Friday, October 11, 2013

Just The Two Of Us

A night in Steamboat Springs.
 
Broncos Monday Night Football Game.
 
 
Rockies vs. Red Sox Game.
 
But most importantly time away with my beloved hubby JUST THE TWO OF US!

We needed it and we definitely enjoyed it! Well, how could we not? :)
 
A little Denver get-away for our 4th anniversary, where we enjoyed:
 
Well, all of the above, but also...
Sleeping in.
Freedom to just go and be.
Giant We're-not-in-Utah-anymore liquor store.
Hot tub.
Fantastic food.
Visit with a dear friend.
Just chillin' together on the 16th Street Mall.
Walk to the ballpark.
 
I could go on and on. It was just wonderful!
 
 

Thursday, September 26, 2013

17 and 18 Months Old!

Since I never got around to writing a 17 month post, I'll just combine 17 and 18 months together, which would be July 13-September 12 (especially considering B is almost 19 months old. Sigh).

Anyway...

Sweet Briella, you are now 18 months old and enjoying life! Ever since you started walking it is like the world opened up to you! You are even more independent than you were before and you love exploring. It seems like you're confidence has shot up since you started walking, as well. Oh, and your defiance. Ha! Watching you go from being wobbly on your feet to walking backwards and spinning in circles was such a joy to watch. And now, you are running at a pretty good speed. Great at times and not so great at others. :)

At your 18 month appointment, you weighed 22 lbs. 3 oz and were 31 inches tall, which is about the 20-25th percentile.

You are still a very sweet girl. I love that you still like to snuggle with Momma all throughout the day and that you will take breaks from playing just to give me hugs and kisses!

If you want one of us to do something or to come with you, you will walk over to us, grab our hand and pull as if to get us off the couch or wherever we happen to be, so that we will follow you. You'll even add in a little grunt as you are trying to "lift" us. Ha ha!

Favorites
  • Pretend play and playing with babies are both favorite activities for you. You have lots of babies, but definitely have your favorite, the one that you always need to know where she is. :)
  • Reading is still a favorite activity, too, which makes Momma and Daddy glad.
  • Oh, and outside! You would be content to play outside ALL day if you could, whether it's hot or cold. If you are wanting to go outside, you will bring us our shoes, then your shoes and go to the door and grab the doorknob trying to get out.  

Firsts
  • Baseball game! Grandpa Keith and Grandma Karla invited us to go to a Bees game with them and Uncle John, Aunt Stacey and Jensen. We almost made it to the end of the game, but since you usually are in bed by around 8:00, we didn't quite make it. You were quite a trooper lasting until around 9:30 before we had to leave. We still had tons of fun!
  • Football game! Ok, so it was just a high school game, but it still counts. :) Cousin Ashton was playing and you took watching quite seriously! Once Daddy told you to watch and pointed at the field and you saw the action, it was all over. You made sure everyone was watching, if you looked over and saw that someone wasn't watching, you would yell, "watch" and point your finger at the field. Ha ha! What a blast to watch you! This worked out well for us because you were content sitting there almost the entire game. :) And you learned to say, "Ashton."

Pictures (Lots and Lots of Pictures!)
 
Playin' at the lake

Keeping busy on our long road trip


Life is good

She was hilarious helping me eat this ice cream bar! Closed her eyes and seriously enjoyed every bite. Ha ha ha!

After swimming in the hotel pool, she wanted to swim in the bathtub, too. :)
 
Taking a break on our ride home from Colorado

Train ride with momma at daddy's work party

Bouncy house fun

Sweet smile

Walking around Park City

Grandma and Grandpa kisses!
 
She HAD to sleep with her baby. :)


Chasing boys...always chasing boys

Daddy's shirt

This pic totally cracks me up. :) With her second cousins, Vanessa and Ciara

First baseball game!

Taking Zeke by the hand

Sour face at cousin Jensen


With Uncle John at Siragusa's

If there's dirt, she's in it.

Not sure why, but she just decided to lay down in the middle of the driveway for a few minutes. Of course, toting around her precious golf balls.



In the mountains, taking a cheese break from riding the 4 wheeler
 

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

16 Months!

Dearest Briella, This month flew by! You are walking now! On July 2nd, at 15 months and 20 days you officially started walking! I really don't remember a whole lot about this month other than that. Such a big accomplishment and life changing event! I am so proud of you!

A couple of firsts this month...
  • Boating for the first time, which you thoroughly enjoyed. You actually fell asleep on the boat! :)
  • Golfing, well, riding in the golf cart with Momma and Grandma while Daddy and Grandpa golfed. Riding along was fun and you enjoyed playing in the cart.
Other than that, we're just living life to the fullest this summer. Enjoying times camping, the 4th of July with Momma's family, a trip up to Logan to the big car show, a week in Salt Lake while Daddy was in North Dakota, and just playing with cousins. Lots and lots of fun!

Such a fun stage of life watching you learn and explore and grow.! I love you, baby girl!

Pictures


Just ridin' along in the cart.










Obsession with shoes...


Thursday, June 20, 2013

15 Months!

This post was ready on her actual 15 month birthday, well, all except for downloading the pictures which is why it's getting posted today. But still a lot sooner than in the past. :)

Briella, it's been a fun and busy month! I can't believe that you are already 15 months old! I love watching you learn and grow and change!

All of the things that you seemed to hate last month have become much easier and more pleasant experiences. Thank goodness! Getting dressed isn't usually a struggle anymore unless something is  hard to get on or off. And now you actually like putting shoes on. Yeah! That makes it so much easier when we want to go outside! The hair thing is hit or miss. If you are distracted and don't notice that I'm trying to put a pony tail in it, then you are fine. I don't do your hair everyday, but you are learning on the days that I do start doing your hair that we WILL finish. It's a good lesson in obedience. :)

You learned how to sign "all done," which is so nice! Communication is so much easier now! We are also working on "please." You have the sign down, so now it's just teaching you when to use it.

You have officially been weaned as of five days ago. Weaning you was really hard for me and the last time that I nursed you I sobbed. Breastfeeding was such an amazing experience and I am beyond grateful that I was able to nurse you! I will miss those moments of just you and me!

This month seemed to have been the month of injuries. :( First, you decided to grab a bee while we were outside. Yikes, was that an experience. I didn't know how to get the stinger out and you were screaming/crying while I called daddy to see what he would say (and also for some moral support for your momma). Well, he didn't really know, but he left work and headed home (you have an amazing daddy!), so I called Grandma. We tried the credit card trick to flick it out, but I wasn't having any success, which led to laying you on the floor straddling you with the uninjured arm pinned and I just grabbed and pulled it out. Thankfully, the crying stopped immediately and you were fine. Also, thankfully, you are not allergic to bee stings like your momma. I was so happy when that experience was over!

Next, you decided to take a spill while pushing your walking toy and flipped over the top of it and hit your mouth on the floor bar of the elliptical machine. A fat, bloody lip was the result (picture below). Actually, it bled a lot. Daddy was home for this incident and he was much more clear-headed than I was and acted quickly. At least you got to enjoy your first popsicle to help with the swelling. :)

Other injuries include trying to crawl out the front door forward rather than turning around backward like you know to do, resulting in falling onto your chin and scraping it up. Then another bloody mouth from taking a spill in the mountains. I guess we are just at this stage where injuries are going to abound no matter how careful we are. Makes me sad, but I am thankful I get to cuddle you.

Walking! Well, sort of. Finally, you will walk between Momma and Daddy without having to hold on to one of us. Yippee! I know that your confidence will all of the sudden kick in and you will start walking all on your own very soon.

Pictures
 
Pool Time!


It's easier to get the bows and headbands by just getting into the drawer. :)

Big girl in her chair.

"I don't want to sit down in the chair! I want to stand!"

Hanging out in the bouncer so Momma can get stuff done in the yard.
Day Trip to Red Canyon Lodge





 

 
 
Fat lip :( Not sure how well you can see it, but it's the upper right.

You learned how to open the sliding screen door. Uh oh...

I like the irony of the shirt that says "this is my little black dress" and the fact that you are playing in the dirt and covered in chalk. :)
I just love the look on her face. Ha.
Smelling the flowers.
She fell back asleep after daddy got her up from her nap. Guess she wasn't done.
Rockin' out.
With cousin Ahlyvia.