One

My baby turned one. Last month. Running a little behind. Story of my life.
At the sweet age of one, Austin:
*still has 8 teeth
*still crawling
*does this really cute thing when he gets really excited, he gives you a big hug, and then opens and closes his right hand on your back, giving you a little scratch. My favorite is when he does it after I get him from his crib.
*babbles all the time, saying "Da da" the most
*still loves to eat
*weighs 25.3 pounds (82%) and is 30.5 inches (74%)
*loves to play catch
*gives the best open-mouthed kisses

2.20.12

Hello eyelashes.

This picture is so Austin to me.  He makes this face when he is excited, or doing something crazy, like banging a ball around (see bottom left corner of picture).  We sure love this boy. 

Austin is now 13 months and has entered the glorious age of finally being able to say, "Ma ma".  I don't know if he knows what that means yet, but I will take it. 

And he has one molar and is working on another.  No fun.

And he has taken a few steps.

And he loves dogs.  Obsessed.  Our neighbors have some dogs and whenever he hears the dogs barking he says, "Da ga!" and then "who who who who" like a dog barking.  We have a little ritual of whenever we get into the car, or come home, we have to go look around the side of our house to see if the dogs are out.  We have an animal lover on our hands. 

Texas

I was able to take a little trip back to Dallas at the end of February. Megan is moving to California, and we needed one last weekend together in Texas before she moved. It was so fun to go back. It was a little like the twilight zone. Part of me felt like we never left. We have so many great memories there.
Megan and I went dancing at Kitty's Thursday night, then on Friday we went to the gym, my favorite place, TACO CASA!!!, and hung out at the park.
Love these ladies.

Friday night, starting at 11:00 pm we had a little sleepover.  We may or may not have been up until after 4:00 am, discussing all sorts of inappropriate things.  I may or may not be WAY too old for that kind of shenanigan.  Only getting 3 hours of sleep does not go over well for me, but it was so worth it.  Laughed ourselves to tears, numerous time.

 

On Saturday, Megan and I went to lunch with Kitty, Keith, and Courtney, some of favorite Dallas and Fort Worthians.  Love these people. 

 

Saturday night, we went to dinner, tried to get a pedicure (why do they close so early on a Saturday night?!), got my frozen yogurt and mochiball fix, and then watched "House Bunny" at Mandy's.  Loved watching it with my friends (deep, scruffy voice) Adrienne, Leah, Megan & Mandy.
It was nice to go to church on Sunday and see everyone.  It was a farewell for a young man who was going to serve his mission in San Francisco.  His mom wanted me to find him and tell him how wonderful it was there, which was easy.  I do love that place.  After church we just relaxed and got ready to leave.  Thank you ladies for a very fun, exhausting weekend! :)

Monitor

2.17.12
I am one sneaky mom.  I love watching my babes in the video monitor.  Best investment.  When Audrey was a baby we called it, "Audrey cam" and probably watched the monitor more than we watched TV. We are still watching the same monitor, just with our third babe.

 

 

 

Actually I take that back. I think we had to get a new monitor when we had Joshua. Here is Dave is action watching "Audrey cam". Makes me smile even now thinking about our obsession with that thing, and more importantly, the baby we were watching.

 

My Grandpa

My Dad's Dad passed away one year ago today (I had a 6 week old baby, and my life was not my own, which is why I didn't blog about it then). His health wasn't the best and then he had a stroke and passed away a few days later. I was able to call and talk to him before he died. He wasn't able to respond at all, but it was nice to be able to tell him how much I love him, what a great legacy he had started, and how much I admire him.
My Grandpa was a pharmacist in Idaho. He didn't like what he did, so he decided to go back to dental school (sound familiar?). He moved his family to Chicago, where he went to dental school, and then attended his orthodontic residency. The best part of this story? My Dad graduated HIGH SCHOOL one day before my Grandpa graduated his ortho residency. My Grandpa was a very dedicated man, and my Grandma is/was a saint. When Dave and I were making the decision if he should go to dental school, we must have said a thousand times, "If Grandma and Grandpa can do it, I guess we can too." And we only had baby Audrey at the time. Not four grown kids. Like I said, saintly. My Grandpa and Grandma are great examples of following your dreams, and making the sacrifices necessary in order to do so.
My Grandparents moved to Provo while I was in college. I have so many memories of going to their home for dinners, to hang out, or to just get out of my tiny dorm room. They were always so warm and inviting. Whenever I would leave, my Grandpa would give me a little raspberry kiss on my cheek. It was so fun having them close by, and getting to spend those years together.

My Grandpa and baby Audrey.

December 2010.  I was 7 months pregnant with Austin.  I went to Utah for a friend's wedding and was able to see my Grandparents. 

Three generations of good men.

Happy Day of Love

Happy Valentine's Day!
Audrey wanted red streaks in her hair (per some website someone told her about-it washed right out that night). And Joshua looks so rag-a-muff with his hair, but oh well.
I especially want to document the green paper on the fridge... Doing what I am expected to do.
"Yes Mom, I will go and clean my room."  "Thank you so much."  That would be nice.

 

Major sugar high after eating our treat from Memor and Fafa! We spent the day with Andrew and Carrie. Poor Andrew was sick and throwing up, so Carrie and I went to lunch with Dave, and then did a little shopping.  I took them to the airport that night.  Dave and I never really go out on Valentines Day.  We got engaged on the 16th, so we celebrate then.  We went out to dinner and to the movie "This Is War." I love my little family. 

Andrew, Carrie and Baby Ty

Andrew, Carrie and Baby Ty came to see us for a few days.  It was our first time meeting Baby Ty...two words: super delicious.  His perfect little nose, fabulous lips, and blue blue eyes...almost makes me want to have another.  Almost.

They were kind enough to join us on our new tradition of bringing Valentines to a nursing home.  Good thing too.  Those sweet people loved Baby Ty.
Joshua being so helpful with the stroller. 

Passing out Valentines. 

 

Aunt Carrie is pretty much amazing.  She is so so helpful, kind, loving, thoughtful, and lots of fun to be around.  My kids love her, as do I.  She painted Audrey's fingernails, and let Joshua fix her hair.

Audrey and Baby Ty.
And some red streaks in her hair, her request for Valentines Day.

Cousins.
Thanks for coming! We loved having you!

 

Austin's Obsession

2.2.12
I bought Joshua this hat probably two years ago. It has become his favorite thing and he wears it almost every day. He calls it his, "sevens hat". Dave loves it too, his favorite number is 7. I love that I don't have to do Joshua's hair. And now Austin is obsessed with it too. Win, win, win, win.

 

Correction, I bought Joshua this hat 2.5 years ago, when he was just 18 months old. All of these pictures were taken in September 2009.

 

I love that Seffie has the same hat.
Thank you sevens hat, for keeping us all so happy.

Birthday Party

2.16.12
Lots of little cute babes in our ward all turn one about the same time, so we had a little party for them.  Austin is the only boy! He was obsessed with his balloon.  Someday he will be way more interested in the girls than in the balloons.

 

Austin and Ashlyn, sweet little friends. Even with this little beauty by his side, he still wants to shake the balloon.

 

Austin's Birthday

Happy 1st Birthday little man.

Your birthday was on a Saturday so we were able to spend the whole day together as a family.  We went sledding in the afternoon, and swimming in the evening.  You really didn't care what we did, as long as we were together.  

The birthday boy going down the hill in this awesome sled from Memor.  Not sure how he felt about it. 

But he loved begin pulled by Audrey! 

We ate more cupcakes (check out that snow!) and really enjoyed the day celebrating you, and how much joy you bring to our family.

 

Audrey wrote you a song for your birthday.
By Audrey   Tune of: (blank)
It's Austin's 1st birthday
it's time to celebrate
Austin's a rock in roll
It's time for Austin
to grow up.  It's Austin's
celebration

 

2. (2nd verse) It's a bday for Austin he's so so 

excited for his first bday.  Mom
 gave him a great gift it is
the gift of life.  (Don't you ever forget it!) My Dad gave
him the gift of a boy.  My little
brother gave him a gift of kindness
I gave him the gift of happiness.
It Austin's bday