Sick

Cade and Ashlynn got sick the week before Christmas. They were both lucky enough to have RSV. It started with steady fevers of 101 and then turned into to coughing and stuffy/runny noses. They were both so miserable for a few days. We went through tylenol like it was juice and a couple boxes of tissues. They both didn't eat or drink very much for a couple of days. It was sad to see them uncomfortable. Cade got better first and Ashlynn followed a few days later, just in time for Christmas. I'm hoping that will be our one and only sickness this winter.

Christmas

Christmas was fun this year. Cade is getting closer to understanding the concept of Santa and was a bit more exicted to open presents. Brian had to work on Christmas this year so we did our Christmas morning the day before. It was great to be able to enjoy the new toys with them before the hectic day of bouncing between our families on Christmas day.

6 Months old

 

My sister in law Natalee took some picture of Ashlynn when she was 6 months old. I think they turned out so cute.

At six months old Ashlynn is so fun. She is eating all sorts of baby food and finally sleeping through the night. She is trying really hard to crawl and is getting quite good at doing it in her own special way. She is very happy all the time and takes 2 naps a day one in the morning around 10 and again in the afternoon around 1 or 2. She hates to be left alone and will cry until she can see you again. Ashlynn of course loves Cade and thinks he is great. She is still very small, 24 inches and 14 pounds. She is still wearing 0-3 month clothes but I think I am going to switch her to 3-6 month clothes in January(she'll be 7 months then).

4 Months

 

Ashlynn recently turned 4 months old. At her appointment she weighed almost 12 pounds and is 23 inches. She is very dainty. She'll have 5 bottles a day but only eats 3-5oz depending on what time it is. Her reflux is much better. And her colic attitude is pretty much gone. She is a very different baby from the first 2 months of life. Recently she has started sleeping from 11pm to about 7am without waking and will normally go back to sleep with a binky. We tried giving her rice cereal and she hated it. After putting a bite in her mouth she would just scream and cry while it sat on her tongue. Now we just put a little into her last bottle at night, which seems to be helping her sleep longer as well.

She is very active and loves to roll around and move. She loves to lay on her playmat and try to grab the dangling toys. She'll smile at anyone that looks her at her and will occasionally laugh. Anytime she watches Cade play she'll laugh. He doesn't really pay too much attention to her. He'll tell me when she's crying and bring her a binky if she doesn't have one. And will shake a toy over her head when I have her laying on the floor. He asked to hold her for the first time when she was about 3 months old but hasn't asked since. But I think the older/more fun she gets to more interested in her Cade will get.

3 months old

Ashlynn turned 3 months last month. It was also the day of the first Utah football game, so I put her in her first Ute outfit. I think she looked adorable.

Swimming

A couple weeks ago I was making dinner and Cade came up to me saying his frog was stuck. I told him to show me where it was. He took me into the bathroom where I found this:

 He proceeded to tell me that his frog wanted to go swimming.

Cade is just getting more adorable by the day. Especially since he's talking more. Friday he was asking for dinner, which I told him we would eat once his show was done(it was still cooking in the oven). He walked up to the TV and turned it off and turned to me and said "All done!" Well played toddler, well played.

Baby Blessing

We blessed Ashlynn on August 5th. We did it in our ward. Brian did a wonderful job and she stayed calm and quiet the whole time. 

Brian's mom got this dress for Ashlynn in London(they were on a trip there when she was born). I love how long it is and it looked beautiful on her.



2 months old

The last 2 months with Ashlynn have been full of colic episodes and trying everything to get her to stop crying. We've learned a few tricks and she is getting better, she'll still have a crying episode every so often, but it's getting better each day. We went to the doctor for her check up and she weighs 9.5 lbs and is 20.8 inches tall.

Ashlynn Ellie

 Ashlynn came 10 days early on May 30th. She weighed 6 pounds and 7 ounces and 17.5inches
 (If you want to read the delivery story it's below the pictures)

My water broke at home on Tuesday night at about 11:15pm. Since Brian was at work I called my parents to take me to the hospital and stay with Cade. I had to have a test done to make sure that my water had actually broken. Once they had done the test and made sure she was facing head down they admitted me into labor and delivery. At around 3:30am I still wasn't having any contractions on my own so they started me on pitocin. That started working right away and I was having a contraction every 2-3 minutes. I had and epidural put in as soon as possible, about 45 minutes later(I do not have a very high pain threshold). Brian was still at work but I was checking in with him every hour or so. He got to the hospital at around 7am. I sent him to get some breakfast and while he was gone they checked me and found out it was time to start pushing. We were both really surprised that it was happening so fast since it took so much longer with Cade. They called my doctor who had just gotten to the clinic downstairs. She came right up to deliver our baby. We started pushing just after 8am and she was born at 8:20am. It only took 3 contractions and then she was here. It was completely opposite from Cade's delivery. I had the best epidural. It blocked the pain in all the right places and I had full control of my legs. It was heaven sent.

We have been home for a week now and are still adjusting to our new life. Each day gets a little better. Cade is doing great with her. He isn't too interested in holding her but will give her the occasional kiss. He loves to help throw away her diapers or bring me a binky or her bottle. I hope he keeps being so helpful.

Makes me smile

Look who's 2!

Happy 2nd birthday Cade! We love you!

On his 1st birthday.

The day he was born.

Turning 27 and #2

Brian and my brother both have a birthday in January. We had a celebration at my parents house and a joint birthday cake.

Me and Brian on his birthday.
We are happy to announce that baby number 2 will arrive in June. This is the bump at 20 weeks.
We found out today that it's going to be a girl. Cade is very excited to have a little sister!

2011

Here's a recap on our year:

January-Brian turned 26

February-We went down to Arizona and Brian got to do a mock dog fight in a fighter airplane with a retired Airforce pilot. We also visited an old mission buddy of his. Oh and Cade got his first tooth and got sick for the first time.

March-Cade turned 1! Yay! It was a fun day. We decorated our house and had our families over for pizza and cake. He got some great presents. (Pictured above)

April-Cade started walking.

May-I turned 25 and we celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary.

June-Cade gave up his bottle and his morning nap. He also learned that he loves to play outside.

July-Brian and I went to Switzerland and Paris with his family. We left Cade here with my parents, we thought an overseas vacation was a bit much for our little 16 month old baby.

August-We got another dog. He is a lab/husky mix and we named him Chief. Our other dog Shoku is very happy to have a friend to play with.

September-hmmm...came and went without much to report.

October-Cade broke his leg. He got a little red cast that he had to wear for 3 weeks. He did great with it on he hardly noticed it al all. And for Halloween he was a lion. (Broken leg pictured above)

November-We celebrated Thanksgiving with Brian's family and went to California to watch his little sister Natalee in a soccer tournament.

December-Full of Christmas and family fun. Cade enjoyed Christmas more this year. He had fun ripping the paper and playing with his new toys. He got a Cozy Coupe car from my parents and a play kitchen from Brian's parents. He loves both of them and plays with them constantly. (Cade in his car pictured above)

We are excited for 2012 and all the fun things it'll bring to us!