Anniversary Weekend

Eric planned the perfect weekend getaway for us to celebrate our 2nd anniversary. Thanks Eric for being so sweet and surprising me with such a fun weekend!

We lived the "city life" and rode trax to get from place to place. Trax is a pretty cool system, I never knew. It is fun to see the variety of people and listen to all the conversations going on around you. Our babysitters (my parents and siblings) were in Moab so Reese tagged along, and she was a joy. She stayed out WAY past her bedtime and was totally content and had fun. She is beyond amazing.

I met up with Eric and we checked into our hotel, The Peery Hotel. It is SWEET! It is the oldest continually functioning hotel in SLC, started in the 1910's, and has all this cool OLD furniture with inlayed wood and all. It was really pretty and perfect! It also had 2 rooms, which was fantastic for putting Reese to bed. It was beautiful!

After we checked into our hotel we went to Macaroni Grill and had a fantastic dinner. I forgot how wonderful Macaroni Grill is. I ate SO much, it was DELICIOUS! While we were eating our appetizers a group came in and sat down at the table next to us. Low and behold, our Bishop's wife with some other people from our ward, who had just gone to Disney Princesses on Ice for her daughter's birthday. What are the chances. We are barely ever in SLC together, and pretty much NEVER go out to eat at a sit down restaurant while there, and the one time we do, our neighbors are all there. Try to get away and you can't :) HAHAHA!

After dinner we rode Trax to the Gateway and did some shopping :) Then we strolled around town. There is this cute little ice skating rink in the middle of a park, there were probably 20 times the amount of people allowed to skate on such a small rink skating and there was music playing. The three of us danced to the music for a while until we got too cold. Then we headed back to the hotel.
We played around for a little while and tuckered Reese out even more (she was already beyond tired, but quite hyper). She LOVES her dad. She has become quite the daddy's girl lately. SO cute!

We enjoyed a nice evening with toasts and all!

The next morning we stopped at a little bakery called Mrs. Backer's Pastry Shop and got some VERY overpriced breakfast. We did a good deed by supporting a little business though :) Then we took Trax to Temple Square. We first went to the Conference Center and had a "tour", not a normal tour. We were the only ones on the tour so the missionary said we could go as slow or fast as we wanted. We spent a little time in the actual conference room, and then quite a bit of time in a room that has paintings of past prophets and apostles. It was really cool to put faces with names. I'd like to go back and spend even more time looking at the pictures. Then we headed up to the roof. There was A LOT of planning put into that roof. For example, the structure of the building is tiered and the plants planted on the different tiers match the plants that grow on the mountains nearby according to altitude. SO COOL!
Cool view off the top of the Conference Center.
It was SO wonderful spending time with my family without the distractions of work, homework, tv, computer, errands, housework, or anything else that tends to keep us busy. I completely enjoyed myself. It couldn't have been a more perfect anniversary. Thanks Eric, I love you!

November 15, 2009

On Sunday Eric and I will have been married 2 years!! I'm leaving my house in 1 1/2 hours to meet him in Salt Lake to start the celebrating (because we know Sunday will be FULL of meetings and such). Eric's planned it all, so I haven't a clue what we're doing, and I'm excited, and happy he planned the weekend - I love being surprised.

Eric truly is a better husband than I could have ever dreamt up. I get butterflies when I think about the fact that I get to be with him FOREVER, like really, forever, how cool is that! He is my favorite person to be with and makes my life SO happy and fun. He is a good man, a fantastic father, a genuine friend and makes me a better person. All the time I learn things about him that give me even more respect and love for him. He is perfect for me! I love you Eric!

All over the place

Reese is to the stage where she is into EVERYTHING! I love 10 months old!! I love her curiosity and enjoyment in toilet paper, toothbrushes, eating cat food, crawling out the door onto the deck, tupperware, paper, knocking things into the bathtub, boxes, smacking anything that makes noises when she smacks it, giving five, blowing kisses, opening and closing doors repeatedly, digging in the cupboards, playing with toys that other kids want to play with, making kissing noises with her mouth, pulling laundry out of the dryer, and giving CHEESY grins (eyes squinted and all).

Reese's 1st Halloween

After eating my toast all by myself, mom gave me a bath. Then, since it was warmer today, she let me play around the house with nothing but my diaper on while she cleaned the house! I was in heaven! After I played for a while, mom got me dressed up in my ladybug costume. We went over to our neighbors and delivered Halloween treats. Bruce and Debbie sure thought I looked cute.

Mom bought me my very own trick-or-treating bag and a glow wand so that I'd enjoy trick-or-treating even if I got tired.

Daddy had to work during the ward trick-or-treat, so mommy and I went trick-or treating with the Naffzigers and their families. Terra was afraid that her costume would scare me, but I was brave, it didn't scare me one bit. It did scare daddy though :)

Mommy and Terra wanted us kids to get a picture together. Aubree was so cute, but so sad. She told me she didn't like wearing her lamb hat because it made her forehead look big.

Trynitee misunderstood Aubree and thought she was crying because MY hat was making my forehead look big. So T tried to take off my hat to make Aubree stop crying.

Well, I didn't want my hat off, my hair was messy. So when T took it off I had to join Aubree in the crying chorus!

I calmed down once my hat was back on and had a grand old time. I ate some candy, got toted around on Travis' shoulders all night (I LIKED that!!! He even let me use his ears as hand grips).Then daddy met up with us and we all stopped at a Haunted House. I wasn't scared, in fact, I wanted to touch all the "scary" creatures. After that we went to Royce and Fran's for a spooky Halloween dinner (ghostly pie, squashy slime, finger sticks, Orange jello, and caramel apples.) I liked my 1st Halloween. Can't wait until next year!!

Best quote of the year....

"God told me to do Push-Ups", a sincere remark from B-Money after Eric commented on B's looking like he had lost some weight. We sure do love that munster!

I'm excited for Halloween

- Because I'll have a reason to take some pictures
- Because I'm going to dress my bug up as a lady
- Because who can resist multiple Reese's peanut butter cups [and you thought I named my daughter after something or someone other than food ;)] and all the other deliciousness that makes me salivate while I am now thinking of it.
- Because I can't wait to see all the other kiddos dressed up in their costumes

Holidays are a LOT more fun once you have a kid. Now if it would just warm up 30 degrees for tomorrow night!!

As always, I've filled my time with one thing or another and have felt too busy to blog. I've been trying to spend a lot less time on the computer, which has been great in most areas, but hasn't been great for my blog :)

We have been BUSY! Eric with work, work, more work, and his church calling. Me with school, errands, and mommy fun. I'd take my busy over Eric's busy anytime and appreciate him SOOOO much!
Last Saturday me and Eric met up with Whitney (Bonnett) Taylor and her husband Chris and went dirtbiking at 5 mile pass. It was SUCH a blast!!!! The weather was perfect and as always, dirtbiking gave me the excitement and adventure I crave and get withdrawals from. Can I just say that I'm glad that Eric is such a good dirtbiker, it makes me push myself to ride a little harder and climb a little higher each time. I dressed Reese up in her cute new pink boots so she'd be stylin' while hanging out with Grandma and Papa.

Below is what Reese's face looks like when she is being funny and sucks in her lips and makes vacuum like noises with her mouth (I don't know how else to explain the sound).Reese is now 9 months old. While walking in Provo two weeks ago we stumbled upon a new little playground. Reese LOVED the swing, so I thought, what better place to take her 9 month pics??

She is SO inquisitive. She notices EVERYTHING and is just so smart! She is crazy mobile, crawls so fast, stands up and walks around holding onto things. We bought her one of those cars with a handle on the back so she can push it around while walking. She liked it for a while, but now she isn't so fond of it. I think the fact that she has to run full speed while pushing it and the only way she can stop is to fall on her knees or run into something has made her a little nervous of it. She will still push it around but cries while running. Kind of funny. I'm sure she'll grow to like it :)

She waves, dances, and is such a smiler! So many people ask if she ever gets upset. She does, but is all in all an even tempered little gal (as long as she isn't hungry or tired - funny how those two things effect the moods of babies and mothers alike.)

9 month stats:

- 17 lbs 6 oz (50th percentile)

- 27 1/2 inches (75th percentile)

- Head in the 75th :)

Reese has always had what I've considered "great" hair. She is finally letting me put headbands on her again, but that doesn't stop the hair from being crazy. I LOVE her hair though! I think it is darling!

I don't know when it happened...

but I was just playing with Reese on mine and Eric's bed and she was opening her mouth really wide and I noticed her top left tooth is through the gums... I didn't even know she was teething... that was easy.

sickkkkkkk

I am sick of being sick. LUCKILY Reese has not gotten sick (Knock on wood, cross your fingers, pray a TON)!!! Both Eric and I have been sick for the past week. I don't know what it is. Both of us have coughs, wheezy breathing, headaches, nasal congestion, and lots of sneezing. I had a fever for 5 days, and my throat kills. Luckily the fever is now gone, but I've just had enough of feeling sick. I haven't been sick for so long, so it SUCKS! I'd still been going to school but then yesterday one of my teachers re-emphasized the point that if we are sick we should NOT be coming to school because of swine flu. So I started feeling guilty and decided to email my teachers today and let them know I'd be out the rest of the week. Hopefully it'll all pass by Saturday morning so I can enjoy conference weekend. (Not that I won't if I'm still sick).

Today it has snowed most of the day at our house. I have had to use our pellet stove (our home's source of heat) all day to keep the temperature comfortable. I'm not good at staying inside all day. Reese and I bundled up and braved the weather. We went to town to buy stuff to make homemade potpourri (lemons, oranges, cloves) and stuff to make paninis for dinner. YUM! I miss Eric! He is working an evening job after his normal job each day now and I'm SO grateful that he is doing that so I can stay home with Reese but I do miss him. Reese misses him too. If you're a stay at home mom you might understand this: I swear by 6-ish, Reese is ready for a change of scene. I'm old news, and she is ready to move on to daddy. It is so nice when he gets home because Reese is excited to see him and is able to be entertained for quite a while longer before bed.

Eric, I'm wearing your tuque, since you aren't here to wear it in the picture :) We love you!!!!!!

2 Teef

Reese's second toothe came into day. Isn't it great that teething is a long process, since they have to continue to get the rest of their teeth. Oh yipee... I musn't complain too much though because her 'grumpy' is other kids' 'good mood'.

My mom and dad bought Reese a couple more pairs of PJs. They are so cute on her! Here she is in her piggy jammies with her hair made into little piggy ears. Yes, she is eating a saltine crumb off our kitchen floor.

Sick Day

Reese is having a hard time getting in that 2nd tooth. So we stayed home today. She had a fever yesterday and again this morning. Her cheeks and nose are all rosey and sort of chapped, kinda weird - I'm guessing it is linked to the fever. She decided at 4 am this morning that she was too sad to sleep (I even tried putting her in our bed but she would cry when I'd lay her down.) So from about 4:30-6 she sat in our bed looking at her dad as he'd make his sleeping noises (deep breathing etc :)) She's been pretty sad today, I feel bad for her, I know how not fun it is to feel yucky. Hopefully that tooth will pop through tonight....or soon, because it is sad to see her not feeling well. Papa and Grandma gave Reese these cute monkey jammies yesterday. There is nothing like a little body in fuzzy jamms. Thanks mom and dad! We love them!!

She's a charmer as soon as the camera comes out. 1 minute before this she was wimpering, then I pulled the camera out and she started posing and smiling. SO funny!

She did NOT like getting her temperature taken. And she is strong! I don't think I even got a correct reading because she is such a squirmer. I let her play with the thermometer case to help her cheer up.

P.S. Eric got set apart on Sunday, so it is safe to spill the beans (or not spill since I'm allowed to say it). He is the Elders Quorum President (Sorry Lindsay - not in the bishopric), and believe you me, he has got his work cut out for him. I'm so grateful for him and the good guy he is. I know he is going to be a great EQ Pres and I'm excited to support him in this [intense] calling. He called some really cool guys as counselors, one of his very best friends Travis Naffziger, and another friend in the ward, Jared Weese. He's still looking for the secratary. They'll do a lot of good work together and luckily me and Terra Naffziger are besties, and I love Jared's wife Jen, so I think we'll have to do a lot of EQ Presidency's wives parties when the guys are doing there stuff :)

Tooth

Reese's tooth broke through!! Bottom right. Good job little gal, getting that through - finally - at 8 1/2 months old. :)

September so far...

The mountainside out my window is covered with red and yellow leaved trees, I'm in school, it's BYU football season, it cools down REALLY nice at night, there really is a lot to love about this time of the year. I'm loving the weather, but am getting nervous for Winter, I don't think I'm ready (or will be ready when it rolls around). Here are some updates on what we've been up to in September so far.

Our grass is looking good eh? By the end of next year it should be perfect :)

Reese is finally teething. I was wondering if it would ever happen. Both of her bottom teeth are visible through her gums, but one (the bottom right) has almost cut through. She has been good, just more sensitive than normal, and has had a runny nose.

FYI: this is a long story, but I want to remember it so that's why I'm writing it all down. A couple of weeks ago I noticed that Reese's fingernail on her middle finger of her right hand had a line down it. I noticed it during church and wondered if she had stuck her finger in one of the vents on the wall and bent her fingernail. For two weeks I watched it, the line got darker and the base of her nail turned dark. On Tuesday, after I fed her dinner, I was wiping her hands and she started screaming. I looked at her nail and the base had turned white and her finger was all red and swollen. Eric and I were going to the temple that night so I decided to make an appointment for her with the pediatrician group, she went to in Provo before I found a Dr. in Heber, because they always have a Dr working until 10pm, and all other Dr's were closed for the night.

Reese's appointment was at 9:30 and it was already close to 2 hours past her normal bedtime, so needless to say she was overly sensitive. She finally got into the examination room around 10:00, where we had to try to entertain her with the plastic animals in the room, and waited for another 1/2 hour for the Doc. By this time, Reese had had enough! The Dr. told me to hold Reese and Eric to hold her hand so that she couldn't move while the Dr. drilled a hole in the base of her fingernail. Before the doctor even touched her Reese tensed up and looked like she was crying but made no noise. She WOULDN'T breathe. The Dr asked if Reese has ever held her breath til she passed out. I told her she hadn't, first of all Reese barely EVER cries hard. Reese turned blue but finally breathed. SCARE me to death. So then we get her situated again and she does way good while the doc drills the hole and squeezes puss out to collect so she can culture it. The doc says she needs to drill the hole a little bigger so the puss can continue to escape, but while so doing hits Reese's nail bed and it starts bleeding and Reese starts screaming again.

After all this the Dr grabs some tweezers and starts digging under Reese's nail to see if she can get anything (like a sliver or something that may have been under there). Reese was screaming and wretching her body trying to get her hand away from the Dr. It was SO sad to have to just hold her there at the cause of pain. I was crying too, luckily I have a silent cry! The Dr. got a little something out and said maybe that was the cause of the infection, but for now we give her antibiotics and soak her hand a few times a day in warm soapy water and hopefully it will just heal up. Otherwise we'll have to find the root of the cause, by having her nail dug into to see if they can find a sliver or anything else. I was just thinking the other day how blessed we were to have never had to put Reese on antibiotics because she has been SO healthy. Well, here we are, using antibiotics on her for the first time, but at least she isn't sick :)

Over Labor Day weekend, my parents and Camla came up and stayed in their camp trailer on our lot. It was fun to spend so much time with them!! I must say that my parents are the ideal grandparents and show SO much interest in and love for all their grandchildren. Reese is one lucky little gal to have them in her life.

Last but not least, Eric got a new calling. I don't know if I can disclose it yet, since our ward doesn't know yet, but I'm grateful for him and grateful he is such a good guy. I love my life with him!

Last month

A little over a month ago we went to a fun party up at Snowbird, with my mom's work. The girl who was working at the chairlift told us that Reese was too young to go on the Alpine Slides, but that she could go on the trampoline bouncer (that you get strapped into a harness) or the rock climbing wall. HAHAHA! Really?

The Naffziggers treated us to a Bees baseball game in Salt Lake a few weeks ago. It was fun, and I got my hair cut while I watched the game. They were doing haircuts for charity and I had just told Eric I wanted him to trim my hair that week, so when he heard I could get it done at the game for $5 he strongly encouraged me to go donate to a good cause.

I love this picture. Aubree is all calm, and Terra is trying to get her troublemakers to cooperate for the picture :)

She's good, real good. Got those hooligans to look at the camera and smile.

Reese has great hair in the mornings :) I can't get enough of this girl!

Here's a video of Reese's 2nd day of crawling

She's now even more of a pro. She crawls over many different terrains, up and over things, and just LOVES her new found mobility.

Crawling

Reese has made some big jumps in the last few days. On the 28th Reese started crawling! I can't believe she is already old enough to be doing that. I have a video of her that I'm going to load onto the blog, maybe next post. She seems so much older now! She crawls all over the house, goes between laying, crawling, and sitting positions, tries to climb out of her crib (so we lowered it last night), and climbs up things (fireplace mantle, on top of toys). This girl is FULL of spunk and we just lover her, but know that we've got our work cut out for us, she is one mobile and curious little gal. We've harvested a lot out of our garden this year. Right now the tomatoes, carrots, and green onions are ready to eat. Reese and I picked some carrots the other day and turned them into yummy carrot cake!!

All last week I thought that Reese was finally getting some teeth (can you believe it, a few days shy of 8 months and still no teeth - I got mine at 5 months, Eric at 11 months, so who knows when she'll get them) she was a little grumpy and wanted to be held a lot. Well, two days ago a rash showed up all over her body. Turns out she has Roseola, a viral infections that almost all kids get before age 2. Luckily she is over the not feeling good part, now she just has the rash.

A story for me to remember: Last night was Reese's first time sleeping in her lowered crib. Well, it was too exciting for her to sleep. She can finally see her whole bedroom from bed and all night long I could hear her making noises. When I'd go in and check on her, she'd start flapping her arms with excitement (a Reese trademark) and babble to me. I'd find her binky (under her bed, across the room, at the other end of the bed) give it to her, put her blanket by her and tell her she needed to go to sleep. She didn't take me seriously, and spent most of the night crawling around and playing in her crib. Hopefully tonight will be better???

P.S. School starts tomorrow. I have my backpack ready, I'll be making my lunch this evening, and getting to bed at a decent hour. I'm excited! Reese will be playing with my dad and Camla tomorrow. Camla had to get her appendix out last Thursday, I think, and is home from school this week, my dad is taking the day off, so Reese will go entertain them :)