Sewing 101

So I got an early birthday present from Ben! This awesome sewing machine and I can't wait to use it.  I want to start with some easy stuff, maybe a skirt for Claire? Where do you get your patterns and what are your favorite things to make? I need to take a class or have my mom or Lisa teach me soon cause I have all these ideas of what I want to do! Bed skirt, quilt, flowers/headbands, skirts, dresses, etc.

 

Just some fun new pics we took at Grammy Lisa's house:

She loves cats and small animals.

9 months

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9 month stats:
Weight: 16 pounds 11 ounces (10th percentile)
Height: 27.5 inches (45th percentile)

New this month:

My little buddy.  She is a momma's girl. Man it is cute but it is SO hard to get things done. 

She's into EVERYTHING. She's taken over the house. She loves the kitchen, the stairs, daddy's office and the breakfast room. I cannot get her to stay in the family room very long. She's keeping me on my toes!

6 colds in 9 months. Record? Maybe. This will be her last one. It will. For the whole flipping rest of her life. 

She took 5 steps in a row for the first time on April 9th and has been "walking" ever since. Sometimes she's brave and just goes for it, practically running at her destination until she falls. Other times, she's nervous and wants someone in front of her to catch her after a few steps. Her record is 9 steps.

She LOVES MEN. When we went to see my Grandma Kendell, she screamed. When I gave her to my Grandma Johansen, she cried. I don't even have to give her to my Grandpas and my dad, she reaches out for them and just smiles and flirts and laughs like no other. It is so stinking cute.

She loves to talk when there's something small in the room. Whether it's a cat, dog, bunny, or small child. And it's more like yelling. She likes them to know who's in charge:)

My little cuddle-bug. She is the sweetest baby. I love it when she just randomly crawls up to me, climbs on my lap, and lays her head on my chest. Then she'll look up at me to "check on me," then lay her head back down and do that over and over again.

We have this new game where she puts her whole mouth on my chin and blows. I laugh really hard and then she'll laugh and we'll go back and forth. So funny.

She is starting to throw little "fits" now. If you have food by her and she wants it, she'll cry until you give her some.What a spoiled little child she is.

She's loving games now. Like throwing a toy/paper/item on the ground, you pick it back up, she throws it back down, etc. She laughs SO hard.

She loves these red cups and in the bath, she always tries to take a drink with it full..

and ends up in a coughing fit.

She goes "stinkies" 3-4 times a day. They are small, round, and could knock a person dead from a mile away.

Still sleeps 12 hours at night. Takes 3 one-hour naps at 10am, 1pm, and 4pm.

Happy happy happy. She's always happy. This is my favorite stage (and I've said that at every stage). She is just learning so much, interacting with us, becoming more independent, playing games, showing so much personality, and growing so fast! We can't wait for this summer when we can play outside everyday! Love you Claire-bear.

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Isn't she lovely?

Dang Good Finds

I've been working with Staci for a while now on blogs and such, and you've got to see her blog! It's awesome! Everyone go "follow" her. She puts up great finds, crafts, sites, and deals. Including this deal going on now by me! Go check it out!

DangGoodFinds.com

Wall stuff

Here are some wall prints I made for Claire's room recently. I'm loving them and can't wait to get them up!

Sniff, sniff. Claire just got over her 5th cold in 8 months and I just got my 4th. This has been a fun, healthy year so far.

Tis the season:

Refer me as a photographer to your friends and family and I'll send you a check for $50-$100 bucks (depending on the package size) if they book me! Spread the word! 

Also: Book me for a wedding between now and June and receive a free 16X20 canvas print!

Walker

She walks!  She did this SO much today. She gets braver and braver.

Arizona and other fun stuff

(This post is going to be pretty random. I've been bad about posting!)

At the end of March, we took a quick trip to Arizona for a Garrison "reunion" (all there except for Jon and Jaclyn who couldn't make it). We had such a fun time! We left the cold snow for this:

We went swimming at Grandad's and Claire was in heaven.

It was almost too hot there and it was only March!

Ben's uncle has this awesome dog named Cosmo. He's super old and calm and such a good dog. Claire LOVED him. She followed him everywhere, would sit by him, look for him, play with him, etc. It was the cutest thing ever.

Four generations:

Cousin Sheridan was SO cute with Claire. And man was she a help! They had so much fun together.

Everyone! (We missed you J&J)

Random: She is seriously so beautiful. I can't get over it.

The flight home:

We wish we were back already! Hopefully again soon...

This last weekend was Spring Break (okay, we all know it was more like WINTER break) for my siblings. We were going to go away but because of the weather decided to have a stay-cation and do fun stuff around here. I wish I had used my camera! We spent 6 days up at my parent's house and had so much fun! Saturday we went go-kart racing in Layton (everyone trying to defeat me, but failed). Up against 9 other people, I won! I've got some serious skills. 

Then we went and saw Source Code, which was really good. We all liked it. Claire got pretty squirmy and we had to take turns playing with her in the side-entrance thing to the theater, but anyway. Then we went to dinner, and THEN to Crystal Hot Springs in the snow! And Claire was a champ! She loved the hot pots and did so awesome for it being such a long, action-packed day.

Uncle mullet James.

Thankfully, he said goodbye to his friend and looks like a million bucks now!

Random: Claire's feet getting stuck in one leg hole.

Random: Brigham City temple construction! It's coming along so fast! We can't wait.

Her new favorite thing is pulling things down and making a mess.

Monday everyone but me and Claire went skiing and then Ben, Brooke and I went kayaking. SO SWEET. It was just glass and so gorgeous. Brooke and I got our kayaks close, held hands, put on "I See the Light" from Tangled, and had a romantic moment:)

Such a fun weekend. Lots to look forward to! I'll try to be better about more regular posting:)