Christmas Survey

Leigh Anna Jared Joseph
1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate sucked through Grasshopper cookies Hot Chocolate I'd pick paint before Egg Nog Neither Mommy's Milk all the way!!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa is a wrapper No the elves wrap them everyone knows that I don't know yet
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? We usually do colored on both Colored black lights are cool Either I like them all especially the blinking lights
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No but I should No No
5. When do you put up your decorations? Depends on the year, usually after Thanksgiving, but some years I do it earlier and some years they never make it up. Or they stay up for months afterwards. One year we didn't throw our tree away until April. The thing was still alive!!! Jared and I joked about keeping it for the next year. This year we didn't do it because my wife went Scrooge on me. Mommy said we weren't doing decorations this year because of Daddy is making us move
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Danish Applesauce Dessert, Rainbow Jello Turkey Mommy's Milk
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Riding the train to Utah, catching "Santa" wrapping presents "I asked for it, I wanted it and I got it" Zach 4 years old Well I pretty sure I'm going to be Santa's favorite this year and get all the presents
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember I think I was 4 or 5. Diana and Donna spilled the beans The truth about Santa came directly after the birds and the bees talk I still believe
9. Biggest Holiday Disaster? We had a pipe freeze and break one year on Christmas Eve night flooding my parents bedroom Moving this year or the year I tried to have Tinkerbell on a string between the stairs and the top of the Christmas Tree Diaper blowout
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Jared & I started a tradition of getting an ornament on every place we visit . It's fun to pull them out and remember all the places we have been. Very Carefully but it always falls over anyway Ask me next year
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Dread it! Don't mind it as long as I don't hav to drive Hate it cause my nose gets cold
12. Can you ice skate? Yes, but I'm not very good, it's been a while. yes, forward and backward I think I have to learn to stand first
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? A plane ticket to Utah to spend a week with my Grandma by myself 2002, disneyland, need i say more. I like all the shiny paper
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Pondering the birth and life of Christ. time off of work to watch the california raisins christmas special Jesus
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Gingerbread men, it's not Christmas without them. Wassle. Mommy's Milk
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Reading the Christmas story and opening the nativity for FHE. Having gold in the toe of my stocking and getting new PJ's to open on Christmas Eve. Cutting Down our tree which my Ebeneezer Wife wouldn't let us do this year. And watching the "Carol of the Bells" Segment of the California Raisins Special. Sleeping in
17. What tops your tree? A giant S'more Man holding a star that is always way too heavy for our tree and we have to tie it to the ceiling A christmas Mickey that swings a lantern. It should be a picture of me
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving. Come on who's gonna say receiving. I'm all about recieving
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. Merry Christmas Eve, by the Eels. Anything sung to me
20. Candy Canes? They are okay I can never seem to eat a whole one. They make good weapons when sharpened. Mom won't let me try them
21. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized? Yes there is too much pressure to get everyone you know a gift, No I hardly see any Christmas commercials. I like commercials

Thanksgiving in Utah

Click on the link to see all the pictures from our trip to Utah

http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z95/hendi123/Thanksgiving/

I don't need that eye I have another

Joseph fell asleep last night in the car. We brought him in and got ready for bed. Jared went to check on him and found that his pacifier was poking him in the eye. Of course we had to take a picture before helping our cute boy out.

Joseph's spotlight in the paper

So I was cleaning out my e-mail and found the link to the article the Rocky Mountain News did on the blizzard babies. They had interviewed me and were going to come and take pictures of Joseph's arrival for the article. Sadly the editor wanted to print the story before Joseph came so we didn't get our picture in the paper but we did get mentioned. We missed the photo by 3 days.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5707421,00.html

LEIGH ANNA BUCK, 29, HIGHLANDS RANCH
• Family profile: Leigh Anna and husband Jared are expecting their first child Saturday. Leigh Anna is an accountant, and Jared is a court administrator in Breckenridge.
• Conception: "We're not exactly sure - the end of December, early January. We had been trying for a long time," Leigh Anna said.
• Birth: Joseph James will be born at Swedish Medical Center.
• What did the trick? "It was probably that we just had some time together," Leigh Anna said. "We were relaxed."

Must be the Tryptophan

SO you know it’s a good thanksgiving when the turkey weighs twice as much as you do… Mommy and Daddy were finally united for awhile in Utah for my first Thanksgiving. My mommy made me wear “Baby’s 1st Thanksgiving outfit” like everyone needed a reminder or something. Oh well all the girls loved me and the guys wished they got half the attention I did. I'm a real ladies man.

For my 1st thanksgiving I had my first airplane ride. I didn’t even have to pay because I went to security and the guards said “hey you’re so cute you don’t even need a ticket.” So I got on the plane and mommy became, other than the fat guy with bad BO, the least desirable person to sit by. I had a little case of the fusses but soon I was fast asleep. You’ll notice a trend of me being asleep at all these exciting things.



So I was in Utah my first trip out of state. Everyone thought I was so cute and it was quite rare that I saw my parents because everyone wanted to hold me. My cousins Olivia and Grace pulled out their doll stroller and stuck me in it and took me for a tour of their pad. I didn’t really care- I just slept.




When Daddy got to UT we went to see Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, Daddy really liked it and most of the kids did. Diana had to bounce me around at the end of the movie but for the most part- I just slept.

On turkey day we got a late start and were left without a car so we had to wait for everyone. Daddy was sick of waiting but really had no choice. Finally we went over to the Lundstrom’s house for our Turkey Dinner for 39 (Or 58 if you ask my daddy). There was potatoes, stuffing turkey, food as far as the eye could see and 14 pumpkin pies. Daddy and Mommy had a meal together-as for me, well I just slept.

Later it was time for my blessing. I had this cute pretty slick white tuxedo to be blessed in. I became the only baby Daddy has ever seen to be blessed in white. But my Tux is so cool I decided to indulge mommy and get blessed in white. The cool thing about my tux is the pants will fit me next year-not o much this year. So all the priesthood brethren gathered around my daddy and they made a huge circle. I was just fed and getting pretty sleepy- now I know what you’re thinking- here he goes again he’s gonna sleep through his own blessing. Well I didn’t. I thought I’d pull a fast one and do the opposite- I wiggled and screamed throughout the whole thing! Pretty clever eh!

Later after the blessing- I just slept. Then Mommy and Daddy had some time to get to know Carl’s girlfriend, Stephanie. They gathered around and talked. Daddy made Carl tell them their love story and how they got together as for me well I just…well you get the idea.

The next day I lived one of my life-dreams- we went to IKEA. They have great baby stuff there and cool stuff for rooms. Bedding, blankets, quirky furniture. Daddy and Mommy had fun at IKEA and I would have too except for one thing- I just slept. By the time I woke up we were done at IKEA. Before I knew it I was back in Carl’s Mafia vehicle. That thing was spacious!

Our next stop was to Grandpa Bucks favorite store Cabela's. I found me some new wheels but my mom said I was too little for them plus they wouldn't fit in Carl's boat so I only got to take them for a spin in the store.



Then we went to go see my great-grandma Connie and her special friend Clyde. They gave Grandpa Buck a gun to take home, and everyone got pie- Me, well I just slept. We kinda got home late and all the other family had gone to bed. It was pretty late and Mommy and Daddy were tired. They got dressed and ready for bed and got in the covers and they just slept…but not me. I cried and wiggled- hey man, I thought, I’m the one who decides who sleeps. So after keeping them awake for a few hours….wait for it…wait for it…I just slept.

So remember I told you about Carl’s girlfriend? Apparently while we were cruising in his car, he went and did something…drastic. As Daddy awoke in the morning the family was gathered around and Carl was in conversation. Everyone seemed oddly interested in his conversation and slightly perplexed. Daddy just caught the end of the story (I was busy doing something else, can’t remember what)…”hmm that’s odd it almost seems like they got engaged, that’s weird, guess I shoulda heard the first part of the story” was daddy’s thought, but the more he listened and the more he observed others it was true- Carl had gotten engaged! It turns out he swiped Shane’s jeep, went to the mall bought a ring and later proposed on temple square. Since I had his Mafia Assault vehicle they had to improvise. So I guess the big news is twofold: 1. Carl is engaged and 2. I slept through the whole thing.



Saturday we went to a baptism of cousin Olivia- it was sad though, I mean she has to get baptized to get rid of her sins, where here I am perfect already. It was a great baptism very spiritual except for the fact that I slept through the whole thing.



That was pretty much it for Thanksgiving. The next day Daddy had to go home but he got to watch Pee Wee’s Big Adventure in the car. Mommy won’t let him watch that movie and I end up falling asleep. I did do other things though, I mean this narrative makes it seems as though I only sleep- 24 hours a day. This is foolish. Of course I do other things! I cried and ate for about 1 hour so I only sleep like 23 hours a day. So get off my back. I have a very strenuous life and sometimes I just……….ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

The Aminalz at the Zoo

Well Since there is no couch or viable furniture in my house anymore, we don’t hang around the house much. As a result Mommy and Daddy decided to take me to my first visit at the zoo. As always, I would just as much rather stay at home and eat than go anywhere, but I figured hey I can eat in the Snuggli, why not give it a go. So off we went to the zoo. Ah free day at the zoo- always a trip. The first obstacle- parking. By the time we got to the zoo parking lot, I was mad- and throwing a fit. I was crying and screaming, it must have worked because some lady on her cell phone heard and was calling for help- mommy noticed the lady walking by her car and turned on her blinker- turns out they weren’t leaving just coordinating. But the person right next to them was leaving and we pulled right in- about 3 spots from the Zoo entrance- SCORE!

By now Daddy had done a Chinese Fire drill and calmed me down. Then there was the ordeal of packing up the snuggli, the stroller, the diaper bag and the baby. 30 minutes later we were in the zoo. Daddy wanted to show me aminalz from his mission so we went to the tropical discovery exhibit first. There is a frog there that only lives in Paraguay that daddy wanted to show me. We looked all over but were unsuccessful in locating it. I did get to see the inside of my eyelids a lot though. My neck was kiltered at a crazy angle as I slept right through the deadly snakes exhibit. I was stirring a bit by the time we got to Nemo and Dori but mommy and daddy mostly enjoyed Nemo. Mommy kept saying, “just keep swimming.” Everyone wondered how old I was and again more people assumed I was a girl. Maybe I should grow some facial hair.

Later we went to the Pachyderm house. As we approached I started squealing and squalling, yelling at the top of my lungs- Daddy said, maybe the smell is getting to him? Well kind of- I had a surprise for mommy. You see the pachyderm house is famous for….how shall I put it…excrement. I smelled all the poop and the enormous quantities and I thought hey whatever those animals can do- I can do better.

Meanwhile mommy and daddy are baffled as to why I was so cranky- they would find out at the bird house.

Blowout. Webster’s defines it as “ an event resulting from intense, overbearing pressure caused by some immediate, grave sudden change in the balance between inside and outside forces which causes a release, often violent, of pent up gases, solids and energy.”

Yep up my shirt, all over my legs, straight through the diaper. I was pretty impressed with myself and was laughing internally when mommy had to clean it up. But after that man did I feel better. I got my patented old man/Mr. Rogers sweater on and I was fine for the rest of the trip. The Monos were kinda aburrido, and many of the gatos were inside. What’s with the Spanish you say? Well it was the official language of the zoo it seemed…

It was a fun day at the zoo. Mommy and Daddy got some exercise, Daddy got to spend time with his family and we had some fun. On the way home though Mommy forgot to buckle me into my car seat. I screamed in protest but my dense daddy just thought it meant I wanted a bottle. So he stuck a bottle back there I sucked on it because that’s what I always do, yet the problem remained. I could see the straps that normally go on my shoulders, dangling lifelessly above my head. I kept crying and my too dense daddy decided he was frustrated so he dives- the car is moving mind you- into the back seat, jumping right over the top of me. He lands on the side of the car with all the junk on it so he’s not able to sit down. So now if there’s a car wreck we’re both goners. Eventually I figure if my daddy is too dumb to figure this out, I’m not gonna worry and I fall asleep. Nothin happened and we arrived home safely. Except when we got there, there were 4 or 5 squad cars from social services waiting to haul my daddy away.

My First Baseball Game

Well since the last post, the Rockies managed to go all the way to the World Series so my mommy said I could go to a game. It was my first game. Daddy wanted it to be special and it doesn't get any more special than this. How many people can say that the very first live baseball game they attended was a World Series game? I bet even less can say that the first game they ever saw was a world series clincher. I got to see the World Series trophy in my first game- what do the baby cubs fans think about that! The bad news was the wrong team won the World Series. The Rockies lost to the Red Sox 4-3 and lost the series 4-0. As a result I asked mommy to destroy all my red onesies.

We got to the ball park early and went for Batting practice. We went down to Daddy's usual spot to catch a HR ball during batting practice. Where there is usually plenty of real estate, now there was only a crowd of Red Sox fans. Everyone noticed how cute I am and asked how old I am. I told them 4 weeks old. Everyone thought I was so cute...well the moment of truth came and a ball came sailing in my direction. Daddy had just passed me to mommy in my snuggli and was looking for his mitt. As the ball came in the guy next to me snagged it. The crowd jeered him: "Come on give it to the kid- its his first game!" The guy thought it over and in the end, handed me the ball!

So my first game was the world series and in my first game I caught a world series home run ball! My Dad is disgusted with the luck as he is 26 and just this year got his first HR ball AND his first world series game. What took him 26 years to accomplish I accomplished in 4 weeks!

Don't feel bad for the guy though. Because of his charity he was rewarded. 2 more balls sailed toward me and he caught both of them. The dude caught 3 balls in about 10 minutes. Now that's luck! Too bad the luck didn't carry over to the game though.

There are several pictures of me at the World Series, but my mommy will need to post the pictures and the awesome video of my daddy singing the national anthem at the world series. Stay tuned!

Gift basket from Daddy's work

Daddy's work sent me a gift basket full of fun stuff for me and some things for my mom and dad too. We all enjoyed it. Daddy's work ROCKS!!!

Joseph in the Lundstrom Family Pants

Grandma Hendrickson's Chair

My mommy left me sitting in Grandma Hendrickson's chair. Check out how cute I am.

Go Rockies!!

My mommy and daddy are big fans of the Colorado Rockies. They took me to games all summer while I grew in my mommy's tummy. The Rockies hit a big winning streak at the end of the season and ended up being tied with the San Diego Padres at the end of the season. When I was 2 days old the Rockies and Padres had a one game playoff to determine which team got to go to the playoffs. We were all excited for the game but my parents were a little worried because the doctor was concerned that my digestive system was not working right yet. All night my parents kept checking my diaper to see if things were moving yet. As the big game got to the 13th inning the Padres were up two runs. My daddy was almost in tears because he didn't believe that the Rockies could come up with more magic. My mommy told him not to give up yet. The bottom of the 13th inning started and the Rockies got the two runs they needed to go to extra innings. Then the magic kicked in- my mommy took my diaper off and was blowing on me trying to get me to pee. Just then a base hit allowed Matt Holliday to slide into home to win the game. My daddy jumped up in excitement and I added to the celebration with my own personal "fountain".
The Rockies made it to the playoffs and had to play the Phillies. The first two games were in Philly so we watched the games as a family. Yesterday my daddy and Grandpa Buck were lucky enough to go see them play at Coors Field. I wanted to go with them but it was too cold for me so I stayed home with Mommy and Grandma Buck. I did join in the fun though by sporting my Rockies gear. It was a little big this year but next year I'm going to be big enough for my gear. My gear must have been good because the Rockies swept the Phillies and won all the games they needed to make it to the next round. Next up the Arizona Diamondbacks!!!

So far the Rockies have not lost yet in my lifetime. Daddy tells me I'm his lucky charm. I hope the Rockies make it all the way to the World Series because mommy said I can go to a game if they make it.