Back Log

All right, I have a ton of pictures to get on the blog. But, with the days being like they are at the moment, it'll take me a little while. I'll get it done, I promise. I've got stuff from Hogle Zoo til now to catch up on. Be prepared for the onslaught to begin soon.

4 Wonderful Years!

On a happier note, yesterday was our four year anniversary. It really doesn't seem like it's been that long, we've been having so much fun! Paul surprised me with a letter on Emma's door knob. He explained he was taking me somewhere and that he had devised a plan so I could have fun trying to guess where. ( I always guess, can't really help it... and to his dismay, I'm usually right) So, he had written a clue in the letter and told me I could guess or ask for the next clue every hour or so. I didn't guess it till after he came home and gave me an easier clue. It was a lot of fun trying to figure it out all day. We had the most wonderful dinner at The Melting Pot in Salt Lake. If you've ever been you know, if you've been deprived - GO!! It was so wonderful and intimate. We truly enjoyed ourselves! Damon volunteered to baby sit, and Paul ran - dragging me out the door. We haven't had a date alone since the King Singer's performed at Christmas in the Conference Center. It was fabulous to be alone for a short time! This will be an anniversary to remember. Our favorite things were the lobster and chocolate peanut butter fondue platter. Seriously amazing! I have the most wonderful, sweet, and thoughtful husband! He gets an A++ for thought, effort, and execution.

Drama, Blood, and more Drama

I was finally able to get Emma an appointment with our former family doctor. I wanted to have him look at her lip, but of course he is on vacation! So, we got stuck with the nurse practitioner... probably enough said. She looked at Em and said there wasn't a tear but a nick and that she would be fine, but if there was a tear she'd need a suture. Ha! Ya, till she fell again and blood was everywhere!! I pinned her down at looked again and what the heck, it is completely torn!! (And it is exactly the same as two days ago) That's what we get for not seeing a doctor, I guess. After harassing everyone in the family, Devin and Heidi were sweet and gave me the number to their pediatrician. They have after hours,( of course she fell at 4:45) and I was able to talk to a knowledgeable nurse. She informed me that there is nothing to be done, but to try to let it heal, and how to more efficiently stop the bleeding if it should happen again. I think Em's feet are so little that she has a difficult time balancing and she has started running everywhere, not a good combination. Gravity is the Bane of Emma right now! I hope she can figure it out soon, I can hardly stand to see her bleed like that. She's a trooper though, much more tough than her mother! And... she just slipped again! Heaven forbid this child go a minute without hitting her lip. That's how it is though isn't, you want one thing not to happen and it's the only thing that does... over, and over, and over again. I just keep telling myself this too shall pass. Wish it would hurry up a little!

Made it Home

Emma and I are back home in Utah after our little vacation in California for Grandpa and Grandma Reeves 60th anniversary. I was feeling a little overwhelmed at the thought of coming home to a new house that hadn't really been moved into yet. I spent one night in the new house before we left, but Paul is wonderful! He has been slaving away in our absence and has made a lot of head way. There is still so much to do! But I thought I'd take a break and hit the blog for a moment. Emma managed to slip on the wood floor and hit her mouth (binkie in). The binkie pushed her top lip up so far that the skin connecting her lip and gum between her front teeth tore. I picked her up as soon as it happened, thinking nothing really had, until i noticed the blood quickly filling her mouth. I was horrified and not sure what to do. I grabbed a few paper towels and started to stop the bleeding, and then, of course, I called Mom. I wasn't able to determine the extent of the damage until the bleeding stopped. I know that mouth wounds bleed a lot, but I still wasn't prepared for this much. I took the fact that she wanted her binkie as a good sign. I gave her a dose of Motrin and a then we had a cuddle session. I was afraid she would have trouble eating but considering all of the saltines she's consumed, I think she will be just fine. It's been a rough day.

Cute Blog Design

So, I got tired of looking at polka dots. You all probably did, too! I think this is really cute, but still simple enough that nothing is lost in the hoopla. I found the background at www.thecutestblogontheblock.com, check it out if you haven't already discovered it. It makes for a quick and easy fresher upper. It's so fun to play around and make adorable things!

We've Made it This Far!

Well, yesterday emma officially made it to the 15 month mark! A serious cause for major celebration in my estimation! She has really come a long way in the past few weeks. Her vocabulary continues to grow, though her favorite form of communication still being to point and grunt. She's very fond of the outdoors and loves people. She's our little social butterfly. We finally worked past the "crying when our feet touches the grass" stage, thank heaven, and she and Paul love to kick the football back and forth. She is beginning to come into her independence and wants to walk every where herself and feed herself. Emma already dresses herself, not literally, but chooses her outfits. I think we're in trouble! I've never seen a baby that is more interested in clothing than our little fashionista! She notices every new outfit and everything about it. Tonight we were at the mall and she was running through the department store, inspecting each outfit and oooing appropriately as she ran her hand over the fabrics. One shirt had a bright design of buttons sewn on the front which she tried to bite off. In her defense they did look like fruit snacks. She is a constant source of laughter and joy in our lives. It's difficult to explain how satisfying it is to love your child so much and have them return it so fully. Em is dear to both of our hearts. As we think back through the past 15 months, we are overwhelmed by the sense of the Lord's love for our little family. He has given us many blessings and strengthened our testimonies of His plan for our family. I count myself blessed just to have Paul and Emma in this life. How the Lord must love us all to give us each other for eternity. I think I'm the luckiest of all!

Hogle Zoo Fun

Yesterday we braved the Hogle Zoo. We had an awesome group - Brent, Suiska, Claudia, Mom, Paul, Emma, and me. It was such a beautiful day, partly cloudy with a light breeze. The highlight was the bird show! We got to see a new tenant at the zoo, a stellar sea eagle, named Olga, on loan from the San Diego Zoo. She was gorgeous and huge! When she is ful grown she'll have an eight foot wing span. Emma loved watching the birds. One almost took off with her, she was standing on Mom's legs and the bird flew right over our heads. It almost touched her. Her eyes were so big, but she had a smile on her cute little face. We also got to see a beautiful owl. Emma has been under the weather with a tummy bug for several days so she had her moments, like peeing on the ground by the elephant enclosure. She needed a rapid diaper change and it was a two person job, so Paul picked her up and had her stand on the ground. Suddenly I heard this soft splashy sound, and when I looked up I couldn't stop laughing. The funniest part was that a zoo personnel was standing with everyone else and talking to them about the elephants, only two feet away. Mom realised what was happening and started to giggle. It was pretty comical! We really had a wonderful day. Emma loved the animals and called everything "kitty", even the elephants. ha ha We're working on that. I've got a lot of pictures to post of our escapade, so once we're home I'll put them on.

Happy B-Day Jen!

Here's a shout out to our friend Jen. Happy Birthday!! You're awesome! I hope Gary has something really fun planned for you. We wish you the biggest, best and happiest on your special day.