Sydney turned 2

My Baby, is a baby no more! Sydney turned 2 a couple weeks ago. (I know - I'm slow to post) We had a small little family party to celebrate.

She hasn't really been much of a TV watcher till a few months ago when she discovered Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. (Thank You Mickey!!) Now she is obsessed with "Miska" and I can get the dishes done without her climbing all over the door.




She has also, just recently started liking Elmo, and of course she LOVES baby dolls.








Hayden made this card for Sydney. On the inside it says, "I love you." and "You're always silly." And he drew a picture of her sitting on his head. That is so true to life. She is very silly, and loves to wrestle with Hayden and Rebecca, tackle them and sit on their heads.
This girl is such a joy in our lives. Her personality just cracks me up. She knows she is such a big girl, and she is exhibiting her newfound independence constantly. She has started to potty train herself. One day she got on the potty and figured out what the potty is for. :) She still doesn't have it down completely, but she's getting there. And of course when we are in public and she realizes there is a toilet there you can be sure that every 5 minutes she's going to insist on going potty.

She is talking a ton now, and has some pretty cute phrases. My favorite is, "Actually, no" or "Actually, yes."

She has a weird infatuation/comfort in my armpits. Whenever she's drinking her sippy and getting sleepy, or even just "chillin'" with me she puts her hand in my armpit. It drives me crazy, which of course makes her want to do it more. She'll start laughing and say, 'I like Mommy armpit."

Her favorite songs that she requests every night are "Sunbeam ("Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam.") and Temple ("I love to see the Temple.")

She loves to sing and dance. Too cute!

She is my informant. All day, every day she reminds me, "Mom, daddy work." Sadly, even when he's home on the couch right next to her she'll say, 'Mom, daddy work." When I put her down for bed she has to tell me where everyone in the family is. Also many times during the day she points at different clothes, toys, shoes, whatever to tell me who they belong to.
My favorite thing about her little voice when she's "informing" me is that she gets this deep voice. It is so funny.

She is a total mamma's girl. She'd rather hang out with me than go play with the kids.

Her best friend is Maylee! She talks about her all day, (and her cousin, Tanner too). Sydney and Maylee are so adorable together. They speak their own language and understand each other perfectly.

Sydney loves, loves, loves baby dolls. She is such a little mommy. She will be a great big sister to our baby on the way. If she can get over her jealousy issues. She doesn't like to share mommy with anyone.

She has always had a special bond with Hayden. They are little buddies. But recently she and Rebecca have had fun playing together. She and Rebecca love to play school together. I love watching her play with her siblings.

I love that girl.

p.s. I've been trying to download a fun video of Sydney, but it isn't working, so check back later to see if I got it!

Just the way it is...

Last Sunday I got a few phone calls after church from sisters in the primary to tell me about what Hayden did during primary in church. Yeah, tell me that doesn't make you get a little nervous.

Well, they were doing a spotlight. When a child is spotlighted they also get to hear from the kids in primary of why they are special, or why they love them. The spotlight child last Sunday happened to be his best friend, Katelynn. Kids were raising their hands to say what they loved about Katelynn, and Hayden raised his hand and said, very matter of factly.. "I love Katelynn, because I'm going to marry her."

No big deal, it's just how it is. All the adults in the room started cracking up and he had absolutely no idea that they were laughing at what he'd said. It's not news to me because it's just a fact of life around here that he's decided that he's going to marry her. He is too funny.

I talked to Katelynn's mom, Korina laughing about our two lovebirds and just to make sure his future bride wasn't too embarrassed in front of everyone. Luckily she said she kind of blushed a little bit, but she's still in love and planning to marry my boy. Her only concern is that "Hayden is really going to want a Wii, and they are really expensive." I guess he'd better start saving now.

Umm, he's only 6! What am I going to do with that boy?

Easily Replaced

So, I wondered about whether to write this post or not, for fear that it would be taken the wrong way. I found it hilarious, so I'm posting it.

It drives Jerry crazy that I am so jumpy. He can't understand why I always jump and start panting when he quietly enters a room behind me without me knowing. Then when he starts talking it scares me so much. Actually, if I'm being honest, I think it kind of bugs him because I get so dramatic, and it happens ALL the time, and he's not TRYING to scare me. I CAN'T help it!

Hayden, on the other hand thinks it's hilarious. The other day he scared me, and yes he does do it on purpose. As I was recovering he asked, "Did I scare you to death?" I started teasing with him and said, "Well, no you didn't scare me to DEATH. Hopefully you don't want to scare me to death. You'd be sad if I wasn't here."

This loving boy's response???

"Eh, we still have dad."

"But dad has to go to work. What would you do during the day?"

"We'd just go to work with him."

"He can't take you with him, he has to be working."

"We'll just go over to Korina's during the day till dad gets home every day."

"She has her own family to take care of. She can't add 3 more kids to her family every day. You'd have to go to a babysitter (then trying to add drama) EVERY SINGLE DAY."

(drama didn't work)

"EVERY DAY!! That would be so fun to have a babysitter every day."

Oh boy! Where did I go wrong?? Did I mention that Hayden has his dad's sense of humor? He was obviously kidding..... at least I hope! :)

Big News!

We told the kids tonight that they are going to have another brother or sister!! We are all so excited! I had my first doctor appointment today and everything looks great. It never gets old hearing that beautiful little heartbeat! I am 8 weeks along, I know, not very far - but I get too excited to keep it a secret for long. Besides, I feel like my body is giving away the secret already. I'm feeling great. I have been lucky enough with my past 3 pregnancies to not get morning sickness at all. This week I have felt a little blaah, but mainly if I wait too long to eat, and seriously, I really can't complain. So far, so good.
The kids are hoping for a boy, and we would love to have another son, but truly we'll be happy with boy or girl!
So, this little bundle of happiness is due September 13, 2011!! YAY!

Happy Birthday Jerry!

Jerry's birthday was a couple weeks ago (Jan. 20th) and I'm so grateful he was born 33 years ago! We had a small birthday party with his family. He requested an iphone cake for his cake. It's his new obsession, and as we speak he has the countdown minimized on this computer, counting down till midnight tonight when he can order his very own iphone with Verizon. So I used fondant frosting for the first time, and had a lot of fun making his cake.

Hayden made this picture for Jerry, it's the Death Star from Star Wars. So cute.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JERRY!!!

Too funny!

I saw this on a friend's blog today and HAD to steal it. I laughed out loud when I saw it, and couldn't help but think of my little boy. Enjoy!

8 years later...

A little over 8 years ago....

This handsome guy....

asked this GORGEOUS girl (just play along) out on a date.

He'd been gathering his guts to ask her out for several weeks. Little did he know that she had been secretly orchestrating ways to try to see him and get to know him better so he'd be convinced that he needed to ask her out.

When he finally called her one Sunday night towards the end of September he asked her out. He reassured her that he wanted to ask her out before she had gone into elders quorum that day to make an announcement, and the counselor in the bishopric announced to the whole elders quorum during priesthood that she was available, and the guys needed to ask her out. He wanted her to know it was his own plan, not Brother Andreason's.

Little did the sarcastic girl know that when he called back on Tuesday to set the time (and cause he just wanted to talk to her) that she about crushed his heart. He asked, "So do you still want to go out on Saturday night?" To which she responded, "Uh, actually, I don't think so." She thought of course he'd know she was completely kidding because she was ecstatic to be going on a date with him. Couldn't he hear her voice all giddy with excitement when he called? After a few seconds of awkward silence she quickly realized he didn't know how sarcastic she could be and as fast as she could she calmed his heart down by telling him she was TOTALLY kidding, and really wanted to go out with him on Saturday.

On their first date they went to eat at Macaroni Grill and bowling. A simple date, but she was surprised at how comfortable she was with him. On the way out of the bowling alley she started to reach her hand out to hold his hand, but stopped when she remembered this was their first date and she didn't want to seem too forward.



Their schedules were completely opposite, he worked from 4am till noon, studied and napped till 4:30 or 5 then he went to school full time till about 9, and had to go to bed at 10 so he could get at least 5 1/2 hours of sleep. She worked as a school teacher and didn't usually leave the school till 5:00. They dated on the weekends, and talked a couple times during the week throughout October. Before they knew it they had fallen in love and couldn't picture their lives without each other. They got engaged in November, the Sunday night before Thanksgiving, and yes, she should be a total romantic and remember the exact date, but she doesn't.

On January 17, 2003 they were married for time and all eternity in the Las Vegas, Nevada temple. It was a beautiful, sunny day that was shared with so many of their closest friends that had traveled from far and near. It was wonderful!

They honeymooned in San Diego and Hollywood.

So, how is it that 8 years have passed already? In some ways it seems to them that it's only been a blink of an eye, and in other ways it seems like they've been together for so much longer. The last 8 years have been filled with ups and downs of life, but at least they can work with their best friend so those downs of life aren't quite so bad. He still makes her laugh every day and thinks she is amazing, beautiful, talented, hilarious, and did I mention HOT??! And she is even more in love with him than she was 8 years ago, she still laughs with him and thinks he gets more and more handsome each year. She is amazed at what a good father he is, and so thankful for the hard work he puts in to support their family. They are excited for the next 8 years, and 8 more after that, plus 8 more, etc.... Life is good.