Mommy date

Last Friday, Justin took Lauren out on her first hunting trip - for squirrel.  So, Paige (and Jaelyn) and I ventured out to the park in Payson for the morning.  It was some nice quality time with my middle girl!

Balancing on a rock...

We found our own squirrel, right above our heads!

Digging for treasures...

I love this one...

Showing me the sparkly glass she found...

She was SO happy just to be outside! 

Jaelyn still loves that fresh air...

I think this might have to make it onto a wall somewhere too...

After our park time we went out to lunch and dessert - Paige's favorite thing EVER.  =)  

More pictures of Payson time to come...

Beach

A week ago, we had just gotten back from a turn-around beach trip with our friends, the Swopes!  Can't believe I haven't posted the pictures until now.  Slacker.

This one loves everything about the beach.  A girl after Mommy's heart!

The Swopes let us borrow their baby tent, which is great for non-sitters!  So happy we had it!

Paige watching a jet fly over.

Lauren collecting shells.  

And here is yet another reason this girl cracks.me.up...

...as she runs off to search for more shells.  

Love it!

Paige was more into the sand than the water.

New favorite!

Lauren & Porter were like peas and carrots!

And now, the attempt at a family picture:

All three kids looking in different directions, and not one at the camera.  Ha!

It was a great day, jut wish it could have been longer!!!  Next time!

Two months old

I know I have been MIA as far as blogging goes... sorry about that.  Things have been crazy busy in this house, there just aren't enough hours in the day.  I know almost everyone feels like that in some form, so I have decided that I just need to be better about prioritizing the things that need to get done.  And taking pictures of my family and posting on here needs to get moved up on the list!  Not only is it a need, but it is also something I truly enjoy -- so hopefully I can get better about it!

Can anyone believe Jaelyn is two months old?

Not me, that's for sure!  It has been a crazy two months that have rushed by, leaving me to look back and wonder where it went.  She is doing great, really strong and happy.  She just doesn't like to nap.  Ever.  *sigh*  She was 95% for weight, 75% for height and head circumference at her appointment on her two month birthday.

She has the biggest eyes, and her lashes are already reaching lengths that leave me envious!

She has had some bowel issues that have left me clueless.  The doctor thinks it is a protein allergy so I have been off of dairy for three weeks and all things yummy for five days.  It does not appear to be making a difference.  So now I am left wondering what the next step will be.  

Luckily, she doesn't act like anything is bothering her most the time -- aside from the sleeping thing.  *yawn*

And she makes me laugh.  Every.Single.Day.

Sometimes it is laughing in between tears after rocking her all day.  Just being honest, people!

Love you, beautiful baby girl!  You are SO worth the messy house, all the foods I crave right now, and any missed sleep.  You brighten up my day, and I am so very blessed to be your Mommy!

Zzz

If you don't follow me on Twitter, you may not know that Jaelyn is not a sleepy baby.  She loves to be held.  All.the.time.  Which is sweet and exhausting all at the same time!  Then something magical happened last Sunday...

 

Four naps, in her crib - perfect angel!  

I was crossing my fingers and praying that it wasn't just a growth spurt but instead because I swaddled her with her arms inside for a change.  

Not so much.  

Now she is fussy and impossible to get to sleep from about 7PM to 11PM, with no apparent cause... 

So I am tired.

And Lauren is tired.  

The dark circles under her eyes today indicate to me that the screaming has been seeping through the wall and into her little ears.  Too bad she is so stubborn about naps - even in exhaustion, she forces herself to stay awake.  For that reason, I am hopeful that this is a passing stage for Jaelyn, and the rest of us!

But, she sure is a pretty baby!

And I have to include this picture, because it literally left me with my mouth hanging open.  She just looks too grown up!  My little Paigey is not so little anymore.

*sniff*

Dinosaurs!

We surprised the girls on Saturday and went to the Museum of Natural History, as recommended by the Swope family. It was really fun, and Lauren has asked to go again and again! Too bad it is 40 minutes away! Other than Paige getting freaked out by the movie/sound of a mammoth in a cave, they enjoyed everything we saw - my favorite was the Plesiosaur gallery... but I didn't even get my camera out. Bummer!

Lauren by the small dinosaur skeletons - her favorites. What is with that pose? It freaks me out a little bit!

Jaelyn happily rode along in her stroller like a good little baby!

The big girls and the T-Rex - pretty amazing!

She will hate me for this in ten years, but...

Pretending to be a dinosaur in the elevator. Scary. Bwahahahaha!

This is what I get when I say, "Look at Mommy!" Hello?!?

Enjoying the pretty rock collection. I hope they don't mind fingerprints on the glass. Yeesh.

Out front of the museum - very, very bright... sorry!

Enjoying some suckers and picking limes on our way back to the car. All in all, a very fun day for the whole family! I was glad we were able to take Lauren while she is in the dino-loving stage - who knows how long it will last!

Picture Happy

When you go to Flagstaff on a beautiful cloudy day, you end up with a lot of images.  Or at least I do.  =)

At Thorpe park.  The T-rex was a bit hit with all the kids, as usual!

This is what I refer to as the "fresh air coma".  Jaelyn is so happy just to be outside after running from a/c to a/c ver since she was born!  Is it fall yet???

Paige is getting so big, it astounds me.

Jaelyn is growing too...

And how exactly is the one who made me a mommy THIS grown up already?!?  Ugh.

After lunch at Beaver Street Brewery (yum), we headed up to Humphrey's trail just like last year.  It was gorgeous!

We were so sure we'd get rained on again, but it never happened!

In this post I referred to Brad as "monkey-man.  Again, I say... he cracks me UP!  

Wishing we could have this tree in our yard!!!

Then we headed out to take over "our field".

Good thing no one else was there!

This was Lauren & Paige's first kite experience -- they had a blast!  So glad the Swopes thought to bring them!

This picture melts my heart...

It was naptime and Paige feels it right away.

Lauren not so much.  LOL!

Love this too...

Can I just say my husband is SO handsome!!!  I am one lucky girl!

She was tired and tripping on every rock she could find.

Brad turned over lots of logs and rocks so the kids could see wriggly things. How fun is that?!?

This shot was to show what a difference a year makes!

Our fam!  Jaelyn is hiding in the sling, but she is there, none the less!

It was a perfect day.

Now the drive home, that is another story.  Man, little babies sure can make a lot of BIG noise!