Visiting Cousins

We took Heidi Anne to visit her cousins this weekend.
To start off with we went and saw new baby Alice, she is so cute, and makes you forget how fast babies grow. Heidi looked at her like a baby doll. So while I got to hold baby Alice, Heidi got to explore her Aunts house.

Then we went to see Kailah! My sister & husband are super artistic. They did this cute photo shoot of Kailah just before we came over, so I have to show them off! They are sooo cute!

Her shirt reads "I Want A Pony".

Heidi Anne had fun playing and chasing around with Kailah. Heidi started to get a little fussy, so I made the sign for Eat. I didn't notice that Rekailah was watching me, so she went over to her Mom and said "Eat, Eat!!" I had completely forgotten that my sister uses sign language as well with her. It was funny!! My sister, who is super Mom I swear, already had some Mac n' Cheese made, warmed up some for the girls, and they had a nice little snack together.

After being well feed, even Heidi Anne got a little photo shot of her own. Cowgirl-itis I guess.

Next it was off to Grandma's (Char's folks) house. There she got to play and crawl around outside and play with some blocks inside.

Then we went out to dinner with his folks & Aunt Sarah. We had some really good Chinese food. Heidi Anne really liked it too!

What a busy Saturday, I don't care how old you are!

Playing Around

I got these pictures of Heidi Anne just playing so I had to post them. I love my little girl! Here she is at the park and playing with her doll.

This is her playing with a fort we made with her!

This is her playing with the air register

She's just soo cute and fun! Everyday is an adventure with her!

Little Baby Alice

So Char's oldest sister, Emily, had her baby girl this morning, (9 days overdue poor thing).
Her husband Zack called us this morning to let us know they are both doing fine. They named the baby Alice, no middle name as of yet, she was 21 inches long and was over 8 lbs. No pictures.
We'd go down to see her, but I'm still too sick, and from what I remember, newborns and illness don't mix well. So we hope to be able to see them next weekend. Heidi Anne is very much like me, she loves babies!!!

Fun Thoughts

--Alice, from the Old French name Aleydis, itself a short form of the German name Adeleide.
--The meaning of the name Adeleide & Alice is Noble
--Both girls have names from Classical children's books, Alice in Wonderland & Heidi
--Alice is the Patron Saint of the Blind and Paralyzed
--Elise is another spelling of Alice

So the girls have their names and meanings intertwined, and we didn't even try for it!!
Adeleide Annelise & Alice, sooo cute! Can't wait to see her!

Sooo Sick

We we've been without Internet for the last few days, but that doesn't really matter because I've been too sick to even post.
So I've been sick with bronchitis, having a really high fever, tried to work on Wednesday, but they sent me home. Spent the rest of Wednesday out of it. Went to work on Thursday, still out of it but working. So here is Friday, feeling a bit better, and now I have internet YEAH!
Now if only my voice would come back.

Any Good Books??

I have a little spear time, but I am looking for some good book suggestions.....

Now I am leaning more towards the mind candy if you will-- (Not really liking the though of the Adult Classics (Jane Austin-ish, Grapes of Wrath, deep messages type things)

-However, Children's Classics's I am open too, anything from Skippy Jon Jones to Anne of Green Gables. (Since Heidi Anne loves to be read aloud.)

-I have read pretty near every Orson Scott Card, Michael Crichton, Stephanie Myers (yeap all 5 of her books).

-I have read a ton of WWII journals and biography's from the home front to all the theaters, and even more recent tales, for example The Lone Survivor (which could make anyone cry).

I am in a slight reading rut and could use a little insight into other authors out there. Amazon is pretty good at Suggestions, but thought other people might have some nice insight as well.

Coming Winter 2009...

I just found out today (and with my sister's permission I get to post this) that she is having a BOY!! He'll be due in December 2009. He has long legs and was giving the ultrasound tech High Fives. So they'll have their Little Princess (Kayla) and now their little Sport (Ryder).

Congrats!! It'll be fun to have a nephew, and I hope Kayla and Heidi Anne like having a little boy in the family!

My Little Daredevil

If you remember, about 4 or so months ago I had to use the bathroom, and came back to the great wipe escaped. After a few chuckles and some candid picture taking I learned my lesson.

Or so I thought, for now I put everything on a fairly high shelf. But she outsmarted me again, for when I had to leave her in the childproof living room for a moment, I came back to find this... So I am just waiting for a baby power or Destine mess in about 3-4 months! :) Hope I have my camera then too!
In case you were not aware, I do not have just any little girl with beautiful blue eyes and pretty little blonde curls, I have a daredevil in disguise. I have proof in this little video of her climbing up the stairs to chase the cats. I think her plan was to "read" to them but it became a chase. However, blogspot won't let me post it. So some pictures will have to do. Here she is at the base of the down stairs....Now she is at the landing, half way there.... Then coming around the bend at the 3/4ths mark! Notice our boring stairs, and her cruising along?

Wish you could see the video, as you can see she is giggling the whole way, but soo much cuter to hear it! Especially her victory laugh once she got to the top! She doesn't look one bit happy at all does she? ;)

We got her a new toddler bed, since she tried so hard to get out of her crib. I just took this picture of her! I guess even little angels need some sleep. (Notice the pile of mats by her bed...another one of her many daily adventures.)

Shout Outs

Well it's been a busy week and I think this is one of busiest weeks in our family!

It's Chars birthday on the 9th (This is Us last year on his birthday)His youngest sister Millie's birthday as well, yeap, 4 years apart to the day.My Bekah and her husband's Wedding Anniversary on the 10th-4 Years Today!! And Coming Soon is Char's Oldest Sister is having baby girl, like any day now.
So Yeah, this week in August is a little packed.

Well That Didn't Work

We tried to let Heidi Anne sleep in her crib as a toddler bed, however, it didn't have any railing. To make it safe we put her play mats under the crib. We put her into bed and she promptly rolled off the bed head first. She looked at us shocked at first, then giggled. The second time we put her further from the edge. She rolled off with momentum that time, fell, and again giggled.
It was a losing battle from there.
She would crawl up into her bed, fall off (each time in a different way, head first, rolling off, leaning over, whatever her little 1 year old mind could think of), smiling the whole time she was falling, and giggle at the landing.
We gave up, let her have her fun for a bit, then put the crib railing back on. When we put her back into bed, she rolled against the railing (always testing the boundaries) hit her glow worm and fell asleep.
I think we'll get a real toddler bed with safety rails this weekend.

Mild Heart Attack

This morning Heidi Anne gave me a mild heart attack. Char and I were cleaning, Heidi Anne was being good and just playing. Char went into the garage to put some things away. I left her in the house to give him a few more things to put away. I came back in and didn't see her in the living room so I checked the kitchen, and she wasn't there either. So I began to think "Great I am now one of those mom's whose baby gets taken and they say But I was way for only 30 seconds."
I called her name, and I hear giggles, and found her.
She had crawled up the stairs, for the FIRST time EVER, and was playing with the cats on the landing. Now we have to get a new guard gate soon.
Also, since she keeps trying to crawl over the railing on her crib, we are putting it to the toddler bed level. She is trying to help Char with it right now, knocking on the medal and looking under the crib. I love those transitional cribs. Tonight we'll see how she likes the big girl version of her bed. She's growing up!!

Silly Heidi Anne

Heidi Anne is getting funnier by the day! For example, she loves to put her face over the air registers when the A/C kicks on. She giggles as it blows on her face and hair and tries to catch the wind.
Another thing she likes to do it to catch the sun beams as it comes through the windows. She crawls over to the spot on the floor where the sun peeks though and grabs at it, opens her hands and giggles. I guess to her it looks like she caught the sun.
Tonight I was getting her ready for bed as she was picking out her night clothes (she has to pick out her clothing, if you do ask for her input she gets rather vocal about it). Char got me her overnight diaper--which are awesome bytheway--I asked Heidi, "What's this?? A Diaper?? Can I eat a diaper?" She giggled and shook her head and said "NOOO Mama."
Silly Heidi Anne :)

Officially Waiting

We are now officially waiting in our adoption process. All of the paper work, home studies, back ground checks, and more paper work have been completed. (We only started the process back in March) So not to bad. Now we just wait.
Gender and ethnicity aren't a factor for us. We're not at all being picky, we just want another little one. We wanted Heidi Anne and her sibling to be fairly close in age (like less then a 3 year age difference). So we decided to start the process now, since the wait time can be anywhere from months to years.
You can even view our profile online too, but it won't let me do a hyperlink. But if you go to American Adoptions and then search Utah, you'll easily find us (since we're the only waiting family in the state with the agency.)
Wish us Luck!!

Heidi Anne Continued

Yeah, finally time to think! So here is the to be continued of Heidi Anne's party! Char's family came over for a barbecue and to see our new place. All of his sisters came (except one, but a 4 hour drive is nasty when very pregnant, trust me) you only want to make that trip as a necessity.

Anyhow, they all came up for a barbacue, and Heidi Anne had all ball. They normally see her after a two hour drive or out of her element. So it was nice for them to see what a ham she is. She seemed to have more fun with wrapping paper, ribbon, can cards at some points then the gifts. Which was funny!

She got a baby doll, a shopping cart, a walker popper thing (you know the balls pop when you push it) a book, and a cute yellow dress from Char's folks. Two of her Aunts gave her a portable changing pad book and those alphbet wood blocks on a wagon, which she loved. Another Aunt gave her a wooden hammer and peg set, she loves to hammer things. The other Aunt gave her a Little People block set and we got her a Little People Bus (Little People are awsome).

We then had cupcakes to finsh it all up.

She is such a mix of the two of us, loves the shopping, cooking, and "help" me clean. She also loves to play with trains, blocks, and hammer and peg set like Char.

Here she is peaking at her gift

Here She is Making a Cupcake Mess

More Photos on our Facebook! Hooray for Facebook!

Thinking of Granny

I got an unexpected package in the mail today. It was a DVD of my Granny (Corporal Sonia Ann May) memorial service in Arlington. It was back on April 17th, and we were unable to go. Yet today I received a DVD compilation of her memorial service and pictures of her. It was beautifully done. It was great to see pictures of the Granny I grew up with along with the pictures of the mother my dad and his sisters knew and loved.
My Granny was a great women, married to my Granddad for nearly 60 years. When I think of loving lasting relationships I always think of them. I remember being 18 and visiting them, if my Granddad and I went into town he would always bring her back a little treat, just as he had always done for decades.
Thanks to whoever sent it to me. It means the world.

To Be Continued....

We had Char's family over on Sunday, with work and everything, I just haven't had time to catch my breath (literally, my allergies are killing me). Needless to say, I will write it about it later.
This is more of a note to myself to blog about it, in case I forget. I don't have a short attention span I just....

OH Look a Kitty!!!!!

Point Proven.

Family Fun

My sister & her family came over on Saturday. Rekailah has grown up soo much and was a blast to watch her & Heidi Anne play. Rekailah was soo cute, she was playing in the toy box, playing with our cats, and naming fruit for us. My favorite were the "Bapples"(apples.). She would also put blocks on a table in a row,
on a table in a row, then put them on the floor in a row one by one. Heidi just watched for the most part.
We went to the local zoo here, looked at the animals, Rekailah showed off her cool running skills. We did see a few cool things, one was the Coyotes howled when a police siren went off near the zoo, an albino porcupine, and a peacock that was fighting with a little turkey. On our way back home we went to 7-11 for free Slurpee day. We had a barbecue, and then opened some birthday gifts my family got for Heidi Anne. Below she is opening up a gift. This reads Giggle, Rebekah made it for Heidi Anne. Heidi Anne & Rekailah playing togetherThose two little girls are soo much fun together. They have the same hair type and color, they are both little joys and such hams at times. You would think they were sisters. Just so cute together. I love the coordinating outfits too! Those blouses came from our Aunt Deb who just has the best taste when it comes to picking out things for two little girls.

Fouth of July Fun

The Fouth for us really started on the Thrid of July. After work we took Brea & Heidi Anne to the Classic Car Show. Char likes new musle cars (1999-today). I like the Classic Cars, between 1930-1958. In the left picture we are next to a 1957 Chevy Sadan. Breadin loved to see his favorite cars, any thing between 1960-1979. Mainly Chevelle's & El Caminos. He looks so guilty.Then that night we watched fire works from the window in Heidi Anne's room. We had a perfect view of the show and even better we didn't get wet from the rain or have to bet traffic home.

So the next day we visited my sister. We did an indoor barbaquewith hamburgers and hotdogs. We hung out on the back porch, watched the babies play. Then dressed the girls in the matching tye dye we had made them, and Bekah did the girls hair soo cute. It is soo fun to see those girls together, they do so many things alike its funny. We went to a parade, and then it was getting late so we headed home after. Busy weekend!

Then and Now

Well today is Heidi Anne's 1st birthday. It just amazes me how fast a tiny NICU baby has become this giggly, happy, always on the move charmer. It has been so fun to see her grow up, crawling, signing, "reading", standing, trying to walk, eating, chasing the cats. It is a miracle all a baby can learn and do in 365 days!

Here she is in the NICU 7/7/08

Here she is standing up and playing on 7/7/09Her daycare got her a cute gift for her birthday, it was the Playskool Stack & Nest Barrles, which she loves. We got her the Little People 50th Anniversy Play School, which she seems to like. (Its not quite like the one we had as kids, were the one wall came down and it was a mini chalk board, but it's great for her ;).

Response to criticism

Yes our post was only about Heidi, nothing to do with anything or anyone else. We do recognize all of the contributions and other things done for us as a family. We never mentioned which side of the family we were talking to. To egocentrically think it was about one side over the other is selfish and hypocritical in the first place. Since when is it wrong to think that to treat your children unfairly and to defend them? We do not care how you treat us, but a baby?

Hmmm... isn't it a bit hypocritical to say jabbing through a post is wrong when jabbing through the post? Aren't you supposed to take the higher ground when insulting others?

Our original post on our online journal is that no one was celebrating Heidi, that Heidi is treated like a bastard and I am made the enemy. We never named names, or said it was one side over the other. Both my side and Char's kept promising things and never followed through. All I said is I was hurt.

What do I see extended family to be, you may ask? Do you see it as getting things for the baby, or perhaps the things that the parents can not afford? Toys, attention, love? Yeah, I'll be the first to admit it, my family is poor, and yet people are showing that they care by calling or sending a note. That is an extend family to me, and that is all we expect. At this time when my sister in law's baby is being celebrated I remember back to my pregnancy a year ago.
I am feeling Sorrow.

Some talk about talking openly and not through the posts. How about those people take the first step and stop waiting for others. You know our phone numbers call us and talk to us, don't expect us to call you.

P.S To the nasty Anonymous poster I removed--If you want to fight about my family, I am sure my parents are more then willing to fight with you. Oh yeah and did I forget to mention that they are taking care of their own biological children? You ASS-U-MED, if your going to insult how about you get your facts right? Makes you look silly, just trying to help out is all.

Tie Dye Time Part II

TAAAA--DAAAAA Our Tie Died Stuff

Breadin's Cool Colored Shirt

Kaikai's 4th of July Shirt

Leigh's ShirtBrea's Shirt Heidi Anne's Shirt