8 Month Ella

This has been a month of becoming a strong sitter, trying a variety of food, more sleeping through the night, getting a first tooth, and lots raspberry blowing. Oh she is so darn cute...and wiggley! This has been the most difficult photo shoot so far. Ella wanted to do everything BUT look at the camera or pose with her bunny. EAT her bunny is more like it.

Temple night

Went to the Jordan River Temple tonight to do sealings. It was really nice to sit still in the Temple and be quiet. It felt very peaceful. The sealer instructed me to respect Erin and that our marriage was the most important thing we will do. I love seeing Erin in the temple, it reminds me of our wedding day.

Thumbs

Oh the thumb-sucker's thumb

May look wrinkled and wet

And withered, and white as the snow,

But the taste of a thumb

Is the sweetest taste yet

(As only we thumb-suckers know).

-Shel Silverstein 

Sunday Walk

My niece, Anna, made the suggestion to take a walk to the elementary (MY elementary) last night. It was a gorgeous night. I couldn't refuse. In the end everyone but Nana decided to come along. So after cake and ice cream to celebrate the April birthdays, we took the much familiar walk up the street and down the old walkway. It hasn't changed much yet in some ways it has. It's a much shorter walk and the fence doesn't tower the way it once did.

Noah was very excited to see where I went to school and said my school was "so cool!".
The playground has totally changed. It has a lot more to play on and the kids (aaaand adults) loved climbing and swinging. I love my playful family.
It was fun to take a walk down memory lane last night.

"We are Westland! We are a team! 

We like to do things that turn out supreme. 

Try to compare what we are sharing.

 Learning to work our problems is quite daring

. Catch us. We'll take you on. 

We like to find out where we belong. 

We will reach our destiny. 

We are Westland Elementary!"

Must have walked this path a thousand times or more.

Even Papa came and played.

Robert and Ella enjoying the swings.

Swingin'...

Uppity Date

We are all happy and well and that is awesome.
...The housing market is hot once again and Adam and I are having the hardest time trying to decide if we will take advantage. We are looking at a community in West Jordan called Three Forks. Just not sure if its right yet. {sigh}
...Kyle finally played his first game last night. His team has ready played twice. Due to weather, schedule mix ups and being out of town Kyle hasn't been able to play. It was so fun to watch him play last night on what is to me a real team. He scored twice (due to the pitcher walking everyone). They lost but Kyle had a great time anyway.
Kyle is so done with school. He claims to be bored and I believe him. The kid is just too smart. I'm anxious for summer myself.
...Noah will hopefully be starting his first baseball game tonight if the rain and snow will go away.
...Meggie is still enjoying dance. She knows her dance routine better than I do. I look forward to watching her perform and hope she doesn't get too much stage fright.
Ella is growing by leaps and bounds. She is sitting up, sleeping fairly well at night, eating like nobody's business, getting two bottom teeth (finally!) and is just an all around sweet baby. (She still lets others hold and love on her.)

Kyle's First Baseball Game

Noah Love {Old Draft}

Original date 8/3/09

Noah is a major talker.

Noah loves to sing and we get a big kick out of that especially since Kyle didn't sing until he was about three. Noah's been training his vocal chords since he was 18 months old. When we put him to bed at night, rather than Mommy or Daddy singing him songs it ends up being a sing-a-long. He insists on singing with us. He is also very good at hearing a song 2 or 3 times before he can sing it by himself. He frequently surprises us with new songs he's learned.

He loves Tommy. He is always proudly saying "Tommy da big dog."

Another favorite quote is "C'mon wace (race) car!" This is used when trying to get something, anything, to go i.e. car, DVD player, toy, etc.

We are in love with Noah's big, gappy, squinty-eyed smile. It melts the heart.

Noah uses please and thank you without prompt and makes his Mommy and Daddy very proud.

Love Kyle {Old Draft}

{Original date 8/3/09}

He is such a sweet big brother to Noah. They play so well together.

Kyle is a VERY tender and sweet boy- especially towards his Mommy. Kyle always makes sure that I know he loves me and tells me at random times during the day. If I ask Noah for a kiss, Kyle insists on giving me one as well.

Kyle is an incessant whistler. He learned to whistle at the very young of age of 24 months. People used to be so surprised to hear him whistling his own little diddy. He whistles in the middle of fighting with Noah. He is whistling even as I type this.

Kyle is, for the most part, a very polite boy. The funny and unfortunate thing is that I think he reserves the majority of his politeness for Mommy and Daddy. We're working on that.

{I can't believe how big my biggest little man has gotten since this posting.}

Meggie Kate's 3rd Birthday

She is three and going on thirteen. I now know what other parents mean when they use this same line on their daughters.  Megan is sweet and shy, sassy and silly.  Her emotions run the gamete. We have had fun on this girl adventure for the past 3 years and we've learned a lot.

Megan is super girly.  She loves dresses and the bigger the better.  She loves princesses, something I never wanted to encourage in my daughter but Megan had her own plans and did not need encouragement.  She loves her night gowns that she has dubbed "jammie dresses" or even more specifically "Jammie dress princesses" or "jammie dress Minnie".  You get the idea.

Megan loves to dance. She recently started dance class "dan cool" (dance school).  She is a bit bashful but still looks forward to it every week.

She LOVES her "Baby Ella" and has from the get go.  She also loves the feel of her and is often found rubbing Ella's head, thumb in mouth.

I had a lot of fun planning Megan's tea party Birthday. I decided to do it because Megan loves to pour water in cups and also of course her girliness.

We kept the party short at an hour.  We ate little pb&j sandwiches, cheese sandwiches, mini fruit kabobs, mini cupcakes, donut holes and of course, Megan poured apple juice. 

The girls were all decked out in hats, necklaces, gloves, bracelets and purses.

It was a little girl's paradise.

The lone boy invitee (aside from Noah the butler).

Front row: Allisyn Loader, Adi Hind, Megan, Spencer Hind

Back row: Claire Pratt, Mikayla Loader, Charlotte, Ava Hind, Noah Shiflett

Birthday Q and A

... What is your favorite color? Pink

... What is your favorite toy? My Little Ponies, Woody and Rapunzel

... What is your favorite fruit? Apples

... What is your favorite tv show? Shaun the Sheep (She asks for this just about every day)

... What is your favorite thing to eat? PB and J sandwich, mac and cheese

... What is your favorite outfit? any dress

... What is your favorite game? Curious George on PBSKids

... What is your favorite snack? "nu nacks" fruit snacks and apples

... What is your favorite animal? a cat and a dog

... What is your favorite song? I Am a Child of God

... What is your favorite book? Princess book she got for Easter

... Who is your best friend? Alli Loader

... What is your favorite cereal? "Yucky Charms" (Lucky Charms)

... What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play with a ball, ride scooter

... What is your favorite drink? chocolae milk, hot chocolate

... What is your favorite holiday? Easter

... What do you want to be when you grow up? a princess

6 month Ella

STATS

weight: 18.9 lbs. 90%

(a pound bigger than Megs at this age.)

height: 27.7 in. 97%

head: 18 in. 95%

Megan went in for her 3 month too.

STATS

weight: 35.5 lbs 85%

height: 39 in. 90%

Ella is getting so much personality. She is so irresistible. She is still pretty stranger friendly which we are loving.  Night times are not great as she she is still waking up around 2 times a night.  She is rolling over.  She is SUPER grabby and mouthy. (see pic below)  She loves my hair and has just about accomplished her goal of pulling out every one.  She isn't quite sitting up yet but I think by the time she is 7 months we'll be about there.

See? Graaabby. 

D-land, Yo.

Day ONE and TWO

 Ella's first flight.

Megan was nervous to fly at first but after take off she did great and of course didn't even realize how fast we were going.  I was nervous for the flight because Ella and Megan had BOTH been diagnosed with double ear infections just prior to the trip and I didn't know how the elevation change would affect them.  There was no need to worry though. They did great.

The only thing Noah was concerned about was getting his drink and pretzels.  He kept checking the isle for the drink cart.

After we got to the airport we discovered that we had made our car reservations at a rental place located 14 miles from the airport.  At least we saved a couple hundred bucks doing so.

We went to California Pizza Kitchen for lunch while waiting to be able to check-in to our condo where we would meet up with Grandma and Grandpa (Adam's parents).

Smoothies and french fries for dinner. We were still full from lunch

{Day 2}

The first day is always the best day. The kids are skipping down the sidewalk powered by tons of excitement and adrenaline.

We checked out the Lego store in Downtown Disney. They has some pretty spectacular displays.

The boys always love this ride.  Too bad the line is always so long.

Kyle always has to have a map.

Megan had a really hard time while we were at Disneyland and the first day was no exception. (poo poo problems)  However, at California Adventure's Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, we found something that put this gorgeous smile on her face.  Yep, we paid $200 for Megan to go down a slide-yes, it was about 50 times but still- A.Slide. Whatever.

Love Buzz.

The boys and Doug.

We went to Goofy's Kitchen which we'd never experienced before. We got to meet lots of characters.  Minnie even let Ella suck on her nose!

Radiator Springs was so cool and was definitely a highlight.  

The racer ride was really cool although it made the boys very nervous. It was a more "exciting" ride than any of us expected.

Adam pushed the stroller with Megan and Noah riding and carried Kyle on his shoulders for a full .8 miles.  I carried Ella and lest you feel to judge and think I didn't carry my share of the weight...well...see the next pic...

Those cheeks weigh a lot.