Memorial Day

We went on a fun hike with Maleah's family and Noah on Memorial Day. We went to some waterfalls in Pleasant Grove. Lexi walked most of the way there and Noah helped carry her up the steep parts. She loved touching the water and we all loved spending time together. It has been so much fun getting to know Cole's family better now that we live in Utah.

Lexi Update

Lexi is growing up so fast. A while ago we told her that when she grows up she will get her own house. She started to cry and we told her she could live with us forever if she wants to. The next day she told me she changed her mind and she wanted her own house when she grew up. I asked her what kind she wanted and she didn't know. Well that conversation sparked a train of thought that has stuck with her for the last little while. She has figured told me that when she grows up she is going to get a job and paint temples like her Daddy. She will get a house, car, babies (a boy named Carter and a girl named Lexi), car seats, toys, two dogs, and a Daddy. She told me I could come visit and sleep over. She told me to bring my tent, flashlight, sleeping bag, and pillow. She said she would build me a bed and would borrow Grandpa's tools to build it with her big muscles. She asked me if I would be the Grandma. She wanted a Beatle Bug car but decided she didn't want it because it only has one door and there wouldn't be enough room for me, Carter, and her children. One day she told us she wanted to show us her house. We were surprised and just drove home. She got upset and told us she wanted to take us past her house. She said they were building it and proceeded to tell us how to get to it. Well, there is a house being build near ours. She took us there and said that was going to be her house. I was shocked. I had no idea she even knew that house was there. I didn't know what to say because I didn't know how she'd react when we told her that wasn't her house. I told her she would have to see if the house was around when she got bigger. She was really excited about the house because she said she could ride her scooter to my house from her house (the scooter she's going to get when she gets bigger). These types of conversations have been happening on a daily basis and surprise me at the depth of thought she has put into her future. It is funny and shocking. She really wants to grow up and is always measuring if her feet touch the ground yet when she is sitting on the couch. We've tried to help her be more excited about being little but it makes her really sad because all she wants is to be big. For the last year Lexi has been sleeping in a tent at night. Cole has a tent pole attached to her day bed and we put the sheet over it, thus it is a tent. She started doing it when Carter was born and it has now turned into a "security blanket" for her. We've tried several times to get her to sleep without it. She screams each time. Lexi had been wanting some money to put in her new piggy bank. I told her if she slept without her tent she could have three pennies. I let her decide if she wanted a tent or three pennies. She picked the pennies and is now sleeping without her tent! She is really excited because I told her she is sleeping like a big girl now. Lexi still loves to snuggle and we all love it. She always likes to know what is going to happen next in her day, where we are going, what we are doing, etc. She asks a lot of questions and I am trying to learn to be more patient with how inquisitive she is. She loves to ride her trike and go to the park. She knows over half of her capitol letters, most colors, counts to 15, and most shapes. She loves learning and identifying letters in her name and her families names. She is a really pretty girl and loves to wear dresses. She is into feeling and looking like a princess. She loves to sing, dance, and do gymnastics. We love Lexi and hope she doesn't grow up too fast!

Carter Update

Carter started walking officially on his birthday. He hasn't looked back and is now pretty fast. His latest "tricks" are giving high five, clapping when he hears "if you're happy and you know it", giving kisses, saying Hi, Bye, Night Night, Mama, Dada, and ought oh. He is a true boy and loves to bang things and climb. He likes to try to stand or sit on things. I've had to put away a few toys because he kept standing on them and falling. He has certain spaces that are his retreats. He likes to back into the kitchen island and sit. He has been playing in a diaper box that we cut a door into and sits there. He likes to retreat behind the rocking chair and sit there. He also likes to sit on the stone by the fireplace. It's funny but he just has certain spaces he likes and continuously retreats to them. He loves to play with Lexi and follows her all day long. He is not a big eater and we have a hard time getting him to eat table food. He will spit out things he doesn't like or drop them on the floor. He likes to throw things down the stairs. He loves going to church. The minute we sit down he starts laughing and trying to get people to pay attention to him. He will wave at people and say Hi. I always have to apologize to the people sitting around us for how distracting he is. Most people don't care though because he is so cute. We took him to Cookie Cutters for his first haircut. He hated it and cried the whole time. Once it was over he was back to his happy self and was thrilled with the balloon they gave him. He looks so much older with his haircut. He still likes his thumb and my hair. He likes a little snuggle and will randomly come in for a hug when he is playing. I love it! We sure love our Carter!

Carter Turns One

We celebrated Carter's birthday with a family cake party. He got spoiled with a lot of new toys and clothes. We made the mistake of having him open up his ball first and that was the end of opening gifts. He just wanted to play with his ball. Mommy opened most of his gifts for him but once they were all opened he loved playing with all of them. Carter didn't appear to enjoy his cake very much but he was tired so it was hard to tell. He wasn't sure about the sticky frosting on his hands and in true Carter fashion he dropped it on the floor when he didn't want anymore. We love Carter and are glad we could celebrate his birthday with so much of our family.

Lexi Laughs

I had this conversation with Lexi after church today: Me: what did you learn about today in church? Lexi: we talked about the boat and the animals Me: oh you talked about Noah's ark? Lexi: yeah. He came to my house with Grandma Chamberlain. (In case you didn't get it Cole's brother's name is Noah)

Carter

Carter turns 1 tomorrow. He has been such a joy since the first time I held him. He loved to be held when he was little. He would only sleep in our arms. He was an easy baby. He only cried when he needed something and was very patient when he had to wait to get it. He has always been social and hasn't ever really had stranger anxiety. Everyone that meets him instantly falls in love with him. He loves to suck his thumb and can soothe himself very easily by doing so. He puts himself to sleep by sucking his thumb. When he is sad he wants mommy's hair and his thumb. He loves to hold my hair. I can't put it in a pony tail because he goes from side to side looking for it so he can hold it. He has 4 teeth! I stopped nursing at 10 1/2 months. The first morning he woke up and didn't nurse he cried and cried and just wanted to snuggle with me. It was precious and sad all at the same time. Within 24 hrs he was over it and adjusted easily. He sleeps through the night and started doing so at about 9 1/2 months (but we had to let him cry it out for about 3 nights). He's not a big eater and doesn't really have a favorite food yet. He loves to clap and if you start to sing "If you're happy and you know it" he'll start to clap. He also claps if you say "yeah". He waves bye bye and can say mama, dada, and nigh nigh but not on command. He still loves to play with Lexi and thinks that whatever she has he needs to have. He teases Lexi and likes to pull her hair. He stands and can take a few steps. He is the best little boy and I love being his Mom. Happy Birthday!

Easter

I love Easter! I love the colors, the season, the parties, and the reason. We got spoiled being in Utah this year and got to participate in 4 egg hunts. We went to the party at Grandma Donna's (at the Charleston) and had a lot of fun! Lexi and Carter both found a lot of eggs. Lexi got to do a craft and play some games too. She had a lot of fun and Carter liked trying to walk and explore his new surroundings. Later that night we got to go to Maleah's for another party. The kids got bunny ears from Uncle Neal and had fun looking for eggs and playing. The next day we got up early and went to the Highland city egg hunt. The kids got candy and decorated a cookie. They had the Easter bunny there but that proved a little interesting. His costume wasn't the best and you could see his neck when he moved around. Lexi told me his neck had a crack in it and we needed to fix it. Luckily that's all she thought it was and didn't make the connection. Later that day we had the Parker Easter party. This is one of my all time favorite things all year. We go to the school and play in the lunchroom and have the egg hunt in the halls. Lexi loved playing with her cousins and has started to become better friends with some of them which is really fun to see. Carter liked pushing Lexi's bike around and chasing the balls. Some of us got to play 4 square and had a lot of fun doing that. The next day was Easter and the bunny came. Lexi was thrilled with her prizes but Carters basket wasn't as exciting so he didn't get too into it. Later we went to church and had a lovely day. I am grateful to be here to enjoy all the fun events that build memories. I am grateful for the resurrection and the hope it brings to my life.
(pictures are in backwards chronological order)