our boy

Another random mix of our boy, just being his silly self.  

He stole my coke can out of the trash, and was trying to drink the last few drops when I caught him in the act!

Yes, that would be our son climbing where it says "no climbing" ;)

Here at the Bailyhood, we love a good summer.  And we have had one more reason this summer to love it even more.  Little D made it in so many ways.  He has changed so much, and is now more a boy than our little baby.  Time goes fast when you are having fun!

first time at real game

It's a crazy thing, but in all the years that the Salt Lake Real have had their staduim in Sandy, we have never gone to a game! Thanks to our buddy Brock, he gave us his tickets to a game he was unable to attend.  It was actaully a great venue, and made us want to go back again! It wasn't such a bad thing that the Real won that night too! 

visiting the uhinkhood

We boarded a jet plane in mid August and headed to Charlotte NC to visit our great friends Melissa and Heiko, and their sons Leo and Lucas.  We were really excited to see Lucas, who was only 3 months old! 

Dare was ready to go as we headed for the airport!

The moving walkway is for your traveling convenience.... or for little boys who need to stretch their legs and burn off some steam in Chicago!

Sunday brunch!

Pool time!

The boys with Heiko before the pool

playtime in the laundry basket...why not?

both boys love playing in the balls!

bath time is always a fave!  And Lucas was so good!  He is such a good and mellow baby!

happy.  happy.  happy.

Thank you to the Uhinks for hosting us and sharing your home and lives with us for those few days!  It is great to have friends to visit, that no matter how much time has passed since the last visit, you just pick up and resume, as if it were just yesterday that we were all together!  There is a comfort in that kind of friendship.  It will be fun to watch the boys as they grow.  Each visit they will play more together, and develop a stronger bond, I am sure. 

liberty park fun

We took Dare to the 2nd Volleyball Tournament for the AVP that Liberty Park hosted here in SLC.  Last years was pretty cool, so we didn't want to miss it!  Afterward, we let him cool off in the water park.

pc hidden secret

Ryan and I love going up to the Park City Arts fest each August.  Not that it is so amazing, or even really that different from year to year.  It is just our thing, and it is a nice weekend getaway when we make it that.  I planned ahead and reserved a room for us at The Washington School House Hotel.  It was an unexpected treat. 

And, we were able to see A Rodge preform at the top of Main.  Ryan had seen him on the local news when they were doing a special on local talent last winter.  It's always fun to "support the locals" and you never know who will make it big!

The property really was a retreat!

Check it out!  It's worth the extra $$.   They treat you like royalty! Free.  Free.  Free. And "how can we serve you"   Once you are their guests!

ever changing

Just a few photos in no order at all.  

Here he is after dad picked him up from Miss Nannies one day.  He wasn't feeling so hot, and he had to capture the moment of quiet that is so rare.  This is when we know he isn't feeling 100%!

Instead of playing in his playroom, and pulling every toy from the shelves and bins... this is what he was doing... Not our typical boy!  We are so glad his bug was short lived! As much work as it is when he is in his constant state of action, it isn't the same when he's not well!

I

Hanging out on the baseball fields all day with the Siefert's is a lot of fun and so exhausting!

backyard patio time with tara!

getting ready for bath time.  we have to strip down outside on the evenings when he's been in the sandbox!

He had to wear the shoes he picked out.  NO argument!

everything is a jungle gym!

sandbox

Ryan had an idea.  With a determination in him that I so love to see, he tackled the sandbox project, working on it every day until it was complete.  And, Dare has been so happy he did.  Seeing that, makes us happy too. 

This was 2 days out from knee surgery, and why his mama looks so "excited"!  She really was, just a little tired!

We had no idea how much Dare was going to incorporate the sand into his diet.  After 3 days of sandpaper diapers, and really raw diaper rashes, the current rule is: no play without the binkie!  He must have a mouth plug!  What a silly bugger!

 Thanks daddy for such a fun box for play!

private design part II

***one of the biggest reasons I have been MIA most of July and all of August***

Transition usually proves to be a challenge in some ways to all.  As much as I would like to think that I can tackle anything, and do it with ease and stride, my latest big transition during the last 2 weeks of June and first week of July, humbled me on that level of thinking.

I was forced to make a location change for my salon studio due to the relocation of the old salon space that I was renting.  I was not interested in going the direction of my previous landlord, but was unsure as to where I needed to be.  As I am not one who believes in mistakes or coincidences,  when it was made known to me that Image Studios was opening up their fifth location in Midvale, I knew right away that it was a place that I needed to check into immediately.   I signed a 2 year lease and paid my deposit 24 hours after seeing my new studio. Even though it was still under construction, and hard to tell exactly what the finished product would look like, I knew it was my new place. 

Today I love the new space, and it has now become home, to me and my clientele.  I have had nothing but positive feedback from all who support my business.  My old place now just a memory.  A really good one. 

Having said that, none of this would be without my support system.  I humbled myself and begged for help.  Time was not on my side, and I had serious deadlines that I could not avoid.  

Ryan was SO much help.  I know I was a HUGE emotional pain in his behind.  And that states in kindly. ;)  He was so done with the project by the time it was complete.  But, even still, he hung in there with me.  

My mom sewed and modified fabrics for me, as well as tend Dare several times.  

My dad did amazing amounts of carpentry work for me, which was usually at a last minute frantic call, and even still he came running my way in his 'Papa's 46' Chevy! 

My sissie Mijken tended to Dare I don't even know how many hours and hours, and days and days.  She was so good to me and to him.  

Carmen did as well, and also came running to help me move all my stuff from old place to new, and she ran errand after errand for me.  Paint store, Ikea, Walmart, Paint store again, and who knows what else? She was so helpful.  

And, then Amanda, my sis in law.  She is an amazingly talented Interior Designer.  Without her help, and her race to me at a midnight hour plea, my space would not have the feel and the perfect layout that is has today.  She is a wonderful person, and was there for me every time I needed her, and within minutes. 

Then there were my 2 contractors, Carlos the painter and Carter the handyman.  Both came running right when I called and did perfect work for me.  

And, as much as she does not think she did anything to help, I would not be Private Design in a legal sense without the behind the scenes fervent work of my biff Chal.  Again, to a last minute frantic call, she helped me out immediately.  She registered me with Midvale city, Salt Lake Health and Sanitation, the IRS and Sales Tax Id, Dept of Commerce, and changed the business from LLC to sole proprietor. She claims it was all "no big deal"  "so easy".... but whatevs.  In the frazzled state of mind I was in during that time, spelling my name became a challenge. ;)  I love her for just dealing with my huge mountains that she sees as tiny molehills.

All in all, I am grateful.  For the help I had, and for the response of so many to my pleas of emergent help.  I love my circle.  I am lucky.

It is more finished than this, but this is an "almost complete" photo

 

These are the picture frames that I had my dad modify into polish shelves.  And, of course, they are all full now! 

 It's all official!

knee drama trauma

As a preface:  I have been having trouble with my left knee since the very first week of July.  The pain and "slipping" out of place has consistently happened when I went down into a squatting position.  When it happened, it would slip, I would scream and immediately cry...the real shed tears kind of cry, because of the intensity of the pain.  I would then try to calm myself, taking deep breaths, all the while bracing my knee with both hands, and ever so slightly trying to manipulate it with little nudges, prompting it to slip back into place.  This would take anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.  And, all the while, an endurance of pain was going on that is indescribable to anyone who has never known knee pain. I do not wish it upon anyone. As soon as I could get it back into position, the pain would subside pretty immediately, and I was only left with a slight ache that would last a few days.  This same scenario, beginning the first part of July, happened to me six different times...and then...the seventh... 

So...although I don't normally work on Fridays, I went in for a partial day last week to catch up because I had missed the whole week previous due to our family reunion.  Mijken was ever so kind (as usual) to take Dare for me that day so that I could work.  My final appointment was my mom nails, and the agreement was that Mij would meet me at my studio and bring Dare to me.  While she was there I would wax her brows.  So, Friday afternoon while finishing up with my mom's nail appointment, Mijken and Dare arrived.  We were just chatting while I was cleaning up, and in the middle of my tasking away, I knelt down into a squatting position to grab something...and my knee gave out. Again. This time it was different.  Very different.  Forget the 30 seconds to 2 minutes of pain before slipping back into place.  That knee had had enough, and was not budging.  I was crying like a baby, and SOO glad that it was my family there to witness, and not a client.  I would have been so embarrassed.  My mom and sister were beside themselves, not knowing what to do for me, and I was on the floor pleading with my knee to "just slip back into position like always in the past"  After about 30 minutes of this drama, they were finally, very delicately,  able to help me into my chair on wheels, and wheel me out to my car and take me to the Instacare.  I thought for sure if I could just see a Dr. who knew the anatomy of the knee, he could help me manipulate it properly, and get it back into place.  Ryan was called.  He left his friends on the golf course and rushed to meet me.  Mijken and mom handled Dare for me.  I really had no idea what was going on.  My mind was in such a place of trauma; I was so fortunate I had my family there.

To make a really long saga a bit shorter... it ended up that there was no way in hell that the Instacare Doc was going to be able to help.  I couldn't stand to even be touched.  There was not a chance that he could manipulate it.  I was sent to the IMC ER.  That visit took almost 8 hours, and in the end, after HEAVY doses of IV pain meds, I still had no relief. The drugs just made me sleepy, but no pain was alleviated.  The ER Dr was at a loss as how to help.  I was sent home in an immobilizer brace, with a prescription for pain pills, and ibuprofen, and orders to see an orthopedic surgeon ASAP.  It was assumed that I had a bucket handle tear of my meniscus.  I spent a lot of time in excruciating pain in bed the rest of that night, and into mid day on Saturday.  With the help of many loved ones praying for me, and 2 wonderful women who are dear friends of mine, that did a dedicated healing meditation directed solely for me, my body, and joints...  the release finally happened.  The residual pain was much worse, but the intensity was gone, and I could finally bend my knee and walk again.  It was still very inevitable that an  immediate visit to an orthopedic Dr was a must! 

  Upon seeing Dr. Pepper on Monday morning (no kidding, that is his first name...he is a good friend of the Bailey Family), the diagnosis was confirmed, and surgery was scheduled for the next day.  No messing around on this!

 So, although it is the hardest thing for me to do, I have been resting, elevating my knee, and icing around the clock.  I am amazed at how low my pain level has been, and at how much less fearful I am to walk and move around now that I am post surgery.  I was so nervous to make any small move before, as I was not ever wanting to experience that pain level EVER again!  I am grateful for Ryan.  He has helped me so much, been so patient and understanding, and has tried his best to help me not be anxious about my work schedule.  Because I am.  I hate rearranging appointments and putting people on hold.  It just is not my style. Especially when it is not one, it is like 20! My clients have been so loving and understanding, and for that I am truly blessed.  I am on mandatory bed-rest til tomorrows end, and then after that, it is up to me and my level of tolerance, as to what kind of activity I engage in...  I am fully intending on taking appointments Friday, to catch up as much as I can from missing Tues-Wed.  I am fortunate in that Thursday is a holiday here in Utah, so I was not booked out that day.

 Dare has been a little helper in his own way, giving mama lots of kisses, and love pats.  He is such a sweetie.  He is also going up to Dad's garden every evening when he gets home from Miss Nannies, and "helping" his daddy with the watering...he usually comes inside soaking wet and happy as a clam!

What this experience has taught me?

• Putting off pain and ignoring symptoms does no one any favors. 

• The blessing of family is something to not be taken for granted, instead, recognized daily...with a grateful heart

• I have the most amazing friends and clients (whom are all considered friends), and for that I am so very blessed

• Andrea's homemade lasagna is truly amazing. As is she, which I already knew, but am even that much more grateful for her friendship and genuine care.  It was nice to have a good dinner last night, after fasting half the day. 

• I have known since age 15 when I tore my Rt ACL that my knees are the weakest link in my anatomy.  After reconstructive surgery, my Dr at that time told me this.  But, my level of awareness, care, and use of caution while doing every day tasks will be even that much more heightened.

• Not exercising regularly is NOT a good idea.  I need to start that back up again to strengthen the muscle tone and the support around my knees. 

•  I love my husband more than ever.