Welcome to the new year everyone! I thought that I would post a few updates on our little family.

The most recent Hallie news is that she learned to roll over yesterday. Yeah!! Dad has been practicing hard with her. She is also sleeping through the night as long as she is next to me. She still fights naps during the day because she is afraid she is going to miss something.  She loves watching people and for that reason she also loves the mall. Good for her and mom! For Christmas she received a completely new wardrobe thanks to Nanna and her new favorite book is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See which Grandma Crane gave her. (Her eyes never leave the book and its bright pictures.) Hallie turns five months next week! Crazy how time flies.

Ben is still loving his job at the Census Bureau HAHA.  He is going to start trying 10 hour work days (which really means 12-13 with his commute). This would mean he could take every Wednesday off and spend it with me and Hallie. (I’m a needy wife who can’t get enough time with my sexy husband.) He has also been regularly attending the gym at work and I am reaping the benefit of his tight abs. Mmmmm 🙂

As for me, I went running by myself today.  Since Hallie was born I haven’t been exercising as much as I should.  I gained 40 pounds during my pregnancy and I still have 12 lbs to lose. I realize that I am back to the weight I was when I left on my mission, but I lost a lot after I got married and once you drop to a size 2 you can’t go back to a size 8 and be satisfied.  Anyway, the whole reason I’m writing this is because I haven’t felt comfortable leaving Hallie with anyone yet-she’s way too cranky. However, today I changed my mind and my friend Stacey watched Hallie so I could go running.  It was AMAZING!! I hated running until my mission. I think all the rules made running seem almost freeing in a way.  I remember longing to run, which was COMPLETELY foreign to me. The past four months the longing has returned. I’ve been able to go on walks with Hallie and sometimes I’ll run behind her stroller, but today, ohhh today, it was amazing! To be by myself and run was therapeutic. I swear I’ve heard a thousand times that I need to take care of myself first, but I just didn’t think it was possible.  Although I don’t think any mom could put herself first, I do believe that every mom needs to take some time for herself.  I’m hoping that my ‘alone’ running time will help me emotionally and mentally as well give me back my body that I so desperately long for.   Thanks again Stacey I owe you!

That’s what we’ve been up to so far in 2009. We hope you are all doing well and we look forward to seeing as many of you as we can this year.