9 Wonderful Years

almost a month ago

 

our 9th anniversary

 

spent the weekend without claire at zermatt

 

very relaxing

 

laid by the pool all day

 

went golfing

 

nice to have no responsibilities for two days

 

can't believe it's already been nine years

 

really can't believe next year will be the big 1-0

 

love you erik

Expecting #2

Erik and I are expecting baby number two! We are so excited and thrilled to be adding to our family. However, I am very anxious to be adding another munchkin and don't know how it's going to work with two of them to take care of. Everything about it is stressing me out. How in the world am I supposed to run errands or even get out of the house with two kids on different sleeping schedules? Will I ever breathe fresh air again? And where the heck is this baby supposed to sleep? We only have two bedrooms in this house. Guess he or she is going in a closet. :) I know I am blowing it totally out of proportion, but the new addition is seriously going to throw me for a loop. It's definitely going to be a whirlwind that's for sure.

To be honest, it almost doesn't feel like it's really happening. I feel like I'm just getting fat, tired, more zits, and have no energy to do anything. Unlike my last pregnancy, I often forget what is going on and really haven't paid much attention to the growing fetus inside of me. Claire takes every ounce of my attention and I never seem to remember to catch up on how big the baby is at that moment or what body part is currently developing. I couldn't even take the first "I'm Pregnant!" picture before the word "Pregnant" disappeared from the screen. When I finally got around to taking it, I had to digitally insert "Pregnant" onto the stick (good thing I still had it laying around). Shows you how lazy I have been these past few months. You'll also notice that I can't seem to take my belly pictures on time. I've missed the usual 4, 8, and 12 week marks. Oh well. :)

I am currently 17 weeks, and so far, this pregnancy has been very different from when I had Claire. Thankfully, I really haven't been sick. With Claire, I threw up constantly. This time around, I throw up bile in the morning when I brush my teeth and that's it (sorry TMI). Every now and then I feel nauseous later in the day, but all I have to do is pop a Zofran and almost two seconds later I feel great. Well, not great, but not nauseous. :) The other weird thing is that I haven't fully embraced my baby bump. I honestly don't know what it is, but I haven't been able to get myself to wear fitted shirts that show off my belly. At first I felt that I was showing way too quickly for how far along I was, but now I really have no excuse. Along that note, I could not believe how fast I started showing this time. I swear the week after I knew I was pregnant (and I knew right away because I was tracking everything), I felt so bloated and gross and thought I looked two months into it. It was so crazy how fast my body changed.

Last week, at my four month check up, we tried to find out the gender. Unfortunately, their ultrasound machine just wasn't good enough to decipher between the three parts the doctor could see. He told us he saw three parts but couldn't tell if they were three girl parts or three boy parts. :( We were so disappointed. Now we have to wait another week and a half for my official ultrasound (which actually is earlier than initially expected). Hopefully the legs will be spread! :)

Big Girl Hair

Claire and I are always rushing out the door in a hurry so when it comes to our hair, it generally looks like a mess. Usually, I resort to a fast clip on the side or a messy pony tail. To be honest, she's lucky if I give her a good brush through. However, recently I was inspired to try a new hairstyle on Claire. Why had I never done french braids before? I have no idea, but I thought I'd give it a shot. It's not the easiest thing to do on a squirmy toddler, but if we have an extra 20 minutes before we have to leave (which will be never), I've got it figured out.

She looked so adorable in her very first set of french braids that I had to take some quick photos of her. We drove down the street, pulled over at the entrance to an apartment complex and began our session. It literally lasted about two minutes. No big deal; all I wanted was documentation of Claire's new big girl hairstyle. They turned out pretty cute.


Claire started to throw a temper tantrum so I put her in the car and told her I would take some pictures of Khloe and she could look at them. Whenever I take pictures, she insists on looking at them immediately, so I knew this would make her happy.

She stood there hanging her head out of the window watching me as I plopped Khloe down on the grass and shot away. Khloe's such a good sport. Shortly after, when I showed Claire the photos, she was very amused and the crying subsided.

I love my little girls so much!





*P.S. - maybe I should brush Khloe's hair too :)

Bonding with the 4-Legged

                                                                         

Another afternoon at Wheeler Farm.

 

Claire's favorite animals to visit are the horses, cows, ducks, and rabbits.

 

She always wants to pet each animal and generally doesn't mind getting close to them. Once she accidentally stuck her finger up a cow's nose. Yuck!

 

This particular day, she was obsessed with the horses. I always want to remember how cute she was watching the horses from a far. She even struck up a little conversation with them. I think she was trying to tell them to come closer to her. Guess they understood her babbling, because shortly after they came over right by us. I will always remember how adorable it was when she blew them kisses over and over before we left. Loved it!

 

A Nice Stroll in the Mountains

A couple of weeks ago our family took an evening hike along the Pipeline Trail, which is up Millcreek Canyon. It was a perfect summer evening with the fam. I was so happy to be doing something outside and to not be dripping in sweat. I am so over this 100 degree weather we've been having lately.

We spent about an hour or so walking along the trail with the Moffat family (Erik's sister) enjoying each other's company. Claire loved chasing Soren along the trail for the first little bit, but then she got a little restless and wanted to be carried. Liv, Erik, and myself all took turns lugging Claire on our hips, but it just wasn't working for her. She wanted to ride with Viv.


Left: Soren playing in the dirt / Right: The kiddos - Soren refused to look at the
camera...gotta love photographing toddlers :)

Viv was on Steve's back in a baby carrier and that looked like the perfect spot to Claire. Steve was such a good sport and actually carried Vivian and Claire for quite a while. He definitely got his workout in.

Every one of us enjoyed the evening out together; even Khlo Khlo. I specifically chose this hike because dogs are allowed in this particular canyon. We couldn't go on a walk outside and leave little Khloe at home. I would have felt terrible. :) She loved walking along the path and I know she would have wanted to spend another three hours exploring. But, the little ones had enough after about an hour so we headed back.

Summer nights are so much fun! The weather has begun to cool down and I surely haven't missed sweating profusely...but I will definitely miss the perfect evening temperatures. Hopefully we can fit in another couple of hikes before Fall hits us.

A New Discovery

After complaining to Erik a few weeks ago about how I am so bored of doing the same things over and over; I happened to discover a fun activity while searching the Internet. Who knew there were "beaches" in Utah? I sure didn't. I told Claire that morning that we were going to the beach. She looked at me and said, "dolphins? crabs?". Unfortunately, I had to tell her there would be none of those, but that she would have tons of fun playing in the sand. And that she did! That afternoon, me, Claire, and her Farmor spent the day at Blackridge Reservoir in Herriman. It was no nice to do something different for a change (even though it took forever to drive out there).

 

Being the typical Claire, she kept her knees and everything above them completely dry. I don't know what it is, but if she's not at a city pool or water park with slides and toys, she has no interest in getting completely wet. So, we spent most of our time on the sand. Thanks to her Farmor, Claire learned how much fun it is to cover people's toes with sand. She did this for quite a while and spent the rest of the time eating and playing with her snacks. I enjoyed the unfamiliar scenery and watching Claire smile as she discovered new and exciting things to do that afternoon.

 

 

 "Help Mommy! I can't find my toes!"

Play Time

(blurry photo taken from my phone)

"You want your ball?"

Khloe definitely knows the meaning to that question.
She'll look at you with so much excitement she can hardly keep her little body still. Her ears perk up and her tail begins to wag. This girl knows what's about to happen.

From the moment you get her tiny green tennis ball out of the drawer for play time, she is in heaven. Khloe could play fetch with this thing for hours!

So, here is a documented reminder to myself:
Never forget how much Khloe loves her ball!

Love you Khlo Khlo; my oldest child! :)

Family Golf Outing

Earlier this month we took a family outing to Wasatch Mountain Golf Course. I packed up tons of snacks for a full day of watching Erik golf with his friend. Little did Claire know, we had a very long day ahead of us.

Khloe loves to go golfing. I seriously think it is her favorite thing to do. Sometimes we let her run along side the cart for some exercise, however she didn't this time because it was too hot outside to get her all worked up. So, she spent most of the time sightseeing from the cart and always enjoys trying to scare away any wildlife in her view, especially the occasional squirrel that runs by.

Claire enjoys golfing with her Daddy as well. Of course, driving the cart is a favorite of hers. She also likes to scribble all over Erik's score card. During this past outing, I tried to teach her how to tend the flag. She liked it for about two seconds; the flag was a little too heavy for her.

Claire did great for the first nine holes, which took about 2 1/2 hours. Around hole number 10, we were all (not Erik, of course) getting pretty worn out. When I would tell Claire that someone was going to hit the ball and we needed to be quiet, we no longer heard silence (she was really good at first). Claire had gotten very antsy by this time and hitting balls on the green was the only thing that would keep her quiet.

Eventually, like five hours later, we were finished. Yay! It was a fun afternoon as a family, but after a missed nap and almost six hours of doing the same thing, the girls and I had enough. I was glad we could enjoy Erik's favorite past time as a family but was also very anxious to get home. After all, I was completely out of snacks!

Anxiously Waiting

Seriously can't believe I'm going to have another child in six months.

I don't know what I am more....nervous or excited.

If I continue to build it up in my head that it's going

to be very challenging with two kiddos will I be

pleasantly surprised to find out it's not?

Sure hope so!

Claire and I at her Farmor's 60th birthday party last month.

"Watch It Khloe!"

Remember this picture I posted a while back? Claire was very upset when I wouldn't let her put on anymore of my necklaces. For a period of time, she was constantly getting into my necklace drawer so I eventually had to move it to a higher location that would be out of her reach. I thought this would solve my problem, but she continued to talk about my "suckas" (necklaces) and always wanted to wear them. Realizing that it was only a matter of time before she broke one of them, I headed out to buy Claire some necklaces of her very own.

At first, she loved them! One afternoon in May, she discovered a new activity involving Khloe and her necklaces. She could put them ON Khloe! Khloe was a patient little girl and let Claire put them over her neck time after time while enjoying the warm spring weather out on our deck. Claire was thoroughly amused by her new activity.

When I recently came across these pictures again (2 months later), it made me think of Claire's new phrase: "watch it Khloe!". Usually it involves Claire jumping off of our coffee table onto the couch and her wanting you to watch her over and over again. She will say this phrase to anyone and loves to add Khloe into the mix. Notice it's not "watch this".

If Claire thinks she is doing something worthy of an audience, you will definitely

be summoned to "watch it". Even little Khloe.

Love & Memories

Early July my parents left on their 3rd mission. They were called to Oslo, Norway.
Personally, I was very excited for them. What an amazing opportunity to live and serve in the land of our heritage (my family is 100% Scandinavian).

I was also extremely sad they were leaving.
Being their 3rd mission, I felt like I could definitely handle their time away since they'd done it two times before. But this time was going to bring new circumstances.

Claire - she loves her Mormor and Morfar. She saw them at least once a week.
18 Months is a long time for a toddler to be away from someone. I wondered how it would affect her relationship when they finally came home. Then I realized that I was grateful she had created such a wonderful relationship already and that when the time comes for her to see them in person again, they'll pick up right where they left off.

Baby O - this is the hardest for me. My parents will be gone for the entire pregnancy and birth of my second child. And on top of that, our little baby will be almost one year old when they first see each other. How am I going to go through that without my Mother? Yes, Skype is amazing, but it's not the same.

In order not to cry, I have to try and focus on the blessings this situation will bring and not the sacrifices we are all making so they can serve the Lord. I am so grateful for their example of service. I am hopeful that Erik and I will be able to visit them next year so that I can see them in all their glory and travel around the land of my ancestors.

Of course, I have many memories of my parents, but for Claire....I hope she remembers these moments she experienced just a few days prior to their departure: giving her Mormor kisses and playing Lego's with her on the living room floor. I hope she remembers jumping to her Morfar and how much she loves it when the "tickle bug" comes out of his shirt pocket to play. Most of all, I hope she remembers the joy she feels when she was around them and how excited she now gets to Skype with them on the computer.

I love you Mom and Dad! Wish you were here to be with us!

 

 (These last two pictures are courtesy of my crappy phone. I couldn't believe I left

my camera at home the morning they left for Norway.) 

4th of July Weekend

Our family spent a relaxing 4th of July weekend doing mostly nothing.

We did venture out to the city pool for some fun in the sun. Claire had a blast going down the slide with Erik. They probably went at least 20 times. I enjoyed having some adult company for once.



Later we headed to Erik's parent's house for dinner. The food is always great! Claire ran around with some of her cousins and got a pretty big scrape on her knee. Her Farfar gave her a band aid to make it feel better, which it did.

She didn't care for the "snaps". Is that what they're called? The things you throw on the ground? Either did Khloe. She ran for the hills...actually she ran into the house and it took me a while to find her.

Claire enjoyed the sparklers except for when the sparks hit her skin a few times. From then on she tried to give herself a little distance. Then it was snack time with Emma. They willingly shared their treats with each other. So cute!

We ended our night watching firework displays throughout the valley. Erik found the perfect spot - laying on the grass at Old Mill Golf Course. We were pretty much the only ones there.

Claire insisted I take pictures of her. "Picture of Care Bear!" she said over and over. Then she had to see the picture as if she was giving it her approval. Too funny!

What a great way to end the night. Erik and I took turns relaxing on the blanket with little "Khlo Khlo". This was one of my favorite 4th's. Very relaxing and stress free!

Family Visit

my sister and her kids came in town the end of june

claire (and I) loved every second of it

we did SO many things

natural history museum

claire's cousins were very anxious to see the dinosaurs

claire's favorite part was the dome of ants

this started a new obsession (with ants)

hogle zoo

saw the new polar bear - he was sleeping

couldn't see the brown bear - he was sleeping too far away

always love the giraffe exhibit 'cause you always have a good view

claire was most interested in ants she found on the ground

she also touched a possum that was in rehabilitation at the zoo

our afternoon ended with a cousin picture - claire cried 'cause she

thought she was going to fall off of the ledge

I was a mean mother and forced claire to get water sprayed in her face

I was even more mean when I made her stand there three times

wanted to get video and pictures

erik got mad at me

now whenever she sees a picture of an elephant she says "elphant sneeze"



cowabunga bay

our first time there

it was awesome

toddler area was great - water was luke warm

claire went down almost all of the slides

even the big ones they allowed her to ride on with daddy

let claire skip her nap - stayed there about five hours

all of us had tons of fun

can't wait to go back again

soccer game at real stadium

us women's national team vs. Canada

unexpectedly saw two relatives on the "hall of fame" wall

my grandpa and erik's uncle - way to go guys!

extremely hot

we drenched claire's head with water to keep her cool

we won - yay

so much fun in one week

glad the taylor's were able to make it for claire's birthday

spent good quality family time together

got a funny photo of the kids not cooperating for a "cousin portrait"

thankfully, a decent photo came afterwards

something to remember:

pretty sure claire thinks "Ashlyn & Avery" is one person

she sees one and says "Ashyn Avry"

after they left we taught her where Nevada was on her puzzle

she calls it "Ashyn Avry house"



The Best Birthday Present was...

SURPRISE!

Claire is going to be a big sister!

Claire's first present to open at her birthday party was a special one

from Mommy and Daddy that surprised everyone!

Her baby brother or sister will be arriving around February 15, 2013. We are so excited!

Balls, Circles, & Everything Round!

This post is so overdue! When it comes to blogging about big events, it kills me.

Tons of pictures to edit and words to write; it is completely overwhelming.

Almost two months ago we celebrated Claire's 2nd birthday at my parent's house. I decided to hold the party there because I knew things would go a lot more smoothly being at someones house and not an outside location (park) like Claire's party last year. I picked my brain to try and remember if anything went wrong this time and I couldn't recall any hiccups. It went great! When it came to planning her party this year, my enthusiasm took a huge nose dive. I was so excited to plan her first birthday party but this one I was dreading. Parties are a lot of work when you want everything to be done perfectly. Why do we do this to ourselves?! The theme I decided on was BALLS. Everything revolved around balls or being circular. Claire has loved any sort of ball since she was a baby, so I rolled with it. :)

Before I knew it, I was running out of time and needing to get the ball rolling. I quickly took a few photos of Claire for the invitation that I had designed and got them in the mail. Then it was onto the details. Originally, I had planned roll (round) sandwiches with all ingredients being round as well: provolone cheese, turkey deli slices, tomatoes, etc. I realized that is way too much stuff to prepare so we went with the easiest (and also round) thing I could think of: pizza. On the side we had round waffle cups filled with circular fruit (grapes, watermelon balls, and blueberries) as well as cheese puff balls and round chips.

For the dessert table I managed to keep everything round as well. Powdered donut holes, jelly beans, cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, lollipops, glazed donuts, Oreos, and other sugary treats. The kids could not keep their little hands away; they loved it!

Claire's favorite thing to eat at her party were the cheese puff balls. Every time I looked she was stealing more and more out of the bowl. I think her face was stained orange before the party even began.

One thing I didn't do last year that I wanted to incorporate this year was a photo booth. Claire was a squirmy wiggle worm all day so getting her to sit and smile for a photo was more difficult than usual. We must have bribed her with more cheese puffs to get these shots. :)

Below are a few shots of Claire's cousins and friends that were able to attend her party. My favorite has to be her cousin, Blake, who wouldn't sit on the bench even for a second. He's definitely going to laugh at this picture someday.

Top: Vivian and Soren Moffat, Halle McBride, Blake Taylor
Bottom: Ty Pearson, Ashlyn Taylor, Soren Moffat

Khloe didn't enjoy the afternoon too much. Besides being mad at Erik for giving her an ugly haircut the night before, she was extremely nervous after hearing random balloons pop (probably due to the heat) all afternoon. She absolutely hates the sounds of things popping: balloons, gum, bubble wrap...it freaks her out. Thank you Mom and Dad for comforting her all day.

The highlight of the event was having my sister and her kids in town, and of course, all of our friends and their kids who joined in on the fun. We are so grateful to our family and friends who came to celebrate Claire's special day. Here are some photos of the party goers:

Next on the agenda was present opening. Claire enjoyed the unwrapping part the most and seemed a little uninterested after every present she opened was just a box filled with something inside. Thank you to all of you who gave her a gift. She was completely spoiled! Stay tuned to find out what gift the guests voted to be the "best present".

For our gift, we gave Claire a fancy new balance bike. She started to get the hang of it after a few minutes, but then had her first fall. Thankfully, there were no tears. She is still intimidated by the bigger size and hasn't really taken to it yet, but we are excited to watch her cruise around the neighborhood once she finally figures it out.

Before I knew it, the party was ending and we hadn't even sang Happy Birthday to the birthday girl. Claire had just recently gained an interest in blowing out candles so she was actually a little excited. However, we couldn't keep the candle lit due to the wind so there was no yellow flame to blow out. We sang to her and she just stared at the cupcake like "what am I supposed to do with this?". Then, we told her to blow out the candle so she did. At least, she thought she did. :) Thankfully, she didn't care that there was no flame and enjoyed "blowing out the candle" anyway. 



After she realized she could eat the weird thing sitting on her high chair, she devoured it. Now, her face was no longer stained orange...it was red.

One thing I almost forgot...a family snapshot. The one we got wasn't so great, but at least it documents that we were all there. I also tried to get a cute shot of me and Claire together. She was not having any of it. 

All in all, her birthday party was a success. I was so glad it was finally over and hope everyone had a ball!