procrastination at its finest

What is that you say? We got back from Tennessee a week ago, and still? No pictures?

That would be correct. Because, you see, there are thousands of said pictures that I haven't yet sorted through. Why? Because these babies keep being cute and providing me with photos to post that don't require all the work that the Great Smokies will.

That said, I do have every intention of posting some of that goodness.

Just like I have every intention of cleaning my bathrooms.

Maybe after my babies stop being cute. So. Um, maybe never. :)

nostalgia

So when I was in St. George for my sister's baby shower, I went to Target with her to register for a few things. She was asking me if there were any toys that she should really register for. So I took a peek and noticed this little soft book. I suddenly got all nostalgic. I suddenly recalled a soft plasticish book that we had when I was young. I don't know how many of us actually played with this book, but I remember it so clearly. It could unfold and turn into a triangle (as shown above, with a baby Marissa {the one having a baby any day now} looking in the mirror). And for some reason, I got a wee bit sappy and threw it in the cart for little Lou.

It turned out to be an inspired impulse buy as Lou Lou actually really loves it. While driving in Tennessee, it was honestly the only thing that would distract her for any amount of time. She loves staring at and talking to the patterns. And she's developed enough dexterity to actually grab it and chow its corners.

Isn't it so true that some of the most simple things means the most? In this case, it's a bit of nostagia and a plastic, soft book.

it's been said

I'm beginning to think this is going to have to become a weekly installment. Girl makes us laugh so hard every day. She's like a miniature grown up. And I love the honesty in everything she says. It's usually so funny, but also so sweet.

Put your belt seat on Mommy!

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Welcome to my house!

{referring to an old historic home in the Great Smokies that she claimed as her own}

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{when waking up and finding that Daddy hadn't yet

left to take his early morning pictures in the Great Smokies}

Daddy's still here!

{he subseqently stayed because of that sweet little sleepy comment}

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{instead of napping, she tries to get anyone to come hang out with her by yelling...
Mommy! Daddy! Mommy or Daddy?! Mom??!!! ..... Lydia?

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These {mini Reeses} are tiny like Lydia! Ooooohhh!

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Oh! I need my biolin!

{a raquetball raquet that she uses as a guitar while singing Do-Ray-Me like Maria}

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Mommy! I need a dress like dem!

{the girls in the Sound of Music}

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I need a new dipe. I not seen so many pees.

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{after I ask her if she can roll a ball out of play dough}

I can't. My hands are too leeetle.
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When Lydia gets big she can sit by me and play.

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{while looking at the dry river bed near Little Cottonwood Canyon}

Ohhhh. Look! The rocks are snuggling together!

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{while Jess assaults her with kisses}

Don't Daddy! It scratches! Make it go away!

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{after I explain to her that Mommy & Daddy need a

special card [recommend] so we can go in the temple}

Like Angel Moroni?!! 
{she's really into Angel Moroni}

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Me: Who does Jesus love?

Belle: Me...and Daddy...

Me: And?

Belle: And Mommy...and Lydia...

Me: And?

Belle: ...and...the bishop!!

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Jess: Do you want to go to Wal Mart or Target?

Belle: The red store.

{Jess pulls into Target's parking lot.}

Belle: No, this is the wrong store. This is the red Target. I want to go to the blue Target.

{Jess drives to Wal Mart.}

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Me: Boo, it's time for bed.

Belle: No, Mommy! I'm snuggling with Daddddyyyy!

Me: Nope, time for bed Missy.

Belle: Weeellllll...I'm stuck in Daddy's arms.

three months

Little Lou:

Your third month was a busy one. I feel like this month you grew up into a baby, not just an infant. Ack. You're getting so big.

You weaned completely to the blessed bottle and formula. It was an easy switch, likely because you were finally getting full. This is likely why you also started napping and sleeping all night regularly - you weren't starving so you could finally rest. I'm really sorry it took me so long to figure it out.

 

In your third month, you took a cross-country trip to the Great Smokies. The plane rides were easy - you were a champ. Indeed, I think you were actually a fan because you got to be held for several hours at a time. And you experienced the baby backpack for the first time - a huge success in everyone's book.

That said, you had some of the biggest fits of your life while driving in Gatlinburg. The kind where you cry so hard you almost throw up and then when you stop you do that catching your breath thing for a few minutes. It made me cry too. And I made Daddy pull over frequently so I could pull you out of your seat and give you loves.

You started "talking." Not just the little coos and goos, which are also completely adorable, but also long sounds. You make the same mouth shape your big sister did when you get really into a conversation. Your sounds often sound like you're voicing complaints, but we much prefer these kind of complaints than the screaming kinds. In fact, by the end of the trip, when we had to drive back to the airport, you didn't cry at all. You just talk-talk-talked.

You started using your hands with a vengeance. You love to eat your fists, but you're also getting coordinated enough to scoop things up into your mouth. Your pink owl blanket is your favorite. Thing. In. The. World. And you especially love grabbing it up and smothering your face with it. You also seem to still prefer your left hand. You love your soft book that has all those patterns. It was the only thing that would distract you while driving in Tennessee.

You also really started loving the binky, which was quite timely as it was a huge help on the airplanes and in public to help keep you happy. You've started intentionally grabbing the binky leash or the binky if you can as well.

You're still the smiliest little thing we've ever seen when you wake up in the morning. I absolutely love your smiley morning face. Actually, I pretty much just love your face. Period.

 We can't get enough of you my girl. Happy three months baby.

Here she is at one month.

Here she is at two months.

And boy, do I wish I would've done this for Annabelle.

southern hospitality

So we're still alive. We're good and alive, in fact. Breathing in the beautiful air of the Great Smokies and enjoying the southern hospitality we'd forgotten we love so much. My girls haven't been loved so much by strangers...ever. And not in a creepy, obnoxious way either. In the cutest of ways. They are admired and cooed at almost every five minutes. The curls and the little baby cheeks and the simple joy of seeing happy little babies sends so many into a downright tizzy. And seeing my girls through complete strangers' eyes has made me fall in love with them all over again. I'm sorting through some of the (thousands - literally) of photos that have been snapped in the last few days (to pick some for The Daily Lou), and my goodness, do I love these pretty little ladies. I know I spend most of my time on this blog talking about how much I love these chicklets, but it's simply the truth.

*Photo of the Smokies by Jess. Many many many many more to come.

it's been said

I try to write down all the excellent and ridiculously complete sentences that fall out of Annabelle's mouth, but I know that I'm forgetting so many. But as I've whined about, my brain doesn't store much information these days. So unless I write it down immediately, it's lost to the winds of silly sayings. Here are a few I've managed to get down. Some of these make us laugh just because they sound so grown up. Which she is much too quickly becoming. Ack!

Don't make a panda bear in your mouth! Make a kitty! {after I RAWR like a lion at her}
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I wiped my boogers on the floor. {after I ask her what she just wiped on the floor, at least she's honest?}
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{while getting ready to go to Grandma and Grandpa Cheney's house}
Did you tell Daddy we're going to his parents? {Whaaa?}
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{after we asked her what the new stroller was for [our cross country trip]} For my babies!
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I want chicken nuggets, a hamburger, and a san-ich. I want bowf.
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{when we turn into McDonald's} Hey, it's Old McDonald's!
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I want the deer song that I like. {Do-Ray-Me from Sound of Music}
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Ray, a drop and goaden suuuunnn....Fah, a way I long to go...Sew, a needle fulling bread...
{our favorite lines from Do-Ray-Me [she sings the other lines correct, so they're not as funny]}
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{after asking her which present I should buy Daddy for his birthday} Let's get bowf!
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{the window on Belle's side in the car doesn't go up or down}
Mommy, my window won't shut. Let's get batteries and fix it.
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Twinkle, twinkle little star, how 'bout wonder what you are.

Me: Where do you live?

Annabelle: In Gatlinburg, by mysewf.

Me: Oh, and where does Mommy live?

Annabelle: Ummmm, in St. George, by hersewf.

Me: And where does Daddy live?

Annabelle: In...Salt Lake! By hisself.

serious business

So sometimes you get so caught up in taking the photo, you don't actually see what's happening in the photo. Until you upload it. And then you see the baby was working on some serious business. Cracks me up.

In all seriousness though, these two girls are becoming fast friends. Lou loves loves to watch everything her big sister does. She's smiley and happy whenever Annabelle includes her in anything. And Annabelle is the big sister I had hoped she'd be. She's sweet and loving and will do anything to help Lydia be happy. She's learned the art of the magic binky and is quick to plop it in whenever Lou's sad and I can't get to her fast enough. She loves to "hold" her and kiss her. She shares her toys with her and tells me all the time about when Lydia gets big enough to play with her. And maybe the cutest thing is when I catch her breathing in Lou's smell. Just like I do, she buries her nose in Lydia's head (because there isn't enough hair yet) and breathes in that pretty, baby smell.

I'm so glad they have each other. Even more, I'm so glad I have them.

daddy and lou

There are few things I love more

than seeing my girls with their daddy.

It's possibly the cutest thing in the world.

These girls are so very loved.

I know that Jess would eventually like a boy.

But you'll never hear him complain

a single minute about these girls.

They are his heart.

And it makes me so happy.

 

plans

photo: Casey Niederhauser

Way more actually.

The plan was to go on a safe date.
No pressure - he lived across the country.

Instead I found my safe place.

And married him.

Four years ago today.

Thank heavens for best laid plans.

:)

love

She's been dressing herself for quite some time, but this time
she insisted on actually wearing her fashion choices to the store.

(Thankfully, I talked her out of the sandals and sock option.)

With such an apparent budding fashion sense, I thought it

best that I grab the camera for documentation purposes:

As you can see, she's pretty much rocking it.

And then this happened:

So glad I had the camera ready.

So glad.

Oh, how I love these people.

fall(ish)

 

So it looks more like winter than any sort of fall around here. But I'm told it won't last, that fallish temperatures will begin appearing on barometers around the valley next week. That said, the pretty leaves are likely gone by now. Either by wind, rain, or snow. Thank heavens Jess is a maniac and spent two weekends taking photos. These are a very random selection, photos I pulled as I uploaded photos of the girls. The man is talented. And honestly, those leaves do my soul so much good. Fall is such a beautiful reminder that change can indeed be good and beautiful. Most of the time change is hard, and I prefer to avoid it; but fall reminds me that maybe I should embrace it once in a while. Because look how much beauty the trees gain when they do.