First day back to school...

I am incredibly far behind on my blog, as usual. I'd love to say today is the day I'm going to catch up...but its not. I probably need to just post a whole bunch of summer pictures and call it good but again, that will have to be another day.

Today, was Cohen's first day back to school. This is his second year of pre-school and he had a really fun day. This year he happens to be in a class with a bunch of neighbor girls.

Shya and her first pony tail!! I think its cute, Josh doesn't agree. Her hair is so fine that everything falls out of hair, and if it doesn't fall out on its own, she pulls it out. She is such a big girl!!

THREE BRIDES

As I was looking through old wedding pictures to post for my anniversary post I found my bridals. The day I was suppose to take my bridals outside it rained, so we took them indoor. I REALLY wanted outdoor pictures so my photographer agreed to re-shoot them for me outside a couple days before my wedding.

When my sister got married she had gotten a haircut a few months earlier she didn't like so when it came time to her bridals, she cut it off really short and combed it like a boy, which I thought looked really cute, but it wasn't what she had in mind for her own bridals. So, we asked my photographer if he could take some of my sister too so that she could have "bridals" that she wanted (4 years after she got married).

My mom made her wedding dress and is still skinny as a twig and fit into her dress and so we thought it would be fun to get all of us in our wedding dresses. Three brides, 1 mother, 2 daughters and since my sister had already had a daughter (and as it stands today, her one and only out of 5 kids) a grand daughter. I LOVE these pictures! So fun!

One year passed the 7 year itch...

Yep! That's right, we've been married for EIGHT years. We had our anniversary last Monday (May 23). The last time we went and did something grand for our anniversary was when I was pregnant with Cohen (you know, sort of a last hoorah before kids) and ever since then it seems like we've just had other stuff going on. Well, that was 4 years ago so this year we made plans to fly down to Moab for the day, rent a jeep and do some exploring, hiking, massages, whatever we wanted since we were going to be kid-less. Then we realized we live in Utah, state of the unpredictable weather and mid-may hail storms. Its was too bad of weather for us to want to fly or do any hiking so instead...we dropped the kids off at Grandpa and Grandmas house, went to a dinner, movie, devoured some cake bites (which we could leave out on the counter without Cohen waking up in the middle of the night and sneaking the cake bites into his room to enjoy them all by himself...like he did last time) went to bed and SLEPT IN until 9:15!! We took our time getting ready, played a little dance central, then headed out for some shopping. We came home with bags full of stuff for the kids...and nothing for us. Figures. We stopped by the running store to get a quick evaluation for shoes so I didn't have to take kids later and worry about what they were getting into. Then headed over to Josh's parents house to pick up the kids. We would have loved going to Moab but it was still fun to not have an agenda. And we got to spend time with just each other. Thanks for taking the day off work babe! Love you!

Easter

The kids woke up to easter baskets on the couch and easter eggs all over the living room. Cohen had fun collecting them while Shya devoured her bag of yogurt melts she found in her basket.

It's serioulsy difficult to get a decent sibling picture. Surprisingly, Shya is the one who's smiling. Too bad her flower is practically on top of her head. Cohen is saying cheese instead of smiling. Its the best we've got!

Cohen when he was 8 months old wearing the same bunny ears.

Collecting his eggs. If the egg was pink or purple, he put it in Shya's basket.

O.N.E.

Shya Belly Bell is now officially one. She's been one for a few weeks but I've been having issues with my internet and so my updates are late...as usual.


Shya always has so much energy. She is becoming more and more independent and more and more mischievous. I guess each family needs at least one child who empties drawers and toilet paper rolls faster than fast, quicker than quick.

Between 11 and 12 months she:
~Finally broke her first tooth, and then a second (front bottom 2)
~The day after I posted she was crawling part time she was crawling full time. But now...she's WALKING full time. Its amazing what can be accomplished in a month.
~She's a girl who knows what she wants. She usually points and moans at whatever she wants or points and says "this" and on occasion she points and screams a high pitch scream...not my favorite!
~She loves playing with her brother.
~She has become a tease. When she's doing something she knows you don't want her to do, she looks back and smiles and hurries as fast as she can to do it. Like climbing up the stairs or runs away when you're trying to dress her.
~She is a BUSY body!!!
~She loves playing with her kitchen.
~She still loves bathes and her beloved cuddle blanket.

Shya brings so much joy to our lives. We love you Shya! Happy first birthday!!

First year stats:

Height: 28 inches (25%)

Weight: 17 lbs 14oz (5%)

She's tiny! And Purr-fect! That's why we did a kitty cat party for her!!

I don't know why it keeps turning this picture sideways.

TWENTY-EIGHT

I never did post about my birthday a couple weeks ago. Turning 28 was bitter sweet. Its fun to be in the stage of life I'm in right now (although ask me on a day I've had 20 time outs and 20 diaper changes and I probably wouldn't say the same) But its sad because what I consider to be some of my most fun memories that were care free was my freshman year of college, and now, that was 10 years ago. UGH!!


So this year I went and did something I would have done 10 years ago. First we went to Pizza at this yummy gourmet pizza place that some of the proceeds to go feeding children in Africa. Then we went and did an indoor ropes course and bowling. Then after all that we went to a movie. Thanks to my in-laws who watched our kids for several hours so we could go and for the good company I had to celebrate my birthday!!

Soon to be ONE

Little Miss Sassy Bell is 11 months. I had NO idea an entire year could disappear so quickly. I suppose its due to all the changes and events we've gone through this year but seriously, she's 11 months?? Yikes!!

She...
is crawling on all 4's some of the time

is pulling her self up on EVERYTHING including all unstable items in my house. I NEVER had to baby proof for Cohen, I have a feeling I'm about to have to proof my whole house "Baby Mamma" style, cause this girl is TROUBLE.

still has NO teeth. Yep, that's right, her 6 month old cousin has a couple, she has none. I'm expecting them soon though cause Cohen didn't get any until 11 months. I didn't any until after a year.

still hates a pacifier, and usually cries when you put her down for naps. And by cries I mean throws a full blown tantrum.

still thinks her brother is funny, most of the time. The other day he was drinking "magic juice" and convulsing into a tiger or other animals he makes up (no idea where he learned this) but Shya, laughs her head off.

is VERY determined. If she's playing on the stairs or the fire place and I move her away, she crawls RIGHT back there, without wasting any time.

has gotten up about 4 stairs so far.

dislikes when Cohen takes toys from her. And lets him know so, by screaming.

LOVES her blankets. They bring her instant HAPPINESS. And she frequently tries to steal Cohens favorite blanket which he usually won't tollerate.

I'm holding her blanket in front of her, just to get her to smile.

LOVES to eat. Its hard to tell what her favorite food is because she eats just about anything willingly but she really likes applesauce.

has added Dada to her vocabulary

is starting to get very attached to her daddy and sometimes cries when he leaves. I think its because I'm the one who puts her down for 98% of her naps or bedtime, which she doesn't like, as I mentioned before.

still LOVES baths. But she likes them much better when Cohen's in the tub with her. She usually wants whatever he has.

actually sits semi still if you read her books before bed time. Its the only time I can get her to lay her head on me. I LOVE IT!!

is so full of energy and we LOVE her to death!!