Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving with Dave {Joey's dad} in Sheridan, WY. Everything would have been great, but poor Marryn woke up on Thanksgiving with a pretty high fever. (Okay, so we never actually took her temp, but she was roasting!) She slept most the day, didn't eat and when we told her that I was going to stay "home" with her (vs going to Dennis and Musette's {Joey's uncle and aunt}), she got even more upset! "I want to go to the Thanksgiving Party!" she kept telling us. So we took her. There were quite a few people there (around 28 or so) and I'm sure they were all thinking why in the world did we bring her! Poor thing. She drank a few drinks of soda, ate half a Popsicle and then cried unless Joey or I were holding her. After taking shifts on dinner, she finally fell asleep. And all the while still insisting that she wanted to stay at the party.... Reganne was great. Kept herself entertained visiting everyone, eating anything anyone gave to her and wandering around the house. Reganne just had a blast the entire trip. LOVES her Grandpa! At one point Dave tried to hand her to me when he was headed out the door and she looked at me, thought for a second and grabbed back onto him! Didn't want to come to me! I don't think she's ever really done that. You'd think I'd be upset, but I love to see the girls adore their grandparents, especially when they don't get to see them all the time. Although Marryn woke up the next day feeling better, she still had a rough time. Would hardly eat anything but kept complaining that her stomach hurt and that she needed some more pink pills (the chewable Tylenol-not such a good idea to make medicine taste so good...). She would get almost unbearable to deal with until we would finally get some food in her, then she'd be herself for a bit. I left both the girls with Joey on "Black Friday" while I went to Billings, MT with Chris {Dave's girlfriend} and her daughter to do some shopping (sales tax free!). It was the first time he's been with them both all day without me. It was nice to see that they were all still in their pjs when I got home that night....

Chris and Dave with the girls*Joey with Dad and Brothers, Dave and B.J.*Reganne at Marryn's makeshift table (Marryn ran off crying when I pulled out the camera)

Halloween 2007

We had a fun Halloween. Marryn was a White Fairy and Reganne was a Girl Zebra (I stuck a big white bow in her mane). On Saturday our ward held it's annual Halloween Party. The girls loved the Trunk-or-Treating. Reganne really got into the "hold out your bucket and get candy" thing. On Tuesday Marryn got to wear her costume again to preschool for a little party there. Then on Halloween, I took them into Joey's work to Trick-or-Treat. Marryn really enjoyed this one but Reganne wasn't diggin' it this time. Although, while talking with a couple of Joey's co-workers, Reganne snuck about 6 snickers bars into her bucket. After that, we went to Qdoba for free kids meals and of course, double punch Wednesday. Then we headed home to get ready for another round. Jean [Joey's mom] came over and went with me and the girls while Joey stayed home to hand out candy (the candy the girls got earlier). After hitting our backyard neighbors Norm and Connie, we crossed the street to Brian and Brandony's [our best friends] in which, we left Reganne. Then we took just Marryn. After the very next house, "I want to go back to Brian and Brandony's now." No, not yet. After the next house, "Can I go back to Brian and Brandony's now?" No, lets get some more candy. And it continued on like this for quite awhile. We only went up on side of the street and back down the other side before ending back at Brian and Brandony's. And that was enough for Marryn. We then went home and handed out most of the candy she got, keeping only the good stuff. Reganne loves the candy. Whenever we get the bowl down, she gets all excited, "oohhing". It's really cute. And the candy is a good bribe for Marryn to, you know, eat her dinner, pick up her shoes, etc. I'm almost wondering if we kept enough...

turning one

Sunday, October 28th, Reganne celebrated her 1st Birthday.

And I'm kind of sad about it. With Marryn, we were always so excited to see her grow and learn new things and do new stuff, but with Reganne, we know what is next and we just want to keep our little baby little. But, oh, is she so much fun! Although I will always miss the baby part, it is still so exciting to see her do new things. For example, on her birthday, I watched her for the first time stand up on her own (vs crawling to something to pull herself up). It's bittersweet. A completely different experience than with Marryn. I still get so excited for Marryn to "grow up" but with Reganne, I was sad to move her out of her infant car seat and now to turn her around in her convertable car seat (I was going to wait, since the "recommended" age and weight seems to keep getting higher and higher, but we're struggling to get her little legs in comfortably and she is 21.5 lbs). It just shocks me at how different I feel between the two. And it's not like she's our last baby.

Our beautiful 9 lb baby Reganne only a couple hours old.

Her birthday went well, although Saturday night I finally came down with the mysterious stomach bug that went through the family. I stayed home with Reganne from church (she luckily slept the entire 3 hours) and by that evening was feeling better. Jean [Joey's Mom] came over and we had a mozzarella spinach meatloaf and rainbow chip cupcakes. Reganne opened her few gifts (her favorite being her new brown eyed baby doll-we were tempted many times in the past month to bring it out early for her and Marryn constantly fought over Marryn's) and then she and Marryn played with their balloons Jean brought them.

And now for her check-up stats. Weight, 21.5 lbs (50%); Length 29.5 inches (60%); Head 17.5 inches (30%).

three ps

Pee. Poop. Puke.

In a single day, I cleaned up everyone of those. Ah, the joys of Motherhood.

Tuesday, at 4 in the morning Reganne puked all over me, twice. We got cleaned up, then she puked on Joey. Later that morning, after falling back asleep, she puked one last time finally emptying out her stomach. That evening Marryn couldn't quite get her ballerina suit off in time and peed. Peed all over our bathroom floor. Peed like what seemed like a gallon all over our bathroom floor. Then, what more should I expect, but Reganne pooping in the bathtub. I was happy it wasn't puke, although that would have been easier to clean up...

Thursday night was the start of Marryn's go at puking. Friday she was alright, then Saturday she was puking again. Sunday she's back to her old self; pestering Reganne, doing what I asked her not to, not doing what I ask her, etc. Reganne's appetite is finally picking back up again. She hardly seemed to nurse this past week, which scares me. With Marryn, my original goals were for a year, but she didn't want to stop (and wouldn't drink milk at the time) so, no problem, I nursed her til she was 18 months. My goal for Reganne is at least 18 months. I'll be really sad if we don't make that.... I enjoy nursing. I feel that it is the best thing for me (how else can you sit around and burn calories?) and my babies. Plus, I get extra cuddle time that nobody else can take away from me! However, I don't think that everyone needs to feel this way. Breast is Best, so they say, but really, is there much difference? Formulas are so advanced anymore. (Hey, I was formula fed, my mom did not enjoy nursing, and I'm just fine!) We joke though that I stopped Marryn too soon, for right after she turned 2, she started to get sick. Got her first ear infection, then broke out in hives (allergic to penicillin) then started with all her respiratory infections...seemed as though I kept her free from infections (a claim of breast milk itself). But who is really to say? Although, I must admit that I'm religious about taking my DHA (Omega-3) supplement for pregnant and nursing women. If there is a chance I can build up my babies brains, give them healthy eyes, you bet, I'm going to do it!

walking and other stuff

I've got to make this quick. It's lightening like crazy outside (in October?) and I'm sitting a little too close to a window for comfort. And Reganne just woke up... Anyhow, it's been awhile since I've been on our blog. Been busy and have had a house guest (Jean, my mother-in-law) who has more important things to do on the internet and computer then myself. (Although I really need to finish recording our Arizona trip before it slips away!)

Reganne is an official walker. Just before 11 months. It's so fun to watch her cruise around the house. She'll put on Marryn's beaded necklaces (or headbands or straps from Marryn's ballerina suit... anything round and big enough to fit around her head - kinda scary, but pretty darn cute) and then just wander around the house. We just love to sit and watch her.

Marryn has gotten to be so imaginative! She's making up games and songs and playing pretend. She got sick a couple weeks ago. Just had a cold that soon hit her lungs, had fast, shallow breathing. Joey had to take her to Urgent Care (it was a Sunday). The doctor suggested that since this had been the 3rd time this has happened, in the past year, that we purchase a nebulizer breathing machine thing and that she'll probably end up with asthma since there is a family history of it (thanks Joey!). She seemed to feel and act fine the next day, but it took her a few more days to really breath easier.

Luckily, Reganne only got the runny nose and cough.

9 month portraits

Just before we took off to Arizona, I was able to get some fairly descent 9 month pictures of Reganne. They aren't incredible, but at least I got some! And that rock she's gnawing on, that's where her "chipped" front tooth came from. Lovely.

a big girl now

Marryn celebrated her 3rd birthday the other day (okay, so it was really about 2 weeks ago...). We had originally planned on visiting the Denver Zoo, since her birthday was on a Saturday and we've never taken her to the zoo, but things just didn't work out that way. Instead we just tried to make a fun day at home for her. Grandma Jean purchased her a play kitchen (the really cute one from Target), and I put it together the night before (shame I waited until about 1am to start, it took me about 3 hours...but it wasn't really hard...I don't know...). So she woke up to that and also a fun Hello Kitty decorated table. She got to open a few presents throughout the day and then we took her to Red Robin for dinner, of which they sang their Happy Birthday song with a special ice cream. Then we went to Target to get another kitchen toy. Afterwards we finished opening the rest of her birthday gifts. I had baked her a strawberry cake (she picked it out) and frosted it using fondant. (A little tip, be sure to flavor it first.) I was so proud of myself and it looked so cute! So then Joey lit her candles, only to have Marryn blow them out right away! So we reminded her to wait until we sang Happy Birthday, then she could blow them out. She really enjoyed her birthday. I had bought her a cute shirt, from Gap of course, that said "Birthday Girl" on it, and she would tell people that she was 3 now, not 2, but not actually mention that it was her birthday. Funny thing was when someone would ask her what she did for her birthday, she's tell them she went to the zoo. Oops. She's still young enough though that I think I was more upset then she was. I really want to make each of my kids' birthdays special, but after this day, I realized that special doesn't mean "big, expensive, extravagant". It just has to be special. A thing as small as getting fun party plates was special enough for Marryn and I pray that it will always be that way.

Well, along with a birthday comes a yearly check-up. Marryn is now officially 30 pounds. With jeans, boots and 2 shirts-it was a very chilly day! That puts her in the 50th percentile and she was 3 feet 1 inch, 40th percentile. And Marryn was not afraid of the doctor this time! She was a bit hesitant when he first walked in, but then giggled throughout the rest of the exam! Since her 2 year check-up, she has been extremely afraid of the doctors (sadly, we had quite a few visits this past year), and she is not afraid of anyone! I was quite embarrassed though when the doctor asked how she was doing with potty training, seeing that she was wearing a diaper. But he gave me just the motivation I needed....

The next day I set out to "train" Marryn. I put her in underwear and set the timer for every hour. Not once did she go IN THE TOILET! I was at my wit's end by the end of the day, I was ready to give up, give up being a mom! It was an awful day. Then, later that night she wandered on down to the bathroom and soon I heard, "I did it! I peed in the toilet!" Joey, who was working in the room next to the bathroom came running out yelling, "She did! I heard it!" Of course she had peed in her underwear and the floor, but also in the toilet! Later she did number 2 all by herself. The next day was the BEST day! Not an accident! Although she didn't always get to toilet in time and it didn't always go in the toilet.... She has only had a couple accidents since and is now getting better getting it in the toilet. We've gone out in public as well without any problems!

And now Marryn is going to preschool. Grandpa Dave offered to pay for her preschool, if we didn't qualify for Head Start (which we didn't and I'm glad). So she is going to Miss Elaine's Preschool. There are 3 other kids, all which are in Marryn's nursery class at church and it's right down the road. She'll go Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-11:30am. She went last Thursday for the first time and LOVED IT! Afterwards she just kept telling me about everything they did, who she played with and that she went potty in Miss Elaine's toilet. Miss Elaine said that Marryn had quite the vocabulary and was fun to converse with.

traveling to arizona

The girls and I left for Arizona Tuesday Aug 28th. Our flight wasn't until 5pm, so we left our house around 1pm, giving ourselves time to stop for lunch. Joey surprised me and took us to Qdoba (it's our Wednesday ritual, double punch day) and then we headed off to Denver. For the first time ever, we got there the recommended 2 hours prior to departure. I think from the time we checked our bags at the curb, went through security (of which I didn't have to wait even a second) and rode the train all the way to Terminal C, it was only about 25 minutes. Way to be on time. I then had to kill about 1+ hour with the girls. They were good. They played around the gate and ate snacks, before we went and bought an overpriced bottle of water and found two Angelina Ballerina books for Marryn and a Dr. Suess board book for Reganne. The plane came, we loaded (it was pretty empty) and took off. The girls were great! Reganne got a little antsy towards the end, but not bad. We arrived in Las Vegas to meet my parents, of which almost didn't find us. That morning I went to my favorite salon (an Aveda one in Old Town) and got my hair cut and straightened. My mom said they saw me before they saw me! Now, for all of you giving me the look of death when I said I was going to fly alone with the girls, in your face, it was cake! Of course walking out of the airport was like running into a brick wall. HOT! I then had to install Reganne's carseat and reinstall the one Marryn was going to use. My parents were so worried about putting indents in their leather seats that the seat was not in very snug at all. And it was sitting on beach towels. Good thing though, I needed them to wipe the sweat dripping down my face!

They have on matching shirts that say, "I get cuter everytime U see me"

We then stopped for dinner at a fancy seafood place and I tried sushi for the first time. Ok, it was just a California Roll, but sushi still the same! (It was delicious!) After stopping at Albertson's for a few things, we headed to the Ranch. It's about 1 1/2-2 hours from Vegas, over Hoover Dam. (I grew up in Northern Arizona, so I've traveled this road a many a times...) The girls of course fell asleep on the way and woke up, really woke up, when we finally got to the Ranch. Garrett {my 17 year old brother} was sleeping on the couch waiting for us. He had gone into town and brought Dehcaley {my 16 month old niece} back with him. He was a bit nervous taking care of her by himself, but all apparently went well. She was asleep too! Well, after some more hellos and then goodnights, I attempted to get the girls in bed too. Not happening. Reganne kept standing up in the pack-n-play and Marryn just wanted to go play. She asked for a tissue and so I sent her off to find one (in the dark). She wandered around for a bit before she came back, without one. (The next morning my mom cracked up because the first thing Marryn said to her was "I just couldn't find a tissue last night for my nose.") Now let me explain the house my parents live in. It's old. It's an old ranch house that my dad gutted and redid. But it's still old. It doesn't have central air, in fact the whole house runs off a tiny solar panel and generator. Not a whole lot of power. And the room I sleep in is off to the side without any windows, just a door (with a window). Luckily for me, they put a screen on it. I could open it and let the breeze come in. Times before we couldn't open the door without the screen in fear of rattlesnakes. (This is not the house I grew up in, my parents purchased the ranch only about 4 years ago.) Despite the small breeze, it was sweltering in there! That one door faces south and it really heats up in the afternoon. I don't know how, but we all managed to finally go to sleep. Although just off and on for me. Marryn rolled off the bed (the double size bed we were on is sitting in a double/queen bed frame. The mattress doesn't fit flush against the frame therefore, leaving a nice gap between the bed and the wall. This isn't her first time rolling off either...), so I got up to pull her back on. Reganne, my excellent sleeper, kept fussing, so I got up with her as well. Then the rooster started crowing... Way before the sun seemed to be up too. I don't know how I managed through the next day, but I did!

just a little side note...

Thanks, Megan, for pointing this out.

I am ecstatic to be in a size 6. This is not at all what I consider "big" clothes. Although, the size 6 I am now is NOT the size 6 I was in high school. Seems to me that the new size 6 is the old size 8...

on a "un"roll

The girls and I just arrived home late last night from a week long trip to Arizona to visit my family. I'm tired, cranky and just not up to doing much today. I was in on the computer, trying to document (i.e. Blog) our trip and Marryn was in the bathroom, going "potty" (no, she's not toilet trained). She comes out and says there's water all over. I go in thinking I'm going to find maybe, hopefully, a little bit of pee, but no. I find water ALL OVER! I lift up the toilet lid to find it had clogged and overflowed, thanks to both Reganne, who unrolled a huge wad of toilet paper and Marryn, who tried to flush the huge wad of toilet paper. Multiple times.

blue jean baby

I just washed a solid load of jeans.

I don't remember the last time I washed a solid load of jeans since I left home.

Growing up, I thought jeans had to be washed with jeans (like with like) AND I though you could only wear a pair of jeans once before they had to be washed (oh, that is true...). But in my family, that's how it needed to be. My dad is/has been a builder, a rancher, a construction worker, a farmer... the list goes on as to what he does. He doesn't work a typical office job. And would never want to. Add in my two younger brothers who have followed his lead, and you get very dirty jeans. Lots of solid loads of jeans. Well, our life isn't quite that way. Our jeans are washed with our colors because we don't go through that many and we don't own that many. Jeans are expensive and well, to be honest, we are bigger than we'd like to be and we don't like to buy "big clothes." So one or two pairs is all we own (with the exception of the girls-oh how I love to buy them clothes!)

My mom has great taste. And loves to shop. And has in the past year or so whittled down to about nothing. So I came back from this trip to Arizona with an additional checked bag full of jeans. Jeans for myself. Size 6ish jeans that would fall off my mom, but fit somewhat nicely on myself. Name brand, expensive jeans.

I gave my mom a shirt I bought on clearance at Old Navy. It made me look pregnant, but flattered her quite nicely.

mother's day

Jean [Joey's Mom] just emailed these pictures to us. I think it was on Mother's Day, back in May at least. I'm always the one taking the pictures, and when I'm not, they never turn out (turn out of me that is). But I really like this one. It's a shame my "moody girl" isn't smiling (what a surprise), but I love it all the same. Thanks Jean, for taking such a nice picture of me and my girls!

crab and shrimp

I bought these 2 shirts at Old Navy (on clearance!) earlier this spring.

So fitting...

Marryn is such a moody girl at times. One minute happy and smiling, the next, in tears. Like today, she spilt a small container of tortilla chips while trying to climb onto a chair. END OF THE WORLD! After I showed her how she could pick them back up, she was good as new. She has been getting better. I try my best (as much as my patience will allow) to explain how things "bad" happen (and "good" things don't) and it's alright, and normal, all the while trying to sympathize with her as well. It's a tough task. I mean, how many times can I allow her to change her shirt when she spills water on it? (I've tried to explain that water will dry and water is how we clean clothes, but that's another story....) Maybe she's been watching too much Angelina Ballerina, now that is a moody mouse!

Reganne too is finding her place in the world, and unfortunately, it's not easy. She just wants what Marryn has. Or what Marryn can get. Or what Marryn just took away from her.... (I guess that goes for what Joey {the remote-as he just now complained to me} and I and anyone else has as well.) I watched her today get up so tall on her tiny little tippee toes, reaching so hard for a container of Marryn's paint brushes. Just out of her reach. Oh, was she ever frustrated! Over and over, we find her doing that, reaching for ANYTHING she can get a hold of. And when she succeeds, what a happy baby! I hope this doesn't become her lot in life, always wanting what her big sister has, and always being just a bit too small...

9 months

So, Reganne is nearing her 10 month mark and I have yet to get her "9 month portraits" done. With Marryn I was so faithful in taking her to a studio at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 months. They were pretty descent pictures, but not exactly what I really wanted and they cost a ton! So back when Reganne was 6 months, I set her up one day and took some pictures of her. I loved them so much that I decided not to do the studio thing and just take them myself.

Well at 6 months, she was just starting to sit...at 9 months she very much mobile. I've tried on a couple occasions to get some pictures and it is just not working! Most of them turn out blurry as she's crawling away...but I have gotten some really funny ones.

Today was an overcast day, so thinking I'd seize the moment and take Reganne outside I rushed to get her dressed as Marryn was staring out the window telling me the dark clouds are coming. And you know what dark clouds mean. Rain. As soon as I opened the door, it came pouring down. Maybe tomorrow...

scrapbook gallery

So, I've "discovered" a fun way to display all my many (ha, I wish) scrapbook pages. On our family blog! Maybe this will help me get going. Maybe. I'm going to post them here, in my 'Scrapbook Gallery', and I hope that from time to time new ones will find their way there...

why this blog

I started a blog months (a year?) ago, but never really got it up and going. But after viewing a couple friends' tonight, I got excited to start up again. I spend so much time on the computer anyhow, might as well make good use of it! Despite my best intentions, I rarely write anything down and the girls are just growing so fast, that I feel that I'm "missing" everything already. I love to scrapbook, yet, never really get around to it. So my hope is that, besides letting friends and family into our little everydays, our family blog will serve as our family journal. Something I can pull memories from to, one day, put into scrapbooks.