Easton: 1 Month

Our sweet baby boy is ONE MONTH! Here are a couple things we have learned about him:

When he's getting worked up (whether it be excited or fussy), he only pumps his right leg.

He likes to sleep with his hand behind or next to his face... but this one we already knew. He was in this very position when we first saw him on the 4D ultrasound at 20 weeks!

He likes getting his hair washed under the stream of warm water, but hates being cold. He tenses up and breathes heavily until his bath is over. 

He is STRONG! He's been able to hold his head up ever since the day he was born (literally) and everyday he keeps it up for longer and longer.

He makes funny poopie faces, but his trademark is the fishy.

Lastly, he loves to be held and most of the time he will not sleep unless he's in someone's arms. But he hardly ever cries and we'd love him just as much even if he did. 

5 Year Anniversary

Blaine and I got married in the Salt Lake temple on August 21, 2009. It has been 5 years, which makes me feel like we're getting old! We're not into traditional anniversary gifts for each year and all that, but we do like to celebrate! I'd like to have a bigger anniversary celebration trip for every 5 years, but I guess we'll have to postpone since this year we had a big life event- i.e. a baby.

So here is a recap of our life together:

We met the first day of our sophomore year  of college (2 weeks post-mission for Blaine) when he was on the track team and I was  working in the athletic department at BYU. This was a re-enactment.

We pretty much started dating immediately

We got engaged 8 months later

And got married 3 months after that

We spent our first year going to school, while I worked and Blaine went to practice. We went to a couple dances, all the football games, Blaine's track meets, and my intramural basketball games. Over the summer we lived in Montana while Blaine worked for the Forest Service again and I worked part-time at a restaurant.

Year 2 was similar, but with increasingly busy and stressful schedule with school. Blaine officially decided on dental school and began getting straight A's. I would go to Zumba and get dinner in the oven while Blaine would study.

Year 3 was our last year of school together. Blaine continued to work hard in school and took a DAT prep course. I did my student teaching at Oak Canyon Middle School and we got to graduate and walk together.

Year 4 we stayed in Provo and worked while Blaine took the DAT, applied to dental schools, and traveled around the country for interviews.  We also started going to an infertility doctor.

During our fifth year of marriage, we moved to Oklahoma where Blaine completed his first year of dental school and I was a teacher and coach at a junior high school. We got a golden retriever puppy named Jake and then a month before our 5th anniversary we added "Player 3" to our family.

We've had highs and lows and look forward to whatever year 6 has in store for us. 

Easton & Jake: Month 1

For the first 3 weeks of Easton's life, Jake pretty much ignored him. He just slept and didn't do much, plus some visiting family member was always holding him so Jake probably didn't even see him. These past 2 weeks, though, Jake has decided he LOVES to lick Easton. We have a swing that we'll put him in but we usually don't unless Jake isn't around because we know a follow-up bath will be inevitable.

We all know how I feel about Jake. And everyone says that golden retrievers are the best family dogs-- I've teared up just watching youtube videos that testify of that. So I want to let Jake lick Easton because he's showing him affection and I want them to get used to each other, but I don't want Easton to get slimy.

One of my favorite evening activities is when me and my 3 boys lay on our bed and watch TV with the lights out. Blaine and I trade off between cuddling Easton and cuddling Jake. A week or 2 ago, while we were enjoying one such family evening, Marley & Me was on TV. Its the story of a couple that gets a rambunctious puppy who drives them crazy but who they love so much. Its about their life with him, having 3 kids, and moving a couple of times. Plus, most of it takes place in Miami and Boca, so thats fun for me to see all the places I know. Spoiler alert: the dog gets old and dies eventually, and it always makes me cry and want to give Jakey everything he wants. Its a sweet story and will most likely parallel experiences from our life. I cry anytime I think of Jake dying and he's only 11 months old.

Quick anecdote: while Blaine and I would wait in the waiting room for my doctors appointment, we would look at funny stuff on Pinterest to pass the time. Before my last appointment I was reading this thing about this dog that had to be put to sleep, so his family took him to a park and played all day and let him eat as much of his favorite foods as he wanted and then the vet met him there to be put to sleep... and there were pictures to go along with the story. I. WAS. BALLING! (as I'm about to now)

Anyways, right as this was going on, the nurse called my name and I was embarrassed.

But whatever-- I love my blonde son (as several experiences can attest to)

After Marley & Me, both Easton & Jake were asleep so we tried to take these pictures :)

Jake is still such a puppy. He's 11 months and completely playful and energetic but a little wild sometimes, so we've started having some training lessons to learn to not jump up on people and babies, so we'll keep you posted on that adventure.  

Country Cousins

My cousin Kari is a couple years older than me and we always enjoyed playing together when my family would go to Utah every summer or when she would come visit us in Miami. We had a bunch of matching outfits and I can specifically remember a mustard-colored button down shirt with rustic red flowers on it. Sadly I do not have a picture (or can't find it) of us posing with our aunt's guitar, but we did and it's quite clear in my mind. We called ourselves the "country cousins" and it has stuck for about 20 years. 

Now we really are the country cousins since she lives in Nebraska and I live in Oklahoma. Blaine and I stayed with them in their small town of Columbus when Blaine was interviewing at Creighton, and then her and her husband Ben came to visit us last fall and went to one of my football games at McLoud. Blaine and Ben both like guns and hunting and BBQ and all of that manly stuff, so its been extra fun having them nearby. (If you would like to re-live the memories of that trip, go here

When they came to visit us in the first of November, Kari was actually pregnant but didn't tell us. Little did we know that I was pregnant at the time as well. So our babies are 2 months apart and now they have matching outfits as well thanks to our aunt Suzanne. I tried to schedule Easton's baby blessing so both Blaine's and my family could all be there, but thanks to a variety of factors, it didn't work out that way. So unfortunately my family wasn't there, but my sweet country cousin drove 7 hours south to be with us on his special day, only to drive home 48 hours later-- all with a 2 month old baby!!

I SO appreciated them coming, especially since I didn't have my immediate family there and it probably wasn't the most convenient trip for them. When they knocked on my door I started to tear up and Kari said, "Don't cry yet-- we just got here!" :)

Can you notice a difference between the above pictures from November and now the July pictures below? Keep in mind I had just had a big baby 2 weeks prior :)

Easton was 2 weeks old, Annalise was 2 months old