Does Your Baby "Pica?"

Dear Blog,

Juniper is a paper eater. But perhaps not by choice. You see, I make and keep "paper messes." It's a trait I inherited from my mother. Since Juni puts everything thing in her mouth and there are paper stacks throughout the apartment, she's bound to eat paper some time.

This story has nothing to do with my paper messes, but about Juniper's chronic paper eating. Receipts are may be the easiest to find and hide. One time I saw the corner of a playing card in her poop! It's funny how things can pass through our digestive system unscathed.

There is a basket full of bonnets and hair bows in Juni's room that is on a little chair that Juni can reach. There is a set of six bows that I have always kept on it's original cardboard holder. That way the little things are easier to find. It's something Juniper always enjoys playing with should she get into that basket. One day I found the cardboard bow holder in a hidden corner of the living room and it looked like this:

I had a creeping suspicion just where that missing piece could be. Sure enough, the next day as I was spraying Juni's dirty diaper in the toilet the missing piece rolled right off the cloth and into the bowl. I couldn't help but laugh and think "[what] once was lost but [now] is found" seemed to be the perfect soundtrack to that moment.

Sincerely,

Emily Wilcock

Western Spaghetti

Dear Blog,

Watch this video! It's simpleness and creativity will make your day.

Now, who's hungry?

Sincerely

Emily Wilcock

The Weather Has Changed

Dear Blog,

Last weekend turned out to be a great one. We were initially disappointed that we couldn't join Heath's family to spend Columbus day up in Eager but we enjoyed ourselves anyway. Heath didn't have as much homework as he normally does so we were able to go on a picnic and watch a movie. We also got to visit with one of my uncles that was in town. I hadn't seen him in 10 years! He's got some interesting stories.

Here are some pictures of our little picnic.

The face Juniper is making in this picture we call "the bulldog." We're thinking she has an underbite just like her daddy did.

Haha, can you see her face in this one? She was probably screaming with excitement.

She was so excited to walk around that her head would be ahead of the rest of her body and her feet could barely keep up.

It was Juni's second picnic but the first time we went with her she was about 2 or 3 months so she didn't really notice or enjoy the change of scenery as much.

I have to include this picture because Juni looks so different. She looks like a towhead and my mom's side of the family.

We also watched a wedding. It was lovely day for a wedding.

I made some really yummy black bean burgers and oven fries and chocolate chip cookies. I could eat that meal every day. Very filling. (Heath and I have realized that not grocery shopping for a month really helps your creativity and you end up eating really yummy food as long as you have the basics; eggs, milk, flour, sugar, etc. It's amazing the kind of diversity we have been getting.)

This weekend has been a breath of fresh air, both literally and figuratively. It feels like the Phoenix valley is waking up from there long summer hibernation and I'm looking forward to spending more time outside.

Sincerely,

Emily Wilcock

I Guess I Can Draw

Dear Blog,

Sorry about the big gaps between posts. It has been busy and stressful lately and I haven't really had as much time for blogging. But Juni is resting peacefully at the moment so why not take advantage of that and say hello?

I think General Conference came at the perfect moment this year. I woke up Saturday morning and "tuned" in online and it calmed my nerves immediately. I'm glad that I have passed those childhood and teenage times of mine and do currently enjoy and look forward to conference for more than just skipping church. And it is great no longer having to fight so hard to stay awake. During the Sunday afternoon session I decided to sketch Heath's portrait while listening to the speakers and I surprised myself! I am quite proud of it. See below.

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For a comparison, here is Heath looking tough.

It really does look like him!!! I never thought I could do that. I am sure I'm mediocre at best. After all, I drew his face really wide and he looks like he is a wanted criminal you see on the news. Speaking of Heath and being all artsy-fartsy; Heath wrote a poem for one of his classes and he shared it with me and I absolutely love it (and guess what it's about...again). I want to share it with you because it means a lot to me.

My Daughter’s Olive Oil Crown

My daughter was born at our apartment.

Boxes boxes boxes

We made it just in time.

She made the sounds of a tugboat.

Barooo barooo barooo

My daughter was close to the hands dock.

Olive oil! The midwife said.

We have some! I said.

Prepare garlic prepare shallots prepare daughter?

Beans again I say.

We’ll have cheese and fish she says,

Until then I’ll heat the beans in olive oil.

The midwife spreads olive oil

On birth’s opened door.

She’ll slide supreme she says.

My daughter’s head meets our

Boxes boxes boxes

Blessing: olive oil on her crown.

by Heath Wilcock

Now, if you are anything like me you prefer to have an explanation to things like this. If you would like the interpretation then read on, if not then jump to the next paragraph. First off, we moved into our apartment 6 weeks before Juniper came and we hadn't really settled in until that day. It can be strange to use olive oil for something other than cooking up food. So using it for a baby? Hmmm... Fish and cheese seem like celebratory foods for us but in this region both of those yummy things are not cheap. For us poor student parents, beans are really all we can afford at the moment.

Now, the last line, the best line, is what I find so wonderful. Not because of it's obvious symbolism, but because Heath didn't even intend for those words to happen, they just did. That is what is so wonderful about the creative process and Heath's mind. That it organically unfolds unknowingly into something so profound and lovely. I am very happy his creative artsy side is rubbing off on me, because I do not think I could have drawn that picture without him.

Sincerely,

Emily Wilcock

P-A-R-T-Y???

Dear blog,

I just wanted to share a silly photo of who else, but Juni.

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Sincerely,

Emily Wilcock

I'm Feeling Crafty

Dear Blog,

I apologize that I have slacked off this past week. I've been busy and also in a blog rut. I haven't been sure what I should post about. But I can always count on my Mother-in-law, Kerri, to have something interesting going on at her house, though this is the first time I have posted about her shenanigans. She gives Martha Stewart a run for her money with all her crafty, artsy goodness. I would like to share with you what she has been working on for Halloween.

One thing I have always liked about Kerri's holiday decor is that she often uses old family photos in her work. One year we soldered picture frame ornaments with old (and new) B & W pictures of family members.

Here we have Heath's Grandpa and his siblings. Can you guess which one is him? I won't tell you because I think it's obvious Heath looks like him. They have the same eyes/eyebrows.

Now on the the witches of the family. Kerri used chalk to give them their green witch coloring and rosy cheeks (so they would be cute witches). She did this all free-hand too. No stencils or tracing. Yeah, she's talented.

This is Heath's Grandma in her youth.

One of Heath's Aunties

Another one of Heath's Grandma as a young girl.

She made this family member the witch seductress.

The glamorous witch.

Heath's great grandma.

This witch is the black widow.

So there you have it! I love them all. So, far we all agree the one of Heath's aunt, the teddy bear killer, is the best. Which one is your favorite?

Sincerely,

Emily Wilcock

Dear Blog,

Juniper has grown up this past week!!!

First, she can crawl...

She really doesn't enjoy it and she is usually whining when she is crawling.

Second, she can dance...

She always bobs her head when music starts. Sometimes she just bobs her head in silence and I like to think she's dancing to a song that got stuck in her head.

Third, She can walk...Really she can!

She's been taking little steps here and there but it was very sporadic and wasn't really walking. But now. Now, she can cross the room if she wants to get to the other side. And as you can see in the video, watching her walk is much more exciting than folding the laundry.

Another thing she just started to do last week is sit up on her own. I feel like that milestone has been long overdue. But I guess it evens out for how quickly she has picked up walking. It is definitely her preferred mode of transportation over crawling.

Little Juniper is really growing up!

Sincerely,

Emily Wilcock