Christmas Eve

Hey Mom, (and everyone else!)  Since we could not be with you this Christmas, we just wanted to share with you... here are the main events!

What Grandkids we could get to sit still long enough for a pic with their Chrismas PJ's!

Arlo's 1st Christmas Eve!

Arlo's 1st present!

Arlo's Christmas PJs.

Merry Christmas!

The Real Santa Claus

Arlo loved Santa!  He wanted to grab his beard so Santa put him on the naughty list, but because he was the cutest reindeer he had ever seen, he took him off the naughty list and put him back on the nice list!

Dear Mommy,

Dear mommy,
I have been trying my best the past few days to teach you a few things about me, I think you have learned through these experiences but just incase you've forgot, lets recap...


1.  Do not ever doubt my eating skills ever again.  When at one feeding I can chow down a serving of beans, a serving of carrots, 2 strawberries, 2 servings of peaches, 2 crackers and a handful of cheerios.  I will admit that I might of fed Bronco a few cheerios, but I definitely ate the rest!

2.  Do not forget to tell my babysitter even the littlest of details about what I am capable of!  I have been trying to climb those stairs for a few days and you didn't tell her... so today I showed her and I got to the 3rd stair before she even noticed!  I am so talented!!


3.  Do not turn off Sesame Street until I tell you that you can.  Even if it might not look like I am watching it... I might want to watch it when I take a break.  In other words, I am the boss!


4.  Do not tell me when I am going to do things.  Today when I showed you that I can pull up on the couch and then let go and stayed standing... well that was your warning.  You tell me not to walk till after a year, but I will walk when I want to walk whether you like it or not!


5.  You need to baby proof!!!!  In case you are wondering how I get from one side of the room to the other in the blink of an eye... well I am crawling.  Usually when a baby begins to crawl, their parents baby proof the house, well I have been crawling for a few weeks now and I can still find all sorts of trouble to get in so... baby proof NOW!!!!

Hopefully this helps!
Love,
Arlo

Merry Christmas!!

Tim, Arlo, Aunt Niki, Cousin Lani, and I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas!! Now we worked a long time to get this all coordinated so enjoy!!!

Family Pics... Incase you don't get our Christmas Card!

Thanksgiving and Baby Update... of course!

I want to start this blog off by letting everyone know what I am thankful for this year!

Most of all I am thankful for my Heavenly Father who loves me and I know He loves me because He has blessed my life so completely! I am thankful for a husband who I love more than anything. I am thankful for a child who brings such joy to my life. I am thankful for our jobs, our home, our friends and our family!

As for my child and his update, well I just can't believe all that he is doing now. It was like one day he was stuck wherever I put him and now... he is sitting up, crawling, pulling himself up and eating (a little bit and very picky) but still he is eating! So here are some picks to show off my little man! ENJOY!!!!!

The first time Arlo ate a food that he liked! He is just like his mom!!!

Arlo with his most favorite pal!

Crawling Arlo!!!

Cute teething Arlo with 6 TEETH and more coming in!!!

My first Thanksgiving dinner that I cooked. By two brothers and my nephew came over to celebrate it with us!!!

Arlo's very 1st time pulling himself up! And it has been nonstop ever since!!!!

Thanksgiving on Friday in Prescott with the Grandparents!!!

Arlo and I in front of the Christmas tree!!!

Crawling

So my little guy started crawling today! He's been scooting around (which looks a lot like the worm) for a few weeks now but yesterday he actually moved his arms with his legs two times. And today it was more like five and then the worm... then five hand and leg movements... then the worm... and on and on. I am just so proud of my baby. I wish it wasn't so early, but it is... so I am a one proud mama!!!!!!

This video is about 1 week after... from the 1st blogging about it!

Bragging!!!

Okay, so just a warning up front, this blog is purely just to brag!!!! So do not read unless you want to be insanely jealous!!!

This weekend Tim and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary by going on vacation!! I know our anniversary was a month ago, but we had to postpone celebrating it until this weekend. So it all started on Saturday when we took Arlo to grandma's house for the weekend. Then Tim and I drove all the way to... wait for it... Phoenix, AZ!!! (I was willing to drop the baby off, but I did not want to be to far from him, just in case!) We booked a hotel room at the beautiful Arizona, Grand. Where we stayed sat, sun and mon. We spent the weekend enjoying one another company, shopping, going to the water park, going to the movies, sleeping in and going to the spa. I loved all of it, as much as I didn't think I would enjoy being away from my baby for so long, I really loved being with Tim! My husband really is the best husband in the world. All weekend long he did whatever I wanted to do, he watched a girl movie with me, he opened all my doors and we talked. Not like how was your day talk, but real conversation like we had when we were dating! It was so much fun being around him, and although the vacation spot could have been better, I could not have been with better company!!! Baby... I LOVE YOU!!!!

Now, if that did not make you jealous then listen to how we ended our wonderful staycation. Today, we slept in and when we woke up we both went to the spa where we got an hour-long couples massage and then Tim's fun was over he had to go back to work, but my fun kept going with a facial, a manicure and a pedicure. That's right 4 hours of relaxing, me time! How many brand new mothers can say they have had that? And, I loved every selfish second of it!!!

I love my life!!!

Fit Bit

Okay, I am so excited! Last year for Christmas my brother swore he got me the best christmas present, but it was on backorder. I thought... ok, whatever, it is my brother after all, I was not expecting much. A few days past Christmas, then a few weeks, then a few months and around July (my birthday) my brother told me he hoped his present he bought me for Christmas would come in time for my birthday. At this point I had totally forgotten all about his present and I begged him to tell me, what in the world would be on backorder this long. So he gave me the link and told me to go check it out. (www.fitbit.com) The fit bit is a really high tech pedometer. Except not only does it count your steps, it calculates your calories burned, tells you all about your sleep cycles like how much deep sleep vs. light sleep you get through the night. It connects to your own personal web page where you set goals, enter what you eat and much more! It sends information (while still on me) to the base (where it charges) every 15 minutes it updates my computer page for me, so when I get on at the end of the day it is all updated, except the food log. Well, I am so excited because I still have a few more baby pounds to lose and there is no better push to lose the dreaded baby weight than this... and the beautiful mornings that we are now having so I can go out and run! THANK YOU BRYCE!!!!!!!

5 month update

Happy five months to my sweet baby boy!!!! He is just so amazing in every way. He is becoming such a big boy! The things that he has done this month just blow me away. He is just about sitting up by himself, he has been turning over from his back to his tummy for a few weeks now and from his tummy to his back a little less. It cracks me up, because when I put him down for a nap, or bed, and every time I go into his room to check on him he is in a different spot, in a different angle, in a different position. For example, I will put him down on his back, at the top of the crib (under the mobile), I come back 5 min. later and he is on his tummy laying sideways at the bottom of his crib. And the next time I check he will have completely changed again. And then when he wakes up he is always sideways laying on his back and when he sees me he will smile so big while he is holding his toes like he is saying, I knew you would come! He is the happiest little baby I have ever seen!

As of a few days ago he is getting up on his hands and knees and scooting backwards, his laugh has changed, he has gotten his two bottom teeth, his first cold, he is still not eating very well, but while trying he has learned to blow it ALL out, everywhere and giggle about it. Yep, my boy is pretty amazing.

This is his first time in grass, he loved it. He just sat there and played with it (actually he was trying to eat it) for a good 10 minutes.

This is just such a cute picture of my precious red-nosed 5 month old!

This is one of the best shots I can get of his teeth. He does not like to show them off very much.

One of our eating attempts. It is not that he does not like food, he just likes playing in it so much more. (No matter what I try, I swear the most he has eaten is probably no more that 2 spoonfuls!)

I do have a video of his attempt at getting on all fours. He was doing it while I was getting out the camera, but while the camera was on, he just got his feet under him. Which is pretty much the story of his life, we never get anything on camera... until it becomes an everyday thing.

Happy Anniversary!

We have been married for three years now and still have all eternity left, which does not bother me because this is what I get to look forward to everyday...

1. My best friend

2. Cuddling with you and falling asleep while watching movies

3. Eating your cookies (even with the coconut)

4. Sneaking the cookie dough

5. Hand massages during sacrament

6. Flying kites

7. A great smile

8. A great kid with a smile that reminds me of you

9. A man that works hard to provide for his family

10. Singing the greatest songs together

The list could go on but I know that as we change, the list might change and no matter how or when it changes I will love you the same. Happy Anniversary!

4 months plus!

So here we are, Arlo is now 4 months old. At his doctor appointment he weighed 17 lbs 11 ounces (90%), was 27 inches tall (97%), and his head was 17 inches around (75%). That is right my chunky little man has now doubled his birth weight, all on breast milk! I am telling you, that is the good stuff. He is wearing size three diapers (I had to exchange 2 boxes of Costco diapers and get bigger ones) and is now wearing size 6-9 months clothes and even they can be tight depending on the brand. But he has actually been in them since Oregon which was about August 2nd.

As for how and what he is doing, I am proud to say that my baby is the greatest! He is the best little conversationist in the world! He absolutely loves to talk and be talked too. He will goo and gaa and squeal and fuss in all the right places. He will also giggle at other things besides the dog (even though Bronco is still his favorite!) He loves playing with his feet, he will stick anything and everything that he can get his hands on in his mouth. And yesterday we noticed his two front, bottom teeth pushing through. Our little man does not stop changing even for a day!

Now that he is four months we are going to start supplementing with formula as well as solids. I am so excited, my mom got me the baby beaba for my birthday so we can do the all natural thing and make all of his baby food. I also went on craig's list and bought my little guy a piano exersaucer! He loves this thing, he loves standing on his own and playing with the toys or watching Bronco. He can literally stay in that thing for about 30+ minutes and be as happy as a clam!

As for our other child (Bronco) he is more and more jealous everyday... and I feel bad because we usually take him to the park everyday, but right now in the heat it is way too hot, even in the morning when I wake up it is already in the 90's, and I usually am in bed my 9:30. Because Arlo still 90% of the time still wakes up once a night. So, as for Bronco I feel bad but as soon as it gets cooler I can not wait to take walk to the park with Bronco and Arlo, we will have a great time!

4 months!

After Oregon Arlo and I came back just so I could start work... so sad. Those first few days were the hardest! Not to mention my super nanny was sick that week and so I had to find other means for my baby. It all worked out in the end, but still to this day I hate leaving him every morning. Which brings me to my work... WOW! Boy do I forget how hard Kindergarten is the first few weeks of school. Tim even reminded me by saying "Well at least this year you are not crying, so it has to be better that the last few years!" I LOVE Kindergarten, I really do, but those first few days of teaching kids who have never been away from their mommies how to function on their own, not being able to do the things that they want to do, not taking naps, teaching them the basics of pushing in chairs, standing in line, sitting in chairs, sitting on the floor, raising their hand and waiting to be called on instead of yelling out teacher, teacher. I can not even tell you how many times I hear, "when can we play" or "I'm bored" or "I don't like school" those first few days. And the crying!!! I won't even go into all the reasons why I hear crying throughout the days. Like I said, I really do love teaching, and kids, but those first few weeks are so hard! Things are now starting to get better and easier, But WOW the past few weeks have been hard!

4 months minus!

Tim's Salmon

Tim and nephews under Paul Bunyon's Blue Ox

The deep sea fishing crew.

Our crab line up!

Dead beached great white.

My monster fish I caught!

Another fish I caught.

Timmy and Me!

The same forrest used in Twilight... My Edward is much more handsome!

Haystack Rock!

So I never got around to blogging about our amazing trip to the Oregon coast! Tim's family got a few amazing places right on the coast and we spent a week just relaxing and spending time with family! Tim got to go crabbing with all his nephews and nieces and Tim and I got to go deep sea fishing! I have to admit I am a pretty good fisherman! Here are some pics of our time there!

12 hours!

I know Arlo has been technically "sleeping through the night" for 2 months now, but last night he really did sleep through the night all 12 hours! Granted, it was probably because he was catching up from our latest vacation to Oregon (I will be posting pics soon). But, I was still WAY excited!

3 months in 3 days!!!!

It is almost official! My precious baby boy will be 3 months old on July 30th! And when I weighed him (on a baby scale) he weighed 15lbs. 14oz. He is my beautiful HEALTHY baby boy and so much has happened in these past three months! Arlo is now aware of his limbs and can grab his arms and legs, he stands really well (with adult help), he has been sleeping through the night (9 whole hours last night!), and he is now giggling! He is growing up so fast.

The next two videos are Arlo's happy and sad faces.

With this video, I would like to warn you... it is the morning time, I have not yet gotten ready for the day so do not pay attention to me when I occasionally get in the shot. But, also know that I was trying to do tricks with my dog Bronco (When you say bang! bang! he rolls over on his back) while holding Arlo, while video taping. So my hands were full, but you will understand why I did what I did because Arlo's giggle is the BEST!!!!! Plus this is only his 3rd time giggling like this, so I was proud that I actually got it on tape! And the mess in the background is laundry that I just finished folding.

This video is of Arlo doing the opposite of giggling! He is just so cute when he is mad!

Catch Up!

This will be a long blog because the last few weeks have been so filled with fun and family and trips! 

It starts out with Tim leaving and driving up to Utah for his baby brothers homecoming.  He just finished his mission in Guadalahara Mexico. (I do not know how to spell it.)

Then I flew up a few days later with Arlo to introduce him to Tim's family!  At the same time, Tim's sister Becky gave birth to the most beautiful baby girl, whom they named Maebel.

Then we left Tim's family to meet up with my ENTIRE family for a family reunion in Ritchfield Utah.  Here we did lots of things....

We stayed at the Big Rock Candy Mountain Resort...

We went shooting...

We hung out around a campfire...

Arlo celebrated his first 4th of July.  He absolutely loved the fireworks, his eyes got so big and wide every time they exploded in the air!

(I do not have pictures of this... it was to dark!)

And had a great time!

Tim had to go back down to Az for a whole week of work, I stayed behind in Ut

ah where Arlo and I relaxed and had a great time being with Family.

Then, Tim came back up and we blessed our baby boy.  It was a special day because we did bless him in Utah instead of our home ward because like I said, Taylor, Tim's little brother came home and was giving his homecoming talk in their parents ward, we decided since his family was not able to be their for Arlo's birth we could bless him while everybody was together.  I think that day our friends and family made up more than half the ward (NO JOKE).  But Tim gave the most beautiful blessing I have ever heard and Arlo slept the whole time.  It was great, he has never slept in church before!  

Then, the next day we took Arlo for his first road trip from SLC to Phoenix and he did wonderful.  He slept for the 1st half and then he only really had one real bad crying episode, so we stopped in Cameron to take pictures and get him out of his seat for a while.  But I was pleasantly surprised that Arlo did so well.  

Now, we are finally back home and I am so grateful!  I love being home and now we are going to start putting Arlo on a schedule to help him sleep through the night.  So wish us luck!