Another 1 Year Old!

Vivian. From the Latin name Vivianus which was derived from Latin vivus "alive". The meaning of her name fits her so well. And I don't mean just that she isn't dead. It's a little deeper than that ;) She was born in Spring time and brought with her green grass and blossoming flowers. She brought new life. Her due date was on Easter last year and you all know "alive" is something pretty significant on Easter. Okay, I'me getting weird and corny. Anyway, Vivian turned one and it has been such an awesome year. 

When she was born, she weighed 8 lbs 10oz. She was 21 inches long. And now, one year later, she clocks in at 22 lbs and 31 inches long. She's 75% for weight and 95% for height. That is definitely on the larger end of the baby scale but she still seems so tiny compared to her brother! When he was one he was 26 lbs and 33 inches long.  

She loves her pink crochet blanket and doesn't sleep as well without it. She crawls and climbs everywhere and her knees are starting to look like leather. She loves playing outside in the dirt and hates if we try to move her. She knows where she wants to go and doesn't want any interference. She is as loud as the day is long. She yells and yells. Not in an angry way (mostly) it's just the way she has learned to talk over the noise of her brother. Which in turn, makes him yell over her. They fight over toys and they hug and make up. 

She's starting to bite and she just smiles and acts cute when she does. Little punk. She also is becoming a real person with wants and opinions and sometimes I forget that. She can get out the back door if it's just the screen door that is closed and she is starting to escape down the drive way and into the street. She has also taken an interest in toilet water--yak!

She got a Cozy Coupe for her birthday and Oliver had major jealousy issues. He did not like that it was her birthday and not his. 

 She has the cheesiest smile! She juts her chin out every time!

 She doesn't like cake! Didn't eat any of it. Lame!

 This is a result of Oliver's jealousy.

I tried to get some one year pictures of this girl and it was kind of a disaster! Haha. She refused to keep her head band on and she kept crawling off to play on something. She wouldn't hold still! I have no clue how people get those gorgeous professional photos of their little kids all dressed up and posing. It would be a total waste of money for me to pay someone to chase her around with a camera. She's an animal. A cute animal. 

So! That's the best I could do. We love her a lot and smother her in kisses every day. Happy birthday Beau!

Life Lately

    Wow it has been awhile since I've been here. I guess you could say we've been a little busy. I don't even remember what I last blogged about. Life has been treating us well. I've been taking piano lessons which has been a lot of fun and I get a little proud of myself when I master new songs. Austin works a lot, then he comes home and has to take care of us. He's probably tired, I imagine. We are both still serving in the Young Men and Young Women presidencies so we are gone every Wednesday at mutual. It seems like there is something going on every night of the week and I kind of hate it. I just want to hang out with my family every night.

    Oliver is growing like a weed. He is a huge two year old. He talks a lot and argues a lot but he is having more and more days that he is cooperative and easy to compromise with. I like him. He's a really cool kid. He is so sweet to me and has turned into a giant momma's boy. We "snuzzle" all the time and he's always telling me that I'm his favorite and that he loves me. Right now he's back on the not eating train. He'd live on chocolate milk and pickles if I let him (and I kind of do). It is impossible to keep clothes on him. I turn my back and he goes straight outside, strips down, and starts "watering" all the trees in the yard. I've been very frustrated with him letting himself out side and leaving the doors wide open. It's the doors open part that I hate. I don't care if he goes out but close the door, dang it! He loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse unless he's got the iPad then he wants Curious George. He loves to read. Some of his favorite books are "Don't Push the Button" "No David" "Moo Baa La La La" and our collection of Mother Goose Rhymes. He calls it Big Horse and I have no idea why. He also loves Christmas books. He talks about Santa quite a bit. He has the memory of an elephant (they have good memories right?) and ears like a hawk. Can't sneak anything by that child. He graduated out of his crib, which I was terrified to do, but it was a much smoother transition that I thought. And he's still napping every day. Thank goodness! He's also started responding to is with "Yes sir!" I've never prompted him to do that but we live in the south and all the kids are taught that so maybe he learned it at church. I don't know. It's cute. I always tell him I'm a ma'am not a sir and he says, "Yes man!"
 
   Vivian is still the sweetest little girl around. I can't believe she is almost one year old! It's crazy. Time has gone so much faster with her than with Oliver. Oliver has always seemed a little ahead of schedule, I guess. She has got two teeth on bottom and almost 4 on top. They are taking their sweet time coming in, just hanging out right there at her gum line. She has a crocheted blanket that she loves and she like to hook the yarn on to her bottom teeth and tug on them. It's cute. Oliver never got attached to any toys or blankets or anything and I love to see her funny relationship with that blanket. She squeals and claps her hands when I bring it to her. She has been laughing and smiling her whole life and she is such a joy in our home. She loves her mom and dad equally and is a little stranger shy. She is very intense and she yells a lot. When she yells her whole body gets tense and shakes. She's not mad, she just likes to make noise. Well, sometimes she is mad. When she is excited, or anxious, or happy her legs stick straight out and she swirls her feet around and around in circles. She gets her fingers pinched in a drawer or door about 30 times a day. She out eats Oliver, no contest. She's still an awesome sleeper and doesn't fight me at all when it's time to nap or go to bed. Totally opposite of Oliver. She rocks. She is dying to walk already. She kind of bear crawls now so her knees don't touch the ground and she has started standing up without holding on to anything. She loves going outside and if anybody goes out, even the dog, she gets very upset if she doesn't get to go, too. She will use anything she finds as a drum stick and bangs on everything. Noisy little thing. She gives kisses when I ask for them and a high five. She has such an animated face. She just seems like she has a really fun, outgoing personality. It's like she already has a pretty good sense of humor. She gets such a kick out of making us laugh. She'll pull some pretty cute faces to get a reaction from you. Her and her brother are different in every way. I sure love her.

And finally, the dog. Scout is a very very sweet puppy. She is adorable and well behaved and has been very easy to train thus far. But I'm still having a very hard time being a dog person. I really want to want a dog and I feel like it's the All American thing to do, ha ha. But can there just be a dog that doesn't lick or bark or have hair, or want to sit in my lap all the time? I guess I'm a little bit of a germ-a-phobe and I don't always want to touch her. I feel really bad. She is so sweet! I'm trying to let her grow on me and have a change of heart but, at least today, it's not looking good. She deserves a place that lets her sit on the furniture, and lick their faces and all that other nasty dog stuff people tend to put up with. And a place without a tyrant toddler that mauls the poor thing all day long. I'm paranoid my house will start to smell like dog.This is coming off a little harsh. I sound so cruel and heartless. Maybe I am and I just need to own that. I don't hate her and I'm not mean to her, I just had higher hopes for my attitude toward dogs to change. I thought I would learn to love her, and I just haven't. If I liked dogs then she would be the perfect one. She is seriously so good and adorable! So maybe I can stick it out and she can grow to be a part of our family, or maybe I will surrender and Austin will get a chance to rub a big fat "I told you so!" in my face and then bask in his own glory. Time will tell. Vivian is pretty cute when she plays with her...

Here are a few random pictures so you can see how ginormous my kids have grown to be.

A Year in Review

Wow, another year. This is nuts! I remember as a kid thinking about being a grown up and wishing for it to happen sooner. And now here I am. An old maid. Married with 2 children. A lot of big things happened in our family this year. Here is a quick rundown--

(Dec 2012) Austin graduated from BYU and turned 25. Oliver turned 1. We moved from Lindon, UT to Shelley, ID.

JANUARY- We were homeless living in my parents basement searching for a new grown up job for Austin.

FEBRUARY- Austin got a job at Lockheed Martin in Camden, Arkansas and we packed up our lives and moved south. Austin and I had our 2 year anniversary.

MARCH- Oliver learned to walk and got even cuter. We experienced the loudest and most intense thunderstorms of our lives. We got a dog from our neighbor and our landlord wouldn't let us keep it so it moved back across the street.

APRIL- Vivian was born! This is the best thing that happened this year :) My mom flew to Arkansas to visit and play with Oliver while I recovered. Austin was called as a counselor in the Young Men's. We flew back to Utah for Austin to walk at graduation and to bless Vivian with both of our families.

MAY- I turned 22 years old. My good friend Lisa and her baby Cooper flew to Arkansas to make fun of me while I attempt to raise two babies. (Visitors are a big deal and they deserve a spot in the review!)

JUNE- I flew back to Idaho/Utah alone with two babies because I was homesick and stayed for 3 weeks. I was called as a counselor in the Young Women's.

JULY- We put an offer in on what would be our very first house! We really are grown ups now! Oliver had his first major surgery (his circumcision) He was hilarious under anesthesia. He woke up very angry and upset. It broke my heart. My sister, Shara, and my sweet niece, Aneleise, came to visit. We visited a little museum in Smackover and a BIG museum in Little Rock. It was nice to relax and watch Oliver beat up on his big cousin. Once, while driving, we saw the back end of a deer bounding into the trees and Aneleise yelled, "Look! A kangaroo!" We do live out in the wild but, not THAT wild.

AUGUST- We drove to the gulf and it was our first time there. Vivian's first beach trip. Trying to close on the house but it is just dragging.

SEPTEMBER- Finally closed on our house and became real homeowners! We love our new house. My mom and dad came and helped us move in. Our 7th move in our 2 years of marriage. My mom unpacked my kitchen and my dad helped us put some paint on the walls and clean the gutters. Oliver said goodbye to diapers and started using the toilet.

OCTOBER- My grandmother, Venla, passed away and I returned home to Idaho (alone again with the babes) for the funeral. I stayed for 3 weeks again and visited friends and family. Oliver got to go Trick-or-Treating with his cousin, Ellie. He was a police officer and she was a rainbow. I dressed up as a robber and my sister, Shara made Vivian into a bag of money.

NOVEMBER- My sister, Katelyn, came to visit and stayed for 2 1/2 weeks. We had our first solo Thanksgiving and invited the elders and the sister missionaries over for dinner. It was kind of a flop.

DECEMBER-At the start of this month Austin and I cut out sugar and grains from our diets. (we have indulged at a couple Christmas parties and today, on Christmas.) We feel way better and have each lost 11 lbs. We also started a spending fast where we only spend money on needs and don't buy anything extra. Fortunately, I had already got all of our Christmas shopping done by then ;) That's why none of you got a Christmas card or gift from us because we really are not spending ANY money. But we still love you and will make it up next year! We will be on the fast until July. And hopefully will have all student loans paid and a good looking savings account. I came up with my New Year Resolutions and have actually been working on them for a couple of months now. 1) Better posture. 2) Use a cutting board (I have ruined many surfaces with knives) And the third is more of a family resolution to recycl. We are going to set up a system for sorting and start taking our stuff to the recycle bins at Austin's work. And of course, it's Oliver's 2nd birthday. We are in for another crazy year.

We have been blessed far beyond what we deserve. I have two beautiful, healthy children, a roof over our heads, food on our table, and a hard working hunky husband. I can't wait to see what another year brings. Merry Christmas to you all! We love you! Feel free to come visit :) We'll make it worth your while!

2 Years Old

Can you believe it? Oliver is almost 2 years old. I'm doing this post now because I love the pictures I took of him today and I want to share them, because Christmas will be so busy I probably will forget to do it if I don't do it now, and mostly because my sister is here playing with my kids and keeping them busy enough for me to be on the computer (I've just about forgotten how to use it).

 I turned Oliver loose in the yard and followed him around with a camera trying to capture him just being his 2 year old self. A picture is worth a thousand words and these ones describe him perfectly. But since I am a proud mom, I will add a few words of my own.

Oliver is such a sweet spirit. He is kind and polite. He's very sensitive and has a big soft spot for his momma. He loves books, cowboy boots, broccoli and I would be crazy not to mention his love for airplanes. And he's also a toddler boy. He likes to yell and wrestle and make messes. He is learning new words everyday and it blows my mind how fast he is developing. He communicates so well and is usually very cooperative. He doesn't always get along very well with other children and he prefers to just do his own thing. He's never been a very typical child. Whenever we are outside he kind of zones out. He doesn't run or scream or destroy things (he saves that for inside the house I guess) he just gets very quiet and walks around exploring. I love the little booger so much, my heart is always on the brink of exploding.

For your viewing pleasure, I present to you: Oliver

Once there was a tree...

...and she loved a little boy.

And the little boy loved the tree very much. 

And the tree was happy. -Shel Silverstein

Peek-a-boo, baby boy!

Sharing stories through the fence with Millie, the neighbor dog. 

Can't forget my gal pal, Viv. 

About 30 times a day I think to myself, "Wow! He is so handsome!"

Right where he belongs. 

Says he's gathering firewood for Daddy.