nap time

I wanted to peek at L one day while he was napping, and this is what I saw. The picture's a little blurry because I didn't know what setting to use without the flash. But you get the idea. Cute, huh?
Oh, and don't mind the hat. We had a cold spell, and our heater wasn't working. L and I hung out together in sweatshirts and beanies for a couple days, but we're nice and toasty now. :)

fun blocks

A while ago I went to a Relief Society Enrichment where we made these blocks. As much I hate doing this, I didn't actually work on my blocks that night, and instead took home an unfinished project. Well, going against my previous track record, I actually completed this project! And I love them so much! I just barely took down my Halloween/Fall decorations, so the Halloween one is a little make-shift. I realize that it's super early for Christmas, and I'm sure many of you out there are rolling your eyes and saying that I'm ruining Thanksgiving ... but in my mind, Christmas makes me even more grateful for life, love, family, and friends - and Thanksgiving is all about gratitude and giving to others ... so I celebrate both at the same time. I LOVE Thanksgiving, and I LOVE Christmas. Anyway - here's some pictures of my fun blocks!! The possibilities are endless!!

i really can't stay ...

... 'cuz baby it's cold outside ...

all in vain

L is definitely moving around more ... but not yet crawling (thank goodness!). He cracks us up how he finds ways to get to where he wants to be ... turning in circles, rolling over, screaming until we give in, etc. The other day he and I were playing on the floor and he started to use the coffee table shelves to pull himself up. A very cute attempt, but he is still missing one vital component: coordination with his legs. As you can see in the picture, his bottom half is definitely not responding to his requests!



And a few extras ... just for good measure. :)

seven months

It really does feel like time is speeding up on me, and I can't believe that L is already seven months! He continues to get so big and learn so much!
Current stats:
As of November 10, L weighs 21 lbs 10 oz.

He gained two whole pounds in one month! What a superstar! The upcoming picture is a perfect documentation of his chubbiness.
Recent favorites of L:

He has two teeth, and I swear the rest of 'em are coming soon! He is constantly chewing, drooling, gnawing, biting, and sucking on absolutely anything he can.

A couple months ago he stopped talking - kind of out of the blue he just stopped making noises ... but he found his voice again and loves to use it!

I try to practice the piano every once in a while, and whenever I do L tries to get my attention by yelling and making all sorts of really LOUD funny noises. Of course I turn to him and laugh and play with him, which is exactly what he wants ... so he continues to do it. It honestly cracks me up - but is so dang distracting I don't think I have improved at all. :)

Sitting all by himself is definitely his favorite thing to do. No more help from Mom and Dad - he's got it under control!

He thinks I am so funny, and I have begun to think the same. How else could I get him to laugh so hard he falls over? I was holding a piece of ribbon and acting like it was one of those ribbon-dancers (anybody remember those? the jingle is running through my head right now ...) and he thought it was hilarious! I love it!

The middle portion of his body (i.e. the enormous belly!) is weighing him down so he's not crawling yet. I have no objections to this! But it is rather funny watching his legs kick and his arms wave while his belly is still flat on the floor. Think we need to lose some weight buddy?

L is a bottomless pit. There has never been a time when he has said no to food ... and I feel like there has also never been a time when he is not hungry!

Eating more than just baby food. He's tried graham crackers and little bits of bread ... and he's ready for the next step. But what is it? :) haha ...

Sleeping through the night has improved dramatically!! Mom and Dad are SO happy!

Introduced temper-tantrums. Yuck! Definitely not a fan. I didn't think this happened for a while ... but L is getting way too opinionated for his own good!

Has a recent fascination with Mom's hair. He'll end up with fist-fulls of it ... and he tries to eat it. Ouch!

His giggle sometimes turn into this terradactyl-type screetching thing. Not all the time, but whenever he does it I just start laughing so hard that it scares him! So funny!

L is SO good at giving Mommy hugs. I'm not even kidding. He has both arms up around my neck and he kind of pushes down. It's absolutely adorable - and by far my favorite thing.

Loves the mirror! In the bathroom, the reflection in the car window, the mirrors in stores, the mirrors above produce that he can see from the cart, anywhere! If he can see his reflection that he gets so giddy and kicks his legs and waves his arms out of delight. I originally thought it was because he was seeing two of ME that made him so happy ... but sad to say it's not the case anymore. But how can you blame him with a grin like that?!

day in the park

I have been dying to take pictures of L in the leaves lately, which gave us a perfect excuse to go to the park! Ry and I played with L in the swings, and then we went and kicked around a soccer ball together - something we have not done in a very long time!! It felt so good to just play together, and to enjoy the beautiful weather we have been having!! The fall season is absolutely gorgeous out here in Ohio, and I want to take advantage of being outdoors while we still can!

i believe ...

in America

old news

So I'm late in announcing the news. L has teeth!! He has been teething for what feels like an eternity already, and the two bottom middle teeth finally cut through about a week and a half ago. For being such a fun baby, L does not deal with pain very well!! Teething has made him grumpy, needy, whiny, and just plain old mad! However, he is still my favorite and he still laughs at my silliness which makes it all worth it. Here are some pictures I have tried to take of the little culprits. And of course a few outtakes because I thought they were cute! (oh, and yes, L does have leftover carrots on his face from lunch. I promise I do clean my child ...)

ward halloween fun

To be honest, I haven't celebrated Halloween in a long time. But something changes once you have a kid and start imaging all the cute costumes you can put him in! As you may remember, L outgrew his original costume back in August, so we had to improvise. We found a new one at a garage sale, and it was worth the $5! I wanted to be all cute with a family theme (someday ...), but Ryan said no to wings. Instead, Ry chose to dress up as a good friend of ours. A little friendly imitation never hurts, right? :)
Here's Ryan and his idol
This is our theme - although I must say that my costume did not turn out near as good as I had wanted it to. My fly eyes took too long to figure out, so I couldn't shape them to my head - so they look goofy. They kept falling off, and L loved reaching for them, so I took them off after like 10 minutes. Oh well. The wings were the best part anyway - and I am proud of those (although you can't really see them). As you can see, I have a long ways to go before I can be one of the "cool" moms with homemade costumes!
I convinced a good friend of mine to enter the pie-eating contest with me. I'm sure our complexions suffered from the whipping cream! But it was fun! Thanks Kristina!
Our little speckled frog got pretty tired ...
Happy Halloween!!

my dad

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

My favorite things about my dad:

• He was incredibly handsome when he married my mom, and he still is to this day!
• He lives and breathes hard work. Whenever there's a job to be done, he does it to the best of his ability. There's no half-way with him. It's either done well, or not done at all.
  
• He takes his time - to work, to play, to love, to teach, to learn, to laugh, to live
• He knows everything! I'm not even kidding. Ask him anything, and he'll give you the answer.
• His whole purpose in life is to do things for and with his family. He works so hard to give his family the resources that we need. If he could have it his way, I'm sure every job in or outside the house would be done with the entire family chipping in.
  
• He's living proof that you're never too old to learn something new.
  
• He looks regal in his military uniform, handsome in a tux, and just about perfect in his Sunday suit (which belonged to my mother's dad).

• He instilled patriotism in us kids, and we are all proud to be Americans.
  
• He loves meeting new people, and can relate to anyone.
• His testimony is solid. I have never ever had a reason to doubt his faith.
• He was older than my best friend's grandpa when I was growing up. I guess he still is!
  
• He loves to be outdoors and has taught me to feel the same. My favorite family vacations were when we would go camping, hiking, fishing, skiing, backpacking or anything else outside.

• He's completely able to be in front of the group when we're hiking or skiing or backpacking, but yet he chooses to bring up the rear, making sure everyone makes it. I'm sure it's his quiet way of being supportive to every family member, no matter what the circumstances.
  
• He often is being teased, and has developed a good sense of humor about it. (e.g. In Heaven, I'm sure he will have a beautiful singing voice ... so we'll have to wait to hear it.)
• He is a professional dutch-oven cooker. I'm not kidding - he's that good.
• He can fix anything in the house. Growing up I never knew that there were men who got paid to go to houses and fix electrical problems, or holes in the wall created by the kids roller-blading in the house, or leaks in the roof, or remodeling the kitchen, adding on another garage, doubling the square footage of a house, or even building a house from the ground-up by himself.
  
• He draws up the plans himself, and can create whatever he wants.
  
• He is a great dancer.
• He's a loving Grandfather to five incredible grandkids who are all very lucky.
• I love him! Happy Birthday Dad!

a bend in the road

"My future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don't know what lies around the bend, but I'm going to believe that the best does. It has a fascination of its own, that bend, Marilla. I wonder how the road beyond it goes--what there is of green glory and soft, checkered light and shadows--what new landscapes--what new beauties--what curves and hills and valleys further on."

-Anne Shirley, Anne of Green Gables

I read this book recently, and started thinking about the bends in the road that I have experienced. As a teenager, I had my entire life mapped out. I knew exactly what I would be doing and where. I knew who I was going to marry, where I would serve a mission (if I would serve a mission was not an option), what I would graduate from college in, and what my career would be. To be honest, I feel like I had the answers to most of the questions long before I was a teenager! I prided myself in being the one in control, and was stubborn enough to argue with anyone who mentioned alternative options.

One of the biggest bends in the road that I ever experienced was when I met Ryan. Up until that point, almost everything in my life had happened according to plan - I could still see what lied ahead for me. When our relationship got to the point where we openly discussed marriage, I could almost literally see my life's path turning from everything that I had previously known. So many choices, decisions, and outcomes changed. I realized that by making the decision to marry Ryan, I was consciously choosing the path that would require more faith than I had ever had because I could not see past the bend in the road.

It's only been three and a half years since then, but I must say they are the best I have ever experienced. I realize now that we are constantly faced with bends in the road - and it is our choice to be grateful for them and enjoy them to the fullest. Marriage, becoming parents, starting medical school, moving across the country, deciding on a residency, raising our family, living every-day life - all of these things throw surprises at us. But the sweetest blessings are found in the moments when you recognize Heavenly Father's direction in your life, and how He knows better than you do. I am so grateful for the choices I have made - with His help - that have led me to where I am today.

There are still many bends ahead, and it's a little scary sometimes thinking about what the future holds for me and my family. But I also love the possibilities that we can choose from. I wonder how the road goes beyond the next bend ...

rose garden

Monday was so incredibly beautiful!! After I took all those fun pictures of L hanging out in the crib, we decided that the weather was perfect and necessitated additional pictures. We picked Ry up from class in the afternoon and went to a park on the way home. It's the Columbus Park of Roses - and honestly ... it's October. I knew that quite a few roses stayed in bloom well into September and October, but I didn't think that we would see that many!! It was absolutely beautiful! And the minute you walk into this area of the park, the smell just hits you like a wall and it's heaven on earth. At BYU I worked as a TA for a floral design class for spring term, and I got so spoiled working with roses and other flowers every single day. It was awesome! I had way too much fun taking hundreds of pictures ... but I like so many of them that I want to share a lot! Since they're small, just double click 'em to make 'em big. Hope you enjoy!

On top of the view point where you could see thousands of roses!

As I was taking pictures ... I noticed two little guys in the background being ever so patient! Cute, huh?

I loved these colors!

Although taking pictures of the roses were fun, I think this subject is much more cute!

This one was called "Singing in the Rain" - cute, huh? :)