of a patriotic weekend with patriotic digs. Bonus that they match.

You might be a star tonight, so let the camera roll!

That will probably be our America theme song for the weekend. 2 hip hips for the good 'ol USA!

last week

2011-06-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

we went to 7 peaks on someone else's dime. and we pretended we were the baby by fetal positioning ourselves under the water in the wave pool. i bet that's close to what it actually feels like. i also couldn't fit into my swimsuit, so i 2-pieced it with a tank top instead. changed much? i couldn't go on any of the slides, but it was still a splendid time. the boomerang looks terrifying.

we went to a very pretty outdoor wedding that i was very excited to attend. every single detail was perfectly in place, the couple looked dashing, and matt busted out some MJ dancing. we've decided he needs to practice more, and always have slick shoes on just in case.

we skipped half of our saturday chores and went to super target instead. i bought blank compact discs and had a sudden urge to make a mix CD. sometimes i think the younger generations are missing out on things such as mixed CDs.{do they still do them?} we met up with friends for frozen yogurt and i had forgotten how much i miss them when we don't hang. must make that happen more often.

girl's camp 2011

2011-06-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

Where leaders {possibly} have more fun than the girls.
Where toothpaste attracts snipes while hunting.
Where make-up is discouraged.
Where shadow puppets are so.flippin.funny. And scientific.
Where 2 mile hikes are just long enough for all involved.
Where testimonies are shared and God glorified.
Where pirate talk and eating with your hands is encouraged.
Where sugar is the main form of sustenance.
Where skits and songs and dancing is the norm.

'Twas a fantastic year. Lucky to have a calling in the Young Women.
And lucky they let me come even though I'm pretty darn pregnant.
32 weeks if we're counting.

And we are.

a birth ball!

2011-06-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

which is actually just a gym ball by another name. at our birthing class last night, matt learned he must be the enforcer/protector/immovable papa bear while we're at the hospital for the delivery. he has assured me that he will take his duties very seriously, and that includes filling out all paperwork, making sure our preferences are followed, and growling if necessary.

this was after he played catch with the ball. and then bowled with the ball. and then suppressed laughter when someone said the word limp. i cannot wait for him to be a dad :) i will not place all of the immaturity on him though, because i totally made a sex joke in front of the entire class last night {which was funny, and they laughed.} but still.

i've started to feel pretty big & a bit uncomfortable just in the last week, and as of yesterday i've started to waddle! my 32 week appointment yesterday revealed my hips are starting to stretch and my ligaments are becoming looser. great for the actual birth of a child, but not great for walking when gravity is involved. ouchie.

even with some of the uncomfortableness, i feel pretty pumped about all of these womanly changes. stretch marks! waddling! nip leakage! just means a sweet little bean is on his way and my body is showing up for the job.

mostly winning, with a hint of pop culture fail.

2011-06-19T22:15:00.000-07:00

If any of you run in the same blog circles as I do, then you may have seen my round belly on a few other blogs in the last week. Namely, Angela's, Kera's, and Kate's. And you would have also seen Abby's and Shalynna's faces (and her baby belly as well!) We had a sleep over last weekend in SLC, where I shamefully snored [pregnancy made me do it!] and kept a few of them awake. It was super duper great though, and it was really cool to meet blog friends in person. Blog friends! I bet old people wouldn't even know what that means. Unless they are cool old people and into the internet.

So I was telling Matt about my weekend with my new blends (blogging friends... if you aren't up with it), and I mentioned that "we went and saw Midnight in Paris directed by Woody Allen. You know, the guy from Cheers."

Um, that is very very incorrect. And I knew it right when I said it that it was wrong, but it still came out.

Woody Allen is not the same as Woody Harrelson.

And then we laughed and laughed at my erroneous statement.

Boy my face was red.

Good thing I didn't say that in person last weekend, or maybe they would have kicked me out of bed!

Blogger sleepover = tremendous WIN.

Media knowledge = FAIL.

Just keeping it real.

sweet little stripes

2011-06-15T10:21:00.000-07:00

I purchased this shirt last night because it reminded me of the sweetest little onesie that my madre gave to me months ago. Matching cream & black stripes! Hello, I live for this kind of stuff. Oh, I also purchased this shirt because I just keep getting rounder and am finding it difficult to keep up on my wardrobe. 4 shirts that fit is enough for 2+ more months, right? Wah wah wah.

Also, my brain feels like it's on a blogging summer break. Totally allowable in the month of June.

for the calcium!

2011-06-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

I just can't stop saying "Dirty Thirty!" and rubbing my belly inappropriately. Every week seems to go by quicker and quicker, and all of a sudden I'm in my thirties and the anticipation has shown up somethin' fierce. A baby! In like 10 weeks or so! Holy hell! I hope he has reddish hair! Or what about his lips?! What if he gets my flat little lips instead of Matt's big juicy ones? What if he comes out like 10 lbs!? I don't think we're ready for this jelly.

But then of course, is anyone ever "ready?" If the lovely ladies of 16 and Pregnant can do it, then we, as 2 competent adults, will be able to do it! Right? Right! Pep talks and affirmations will be common occurances for the next few months.

I still feel great and just really enjoy all of it. I sometimes compare myself to like 15 week pictures, and even 18 weeks, and it's so incredible how the body just expands at a very rapid rate all on it's own. I don't even tell it to or have anything to do with it, really. Except the daily ice cream intake- that might be a tweensy part of the "expanding" - but like the title says- girl's gotta get her calcium!

Occassionally I do think, dang! this girl be PREGNANT. Like getting in and out of cars, or carrying laundry up and downstairs, or bending over to pick something up. Matt did the noble husbandly thing and painted my toenails last night as that would have been impossible. [And they look great bubba!}

I have some sewing projects to work on and things to gather for his room, but slowly we're crossing things off lists and getting it all put together. A baby! What a game changer he'll be!

bedhead buddies

2011-06-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

remember when matt had all that hair? good times. great bedhead.

guido is the happiest squishface on earth to have his bff home all the time.

cribbin'

2011-06-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

Hey baby,

You officially have a crib :)

And we went to our first birth class last night, so we can sort of learn what to expect.

Just know we're steadily getting ready for you.

I promise I'll eat more protein to improve my iron levels.

But only if you promise to knock off the charlie-horses while I'm sleeping.

Last night was a doozy and my legs are still sore this morning.

A thank you.

Love, your mama + papa.

i can see your halo

2011-06-06T09:56:00.000-07:00

i don't ever wear lipstick outside of my home. it always makes me feel more self concious and like i'm trying too hard. i'm working on it. i do, however, wear it when i'm at home. usually by myself, and when i need to feel fancy in my pj's. also having really blonde hair and beyonce on the beats coaxes it out of me.

so i wore my fancy lipstick to take guido on a late night walk, do the dishes, and take mirror pictures for matt to see what i'd been doing while he was away with his boys on friday night. i love beyonce.

a swing and a hit

2011-06-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

Do you know how long I've wanted to be part of a work softball team? A long time. Like since 8th grade coed days, I swear. And guess whose new job has a team? Matt for the win! So now he gets to rub shoulders with other gaming studios in the valley while {hopefully} beating them at softball. We went to the batting cages last weekend to practice, since it's been ages since he's swung a bat - like when did Sandlot come out? That long ago. We don't even own a glove for him to use! His first game is this weekend and I can't wait to cheer him on. Or maybe I should play? (Just look at my game face! So serious.) I'm surprisingly pretty good with this extra round belly helping me out. Also, we can't stop laughing about Kelly's tweet last week- her softball team name is "pitches be crazy." I love everything about that.

am fond of...

2011-05-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

sunny walks with this face. squish!

friends that come over and paint stripes on my baby's wall. lucky! i srsly didn't even lift a finger because they just did it all. amazing. and the crib is being delivered next week :) if we keep up this pace, we might be done early!

lunches with this guy. que guapo! we only work 10 minutes away

from each other now that he's at his new job. holler for not commuting long distance.

oh, you two

2011-05-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

He took me to a U2 concert just 9 days after our first kiss in November 2001. This was the first time his parents had ever seen him really out with a girl, and they had never seen him holding a girl's hand. His mom even made a comment to him while I went to the bathroom about how strange it was to see her youngest son behaving this way. (Also about "getting action" or something equally wierd to have your parent talk to you about.) You see, U2 was a family event for the Thorup's. Seats were spread out all over the arena to partake of Bono and The Edge that year, and he had switched his (better) single seat with his brother for 2 seats in a different part of the stadium. We were 2 little loveheads completely alone, except for the thousands of other people there as well.

And as 16 year olds, we must have had really good lungs and lots of quality chapstick, because we totally kissed for entire songs. PG kissing of course, as we'd only just started our kissing careers a mere week and a half prior, but still- entire songs?! I think about it now and am so embarrassed, because who locks lips for entire songs!? In public no less! While standing only a few feet from other people! I blame it on the raging hormones and Bono's magical voice.

As we attended our 2nd U2 concert together last night, I am happy to report that we kept it classy even under Bono's magical voice. He's still got it! Although, don't think we weren't tempted to make-out. How awkward with Matt rubbing my round pregnant belly! Opportunity missed, my friends. I blame it on our maturity. You're welcome.

pregnant in zion

2011-05-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a fantastic family trip down to Zion National Park. Matt about had a panic attack hiking Angel's Landing because 1. He's scared of heights, and this hike uses chains to help guide you along a very narrow trail, 2. He was so nervous that his 6+ month pregnant wife was going to slip or fall or go cliff jumping, and 3. He was wearing 10 year old chacos that didn't have any traction. (He later bought those nerdy 5 finger toe shoes for future hikes.)

I got a lot of looks, double takes, comments, and some high-fives for doing the rigorous 5 mile hike in my pregnant state. I took more breaks than normal to catch my breath, and had to pee way more often than ever before, but overall it was great. And worth it. And the view is always incredible.

the air smells better here

2011-05-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

i am your mother

2011-05-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Written Mother's Day 2011

Baby boy,

My name is Carla and I am your mother. I think I prefer mama, but I'll take whatever you throw my way little booface. I haven't been sleeping well lately for a variety of reasons and almost without fail we have a 4 a.m. date. Papa bear is quietly slumbering next to me, I can hear Guido's snores from the kitchen, and after a trip to the water closet, we lay in bed together pushing back and forth between belly skin. I have a feeling this late night date is going to become all too familiar between us. Good thing you're up for me now so when it's your turn I'll be up for you. Brown noser! How does a little head of cauliflower already know the importance of such things? I swear it comes from your father, because he's the biggest suck-up I know. Unfortunately, sucking up totally works for me. I'm doomed!

However, I am officially addicted to your movements. I now understand why pregnant women touch their belly so much. It's not just because it sticks out all the time and is a convenient arm rest. No no no. It's because we are waiting for the next jab or tickle. It's the cocaine to our crack! Or some other drug to an addict! I'm not very familiar with the verbiage obviously, all I know is that I cannot wait for the next hit. The next kick. The next hiccup. I crave it like sugar and have a hard time believing it's real. Hallelujah we have 3 more months of this because I just can't get enuff. I'm a sucker!

I have dirty blonde hair and freckles, and am around 5' 4". I just want you to recognize me when you come out. I'll be the one bawling her eyes out and demanding all of your attention. I really can be very needy, so just be prepared to get a wee bit smothered. S to the mother!

Matt called me a "pre-mother" this year, and I accepted the title with little hesitation. I can't wait to obtain full mother status. Just taking it to the next level! That's the truth, love. Sometimes I'm cranky and mean, and you'll want to actually call me la bruja ... but it'll pass. It always does. And then you'll realize I'm pretty awesome. I'm your best friend, your forever advocate, and your first love. You don't have to admit that last one once you're like... 15. But I'll know it's the case. Mamas always do.

picnicking.

2011-05-16T08:02:00.000-07:00

we spent as much time outdoors as possible this weekend basking in the 70 degree weather.

i love hamburgers and french fries. i fear they will make my nose bigger, but that might be irrational.

we even went to the city landfill on saturday. so many birds.

this is a lame post, but it's all i can manage until a work audit is over.

full circle

2011-05-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

normal, hairy, homeless, clean.
start, school, end, employed.

employed? why YES!!

you are looking at the newest 3D artist to enter the biz. so proud! everyone put your hands together for matticus, who is fulfilling a dream as i type this. good luck on your first dayizzle, boyfrieeeend.

do you have 40 minutes?

2011-05-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post this link, but I'm pretty sure that some of you haven't seen the Halloween movie SICKS that the Manor Massacre boys made last year. It's funny, and thrilling, and we're all pretty proud of how it turned out. Watch it and then start getting pumped for this year, because I'm sure they have another one in the works because Matt kept his beard for some of the filming :)

sicks from Ryan Sacks on Vimeo.

Or just click on the link and watch it from Vimeo because it'll probably look better. Ryan Sacks should get 95% of the credit for making this film happen because he is the man with the camera and the skills. Matt did the drawings you'll see, which I just like. And any single ladies out there, Toby is totally my brother in law and I'll hook you up since you'll be wanting to get with him by the end of the movie. I just know it. Nerd alert!

the ache

2011-05-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

do you find there is always something to ache for? i feel that way. happy aches and sad aches and memory aches. we were in spain this time last year and i am totally aching for it. but also aching over how happy this year is and how quickly it is flying past. it feels like a million days have come and gone between spain and now, when really it's only been 365.

confession

2011-05-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

i can't wait to put a cardigan on my future boy. or suspenders. or fake glasses. or skinny jeans.

and i'll consider it a fine day when he gets called a hipster. even if we don't name him from this list, don't think we haven't considered some of those ideas.

i once read... the only thing a hipster hates more than being seen as a hipster is not being seen as a hipster.

so true.

twenty-cinco de mayo

2011-05-05T06:15:00.000-07:00

i couldn't resist a good theme for this 25 week celebration.
and i love how many times i can incorporate that sombrero into life events.

this boy is doing awesome. i feel super great 99% of the time. i also feel sort of bad for feeling so awesomely great when lots of women think pregnancy is the pits. for the record, i do not think it's the pits. i think it's awesome. {but i do feel for those ladies that don't feel this way... sorry.}

matt can feel outside kicking manifestations of his son almost daily, and i'm pretty sure he gets choked up about it. well, not really, but i wish he would. we've created magic, matt! i want some tears, dangit!

i'm measuring a nice 40 inches around and am in need of another new bra already. the books tell me my uterus is the size of a soccer ball {sweet!} and my baby is the size of a rutabaga. who in their right mind can accurately imagine a rutabaga without googling it? seriously. i retain quite a bit of water if i don't drink or exercise enough, and that'll only get worse as the weather warms up. already time to start accepting the sausage fingers?

instead of doing just the nursery, we've decided to do our bedroom as well. why should the kid get all the cuteness when our bedroom needs some tlc? so both upstairs bedrooms are getting made over for the next few months and hopefully i'll proudly show them off (finished...) before he makes his grand entrance.