2011

2011 was the year of major change in the Shurdha household!  At the beginning of the year both of us were working. Me in my first year as a science teacher, and Endrit trying to finish up his PhD.  I stopped work in June about half way through my pregnancy with Marsi.  

I spent a lot of my summer between Utah and Missouri with my Mom.  My parents decided to move to Carthage, just outside of Joplin Missouri.  They were there the day the tornado went through signing on a house!  I loved it there.  I was in Missouri for most of 20-28 weeks.  It gave Endrit time to not worry about me and do finishing touches on his thesis.

In May, Endrit walked in graduation.  In October, Endrit finalized his PhD.  I couldn't be more proud of him. 

Marsi was good (much to my chagrin) and waited until Endrit was done with his degree to come.  She was actually born a day after her guess date.  She truly is the light of our life.

She has been a blessing in every way.  She isn't always a good baby, but by no way, shape, or form is she a bad baby.  She challenges us just enough.  It is fun when she is in the middle of her mid day long nap and I miss her.  I sometimes just go and pick her up and let her sleep in my arms.

Endrit is amazing with her.  She has him wrapped around her little finger.  He loves her chubby cheeks and he is constantly kissing them.  It is SO much fun to see him with our daughter.  I couldn't have asked for a better person to have children with.

At this point both Endrit and I are unemployed.  Me because I would like to be a stay at home mom.  Endrit is putting out applications and resumes almost every day.  We pray that he will be able to find a job soon.  We are doing great, but we can't live off of nothing forever.  

I believe that 2012 will be a year of major change as well.  We will most likely be moving somewhere in the US that is not Salt Lake City.  We will have our first full year being parents to a beautiful baby girl.  I am very excited for the year to come.  2011 was a good year and I think 2012 will be a great year!

Merry Christmas!

Marsi is decked out for Christmas.  I love all of her dresses.  This one is really cute though!

Blessing Marsi

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints babies are not baptized.  Baptism is a choice that can be made by the child starting at 8 years old.  But, as a baby, the name of the baby is placed on the records of the church and given a priesthood blessing.  Marsi was able to have this done last Sunday.  It was absolutely wonderful for our family.  I had my Dad, brother, and sister in law there.  Endrit's parents were there.  My Dad's uncle, his wife and one of their daughters were there.  Also our adopted family was there as well.  Rick, Janet and 2 of their kids, spouses and children.  Also, one of my teacher friends and her daughter that I taught last year in school was there.  It was so much fun!  We absolutely loved it.

We didn't get any pictures with the Evans or Endrit's parents.  It was busy and my Mom wasn't there to ensure that it happened.  But, we did get pictures of my family together.

Marsi did wonderful during the blessing.  She was beautiful wearing the same dress I wore when I was blessed as a baby.  She didn't cry at all during the blessing.  She is a very happy baby...until we want pictures with daddy.

Endrit sure does love his little girl!  I am absolutely the luckiest mom in the world to have these 2 people in my life.  

My mom made this dress for me 26 years ago.

Very beautiful dress.

Uncle Fred (Warren, Phillip, Smith...whatever you know him as.)

It was an absolutely wonderful day.  Thank you to everyone that was able to make it.  Thank you to those that wanted to make it but were sick and stayed away as well.  You were missed.  

Here is a bonus picture from yesterday.  I need a good caption for it!

Endrit's dress for Marsi

Today Marsi wore a dress that Endrit picked out and bought this last week.  He is an awesome dad.

Cloth Diapers

Yes, Endrit and I are cloth diapering.  I have to say that I was nervous about starting it.  Since we had received so many disposable diapers for gifts I wanted to use those before I ventured into the cloth diaper realm.  Every once in a while I would use one cloth diaper here and there with her.  I liked the cloth diapers, but I had more disposables.

Well, we ran out of most of the disposables and started full on cloth diapers 3 days ago.  I have to say I LOVE them.  Not only are the diapers cute, I am finding that they work better than any of the disposables that we have used (Pampers, Huggies, and Luvs).

There are a few things that have changed since I was in cloth diapers as a baby. For one, they come in the cutest waterproof fabrics like froggies...

And Hello Kitty...

Yes, it is waterproof and it is called a pocket diaper.  There is a liner that you put in a pocket in the diaper for absorbency.  That means you can put as much or as little in there that you want.  Right now I am doing a triple layer of microfiber that came with this particular diaper type.  I also have plain covers called econobums that I use a prefold flat diaper and it works wonderful!

Another difference is this little thing called a diaper sprayer that is attached to the toilet.

It makes it SO easy to just spray the poop off of the diaper without having to dip it into the toilet.  Believe me, I had to do both, and I LOVE my diaper sprayer.

By far my favorite cloth diaper is the econobum cover with a prefold.  The simplest diaper I bought.  They are my night time diapers.  I have never had a leak with them.  I use the other diapers during the day because they hold less pee than the econobums and she would leak overnight.

So, yeah.  I am excited about diapers.  I didn't think that I would like cloth diapers as much as I have.  I know I only like them because the technology in the diapers has changed and I have a diaper sprayer. I love my little fluffy butt kid.

Christmas

Endrit and I decided that we were not going to put up our tree this year.  So, no tree pictures.  It kind of makes me sad because I got some really cute Christmas tree ornaments at the after Christmas sale last year.  But, I wouldn't be Christian if I didn't decorate for the true meaning of Christmas with a nativity.  So, I got my nativity out that I bought last year (again after Christmas sale on Novica.com).  I love this nativity.  It is one of a kind glass sculpture from Peru.

So, we do have some decorations up.  The important decorations.  Christmas is about the birth of Christ.

December 18, 2011

We have a date for Marsi's baby blessing. December 18.  I am really excited for the day to come!  I hope that she fits into my blessing dress.  If you will be in SLC around that time, you are more than welcome to come. We would love to see lots of people there for Marsi.

Sunday dress

Such a cutie...what else is there to say?

Comparison Picture

I am amazed at how quickly Marsi has grown.  She was a big girl at birth, but she just gets bigger and bigger all the time.  I just wanted to show you a comparison picture of her from 5 days old leaving the hospital and one taken today.

Sleepy Baby

Marsi is just finishing up a growth spurt.  She has been really sleepy today because of it.  We try to keep her up as long as possible after feedings so that she will sleep tonight.  After Endrit kept her awake for a while she started to get fussy so Mom got her.  I tried to keep her awake for a little longer by sitting and bouncing her on my lap.  She started to nod off.  It was SO adorable!  Eventually there was nothing I could do to keep her awake.  Her head drooped and her eyes closed.  I told Endrit he had to take a picture of her.  So, here is the latest picture of my little girl.